• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.20 no.2 s.33
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• pp.1-9
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• 2007

Objective : In this study, the ethanol extract from flowers of Lespedeza bicolor was investigated for their dermal bioactive properties related to cosmeceuticals such as depigmentation and radical scavenging effect. Results : The ethanol extract from flowers of Lespedeza bicolor showed considerable radical scavenging activity ($SC_{50}:\;10\;{\mu}g/ml$) and inhibited the production of nitric oxide (NO) in Raw 264.7 macrophages activated with the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Although the proliferation of B16/F10 cells was slightly decreased by the ethanol extract from flowers of Lespedeza bicolor at the concentration of $100\;{\mu}g/ml$, it did not appear necrosis. The ethanol extract from flowers of Lespedeza bicolor down-regulated melanin formation effectively. Methods : The free radical scavenging activity of Lespedeza bicolor was assayed in cell free systems using a stable free radical, 1,l-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Nitrite accumulated in culture medium was measured as an indicator of NO production using a Griess reaction. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay and melanin content was assessed using the method of Hosei with some modifications. Conclusions : These results suggest that the ethanol extract from flowers of Lespedeza bicolor is a potent depigmetation agent and it may be a candidate for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Illuminating and Electrical Installation Engineers
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.30-37
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• 2002

This paper reports on the results of weathering test, tracking test and salt-fog test of various kinds of cycloaliphatic epoxy systems. UV irradiation dramatically induced the loss of surface hydrophobicity due to the chain scission attack at the surface under UV irradiation. It could be seen that samples containing an UV absorbent/antioxidant and a silicone oil additive have a good performance in weathering test, while ATH(alumina tri-hydrate) filled ones have high resistance against tracking failure than others. Under salt fog chamber test, specimens mixed with silicone oil are able to suppress leakage current development. It was thought that silicone oil mixed into cycloaliphatic epoxy system could lead to lower the surface energy and to retain hydrophobic properties for a long time, which are desirable for outdoor use.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.4993-4998
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• 2012

Vanillic acid, a vegetable phenolic compound, is a strong antioxidant. The aim of the present study was to determine its effects on mitomycin C-induced DNA damage in human blood lymphocyte cultures in vitro, both alone and in combination with mitomycin C (MMC). The cytokinesis block micronucleus test and alkaline comet assay were used to determine genotoxic damage and anti-genotoxic effects of vanillic acid at the DNA and chromosome levels. MMC induced genotoxicity at a dose of $0.25{\mu}g/ml$. Vanillic acid ($1{\mu}g/ml$) significantly reduced both the rates of DNA damaged cells and the frequency of micronucleated cells. A high dose of vanillic acid ($2{\mu}g/ml$) itself had genotoxic effects on DNA. In addition, both test systems showed similar results when tested with the negative control, consisting of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in combination with vanillic acid ($1{\mu}g/ml$)+MMC. In conclusion, vanillic acid could prevent oxidative damage to DNA and chromosomes when used at an appropriately low dose.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.242-249
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• 2016

A balance between production and degradation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is critical for maintaining cellular homeostasis. Increased levels of ROS during oxidative stress are associated with disease conditions. Antioxidant enzymes, such as extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD), in the extracellular matrix (ECM) neutralize the toxicity of superoxide. Recent studies have emphasized the importance of EC-SOD in protecting the brain, lungs, and other tissues from oxidative stress. Therefore, EC-SOD would be an excellent therapeutic drug for treatment of diseases caused by oxidative stress. We cloned both the full length (residues 1-240) and truncated (residues 19-240) forms of human EC-SOD (hEC-SOD) into the donor plasmid pFastBacHTb. After transposition, the bacmid was transfected into the Sf9-baculovirus expression system and the expressed hEC-SOD purified using FLAG-tag. Western blot analysis revealed that hEC-SOD is present both as a monomer (33 kDa) and a dimer (66 kDa), as detected by the FLAG antibody. A water-soluble tetrazolium (WST-1) assay showed that both full length and truncated hEC-SOD proteins were enzymatically active. We showed that a potent superoxide dismutase inhibitor, diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC), inhibits hEC-SOD activity.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.13 no.3_4
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• pp.105-115
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• 1998

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly reactive molecules due to their unpaired electron. They have been suspected as one of the major tissue damage inducers in biological metabolic systems. Antioxidant enzymes, such as catalase and superoxide dismutase, could not repair all the oxidative damages resulting from those excessive toxic ROS. It is, therefore, urgent to develop effective antioxidants to relieve from the oxidatire damages. In this study antioxidative effects were investigated by using two flavonoids such as quercetin and naringenin and a flavonoid-rich extract, Ginkgo biloba extract in combination with paraquat that is known as a strong generator of oxygen radicals. The results are summeringed as follows: 1. To assess radical scavenging ability reduction concentrations (IC$_{50}$) of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazine (DPPH) within 15 minutes were measured. The values of the IC$_{50}$ of quercetin and Ginkgo biloba extract were 15.4 $\mu$M and 13.2$\mu$g/ml, respectively. Their radical removing activities showed concentration-dependent manners. 2. In the hydrogen peroxide assay by using PMS-NADH system, quercetin, naringenin and Ginkgo biloba extract led to removing hydrogen peroxide in concentrationdependent manner whose removing abilities at 100$\mu$M or 100 $\mu$g/ml were 75.6, 25.8 and 26.0%, respectively. 3. In the hydrogen peroxide-induced rat blood hemolysis assay all three compounds led to similar effects whose hemolysis inhibition ratios at 100$\mu$M or 100$\mu$g/ml were 68.0, 5.14 and 55.8%, respectively. 4. In the xanthinee oxidase assay by measuring degree of NADH oxidation in the presence of hypoxanthine and xanthinee oxidase, both quercetin and Ginkgo biloba extract showed excellent activities showing 42.8 and 24.2% inhibiting xanthine oxidase activity at 100$\mu$M or 100$\mu$g/ml concentrations, respectively.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.51-58
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• 2010

This study compared the effects of black, white, and red ginseng extracts (WGE, RGE, BGE, 200 mg/kg, p.o.) on learning and memory deficits associated with scopolamine treatment (SCOP, 2 mg/kg, i.p.). Tacrine (THA, 10 mg/kg, p.o.) was used as a positive control. Ginseng significantly reversed SCOP-induced memory impairment in the passiveavoidance test and also reduced escape latency in training trials of the Morris water maze test. The increased acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity produced by SCOP was significantly inhibited by WGE and RGE (p<0.001). SCOP administration had no effect on choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity, but RGE and BGE significantly increased ChAT activity (p<0.05). SCOP administration increased oxidative damage in the brain. Treatment of amnesic mice with ginseng extracts decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and restored superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity to control levels. These results suggest that black ginseng enhances cognitive activity by regulation of cholinergic enzymes and antioxidant systems.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.84-89
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• 2008

This study was designed to investigate the protective effect of a methanol extract of Chungkookjang (CKJ) on high glucose induced oxidative stress in LLC-$PK_1$ cells (renal tubular epithelial cells), which are susceptible to oxidative stress. Freeze dried CKJ powder was extracted with methanol, and the extract solution was concentrated, and then used in this study. To determine the protective effect of CKJ extract, oxidative stress was induced by exposing of LLC-$PK_1$ cells to high glucose (30 mM) or normal glucose (5 mM) for 24 hr. Exposure of LLC-$PK_1$ cells to high glucose for 24 hr resulted in a significant (p<0.05) decrease in cell viability, catalase, SOD and GSH-px activity and a significant (p<0.05) increase in intracellular ROS level and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) formation in comparison to the cells treated with 5 mM glucose. CKJ extract treatment decreased intracellular ROS level and TBARS formation, and increased cell viability and activities of antioxidant enzymes including catalase, SOD and GSH-px in high glucose pretreated LLC-$PK_1$ cells. These results suggest that CKJ extract may be able to protect LLC-$PK_1$ cells from high glucose-induced oxidative stress, partially through the antioxidative defense systems.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 2005

Radical scavenging activity of water and methanol extracts of mulberry juice and cake prepared from mulberry fruit (Morus spp.) was evaluated using three in vitro assay systems. Mulberry fruits were homogenized with $0.5\%$ trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in distilled water, filtered with cheeze-cloth and centrifuged to yield mulberry juice and cake. Mulberry juice was evaporated and solubilized in $0.5\%$ TFA in distilled water or $0.5\%$ TFA in $80\%$ aqueous methanol, followed by filtration and evaporation to obtain water (WMJ) and methanol (MMJ) extracts of mulberry juice. Mulberrry cake also was extracted with the above same solvents, and thereby finally obtaining water (WMC) and methanol (MMC) extracts of mulberry cake. Among four extracts, the MMC showed the most potent radical scavenging activity against DPPH radical $(IC_{50}=167.45\;{\mu}g/mL)$, and superoxide $(IC_{50}=36.18\;{\mu}g/mL)$ and hydroxyl radicals $(IC_{50}=467.08\;{\mu}g/mL)$. The WMC also exhibited stronger radical scavenging activity than those of two other mulberry juice extract, WMJ and MMJ. Meanwhile, the MMJ exerted stronger three radical scavenging activity than the WMJ. Total phenolic content of the water and MeOH extracts from mulberry cake was higher than that of the water and MeOH extracts from mulberry juice. Thus, these results suggest that the extracts of mulberry cake with high dietary phenolics may be useful potential source of natural antioxidant as radical scavenger.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.44-48
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to investigate the biological activities of water soluble browning reaction products(WS-BRPs) isolated from korean red ginseng. Antioxidative activities of WS-BRPs were examined with the various systems. Three different fractions prepared by os moly tic treatment of WS-BRP(fraction L, S-l and S-2) were found to have an ability to donate hydrogen to DPPH and also exhibited the inhibitory activities in lipid peroxidation, consumption of oxygen and protein oxidation of mitochondrial fraction. Especially, L had the strongest activity of these three WS­BRPs in scavenging free radicals. Lipid peroxidation showed the antioxidant effect on linoleic acid oxidation inhibition ratio of $22.5\%,\;31.7\%,\;31.9\%\;and\;33.5\%$, respectivity. And the consumption of oxygen was strongly inhibited by $49.52\%,\;62,44,\;97.54\%$. But three WS-BRPs showed weak inhibitory activity on lipid peroxidation in rat hepatic microsomes.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.143-153
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• 2019

Background: Ginseng is one of the well-known medicinal plants, exhibiting diverse medicinal effects. Its roots possess anticancer and antiaging properties and are being used in the medical systems of East Asian countries. It is grown in low-light and low-temperature conditions, and its growth is strongly inhibited at temperatures above $25^{\circ}C$. However, the molecular responses of ginseng to heat stress are currently poorly understood, especially at the protein level. Methods: We used a shotgun proteomics approach to investigate the effect of heat stress on ginseng leaves. We monitored their photosynthetic efficiency to confirm physiological responses to a high-temperature stress. Results: The results showed a reduction in photosynthetic efficiency on heat treatment ($35^{\circ}C$) starting at 48 h. Label-free quantitative proteome analysis led to the identification of 3,332 proteins, of which 847 were differentially modulated in response to heat stress. The MapMan analysis showed that the proteins with increased abundance were mainly associated with antioxidant and translation-regulating activities, whereas the proteins related to the receptor and structural-binding activities exhibited decreased abundance. Several other proteins including chaperones, G-proteins, calcium-signaling proteins, transcription factors, and transfer/carrier proteins were specifically downregulated. Conclusion: These results increase our understanding of heat stress responses in the leaves of ginseng at the protein level, for the first time providing a resource for the scientific community.