Hyo-Jin An

This review provides a structure-guided framework for BPH (2012–2025), illustrating how recurring natural product scaffolds—steroidal or polyphenolic motifs—selectively map onto specific pathogenic axes to drive targeted therapeutic outcomes.

Background/Objectives: Plant-derived ingredients have attracted interest as adjuncts for reducing body fat, but clinical evidence for Lythrum salicaria extract alone remains limited. We evaluated its effects on body fat and its safety in adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 23–30 kg/m². Methods: Ninety adults aged 19–75 years participated in a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Participants received either 500 mg/day of L. salicaria extract powder (corresponding to approximately 400 mg/day of plant-derived extract solids) or placebo for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was the change in body fat mass from baseline to day 84, assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Efficacy was evaluated primarily in the per-protocol (PP) population, with supporting intention-to-treat (ITT) analyses. Anthropometric measures, other DXA outcomes, and blood markers were assessed as secondary endpoints. Results: The PP population included 84 participants. Baseline-adjusted differences in body fat mass change, expressed as extract minus placebo, were −2.01 kg (95% confidence interval [CI], −2.51 to −1.52; p < 0.001) in the PP population and −2.04 kg (95% CI, −2.66 to −1.42; p < 0.001) in the ITT population. Exploratory secondary analyses favored the extract for BMI, body weight, body fat percentage, and adiponectin. No serious adverse events occurred. Conclusions: Supplementation with L. salicaria extract powder for 12 weeks was associated with a reduction in DXA-measured body fat mass compared with placebo. Larger trials with longer follow-up are needed to confirm the findings and investigate the mechanisms involved.

Skeletal muscle atrophy is a common and debilitating consequence of chronic diseases and aging, yet effective treatment alternatives remain limited. Kyungohkgo (KOG), a traditional oriental medicine, has been shown to have potential therapeutic benefits for muscle health, but its therapeutic efficacy is restricted caused by poor bioavailability. This study aimed to enhance both the bioavailability and efficacy of KOG by applying hot-melt extrusion (HME) processing, creating a modified formulation to evaluate its effectiveness in treating skeletal muscle atrophy. Network pharmacology analysis was conducted to illustrate the relationships between the traditional medicine KOG and sarcopenia. Both in vivo and in vitro models of skeletal muscle atrophy were employed to compare the effects of conventional KOG and HME-processed KOG (HOG3). HME processing yielded an optimized formulation, HOG3, characterized by nanoscale particle size and a marked increase in minor ginsenoside content. In this study, HOG3 showed significantly higher ginsenoside levels than KOG, with Rg3, compound K, and Rh2 increasing approximately 19-, 78-, and 18-fold, respectively. In cellular and animal models, HOG3 outperformed KOG in preserving muscle mass, reducing muscle degradation markers, and decreasing collagen deposition. HOG3 administration was associated with decreased expression level of FOXO3a, MuRF-1, and atrogin-1. Overall, these findings show that HOG3 indicates enhanced protective effects against skeletal muscle atrophy and is associated with modulation of downstream molecular markers related to muscle degradation.

Trichosanthis Radix (TR) is a pharmacopeial crude drug traditionally used to clear heat, reduce swelling, expel pus, and generate fluids, suggesting potential relevance to inflammatory skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis (AD). In this study, we evaluated the AD‐related activity of a TR water extract using an integrated workflow combining network‐based target analysis, marker compound analysis, and experimental validation in vivo and in vitro. The overlap between predicted TR targets and AD‐associated genes was analyzed using a protein–protein interaction network, and extract was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)–evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD). Biological effects were examined in DNCB‐induced murine dermatitis and TNF‐α/IFN‐γ‐stimulated HaCaT keratinocytes. Twenty‐five overlapping genes formed a compact interaction module enriched for immune signaling and lipid/nuclear receptor‐related pathways, and HPLC–ELSD detected and quantified L‐citrulline as a marker compound for TR extract standardization. Topical TR reduced dermatitis severity, attenuated epidermal hyperplasia, and decreased dermal mast cell accumulation, with more consistent effects at the higher dose. TR also lowered lesional chemokine transcripts, particularly CCL17/TARC and CCL5/RANTES, and was associated with reduced NLRP3 and IL‐1β. In addition, TR suppressed DNCB‐induced phosphorylation of MEK/ERK and JAK2–STAT1 and decreased p‐STAT1 immunofluorescence. In HaCaT cells, TR attenuated cytokine‐induced inflammatory effectors and phosphorylation of MEK/ERK and STAT1. These findings indicate that TR water extract mitigates AD‐relevant inflammatory signaling while improving a barrier‐associated outcome, supporting further constituent‐resolved and mechanism‐directed studies.

Kim HJ, et al. World J Mens Health. 2026 ;44:e25. https://doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.250315

This study reports the synthesis and evaluation of novel nanohybrids comprising multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) coated with mesoporous silica CNTs (MSCNTs) to facilitate uniform silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) formation. The extract of Angelica gigas Nakai processed by hot‐melt extrusion (HAE) was employed as a green stabilizing and reducing agent for AgNP synthesis. The resulting MSCNT formulations were comprehensively characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy‐dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) mapping, and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). We investigated the influence of HAE concentration on AgNPs formation and distribution on MSCNTs and subsequently evaluated their synergistic effects against methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Antibacterial activity was assessed through minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), alongside biofilm formation inhibition and disruption activities. Our findings revealed that higher concentrations of HAE significantly improved the uniform distribution of AgNPs on MSCNTs, leading to enhanced antimicrobial activity against MRSA. Furthermore, the MSCNT‐HAE formulations effectively inhibited and disrupted MRSA biofilm formation, a key mechanism of antibiotic resistance. Beyond their antibacterial properties, the cytotoxicity of these nanohybrids was evaluated against both normal human keratinocytes (HaCaT) and triple‐negative breast cancer (MDA‐MB‐231) cells. Further investigations into apoptosis, utilizing cell staining and flow cytometry (FACS), were conducted on MDA‐MB‐231 cells. The results demonstrated that the incorporation of HAE significantly enhanced the selective cytotoxic effects against cancer cells, promoting apoptosis. This research highlights the potential of green‐synthesized AgNPs on MSCNTs as a promising dual‐action therapeutic strategy for combating antibiotic‐resistant bacterial infections and cancer.

Hepatic steatosis, characterized by the accumulation of lipids in hepatocytes, is a chronic stage of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Papaya ( Carica papaya L.), belonging to the Caricaceae family, possesses therapeutic and nutritional properties. Notably, papaya leaves have medicinal properties; however, their effect on hepatic steatosis remains to be elucidated. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the ameliorative effect of papaya leaf extract (PLE) on hepatic steatosis using a high‐fat diet (HFD)–induced obese mice and oleic acid (OA)–treated HepG2 cells. Administration of PLE ameliorated body weight gain and hepatic lipid accumulation in HFD‐induced obese mice. Furthermore, PLE decreased the expression of critical adipogenic markers, including CCAAT/enhancer‐binding protein α (C/EBP α ), sterol regulatory element‐binding protein 1 (SREBP‐1), and peroxisome proliferator‐activated γ (PPAR γ ), in the liver. The expression of phospho‐adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase (p‐AMPK) increased in the liver of PLE‐administered mice. Consistent with the in vivo study, PLE reduced lipid accumulation and the protein expression of adipogenic factors and increased p‐AMPK expression in OA‐treated HepG2 cells. Collectively, these results indicate the potential of PLE as a therapeutic agent for obesity‐induced hepatic steatosis.