• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.858-864
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• 2007

This study investigated the antibacterial activities of sophoraflavanone G from Sophora flavescens in combination with two antimicrobial agents against oral bacteria. The combined effect of sophoraflavanone G and the antimicrobial agents was evaluated using the checkerboard method to obtain a fractional inhibitory concentration(FIC) index. The sophoraflavanone G+ampicillin(AM) combination was found to have a synergistic effect against S. mutans, S. sanguinis, S. sobrinus, S. gordonii, A. actinomycetemcomitans, F nucleatum, P. intermedia, and P. gingivalis, whereas the sophoraflavanone G+gentamicin(GM) combination had a synergistic effect against S. sanguinis, S. criceti, S. anginosus, A. actinomycetemcomitans, F nucleatum, P. intermedia, and P. gingivalis. Neither combination exhibited any antagonistic interactions(FIC index>4). In particular, the MICs/MBCs for all the bacteria were reduced to one-half$\sim$one-sixteenth as a result of the drug combinations. A synergistic interaction was also confirmed by time-kill studies for nine bacteria where the checkerboard suggested synergy. Thus, a strong bactericidal effect was exerted through the drug combinations, plus in vitro data suggested that sophoraflavanone G combined with other antibiotics may be microbiologically beneficial rather than antagonistic.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.672-679
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• 1998

The ethanol extract and its chloroform fraction of Sophora flavescens Ait. exhibited growth inhibition on some food poisoning bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the above extracts were $50{\sim}500\;ppm$ and below 50 ppm Listeria monocytogenes (ATCC 19111, 19112, 19113, 19114, 15313). By silica gel column chromatography twice, antimicrobial active compound S-10-6 was isolated from chloroform fraction of Sophora flavescens Ait. The fraction S-10-6 showed strong growth inhibition at 10 ppm on 5 strains of L. monocytogenes, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 14593 and Staphylococcus aureus KFCC 11764 but Esherichia coli ATCC 25922 was not inhibited at 100 ppm and also confirmed bactericidal effect at 30 and 50 ppm on 5 strains of L. monocytogenes. The antimicrobial compound S-10-6 was identified as kushenol F, a kind of flavanone compound, by EI/MS, $^1H-NMR\;and\;^{13}C-NMR$.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.537-542
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• 2007

Sophora flavescens AITON (Leguminosae) is a typical traditional Korean medical herb considered to exhibit antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic effects, and is also used for the treatment of skin and mucosal ulcers, sores, diarrhea, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, arrhythmia, and eczema. In this study, the compound sophoraflavanone G was isolated from the dried roots of S. flavescens by bioassay-guided fractionation. We then investigated the effects of various concentrations of sophoraflavanone G on cell viability and the induction of apoptosis in KB cells after an incubation of 24 hr. The results were determined by the following methods: 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-terazolium bromide (MTT) assay, Hoechst-33258 dye staining, flow cytometry (cell cycle), and Western blotting for caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). We found sophoraflavanone G induced the apoptosis of KB cells in a dose-dependent manner that was verified by DNA fragmentation, apoptotic bodies, the sub-G1 ratio, caspase-3 activity, and cleavage of PARP. These results suggest that sophoraflavanone G has potent anti-proliferative effects on human oral epidermoid carcinoma cells, with the induction of apoptosis.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.123-130
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• 2005

This study was executed to evaluate the effects of natural herbal medicine extract on the antimicrobial activity and the artificial plaque formation. Schisandra chinensis, Sophora flavescens, Dryopteris crassirhizoma and Aristolochia contorta were extracted by 80% MeOH respectively and each concentration(5mg, 10mg, 20mg) of herbal medicine extract was tested to show the antimicrobial activity against S. mutans. To show the inhibition effect of herbal medicine extract on the artificial dental plaque formation each extract of 0.4% concentration was added into M 17 broth and inoculated with $5.0{\times}10^6$ of S. mutans. After 24 hour incubation each weight of artificial dental plaque was measured and compared with each other. Results obtained are as follows: 1. Dryopteris crassirhizoma showed very intense antimicrobial effect but Schisandra chinensis, Sophora flavescens and Aristolochia contorta showed a little difference against control. 2. Regarding artificial plaque formation inhibiting activity by each herbal extract at 0.4% concentration, Dryopteris crassirhizoma showed the perfect inhibition effect. Schisandra chinensis and Aristolochia contorta followed in order but Sophora flavescens showed the worst value. In conclusion, Dryopteris crassirhizoma showed strong antimicrobial effect against S. mutans and significant inhibiting effect on the artificial dental plaque formation.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.276-281
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• 2011

Oxidative stress or the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) leads neuronal cellular death and dysfunction, and it contributes to neuronal degenerative disease such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and stroke. Glutamate-induced oxidative injury contributes to neuronal degeneration in many central nervous system (CNS) diseases, such as epilepsy and ischemia. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) enzyme plays an important role of cellular antioxidant system against oxidant injury. The expression of HO-1 has cytoprotective effects in glutamate-induced oxidative cytotoxicity in HT22 cells. The induction of HO-1 is primarily regulated at the transcriptional level, and its induction by various inducers is related to the nuclear transcription factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Nrf2 is a master regulator of the antioxidant response. NNMBS008, the water-insoluble fraction of the 70% EtOH extract of roots of Sophora flavescens, showed dominant neuroprotective effects on glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in mouse hippocampal HT22 cells by induced the expression of HO-1 and increased HO activity. In mouse hippocampal HT22 cells, NNMBS008 makes the nuclear accumulation of Nrf2 pathway. In conclusion, the waterinsoluble fraction of the 70% EtOH extract of roots of S. flavescens (NNMBS008) significantly protect glutamate-induced oxidative damage by induction of HO-1 via Nrf2 pathway in mouse hippocampal HT22 cells. These results suggest that these extracts could be the effective candidates for the treatment of ROS-related neurological diseases.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.911-916
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• 1995

Ionophorous antibiotics have been used popularly for the protection of avian coccidiosis, though Halo-fuginone which is derived from an extract of the Dichroa febrifuga, was developed as an antimalarial and anticoccidial agent. The antibiotics are regarded as the causes of residues in the avian products, therefore the author has tried to find out more safe herbal materials for the control of avian coccidiosis. Thus, the extracts of 5 kinds of herbs, roots of Pulsatilla koreana Nakai and Sophora flavescens Aiton, nuts of Quisqualis indica Linne, whole herbs of Artemisia annua Linne and Polygonum aviculare Linne, were investigated on the efficacy against E tenella. Survival rates, bloody diarrhea, lesion scores, body-weight gains and feed conversion rate were investigated at the 1st and the 2nd week after infection. The bloody diarrhea in the groups treated with P koreana, A annua, Q indica and P aviculare were milder than those in the groups treated with S flavescens and infected control. The lesion score in the groups treat.4 with herb extracts(2.00$\pm$0.82~2.65$\pm$0.89) were lower than those in the control group (2.80$\pm$0.7l). But, there was not significant in all infected groups. The body weight gai in the groups treated with P koreana, S flavescens, A annua and Q indica(291.74$\pm$15.76~303.43$\pm$51.90) were higher than that in the control group (283.71$\pm$16.53) but there was not significant. In a conclusion, analyzing the data of the survival rates, bloody diarrheal symptoms, lesion scores, body weight gains and oocyst excretions, the extract of S flavescens, P koreana, A annua and Q indica were effective. The further research on the above herbal materials will have been carried out by the author and the other researchers by means of the chemical analysis of the components.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.588-590
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• 2001

Two flavanones, (2S) -2'-methoxykurarinones (1) and kurarinones (2) , were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of the roots of Sophora flavescense Ait. Their structrures were elucidated using NMR, UV and IR spectral analysis. These compounds exhibited a moderate antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis Pseudomonas Putida and a weak anti-fungal activity against Candida albicans.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.89-94
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• 1998

Propionibacterium acnes is the pharmacological target site of antiacne drugs. We have examined the antiacne activity of ninety seven natural products which have been used as Korean traditional medicines in various skin disorders. The antibacterial activity of extracts from the natural products were evaluated against P. acnes ATCC 9616 by disc method. Twelve natural products showed the potent antibacterial activity against P. acnes, and were, selected for the minimal inhibitory concentration(MC) against P. acnes. MICs of nine extracts were below 0.3% (w/v) and Sophora flavescens showed the most potent activity with a MIC of less than 0.008%(w/v) against P. acnes. Thus, the results suggest that nine natural products including S. flavescens can be developed as sources of promising potent antiacne agents.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2015

BACKGROUND: The stabilities of the two alkaloidal insecticides of S. flavescens including matrine and oxymatrine are important factor to establish expiry date and usage manual for crop protection. However, the environmental stability of the compounds had not been studied with the extract and its commercial biopesticide. METHODS AND RESULTS: The environmental stabilities of the two alkaloids were performed with extract of S. flavescens, and its two commercial biopesticides both in controlled aquatic and soil conditions. The half-lives of the total matrines for the extract and its two commercial biopesticides were estimated over 200 days both under aerobic and anaerobic water condition. Under dry soil condition, the initial decay rates of the matrines were calculated 0.0804-0.1275 ($t_{1/2}$ 5.4-8.6 days), and the half-lives under wet soil condition were calculated 33.0-231 days. Total soil bacteria on the wet soil ranged 6.0-8.0 log CFU/g-soil during the experiments period. CONCLUSION: The aquatic mixture of the extract showed excellent stability both with the extract and its biopesticides, however, the stability of soil mixture were shorter than the aquatic mixture, suggesting that soil metal consider as a catalyst for the degradation of the two alkaloids.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.147-153
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• 2007

Objectives : Sophora flavescens (SF) is widely used in traditional herbal medicine in Korea and is well recognized for its anti-inflammatory effect. However, its effect on Tumornecrosis factor alpha (Tnf) production in BV2 microglial cell is not yet known. Methods : We investigated the effect of SF on the production and expression of Tnf, a well known inflammatory mediator, in lipopolysaccaride (LPS)-activated BV2 microglial cells. Results : The LPS-induced Tnf production was markedly reduced by treatment with SF (50 ${\mu}g/ml$). In reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, SF suppressed the LPS activated expression of Tnf mRNA. In addition, Western blot analysis confirmed that SF suppressed the expression of Tnf. Sophora flavescens also inhibited the LPS-induced phosphylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), which mediate the Tnfproduction signaling pathway whereas LPS-induced phosphylation of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinases (JNK) was not inhibited by SF, which implies that SF suppresses LPS-induced Tnf production via the ERK mediated pathway. Conclusion : Taken together, these findings indicated that SF inhibits LPS-induce Tnf production, and that this inhibitory effect is mediated via the ERK pathway.