• Textile Coloration and Finishing
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.323-331
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• 2019

Sorghum is a rich source in phytochemicals, such as tannins, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, phytosterols and policosanols. Sorghum has been known to have antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, antioxidant properties. In this study, poly(vinyl alcohol)(PVA)-sorghum extract(SE) composite nanoweb was produced by electrospinning and its characteristics including bioactivities were investigated. The SE had antimicrobial and antiinflammatory activities as well as a reduced cytotoxicity. The PVA-SE nanoweb had a highly enhanced antimicrobial activity compared to PVA nanoweb. The amount of proinflammatory cytokine released from macrophages treated with the PVA-SE nanoweb was reduced. The PVA-SE nanoweb can be a potential candidate for medical and cosmeceutical materials providing antimicrobial and antiinflammatory activities with a low degree of cytotoxicity.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2005

Cancer is still a major global health concern even after an everlasting strive in conquering this dread disease. Emphasis is now given to chemoprevention to reduce the risk of cancer and also to improve the quality of life among cancer afflicted individuals. Recent progress in molecular biology of cancer has identified key components of the cellular signaling network, whose functional abnormality results in undesired alterations in cellular homeostasis, creating a cellular microenvironment that favors premalignant and malignant transformation. Multiple lines of evidence suggest an elevated expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is causally linked to cancer. In response to oxidative/pro-inflammatory stimuli, turning on unusual signaling arrays mediated through diverse classes of kinases and transcription factors results in aberrant expression of COX-2. Population-based as well as laboratory studies have explored a broad spectrum of chemopreventive agents including selective COX-2 inhibitors and a wide variety of anti-inflammatory phytochemicals, which have been shown to target cellular signaling molecules as underlying mechanisms of chemoprevention. Thus, unraveling signaling pathways regulating aberrant COX-2 expression and targeted blocking of one or more components of those signal cascades may be exploited in searching chemopreventive agents in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.10
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• pp.1289-1294
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• 2009

Inflammation is a pivotal component of a variety of diseases, such as atherosclerosis and tumour progression. Various naturally occurring phytochemicals exhibit antiinflammatory activity and are considered to be potential drug candidates against inflammation-related pathological processes. Red pepper is the most consumed species in Korea. However, the antiinflammatory effects of red pepper have not been characterized. Thus, the present study was designed to evaluate the effects of the aqueous extract from red pepper (RPAE) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses in murine macrophages. RPAE demonstrated strong antiinflammatory activity through its ability to reduce nitric oxide and prostaglandin $E_2$ production in the LPS-stimulated mouse macrophage cell, RAW264.7. It also inhibited the production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) on the LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Further study indicated that LPS-stimulated induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 was significantly inhibited by RPAE exposure (1,000 mg/mL) in RAW264.7 cells. Collectively, these data suggest that the use of RPAE may be a useful therapeutic approach to various inflammatory diseases.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.286-292
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• 2008

Strawberry is widely consumed in diet and has been attracted much attention due to its potential for human health benefits. Strawberry contains a diverse range of phytochemicals but the biological activities with molecular mechanisms are poorly elucidated yet. In this study, the effects of the extracts of strawberry (Maehyang cultivar) on antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and antiproliferative potential against various cancer cells were investigated. The strawberry extracts (SE) of Maehyang cultivar showed 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activities. In addition, SE inhibited the growth of human colon (HCT-116), lung (A549), stomach (SNU-638) and fibrosarcoma (HT-1080) cancer cells. The strawberry extracts also exhibited the inhibitory effect on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated nitric oxide (NO) production and suppressed LPS-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein and mRNA expression in mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. These findings suggest that the strawberry extracts (Maehyang cultivar) might have antioxidant, antiinflammotry, and anticancer activities.