• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.267-272
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• 2011

In our search for bioactive phenolics from plants, the culms of Phyllostachys bambusoides has been selected for investigation of anti-cariogenic and 1,1-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging agents based on the initial screening results. Fractionation process of n-hexane and $CHCl_3$ extracts afforded four phenolic constituents, ferulic acid (1), vanillin (2), coniferaldehyde (3), and coniferyl alcohol (4) as guided by their DPPH free radical scavenging activities. Additionally, activity-guided fractionation of EtOAc extract with anti-cariogenic activity has resulted in the isolation of coniferaldehyde (3), 2,6-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone (5), p-methoxycinnamic acid (6), (${\pm}$)-balanophonin (7), and 6-methoxychromanone (8). The structures of 1 - 8 were determined by spectroscopic data interpretation, and also by comparison of their data with the published values. Phenolic compounds 1 - 4 exhibited similar DPPH radical scavenging activities compared with the synthetic antioxidant, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and compounds 3 and 5 - 8 showed significant antibacterial activity against cariogenic oral streptococci, Streptococcus mutans and S. sobrinus.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.357-369
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• 2005

Streptococci are Gram-positive, facultative anaerobes and have no catalase activities. Among mutans streptococci containing ${\alpha}-type$ hemolytic activity, S. mutans is a causative agent for dental caries. As well as acid production yielding the demineralization of tooth enamel, adherence and colonization of S. mutans to the teeth are also important for its virulence. These early colonization are accomplished by the bacterial fibrillar protein, Antigen I/II (Ag I/II) and glucosyltransferase (GTF). Therefore, Ag I/II and GTF are reasonable targets for the development of vaccine against S. mutans GS-5. The ag I/II and gtfD genes from S. mutans GS-5 were cloned and sequenced. Sequence analyses showed the nucleotides sequence of cloned genes had high homology to the sequences previously reported. The sequence alignment of 280 nucleotides between the cloned Ag I/II and the available sequence of the corresponding S. mutans GS-5 showed the perfect match. Comparing with the sequence of gtfD from S. mutans UA159, the corresponding nucleotide sequence of S. mutans GS-5 showed some mismatches and the mismatches introduced changes in four residues out of 105 amino acids, yielding four missense mutations.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.84-87
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• 2008

In this research, we screened for glucosyltransferase (GTase) inhibitors that effectively prevent the dental caries from 420 kinds of boiled water extracts of herbs and wild plants and searched for GTase inhibitory activities. Among them, 13 kinds of hot water extracts had high GTase inhibitory activities and especially, we focused on Foeniculum vulgare which showed the highest inhibitory activity on GTase. The boiled water extract of F. vulgare was stable at high temperature and showed as a mixed type of competitive and uncompetitive inhibition kinetic behavior. It did not have antibacterial effect on Streptococcus mutans and had inhibitory activity on GTase. Specially, in the clinical trial, the group treated by boiled water extract of F. vulgare showed more decrease of plague index at 4.8 point than untreated group. These results suggested that boiled water extract of F. vulgare can effectively suppress the plague formation as it inhibits the GTase activity.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.21-28
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• 2011

In this study, we analyzed flower tea activity against oral bacteria. Lagerstroemia indica, Paeonia suffruticosa and Hemerocallis fulva showed high extract yields. Bellis perennis, Punica granatum and Cercis chinensis showed the high rates of yield by ethanol extraction. Extract yield seemed to be related to the characteristics of the specimens rather than to the solvent. Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus obrinus, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia were used to investigate extracts activity against bacteria; the former two cause dental caries and the latter two cause halitosis. Cornus officinalis, L. indica, P. granatum and P.s uffruticosa showed high antibacterial activities against S. mutans. In specimens extracted with ethanol, P. suffruticosa, Camellia sinensis, Camellia japonica L. and Rosa hybrida showed high antibacterial activities. L. indica, P. granatum and C. officinalis showed high antibacterial activities against S. sobrinus. C. officinalis, P. granatum, L. indica and P. suffruticosa showed high activities for specimens extracted with ethanol. The results show that the warm extracts of C. officinalis, L. indica and P. granatum may be effective to prevent dental caries. In particular, the ethanol-based extracts of C. officinalis, P. suffruticosa and C. sinensis were effective to prevent dental caries and thus may be highly marketable. Chrysanthemum zawadskii, R. hybrida, P. granatum, C. japonica L. and Zinnia elegans showed high antibacterial activity against P.gingivalis. R. hybrida showed the highest ethanol extract activity, followed by P. suffruticosa, P. granatum, C. japonica L. and L. indica. R. hybrida, P. granatum, C. morifolium and C. japonica showed high activity against Pr.intermedia in the order named. C. zawadskii, P. granatum, L. indica, C. japonica and A. princeps showed high ethanol extract activity. Thus, the warm extracts of R. hybrida, P. granatum and C. japonica may be helpful to reduce halitosis. In addition, the ethanol-based extracts of P. granatum, C. japonica and L. indica are expected to be highly marketable as mouthwashes.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.831-842
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• 2018

Objectives: This study was conducted to reveal the biological basis of dental plaque and preschool children's dental health status through repetitive and continuous toothbrushing instruction to preschool children, using quantitative criteria, and to emphasize the importance of the role of an oral health manager for the prevention of dental caries. Methods: After IRB approval, toothbrushing instruction and oral microbial specimen collection were conducted with children of preschool age at the Daycare Center attached to D. University, Busan. Specimens from 27 children were characterized by analysis with real-time multi-chain enzymatic polymerization reaction technique at an agency specializing in genetic analysis. Results: In a survey of the children's dental health behaviors, 48.1% responded that the toothbrushing time is 91 to 150 seconds; 66.7% responded that the frequency of toothbrushing is more than three times per day; 81.5% stated that they performed tongue brushing; and 81.5% brushed their teeth. Regarding levels of dental cariogenic bacteria, after children received continuous toothbrushing instruction, there were reductions in both Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus. Regarding toothbrushing time, the time increased in relation to the presence of instruction. Regarding Quigley Hein Index, the index decreased in the early and middle periods upon addition of instruction, then increased in the middle and later periods. Conclusions: Through persistent and repetitive toothbrushing instruction, healthy behavior can be positively established in children of preschool age; it is necessary to prepare institutional measures so opportunities for dental health education can be consistently provided and maintained. In the future, it will be necessary to conduct a follow-up study to verify the factors affecting toothbrushing time and volume of oral pathogens.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.246-255
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• 2007

Mutans streptococci have been implicated as cariogenic bacteria in dental caries because they can produce high levels of dental caries-causing lactic acid and extracellular polysaccharide. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize the mutans streptococci from the dental plaque obtained from Koreans. The dental plaque samples were collected from the anterior and molar teeth of both jaws in 155 subjects (aged 2 to 33.2 years, average age $13.7{\pm}4.7\;years$). The samples were diluted by 100-fold in $1{\times}\;PBS$ and plated on mitis-salivarius bacitracin (MSB) agar plates. The mutans streptococci grown on MSB plates were screened by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) targeting dextranase gene (dex). The mutans streptococci were identified at the species level using a 16S rDNA sequencing comparison method. The biochemical tests were carried out to biotype the mutans streptococci. Ninety-five strains of the mutans streptococci out of 358 colonies, which were derived from 141 subjects, were isolated. Of them, 77 strains and 18 strains were Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus, respectively. The biotyping data showed that 62, 1, 20, 10, and 2 strains were biotypes I, II, IV, V and variant, respectively. Of the two strains of variant biotype, one strains was similar to biotype IV except that it was positive to the arginine hydrolysis test. We considered this one strain a new biotype, and classified it as biotype VII. In conclusion, S. mutans and its biotype I was most frequently isolated in Korean dental plaque. The mutans streptococci strains isolated in this study might be useful for the study of the pathogenesis and the prevention of dental caries.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2014

Essential oils of various plants have been known for potential biological effects such as antibacterial, antifungal, spasmolytic, antiplasmodial activities and insect-repellent property. Recently, the essential oils have attracted considerable interest in oral disease therapy. This essential oil has been known as being effective on easing sick house syndrome, giving forest aroma therapy effect and acting as repellent against pest. The essential oil of Pinus koraiensi, a native plant from Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon-do, was obtained by hydrodistillation. In light of its medicinal importance, in this study its composition, antibacterial activity and the reducing effect of offensive odor have been analyzed. The composition of essential oil was determined by GC and GC-MS. We have identified 14 compounds, of which 1R-${\alpha}$-pinene (19.38 %), 3-carene (10.21 %), camphene (9.82 %), limonene (9.00 %), bicyclo[2,2,1] heptan-2-ol (8.76 %) and ${\beta}$-phellandrene (7.98 %) were the main components. Essential oils from P. koraiensis, Chamaecyparis obtusa, Abies holophylla and Pinus densiflora were compared in terms of alleviating effect of malodors caused from formaldehyde, ammonia, trimethylamine and methylmercaptan. P. koraiensis essential oil was found to decrease the amounts of ammonia and trimethylamine by 75.17 % and 77.36 %, respectively. Antibacterial activity against Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus, which were known as oral cavity inducer, was investigated using the paper disc agar diffusion method. The inhibition zone was observed against S. mutans (5.97 mm) and S. sobrinus (1.40 mm), respectively. P. koraiensis essential oil shown effective deodorization and inhibitory activity against oral cavity in this study might be potential material in oral sanitary industry.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.439-447
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• 2004

The aim of this study is to survey the frequency of mutans streptococci species and biotypes isolated from dental plaque in Korean children and the relationship between species and biotypes of mutans streptococci and dft index. Dental plaques were collected from the anterior and molar teeth of upper and lower jaws in the subjects, aged below 12 years old. A dental examination was performed for dft (decayed, filled, total) with the WHO caries diagnostic criteria. The mutans streptococci from the sample were cultured selectively on mitis salivarius-bacitracine (MSB) agar plate. For biotyping of mutans streptococci, biochemical test was performed. From the culture, bacterial genomic DNA was prepared for using of PCR template for the identification of mutans streptococci at the species-level. Forty strains of mutans streptococci were isolated from dental plagues of 40 patients. The biotype I (45%) and biotype IV (32.5%) were most frequently detected. The prevalence of S. mutans and S. sobrinus was 69% and 31%, respectively. There was no positive relationship between species and biotypes of mutans streptococci and dft index. Our results revealed that biotype I and S. mutans were frequently detected in Korean children and support that dental caries incidents by many causative factors not only bacterial factor.