• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1397-1402
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• 2010

Papyriflavonol A (PapA), a prenylated flavonoid [5,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxy-6,5'-di-(${\gamma},{\gamma}$-dimethylallyl)-flavonol], was isolated from the root barks of Broussonetia papyrifera. Our previous study showed that PapA has a broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria and fungi. In this study, the mode of action of PapA against Candida albicans was investigated to evaluate PapA as an antifungal agent. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were 10~25 ${\mu}g/ml$ for C. albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium), and Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus). The kinetics of cell growth inhibition, scanning electron microscopy, and measurement of plasma membrane florescence anisotrophy revealed that the antifungal activity of PapA against C. albicans and S. cerevisiae is mediated by its ability to disrupt the cell membrane integrity. Compared with amphotericin B, a cell-membrane-disrupting polyene antibiotic, the hemolytic toxicity of PapA was negligible. At 10~25 ${\mu}g/ml$ of MIC levels for the tested strains, the hemolysis ratio of human erythrocytes was less than 5%. Our results suggest that PapA could be a therapeutic fungicidal agent having potential as a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent.

• Plant Resources
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.217-224
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• 2005

We tested the hypothesis that alpine plants have special physiological and biochemical mechanisms in addition to their structural adaptation in order to survive under extreme conditions. The photosynthetic organs of Pinus pumila were used to examine the seasonal changes in sugar concentration, antioxidative enzyme, and lipid peroxidation. The concentrations of sucrose, glucose, fructose and reducing sugar were the highest in the leaves in April. But sugar contents in buds and inner barks did not respond sensitively on temperature change. Meanwhile superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity responded sensitively on the change of temperature and SOD in all tissues maintained high activity in April. Meanwhile anthocyanin content increased rapidly in June but the increase of anthocyanin content was not enough to prevent their tissues from the damage by the exposure of high temperature or other stress. In conclusion, under low temperature condition, P. pumila increased the concentration of soluble sugars and SOD activity in their tissues in order to overcome extreme environmental condition. But in summer, these stress defense system against high temperature might be disturbed slightly. This results in the increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in three tissues by lipid peroxidation.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.27
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• pp.14.1-14.6
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• 2012

Objectives: The root barks of Periploca sepium Bge. (P. sepium) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for healing wounds and treating rheumatoid arthritis. However, toxicity in high-doses was often diagnosed by the presence of many glycosides. The potential mutagenicity of P. sepium was investigated both in vitro and in vivo. Methods: This was examined by the bacterial reverse mutation (Ames) test using Escherichia coli WP2uvrA and Salmonella typhimurium strains, such as TA98, TA100, TA1535, and TA1537. Chromosomal aberrations were investigated using Chinese hamster lung cells, and the micronucleus test using mice. Results: P. sepium did not induce mutagenicity in the bacterial test or chromosomal aberrations in Chinese hamster lung cells, although metabolic activation and micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes were seen in the mice bone marrow cells. Conclusions: Considering these results, it is suggested that P. sepium does not have mutagenic potential under the conditions examined in each study.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.237-241
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• 2018

A circular bark with a 30 cm width was artificially removed from the trunk of a 250-year-old zelkova tree (Zelkova serrata) heavily damaged by artificial girdling in Sunchang, Jeonbuk Province in March of 2005. The debarked area was cleaned approximately 10 days after artificial girdling and bark margins with 2 cm width above and below the girdled portion were cut off to promote wound callus formation. Nine pieces of fresh bark (width 8 cm, length 35 cm, thickness 0.5 cm) were then prepared from branches of neighbor zelkova trees broken by heavy snowfalls and pasted onto the girdled portion of the tree, after which a Vaseline dressing was applied to water-proof the area and rubber bars were used to hold the implants to the trunk. Two pieces of the implanted fresh barks were successfully grafted onto the girdled area and the damaged tree has been vigorously growing over 13 years. To our knowledge, this is the first case of successful bark implantation to cure a 250-year-old zelkova tree heavily damaged by artificial girdling. This bark implantation technique will be utilized for the conversation and management of heavily damaged big and old trees in the future.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 2021

Cudraxanthone D (CD) is a natural xanthone compound derived from the root barks of Cudrania tricuspidata. However, the biological functions of CD in human metabolism have been rarely reported until now. Autophagy is the self-degradation process related to cancer cell metastasis. Here, we elucidated the effects of CD on human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells' metastatic ability. We confirmed that CD effectively decreased the proliferation and viability of SCC25 human OSCC cells in time- and dose-dependent manners. Also, the metastasis phenotype of the SCC25 cell (migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition [EMT]) was inhibited by CD. To further investigate the mechanism by which CD inhibited the metastatic capacity, we detected the relationship between EMT and autophagy in the SCC25 cells. The results revealed that CD inhibited the metastasis of the SCC25 cells by attenuating autophagy. Thus, our findings produced a potential novel agent for the treatment of human OSCC metastasis.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.209-217
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• 2022

In the present research, Ficus religiosa Bark (FRB) is used as an adsorbent for the removal of heavy metal Cr (VI) ions. This Ficus religiosa Bark was characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope, Fourier transform infrared Spectroscopy, Thermo Gravimetric Analyzer and the results showed that activated adsorbent have high adsorption capacity and withstand even in high temperature. Batch and Continuous experiments were conducted to determine the effect of various parameters such as pH, contact time, adsorbent dose and initial metal concentration. The biosorption followed pseudo first order kinetic model. The adsorption isotherms of Cr (VI) on Ficus religiosa fitted well with the Temkin model. In Batch study, maximum biosorption capacity of Cr (VI) was found to be 37.97 mg g^-1 (at optimal pH of 2, adsorbent dosage of 0.3 grams and concentration of Cr (VI) is100 mg L^-1). The Continuous mode of study shows that 97% of Cr (VI) ion removal at a flow rate of 15 ml min^-1. From the results, selected Ficus religiosa Bark has the higher adsorption capacity for the removal of Cr (VI) ions from wastewater.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.295-299
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• 2014

The mulberry (Morus alba L.) root barks were extracted with 80% aqueous methanol at room temperature. The concentrated extract was partitioned as ethyl acetate (EtOAc), n-BuOH, and $H_2O$ fractions. From the EtOAc fraction, five triterpenoids were isolated through the repeated silica gel and octadecyl $SiO_2$ column chromatographies. According to the results of physico-chemical and spectroscopic data including nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and infrared, the chemical structures of the triterpenoids were respectively determined as ${\alpha}$-amyrin (1), ${\alpha}$-acetyl amyrin (2), lupeol (3), betulinic acid (4), and glutinol (5). Compounds 1, 3, and 5 were isolated for the first time from the mulberry root bark.

• CELLMED
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.21.1-21.15
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• 2016

In Kenya, traditional knowledge on herbal medicine has remained a mainstream source of maintaining wellbeing for generations in many communities. However, the knowledge has been eroded in the course of time due to sociocultural dynamics virtually advanced by Christianity and formal education especially in the Kikuyu community. The study documented current ethnobotanical knowledge and threat to the traditional knowledge on medicinal plants among the Kikuyu community. A survey was carried out in Mathira, Tetu, Kieni, Othaya, Mukurweini, and Nyeri Town constituencies. Thirty practicing herbalists were purposively sampled; 5 per constituency. Data was obtained through semi - structured questionnaires and analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. A total of 80 ailments treated using 111 medicinal plant species distributed within 98 genera and 56 families were documented. Prevalent communicable diseases treated using herbal medicine included; gonorrhea (17.5%), malaria (15%), respiratory infections (12%), colds (10%) and amoebiasis (10%). Non-communicable diseases were; joint pains (11.1%), ulcers/hyperacidity (8.7%), high blood pressure (8.7%), intestinal worms (11.1%) and arthritis/gout (10%). Frequently harvested plant materials were; roots, barks and leaves. The study concluded that, traditional medicine practitioners in Nyeri County possessed wide knowledge of herbal medicine but this knowledge was on the verge of disappearing as it was largely a preserve of the aged generation. The study recommended massive campaign about the benefits of using herbal medicine in the study area. Further pharmacological studies are recommended on the mentioned plant species aimed at establishing their efficacy and safety as well as standardization as potential drugs.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.33-37
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• 2011

The plant species reported here are used by traditional healers in Gabon for different ailments such as wounds, malaria, fever, gonorrhea or diarrhea. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activities of 7 plants (Strombosiopsis tetrandra, Tetraberlinia bifoliolata, Dichapetalum barbatum, Guibourtia demeusii, Dacryodes normandii, Manniophytum fulvum, Paropsia grewoides) against different strains of both Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Salmonella. Disc diffusion was first used to determine the antimicrobial effectiveness of the plants' ethanolic extracts. Then the minimum inhibitory concentrations of the crude extracts of either leaves or stem barks of the 7 plants were determined using broth micro-dilution. The ethanolic plant extracts showed very good activity against both MRSA and Salmonella strains where the MICs ranged from $250\;{\mu}g/ml$ to $1000\;{\mu}g/ml$. The study shows that many of the tested plants used by Gabonese traditional healers have antimicrobial activities and give support to their traditional use.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 1983

The study was carried out to examine effect of cadmium spraying on mulberry leaves on the growth and metabolism of mulberry tree.The results obtained were as follow:1. Brown spot were appeared on the leaves as the symptoms of damage and the damage was remarkable with higher concentration of cadmium.2. Higher concentration of Cd inhibited the length and diameter of mulberry branches with a significant difference (P<0.05) for the length. The growth of branch length in both 5 and 7 ppm treatment of Cd was inhibited by 31% compared with the control. 3. Cadimum concentration of mulberry barks was noticeably lower than that of leaves. 4. Cadimum concentration over 3ppm inhibited significantly chlorophyll content, activitsies of respiration, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transase (GPT) and adenocine triphosphate (APT). 5. The lowest concentration of cadmium was identified to be 3ppm to incur the inhibitory effect on the growth and metabolism of mulberry and cadmium content of mulberry leaves at the concentration was 13.86ppm.