• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.485-501
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• 1998

Cortex Mori (Moros alba L.), the root bark of mulberry tree has been used as an autiphlogistic, diuretic and expectorant in herval medicine. Recently, a few papers reported that phenolic extract of Cortex Mori had the hypotensive, hypoglycemic, antiviral and anticancer effects, and hot water extract of Cortex Mori(CM) had inhibitory effect on the degranulation and histamine release from activated mast cells. These previous studies suggest a possibility that CM has an antidotal activity against inflammation which was mediated mainly by macrophage-secreting inflammatory factors. This study was performed to evaluate the influences of CM on carrageenan-induced edema in vivo and release of inflammatory mediators such as NO, TNF and IL-1 by macrophages stimulated with LPS or $IFN-{\gamma}$ in vitro. Subcutaneous injections of carrageenan into the mouse paw rapidly induced local edema by increasing vascular permeability, but single intraperitoneal injection of CM extract at 30 minutes before carrageenan suppressed the development of edema. NO and TNF production from macrophage stimulated by LPS or $IFN-{\gamma}$ were significantly suppressed, especially TNF secretion by up to 3-4 folds. LPS stimulated IL-1 production was also inhibited, but not significantly. Cell viability assay verified that the inhibition was not due to general cell toxicity. These results suggest that reduction of NO, TNF and IL-1 production may be one of the means by which CM prevent inflammation associated diseases.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.128-136
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• 2009

Objective: To investigate a clinical worth of combination therapy of Oriental and conventional cancer treatment focusing on reduction of chemotherapy-induced side effects. Methods: 110 patients treated by Oriental treatment after intravenous or oral chemotherapy were reviewed, from January, 2005 to April, 2008 at the East-West Cancer Center of Dunsan Oriental hospital. Symptoms were investigated by National Cancer Institute-Common Toxicity Criteria (NCI-CTC) Version 2.0. Results: 80% patients of 110 patients had at least one symptom among eight main side effects (neutropenia, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomatitis, constipation, headache). The presence of those was as follows: nausea 63%, anorexia 61 %, neutropenia 45%, vomiting 28%, constipation 21 %, headache 19%, diarrhea 11 %, and stomatitis 10%. Except neutropenia, above symptoms has ameliorated by Oriental treatment in seven treat days. Conclusions: This study first presented the general characteristics of cancer patients treated by Oriental and conventional therapy, and showed a clinical potential of combinational therapy aiming to chemotherapy-induced side effects.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.408-420
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• 2016

This study proposes an alternative approach for the use of chitosan silver-based dressing for the control of foot infection with multidrug-resistant bacteria. Sixty-five bacterial isolates were isolated from 40 diabetic patients. Staphylococcus aureus (37%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18.5%) were the predominant isolates in the ulcer samples. Ten antibiotics were in vitro tested against diabetic foot clinical bacterial isolates. The most resistant S. aureus and P. aeruginosa isolates were then selected for further study. Three chitosan sources were tested individually for chelating silver nanoparticles. Squilla chitosan silver nanoparticles (Sq. Cs-Ag⁰) showed the maximum activity against the resistant bacteria when mixed with amikacin that showed the maximum synergetic index. This, in turn, resulted in the reduction of the amikacin MIC value by 95%. For evaluation of the effectiveness of the prepared dressing using Artemia salina as the toxicity biomarker, the LC₅₀ was found to be 549.5, 18,000, and 10,000 μg/ml for amikacin, Sq. Cs-Ag⁰, and dressing matrix, respectively. Loading the formula onto chitosan hydrogel dressing showed promising antibacterial activities, with responsive healing properties for the wounds in normal rats of those diabetic rats (polymicrobial infection). It is quite interesting to note that no emergence of any side effect on either kidney or liver biomedical functions was noticed.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.13 no.3_4
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• pp.105-115
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• 1998

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly reactive molecules due to their unpaired electron. They have been suspected as one of the major tissue damage inducers in biological metabolic systems. Antioxidant enzymes, such as catalase and superoxide dismutase, could not repair all the oxidative damages resulting from those excessive toxic ROS. It is, therefore, urgent to develop effective antioxidants to relieve from the oxidatire damages. In this study antioxidative effects were investigated by using two flavonoids such as quercetin and naringenin and a flavonoid-rich extract, Ginkgo biloba extract in combination with paraquat that is known as a strong generator of oxygen radicals. The results are summeringed as follows: 1. To assess radical scavenging ability reduction concentrations (IC$_{50}$) of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazine (DPPH) within 15 minutes were measured. The values of the IC$_{50}$ of quercetin and Ginkgo biloba extract were 15.4 $\mu$M and 13.2$\mu$g/ml, respectively. Their radical removing activities showed concentration-dependent manners. 2. In the hydrogen peroxide assay by using PMS-NADH system, quercetin, naringenin and Ginkgo biloba extract led to removing hydrogen peroxide in concentrationdependent manner whose removing abilities at 100$\mu$M or 100 $\mu$g/ml were 75.6, 25.8 and 26.0%, respectively. 3. In the hydrogen peroxide-induced rat blood hemolysis assay all three compounds led to similar effects whose hemolysis inhibition ratios at 100$\mu$M or 100$\mu$g/ml were 68.0, 5.14 and 55.8%, respectively. 4. In the xanthinee oxidase assay by measuring degree of NADH oxidation in the presence of hypoxanthine and xanthinee oxidase, both quercetin and Ginkgo biloba extract showed excellent activities showing 42.8 and 24.2% inhibiting xanthine oxidase activity at 100$\mu$M or 100$\mu$g/ml concentrations, respectively.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.14-21
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• 2006

The aim of this study was to investigate in vivo toxicity and effects of two phthalate esters (PEs), di-n-butylphthalate (DBP) and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), on the immune system of the bagrid catfish, Pseudobagrus fulvidraco. Groups of experimental fish were subjected to daily intraperitoneal injections of 300 or 1000 mg $kg^{-1}$ of DBP or DEHP for 3 days, and the cellularity and functional activity of phagocytes were measured in the spleen and pronephros (head kidney). The number of spleen leukocyte cells increased significantly (p<0.05) in response to low and high doses of DEHP and DBP, respectively; however, the cellularity of the pronephros was more susceptible to higher dose of DEHP than DBP. Nonspecific immunity, as determined by the phagocytic index (PI) and phagocytic capacity (PC), was significantly depressed by DEHP at 1000 $1000mg\;kg^{-1}\;day^{-1}$ in the pronephros at 3 days after injection. Furthermore, significantly (p<0.05) increased levels of serum glutamic oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvate transaminase (GPT) indicated marked hepatic dysfunction in immunosuppressed fish. Treated fish showed a significant reduction in total serum protein but no significant alteration in lysozyme activity. These results demonstrate the sensitivity of the fish immune response for predicting PE-induced immunotoxicity.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2018.04a
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• pp.95-95
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• 2018

Uric acid is the end product of purine metabolism in human body, originating from hypoxanthine after enzyme catalysis by Xanthine oxidase (XOD). Hyperuricemia results as a result of either over-generation of uric acid or a reduction in its excretion. In silico modelling methods such as Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicity (ADMET) prediction, Autodock 4.2.6 program were used to study the potential inhibitory compounds of XOD. Also we investigated the inhibition of XOD activity by using the extracts of Dendropanax morbifera and Rubus coreanus Miq spectrophotometrically. According to ADMET data, several compounds from D. morbifera and R. coreanus plants, were found to be more potent in inhibiting the XOD activity than allopurinol. XOD inhibitory activity is evaluated by quantifying the formation of uric acid by measuring the absorbance at 290 m ($A_{290}$).D. morbifera extract inhibited XOD activity at $250{\mu}g/ml$, however the extracts from R. coreanus has inhibited XOD activity at $25{\mu}g/ml$. The major compound of R. coreanus, ellagic acid significantly increased the inhibition rate from $9{\mu}g/ml$ and showed a 71% suppression rate at $15{\mu}g/ml$. Finally, these results suggested a potential inhibitory activities of the extracts from D. morbifera and R. coreanus Miq, but further research is needed to validate to ensure their safe usage as drug.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.43-49
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• 2005

Objectives : The present study was carried out to determine if Glycyrrhizae Radix extract exerts beneficial effect against the ischemia-induced acute renal failure in rabbits. Glycyrrhizae Radix was known to reinforce the function of the spleen and replenish Qi, remove heat and counteract toxicity, dispel phlegm and relieve cough, alleviate spasmodic pain, and to moderate drug actions. It's indications are weakness of the spleen and the stomach marked by lassitude and weakness; cardiac palpitation and shortness of breath; cough with much phlegm: spasmodic pain in the epigastrium, abdomen and limbs: carbuncles and sores. It is often used for reducing the toxic or drastic actions of other drugs. Methods : Antioxidative effect of 3% concentration of Glycyrrhizae Radix extract was measured. Rabbits were treated with Glycyrrhizae Radix extract via i.v., followed by renal ischemia/reperfusion, and the changes of urine volume, serum creatinine levels, glomerular filtration rate(GFR), fractional Na+ excretion$(FE\;Na^+)\;and\;K^+\;excretion(FE\;K^+)$ in ischemia/reperfusion induced acute renal failure were measured. Results : Renal ischemia/reperfusion caused increase of serum creatinine level, which was accompanied by a reduction in glomerular filtration rate(GFR). The fractional excretion of $Na^+\;and\;K^+$ increased in ischemia-induced animals, which was partially prevented by Glycyrrhizae Radix extract treatment. Conclusions : These results indicate that lipid peroxidation plays a critical role in ischemia-induced acute renal failure. Glycyrrhizae Radix extract exerts the protective effect against acute renal failure induced by renal ischemia/reperfusion, and its effect may be attributed to an antioxidant action.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.273-281
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• 2007

Zinc compounds have been used in various fields - cosmetics, medicine, and dentistry -because of its effective functions to human tissues or organs. Especially, it is well known that zinc has many biologic effects in oral cavity. Zinc ion can affect various oral microorganisms, resulting in reduction of oral bacteria, dental plaque, and dental caries. Also, zinc ion has an ability to reduce amounts of oral anaerobic bacteria and oral VSC and can reduce oral malodor. The author summarized the characteristics and toxicity of zinc, several forms of zinc compounds applied in human tissues, and reviewed biologic effects of Zinc in oral cavity (anti-bacterial effects, anti-plaque effects, anti-caries effects, and anti-VSC effects of zinc). Because of many advantages of zinc in oral cavity, it can be concluded that application of zinc compound to various oral diseases will be extended and activated, and promising.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.151-158
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• 2015

This study was conducted to find out the changes of survival, respiration and organ structure of Tegillarca granosa exposed to copper (Cu). Experimental period was four weeks. Experimental groups were composed of one control condition and three copper exposure conditions (0.125, 0.250 and 0.500 mg/L). The results of the study confirmed that copper induces reduction of survival rate and respiration rate and histopathology of organ structure of the bivalve. In the copper concentration of 0.500 mg/L, mortality was 66.7% after Cu exposure of 4 weeks. Respiration rate was observed exposure groups lower than control decline by 18%. Histological analysis of organ system illustrated degeneration of epithelial layer and connective tissue layer of the mantle. Also, histological degenerations as epithelial atrophy and disappearance of lateral cilia are recognized in the gill and it was observed expansion of hemolymph sinus, disruption of epithelial layer, acidification of mucous and degeneration of muscle fiber bundles in the foot. In the digestive diverticulum, it was showed atrophy and destruction of basophilic cell and epithelial cell in the digestive tubules.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.19-25
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• 2008

Objectives : This study was performed to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of water extracts from Thujae Semen(TSW) in PC12 cells. Methods : We performed 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH) radical scavenging assay, 2,2-azinobis- (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid(ABTS) cation scavenging assay, and determination of total polyphenolic content to examine the antioxidant effects of TSW. We also carried out 3-(4,5- dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide assay(MTT), reactve oxygen species(ROS) assay, and nitric oxide(NO) assay to examine neuroprotective effects against 6-hydroxydopamine(6-OHDA) in PC12 cells. Results : TSW showed $IC_{50}$ values of 404.3 and 219.9 ${\mu}g/mL$ in DPPH and in ABTS assays, respectively. TSW showed 9.74 ${\mu}g/mL$ of total polyphenol contents. TSW incresed cell viability in a dose dependent manner and it showed protective effect against 6-OHDA neurotoxicity at the concentration of 25-200 ${\mu}g/mL$. Moreover, it recovered 6-OHDA induced cell death at the same concentrations. The extract showed a dose dependent reduction of ROS and NO generation by 6-OHDA. Conclusions : We concluded that TSW has neuroprotective effect against 6-OHDA-induced toxicity in PC12 cells through ROS and NO inhibition.