• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.437-443
• /
• 2016

Background: Previous phytochemical studies of whole Vernonia cinerea L. plants have identified sesquiterpene lactones, sterols, and triterpenes, which possess anticancer, antifeedant, and antimalarial activities. However, there are no reports of other types of bioactive metabolites. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify phenolic compounds with anti-inflammatory activity in the aerial parts of the plant. Methods and Results: Compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of V. cinerea using a silica and C-18 gel columns and semi-preparative HPLC instrument, and the structures of the compounds were determined using one- and two- dimension nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy. The chloroform soluble extracts and isolated compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory potential based on their ability to inhibit nitric oxide production and $TNF-{\alpha}$ induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity. Conclusions: Phytochemical study of the aerial parts of V. cinerea led to the isolation of six phenolic compounds. Compound 1 was a major metabolite, and to the best of our knowledge, compounds 2 - 6 were isolated from V.cinerea for the first time. Among the isolates, compounds 1 and 3 exhibited $TNF-{\alpha}$-induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity with $IC_{50}$ values of 7.5 and 11.5 M, respectively, and the inhibitory activity of phenyl propanoid compound 3 on $TNF-{\alpha}$-induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ was evaluated for the first time.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.214-220
• /
• 2004

The microcosm type wetland systems were constructed in order to treat wastewater contaminated with parathion. The microcosm reactor consisted of marsh and pond type. The experiment was carried out using batch (marsh or pond) and continuous (marsh-pond and pond-marsh type) systems. In the batch reactor, marsh-type wetland completely removed parathion in water within 8 days, while pond reactor removed 97% of parathion during the same period. During parathion degradation, the amount of 4-nitrophenol production, one of the metabolites from parathion degradation, was higher in marsh-type batch reactor. In the continuous systems, both marsh-pond and pond-marsh combination systems effectively removed parathion from water, and the production of 4-nitrophenol was also minimal. In the extraction experiment, the parathion and its metabolite were not found in the wetland soil and the plant. In order to achieve both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, the continuous wetland system combining marsh and pond type can be the alternative for the non-point source pollutants such as parathion pesticide.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.28 no.7
• /
• pp.816-822
• /
• 2005

Catharsius protease-2 (CPM-2) was isolated from the body of dung beetles, Catharsius molossus, using a three step purification process (ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-60, and affinity chromatography on DEAE Affi-Gel blue). The purified CPM-2, having a molecular weight of 24 kDa, was assessed homogeneously by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of CPM-2 was composed of X Val Gin Asp Phe Val Glu Glu lie Leu. CPM-2 was inactivated by $Cu^{2+}\;and\;Zn^{2+}$ and strongly inhibited by typical serine proteinase inhibitors such as TLCK, soybean trypsin inhibitor, aprotinin, benzamidine, and ${\alpha}_1$-antitrypsin. However, EDTA, EGTA, cysteine, $\beta$-mercaptoethanol, E64, and elastatinal had little effect on enzyme activity. In addition, antiplasmin and antithrombin III were not sensitive to CPM-2. Based on the results of a fibrinolytic activity test, CPM-2 readily cleaved $A{\alpha}-$ and $B{\beta}$-chains of fibrinogen and fibrin, and y-chain of fibrinogen more slowly. The nonspecific action of the enzyme resulted in extensive hydrolysis, releasing a variety of fibrinopeptides of fibrinogen and fibrin. Polyclonal antibodies of CPM-2 were reactive to the native form of antigen. The ELISA was applied to detect quantities, in nanograms, of the antigen in CPM-2 protein.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.51-59
• /
• 2008

Objectives : Buplueri Radix (BR), used medical plant in Korea traditional medicine, contains various compounds, including a series of triterpene saponins known as saikosaponins. We performed this study for the protective effect of BR against oxidative damage induced by 1,2,4-benzentriol(BT) in human lymphocytes. Methods : In order to investigate the protective effect of BR against carcinogens, genotoxicity induced by benzene metabolite, BT were performed using cytokinesis-block micronucleus(CBMN) assay and comet assay. Results : The frequency of micronucleus at 25, 50 and $100{\mu}M$ concentration of BT were $8{\pm}2.36$, $23{\pm}2.31$, $35{\pm}4.17$ respectively. In addition of BR with concentration of 25 and $50{\mu}g/mL$, MN frequencies were significantly decreased. According to comet assay, BT induced DNA damage in a dose-dependent manner at concentration of 10 and 50 while BT with BR treatment decreased DNA breakage. No genotoxicity was observed by BR($25{\sim}50{\mu}g/mL$) treatment alone on DNA breakage. Since BT can induce DNA damage through the generation of reactive oxygen species(ROS), we examined the level of ROS in human lymphocytes treated with BT and/or BR using DCF-DA, ROS-sensitive probe. The generation of ROS in BT-treated cells was also observed, and BR addition inhibited the level of BT-induced DNA damage. Conclusions : From above results it is suggested that BR could protect the cell and DNA from pro-oxidant effect by ROS by BT

• Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.112-116
• /
• 2007

Kinetin(KN) is an inducer of rice(Oryza sativa L.) defense/stress responses, as evidenced by the induction of inducible secondary metabolite and defense/stress protein markers in leaf. We show a novel light-dependent effect of KN-triggered defense stress responses in rice leaf. Leaf segments treated with KN(100 ${\mu}M$) show hypersensitive-like necrotic lesion formation only under continuous light illumination. Potent accumulation of two phytoalexins, sakuranetin and momilactone A(MoA) by KN that peaks at 48 h after treatment under continuous light is completely suppressed by incubation under continuous dark. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis we identified KN-induced changes in ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, energy- and pathogenesis-related proteins(OsPR class 5 and 10 members) by N-terminal amino acid sequencing and mass spectrometry. These changes were light-inducible and could not be observed in the dark(and control). Present results provide a new dimension(light modulation/regulation) to our finding that KN has a potential role in the rice plant self-defense mechanism.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.256-263
• /
• 2012

A strain of bacterium producing antifungal antibiotic was isolated and identification of the strain was attempted. We could identify the bacterium as being a Bacillus sp., based on morphological observation, physiological characteristics, and 16S rDNA sequence analysis, thus leading us to designate the strain as Bacillus sp. AH-E-1. The strain showed potent antibiotic activity against phytopathogenic and human pathogenic fungi by inducing mycelial distortion and swelling and inhibiting spore germination. The antibiotic metabolite produced by the strain demonstrated excellent thermal and pH (2-11) stability, but was labile to autoclaving. From these results, we could find a broader antifungal activity of Bacillus genus. Isolation and characterization of the active agent produced by the strain are under progress.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.45 no.6
• /
• pp.726-733
• /
• 2021

Background: Panax notoginseng is a highly valued medicinal herb used widely in China and many Asian countries. Its root and rhizome have long been used for the treatment of cardiovascular and hematological diseases. Imaging the spatial distributions and dynamics of metabolites in heterogeneous plant tissues is significant for characterizing the metabolic networks of Panax notoginseng, and this will also provide a highly informative approach to understand the complex molecular changes in the processing of Panax notoginseng. Methods: Here, a high-sensitive MALDI-MS imaging method was developed and adopted to visualize the spatial distributions and spatiotemporal changes of metabolites in different botanical parts of Panax notoginseng. Results: A wide spectrum of metabolites including notoginsenosides, ginsenosides, amino acids, dencichine, gluconic acid, and low-molecular-weight organic acids were imaged in Panax notoginseng rhizome and root tissues for the first time. Moreover, the spatiotemporal alterations of metabolites during the steaming of Panax notoginseng root were also characterized in this study. And, a series of metabolites such as dencichine, arginine and glutamine that changed with the steaming of Panax notoginseng were successfully screened out and imaged. Conclusion: These spatially-resolved metabolite data not only enhance our understanding of the Panax notoginseng metabolic networks, but also provide direct evidence that a serious of metabolic alterations occurred during the steaming of Panax notoginseng.

• Plant Breeding and Biotechnology
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.192-203
• /
• 2017

Metabolite profile is a powerful analytical technique to identify the functional characterization of plants. In this study, the phytochemicals and secondary metabolites of lentils (Lens culinaris) were analyzed to compare the anti-oxidative activities according to the different colors. The polar metabolites, fatty acids, carotenoids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, total phenolic acids, DPPH activity were analyzed. Three kind of lentils, French green whole lentil (FG), red whole lentil (LR), and green whole lentil (LG) (ASIA SEED Co., LTD), were used for this study. Fatty acids, phytochemicals, and antioxidative components from each lentil varieties were analyzed by official methods. The contents of lutein in carotenoids were 6-9 times higher than zeaxanthin in all lentils, but were not significantly different among three varieties. The content of carotenoids in FG was lower significantly than those in the LR and LG. Myricetin and luteolin were detected in the only FG. Kaempferol and delphinidin were significantly highest in the FG. Most of the phenolic acids except coumarate were higher in FG and LG than in LR. Also antioxidant effects ($EC_{50}$) were higher in FG and LG than in LR. The analyzed metabolites obtained from lentils showed distinct separation in the PCA results according to the varieties. Also, lentils showed different anti-oxidant profiles according to the colors. FG and LG showing higher contents of phytochemicals showed higher antioxidative activity than LG containing relative low contents of phytochemicals.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.31 no.12
• /
• pp.1624-1631
• /
• 2021

Prodigiosin as a high-valued compound, which is a microbial secondary metabolite, has the potential for antioxidant and anticancer effects. However, the large-scale production of functionally active Hahella chejuensis-derived prodigiosin by fermentation in a cost-effective manner has yet to be achieved. In the present study, we established carbon source-optimized medium conditions, as well as a procedure for producing prodigiosin by fermentation by culturing H. chejuensis using 10 L and 200 L bioreactors. Our results showed that prodigiosin productivity using 250 ml flasks was higher in the presence of glucose than other carbon sources, including mannose, sucrose, galactose, and fructose, and could be scaled up to 10 L and 200 L batches. Productivity in the glucose (2.5 g/l) culture while maintaining the medium at pH 6.89 during 10 days of cultivation in the 200 L bioreactor was measured and increased more than productivity in the basal culture medium in the absence of glucose. Prodigiosin production from 10 L and 200 L fermentation cultures of H. chejuensis was confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analyses for more accurate identification. Finally, the anticancer activity of crude extracted prodigiosin against human cancerous leukemia THP-1 cells was evaluated and confirmed at various concentrations. Conclusively, we demonstrate that culture conditions for H. chejuensis using a bioreactor with various parameters and ethanol-based extraction procedures were optimized to mass-produce the marine bacterium-derived high purity prodigiosin associated with anti-cancer activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.806-822
• /
• 2023

In the current study we assessed a new crystallized compound, 5-(1-hydroxybutyl)-4-methoxy-3-methyl-2H-pyran-2-one (C-HMMP), from the endophytic fungus Colletotrichum acutatum residing in the medicinal plant Angelica sinensis for its in vitro antimicrobial, antibiofilm, antioxidant, antimalarial, and anti-proliferative properties. The promising compound was identified as C-HMMP through antimicrobial-guided fraction. The structure of C-HMMP was unambiguously confirmed by 2D NMR and HIRS spectroscopic analysis. Antimicrobial property testing of C-HMMP showed it to be effective against a variety of pathogenic bacteria and fungi with MICs ranging from 3.9 to 31.25 ㎍/ml. The compound displayed excellent antibiofilm activity against C. albicans, S. aureus, and K. pneumonia. Furthermore, the antimalarial and radical scavenging activities of C-HMMP were clearly dosedependent, with IC50 values of 0.15 and 131.2 ㎍/ml. The anti-proliferative activity of C-HMMP against the HepG-2, HeLa, and MCF-7 cell lines in vitro was investigated by MTT assay, revealing notable anti-proliferative activity with IC50 values of 114.1, 90, and 133.6 ㎍/ml, respectively. Moreover, CHMMP successfully targets topoisomerase I and demonstrated beneficial anti-mutagenicity in the Ames test against the reactive carcinogenic mutagen, 2-aminofluorene (2-AF). Finally, the compound inhibited the activity of α-glucosidase and α-amylase with IC50 values of 144.7 and 118.6 ㎍/ml, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, the identified compound C-HMMP was obtained for the first time from C. acutatum of A. sinensis, and this study demonstrated that C-HMMP has relevant biological significance and could provide better therapeutic targets against disease.