• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1033-1041
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• 2020

Many people of all ages wish to have lighter skin for cosmetic reasons, and natural products attract more attention than chemically synthesized compounds. Uncaria rhynchophylla is widely used in Asia as a traditional herbal medicine. In order to find novel skin whitening agents, the present study evaluated the antioxidant activity and potential tyrosinase-inhibiting properties of U. rhynchophylla. Specifically, this study analyzed the antioxidant capacity of a 70% ethanolic extract of U. rhynchophylla as well as its effects on tyrosinase activity and melanin synthesis. Total mRNA levels were examined using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The results revealed that U. rhynchophylla extracts exhibit great antioxidant capacity and significant levels of polyphenol and flavonoid compounds. U. rhynchophylla extracts can also powerfully inhibit tyrosinase activity. This same capacity was observed in melanoma B16F10 cells; that is, U. rhynchophylla extracts suppressed intracellular tyrosinase activity and reduced the amount of melanin in treated cells. In addition, a 1 mg/ml concentration of U. rhynchophylla extract significantly reduced the mRNA expression levels of tyrosinase. U. rhynchophylla extracts decrease tyrosinase and inhibit melanogenesis in B16F10 cells. This finding suggests that U. rhynchophylla has great potential as a natural whitening agent in skincare products.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.298-303
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• 2020

This study aimed to investigate possible applications of Rodgersia podophylla in the food and cosmetic industry. Ethanol extracts of leaves (RP-L), branches (RP-B), and root (RP-R) were prepared, and their antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-diabetic activities were evaluated. The polyphenol content in the RP-R, RP-L, and RP-B extracts was 79.6, 30.4, and 16.9 mg/g, respectively. An antimicrobial activity assay showed that the RP-L and RP-R extracts exhibited strong growth inhibition of pathogenic and food spoilage Gram-positive bacteria. Furthermore, the RP-R extract inhibited the growth of the Gramnegative E. coli and P. vulgaris bacteria. All extracts showed strong scavenging activity for DPPH, ABTS, nitrite, and reducing power determined by A 700 nm. In particular, the RC₅₀s of the RP-R extract for the DPPH anion and ABTS cation were 23.0-29.7 and 15.0-18.2 ㎍/ml, respectively, which are comparable to those of vitamin C (9.8 and 8.0 ㎍/ml, respectively). An activity assay of α-glucosidase and β-amylase suggested a high potential for the RP-R extract as an anti-diabetic agent. Its inhibition levels of α-glucosidase and β-amylase at 0.5 mg/ml were 6.9 and 48.5%, respectively. This is the first report of the antimicrobial and anti-diabetic activities of R. podophylla. Our results suggest that RP-L and RP-R extracts could be developed as novel cosmeceutical and functional food resources.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.10
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• pp.1519-1526
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• 2014

This study investigated the biological activities and effects of Korean Zingiber mioga R. (flower buds and rhizome) on memory. The general composition, minerals, anti-oxidative activities, and AChE inhibitory effects were analyzed, and NORT (Novel object recognition test) and Y-Maze test in vivo were performed. The general contents (moisture, crude fat, crude protein, and crude ash; wet basis) of ZB (flower buds) were 91.96%, 0.15%, 1.99%, and 11.90%, respectively. The general contents (moisture, crude fat, crude protein, and crude ash; wet basis) of ZR (rhizome) were 75.21%, 0.53%, 2.20%, and 9.50%, respectively. The macro mineral contents (Ca, P, Na, and K) of ZB were 31.70 mg%, 15.20 mg%, 8.20 mg%, and 258.60 mg%, respectively. Inhibitory effects (IC50 value) of DPPH and ABTS radicals were higher with ZBD (flower buds water extract) than with ZBE (flower buds EtOH extract), ZRD (rhizome water extract) or ZRE (rhizome EtOH extract). AChE inhibitory effect of ZBD was higher and that of ZRD. NORT and Y-Maze test were performed with scopolamine-induced mice treated with ZBD and ZBE. In NORT, effects of ZBD and ZBE were similar to that of donepezil. In the Y-maze test, performances of ZBD and ZBE-treated mice were similar to that of the normal group. These results suggest that Korean Zingiber mioga R. has potential to be developed into a new functional food for cognition enhancement in the global food market.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.394-402
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• 2014

Purpose: Dendropanax morifera Leveille (DML) exhibits diverse biological and pharmacological activities, including anti-oxidative effect, anti-cancer activity, hepatoprotection, immunological stimulation, and bone regeneration. As part of the identification for novel functions of DML, we investigated the therapeutic effects of DML on diabetes induced by streptozotocine (STZ) treatment. Methods: First, the four extracts including the water extract of leaf (DLW), the ethanol extract of leaf (DLE), the water extract of stem (DSW), and the ethanol extract of stem (DSE) were collected from the leaf and stem of DML using a hot water and ethanol solvent. Alterations in body weight, glucose concentration, insulin level, and pancreatic islet structure were investigated in diabetic mice after treatment with extracts of DML for 2 weeks. Results: Among four extracts, the highest level of total polyphenols and total flavonoids was detected in DLW, while the lowest level of these was measured in DSE. The radical scavenging activity was also higher in DLW than in the other three extracts at the concentration of $25-100{\mu}g/mL$, although this activity was maintained at a constant level in all groups at the concentration of $500{\mu}g/mL$. Based on the results of anti-oxidant activity, DLW and DLE were selected for examination of anti-diabetic effects in a diabetes model. Body weight was gradually decreased in all STZ treated groups compared with the No treated group. However, four STZ/DML treated groups maintained a high level of body weight during 7-14 days, while the STZ/vehicle treated group showed a gradual decrease of body weight during the same period. Also, a significant decrease or increase in the concentration of glucose and insulin in the blood of the diabetes model was detected in a subset of groups, although the highest increase was detected in the STZ/DLE-200 treated group. In addition, the histological structure of pancreatic islet was significantly recovered after treatment with DLW and DLE. Conclusion: These results suggest that DLW and DLE may contribute to attenuation of clinical symptoms of diabetes as well as prevent the destruction of pancreatic ${\beta}$-cells in STZ-induced diabetes mice.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.131-138
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• 2017

In this study, for the efficient use of the byproduct of the omija (Schizandra chinensis Baillon: SC) processing industry, the ethanol extracts of the fruit (F), seed (S), and pomace (P) of SC were prepared, and their useful bioactivities were evaluated. For F-SC, S-SC, and P-SC, the extraction yields were 28.3%, 22.1%, and 7.2%, respectively, and the polyphenol contents were 8.81, 37.22, and 9.20 mg/g, respectively. The total flavonoid content in P-SC (4.31 mg/g) was 3.5-fold higher than that in F-SC (0.76 mg/g). In an antioxidation activity assay, P-SC showed stronger radical scavenging activities against DPPH anion, ABTS cation, and nitrite and stronger reducing power activities than the other extracts. The calculated concentration required for 50% radical scavenging activity, $RC_{50}s$, of P-SC for DPPH anion, ABTS cation, and nitrite was 226.2, 192.5, and $92.5{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. In an antimicrobial activity assay, F-SC, S-SC, and P-SC showed similarly strong growth inhibitions against Bacillus subtilis and P. vulgaris at a concentration of 0.5 mg/disc. F-SC and P-SC showed 15-fold extended time in thrombin, prothrombin, and activated partial thromboplastin time assays at a concentration of 5 mg/ml. The anticoagulation activity of P-SC (2.5 mg/ml) was comparable to that of aspirin (1.5 mg/ml). Furthermore, F-SC and S-SC showed very good platelet aggregation inhibitory activities. F-SC, S-SC, and P-SC did not show significant hemolysis against human red blood cell up to a concentration of 0.5 mg/ml. These results suggest that S-SC and P-SC, both of which are byproducts of the omija processing industry, show strong potential as novel antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antithrombosis agents.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.865-872
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• 2014

In this study, ethanol and hot water extracts of lees from Korean traditional wine (J-B, J-S, J-Y, J-H, and J-W) were prepared, and their effects on blood coagulation, platelet aggregation, and hemolysis of human red blood cells (hRBCs) were investigated to develop functional food ingredients from lees. The pH and brix of the lees ranged from 3.90 to 4.29 and 5.0 to $27.0^{\circ}$, respectively, and there was a huge difference in the water and ethanol content among the lees. The nuruk and additives used affected the color and physicochemical properties of lees. The J-W takju made from only rice and traditional nuruk, which has $13^{\circ}$ brix and 1.8% of alcohol, has potential as functional food ingredient. With regard to the extraction yields of lees, higher yields were obtained from J-H, which contains different medicinal plants, in ethanol, followed by J-W, J-B, J-S, and J-Y. Higher extraction yields of lees were obtained from J-S in hot water, followed by J-B, J-W, J-H, and J-Y, respectively. The ethanol extract of J-H and the hot water extract of J-Y had the highest contents of total polyphenol and total flavonoids among the lees extracts. The 10 lees extracts did not show hemolysis activity against hRBCs up to 5 mg/ml. In an anticoagulation activity assay, the ethanol extracts of three yakju lees (J-B, J-S, and J-Y) and the hot water extract of J-W inhibited thrombin activity, whereas the hot water extract of J-B, J-S, and J-H inhibited blood coagulation factors. In an antiplatelet aggregation activity assay, only the J-W takju lees showed significant inhibition activity. Our results suggest that lees from traditional wine had high potential as a novel antithrombosis agent.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1156-1162
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• 2018

To investigate the anti-thrombotic activities of the lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertner), various hot-water extracts were prepared from the leaf, pod of seed (PS), seed, embryo of seed (ES), root, and the node of root (NR) of the lotus. The highest extraction ratio was found in the NR (20.3%), followed by the seed, root, leaf, ES, and PS. These extracts had pH and acidity levels ranging from 5.6~6.5 and 0.06~0.20%, respectively. The seed extract showed 70% brix, whereas the leaf and PS extracts showed less than 0.1% brix. The highest contents of total polyphenol (179.7 mg/g), total flavonoids (161.4 mg/g), and reducing sugar (161.4 mg/g) were observed in the leaf extract, and the highest total sugar content (873.0 mg/g) in the seed extract. Anti-coagulation assay of the extracts of NR, leaf, and PS showed strong activities. In particular, at a concentration of 5 mg/ml, the PS extract had 15-fold extended thrombin, prothrombin, and activated partial thromboplastin times. However, only the ES extract showed activities inhibitory to platelet aggregation, with treatment with 0.25 mg/ml of ES extract decreasing platelet aggregation to 25.1%, a reduction comparable to that effected by aspirin. The extracts other than the seed extract showed no hemolysis activities against human RBC at treatments of up to 1 mg/ml. These results suggest that the NR, PS, seed, and ES, all byproducts of the lotus agriculture industry, have high potential as novel sources of anti-thrombotic agent.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.210-216
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• 2010

Rosa rugosa has traditionally been used as a folk remedy for diabetes. The objective of this study was therefore to demonstrate the inhibition of endothelial dysfunction activities through antioxidants and the anti-glycation of Rosa rugosa roots. Dried roots of Rosa rugosa were boiled in methanol for three hours, evaporated and lyophilized with a freeze-dryer. The methanolic extract of Rosa rugosa roots (RRE) was tested for antioxidant activities by measuring total polyphenol (TP) content, flavonoid content, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radical-scavenging activity (DPPH) assay, and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. The total TP content, flavonoid content, FRAP value, and $DPPHSC_{50}$ are $345.2\;{\mu}g$ gallic acid equivalents/mg dry matter (DM), $128.1\;{\mu}g$ quercetin equivalents/mg DM, 2.2 mM $FeSO_4$/mg DM and $34.2\;{\mu}g$ DM/mL, respectively. Treatment of RRE significantly lowered fluorescent formation due to advanced glycation reaction. In addition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging assay, monocyte adherent assay and transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) assay were performed to investigate the possibility that RRE improves endothelial dysfunction-induced diabetic complications. The adhesion of THP-1 to treated HUVEC with RRE ($100\;{\mu}g/mL$; 33% and $500\;{\mu}g/mL$; 75%) was significantly reduced compared to HUVEC stimulated by glyceraldehydes-AGEs (advanced glycation end product). The TEER value ($88\;{\Omega}{\cdot}cm^2$) of stimulated HUVEC by glyceraldehydes-AGEs was reduced compared to non-stimulation ($113\;{\Omega}{\cdot}cm^2$). However, normalization with RRE increased endothelial permeability in a dose-dependent manner ($100\;{\mu}g/mL$; $102\;{\Omega}{\cdot}cm^2$ and $500\;{\mu}g/mL$; $106\;{\Omega}{\cdot}cm^2$). Thus, these results suggest that Rosa rugosa roots could be a novel candidate for the prevention of diabetic complications through antioxidants and inhibition of advanced glycation end product formation.