• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.16-27
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• 2019

Generative and vegetative parts of the cactuses have had a long-lasting position in folk medicine and their effects could partly be confirmed in scientific experiments. Nowadays, the cactus, fruits, and cladodes are the focus of many studies because of their desirable properties. Therefore, the summarized reports of valuable properties of medicinal plants may be a good way to familiarize researches with a new source of drugs with lower side effects and higher efficacy. Opuntia dillenii, a well-known member of the Cactaceae family, is used as a medicinal plant in various countries and grows in the desert, semi-desert, tropical and sub-tropical areas. It shows diverse pharmacological activities such as: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, hypotensive etc. OD fruit also possesses valuable constitutes for instance: betalains, ascorbic acid, total phenol, protein as well as essential elements which suggest the significant potential of this plant as a complementary therapy against several pathological conditions. This review describes experimental evidence about pharmacological and therapeutic potential of OD in order to give the basis of its application in the prevention and treatment of some chronic diseases. More studies on OD can help better understanding of its pharmacological mechanism of action to explain its traditional uses and to identify its potential new therapeutic applications.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.1552-1559
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• 2004

In order to evaluate the potential utilization value as a novel probiotic strain, the immunopotentiating activities of the cellular components from Lactobacillus brevis FSB-1 were examined. L. brevis FSB-1 isolated from kimchi were fractionated into the whole cell, cell wall, cytosol and extracellular preparation, and each fraction was examined on intestinal immune system modulating activity in vitro. The cell wall and cytosol preparation showed the relatively high bone marrow cell proliferating activity through Peyer's patch cell in a dose-dependent manner. But these preparations did not directly stimulate the bone marrow cell proliferation. The whole cell, cell wall and cytosol preparation also induced considerable levels of macrophage activation and mitogenicity of murine splenocytes in vitro. The anti-complementary activity (ITCH_(50)) of the cytosol fraction of L. brevis FSB-1 was the most potent in the cellular components, and the activity showed dose dependency. The complement activation by the cytosol fraction of L. brevis FSB-1 occurs via both alternative and classical pathways, which confirmed by the crossed immunoelectrophoresis using anti-human C3.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.80-85
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• 1995

After solvent extraction of 28 domestic cultivated medicinal plants using methylene chloride, 1000ppm of extracts were added to linoleic acid to compare antioxidative activities. Although their magnitude was somewhat different, all extracts showed the antioxidative activities. Antioxidative activity of Scutellariae baicalensis extract was similar to that of BHA. Antioxidative activity of Paeonia moutan and Liriope platyphylla extracts was lower than that of Scutellariae baicalensis. When Scutellariae baicalensis was extracted with 9 solvents which have a different polarity, the extraction yield and antioxidative activity generally increased with increasing polarity. The nitrite-scavenging effects, electron donating abilities(EDA) and anti-complementary activities were determined.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1997

A complement system-activating (anti-complementary) polysaccharide was purified from the hot water extract of young stems of Cinnamomum cassia Blume. Crude polysaccharide fraction (CC-1) was prepared from the hot water extract of the young stems followed by methanol-reflux, precipitation with ethanol, dialysis, and lyophilization. The anti-complementary activity of CC-1 was decreased greatly by periodate oxidation, but was not changed by pronase digestion. These suggest that carbohydrate moiety may be related to the activation of complement system. According to its ionic strength CC-1 was fractionated first using cetavlon to give 4 fractions, CC-2, 3, 4 and 5. Among them CC-2 fraction was found to retain the highest activity and yield. CC-2 was separated to an unabsorbed neutral sugar portion (CC-2-I) and seven absorbed acidic sugar fractions $(CC-2-II{\rightarrow}CC-2-VIII)$ on DEAE-Toyopearl 650C (Cl-). CC-2-III showing higher anti-complementary activity and yield than those of other fractions, was further purified on the gel permeation of Sephadex G-100 and Sepharose CL-6B to CC-2-IIIa-3. CC-2-IIIa-3 was determined to have a homogeneity hy GPC (Sepharose CL-6B) and HPLC. Gel chromatography using standard dextrans gave a value of $2.4{\times}10^5$ for the molecular weight. The purified polysaccharide, CC-2-IIIa-3 consisted of arabinose, xylose, glucose, galactose, galacturonic acid and glucuronic acid in a molar ratio of 5.56 : 3.77 : 1.87 : 1.00 : 5.12 : 3.13 and contained no nitrogen.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.9
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• pp.1237-1242
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• 2009

This study was conducted to isolate strain for the preparation of fermented antler (Cervus cornu parvum) and evaluate its physiological activities. The growth degrees of twenty-one samples from Bacillus sp., Lactobacillius sp. and mushroom strain on antler extract agar were evaluated in this study, and Bacillus subtilis KH-15, SCB-3, Cordyceps militaris, Phellinus linteus, Inonotus obliquus 26136, and Inonotus obliquus 26147 were selected. The fermented antler extract by C. militaris had relatively higher contents of total sugar (1619.3 ${\mu}g$/mL), uronic acid (302.0 ${\mu}g$/mL), sulfated-glycosaminoglycan (S-GAGs) (119.9 ${\mu}g$/mL) and sialic acid (21.6 ${\mu}g$/mL) than any other extracts. The anti-complementary activities of all fermented antler extracts were higher than non-fermented antler extract, and among these samples, fermented antler extract by C. militaris showed the highest anti-complementary activity (inhibition of 50% total complement hemolysis, $ITCH_{50}$; 50.1% at 1,000 ${\mu}g$/mL). The ability of fermented antler extract by B. subtilis KH-15 to scavenge 2,2-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical ($IC_{50}$; 4.97 mg/mL) was significantly the highest (p<0.05), whereas the extract from I. obliquus exerted significantly (p<0.05) high 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity ($IC_{50}$; 16.98 mg/mL) among all samples. The results of this study suggest that physiological effects including immuno-modulating and antioxidant activities of the antler may be increased through fermentation process.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.1-10
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• 2011

Objective ： Lonicera japonica contains anti complementary polysaccharides and polyphenolic compound. Among these polyphenolic substances, chlorogenic acid is the major active component of this plant. However, the immunological mechanisms for these activities, have not been elucidated, nor the active components. To clarify immunomodulatory effects of those we examined the relationship between the activity of CD8+ T cell-mediated lysis and the frequency of cytokine profiles in spleen, thymus (especially IFN-${\gamma}$, IL-4, GM-CSF etc.) expressing CD8+ T cells activated by IL-2. Methods : To study immunomodulatory effects ethyl acetate fraction from Lonicera japonica, chlorogenic acid on cytokine gene expression from spleen, thymus cells, RT-PCR was performed after quantitative normalization for each gene by a densitometry using ${\beta}$-actin gene expression. A modified standard $^{51}Cr$-release assay was used to measure cytotoxic activities of cytotoxic T cells. Spleen, thymus cells from NOD mice were stained with CD3, CD4, CD44, CD69 in staining buffer and analyzed by two color flow cytometry. Results : We showed that ethyl acetate fraction from Lonicera japonica in combination with IL-2 resulted in a significant enhancement of PCR products for IFN-${\gamma}$, IL-4, IL-10, GM-CSF, IL-6 and cytotoxtic CD8+ T cell proportion in spleen and thymus T cells in NOD mice. This suggests that IFN-${\gamma}$, IL-6 like IL-4 may be acting as a regulatory rather than proinflammatory cytokine. Conclusions : In conclusion, based on the results of the present study which showed that ethyl acetate fraction from Lonicera japonica and chlorogenic acid upregulating cytokine gene expression in spleen and thymus, we are tempted to speculate that some of the therapeutic efficacies such as anti-diabetic activity of Lonicera japonica are due to the immunomodulatory its ethylacetate fraction and chlorogenic acid.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2008

Inflammation is the complex biological response of injured tissues to harmful stimuli. A cascade of biochemical events propagates and matures the inflammatory response, involving the local vascular system, the immune system, and various cells within the injured tissue. The immune system is often involved with inflammatory disorders, demonstrated in both allergic reactions and some myopathies, with many immune system disorders resulting in abnormal inflammation. An Arbitrary Waveform Generator (AWG) is a piece of electronic test equipment used to generate electrical waveforms for the treatment of patients. The patients with gastritis and arthritis have been known to have a relatively favorable prognosis with AWG treatment. Accordingly, we examined the effects of AWG treatment in gastritis and arthritis animal model. The compound 48/80 was used to induce animal gastritis model. The tissue malone dialdehyde (MDA) and serum histamine levels, and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in stomach tissue were measured. The tissue MDA and serum histamine levels in AWG treated groups exhibited the decreased tendency compared with control group, whereas the tissue SOD activity was slightly increased. The Freund's complete adjuvant was used to induce animal arthritis model as well. The paw edema volume and the width of ankle joint were determined. The AWG treatment significantly decreased the paw edema volume after 5th day of treatment. Although further studies should be performed to confirm the effects of AWG treatment, present study suggest that AWG treatment might be used as a complementary treatment for the gastritis or arthritis treatment.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.941-950
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• 2012

In order to develop new physiologically active polysaccharides from persimmon leaves, two different crude polysaccharides were prepared using hot water (PLW-0) and pectinase digestion (PLE-0) and their immuno-stimulating activities were estimated. PLW-0 and PLE-0 showed similar sugar compositions with 15 different sugars, including rarely observed sugars in general polysaccharides such as 2-O-methyl-fucose, 2-O-methyl-xylose, apiose, aceric acid, 3-deoxy-D-manno-2-octulosonic acid, and 3-deoxy-D-lyxo-2-heptulosaric acid, but the uronic acid content of PLE-0 was lower than that of PLW-0 caused by pectinase treatment. Both PLW-0 and PLE-0 showed potent anti-complementary activity in a dose-dependent manner which was similar to a known immuno-stimulating polysaccharide, PSK, from Coriolus versicolor. The activity of PLE-0 at a low concentration ($100{\mu}g/m{\ell}$) was higher than that of PLW-0. In an in vitro cytotoxicity analysis, PLW-0 and PLE-0 (up to $1,000{\mu}g/m{\ell}$) did not affect the growth of peritoneal macrophages and Colon 26-M3.1 carcinoma cells. In contrast, they enhanced lymphocyte proliferation activity. Peritoneal macrophages stimulated with PLW-0 and PLE-0 produced various cytokines, such as IL-6 and IL-12. However, PLE-0 was more effective on the cytokine production. Intravenous administration of PLW-0 and PLE-0 significantly augmented natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity against Yac-1 tumor cells 3 days after the treatment of polysaccharide fractions. But NK cells obtained from the PLE-treated group showed higher tumoricidal activity even at a low dose of $40{\mu}g$/mouse. In experimental lung metastasis of Colon 26-M3.1 carcinoma cells, prophylactic administration of PLW-0 and PLE-0 significantly inhibited lung metastasis in a dose-dependent manner and PLE-0 was more effective on the inhibition of cancer metasasis. The results lead us to conclude that the pectinase-treated process is indispensable to preparing polysaccharides with higher immune-stimulating activity from persimmon leaves.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1617-1622
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• 2009

Optium conditions for the production of mycelia and extracellular polysaccharide (EXPS) from submerged mycelial culture of Inonotus obliquus and their immunomodulating activities were investigated. The optmium production of mycelia and EXPS from I. obliquus was observed in mushroom complete medium (MCM). The optimum pH, temperature, and agitation speed for the production of mycelia and EXPS were 5.5, $25^{\circ}C$, and 150 rpm, respectively. The culture period for maximum production of mycelia (10.89 g/l) and EXPS (1.25 g/l) in shake flask cultivation was 11 days. The anticomplementary activity of intracellular polysaccharide (INPS) and EXPS form I. obliquus increased in a dose-dependent manner. Lysosomal enzyme activity of EXPS and INPS increased by 2.0- and 2.2-fold at $100{\mu}g/ml$ concentration, respectively, compared to the control group.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.225-230
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• 2016

Objectives: Mellitine, a major component of bee venom (BV, Apis mellifera), is more active against gram positive than gram negative bacteria. Moreover, BV has been reported to have multiple effects, including antibacterial, antivirus, and anti-inflammation effects, in various types of cells. In addition, wasp venom has been reported to have antibacterial properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of BV against selected gram positive and gram negative bacterial strains of medical importance. Methods: This investigation was set up to evaluate the antibacterial activity of BV against six grams positive and gram negative bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Burkholderia mallei and Burkholderia pseudomallei. Three concentrations of crude BV and standard antibiotic (gentamicin) disks as positive controls were tested by using the disc diffusion method. Results: BV was found to have a significant antibacterial effect against E. coli, S. aureus, and Salmonella typhyimurium in all three concentrations tested. However, BV had no noticeable effect on other tested bacteria for any of the three doses tested. Conclusion: The results of the current study indicate that BV inhibits the growth and survival of bacterial strains and that BV can be used as a complementary antimicrobial agent against pathogenic bacteria. BV lacked the effective proteins necessary for it to exhibit antibacterial activity for some specific strains while being very effective against other specific strains. Thus, one may conclude, that Apis mellifera venom may have a specific mechanism that allows it to have an antibacterial effect on certain susceptible bacteria, but that mechanism is not well understood.