• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.151-157
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: In Asia, various medicinal plants have been used as the primary sources in the health care regimen for thousands of years. In recent decades, various studies have investigated the biological activity and potential medicinal value of the medicinal plants. In this study, 100 methanol extracts from 98 plant species were evaluated for their biological activities. MATERIALS/METHODS: The research properties, including 1,1-diphenyl-2-pic-rylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, ${\alpha}$-glucosidase and ${\alpha}$-tyrosinase inhibitory effects, anti-inflammatory activity, and anticancer activity were evaluated for the selected extracts. RESULTS: Fifteen of the extracts scavenged more than 90% of the DPPH radical. Among the extracts, approximately 20 extracts showed a strong inhibitory effect on ${\alpha}$-glucosidase, while most had no effect on ${\alpha}$-tyrosinase. In addition, 52% of the extracts showed low toxicity to normal cells, and parts of the extracts exhibited high anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities on the murine macrophage cell (RAW 264.7) and human colon cancer cell (HT-29) lines, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings may contribute to further nutrition and pharmacological studies. Detailed investigations of the outstanding samples are currently underway.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.197-204
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• 2007

The present study focused on the establishment of micropropagation protocol for the high value Pluchea (P.) indica (L.) Less., genotype, an important medicinal plant and evaluation of the diuretic activity of the leaf extract of the tissue cultured plant. Leaf explants, nodal segments and shoot tips were cultured in MS medium supplemented with auxin and cytokinin and their combinations. With the objective of inducing callus giving rise to new adult plants, naphthalene acetic acid was found to be most effective for (80%) for callus induction. The methanolic extract of leaves of the micropropagated P. indica was investigated for its diuretic activity in Wistar albino rats. Urinary excretion parameters were studied for evaluation of diuretic activity using Frusemide (20 mg/kg, p.o.) as standard. The extract showed significant diuretic activity at the doses of 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg. p.o. An oral acute toxicity study for the extract was carried out and the $LD_{50}$ value was found to be 2,825 mg/kg body weight.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.395-400
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• 2002

Lead is one of the most toxic metal and is detectable in practically all phases of environment and in all biological system. Transport, industrial and domestic waste products are the main sources of this pollutant. Ingested lead is rapidly absorbed and widely distributed throughout the body, causing extensive tissue damage. In this study, we chose the freshwater decapods Maceobrachium nipponnese as a sensitive indicator organism for environmental pollution. In order to investigate the possibility in use of $Na^+/K^+ATPase$ activity as a biomarker of lead pollution, we tested the acute toxicity of lead to Maceobrachium nipponnese. The $LC_{50}(96hr)$ value for lead in Maceobrachium nipponnese was found to be $446{\mu}g/L$ with the 95% confidence limits. The lead exposure group at $LC_{50}$ showed a significant $Na^+/K^+ATPase$ inhibition, depending on the exposure time. Comparision of several concentrations of lead revealed that the $Na^+/K^+ATPase$ activity in Maceobrachium nipponnese was significantly decreased in a concentration dependent manner. These results suggest that $Na^+/K^+ATPase$ activity in Maceobrachium nipponnese may possibly be used as a biomarker of lead pollution in aquatic ecosystem.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.279-286
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• 2004

Although numerous studies have shown that cadmium disturbs the normal biological processes in central nervous system, the mechanism of toxicity is not well understood. The present study has investigated the effect of cadmium on oxidative stress, Na$^{+}$K$^{+}$ ATPase activity and the aggregation of amyloid beta peptide ($\beta$-amyloid) in neuronal cell line, HT22 cell. LC$_{5}$ and LC$_{50}$ of cadmium for HT22 cell resulted from MTT assay was 4.1 uM and 9.5 uM, respectively. Cadmium (2 to 8 uM) dose-dependently increased the lipid peroxidation and decreased the content of glutathione. Cadmium 4 uM showed a significant decrease in Na$^{+}$/K $^{+}$ ATPase activity as compared with control group. The aggregation of $\beta$-amyloid was accelerated in a dose-dependent manner by the treatment with 2 to 8 uM cadmium. These results suggest that the neurotoxicity of cadmium can be mediated by the increase in oxidative stress and decrease in Na$^{+}$/K$^{+}$ ATPase activity.se activity.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.138-144
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• 2001

This study was performed to investigate the influence of Chlorella which effected the change of Pb contents, enzyme activity and lipid compounds on the rats fed the beverage involved Pb and the different contented Chlorella added-diets for 18weeks. The rat's weight of 200ppm Pb group was decreased 6.04% and the cause of that was Pb intake. But the rat's weight of Chlorella added-diets +200ppm Pb group was increased 4.02% (p<0.01). When feeding the different(0%, 2%, 5%, 10% ) Chlorella added-diets with the Pb contented beverage to the rats, we could know that the Pb contents accumulated on tissue were decreased to 20.70(0%), 12.88(2%), 14.83 (5%) and 19.56(10%), compared with the quantity of Pb taken in. Total-cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose content and AST, ALT, ALP, LDH enzyme activity in serum were the highest on 200ppm Pb group and those were decreased by the order of different(2%∼5% >10%) Chlorella contents + 200ppmPb group. A significance was recognized on the level of 1%. Therefore, when rats were exposed to Pb, it was thought that the amount of Chlorella intake was adequate on content 2∼5% for reducing the lead toxicity.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.148-153
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• 1995

As an initial step for evaluating hepatoprotective components against alcohol-induced toxicity, the effect of various fractions from Aloe vera on alcohol metabolism in rats were examined and the results were as follows: Water soluble fraction, after a single oral administration to rats, was found to cause a significant decrease in the serum ethanol concentration as well as enhancement of liver cytosolic ADH activity. On the other hand, the fractions soluble in organic solvent was found to cause an increase in the blood ethanol concentration and inhibit ADH activity. Further fractionation of the water soluble fraction by ultrafiltration system gave four subfractions corresponding to molecular weight and treatment of them in rats demonstrated that subfraction of M.W. > 30,000 exhibited the most potent enhancing activity of ethanol methabolism.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1605-1612
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• 2012

The present study concerned the identification and characterization of a novel bacterial strain isolated from entomopathogenic nematodes collected from different regions in Korea. The bacterial isolate M1021 was Gramnegative, bioluminescent, and produced red colonies on MacConkey agar medium. A rod-shaped structure was confirmed by the electron micrograph. Fatty acid composition was analyzed by using the Sherlock MIDI system. The identification was further supported by 16S rDNA sequence analysis, which revealed 96-99% sequence homology with strains of Photorhabdus temperata. The location of the isolated strain of P. temperata in the phylogenetic tree was confirmed and it was named P. temperata M1021. P. temperata M1021 exhibited catalase, protease, and lipase activities when grown on appropriate media supplemented with respective substrates. The culture of P. temperata M1021 exhibited insecticidal activity against the larvae of Galleria mellonella and the activity was the highest after 3-4 days of cultivation with agitating at $28^{\circ}C$ under 220 rpm. Antibacterial activity was also observed against Salmonella Typhimurium KCTC 1926 and Micrococcus luteus KACC 10488.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.214-219
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• 2014

Artemisia apiacea is a traditional herbal medicine using treatment of eczema and jaundice in Eastern Asia including China, Korea, and Japan. In this study, the three phytosterol constituents were isolated and identified from the hexane fraction of 80% aqueous methanol extract of A. apiacea. Compounds were isolated using open column chromatography (silica gel). Their chemical structures were also established using $^1H$-NMR and $^{13}C$-NMR. Moreover, neuroprotective activity of each compound against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in hippocampal HT-22 cell line was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Furthermore, Inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium ion ($Ca^{2+}$) accumulation were measured for elucidation of neuroprotective mechanism of isolated compounds. They showed that stigmasterol had neuroprotective activity against the glutamate-induced toxicity by inhibition of ROS and $Ca^{2+}$ production. In conclusion, isolated compound of A. apiacea might be useful for therapeutic agent against neurodegenerative diseases.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.101-113
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• 2015

Application of herbal medicines as natural preservatives has been increased because of its low toxicity or side effect, compared to artificial preservatives. In this study, papers and patents researching anti-microbial activity of herbal medicine were collected and analyzed by the year of publishment, species of bacteria, fungi, or yeasts, and herbal medicines used. After early 2000's, the number of paper publishment has been decreased, while that of patent registration has been increased up to early 2010's. Most studied species were Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria, and Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger as fungi. The bark of Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J. Presl was most frequently studies herbal medicine, followed by the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and Sophora flavescens Ait. This study demonstrates that herbal medicines can be used as natural preservatives against diverse species of bacteria, fungi, or yeasts with their wide-ranged anti-microbial activities.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.432-439
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• 2000

This study was condo더ed to investigate the antitoxic component in aqueous extract of Houttuynia cordata $T_{HUNB}$. The results were as follows: Generally, detoxification effects by Houttuynia cordata $T_{HUNB}$ extract increased in proportion to the extract concentrations in rats. When 40 mBtg dosage of Houttuynia cordata $T_{HUNB}$ extract was administrated, Houttynia cordata $T_{HUNB}$ extract showed the highest antitoxic effects in metallothionein induction. After the extract treatment, body weights increased in proportion to the extract concentrations. However, after 3 weeks, the body weight decreased insignificantly. From the above results, Houttuynia cordate $T_{HUNB}$ extract increased metallothionein concentration and decreased the toxicity of cadmium in rats. In vitro the antitoxic activity of aqueous extract of Houttuynia cordata $T_{HUNB}$ on NIH 373 fibroblasts was evaluated by the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetra-zoliumbromide) and SRB (sulforhodamine B protein) assays. The light microscopic study was carried out to observe morphological changes of the treated cells. These results were obtained as follows; The concentration of 10$^{-2}$ mg/ml of Houttuynia cordata $T_{HUNB}$ extract was shown significant antitoxic activity The number of NIH 373 fibroblasts were increased and tend to regenerate. These results suggest that Houttuynia cordata THUNB extract retains a potential antitoxic activity.oxic activity.