• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.87-95
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• 2017

Objectives : Infectious diseases by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are a growing problem worldwide. Characteristic of MRSA is endlessly mutation to resist antibiotics. Daehwanggo (DHG) is one of the oriental medicine prescriptions contained in Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine. Daehwanggo was mainly used for external preparation from old times. The purpose of this study is to confirm possibility as supplementary drug of DHG about antibiotics through observation of synergy effect between DHG and commercial antibiotics and to observe restriction on growth of MRSA on any pathway through observation of mechanism. Methods : The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of DHG against MRSA is $500{\sim}2000{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ by broth dilution method. In the checkerboard method, the combinations of DHG with antibiotics has partial synergistic effect or synergy effect and DHG markedly reduced the MICs of the antibiotics oxacillin (OX), gentamicin (GT) against MRSA. In the inhibition of resistance mechanism of DHG against MRSA, the expression of resistance gene and protein about ${\beta}-lactam$ antibiotic was reduced. Also, we observed the effect of DHG about cell membrane permeability against MRSA, and confirmed that DHG suppressed growth of strains by increasing cell membrane permeability. Results : Basis on the result, we speculate that DHG increase antibacterial activity of antibiotics against MRSA by changing the structure of cell wall of MRSA. Conclusions : These data suggest that Daehwanggo possesses possibility as supplementary drug about antibiotics against MRSA.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.956-961
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• 2022

Plant Chloroplast have several advantages as an expression platform of biopharmaceuticals over conventional expression platforms such as mammalian cells, yeast and bacteria. First, plants do not serve as a host for mammalian infectious virus and have endotoxin like bacteria which can cause anaphylactic shock. In addition, high copy number of chloroplast genome allows for chloroplast transformants to reach the high level of expression of heterologous genes. Moreover, the integration of transgenes into specific region of chloroplast genomes makes chloroplast transformants unaffected by positional effect which can be frequently observed from nuclear transformants, resulting in loss of transgene expressions. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a kind of innate immunity which is found from bacteria to humans. Unlike conventional antibiotics, very less dosage of AMPs can have catastrophic effect on bacterial survival. Further, the repeated use of AMPs does not trigger the development of bacterial resistance. Moricin, one of the AMPs, was isolated from Bombyx mori, a silkworm moth. The C-terminal of moricin consists largely of basic amino acids, and the N-terminal has an α-helix structure. Moricin was chosen and expressed in a SUMO/SUMOase without leaving any unwanted amino acids which could potentially affect the anti-bacterial activity of the moricin. The transformation vector used in this study has already been created in this lab for the expression in both prokaryotic systems such as E. coli and chloroplast. The expressed moricin was purified using Ni columns and SUMOase, and the antibacterial activity of the purified moricin was confirmed using an agar diffusion assay.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 2023

Houttuynia cordata belongs to the Saururacease family and its leaves, stems, and roots have been used as oriental medicines to treat pneumonia, acute or chronic bronchitis, enteritis, and abscesses and to remove extravasated blood. Recently, the antioxidant, anti-inflammation, antibacterial, and anti-proliferation activities and protection abilities of H. cordata against liver and neuron cell damage have been reported. In this study, ethanol extract and its solvent fractions (fractions of hexane, ethyl acetate, butanol, and water residue) were prepared, and their antithrombosis, antidiabetes, antioxidant, and hemolysis activities were evaluated. The ethyl-acetate fraction of H. cordata (EF-HC) showed the highest polyphenol and flavonoids contents among the fractions and exhibited strong antithrombosis and antioxidant activities. The EF-HC at 5 mg/ml showed 2.09-folds of thrombin time, 2.19-folds of prothrombin time, and 1.69-folds of activated partial thromboplastin time compared to the their solvent control and 30.9, 19.9, and 49.6 ㎍/ml of RC₅₀ against DPPH, ABTS, and nitrite radicals, respectively. Furthermore, the EF-HC did not show any hemolytic activity up to 1 mg/ml, whereas the hexane fraction of H. cordata showed 55% hemolysis at 1 mg/ml. This is the first report of the antithrombosis activity of H. cordata. Our results suggest that quercitirin, hyperoside, orientin, and isoquercitrin in EF-HC are related to its antithrombosis and antioxidant activities and that the EF-HC could be developed as a promising antithrombosis agent.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.309-321
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• 2023

Chamaecyparis obtusa (C. obtusa) belongs to Cupressaceae and grows wild in southern area of Korea. C. obtusa has been used for furnitures because of the superior quality of the lumber and remaining branches and leaves were used for extraction of essential oil (C. obtusa oil). C. obtusa oil has numerous health effects, including anti-inflammation, antibacterial, deodorization, sedative effect. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of C. obtusa oil on anti-wrinkles, skin-barrier and moisturizing. First, DPPH and ABTS assay were conducted to evaluate antioxidant effect and C. obtusa oil showed significance scavenging activity on both radicals. And elastase activity was examined for anti-wrinkle effect. At the result, elastase activity was significantly reduced by C. obtusa oil. Next, real-time PCR was performed to evaluate gene expression. At the results, MMP-1 mRNA expression was significantly reduced by C. obtusa oil in HDF cells. In addition, filaggrin and HAS-2 mRNA expression significantly increased by C. obtusa oil in HaCaT cells. Taken together, these results indicate that C. obtusa oil has potential as a cosmetic material for anti-aging by enhancing anti-wrinkle, skin-barrier and moisturizing effects.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.629-638
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• 2008

The principal objective of this study was to determine the quality characteristics of seasoned sauce and seasoned pork rib to which pine needle powder was added during storage. The pH value, color value, active bacterial cell count, lipid oxidation, shear force, and sensory evaluation of seasoned sauce and seasoned pork rib to which 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4% pine needle powder was added were measured during storage at $5^{\circ}C$. The storage periods for the seasoned sauce were 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21 and 30 days, and the storage periods for the seasoned pork ribs were 0, 1, 3, 5, 7 days. We determined that the pH values of both seasoned sauce and seasoned pork rib decreased with increasing quantities of pine needle powder and longer storage periods. The lightness (L) and yellowness (b) of the seasoned sauce were increased and the redness (a) of that decreased with increasing pine needle powder contents and longer storage periods. The L, a, and b values of the seasoned pork rib decreased with increasing pine needle powder contents, whereas the L and b values of that were decreased and the a value increased with longer storage periods. The active bacterial cell count of the seasoned sauce was detected at between $10^2$ to $10^4$ CFU/mL over a storage period of 30 days, regardless of the addition of pine needle powder; additionally, the addition of 4% pine needle powder resulted in the lowest active bacterial cell count among the samples. The active bacterial cell count in the seasoned pork rib decreased with increasing additions of pine needle powder, and was increased during storage. The influence of pine needle powder contents on the active bacterial cell count of seasoned pork rib were minimal, and the active bacterial cell count of that was suppressed by the addition of only 1% pine needle powder. Lipid oxidation in the seasoned pork rib was suppressed by the addition of more than 2% pine needle powder. We noted no difference in the shear force of the seasoned pork rib to which pine needle powder was added. In our sensory evaluation, the intensity of color (greenish brown), flavor (herbal flavor) and taste (bitter & herbal taste) of the seasoned pork rib increased with increasing pine needle powder contents, whereas the texture of the seasoned pork rib evidenced no differences. The overall acceptability of the seasoned pork rib with 0, 1 and 2% added pine needle powder was higher than that of the seasoned pork rib with 3 and 4% added pine needle powder. Thus, the addition of 2% pine needle powder to seasoned pork rib sauce yielded appropriate results with regard to antibacterial, antioxidative, and sensory properties.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2020.12a
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• pp.81-81
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• 2020

Pneumonia is infection of air sacs in lungs by bacteria, viruses, fungi and abnormal atmosphere condition. That causes to inflammation and fills up with pus and fulid in air sacs. The symptoms of pneumonia are heavy cough, fever, shortness and rapid respiration and sputum with blood. Also, that remains sequela after the recovery. Thymus quinquecostatus (TQ) has a strong antibacterial effect. That has been used a natural medicine for bronchitis, asthma and nervous inflammation. In this study evaluated anti-inflammatory effects of TQ on IFN (interferon)-γ/TNF (tumor necrosis factor)-α (20 ng/ml) stimulation. MRC-5 cells were seeded at 1 × 10⁵ cells/well in a 24-well plate and stabilized overnight at 37℃. The cells were treated with various concentrations of TQ extracts (DW, 30, 50, 70, 95% EtOH, 0.1~100 mg/ml) for 4h, Subsequently IFN-γ/TNF-α (20 ng/ml) was added to each well and incubated over 12h. the production of inflammatory cytokines were measured by Enzyme-linked immunosorbentassay(ELISA) method. The absorbance was measured at 450 nm using microplate reader. The treatment with TQ extract at dose of 0.1 to 100 mg/ml did not show cytotoxicity in MRC-5 cells (showed cytotoxicity at 95% EtOH 100 mg/ml). The results demonstrated that stimulation of TNF-α/IFN-γ significantly increased the production of inflammatory mediators in the MRC-5 cells compared with unstimulated cells. By contrast, treatment with TQ extreats doses of 0.001 to 10 mM significantly suppressed the production of IL-6 and IL-8. Especially. The higher percent of ethyl alcohol extracts suppressed the production of inflammatory cytokines. This results are considered that essential oil of TQ is extracted according to ethyl alcohol percent. Therefore, TQ has potential to mitigate pulmonary disease that can be used a medicine for pneumonia

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.993-1000
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• 2023

Recently, enviromentally friendly natural substances derived from plants have been attracting attention as cosmetic materials, and research on various physiological activities of natural substances is being actively conducted. This study investigated the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, and antibacterial effects of three types of extracts of mixtures containing different mixing ratios, Polygala tenuifolia, Angelica dahurica, and Elsholtzia splendens, known to have various physiological activities. The mixing ratio is 7 conditions (M1, 1:1:1; M2, 0.5:1.5:1; M3, 1.5:0.5:1; M4, 0.1:0.95:0.95; M5, 0.5:0.5:2; M6, 0.95 :1.95:0.1; M7, 1.45:0.1:1.45), and the optimal mixing ratio was confirmed for use as a cosmetic material. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities showed scavenging abilities of 75.37% and 99.19%, respectively, at 1,000 ㎍/mL of M6. At a concentration of 200 ㎍/mL of M6, it showed 50% of nitric oxide production inhibition compared to the lipopolysaccharide-treated that induced an inflammatory response. It was confirmed that M3 and M6 produced hyaluronic acid 1.47 and 1.49 times higher than the control at a concentration of 50 ㎍/mL, respectively. Through the disc diffiusion test, the clear zone was 9.75 mm at 8 ㎍/mL of M6, confirming the inhibition of growth of staplylococcus aureus strain. Based on the above results, it is believed that the mixed extract of Polygala tenuifolia, Angelica dahurica, and Elsholtzia splendens can be used as a functional natural material for cosmetics.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.115-124
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• 2024

The emergence and spread of Staphylococcus aureus, which is resistant to quinolone antibacterial agents, has made it difficult to treat infectious diseases. Accordingly, this study examined the molecular epidemiological characteristics of quinolone-resistant S. aureus (QRSA) to obtain helpful data for treatment. Mutations in mecA and SCCmec typing, gyrA, and gyrB genes were investigated for QRSA strains isolated from the blood culture specimens at a general hospital in Daejeon Metropolitan City. The ciprofloxacin-resistant strains in SCCmec typing were II (44 strains, 73%), IVa (five strains, 8%), III, and V (one strain, 2%); the non-typeable strains (11 strains, 18%), and levofloxacin (LVX) and moxifloxacin (MXF) strains were II (44 strains, 73%), IVa (five strains, 8%), III, and V (one strain, 2%); the non-typeable strains were 10 (17%). In both gyrA and gyrB regions, there were 58 mutations, or 96.7%. In LVX, there were 56 mutations or 93.3%, and in MXF, there were 57 mutations or 95%. Twelve mutations, six mutations each in gyrA and gyrB, were identified for the QRSA strain. The resistance rate for the quinolone antibiotics of QRSA studied was approximately 98%, and 12 mutations, six each in gyrA and gyrB, were identified in the QRSA strain. Therefore, the rational use of antibiotics needs to be improved.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 2024

Elaeocarpus sylvestris var. ellipticus is an evergreen tree of the family Elaeocarpaceae, which is a plant that grows naturally only in subtropical regions due to its vulnerability to cold. E. sylvestris has been reported to have flavonoids, coumarins, and polyphenols, and it is reported that these components have antibacterial and antioxidant effects. In this study, a roasting technique was introduced to increase the physiological activity of E. sylvestris, and antioxidant, total phenol, and total flavonoid content were measured after confirming changes in the ingredients of roasted E. sylvestris extracts and fractions. We analyzed the extracts before and after roasting and found an increase in the content of four components (brevifolin, ellagic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol), with the roasted extracts showing better antioxidant activity. The optimal roasting condition was confirmed to have the best antioxidant effect when roasting at 200 ℃ for 30 min, and the total phenol and total flavonoid content were also confirmed to be the best. E. sylvestris extract produced under optimal roasting conditions has been confirmed to exhibit improved antioxidant effects, and it is believed that it can be used as a cosmetic and food material in the future.

• 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.