• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.52-59
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• 2000

A rapid assay to determine respiration inhibition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by chemicals was developed. S. cerevisiae was harvested with two different liquid media, yeast extract-peptone-dextrose (YPD) medium capable of occurring both glucose fermentation and mitochondrial respiration, and non-fermentable carbon-yeast extract (NFY) medium capable of occurring respiration only Wells in 96-well plate were loaded with each cell suspension and various concentrations of 46 fungicides with various modes of action. n NFY medium, the non-fermentable carbon source, ethanol (NFY-E medium), glycerol (NFY-G medium) or lactate (NFY-L medium), was used. After incubation for $1{\sim}3$ days, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the chemicals were recorded in the media. Of the 46 inhibitors employed in this study, four inhibitors of fungal respiration by blockage of electron flux in the mitochondrial respiratory chain, azoxystrobin, kresoxim-methyl, metominostrobin, and trifloxystrobin, exhibited strong antifungal activity in all of NFY media, but no activity in YPD medium. In contrast to this, five N-trihalomethylthio fungicides showed much stronger antifungal activities in YPD medium than three NFY media. Eleven fungicides inhibited growth of S. cerevisiae in all media and the other 26 fungicides showed no antifungal activity in all media. Thus, our rapid and efficient in vitro method can be considered as an alternative assay system for respiration inhibitor.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2008

The concentration of total phenolic compounds of the water extracts and 80% ethanol extracts form Portulaca oleracea were 3.05 ${\mu}g/ml$ and 6.33 ${\mu}g/ml$, respectively. The total antioxidant activities of water extracts and 80% ethanol extracts of Portulaca oleracea were 89.2% and 72.9% in DPPH assay, 69.0% and 96.5% in ABTS assay, antioxidant protection factor of the water and 80% ethanol extracts were each 2.73 PF and 3.63 PF. Tyrosinase inhibitory activities were water extracts and 80% ethanol extracts of Portulaca oleracea were 20.2% and 38.7%. Portulaca oleracea showed high antimicrobial activites against Helicobater pylori, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Eschericia coli and Streptococcus mutans. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) on Helicobacter pylori, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escheichia coli and Streptococcus mutans were 200, 50, 100, 100 and 150 ${\mu}g/ml$, respectively. The result suggest that Portulaca oleracea extracts may be useful as potential source as antioxidant and antimicrobials.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.6 s.73
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• pp.863-870
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• 2005

One hundred and twenty three strains of Mycoplasma pneumoniae were isolated from patients with respiratory diseases from February 2002 to April 2005 in Busan, Korea. The MICs of tetracycline and erythromycin up to $90\%$ of the 123 M. pneumoniae isolates tested were $0.5\~1.0$, and $0.5\~512{\mu}/ml$, respectively. Plasmid DNA was not isolated from all of the M. pneumoniae isolates. Out of 323 strains of M. pneumoniae, 57 ($46.3\%$) stains contain tetM gene on their chromosomal DNA, and 60 ($48.8\%$) strains were mutated in domain V of 23S rRNA for erythromycin resistance. Out of 63 strains of M. pneumoniae which were not mutated in domain V of 235 rRNA for erythromycin resistance, 36 ($57.1\%$) strains contained tetM gene, and out of 60 strains of M. pneumoniae which were mutated in domain V of 23S rRNA for erythromycin resistance, 21 ($35.0\%$) strains contained tetM gene. These results suggest that the isolation rate of erythromycin and tetracycline resistant M. pneumoniae is higher than those of other countries, and erythromycin and tetracycline are not first choice drug for M. pneumoniae infection in Korea, and it need confirm by a nationwide surveilance of antimicrobial resistance.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.1073-1078
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• 2002

Antimicrobial activities in 70% ethanol extracts of Korean bamboo trees were investigated. Among the antimicrobial activities against ten major strains causing food poisening, Wangdae (Phyllostachys bambusoides S. et Z.) showed the strongest activity among five major bamboo trees cultivated in Korea. Although all extracts showed relatively strong antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptoccus mutans, the extracts of bamboo culms showed stronger activities than that of bamboo leaves. MICs (minimal inhibitory concentration) of the extracts of Wangdae culm against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans were over $10\;and\;20\;{\mu}L/disc$, respectively. The extract of Wangdae culm inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans at over 0.5% concentration, and almost inhibited the growth of these strains at 1% level. The inhibitory effect of the extract of Wangdae culm was not destroyed by heating at 60, 80, and $100^{\circ}C$ for 60 min and at $121^{\circ}C$ for 15 min, suggesting that the component in the bamboo tree was very heat-stable. These results indicate that 70% ethanol extract of Wangdae culm could be useful as a natural antimicrobial agent.

• Annals of Laboratory Medicine
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.555-562
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• 2018

Background: The emerging mobile colistin resistance gene, mcr-1, is an ongoing worldwide concern and an evaluation of clinical isolates harboring this gene is required in Korea. We investigated mcr-1-possessing Enterobacteriaceae among Enterobacteriaceae strains isolated in Korea, and compared the genetic details of the plasmids with those in Escherichia coli isolates from livestock. Methods: Among 9,396 Enterobacteriaceae clinical isolates collected between 2010 and 2015, 1,347 (14.3%) strains were resistant to colistin and those were screened for mcr-1 by PCR. Colistin minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined by microdilution, and conjugal transfer of the mcr-1-harboring plasmids was assessed by direct mating. Whole genomes of three mcr-1-positive Enterobacteriaceae clinical isolates and 11 livestock-origin mcr-1-positive E. coli isolates were sequenced. Results: Two E. coli and one Enterobacter aerogenes clinical isolates carried carried IncI2 plasmids harboring mcr-1, which conferred colistin resistance (E. coli MIC, 4 mg/L; E. aerogenes MIC, 32 mg/L). The strains possessed the complete conjugal machinery except for E. aerogenes harboring a truncated prepilin peptidase. The E. coli plasmid transferred more efficiently to E. coli than to Klebsiella pneumoniae or Enterobacter cloacae recipients. Among the three bacterial hosts, the colistin MIC was the highest for E. coli owing to the higher mcr-1-plasmid copy number and mcr-1 expression levels. Ten mcr-1-positive chicken-origin E. coli strains also possessed mcr-1-harboring IncI2 plasmids closely related to that in the clinical E. aerogenes isolate, and the remaining one porcine-origin E. coli possessed an mcr-1-harboring IncX4 plasmid. Conclusions: mcr-1-harboring IncI2 plasmids were identified in clinical Enterobacteriaceae isolates. These plasmids were closely associated with those in chicken-origin E. coli strains in Korea, supporting the concept of mcr-1 dissemination between humans and livestock.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.89-94
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• 2022

Triclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial agent used in various human personal care products against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the presence of TCS-resistant bacteria in sewage water in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan, for the first time. TCS-supplemented Luria Bertani (LB) agar was used to isolate TCS-tolerant bacteria. A total of 17 TCS-resistant isolates were randomly selected from a large pool of bacteria that showed growth on TCS-supplemented LB agar. Based on gram staining and physiochemical characteristics, the isolated strains were identified as Salmonella typhi (n = 6), Escherichia coli (n = 4), Citrobacter freundii (n = 4), Proteus mirabilis (n = 1), Enterobacter cloacae (n = 1), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 1). The Triclosan mean minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for the isolates of Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli, Citrobacter freundii, Proteus mirabilis, Enterobacter cloacae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were 23.66 ㎍ ml^-1, 18.75 ㎍ ml^-1, 42 ㎍ ml^-1, 32 ㎍ ml^-1, 64 ㎍ ml^-1, and 128 ㎍ ml^-1, respectively. The antibiogram revealed that all isolates were resistant to penicillin G (100%) and linezolid (100%), followed by ampicillin (94%), tetracycline (76%), tazobactam (76%), sulbactam/cefoperazone (64%), polymyxin PB (58%), amikacin (29.41%), aztreonam (29.41%), imipenem (5%), and gentamicin (5%). This is the first known study regarding the isolation of TCS-tolerant bacteria from sewage water in Peshawar, KPK, Pakistan. It was concluded that all the TCS-resistant isolates were multidrug resistant (MDR) gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria, mostly belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 2013

Objectives : Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a cephalosporin and beta-lactam antibiotic-resistant strains. In most cases, that is spread from infected patients and infection rates are growing increasingly. Thus, accordingly, increased resistance to antibiotics is causing serious problems in the world. Therefore, there is a need to develop alternative antimicrobial drugs for the treatment of infections diseases. Methods : The antibacterial activities of Sinhyowoldosan were evaluated against 3 strains of Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) and 1 standard Methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) strain by using the disc diffusion method, minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) assay, colorimetric assay using MTT test, checkerboard dilution test and time-kill assay was performed under dark. Results : The MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) of Sinhyowoldosan water extract against S. aureus strains ranged from 500 to 2,000 ${\mu}g/mL$, so we have confirmed it on a strong antibacterial effect. Also, the combinations of Sinhyowoldosan water extract and conventional antibiotics exhibited improved inhibition of MRSA with synergy effect. We suggest that Sinhyowoldosan water extract against MRSA have antibacterial activity, it has potential as alternatives to antibiotic agent. the combination test was used, Triton X-100 (TX) and DCCD for measurement of membrane permeability and inhibitor of ATPase. As a result, antimicrobial activity of SH is affected by the cell membrane were assessed. Conclusion : We suggest that the Sinhyowoldosan water extract lead the treatment of bacterial infection to solve the resistance and remaining side-effect problems that are the major weak points of traditional antibiotics.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.87-95
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• 2017

Objectives : Infectious diseases by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are a growing problem worldwide. Characteristic of MRSA is endlessly mutation to resist antibiotics. Daehwanggo (DHG) is one of the oriental medicine prescriptions contained in Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine. Daehwanggo was mainly used for external preparation from old times. The purpose of this study is to confirm possibility as supplementary drug of DHG about antibiotics through observation of synergy effect between DHG and commercial antibiotics and to observe restriction on growth of MRSA on any pathway through observation of mechanism. Methods : The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of DHG against MRSA is $500{\sim}2000{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ by broth dilution method. In the checkerboard method, the combinations of DHG with antibiotics has partial synergistic effect or synergy effect and DHG markedly reduced the MICs of the antibiotics oxacillin (OX), gentamicin (GT) against MRSA. In the inhibition of resistance mechanism of DHG against MRSA, the expression of resistance gene and protein about ${\beta}-lactam$ antibiotic was reduced. Also, we observed the effect of DHG about cell membrane permeability against MRSA, and confirmed that DHG suppressed growth of strains by increasing cell membrane permeability. Results : Basis on the result, we speculate that DHG increase antibacterial activity of antibiotics against MRSA by changing the structure of cell wall of MRSA. Conclusions : These data suggest that Daehwanggo possesses possibility as supplementary drug about antibiotics against MRSA.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.69-87
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• 2003

Background : LB20304(gemifloxacin) is a new fluoroquinolone antibacterial agent with excellent activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms. In vitro studies using clinical isolates have shown gemifloxacin to be highly active against penicillin-resistant strains of S. pneumoniae and in contrast to other reference quinolones, gemifloxacin retained good activity against clinical isolates of S. pneumoniae that were resistant to other members of the quinolone class. Therefore, gemifloxacin is thought to be effective in treating acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis(AECB). The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral gemifloxacin at doses of 160mg or 320mg once daily for 7 days for the treatment of AECB in Korean adult population. Methods : This was a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, parallel group Phase II study to assess the clinical and antibacterial efficacy and safety of oral gemifloxacin for the treatment of AECB. Treatment Group A (67 patients) took oral gemifloxacin 160mg once daily for seven days and treatment Group B (70 patients) took oral gemifloxacin 320mg once daily for seven days. Results : The demographic profiles of the two treatment groups were similar. The clinical response at follow-up was 84.2% in the gemifloxacin 160-mg group, and 88.7% in the gemifloxacin-320 mg group, showing no statistically significant difference between two treatment groups(p=0.49). The clinical response at the end of therapy was 96.5% in the 160-mg group, and 96.4% in the 320-mg group. The bacteriological response at the end of therapy and follow-up were 81.8% and 78.9%, respectively, in the 160-mg group, and 86.4% and 84.2%, respectively, in the 320-mg group, showing no statistically significant difference between two treatment groups(p=0.68 and 0.68, respectively). S. pneumoniae(12 isolates) and H. influenzae(10 isolates) were the most prevalent pathogens. The MICs were lower for gemifloxacin than other quinolones against these key pathogens, and for S. pneumoniae, the MICs for gemifloxacin were considerably lower(${\leq}0.03$ ug/mL) than those for other quinolones, beta-lactams and macrolides. In the period on-therapy plus 30 days post-therapy, a total of 18 patients(26.9%) in the gemifloxacin 160mg group and 22 patients(31.4%) in the 320mg group reported at least one adverse event(AE). The most frequently reported AE was abdominal pain(3/67 patients, 4.5%) in the gemifloxacin 160mg group and increased level of hepatic enzyme(5/70 patients, 7.1%) in the 320mg group. The overall AE profiles for the two treatment groups were similar. Two out of 67 patients(3.0%) in the gemifloxacin 160mg group and 1/70 patients(1.4%) in the 320mg group reported at least one serious AE, however, none of which was considered by the investigator to be of suspected or probable relationship to study medication. Conclusion : The results of this study showed that gemifloxacin at doses of 160mg or 320mg once daily for 7 days in the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis(AECB) in adult Koreans was a very effective and safe treatment both clinically and bacteriologically.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.498-506
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• 2016

1, 2-Hexanediol galactoside (HD-gal) has been previously synthesized from 1, 2-hexanediol (HD), in which recombinant ${\beta}$-galactosidase (${\beta}$-gal) of Escherichia coli (E. coli) was used for transgalactosylation reaction. In this study, a method for HD-gal purification from the reaction mixture was particularly investigated. Using ${\beta}$-gal-containing E. coli, HD-gal was synthesized from 75 mM HD for 48 hr under 300 g/l lactose concentration. Then, HD-gal synthesis from HD was confirmed by TLC analysis, and the existence of E. coli ${\beta}$-gal during 48 hr-reaction was also confirmed by Western blotting, in which the conversion yield of HD to HD-gal reached about 94% during 48 hr. To establish an efficient method for HD-gal purification, we carried out the solvent extraction of the reaction mixture, followed by silica gel chromatography, particularly in order to remove the residual HD. Two water-immiscible solvents, such as methylene chloride and ethyl acetate, were investigated comparatively to find out appropriate solvent. Then, it was found that residual HD was almost removed when ethyl acetate extraction of water phase of reaction mixture was carried out four times. Subsequently, silica gel chromatography was carried out, and purified HD-gal could be finally obtained. The production yield for HD-gal from 75 mM HD was $8.9{\pm}0.6%$ (n=3) (mole basis) or $21.1{\pm}1.4%$ (n=3) (weight basis). For further study, using purified HD-gal, we will investigate the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of HD-gal against bacteria. In addition, cytotoxicity to human skin cells of HD-gal will be examined.