• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 2014

The transformation of ginsenoside Rb1 into a specific minor ginsenoside using Aspergillus niger KCCM 11239, as well as the identification of the transformed products and the pathway via thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography were evaluated to develop a new biologically active material. The conversion of ginsenoside Rb1 generated Rd, Rg3, Rh2, and compound K although the reaction rates were low due to the low concentration. In enzymatic conversion, all of the ginsenoside Rb1 was converted to ginsenoside Rd and ginsenoside Rg3 after 24 h of incubation. The crude enzyme (b-glucosidase) from A. niger KCCM 11239 hydrolyzed the ${\beta}$-($1{\rightarrow}6$)-glucosidic linkage at the C-20 of ginsenoside Rb1 to generate ginsenoside Rd and ginsenoside Rg3. Our experimental demonstration showing that A. niger KCCM 11239 produces the ginsenoside-hydrolyzing b-glucosidase reflects the feasibility of developing a specific bioconversion process to obtain active minor ginsenosides.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.909-915
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• 1997

The nitrite scavenging effect of methanol extracts of marine algae were evaluated to discover new natural nitrite scavengers. Among the tested seaweeds, Ecklonia stolonifera, an edible brown algae, showed the strongest scavenging effect. The MeOH extract was then sequentially partitioned into $CH_2Cl_2,\;CH_2Cl_2$ insoluble interface, EtOAc, n-BuOH, and $H_2O$ layers. The EtOAc and n-BuOH fraction demonstrated high levels of nitrite-scavenging activity while the $CH_2Cl_2,\;CH_2Cl_2$ insoluble interface, and $H_2O$ fractions were inactive. A column chromatography of the EtOAc fraction through silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 yielded phloroglucinol and a new compound tentatively named phlorotannin A. The nitrite scavenging activity of phloroglucinol $(IC_{50}=3.9{\mu}g/ml)$ was more potent than that of L-ascorbic acid $(IC_{50}=65.0{\mu}g/ml)$. However, phlorotannin A $(IC_{50}=193.2{\mu}g/ml)$ showed only low levels of activity. From the above results, it is possible to suggest that both the MeOH extract and their fractions and isolated phloroglucinol and phlorotannin A obtained from E. stolonifera may be applicable as scavengers of nitrite, which is a precursor for the formation of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.33-37
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• 2004

Objective: The aim of this work is to investigate the antibacterial activity of the Sohporaflavanone G isolated from Sophora flavescens (S. flavescens), as the development of microbial resistance to antibiotics make it essential to constantly look for new and active compounds effective against pathogenic bacteria. Method : Sophoraflavanone G was isolated from the dried roots of Sophora flavescens Aiton (Leguminosae) by bioassay?guided fractionation. We investigated the effect of sophoraflavanone G on oral bacterial at various concentrations after incubation of 24 h in strains in the dose?dependent manner. Results: The structure of active compound, Sophoraflavanone G having a lavandulyl group at C?8, was elucidated on the basis of spectral data especially 1H?NMR and I3C?NMR. The antimicrobial activity showed that Sophoraflavanone G exhibited antimicrobial activilies against all the bacteria tested (MICs, 0.39 - 6.25 ㎍／ml). Sophoraflavanone G showed the strong antimicrobial activity against all the facultative bacteria and microaerophilic bacteria (MICs, 0.78 - 1.56 ㎍／ml) and also Sophoraflavanone G showed the strong antimicrobial activity against obligate anaerobic bacteria (MICs, 0.39 - 6.25 ㎍／ml).

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.235-241
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• 1991

- A phthalic acid derivative and basic macrolide antibiotics, with antimicrobial activity against Gram positive bacteria and phytopathogenic fungi, respectively, were found to be produced by a strain 88-GT-161 identified as being a variety of Streptomyces melanosporofaciens. This paper describes an isolation procedure of the active compounds produced by this strain, their in vitro and in vivo (pot test) antimicrobial activites, and structure determination of one of the compounds, bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, a phthalic acid derivative antibiotic. This compounds, upon cornparision with authentic bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, revealed a difference in antimicrobial activity even though physico-chemical properties of these two compounds seemed indentical. This is the first report that dioctyl phthalate is biosynthetically produced by a Streptomyces sp. and shows antimicrobial activity.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.591-596
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• 2013

Urease activity of Helicobacter pylori was most strongly inhibited by extract of Mume Fructus among ethanol (70%, v/v) extract of 6 herbal materials selected from our previous work, database on traditional herbal materials, and literature data on Korean plant resources. Active compounds in the extract of Mume Fructus were separated by batch extraction, and further purified by chromatography in a silica gel column and an octadecyl silica gel column using solvents of different polarity. By NMR analysis of the last chromatographic fraction we identified ursolic acid as the active compound of urease inhibition. The result suggests that this component in Mume Fructus can possibly be used for the eradication of H. pylori.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.892-896
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• 2005

In order to isolate substances that inhibit the hemolytic activity of human serum against eryth-rocytes, we have evaluated whole plants of the Orostachys japonicus species with regard to its anti-complement activity, and have identified its active principles following activity-guided isolation. A methanol extract of the O. japonicus, as well as its n-hexane soluble fraction, exhibited significant anti-complement activity on the complement system, which was expressed as total hemolytic activity. A bioassay-guided chromatographic separation of the constituents resulted in the isolation of three known compounds 1-3 from the active n-hexane fraction. The structure of these compounds were analyzed, and they were identified as hydroxyhopanone (1), $\beta-sitosteryl-3-O-\beta-D-glucopyranosyl-6'-O-palmitate$ (2), and $\beta-sitosteryl-3-O-\beta-D-glucopyranoside$ (3), respectively. Of these compounds, compound 2 exhibited potent anti-complement activity $(IC_{50}=1.0\pm0.1{\mu}M)$ on the classical pathway of the complement, as compared to tiliroside $(IC_{50}=76.5\pm1.1{\mu}M)$, which was used as a positive control. However, compounds 1 and 3 exhibited no activity in this system.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.459-463
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• 2006

Previous studies on the anticonvulsant activity of $N-Cbz-{\alpha}-aminoglutarmides$ have shown that the derivatives of $N-Cbz-{\alpha}-amino-N-alkoxy$ glutarimide have significant anticonvulsant activity. In addition, their anticonvulsant activities are dependent on the presence of N-alkoxy groups. Based on these results, a series of $N-Cbz-{\alpha}-amino-glutarimidooxy$ carboxylates derivatives (3a-e) were synthesized in moderate yield using a known synthetic procedure. Their anticonvulsant activities were evaluated using the maximal electroshock seizure (MES) test, the pentylene tetrazole induced seizure (PTZ) test, and the strychinine (Str) threshold test with the ultimate aim of developing more active anticonvulsants. None of the compounds (3a-e) tested showed anticonvulsant activity in the MES and PTZ test. However, all the compounds tested exhibited significant anticonvulsant activity in the Str. test. The most active compound in the Str. test was the methyl ester of $N-Cbz-{\alpha}-amino-glutarimidooxy$ acetic acid 3a $(ED_{50}\;=\;42.9\;mg/kg)$.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.1236-1240
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• 1997

The crude extract of Morus alba Linne bark which showed strong antimicrobial activity on Listeria monocytogenes was fractionated by some solvents and applied column chromatography for purification of active component. By silica gel column chromatography, active fraction (F-5') was purely isolated and confirmed their strong bactericidal effect on Listeria monocytogenes tested at level of 100 and 300 ppm in tryptic soy broth. The cell wall observed by SEM was abnormal after treatment of F-5'.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.134-139
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• 2005

Seven brown algal species (Ecklonia cava, Ishige okamurae, Sargassum fulvellum, Sargassum horneri, Sargassum coreanum, Sargassum thunbergii and Scytosiphon lomentaria) were hydrolyzed using five proteases (Protamex, Kojizyme, Neutrase, Flavourzyme and Alcalase) and screened for angiotensin 1-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities. Most algal species examined showed good ACE inhibitory activities after the enzymatic hydrolysis. However, E. cava was the most potent ACE inhibitor of the seven species. Flavourzyme digest of E. cava exhibited an $IC_{50}$ of around $0.3\;{\mu}g/mL$ for ACE; captopril has an $IC_{50}$ of $\~0.05\;{\mu}g/mL$. The Flavourzyme digest was separated to three fractions by an ultrafiltration membrane (5, 10, 30 kDa MWCO) system according to the molecular weights. The active components were mainly concentrated in >30 kD fraction which are composed of the highest protein content $(27\%)$ and phenolic content (261 mg/100 mL) compared to the other two smaller molecular weight fractions. Therefore, the active compounds appear to be relatively high molecular weight complex molecules associated with protein (glycoprotein) and polyphenols. Therefore, E. cave is a potential source of antihypertensive compound.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.249-255
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• 2018

Echinacoside, an active compound in the herb Herba Cistanche, has been reported to inhibit glutamate release. In this study, we investigated the effects of echinacoside on spontaneous excitatory synaptic transmission changes induced by 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), by using the in vitro rat hippocampal slice technique and whole-cell patch clamp recordings from CA3 pyramidal neurons. Perfusion with echinacoside significantly suppressed the 4-AP-induced epileptiform activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Echinacoside reduced 4-AP-induced increase in frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) but it did not affect the amplitude of sEPSCs or glutamate-activated currents, implicating a presynaptic mechanism of action. Echinacoside also potently blocked sustained repetitive firing, which is a basic mechanism of antiepileptic drugs. These results suggest that echinacoside exerts an antiepileptic effect on hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons by simultaneously decreasing glutamate release and blocking abnormal firing synchronization. Accordingly, our study provides experimental evidence that echinacoside may represent an effective pharmacological agent for treating epilepsy.