• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.415-421
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• 2016

The drug-resistance of malaria parasites is the main problem in the disease control. The huge Brazilian biodiversity promotes the search for new compounds, where the animal kingdom is proving to be a promising source of bioactive compounds. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the antiplasmodial and cytotoxic activity of the compounds obtained from the toad venoms of Brazilian Amazon. Toad venoms were collected from the secretion of Rhinella marina and Rhaebo guttatus in Mato Grosso State, Brazil. The powder was extracted at room temperature, yielding 2 extracts (RG and RM) and a substance ('1') identified as a bufadienolide, named telocinobufagin. Growth inhibition, intraerythrocytic development, and parasite morphology were evaluated in culture by microscopic observations of Giemsa-stained thin blood films. Cytotoxicity was determined against HepG2 and BGM cells by MTT and neutral red assays. The 2 extracts and the pure substance ('1') tested were active against chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum strain, demonstrating lower $IC_{50}$ values. In cytotoxic tests, the 2 extracts and substance '1' showed pronounced lethal effects on chloroquine-resistant P. faciparum strain and low cytotoxic effect, highlighting toad parotoid gland secretions as a promising source of novel lead antiplasmodial compounds.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2010.10a
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• pp.12-12
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• 2010

Nature applied flavanoids, glucosinolates and peptides for a great variety of functions. Flavanoids and glucosinolates are rich source of antioxidants, generally present in colored fruits and vegetables. Quercetin and its glucosides areone of the best examples of flavonol used in daily diet. Whereas peptides can act as antimicrobial, chemical messenger, neurotransmitter etc that regulating various life processes. Aspartame, a dipeptide is used as artificial sweetener and oxytocin for medical purposes, gained importance in everyday life. So, flavanoids, glucosinolates, peptides and their derivatives continue to hold the attention of synthetic chemists, agriculturists and biologists. Apart from a variety of naturally occurring bioactive metabolites, we are aiming to extract, separate and synthesize new analogs of promising natural drug candidates.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.45-52
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• 2022

The identification of Plasmodium falciparum enoyl acyl-carrier protein reductase (pfENR) is considered as a potential biological target against malaria. Trema orientalis is considered a rich source of phytochemicals useful in malaria treatment. This study evaluated the in-vitro inhibitory activity of the extract and isolated compounds of T. orientalis leaf; the isolated compounds and the analogues of the most active compound were subjected to in-silico molecular docking studies on pfENR. The methanolic extract of T. orientalis was subjected to repeated chromatographic separation which led to the isolation of some compounds. The isolated compounds from the plant were examined for their antimalarial activity using β-hematin inhibition assay. Virtual screening via molecular docking and ADMET studies were conducted to gain insight into the mechanism of binding of ligand and to identify effective pfENR inhibitors. The isolated compounds and the analogues of the most active isolates were gotten from PubChem library for use in docking study. Hexacosanol and β-sitosterol showed inhibition of the β-hematin formation. The docking results showed that hexacosanol, β-sitosterol and the analogues of β-sitosterol displayed binding energy ranging between -6.1 kcal/mol and -11.6 kcal/mol. Sitosterol glucoside has the highest docking score. Some of the ligands showed more binding affinity than known bioactive compounds used as reference. Analogues of β-sitosterol has been shown to be potential inhibitors of pfENR, therefore, the findings from this study suggest that sitosterol glucoside and ergosterol peroxide could act as antimalarial agents after further lead optimisation investigations.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.289-309
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• 2019

Marine microalgae have long been used as food additives and feeds for juvenile fish and invertebrates as their nutritional content is beneficial for humans and marine aquaculture species. Recently, they have also been recognized as a promising source for cosmeceutical, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical products as well as biofuels. Marine microalgae of various species are rich in multiple anti-oxidant phytochemicals and their bioactive components have been employed in cosmetics and dietary supplements. Oil contents in certain groups of marine microalgae are extraordinarily rich and abundant and therefore have been commercialized as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid supplements and mass production of microalgae-based biodiesels has been demonstrated by diverse research groups. Numerous natural products from marine microalgae with significant biological activities are reported yearly and this is attributed to their unique adaptive abilities to the great diversity of marine habitats and harsh conditions of marine environments. Previously unknown toxin compounds from red tide-forming dinoflagellates have also been identified which opens up potential applications in the blue biotechnology sector. This review paper provides a brief overview of the biotechnological potentials of Korean marine microalgae. We hope that this review will provide guidance for future marine biotechnology R&D strategies and the various marine microalgae-based industries in Korea.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.89-94
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• 1998

Marine sponges are recognized as a plentiful source of diverse biologically active secondary metabolites. Recently, we have initiated a research to discover antitumor constituents from the marine sponges collected from Korean Waters. Marine sponges collected from the South Sea of Korea were screened for several biological activities including such as brine shrimp lethality and cytotoxicity. Significant brine shrimp lethality was detected in the crude extract of a two-sponge association of Poecillastra sp. and Jaspis sp. A cross-section of this sample showed two layers of morphologically distinct sponges. The thin and dirty yellow outer layer was identified as Poecillastra sp. (Pachastrellidae), the surface of which was very rough. The light-grey inner layer was identified as Jaspis sp. (Jaspidae), the surface of which was smooth. This two-sponge association appears to be consistent as these sponges were always found in associated form regardless of collection site or collection period. Investigation of the bioactive constituents monitored by brine shrimp lethality assay led to the isolation of pectenotoxin II (PTX2) and psammaplin A as causative compounds for the brine shrimp lethality. $^1$H- and $\^$13/C-nmr signals of PTX2 was fully assigned utilizing TOCSY, HETCOR, Long-range HETCOR, and Homonuclear J-resolved 2D experiments. PTX2 displayed very potent and selective cytotoxicities in the 60 cell line panel antitumor assay at the NCI. PTX2 has progressed to acute toxicity determination and in vivo antitumor assay at the NCI (Table 1). However, significant in vitro antitumor activity of PTX2 can not be affirmed in the in vivo assay.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2009

Fifty seven species of common seaweed from the coast of Korea were screened for antifungal activity against Malassezia species. Seaweeds as a source of bioactive compounds are able to produce a great variety of secondary metabolites with different activities. There are numerous reports on the biological activities of seaweeds against human pathogens, fungi, and yeasts, but only few contain data regarding inhibitory effects against Malassezia sp., a major cause of dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. To help address this paucity of information, this work was carried out to examine the antifungal effects of seaweed extracts against M. furfur and M. restricta. Of the fifty seven species of marine algae screened for their potential antifungal activity, only 17 species (29.8%) exhibited inhibitory activity. In agar disc diffusion method, the ether extracts of Corallina pilulifera, Enteromorpha linza, Laminaria japonica, Symphyocladia latiuscula and Ulva sp. showed strong antifungal activity. To identify major constituents in seaweed extracts, four selected extracts were analyzed on' a GC-MS equipped with a flame ionization detector, and compared to spectral data from databases WILEY229.LIB and NIST107.LIB. Most constituents in seaweed extracts are fatty acid-related compounds. When we evaluated any acute toxicity, the ether extracts of the selected four species were not toxic in mice. According to these results, it can be suggested that these seaweed extracts are valuable for the development of therapeutic agents in treating dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. Further investigations to determine its bioactive compound(s) are currently in progress.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.305-311
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• 1993

Marine organisms were investigated to identify the marine actinomycetes that produced noble bioactive compounds. Microorganism counts range from $2.1{\times}10^3\;to\;1.2{\times}10\;CFU/g$ of marine organisms. Actinomycetes constituted 0.01 to $0.5\%$ of culturable microbial community. We identified the marine actinomycetes that produced novel bioactive compounds. During the course of screening for bioactives from the marine microorganisms, we found that the strain in sponge had antimicrobial activities. From the morphological, cultural and various physiological characteristics, this strain was identified for Actinomycetes No. 101. The optimal compositions of culture medium for Actinomycetes No. 101 were starch 30g/l as carbon source, casamino acid 10g/l as nitrogen source. The optimal pH of medium and fermentation temperature were $6.5{\sim}7.0$ and $30^{\circ}C$, respectively. Fermentation has been conducted in the marine broth at $30^{\circ}C$ for 72 hour. The yield of fermentation got about 3g as dry weight(per liter of broth). The distribution of antimicrobial activity of Actinomycetes No. 101 was screened by paper disc. The extract of cultured cell and broth inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis, but the inhibition action was week against yeast and mold.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.629-634
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• 2014

Rice type tartary buckwheat is used as a substitute for rice in many Asian countries due to its easy dehulling character. The objective of the present study was to determine the chlorophyll, total polyphenol (TP), total flavonoid (TF), antioxidant activity and to quantify the bioactive compounds rutin, quercetin and chlorogenic acid in the seedlings of rice-type tartary buckwheat (RTTB). Young seedlings exhibited higher antioxidant (DPPH radical inhibition) activity in dose dependent manner. TP and TF content were highest ($3017.46{\pm}201.84{\mu}g$ TAE/100 mg dw and $1916.0{\pm}102.95{\mu}g$ QE/100 mg dw respectively) in 3 days after germination (DAG) seedlings compare to 6 and 9 DAG. The contents of rutin and quercetin increased with growing stage of seedlings. However, the chlorogenic acid decreased with increasing growth. Overall, RTTB seedlings can be regarded as a strong source of phenolics and have high possibility for food and nutraceutical application due to their efficient antioxidant properties, higher chlorophyll and phytochemical content.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.73-82
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• 2018

Chlorella are source of valuable compounds as lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, bioactive compounds. To continuous obtain the high-value materials of Chlorella protothecoides, we performed continuous cultivation after applying milking techniques to C. protothecoides grown with culture for 7 days in optical panel bioreactor (OPBR) system. Fatty acid and lutein in extracts from pre- and post-milking of C. protothecoides were analyzed using gas chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography, respectively. C. protothecoides were rich in unsaturated fatty acids with a high content of oleic acid(C18:1), which is suitable as a biofuel feedstock. The fatty acid content in pre- and post-milking of C. protothecoides was decreased from 126.424mg/g d.w. to 119.341mg/g d.w, and the lutein content decreased from 0.258mg/g d.w. to 0.178mg/g d.w. The results of this study demonstrate the feasibility of milking C. protothecoides for production of lipids for biofuels production. It was confirmed that microalgae can continuously obtain lutein present in a trace amount through a continuous culture from milking.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2010

Adolescents grow rapidly and have lots of schoolwork for entrance examination, so good nutrition is very important to them. However, adolescents tend to have a poor dietary behavior including frequent consumption of empty calorie foods and skipping breakfast. In particular, frequency of drinking milk has been low among Korean adolescents, thus their dietary calcium intakes has been low. Undesirable dietary behavior of adolescents is a risk factor for poor nutrition, obesity and chronic disease of them. Milk is a good source for calcium, high quality of protein, vitamin and bioactive compounds including anti-obesity component, thus it has been reported that milk helps improvement of dietary nutrient adequacy and physical growth, increment of bone mineral density, and prevention of obesity and chronic diseases. Therefore, milk consumption of adolescents should be encouraged in order to help their nutritional status, physical growth and health.