The inner shell of the chestnut (Castanea crenata) contains various polyphenols, which exert beneficial biological effects. Hence, we assessed the anti-inflammatory efficacy of a chestnut inner shell extract (CIE) in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic asthma. We intraperitoneally injected 20 μg of OVA with 2 mg of aluminum hydroxide on days 0 and 14. On test days 21, 22, and 23, the mice were treated with aerosolized 1% (w/v) OVA in saline. CIE was administered orally at 100 and 300 mg/kg on days 18–23. CIE significantly reduced inflammatory cytokines and cells and immunoglobulin-E increased by OVA. Anti-inflammatory efficacy was revealed by reduction of inflammatory cell migration and mucus secretion in lung tissue. Further, CIE suppressed the OVA-induced nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) phosphorylation. Accordingly, the expression of cyclooxygenase (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) were decreased sequentially in lung tissues. CIE alleviated OVA-induced airway inflammation by restraining phosphorylation of NF-κB and the sequentially reduced expression of iNOS, COX-2, leading to reduced MMP-9 expression. These results indicate that CIE has potential as a candidate for alleviating asthma.

In this study, we explored the potential beneficial effects of green tea extract (GTE) in a pathogenic Escherichia coli (F18:LT:STa:Stx2e)-induced colitis model. The GTE was standardized with catechin and epigallocatechin-3-gallate content using chromatography analysis. Ten consecutive days of GTE (500 and 1000 mg/kg) oral administration was followed by 3 days of a pathogenic E. coli challenge (1 × 10⁹ CFU/mL). In vitro antibacterial analysis showed that GTE successfully inhibited the growth of pathogenic E. coli, demonstrating over a 3-fold reduction under time- and concentration-dependent conditions. The in vivo antibacterial effect of GTE was confirmed, with an inhibition rate of approximately 90% when compared to that of the E. coli alone group. GTE treatment improved pathogenic E. coli-induced intestinal injury with well-preserved epithelial linings and villi. In addition, the increased expression of annexin A1 in GTE-treated jejunum tissue was detected, which was accompanied by suppressed inflammation-related signal expression, including TNFA, COX-2, and iNOS. Moreover, proliferation-related signals such as PCNA, CD44, and Ki-67 were enhanced in the GTE group compared to those in the E. coli alone group. Taken together, these results indicate that GTE has an antibacterial activity against pathogenic E. coli and ameliorates pathogenic E. coli-induced intestinal damage by modulating inflammation and epithelial cell proliferation.

Six-year-old red ginseng, which is processed from the whole ginseng root via steaming and drying, has been shown to have preventive effects such as antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of Korean red ginseng (KRG) against ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic asthma and the underlying mechanisms involved. We injected 20 µg of OVA on days 0 and 14, and mice were challenged with aerosolized OVA via a nebulizer for 1 h on days 21, 22, and 23. KRG was administered at 100 and 300 mg/kg from days 18 to 23. The KRG-treated mice showed significant reductions in their airway hyperresponsiveness, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the number of inflammatory cells compared with the OVA-treated mice. The levels of type 2 cytokines in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and expression of OVA-specific immunoglobulin E in the serum, which were elevated in the OVA group, were reduced in the KRG-treated groups. The pro-inflammatory factors, inducible nitric oxide synthase and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells, were downregulated by the KRG administration in a dose-dependent manner. KRG effectively suppressed the inflammatory response by inhibiting ROS production. Our results suggest that KRG may have the potential to alleviate asthma.

Fritillariae thunbergii Bulbus (FTB), a member of the Liliaceae family, has a long history of use in many herbal formulations for traditional and modern clinical applications to treat various infections and inflammation. To understand FTB’s diverse physiochemical properties, it is important to determine the pharmacokinetic properties of its active constituents, the steroidal alkaloids. The aim of the present study was to investigate the pharmacokinetic alterations of the alkaloids, the active components of FTB, in the presence of colitis. A single oral dose of FTB (1 g/kg) was treated to a 2,4-dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS)-induced colitis rat model to assess whether the colitis condition could influence the pharmacokinetics of the major alkaloids present in FTB. Among the four major alkaloids, peimisine exhibited a significantly increased systemic exposure, approximately five times higher, under the colitis condition compared with the normal state. Meanwhile, peimine, peiminine, and sipeimine exhibited shorter half-lives in the DNBS group without significant changes in systemic absorption. As herbal medicine may contain active substances with different or opposing efficacies, careful consideration of pharmacokinetic changes in individual components due to diseases is necessary. Further experiments on peimisine are required to ensure the effectiveness and safety of FTB’s clinical application in the presence of colitis.

Ageratum conyzoides, an annual herbaceous plant that inhabits tropical and subtropical regions, has been traditionally used in Asia, Africa, and South America for phytotherapy to treat infectious and inflammatory conditions. However, the pharmacological effects of standardized ethanolic extract of Ageratum conyzoides (ACE) on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) remain unexplored. The objective of this research is to examine the potential physiological impacts of ACE, a traditionally utilized remedy for inflammatory ailments, in a rat model with BPH induced by testosterone propionate (TP). Rats were subcutaneously administered TP (3 mg/kg) to induce BPH and concurrently orally administered ACE (20, 50, and 100 mg/kg) daily for 42 days. ACE markedly improved BPH characteristics, including prostate weight, prostate index, and epithelial thickness, while also suppressing androgens and related hormones. The findings were supported by a decrease in androgen receptor and downstream signals associated with BPH in the prostate tissues of the ACE groups. Furthermore, increased apoptotic signals were observed in the prostate tissue of the ACE groups, along with heightened detection of the apoptotic nucleus compared to the BPH alone group. These changes seen in the group that received finasteride were similar to those observed in this group. These findings suggest that ACE shows promise as an alternative phytotherapeutic agent for treating BPH.

This study investigated the antiviral activity of aqueous leaf extract of Costus speciosus (TB100) against influenza A. Pretreatment of TB100 in RAW264.7 cells enhanced antiviral activity in an assay using the green fluorescence-expressing influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (H1N1) virus. The fifty percent effective concentration (EC50) and fifty percent cytotoxic concentration (CC50) were determined to be 15.19 ± 0.61 and 117.12 ± 18.31 µg/mL, respectively, for RAW264.7 cells. Based on fluorescent microscopy, green fluorescence protein (GFP) expression and viral copy number reduction confirmed that TB100 inhibited viral replication in murine RAW264.7 and human A549 and HEp2 cells. In vitro pretreatment with TB100 induced the phosphorylation of transcriptional activators TBK1, IRF3, STAT1, IKB-α, and p65 associated with interferon pathways, indicating the activation of antiviral defenses. The safety and protective efficacy of TB100 were assessed in BALB/c mice as an oral treatment and the results confirmed that it was safe and effective against influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (H1N1), A/Philippines/2/2008 (H3N2), and A/Chicken/Korea/116/2004 (H9N2). High-performance liquid chromatography of aqueous extracts led to the identification of cinnamic, caffeic, and chlorogenic acids as potential chemicals for antiviral responses. Further confirmatory studies using these acids revealed that each of them confers significant antiviral effects against influenza when used as pretreatment and enhances the antiviral response in a time-dependent manner. These findings suggest that TB100 has the potential to be developed into an antiviral agent that is effective against seasonal influenza.