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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Nutlet morphology and anatomy of the genus Lycopus (Lamiaceae: Mentheae).

Nutlet morphology and pericarp structure of 16 species in the genus Lycopus were studied by light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and a detailed description of nutlet morphological features for all examined taxa is provided. The nutlets of all taxa in the genus Lycopus are well adapted to typical hydrochory (or nautochory) with an air-filled pericarp, and myxocarpy was not at all found. It is noteworthy that the nutlet morphology (in particular the shape of corky crests and corky ring and the distribution of glandular trichomes) and pericarp anatomy of Lycopus are unique and are well distinguished from the other genera in the tribe Mentheae. We also found some groups of the species within the genus Lycopus by the present nutlet morphological and anatomical data that appear to be useful as diagnostic characteristics for delineation purposes at the specific/interspecific levels. The earlier infrageneric classification for the genus Lycopus is, however, not well supported by the present results. In addition, the systematic and biological implications of the nutlet characteristics investigated are briefly discussed.

Evolution, Molecular↗
PubMed2005

Extract of Lycopus europaeus L. reduces cardiac signs of hyperthyroidism in rats.

Extracts from the plant Lycopus europaeus L. are traditionally used in mild forms of hyperthyroidism. High doses caused a reduction of TSH or thyroid hormone levels in animal experiments, whereas in hyperthyroid patients treated with low doses of Lycopus an improvement of cardiac symptoms was reported without major changes in TSH or thyroid hormone concentrations. Lycopus extract was tested in thyroxine treated hyperthyroid rats (0.7 mg/kg BW i.p.). Co-treatment with an hydroethanolic extract from L. europaeus L. started one week later than T4-application and lasted 5.5 weeks. As reference substance atenolol was used. The raised body temperature was reduced very effectively even by the low dose of the plant extract, whereas the reduced gain of body weight and the increased food intake remained unaffected by any treatment. No significant changes of thyroid hormone concentrations or TSH levels were observed. Lycopus extract and atenolol reduced the increased heart rate and blood pressure. The cardiac hypertrophy was alleviated significantly by both treatment regimes. beta-Adrenoceptor density in heart tissue was significantly reduced by the Lycopus extract or the beta-blocking agent showing an almost equal efficacy. Although the mode of action remains unclear, these organo-specific anti-T4-effects seem to be of practical interest, for example in patients with latent hyperthyroidism.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed2001

[Effect of two extracted fraction from Lycopus lucidus on coagulation function].

OBJECTIVE: To find and define the effective fraction of Lycopus lucidus on coagulation. METHODS: Method of comparing turbidity, method of cutting a part of the mice tail and method of breaking glass tube. RESULTS: The two extracted fraction from lycopus lucidus F04-0A and F04-B could inhibit rats platlet aggregation in vitro and mice platelet aggregation in vivo. They could also prolong mice blood coagulation time. However, they had no effect on bleeding time. CONCLUSION: Both F04-A and F04-B had effects on inhibiting platelet aggregation and blood coagulation. Moreover, the activity of F04-A was probably stronger than that of F04-B. F04-A may be the effective fraction from Lycopus lucidus on promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Effects of active fractions from Lycopus lucidus L. F04 on platelet aggregation and thrombus formation.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of active fractions from Lycopus lucidus (L. F04) on platelet aggregation and thrombus formation so as to investigate its mechanism of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. METHOD: The effects of Lycopus lucidus L. F04 on platelet aggregation induced by ADP in vivo, and thrombosis of artery-vein by-pass and thrombus formed in circuitous loop in vitro were examined using the blood stasis animal model of rats made by injecting high molecular weight dextran (HMWD). RESULT: The increase of maximum platelet aggregation rate induced by ADP in vivo in HMWD model was evidently inhibited with 0.408 g/kg or 0.204 g/kg or L. F04, and the effect showed a trend of concentration-dependence. As compared with the control, the thrombus weight in rat model of blood stasis increased clearly and its length showed only a trend of increase. Both 0.408 g/kg and 0.204 g/kg of L. F04 had the effect of resisting the thrombus formation, while 0.408 g/kg showed better effects of reducing the thrombus dry weight and wet weight. Both 0.408 g/kg and 0.204 g/kg of L. F04 could inhibit the thrombosis in artery-vein by-pass; the inhibition rates were 27.41% and 27.14% respectively. CONCLUSION: Lycopus lucidus L. F04 could significantly inhibit platelet aggregation and thrombus formation.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Endocrine effects of Lycopus europaeus L. following oral application.

Lycopus extracts are used in folk medicine for the treatment of hyperthyroid symptoms. Diverse effects on the pituitary thyroidal system as well as on the pituitary gonadal system could be confirmed in experimental studies. But till now endocrine effects of Lycopus extracts in experimental animals were observed after parenteral application only. Therefore in this investigation an ethanolic extract of Lycopus europaeus was applied orally to rats, diverse endocrine parameters were measured between 3 and 24 h later and the effects compared to an i.p. treated group. The plant extract given p.o. caused a long lasting (for a period of more than 24 h) decrease of T3 levels, presumably as a consequence of a reduced peripheral T4 deiodination. A pronounced reduction of T4 and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations was observed 24 h after application of the test solution by gavage. The luteinizing hormone (LH) decrease as well as the TSH decrease, which was pronounced in spite of reduced T4 and T3 levels indicate a central point of attack of the plant extract. Differences in the biological activity in dependence on the route of application may be explained e.g. by differences in absorption of plant constituents.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Purification and spectroscopic studies on catechol oxidases from Lycopus europaeus and Populus nigra: evidence for a dinuclear copper center of type 3 and spectroscopic similarities to tyrosinase and hemocyanin.

We purified two catechol oxidases from Lycopus europaeus and Populus nigra which only catalyze the oxidation of catechols to quinones without hydroxylating tyrosine. The molecular mass of the Lycopus enzyme was determined to 39,800 Da and the mass of the Populus enzyme was determined to 56,050 Da. Both catechol oxidases are inhibited by thiourea, N-phenylthiourea, dithiocarbamate, and cyanide, but show different pH behavior using catechol as substrate. Atomic absorption spectrosopic analysis found 1.5 copper atoms per protein molecule. Using EPR spectroscopy we determined 1.8 Cu per molecule catechol oxidase. Furthermore, EPR spectroscopy demonstrated that catechol oxidase is a copper enzyme of type 3. The lack of an EPR signal is due to strong antiferromagnetic coupling that requires a bridging ligand between the two copper ions in the met preparation. Addition to H2O2 to both enzymes leads to oxy catechol oxidase. In the UV/Vis spectrum two new absorption bands occur at 345 nm and 580 nm. In accordance with the oxy forms of hemocyanin and tyrosinase the absorption band at 345 nm is due to an O2(2-) (pi sigma *)-->Cu(II) (dx2 - y2) charge transfer (CT) transition. The absorption band at 580 nm corresponds to the second O2(2)- (pi v*)-->Cu(II) (dx2 - y2) CT transition. The UV/Vis bands in combination with the resonance Raman spectra of oxy catechol oxidase indicate a mu-eta 2:eta 2 binding mode for dioxygen. The intense resonance Raman peak at 277 cm-1, belonging to a Cu-N (axial His) stretching mode, suggests that catechol oxidase has six terminal His ligands, as known for molluscan and arthropodan hemocyanin.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed2005

Effects of L.F04, the active fraction of Lycopus lucidus, on erythrocytes rheological property.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of L.F04, the active fraction of Lycopus lucidus, on erythrocytes rheological property so as to investigate its mechanism in promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. METHOD: The effects of L.F04 (used for treatment for 10 days in different dosages) on deformability, aggregation and membrane liquidity of erythrocytes (MLE) as well as whole blood apparent viscosity (eta(b)) were examined on the basis of rat model of blood-stasis syndrome induced by venous injection of high molecular weight dextran. RESULT: As compared with the normal control group, the model group's RBC deformability and MLE were lower, and the aggregation of erythrocytes and eta(b) were higher. Compared with the model group, both L.F04 0.612 g/kg and 0.306 g/kg showed significant effect in improving deformability and inhibiting aggregation of red blood cells (RBC) and reducing blood viscosity. The trend of improving MLE was also shown. CONCLUSION: L.F04 could significantly improve the abnormal rheological property of erythrocytes.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Antioxidative constituents from Lycopus lucidus.

Three phenolic compounds, rosmarinic acid (1), methyl rosmarinate (2), ethyl rosmarinate (3), and two flavonoids, luteolin (4), luteolin-7-O-beta-D-glucuronide methyl ester (5) were isolated from the aerial part of Lycopus lucidus (Labiatae). Their structures were determined by chemical and spectral analysis. Compounds 1-5 exhibited potent antioxidative activity on the NBT superoxide scavenging assay. The IC50 values for compounds 1-5 were 2.59, 1.42, 0.78, 2.83, and 3.05 microg/mL respectively. In addition, five compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed2005

Anti-allergic effects of Lycopus lucidus on mast cell-mediated allergy model.

The current study characterizes the mechanism by which the aqueous extract of Lycopus lucidus Turcz. (Labiatae) (LAE) decreases mast cell-mediated immediate-type allergic reaction. The immediate-type allergic reaction is involved in many allergic diseases such as asthma and allergic rhinitis. LAE has been used as a traditional medicine in Korea and is known to have an anti-inflammatory effect. However, its specific mechanism of action is still unknown. LAE was anally administered to mice for high and fast absorption. LAE inhibited compound 48/80-induced systemic reactions in mice. LAE decreased the local allergic reaction, passive cutaneous anaphylaxis, activated by anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) IgE antibody. LAE dose-dependently reduced histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells activated by compound 48/80 or anti-DNP IgE. Furthermore, LAE decreased the secretion of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus calcium ionophore A23187-stimulated human mast cells. The inhibitory effect of LAE on the pro-inflammatory cytokine was p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) dependent. LAE attenuated PMA plus A23187-induced degradation of IkappaBalpha and nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB, and specifically blocked activation of p38 MAPK, but not that of c-jun N-terminal kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Our findings provide evidence that LAE inhibits mast cell-derived immediate-type allergic reactions and involvement of pro-inflammatory cytokines, p38 MAPK, and NF-kappaB in these effects.

Administration, Rectal↗
PubMed2003

Bacterial resistance modifying agents from Lycopus europaeus.

As part of an ongoing project to identify plant natural products which modulate bacterial multidrug resistance (MDR), bioassay-guided isolation of an extract of Lycopus europaeus yielded two new isopimarane diterpenes, namely methyl-1alpha-acetoxy-7alpha 14alpha-dihydroxy-8,15-isopimaradien-18-oate (1) and methyl-1alpha,14alpha-diacetoxy-7alpha-hydroxy-8,15-isopimaradien-18-oate (2). The structures were established by spectroscopic methods. These compounds and several known diterpenes were tested for in vitro antibacterial and resistance modifying activity against strains of Staphylococcus aureus possessing the Tet(K), Msr(A), and Nor(A) multidrug resistance efflux mechanisms. At 512 microg/ml none of the compounds displayed any antibacterial activity but individually in combination with tetracycline and erythromycin, a two-fold potentiation of the activities of these antibiotics was observed against two strains of S. aureus that were highly resistant to these agents due to the presence of the multidrug efflux mechanisms Tet(K) (tetracycline resistance) and Msr(A) (macrolide resistance).

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2006

Human ACAT-1 and ACAT-2 inhibitory activities of pentacyclic triterpenes from the leaves of Lycopus lucidus TURCZ.

Acyl-CoA: cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) catalyzes the acylation of cholesterol to cholesteryl ester with long chain fatty acids and ACAT inhibition is a useful strategy for treating hypercholesterolemia or atherosclerosis. Pentacyclic triterpenes, ursolic acid (1), oleanolic acid (2), and betulinic acid (3) were isolated from the methanol extracts of the leaves of Lycopus lucidus TURCZ. by bioassay-guided fractionation. The structures of compounds 1-3 were elucidated by their spectroscopic data analysis. Among them, betulinic acid (3) exhibited more potent human ACAT-1 and ACAT-2 inhibitory activities with IC(50) values of 16.2+/-0.6 and 28.8+/-1.3 microM, respectively.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

[Effects of active fractions from Lycopus lucidus L. F04 on erythrocyte rheology [correction of erythrocyterheology]].

Objective. To study the effects of active fractions from Lycopus lucidus (L. F04) on erythrocyte rheology so as to investigate its mechanism of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. Method. The effects of L. F04 on erythrocytes deformability, aggregation, liquidity of membrane were examined in the present study and the blood stasis animal model of rats made by injecting high molecular weight dextran (HMWD) was used. Result. HMWD injection decreased red blood cells deformability (P<0.05) and liquidity of membrane (P<0.01) and increased erythrocytes aggregation (P<005). Compared with the model, both L. F04 0.612 g/kg and 0.306 g/kg improved red blood cells deformability (P<0.05), inhibited erythrocytes aggregation (P<0.05), and showed the trend of improving liquidity of membrane. But there was no concentration-dependence. Conclusion. L. F04 can significantly improve the deviant erythrocyte rheology characteristics.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Analysis of the components of Lycopus europaeus L. in body fluids during metabolism studies. Comparison of capillary electrophoresis and high-performance liquid chromatography.

During pharmacokinetic studies with extracts obtained from medicinally used plants, analysis in body fluids is mainly performed by HPLC, an established separation method. In this paper high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) is investigated for its ability to separate such complex extracts. Crude extracts of Lycopus europaeus L. (Lamiaceae) are traditionally used against mild forms of hyperthyroidism. The metabolism of a 70% ethanolic extract with respect to some of its individual main components (rosmarinic and caffeic acid, luteolin-7-glucoside) and a mixture of the pure compounds were investigated using isolated perfused rat liver. After solid-phase extraction metabolites were determined using HPCE and HPLC separation techniques. A buffer solution composed of 0.05 mol l-1 Na2HPO4 at pH 7.0 with 30% acetonitrile was found to be the most suitable electrolyte for HPCE separation. The best mobile phase for isocratic HPLC was 0.03% TFA-acetonitrile (82:18, v/v). Data obtained with HPCE are in good accordance with those from HPLC; HPCE, however, is clearly more rapid and simple to perform.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Substrate specificity of catechol oxidase from Lycopus europaeus and characterization of the bioproducts of enzymic caffeic acid oxidation.

The substrate specificity of catechol oxidase from Lycopus europaeus towards phenols is examined. The enzyme catalyzes the oxidation of o-diphenols to o-quinones without hydroxylating monophenols, the additional activity of tyrosinase. Substrates containing a -COOH group are inhibitors for catechol oxidase. The products of enzymic oxidation of caffeic acid were analyzed and isolated by HPLC with diode array detection. The neolignans of the 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin type (3, 6-8), 6,7-dihydroxy-1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dicarboxy-1,2-dihydro naphthaline (1) 6,7-dihydroxy-1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3-carboxynaphthaline (5) and 2,6-bis-(3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl)-1-carboxy-3-oxacyclo-(3,0)-pent an-2-on-1-ene (4) were formed. A reaction mechanism for the formation of (1, 4 and 5) is discussed.

Caffeic Acids↗
PubMed2000

Isopimarane diterpenoids from Lycopus europaeus.

A reinvestigation of the diterpene metabolites of Lycopus europaeus allowed the isolation of five new compounds, namely, four isopimarane derivatives (1-4) and 5,9-dihydroxygeranyllinalool (5). The structures of these substances were established by chemical and spectroscopic means.

Diterpenes↗