Dae-Hyun Ham
Kyung Hee University · Agricultural and Biological Sciences
About the Lab
Professor Dae-Hyun Ham's research lab specializes in neuropharmacology and natural product therapeutics, focusing on the neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of plant-derived compounds. The lab investigates how bioactive molecules from traditional medicinal plants—including ginsenosides, amygdalin, Rehmannia glutinosa extracts, and berberine—modulate neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and cognitive dysfunction in rodent models of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. Key research directions include the molecular mechanisms underlying memory enhancement and stress resilience, with an emphasis on the cholinergic system, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and neurotrophic factors such as BDNF. The lab integrates behavioral testing with molecular and biochemical analyses to evaluate the therapeutic potential of natural compounds in neurological diseases.
Research Overview
Research Output Trend
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Selected Papers
15Amygdalin is a cyanogenic glycoside plant compound found in the seeds of rosaceous stone fruits. We evaluated the antiinflammatory and analgesic activities of amygdalin, using an in vitro lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cell line and a rat model with carrageenan-induced ankle arthritis. One mM amygdalin significantly inhibited the expression of TNF-α and IL-1β mRNAs in LPS-treated RAW 264.7 cells. Amygdalin (0.005, 0.05, and 0.1 mg/kg) was intramuscularly injected immediately after the inductio
The purpose of this study was to examine whether ginsenoside Rg3 (GRg3) could improve learning and memory impairments and infl ammatory reactions induced by injecting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the brains of rats. The effects of GRg3 on proinfl ammatory mediators in the hippocampus and the underlying mechanisms of these effects were also investigated. Injection of LPS into the lateral ventricle caused chronic infl ammation and produced defi cits in learning in a memory-impairment animal model
Many studies have shown that the steamed root of Rehmannia glutinosa (SRG), which is widely used in the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases in the context of Korean traditional medicine, is effective for improving cognitive and memory impairments. The purpose of this study was to examine whether SRG extracts improved memory defects caused by administering scopolamine (SCO) into the brains of rats. The effects of SRG on the acetylcholinergic system and proinflammatory cytokines in the
BACKGROUND: Amygdalin (D-mandelonitrile-beta-D-gentiobioside) is a cynogenic compound found in sweet and bitter almonds, Persicae semen and Armeniacae semen. Amygdalin has been used for the treatment of cancers and for the relief of the pain. We made an aqueous extraction of amygdalin from Armeniacae semen. In this study, the effect of amygdalin on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation was investigated. METHODS: The effects of amygdalin extracted from Armeniacae semen on the LPS-stim
In this study, we assessed the effects of ginsenoside Re (GRe) administration on repeated immobilization stressinduced behavioral alterations using the forced swimming test (FST), the elevated plus maze (EPM), and the active avoidance conditioning test (AAT). Additionally, we examined the effect of GRe on the central adrenergic system by observing changes in neuronal tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)immunoreactivity and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA expression in the rat brain. Male rats
We examine whether Phellodendron amurense (PA) and its major alkaloid compound, berberine (BER), improved memory defects caused by administering scopolamine in rats. Effects of PA and BER on the acetylcholinergic system and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus were also investigated. Male rats were administered daily doses for 14 days of PA (100 and 200 mg/kg, i.p.) and BER (20 mg/kg, i.p.) 30 min before scopolamine injection (2 mg/kg, i.p.). Daily administration of PA and BER improved
Abnormal adaptation of the stress-response system following traumatic stress can lead to alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal(HPA) axis that may contribute to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The present study usedseveral behavioral tests to investigate the anxiolytic-like and antidepressant activity of L-tetrahydropalmatine (L-THP) in an experimentalrat model of anxiety and depression induced by single prolonged stress (SPS), an animal model of PTSD. Male ra
Recently, much attention has been paid to developing various kinds of fermented herbal extracts, a new type of traditional herbal medicine, in the field of Korean traditional medicine. The fermentation of medicinal herbs is intended to exert a favorable influence on digestability, bioavailability and pharmacological activity of herbal extract in the gastrointestinal tract. It also produces a number of fermentation products that intensify the nutritional and pharmacological aspects of the medicin
Previous studies have demonstrated that repeated administration of the exogenous stress hormone corticosterone (CORT) induces dysregulation in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and results in depression and anxiety. The current study sought to verify the impact of catechin (CTN) administration on chronic CORT-induced behavioral alterations using the forced swimming test (FST) and the elevated plus maze (EPM) test. Additionally, the effects of CTN on central noradrenergic systems were
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a traumatic stress-related psychiatric disorder stimulated by experience. Green tea has potent antioxidative properties, due, in part, to the catechin (−) epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). EGCG is an important polyphenol with advantageous effects on anxiety and depression. Nevertheless, the mechanism about the inhibition of PTSD-like symptoms of EGCG is still unidentified. We examined whether EGCG improved learning and memory deficit stimulated in rats a
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) recognize pathogen/damage-associated molecular patterns and initiate inflammatory signaling cascades. Occasionally, overexpression of TLRs leads to the onset of numerous inflammatory diseases, necessitating the development of selective inhibitors to allow a protective yet balanced immune response. Here, we demonstrate that a novel peptide (TIP1) derived from Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) domain-containing adapter protein inhibited multiple TLR signaling pathways (M
Previous studies have demonstrated that repeated restraint stress in rodents produces increases in depression and anxietylike behaviors and alters the expression of corticotrophinreleasing factor (CRF) in the hypothalamus. The current study focused on the impact of Bupleurum falcatum (BF)extract administration on repeated restraint stress-induced behavioral responses using the forced swimming test (FST)and elevated plus maze (EPM) test. Immunohistochemical examinations of tyrosine hydroxylase (T
Glycyrrhizae radix (GR) is an herbal medicine that is commonly used in the East Asia for treating a variety of diseases, including stomach disorders. The objective of the present study was to examine the anti-stress effects of GR on repeated stress-induced alterations of anxiety, learning and memory in rats. Restraint stress was administered for 14 days (2 h/day) to the rats in the Control and GR groups (400 mg/kg/day, PO). Starting on the eighth day, the rats were tested for spatial memory on t
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