• Molecules and Cells
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.235-240
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• 2005

Extracts of pine needles (Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc.) have diverse physiological and pharmacological actions. In this study we show that pine needle extract alters pacemaker currents in interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) by modulating ATP-sensitive $K^+$ channels and that this effect is mediated by prostaglandins. In whole cell patches at $30^{\circ}C$, ICC generated spontaneous pacemaker potentials in the current clamp mode (I = 0), and inward currents (pacemaker currents) in the voltage clamp mode at a holding potential of -70 mV. Pine needle extract hyperpolarized the membrane potential, and in voltage clamp mode decreased both the frequency and amplitude of the pacemaker currents, and increased the resting currents in the outward direction. It also inhibited the pacemaker currents in a dose-dependent manner. Because the effects of pine needle extract on pacemaker currents were the same as those of pinacidil (an ATP-sensitive $K^+$ channel opener) we tested the effect of glibenclamide (an ATP-sensitive $K^+$ channels blocker) on ICC exposed to pine needle extract. The effects of pine needle extract on pacemaker currents were blocked by glibenclamide. To see whether production of prostaglandins (PGs) is involved in the inhibitory effect of pine needle extract on pacemaker currents, we tested the effects of naproxen, a non-selective cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and COX-2) inhibitor, and AH6809, a prostaglandin EP1 and EP2 receptor antagonist. Naproxen and AH6809 blocked the inhibitory effects of pine needle extract on ICC. These results indicate that pine needle extract inhibits the pacemaker currents of ICC by activating ATP-sensitive $K^+$ channels via the production of PGs.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.153-158
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• 2023

Pinus species are native to the Northern Hemisphere and some parts of the tropics to temperate regions in the Southern Hemisphere. They were used as food and medicine in prehistoric times. Massonianoside B is a compound found in pine trees and possesses antioxidant activity. In order to determine the presence and content of this compound in Pinus species, three different parts (needles, branches, and bark) of three Pinus species were extracted and investigated. High-performance liquid chromatography with a gradient elution system along with a reverse-phase INNO column with photodiode array detector was employed. Results showed that the branches of the three Pinus species had higher massonianoside B content (5.502 to 9.751 mg/g DW) than either the needles or bark. Furthermore, among the three species, P. rigida × P. taeda had the highest concentration of total massonianoside B (11.557 mg/g DW). These findings thus provide evidence of biological activity in Pinus species and establish a foundation for further research.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.77-81
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• 2017

The results from our investigation showed differences in pine needle damage by Thecodiplosis japonensis Uchida et Inouye and indicate serious environmental pollution caused by a petrochemical industrial complex. The gall formation rate by T. japonensis near the industrial complex was 47.94% compared to 9.94% in the site farthest from the complex. The average length of pine needles damaged by T. japonensis near the industrial complex and farthest site were 4.5 cm and 4.9 cm, respectively. The average number of larvae in pine needle galls near the industrial complex and farthest site were 3.4 and 2.4, respectively. The average body length and width of fullgrown larvae near the industrial complex were 2.40 mm and 0.7 mm, respectively, whereas larvae in the site farthest from the complex were 2.45 mm in length and 0.71 mm in width.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.94-99
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• 2004

Effects on the physiological functionality, such as tyrosinase, xanthine oxidase, angiotensin converting enzyme and Nitrite scavenging ability were also observed by pine needle fermentation extract(PFE) and the difference in the consistency of pine needle ethanol extracts(PE 80, PE 50) was found. In the inhibition effect on tyrosinase, PFE showed 5-38％ higher than that of PE 80 and PE 50. In the inhibition on XOase, PFE, PE 80 and PE 50 showed 62.77％, 64.90％, 55.9％ respectively. In the inhibition effect on ACE, PFE, PE SO and PE 50 showed 78.02％, 69.82％ and 21.75％ respectively. Among these, PFE showed the highest ACE inhibition effect. In the inhibition effect on nitrite scavenging ability, the pine needle extracts showed a high effect in pH 3.0. As the result of the research using HPLC for the organic acid, all the samples(PFE, PE 80, PE 50) showed higher contents of the ascorbic acid concerned with the effect of the antioxidative. PFE showed the highest contents of the ascorbic acid.

• 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 Life Science
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.508-513
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• 2009

Pine needles have long been used as a traditional health-promoting medicinal food in Korea. To investigate the effects of pine (pinus densiflora) needle extracts on blood flow and serum lipid improvement were assessed in vivo. 8 week-old Sprague Dawley strain rats were divided into four groups of seven rats each; CON, 0.5% CHOL, HOT water and Sub-supercritical group. Serum total cholesterol and triglyceride contents were lower in the CON group than the 0.5% CHOL group. Three weeks of feeding hot water and sub-supercritical extract resulted in a decrease in serum triglyceride and total cholesterol level. The level of HDL-cholesterol in the 0.5% CHOL group was significantly (p<0.05) reduced compared to the CON group, but it had a tendency to increase with pine needle extract supplementation. Blood passage time of the pine needle extracts supplemented group was higher than the 0.5% CHOL group. Microscopic observation showed that whole blood passed smoothly through the micro channels in pine needle extracts supplemented groups. The platelet aggregation ability of the groups treated with pine needle extracts was less than that of the 0.5% CHOL group. All these results suggest that pine needle extracts might improve blood homeostasis mediated via antiplatelet activities.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.446-453
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• 2014

To develop health functional gluten-free rice madeleines added with pine needle, rice flours were prepared by adding different contents (0.6, 1.2, and 1.8% on rice flour basis) of freeze-dried pine needle powder (PP) and extract (PE, by pressing pine needles). The preparation, textural and sensory properties, and antioxidative activities of rice madeleines were investigated. The antioxidative activities of rice madeleines added with PP and PE were higher than those of the control and were significantly different from each other. The specific volume of rice madeleines added with PE was higher than that added with PP. Lightness and yellowness decreased with increasing PP or PE content, whereas redness showed the reverse trend. Textural properties were also significantly different according to pine needle type and content. Hardness values of rice madeleines added with 1.2 and 1.8% PP or 1.2% PE were reduced compared to that of control. Hardness values increased while other textural properties decreased during storage. In the sensory test, color, flavor, and taste scores increased with increasing PP or PE contents, whereas flavor and overall quality scores were highest in rice madeleine added with 1.2% PP. Based on these results, pine needle powder addition improved antioxidative activities and overall quality.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.373-379
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• 2005

The volatile components of Pinus densiflora needles were studied by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS), using seven kinds of solid phase microextraction (SPME) fibers, seven in SPME fibers: 100 ${\mu}m$ PDMS, 65 ${\mu}m$ PDMS/DVB, 65 ${\mu}m$ SF-PDMS/DVB, 85 ${\mu}m$ PA, 75 ${\mu}m$ CAR/PDMS, 65 ${\mu}m$ CW/DVB and 50/30 ${\mu}m$ DVB/CAR/PDMS fibers. A total of 40 components were identified by using the seven different SPME fibers. The identified components were classified, according to their functionalities, as follows: 26 hydro-carbons, 7 alcohols, 4 carbonyl compounds, and 3 esters. The major volatile components of Pinus densiflora needles identified by these SPME fibers were $\alpha$-pinene ($1.7\~21.7\;{\mu}g/g$), $\beta$-myrcene ($2.0\~20.1\;{\mu}g/g$), $\beta$-phel-landrene ($4.6\~22.8\;{\mu}g/g$), $\beta$-caryophyllene ($6.7\~26.0\;{\mu}g/g$) germacrene D ($1.1\~11.9\;{\mu}g/g$). In the comparison of the seven SPME fibers, PDMS appeared to be the most suitable fiber for the analysis of hydrocarbon compounds and CAR/DPMS, PDMS/DVB, CW/VB and DVB/CAR/PDMS are shown to be optimal for analysis of the alcohols and carbonyl compounds.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.89 no.5
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• pp.630-633
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• 2000

The damage by the black-tipped sawfly, Acantholyda posticalis posticalis, has been increasing all over the area of Korean pine(Pinus koraiensis)stands in Korean peninsula. This study was conducted to provide basic information for the management and control of this pest by investigating the feeding quantity of pine needles during the larval stage. The results were summarized as follows : The total needles damaged in the larval stage of the black-tipped sawfly were 9,584mm in length on an average and those of female and male were 11,774mm and 7,394mm, respectively. The total length ingested actually was 7,797mm and it was equivalent to 81.4% of the total length damaged. Early larval stage showed a little feeding and it was equivalent to 17% of total quantity. On the contrary, the feeding quantity in late larval stages of fourth and fifth instars amounted to 83%. The number of the frass excreted per larva was about 1,160, and the difference between male and female was not showed, whereas it showed remarkable difference among larval instars.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.216-221
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• 2001

Dieback of pine branches or twigs with brown needles occurs most commonly on Pinus species after severe winter in Korea. In this study, Cenangium ferruginosum was isolated from infected stems, branches, and twigs of Pinus koraiensis (C1), P. densiflora (C2), and P. thunbergii (C3). Morphological and cultural characteristics of the isolates were than compared. There were no significant differences in the morphological characteristics of conidia and ascospores produced by the three isolates. However, cultural differences were observed among the isolates. Optimum temperatures for mycelial growth of C1, C2, and C3 were 15, 20, and $20^{\circ}$, respectively. C1 produced a few conidia and no ascospores, while C2 and C3 produced abundant ascospores and conidia. While optimum temperatures for mycelial growth ranged from 15 to $20^{\circ}$, mycelial growth was also relatively good at lower temperatures of 5-$10^{\circ}$. Conidiomata and conidia were produced on MSA (malt extract soya peptone agar) after 25-30 days of incubation in the dark at $15^{\circ}$. Apothecia were produced by altering culture condition from 15 to $20^{\circ}$, and incubating for 35-60 more days. Optimum temperature for ascospore and conidium germination was $20^{\circ}$. RAPD analysis revealed that there was high similarity of 0.78 between C2 and C3, and low similarity of 0.31 between C2 or C3 and C1.