title: Anti-UV activity of Kampo medicines and constituent plant extracts: re-evaluation with skin keratinocyte system.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In order to search for new biological activity of Kampo medicines and their constituent plant extracts, we investigated their ability to protect the cells from UV irradiation (referred to as 'anti-UV activity') using the human immortalised skin keratinocyte cell line HaCaT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anti-UV activity was represented by the selectivity index (SI), defined as the ratio of the concentration that reduced the viable cell number by 50% to the concentration that increased the viability of UV-irradiated cells to 50%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HaCaT cells were highly resistant to UV irradiation, approximately 20% of cells survived even when the exposure time was prolonged to 480 min. Sodium ascorbate, a popular antioxidant, used as positive control, had excellent anti-UV activity (SI=200). Among 10 Kampo medicines, Shosaikoto (SI=34) had the highest anti-UV activity, followed by Hangesyashinto (SI>28), Unseiin (SI>23) and Ninjinyoeito (SI=23), Saireito (SI>19), whereas another four Kampo medicines were much less active (SI<9.6). Among 25 constituent plant extracts, Scutellaria root had the highest anti-UV activity (SI=38), followed by Polyporus sclerotium (SI>26), Gardenia fruit (SI>23), Japanese Gentian (SI>20) and Saposhnikovia root (SI>20). Glycyrrhizin also had potent anti-UV activity (SI=36). The SI values determined with the present HaCaT system were generally one order higher than those obtained with previously reported HSC-2 human oral squamous cell carcinoma system, although there was good correlation between these two systems (R(2)=0.9118). Conclusion. The present study highlights the improved sensitivity of anti-UV activity detection with the HaCaT system, and suggests the possible application of Kampo medicines as a component of sunscreening cosmetics.
authors: Department of Oral Surgery, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan Division of Pharmacology, Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences, Saitama, Japan sakagami@dent.meikai.ac.jp takao@saitama-med.ac.jp.
authors: Takao
authors: T
authors: Kato
authors: Department of Oral Surgery, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan.
authors: Shunsuke
authors: S
authors: Hino
authors: Department of Oral Surgery, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan Division of Pathology, Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences, Saitama, Japan.
authors: Norio
authors: N
authors: Horie
authors: Department of Oral Surgery, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan.
authors: Tetsuo
authors: T
authors: Shimoyama
authors: Division of Pathology, Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences, Saitama, Japan Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Nihon University School of Dentistry, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Tadayoshi
authors: T
authors: Kaneko
authors: Division of Pathology, Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences, Saitama, Japan.
authors: Kaoru
authors: K
authors: Kusama
authors: Division of Pharmacology, Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences, Saitama, Japan sakagami@dent.meikai.ac.jp takao@saitama-med.ac.jp.
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Sakagami
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D020835:Medicine, Kampo; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents
keywords: Glycyrrhizin; Kampo medicine; UV protection