• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.247-256
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• 2018

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) are widely used drugs for lowering blood lipid levels and preventing cardiovascular diseases. HMG-CoA reductase is a key enzyme to control the biosynthesis of cholesterol. We have tested HMG-CoA reductase-inhibitory activity on the flavonoids of 98 species in vitro. The anti-hypercholesterolemic activities of flavonoids were studied using an HMG-CoA reductase assay equipped with a 96-well UV plate. This assay was based on the spectrophotometric measurement of the decrease in absorbance, which represents the oxidation of NADPH by the catalytic subunit of HMG-CoA reductase in the presence of the substrate HMG-CoA. Among the clinically available statins, pravastatin was used as a positive control. Among the tested compounds, kuraridin, morin and sophoraflavanone G showed strong inhibition activities. In particular, morin and sophoraflavanone G inhibited HMG-CoA reductase by 45.0% and 54.6% at a concentration of $10{\mu}g/ml$, and the $IC_{50}$ values were calculated to $13.31{\mu}g/ml$ and $7.26{\mu}g/ml$ respectively.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.417-423
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• 2004

Botanical antimicrobial agent-grapefruit seed extract mixture (BAAG) have an unknown compounds which exhibit the antibiotic activities aganist microorganisms including bacteria and fungi. We have examined the effects of BAAG on the physiological function of Botrytis cinerea which was isolated from necrotic lesions of decayed fruits and vegetables such as cucumbers, grapes, tomatoes, and red peppers during storage. In the results of enzymatic activities related to the energetic metabolism there was no inhibitory effect of BAAG on the activities of several enzymes in vitro including glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase, while there was inhibitory effect of BAAG on the activities of hexokinase and succinate dehydrogenase. O-nitrophenyl-$\beta$-D-galactopyranoside(ONPG), the artificial substrate of $\beta$-galactosidase was hydrolyzed in the presence of BAAG, indicating that the membrane was pertubated by the BAAG. From the results we suggested that the antibiotic activity of BAAG is due to the change of membrane permeability of the cell. BAAG was fractionated and purified by silica gel and sephadex column chromatography. Among active fractions two peaks were identified as naringin and limonin when they were analyzed by by NMR and Fast atomic bombardment.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.403-408
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• 2002

We prepared extracts from bark, leaf and fruit of Sorbus commixta Hedl using by water and ethanol. To test for mutagenicity and antimutagenicity on extracts, we used Rec assay and Ames test. The result of Rec assay, the extracts of the Sorbus commixta Hedl did not show a DNA-damage activity. The results of Ames test were provided that extracts of Sorbus commixta Hedl showed $43{\sim}73\;%$ antimutagenic activities. In the inhibition ratio of the growth of several human cancer cells (A549, HepG2, MCF7), 91% of MCF7 cell growth, 94% of A549 cell growth and 91% HepG2 cell growth were inhibited by adding 1mg/ml of fruit ethanol extracts, bark ethanol extracts and fruit ethanol extracts, respectively. There was a little cytotoxicity on human normal hephatocyte (WRL68), extracts(1mg/ml) showed over the 70% survival.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.87-92
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• 2005

The study was performed using of ethanol and water extracts of Fatsia japonica Decne. et Planch. in anticancer and immune activities. All extracts of 1.0 $g/{\ell}$ concentration were increased in over 60% of the anticancer activites in A549 and MCF7 cells. Root barks inhibited 55%, 74% in A549 and MCF7 cell by adding ethanol extracts of $g/{\ell}$ concentration. The cytotoxicity of human lung nomal cell (HEL299) counted up to about 22% for ethanol extracts of root barks in 1 $g/{\ell}$ concentration. The activity of human immune T and B cells were increased up to $140{\sim}170%$ by adding ethanol extract of the root barks. Increasing trend of secretion of cytokine (IL-6, $TNF-{\alpha}$) from human B and T cell for 5 days cultivation has been abserved. From the results, the anticancer and immune-stimulatory activities of the roots extract were higher than the extracts of other parts.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.385-390
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• 2005

In this study, nano sized colloidal Ag was made by using a seed sol method. Colloidal Ag solution was spouted on the surface of the inorganic pigment using the hybridizer system and spray nozzle. Then, the surface of the inorganic pigment was modified by $TiO_2$ to obtain the antibacterial ability. In the manufacturing process of nano sized colloidal Ag, it was confirmed that the size of particles increased by addition of $AgNO_3$ and increased the reaction time. The antibacterial measurement of the inorganic pigment showed that the growth of fungus decreased as the reaction time was increased. After the antibacterial ability appeared, in 5~7 h of the antibacterial inoculation experiment, it was measured that the antibacterial activity was excellent at a fixed time frame. The photodecomposition of benzene using $TiO_2$ as the photocatalyst showed 60~70% efficiency in about 80 min. reaction time. It was shown that more than 90% of this efficiency was achieved in the reaction time of about 30 min.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.103-108
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• 2005

${\alpha}-Amylase$ inhibitor is used to control blood glucose level by inhibiting starch digestion in the small intestine and delaying the absorption of glucose. In this study, we investigated the effect of the ethanol extracts from more than 1400 species of plants against ${\alpha}-amylase$ with the aim of developing a new ${\alpha}-amylase$ inhibitor. In the results, Cornus walteri extracts showed the highest inhibition activity. The inhibitory effect of Cornus walteri extract on the carbohydrate hydrolysis enzymes has different sensitivities against ${\alpha}-amylase$ from salivary and pancreatin and against ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ from yeast and porcine small intestine. In the study of inhibition kinetics of ${\alpha}-amylase$ and ${\alpha}-glucosidase$, Cornus walteri extract showed competitive inhibition against salivary and pancreatin while showing the combination of uncompetitive and noncompetitive inhibition against ${\alpha}-glucosidase$. The Cornus walteri extract was stable at acidic and thermal conditions. As for the blood glucose and body weight levels of Cornus walteri extract, we confirmed anti-hyperglycemic and anti-obesity effects. Also, in the investigation of the mRNA lever, Cornus walteri extract upregulated the level of GLUT4 mRNA in the quadriceps muscle.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2020

Background: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of NaCl concentration on the photosynthetic parameters, chlorophyll fluorescence and growth characteristics of Crepidiastrum sonchifolium. Methods and Results: As treatments, we subjected C. sonchifolium plants to four different concentrations of NaCl (0, 50, 100 and 200 mM). We found that the photosynthetic parameters maximum photosynthesis rate (P_{N max}), net apparent quantum yield (Φ), maximum carboxylation rate (V_cmax), and maximum electron transport rate (J_max) were significantly reduced at an NaCl concentration greater than 100 mM. In contrast, there was an increase in water-use efficiency with increasing NaCl concentration, although in terms of growth performances, leaf dry weight, root dry weight, stem length, and total dry weight all decreased with increasing NaCl concentration. Furthermore, leakage of electrolytes, as a consequence of cell membrane damage, clearly increased in response to an increase in NaCl concentration. Analysis of the polyphasic elevation of chlorophyll a fluorescence transients (OKJIP) revealed marked decrease in flux ratios (Φ_PO, Ψ_O and Φ_EO) and the PI_abs, performance index in response to treatment with 200 mM NaCl, thereby reflectings the relatively reduced state of photosystem II. This increase in fluorescence could be due to a reduction in electron transport beyond Q^-_A. We thus found that the photosynthetic parameters, chlorophyll fluorescence and growth characteristics of C. sonchifolium significantly increased in response to treatment with 200 mM NaCl. Conclusions: Collectively, the findings of this study indicate that C. sonchifolium shows relatively low sensitivity to NaCl stress, although photosynthetic activity was markedly reduced in plants exposed to 200 mM NaCl.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2001

One-year-old cottonwood (Populus deltoides Bartr.) clones, which were classified as sensitive or tolerant, were exposed to 150 n1/1 ozone (O$_3$) over 8 days for 8 hours each day under glass chamber conditions with natural sunlight. The leaves of the sensitive clone had black stipple and bifacial necrosis after $O_3$ treatment. Photosynthesis and stomatal conductance were measured before, during, and after the $O_3$ treatment. The photosynthetic rates due to $O_3$ treatment were decreased 51 percent and 34 percent on the sensitive and tolerant clone, respectively. The stomatal conductance of the sensitive clone was more than 40 percent higher than that of the tolerant clone regardless of the $O_3$ treatment. As light intensity increased, the $O_3$ effect on photosynthesis was clear. Compared to the previous growth chamber studies, our natural light exposure system was able to maintain a stable photosynthetic responses of the control treatment throughout the fumigation period. In addition, changes in assimilation versus intercellular $CO_2$ concentration (A/C curves) showed that $O_3$ decreased the slope and asymptote of the curves for the sensitive clone. This indicates that $O_3$ decreases the biochemical capacity of photosynthesis on the sensitive clone. Chlorophyll contents and fluorescence of the two clones were analyzed to examine the $O_3$ effects on photosystem 11, but $O_3$ did not impact these variables on either clone. Although the tolerant clone did not show any foliar injury, we could not find any ecophysiological defensive responses to $O_3$ treated. Stomatal conductance of the tolerant clone was originally much lower than that of the sensitive one. Thus, the mechanisms of the tolerant clone in this system are to narrowly open stomata and efficiently maintain photosynthesis with a more durable biochemical apparatus of photosynthesis under $O_3$ stress. The sensitive clone has higher photosynthetic capacity and more efficient light reaction activity than the tolerant one under charcoal filtered condition, but is not as resilient under stress.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.123-132
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• 2020

Seasonal changes in the CO₂ fixation rate and water-use efficiency in the leaves of six evergreen and two deciduous broad-leaved tree species on Jeju Island, Korea, were measured using a portable photosynthesis analyzer, to identify which species are most efficient in taking up CO₂ from the air. The CO₂ fixation rate was high in the deciduous species in spring and summer and decreased in fall, whereas it was high in the evergreen species in summer and fall and decreased in winter. The rate remained high in the deciduous tree Prunus yedoensis from spring to fall (> 7.1 μmol CO₂/m₂/s) and in two evergreen trees, Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii and Cinnamomum camphora, in summer and fall (7.0 9.9 μmol CO₂/㎡/s). Therefore, these tree species fix atmospheric CO₂ effectively. The water-use efficiency was higher in evergreen species than in deciduous species regardless of the season. Exceptionally, it was high in the deciduous species Zelkova serrata in spring and summer (> 100 μmol CO₂/mol H₂O), suggesting that Z. serrata is a useful tree for dry conditions due to its tolerance of water stress. The regressions of the CO₂ fixation rate versus the evaporation rate and stomatal conductance were linear and non-linear, respectively. This suggests that the stomatal activity of leaves plays an important part in CO₂ fixation of plants. In conclusion, C. cuspidata var. sieboldii, C. camphora, and P. yedoensis should be planted along roads or in urban spaces for the greening of cities and mitigation of CO₂ concentrations in the air.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.429-434
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• 2018

In this study, we investigated the potential of Glechoma hederacea var. longituba 70% ethanol extract as a natural functional material by examining the anti-inflammatory effect of it. Macrophages results in (Raw 264.7) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Confirming the viability of the macrophages Glechoma hederacea var. longituba 70% ethanol extract showed a 95.8% survival rate at $1,000{\mu}g/ml$ concentration. Anti-inflammatory activity was examined the inhibitory tests on the production of LPS included nitric oxide (NO) in RAW 264.7 cells by Griess assay. The result showed that NO production deterrent effect of 37.4% at a concentration of $1,000{\mu}g/ml$. The deterrent effect of GG 70% ethanol extract on protein expression of inducible NOS (iNOS) and Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) was measured by Western blotting using the concentrations 50, 100 and $500{\mu}g/ml$, with ${\beta}$-actin used as the positive control. The inhibitory effect of iNOS and COX-2 mRNA expression was measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using 50, 100 and $500{\mu}g/ml$ concentration of GG 70% ethanol extract, with GAPDH used as the positive control. In experiments using Western blot and RT-PCR when compared with the control group vitamin C it was confirmed that the 70% ethanol extract from GG suppressed. When compiling the results of this study, we confirmed the possibility of GG 70% ethanol extract as an anti-inflammatory material.