• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.290-296
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• 2013

In preliminary tests, we examined the effect of several fractions isolated from fermented pine needle extract on pacemaker potentials in cultured interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) from the mouse colon using a whole cell patch clamp technique. Among these fractions, Fraction 3 (F3) elicited the most powerful depolarization of membrane. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of F3 obtained from fermented extract of Pinus densiflora needle on pacemaker potentials in ICCs and to establish its mechanism of action. Colonic ICCs generated spontaneous periodic pacemaker potentials in the current-clamp mode. F3 depolarized the membrane and decreased the frequency and amplitude of pacemaker potentials in a dose-dependent fashion. The F3-induced effects on pacemaker potentials were blocked by methoctramine, a muscarinic $M_2$ receptor antagonist, and by glycopyrrolate, a muscarinic $M_3$ receptor antagonist. The F3-induced effects on pacemaker potentials were blocked by external $Na^+$-free solution and by flufenamic acid, a non-selective cation channel blocker, as well as by the removal of external $Ca^{2+}$ and in the presence of thapsigargin, a $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase inhibitor in the endoplasmic reticulum. Taken together, these results suggest that F3 of pine needle extract modulates the pacemaker activity of colonic ICCs by the activation of non-selective cation channels via muscarinic $M_2$ and $M_3$ receptors. And external $Ca^{2+}$ influx and intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release are involved in F3 actions on ICCs.

• Journal of Korea Foresty Energy
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.7-15
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• 2002

The essential oil free needles, which were left after distillation of essential oil from various coniferous needles, were fermented with food waste organics in order to use as compost and roughage. Microorganisms for the fermentation were selected from domestic sources such as swine compost, bark compost, and kimchi, etc, and consisted of aerothermophilic bacteria and actinomycetes. The weight reduction ratio of food waste organics treated with the microorganisms was 90% after 30 days treatment, and the fermentation temperature was kept at approximately $45^{\circ}C$. The compost process was really slow due to chemical compounds derived from needles, and it finally took 60 days for complete compost. When 10% of needle compost was mixed with soil for radish growth, the growth indicators such as leaf length and root weight were increased compared with control, while root weight, root width, and root length were inhibited on the addition of 20% needle compost. The nutrient value and digestibility ratio of various essential oil free needles as roughage for ruminant animals were evaluated. The ratio of crude protein for essential oil free needles from Korean pine(Pinus koraiensis) was 10.02%, which was higher than those of rice straw(5.48%) and corn(9.00%). The digestibility ratios of essential oil free needles from Sawara cypress(Chamaecwaris pislfera), Korean pine(Pinus koraiensis), and Japanese Red Pine(Pinus densiflora) was 53%, 34%, 34%, respectively, indicating that those essential oil free needles were considered as excellent roughage.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.65 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 1984

Susceptible trees of Pinus densiflora and resistant trees of Pinus rigida following pine gall midge (Tnecodiplosis japonensis Uchida et Inouye) attack were seasonally compared to examine the variation in needle growth and photosynthetic ability, respiration rate, chlorophyll contents, carotenoid and anthocyanin contents. Also, carotenoid and anthocyanin contents of larvae both from soil and from galled tissue were compared during March and September, respectively. The plantation damaged severely by this insect consisted mostly of 10-to 15-year old P. rigida and P. densiflora. The results obtained in this study were as follows: 1) The length of the infested needles of P. densiflora decreased by 48.1 percent compared with the normal needles, while that of P. rigida did 37.4 percent. 2) All of P. densiflora and P. rigida showed higher photosynthetic ability in normal needles than in infested needles. The maximum photosynthetic ability of P. densiflora was shown in mid-August, while that of P. rigida in mid-October. In contrast to that, respiration rate of infested needles was higher than that of normal needles in both species. The respiration rate of P. rigida was higher than that of P. densiflora. 3) P. rigida had higher total chlorophyll contents than P. densiflora. The total carotenoid contents tents in infested needles were higher than those in normal needles of both species. 4) Total carotenoid contents were generally higher in P. rigida than in P. densiflora during the growing season. The total carotenoid content (0.094mg/g) in larvae from soil was similar to that (0.092mg/g) in larvae from galled tissues. 5) Infested needles of both species showed higher anthocyanin contents than normal needles. Higher anthocyanin contents in galled needles were due primarily to its active formation stimulated by larval attack. Thus, reddish-brown coloration occurred only in galled needles of P. densiflora.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.215-222
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• 2011

We evaluated the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) status of litterfall in a natural red pine (Pinus densiflora) stand damaged by pine wilt disease in Jinju City, which was one of the areas severely affected by the disease in Korea. A significant correlation (P < 0.05) was found between tree density and basal area and the C and N status of litterfall components, but C and N status was not correlated with mean diameter at breast height in the pine wilt disease stands. Needle-litter C and N concentrations were linearly related (P < 0.05) to basal area in pine wilt disease stands. Needle-litter C concentration decreased with a decrease in damage intensity due to pine wilt disease, whereas litter N concentration increased with an increase of basal area in pine wilt disease stands. The linear regression equations developed for litterfall C and N inputs were significant (P < 0.05), with basal area accounting for 50-86% of the variation, except for cone and flower litter. The results indicated that the incidence of pine wilt disease could impact the quality and quantity of C and N in litterfall of pine stands suffering from pine wilt disease.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.110 no.4
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• pp.569-576
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• 2021

This study developed an estimation model for litterfall input using the stand parameters (basal area, stand density, mean DBH, and carbon stocks of the aboveground tree biomass) collected from the Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora S. et Z.) stands of seven regions in Gyeongsangnam-do. The mean annual litterfall was 2,779 kg ha^-1 year^-1 for needles, 883 kg ha^-1 year^-1 for miscellaneous, 611 kg ha^-1 year^-1 for broadleaved, 513 kg ha^-1 year^-1 for branches, and 340 kg ha^-1 year^-1 for bark litter. The mean annual total litterfall was 5,051 kg ha^-1 year^-1. Litterfall components were significantly correlated with stand parameters, except for broadleaved litter. A stronger correlation was observed between the carbon stock of the aboveground tree biomass and all the litterfall components compared with the other stand variables. The allometric equations for all the litterfall components were significant (P < 0.05), with the stand parameters accounting for 5%-43% and 8%-42% of the variation in the needle litter and total litterfall, respectively. The results indicated that the annual litterfall inputs of the Korean red pine stands on a regional scale can be effectively estimated by allometric equations using the basal area and carbon stocks of the aboveground tree biomass.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.137-143
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• 2021

Most cervical cancers are associated with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Currently, cervical cancer treatment entails surgical removal of the lesion, but treatment of infection and preventing tissue damage are issues that still remain to be addressed. Herbal medicine and biological studies have focused on developing antiviral drugs from natural sources. In this study, we analyzed the potential antiviral effects of Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc. leaf extracts against HPV. The pine needle extracts from each organic solvent were analyzed for antiviral activity. The methylene chloride fraction (PN-MC) showed the highest activity against HPV pseudovirus (PV). The PN-MC extract was more effective before, rather than after treatment, and therefore represents a prophylactic intervention. Mice were pre-treated with PN-MC via genital application or oral administration, followed by a genital or subcutaneous challenge with HPV PV, respectively. The HPV challenge results showed that mice treated via genital application exhibited complete protection against HPV. In conclusion, PN-MC represents a potential topical virucide for HPV infection.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.607-613
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• 2010

Osteoporosis is a disease involving a decrease in bone mineral density and an increased risk of fractures. The MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblastic cell line is a well-accepted model of osteogenesis in vitro. Pine needles have long been used as a traditional health-promoting medicinal food in Korea. In this study, MTT assay, the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and collagen synthesis of osteoblast cells were investigated to determine the effects of pine needle extracts on cell proliferation and differentiation. Pine needle extracts were prepared using hexane, ethanol and water. The effects of the pine needle extracts were examined by comparing the results with those of commercial agents, such as proanthocyanidin. The MC3T3-E1 cells exposed to proanthocyanidin showed increased proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. The cells exposed to the hexane extract showed a similar increase in proliferation to that observed with proanthocyanidin. The hexane extract showed the highest ALP activity. Moreover, a supplement of pine needle extracts induced collagen synthesis in MC3T3-E1 cells. The pine needle extract produced the highest level of collagen synthesis at concentrations of $10{\sim}50\;{\mu}g/ml$. These results indicate that pine needle extracts have an anabolic effect on bone by promoting osteoblastic differentiation, and may be used in the treatment of common metabolic bone diseases.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.525-530
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• 2011

Pine needles have long been used as a traditional health-promoting medicinal food in Korea. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of pine needle extracts on the antioxidant activity, and proliferation of osteoclastic RAW 264.7 cells. Pine needle extracts were examined using hot water, ethanol, hexane, hot water-ethanol, and hot water-hexane. The effects of the pine needle extracts were examined by comparing the results with that of a commercial agents, proanthocyanidin. Analysis of each extract indicated that hot water-ethanol and ethanol extracts contained the highest total polyphenol concentrations. The hot water-ethanol and ethanol extracts also showed relatively the highest SOD-like activity. The proliferation of osteoclastic RAW 264.7 cells treated with pine needle extracts was decreased by lower than 70%. In addition, the hot water and ethanol extracts of pine needle significantly reduced the number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive ($TRAP^+$) multinucleated cells from osteoclatic RAW 264.7 cells. These results indicate that pine needle extracts had an anabolic effect on bone through the promotion of osteoclast differentiation, suggesting that they could be used for the treatment of common metabolic bone diseases.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.65 no.1
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• pp.48-53
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• 1984

Using the Duff and Noland's method, the annual ring growth patterns of the red pine in the natural stands were examined at two locations; Seocheon, Chungnam-do where the stand had been infested with the pine needle gall midge, Thecodiplosis japonensis, during the years from 1975 to 1978, and Hongsong, Chungnam-do where had been no incidence of the insect damage. The results obtained are as follows: 1) With the normal red pine of 13 year old, the growth pattern in the oblique sequence indicates that the annual growth rates are maximum at the few terminal internodes, and decrease gradually with the downward internodes. Such characteristic of the growth pattern is not clear in the horizontal sequence of annual rings. 2) The indications of the radial growth reduction of the pine tree due to the pine gall midge infestation could be examined with any of three series at the crown level internodes; horizontal, vertical and oblique series. For the basal internodes, however, the horizontal series appeared to be inadequate for the analysis of the damage impact because it seemed to be masked by various factors other than direct effects of the damage. 3) Of the three ways of radial growth analyses, oblique sequence seems to be the most usefull, especially for the detection of the impact on growth caused by incipient or light infestation.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2010

Flavonoids are known to be effective scavengers of free radicals. In particular, proanthocyanidins are flavonoids that possess cardiovascular protection, antioxidative activities, and immunomodulatory activities. Here, we evaluated proanthocyanidin contents in the total polyphenolic compounds of pine needle extracts prepared by hot water, ethanol, hexane, hot water-hexane (HWH), and hot water-ethanol (HWE). Analysis of each extract indicated that the ethanol extract contained the highest proanthocyanidin concentration. The HWH and hexane extracts also contained relatively high concentrations of proanthocyanidin. On the other hand, proanthocyanidin content analyses out of the total polyphenolic compounds indicated that the HWH extract contained the highest content. These results suggest that HWH extraction is a suitable method to obtain an extract with a high level of pure proanthocyanidins and a relatively high yield. The HWH extract possessed superior activity in diverse antioxidative analyses such as 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferrous ion chelating (FIC), and ferric-ion reducing power (FRAP) assays. In addition, upon assessing the effects of the pine needle extracts on macrophages (Raw 264.7 cell), the HWH extract exhibited the highest activity. In this study, we discerned an efficient extraction method to achieve relatively pure proanthocyanidins from pine needles and evaluated the biological functions of the resulting extract, which could potentially be used for its efficacious components in functional food products.