• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.416-424
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• 2013

In the course of a study for the development of functional foods utilizing Woosul (Achyranthis radix), the components and various biological activities of Korean Woosul (AJN: Achyranthes japonica Nakai) and Chinese Woosul (ABB: Achyranthes bidentata Blume) were compared. Woosul in Korea, including AJN and ABB, are regulated and part of the Korean Pharmacopoeia. From AJN and ABB, ethanol extracts and their subsequent organic solvent fractions were prepared and their in-vitro antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-diabetes activities were evaluated. Although AJN and ABB have no clear distinction in terms of usage in Korea, our results suggest that AJN has higher quantities of lipid-soluble components and lower amounts of water-soluble sugars than does ABB. ABB also appears to possess greater amounts of flavonoid and polyphenol substances than AJN. Analyses of biological activities showed that the fractions of AJN were more active as antibacterial agents, and possessed more pronounced ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activities than those of the ABB fractions. However, the antioxidant activities of the ABB fractions, as determined by DPPH anion-, ABTS cation-, nitrite-scavenging activity and reducing power, were higher than those of the AJN fractions. Our results suggest that the components and bioactivity of the extracts and subsequent fractions of AJN and ABB are different. Therefore, usage of either AJN or ABB should be carefully considered, as regards their individual properties, when the active fractions of Woosul are employed in the development of functional foods or novel plant-derived medicines.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.32 no.3 s.58
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• pp.201-208
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• 2006

Propionibacterium acnes have been recognized as pus-forming bacteria triggering an inflammation in acne. The present study was conducted to evaluate antimicrobial activities of Dryopteris crassirhizoma Nakai against these etiologic agents of acne vulgaris and application possibility as a cosmetic resource. D. crassirhizoma crude extract and hexane fraction was prepared and its anti-acne effect against Propionibacterium acnes was investigated with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and paper disk diffusion method. The MIC of D. crassirhizoma crude extract and hexane fraction was 0.008 mg/mL and 0.001 mg/mL, respectively. This implies that D. crassirhizoma extract may be an efficient anti-acne ingredient for cosmetics, as a crude extract. The paper disk diffusion assay showed that its anti-acne effect was similar to that of triclosan. The cytotoxic effect of D. crassirhizoma extract was determined by a colorimetric MTT assay using HaCaT cell line and D. crassirhizoma extract exhibited lower cytotoxic effects. Finally, we examine the stability of D. crassirhizoma extract to temperature and pH. The D. crassirhizoma extract was very stable to high temperatures ($25{\sim}121^{\circ}C$) and to wide pH range ($pH\; 2{\sim}11$), suggesting its utilization for cosmetics.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.269-273
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• 2007

We studied anti-microbial and anti-oxidant activities of bio-active components in stem of Juniperus chinensis L. and leaf of Abies koreana Wilson. Those plants of needle leaf tree family were reported to contain anti-cancer compounds. The anti-bacterial activity was tested by Broth dilution method against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. As results, Juniperus chinensis L. and Abies koreana Wilson extracts showed 17.0% and 8.5% higher anti-bacterial activity than methyl paraben, respectively. The free radical scavenging activity of Juniperus chinensis L. and Abies koreana Wilson extracts showed 45 % and 44 % at 5,000 ppm. We measured polyphenol (catechin equivalent) and flavonoids quantity. The Juniperus chinensis L. extract contained 312 mg/g of polyphenol and 105 mg/g of flavonoids. The Abies koreana Wilson extract contained 280 mg/g of polyphenol and 103.8 mg/g of flavonoids. The cytotoxicity of extracts was measured by neutral red assay. Extracts did not affect the viability of CCK-986sk cells up to a concentration of 1,250 ppm. In conclusion, these data suggest that extracts of needle leaf trees would be usefull as antiseptic agents and anti-oxidants for cosmetic products.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.310-325
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• 2009

Veterinary drugs have been used to prevent livestock diseases for many years. In spite of having advantages, sometimes indiscriminate application, overdose and abuse may cause risk for human. Therefore, management and risk assessment of veterinary drugs become essential to ensure food safety. So the National Veterinary Research & Quarantine Service (NVRQS) impose on registration for use of veterinary drugs also Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) fixed the maximum residue limits (MRLs) for veterinary drugs in food. Basically, KFDA set MRLs based on the veterinary drugs residual data. Moreover, KFDA estimates the theoretical maximum daily intake (TMDI) with food consumption data and population mean body weight. Recently, 116 veterinary drug MRLs including banned veterinary drugs have been established and other 32 veterinary drugs MRLs will be established within 2009. In 2010, MRLs among antibiotics and synthetic antibacterial agents in livestock fishery products (including milk and eggs) and honey (including royal jelly and propolis) which have not been set in Korea Food Code and Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) will be regulated as uniform limit (0.03 mg/kg). In future, veterinary drugs will be controlled strictly to strengthen public health by improving analytical method.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.122-127
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• 2016

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) is a multidrug-resistant(MDR) strain. (+)-Usnic acid(UA) is uniquely found in lichens, and is especially abundant in genera such as Usnea and Cladonia. UA has antimicrobial activity against human and plant pathogens. Therefore, UA may be a good antibacterial drug candidate for clinical development. In search of a natural products capable of inhibiting this multidrug-resistant bacteria, we have investigated the antimicrobial activity of UA against 17 different strains of the bacterium. In this study, the effects of a combination of UA and permeable agents against MRSA were investigated. For the measurement of cell wall permeability, UA with concentration of Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid(EDTA) was used. In the other hand, Sodium azide($NaN_3$) was used as inhibitors of ATPase. Against the 17 strains, the minimum inhibitory concentrations(MICs) of UA were in the range of $7.81-31.25{\mu}g/ml$. EDTA or $NaN_3$ cooperation against MRSA showed synergistic activity on cell wall. UA and in combination with EDTA and $NaN_3$ could lead to the development of new combination antibiotics against MRSA infection.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.270-277
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• 2010

In order to manufacture Bacillus cereus-free fermented soybean products, an antimicrobial agentproducing isolate against B. cereus was obtained from 150 traditionally fermented soybean products. The morphological and biochemical tests and the phylogenetic relationship among 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the isolate named as the strain SCK 121057 was most closely related to Bacillus licheniformis. The B. licheniformis isolate began to produce the antimicrobial agent after 48 h of incubation. The agent was nonproteinaceous and insensitive to heat, long term storage and protease K. Electron microscopic observation indicated that the agent attacked the membrane of B. cereus, leaving the ghost cell. The isolate inhibited growth of B. subtilis, Lactobacillus brevis and various types of pathogenic strains including Escherichia coli, E. faecalis, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus flavus, A. ochraceus, and A. parasiticus as well as B. cereus. After coinoculation of B. licheniformis SCK 121057 and B. cereus in the ratio (as the basis of CFU/g sample) of 10 to 1 on the surface of cooked soybeans, cell numbers of B. cereus had been dramatically reduced after 31 days of incubation compared to those of single inoculation of B. cereus.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.285-292
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• 2014

In the course of study for development of functional food ingredients from aged black garlic (ABG), heat-treated ripe bulbs of Allium sativum L., the water extracts from raw-garlic (RG) and ABG, and the subsequent organic solvent fractions of ABG were prepared, and their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antithrombosis activities were compared. The extraction yield of ABG was 4-folds higher than that of RG, and the contents of total polyphenol, total flavonoid, total sugar and reducing sugar in the ABG extract were 4-folds, 1.56-folds, 3.36-folds and 6.75-folds higher than those of the RG extract, respectively. In antioxidation activity assay, the extract of ABG showed minor scavenging activity against DPPH anion, but revealed strong scavenging activity against ABTS cation and nitrite. Especially, the ethylacetate fraction from the ABG extract demonstrated stronger antioxidation activity than the RG extract and other fractions. Although the antimicrobial and antithrombosis activities of the RG extract did not appear in the ABG extract, the ethylacetate fraction from the ABG extract had antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis, and strong antithrombosis activity via the inhibition of prothrombin, blood coagulation factors and platelet aggregation. All extracts and fractions did not show any hemolytic activity against human red blood cells up to 5 mg/ml. Our results suggest that the ethylacetate fraction of ABG could be applicable to the development of functional food ingredients for antithrombosis agents.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.185-195
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• 2012

Purpose: (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has been reported to exert anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects in periodontitis. However, its exact mechanism of action has yet to be determined. The present in vitro study evaluated the anti-in-flammatory effects of EGCG on human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (hPDLFs) and human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) affected by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) extracted from Porphyromonas gingivalis. Methods: hPDLFs and hPDLSCs were extracted from healthy young adults and were treated with EGCG and/or P. gingivalis LPS. After 1, 3, 5, and 7 days from treatment, cytotoxic and proliferative effects were evaluated using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and bromodeoxyuridine assay, respectively. And then, the gene expressions of hPDLFs and hPDLSCs were observed for interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, osteoprotegerin (OPG), receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL), and RANKL/OPG using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at 0, 6, 24, and 48 hours after treatment. The experiments were performed with the following groups for hPDLFs and hPDLSCs; 1) No treat, 2) EGCG alone, 3) P. gingivalis LPS alone, 4) EGCG+P. gingivalis LPS. Results: The 20 ${\mu}M$ of EGCG and 20 ${\mu}g/mL$ of P. gingivalis LPS had the lowest cytotoxic effects, so those concentrations were used for further experiments. The proliferations of hPDLFs and hPDLSCs increased in all groups, though the 'EGCG alone' showed less increase. In real-time PCR, the hPDLFs and hPDLSCs of 'EGCG alone' showed similar gene expressions to those cells of 'no treat'. The gene expressions of 'P. gingivalis LPS alone' in both hPDLFs and hPDLSCs were highly increased at 6 hours for IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$, RANKL, and RANKL/OPG, except the RANKL/OPG in hPDLSCs. However, those increased gene expressions were down-regulated in 'EGCG+P. gingivalis LPS' by the additional treatment of EGCG. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that EGCG could exert an anti-inflammatory effect in hPDLFs and hPDLSCs against a major pathogen of periodontitis, P. gingivalis LPS.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.298-305
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• 2005

Antimicrobial packaging paper was prepared with a powder-type botanical antimicrobial agent from grapefruit seed extract (BAAG) and zeolite according to TAPPI standard method. The functional fillers containing BAAG fixed to CaCO$_3$ and zeolite were well retained in the fiber network by a retention aid such as cationic polyacrylamide, which was ascertained by the ash contents of paper and the SEM microphotographs. With addition of the functional fillers to paper, tensile strength and burst strength of the paper decreased by interference of the functional fillers with interfiber bonding but bending stiffness and tear strength increased by improved elastic modulus of paper and delayed transfer of tearing energy. Finally, it was confirmed that the antimicrobial packaging paper might be able to be used to make packaging bags and corrugated containers due to the minor deterioration of strength properties.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.712-723
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• 2019

Chemically synthesized compounds are widely used in oral hygiene products. However, excessively long-term use of these chemicals can cause undesirable side effects such as bacterial tolerance, allergy, and tooth discoloration. To solve these issues, significant effort is put into the search for natural antibacterial agents. The aim of this study was to assess the extracts of foreign native plants that inhibit the growth and biofilm formation of Streptococcus mutans. Among the 300 foreign plant extracts used in this study, Chesneya nubigena (D. Don) Ali extract had the highest antimicrobial activity relatively against S. mutans with a clear zone of 9 mm when compared to others. This plant extract also showed anti-biofilm activity and bacteriostatic effect (minimal bactericidal concentration [MBC], 1.5 mg/ml). In addition, the plant extracts of 19 species decreased the ability of S. mutans to form biofilm at least a 6-fold in proportion to the tested concentrations. Of particular note, C. nubigena (D. Don) Ali extract was found to inhibit biofilm formation at the lowest concentration tested effectively. Therefore, our results reveal that C. nubigena (D. Don) Ali extract is a potential candidate for the development of antimicrobial substitutes, which might be effective for caries control as well, as demonstrated by its inhibitory effect on the persistence and pathogenesis of S. mutans.