• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.612-620
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• 2022

Recent studies have revealed that probiotics and their metabolites are present under various conditions; however, the role of probiotic metabolites (i.e., postbiotics in pathological states) is controversial. Natural killer (NK) cells play a key role in innate and adaptive immunity. In this study, we examined NK cell activation influenced by a postbiotics mixture in response to gut microbiome modulation in stress-induced mice. In vivo activation of NK cells increased in the postbiotics mixture treatment group in accordance with Th1/Th2 expression level. Meanwhile, the Red Ginseng treatment group, a reference group, showed very little expression of NK cell activation. Moreover, the postbiotics mixture treatment group in particular changed the gut microbiome composition. Although the exact role of the postbiotics mixture in regulating the immune system of stress-induced mice remains unclear, the postbiotics mixture-induced NK cell activation might have affected gut microbiome modulation.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.137-145
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• 2022

This study attempted to examine the subjectivity of consumers of the MZ generation in their 20s on health functional foods, which have recently emerged as hot consumption items. A study was conducted using the Q methodology to examine the characteristics, meanings, and values of the younger generation in the health functional food market represented by red ginseng, vitamins, and probiotics. Using the QUANL analysis program, a total of 37 Q samples and 30 P samples were used in the study, and three types with unique tendencies were found. The first type discovered through this was named "YubiMuhwan(Forewarned, forearmed; 有備無患)", the second type was "Bansinbanui(half confident; 半信半疑)", and the third type was called "Silsagushi(empirical tradition; 實事求是)". Reflecting these attributes, various strategic ideas were presented for the classification of new characteristics and consumers in the health functional food market and promotion of sales.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.341-355
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The consumption of dietary supplements has shown an increase among young people in their 20s. We aimed to compare the use of dietary supplements and related factors between Chinese international and Korean college students living in South Korea. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We conducted online surveys of 400 Chinese international students and 452 Korean college students from January to February 2021. We analyzed the factors related to the use of dietary supplements by these students using multi-group structural equation modeling and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Approximately 65% of the Chinese international students and 93% of the Korean college students consumed dietary supplements at least once in the year preceding the survey. The common types of dietary supplements consumed by both groups of students were vitamin and mineral supplements, Lactobacillus products, and red ginseng products. Structural equation modeling showed that perception of the consumption of dietary supplements by family and friends positively influenced attitude toward dietary supplements. This effect was higher for Korean college students than for Chinese international students (P < 0.01). Attitude toward dietary supplements positively influenced their use, and this effect was higher for Chinese international students than for Korean college students (P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that the use of dietary supplements by Chinese international students was significantly associated with age, self-reported health status, interest in health, perception of and attitude toward dietary supplements, and length of residence in South Korea. Among Korean college students, it was associated with exercise frequency and attitude toward dietary supplements. CONCLUSION: This study showed significant differences in the use of dietary supplements and related factors between Chinese international and Korean college students. Therefore, nutrition education programs on dietary supplements need to have differentiated content for each group. Such differences also suggest that the industry should consider the relevant characteristics of college students while developing and marketing dietary supplements.

• Journal of Convergence Korean Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.5-12
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to fabricate an ultra-fine ginsenoside particle atomizer that can provide a new treatment method by delivering ginsenoside components that have a therapeutic effect on respiratory diseases directly to the lungs. Methods: We fabricated the AAO vibrating mesh by using the micromachining process. The starting substrate of an AAO wafer has a 350nm pore diameter with 50㎛ thickness. A photomask having several 5㎛ opening holes with a 100㎛ pitch was used to separate each nanopore nozzle. The photoresist structure was optimized to pattern the nozzle area during the lift-off process precisely. The commercial vibrating mesh was removed from OMRON's NE-U100 product, and the fabricated AAO vibrating mesh was installed. A diluted sample of 20mL with 30% red ginseng concentrate was prepared to atomize from the device. Results: As a result of liquid chromatography analysis before spraying the ginsenoside solution, ginsenoside components such as 20S-Rg3, 20R-Rg3, and Rg5 were detected. After spraying through the AAO vibrating mesh, ginsenosides of the same component could be detected. Conclusion: A nutrient solution containing ginsenosides was successfully sprayed through the AAO vibrating mesh with 350 nm selective pores. In particular, during the atomizing experiment of ginsenoside drug solution having excellent efficacy in respiratory diseases, it was confirmed that atomizing through the AAO vibrating mesh while maintaining most of the active ingredients was carried out.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.365-371
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• 2014

In the present study, we investigated the biological activities of Xylosma congesta leaf ethanol extract (XCO) using a variety of in vitro and cell culture model systems for anti-melanogenic, anti-wrinkle, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities. First, XCO markedly inhibited ${\alpha}$-melanocyte stimulating hormone-stimulated melanin synthesis in B16F10 cells. Secondly, XCO marginally induced procollagen synthesis in CCD-986SK cells. Thirdly, XCO dose-dependently suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 cells. XCO did not affect cell viability at different concentrations used in this study, indicating that XCO-mediated inhibition of melanin, procollagen and NO synthesis is not mediated by cytotoxicity. Finally, XCO was found to exert anti-oxidant effect. Taken together, these findings demonstrate for the first time that XCO possesses anti-melanogenic, anti-wrinkle, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities, and suggest further evaluation and development of XCO as a functional supplement or cosmetic that may be useful for whitening skin, reducing wrinkles and treating inflammatory responses.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.989-996
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• 2005

Ultraviolet (UV) induces photo aging, erythema, sunburn, photo-toxicity, photo-allergy, and skin tumor, To investigate photo-protective effects of AmorePacific Beauty-03 (APB-03; mixture of red ginseng extract powder and soybean extract powder) on UV-induced damaged skins, 40 SKH hairless female mice were orally administered APB-03 or saline five times a week and irradiated with UV three times per week far up to 12 weeks. Visible skin changes and skin damage in dermis and epidermis by replica image analysis and histological analysis. In APB-03-treated group, better skin, negative replica appearance and less wrinkle formation were observed compared to the UV control group. These results demonstrate oral administration of APB-03 have photo-protective effects on UV-damaged hairless mouse skin.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.959-966
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• 2014

This study was carried out to develop a functional healthy drink using 60% ethanol of dried Acanthopanax senticosus stem extract (ASE). The preparation, physical activity, anti-oxidant activity, and sensory properties of ASE were investigated. The moisture, crude protein, crude lipid, and ash contents of dried ASE were $6.50{\pm}0.12%$, $5.89{\pm}0.16%$, $1.18{\pm}0.11%$, and $3.03{\pm}0.40%$ respectively. The 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity was $87.42{\pm}1.63%$ at 1/10 folds diluted ASE. In total, 40 male ICR mice were divided into five groups including the control (PBS), positive control (Red ginseng 200 mg/kg/day), and ASE-treated groups at doses of 35, 70, and 140 mg/kg/day for five weeks, respectively. ASE was administrated orally one time per day for five weeks before treadmill exercises, and normal and positive controls were fed PBS and red ginseng extract. In the treadmill test, ASE-treated mice (140 mg/kg/day) could run 1.4 times longer than the control mice. Healthy drinks were prepared with the addition of ASE at levels of 0.97% or 0.49% (A, B, and C type). Among the healthy drinks, the B type (ASE, 0.97%) was revealed to have the highest level of taste and overall acceptability through a sensory evaluation. The brix and pH of the ASE health drink (B type) were 14.9 and 4.51, respectively. These results indicated that the dried stem of Acanthopanax senticosus could be used as a functional material in the health drink industry.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.167-174
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• 2013

Peroxiredoxin 6 (Prx 6) is a member of the thiol-specific antioxidant protein family, which may play a role in protection against oxidative stress and in regulating phospholipid turnover. The aim of this study was to determine whether a human Prx 6/Luc vector was stably expressed and responded to antioxidants in a lung cell line (NCI-H460). To achieve this, the luciferase signal, hPrx 6 mRNA expression, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were measured in transfectants with a hPrx 6/Luc plasmid after treatment with four antioxidant extracts, including Korea white ginseng (KWG), Korea red ginseng (KRG), Liriope platyphylla (LP), and red Liriope platyphylla (RLP). First, the hPrx 6/Luc plasmid was successfully constructed with DNA fragments of human Prx 6 promoter, amplified by PCR using genomic DNA isolated from NCI-H460 cells, and cloned into the pTransLucent reporter vector. The orientation and sequencing of the hPrx 6/Luc plasmid were identified with restriction enzyme and automatic sequencing. A luciferase assay revealed significant enhancement of luciferase activity in the four treatment groups compared with a vehicle-treated group, although the ratio of the increase was different within each group. The KRG- and LP-treated groups showed higher activity than the KWG- and RLP-treated groups. Furthermore, the luciferase activity against RLP occurred roughly in a dose-dependent manner. However, the level of endogenous hPrx 6 mRNA did not change in any group treated with the four extracts. The SOD activity was in agreement with the luciferase activity. Therefore, these results indicate that the hPrx 6/Luc vector system may successfully express and respond to antioxidant compounds in NCI-H460 cells. The data also suggest that the Prx 6/Luc vector system may be effectively applied in screening the response of hPrx 6 to antioxidant compounds in transgenic mice.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.701-710
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• 2008

The wild simulated ginseng (WSG) has been effectively used in folk medicine as a remedy against hepatic disease, hypertension and arthritic disease. However, there is still lack of scientific proof about its antioxidant capability. The present study has been conducted to evaluate the protective role of the WSG ethanol extract in the CCl4-induced oxidative stress and resultant hepatic disfunction in ICR mice. The electron donating abilities and IC50 of WSG etnanol extract were 76.86 ${\pm}$ 1.06% and 33.3 ${\mu}g$/mL (that of ascobic acid was 16.5 ${\mu}g$/mL), respectively. Total antioxidant status of WSG extract was 2.13 ${\pm}$ 0.06 mmoL/mg, while the values of ascorbic acid and BHT were 3.63 ${\pm}$ 0.06 and 3.12 ${\pm}$ 0.02, respectively. ICR mice (aged 3weeks) were fed for 4 weeks on AIN-93M diet and had free access to food and water. The animals were divided into three groups: normal group (intraperitoneally (i.p) injected with PBS at 100 ${\mu}L$/mouse), group C; CCl4-induced and without any treatment. (i.p injected only PBS, 100 ${\mu}L$ /mice), group G; CCl4-induced and treated with WSG (i.p injected with 5 mg WSG extract per mouse, suspended in 100 ${\mu}L$ phosphate buffer). After the i.p. injection of WSG or PBS (5 times for 7weeks), all mice were administered CCl4 in olive oil at the last day of the experiment, except for normal group. The normal group was administered only olive oil. Determination of plasma triglyceride, total cholersterol, fasting glucose and GPT activity was performed using automatic blood analyzer. To evaluate the protective effect against the oxidative stress, DNA fragmentation and TBARS were determined in blood leucocytes and RBC and hepatocyte, respectively. Body and organs weights and food intake did not show significant differences among the groups. Blood total cholesterol of group G was similar to that of normal group, which was the lowest in group C. The fasting blood glucose level was the highest in normal group (205.20 ${\pm}$ 135.24), which were decreased in group C (134.2 ${\pm}$ 79.31) and group G (126.48 ${\pm}$ 77.05). TBARS values in a red blood cell and hepatic tisuue homogenate were lower in group G comparing to the group C. DNA% in tail, tail length (TL) and tail moment (TM) of blood leucoocytes showed the highest values in group C (20.11 ${\pm}$ 2.47, 17.36 ${\pm}$ 2.58, 94.11 ${\pm}$ 12.29) and they were significantly diminished in group G (9.63 ${\pm}$ 1.19, 7.04 ${\pm}$ 1.50, 38.64 ${\pm}$ 7.60). In conclusion, wild simulated ginseng might be a protective agent against the oxidative stress.