• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.79-90
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• 2022

Background: Herbal medicines are popular approaches to capably prevent and treat obesity and its related diseases. Excessive exposure to dietary lipids causes oxidative stress and inflammation, which possibly induces cellular senescence and contribute the damaging effects in brain. The potential roles of selective enhanced ginsenoside in regulating high fat diet (HFD)-induced brain damage remain unknown. Methods: The protection function of Ginsenoside F1-enhanced mixture (SGB121) was evaluated by in vivo and in vitro experiments. Human primary astrocytes and SH-SY5Y cells were treated with palmitic acid conjugated Bovine Serum Albumin, and the effects of SGB121 were determined by MTT and lipid uptake assays. For in vivo tests, C57BL/6J mice were fed with high fat diet for 3 months with or without SGB121 administration. Thereafter, immunohistochemistry, western blot, PCR and ELISA assays were conducted with brain tissues. Results and conclusion: SGB121 selectively suppressed HFD-induced oxidative stress and cellular senescence in brain, and reduced subsequent inflammation responses manifested by abrogated secretion of IL-6, IL-1β and TNFα via NF-κB signaling pathway. Interestingly, SGB121 protects against HFD-induced damage by improving mitophagy and endoplasmic reticulum-stress associated autophagy flux and inhibiting apoptosis. In addition, SGB121 regulates lipid uptake and accumulation by FATP4 and PPARα. SGB121 significantly abates excessively phosphorylated tau protein in the cortex and GFAP activation in corpus callosum. Together, our results suggest that SGB121 is able to favor the resistance of brain to HFD-induced damage, therefore provide explicit evidence of the potential to be a functional food.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.875-883
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• 2009

We investigated the effects of manufacturing method on the quality of beef jerky using electron micrography. Six types of beef jerky were prepared by the addition of sugar (A), licorice (B), one of three kinds of spice extract (clove: C, fennel fruit: D, and Chungyang green pepper extract: E), or a mixture of all spice extracts (F). Microstructural changes in beef jerky during preparation by drying, with respect to drying method and the nature of the added spice extract, were observed by scanning electron micrography (SEM) and transmission electron micrography (TEM). The latter technique showed that the microstructure of fresh meat showed actin and myosin in myofibril lines, and also mitochondria and inner membranes. Beef muscle structure was broken at many myofibril lines and decomposition of inner membrane material was evident after seasoning. SEM of air-blast dried beef jerky with added medicinal herb extracts showed both large spaces and regular myofibrils, whereas hot air-dried beef jerky had no spaces and the muscle myofibrils were still evident. After review of all available micrographs from SEM and TEM, we concluded that use of medicinal herb extracts could be helpful in preserving the muscle myofibril structure during drying, and the air-blast drying method is recommended to optimize the textural quality characteristics of beef jerky.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2012

This study was carried out to investigated optimum mixing ratio of Korean natural Lindera glauca for production of functional oyster mushroom. Total nitrogen and carbon source of Lindera glauca was 0.16% and 40.9%, respectively and C/N ratio was 215. Total nitrogen source and pH of substrate mixed with Lindera glauca was 2.8~3.0 and 4.8~5.0, respectively. The contents of $P_2O_5$, CaO, MgO and $Na_2O$ were increased by increasing Lindera glauca, but there was no significant difference in $K_2O$ content. Mycerial growth was faster at Lindera glauca treatments than that of control. Yields of fruiting body was the highest at Lindera glauca 20%, and dimeter and thick of pileus were increased according to increase of Lindera glauca addition ratio. The L value of pileus was the highest at the Lindera glauca 10% during mushroom harvest, but there was no significant difference in the a-value and the b-value.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1322-1328
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• 2006

In our previous study, a novel herb mixture (HIM-I) of Angelica gigas radix, Cnidium officinale rhizoma, and Paeonia japonica radix was developed to protect= the intestinal and immune systems and to promote their recovery from radiation damage. A new herbal composition (HemoHIM) with the high immune modulating activity was developed from HIM-I. In the present study, we examined the effects of HemoHIM on the maturation process of murine bone marrow (BM)-derived dendritic cells (DC). BM cells were cultured in the presence of iL-4 and GM-CSF and the generated immature DC were stimulated with HemoHIM for 24 hours. HemoHIM significantly enhanced the expression of co-stimulatory molecules, CD80 and CD86, especially. The activation capacity of HemoHIM-treated DC was significantly higher than that of immature DC, as analyzed by IL-2 and $IFN-\gamma$ production and proliferation of the responding T cells in the co-culture with allogeneic T cells. The antigen-presenting capacity of HemoHIN-treated DC was also increased by the co-culture with OVA-specific T cells (HS-1), as analyzed by IL-2 and $IFN-\gamma$ production and the proliferation. These results indicate that HemoHIM causes the maturation and ;Activation of DC, which may be a part of mechanisms of immunomodulation by HemoHIM.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.105-110
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• 2011

BACKGROUND: In this study, 5 different treatments such as non-treatment, mixed expeller cake 1.0 N (standard nitrogen fertilizer), rice straw, rice straw+mixed expeller cake 0.5 N, rice straw+mixed expeller cake 1.0 N were performed over 4 cropping seasons over 2 years in order to identify the optimal application rate of mixture of rice straw and mixed expeller cake, organic source in organic cultivation of tomatoes. METHODS AND RESULTS: There was no difference in all treatments in case of 200 mg/kg in the nitrate nitrogen content in soil prior to the first cropping season test under the criteria for nitrogen nutrient based on yield of crops, cultivation without fertilizers seems possible. But in the second cropping season, no treatment and rice straw showed the reduction of yield and in the third cropping season, rice-straw+mixed expeller cake 0.5 N treatment showed the significant difference. The content of nitrate nitrogen in soil prior to cropping seasons was evaluated in 160 mg/kg and standard fertilization such as mixed expeller cake, source of nitrogen, are needed due to the deficiency of nitrogen. In terms of application of organic resources, rice straw showed the effects of improvements on physical properties of soil such as bulk density, cation exchange capacity and humus contents, but the mixed expeller cake did not show any significant differences in improvements on physical properties of soil. CONCLUSION(s): Fertilizer management in organic cultivation of tomatoes is thought to produce the reliable quantity of crops as well as keep the high quality of soils by using the optimal application rate of mixed expeller cake according to the contents of nitrate nitrogen in soil and rice straw which improves the physical properties of soil.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.1063-1069
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• 2014

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are known to lead to oxidation of lipids, proteins, and DNA and cause skin damage. Moreover, ROS promote melanogenesis, which causes melasma, age spots, and freckle. The main compounds of the herbal medicines Poria cocas, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and Ulmus macrocarpa were reported to be parchymic acid, glabridin, and flavonoids, respectively. The aim of this study was to investigate the whitening and antioxidant effects of a mixture of P. cocas, G. uralensis, and U. macrocarpa extracts (PGUE) in B16F1 cells to develop whitening cosmetics. PGUE inhibited DPPH radicals and lipid peroxidation, in addition to high reduction power, compared with Glycyrrhiza uralensis ethylacetate extracts (GUEE). Furthermore, PGUE exhibited a protective effect against DNA oxidation induced by the hydroxyl radicals. In addition to its antioxidant activity, the inhibitory activity of PGUE against tyrosinase, which is associated with melanogenesis, was greater than that of arbutin used as a positive control. Moreover, PGUE exerted an inhibitory effect on melanin synthesis in live melanoma cells and reduced the expression levels of superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD-1) and tyrosinase related protein-1 (TRP-1). These results indicate that PGUE has skin whitening and antioxidant effects, suggesting that this mixture can be used as the main ingredient in the development of effective whitening cosmetics.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.133-145
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• 2014

Objective : In this study, the addition of dried pomegranate concentrate powder (PCP) was affected the anti-climacterium activity of red clover dry extracts (RC) in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Materials and methods : After bilateral OVX surgery, RC 40 mg/kg, PCP 20 mg/kg and RC:PCP 2:1 mixture (g/g) 120, 60 and 30 mg/kg (of body weight) were orally administered, once a day for 84 days, and then the changes on the serum estradiol levels, abdominal fat pad and uterus weights were observed for estrogenic effects. In addition, liver weights, serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were also evaluated for hepatoprotective effects, and serum total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglyceride (TG) levels were monitored for hypolipidemic effects. Results : As a result of OVX, the estrogen-deficient climacterium symptoms, increments of abdominal fat pad weights, serum AST, ALT, TC, LDL and TG levels with decrease of uterus and liver weights, serum estradiol levels, were demonstrated. However, these estrogen-deficient climacterium symptoms induced by bilateral OVX in rats were significantly inhibited by continuous oral treatment of RC 40 mg/kg, PCP 20 mg/kg and RC:PCP 2:1 mixture (g/g) 120, 60 and 30 mg/kg, respectively. Conclusion : The results suggested that RC:PCP 2:1 mixtures synergistically increased the anti-climacterium effects of RC in OVX rats. It, therefore, is expected that RC:PCP 2:1 mixture will be promising as a new potent protective agents for relieving the climacterium symptoms.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.658-662
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• 2013

Rubus coreanus and Astragalus membranaceus Bunge have been used as a traditional medicine with various pharmacological properties for a long time in Asia. We investigated the proliferative and differentiative effects on osteoblastic cells, MG-63 in various mixture ratios of immature fructus extracts of R. coreanus and root extracts of A. membranaceus. With preliminary in vivo ovariectomized mice, we confirmed the effects of the supplementation of various mixture on alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in serum. The ratio of 7:3 is considered as the most effective ratio for the proliferation of osteoblastic cells as they increased by 56.8% similar to estradiol. ALP activity in osteoblast increased by the combination of R. coreanus and A. membranaceus and peaked in the ratio of 72:28 and 68:32 respectively. These results indicate that the optimal combination of R. coreanus and A. membranaceus in 7:3 has the most beneficial effects on the activation of osteoblast cells, and give further possibilities that it can be used clinically in the treatment of osteoporosis.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.57-68
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• 2020

Objective : The aim of present study was to clarify the effect of Areca Semen and Toosendan Fructus Mixture (AT-mix) on chronic reflux esophagitis (CRE) in rats. Methods : The antioxidant activity of AT-mix was measured through DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities in vitro. CRE was induced in SD rats (5 weeks, male) by ligating the border forestomach and granular portion with 2-0 silk and the duodenum near the pyloric portion was covered with 2-mm wide piece of 18-Fr Nélaton catheter. And then rats were treated AT-mix 200 mg/kg one daily for 14 days. The anti-oxidant and inflammatory protein levels were evaluated using western blotting. Results : Gross lesion of esophageal mucosa after AT-mix treatment showed a superior enhancement compared with that of CRE control rats. AT-mix treatment strongly reduced both DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities (DPPH, IC₅₀ 8.15±0.14 ㎍/mL; ABTS, IC₅₀ 24.69±0.03 ㎍/mL, repspectively). Levels of the NADPH oxidase subunit including NOX4 and p22^phox increased in CRE control rats. Otherwise, AT-mix treatment significantly reduced. The activation of Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) led to significantly the up-regulation of HO-1. The inhibition of IκBα phosphorylation led to NF-κB inactivation. Subsequently, NF-κB inactivation significantly induced the decrease of COX-2, iNOS, TNF-α, and IL-6 protein expressions. Conclusion : Taken together, these results suggest that AT-mix treatment can attenuate the esophageal mucosal ulcer though inhibiting NF-κB pathway and enhancing Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. Thus, the additional mechanism study about AT-mix would need for the development as a safe herbal therapy for CRE.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.15-22
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• 1998

'Banafsha' is an important herbal drug of indigenous systems of medicine. Flowers of Viola odornta L. (Violaceae) are considered to constitute the genuine drug 'Banafsha'. However, due to limited distribution of this plant, another species of Viola, i.e. V. pilosa having almost similar medicinal properties, is mostly used under this vernacular instead. Ethnobotanically also different species of Viola i.e. V. odorata, V. pilosa and V. betonicifolia are used for various ailments at different places in our country. In the present study two species of Viola, namely V. pilosa and V. betonictfolia along with the commercial samples of 'Banafsha' were studied and authenticated. It was observed that the market samples procured from Dehradun, Mumbai, Lucknow, Palampur, Ramnagar and Ranikhet showed close resemblance with Viola pilosa in having similar morphological characters like uniseriate hairs on the ovary, geniculate and clavate style, truncate stigma and almost similar TLC profiles. On the other hand the Almora sample was identified as Viola betonicifolia by the presence of large purple flowers, clavate style and convex stigma forming hump like structure. However, the market sample procured from Pathankot was found to be a mixture of two species of Viola namely, V pilosa and V. odorata having dominance of the former species.