• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.261-267
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• 2017

The aim of this study was to investigate the antibacterial properties of chitosan silver nanocomposites (CAgNCs) using pathogenic Vibrio ichthyoenteri as a bacterial model. Results of agar disc diffusion and turbidimetric assays showed that CAgNCs could inhibit the growth of V. ichthyoenteri in concentration dependent manner. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of CAgNCs were 75 and $125{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Furthermore, CAgNCs treatment induced the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in V. ichthyoenteri cells in concentration and time dependent manner, suggesting that it generates oxidative stress, leading to bacterial cell death. The field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) images of CAgNCs treated V. ichthyoenteri exhibited strong cell membrane damage than un-treated control bacteria. MTT assay results showed the highest cell viability (22%) at $75{\mu}g/mL$ of CAgNCs treated bacteria samples. The results from this study suggest that CAgNCs is a potential antibacterial agent to control fish pathogenic bacteria.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.138-143
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• 2017

The antifungal activity of isolated lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from a locally fermented cereal, "Kunu", was tested against toxigenic Aspergillus flavus. The liquid refreshment, "Kunu", was prepared under hygienic condition using millet, sorghum, and the combination of the two grains. The antifungal potential of isolated LAB against toxigenic A. flavus was carried out using both in vitro and in vivo antifungal assays. The LAB count from prepared "Kunu" ranged from $2.80{\times}10^4CFU/mL$ to $4.10{\times}10^4CFU/mL$ and Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus fermentum, Pediococcus acidilactici, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides were the isolated bacteria. Inhibitory zones exhibited by LAB against toxigenic A. flavus ranged from 5.0 mm to 20.0 mm. The albino mice infected with toxigenic A. flavus showed sluggishness, decrease in body weight, distortion of hair, and presence of blood in their stool, while those treated with LAB after infection were recovered and active like those in control groups. Except for the white blood cell that was increased in the infected mice as $6.73mm^3$, the packed cell volume, hemoglobin, and red blood cell in infected animals were significantly reduced (P<0.05) to 29.28%, 10.06%, and 4.28%, respectively, when compared to the treated mice with LAB and control groups. The antifungal activity of LAB against toxigenic A. flavus can be attributed to the antimicrobial metabolites. These metabolites can be extracted and used as biopreservatives in food products to substitute the use of chemical preservatives that is not appealing to consumers due to several side effects.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.169-174
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• 2015

Cervical cancer (CxCa) is the most common cancer in women and a prominent cause of cancer mortality worldwide. The primary cause of CxCa is human papillomavirus (HPV). Radiation therapy and chemotherapy have been used as standard treatments, but they have undesirable side effects for patients. It was reported that gallic acid has antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities. Gold nanoparticles are currently being used in medicine as biosensors and drug delivery agents. This study aimed to develop a drug delivery agent using gold nanoparticles conjugated with gallic acid. The study was performed in uninfected (C33A) cervical cancer cells, cervical cancer cells infected with HPV type 16 (CaSki) or 18 (HeLa), and normal Vero kidney cells. The results showed that GA inhibited the proliferation of cancer cells by inducing apoptosis. To enhance the efficacy of this anticancer activity, 15-nm spherical gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were used to deliver GA to cancer cells. The GNPs-GA complex had a reduced ability compared to unmodified GA to inhibit the growth of CxCa cells. It was interesting that high-concentration ($150{\mu}M$) GNPs-GA was not toxic to normal cells, whereas GA alone was cytotoxic. In conclusion, GNPs-GA could inhibit CxCa cell proliferation less efficiently than GA, but it was not cytotoxic to normal cells. Thus, gold nanoparticles have the potential to be used as phytochemical delivery agents for alternative cancer treatment to reduce the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Health Science
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.73-78
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• 2014

Purpose. Citrus aurantium L.(familyRutaceae), alsoknownasbitter orange, have been used as traditional herbal medicine in many Asian countries since ancient times. Hence, the purpose of the study was to briefly discuss the new findings about anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities of Citrus aurantium L in-vitro. Methods. The articles for this study were collected from pubmed and scopus electronic resources. Results. Citrus aurantium L contains an abundant Flavonoids, including hesperidin, naringin and nobiletin. These Flavonoids has reported to have various medicinal benefits that include antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-diabetic activities, and also used to treat cardiovascular diseases. Conclusion. Based on the above evidence, we propose that Flavonoids from Korea Citrus aurantium L would be a therapeutic potential for cancer treatment and pharmacological benefit for inhibiting the inflammatory effect.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.5287-5290
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• 2012

Throughout human history, plant products have been used for many purposes including as medicines. Herbal products and spices can be used as preventive agents against cancer due to their antimicrobial, antioxidant and antitumorigenic properties. This study was designed to evaluate the potential protective effect of curcum in rats administered nitrosamine precursors; dibutylamine (DBA) and sodium nitrate (NaNO3); and infected with Escherichia coli (E. coli) and also to monitor changes in nuclear factor the Kappa B p65 (NF-${\kappa}B$ p56) pathway and its downstream products, Bcl-2 and interleukin-6 (IL-6), in parallel with nitrosamine precursors, E. coli and curcum treatment. Rats were divided into three groups (n=25 each; except of control group, n+20). Group I a normal control group, group II administered DBA/NaNO3 in drinking water and infected with E. coli and group III was administered DBA/NaNO3 in drinking water, infected with E. coli and receiving standard diet containing 1% curcum powder. Histopathological examination reflected that the curcum treated group featured a lower incidence of urinary bladder lesions, and lower levels of NF-${\kappa}B$, Bcl-2 and IL-6, than the group receiving nitrosamine precursor and infected with E. coli. These findings suggested that curcum may have a protective role during the process of bladder carcinogenesis by inhibiting the NF-${\kappa}B$ pathway and its downstream products.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5747-5751
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• 2014

Background: Coptisine, an isoquinoline alkaloid extracted from Coptidis rhizoma, has many biological activities such as antidiabetic, antimicrobial and antiviral actions. However, whether coptisine exerts anti-cancer metastasis effects remains unknown. Materials and Methods: Effects of coptisine on highly metastatic human breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231 proliferation were evaluated by trypan blue assay and on cell adhesion, migration and invasion by gelatin adhesion, wound-healing and matrigel invasion chamber assays, respectively. Expression of two matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), MMP-9, MMP-2 and their specific inhibitors tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP-2) were analyzed by RT-PCR. Results: Coptisine obviously inhibited adhesion to an ECM-coated substrate, wound healing migration, and invasion through the matrigel in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. RT-PCR revealed that coptisine reduced the expression of the ECM degradation-associated gene MMP-9 at the mRNA level, and the expression of TIMP-1 was upregulated in MDA-MB-231 cells, while the expression of MMP-2 and its specific inhibitor TIMP-2 was not affected. Conclusions: Taken together, our data showed that coptisine suppressed adhesion, migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells in vitro, the down-regulation of MMP-9 in combination with the increase of TIMP-1 possibly contributing to the anti-metastatic function. Coptisine might be a potential drug candidate for breast cancer therapy.

• Mycobiology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.210-214
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• 2007

Antibacterial and antifungal activities of liquid culture filtrate, water and ethanol extract (solid culture) of Stereum ostrea were evaluated against 5 bacteria and 3 plant pathogenic fungi. To determine the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), we studied $5{\sim}300\;mg/ml$ concentrations against bacteria and fungi separately. The MIC was 10 mg/ml for Bacillus subtilis and 40 mg/ml for Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Colletotrichum miyabeanus. Liquid culture filtrate was more effective against Gram positive than Gram negative bacteria, and Staphylococcus aureus was the most inhibited (20.3 mm) bacterium. Water and ethanol extracts were effective against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria, and water extract was better than ethanol extract. In water and ethanol extract, inhibition zones were 23.6 and 21.0 mm (S. aureus) and 26.3 and 22.3 mm (Pseudomonas aeruginosa), respectively. For plant pathogenic fungi, the highest and lowest percent inhibition of mycelial growth (PIMG) was found 82.8 and 14.4 against C. miyabeanus and Botrytis cinerea in liquid culture filtrate, respectively. In water extract, the PIMG was found to be the highest 85.2 and lowest 41.7 for C. miyabeanus and C. gloeosporioides, respectively. The inhibitory effect of ethanol extract was better against C. miyabeanus than C. gloeosporioides and B. cinerea. Among 3 samples, water extract was the best against tested pathogenic fungi. This study offers that the extracts isolated from S. ostrea contain potential compounds which inhibit the growth of both bacteria and fungi.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.136-141
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• 2013

Chelidonium majus (CM) contains several isoquinoline alkaloids that have been reported to have various biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, immune-modulatory, and antitumoral. It has been reported that the extract of CM had an antioxidant potential, however the mechanism has not been verified. In this study, we found that CM extract activated FOXO3a. FOXO3a is a transcription factor that involved in various biological processes such as cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, DNA repair, and ROS detoxification. Transcriptional activities of FOXO3a were regulated by post-translational modifications including phosphorylation, acetylation, and ubiquitination. Protein level of FOXO3a was increased by CM extract. Promoter activities of FOXO-transcriptional target genes such as MnSOD, p27 and GADD45 were activated by CM extract in a dose dependent manner. In addition, protein level of MnSOD, major antioxidant enzyme, was increased by CM extract. Thereby ROS level was decreased by CM in old HEF cells. These results suggest that CM extract has an antioxidant activity through FOXO activation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.771-778
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• 2013

Essential oils are increasingly of interest for use as novel drugs acting as antimicrobial and antiviral agents. In the present study, we report the in vitro antiviral activities of 29 essential oils, extracted from Chinese indigenous aromatic plants, against the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Of these essential oils, those oils from ginger, lemon, tea tree, tangerine peel, artemisia, and lemongrass effected a more than 50% inhibition of TMV at 100 ${\mu}g/ml$. In addition, the mode of antiviral action of the active essential oils was also determined. Essential oils isolated from artemisia and lemongrass possessed potent inactivation and curative effects in vivo and had a directly passivating effect on TMV infection in a dose-dependent manner. However, all other active essential oils exhibited a moderate protective effect in vivo. The chemical constitutions of the essential oils from ginger, lemon, tea tree, tangerine peel, artemisia, and lemongrass were identified by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The major components of these essential oils were ${\alpha}$-zingiberene (35.21%), limonene (76.25%), terpinen-4-ol (41.20%), limonene (80.95%), 1,8-cineole (27.45%), and terpinolene (10.67%). The curative effects of 10 individual compounds from the active essential oils on TMV infection were also examined in vivo. The compounds from citronellal, limonene, 1,8-cineole, and ${\alpha}$-zingiberene effected a more than 40% inhibition rate for TMV infection, and the other compounds demonstrated moderate activities at 320 ${\mu}g/ml$ in vivo. There results indicate that the essential oils isolated from artemisia and lemongrass, and the individual compound citronellal, have the potential to be used as an effective alternative for the treatment of tobacco plants infected with TMV under greenhouse conditions.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.574-579
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• 2003

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been emerging worldwide as one of the most important hospital and community pathogens. Therefore, new agents are needed to treat the MRSA. In the present study, we investigated antimicrobial activity of ethyl acetate, methanol, and water extracts of Curcuma longa L. (C. longa) aganist clinical isolates of MRSA. The ethyl acetate extract of C. long a demonstrated a higher antibacterial activity than the methanol extract or water extract. Since the ethyl acetate extract was more active than other extracts, we examined whether ethyl acetate extract may restore the antibacterial activity of β-lactams and alter the adhesion and invasion of MRSA to human mucosal fibroblasts (HMFs). In the checkerboard test, ethyl acetate extract of C. longa markedly lowered the MICs of ampicillin and oxacillin against MRSA. In the bacterial adhesion and invasion assay, MRSA intracellular invasion were notably decreased in the presence of 0.125 - 2 mg/ml of C. longa extract compared to the control group. These results suggest that ethyl acetate extract of C. longa may have antibacterial activity and the potential to restore the effectiveness of β-lactams against MRSA, and inhibit the MRSA adhesion and invasion to HMFs.