• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.543-551
• /
• 2016

This study was designed to evaluate the pharmacological effects of Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb. methanol extract (VBME) on microglial activation and to identify the underlying mechanisms of action of these effects. The anti-inflammatory properties of VBME were studied using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 microglial cells. We measured the production of nitric oxide (NO), inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$), interleukin-1 beta (IL-$1{\beta}$), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) as inflammatory parameters. We also examined the effect of VBME on intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the activity of nuclear factor-kappa B p65 (NF-${\kappa}B$ p65). VBME significantly inhibited LPS-induced production of NO and $PGE_2$ and LPS-mediated upregulation of iNOS and COX-2 expression in a dose-dependent manner; importantly, VBME was not cytotoxic. VBME also significantly reduced the generation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, and IL-6. In addition, VBME significantly dampened intracellular ROS production and suppressed NF-${\kappa}B$ p65 translocation by blocking $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$ phosphorylation and degradation in LPS-stimulated BV2 cells. Our findings indicate that VBME inhibits the production of inflammatory mediators in BV-2 microglial cells by suppressing NF-${\kappa}B$ signaling. Thus, VBME may be useful in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases due to its ability to inhibit inflammatory mediator production in activated BV-2 microglial cells.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.148-154
• /
• 2015

Onion (Allium cepa) is one of the flavonoids-rich materials in human diet and onion peel, which is the onion by-products, contains over 20 times more quercetin than the flesh. In this study, to examine the anti-inflammatory effects of onion peel hot water extract (OPHWE), the cell viability, nitric oxide (NO), pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interluekin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), and IL-$1{\beta}$, were measured using the murine macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 cells. The Balb/c mice were used for an in vivo acute toxicity test and ICR mice were used for measurement of inhibition effects of croton oil-induced mouse ear edema. As a result, NO levels decreased in a dose-dependent manner. The production of IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$, and IL-$1{\beta}$ was suppressed by 38%, 41%, and 34% respectively, compared with that of the LPS only group, without any cytotoxicity. The edema formation in the ICR mouse ear was also reduced compared to that in control. Moreover, there were no mortalities occurred in mice administered 5,000 mg/kg body weight of OPHWE. These results suggest that OPHWE has considerable anti-inflammatory activities and can be regarded as a potent candidate material to treat inflammatory diseases.

• Clean Technology
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.433-438
• /
• 2014

There is an increasing interest in the development of rechargeable batteries suitable for use in both hybrid electric vehicles and energy storage systems that require higher charge & discharge rates, bigger battery sizes and increased safety of the batteries. Spinel-type lithium titanium oxide ($Li_4Ti_5O_{12}$) as a potential anode for lithium ion batteries has many advantages. It is a zero-strain materials and it experiences no structural change during the charge/discharge precess. Thus, it has long cycle life due to its structural integrity. It also offers a stable operation voltage of approximately 1.55 V versus $Li^+/Li$, above the reduction potential of most organic electrolyte. In this study, Ru added $Li_4Ti_5O_{12}$ composites were synthesized by solid state process. The characteristics of active material were investigated with TGA-DTA, XRD, SEM and charge/discharge test. The capacity was reduced when Ru was added, however, the polarization decreased. The capacity rate of $Li_4Ti_5O_{12}$ with Ru (3%, 4%) addition was reduced during the charge/discharge precess with 10 C-rate as a high current density.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.295-300
• /
• 2000

Uniform silicon tip arrays were fabricated using the reactive ion etching followed by the reoxidation sharpening, and the effect of Pd-coated layer on electron emission characteristics was studied. The electron emission from Si field emitter arrays(FEAs) was a little, but improved by removing surface oxide on the FEA, but pronounced drastically by coating a $100-{\AA}-thick$ Pd metal layer. The turn-on voltage in the Pd-coated Si FEAs was reduced by 30 V in comparison with that in uncoated ones. This results from the increase of surface roughness at the tip apex by the Pd coating on Si FEA, via the decrease of the apex radius at which electrons are emitting. The Pd-coated emitters showed superior operating stability over a wide current range to that of the uncoated ones. This suggests that Pd coating enhances the high temperature stability and the surface inertness Si FEA.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2013.08a
• /
• pp.249-249
• /
• 2013

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a sensitive approach to detect and to identify a variety of molecules. To enhance the Raman signal, optimization of the gap between nanostructures is quite important. One-dimensional materials such as nanowires, nanotubes, and nanograsses have great potential to be used in SERS due to their unique sizes and shape dependent characteristics. In this study we investigate a simple way to fabricate SERS substrates based on randomly grown copper oxide (CuO) nanowires. CuO nanograss is fabricated on pre-cleaned Cu foils. Cu oxidized in an ammonium ambient solution of 2.5 M NaOH and 0.1 M $(NH_4)_2S_2O_8$ at $4^{\circ}C$ for 10, 30, and 60 minutes. Then, Cu(OH)2 nanostructures are formed and dried at $180^{\circ}C$ for 2 h. With the drying process, the Cu(OH)2 nanostructure is transformed to CuO nanograss by dehydration reaction. CuO nanograss are grown randomly on Cu foil with the average length of 10 ${\mu}m$ and the average diameter of a 100 nm. CuO nanograsses are covered by Ag with various thicknesses from 10 to 30 nm using a thermal evaporator. Then, we immerse uncoated and Ag coated CuO nanowire samples of various oxidation times in a 0.001M methanol-based 4-mercaptopyridine (4-Mpy) in order to evaluate SERS enhancement. Raman shift and SERS enhancement are measured using a Raman spectrometer (Horiba, LabRAM ARAMIS Spectrometer) with the laser wavelength of 532 nm. Raman scattering is believed to be enhanced by the interaction between CuO nanograss and Ag island film. The gaps between Ag covered CuO nanograsses are diverse from <10 nm at the bottom to ~200 nm at the top of nanograsses. SERS signal are improved where the gaps are minimized to near 10s of nanometers. There are many spots that provide sufficiently narrow gap between the structures on randomly grown CuO nanograss surface. Then we may find optimal enhancement of Raman signal using the mapping data of average results. Fabrication of CuO nanograss based on a solution method is relatively simple and fast so this result can potentially provide a path toward cost effective fabrication of SERS substrate for sensing applications.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.51 no.1
• /
• pp.90-96
• /
• 2019

Unripe astringent persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb. cv. Cheongdo-Bansi) is a by-product produced when thinning out the superfluous fruit of persimmon. We investigated whether unripe astringent persimmon has antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. Unripe astringent persimmon extract was fractionated sequentially in n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water. The ethyl acetate fraction had the highest total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant capacity compared to those of the other fractions. Pretreatment of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages with the ethyl acetate fraction reduced nitric oxide, interleukin-6, and intracellular oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry analysis revealed gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, quercetin, and p-coumaric acid as the phenolic compounds of the ethyl acetate fraction. Collectively, these findings suggest that unripe astringent persimmon is a source of functional materials that can promote antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.45-55
• /
• 2015

This study was carried out to demonstrate the anti-inflammatory effect of tuna oil (TO) using LPS-induced inflammation responses and mouse models. First, nitric oxide (NO) and pro-inflammatory cytokines levels were suppressed up to 50% with increasing concentrations of TO without causing any cytotoxicity. Also, the expression of a variety of proteins, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), was suppressed in a dosedependent manner by treatment with TO. Furthermore, TO also inhibited the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and p38 protein kinase (p38). Moreover, in in vivo testing the formation of ear edema was reduced at the highest dose tested compared to that in the control, and a reduction of ear thickness and the number of mast cells was observed in histological analysis. In acute toxicity test, no mortalities occurred in mice administrated 5,000 mg/kg body weight of TO over a two-week observation period. Our results suggest that TO has a considerable anti-inflammatory property through the suppression of inflammatory mediator productions and that it could prove to be useful as a potential anti-inflammatory therapeutic material.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.46 no.6
• /
• pp.729-733
• /
• 2014

Laminaria japonica roots have not been used practically in Korea. In this study, in order to promote the use of these by-products, the anti-inflammatory activity of an ethanol extract of Laminaria japonica root (LJREE) was investigated using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce an inflammatory response in RAW 264.7 cells. To examine the potential anti-inflammatory effects of LJREE, levels of nitric oxide (NO) and pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), and interleukin-$1{\beta}$ (IL-$1{\beta}$), and cell proliferation were measured. We found that NO levels decreased in a dose-dependent manner, the production of IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$, and IL-$1{\beta}$ was suppressed, and the production of IL-$1{\beta}$ was inhibited over 30% after treatment with $100{\mu}g/mL$ LJREE. In conclusion, the proliferation of RAW 264.7 cells, measured by MTT assay, confirmed that LJREE may have significant effects on inflammatory factors without any cytotoxicity, making it a potential anti-inflammatory agent.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.54 no.1
• /
• pp.43-51
• /
• 2022

Regulation of the hair follicle cycle in association with dermal papilla cells is one of the most interesting targets for promoting hair regrowth. In this study, we examined whether steam-dried Betula platyphylla extracts (BPE) promote hair growth by upregulating in vitro and in vivo responses of dermal papilla cells. The data showed that BPE3 contained high amounts of phenolic compounds with higher antioxidant effects and increased hair growth-related genes, including fibroblast growth factor7 and Wnt7b, in dermal papilla cells. Notably, BPE3 effectively enhanced the formation of hair follicles by increasing FGF7, Wnt7b, and vascular endothelial growth factor in C57BL/6N dorsal skins. Additionally, BPE3 significantly decreased the expression of inflammatory repertoires, inducible nitric oxide synthase, interleukin-6, and cyclooxygenase 2. Several small molecules, such as betulin and unsaturated fatty acids, support the pharmacological activity of BPE3. In conclusion, BPE3 effectively promoted hair growth by activating dermal papilla cells and enhancing hair follicle cycles by attenuating the inflammatory environment in the scalp.