• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.41 no.5
• /
• pp.391-401
• /
• 2008

Probiotics have emerged as a potential treatment modality for numerous gastrointestinal disorders, including IBD. However, few probiotics have undergone appropriate preclinical screening in vivo. Kefir is considered a probiotic, benefiting the host through its effects in the intestinal tract. Despite numerous studies examining the action of probiotics on the host organism, few have analyzed the effects on intestinal environment. We assessed the protective effect of kefir for three weeks before inducing colitis with 2% dextran sodium sulfate for five days. The DSS loads were similar in all DSS treatment group. The results of the experiment are as follows. Food intake and FER of experimental groups were not significantly different each other, but water consumption tended to be higher in all DSS treatment groups as compared with the normal control. And visual inspection of feces revealed mild diarrhea in rat given 2% DSS. The anti-inflammatory activity of kefir was determined by myeloperoxidase activity during the DSS treatment, and there was no significant difference in any group. The levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) as a colonic lipid peroxidation were significantly lower in the kefir intake groups than in rats treated with 2% DSS alone. The DNA % in tail and tail moment values as a DNA damage level of the blood lymphocytes in kefir intake groups tended to be lower than 2% DSS treatment alone, especially tail lengths were significantly diminished. According to the colonic histopathological assay, there were a severe inflammation of lamina propria and submucosa and mild edema in mucosa and sub mucosa in DSS alone treated group. We found a slight regenerative change in kefir treatment groups. In our experiments, this means that ulcerative colitis related to oxidative injury might be prevented by kefir as a probiotic. Further studies of the potential benefits of kefir as a probiotic in inflammatory condition are encouraged.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.55-59
• /
• 2010

Objective : This study was conducted to investigate the antioxidant activity and inhibitory effect on oxidative DNA damage of Nelumbinis Semen Extracts Methods : Nelumbins semen were extracted with hot-water and ethylacetate (EtOAC). The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydroxyl radical scavenging assay and $Fe^{2+}$ chelating assay were performed for antioxidative effect and ${\phi}X$-174 RF I DNA cleavage assay and intracellular DNA damage assay were used for inhibitory effect on intracellular DNA damage. Results : In DPPH, Hydroxyl radical scavenging activity and $Fe^{2+}$ chelating activity of EtOAC extracts were 96.22%, 53.53%, 64.72%, while those of hot-water extracts were 20.86%, 10.72%, 29.74% at $200{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, respectively. In ${\phi}X$-174 RF I plasmid DNA cleavage assay, the protective effects of EtOAC and hot-water extracts against oxidative DNA damage were 76% and 6% at $200{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, respectively. Conclusion : These results indicated that the seed extracts of Nelumbo nucifera can be used as a natural antioxidants, which effectively inhibits the oxidative DNA damage.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.276-287
• /
• 1986

Chlorella ellipsoidea were cultured in the media containing rifampicin for 7 days. Aliquot cells were taken out after the inoculation and at intervals during cultivation and growth rate of Chlorella cells was measured. In order to investigate the effect of rifampicin on the nucleic acid synthesis, nucleic acid and RNA polymerase were extracted from chloroplast isolated from these cells, and the contents of nucleic acid and activity of enzyme were measured to compared with those of the control. The inhibitory concentration of rifampicin on growth was 80 ppm. The DNA contents in chloroplasts isolated were decreased 60% to compared with control, whole cells were markedly decreased 70% by rifampicin. The contents of base in the RNA were decreased 46% by rifampicin in shole cell, and 77% of base contents were decreased in chloroplast. Rifampicin also inhibited the activity of RNA polymerase, therefore whole cell was decreased 10% of activity and chloroplasts were decreased 42% of activity.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.349-357
• /
• 2001

This study was conducted to examine the effect of caffeine and three dietary levels of fat, i.e., 0%, 5% and 20% on mammary gland development. Mice were assigned to three groups (dietary levels 0%, 5%, 20% fat), and treated caffeine of half within the each group. Caffeine-treated mice with 0% or 20% fat levels significantly increased 4$^{th}$ mammary gland development in comparison with that of no caffeine -treated mice (P＜0.05). Caffeine-treated mice significantly increased DNA contents of 4$^{th}$ mammary gland in comparison with that of no caffeine-treated mice (P＜0.05), and DNA contents of mammary gland increased as fat levels increased within caffeine-treated or no caffeine-treated group. nteraction effect was shown between caffeine and 20% fat diet, ［(20% fat+caffeine) - (20% fat + no caffeine) vs (0% fat + caffeine) - (0% fat + no caffeine)］(P＜0.01). Conclusively, caffeine significantly increased mouse mammary gland development possibly by inhibiting phosphodiesterase activity, and dietary fat supplements increased mammary gland development as the fat content of the diet increased from 0 to 20%. The stimulatory effect of caffeine in mammary development interacted with high level of fat diet.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.1-12
• /
• 1989

To study the selective organospecific carcinogenesis by the specific chemical carcinogens, the breast cancer induction model by oral administration of 7, 12-dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA) or by intravenous injection of N-methylni-trosourea (NMU) on female rats was analyzed. In the present experiment, we compared the effexts of ages on the chemical mammary carcinogenesis by studying the metabolic system of the carcinogenic activation, detoxification or DNA damage and repair. The breast tumor incidence was significantly higher in the young rats of 50 days old than in those of one year old rats. As an index of organospecific DNA damage or repair, the in vivo covalent binding index(CBI) of the specific organs by the specific chemical carcinogens was monitored. And for the analysis of carcinogenic activation, the quantity of cytochrome P450`s was determined with the respective type-specific monoclonal antibody, while the detoxication capacity was deduced by the activity monitoring of glutathione S-transferase (GST) and peroxidase. The skin tissues of the mammary region had the highest CBI with both of DMBA and NMU at 50 days of age. And there were contrasting differences in the contents of carcinogenic activation and detoxication system: that is, the content of T.C.D.D.-inducible cytochrome P450 was high, while the activities of GST and peroxidase was low in the mammary skin tissues at tumor prevalent age. These results led us to conclude that the molecular organospecific carcinogenesis, as illustrated with mammary carcinoge-nesis by DMBA and NMU, is operated probably through the differential capacity of the target tissues in the high carcinogenic activation, low detoxication and the low DNA repair function.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
• /
• v.25 no.5
• /
• pp.341-346
• /
• 1998

In this paper we describe the cloning and expression of the genes encoding the flavonoid-biosynthetic enzyme dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) in Matthiola incana R. Br. A heterologous cDNA probe from Zea mays was used to isolate full-size DFR cDNA clone from a corolla-specific cDNA library. Comparison of the coding region of this DFR cDNA sequence including the sequences of Zea mays, Anthirrinum majus, Petunia hybrida, Callistephus chinensis, Dianthus caryophyllus and Rosa hybrida reveals a identity higher than 61% at the nucleotide level. The DFR transcript is G/C rich in monocotyledonous plants show a strong codon bias preferring codons with a G or C in the third position. The function of this nucleotide sequences were verified by comparison with amino acid sequences of the amino-terminus and tryptic peptides from purified plant enzyme, by northern blotting with mRNA from wild type and mutant plants and by in vitro expression yielding an enzymatically active reductase. Genomic southern blot analysis showed the presence of one gene for DFR in Matthiola incana. Northern blot analysis of the DFR wild type and mutant lines showed that the lack of DFR activity in the stable acyanic mutant k17b is clearly by a transcriptional block of the DFR gene.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.161-168
• /
• 2006

To investigate the origin of backyeoncho (Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten), we isolated 685 bp clone using ITS primer pairs. The rDNA consists of the genes coding for the partial 54 bp 185, 162 bp 5.8S, and partial 56 bp 26S. The coding regions are interrupted by two internal transcribed spacers, 193 bp ITS1 and 220 bp ITS2. The ITS2 of backnyeoncho in length was shorter than that previously registered in Cucurbitoideae plants. The GC contents was 66.8% in ITS1, and 67.7% in ITS2. The rDNA of backnyeoncho matched to the previously reported genes and showed a high similarity with the 95% identity with Pereskiopsis porteri (L708037). In the phylogenetic analysis, the backnyeoncho rDNA was clustered with Pereskiopsis porteri (L708037).

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.101-109
• /
• 2024

In this study, we investigated the antioxidant effects and active ingredients of Gynura Procumbens extracts obtained through various extraction methods for the development of natural-based cosmetics and pharmaceutical materials. The contents of compounds, total flavonoids, chlorogenic acid, and caffeic acid were compared at different concentrations, revealing the highest content of active ingredients in the 100% ethanol extract. Antioxidant activity assessed by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays showed a concentration-dependent increase in antioxidant activity with the ethanol concentration. Additionally, we validated the DNA damage inhibition and anti-inflammatory effects of Gynura Procumbens extracts through UVB irradiation on Hs68 cell models. The 100% ethanol extract demonstrated significant inhibition of the expression of p-p53, γ-H2AX, iNOS, and COX-2 induced by UVB, indicating its potential in alleviating photodamage effects. Consequently, the efficient extraction of Gynura Procumbens for skin functional material development was confirmed, suggesting the suitability of ethanol or alcohol-based solvents.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
• /
• v.10 no.11
• /
• pp.168-176
• /
• 2020

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) damage DNA and cause cancer. Therefore, the research is being conducted on the development of antioxidants for the removal of ROS. This study was performed to investigate antioxidant activity and protective effect against oxidative DNA damage using ethyl acetate fractions from the cone of Pinus rigida × taeda (ERT). The antioxidant activity was evaluated using the DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging assay, reducing power assay, and Fe2+ chelating assay. Also, the contents of phenolic compounds and vitamin C related to antioxidant activity were analyzed to confirm phytochemicals. The DNA protective effect against oxidative stress was confirmed by the φX-174 RF I plasmid DNA cleavage assay. As a result, ERT showed DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities in a concentration-dependent manner. The results of reducing power and Fe2+ chelating activities were 77.32 ± 2.28% and 64.09 ± 1.01% at 200 ㎍/㎖. Also, ERT showed a DNA protective effect against oxidative stress.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.956-964
• /
• 2015

Probiotics is known improve the microenvironment of colon; however, the metagenomic DNA study of its lactic acid bacteria in constipation induced by loperamide is not clearly understood. In the present study, we investigated the reduction of the lactic acid bacteria in case of constipation, in normal and loperamide-induced rat. Lactic acid powder (lactic acid bacteria 19) was prepared from Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corporation. After 2 weeks of oral administration, the group treated with the higher concentration of lactic acid bacteria ($10^9CFU/mL$ per kg of body weight) following loperamide treatment was the most effective in increasing number, weight, and water content of feces. A similar but significant increase was found in the group treated with lower concentration of lactic acid bacteria ($10^7CFU/mL$ per kg of body weight) after loperamide treatment. The concentrations of acetic acid and propionic acid in feces in the loperamide-induced rat with high concentration lactic acid, were significantly higher than that of others. Furthermore, gastrointestinal transit ratio as well as the length and area of intestinal mucosa were significantly increased after treatment with lactic acid bacteria in loperamide-induced rat. Metagenomics DNA analysis indicated that the microorganism homology in cecum was similar between the groups of normal (NOR) and HIG. Our results show that lactic acid bacteria were effective in improving the constipation.