• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.165.2-165.2
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• 2001

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.14-32
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma co-activator-1α (PGC-1α) has a central role in regulating muscle differentiation and mitochondrial metabolism. PGC-1α stimulates muscle growth and muscle fiber remodeling, concomitantly regulating lactate and lipid metabolism and promoting oxidative metabolism. Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thumb.) has been widely employed as a traditional herbal medicine and possesses antioxidant, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, hypolipemic, hypoglycemic, and anticancer properties. We investigated whether G. pentaphyllum extract (GPE) and its active compound, gypenoside L (GL), affect muscle differentiation and mitochondrial metabolism via activation of the PGC-1α pathway in murine C2C12 myoblast cells. MATERIALS/METHODS: C2C12 cells were treated with GPE and GL, and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blot were used to analyze the mRNA and protein expression levels. Myh1 was determined using immunocytochemistry. Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species generation was measured using the 2'7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate assay. RESULTS: GPE and GL promoted the differentiation of myoblasts into myotubes and elevated mRNA and protein expression levels of Myh1 (type IIx). GPE and GL also significantly increased the mRNA expression levels of the PGC-1α gene (Ppargc1a), lactate metabolism-regulatory genes (Esrra and Mct1), adipocyte-browning gene fibronectin type III domain-containing 5 gene (Fndc5), glycogen synthase gene (Gys), and lipid metabolism gene carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1b gene (Cpt1b). Moreover, GPE and GL induced the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase, p38, sirtuin1, and deacetylated PGC-1α. We also observed that treatment with GPE and GL significantly stimulated the expression of genes associated with the anti-oxidative stress response, such as Ucp2, Ucp3, Nrf2, and Sod2. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that GPE and GL enhance exercise performance by promoting myotube differentiation and mitochondrial metabolism through the upregulation of PGC-1α in C2C12 skeletal muscle.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.77-86
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• 2013

The neuroprotective effects of herbal ethanol extract (GP-EX) from Gynostemma pentaphyllum on dopamine neurons in animal model of Parkinson's disease (PD) were investigated. Rats and mice were administered with rotenone (2.5 mg/kg) for 28 days and 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP, 30 mg/kg) for 5 days for the PD models, respectively and the animals were simultaneously treated with GP-EX (30 mg/kg, daily). After preparing the PD models, the animals were also administered with L-DOPA (10 mg/kg) for 14 days with or without GP-EX treatment. Treatment with GP-EX (30 mg/kg) inhibited the rotenone- and MPTP-induced neurotoxic effects in dopamine neurons of rats or mice, which was determined by the numbers of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunohistochemical staining survival cells, as well as the levels of dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid. GP-EX (30 mg/kg) also showed the protective effects on neurotoxicity which was induced by long-term administration of L-DOPA (10 mg/kg) in rotenone- and MPTP-induced animal model of PD. The used doses of GP-EX (30 mg/kg) did not produce any signs of toxicity, such as weight loss, diarrhea, or vomiting, in rats and mice during the treatment periods. These results suggest that GP-EX has the protective functions against chronic L-DOPA-induced neurotoxic reactions in dopamine neurons of rotenone- and MPTP-induced animal model of PD. Therefore, the natural GP-EX may be beneficial in the prevention of PD progress and L-DOPA-induced neurotoxicity in PD patients.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.40-40
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• 2008

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.323-327
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• 1987

The sugar contents of Dolwoe, which were prepared in the laboratory and marketed Korean products of Dolwoe, Japanese product of Dolwoe and Korean-roasted products of Dolwoe were analyzed and compared. The contents of total sugar and reducing sugar of stem in prepared Dolwoe tea were 2 times higher than those of leaf. The sugar content of Korean product was similar to that of Japanese, but the contents of total sugar and reducing sugar in Korean-roasted sample decreased to 17.2% and 40.9%, respectively. It was confirmed that free sugar in Dolwoe tea was composed of rhamnose, fructose, glucose and sucrose. The ratio of free sugar content was quite different between Dolwoe-leaf tea and Dolwoe-stem tea. Comparing the free sugar content in prepared Dolwoe tea, glucose was the highest followed by fructose, sucrose and rhamnose. On the other hand, in marketed Dolwoe tea, glucose was the highest substance and followed by fructose, rhamnose and sucrose. It was found that rhamnose content in Japanese product was approximately 6 times more than that of Korean.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.105-109
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• 1987

The mineral content of Dolowe, which were prepared in the laboratory and marketed Korean products of Dolwoe, Japanese product of Dolwoe and Korean-roasted products of Dolwoe were analysed and compared. Dolwoe-leaf tea had high mineral content of Ca, Mg, Mn and Cu, while Dolwone-stem tea had high mineral content of K, Na and Fe. Especially in the ash of Dolwoe-stem tea showed the highest mineral content of K (33.4%) Dolwoe teas were extracted for 5 minutes as ratio of $1,000m{\ell}$ boiling water to 4g Dolwoe tea (250: 1, v/w). Comparing the ratio of extraction of minerals in Dolwoe tea made by us and marketed Dolwoe products, K was the most abundant element of all extractions with the rate of $83.2%{\sim}96.3%$ followed by Mg with $44.8%{\sim}62.2%$, Ca with $23.1%{\sim}64.4%$ and Na with $6.3%{\sim}55.6%$. On the other hand Mn, Fe and Cu were extracted in extremely small quantities.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.59-66
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• 2018

Propionibacterium acnes, a major pathogens bacterium of acne, is one of the microflora associated with the inflammation. In this study, the antibacterial effects of 70% ethanol extracts from the 61 natural plants in Jeju against P. acnes were investigated using the disc diffusion method. The 45 natural plant extracts showed antibacterial effects and the 16 natural plants extracts didn't show antibacterial effects. The Phyllanthus urinaria L. (stem and leaves) extract showed thr highest antimicrobial activity with $18.96{\pm}0.69mm$ clear zone of the growth of P. acnes, followed by Angelica gigas Nakai (roots), Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino, Angelica gigas Nakai (stem and leaves), Isodon inflexus (Thunb.) Kudo, camellia sinensis L. (flowers), Rosmarinus officinalis, etc. These results suggest that the natural plant in Jeju can be used as functional cosmetic biomaterials or antimicrobial agents against P. acnes.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.545-556
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• 2001

Crude saponin fractions were isolated using non-ionic resin chromatography from Ginseng Radix Alba (PG) and Gynostemmae Herba+ (GP). These saponin fractions were orally administered to strep- tozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats for 2 weeks and to high-fat diet-induced obese rats for 4 weeks. Treatment with either PG saponin or GP saponin at a dose of 1 mg/kg significantly decreased the plasma glucose level to that of glibenclamide treated or normal groups. The increased plasma triglyceride (TG) level in diabetic rats was decreased by 50% with PG or GP saponin treatment. Combined administration of PG and GP saponins with different ratios (total dose of 1 mg/kg) also had the similar effects on the blood glucose and TG levels with that of PG or GP alone. Treatments with GP (1 mg/kg) or GP (0.5 mg/kg) and PG (0.5 mg/kg) together significantly suppressed the rise in TG levels induced by high-fat diet whereas slightly suppressed the rise in the total cholesterol level. The body weight gain was also decreased both in the two saponin treated groups. These results demonstrate that either alone or mixture of PG and GP have similar degree of effects on hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.788-793
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• 2012

High concentration of antibiotics has been used to treat the outbreak of edwardsiellosis caused by Edwardsiella tarda in aquaculture. However, not all of the bacteria have been killed with high concentrations of antibiotics treatment by the formation of persister cells with a dormant state. The main objective of this study was to kill persister cell using antibiotics with the addition of natural plant compounds. Antibiotics used in this study consist of 100 mg/ml florfenicol and 100 mg/ml amoxicillin. Ten natural plant compounds with persister cell inhibitor activity to E. coli were obtained from Protein Engineering and Systems Biology Lab. of Sungkyunkwan University. The persister cell inhibition activities of those natural plant compounds were evaluated in test tube. Concentrations of the antibiotics were in the ranges of 25~200 ${\mu}g/ml$. The persister cell formation was observed after 16 hours of culture. Persister cells were killed by antibiotics with natural plant compounds. Among ten natural plant compounds, Gynostemma pentaphyllum, Mallotus japonicus, and Orixa japonica showed persister cell formation inhibition activities. The optimal concentrations of G. pentaphyllum, M. japonicus, and O. japonica for the inhibitor of persister cell formation were 100 ${\mu}g/ml$, 100 ${\mu}g/ml$, and 200 ${\mu}g/ml$, respectively. In vivo study was carried out to evaluate the effect of the antibiotics with natural plant compounds using aquacultural fish, olive flounder, as test animals. G. pentaphyllum, M. japonicus, and O. japonica of 30 ${\mu}g/ml$, 10 ${\mu}g/ml$, and 10 ${\mu}g/ml$ with antibiotics reduced cumulative mortalities, showing the effectiveness of persister cell inhibition.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.118-124
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• 2008

Three kinds of bacteria that influence Kimchi fermentation, Lactobacillus plantarium for acidity, Leuconostoc mesenteroides for ripening Kimchi, and Pichia membranifaciens for decreasing Kimchi quality, were regulated by natural products including Theae folium, Taraxacum coreanum, Brassica juncea, Astragali radix, Gynostemma pentaphyllum, Camellia japonica, Agaricus blazei, and Cordyceps militaris. The common prescription combined T. folium, T. coreanum and C. militaris and simultaneously regulated these 3 bacteria as follows: the growth of L. plantarium and P. membranifaciens were inhibited and L. mesenteroides was promoted. The most effective mixing ratio was T. folium: T. coreanum: C. militaris = 3:2:1. With this new prescription, deep flavor, extended preservation, and a special taste are expected in the Kimchi due to these natural products.