• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.77-83
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• 2009

Retinoic acids (RAs) modulate growth, differentiation, and apoptosis in normal, pre-malignant & malignant cells. In the present study, the effects of RA isomers (all-trans RA, 13-cis RA, and 9-cis RA) on the cell signal transduction of human breast cancer cells have been studied. The relationship between RAs and an enzymatic antioxidant system was also determined. Estrogen-receptor (ER) positive MCF-7 and ER-negative MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells were treated with different doses of each RA isomers, all-trans RA, 13-cis RA, or 9-cis RA. Treatment of RA isomers inhibited cell viability and induced apoptosis of MCF-7 cells as a result of increased caspase activity in cytoplasm and cytochrome C released from mitochondria. All-trans RA was the most effective RA isomer in both cell growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. However, no significant effect of RA isomers was observed on the cell growth or apoptosis in ER-negative MDA-MB-231 cells. In addition, activities of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase and glutathione peroxidase were decreased effectively after treatment of RA in MCF-7 cells, whereas SOD activity was rarely affected. Thus, the present data suggest that all-trans RA is the most potential inducer of apoptosis and modulator of antioxidant enzymes among RA isomers in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.440-447
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• 2004

In this study the in vitro protective effects of several antioxidant vitamins (vitamin C, $\alpha$-tocopherol, $\beta$-carotene), fruits and vegetables (strawberry, tangerine, orange and 100％ orange juice, carrot juice), on the levels of isolated human lymphocyte DNA damage was measured using Comet assay. Comet assay has been used widely to assess the level of the DNA damage in the individual cells. Lymphocytes were pre-treated for 30 minutes with antioxidant vitamins (10, 50, 100, 500 $\mu$M) or fruits$.$vegetables (10, 100, 500, 1000 $\mu$g/ml), an4 then oxidatively challenged with 100 $\mu$M $H_2O$$_2$ for 5 min at 4$^{\circ}C$. The protective effect of antioxidant vitamins against DNA damage at a concentration of 50 $\mu$M were 50％ in vitamin C, 32％ in $\alpha$-tocopherol, whereas, fJ-carotene showed a 55％ protection at a dose as low as 10 $\mu$M. The inhibitory effects of DNA damage by strawberry, tangerine, orange, orange juices, carrot juices were 50 - 60％ with wide ranges of doses. The results of the present study indicate that most the antioxidant vitamins and fruits$.$vegetables juices produced a significant reduction in oxidative DNA damage.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.195-202
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• 2015

The effects of waterborne arsenic (As) exposure on bioaccumulation and antioxidant defenses were examined in the liver and gills of tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, under thermal stress. Tilapia were exposed to different As concentrations (0, 200, and $400{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$) at three water temperatures (20, 25, and $30^{\circ}C$) for 20 days. After As exposure, higher levels of As accumulation were observed in the gills compared with the liver in elevated water temperatures. In terms of the antioxidant response, glutathione (GSH) levels and the activities of glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) significantly decreased in the liver and gills of tilapia exposed to As for 20 days, regardless of the As concentration (200 and $400{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$) or water temperature. These enzyme activities exhibited greater fluctuations in the liver and gills of tilapia after As exposure in water warmer than $20^{\circ}C$. The present findings suggest that the simultaneous stress of temperature change and As exposure can accelerate As accumulation and alter the antioxidant enzymes activities of tilapia.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.492-498
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• 2012

Phytochemicals have been known to exhibit potent antioxidant activity. This study examined cytoprotective effects of phytochemicals including quercetin, catechin, caffeic acid, and phytic acid against oxidative damage in SK-Hep-1 cells induced by the oxidative and non-oxidative metabolism of ethanol. Exposure of the cells to excess ethanol resulted in a significant increase in cytotoxicity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, lipid hydroperoxide (LPO), and antioxidant enzyme activity. Excess ethanol also caused a reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and the quantity of reduced glutathione (GSH). Co-treatment of cells with ethanol and quercetin, catechin, caffeic acid and phytic acid significantly inhibited oxidative ethanol metabolism-induced cytotoxicity by blocking ROS production. When the cells were treated with ethanol after pretreatment of 4-methylpyrazole (4-MP), increased cytotoxicity, ROS production, antioxidant enzyme activity, and loss of MMP were observed. The addition of quercetin, catechin, caffeic acid and phytic acid to these cells showed suppression of non-oxidative ethanol metabolism-induced cytotoxicity, similar to oxidative ethanol metabolism. These results suggest that quercetin, catechin, caffeic acid and phytic acid have protective effects against ethanol metabolism-induced oxidative insult in SK-Hep-1 cells by blocking ROS production and elevating antioxidant potentials.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.201-206
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• 2012

Ultraviolet (UV) A penetrates deeply into the skin and induces the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) causing damage to fibroblasts, which leads to aging of the skin. However, the body has developed an antioxidant defence system against the harmful effects of ROS. Enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) play critical roles on the removal of excess ROS in living organisms. In this study, the antioxidant activities of anthocyanins (cyanidin 3-galactoside and cyanidin 3-lathyroside) from Acanthopanax divaricatus var. albeofructus (ADA) fruits were investigated by xylenol orange, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and antioxidant enzyme assay. As a result, generation of $H_2O_2$ and lipid peroxide induced by UVA-irradiation in human dermal fibroblast (HDF-N) cells was reduced by treatment of anthocyanins. Also, augmented enzyme (SOD and CAT) activities were observed in UVA-irradiated cells when treated with anthocyanin. In conclusion, the results obtained show that anthocyanins from ADA fruits are potential candidates for the protection of fibroblast against the damaging effects of UVA irradiation. Furthermore, anthocyanin may be a good candidate for antioxidant agent development.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.388-394
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the antioxidant activity of Kochujang following the addition of Omija (Schizandra chinensis Baillon) by-product extract powder. This study specifically investigated the total levels of phenolics and flavonoids, the activities of DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging, and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power). Our results showed that the total phenolic and flavonoid contents of unmodified Kochujang were 4.06 mg TAE/g and 2.87 mg TAE/g, respectively, and that the total phenolic and flavonoid contents of Kochujang with added Omija by-product extract powder were 3.89~5.19 mg TAE/g and 3.11~5.35 mg TAE/g, respectively. As more Omija by-product extract powder was added, the more the total levels of phenolic compounds and flavonoids increased. This study found that DPPH radical scavenging activity in unmodified Kochujang was 25.8% and that in Kochujang with added Omija by-product extract powder was 27.1~39.7% each. These results indicate that Omija by-product extract powder has possibility not only in Kochujang products but also as a functional food with antioxidant activity characteristics. These results also indicate that adding Omija by-product extract powder to Kochujang had significant effects on overall acceptability. Thus, the addition of 5 or 10% of Omija by-product extract powder is desirable for making Kochujang.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.255-262
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different growing regions on quality characteristics, total bioactive compound contents, and in vitro antioxidant activity in aronia. Aronia grown in 3 different regions (Sangjoo, Ulju, and Youngcheon) in Korea was obtained and used fresh or as a freeze-dried powder. No statistically significant differences were observed for moisture, ash, crude lipid, and crude protein contents in aronia sampled from the 3 different regions. Aronia grown in Sangjoo had the highest total acid content and the lowest sugar content and pH value. Conversely, aronia grown in Youngcheon possessed the lowest total acid content and the highest sugar content and pH value. Aronia grown in Sangjoo possessed relatively high levels of polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, as well as high antioxidant activity in comparison with aronia produced in other regions. Aronia grown in Youngcheon scored the highest for taste and overall acceptability in sensory evaluations, which may be related to the high sugar content and pH, and the low total acidity of the fruits. It is possible that higher sugar contents and pH, and lower total acidity in the aronia grown in Youngcheon result in more preferable sensory characteristics. However, they also contain relatively low levels of total polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, and have low antioxidant activity as measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging assays.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.170-180
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• 2013

This study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant activity of oven-dried ($60^{\circ}C$) tomato powder (TP) as affected by water solubility and to evaluate the effects of TP on the physico-chemical properties, and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of emulsified pork sausages with two levels of TP (1% and 2 %). After fresh tomatoes were homogenized and dried at $60^{\circ}C$ oven, they were extracted by stirring with water. Then, the aqueous solution was filtered, and water soluble and insoluble tomato powders were obtained with freeze drying. In experiment I, total phenolic contents in oven-dried tomato powder, water soluble and insoluble powder were more than 2 g/100 g. The radical scavenging activity and iron-chelation ability of the water-insoluble extracts were higher than those of dried TP and water-soluble extracts. In experiment II, pH values and Hunter L values of pork sausages formulated with TP were reduced. However, hunter a and b values were higher than those of the control, and those effects were increased with increased levels of TP. 2-Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance values of pork sausages containing TP were lower than that of the control during refrigerated storage, regardless of the TP level. These results indicated that TP could be used as a natural color agent and antioxidant in meat products without defects.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 1998

In the present study, to determine whether the antioxidative components of Korean red ginseng protect against radiation damage and the possible relationship among the radioprotective effects and antioxidant actions, the effects of total saponin (200 mg/kg, ip) and lipophilic fraction (200 mg/kg, oral) preferment of mice on the survival ratio, major antioxidant enzymes (SOD, catalase and glutathione peroxidase) activities, glutathione levels and lipid peroxidation in the liver were exiled for 2 weeks after whole ${\gamma}$-body ${\gamma}$-irradiation (6.5 Gy). The 30-day survival ratio increased from 10% to 57% and 40% for mice treated with total saponin and lipophilic fraction, respectively. On day 14 after ${\gamma}$-irradiation, the ginseng total saponin pretreatment produced a slight increase of antioxidant enzymes activities and significantly Increased reduced glutathione (GSH) contents (p<0.05) in the liver compared with non-treated group. Pretreatment with ginseng total saponin significantly deceased GSSG/total GSH ratio (p<0.05) without change of GSSG in the liver and inhibited the radiation-induced incense in the hepatic malondialdehyde levels. (p<0.05) In these results, GSH plays an important role in the liver in several detoxifications and the reduction of lipid peroxides. Thus, it appears that total saponin of red ginseng exerts its radioprotective effect by accelerating the production of endogenous antioxidants, such as glutathione from radiation induced damages and thereby oxygen free radicals.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.489-497
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• 2009

In this study, we evaluated and compared the protective effects of two major constituents, baicalein and baicalin, against oxidative DNA and cell damages caused by hydroxyl radical. Antioxidant properties were evaluated using DPPH and hydroxyl radicals scavenging assays and $Fe^{2+}$ chelating assay. ${\varphi}X$ 174 RFI plasmid DNA and intracellular DNA migration assay were used to evaluate the protective effect against oxidative DNA damage. Also, MTT and lipid peroxidation assays were used to evaluate their protective effects against oxidative cell damage. Both baicalein and baicalin prevented intracellular DNA and cells from oxidative damage caused by hydroxyl radical via antioxidant activities. Baicalein demonstrated a stronger antioxidant activity in scavenging DPPH radicals and chelating $Fe^{2+}$ while baicalin scavenged hydroxyl radicals more efficiently. The differences in the level of baicalein and baicalin pose a different pathological pathway for each. The antioxidant activity of baicalin was due to its ability to scavenge hydroxyl radical whilst baicalein was a stronger $Fe^{2+}$ chelator. Further investigation to compare the molecular mechanisms of antitumor activities of baicalein and baicalin is vital to anticancer research.