• Toxicological Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.269-277
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to understand the mechanism of cardiovascular disease (CVD) caused by exposure to hazardous chemicals. We investigated changes in the symptoms of metabolic syndrome, which is strongly related to CVD, and in levels of other CVD risk factors, with a special emphasis on the roles of catecholamines and oxidative stress. The results revealed that neither body mass index (BMI) nor waist and hip circumferences were associated with exposure to hazardous chemicals. Among metabolic syndrome criteria, only HDL-cholesterol level increased on exposure to hazardous chemicals. Levels of epinephrine (EP) and norepinephrine (NEP) were not influenced by exposure to hazardous chemicals; however, the total antioxidative capacity (TAC) reduced because of increased oxidative stress. Both hazardous chemical exposure level and metabolite excretion were related to EP, NEP, and the oxidative stress index (OSI). Logistic regression analysis with these factors as independent variables and metabolic syndrome criteria as dependent variables revealed that EP was associated with blood pressure, and NEP with metabolic syndrome in the chemical-exposed group. In conclusion, the results suggest that reactive oxygen species generated and oxidative stress due to exposure to hazardous chemicals act as mediators and cause changes in the physiological levels of EP and NEP to increase blood pressure. This ultimately leads to the development of CVD through increase in cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood glucose levels by lipid peroxidation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.1256-1261
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• 2021

Rubus coreanus Miquel (bokbunja), Korean black raspberry, is known to possess various phytochemicals that exert antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. However, most studies on Rubus coreanus Miquel have been performed with the solvent extracts and/or a single component to demonstrate the efficacy, while studies evaluating the effect of the whole fructus of Rubus coreanus Miquel are limited. In this study, therefore, we employed the isoproterenol (IPN)-induced myocardial infarction model and investigated the effect of freeze-dried powder of Rubus coreanus Miquel (RCP) on oxidative stress and prevention of organ damage. Oral administration of RCP reduced the level of toxicity markers, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) without affecting body weight and diet intake. The oxidative stress marker glutathione (GSH) increased about 45% and malonaldehyde (MDA) decreased about 27% compared to the IPN group with RCP-H (3%) administration. By histological analysis, IPN induced significant myocardial damage in the heart and vascular injury in the liver, and RCP administration ameliorated the damages in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, RCP activated the antioxidant system leading to prevention of damage to organs by IPN in rats, making it possible to expect beneficial efficacies by consuming the whole fructus of Rubus coreanus Miquel.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.181-189
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• 2021

Objectives : The calyx of Diospyros kaki Thunb. has usually been used to treat obstinate hiccup. This study investigated the protective effects of Diospyros kaki using C2C12 myoblasts of H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress. Methods : Cell viability and cytotoxicity were determined by MTT assay. The level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and reduced glutathione (GSH) were measured by using optical properties. Results : The calyx of Diospyros kaki Thunb. extract showed no toxicity to C2C12 myoblasts until 20 ㎍/mL concentration and increased cell viability compared to the H₂O₂ treated group. The calyx of Diospyros kaki Thunb. extract inhibited the production of ROS and MDA at all concentrations. In addition, the calyx of Diospyros kaki Thunb. extract increased the concentration of GSH. Conclusion : This study provides that the calyx of Diospyros kaki Thunb. can be used as a potential material that exhibit antioxidative and protective effects on H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress in C2C12 Myoblasts.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.584-591
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• 2021

Marine algae (seaweed) encompass numerous groups of multicellular organisms with various shapes, sizes, and colors, and serve as important sources of natural bioactive substances. The brown alga Ecklonia cava Kjellman, an edible seaweed, contains many bioactives such as phlorotannins and fucoidans. Here, we evaluated the antioxidative, neuroprotective, and anti-apoptotic effects of E. cava extract (ECE), E. cava phlorotannin-rich extract (ECPE), and the phlorotannin dieckol on neuronal PC-12 cells. The antioxidant capacities of ECPE and ECE were 1,711.5 and 1,050.4 mg vitamin C equivalents/g in the ABTS assay and 704.0 and 474.6 mg vitamin C equivalents/g in the DPPH assay, respectively. The dieckol content of ECPE (58.99 mg/g) was approximately 60% higher than that of ECE (36.97 mg/g). Treatment of PC-12 cells with ECPE and ECE increased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. Intracellular oxidative stress in PC-12 cells due to ECPE and ECE decreased dose-independently by up to 63% and 47%, respectively, compared with the stress control (323%). ECPE reduced the production of the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and caspase-3 more effectively than ECE. Early and late apoptosis in PC-12 cells were more effectively decreased by ECPE than ECE treatments. From the results obtained in this study, we concluded that ECPE, which is rich in phlorotannins, including the marker compound dieckol, may be applied to the development of functional materials for improving cognition and memory.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.198-204
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• 2019

Background: Oxidative stress is a known to be associated with in the pathogenesis of many inflammatory diseases, including periodontitis. Ursolic acid is a pentacyclic triterpenoid with has antimicrobial, antioxidative, and anticancer properties. However, the role of ursolic acid in the regulating of osteogenesis remains undetermined. This study was aimed to elucidate the crucial osteogenic effects of ursolic acid and its ability to inhibit oxidative stress by targeting the immediate early response 3 (IER3)/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway. Methods: Cell proliferation was determined using water-soluble tetrazolium salt assay, cell differentiation was evaluated by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and formation of calcium nodules was detected using alizarin red S stain. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was determined using by DCFH-DA fluorescence dye in hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$)-treated MG-63 cells. Expression levels of IER3, Nrf2, and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were analyzed using western blot analysis. Results: Our results showed that ursolic acid up-regulated the proliferation of osteoblasts without any cytotoxic effects, and promoted ALP activity and mineralization. $H_2O_2$-induced ROS generation was found to be significantly inhibited on treatment with ursolic acid. Furthermore, in $H_2O_2$-treated cells, the expression of the early response genes: IER3, Nrf2, and Nrf2-related phase II enzyme (HO-1) was enhanced in the presence of ursolic acid. Conclusion: The key findings of the present study elucidate the protective effects of ursolic acid against oxidative stress conditions in osteoblasts via the IER3/Nrf2 pathway. Thus, ursolic acid may be developed as a preventative and therapeutic agent for mineral homeostasis and inflammatory diseases caused due to oxidative injury.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.119-131
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• 2021

Over-produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) exert oxidative damage on lipids, proteins, and DNA in the human body, which leads to the onset of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we explored the cellular antioxidant effect of Cirsium japonicum var. maackii (CJM) against hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced oxidative stress in neuronal cells. The antioxidant activity was assessed using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate and nitric oxide (NO) assays, and the molecular mechanisms were examined by Western blot analysis. H₂O₂ treatment of SH-SY5Y cells decreased cell viability and increased ROS and NO production compared to H₂O₂-untreated cells. However, CJM increased cell viability and decreased ROS and NO accumulation in the H₂O₂-treated SH-SY5Y cells compared to H₂O₂-treated control cells. Especially, the EtOAc fraction from CJM showed the strongest antioxidant effect compared with the other extracts and fractions. Therefore, we further examined the CJM mechanism against oxidative stress using the EtOAc fraction from CJM. The EtOAc fraction up-regulated the expressions of heme oxygenase-1, NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1, and thioredoxin reductase 1. These results indicate that CJM promotes the activation of antioxidative enzymes, which eliminate ROS and NO, and further leads to an increase in the cell viability. Taken together, our results show that CJM exhibited an antioxidant activity in H₂O₂-treated SH-SY5Y cells, and it could be a novel antioxidant agent for the prevention or treatment of neurodegenerative disease such as AD.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.322-328
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• 2006

Green tea is of particular source as it has been found to have strong antioxidant activities. The extracts of green tea during the commercial harvest seasons from April, 2003 to August, 2003 were compared. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between the polyphenol content of green teas and its antioxidant activities. The con-tent of total polyphenols was analyzed and several antioxidant testings were performed. The levels of total polyphenols were higher in the green teas (e.g. Woojeon, Sejak) harvested during very early spring and lower in the green teas harvested late(eg. Ipha, Yepcha). In particular, the free radical scavenging, the inhibition of LDL oxidation, the cytoprotective effect and the inhibition of DNA damage were correlated with the total polyphenol contents of green tea extracts harvested early spring such as Woojeon, Sejak and Jungjak. The results obtained here show that all extracts of green teas including purified green tea catechin, GTC, have strong antioxidant activities on oxidative stress in vifrθ. The variation in polyphenol content and antioxidant activities among various types of green tea by the harvesting time may provide critical information for investigators and consumers using tea in purposes of nutrition and chemoprevention.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.89-103
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• 2011

Two rice varieties, viz. Nonabokra and Pokkali, have been evaluated for their responses to salinity in terms of some physiological and biochemical attributes. During the exposure to salinity (200 mM concentration of sodium chloride for 24, 48, and 72 h), a significant increase in sodium was recorded which was also concomitant with the changes of other metabolic profiles like proline, phenol, polyamine, etc. The protein oxidation was significantly increased and also varied between the two cultivars. The changes in activities of anti-oxidative enzymes under stress were significantly different to the control. The detrimental effects of salinity were also evident in terms of lipid peroxidation, chlorophyll content, protein profiles, and generation of free radicals; and these were more pronounced in Pokkali than in Nonabokra. The assessment and analysis of these physiological characters under salinity could unravel the mechanism of salt responses revealed in this present study and thus might be useful for selection of tolerant plant types under the above conditions of salinity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.614-619
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• 2004

This study was undertaken to investigate the different responses of cultured plant cells to paraquat treatment and nucleus-DNA damage in relation to enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). Furthermore, this study was also carried out to understand the antioxidative mechanism of plant cells to environmental stress. We selected two different species of plant cultured cells, Ipomoea batatas as high-SOD species and Lonicera japonica as low-SOD species. The total activity and specific activity of SOD in a chlorophyllous cell of I. batatas were 3,736 unit/gㆍfresh weight and 547 unit/mgㆍprotein, respectively, and those in L. japonica were 23 unit/gㆍfresh weight and 13 unit/mgㆍprotein, respectively SOD activity in chlorophyllous I. batatas cells reached its maximum level at 10 to 15 days after subculture, whereas that in L. japonica remained at a very low SOD level during the whole period of subculture. In comparison to L. japonica, I. batatas, a high-SOD species, showed high tolerance to paraquat 10 and 50 mg/l treatment in terms of cell viability and electrolyte leakage. Based on the result of comet assay, the nucleus-DNA damage of two species by paraquat 50 mg/l treatment was not significantly different. However, I. batatas cells repaired their damaged DNA more effectively than the cells of the low-SOD species, L. japonica.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.47
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• pp.140-149
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• 2002

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is probably the most ancient oilseed crop known in the world. Sesame seed is known for its high nutritional value and for having oil (51%) and protein (20%) content. The fatty acid composition of sesame oil is palmitic acid (7.8%), stearic acid (3.6%), oleic acid (45.3%), and linoleic acid (37.7%). Sesame oil is characterized by a very high oxidative stability compared with other vegetable oils. Two lignan-type compounds, sesamin and sesamolin, are the major constituents of sesame oil unsaponifiables. Sesamol (a sesamolin derivative) can be present in sesame seeds and oils in very small amount. Other lignans and sesamol are also present in sesame seeds and oils in very small amount as aglycones. Lipid oxidation activity was significantly lower in the sesamolin-fed rats, which suggests that sesamolin and its metabolites contribute to the antioxidative properties of sesame seeds and oil and support that sesame lignans reduce susceptibility to oxidative stress. Sesaminols strongly inhibit lipid peroxidation related to their ability to scavenge free radical. The sesame seed lignan act synergistically with vitamin I in rats fed a low $\alpha$-tocopherol diet and cause a marked increase in a u-tocopherol concentration in the blood and tissue of rats fed an $\alpha$-tocopherol containing diet with sesame seed or its lignan. The authors are reviewed and discussed for present status and prospects of quality evaluation and researched in sesame seeds to provide and refers the condensed informations on their quality.