• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.507-514
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• 2018

Purpose: Sargassum horneri (S. horneri) is a species of brown macroalgae that is common along the coast of Japan and Korea. The present study investigated the immuno-modulatory effects of different types of S. horneri extracts in RAW264.7 macrophages. Methods: S. horneri was extracted by three different methods, hot water extraction, 50% ethanol extraction, and supercritical fluid extraction. Cell viability was then measured by MTT assay, while the production levels of tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and nitric oxide (NO) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Griess assay, respectively. The expression and activation levels of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor ${\kappa}B$ ($NF-{\kappa}B$) were examined by western blot analysis. Results: The three different S. horneri extracts were nontoxic against RAW 264.7 cells up to $50{\mu}g/mL$, among which treatment with hot water extract (HWE) of S. horneri significantly enhanced the production of TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-6, and NO in a dose-dependent manner. Hot water extract of S. horneri also increased the expression level of iNOS, suggesting that up-regulation of iNOS expression by HWE of S. horneri was responsible for the induction of NO production. In addition, treatment of RAW 264.7 macrophages with HWE of S. horneri increased the phosphorylation levels of ERK, p38 and JNK. Furthermore, the activation and subsequent nuclear translocation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ was enhanced upon treatment with HWE of S. horneri, indicating that HWE of S. horneri activates macrophages to secrete TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-6 and NO and induces iNOS expression via activation of the $NF-{\kappa}B$ and MAPKs signaling pathways. Conclusion: Taken together, these findings suggest that HWE of S. horneri possesses potential as a functional food with immunomodulatory activity.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.661-676
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• 2018

Veronica persica (V. persica) is a perennial plant that is broadly distributed in Europe, Asia and so on. V. persica is used for pain about the lower abdomen and low back. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of V. persica ethanol extract in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. To evaluate the anti-oxidant activity, the DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging, total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, and reducing power activity were carried out. The DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity were evaluated as 72.0% and 73.0% at the concentrations of 200 and $500{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of V. persica extracts were measured as 65.22 mg/g and 43.82 mg/g at the concentration of 1 mg/mL. The reducing power activity measurement showed 53.0% activity at 1 mg/mL. The anti-inflammatory effects of the V. persica extract were evaluated in LPS induced RAW 264.7 cells. In the evaluation of cell viability by proliferation ＆ cytotoxicity assay kit, the cytotoxicity of the extract was not confirmed at $0{\sim}800{\mu}g/mL$ concentration. And the V. persica significantly inhibited NO production in a concentration dependent manner. The inhibition effects of NO in cell medium of V. persica was over 80% at $800{\mu}g/mL$. The V. persica also suppressed the expression of iNOS, COX-2, and phosphorylation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ and $IkB-{\alpha}$ proteins. These results indicate that the V. persica has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects by modulating $NF-{\kappa}B$ signaling pathways and can be used as natural functional materials.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.1038-1047
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• 2018

This study confirmed possibility of cosmetic material for Espresso coffee grounds extracted at high temperature, high pressure, short time and Dutch coffee grounds extracted at low temperature, atmospheric pressure, long time. For this purpose, we evaluated the biological activities of antioxidant, anti-wrinkles and antimicrobial effects using ethanol extracts of Esproso and Dutch coffee grounds. The results of total polyphenolic compound contents was $90.39{\pm}0.04mg/g$ for Dutch coffee grounds extract, which was higher than $64.96{\pm}0.38mg/g$ for Espresso coffee grounds extract, based on $113.63{\pm}0.22mg/g$ for coffee beans extract as the reference one. DPPH radical scavenging activity and SOD-like activity of Dutch coffee grounds extract were found to be better than those of Espresso coffee grounds extracts, referenced on coffee bean extract. As a result of inhibition effect of Elastase activity, Dutch coffee grounds extract showed higher inhibition effect than Espresso coffee grounds extract, based on coffee bean extract. In addition, Dutch coffee grounds extract showed good anti-microbial effects at Escherichia coli, Bacillus, Propionibacterium acnes and there was little difference in the clear zone size between Dutch coffee grounds extract and coffee bean extract as a reference one. From the results of the experiments, it was confirmed that Dutch coffee grounds extract had excellent antioxidant, anti-wrinkle and antimicrobial effects and could be used as safe natural cosmetic material in the future.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.199-208
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• 2021

Euonymus porphyreus, a species of plant in the Celastraceae family, is widely distributed in East Asia, especially in Southern China. The botanical characteristics of E. porphyreus have been reported, but its antioxidative and anticancer activities remain unclear. In this study, we evaluated the antioxidative and anticancer effects of ethanol extracts of E. porphyreus (EEEP) and the molecular mechanism of its anticancer activity in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. The total polyphenol and flavonoid compound contents from EEEP were 115.42 mg/g and 23.07 mg/g, respectively. EEEP showed significant antioxidative effects with a concentration at 50% of the inhibition (IC50) value of 11.09 ㎍/ml, as measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. EEEP showed cytotoxic activity by increasing the SubG1 cell population of A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Apoptosis in A549 cells treated with EEEP was evident due to increased apoptotic cells and apoptotic bodies, as detected by Annexin V and 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, respectively. EEEP-induced apoptosis resulted in increased expression of the First apoptosis signal (Fas), p53, and Bax, with decreased expression of Bcl-2 and subsequent activation of caspase-8, -9, and caspase-3, leading to cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Collectively, these results suggest that EEEP may exert an anticancer effect by inducing apoptosis in A549 cells through both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.298-304
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• 2021

The anti-aging and anti-inflammatory activities of hot-water (Ca-HW) and 70% ethanol (Ca-E70) whole-plant Calamagrostis arundinacea extracts, as well as their bioactive potentials, were investigated using cell-free and cell-mediated experimental systems. Use of the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical decolorization assay to evaluate the antioxidant activity of the Ca-HW and Ca-E70 extracts revealed DPPH radical scavenging activities of 27% and 48%, respectively. Neither extract caused significant cytotoxicity, and both showed cell proliferation and promotion effects using RAW 264.7, B16F10, and CCD986sk cells. B16F10 melanoma cells showed higher melanin synthesis when treated with 100 mg/ml Ca-HW or Ca-E70 than with arbutin, indicating a stronger inhibitory effect of arbutin on melanin synthesis. Ca-HW and Ca-E70 increased pro-collagen biosynthesis in the human fibroblast CCD986-SK cell line by 24.69% and 12.55%, respectively. Analysis of the anti-inflammatory effects of different concentrations of Ca-HW and Ca-E70 in RAW264.7 cells revealed that Ca-E70 appeared to inhibit the lipopolysaccharide-induced production of nitric oxide and IL-6, a proinflammatory cytokine; therefore, Ca-E70 showed an anti-inflammatory effect. These results suggested that C. arundinacea extracts could have skin anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.330-337
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• 2021

This study was conducted to investigate the potential of Stewartia koreana as oral healthcare materials. The antibacterial activity of ethanol extracts from leaves and branches of S. koreana against oral bacteria was confirmed. The leaf and branch extracts (1 mg/disc) showed antibacterial activity against P. gingivalis only among several tested oral bacteria. The leaf extracts showed higher antibacterial activity, with values similar to those of chlorhexidine, which was used as a positive control. The MIC of the leaf extract against P. gingivalis was 0.4 mg/ml and showed bacteriostatic action. The inhibitory effects of the extract on biofilm formation and on gene expression related to biofilm formation by P. gingivalis were determined by biofilm biomass staining, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and qRT-PCR analysis. The biofilm production rate and cell growth of P. gingivalis in the cultures treated with 0.2-2.0 mg/ml of S. koreana leaf extracts were significantly decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect on the formation of P. gingivalis biofilms at concentrations of 1 mg/ml was confirmed by SEM. The qRT-PCR analysis showed concentration-dependent suppression of the fimA and fimB gene expression associated with fimbriae formation in the cultures treated with 0.2-2.0 mg/ml S. koreana leaf extract. These results support the conclusion that S. koreana leaf extracts can be used as oral healthcare materials derived from natural materials, as demonstrated by the antibacterial action and inhibition of biofilm formation of P. gingivalis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.17-27
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• 2021

This study was performed to investigate the antioxidant activities of subfractions of Peucedanum insolens Kitagawa root in various organic solvents and their anti-inflammatory effects on LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells. First, P. insolens Kitagawa roots were dried at room temperature for one week, chopped, and extracted with 70% ethanol. The resulting extracts were successively sub-fractionated with hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and water. The antioxidant potential of the fractions was evaluated using a DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging assay and by measuring total polyphenol and flavonoid contents. The anti-inflammatory potency of the fractions was evaluated by measuring the inhibition levels of the expressions of inflammatory-mediated genes and proteins (e.g., iNOS, COX-2, IL-1β, and IL-6) in RAW264.7 cells. The results clearly showed that the ethyl acetate fraction of the P. insolens Kitagawa root contained relatively high total flavonoid (34.08±1.68 ㎍ of quercetin equivalents per mg) and total polyphenol (154.1±3.2 ㎍ of gallic acid equivalents per mg) contents. The DPPH assay results showed that the P. insolens Kitagawa root possessed strong free radical scavenging activity in the ethyl acetate fraction. Both the ethyl acetate and hexane fractions showed strong inhibitory potencies to nitric oxide production induced by lipopolysaccharide (1 ㎍/ml) treatment for 24 hr in RAW264.7 cells. The results also showed that both the hexane and ethyl acetate fractions of the P. insolens Kitagawa root strongly inhibited mRNA levels of iNOS, IL-1β, and IL-6, which were overexpressed by LPS treatment for 24 hr in the RAW264.7 cells. These results suggest that P. insolens Kitagawa root may contain compounds that possess strong potency for anti-inflammatory activity. Further studies are needed to discover more detailed modes of action of P. insolens Kitagawa root fractions against inflammation modulation, such as the regulation of cytokine signaling and inflammatory signaling pathways.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.87-100
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• 2021

This study aimed to isolate wild yeasts obtained from flowers and soil of the Wolpyung park, Daejeon city and Gykpo beach, Buan, Jeollabuk-do in Korea, and to further characterize previously unrecorded wild yeast strains. In total, 88 strains of 62 different species of wild yeasts were isolated from 75 samples obtained from the Wolpyung park. Among these, six strains of Trichosporon moniliiforme and four strains each of Papiliotrema flavescens and Candida melibiosica were isolated. Additionally, 39 strains of 30 different species of wild yeasts were isolated from 35 samples collected from the Gykpo beach. Among the 127 isolated wild yeast strains, 10 strains, including Apiotrichum porosum ASCM32-1, were previously unrecorded. All the 10 previously unrecorded yeasts were oval or global in shape, and three strains, including Candida athensensis WP4-90-3, formed spores. Three strains, including Vishniacozyma taibaiensis WP13-2, were halophilic yeasts which grew in 15% NaCl-containing YPD(yeast extract-peptone-dextrose) medium. Five strains, including C. athensensis WP4-90-3, showed 15% ethanol resistance. Cell-free extracts from Candida oleophila WP5-19-1 and Wickerhamomyces anomalus HO9-2 showed the highest β-glucuronidase inhibitory activity (49.0%) and neutrophil elastase inhibitory activity (38.4%), respectively.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.685-690
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• 2011

In this study, a solvothermal reaction to prepare nanocrystalline titania was carried out using $TiCl_4$ and mixed solvents of alcohol and water. The effects of the type and the composition of alcohol on the crystal structure and agglomeration of final $TiO_2$ products were investigated. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as well as scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In the solvothermal reaction using the n-butanol solutions with different volume ratios of n-butanol/water (100/0, 75/25, 50/50, 25/75, 0/100), the extent of agglomeration of obtained rutile $TiO_2$ was found to change with the volume ratio of n-butanol/water, and the n-butanol/water ratio of 75/25 revealed the best result for the preparation of well-dispersed nanocrystalline $TiO_2$ powders. The crystal phase of $TiO_2$ prepared through the solvothermal reaction changed with the type of alcohol in solvent (alcohol/water = 75/25). $TiO_2$ products obtained with the aqueous solutions of methanol, ethanol and isopropanol have an anatase phase, while that with n-butanol has a rutile phase. The results showed that, in the solvothermal reaction using both $TiCl_4$ as a starting material and the alcohol-water mixed solvents without any other additive, the enhancement of dispersion and control of crystal structure of $TiO_2$ products can be feasible by simply varying the composition and type of alcohol in the mixed solvents.

• Journal of Apiculture
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.245-254
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• 2019

We investigated the anti-tumor effects and molecular mechanism of Brazil, China and Korean regional propolis on HeLa ovarian cancer cell line. Each propolis extracts was prepared by ethanol extraction method. Cytotoxicity of propolis extracts was determinated by EZ-cytox cell viability assay. To necessity of anti-tumor effect and molecular mechanism of propolis, we must be adjusting propolis concentration. Due to 100 ㎍/mL of propolis extract were reduced cell viability to less than 50%, we adjusted all of propolis concentration to 100 ㎍/mL. By Western blotting analysis, we confirmed that anti-tumor mechanism of Brazil, China and Korea regional propolis has significantly difference. All of propolis was activated apoptosis related molecules such as PARP, caspase-3. However, cell proliferation signaling molecules including Akt1, ERK and Bcl-2 were reduced the protein expression level. Especially, the expression of tumor suppressor protein p53 was significantly increased in propolis-treated group such as Gyeonggi, Chungbuk, Chungnam, Jeonbuk, Gyeongnam and China. The phosphorylation of Bax which as apoptosis indicator was appeared in propolis-treated group such as Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Chungnam, Gyeongbuk, China. In this results showed that the regional propolis has completely different mechanism in anti-tumor. Thus, propolis extracts may be useful source of functional materials on anti-cancer and it will be able to choose the suitable propolis for cancer therapy by analyzing individual characteristics.