Ulmus Davidiana Research Articles

Phloridzin Acts as an Inhibitor of Protein-Tyrosine Phosphatase MEG2 Relevant to Insulin Resistance.

Inhibition of the megakaryocyte protein tyrosine phosphatase 2 (PTP-MEG2, also named PTPN9) activity has been shown to be a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Previously, we reported that PTP-MEG2 knockdown enhances adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation, suggesting that PTP-MEG2 may be a potential antidiabetic target. In this study, we found that phloridzin, isolated from Ulmus davidiana var. japonica, inhibits the catalytic activity of PTP-MEG2 (half-inhibitory concentration, IC50 = 32 ± 1.06 μM) in vitro, indicating that it could be a potential antidiabetic drug candidate. Importantly, phloridzin stimulated glucose uptake by differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes and C2C12 muscle cells compared to that by the control cells. Moreover, phloridzin led to the enhanced phosphorylation of AMPK and Akt relevant to increased insulin sensitivity. Importantly, phloridzin attenuated palmitate-induced insulin resistance in C2C12 muscle cells. We also found that phloridzin did not accelerate adipocyte differentiation, suggesting that phloridzin improves insulin sensitivity without significant lipid accumulation. Taken together, our results demonstrate that phloridzin, an inhibitor of PTP-MEG2, stimulates glucose uptake through the activation of both AMPK and Akt signaling pathways. These results strongly suggest that phloridzin could be used as a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

A 60% Edible Ethanolic Extract of Ulmus davidiana Inhibits Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-Induced Angiogenesis.

As abnormal angiogenesis is associated with exacerbation of various diseases, precise control over angiogenesis is imperative. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), the most well-known angiogenic factor, binds to VEGF receptor (VEGFR), activates various signaling pathways, and mediates angiogenesis. Therefore, blocking the VEGF-induced angiogenic response-related signaling pathways may alleviate various disease symptoms through inhibition of angiogenesis. Ulmus davidiana is a safe natural product that has been traditionally consumed, but its effects on endothelial cells (ECs) and the underlying mechanism of action are unclear. In the present study, we focused on the effect of a 60% edible ethanolic extract of U. davidiana (U60E) on angiogenesis. U60E inhibited the VEGF-mediated proliferation, tube formation, and migration ability of ECs. Mechanistically, U60E inhibited endothelial nitric oxide synthase activation and nitric oxide production by blocking the protein kinase B signaling pathway activated by VEGF and consequently inhibiting proliferation, tube formation, and migration of ECs. These results suggest that U60E could be a potential and safe therapeutic agent capable of suppressing proangiogenic diseases by inhibiting VEGF-induced angiogenesis.

Ulmusakidian, a new coumarin glycoside and antifungal phenolic compounds from the root bark of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica

Bioactivity-driven LC/MS-based phytochemical analysis of the root bark extract of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica led to the isolation of 10 compounds including a new coumarin glycoside derivative, ulmusakidian (1). The structure of the new compound was elucidated using extensive spectroscopic analyses via 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data interpretations, HR-ESIMS, and chemical transformation. The isolated compounds 1–10 were tested for their antifungal activity against human fungal pathogens Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans. Compounds 9 and 10 showed antifungal activity against C. neoformans, with the lowest minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 12.5–25.0 µg/mL, whereas none of the compounds showed antifungal activity against C. albicans.

Inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase by phytochemical constituents of the root bark of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica

A novel compound 1 and nine known compounds (2–10) were isolated by open column chromatography analysis of the root bark of Ulmus davidiana. Pure compounds (1–10) were tested in vitro to determine the inhibitory activity of the catalytic reaction of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH). Compounds 1, 2, 4, 6–8, and 10 had IC50 values ranging from 11.4 ± 2.3 to 36.9 ± 2.6 μM. We used molecular docking to simulate inhibitor binding of each compound and estimated the binding pose of the catalytic site of sEH. From this analysis, the compound 2 was revealed to be a potential inhibitor of sEH in vitro and in silico. Additionally, molecular dynamics (MD) study was performed to find detailed interaction signals of inhibitor 2 with enzyme. Finally, compound 2 is promising candidates for the development of a new sEH inhibitor from natural plants.

Chemical Composition of a Novel Distillate from Fermented Mixture of Nine Anti-Inflammatory Herbs and Its UVB-Protective Efficacy in Mouse Dorsal Skin via Attenuating Collagen Disruption and Inflammation.

Since ancient times, various herbs have been used in Asia, including Korea, China, and Japan, for wound healing and antiaging of the skin. In this study, we manufactured and chemically analyzed a novel distillate obtained from a fermented mixture of nine anti-inflammatory herbs (Angelica gigas, Lonicera japonica, Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz., D. opposita Thunb., Ulmus davidiana var. japonica, Hordeum vulgare var. hexastichon Aschers., Xanthium strumarium L., Cnidium officinale, and Houttuynia cordata Thunb.). The fermentation of natural plants possesses beneficial effects in living systems. These activities are attributed to the chemical conversion of the parent plants to functional constituents which show more potent biological activities. In our current study, the distillate has been manufactured after fermenting the nine oriental medical plants with Lactobacillus fermentum, followed by distilling. We analyzed the chemical ingredients involved in the distillate and evaluated the effects of topical application of the distillate on ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced skin damage in Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice. Topical application of the distillate significantly ameliorated the macroscopic and microscopic morphology of the dorsal skin against photodamage induced by UVB radiation. Additionally, our current results showed that topical application of the distillate alleviated collagen disruption and reduced levels of proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1 β expressions) in the dorsal skin against UVB radiation. Taken together, our current findings suggest that the distillate has a potential to be used as a material to develop a photoprotective adjuvant.

One new record of the genus Eriosoma Leach, 1818 (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Eriosomatinae) from Korea

Eriosoma yangi parasiticum Akimoto, 1983 was recognized for the first time from Korea on Ulmus davidiana var. japonica. Identification key to the Korean Eriosoma spp., distributions, host plants, detailed descriptions, and diagnoses are provided.

Chemotaxonomic Significance of Catechin 7-O-beta-D-apiofuranoside in Ulmus Species

Ulmus genus has excellent various physiological activities, including anti-ulcer, antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-cancer, immunity, and homeostasis maintenance effects, and it is known to have many additional drug effects And one of reasons for these excellentbiological activities is a flavan-3-ol chemical group in Ulmus genus. In this study a new flavan-3-ol compound was identified in Ulmus davidiana var. japonica. A flavan-3-ol,(2R,3S)-7-[(2S,3R,4R)-3,4-dihydroxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)oxolan-2-yl]oxy-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromene-3,5-diol, named as catechin 7-O-beta-D apiofuranoside, was isolated from the stems and barks of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica for. suberosa, which is a species belonging to the genus Ulmus, growing throughout the Korea peninsula. The structure was elucidated by various spectroscopic methods including high-resolution TOF mass spectrometry, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectrometry and comparison with chemical structures of defined compounds.

Potential Anti-Skin Aging Effect of (-)-Catechin Isolated from the Root Bark of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica in Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-Stimulated Normal Human Dermal Fibroblasts

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated during skin aging, including intrinsic (chronologic aging) and extrinsic aging (photoaging). Therefore, antioxidants that inhibit ROS generation can delay skin aging. In this study, we evaluated the potential anti-skin aging effect of (-)-phenolic compounds isolated from the root bark of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica. We preferentially investigated the possible preventive effects of isolates against the degradation of skin extracellular matrix. Among the isolates, (-)-catechin suppressed the activity of collagenase MMP-1, and reversed the degradation of collagen induced by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in normal human dermal fibroblast. This action mechanism of (-)-catechin was validated by the suppression of tumor necrosis factor-α-induced accumulation of ROS and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases, protein kinase B (Akt), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). The proinflammatory cytokines upregulate inflammatory reactions, and ultimately promote aging-related reactions. In this milieu, we demonstrated that (-)-catechin decreased the expression and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6. In conclusion, (-)-catechin is a candidate to ameliorate both intrinsic and extrinsic skin aging.

A study on the Formulation of high-moisturizing Cosmetics containing Ulmus davidiana supercritical fluid extract

A study on the Formulation of high-moisturizing Cosmetics containing Ulmus davidiana supercritical fluid extract

Inhibitory Effect of Phenolic Acids in Rubus coreanus on Glucosyltransferase of Streptococcus mutans

Streptococcus mutans, a typical dental caries-causing oral pathogen, forms dental biofilm by attaching to the surface of teeth. Its glucosyltransferase (GTFase) is responsible for synthesizing water-insoluble glucan from sucrose, which is an important factor for biofilm formation and for providing microbial resistance against stresses. Therefore, inhibiting the activity of GTFase is an effective approach to prevent the formation of dental biofilm even without killing S.mutans. In this study, we found that 2.5mg/mL of methanol extracts of Camellia sinensis leaf, Diospyros kaki leaf, Nelumbo nucifera seed, Rubus coreanus fruit, and Ulmus davidiana rhizodermis inhibits both GTFase activity and biofilm formation of S.mutans without affecting cell growth. Phenolic acids such as ferulic acid, salicylic acid, and vanillic acid in R.coreanus fruit extract inhibited GTFase activity. Enzyme kinetic analysis shows that ferulic acid, salicylic acid, and vanillic acid are competitive, noncompetitive, and uncompetitive inhibitors, respectively. These results suggest that R.coreanus fruit extracts containing phenolic acids may control and prevent dental caries without killing S.mutans by inhibiting GTFase activity.

Genetic diversity and structure of Prunus padus populations in South Korea based on AFLP markers

We applied seven pairs of primer-restriction enzyme combinations to investigate the genetic diversity, genetic differentiation, and genetic structure of Prunus padus populations with AFLP markers. The values obtained for average of effective alleles (A e), percentage of polymorphic loci (%P), Shannon’s diversity index (I), and expected heterozygosity (H e) were 1.38, 81.4, 0.357, and 0.223%, respectively. The expected heterozygosity (Hj) obtained by using a Bayesian method was 0.256. The level of genetic diversity obtained for P. padus was low compared to that of Prunus species and other species with a similar life history. The inbreeding coefficient (F IS) from the approximated Bayesian method was 0.767. This value was lower than that obtained for Ulmus davidiana, which undergoes both sexual and asexual reproduction. However, the value obtained was larger than that for other species that undergo sexual reproduction, such as, Carpinus laxiflora, Phellodendron amurense, and Acer pseudosieboldianum. The value of genetic differentiation was 0.245 from AMOVA (ΦST) and 0.278 from Bayesian method (θII). The obtained level of genetic differentiation was large compared to that of other Prunus species plants and other species with a similar life history. According to UPGMA and Bayesian clustering, 11 populations were divided into two genetic groups. However, some populations were detected as weak genetic structures according to the geographical distribution. It was occurred by forest succession, asexual propagation strategies to adapt local environmental change, and gene flow being gradually decreased due to population fragmentation by demographic disturbances.

Effect of melanin reduction by extracts from Ulmus davidiana by supercritical fluid extraction

Nowadays, many people prefer products containing functional substances extracted by using harmless extraction methods from environmentally friendly substances. In addition, according to the aging of the population, it consumes a lot in external parts regardless of gender. Accordingly, in this study, we would like to check the whitening function by applying extracts from Ulmus davidiana by supercritical fluid extraction method to melanocytes (B16F10) cells in order to utilize it as a functional material. Here, USCF was extracted from Ulmus davidiana branch (with barks) by supercritical extraction fluid and USCFR was extracted with 60% alcohol at room temperature and filtered from the residues acquired after supercritical extraction. USCFREA was fractionated with ethyl acetate, and the ethyl acetate layer extract was concentrated under vacuum concentration and freeze-drying to obtain final product. First, it was confirmed that the optimal concentration of DMSO for melanocytes was 1% or less. In addition, by using the extracts from the Ulmus davidiana, the melanin content for extracellular and intracellular was checked, and the best effect of melanin treatment was confirmed in sample 2 treated with 50 µg.

Development and characterization of a superabsorbing hydrogel film containing Ulmus davidiana var. Japonica root bark and pullulan for skin wound healing

Ulmus davidiana var. japonica (UD) has widely been used in Korean traditional medicine for the treatment of various types of diseases including inflammation and skin wounds. The UD root bark powders possess gelling activity with an excellent capacity for absorbing water. This distinct property could make the UD root bark powders to be a great material for manufacturing a gel film specifically for the healing of large and highly exudating wounds (e.g., pressure sores and diabetic ulcers). In this research, we separated the UD root bark powder into 4 different samples based on their sizes and then tested their water absorption capacity and flowability. Based on these results, 75–150 μm sized and below 75 μm sized samples of UD root bark powders were chosen, and UD gel films were prepared. The UD gel films showed good thermal stability and mechanically improved properties compared with pullulan only gel film with excellent swelling capacity and favorable skin adhesiveness. Further, in the animal studies with the skin wound mice model, the UD gel films exhibited significant therapeutic effects on accelerating wound closure and dermal regeneration. Overall, this study demonstrated the applicability of UD root bark powders for hydrogel wound dressing materials, and the potential of UD gel films to be superior wound dressings to currently available ones.

Life History and Morphology of the Japanese Elm Leaf Miner, <i>Anafenusa shinoharai</i>（Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae）, that Causes Blister-like Browning on the Young Leaves of <i>Ulmus davidiana</i> var. <i>japonica</i>

The Japanese elm leaf miner, Anafenusa shinoharai Smith（Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae）, caused a large blister-like browning on the young leaves of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica in Morioka City, Iwate, Japan. This damage is reported for the first time, and the life history and larval morphology of the species are described to facilitate rapid diagnosis. The species is univoltine, and the adults emerged and reproduced in mid-May when the host leaves reached 78% of their full length. After 3 weeks, mature larvae fell to the ground, formed a chamber in the soil, and overwintered there as prepupae. In this study, all 40 adults that emerged from the soil were female, carrying an average of 35.5 mature eggs. The larvae consumed both palisade and spongy parenchyma, forming a mine with an average size of 10.3 cm2. In 2019, the number of adults that emerged from the soil was 26.7/m2 and the number of mature larvae that dropped to the ground was 239.9/m2, suggesting that the infestation and damage would be repeated the next year. I describe the larval morphology of the 5th instar（final feeding stage）and the 6th instar（non-feeding mature stage）, revealing drastic morphological changes. In addition, I redescribe the adult morphology.

Anti-ecotoxicological Glycoprotein Isolated from <i>Ulmus davidiana</i> Nakai Inhibits Fecal Malodor and Promotes Feed Efficiency in Mice

Anti-ecotoxicological Glycoprotein Isolated from <i>Ulmus davidiana</i> Nakai Inhibits Fecal Malodor and Promotes Feed Efficiency in Mice

Fire resistance of bark of 11 tree species

China is one of the countries with serious forest fires. Besides the methods of strengthening management of fire source and increasing forest fire monitoring and rescue efforts, improving the ability of forest itself to resist fire is also the key to prevent forest fires. In this study, we examined the characteristics of the bark across 11 main tree species in Korean pine broad-leaved forest at Jiaohe Forestry Experimental Area in Jilin Province. Fire resistance of bark acorss the tree species was evaluated comprehensively with four indices of water content, ash content, calorific value and oxygen index, using the methods of entropy weight, variance analysis and cluster analysis. Results showed that water content of bark was the highest in Phellodendron amurense. Calorific value of bark was the lowest and ash content was the highest in Ulmus davidiana. Oxygen index of bark was the highest in Fraxinus mandshurica. Bark fire resistance of 11 tree species followed the order of U. davidiana > Acer mono > Acer triflorum > Acer mandshuricum > F. mandshurica > Quercus mongolica > P. amurense > Tilia amurensis > Juglans mandshurica > Pinus koraiensis > Betula costata. The tree species in Korean pine broad-leaved forest could be classified to five categories according to bark fire resistance: U. davidiana belonged to the category of strongest fire-resistance; A. mono and A. triflorum belonged to the category of strong fire-resistance; A. mandshuricum, F. mandshurica, Q. mongolica, P. amurense, T. amurensis belonged to the category of common fire-resistance; J. mandshurica and P. koraiensis belonged to the category of weak fire-resistance; and B. costata belonged to the category of poor fire-resistance.

(–)-Catechin-7-O-β-d-Apiofuranoside Inhibits Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation by Suppressing the STAT3 Signaling Pathway

Hepatic fibrosis is characterized by the abnormal deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. During hepatic fibrogenesis, hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation followed by chronic injuries is considered a key event in fibrogenesis, and activated HSCs are known to comprise approximately 90% of ECM-producing myofibroblasts. Here, we demonstrated that (–)-catechin-7-O-β-d-apiofuranoside (C7A) significantly inhibited HSC activation via blocking the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway. This is the first study to show the hepatic protective effects of C7A with possible mechanisms in vitro and in vivo. In our bioactivity screening, we figured out that the EtOH extract of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica root barks, which have been used as a Korean traditional medicine, inhibited collagen synthesis in HSCs. Four catechins isolated from the EtOAc fraction of the EtOH extract were compared with each other in terms of reduction in collagen, which is considered as a marker of hepatic protective effects, and C7A showed the strongest inhibitory effects on HSC activation in protein and qPCR analyses. As a possible mechanism, we investigated the effects of C7A on the STAT3 signaling pathway, which is known to activate HSCs. We found that C7A inhibited phosphorylation of STAT3 and translocation of STAT3 to nucleus. C7A also inhibited expressions of MMP-2 and MMP-9, which are downstream genes of STAT3 signaling. Anti-fibrotic effects of C7A were evaluated in a thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver fibrosis model, which indicated that C7A significantly inhibited ECM deposition through inhibiting STAT3 signaling. C7A decreased serum levels of aspartate amino transferase and alanine transaminase, which were markedly increased by TAA injection. Moreover, ECM-associated proteins and mRNA expression were strongly suppressed by C7A. Our study provides the experimental evidence that C7A has inhibitory effects on HSC activation after live injury and has preventive and therapeutic potentials for the management of hepatic fibrosis.

Leaf defense capacity of Japanese elm (Ulmus davidiana var. japonica) seedlings subjected to a nitrogen loading and insect herbivore dynamics in a free air ozone-enriched environment.

Japanese elm (Ulmus davidiana var. japonica) is a native species in cool-temperate forests in Japan. We investigated growth, physiological reactions, and leaf defense capacity of Japanese elm seedlings under nitrogen (N) loading (45.3 kg N ha-1 year-1) and seasonal insect dynamics in a free-air ozone (O3)-enriched environment (about 54.5 nmol O3 mol-1) over a growing season. Higher leaf N content and lower condensed tannin content in the presence of N loading and lower condensed tannin content in elevated O3 were observed, suggesting that both N loading and elevated O3 decreased the leaf defense capacity and that N loading further enhanced the leaf quality as food resource of insect herbivores. Two major herbivores were observed on the plants, elm leaf beetle (Pyrrhalta maculicollis) and elm sawfly (Arge captiva). The peak number of observed insects was decreased by N loading. Visible foliar injury caused by N loading might directly induce the reduction of number of the observed elm sawfly individuals. While elevated O3 slightly suppressed the chemical defense capacity, significantly lower number of elm leaf beetle was observed in elevated O3. We conclude that N loading and elevated O3 can alter not only the leaf defense capacity of Japanese elm seedlings but also the dynamics of elm leaf beetle and sawfly herbivores.

Visible-Near Infrared Spectroscopy and Chemometric Methods for Wood Density Prediction and Origin/Species Identification

This study aimed to rapidly and accurately identify geographical origin, tree species, and model wood density using visible and near infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy coupled with chemometric methods. A total of 280 samples with two origins (Jilin and Heilongjiang province, China), and three species, Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr.), Japanese elm (Ulmus davidiana Planch. var. japonica Nakai), and Chinese white poplar (Populus tomentosa carriere), were collected for classification and prediction analysis. The spectral data were de-noised using lifting wavelet transform (LWT) and linear and nonlinear models were built from the de-noised spectra using partial least squares (PLS) and particle swarm optimization (PSO)-support vector machine (SVM) methods, respectively. The response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to analyze the best combined parameters of PSO-SVM. The PSO-SVM model was employed for discrimination of origin and species. The identification accuracy for tree species using wavelet coefficients were better than models developed using raw spectra, and the accuracy of geographical origin and species was greater than 98% for the prediction dataset. The prediction accuracy of density using wavelet coefficients was better than that of constructed spectra. The PSO-SVM models optimized by RSM obtained the best results with coefficients of determination of the calibration set of 0.953, 0.974, 0.959, and 0.837 for Dahurian larch, Japanese elm, Chinese white poplar (Jilin), and Chinese white poplar (Heilongjiang), respectively. The results showed the feasibility of Vis-NIR spectroscopy coupled with chemometric methods for determining wood property and geographical origin with simple, rapid, and non-destructive advantages.

Oral administration of Ulmus davidiana extract suppresses interleukin-1β expression in LPS-induced immune responses and lung injury.

Ulmus davidiana (UD) is a traditional Korean herb medicine that is used to treat inflammatory disorders. UD has been shown to modulate a number of inflammatory processes in vitro or in vivo studies. However, the molecular mechanisms of UD on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury remain to be understood. The primary objective of this study is to determine the effect of UD bark water extract on LPS-induced immune responses and lung injury using both in vitro and in vivo models. RAW 264.7 cells and a rat model of acute lung injury (ALI) were used to study the effects of UD on several parameters. Nitrite level, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were measured. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and plasma transaminase activities in blood were also determined. Pathological investigations were also performed. LPS infusion resulted in elevated IL-1β mRNA expression, nitrite levels, TNF-α expression, and IL-1β expression in RAW 264.7 cells. LPS infusion also increased levels of nitrite/nitrate, total protein, LDH, and TNF-α in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, but reduced SOD levels in ex vivo and in vivo models. UD administration ameliorated all these inflammatory markers. In particular, treatment with UD reduced LPS-induced nitrite production in RAW 264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. UD treatment also counteracted the LPS-induced increase in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) activity in rat plasma, leading to a significant reduction in ALT and AST activity. The results revealed that UD treatment reduces LPS-induced nitrite production, IL-1β mRNA expression, and TNF-α expression. In addition, LPS-induced decrease in SOD level is significantly elevated by UD administration. These results indicate that UD extract merits consideration as a potential drug for treating and/or preventing ALI.