• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.85-88
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• 2007

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) can degrade a wide range of extracellular matrix components. It has been reported that MMP-9 are activated after focal ischemia in experimental animals. (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major constituent of green tea polyphenols, is a potent free radical scavenger and reduces the neuronal damage caused by oxygen free radicals. And it has been known that EGCG could reduce the infarction volume in focal brain ischemia and inhibit MMP-9 activity. To delineate the relationship between the anti-ischemic action and the MMP-9-inhibiting action of EGCG, we investigated the effect of EGCG on brain infarction and the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9 induced by permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) in ICR mice. EGCG (40 mg/kg, i.p. $15{\sim}30min$ prior to MCAO) significantly decreased infarction volume at 24 hr after MCAO. GM 6001 (50 mg/kg, i.p. $15{\sim}30min$ prior to MCAO), a MMP inhibitor, also significantly reduced infarction volume. In zymogram, MMP-9 activities began to increase at ipsilateral cortex at 2 hr after MCAO, and the increments of MMP-9 activities were attenuated by EGCG treatment. Western blot for MMP-9 also showed patterns similar to that of zymogram. These findings demonstrate that the anti-ischemic action of EGCG ire mouse focal cerebral ischemia involves its inhibitory effect on MMP-9.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1862-1867
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• 2008

Streptochlorin is a small molecule isolated from marine Streptomyces sp. that is known to have antiangiogenic and anticancer properties. In this study, we examined the effects of this compound on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the association of these effects with apoptotic tumor cell death, using a human hepatocarcinoma Hep3B cell line. The results of this study demonstrated that streptochlorin mediates ROS production, and that this mediation is followed by a decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP, ${\Delta}{\Psi}_m$), activation of caspase-3, and downregulation of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein. The quenching of ROS generation by N-acetyl-L-cysteine administration, a scavenger of ROS, reversed the streptochlorin-induced apoptosis effects via inhibition of ROS production, MMP collapse, and the subsequent activation of caspase-3. These observations clearly indicate that ROS are involved in the early molecular events in the streptochlorin-induced apoptotic pathway. Taken together, our data imply that streptochlorin-induced ROS is a key mediator of MMP collapse, which leads to the caspase-3 activation, culminating in apoptosis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.957-967
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• 2018

A novel $g-C_3N_4$/ZnO/stellerite (CNZOS) hybrid photocatalyst, which was synthesized by coupled hydro thermal-thermal polymerization processing, was applied as an efficient visible-light-driven photocatalyst against Staphylococcus aureus. The optimum synthesized hybrid photocatalyst showed a sandwich structure morphology with layered $g-C_3N_4$ (doping amount: 40 wt%) deposited onto micron-sized ZnO/stellerite particles (ZnO average diameter: ~18 nm). It had a narrowing band gap (2.48 eV) and enlarged specific surface area ($23.05m^2/g$). The semiconductor heterojunction effect from ZnO to $g-C_3N_4$ leads to intensive absorption of the visible region and rapid separation of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs. In this study, CNZOS showed better photocatalytic disinfection efficiency than $g-C_3N_4/ZnO$ powders. The disinfection mechanism was systematically investigated by scavenger-quenching methods, indicating the important role of $H_2O_2$ in both systems. Furthermore, $h^+$ was demonstrated as another important radical in oxidative inactivation of the CNZOS system. In respect of the great disinfection efficiency and practicability, the CNZOS heterojunction photocatalyst may offer many disinfection applications.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.137-142
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• 2003

This study was carried out to examine the effects of gamma irradiation on the color removal, antioxidation, DPPH radical scavenger, and antimicrobial activity of Schizandra fructus extracts by different solvents. Schizandra fructus was extracted by hot water, ethanol, acetone and methanol, and the extracts were irradiated 10, 20 and 30 kGy with gamma rays. Hunter color L-value was increased by irradiation in a dose-dependent manner, resulting in brighter color for all solvents used. The a and b values were decreased by irradiation in a dose-dependent manner. Antioxidant activity of the ethanol extract of Schizandra fructus against soybean oil was the highest. The free radical scavenging activity was the strongest in hot water extract. All solvent extracts from Schizandra fructus had the strongest antimicrobial activities to B. subtilis, B. natto, B megaterium, S. aureus, Sal. typhymurium and E. coli. These results suggested that Schizandra fructus extracts have a strong potential as natural food preservatives and cosmetic raw materials. Furthermore, irradiation may not influence adversely on biological activites of the extracts when irradiated up to 30 kGy.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.924-933
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• 1999

This study investigated the effects of vitamin E supplementation on immune responses and antioxidant status in healthy Korean old and young women. Blood samples were obtained from 15 healthy old women (over 60 years old) and from 15 healthy young women(20 years old) before and 4 weeks after vitamin E( tocopherol acetate) supplementation(400IU/day). Daily nutrient intakes were calculated, and plasma vitamin E concentration, numbers and percentages of white blood cell and their subpopulation, percentages of lymphocytes and subpopulation, NK cell percentages, plasma immunoglobulin A, G, M and C3 concentration, proliferation of PMN with mitogen were measured. Also plasma TBARS concentration and radical scavenger activity of erythrocytes were investigated. Plasma vitamin E concentrations were significantly increased after supplementation in both groups. In elderly women, vitamin E supplementation restored the per centages of neutrophils, lymphocytes, and eosinophils which had been out of normal ranges before supple mentation. And after vitamin E supplementation, helper T cell percentages significantly increased in elderly. Plasma immunoglobulin and complement C3 concentrations were not affected by vitamin E supplementation in both groups. PMN proliferations with mitogen were significantly lower in old women than in young women, and there was no effect of vitamin E supplementation. Vitamin E supplementation significantly decreased plasma TBARS concentrations in old and young women. RSA of erythrocytes was increased in both groups, but the statistical significant was only found in young women group. Therefore, these results suggest that the moderate vitamin E supplementation in old women improves immune responses, especially nonspecific immunity and cell mediated immunity, via protection of oxidant stress.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.145-151
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• 2006

We investigated the effects of Ginsenoside $R_e$ on human sperm motility in fertile and asthenozoospermic infertile individuals in vitro and the mechanism by which the Ginsenosides play their roles. The semen samples were obtained from 10 fertile volunteers and 10 asthenozoospermic infertile patients. Spermatozoa were separated by Percoll and incubated with 0, 1, 10 or $100\;{\mu}M$ of Ginsenoside $R_e$. Total sperm motility and progressive motility were measured by computer-aided sperm analyzer (CASA). Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity was determined by the $^{3}H$-arginine to $^{3}H$-citrulline conversion assay, and the NOS protein was examined by the Western blot analysis. The production of sperm nitric oxide (NO) was detected using the Griess reaction. The results showed that Ginsenoside $R_e$ significantly enhanced both fertile and infertile sperm motility, NOS activity and NO production in a concentration-dependent manner. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 100 nM), a NO donor, mimicked the effects of Ginsenoside $R_e$. And pretreatment with a NOS inhibitor $N^{w}$-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, $100\;{\mu}M$) or a NO scavenger N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (LNAC, 1 mM) completely blocked the effects of Ginsenoside $R_e$. Data suggested that Ginsenoside $R_e$ is beneficial to sperm motility, and that induction of NOS to increase NO production may be involved in this benefit.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.67-71
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• 2002

Capsaicin (trans-8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenarnide), a major pungent component of hot pepper, is known to exert antioxidative properties. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of capsaicin against chemical carcinogen-induced oxidative damage in rats. Male Sprague Dawley rats weighting 230~250 g were treated with chemical carcinogens such as 2-nitropropane (2NP) or n-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) after (or before) the administration of capsaicin at doses of 0.5, 1,5 mg/kg. The level of lipid peroxidation in rat liver was estimated by measuring the amounts of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. The degree of oxidative DNA damage was evacuated by measuring a DNA adduct, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), in urine. Antioxidative activities of capsaicin and its metabolites in vitro were determined by the measurement of DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl), a radical quencher. Significant inhibition of 2-NP induced lipid peroxidation was observed in the liver of the rat when treated with capsaicin. MNNG-induced urinary excretion of 8-OHdG was decreased by capsaicin treatment. Capsaicin and its metabolites inhibited net only the formation of free radicals, but also lipid peroxidation in vitro. Our results show that capsaicin may function as a free radical scavenger against chemical carcinogen-induced oxidative cellular damage in vivo. The observed antioxidative activities of capsaicin may play an important role in the process of chemoprevention.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2014

Ceria ($CeO_2$) was used to scavenge free radicals which attack the membrane in the polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) circumstance and to increase the duration of the membrane. In order to improve the electrochemical, mechanical and electrocatalytic characteristics, engineering plastic of the sulfonated polyether ether ketone (SPEEK) as polymer matrix was prepared in the sulfonation reaction of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and the organic-inorganic blended composite membranes were prepared by sol-gel casting method with loading the highly dispersed ceria and cesium-substituted phophomolybdic acid(Cs-MoPA) with cross-linking agent contents of 0.01mL. In conclusion, CL-SPEEK/$Cs_{(2.5)}$-MoPA/ceria(1%) membrane showed the optimum results such as 0.1095S/cm of proton conductivity at $80^{\circ}C$, 2.906meq./g-dry-membrane of ion exchange capacity and mechanical characteristics, and 49.73MPa of tensile strength which were better than Nafion 117 membrane.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.180-187
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• 1992

This study investigated the hypothesis that carcinogen-induced elevation of oxyradical during the hepatocarcinogenesis in rat. The hepatic preneoplastic lesions in the Spraque-Dawley rats were induced by the carcinogen treatment such as diethylnitrosamine(DEN) and acetylaminofluorene(AAF) in combination with partial hepatectomy(PH). The liver sample was taken at 2, 6, 10 and 16 months after carcinogen treatments followed by PH. Carcinogen treatments initially increased the indices of oxidative damage(activities of xanthine oxidase and production rates of superoxide anion, microsomal hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical) in the liver compared to PH groups. However, cytosolic hydrogen peroxide did not change significantly throughout the full time period. Of hydrogen peroxide scavenger, the catalase was remained lower than PH groups, whereas the peroxidase was increased after carcinogen treatments. Morphologically, the immunohistochemical analysis with glutathione-S-transferase of a placenta form(GSTP) antibody was used to detect the induction of preneoplastic nodules. During the hepatocarcinogenesis, both production rate of hydroxyl radical and activity of glutathione-S-transferase(GST) markedly increased with the appearance of the preneoplastic nodule. These results indicated that the hydroxyl radical of reactive oxygen species seemed to have a major influence on the hepatocarcinogenesis and the effect of time after removal of the carcinogen also appeared to be highly critical in the hepatocarcinogenesis.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.3943-3949
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• 2012

A series of aromatic hydrazides 3a-j were prepared by refluxing esters 2a-j with hydrazine hydrate in methanol, which were prepared by the esterification of 1a-j. Acetohydrazides 3a-j upon treatment with carbon disulfide and methanolic potassium hydroxide yielded potassium dithiocarbazate salts 4a-j, which on refluxing with hydrazine hydrate yielded substituted 4-amino-5-aryl-3H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiones 5a-j. The target compounds 6a-j were synthesized by condensing furan-3-carboxylic acid in the presence of polyphosphoric acid under reflux. The structures of newly synthesized compounds were characterized by IR, $^1H$ NMR, $^{13}C$ NMR, elemental analysis and mass spectrometric studies. All the synthesized compounds were screened for their urease, acetylcholine esterase inhibition, antioxidant and alkaline phosphatase inhibition activity. Almost all of the compounds 6a-j showed good to excellent activities against urease and acetylcholine esterase more than the reference drugs. Compounds 6f and 6g were more potent scavenger of free radicals than the reference n-propyl gallate. Compound 6b and 6h showed excellent activities of alkaline phosphatase as compare to the reference $KH_2PO_4$.