• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.447-454
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• 2019

Fat accumulation in adipocytes occurs through the process of adipogenesis in which preadipocytes differentiate into adipocytes. Obesity is a metabolic disorder caused by excessive accumulation of fat in the body, which increases the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and various cancers. Recently, inhibition of adipocyte differentiation was shown to be a potential antiobesity strategy. In this study, the inhibitory effect of dichloromethane fractions from Illicium verum Hooker fil. water extract on the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes to adipocytes was investigated. Dichloromethane fractions from I. verum Hooker fil. significantly inhibited adipocyte differentiation when applied during the adipocyte differentiation process, as assessed by measuring fat accumulation using Oil-red O staining. In addition, dichloromethane fractions from I. verum Hooker fil. reduced important adipogenic transcription factors, such as CCAAT/enhancer binding protein ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$), $C/EBP{\beta}$, and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$). The expression of FAS and LPL, which are terminal differentiation markers of mature adipocytes, was also reduced in the 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with dichloromethane fractions from I. verum Hooker fil. In addition, the treatment significantly inhibited mitotic clonal expansion, which is essential for adipocyte differentiation, by arresting the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Taken together, these results suggest that dichloromethane fractions from I. verum Hooker fil. may be a natural material with antiobesity effects.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.296-302
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• 2020

Rapamycin, derived from Streptomyces rapamycinicus, is an important bioactive compound having a therapeutic value in managing Parkinson's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and AIDS. Because of its pharmaceutical activity, studies over the past decade have focused on the biosynthesis of rapamycin to enhance its yield. In this study, the effect of rapG on rapamycin production was investigated. The rapG expression vector was constructed by utilizing the integration vector pSET152 under the control of the erythromycin resistance gene (ermE^⁎), a strong constitutive promoter. The rapamycin yield of wild type (WT) and WT/rapG overexpression mutant strains, under fermentation conditions, was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Our results revealed that overexpression of rapG increased rapamycin production by approximately 4.9-fold (211.4 mg/l) in MD1 containing 15 g/l of glycerol, compared to that of the WT strain. It was also found that Illicium verum powder (10 g/l), containing shikimic acid, enhanced rapamycin production in both WT and WT/rapG strains. Moreover, the amount of rapamycin produced by the WT/rapG strain was statistically higher than that produced by the WT strain. In conclusion, the addition 15 g/l glycerol and 15 g/l I. verum powder produced the optimal conditions for rapamycin production by WT and WT/rapG strains.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.195-200
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• 2009

This study was carried out to investigate the biological activities of star anise extracts obtained from four different solvents (water, methanol, ethanol and chloroform) by measuring total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, DPPH radical scavenging, hydroxyl radical scavenging, nitrite scavenging activity and antimicrobial activity. The methanol extract showed the highest extraction yield, followed by ethanol, water and chloroform. The properties of the extracting solvents significantly affected the total polyphenol content. Methanol extracts contained more total polyphenols than any other extracts. The highest DPPH radical scavenging activity was found in methanol extract. The hydroxyl radical and nitrite scavenging activity were highest in methanol and ethanol extracts. In antimicrobial activity, water extract showed stronger activities than methanol and ethanol extract against Micrococcus luteus and Bacillus subtilis, and no inhibitory effects on Gram negative bacteria were found in all extracts at the concentration used.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.1-19
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• 2002

Fifteen herbs used in oral medicine were extracted in ethanol and screened for tooth whitening effect, radical scavenging activity, inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase activity and anti-bacterial activity on Streptoccocus mutans. The results are as followed: 1. The tooth whitening effect of toothpaste containing 1 $\%$ ethanol extracts of 15 herbs was tested in brushing method using artificially stained HAT tablet and bovine tooth specimens. Toothpaste containing 1$\%$ of Vucia unijuga, Illicium verum, Angelica dahurica and Piper longum extracts showed tooth whitening effects on both HAT tablet and bovine tooth specimens. But the others did not show a considerable activity. 2. The antioxidant activity of ethanol extracts of 15 herbs was tested using the method of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) reactivity. Two ethanol extracts of Cimicifuga heracleifolia and Phyllostachys nigra var. henonis were found to be the most effective on radical scavenging activity. C. heracleifolia and P. nigra var. henonis extracts removed 86$\%$ and 81 $\%$ of DPPH radical at 0.01$\%$, compared with butylated hydroxy toluene as positive control. 3. The inhibition activity of ethanol extracts on nitrate production In RAW264.7 cell stimulated by lipopolysacchride was tested using the Griess reagent. But all extracts did not inhibit nitrate production. 4. The antibacterial activity on Streptoccocus mutans was tested by paper disk method. But no one extract showed any anti - bacterial activity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.284-293
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• 2006

We have tested 41 herbal medicines to search for a natural substance with antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans and five types of oral bacteria. We have also investigated antioxidative activity of these herbal medicines. Antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans and five types of oral bacteria was analyzed using ethanol extracts of herbal medicines. Extracts from Illicium verum and Amomum xanthioides showed 98% inhibitory activity against Sterptococcus mutans. The effect of Thuja orientalis on S-1 and Thuja orientalis and Amomum xanthioides on S-2 were 95% and 94%, respectively. Nelumbo nucifera was 94% effective on S-5. The inhibitory activities of the herbal medicines against glucosyltransferase (GTase) were determined using purified from Streptococcus mutans and five types of oral bacteria. Extract from Illicium verum and Amomum xanthioides showed 94% effectiveness on Streptococcus mutans. Amomum xanthioides showed 95% effectiveness on S-1 and Thuja orientalis showed 96% effectiveness on S-5. In antioxidant activities of the herbal medicines, extract from Thuja orientalis showed the highest level of 81.08% DPPH radical scavenging activity and Illicium velum extract also showed high antioxidative activity of 80.45%. Thuja orientalis had a large amount of phenolic compound with $115.24\;{\mu}g/mL$ among the herbal medicines.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.186-192
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• 2010

Skin wrinkles typically appear as a result of aging processes. One of causes may be the nonenzymatic glycation followed formation of browning products called advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs), an irreversible cross-linked protein. The accumulation of glycated collagen cross-linked in skin inhibits the formation and function of skin tightening agents such as collagen and elastin. To development for anti-wrinkle ingredients from edible plants, MeOH and hot-water extracts were prepared and evaluated for their inhibitory effects of AGEs formation. The activities of both extracts from bay laurel (Laurus nobilis), cinnamon (Cinnamomum loureirii), clove (Eugenia caryophyllate), oregano (Origanum vulgare), rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis), savory (Satureja hortensis) and star anis (Illicium verum) of western spices, and blackberry (Rubus coreanus), dayflower (Commelina communis), Epimedium koreamun (whole), termunalia frutus (Terminalia chebula) and turkestan rose (Rosa rugosa) of medicinal plants were higher than the others. Of Korean vegetables, however, MeOH and hot-water extract from only Asters caber and green tea showed higher activities, and no activity in Korean marine plants (seaweeds).

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.199-207
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of donepezil and 33 kinds of herbal extract combinations in SH-SY5Y cells with $A{\beta}_{25-35}$ treatment. Methods: MTT assay was performed to measure the cell viability of each herbal extract combined with donepezil against $A{\beta}$-induced neurotoxicity. The most active extracts were then subjected to assess the effects on CREB phosphorylation and COX-2 expressions through the western blot analysis. Results: There were eight herbal extracts representing significant increase on the cell viability: 1) Erycibe obtusifolia, 2) Polygonum multiflorum, 3) Polygala tenuifolia, 4) Illicium verum, 5) Santalum album, 6) Loranthus parasticus, 7) Platycladus orientalis, and 8) Zanthoxylum piperitum. Especially, when Santalum album and donepezil were treated together, the phosphorylation of CREB significantly increased and COX-2 protein expression was significantly inhibited. Conclusions: Among the screened herbal extracts, combination treatment of each of the eight herbs and donepezil showed neuroprotective effects in SH-SY5Y cells. Additionally, the combination of Santalum album and donepezil suggested cognitive improvement by up-regulation of p-CREB and down-regulation of COX-2.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.190-197
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• 2010

To develop the safe and natural antimicrobial agents, the 68 ethanol extracts from the 61 different kinds of oriental herbal medicine were prepared and their antimicrobial activities were evaluated. The herbal medicine used were from China (46 kinds), South Korea (14 kinds), North Korea (5 kinds) and Vietnam (3 kinds), respectively, and the root (27 species) was popular part in this study. The average water content and extraction ratio for ethanol were 7.10% and 6.75%, respectively. Determination of antimicrobial activity by disc-diffusion assay at 0.5 mg/disc concentration showed that the extract of Angelica tenuissima Nakai (china), Illicium verum, Junci medulla, Rhus javanica L., Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge and Syzygium aromaticum has strong antimicrobial activities against different food spoilage and pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Determination of MIC and MBC/MFC further showed that the extract of Syzygium aromaticum has MIC of 1.25 mg/mL and MBC/MFC of 1.25~5.00 mg/mL against Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, Proteus vulgaris, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. And, the extract of Junci medulla, Rhus javanica L. and Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge showed strong antibacterial activities with MIC of 0.08~0.63 mg/mL and MBC/MFC of 0.08~2.50 mg/mL against the tested bacteria except E. coli and P. aeruginosa. In a while, the results of hemolytic activity of 68 different herbal extracts against human red blood cells showed that the extract of Angelica tenuissima Nakai has hemolytic activity at 0.5 mg/mL concentration. Therefore, Illicium verum, Junci medulla, Rhus javanica L., Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge and Syzygium aromaticum were finally selected for natural antimicrobial resources. Further research on active substances and the mode of action of the selected herbal medicine is necessary.

• 보존과학연구
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• s.22
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• pp.5-25
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• 2001

The germicidal and insecticidal properties of volatile components extracted from star anise(Illicium verum Hooker filius) and clove (Eugenia caryophyllata THUNBERG)were evaluated against five microorganisms and three insects for the purpose of developing biocidal active substances from medicinal plants. The volatile components of star anise and clove showed strong antimicrobial effect against Aspergillus niger, Penicillium funiculosum, Mucor hiemalis, Trichoderma viride, and Aureobasidium pullulans. The extracts of each medicine also showed insecticidal effects against Sitophilusoryzae L., Lyctus linearis GOZE, and Reticulitermes spertus kyushuensis Morimoto. Fumigant toxicities to adult insects were determined. In the case of fumiganttoxicity, the extract of star anise showed 100% mortality against R. spertus, S.oryzae, and L. linearis at rates of $2.5\mu\ell$, $50\mu\ell$, $250\mu\ell$/filter paper, respectively but showed no killing effects by clove. The volatile components of star anise and clove were investigated by means of GC/MS. The main constitute, anethole among 20components from star anise and eugenol among 9 components from clove were identified. The mixture of star anise and clove as the volume ratio of 2 : 1 showed higher properties for antimicrobial and insecticidal effect than each volatile component. A. niger was inhibited by the mixture(125ml/$m^3$) for up to 10 days of exposure. Also, from the result of observing state change of organic materials by volatile extracts of star anise and clove, volatile extracts effects have no effect on natural organic materials of organic cultural properties and can be used as biological control agent. As research contents as above, the insecticidal and germicidal agents from star anise and clove and the mixture of them were more efficient and high level to prevent biological damage for conservation of organic cultural properties. So they may be used in new development of biologicalinsecticidal and germicidal agents for conservation of cultural properties.