• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.93-104
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• 2010

In this study, we investigated the effects of frankincense essential oil (BSEO) on the immune cell change in the lung, BALF and PBMC using a mouse model of asthma. BALB/c mice after intraperitoneal OVA sensitization (day 1) were challenged intratracheally with OVA on day 14. Then, the asthma was induced by repeated OVA inhalation challenged. The asthma induced mice group inhaled 0.3% BSEO for 30 minutes per trial, three times a week, for 8 weeks using the nebulizer. After 12 weeks from the experiment, the mice was killed and the lung, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) were obtained. Next, the change of immune cells inside the separated tissues was observed to identity the effects of BSEO on the allergic asthma mice. In conclusion, the hypersensitive reaction of airway to the bronchoconstrictor in the allergic asthma induced mice was effectively suppressed in Frankincense group, in Bermagot, Eucalyptus, Chamomile, Marjoram and Frankincense groups, the natural aromatic essential oil groups. Furthermore, it was also confirmed that the weight of lung, total number of alveolus cells and the number of BALF, MNL and DLN increased after inducing allergic asthma were reduced. BSEO suppressed the percentage of $CD3e^+/CD19^-$, $B220^+/CD23^+$ and $CD11b^+/Gr-1^+$ cells in the lung tissue of allergic asthma mice. Moreover, BSEO also reduced the percentage of $CD4^+/CD8^-$, $B220^+/CD23^+$ and $CD3^+/CCR3^+$ cells in BALF. In addition, the percentage of $CD3e^+/CD19^-$, $CD3^+/CD69^+$ and $B220^+/CD23^+$ cells in PBMC was reduced. The results of this study indicate that BSEO would be effective to treat allergic asthma by the immune control suppressing the activity of immune cells in each tissue.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2006

This study was conducted to determine chemical compounds and antioxidant in Aruncus dioicus. Further, effects of cultural practices such as the shading conditions on the general compounds, essential oils and antioxidants. The chemical compounds and antioxidant activity of edible extracts on the shading cultivation and harvesting time were measured by crude fiber, pigments, higher fatty acids, essential oils and DPPH free radical scavenging ability and activities of SOD and POD in edible shooting parts of Aruncus dioicus. The contents of crude fiber, total chlorophyll and total carotenoids in extracts of edible shooting by shading cultivation and later harvesting were higher than those of non-shading cultivation and early harvesting. Phenolic compounds such as benzoic acid were identified as the aromatic compounds in the edible extracts of Aruncus dioicus. The contents of azulene, benzaldehyde and linalool among those compounds on the cultivation conditions increased in shading cultivation. $IC_{50}$ values of DPPH free radical scavenging activities were high from 6.644 to $14.499{mu}g/m{\ell}$ in extracts of edible parts and those of edible shooting parts was high such as edible shooting cultivated by 60% shading, 30% shading and non-shading, respectively. The activity of POD and SOD in seeds was lower than that of edible shooting and that by shading cultivation was high in extracts cultivated by non-shading. POD activity of extracts on harvesting time was high in earlier harvesting but SOD activity was low. The numbers of isozyme pattern of POD and SOD in seedling showed 7 bands and 3 bands, respectively, especially, bands of POD and SOD in the first year-growing plant did not show and show a difference according to plant positions, respectively.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.249-268
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• 2005

Drug metabolizing enzymes (DMEs) play central roles in the metabolism, elimination and detoxification of xenobiotics and drugs introduced into the human body. Most of the tissues and organs in our body are well equipped with diverse and various DMEs including phase I, phase II metabolizing enzymes and phase III transporters, which are present in abundance either at the basal unstimulated level, and/or are inducible at elevated level after exposure to xenobiotics. Recently, many important advances have been made in the mechanisms that regulate the expression of these drug metabolism genes. Various nuclear receptors including the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), orphan nuclear receptors, and nuclear factor-erythoroid 2 p45-related factor 2 (Nrf2) have been shown to be the key mediators of drug-induced changes in phase I, phase II metabolizing enzymes as well as phase III transporters involved in efflux mechanisms. For instance, the expression of CYP1 genes can be induced by AhR, which dimerizes with the AhR nuclear translocator (Arnt) , in response to many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs). Similarly, the steroid family of orphan nuclear receptors, the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) and pregnane X receptor (PXR), both heterodimerize with the ret-inoid X receptor (RXR), are shown to transcriptionally activate the promoters of CYP2B and CYP3A gene expression by xenobiotics such as phenobarbital-like compounds (CAR) and dexamethasone and rifampin-type of agents (PXR). The peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR), which is one of the first characterized members of the nuclear hormone receptor, also dimerizes with RXR and has been shown to be activated by lipid lowering agent fib rate-type of compounds leading to transcriptional activation of the promoters on CYP4A gene. CYP7A was recognized as the first target gene of the liver X receptor (LXR), in which the elimination of cholesterol depends on CYP7A. Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) was identified as a bile acid receptor, and its activation results in the inhibition of hepatic acid biosynthesis and increased transport of bile acids from intestinal lumen to the liver, and CYP7A is one of its target genes. The transcriptional activation by these receptors upon binding to the promoters located at the 5-flanking region of these GYP genes generally leads to the induction of their mRNA gene expression. The physiological and the pharmacological implications of common partner of RXR for CAR, PXR, PPAR, LXR and FXR receptors largely remain unknown and are under intense investigations. For the phase II DMEs, phase II gene inducers such as the phenolic compounds butylated hydroxyanisol (BHA), tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ), green tea polyphenol (GTP), (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and the isothiocyanates (PEITC, sul­foraphane) generally appear to be electrophiles. They generally possess electrophilic-medi­ated stress response, resulting in the activation of bZIP transcription factors Nrf2 which dimerizes with Mafs and binds to the antioxidant/electrophile response element (ARE/EpRE) promoter, which is located in many phase II DMEs as well as many cellular defensive enzymes such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), with the subsequent induction of the expression of these genes. Phase III transporters, for example, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), multidrug resistance-associated proteins (MRPs), and organic anion transporting polypeptide 2 (OATP2) are expressed in many tissues such as the liver, intestine, kidney, and brain, and play crucial roles in drug absorption, distribution, and excretion. The orphan nuclear receptors PXR and GAR have been shown to be involved in the regulation of these transporters. Along with phase I and phase II enzyme induction, pretreatment with several kinds of inducers has been shown to alter the expression of phase III transporters, and alter the excretion of xenobiotics, which implies that phase III transporters may also be similarly regulated in a coordinated fashion, and provides an important mean to protect the body from xenobiotics insults. It appears that in general, exposure to phase I, phase II and phase III gene inducers may trigger cellular 'stress' response leading to the increase in their gene expression, which ultimately enhance the elimination and clearance of these xenobiotics and/or other 'cellular stresses' including harmful reactive intermediates such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), so that the body will remove the 'stress' expeditiously. Consequently, this homeostatic response of the body plays a central role in the protection of the body against 'environmental' insults such as those elicited by exposure to xenobiotics.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.22 no.6 s.96
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• pp.914-922
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• 2006

Korean traditional rice wines and liquors have been long brewed using nuruk or koji, cooked rice, How, yeast and some medicinal plants or herbs. The rosemary shrub (Rosmarinus officinalis L), belonging to the Labiatae family, is well recognized for its aromatic, antioxidant, antimicrobial and antitumoral properties. In this study, we investigated the effect of rosemary addition on the quality characteristics of Korean traditional rice wine. Wines containing different rosemary concentrations (0, 10, 20 or 30%) were ripened for 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 days at 25C. The following quality characteristics were compared: pH, total acid, titratable acidity, amylase activity, color, reducing sugar amount, total sugar and ethanol. Although total acid increased, the pH of rosemary wine rapidly decreased during the rot 5-days of ripening, and these two changes were greatest in the wine containing 10% rosemary. The amount of both reducing sugar and ethanol in the wine rapidly increased during the rot 5-days of ripening, while total sugar content of rosemary wine decreased significantly with increasing ripening periods(p<0.05). According to the Hunter's color results, a significant color change in 'L' value was observed with increasing fermentation period in the wine containing 10% rosemary. Although 'a' value of control (0% rosemary liquor) increased during the ripening period, the addition of rosemary did not significantly affect 'a' or 'b' values. The transmittance of rosemary wines increased with increasing rosemary content but decreased throughout the ripening periods. Amylase activity decreased with increasing rosemary content, especially after a 5-day ripening period.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.500-506
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• 1994

For comparison of beef quality, four kinds of beef (Korean native cattle beef, dairy cattle beef, imported beef, cross-bred beef) were investigated through tenderness, juiciness and flavor related components measurement and organoleptic tests. Flavor related chemical components such as NPN, IMP, free fatty acid and free amino acids were analyzed, water holding capacity, contents of hydroxyproline and intramuscular fat were measured for evaluation of beef tenderness. Instron was also used for measuring beef tenderness as an objective method. Triangle test and descriptive analysis test were conducted for comparison and evaluation of preference of various beef samples. In hardness analysis using Instron, imported and cross-bred beefs had higher value than that of Korean native cattle or dairy cattle beef. Water holding capacity and pH of Korean cattle beef was higher than that of others. The intramuscular fat content of Korean cattle beef was highest, so it was expected juicier than other beef. In flavor related compound analysis, NPN content of Korean native cattle beef was the lowest, which shows it spent the least time among sample meats after slaughter. IMP, hypoxantine and inosine were most abundant in Korean native cattle beef. In free amino acids analysis showed that the proportion of basic acid and aromatic acid content of Korean native cattle beef was highest, whereas that of sulfur containing amino acid of imported beef was highest. TBA value of Korean native cattle beef was the lowest, and analysis of fatty acid composition revealed that the proportion of unsaturated fatty acid of Korean native cattle beef was higher than imported and dairy cattle beef, but similar to cross-bred beef. Organoleptic test was performed by triangle test and descriptive analysis. In triangle test, most panelist could distinguish Korea native cattle beef from imported beef and cross-bred beef, imported beef from cross-bred beef. In descriptive analysis which relys on subjective standards of panelists, there was no difference among beef in aroma, flavor and tenderness except juiciness. Even though contents of non volatile flavor compounds in Korean native cattle beef were higher than those of other beef samples, there were no significant differences in subjective panel test. The results showed that Korean consumers do not have common standards for beef quality evaluation.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.568-578
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• 2001

Background : Lung cancer is frequently cited as an example of a disease caused solely by exposure to environmental carcinogens. However, there is a growing realization that the genetic constitution is also important in determining individual's susceptibility to lung cancer. This genetic susceptibility may result from functional polymorphims of the genes involved in carcinogen metabolism. In this study, the association between GSTM1 and CYP1A1 polymorphisms and the lung cancer risk in Korean males was investigated. Materials and Method : The study population consisted of 153 male lung cancer patients and 143 healthy male controls. The GSTM1 and CYP1A1 genotypes were determined by multiplex PCR and PCR-RFLP analysis. Result : There were no significant differences in the frequency of the GSTM1 null genotype between the cases and the controls. When the cases were categorized by their histologic type, the frequency of the GSTM1 null genotype in the small cell carcinoma group was higher than those of the controls(67.2% vs 55.9%), but the difference was not statistically significant(OR=1.772 ; 95% CI=0.723-4.340). The distribution of the CYP1A1 MspI genotypes among the cases were similar to those among the controls. When the cases were grouped by their histologic type, the ml/m1, ml/m2, m2/m2 genotypes frequencies among the small cell carcinomas(23.0%, 38.5%, and 38.5%, respectively) were significantly different from those of the controls(36.4%, 46.2%, and 7.4%, respectively, p<0.05). When the m1/m1 genotype was used as a reference, the ml/m2 and m2/m2 genotypes were associated with an increased risk for small cell lung cancer(ml/m2 genotype : OR=1.337, 95% CI=0.453-3.947 ; m2/m2 genotype : OR=3.374, 95% CI=1.092-10.421). Conclusion : These results suggest that the GSTM1 and CYP1A1 genotypes may be a genetic determinant of the risk for lung cancer, particlulary small cell carcinoma. Further investigation is needed to confirm these results.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.988-994
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• 2014

The effluents of chemical and petroleum industries often contain non-biodegradable aromatic compounds, with phenol being one of the major organic pollutants present among a wide variety of highly toxic organic chemicals. Phenol is toxic upon ingestion, contact, or inhalation, and it is lethal to fish even at concentrations as low as 0.005 ppm. Phenol biodegradation has been studied in detail using bacterial strains. However, these microorganisms suffer from substrate inhibition at high concentrations of phenol, whereby growth is inhibited. A phenol-degrading bacterium, P21, was isolated from oil-contaminated soil. The phenotypic characteristics and a phylogenetic analysis indicated the close relationship of strain P21 to Rhodococcus pyridinovorans. Phenol biodegradation by strain P21 was studied under shaking condition. The optimal conditions for phenol biodegradation by strain P21 were 0.09% $KNO_3$, 0.1% $K_2HPO_4$, 0.3% $NaH_2PO_4$, 0.015% $MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$, 0.001% $FeSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$, initial pH 9, and $20-30^{\circ}C$, respectively. When 1,000 ppm of phenol was added to the optimal medium, the strain P21 completely degraded it within two days. Rhodococcus pyridinovorans P21 could grow in up to 1,500 ppm of phenol as the sole carbon source in a batch culture, but it could not grow in a medium containing above 2,000 ppm. Moreover, strain P21 could utilize toxic compounds, such as toluene, xylene, and hexane, as a sole carbon source. However, no growth was detected on chloroform.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2006

The antioxidative activity and the related parameters of hot water extracts obtained from 16 medicinal plants were tested. The extraction yield was the highest in Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge $(36.49\%)$ pH range was $4.00\~5.92$ in all samples. Absorbance at 280 nm was examined to determine aromatic compounds content. The absorbance of $250{\mu}g/mL$ sample was the highest in Prunella vulgaris Linne var. lilacina Nakai (2.872) and below 0.5 in Cirsium maackii, Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge and Zizyphus jujuba Miller. Also, absorbance at 420 nm was high in order of Prunella vulgaris Linne vu. lilacina Nakai (1.312), Zea mays Linne (0.917) and Inula japonica Thunberg (0.725) Total phenolic compounds contents was the highest in Prunella vulgaris Linne var. lilacina Nakai $(5.07{\pm}0.05\;mg/100g)$ and flavonoids contents was 2-fold higher in Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge $(4.82{\pm}1.16\;mg/100g)$ than the other samples. Electron donating abilities of Zizyphus jujuba Miller, Cornus officinalis Siebold et Zuccarini and Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge were over $90\%$ at $1000{\mu}g/mL$. Reducing power had similar tendency to electron donating ability while reducing power was significantly lower in samples compared to BHT. Two samples (Prunella vulgaris Linne val. lilacina Nakai and Inula japonica Thunberg) were found to have more than $50\%$ nitrite scavenging effect at $500{\mu}g/mL$ while 8 kinds samples (Zizyphus jujuba Miller, Cornus officinalis Siebold 81 Zuccarini, Chrysanthemum indicum Linne, Prunella vulgaris Linne var. lilacina Nakai, Inula japonica Thunberg, Acanthopanax sessiliflorum Seeman, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge and Curcuma longa Linne) showed more than $50\%$ nitrite scavenging effect at $1000{\mu}g/mL$. Prunella vulgaris Linne var. lilacina Nakai showed significantly stronger nitrite scavenging effect than other samples, and its activity was $59.62{\pm}1.573\%$ and $80.58{\pm}0.300\%$ at concentrations of 250 and $1000{\mu}g/mL$, respectively.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.62-72
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• 1998

This study was performed to characterize the trace organic pollutants in the industrial wastewater and to establish the database of the trace organic pollutants. The four manufacturing industries, which are refined petroleum, industrial chemicals, rubber & plastics and fabricated metals, were surveyed. The wastewater and discharging water of these 30 factories are analyzed to characterize the trace organic pollutants. In industrial chemicals, the kinds of products and organic pollutants are very various. Therefore to select the characteristic organic pollutants in this categories are also very difficult. In industrial chemicals, the gas chromatograpic peak patterns of wastewater are represented the various type according to their products, therefore the typical patterns of the characteristic organic pollutants could not be obtained because the kinds of manufactured goods and organic pollutants are very various. In refined petroleum, the effluent is discharged in the distillatory process of atmosphere pressure and contained the saturated hydrocarbons, phenol compounds, benzene compounds and naphtalene compounds. The saturated hydrocarbons peaks from $C_{15}$ to $C_{35}$ are represented the typical oil patterns by the uniform intervals therefore the peak can be easily distinguished. In rubber & plastics, the wastewater is discharged in the washing process which contains the additives. The problem of wastewater is not serious because the manufacturing process is not produced the effluent or the produced cooling water is recycled in that process.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.496-513
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• 2004

This study was carried out to evaluate the performance of sampling and analytical methodology used for the measurement of toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the ambient air. VOCs were determined by the adsorbent tube sampling and automatic thermal desorption coupled with GC/MSD analysis. Target analytes were 33 compounds including major aromatic compounds such as BTEX, and halogenated compounds. The methodology was investigated with a wide range of different adsorbents which are commercially available and have been frequently adopted for the VOC measurement. A total of 10 adsorbents were tested in this study: 6 carbon-based adsorbents such as Carbotrap, Carbopack B, Carbosieve S-III, Carboxen 1000, Carbotrap C, Activated Charcoal; and 4 polymer-based adsorbents including Tenax, Porapak Q, Chromosorb 102, and Chromosorb 106. The sampling performance was evaluated with respect to the sampling capacity of VOCs with single-adsorbent and multiple-adsorbents methods for standard samples and field samples. As a result, the best adsorbents for single-adsorbent method in the sampling of toxic organic compounds (including benzene, toluene, xylenes etc.) appeared to be Carbotrap, Carbopack B and Tenax TA. On the other hand, Chromosorb 102, Chromosorb 106 and Porapak Q were found to be unsuitable adsorbents for VOC measurement based on thermal desorption method. Multi-adsorbent packings were evaluated with 4 carbon-based adsorbents, which classified by 3 combination sets of double adsorbents and 2 combination sets of triple adsorbents. The results indicated that the most suitable combination for toixc VOC measurements is Carbotrap C with Carbotrap. Multi-sorbents tubes packed with a strong adsorbent such as Carbosieve S-III or Carboxen 1000 were found to be relatively unsuitable for several compounds, not only owing to the effect of migration of adsorbed compounds from weaker adsorbent to stronger adsorbent, but to hydrophobic nature of the adsorbents. Therefore, it should be addressed that selection of a proper adsorbent (or combination of multi sorbents) is extremely important to obtain reliable data for the concentrations of toxic VOCs in indoor and outdoor environments.