• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.451-456
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• 1999

Microorganisms utilizing petroleum as substrate were screened from the seawater in Pusan coastal area. Among them, fifty strains utilized bunker-A oil as a sole carbon and energy source. Five of these fifty strains were selected to experiment this study. According to the taxonomic characteristics of its morphological, cultural and biochemical properties, the selected stains were named Pseudomonas sp. EL-12, Flavobacterium sp. EL-15, Acinetobacter sp. EL-18, Enterobacter sp. EL-27 and Micrococcus sp. EL-43, respectively. The optimal medium compositions and cultural conditions for assimilation of bunker-A oil by the selected strains were 1.5-2% bunker-A oil, 0.1% $NH_4NO_3$, 1-1.5% $MgSO_4$.$7H_2O$, 0.05-0.15% KCl, 0.1-0.15% $CaCl_2$.$2H_2O$, 2.5-3.5% NaCl, initial pH 8-9, temperature 3$0^{\circ}C$ and aeration, respectively. The utilization and degradation characteristics on the various hydrocarbons by the selected stains were showed that bunker oil, n-alkane and branched alkane compounds were highly activity than cyclic alkane and aromatic hydrocarbon compounds.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.65-72
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• 2007

Flax seed(Linseed, Linum usitatissimum L.) and its oil, a richest source of alpha-linolenic acid(ALA)(${\omega}-3$), contain saturated fatty acids, neurotoxic cyanogen glycosides and immuno-suppressive cyclic-nonapeptides. Present paper describes the development of two chemical processes, Process-A and -B, to remove saturated fatty acids and to destroy cyclic nonapeptides and cyanogen glycosides from flax seed oil. Process-A consists of three major steps, i.e., extraction of fatty acid mixture by alkaline saponification, removal of saturated fatty acid by urea-complexation, and triglyceride reconstruction of unsaturated fatty acid via fatty acyl-chloride activation using oxalyl chloride. Process-B consists of preparation of fatty acid ethyl ester by transesterification, elimination of saturated fatty acid ester by urea-complexation, and reconstruction of triglyceride by interesterification with glycerol-triacetate (triacetin). The destruction of lipophilic cyclic nonapeptide during saponification or transesterification processes could be demonstrated indirectly by the disappearance of antibacterial activity of bacitracin, an analogous cyclic-decapeptide. The cyanogen glycosides were found only in the dregs after hexane extraction, but not in the flax seed oil. The reconstructed triglyceride of flax seed oil, obtained by these two different pathways after elimination of saturated fatty acid and toxic components, showed agreeable properties as edible oil in terms of taste, acid value, iodine and peroxide value, glycerine content, and antioxidant activity.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.653-659
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• 2014

Surgery remains the preferred treatment for hydatid cyst (cystic echinococcosis, CE). Various scolicidal agents have been used for inactivation of protoscolices during surgery, but most of them are associated with adverse side effects. The present study aimed to evaluate the in vitro scolicidal effect of Nigella sativa (Ranunculaceae) essential oil and also its active principle, thymoquinone, against protoscolices of hydatid cysts. Protoscolices were aseptically aspirated from sheep livers having hydatid cysts. Various concentrations of the essential oil (0.01-10 mg/ml) and thymoquinone (0.125-1.0 mg/ml) were used for 5 to 60 min. Viability of protoscolices was confirmed by 0.1% eosin staining. Furthermore, the components of the N. sativa essential oil were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). Our study revealed that the essential oil of N. sativa at the concentration of 10 mg/ml and its main component, thymoquinone, at the concentration of 1 mg/ml had potent scolicidal activities against protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus after 10 min exposure. Moreover, thymoquinone (42.4%), p-cymene (14.1%), carvacrol (10.3%), and longifolene (6.1%) were found to be the major components of N. sativa essential oil by GC/MS analysis. The results of this study indicated the potential of N. sativa as a natural source for production of a new scolicidal agent for use in hydatid cyst surgery. However, further studies will be needed to confirm these results by checking the essential oil and its active component in in vivo models.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2015

Plants used for traditional medicine contain a wide range of substances that can be used to treat various diseases such as infectious diseases. The present study was designed to evaluate the antileishmanial effects of the essential oil and methanolic extract of Myrtus communis against Leishmania tropica on an in vitro model. Antileishmanial effects of essential oil and methanolic extract of M. communis on promastigote forms and their cytotoxic activities against J774 cells were evaluated using MTT assay for 72 hr. In addition, their leishmanicidal activity against amastigote forms was determined in a macrophage model, for 72 hr. Findings showed that the main components of essential oil were ${\alpha}$-pinene (24.7%), 1,8-cineole (19.6%), and linalool (12.6%). Findings demonstrated that M. communis, particularly its essential oil, significantly (P<0.05) inhibited the growth rate of promastigote and amastigote forms of L. tropica based on a dose-dependent response. The $IC_{50}$ values for essential oil and methanolic extract was 8.4 and $28.9{\mu}g/ml$ against promastigotes, respectively. These values were 11.6 and $40.8{\mu}g/ml$ against amastigote forms, respectively. Glucantime as control drug also revealed $IC_{50}$ values of 88.3 and $44.6{\mu}g/ml$ for promastigotes and amastigotes of L. tropica, respectively. The in vitro assay demonstrated no significant cytotoxicity in J774 cells. However, essential oil indicated a more cytotoxic effect as compared with the methanolic extract of M. communis. The findings of the present study demonstrated that M. communis might be a natural source for production of a new leishmanicidal agent.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 2008

Cutting oils are emulsionable fluids widely used in metal working processes. Their composition is mineral oil, water, and additives (fatty acids, surfactants, biocides, etc.) generating a toxic waste after a long use. Cutting oils also affect colour, taste and odour of water, making it undesirable for domestic and industrial uses. In these days, conventional treatment methods as evaporation, membrane separation or chemical separation have major disadvantages since they generate a concentrated stream that is more harmful than the original waste. In this study, our purpose is to reduce cutting oils by using biological treatment. Eighty one strains were isolated from cutting waste oil of industrial waste water sludge under aerobic conditions. Among these strains, KS47, which removed 90.4% cutting oil in 48 hr, was obtained by screening test under aerobic conditions(pH 7, $28^{\circ}C$). KS47 was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa according to morphological, physiological and biochemical properties, 16S rDNA sequence, and fatty acid analysis. P. aeruginosa KS47 could utilize cutting oil as carbon source. In batch test, we obtained optimal degradation conditions(1.5 g/L cell concentration, pH 7, and temperature $30^{\circ}C$). Under the optimal conditions, 1,060 mg/L cutting oil was removed 83.7% (74.1 mg/L/hr).

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.621-625
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• 2008

Squid oil is an abundant source of polyunsaturated fatty acids. This is particularly true for eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. The principal objective of this study was to extend the stability and improve the process aptitude of squid liver oil. Fluidized bed coatings were employed for coating with microencapsulated oil. The efficiency of the fluidized bed coating of the microencapsulated powder was over 90%. The apparent density with zein-DP was 0.6 g/mL, thereby indicating that flow ability had been improved as the result of an increase in specific gravity. The solubility of artificial gastric and enteric fluids with HPMC-FCC was 59.9 and 0%, respectively, whereas with zein-DP solubility was 0 and 31.0%, respectively. Polyunsaturated fatty acid retention results demonstrated that zein-DP coating was higher than HPMC-FCC, followed by the microencapsulated squid liver oil method. These results demonstrated that the application of microencapsulation and fluidized bed micro-coating techniques improved the stability and processing compatibility of squid liver oil.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.530-536
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• 2001

Several bacterial strains utilizing crude oil as their sole carbon and energy source were isolated from marine environment polluted by crude oil. Among them, the selected strain 4A3 showed strong degradation activity for crude oil. This strain was identified as a Provindencia rettgeri 4A3 based on the morphological, biochemical, and physiological characteristics. The optimum cultural conditions was as follows; 26$^{\circ}C$ for temperature and 7.0 for initial pH. Additionally, the optimal concentration of sodium chloride was 2.0%, indicating that this strain was derived from sea water. The emulsifying activity of 4A3 was the highest after 3 days of cultivation under the condition of 2.0% sodium chloride, pH 7.0 and 26$^{\circ}C$. This strain had one cryptic plasmid in 7.0kb size.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.384-388
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• 1988

A marine bacterium Achromobacter sp. M-1220 was isolated from enrichment culture for emulsification of Bunker-C oil. The bacterium can emulsify approximately 7.5g of Bunker-C oil per liter in sen water medium within 1 drys at 18$^{\circ}C$ and multiply from 8$\times$10$^5$ cells to 9$\times$10$^9$ cells per mi. Optimum pH and salt concentration were pH 7.5 and 3% for the emulsification of Bunker-C oil. Emulsification takes place actively in both high sulfur-containing Bunker-C oil and high sulfur-con-taming crude oil. The amount of emulsification depends on the exogenous addition of nitrogen and phosphate sources. The bacterium can also utilize n-hexndecane, n-paraffin me benzene among the petroleum compounds as a sole carbon source.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.420-430
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• 1991

To compare the hypolipidemic effects of n6 linoleic acid. n3 $\alpha$-linolenic acid and n3 eicosapentaenoic acid in rats fed high carbohydrate(70% Cal) diet. male Sprague Dawley rats were fed different experimental diets for 6 weeks. which were different only in fatty acid composition. The dietary fats were beer tallow(BT) as a source of saturated fatty acid (SFA), corn oil(CO) for n6 linoleic acid(LA), perilla oil(PO) for n3 $\alpha$-linolenic acid(LL) and fish oil(FO) for n3 eicosapentaenoic acid(EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) Plasma total cholesterol(Chol) level was increased by n6 LA but decreased by n3 LL and n3 EPA and most effectively reduced by n3 EPA. HDL-Chol level was raised by n6 LA, but there was no significant change in HDL-Chol levels by n3 LL and was lowered by n3 EPA. Plasma TG level was reduced by n6 LA, but lipogenesis in liver was not affected by n6 LA. However, plasma TG level was lowered by n3 LL and EPA. Both lipogenic enzyme activity and liver TC level were also decreased by n3 PUFA. The relative proportions of TG in VLDL was significantly lowered by n3 EPA. but the proportions of Apo B in VLDL was not changed by n3 EPA. Overall. the hypolipidemic effect was in the order of EPA+ DHA(n3) >LL(n3) >LA(n6) and fish oil and perilla oil rich in n3 PUFA may have important nutritional applications in the prevention and treatment of hypertriglyceridemia.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.140-151
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• 2022

Background: Essential oils are of great interest for their analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. We aimed to study the content of the essential oil of the Origanum vulgare of the Armenian highlands (OVA) in different periods of vegetation and to investigate its antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects in mice (in vivo) and cytotoxic action in cultured cells (in vitro). OVA essential oil was extracted from fresh plant material by hydro-distillation. Methods: For OVA essential oil contents determination the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method was used. Formalin and hot plate tests and analysis of cell viability using the methyl-thiazolyl-tetrazolium (MTT) assay were used. Results: The maximal content of β-caryophyllene and β-caryophyllene oxide in OVA essential oil was revealed in the period of blossoming (8.18% and 13.36%, correspondently). In the formalin test, 4% OVA essential oil solution (3.5 mg/mouse) exerts significant antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects (P = 0.003). MTT assay shows approximately 60% cytotoxicity in HeLa and Vero cells for 2.0 µL/mL OVA essential oil in media. Conclusions: The wild oregano herb of Armenian highlands, harvested in the blossoming period, may be considered as a valuable source for developing pain-relieving preparations.