• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1006-1011
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• 2014

Ginseng has been known to be highly effective for health as a traditional medicinal herb. Ginseng berry, or fruit of ginseng, contains ginsenoside, saponin, polyphenol, polyacetylene, alkaloid, etc. as the main compounds as does ginseng. The aim of this study is to evaluate any effect of ginseng berry water extract (GBE) on diabetic-associated molecules, such as enzymes, which are responsible for the glucose entry of the cells and the insulin receptor signaling molecules using HepG2 cells. Therefore, two enzymes, ${\alpha}$-amylase and ${\alpha}$-glucosidase, were selected and assayed for their activities in the presence of GBE in vitro. These two enzymes are responsible for producing glucose from dietary starch. Protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) and Akt1 are key proteins in the insulin receptor signaling pathway. These two intracellular signaling molecules were investigated for their expression levels in HepG2 cells after insulin and GBE treatment. GBE, at concentrations up to $1,000{\mu}g/ml$, did not exert any inhibitory effect on ${\alpha}$-amylase and ${\alpha}$-glucosidase. It was observed that the expression level of PTP1B was increased by insulin and the $25{\mu}g/ml$ GBE treatment enhanced the PTP1B level. However, GBE at a concentration of $200{\mu}g/ml$ reduced the expression level of PTP1B. In the case of Akt1, the Akt1 level by insulin was decreased by GBE treatment. These data suggest that the water extracts of ginseng berry have an influence on intracellular signaling by insulin.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.246-255
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• 2007

Mutans streptococci have been implicated as cariogenic bacteria in dental caries because they can produce high levels of dental caries-causing lactic acid and extracellular polysaccharide. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize the mutans streptococci from the dental plaque obtained from Koreans. The dental plaque samples were collected from the anterior and molar teeth of both jaws in 155 subjects (aged 2 to 33.2 years, average age $13.7{\pm}4.7\;years$). The samples were diluted by 100-fold in $1{\times}\;PBS$ and plated on mitis-salivarius bacitracin (MSB) agar plates. The mutans streptococci grown on MSB plates were screened by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) targeting dextranase gene (dex). The mutans streptococci were identified at the species level using a 16S rDNA sequencing comparison method. The biochemical tests were carried out to biotype the mutans streptococci. Ninety-five strains of the mutans streptococci out of 358 colonies, which were derived from 141 subjects, were isolated. Of them, 77 strains and 18 strains were Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus, respectively. The biotyping data showed that 62, 1, 20, 10, and 2 strains were biotypes I, II, IV, V and variant, respectively. Of the two strains of variant biotype, one strains was similar to biotype IV except that it was positive to the arginine hydrolysis test. We considered this one strain a new biotype, and classified it as biotype VII. In conclusion, S. mutans and its biotype I was most frequently isolated in Korean dental plaque. The mutans streptococci strains isolated in this study might be useful for the study of the pathogenesis and the prevention of dental caries.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.124-134
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• 2006

Statement of problem: Streptococcus produces energy and forms extracellular polysaccharides by metabolizing sucrose. Insoluble glucan, a kind of extracellular polysaccharide, is the important material of dental plaque. Fructose affects the metabolism of sucrose. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of fructose on the metabolism of sucrose in Streptococcus mutans. Materials and methods: To determine the effect of fructose on the formation of artificial plaque by Streptococcus mutans Ingbritt, S. mutans and fructose were placed in beakers containing M17 broth and sucrose. The wires were hung on frameworks inserted into cork stoppers, and then immersed in each of the beakers. After the incubation with gentle shaking, each wire was weighed. To analyze the effect of fructose on the sucrose metabolism by S. mutans or glucosyltransferase, S. mutans and fructose were placed in M17 broth containing sucrose. After the incubation. the remaining sucrose and polymers were analysed by thin layer chromatography. Results: The following results were obtained; 1. When Streptococcus mutans was cultured in the media containing 3% sucrose for 8 hours, the mean weight of formed artificial plaque on the wires was $124.3{\pm}3.0mg$, whereas being reduced to $20.7{\pm}10.2mg$ in the media added with 3% sucrose and 4% fructose(p<0.05) 2. When the control containing glucose was added with sucrose, the optical density of Streptococcus mutans solution cultured for 24 hours was not increased compared with the control, while being increased by adding with fructose. 3. When Streptococcus mutans was incubated in the media added with sucrose and fructose for 8 hours, the number of viable cells was increased compared with the media added with sucrose. 4. The amount of remained sucrose was increased in Streptococcus mutans culture supernatant of media added with sucrose and fructose than with sucrose only. but the amount of produced insoluble glucan was decreased. 5. The amounts of remained sucrose and produced soluble glucan were increased in the culture of glucosyltransferase-contained media added with sucrose and fructose than with sucrose only, but the amount of produced insoluble glucan was decreased . Conclusion: These results indicated that the sucrose metabolism and the production of insoluble glucan were inhibited in Streptococcus mutans by adding fructose in the media containing sucrose.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.215-220
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• 2006

Response surface methodology was implemented to determine an optimal extraction condition in Phellinus linteus water extract. Extraction was performed on 10 experimental conditions including independent variables such as extraction time $(1{\sim}5\;hrs)$ and water volume over sample (sample : $H_2O$ = 1 : $40{\sim}200$, W/V), color browning, reducing and total sugar, that were based on the significant levels of 10% of central composition design. Color browning, reducing and total sugar contents were found to be more affected when the water volume was increased rather than extraction time. Maximum extraction condition was acquired at extraction time of $3.0{\sim}4.5\;hrs$ and water volume of $40{\sim}58.2\;ml$. Being extracted at the optimal extraction condition two of the free sugars, sucrose (0.126%) and glucose (0.012%), were detected. Total content of the free amino acids was found to be $503.26\;{\mu}g%$. Among them, essential amino acid contents were revealed as 5.4%. One major peak from gel permeation chromatography contained polysaccharide(s) with the molecular weights of 10 KDa.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.83-91
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• 2009

$\beta$-glucan is a fiber-type complex sugar (polysaccharide) derived from the cell wall of baker's yeast, oat and barley fiber, and many medicinal mushrooms, such as maitake. The primary uses of $\beta$-glucan are to enhance the immune system, to lower blood cholesterol levels and to treat tumor. $\beta$-glucan has no systemic toxicity in mice, therefore it needed clinical trail to prove efficacy and safety for human. The subjects total 56 healty volunteers were divided into two groups including taken $\beta$-glucan tablet group and placebo group. Subjects were taken two tablets per oral for 4 weeks. They had agreed to take part in this experiment, and didn't take any other clinical trail products. After 4 weeks blood of subjects were checked. The check list are TNF-$\alpha$, INF-$\gamma$, IL-2, IL-4, total WBC, differential WBC, RBC, hemoglobin, platelet, MCV, MCH, MCHC, HCT, Na, K, Ca, Cl, AST, ALT, ALP, $\gamma$-GTP, total protein, triglyceride, total cholesterol, total bilirubin, albumin, uric acid, creatinine, BUN, pH, protein, glucose, ketone body, blood, bilirubin. We evaluated efficacy by cytokines that compare before and after taking. Collected data were analyzed as two sample t-test, chi-square test and ANOVA using SAS V.9.1.This study results are that in TNF-$\alpha$ of $1^{st}$ efficacy measurement item, all of two groups figure were increased significantly compare to before figure. In IL4 of $2^{nd}$ efficacy measurement item, experimental group figure were decreased significantly but placebo group figure were increased. The conclusions show that based on the above results, $\beta$-glucan has favorable effect to enhance immune system, especially IL4 results showed that it has effect to improve the allergic immune system.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.566-577
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• 2009

The modification of wood color occurs rapidly during the service period at indoor. It is crucial to investigate the characteristics of color change, chemical and microscopical modification of wood at indoor. Wood products made of Japanese cedar at different years were used for this work. The tests were performed in order to evaluate the degree of color change of wood surface, breakpoint of brightness from surface to inside of wood, chemical analysis with FT-IR, and microscopical characteristics using the LM and TEM. Surface color of cedar wood stored indoor were rapidly changed at early stage, particularly ${\Delta}a$ (yellow), and ${\Delta}b$ (red) values were steeply decreased for one year old indoor wood, ${\Delta}L$ (white) value was dropped until 5 years old indoor wood compared with control sample. Decrease of peaks related to polysaccharide and lignin was noticed, especially, lignin was severely degraded. Although degradation of cell wall limited only to surface layers of indoor wood, degradation pattern of indoor wood showed similar degradation pattern to natural weathering of wood during outdoor weathering or wood behavior under artificial UV irradiation.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.289-294
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• 2015

Fucoidan which is sulfated polysaccharide extracted from brown seaweed has a wide variety of internal biological activities. The objectives of this study were to examine the effect of fucoidan on nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated porcine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and to investigate whether this effect is involved in the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and the activation of activator portein-1 (AP-1). The levels of NO production and AP-1 activity in the culture supernatants from porcine PBMCs were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the levels of iNOS and AP-1 mRNA were determined by real time polymerase chain reaction. Fucoidan in LPS-naïve PBMCs has no effects on the production of NO and activity of AP-1. Expressions of iNOS and AP-1 mRNA in LPS-naïve PBMCs were also not affected by treatment of fucoidan. However, NO production, AP-1 activity and expressions of iNOS and AP-1 mRNA were dramatically increased in PBMCs stimulated with LPS. Enhancing effects of NO production and AP-1 activity in PBMCs induced by LPS were reduced by addition of fucoidan. Fucoidan also inhibited an increase in expressions of iNOS and AP-1 mRNA in LPS-stimulated PBMCs. These results suggested that fucoidan exerts anti-inflammatory effect by down-regulating production of NO via suppressing expression of iNOS and activity of AP-1 in LPS-stimulated porcine PBMCs.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.271-280
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• 2018

Background: Astragalus membranaceus is a well known oriental medicinal herb. The polysaccharides of the aboveground parts (AMA) and the radix (AMR) of A. membranaceus are the most important functional constituents. Methods and Results: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of AMA and AMR on the oxidative damage induced in the skeletal muscle of rats subjected to exhaustive exercise. Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into exercise and non-exercise groups; in the groups receiving the test compounds, AMA and AMR were administered orally for 30 days. Skeletal muscle samples were collected from each rat after running to exhaustion on a treadmill to determine the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT) and the concentation of malondialdehyde (MDA). The antioxidant enzyme activities of SOD and GSH-Px of skeletal muscle of AMA- and AMR-treated groups were significantly higher than those of the control and commercial sports drink (SPD)-treated groups in exhaustive exercise rats. In addition, MDA concentrations in the skeletal muscle of the AMA- and AMR-treated groups were significantly lower than those of the control and SPD-treated groups. In the present study, the effects of AMA and AMR on exercise endurance capacity were also evaluated in mice subjected to a swimming exercise test. AMA and AMR supplementation prolonged the swimming time of mice and enhanced exercise endurance capacity. AMA and AMR possess the ability to retard and lower the production of blood lactate, and prevent the decrease of serum blood glucose. Conclusions: These results showed that, AMR and AMA exerted beneficial effect in mice, increasing the activity of the antioxidant systems and inhibiting oxidative stress induced by exhaustive exercise. The compounds improved exercise performance and showed anti-fatigue effects against exhaustive exercise.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.23 no.4 s.75
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• pp.340-347
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• 1995

Polysaccharide FHW was extracted from the fruiting bodies of Fomitella fraxinea with hot-water treatment and then fractionated into FHW-I and FHW-II on DEAE-Cellulose chromatography. FHW-I and FCW-II were further purified into FHW-Ia and Ib, FHW-IIa and IIb on gel permeation chromatography, respectively. A small amount of uronic acid was detected and glucose, galactose, fucose, and mannose were found to be main sugars in the polysaccharides. Protein was detected in FHW-Ia, FHW-IIa, and FHW-IIb, but not in FHW-Ib. FHW-Ia was identified to be a fuco-gluco-mannogalactan with molecular weight of 19,000 and FHW-Ib was a gluco-fuco-mannogalactan of 15,000. FHW-IIa and FHW-IIb were galacto-mannoglucan and their molecular weights were estimated to be 31,000 and 9,000, respectively. Both FHW-Ib and FHW-IIb did not show an absorption band characteristic of the ${\beta}-glycosidic$ linkage in IR spectra. FHW-IIb showed a strong immuno-stimulating activity but the other three polysaccharides showed a weak activity.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.23 no.4 s.75
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• pp.285-297
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• 1995

Ganoderan, an immunomodulating ${\beta}-glucan$ of G. lucidum, induces potent antitumor immunity in tumor-bearing mice. The present study was set up to elucidate the chemical composition and bioactivities of ganoderan obtained from the mycelial fractionation of G. lucidum IY009. Ganoderan was isolated and purified from its extracellular, cell wall and cytoplasmic sources. These ganoderans were composed mainly of glucose. The cell wall-alkali soluble-water soluble fraction (CW-AS-WS) showed the highest antitumor activity (inhibition rate of 94%) in sarcoma-bearing mice and 37% of anticomplementary activity. The CW-AS-WS fraction was found to be approximately average 20,000 dalton in aq. 0.3N NaOH solution and composed of 88% carbohydrate and 4% protein. The carbohydrate of the CW-AS-WS was composed of 74% glucose. These results indicate that the ganoderans extracted from the mycelial fractionations of G. lucidum IY009 had different chemical characteristics and showed different potentiality in antitumor and anticomplementary activity.