• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.96-102
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• 2008

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.(family Nymphaeaceae) has been used for summer heat syndrome as home remedy in Japan, China and Korea. Although whole plant parts are edible, root is commonly consumed. It has been reported that rhizome extract showed anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory effects. However, in spite of usefulness for treatment of various diseases, the effect of Nelumbo nucifera rhizome(NNR) on proliferation, migration and matrix degrading enzymes-matrix metalloproteinsases(MMPs), the expression of which degrades extracellular matrix(ECM) leading to metastasis, has not been fully elucidated. We examined the effect of hot water extract of NNR on the proliferation, migration and secretion of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in rat smooth muscle cells(rSMC), epidermoid cancer cells(A431) and breast cancer cells(MDA-MB-231). The proliferation assay was carried out using MTT assay, the principle of which depends upon the conversion of MTT by mitochondrial dehydrogensases of viable cells to formazan crystals. The effect of NNR on migration of cells was examined using wound healing assay. Our results showed that there was inhibition in the proliferation, migration and expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in dose dependent fashion in all the cells used. Thus, we concluded that NNR could be used as traditional medicine in the treatment of various diseases where proliferation, migration and MMPs' expression plays a pathological role like in restenosis and metastasis.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.293-300
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• 2018

Objectives: We investigated the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Pinus densiflora ethanol extracts (PDEE) treated with trypsine as a protease. Methods: Various antioxidant activities were evaluated by measuring total contents of polyphenol and flavonoid, DPPH electron-donating ability and $ABTS^+$ radical scavenging activity of test material. To compare the antibacterial activity, paper disc diffusion assay was performed against two resident bacteria in human skin (Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis). Results: As for the total contents of polyphenol and flavonoid, and the electron-donating ability and ABTS+ radical scavenging activity, both PDEE and trypsin-treated Pinus densiflora ethanol extract (T-PDEE) showed high antioxidant activity in dose-dependent manner. And the T-PDEE showed slightly higher activity than PDEE, which indicated protease treatment seemed to affect in antioxidant activity. In the result of paper disc diffusion assay, antibacterial activity was confirmed in all two types of skin resident bacteria. T-PDEE was more active than PDEE and it seems that treatment of protease may increase the antibacterial activity of PDEE. Conclusion: All of these results, we confirmed that treatment of protease to PDEE can increase the antioxidant and antibacterial activities, and it can be explained thought that this would be applicable as a cosmeceutical material in the future.

• Textile Coloration and Finishing
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.42-50
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• 2008

The objective of this study is to investigate the efficacy of pomegranate hull colorant as a natural hair coloring dye. The extract of pomegranate hull was concentrated and freeze-dried to get colorant powder. Effect of dyeing condition and mordanting on the dye uptake of hair by using Al, Fe, Cu, Cr, Sn compounds, color change and colorfastness were explored. In addition, tensile strength was measured and the surface of the hair was observed. Dye uptake of hair measured by K/S value (400 nm) indicated that ionic bonding seems to be involved in the sorption of pomegranate colorant to hair. Maximum sorption was obtained at pH 3.5 and the concentration of 50% (on the weight of hair, o.w.h.). Acidic dyeing condition (pH $3.5{\sim}5.0$) showed yellow color however alkaline dyeing condition (pH $7{\sim}11$) gave reddish yellow color. Pomegranate hull colorant produced greyish brown color on hair and the hair mordanted with Fe showed dark brown color. Mordants except Fe did not increase dye uptake significantly. Mordants except Cu increased light fastness and mordants except Cr increased washing fastness level slightly. According to SEM observation and the tensile strength retention measurement, the mordant dyed hair gave more damage to hair by ultraviolet light and washing than the hair dyed without mordanting. Experimental results of K/S value and colorfastness(light and washing) supported that pomegranate hull colorant without mordanting can be used as a semi-permanent natural hair coloring dye.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.326-332
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• 1990

The chemical attractants for sea eels, Astroconger myriaster, were identified by using fish traps in their natural habitat around namhae island, southern part of Korea. The ethyl alcohol extracts of anchovy, Engraulis japonica, which was a very good baits for sea eels showed higher attraction activities than residuals of it. Because sea eels showed high attraction activities to the free amino acid or nucleotides of synthetic anchovy extract, the succeeding experiment was conducted to identify the major chemical attractants among 9 free amino acid and 2 nucleotides by omission test. L-Glutamic acid, L-glycine, taurine, L-methionine or IMP showed highest attraction activities among 11 chemical compounds. But sea eels showed significantly weaker attraction activities to the synthethic extracts and single component than to the natural extract.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.351-354
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• 1999

This study was carried out to evaluate cytotoxicity of the extracts from Sophora flavescens Ait. against L1210 (lymphocytic leukemia) and $P388D_1$ (lymphoid neoplasms) cells in vitro. We have determined cytotoxicity by MTT {3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazo-liumbromide} assay. The order of cytotoxicity of Sophora flavescens Ait. extracts against L1210 and $P388D_1$ cells in vitro is as follows: AM> EASF > CFSF > MTSF > WSF > HXSF and AM> EASF> CFSF> MTSF> HXSF> WSF. These results suggest that the ethyl acetate soluble extract of Sophora flavescens Ait may be a valuable choice for the development of antitumor agents.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.132-137
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: In this study, the apoptogenic activity and mechanisms of cell death induced by hexane extract of aged black garlic (HEABG) were investigated in human leukemic U937 cells. MATERIALS/METHODS: Cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazoliumbromide) assay. Apoptosis was detected using 4,6-diamidino-2-phenyllindile (DAPI) staining, agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry. The protein levels were determined by Western blot analysis. Caspase activity was measured using a colorimetric assay. RESULTS: Exposure to HEABG was found to result in a concentration- and time-dependent growth inhibition by induction of apoptosis, which was associated with an up-regulation of death receptor 4 and Fas legend, and an increase in the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 protein expression. Apoptosis-inducing concentrations of HEABG induced the activation of caspase-9, an initiator caspase of the mitochodrial mediated intrinsic pathway, and caspase-3, accompanied by proteolytic degradation of poly(ADP-ribose)-polymerase. HEABG also induced apoptosis via a death receptor mediated extrinsic pathway by caspase-8 activation, resulting in the truncation of Bid, and suggesting the existence of cross-talk between the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways. However, pre-treatment of U937 cells with the caspase-3 inhibitor, z-DEVD-fmk, significantly blocked the HEABG-induced apoptosis of these cells, and increased the survival rate of HEABG-treated cells, confirming that HEABG-induced apoptosis is mediated through activation of caspase cascade. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the overall results, we suggest that HEABG reduces leukemic cell growth by inducing caspase-dependent apoptosis through both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways, implying its potential therapeutic value in the treatment of leukemia.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.950-956
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• 2002

The antitumor activity of the insect pathogenic fungus Paecilomyces japonica has been attributed to apoptotic cell death. However, the mechanism underlying the induced apoptosis has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we for the first time show that mitochondria-dependent caspase-3 activation were associated with the apoptotic activity of P. japonica in human acute leukemia Jurkat T cells. When Jurkat T cells were treated with the ethyl acetate extract of P japonica at concentrations ranging from $2-6{\mu}g/ml$, apoptotic cell death. accompanied by several biochemical events such as caspase-9 activation, caspase-3 activation, degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and apoptotic DNA fragmentation, was induced in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria was detected. Under these conditions, the expression of Fas and Fas-ligand (FasL) remained unchanged. Ethyl acetate extract-induced mitochondrial cytochrome c release, caspase-3 activation, PARP cleavage, and apoptotic DNA fragmentation were suppressed by the ectopic expression of Bcl-2, which is known to block mitochondrial cytochrorme c release. Accordingly, these results demonstrate that P. japonica-induced apoptotic cell death is mediated by a cytochrome c-dependent caspase-3 activation pathway that can be interrupted by Bcl-2.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.322-327
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• 2008

Antifungal activities of natural substrances from Eucalyptus darlympleana, E. globules, E. gunnii and E. unigera were evaluated against postharvest pathogens of kiwifruits, Botrytis cinerea, Botryosphaeria dothidea, and Diaporthe actinidiae, to screen effective natural substances as an alternative to chemical fungicides. Methanol extract of the Eucalyptus trees showed strong antagonistic activity against the pathogenic fungi. Among them, E. unigera and E. darlympleana effectively inhibited mycelial growth of the pathogens. For chemical identification of the antifungal substances, the methanol extract of E. darlympleana leaves was successively partitioned with $CH_2Cl_2$, EtOAc, n-BuOH and $H_2O$. Among the fractions, $CH_2Cl_2$ and n-BuOH showed strong inhibitory activity of mycelial growth of the fungi. Five compounds were isolated from EtOAc and n-BuOH fractions subjected to $SiO_2$ column chromatography. Two phenolic compounds(gallic acid and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid) and three flavonoid compounds(quercetin, quercetin-3-O-$\alpha$-L-rhamnoside, quercetin-3-O-$\beta$-glucoside) were identified by $^1H$-NMR and $^{13}C$-NMR spectroscopy. Among them, only gallic acid was found to be effective in mycelial growth and spore germination of B. cinerea at relatively high concentrations. The results suggest that gallic acid can be a safer and more acceptable alternative to current synthetic fungicides controlling soft rot decay of kiwifruit during postharvest storage.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.2993-2999
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• 2014

Saccharina japonica is a family member of Phaeophyceae (brown macro-alga) and extensively cultivated in China, Japan and Korea. Here, the potential anti-cancer effect of n-hexane fraction of S. japonica was evaluated in SK-Hep1 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. The N-hexane fraction reduced cell viability and increased the numbers of apoptotic cells in a both dose- and time-dependent manner. Apoptosis was activated by both caspase-dependent and independent pathways. The caspase-dependent cell death pathway is mediated by cell surface death receptors and activated caspase-8 amplified the apoptotic signal either through direct activation of downstream caspase-3 or pro-apoptotic proteins (Bad, Bax and Bak) subsequently leading to the release of cytochrome c. On the other hand, caspase-independent apoptosis appeared mediated by disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential and translocation of AIF to the nucleus where they induced chromatin condensation and/or large-scale DNA fragmentation. In addition, the n-hexane fraction induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-stress and cell cycle arrest. The results suggested that potential anti-cancer effects of n-hexane extract from S. japonica on SK-Hep1 cells.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.227-231
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• 2007

Many of antimicrobial components used in the mouthwash have disadvantages such as coloring of periodontal tissue and homing sensation. To find the more biocompatible antimicrobial agent, we have screened the 2,125 kinds of natural plant extracts obtained from by the Plant Extract Bank (Daejeon, Korea). The antimicrobial activity was determined by spectrophotometric growth inhibition assay for the major dental pathogens. For the Porphyromonas gingivalis, 19 plant extracts had an antimicrobial activity, 17 plant extracts for the Prevotella intermedia, 45 plant extracts for the Haemophilus actinomycetemcomitans and 85 plant extracts for the Streptococcus mutans. Among these effective extracts, 8 kind of natural plant extracts had an antimicrobial activity for more than 3 species of dental pathogens. In our experiment, Cudrania tricuspidata, Morus bombycis and Mallotus japonicas have antibacterial effects on the all kinds of major dental pathogens. Therefore these plant extracts have a possibility to be a candidate for major antibacterial components in dental products.