• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.173-182
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• 2013

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, relapsing inflammatory skin disease associated with dysfunction of skin barrier and cutaneous hyper-reactivity to environmental triggers. In the previous study, cytotoxicity, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activities were investigated for various herbal extracts such as Aloe vera L. (AV), Viola mandshurica W. Becker (VM), Punica granatum L. (PG), and Dendrobium nobile L. (DN) in order to develop effective therapeutic herbal extracts for atopic dermatitis, In this study, anti-inflammatory activities of these herb extracts in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced macrophage RAW264.7 cells were further examined to find the underlying molecular mechanisms. The RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) analysis showed that PG, DN and AV inhibited effectively the gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-$1{\beta}$ in LPS-stimulated macrophages, while VM did not. The transfection and luciferase analysis exhibited that all herbal extracts hindered the activation of transcription nuclear factor kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$). The western blot analysis indicated that AV blocked the activation of only JNK MAP (c-Jun N-terminal kinase mitogen-activated protein) kinase not p38 MAP kinase, while VM, PG and DN did not show the activation of both JNK and p38 MAP kinases. These results suggest that AV, VM, PG, and DN have anti-inflammatory activities and thus have the potential to reduce and alleviate the symptoms of atopic dermatitis.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.55-60
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• 2011

Skin is a physical barrier against diverse injury and damages. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes detrimental skin injuries such as inflammation and cell death. The value of natural pigments could be applied to many usages including cosmetics. This study was conducted to examine the protective effect of natural pigments extracted from mulberry, balsam pear, purple-colored sweet potato, pehmannia root, gardenia fruit, and black rice against UV-induced cell death in HaCaT cells, human keratinocyte cell lines. In the present study, the exposure of 50 mJ/$cm^2$ UV-B for 24 hr induced cell death in HaCaT cells, which was prevented by the pretreatment of extracts of mulberry, balsam pear, purple-colored sweet potato, rehmannia root, gardenia fruit, and black rice. In addition, the exposure of 50 mJ/$cm^2$ UV-B for 24 hr also increased lipid peroxide (LPO) formation, compared to control in HaCaT cells, which was prevented by the pretreatment of extracts of mulberry, balsam pear, purple-colored sweet potato, rehmannia root, gardenia fruit, and black rice. In conclusion, the extracts of mulberry, balsam pear, purple-colored sweet potato, rehmannia root, gardenia fruit, and black rice prevented the UV-B-induced cell apoptosis via the inhibition of oxidative stress in HaCaT cells.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.63-71
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• 2024

Purpose : Skin is the primary barrier to protect the body from various exogenous factors. Among them, UVB exposure can cause the induction of not only excessive inflammatory responses but also the degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM), including collagen and elastin. This study tried to investigate the ameliorative effect of Persicaria perfoliata ethanol extract (PPEE) on UVB-irradiated photodamage through the regulation of activator protein (AP)-1, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling molecules in HaCaT cells. Methods : The cytotoxicity of PPEE on HaCaT cells was evaluated by the WST-1 assay. The 80 mJ/cm² of UVB (312 nm) was irradiated on HaCaT cells to induce the photodamage. Western blot analysis was conducted to investigate the protein expression levels of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, and heme oxygenase (HO)-1 for ameliorative status by PPEE treatment in UVB-exposed HaCaT cells. In addition, the activated status of the inflammatory transcription factor, AP-1, as well as upstream signaling molecules, PI3K/Akt, and MAPK, were also evaluated by Western blot analysis. Results : Any cytotoxic effect was not induced at the concentration up to 200 ㎍/ml by PPEE treatment. Protein expression levels of COX-2 and MMP-9 were significantly down- and up-regulated by PPEE treatment. The inflammatory transcription factor AP-1, stimulated by UVB irradiation, was also significantly attenuated by PPEE treatment. The phosphorylated status of PI3K/Akt and MAPK were mitigated by PPEE treatment in UVB-exposed HaCaT cells. Moreover, PPEE treatment potently accelerated the expression of HO-1 and its transcription factor, nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf)2, which is known for its anti-inflammatory activity. Conclusion : Consequently, PPEE treatment significantly regulated COX-2 and MMP-9 expressions in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells. The inflammatory transcription factor AP-1, along with upstream signaling molecules PI3K/Akt and MAPKs, were also attenuated by PPEE treatment in UVB-exposed HaCaT cells. Additionally, PPEE treatment exaggerated HO-1 expression and Nrf2 activation, which might have contributed to the anti-inflammatory activity of PPEE. These results indicate that PPEE could be a candidate for attenuating UVB-induced photodamage in human skin.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.819-827
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• 2003

Linoleic acid [LA; 18: 2 (n-6)] is the most abundant polyunsaturated fatty acid in human skin. The exclusion of LA from diet induces epidermal hyperproliferation, which is reversible by the inclusion of LA in diet, and hence, LA is heralded as an essential fatty acid (EFA). Since safflower oil (SO) has been widely recognized as the major dietary source of LA and Arctii Fructus (Arctium lappa L.) is recently reported to contain high level of LA, we compared the antiproliferative effects of SO and Arctii Fructus in this study. Epidermal hyperproliferation was induced in guinea pigs by hydrogenated coconut oil (HCO) diet for 8 wk. During following 2 wk, EFA deficient guinea pigs were fed diets of safflower oil (group HS), water extract of Arctii Fructus (group AW) or organic extract of Arctii Fructus (group AO). Normal control group was fed SO containing diet (group SO) and EFA deficient group was fed HCO containing diet (group HCO) for 10 wk. Epidermal hyperproliferation was reversed in groups AO (55.9% of group HCO) and HS(74.1% of group HCO). However, the thymidine incorporation into epidermal DNA of group HS was greater than of normal control group SO. Epidermal hyperproliferation was not reversed in group AW. The accumulations of LA into phospholipids and ceramides, and of 13-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HODE), the potent antiproliferative metabolite of LA in the epidermis of group AO were greater than of group HS. In contrast, the de novo synthesis of ceramides, the major lipids maintaining epidermal barrier, did not differ between all of groups. Together, our data demonstrate that organic extract of Arctii Fructus is more prominent than safflower oil in reversing epidermal hyperproliferation by inducing the higher accumulations of LA and 13-HODE in the epidermis of guinea pigs.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.398-403
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Atopic dermatitis (AD), a chronic inflammatory skin disease, is accompanied by disruption of the epidermal lipid barrier, of which ceramide (Cer) is the major component. Recently it was reported that vitamin C is essential for de novo synthesis of Cer in the epidermis and that the level of vitamin C in plasma is decreased in AD. The objective of this study was to determine the associations among clinical severity, vitamin C in either plasma or epidermis, and Cer in the epidermis of patients with AD. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 17 patients (11 male and 6 female) aged 20-42 years were enrolled. The clinical severity of AD was assessed according to the SCORAD (SCORing Atopic Dermatitis) system. Levels of vitamin C were determined in plasma and biopsies of lesional epidermis. Levels of epidermal lipids, including Cer, were determined from tape-stripped lesional epidermis. RESULTS: The clinical severity of patients ranged between 0.1 and 45 (mild to severe AD) based on the SCORAD system. As the SCORAD score increased, the level of vitamin C in the plasma, but not in the epidermis, decreased, and levels of total Cer and Cer2, the major Cer species in the epidermis, also decreased. There was also a positive association between level of vitamin C in the plasma and level of total Cer in the epidermis. However, levels of epidermal total lipids including triglyceride, cholesterol, and free fatty acid (FFA) were not associated with either SCORAD score or level of vitamin C in the plasma of all subjects. CONCLUSIONS: As the clinical severity of AD increased, level of vitamin C in the plasma and level of epidermal Cer decreased, and there was a positive association between these two parameters, implying associations among plasma vitamin C, epidermal Cer, and the clinical severity of AD.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.25-29
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• 2009

Ceramide is important not only for the maintenance of the barrier function of the skin but also for the water-binding capacity of the stratum corneum. Though the effectiveness of ceramide is not understood fully, ceramide has become a widely used ingredient in cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. However, ceramide production from Saccharomyces cerevisiae has not been widely studied and the quantity are very low. Gene deletion in the cell is used frequently to investigate the function of gene and verification research of drug target. Specially, deletion mutant library is useful for a large amount functional analysis of gene. In this study, deletion mutants of genes on the metabolic pathway of ceramide synthesis in S. cerevisiae were grown in a batch culture and the cellular content of ceramide was measured. The ceramide content was highest in ${\triangle}$ydc1 mutant and 6 mg ceramide/g cell was obtained.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.25 no.4 s.34
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• pp.123-131
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• 1999

Liquid crystal known as a rheological barrier to coalescence of oil droplets, increases emulsion stability, water-holding capacity and promotes active material penetration to skin. Some investigation for its rheological characteristics have been reported but its relations to consumer perception have been rarely published. In this study, oil/water emulsion and oil/liquid crystal/water systems were manufactured using the same composition or Behenyltrimethylammonium chloride/Cetostearyl alcohol/Lanolin oil. and rheological properties or each system were investigated with Cone and Plate rheometer. The formation of liquid crystalline phase was observed with polarized microscope and Differential Scanning Calorimeter. Continuous shear experiment, creep, yield and water holding capacity were measured for oil/water and oil/liquid crystal/water systems. The results were compared with sensory evaluations. Oil/liquid crystal/water system showed higher,viscosity at the same shear rate. higher viscoelasticity and higher yield stress than oil/water system. These properties were expected to show good spreadability and excellent richness without waxiness in hair can: products of creme type. This expectation was consistent with the results of sensory experiments. Water-holding capacity was evaluated by measuring residual water of specimens at specific temperature and relative humidity. Oil/liquid crystal/water system was proved to have higher ability to hold water in comparison with oil/water system. The results indicated that oil/liquid crystal/water system was of benefit to rheological properties creme type hair care products.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
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• 1999.10a
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• pp.123-131
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• 1999

Liquid crystal known as a rheological barrier to coaleseence of oil dorplets. increases. emulsion stability, water-holding capacity and promotes active material penetration to skin. Some investigation for its rheological characteristics have been reported but its relations to consumer perception have been rarely published. In this study oil/water emulsion and oil/liquid crystal/water systems were manufactured using the same composition of Behenyltrimethylammonium chloride/Cetostearyl alcohol/Lanolin oil. and rheological properties of each system were investigated with Cone and Plate rheometer. The formation of liquid crystalline phase was observed with polarized microscope and Differential Scanning Calorimeter. Continuous shear experiment, creep yield and water holding capacity were measured for oil/water and oil/liquid crystal/water systems. The results were compared with sensory evaluations. Oil/liquid crystal/water system showed higher viscosity at the same shear rate, higher viscoelasticity and higher yield stress than oil/water system. These properties were expected to show good spreadability and excellent richness without waxiness I hair care products of creme type. This expectation was consistent with the results of sensory experiments. Water-holding capacity was evaluated by measuring residual water of specimens at specific temperature and relative humidity, Oil/liquid crystal/water system was proved to have ability to hold water in comparison with oil/water system. The results indicated that oil/liquid crystal/water system was of benefit to rheological properties creme type hair care products.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.99-114
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• 2020

Objectives : To investigate treatment approaches of psoriasis, and to provide universal and holistic standards to assist in optimizing patient care and future research. Methods : Review articles of psoriasis regarding pathophysiology, risk factor or treatment were searched from Pubmed (January 2016 to June 2020). Treatment approaches were investigated based on the searched articles. Additional data collecting was done for further discussion by searching Pubmed and Google scholar with keywords relevant to the approaches, and the relevant references of articles retrieved were manually inspected to be included. Results : Modalities to directly regulate the relevant helper T cell or inflammatory cytokines can constitute the treatment approaches of psoriasis. Modalities to treat gastrointestinal tract inflammation, to correct metabolic syndrome and to improve epidermal lipid abnormality via whole body lipid metabolism can also constitute the treatment approaches of psoriasis. Probable adverse effects of long term use of western medication should be addressed carefully, and alleviating the hazards of western medication can be a treatment approach of psoriasis. Conclusion : Treatment of psoriasis should take account of systemic aspects such as gastrointestinal tract and lipid metabolism. Treatment approaches of psoriasis established on the pathophysiological basis can serve as universal standards.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.387-394
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• 2015

We have recently developed a cost-effective and pouch-type chemical vapor sampler which consists of a selectively permeable high density polyethylene(HDPE) membrane, aluminum/nylon barrier film, and adsorbents. Since the sampler mimics the actual adsorption process that occurs when the skin is exposed to chemical vapors, it can be applied to man-in-simulant test(MIST) to determine the protective capability of individual protective ensembles for chemical warfare agents. In this study, we describe the manufacturing process of samplers and results for performance testing on MIST. Methyl salicylate(MeS) is used to simulate chemical agent vapor and the vapor sampler was used to monitor chemical concentration of MeS inside the protective suit system while worn. Values of protection factors(PF) were also analyzed to provide an indication of the protection level of the suit system evaluate by MIST. The results obtained by home-made samplers(ADD samplers) and commercially avaliable ones(Natick samplers) showed no significant differences.