• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.597-603
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• 2015

Synthetic cannabinoids JWH-018 and JWH-250 in 'herbal incense' also called 'spice' were first introduced in many countries. Numerous synthetic cannabinoids with similar chemical structures emerged simultaneously and suddenly. Currently there are not sufficient data on their adverse effects including neurotoxicity. There are only anecdotal reports that suggest their toxicity. In the present study, we evaluated the neurotoxicity of two synthetic cannabinoids (JWH-081 and JWH-210) through observation of various behavioral changes and analysis of histopathological changes using experimental mice with various doses (0.1, 1, 5 mg/kg). In functional observation battery (FOB) test, animals treated with 5 mg/kg of JWH-081 or JWH-210 showed traction and tremor. Their locomotor activities and rotarod retention time were significantly (p<0.05) decreased. However, no significant change was observed in learning or memory function. In histopathological analysis, neural cells of the animals treated with the high dose (5 mg/kg) of JWH-081 or JWH-210 showed distorted nuclei and nucleus membranes in the core shell of nucleus accumbens, suggesting neurotoxicity. Our results suggest that JWH-081 and JWH-210 may be neurotoxic substances through changing neuronal cell damages, especially in the core shell part of nucleus accumbens. To confirm our findings, further studies are needed in the future.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.134-139
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• 2003

To establish the fertilization condition to increase the productivity of Chasanthemum boreale M. with high quality, the effects of three nutrients (N, P, K) on the yields and the effective components were investigated in the pot scale. NPK was applied by chemical fertilizers with $(N-P_2O_5,-K_2O=250-160-160\;kg/ha)$ as a main treatment, and NP $(N-P_2O_5,-K_2O=250-160-160\;kg/ha)$, NK $(N-K_2O =250-160\;kg/ha)$, and PK $(P_2O_5K_2O=160-160\;kg/ha)$ treatments were settled as comparison. Dry yields of C. boreale M. was increased significantly to 4 fold higher by nitrogen. Nitrogen increased apparently plant growth and inorganic nutrient uptake. In the flower, which is most useful and edible part as a herbal medicine, main amino acids were glutamic acid and aspartic acids, and the total content was increased significantly by three elements of application. In addition, the content of cumambrin A, which is known to have the effect of blood-pressure reduction, was increased source to 6.2 times by nitrogen higher than that in PK treatment. Potassium was more effective in biosynthesis of cumambrin A than phosphorus, but the biological pathway was not clear, still.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2017

Amomum tsao-ko used as a traditional oriental herbal medicine, is indigenous to several Asia countries. In this study, we investigated anti-obesity activity of the ethanol extract of Amomum Taso-ko (A. tsao-ko). The ethanol extract of A. tsao-ko inhibited adipocyte differentiation using Oil Red O assay in 3T3-L1 cells. Inhibitory effect of the ethanol extract of A. tsao-ko on adipogenesis was modulated by down-regulation adipogenic transcriptional factor such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$), CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$) and suppressed expression of fatty acid synthase, aP2, and resistin. We demonstrated that A. tsao-ko significantly inhibited adipogenesis and reduced $PPAR{\gamma}$ and $C/EBP{\alpha}$ expression in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that A. tsao-ko has an anti-obesity effect by inhibition of adipogenic transcription factor and adipocyte-specific genes in 3T3-L1 cells.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.395-400
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• 2007

Apricot Kernel, consumed as herbal medicine, contains amygdalin which generate HCN upon hydrolysis. Dyspnea was reported by ingesting large amount of apricot kernel, and neurological disorders such as tropic ataxic neuropathy or konzo were known as chronic toxicity of amygdalin. Other cyanogen containing plants, including flaxseed and almond, are consumed as food around the world. Moreover, some of them are promoted as functional food, leading to higher consumption, and posing health risk by cyanogenic components. The objective of this study was to find a method for the reduction of the cyanogenic compound, using apricot kernel as a model food. The most effective reduction was obtained by boiling the slices of the kernel for one hour in pH 1 HCl solution, showing 90% removal. However, the common process known to reduce the cyanogen contents, i.e., long incubation at the low temperature, did not show significant change in cyan concentration. Our data contribute to the safety of the plants containing cyanogenic compounds if they were to be developed as foodstuff.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.309-315
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• 2008

The methanol extract from the aerial parts of Aceriphyllum rossii was fractionated into ethyl acetate, n-BuOH and $H_2O$ layers through solvent fractionation. Repeated silica gel column chromatography of EtOAc and n-BuOH layers afforded five flavonol glycosides. They were identified as astragalin (1), kaempferol 3-O-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1${\rightarrow}$6)-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside (2), rutin (3), kaempferol 3-O-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1${\rightarrow}$4)-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnopyranosyl 1${\rightarrow}$6)-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside (4), and quercetin 3-O-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1${\rightarrow}$4)-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1${\rightarrow}$6)-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside (5) on the basis of spectroscopic data. All of them showed an inhibition in farnesyl protein tranferase (FPTase) activity, and rutin (3) inhibited the growth of rat H-ras cell and the cell migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.270-284
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to understand the essential structure and meaning of self-management intervention for breast cancer survivors by using non-pharmacological approaches. The study participants were 10 breast cancer survivors who were completing cancer treatment that involved surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Data collected between August 2014 and February 2015 at E Hospital in S city were analyzed by using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. Outcomes were classified into seven essential themes: 1) application of comfort measures to alleviate ongoing symptoms, 2) movement to change physical conditions, 3) special herbal intake to prevent recurrence, 4) a specially designed diet plan for health self-management, 5) constant awareness of complementary and alternative medicine, 6) unmet needs treated by one's own doctor's prescription, and 7) future life toward a nature-friendly environment. The study results contribute to a deeper understanding of self-management interventions in the daily lives of Korean breast cancer survivors. In addition, results provide an essential resource, based on actual self-management styles, that will help survivors to obtain guidance and participate in appropriate programs.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.262-269
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of storage temperature on fruit quality attributes and physiological disorders including peel blackening in 'Sangjudungsi' persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) fruit stored in air at -1, 0.5 or $3^{\circ}C$ for up to 3 months. Higher storage temperature reduced ethylene production but not respiration rate, compared with lower storage temperature. Flesh firmness decreased continuously as storage time passed but firmness was reduced rapidly in the fruits stored at higher storage temperature. Fresh weight loss increased at higher storage temperatures. Soluble solids content was higher at lower storage temperature than at higher storage temperature. All color variables ($L^*$, $a^*$, $b^*$) were reduced by lower storage temperature, compared with higher storage temperature, regardless of tissue regions. Fruit softening increased as storage duration advanced and with the increase in storage temperature. Results indicated that the 'Sangjudungsi' persimmon fruits stored at higher storage temperature ($3^{\circ}C$) could not retain fruit quality properly on account of lower flesh firmness and higher incidence of peel blackening and fruit decay, compared with lower storage temperature.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.279-286
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• 2018

Citrus grandis Osbeck pericarp is used as tea, herbal medicine, etc., but is not commercialized in various ways. So, in this study, we identified potential for use of Citrus grandis Osbeck as health functional foods, cosmetics and food preservatives. Methanol extract of Citrus grandis Osbeck pericarp was fractionated with hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and butanol, to quantitatively analyze total phenol and flavonoid, and investigate antioxidative and enzyme inhibitory activities. Total phenol and flavonoid contents were highest in ethyl acetate fraction, FRAP and ORAC results also revealed highest activity in proportion to total phenol content. DPPH radical scavenging activity revealed that ethyl acetate, butanol and dichloromethane fraction manifested highest activity without significant difference. However, dichloromethane fraction revealed higher TEAC value and tyrosinase inhibitory activity than ethyl acetate fraction, and hexane fraction manifested best results with superoxide radical scavenging activity and ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ inhibitory activity. Antimicrobial activity also revealed best effect in dichloromethane and hexane fractions. So, based on the following results, use of dichloromethane fraction as material of natural functional cosmetics, ethyl acetate fraction for health functional foods, and hexane fractions for pharmaceuticals and food preservatives, would be most practical for product development.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2007

Dietary flavonoids have antioxidant and antitumor promoting effects. Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) is a flavonoid-rich herbal medicine and has long been used as a food additive and an antitumor agent in Korea. Previous study demonstrated that a purified flavonoid fraction prepared from RVS, herein named RCMF (the RVS chloroform-methanol fraction), exhibited growth inhibition and induced apoptosis in human osteosarcoma(HOS) cells. This study evaluated if p53-mediated pathway is associated with the RCMF-induced apoptosis in HOS cells. RCMF was shown to be capable of inducing apoptosis of the cells, as expected, and transparently increased p53 expression in the cells. However, the RCMF-induced cytotoxicity was suppressed by transfecting the cells with antisense p53 oligonucleotide, which also inhibited the decrease of Bcl-2 and the increase of Bax in mitochondria, and the release of cytochrome c into cytosol. This finding suggests that p53-mediated mitochondrial stress is required for RCMF-induced apoptosis in HOS cells.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.97-105
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• 2006

Beans are well known to be high-protein diets. Bean seeds contain arginine, lysine, or glycine-rich proteins which are effective to maintain lower glucose levels. In this study, the synergistic effect of fermented small soybean (Chounggukjang) and mulberry leaf on metabolism and hexokinase activity was investigated in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. We divided 8 groups as follows: non-diabetic rat group fed with only water diet (NC: control), and STZ-induced diabetic rat groups fed with water (DC), fermented Rhynchosia Nulubilis (Bbc), fermented Glycine max Merr (Ybc), Bbc and YBc (BYbc), mulberry leaf and Bbc (MBbc), mulberry leaf and Ybc (MYbc), or the mulberry leaf, Bbc, and Ybc (MBYbc). Diabetes mellitus was induced in rats by subcutaneous STZ administration (70 mg/kg of body weight). All diet groups were fed with Chounggukjang in a powder form. Three ml of Chounggukjang solution (0.75 mg per gram of body weight) dissolved in distilled water was orally administered to all rat groups after STZ administration except for NC rat group. In groups fed with fermented soybeans, the body weight (increased), food efficiency ratio (FER) (increased), glucose level (decreased) and hexokinase (HK) activity (increased) significantly differed to NC. Among them, particularly in the groups fed with both fermented soybeans and mulberry leaf, kidney weight significantly decreased, whereas HK activity significantly increased compared to DC. These results suggest that Chounggukjang of both fermented soybeans and mulberry leaf is potentially used as an effective functional food to prevent diabetes complications.