• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.200-207
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• 2015

Various natural products or their derivatives, mostly originating from plants, fungi, and bacteria, have been exploited as therapeutic drugs to treat various human diseases. In addition to previously explored organisms, research on natural compounds has now expanded into unexamined living organisms in order to identify novel bioactive substances. Here, we determined whether or not the larval form of the mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor, a species of darkling beetle, contains cytotoxic substances that exclusively affect cancer cell viability. Ethanol extract and its solvent partitioned fractions, hexane and ethyl acetate fractions, showed anticancer effects against various human cancer cells derived from the prostate (PC3 and 22Rv1), cervix (HeLa), liver (PLC/PRF5, HepG2, Hep3B, and SK-HEP-1), colon (HCT116), lung (NCI-H460), breast (MDA-MB231), and ovary (SKOV3). Cell death induced by the fractions was a mix of apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy. The hexane fraction was administered intraperitoneally to nude mice bearing a hepatocellular carcinoma SK-HEP-1 and showed inhibition of tumor growth in vivo. Therefore, we concluded that worm extracts contain cytotoxic substances, which can be enriched by proper fractionation protocols, and further separation and purification could lead to the identification of novel molecules to treat human cancers.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.241-248
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• 2013

This study was to compare the antioxidant and anti-proliferative activities of perilla (Perilla frutescens Britton) and sesame (Seasamum indicum L.) leaf extracts. The total polyphenol levels of sesame leaf ($634.7{\pm}1.2$ mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g dried leaf) were higher than those of perilla leaf ($408.7{\pm}4.6$ mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g dried leaf; p<0.001). The total flavonoid levels of sesame leaf ($166.7{\pm}17.3$ mg quercetin equivalent/100 g dried leaf) were also higher than those of perilla leaf ($108.2{\pm}3.7$ mg quercetin equivalent/100 g dried leaf; p<0.05). ABTS radical- and DPPH radical-scavenging activities of sesame leaf extracts (78.9% and 18.2%, respectively) were higher than those of perilla leaf extracts (46.0% and 9.0%, respectively; p<0.01). Both perilla and sesame leaf extracts significantly inhibited the growth of HCT116 human colon cancer cells. However, the inhibitory activities of sesame leaf extracts were more pronounced than those of perilla leaf extracts (p<0.001). These results indicate that sesame leaf extracts have higher antioxidant and anti-proliferative activities than perilla leaf extracts. More studies are needed in order to enhance the sensory value of sesame leaf and to develop sesame leaf as health/functional food ingredients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.11
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• pp.1478-1484
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• 2009

The antioxidant, antiproliferation, and nitrate synthesis inhibitory effects of Magnolia denudata extracts (ME) were evaluated. The ME was extracted with 70% (v/v) ethanol and fractionated with solvents of hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-buthanol and aqueous. The ethyl acetate fraction contained the highest phenolic and flavonoid contents of 427.10 mg garlic acid eq/g and 356.05 mg catechin eq/g, respectively. The ethyl acetate fraction showed strong 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity with a 50% inhibition concentration ($IC_{50}$) of 0.20 mg/mL and total antioxidant activity was 0.90 mg AA eq/100 mg. From the results of cytotoxic effects of HCT116, NCL-H460, and HepG2 human cancer cells by MTT assay on the ME and its solvent fraction, chloroform fraction showed the highest cytotoxic effect ($IC_{50}$ value: 0.14, 0.37, and 0.41 mg/mL, respectively). Nitrate synthesis inhibitory effect of ME and its solvent fractions on nitric oxide synthase activity in LPS stimulated RAW 264.7 cells were decreased in dose-dependent manners, and $IC_{50}$ value of hexane and chloroform fractions were 0.39 and 0.49 mg/mL, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.11
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• pp.1717-1726
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• 2013

Fermentation characteristics and health functionalities of kimchi by inoculating kimchi lactic acid bacteria (LAB) starters were studied. We manufactured single LAB starter kimchi (Lactobacillus plantarum pnuK, Lactobacillus plantarum 3099K, Leuconostoc mesenteroides pnuK), mixed LAB starter kimchi (Lb. plantarum pnu/Leu. mesenteroides pnuK, Lb. plantarum 3099/Leu. mesenteroides pnuK) with inoculum size of $10^6$ CFU/g, as well as naturally fermented kimchi (NK), and fermented them for 6 days at $15^{\circ}C$. The pH and acidity of the early phase of fermentation were not different, but kimchi with the starters showed rapid changes in the pH and acidity from 2 days of fermentation. As the fermentation progressed, the level of total aerobic bacteria and Lactobacillus sp. increased similarly with or without Lb. plantarum (LP) inoculation. However, the level of Leuconostoc sp. was high in kimchi inoculated with Leuconostoc sp. starter. In the sensory evaluation test, kimchi with starters received higher overall acceptability scores than those of NK; mixed starter added kimchi earned the highest score. In DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, kimchi with the starters exhibited higher activity than that of NK. In the MTT assay of HCT-116 and HT-29 human colon cancer cells, NK showed inhibition rates of 63.4 and 51.9%, but LPpnuK achieved 77.1 and 68.8%, respectively. This study showed that inoculating starters in kimchi increased in vitro antioxidant and anticancer activities, and single starter (LP) added kimchi revealed higher functionality than the kimchi with mixed starter. Kimchis with the starters effectively up-regulated the gene expressions of the pro-apoptotic gene of Bax, but down-regulated Bcl-2. They promoted expressions of p53 and p21, and suppressed expressions of inflammation-related genes, iNOS and COX-2, compared with NK. Taken together, it is expected that using starters may help manufacture kimchi with improved sensory quality and health functionality.