• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.238-242
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• 2015

Background: Panax ginseng has been used to prolong longevity and is believed to be useful for improving skin complexion. Ginsenosides are the most active components isolated from ginseng, and ginsenoside Rg3 (G-Rg3) in particular has been demonstrated to possess antioxidative, antitumorigenic, and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to examine the ability of G-Rg3 to inhibit melanogenesis. Methods: The effects of G-Rg3 on melanin contents and the protein levels of tyrosinase, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), and tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP1) were evaluated. Melanogenesis-regulating signaling molecules such as Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) were also examined to explore G-Rg3-induced antimelanogenic mechanisms. Results: G-Rg3 was found to significantly inhibit the synthesis of melanin in normal human epidermal melanocytes and B16F10 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The activity of cellular tyrosinase and the expression of MITF, tyrosinase, and TRP1 were all reduced, whereas ERK was strongly activated. PD98059 (a specific inhibitor of ERK) attenuated the G-Rg3-induced inhibition of melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity. Conclusion: Taken together, these results showed that G-Rg3 induces the activation of ERK, which accounts for its antimelanogenic effects. G-Rg3 may be a promising safe skin-whitening agent, adding to the long list of uses of P. ginseng for the enhancement of skin beauty.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.415-420
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• 2007

The aim of this study was to determine the various bioactive components of five olive oil varieties, as well as to assess their contribution to the oxidative stability of the oils. Fatty acids, ${\alpha}$-tocopherol, ${\beta}$-carotene, total flavonoids, total phenols, and certain phenolic compounds of extra virgin olive oils (EVOO; blended, arbequina, hojiblanca, and picual) and pure olive oil (POO) were examined. Oxidation stability was evaluated by the peroxide value (POV). The total content of all the studied antioxidant compounds was significantly higher in the EVOOs than the POO (p<0.05). Among the EVOOs, picual had the highest levels of ${\alpha}$-tocopherol ($10.18{\pm}0.40\;mg/100\;g$), ${\beta}$-carotene ($557{\pm}8\;{\mu}g/100\;g$), and total phenols ($110.7{\pm}1.3\;mg/g$), which correlated strongly with antioxidative capacity. Furthermore, the lowest POV occurred in picual EVOO and correlated with the highest monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA, C16:1 and C18:1) and lowest polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA, C18:2 and C18:3) compositions, suggesting the ratio of MUFA to PUFA is a critical parameter for the oxidative stability of olive oil. Our results indicate that the oxidative stability and antioxidant potential of EVOO depends not only on the antioxidant vitamins, but also on the amount of phenolic compounds and fatty acid profile of the oil.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.173-188
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• 2015

We have conducted a comprehensive literature review regarding the chemical constituents and biological activities of Korean black ginseng(Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer), three to nine times-steamed and dried ginseng, which shows strong black color through Maillared browning reaction. It has been reported that some chemically deglycosylated and transformed saponins are obtained from black ginseng as artifacts produced during intensive steaming. They have been known to be ginsenosides Rg3, Rg4, Rg5, Rg6, Rh1, Rh2, Rh4, Rk1 and Rk3, quite different from those of red ginseng, among which ginsenosides Rg3, Rg5 and Rk1 are considered to be major components. And also, black ginseng has been recently found to demonstrate anticancer, recovery from learning and memory damages, hypontensive, antidiabetic, antiobesitic, tonic and antiatopic activities, together with antioxidative and exercise performance improving activities, exhibiting their effects to be a little bit stronger than those of red ginseng. These findings suggest that black ginsng might play an important role in the development of promising functional foods and drugs from the viewpoint of the chemical composition and biological activities of black ginseng with a distinction from those of white and red ginsengs. In this review, the authors will survey and evaluate further functions of black ginseng with a focus on its physicochemical properties and biological activities.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.227-232
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• 2011

Alnus japonica has been known to exert antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and immune response inhibitory effects. The aim of this study was to figure out the characteristics of extracts obtained with different extraction solvent such as water, 100% ethanol, 70% ethanol or 70% methanol because characteristic components such as oregonin and hirsutanone extracted from Alnus japonica might be essential for the biological activity. For this purpose, oregonin and hirsutanon of four extracts, index ingredient of Alnus japonica, were analyzed with HPLC and physicochemical studies such as SEM, particle size and zeta potential were conducted. In cell cytotoxicity study, extract of water showed the highest cytotoxicity among four extracts. In case of oregonin, 70% MeOH and water extracts showed high contents and in case of hirsutanone, all extracts showed similar contents except 70% EtOH extracts. The extract of 70% MeOH from Alnus japonica for both oregonin and hirsutanone appeared to have the highest content. Both oregonin and hirsutanone extracted from Alnus japonica using 70% methanol showed stability in pH 1.2.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.3 s.71
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• pp.57-69
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• 2007

Objectives : Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Etiological studies of diabetes and its complications have shown that oxidative stress might play a major role. Therefore, many methods have been tried to regulate free oxygen radicals for treating diabetes and its complications. Ojung-hwan, composed of five crude herbs, has been considered effective for treating symptoms of aging. In male ob/ob mouse of severe obesity, hyperinsulinemia and hyperlipidemia, which are features of NIDDM, the hyperglycemic activities and mechanisms of Ojung-hwan were examined. Methods : Mice were grouped and treated for 5 weeks as follows. Both the lean (C57/BL6J black mice) and diabetic (ob/ob mice) control groups received standard chow. The experimental groups were fed a diet of chow supplemented with 30 and 90 mg Ojung-hwan per 1 kg of body weight for 14 days. The effects of Ojung-hwan extract on the ob/ob mice were observed by measuring the serum levels of glucose, insulin, lipid components, and the kidney levels of superoxide anion radical (${\cdot}\;O{_2}{^-}$), MDA+HAE, GSH/GSSG ratio, and also the enzyme activities involved in polyol pathway. Results : Ojung-hwan lowered the levels of serum glucose and insulin in a dose-dependent manner. Total cholesterol, triglyceride and free fatty acid levels decreased, while the HDL-cholesterol level increased, in Ojung-hwan treated groups. Renal aldose reductase and sorbitol dehydrogenase activities increased in the ob/ob mice, whereas they were inhibited in the Ojung-hwan treated groups. Ojung-hwan inhibited the generation of ${\cdot}\;O{_2}{^-}$ in the kidney. Finally, MDA+HAE levels increased and GSH/GSSG ratio decreased in the ob/ob mice, whereas they improved in the Ojung-hwan treated groups. Conclusions : Ojung-hwan showed antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic activities by regulating theactivities of polyol pathway enzymes, scavenging reactive oxygen species and reducing the MDA+HAE levels in the ob/ob mice.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.436-441
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• 2005

This study was observed the effects of drying methods on the extraction characteristics of Rubi fructus (fruits of Rubus coreanus). Extraction yields of soluble solids and total sugar were high in the Rubi fructus dried by freeze drying, followed by infrared drying and sun drying. Extraction yield of phenolic compounds and DPPH radical-scavenging activity of extracts were in the following order; the Rubi fructus dried by freeze drying, the Rubi fructus dried by infrared drying, the Rubi fructus dried by sun drying. L value was the highest in the Rubi fructus dried by freeze drying, and a and b value were lowest in the fruit dried by freeze drying. These results suggest that freeze drying has an beneficial effect to enhance the quality of Rubi fructus. Water and ethanol extractions was more effective in the extraction of soluble solids and the antioxidative components.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.109-117
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• 2003

This study was carried out to investigate biological and antioxidative activities on the fruit of bogbunja (Rubus coreanus Miquel). Total contents of phenolic compounds contents in cultivars ripened fruit and immatured wild-type fruit were 222 and 190mg/g, respectively, Polysaccharide contents of immatured wild-type fruit were the highest value of 320U. For EDA analysis, immatured wild-type fruit showed over 95％ in 100$\mu\textrm{g}$/mL of sample concentration, which is the the most effective. Levels of SOD-like activities in immatured and cultivar ripened fruits were 81％ and 77%, respectively, For the inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation, all of bogbunja prepared were similar with those of $\alpha$-tocopherol as control. The inhibition of ACE activities on the water extracts of bogbunja fruit showed over 98%, especially, in immature wild-type and cultivar bogbunja.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.1435-1447
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• 2012

The present study was conducted to determine the effect of hexaconazole (HEX), a triazole fungicide, on the growth, yield, photosynthetic response and antioxidant potential in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) plants subjected to UV-B stress. UV-B radiation and HEX were applied separately or in combination to cucumber seedlings. The growth parameters were significantly reduced under UV-B treatment, however, this growth inhibition was less in HEX treated plants. HEX caused noticeable changes in plant morphology such as reduced shoot length and leaf area, and increased leaf thickness. HEX was quite persistent in inhibiting shoot growth by causing a reduction in shoot fresh and dry weight. HEX noticeably recovered the UV-B induced inhibition of biomass production. Significant accumutation in anthocyanin and flavonoid pigments in the leaves occurred as a result of HEX or UV-B treatments. HEX permitted the survival of more green leaf tissue preventing chlorophyll content reduction and higher quantum yield for photosystemII under UV-B exposure. HEX treatment induced a transient rise in ABA levels in the leaves, and combined application of HEX and UV-B showed a significant enhancement of ABA content which activates $H_2O_2$ generation. UV-B exposure induced accumulation of $H_2O_2$ in the leaves, while HEX prevented UV-B induced increase in $H_2O_2$, indicating that HEX serves as an antioxidant agent able to scavenge $H_2O$ to protect cells from oxidative damage. An increase in the ascorbic acid was observed in the HEX treated cucumber leaves affecting many enzyme activities by removing $H_2O_2$ during photosynthetic processes. The activities of antioxidant enzymes including catalase(CAT), ascorbate peroxidase(APX), superoxide dismutase(SOD) and peroxidase(POD) in the leaves in the presence of HEX under UV-B stress were higher than those under UV-B stress alone. These findings suggest that HEX may participate in the enhanced tolerance to oxidative stress. From these results it can be concluded that HEX moderately ameliolate the effect of UV-B stress in cucumber by improving the components of antioxidant defense system.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.177-185
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• 2013

Objectives : Leejung-tang (Lizhong-tang) has been used for treatment of gastrointestinal disorders in Korea. In this study, we performed quantification analysis of five marker components, liquiritin, ginsenoside Rb1, ginsenoside Rg1, glycyrrhizin, and 6-gingerol in Leejung-tang using a ultra performance liquid chromatography- electrospray ionization-mass spectrometer (UPLC-ESI-MS). In addition, we evaluated antioxidant activity of Leejung- tang. Methods : The column for separation of five constituents used a UPLC BEH C18 ($100{\times}2.1mm$, $1.7{\mu}m$) maintained at $45^{\circ}C$. The mobile phase consisted of two solvent systems, 0.1% (v/v) formic acid in H2O (A) and CH3CN (B) by gradient flow. The flow rate was 0.3 mL/min with detection at mass spectrometer. The antioxidative activities conduct an experiment on 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activities of Leejung-tang. Results : Calibration curves of five marker compounds were acquired with r2 values > 0.99. The amount of the five compounds in Leejung-tang were 0.07 - 0.84 mg/g. The concentration required for 50% reduction (RC50) against ABTS radical was 119.02 ug/mL. In addition, the scavenging against DPPH radical of Leejung-tang was 11.4%, 14.5%, 19.8%, 29.6%, and 49.2% at 25 ug/mL, $50{\mu}g/mL$, $100{\mu}g/mL$, $200{\mu}g/mL$, and $400{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Conclusions : The established LC-MS/MS method will be helpful to improve quality control of Leejung-tang. In addition, Leejung-tang is a potential antioxidant therapeutic agent.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.461-473
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• 2020

The goal of this study was to evaluate the influence of various supplementary feeds on the chemical composition and production of bioactive substances in Protaetia brevitarsis larvae. The primary feed-oak-fermented sawdust-was supplemented with a variety of substances, including aloe, apple, banana, sweet persimmon (S. persimmon) and sweet pumpkin (S. pumpkin). Crude protein and fat content were the highest in the control and S. pumpkin group, respectively. Supplementary feeds increased the content of unsaturated fatty acids, except in the group receiving S. pumpkin, in which oleic acid was the most abundant (58.2%-64.5%). Free essential amino acids in larvae receiving supplementary aloe were higher compared with the control group except for Lys and His. Polyphenol and flavonoid contents and the antioxidant activities of ABTS and DPPH were higher in all treated groups compared with the control group. Although supplementary feeds led to a decreased crude protein content in the treated larvae when compared with the control group, these treatments generally improved the levels of unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidative activity. Therefore, we suggest that among the supplementary foods tested, aloe is a better resource for P. brevitarsis based on crude protein content, free amino acids and other bioactive compounds such as unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants.