Cannabis sativa is an important industrial plant utilized to produce fiber, oil, and medicinal ingredients. A chemotype of cannabis is divided into "Drug type" with predominance of tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) and "Fiber type" with cannabidiolic acid (CBDA). To develop molecular markers for the discrimination of these two types, nucleotide sequences of THCA synthase and CBDA synthase as well as their pseudogenes were retrieved from the recently published cannabis genome in chromosome scale. Gene-specific SNPs were discovered by multiple alignment of these sequences, and 2 dominant marker sets from each gene were designed for selective amplification. Our markers successfully identified "Drug type" and "Fiber type" cannabis plants as well as forensic samples including processed materials. Our molecular markers will provide a fast and efficient system for molecular-based identification of the cannabis plant.

The number of people suffering from diabetes have been increased around the world. In this study, we investigated the antidiabetic and antioxidant effects of Anthriscus sylvestris(L.) Hoffm and its main compounds. It was divided into root(R) and aerial part(AP) for comparative analysis. Total polyphenol, total flavonoid content was higher in AP extract, but nodakenin content was higher in R(1169.13 ± 6.00 mg/g) extract. Antioxidant activity was also higher in AP extract. To compare antidiabetic efficacy, we analyzed the effects of R and AP extracts on ɑ-glucosidase inhibition(AGI), dipeptidyl peptidase-4(DPP-4) and protein tyrosine phosphatase(PTP)1B activity. R and AP extracts showed similar effects on AGI and DPP-4 activity in a concentration dependent manner, and there was no effect on PTP1B activation. Glucose uptake(139.51 ± 3.19%) in 3T3-L1 cells was more effective in the AP extract-treated group than the positive control, rosiglitazone, group. Both R and AP extracts were effective in protecting against pancreatic beta cell damage caused by hyperglycemia. These results suggest that Anthriscus sylvestris(L.) Hoffm. could be used as a candidate for diabetes treatment.

This study was carried out to investigate the melanin synthesis inhibitory effect of Aspergillus fumigatus fermented extract. In this study, we revealed the effects of A. fumigatus fermented extract on melanin contents, mushroom tyrosinase activity, and expression levels of mRNA and proteins of melanogenesis-related gene in B16F10 melanoma cells. A. fumigatus fermented extract inhibited both melanin contents and tyrosinase activity. In addition, the expression level of mRNA or proteins of melanogenesis was down-regulated in the A. fumigatus fermented extract treated B16F10 cells with dose-dependent manner. Moreover, when the clinical test was conducted, it was confirmed that the use of the fermented extract of A. fumigatus for 8 weeks improved skin brightness 1.586 times brighter and skin melanin 1.331 times better compared to the control product. Taken together, our results suggest that A. fumigatus fermented extract has melanogenesis inhibitory effect and whitening activity, thus it showed the possibility for using as a functional whitening cosmetic resource.

Gryllus bimaculatus extract (GbE) have reported that anti-inflammatory activity by suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. However, the effects of fermented Gryllus bimaculatus extract (FGbE) have not yet been investigated. In this study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory and anti-wrinkle effect of the fermented Gryllus bimaculatus extracts using Bacillus subtilis (JB PMB-18) in RAW264.7 cells. Both GbE and FGbE exerted no cytotoxic effects until 1000 ㎍/mL concentration. FGbE decreased NO production and decreased iNOS and COX-2 mRNA levels in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, the protein production of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 was effectively reduced compared to the GbE. Inhibitory activities of elastase and collagenase associated with skin wrinkle improvement were measured to be 45% and 69%, respectively, at a concentration of 500 ㎍/mL in FGbE. From these results, FGbE can be used as a health functional food and skin functional cosmetic materials for preventing inflammatory diseases because it has excellent anti-inflammatory and anti-wrinkle effects.

This study was performed to elucidated the inhibitory effects of 6,8-diprenylorobol on melanin synthesis by measuring the levels of cell viability, mRNA expression, tyrosinase activity, and melanin production in the B16F10 cell line. The effects of 6,8-diprenylorobol on tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1), TYRP2, tyrosinase (TYR), and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) mRNA expression levels and melanin content were determined. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR shows that 6,8-diprenylorobol decreases the mRNA expression levels of TYRP1, TYRP2, TYR, and MITF in B16F10 cell line, resulting in lower levels of melanin production compared to α-MSH-treated B16F10 cells. Tyrosinase activity assays reveal that 6,8-diprenylorobol decreases melanin production in B16F10 cells. These results demonstrate the whitening effects of 6,8-diprenylorobol on B16F10 cells; thus, 6,8-diprenylorobol is a potent ingredient for skin whitening. Further research is needed on the mechanism of action of 6,8-diprenylorobol. Such research will benefit not only cosmetics, but also the health food and medical industries.

To investigate the antioxidant activities of Pinus densiflora needle (Pinaceae), which is widely used as a traditional medicine in Korea, Caenorhabditis elegans model system was used. The n-butanol fraction of P. densiflora needle methanol extract showed the most potent DPPH radical scavenging and superoxide quenching activities in a dose-dependent manner. The n-butanol fraction was measured for the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and oxidative stress tolerance by using C. elegans with reactive oxygen species (ROS) level. In addition, to see that the regulation of the stress response gene is responsible for the increased stress tolerance of C. elegans treated by the butanol extract, SOD-3 expression was measured using a transgenic strain. As a result, the P. densiflora needle n-butanol fraction increased SOD and catalase activities, and decreased ROS accumulation, dose-dependently. Furthermore, the n-butanol fraction-treated CF1553 worm showed higher SOD-3::GFP intensity than the control.

Helianthus annuus L. has been reported with various pharmacological activities such as antibacterial, antidiabetic, and antioxidant effects. According to recent studies, H. annuus L. is known to contain components such as phenolic compounds, flavonoids, alkaloids, sesquiterpenoids, and lignans. The seeds of H. annuus L. have been reported to contain chlorogenic acid and di-O-caffeoylquinic acid as major components. However, studies on the main components and content of leaves of H. annuus L. are still incomplete. Therefore, in this study, the contents of four major components of H. annuus L. were evaluated by simultaneous quantitative analysis with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-diode array detector (DAD). The isolated four compounds Caffeoylquinic acid(CQA), 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid(3,4-DCQA), 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid(3,5-DCQA) and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid(4,5-DCQA) were shown in a large linearity with a correlation coefficient (R²) of 0.99. In addition, as a result of intra-inter day analysis of four major compounds by the analysis method of this study, the accuracy of 88.46% or more and less than 112.85% and excellent precision of less than 3% were shown, the content analysis showed CQA (0.383±0.018 mg/g), 3,4-DCQA (0.282±0.017 mg/g), 3,5-DCQA (1.109±0.068 mg/g), and 4,5-DCQA (0.673±0.020 mg/g).

Leguminosae plants are known for its phytoestrogen constituents which play a major role in the prevention of osteoporosis, cancer and heart disease. In this study, the estrogenic activity of 158 samples from 58 species, 3 subspecies and 10 varieties of Leguminosae plants growing in Korea was evaluated. An estrogen, 17β-estradiol was used as a reference compound, and the potency of each sample was expressed in relative efficacy (%) compared to that of the reference by a reporter gene assay using MCF-7 cells. As results, the estrogenic activity of methanolic extracts of Phaseolus vulgaris var. humilis, Sophora flavescens, Lespedeza × robusta, Indigofera pseudotinctoria, Maackia amurensis, Glycine soja, Wisteria floribunda, Robinia pseudoacacia, Astragalus sinicus, Pueraria lobata, Lespedeza maximowiczii var. tomentella, Trifolium repens and Crotalaria sessiliflora showed similar to or higher at 100 ㎍/ml than the positive control at 10 nM. These findings can be a potential evidence for developing estrogen alternatives resolving various types of menopause symptoms with information on proper harvest season and usage plant part. To the best of our knowledge, the estrogenic activity of Lespedeza × robusta, Indigofera pseudotinctoria, Wisteria floribunda, Robinia pseudoacacia and Lespedeza maximowiczii var. tomentella is reported for the first time in this study.