• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.20-26
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• 2016

Prunellae Spica, the herbaceous plant in the genus Prunella, is a traditional herbal medicine and has been reported to have diuretic, anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant effects. However, the mechanism of its action was not clearly identified. In the present study, we investigated the hepatoprotective effect of Prunellae Spica extract (PSE) against the damage of mitochondria and death in hepatocyte induced by oxidative stress. Treatment of arachidonic acid (AA)+iron significantly induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in the hepatocytes. However, PSE protected cells and inhibited apoptosis by altering the protein levels such as poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and pro-caspase 3. Moreover, AA+iron induced reactive oxygen species production and mitochondrial dysfunction, and Both of them were inhibited by PSE treatment. PSE markedly activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an important regulator in cell survival. Furthermore, this activation by PSE was mediated with liver kinase B1, a major upstream kinase that phosphorylates Thr 172 of AMPKα, and this activation was associated with its cell protection, as assessed by an experiment of a chemical inhibitor. In conclusion, this study demonstrate that PSE protects hepatocytes against oxidative stress as mediated with activation of LKB1-dependent AMPK pathway.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.459-481
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• 2010

This study was carried out to investigate the vascular flora of Mt. Munsu. The vascular plants collected in 13 times(from Mar. to Oct. 2009) were identified as 511 taxa in total, including 113 families, 332 genera, 445 species, 5 subspecies, 46 varieties, 5 forms. Among them, 6 taxa of the Korea Forest Service-designated rare & endangered plants and the Korean endemic plants were identified as 2 taxa. Based on the list of approved for delivering overseas of plants, 6 taxa were recorded in the investigated area. The Ministry of Environment-designated plants, which should be protected by the wildlife protection law, were identified as 2 taxa and 39 taxa of specially designated plants by the Ministry of Environment. The naturalized plants were identified as 53 taxa, and their naturalization ratio and urban index were found to be 10,3%, and 18.5% respectively. There existed many kinds of plants resources having conservational value like Ranunculus trichophyllus var. kadzusensis, Jeffersonia dubia etc, in this area, but there remains a fear of nature destruction's acceleration due to indiscriminate human development and access of a lot of visitors, so it is judged that there should be a management plan, such as a limit on the number of visitors or rest-year-system for restoration of nature.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제28권7호
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• pp.1209-1216
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• 2018

This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of 2-phenylethynyl-butyltellurium (PEBT) in Escherichia coli and the relation to its pro-oxidant effect. For this, we carried out the disk diffusion test, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay, and survival curve analysis. We also measured the level of extracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and level of non-protein thiols (NPSH). PEBT at 1.28 and 0.128 mg/disk exhibited antimicrobial capability in the disk diffusion test, with an MIC value of 1.92 mg/ml, whereas PEBT at 0.96, 1.92, and 3.84 mg/ml inhibited bacterial growth after a 9-h exposure. PEBT at 3.84, 1.92, and 0.96 mg/ml increased extracellular ROS production, decreased the intracellular NPSH level, and reduced the SOD and CAT activities. Glutathione or ascorbic acid in the medium protected the bacterial cells from the antimicrobial effect of PEBT. In conclusion, PEBT exhibited antimicrobial activity against E. coli, involving the generation of ROS, oxidation of NPSH, and reduction of the antioxidant defenses in the bacterial cells.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.215-222
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• 2007

DMZ (De-Militalized Zone) in South Korea is world heritage area by passage control of human-being for more than 50 years since 1953. Wild flora and fauna in these area have been protected from any development and/or habitat destruction. However, consideration on ecosystem and nature in the area is becoming higher, and demand for development is raising also. We have reviewed any publications, which are surveyed about ecosystem and interview local residents about wildlife inherit there. Totally 51 species have been reported inhabited DMZ belonging to 17 Families, 6 Orders, so far. National monuments in DMZ are following; Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus), Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), Musk deer (Moschus moschiferus), KOREAN goral (Nemorhaedus caudatus), flying squirrel (Pteromys volans) and spotted seal (Phoca vitalima). These results would be an essential data to establish management strategy and manuals for conserving native ecosystem, native flora and fauna in DMZ, and also using for registering world heritage area under UNESCO.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 대한원격탐사학회 2007년도 Proceedings of ISRS 2007
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• pp.426-429
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• 2007

One of the widely used applications of remote sensing studies is environmental change detection and biodiversity conservation. The study area Hustai Mountain is situated in the transition zone between the Siberian taiga forest and Central Mongolian arid steppe. Hustai National Park carries out one of several reintroduction programs of takhi (wild horse or Equus ferus przewalskii) from various zoos in the world and it represents one of a few textbook examples of successful reintroduction of an animal extinct in the wild. In this paper we describe the results of an analysis on the change of remaining forest area over the 7-year period since Hustai Mountain was designated as a protected area for reintroduction to wild horses. Today the forested area covers approximately 5% of the Hustai National Park, mostly the north-facing slopes above 1400 m altitude. Birch (Betula platyphylla) and aspen (Populus tremula) trees are predominant in the forest. We used Landsat ETM+ images from two different years and multi temporal MODIS NDVI data. Land types were determined by supervised classification methods (Maximum Likelihood algorithm) verified with ground-truthing data and the Land Change Modeler (LCM) which was developed by Clark Labs. Forested area was classified into three different land types, namely the forest land, mountain meadow and mountain steppe. The study results illustrate that the remaining birch forest has rapidly changed to fragmented forest land and to open areas. Underlying causes for such a rapid change during the 15-year period may be manifold. However, the responsible factors appear to be the drying off and outbreak of forest pest species (such as gypsy moth or Lymantria dispar) in the area.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.270-276
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• 2013

Fucoxanthin is an important carotenoid derived from edible brown seaweeds and is used in indigenous herbal medicines. The aim of the present study was to examine the cytoprotective effects of fucoxanthin against hydrogen peroxide-induced cell damage. Fucoxanthin decreased the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species, as assessed by fluorescence spectrometry performed after staining cultured human HaCaT keratinocytes with 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate. In addition, electron spin resonance spectrometry showed that fucoxanthin scavenged hydroxyl radical generated by the Fenton reaction in a cell-free system. Fucoxanthin also inhibited comet tail formation and phospho-histone H2A.X expression, suggesting that it prevents hydrogen peroxide-induced cellular DNA damage. Furthermore, the compound reduced the number of apoptotic bodies stained with Hoechst 33342, indicating that it protected keratinocytes against hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptotic cell death. Finally, fucoxanthin prevented the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. These protective actions were accompanied by the down-regulation of apoptosis-promoting mediators (i.e., B-cell lymphoma-2-associated ${\times}$ protein, caspase-9, and caspase-3) and the up-regulation of an apoptosis inhibitor (B-cell lymphoma-2). Taken together, the results of this study suggest that fucoxanthin defends keratinocytes against oxidative damage by scavenging ROS and inhibiting apoptosis.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• 제19권5호
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• pp.1349-1355
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• 2005

The steamed root of Rehmannia glutinosa has been used for treatment of inner ear diseases, such as tinnitus and hearing loss in traditional Oriental Medicine. In the present study, we investigated the effect of ethanol extract of steamed root R. glutinosa (SRG) on cisplatin cytotoxicity of HEI-OC1 auditory cells. In addition, to investigate the mechanism of SRG on cisplatin cytotoxicity, the effects of SRG on lipid peroxidation as well as scavenging activities against various free radicals were measured in cisplatin-treated cells. Treatment of SRG protected cells from cisplatin and reduced lipid peroxidation in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, SRG demonstrated significant scavenging activity against various free radicals, including superoxide radical, hydroxyl radical, hydrogen peroxide, and DPPH radical. These results indicate that SRG protects cisplatin-induced damages of HEI-OC1 cells through inhibition of lipid peroxidation and augmenting scavenging activities against free radials.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.462-467
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• 2007

The radix of Pueraria thunbergiana BENTHAM (Leguminosae) is traditionally prescribed to attenuate the clinical manifestations of inner ear dysfunction and various clinical situations including fever, gastrointestinal disorders, skin problems, migraine headaches, lowering cholesterol and treating chronic alcoholism in Oriental Medicine. In the present study, we examined the effect of ethanol extract of P. thunbergiana radix (EPR) on cisplatin-mediated HEI-OC1 auditory cell death. In addition, to investingate the protection mechanism of EPR on free radicals. Treatment of EPR protected cells from cisplatin and reduced lipid peroxidation in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, EPR demonstrated significant scavenging activity against various free radicals, including superoxide radical, hydroxyl radical, hydrogen peroxide, and DPPH radical. These results indicate that EPR protects cisplatin-induced damages of HEI-OC1 cells through inhibition of lipid peroxidation and augmenting scavenging activities against free radials.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.230-236
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• 2009

An extract of Allomyrina dichotoma larva (ADL), one of the insects used most frequently in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of liver diseases such as hepatocirrhosis and hepatofibrosis, was assessed for antioxidant bioactivity in this study. In the current work, we have investigated the protective effects of ADL extracts on tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced hepatotoxicity in cultured hepa1c1c7 cells and in the mouse liver. The treatment of the hepa1c1c7 cells with ADL extracts induced a significant reduction of t-BHP-induced oxidative injuries, as determined by cell cytotoxicity, lipid peroxidation (LPO) and reactive oxygen species contents, in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, ADL extracts evidenced a protective effect against t-BHPinduced oxidative DNA damage, as revealed by the results of the Comet assay in hepa1c1c7 cells. ADL extracts also protected against hydroxyl radical-induced 2-deoxy-d-ribose degradation by ferric ion-nitrilotriacetic acid and $H_2O_2$. In addition, ADL extracts were shown to be able to quench 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals. Our in vivo study revealed that ADL extracts pretreatment applied prior to t-BHP administration significantly prevented an increase in the serum levels of hepatic enzyme markers and reduced LPO in the mouse liver in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, these results suggest that the protective effects of ADL extracts against t-BHP-induced hepatotoxicity may be attributable, at least in part, to its ability to scavenge free oxygen radicals, and to protect against DNA damage due to oxidative stress.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.28-38
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• 2008

The purpose of this study are to compare existing presence-absence predictive models and to predict suitable habitat for Goral (Nemorhaedus caudatus raddeanus) that is an endangered and protected species in Seoraksan national park using the best model among existing predictive models. The methods of this study are as follows. First, 375 location data and 9 environmental data layers were implemented to build a model. Secondly, 4 existing presence-absence models : Generalized Linear Model (GLM), Generalized Addictive Model (GAM), Classification and Regression Tree (CART), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) were tested to predict the Goal habitat. Thirdly, ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) and Kappa statistics were used to calculate a model performance. Lastly, we verified models and created habitat suitability maps. The ROC AUC (Area Under the Curve) and Kappa values were 0.697/0.266 (GLM), 0.729/0.313 (GAM), 0.776/0.453 (CART), and 0.858/0.559 (ANN). Therefore, ANN was selected as the best model among 4 models. The models showed that elevation, slope, and distance to stream were the significant factors for Goal habitat. The ratio of predicted area of ANN using a threshold was 31.29%, but the area decreased when human effect was considered. We need to investigate the difference of various models to build a suitable wildlife habitat model under a given condition.