• Mycobiology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.124-127
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• 2006

This study was aimed at evaluating the antioxidant activities of methanol extract of Thamnolia vermicularis. The antioxidant activity, reducing power, superoxide anion radical scavenging and free radical scavenging activities were studied. The antioxidant activity of the extract correlated with its concentration ($0.2{\sim}2\;mg/ml$) in the reaction mixtures containing linoleic acid. Upto 67% of lipid peroxidation was inhibited by 2 mg/ml of the lichen extract. The extract showed strong free radical scavenging activity similar to that of BRA (positive control) in a manlier of concentration dependent. The lichen extract also showed moderate effects on superoxide anoin scavenging activity and reducing power, which was not so effective as that of Quercetin and BHA used as positive controls. This study suggests that T. vermicularis lichen can be used as a novel source of natural antioxidant.

• Textile Coloration and Finishing
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.43-50
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• 1999

Lichen had been used as dyestuffs before the discovery of synthetic dyes in Europe and by American Indians. To investigate the dyeability of Korean native lichens, 10 kinds of lichen were collected and colorants were extracted from them by boiling in water and fermenting in ammonia water. Silk fabrics were dyed with lichen extract, then the colour differences of dyed silk fabrics were measured before and after color fastness test. The most part of the lichen extracts(Fc, Hh, Me, Pl, Xm, Pr, Cj, Ld, Ry) dyed silk yellowish or reddish brown. The range of colors were 2.4Y 6.5∼10YR 6/7. Pa extract dyed silk purple(1.25RP 5/6). Color differences of laundered specimen with the silk before laundering were very small, but color of the dyed silks after exposing to light showed big differences with the specimen before exposing to light. The colors of the silks dyed with lichens changed from yellowish or reddish brown to greenish brown by laundering and by exposing to light. But the specimen dyed Pa extract changed from purple to blueish purple by laundering and reddish purple by exposing to light.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.1524-1528
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• 2010

The antioxidant properties of 46 lichen species, collected from the highly UV-exposed alpine areas of southwestern China, were evaluated for their potential therapeutic utilization. The anti-linoleic acid peroxidation activity, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity, reducing power, and total phenolic contents were all assessed in vitro in the methanol extract of the lichens. A potent reducing power was detected in a number of the lichen extracts, when compared with butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). In general, it was found that many of the lichens, with antioxidant properties, contained large quantities of phenolic content. Extracts of Peltigera praetextata and Sticta nylanderiana were found to exhibit the most potent activity in all of the antioxidant tests. In particular, extracts of S. nylanderiana displayed a 1.37 times greater anti-linoleic acid peroxidation activity, when compared with the ascorbic acid used as the positive control. S. nylanderiana also possessed the strongest free radical scavenging activity amongst all the tested species, with an inhibition rate of 90.4% at concentration of $330{\mu}g/ml$. Activity-guided bioautographic TLC and HPLC analyses were used to establish which compounds were responsible for the potent antioxidant activities of the S. nylanderiana extract. These analyses revealed lecanoric acid to be primarily responsible for the effective antioxidant properties of S. nylanderiana. Overall, these results have indicated that several highland lichens have the potential of being utilized as novel bioresources for naturally occurring antioxidant therapies.

• Mycobiology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.28-30
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• 2009

This study was aimed at evaluating the growth promoting effect of symbiotic algal polyol (ribitol) and plant hormones on the lichen-forming fungi (LFF), Ramalina farinacea (CH050010 and 40403) and Ramalina fastigiata. The addition of ribitol to basal (malt-yeast extract) medium enhanced the relative growth rates of all three LFF. R. farinacea (CH050010), R. farinacea (40403) and R. fastigiata (H06127) showed 35.3%, 29.0% and 29.3% higher growth rates, respectively, compared to the control. IBA (indole-3-butyric acid) and TIBA (2,3,5-tridobenzoic acid) also increased growth rates of the LFF by 34 to 64% and 7 to 28%, respectively, compared to the control. The combination of ribitol with IBA or TIBA synergistically increased the growth of all LFF. For example, ribitol and IBA treatments increased growth rates of R. farinacea (CH050010), R. farinacea (40403) and R. fastigiata (H06127) by 79.4%, 40.3% and 72.8% in, respectively, compared to those grown on the basal medium. The stimulating effect of ribitol and IBA on the LFF growth induced vertical development of the fungal mass in culture. We suggest that lichen-forming fungal growth of Ramalina lichens can be stimulated aposymbiotically by supplementing polyols and plant hormones to the basal medium in the mass production of lichen secondary metabolites under large scale culture conditions.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.280-286
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• 1999

Lichen-forming (LFF) or lichenicolous fungi (LCF) were isolated from the lichens collected at‘Backwoon’mountain area,‘Chiri’mountain area and‘Sorok’island in the southern regions of Korea and were screened for antagonistic efficacy against several phyto-pathogenic fungi. Symbiotic algae-free LFF and LCF were isolated by the following methods: I) discharged spores (ascospores), II) macerated thallus suspension and III) direct use of thallus fragments. Among 58 isolates obtained from 34 lichens, 8 isolates showed antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia solani. Antifungal activities of the strongest antagonistic isolate (LB9810) originated from the thallus of Parmelia quercina lichen were evaluated against 15 phyto-pathogenic fungi. When crude methanol extract of mycelia of the LB8910 isolate was employed at the rate of 0.5% (v/w), fungal growth of Magnaporthe grisea and Rhizoctonia solani was severly and Rhizoctonia solani was severly inhibited as much as approximately 60% compared to control. Growth of various food-borne same extract. The extract was successively partitioned with n-hexane, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. n-Hexane fraction displayed the strongest antifungal activities against R. solani. The LB9810 isolate was finally identified as Fusarium equiseti (Corda) Sacc., which has not been reported as LFF or LCF yet. Therefore, it is very likely that F. equiseti isolated it the study was originated from the contaminants associated with thallus fragments rather than from LFF or LCF.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.161-166
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• 2013

At present, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors are the first group of drugs to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although beneficial in improving cognitive and behavioral symptoms, the effectiveness of AChE inhibitors has been questioned since they do not delay or prevent neurodegeneration in AD patients. Therefore, in the present study, in order to develop new and effective anti-AD agents from lichen products, both the AChE inhibitory and the neuroprotective effects were evaluated. The AChE inhibitory assay was performed based on Ellman's reaction, and the neuroprotective effect was evaluated by using the MTT method on injured PC12 cells. One AChE inhibitor ($IC_{50}$ = 27.1 ${\mu}g/ml$) was isolated by means of bioactivity-guided isolation from the extract of lichen-forming fungus Cladonia macilenta, which showed the most potent AChE inhibitory activity in previous screening experiment. It was then identified as biruloquinone by MS, and $^1H$- and $^{13}C$-NMR analyses. The inhibitory kinetic assay suggested that biruloquinone is a mixed-II inhibitor on AChE. Meanwhile, biruloquinone improved the viability of the $H_2O_2$- and ${\beta}$-amyloid-injured PC12 cells at 1 to 25 ${\mu}g/ml$. The protective effects are proposed to be related to the potent antioxidant activities of biruloquinone. These results imply that biruloquinone has the potential to be developed as a multifunctional anti- AD agent.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.1189-1197
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• 2017

Lichen-forming fungi are known to have various biological activities, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antitumor, antiviral, anti-inflammation, and anti proliferative effects. However, the immunosuppressive effects of Bryoria sp. extract (BSE) have not previously been investigated. In this study, the inhibitory activity of BSE on the proliferation of $CD8^+$ T cells and the mixed lymphocytes reaction (MLR) was evaluated in vitro. BSE was non-toxic in spleen cells and suppressed the growth of splenocytes induced by anti-CD3. The suppressed cell population in spleen cells consisted of $CD8^+$ T cells and their proliferation was inhibited by the treatment with BSE. This extract significantly suppressed the IL-2 associated with T cell growth and $IFN-{\gamma}$ as the $CD8^+$ T cell marker. Furthermore, BSE reduced the expression of the IL-2 receptor alpha chain ($IL-2R{\alpha}$) on $CD8^+$ T cells and CD86 on dendritic cells by acting as antigen-presenting cells. Finally, the MLR produced by the co-culture of C57BL/6 and MMC-treated BALB/c was suppressed by BSE. IL-2, $IFN-{\gamma}$, and CD69 on $CD8^+$ T cells in MLR condition were inhibited by BSE. These results indicate that BSE inhibits the MLR via the suppression of $IL-2R{\alpha}$ expression in $CD8^+$ T cells. BSE has the potential to be developed as an anti-immunosuppression agent for organ transplants.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.34-39
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• 2007

Lichen thalli of Dirinaria applanata heavily colonized on the twigs of dead or dying Rhododendron trees in Solok island, Jeonnam province in Korea. Pathogenesis of the lichen on the trees was investigated to find out the possibility of lichen as a causal agent. Histological examination of the lichen colonized twigs was attempted with differential staining technique. Lichen-forming fungus colonized only on the surface of bark and there was no direct penetration of fungal hyphae into the plant tissues. Symbiotic algae of the lichen was also examined. The isolated algal cells were inoculated on artificially induced wounds of the healthy trees. Histological examination of the inoculated tissues showed that some algal cells were successfully colonized inside the tissues without any pathogenic symptoms, even 2 months later, The extract of the lichen thalli was also examined using 10% of DMSO solution. Treated tissues showed no pathogenic symptoms, even 4 weeks later. The results suggested that the lichen was not directly involved in the death of the trees.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.261-265
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• 2010

Lichens, a symbiotic organism of fungi and algae, cause serious damage to national heritages of stone master piece and costly trees for gardening. The present study was conducted to screen effective fungicides against lichen-forming fungi to control the biological agents deteriorating stone heritages and trees. Five commercial fungicides (Fenarimol EC, Etridiazole EC, Iminoctadinetriacetate SL, Difenoconazole+lminocatadinetriacetate ME and Difenoconazole+Azoxystrobin SC) were tested against the lichen-forming fungi (LFF) isolated from seven saxicolous (Caloplaca sp., Ramalina sp., Xanthoparmelia sp., and Xanthoria sp.,) or corticolous (Parmelia sp.,) lichen species. Preliminary screening test showed that no LFF could grow on the MY (malt-yeast extract) agar medium amended with the recommended concentrations of each fungicide. Further screening was conducted at 1%, 10% and 20% of the recommended concentrations of the fungicides. After 7 week incubation at $15^{\circ}C$ in the dark, Difenoconazole+Iminocatadinetriacetate ME and Difenoconazole+Azoxystrobin SC completely inhibited the fungal growth of all the tested LFF, even at 1% of the concentration. Two fungicides of Fenarimol EC and Iminoctadinetriacetate SL exhibited a moderate inhibition activity at the lower concentrations. Etridiazole EC was less effective in the fungal growth inhibition than the other four fungicides. The results suggested that lichens colonizing on precious stone heritages and trees can be eradicated by applying Difenoconazole+Iminocatadinetriacetate ME and Difenoconazole+Azoxystrobin SC even 1% of the recommended concentrations. Selected fungicide application at such a low concentration will facilitate the chemical use to prevent and preserve stone heritages from biological deterioration induced by lichens and the allied microbes.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.81-91
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• 2012

Objectives : By investigating antimicrobial activity of natural extracts, identifying its usefulness as antibiotic material to oral bacteria. Methods : Antimicrobial activity tests of 25 natural extracts were implemented on 6 type strains alleged to cause dental caries and 10 clinical strains isolated and identified from dental caries. Results : Among medicinal plants, Coptis japonica, Scutellaria baicalensis, Dictamnus dasycarpus showed antimicrobial activity. Among lichens, 3 methanol extracts and 6 acetone extracts showed antimicrobial activity. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration(MIC) test of Usnea aurantiacoatra KoLRI 004184, an acetone extract of lichen with the highest antimicrobial activity, on 6 type strains involved in dental caries and 10 strains isolated from dental caries resulted as follows; Actinomyces oris 1041 $12{\mu}g/ml$, for Corynebacterium durum 3151 $13{\mu}g/ml$, for Rothia dentocariosa KCTC $3204^T$ $14{\mu}g/ml$, for R. dentocariosa 911 $15{\mu}g/ml$, for R. dentocariosa 1822 $12{\mu}g/ml$, for Lacto-bacillus casei KACC $12413^T$ $12{\mu}g/ml$, for L. acidophilus KACC $12419^T$ $16{\mu}g/ml$, for L. rhamnosus 2421 $15{\mu}g/ml$, for Streptococcus mutans KCTC $3065^T$ $15{\mu}g/ml$, for S. mutans 121 $13{\mu}g/ml$, for Streptococcus oralis 2221 $18{\mu}g/ml$, for S. salivarius KCTC 5512 $14{\mu}g/ml$, for S. salivarius 122 $12{\mu}g/ml$, for S. sanguinis KCTC $3284^T$ $14{\mu}g/ml$, for S. sanguinis 912 $14{\mu}g/ml$, for Neisseria sp. KEM232 $12{\mu}g/ml$. Conclusions : Even a small amount of extract from lichen Usnea aurantiacoatra KoLRI 004184 showed very high level of antimicrobial activation against all 16 bacterial strains involved in dental caries.