• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.221-226
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• 2016

A new type of doenjang was manufactured by mixing soaked soybean, koji (Rhizopus oryzae), cheonggukjang (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MJ1-4 and B. amyloliquefaciens EMD17), and Pichia farinosa SY80 as a yeast, salt, and water, followed by fermentation with koji that was made by fermenting whole wheat with R. oryzae. The mixed culture doenjang was designed to have a more palatable flavor and stronger biological activities than the conventional product. The extract of mixed culture doenjang showed higher antioxidant activity than the commercial doenjang as evaluated by the ferric reducing antioxidant power assay although it was not significantly different from the commercial product in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) radical scavenging activities. Further, the mixed culture doenjang reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species levels and protected cells from glutamate-induced cytotoxicity more efficiently in human hippocampal HT22 neuroblastoma cells than the commercial doenjang. In conclusion, a newly-developed mixed culture doenjang had a strong antioxidant activity in vitro and cultured cell model systems, exhibited a potential to prevent oxidative stress-associated disorders although animal and clinical studies are needed to confirm its in vivo efficacy.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.63-73
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• 1991

Nakdong estuary provides the largest wintering grounds for migrating waterfowls in Korea, and was designated Natural Monument No. 179 in 1966. Nakdong barrage and related construction-projects finished in 1987 to increase freshwater-supply to nearby Pusan metropolitan area and to reclaim the vast intertidal areas for land development. Changes on distribution, primary productivity, and standing crop of Schoenopluctus triqueter, the dominant species in this intertidal flats, were investigated after the construciton, during the 1988-1990, and were compared to those before the construction. Total standing crop. tuber biomass and net primary productivity of S. triqueter increased in 1988 and 1989, but decreased slightly in 1990. Increase of tuber biomass means an increase in available food, thus the carrying capacity, for swans wintering in this area. Habitat environment of this estuary should be protected and managed as a wintering ground for migrating waterfowls, inspite of the construction of the barrage.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2017

Parkinson's disease (PD) is an irreversible neurological disorder with related locomotor dysfunction and is characterized by the selective loss of nigral neurons. PD can be experimentally induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). It has been reported that reactive oxygen species, which deplete endogenous glutathione (GSH) levels, may play important roles in the dopaminergic cell death characteristic of PD. Fucoidan, a sulfated algal polysaccharide, exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant actions. In this study, we investigated whether fucoidan can protect against 6-OHDA-mediated cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells. Cytotoxicity was evaluated by using MTT and LDH assays. Fucoidan alleviated cell damage evoked by 6-OHDA dose-dependently. Fucoidan reduced the number of apoptotic nuclei and the extent of annexin-V-associated apoptosis, as revealed by DAPI staining and flow cytometry. Elevation of lipid peroxidation and caspase-3/7 activities induced by 6-OHDA was attenuated by fucoidan, which also protected against cytotoxicity evoked by buthionine-sulfoximine-mediated GSH depletion. Reduction in the glutathione/glutathione disulfide ratio induced by 6-OHDA was reversed by fucoidan, which also inhibited 6-OHDA-induced disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential. The results indicate that fucoidan may have protective action against 6-OHDA-mediated neurotoxicity by modulating oxidative injury and apoptosis through GSH depletion.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1773-1777
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• 2002

Reactive oxygen species(ROS) have been investigated to have pivotal roles on amyloidogenecity of $\beta-amyloidpeptide(A\beta)$, the major component of senile plaques in Alzheimer's disease(AD) brain. Addition of radical scavengers is one of the on-going strategies for therapeutic treatment for AD patients. Hsp104 protein including two ATP binding sites from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as a molecular chaperone, was known to function as a protector of ROS generation when exposed to oxidative stress in our previous study. This observation has led us to investigate Hsp104 protein as a molecular mediator of $A{\beta}$ aggregation in this study. We have developed a new way of expression for Hsp104 protein using GST-fusion tag. As we expected, formation of $A{\beta}$ aggregate was protected by wild type Hsp104 protein, but not by the two ATP-binding site mutant, based on Thioflavin-T fluorescence. Interestingly, Hsp104 protein was observed to keep $A{\beta}$ from forming aggregates independent of ATP binding. On the other hand, disaggregation of $A{\beta}$ aggregates by wild type Hsp104 was totally dependent on the presence of ATP. On the other hand, mutant Hsp104 with two ATP binding sites altered exhibited no inhibition. Another effective antioxidant, hydrazine analogs of curcumin were also effective in $A{\beta}$ fibrilization as protectors against oxidative stress. Based on these observations we conclude that Hsp104 and curcumin derivatives, as protectors of oxidative stress, inhibit $A{\beta}$ aggregation in virto and can be candidates for therapeutic approaches in cure of some neurodegenerative disease.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.187-200
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• 2003

This study was conducted by China along with the Tumen River, which cuts between of North Korea and China. As a result 92 family, 287 genera, 470 species, 57 variety 4 formas, total 531 taxa of vascular plants were identified. The surveyed area was include the region that had various vegetation such as upper swampy land, seashore dune, a river, a high mountain grassy plain, deciduous tree zone and evergreen coniferous forest zone. The specfic plants which is protected by The Natural Environmental Preseration Act appeared to 6 taxa, and rare and endangered plants conserved by Forestry Administration were found 21 taxa in these areas. Among them Lilium cernum, Jeffersonia dubia, Acanthopanax senticosus could be regarded as very important one for chinese medicine. Picea koraiensis, Larix gmelini var. principis-ruprechtii, Populus koreana, Betula fusenensis, Ulmus pumila, Ledum palustre var. diversipilosum, Rhododendron parvifolium, Vaccinium uliginosum, Astragalus membranaceus, Aquilegia flabellata var. pumila, Carex gotoi, Carex capricornis etc. are not distributed in the South Korea.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.169-180
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• 2003

Biodiversity is defined as totality of genetic, species, and ecosystem variability. It provides natural sources of crop improvement, traditional medicine and biotechnology. In 1993, the Convention on Biological Diversity(CBD) became a legally binding framework for conserving and utilizing global biological diversity. It recognizes national sovereign rights over all genetic resources, such as the need to compensate developing countries for the resources they have provided to the industrialized world. The CBD grants access to those resources in exchange for compensation as well as technology transfer, so that the access to genetic resources would be made under prior informed consent(PIC) and mutually agreed terms(MAT). On the other hand, the developed countries argued that unfettered exchange of genetic resources was essential for scientific research and development, and that technology using genetic resources should be protected. There are many countries today, developing legal frameworks concerned with access to their local genetic resources and benefit sharing. In this study, we analyzed the international trends for conservation of biodiversity and sustainable use of genetic resources, and suggested how to cope actively with the situation.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.508-513
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• 2016

To investigate the potential therapeutic effects of polyphenols in treating Pb induced renal dysfunction and intoxication and to explore the detailed underlying mechanisms. Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control groups (CT), Pb exposure groups (Pb), Pb plus Polyphenols groups (Pb+PP) and Polyphenols groups (PP). Animals were kept for 60 days and sacrificed for tests of urea, serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine. Histological evaluations were then performed. In vitro studies were performed using primary kidney mesangial cells to reveal detailed mechanisms. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) was used to evaluate cell viability. Pb induced cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and scavenging were tested by DCFH-DA. Expression level of tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), interleukin-1-${\beta}$ (IL-1-${\beta}$) and IL-6 were assayed by ELISA. Western blot and qPCR were used to measure the expression of ERK1/2, JNK1/2 and p38. Polyphenols have obvious protective effects on Pb induced renal dysfunction and intoxication both in vivo and in vitro. Polyphenols reduced Pb concentration and accumulation in kidney. Polyphenols also protected kidney mesangial cells from Pb induced apoptosis. Polyphenols scavenged Pb induced ROS generation and suppressed ROS-mediated ERK/JNK/p38 pathway. Downstream pro-inflammatory cytokines were inhibited in consistency. Polyphenol is protective in Pb induced renal intoxication and inflammatory responses. The underlying mechanisms lie on the antioxidant activity and ROS scavenging activity of polyphenols.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.373-384
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• 2020

Paeonol, quercetin, β-sitosterol, and gallic acid extracted from Moutan Cortex had been reported to possess anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor activities. This work aimed to illustrate the potential anti-oxidative mechanism of monomers in human liver hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells-induced by hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and to evaluate whether the hepatoprotective effect of monomers was independence or synergy in mice stimulated by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄). Monomers protected against oxidative stress in HepG2 cells in a dose-response manner by inhibiting the generation of reactive oxygen species, increasing total antioxidant capacity, catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, and activating the antioxidative pathway of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2/Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Nrf2/Keap1) signaling pathway. We found that the in vitro antioxidant capacities of paeonol and quercetin were better than those of β-sitosterol and gallic acid. Furthermore, paeonol apparently diminished the levels of alanine transaminase and aspartate aminotransferase, augmented the contents of glutathione and SOD, promoted the expressions of Nrf2 and heme oxygenase-1 proteins in mice stimulated by CCl₄. In HepG2 cells, paeonol, quercetin, β-sitosterol, and gallic acid play a defensive role against H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress through activating Nrf2/Keap1 pathway, indicating that these monomers have anti-oxidative properties. Totally, paeonol and quercetin exerted anti-oxidative and hepatoprotective effects, which is independent rather than synergy.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.1025-1035
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• 2017

In this study, the hot water extract from Mulberry (Morus alba) Leaves fermented with Hericium erinaceum mycelium (MA-HE) was assessed for antioxidant activity. Radical scavenging activity of MA-HE evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH) radical and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)(ABTS) radical. MA-HE showed 63% DPPH radical scavenging activity at $500{\mu}g/mL$ and 98.27% ABTS radical scavenging activity at $250{\mu}g/mL$. MA-HE was shown to significantly inhibited DNA strand breakage induced by free radical. MA-HE also inhibited free radical-mediated human serum albumin modification. MA-HE effectively inhibited $H_2O_2$ induced cell death and significantly increased of the 8% cell survival at $100{\mu}g/mL$. MA-HE decreased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in $H_2O_2$-treated cells. The results suggested that MA-HE can contribute to antioxidant and protected cells from oxidative stress-induced cell injury.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.348-355
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• 2016

We report previously unrecognized flowering plants of Lao PDR found during a botanical survey of Lao PDR in 2015-2016. We found Phyllagathis tuberosa (C. Hansen) Cellinese & S. S. Renner (Melastomataceae) and Tolypanthus pustulatus Barlow (Loranthaceae) in the Phou Khao Khouay National Biodiversity Conservation Area (PKKNBCA), previously only known from type localities in Thailand. This is the first report of Phyllagathis tuberosa and the genus Tolypanthus in the Lao PDR. We also found Lonicera bournei Hemsl. (Caprifoliaceae) in the proposed Phosabous National Protected Area (PNPA) of Xiangkhoang, neglected with regard to the flora of Laos since its initial report in early 20th century. The current report will augment our understanding of the floristic relationships among SE Asian countries and will help elucidate the biodiversity of Lao PDR.