• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2023

Objectives: Noni fruit juice (NFJ) is liquor extracted from Morinda citrifolia (noni) fruit and has been used as an herbal remedy in many countries. However, the NFJ's anti-adipogenic and anti-inflammatory effects on adipocytes are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to explore the commercially standardized NFJ effects on lipid accumulation throughout 3T3-L1 preadipocytes differentiation and interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-mediated inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Methods: Cellular lipid accumulation and triglyceride (TG) content in differentiating 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were assessed subsequently via the Oil Red O staining and AdipoRed assay. MTS assay was used to examine NFJ cytotoxicity in (differentiating) 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Immunoblotting and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis were used to measure the expression levels of target protein and mRNA in (differentiating) 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, respectively. Results: NFJ treatment at 150 μL/mL led to a substantial reduction of fat accumulation and TG content during 3T3-L1 adipogenesis with no discernable impact on the cell viability. Of note, while NFJ treatment (150 μL/mL) largely inhibited the CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-α (C/EBP-α) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β (PPAR-β) protein expressions, it did not influence PPAR-γ in differentiating 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Of interest, treatment with IL-1β at 20 ng/mL for 4 hours elicited in firm induction of iNOS mRNA expression in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. However, NFJ treatment at 100 or 200 μL/mL greatly attenuated the IL-1β-induced iNOS mRNA expression in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Conclusions: NFJ has anti-adipogenic and anti-inflammatory effects on (differentiating) 3T3-L1 preadipocytes which are in part intervened via control of the expression of C/EBP-α, PPAR-β, and iNOS.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.498-502
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• 2007

Today’s teenagers were significantly deficient of calcium intakes, taking on the average only 55.4 percents of the recommended. Milk was the major source of calcium intakes, and therefore the school milk program need to be readdressed to remedy this problem. However, school milk program(SMP) was said to be simply the substitute for milk at home, so that no more than a minimal effect on total milk consumption be warranted. This Study aimed to find out whether or not the school milk program was an effective measure to increase teenager’s milk consumption and explored the relation between school milk and total milk consumption for 1,079 junior and senior high school students who were surveyed by questionnaire from 15th June to 15th July in 2006. A Tobit model was used for the statistical analysis. In this model, we first regressed milk consumption on 5 variables i.e. degree of satisfaction, participation in SMP, sex, school, region. But the variable region was not significant statistically. Then we regressed on 4 variables except for region. The results showed 4 variables were all significant and the marginal effect of variable ‘participation in SMP’ was 1.3. Especially, the marginal effect 1.3 means that the students participating in the school milk program consumed 1.3cups more than the non-participants, which indicated the effectiveness of school milk program to improve the calcium deficiency program of teenagers.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.98-103
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• 2023

Sphaeranthus africanus is commonly used as a traditional remedy for sore throats and pain treatment in Vietnam. The aerial parts have been studied for its anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative properties. However, the antioxidant and antidiabetic potential of the plant has not been explored. In this work, hydrophilic extracts of the plant's aerial parts were prepared in order to investigate its antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties. Also, the cytotoxicity of the root was evaluated and compared to that of the aerial parts. All of the extracts inhibited lipid peroxidation with IC₅₀ values ranging from 2.05 to 3.56 ㎍/mL, indicating substantial antioxidant activity. At an IC₅₀ value of 4.80 ㎍/mL, the 50% ethanol extract exhibited the most potent inhibition of α-glucosidase. The cytotoxic activity of root extracts is 2 to 5-fold less than that of the aerial parts. Nevertheless, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate extracts of the root demonstrated a selective effect on leukemia cells, with no harm towards the normal HEK-293 cell line. This work provides a scientific support for the antioxidant and antidiabetic activity of the plant. Hence, it may find a promising material for the development of novel antioxidant and antidiabetic agents. More research can be conducted on the phytochemistry and anticancer activities of the plant's root.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.321-341
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• 2011

This study examines how anonymity between drivers affects aggressive driving and why, in an anonymous situation, some drive aggressively and others do not. Two surveys were conducted. The first survey covered 200 participants and found that people are more likely to drive aggressively in an anonymous situation than in a face-to-face situation. The second survey covered 384 participants with a history of aggressive driving and found that these aggressive drivers could be classified into three groups using a two-step cluster analysis. Drivers who often exhibit aggressive driving in anonymous situations were found in the second questionnaire to have a high tendency towards driving anger and towards ambivalence over emotional expressiveness. The tendency towards self-defensive ambivalence factor, one of the factors in the ambivalence over emotional expressiveness questionnaire, was also found to be high. Individuals who tended to drive aggressively in an anonymous situation were found to be susceptible to driving anger, usually faced ambivalence over emotional expressiveness, and typically were indecisive. The results of this study suggest that rather than intensifying the enforcement of traffic regulations, a better remedy for those who drive recklessly would be to have them undertake some candid self-reflection.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.99-108
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• 2017

It is Lespedeza cuneata. G. don used as a remedy for cough, asthma, premature ejaculation and so on, though it has been used for a long time. In order to investigate the possibility of using Lespedeza cuneata. G. don as a raw material for functional food, we examined useful substances through analysis. In the study, 124 useful substances were analyzed and 84 of them were found to be functional. In 6 species, 6 of them were found to be functional and 5 of them were functional. In the present study, the other useful substance, D-pinitol, also confirmed its functionality. Potassium isolespedezate and Potassium lespedezate act as antibiotics, Trifolin acts as an antibiotic and hepatoprotectant, and Vitexin acts as a hepatoprotectant. D-pinitol has shown excellent efficacy in patients with prediabetic and insulin-resistant diabetes. As it contains a large amount of useful substances, it can be utilized as a highly functional food.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.215-226
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• 2024

Aralia continentalis is widely distributed in Far East Asian countries such as Korea, China, and Japan. A. continentalis has traditionally been used as an herbal remedy for various conditions, including analgesia, headache, inflammation, lameness, lumbago, rheumatism, and dental diseases in Korea. Previously, epi-continentalic acid, continentalic acid, and kaurenoic acid as major active biological compounds belonging to the diterpenoid class were identified. To synthesize diterpenoid derivatives with enhanced bioavailability, Fusarium fujikuroi was employed to biotransform diterpenoids due to its known antibacterial activity. This yielded two derivatives of kaurenoic acid, namely 16α-hydroxyent-kauran-2-on-19-oic acid and 2β, 16α-dihydroxy-ent-kauran-19-oic acid, with their chemical structures elucidated via NMR analysis. These derivatives exhibited increased polarity compared to kaur- enoic acid, as evidenced by their retention time on preparative HPLC using the ODS-A column and structural modifications. Evaluation of their antidiabetic activity targeting PTP1B, a negative regulator of the insulin signaling pathway, revealed inhibitory activities of 30.8% and 27.6%, respectively, at a concentration of 4 ㎍/ml. Additionally, both derivatives demonstrated low cytotoxicity, with an IC50 value 18 times higher than kaurenoic acid. Therefore, the augmented water solubility and reduced toxicity of 16α-hydroxy-ent-kauran-2-on-19-oic acid and 2β, 16α-dihydroxy-ent-kauran-19-oic acid, resulting from biotransformation by F. fujikuroi, render them promising candidates for industrial applications.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.231-243
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• 2023

Objectives : Jasminum officinale L. var. grandiflorum is used as a traditional or folk remedy in China to treat arthritis, hepatitis, duodenitis, conjunctivitis, gastritis, and diarrhea. In this study, we aimed to study the hepatocyte protective activity and molecular mechanism of Jasminum officinale L. var. grandiflorum aqueous extract (JGW) using HepG2 hepatocyte cell lines. Methods : HepG2 cells were pretreated with diverse concentrations of JGW, and then the cells were exposed to tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) for inducing oxidative stress. Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) production, glutathione (GSH) concentration, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and cell viability were measured to investigate hepato-protective effects of JGW. Phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinases (AMPK), acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) and effects of compound C on cell viability were examined to observe the role of AMPK on JGW-mediated cytoprotection. Results : Pretreatment with JGW (10-300 ㎍/mL) significantly suppressed cytotoxicity induced by tBHP in a concentration dependent manner and reduced the expression of cleaved PARP and cleaved caspase-3 proteins related to apoptosis in HepG2 cells. In addition, pretreatment with JGW significantly prevented the increase in H₂O₂ production, GSH depletion, and lower MMP induced by tBHP. Treatment with JGW (30 minutes of incubation and concentrations of 100 and 300 ㎍/mL) increased the phosphorylation of AMPK and ACC and treatment with compound C, a chemical inhibitor of AMPK, inhibited the cytoprotective effect of JGW. Conclusions : Our results demonstrated that JGW may protect hepatocytes from oxidative stress via activation of AMPK.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.744-758
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• 2024

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the lungs that results in airway inflammation and narrowing. BS012 is an herbal remedy containing Asarum sieboldii, Platycodon grandiflorum, and Cinnamomum cassia extracts. To elucidate the anti-asthma effect of BS012, this study analyzed the immune response, respiratory protection, and changes in metabolic mechanisms in an ovalbumin-induced allergic asthma mouse model. Female BALB/c mice were exposed to ovalbumin to induce allergic asthma. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and plasma were analyzed for interleukin and immunoglobulin E levels. Histological analyses of the lungs were performed to measure morphological changes. Apoptosis-related mediators were assayed by western blotting. Plasma and lung tissue metabolomic analyses were performed to investigate the metabolic changes. A T-helper-2-like differentiated cell model was used to identify the active components of BS012. BS012 treatment improved inflammatory cell infiltration, mucus production, and goblet cell hyperplasia in lung tissues. BS012 also significantly downregulated ovalbumin-specific immunoglobulin E in plasma and T-helper-2-specific cytokines, interleukin-4 and -5, in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The lungs of ovalbumin-inhaled mice exhibited nerve growth factor-mediated apoptotic protein expression, which was significantly attenuated by BS012 treatment. Ovalbumin-induced abnormalities in amino acid and lipid metabolism were improved by BS012 in correlation with its anti-inflammatory properties and normalization of energy metabolism. Additionally, the differentiated cell model revealed that N-isobutyl-dodecatetraenamide is an active component that contributes to the anti-allergic properties of BS012. The current findings demonstrate the anti-allergic and respiratory protective functions of BS012 against allergic asthma, which can be considered a therapeutic candidate.

• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.38
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• pp.181-226
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• 2008

The purpose of this paper is to describe the settling procedures of the investor-state disputes in the FTA Investment Chapter, and to research on the international arbitration system for the settlement of the investor-state disputes under the ICSID Convention and UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. The UNCTAD reports that the cumulative number of arbitration cases for the investor-state dispute settlement is 290 cases by March 2008. 182 cases of them have been brought before the ICSID, and 80 cases of them have been submitted under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. The ICSID reports that the cumulative 263 cases of investor-state dispute settlement have been brought before the ICSID by March 2008. 136 cases of them have been concluded, but 127 cases of them have been pending up to now. The Chapter 11 Section B of the Korea-U.S. FTA provides for the Investor_State Dispute Settlement. Under the provisions of Section B, the claimant may submit to arbitration a claim that the respondent has breached and obligation under Section A, an investment authorization or an investment agreement and that the claimant has incurred loss or damage by reason of that breach. Provided that six months have elapsed since the events giving rise to the claim, a claimant may submit a claim referred to under the ICSID Convention and the ICSID Rules of Procedure for Arbitration Proceedings; under the ICSID Additional Facility Rules; or under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. The ICSID Convention provides for the jurisdiction of the ICSID(Chapter 2), arbitration(Chapter 3), and replacement and disqualification of arbitrators(Chapter 5) as follows. The jurisdiction of the ICSID shall extend to any legal dispute arising directly out of an investment, between a Contracting State and a national of another Contracting State, which the parties to the dispute consent in writing to submit to the ICSID. Any Contracting State or any national of a Contracting State wishing to institute arbitration proceedings shall address a request to that effect in writing to the Secretary General who shall send a copy of the request to the other party. The tribunal shall consist of a sole arbitrator or any uneven number of arbitrators appointed as the parties shall agree. The tribunal shall be the judge of its own competence. The tribunal shall decide a dispute in accordance with such rules of law as may be agreed by the parties. Any arbitration proceeding shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Convention Section 3 and in accordance with the Arbitration Rules in effect on the date on which the parties consented to arbitration. The award of the tribunal shall be in writing and shall be signed by members of the tribunal who voted for it. The award shall deal with every question submitted to the tribunal, and shall state the reason upon which it is based. Either party may request annulment of the award by an application in writing addressed to the Secretary General on one or more of the grounds under Article 52 of the ICSID Convention. The award shall be binding on the parties and shall not be subject to any appeal or to any other remedy except those provided for in this Convention. Each Contracting State shall recognize an award rendered pursuant to this convention as binding and enforce the pecuniary obligations imposed by that award within its territories as if it were a final judgment of a court in that State. In conclusion, there may be some issues on the international arbitration for the settlement of the investor-state disputes: for example, abuse of litigation, lack of an appeals process, and problem of transparency. Therefore, there have been active discussions to address such issues by the ICSID and UNCITRAL up to now.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.9
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• pp.1109-1117
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• 2013

Induction of G1 Arrest by Methanol Extract of Lycopus lucidus in Human Lung Adenocarcinoma A549 Cells Lycopus lucidus, a herbaceous perennial, is used as a traditional remedy in East Asia, including China and Korea. It has been reported that L. lucidus has anti-allergic effects, inhibitory effects on cholesterol acyltransferase in high glucose-induced vascular inflammation, and anti-proliferative effects in human breast cancer cells. However, the molecular mechanisms of the anti-cancer effects of L. lucidus have not yet been fully determined. In this study, we evaluated the anti-cancer effect and the mechanism of action of L. lucidus in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells using methanol extracts of L. lucidus (MELL). MELL treatment showed cytotoxic activity in a dose-dependent manner and induced G1 arrest in A549 cells. The induction of G1 arrest by MELL was associated with the up-regulation of phospho-CHK2 and the down-regulation of Cdc25A phosphatase. In addition, MELL treatment induced decreased expression of G1/S transition-related proteins, including CDK2, CDK4, CDK6, cyclin D1 and cyclin E. MELL also regulated the mRNA expression of CDK2 and cyclin E. On the other hand, the expression of p53 and the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 was not induced by MELL. Collectively, these results suggest that MELL may exert an anti-cancer effect by cell cycle arrest at G1 phase through the ATM/CHK2/Cdc25A/CDK2 pathway in A549 cells.