• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제12권3호
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• pp.153-156
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• 2006

The antisnake venom activity of Clerodendrum viscosum Vent. (Fam. Verbenaceae), a plant traditionally used in India for the treatment of snake bite was evaluated by in vitro and in vivo methods. While in vitro studies were performed using human blood, in vivo studies were carried out using mice administered three different i.p doses of the extract, 5 min before the administration of Naja naja snake venom. The results of the in vitro studies showed that the extract probably interacts with but does not stabilize membrane protein. In the in vivo studies the extract showed significant antisnake venom activity, which may be attributed to its possible interference with the acetylcholine receptor sites. Hence the present investigation justifies the traditional use of Clerodendrum viscosum (C. viscosum) as antisnake venom.

• 한국환경생태학회지
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• 제28권5호
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• pp.531-541
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• 2014

본 연구는 제주도에 서식하는 쇠살모사의 생활사 전략을 밝히기 위하여 생식주기, 한배의 출산수 및 이에 미치는 요인을 조사하였다. 야외조사는 2006년 5월부터 2008년 11월까지 제주도 본섬에서 이루어졌으며, 생식주기는 2009년 3월에서 2010년 12월 사이에 실험실에서 정소와 난포의 크기를 측정하여 분석하였다. 연구결과, 쇠살모사의 정소와 난포의 크기는 계절적으로 뚜렷하게 변화하는 것으로 나타났다. 난관에 들어있는 알의 수는 오른쪽($2.6{\pm}1.0$개, n=16)이 왼쪽($1.8{\pm}0.5$개, n=16)보다 많았다(t=-2,721, p<0.05). 생존한 새끼의 수(SLS)는 $4.4{\pm}1.7$마리(1~9마리)로 총 새끼의 수(TLS) $4.7{\pm}1.5$마리(3~9마리)보다 약간 적었으나, 통계적으로 유의한 차이는 없었고, 난관에 들어 있는 알의 수와도 유사하였다(t=0.039, P>0.05). 상대적인 새끼의 체중(RCM)은 $0.42{\pm}0.13$ (0.18~0.79, n=33)으로 나타났으며, 출산전 어미의 몸 상태(MCPP1)가 양호할수록 증가하는 경향을 보였다. 출산시 새끼의 성비는 암수간 유의한 차이는 없었다(♂:♀ = 1.15:1, n=73 ; ${\chi}^2$-test, ${\chi}^2$=0.342, P>0.5). 한배 새끼의 체중은 출산전 어미의 체중(MMPP1, r=0.387, P<0.05, n=33)과, 몸길이는 어미의 몸길이(r=0.399, P<0.05, n=33) 및 MMPP1(r=0.344, P<0.05, n=33)과 약한 상관관계를 보였다. 또한 새끼의 평균 체중과 어미의 몸길이와는 유의확률에 근접하였다(r=0.323, P=0.067, n=33). 이것은 어미의 몸 크기가 클수록 더 큰 새끼를 낳을 수 있다는 것을 의미하는 것이다. 뱀에서 한배의 출산수가 많을수록 새끼의 체중이 감소하는 경우가 있으나 쇠살모사는 이러한 교환관계는 없는 것으로 나타나 종 고유의 특이성을 갖고 있다는 것을 알 수 있었다. 이러한 연구결과는 쇠살모사의 생활사를 파악하는데 기초자료로 활용될 수 있을 것이라 여겨진다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.203-210
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• 2015

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key regulator of energy metabolism. Previous studies have shown that activation of AMPK results in suppression of cardiac myocyte hypertrophy via inhibition of the p70S6 kinase (p70S6K) and eukaryotic elongation factor-2 (eEF2) signaling pathways. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major polyphenol found in green tea, possesses multiple protective effects on the cardiovascular system including cardiac hypertrophy. However, the molecular mechanisms has not been well investigated. In this study, we found that EGCG could significantly reduce natriuretic peptides type A (Nppa), brain natriuretic polypeptide (BNP) mRNA expression and decrease cell surface area in H9C2 cardiomyocytes stimulated with phenylephrine (PE). Moreover, we showed that AMPK is activated in H9C2 cardiomyocytes by EGCG, and AMPK-dependent pathway participates in the inhibitory effects of EGCG on cardiac hypertrophy. Taken together, our findings provide the first evidence that the effect of EGCG against cardiac hypertrophy may be attributed to its activation on AMPK-dependent signaling pathway, suggesting the therapeutic potential of EGCG on the prevention of cardiac remodeling in patients with pressure overload hypertrophy.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제36권3호
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• pp.140-146
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• 2019

Background: This study investigated the effects of Vipera lebetina turanica snake venom (SV) on cerebral infarction induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion in mice. Methods: Following cerebral infarction, SV was injected intravenously or added to BV2 cell culture. Tissue injury was detected using triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining, neurological deficit score, NO, ROS, and GSH/GSSG assays, qPCR, Western blot, and cell viability. Results: Cerebral infarction caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion as observed by TTC staining, showed SV inhibited cell death, reducing the number of brain cells injured due to infarction. SV treatment for cerebral infarction showed a significant decrease in abnormal behavior, as determined by the neurological deficit score. The oxidation and inflammation of the cells that had cerebral infarction caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion (NO assay, ROS, GSH/GSSG assay, and qPCR), showed significant protection by SV. Western blot of brain infarction cells showed the expression of iNOS, COX-2, p-IkB-${\alpha}$, P38, p-JNK, p-ERK to be lower in the SV group. In addition, the expression of IkB increased. BV2 cells were viable when treated with SV at $20{\mu}g/mL$ or less. Western blot of BV2 cells, treated with 0.625, 1.5, $2.5{\mu}g/mL$ of SV, showed a significant decrease in the expression of p-IkB-${\alpha}$, p-JNK, iNOS, and COX-2 on BV2 cells induced by LPS. Conclusion: SV showed anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects against cerebral infarction and inflammation.

• Journal of applied mathematics & informatics
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• 제42권1호
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• pp.1-14
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• 2024

Let G = (V, E) be a (p, q) graph. Define $$\begin{cases}\frac{p}{2},\:if\:p\:is\:even\\\frac{p-1}{2},\:if\:p\:is\:odd\end{cases}$$ and L = {±1, ±2, ±3, ···, ±ρ} called the set of labels. Consider a mapping f : V → L by assigning different labels in L to the different elements of V when p is even and different labels in L to p - 1 elements of V and repeating a label for the remaining one vertex when p is odd.The labeling as defined above is said to be a pair difference cordial labeling if for each edge uv of G there exists a labeling |f(u) - f(v)| such that |Δ_f1 - Δ_f^c1| ≤ 1, where Δ_f1 and Δ_f^c1 respectively denote the number of edges labeled with 1 and number of edges not labeled with 1. A graph G for which there exists a pair difference cordial labeling is called a pair difference cordial graph. In this paper we investigate the pair difference cordial labeling behavior of subdivision of some graphs.

• 한국식품과학회지
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.214-220
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• 2005

구전에 의해서 건강 보신식품으로 알려져 온 뱀과 자라에 대하여 이들 추출물에 대하여 흰쥐의 운동수행능력에 미치는 영향에 대하여 평가하고, 보신식품에 대한 기초자료 축적 및 향후 의약품 대체식품 개발에 이용 가능한 원료로서의 가능성을 평가하고자 하였다. 흰쥐의 식이에 5% 사탕 또는 1% 용봉탕을 첨가하고 4주간 사육한 후 90분간 수영시킨 군(90-min subgroups)과 탈진 때까지 수영시킨 군(all-out subgroups)을 두 하부군으로 나누어 분석하였다. 강제수영능력 시간을 측정한 결과 용봉탕 또는 사탕은 흰쥐의 수영시간에 거의 영향을 미치지 않는 것으로 나타났다. 90-min subgroups의 피로요소 측정 결과 대조군에 비해 사탕 추출물 첨가식이를 섭취한 군의 혈청 젖산 농도가 유의적으로 낮았으나(p<0.05), 무기인산, creatine kinase 및 요산 농도는 ET군과 ES군 모두 대조군과의 유의적인 차이는 없었다. All-out subgroups과 대조군의 혈청 피로 요소 역시 사탕 섭취군의 젖산 농도가 높았던 점 이외에 다른 요소의 농도는 유의적인 차이가 없었다. 따라서, 용봉탕 및 사창 추출물의 섭취로 인한 지구력운동 수행에 대한 효능 및 혈청 피로 요소에 미치는 영향은 전혀 없다고 판단할 수 있으며, 이들이 몸을 이롭게 한다는 인식은 영양 보충식품으로 이해할 수는 있지만, 건강기능 면에서는 잘못된 믿음이라고 판단된다.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.23-30
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• 2017

Objectives : In this study, the roles of Interleukin (IL)-4 and Signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6), which have been reported to play a role in the pathogenesis of inflammation and cancer, were evaluated in snake venom toxin (SVT)-induced apoptosis. Methods : Inflammation was induced in human HaCaT kerationocytes, by lipopolysaccharide (LPS; $1{\mu}g/mL$) or tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), followed by treatment with SVT (0, 1, or $2{\mu}g/mL$). Cell viability was assessed by MTT assays after 24 h, and the expression of levels of IL-4, STAT6, and the apoptosis-related proteins p53, Bax, and Bcl-2 were evaluated by western blotting. Electro mobility shift assays (EMSAs) were performed to evaluate the DNA binding capacity of STAT6. Results : MTT assays showed that inflammation-induced growth of HaCaT cells following LPS or TNF-${\alpha}$ stimulation was inhibited by SVT. Western blot analysis showed that p53 and Bax, which promote apoptosis, were increased, whereas that of Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic protein, was decreased in a concentration-dependent manner in LPS- or TNF-${\alpha}$-induced HaCaT cells following treatment with SVT. Moreover, following treatment of HaCaT cells with LPS, IL-4 concentrations were increased, and treatment with SVT further increased IL-4 expression in a concentration-dependent manner. Western blotting and EMSAs showed that the phosphorylated form of STAT6 was increased in HaCaT cells in the context of LPS- or TNF-${\alpha}$-induced inflammation in a concentration-dependent manner, concomitant with an increase in the DNA binding activity of STAT6. Conclusion : SVT can effectively promote apoptosis in HaCaT cells in the presence of inflammation through a pathway involving IL-4 and STAT6.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.129-134
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• 1987

Snake venom proteinase에 대한 저해물질을 생성하는 Aspergillus 속 균주 MK-24를 토양으로부터 얻어 그 배양액에서 저해물질을 분리하여 Venom proteinase에 대한 작용양상과 안정성에 대한 조사결과는 다음과 같다. Glucose 2%, NaNO$_3$ 0.3%, $K_2$HPO$_4$ 0.02%, MgSO$_4$ㆍ7$H_2O$ 0.02%, KCl 0.02% 조성의 배지(pH 5.0)를 사용하여 3$0^{\circ}C$에서 7일간 배양하여 얻은 배양액을 acetone 심전 활성탄, methanol 침전으로 무정형의 유효분말을 얻었다. 이 물질은 A. b.b. venom proteinase에 대하여 1/2 배양에서 약 70% 저해율을 나타냈으며, A.b.b. venom proteinase에 대한 저해양상을 혼합형이었으며 enzyme-inhibitor complex를 형성하는데 20분 정도가 걸렸다. 반응액중에 Co$^{++}$, $Zn^{++}$, Cu$^{++}$ 등이 존재하면 저해작용이 완전히 억제되었다. 저해율은 사용한 기지리의 종류에 따라 차이가 났다. 즉 casein을 사용했을 때는 hemoglobin이나 albumin보다 저해율이 높았다. 그리고 본 저해물질은 snake venom proteinase 이외에 trypsin에 고농도에서 약간 저해작용을 나타냈으나 pepsin, $\alpha$-chymotrypsin, papain 등과 탄수화물 가수분해효소 등에는 저해능이 없었고, 혈액응고에 대하여는 1.6 $\mu\textrm{g}$/2$m\ell$ 농도 이상에서는 저해작용을 나타내었다. 본 저해물질은 열이나 pH에 대한 안정성이 컸다. 즉, pH처리에 대해서는 37$^{\circ}C$에서 60분 처리로 산이나 alkali에 대해서 대단히 넓은 범위에 걸쳐서 안정하였으며 $65^{\circ}C$에서는 중성까지는 안정하였으나, pH 8 이상에서는 불안정하였고 열처리에 대해서는 10$0^{\circ}C$에서 2시간 처리했을 때에도 잔존활성도가 약 90%로 매우 안정하였다.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.165-170
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• 1995

The biochemical properties of the fibrinolytic protease of 50,800 Da isolated from the venom of Kgdistrodon blomhoffi brevicaudus were characterized. The enzyme hydrolyzed the carboxyl side of arginine in the synthetic chromogenic peptides, N-Benzoyl-Phe-Val-Arg-pNA and N-p-Tosyl-Gly-Pro-Arg-pNA, and the enzyme activity was inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride indicating that the enzyme belongs to the serine protease family. The pretense showed maximum activity at pH 7.5 and inhibited by ZnCl$_2$, CuSO$_4$, but not by soybean trypsin inhibitor, pepstatin A, 2-mercaptoethanol and EDTA. The fm value determined with N-p-Tosyl-Gly-Pro-Arg-pNA was 0.2 mM. The thrombolytic activity of the purified enzyme was evaluated by platelet aggregation test in rabbits. While the platelet count ratio in blood of the rabbits injected with thrombin alone declined from 1.0 to 0.6 within 7 min and maintained around 0.6 for 24 hours thereafter, the ratio rapidly recovered from around 0.6 to 0.8 in 1 hr, to 1.0 in 24 hrs when the rabbits were sequentially treated with thrombin and the purified enzyme. The result showed that the serine protease from A. blomhoffi brevicoudus of 50,800 Da had a thrombolytic activity in vivo and the enzyme might be developed as a therapuetic agent for the treatment of thrombic disease.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제59권9호
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• pp.20.1-20.9
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• 2017

Background: Ribonuclease (RNase) is one of the few toxic proteins that are present constantly in snake venoms of all types. However, to date this RNase is still poorly studied in comparison not only with other toxic proteins of snake venom, but also with the enzymes of RNase group. The objective of this paper was to investigate some properties of RNase from venom of Vietnam cobra Naja atra. Methods: Kinetic methods and gel filtration chromatography were used to investigate RNase from venom of Vietnam cobra. Results: RNase from venom of Vietnam cobra Naja atra has some characteristic properties. This RNase is a thermostable enzyme and has high conformational stability. This is the only acidic enzyme of the RNase A superfamily exhibiting a high catalytic activity in the pH range of 1-4, with $pH_{opt}=2.58{\pm}0.35$. Its activity is considerably reduced with increasing ionic strength of reaction mixture. Venom proteins are separated by gel filtration into four peaks with ribonucleolytic activity, which is abnormally distributed among the isoforms: only a small part of the RNase activity is present in fractions of proteins with molecular weights of 12-15 kDa and more than 30 kDa, but most of the enzyme activity is detected in fractions of polypeptides, having molecular weights of less than 9 kDa, that is unexpected. Conclusions: RNase from the venom of Vietnam cobra is a unique member of RNase A superfamily according to its acidic optimum pH ($pH_{opt}=2.58{\pm}0.35$) and extremely low molecular weights of its major isoforms (approximately 8.95 kDa for RNase III and 5.93 kDa for RNase IV).