• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.233-240
• /
• 1987

The amniotic fluid provides a medium in which the fetus can readily move, cushions him against possible injury and helps him maintain an even temperature. Besides above mentioned functions, investigators reported that human amniotic fluid contains host-resistance factors which prevent bacteria from producing infectious disease and this activity shows difference among human racial groups or bacterial genera, species and strains. 40 amniotic fluid specimens from Korean women in their second and third trimesters of pregnancy were examined for inhibiting the growth of Escherichia coli. And various factors which might affect bacterial growth inhibiting activity such as pH, initial inoculum size, concentration of amniotic fluid, and heat resistance, were also tested using a strongly inhibitory amniotic fluid specimen. Finally plate diffusion tests were carried out using other strongly inhibitory amniotic fluid. The following results were obtained: 1. Of the 40 fluid samples examined, 18 specimens(45%) had inhibitory activity and samples from women in their second trimester of pregnanancy showed non-inhibitory activity(2 specimens). 2. The pH of the fluids varied between 7.43 and 8.33. There was no correlation between pH and inhibitory activity. 3. No. 19 amniotic fluid showed bacteriostatic activity after 24 hours incubation when an inoculum of $10^2$ organisms per milliliter was used, but non-inhibitory with an inoculum of $10^3$ and $10^4$ bacteria per milliliter. 4. The content of amniotic fluid in culture media influenced E. coli growth. At 90 percent, E. coli was inhibited growth but at 10 percent and 50 percent. 5. Inhibitory activity of No. 19 amniotic fluid was retained after heating to $50^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes or 100^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes. 6. Plate diffusion tests with No. 27 amniotic fluid showed that 0.7ml amniotic fluid gave clear zone of growth inhibition around the central well but 0.2ml and 0.1ml amniotic fluids were not.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.712-723
• /
• 2019

Chemically synthesized compounds are widely used in oral hygiene products. However, excessively long-term use of these chemicals can cause undesirable side effects such as bacterial tolerance, allergy, and tooth discoloration. To solve these issues, significant effort is put into the search for natural antibacterial agents. The aim of this study was to assess the extracts of foreign native plants that inhibit the growth and biofilm formation of Streptococcus mutans. Among the 300 foreign plant extracts used in this study, Chesneya nubigena (D. Don) Ali extract had the highest antimicrobial activity relatively against S. mutans with a clear zone of 9 mm when compared to others. This plant extract also showed anti-biofilm activity and bacteriostatic effect (minimal bactericidal concentration [MBC], 1.5 mg/ml). In addition, the plant extracts of 19 species decreased the ability of S. mutans to form biofilm at least a 6-fold in proportion to the tested concentrations. Of particular note, C. nubigena (D. Don) Ali extract was found to inhibit biofilm formation at the lowest concentration tested effectively. Therefore, our results reveal that C. nubigena (D. Don) Ali extract is a potential candidate for the development of antimicrobial substitutes, which might be effective for caries control as well, as demonstrated by its inhibitory effect on the persistence and pathogenesis of S. mutans.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.32 no.10
• /
• pp.792-802
• /
• 2022

In this study, the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Sophora japonica extracts were investigated to determine the potential of S. japonica as a functional food and medicinal materials. S. japonica was divided into flowers, fruits, and branches, and ethanol extraction was used. The total polyphenol and flavonoid contents were significantly higher in the flower and fruit extracts than in the branch extracts, but the ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activity and ORAC value were higher in the branch extracts. Among the ethanol extracts of S. japonica, branch extracts showed strong antibacterial activity against Porphyromonas gingivalis, and the MIC was 0.2 mg/ml. Branch extracts showed bacteriostatic activity against P. gingivalis at a concentration of 0.4 mg/ml or less and bactericidal activity at a concentration of 0.6 mg/ml or more. Biofilm biomass production and cell growth of P. gingivalis in the culture medium treated with the branch extract at a concentration of 0.2-2.0 mg/ml were significantly decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, the mRNA expression of fimA and mfa1 associated with fimbriae formation in these cultures was suppressed in a concentration-dependent manner. Based on these results, S. japonica branch extracts can be used as functional food and medicinal materials, as demonstrated by their antioxidant and antibacterial activities against P. gingivalis and the inhibition of biofilm formation resulting from P. gingivalis.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.33 no.11
• /
• pp.936-943
• /
• 2023

This study was conducted to investigate the potential of Stewartia koreana as anti-microbial materials. The branches, stems and leaves of S. koreana were extracted into 70% ethanol and their antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa was confirmed. The leaf, branch and stems extracts (1 mg/disc) showed the antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa and leaf extracts showed higher antibacterial activities than those from branch extracts. The MIC against P. aeruginosa was 0.8 mg/ml and showed bacteriostatic action. The inhibitory effects of extract on biofilm formation and gene expression related to biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa was determined by biofilm biomass staining, SEM and qRT-PCR analysis. The biofilm biomass and cell growth of P. aeruginosa in the cultures treated with 0.2~2.0 mg/ml of S. koreana leaf extracts were significantly decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. We observed that the extract had an inhibitory effect on the formation of P. aeruginosa biofilms at concentrations of 0.8 mg/ml by SEM. qRT-PCR analysis showed that the lasI and rh1I gene expression associated to quorum sensing (QS) in the cultures treated with 0.2~2.0 mg/ml of S. koreana leaf extracts were suppressed in a concentration-dependent manner. Based on the above results, it can be concluded that S. koreana leaf extracts can be used as anti-microbial material derived from natural materials, as demonstrated by the antibacterial action and inhibition of biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa by QS inhibition.

• Journal of fish pathology
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.1-14
• /
• 1997

Major object of this study was to investigate the causative organism of th e diseased cultured fingerling of sea bass, L japonicus. The experimental results are summarized as follows ; Staphylococcus epidermidis, isolated from the liver, kidney, spleen and brain, was considered to be the causative organism. External symptoms of this disease were congestion and hemorrhages in eyes. Anatomical symptoms were hemorrhage of brain, congestion of liver, and slight swelling of kidney and spleen. Growth of the isolates was good on BHIA, HIA and Staphylococcus No. 110. The growth occurred at a range(optimum) of $10\sim45^{\circ}C(35\sim40^{\circ}C)$, 0~9% (1~3%) of NaCl concentration and pH 4~10(8). DNase and coagulase production of all isolated strains were nagative, but was positive in hemolysis. Urease was positive reaction, and novobiocin resistance was nagative. Acid was produced anaerobically from glucose and maltose. Acid was produced aerobically from glucose, galactose, sucrose, maltose and dextrine. But gas was not produced from any carbohydrates. When the isolated strain was injected intramuscularly on fingerling of sea bass, L japonicus, it had virulence at $1.7{\times}10^{10}$ viable cells/$m\ell$ for all fish examined but no virulence at $1.7{\times}10^4$ viable cells/$m\ell$. Bacitracin, Erythromycin and Nofloxacin were observed as bacteriostatic agents to the strain, but Colistin, Gentamicin and Nalidixic acid were not. There were remarkable congestion of the brain, regressive necrosis of the liver, and showed necrosis of the epithelial cells of renal tubules in kidney tissues.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.22 no.1 s.38
• /
• pp.34-44
• /
• 1986

In our previous studies, we had clarified many pharmacological effects of majarine: the bacteriostatic effect in vitro; the potentiation of hypnotic action of alcohol; hypotensive effect in rats and hypothermic effect in mice. This study was undertaken to search for a new antihypertensive drug. Red crystalline was obtained from majarine (which was extracted from Berberis koreana Palibin) by chemical methods. And this crystalline was identified as $C_{19}H＿{16}NO＿4$ contained one hydroxy group instead of methoxy group of majarine in isoquinoline ring and named 'Majarol' (5,6-Dihydro-9-hydroxy, 10-methoxybenzo-[g]-1,3-benzodioxolo [5,6-a] quinolizinium). We examined the effects of majarol on blood pressure and heart rate in urethane ancsthetized rats and the rate and amplitude of contraction of isolated frog heart. Several drugs: atropine sulfate, diphenhydramine chloride, hexamethonium bromide, phentolamine, epinephrine, propranolol and isoproterenol were used to clarify the mechanism of the hypotensive action of majarol. The results of experimints were as follows; 1. In low dose (0.5-2mg/kg, i.v.), majarol showed a typical transient hypotensive effect and slight decrease in heart rate. In high dose (5-10 mg/kg, i.v.), majarol showed a typical transient and a subsequent prolonged hypotensive effect and a significant prolonged decrease in heart rate was followed. 2. The hypotensive effects of majarol was not abolished by the pretreatments with atropine sulfate, hexamethonium bromide and diphenhydramine. The pretreatment with phentolamine inhibited significantly the hypotensive effects of majarol and the pretreatment wtih majarol blocked markedly the hypertensive effect of epinephrine. The positive chronotropic effect of isoproterenol was not blocked by the pretreatment with majarol. 3. In low dose, majarol increased the amplitude and decreased rate of contraction, but in high dose, majarol inhibited the amplitude and rate of contraction of isolated frog heart.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.159-166
• /
• 2008

An ideal anti-bacterial medication for oral infection requires selective effect on pathogens causing dental caries and periodontal disease but not on normal flora. In addition, it should be less toxic for human and even for environment. This study was to seek such a natural anti-bacterial medication and thus anti-bacterial effect of Hamamelis virginiana was evaluated. Many recent researches on the anti-bacterial effect of natural plant extract and essential oil have reported that natural products can be used as medication for prevention and restrainment of dental caries, halitosis and periodontitis. It has been also reported that Hamamelis virginiana has anti-bacterial effect on Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Capnocytophaga gingivalis, Veilonella parvula, Eikenella corrodens, Peprostreptococcus micros, and Actinomyces odontolyticus. This study evaluated anti-bacterial effect of Hamamelis virginiana on Streptoccoccus mutans, Haemophylus actinomycetemcomitans, and Klebsiella pneumoniae to expand its anti-bacterial effect on other important oral pathogens and eventually to develop its oral care products or apply to clinical purpose. In this study, anti-bacterial tests for antibiotic disk susceptibility, minimal inhibitory concentration and minimal bactericidal concentration were performed to evaluate anti-bacterial effect of Hamamelis virginiana against Streptoccoccus mutans, Haemophylus actinomycetemcomitans, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The results showed that Hamamelis virginiana has anti-bacterial effect on all pathogen strains tested in this study and furthermore Hamamelis virginiana possesses bactericidal effect other than bacteriostatic effect on Streptoccoccus mutans, Haemophylus actinomycetemcomitans, Klebsiella pneumoniae. This study indicates that a natural anti-bacterial medication for oral diseases can be developed using Hamamelis virginiana.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
• /
• 1982.05a
• /
• pp.13.2-14
• /
• 1982

Otitis media with effusion, described first by Politzer (1867), is closely related with the function of auditory tube, but its etiology and pathogenesis are not clearly defined yet. There are many theories about its pathogenesis including hydrops ex vacuo theory which was most reliable nowadays. In this paper, using cats in experimental animals, hydrops ex vacuo theory was proved and cytological study of the effusion and light microscopic observation of the middle ear mucosa in otitis media with effusion were done. The results were as follows: 1) The effusion was found in all experimental groups after eighteen hours of the auditory tube obstruction. 2) In the cytological study of effusion by smear technic, Polymorpholeukocytes were dominant in earlier days but monoculear cells were soon increased and no eosinophils were found. 3) In the culture of the effusion, no bacteria was cultured. 4) By opeating microscope, hypertrophy of the middle ear mucosa observed especially in the fourteen days after auditory tube obstruction and effusion was most remarkable in the fourteen days, also. 5) By light microscopy, there were epithelial hyperplasia, proliferation of goblet cells, capillaries and infiltration of inflammatory cells which showed same distribution as smear technic.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.330-337
• /
• 2021

This study was conducted to investigate the potential of Stewartia koreana as oral healthcare materials. The antibacterial activity of ethanol extracts from leaves and branches of S. koreana against oral bacteria was confirmed. The leaf and branch extracts (1 mg/disc) showed antibacterial activity against P. gingivalis only among several tested oral bacteria. The leaf extracts showed higher antibacterial activity, with values similar to those of chlorhexidine, which was used as a positive control. The MIC of the leaf extract against P. gingivalis was 0.4 mg/ml and showed bacteriostatic action. The inhibitory effects of the extract on biofilm formation and on gene expression related to biofilm formation by P. gingivalis were determined by biofilm biomass staining, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and qRT-PCR analysis. The biofilm production rate and cell growth of P. gingivalis in the cultures treated with 0.2-2.0 mg/ml of S. koreana leaf extracts were significantly decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect on the formation of P. gingivalis biofilms at concentrations of 1 mg/ml was confirmed by SEM. The qRT-PCR analysis showed concentration-dependent suppression of the fimA and fimB gene expression associated with fimbriae formation in the cultures treated with 0.2-2.0 mg/ml S. koreana leaf extract. These results support the conclusion that S. koreana leaf extracts can be used as oral healthcare materials derived from natural materials, as demonstrated by the antibacterial action and inhibition of biofilm formation of P. gingivalis.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.33 no.10
• /
• pp.820-827
• /
• 2023

Since COVID-19 began at the end of 2019, the wearing time of protective clothing used to prevent pathogenic bacteria and virus infection has increased, and the development of safe protective materials that are human-friendly and have antibacterial and antiviral functions has been required. In this study, we investigated the possibility of developing natural antibacterial protection materials using ethanol extract of the medicinal plant Zanthoxylum Piperitum DC. The antibacterial activity assay of the 80% ethanol extract of Z. piperitum DC leaves against various nosocomial infectious bacteria, using the disk diffusion method, showed that Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 13883, Salmonella typhimurium, and Aeromonas hydrophila are sensitive to the inhibitory action of the extract. The IC₅₀ values of the ethanol extract against S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, P. vulgaris and A. hydrophila were about 0.59 mg/ml, 0.50 mg/ml, 1.06 mg/ml, and 0.06 mg/ml, respectively. To determine whether the ethanol extract of Z. piperitum DC leaves can be applied to the development of antibacterial protective fabric, the ethanol extract was tested using a protective fabric from the KM Health Care Corp. using the JIS L1902-Absorption method. As a result, the bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity values of S. aureus ATCC 25923 and K. pneumoniae ATCC 13883 appeared to be more than 2.0 when treated with the ethanol extract at a concentration of 1% (w/v). Together, these results suggest that Z. piperitum DC leaves can be applied to develop natural antibacterial functional protective fabrics.