• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.131-138
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Citrus and its peels have been used in Asian folk medicine due to abundant flavonoids and usage of citrus peels, which are byproducts from juice and/or jam processing, may be a good strategy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of bioconversion of Jeju Hallabong tangor (Citrus kiyomi ${\times}$ ponkan; CKP) peels with cytolase (CKP-C) in RAW 264.7 cells. MATERIALS/METHODS: Glycosides of CKP were converted into aglycosides with cytolase treatment. RAW 264.7 cells were pre-treated with 0, 100, or $200{\mu}g/ml$ of citrus peel extracts for 4 h, followed by stimulation with $1{\mu}g/ml$ lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 8 h. Cell viability, DPPH radical scavenging activity, nitric oxide (NO), and prostagladin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) production were examined. Real time-PCR and western immunoblotting assay were performed for detection of mRNA and/or protein expression of pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines, respectively. RESULTS: HPLC analysis showed that treatment of CKP with cytolase resulted in decreased flavanone rutinoside forms (narirutin and hesperidin) and increased flavanone aglycoside forms (naringenin and hesperetin). DPPH scavenging activities were observed in a dose-dependent manner for all of the citrus peel extracts and CKP-C was more potent than intact CKP. All of the citrus peel extracts decreased NO production by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity and $PGE_2$ production by COX-2. Higher dose of CKP and all CKP-C groups significantly decreased mRNA and protein expression of LPS-stimulated iNOS. Only $200{\mu}g/ml$ of CKP-C markedly decreased mRNA and protein expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Both 100 and $200{\mu}g/ml$ of CKP-C notably inhibited mRNA levels of $interleukin-1{\beta}$ ($IL-1{\beta}$) and IL-6, whereas $200{\mu}g/ml$ CKP-C significantly inhibited mRNA levels of $TNF-{\alpha}$. CONCLUSIONS: This result suggests that bioconversion of citrus peels with cytolase may enrich aglycoside flavanones of citrus peels and provide more potent functional food materials for prevention of chronic diseases attributable to oxidation and inflammation by increasing radical scavenging activity and suppressing pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.225-235
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• 2018

Phellinus gilvus is a medicinal mushroom used that has been used in folk medicine in Asian countries for centuries. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-xanthine oxidase, anti-cholinesterase, and anti-inflammatory activities of methanol (ME) and hot water (HW) extracts prepared from fruiting bodies of Ph. gilvus. ME and HW had good anti-xanthine oxidase (XO) activities compared to allopurinol, an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase. ME showed comparable and slightly lower inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), respectively, than galanthamine, a standard AChE and BChE inhibitor. ME also showed a protective effect against glutamate-induced cytotoxicity at 40 mg/mL and 100 mg/mL in PC-12 cells. ME (0.5~2.0 mg/mL) significantly inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Carrageenan-induced hind-paw edema in rats was significantly reduced 2~6 hr after treatment with 50 mg/kg of ME, which was comparable to administration of 5 mg/kg of indomethacin, the positive control. These results demonstrate that ME and HW of Ph. gilvus fruiting bodies possess good anti-xanthine oxidase, anti-cholinesterase, and anti-inflammatory activities.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.97-105
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• 2012

$Schizandra$ $chinensis$ Baillon is a traditional folk medicine plant that is used to treat and prevent several inflammatory diseases and cancer in Korea, but the underlying mechanisms involved in its anti-allergic activity are not fully understood. This study was designed to investigate mechanisms of anti-allergic activity of a $Schizandra$ $chinensis$ Baillon water extract (SCWE) in immunoglobulin E (IgE)-antigen complex-stimulated RBL2H3 cells and to assess whether gastric and intestinal digestion affects the anti-allergic properties of SCWE. Oxidative stress is an important consequence of the allergic inflammatory response. The antioxidant activities of SCWE increased in a concentration-dependent manner. RBL-2H3 cells were sensitized with monoclonal anti-dinitrophenol (DNP) specific IgE, treated with SCWE, and challenged with the antigen DNP-human serum albumin. SCWE inhibited ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase release and expression of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$) mRNA and protein in IgE-antigen complex-stimulated RBL2H3 cells. We found that digested SCWE fully maintained its antioxidant activity and anti-allergic activity against the IgE-antigen complex-induced activation of RBL-2H3 cells. SCWE may be useful for preventing allergic diseases, such as asthma. Thus, SCWE could be used as a natural functional ingredient for allergic diseases in the food and/or pharmaceutical industries.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 1972

Ginseng, the Korean medicinal radix, has been widely used in the Chinese medicine as well as in the folk remedies for many centuries. It is claimed from experience that ginseng exerts multiple therapeutic effects in a large variety of disorders. Despite of its popularity, the chemical analysis and pharmacological study of ginseng are not firmly established. Although there are some scattered reports of ginseng effects on blood pressure, there are few reports on hypertension especially. Recently, Lee & Cho (1971) reported that the administration of ginseng significantly supresses the production of renal hypertension. This study was undertaken to reevaluate the effect of ginseng on renal hypertension and to determine whether ginseng also supresses on neurogenic hypertension, and to clarify the mechanism of this antihypertensive effect. Male rats, weighing around 180 gm on an average were used. Renal hypertension was induced by Grollman's method under general anesthesia with 35mg/kg of pentobarbital sodium. Ginseng effect on blood pressure was observed on normal, renal hypertensive and neurogenic hypertensive rats respectively. Ginseng alcohol extract (40mg/kg) was administered daily subcutaneously from 3 days prior to producing hypertension. And in renal hypertensive rats, the effects of histamine and Avil on blood pressure were also observed. Histamine (0.05mg/kg) and Avil (0.025mg/kg) were also administered daily I.M. from 3 days prior to kidney-8-ligature. The results of the experiments are as follows: 1) No significant difference was observed in blood pressure between the normotensive control and ginseng-treated normotensive rats. 2) In renal hypertensive control, the mean blood pressure already was significantly elevated on 15th day and gradually elevated. The administration of ginseng significantly supresses the production of renal hypertension from 30th day as compared with control rats. 3) The mean blood pressure in neurogenic hypertensive control was average 143.1 mmHg on 7th day. On the other hand, in ginseng treated-neurogenic hypertensive rats, the mean blood pressure was average 125.5mmHg. The administration of ginseng significantly supresses the production of neurogenic hypertension as compared with control rats. 4) In renal hypertensive rats, the administration of histamine and Avil did not differ with control rats. 5) In ginseng-treated renal hypertensive rats, cholesterol contents of plasma, adrenal, kidney and spleen were slightly decreased.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.253-277
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• 1999

Patients with chronic disease have various treatment patterns because it shows a progressive degenerative feature. Especially various physical and emotional problems of the rheumatoid arthritis patients leave them shopping around various types of treatment. According to previous studies, over 70% of patients with arthritis experienced the traditional oriental medicine or folk remedies simultaneously with medical treatment within one year after the onset of disease. The purposes of this study are 1) to compare the patterns of treatment-seeking behaviors between Korean arthritis patients and Americans ; and 2) test two models of treatment-seeking behaviors by path analysis, one for early treatment-seeking behavior model(ETBM) and the other is chronic treatment-seeking behavior model (CTBM) in Korean sample. The interview survey was performed to 133 RA patients with structured questionnaire at out-patient clinic or public health center. Patients characteristics such as age, duration of disease were similar in two countries except higher educational background in Americans. There were no patients using only alternative therapies or no medical treatment in the US. Most of the American patients have chosen both medical treatment and alternative therapy, while the Koreans less than American. In Korea, combined treatment group usually consists of the people who are younger, more educated and higher economic status than the characters of other groups in early or chronic stages. In early stage, they tend to have strong belief of curing from the disease, satisfy the relationship with their physicians and comply with direction of the medical professional. The paths of two models were explained by 70% in ETBM and 33% in CTBM. When the models were modified, almost all paths of the CTBM were the same as the previous one, but direct determinant factor was changed from the relationship with physicians to the lay referral system in chronic model. These two models' explanation powers became 94% and 88%, respectively. The attitude or perception of disease, lay referral system and the relationship with medical personnel are the main determinants of treatment-seeking behaviors.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.501-512
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• 2020

Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai leaf has been used as a folk medicine for the treatment of gastric ulcer, dipsosis, and hematemesis based on its anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and diuretic characteristics. We have previously reported the procedure for deriving a phytochemical-rich extract (PRE) from S. quelpaertensis and how PRE and its ethyl acetate fraction (EPRE) exhibits an anticancer effect by inducing apoptosis in various gastric cancer cells. To explore the molecular targets involved in this apoptosis, we investigated the mRNA and microRNA profiles of EPRE-treated SNU-16 human gastric cancer cells. In total, 2,875 differentially expressed genes were identified by RNA sequencing, and gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses indicated that the EPRE-modulated genes are associated with apoptosis, mitogen-activated protein kinase, inflammatory response, tumor necrosis factor signaling, and cancer pathways. Subsequently, protein-protein interaction network analysis confirmed interactions among genes associated with cell death and apoptosis, and 27 differentially expressed microRNAs were identified by further sequencing. Here, GO and KEGG pathway analysis revealed that EPRE modified the expression of microRNAs associated with the cell cycle and cell death, as well as signaling of tropomyosin-receptor-kinase receptor, transforming growth factor-b, nuclear factor kB, and cancer pathways. Taken together, these results provide insight into the mechanisms underlying the anticancer effect of EPRE.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.684-690
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• 2006

Eriobotrya japonica has been used as a folk medicine for treatment of skin diseases, inflammation, coughing, phlegm, and ulcers in Korea and other Asian countries. In a search for possible bioactive agents from natural sources, we found that the methanolic extracts from various parts of E. japonica showed moderate antioxidative and antimicrobial activities in several in vitro bioassay systems. Additionally, the respective parts of E. japonica were irradiated at 20 kGy to investigate the effects of irradiation. Gamma irradiation of E. japonica extracts removed the deep greenish color without affecting its natural biological activities such as its antioxidative and antimicrobial properties. Based on these findings, the methanolic extracts of this plant source may be not affected by gamma irradiation as its bioactive constituents may be insensitive to this irradiation. Moreover, the methanolic extract of E. japonica may serve as a good natural resource for beneficial functions in food and other related industries.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.260-267
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• 2020

Phellinus baumii, a white-rot fungus, has been used for centuries as folk medicine in China, Japan, and Korea. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro anti-diabetic, and anti-cholinesterase, and in vivo anti-inflammatory effects of the fruiting bodies of P. baumii. The methanol (ME) and hot water (HE) extracts (2.0 mg/mL) of P. baumii fruiting bodies suppressed α-amylase activity, exactly 61.33%, and 65.00%, respectively; of note, acarbose, the positive control, inhibited 93.33% of the α-amylase activity. Moreover, the ME and HE (2.0 mg/mL) inhibited 89.67% and 91.00%, respectively, of the activity of α-glucosidase activity, whereas the same concentration of acarbose suppressed 84.67% of the α-glucosidase activity. The ME and HE (1.0 mg/mL) also inhibited 96.05% and 94.58%, respectively, of the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity; galanthamine, the positive control, led to an inhibition of 81.12%. The butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity was also inhibited by ME and HE (1.0 mg/mL; 91.05% and 82.27%, respectively); of note, the same concentration of galanthamine suppressed 81.12% of the BChE activity. The production of NO in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages was significantly suppressed by both ME and HE treatments. Importantly, the carrageenan-activated rat hind-paw edema was significantly reduced 2-6 h after ME administration (50 mg/mL). Taken together, the results suggest that the fruiting bodies of P. baumii have α-amylase, α-glucosidase, α-cholinesterase, and anti-inflammatory activities, and, therefore, may be good natural sources for the promotion of human health.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.12
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• pp.1785-1792
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• 2015

This study was carried out to investigate the antidiabetic, alcohol metabolism, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective effects of Acer tegmentosum extracts (ATE). A. tegmentosum has been traditionally used as a folk medicine to treat hepatic disorders. The antioxidative activities of ATE were measured by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and superoxide (SOD) assay. DPPH radical scavenging and SOD activities of ATE were about 89% and 82.9% at $0.5{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Alcohol dehydrogenase and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase activities were 118.0% and 177% at 2 mg/mL, respectively. ${\alpha}-Glucosidase$ inhibitory activity of ATE was 75% higher at $50{\mu}g/mL$ and remarkably increased in a dose-dependent manner. Nitric oxide productions in macrophage RAW 264.7 cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharide was reduced to 16.7% by addition of ATE at 1 mg/mL. ATE showed significant protective effects against tacrine-induced cytotoxicity in Hep G2 cells at $100{\mu}g/mL$. Based on our results, we conclude that ATE may be used as a major pharmacological agent and anti-diabetic, anti-hepatitis, and anti-inflammatory remedy.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.1182-1187
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• 2003

This study was performed to evaluate the potentiality of Reynoutria elliptica Migo., being used as a folk remedy and a herb medicine for urethritis, cystitis, etc., on growth inhibition of Helicobacter pylori which is known as the ulcerogenic pathogen. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of methanol extract from Reynoutria elliptica Migo, was determined to be 120 ppm for H. pylori and urease activity derived from H. pylori was inhibited over 80% by the extract at 2 mg/mL in urea broth. Among various solvent fraction of the methanol extract, the hexane fraction showed a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of H. pylori reducing both its growth and urease activity. Scanning and transmission electron micrographs of H. pylori treated with the methanol extract at 2 mg/mL for 3 hr showed that the cell walls and membranes were disrupted so that the cytoplasmic components were leaked from the body. These results suggest that Reynoutria elliptica Migo. possesses a therapeutic potential on the gastric disease caused by H. pylori.