• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.52-56
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• 2012

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of carvacrol against periodontopathic and cariogenic bacteria and its cytotoxicity in human oral tissue cells. We tested their antibacterial properties against mutans streptococci and five major periodontopathic bacterial species involved in periodontal disease. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The cell viability of carvacrol on normal human gingival fibroblast (NHGF) cells was tested by metyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. The data showed that carvacrol had remarkable antimicrobial effect on tested bacteria with a MIC and MBC values ranged from 16 to $128{\mu}g/ml$ and from 32 to $128{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. In cell toxicity studies, carvacrol had significantly decreased cell viability when NHGF cells were treated at $128{\mu}g/ml$. These findings suggest that carvacrol has a strong antimicrobial activity against periodontopathic and cariogenic bacteria. However, in order to use it as a component of gargling solution or toothpaste, its concentration should be below $64{\mu}g/ml$ and other compounds having an antimicrobial activity against periodontopathic and cariogenic bacteria should be used together.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.335-340
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• 2013

The antimicrobial effect of the methanol extract of Inula britannica flowers against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was investigated. It was confirmed that the methanol extract is mainly composed of quercetin, which has antimicrobial properties. The antimicrobial effect of the methanol extract against 3 MRSA strains was determined by the disc diffusion method. The minimal inhibitory concentrations were ranged from 0.625 mg/ml to 1.25 mg/ml, and the minimum bactericidal concentrations were 2.5 mg/ml. Time kill kinetics revealed bactericidal activities, and the morphological alterations in S. aureus ATCC 33591 treated with the extract were observed using a scanning electron microscope. The methanol extract affected the expression of the resistant genes, mecA, mecI, and mecRI in mRNA. Therefore, the methanol extract of I. britannica flowers clearly demonstrated an antimicrobial effect against MRSA and these results suggest a potential for application as a natural antimicrobial agent.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.165-179
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• 2015

Objectives: This experiment investigated the antimicrobial activity of Hwangryunheadok-tang and extracts of Scutellariae radix , Phellodendri cortex , Coptis rhizome , and Gardenia jasminoides against Salmonella typhimurium . Methods: After spreading S. typhimurium on a bacterial culture medium plate, antimicrobial activity was tested by dripping diluted Hwangryunheadok-tang or extracts of Scutellariae radix , Phellodendri cortex , Coptis rhizome , or Gardenia jasminoides (80 μl, diluted 100, 50, 10, and 1%) onto the plate, followed by culture for 16 to 72 hours. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was tested by dripping the minimum dilution that showed antimicrobial activity (80, 60, 40, and 20 μl) and measuring the density. The antimicrobial activity of Hwangryunheadok-tang and four extracts showed continuous antibacterial activity against S. typhimurium throughout the experiment. Result: 1. S. typhimurium . (Standard Microorganism, ATCC) 1) The Hwangryunheadok-tang and extracts of Scutellariae radix , Phellodendri cortex , and Coptis rhizome showed antibacterial activity in the undiluted solutions and in 50% dilutions. Gardenia jasminoides extract showed potency only in the undiluted solution. The antimicrobial potency of the undiluted solution was increased when the volume of inoculation was increased, but no difference was noted when the culture time was extended. All the extracts showed antimicrobial potency against S. typhimurium . 2. S. typhimurium isolated from diarrhea patients 1) When compared to the standard microorganism experiment on S. typhimurium , the MICs of the five extracts were increased. However, whereas the antimicrobial potency of doxycycline was lost entirely against bacteria isolated from patients with diarrhea, the antimicrobial potency of all the extracts was diminished but did not disappear. 2) The antimicrobial activity of Hwangryunheadok-tang and four extracts was continuous even when the culture time was extended to 16, 24, and 72 hours. Conclusions: The Hwangryunheadok-tang and four kinds of extracts have antimicrobial activity against S. typhimurium . Comparison of a standard microorganism with S. typhimurium isolated from diarrhea patients showed that the antimicrobial activity of all the extracts was better than that of antibiotics. Further studies should focus on the value and benefits of Hwangryunheadok-tang , and the four kinds of extracts as clinical treatments.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.1718-1723
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• 2009

In this study, we characterized extended-spectrum $\beta$-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae isolated from clinical specimens in Korea and found two strains harboring plasmid-mediated $bla_{SHV-11}$, Klebsiella pneumoniae. First, the isolates were detected using the Vitek system and confirmed by the double-disk synergy test. The classification of gene coding for ESBL was also performed by polymerase chain reactions and followed by DNA sequencing. The transmission of genes was confirmed by transconjugation and transformation. Resistant expression of transformants was determined by broth microdilution minimal inhibitory concentration test. Genotypic analysis revealed that one strain harbored the $bla_{TEM-1}$, $bla_{SHV-11}$ and $bla_{CTX-M-15}$ and the other strain harbored the $bla_{SHV-11}$ and $bla_{CTX-M-15}$. They showed high resistance to oxyiminocephalosphorins (3rd-generation cephalosporins), while the transformant containing only $bla_{SHV-11}$ did not show any resistance to the antibiotics.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.262-267
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• 2003

Chestnut (Casranea crenata S. et Z.) leaves and flowers were extracted with 80% methanol and then fractionated with ethylacetate, methanol and water. Their antimicrobial activities in each fraction were investigated. Methanol fraction of the chestnut leaves and flower showed strong antimicrbial activities against both of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. The ethylacetate and water fraction, however, showed only weak antimicrobial activities when the antimicrobial activities were occurred. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the methanol extracts of the chestnut leaves and flowers against 5 strains of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria were at $60\;{\mu}g/disc$. The extracts of the chestnut leaves and flowers inhibited the growth of Bacillus subtilis at 0.5% (w/w) concentration. In order to investigate the effect of extraction methods on the B. subtilis, scanning electron microscope was used. The B. subtilis was damaged when the methanol extracts of the chestnut leves and flowers were at 500 ppm.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.191-195
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• 2015

A 7-year-old castrated male Korean Shorthair cat was referred with lethargy and anorexia. Laboratory examination revealed moderate degenerative changes of peripheral neutrophils on blood smear examination and decreased levels of free and total thyroxine ($T_4$) as well as bacterial growth on blood culture. Molecular analyses of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene and heat shock protein 60 gene confirmed the bacterium as Enterobacter cloacae. A minimal inhibitory concentration test showed multidrug resistance of the bacterium against 16 antibiotics. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subsequent sequencing specifically for $bla_{TEM}$, $bla_{SHV}$, $bla_{CTX-M}$, and plasmid-mediated ampC genes revealed positive results to $bla_{TEM-1}$, $bla_{CTX-M-15}$, and plasmid-mediated $bla_{ACT-1}$ genes, indicating that the isolated bacterium contains plasmids containing genes encoding extended-spectrum beta-lactamase and plasmid-mediated ampC beta-lactamase. After 1 month of treatment with antibiotics and levothyroxine, the cat's condition improved; both the thyroid function test and the blood culture showed no abnormalities. This is the first report of community-acquired multidrug-resistant E. cloacae-induced euthyroid sick syndrome in a cat. By the prompt diagnostic procedures and properly selected antibiotic therapy, the cat was recovered from the multidrug-resistant bacterium-induced septicaemia.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.26-30
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• 2002

A ubiquitous bacterium,Effects of Lead, Copper and Cadmium on Pseudomonas cepacia KH410 Isolated from Freshwater Plant Root was isolated from freshwater plant root and interactions of lead, copper and cadmium with this strain was studied. Mass production of dry cell weight 2.72 g-DCW/ι-medium was obtained by cultivation in a nutrient medium containing 1% yeast extract, 1% soytone and 0.5% NaCl, pH 7.0, at temperature of 28℃ for 24 hrs under aeration. The mass of dry cell produced after exposure with 100 mg/ι of heavy metal was 1.98 g/ι for lead, 1.58 g/ι for copper and 0.20 g/ι for cadmium, respectively. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for each heavy metal was 1.3 mM for lead,0.8 mM for copper and 0.4 mM fur cadmium, respectively. Cell aggregation occurred by each heavy metal exposure was observed from 1 day to 4 days by an optical microscope. Entrapment, precipitation effects on cell by heavy metals between 10 min and two hours were examined by an electron microscopy. Cadmium appeared to be the most toxic on cells and the order of toxicity was cadmium>copper>lead.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.254-259
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• 2016

Acinetobacter sp. B-W producing siderophore, 2, 3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) was analyzed for plasmid content. Strain B-W harbored plasmid of 20 kb in size. Growth at $43^{\circ}C$ was effective in producing mutant cured of plasmid of strain B-W. This mutant lost the ability to produce 2, 3-DHB. Formation of siderophore halos on the chrome azurol S (CAS) agar medium was not detected by cured strain B-W. pHs of supernatants of wild type strain B-W and cured mutant grown in glucose and $MnSO_4$ containing medium at $28^{\circ}C$ for 3 days were 4.5 and 8.5, respectively. Antibiotic resistance against ampicillin, actinomycin D, bacitracin, lincomycin, and vancomycin was lost in cured mutant. Plasmid curing of strain B-W resulted in drastic reduction of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of several antibiotics. E. coli $DH5{\alpha}$ was transformed with plasmid isolated from strain B-W. The transformant E. coli $DH5{\alpha}$ harbored a plasmid of the same molecular size as that of the donor plasmid. Transformant E. coli $DH5{\alpha}$ produced 2, 3-DHB and contained antibiotic resistant ability. Thus a single plasmid of 20 kb seemed to be involved in 2, 3-DHB production. Genes encoding resistance to antibiotics were also supposed to be located on this plasmid.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.460-464
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• 1999

Methicillin-resistant Staphyloccus aureus (MRSA) has been known to be resistant to many kinds of antibiotics and causes a problem of nosnocomial infection since the third generation of cephalosporines has been introduced in the 1980s. As antibiotic sensitivity tests which have been routinely used to detect MRSA in the laboratory depend on the culture conditions such as, pH, temperature, and time, etc., it is difficult to decide in the case of borderline- or low-level of MRSA. Therefore it would be necessary to develope a new method based on the molecular biological technique to overcome these problems. In this study, we extracted DNA from S. aureus and performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify mec A gene, encoding penicillin-binding protein 2' (PBP-2'), which is known to confer bacteria resistance to the bacteriostatic action of methicillin. The results were compares with those of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) test. When MIC test with oxacillin was performed on the 120 isolates of S. aureus from each patient's specimens, 64 of them were MRSA and 56 of them were methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). In pus specimen, more precisely, 61.9% (26/42) of MRSA was detected, and 44.2% (19/43), 60% (9/15) and 50% (10/20) of MRSA were detected in sputum, body fluid, and other specimen respectively. When 40 isolates of MRSA and MSSA were tested by PCR method and compares with the results of MIC method, different results were obtained from 1 isolate of MRSA (2.5%) and in 2 isolates of MSSA (5%) suggesting that PCR method should be performed at the same time for more accurate clinical test of MRSA.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 2010

The fructus of Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge (CBF) has been used as medicinal and food source in worldwide. In this study, antimicrobial activity of the methanol extract and its sequential organic solvent fractions of CBF against different pathogenic bacteria and fungi, including multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida sp., were investigated. The methanol extract of CBF was active against various gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, and the ethylacetate and butanol fractions of CBF showed strong antibacterial activity against Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella typhimurium, Proteus vulgaris, Escherichia coli and various multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa with minimal inhibitory concentration of 1.0~7.5 mg/mL. Also the fractions showed anti-Candida activity against C. albicans, C. kruseis and C. geochares. The methanol extract of CBF and its solvent fractions, except n-hexane fraction, did not show any hemolytic activity against human red blood cell up to $500\;{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. The hemolysis in n-hexane fraction at $500\;{\mu}g/mL$ was less than 9.9%. Our results suggest that the CBF could be developed as a potent antibacterial agent, especially for multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.