• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.298-306
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• 2022

This study sought to evaluate the mechanism of cellular injury caused by ferrous sulfate (FeSO₄) and the protective effects of Parnassia palustris L. (PP) extract against FeSO₄-induced cytotoxicity of cultured C6 glioma cells. FeSO₄ is known to cause neurotoxicity and induce Parkinson's disease. The antioxidative effects of PP, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like and superoxide anion-radical (SAR)-scavenging activities, as well as effects on cell viability, were studied. FeSO₄ significantly decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner and the XTT₅₀ value, the concentration of FeSO₄ which reduced the cell viability by half, was measured at 63.3 μM in these cultures. FeSO₄ was estimated to be highly cytotoxic by the Borenfreund and Puerner toxicity criteria. Quercetin, an antioxidant, significantly improved cell viability, damaged by FeSO₄-induced cytotoxicity. While evaluating the protective effects of the PP extract on FeSO₄-induced cytotoxicity, it was observed that the extract significantly increased cell viability compared to the FeSO₄-treated group. Also, the PP extract showed superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like and superoxide anion radical (SAR)-scavenging activities. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that FeSO₄ induced oxidative stress-related cytotoxicity, and the PP extract effectively protected against this cytotoxicity via its antioxidative effects. In conclusion, natural antioxidant sources such as PP may be agents useful for preventing oxidative stress-related cytotoxicity induced by heavy metal compounds such as the FeSO₄, a known Parkinsonism inducer.

• Clean Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.60-66
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• 2009

Adsorptive removal of tetrahydrothiophene (THT) and tert-butylmercaptan (TBM) that were widely used sulfur odorants in pipeline natural gas was studied using various ion-exchanged NaY zeolites at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure. In order to improve the adsorption ability, ion exchange was performed on NaY zeolites with alkali metal cations of $Li^+,\;Na^+,\;K^+$ and transition metal cations of $Cu^{2+},\;Ni^{2+},\;Co^{2+},\;Ag^+$. Among the adsorbents tested, Cu-NaY and Ag-NaY showed good adsorption capacities for THT and TBM. These good behaviors of removal of sulfur compound for Cu-NaY and Ag-NaY zeolites probably was influenced by their acidity. The adsorption capacity for THT and TBM on the best adsorbent Cu-NaY-0.5, which was ion exchanged with 0.5 M copper nitrate solution, was 1.85 and 0.78 mmol-S/g at breakthrough, respectively. It was the best sulfur capacity so far in removing organic sulfur compounds from fuel gas by adsorption on zeolites. While the desorption activation energy of TBM on the Cu-NaY-0.5 was higher than NaY zeolite, the difference of THT desorption activation energy between two zeolites was comparatively small.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.101-109
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• 2024

In this study, we investigated the antioxidant effects and active ingredients of Gynura Procumbens extracts obtained through various extraction methods for the development of natural-based cosmetics and pharmaceutical materials. The contents of compounds, total flavonoids, chlorogenic acid, and caffeic acid were compared at different concentrations, revealing the highest content of active ingredients in the 100% ethanol extract. Antioxidant activity assessed by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays showed a concentration-dependent increase in antioxidant activity with the ethanol concentration. Additionally, we validated the DNA damage inhibition and anti-inflammatory effects of Gynura Procumbens extracts through UVB irradiation on Hs68 cell models. The 100% ethanol extract demonstrated significant inhibition of the expression of p-p53, γ-H2AX, iNOS, and COX-2 induced by UVB, indicating its potential in alleviating photodamage effects. Consequently, the efficient extraction of Gynura Procumbens for skin functional material development was confirmed, suggesting the suitability of ethanol or alcohol-based solvents.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.334-346
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• 2023

The antioxidant ability of 80% ethanolic extract of nutmeg seed (NM80) was evaluated using in vitro assays and bulk oil and oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion matrices. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) cation radical scavenging, and oxygen radical antioxidant capacity (ORAC) in vitro assays were used to evaluate the antioxidant ability of the extract. The DPPH radical scavenging activities of 25, 50, 100, and 200 ㎍/mL NM80 were 12.5, 20.9, 35.1, and 62.8%, respectively, while the ABTS cation radical scavenging activities were 2.7, 6.5, 30.5, and 29.8%, respectively, demonstrating a dose-dependent effect. The ORAC value was significantly higher at an NM80 concentration of 25 ㎍/mL than the positive control (p<0.05). The conjugated dienoic acid (CDA), ρ-anisidine, and tertiary butyl alcohol values in 90-min-heated corn oil containing 200 ppm of NM80 were significantly reduced by 3.26, 16.94, and 17.34%, respectively, compared to those for the sample without NM80 (p<0.05). However, the headspace oxygen content and CDA value in the O/W emulsion containing 200 ppm of NM80 at 60℃ had 6.29 and 82.85% lower values, respectively, than those for the sample without NM80 (p<0.05). The major volatile compounds of NM80 were allyl phenoxyacetate, eugenol acetate, and eugenol. NM80 could be an effective natural antioxidant in lipid-rich foods in bulk oil or O/W emulsion matrix.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.39-45
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• 2023

Biorenovation is a biotransformation method that converts the structure of chemical compounds and natural product through biocatalytic metabolism of microorganism and could enhance biological effectiveness and mitigate cytotoxicity compared to its substrates. Althaea rosea L. has been used as oriental medicine and is known for physiological efficacies such as antiurolithiatic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activities. A. rosea L. callus, the plant tissue grown to protect its wound, has been reported to have antioxidant and whitening effects. However, mechanisms of its other activity such as inflammation have not yet been investigated. In this study, we extracted A. rosea L. callus (AR) and produced biorenovated AR (ARBR), and then analyzed anti-inflammatory effect in Lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 macrophage at 50, 100, 200 ㎍/mL of ARBR. As a result of inhibition test of nitric oxide production, it was found that ARBR was superior to AR without apparent toxicity. Furthermore, ARBR significantly inhibited production of prostaglandin E₂, inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2 and pro-inflammatory cytokines including Tumor necrosis factor-α, Interleukin-6, Interleukin-1β in a concentration-dependent manner. In conclusion, we suggest that ARBR could regulate the excessive inflammatory response to an appropriate level and be a promising material for functional cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.122-127
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• 2023

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasingly increasing as the main cause of death worldwide, and activation of platelet in vascular damage is one of the important causes of CVD. In recent, there is a growing interest in anti-thrombotic materials through platelet suppression, and efforts are being made to reduce side effects by using natural bioactive compounds. Known as one of the Flavonoids, hydroxygenkwanin (HGK) is a purified substance in Daphne Genkwa, which is known to have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects, and has been reported to serve as an inhibitor of tissue factor that prevents thrombosis, but its anti-platelet effects and the action mechanisms is not known. In this study, we confirmed that the effects of HGK on the collagen-induced human platelets activation. HGK suppressed phosphorylation of PI3K/AKT and mitogen-activated protein kinases during platelet signaling, and reduced granule secretion in platelets such as ATP and serotonin. In addition, HGK inhibited the phosphorylation of cPLA₂ and strongly undermined the production of TXA₂, which is a powerful aggregation amplifier. As a result, the platelet aggregation derived by Collagen, a cohesive induced substance, was strongly suppressed by HGK to an IC₅₀ of 86.36 µM. Therefore, HGK might be worth the antithrombotic substance that inhibits the activation and aggregation of human platelets that occur through blood vessel damage.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.127-134
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• 2023

Pharmacokinetic (PK) data provide pivotal information in drug development, and they are usually first studied in the preclinical stage using various animals. However, quite often, animal PK data may not match with human PK, especially in metabolites. Thus, most regulatory agencies in the world make it mandatory to obtain metabolite information using ¹⁴C radiolabeled drug in human for small molecule drug candidates. However, such studies are expensive and time consuming and they are usually done at the end of Phase II trials using ~3.7 MBq of ¹⁴C labeled drug in a limited number of human subjects. Introduction of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) in this kind of study has revolutionized it. Since AMS can measure ¹⁴C level as close as natural abundance, it can quantify the amounts of ¹⁴C labeled drugs and their metabolites produced in human body that consumes less than the amount of 0.0037 MBq of ¹⁴C labeled drug, a very safe level of radioactive dose in human. Therefore, it is now possible to conduct human ¹⁴C studies safely in early clinical trials without spending hefty amount of money and time. Korea Radioisotope Center for Pharmaceuticals(KRICP) at Korea Institute of Biological and Medical Sciences(KIRAMS) has established an AMS facility in 2018, housing a 0.5MV AMS manufactured at the US National Electrostatics Corps (NEC). The AMS instrument has been validated using various standard samples that have been prepared at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the US, a worldly reputable provider of AMS standards. In this paper, we present a mass balance study for acetaminophen in rats using AMS and prove that the study results are equivalent with those of literature, which shows the AMS facilities at KRICP has successfully installed and be ready to be used in the various PK studies using ¹⁴C labelled compounds for new drug development.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.211-222
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• 2024

Objectives: Tilia viridis (Bayer) Simonk. (Malvaceae) is widely distributed in Argentina and employed for its tranquilizing properties. Other species of the genus (Tilia europaea L., Tilia cordata Mill., Tilia platyphyllos Scop.) have been traditionally used for the treatment of epilepsy. Epilepsy affects approximately 65 million people worldwide and is characterized by an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory processes in the brain, leading to unpredictable, unprovoked, recurrent seizures. Current pharmacological interventions often present mild to moderately severe side effects. Epilepsy has been associated with oxidative and nitrative stress as well as neuroinflammation. Herbal medicine therapies may offer new treatment options with multi-target antioxidant and anticonvulsant effects for patients whose seizures remain uncontrolled, potentially providing cost-effective solutions for individuals worldwide suffering from uncontrolled epilepsy.The aim of this study was to demonstrate the anticonvulsant activity of a standardized T. viridis aqueous extract (TE). Methods: Study of the constituents of TE, TE's antioxidant and anticonvulsant activities and toxicity, and analysis of the possible relation between the potential activities and the compounds present in the extract. In order to demonstrate TE's anticonvulsant activity a zebrafish model was used. The study also assessed TE's toxicity and antioxidant activity. To standardize the extract, total polyphenols and flavonoids were quantified and specific flavonoids were identified and quantified using HPLC-MS/MS and HPLC-UV. Results: TE exhibited anticonvulsant activity at low concentrations and demonstrated antioxidant effects by scavenging free radicals, exhibiting superoxide dismutase and peroxidase-like activities, as well as inhibiting lipoperoxidation. These actions can be attributed to the presence of polyphenols, particularly flavonoids. Conclusion: TE holds promise as a complementary herbal medicine in the treatment of epilepsy and may also offer benefits for other neuropathies associated with oxidative stress, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.413-419
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• 2011

Nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) particles were tested as remediation media for groundwater contaminated by organic pollutants (e.g., TCE, trichloroethylene). The contaminated groundwater contained anions ($NO_3^-$, $Cl^-$, $SO_4^{2-}$, and $HCO_3^-$) and natural organic matter (NOM). Treatability of commercial NZVI particles (NANOFER 25, Nanoiron, Czech) was tested by using a synthetic groundwater and the field groundwater samples. More than 95% of 1.8 mM TCE was removed within 20 hours with a NZVI dosage of 25 g/L ($k=0.15hr^{-1}$). Repetitive degradation experiments revealed that the removal capacity of NANOFER 25 was 0.19 mmole TCE/g NZVI. TCE degradation reactions were not substantially affected by the presence of each anion with concentrations as high as 100 times the average field concentrations. However, when the four anions ($NO_3^-$, $Cl^-$, $SO_4^{2-}$, $HCO_3^-$) were present simultaneously. the degradation reactivity and removal capacity were decreased by 60% ($k=0.069hr^{-1}$) and 10%, respectively. The k value of TCE degradation in the presence of NZVI (25 g/L) with dissovled organic carbon of 2.5 mg/L was also decreased by 84% ($k=0.025hr^{-1}$). In the experiments with the field groundwater, more than 90% of $1.8{\mu}M$ TCE, which is the concentration of TCE at the source zone, was removed within 10 hours with a NANOFER 25 dosage of 25 g/L. The results imply that the contaminated groundwater can effectively be treated by NANOFER 25 with more information on the hydrogeology of the site.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.666-671
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• 2012

Gas hydrates are inclusion compounds formed when small-sized guest molecules are incorporated into the well defined cages made up of hydrogen bonded water molecules. Since large masses of natural gas hydrates exist in permafrost regions or beneath deep oceans, these naturally occurring gas hydrates in the earth containing mostly $CH_4$ are regarded as future energy resources. The heat of dissociation is one of the most important thermal properties in exploiting natural gas hydrates. The accurate and direct method to measure the dissociation enthalpies of gas hydrates is to use a calorimeter. In this study, the high pressure micro DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimeter) was used to measure the dissociation enthalpies of methane, ethane, and propane hydrates. The accuracy and repeatability of the data obtained from the DSC was confirmed by measuring the dissociation enthalpy of ice. The dissociation enthalpies of methane, ethane, and propane hydrates were found to be 54.2, 73.8, and 127.7 kJ/mol-gas, respectively. For each gas hydrate, at given pressures the dissociation temperatures which were obtained in the process of enthalpy measurement were compared with three-phase (hydrate (H) - liquid water (Lw) - vapor (V)) equilibrium data in the literature and found to be in good agreement with literature values.