• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.19-28
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• 1997

Constitutive cyclooxygenase (COX-I) is present in cells under physiological conditions, whereas inducible cyclooxygenase (COX-II) is induced by some cytokines, mitogens, and endotoxin presumably in pathological conditions such as inflammation. We have evaluated the inhibitory effects of solvent fractionated extracts of natural products on the activities of COX-I and COX-II. Oxygen uptake COX assay was performed, as a primary screening from the tissue extracts of bovine seminal vesicles (BSV), by monitoring the initial rate of oxygen uptake using an oxygen electrode. Additionally, we evaluated plant extracts for the inhibitory effects of COX-I (in HEL cells) and COX-II (in lipopolysaccharide activated J774A.1 macrophages) using thin layer chromatography of prostanoids produced from $^{14}C-labelled$ arachidonic acid (AA). The use of such models of COX-I and COX-II assay will lead to the identification of specific inhibitors of cyclooxygenases with presumably less side effects than present therapies. Inhibitory effects of 50 kinds of plant extracts on the COX-I and COX-II activities were determined and the active fractions were found in the ethyl acetate fractions of Dryopteris crassirhizoma (roots), Amomum cardamomum (roots), Triticum aestivum (seeds), Perilla sikokiana (leaves), Anemarrhena asphodeloides (roots). Especially, the ethyl acetate fraction of Dryopteris crassirhizoma (roots), which exhibited the strong inhibition against BSV COX $(IC_{50},\;65.4\;{\mu}g/ml)$, COX-I $(IC_{50},\;8.5\;{\mu}g/ml)$, and COX-II $(IC_{50},\;17.2\;{\mu}g/ml)$, is under investigation to isolate active principles using activity-guided fractionation method.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.37-45
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• 2002

This study was conduction to investigate the effects of natural materials such as $GB_{10}$ chitofarm, chaff charcoal, and chaff charcoal sap, on quality and yield of chinese cabbage, Natural materials were treated on seeds soil, and leaves. The total plant weight, head weight, head length, head width, leaf length, leaf width, and sugar content of chinese cabbage in treatment with natural materials showed significant difference compared with control. The yield of chinese cabbage in $GB_{10}$ soil treatment and 1% $GB_{10}$ leaf treatment was increased 53% compared with control. The total nitrogen $P_2O_5$, $K_2O$, CaO, MgO, $Na_2O$, and Mn in total plant were analyzed. The chemical components were increased in total plant of chinese cabbage treated with natural materials compared with control natural materials increased the quality of chinese cabbage.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.671-678
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• 2019

Antibacterial and antioxidant activities of plant sources have attracted a wide range of interest across the world over the last decade. This is due to the growing concern for safe and alternative sources of antibacterial and antioxidant agents. In this study, we focused on the antibacterial and antioxidant activities and the chemical composition of a methanol extract from Viburnum sargentii seeds. The chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), and the antibacterial activity was screened by a disc diffusion assay. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined using the microbroth dilution and spread plate method, respectively. The V. sargentii extract showed growth inhibition activity on all tested Gram-positive (Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas putida, and Proteus vulgaris) pathogenic bacteria. The MIC and MBC ranged from 0.156~1.25 mg/ml for Gram-positive and 0.625~5.0 mg/ml for Gram-negative tested bacteria. The GC-MS results revealed the presence of several phytochemicals such as ${\beta}-sitosterol$ and vitamin E, which are known for their pharmacological applications. The antioxidant activities of V. sargentii extract were investigated by three different methods: the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging assay, the reducing power assay, and the total antioxidant capacity assay. The results showed a concentration-dependent antioxidant potential for all three used methods. In sum, our findings suggest that the methanol extract of V. sargentii seeds has the potential to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria and provide antioxidant compounds, making it therefore worthy of further investigation.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.715-721
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• 2005

Antioxidant activities of grape seeds extracted with various solvents were evaluated by measuring total phenol and flavanol contents, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) following lipid peroxidation, 2-deoxyribose degradation, SOD-like activity, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthizaoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical-scavenging ability, and electron-donating ability using 1,1-diphenyl-2-pycryl hydrazil (DPPH) method. Total phenol and flavanol contents of mixted-solvent extracts were higher than those of single-solvent extracts, with the mixing ratio of 17:3 (ethyl acetate: water) (EW) showed the highest contents. Antioxidant activities (%) of TBARS following phosphatidylcholine peroxidation were 14, 45, 45, 7, 4, 25, 21, 23, and 20% for ascorbic acid (AA), butylated hyroxytoluene (BHT), quercetin (Q), acetone extract (AT), ethyl acetate (EA) extract, methanol (MeOH) extract, 4:1 (EA) extract, 9:1 (EW)-extract, and 17:3 EW extract, respectively. Antioxidant activities for 2-deoxyribose degradation were 5, 80, 87, 78, 56, 73, 64, 60, and 75% in AA, BHT, Q, AT, EA, MeOH extract, 4:1 EW extract, 9:1 EW extract, and 17:3 EW extract, respectively. MeOH grape seed extract showed distinctly stronger electron-donating activity than other solvent extracts.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.425-431
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• 2006

In order to investigate the effects of ethylene on the seed development of three corn types (dent, sweet, and super sweet corns), aminoethoxyvinyl glycine (AVG) and silver thiosulfate (STS) and ethephon (2-chloroethylphosphonic acid, CEPA) were applied either on whole plants or shanks of ears at 9 and 21 days after silking. Ethylene production of developing super sweet corn seeds was much higher than those of sweet and dent corns. The cavity in the endosperm tissues of the super sweet corn started earlier and endosperm was collapsed more severely compared to those of sweet and dent corns. Ethylene production seemed to be related to the death of endosperm cells to form a cavity. Application of AVG and STS reduced ethylene production and delayed cavity formation in endosperm of super sweet corn seeds, while CEPA increased ethylene production and enhanced the time of cavity formation. AVG and STS increased 100-seed weight, while CEPA decreased.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.99 no.6
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• pp.849-854
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate the variation of seed and germination characteristics among populations and among individuals within populations of Abies koreana Wilson distributed in Korea. Cones was collected from 4 natural populations and their seven seed qualities as well as three germination behaviors was measured and tested. Statistical analysis showed that there were significant differences among populations as well as among individuals within populations in 8 traits except for percentage of sound seeds and seed vigor. Coefficients of variation in percentage of sound seeds, germination percentage and germination rate is relatively high (43.8~57.2%) compared to other traits (11.0~28.3%). The germination of seed started on the seventeen day after sowing and it was completed within seventy-nine days. The final seed germination capacity was found high except for Mt. Duckyu (8.5%) and varied from 39.7% to 47.7%. Mean germination time ranged between 38.1 and 43.6 days and germination rate varied from 1.98 to 1.39 ea./days. As a result of simple correlation analysis between seed characteristics and germination characteristics, the percentage of sound seeds showed a significant positive correlation with the germination percentage and the germination rate but showed a negative correlation with the mean germination time.

• Weed & Turfgrass Science
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.232-239
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• 2014

Zoysiagrass seeds had low germination or lack of germination uniformity under natural condition. To improve the final germination percentage of zoysiagrass seeds, we investigated the methods of proper pre-treatment to enhance germination rate of zoysiagrass. Seeds were subjected to the testa scarification and four types of seed priming methods, namely, hydro priming (distilled water), osmotic priming (polyethylene glycol -0.5 MPa, -1.0MPa, -2.0 MPa), halo priming (Potassium nitrate 100 mM, 200 mM, 400 mM), and solid matrix priming (seed : microcel-E : distilled water = 4:1:8) with and without 25% KOH treatment in the testa. The scarification improved the germination rate and reduced the germination time. Osmotic priming (PEG -0.5 MPa) with scarification were significantly increased the seed germination rate and decreased MGT, and $T_{50}$. Seed germination rate obtained by osmotic priming (PEG -0.5MPa) with scarification increased above 60% in comparison with natural condition. Conclusively, scarified and primed zoysiagrass seed germinated more rapidly and uniformly in the study. The present results suggested that PEG priming treatment with KOH treatment prior to sowing could improve germination percentage, and this method makes us establish the early zoysiagrasses in the field.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.109 no.4
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• pp.400-412
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• 2020

We analyzed the growth characteristics of naturally regenerated seedings of Larix kaempferi in order to propose a field-applicable regeneration method. Experimental sites were established at Gapyeong in Gyeonggi-do and at Bonghwa in Gyeongsangbuk-do. We analyzed seed inflow features, occurrence, and growth characteristics of natural seedlings for three years. The reserved seed-tree site producedthe greatest number of inflow seeds and followed by seed-tree site and clear-cut site. In addition, the reserved seed-tree method was found to be more efficient than other methods in evenly scattering seeds. The rate of seedling occurrence at treatment sites (e.g., harvesting and scratching) was 2.4%, which is 8.0 times higher than the seedling occurrence (0.3%) at the non-treatment sites. There were approximately 470,000 seedlings per hectare at the treatment sites in June of the first year after regeneration and approximately 78,000 seedlings per hectare in October of the third year. The average diameter of the root collar of the seedlings in the third year was 6.5 mm, and the average height of the seedlings was 50.4 cm. These results indicate that it is possible to create a secondary forest of L. kaempferi by natural regeneration if harvesting and scraping are implemented during seed fructification. Considering the rapid growth of L. kaempferi shown in this study, the proposed method would be an efficient reforestation technique.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2002

The ecological background of a restoration project is complex and difficult to betermine without experimentation. A useful context for experiments is the well-studied process of natural succession, because the factors that drive or inhibit succession are also at work during reclamation (a form of primary succession) and restoration (which often resembles secondary succession). Using experimental studies on urban wasteland reclamation, we have tested for factors that stimulate or inhibit succession during early phases of woodland development in the Northeastern United states. The emphasis has been on mutualisms (seed dispersal, pollination, and mycorrhizae) and microsite limitations in the recruitment, growth, and reproduction of woody plants. Using plantings of seeds, seedlings, and clusters of reproductively mature plants on abandoned landfills, we have observed that (1) soil microsite deficiencies lead to very poor germination (<0.1$\%$) and seedling survival (<0.01$\%$) of most native species; (2) seed dispersal by birds is a significant and reliable source of woody plant recruitment; however (3) proximity effects are strong, with most (up to 95$\%$) of seed rain falling in the vicinity of planted clusters that are closest to putative seed sources; and (4) remnant natural woodlands are critical components of the recruitment process. To emphasize the last point, in one case, we found that the destruction of approximately 50$\%$ of nearby natural woodland vegetation led to a commensurate decline in seed rain. In another case, we found that the species richness of recruits was strictly limited by the species composition of nearby source plant communities, with no evidence of community enrichment by long distance dispersal over 5 years. We conclude from these results that the size and proximity of remnant natural populations are critical considerations when planning reclamation and restoration programs that rely on natural successional processes.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.133-142
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• 2009

Objective : Recently, obesity has increased at an alarming rate and is now a worldwide health problem. Natural dietary supplement, $CharmSlim^{(R)}$(C), is mixed pills, which consists of beans, black sesames, kelps, onions, adlay seeds, anchovies, pyogo mushrooms, green tea. Our study was performed to determine the weight-loss effects of natural dietary supplement, based on natural ingredients, in mice fed high-fat diet with an abundance of carbohydrates. Methods : Four groups of male ICR mice were fed different diets during 6 weeks: normal diet(NOR), high-fat (15%, w/w) diet(HF), high-fat supplemented with natural dietary supplement powdered 5%(C5) and 10%(C10) groups. We measured the changes of food intake, body weight and adipose tissues weights. Also we examined levels of lipid profiles in serum. Results : Body weight, liver weight and food efficiency ratio were significantly higher in the HF group than in NOR group. After 6 weeks of treatment, body weight, liver weight and adipose tissues weights (epididymal, perinephric, visceral and BAT) were significantly decreased in the C10 group when compared to the control HF group. The C10 group had markedly lower serum levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride when compared with HF group. Conclusion : These results demonstrate that this dietary supplement can suppress the increased lipid profiles, body weight and fat gains, thus could be considered as an effective adjunct in the treatment of obesity.