• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.677-685
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• 2021

Cannabis sativa L. belongs to the Cannabaceae family and is an annual herbaceous flowing plant. The plants can be classified into narcotic marijuana and nonnarcotic hemp. Different parts of C. sativa L. have been used as food, medicine, cosmetics, fiber and textile. However, the use of leaf, flower, and seed of C. sativa L was forbidden in Korea in January 1977 as a result of the Cannabis Control Act due to the narcotic properties. The plant's mature stems have limited uses for the production of fiber and sheets. Recently, various cannabinoids, terpenes and essential fatty acids were identified from C. sativa L., and their safety and useful bio-activities, such as neuroprotective, anti-inflammation, antithrombosis, antiepileptic, and antimicrobial activities, and the relief of pain, have been highlighted. Furthermore, the process of reduction of tetrahydrocannabinol, a representative narcotic compound, and the isolation of cannabidiol, a nonnarcotic active compound in C. sativa L., have been determined. These findings resulted in the legalization of C. sativa L. in Korea for medical use in December 2018 and the exclusion of C. sativa L. from the narcotic list of the UN Commission on Narcotics Drugs (UNCND) in December 2020. Therefore, developments of various high-value added products have commenced worldwide. Additionally, in 2021, the Korean government deregulated special zones based on hemp. In this study, the current status and the prospect of the hemp industry, as well as essential techniques for developing new hemp products, are provided for the activation of the Korea Green-Rush.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.330-339
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• 2008

Ceramide, cholesterol and free fatty acids are the major intercellular lipids, maintaining the integrity of the skin barrier. However, the roles of these lipids in canine skin barrier function are little known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the repairing effects of 2% ceramide (CER), 2% cholesterol (CHO), 2% linoleic acid (LIN) and 2% intercellular lipid mixture (ILM) on damaged canine skin barrier by 1.25% sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS). Transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin hydration, skin pH and skin thickness were assessed. Histological profiles and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) profiles were assessed on day 12. SLS effectively induced the canine skin barrier damage. TEWL was significantly decreased by topical application of CER and ILM in SLS and vehicle-treated skin on day 8 and 12, respectively (p < 0.05, p < 0.0 I). By end of the experiment all lipids significantly decreased the TEWL as compared with SLS and vehicle control, but CER and ILM more significantly decreased the TEWL than UN and CHO, respectively (p < 0.01). Skin hydration was significantly increased by CER and ILM during experimental periods (p < 0.01). Skin pH was significantly decreased by CER, LIN and ILM. In histological profiles, the thickness of the stratum corneum (SC) was significantly increased by the SC lipids as compared with vehicle and SLS (p < 0.01). Especially, CER and ILM showed more prominent improvement of barrier recovery. In TEM of the SC, SLS induced exfoliations of corneodesmosomes in the SC, and CER and ILM effectively protected exfoliations of corneodesmosomes on SLS-damaged canine skin. These results indicated that topical application of CER and ILM dramatically improved damaged-skin barrier function by SLS. Also, it was considered that the use of CER or ILM was recommended for the management of skin barrier dysfunction by irritant and inflammatory skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.522-532
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• 2010

The aims of the present study were to characterize the effect of glucocorticosteroids (GCs) on the normal canine skin and to evaluate the effect of a lipid mixture (LM), containing cholesterol, pseudoceramide, and free fatty acid, on the steroid-induced damaged skin of dogs. Five beagles were involved and the skin of the back of each dog was topically applied with four kinds of GCs twice daily for 28 days. LM was applied after that period of GCs application. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin hydration, and skin pH were assessed during experimental periods and histopathological evaluation was performed. TEWL was significantly increased, with a maximum increase obtained on day 28 (p < 0.01). Skin pH was significantly decreased, with a maximum decrease obtained on day 28 (p < 0.01). Skin surface hydration was significantly increased on day 3, but values of skin hydration were progressively decreased and finally reached those of baseline. In histology, as results of steroid application, losses of keratin layers in the stratum corneum and edematous changes in the upper parts of dermis, and consequently, thickness of the epidermis and the stratum corneum were decreased. In addition, the numbers of hair follicles were markedly decreased in steroid control as compared to intact control. However, these skin atrophic changes were markedly inhibited by treatment of LM as compared with steroid control in the present study. Moreover, all biophysical parameters were reached to the baseline after LM treatment. These results showed that the topically applied GCs induced skin barrier impairment and a LM should be effective on repair of disturbed skin barrier function in dogs. Therefore, it is concluded that a LM tested in the present study is expected to treat the steroid-induced skin damages.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.48-56
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• 2009

This study was conducted to examine the effects of Opuntia ficus-indica complexes(OCB) on the intake of water and food, body weight, blood glucose levels, glucose tolerance and lipid metabolism in streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to four different groups; non-diabetic control(NC), diabetic control (DC), diabetic OCB of 2%(OCB-2), and diabetic OCB of 5%(OCB-5). The animals were fed on each experimental diet for 3 weeks. The DC, OCB-2 and OCB-5 groups showed a higher intake of water and food than the NC group. The fasting blood glucose levels were 100 $ mg/d{\ell}$ and 416 $ mg/d{\ell}$ for the NC and DC groups, respectively. The OCB-5 group presented a significantly low fasting glucose level of 21%(P<0.05), while OCB-2 group had a decrease of 13% compared to the DC group. As for the results of the glucose tolerance test, the highest blood glucose level was observed for all the groups at 30 minutes after the glucose injections as well as higher plasma insulin levels in the OCB-5 group. Plasma total cholesterol, triglyceride, non-esterified fatty acids(NEFA) and LDL-cholesterol concentrations were also lower in the OCB-2 and OCB-5 groups. The experimental diet did not affect the HDL-cholesterol levels. The overall results suggest that the higher intake of food by the OCB-2 and OCB-5 groups improved the blood glucose levels and lipid metabolism in STZ-induced diabetic rats.