Benefits of Panax ginseng on Male Reproductive Systems: A Comprehensive Review

Sushruta Koppula,Spandana Rajendra Kopalli,Kang Helen H.,Si-Kwan Kim 건강기능식품미래포럼 2023 건강기능식품미래포럼 학술지 Vol.3 No.4

The sexuality of living organisms is an inherent trait bestowed by Mother Nature to ensure the continuation of the species. In light of nature’s perspective, the conservation of the species would be of the utmost significance. The process of lovemaking encompasses the natural expressions of desire, the intimate act of intercourse, and ejaculation in males or the experience of orgasm in females. Any breakdown in the course of this process may lead to a decline in sexual potency, prompting individuals to seek out means of boosting their sexual prowess. In the realm of traditional knowledge, Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (P. ginseng), has long been recognized for its potential to enhance the sexual well-being of individuals, particularly on males. During the past several decades, significant advancements have been made in uncovering the science-based biological activity of P. ginseng. In this review we attempted to evaluate the usefulness of P. ginseng as a medicinal herb for male sexuality revitalizer. Our evaluation was based on the findings obtained from in vitro experiments, animal studies conducted in vivo, clinical trials, and assessments provided by peer reviewers. In conclusion, it is highly likely that P. ginseng is the botanical with the potential to enhance male sexual capacity. However, in order to establish absolute conviction, it is imperative to conduct well-designed placebo-controlled double-blind clinical trials.

Anti-fibrotic effects of Orostachys japonicus A. Berger (Crassulaceae) on hepatic stellate cells and thioacetamide-induced fibrosis in rats

Sushruta Koppula,Mun-Jeong Yum,Jin-Seoub Kim,Gwang-Mo Shin,Yun-Jin Chae,Tony Yoon,Chi-Su Chun,Jae-Dong Lee,MinDong Song 한국영양학회 2017 Nutrition Research and Practice Vol.11 No.6

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Orostachys japonicus A. Berger (Crassulaceae) has been used in traditional herbal medicines in Korea and other Asian countries to treat various diseases, including liver disorders. In the present study, the anti-fibrotic effects of O. japonicus extract (OJE) in cellular and experimental hepatofibrotic rat models were investigated. MATERIALS/METHODS: An in vitro hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) system was used to estimate cell viability, cell cycle and apoptosis by MTT assay, flow cytometry, and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining techniques, respectively. In addition, thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver fibrosis was established in Sprague Dawley rats. Briefly, animals were divided into five groups (n = 8): Control, TAA, OJE 10 (TAA with OJE 10 ㎎/㎏), OJE 100 (TAA with OJE 100 ㎎/㎏) and silymarin (TAA with Silymarin 50 ㎎/㎏). Fibrosis was induced by treatment with TAA (200 ㎎/㎏, i.p.) twice per week for 13 weeks, while OJE and silymarin were administered orally two times per week from week 7 to 13. The fibrotic related gene expression serum biomarkers glutathione and hydroxyproline were estimated by RT-PCR and spectrophotometry, respectively, using commercial kits. RESULTS: OJE (0.5 and 0.1 ㎎/ mL) and silymarin (0.05 ㎎/mL) treatment significantly (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001) induced apoptosis (16.95% and 27.48% for OJE and 25.87% for silymarin, respectively) in HSC-T6 cells when compared with the control group (9.09%). Further, rat primary HSCs showed changes in morphology in response to OJE 0.1 ㎎/mL treatment. In in vivo studies, OJE (10 and 100 ㎎/㎏) treatment significantly ameliorated TAA-induced alterations in levels of serum biomarkers, fibrotic related gene expression, glutathione, and hydroxyproline (P < 0.05-P < 0.001) and rescued the histopathological changes. CONCLUSIONS: OJE can be developed as a potential agent for the treatment of hepatofibrosis.

Hepatoprotective Effect of <i>Houttuynia cordata</i> Thunb Extract against Carbon Tetrachloride-induced Hepatic Damage in Mice

Kang, H.,Koppula, S. Medknow PublicationsMedia Pvt Ltd 2014 Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences Vol.76 No.4

<P><I>Houttuynia cordata</I> Thunb (<I>Saururaceae</I>) is a traditional medicinal herb used to treat several disease symptoms. The present study was focused on the hepatoprotective effects of <I>H. cordata</I> ethyl acetate extract in experimental mice. Further the antioxidant potential of the extract was also evaluated to substantiate its hepatoprotective properties. Carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic damage in mice was used to measure the serum biochemical parameters. Morphological changes in hepatocyte architecture were studied by haematoxylin and eosin staining. <I>In vitro</I> alkyl and hydroxyl free radical scavenging assays were performed to evaluate the antioxidant effect. Administration of <I>H. cordata</I> extract significantly reduced the elevated serum levels and regulated the altered levels of serum cholesterol in carbon tetrachloride-treated mice (<I>P</I><0.05). The morphological changes in hepatocyte architecture were also reversed by <I>H. cordata</I> treatment. Further, the extract showed significant antioxidant actions by scavenging the alkyl and hydroxyl free radicals. The concentration of the extract necessary for 50% scavenging of alkyl and hydroxyl radicals was 15.5 and 410 μg/ml, respectively. <I>H. cordata</I> extract exhibited significant hepatoprotective property in carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. The strong antioxidant activities possessed by the extract might be responsible for such actions.</P>

Houttuynia cordata Attenuates Lipid Accumulation via Activation of AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Signaling Pathway in HepG2 Cells

Kang, H.,Koppula, S. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CHINESE MEDICINE INC 2014 The American journal of Chinese medicine Vol.42 No.3

Analysis of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Related Gene Expression Changes in a Cellular and Animal Model of Parkinson’s Disease

Kim, In-Su,Koppula, Sushruta,Park, Shin-Young,Choi, Dong-Kug MDPI 2017 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES Vol.18 No.2

<P>We employed transcriptome analysis of epidermal growth factor receptor related gene expression changes in cellular and animal models of Parkinson’s disease (PD). We used a well-known Parkinsonian toxin 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridine (MPP<SUP>+</SUP>) to induce neuronal apoptosis in the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line. The MPP<SUP>+</SUP>-treatment of SH-SY5Y cells was capable of inducing neuro-apoptosis, but it remains unclear what kinds of transcriptional genes are affected by MPP<SUP>+</SUP> toxicity. Therefore the pathways that were significantly perturbed in MPP<SUP>+</SUP> treated human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells were identified based on genome-wide gene expression data at two time points (24 and 48 h). We found that the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) pathway-related genes showed significantly differential expression at all time points. The EGFR pathway has been linked to diverse cellular events such as proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Further, to evaluate the functional significance of the altered EGFR related gene expression observed in MPP<SUP>+</SUP>-treated SH-SY5Y cells, the EGFR related <I>GJB2</I> (Cx26) gene expression was analyzed in an MPP<SUP>+</SUP>-intoxicated animal PD model. Our findings identify that the EGFR signaling pathway and its related genes, such as Cx26, might play a significant role in dopaminergic (DAergic) neuronal cell death during the process of neuro-apoptosis and therefore can be focused on as potential targets for therapeutic intervention.</P>

Artemisia Extract Suppresses NLRP3 and AIM2 Inflammasome Activation by Inhibition of ASC Phosphorylation

Kwak, Su-Bin,Koppula, Sushruta,In, Eun-Jung,Sun, Xiao,Kim, Young-Kyu,Kim, Myong-Ki,Lee, Kwang-Ho,Kang, Tae-Bong Carfax 2018 MEDIATORS OF INFLAMMATION Vol.2018 No.1

Necrosis inhibitor-5 (NecroX-5), attenuates MPTP-induced motor deficits in a zebrafish model of Parkinson’s disease

Jun-Cheng Liu,KOPPULA SUSHRUTA,허세종,박표잠,김철근,이창중,김찬길 한국유전학회 2015 Genes & Genomics Vol.37 No.12

In the present study, necrosis inhibitor-5 (NecroX- 5), a novel Cyclopentylamino carboxymethylthiazolylindole (NecroX) series compound was investigated for its protective role against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced neurotoxicity in a zebrafish model of Parkinson’s disease (PD). MPTP-induced locomotor behavior was measured in zebrafish larvae and the protein expression level of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) was estimated in zebrafish larva homogenates. MPTP (15 lM) induced a significant (p\0.05) impairment in zebrafish larvae locomotor behavior. Treatment with NecroX-5 at various doses (3.75, 7.5 and 15 lM) significantly and dose dependently (p\0.05) restored MPTPinduced locomotor impairments in zebrafish larvae. Further, NecroX-5 significantly attenuated the MPTP-induced decrease in zebrafish TH protein expression levels. The effects observed by NecroX-5 were almost two fold higher when compared with the antioxidant, minocycline. In conclusion, the neuroprotective activity exhibited by NecroX-5 by attenuating MPTP-induced locomotor impairments and dopaminergic TH expression in zebrafish warrants further development of NecroX-5 as a novel neuroprotectant in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders including PD.

Recent developments in the inhibitors of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration: inflammatory oxidative enzymes as a drug target

Choi, Dong Kug,Koppula, Sushruta,Choi, Mijung,Suk, Kyoungho Informa UK, Ltd. 2010 Expert opinion on therapeutic patents Vol.20 No.11

<P><B><I>Importance of the field:</I></B> Increasing evidence indicates that glial cells play a pivotal role in a wide range of brain diseases. As glial cells orchestrate inflammatory responses in the CNS, recent studies have focused on glial cells and neuroinflammation as drug targets for the treatment of neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases.</P><P><B><I>Areas covered in this review:</I></B> In this review, we aim to give an overview of the current literature and patents for inhibitors of inflammatory oxidative enzymes in glia such as NADPH oxidase, myeloperoxidase, COX-2 and 5-lipooxygenase.</P><P><B><I>What the reader will gain:</I></B> Recent literature and patents on natural products or small molecule-based inhibitors of glial oxidative enzymes are reviewed.</P><P><B><I>Take home message:</I></B> Extensive studies and patents recently reported in this field suggest that glial inhibitors may soon proceed to clinical trials. However, before glial inhibitors can serve as novel drugs for the treatment of neuroinflammatory disorders, the neurotoxic and neuroprotective effects of glial neuroinflammatory responses need to be better dissected.</P>

Inflexin attenuates proinflammatory responses and nuclear factor-@?B activation in LPS-treated microglia

Ko, H.M.,Koppula, S.,Kim, B.W.,Kim, I.S.,Hwang, B.Y.,Suk, K.,Park, E.J.,Choi, D.K. North-Holland ; Elsevier Science Ltd 2010 european journal of pharmacology Vol.633 No.1

Activated microglia participate in neuroinflammation which contribute to neuronal damage. Suppression of microglial activation would have therapeutic benefits, which lead to alleviation of the progression of neurodegeneration. In this study, the inhibitory effects of inflexin, a putative antiinflammatory agent isolated from Isodon excisus (Max.) Kudo (Labiateae), on the production of proinflammatory mediators were investigated in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated microglia. Inflexin significantly inhibited the release of nitric oxide (NO). Consistently, both the mRNA and the protein levels for the inducible NO synthase were decreased by inflexin in a concentration-dependent manner. Inflexin also inhibited the expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, but not the COX-1 and effectively reduced the LPS-induced expression of proinflammatory cytokines in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, inflexin inhibited the degradation of IκB-α and the activation of NF-κB, p65 and Akt, while the MAPKs signal pathway was not affected. Our data suggest that inflexin was able to suppress neuroinflammation via inhibition of NF-κB activation and Akt pathway indicating that inflexin may be developed as a potent therapeutic agent in treating neuroinflammatory diseases.

Cichorium intybus Linn. Extract Prevents Type 2 Diabetes Through Inhibition of NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation

심도완,한지원,지영은,신우영,KOPPULA SUSHRUTA,김명기,김태권,박표잠,강태봉,이광호 한국식품영양과학회 2016 Journal of medicinal food Vol.19 No.3

This study provides the scientific basis for the inhibitory effect of the aerial parts of Cichorium intybus Linn. (C. intybus) on the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in vitro and on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced type-2 diabetes (T2D). Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-primed bone marrow-derived macrophages were used to study the effects methanolic extract of C. intybus leaf (CI) on inflammasome activation. An insulin resistance model (mice fed a HFD) was used to study the in vivo effect of CI on T2D. CI attenuated interleukin-1β (IL-1β) secretion by inhibiting the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in mouse bone marrow macrophages. The CI treatment attenuated the intracellular movement of NLRP3 in Triton X-100 insoluble fraction, without affecting the expression of other NLRP3 inflammasome-related proteins. Attenuated IL-1β secretion may improve glucose metabolism in the HFD-fed insulin resistance mouse model. CI also attenuated the infiltration of M1 macrophages and increased the M2 macrophage population in white adipose tissue. Collectively, our data showed that CI inhibits IL-1β secretion through attenuation of NLRP3 inflammasome activation, leading to an antidiabetic effect by improving glucose metabolism and inhibiting metainflammation.