• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 2015

The seed of Vigna angularis has long been cultivated as a food or a folk medicine in East Asia. Genistein (4',5,7-trihydroxyisoflavone), a dietary phytoestrogen present in this plant, has been known to possess various biological properties. In this study, we investigated the possible lifespan-extending effects of genistein using Caenorhabditis elegans model system. We found that the lifespan of nematode was significantly prolonged in the presence of genistein under normal culture condition. In addition, genistein elevated the survival rate of nematode against stressful environment including heat and oxidative conditions. Further studies demonstrated that genistein-mediated increased stress tolerance of nematode could be attributed to enhanced expressions of stress resistance proteins such as superoxide dismutase (SOD-3) and heat shock protein (HSP-16.2). Moreover, we failed to find genistein-induced significant change in aging-related factors including reproduction, food intake, and growth, indicating genistein exerts longevity activity independent of affecting these factors. Genistein treatment also led to an up-regulation of locomotory ability of aged nematode, suggesting genistein affects healthspan as well as lifespan of nematode. Our results represent that genistein has beneficial effects on the lifespan of C. elegans under both of normal and stress condition via elevating expressions of stress resistance proteins.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.365-373
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• 2005

Antioxidative activities of methanol extracts of 7 natural products which have been orientally used or studied as ophthalmic drugs were investigated. All of 7 extracts assayed - Rubus coreanus, Dendrobium monile, Eriocaulon sieboldianum, Ligustrum japonicum, Cassia tora, Cicadae Periostacum and Polygonatum odoratum var pluriflorum had some electron-donating ability to OPPH radicals, in which R. coreanus and D. monile showed strong activity as similar as ascorbic acid or BHT. At the concentration of $200{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, methanol extract of L. japonicum showed superoxide dismutase-like activity the same as 0.1 mM ascorbic acid and methanol extract of R. coreanus inhibited effectively the production of ABTS radical produced by $H_2O_2$. Furthermore, methanol extract of C. tora showed the highest nitrite scavenging ability. The inherent antioxidative activities of these natural products appear to be responsible for its ophthalmic effects.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.1024-1050
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• 2001

Avian spermatozoa are characterised by high concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), in particular docosatetraenoic (DTA, 22:4n-6) and arachidonic (AA, 20:4n-6) acids. As a result they are vulnerable to lipid peroxidation, which is considered to be an important factor of male infertility. Antioxidant systems are expressed in spermatozoa and seminal plasma and build three major levels of antioxidant defense. The first level is based on the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) which is, in conjunction with glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase and metal-binding proteins, responsible for prevention of free radical formation. The second level of defence is responsible for prevention and restriction of chain reaction propagation and includes chain-breaking antioxidants such as vitamin E, ascorbic acid, glutathione and some others. The third level of antioxidant defence deals with damaged molecules, repairing or removing them from the cell and includes specific enzymes such as lipases, proteases, DNA repair enzymes etc. In the review, profiles of PUFAs and the two first lines of antioxidant defence in avian spermatozoa are characterised. Dietary manipulation of the breeder's diet (PUFA, vitamin E and selenium) as an effective means of modulating fatty acid composition and antioxidant system is also considered. Antioxidant properties of seminal plasma and efficiencies of inclusion of antioxidants into semen diluents are also characterised.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.559-569
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• 2003

This study was performed to investigate the effect of whole mandarin, peel, and pulp intake of Citrus unshiu Marc on the antioxidative capacity of 15-month-old rats. Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 621.9 $\pm$ 10.1 g were separated into four groups according to body weight. The rats were raised with diets containing 5% (w/w) dried mandarin powder for four weeks. Three powders were used, consisting of mandarin peel, pulp, and the entire fruit. Total flavonoids, antioxidant vitamins and dietary fiber was highest in the mandarin peel powder, followed by the whole mandarin powder and the mandarin pulp. The body weight gains of the whole mandarin and mandarin pulp groups were higher, while that of the mandarin peel group was lower than that of the control group. Food intake and ratios of liver, kidney and epididymal fat pad (EFP) weights to body weight were not significantly different among the groups, but ratios of EFP weights per body weight of the experimental groups tended to be lower than that of the control animals. Plasma and liver TBARS concentrations decreased in all the mandarin groups compared to the control group. Plasma and liver xanthine oxidase (XO) activity decreased in all of the mandarin diet groups. Erythrocyte and liver SOD activity in all of experimental groups was not significantly different from the control group. Plasma vitamin A concentration increased significantly in all of the mandarin diet groups. That of the mandarin peel group was 4 times higher than that of the control group. Plasma total carotenoids and vitamin C level also increased in the mandarin peel group. Plasma vitamin I level was not significantly different among the groups.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.423-429
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• 2001

Satellite data, with sea surface temperature(557) by NOAA and sea level(SL) by Topex/poseidon, are used to estimate characteristics on the variations and correlations of 557 and SL in the East Asian Seas from January 1993 through May 1998. We found that there are two climatic characteristics in the East Asian seas the oceanic climate, the eastern sea of Japan, and the continental climate, the eastern sea of China, respectively. In the oceanic climate, the variations of SL have the high values in the main current of Kuroshio and the variations of 557 have not the remarkable seasonal variations because of the continuos compensation of warm current by Kuroshio. In the continental climate, SL has high variations in the estuaries(the Yellow River, the Yangtze River) with the mixing the fresh water and the saline water in the coasts of continent and 557 has highly the seasonal variations due to the climatic effect of continents. In the steric variations of summer, the eastern sea of Japan, the East China Sea and the western sod of Korea is increased the sea level about 10~20cm. But the Bohai bay in China have relatively the high values about 20~30cm due to the continental climate. generally the trends of SST and SL increased during all periods. That is say, the slopes of 557 and SL Is presented 0.29$^{\circ}C$/year and 0.84cm/year, respectively. The annual and semi-annual amplitudes have a remarkable variations in the western sea of Korea and the eastern sea of Japan. In the case of the annual peaks, there appeared mainly In the western sea of Korea and the eastern sea of .Japan because of the remarkable variations of SL associated with Kuroshio. But in the case of the semi-annual peaks, there appeared in the eastern sea of Japan by the influence of current, and in the western sea of Korea by the influence of seasonal temperature, respectively. From our results, it should be believed that 557 and SL gradually Increase in the East Asian seas concerning to the global warming. So that, it should be requested In the international co-operation against In the change of the abnormal climate.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.275-281
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• 2013

Low temperature is one of the major environmental factors that affect productivity including reduced growth and budding of vines, and changes of metabolic processes in grape (Vitis spp.). To screen the specific expression of abiotic stress-related genes against cold treatment in 'Kyoho' and 'Campbell Early' grapevines, expression of various defense-related genes was investigated by RT-PCR and real-time PCR. Among the 67 genes analyzed by RT-PCR and real-time PCR, 17 and 16 types of cDNA were up-regulated, while 5 and 6 types were down-regulated in cold-treated 'Kyoho' and 'Campbell Early' grapevines, respectively. Genes encoding carotene (Cart3564 and Cart4472), chalcone isomerase (CHI), cytochrome P450 (CYP), flavonol synthase (FLS), endo-${\beta}$-glucanase precursor (Glu), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), leucine-rich repeats (LRR), manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein (PGIP), proline rich protein 2 (PRP2), small heat shock protein (sHSP), temperature induced lipocalin (TIL), and thaumatin-like protein (TLP) were up-regulated, while those encoding CBF like transcription factor (CBF1), chitinase-like protein (CLP), cold induced protein (CIP), glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were down-regulated by low temperature treatment in both in 'Kyoho' and 'Campbell Early'.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.139-147
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of different intensity of aerobic exercise for four weeks on cardiovascular risk factors, reactive oxygen, and antioxidant enzymes in old mice. Methods: Eighteen male C57BL/6 mice age 18 months were randomly classified into the control group (n= 6), the moderate intensity exercise group (n= 6), and the low intensity exercise group (n= 6). The training groups performed the aerobic exercise twice daily for 20 minutes, five days weekly for four weeks. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA), the Chi-square test, and the Tukey's test with the SPSSWIN 21.0 program. Results: In this study, among the risk factors of cardiovascular disease, blood sugar (BS) (p= .023) and total cholesterol (TC) (p= .001) were significantly different between the moderate intensity exercise group and the control group. Additionally, there were significant differences in the reactive oxygen malondialdehyde (MDA) (p= .001), the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) (p< .001) and glutathione reductase (GR) (p= .015) between the moderate intensity exercise group and the control group. Conclusion: This finding suggests that moderate intensity aerobic exercise promotes the activity of antioxidant enzymes and lowers cardiovascular risk factors in older mice.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.160-167
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• 2013

In order to investigate changes in quality and enzyme activity during Chungkookjang fermentation, germinated- and nongerminated yellow soybeans were fermented by Bacillus subtilis and traditional methods. When the soybean was soaked for 6 h and then watered for 4 days with 2 h-interval at $25^{\circ}C$, the highest germination rate was obtained. The germinated soybeans had a higher total isoflavone ($988.4{\mu}g/g$) than that of the nongerminated soybeans ($859.5{\mu}g/g$). Amino type nitrogen contents, protease and amylase activities were higher in germinated soybean Chungkookjang, which was fermented with B. subtilis, than nongerminated soybean Chungkookjang, which was fermented with B. subtilis and traditional methods. Reducing sugar and amino type nitrogen contents, the number of viable cells and protease and amylase activities, were higher for Chungkookjang fermented with B. subtilis, than Chungkookjang fermented by traditional methods. ALP and SOD activities in the Chungkookjang diet group were considerably higher than in the control group. AST activity in the germinated soybean Chungkookjang diet group was higher than in the nongerminated soybean Chungkookjang diet group. In conclusion, it is suggested that Chungkookjang prepared with germinated soybeans using B. subtilis D7 could be practically used as a functional product.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 1996

The effect of several potential antioxidants and amino acids were examined as a means of increasing the development of in vitro matured and in vitro fertilized oocytes into morulae or blastocysts. Bovine embryos developed to the 2~8 cell stage after in vitro fertilization were cultured for 5 to 6 days at 39$^{\circ}C$ in CR1aa containing varing concentraton of the antioxidants and amino acid in a gas phase consisting of 5% CO2, high humidified air. At 5~6 days, embryo developments were reduced, and embryos were fixed and stained with Hochest 33342 DNA stain to facilitate counting of cells. In experiment 1, the proportion of embryos developed to morulae and blastocysts in CR1aa containing 1mM, 2.5mM taurine (22.6% and 20.4%) was slightly higher than those of 0, 5 and 10mM Taurine (5.7, 5.7 and 3.9%, P<0.05). In experiment 2, addition of glutathione did not improve blastocyst development (P>0.05). In experiment 3, concentations of superoxide dismutase(SOD) ranging from 300 to 1,000 U did not affect the propotion of embryos developing into blastocysts (P>0.05). In experiment 4, addition of 250 U catalase(38.5%) was slighty higher than those of 0, 500 and 1,000U. In experiment 5, the proportion of embryo developed beyond morula stage in CR1aa with taurine plus EDTA was slighty higher than other treatments(15.7, 26.0 and 29.2%), there were no significantly increases in cell number among treatments(P>0.05). These results are indicating that antioxidants and amino acids can increase the proportion of embryos that develop into morulae and blastocysts, but did not increas in cell number of blastocysts.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.54-64
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• 2015

Objectives : This study was to investigate the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effect of Lonicera japonica water extracts (LE) on Ulcerative Colitis Induced by DSS (Dextran Sulfate Sodium) in Mice. Methods : Colitis was induced by DSS in Balb/c mice. The sample group was divided into three. The mice in control group were not inflammation-induced. The pathological group was composed of untreated colitis elicited mice. The experimental group was administered Lonicera japonica water extracts (LE) after colitis elicitation. The effects on ulcerative colitis were evaluated the anti-oxidant effect, inhibition of COX-2 mRNA expression, the morphological change of colonic mucosa, decrease effect of HSP 70 and COX-2 in mucosa. Results : The SOD ability of LE was dose-dependently increased and the LPS-induced COX-2 mRNA expression of LE was dose-dependently decreased. LE showed the protective effects on DSS-induced experimental colitis. LE inhibited shortening of colon length, the hemorrhagic erosion in colonic mucosa. LE also showed the decrease effect for HSP70 and COX-2 in mucosa. Conclusions : The current results demonstrate the clinical utility of LE in traditional medicine and indicate the possible treatments for ulcerative colitis from natural products. Further investigations for exact mechanisms will be needed.