• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.312-316
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• 2009

In the present study, the anti-cancer activity of 80% ethanol extracts from 120 kinds of medicinal herbs and native plants were investigated. Among them, the barks of Melia azedarach L. var. japonica Makino showed the highest cytotoxicity in HCT-15 human colon cancer cell. With this result, we carried out hollow fiber (HF) assay and anti-metastasis study to confirm the anti-cancer effects of M. azedarach var. japonica. In MTT assay, M. azedarach var. japonica.inhibited the proliferation of HCT-15 cells in dose-dependent manner. HF assay was carried out using A549 human adenocarcinoma cell, HCT-15 and SK-Hep1 human liver cancer cell via intraperitoneal (IP) and subcutaneous (SC) site. As a results, SK-Hep1 implanted in IP site showed the highest cytotoxicity. The result from metastatic model using B16/BL6 mouse corresponded to that of HF assay. These results suggest that the ethanol extract from M. azedarach var. japonica. might have a potent anti-cancer activity and advanced study is needed for the development of novel natural anti-cancer drug.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.278-283
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• 2010

Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) are important inflammation enzyme and severe up-nitric oxide (NO) production by this enzyme has been intricate with pathogenesis of atopy dermatitis. The present study was designed in order to determine whether Lonicera japonica could inhibit atopy dermatitis through modulation of iNOS by NF-${\kappa}B$ suppression. We found that IKK mRNA and iNOS mRNA expression in RAW 264.7 macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide dose-dependantly decreased by Lonicera japonica (0.4 - 1.0 mg/$m{\ell}$) and NO production decreased. The distribution of NF-${\kappa}B$ p65 and iNOS positive reacted cell in NC/Nga mice with atopy dermatitis were decreased by Lonicera japonica (45 mg/kg/day) and apoptosis were increased. These data likely indicate that Lonicera japonica may act as inflammatory regulator for atopy dermatitis through iNOS modulation by NF-${\kappa}B$B suppression and may be possible to develop useful agent for chemoprevention of NO intricate inflammatory diseases.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.9-13
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• 2009

Flos Sophora japonica L. (Leguminosae), commonly called scholar tree, is a well-known traditional medicine used for the treatment of bleeding and as an antihemorrhagic agent. This research was conducted to determine biofunctional activities of Flos Sophora japonica extract. Methanolic extract from Flos Sophora japonica was partitioned by using organic solvents, including n-hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water. Ethyl acetate soluble fraction showed the strongest antioxidant activity ($RC_{50}=3.13{\mu}g/mL$) among the fractions. In antimicrobial activity assays, ethyl acetate soluble fraction was effective to bacterial inhibition, such as Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia, with minimum inhibitory concentrations in $125{\mu}g/mL$. In anticomplementary activity assays, water soluble fraction was the most effective exhibiting 21% inhibitory activity.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.289-294
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• 2014

Maesa japonica (Thunb.) is an evergreen shrub belonged to the Myrsinaceae family, which was discovered in 2006 in South Korea. And, its biological functions have not been well studied. In this study, we determined the antioxidant activities, ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory effects and antimicrobial activities of methanol extract and the solvent fractions of M. japonica leaves and twigs. The highest antioxidant activity obtained by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay and reducing power assay was found in the ethylacetate fraction of twigs methanol extract, which contained the highest level of total phenolic compounds compared to the other fractions. In addition, ethylacetate fraction of twigs extract exhibited higher inhibitory activities against ${\alpha}$-glucosidase ($IC_{50}=0.8{\mu}g/m{\ell}$) compared to the $IC_{50}$ of the buthanol fraction ($IC_{50}=16{\mu}g/m{\ell}$) of leaves extract. It showed antimicrobial activities against Bacillus atrophaeus and Bacillus subtilis subsp. Spizizenii. Although the data is too limited, the current study is the first report on biological functions of M. japonica.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.20-23
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• 2016

Background: The structures and soil factors of Suaeda glauca-Suaeda japonica zonal communities and Phragmites australis-S. japonica zonal communities were studied in salt marshes of west and south coasts of South Korea to provide basic data for coastal wetland conservation and restoration. Results: S. glauca community mean length was 67 m and S. japonica community mean length was 567 m in zonal communities, and P. australis and S. japonica community mean length were 57 m and 191 m in zonal communities. Regarding the electrical conductivity, sodium content, and clay contents in Upnae-ri, Shinan-gun, there were significant differences among zonal communities at significance level of 0.05 for two-sided t test. However, other factors were not significantly different. Conclusions: The results indicate that multiple factors such as electronic conductivity, total nitrogen level, clay, and sodium might play important roles in the formation of zonal plant communities of salt marshes.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.503-509
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• 2006

To determine the minimum area for conservation of four Halophytic species populations, we evaluate the genetic diversity of four species based on the AFLP method using thirteen primer sets. Four species populations, Phragmites communis Trin, Suaeda japonica Makino, Zoysia sinica Hance, and S. maritima (L.) Dumort, from the southwestern coast of Korea, were selected for this study. The genetic diversity index ($\Psi_{ST}$) of Phragmites communis was 0.3856, Suaeda japonica 0.1445, Suaeda maritima 0.1669, and Zoysia sinica 0.2422. Based on the genetic diversity of population, we could determine the minimum area for conservation of each species as follows. P. communis needs $500{\times}500m^2$, S. japonica, S. maritima, and Z. sinica $100\times100m^2$ for keeping their genetic identity.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.331-338
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• 2022

The high latitude scleractinian coral Alveopora japonica Eguchi, 1965 occurs in high density in the shallow rocky subtidal in Jeju Island, forming coral carpets. Despite its ecological role providing a unique habitat for other benthic organisms, the benthic fauna associated with the A. japonica coral carpet is poorly known. To identify fauna associated with the coral carpet, we explored three sites dominated by A. japonica and one control site on northwestern Jeju Island in May 2013. Using SCUBA, we collected A. japonica and the epibenthic mega-fauna associated with the colonies in 1×1 m² and identified them to the species level. At a depth of 10 to 15 m, A. japonica colonies heavily covered the seafloor, forming a layer called a coral carpet, with a density of 94 (Keumneung-ri), 133 (Biyangdo), and 155 (Gwidok-ri) colonies/m². Thirty-four molluscan species were identified from the four sites, including 20 bivalves and 14 gastropods. The coral carpets were enriched with sessile bivalves compared to the control site, as we identified twenty bivalve and eight gastropod species from the coral carpets. Most bivalve species associated with the coral carpets had tropical-subtropical affinities, while gastropods were mainly subtropical and subtropical-low boreal species. Leiosolenus lischkei M. Huber, 2010, in the family Mytilidae and Barbatia steamsi (Pilsbry, 1895), in the family Arcidae, were the two most abundant bivalve species in the coral carpet, L. lischkei being a borer, and B. stearnsi a nestler. The tropical to subtropical Pacific star shell Astralium haematragum (Menke, 1829)was the most abundant gastropod at the study sites. The bivalves and gastropods associated with the coral carpet were small-sized juveniles or sub-adults, suggesting that the coral carpet provides a micro-habitat for the bivalves and gastropods.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.51-61
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• 2024

This study was conducted to identify the community structure of two outstanding forest wetlands in Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, and to investigate their succession trends. vegetation survey was conducted using the Z-M phytosociological method From May to October, 2023, and based on this data, the Actual vegetation map was created by categorizing communities. This resulted in the classification of six communities. namely, Rhynchospora faberi community, Alnus japonica-Molinia japonica community, Ilex crenata-M. japonica community, M. japonica community, A. japonica-Pinus densiflora community and A. japonica community. The results of each layer's importance value (IV) analysis results indicated that in the R. faberi community, that of R. faberi, an obligate wetland plant, was high. In the subtree and shrub layers of the other five communities, A. japonica, a key species in wetland ecosystems, and Pinus densiflora and I. crenata, both obligate upland plants, exhibited higher IV. In the herb layer, the IV of M. japonica, a representative species of intermediate wetlands, was notably high. The results of classifying all observed plant species in the survey area based on their wetland preference revealed that in the R. faberi community, the occurrence rate of obligate wetland plants was high. However, in the other five communities, the occurrence rate of obligate upland plants was predominantly observed. Excluding the R. faberi community, in the other five communities constituting the outstanding forest wetlands, the occurrence rate of upland plants among the forest plants was high. It was observed that M. japonica which typically appears during the transition of wetlands to drier stages, was flourishing, indicating that the wetland was undergoing vegetation succession and terrestrialization.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.57-65
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• 2012

In the present study, the antioxidative properties, inhibitory activity on tyrosinase, and active components of Eriobotrya japonica (E. japonica) leaf extract were investigated. The free radical (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, DPPH) scavenging activity ($FSC_{50}$) of extract/fraction of E. japonica leaf was in the order 50 % ethanol extract ($22.625{\mu}g/mL$) < ethyl acetate fraction (6.75) < deglycosylated aglycone fraction (5.06). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activities ($OSC_{50}$) of fraction/extracton ROS generated in $Fe^{3+}-EDTA/H_2O_2$ system using the luminol-dependent chemiluminescenceassay were investigated. $OSC_{50}$ of the ethyl acetate fraction, deglycosylated aglycone fraction, and ethanol extract were 0.75, 0.79, and $1.61{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. The cellular protective effects of E. japonica leaf extract on the rose-bengal sensitized photohemolysis of human erythrocytes were investigated. The protective effects of extract/fraction of E. japonica leaf were increased in a in a concentration dependent manner ($5{\sim}50{\mu}g/mL$). Especially, ${\tau}50$ of ethyl acetate fraction at concentrations of $10{\mu}g/mL$ and $50{\mu}g/mL$ showed the most protective effects at 390.8 min and 1471.5 min. The inhibitory effect ($IC_50$) on tyrosinase of E. japonica leaf extracts was higher than arbutin, known as a skin-whitening agent. The order of inhibitory effects was acetate fraction ($75.25{\mu}g/mL$) < 50 % extract (74.1) < deglycosylated aglycone fraction (43.35). TLC of the ethyl acetate fraction showed 7 bands (EJL 1 - EJL 7). HPLC of the aglycone fraction exhibited 2 peaks, kaempferol and quercetin. The amounts of kaempferol and quercetin were 53.7 and 46.3 %. respectively. Therefore, The amounts of kaempferol and its glucoside were a little bit higher than quercetin and its glucoside in E. japonica leaf extract. Accordingly, these findings suggest that extracts/fractions of E. japonica leaf can function as antioxidants in biological systems, especially skin exposed to UV radiation, and protect cellular membranes against ROS. Thus, the extract/fraction of E. japonica leaf may be used in novel functional cosmetics as antioxidants against skin photoaging.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.117-127
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• 2008

In this study, the antioxidative effects, inhibitory effects on elastase, and components of Cayratia japonica extracts were investigated. The free radical(1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, DPPH) scavenging activities($FSC_{50}$) of extract/fractions of Cayratia japonica were in the order: 50% ethanol extract(114.3 ${\mu}g/mL$)${\mu}g/mL$)${\mu}g/mL$). Reactive oxygen species(ROS) scavenging activities($OSC_{50}$) of some Cayratia japonica extracts in $Fe^{3+}-EDTA/H_2O_2$ system were investigated using the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence assay. The order of ROS scavenging activities were deglycosylated flavonoid aglycone fraction($OSC_{50},\;3.30{\mu}g/mL$)<50% ethanol extract(1.21 ${\mu}g/mL$)${\mu}g/mL$). Ethyl acetate fraction showed the most prominent scavenging activity. The protective effects of extract/fractions of Cayratia japonica on the rose-bengal sensitized photohemolysis of human erythrocytes were investigated. The Cayratia japonica extracts suppressed photohemolysis in a concentration dependent manner($1{\sim}25{\mu}g/mL$), particularly deglycosylated flavonoid aglycone fraction exhibited the most prominent celluar protective effect(${\tau}_{50}$, 175.05min at 25 ${\mu}g/mL$). Aglycone fractions obtained from the deglycosylation reaction of ethyl acetate fraction among the Cayratia japonica extracts, showed 2 bands in TLC and 2 peaks in HPLC experiments(360 nm). Two components were identified as luteolin(composition ratio, 47.50%), apigenin(52.50). TLC chromatogram of ethyl acetate fraction of Cayratia japonica extract revealed 3 bands and HPLC chromatogram showed 4 peaks, which were identified as luteolin-7-O-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside(composition ratio, 11.14%), apigenin-7-O-${\beta}$-D-glucuronopyranoside(15.38%), luteolin(23.55%) and apigenin(49.92%) in the order of elution time. The inhibitory effect of aglycone fraction on elastase($IC_{50},\;70.5{\mu}g/mL$) was very high. These results indicate that extract/fractions of Cayratia japonica can function as antioxidants in biological systems, particularly skin exposed to UV radiation by scavenging $^1O_2$ and other ROS, and protect cellular membranes against ROS. And component analysis of Cayratia japonica extract and antioxidative effects could be applicable to new cosmetics.