• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.818-822
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• 2002

Fruits of Cornus Officinalis have been used as an astrinent, tonic and haemostatic in chinese medicine, contain a large amount of hydrolyzable tannins. The main aim of the present study was to examine the effect of Corni Fructus on melanogenesis. Cells were cultured in the presence of water extracts from Corni Fructus for 48 h, and there were estimated total melanin content as a final product and activity of tyrosinase, a key enzyme, in melanogenesis. Water extract from Corni Fructus increased the melanin content and tyrosinase activity in a dose-dependent mammer. Especially, It was observed that 100 μg/ml only water extract stimulated melanin secretion in B16/F10 melanoma cells by 130% at 48 h treatment and activity of tyrosinase increased by 160% in presence of same concentration.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.186-194
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• 2016

Consumption of fruits and vegetables has been conducted to be effective in the prevention of chronic diseases. In this study, 70% methanol, 70% ethanol and chloroform-methanol mixture (CM, 2:1, v/v) were used as solvents in the extraction of apple peels. The total phenol content, total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity of various extracts were investigated using in vitro assays. The extract obtained by 70% methanol showed the highest total phenol content ($20.87{\pm}0.17mgCAE/g$), ABTS [2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt] radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power. However, 70% ethanol extract possessed the strongest antioxidant activity assayed by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity and ${\beta}$-carotene bleaching method. And CM extract was found to show the highest total flavonoid content with the value of $9.26{\pm}0.06mgQE/g$. These results indicated that apple peels can be used in dietary applications with a potential to reduce oxidative stress.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.309-313
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• 2011

Abnormal growth of adipocyte characterized by increased cell numbers and differentiation is considered as an major pathological characteristic feature in obesity. Thus, inhibition of mitogenesis of preadipocytes and their differentiation to adipocytes would be beneficial for the prevention and inhibition of obesity. In the present study, we attempted to evaluate anti-adipogenic activity of eggplants (the fruits of Solanum melongena L.) employing preadipocytes cell line, 3T3-L1 as an in vitro assay system. Water extract of eggplants significantly inhibited adipocyte differentiation when treated during adipocyte differentiation process, as assessed by measuring fat accumulation using Oil Red O staining. Eggplant extract, however, showed little effects on fully differentiated adipocytes. Eggplant didn't show significant toxicity up to 500 ${\mu}g$/ml to the 3T3-L1 cells. Further studies with interval treatment demonstrated that eggplant exerted inhibitory activity on adipocyte differentiation via acting on early stage of adipogenesis. Conclusively, eggplants are suggested to be beneficial for the prevention of obesity.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.315-322
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• 2010

This study was carried out to investigate the antimicrobial activities of organic extracts obtained from the fruit of Thuja orientalis L. The native fruits in Korea were collected and extracted by 80% ethanol, and the extract was sequentially fractionated with n-hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate, and butanol. The fraction yields of n-hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate, butanol and water of ethanol extract were 10.15%, 10.05%, 1.45%, 45.35% and 27.55%, respectively. n-Hexane-soluble fraction showed the highest antibacterial activity against gram positive bacteria, while the chloroform, ethylacetate, butanol and aqueous fractions did not show any antibacterial activity. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MICs) on Staphyloycoccus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Sateptococcus pneumoniae, n-hexane-soluble fraction were $100\;{\mu}g$, $500\;{\mu}g$ and $50\;{\mu}g$/disc, respectively. The antibacterial activity was not destroyed by heating at 80, 100, $120^{\circ}C$ for 30 min and was not affected by pH. In the inhibitory test against the Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Sateptococcus pneumoniae, n-hexane-soluble fraction showed potent growth inhibition at the concentration of 0.1 and $0.5\;{\mu}g/mL$ for 12~24 hours and n-hexane-soluble fraction did not show any mutagenic activity.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.165-171
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• 2009

Objectives : In the present study, we assessed the effects of the ethanolic extract of Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge on the learning and memory impairments induced by scopolamine using the passive avoidance and the Morris water maze tasks in mice. Methods : The cognition-enhancing effect of C. pinnatifida was investigated using a passive avoidance test, the Morris water maze test and Y-maze test in mice. Drug-induced amnesia was induced by treating animals with scopolamine (1 mg/kg, i.p.). Results : The ethanolic extract of C. pinnatifida (100, and 200 mg/kg) significantly reversed the scopolamine-induced cognitive impairments in the passive avoidance test (p < 0.05). Moreover, C. pinnatifida (200 mg/kg) also improved escape latencies in training trials and increased swimming times and distances within the target zone of the Morris water maze (p < 0.05). On the Y-maze test, C. pinnatifida (100, and 200 mg/kg) also significantly reversed scopolamine- induced cognitive impairments in mice (p < 0.05). Conclusions : The ethanolic extract of Crataegus pinnatifida dramatically possesses the anti-amnestic and cognitive-enhancing activities related to the memory processes, and these activities were parallel to treatment duration and dependent on the learning models.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.204-212
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• 2023

Whitening is inhibitory activity of the melanin synthesis of melanocytes. Recently, whitening materials have been developed on natural materials because of its side effects on skin. Figs (Ficus Carica L.) is a fruit belonging to the Moraceae family and whitening activity was reported in focusing on the fig's stem and leaf components, but whitening activity of the figs fruit was not known. Thus, in this study, we tried to observe its anti-melanogenesis as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammation. The radical scavenging activity of figs fruits extract (FFE) was observed as the level of 34.52±1.98%/60.71±1.26% compared to the control in the its maximum concentration in the DPPH/ABTS assay. Cytotoxicity of FFE was observed at 10% concentration by CCK8 assay, so the maximum concentration was set at 5% and applied to all experiments. FFE concentration dependently decreased NO production associated with inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α gene expression, these strongly suggesting anti-inflammatory activity. In melanin contents assay, FFE significantly down-regulated melanin production in α-MSH-stimulated B16F10 cell as well as tyrosinase inhibition in vitro. In addition, FFE decreased the Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) mRNA expression about 94.34% compared to the α-MSH treatment group in RT-PCR. Finally, FFE significantly reduced the MITF, cAMP response element-binding protein and tyrosinase protein expression in the α-MSH stimulated B16F10 cell. Through these results, we found that FFE can not only directly inhibit tyrosinase enzyme activity but also suppress melanogenesis through regulation of MITF gene expression in α-MSH signal transduction.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.12-18
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• 2000

As am economical and effective way of antimicrobial film fabrication , antimicrobial agents were coated on the LDPE film with a binder mediu. the fabricated films were then applied tomodified atmosphere packaging of fresh strawberries. A binder of polyamide was selected for the coating medium, based on the stability in water. 1% grapefruit seed extract-coated film showed the antimicrobial activity on the plate media against EScherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, bacillus subtilis , Bacillus cereus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Micrococcus flavus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, while one with 10% Coptis chinesis extract inhibited only M. 림편 and one coated with 10% rheum palmatum extract did not inhibit any of 10 strains tested. The packages of fresh strawberries by using antimicrobial agents-coated films created the gas compositions of O2 1.4-5.5% and CO2 5.7-7.9%, and contributed to reduced growth of total aerobic bacteria and yeast/molds on the produced. However, their lower microbial count was not correlated directly with the reduced decay of the fruits.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.405-413
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• 2010

Fig (Ficus carica L.) belongs to the mulberry tree (Moraceae) which is one of the oldest fruits in the world. It has been used as a digestion promoter and a cure for ulcerative inflammation and eruption in Korea. The present study investigated the antimicrobial activity of methanol (MeOH) extract of fig leaves against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated in clinic. The MeOH extract (MICs, 2.5 to 20 mg/mL; MBCs, 5 to 20 mg/mL) was demonstrated as antibacterial activity in isolates MRSA 1-20. The administration of the MeOH extract in combination with oxacillin or ampicillin induced a reduction of ${\geq}$4-8-fold in all tested bacteria, which was considered to be synergistic based on a FICI of ${\leq}$0.375-0.5. Furthermore, time-kill study was found that a combination of MeOH extract with oxacillin or ampicillin produced a more rapid decrease in the concentration of bacteria CFU/mL than MeOH extract alone. The results suggest that fig leaves could be employed as a natural antibacterial agent in MRSA infection care products.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.411-416
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• 2004

Botanical antimicrobial agent-grapefruit seed extract mixture(BAAG), which could be applied to the preparation of antimicrobial packaging paper, was investigated in order to prove the preservative function of fruits and vegetables. HAAG showed remarkable antimicrobial effects against Fusarium solani Botrytis cinerea, Pencillium crustosum, Erwinia carotovora, Phoma destructiva and Alternaria radicina causing the postharvest decay of fruits and vegetables. We have examined that HAAG could inhibit the growth of microorganims when treated with more than 500 $\mu$g/mL concentration. The activities of HAAG were stable in the wide spectrum of pH and temperature. Direct visualization of microbial cells by using scanning electron microscope showed the loss of microbial cell membrane function, which was destroyed by treating with the dilute solutions of HAAG. We could confirm that HAAG be an antimicrobial agent for the preparation of antimicrobial packaging paper.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.103-110
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• 2005

Opuntia ficus-indica, commonly known as prickly pear cactus, is commercially grown as a food and medicinal plant in Jeju Island, Korea. The crushed pads and fruits of Opuntia ficus-indica were dried in a freeze-dryer and ground into flour to be used for food materials. The major components of proximate compositions were part of a nitrogen free extract. The major minerals were Ca (4391.2-2086.9㎎%), K (1932.1-2608.7㎎%), and Mg (800.6-1984.8㎎%). The major amino acid was glutamic acid, comprising 16.3% of total amino acids in fruit and 25.2% in pad. Dihydroflavonols were identified as (+)-trans-dihydrokaempferol and (+)-trans-dihydroquercetin. Citric acid methyl esters extracted from fruits showed inhibitory activities against monoamine oxidase-B. The presence of trimethyl citrate has been reported in other plants, but 1,3-dimethyl citrate and 1-monomethyl citrate have not been previously reported. The results of pharmacological efficacy tests, including serum biochemical and hematological parameters, autonomic nervous system, anti-inflammatory, analgestic activity, anti-diabetic activity, antithrombotic, anticoagulant, dopamine beta-hydroxylase, monoamine oxidase activity, hyperlipidemia, the respiratory system, antigastic, and anti-ulcerative actions indicate that the fruit and pad of the Opuntia ficus-indica are rich sources of food and medicinal materials.