• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1006-1011
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• 2014

Ginseng has been known to be highly effective for health as a traditional medicinal herb. Ginseng berry, or fruit of ginseng, contains ginsenoside, saponin, polyphenol, polyacetylene, alkaloid, etc. as the main compounds as does ginseng. The aim of this study is to evaluate any effect of ginseng berry water extract (GBE) on diabetic-associated molecules, such as enzymes, which are responsible for the glucose entry of the cells and the insulin receptor signaling molecules using HepG2 cells. Therefore, two enzymes, ${\alpha}$-amylase and ${\alpha}$-glucosidase, were selected and assayed for their activities in the presence of GBE in vitro. These two enzymes are responsible for producing glucose from dietary starch. Protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) and Akt1 are key proteins in the insulin receptor signaling pathway. These two intracellular signaling molecules were investigated for their expression levels in HepG2 cells after insulin and GBE treatment. GBE, at concentrations up to $1,000{\mu}g/ml$, did not exert any inhibitory effect on ${\alpha}$-amylase and ${\alpha}$-glucosidase. It was observed that the expression level of PTP1B was increased by insulin and the $25{\mu}g/ml$ GBE treatment enhanced the PTP1B level. However, GBE at a concentration of $200{\mu}g/ml$ reduced the expression level of PTP1B. In the case of Akt1, the Akt1 level by insulin was decreased by GBE treatment. These data suggest that the water extracts of ginseng berry have an influence on intracellular signaling by insulin.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.561-566
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• 2010

The effects of calcium concentrations of coating bag treatment to reduce berry cracking were investigated through the changes of pericarp structure and berry cracking rate in 'Kyoho' grape. The soluble solids and anthocyanin contents in harvested grapes were highest at $18.1^{\circ}Brix$ and $2.56{\mu}g{\cdot}cm^{-2}$ in non bagging group compared with those of calcium coating bag treatments. The firmness of pericarp was lowest in non bagging group ($1.18kg{\cdot}5mm^{-1}{\O}$) compared with bagging treatments (1.23, 1.24, 1.27, $1.35kg{\cdot}5mm^{-1}{\O}$) which increased effectively in proportion to calcium concentration. As a result of histological observation of the fruit skin, the bagging with higher calcium concentration developed thicker epidermal and sub-epidermal layer of cell wall than that of non bagging. Moreover, the strengthened berry skin of calcium treatments effectively decreased berry cracking rate under critical turgor pressure. However, the 9% calcium coating bag treatment which was the most effective for cracking reduction seriously decreased marketability of harvested grape with white color staining on berry skin caused by eluted calcium from the coated paper bag. Based on our results, we recommend that 6% calcium coating bag be available for berry cracking reduction and higher quality production.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.433-438
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• 2003

To select new useful domestic plants with antimicrobial activities, thirty five samples of berry plant were distributed from Plant Diversity Research Center in Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology. Their extracts with methanol were tested against Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes by paper disc method. The methanol extracts from Viburnum dilatatum, Viburnum erosum, Aralia continentalis, Camellia japonica, Acer trumcatam, Arasaema takesimense and Rhysocarpus intermedius were effective against S. aureus and the results were as follows: Viburnum erosum 6.5 mm, Viburnum dilatatum and Aralia continentalis 7.0 mm, Rhysocarpus intermedius 8.0 mm, Acer trumcatum 9.0 mm, Camellia japonica and Arisaema takesimense 9.5 mm. And only the methanol extract from Camellia japonica was effective against L. monocytogenes, 7.0 mm. Antimicrobial activities of E. coli and S. typhymurium were not detected. The minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC) of berry of Camellia japonica was examined as 1,250 $\mu\textrm{g}$/mL against S. aureus and as 1,250∼2,500 $\mu\textrm{g}$/mL against L. monocytogenes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.306-313
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• 2017

Purple bamboo salt (PuBS) is commonly used as a medicinal food in Korea and has beneficial potentials such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Rubus coreanus is called Bokbunja, which is used as a traditional medicine for treating asthma, impotence, and allergic diseases in Korea. The aim of present study was to investigate the immunostimulatory effect of PuBS composed with Rubus coreanus (PuBS-R). We performed comparative analysis between PuBS and PuBS-R in Raw264.7 cells, which is a mouse macrophage cell line, and peritoneal macrophages isolated primarily from the mouse peritoneal cavity. We evaluated cytotoxicity and the immune cytokine response in PuBS- and PuBS-R-treated cells. Both PuBS and PuBS-R did not have any cytotoxicity in Raw264.7 cells up to $500{\mu}g/mL$. Gene and protein levels of immune cytokines such as tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$), $interferon-{\gamma}$ ($IFN-{\gamma}$), interleukin (IL)-10, and IL-12 were significantly elevated by PuBS-R more than PuBS in Raw264.7 cells. Moreover, we evaluated the immunostimulatory effects of PuBS-R on mouse primary peritoneal macrophages. Protein levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase, $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IFN-{\gamma}$, IL-10, and IL-12 were significantly higher in PuBS-R-treated peritoneal macrophages than PuBS-treated peritoneal macrophages. These results suggest the potential immunostimulatory effect of PuBS-R for immunity against harmful infection.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.367-372
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• 2001

'Kyoho' grape (Vitis labruscana L.) has currently cropped twice a year in plastic greenhouses. However, there are problems with low fruit quality in the second cropping owing to low temperatures and short photoperiods. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of root zone heating and $CO_2$ enrichment in plastic greenhouse on the vine growth and fruit quality of 'Kyoho' grape in double cropping system. The internode length of shoots, leaf area and leaf dry weight at the treatment of soil heating near root zone was significantly different regardless of $CO_2$ enrichment. There were no significant differences in fruit bunch and berry weight, titratable acidity, coloration degree and berry shattering among the treatments, but the soluble solids significantly increased by root zone heating. Photosynthetic rate increased with increasing $CO_2$ concentration from 300 to $800{\mu}mol{\cdot}mol^{-1}$ in sunny day, whereas it didn't increase in cloudy day regardless of $CO_2$ enrichment.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.129-144
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• 2002

We investigated anti-hyperglycemic and anti-obese effects of Panax ginseng berry extract and its major constituent, ginsenoside Re, in obese diabetic C57BL/6J ob/ob mice and their lean littermates. Animals received daily intraperitoneal injections of Panax ginseng berry extract for 12 days. On Day 5, 150 mg/kg extract-treated ob/ob mice had significantly lower fasting blood glucose levels compared to vehicle-treated mice $(156{\pm}9.0\;mg/dl\;vs.\;243{\pm}15.8mg/dl,$ P<0.01). On Day 12, the extract-treated ob/ob mice became normoglycemic $(137{\pm}6.7\;mg/dl)$ and had significantly improved glucose tolerance. The overall glucose excursion during the two-hour intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT), calculated as area under the curve (AUC), decreased by $46\%$ (P<0.01) compared to vehicle-treated ob/ob mice. Glucose levels of lean mice were not significantly affected by the extract. The improvement in blood glucose levels in 150 mg/kg extracttreated ob/ob mice was associated with significant reduction in serum insulin levels of fed and fasting mice. Consistent with an improvement in insulin sensitivity, hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp study revealed a more than 2-fold increase in the rate of insulin-stimulated glucose disposal in treated ob/ob mice $(112{\pm}19.1\;vs.\;52{\pm}11.8{\mu}mol/kg/min$ for the vehicle group, P<0.01). In addition, 150 mg/kg extract-treated ob/ob mice, but not the lean mice, lost significant weight (from $51.7{\pm}1.9g\;on\;Day\;0\;to\;45.7{\pm}1.2$ on Day 12, P<0.01 compared to vehicle-treated ob/ob mice), associated with a significant reduction in food intake (P<0.05) and a very significant increase in energy expenditure (P<0.01) and body temperature (P<0.01). A 12-day treatment with 150 mg/kg Panax ginseng berry extract also significantly reduced plasma cholesterol levels in ob/ob mice. Additional studies demonstrated that ginsenoside Re, a major constituent of the ginseng berry, but not from the root, plays a significant role in anti-hyperglycemic action. This anti-diabetic effect of ginsenoside Re was not associated with body weight changes, suggesting that other constituents in the extract have distinct pharmacological mechanisms on energy metabolism. The identification of a significant anti-hyperglycemic activity in ginsenoside Re may provide an opportunity to develop a novel class of anti-diabetic agent.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.198-204
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• 2014

Ultraviolet B (UV-B) irradiation is a negative factor that induces skin damage, inflammation, and aging. UVB irradiation induces the inflammatory response through interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 expression in keratinocytes. In addition, it induces the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the activation of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), which plays an important role in collagen 1 degradation in the extracellular matrix. We investigated the antiaging effects of five kinds of berry in human skin keratinocyte (HaCaT) cells using juice of black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis), blueberry wild (Vacciniun angustifolium) and cultivar (Vacciniun corymbosum), black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliott), and mulberry (Morus abla). HaCaT cells irradiated with UV-B exhibited increased ROS generation, as well as IL-6, IL-8, and MMP-1 gene expression, when compared to the control cells that were not irradiated with UV-B. However, pre-treatment of berry juice before UV-B irradiation significantly down-regulated the UV-B-induced ROS generation and inflammatory cytokine and MMP-1 expression. The results suggest that all berries have anti-aging effects including lowering inflammatory cytokine levels, ROS generation, and MMP-1 expression in HaCaT cells during UV-B irradiation.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.665-670
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• 2018

This study was designed to evaluate the physicochemical properties and biological activities (antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activities) of three and seven-year-old Platycodon grandiflorum extracts. Three and seven-year-old Platycodon grandiflorum contained crude saponins, free amino acids and minerals. Water extracts of the three and seven-year-old plants were prepared using reflux extraction methods. The total polyphenol contents (TPC), total flavonoid contents (TFC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radical scavenging activity and antimicrobial effects of the extracts were determined. The seven-year-old Platycodon grandiflorum extract had higher TPC ($5.08{\pm}0.07TAEmg/g$) and TFC ($3.80{\pm}0.07QUEmg/g$). DPPH radical scavenging activity ($IC_{50}$ value: $288{\pm}3.88{\mu}g/mL$) and ABTS radical scavenging activity ($IC_{50}$ value: $568{\pm}2.09{\mu}g/mL$). The three and seven-year-old Platycodon grandiflorum extracts exhibited a strong antimicrobial effect against three kinds of bronchus disease-inducing bacteria; the seven-year-old Platycodon grandiflorum extracts showed a stronger antimicrobial effect than the three-year-old Platycodon grandiflorum extracts.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.486-493
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: The honeysuckle berry (HB) contains ascorbic acid and phenolic components, especially anthocyanins, flavonoids, and low-molecular-weight phenolic acids. In order to examine the potential of HB as a hepatoprotective medicinal food, we evaluated the in vitro anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of Korean HB (HBK) and Chinese HB (HBC). MATERIALS/METHODS: Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of the extracts were examined in HepG2 and RAW 264.7 cells, respectively. The anti-oxidant capacity was determined by DPPH, SOD, CAT, and ARE luciferase activities. The production of nitric oxide (NO) as an inflammatory marker was also evaluated. The Nrf2-mediated mRNA levels of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), NAD(P)H dehydrogenase [quinone] 1 (Nqo1), and glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (Gclc) were measured. The concentrations of HB extracts used were 3, 10, 30, 100, and $300{\mu}g/mL$. RESULTS: The radical scavenging activity of all HB extracts increased in a concentration-dependent manner (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). SOD (P < 0.05) and CAT (P < 0.01) activities were increased by treatment with $300{\mu}g/mL$ of each HB extract, when compared to those in the control. NO production was observed in cells pretreated with 100 or $300{\mu}g/mL$ of HBC and HBK (P < 0.01). Treatment with $300{\mu}g/mL$ of HBC significantly increased Nqo1 (P < 0.01) and Gclc (P < 0.05) mRNA levels compared to those in the control. Treatment with $300{\mu}g/mL$ of HBK (P < 0.05) and HBC (P < 0.01) also significantly increased the HO-1 mRNA level compared to that in the control. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, the Korean and Chinese HBs were found to possess favorable in vitro anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Nrf2 and its related anti-oxidant genes were associated with both anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in HB-treated cells. Further studies are needed to confirm these in vivo effects.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.218-224
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• 2019

This study was conducted to compare the effect of salicylic acid (SA), an ethylene biosynthesis inhibitor, and the 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) fumigation, to prevent fruit quality deterioration and physiological disorders during the shelf-life of Korea's leading export grape variety 'Campbell Early'. The berries treated with SA after 1-MCP fumigation (1-MCP+SA) showed a higher firmness value and titratable acidity than single treatment of SA or 1-MCP. The rate of shattered berry was high as 41.7% for 100ppm ethephon spray, 40.8% for $25{\mu}M$ SA, and 38.2% for 1,000ppb 1-MCP, but showing only 18.7% when the SA was applied after 1-MCP fumigation. The ratio of short brushes less than 1mm was largest at 74.3% for ethephon treatment, while 1-MCP+SA treatment was found to have the longest brush length among all treatments, with a 2-4mm ratio of 22.8% and a 4-6mm ratio of 27.9%. The weight of rachis was found to be the lowest at 2.3g in the ethephon treatment, and the reduction of rachis weight loss per cluster by 1-MCP+SA treatment was evident. In addition, 1-MCP+SA treatment were effective in mitigating stem browning and berry decay during the 16-day storage period at $19^{\circ}C$ in this cultivar, so it is believed that they can be used as a practical post-harvest treatment in grape exportation.