• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.169-174
• /
• 2015

Cervical cancer (CxCa) is the most common cancer in women and a prominent cause of cancer mortality worldwide. The primary cause of CxCa is human papillomavirus (HPV). Radiation therapy and chemotherapy have been used as standard treatments, but they have undesirable side effects for patients. It was reported that gallic acid has antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities. Gold nanoparticles are currently being used in medicine as biosensors and drug delivery agents. This study aimed to develop a drug delivery agent using gold nanoparticles conjugated with gallic acid. The study was performed in uninfected (C33A) cervical cancer cells, cervical cancer cells infected with HPV type 16 (CaSki) or 18 (HeLa), and normal Vero kidney cells. The results showed that GA inhibited the proliferation of cancer cells by inducing apoptosis. To enhance the efficacy of this anticancer activity, 15-nm spherical gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were used to deliver GA to cancer cells. The GNPs-GA complex had a reduced ability compared to unmodified GA to inhibit the growth of CxCa cells. It was interesting that high-concentration ($150{\mu}M$) GNPs-GA was not toxic to normal cells, whereas GA alone was cytotoxic. In conclusion, GNPs-GA could inhibit CxCa cell proliferation less efficiently than GA, but it was not cytotoxic to normal cells. Thus, gold nanoparticles have the potential to be used as phytochemical delivery agents for alternative cancer treatment to reduce the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.60 no.5
• /
• pp.8.1-8.9
• /
• 2018

Background: Indiscriminate use of antibiotics in livestock and poultry farming has caused emergence of new pathogenic strains. The situation has warrented the development of safe and alternative growth promoters and immunity enhancers in livestock. Herbal additives in animal and bird feed is a centuries-old practice. Thus, the present study investigated the efficacy of a standardized formulation of lipophilic turmeric extract containing curcumin and turmerones, (TF-36), as a natural growth promoter poultry feed additive. Methods: The study was designed on 180 one-day old chicks, assigned into three groups. Control group ($T_0$) kept on basal diet and supplemented groups $T_{0.5}$ and $T_1$ fed with 0.5% and 1% TF-36 fortified basal diet for 42 days. Each dietary group consisted of six replicates of ten birds. Body weight, food intake, food conversion ratio, skin colour, blood biochemical analysis and antioxidant status of serum were investigated. Results: Body weight improved significantly in $T_1$ with a 10% decrease in FCR as compared to the control. TF-36 supplementation in $T_1$ enhanced the antioxidant enzyme activity significantly (p < 0.05) with a decrease (p < 0.05) in lipid peroxidation. It also caused a slight yellow skin pigmentation without any change in meat color, indicating the bioavailability of curcumin from TF-36. However, no significant change in the concentration of serum creatinine, total protein and liver enzyme activities were observed, indicating the safety. Conclusion: In summary, we concluded that TF-36 can be a natural feed additive to improve growth performance in poultry, probably due to the better antioxidant activity and antimicrobial effects contributed by the better bioavailability of curcuminoids and turmerones. Besides, curcuminoids and turmerones were also known to be gastroprotective and anti-inflammatory agents.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.487-497
• /
• 2018

Controlling of microorganisms in the industrial process is important for production and distribution of hatching and table eggs. In the previous study, we reported that chlorine dioxide ($ClO_2$) gas of a proper concentration and humidity can significantly reduce the load of Salmonella spp. on eggshells. In this study, we compared microbial reduction efficacy on egg's surface using hatching eggs and table eggs, internal quality of table eggs, and hatchability after both the conventional method (washing and UV expose, fumigation with formalin) and $ClO_2$ gas disinfection. Application of 40 ppm $ClO_2$ gas to the table and hatching eggs, respectively, reduced the aerobic plate count (APC) with no statistical difference compared with the conventional methods. Additionally, we didn't observed that any significant difference in albumin height, Haugh unit (HU), and yolk color, this result confirms that 40 ppm $ClO_2$ had no effect on the internal quality of the table eggs, when comparing with the UV treatment method. The hatchability of hatching eggs was not statistical different between formaldehyde fumigation and 80 ppm $ClO_2$ gas treatment, though the value was decreased at high concentration of 160 ppm $ClO_2$ gas. From these results, we recommend that $ClO_2$ gas can be used as a safe disinfectant to effectively control egg surface microorganisms without affecting egg quality.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.134-138
• /
• 2017

Salmonella enterica infects a broad range of host animals, and zoonostic infection threatens both public health and the livestock and meat processing industries. Many antimicrobials have been developed to target Salmonella envelope that performs essential bacterial functions; however, there are very few analytical methods that can be used to validate the efficacy of these antimicrobials. In this study, to develop a potential biosensor for Salmonella envelope stress, we examined the transcription of the S. enterica serovar typhimurium spy gene, the ortholog of which in Escherichia coli encodes Spy (${\underline{s}}pheroplast$ ${\underline{p}}rotein$ ${\underline{y}}$). Spy is a chaperone protein expressed and localized in the periplasm of E. coli during spheroplast formation, or by exposure to protein denaturing conditions. spy expression in S. typhimurium was examined by constructing a spy-gfp transcriptional fusion. S. typhimurium spy transcription was strongly induced during spheroplast formation, and also when exposed to membrane-disrupting agents, including ethanol and the antimicrobial peptide polymyxin B. Moreover, spy induction required the activity of regulator proteins BaeR and CpxR, which are part of the major envelope stress response systems BaeS/BaeR and CpxA/CpxR, respectively. Results suggest that monitoring spy transcription may be useful to determine whether a molecule particularly cause envelope stress in Salmonella.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.6
• /
• pp.28.1-28.7
• /
• 2016

Background: Significant increases in the bacterial resistance to various antibiotics have been found in fish farms. Non-antibiotic therapies for infectious diseases in aquaculture are needed. In recent years, light-emitting diode technology has been applied to the inactivation of pathogens, especially those affecting humans. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of blue light (wavelengths 405 and 465 nm) on seven major bacterial pathogens that affect fish and shellfish important in aquaculture. Results: We successfully demonstrate inactivation activity of a 405/465-nm LED on selected bacterial pathogens. Although some bacteria were not fully inactivated by the 465-nm light, the 405-nm light had a bactericidal effect against all seven pathogens, indicating that blue light can be effective without the addition of a photosensitizer. Photobacterium damselae, Vibrio anguillarum, and Edwardsiella tarda were the most susceptible to the 405-nm light (36.1, 41.2, and $68.4J\;cm^{-2}$, respectively, produced one log reduction in the bacterial populations), whereas Streptococcus parauberis was the least susceptible ($153.8J\;cm^{-2}$ per one log reduction). In general, optical density (OD) values indicated that higher bacterial densities were associated with lower inactivating efficacy, with the exception of P. damselae and Vibrio harveyi. In conclusion, growth of the bacterial fish and shellfish pathogens evaluated in this study was inactivated by exposure to either the 405- or 465-nm light. In addition, inactivation was dependent on exposure time. Conclusions: This study presents that blue LED has potentially alternative therapy for treating fish and shellfish bacterial pathogens. It has great advantages in aspect of eco-friendly treating methods differed from antimicrobial methods.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.100-106
• /
• 2013

A clinical trial was performed to assess clinical efficacy and/or reduction in relapses by gold-bead implantation into acupuncture points in dogs with canine chronic recurrent otitis externa (CCROE). Forty dog-patients randomly divided into two groups were diagnosed as suffering CCROE, having intact tympanic membranes and a history of recurrences. Treatments were: control group (CG), treated with commercially available antimicrobial otic droplets, dosed twice daily for 7 days; and experimental group (GBI- gold bead implants), treated as for CG plus the insertion of 13 gold-bead implants under light anesthesia. Overall per cent assessment of composite clinical progression and progression of individual clinical signs were recorded. Bilateral chronic external otitis was diagnosed in 60% of the cases and left or right otitis in 20% of the cases each. Logistic model for repeated measures analysis showed that GBI induced a better clinical recovery as far as lesion score of some clinical signs is concerned. The overall percent cures of each group showed statistically significant difference. A McNemar analysis revealed that higher number of relapses was observed in CG patients as compared to the GBI (P < 0.05). In particular during these days, lesion on the pinna showed in odd ratios analysis a 7:1 ratio (recurrence CG:GBI) and ear wax/pus (4:1) from D42 to D365. It is concluded that gold-bead implantation into acupuncture points improves resolution of some clinical signs and greatly reduce relapses in CCROE affected dogs after 1 year follow-up (98.75%).

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
• /
• v.39 no.4
• /
• pp.288-295
• /
• 2014

Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the synergistic antibacterial effect of xylitol and ursolic acid (UA) against oral biofilms in vitro. Materials and Methods: S. mutans UA 159 (wild type), S. mutans KCOM 1207, KCOM 1128 and S. sobrinus ATCC 33478 were used. The susceptibility of S. mutans to UA and xylitol was evaluated using a broth microdilution method. Based on the results, combined susceptibility was evaluated using optimal inhibitory combinations (OIC), optimal bactericidal combinations (OBC), and fractional inhibitory concentrations (FIC). The anti-biofilm activity of xylitol and UA on Streptococcus spp. was evaluated by growing cells in 24-well polystyrene microtiter plates for the biofilm assay. Significant mean differences among experimental groups were determined by Fisher's Least Significant Difference (p < 0.05). Results: The synergistic interactions between xylitol and UA were observed against all tested strains, showing the FICs < 1. The combined treatment of xylitol and UA inhibited the biofilm formation significantly and also prevented pH decline to critical value of 5.5 effectively. The biofilm disassembly was substantially influenced by different age of biofilm when exposed to the combined treatment of xylitol and UA. Comparing to the single strain, relatively higher concentration of xylitol and UA was needed for inhibiting and disassembling biofilm formed by a mixed culture of S. mutans 159 and S. sobrinus 33478. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that xylitol and UA, synergistic inhibitors, can be a potential agent for enhancing the antimicrobial and anti-biofilm efficacy against S. mutans and S. sobrinus in the oral environment.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.70-75
• /
• 2018

Background: Otitis media with effusion (OME) is defined as middle ear effusion without acute signs of infection. OME usually resolves spontaneously; however, persistent OME may require the insertion of a ventilation tube. This study investigated risk factors for persistent OME in children who undergo ventilation tube insertion. Methods: Children who were admitted to undergo ventilation tube insertion at Jeju National University Hospital between August 2015 and July 2016 were enrolled as the case group. Healthy children without persistent OME from August 2016 to July 2017 were enrolled as the control group. Baseline characteristics and predisposing factor data were collected using an interview questionnaire. Middle ear fluids were collected from the case group. Results: A total of 31 patients underwent ventilation tube insertion. The mean age of the case group was 4.53 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 21:10. Twenty-nine (93.5%) children attended a daycare center, and 21 (67.7%) had experience with bottle feeding. Fifteen (48.4%) children in the case group and 3 (9.7%) in the control group first attended a daycare center at <1 year of age (odds ratio=9.96; 95% confidence interval=2.44-39.70; p=0.001). No bacteria were found in middle ear fluid collected from the 31 operated children. Nasopharyngeal bacterial colonization was found in 13 (41.9%) and 17 (54.8%) children in the case and control groups, respectively. Conclusion: Earlier attendance at a daycare center was the only predisposing factor for ventilation tube insertion in our study. The aseptic nature of middle ear fluids found in children with OME highlights the efficacy of antimicrobial use.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.445-450
• /
• 2019

Recently, consumers using cosmetics have a great interest in raw material safety. Among them, interest in natural preservatives is increasing, and as the demand for cosmetics excluding paraben preservatives increases, a method of replacing synthetic preservatives with antibacterial essential oils is being considered. The antibacterial effect of essential oils depends on the components, concentrations and interactions between the main active compounds. Effective preservatives should have antimicrobial activity against a wide range of strains even at minimal concentrations. All preservatives should be considered to increase skin concentration and cause skin irritation and allergic reactions. Consumers recognize that essential oils from nature are safe, but some should be careful because they can cause contact allergies or phototoxic reactions. As such, it is important to balance natural preservatives with maximum preservative effects and low toxicity. This paper describes the characteristics of essential oils focused on antibacterial properties, efficacy and safety as cosmetic preservatives.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.200-205
• /
• 2021

Polynemoraline C, a pyridocoumarin alkaloid, exhibits anticholinergic, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antimicrobial activities. A sensitive analytical method of polynemoraline C in mouse plasma was developed and validated using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Polynemoraline C and ¹³C-caffeine (internal standard) in mouse plasma were extracted using a liquid-liquid extraction method coupled with ethyl acetate. This extraction method resulted in high and reproducible extraction recovery in the range of 73.49%-77.31% with no interfering peaks around the peak retention time of polynemoraline C and ¹³C-caffeine. The standard calibration curves for polynemoraline C were linear over the range of 0.5-200 ng/mL with r² > 0.985. The accuracy, precision, and the stability of the data were within acceptable limits on the FDA guideline. After intravenous and oral administration of polynemoraline C at doses of 5 and 30 mg/kg, respectively, the present method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of polynemoraline C. Polynemoraline C in mouse plasma showed a multi-exponential elimination pattern with a high volume of distribution values. This compound's absolute oral bioavailability was found to be 17.0%. Polynemoraline C's newly developed LC-MS/MS method can be used for further studies on the efficacy, toxicity, and biopharmaceutics of polynemoraline C, as well as its pharmacokinetic studies.