• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.407-412
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• 2017

The aim of this study was to shorten the time required for subculture and bacterial identification and obtain a simple and rapid identification method for new test methods for bloodstream infections. The following results were obtained using a mass spectrometer. In Vitek 2, 208 (81.8%) cases were well-identified and 45 isolates were not identified in blood cultures. Among 208 cases, 146 (57.5%) were Gram positive bacteria and 108 (42.5%) were Gram negative bacteria. In total, 233 were identified to the species level and 21 were identified to the genus level. The identification error was found to be Propionibacterium acnes as Clostridium bifermentans. The accuracy of Enterobacteriaceae, glucose non-fermentative bacilli (GNFB), and staphylococci were 81/83 (97.6%), 12/15 (80.0%), and 72/85 (84.7%), respectively. The concordance rate of Vitek 2 and Vitek MS by the direct method was 81.8% and 45 isolates were not identified. Most of the unidentified bacteria were Gram positive bacteria (N=37). The Gram positive bacteria were streptococci (14), coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) (11), enterococci (3), Staphylococcus aureus (2), Micrococcus spp. (2), Bacillus spp. (2) and Actinomyces odontolyticus, Finegoldia magna, and Peptostreptococcus spp. The results reporting time was reduced to 24~72 hours compared to the conventional method. The rate of identification of the aerobic and anaerobic cultures was similar, but the use of an anaerobic culture did not require a dissolution process, which could shorten the sample preparation time. These results suggest that the method of direct identification in blood cultures is very useful for the treatment of patients. In further studies, it might be necessary to further improve the method for identifying streptococci and CNS, which were lacking in accuracy in this study.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.313-320
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• 2014

In this study, the antimicrobial activity of niaouli leaf extracts was evaluated against skin flora. The skin flora used for experiments were three gram-positive bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), and two gram-negative, Escherichia coli (E. coli), Pseudomonas aeruginosa( P. aeruginosa), and the yeast, Plasmodium ovale (P. ovale). The bioassay applied for determining the antimicrobial effects of niouli leaf extracts or fraction included the disc diffusion assay and broth dilution assay. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 50% ethanol extract on B. subtilis, S. aureus, P. acnes, E. coli and P. aeruginosa were 0.25%, 0.50%, 1.00%, 0.13% and 0.25% respectively and the MIC values of water fraction were 0.25%, 0.25%, 4,00%, 0.25% and 0.25%. P. ovale did not show antimicrobial activities. The MIC values of methyl paraben used as positive control indicated 0.25%, 0.25%, 0.25%, 0.13% and 0.50%. Also, Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of 50% ethanol extract were 2.00%, 2.00%, 1.00%, 0.50% and 2.00% individually and the MBC values of water fraction were 0.50%, 0.25%, 4.00%, 0.50% and 1.00%. The MBC values of methyl paraben indicated 1.00%, 0.500%, 0.50%, 0.50% and 1.00%. These results showed that water fraction was as good as methyl paraben except for P. acnes. The 50% ethanol extract also showed activity similar with it. Thus, it is concluded that the 50% ethanol extract/fraction of niaouli could be applicable to cosmetics as a natural preservatives effective in antimicrobial activity against skin flora.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.70-78
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• 2008

Prunus sargentii R. of Rosaceae familiy, has been reported to have radical scavenging activity and anti-inflammatory effect. On these facts, biological activity and safety test were conducted to evaluate biological activities of the extracts of P. sargentii R. as a potential pharmaceutical ingredient. The electron donating ability of its ethanol extracts at a 500 ppm level showed 92%, which was higher than that of hot water extract (59%), the superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity of the water extract of P. sargentii R. was about 50%, the ethanol extract of P. sargentii R. was about 40% at 1,000 ppm concentration. Xanthine oxidase inhibition by the water extract of P. sargentii R. was about 40% and that by the ethanol extract was 60% respectively at 500 ppm concentration. From the measurement on lipid oxidation, the $Cu^{2+}$ chelating effect of the ethanol extract was higher than that of hot water extract. The $Fe^{2+}$ chelating effect was also shown to be about 80% at a 500 ppm concentration in both hot water extract and ethanol extract. The tyrosinase inhibition effect related to skin-whitening was 26% by hot water extract and 20% by ethanol extract respectively at a 1,000 ppm. Hyaluronidase inhibition activity related to the anti-inflammation effect was 96% in ethanolic extract at a 500 ppm. Clear zones formed by P. sargentii R. against the human skin-resident micro-flora such as Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli and Propionibacterium acnes indicated that antimicrobial activity of the ethanol extract was higher than that of the hot water extract.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.1038-1047
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• 2018

This study confirmed possibility of cosmetic material for Espresso coffee grounds extracted at high temperature, high pressure, short time and Dutch coffee grounds extracted at low temperature, atmospheric pressure, long time. For this purpose, we evaluated the biological activities of antioxidant, anti-wrinkles and antimicrobial effects using ethanol extracts of Esproso and Dutch coffee grounds. The results of total polyphenolic compound contents was $90.39{\pm}0.04mg/g$ for Dutch coffee grounds extract, which was higher than $64.96{\pm}0.38mg/g$ for Espresso coffee grounds extract, based on $113.63{\pm}0.22mg/g$ for coffee beans extract as the reference one. DPPH radical scavenging activity and SOD-like activity of Dutch coffee grounds extract were found to be better than those of Espresso coffee grounds extracts, referenced on coffee bean extract. As a result of inhibition effect of Elastase activity, Dutch coffee grounds extract showed higher inhibition effect than Espresso coffee grounds extract, based on coffee bean extract. In addition, Dutch coffee grounds extract showed good anti-microbial effects at Escherichia coli, Bacillus, Propionibacterium acnes and there was little difference in the clear zone size between Dutch coffee grounds extract and coffee bean extract as a reference one. From the results of the experiments, it was confirmed that Dutch coffee grounds extract had excellent antioxidant, anti-wrinkle and antimicrobial effects and could be used as safe natural cosmetic material in the future.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.358-366
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activities of Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Glycyrrhiza glabra extracts with various countries of origin. Three samples of licorice with various origins (Korea, China, and Uzbekistan) were evaluated for their antimicrobial activities against six skin microflora. The bioassay applied for determining the antimicrobial effects included the disc diffusion assay, minimum inhibitory concentration, and challenge test. The ethyl acetate fractions of G. uralensis and G. glabra extracts showed significant antimicrobial activities against two gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis, Propionibacterium acnes) and two gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria. These samples had much more intensive antimicrobial activities than synthetic preservatives on B. subtilis, P. acnes, and P. aeruginosa, especially. Korean licorice showed the highest antimicrobial activity amongst the samples tested. In view of the observed inhibitory features of these G. uralensis and G. glabra extracts, it is suggested that they could be used as natural antiseptics against bacterial contamination in cosmetics and foods, instead of the common synthetic preservatives currently employed.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.170-175
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• 2009

The extract of Platycarya strobilacea is known to possess a wide range of pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-cancer properties. We have reported that the ethyl acetate fraction of Platycarya strobilacea (PS-ET fraction) has high potential as an antioxidant agent (J. Soc. Cosmet. Scientists Korea 34(4) 275, 2008). In this study, antibacterial activity of the fraction and stability of the cream containing 0.2% PS-ET fraction were investigated for the application to cosmetics. Antibacterial activity of PS-ET fraction against various skin pathogenic bacteria (Propionibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pityrosporum ovale) was measured by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). MIC values of PS-ET fraction on P. acnes, S. aureus, and P. ovale were 0.13%, 0.06% and 0.25%, respectively. The results showed that the antibacterial activity of the fraction was the highest in the S. aureus. For the stability evaluation, pH and viscosity of the cream containing 0.2% PS-ET fraction were measured. The results showed that pH changes of the cream containing PS-ET fraction was lower than the control cream without PS-ET fraction. And the PS-ET fraction could repress the decrease of viscosity of the cream against sunlight treatment. These results suggest that the fraction of Platycarya strobilacea has high potential as bactericide against the skin pathogenic bacteria and could be added to improve the stability of cosmetic products.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.361-366
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• 2014

In this study, Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Glycyrrhiza glabra extracts, with their countries of origin as Korea (Jecheon), Uzbekistan and China, were prepared under various extraction conditions. There were 8 extraction conditions which the licorice were subjected to, and all conditions had different extraction solvents, temperatures and times. Antimicrobial activity on skin flora was evaluated comparatively by a disc diffusion assay, broth macrodilution assay, and kill time curve assay. Based on the antimicrobial activity of their extract confirmed by disc diffusion assay, we established optimal extraction conditions. The Korean licorice extract (85% ethanol, $40^{\circ}C$, 12 h) showed the best activity amongst the samples examined. In particular, its antimicrobial activity against Propionibacterium acnes was the highest. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of the licorice extracts revealed that the Korean licorice ($156{\mu}g/ml$ and $1,250{\mu}g/ml$) had better antimicrobial activity than that of the Uzbekistani licorice ($625{\mu}g/ml$ and $2,500{\mu}g/ml$) and the Chinese licorice ($625{\mu}g/ml$ and $5,000{\mu}g/ml$). Taken together, it was shown that Korean licorice extracted in group F (85% ethanol, $40^{\circ}C$, 12 h) had the highest antimicrobial activity amongst the licorices from the other countries of origin. These results also suggest that the optimal extraction conditions are 85% ethanol, $40^{\circ}C$, 12 h, and that licorice has a potential application as a natural preservative in cosmetics products, thereby replacing synthetic preservatives.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 2012

In this study, we investigated the antibacterial activity and stability of a cream containing Hippophae rhamnoides leaf extract. The MIC values of ethyl acetate fraction from an H. rhamnoides leaf on Escherichia coli, Pityrosporum ovale, Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus aureus were 0.5%, 0.25%, 0.25% and 0.06%, respectively. Stability evaluations, pH, viscosity and absorbance of the cream containing 0.25% ethyl acetate fraction of H. rhamnoides, were performed. The cream was measured under 4 different temperature conditions under sunlight at 2-week intervals for 12 weeks. The viscosity and pH were measured by a comparison of the experimental cream with a similar control cream. The H. rhamnoides extract was found to have contributed to the stability of the emulsion product via a protective effect in maintaining the viscosity of the cream against sunlight. The absorbance variations of the experimental cream at 270 nm were, under sunlight; $45^{\circ}C$, $37^{\circ}C$, $25^{\circ}C$, and $4^{\circ}C$. In addition, any change in color or smell was not observed through the 12 weeks of the experimental period. These results indicated that the cream containing 0.25% ethyl acetate fraction of H. rhamnoides leaf extract was stable. Accordingly, this suggests that further study is needed to provide additional information for manufacturers, who are seeking the application of the extract to improve anti-oxidant and antibacterial activities and the stability of cosmetic products.