• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.515-521
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in the liver lipid and antioxidant metabolism in obese rats following ingestion of Orostachys japonicus (OJ) hot water extract. The rats were fed a high fat diet for 8 weeks to induce obesity. In the experimental group, 2.5% or 5% OJ hot water extract was added to the diets for 6 weeks. To determine the changes in the liver lipid and antioxidant metabolism in obese rats, the livers were collected and weighed, lipid content was measured, and antioxidant enzyme activity was determined. A significant decrease in liver weight was observed in the group fed with OJ hot water extracts and decreased lipid accumulation was observed in the morphological observation of liver tissue. Total cholesterol and triglyceride contents were also decreased. Both OJ extracts significantly decreased 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical and intracellular reactive oxygen species levels. Further, the levels of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase were significantly increased in rats treated with OJ extracts. These results suggest that the intake of OJ hot water extracts may improve liver lipid metabolism by activating antioxidant enzymes.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 1987

To elucidate the mechanism of splanchnic hyperemia associated with chronic portal hypertension, we have investigated the alteration in visceral reflexes in conjuction with circulatory hemodynamics in portal ligated portal hypertension in cats. When capsaicin, bradykinin and vasopressin were injected via splenic artery of sham cat, respectively, they caused not only reflex excitation of systemic arterial pressure, but also elevation of splenic venous pressure with unchanged heart rates. Simultaneously, they evoked the sympathetic efferent excitation of liver (spleno-hepatic reflex) as well as of spleen (spleno-splenic reflex). Similarly, capsaicin upon pledging on the liver surface evoked a significant increase in the pressor reflex with hepatic nerve excitation (hepato-hepatic reflex). After portal ligation, the splenic venous pressure was gradually elevated in association with decrease in systemic arterial pressure. However, the excitation of pressor reflex was enhanced on the and day, thereafter, being returned to the control, and the reflexly induced spleno-splenic, spleno-hepatic and hepato-hepatic sympathetic excitations were significantly diminished on the 8th day following portal vein ligation. In conclusion, it is suggested that sympathetic reflexes to spleen and liver are specifically intervened by the same central pathways and furthermore, the diminution of these viscero-visceral reflex excitations after portal ligation may be related to the intestinal hyperemia.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.81-88
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• 2015

Objectives : The aim of present study was to evaluate the beneficial effect of Scutellariae Radix (SR) and Scutellariae Radix EtOH-heated at 200℃ (SR200) using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treated intestine of mice.Methods : Extract of SR and SR200 were orally administrated. Their effects were compared with vehicletreated LPS and normal groups. Subsequently, we measured reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide in the serum and western blotting in the intestine.Results : The average weight in LPS treated (Vehicle) group was lowered significantly compare to that in non-treated normal group and this weight loss in the vehicle group was effectively prevented by the administration of SR and SR200 respectively. The increased oxidative stress biomarker levels such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) in the serum was markedly decreased by treated with SR200. The decreased levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) induced by LPS injection were significantly restored by both SR and SR200 treatment. Moreover, increased inflammatory mediators and cytokines such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the LPS treated vehicle mice were significantly decreased through down-regulation c-JUN through reduction of oxidative stress.Conclusions : SR and SR200 could have benefit effect through down-regulation of abnormal oxidative stress in LPS induced intestine injury mice. Moreover, The anti-inflammatory activity of SR200 extract was better than SR extract in the LPS induced intestine injury mice.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.1-13
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• 2014

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Cheunggihwadamhwan (CGHDH) extract on lowering lipid, antioxidation and production of proinflammatory cytokines in rats fed on high fat diet. Methods 40 Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed on high fat diet for 8 weeks and 32 rats (above 400 g) were randomly divided into 4 groups (8 mice in each group) : control group, 100 mg/Kg CGHDH group, 200 mg/Kg CGHDH group, 300 mg/Kg CGHDH group. We fed a control group of rats a basal diet and administered normal saline(100 mg/kg, 1 time/1 day) for 4 weeks. And We fed each experimental group of rats basal diet and administered an extract of Cheunggihwadamhwan extracts (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg, 1 time/1 day) for 4 weeks. At the end of the experiment, the rats were sacrificed to determine their chemical composition. We measured lipid in plasma and liver, concentration of proinflammatory cytokines, antioxidative activity and gene expression. The gene expression level was investigated by the way of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results 1. Concentration of plasma FFA, plasma TG, plasma total cholesterol and plasma LDL-cholesterol showed a significant decrement in Cheunggihwadamhwan groups. However, concentration of plasma HDL-cholesterol showed a significant increment in 200, 300 mg/kg Cheunggihwadamhwan groups. 2. Concentration of liver total cholesterol and liver TG showed a significant decrement in Cheunggihwadamhwan groups. 3. Concentration of plasma TBARS showed a significant decrement in all Cheunggihwadamhwan groups. Concentration of liver TBARS showed a significant decrement in 200, 300 mg/kg Cheunggihwadamhwan groups. Concentration of liver GSH-Px, SOD and CAT showed a tendency to decrease in all Cheunggihwadamhwan groups. 4. Concentration of plasma IL-$1{\beta}$, plasma IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ and NO, showed a tendency to decrease in all Cheunggihwadamhwan groups. Concentration of plasma IL-10 showed a tendency to increase in all Cheunggihwadamhwan groups. 5. In the analysis of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the gene expression of Apo-B and Apo-E in the Cheunggihwadamhwan groups showed a low expression than that of control group. The ratio of Apo-B expression per $\beta$-actin expression in the showed a significant decrement in all Cheunggihwadamhwan groups. The ratio of Apo-E expression per $\beta$-actin expression in the showed a significant decrement in 300 mg/kg Cheunggihwadamhwan groups. Conclusions According to this study, the extract of Cheunggihwadamhwan showed a positive effect of lowering lipid, antioxidation and a control of producing proinflammatory cytokines.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.653-658
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• 2004

Oxidative stress is currently suggested as a mechanism underyling diabetes. Accordingly, the present study was designed to evaluate the effect of Aralia elate water extracts (AEW) on activities of hepatic oxygen free radical generating and scavenging enzymes in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Male Wistar rats divided into nondiabetic group, diabetic group, and diabetic-AEW supplemented group. The extract was supplemented in 1.14% of raw Aralia elata/kg diet for 7 weeks. Diabetes was induced by injecting STZ (55 mg/kg BW, ip) once 2 weeks before sacrifying. The hepatic cytochrome P-450 content, xanthine oxidase and aminopyrine N-demethylase activities were significantly lowered in the diabetic group compared to the nondiabetic group. Whereas, the activities of aniline hydroxylase and oxygen free radical scavenging enzymes, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glutathione S-transferase, were significantly higher in the diabetic group than in the nondiabetic group. However, the supplementation of AEW normalized these enzyme activities in STZ-induced diabetic rats. When the AEW was supplemented with the diabetic rats, hepatic glutathione content was markedly elevated as well as lipid peroxide level was significantly lowered compared to those of the diabetic group. Thus, these results suggested that AEW supplement enhanced the activities of oxygen species metabolizing enzymes in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.55-63
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• 2001

In macrophages, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) alone or in combination with $interferon-{\gamma}\;(IFN-{\gamma})$ has been shown to release a nitric oxide (NO) through the increase of the transcription of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene. To investigate the exact intracellular signaling pathway of the regulation of iNOS gene transcription by LPS plus $IFN-{\gamma},$ the effects of protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitor and protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors on NO production, iNOS mRNA expression, nuclear $factor-_{\kappa}B\;(NF-_{\kappa}B)$ binding activity and the promoter activity of iNOS gene containing two $NF-_{\kappa}B$ sites have been examined in a mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. LPS or $IFN-{\gamma}$ stimulated NO production, and their effect was enhanced synergistically by mixture of LPS and $IFN-{\gamma}.$ The PTK inhibitor such as tyrphostin reduced LPS plus $IFN-{\gamma}-induced$ NO production, iNOS mRNA expression and $NF-_{\kappa}B$ binding activity. In contrast, PKC inhibitors such as H-7, Ro-318220 and staurosporine did not show any effect on them. In addition, transfection of RAW 264.7 cells with iNOS promoter linked to a CAT reporter gene revealed that tyrphostin inhibited the iNOS promoter activity through the $NF-_{\kappa}B$ binding site, whereas PKC inhibitors did not. Taken together, these suggest that PTK, but not PKC pathway, is involved in the regulation of the iNOS gene transcription through the $NF-_{\kappa}B$ sites of iNOS promoter in RAW 264.7 macrophages by LPS plus $IFN-{\gamma}$.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.447-460
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• 2001

The geothermal waters from the Busan area belong to Na-CI type and are characterized by much higher EC (921 ~6,520${\mu}$S/cm) and TDS (608-3,390 mg/L) than other geothermal waters in Korea. The concentration of majorions shows a weakly positive relationship with temperature except for Mg ion. The concentrations of the major cat ions have the order of Na>Ca>K>Mg. Ca ion is enriched and Mg ion is depleted compared with seawater. All Br concentrations of geothermal water are lower than those of seawater, showing a positive relationship with temperature. Generally geochemical characteristics of geothermal waters of the Busan area indicate that these waters have relatively increased Ca and Sr contents and depleted Mg, Na and K contents caused by seawater interaction with wall rock at depth during deep circulation of seawater. Base on the relationship between major ions and temperature, saline geothermal waters are diluted and are cooled by mixing of groundwaters during ascent. Isotope study and reaction path modeling of the overall geochemical system are required in order to better quantify the evolution and origin of geothermal waters in the Busan area.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.771-781
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• 2013

This study was performed to investigate the anti-photoaging effects of Persimmon leaf tea(PLT) in hairless mice(SKH-1) exposed to UVB irradiation. The animals were divided into non-treated group (normal, N) and UV-radiated groups. UV-radiated groups were divided into only UV-radiated group(control, C) and UV-radiated and PLT treated experimental groups[first extraction treated group(PLT-I), second extraction treated group(PLT-II), and third extraction treated group(PLT-III)]. Three PLT treated experimental groups of mice were treated with both oral administration(300 mg/Kg B.W./day) and topical application (100 ul of 2% conc./mouse/day) for 4 weeks. Anti-photoaging effects of Persimmon leaf were evaluated by anti oxidative reaction, stereomicroscopic and microscopic observations. The expression of photoaging skin related factors including mast cell tryptase, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was examined by immunohistochemical staining. Treatment of PLT-I, -II, -III prevented the wrinkle formation as well as epidermal hyperplasia, inflammatory cells, disruption of collagen in photoaged skin induced by UVB radiation. It also reduced the PCNA and VEGF expression in the UVB irradiated dorsal skin. Furthermore, it significantly decreased the number of mast cells in the UVB irradiated dermis(p<0.05 and p<0.01). On the effects of oxidative stress and antioxidant function on the treatment with water extract from Persimmon leaf tea(PLT), the activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD) was significantly increased in PLT-III group(p<0.05), and catalase(CAT) was significantly increased in PLT-I and PLT-III groups(p<0.05), and PLT-II group(p<0.001). These extracts showed relatively antioxidant activity and protective effect on UVB-induced oxidative stress in hairless mice(SKH-1). Our results suggest that Persimmon leaf tea may serve as an useful radical scavenging antioxidant and anti-photoaging skin agents in the UVB irradiated skin.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.114-118
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• 1990

Water requirement for desalinization was studied in column experiment filled with a tidal saline soil treated with gypsum partially, one half of the gypsum was mixed to the top one tenth and the other half was spread on the surface of the column soil. Different doses of percolates were collected and analysed with sectionalized column soils after the last percolation. Results obtained are as follows ; 1. One point seven(1.7) times of percolate was enough to desaline sodium from the tidal saline soil to bring the activity ratio of $Na/{\sqrt{Ca+Mg)}}$ to 0.10 at which the mean % Na to the sum of cations was $1.64{\pm}0.57$, but for magnessium, twice as much the percalate as the saline soil was still not enough, so that the activity ratios, $(Na+{\sqrt{Mg}})/(K+{\sqrt{Ca}})$ of soil, at different depth were not contract to an equilibrium point. 2. Most free NaCl was washed out into 1.4 times of percolate to the saline soil There after which the leaching of K and Mg became obvious. 3. Iso ha lime curves of sodium were prepared for water requirement to desaline a tidal saline soil to a projected Na concentration and a predetermined soil depth.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.58-66
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• 2007

Isolation, expression, and characterization of a novel $endo-{\beta}-1,3(4)-D-glucanase$ with high specific activity and homology to Bacillus lichenases is described. One clone was screened from a genomic library of Paenibacillus sp. F-40, using lichenan-containing plates. The nucleotide sequence of the clone contains an ORF consisting of 717 nucleotides, encoding a ${\beta}-glucanase$ protein of 238 amino acids and 26 residues of a putative signal peptide at its N-terminus. The amino acid sequence showed the highest similarity of 87% to other ${\beta}-1,3-1,4-glucanases$ of Bacillus. The gene fragment Bg1 containing the mature glucanase protein was expressed in Pichia pastoris at high expression level in a 3-1 high-cell-density fermenter. The purified recombinant enzyme Bg1 showed activity against barley ${\beta}-glucan$, lichenan, and laminarin. The gene encodes an $endo-{\beta}-1,3(4)-D-glucanase$ (E. C. 3.2.1.6). When lichenan was used as substrate, the optimal pH was 6.5, and the optimal temperature was $60^{\circ}C$. The $K_m,\;V_{max},\;and\;k_{cat}$ values for lichenan are 2.96mg/ml, $6,951{\mu}mol/min{\cdot}mg,\;and\;3,131s^{-1}$, respectively. For barley ${\beta}-glucan$ the values are 3.73mg/ml, $8,939{\mu}mol/min{\cdot}mg,\;and\;4,026s^{-1}$, respectively. The recombinant Bg1 had resistance to pepsin and trypsin. Other features of recombinant Bg1 including temperature and pH stability, and sensitivity to some metal ions and chemical reagents were also characterized.