• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.1092-1099
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• 2018

This study was orchestrated with the purpose of uncovering new nutraceutical resources possessing biological activities in the plant kingdom. To fulfill our objective, we analyzed several plant extracts and selected five species possessing powerful anti-oxidative activity. The anti-oxidative effect of these five plants, Apios fortunei Maxim., Colubrina arborescens Sarg., Croton caudatus Geiseler, Osmanthus matsumuranus Hayata and Schima noronhae Reinw. ethanol extracts were then evaluated by using in vitro assay, cell model system, and Western blot analysis of target proteins. As the results, all of them possessed the potent scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH), similar with that of ascorbic acid, used as a common positive control. Moreover, they strongly inhibited hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$)-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS), in a dose-dependent manner, in RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells. Furthermore, they induced the protein expression of an anti-oxidative enzyme, heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), and its upstream transcription factor, nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Taken together, these results indicate that these five plants possess potent anti-oxidative activity and thus appear to be useful sources as potential anti-oxidant agents. Therefore, they might be utilized as promising materials in the field of nutraceuticals.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.239-246
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• 2005

In the central nervous system, nitric oxide (NO) is associated with many pathological diseases such as brain ischemia, neurodegeneration and inflammation. The epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a major compound of green tea, is recognized as protective substance against neuronal diseases. This study is aimed to investigate the effect of EGCG on NO-induced cell death in PC12 cells. Administration of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a NO donor, decreased cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner and induced genomic DNA fragmentation with cell shrinkage and chromatin condensation. EGCG diminished the decrement of cell viability and the formation of apoptotic morphologenic changes as well as DNA fragmentation by SNP. EGCG played as an antioxidant that attenuated the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by SNP. The cells treated with SNP showed downregulation of Bcl-2, but upregulation of Bax. EGCG ameliorated the altered expression of Bcl-2 and Bax by SNP. The release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into cytosol and expression of voltage -dependent anion channel (VDAC)1, a cytochrome c releasing channel in mitochondria, were increased in SNP-treated cells, whereas were attenuated by EGCG. The enhancement of caspase-9, preceding mitochondria-dependent pathway, caspase-8 and death receptor-dependent pathway, as well as caspase-3 activities were suppressed by EGCG. SNP upragulated Fas and Fas-L, which are death receptor assembly, whereas EGCG ameliorated the expression of Fas enhanced by SNP. These results demonstrated that EGCG has a protective effect against SNP-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells, through scavenging ROS and regulating the mitocondria- and death receptor-mediated signal pathway. The present study suggest that EGCG might be a natural neuroprotective substance.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.291-295
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• 2015

Sweet pumpkin is a squash fruit that contains low total solids but is rich in carotene, pectin, mineral salts, vitamins, and other substances beneficial to health. An attempt was made to develop a value-added food product; sweet pumpkin powders (SPP) were incorporated into a model system of noodles as a healthy food ingredient, and selected physicochemical properties and consumer preferences were determined. Elevated SPP concentration was associated with increased pH, soluble solids, and turbidity; however, moisture absorption decreased (P<0.05). Increasing amounts of SPP significantly reduced both raw and cooked noodle brightness (L*); however, yellowness (b*) appeared to increase. In addition, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity increased significantly (P<0.05). The consumer acceptance test indicated that incorporation of 10% SPP to the formulation is recommended to take advantage of the health benefits of SPP without major sacrificing the quality acceptance of consumers.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1000-1006
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• 2015

α-Asarone is the main component of Acorus gramineus, which is a widely used oriental traditional medicine. A. gramineus is known to have a variety of medicinal effects, such as anti-gastric ulcer, antiallergy and antioxidant activity. It is also known to inhibit the release of histamine. However, the mechanism of its action remains unclear in humans. In this study, the effects of α-asarone on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and its antioxidant effect in a cell-free system were examined in HT1080 cells. In an MTT assay, the effect of α-asarone on cell viability showed no cytotoxicity below 16 μM. In an antioxidant assay, α-asarone increased reducing power in a dose-dependent manner but not the scavenging activity of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. In addition, α-asarone exhibited the protective effect against DNA oxidation induced by hydroxyl radicals produced by the Fenton reaction. Furthermore, in a gelatin disk assay, α-asarone enhanced collagenase activity. It also increased the activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 stimulated by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) in a gelatin zymography. On the other hand, the activity of MMP-9 stimulated by phenazine methosulfate (PMS) but not that of MMP-2 was increased in the presence of α-asarone. These findings suggest that α-asarone could be a candidate for the prevention and treatment of pathological diseases related to oxidative stress and MMPs.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.1348-1358
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• 2017

To enhance the physiological activity of the Rhynchosia volubilis (RV), R. volubilis (RVHE-A) and R. volubilis-added herbal powder (RVHE-B) were fermented with a solid state culture of Hericium erinaceum mycelia (HE). The total isoflavone contents of the non-fermented RV-A ($489.9{\mu}g/g$) and RV-B ($571.1{\mu}g/g$) were remarkably increased in fermented RVHE-A ($1,836.4{\mu}g/g$) and RVHE-B ($1,276.7{\mu}g/g$). In particular, aglycone isoflavones such as daidzein and genistein were significantly higher in the RVHE-A than any other sample. When hot-water (HW) and EtOH extracts (E) were fractionated from the RV and RVHE, both extracts from the RVHE-A were higher than those from the RV-A in total polyphenol and flavonoid contents. However, the RVHE-B-HW showed a lower polyphenol and flavonoid content level than did RV-B-HW. RVHE-A-HW and -E also had more potent ABTS radical scavenging activity than any extract from the non-fermented RV and other ferments (RVHE-B). In the meanwhile, RVHE-A-HW potently stimulated the production of macrophage activation-related cytokines such as $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-6 and IL-12 ($841.7{\pm}71.3pg/mL$, $3.9{\pm}0.1ng/mL$, $179.3{\pm}30.2pg/mL$) from peritoneal macrophage more than RV-A-HW ($92.5{\pm}1.5pg/mL$, $0.1{\pm}0.0ng/mL$, $37.4{\pm}5.4pg/mL$) as well as RVHE-B-HW ($557.0{\pm}21.3pg/mL$, $1.8{\pm}0.0ng/mL$, $90.0{\pm}10.0pg/mL$). However, all the EtOH extracts did not show significant activity. In addition, the RVHE-A-HW showed a significantly higher intestinal immune system modulating activity through Peyer's patch and GM-CSF production than did any other extract from RV and RVHE-B. In conclusion, these results suggest that the fermented R. volubilis with H. erinaceum mycelia possesses a possible use as an industrial application as functional food or material.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.149-157
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• 2010

Objective：Gagam-Gongjin-dan (GGD) is an oriental medicinal prescription composited with Cervi parvum Cornu, Corni Fructus, Angelica Gigantis Radix, Lycii Fructus, Dioscoreae Rhizoma, Citri Pericarpium, Gastrodiae Rihzoma, Agastachis Herba, Cassiae cortex, Scutellariae Radix and Schisandrae Fructus. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of GGD extract against acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver injury in mice. Methods：GGD extract was prepared by extracting with methanol for 7 days. The extract was freeze-dried following filtration through vacuum distillation system. The first, we investigated the antioxidant effects of GGD extract on electronic donating ability (DPPH), nitrite (NO) scavenging and superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity. The next, we investigated the possible hepatoprotective effect of GGD extract administration against acetaminophen-induced liver injury in mice. Mice were orally administrated with or without GGD extract of different doses (25-100 mg/kg/day) one times per day for 6 days. After 3 days, APAP was orally applied with a single dose (400 mg/kg). Results：GGD extract increased DPPH, NO and SOD-like activities in dose dependant. APAP treatment significantly increased aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities in plasma. Also, APAP treatment significantly evaluated lipid peroxidation product thiobarbituric reacting substances (TBARS) and depleted some antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, d-aminolevulinate dehydratase and gluthathione peroxidase activities) in liver homogenates compared to the control group. However, the orally administration of GGD extract was able to counteract these effects. Histological studies provided supportive evidence for biochemical analysis Conclusions：These results suggest that GGD extract has a potential antioxidant and hepatoprotective effect against APAP-induced liver injury, these properties may contribute to liver disease care.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.12
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• pp.1725-1730
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• 2010

To obtain basic information on the potential use of propolis as a raw material in functional food, proximate composition, total phenolics content and antioxidant activities of different propolis extracts in Korea were investigated. Propolis had the highest level of crude fat and the lowest level of crude fiber. The total phenolics content of ethanol and water extract of propolis from Geochang (GEE and GWE), ethanol and water extract of propolis from Jeju (JEE and JWE) were 184.17, 316.19, 204.33 and 47.83 mg gallic acid equivalent/g, respectively. GWE contained relatively higher levels of total phenolics than the other extracts. The antioxidant potential of the extracts was assessed by different in vitro assays such as DPPH, ABTS, reducing power, ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) and peroxidation inhibiting activities through linoleic acid emulsion system. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities of all the extracts were dose dependent. The GWE exhibited the best performance in reducing power, FRAP, and lipid peroxidation using ferric thiocyanate (FTC) assay. These results demonstrated that GWE has excellent antioxidant activities and thus it has great potential as a raw material for functional food.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.149-155
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• 2011

This study was carried out to develop a method of removing unnecessary sugars and high-molecular weight soluble components from water extract by using various highly porous polymer resins: these resins are widely used as adsorbents for polyphenolic compounds. Each anthocyanin-rich fraction (ARF) that was eluted from column packed with 4 different resins (SEPABEADS SP207, 700, 850 and Diaion HP 20) was obtained from an aqueous extract of the ripe fruits of Rubus coreanus, which is well-known in Korea as "Bok-bun-ja". Among the above mentioned resins, Diaion HP20 had the highest efficacy and provided maximum yield of the ARF. The ARF eluted from the column packed with HP 20 exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity in vitro. Bioactive phytochemicals extracted from Rubus coreanus were investigated using the on-line HPLC-$ABTS^{{\cdot}+}$ system, and the resulting 6 peaks were identified as radical-scavenging components. By using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, 5 peaks were obtained, and these were identified as cyanidin-3-sambubioside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-xylosylrutinoside, cyanidin-3-rutinoside and pelargonidin-3-rutinoside. These results indicate that the use of appropriate porous resin (Diaion HP 20) leads to an increase in the yield of bioactive components and enhancement of their biological properties.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.344-350
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• 1997

The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of zinc and vitamin E on the antioxidative defense mechanism in the liver of streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Levels of blood glucose of STZ-diabetic rats were higher than that of control, but ZDM($ZnSO_{4}$ 10mg/kg injection+STZ) group was lower than those of DM(STZ injection) and EDM(vitamin E 400mg/kg diet+STZ) group. Levels of plasma insulin were lower in all three STZ-diabetic groups than those of control. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances(TBARS) peroxide values(LPO) in liver were increased 2.3-fold in DM group compared with those of control, while LPG in ZDM group was lower than that of DM group, and EDM group had similar tendency compared with that of control. Reduced glutathione(GSH) contents of liver were decreased in DM group compared with those of control, but increased 2.3, 1.7-fold in ZDM and EDM groups, respectively, compared with those of DM group. Oxidized glutathione(GSSG) was increased in DM group compared with control and GSSG in ZDM and EDM group were lower than that of DM group. GSH/GSSG ratio had similar tendency compared with results of GSH. The activities of free radical scavenging enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase were significantly decreased in DM group compared to those of control, but higher in ZDM and EDM groups than those of DM group. The metallothionein contents in liver and kidney were increased in DM and EDM groups were remarkably increased 20, 5.3-fold in ZDM group, compared with those of control.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.134-140
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• 2004

Optimal extraction method for antioxidant compounds from coat of grape dreg was established. Extracts were prepared with ethanol solutions containing phosphoric, formic, acetic, HCl, TFA, and citric acids. Antioxidant compounds of grape coat were determined by HPLC analysis and evaluated for antioxidizing effects using in vitro model system. Peonidin-3-glucoside content was the highest in 0.1% HCl-added ethanol extract. The extract prepared from pure ethanol without organic acids showed the highest content of cyanidin-3-glucoside among samples tested. Resveratrol and quercetin contents, the most important antioxidants, were highest in 0,1% HCl-added extract. Electron-donating ability was high in 0.1% acetic acid-added extract. SOD-like activities were 95.08% and 94.39% in 0.1% formic and 0.1% citric acid extracts, respectively. Inhibitory effects on peroxidation of egg yolk lecithin were observed in phosphoric (60.51%), citric (59,27%), and formic acid (56,77%) extracts. Hydrogen radical-scavenging activity was 59.47% in 0,1% HCl extract. Results suggest addition of 0.1% HCl in ethanol solution affords the highest yield in antioxidant compounds and antioxidant activities.