The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects on oxidative stress and the kidney tissues of obese type2 diabetes model rats when catechins were ingested. 5-week-old obese type 2 diabetes model male rats were kept for 4 weeks. A normal diet was fed to a control group (n=6), while an experimental catechin group (n=6) was fed catechin. Posterior subcutaneous abdominal fat weight and oxidative stress were measured, and kidney tissues were observed. Posterior subcutaneous abdominal fat weight and oxidative stress were significantly lower in the catechin group than in the control group. In the kidney tissues, the mesangial region in the control group was larger than in the capillary space, and the glomerulus was lobulated. The mesangial area in the catechin group was almost equivalent to the capillary space. Ingestion of catechin in obese type 2 diabetes model rats reduced fat accumulation and oxidative stress. It has also been suggested that catechin suppresses damage to mesangial cells in kidney tissue. Catechin intake likely suppresses oxidative stress and diabetic nephropathy inflammation, and it could be useful for the prevention of diabetes.

We comprehensively investigated the clinical reports that examined the efficacy of functional ingredients in healthy individuals. As a result, of the 25 literature articles ultimately reviewed, one intervention trial each on reduced coenzyme Q10, black soybean seeds, inulin, rosemary extract, theanine, fermented ginseng, arctigenin, sulforaphane, curcumin and Vitamin E, tongkat ali, Apocynum venetum Leaf Extract, matured Red ginseng txtract, hotrienol, vitamin C, soy protein enzyme hydrolysate, 3,5-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzyl alcohol, chlorogenic acid, succulent plant caralluma fimbriata extract, and L-ornithine, two on fish oil, two on citric acid, and two on enzyme-treated asparagus extract were reported.

Friction melanosis is a cutaneous entity characterized by a brownish pigmentation distributed on the skin over bony regions of various sites including a trunk or the limbs. In this report, we presented the case of a 44-year-old woman who developed severe friction melanosis around both knees and lower extremities for about 10 years. Coix-seed Reactive Derivatives (CRD) was administrated orally 4.0 g/day for 20 weeks and the lesions of pigmentation improved moderately. Further research is needed to define the optimal duration of CRD intake against friction melanosis.

In this report, we presented the case of a 37-year-old woman who developed facial seborrheic keratosis for about 8 years. Coix-seed Reactive Derivatives(CRD) was administrated orally 4.0 g/day for 20 weeks, and the lesions of seborrheic keratosis improved moderately. Further research is needed to define the optimal dose and duration of CRD intake against these lesions.

This study aimed to assess the effects of Listening to forest sounds and viewing forest videos on the prefrontal cortex and autonomic nervous activity. Oxy-hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) levels were determined using near-infrared spectroscopy as an indicator of prefrontal cortex activity. Heart rate variability (HRV) was used as an indicator of autonomic nervous activity. The natural logarithmic high-frequency component (LnHF) of HRV, which reflects parasympathetic nervous activity, and the natural logarithmic ratio of low-frequency and high-frequency components (LnLF/HF), which reflects sympathetic nervous activity, were measured. The general emotion scale was used to assess emotions. Overall, 21 healthy male and female participants were recruited for this study. All subjects were exposed to forest sounds, forest videos, and urban videos in a random order. Comparisons of oxy-Hb levels in the prefrontal cortex among the three conditions revealed a significant decrease while listening to the forest sound (p=0.004, p=0.005). Furthermore, a significant decrease in oxy-Hb levels was observed during forest sound exposure compared with that after exposure (p=0.000). No significant differences in HRV were found among the three conditions and within each condition. In terms of the general emotion scale, exposure to forest sounds and videos significantly increased “Calmness” scores. Moreover, significantly improved scores of the scale item “Negative Affect” were observed with the forest video. These results suggest that forest sounds induced a significant reduction in oxy-Hb concentrations in the prefrontal cortex and that forest sounds and videos enhance a state of subjective calmness after exposure.

Mouthwash is used to support brushing because it is distributed throughout the oral cavity. In this study, we examined the efficacy of a mixture of three hot water extracts (from Hordeum vulgare L, Apocynum venetum L, and Brasenia schreberi J. F. Gmel) for the purpose of developing an effective mouthwash. The mixture suppressed enhanced tumor necrosis factor α and matrix metalloproteinase 3 gene expression by Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide stimulation in human gingival fibroblasts. Furthermore, human studies using a mouthwash containing the plant extracts (MW) improved gingival index and bleeding on probing in the gum, and reduced the concentration of methyl mercaptan, which causes bad breath, in the mouth. These findings suggest that continued use of MW has positive effects on gingival inflammation and halitosis, and is useful for maintaining oral health.

The anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effect of equine placental extract (ePE) on epidermal keratinocytes was examined. ePE reduced mRNA levels of TNF-α (Tumor Necrosis Factor-α) and IL-6 (Interleukin-6) among the inflammatory cytokines released by epidermal keratinocytes after ultraviolet light (UVB: 290-320 nm) exposure. ePE also activated Nrf2, a transcription factor known to be activated by oxidative stress to promote the expression of antioxidant enzymes and suppress inflammation, and it increased the mRNA level of the antioxidant enzyme HO-1 (Heme Oxygenase-1). These results suggest that ePE suppresses UV-induced inflammation of epidermal keratinocytes via activation of Nrf2.

We reported 2 cases of plantar keratosis (59 years of age, female/39 years of age, male) successfully improved by intake of hot water extract of Coix lacryma-jobi L. var. ma-yuen Stapf with Husks. Both subjects were administered coix seed extract containing food for 20 weeks. The lesions improved gradually after 12 weeks, and almost cured by 20 weeks of administration. Although the food seemed to be effective in these cases, further studies are needed to define the optimal dose and duration.

From the perspective of complementary and alternative medicine, we searched for human clinical research reports on functional foods and nutrients that aimed at maintaining and improving brain function. Specifically, we comprehensively investigated the clinical reports that examined the efficacy of functional ingredients in terms of the maintenance and improvement of brain function, memory, and cognition in healthy individuals. Moreover, we examined the summary of intervention and test results of articles extracted from the Ichushi-Web and J Dream III databases.