• BMB Reports
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.37-40
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• 1997

Earthworm extracts are known for anti-inflammatory, analgesic. antipyretic, and anticancer effects but can also influence blood circulation. It was previously shown that an earthworm, Lumbricus rubelius. contained a water-extractable anticoagulant which was a heat- and acid-stable molecule with hydrophilic property. In order to uncover the biochemical nature of this molecule, the anticoagulant was processed with various hydrolases such as trypsin, DNase, RNase. and lysozome. When the digested samples were analyzed with an in vitro coagulation test measuring activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and agarose gel electrophoresis, the anticoagulant proved to be a relatively homogeneous DNA fragment with relative molecular size around 72 base pairs. Interestingly, the activity was further stimulated with a trypsin digestion. RNA. on the other hand, did not prolong the APTT. It was also demonstrated that the DNA accelerated the antithrombin III (AT-III) inhibition of thrombin from $IC_{50}$ of 0.34 to 0.16 unit determined with S-2238 as a substrate, whereas heparin, a popular anticoagulant. shifted the value to 0.05. Therefore, it is suggested that the DNA could be considered as an alternative antithrombotic agent to heparin, which would exhibits bleeding side effects.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.125-135
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• 1995

붉은지렁이 (Lumbricus rubellus)의 체내에 존재하는 prophenoloxidase-phenoloxidase(prPO$\longrightarrow$PO)의 활성계는 몇 종류의 다른 경로에 의해 활성화 됨을 발견하였다 Propo는 exogenous trypsin $\beta$ 1.3-glucan, Ca2' 이온. lipopolysaccharide (LPS) 및 열처리 등에 의하여 활성도가 증가 되었고 Ca2' 이온이 나머지 4가지 종류의 처리와 함께 병행되었을 때 그 효과가 더욱 증가하였다 Propo의 활성도는 LPS나 Ca2' 이온의 농도가 각각 1 5H 10-s g Lps/r리, 15 mM(Ca2')의 농도에서 propo의 최대활성치를 나타냈으나 그 이상의 농도에서는 propo의 활성이 오히려 감소하였다. LPS. $\beta$ 1,3-glucan 및 Ca2' 이온 등은 trypsin 억제인자인 soybean trypsin inhibitor(571)가 함께 존재할 경우 전혀 propo를 활성화 시킨지 못하는 것으로 미루어 $\beta$ 1,3-glucan 및 Ca2' 이온 등은 체내의 trypsin 유사 효소의 활성을 증가시켜 궁극적으로는 proPO$\longrightarrow$PO의 활성화 반응에 간접적으로 작용한다고 생각되었다. 한편. 571의 존재하에서도 50"C의 열처리는 propo의 활성화에 아주 효과적인 물리적 요인으로 작용하였다. 따라서 열처리는 Ca2'이나 LPS. f 1,3-glucan파는 달리 직접적으로 proPO$\longrightarrow$PO의 활성화 반응에 작용하는 것으로 생각되어 붉은 지렁이의 체내에서 proPO가 활성화되는 괴정(propo-activating system)에는 최소한 2가지 이상의 경로가 있다고 생각된다.생각된다.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.374-377
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• 1998

The freeze-dried powder of Lumbricus rubellus earthworm was administered orally to rats and its fibrinolytic and antithrombotic effects were investigated. The fibrinolytic activity of plasma was determined by measuring the plasmin activity of the euglobulin fraction and was increased to two-folds of the control at a dose of 0.5 g/kg/day and five times with 1 g/kg/day after 4-day administration. The antithrombotic effect was studied in an arterio-venous shunt model of rats. The thrombus weight decreased significantly from 43.2 mg to 32.4 mg at a dose of 0.5 g/kg/day after 8-day treatment. The level of fibrinogen/fibrin degradation product (FDP) in serum was elevated in a dose-dependent manner during the treatment period. On the 8th day after administration, the FDP value was increased to 7.7 $\mu\textrm{g}$g/ml compared with the control value of 3.3 $\mu\textrm{g}$g/ml. These results support that earthworm powder is valuable for the prevention and/or treatment of thrombotic conditions.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.36-46
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• 1996

An endogenous phenoloxidase (EPO) from earthworm, Lumbricus rubellus, has been purified and characterized. The purified EPO using ammonium sulfate fractionation, Blue-2, Phenyl-, and Q-sepharose chromatography steps was revealed in SDS-PAGE as a single protein banri with Mr. of 59 kl)a. A native strudure of the enzyme was examined with an in situ staining of a nondenatudng-PAGE using DL-dopa as a substrate. The result showed that a single band due to the EPO activity was located siighdy above a standard polypeptide with Mr. of 210 kl)a. These fads indicate that the EPO is an oligomeric enzyme. The presence of a monophenolase activity of the purified EPO, which hydroxylates tyrosine to dopa, was confirmed by observing dopachrome accumulation at 475 nm at PH 8.0 with a typical lag phase during 60 mm. of meausrement. A series of inhibition study has been performed for the enzyme with several divalent cation chelators such as phenyithiourea (Flu), 1, lO-phenanthroline, EDTA, and EGTA. Among them, only V'flj inhibited the enzyme with 1C0.5 of 65 MM, which indicated that copper was critical for the catalysis of EPO. The enzyme was maximally active at 35'C and pH 8.0 when L-dopa to dopachrome conversion was spectrophotometricaily monitored at 475 nm. The apparent Km values of P0 for L-opa were obtained as 1.86 mM and 13.8 mM at pH 6.5 and 8.0, respectively. The catalytic efficiencies at both pH were almost identical [(kat/Km)pH8.0/(kcat/Km)pH6.5 = O.92] while the Vmax at p11 8.0 was 6.6-fold higher than that at pH 6.5. This fact may indicate that pH affeds the catalysis at substrate and/or enzyme-substrate complex level rather than the enzyme itself. Taken together, the EPO was an oligomeric enzyme which did not require proteolysis for its activation. These results also indicated that the enzyme can exist, at least, in part as a latent form In vivo, which might be distinct from the prophenoloxidase activating system. Therefore, it is pertinent to consider that there must be certain regulatory molecules or phenomena in L. rubellus which make the 1,0 in a latent form in vivo before the foreign invasions.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.214-219
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• 1990

This study was conducted to characterize red worm(Lumbricus rubellus) and its cast reared six months using with pulp sludge, mixture of pulp sludge and methane sludge, and cow manure and methane sludge. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The optimum growth temperature ranged from $16^{\circ}C$ to $25^{\circ}C$ and monthly weight increase was about one kilogram per square meter. 2. The weight of red worm increased 9 to 11 percent reared with mixture of cow manure and methane sludge compared to pulp sludge. 3. Red worm contained large amount of amino acid, including. Lycine, which, might be a good source for a feed additive. 4. Yields of red worm cast ranged from 90 to 95 ton/10a/year on dry weight base. 5. CEC of red worm cast varied from 19.4 to 49.9 meg/100g and O.M content ranged from 26.4 to 35.1 percent. It contained lots of nutrients resulting in a good fertilizer source.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Life Science Conference
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• 2005.09a
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• pp.108-108
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• 2005

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.107-122
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• 1996

Apoplexy is a disease of a morbid condition manifested as sudden syncope, unconciousness, distortion of face, hemiplegia and dysphasia, usually seen in the middle-aged. The symptoms and signs before sudden onset are headache, dizziness, numbness of extremities, palpitation, etc. This study was performed to investige causes of disease, therapies and prescriptions by insect medicine through the successive medical literatures, recent chinese medical literatures and chinese medical journals. The results are as follows; 1. The treatment of apoplexy is divided into stage of attack and sequela. In stage of attack, the principal therapies of apoplexy are calming the liver, suppressed Yang, dissipate phlegm and elimination weatness. In sequela, the principal therapies of apoplexy are invigorating Qi, promote blood circulation and dredge collateral. 2. Insects medicine have more strong effect than herbal medicine, because apoplexy is a kind of critically desease. 3. Insects medicine is effective in a convalscent stage and sequela of apoplexy. The proper dosage for stage of attack is a small dose of insects medicine(about 2-4g), increse gradually. In convalscent stage, about 4g, in sequela, patients need a large dose of insects medicine(about 8g). 4. Hirudo used to remove stagnated blood and to disperse swelling for the treatment of severe cases of blood stasis, such as cerebral infarction, sequela of cerebrovascular accident, contused wounds. Lumbricus used to for the treatment of convulsions due to high fever, and for hemiplegia and hypertension. Scolopendra used to subdue the endogenous wind for the treatment of various kinds of tics, convulsions and tetanus, and it's character is strong because it will be effective Sthenia-Syndrome of apoplexy. Scorpio used to subdue the endogenous wind for the treatment of various kind of tics, convulsions, tetanus and sequela of cerebrovascular accident.

• BMB Reports
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.398-401
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• 1995

Two fibrinolytic enzymes from the autolysate of Lumbricus rubellus were purified in homogeneous form. Their molecular sizes were 31,000 (Enz1) and 35,000 (Enz2) Da. respectively. However, the N-Terminal amino acid sequences of Enz1 and Enz2 were exactly the same: Ile-Val-Gly-Gly-Ile-Glu-Ala-Arg-Pro-Tyr-Glu-Phe-Pro-Trp-Gln-. These results indicate that Enz1 is a shortened form of Enz2 formed during autolysis. When a synthetic substrate, Ile-Pro-Arg-pNA, was used, the catalytic activity were observed in the pH range of 5-10 and the kinetic parameters including $K_m$ (1.6 ${\mu}m$) and $V_{max}$ (40 nmol/jmin/mg) were almost identical between the two enzymes. However, the fibrinolytic activity of Enz2 was at least 1.25 times higher than that of Enz1, suggesting that the C-terminal region of Enz2 is important in fibrinolysis but not in amidolysis. Furtheimore. fibrinolytic activity of the enzymes was increased by the addition of the lipid extracted from L. rubellus in the presence of $MgCl_2$ or $CaCl_2$. The stimulatary effect of lipid on Enz2 was higher compared to Enz1.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.247-254
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• 1997

The proteinase-activated receptor (PAR-2) belongs to the family of seven transmembrane region receptors, like the thrombin receptor, it is activated by specific proteolytic clea vage of its extracellular amino terminus and a synthetic peptide (SLIGRL). The earthworm protein fraction (EPF) extracted from Lumbricus rubellus elicted dose- and endothelium-dependent relaxations in phenylephrine-contracted rat thoracic aorta, whereas heat inactivated EPF (0.5 ${\mu}g$ /ml) had no effect. In the presence of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-methyl-L-arginine (1.8 micro M), EPF (0.5 ${\mu}g$ /ml)-induced relaxations were partially inhibited. Furthermore, EPF (0.5 ${\mu}g$ /ml) dramatically caused relaxation of thrombin-desenstized rat thoracic aorta. These results indicate that EPF activates PAR-2 in vascular endothelial cell. Intravenous injection of EPF (20 mg/kg, bolus) into anesthetized rats produced a marked depressor response. EPF (0 ~ 80 ${\mu}g$ /ml, gradient) was very effective on increasing of perfusion volume in rabbit ear vessel preparations. These results imply the usefulness of EPF as a vascular smooth muscle relaxant and indicate that the activation of PAR-2 may be a mechanism of EPF on hemokinetic improvement.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.115-118
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• 1986

This study was carried out to obtain an information for the earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris) as total lipid, three lipid classes and their fatty acid compositions. Total lipids of earthworm consisted of 35.14% of neutral lipids, 41.74% of glycolipids and 23.12% of phospholipids. A wide variety of fatty acid esters ranging from $C_{10}\;to\;C_{22}$were identified and lower fatty acids than $C_{10}$ detected but not identified. In the neutral lipid, the major fatty acids were lauric acid, oleic acid, myristic acid and caproenoic acid. The fatty acid composition in the glycolipid was specific, so caproic acid content was 25.8% and unknown lower fatty acids than that were 23.22%. In the phospholipids, the major fatty acids were oleic acid, caproic acid, linolenic acid and behenic acid. Unsaturated fatty acid contents in the phospholipids were higher than in the neutral and glycolipids.