• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2015

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been emerging worldwide as one of the most important hospital and community pathogens. At the same time, because of the difficulty in developing chemical synthetic drugs and because of their side-effects, scientists are making more efforts to search for new drugs from plant resources to combat clinical multidrug-resistant microbial infections. Cinnamomum camphora (C. camphora) is a plant of family Lauraceae, and grown Jeju island in South Korea that are used as a drug to treat neurasthenia, epilepsy, cystitis, pyelonephritis, digitalis, cancer, and diabetes mellitus in folk remedies. In this study, antibacterial activites of 80% ethanol extract of C. camphora leaves (CCE) were investigated in combination with antibiotics against clinical isolates of MRSA. The results showed that CCE was determined with MIC and MBC values ranging from 156 to 313 and 313 to $625{\mu}g/ml$, oxacillin from 128 to 256 and 128 to $512{\mu}g/ml$, ampicillin from 4 to 64 and 8 to $128{\mu}g/ml$. The combination of CCE with oxacillin or/and ampicillin were synergistic effect against MRSA 1, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 15/ MRSA 1, 2, 6, and 7.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.114-120
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activities of chopping boards made of various materials such as three antibiotic plastics, a general plastic, and various woods (red pine, rubber tree, cypress, birch, and bamboo) using zone inhibition assay and real-time PCR. Wood chopping boards showed high antimicrobial activity against Vibrio vulnificus, while plastic chopping boards showed high antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus. Bamboo chopping board among the wood chopping boards showed the highest antimicrobial activity against five foodborne bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7, S. Typhimurium, Vibrio cholerae, and V. vulnificus. These results may be helpful in the selection of a chopping board with high antimicrobial activity and in the application of hygiene procedures for prevention of cross-contamination.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.359-368
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• 2011

Purpose: Aquacel Ag$^{(R)}$ is a hydrofiber wound dressing integrated with ionic silver. Sorbact$^{(R)}$ is a hydrophobiccoated dressing that uses the hydrophobic interaction with microbes. In this study, we compared the wound healing effects and the antibacterial effects of Medifoam$^{(R)}$, Betadine soaked, Aquacel Ag$^{(R)}$ and Sorbact$^{(R)}$ dressings against MRSA-infected wounds. Methods: Eighty rats were divided into four groups: Medifoam$^{(R)}$; Betadine soaked; Aquacel Ag$^{(R)}$; and Sorbact$^{(R)}$. A $1.5{\times}1.5cm$ square full-thickness wound was made on the dorsum of each rat and infected with MRSA. Twenty-four hours thereafter, each dressing was applied to the wound and changed every other day. One, 3, 7, 11 and 15 days after the wound infection, swab culture grade, wound bed appearance score, and wound defect size change were evaluated, and 7 and 15 days after, histologic evaluation was compared between the groups. Results: The bacteria load of wounds in the Sorbact$^{(R)}$ group decreased earlier than in the other groups. The wound bed appearance score of the Sorbact$^{(R)}$ group also increased quicker, compared with the other groups. However, the size of wounds of the Aquacel Ag$^{(R)}$ group decreased more rapidly, compared with other groups. From the histologic point of view, there was no significant difference between Betadine soaked, Aquacel Ag$^{(R)}$ and Sorbact groups. Conclusion: The hydrophobic dressing using Sorbact$^{(R)}$ showed a more rapid reduction in the MRSA load and an elevation in the wound bed appearance score, but a slower decrease in wound size change due to detachment of wound bed tissue when the dressing was eliminated in the low exudate wound. The silver-containing hydrofiber dressing using Aquacel Ag$^{(R)}$ was more effective in ultimate wound size reduction, but some debris was trapped in the wound tissue and induced foreign body reaction in the high exudate wound. Thus, ongoing selection process of treatment based on the evaluation of the infectious wound state will be very important.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1404-1408
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• 2013

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a green tea polyphenol, has been shown to have strong antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and chemopreventive effects. However it is unknown whether EGCG can recover alcohol-associated pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of EGCG on pancreatic enzyme activities and the expressions of pancreatic regenerating related markers, such as adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), raf-1 kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP), and Regenerating gene 1 (Reg1), in mice pancreatic primary acinar cells. Our results revealed that activities of ${\alpha}$-amylase and chymotrypsin were significantly increased in the cells treated with ethanol compared to the untreated control cells; however, the increased activities of both enzymes were markedly reduced by pretreatment with EGCG. Phosphorylation of AMPK and total expression of RKIP were decreased in the ethanol-treated primary acinar cells; however, these were both significantly increased in the EGCG-pretreated cells. In addition, when EGCG was treated, expression of Reg1 was markedly increased compared with that of the control or the ethanol-treated primary acinar cells, demonstrating that EGCG can modulate pancreatic regenerating related genes. Therefore, our findings suggest that EGCG may have therapeutic utility in the prevention or treatment of alcohol-associated pancreatitis.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.84-89
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• 2014

In this work, Ag-$TiO_2$ nanocomposites were prepared via the sonochemical deposition of Ag nanometals on $TiO_2$ nanoparticles. The size of deposited Ag nanometals was ranged in 1~3 nm and the number of Ag nanometals deposited on $TiO_2$ increased in proportion to the dosage amounts of Ag precursors. As-prepared Ag-$TiO_2$ was loaded on the sterilized agar plate together with an aliquot volume of diluted E-coli, followed by 30 min irradiation of the solar simulated light ($600{\sim}1800{\mu}w/cm^2$). Finally, the agar plate was incubated for 24 h at $37^{\circ}C$ and the number of survived colonies were counted. It was experimentally confirmed that Ag-$TiO_2$ exhibited the higher antimicrobial activity than that of pure $TiO_2$, based on measuring the colony number of control sample. The survived colony numbers on the agar plate decreased with the increase of dosage amounts of Ag-$TiO_2$ and the irradiated intensity of solar simulated light for 30 min before incubating. The increase of Ag nanometal doposition induced the progressive enhancement of antimicrobial activity, but rather reduced the photocatalytic activity of Ag-$TiO_2$ probably due to the excessive presence of Ag nanometals on $TiO_2$ matrix.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.546-553
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• 2012

Urushiol extracted from lacquer tree exhibits good thermal stabilities as well as antimicrobial andantioxidant properties. However, it has been known that the urushiol derivates bring out allergy. In this study, polyurushiol (PUOH) powders were successfully synthesized for the safe and convenient handling of allergic urushiol. First, the as-synthesized PUOH was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA), antioxidant test and antimicrobial test. And then, six different LDPE/PUOH composite films were prepared via a twin screw extruder system and investigated their feasibility to use as active packaging materials. Their chemical structures, morphology, thermal optical and antimicrobial properties of the LDPE/PUOH composite films were investigated as a function of PUOH contents. FTIR and SEM results showed that LDPE/PUOH composite films have a weak interfacial interaction and poor dispersion with a high PUOH loading. The thermal properties increased up to 3 wt% as the content of PUOH increases. Compared to the pure LDPE films, LDPE/PUOH composite films are more effective in the UV absorbance and antibacterial activity against E. coli. To maximize the performance of LDPE/PUOH compositefilms as the packaging materials, further researches are required to enhance the dispersion of PUOH powders in the LDPE matrix.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.24-28
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• 2015

The present study was carried out to investigate the in vivo single-dose acute toxicity of Bacillus subtilis JNS isolated from Cheonggukjang, which is a probiotic candidate showing strong and broad antibacterial activity. The test sample was orally administrated to male and female ICR mice at a highest dose of 2,000 mg/kg for 14 days. No significant change in general conditions, mortalities, body weight changes, clinical signs, autopsy findings, or presence of gross lesions was observed in either sex of mice. The results indicate that up to 2,000 mg/kg of B. subtilis JNS had no adverse effect on ICR mice.

• Textile Coloration and Finishing
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.195-213
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to identify novel extracts of brawn algae with the high deodorant capacity and antioxidant activity. To achieves this, an composition, deodorant performance and free radical scavenging activity were analyzed in powder and water extracts of Ecklonia cava(PEC/EEC), Saccharina japonica(PSJ/ESJ), Eisenia bicyclis(PEB/EEB), Sargassum spp.(PSS/ESS) and Hizikia fusiformis(PHF/EHF) using several analytical methods. Major component of five powders was verified as PEC, phlorotannin; PSJ, alginic acid and glutamic acid; PEB, carotenoid, chlorophyll, phlorotannin, tocopherol and fucoxantin; PSS, ${\beta}$-carotene and polyphenol; PHF, tannin. The highest level of DPPH scavenging activity was detected in EEC($IC_{50}=23.018{\mu}g/ml$), followed by EEB, ESJ, EHF and ESS. The deodorizing performance to ammonia was maintained high level in PEC, PSJ, PEB and PSS, while PHF showed low level in the same condition. But, the deodorizing performance to acetic acid was slightly higher in PSJ and PEC than those of PEB, PSS and PHF. Based on the results of DPPH scavenging activity and deodorizing capacity, we selected fractions of S. japonica as leading extracts and further prepared the 70% acetone extract (AESJ) and 70% ethanol extract (EESJ) from PSJ. The contents of total flavonoid, total phenol and total condensed tannin was significantly increased with 112-209% in AESJ and EESJ compared to those of ESJ. Also, a similar enhancement was observed on the level of DPPH scavenging activity and deodorizing performance against ammonia/acetic acid in AESJ and EESJ. Therefore, these results suggest that AESJ and EESJ contained with high total phenol and total condensed tannin contents may exhibit high deodorant capacity and antioxidant activity as well as has the potential for use as a powerful biomaterial for antibacterial deodorant.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.247-254
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• 2021

Acne vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory skin disease related to pilosebaceous unit. In acne lesions, hyperseborrhea, dysseborrhea, inflammatory event, and an imbalance in skin microflora, particularly an increase in Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) colonization comparing to other bacteria, have been observed. The objective of this study was to evaluate anti-acne effects of Artemisia annua extract (AAE) on antibacterial activity related to preservation of the balance in skin microbiome, inhibition of inflammation, and reduction of excessive sebum production. When C. acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) were co-cultured in the presence of AAE, the reduction of C. acnes growth by AAE was greater than that of S. epidermidis. In addition, when C. acnes was cultured in a medium containing AAE (C. acnes AAE), levels of cytokines such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and IL-6 and toll-like receptors-2 activity were decreased in comparison with C. acnes cultured in a medium without AAE (C. acnes CM). Moreover, AAE significantly inhibited excessive sebum production induced by palmitic acid. These results suggest that AAE, as a natural extract with various targets, can inhibit selective growth of C. acnes and inflammatory reactions derived from C. acnes, which are the main causes of acne, and consequently can be used as a substance to alleviate acne by reducing excessive sebum formation.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.775-784
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• 2021

After isolating the DIMO 52 strain with a large inhibition zone diameter for Clostridium perfringens and maximum butyric acid production from the fecal sample of a breastfeeding infant, it was identified as Clostidium butyricum. The maximum growth of the DIMO 52 strain was reached 24 h after inoculation, and the maximum butyric acid concentration was approximately 34.73±4.27 mM. The DIMO 52 strain survived approximately 67.5% of the initial inoculum at pH 2.0, and approximately 64.9% survived in RCM broth supplemented with 0.3% (w/v) oxgall. In addition, DIMO 52 showed antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli KCTC 2441 and Salmonella Typhimurium KCTC 1925. In LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, 1×10³ CFU/mL viable cells of the DIMO 52 strain also exhibited significant NO (nitric oxide) production inhibitory activity (33%, p<0.01). This result suggests that C. butyricum DIMO 52 has anti-inflammatory activity related to NO radical-scavenging activity. In conclusion, C. butyricum DIMO 52 isolated in this study has the potential to be used as a probiotic.