• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.6-12
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• 2015

Medicinal plants resources are becoming important assets since their usages have been expanded to the development of functional foods for human health, more attractive cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. However, their phylogenetic origins and names are different from each country and quite often they are mixed each other resulting in the confusion for consumers. In particular, when they are very similar based on their morphological characteristics and distributed as dried roots, it is extremely difficult to differentiate their origins even by specialists. Recently, "DNA barcodes" have been extensively applied to identify their origin of medicinal plant species. In this review, we tried to overview the current research achievements for the development of suitable "DNA barcodes" regarding to the differentiation of medicinal plant species. Furthermore, more advanced techniques including amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS)-PCR, multiplex single base extension (MSBE), high-resolution melting (HRM) curve analyses are also discussed for their practical applications in the authentification of particular medicinal plant species.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.5
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• pp.395-401
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• 2009

As the prevalence of tuberculosis declines, the proportion of nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease is increasing in Korea. The combined use of liquid and solid media increases the sensitivity of mycobacterial culture and shortens culture time. Because NTMs are ubiquitous in the environment, NTM lung disease requires strict diagnostic criteria to prevent over-diagnosis of NTM lung disease. Mycobacterium avium complex is the most common pathogen of NTM lung disease in Korea and present in two forms: upper lobe cavitary and nodular bronchiectatic form. Decision of treatment of NTM lung disease depends on the infecting species and overall condition of the patient. Because medical therapy requires the use of multiple drugs over 18 to 24 months, surgery for localized disease may be useful for those species refractory to medical therapy.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.102-109
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• 2018

Thistle is a perennial plant that is widely used for medicinal purposes. Information on the genetic diversity of thistle populations are great important for their conservation and germ plasmic utilization. Although thistle is an important medicinal plant species registered in South Korea, no molecular markers are currently available to distinguish them from other similar species from different countries. In this study, we developed single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers derived from the nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of genomic sequences to identify distinct Korean-specific thistle species via an amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS)-PCR and high resolution melting (HRM) curve analyses. We performed molecular authentication of four different kinds of thistle species from different regions using DNA sequences in the ITS intergenic region. We also developed a quantitative PCR assay using species-specific ITS primers, which allowed us to estimate the ratio of Korean-specific thistle species using varying ratios of mixed genomic DNA templates from the two species. The SNP markers developed in this study are useful for rapidly identifying specific thistle species from different countries.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2019.04a
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• pp.71-71
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• 2019

The genus Cenchrus (Poaceae), containing ca. 23 species, is distributed throughout Australia, Africa, Indian sub-continent, and America. In Korea, Cenchrus longispinus (Hack.) Fernald, especially introduced to Daecheong Island in 1999, is one of the most hazardous invasive plant which causes serious environmental threats, biodiversity damages and physically negative impact on humans and animals. Based on the next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, we characterized the chloroplast (cp) genome sequences of C. longispinus which contains a large single copy (LSC; 80,223 bp), a small single copy (SSC; 12,449 bp), separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRs; 22,236 bp). Additionally, we analyzed the cp genome sequences of Cenchrus echinatus L. which contains a large single copy (LSC; 80,220 bp), a small single copy (SSC; 12,439 bp), separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRs; 22,236 bp). These cp genomes consist of 75 unique genes, 4 rRNA coding genes, 33 tRNA coding genes and 21 duplicated in the IR regions, of which the gene content and organization are similar to the other Poaceae cp genomes. We selected 40 potential regions in cp genomes of two Cenchrus species and one Korean Pennisetum species to develop new single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for identifying C. longispinus based on amplification-refractory mutation system (ARMS) technique. The markers, inferred from SNP in matK and ndhF genes, show effectiveness to recognize C. longispinus from C. echinatus and Korean native species Pennisetum alopecuroides (L.) Spreng.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2021

Angelica is a widely used medicinal and perennial plant. Information on the genetic diversity of Angelica populations is essential for their conservation and germ plasmic utilization. Although Angelica is an important medicinal plant species registered in South Korea, no molecular markers are currently available to distinguish it from other similar species from different countries. This developed single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers derived from nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer regions genomic sequences to identify distinct Korean-specific Angelica species via amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS)-PCR curve analyses. We performed molecular authentication of different kinds of Korean-specific Angelica species such as A. gigas Nakai and A. gigas Jiri using DNA sequences in the ITS intergenic region. The SNP markers developed in this study are useful for rapidly identifying specific Angelica species from different countr.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.465-469
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• 2010

In order to develop effective recycling technologies of disused railway wood ties, wood properties and residual creosote oil of wood ties were investigated. Among the total 50 wood ties, 32 wood ties were identified as tropical hardwood tree, such as, Keruing (Dipterocarpus spp.), Kempas (Koompassia malaccensis), Kapur (Dryobalanops spp.) Naytoh (Palaquium rostratum), and so on. Disused wood ties showed mostly sound structure without degradation of cell walls by decay fungi. Disused wood ties showed high strengths of bending and compressive parallel to grain because degradation of wood properties was hardly occurred in use under exterior condition. Disused railway wood ties had relatively poor depth of penetration and residual of creosote oil because of refractory wood structures. These results suggest that disused railway wood ties may be useful as recycling wood wastes.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.60-65
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• 2016

Aconitum is a genus of various species of flowering plants that belongs to the Family Ranunculaceae. Most Aconitum sp. have extremely toxic alkaloid substances such as aconitine, mesaconitine and hypaconitine. Among these substances, aconitine can cause fatal cardiotoxicity by activating sodium channels followed by calcium channels in myocardial cells. Even though there have been various therapeutic plans suggested comprising antidotes based on diverse case reports and studies, there is no confirmatory treatment protocol for aconite poisoning. Here, we report an aconite poisoning patient who had refractory ventricular tachyarrhythmia that did not respond to intravenous amiodarone therapies even though they were sustained for over 2 hours, but showed successful recovery following intravenous fat emulsions (IFE) therapy.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2018.10a
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• pp.111-111
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• 2018

Aronia (black chokeberry), a species of berries is source to a very large number of bioactive compounds like polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and tannins in comparison to any other species. Owing to its antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties. Fermentation- a bioconversion process exploiting the biological metabolic reaction of micro-organisms, has several benefits like improving the efficacy and safety of physiologically active substances, generation of new functional material, improving the adsorption rate and many others. Antigens like pathogens, food, pollen etc., generate a protective immune response in body tissues, and the process be referred to as inflammation. However, this when excessive results in a condition referred to as refractory inflammatory disease, whose incidence is increasing in the recent times, especially amongst children. The current study intended to assess the anti-oxidant activity, presence of polyphenols and anti-inflammatory efficacy of Aronia extract fermented by Lactic acid bacteria isolated from fermented sea foods. Aronia fruits collected from Sunchang, Chonbuk were lyophilized for fermentation. So as to maximise the efficacy of the fermented Aronia extract, the quantitative effects of lactic acid bacteria species, composition of extraction solution, influence of temperature and time on antioxidant activity and total polyphenol contents were investigated using an experimental design. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated on NO and cytokine ($TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-6) production in LPS activated Raw 264.7 cells. Results indicated that antioxidant effect and total polyphenol contents were best improved in extract of Aronia fermented by P. pentosaceus. In addition, NO and cytokine ($TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-6) levels were decreased significantly after fermentation. Thus, it was found that the anti-inflammatory activity of Aronia greatly increased after fermentation process using P. pentosaceus.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.131-138
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• 2021

We reviewed current research trends for discriminating between species of the Angelica genus, a group of important medicinal plants registered in South Korea, China, and Japan. Since the registered species for medicinal purposes differ by country, they are often adulterated as well as mixed in commercial markets. Several DNA technologies have been applied to distinguish between species. However, one of the restrictions is insufficient single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the target DNA fragments; in particular, among closely-related species. Recently, amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS)-PCR and highresolution melting (HRM) curve analysis techniques have been developed to solve such a problem. We applied both technologies, and found they were able to discriminate several lines of Angelica genus, including A. gigas Nakai, A. gigas Jiri, A. sinensis, A. acutiloba Kitag, and Levisticum officinale. Furthermore, although the ITS region differs only by one SNP between A. gigas Nakai and A. gigas Jiri, both HRM and ARMS-PCR techniques were powerful enough to discriminate between them. Since both A. gigas Nakai and A. gigas Jiri are native species to South Korea and are very closely related, they are difficult to discriminate by their morphological characteristics. For practical applications of these technologies, further research is necessary with various materials, such as dried or processed materials (jam, jelly, juice, medicinal decoctions, etc.) in commercial markets.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.19 no.4 s.54
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• pp.19-24
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• 2004

The objective of this study was to develop a mechanistically based mathematical model that would consider the interdependence of VOCs transport, microbial activity, and sorptive interactions in a moist, unsaturated soil. Because the focus of the model was on description of natural attenuation, the advective VOCs transport that is induced in engineered remediation processes such as vapor extraction was not considered. The utility of the model was assessed through its ability to describe experimental observations from diffusion experiments using toluene as a representative VOCs in well-defined soil columns that contained a toluene degrading bacterium, Pseudomonas putida G7 md Fl, as the sole active microbial species. The gas-liquid mass-transfer was found to be a key parameter controlling the ability of bacteria to degrade VOCs. This finding indicates that soil size and geometry are likely to be important parameters in assessing the possible success of natural attenuation of VOCs in contaminated unsaturated soils. Therefore we found that Pseudomonas putida G7 and Fl were very effective to remove of refractory pollutants such as toluene in soil by Bio-filter