• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.56 no.1
• /
• pp.80-87
• /
• 2011

Panax ginseng has been used as a traditional medicine for several centuries in Korea. A laboratory experiment using methanol extracts of freeze-dried leaves and roots in the different ages of P. ginseng was conducted to determine the content of phenolics and flavonoids, antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity. The results indicate that the total phenolics level [mg ferulic acid equivalents (FAE) $kg^{-1}$ DW] was higher in leaves (22.0 to 76.3 mg $kg^{-1}$) than roots (19.0 to 28.3 mg $kg^{-1}$) of P. ginseng. The total content of phenolics in roots increased with increase in age of P. ginseng from one to six years. However, the content of phenolics in P. ginseng leaf decreased with the increase in age. Total flavonoid [mg naringin equivalents $kg^{-1}$ DW] was more detected in the leaves (30.3 to 138.6 mg $kg^{-1}$) than in the roots (0.0 to 10.6 mg $kg^{-1}$) of P. ginseng. The total flavonoid level in leaves decreased with increase in age of P. ginseng. The antioxidant potential of the methanol extracts from the plants dose-dependently increased. DPPH free radical scavenging activity was higher in leaves (36.9 to 82.8%) than in roots (14.8 to 39.4%), and in young plants than in old ones. According to 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, the methanol extracts from 5 year-root part showed the highest cytotoxicity against Calu-6, followed by 2 year- and 3 year-roots. However, the methanol extracts from 6 year- and 4 year-roots had lower cytotoxicity. Total phenolics content in both leaves and roots was highly correlated with the DPPH radical scavenging ($r^2=0.7366$ to 0.7870) and nitrite scavenging ($r^2=0.5604$ to 0.8794) activities, suggesting that they contribute to the antioxidant properties of the P. ginseng plants.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.60 no.4
• /
• pp.498-503
• /
• 2015

This study was conducted to evaluate the cytotoxicity and ${\alpha}-Amylase$, ${\alpha}-Glucosidase$, pancreatic lipase inhibition in vitro by different solvent fractions from the roots of Codonopsis lanceolata. The values of $IC_{50}$ against Calu-6 cell showed a high effect in n-hexane fraction ($10.13{\mu}g/mL$) whereas DW fraction exhibited the weakest inhibition on cell viability, having an $IC_{50}$ value of over $1,000{\mu}g/mL$. The values of $IC_{50}$ against HCT-116 cell showed the highest activity in n-BuOH fraction ($102.01{\mu}g/mL$), followed by n-hexane fraction ($145.85{\mu}g/mL$), methylene chloride fraction ($332.02{\mu}g/mL$), ethyl acetate fraction ($462.93{\mu}g/mL$) and DW fracion ($>1,000{\mu}g/mL$). ${\alpha}-Amylase$ inhibitory activity in methylene chloride fraction and ethyl acetate fraction was found to have a higher inhibitory effect with 24.5% and 25.6% than the other fractions. The highest ${\alpha}-Glucosidase$ inhibitory activity was observed from the ethyl acetate fraction extract, while the extract of DW fraction showed the lowest level of inhibitory activity at given experiment concentration. The pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity of C. lanceolata was found to have a higher the effect in ethyl acetate fraction. Inhibition of lipase activity of the ethyl acetate fraction and n-hexane fraction showed a relatively high, while the extract of DW fraction showed the lowest level at given experiment concentration. These results suggested that the roots of C. lanceolata may assist in the potential biological activity on carbohydrate, lipid Inhibitory activity and anticancer activity.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.499-503
• /
• 2007

Antioxidant activity, total phenolics level and cytotoxicity of the methanol extracts from the young sprouts of 5 Korean woody salad plants were determined. Methanol extracts of Kalopanax pictus had the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity, with an $IC_{50}$ value of 23.5mg $100g^{-1}$, and followed by Valeriana fauriei(43.1mg $100g^{-1}$), and Morus alba(>100mg $100g^{-1}$). Total phenolic content showed the highest amount in methanol extracts from Kalopanax pictus(23.7mg $100g^{-1}$), and followed by Valeriana fauriei(22.7mg $100g^{-1}$), Aralia elata(16.8mg $100g^{-1}$) and Morus alba(14.2mg $100g^{-1}$). In a MTT assay, methanol extracts of Aralia elata with $IC_{50}$ values of 151.0 and $140.7{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$ showed the most potent cytotoxicity on Calu-6 and MCF-7, respectively. On the other hand, methanol extracts of Kalopanax pictus($IC_{50}=96.5{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$) showed the highest activity against HCT-116, and followed by those of Aralia elata($123.3{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$), and Actinidia arguta($162.0{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$). Total phenolic content of the tested plant extracts was correlated with the DPPH radical scavenging activity, suggesting the phenolic compounds may contribute to the antioxidant properties of Korean salad plants.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.48 no.2
• /
• pp.132-139
• /
• 2005

The major obstacle in the popularization of Chungkookjang is the short shelf-life of $2{\sim}3$ months and some problems concerning storage including the growth of molds even in the products even within shelf-life. To solve these problems we conducted a research to improve its storage by using the vacuumed packaging and sanitary method through seed culture, innoculation and sterilization. For the optimization of storage time, temperature and sterilization temperature, we measured viable cell numbers of bacteria and fungi, amount of gas outbreak and contents of amino type nitrogen and monitored these experimental results by response surface methodology of SAS program, so that we could observe the quality changes of Chungkookjang during shelf-life. Especially fungi, which are the biggest troublemaker in Chungkookjang shelf-life, couldn't be detected from the generally and vacuum-packed samples; also, viable cell numbers were highly influenced by sterilization temperature and in vacuum-packed samples. In the case of vacuum-packed samples, amount of gas outbreak was highly influenced by sterilization temperature of its storage conditions and it was higher in generally packed samples as compared to vacuum-packed samples even at any storage conditions. The changes of pH in generally and vacuum-packed samples were highly influenced by the storage temperature. As the temperatures of storage and sterilization were higher and the storage time was longer, so the amount of gas outbreak was accordingly lower. These results showed that amino type nitrogen contents in generally and vacuum-packed samples were systematically influenced by the temperature, storage time and sterilization temperature. Also the result showed that the change of amino type nitrogen contents during storage was less in vacuum-packed samples than in general ones. Based on the above results, we can produce Chungkookjang products with extended shelf-life of as far as 6 months without any quality change using sanitary manufacturing method, vacuumed packaging condition, sterilization in $70^{\circ}C$ for 60 minutes and storage under $10^{\circ}C$ during shelf-life. According to this research, we have the possibility to greatly increase the goods value of Chungkookjang by developing the manufacture processing and packaging.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.67-73
• /
• 2009

This study was conducted to gather the basic data on making good use of a kind of groundsel (Ligularia fischeri). We have made methanol extracts from Ligularia fischeri and have also determined the effects of extracting temperature and time on the physiological activities of methanol extracts from Ligularia fischeri. Total phenolic compound and flavonoid contents in the methanol extracts from Ligularia fischeri at the extracting concentration of $1,000mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ were $75.8-297.7mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ and $45.6-173.6mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$. Total phenolic compound and flavonoid contents, and DPPH radical scavenging activities were most increased when Ligularia fischeri was extracted with methanol at $95^{\circ}C$ for 6 hours, however, nitrite radical scavenging activities were extremely increased at $75^{\circ}C$ for 12 hours by 97.4%. At $200mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ and $400mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ methanol extracting concentration, the hyperplasia of lung cancer cells (Calu-6) and stomach cancer cells (SNU601) were effectively inhibited over 90%. Consequently, it was assumed that Ligularia fischeri was a functional vegetable with a higher physiological activities. Making the processed foods, it had better make the extracts from Ligularia fischeri with methanol at $95^{\circ}C$ for 6 hours.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.195-201
• /
• 2018

This study was executed to evaluate the phenolic content, DPPH radical scavenging rate, and the cytotoxic effect in human cancer cell, 3T3-L1 cell from C. lanceolata extracts at various ethanol concentration. Total polyphenol and flavonoid content of the C. lanceolata at various ethanol concentration showed the high amount in 70%, 100% ethanol extract. The DPPH radical scavenging activity progressively increased in a dose-dependent manner, and showed the highest in 100% ethanol extract. The cytotoxic effect against human cancer cell of the C. lanceolata was higher in 50% and 70% ethanol extracts. In particular, the cytotoxic effect in MCF-7 cell was relatively higher than in other cells. The $IC_{50}$ (concentration causing 50% cell death) value showed the highest on MCF-7 cell ($538.39{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ in 70% ethanol extract, and exhibited significant activity against Hela cell ($637.87{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, Calu-6 cell ($728.64{\mu}g/m{\ell}$. The extract of 70% ethanol at $1,000{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ exhibited a pronounced cytotoxic effect on 3T3-L1 cell comparable to that of the other extracts, and reduced in a concentration-dependent manner.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.44 no.9
• /
• pp.688-695
• /
• 2021

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has become a global health concern. Various SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have been developed and are being used for vaccination worldwide. However, no therapeutic agents against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been developed so far; therefore, new therapeutic agents are urgently needed. In the present study, we evaluated several hepatitis C virus direct-acting antivirals as potential candidates for drug repurposing against COVID-19. Theses include asunaprevir (a protease inhibitor), daclatasvir (an NS5A inhibitor), and sofosbuvir (an RNA polymerase inhibitor). We found that asunaprevir, but not sofosbuvir and daclatasvir, markedly inhibited SARS-CoV-2-induced cytopathic effects in Vero E6 cells. Both RNA and protein levels of SARS-CoV-2 were significantly decreased by treatment with asunaprevir. Moreover, asunaprevir profoundly decreased virion release from SARS-CoV-2-infected cells. A pseudoparticle entry assay revealed that asunaprevir blocked SARS-CoV-2 infection at the binding step of the viral life cycle. Furthermore, asunaprevir inhibited SARS-CoV-2 propagation in human lung Calu-3 cells. Collectively, we found that asunaprevir displays broad-spectrum antiviral activity and therefore might be worth developing as a new drug repurposing candidate for COVID-19.

• ALGAE
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.93-110
• /
• 2023

Progress in phylogenomic analysis has led to a considerable re-evaluation of former cyanobacterial system, with many new taxa being established at different nomenclatural levels. The family Geminocystaceae is among cyanobacterial taxa recently described on the basis of polyphasic approach. Within this family, there are six genera: Geminocystis, Cyanobacterium, Geminobacterium, Annamia, Picocyanobacterium, and Microcrocis. The genus Geminocystis previously encompassed two species: G. herdmanii and G. papuanica. Herein, a new species G. urbisnovae was proposed under the provision of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN). Polyphasic analysis was performed for five strains from the CALU culture collection (St. Petersburg State University, Russian Federation), and they were assigned to the genus Geminocystis in accordance with high 16S rRNA gene similarity to existing species, as well as because of proximity to these species on the phylogenetic trees reconstructed with RaxML and Bayes methods. Plausibility of their assignment to a separate species of the genus Geminocystis was substantiated with smaller cell size; stenohaline freshwater ecotype; capability to complementary chromatic adaptation of second type (CA2); distinct 16S rRNA gene clustering; sequences and folding of D1-D1' and B box domains of the 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer region. The second objective pursued by this communication was to provide a survey of the family Geminocystaceae. The overall assessment was that, despite attention of many researchers, this cyanobacterial family has been understudied and, especially in the case of the crucially important genus Cyanobacterium, taxonomically problematic.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.232-239
• /
• 2012

A laboratory experiment was conducted to determine the content of phenolics and flavonoids, antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity from methanol extracts of different plant parts of $T.$ $officinale$ F. H. Wigg. Total phenolics [mg chlorogenic acid equivalents (FAE) $kg^{-1}$ DW] was highest in flower extracts (72.0 mg $kg^{-1}$), followed by leaf, root, and stalk extracts of $T.$ $officinale$ ($p$ < 0.05). The result of total flavonoid level [mg naringin equivalents $kg^{-1}$ DW] had same tendency to differential total phenolics contents among plant parts, but showed lower ranges of amount. The antioxidant activity of the methanol extracts from all the plant parts dose-dependently increased. DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl radical) free radical scavenging activity was highest in flower extracts ($IC_{50}$ value = 624.3 mg $kg^{-1}$ ), and followed by leaf, root, and stalk extracts of $T.$ $officinale$ ($p$ < 0.05). By means of MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay, cell viability of Calu-6 for human pulmonary carcinoma and SNU-601 for human gastric carcinoma showed the lowest $IC_{50}$ value in the flower extracts ($IC_{50}$ value = 85.7 and 311.4 mg $kg^{-1}$, respectively), indicating the highest cytotoxicity. The results suggested that total phenolics content and total flavonoids level in different plant parts of $T.$ $officinale$ were highly correlated with antioxidative ($r^2$=0.7280 to 0.9971) or with cytotoxic activities ($r^2$=0.5795 to 0.9515).

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.562-570
• /
• 2018

Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. In this study, we used a bioactivity-guided isolation technique to identify constituents of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) with antiproliferative activity against human lung adenocarcinoma cells. Methods: Bioactivity-guided fractionation and preparative/semipreparative HPLC purification were used with LC/MS analysis to separate the bioactive constituents. Cell viability and apoptosis in human lung cancer cell lines (A549, H1264, H1299, and Calu-6) after treatment with KRG extract fractions and constituents thereof were assessed using the water-soluble tetrazolium salt (WST-1) assay and terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining, respectively. Caspase activation was assessed by detecting its surrogate marker, cleaved poly adenosine diphosphate (ADP-ribose) polymerase, using an immunoblot assay. The expression and subcellular localization of apoptosis-inducing factor were assessed using immunoblotting and immunofluorescence, respectively. Results and conclusion: Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the KRG extract revealed that its ethyl acetate-soluble fraction exerts significant cytotoxic activity against all human lung cancer cell lines tested by inducing apoptosis. Chemical investigation of the ethyl acetatesoluble fraction led to the isolation of six ginsenosides, including ginsenoside Rb1 (1), ginsenoside Rb2 (2), ginsenoside Rc (3), ginsenoside Rd (4), ginsenoside Rg1 (5), and ginsenoside Rg3 (6). Among the isolated ginsenosides, ginsenoside Rg3 exhibited the most cytotoxic activity against all human lung cancer cell lines examined, with $IC_{50}$ values ranging from $161.1{\mu}M$ to $264.6{\mu}M$. The cytotoxicity of ginsenoside Rg3 was found to be mediated by induction of apoptosis in a caspase-independent manner. These findings provide experimental evidence for a novel biological activity of ginsenoside Rg3 against human lung cancer cells.