• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.1 s.38
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• pp.60-70
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• 1986

Distributions of serum dopamine-${\beta}$-hydroxylase(DBH) activity and thermostability in a randomly selected population of Korean adults were studied to investigate the genetic factor which could exert an influence on the serum DBH activity and thermostability. The results were followings: 1. The mean serum DBH activity in a randomly selected population of adults was $18.3{\pm}4.5$ umol/min/l($mean{\pm}SD;n=327$) which showed no age or sex variation. 2. The frequency distribution showed no isolated subgroup with very low serum DBH activity. 3. When the ratio of enzyme activity after heating $55^{\circ}C$ for 20 minutes to that before heating (heated-to-control or H/C ratio). was used as a measure of thermostability, the mean serum DBH H/C ratio in a randomly selecfld population, of adults was $0.90{\pm}0.17(mean{\pm}SD; n=327)$ which showed no age or sex variation. 4. Serum DBH H/C ratio showed unimodal, homogeneous distribution. 5. There was significant negative correlation between serum DBH activity and H/C ratio(r=-0.39. p<0.01). 6. Subjects with H/C ratio less than 0.1 had significantly higher basal enzyme activity $(22.2{\pm}4.5)$ $(mean{\pm}SD;n=33)$ umo1/min/1 than those with H/C ratio more than 1.09 $(15.5{\pm}3.3)$ $(mean{\pm}SD;n=32)$ umo1/min/1. This study shows that the distribution patterns of serum DBH activity and thermostability of Korean population are considerably different from those of Caucasian and it might be a line of evidence for the different inheritance pattern of plasma DBH enzyme between these racial groups.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.103-110
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• 2005

Opuntia ficus-indica, commonly known as prickly pear cactus, is commercially grown as a food and medicinal plant in Jeju Island, Korea. The crushed pads and fruits of Opuntia ficus-indica were dried in a freeze-dryer and ground into flour to be used for food materials. The major components of proximate compositions were part of a nitrogen free extract. The major minerals were Ca (4391.2-2086.9㎎%), K (1932.1-2608.7㎎%), and Mg (800.6-1984.8㎎%). The major amino acid was glutamic acid, comprising 16.3% of total amino acids in fruit and 25.2% in pad. Dihydroflavonols were identified as (+)-trans-dihydrokaempferol and (+)-trans-dihydroquercetin. Citric acid methyl esters extracted from fruits showed inhibitory activities against monoamine oxidase-B. The presence of trimethyl citrate has been reported in other plants, but 1,3-dimethyl citrate and 1-monomethyl citrate have not been previously reported. The results of pharmacological efficacy tests, including serum biochemical and hematological parameters, autonomic nervous system, anti-inflammatory, analgestic activity, anti-diabetic activity, antithrombotic, anticoagulant, dopamine beta-hydroxylase, monoamine oxidase activity, hyperlipidemia, the respiratory system, antigastic, and anti-ulcerative actions indicate that the fruit and pad of the Opuntia ficus-indica are rich sources of food and medicinal materials.