• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.888-895
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• 2017

Salsola collina (S. collina) is an annual plant widely distributed in drought and semi-drought areas, which has been used for a long time as a kind of folk remedy in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of hypertension. Previously, the anti-oxidative and anti-cancer activities of S. collina were elucidated in our research group. In this study, the anti-obesity activities of S. collina ethanol extract (SCEE) were evaluated using a pancreatic lipase enzyme inhibition assay and cell culture model. The results showed that SCEE effectively suppressed pancreatic lipase enzyme activity in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, SCEE significantly suppressed adipocyte differentiation, lipid accumulation, and triglyceride (TG) content, and triggered lipolysis on insulin, dexamethasone, and 3-isobutyl-l-methylxanthine-treated 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxicity. Its anti-obesity effect was modulated by cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine (CCAAT)/enhancer binding proteins ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$), $C/EBP{\beta}$, and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$) gene, as well as protein expressions. Taken together, these results offer the important new insight that S. collina possesses anti-obesity properties, such as pancreatic lipase inhibition and anti-adipogenic and lipolysis effects through the modulation of their upstream signaling pathway. It could become a promising source in the field of nutraceuticals, and the identification of active compounds that confer the biological activities of SCEE may be needed.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.93-99
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• 2017

Objectives: Selaginella bryopteris L. (family: Selaginaceae), is often used in traditional Indian systems of medicine for the prevention and cure of several disorders and for the treatment of patient with spermatorrhoea, venereal disease, constipation, colitis, urinary tract infections, fever, epilepsy, leucorrhoea, beri-beri and cancer. It is also used as a strength tonic. This study aimed to evaluate the mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory effects of topically administered aqueous, polar and non-polar methanolic fractions ($10mg/20{\mu}L$) of Selaginella bryopteris. Methods: An acute oral toxicity study of Selaginella bryopteris at doses from 250 to 2,000 mg/kg body weight (bw) was performed. Aqueous, polar and non-polar methanolic extracts ($10mg/20{\mu}L$) applied topically for 5 days were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory effects against 12-tetra-O-decanoyl phorbol acetate (TPA)- induced inflammation by using the redness in the ear, the ear's weight (edema), oxidative stress parameters, such as lipid-peroxide (LPO) and nitric oxide (NO), and the pro-inflammatory cytokines involved in inflammation, such as tumour necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$, interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$ and IL-6. Indomethacine ($0.5mg/20{\mu}L$) was used for the positive control. Results: Selaginella bryopteris produced no mortalities when administered orally at doses from 250 to 2,000 mg/kg bw. Topical treatment with the non-polar methanolic fraction ($10mg/20{\mu}L$) significantly suppressed redness ($2.4{\pm}0.5$) and edema ($30.4{\pm}1$) and effectively reduced the LPO level ($32.3{\pm}3.3$). The NO level was ($8.07{\pm}0.55$), and the $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IL-1{\beta}$, and IL-6 levels were decreased to $69.6{\pm}15.5$, $7.7{\pm}4.8$ and $82.6{\pm}5.9$, respectively. Conclusion: This study demonstrated for the first time the mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory effect of medicinal plants like Selaginella bryopteris and quantified the pharmacological interactions between them. The present study showed this herbal product to be a promising anti-inflammatory phytomedicine for the treatment of patients with inflammatory skin diseases.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.416-430
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• 2017

The kenaf plant is used widely as food and in traditional folk medicine. This study evaluated the morphological characteristics, functional compounds, and genetic diversity of 32 kenaf cultivars from a worldwide collection. We found significant differences in the functional compounds of leaves from all cultivars, including differences in levels of chlorogenic acid isomer (CAI), chlorogenic acid (CA), kaempferol glucosyl rhamnoside isomer (KGRI), kaempferol rhamnosyl xyloside (KRX), kaemperitrin (KAPT) and total phenols (TPC). The highest TPC, KAPT, CA, and KRX contents were observed in the C22 cultivars. A significant correlation was observed between flowering time and DM yield, seed yield, and four phenolic compounds (KGRI, KRX, CAI, and TPC) (P < 0.01). To assess genetic diversity, we used 80 simple sequence repeats (SSR) primer sets and identified 225 polymorphic loci in the kenaf cultivars. The polymorphism information content and genetic diversity values ranged from 0.11 to 0.79 and 12 to 0.83, with average values of 0.39 and 0.43, respectively. The cluster analysis of the SSR markers showed that the kenaf genotypes could be clearly divided into three clusters based on flowering time. Correlations analysis was conducted for the 80 SSR markers; morphological, chemical and growth traits were found for 15 marker traits (corolla, vein, petal, leaf, stem color, leaf shape, and KGRI content) with significant marker-trait correlations. These results could be used for the selection of kenaf cultivars with improved yield and functional compounds.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.704-712
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• 2010

Porcine circovirus-2 (PCV2) has been implicated in many clinical diseases/syndromes that are now referred to as PCV-associated diseases (PCVAD). Due to significant economic losses caused by PCVAD, many swine operations have launched extensive monitoring programs for PCV2. Traditional serum sampling is, however, rather expensive and laborious, hampering effective large scale pathogen surveillance. A field-based longitudinal study was conducted to assess the utility of pen-based oral fluid sample as an alternative to serum for herd PCV2 testing. Six pens (25 pigs/pen) at each of 3 different sites were used in the study. One oral fluid and 5 random serum samples per pen were collected at 3, 5, 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age, and the sera were pooled by pen for testing. All samples were tested for PCV2 by real-time PCR and for antibodies by indirect fluorescent antibody test (for both anti-PCV2 IgG and IgA) and 3 ELISA assays (blocking ELISA, indirect ELISA, and IgG/IgM sandwich ELISA). PCV2 DNA was detected in oral fluid samples sporadically until 8 weeks and in all pens at 16 weeks. PCV2-specific IgG was detected in oral fluid samples at 3 weeks and persisted until 5 to 8 weeks in all sites. Anti-PCV2 IgG and IgA were detectable in oral fluid samples collected at 16 weeks from all of the pens at 1 site. The detection of PCV2 and anti-PCV2 antibody in oral fluid samples correlated positively with results on pooled sera, suggesting that oral fluids can be a cost-effective alternative to serum for herd monitoring of PCV2 infection.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.114-118
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• 2015

Mycoleptodonoides aitchisonii has been used a culinary material and traditional medicine for a long time in worldwide and recently the researches to find biological effects have been increased such as dopamine activation, preventive effect against phytopathogens, inhibitive effect against erythrocyte coagulation, anti-oxidative effect, anti-tumorigenic effect, etc. However it is hard to cultivate Mycoleptodonoides aitchisonii it is impossible to be mass-produced and in order to solve the problem in this study we found the appropriate cultivation period and the harvest point for it. For life cycle (from primordium formation to harvest) the morphology, weight, and quantity of polysaccharide of Mycoleptodonoides aitchisonii were measured using with 5 bodies per a day and it could be divided for 4 stages; primordium formation, growth, needle maturation, and aging. And then from the results the Zeide nonlinear growth curve could be gotten. At 13th day after cultivation there is the relation between the change of media weight and body weight and at 14th day after cultivation the rate of polysaccharide in the body was 11 %. However in the case of O2 insufficient supply the malformation of them was observed.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.264-268
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• 2017

In the 21st century, information and communication technology (ICT) worldwide presents a new vision for agriculture. Time and place, as well as the high-tech industry, to overcome barriers to the fusion of the so-called "smart agriculture," are changing the agricultural landscape. Core container production in precision agriculture for mushroom cultivation, optimal temperature, humidity, irradiation, self-regulation of factors such as carbon dioxide, and environment for mushroom cultivation were adopted. Lentinula edodes (shiitake) is an edible mushroom native to East Asia, cultivated and consumed in many Asian countries. It is considered to be medicinal in certain practices of traditional medicine. We used different controlled light sources (Blue-Red-White-combined LED, blue LED, red LED, and fluorescent light) with different LED radiation intensities (1.5, 10.5, and $20.5{\mu}mol/m^2s$ for LEDs) to compare growth and development. Mushrooms were treated with light in a 12-hour-on/12-hour-off cycle, and maintained in a controlled room at $19{\sim}21^{\circ}C$, with 80~90% humidity, and an atmospheric $CO_2$ concentration of 1,000 ppm for 30 days. Growth and development differed with the LED source color and LED radiation intensity. Growth and development were the highest at $10.5{\mu}mol/m^2s$ of blue LED light. After harvesting the fruit bodies, we measured their weight and length, thickness of pileus and stipe, chromaticity, and hardness. The $10.5{\mu}mol/m^2s$ blue-LED-irradiated group showed the best harvest results with an average individual weight of 39.82 g and length of 64.03 mm, pileus thickness of 30.85 mm and pileus length of 43.22 mm, and stipe thickness of 16.96 mm with fine chromaticity and hardness. These results showed that blue LED light at $10.5{\mu}mol/m^2s$ s exerted the best effect on the growth and development of L. edodes (shiitake) mushroom in the ICT-system container-type environment.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.403-414
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• 2015

Lithospermum erythrorhizon has long been used as a traditional oriental medicine. In this study, the acute and 28-day subacute oral dose toxicity studies of hexane extracts of the roots of L. erythrorhizon (LEH) were performed in Sprague-Dawley rats. In the acute toxicity study, LEH was administered once orally to 5 male and 5 female rats at dose levels of 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg. Mortality, clinical signs, and body weight changes were monitored for 14 days. Salivation, soft stool, soiled perineal region, compound-colored stool, chromaturia and a decrease in body weight were observed in the extract-treated groups, and no deaths occurred during the study. Therefore, the approximate lethal dose (ALD) of LEH in male and female rats was higher than 2,000 mg/kg. In the subacute toxicity study, LEH was administered orally to male and female rats for 28 days at dose levels of 25, 100, and 400 mg/kg/day. There was no LEH-related toxic effect in the body weight, food consumption, ophthalmology, hematology, clinical chemistry and organ weights. Compound-colored (black) stool, chromaturia and increased protein, ketone bodies, bilirubin and occult blood in urine were observed in the male and female rats treated with the test substance. In addition, the necropsy revealed dark red discoloration of the kidneys, and the histopathological examination showed presence of red brown pigment or increased hyaline droplets in the renal tubules of the renal cortex. However, there were no test substance-related toxic effects in the hematology and clinical chemistry, and no morphological changes were observed in the histopathological examination of the kidneys. Therefore, it was determined that there was no significant toxicity because the changes observed were caused by the intrinsic color of the test substance. These results suggest that the no-observed-adverse-effect Level (NOAEL) of LEH is greater than 400 mg/kg/day in both sexes.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2017

Amomum tsao-ko used as a traditional oriental herbal medicine, is indigenous to several Asia countries. In this study, we investigated anti-obesity activity of the ethanol extract of Amomum Taso-ko (A. tsao-ko). The ethanol extract of A. tsao-ko inhibited adipocyte differentiation using Oil Red O assay in 3T3-L1 cells. Inhibitory effect of the ethanol extract of A. tsao-ko on adipogenesis was modulated by down-regulation adipogenic transcriptional factor such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$), CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$) and suppressed expression of fatty acid synthase, aP2, and resistin. We demonstrated that A. tsao-ko significantly inhibited adipogenesis and reduced $PPAR{\gamma}$ and $C/EBP{\alpha}$ expression in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that A. tsao-ko has an anti-obesity effect by inhibition of adipogenic transcription factor and adipocyte-specific genes in 3T3-L1 cells.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.243-251
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• 1998

Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer has been extensively used in the traditional oriental medicine as a restorative, tonic and prophylatic agent. Petroleum ether extract of panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (GPE) and its several fractions (PI-P5) were tested for the evaluation of antigenotoxicity against N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) and benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P]-induced micronucleated reticulocytes in mouse peripheral blood. GPE and P2 showed more significant anticlastogenicity than other fractions did. To elucidate the anticlastogenic action mechanism of GPE and P2 against B(a)P, the alteration of B(a)P metabolism was studied. GPE and P2 inhibited B(a)P metabolism in the presence of 8-9 mix and decreased B(a)P-DNA binding in calf thymus DNA with 8-9 mix. They also decreased [$^3H$] MNU induced DNA binding and methylation to 7-methyl guanine and $O^{6}-methyl$ guanine adducts in calf thymus DNA by RPLC analysis. These results suggest that the anticlastogenicity of GPE and P2 on the B(a)P or MNU-induced clastogenicity is due to decrease of DNA binding with B(a)P or MNU, the inhibition of metabolism with B(a)P and the inhibition of methylation in DNA. Therefore, GPE and P2 may be useful chemopreventive agents of alkylating agent like MNU and secondary carcinogen like B(a)P.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.97-105
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• 2012

$Schizandra$ $chinensis$ Baillon is a traditional folk medicine plant that is used to treat and prevent several inflammatory diseases and cancer in Korea, but the underlying mechanisms involved in its anti-allergic activity are not fully understood. This study was designed to investigate mechanisms of anti-allergic activity of a $Schizandra$ $chinensis$ Baillon water extract (SCWE) in immunoglobulin E (IgE)-antigen complex-stimulated RBL2H3 cells and to assess whether gastric and intestinal digestion affects the anti-allergic properties of SCWE. Oxidative stress is an important consequence of the allergic inflammatory response. The antioxidant activities of SCWE increased in a concentration-dependent manner. RBL-2H3 cells were sensitized with monoclonal anti-dinitrophenol (DNP) specific IgE, treated with SCWE, and challenged with the antigen DNP-human serum albumin. SCWE inhibited ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase release and expression of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$) mRNA and protein in IgE-antigen complex-stimulated RBL2H3 cells. We found that digested SCWE fully maintained its antioxidant activity and anti-allergic activity against the IgE-antigen complex-induced activation of RBL-2H3 cells. SCWE may be useful for preventing allergic diseases, such as asthma. Thus, SCWE could be used as a natural functional ingredient for allergic diseases in the food and/or pharmaceutical industries.