As the request of the authors, Acknowledgments section has been changed.
Oenothera biennis*

No abstract available.
Carcinogenesis* ; Oenothera biennis*

A complete atrioventricular block is seen in patients due to a variety of causes, including drugs. The resolution of a drug-induced atrioventricular block is often accomplished by drug discontinuation. We report a case of a complete atrioventricular block in a 31-year-old woman following a month of treatment with evening primrose oils. After excluding all other likely causes of conduction disorders, an adverse effect of the evening primrose oils seemed to be the most likely diagnosis. After discontinuation of the oils, no associated symptoms or conduction disturbances were observed for 4 months after discharge. We stress the reconsideration of taking medicines and functional foods continuously as most patients are not aware of the hazards they pose.
Adult ; Atrioventricular Block* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Functional Food ; Humans ; Oenothera biennis* ; Oils

Effects of FEMY-R7, composed of fucoidan and evening primrose extract, on the bacterial growth and intragastric infection of Helicobacter pylori as well as gastric secretion were investigated in comparison with a proton-pump inhibitor pantoprazole. For in vitro anti-bacterial activity test, H. pylori (1x10(8) CFU/mL) was incubated with a serially-diluted FEMY-R7 for 3 days. As a result, FEMY-R7 fully inhibited the bacterial growth at 100 microg/mL, which was determined to be a minimal inhibitory concentration. In addition, 6-hour incubation with H. pylori, FEMY-R7 inhibited urease activity in a concentration-dependent manner, showing a median inhibitory concentration of 1,500 microg/mL. In vivo elimination study, male C57BL/6 mice were infected with the bacteria by intragastric inoculation (5x10(9) CFU/mouse) 3 times at 2-day intervals, and simultaneously, orally treated twice a day with 10, 30 or 100 mg/kg FEMY-R7 for 7 days. In Campylobcter-like organism-detection test and bacterial identification, FEMY-R7 exerted a high bacteria-eliminating capacity at 30-100 mg/kg, comparably to 30 mg/kg pantoprazole. In contrast to a strong antacid activity of pantoprazole in a pylorus-ligation study, FEMY-R7 did not significantly affect gastric pH, free HCl, and total acidity, although it significantly decreased fluid volume at a low dose (10 mg/kg). The results indicate that FEMY-R7 eliminate H. pylori from gastric mucosa by directly killing the bacteria and preventing their adhesion and invasion, rather than by inhibiting gastric secretion or mucosal damage.
Animals ; Bacteria ; Gastric Mucosa ; Helicobacter pylori ; Homicide ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Male ; Mice ; Oenothera biennis* ; Urease

Helicobacter pylori-eliminating effects of FEMY-R7, composed of Laminaria japonica and Oenothera biennis extracts, were investigated in mice and humans. Male C57BL/6 mice were infected with the bacteria by intragastric inoculation (1x10(9) CFU/mouse) 3 times at 2-day intervals, and simultaneously, orally treated twice a day with total 20, 64 or 200 mg/kg/day FEMY-R7 for 2 weeks. In Campylobcter-like organism (CLO)-detection tests on gastric mucosa and feces, FEMY-R7 reduced the urease-positive reactivity in a dose-dependent manner; i.e., the positivity ratios were decreased to 70, 20, and 10% for gastric mocosa and to 80, 50, and 20% for feces. In a clinical sudy, human subjects, confirmed to be infected with Helicobacter pylori, were orally administered twice a day with capsules containing total 100, 320 or 1,000 mg/man/day FEMY-R7 (matching doses for 20, 64 or 200 mg/kg/day, respectively, in mice from a body surface area-based dose translation) for 8 weeks. FEMY-R7 decreased the positivity ratios in feces to 70, 40, and 30%, respectively. In bacterial culture, H. pylori was identified from the CLO-positive stools of mice and humans. The bacterial identification ratios exhibited a good correlation between the matching doses in mice and humans. It is suggested that FEMY-R7 could be a promising functional food without tolerance as an adjunct to reduce the dosage of antibiotics for the treatment of recurrent H. pylori infection.
Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteria ; Capsules ; Feces ; Functional Food ; Gastric Mucosa ; Helicobacter ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Laminaria* ; Male ; Mice* ; Oenothera biennis*

Evening primrose oil(EPO), which contains 72% cis-linoleic acid and 9% cisgamma linolenic acid, has been clinically used for treatment of number of diseases in human and animals. And it is also known to lower cholesterol(CHO) level of hypercholesterolaemic individuals. But the role of EPO as CHO-suppressant is controversial, and the relationship of EPO to CHO level in immune regulating activities is unclear at present. To evaluate the effect of evening primrose on the normal plasma CHO-levels, rabbits were fed with evening primrose seed(EPS) or injected with evening primrose seed-extract(EPE), and measured the plasma CHO-levels by duration of treatment. Both of EPS and EPE did not influence the plasma CHO-levels until 4 day treatment and thereafter the levels were significantly reduced. For the investigation of the EPE-effect on immune response to sheep erythrocytes(SRBC), mice were injected with EPE for 4 days before SRBC-sensitization or with CHO just before SRBC, Sensitization or with CHO in regulating effect of immune response was evaluated by the measuring the footpad swelling reaction and antibody response to SRBC. EPE itself did not influence Arthus reaction but it remarkable reduced delayed type hypersensitivity(DTH) and antibody production in comparison with control. CHO slightly increased Arthus reaction and DTH, but it somewhat decreased antibody responses. However, CHO significantly recovered the EPE-induced decrement of DTH and humoral immunity. There results led to that conclusion the evening primrose triggers the decrease of plasma CHO-levels and immune responses, and suggested that the mechanisms responsible for the nonspecific immune inhibitory effect of evening primrose might be partially due to the decrement of the CHO-levels.
alpha-Linolenic Acid ; Animals ; Antibody Formation ; Arthus Reaction ; Cholesterol* ; Erythrocytes* ; Humans ; Immunity, Humoral ; Mice ; Oenothera biennis ; Plasma* ; Primula* ; Rabbits ; Sheep*

Helicobacter pylori-eliminating effects of FEMY-R7, composed of fucoidan and evening primrose extract, were investigated in mice and humans. Male C57BL/6 mice were infected with the bacteria by intragastric inoculation (1x10(9) CFU/mouse) 3 times at 2-day intervals, and simultaneously, orally treated twice a day with 10 or 100 mg/kg FEMY-R7 for 2 weeks. In Campylobcter-like organism-detection test, FEMY-R7 markedly reduced the urease-positive reactivity. In a clinical sudy, human subjects, confirmed to be infected with Helicobacter pylori, were orally administered twice a day with a capsule containing 150 mg FEMY-R7 for 8 weeks. FEMY-R7 significantly decreased both the Delta over baseline-value in urea breath test and the serum pepsinogens I and II levels. The results indicate that FEMY-R7 not only eliminates H. pylori from gastric mucosa of animals and humans, but also improves gastric function.
Animals ; Bacteria ; Breath Tests ; Gastric Mucosa ; Helicobacter ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Male ; Mice* ; Oenothera biennis* ; Pepsinogen A ; Pepsinogens ; Urea

BACKGROUND: Evening primrose oil(EPO) is a rich source of cis-linoleic acid and gammalinolenic acid(GLA) and has been used as a therapeutic agent in various skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the suppressive effect of EPO on murine contact sensitivity. METHODS: BALB/c mice were divided into 3 groups, positive control, experimental and negative control groups: the positive control group represents a group of mice which were sensitized and challenged with DNFB, the experimental group represents EPO-pretreated positive control group and the negative control group represents a group of mice which were challenged only. The changes of ear thickness were measured, and H & E staining and immunohistochemical staining for ICAM-1 expression of ear skin were performed to evaluate the histological changes of each group. RESULTS: The Pretreatment of mice with EPO resulted in suppression of contact sensitivity by more than 82%. On H & E staining, only a mild inflammatory reaction was observed in the dermis. Also ICAM-1 expression of keratinocytes, the intensity of the staining was significantly decreased in the experimental group compared with positive group. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that EPO was able to suppress the induction of contact sensitivity.
Animals ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Dermatitis, Contact* ; Dermis ; Dinitrofluorobenzene ; Ear ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; Keratinocytes ; Mice ; Oenothera biennis* ; Skin ; Skin Diseases

BACKGROUND: The most common adverse effects of oral isotretinoin are cheilitis, skin dryness, dry eyes, and conjunctivitis, whereas evening primrose oil (EPO) is known to improve skin moisture and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in healthy adults and atopic patients. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of EPO in preventing xerotic cheilitis in acne patients being treated with oral isotretinoin. METHODS: Forty Korean volunteers of Fitzpatrick skin types III and IV, having moderate acne, were enrolled and randomized to receive either isotretinoin with or without EPO for 8 weeks. The efficacy of treatment was evaluated on the basis of global acne grading system scores, number of inflammatory and noninflammatory lesions, TEWL, corneometry, physician's global assessment, and patient satisfaction. RESULTS: The results after 8 weeks of treatment showed that the TEWL of the lip increased significantly during isotretinoin treatment, whereas the TEWL of the hand dorsum showed no significant change. The increase of the TEWL of the lip was more definite in the control group than in the experimental group. The number of acne lesions decreased significantly in both groups, and there were no differences between them. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that the addition of EPO improved xerotic cheilitis in acne patients being treated with oral isotretinoin. However, besides TEWL and corneometry assessments, additional studies are required for a complete understanding of the role of EPO in xerotic cheilitis in acne patients being treated with oral isotretinoin.
Acne Vulgaris* ; Adult ; Cheilitis* ; Conjunctivitis ; Hand ; Humans ; Isotretinoin* ; Lip ; Oenothera biennis* ; Patient Satisfaction ; Pilot Projects* ; Skin ; Volunteers ; Water Loss, Insensible

OBJECTIVEThe influence on the urea inclusion compound under different conditions (allocated proportion, time of inclusion, temperature of inclusion) were studied through the orthogonal test, and theoretical reference of urea inclusion process for further optimization wound be offered.

METHODThe orthogonal experiment was adopted, and microscope was used to observe the shape, aperture size of the urea inclusion compound under different technological parameters, the GC was employed to inspect the purity of GLA.

RESULTThe results indicated that the ratio of fatty acids and urea, inclusion of temperature, time of inclusion had great effect on urea inclusion compound. The three factors and its interactions significantly affected the purity of GLA. The results also showed that the best process was that the ratio of fatty acids and urea was 1 : 3, temperature of inclusion was--15 degrees C, time of inclusion was 24 h.

CONCLUSIONUnder the best condition, the purity of GLA reach up to 95.575 9%; and it is feasible to observe the shape and the amount of the urea inclusion compound to reflect and guide the urea inclusion technology.

Oenothera biennis ; chemistry ; Plant Oils ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Temperature ; Urea ; chemistry ; gamma-Linolenic Acid ; analysis ; isolation & purification