• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.13-31
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• 2023

The sesarmid crab Muradium tetragonum, inhabiting the mangrove, are considered as a key consumer of litter and thereby play an important role in the detritus food chain and energy flow in the mangrove ecosystem. The present investigation was carried out with objectives to enlighten the reproductive system of Muradium tetragonum through histological and histochemical studies. Histological organization of the testis of M. tetragonum revealed that each testis has a lobular structure consisting of several testicular lobules arranged around the collecting duct. Histology of the deferens of M. tetragonum revealed it to be composed of three-layer of tissues along the entire length:the outer connective tissue, the middle muscular and the inner epithelial layer. Based on the histological architecture these three regions are recognized as proximal vas deferens (PVD), middle vas deferens (MVD) and distal vas deferens (DVD). Histological characteristics of the ovary of M. tetragonum during different phases of ovarian development were studied. Based on the colour changes of the ovary and diameter of the oocytes five stages of ovarian development can be pronounced. Histochemical analysis of the male reproductive tissues of M. tetragonum signifies the secretion of a different biomolecule by specifying their origin in the reproductive tissue and their possible transformation into spermatophores. In the female reproductive tissues, histochemical evaluation envisaged the secretory products during different stages of ovarian development The secretory substances of the spermatheca expound on the significance of its secretion in dehiscing the spermatophore wall and in nourishing as well as protecting the spermatozoa.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.218-233
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• 2017

To identify the natural and novel cosmeceutical ingredients which have whitening function, we examined the effects of tyrosinase activity and melanin production on halophyte Limonium tetragonum (Thunb.) A. A. Bullock extracts. As a result, the extracts showed whitening effect with no cytotoxicity. Melanin contents of B16F10 melanoma cells were decreased in a dose-dependent manner at 50, 100, $200{\mu}g/mL$ treatment of the extracts. In tyrosinase activity inhibition test, L. tetragonum (Thunb.) A. A. Bullock extracts showed decreased tyrosinase activity as the concentration of ${\alpha}-MSH$ was increased. Furthermore, it was observed that the tyrosinase and MITF expression was significantly downregulated by adding L. tetragonum (Thunb.) A. A. Bullock extracts in ${\alpha}-MSH$, a melanogenesis inducing material, treated B16F10 melanoma cells. These results indicate that L. tetragonum (Thunb.) A. A. Bullock extract might be an effective whitening agent by inhibit melanin formation.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.38-43
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• 2016

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are crucial extracellular matrices degrading enzymes that take important roles in metastasis of cancer progression as well as other significant conditions such as oxidative stress and hepatic fibrosis. Natural products are on the rise for their potential to provide remarkable health benefits. In this context, halophytes have been of interest in the nutraceutical field with reported instances of isolation of bioactive compounds. In this study, Limonium tetragonum, an edible halophyte, was studied for its ability to inhibit MMP-2 and -9 using HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells. Results showed that L. tetragonum extract was able to inhibit the enzymatic activity and mRNA expression of MMP-2 and -9 according to gelatin zymography and RT-PCR assays, respectively, but it was not able to significantly change the MMP pathway related factors such as tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases. Also, Mitogen-activated protein kinases pathway-related protein levels and their phosphorylation were assayed. While the phosphorylated p38 levels were decreased, extracellular signal-regulated kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase were not affected by L. tetragonum treatment. In conclusion, it was suggested that L. tetragonum contains substances acting as MMP inhibitors on enzymatic activity rather than intracellular pathway intervention, which could be useful for further utilization of L. tetragonum as a source for anti-MMP agents.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.53-71
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• 1983

Physicochemical properties of soil, mineral cyclings, production of plants, and relationship between sodium(Na) content and progresses of plant communities were studied in a coastal salt marsh in Incheon. Contents of Na, available phosphorus(A-P) and value of electric conductivity of soil decreased in order of Salicornia herbacea, Limonium tetragonum, Phragmites communis and Zoysia sinica communities, but contents of organic matter, total nitrogen(T-N) and calcium(Ca) of soil were vice versa. Specise diversity index decreased with increase of Na content of soil with correlation coefficient of -0.82. The aboveground biomass of plant communities were 2,981 g.dw/$m^2$ in P. communis, 1,471 g.dw/$m^2$ in Z. sinica, 189g.dw/$m^2$ in S. herbacea and 71 g.dw/$m^2$ L. tetragonum, respectively. Seasonal changes of contents of inorganic nutrients per unit land area coincided with those of biomass of plant communities, however, the maximum contents of K occured earlier than the maximum biomass. Amounts of inorganic nutrients absorbed by plant were directly proportion to its biomass and it was true to reverse in restored amounts of them to soil. In turnover times of nutrients of the communities, it took the shortest time for P but the longest for Ca and P. communis community took the shortest but L. tetragonum the longest. For example, in P. communis turover time of P took one year and that of Na 1,440 years. Lack of P element, therefore, was expected in this study area.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.185-191
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• 2011

Crude extracts of Limonium tetragonum and their solvent-partitioned fractions were evaluated for their potential to scavenge authentic $ONOO^-$, and $ONOO^-$ derived from 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1). Four flavonol glycosides (1-4) were isolated by activity-guided separation. Their chemical structures were elucidated by extensive 2 D NMR experiments and by comparison with published spectral data. These compounds were also estimated for their peroxynitrite scavenging effects. The scavenging ratios of compounds 1-4 on authentic $ONOO^-$ were 56, 37, 56, and 54%, respectively, at a concentration of 1 ${\mu}M$. On the other hand, the inbihition ratios of compounds 1-4 against $ONOO^-$ generation from SIN-1 were 59, 39, 44, and 54% at the same concentration, respectively.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.247-252
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• 2018

Halophytes are expected to possess abundant secondary metabolites and various biological activities because of habitat in extreme environments. In this study, we collected 14 halophytes (Asparagus oligoclonos, Calystegia soldanella, Carex pumila, Chenopodium glaucum, Elymus mollis, Glehnia littoralis, Limonium tetragonum, Messerschmidia sibirica, Rosa rugosa, Salsola komarovii, Spergularia marina, Suaeda glauca, Suaeda maritima, and Vitex rotundifolia) native to Korea and compared their total polyphenol contents, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The total polyphenol contents of R. rugosa (27.28%) and L. tetragonum (13.17%) were significantly higher than those of the other 12 halophytes and L. tetragonum, R. rugosa, and M. sibirica showed significantly greater antioxidant activities than the other 11 halophytes, as determined by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl). A. oligoclonos, E. mollis, and C. pumila showed significantly greater anti-inflammatory activities than the other 11, as determined by NO (Nitric oxide) and $PGE_2$ (Prostaglandin $E_2$) levels. In contrast, these three extracts had normal and low total polyphenol contents among the 14 halophytes. Consequently, the total polyphenol content in the 14 studied halophytes appeared to be related to antioxidant, but not anti-inflammatory activity levels.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.60-68
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• 2019

Limonium tetragonum, an edible halophyte that grows on salt marshes in Korea, is thought to possess various health benefits (e.g., antioxidant, antitumor, and hepatoprotective). In the present study, different solvent partitioned subfractions, water ($H_2O$), buthanol (n-BuOH), 85% aqueous methanol (85% aq. MeOH), and hexane (n-hexane), from crude extract of L. tetragonum were tested for their ability to prevent adipogenesis in differentiating 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. The treatment of differentiating 3T3-L1 preadipocytes with L. tetragonum subfractions (LTFs) resulted in suppressed adipogenesis and reduced expression of adipogenesis-related transcription factors such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma ($PPAR{\gamma}$), CCAATT/enhancer-binding protein alpha ($C/EBP{\alpha}$), and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) at both mRNA and protein levels. In addition, the LTF treatment notably decreased the levels of phosphorylated p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in association with $PPAR{\gamma}$-linked adipogenesis. Among all the tested LTFs, $H_2O$ and n-hexane were the most effective in lowering lipid accumulation and regulating the adipocyte differentiation via $PPAR{\gamma}$ pathway. Taken together, the results indicated that the $H_2O$ and n-hexane LTFs contain bioactive compounds that may exhibit significant antiadipogenesis activity by downregulation of the $PPAR{\gamma}$ pathway and inactivation of the MAPK signal pathway in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.133-140
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• 1985

Aboveground net productions of four stands in the coastal salt marsh of Incheon were estimated with three different methods: first method was to measure peak live standing crop; second to measure both live and dead standing crops; thrid to measure live and dead standing crops and dead disappearance as well. Net productions estimated by the first method were lowest with a difference of 28~50% from those by the third method. Whereas estimates by the second method approximated considerably to those by the third method with a difference of 4~15%. The third method figured out the highest values and seemed to be most appropriate in estimating net production of herbaceous community. Form these results it is known that live standing crop, dead standing crop and dead disappearance respectively accounted for about 60, 30, 10% of net production estimated by the third method. Annual net productions estimated by the third method for Suaeda japonica-Salicornia herbacea, Artemisia scoparia-Limonium tetragonum, Calamagrostis epigeios, and Sonchus brachyotus-Setaria viridis stand were 650, 1, 080, 1, 409 and 1, 126 g.$m^{-2}.yr^{-1}$, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.123-132
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• 2003

This ecological study investigated the vegetation changes of abandoned salt field, 21 plots(1${\times}$lm, 1${\times}$2m) set up by the methods of Braun-Blanquet and Elenberg in a coastal island, Gasado, Jindogun, from July to September,2002. The vascular plants of abandoned salt field in the surveyed site identified 17 families and 48 species. Of these species, halophytes and mesophytes were 20(42%) and 28(58%) species. In addition, the disturbance to this habitat led to the change of halophytes in abandoned sald field, exotic plants was distributed 23 species, which included Dactylis glomerata, Conyza canadensis, Oenothera odorata, Cosmos bipinnatus, etc., in the group of, mesophytes were 20(71%) species, vegetation communities were classified into 3 community types, i.e. the halophyte grassland community(Limonium tetragonum community, Suaeda japonica community, Spergularia marina community), the wetland grassland community(Phragmites communis community, Carex scabrifolia community, Phaceturus latifolius var. angustifolius community), and the mesophyte grassland community(Erigeron bonariensis community, Daucus littoralis var. koreana community). Each communities was described the structual, distribution and changes of the vegetation in the abandoned salt field, the vegetation table and actual vegetation map were prepared.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.39 no.spc1
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• pp.180-188
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• 2006

We examined the effect of salt marsh vegetation on the benthic environment in macro-tidal flats at Donggeomdo, Ganghwa, on the west coast of Korea. Nine stations were established along a transect across the tidal flats, including salt marsh, and field sampling was conducted monthly from July 1997 to June 1998. During the study period, environmental parameters fluctuated as follows: salinity, 15.0 to 28.2 psu, exposure time, 613 to 702 hr/m, inundation time, 28 to 117 hr/m, sediment organic carbon, 0.71 to 1.34%, nitrogen, 0.07 to 0.16%, sulfur from 0.07 to 0.22%, mean grain size from 6.3 to $6.9{\phi}$, water content from 19.4 to 44.4%, water temperature from 4.4 to $20.4^{\circ}C$ and temperature of the surface sediments, 2.7 to $31.1^{\circ}C$, in total, seven halophyte species were sampled and found to be vertically distributed across the tidal levels. Carer scabrifolia, Suaeda maritima, Limonium tetragonum and Phragmites communis dominated the upper zone of the salt marsh, Juncus haenkei, Triglochin maritimum and P. communis dominated the middle zone, and Suaeda japonica predominated in the lower area. Principal component analysis (PCA) and non-metric multi-dimensional scaling revealed that the zonation of halophytes was related to environmental variables such as salinity and exposure time. The halophyte communities were likely related to the organic content of the surface sediment.