• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.142-147
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• 2008

Nuruk is the Korean traditional Koji that contains various microorganisms and has been used to make the traditional fermented foods including alcoholic beverages. Rhizopus oryzae KSD-815 was isolated from the alcohol-fermenting Nuruk used for manufacturing traditional alcohol. In this study, the authors reported the isolation and identification of four lipids from the Nuruk (Rhizopus oryzae KSD-815) that inoculated wheat with Rhizopus oryzae KSD-815. The dried and powdered Nuruk (Rhizopus oryzae KSD-815) were extracted three times at room temperature with 80% aqueous MeOH. The extracts were partitioned with EtOAc, n-BuOH, and water, successively. The EtOAc extract was suspended in 80% MeOH and partitioned repeatedly with n-hexane. From the n-hexane fraction, four lipids were isolated through the repeated silica gel and ODS column chromatographies. According to the results of physico-chemical data including NMR, GC and MS, the chemical structures of the compounds were determined as linolenic acid methyl ester (1), palmitic acid methyl ester (2), linoleic acid (3), palmitic acid (4). Cytotoxicity was evaluated in huamn breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-231 and human hepatocarcinoma, SK-HEP-1 cells using MTT assay. Exposure of compounds 1 and 3 led to a dose-dependent inhibition of cell viability in both cancer cell lines. In addition, treatment of RAW264.7 cells with compound 3 caused inhibition of lipopolysaccharide/interferon-${\gamma}$-induced nitric oxide production.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.44-51
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• 2016

The aim of the study was to investigate the antioxidant content and activities of ethanol extract of the edible flower Dianthus chinensis L. (DCE) as well as its inhibitory activities against nitric oxide (NO) production in macrophages and growth and adhesion of human cancer cells. The total polyphenol, flavonoid, and carotenoid levels of DCE were 19.0 mg gallic acid equivalent/g, 65.7 mg quercetin equivalent/g, and $95.0{\mu}g/g$, respectively. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power of DCE at a concentration of $1,000{\mu}g/mL$ were 44% and 51%, respectively. In lipopolysaccharide-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages, treatment with DCE at concentrations of 500 and $1,000{\mu}g/mL$ resulted in significantly reduced NO levels (to 7~23% of the control). In H1299 human lung carcinoma cells and HCT116 human colorectal carcinoma cells, treatment with DCE at concentrations of 250, 500, and $1,000{\mu}g/mL$ resulted in dose-dependent growth inhibition. DCE was also effective in inhibiting adhesion of both H1299 cells (to 55% of the control at concentration of $1,000{\mu}g/mL$) and HCT116 (to 26~40% of the control at concentrations of 250, 500, and $1,000{\mu}g/mL$). These results suggest that DCE exerts antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activities in vitro.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.12
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• pp.1691-1698
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the antioxidative and antiallergic effects of persimmon leaf extract. Antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of the crude persimmon leaf extract (PLE) and the partially purified persimmon leaf extract (PPLE) were determined in in vitro assays by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and superoxide anion radicals, and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) and cyclooxygenase (COX). Total phenols and total flavonoid levels of PLE and PPLE were $230.0{\pm}19.6$ mg/g and $475.5{\pm}38.7$ mg/g, and $34.8{\pm}6.5$ mg/g and $78.8{\pm}3.6$ mg/g, respectively. DPPH and superoxide radical-scavenging activities ($SC_{50}$) of the PLE and PPLE were $23.8{\pm}3.2$ ppm and $10.0{\pm}1.3$ ppm, and $47.6{\pm}3.4$ ppm and $22.4{\pm}3.3$ ppm, respectively. Inhibitory activities ($IC_{50}$) of PLE and PPLE against 5-LO, COX-1 and COX-2 were $77.1{\pm}11.7$, $38.6{\pm}7.0$ ppm, $47.4{\pm}7.7$, $25.3{\pm}6.3$ ppm, and $129.5{\pm}5.5$, $84.5{\pm}2.3$ ppm, respectively. Moreover, two extracts inhibited dose-dependently NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, and also effectively inhibited the cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction activated by anti-dinitrophenyl IgE antibody in mice. These results suggest that PLE and PPLE may be useful for phytochemical materials for prevention and treatment of radical-mediated pathological and allergy diseases.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.12
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• pp.1656-1663
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• 2009

The antioxidant activities of water extracts from wild vegetables such as Ligularia fischeri (GC), Capsicum annuum L. (GCY), Aster scaber (CNM), Petasites japonicus S. et Z. Max (MYD), Ipomoea batatas L. (Lam) (GGM) were evaluated and compared with water extracts from freeze dried block. The antioxidant properties of water extracts from wild vegetables and their freeze dried block were evaluated using different antioxidant tests; 2.2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, hydroxyl radical scavenging and nitrite scavenging activities. The water extracts from wild vegetables were found to have a higher total phenolic content than water extracts from freeze dried block. Total phenolic contents of water extracts from GC, GCY, CNM, MYD, and GGM were $471.66{\pm}3.52\;{\mu}g/mg,\;141.33{\pm}2.51\;{\mu}g/mg,\;177.33{\pm}2.88\;{\mu}g/mg,\;238.66{\pm}9.50\;{\mu}g/mg\;and\;122.67{\pm}3.51\;{\mu}g/mg$, respectively. At the concentrations of 1000 ppm, water extracts from GC, GCY, CNM, and GGM showed higher activities than water extracts from their freeze dried block on DPPH radical scavenger activity. The activity of water extracts from CNM, GC, GCY, MYD, and GGM were 90.9%, 89.9%, 76.6%, 71.1%, and 57.4%, respectively. When 10000 ppm of GC, GCY, CNM, MYD, and GGM water extracts tested for hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, activities were increased by 38.8%, 33.4%, 35.9%, 34.3%, and 33.8%, respectively and a similar effect was found with water extracts from GCY, CNM, and GGM freeze dried block at 10000 ppm concentration. However, the water extracts from GC and MYD was slightly more effective than freeze dried block extracts. The water extracts from wild vegetables and their freeze dried block had effective DPPH radical scavenger activity and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity at all tested concentrations. Nitrite scavenging activity of GC water extract significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner and the extract had higher nitrite scavenging activity than extracts freeze dried block extracts. We found that freeze dried block maintained antioxidant activities of the wild vegetables.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.851-858
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• 2016

The effective components of Schisandra chinensis are lignans (schizandrins and gomisins), which have various physiological functionalities such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. This study was carried out to determine the different parts of fruits in Schisandra chinensis to elevate their usefulness. Schisandra chinensis was separated into skin (epicarp), pulp (mesocarp), and seeds, and raw Omija and hot-dried Omija (HDO) were used as control. The most abundant component was nitrogen free extract (6.88~56.70%) followed by crude lipids (1.65~19.04%). The main mineral was K (383.10~2,024.10 mg/100 g), except in seeds where P was the main mineral. The main lignan in all parts of fruit was schizandrin, and the highest content of schizandrin was 9.46 mg/g in dried seeds. Total lignan content was 25.97 mg/g and 14.97 mg/g in dried seeds and HDO, respectively. A total of 17 components of fatty acids in seeds and HDO were detected, of which linoleic acid (72.66~73.78%), oleic acid (14.78~17.39%), palmitic acid (2.88~3.54%), and capric acid (1.70~4.93%) were determined as the major components. Main lignans and fatty acids of Schisandra chinensis fruit contain mainly seeds. Therefore, it is more efficient to use seeds than pulp and extract of fruit itself to use the components of Omija.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.1079-1085
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• 2012

Obesity is an important issue worldwide as it may associated with increased prevalence of metabolic diseases. Mung bean is known as a functional food for decreasing the glycemic index and lipid profile of plasma. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-obesity effects of vitexin from mung bean on the regulation of adipocyte differentiation and adipocytokine secretion. When 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated with vitexin from days 0 to 14 at various levels of 25, 50, 100, and $200{\mu}M$, there was no change in cell viability. Vitexin treatment at 50, 100, and $200{\mu}M$ decreased triacylglycerol levels in cells, but only $100{\mu}M$ vitexin induced lipolysis. At $200{\mu}M$ of vitexin, phosphorylation of p38 and ERK, which causes secretion of inflammatory adipocytokines, was depressed, whereas there was an increase in expression of $PPAR{\gamma}$, the key regulator of adipocyte differentiation. Phosphorylation of AMPK increased at $100{\mu}M$ vitexin. TNF-${\alpha}$ and aP2 mRNA expression increased at $25{\mu}M$ vitexin, whereas only TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA expression increased at $200{\mu}M$ vitexin. Further, the mRNA levels of TNF-${\alpha}$ and aP2 decreased at other concentrations in a dose-dependent manner. Since we observed that mRNA expression of C/EBP, SREBP1, and $PPAR{\gamma}$ did not change upon vitexin treatment, our future studies will investigate other genes such as mTOR, which is related with apoptosis signaling, or SIRT1, which is associated with inhibition of adipogenesis. Our results indicate that vitexin at concentrations between 100 and $200{\mu}M$ is suitable in vivo for the development of mung bean as an anti-obesity therapy or functional food.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.669-675
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• 2007

The present study was conducted to explore the anti-inflammatory action of $2-hydroxyethyl-{\beta}-undecenate$ (HPS) purified from Cumin (Cuminum cymium L.) seed against periodontitis. From the study in which human leukocyte was employed to detect the inhibiting effects of 5-lipokygenase and cyclooxygenase, enzymes generating carriers of infection like $LTB_4$ and PGs, as well as of collagenase and elastase, organ-destroying enzymes, following conclusions could be drawn: HPS was found to inhibit leukotrien $B_4$ biosynthesis by stimulating more than 97% of human polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) with addition of $5\;{\times}\;10^{-2}\;M$ when $IC_{50}$ was set at $2\;{\times}\;10^{-4}\;M$. Ninety-two percent of enzyme activation turned out to be inhibited when $5\;{\times}\;10^{-2}\;M$ was added in a test to prove inhibiting effects of HPS against activation of PMNL 5-lipoxygenase from homogeneous humans and purified 5-lipoxygenase on the market. Besides, $IC_{50}$ for enzyme activation was valued at $2.5\;{\times}\;10^{-4}\;M$, while the value of $IC_{50}$ for purified 5-lipoxygenase was $2.3\;{\times}\;10^{-4}\;M$. The $IC_{50}$ values of COX-activated leukocyte and purified collagenase were $5.1\;{\times}\;10^{-4}\;M$ and $2.3\;{\times}\;10^{-4}\;M$, respectively. Moreover, the value of $IC_{50}$ for activation of leukocyte collagenase was $2\;{\times}\;10^{-3}\;M$, whereas that for purified collagenase was $5\;{\times}\;10^{-2}\;M$. In case of leukocyte elastase, addition of $5\;{\times}\;10^{-2}\;M$ inhibited its activation by 66%. In case of purified one, however, activation of enzyme was inhibited by 25% with addition of $5\;{\times}\;10^{-2}\;M$. Furthermore, the $IC_{50}$ value for activation of leukocyte elastase was revealed to be $7.5\;{\times}\;10^{-3}\;M$. From the virulence test with human gingiva cell, it was shown that, on the second day of cultivation, 47.83% of the cell had been activated when HPS was added by $5\;{\times}\;10^{-2}\;M$. Even the addition of HPS by $1\;{\times}\;10^{-2}\;M$ featured 68.53% of cell activation, suggesting relatively strong toxicity of the substance against gingiva cell.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.50-58
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• 2016

The root bark of Ulmus macrocarpa has been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases such as edema, infection and inflammation. Nevertheless, the biological activities and underlying mechanisms of the immunomodulatory effects remain unclear. In this study, as part of our ongoing screening program to evaluate the immunomodulatory potential of new compounds from traditional medicinal resources, we investigated the effects of U. macrocarpa water extract (UME) on immune modulation in a murine RAW 264.7 macrophage model. As immune response parameters, the productions of as nitric oxide (NO) and cytokines such tumor necrotic factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-10 were evaluated. Although the release of IL-1β remained unchanged in UME-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages, the productions of NO, TNF-α and IL-10 were significantly increased, along with the increased expression of inducible NO synthase, TNF-α and IL-10 expression at concentrations with no cytotoxicity. UME treatment also induced the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), and phosphorylation of Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) indicating that UME activated macrophages through the activation of NF-κB, phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and MAPKs signaling pathways in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Furthermore, pre-treatment with UME significantly attenuated the production of NO, but not TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-10, in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells suggesting that UME may be useful in preventing inflammatory diseases mediated by excessive production of NO. These findings suggest that the beneficial therapeutic effects of UME may be attributed partly to its ability to modulate immune functions in macrophages.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.109-116
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• 2016

Ulmi cortex is the elm bark or root bark of Ulmus macrocarpa Hance and has been used as an ingredient of traditional medicine for anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-cancer and wound healing on both the East and the West. This study investigated whether the Ulmus macrocarpa Hance Water extract (UMWE) has the in vivo and in vitro immune activating effect. Animals were orally administrated for 14 days as follows: no treat group with distilled water, cyclophosphamide (CY) group with 120 mg/kg of CY, UMWE 100+CY group with 100 mg/kg of UMWE and 120 mg/kg of CY, UMWE 200+CY group with 200 mg/kg of UMWE and 120 mg/kg of CY, UMWE 100 group with 100 mg/kg of UMWE and UMWE 200 group with 200 mg/kg of UMWE. The immunosuppressive drug CY was intraperitoneally injected to induce immune suppression. Spleen indices showed small changes in CY injected groups but splenocyte indices showed greater decrease in the same groups. However, UMWE appeared to relieve CY’s immunosuppression. UMWE also delayed in vitro splenocyte death increasing its longevity. These data obtained by MTT assay and 7-amino-actinomycin D which stains preferentially dead than live cells. UMWE alone did not show cytotoxicity based on its apoptototic effect on splenocytes in vitro and in vivo. Splenic NK cell activity was maintained by UMWE under the presence of CY in vitro. The data indicated that UMWE protects splenocytes from the immunosuppressive drug CY under in vitro and in vivo conditions.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.851-859
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• 2014

The present study was designed to investigate whether ethanol extracts of Sophora flavescens (GS), Glycyrrhiza uralensis (GC), Dictamnus dasycarpus (BSP), and their mixtures (GGB-1, -2, -3, and -4) inhibit 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB)-induced atopic dermatitis (AD) in a mouse model. DNCB was topically applied on the dorsal surface of Balb/c mice to induce AD-like skin lesions. The pathological phenotypes of AD, such as erythema, ear thickness, edema, scabs, and discharge, were significantly decreased in the GGB (DNCB + GS:GC:BSP = 3:1:1 mixture)-1-treated groups compared with the other treated groups. The weight of the spleen in immune organs was significantly decreased in the GGB-1-treated groups, whereas the weight of the liver in a control group was similar to that of the groups treated with the samples. Furthermore, toluidine blue staining analysis, a method used to specifically identify mast cells, showed that master cell infiltration into the dermis of the GGB-1-treated group was significantly decreased. The immunoglobulin E concentration was lower in the GGB-1-treated group. In addition, the levels of inflammatory cytokines (interferon-${\gamma}$, interleukin-1, 4, 5, 6, and 13, $1{\beta}$, and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$) were also significantly reduced in the GGB-1-treated group. Taken together, these results suggest that a mixture of GS, GC, and BSP in a proportion of 3:1:1 (GGB-1) may contribute to the relief of AD symptoms and may be considered an excellent candidate for an AD therapeutic drug.