• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.287-297
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• 2021

Cornus officinalis Siebold & Zucc. is traditionally used as an edible and medicinal plant in many countries in East Asia. Previous studies have shown the pharmacological potential of extracts and components of C. officinalis, but comparative analysis of the composition of the leaf, stem, and fruit extracts has been insufficient to date. In the present study, the content of active antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredients was verified in different C. officinalis parts (under-ripe sansuyu, ripe sansuyu, seed, leaf, stem, and dried sansuyu). One active component, morroniside, was high in fruit (under-ripe and ripe sansuyu), while loganin was high in fruit (under-ripe sansuyu) and cornin was high in seeds. Total polyphenol contents were highest in fruit (ripe sansuyu) and flavonoids were highest in leaves. DPPH radical scavenging activity was highest in leaves, followed by seeds and then ripe sansuyu extract. The anti-inflammatory efficacy of leaf extracts of C. officinalis (LCO) was further investigated by measuring their effects on levels of nitric oxide (NO) and the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Non-cytotoxic concentrations of LCO effectively decreased the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced expression of inducible NO synthase, resulting in decreased NO production. LCO also significantly suppressed LPS-induced production and expression of IL-1β and IL-6. Taken together, the present findings suggest that C. officinalis leaves have potential as natural materials for the development of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.559-567
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• 2021

This study compared the nutritional characteristics and antioxidant effects of sea mustards sourced from five different areas (Barammaegi, Gultongmeori, Chanmulgae, Johongtaek, and Goraedeung) in Taejongdae, Youngdo, Busan. The contents of total flavonoids and phenols and fatty acid composition were measured. To evaluate their antioxidant effects, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays were used. Acetone/methylene chloride (A+M) extracts from all the sea mustards contained higher amounts of total flavonoids and phenols than methanol (MeOH) extracts. Among the sea mustards obtained from the different areas, the total flavonoid and total phenolic content of the A+M extract of the sea mustard from Gultongmeori was 1.44±0.04 mg/g and 1.72±0.06 mg/g, respectively. In terms of the fatty acid composition, the Gultongmeori sea mustard had higher percentages of total n-6, total n-3, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) than the sea mustards from the other areas. The A+M extract of the sea mustard from Gultongmeori was more effective in terms of scavenging free radicals as compared with that of the other sea mustards, as assessed by the DPPH and ABTS assays (p<0.05). In a 120-minute reactive oxygen species (ROS) production assay, all the extracts tested decreased cellular ROS production induced by H₂O₂ compared to that produced by exposure to an extract-free control (p<0.05). The extracts from Barammaegi and Gultongmeori had a greater inhibitory effect on cellular ROS production. These results indicated that the antioxidant effects of sea mustards might be associated with a higher amount of flavonoids and phenols. This study suggests that food-processed products from sea mustard can be developed as functional foods for promoting health in the local population.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.447-454
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• 2022

In this study, we confirmed the effect of HK shiitake mushroom mycelium (HKSMM) on immune enhancement in Balb/c mice. Experimental animals were divided into five groups: negative control (NC), positive control (PC; 1,000 mg/100 g; AHCC), T1 (500 mg/100 g; HKSMM), T2 (1,000 mg/100 g; HKSMM), and T3 (2,000 mg/100 g; HKSMM), and dissection was performed at four and six weeks. COX-2 and iNOS concentrations were significantly lower in the six-week experimental group than in the control group, and the NO results were also similar. Results of the confirmation of the factors related to the NF-κB (p-p65 and p-IκBα) and MAPK (pERK, pJNK, and p38) signaling pathways revealed that the HKSMM-fed experimental group significantly decreased compared with the control group. A comparative analysis of the number and size of white pulp in the spleen tissue showed that those of the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that HKSMM has both immune-enhancing and anti-inflammatory effects in Balb/c mice, indicating that it can be used as a health functional food ingredient.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.107-121
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• 2023

This study analyzed the polyphenol, flavonoid contents, antioxidant activity, anti-aging activity and phenol component contents of Saccharina japonica (SJ), Costaria costata (CC) extracts with hot water, 95% methanol, 95% prethanol for investigating possible utilization of SJ and CC extracts. The result revealed that the SJ and CC methanol extracts showed the highest polyphenol and flavonoid contents, 4.63 mg TAN/g, and 4.19 mg QUE/g respectively. Also, the SJ and CC methanol extracts showed higher antioxidant activity than prethanol and hot water extracts, whereas the ABTS radical scavenging activities were the highest in prethanol extracts (IC₅₀ = 15.4, 10.3 ㎍/µL). In anti-aging activity for evaluating the anti-wrinkle activity and skin whitening activity, the CC methanol extracts had high collagenase inhibitory activity (88.3%), and the SJ prethanol extracts showed higher elastase inhibitory activity (19.0%) compared to other extracts. Then the tyrosinase inhibitory activity was significantly higher in the SJ and CC methanol extracts (41.8, 30.3%, respectively), whereas prethanol extracts were the lowest. To identify the phenol component contents of SJ and CC extracts, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, naringenin, naringin and nicotinic acid were measured using LC-MS/MS. As a result, the phenol contents were the highest in SJ methanol extract (4-hydroxybenzoic acid), SJ and CC prethanol extract (naringin and naringenin) and CC prethanol extract (nicotinic acid). Lastly, the antioxidant activity of SJ and CC showed high correlations with polyphenol and flavonoid contents (R = -0.946~0.883). These results suggest that prethanol or methanol extracts of SJ and CC have higher antioxidant activities, anti-aging activity and the potential to be used as material for health functional food and cosmetics.