• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.249-257
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• 2017

Agastache rugosa, is a perennial medicinal plant commonly used in Chinese herbalism, and may have anti-atherogenic and antibacterial properties. Here in this study, we investigated the growth and variations in antioxidant contents of A. rugosa in response to nutrient solution and photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) with artificial lighting for a hydroponics culture. Fluorescent light at 150, and $200{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ PPFD with a 16/8 (light/dark) photoperiod, combined with four different nutrient solutions [developed by Horticulture experiment station in Japan (HES), University of Seoul (UOS), Europe vegetable research center (EVR), Otsuka-house 1A (OTS)], were used in a hydroponics culture system for 6 weeks. The shoot and root dry weights of A. rugosa grown with the OTS were significantly higher than those of other nutrient solutions. The amount of tilianin was the highest grown with the OTS, followed by EVR, HES, and UOS. Total acacetin content was the highest in A. rugosa grown under EVR which was statistically similar with OTS. The A. rugosa grown under $200{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ PPFD produced higher fresh weight and both acacetin and tilianin contents than that grown under $150{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ PPFD. The present results suggested that OTS along with $200{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ PPFD could be an optimum growing condition for better growth and higher accumulation of tilianin and acacetin contents in A. rugosa with hydroponic culture systems in a plant factory.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.613-619
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• 2014

Neospora caninum (Apicomplexa; Sarcocystidae) is a protozoan that causes abortion in cattle, horses, sheep, and dogs as well as neurological and dermatological diseases in dogs. In the central nervous system of dogs infected with N. caninum, cysts were detected that exhibited gliosis and meningitis. Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds that exhibit antibacterial, antiparasitic, antifungal, and antiviral properties. In this study, we investigated the effects of flavonoids in a well-established in vitro model of N. caninum infection in glial cell cultures. Glial cells were treated individually with 10 different flavonoids, and a subset of cultures was also infected with the NC-1 strain of N. caninum. All of the flavonoids tested induced an increase in the metabolism of glial cells and many of them increased nitrite levels in cultures infected with NC-1 compared to controls and uninfected cultures. Among the flavonoids tested, 3',4'-dihydroxyflavone, 3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone (luteolin), and 3,3',4',5,6-pentahydroxyflavone (quercetin), also inhibited parasitophorous vacuole formation. Taken together, our findings show that flavonoids modulate glial cell responses, increase NO secretion, and interfere with N. caninum infection and proliferation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.465-471
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• 2018

Bee pollen is one of many types of alternative remedies, and it has been used for a long time throughout the world. It has numerous health effects, including antifungal, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties, immune modulation, enhanced cell proliferation, and even anti-carcinogenic effects. This study was designed to elucidate the effects of bee pollen on benign prostatic hyperplasia in rodents. For this experiment, we used nano-sized bee pollen produced through wet-grinding technology, thereby the extraction efficiency of the active ingredients in the bee pollen was significantly enhanced. First, We found that nano-sized bee pollen significantly reduced the size of prostates enlarged by chronic testosterone administration. In addition, nano-sized bee pollen significantly reduced the plasma concentration of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Interestingly, nano-sized bee pollen did not reduce the testosterone-induced increase in the plasma concentration of prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$). The beneficial effects of nano-sized bee pollen in reducing both the size of the prostate and the plasma concentration of PSA was comparable to that of dutasteride. Finally, nano-sized bee pollen did not cause damage in LNCaP cells which are androgen-sensitive human prostate adenocarcinoma cells. Together, these data indicate that nano-sized bee pollen may be able to be used as a good alternative remedy for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.491-500
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• 2020

Lactic acid bacteria are widely known to prevent and treat intestinal health conditions, heart disease, depression, and obesity. In Korea, such bacteria are commonly consumed through various fermented foods, although most are isolated from kimchi, and research on the lactic acid bacteria in fermented seafood is insufficient. This study was therefore conducted to observe changes in bacterial flora according to the culture date of lactic acid bacteria in the fermentation of traditional Korean Gajami Sikhae produced in Pohang and to isolate the bacteria of probiotic value. The bacteria were periodically isolated and identified from date of preparation to 50 days after preparation to investigate which Lactobacillus are involved in Gajami Sikhae. As fermentation progressed, it was confirmed that Pediococcus sp. and Lactobacillus sp. participate predominantly in the early and later periods of fermentation, respectively. During the entire fermentation period, 170 isolates were screened, and the following five species were found to be involved: Pediococcus pentosaceus, Pediococcus inopinatus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactobacillus brevis, and Lactobacillus plantarum. Five strains of these species were selected through acid and bile tolerance tests, and their coaggregation, autoaggregation, hydrophobicity, antibacterial, and antioxidant activities were then evaluated. As a result, it is thought that L. brevis GS1022, which has excellent digestive fluid resistance, and P. inopinatus GS316, which has excellent cohesiveness, may be useful as probiotic strains.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.851-859
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• 2020

Saururus chinensis has white roots, leaves, and flowers and is known to have antibacterial activity and anti-cancer efficacy. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the ethyl acetate fraction of a methanol extract of Saururus chinensis (SCEA) on antioxidant activity and melanin synthesis. SCEA at 64 ㎍/ml showed 62% of the DPPH radical scavenging activity of vitamin C, and its reducing power was 33% greater than that of vitamin C. Tyrosinase activity was 26% higher and melanin synthesis was 44% higher in the presence of SCEA at 64 ㎍/ml than in a blank group in a dopa oxidation assay. MTT assay showed that SCEA displayed cytotoxicity above 0.5 ㎍/ml, and SCEA at 1 ㎍/ml increased melanin synthesis by 69% in live B16F1 cells. SCEA was also separated into 13 fractions by silica column chromatography, and fraction 2 (Fr. 2) showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity, reducing power, and melanin synthesis. SCEA also promoted melanin production in live cells. LC-MASS analysis showed that Fr.2 had a molecular weight of 239, and these findings suggest that SCEA could be available for the promotion of melanin synthesis in black hair.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.73-78
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• 2016

Propolis possesses antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anaesthetic and immunostimulating activities. The aim of this study was to evaluated chemical composition and in vitro anti-Helicobacter pylori activity of eight propolis ethanolic extracts form different region in Korea. The chemical composition of eight Korean propolis was investicated by absorption spectrophotomety and UHPLC. Total penolic and total flavonoids content ranged between $21{\pm}1.5$ and $31{\pm}1.8$ gallic acid g/100 g and $7.2{\pm}0.9$ and $24.4{\pm}1.9$ quercetin g/100 g, respectively. The p-coumaric acid as standard components content ranged between $0.29{\pm}0.00$ and $2.34{\pm}0.02mg/g$ using UHPLC. Cinnamic acid content between $0.43{\pm}0.00$ and $1.33{\pm}0.01mg/g$. 80% ethanolic extract of propolis against H. pylori was evaluated by using the disc diffusion method. Ethanol was used as a control. Mean diameters of H. pylori growth inhibition using $10{\mu}g/mL$, $50{\mu}g/mL$ or $100{\mu}g/mL$ ethanol propolis per disc were 0, ranging from 0.9 to 2.1 mm and from 1.9 to 3.5 mm, respectively. In conclusion, variation in the chemical composition of Korean propolis were mainly due to the difference in the preferred regional plants visited by honeybees. Also Korean propolis possesses considerable antibacterial activity against H. pylori. There was not confirmed a correlation between the chemical composion contens and anti-H. pylori effect. The potential of propolis in the prevention or treatment of H. pylori infection is worth further extensive evaluation.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.736-742
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• 1996

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of the lactoperoxidase (LP) system on the acid production of gel type yogurt. The LP system was activated by adding freshly prepared solutions of 1 ppm (v/w) lactoperoxidase and three different concentrations (0.125 mM, 0.25 mM, 0.5 mM) in equimolar ratios of KSCN and $(H_{2}O_{2}$, In 0.25 mM treated samples for the 4 hr fermentation resulted in titratable acidity of $0.4{\%}$, pH of 5.06, lactic acid bacterial count of $3.0{\times}10^{8}\;CFU/ml and acetaldehyde concentration of 10.2 ppm, whereas the untreated samples were 1.0%, 4.54, $4.7{\times}10^{9}\;CFU/ml and 18.0 ppm, respectively. The residual amount of KSCN in 0.25 mM treated samples was determined during the experiments, which decreased to 4.4 ppm. There was no detectable $(H_{2}O_{2}$ for 6 hr fermentation. However, residual KSCN and $(H_{2}O_{2}$ concentrations in 0.5mM treated samples were 5.7 and 8.4 ppm, respectively. These results have indicated that the optimum concentration of $(H_{2}O_{2}$ and KSCN to activate the LP system was 0.25 mM each.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.122-127
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• 2016

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) is a multidrug-resistant(MDR) strain. (+)-Usnic acid(UA) is uniquely found in lichens, and is especially abundant in genera such as Usnea and Cladonia. UA has antimicrobial activity against human and plant pathogens. Therefore, UA may be a good antibacterial drug candidate for clinical development. In search of a natural products capable of inhibiting this multidrug-resistant bacteria, we have investigated the antimicrobial activity of UA against 17 different strains of the bacterium. In this study, the effects of a combination of UA and permeable agents against MRSA were investigated. For the measurement of cell wall permeability, UA with concentration of Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid(EDTA) was used. In the other hand, Sodium azide($NaN_3$) was used as inhibitors of ATPase. Against the 17 strains, the minimum inhibitory concentrations(MICs) of UA were in the range of $7.81-31.25{\mu}g/ml$. EDTA or $NaN_3$ cooperation against MRSA showed synergistic activity on cell wall. UA and in combination with EDTA and $NaN_3$ could lead to the development of new combination antibiotics against MRSA infection.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.314-321
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• 2013

Photodynamic therapy(PDT) has been recommended as an alternative therapy for various diseases including microbial infection. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of PDT using a photofrin and home made 630 nm Light emitting diode(LED) against Staphylococci. To examine the antimicrobial effect of photofrin-mediated PDT against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis colony forming units(CFU) quantification, and bacterial viability using flow cytometry were formed. The CFU quantification results of S. aureus and S. epidermidis were 1 cfu/ml and 16 cfu/ml of average, respectively, after PDT application with photofrin of $50{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ and 630 nm LED and energy density of $18J/cm^2$. In addition, S. aureus and S. epidermidis isolates yielded forward-scatter (FSC) and fluorescence intensity (FI) differences on flow cytometry (FCM) after PDT. S. aureus and S. epidermidis cell size(FSC) increased 8.96% and 5.55% respectively, after PDT. Also the numbers of dead cell of S. aureus and S. epidermidis were a 39% and 61% incerased. These results suggest that photofrin-mediated PDT can be an effective alternative treatment for antibacterial therapy.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.52-56
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• 2012

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of carvacrol against periodontopathic and cariogenic bacteria and its cytotoxicity in human oral tissue cells. We tested their antibacterial properties against mutans streptococci and five major periodontopathic bacterial species involved in periodontal disease. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The cell viability of carvacrol on normal human gingival fibroblast (NHGF) cells was tested by metyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. The data showed that carvacrol had remarkable antimicrobial effect on tested bacteria with a MIC and MBC values ranged from 16 to $128{\mu}g/ml$ and from 32 to $128{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. In cell toxicity studies, carvacrol had significantly decreased cell viability when NHGF cells were treated at $128{\mu}g/ml$. These findings suggest that carvacrol has a strong antimicrobial activity against periodontopathic and cariogenic bacteria. However, in order to use it as a component of gargling solution or toothpaste, its concentration should be below $64{\mu}g/ml$ and other compounds having an antimicrobial activity against periodontopathic and cariogenic bacteria should be used together.