• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.404-409
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• 1999

The inhibitory effects of the constituents of Gastrodia elata Bl. (GE) on glutamate-induced apoptosis in human neuronal cells were investigated using IMR32 human neuroblastoma cells. Glutamate (GLU) induced DNA fragmentation, a hallmark of apoptosis, in a dose-dependent manner. GLU also induced a slow and sustained increase in intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration. Treatment with EGTA, an extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ chelator, in a nominal $Ca^{2+}$ -free buffer solution abolished the GLU-induced intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ increase, indicating that GLU stimulated Ca2+ influx pathway in the IMR32 cells. BAPTA, an intracellualr $Ca^{2+}$ chelator, significantly inhibited the GLU-induced apoptosis assessed by the flow cytometry measuring hypodiploid DNA content indicative of apoptosis, implying that intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ rise may mediate the apoptotic action of GLU. Vanillin (VAN) and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde(p-HB), known constituents of GE, significantly inhibited both intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ rise and apoptosis induced by GLU. These results suggest that the apoptosis-inhibitory actions of the constituents of GE may account, at least in part, for the basis of their antiepileptic activities. These results further suggest that intracelluarl $Ca^{2+}$ signaling pathway may be a molecular target of the constituents of GE.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.193-200
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• 2016

This study describes the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and melanogenesis inhibition activities of methanol extract and various organic solvent fractions of Arecae Pericarpium. We examined the inhibition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 cells, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazine (DPPH) scavenging activity, mushroom tyrosinase inhibition activity and melanin contents. The study showed that, among all tested fractions, methylene chloride fraction showed the strongest inhibition of LPS-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 cells ($IC_{50}$ value $8.89{\mu}g/mL$) and DPPH radical scavenging activity ($EC_{50}$ value $21.39{\mu}g/mL$). Methylene chloride and ethyl acetate fractions similarly inhibited mushroom tyrosinase activity. Methanol extract exhibited strongest reduction of melanin content in B16F10 melanoma cells. Based on the bioactivity assay results, methylene chloride and ethyl acetate fractions were further separated. Eight phenolic compounds were isolated, which are dimeric syringol (1), catechol (2), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (3), vanillin (4), 4-hydroxyacetophenone (5), apocynin (6), protocatechuic acid (7) and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (8). Among the isolated compounds tested, catechol showed the strongest inhibition of LPS-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 cells. Catechol also showed the concentration-dependent NF-${\kappa}B$ inhibition activity. Arecae Pericarpium might have potentials to be developed as anti-inflammatory agent or dermatological product for skin-whitening agent.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.204-210
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• 2016

Phytochemical investigation of the 80% MeOH extract from the stems of Lagerstroemia indica resulted in the isolation of eighteen compounds; four norsesquiterpenes, fourteen phenolic derivatives. Their chemical structures were characterized by spectroscopic methods to be tachioside (1), isotachioside (2), 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl ${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside (3), gallic acid 4-methyl ether (4), protocatechuic acid (5), gallic acid (6), vanillic acid (7), vanillin (8), 2-methoxy-5-hydroxymethyl-phenyl-1-O-(6"-galloyl)-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside (9), 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenol-1-O-${\beta}$-D-(6'-O-galloyl)-glucopyranoside (10), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl-1-O-(6'-O-galloyl)-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside (11), vomifoliol (12), vomifoliol 9-O-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside (13), 6R,9R-3-oxo-${\alpha}$-ionol-9-O-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside (14), dihydrophaseic acid 4'-O-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside (15), ${\beta}$-hydroxypropiovanillone 3-O-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside (16), myrciaphenone A (17), and coumaric acid (18). Compounds 1-5 and 7-18 were isolated for the first time from this plant. Compounds 1-18 were investigated for their antioxidant properties using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging capacity assay, $Fe^{2+}$ chelating, and FRAP assay. It was found that 4, 6, and 11 possessed the highest antioxidant capacities.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.267-272
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• 2011

In our search for bioactive phenolics from plants, the culms of Phyllostachys bambusoides has been selected for investigation of anti-cariogenic and 1,1-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging agents based on the initial screening results. Fractionation process of n-hexane and $CHCl_3$ extracts afforded four phenolic constituents, ferulic acid (1), vanillin (2), coniferaldehyde (3), and coniferyl alcohol (4) as guided by their DPPH free radical scavenging activities. Additionally, activity-guided fractionation of EtOAc extract with anti-cariogenic activity has resulted in the isolation of coniferaldehyde (3), 2,6-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone (5), p-methoxycinnamic acid (6), (${\pm}$)-balanophonin (7), and 6-methoxychromanone (8). The structures of 1 - 8 were determined by spectroscopic data interpretation, and also by comparison of their data with the published values. Phenolic compounds 1 - 4 exhibited similar DPPH radical scavenging activities compared with the synthetic antioxidant, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and compounds 3 and 5 - 8 showed significant antibacterial activity against cariogenic oral streptococci, Streptococcus mutans and S. sobrinus.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.346-354
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• 2018

Kemenyan resin from Styrax sumatrana is a unique non-timber forest product (NTFP) native from Sumatera Island, Indonesia. It possesses a wide range of applications in the pharmaceutical, perfume, and cosmetics industries. In this paper, six kemenyan resin samples were investigated to evaluate their free radical scavenging activity using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) reagent. The kemenyan resin samples, which originated from North Tapanuli, Pakpak Bharat, and Humbang Hasundutan, showed high antioxidant activity with $IC_{50}$ < 16 mg/L. The antioxidant activity of common kemenyan resin constituents, i.e., cinnamic acid, ethyl cinnamate, gallic acid, and vanillin was also investigated as positive control, although they exhibited lower antioxidant activity ($IC_{50}$ < 1000 mg/L), except for gallic acid ($IC_{50}$ = 5,23 mg/L). The total phenolic and flavonoid contents (TPC and TFC) for all samples were 44-66 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g sample and 143-160 mg quarcetin equivalents (QE)/g sample. The results revealed that kemenyan resin has high potency as an antioxidant and could be used as a natural antioxidant resource.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.194-202
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• 2015

Agaricus brasiliensis, belonging to the family Agaricaceae of Agaricales, Basidiomycota, has been used for edible and medicinal purposes. This study was initiated to evaluate the antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and nitric oxide inhibitory activities of fruiting bodies of A. brasiliensis extracted with methanol. The HPLC analysis of phenolic compounds from the mushroom extracts identified 10 phenolic compounds including gallic acid, procatechuic acid, chlorogenic acid, (-)-epicatechin, vanillin, rutin hydrate, naringin, quercetin, formononetin, and biochanin-A. The free radical scavenging activities of methanol extract were lower than that of positive control, BHT. The chelating effects of methanol extract were significantly higher than those of the positive control, BHT at the all concentrations tested. The methanol extract exhibited the lower reducing power activities compared with the positive control at the 0.5~6.0 mg/mL concentration. The mushroom extract inhibited the ${\alpha}$-glucosidase activity by 54.48% and 78.43% at the 1.0 and 2.0 mg/mL while acarbose, the positive control, inhibited the ${\alpha}$-glucosidase activity by 51.77% and 81.81% at the same concentrations, respectively. Nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccahride (LPS) induced RAW 264.7 cells were inhibited by the methanol extracts in a concentration dependent manner. Therefore, it is concluded that fruiting bodies of A. brasiliensis contained natural antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory substances which can be useful for human health.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.339-347
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• 2014

This study investigated the classification of olive oils that are mainly distributed in Korea via imports. The fatty acid contents, degree of color, pigments, anti-oxidants, and sterol contents are analyzed on the different types of olive oil as follows: 10 kinds of extra virgin olive oil, 5 kinds of pure olive oil, and 5 kinds of refined olive-pomace oil. As a result of fatty acid analysis, the majority of oleic acid ($C_{18:1}$) and palmitic acid ($C_{16:0}$), and minority of linoleic acid ($C_{18:2}$) and stearic acid ($C_{18:0}$) were detected without any significant differences between the grades of olive oils. The UV spectrum is related to the ${\Delta}K$, and it is a part of the analysis factor for the purity and degree of degradation of the oil. Extra virgin olive oil had ${\Delta}K$ of almost 0, pure olive oil had 0.07~0.12, and refined olive-pomace oil had 0.1~0.13. These differed from extra virgin oil, and the pure or pomace oil ${\Delta}K$ had a confirmed distinct difference. The color degrees of chlorophyll with a low $L^*$ value and $(-)a^*$ (green) and carotenoid with $(+)b^*$ (yellow) were confirmed to have correlation between extra virgin and other olive oils. To compare chlorophyll and carotenoid as natural pigment in olive oils, 417 nm and the ratio of the absorbance at 480 nm (417/480) was calculated at 1.62 of extra virgin, 1.85 of pure olive oil, and 3.32 of refined olive-pomace oil. Therefore, it will be possible to distinguish when the extra virgin or pure olive oil are mixed with olive-pomace oil. The total amount of tocopherol, an anti-oxidant, were 19.06 in extra virgin, 10.91 in pure olive oil, and 27.88 in refined olive-pomace oil. The high content of tocopherol in pomace oil caused recovery of solvent extraction from olive pulp. Thus, extra virgin oil and pure olive oil were distinguished by olive-pomace oil. Polyphenol compounds in extra virgin olive oil measured high only in ferulic acid with 0.543 mg/kg, caffeic acid with 0.393 mg/kg, and other vanillic acid, vanillin, and p-coumaric acid had similar amount of 0.3 mg/kg. All grade of olive oils had the highest ${\beta}$-sitosterol content. Af (Authenticity factor) value were estimated with campesterol and stigmasterol content ratio (%). Af value was 19.2 in extra virgin olive oil, 17.1 in pure olive oil, 16.9 in refined olive-pomace oil, which were distinctive from sunflower oil with 3.7, corn oil with 2.4, and soybean oil with 2.0. It can provide important indicator of olive oil adulteration with other cheap vegetable oils. The results of this study can be used as a database for the classification of olive oil grade and distinguishing between the different types of oils.