• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.241-248
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• 2000

In this study, we examined the number and motility of sperms, and also observed the changes in testes weight, and histological changes of several organs after 5 days of a continuous administration of dioxin (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin) of per oral administration of a herb drug extracts, which were administerated altermate days, to elucidate the effects of the a herb drug extracts on reproductive toxicity of dioxin. 1. The sperm numbers of dioxin-administered groups were 90.7$\pm$3.6~l18.5$\pm$3.6$\times$10/suup 6/$m\ell$ and 67.3$\pm$4.1~88.2$\pm$3.3$\times$10$^{6}$ $m\ell$ for 10~20 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg and 30~40 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg dosages of dioxin-administerated groups, respectively. Each dioxin-administered group showed prominently lower value than that of control group's which was 119.3$\pm$3.4~120.2$\pm$4.7 $\times$ 10$^{6.}$$m\ell$. 2. The sperm motility of each dioxin-administered group's also showed lower value than that of control group's which was 93.6$\pm$3.8~94.9$\pm$3.4%. The sperm motility of each dioxin-administerated group were 77.0$\pm$4.7~89.5$\pm$3.6% and 66.5$\pm$3.3 ~79.9$\pm$3.8% for 10~20 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg and 30~40 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg dosages of dioxin-administerated groups, respectively. 3. The sperm numbers of each group, which was administered a herb drug extracts, were 77.4$\pm$3.2~90.9$\pm$3.4$\times$10$^{6}$ $m\ell$, 78.0$\pm$3.3~105.0$\pm$4.2$\times$10$^{6}$ $m\ell$, 76.2$\pm$2.8~84.4$\pm$3.5$\times$10$^{6}$ $m\ell$ and 75.4$\pm$3.3~80.2$\pm$3.3$\times$10$^{6}$ $m\ell$ for extracts of green leaf, red ginseng, Kugija and Oume-administered groups respectively. And the sperm motility of each group were 63.4$\pm$3.8~77.0$\pm$4.0%, 65.5$\pm$4.1~87.4$\pm$3.8%, 64.3$\pm$4.2~69.8$\pm$4.2%, 66.3$\pm$3.9~66.0$\pm$4.0% for extracts of green leaf, red ginseng, Kugija and Oume extracts-administered groups, respectively. 4. The number and motility of sperm of control group were 119.3$\pm$3.4~120.2$\pm$4.7$\times$10$^{6}$ $m\ell$ and 93.0$\pm$3.5~96.1$\pm$3.5%, respectively. Red ginseng extracts- administered group seemed to be recovered than my other groups, and the green leaf extracts-administered group was shown to be the next. The Kugija and Oume extracts-administered groups didn't show to be recovered much. 5. Most a herb drug extracts-administered group except the red ginseng-administered group displayed prominently lower values of testes weights than that of control group's which was 0.15$\pm$0.01~0.16$\pm$0.01g. The red ginseng extracts-administered group seemed to be recovered conspicuously. 6. After 5 days of a continuous administration of 30 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg dosage of dioxin followed by 3 weeks of per oral administration of green leaf, red ginseng, Kugija, or Oume extracts, histological findings showed that the liver, spleen, and testis of most a herb drug extracts-administered groups were damaged severely. By the way, the testes of red ginseng extracts-administered group seemed to recover compared to the other group's.ompared to the other group's.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.219-225
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• 2014

Azadirachta indica extract (AIE) has been regarded as a promising source of environment-friendly organic materials owing to their low mammalian toxicity. However, quite a bit of research has been reported that AIE may cause clastogens in human lymphocytes. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the antimutagenic and genotoxicity of two samples of AIE. Antimutagenic test was experimented by using bacterial reverse mutation test. In the bacterial reverse mutation test, five strains Salmonella Typhimurim of two samples of AIE in order to evaluate its mutagenic potential. Bacterial reverse mutation test was also performed on positive control and negative control groups in the presence of the metabolic activation system (S-9 mix) and metabolic non-activation system. In the chromosome aberration test, Chinese hamster lung cells were exposed to AIE for 6 or 24 h with BPS, or for 6 h with S-9 mix. Negative and positive control groups were experimented for chromosome aberration test. As a result, the number of mutated colonies induced by 4-NQO were reduced by AIE treatment in all strains, indicating that AIE may have antimutagenic effects. Bacterial reverse mutation and chromosomal aberration were not shown at all concentration of AIE, regardless of activation of the metabolic system. we concluded that two AIE samples used in this study have no genotoxic effects to human, according to the genotoxicity battery system suggested by ICH (International Conference on Harmonization).

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.185-197
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• 2007

Objective : This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Hwangryunhaedok-Tang and Geongangbuja-Tang on the change of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$) level induced by LPS I.C.V. injection in mice. Method : We devided group into 6 mice and 6 mice were assingned to each group. In the normal group only saline was administered intragastrically, and in the control group LPS was injected intracerebroventricularly 1 hr after intragastric administration of saline. In the experiment groups Hwangryunhaedok-Tang(0.5g/kg, 1.0g/kg, 3.0g/kg) was administered intragastrically to mice 1 hr prior to LPS(100mg/mouse) I.C.V. injection.. Also Geongangbuja-Tang (0.5g/kg, 1.0g/kg, 3.0g/kg) was administered intragastrically to mice 1 hr prior to LPS(100mg/mouse) I.C.V. injection. To measure the plasma IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ level of mice, their blood samples were collected from retro-orbital plexus, immediately centrifuged at $4^{\circ}C$, and plasma was removed and stored frozen at $-83^{\circ}C$ for later determination of IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$. The level of IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ production was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the plasma. Result : Regarding IL-6 level, The 0.5g/kg and the 1g/kg groups of Geongangbuja-Tang decreased IL-6 level. Especially the 3g/kg control group decreased IL-6 level significantly than the normal group(p<0.01). Regarding $TNF-{\alpha}$ level, the 3g/kg group of Geongangbuja-Tang decreased it significantly(p<0.05). Conclusion : These data revealed that Hwangryunhaedok-Tang might not have the anti imflammatory effect and Geongangbuja-Tang(3g/kg)might have the anti imflammatory effect by reducing the plasma IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ level in mice LPS Injection.EIM (Eighteen Incompatible Medicaments) is an important component in Oriental pharmacology and is directly related to clinical prescriptions. Medical practitioners argued that the definite cause and meaning of EIM was ambiguous and therefore debated the issue of clinical application of the EIM. This study conducted an in-depth literary research on the origin, meaning and contents of EIM with the purpose to contribute in its efforts to be used clinically. Even after thousands of years have past since establishment of Oriental medicine, EIM is still tabooed and was an obstacle that hindered ideologies. Modern herbal medicine texts claim that the use of EIM can reduce treatment effects and promote poisoning and side effects. However, since long ago, there has been medical practitioners who reject this as false. Recently, poisoning caused by EIM has been claimed to be from the toxicity of the drug itself, rather than the result of interaction between the drugs, and therefore they suggest that EIM is not a forbidden domain. In addition, EIM showed a difference in number depending on the era. However, this can be understood not as a definite number, but instead as a warning to be careful during combination of drugs for use as clinical medicine. Historically, there were very few cases in which EIM was used for clinical tests and thus, the clinical value is not, while others applied EIM directly to their bodies, which showed signs for the usefulness and potential of EIM for us. A more concrete and in-depth study must be made on EIM.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.265-273
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• 2001

The sea urchin has been used as sea food in many countries. This species has also been an important organism of embryological studies for more than a century. In recent years, sea urchin embryos are being used as testing materials for toxicity of pollutants and toxins. Usefulness of sea urchin embryos as experimental models comes from the easiness in obtaining sea urchin samples and a lot of gametes, in rearing embryos in the laboratory, in observing the cellular movement and organ formation during the embryogenesis and in manipulating blastomeres and genetic maferials. The sea urchin in itself is a key organism for the understanding of deuterostome evolution from the protostomes and of indirect development of marine invertebrates which undergo the planktotrophic larval stage. A fertilized sea urchin egg goes through rapid cleavage and becomes a 60 cell embryo 7hr after fertilization. It then develops into a morula, a blastula, a gastrula and finally a pluteus larva approximately 70 hr after fertilization. At the 60 cell stage, the embryo comprises of five territories that express territory-speciflc genes and later form different organs. Micromeres at the vegetal pole ingress into the blastoceol and become the primary mesenchyme cells(PMCs). PMCs express genes involved in skeletogenesis such as SM30, SM37, SM50, PM27, msp130. Among the genes, SM37 and SM50 are considered to be members of a gene family which is characterized by early blastula expression, Glycine-Proline-Glutamine rich repeat structures and spicule matrix forming basic proteins. Genetic studies on the sea urchin embryos help understand the molecular basis of indirect development of marine invertebrates and also of the biomineralization common to the animal kingdom.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.1-11
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• 2001

New technologies will have a large impact on the discovery of new herbicide site of action. Genomics, combinatorial chemistry, and bioinformatics help take advantage of serendipity through tile sequencing of huge numbers of genes or the synthesis of large numbers of chemical compounds. There are approximately $10^{30}\;to\;10^{50}$ possible molecules in molecular space of which only a fraction have been synthesized. Combining this potential with having access to 50,000 plant genes in the future elevates tile probability of discovering flew herbicidal site of actions. If 0.1, 1.0 or 10% of total genes in a typical plant are valid for herbicide target, a plant with 50,000 genes would provide about 50, 500, and 5,000 targets, respectively. However, only 11 herbicide targets have been identified and commercialized. The successful design of novel herbicides depends on careful consideration of a number of factors including target enzyme selections and validations, inhibitor designs, and the metabolic fates. Biochemical information can be used to identify enzymes which produce lethal phenotypes. The identification of a lethal target site is an important step to this approach. An examination of the characteristics of known targets provides of crucial insight as to the definition of a lethal target. Recently, antisense RNA suppression of an enzyme translation has been used to determine the genes required for toxicity and offers a strategy for identifying lethal target sites. After the identification of a lethal target, detailed knowledge such as the enzyme kinetics and the protein structure may be used to design potent inhibitors. Various types of inhibitors may be designed for a given enzyme. Strategies for the selection of new enzyme targets giving the desired physiological response upon partial inhibition include identification of chemical leads, lethal mutants and the use of antisense technology. Enzyme inhibitors having agrochemical utility can be categorized into six major groups: ground-state analogues, group specific reagents, affinity labels, suicide substrates, reaction intermediate analogues, and extraneous site inhibitors. In this review, examples of each category, and their advantages and disadvantages, will be discussed. The target identification and construction of a potent inhibitor, in itself, may not lead to develop an effective herbicide. The desired in vivo activity, uptake and translocation, and metabolism of the inhibitor should be studied in detail to assess the full potential of the target. Strategies for delivery of the compound to the target enzyme and avoidance of premature detoxification may include a proherbicidal approach, especially when inhibitors are highly charged or when selective detoxification or activation can be exploited. Utilization of differences in detoxification or activation between weeds and crops may lead to enhance selectivity. Without a full appreciation of each of these facets of herbicide design, the chances for success with the target or enzyme-driven approach are reduced.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.47-54
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• 2014

Objectives: This study is to confirm the effect of combined extract and individual extract of Samjunghwan (SJH) in anti-oxidative and anti-obesity effect. Methods: Combined ethanol extract of readily made SJH and individual ethanol extract of Atractylodes japonica, Cortex lycii radicis, and Morus alba Linne was combined after the extraction. To evaluate the anti-oxidative effect of SJH, total phenol compound and 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging ability were conducted. Real-time quantitative-polymerase chain reaction analysis of transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptror ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$), adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-${\alpha}1$, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ ($TNF{\alpha}$) and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reducatase (HMG-CoA reductase) were done with 3T3-L1 cells to investigate the ant-obesity effect. Also, cell viability analysis were done to see to toxicity of SJH. Results: Individual extract of SJH showed significant decrease in $TNF{\alpha}$ and AMPK transcription while $PPAR{\gamma}$ showed significant increase. Combined extract and individual extract of SJH both showed decrease in HMG-CoA reductase. DPPH free radical scavenging ability and total phenol compound was analogous between two groups. Conclusions: Individual extract of SJH appears to be more effective in anti-oxidation and anti-obesity effect compared to combined extract of SJH.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.8
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• pp.1137-1143
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• 2015

This study investigated the free radical-scavenging and antitumor activities of hot water, water, acetone, ethanol, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and hexane extracts of fruits and leaves from Prunus mume. The various extracts were evaluated for their total polyphenol, flavonoid, and tannin contents, scavenging activities by DPPH and ABTS analyses, reducing power, protective effects against oxidative stress in L-132 cells, and antitumor activities against A549, HeLa, and U87 cancer cells. Ethanol extracts of fruits and leaves showed the highest total polyphenol content (336.41 and 523 mg GAE/100 g, respectively). DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging activities increased according to concentration of fruit. DPPH radical-scavenging activity of ethanol extracts from leaves was 65.48% at $200{\mu}g/mL$. All extract fractions of leaves showed high ABTS radical-scavenging activities. The reducing power activities increased according to increasing concentration of fruits and leaves. All extracts of leaves performed better than extracts of fruits in terms of protective effects against oxidative stress in L-132 cells. Ethyl acetate, chloroform, hexane, ethanol extracts of fruits and leaves showed anticancer activities against A549, HeLa, and U87 cancer cells. However, ethanol extracts of fruits and leaves showed no toxicity in normal cells (BNLCL2). This study suggests that antioxidant activities of fruits and leaves from P. mume depend on polyphenol contents. Thus, fruits and leaves from P. mume can be useful as natural antioxidant compounds.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.91-97
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• 2015

BACKGROUND: Earthworms are essential detritus feeders that play a vital role in the process of decomposition of organic matter and soil metabolism. The complex process of partial breakdown of organic matter and mixing with mucous and gut microbial flora in the form of earthworm cast results in the reduction of the toxicity. This study focused on the change of cast amount and pollutant contents before and after the eating of the organic waste and upland soil with the two species of earthworm. METHODS AND RESULTS: The two species of earthworms were compared to the cast production. In the upland soil material, the daily amount of worm's cast was 1.42 g in E. andrei and 0.40 g in A. agrestis. In the organic waste material, the cast of E. andrei was 0.78~0.83 g and the cast of A. agrestis. have not been collected because all earthworms died after the treatment. The heavy metals treated in the upland soil were evaluated the impact of the worm excretion. With the E. andrei, the cast production was decreased 0.1~0.8 times in zinc, 0.2~0.5 times in copper, and 0.1~0.7 times in cadmium compared to the control treatment according to the levels of concentration. With A. agrestis, the cast amount was decreased 0.3~1.1 times in zinc, 0.2~0.3 times in copper, and 0.1~2.1 times in cadmium, respectively. The changes of pollutant contents before and after the eating of the organic wastes with E. andrei were studied. In the treatment of the Alcohol Fermentation Processing Sludge and the Fruit Juice Processing Sludge, heavy metal content of the cast was increased 0.7~53.3% compared to the sludge materials. PAHs contents were decreased 50.1% in the cast of the Alcohol Fermentation Processing Sludge and 36.6% in the cast of the Fruit Juice Processing Sludge, respectively. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, although the A. agrestis was bigger than E. andrei in size and weight, the cast amount of A. agrestis was small. The two species of earthworm was less excretion with high concentration of heavy metals. While the heavy metals such as zinc, copper, and cadmium were considerably accumulated in the cast, the total compounds, PAHs were fairly decomposed. There results would provide us for restoring contaminated soil and cleaning organic wastes.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.230-236
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• 2006

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the application of compost on the availability of micronutrients in lettuce. Micronutrient contents of manure-based composts containing various other source materials were investigated. Total and extractable contents of micronutrients in the composts were analysed. Pots containing soil of relatively low micronutrient levels were treated with 1,000 and $2,000kg\;10a^{-1}$ of compost and used to grow lettuce plants under greenhouse conditions. Fresh and dry weights of lettuce and micronutrient uptake were determined after harvest. Manure-based composts of various other source materials contained very different amounts of total and extractable micronutrients. Total contents of B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo and Zn were in the range of 26-42, 27-160, 4,300-9,500, 290-790, 0-0.5 and $140-420mg\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. The contents of 0.1 N HCl extractable B, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn were 23-32, 1.3-2.6, <1, 7-32 and 0.5-5% of total content, respectively. Contents of micronutrients extractable in DTPA solution were generally higher than those extractable in 0.1 N HCl. It was found that the fresh and dry matter productions of the plants were significantly higher in the compost treatment of $2,000kg\;10a^{-1}$. Lettuce grown in soil treated 1,000 and $2,000kg\;10a^{-1}$ of manure-based compost contained higher levels of B, Cu, Mo and Zn than lettuce grown without compost application. However, contents of Fe and Mn in lettuce were relatively lower in the compost treatments. In the compost treatments the proportions of micronutrients in soil and plant were all in the optimum ranges and below the toxicity levels. The results obtained allow us to establish that commercial composts could be used as soil amendment for plastic film house crop production with sufficient supply of micronutrients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.12
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• pp.1642-1647
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• 2011

The free radical scavenging activities of extracts from Ligustrum ovalifolium H. leaves (LOH) as well as various antioxidant activities such as ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity, reducing power and lipid peroxidation inhibition were evaluated by electron spin resonance (ESR). The total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of the water and ethanolic extracts from LOH were $105.5{\pm}1.31$ and $102.1{\pm}1.82$ mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract, respectively, and $84{\pm}1.72$ and $82.8{\pm}1.65$ mg catechin equivalent/g extract. In addition, $IC_{50}$ values for the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryldrazyl (DPPH), alkyl, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities of the water and ethanolic extracts were $0.021{\pm}0.002$ and $0.010{\pm}0.003$ mg/mL, $0.011{\pm}0.003$ and $0.012{\pm}0.002$ mg/mL, and $0.395{\pm}0.002$ and $0.443{\pm}0.002$ mg/mL, respectively. The ABTS radical scavenging activities of the water and ethanolic extracts from LOH and BHT were $0.073{\pm}0.12$, $0.130{\pm}0.06$ and $1.461{\pm}0.02$ mM Trolox equivalent/mg extract, respectively. The FRAP values of the extracts from LOH were higher than those of BHT, which was used as a positive control. The LOH extracts showed strong inhibitory effects on lipid peroxidation as measured by ferric thiocyanate (FTC) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assay compared to that of ${\alpha}$-tocopherol. Using MTT assay on human liver cells (Chang), extracts from LOH showed no toxicity at a concentration of 0.5 mg/mL. These results indicate that the LOH extracts possessed antioxidant activity.