• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.54 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2011

${\gamma}$-PGA(poly-${\gamma}$-glutamic acid) is an unusual anionic polypeptide that is made of D- and L-glutamic acid units connected by amide linkages between ${\alpha}$-amino and ${\gamma}$-carboxylic acid groups. ${\gamma}$-PGA has been isolated from many kinds of organisms. Many Bacillus strains produce ${\gamma}$-PGA as a capsular material of an extracellular viscous material. It is safe for eating as a viscosity element of fermented soybean products such as Chungkookjang and Natto. It is biodegradable, edible and nontoxic toward humans and the environment and its molecular weight varies from ten thousand to several hundred thousand depending on the kinds of strains used. Therefore, potential applications of ${\gamma}$-PGA and its derivatives have been of interest in the past few years in a broad range of industrial fields such as food, cosmetics, medicine, water-treatment, etc. In this study, a bacterium, Bacillus subtilis GS-2 isolated from the Korean traditional seasoning food, Chungkookjang could produce a large amount of ${\gamma}$-PGA with high productivity and had a simple nutrient requirement. Based on carbon utilization pattern and partial 16S rRNA sequence analysis, the GS-2 strain was identified as B. subtilis. The determination of purified ${\gamma}$-PGA was confirmed with thin layer chromatography (TLC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, and $^1H$-nuclear magnetic resonance ($^1H$-NMR) spectroscopy.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.593-599
• /
• 2014

This study was conducted to determine the antioxidant potentials of some available plants to source alternate antioxidants and antibiotics. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by determining the antioxidant activity reducing powers and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activities of extracts from some local edible native plants. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of the extracts was found to have been 0.41-94.84%. The Elsholtziasplendens NAKAI extract ($85^{\circ}C$, ethanol, accelerated solvent extraction) showed the highest level of antioxidant activity. Eight samples of plant extracts were evaluated for their antimicrobial activities against three microflora (Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans) using disc diffusion assay. Two samples (Geranium krameri FR. Et SAV. and Cleyera japonica Thunb.) had much more intensive antimicrobial activities than the control. However, their DPPH free radical scavenging activity levels were only 14.50 and 13.85, respectively. It is suggested that they could be used as natural preservatives against bacterial contamination in cosmetics and foods, in place of the common synthetic preservatives currently used.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.651-661
• /
• 2021

Eruca sativa, called arugula, is a perennial plant in the Brassicaceae family, an edible plant commonly used in Italian cuisine. To study as a cosmetic material application E. sativa was extracted with 70% ethanol (ES). Then ES was fractionated using n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butyl alcohol and water (EHex, EEA, ECHCl₃, EBuOH and EDW). EEA showed mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory activity. ES, EEA and EBuOH showed inhibition of tyrosinase activity. As a result, ES is expected to have skin whitening efficacy. ES was applied to 0.05, 0.1% the toner and emulsion formulation to test the stability. The anti-microbial activity of eight bacteria and fungi including Staphylococcus aureus and Propionibacterium acnes which cause dermatitis and acne was evaluated. EEA showed effects in all of microorganisms. The toner and emulsion containing ES with 0.05, 0.1% were passed in the challenge test. At -20, 4, 25, 55 ℃ and daylight, there was no significant change on pH, viscosity for 4 months. However, emulsions had phase separation phenomenon at 55 ℃, so the base formulation needs improvement. In addition, through the skin penetration test, EEA penetrated 0.058% in 6 hr, predicting the clinical efficacy. This means that E. sativa can contribute whitening agent and the synergistic effect of preservatives.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.307-314
• /
• 2024

Broussonetia kazinoki twig extract (BKT) is recognized for its antioxidant and anti-cancer effects and natural whitening properties. So, it is used as a raw material for cosmetics. B. kazinoki twig is also an edible raw material. B. kazinoki has been used in Asia for paper production and oriental medicine, has anti-diabetic effects, and contains various flavonoids and alkaloids. In this study, to evaluate the efficacy of BKT on allergic skin inflammatory responses, we investigated its effects on factors related to skin inflammation in HaCaT keratinocytes and allergic responses in RBL-2H3 cells. There was no cytotoxicity of the 70% ethanol extract against HaCaT and RBL-2H3 cells. In HaCaT cells, stimulation with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-𝛼) and interferon-gamma (IFN-𝛾) increased the production of several chemokines, including thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC), and regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES). However, it was observed that this elevation was notably mitigated in a concentration-dependent manner upon treatment with BKT. Furthermore, BKT treatment demonstrated a significant reduction of 𝛽-hexosaminidase and inflammatory cytokines TNF-𝛼 and IL-4 in IgE-sensitized RBL-2H3 cells. Thus, it is expected that BKT can be used as a natural cosmetic and food ingredient that effectively suppresses allergic inflammatory reactions.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.85-98
• /
• 2003

The articles, published in the Journal of Korean Forestry from Number 1(1962) to Number 6, Volume 91(2002), were surveyed and investigated for the research trend analysis about resource-plants for special use or purpose, i. e., edible plants, medicinal plants, feed resource, landscape plants, fiber plants, industrial usuage, and bee plants. If the purpose or subject matter of the research was construction or furniture timber production, mushrooms and/or pulp and paper, such research was not included in this study. These articles were classified again depending on the content of research into 14 categories: habitat environment, ecology, physiology, propagation, silviculture (tending and culture), genetics and breeding, identification, insect and disease control, animal-related research, component analysis, vegetation survey, biotechnology, management, and review. Among the total 1.434 articles published, 396 ones (27.6%) were related with plants for special use or purpose. Vegetation survey was 60 (15.2%): physiology 56(14.1%) : genetics and breeding 56(14.1%): propagation 53(13.4%): and ecology 37(9.3%). Siviculture research field included 11 articles (2.8%), which indicates that the management of resource-plants is so far from economic income as seen in the low number of management research filed articles, i. e., only 6 reports (1.5%) Korean white pine was most popular for research and included 42 articles: Robinia pseudoacacia 23: Castanea crenata 14: and ginkgo tree 14. Research related with these species had focused mainly on propagation, physiology, genetics and breeding, ecology and pest control. Based on this survey and analysis, the followings are suggested: 1. More research is required on forest herbaceous plants. 2. Cooperative research work with other industrial and/or scientific area is recommendable for commercialization including medicine, cosmetics, and food etc. 3. Research on resource-plant conservation, which includes biology, social education and policy, should be supported for next generation. 4. Mutual correspondence and information exchange about the research results between researchers and institutes is more necessary than now.