• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.1068-1075
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• 2018

Kaempferia parviflora, an herbaceous plant in the family Zingiberaceae, is popular in many tropical regions. It is called as black ginger or krachaidum in Thailand and Laos, and its raw or dried root have been used as spices and teas. The rhizomes also have been traditionally used to treat gastrointestinal disorders, ulcers, gout, dysentery, allergies and to improve physical work capacity. Recently, its anti-obesity, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and blood clot-lysis activities were reported. In this study, the anti-thrombosis activity of black ginger was investigated, since improvement in blood fluidity leads to the prevention of various lifestyle-related diseases. The hot water and ethanol extract and their subsequent solvent fractions (hexane, ethylacetate, butanol fractions and water residue) were prepared, and their anti-coagulation and platelet aggregation inhibitory activities were determined, respectively. Among the black ginger extracts and their fractions, the ethylacetate fraction (EAF) of ethanol extract only showed significant extensions of blood coagulation time determined by thrombin time (TT), prothrombin time (PT), and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). At 5 mg/ml concentration, TT, PT and aPTT were extended to 1.22, 1.49 and >15-folds compared to non-treatment. The EAFs of ethanol and hot water extract showed strong inhibitions against collagen-induced platelet aggregations, which are comparable to inhibitions of aspirin. Also the EAFs from black ginger did not show any hemolysis activity against human RBC up to 0.5 mg/ml. Our results suggest that the EAF of black ginger has a potential as novel anti-coagulation and ant-platelet aggregation agent. This report provides the first evidence of anti-coagulation activity of black ginger.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.114-121
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• 2023

Selective cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibition is a novel strategy to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal side effects caused by conventional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. However, some selective COX-2 inhibitors have become apparent to increase the risk of severe cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to examine the anti-inflammatory effect of rosemary extract (RE) and confirm the safety of cardiovascular side effects. Inhibition of COX enzyme activity was assessed, and the levels of COX-2 and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) and COX-1 and thromboxane B₂ (TXB₂) were evaluated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells. The 40% RE group showed increased COX-2 inhibition activity in a dose-dependent manner, whereas the 50% RE group only exhibited at 100 ㎍/mL. In a cell-based study, COX-2 mRNA expression was similar in both RE groups and PGE₂ levels tended to decrease in the 40% RE group compared to the LPS group in the LPS pretreatment condition. In the LPS posttreatment condition, the COX-2 mRNA expression decreased in the 40% RE group, and PGE₂ levels were increased in the 40 and 50% RE groups. In both conditions, there was no significant difference in COX-1 and TXB₂ levels. In conclusion, 40 and 50% RE showed significant COX-2 inhibition, similar to the positive control group. It was confirmed that the inhibition of the COX-2 expression, but the effect did not affect the balance between prostacyclin and TXB₂. These results indicate that rosemary showed COX-2 inhibition activity with a low risk of cardiovascular diseases.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.289-295
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• 2016

Sorbus commixta, a flowering plant in the Rosaceae family, is native to Japan and Ulleung Island, Korea. This plant is also called maga-mok or mai-mok in Korea because the bud of the stem has a similar shape to the teeth of a horse. In this study, hot water extracts from different parts of S. commixta, such as leaf, stem, and immature and mature fruits, were prepared, and their antithrombosis and antioxidant activities were evaluated. The extraction yield and pH of stem extracts were 3.99% and 5.5, respectively. The stem extracts contained 89.2 mg/g of total polyphenols and 28.3 mg/g of total flavonoids. The hot water extracts prepared from the leaf, stem, immature, and mature fruit of S. commixta exhibited no hemolytic activity against human red blood cells, up to a concentration of 0.5 mg/ml. In an anticoagulation assay, the stem extracts showed strong extension in thrombin, prothrombin, and activated partial thromboplastin times, whereas the other extracts had no anticoagulation activity. In a platelet aggregation inhibitory activity assay, all the extracts tested had no inhibitory activity against human platelets. With regard to antioxidation activity, the stem extracts showed stronger radical scavenging activity and reducing power activity than the other extracts. The calculated RC₅₀s, the concentration required for 50% radical scavenging activity, for DPPH anions, ABTS cations, and nitrite of the crude stem extracts were 119.7, 53.3, and 117.5 μg/ml, respectively, whereas they were 13.7, 5.2, and 14.9 μg/ml for DPPH anions, ABTS cations, and nitrite, respectively, for vitamin C. The results suggest that the stem extracts of S. commixta have strong potential for use as a novel resource for antithrombosis agents.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.336-343
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• 1999

Fifty six mycelial cultured Basidiomycetes were screened for their inhibitory effects against prolyl endopeptidase(PEP), acetylcholine esterase(AChE) and thrombus coagulation. Out of them, methanolic extract of mycelium and/or ethylacetate(EtOAc) soluble fraction from culture broth of Peniophora quercina, Amanita aspera, Phellinus chrysoloma, Grifola frondosa, Wolfiporia extensa, Clavicorona pyxidata and Phanerochaete sordida inhibited more than 90% of PEP activity at 40 ppm. The extracts of Lenzites betulina, Phellinus chrysoloma, Wolfiporia extensa, Phanerochaete sorrlida, Hypocrea nigricans, Coriolus azureus, Flammulina velutipes, Phlebiopsis gigantea and Bondarzewia montana exhibited about 40% of inhibitory activity against AChE at 40 ppm. In thrombin times assay, the extracts of Amanita aspera, Oxyporus latemarginata, Peniophora quercina, Fomes fomenfarius, Trametes versicolor, and Phlebiopsis gigantea delayed coagulation of thrombus about two to three times over control at ca 550 ppm. In activated partial thromboplastin times assay, none of the tested Basidiomycetes showed significant effect.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.1478-1483
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• 2009

A solid-state culture based on grain materials was attempted to produce a fibrinolytic enzyme for blood circulation improvement using Bacillus subtilis BK-17. The spore, rather than vegetative cell inoculation, of B. subtilis BK-17 on the solid-state culture was effective in the production of a fibrinolytic enzyme. Maximum spore production was obtained with a SFM medium (0.8% nutrient broth, 0.05% yeast extract, $10^{-1}$ M $MgCl_2$, $10^{-3}$ M $FeCl_3$, $10^{-4}$ $MnCl_2$, $10^{-5}$ M dipicolic acid, pH 6.5). Optimal pH and temperature were pH 6 and $30^{\circ}C$, respectively. The spore production reached a maximum at 60 hours of incubation. Bacillus subtilis BK-17 on the mung bean solid-state culture produced greater fibrinolytic activity, and less activity was seen in other grains such as kidney bean, soybean and corn. Protein and lipid contents of fermented soybeans were about 10 - 30% more than those of unfermented soybeans. Amino acid content was also 5 - 20% more than that of unfermented soybeans. These results indicated that fermented solid-state culture medium, fermented soybean in this case, can be utilized as a food supplement.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.132-138
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• 2006

Direct thrombin inhibitor, which is effective to prevent or cure the thrombosis, has been investigated in worldwide. In this study, we tried to screen antithrombosis agent from edible or medicinal plant. A strong antithrombin activity was identified from methanol or $95\%$ ethanol extract of buckwheat seeds. The solvent fractionation of buckwheat extracts using hexane, ethylacetate, butanol revealed that the butanol fraction has a prominent antithrombin activity. Thrombin time (blood-clot formation time) exceeded to over $2,000\%$ by addition of the butanol fraction at concentration of $312.5{\mu}g/mL$, whereas thrombin time extended to $336\%$ by addition of aspirin at concentration of $1,500{\mu}g/mL$. The butanol fraction showed anthrone-positive and ninhydrine-negative reaction. The active components were heat-liable, acid-unstable non-proteinous macromolecules (>30 KD). In vivo analysis using ICR male mouse showed that the buckwheat extract was superior than the aspirin in pulmonary thrombosis, KCN-induced coma and death. Our results suggest that the buckwheat is a potential as an antithrombosis agent and medicinal food.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.727-734
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• 2014

To investigate anti-thrombosis and anti-oxidation activities of the root of Arctium lappa L (RALL), which has been used as foodstuff and oriental medicine in Korea, the ethanol extract and its subsequent organic solvent fractions of the RALL were prepared. The yield of ethanol extraction was 10.94%, and the content of total polyphenol and total sugar of ethanol extract were 5.01 and 694.53 mg/g, respectively. The fraction yields of n-hexane, ethylacetate (EA), butanol and water residue were 1.62, 0.42, 5.98 and 85.38%, respectively. In anticoagulation activity assay, the ethanol extract of RALL did not show significant changes in thrombin time (TT), prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), whereas the EA fractions showed 13 folds extended TT, PT, and aPTT respectively. Interestingly, the water residue showed strong activation effect against blood clotting factors with shortened aPTT, which might provide the evidence of coagulation agent of RALL in folk remedy. In anti-platelet aggregation assay, the activity of the ethanol extract and its fractions were comparable to that of aspirin. Especially the EA fraction showed 2-folds higher inhibitory activity than aspirin. In anti-oxidation activity assay, the EA fraction also showed strong in DPPH, ABTS and nitrite scavenging activity, and reducing power activity. The extract and fractions of RALL have ignorable hemolytic activity against human RBC up to 0.5 mg/mL concentration. Our results suggest that the EA fraction of RALL have potentials as safe and novel anti-thrombosis agent.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.122-127
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• 2023

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasingly increasing as the main cause of death worldwide, and activation of platelet in vascular damage is one of the important causes of CVD. In recent, there is a growing interest in anti-thrombotic materials through platelet suppression, and efforts are being made to reduce side effects by using natural bioactive compounds. Known as one of the Flavonoids, hydroxygenkwanin (HGK) is a purified substance in Daphne Genkwa, which is known to have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects, and has been reported to serve as an inhibitor of tissue factor that prevents thrombosis, but its anti-platelet effects and the action mechanisms is not known. In this study, we confirmed that the effects of HGK on the collagen-induced human platelets activation. HGK suppressed phosphorylation of PI3K/AKT and mitogen-activated protein kinases during platelet signaling, and reduced granule secretion in platelets such as ATP and serotonin. In addition, HGK inhibited the phosphorylation of cPLA₂ and strongly undermined the production of TXA₂, which is a powerful aggregation amplifier. As a result, the platelet aggregation derived by Collagen, a cohesive induced substance, was strongly suppressed by HGK to an IC₅₀ of 86.36 µM. Therefore, HGK might be worth the antithrombotic substance that inhibits the activation and aggregation of human platelets that occur through blood vessel damage.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.547-550
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• 2011

We have developed a laser-based needle-free liquid drug-injection device. A laser beam is focused inside the liquid contained in the rubber chamber of a micro-scale. The focused laser beam causes explosive bubble growth, and the sudden volume increase in a sealed chamber drives a microjet of liquid drug through the micronozzle. The exit diameter of a nozzle is less than 100 ${\mu}m$, and we verify that the injected microjet is fast enough to penetrate soft human tissue. In the experiment, the microjet penetrated a 5% gelatin-water solution that replicates the human thrombus and pork-fat tissue.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.12
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• pp.1790-1799
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• 2010

A controlled and double blinded trial was performed to evaluate the effects of OPE supplementation on blood circulation in healthy male smokers. The study population consisted of 92 healthy male smokers aged $44.4{\pm}7.8$ years. The supplement group (n=49) received OPE containing 100 mg quercetin/day for 10 weeks, while the control group (n=43) received placebo powders. The prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time increased significantly after OPE consumption, indicating the attenuated blood clot formation by OPE. In conclusion, these results indicate that the daily consumption of OPE (containing 100 mg quercetin) for 10 weeks exerts significant health benefits through the modulation of physiological functions including the blood circulation in male smokers.