• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1319-1327
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• 2009

Marine red algae of genus Laurencia are becoming the most important resources to produce unique natural metabolites with wide bioactivities. However, reports related to Laurencia undulata, an edible species used as folk herb, are rarely found to date. In this research, 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (5-HMF) was isolated and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) from Laurencia undulata as well as other marine algae. The following characteristics of 5-HMF were systematically evaluated: its antioxidant activities, such as typical free-radicals scavenging in vitro by electron spin resonance spectrometry (ESR) and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging; membrane protein oxidation; oxidative enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO) inhibition; as well as expressions of antioxidative enzymes glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) on the gene level using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. The results demonstrated that 5-HMF could be developed as a novel marine natural antioxidant or potential precursor for practical applications in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical fields.

• BMB Reports
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• v.46 no.8
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• pp.398-403
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• 2013

Inflammatory conditions mediated by activated microglia lead to chronic neuro-degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases. This study was conducted to determine the effect of floridoside isolated from marine red algae Laurencia undulata on LPS (100 ng/ml) activated inflammatory responses in BV-2 microglia cells. The results show that floridoside has the ability to suppress pro-inflammatory responses in microglia by markedly inhibiting the production of nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Moreover, floridoside down-regulated the protein and gene expression levels of iNOS and COX-2 by significantly blocking the phosphorylation of p38 and ERK in BV-2 cells. Collectively, these results indicate that floridoside has the potential to be developed as an active agent for the treatment of neuro-inflammation.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.392-398
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• 1992

Field study on the sporogenesis periods of 16 red algae growing at the intertidal zone of Daesongri was conducted from April 1987 to March 1988, obseuing the occurence of carposporic and tetrasporic fronds. The period of Gloiopeltis furcata was in spring and summer; that of Laurencia intermedia, Laurencia undulata and Rhodymenia intricate in summer; that of Chondria dasyphylla and Hypnea charoides in autumn; that of Carpopeltis affinis, Pachymeniopsis lanceolata, Chondrus ocellatus, Awosorium polyneunm, Gymnogongrus flabelliformis, Gigartina intermedia, Champia parvula and Ceramium paniculatum in summer and autumn. Of the species, G. flabelliiformis, G. intermedia and R. intricate only matured the carposporic phase, and P. telfairiae, H charoides, C. parvula and C. paniculatum did the tetrasporic phase. But the carposporic phase of G. flabelliformis and the tetrasporic phase of C. paniculatum were not occured in Kori area where water temperature was 3 C higher than that in Daesongri. In that area they only matured the other phase. This suggests that the life history is rarely complete in nature and water temperature is a important factor influencing on the sporogenesis. Also it was observed in C. affinis, C. ocellatus and S. latiuscula that the period of one phase is much longer than that of the other phase. But in most of species with both phases, tatrasporic and caropsporic, the former phase appeared a month later than the latter phase. In addition, their biomass became maximum just before sporgenesis, and then gradually decreased with release of reproductive cells.