• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.339-345
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• 2006

Accumulation of nitrate in green vegetables is undesirable due to potential risks to human health. Lettuce was cultivated in pots under greenhouse conditions with compost applications of 2,000 and 4,000 kg/10a, and the growth and nitrate accumulation of lettuce were compared with those found in the lettuce cultivated with chemical fertilizers of recommended levels. Content of $NH_4-N$ in the soils of compost applications were much lower than those found in the soil of chemical fertilizer application. Two weeks after lettuce transplant $NH_4-N$ was not found in the soils of compost applications, and in the soils of chemical fertilizers application $NH_4-N$ was not found three weeks after lettuce transplant. One week after lettuce transplant content of $NO_3-N$ was much higher in the soils of compost applications, and the contents were rapidly decreased. While, the content of $NO_3-N$ in the soil of chemical fertilizers application was rapidly increased due to the nitrification of $NH_4$ released from the applied urea. At the time of harvest contents of $NO_3-N$ in the soils of compost applications were less than 1.4 mg/kg, but in the soil of chemical fertilizers application the content of $NO_3-N$ was 54.2 mg/kg. Contents of $NH_4$ in lettuce were about 20 mg/kg FW and were not much different among the treatments. However, contents of $NO_3$ in lettuce were significantly different between the treatments of chemical fertilizer and compost. There were significant differences in fresh and dry weights, and growth of lettuce in the compost treatment of 4,000 kg/10a was highest among the treatments. These results indicate that the cultivation with compost only as N source can produce higher yield of lettuce and significantly reduce nitrate accumulation as compared to the conventional cultivation with chemical fertilizers.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.219-225
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• 2014

Azadirachta indica extract (AIE) has been regarded as a promising source of environment-friendly organic materials owing to their low mammalian toxicity. However, quite a bit of research has been reported that AIE may cause clastogens in human lymphocytes. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the antimutagenic and genotoxicity of two samples of AIE. Antimutagenic test was experimented by using bacterial reverse mutation test. In the bacterial reverse mutation test, five strains Salmonella Typhimurim of two samples of AIE in order to evaluate its mutagenic potential. Bacterial reverse mutation test was also performed on positive control and negative control groups in the presence of the metabolic activation system (S-9 mix) and metabolic non-activation system. In the chromosome aberration test, Chinese hamster lung cells were exposed to AIE for 6 or 24 h with BPS, or for 6 h with S-9 mix. Negative and positive control groups were experimented for chromosome aberration test. As a result, the number of mutated colonies induced by 4-NQO were reduced by AIE treatment in all strains, indicating that AIE may have antimutagenic effects. Bacterial reverse mutation and chromosomal aberration were not shown at all concentration of AIE, regardless of activation of the metabolic system. we concluded that two AIE samples used in this study have no genotoxic effects to human, according to the genotoxicity battery system suggested by ICH (International Conference on Harmonization).

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.335-342
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• 2013

Sophorae radix extract (SRE) has been registered as an environment-friendly organic material that is widely used in the cultivation of crops in Korea. Matrine, the active ingredient in SRE, was reported as a toxic substance in the nervous system in mice. However, no information is available on its toxic effects in other organisms. Therefore, antimutagenicity and two kinds of genotoxicity tests (bacterial reverse mutation and chromosome aberration test) of two samples of SRE were investigated in this study. Antimutagenicity test was experimented by using bacterial reverse mutation test. In the reverse mutation test, Salmonella Typhimurim TA98, TA1535 and TA1537 were used to evaluate the mutagenic potential of SRE. Bacterial reverse mutation test was also performed on positive and negative control groups in the presence of the metabolic activation system (with S-9 mix) and metabolic non-activation system (without S-9 mix). In the chromosome aberration test, Chinese hamster lung cells were exposed to SRE for 6 or 24 hours without S-9 mix, or for 6 hours with S-9 mix. Negative and positive control groups were experimented for chromosome aberration test. As a result, the number of mutated colonies induced by 4-NQO were reduced by SRE treatment in all strains, indicating that SRE may have antimutagenic effects. Reverse mutation was not shown at all concentrations of SRE, regardless of application of the metabolic activation system. In the chromosomal aberration test, one of the SRE sample gave a suspicious positive result at 250 ${\mu}g/ml$ in the presence of S-9 mix. For the more adequate evaluation of the genotoxic potential of SRE samples, other in vivo genotoxicity study is needed.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.103-110
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• 2014

BACKGROUND: Azadirachta indica has been widely used as environment-friendly organic materials because of its insecticidal properties. This study was carried out to investigate the acute toxicity and the subacute toxicity of Azadirachta indica extract(AIE) in rats. METHODS AND RESULTS: For the oral acute toxicity test, Sprague-Dawley rats were gavaged with 2.0 g/Kg bw of AIE. The $LD_{50}$ value was greater than 2.0 g/Kg bw for both male and female rats. For the subacute toxicity study, rats were treated with AIE at doses of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 mg/Kg bw once a day for 4 weeks(n=10 animals per each group). There were no significant changes in body weight, food intake and water consumption observed during the experimental duration. In addition, no difference of relative kidney weight was observed among all treated groups. Serum creatinine level in the AIE 2.0 g/Kg group increased significantly compared with that of control group in male rats, but serum blood urea nitrogen was significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.05). Significant increase of serum cholesterol levels were observed in all AIE groups, compared with the control group, in the female rats (p<0.05). However, histopathological examination of the kidney did not reveal any significant lesions in all groups. CONCLUSION: On the basis of results, it could be concluded that oral administration AIE didn't cause any toxic response in kidney, except the increased serum cholesterol.