Bioland (South Korea)

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) contribute to aging by mainly damaging cellular organelles and DNA. Although strategies to reduce ROS production have been proposed as important components of anti-aging therapy, effective mechanisms to lower ROS levels have not yet been identified. Here, we screened natural compounds frequently used as cosmetic ingredients to find substances that reduce ROS levels. Magnolia officinalis (M. officinalis) extract significantly lowered the levels of ROS in senescent fibroblasts. A novel mechanism by which M. officinalis extract restores mitochondrial function to reduce ROS, a byproduct of inefficient electron transport, was discovered. The reduction of ROS by M. officinalis extracts reversed senescence–associated phenotypes and skin aging. Then, honokiol was demonstrated as a core ingredient of M. officinalis extract that exhibits antioxidant effects. Honokiol functions as an oxygen radical scavenger through redox processes, also significantly reduced ROS levels by restoring mitochondrial function. In summary, our study identified a novel mechanism by which M. officinalis extract reverses aging and skin aging by reducing ROS through restoring mitochondrial function. These new findings will not only expand our understanding of aging and associated diseases, but also provide new approaches to anti–aging treatments.

Stress-related symptoms are a global concern, impacting millions of individuals, yet effective and safe treatments remain scarce. Although multiple studies have highlighted the stress- alleviating properties of saffron extract, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study employs the unpredictable chronic mild stress (CMS) animal model to investigate the impact of a standardized saffron extract, Affron® (AFN), on hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis regulation and neuroplasticity in Wistar rats following repeated oral administration. The research evaluates AFN’s effects on various stress-related parameters, including hypothalamic gene expression, stress hormone levels, and the sucrose preference test. In animals subjected to continuous unpredictable CMS, repetitive administration of AFN at doses of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg effectively normalized HPA axis dysregulation and enhanced neuroplasticity. Increased concentrations of AFN demonstrated greater efficacy. Following AFN oral administration, adrenocorticotropic and corticosterone hormone levels exhibited significant or nearly significant reductions in comparison to subjects exposed to stress only. These changes align with the alleviation of stress and the normalization of the HPA axis. These findings elucidate AFN’s role in stress mitigation, affirm its health benefits, validate its potential as a treatment for stress-related symptoms, confirm its physiological effectiveness, and emphasize its therapeutic promise.

This study investigated the role of natural polymers as moisturizers with low toxicity and biodegradability in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. We isolated a polysaccharide extract from Dendrobium candidum (D.candidum) and determined its efficacy in skin hydration when used as an active cosmetic ingredient. The molecular weight distribution of D.candidum polysaccharides was analyzed via gel permeation chromatography (GPC). We performed real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and western blotting assays to investigate the physiological mechanism of the polysaccharides extracted from D.candidum (PDC). Based on in vitro data, the efficacy of PDC in improving skin condition was tested on the face of 21 volunteers. The expression of filaggrin (FLG), caspase-14, and bleomycin hydrolase, which are the major components contributing to skin hydration, was significantly increased in the PDC-treated group. Further, the PDC upregulated the mRNA expression of occludin and claudin-1, which play a key role in epidermal barrier function. In addition, a topical application of PDC markedly increased skin hydration and improved trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and skin elasticity after 2weeks. It is the first study reporting the efficacy of PDC-mediated FLG mechanism associated with positive skin hydration. PDC can be used as an active ingredient in moisturizers. Long-term application of PDC-based moisturizers may result in significant improvement in elasticity and barrier function.

Scaffold hopping is a widely used strategy for drug design towards kinase inhibitors. In current study, we proposed a fragment-based deep learning strategy for scaffold hopping towards the conserved hinge binding motif of kinase inhibitors in a large scale.

We demonstrated the effect of a mixture containing fermented Achyranthes japonica Nakai (FS) in the context of a monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced osteoarthritis animal model. The mineralization, anabolic and catabolic factors, and the amount of cytokines within the articular cartilage of rats were measured after administration of MIA. We found that dietary supplementation with methylsulfonylmethane (positive control) and FS (FS 100 mg/kg body weight [b.w.] and FS 300 mg/kg b.w.) effectively suppressed pathological changes in the knee joint and inhibited changes in the architectural and mineralization parameters. In addition, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and proinflammatory cytokines in the serum and catabolic factors, including matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 and MMP-7 in articular cartilage, were decreased by dietary supplementation with FS in MIA-induced osteoarthritis. Based on these findings, we suggest that FS can be used for the development of potential therapies for osteoarthritis.

Phytoestrogens possess beneficial effects in the management of menopausal symptoms with few side effects. Soybeans are major natural sources of isoflavones, with high estrogen receptor (ER)-β selectivity. The objective of this study therefore was to develop a solvent-mediated extraction method for soybean germinated embryos (SGEs) and to investigate the biological activities of the extract. Ethanolic extraction yielded the SGE extract (SGEE), which had a unique composition of biologically active aglycones and soyasaponins. SGEE showed a proliferative effect in MCF7 cells and ERβ-selective transcriptional activities in human embryonic kidney cells. In addition, oral administration of SGEE to ovariectomized rats resulted in the induction of ERβ and estrogen-responsive genes in the uterus and a decrease in tail skin temperature and uterus weight. Our data suggest that germination and ethanolic extraction are effective measures for producing isoflavone-rich food supplements, which may be useful as alternative menopausal hormone therapy.

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) has been established globally as a nutritionally important food item, particularly owing to high levels of bioactive compounds such as rutin. This study investigated the effect of tartary buckwheat extracts (TBEs) on adipogenesis and inflammatory response in 3T3-L1 cells. TBEs inhibited lipid accumulation, triglyceride content, and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity during adipocyte differentiation of 3T3 L1 cells. The mRNA levels of genes involved in fatty acid synthesis, such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-α (CEBP-α), adipocyte protein 2 (aP2), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and stearoylcoenzyme A desaturase-1 (SCD-1), were suppressed by TBEs. They also reduced the mRNA levels of inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). In addition, TBEs were decreased nitric oxide (NO) production. These results suggest that TBEs may inhibit adipogenesis and inflammatory response; therefore, they seem to be beneficial as a food ingredient to prevent obesity-associated inflammation.

4-O-methylhonokiol, a neolignan compound from Magnolia Officinalis, has been reported to have various biological activities including hair growth promoting effect. However, although transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signal pathway has an essential role in the regression induction of hair growth, the effect of 4-O-methylhonokiol on the TGF-β signal pathway has not yet been elucidated. We thus examined the effect of 4-O-methylhonokiol on TGF-β-induced canonical and noncanonical pathways in HaCaT human keratinocytes. When HaCaT cells were pretreated with 4-O-methylhonokiol, TGF-β1-induced G1/G0 phase arrest and TGF-β1-induced p21 expression were decreased. Moreover, 4-O-methylhonokiol inhibited nuclear translocation of Smad2/3, Smad4 and Sp1 in TGF-β1-induced canonical pathway. We observed that ERK phosphorylation by TGF-β1 was significantly attenuated by treatment with 4-O-methylhonokiol. 4-O-methylhonokiol inhibited TGF-β1-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and reduced the increase of NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) mRNA level in TGF-β1-induced noncanonical pathway. These results indicate that 4-O-methylhonokiol could inhibit TGF-β1-induced cell cycle arrest through inhibition of canonical and noncanonical pathways in human keratinocyte HaCaT cell and that 4-O-methylhonokiol might have protective action on TGF-β1-induced cell cycle arrest.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of fermented garlic extract by lactic acid bacteria (LAFGE) against acetaminophen (AAP)-induced acute liver injury in rats. Here we demonstrated that rats treated with LAFGE exhibit resistance to AAP-induced liver injury accompanied by lowered plasma alanine amino transferase levels and decreased proinflammatory responses. This function of LAFGE is linked to its capacity of suppressing AAP-induced apoptosis in the liver, partly via the inhibition of MAPK phosphorylation as well as down-regulation of p53. Our findings reveal that LAFGE modulates the signaling pathways involved in hepatic apoptosis through cellular redox control, as indicated by the inhibition of lipid peroxidation, glutathione and ATP depletion, and the elevation of antioxidant enzyme activities. Taken together, these findings indicate that LAFGE ameliorates AAP-induced liver injury by preventing oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis, thereby establishing LAFGE as a potential supplement in the treatment of AAP-induced liver injury.