• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.231-238
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• 1994

Backgroud: Since the demonstration of the fact that vascular relaxation by acetylcholine(Ach) results from the release of relaxing factor from the endothelium, the identity and physiology of this endothelium-derived relaxing factor(EDRF) has been the target for many researches. EDRF has been identified as nitric oxide(NO). With the recent evidences that EDRF is an important mediator of vascular tone, there have been increasing interests in defining the role of the EDRF as a potential mediator of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction. But the role of EDRF in modulating the pulmonary circulation is not compeletely clarified. To investigate the endothelium-dependent pulmonary vasodilation and the role of EDRF during hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, we studied the effects of $N^G$-monomethyl-L-arginine(L-NMMA) and L-arginine on the precontracted pulmonary arterial rings of the rat in normoxia and hypoxia. Mothods: The pulmonary arteries of male Sprague Dawley(300~350g) were dissected free of surrounding tissue, and cut into rings. Rings were mounted over fine rigid wires, in organ chambers filled with 20ml of Krebs solution bubbled with 95 percent oxygen and 5 percent carbon dioxide and maintained at $37^{\circ}C$. Changes in isometric tension were recorded with a force transducer(FT.03 Grass, Quincy, USA) Results: 1) Precontraction of rat pulmonry artery with intact endothelium by phenylephrine(PE, $10^{-6}M$) was relaxed completely by acetylcholine(Ach, $10^{-9}-10^{-5}M$) and sodium nitroprusside(SN, $10^{-9}-10^{-5}M$), but relaxing response by Ach in rat pulmonary artery with denuded endothelium was significantly decreased. 2) L-NMMA($10^{-4}M$) pretreatment inhibited Ach($10^{-9}-10^{-5}M$)-induced relaxation, but L-NMMA ($10^{-4}M$) had no effect on relaxation induced by SN($10^{-9}-10^{-5}M$). 3) Pretreatment of the L-arginine($10^{-4}M$) significantly reversed the inhibition of the Ach ($10^{-9}-10^{-5}M$)-induced relaxation caused by L-NMMA($10^{-4}M$) 4) Pulmonary arterial contraction by PE($10^{-6}M$) was stronger in hypoxia than normoxia but relaxing response by Ach($10^{-9}-10^{-5}M$) was decreased, 5) With pretreatment of L-arginine($10^{-4}M$), pulmonary arterial relaxation by Ach($10^{-9}-10^{-5}M$) in hypoxia was reversed to the level of relaxation in normoxia. Conclusion: It is concluded that rat pulmonary arterial relaxation by Ach is dependent on the intact endothelium and is largely mediated by NO. Acute hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction is related to the suppression on NO formation in the vascular endothelium.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.1005-1010
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• 2008

In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of four solvent fractions of Alnus firma on ${\alpha}-amylase$, ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ and aldose reductase activities. The inhibitory test showed that methanol (MeOH) extract and hexane (HX) fraction strongly inhibited pork pancreatin and salivary ${\alpha}-amylase$ activity. The MeOH extract and HX fraction of Alnus firma at the concentration of 4 mg/ml inhibited more than 70% of pancreatin and salivary ${\alpha}-amylase$ activity. The inhibitory effect of fractions has different specificities against ${\alpha}-amylase$ from pancreatin and salivary. In addition, the MeOH extract and butanol (BuOH) fraction showed the highest inhibitory activity on yeast ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ at values of $IC_{50}$ $137.36\;{\mu}g/ml$ and $115.14\;{\mu}g/ml$ respectively. The MeOH extract and BuOH fraction showed the highest inhibitory activity on yeast ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ than commercial agent such as 1-deoxynorjirimycin and acarbose. Inhibition kinetics of solvent fractions showed that ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ has been inhibited noncompetitively by the MeOH, EA and BuOH fraction. The aldose reductase from human muscle cell had been inhibited strongly by the MeOH extract and EA fraction at 57.996% and 83.293% at the concentration of $50\;{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. These findings may contribute to biological significance in that ${\alpha}-amylase$, ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ and aldose reductase inhibitory compounds could be used as a functional food and a drug for the symptomatic treatment of antidiabetic disease in the future.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.31 no.1 s.57
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• pp.63-74
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• 1995

It has been known that, during hypoxia, the adrenal medulla is activated to release catecholamines (CA) while hypoxia also inhibits high $K^+$ -induced CA secretion in the cultured bovine adrenal chromaffin cells. The present study was attempted to examine the effect of hypoxia on CA secretion evoked by chlinergic stimulation and membrane-depolarization from the isolated perfused rat adrenal glands and also to clarify its mechanism of action. For this purpose, using the isolated rat adrenal glands, the effects of hypoxia on CA release evoked by nicotinic ($N_1$) and muscarinic ($M_1$) receptor agonists, membrane-depolarizing agent, $Ca^{++}$-channel activator, intracellular $Ca^{++}$-releaser and ACh were determined. Experiments were carried out, perfusing Krebs solution pre-equilibrated with a gas mixture of 95% N_2$ and 5% $CO_2$. Hypoxia was maintained for $3{\sim}4$ hours through the experiments. Hypoxia gradually caused a time-dependent seduction in CA secretion evoked by DMPP ($100{\mu}M$), McN-A-343 ($100{\mu}M$), ACh (5.32 mM), Bay-K-8644 ($10{\mu}M$) and high $K^+$ (56 mM) respectively. How-ever, it did not affect CA secretion evoked by cyclopiazonic acid ($10{\mu}M$). Hypoxia itself also did fail to produce any influence on spontaneous secretory response of CA. These experimental results suggest that hypoxia depresses CA release evoked by both cholinergic stimulation and membrane-depolarization from the isolated rat adrenal medulla, and that this inhibitory activity may be due to the result of the direct inhibition of $Ca^{++}$ influx into the chromaffin cells without any effect on the calcium mobilization from the intracellular store.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.57-66
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• 2017

Traditional Korean fermented herbal plants are potential sources of new food that promote health, but they are still produced by yeast, fungi or bacteria fermentation. In the present work, mushroom (Paecilomyces tenuipes and Cordyceps militaris) fungal dongchunghacho were used to fermented Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer (licorice) or mixed with pupa. The pupa were tested as solid substrates for the production of corcycepin, liquiritin, and liquiritigenin. The fermented substrates were analyzed the content of cordycepin, liquiritin, liquiritigenin, and glycirrhizin productivity and inhibitory activity of NO. The cordycepin content of 70% EtOH extract from the fermented mixture of licorice and 50% pupa with C. militaris increased maximum at 33 times. Pupa was very excellent for the production of cordycepin. The liquiritin content was decreased in all the assays inoculated with P. tenuipes and C. militaris dongchunghachos. The liquiritigenin content was higher when fermented with P. tenuipes than C. militaris. The addition of pupa significantly reduced the liquiritin content and glycyrrhizin production. As a result, the liquiritigenin content increased in fermented P. tenuipes and C. militaris, and liquiritin and glycyrrhizin decreased. The inhibition of NO production in the different ethanolic extracts fermented with licorice and pupa was also significantly increased and higher than that of a nonfermented extract in higher polar solvent extracts. The contents of cordycepin and biological active compounds were altered in accordance with the concentration of pupa and fungi. This study provides basic data for use in developing dongchunghacho fungi as a functional food resource.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.57-64
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• 1997

The research was investigated to determine the effect of organic acids or packaging methods (PA) either alone or in combination on the quality of Aster scaber during storages. The Aster scaber was treated with organic acids and PA, and stored at different temperature $(1\;and\;5^{\circ}C)$. Total plate counts, weight loss, color change, and sensory evaluation were evaluated. Both organic acid treatments, PA, and combined treatment had little effect on the inhibition of total plate counts compared to the control (non-treatment). Organic acid treatments showed less weight reduction compared to the control and nitrogen treated package had the least weight reduction, but the combined treatments showed less weight reduction than organic acid treatments or packaging method alone. Organic acid treatments were little different from the control on color change, but nitrogen packages had the least color change, whereas combined treatments were a little reduced, but little different compared to the control or nitrogen packages. The nitrogen packages showed better effects on the sensory evaluation compared to other treatments and the results of sensory evaluation were consistent with that of weight reduction and color change, but not in total counts. All these results showed better effects in $5^{\circ}C$ rather than $1^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.9 s.89
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• pp.1191-1196
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• 2007

Eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol) is a main component of essential oils obtained from various spices. Recent reports have shown that eugenol induces growth inhibition and apoptosis of malignant tumor cells. In this study, the stimulatory effect of eugenol on cell differentiation was investigated in HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells. When HL-60 cells were treated in combination with 150 ${\mu}M$ of eugenol and 3 nM of $1{\alpha},25-dihydroxyvitamin$ $D_{3}$, cell growth was slower than that of cells treated with eugenol or $1{\alpha},25-dihydroxyvitamin$ $D_{3}$ alone. Eugenol enhanced low dose of $1{\alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin }$ $D_{3}-induced$ a $G_{0}/G_{1}$ phase arrest in cell cycle. Consistent with this, combined treatment of eugenol and $1{\alpha},25-dihydroxyvitamin$ $D_{3}$ cooperatively increased p27 level and decreased cyclin A, cdk 2 and cdk 4 levels, which are cell cycle regulators related to $G_{0}/G_{1}$ arrest. According to flow cytometric analysis, the expression of CD14 (monocytic differentiation marker) was more increased in the cells co-treated with eugenol and $1{\alpha},25-dihydroxyvitamin$ $D_{3}$. These results indicate that eugenol potentiates cell differentiation mediated by $1{\alpha},25-dihydroxyvitamin$ $D_{3}$ of suboptimal concentration. The differentiation-inducing property of eugenol maybe contributes to chemopreventive activity of cancer.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2010

Biological activities such as anti-oxidative and anti-microbial of the Seungmakalgeuntang, a traditional prescription, were evaluated. The electron donating ability of water, ethanol, supercritical fluid and 1,3-butylene glycol extract of Seungmakalgeuntang showed more than 50% at a 100 ppm concentration. At a 1000 ppm concentration, the superoxide dismutase-like activities of ethanol and supercritical fluid extract of Seungmakalgeuntang showed less than 50%. xanthine oxidase inhibition effect of the supercritical fluid extract showed more than 70% at a 1,000 ppm concentration, which was higher than vitamin C. From the measurement on lipid oxidation, the $Fe^{2+}$ chelating abilities of the supercritical fluid extract of Seungmakalgeuntang was more than 60% at a 100 ppm concentration. Also the $Cu^{2+}$ chelating abilities of supercritical fluid extract Seungmkalgeuntang was showed more than 60% at a 500 ppm concentration. Clear zones formed by sample against the human skin-resident microflora such as Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus and Propionibacterium acne of ethanol and supercritical fluid extract of Seungmakalgeuntang showed the highest among all the extracts tested using a 4mg/disc. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against both S. epidermidis and S. aureus showed 2,500 ppm in the extract of the supercritical fluid.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.169-175
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• 2001

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of bifidobacteria on the growth and Caco-2 cell-adherence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 .Dur-ing momo-culture of E. coli O157:H7 and mixed culture with Bifidobacterium infantis K9, pH viable cell count, and ammonia concentration were measured Co-cultivation of E. coli O157:H7 with bifidobacteria. producing acidic metabolites rapidly decreased the viable cell count of E. coli O157:H7 In addition rapid decrease of ammo- nia concentration was observed during mixed culture after 8 hrs incubation compared to single culture of E. coli O157:H7 Therefore it is likely that bifidobacteria assimilate ammonia produced by E. coli O157:H7 P4 B, infantis K9 showed quite similar adherence on the Caco-2 cells in either case. On the other hand adherence of E. coli O157:H7 decreased from 2.6% to 1.86% when B infantis K9 was adhered to Caco-2 cell 2 hrs prior to the application of E. coli O157:H7 In conclusion in adherence of E coli O157:H7 to Caco -2 cell was inhibited by competition of its binding to the adherence site with bifidobacteria. In addition inhibitory effects of bifidobacteria on E coli O157:H7 appeared to be much higher with increae of the number of bifidobacteria and its ability of adherence to Caco-2 cells.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.552-559
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• 2009

In this study, the anticancer activity of the water extract at $100^{\circ}C$ was compared to that of the callus extracts via a ultrasonification extraction process. All the extracts were utilized to evaluate cytotoxicity, antioxidant and immune activities. The callus extracted via ultrasonification extraction showed relatively low cytotoxicity on normal human cell lines, HEK293 and HEL299, showing 13.17% and 21.78%, respectively. The callus extract has 59.82% which was similar to 61.70% for water extracts. It was also found that callus extract yielded higher nitric oxide secretion form macrophage than other extracts. The growths of both human stomach adenocarcinoma (AGS) cell and human lung carcinoma (A549) were inhibited up to 70% by adding 1.0 mg/mL of the callus extracts with ultrasonification extraction. This inhibition ratio (70%) was almost close to that of water extract. Human hepatoma carcinoma (HEP3B) cell growth was most significantly inhibited up to 75% by adding 1.0 mg/mL of callus extracts, and its selectivity was highest compared to other extracts. It indicates that the callus extracts could selectively inhibit growth of digestive system-related cancer cells. It can be also concluded from the results of this study that the callus extracts associated with ultrasonification extraction process have the potential for anticancer activity.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.235-246
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• 2018

Paeony has pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-bacterial, central inhibitory, gastric secretion inhibition, and antispasmodic activities. In addition, its antioxidant activity and whitening effect being reported, thus it is being explored as raw materials for cosmetics. We compared the changes in the contents of paeoniflorin and paeonol in Peony extracts, depending on the changes of extracting solvents, temperature and time. The HPLC method was set up for simultaneous analysis, the system suitabilities were confirmed by using the calibration curves and the QC samples for each assay batch. Paeonol was detected only in roots, and paeoniflorin was higher in leaf and flower than root. Higher concentrations of both ingredients were extracted when the root was used after grinding to a suitable size, and when 30% 1,3-butylene glycol was used as the extraction solvent. Also the concentrations tended to increase at higher temperature and longer time, but the increase was gradual at over $75^{\circ}C$ and 4 hours. The ratio of root, leaf and flower was determined to be 2+2+1g/0.5kg of batch, reaching the contents criteria of paeoniflorin and paeonol. Finally, we selected as the best extraction condition when the raw materials are mixed with 2+2+1g/0.5kg and extracted with 30% 1,3-butylene glycol as an extraction solvent at $75^{\circ}C$ for 4 hours, considering both the concentrations of two components and the cost of raw materials and manufacturing process, The extraction units were scaled up to 10 kg under this condition.