• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.6-12
• /
• 2005

Many compounds might become activated after absorption of UV light energy. In some cases, the resulting molecule may undergo further biological reaction of toxicological relevance related especially to the photo-carcinogenicity resulting from photo-genotoxicity. However, no regulatory requirements have been issued with the exception of guideline issued by the Scientific Committee of Cosmetology, Commission of the European Communities (SCC/EEC) on the testing of sunscreens for their photo-genotoxicity. Thus, the objectives of this study are to investigate the utility of photo-Ames assay for detecting photo-mutagens, and to evaluate its ability to predict rodent photo-carcinogenicity. Photo-Ames assay was performed on five test substances that demonstrated positive results in photo-carcinogenicity tests: 8-methoxypsoralen (photoactive substance that forms DNA adducts in the presence of ultraviolet A irradiation), chlorpromazine (an aliphatic phenothiazine an a-adr-energic blocking agent), lomefloxacin (an antibiotic in a class of drugs called fluoroquinolones), anthracene (a tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbon a basic substance for production of anthraquinone, dyes, pigments, insecticides, wood preservatives and coating materials) and retinoic acid (a retinoid compound closely related to vitamin A). Out of 5 test substances, 3 showed a positive outcome in photo-Ames assay. With this limited data set, an investigation into the predictive value of this photo-Ames test for determining the photo-carcinogenicity showed that photo-Ames assay has relatively low sensitivity (the ability of a test to predict carcinogenicity). Thus, to determine the use of in vitro genotoxicity tests for prediction of carcinogenicity,' several standard photo-genotoxicity assays should be compared for their suitability in detecting photo-genotoxic compounds.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.8-17
• /
• 2004

Antifungal, antibacterial, and antioxidative activities of ethanol extracts from 65 families 263 species were investigated to select tree species for the utilization of natural fungicide or preservative resources. The antifungal activities of extracts from wood, leaf and bark were measured as hyphal growth inhibition rate using four plant pathogenic and five wood rotting fungi. High inhibitory effect on the fungi growth was found in five species of Pinaceae (Pinus koraiensis, P. rigida, P. densiflora, P. banksiana. Cedrus deodara), three species of Cupressaceae (Juniperus rigida, J. chinensis, Chamaecyparis obtusa) and three species of Leguminosae (Albizzia julibrisssin, Sophora japonica, Maackia amurensis), respectively. Antibacterial activities of ethanol extracts were determined by means of disc-agar plate diffusion method using three gram-positive and five gram-negative bacteria. The ethanol extracts, which showed prominent effect on the suppression of bacteria growth, were six species of Betulaceae (Carpinus tschonoskii, C. coreana, C. laxiflora, Alnus hirsuta, A. firma, Betula schmidtii), five species of Fagaceae (Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii, Quercus serrata, Q. mongolica, Q aliena, C crenata), four species of Euphorbiaceae (Aleurites fordii, Sapium sebiferum, S japonicum Mallotus japonicus) and three species of Elaeagnaceae (Elaeagnus umbellata, Elaeagnus glanbra, Elaeagnus macrophylla). According to these results, the extracts from Zelkova serrata, Pinus densiflora, Maackia amurensis, Chamaecyparis obtusa and Juniperus chinensis could be available for natural fungicide or food preservatives, because ethanol extracts from these species indicated excellent antifungal and antibacterial activities. In order to test antioxidative activities of ethanol extracts, free radical scavenging method was adopted with 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrohydrazyl (DPPH). Free radical scavenging activity was proved very high in the extracts of eight species of Rosaceae (Eriobotrya japonica, Prunus takesimensis, P yedoensis, P padus, P armeniaca var. ansu, Chaenomeles sinensis, Stephanandra incisa, Rosa multiflora) and five species of Ericaceae (Rhododenron mucronulatum, R. scblippenbacbii, R. yedoense var. poukhanense, Vaccinium bracteatum, V oldbami), resvectively. It turned out from this study that only six species among 48 species of Rosaceae showed less than 80% free radical scavenging activity. As a consequences, it could be deduced that the components effective on antioxidative activity commonly exist in Rosaceae plant family.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.1-19
• /
• 1976

This study has been made to make an observation regarding present status of the coal mine props which is desperately needed for coal production, despite of great shortage of the timber resources in this country, and investigate the effects of diffusion process on the decay resistances of the mine props as applied preservatives of Malenit and chromated zinc chloride. The results are as follows. 1. Present status of the coal mine props Total demand of coal mine props in the year of 1975 was approximately 456 thousand cubic meters. The main species used for mine props are conifer (mainly Pinus densiflora) and hardwood (mainly Quercus). Portions between them are half and half. With non fixed specification, wide varieties of timber in size and form are used. And volume of wood used per ton-of coal production shows also wide range from 0.017 cubic meter to 0.03 cubic meter. 2. Decay resistance test a) The oven dry weight decreased between untreated specimen and treated specimen has not shown any significantly, although it has shown some differences in average values between them. It may be caused by the shorter length of the test. b) The strength of compression test between untreated specimen and treated specimen has also shown the same results as shown in case of weight decrease. Reasons assumed are the same. c) The amounts of the extractives in one percent of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) between untreated and treated specimen have shown the large value in case of untreated specimen than that of treated. 3. The economical benifit between untreated and treated wood when applied in field has seen better in long term base in case of treated wood, although the primary cost of treated wood add a little bit more cost than that of the untreated wood.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.261-265
• /
• 2000

To develope the enhanced bacterial strains capable of biodegradation for various chlorinated aromatic compounds, 100 bacterial strains were isolated from soil samples of suburbs of Taejon, Cheongju, and Jeonju by the enrichment culture. These strains can degrade pentachlorophenol (PCP) which is a kind of wood preservatives. Nineteen strains of the isolates were selected by fast colony-forming rate on solid minimal media containing PCP as an only source of carbon and energy. These strains were identified to genus level. Fifteen strains were identified as Pseudomonas, 1 strain as Acinetobacter and 3 strains were not. Genus Alcaligenes strains were not found among them. Pseudomonas sp. MU135. MU139, MU163 and MU 184 were able to degrade for 4 kinds of chlorinated compounds, PCP, 2,4-D, MCPA and 3CB. Pseudomonas sp. If was observed that MU139 exhibits the highest degradability in liquid minimal media at 72 hours after inoculation. Pseudomoans sp. MU147, MU177, MU184 and MU192 also degraded the compounds at higher rates. As the results, Pseudomonas sp. MU139 and unidentified strain MU184 had biodegrability for broad range of chlorinated compounds and higher rates of degradation for PCP.