• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.416-421
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• 2005

Cudrania tricuspidata Bereau (Moraceae) have been used for anti-inflammatory, anti-hepatotoxic, anti-hyper­tensive and anti-diabetic activities. In order to investigate the efficacy of antioxidant activity, the bio-activity guided fraction and isolation of Biologically active substance were performed. $H_{2}O,\;30\%,\;60\%,\;100%$ MeOH and acetone fractions were examined on the antioxidant activity by DPPH method. It was shown that $30\%,\;60\%,\;100\%$ MeOH fractions have sig­nificantly antioxidant activity. From $30\%$ MeOH fraction, two dihydroflavonoid glycosides dihydroquercetin 7-O-$\beta$-D-glu­copyranoside (I), dihydrokaempferol 7-O-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside (V) were isolated and $60\%$ MeOH fraction, six flavonoids including quercetin 3-O-$\alpha$-L-rhamnopyranosyl($1\rightarrow6$)-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside (II), quercetin 3-O-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside (III), quercetin 7-O-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside (IV), kaempferol 3-O-$\alpha$-L-rhamnopyranosyl($1\rightarrow6$)-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside (VI), kaempferol 3-O-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside (VII), kaempferol 7-O-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside (VIII) were isolated. To investigate the antioxidant activities of each compounds, we measured radical scavening activity with DPPH method and anti-lipid per­oxidative efficacy on low density lipoprotein (LDL) with TBARS assay. Four compounds of quercetin glycosides (I, II, III, IV) showed significant antioxidant activity.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.100-108
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• 2011

The object of this study was two. One was if Polygonati Rhizoma preparata had a benzo(a)pyrene, the other was to evaluate the single dose toxicity of 9 repetitive steaming and fermenting processed Polygonati Rhizoma, dried root parts of Polygonati Rhozoma preparata extract, in male and female mice. We measured a content of benzo(a)pyrene in Polygonati Rhozoma preparata using a method with HPLC/FLD. And for single dose toxicity, aqueous extracts of Polygonati Rhozoma preparata (EPP; Yield = 35.4 %) was administered to female and male ICR mice as an oral dose of 2,000, 1,000 and 500 mg/kg (body weight) according to the recommendation of Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) Guidelines. Animals were monitored for the mortality and changes in body weight, clinical signs and gross observation during 14 days after dosing, upon necropsy; organ weight and histopathology of 12 principle organs were examined. As results, we could not find any mortality, clinical signs, and changes in the body and organ weight except for slight soft feces sporadically detected in EPP treated male mice at 1 day after administration. In addition, no EPP-treatment related abnormal gross findings and changes in histopathology of principle organs were detected except for some sporadic accidental findings. The results obtained in this study suggest that benzo(a)pyrene was not existed in Polygonati Rhozoma preparata and the 50% lethal dose and approximate lethal dose of EPP aqueous extracts in both female and male mice were considered as over 2,000 mg/kg, the limited highest dosage recommended by KFDA Guidelines. However, it also observed that the possibilities of digestive disorders, like soft feces when administered over 500 mg/kg of EPP aqueous extracts in the present study.

• CELLMED
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.38.1-38.6
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• 2012

The present study aimed to determine the possible mechanisms of the peripheral antinociception of the aqueous extracts of Dicranopteris linearis (AEDL), Melastoma malabathricum (AEMM) and Bauhinia purpurea (AEBP) leaves in mice. Briefly, the antinociceptive profile of each extract (300, 500, and 1000 mg/kg; subcutaneous (s.c.)), was established using the abdominal constriction test. A single dose (500 mg/kg) of each extract (s.c.) was pre-challenged for 10 min with various pain receptors' antagonists or pain mediators' blockers and 30 min later subjected to the antinociceptive assay to determine the possible mechanism(s) involved. Based on the results obtained, all extracts exerted significant (p < 0.05) antinociceptive activity with dose-dependent activity observed only with the AEMM. Furthermore, the antinociception of AEDL was attenuated by naloxone, atropine, yohimbine and theophylline; AEMM was reversed by yohimbine, theophylline, thioperamide, pindolol, reserpine, and 4-chloro-DL-phenylalanine methyl ester hydrochloride; and of AEBP was inhibited by naloxone, haloperidol, yohimbine and reserpine. In conclusion, the antinociceptive activity of those extracts possibly involved the activation of several pain receptors (i.e. opioids, muscarinic, ${\alpha}_2$-adrenergic and adenosine receptors, adenosine, H3-histaminergic and $5HT_{1A}$, dopaminergic receptors).

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Bioinformatics Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.13-16
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• 2000

Microorganisms have been widely employed for the production of useful bioproducts including primary metabolites such as ethanol, succinic acid, acetone and butanol, secondary metabolites represented by antibiotics, proteins, polysaccharides, lipids and many others. Since these products can be obtained in small quantities under natural condition, mutation and selection processes have been employed for the improvement of strains. Recently, metabolic engineering strategies have been employed for more efficient production of these bioproducts. Metabolic engineering can be defined as purposeful modification of cellular metabolic pathways by introducing new pathways, deleting or modifying the existing pathways for the enhanced production of a desired product or modified/new product, degradation of xenobiotics, and utilization of inexpensive raw materials. Metabolic flux analysis and metabolic control analysis along with recombinant DNA techniques are three important components in designing optimized metabolic pathways, This powerful technology is being further improved by the genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and bioinformatics. Complete genome sequences are providing us with the possibility of addressing complex biological questions including metabolic control, regulation and flux. In silico analysis of microbial metabolic pathways is possible from the completed genome sequences. Transcriptome analysis by employing ONA chip allows us to examine the global pattern of gene expression at mRNA level. Two dimensional gel electrophoresis of cellular proteins can be used to examine the global proteome content, which provides us with the information on gene expression at protein level. Bioinformatics can help us to understand the results obtained with these new techniques, and further provides us with a wide range of information contained in the genome sequences. The strategies taken in our lab for the production of pharmaceutical proteins, polyhydroxyalkanoate (a family of completely biodegradable polymer), succinic acid and me chemicals by employing metabolic engineering powered by genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and bioinformatics will be presented.

• CELLMED
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.7.1-7.3
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• 2017

Ok-jin Gong's hunchback dance is considered to be a strange dance in Korea. However, there have been no reports of the effects of music and dance therapy as a pain treatment. The aim of this article is to argue that watching and listening to the hunchback dance of Ok-jin Gong may have significant effects as a form of pain treatment. The creator of this style of dance suspected that dance in general can be an outlet for our inner emotions. Her dance in this case has received critical and complimentary reviews as well. However she has been cited as the main culprit behind the destruction of traditional dance forms in the Korean dance world. Nonetheless, her bewitching stage presence attracted much attention. She satirized the feelings of the under privileged' through music and dance. We tend to feel somehow relative poverty and small in the presence of a rich and successful man. On the other hand, the artist felt that it is the public who would be relatively comforted and satisfied in the presence of the weak and handicapped. A free spirit that makes us forget pain is the very essence of her dancing. Her dance and music sound as if she sublimated her sadness and ugliness, changing it to happiness and beauty. She puts herself in a low position and spreads a sense of freedom and relief to the world. Hence, the author felt that innumerable people have been comforted in these ways by her dance.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.122-128
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• 2012

The influences of fluorescence, scattering, and flocculation in turbid material by light scattering of L-aspartic acid, preservative and emulsifier were interpreted for the scattered fluorescence intensity and wavelength. They have been studied the molecular properties by the spectroscopy of laser induced fluorescence (LIF) and flocculation. The effects of optical properties in scattering media have been found by the optical parameters(${\mu}_s$, ${\mu}_a$, ${\mu}_t$). Flocculation is an important step in many solid-liquid separation processes and is widely used. When two particles approach each other, interactions of several colloid particles can come into play which may have major effect on the flocculation and LIF process. The values of scattering coefficient ${\mu}_s$ are large by means of the increasing scattering of scatterer, The values have been found that the slope decays exponentially as a function of concentration from laser source to detector by our experimental result. It may also aid in designing the best model for oil chemistry, bio-pharmaceutical products, laser medicine and application of medical engineering on LIF and coagulation in particle transport mode.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.418-423
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• 2006

Tabanus anticoagulant protein (TAP) was isolated from the whole body of the tabanus, Tabanus bivittatus, using three purification steps (ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-60, and ion exchange chromatography on DEAE Sephadex gel). The purified TAP, with a molecular weight of 65 kDa, was assessed to be homogeneous by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and an isoelectric point of 7.9 was determined by isoelectric focusing. The internal amino acid sequence of the purified protein was composed of Ser-Leu-Asn-Asn-Gln-Phe-Ala-Ser-Phe-lle-Asp-Lys-Val-Arg. The protein was activated by $Cu^{2+}\;and\;Zn^{2+}$, and the optimal conditions were found to be at pH $3\sim6\;and\;40\sim70^{\circ}C$. Standard coagulation screen assays were used to determine thrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time. Chromogenic substrate assays were performed for thrombin and factor Xa activity. TAP considerably prolonged human plasma clotting time, especially activated partial thromboplastin time in a dose-dependent manner; it showed potent and specific antithrombin activity in the chromogenic substrate assay. Specific anti-factor Xa activity in TAP was not detected. Overall, this result suggested that TAP has significant anticoagulant activity on blood coagulation system.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.214-219
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• 2012

This research was designed to determine what components of Gardenia jasminoides play a major role in inhibiting the enzymes related antidepressant activity of this plant. In our previous research, the ethyl acetate fraction of G. jasminosides fruits inhibited the activities of both monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) and monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B), and oral administration of the ethanolic extract slightly increased serotonin concentrations in the brain tissues of rats and decreased MAO-B activity. In addition, we found through in vitro screening test that the ethyl acetate fraction showed modest inhibitory activity on dopamine-${\beta}$ hydroxylase (DBH). The bioassay-guided fractionation led to the isolation of five bio-active compounds, protocatechuic acid (1), geniposide (2), 6'-O-trans-p-coumaroylgeniposide (3), 3,5-dihydroxy-1,7-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) heptanes (4), and ursolic acid (5), from the ethyl acetate fraction of G. jasminoides fruits. The isolated compounds showed different inhibitory potentials against MAO-A, -B, and DBH. Protocatechuic acid showed potent inhibition against MAO-B ($IC_{50}$ $300{\mu}mol/L$) and DBH ($334{\mu}mol/L$), exhibiting weak MAO-A inhibition (2.41 mmol/L). Two iridoid glycosides, geniposide ($223{\mu}mol/L$) and 6'-O-trans-p-coumaroylgeniposide ($127{\mu}mol/L$), were selective MAO-B inhibitor. Especially, 6'-O-trans-p-coumaroylgeniposide exhibited more selective MAO-B inhibition than deprenyl, well-known MAO-B inhibitor for the treatment of early-stage Parkinson's disease. The inhibitory activity of 3,5-dihydroxy-1,7-bis (4-hydroxyphenyl) heptane was strong for MAO-B ($196{\mu}mol/L$), modest for MAO-A ($400{\mu}mol/L$), and weak for DBH ($941{\mu}mol/L$). Ursolic acid exhibited significant inhibition of DBH ($214{\mu}mol/L$), weak inhibition of MAO-B ($780{\mu}mol/L$), and no inhibition against MAO-A. Consequently, G. jasminoides fruits are considerable for development of biofunctional food materials for the combination treatment of depression and neurodegenerative disorders.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.510-518
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• 2013

This study aims to demonstrate the effect of farming technology on introducing medicinal plants (MP) and wild food plants (WFP) into a traditional agricultural system within peri-urban zones. Field investigations and semi-structured focus group interviews conducted in the Buhozi community showed that 27 health and nutrition problems dominated in the community, and could be treated with 86 domestic plant species. The selected domestic MP and WFP species were collected in the broad neighboring areas of the Buhozi site, and introduced to the experimental field of beans and maize crops in Buhozi. Among the 86 plants introduced, 37 species are confirmed as having both medicinal and nutritional properties, 47 species with medicinal, and 2 species with nutritional properties. The field is arranged in a way that living hedges made from Tithonia diversifolia provide bio-fertilizers to the plants growing along the hedges. The harvest of farming crops does not disturb the MP or WFP, and vice-versa. After harvesting the integrated plants, the community could gain about 40 times higher income, than from harvesting farming crops only. This kind of field may be used throughout the year, to provide both natural medicines and foods. It may therefore contribute to increasing small-scale crop producers' livelihood, while promoting biodiversity conservation. This model needs to be deeply documented, for further pharmaceutical and nutritional use.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.511-515
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• 2013

Hypocotyls explants of melon seedling were cultured on Murashige and Skoog's (MS) medium supplemented with 1 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) and 0.5 mg/L benzyl aminopurine (BA) for 6 weeks to produce somatic embryos. In somatic embryos produced through intervening bright yellow friable (BYF) from the explants, somatic embryos with two-cotyledon (26%) and horn-type cotyledon (74%) were observed. The procambial strand of cotyledons was originated from circular procambial tissues of lower hypocotyls. The circular procambial independently divided into two procambial strand at the edge of cotyledonary-node, and then connected to each cotyledon to form somatic embryos with two-cotyledon. When cotyledon was horn-type, the circular procambial strand in lower hypocotyls would continuously remain connected to the cotyledon. However, somatic embryos with two or horn type cotyledon formed an abnormal shoot apex without the tunica-corpus structure or dome shape in the inter-cotyledonary area. These results demonstrated that the variation of cotyledon in somatic embryos was closely related to procambial tissue differentiation and shoot apical formation.