• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.369-376
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• 2022

This study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of rose hip utilization on various diseases. Rose hips are produced on a shrub native to Europe, and have been used for medicinal purposes and nutritional supplementation for centuries. It is rich in minerals, vitamins, and various functional compounds, including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, vitamin B, vitamin C, and vitamin E, quercetin, catechin, β-carotene, β-sitosterol, polyphenol, flavonoid, taxifolin, ellagic acid, and salicylic acid. Extracts and powders of rose hips have been reported to contain antioxidant, free radical scavenging, and anti-inflammatory activity, and exert beneficial effects including amelioration of osteoarthritis, body fat reduction, anti-obesity activity, anti-bacterial activity, antidiabetic properties, and anti-cancer activity. Therefore, rose hips as a functional natural food may be considered effective for use in treating diseases including obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.9-24
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• 2022

Low-molecular weight peptides derived from fish collagen exhibit several bioactivities, including antioxidant, antiwrinkle, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and antihypertension effects. These peptides are also involved in triglyceride suppression and memory improvement. This study aimed to investigate the optimal processing condition for preparing low-molecular weight peptides from flounder skin, and the properties of the hydrolysate. The optimal processing conditions for peptic hydrolysis were as follows: a ratio of pepsin to dried skin powder of 2% (w/w), pH of 2.0, and a temperature of 50℃. Peptic hydrolysate contains several low-molecular weight peptides below 300 Da. Gly-Pro-Hyp(GPHyp) peptide, a process control index, was detected only in peptic hydrolysate on matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight(MALDI-TOF) spectrum. 2,2'-azinobis-(3-3-ethylbenzothiazolline-6- sulfonic acid(ABTS) radical scavenging activity of the peptic hydrolysate was comparable to that of 1 mM ascorbic acid, which was used as a positive control at pH 5.5, whereas collagenase inhibition was five times higher with the peptic hydrolysate than with 1 mM ascorbic acid at pH 7.5. However, the tyrosinase inhibition ability of the peptic hydrolysate was lower than that of arbutin, which was used as a positive control. The antibacterial effect of the peptic hydrolysate against Propionibacterium acne was not observed. These results suggest that the peptic hydrolysate derived from a flounder skin is a promising antiwrinkle agent that can be used in various food and cosmetic products to prevent wrinkles caused by ultraviolet radiations.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.1197-1205
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• 2023

Osteoporosis, Greek for "porous bone," is a bone disease characterized by a decrease in bone strength, microarchitectural changes in the bone tissues, and an increased risk of fracture. An imbalance of bone resorption and bone formation may lead to chronic metabolic diseases such as osteoporosis. Wolfiporia extensa, known as "Bokryung" in Korea, is a fungus belonging to the family Polyporaceae and has been used as a therapeutic food against various diseases. Medicinal mushrooms, mycelium and fungi, possess approximately 130 medicinal functions, including antitumor, immunomodulating, antibacterial, hepatoprotective, and antidiabetic effects, and are therefore used to improve human health. In this study, we used osteoclast and osteoblast cell cultures treated with Wolfiporia extensa mycelium water extract (WEMWE) and investigated the effect of the fungus on bone homeostasis. Subsequently, we assessed its capacity to modulate both osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation by performing osteogenic and anti-osteoclastogenic activity assays. We observed that WEMWE increased BMP-2-stimulated osteogenesis by inducing Smad-Runx2 signal pathway axis. In addition, we found that WEMWE decreased RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis by blocking c-Fos/NFATc1 via the inhibition of ERK and JNK phosphorylation. Our results show that WEMWE can prevent and treat bone metabolic diseases, including osteoporosis, by a biphasic activity that sustains bone homeostasis. Therefore, we suggest that WEMWE can be used as a preventive and therapeutic drug.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1128-1142
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Inonotus obliquus has been used as antidiabetic herb around the world, especially in the Russian and Scandinavian countries. Diabetes is widely believed to be a key factor in Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is widely considered to be type III diabetes. To investigate whether I. obliquus can also ameliorate AD, it would be interesting to identify new clues for AD treatment. We tested the anti-AD effects of raw Inonotus obliquus polysaccharide (IOP) in a mouse model of AD (3×Tg-AD transgenic mice). MATERIALS/METHODS: SPF-grade 3×Tg-AD mice were randomly divided into three groups (Control, Metformin, and raw IOP groups, n = 5 per group). β-Amyloid deposition in the brain was analyzed using immunohistochemistry for AD characterization. Gene and protein expression of pertinent factors of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) was determined using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. RESULTS: Raw IOP significantly reduced the accumulation of amyloid aggregates and facilitated UPS activity, resulting in a significant reduction in AD-related symptoms in an AD mouse model. The presence of raw IOP significantly enhanced the expression of ubiquitin, E1, and Parkin (E3) at both the mRNA and protein levels in the mouse hippocampus. The mRNA level of ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase isozyme L1, a key factor involved in UPS activation, also increased by approximately 50%. CONCLUSIONS: Raw IOP could contribute to AD amelioration via the UPS pathway, which could be considered as a new potential strategy for AD treatment, although we could not exclude other mechanisms involved in counteracting AD processing.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2009

The Artemisia capillaris THUNB is a perennial herb that belongs to the family Compositae spp and probably the most common plant among the various herbal folk remedies being used in the treatment of abdominal pain, hepatitis, chronic liver disease, jaundice and coughing in Korea. Recently the biological and pharmacological actions of herb have been studied well such as antibacterial, antidiabetic and antitumor activities. This experiment was conducted to investigate antitumor and immunomodulatory effects of Artemisia capillaris extracts against Hepa-1c1c7 and Sarcoma 180 cancer cells in in vivo experimental tests. In in vivo experimental tests using 210 ICR mice, based on flow cytometry, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and TNF-${\alpha}+$ splenocytes were significantly (p<0.05) reduced in the Hepa-1c1c7 and Sarcoma 180 inoculated vehicle controls, HP and SP, compared to those of the intact vehicle control on both the $28^{th}$ day and the $42^{nd}$ day, respectively. These decreases of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and TNF-${\alpha}+$ cells induced by tumor inoculations were significantly (p<0.05) inhibited by mACH treatment regardless of the type of experiments and tumor cells inoculated. The results suggest that Artemisia capillaris methanol extracts have prominent antitumor effects on the cancer cell lines Hepa-1c1c7 and Sarcoma 180.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1130-1136
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• 2017

Traditionally, the larvae of Allomyrina dichotoma (AD), a species of the rhinoceros beetle, have been widely used for their antidiabetic, antihepatofibrotic, antineoplastic, and antiobesity effects. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization has reported on the possibility of using edible insects in human dietary supplements in the future. However, despite the growing interest in insect-based bio-active products, the biological activities of these products have rarely been studied. Previously, we reported that AD larvae inhibit the in vitro differentiation of adipocytes via transcription factor downregulation. In this study, our objective was to evaluate the effects of a hot-water extract of AD larvae on allergy and inflammation. To investigate the inhibitory effect of the extract on allergic reactions, we measured the levels of ${\beta}-hexosaminidase$, tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) after activation of RBL-2H3 cells using Compound 48/80. In addition, the inhibitory effect of the extract on inflammation was determined using Raw 264.7 cells after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. The extract significantly inhibited the ${\beta}-hexosaminidase$, $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-4, and COX-2 levels in RBL-2H3 cells. Furthermore, it effectively inhibited the inflammatory cytokine IL-6, nitric oxide, and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in LPS-stimulated Raw 264.7 cells. These results suggest that AD larval extract can be potentially developed as an antiallergic and anti-inflammatory therapeutic agent.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.101-120
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• 2019

PURPOSE : Euonymi Lignum Suberalatum (EL) is the stem fin of Euonymi alatus. In traditional Korean medicine, EL is used for treatment of uterine bleeding, metritis and static blood. Recently, many studies have reported several pharmacological effects of EL including anticancer, antimicrobial, antidiabetic activity, and anti-oxidative stress. However, the mechanisms underlying anti-inflammatory effects by the EL is not established. METHODS : To investigate anti-inflammatory effects of Euonymi Lignum Suberalatum Water (ELWE), Raw 264.7 cells were pre-treated with $10-300{\mu}g/mL$ of ELWE, and then exposed to $1{\mu}g/mL$ of LPS. Levels of NO, IL-6, $IL-1{\beta}$ and $TNF-{\alpha}$ were detected by ELISA kit. Expression of pro-inflammatory proteins were determined by immunoblot analysis. To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect in vivo, rat paw edema volume, and expressions of COX-2 and iNOS proteins in carrageenan (CA)-induced rat paw edema model. RESULTS : NO production activated by LPS, was decreased by $30-300{\mu}g/mL$ of ELWE. Production of inflammatory mediators such as $TNF-{\alpha}$, ILs, $PGE_2$ were decreased by ELWE 100 and $300{\mu}g/mL$. In addition, ELWE reduced LPS-mediated iNOS and COX-2 expression. Moreover, ELWE increased $I-{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ expression in cytoplasm and decreased $NF-{\kappa}B$ expression in nucleus. In vivo study, ELWE reduced the increases of paw swelling, and expression of iNOS and COX-2 proteins in paw edema induced by CA injection. CONCLUSION : The results indicate that ELWE could inhibit the acute inflammatory response, via modulation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation. Furthermore, inhibition of rat paw edema induced by CA is considered as clear evidence that ELWE may be a useful source to treat acute inflammation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.512-522
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• 2023

Cancer with unlimited cell growth is a leading cause of death globally. Various cancer treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy, can be applied alone or in combination depending on the cancer type and stage. New treatments with fewer side effects than previous cancer treatments are continually under development and in demand. Undifferentiated stem cells with unlimited cell growth are gradually changed via cellular differentiation to arrest cell growth. In this study, we reviewed the possibility of treating cancer by using cellular differentiation into the adipocytes in cancer cells. In previous in vitro studies, oral antidiabetic drugs of the thiazolidinedione (TDZ) class, such as rosiglitazone and pioglitazone, were induced into the adipocytes in various cancer cell lines via increased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR γ) expression and glucose uptake, which is the key regulator of adipogenesis and the energy metabolism pathway. The differentiated adipogenic cancer cells treated with TDZ inhibited cell growth and had a less cellulotoxic effect. This adipogenic differentiation treatment suggests a possible chemotherapy option in cancer cells with high and abnormal glucose metabolism levels. However, the effects of the in vivo adipogenic differentiation treatment need to be thoroughly investigated in different types of stem and normal cells with other side effects.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.399-404
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• 2020

Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng) is associated with a variety of therapeutic effects, including antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, vasorelaxative, antiallergic, antidiabetic, and anticancer effects. Accordingly, the use of ginseng has reached an all-time high among members of the general public. However, the safety and efficacy of ginseng in transplant recipients receiving immunosuppressant drugs have still not been elucidated. Transplantation is the most challenging and complex of surgical procedures and may require causation for the use of ginseng. In this regard, we have previously examined the safety, immunological benefits, and protective mechanisms of ginseng with respect to calcineurin inhibitor-based immunosuppression, which is the most widely used regimen in organ transplantation. Using an experimental model of calcineurin inhibitor-induced organ injury, we found that ginseng does not affect drug levels in the peripheral blood and tissue, favorably regulates immune response, and protects against calcineurin inhibitor-induced nephrotoxicity and pancreatic islet injury. On the basis of our experimental studies and a review of the related literature, we propose that ginseng may provide benefits in organ transplant recipients administered calcineurin inhibitors. Through the present review, we aimed to briefly discuss our current understanding of the therapeutic benefits of ginseng related to transplant patient survival.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.411-415
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• 2002

We compared the hypoglycemic effects of Ginseng Radix Alba (GRA) and Mori Folium (MF) in multiple low dose (MLD) streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic rats. In order to induce hyperglycemic state 25 mg/kg of STZ was injected intraperitoneally for 5 consecutive days. SD rats were randomly divided into diabetic control and treatment groups. Treatment groups were administered with either 500 mg/kg of GRA (G500), 500 mg/kg of MF (M500), or 250 mg/kg of GRA mixed with same dose of MF (GM250) for 3 weeks. Blood glucose level and body weight were measured every 5th day. G500 and M500 both significantly reduced blood glucose levels as compared to the diabetic control group (diabetic control, 458.3$\pm$25.4 mg/dl; G500, 275.0$\pm$12.0; M500, 278.0$\pm$15.4; GM250, 324.0$\pm$18.4). While body weight in diabetic control group was decreased slightly after 3 weeks, treatment groups showed gradual increases of body weight during 3 week-period. Plasma insulin level was increased by treatment with GRA, but those levels in M500 and GM250 groups were similar to the diabetic control (normal control, 32.0$\pm$13.9 $\mu$IU/mι; diabetic control, 12.4$\pm$1.9; G500, 17.5$\pm$3.4; M500, 11.1$\pm$3.2; GM250, 10.5$\pm$t3.7). Urine glucose levels were also remarkably reduced in all treatment groups (normal control, 0.0$\pm$0.0 g/day; diabetic control, 11.4$\pm$2.5; G500, 4.9$\pm$0.2; M500, 5.7$\pm$1.6 ; GM250, 8.2$\pm$0.2). At the second and third week of the treatment, food and water intakes were determined. At the third week, food and water intakes were significantly decreased in all treatment groups. Taken together, we may conclude that GRA and MF alone may prevent or delay the development of hyperglycemia, however, synergistic hypoglycemic activity was not be seen in group treated with mixed formula of GRA and MF when compared to GRA or MF alone.