• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1232-1237
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• 2014

Lycopene, which is a well-known red carotenoid pigment, has been drawing scientific interest because of its potential biological functions. The current study reports that lycopene acts as a bactericidal agent by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated DNA damage in Escherichia coli. Lycopene treatment elevated the level of ROS-in particular, hydroxyl radicals ($^*OH$)-which can damage DNA in E. coli. Lycopene-induced DNA damage in bacteria was confirmed and we also observed cell filamentation caused by cell division arrest, an indirect marker of the DNA damage repair system, in lycopene-treated E. coli. Increased RecA expression was observed, indicating activation of the DNA repair system (SOS response). To summarize, lycopene exerts its antibacterial effects by inducing $^*OH$-mediated DNA damage that cannot be ameliorated by the SOS response. Lycopene may be a clinically useful adjuvant for current antimicrobial therapies.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.45-48
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• 2001

The antioxidative effect of the extracts from the leaves and fruits of Acer ginnala against free radicals was studied by two different methods using DPPH radical-generating system, and hydroxyl radical-generating system $(Cu^{++}/H_2O_2\;system)$ which induces DNA strand breaking. Compared with well known antioxidative plants, green tea, Scutellaria baicalensis, the Acer ginnala extracts showed excellent radical-scavenging activity in DPPH radical-generating system and inhibited effectively hydroxyl radical induced-DNA strand breaking in a concentration-dependent manner in $Cu^{++}/H_2O_2$ system whereas the green tea extract stimulated the strand breaking at a low concentration. These results suggest that he extracts from the leaves and fruits of Acer ginnula could be good antioxidative agents.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.159-163
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• 1995

Previously, we have reported that methylene blue (MB) induces cytotoxicity in human brain tumor cells through the generation of free radicals. In this study the effect of deferoxamine (DFO), an iron chelator, on MB-induced cytotoxicity was investigated using SK-N-MC human neuroblastoma and U-373 MG human astrocytoma cells as model cellular systems. The cytotoxic effect of MB was potentiated by DFO. The potentiation effect of DFO was significantly blocked by either stoichiometric amounts of ferric ion, various antioxidants, hydroxyl radical scavengers or intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release blockers. These results suggest that hydroxyl radical and intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ may act as important mediators of the enhanced cytotoxicity by MB and DFO. These results further suggest that the combined treatment with MB and DFO may be useful for the therapeutical applications of human brain tumors.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.187-190
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• 1990

Maltol(2-methyl-3-hydroxy-r-pyrone), a component known to be present in Korean Ginseng root showed an antioxidant action but its potency as an antioxidant was low: about 1150th that of other antioxidants such as pphenylenediamine, BHA and BHT. However, maltol was able to protect the oxidation damages in biological systems such as adriamycin-induced membrane damage in isolated cardiomyocytes, paraquat-induced toxicities in isolated hepatocytes and reperfusion injury in isolated hearts. The antioxidant action of maltol was also shown to be effective in vivo. The antioxidant action of this compound was probably due to the removal of hydroxyl radicals. In view of the roles of oxygen radical in various pathological proceises, Korean Ginseng root which contains several antioxidants including maltol is expected to have beneficial effects on the oxygen radical-involved processes.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.76-82
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• 2006

This study was purposed to investigated the antioxidant effects of water (VLWS) and aqua-acupuncture solution (VLAS) from root of Vitis labrusca. VLWS and VLAS was were assessed to determine the mechanisms of its antioxidant activities. The VLWS and VLAS exhibitde a concentration-dependent inhibition of DPPH free radicals. This VLWS-mediated antioxidant activity was similar to that L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C). In addition, the VLWS and VLAS showed dose-dependent free radical scavenging activity, including superoxide anions and hydroxyl radicals, using different assay systems. The VLWS and VLAS were also found to be strongly inhibited linoleic acid oxidation in a ferric thiocyanate assay (FTC) system. Finally, the VLWS and VLAS significantly prevented Fenton's reagent-induced DNA nicking.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.670-677
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• 2007

Although polysaccharide is believed to play an important role in the medicinal effect of Dendrobium chrysotoxum Lindl (DCL), its role as an antioxidant and in anti-hyperglycemic induction was not reported. In this study, polysaccharide with molecular weight of approximately 150 kDa, herein named DCLP, was isolated from the stem of DCL, and its antioxidative, hypoglycemic and immune stimulating effects were evaluated using various in vitro and in vivo assay systems. DCLP inhibited hydroxyl radicals ($^{\cdot}$OH)-mediated deoxyribose degradation by scavenging hydroxyl radicals directly as well as by chelating iron ions. DCLP also showed dose-dependent scavenging activity on superoxide anions ($O_2^{{\cdot}-}$) and offered significant protection (p < 0.001) against glucose oxidase-mediated cytotoxicity in Jurkat cells. DCLP had immune stimulating effects, as evidenced by the DCLP-mediated increases in the level of DNA synthesis, viability, and cytokine secretion in mouse lymphocytes. Moreover, oral administration of DCLP produced a significant reduction in blood glucose level in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. These findings suggest that DCLP has a potential utility in treating patients who require enhanced antioxidation, immune function and/or hypoglycemic activity.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.241-255
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• 2000

Sihosamultang(SST) has been used for the treatment of puerperal fever, liver disease in traditional medicine. The present study was carried out to evaluate the antioxidant effects of SST extract in vitro. The inhibitory effect of SST extract on lipid peroxidant was examined in the linoleic acid autoxidation system. In this test, SST extract significantly inhibited the time course of the lipid peroxidation. And SST extract showed about 73% scavenging effect on DPPH radical. And this extract inhibited not only the lipid peroxide formation induced by hydroxyl radical derived from $ H_{2}O_{2}-Fe^{2+}$ in the rat liver homogenate, but also the superoxide generation from xanthine-xanthine oxidase system in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, SST extract protected the hepatic cell death induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide. These data indicated that SST might play a protective role against oxidative injury by free radicals.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.139-142
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• 2001

Acetanilide is a High Production Volume Chemical, which is produced about 2,300 tons/year in Korea as of 1998 survey. Most is used as an intermediate for synthesis of pharmaceuticals and dyes, and the chemical is one of seven chemicals of which human and environmental risk are being assessed by National Institute of Environmental Research under the frame of OECD SIDS program. The Atmospheric Oxidation Program for Microsoft Windows (AOPWIN) is used to estimates the rate constant for the atmospheric, gas－phase reaction between photochemically produced hydroxyl radicals and organic chemicals. It is also used to estimates the rate constant for the gas－phase reaction between ozone and olefinic/acetylenic compounds. The rate constants estimated by the program are then used to calculate atmospheric half－lives for organic compounds based upon average atmospheric concentrations of hydroxyl radicals and ozone. AOPWIN requires only a chemical structure to make these predictions. Structures are entered into AOPWIN by SMILES (Simplified Molecular Input Line Entry System) notations. In this study, one of environmental fate/distribution of the chemical elements, photodegradation of acetanilide was estimated using AOPWIN model based on SMILES notation and chemical name data.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.495-502
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• 2011

In this study, antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of the natural antioxidative compound, pyrogallol-phloroglucinol-6,6'-bieckol (PPB) isolated from brown algae, Ecklonia cava was assessed in vitro by measuring the radical scavenging activities (DPPH, alkyl, hydroxyl, and superoxide) using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometry, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity, and DNA damage assay. According to the results of these experiments, the scavenging activity PPB against difference radicals was in the following order: DPPH, alkyl, hydroxyl, and superoxide radicals ($IC_{50}$; 0.90, 2.54, 62.93 and $109.05{\mu}M$). The antioxidant activities of PPB were higher than that of the commercial antioxidant, ascorbic acid. Furthermore, PPB effectively inhibited DNA damage induced by $H_2O_2$. These results suggest that the natural antioxidative compound, PPB, can be used by the natural food industry.

• BMB Reports
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.492-497
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• 1998

Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) was purified from horseradish by using Mono Q and Superose 12 FPLC column chromatography. The native molecular mass of the purified enzyme was approximately 33 kDa, as determined by gel filtration. The subunit molecular weight, as estimated by SDS-PAGE, was 16 kDa. These results indicated that the native enzyme is a homodimer. We investigated the free radical-generating function of horseradish Cu,Zn-SOD by using a chromogen, 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) which reacts with ${\cdot}OH$ radicals to form $ABTS^{+{\cdot}}$ The formation of $ABTS^{+{\cdot}}$ was required for both active Cu, Zn-SOD and $H_2O_2$. The optimal pH for the free radical-generating activity of this enzyme was 6.0-8.0, and it retained about $40^{\circ}C$ of its maximum activity when exposed at $40^{\circ}C$ for 15 min. A neutral scavenger, ethanol, inhibited the $ABTS^{+{\cdot}}$ formation by horseradish Cu, Zn-SOD more effectively than that by the mammalian enzyme. These results suggest that the active channel of horseradish enzyme is slightly larger than that of the mammalian enzyme.