• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.266-278
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• 2008

Erythrina stricta, a deciduous tree widely used traditionally in indigenous system of medicine for various ailments such as rheumatism, fever, leprosy, epilepsy etc. The leaves of Erythrina stricta was extracted with ethanol (70%) and used for the evaluation of various in vitro antioxidant assays which includes H - donor activity, nitric oxide scavenging, superoxide anion scavenging, reducing ability, hydroxyl radical, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, total antioxidant activity by thiocyanate and phosphomolybdenum method, metal chelating, $\beta$-carotene bleaching, total peroxy radical assays. The pro-oxidant activity was measured using bleomycin-dependent DNA damage. Ex vivo models like lipid peroxidation and erythrocyte haemolysis were also used to study the antioxidant property of the extract. The various antioxidant activities were compared with suitable standard antioxidants such as ascorbic acid, butylated hydroxyl toluene, $\alpha$-tocopherol, curcumin, quercetin and Trolox. The generation of free radicals viz. $O_2^{{\cdot}-}$, $OH^{\cdot}$, $H_2O_2$, $NO^{\cdot}$ and peroxyl radicals were effectively scavenged by the ethanolic extract of Erythrina stricta. In all the methods, the extract offered strong antioxidant activity in a concentration dependent manner. The total phenolic content, flavonoid content and total antioxidant activity in Erythrina stricta were determined as microgram (g) pyrocatechol, quercetin and $\alpha$-tocopherol equivalent/mg respectively. The extract did not exhibit any prooxidant activity when compared with ascorbic acid. The results obtained in the present study clearly indicates that Erythrina stricta scavenges free radicals and reduces lipid peroxidation, ameliorating the damage imposed by oxidative stress in different disease conditions and serve as a potential source of natural antioxidant.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.131-141
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• 1999

In order to eludidate the mechanism of oxidative stress in cultured spinal motor neurons damaged by oxygen free radicals, cytoxicity was assesed by MTT assay and NR assay after spinal motor neurons from mouse were cultured in media containing various concentrations of xanthine oxidase(XO) and hypoxanthine(HX) for 3 hours. In addition, neuroprotective effects of several herb extracts on oxidant-induced neurotoxicity were examined in these cultures, compared with nerve growth factors such as basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF). XO/HX decreased cell viability in dose- and time dependent manners on cultured mouse spinal motor neurons, and MTT50 and NR50 values were measured at 20mU/ml XO and 0.1mM HX for 3 hours in these cultures. bFGF significantlt increased cell viability. In neuroprotective of herb extracts, Epimedium Koreanum Nakai(EK) and Alpinia oxphylla Mig(IJI) was very effective in the prevention of the neurotoxicity induced by XO/HX in cultured mouse spinal motor neurons. From the above results, it is suggested that XO/HX shows toxic effect in cultured mouse spinal motor neurons and selective herb extracts such as Epimedium Koreanum Nakai(EK) and Alpinia oxphylla Mig(IJI) were very effective in the increase of cell viability against the neurotoxicity induced by oxygen radicals in these cultures.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.10
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• pp.4434-4442
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• 2011

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are reactive and potentially harmful to cells, causing oxidation of lipids, proteins, and DNA. In humans, the deleterious effects of ROS have been linked with aging, carcinogenesis, and atherosclerosis. In order to investigate an antioxidant activity of wood vinegar by bioconversion, we preferentially analyzed the total acidity, acetic acid, pH, and contents of total polyphenols and flavonoids, respectively. Also, we evaluated the scavenging abilities on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals, superoxide anion radicals, hydrogen peroxide radicals, and nitric oxide radicals. The total acidity and amount of acetic acid of wood vinegar after bioconversion were lower than those of wood vinegar before bioconversion, but the pH was higher than that of wood vinegar before bioconversion. The contents of total polyphenols and flavonoids of wood vinegar after bioconversion were 11.17 mg/$m{\ell}$ and 0.42 mg/$m{\ell}$, respectively. The $SC_{50}$ values were in order of superoxide anion radical scavenging activity < DPPH radical scavenging activity < hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging activity < nitric oxide radical scavenging activity. Therefore, these results suggest that wood vinegar by bioconversion can be useful as primary antioxidants for medicines and cosmetics.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.911-913
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• 2002

Rubi Fructus (fruit of Rubus coreanus Miq.), oriental medicine, has been used for remedy of the liver diseases and for tonic. In order to investigate the oxygen free radical, a harmful factor of aging, in liver of rats fed diets supplemented with the Rubi Fructus water extract(RX), Sprague-Dawley male rats have been fed a diet supplemented with 3% or 5% RX for a month. In rats fed 3% RX supplemented diet, hepatic cytochrome P-450 contents appeared to be increased, and catalase and superoxide dismutase activities were significantly increased compared with the control. There was no difference in glutathione peroxide and glutathione-S-transferase activities between the rats fed RX supplemented diets and the control diet. In conclusion, it is likely that rats fed a diet supplemented with RX may have the oxygen free radicals detoxication potential.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.355-358
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• 1992

In early maturation stages of Paragonimus westermani (metacercariae, 4-, 8-, 12-week old worms), activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase and glutathione peroxidase, were examined. Specific activity of catalase was the highest in metacercariae and decreasing with age. That of superoxide dismutase was higher in metacercariae and 4-week worms. Specific activity of peroxidase was at its peak in 4-week worms while that of glutathione peroxidase was in 8-week worms. Specific activities of all these antioxidant enzymes were decreased to their lowest in 12-week old adults.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.223-228
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• 1995

In an attempt to define the effects of biphenyldimethyl dicarboxylate (DDB) on the lipid peroxidation and oxygen free radical scavenging enzymes activities in mercuric chloride-induced hepatotoxic rats, we studied malondialdehyde (MDA) level and the activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in liver of the rats at 24 hr after the injection of mercuric chloride. Sprague-Dalwey albino rats were injected subcutaneously with mercuric chloride (5 mg/kg) only and mercuric chloride (5 mg/kg) plus. DDB (200 mg/kg/day, p.o) is administered for 4 days prior to 3 days from the injection of mercuric chloride. The group treated with mercuric chloride showed significantly higher MDA level and lower catalase and SOD activities as compared with that of control group. The group treated with mercuric chloride plus DDB showed significantly lower MDA level and catalase activity and higher SOD activity as compared with that of mercuric chloride-treated group. These results suggest that the excessive oxygen free radicals resulting from the depression of superoxide dismutase activity is an important determinant in the pathogenesis of mercuric chloride-induced hepatotoxicity and DDB has antioxidant effects.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.230-230
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• 2004

Polyamines, namely putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, are biogenic low-molecular-weight aliphatic amines. Polyamines play important roles in DNA stabilization, RNA and protein synthesis, membrane stabilization, modulation of ion channels, and protection against oxygen radicals and are essential for cell homeostasis, cell growth, and tumorigenesis. (omitted)

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.160.2-161
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• 2003

Hwang Chil (Dendropanax morbifera Lev.) belongs to Aralia elata group. This plant is only found in Korea and is considered to be along with ginseng. The physiological activities of it have been reported as having scavenging effect on oxygen free radicals and anti-carcinogenic effect. As most of the anti-oxidants were effective on protecting hepatotoxicity from alcohol, hard tissues restoring and skin whitening, the effectiveness of Hwang Chil extracts was screened. (omitted)

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.460-465
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• 1992

The effect of PSOD expression on lacZ-sodP fusion (pYK4) was explored in Escherichia coli sodA sodB mutants (QC774) under oxidative stress. In this system, although .betha.-galactosidase activity was not fully induced by isopropyl-1-thio-.betha.-galactosidase (IPTG) and was inhibited by glucose, functional PSOD was under lacZ promotor control and was induced by IPTC, lactose, PQ and copper isons, finally, the results show that higher PSOD expression leel was consistently importnat in defending against superoxide radicals.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.93-93
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• 2002

Oxidative stress has been associated with a number of diseases in humans. Among the sources that can generate oxidative stress, it has been reported that iron can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) with thiol. In iron overload state, increased thiol levels in plasma appeared to be associated with human mortality.(omitted)