• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.20-24
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• 2016

Pentacyclic triterpenes, mainly, asiatic acid, madecassic acid, asiaticoside, and madecassoside are the active constituents of Centella asiatica. A pentacyclic triterpene enriched C. asiatica extract (PRE) was prepared and standardized to contain a total pentacyclic triterpenes not less than 65% w/w. This work was focused on determination of antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and tyrosinase inhibitory activities of PRE and its stability. The PRE exhibited a satisfactory nitric oxide inhibitory effect, with an $IC_{50}$ value of $64.6{\mu}g/mL$. In addition, the PRE inhibited tyrosinase enzyme activity with an $IC_{50}$ value of $104.8{\mu}g/mL$. In contrast, the PRE possessed only weak antioxidant activity. The PRE was stable over a period of four months when stored as a dried powder but only in a well-closed container protected from light at $4^{\circ}C$. An aqueous alcoholic solution of the PRE was stable at pH values of 5.8 and 7.0, but was not stable at a pH of 8.2. Preparations of the PRE in an aqueous solution should be performed in acidic or neutral conditions.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.755-760
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• 2008

The aim of this study was to produce resistant starch preparations from acid-modified com starches prepared at various hydrolysis levels (0.5-4.0 hr). Effect of autoclaving cycles on resistant starch (RS) formation was investigated. Molecular weight distribution, pasting and functional properties of acid-modified com starches were determined. For RS formation native and acid-modified starch samples were gelatinized and autoclaved (1 or 2 cycles). While native and acid-modified starches did not contain any RS, the levels increased to 9.0-13.5% as a result of storage at $95^{\circ}C$ after first autoclaving cycle. Second autoclaving cycle together with storage at $95^{\circ}C$ brought final RS contents of the samples incubated at 4 and $95^{\circ}C$ after the first cycle to comparable level. As acid modification level increased, the amount of high molecular weight fractions decreased, resulting in significant decreases in viscosities (p<0.05). The samples produced in this study had low emulsion stability and capacity values.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 1995

To evaluate an effect of xanthine oxidase(XO) reaction system on the carbon tetrachloride($CCl_4$) metabolism, $CCl_4$ was given twice at 0.1ml/100g body wt. at intervals of 18 hour to the rats and those pretreated with allopurinol (50mg/kg. body wt.). The influence of XO on the metabolism of $CCl_4$ was focused on the degree of liver damage and the activities of a $CCl_4$ metabolizing marker enzyme, glucose-6-phosphatase. The increasing rate of liver weight per body weight and the levels of serum alanine aminotransferase to the control group were more decreased in allopurinol-pretreated rats than in those treated with $CCl_4$ alone. The liver XO activities were more increased in $CCl_4$-treated rats than the control group and the $CCl_4$-treated rats pretreated with allopurinol showed a decreased activities of XO compared to the $CCl_4$-treated rats. The type conversion (type D --> type O) rate was more decreased tendency in allopurinol pretreated rats than those treated $CCl_4$ alone. In dialyzed liver enzyme preparations, all of the xanthine oxidase activities: $CCl_4$-treated, allopurinol and $CCl_4$-treated rats pretreated with allopurinol showed the more increased Vmax value than the control group, but similar Km value. Moreover, $CCl_4$-treated rats pretreated with allopurinol showed the more increased Vmax value than the group treated with $CCl_4$ alone. In conclusion, it can not be negate the possibility of metabolism of $CCl_4$ by the xanthine oxidase enzyme system.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.960-968
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• 2003

A bacterial isolate showing a strong endochitosanase activity was isolated from soil and then characterized. The isolate was identified and designated as Bacillus cereus P16, based on morphological and biochemical properties, assimilation tests, cellular fatty acids pattern, along with 16S rRNA gene sequence. The optimized medium for producing extracellular chitosanase in a batch culture contained 1% tryptone, 0.5% chitosan, and 1% NaCl (pH 7.0). Powder chitosan and tryptone served the best as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, for the chitosanase production. Chitosanase activity was the highest when culture was completed at $37^{\circ}C$ among various temperatures ($20-42^{\circ}C$) tested in a shaking incubator (200 rpm). The levels of chitosanase activity in the culture fluid were 2.0 U/ml and 3.8 U/ml, respectively, when incubated in a flask for 60 h and in a jar fermenter for 24 h. The culture supernatant showed a strong liquefying activity on the soluble chitosan. The viscosity of 1% chitosan solution, that was incubated with the culture supernatant, was rapidly decreased, suggesting the secretion of endochitosanolytic enzymes by P16. The culture fluid revealed six endo-type chitosanase isozymes, two major (38 and 45 kD), and four minor (54, 65, 82, and 96 kD) forms by staining profile. The crude enzymes were very stable, and full activity was maintained for 4 weeks at $4^{\circ}C\;or\;-20^{\circ}C$ in the culture supernatant, suggesting a highly desirable stability rate for making an industrial application of the crude enzymes. The supernatant also cleaved the insoluble chitosan powder, but the hydrolysis rate was much lower. The enzymic degradation products of chitosan contained $(GlcN)_n$ (n=2-8). The concentration of chitosan in the reaction mixture of the crude enzyme affected the chitooligosaccharides composition of the hydrolysis products. When the higher concentration of chitosan was used, the higher degree of polymerized chitooligosaccharides were produced. By comparison with other commercial chitosanase preparations, P16 was indeed found to be a valuable enzyme source for industrial production of chitooligosaccharides from chitosan.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.229-235
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• 1971

Kwanok, Fujisaka #5, Paldal, and Suwon #82 as japonica type and IR-262 and CP-slo as indica type of rice seeds were selected for this experiment among varieties grown in Korea. Activities of crude enzymes extracted from germinating seeds of these varieties on malathion and p-nitrophenyl acetate as substrates, esterase zymograms with 1-naphthyl acetate as substrate, and some observations are summarized as follows: 1. Activities per unit volume of crude enzyme preparations on malathion were in the order of Kwanok>IR-262>Fujisaka #5>CP-slo>Paldal>Suwon #82. 2. Esterase zymograms on agar-gel electrophoretograms exhibited three to four bands two electrodes with little difference among varieties, nevertheless showing a wide and strongly-colored band toward cathode. Suwon #82 has a somewhat different pattern from others. 3. Enzyme activities per milligram protein with p-nitrophenyl acetate as substrate were in the order of CP-slo>IR-262>Paldal>Kwanok>Suwon #82>Fujisaka #5, indicating that activities of indica type are much stronger than those of japonica type, but not in agreement with results with malathion. 4. Malathion did not much inhibit the esterase activity at the concentration of 0.2PPM on electrophoretograms. 5. It is supposed that there is a complex esterase system hydrolyzing malathion and p-nitrophenyl acetate in germinating rice seeds.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.989-998
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• 2016

Acidic endo-polygalacturonases are the major part of pectinase preparations and extensively applied in the clarification of fruits juice, vegetables extracts, and wines. However, most of the reported fungal endo-polygalacturonases are active and stable under narrow pH range and low temperatures. In this study, an acidic endo-polygalacturonase (EPG4) was purified and characterized from a mutant strain of Penicillium oxalicum. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of EPG4 (ATTCTFSGSNGAASASKSQT) was different from those of reported endo-polygalacturonases. EPG4 displayed optimal pH and temperature at 5.0 and 60-70℃ towards polygalacturonic acid (PGA), respectively, and was notably stable at pH 2.2-7.0. When tested against pectins, EPG4 showed enzyme activity over a broad acidic pH range (>15.0% activity at pH 2.2-6.0 towards citrus pectin; and >26.6% activity at pH 2.2-7.0 towards apple pectin). The K_m and V_max values were determined as 1.27 mg/ml and 5,504.6 U/mg, respectively. The enzyme hydrolyzed PGA in endo-manner, releasing oligo-galacturonates from PGA, as determined by TLC. Addition of EPG4 (3.6 U/ml) significantly reduced the viscosity (by 42.4%) and increased the light transmittance (by 29.5%) of the papaya pulp, and increased the recovery (by 24.4%) of the papaya extraction. All of these properties make the enzyme a potential application in the beverage industry.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.374-382
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• 2013

The objective of this study was determined to evaluate ${\alpha}$-amylase, ${\alpha}$-glucosidase, pancreatic lipase inhibition in vitro and DPPH radical scavenging activity of the several Korean resources plants. The ${\alpha}$-amylase inhibitory activity of Salicornia herbacea, Erythronium japonicum (flower) and Phragmites communis (root) in water extract showed relatively high 62.8%, 66.5% and 69.3%, respectively. The ${\alpha}$-amylase inhibitory activity of Citrus junos (pericarp) and Cornus officinalis in methanol extract was found to have an effect with 32.8% in Citrus junos (pericarp) and 60.9% in Cornus officinalis. Corylopsis coreana in both water and methanol extract had the highest ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activity of 81.7% and 89.5%, while the extract of Portulaca oleracea, Ficus carica and Citrus junos was not measured ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activity at given experiment concentration. Depending on the extraction solvent and the plant species, it was observed that there was a significant difference in ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity showed relatively higher in the methanol extract than water extract except pericarp of Citrus junos. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of selected plants was much difference between measured plant species, and showed that the increase was proportional to the concentration. These results suggested that selected plants had the potent biological activity on carbohydrate, lipid Inhibitory activity and antioxidant activity, therefore these plant resources could be a good materials to develop medicinal preparations, nutraceuticals or health functional foods for diabetes or obesity.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.161-166
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• 2009

Human erythropoietin(EPO) is a glycoprotein that enhances red blood cell production by stimulating proliferation and differentiation of erythroid progenitor cells in the bone marrow. Patients with chronic kidney disease(CKD) suffer from anemia caused by reduced production of EPO in the kidney. Recombinant human EPO protein has been used successfully for the treatment of anemia associated with CKD. Recently, attention has been paid to the development of side effect of EPO, pure red cell aplasia(PRCA), in some patients with CKD. PRCA is a rare disorder of erythropoiesis that leads to a severe anemia due to an almost complete cessation of red blood cell production. EPO-related PRCA is caused by the production of EPO-neutralizing antibodies(Abs) that eliminate the biological activity of EPO as well as endogenous EPO in patients undergoing therapy. Since 1988, almost 200 cases worldwide have been reported with Ab-positive PRCA after receiving EPO therapeutics. The underlying mechanisms of the breaking of immune tolerance to self-EPO have been investigated. Modification of formulation, organic compounds of container closures, and route of administration has been suggested for the possible mechanism of increased immunogenicity of EPO. A number of assays have been used to detect Abs specific to EPO. These assays are generally grouped into two major categories: binding Ab assays and neutralizing Ab assays(bioassays). There are several types of binding Ab assays, including radioimmunoprecipitation assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the BIAcore biosensor assay. In vitro cell-based bioassays have been utilized for the detection of neutralizing Abs. Finally, the recent experience with anti-EPO Abs may have considerable implications for the future development and approval of EPO preparations. Also, considering that millions of patients are being treated with EPO, clinicians need to be aware of signs and consequences of this rare but severe clinical case.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.1 s.65
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• pp.78-90
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• 2006

Background : Traditional herbal medicine is used extensively among the Korean populations, and other Asian countries employ similar therapies as well. In recent years, extensive focus was laid on adulteration of the herbal medicine with liver damage. The use of herbal preparations as remedies for various medical conditions has continuously increased in Korea. Large proportions of Korean patients use herbal medicinal products, folk remedies, and health food. However, studies on the safety of herbal products are conducted on a less than sufficient basis even in the countries like Korea where herbal medicine is being used extensively. Some of the reports on the safety of herbs were done by the doctors of western medicine but lack of knowledge and misclassification led to misunderstandings. Objectives : This study aims to verify the evidences on safety of frequently used 4 herbal medications (Sipjeondaebo-tang, Bojungikgi-tang, Ohjeok-San, Yukmaijihwang-tang) in the lab animal model. Methods : Sprague-Dawley rats was treated by 4 herbal medications during 31 days. After 1 month, we checked body weight, liver weight, and serum enzyme associated with liver function. Results : There is no significant difference in body weight and liver weight after 1 month of administrations. In all experimental groups, no abnormal findings was observed in histotogical research and lab liver Functions test(AST, ALT etc). Conclusions : These four herbal medications, frequently used in oriental medicine clinics and hospitals, are safe from hepatoxic events in the lab animal model.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.730-746
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• 2015

Selenium plays an important role in boar nutrition via participating in selenoprotein synthesis. It seems likely that selenoproteins are central for antioxidant system regulation in the body. Se-dependent enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) is the most studied selenoprotein in swine production. However, roles of other selenoproteins in boar semen production and maintenance of semen quality also need to be studied. Boar semen is characterised by a high proportion of easily oxidized long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and requires an effective antioxidant defense. The requirement of swine for selenium varies depending on many environmental and other conditions and, in general, is considered to be 0.15 to 0.30 mg/kg feed. It seems likely that reproducing sows and boars are especially sensitive to Se deficiency, and meeting their requirements is an important challenge for pig nutritionists. In fact, in many countries there are legal limits as to how much Se may be included into the diet and this restricts flexibility in terms of addressing the Se needs of the developing and reproducing swine. The analysis of data of various boar trials with different Se sources indicates that in some cases when background Se levels were low, there were advantages of Se dietary supplementation. It is necessary to take into account that only an optimal Se status of animals is associated with the best antioxidant protection and could have positive effects on boar semen production and its quality. However, in many cases, background Se levels were not determined and therefore, it is difficult to judge if the basic diets were deficient in Se. It can also be suggested that, because of higher efficacy of assimilation from the diet, and possibilities of building Se reserves in the body, organic selenium in the form of selenomethionine (SeMet) provided by a range of products, including Se-Yeast and SeMet preparations is an important source of Se to better meet the needs of modern pig genotypes in commercial conditions of intensive pig production.