• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2020.12a
• /
• pp.73-73
• /
• 2020

Toona sinensis (TS) leaf is known to antinociceptive, antioxidative stress and skin moisturizing effects. Acnes vulgaris is a chronic skin disease with various symptoms including itchiness, pain and interruption of normal skin function. Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) is a major factor in the occurrence of inflammatory acnes. This study evaluated the antioxidant and anti-inflammation effects by TS extract from adventitious shoots. TS extract showed anti-inflammatory activities by suppression of pro-inflammation mediators (iNOS and COX-2) in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. TS extract also has anti-inflammatory activities by inhibiting the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines on P. acnes-stimulated HaCaT cells. These effects were regulated by MAPK signaling pathway. Therefore, we suggest that TS extract from adventitious shoots might have applications as a medicine for treating P. acnes-induced skin diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.343-349
• /
• 2013

Environment-friendly agro-materials tend to be preferred to chemical insecticides recently. For this reason, many studies are conducted to develop environment-friendly insecticides containing natural materials. The purpose of this study was to assess ecotoxicity for pepper extract and cassia oil (11.5+46%, A), pepper extract and cassia oil (23+34%, B), and pepper extract and lavender oil (40+10%, C). They are expected to prevent from pests especially diamondback moth, and can be used for agro-materials. Their formulation was emusifiable concentration (EC). Target species used to assess acute toxicity were aquatic invertebrate (Daphina magna), fish (Cyprinus carpio), honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) and earthworm (Eisenia fetida). The $EC_{50}$ value of A, B, and C to aquatic invertebrate were 0.46, 1.9, 0.25 mg $L^{-1}$ respectively and these values were moderately toxic according to standard of USEPA. In case of acute toxicity test to fish, the $LC_{50}$ of A, B, and C were 1.9, 2.9, 3.8 mg $L^{-1}$ respectively. A was category II in acute toxicity of fish and not acceptable to evaluation criteria of environment-friendly agro-materials. B and C were category III and acceptable. Acute contact and oral toxicity test to honeybee were conducted and the $LD_{50}$ of A, B, and C were > 100 ${\mu}g$ a.i. $bee^{-1}$ in both of tests. It indicated they were low toxic to honeybee. In case of acute toxicity test to earthworm, $LC_{50}$ of A, B, and C were 695, 988, and 564 mg $kg^{-1}$. In conclusion, pepper extract+cassia oil 57% EC and pepper extract+lavender oil 50% EC were expected to be used for environment-friendly insecticide materials with low risk against ecosystem and contribute to developing environment-friendly agro-materials.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.13.1-13.14
• /
• 2020

Currently, the systems for culturing buffalo spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) in vitro are varied, and their effects are still inconclusive. In this study, we compared the effects of culture systems with undefined (foetal bovine serum) and defined (KnockOut Serum Replacement) materials on the in vitro culture of buffalo SSC-like cells. Significantly more DDX4- and UCHL1-positive cells (cultured for 2 days at passage 2) were observed in the defined materials culture system than in the undefined materials system (p < 0.01), and these cells were maintained for a longer period than those in the culture system with undefined materials (10 days vs. 6 days). Furthermore, NANOS2 (p < 0.05), DDX4 (p < 0.01) and UCHL1 (p < 0.05) were expressed at significantly higher levels in the culture system with defined materials than in that with undefined materials. Induction with retinoic acid was used to verify that the cultured cells maintained SSC characteristics, revealing an SCP3+ subset in the cells cultured in the defined materials system. The expression levels of Stra8 (p < 0.05) and Rec8 (p < 0.01) were significantly increased, and the expression levels of ZBTB16 (p < 0.01) and DDX4 (p < 0.05) were significantly decreased. These findings provided a clearer research platform for exploring the mechanism of buffalo SSCs in vitro.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2019.10a
• /
• pp.70-70
• /
• 2019

Hepatic fibrosis is a common chronic liver diseases, characterized by the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM). Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) is proliferative and fibrogenic and accumulating ECM. Transforming growth factor $(TGF)-{\beta}1$ is a critical mediator of HSC activation and ECM accumulation leading to fibrosis. Tenebrio molitor (TM), known as yellow mealworms, is reported in many countries as the nutritional value of foods. Our study has aims of finding liver function improvement effect of S. cerevisiae fermented Tenebrio molitor (SCTM) in vitro model. SCTM regulates $TGF-{\beta}1$ induced hepatic fibrosis via regulation of the $TGF-{\beta}1/Smad$ signaling. Also, we compared the components increased by yeast fermentation. It is possible to make a useful insect-derived alternative food in the improvement of hepatic liver disease.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.463-470
• /
• 2023

This study confirmed the change in functional composition and alcohol-induced acute liver injury in Aloe arborescens after fermentation. An acute liver injury was induced by administration of ethanol (3 g/kg/day) to C57BL/6J mice for 5 days. A fermented A. arborescens Miller leaf (FAAL) extract was orally administered 30 minutes before ethanol treatment. After fermentation, the emodin content was approximately 13 times higher than that of the raw material. FAAL extract significantly attenuated ethanol-induced aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and triglyceride increases in serum and liver tissue. Histological analysis revealed that FAAL extract inhibits inflammatory cell infiltration and fat accumulation in liver tissues. The cytochrome P450 2E1, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione (GSH), which involved in alcohol-induced oxidative stress, were effectively regulated by FAAL extract in serum and liver tissues, except for GSH. FAAL also maintained the antioxidant defense system by upregulating heme oxygenase 1 and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 protein expression. In addition, FAAL extract inhibited the decrease in alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase activity, which promoted alcohol metabolism and prevented the activation of inflammatory response. Our results suggest that FAAL could be used as a potential therapeutic agent for ethanol-induced acute liver injury.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.52 no.2
• /
• pp.92-98
• /
• 2021

Gryllus bimaculatus extract (GbE) have reported that anti-inflammatory activity by suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. However, the effects of fermented Gryllus bimaculatus extract (FGbE) have not yet been investigated. In this study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory and anti-wrinkle effect of the fermented Gryllus bimaculatus extracts using Bacillus subtilis (JB PMB-18) in RAW264.7 cells. Both GbE and FGbE exerted no cytotoxic effects until 1000 ㎍/mL concentration. FGbE decreased NO production and decreased iNOS and COX-2 mRNA levels in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, the protein production of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 was effectively reduced compared to the GbE. Inhibitory activities of elastase and collagenase associated with skin wrinkle improvement were measured to be 45% and 69%, respectively, at a concentration of 500 ㎍/mL in FGbE. From these results, FGbE can be used as a health functional food and skin functional cosmetic materials for preventing inflammatory diseases because it has excellent anti-inflammatory and anti-wrinkle effects.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.71-78
• /
• 2004

The purpose of this study was to investigate the water absorption and thickness swelling of biocomposites at room temperature. These properties of bio-composites mainly depend on the ability of the agro-flour to absorb water through hydrogen bonding between water and the hydroxyl groups of the holocellulose and lignin in the cell wall. As the content of agro-flour increased, the water absorption and thickness swelling of the bio-composites increased. The effects of agro-flour content and rice husk flour (RHF) particle size on the water absorption and thickness swelling of the bio-composites were evaluated. In general, wood-based materials showed significantly higher water absorption and thickness swelling than the bio-composites. This might be attributed to the ability of the polybutylene succinate (PBS) hydrophobic polymer to prohibit the water absorption and thickness swelling of the bio-composites, Therefore, the use of agro-flour filled PBS bio-composites, which exhibit improved dimensional stability in comparison with wood-based materials, is recommended.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.20-28
• /
• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton var. (PF) sprout is a plant of the labiate family. We have previously reported the protective effects of PF sprout extract on cytokine-induced ${\beta}-cell$ damage. However, the mechanism of action of the PF sprout extract in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) has not been investigated. The present study was designed to study the effects of PF sprout extract and signaling mechanisms in the T2DM mice model using C57BL/KsJ-db/db (db/db) mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: Male db/db mice were orally administered PF sprout extract (100, 300, and 1,000 mg/kg of body weight) or rosiglitazone (RGZ, positive drug, 1 mg/kg of body weight) for 4 weeks. Signaling mechanisms were analyzed using liver tissues and HepG2 cells. RESULTS: The PF sprout extract (300 and 1,000 mg/kg) significantly reduced the fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in db/db mice. PF sprout extract also significantly improved glucose intolerance and insulin sensitivity, decreased hepatic gluconeogenic protein expression, and ameliorated histological alterations of the pancreas and liver. Levels of phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) protein expression also increased in the liver after treatment with the extract. In addition, an increase in the phosphorylation of AMPK and decrease in the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glucose 6-phosphatase proteins in HepG2 cells were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our results sugges that PF sprout displays beneficial effects in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes via modulation of the AMPK pathway and inhibition of gluconeogenesis in the liver.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.50 no.2
• /
• pp.141-147
• /
• 2019

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of Acanthopanax sieboldianum (Makino) Koidz (ACS) as a potent antioxidant and antidiabetic agent. The antioxidative and alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activities were examined using the methanol extracts and solvent fractions from ACS-leaf and ACS-stem. Antioxidative activities were measured by in vitro methods such as DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. When the chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions of ACS-leaf and ethyl acetate fractions of ACS-stem were compared with the control, the SOD-like activity was impaired even at the low treatment concentrations. In addition, the ethyl acetate fractions of ACS-leaf and ACS-stem showed alpha-glucosidase inhibition activities at low treatment concentrations. Analysis of the major components in the fractions of ACS-leaf and ACS-stem was also performed using HPLC. Finally, astragalin, isoqurecetin, chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid contents were measured. Based on this work, we propose that ACS-leaf and ACS-stem have great potential as natural antioxidant and antidiabetic materials related to health benefits.

• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.33-40
• /
• 2018

This study was conducted to evaluate the antifungal activity of 19 agro-materials that have been registered for organic cultivation in Korea, after inoculation of pear leaves with Venturia nashicola and Gymnosporangium asiaticum. In V. nashicola, most of the nine agro- materials containing sulfur and copper completely inhibited spore germination, and some of the spores that germinated did not form appressoria. However, in only lime sulfur, Neobordeaux (cupric sulfate), and Wheengaris (sulfur)showed antifungal activity against G. asiaticum. Among the agro-materials containing plant extracts, Wheengarujaba (wood vinegar+spirits+rhubarb) inhibited conidial germination in V. nashicola and G. asiaticum by 100% and 71.6%, respectively. Among the agro-materials containing antifungal microorganisms, Cheongotan (Streptomyces griseus) reduced spore germination rate of V. nashicola to 88.8%; moreover, formation of appressoria or intracellular accumulation was not observed. Application of Topsid (Paenibacillus polymyxa) reduced spore germination rates in V. nashicola and G. asiaticum to 71.0% and 90.6%, respectively, and the formation of appressoria was not observed. Studying the antifungal activity of agro-materials because of cumulative applications under the field conditions is necessary, owing to their contact fungicidal effect and the induced-resistance by microbial metabolites and natural compounds.