• Title/Summary/Keyword: plant species

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Anti-Termite Activity of Azadirachta excelsa Seed Kernel and Its Isolated Compound against Coptotermes curvignathus

  • Morina ADFA;Khafit WIRADIMAFAN;Ricky Febri PRATAMA;Angga SANJAYA;Deni Agus TRIAWAN;Salprima YUDHA S.;Masayuki NINOMIYA;Mohamad RAFI;Mamoru KOKETSU
    • Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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    • v.51 no.3
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    • pp.157-172
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    • 2023
  • Azadirachta excelsa, is a plant belonging to the same genus as Indian neem (Azadirachta indica), and its use as a pesticide is reported by few studies. Despite being a different species, it is expected to have the same biopesticide potential as A. indica. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the anti-termite activity of n-hexane and methanol extracts of A. excelsa seed kernel at various concentrations against Coptotermes curvignathus. The methanol extract demonstrated greater termicidal activity than n-hexane at doses test of 2%, 4%, and 8%. It also showed 100% termite mortality on the third day of administering the 8% dose. According to the gas chromatography with mass spectrometry data, the putative main components of the n-hexane extract were hexadecanoic acid, ethyl ester (18.99%), 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)- (16.31%), and 9-octadecenal (16.23%). In contrast, the principal constituents of methanol extract were patchouli alcohol (28.1%), delta-guaiene (15.15%), and alpha-guaiene (11.93%). Furthermore, limonoids profiling of A. excelsa methanol extract was determined using Ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry. The number of limonoids identified tentatively was fifteen, such as 6-deacetylnimbin, nimbolidin C, nimbolide, 6-acetylnimbandiol, 6-deacetyl-nimbinene, salannol, 28-deoxonimbolide, gedunin, nimbandiol, epoxyazadiradione, azadirone, 2',3'-dihydrosalannin, marrangin, nimbocinol, and azadirachtin. They were the same as those reported in the seed and leaves of A. indica, but its largest component in A. excelsa was 6-deacetylnimbin. As a result, the presence of these compounds may be responsible for the anti-termite activity of A. excelsa seed kernel extract. Additionally, column chromatography of methanol extract yielded 6-deacetylnimbin, which was found to be antifeedant and termiticide against C. curvignathus.

Artesunate inhibits collagen-induced human platelets aggregation through regulation of PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathway (PI3K/Akt 및 MAPK 기전 조절을 통한 Artesunate의 콜라겐 유도의 사람 혈소판 응집 억제효과)

  • Lee, Dong-Ha
    • Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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    • v.65 no.1
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    • pp.57-62
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    • 2022
  • Excessive activation and aggregation of platelets is a major cause of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, inhibition of platelet activation and aggregation is considered an attractive therapeutic target in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases. In particular, strong platelet activation and aggregation by collagen secreted from the vascular endothelium are characteristic of vascular diseases. Artesunate is a compound extracted from the plant roots of Artemisia or Scopolia species, and has been reported to be effective in anticancer and Alzheimer's disease fields. However, the effect and mechanism of artesunate on collagen-induced platelet activation and aggregation have not been elucidated. In this study, the effect of artesunate on collagen-induced human platelet aggregation was confirmed and the mechanism of action of artesunate was clarified. Artesunate inhibited the phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt and Mitogen-activated protein kinases, which are phosphoproteins that are known to act in the signal transduction process when platelets are activated. In addition, artesunate decreased TXA2 production and decreased granule secretion in platelets such as ATP and serotonin release. As a result, artesunate strongly inhibited platelet aggregation induced by collagen, a strong aggregation inducer secreted from vascular endothelial cells, with an IC50 of 106.41 µM. These results suggest that artesunate has value as an effective antithrombotic agent for inhibiting the activation and aggregation of human platelets through vascular injury.

Transcriptome Analysis of Streptococcus mutans and Separation of Active Ingredients from the Extract of Aralia continentalis (Streptococcus mutans의 전사체 분석과 독활 추출물로부터 활성 성분 분리)

  • Hyeon-Jeong Lee;Da-Young Kang;Yun-Chae Lee;Jeong Nam Kim
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.33 no.7
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    • pp.538-548
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    • 2023
  • The research has been conducted on the isolation of antimicrobial compounds from plant natural extracts and their potential application in oral health care products. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial mechanism by analyzing the changes in gene expression of Streptococcus mutans, a major oral pathogen, in response to complex compounds extracted from Aralia continentalis and Arctii Semen using organic solvents. Transcriptome analysis (RNA-seq) revealed that both natural extracts commonly upregulated or downregulated the expression of various genes associated with different metabolic and physiological activities. Three genes (SMU_1584c, SMU_2133c, SMU_921), particularly SMU_921 (rcrR), known as a transcription activator of two sugar phosphotransferase systems (PTS) involved in sugar transport and biofilm formation, exhibited consistent high expression levels. Additionally, component analysis of the A. continentalis extract was performed to compare its effects on gene expression changes with the A. Semen extract, and two active compounds were identified through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the active fraction. The n-hexane fraction (ACEH) from the A. continentalis extract exhibited antibacterial specificity against S. mutans, leading to a significant reduction in the viable cell counts of Streptococcus sanguinis and Streptococcus gordonii among the tested multi-species bacterial communities. These findings suggest the broad-spectrum antibacterial activity of the A. continentalis extract and provide essential foundational data for the development of customized antimicrobial materials by elucidating the antibacterial mechanism of the identified active compounds.

A Study on the Vegetables Mentioned in the Bible (성서에 언급된 채소류에 관한 연구)

  • Woo, Ja-Won
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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    • v.22 no.1
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    • pp.1-9
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    • 2007
  • This paper is intended to study what kinds of the vegetables are mentioned in the Bible and how they were used in those days. While one hundred and twenty-eight different plants are mentioned in the Bible, there are today 2,384 plant species in modem Israel, most of which have been introduced in recent centuries. These plants obviously did not exist there in biblical times and were only recently introduced from Australia and South America, respectively. This article will study only the vegetables mentioned in the Bible and known to have existed in the old and new testament times. Since the first book devoted exclusively to biblical botany was that of Levinus Lemmens in 1566, the modem systematic study of biblical plants, began with F. Hasselquist, a student of Linnaeus, the founder of modem botany. In 1928, Immanuel Loew approached the subject differently, reviewing all known data pertaining to biblical plants. His work not only discussed biblical plants, but also plants in later Jewish literature, particularly the Talmud. The British scholar G. E. Post provided a broad field study of modem plants in Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. More recent major treatments of the subject include those of A. and H. Moldenke (1952), M. Zohary (1982), N. Hareuveni (1984), and Y. J. Choi(1996). Today, articles on specific biblical plants listed in the Bible can be found in any number of encyclopedias. This study attempts to provide a synthesis of the work of a number of scholars who studied the vegetables and plants mentioned in the Bible. As a preliminary study on the culture of food in the biblical period, this study has focused on the identity and features of the vegetables of the Bible. In only a limited number of instances, because of the paucity of the informations and the broad and generic descriptions of the plants, we can't be certain about the identification of the vegetables named in the Bible. In many instances the traditions established by the Greek, Aramaic, and English translations are helpful, although sometimes they are misleading. This paper subdivides the vegetables into broad areas, the general vegetables and the flavoring herbs. Vegetables formed very important part of the diet in the biblical times. Two main types were used: those whose nutritious seeds could be easily stored and those which were eaten freshly gathered from gardens. Pulse seeds provided a useful source of vegetable protein, while fresh green vegetables were vitamin rich. Pulses could be eaten boiled, or their dried seeds could be ground up into flour and then made into nutritious soups. Fresh vegetables were eaten either raw or lightly cooked, usually by boiling in water. The general vegetables in the Bible are herbs(garden rocket), cucumber(snake cucumber), watermelon, leeks, chicory, and onions. Also the flavoring herbs in the Bible are rue, dill, cummin, black cummin, frankincense, cinnamon, cassia, myrrh, black mustard, coriander, mint, saffron, ginger grass, syrian hyssop, aloes(eagle wood), manna which have the flavor, aroma, and medical values.

A Study on the Food-culture's Property of the Traditional Generation through the Oral Interview (구술을 통한 전통세대의 음식문화특성 연구)

  • Kim, Mi-Hye;Chung, Hae-Kyung
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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    • v.24 no.6
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    • pp.613-630
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    • 2009
  • This thesis, which involves honest life stories of members of the ìtraditionalî Korean generation that lived through the turbulent times of the first half of the twentieth century, assesses the meaning and import of Korean cuisine during an individual Korean's lifetime, as well as the relevant properties of the culinary culture of the traditional generation and how those properties continue to influence the present generation of Koreans. Thus, traditional Korean culinary culture was subdivided into the following four aspects, each of which were exemplified by representative examples. The first of these is slow-food dietary life, which is exemplified by fermented foods. The development of side dishes (panchan) based on fermentation - kimchi, different types of soy and bean paste, salted seafoods, dishes of dried radish or cucumber slices seasoned with soy sauce, and so on - made the quantitative and qualitative supplementation of food possible for traditional Koreans. The second of these aspects, referred to as friendly dietary life, is exemplified by self-sufficiently produced foods. The system of many species and small production suitable with the season made it possible to produce food from sustainable ecological systems and to maintain locally grown food-cultures, each of which was distinguished from others by a local specialty product. The third aspect of the traditional Korean culinary culture involves the same use of medicinal roots and plant materials for foodstuff, and this is exemplified by the use of foods to cure and prevent diseases. The notion, for example, that 'boiled rice is an invigorant' is characteristic of the notion that diet can function in a preventative medical context, and other similar Korean notions illustrate the importance, also, of the curative properties of food. The fourth and final aspect of traditional Korean culinary culture identified herein is creative dietary life, which can be viewed essentially as a Korean adaptation to the turbulence of life during the early $20^{th}$ century in Korea. This trend is exemplified by many Korean foods that were created in response to foreign influences, such as onions, cabbages, curry, etc. which found their place in overall Korean culture through the age of Japanese settlement, as well as the Korean war.

Analysis of Useful Materials of Resource Plant, Lespedeza cuneata. G. don and Utilization as Functional Food (자원식물인 비수리의 유용물질 분석 및 기능성 식품으로써의 활용)

  • Ahn, C.H.
    • Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.99-108
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    • 2017
  • It is Lespedeza cuneata. G. don used as a remedy for cough, asthma, premature ejaculation and so on, though it has been used for a long time. In order to investigate the possibility of using Lespedeza cuneata. G. don as a raw material for functional food, we examined useful substances through analysis. In the study, 124 useful substances were analyzed and 84 of them were found to be functional. In 6 species, 6 of them were found to be functional and 5 of them were functional. In the present study, the other useful substance, D-pinitol, also confirmed its functionality. Potassium isolespedezate and Potassium lespedezate act as antibiotics, Trifolin acts as an antibiotic and hepatoprotectant, and Vitexin acts as a hepatoprotectant. D-pinitol has shown excellent efficacy in patients with prediabetic and insulin-resistant diabetes. As it contains a large amount of useful substances, it can be utilized as a highly functional food.

Designing and Creating a Model Garden to Demonstrate Carbon Reduction - Case Study of Carbon Reduction Model Garden at the Sejong National Arboretum - (탄소저감 현장 실증을 위한 모델정원 설계와 조성 - 국립세종수목원 탄소저감 모델 정원을 사례로 -)

  • Park, Byunghoon;Seo, Jayoo
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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    • v.51 no.6
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    • pp.75-87
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    • 2023
  • This study presents an experimental design for demonstrating the role of nature-based solutions to climate change in the landscape and garden sector. The study suggests spatial strategies for a carbon-neutral society and its role as a cultural industry. This paper describes the use of a low-maintenance garden as part of a strategy for carbon reduction with the goal of protecting the environment and forming a carbon-neutral society. To this end, this study involved the design and construction of a realistic model garden to provide scientific data on the functions, spatial elements, and carbon neutrality of carbon-reducing gardens. The target site is located in the Sejong National Arboretum. The test area in which the carbon-reducing function is measured is located in the centre of the site, and other spaces include dry gardens, community gardens, and flower gardens intended for exhibition and relaxation. The experimental area is divided into several smaller areas within which the carbon-reducing effect is analysed according to the amount of biochar installed, the planting density, and the plant species present. The application of facilities and construction methods to promote carbon reduction were based on the method known as '10 types of carbon gardening for the earth'. In the model garden, we employed rainwater utilization facilities and used low-carbon certified wood and local materials. The carbon reduction effect of each facility and construction method is compared and presented here. The results are expected to serve as an important basis for realizing a carbon-neutral society and can be used as a reference in various fields that require sustainable development, such as the garden industry.

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of Lespedeza cuneata in Coal fly ash-induced murine alveolar macrophage cells

  • Abdul Wahab;Hwayong Sim;Kyubin Choi;Yejin Kim;Yookyeong Lee;Byungwook Kang;Yu Seong No;Dongyeop Lee;Inseo Lee;Jaehyeon Lee;Hwajun Cha;Sung Dae Kim;Evelyn Saba;Man Hee Rhee
    • Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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    • v.63 no.3
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    • pp.27.1-27.9
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    • 2023
  • Lespedeza cuneata (LC) is a perennial plant used in herbal medicine to treat numerous diseases, including prostatic hyperplasia, diabetes, early atherosclerosis, and hematuria. Reference collections of bioactive compounds of LC are crucial for the determination of their pharmacological properties. However, little is known regarding its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects in alveolar macrophage (MH-S) cells. This study examined whether LC can inhibit reactive oxygen species and Coal fly ash (CFA) induced inflammation in MH-S cells. The anti-oxidative effects of LC were evaluated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays, anti-inflammatory effects were examined using nitric oxide (NO) assay, and cytotoxicity was analyzed using methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. The expression of inflammatory cytokine genes was assessed through a reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Our results revealed that LC exhibited high radical scavenging activity and a dose-dependent (7.8-1,000 ㎍/mL) inhibition of oxidation as compared to ascorbic acid and Trolox. It also inhibited CFA-induced NO production in MH-S cells. Moreover, it suppressed the CFA exposure-mediated expression of pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines, including inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α. These results suggest that LC is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent that can be useful as a nutraceutical product.

${\delta}^{13}C$ Evidence for the Importance of Local Benthic Producers to Fish Nutrition in the Inner Bay Systems in the Southern Coast of Korea (${\delta}^{13}C$ 분석에 의한 남해 연안 내만역 어류 영양원으로써 저서생산의 중요성 평가)

  • Kang, Chang-Keun;Choy, Eun-Jung;Kim, Young-Sang;Park, Hyun-Je
    • The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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    • v.14 no.1
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    • pp.56-62
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    • 2009
  • Stable carbon isotope analysis was used to investigate the autotrophic carbon sources supporting fisheries in three coastal bay systems of the southern coast of Korea. Carbon isotope ratios (${\delta}^{13}C$) of 31 fish species were analysed and compared with those of a range of potential primary food sources [e.g., seagrass (Zostera marina), seagrass epiphytes, benthic microalgae, macroalgae, marine particulate organic matter (marine POM), marsh plant (Phragmites australis) and terrestrial POM]. ${\delta}^{13}C$ values (range, -16.2${\sim}$-8.3‰) of fishes from the coastal embayment systems were overlapped with those of seagrass (-8.3${\pm}$1.9‰), seagrass epiphytes (-12.4${\pm}$0.6‰), benthic microalgae (-15.4${\pm}$1.6‰) and macroalgae (-16.0${\pm}$1.8‰). In addition, fishes (-12.9${\pm}$1.5‰) from the study area had distinctly higher ${\delta}^{13}C$ values compared to those collected in offshore sites (-17.3${\pm}$0.8‰) of the southern sea of Korea and Nakdong River (-23.2${\pm}$1.6‰). This result indicates that carbon supporting fish communities of these coastal bay systems is mainly derived from the local benthic producers.

Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Plantago asiatica L. Extract (질경이 추출물의 항산화 및 항염증 활성)

  • Choi, Yukyung;Choo, Byung-Kil
    • Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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    • v.32 no.1
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    • pp.91-105
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    • 2024
  • Plantago asiatica L. (P. asiatica) is a perennial plant belonging to the plantaginaceae and is useful in treating a various diseases such as wounds, bronchitis, and chronic constipation. The bioactive effects of P. asiatica extract was evaluated to determine its potential for use as a variety materials in the food, pharmaceutical, and agricultural industries. Polyphenol and flavonoid contents, free radical scavenging, reducing power activity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) expression were measured to identify the antioxidative activity. Anti-inflammatory effects were evaluated via analysis of nitric oxide (NO) and pro-inflammatory protein expression in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cell. As a result of measuring the antioxidant activities of the P. asiatica extract, the total polyphenol content was 50.91±0.78 mg gallic acid equivalents/g and the flavonoid content was 100.99±0.44 mg rutin equivalents/g, and both DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities and reducing power increased depending on the concentration. Also, intracellular ROS production was inhibited by the P. asiatica extract. No cytotoxicity was observed when P. asiatica extract was treated, and NO and inflammatory protein expression were inhibited, and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) phosphorylation was also inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner. In conclusion, P. asiatica is a functional natural resources of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents that can be used in various industries, including food and agriculture.