• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.350-355
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• 2010

The hepatoprotective effects of theanine on acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity were investigated in vivo and in vitro. The effects of theanine on liver toxicity induced by APAP were assessed by blood biochemical and histopathological analyses. APAP treatment (400 mg/kg) caused severe liver injury in mice as indicated by their significantly elevated plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. Pretreatment with theanine for 3 days attenuated the increase in ALT and AST when challenged with APAP. These protective effects of theanine against APAP-induced toxicity were consistent with the results from the histopathological examinations. We next examined the effects of theanine on the GSH concentration in liver plasma. The hepatic GSH level was significantly elevated in a dose-dependent manner by theanine treatment. The results suggest that the protective effects of theanine APAP-induced hapatotoxicity by antioxidative effect and GSH induction, implying that theanine should be considered a potential chemopreventive agent.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.137-142
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• 2008

Echinacea purpurea, an indian traditional plant medicine has been widely used as herbal remedy for the treatment of disease such as colds or other infections. However, Echinacea purpurea extracts recently have been applied as a cosmetic ingredient for skin care. We artificially cultured Echinacea purpurea by using the bioreactor culture system for this study. We induced callus from Echinacea purpurea and separated adventitious roots, harvested and extracted after cultured in bioreactors. Previously, several studies have been reported on anti-oxidant and immuno-enhancing effects of Echinacea purpurea extract but other efficacies were not well known. In this study, we investigated the whitening, anti-wrinkle and anti-oxidant effects to know applicable value of tissue-cultured Echinacea purpurea adventitious roots extract(TCEPARE) as a cosmetic ingredient. TCEPARE did not show cytotoxicity until a concentration of 2% and showed the anti-oxidative effect in DPPH and NBT tests. Also, the extract decreased tyrosinase expression in a dose-dependent manner and inhibited melanin synthesis in B16 melanoma cells. TCEPARE reduced protein levels of MMP-1, 2 secreted in culture medium or in cell lysates. From these results we suggest that TCEPARE has potential benefits applicable as to cosmetic ingredient for skin care products.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.135-139
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• 2012

This study was designed to evaluate the physicochemical properties and biological activities of steamed and fermented Codonopsis lanceolata. The treatments included NS-NF (non-steamed and non-fermented), NS-LF (non-steamed and L. rhamnosus fermented), S-NF (steamed and non-fermented), and S-LF (steamed and L. rhamnosus fermented). Total polyphenol amounts of S-NF and S-LF were significantly increased to more than 26 mg GAE/g. The highest DPPH scavenging activities were observed for S-NF and S-LF, showing $EC_{50}$ values of 0.8 and 0.6 mg/mL, respectively. The growths of Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Shigella boydii were effectively inhibited by S-LF (MIC < 9 mg/mL). The NS-LF and S-LF ($EC_{50}$ <6 mg/mL) effectively inhibited ${\alpha}$-Glucosidase and tyrosinase activities compared to NS-NF ($EC_{50}$ <17 mg/mL). The S-LF exhibited the highest acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity ($IC_{50}$ <32 mg/mL). Therefore, the results suggest that the application of the steaming process combined with probiotic fermentation can effectively enhance the biological and pharmacological activities in C. lanceolata.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1571-1575
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• 2007

This research was carried out to investigate the effects of Hambag mushroom on the oxidative stress in diabetic rats, Sprague-Dawley. The diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin were fed with hambag mushroom-powder(G. frondosa) for 6 weeks. For the level of oxidative stress in liver and pancreas tissues, it was studied by measuring LPO (lipid oxide) level as an indicator of lipid peroxidation, XOD(xanthine oxidase) as one of important sources for free radicals and the levels of GSH and GST as anti-oxidant systems. Also, as an indicator of liver damaged by oxidative stress, the activities of serum ALT and AST were measured. It was observed that the levels of ALT, AST, LPO and XOD were higher by about two times in both tissues from diabetic rats than in those from control rats. This indicates that the oxidative stress induced by diabetes caused the tissues damages. However, these levels were decreased in the tissues from rats with hambag mushroom-powder. Futhermore, the activity of GST were higher in both tissues from diabetic rats fed with hambag mushroom-powder than in those from diabetic rats. Thus, it is considered that the hambag mushroom-powder decreases the level of oxidative stress by increasing activity of anti-oxidant system such as GSH and GST. It is suggested that the hambag mushroom-powder can be useful for preventing the tissues damaged by diabetes-induced oxidative stress.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1452-1461
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• 2017

Melanin production by melanocytes in human hair follicles decreases with time and leads to the graying process, which is a phenotype of human aging and an index of aging. The reduction in melanin production is the result of decreased tyrosinase activity in hair follicles and an accumulation of active oxygen species, such as hydrogen peroxide. This study investigated antioxidant effects and melanin-promoting effects in B16F1 cells treated with black sesame ethanolic nonpolar-soluble extract (SBEEO) and black sesame ethanolic polar-soluble extract (SBEEP). In antioxidation experiments, both SBEEP and SBEEO did not eliminate 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, but SBEEO at $64{\mu}g/ml$ showed low reducing power. SBEEP exerted cytotoxic effects at concentrations greater than $8{\mu}g/ml$, whereas SBEEO showed cytotoxic effects at concentrations greater than $4{\mu}g/ml$. SBEEP and SBEEO induced melanin synthesis, tyrosinase activity, and DOPA oxidase activity in vitro. In live cells, melanin synthesis was greater in the SBEEP treatment group as compared with that in the SBEEO treatment group. SBEEP stimulated melanin synthesis by modulating the expression of tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2), which is an important enzyme in melanin synthesis. These results imply that SBEEP obtained from black sesame ethanolic extract may have the potential to improve melanin synthesis.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.93-99
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• 2009

This study aimed to determine whether or not glycoprotein isolated from Cudrania tricuspidata Bureau fruit(CTB glycoprotein) exerts a hepatoprotective effect on liver injury induced by the administration of carbon tetrachloride($CCl_4$, 1.0mL/kg) to A/J mice. Following the administration of CTB glycoprotein(0-20mg/kg), the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase(CAT), and glutathione peroxidase(GPx)), and the quantities of measured thiobarbituric acid reactive substances(TBARS), lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), and nitric oxide(NO) were evaluated from the murine liver tissues and plasma. Additionally, the activity of nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-${\kappa}B$) was assessed after pretreatment with $CCl_4$. When the mice were treated with $CCl_4$ alone, the activities of antioxidative enzymes reduced but amounts of TBARS, LDH, and NO increased. However, the results of treatment with CTB glycoprotein(10 and 20 mg/kg) revealed significantly increased activities of antioxidant enzymes(SOD, CAT, and GPx), as compared with $CCl_4$ alone. On the other hand, the result showed significant diminutions of the quantities of TBARS, LDH, and NO after treatment with CTB glycoprotein(10 and 20 mg/kg), as compared to $CCl_4$ alone. The activity of NF-${\kappa}B$ also declined after pretreatment with CTB glycoprotein, as compared with $CCl_4$ treatment alone. Thus, it is suggested that the CTB glycoprotein exerts a protective effect against $CCl_4$-induced liver injury in A/J mice.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.226-236
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• 2012

In the present work, the influence of prebiotic fructooligosaccharide (FOS) on adhesion to Caco-2 cells, viability, acid and bile tolerance, antibacterial, antioxidant, enzymatic, and metabolic activities of the probiotic starters Lactobacillus acidophilus GK20 and Lactobacillus paracasei GK74, has been explored. Experiments were conducted with fermented yoghurt over a period of 7 days at $4^{\circ}C$. When compared to control fermentations without prebiotic, the addition of FOS was seen to significantly (p<0.05) increase the viable cell counts of the probiotics, overall viscosity, and concurrently reduce the pH of the fermented yoghurts. Both Escherichia coli ATCC 11229 and Salmonella enteritidis ATCC 13076 were inhibited by the probiotics' antibacterial activities, while the synbiotic yoghurt containing mixed probiotics and FOS was noted to highly improve antagonistic action. When fermented with mixed starters, the addition of FOS (1.0%) resulted in the highest proteolytic ($1.06{\pm}0.06$ unit) and ${\beta}$-galactosidase activities ($20.14{\pm}0.31$ unit). However, FOS did not affect acid and bile tolerance, adhesion to Caco-2 cells or the antioxidant activity of the probiotics, although both L. acidophilus GK20 and L. paracasei GK74 had functionality as probiotic strains. Hence, a significant synbiotic effect was observed in fermented yoghurt after 7 days of storage at $4^{\circ}C$, and as a result, such synbiotic yoghurt can be said to possess synergistic actions which improve the gastrointestinal environment and promote of health.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.94-98
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• 2007

This study was to investigate the effects of ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol on the attenuation of renal ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in pigs. Ten pigs were subjected to 60 minutes of warm unilateral renal ischemia followed by removal of contralateral kidney and then divided into two groups. Treatment group was performed ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol pretreatment 2 days before operation and ascorbic acid with heparin-saline solution irrigation-aspiration. Otherwise, control group used only irrigation-aspiration of heparin-saline solution. Blood samples were collected from these pigs for measurement of serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine values, antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD) at pre, day 1, day 3, day 7 and day 14. The kidneys were taken for histopathologic evaluation after euthanasia on postoperative day 14. The levels of BUN were significantly increased in the control group on day 1, day 3 and day 7 (P<0.05). And the level of creatinine was significantly increased in the control group on day 3 (p<0.05). Activity of antioxidant enzymes in plasma revealed significant difference (p<0.05) between control and treatment group at day 14. In histopathologic findings, treatment group was showed less damage than that of control group on the basis of renal tubular damage. It was concluded that ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol attenuated renal I/R injury in the pigs.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.323-329
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• 2011

We investigated photodynamic stress-induced antioxidant responses in transgenic rice overexpressing Bradyrhizobium japonicum 5-aminolevulinic acid synthase (ALA-S) coding sequence lacking plastidal transit sequence. High light of $350{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}$ decreased the quantum yield in the transgenic lines, C4 and C5, compared to that of wild-type line. By contrast, non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) levels of C4 and C5 under high light were higher than those of the transgenic lines under low light of $150{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}$ as well as wild-type line under low and high light. Greater levels of NPQ in the transgenic lines exposed to high light were in a close correlation with increases in the xanthophyll pigment, zeaxanthin. Under high light, levels of neoxanthin, violaxanthin, lutein, and ${\beta}$-carotene in the transgenic lines were lower than those in wild-type line. Taken together, nonphotochemical energy dissipation and photoprotectant xanthophyll pigments play a critical role to deal with the severe photodynamic damage in the transgenic rice plants, although they could not overcome the photodynamic stress, leading to severe photobleaching symptoms.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.334-340
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• 2005

This study has attempted to examine the effect of Artemisia princeps and A. argyi on liver function-related enzymes in rats with $CCl_4$ adminisration. The activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT) and alkaline phosphatase(ALP) from A. princeps were decreased by 33, 23 and $19\%$, respectively, compared to control. The activities of AST, ALT and ALP from A. argyi were decreased by 37, 33 and $26\%$, respectively. Total phenol contents were 10.2 mg/mL and 4.7 mg/mL in A. princeps, and A. argyi, respectively. Also, flavonoid contents were $6.1\;mg\%\;and\;3.6\;mg\%$ in A. princeps, and A. ar효i, respectively. Ethanol extract from A. argyi showed higher electron donating ability toward DPPH than A. princeps. A total of 31 volatile components(3 hydrocarbons, 10 terpenes, 5 carbonyls, 8 alcohols and 5 esters) were indentified in A. princeps, and A. argyi. The major volatile components of A. princeps were $\delta$-3-carene($2.2\%$) in terpenes and nerolidol($0.9\%$) in alcohols. The major volatile components of A. argyi were eugenol($1.4\%$) in alcohols and thyl pentadecanoate($1.1\%$) in esters.