• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.410-420
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• 2019

Citrus unshiu peel extracts possess a variety of beneficial effects, and studies on their anticancer activity have been reported. However, the exact mechanisms underlying this activity remain unclear. In the current study, the apoptotic effect of ethanol extract of C. unshiu peel (EECU) on human breast adenocarcinoma MDA-MB-231 cells and related mechanisms were investigated. The results showed that the survival rate of MDA-MB-231 cells treated with EECU was significantly inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner, which was associated with the induction of apoptosis. EECU-induced apoptosis was associated with the activation of caspase-8 and caspase-9, which initiate extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways, respectively, and caspase-3, a representative effect caspase. EECU suppressed the expression of the inhibitor of apoptosis family of proteins, leading to an increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and proteolytic degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. EECU also enhanced the loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential and cytochrome c release from the mitochondria to the cytosol, along with truncation of Bid. In addition, EECU activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, significantly weakened EECU-induced apoptosis and cell viability reduction. Furthermore, EECU promoted the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which acted as upstream signals for AMPK activation as pretreatment of cells, with the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine reversing both EECU-induced AMPK activation and apoptosis. Collectively, these findings suggest that EECU inhibits MDA-MB-231 adenocarcinoma cell proliferation by activating intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways, which was mediated through ROS/AMPK-dependent pathways.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.133-143
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• 2017

This study was conducted to evaluate the contents of total polyphenol and flavonoid, and the effect of antioxidant, antimicrobial activities and cytotoxicity in vitro by different solvent fractions from Orostachys japonicus. The ethylacetate fraction extract for O. japonicus contained $634.48{\mu}g/g$ polyphenol and $205.20{\mu}g/g$ flavonoid. The ABTS radical scavenging ability of ethylacetate fraction extract at 1 mg/ml was higher than 95% which is comparable to ascorbic acid of 97%. The APX enzymatic activity and CAT activity were $1125.89{\mu}mol$ ascorbate oxidized/min/mg protein and 119.87 H2O2 decomposed/min/mg protein, respectively. In disc agar plate diffusion assay, the extract gave rise to a larger inhibition circle with Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus and Malassezia furfur strains compared with antibiotics kanamycin suggestive of high antibiotic activity. The cytotoxicity of extracts of O. japonicus was significant differences between solvent fractions. That is, the cytotoxic effect against human cancer cell was higher in ethylacetate fraction extract than other fraction extracts. These results suggest that fraction extract of O. japonicus might be very effective and economical in developing natural antioxidant and antimicrobial.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.149-156
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• 2008

This study was carried out to investigate the anti oxidative and antitumor activities of medicinal plants for the purpose of developing a functional food. The methanol extracts of Agrimonia pilosa was fractionated with five solvents and examined anti oxidative activities and enzyme inhibitory activities in addition to growth inhibitory activity of human cancer cell. The contents of total phenol compounds in EtOAc and BuOH fraction were 39.89% and 39.56%, respectively. Strong electron donating abilities(>90%) were shown in these fractions and its abilities were 92.90% ($500\;{\mu}g/ml$), 94.47% ($1000\;{\mu}g/ml$) in EtOAc fraction and 93.77% ($500\;{\mu}g/ml$), 92.90% ($1000\;{\mu}g/ml$) in BuOH fraction, respectively. These fractions exhibited more than 50% nitrite scavenging ability and potent inhibition activities to XOase activity (93.06%, 91.73%) at concentration of $1000\;{\mu}g/ml$. In antitumor activity test, hexane fraction showed the strongest growth inhibition activity against HT-29, SNU-1 and HeLa cells. Inhibition levels were 51.50, 90.09% in HT-29, 88.19, 95.11 % in SNU-1 and 42.66, 96.40% in HeLa at the concentration of 50, $100\;{\mu}g/ml$, respectively.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.1282-1288
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• 2016

Artemisia, a plant widely used as traditional herbal medicine in many countries, has drawn attention of the researchers. And its extracts or compounds are known to have an efficacy of antioxidant, anti-diabete, anti-cancer, anti-inflammation and neuroprotection. Sumaeyaksuk is a variant of the Artemisia argyi and major constituents are eupatilin and jaceosidin. This study was performed to investigate the effects of the sumaeyaksuk aqueous extract on inflammatory response induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. To examine the potential hepatoprotective properties of sumaeyaksuk extract, cell viability, as well as nitric oxide (NO), reactive oxygen species (ROS), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels, alanine transaminase (ALT), and aspartate transaminase (AST) activities, were measured. Cytotoxic activity of extracts on HepG2 cells was measured by MTT assay. Sumaeyaksuk extract did not induce cytotoxicity at concentrations of $0{\sim}400{\mu}g/mL$. NO and ROS levels significantly decreased with increasing concentration of the extract. The secretion levels of M-CSF and IL-8 were suppressed by sumaeyaksuk extract in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, ALT (75.4%) and AST (61.6%) levels significantly decreased in sumaeyaksuk extract-treated cells at $400{\mu}g/mL$. These results suggested that the sumaeyaksuk extract attenuates the LPS-induced hepatotoxicity resulting from regulation of inflammatory factors and could potentially be used as a hepatitis therapeutic agent.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.228-235
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• 2008

This study was conducted to evaluate the estrogen activity of silkworm (Bombyx mori) pupa extracts and their fractions. Powdered samples of freeze-dried silkworm pupa were extracted at room temperature (RT), $40^{\circ}C$, $60^{\circ}C$, $80^{\circ}C$, and $100^{\circ}C$ in water (D.W), chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol for 6h and then filtered (0.45 um). The extracts were then freeze-dried. The estrogenic activity of these extracts was then investigated by competition binding assays using estrogen receptor ${\alpha}\;(ER{\alpha})$ and $ER{\beta}$, and by evaluating their effects on the proliferation of the human breast cancer cell line, MCF-7. Among the extracts evaluated, water extracts prepared at RT showed the highest binding affinity to $ER{\alpha}$ ($IC_{50}$, 1.76 ug/ml) and $ER{\beta}$ ($IC_{50}$, 0.07 ug/ml). In addition, MCF-7 cells that were treated with 62.5 ug/ml of the RT extract showed the greatest increase in proliferation (2-fold; 1291.79%) when compared to control cells (659.82%). Next, the water extract that was prepared at RT (sample 1) was dissolved in D.W. and further fractionated using a Dowex 50W - 8X ($H^+$) column. The flow-through and wash were then pooled together and freeze-dried (sample 2). The bound materials were then eluted with 20 mM NaCl, after which they were applied to a Dowex 1X2 - 200 ($Cl^-$) column and washed with D.W. to remove the sodium ions. The eluants were then freeze-dried (sample 3). Of these fractions, sample 2 showed the highest binding affinity to ER{\alpha} ($IC_{50}$, 1.44 ug/ml) and $ER{\beta}$ ($IC_{50}$, 1.18 ug/ml). In addition, MCF-7 cells that were treated with sample 2 (15.6 ug/ml) showed the largest increase in growth (1159.39%) when compared to control cells (525.26%). Taken together, these results suggest that the fraction of the RT water extract of silkworm pupa referred to as sample 2 may be useful as a phytoestrogen.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.136-141
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• 2009

Biological activities of enzymatic hydrolysate of spirulina (EHS) were investigated. EHS showed no significant effects on the growth-stimulating activity for lactic-acid bacteria and antioxidant activity. EHS showed slight in vitro growth-inhibitory effects (15% at 1.42 mg/L) on a human cervical cancer cell line (HeLa). In addition, the anticoagulant activities of EHS were measured based on three different pathways: common, intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. As an indication of anticoagulant activity on common pathway, thrombin time (TT) of EHS (100 mg/L) was measured as 155.6 sec. Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) for intrinsic pathway of EHS (1,000 mg/L) was measured as 95.8 sec. Prothrombin time (PT) based on extrinsic pathway of EHS (1,000 mg/L) was measured as 10.6 sec. These data showed that EHS have influences on anticoagulant factors of common pathway and intrinsic pathway. Consequently it was found that EHS could be used as a functional food for blood circulation.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2004

The present study was conducted to test and evaluate estrogenic effect of 17 pesticides including benomy1 and carbaryl, being suspected as endocrine disrupting chemicals. For estrogenic effect examination, luciferase assay were achieved with human ovarian cancer cell, BG1Luc4E2. Estrogenic effects of cypermethrin, dicofol, endosulfan, esfenvalerate, and fenvalerate were observed at the concentration of $10^{-5}$ M by estrogen receptor binding assay. Relative luciferase potency and relative luciferase effects compared with $10^{-10}$ M 17 $\beta$-estradiol were $10^{-5}$, 56% for dicofol, and $10^{-5}$, 72% for endosulfan, respectively. Estimated maximum daily intake for pesticides was calculated from maximum residue limit of agricultural commodity and food consumption was 1.2298 mg/person. Theoretically calculated blood estrogen level from dietary intake for pesticides based on MRL in Korea, 3.075 ng/L was equivalent to 15% of estrogen concentration in normal blood, but practical monitoring data, 0.01938 ng/L was equal to 0.09693% of estrogen concentration in normal blood.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2020

Purpose: Diabetic nephropathy is one of the most important diabetic complications prompted by chronic hyperglycemia, characterized by glomerulosclerosis, tubular fibrosis, and it eventually causes kidney failure. Nobiletin is a polymethoxyflavone present in tangerine and other citrus peels, and has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects. This study investigated the effects of nobiletin on glomerular fibrosis through inhibition of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-Src-caveolin-1 pathway. Methods: Human renal mesangial cells (HRMC) were incubated in media containing 33 mM glucose with or without 1-20 uM nobiletin for 3 day. The cellular expression levels of fibrogenic collagen IV, fibronectin, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), TGF-β1, Src and caveolin-1 were all examined. In addition, TGF-β1, Src and caveolin-1 proteins were screened to reveal the relationship among TGF-β1-Src-caveolin-1 signaling in glomerular fibrosis. Results: High glucose promoted the production of collagen IV, fibronectin and CTGF in HRMC, which was inhibited in a dose dependent manner by 1-20 uM nobiletin. The Western blot data showed that high glucose elevated the expression of TGF-β1, Src, caveolin-1 and Rho GTPase. When nobiletin was treated to the HRMC exposed to high glucose, the expression of TGF-β1-Src-caveolin-1 was dampened. Finally, TGF-β1-Src-caveolin-1 signaling pathway was activated in high glucose-exposed HRMC, and such activation was encumbered by nobiletin. Conclusion: These result demonstrated that nobiletin blunted high glucose-induced extracellular matrix accumulation via inhibition of the TGF-β1-Src-caveolin-1 related intracellular signaling pathway. Nobiletin may be a potent renoprotective agent to counteract diabetes-associated glomerular fibrosis that leads to kidney failure.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2018.10a
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• pp.102-102
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• 2018

Protaetia Brevitarsis Seulensis(white grub) has been traditionally used as medicinal stuff to treat blood stasis, occlusion of menstruation, tetanus and liver cancer in Asian countries (Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, India and Myanmar). Especially, Donguibogam, which is traditional korean medicinal book, described the white grub as traditional medicine to treat hepatic diseases and vascular disorders. The white grub has been considered as highly nutritional food. The major constituents of white grub are rich in protein, healthy fats, iron, calcium. Recent studies announced that white grub has hepatoprotective effect and anti-microbacterial effect. However, the immuno-enhancing effect of white grub extracts in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells has not been studied yet. In this study, the various concentrations of white grub extract were examined to find immuno-enhancing effects on RAW 264.7 cells. Cytotoxicity was determined by MTT assay and immuno-enhancing effect of white grub extract was investigated by measuring nitric oxide (NO) production compared with only lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment. White grub extracts (0.001 - 10 mg/ml) did not show cytotoxicity. Additionally, white grub extracts (0.001 - 1mg/ml) had Immuno-enhancing effect on RAW 264.7 cells compared with only LPS treated group. These results might be provided proof to develop beneficial immuno-enhancing material for human health.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.190-194
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• 2007

Gastric adenocarcinoma (GA) is a major tumor type of gastric cancers and subdivides into several different tumors such as papillary, tubular mucinous, signet-ring cell and adenosquamous carcinoma according to histopatholigical determination. In other hand, GA is also subdivided into intestinal and diffuse type of adenocarcinoma by the Lauren?fs classification. In this study, we have examined differential gene expression pattern analysis of three histologically different GAs of 24 samples by using DNA microarray containing approximately 19000 genetic elements. The hierarchical clustering analysis of 24 gastric adenocarcinomas (12 of intestinal type, 7 of diffuse type and 5 of mixed type) resulted in two major subgroup on dendrogram, and two subgroups included most of intestinal and diffused type of GAs respectively. Supervised analysis of 19 intestinal and diffuse type GAs by using Wilcoxon rank T-test (P<0.01) resulted in 100 outlier genes which exactly separated intestinal and diffuse type of GA by differential gene expression. In conclusion, genome-wide analysis of gene expression of GAs suggested that GAs may subclassify as intestinal and diffused type of GA by their characteristic molecular expression. Our results also provide large-scale genetic elements which reflect molecular differences of intestinal and diffuse type of GAs, and this may facilitate to understand different molecular carcinogenesis of gastric cancer.