• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.29 no.12
• /
• pp.1894-1903
• /
• 2019

The purpose of this study was to determine the probiotic properties of Lactobacillus brevis KCCM 12203P isolated from the Korean traditional food kimchi and to evaluate the antioxidative activity and immune-stimulating potential of its heat-killed cells to improve their bio-functional activities. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, which is a representative commercial probiotic, was used as a comparative sample. Regarding probiotic properties, L. brevis KCCM 12203P was resistant to 0.3% pepsin with a pH of 2.5 for 3 h and 0.3% oxgall solution for 24 h, having approximately a 99% survival rate. It also showed strong adhesion activity (6.84%) onto HT-29 cells and did not produce β-glucuronidase but produced high quantities of leucine arylamidase, valine arylamidase, β-galactosidase, and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase. For antioxidant activity, it appeared that viable cells had higher radical scavenging activity in the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assay, while in the 2-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assay, heat-killed cells had higher antioxidant activity. Additionally, L. brevis KCCM 12203P showed higher lipid oxidation inhibition ability than L. rhamnosus GG; however, there was no significant difference (p < 0.05) between heat-killed cells and control cells. Furthermore, heat-killed L. brevis KCCM 12203P activated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells without cytotoxicity at a concentration lower than 10⁸ CFU/ml and promoted higher gene expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6 than L. rhamnosus GG. These results suggest that novel L. brevis KCCM 12203P could be used as a probiotic or applied to functional food processing and pharmaceutical fields for immunocompromised people.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.258-267
• /
• 1998

The acetaminophen (AP AP), an antipyretic and analgesic agent, induces the hepatotoxicity by increasing influx of calcium and destabilizing the cellular membrane which can be caused by N-acetyl-p-benzoquinoneimine generated by cytochrome P-450 (CYF-450) when it is overdosed. Diltiazem (DIL), a calcium channel blocking agent, has been known to suppress the CYF-450 activities. To study the effect of DIL in APAP treated rats, the serum biotransformational enzyme analyses and the liver histopathologic examination were conducted on the rats which had been administered DIL at 3, 6, 9 and 12 hours after the 3,000 mg/kg of APAP administration. Following a single dose of DIL administered 12 hours after AP AP administration, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities, malondialdehyde and calcium contents of liver and microsome were significantly reduced. Glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was significantly increased. Histopathologic studies showed that DIL had prevented the development of centrilobular necrosis induced by AP AP in liver tissue. Our results suggested that diltiazem could inhibit the formation of free radical and the influx of calcium and could increase GST activity. Therefore, diltiazem can be administered at the time of 12 hours after overdosed AP AP to diminish the liver damage.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.127-132
• /
• 2010

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), which include hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$), the superoxide anion (${O_2}^-{\cdot}$), and the hydroxyl radical ($OH{\cdot}$), are generated as by-products of oxidative metabolism in cells. The cerebral cortex has been found to be particularly vulnerable to production of ROS associated with conditions such as ischemia-reperfusion, Parkinson's disease, and aging. To investigate the effect of ROS on inhibitory GABAergic synaptic transmission, we examined the electrophysiological mechanisms of the modulatory effect of $H_2O_2$ on GABAergic miniature inhibitory postsynaptic current (mIPSCs) in mechanically isolated rat cerebral cortical neurons retaining intact synaptic boutons. The membrane potential was voltage-clamped at -60 mV and mIPSCs were recorded and analyzed. Superfusion of 1-mM $H_2O_2$ gradually potentiated mIPSCs. This potentiating effect of $H_2O_2$ was blocked by the pretreatment with either 10,000-unit/mL catalase or $300-{\mu}M$ N-acetyl-cysteine. The potentiating effect of $H_2O_2$ was occluded by an adenylate cyclase activator, forskolin, and was blocked by a protein kinase A inhibitor, N -(2-[p-bromocinnamylamino] ethyl)-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide hydrochloride. This study indicates that oxidative stress may potentiate presynaptic GABA release through the mechanism of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent pathways, which may result in the inhibition of the cerebral cortex neuronal activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.338-342
• /
• 2008

This study was performed to screen and select Lactobacillus strains from chicken feces for probiotic use in animals. Of these strains, strain AU had the highest immunostimulatory effect. Therefore, strain A12 was characterized as a potential probiotic. Strain A12 was tentatively identified as Lactobacillus acidophilus A12, using the API 50 CHL kit based on a 99.9% homology. L. acidophilus A12 was highly resistant to artificial gastric juice (pH 2.5) and bile acid (oxgall). Based on results from the API ZYM kit, leucine arylamidase, crystine arylamidase, acid phosphatase, naphthol-AS-BI-phosphohydrolase, ${\alpha}$-galactosidase, ${\beta}$-galactosidase, ${\alpha}$-glucosidase, ${\beta}$-glucosidase, and N-acetyl-${\beta}$-glucosamidase were produced by strain A12. L. acidophilus A12 showed resistance to several antibiotics (nisin, gentamicin, and erythromycin). The amount of interleukin $(IL)-1{\alpha}$ in $20{\times}$ concentrated supernatant from L. acidophilus A12 was approximately 156pg/ml. With regard to antioxidant activity, L. acidophilus A12 supernatant showed 60.6% DPPH radical scavenging activity. These results demonstrate the potential use of L. acidophilus A12 as health-promoting probiotics.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.5 no.5
• /
• pp.381-388
• /
• 2001

This work describes the pharmacological inhibition by KR 31378 and its acetyl metabolite, KR 31612, of the apoptotic cell death induced by $H_2O_2$ in the A7r5 cells. Exposure of A7r5 cells to $H_2O_2$ (0.5 mM) induced a concentration-dependent cytotoxicity in association with oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation. $H_2O_2-induced$ cell death was potently suppressed by KR 31378, KR 31612, ${\alpha}-tocopherol$ or trolox. Additionally, the apoptotic death of A7r5 cells (DNA ladders on electrophoresis) was also strongly suppressed by KR 31378 and KR 31612, but to a less degree by ${\alpha}-tocopherol$ and trolox. As a mechanistic study, incubation with $H_2O_2$ markedly showed a decreased Bcl-2 level and, in contrast, increased Bax protein and cytochrome C release, which were significantly and concentration-dependently reversed by KR 31378 and KR 31612 as well as by ${\alpha}-tocopherol$ and trolox. KR 31378 and ${\alpha}-tocopherol$ significantly reduced lipid peroxidation in accordance with reduced intracellular ROS and peroxyl radical. These results suggest that KR 31378 has a therapeutic potential against the apoptotic injury via mediation of anti- oxidative stress.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.121-128
• /
• 1998

Ochratoxin A (OA) is a mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus ochraceus as well as other molds. It is a natural contaminant of mouldy food and feed. OA has a number of toxic effects, the most prominant being nephrotoxicity. Futhermore, OA is immunosuppressive, genotoxic, teratogenic and carcinogenic. OA inhibits protein synthesis by competition with phenylalanine in the phenylalanine-tRNA aminoacylation reaction. Recently, lipid peroxidation induced by OA has been reported, indicating that the lesion induced by this mycotoxin could be also related to oxidative pathway. Since it seems impossible to avoid contamination of foodstuffs by toxigenic fungi, detoxification and detoxication of OA are needed. In this study we investigated the protective effects of aspartame (Asp), phenylalanine (Phe), polyphenol 70S (PP) and aloe extract (AE) on the nephrotoxicity induced by subacute exposure to the OA. Asp and Phe are structural analogues of OA. PP, an ingredient of Green Tea and AE have been known as antioxidant and radical scavenger. Phe (40 mg/kg, i.p.) and Asp (25 mg/kg, p.o.) were administered to Sprague-Dawley rats simultaneously with OA (2.0 mg/kg, p.o.) for 2 weeks. PP (200 mg/kg, p.o.) and AE (50 mg/kg, i.v.) were pretreated before administration of OA, for 2 weeks and 3 days, respectively. Using enzymuria, BUN level, creatinemia and histophathologic examination as indices of renal damage, we observed that all of four compounds prevented the nephrotoxic effects induced by OA. It seems that structural analogues of OA such as Asp and Phe have better protective effect on the nephrotoxicity of OA than antioxidants. These results indicate that 1) formation of free radical and lipid peroxidation are likely to be involved in the nephrotoxicity of OA in vivo, 2) Asp, PP and AE might be used for prevention of renal lesions in cases of ochratoxicosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.42 no.5
• /
• pp.646-653
• /
• 1995

Background: The confirmative diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis(Tb) can be made by the isolation of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis(MTb) in the culture of the sputum, respiratory secretions or tissues of the patients, but positive result could not always be obtained in pulmonary Tb cases. Although there are many indirect ways of the diagnosis of Tb, clinicians still experience the difficulty in the diagnosis of Tb because each method has its own limitation. Therefore development of a new diagnostic tool is clinically urgent. It was reported that silica cause some lysosomal enzymes to be released from macrophages in vitro and one of these enzymes is elevated in workers exposed to silica dust and in silicotic subjects. In pulmonary Tb, alveolar macrophages are known to be activated after ingestion of MTb. Activated macrophages can kill MTb through oxygen free radical species and digestive enzymes of lysosome. But if macrophages allow the bacilli to grow intracellularly, the macrophages will die finally and local lesion will enlarge. Then it is assumed that the lysosomal enzymes would be released from the dead macrophages. The goal of this investigation was to determine if there are differences in the plasma activities of lysosomal enzymes, ($\beta$-glucuronidase(GLU) and $\beta$-N-acetyl glucosaminidase(NAG), among the groups of active and inactive pulmonary Tb and healthy control, and to see if there is any possibility that the plasma activity of GLU and NAG can be used as diagnostic indicies of active pulmonary Tb. Methods: The plasma were obtained from 20 patients with bacteriologically proven active pulmonary Tb, 15 persons with inactive Tb and 20 normal controls. In 10 patients with active pulmonary Tb, serial samples after 2 months of anti-Tb medications were obtained. Plasma GLU and NAG activities were measured by the fluorometric methods using 4-methylumbelliferyl substrates. All data are expressed as the mean $\pm$ the standard error of the mean. Results: The activites of GLU and NAG in plasma of the patients with active Tb were $21.52{\pm}3.01$ and $325.4{\pm}23.37$(nmol product/h/ml of plasma), respectively. Those of inactive pulmonary Tb were $24.87{\pm}3.78$, $362.36{\pm}33.92$ and those of healthy control were $25.45{\pm}4.05$, $324.44{\pm}28.66$(nmol product/h/ml of plasma), respectively. There were no significant differences in the plasma activities of both enzymes among 3 groups. The plasma activities of GLU at 2 months after anti-Tb medications were increased($42.18{\pm}5.94$ nmol product/h/ml of plasma) in the patients with active pulmonary Tb compared with that at the diagnosis of Tb(P-value <0.05). Conclusion: The results of the present investigation suggest that the measurement of the plasma activities of GLU and NAG in the patients with active pulmonary Tb could not be a useful method for the diagnosis of active Tb. Further investigation is necessary to define the reasons why the plasma activities of the GLU was increased in the patients with active pulmonary Tb after Tb therapy.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.160-168
• /
• 2016

Background: Ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) is a well-characterized medicinal herb listed in the classic oriental herbal dictionary as "Shin-nong-bon-cho-kyung." Ginseng has diverse pharmacologic and therapeutic properties. Black ginseng (BG, Ginseng Radix nigra) is produced by repeatedly steaming fresh ginseng nine times. Studies of BG have shown that prolonged heat treatment enhances the antioxidant activity with increased radical scavenging activity. Several recent studies have showed the effects of BG on increased lipid profiles in mice. In this study report the effects of water and ethanol extracts of BG on hypercholesterolemia in rats. To our knowledge, this is the first time such an effect has been reported. Methods: Experiments were conducted on male Sprague Dawley rats fed with a high-cholesterol diet supplemented with the water and ethanol extracts of BG (200 mg/kg). Their blood cholesterol levels, serum white blood cell levels, and cholesterol-metabolizing marker genes messenger RNA (mRNA) expression were determined. Liver and adipose tissues were histologically analyzed. Results: We found that BG extracts efficiently reduced the total serum cholesterol levels, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels with increased food efficiency ratio and increased number of neutrophil cells. It also attenuated the key genes responsible for lipogenesis, that is, acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA) acetyltransferase 2, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase, and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2, at the mRNA level inside liver cells. Furthermore, the BG extract also reduced the accumulation of fat in adipose tissues, and inhibited the neutral fat content in liver cells stained with hematoxylin and eosin and oil red O. Conclusion: Administration of BG extracts to Sprague Dawley rats fed with high-cholesterol diet ameliorated hypercholesterolemia, which was mediated via modulation of cholesterol-metabolizing marker genes. This data throw a light on BG's cardioprotective effects.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.19-36
• /
• 2022

Objectives This study is to investigate the effects and mechanisms of Imyo-san (IMS) on the obese mice model induced by high-fat diet. Methods Antioxidative capacity was measured by in vitro method. C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned into 5 groups (n=7). Normal group was fed general diet (Normal). The other 4 groups were fed high fat diet (HFD) with water (Control), with Garcinia gummi-gutta (GG, Garcinia gummi-gutta 200 mg/kg), with low-dose IMS (IMSL, Imyo-san 0.54 g/kg) and with high-dose IMS (IMSH, Imyo-san 1.08 g/kg). Results IMS showed high radical scavenging activity. After 6 week experiment, body weight, food intake, food efficiency ratio (FER), epididymal fat and liver weight, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1), phospho-acetyl-CoA carboxylase (p-ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD-1), SREBP-2, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR), phospho-liver kinase B1 (p-LKB1), phospho-AMP-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor 𝛼 (PPAR𝛼), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor 𝛾 coactivator-1𝛼 (PGC-1𝛼), uncoupling protein-2 (UCP-2), carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT-1A), and histology of liver and epididymal fat were measured and analysed. Body weight gain, FER, liver and epididymal fat weight of IMS groups were significantly decreased. There were significant improvements in blood lipids with less TG, TC, LDL-cholesterol, VLDL-cholesterol and more HDL-cholesterol. Proteins associated with lipid synthesis (SREBP-1, p-ACC, FAS, SCD-1) and cholesterol (SREBP-2, HMGCR) was improved. Factors regulating lipid synthesis and lipid catabolism (p-LKBI, p-AMPK, PPARα, PGC-1α, UCP-2, CPT-1A) were increased. In histological examinations, IMS group had smaller fat droplets than control group. All results increased depending on concentration. Conclusions It can be suggested that IMS has anti-obesity effects with improving lipid metabolism.