• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.564-569
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• 2019

Heavy drinking disrupts the nervous system by activation of GABA receptors and inhibition of glutamate receptors, thereby preventing short-term memory formation. Degradation of cognition by alcohol induces blackouts, and it can lead to alcoholic dementia if repeated. Therefore, drugs need to be developed to prevent alcohol-induced blackout. In this study, we confirmed the effect of an ethanol extract of Cassia obtusifolia seeds (COE) on alcohol-induced memory impairment. The effects of COE and ethanol on cognitive functions mice were examined using the passive avoidance and Y-maze tests. The manner in which alcohol affects long-term potentiation (LTP) in relation to the learning and memory was confirmed by electrophysiology performed on mouse hippocampal slices. We also measured N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated field excitatory synapses (fEPSPs), which have a known association with cognitive impairment caused by ethanol. Ethanol caused memory impairments in passive avoidance and Y-maze tests. COE prevented these ethanol-induced memory impairments in these tests. Ethanol also blocked LTP induction in the mouse hippocampus, and COE prevented this ethanol-induced LTP deficit. Ethanol decreased NMDA receptor-mediated fEPSPs in the mouse hippocampus, and this decrease was prevented by COE. These results suggest that COE might be useful in preventing alcohol-induced neurological dysfunctions, including blackouts.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1584-1591
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• 2008

The effect of Chlorella hot water extract (CE) on hyperglycemia in streptozotocin- induced diabetic rats has not been studied. Therefore, hypoglycemic effect of CE in type I streptozotocin- induced diabetic rats was studied. Rats were fed a semisynthetic diet supplemented with either 3% (the STZ+CE3) and 6% (the STZ+CE6) CE or no supplement the Normal and the STZ-Control rats for 4 weeks. The concentrations of fasting and non-fasting blood glucose were higher in the STZ-Control rats than in the Normal rats, but this rise was lowered in the STZ+CE3 and the STZ+CE6 rats. Serum insulin concentrations were decreased with STZ injection, however, the decreased levels were almost restored to the Normal level with CE supplementation. The increased serum fructosamine levels associated with hyperglycemia were decreased with the CE treatment. The morphology of pancreatic islets in the Normal rat was round and maintained a typical arrangement. The STZ-Control pancreatic beta-cells were found to have significant swelling and severely morphological damaged, however, pancreatic tissue damage by STZ in the CE-supplemented diet group was ameliorated. This study shows that Chlorella hot water extract had a hypoglycemic effect on the STZ-diabetic rats via either increased insulin secretion during recovery or the prevention of STZ-induced pancreatic damage.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.662-668
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• 2007

Studies have shown that onions exhibit a wide variety of health-promoting properties. The health benefits by the onion have been attributed to its ability to scavenge free radicals, to reduce blood lipids, to lower blood pressure, and to inhibit platelet aggregation. This study was performed to investigate whether onion extract supplementation would affect the blood markers of ethanol-induced fatty liver in rats. Initially, male Sprague-Dawley rats were housed singly in a room of controlled temperature and lighting and had free access to a nutritionally adequate AIN-93G and deionized water. The rats were trained for meal feeding to prevent a decline in food intake, as inevitably observed following an ethanol feeding. After the training period, rats were weight-matched and assigned to the following three groups: 1) a control group, fed the AIN-93G diet alone (control); 2) an ethanol group, fed the AIN-93G diet with ethanol at 4 g/day/kg body weight (ethanol); and 3) an onion group, fed the AIN-93G diet with ethanol plus supplemental freeze-dried onion powder at 500 mg/day/rat (ethanol + onion). All three group were meal-fed 7.0 g of their respective diets at 0900 h and 7.5 g at 1600 h for 28 days. At 0, 2, and 4 wk, blood was collected via the orbital sinus and organs were collected following overnight food deprivation. Both control and experimental groups continually gained weight throughout the study. No significant differences in the weights of the liver, kidneys, heart, spleen, and testis were observed. However, the serum level of triglycerides was significantly increased by ethanol but significantly decreased by onion extract. The activities of serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) at 4 wk were significantly increased by ethanol feeding but were significantly decreased by onion supplementation. However, no differences among groups were observed in the serum levels of alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, bilirubin, and protein. These results provide that onion extract favorably affect alcoholic fatty liver by decreasing the serum concentration of triglyceride and the activities of GOT and GPT.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.416-423
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• 1989

In order to produce clear and favorable citrus wine from Citrus unshiu produced in Cheju island, chemical and microbiological processes for alcoholic fermentation were investigated. The ratio of pressed juice passed below 100 mesh sieve and peel of mandarin orange were 55.9% and 25.6% respectively. Orange juice for fermentation source contained 8.85% total sugar, 1.43% total acid and 0.056% volatile acid. Pressed juice was adjusted to 24 degree Brix with cane sugar, and was fermented at $20^{\circ}C$ for one month. Starter screened and selected was Saccharomyces cerevisiae IAM 4274. As principal fermentation proceeded for one week, suspended solids began to precipitate slowly after then. After fermentation, clear citrus wine consisted of about 8 degree Brix residual sugar, $13.3{\sim}14.4%$ ethanol, $0.78{\sim}1.11%$ total acid, $0.05{\sim}0.07%$ methanol and $2.25{\sim}3.29%$ extract, was obtained. Color, flavor and taste of citrus wine found good with panel test. Citrus wine which was treated with fungal enzyme derived from Aspergillus niger CCM-4 was cleared much faster, and could be filtered more rapidly than the untreated. The enzyme-producing strain was isolated from field soil of Cheju island and identified.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.425-430
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• 2008

Hydrogen sulfide ($H_2S$) is a by-product of metabolism of amino acids including sulfur and alcoholic fermentation, it is generally thought of in terms of a poisonous gas. Though $H_2S$ can have a negative impact on the perceived quality of fermented drinks due to an undesirable aroma, it plays prominent roles as a neuromodulator in the mammalian brain as well as a smooth muscle relaxant. Nowadays studies on the proteins which produce $H_2S$ are carried out in various fields such as structure, function, and metabolism. Here we propose to develop a simple and rapid $H_2S$ forming assay method, which will lead to speed up preparing the $H_2S$ forming proteins for identification by MALDI-TOF MS analysis. We detected three kinds of proteins which produce $H_2S$ in the crude extract of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Those proteins were cystathionie $\beta$-synthase, O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase, and cystathionine $\gamma$-lyase.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.11
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• pp.1642-1647
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• 2014

In this study, we investigated the hepatoprotective effects of garlic extracts fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum on alcohol-induced fatty liver damage in C57BL/6J mice. The weight of liver tissue of the lactic acid-fermented garlic extract (LAFGE) diet groups decreased in a dose-dependent manner compared to that of the normal diet group. The activities of typical serum enzymes such as ALT, AST, and ALP were low in the LAFGE 200 mg/kg administered group. The LAFGE 200 mg/kg administered group significantly decreased values of TBIL and DBIL, which are an important index of liver damage. LAFGE also ameliorated alcohol-induced hepatic lipid accumulation in histological analysis dose-dependently. In addition, total GSH and reduced GSH levels in LAFGE-treated groups were gradually recovered up to normal levels. The present study revealed that LAFGE improved unique tastes and odors of raw garlic through lactic acid fermentation technology and thus could be a commercially potential material for hepatoprotective functional foods against alcoholic fatty liver.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1723-1727
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• 2008

Chlorella sp. CMS-1 strain was isolated from the outdoors cultivation pools in Culmansa Co., Ltd. This strain was found to be a rounded type of 3 ${\mu}m$. Phylogenetic analysis by the 18S rRNA sequencing using isolated strain is most similar to Chlorella sp. IFRPD 1018 gene at the level of nucleotide sequence identity at 99%. Accordingly, the isolated Chlorella strain was named as Chlorella sp. CMS-1 based on its morphological and phylogenetic properties. The concentrations of crude protein and fat were 59% and 0.01%, respectively. Major compositional amino acids (mg%) were glutamic acid 6.21, alanine 5.76, aspartic acid 5.44%, glycine 4.29%, and threonine 3.09% and major free amino acids (mg%) were ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid (GABA) 7.13%, L-alanine 1.44%, L-glutamic acid 0.90, L-leucine 0.26% and L-glycine 0.20%. The concentrations of major minerals were P 2.25%, K 2.25%, Na 1.09%, Mg 0.63%, and Ca 0.28%.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1391-1398
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• 2005

The anti-thrombic properties of the oriental herbal medicine Daejowhan(DJW, 大造丸) which consists of 11 kinds of herbs (indicated as ratio) of Rehmanniae Radix 24%, Hominis Placenta 5%, Testudinis Carapax 9%, Eucommiae Cortex 9%, Asparagi Radix 9%, Phellodendri Cortex 9%, Achyranthis Radix 7%, Liriopis Tuber 7%, Angelicae Sinensis Radix 7%, Ginseng Radix 5% and Schizandrae Fructus 3% were investigated. The water extracts from DJW inhibited Platelet-activating factor(PAF) induced platelet aggregation. DJW was extracted with methanol and further fractionated by ethylacetate. A 70% methanol extract showed a strong inhibition against PAF-induced aggregation in vitro and in vivo assays. The ethylacetate soluble fraction was shown to have inhibitory effect on PAF-induced platelet aggregation in vitro assay. The ethylacetate soluble fraction specially protected against the lethality of PAF, while verapamil did not afford any protection. These results indicate that the water extracts and alcoholic-fractions inhibit the action of PAF in vivo by an antagonistic effect on PAF, so that it may be useful in treating disorders caused by PAF, such as acute allergy, inflammation, asthma, gastrointestinal ulceration, toxic shock and so forth. DJW was investigated regarding its assumed anti-thrombic action on human platelets which was deduced from its ability to suppress Arachidonic acid(AA)-induced aggregation, exocytosis of ATP, and inhibition of Cyclooxygenase(COX) and Thromboxane synthase(TXS) activity. The latter two effects were estimated from the generation of Prostaglandin $E_2(PGE_2)$ and Thromboxane $A_2(TXA_2)$ respectively. Exogenously applied AA ($100{\mu}mol/{\ell}$) provoked a $89\%$ aggregation of platelets, the release of 14 pmol ATP, and the formation of either 225 pg $TXA_2$ or 45 pg $PGE_2$, each parameter being related to 106 platelets. An application of DJW 5 min before AA dose-dependently diminished aggregation, ATP-release and the synthesis of $TXA_2$ and $PGE_2$ with $IC_{50}$ values of 74, 108, 65, $72{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, respectively. The similarity of the $IC_{50}$ values suggest an inhibition of COX by DJW as primary target, thus suppressing the generation of $TXA_2$ which induces aggregation of platelets and exocytosis of ATP by its binding on $TXA_2$-receptors.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.145-252
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• 1987

Isolated rat adipocytes are well known to possess opposite pathways of lipid metabolism: lipolysis and ipogenesis. Both of the metabolism respond to various biologically active substances such as epinephrine, ACTH and insulin. Epinephrine and ACTH stimulate lipolysis and insulin accelerates lipogenesis. Recently, Korean red ginseng powder was found to contain adenosine and an acidic poptide which inhibited epinephrine-induced lipolysis and sl imulated insulin-mediated lipogenesis from added glucose. The acidic peptide is consisted mainly of glutamic acid and glucose. Ginsenosides Rb1 and Re inhibited ACTH-induced lipolysis in isolated rat adipocytes, while they did not affect insulinstimulated lipogenesis, Thus, all these substances extracted from Korean red ginseng exhibited selective modulations toward the opposite metabolic pathways in rat adipocyte; They inhibited the lipolysis but not the lipogenesis. We call these substances"selective modulators". Recently, we isolated a toxic substance named "toxohormone-L " from ascites fluid of patients with various malignant tumors. The toxohormone-L stimulated lipolysis in rat adipocytes and induced anorexia in rats. Both the lipolytic and the anorexigenic actions of toxohormone-L were found to be inhibited by ginsenoside Rb2 in Korean red ginseng. Based on these results, physiological signifi¬cances of these substances in Korean red ginseng were discussed. Pan ax ginseng is a medicinal plant long used in treatment of various pathological states including general complaints such as head ache, shoulder ache, chilly constitution and anorexia in cancer patients, There have been many pharmacological studies on Panax ginseng roots. Petkovllreported that oral administration of an aqueous alcoholic extract of ginseng roots decreased the blood sugar levtl of rabbits. Saito2lreported that Panax ginseng suppressed hyperglycemia induced by epinephrine and high carbohydrate diets. These findings suggest that Panax ginseng roots contain insulin-like substances. Previously, we demonstrated that gin¬seng roots contain an insulin-like peptide which inhibits epinephrine-induced lipolysis and stimulated insulin-mediated lipogenesis. In 1984, we suggested that such an insulin-like substance should be called a selective modulator4). Present investigation describes the details of the selective modulators in ginseng roots. During progressive weight loss in patients with various neoplastic disease, depletion of fat stores have been observed. The depletion of body fat during growth of neoplasms is associated with increase in plasma free fatty acids. Recently, we found that the ascites fluid from patients with hepatoma or ovarian tumor and the pleural fluid from patients with malignant lymphoma elicited fatty acid release in slices of rat adipose tissue in vitro. The lipolytic factor, named"toxohormone-L". was purifed from the ascites fluid of patients with hepatoma. The isolated preparation gave a single band on both disc gel electrophoresis and sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS)-acrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of ${\beta}$-mercaptoethanol. Its molecular weight was determined to be 70,000-75,000 and 65,000 by SDS-acrylamide gel electrophoresis and analytical ultracentrifugation, respectively. Injection of toxohormone-L into the lateral ventricle of rats significantly suppressed food and water intakes. There was at least 5 hr delay between its injection and appearance of its suppressive effect. In the present study, we also tried to find a inhibitory substance toward toxohormone-L from root powder of ginseng.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.1031-1039
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• 2017

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential effects of extracts from silkworm Bombyx mori L. fermented with Bacillus subtilis KACC 91157 at levels of 5%(v/w) and 10%(v/w) in Sprague-Dawley rats intoxicated with 1%(w/w) orotic acid (OA) for 10 days. The rats were divided into a normal group (N), a control group (C: OA), and treatment groups (SP10: OA + 10% extracts from B. mori L.; BSP5: OA + 5% extracts from B. mori L. fermented with B. subtilis KACC 91157; BSP10: OA + 10% extracts from B. mori L. fermented with B. subtilis KACC 91157). Serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) increased following OA feeding, but the rise was slightly reduced by administration of BSP10. The total lipid, free fatty acid, phospholipid, total cholesterol, and triglyceride contents in serum were significantly lower in the OA treatment groups than in the N group. However, the contents slightly increased following the administration of BSP10. Glutathione concentrations in liver and serum were reduced in the OA-induced fatty liver, but they increased following the administration of BSP10. Hepatocytes in the OA-induced fatty liver contained numerous large droplets. However, SP10, BSP5, and BSP10 feeding prevented OA-induced lipid droplet accumulation in hepatocytes. Accordingly, extracts from silkworm powder fermented with B. subtilis could be an ideal material as a dietary supplement in healthy functional foods to improve the effects of fatty liver.