• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.3943-3949
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• 2012

A series of aromatic hydrazides 3a-j were prepared by refluxing esters 2a-j with hydrazine hydrate in methanol, which were prepared by the esterification of 1a-j. Acetohydrazides 3a-j upon treatment with carbon disulfide and methanolic potassium hydroxide yielded potassium dithiocarbazate salts 4a-j, which on refluxing with hydrazine hydrate yielded substituted 4-amino-5-aryl-3H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiones 5a-j. The target compounds 6a-j were synthesized by condensing furan-3-carboxylic acid in the presence of polyphosphoric acid under reflux. The structures of newly synthesized compounds were characterized by IR, $^1H$ NMR, $^{13}C$ NMR, elemental analysis and mass spectrometric studies. All the synthesized compounds were screened for their urease, acetylcholine esterase inhibition, antioxidant and alkaline phosphatase inhibition activity. Almost all of the compounds 6a-j showed good to excellent activities against urease and acetylcholine esterase more than the reference drugs. Compounds 6f and 6g were more potent scavenger of free radicals than the reference n-propyl gallate. Compound 6b and 6h showed excellent activities of alkaline phosphatase as compare to the reference $KH_2PO_4$.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.38-41
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• 1961

By varying groups on biologically active molecules, it is possible to produce analogues which sometimes inhibit the action of the parent compound. Such is true of taurine(${\beta}$-amino-ethane sulfonic acid)as an analogue of ${\beta}$-alanine and of pantoyl taurine for pantothenic acid. It seemed possible that the sulfonic acid analogues of amino acids built into peptides might possibly produce inhibition of the parent peptide. Tauryl-L-histidine was selected to prepare as an analogue of carnosine(${\beta}$-alanyl-L-histidine). There were several reasons for this choice. Camosine causes a slight contraction of isolated uterine muscle and inhibition of this action can be easily tested. Also, taurine, being a ${\beta}$-amino sulfonic acid, is much more stable than the ${\beta}$-amino sulfonic acids. Phthalyl tauryl-L-histidine methyl ester was prepared by condensing phthalyl tauryl chloride with histidine methyl ester in chloroform. The yields were quite low possibly due to reaction between the acid chloride and the imidazole of histidine. Approximately 50 per cent yield of crude amorphous product was obtained, but upon purification by crystallization they yielded only 25 percent of a pure product. The methyl ester was removed by acid hydrolysis to prevent partial cleavage of the phthalyl group. Crystalline tauryl histidine was then obtained from this acid by removal of the phthalyl group by hydrazinolysis. Tests for inhibition were carried out by comparing the action of camosine on isolated uterine muscle before and after tauryl histidine had been added to the bath surrounding the muscle strip. Only in very high relative concentrations of tauryl histidine was there any demonstrable inhibition.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.267-273
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• 2020

Background: Continuous exposure to high temperatures can lead to heat stress. This stress response alters the expression of multiple genes and can contribute to the onset of various diseases. In particular, heat stress induces oxidative stress by increasing the production of reactive oxygen species. The liver is an essential organ that plays a variety of roles, such as detoxification and protein synthesis. Therefore, it is important to protect the liver from oxidative stress caused by heat stress. Korean ginseng has a variety of beneficial biological properties, and our previous studies showed that it provides an effective defense against heat stress. Methods: We investigated the ability of Korean Red Ginseng and Korean black ginseng extracts (JP5 and BG1) to protect against heat stress using a rat model. We then confirmed the active ingredients and mechanism of action using a cell-based model. Results: Heat stress significantly increased gene and protein expression of oxidative stress-related factors such as catalase and SOD2, but treatment with JP5 (Korean Red Ginseng extract) and BG1 (Korean black ginseng extract) abolished this response in both liver tissue and HepG2 cells. In addition, JP5 and BG1 inhibited the expression of inflammatory proteins such as p-NF-κB and tumor necrosis factor alpha-α. In particular, JP5 and BG1 decreased the expression of components of the NLRP3 inflammasome, a key inflammatory signaling factor. Thus, JP5 and BG1 inhibited both oxidative stress and inflammation. Conclusions: JP5 and BG1 protect against oxidative stress and inflammation induced by heat stress and help maintain liver function by preventing liver damage.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.237-243
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• 2006

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neuromodulator of nociceptive responses in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal cord. BDNF synthesis increases in response to nerve growth factor (NGF) in trkA-expressing small and medium-sized DRG neurons after inflammation. Previously we demonstrated differential activation of multiple BDNF promoters in the DRG following peripheral nerve injury and inflammation. Using reporter constructs containing individual promoter regions, we investigated the effect of NGF on the multiple BDNF promoters, and the signaling pathway by which NGF activates these promoters in PC12 cells. Although all the promoters were activated 2.4-7.1-fold by NGF treatment, promoter IV gave the greatest induction. The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor, SB203580, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3K) inhibitor, LY294003, protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor, H89, and protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, chelerythrine, had no effect on activation of promoter IV by NGF. However, activation was completely abolished by the MAPK kinase (MEK) inhibitors, U0126 and PD98059. In addition, these inhibitors blocked NGF-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) 1/2. Taken together, these results suggest that the ERK1/2 pathway activates BDNF promoter IV in response to NGF independently of NGF-activated signaling pathways involving PKA and PKC.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.4 s.71
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• pp.613-618
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• 2005

We investigated the effect of chicory (Chicorium intybus) extract on triglyceride concentration and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) activity in rats. The effect of water-soluble extract of chicory fed at the $2.0\%\;and\;4.0\%(w/w)$ levels for 2 weeks on the concentration of serum triglyceride and the activity of hepatic microsomal riglyceride transfer protein (MTP) was investigated in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The triglyceride concentrations in serum of the chicory extract fed groups were significantly lower than in the control group. MTP activity, known to be essential for the assembly/secretion of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins, was also significantly lower in the chicory extract groups than in the control group. The concentrations of other lipids in serum and liver and the activity of phosphatidate phosphohydrolase, the rate-limiting enzyme in triglyceride synthesis, showed no significant differences among in the chicory fed groups. These results indicate that dietary chicory extract decrease hepatic MTP activity and serum triglyceride concentration, and therefore reduces hepatic lipoprotein assembly and secretion.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.1639-1648
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• 2017

Curcumin is a natural polyphenolic compound, widely acclaimed for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anticancerous properties. However, its use has been limited due to its low-aqueous solubility and poor bioavailability, rapid clearance, and low cellular uptake. In order to assess the effect of glycosylation on the pharmacological properties of curcumin, one-pot multienzyme (OPME) chemoenzymatic glycosylation reactions with UDP-${\alpha}-{\text\tiny{D}}$-glucose or UDP-${\alpha}-{\text\tiny{D}}$-2-deoxyglucose as donor substrate were employed. The result indicated significant conversion of curcumin to its glycosylated derivatives: curcumin 4'-O-${\beta}$-glucoside, curcumin 4',4"-di-O-${\beta}$-glucoside, curcumin 4'-O-${\beta}$-2-deoxyglucoside, and curcumin 4',4"-di-O-${\beta}$-2-deoxyglucoside. The products were characterized by ultra-fast performance liquid chromatography, high-resolution quadruple-time-of-flight electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry, and NMR analyses. All the products showed improved water solubility and comparable antibacterial activities. Additionally, the curcumin 4'-O-${\beta}$-glucoside and curcumin 4'-O-${\beta}$-2-deoxyglucoside showed enhanced anticancer activities compared with the parent aglycone and diglycoside derivatives. This result indicates that glycosylation can be an effective approach for enhancing the pharmaceutical properties of different natural products, such as curcumin.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.260-275
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• 2020

Background: We investigated the antioxidant, anti-wrinkles, whitening, and moisturizing properties and amounts of phenolic compounds of ethanol extracts from flowers of 10 resource plants from Namwon and Mt. Jiri., Korea. Methods and Results: We measured antioxidant efficacy based on the total polyphenol, and total flavonoid content, and the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. We evaluated the inhibitory effect on melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity for the whitening effect. Furthermore, we analyzed the elastase and matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) inhibition activity for anti-wrinkle capacity. To evaluate the moisturizing effect, we examined hyaluronan synthase (HAS) mRNA expression. In addition, the 19 phenolic compounds were detected using high performace liquid chromatography (HPLC). Among the 10 flowers, the antioxidant effect was high in the order of Rosa multiflora, Nelumbo nucifera, and Elsholtzia splendens. Whitening effect was high in the order of N. nucifera, R. multiflora, and Dendranthema zawadskii. As for the anti-wrinkle property, N. nucifera was the most effective followed by R. multiflora. Taraxacum coreanum was the best for moisturizing effect, followed by D. zawadskii, and E. splendens. Seven phenolic compounds were detected in the extracts of the 10 flowers. Conclusions: Overall, the extracts of five flowers extracts showed strong potential as antioxidant, whitening, anti-wrinkle, and moisturizing functional cosmetic agents.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.334-342
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• 2005

The prototype Chlorella virus PBCV-l encodes 11 tRNA genes and over 350 protein-encoding genes in its 330 kbp genome. Initial attempts to overexpress the recombinant A189/192R protein, a putative virus attachment protein, in E. coli strain BL21(DE3) SI were unsuccessful, and multiple protein bands were detected on Western blots. However, the full-length A189/192R recombinant protein or fragments derived from it were detected when they were expressed in E. coli BL21 CodonPlus (DE3) RIL, which contains extra tRNAs. Codon usage analysis of the a189/192r gene showed highly biased usage of the AGA and AVA codons compared to genes encoded by E. coli and Chlorella. In addition, there were biases of XXA/U($56\%$) and XXG/ C($44\%$) in the codons recognized by the viral tRNAs, which correspond to the codon usage bias in the PBCV-1 genome of XXA/U ($63\%$) over those ending in XXC/G ($37\%$). Analysis of the codon usage in the major capsid protein and DNA polymerase showed preferential usage of codons that can be recognized by the viral tRNAs. The Asn (AAC) and Lys (AAG) codons whose corresponding tRNA genes are duplicated in the tRNA gene cluster were the most abundant (i.e., preferred) codons in these two proteins. The tRNA genes encoded in the PBCV-l genome seem to play a very important role during the synthesis of viral proteins through supplementing the tRNAs that are frequently used in viral proteins, but are rare in the host cells. In addition, these tRNAs would help the virus to adapt to a wide range of hosts by providing tRNAs that are rare in the host cells.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.225-229
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• 2011

Extract of Taraxacum platycarpum (AF-343) has been reported to have several biological properties such as skin hydration and anti-inflammatory effects. Although clinical evidences of skin hydration and antiinflammatory effect were proven in clinical trial, precise mechanism of skin hydration was not fully understood yet. In this study, we have focused skin hydration mechanism related filaggrin, collagen, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) in vitro and animal study. Herein, skin hydration mechanism of AF-343 is due to recovery of filaggrin in mice model and increased production of collagen with suppression of matrix MMP in vitro fibroblast cell line.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.4 s.100
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• pp.326-330
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• 2002

A wetland soil was sterilised by two methods and changes in microbial enzyme activities were assessed. The short-term effects were determined by toluene addition, while the longer-term effects of elimination was monitored by ${\gamma}$-radiation. The changes in ${\beta}$- glucosidase, ${\beta}$-xylosidase, cellobiohydrolase, phosphatase, arylsulphatase, and N-acetylglucosaminidase activities were determined by using methylumbelliferyl model substrates and comparing with the activities of control samples. Toluene addition induced different responses of enzymes. For example, phosphatase activity increased by the treatment while ${\beta}$-glucosidase and arylsulphatase activities decreased. In contrast, ${\gamma}$-radiation decreased all enzyme activities compared to control by 40-80%. The overall results of the toluene and ${\gamma}$-radiation experiments indicate that the large amounts of enzymes are stabilised outside of living cells, at least in the short term, but that the persistence of enzymes is maintained by de-novo synthesis of microbes.