• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.788-793
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• 2006

This study was carried out to investigate the biological effects from Codium fragile. Methanol extract of Codium fragile increased two times at 2500 ㎍/ml the growth of Lactobacillus plantarum that associated with probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria of Kimchi. Ethyl acetate extract of Codium fragile inhibited the cellulase activity up to approximately 60% at $2500\;{\mu}g/ml$. Methanol extract of Codium fragile was fractionated into several subfractions and their antioxidant activities were measured by using DPPH radical scavenging and SOD-like activity. Especially the antioxidative activity of ethyl acetate fraction was shown higher than that of other fractions and its fraction showed higher contents of total phenolic compounds, indicating the positive relationship between DPPH radical scavenging effect and total polyphenol content. Stimulation of the macrophages RAW264.7 cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) resulted in increased production of nitric oxide (NO) in the medium. However, the methanol extract of Codium fragile showed marked inhibition of NO synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. This result suggest that Codium fragile plays significant role for activation of immune system in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.482-489
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• 2017

Background Polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) is known to have anti-inflammatory and angiogenic effects and to accelerate wound healing. The aim of this study was to investigate whether PDRN could improve peripheral tissue oxygenation and angiogenesis in diabetic foot ulcers. Methods This was a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial. Twenty patients with a non-healing diabetic foot ulcer were randomly distributed into a control group (n=10) and a PDRN group (n=10). Initial surgical debridement and secondary surgical procedures such as a split-thickness skin graft, primary closure, or local flap were performed. Between the initial surgical debridement and secondary surgical procedures, 0.9% normal saline (3 mL) or PDRN was injected for 2 weeks by the intramuscular (1 ampule, 3 mL, 5.625 mg, 5 days per week) and perilesional routes (1 ampule, 3 mL, 5.625 mg, 2 days per week). Transcutaneous oxygen tension ($TcPO_2$) was evaluated using the Periflux System 5000 with $TcPO_2/CO_2$ unit 5040 before the injections and on days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 after the start of the injections. A pathologic review (hematoxylin and eosin stain) of the debrided specimens was conducted by a pathologist, and vessel density (average number of vessels per visual field) was calculated. Results Compared with the control group, the PDRN-treated group showed improvements in peripheral tissue oxygenation on day 7 (P<0.01), day 14 (P<0.001), and day 28 (P<0.001). The pathologic review of the specimens from the PDRN group showed increased angiogenesis and improved inflammation compared with the control group. No statistically significant difference was found between the control group and the PDRN group in terms of vessel density (P=0.094). Complete healing was achieved in every patient. Conclusions In this study, PDRN improved peripheral tissue oxygenation. Moreover, PDRN is thought to be effective in improving inflammation and angiogenesis in diabetic foot ulcers.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.1557-1562
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• 2005

A mechanism of hair cell damage caused by noise and ototoxic agents is mediated through generation of free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS). It is known that most of animals have defense systems to protect against ROS, and the cochlea of inner ear in animals also has ROS defense systems including several antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione (GSH), which efficiently detoxifying ROS generated under normal condition. Steamed roots of Rehmannia glutinosa have been traditionally used in Oriental medicine for the treatment of auditory disease such as tinnitus, vertigo, and hearing loss as well as inflammatory diseases, hectic fever, night sweat, and headache. In the present study, we showed that the ethanol extract from steamed roots of R. giutinosa (ESRG) increased the antioxidant enzymes such as SOD, CAT, GPX, and GR activities and GSH level in HEI-OC1 auditory cells. This extract itself did not show any significant cytotoxicity up to $50{\mu}g/ml$. Our results further support the view that ESRG is promising sources of potential antioxidants. Future studies will be aimed at investigating the effects of ESRG on the regulation of cellular mechanisms and isolating and identifying the substances responsible for the regulation of antioxidant enzyme system from the plant extracts.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.74-92
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• 2005

Objectives/Methods : To analyze the effect of Injinchunggantang(IJCGT) to Interferon-${\alpha}/{\beta}$ signal transmission system in HepG2 cells, HepG2 Cell were treated with IJCGT. Also, revelation of MxA, 2'5'-OAS mRNA leaded by Interferon-${\alpha}/{\beta}$ and revelation and activation of Jak1, TYK1, and STAT 1, all main signal transmission factors, were analyzed. Results : The analysis resulted in the following 1. With interferon ${\alpha}/{\beta}$ there was no affect cell propagation of Hep G2 cells. With IJCGT alone, cell propagation of HepG2 was promoted, and cell propagation control function was recovered. 2. With interferon ${\alpha}/{\beta}$ cell death was unaffected. With IJCGT apoptosis of HepG2 cell was restrained, and the cell's reaction to interferon was unaffected. 3. With interferon ${\alpha}/{\beta}$ treatment mRNA revelation of MxA and 2'5'-OAS was induced. When HepG2 cells were injected with IJCGT without interferon ${\alpha}/{\beta}$ treatment, mRNA revelation of MxA and 2'5'-OAS increased in proportion to the treatment density. With pre-treatment of IJCGT, leaded with interferon ${\alpha}/{\beta}$, promoted revelation of MxA, 2'5' -OAS mRNA. 4. Though mRNA revelation of lakl, TYK1 and STAT1 was unaffected with IJCGT, activation of STAT1 was promoted with an increase of phosphorylation of STAT1 protein. With pre-treatment of IJCGT, Jak1, TYK2, STAT1 phosphorylation, leaded with interferon, strengthened. 5. TNF-a, IL-1b and LPS present, revelation of MxA and 2'5'-OAS mRNA leaded by interferon was restrained when HepG2 cells were treated with IJCGT, and the interferon signal transmission system restraint action leaded by inflammatory cytokines was moderated. Conclusion : These results support a role for IJGCT in promotion of anti-virus action through maintainance of the liver's sensibility toward interferon. A clinical study of an interferon treated patient treated also with IJGCT is needed to determine its efficacy.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.341-350
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• 2016

Background: Prenatal exposure to infectious and/or inflammatory insults can increase the risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorder such as bipolar disorder, autism, and schizophrenia later in life. We investigated whether Valeriana fauriei (VF) treatment alleviates prepulse inhibition (PPI) deficits and social interaction impairment induced by maternal immune activation (MIA). Methods and Results: Pregnant mice were exposed to polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidilic acid (5 mg/kg, viral infection mimic) on gestational day 9. The adolescent offspring received daily oral treatment with VF (100 mg/kg) and injections of clozapine (5 mg/kg) for 30 days starting on the postnatal day 35. The effects of VF extract treatment on behavioral activity impairment and protein expression were investigated using the PPI analysis, forced swim test (FST), open field test (OFT), social interaction test (SIT), and immunohistochemistry. The MIA-induced offspring showed deficits in the PPI, FST, OFT, and SIT compared to their non MIA-induced counterparts. Treatment with the VF extract significantly recovered the sensorimotor gating deficits and partially recovered the aggressive behavior observed in the SIT. The VF extract also reversed the downregulation of protein expression induced by MIA in the medial prefrontal cortex. Conclusions: Our results provide initial evidence of the fact that the VF extract could reverse MIA-induced behavioral impairment and prevent neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.259-265
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• 2015

Momordica charantia, commonly known as bitter melon, has interesting pharmacological activities such as anticancer, antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidant. As supported by recent scientific reports on the beneficial effects of M. charantia, it is one of the most promising functional plants for diabetes today. In this study, we fermented the bitter melon with lactic acid bacteria and investigated the capability of controlling diabetic conditions by decreasing the blood glucose levels. After extracting the fermented bitter melon with hot water or ethanol, we tested several biological activities using mouse models. When we tested the efficacy of the glycemic control, the extracts of fermented bitter melon significantly lowered the blood glucose levels of the alloxan-induced diabetic mice. We also found that the lactic acid bacteria-fermented bitter melon protected liver damages from the treatment of alloxan monohydrates and maintained low levels of triglycerides and high levels of HDL cholesterol in these mouse models. These results suggest that our approach on fermenting bitter melon and the extracts of fermented bitter melon could lead to the possibility of the development of functional foods that contain the effectiveness of controlling blood glucose and lipid levels as well as preventing liver damages.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.391-398
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• 2019

The antioxidant, whitening, and anti-wrinkle activity of Spirodela polyrhiza extracts and fractions were evaluated to determine its efficacy as a functional cosmetic material. 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid radical scavenging activities were 44.2 and 74.3%, respectively, at 100 ㎍/mL of SE-E (the ethyl acetate fraction of 70% ethanol extract). To measure anti-wrinkle effects, procollagen biosynthesis and matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) inhibition activity were determined. At 25 ㎍/mL of SE (70% ethanol extract), the biosynthesis activity was 48.5%, and SE-E showed the best activity (57.8%) at the same concentration. MMP-1 inhibition activity of SE and SE-E was 13.4 and 28.5%, respectively, at 25 ig/mL. Finally, the inhibition of cellular melanin synthesis and cellular tyrosinase were measured to determine the whitening effect; at 25 ㎍/mL, the inhibition activities of SE were 9.6 and 13.8%, respectively, and those for SE-E were 15.4 and 22.0%, respectively. Our results confirmed the possibility of SE and SE-E as effective functional materials. Further research investigating the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities of S. polyrhiza is necessary to confirm its potential use in the food, cosmetics, and drug industries.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.117-130
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• 2003

This research investigates the fine structural as well as the morphological changes of the mouse ovarian tissue after irradiation of various dose rates of 6 MeV LINAC radiation. The normal structure of the ovarian tissue is consisted of various stages of follicles including primordial and growing follicles, and ovarian stromal connectives. When we observed the ovarian tissues irradiated with a dose rate of 200 cGy/min using light and electron microscopes, granular cells in growing follicles are in irregular shape unlike normal follicles. Small segments of cells scattered in follicular antrum among granular cells. We could observe neutrophils and macrophages around the segments, which means the cells already got in the process of decease owing to the effects radiation. With coincident to the increase of the dose rate of x-ray irradiation as 400 or 600 cGy/min, the mature follicles appeared as an irregular form and the granular cells surrounding oocyte also deformed comparing to their normal counterparts. The granulosa cells within mature follicle are already occurred necrotic change and apoptosis. The nuclei in some cells got so fragmented that the segments formed the shape of a horseshoe or scattered in small and condensed pieces. All the cells at a granular layer irradiated with a dose rate of 600 cGy/min show typical characteristics of apoptosis. The neutrophils involved in inflammatory reaction appear evidently in follicular antrum of growing follicles, and macrophage scattered with residual and apoptotic bodies.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.140-146
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• 2015

The increase in resistance by pathogenic bacteria to multiple antimicrobial agents has become a significant treat, as the effective antimicrobial agents available for the patients infected by such resistant bacteria are reduced, or even eliminated. Several natural plant extracts have exhibited antibacterial and synergistic activity against various resistant microorganisms. Houttuynia cordata is frequently used by many traditional medicine practicioners for its antimicrobial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties. This study investigated the antibacterial effects of H. cordata extract against clinical multi-resistant bacteria, and compared the two methods used for the antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Thirty isolates of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, 10), Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE, 10), Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB, 10) were included in this study. The antibacterial effect of H. cordata was tested by disk diffusion and microbroth dilution methods as per CLSI guidelines. In disk diffusion, all isolates (30) showed no inhibition to 30,000 ug/mL of H. cordata. But in the microbroth dilution method, $MIC_{90}$ of H. cordata was 4,096 ug/mL, 8,192 ug/mL and 4,096 ug/mL in MRSA, VRE and CRAB, respectively. These results demonstrate that H. cordata exhibits antibacterial activity against MRSA, VRE and CRAB. Moreover, the microbroth dilution method is a more effective method than disk diffusion to evaluate the antibacterial activity of natural products. The Disk diffusion method used to evaluate the antibacterial activity of natural products required new standard guidelines including inoculum concentration of bacteria.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2011

Balneotherapy has been widely used for the treatment of skin diseases in the world. The purpose of this study was to determine the bath effect of the alkaline reduced spring water with the properties of high pH and low oxidation reduction potential (ORP) on the skin injury induced by ultra violet (UV) irradiation. For this purpose, hairless mice were irradiated with UV-B to cause skin injury, and individually taken a bath in spring water (experimental group) and tap water (control group) once a day for 40 min during 21 days. We observed histological changes of the back skin through macro- and microscopic methods compared to the control group. We found that skin injury of the experimental group was more quickly recovered than that of the control group. Under the light microscope, the experimental group showed that epidermal thickening (p<0.01) and the mast cell activation (p<0.001) were lower compared with the control group, in addition infiltration of inflammatory cells and degranulation of mast cells were less observed. These results suggest that regular bath in the spring water with the properties of high pH and low ORP has a positive effect on the skin injury induced by UV irradiation.