• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.296-303
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• 2007

Acer tegmentosum (Acereaceae) has been used a source of traditional medicines for the treatment of hepatic disorders in Korea. This research was conducted to determine biofunctional activities of A. tegmentosum stem extract and to identify its bioactive components. Methanolic extract from A. tegmentosum stem was partitioned by using organic solvents, including n-hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water. Two compounds were isolated by using an ODS column chromatography from ethyl acetate soluble fraction shown to the strongest antioxidant activity ($RC_{50}=3.15\;{\mu}g/m{\ell}$) among the fractions. The isolated compounds were analyzed by $^1H$ and $^{13}C$ NMR, IR, UV/VIS, MS spectrum data and identified as catechin, ${\rho}-Hydroxyphenethyl$ alcohol $1-O-{\beta}-_D-(6'-O-galloyl)-glucopyranoside$. The compounds have shown strong antioxidant activity, with similar activity to BHA ($RC_{50}=2\;{\mu}g/m{\ell}$). Especially, ${\rho}-Hydroxyphenethyl$ alcohol 1-O-{\beta}-_D-(6'-O-galloyl)-glucopyranoside$ was shown strong anti-lipid peroxidative activity. However, the compounds were not shown antimicrobial activities. In antimicrobial activity assays, ethyl acetate soluble fraction was effective to bacterial inhibition, such as Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia, with minimum inhibitory concentrations in $125\;{\mu}g/m{\ell}$. Otherwise, antifungal activity against Candida albicans was shown in n-hexane soluble fraction exhibiting $63\;{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ of minimum inhibitory concentration. In anticomplementary activity assays, water soluble fraction was the most effective exhibiting 24% inhibitory activity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.1070-1077
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• 2017

Chondrocyte apoptosis induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. Schisandrin A, a bioactive compound found in fruits of the Schisandra genus, has been reported to possess multiple pharmacological and therapeutic properties. Although several studies have described the antioxidant effects of analogues of schisandrin A, the underlying molecular mechanisms of this bioactive compound remain largely unresolved. The present study investigated the cytoprotective effect of schisandrin A against oxidative stress (hydrogen peroxide [$H_2O_2$]) in SW1353 human chondrocyte cells. The results showed that schisandrin A preconditioning significantly inhibited $H_2O_2-induced$ growth inhibition and apoptotic cell death by blocking the degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase proteins and down-regulating pro-caspase-3. These antiapoptotic effects of schisandrin A were associated with attenuation of mitochondrial dysfunction and normalization of expression changes of proapoptotic Bax and antiapoptotic Bcl-2 in $H_2O_2-stimulated$ SW1353 chondrocytes. Furthermore, schisandrin A effectively abrogated $H_2O_2-induced$ intracellular ROS accumulation and phosphorylation of histone H2AX at serine 139, a widely used marker of DNA damage. Thus, the present study demonstrates that schisandrin A provides protection against $H_2O_2-induced$ apoptosis and DNA damage in SW1353 chondrocytes, possibly by prevention of ROS generation. Collectively, our data indicate that schisandrin A has therapeutic potential in the treatment of oxidative disorders caused by overproduction of ROS.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 2015

This study was conducted to measure the effect of PE film mulching and irrigation methods on the growth, yield and antioxidant activity of potatoes tubers, in order to examine the possibility of cultivating potatoes in winter season in vinyl greenhouse on the reclaimed tidal land with weak ground inside the sea wall currently completed. The test was conducted on the sandy loam soil (Munpo series), and its salt concentration was 0.42% at the time of planting. The emergence speed per kind of PE film mulching was in the order of black > coloration > transparent > green color, with the black color showing the fastest speed. The temperature change during a day per kind of PE film mulching was in the order of transparent > coloration > green > black color. As for the salt concentration in the soil for each different way of water management, the salt concentration in the treatment of drip irrigation with 1 week interval was lower than that drip irrigation with 2 weeks interval. As for the growth of above-aerial part, plant length was higher, number of tiller and leaves were more and dry weight of above-aerial part was larger in the treatment of drip irrigaton with 1 week interval than drip irrigation with 2 weeks interval. As for the yield of potatoes depending on each way of water management, the yield in the treatment of drip irrigation with 1 week interval was more than drip irrigation with 2 weeks interval. The yield for each different kind of PE film mulching in the weekly drip-irrigation management section was in the order of transparent ${\geq}$ black ${\geq}$ coloration ${\geq}$ green color. In both of total phenol content and DPPH free radical activity experiments, the content and activity were higher with pear color vinyl treatment.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.475-482
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• 2020

Background: Active natural ingredients, especially small molecules, have recently received wide attention as modifiers used to treat neurodegenerative disease by promoting neurogenic regeneration of neural stem cell (NSC) in situ. 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD), one of the bioactive ingredients in ginseng, possesses neuroprotective properties. However, the effect of PPD on NSC proliferation and differentiation and its mechanism of action are incompletely understood. Methods: In this study, we investigated the impact of PPD on NSC proliferation and neuronal lineage differentiation through activation of the Wnt/glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β/β-catenin pathway. NSC migration and proliferation were investigated by neurosphere assay, Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, and EdU assay. NSC differentiation was analyzed by Western blot and immunofluorescence staining. Involvement of the Wnt/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway was examined by molecular simulation and Western blot and verified using gene transfection. Results: PPD significantly promoted neural migration and induced a significant increase in NSC proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, a remarkable increase in anti-microtubule-associated protein 2 expression and decrease in nestin protein expression were induced by PPD. During the differentiation process, PPD targeted and stimulated the phosphorylation of GSK-3β at Ser9 and the active forms of β-catenin, resulting in activation of the Wnt/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway. Transfection of NSCs with a constitutively active GSK-3β mutant at S9A significantly hampered the proliferation and neural differentiation mediated by PPD. Conclusion: PPD promotes NSC proliferation and neural differentiation in vitro via activation of the Wnt/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway by targeting GSK-3β, potentially having great significance for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.999-1006
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• 2018

Obesity is epidemic worldwide and has reportedly been linked to the progression of several metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. The natural products are decreasing the side effects of medicines used for obesity and also have health benefits dut to their numerous bioactive compounds. In this context, Artemisia scoparia is a widespread plant that has been suggested as possessing various types of bioactivity. In this study, the crude extract from A. scoparia (ASE) was tested for its ability to suppress adipogenesis in mouse 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes. The molecular pathway by which ASE affects differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells was also investigated. The introduction of ASE to differentiating 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes resulted in suppressed adipogenesis, as confirmed by decreased intracellular lipid accumulation. The differentiating cells treated with 10 and $100{\mu}g/ml$ of ASE showed 21.9 and 29.0% less lipid accumulation, respectively, than untreated adipocytes. In addition, the results indicated that ASE treatment lowered the expression of the adipogenesis-related factors $PPAR{\gamma}$, $C/EBP{\alpha}$, and SREBP-1c. Furthermore, treating with ASE notably decreased levels of phosphorylated p38, ERK, and JNK in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. These results indicate that ASE exhibits significant anti-adipogenesis activity by downregulating the MAPK and $PPAR{\gamma}$ pathways during the differentiation of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes. Therefore, A. scoparia may be a potential source of natural products against obesity.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.446-455
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• 2010

The characteristics of parasporal inclusion body from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki KB099 isolate which is high bioactive to the tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura, were examined. Parasporal inclusion of B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki KB099 isolate showed only 1 band at 130 kDa compared with B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD-l isolate producing 2 protein bands at 130 kDa and 60 kDa from by SDS-PAGE analysis without any enzyme treatment. Also, we confirmed that gut extract of sensitive S. litura KB099 isolate had digested only 60 kDa ${\delta}$-endotoxin protein. When the digestive enzyme of sensitive insect responsible for parasporal inclusion from KB099 and HD-l isolate was treated to each of them, protein band 60 KDa of KB099 was maintained up to 12 hours but all bands of HD-l were disappeared within 6 hours. In KB099 isolate, 6 genes (Cry1Aa, Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, Cry1C, Cry1D and Cry1I) were identified by PCR analysis. Also, $Cry^-$ mutant of KB099 isolate was investigated by phase- contrast microscope, SDS-PAGE and PCR.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.288-298
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• 2016

Resveratrol acts as a free radical scavenger and a potent antioxidant in the inhibition of numerous reactive oxygen species (ROS). The function of resveratrol and resveratrol-loaded nanoparticles in protecting human lung cancer cells (A549) against hydrogen peroxide was investigated in this study. The 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) assay was performed to evaluate the antioxidant properties. Resveratrol had substantially high antioxidant capacity (trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity value) compared to trolox and vitamin E since the concentration of resveratrol was more than $50{\mu}M$. Nanoparticles prepared from ${\beta}$-lactoglobulin (${\beta}$-lg) were successfully developed. The ${\beta}$-lg nanoparticle showed 60 to 146 nm diameter in size with negatively charged surface. Non-cytotoxicity was observed in Caco-2 cells treated with ${\beta}$-lg nanoparticles. Fluorescein isothiocynate-conjugated ${\beta}$-lg nanoparticles were identified into the cell membrane of Caco-2 cells, indicating that nanoparticles can be used as a delivery system. Hydrogen peroxide caused accumulation of ROS in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Resveratrol-loaded nanoparticles restored $H_2O_2$-induced ROS levels by induction of cellular uptake of resveratrol in A549 cells. Furthermore, resveratrol activated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2-Kelch ECH associating protein 1 (Nrf2-Keap1) signaling in A549 cells, thereby accumulation of Nrf2 abundance, as demonstrated by western blotting approach. Overall, these results may have implications for improvement of oxidative stress in treatment with nanoparticles as a biodegradable and non-toxic delivery carrier of bioactive compounds.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.568-577
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• 2015

To protect skin problems, new natural material alternative to synthetic antioxidants has been extensively selected from natural sources such as plants, animals, and microorganisms. Poncirus trifoliata of those has been widely used as treatment of allergy, chronic inflammatory diseases, and natural antioxidant. In recent days, microbial fermentation to natural products has been reported to increase feasibly their bioavailability. Accordingly, we performed the fermentation using hot water extract of Poncirus trifoliata by isolated Leuconostocs sp. strain JYK and investigated the change of antioxidative activity. Antioxidative material such as hesperidine naringine, imperatorin, and luteolin was found in hot water extract of Poncirus trifoliata. Total phenolics compounds and flavoniods in hot water extract were $71.2{\pm}4.58GAE(mg/g)$ and $25.1{\pm}4.12$ hesperidine(mg/g), respectively. After fermentation, their values were $89.2{\pm}13.47GAE(mg/g)$ and $31.0{\pm}4.06$ hesperidine(mg/g), respectively. After fermentation, ABTS[2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] and DPPH(1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical were highly enhanced from $70.2{\pm}9.01$ to $86.2{\pm}3.72$ and $18.7{\pm}1.81$ to $26.6{\pm}4.06$, respectively. Thus microbial fermentation offers a tool to further increase the bioactive potential of Poncirus trifoliata.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2018.10a
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• pp.103-103
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• 2018

Oenothera biennis, commonly known as evening primrose, a potential source of natural bioactive substances: flavonoids, steroids, tannins, fatty acids and terpenoids responsible for a diverse range of pharmacological functions. However, whether extract prepared from aerial part of O. biennis (APOB) protects skin against oxidative stress remains unknown. To investigate the protective effects of APOB against oxidative stress-induced cellular damage and elucidated the underlying mechanisms in the HaCaT human skin keratinocytes. Our results revealed that treatment with APOB prior to hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) exposure significantly increased viability, and the highest DPPH radical-scavenging activities and reducing power of HaCaT cells. APOB also effectively attenuated H2O2-induced comet tail formation and inhibited the $H_2O_2$-induced phosphorylation levels of the histone ${\gamma}H2AX$, as well as the number of apoptotic bodies and Annexin V-positive cells. In addition, APOB exhibited scavenging activity against intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and restored the mitochondrial membrane potential loss by $H_2O_2$. Moreover, $H_2O_2$ enhanced the cleavage of caspase-3 and degradation of poly (ADP-ribose)-polymerase (PARP), a typical substrate protein of activated caspase-3, as well as DNA fragmentation; however, these events were almost totally reversed by pretreatment with APOB. Furthermore, APOB increased the levels of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which is a potent antioxidant enzyme, associated with the induction of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). According to our data, APOB is able to protect HaCaT cells from $H_2O_2$-induced DNA damage and cell death through blocking cellular damage related to oxidative stress through a mechanism that would affect ROS elimination and activating the Nri2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.680-687
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• 2017

Recently, there has been a marked increase in the use of bioactive products resulting from the fermentation of natural substances by microorganisms. In this study, Opuntia humifusa (OH) was fermented using Lactobacillus plantarum (fermented Opuntia humifusa; fOH). We then examined the anti-obesity effect of fOH in mice fed a 45% Kcal high fat diet (HFD). In this study, mice were treated with fOH concentrations of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg. The mice in the control group were treated with OH at a concentration of 400 mg/kg based on previous animal experiments. All of the mice given a continuous HFD showed an increase in their weight, the density of abdominal fat, and the accumulated periovaric and abdominal fat. All of these obesity-linked factors, however, were significantly decreased in the groups treated with fOH at concentrations of 200 and 400 mg/kg. Mice treated with fOH at 100 mg/kg did not show a significant decrease in these obesity-linked factors compared to the control group. It appears that fOH fermented by L. plantarum has a greater anti-obesity effect in HFD-supplied mice compared to unfermented OH. While further studies of fOH are needed to examine its effect on obesity, hyperlipidemia, hepatic steatosis, renal function, and type II diabetes with its relevant complications, fOH may have significant therapeutic potential in the treatment of metabolic syndrome.