• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.331-336
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• 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) exhibits various symptoms, ranging from asymptomatic to severe pneumonia or death. The major features of patients in severe COVID-19 are the dysregulation of cytokine secretion, pneumonia, and acute lung injury. Consequently, it leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome, disseminated intravascular coagulation, multiple organ failure, and death. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative virus of COVID-19, influences nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucine-rich repeat, and pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), the sensor of inflammasomes, directly or indirectly, culminating in the assembly of NLRP3 inflammasome and activation of inflammatory caspases, which induce the inflammatory disruption in severe COVID-19. Accordingly, the target therapeutics for inflammasome has attracted attention as a treatment for COVID-19. Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) inhibits several inflammatory responses, including the NLRP3 inflammasome signaling. This review discusses the role of KRG in the treatment and prevention of COVID-19 based on its anti-NLRP3 inflammasome efficacy.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.12-19
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• 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Vitamin D is a pleiotropic hormone that affects various body organ systems. We evaluated the prevalence of a vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and its potential role in the clinical condition of critically ill Korean children. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Patients under 18 years old with a 25(OH) vitamin D measurement on the first day of PICU admission were included from among the children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of our tertiary children's hospital between October 2017 and January 2019. RESULTS: A total of 172 pediatric patients were enrolled. The mean 25(OH) vitamin D level was 17.5 ± 12.8 ng/mL. There was a 65.1% prevalence of VDD (25(OH) vitamin D level < 20 ng/mL). VDD was associated with age at PICU admission, gastrointestinal/hepatobiliary disorders, International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis disseminated intravascular coagulation (ISTH DIC) score, pediatric multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (pMODS) score and with several laboratory test findings including hemoglobin, platelet, C-reactive protein, serum albumin, total bilirubin, prothrombin time, and anti-thrombin III levels. Most of these parameters also showed significant linear correlations with the 25(OH) vitamin D level (P < 0.05). However, no statistically meaningful association was found between VDD and other clinical conditions such as the need for a mechanical ventilator, requirement for vasoactive drugs, duration of the PICU and hospital stays, or PICU mortality. CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence of VDD in critically ill Korean children. There were significant associations between the 25(OH) vitamin D level and gastrointestinal/hepatobiliary disorders, the pMODS score and with coagulation related factors. Further large-scale studies with more specific subgroup analyses are required to more precisely assess the clinical implications of VDD in critically ill pediatric patients.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.418-423
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• 2006

Tabanus anticoagulant protein (TAP) was isolated from the whole body of the tabanus, Tabanus bivittatus, using three purification steps (ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-60, and ion exchange chromatography on DEAE Sephadex gel). The purified TAP, with a molecular weight of 65 kDa, was assessed to be homogeneous by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and an isoelectric point of 7.9 was determined by isoelectric focusing. The internal amino acid sequence of the purified protein was composed of Ser-Leu-Asn-Asn-Gln-Phe-Ala-Ser-Phe-lle-Asp-Lys-Val-Arg. The protein was activated by $Cu^{2+}\;and\;Zn^{2+}$, and the optimal conditions were found to be at pH $3\sim6\;and\;40\sim70^{\circ}C$. Standard coagulation screen assays were used to determine thrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time. Chromogenic substrate assays were performed for thrombin and factor Xa activity. TAP considerably prolonged human plasma clotting time, especially activated partial thromboplastin time in a dose-dependent manner; it showed potent and specific antithrombin activity in the chromogenic substrate assay. Specific anti-factor Xa activity in TAP was not detected. Overall, this result suggested that TAP has significant anticoagulant activity on blood coagulation system.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.977-983
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• 2006

The objective was to devise an animal model of myocardial infarction (MI) against which cardioprotective drugs might be tested. We describe the effects of nimesulide, a COX experience with development and validation of such a model. The rabbit was chosen in preference to rodents because its heart and cardiac circulation more closely resemble those of human. Thus, the cardiovascular system of anaesthetized male rabbits, 1 to 1.5 kg (n=11), was stressed by a single bolus intravenous injection of isoprenaline (ISP), 65 mg/kg. The effects of the injection were followed for sixteen days and were evaluated in four ways: 1) measurements of creatinine kinase isozyme and troponin-I (TPI) in serum 2) Electrocardiographic (ECG) changes (ST elevation and Q wave development) 3) Cardiac histopathology observed in tissue sections of the isolated of the heart. The histopathological analysis showed that rabbit heart on 2nd day after ISP injection showed changes of coagulation necrosis. Day 4 total coagulation with the loss of nuclear and striation associated with heavy interstitial infiltrate of neutrophils was found. Day 8 after infarction showed collagen deposition with capillary channels in between the remaining islands of myocytes in the infarcted area. On the 16th day scarring was complete. Coronary perfusion rates (CPR) and heart rate (HR) of the infarcted and nimesulide (a COX-2 inhibitor) treated rabbits displayed significant improvement (n=11) on each corresponding day after infarction as compared to the infarcted and saline treated rabbits (P<0.05). All four indices revealed similarities with effects commonly associated with MI in humans.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.38 no.2 s.149
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• pp.133-138
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• 2007

Regarding chemical changes in oriental drugs after food processing such as roasting, fermentation, and extrusion, fifty commonly-used medicinal plants were investigated. As a result, Aurantii nobilis Pericarpium (a tangerine peel from Citrus unshu Markovich) showed remarkably different HPLC profiles after being roasted. An increased peak was isolated by repeated chromatography and identified as 5-hydroxymethyl furfral (5-HMF) by means of instrumental analyses. The 5-HMF content of Aurantii nobilis Pericarpoum reached its maximum level after being roasted for 30 min at 225$^{\circ}C$ (49.2 mg/g extract, ca 42 times of increase over untreated control). Although there were no significant changes in in vitro biological activity such as antioxidative, anti-dementia, anti-hypertension, anti-coagulation, or cytotoxicity, before and after roasting process, our results suggested that simple heat treatment might improve the value of the above oriental drug since 5-HMF has been known to possess inhibitory activities toward nitric oxide formation, tyrosinase, and sickling of red blood cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.501-509
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• 2022

Pollen corrected from Quercus species is abundant in Korea and has been used to treat anemia and inflammation of the prostate gland. It is also used for hemostasis in oriental medicine. In this study, the ethanol extract of the acorn pollen and its subsequent organic solvent fractions using hexane, ethylacetate, butanol, and water residue were prepared, and their antioxidant, anti-thrombosis, and hemolysis activities were evaluated. The ethylacetate fraction of acorn pollen (EF-AP) showed the highest polyphenol content (225.0 mg/g) and strong antioxidant activity among the solvent fractions. The RC₅₀ of EF-AP against DPPH, ABTS, and nitrite radicals was 72.2, 27.7, and 62.6 ㎍/ml, respectively. The blood coagulation activities of the all-solvent fractions determined by thrombin time, prothrombin time, and activated partial thromboplastin time were negligible up to 5 mg/ml. Platelet aggregation inhibitory activities were observed in the EF-AP, butanol fraction, and water residue, whereas hexane fraction induced strong platelet aggregation. The EF-AP has no hemolysis activity against human RBC up to 1 mg/ml. UPLC/MS/MS analysis of the EF-AP revealed that rutin, isoquercitrin, and astragalin are major compounds for antioxidant and anti-thrombosis activities. Our results suggest that EF-AP could be developed as a noble antioxidant and anti-thrombosis agent.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.161-168
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• 2016

Nucleotide metabolism in endothelium is variable between different species. Recent studies demonstrated that this variability could contribute coagulation dysfunction, even though organs of the alpha 1,3-galactosyltransferase gene knockout pig were transplanted into the primate. CD73 (ecto-5'-nucelotidase) is an enzyme at cell surface catalyzing the hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate to adenosine, which plays role on a substance for anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulant. Thus, overexpression of CD73 in endothelial cells of the pig is considered as an approach to reduce coagulopathy. In this study, we constructed a human CD73 expression vector under control of porcine Icam2 promoter (pIcam2-hCD73), which is expressed specifically at endothelial cells, and of CMV promoter as a control (CMV-CD73). First, we transfected the CMV-CD73 vector into HEK293 cells, and then confirmed CD73 expression at cell surface by flow cytometry analysis. Next, we transfected the pIcma2-CD73 and CMV-CD73 vectors into primary porcine fibroblasts and endothelial cells. Consequence was that the pIcma2-CD73 vector was expressed only at the porcine endothelial cells, meaning that the pIcam2 promoter lead to endothelial cell-specific expression of CD73 in vitro. Finally, we nucleofected the pIcam2-hCD73 vector into passage 3 fibroblasts, and enforced hygromycin selection of 400mg/ml. We were able to obtain forty three colonies harboring pIcam2-CD73 to provide donor cells for transgenic cloned porcine production.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.447-451
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• 1998

Functional properties such as anti-blood coagulation, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity, fat binding capacity, foaming properties, emulsifying properties and chemical components of sulfated polysaccharides isolated from ascidian tunics were investigated. The sulfated polysaccharide mainly consisted of sulfate, uronic acid, protein, and chondroitin sulfate, among which chondroitin sulfate showed higher concentration while sulfate and uronic acid did lower. Compositional menosaccharides were arabinose, xylose, glucose, galactose, glucuronic acid, N-acetylgalactosamine and N-acetyglucosamine. Especially, galactose content was dominant among them. And emulsifiability and foaminess of the sulfated polysaccharide was higher than the control group. Anti-blood coagulation of sulfated polysaccharide showed with respect to APTT (Activated partial thromboplastin time). ACE inhibitory activity showed about $16.7\%$.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1102-1110
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• 1996

Between Oct. 1985 and July 1995, 230 patients underwent mitral valve replacement. There were 77 men and 153 women whose mean age was 35.7 years, range 9 to 62 The concomitant operations were 40 aortic valve replacements(17.4%), 25 tricuspid annuloplasties(10.4%), 8 aortic valve replacements & tricuspid annuloplasties(3.5%), 2 tricuspid valve replacements(0.9%) and others, We used 139 mechanical (76 51. Jude medical, 33 CarboMedics, 30 Sorin) and 91 tissue 386 Carpentier-Edwards, 5 lonescu-Shiley) valves. The early postoperative complications occurred in 28 cases. There were 8 low cardiac output syndrome, 5 pleural effusion, 3 significant arrhythmia, 2 cardiac rupture and others. There were 6 early hospital deaths (2.6%) due to low cardiac output syndrome(2), arrhythmia(2) and ventricul r rupture(2). The cuAmulative notal follow-up period was 764. 4 patient-years with a mean of 4).9 months. The long term follow-up information was available for 212 patients(94.6%). There were 21 cases of valve-related complications. Prosthetic valve failure(10), anti-coagulation related bleeding (5), prosthetic valve endocarditis (4), and thromboembolism (2) occurred at rates of 1.3, 0.7, 0.5, and 0.3%Ipt-yr respectively. Late death occurred In 5 cases (0.7%/pt-yr) associated with prosthetic valve endocarditis (2), heart failure (2) and anti-coagulation related bleeding (1). There was no difference in the rate of freedom from prosthetic valve failure between the mechanical and tissue valve group at 6 years (100%), but there was significant difference at 9 years between the tissue (34.4%) and mechanical valve (100%) group (p=0.032). Actuarial survival rates were 98. 8% in tissue valve. 9).7% in mechanical valve group and 96.6% in total patients at 9 years.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.386-393
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• 2020

Insect industry has been focused as production of food, animal feed, pollinator and for environmental remediation. Hermetia illicens, called as black soldier fly (BSF) is famous as nutritive feed. In this study, to evaluate the antithrombotic activities of BSF, the larvae (instar 2~6), pupae, residue after adult emergence [RAAE] and adult of Hermetia illicens [black soldier fly, BSF] were collected and their ethanol extracts were prepared. Growth of BSF larvae was very rapid and the weight of larvae was increased to 25-folds during 10 days cultivation. The ethanol extraction ratios showed from 1.0% (pupae) to 18.5%(adults). The highest total polyphenol, total flavonoid, and total sugar contents were observed in RAEE (17.2 mg/g), pupae (3.4 mg/g), and instar 6 (37.6 mg/g), suggesting that metabolic changes occur during the life cycle of the BSF. Anti-coagulation assay showed that extracts of RAEE, instar 6 and pupa of BSF significantly inhibited thrombin, prothrombin, and blood coagulation factors. Furthermore, the extracts of RAEE, instar 3 and adult of BSF showed a strong platelet aggregation inhibitory activity. Our results suggest that pupae and RAEE of BSF have potential as antithrombotic agents. This is the first study to provide evidence of the antithrombotic activity of the BSF and bioactivity alterations during its life cycle.