• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.168-173
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• 2000

Anticariogenic activity of the unripe apple extract was studied by observing the inhibitory effects on GTase(glucosyltransferase) activity, cell adherence and acid production of Streptococcus mutans. Among the four S. mutans strains, S. mutans MT 8148 had the highest water-insoluble glucan forming activity. (+)-Catechin and tannic acid, the major components of the unripe apple polyphenols inhibited GTase activity by 60% at 1 mg/ml and 90% at 5 mg/ml. Tannic acid and unripe apple extract inhibited adherence ability of S. mutans by 50% and 30%, respectively. But the acid production of S. mutans was not influenced by the polyphenols. Disc diffusion test showed that the polyphenols have no antimicrobial activity against S. mutans, which indicates that the inhibition of GTase activity and cell adherence were not resulted from the cell growth inhibition. Our results convinced the possible application of the unripe apple extract as the anticariogenic food additives.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1555-1561
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• 2007

In order to know the effects of scoria, germanium, charcoal, ginger, stevia, and CLA(Conjugated Linoleic Acid) as biologically active materials on pathogenic microbes and rumen anaerobic microbes, the growth rate of pathogens (including Escherichia coli O157, Salmonella paratyphi, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus) and in vitro lumen microbial growth, gas production, ammonia concentration, carboxymethyl-cellulase (CMCase) activity, and microbial populations were investigated. The growth of pathogenic microbes was inhibited by the supplement of 0.10% ginger. Ginger had powerful antimicrobial properties on all the pathogens used in this experiments. Additionally in the antibacterial assay by paper disc method, we could observe the clear zone of similar area with the positive control(antibiotics) for E. coli as applied with the 10% stevia or the 10% CLA only. The supplements of ginger, stevia and CLA in vitro rumen fermentation inhibited populations of rumen bacteria and protozoa. Particularly supplement of ginger resulted in remarkable reduction of the protozoa population, which means it might serve as a source inhibiting material of methane creation in the rumen.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.1034-1040
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• 2010

Plants and their extracts can be utilized as inexpensive and rich resources of active constituents in the cosmetic field, as well as the food, pharmaceutical and medicinal fields. Until now, Aster glehni Fr. Schm. had no known active effect, except on anti-oxidation, that was found during investigations for application in the cosmetic field. In this study, we examined the inhibition of enzymatic reactions to protein levels in inclusive B16F10 melanoma cell lines. Significant inhibition of enzymatic reactions was observed in the EtOAc extract, which advanced to tyrosinase protein and TRP-1 in the B16F10 melanoma cell line. These results indicated that the effect of EtOAc extract inhibited expressions of tyrosinase protein and TRP-1 in the B16F10 melanoma cell line by 30.5% and 41.5% at 100ug/ml respectively. On the other hand, antimicrobial activity was evaluated to the four fractions in normal flora of the skin. Hexane extract was only exhibited in the higher clear zone in all strains. In conclusion, any cosmeceutical effects of Aster glehni Fr. Schm. may have a potential meaning, as well as possible value for further studies regarding the effects of chemical constituents of Aster glehni Fr. Schm.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.106-113
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• 2014

For the development of high value consumables utilizing jujube and grape, we investigated the biological activities of a variety of existing fermentation products of jujube and grape. The results revealed that ethanol fermentation products of jujube and grape had a higher antioxidative activity than acetic acid fermentation products. In addition, the ethanol fermentation products of jujube (JEF) had the highest antioxidative activity, with it being greater than that of the ethanol fermentation products of grape (GEF), the acetic acid fermentation products of jujube (JAF) and the acetic acid fermentation products of grape (GAF). As regards tests on whitening effects, JEF exhibited the highest tyrosinase inhibition effects amongst the test groups. However, when immunofluorecence was employed, JAF was seen to inhibit the expression of proteins related to the whitening effect. In the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated mode peritoneal macrophage model, all tested groups of fermentation products (JEF, GEF, JAF and GAF) suppressed nitric oxide production dose-dependently, with ethanol fermentation products demonstrating a higher nitric oxide expression inhibition effect than acetic acid fermentation products. When subjected to antibacterial activity tests, GAF exhibited antibacterial activity against all tested strains except Propionibacterium acnes. Both GAF and JEF revealed high antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.420-432
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• 2021

This study was conducted to evaluate antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and digestive enzyme activity in water extract (SAW) and 60% ethanol extract (SAE) from Stachys sieboldii. As the treatment concentration of each extract S. sieboldii extract increased, antibacterial and antioxidant activity increased. The total polyphenol and total flavonoid contents of SAW were 106.25 ± 0.94 mgGAE/g, 24.4 ± 0.24 mgQE/g and SAE were 124.61 ± 1.11 mgGAE/g, 45.2 ± 3.52 mgQE/g, respectively. The 400 ㎍/mL of SAW and SAE performed more than 53% protective effects against oxidative stress in HepG2 cell lines. All extracts were not showed cytotoxicity to RAW 264.7 cell line at 100 ㎍/mL. NO production was reduced to 44.3 ± 1.4% for SAW and 45.1 ± 1.0% for SAE at a concentration of 100 ㎍/mL. The production of inflammatory cytokines each TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 was inhibited in a concentration-dependent. S. sieboldii extract did not showed Caco-2 cells cytotoxicity and inhibited NO production in concentration-dependent. As the concentration of the S. sieboldii extract increased of α-amylase and protease enzymes activity, which are digestive enzyme. As a result of the experiment, it is judged that it can be used as basic data for the development of health food using S. sieboldii.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.430-441
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• 2021

Sesquiterpene lactones (STLs) are terpenoids found mostly in the Asteraceae family and are known for their strong cytotoxic properties, among other notable bioactivities. Some STLs, such as artemisinin and mipsagargin, are already commercially available and are used to fight malaria and tumor growth, respectively. Although the interest in STLs was low for a time after their discovery due to their toxic nature, past decades have witnessed a soar in STL-based studies focused on developing novel pharmaceuticals via chemical diversification. These studies have reported several promising physiological effects for STLs, including lower toxicity and diverse modes of action, and have demonstrated the antimicrobial, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antiviral, antiprotozoal, phytotoxic, antitumor, and antiaging properties of STLs. STLs are mainly considered as valuable natural molecules for the fight against cancer since most STLs induce death of different types of cancer cells, as shown by in vitro and in vivo studies. Some STLs can also enhance the effects of drugs that are already in clinical use. Medicinal chemists use various STLs as starting molecules for the synthesis of new STLs or different bioactive compounds. All these developments warrant future research to provide more information on STLs, their bioactivities, and their mode of action. In this context, this review has summarized the bioactivities of some of the widely studied STLs, namely artemisinin, costunolide, thapsigargin, arglabin, parthenolide, alantolactone, cynaropicrin, helenalin, and santonin.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.438-443
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• 2018

The emergence of biofilms have generated urgent alarm in clinical and medicine manufacturing fields engaged in the search for novel antimicrobials from ethno-medicinal plants. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has estimated that 70% of all microbial infections in the world are associated with biofilms. In addition, the emergence of strains resistant to conventional antibiotics has become a serious threat to global public health. Therefore, finding alternative medicines is a major issue in the field of integrative medicine. In this study, four different herb extracts were screened for biofilm formation and the activities of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Of them, Scutellaria scordifolia Fisch. ex Schrank extracts had inhibitory effects on bacterial growth and biofilm formation. The Scutellaia scordifolia Fisch. ex Schrank extracts did not cause any cytotoxicity to L929 cells. The growth of K. pneumoniae was inhibited compared to other comparators in the experimental group containing Scutellaia scordifolia Fisch. ex Schrank. In a group of experiments with plant extracts, a maximum of 60 times the level of living bacteria was confirmed compared to the controls without the addition of the Scutellaia scordifolia Fisch. ex Schrank extracts. In a group of experiments with a significantly lower level of fluorescence extraction, differential interference contrast imaging showed that the number of K. pneumonae was reduced. These results suggest that extracts of this plant be applied as antimicrobial agents against K. pneumoniae, particularly in biofilm forms.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.243-249
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• 2019

Purpose: Platycodon grandiflorum (PG) is known to have effective antimicrobial and anticancer activity. The main bioactive components of PG are saponins, and these could contribute to anti-inflammatory activity. However, little is known about the anti-inflammatory effect of PG. In this study, we aim to assess the anti-inflammatory response to Red PG Extract (RPGE) in splenocytes under ex vivo conditions. Methods: The cell viability of isolated splenocytes taken from mice was analyzed by performing a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. The productions of nitric oxide (NO) and cytokines (specifically interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10)) were measured utilizing Griess reagent and ELISA, respectively. Results: We found that co-treatment with RPGE and Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) decreased isolated splenocyte proliferation as compared with that of the LPS-stimulated control. We also observed that RPGE markedly suppressed NO synthesis and IL-6 production that was induced by LPS. There were no significant differences of IL-10 production between co-treatment with RPGE plus LPS and treatment with LPS alone. Conclusion: When taken together, our data has shown that RPGE mitigates LPS-induced inflammation in splenocytes isolated from mice. Further research is surely needed to confirm the anti-inflammation effects of RPGE in an in vivo model.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.83-92
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• 2013

Objectives : Lespedeza Cuneata has been used to treat leukorrhea, asthma, stomach pain, diarrhea, acute mastitis, in Korean traditional medicine. According to recent studies, Lespedeza Cuneata has antioxidation, hypoglycemia, cell protective, insulin secretion, whitening, corpora cavernosa smooth muscle relaxation and antimicrobial activities, but it has been rarely conducted to evaluate the immuno-biological activity. The present study was examined to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of the Lespedeza Cuneata MeOH extract (LCE) in vivo and in vitro. Methods : In vitro, inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines, nitric oxide and prostaglandin $E_2$ were detected after the addition of LPS with or without LCE in Raw 264.7 macrophage cell line. In vivo, anti-edema effect of LCE was determined in the carrageenan-induced paw edema model in rats. Results : In vitro assay, LCE decreased release of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) via suppression of iNOS and COX-2 expression. LCE inhibited the phosphorylation of $I{\kappa}B$ indicating the suppression of NF-${\kappa}B$ pathway. In vivo assay, LCE significantly inhibited the formation of paw edema induced by carrageenan injection in rats. LCE effectively inhibited increases of hind paw skin thickness and inflammatory cell infilterations. Conclusion : These findings demonstrate that LCE has inhibitory effect on inflammatory mediators in LPS-activated Raw 264.7 cells and on paw edema in carrageenan-stimulated rats, showing the possibility of anti-inflammatory use of Lespedeza Cuneata.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.273-278
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• 2022

This study evaluates the improved effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) by subjecting pathogenic bacteria to a combination of 630 nm light-emitting diode (LED) and 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA). Bacterial suspensions of 1.5×10⁴ cells/mL were diluted and exposed to ALA concentrations of 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25, and 0.625 mg/mL, incubated for 30 minutes, followed by irradiation with 630 nm LED (18 J/cm² ). The non-irradiated P. aeruginosa group and the group administered only LED light averaged 415 and 245 colonies, respectively. Conversely, the PDT group showed an average of 109, 225, 297, and 285 colonies at concentrations of 10, 5, 2.5, and 1.25 mg/mL of ALA. Evaluating the effect on E. faecalis revealed an average of 8,750 and 8,000 colonies in the group that did not receive the control photosensitizer and the group exposed to light alone, respectively. However, an average of 0, 2350, 4825, and 7475 colonies at concentrations of 5, 2.5, 1.25, and 0.625 mg/mL ALA were determined for the PDT groups. In conclusion, better inhibitory effects were observed for E. faecalis than for P. aeruginosa. Moreover, our results validate the possibility of improved PDT efficacy using a combination of ALA and 630 nm LED.