• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.203-213
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• 2024

In this study, we investigated the growth and physiological responses of Iris laevigata Fisch. to shading treatments in order to suggest optimal light conditions for ex-situ conservation of the northern lineage plants. For this purpose, a control plant receiving full sunlight and different shading treatments (50%, 75%, 95%) were installed, and leaf mass per area, chlorophyll content and fluorescence response, and photosynthetic characteristics were investigated. I. laevigata developed leaves with higher photosynthetic efficiency to adapt to lower light intensity as shading levels increased. Chlorophyll content increased with increasing shading levels, and leaf mass per area decreased with increasing leaf area. The chlorophyll fluorescence responses Fv/Fm and NPQ did not change with shading, and the activity of the carbon fixation system did not differ between treatments. I. laevigata exhibited a light-saturation point equivalent to that of sun plants and maintained photosynthetic capacity similar to that of controls up to 75% shading. The apparent quantum yield of I. laevigata decreased significantly at 95% shading, indicating adaptation to lower light conditions. It seems that the photosynthetic capacity of I. laevigata decreases when grown under 95% shading level compared to full sunlight, and it is judged that the longer the light is restricted by continuous shading, the more unfavorable the growth will be.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.15-20
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• 2014

Objectives : Commiphora myrrha (CM) has been used in traditional medicine for treating disease such as obesity, hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, diabetes and osteoarthritis. However, the protective effects of CM on acute pancreatitis (AP) has not been reported. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of CM water extract on cerulein-induced AP. Methods : AP was induced in mice via intraperitoneal injection of supramaximal concentrations of the stable cholecystokinin analogue cerulein ($50{\mu}g/kg$) every hour for 6 times. Water extract of CM (0.1, 0.2, or 0.5 g/kg) was administrated intraperitoneally 1 h prior to the first injection of cerulein. The mice were killed at 6 h after the final cerulein injection. Pancreas was rapidly removed for morphologic and histochemical examination, myeloperoxidase (MPO) assay. Blood samples were taken to determine serum amylase and lipase activities. Results : Administration of CM significantly inhibited pancreatic weight/body weight ratio, pancreas histological injury. And CM administration inhibited the serum digestive enzyme elevation such as amylase and lipase on cerulein-induced pancreatitis. In addition, Pancreas MPO activity which indicates neutrophil infiltration was inhibited by CM extract on cerulein-induced pancreatitis. Conclusions : In conclusion, our results could suggest that pre-treatment of CM reduces the severity of cerulein-induced AP. Therefore, CM could be used as a protective agent against AP. Also, this study could give a clinical basis that CM could be a drug or agent to prevent AP.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.87-92
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• 2005

The study was performed using of ethanol and water extracts of Fatsia japonica Decne. et Planch. in anticancer and immune activities. All extracts of 1.0 $g/{\ell}$ concentration were increased in over 60% of the anticancer activites in A549 and MCF7 cells. Root barks inhibited 55%, 74% in A549 and MCF7 cell by adding ethanol extracts of $g/{\ell}$ concentration. The cytotoxicity of human lung nomal cell (HEL299) counted up to about 22% for ethanol extracts of root barks in 1 $g/{\ell}$ concentration. The activity of human immune T and B cells were increased up to $140{\sim}170%$ by adding ethanol extract of the root barks. Increasing trend of secretion of cytokine (IL-6, $TNF-{\alpha}$) from human B and T cell for 5 days cultivation has been abserved. From the results, the anticancer and immune-stimulatory activities of the roots extract were higher than the extracts of other parts.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.661-665
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-amnesic effect of daebo (Castanea crenata) extract on trimethyltin chloride (TMT)-induced learning and memory impairment, in vivo. The inner skin of daebo was extracted using distilled water under reflux conditions. At the end of the adaptation period, ICR mice were divided into a control group, a TMT injection group (negative control), and a sample group (C5: 5 mg/kg body weight; C10: 10 mg/kg body weight; and C20: 20 mg/kg body weight), and were tested with learning and memory tests. The ethylacetate fraction of the daebo inner skin extract was found to increase TMT-induced memory deficit in the Y-maze and passive avoidance test. Brain tissue analysis showed that the ethylacetate fraction of daebo extract lowered the acetylcholine esterase (AChE) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content of neuronal cells, both of which are indicative of lipid peroxidation.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2020

Background: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of NaCl concentration on the photosynthetic parameters, chlorophyll fluorescence and growth characteristics of Crepidiastrum sonchifolium. Methods and Results: As treatments, we subjected C. sonchifolium plants to four different concentrations of NaCl (0, 50, 100 and 200 mM). We found that the photosynthetic parameters maximum photosynthesis rate (P_{N max}), net apparent quantum yield (Φ), maximum carboxylation rate (V_cmax), and maximum electron transport rate (J_max) were significantly reduced at an NaCl concentration greater than 100 mM. In contrast, there was an increase in water-use efficiency with increasing NaCl concentration, although in terms of growth performances, leaf dry weight, root dry weight, stem length, and total dry weight all decreased with increasing NaCl concentration. Furthermore, leakage of electrolytes, as a consequence of cell membrane damage, clearly increased in response to an increase in NaCl concentration. Analysis of the polyphasic elevation of chlorophyll a fluorescence transients (OKJIP) revealed marked decrease in flux ratios (Φ_PO, Ψ_O and Φ_EO) and the PI_abs, performance index in response to treatment with 200 mM NaCl, thereby reflectings the relatively reduced state of photosystem II. This increase in fluorescence could be due to a reduction in electron transport beyond Q^-_A. We thus found that the photosynthetic parameters, chlorophyll fluorescence and growth characteristics of C. sonchifolium significantly increased in response to treatment with 200 mM NaCl. Conclusions: Collectively, the findings of this study indicate that C. sonchifolium shows relatively low sensitivity to NaCl stress, although photosynthetic activity was markedly reduced in plants exposed to 200 mM NaCl.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.191-198
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• 1999

Enzyme-aided bleaching of softwood and hardwood kraft pulps by a xylanase preparation from an alkalophilic fungus Cephalospotium sp. RYM-202 was studied. Maximal solubilization of Pulp xylan was obtained at 5$0^{\circ}C$ in both kraft pulps. The optimum pH of the enzyme for the hydrolysis of pulp xylan was 8.0 and more than 90% of the maximal activity was detected at 9.0. The positive effects of xylanase pretreatment on bleachability of softwood and hardwood kraft pulps were observed. The kappa number of softwood and hardwood kraft pulps was decreased by 3.7 and 2.0 units, respectively. The pulp fibre integrity was not significantly affected by xylanase pretreatment when the physical properties of handsheets made from xylanase-treated pulps were compared with those of handsheets from untreated pulps. These results indicate that the alkaline xylanase of Cephalospotium sp. RYM-202 is well suitable for application in enzymatic prebleaching of softwood and hardwood kraft pulps under the alkaline conditions.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.799-813
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• 2011

Increasing mountain biking (MTB) in forest recreation areas is changing the behavioral patterns in the areas where hiking has been a dominant activity, and it may cause ecological and social impacts to the areas. This study examined hikers' perceived conflicts by MTB including the relationship between socio-demographic and visiting characteristics and perceived conflict. On-site survey was conducted in Mudeungsan Provincial Park (MPP), Korea, during September, 2010. Out of 388 hikers participated in the survey, 374 responses were used for data analysis. 30.2% of the respondents encountered or saw MTB (avg.: 1.7 times) in MPP. Overall, 77.1% of respondents thought MTB in MPP was a problem. 73.5%~83.2% of respondents perceived conflict by four major MTB behaviors (e.g., too fast running MTB in trails; MTB bikes occupying trails; MTB bikes passing by hikers too closely; MTB bikers doing unpleasant behaviors to hikers). Based on the type of conflict, 48.5~62.4% of respondents fell in the type of "social values conflict (SVC)", 11.1~32.4%, "interpersonal conflict (IC)", and 16.8~26.6%, "no conflict (NC)", respectively. Types of conflicts were related with sociodemographic (e.g., gender, age, education) and visiting characteristics (e.g., number of visits, experience of encountering MTB). Such relationships were nonexistent in most cases when the "experience of encountering MTB" was controlled.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.403-408
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• 2002

We prepared extracts from bark, leaf and fruit of Sorbus commixta Hedl using by water and ethanol. To test for mutagenicity and antimutagenicity on extracts, we used Rec assay and Ames test. The result of Rec assay, the extracts of the Sorbus commixta Hedl did not show a DNA-damage activity. The results of Ames test were provided that extracts of Sorbus commixta Hedl showed $43{\sim}73\;%$ antimutagenic activities. In the inhibition ratio of the growth of several human cancer cells (A549, HepG2, MCF7), 91% of MCF7 cell growth, 94% of A549 cell growth and 91% HepG2 cell growth were inhibited by adding 1mg/ml of fruit ethanol extracts, bark ethanol extracts and fruit ethanol extracts, respectively. There was a little cytotoxicity on human normal hephatocyte (WRL68), extracts(1mg/ml) showed over the 70% survival.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.284-288
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• 2016

To investigate the physiological effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa, in vitro antioxidant activities and neuroprotective effects against high glucose-induced oxidative stress were examined. The ethyl acetate fraction (EtOAc-Fr) from H. sabdariffa contained high total phenolic contents compared with other fractions but total anthocyanin contents were lower than 80% Ethanol extract showed the highest 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt radical scavenging activity and malondialdehyde inhibitory effect. Furthermore, the EtOAc-Fr decreased the intracellular reactive oxygen species level, and protected the neuron-like PC12 cells from high glucose-induced cytotoxicity. The EtOAc-Fr also presented inhibitory effects against acetylcholinesterase as an acetylcholine hydrolase enzyme. Finally, chlorogenic acids as main phenolics by high performance liquid chromatography analysis.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.416-431
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• 2011

Hiking trails in Mt Jiri, and Mt Halla, National Park have been examined in terms of their degrading factors. The trails are deteriorated by natural erosion processes as well as human trampling. Trail deterioration is classified into tread lowering, sidewall retreat, path widening and divergence based upon a place where erosional processes occur. Tread lowering and sidewall retreat is generally produced by natural erosion factors, whereas path widening and divergence is generated by human trampling. Rainwash is the most contributing process to tread lowering. By contrast, several processes such as rainwash, needle ice action, deflation, tree falling and animal activity play a major role in sidewall retreat according to physical conditions of a hiking trail. Path widening and divergence could be classified by a factor producing human trampling. There are lots of cases related to rainwash such as the tree root, gravel, and bedrock, exposed by a surface flow lowering a tread and the riser produced by tread scouring. A puddle of rainwater on a flat tread and a fallen tree of Abies koreana in a forest region are also major factors to cause path widening and divergence. A paved tread with stones encourages a hiker to walk out of a trail. Taking a shortcut also results in path widening and divergence without a factor giving a hiker inconvenience on a trail.