• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2016

Medicinal plants resources are becoming important assets since their usages have been expanded to the development of functional foods for human health, natural cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. However, names are different from each country and their phylogenetic origins are not clear. These lead consumers to be confused. In particular, when they are morphologically similar and distributed as dried roots, it is extremely difficult to differentiate their origins even by specialists. Recently, molecular markers have been extensively applied to identify the origin of many crops. In this review, we tried to overview the current research achievements for the development of suitable 'origin identification' regarding to the differentiation of Angelica species. Furthermore, more advanced techniques including amplification genome based marker analyses are also discussed for their practical applications in the authentication of particular medicinal plant in Angelica species.

• Atmosphere
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.29-40
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• 2017

The $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ particles over the Yellow Sea of Korea were collected by ship-borne observation during two cruises in spring, 2015. Their water-soluble ionic components such as $NH_4^+$, $Na^+$, $K^+$, $Mg^{2+}$, $Ca^{2+}$, $SO_4^{2-}$, $NO_3^-$, $Cl^-$, $F^-$, $CH_3COO^-$, $HCOO^-$, and $CH_3SO_3^-$ were analyzed, in order to examine the pollution characteristics of the secondary aerosol components. The comparative study of particle size distribution has resulted that $NH_4^+$, $nss-SO_4^{2-}$, $nss-Mg2+$, $nss-K^+$, $HCOO^-$, and $CH_3SO_3^-$ species mostly existed in fine particle mode. Meanwhile, nss-F-and sea-salt species were distributed in both fine and coarse particle mode, $NO_3^-$, $nss-Ca^{2+}$, $CH_3COO^-$ species were rich in coarse particle mode. The concentrations of secondary pollutants($nss-SO_4^{2-}$, $NO_3^-$, $NH_4^+$) increased in fine particles, and those of natural components ($nss-Ca^{2+}$, Sea-salt) increased in coarse particles. $NH_4^+$ exists as the form of $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ and $NH_4NO_3$, and mostly as $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ in fine particles. $NH_4NO_3$ has lower content compared to $(NH_4)_2SO_4$, and it mostly existed in fine particles at Yellow Sea I and in coarse particles at Yellow Sea II. The concentration ratios of $NO_3^-/nss-SO_4^{2-}$ for Yellow Sea I and Yellow Sea II were 0.52 and 0.16 in coarse particles, and they were 0.64 and 0.38 in fine particles, respectively, showing that the stationary source emissions were more important than mobile source emissions in Yellow Sea II (except Passage II-4).

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.129-134
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• 2006

Biological activities and application of Isodon japonicus H. were investigated. In the physiological activities, the electron donating ability (EDA) was 66.3% in 100 ppm and SOD-like activity was as high as 85.0% in 1,000 ppm with gradual increase. As for the inhibitory effect of xanthine oxidase, it was 70.0% in 1,000 ppm and as low as 40.0% in 500 ppm; also, as for the inhibitory effect of tyrosinase, it was as low as 20.5% below 1,000 ppm. The tyrosinase inhibition effect related to skin whitening function showed 30.0% at 1,000 ppm level or below, indicating a relatively low effect. As for the result of measuring the lipid oxidation, all the concentrations of medical ion treatments showed anti-acidification ability; also, as for the metal ion blocking effects against the lipid oxidation promoting factors $(Fe^{2+}\;and\;Cu^{2+})$, $Fe^{2+}$ was better than $Cu^{2+}$ and all concentrations of medical ion treatments was 60.0% in 100 ppm. Also, the clear zone against various bacteria at 0.5 and 1.0 mg/disc was clearly shown. When it was applied into a normal skin-softener, it was safe, showing its potential as a natural material of cosmetics.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.5070-5077
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• 2014

Many countries in the world have protected their native plants and utilized them as industrial materials in each country. In this aspect, it is increasingly important to develop cosmetics materials using native plants in Korea. Cosmetic materials have been developed with niche plants, such as Campanula takesimana Nakai, Dianthus superbus, Aster spathulifolius in Ullengdo, in which a specific plant distribution by distinct climate and environment was present. Water and ethanol extractions were performed from the calluses of Campanula takesimana Nakai, Dianthus superbus, Aster spathulifolius. HPLC analysis revealed different compositions and functions of effective elements in each ethanol extract. For example, all types of ethanol extracts showed an ability to heal wounds. In particular, the expression of the inflammation-related gene, COX-2, was decreased in response to the ethanol extracts of Dianthus superbus. These results indicate that the ethanol extracts from niche plants' calluses in Ullengdo are natural and environmentally-friendly compounds, and can be used as medical supplies associated with anti-inflammation and wound healing.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.426-432
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• 2013

The results of the content of total polyphenol and flavonoid, DPPH (1-1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl) radical scavenging activity, ABTS [2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)] radical scavenging activity, nitrite scavenging activity and SOD-like activity of methanol extracts from immature cotton boll are follows. The contents of total polyphenol and flavonoid compound were higher in small size cotton boll, and DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity also showed a relatively high activity in the small size. These results indicate that there is a correlation between phenol content and DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS radical scavenging. The test concentrations of immature cotton boll extract for measuring DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities were set as 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 mg/ml. Immature cotton boll has high radical scavenging activity at the concentration of 1.25~20 mg/ml and the result showed a tendency to increase in a concentration-dependent. The nitrite scavenging activity showed high activity in the pH 1.2, and the result in the pH 4.2 showed progressively less active, and in the pH 6.0 near neutral was confirmed that does not affect the nitrite scavenging. In addition, SOD-like activity showed somewhat lower activity compared with ascorbic acid, but tended to be higher when compared with the results of the other natural substances. Through this experiment, we confirmed that immature cotton boll was excellent antioxidant activity. Therefore, it is demonstrated that the cotton suggest the possibility of development of new material for cosmetic product or functional food in the future, and is expected to make a greater usability.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.386-392
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• 2014

The present study was aimed at investigating the antimicrobial activities of licorice's active ingredients. Four samples of licorice ingredients (glycyrrhizin, liquiritin, liquiritigenin, and isoliquiritigenin) were evaluated for their antimicrobial activities against six skin microorganisms. The bioassay applied for determining the antimicrobial effects employed a disc diffusion assay, the minimum inhibitory concentration, and the challenge test. The ingredients showed antibacterial activities. Especially, isoliquiritigenin has significant antimicrobial activities against two Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis, Propionobacterium acnes) and two Gramnegative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria. These samples had much higher antimicrobial activities than synthetic preservatives. Our results reveal that liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin could be useful compounds for the development of antibacterial agents for the preservation of cosmetics and foods. The two flavonoids, liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin, sourced from Korea, China, Uzbekistan, were quantified using HPLC. The results demonstrated that Korean licorice has two flavonoids (liquiritigenin, isoliquiritigenin) in much higher quantities than was observed in the licorice obtained from the two other countries. Thus, isoliquiritigenin and Korean licorice extract represent new candidates for antimicrobial agents.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.95-101
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• 2018

The epidermis which is stratified by epithelial tissue renewal based on keratinocyte differentiation protects the organism from various environmental insults by forming a physical barrier. Autophagy is a mechanism which mediates lysosomal delivery and degradation of protein aggregates, damaged organelles and intracellular microorganisms. Recent reports have shown that autophagy has critical roles for proper terminal differentiation to stratum corneum via removing metabolic organelles and nuclei. However, whether increasing autophagy can activate epidermal differentiation is unknown. Here, we screened a library of natural single compounds and discovered that betaine specifically increased the LC3 positive cytosolic punctate vesicles and LC3-I to LC3-II conversion in HaCaT human keratinocyte cell line, indicating increased autophagy flux. mTOR pathway, which negatively regulates autophagy, was not affected by betaine treatment, suggesting betaine-induced autophagy through an mTOR-independent pathway. Betaine-induced autophagy was also observed in primary human keratinocyte and skin equivalent. Furthermore, epidermal thickness was increased in skin equivalent under betaine treatment. Overall, our finding suggests that betaine as a novel regulator of autophagy may induce epidermal turnover and improve the skin barrier abnormality of the aged epidermis.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.812-817
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• 2012

This study was performed to investigate the antioxidant activities and the melanin inhibitory effects of Hippophae rhamnoides L. fruit extracts. Two in vitro methods were used; the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method to determine antioxidant activity and measurements of the inhibitory effects of tyrosinase activity to determine melanogenesis in B16/F10 melanoma cells. The radical scavenging activity of the extract was 56.0% at $700{\mu}g/mL$, similar to ascorbic acid (56.9%), in the DPPH assay. The tyrosinase inhibitory activity of the extract was 52.1% and 73.4% at 100 and $500{\mu}g/mL$, which is also similar to ascorbic acid. In B16/F10 mouse melanoma cells, the extract inhibited melanin synthesis by 56% at $500{\mu}g/mL$, a more prominent inhibition of melanin synthesis compared to extracts from arbutin. These results suggest that extracts from H. rhamnoides L. have antioxidant activity and skin-whitening effects; allowing their application in cosmetics as a natural product.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1214-1223
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• 2012

This study analyzed the in vitro physiological activity of Aconitum pseudolaeve var erectum Nakai (AP) and its effect on perfume on an electroencephalogram (EEG). The results indicated that the absolute alpha power spectrum (AA) and the absolute theta power spectrum (AT) decreased significantly during more than before the inhalation of the AP perfume and its reconstruction perfume. Although there were a little different pattern in the induced part of the wave generated by the inhalation of the AP perfume and its reconstruction perfume, alpha- and theta- were shown equally. In addition, there was the same pattern in which the rate of increase reduced. The results suggest that the perfume of the AP and its reconstruction perfume have a stimulating effect on the brain. In terms of the physiological activity of AP, the activity of AP ethanol extract was significantly higher than that of water extract in DPPH, collagenase, and nitric oxide, except for an astringent effect. The AP ethanol extract was about 80% at 500 ppm in collagenase inhibition activity. In addition, the AP water and ethanol extracts were 50% at 100 ppm in the NO inhibition activity. Based on these results, we conclude that this natural substance could be used in cosmetics and in the development of perfumes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.10
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• pp.1418-1424
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• 2010

This study was performed to assess the antioxidant activities and whitening effects of Sorbus commixta HEDL cortex on melanin synthesis. The whitening effects of Sorbus commixta HEDL cortex water extracts were examined by in vitro mushroom tyrosinase assay and B16BL6 melanoma cells. We assessed inhibitory effects of Sorbus commixta HEDL cortex water extracts on expression of melanogenic enzyme proteins including tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP-1) and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP-2) in B16BL6 cells. Inhibitory effects of Sorbus commixta HEDL cortex onto free radical generation were determined by measuring DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities. Our results indicated that Sorbus commixta HEDL cortex water extracts effectively inhibited free radical generation. In DPPH radical scavenging activity, Sorbus commixta HEDL cortex water extracts had a potent anti-oxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner. They significantly inhibited tyrosinase activity in vitro and in B16BL6 melanoma cells. Also, Sorbus commixta HEDL cortex suppressed the expression of tyrosinase, TRP-1 and TRP-2 in B16BL6 melanoma cells. These results show that Sorbus commixta HEDL cortex inhibited melanin production on the melanogenesis. The underlying mechanism of Sorbus commixta HEDL cortex on whitening activity may be due to the inhibition of tyrosinase activity and tyrosinase, TRP-1, TRP-2 expression. We suggest that Sorbus commixta HEDL cortex may be contain new natural active ingredients for antioxidant and whitening cosmetics.