• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.1252-1259
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• 2013

To investigate the effects of a fibrinolytic enzyme, BK-17, on the growth of human cancer cells, we performed various biochemical experiments, including cell proliferation and viability, and investigated subsequent morphological changes and apoptosis induction. BK-17 treatment of AGS human gastric and T24 human bladder carcinoma cells decreased the viability and the proliferation of the cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Microscopic studies indicated that the antiproliferative effects of the BK-17 treatment were associated with morphological changes, such as membrane shrinking, cell rounding up, and the formation of apoptotic bodies, indicating that BK-17 induced apoptosis in the cell lines. Of note, RT-PCR and Western blotting data indicated that the BK-17 treatment induced the down-regulation of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 members, Bcl-2 and $Bcl-X_L$, and the up-regulation of proapoptotic Bax members, Bax and Bad, in the AGS cells. BK-17-induced apoptosis of AGS cells was involved in the proteolytic activation of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9. Taken together, these findings suggest that BK-17 is associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.279-285
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• 2011

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the skin whitening effect of the extracts of 3 herbs, Ligularia fischeri, Solidago virga-aurea and Aruncus dioicus, which were collected from Ullung island. Tyrosinase inhibition activities were 33% in pre-fermented extracts and 45% in post-fermented ones. When tyrosinase activities in B16F10 murine melanoma cells were tested, activities in pre- and post-fermented extracts were 41 and 56.5%, respectively. Thus, the post-fermented extracts might have greater skin whitening effects. The protein expression of MITF, TRP-1, TRP-2, and tyrosinase, which are all skin-whitening related transcription factors, showed that both pre- and post-fermented herbs inhibited protein biosynthesis in B16F10 melanoma cells. Post-fermented herb extracts especially showed a greater decrease of protein expressions. The expression of MITF, a regulatory transcription factor, was also decreased by both extracts but was greater in the post-fermented ones. From the results, it can be concluded that the 3 herb extracts from Ullung island may inhibit melanin biosynthesis by the suppression of MITF activity in a signaling pathway. Results indicate that the post-fermented herbs tested in the present study had skin whitening activities and can be used as functional ingredients for food and cosmetic compositions.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.965-972
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• 2020

Sambucus sieboldiana var. miquelii (Nakai) Hara is distributed in Korea, China, and Japan, and has been used as an anti-rheumatic in folk medicine in oriental countries. The present study aims to investigate the potential use of this species in health functional foods, cosmetics, and food preservatives. Methanol extracts of leaves and branches from this plant were prepared to quantitatively analyze the total phenol and flavonoid contents, and to investigate the antioxidative and enzyme inhibitory activities, and the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production activity. The results showed that the total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of the crude extract were 1.52±0.1 mg/g and 1.73±0.1 mg/g, respectively. S. sieboldiana polyphenols exhibited potent scavenging activity shown by 2, 2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay and 2, 2-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical cation assay. The crude extract also exhibited significant α-glucosidase and tyrosinase inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ values of 183.5 ㎍/ml and 323.9 ㎍/ ml, respectively. Additionally, the crude extract exhibited strong anti-inflammatory activity determined through the nitric oxide inhibition assay in a dose-dependent manner with an IC₅₀ value of 36.7 ㎍/ml and no cytotoxic effect on the macrophages. Therefore, we demonstrated that the leaves and branches of S. sieboldiana extract possess antioxidant, anti-diabetic, depigmentation potential, and NO production inhibitory activities. According to recent research, S. sieboldiana has great potential as a source of the bioactive compound which could be used as food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical agents.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.129-150
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• 1999

This study was carried out to analyse a perception on acne for the Junior college students to provide basic data for the suitable treatment of acne to the students and the specialists. For this study, self-administering questionnaires were distributed to 480 students from 13 departments at a suburban women's junior college from May 1 to May 3, 1996. Of the students, 399 were responded and included in the analysis. The questionnaire includes the general question of objects, the question of knowledge and attitude of acne, and its treatment. The results were as follows: 1. Age distribution for the group less than 20 years was 63.7% and over 20 years was 36.3%, the group with acne was 66.2% and the group without acne was 33.8%. Proportions of acquiring the knowledge on acne was 49.6% from newspaper or magazine, 47.15 from friends, and 26.85 from TV or radio. 2. With regard to the knowledge on the presence of acne, a proportion of correctly answered for the question on the cause of acne was $3.41{\pm}1.02$ for the group with acne compared with $3.16{\pm}0.89$ for those without acne. This difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). 3. With regard to the knowledge levels on the treatment of acne, a proportion answered' skin-care center' for the question on where to select for the profer treatment was $13.21{\pm}1.88$ compared with $12.09{\pm}1.88$ for the other group. This difference was statistically significant (p〈0.05). A proportion of answered 'squeezing out acne by themselves' for the question of how to treat was $12.26{\pm}1.91$ compared with $10.83{\pm}1.25$ for the other group. 4. In the treatment according to the attitude of the group with acne, the positive group replied 'YES' in the intention of treatment by themselves was 55.9%. In conclusion, the differences in the knowledge and attitude on the presence of acne are not significant and it was found that the knowledge and attitude for the group with acne did not significantly influenced the treatment behavior. Accordingly, it is important to understand the cause of acne, provoking factors, remedy etc. For this, it is necessary to a provide an accurate information to professionals to enhance the knowledge of acne and to treat it properly.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.29-36
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• 2018

Ulmus davidiana supercritical fluid residue EtOH extracts(USCFR) and ethyl acetate solvent fraction (USCFREA) of supercritical extraction foil were investigated in order to examine the recycling of supercritical extraction foil in the process of studying Ulmus davidiana branch supercritical extract. Experiments were performed for the determination of total phenol content. The $IC_{50}$ value(ppm) of DPPH radical scavenging activity and ABTS radical scavenging activity was $7.42{\pm}0.09$, $7.50{\pm}0.05$, $22.94{\pm}0.09$, $6.43{\pm}0.10$, and USCFREA, respectively, as compared with the positive control (vitamin C) with values $17.80{\pm}0.14$ and $5.34{\pm}0.06$, respectively. The antioxidative activities of USCFR and USCFREA were confirmed to be superior to the positive control group. In anti-allergic activity studies, both USCFR and USCFREA showed concentration-dependentanti-allergic activity, and USCFREA showed strong anti-allergic activity even at very low concentrations. Thetotal phenolic contents (ugEG, ugGA; ppm) of USCFR were $134.17{\pm}0.13$, $132.02{\pm}0.24$ and USCFREA were $154.77{\pm}1.05$ and $153.18{\pm}1.10$, respectively. Based on the above results and strong antioxidant activity, USCFR and USCFREA hold the potential to be considered as basic research materials for the development of therapeutic supplements based medicines or functional cosmetics related to chronic inflammatory skin immunity diseases.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.1478-1483
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• 2009

A solid-state culture based on grain materials was attempted to produce a fibrinolytic enzyme for blood circulation improvement using Bacillus subtilis BK-17. The spore, rather than vegetative cell inoculation, of B. subtilis BK-17 on the solid-state culture was effective in the production of a fibrinolytic enzyme. Maximum spore production was obtained with a SFM medium (0.8% nutrient broth, 0.05% yeast extract, $10^{-1}$ M $MgCl_2$, $10^{-3}$ M $FeCl_3$, $10^{-4}$ $MnCl_2$, $10^{-5}$ M dipicolic acid, pH 6.5). Optimal pH and temperature were pH 6 and $30^{\circ}C$, respectively. The spore production reached a maximum at 60 hours of incubation. Bacillus subtilis BK-17 on the mung bean solid-state culture produced greater fibrinolytic activity, and less activity was seen in other grains such as kidney bean, soybean and corn. Protein and lipid contents of fermented soybeans were about 10 - 30% more than those of unfermented soybeans. Amino acid content was also 5 - 20% more than that of unfermented soybeans. These results indicated that fermented solid-state culture medium, fermented soybean in this case, can be utilized as a food supplement.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1700-1704
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• 2008

Rheum undulatum L. has been commonly used as a cure for hematemesis, dropsy, and haematuria in the Oriental medicine for a long time. The main constituents of R. undulatum are chrysophanol and emodin, which are an antioxidative substance that has an anthraquinone structure. In the present study, to develop a new anti-aging agent, we examined the antioxidant activity and the inhibitory effect of the R. undulatum extract on the synthesis of MMP-1 in UVA-irradiated human dermal fibroblasts and MMP-1 activity. The R. undulatum extract was found to scavenge 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and superoxide radicals in the xanthine/ xanthine oxidase system by a dose-dependent manner, respectively. UVA-induced MMP-1 expression was reduced about 79.5% by 1 ${\mu}g$/ml of the R. undulatum extract and also inhibited MMP-1 activity in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, it was observed that the R. undulatum extract has the antioxidant activity, regulation of UVA-induced MMP-1 production, and inhibition of MMP-1 activity. Therefore, these results suggest that the R. undulatum extract can be developed as a new anti-aging component of cosmetics.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.10 no.11
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• pp.3500-3505
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• 2009

Sixteen moderate atopic dermatitis patients were treated with applying toner and cream using estern medical herbs[Estern medical complex(Radix Glycyrrhizae, Radix Angelicae Dahuricae, Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong, Fructus ponciri Seu Aurantii Immaturus, Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata, Radix Puerariae, Rhizoma Corydalis), Cypress, Green tea, Radix Astragali, Red ginseng, Syrup ferment, Apple ferment filtrate] on the atopic area 2-3 times per day for 6 weeks. After 6 weeks of study, the result was a decrease in SCORAD index($26.9{\pm}11.8$ to $14.9{\pm}9.7$(p<0.05)), IgE($641.9{\pm}1294.6$ to $565.8{\pm}1076.8$), Eosinophil count($246.7{\pm}203.5$ to $203.3{\pm}130.7$(p<0.05)) and TEWL($16.7{\pm}5.1$ to $15.4{\pm}8.7$(p<0.05)). And skin hydration was increased($36.6{\pm}10.0$ to $44.0{\pm}10.3$(p<0.01)) maintaining skin pH level. The patient;s and physician's global assessment also improved. Therefore, estern medical herbs may play a role in treatment of atopic dermatitis.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.200-206
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• 2005

A bacterium with high productivity of poly-$\gamma$-glutamic acid (PGA) was isolated from the traditional Korean seasoning, ChungKookJang. The 16s ribosomal RNA sequence of isolated strain showed 97.6, 98.9 and $90.3{\%}$ of similarity to those of Bacillus sp. WL-3, Bacillus subtilis; ENV1 and B amy-loliquefaciens (T), respectively. Accordingly, this bacterium was identified as a Bacillus sp. However, some biochemical characteristics of this strain were different from those of B. subtilis: D-xylose fermentation and glycogen utility were negative. Maximum production of PGA was achieved when it was grown aerobically in a culture medium containing glutamic acid ($3{\%}$) and fructose ($4{\%}$) as carbon sources. The volumetric yield of PGA reached up to 27 g/l in the optimum culture medium. These results suggest that the present strain can be applicable for industrial purposes such as a prototype strain for food or cosmetics industry.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2016

In this study, we investigated the anti oxidative potential and protective effects of water extract of Leonurus sibiricus L. leaf (LSLW) against ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced oxidative damage in human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells). To evaluate the anti oxidative activity of LSLW, we measured DPPH radical, hydroxyl radical, hydrogen peroxide, superoxide anion scavenging activities, lipid peroxidation inhibition, and reducing power of LSLW. For induction of oxidative stress in HaCaT cells, the cells were irradiated with UVB at 40 mJ/㎠. To investigate the protective effects of LSLW against UVB, we measured cell viability and apoptotic bodies using annexin V staining. LSLW showed anti oxidative activities by scavenging DPPH radical, hydroxyl radical, hydrogen peroxide, superoxide anion and by reducing lipid peroxidation. In addition, LSLW showed high reducing values. The UVB-induced oxidative conditions led to cell apoptosis. However, treatment with LSLW ameliorated oxidative stress conditions, including inhibition of cell death, apoptotic body. Taken together, LSLW exhibited anti oxidative and protective effects against UVB-induced damage in HaCaT cells. Thus, LSLW could be useful for the development of cosmetics for UVB-induced skin aging.