• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.178-185
• /
• 2014

Leonuri Fructus, a semen of Leonuri Herba, has been used for the treatment of menstrual disorders such as amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea and leukorrhea and for the remedy of hyperemia. The present study was conducted to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of the Leonuri Fructus extract (Leonurus japonicus Houtt. EtOH extract; LJE) in vivo and in vitro. In vitro study, the MTT assay for cell viability was conducted to determine the non-cytotoxic concentration of LJE treatment in media. The levels of NO were measured with Griess reagent. Pro-inflammatory cytokines were detected by ELISA method. The inflammation-related proteins of this study were detected by immunoblot anlaysis. The increases of NO production and iNOS expression were detected in LPS-treated cells compared with control, but LJE attenuated the increases of NO and iNOS by LPS. LJE reduced the production of TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\beta}$ induced by LPS stimulation. LJE suppresses the signaling pathways of NF-${\kappa}B$ and MAPKs in LPS-induced macrophage cells. In vivo study, carrageenan-induced hind paw acute edematous inflammation rat model was used for evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of LJE. LJE significantly inhibited the increases of hind paw swelling, skin thicknesses and inflammatory cell infiltrations, and decreased the numbers of mast cell induced by carrageenan injection. These results suggest that LJE has an anti-inflammatory therapeutic potential, which is mediated through modulating NF-${\kappa}B$ activation and MAPK phosphorylation. Inhibition of the rat paw edema induced by carrageenan is considered as direct evidence that LJE may be a useful source to treat inflammation.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.421-428
• /
• 2018

Postprandial hyperglycemia plays an important role in the development of Type 2 Diabetes and diabetic complications. Controlling postprandial hyperglycemia is the most important factor for reducing the risks of diabetic complications in Type 2 diabetic patients. This study was designed to determine whether Portulaca oleracea L. extract suppresses the activation of carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, and lowers postprandial hyperglycemia in diabetic mice through streptozotocin. P. oleracea was extracted with either 80% ethanol (PEE) or water (PWE), and the extract solutions were concentrated. The ${\alpha}$-glucosidase and ${\alpha}$-amylase inhibition assays were performed using the chromogenic method. Normal mice and STZ-induced diabetic mice were orally treated with PEE, PWE (300 mg/kg of body weight) or acarbose (100 mg/kg of body weight), with soluble starch (2 g/kg of body weight). The ${\alpha}$-glucosidase and ${\alpha}$-amylase inhibitory effectiveness by PEE were markedly more effective than PWE, and both extracts indicated a higher effectiveness than the acarbose (positive control). The rise in postprandial blood glucose due to starch loading was markedly inhibited in the PEE group when compared to the control group in diabetic and normal mice. Furthermore, the area under the concentration-time curve values were markedly declined by the PEE injection in the diabetic group when compared to that exerted for the control group. These results demonstrate that P. oleracea extracts lower postprandial hyperglycemia by inhibiting carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, and that the ethanol extract is more efficacious than the water extract.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
• /
• 2002.09a
• /
• pp.161-163
• /
• 2002

The BNCT(Boron Neutron Capture Therapy) facility has been developed in Hanaro(High-flux Advanced Neutron Application Reactor), a research reactor of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. A typical tangenial beam port is utilized with this BNCT facility. Thermal neutrons can be penetrated within the limits of the possible maximum instead of being filtered fast neutrons and gamma rays as much as possible using the silicon and bismuth single crystals. In addition to, the liquid nitrogen (LN$_2$) is used to cool down the silicon and bismuth single crystals for the increase of the penetrated thermal neutron flux. Neutron beams for BNCT are shielded using the water shutter. The water shutter was designed and manufactured not to interfere with any other subsystem of Hanaro when the BNCT facility is operated. Also, it is replaced with conventional beam port plug in order to cut off helium gas leakage in the beam port. A circular collimator, composed of $\^$6/Li$_2$CO$_3$ and polyethylene compounds, is installed at the irradiation position. The measured neutron flux with 24 MW reactor power using the Au-198 activation analysis method is 8.3${\times}$10$\^$8/ n/cm$^2$ s at the collimator, exit point of neutron beams. Flatness of neutron beams is proven to ${\pm}$ 6.8% at 97 mm collimator. According to the result of acceptance tests of the water shutter, the filling time of water is about 190 seconds and drainage time of it is about 270 seconds. The radiation leakages in the irradiation room are analyzed to near the background level for neutron and 12 mSv/hr in the maximum for gamma by using BF$_3$ proportional counter and GM counter respectively. Therefore, it is verified that the neutron beams from BNCT facility in Hanaro will be enough to utilize for the purpose of clinical and pre-clinical experiment.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.476-482
• /
• 1988

Kinetic studies and theoretical investigations were made to illustrate the mechanism of the aquation of cis-[Co(en)$_2$YCl]$^{r+}$ (Y = NH$_3$, NO$_2^-$, NCS$^-$, $H_2O$) in $Hg^{2+}$ aqueous solution UV/vis-spectrophotometrically. The aquation of cis-[Co(en)$_2$YCl]$^{r+}$ have been found to be the second order for overall reaction as first order for each of substrate and Hg$^{2+}$+ catalyst. The reaction rate was increased in the order of Y=NH$_3$ < NCS$^-$- < $H_2O$ < $NO_2^-$, which are neighboring group of Cl. The step of bond formation was found to be the rate determining one, because the net charge of central metal ion run parallel with the observed rate constant. On the basis of rate determining step, kinetic data and the observed activation parameters, we have proposed the Id mechanism for the reaction system. The rate equation derived from the proposed mechanism has been in agreement with the observed rate equation.

• Korean Journal of Crystallography
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.127-136
• /
• 2001

A stoichiometric mixture of evaporating materials for ZnGa₂Se₄single crystal thin films was prepared from horizontal furnace. To obtain the single crystal thin films, ZnGa₂Se₄mixed crystal was deposited on thoroughly etched semi-insulating GaAs(100) substrate by the Hot Wall Epitaxy (HWE) system. The source and substrate temperatures were 610℃ and 450℃, respectively. The crystalline structure of the single crystal thin films was investigated by the photoluminescence and double crystal X-ray diffraction (DCXD). The carrier density and mobility of ZnGa₂Se₄single crystal thin films measured from Hall effect by von der Pauw method are 9.63×10/sup 17/㎤ and 296 ㎠/V·s at 293 K, respectively. From the photocurrent spectrum by illumination of perpendicular light on the c-axis of the ZnGa₂Se₄single crystal thin film, we have found that the values of spin orbit splitting △so and the crystal field splitting Δcr were 251.9meV and 183.2 meV at 10 K, respectively. From the photoluminescence measurement on th ZnGa₂Se₄single crystal thin film, we observed free excition (Ex) existing only high quality crystal and neutral bound exiciton (A°, X) having very strong peak intensity. Then, the full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM) and binding energy of neutral acceptor bound excition were 11 meV and 24.4 meV, respectivity. By Haynes rule, an activation energy of impurity was 122 meV.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.29-32
• /
• 2004

Inhibition of the early N-glycosylation process in the endoplasmic reticulum prevents the activation of tyrosinase, a key enzyme for melanin biosynthesis. This work aims at evaluating the increased activity of N-glycosylation inhibitors in vitro b, employing a nano-sized pH-sensitive liposome as a delivery carrier. Melexsome, a pH-sensitive nano carrier loaded with glycosylation inhibitos, was prepared by the hydration method with phospholipids and cholresterol-based amphiphiles. Inhibitory effects of Melexsome on the N-glycosylation process were evaluated by EndoH ＆ PNGaseF digestion and the western blotting. Melanin synthesis was also monitored after treatment with Melexsome Interestingly, Melexsome effectively increased the efficacy of N-glycosylation inhibitors. Melexsome was also much more efficiently translocated into the cytoplasm as observed in CLSM. These results demonstrated that the amphiphilic lipid-based pH-sensitive nano-carriers could be, used as an efficient delivery system for N-glycosylation inhibitor to enhance the effects of skin whitening cosmetics.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.105-112
• /
• 2003

Previously, we discovered a new MMP-2 isoform GA110, of which appearance in human follicular fluid(FF) and serum was increased by EDTA. The present study was conducted to investigate how GAI 10 can appear by EDTA. To examine possible involvement of protein disulfide isomerase(PDI), an enzyme responsible for the dimerization of protein via disulfide formation, effect of PDI inhibitor on the appearance of GA110 by EDTA was investigated. When PDI inhibitor added to FF before EDTA treatment, the gelatinolytic activity of GA110 was abolished in a concentration dependent manner. By contrast, the activity of 72 kDa gelatinase increased. However, the PDI inhibitor added to FF after EDTA treatment, the gelatinolytic activity of GA110 was unaffected. To find out the nature of the enzyme which converts 72 kDa gelatinase into GAI 10, chromatographic separation method of FF proteins was done. Using hydroxyapatite column, fractions rich in 72 kDa gelatinase were isolated and pooled. By using this pool as substrate for the 72 kDa converting enzyme, protein fractions containing the converting activity were obtained from chromatographic separation of FF onto glutathione sepharose fast flow column. When immunoblotting was performed on this enzymatically active protein fractions against polyclonal anti-PDI antibody, distinct immunoreactivity was observed, although appeared in smaller molecular weight region. Based on these observations, it is suggested that the appearance of GAI 10 in FF by EDTA treatment could be due to an activation of PDI-like enzyme, which dimerizes 72 kDa gelatinase into GAI 10 via the formation of disulfide bond between molecules.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.137-144
• /
• 2016

The ultimate research goal of the current study was a development of hydrolyzed whey protein powder (7%-GNANA) manufactured with normal content of sialic acid, a marker compound, that is naturally occurring at 7% concentration in GMP obtained from the milk protein. GMP is a safe food, used worldwide in infant and baby foods, etc. The test substance was prepared using (7% sialic acid containing) GMP as a raw material, and then using alcalase, an enzyme approved as a food additive, after separation of sialic acid with 100% efficiency and 7%-GNANA (containing 7% sialic acid and protein; product name: HELICOBACTROL-7) provided by MEDINUTROL Inc. (Korea). Bacterial reverse mutation (Ames) test was conducted in accordance with GLP Guideline using the test substance specified above. To identify its mutagenic potential against microorganisms, histidine auxotrophic strains of Salmonella Typhimurium, TA98, TA100, TA1535, and TA1537, and tryptophan auxotrophic strain of Escherichia coli, WP2uvrA, were used. The bacterial reverse mutation (Ames) test was performed by dividing the test substances into five different concentration groups (0, 61.7, 185, 556, 1,670, $5,000{\mu}g/plate$). Results of this experiment did not reveal repetitive increase of colony generating values or positive criteria for reverse mutagenicity for any concentration of test substances in any of the five strains, regardless of the presence of a metabolic activation system, and no dose-dependency was identified. In conclusion, the safety of 7%-GNANA test substance was verified by bacterial reverse mutation test conducted before registration of 7%-GNANA as a food additive.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.91-98
• /
• 2016

The goal of this study was to develop hydrolyzed whey protein powder (23%-GNANA) manufactured with high content of sialic acid, a marker compound that is usually present at 7% concentration in GMP obtained from the milk protein. It is a safe food, used worldwide in infant and baby foods, etc. The test substance was prepared using (7% sialic acid containing) GMP as a raw material. Alcalase, an enzyme approved as a food additive, was used after separating sialic acid, with 100% efficiency, and 23%-GNANA (composed of 23% sialic acid and protein; product name: HELICOBACTROL-23), provided by MEDINUTROL Inc. (Korea), manufactured to have high (23%) content through ethanol soaking and enrichment. Bacterial reverse mutation (Ames) test was conducted in accordance with the GLP Guideline using the test substance specified above. To detect its mutagenicity potential in microorganisms, histidine auxotrophic strains of Salmonella typhimurium, TA98, TA100, TA1535, and TA1537, and tryptophan auxotrophic Escherichia coli strain, WP2uvrA, were used. The bacterial reverse mutation (Ames) test was performed using five concentrations of the test substances (0, 61.7, 185, 556, 1,670, $5,000{\mu}g/plate$). The evaluation did not reveal repetitive increase of colony generating values and positive criteria for reverse mutagenicity for any tested concentration in the five strains regardless of the presence of metabolic activation system, and no dose-dependency. In conclusion, the safety of 23%-GNANA test substance was verified by the bacterial reverse mutation test conducted before registration of 23%-GNANA as a food additive.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.137-146
• /
• 2020

Purpose : The enhancement of abdominal muscles increases the activation and contraction of respiratory muscles, including the diaphragm. Generally, diaphragm exercises are applied to increase the breathing ability of patients with respiratory disease. Previous studies have shown that breathing capacity can be increased through abdominal muscle strengthening exercises. However, studies on breathing ability are rare and it is doubtful whether these affect respiratory ability more than diaphragm exercises. Therefore, this study seeks to compare whether abdominal exercises can improve breathing ability and whether any increase is comparable to diaphragm exercises. Methods : After selecting subjects, the place of intervention was separated for blindness. The plank group was allowed to relax for 30 seconds after 30 seconds of planking; this was set at three and increased by one set each week. Subjects in the draw-in group were allowed to relax for 30 seconds after maintaining the draw-in contraction state for 30 seconds and this was done for 15 minutes. Subjects in the control group underwent abdominal dilation for five seconds of inspiration time and expired air for five seconds by exposing the lips; breathing was performed repeatedly for 15 minutes. Subjects in each group measured their respiration function three times before intervention, three weeks after the commencement of intervention and after intervention. Spirovit SP-1 was used to measure respiratory function. In each group, repeated ANOVA was used to compare the respiratory function over time and one-way ANOVA was used to compare the respiratory function between groups. The post hoc was conducted using the LSD method. Results : There was a significant increase in respiratory ability between the forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) and peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁)/forced vital capacity (FVC) according to the six-week period. However, there was no difference between each group. Conclusion : For patients with low respiratory muscle strength, plank exercises and abdominal draw-in are beneficial exercises for improving respiratory function. These are expected to be widely used in clinical practice for patients with weak respiratory muscles.