• Title/Summary/Keyword: biogenetic

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Inhibitory Effects of Licochalcone A and Isoliquiritigenin on Monocyte Adhesion to TNF-$\alpha$-activated Endothelium

  • Kwon Hyang-Mi;Lim Soon Sung;Choi Yean-Jung;Jeong Yu-Jin;Kang Sang-Wook;Bae Ji-Young;Kang Young-Hee
    • Nutritional Sciences
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    • v.8 no.3
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    • pp.153-158
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    • 2005
  • Numerous natural herbal compounds have been reported to inhibit adhesion and migration of leukocytes to the site of inflammation Licorice extracts, which have been widely used in traditional Chinese medicinal preparation, possess various pharmacological effects. Isoliquiritigenin, a biogenetic precursor of flavonoids with various pharmacological effects, is a natural pigment present in licorice. We attempted to explore whether licorice extracts and isoliquiritigenin mitigate monocyte adhesion to tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$ (TNF-$\alpha$)-activated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). In addition, it was tested whether the inhibition of monocyte adhesion to the activated HUVEC accompanied a reduction in vascular cell adhesion molecule-l expression(VCAM-l). Dry-roasted licorice extracts in methylene chloride but not in ethanol markedly interfered with THP-l monocyte adhesion to INF-$\alpha$-activated endothelial cells. licochalcone A compound isolated from licorice extract in methylene chloride appeared to modestly inhibit the interaction of THP-l monocytes and activated endothelium. In addition, isoliquiritigenin abolished the monocyte adhesion with attenuating VCAM-l protein expression on HUVEC induced by INF-$\alpha$. These results demonstrated that non-polar components from dry-roasted licorice extracts containing licochalcone A as well as isoliquiritigenin were active in blocking monocyte adhesion to cytokine-activated endothelimn, which appeared to be mediated most likely through the inhibition of VCAM-l expression on HUVEC. Therefore, licorice may hamper initial inflammatory events on the vascular endothelium involving induction of endothelial cell adhesion molecules.

Distribution of Heavy Metal Concentrations in Surface Sediments of the eastern Yellow Sea (황해 동부해역 표층퇴적물의 중금속 농도 분포)

  • SUN, CHUL-IN;PARK, GEON-WOO;PARK, HYEON-SIL;PARK, JUN KUN;KIM, SEONG GIL;CHOI, MAN SIK
    • The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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    • v.23 no.4
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    • pp.179-191
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    • 2018
  • In order to determine the distribution characteristics of the heavy metals in surface sediments of the eastern Yellow Sea, heavy metal concentrations (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Mn, As, Ni, Co, Li, Fe and Al) together with grain size and total organic carbon (TOC), were analyzed. The concentrations of all heavy metals, with the exception of Pb, Mn and As in some stations, were relatively high in the central area of the Yellow Sea and tended to decrease toward the Korean coast. A significant relationship between grain size and concentrations of heavy metals suggested that they were mostly controlled by quartz dilution effect. However, at some stations, Pb, Mn and As exhibited different distribution patterns. For Pb, the differences were caused by petrogenetic influences (feldspar) in coarse-grained sediments. In the case of Mn, biogenetic influences ($CaCO_3$) affected distribution patterns. As was distributed differently because of the existence of a heavy mineral (pyrite). A comparison with previous data (collected in 2000) shows that the heavy metal concentration in the eastern Yellow Sea has not increased over the past fifteen years. The sedimentary environment of dumping sites in the Yellow Sea has not been significantly improved during this period. The results of the pollution assessment revealed that the concentrations of heavy metals in the study area were lower than lower criteria (TEL, MSQ-1) in Korean and Chinese sediment quality guidelines. The enrichment factor (EF), geo-accumulation index ($I_{geo}$) and ecological risk index (ERI) of Cu, Pb, Zn and Cr were higher in the central area of the Yellow Sea.