• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.531-537
• /
• 2006

Lactic acid-producing bacteria (LABs) are known to have various beneficial properties for health. However, they are generally considered to have an adverse effect on teeth, since they produce acid. Nonetheless, milk and cheese containing specific LAB strains were recently found to have an inhibitory effect on dental caries in children, with an inhibitory activity towards the growth of Streptococcus mutans suggested as the responsible mechanism. Accordingly, the current study selected a probiotic candidate for oral health and studied its inhibitory mechanism against dental caries. Twenty-two LAB species belonging to eleven genuses were screened for promoting bone nodule formation using direct microscopic examination. Only one isolate, Weissella kimchii strain PL9001, increased the bone nodule formation significantly. The addition of W. kimchii strain PL9001 to bone cells prepared from mouse calvaria increased the bone nodule formation, calcium accumulation, and activity of alkaline phosphatase (the osteoblastic marker). Moreover, W. kimchii strain PL9001 inhibited the invasion of Streptococcus mutans into bone cells, and an organic extract of the culture supernatant of W. kimchii strain PL9001 inhibited the growth of Strep. mutans. Therefore, the results suggest that W. kimchii strain PL9001 can be used as a preventive measure against dental caries. This is the first time that a LAB has been shown to promote bone nodule formation and prevent the invasion of Strep. mutans into bone cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.25 no.12
• /
• pp.2049-2057
• /
• 2015

Various salt concentrations (1.0%, 1.3%, 1.6%, 1.9%, and 2.1% labeled as sample A, B, C, D, and E, respectively) were investigated for microbial diversity, identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) in salted kimchi cabbage, prepared under laboratory conditions. These samples were stored at 4°C for 5 weeks in proper aluminum-metalized pouch packaging with calcium hydroxide gas absorber. A culture-independent method known as polymerase chain reaction - denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis was carried out to identify LAB distributions among various salt concentration samples that had identified 2 Weissella (W. confusa and W. soli), 1 Lactobacillus (Lb. sakei), and 3 Leuconostoc (Lc. mesenteroides, Lc. lactis, and Lc. gelidum) in the overall kimchi samples. The pH, titratable acidity, viable cell counts, and coliform counts were not affected by salt variations. In order to assess sensory acceptance, the conducted sensory evaluation using a 9-point hedonic scale had revealed that samples with 1.3% salt concentration (lower than the manufacturer's regular salt concentration) was more preferred, indicating that the use of 1.3% salt concentration was acceptable in normal kimchi fermentation for its quality and safety. Despite similarities in pH, titratable acidity, viable cell counts, coliform counts, and LAB distributions among the various salt concentrations of kimchi samples, the sample with 1.3% salt concentration was shown to be the most preferred, indicating that this salt concentration was suitable in kimchi production in order to reduce salt intake through kimchi consumptions.

• Sim-seong Yeon-gu
• /
• v.27 no.1_2
• /
• pp.28-70
• /
• 2012

In Jungian psychology, creation myths regard as the story of unconscious and preconscious processes(projection of archaic identity) which describe not necessary the origin of our cosmos, but the origin of man's conscious awareness of the world. Therefore projections have nothing to do with matter itself but experience of one's own unconscious. Jung emphasizes importance to understand projection in individual's conscious experience rather than in philosophical doctrine. The purpose of this thesis is to explore unconscious process of creation myths with egg symbolism in clinical cases to present universal feature of Cosmic/alchemical egg. Psychologically, creation myths retold when human mind needs new order. Depending on the attitude of ego, it can be sudden expansion of consciousness or contamination of ego by unconscious. In this study, 'chaos(messa confusa)' in creation myths as archaic identity, experience of uroboros or infant, and nigredo state in alchemy. 'Separation of primordial parents' as beginning of consciousness refers to separatio operation in alchemical process. 'Light' as attainment of consciousness. Discussion of psychological meaning of egg starts with amplification which include the concept of cosmic/alchemical/philosophical egg. Egg symbolism in this study refers to emergence of egg, tapas/brooding of egg, and separation of egg. Emergence of egg as a state of preconscious totality, psychic wholeness conceived as the thing which came before the rise of ego consciousness. Discussion of conceptssuch as Shiva bindu, hiranyagharba, germ of gold, Tathāgatagarbha follows. 'Tapas/brooding of egg' as concentration of all psychic energy into one point for self reflection. Discussion includes The I Ching Hexagram 61, image of brooding egg identified with inner truth, Wonhyo's concept of jikwansasang, and Gnostic idea of Ennoia, introverted act of thinking, as well as the concept of 'Night Sea Journey'. 'Separation or hatching of egg' regarded as the idea of sudden illumination, Phanes, the shining God, and "sun-point," in alchemy. Birth of fledgling as birth of new personality. As a conclusion, psychological meaning of cosmic egg/creation myths is the story of separating from 'Not-I'(unconscious, object, undifferentiated) to 'I'(ego, subject, differentiated) which shares the same meaning as individuation process.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.76-84
• /
• 2013

A polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) technique followed by sequencing of the 16S rDNA fragments eluted from the bands of interest on denaturing gradient gels was used to monitor changes in the bacterial microflora of two commercial kimchi, salted cabbage, and ingredient mix samples during 30 days of fermentation at $4^{\circ}C$ and $10^{\circ}C$. Leuconostoc (Lc.) was the dominant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) over Lactobacillus (Lb.) species at $4^{\circ}C$. Weissella confusa was detected in the ingredient mix and also in kimchi samples throughout fermentation in both samples at $4^{\circ}C$ and $10^{\circ}C$. Lc. gelidum was detected as the dominant LAB at $4^{\circ}C$ in both samples. The temperature affected the LAB profile of kimchi by varing the pH, which was primarily caused by the temperature-dependent competition among different LAB species in kimchi. At $4^{\circ}C$, the sample variations in pH and titratable acidity were more conspicuous owing to the delayed growth of LAB. Temperature affected only initial decreases in pH and initial increases in viable cell counts, but affected both the initial increases and final values of titratable acidity. The initial microflora in the kimchi sample was probably determined by the microflora of the ingredient mix, not by that of the salted cabbage. The microbial distributions in the samples used in this study resembled across the different kimchi samples and the different fermentation temperatures as the numbers of LAB increased and titratable acidity decreased.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2018.04a
• /
• pp.64-64
• /
• 2018

생물전환(Bioconversion)은 천연소재의 기능성을 증대시키기 위한 방안으로 많은 연구가 진행되고 있으며 다양한 산업에서도 활용되고 있어 유용미생물을 기반 차세대 기술로 각광받고 있다. 이러한 기술의 도입은 식품은 물론 의약품 및 화장품 산업에서도 활발히 사용되고 있으며, 특히 최근 기능성 제품에 대한 소비가 급증함에 따라 그 중요성이 높아지고 있다. 산초(Zanthoxylum schinfolium)는 limonene, citronellal, phellandrene 등의 다양한 유효물질을 함유하고 있으며 유효성분들로부터 유래되는 항산화 활성과 항암활성, 항균활성 등의 효능을 지니는 것으로 보고된바 있다. 본 연구의 생물전환 공정에 사용된 유산균들은 전통 발효식품으로 알려진 다양한 젓갈류로부터 분리하였으며, 16S rDNA 염기서열 분석을 통해 유전학적 특성을 확인하였다. 또한 확보된 유산균들을 사용하여 산초(전북 진안군) 분말의 발효공정을 수행하였으며, 산초의 최적 추출조건을 선정하고 추출물을 제조하여 생물전환 공정 전 후 활성의 변화추이를 관찰하였다. 추출물의 활성평가는 항산화 효능 및 유효성분 함량을 평가하기 위하여 DPPH radical scavenging activity와 total polyphenol 함량을 평가하고 세포주를 활용해 MTT assay, Nitric oxide(NO) 생성억제 효능을 확인하여 세포독성 및 항염증 활성을 확인하였다. 실험결과, 생물전환 공정에 사용할 유용 미생물을 확보하기 위한 실험을 통해 다양한 젓갈류에서 다양한 미생물을 확보할 수 있었으며 약 16종의 유산균을 분리하였다. 분리된 미생물을 사용하여 산초 분말의 생물전환 공정을 실시한 결과, 5종의 유용미생물 처리에서 무처리 대비 DPPH radical 소거능 및 polyphenol 함량이 유의적으로 증가됨을 확인할 수 있었다. 그 중 가장 높은 활성을 나타내는 균주를 16S rDNA 염기서열 분석을 통해 확인한 결과 Weissella confusa D1로 확인되었다. 선별 균주를 활용한 생물전환 공정 후 항산화 활성은 대조군 대비 약 120%의 활성을 나타냈으며, polyphenol의 함량은 약 126%로 증가하는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 더 나아가 생물전환 공정 후 산초추출물의 세포독성은 처리전과 비교하여 월등히 감소하는 경향을 확인할 수 있었으며, 항염효능 또한 증가하는 경향을 나타내는 것이 확인되었다.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.481-489
• /
• 2005

Lonicerae Flos has antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus, streptococci, pneumococci, Bacillus dysenterii, Salmonella typhi, and paratyphoid. It is an antiviral agent. The herb has a cytoprotective effect against $CCl_{4}-induced$ hepatic injury. It has antilipemic action, interfering with lipid absorption from the gut. Nowadays this herb is used mainly in the treatment of upper respiratory infections, such as tonsillitis and acute laryngitis. It is also used in the treatment of skin suppurations, such as carbuncles, and to treat viral conjunctivitis, influenza, pneumonia, and mastitis. Lonicerae Flos is dried flower buds of Lonicera japonica, L. hypoglauca, L. confusa, or L. dasystyla. But, for the most part, we use whole plant of Lonicera japonica, as a flower bud of it. And, little is known of the original copy of effects of whole plant, except for the 'Bon-Cho-Gang-Mok', which is written the effects of flower of Lonicera japonica are equal to effects of leaves and branch of it. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of flower and whole plant of Lonicera japonica on the regulatory mechanism of cytokines, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX-2) for the immunological activities in Raw 264.7 cells. In Raw 264.7 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to mimic inflammation, flower and whole plant of Lonicera japonica water extracts inhibited nitric oxide production in a dose-dependent manner and abrogated iNOS and COX-2. Flower and whole plant of Lonicera japonica water extract did not affect on cell viability. To investigate the mechanism by which flower and whole plant of Lonicera japonica water extract inhibits iNOS and COX-2 gene expression, we examined the on phosphorylation of inhibitor ${\kappa}B{\alpha}$ and assessed production of $TNF-{\alpha}$, $interleukin-1{\beta}$ $(IL-1{\beta})$ and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Results provided evidence that flower and whole plant of Lonicera japonica inhibited the production of $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and activated the phosphorylation of inhibitor ${\kappa}B{\alpha}$ in Raw 264.7 cells activated with LPS. These findings suggest that flower and whole plant of Lonicera japonica can produce anti-inflammatory effect, which may play a role in adjunctive therapy in Gram-negative bacterial infections, respectively.