• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.2395-2400
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• 2016

Conventional drug carriers such as liposomes, nanoparticles, polymer micelles, polymeric conjugate and lipid microemulsion for cancer chemotherapy shield normal tissues from toxic drugs to treat cancer cells in tumors. However, inaccurate tumor targeting uncontrolled drug release from the carriers and unwanted accumulation in healthy sites can limit treatment efficacy with current conventional drug carriers with insufficient concentrations of drugs in the tumors and unexpected side effects as a result. Sickle red blood cells show natural tumor preferential accumulation without any manipulation due to the adhesive interaction between molecular receptors on the membrane surface and counter-receptor on endothelial cells. In addition, structural changes of microvascular in tumor sites enhances polymerization of sickle red blood cells. In this research, we examined the use of sickle red blood cells as a new drug carrier with novel tumor targeting and controlled release properties to quantify its therapeutic effects.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2015

Radiation causes various pathophysiological alterations in living animals, and it causes death at high doses by multiple mechanisms, including direct DNA damage and indirect oxidative stress. The search for useful radioprotectors has been an important issue in the field of radiation biology. Ideal radioprotectors should have low toxicity and an extended window of protection. As many synthetic compounds have toxic side effects, the natural products have attracted scientific attention as radioprotectors. Natural products that have been recently shown to be effective with various biological activities were found to have radioprotective effect. The aim of this review is to summary the recent research of the radioprotective effects of natural foods, especially focused on the glycobiological properties of mushrooms.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.113-116
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• 2012

Various kinds of positive effects of green tea extracts had been studied for long time which included anti-inflammation, anti-aging, and cardiometabolic effects. Although topical steroid and non-steroidal calcineurin inhibitors may control clinical symptoms of allergic contact dermatitis, some of patients also present allergic reaction to these topical agents. Therefore, we have tried green tea extracts for managing this skin disorder with expectation of anti-inflammatory effect without potential side effects including skin irritation and toxic responses. The toxicity test of green tea extract also did not show any sign of irritation in the skin throughout the test period. Moderate severity of allergic contact dermatitis presented satisfactory clinical outcome at second week follow-up which was final visit of outpatient. This result mean that green tea extract has a positive effect for managing allergic contact dermatitis but its potency and efficacy seem to be so not strong enough to control moderate severity allergy skin lesion. In this pilot study, we were able to conclude that green tea cell extracts might be applied for potential anti-inflammatory soaking without skin toxicity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.287-295
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• 2024

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies. The chemotherapeutic agents used to treat HCC patients are toxic and have serious side effects. Therefore, we investigated the efficacy of anticancer drugs that reduce side effects by targeting tumor cells without causing cytotoxicity in healthy hepatocytes. Berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid derived from plant compounds, has emerged as a potential candidate for cancer treatment due to its diverse pharmacological properties. The effect of berberine on HepG2 cell viability was determined using the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. HepG2 cell proliferation was determined through a colony-forming assay. The effects of berberine on HepG2 cell migration were evaluated using a wound-healing assay. Berberine inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells, as well as colony formation and migration. Berberine treatment increased the expression of autophagy-related genes and proteins, including Beclin-1 and LC3-II, and elevated the activities and mRNA expression of Caspase-9 and Caspase-3. Additionally, in experiments utilizing the Cell-Derived Xenograft animal model, berberine treatment reduced tumor size and weight in a concentration-dependent manner. These results demonstrate the potential of berberine as a versatile anticancer agent with efficacy in both cellular and animal models of hepatocellular carcinoma. The findings herein shed light on berberine's efficacy against HCC, presenting opportunities for targeted and personalized therapeutic interventions.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.191-199
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• 2010

Introduction of Technology-Based Effluent Limitations (TBELs) concepts into Korea requires extensive and through analyses on the expected pollutants reduction effects and the cost factor for the industry side. In addition, the TEBLs should be optimized for the regulatory environments of Korea and be applied in a progressive manner to minimize the undesirable effects. It is also necessary to assess the contribution of each industrial categories's to the pollution of natural water bodies to find the priority of TEBLs application. For these purposes, the pollution loads of various industrial categories were analyzed using risk assessment indicator based on Toxic Weighting Factors (TWFs). First, the TWFs were calculated for the pollutants regulated using the method adopted by USEPA. And the effluent characteristics of the eighty two categories of industry in Korea were investigated. Although the analytical data on the wastewater from different industrial categories are relatively limited, the results from two previous studies were used. The first study, conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Research in 2001~2004, investigated the wastewater characteristics from 255 industrial sources covering the major 20 industrial categories. The second study includes more recent analytical data for the wastewater from 500 industrial sources, covering all the 82 industrial categories. In the result of the pollution loads analyses, the category of 'Synthetic and Chemical manufacture' was found to show the highest raw pollution load. On the other hand the category of 'Ion & Steel manufacture' was found to show the highest effluent pollution loads, which can be considered as the real impacts on natural water streams. The top five categories occupied 62.2% of the total effluent pollution loads. Through the analyses, the relative importances of each industrial categories and the priorities of TEBL-based pollution reduction were determined.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.4965-4971
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• 2016

Objective: Breast cancer is global female health problem worldwide. Most of the currently used agents for breast cancer treatment have toxic side-effects. Ginseng root, an oriental medicine, has many health benefits and may exhibit direct anti-cancer properties. This study was performed to assess the effects of ginseng on breast cancer cell lines. Materials and Methods: Cytotoxicity of ginseng extract was measured by MTT assay after exposure of MDA-MB-231, MCF-10A and MCF-7 breast cancer cells to concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 mg/well. Expression levels of p21WAF, p16INK4A, Bcl-2, Bax and P53 genes were analyzed by quantitative real time PCR. Results: The treatment resulted in inhibition of cell proliferation in a dose-and time-dependent manner. p53, p21WAF1and p16INK4A expression levels were up-regulated in ginseng treated MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cancer cells compared to untreated controls and in MCF-10A cells. The expression levels of Bcl2 in the MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells were down-regulated. In contrast, that of Bax was significantly up-regulated. Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that ginseng may inhibit breast cancer cell growth by activation of the apoptotic pathway.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.1-10
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• 2008

1. Objectives I investigated the effects and mechanisms of Semen Tiglii(ST, 巴豆), Radix Euphorbiae Kansui(REK, 甘遂) and Pedicelus Melo(PM, 瓜莘) in the view of Sasang Constitutional Medicine. 2. Methods I analyzed the literature about oriental medicine and Sasang Constitutional medicine related to herbal Medicine. The contents analyzed were efficacious disease, dosage, usage, side effect, toxicity. 3. Results The first, similarities of ST, REK and PM are improving Gwangyuk, the Chest Discomfort with Constipation, Dysuria and Nausea, toxic, used in urgency, asministered by itself and used shaped powder. The second, ST and REK used the diseases related water and food metabolism in Soumin and Soyangin. PM used the diseases related Qi and fluid metabolism in Taeumin. The third, diarrhea caused by ST and REK is symptom to retrieve the diseases related water and food metabolism. The vomiting caused by PM is symptom to retrieve the diseases related Qi and fluid metabolism. 4. Conclusions The ST, REK and PM is good herbal medicine (() retrieve the urgency symptom caused by the body unbalance in Sasang Constitutional Medicine. The proper dosage is essential because of toxicity of drugs.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.165-174
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• 2017

Background: Traditional plant drugs, are less toxic and free from side effects compared to general synthetic drugs. They have been used for the treatment of diabetes and associated renal damage. In this study, we evaluated effect of Hachimi-jio-gan against diabetic renal damage in a rat model of type 1 diabetic nephropathy induced by subtotal nephrectomy plus streptozotocin (STZ) injection, and in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats and db/db mice as a model of human type 2 diabetes, and its associated complications. To explore the active components of Hachimi-jio-gan, the antidiabetic effect of corni fructus, a consituent of Hachimi-jio-gan, and 7-O-galloyl-${{\small}D}$-sedoheptulose, a phenolic compound isolated from corni fructus, were investigated. Methods and Results: We conducted an extensive literature search, and all required data were collected and systematically organized. The findings were reviewed and categorized based on relevance to the topic. A summary of all the therapeutic effects were reported as figures and tables. Conclusions: Hachimi-jio-gan serves as a potential therapeutic agent to against the development of type 1 and type 2 diabetic nephropathy. From the results of characterization active components of corni fructus, 7-O-galloyl-${\small}D$-sedoheptulose is considered to play an important role in preventing and/or delaying the onset of diabetic renal damage. 7-O-Galloyl-${\small}D$-sedoheptulose is expected to serve as a novel therapeutic agent against the development of diabetic nephropathy.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.67 no.2
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• pp.120-128
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• 2023

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes the weakening of bone by increasing porosity, which often results in fractures. Osteoporosis treatment measures include the use of Bisphosphonates and estrogen. However, these treatments cannot be used in the long term as these treatments have adverse side effects. Therefore, there is a need to identify better and safer treatment options. For this, 63 plant extracts were screened and among them, six extracts showed high anti-osteoclastic activity with low cytotoxicity. Of these six extracts, three extracts, Cudrania tricuspidata (P371), Ulmus davidiana var. japonica (P401), and Torilis japonica (P411), showed more than 50 percent osteoclast inhibition. While the remaining, Stewartia pseudocamellia extracts I and II (P370, P397) and Cuscuta chinensis (P418), showed moderate or between 40-50 percent osteoclast inhibition. Among all the extracts, Torilis japonica (P411) showed the highest inhibitory action against osteoclast development. Torilis japonica (P411) primary components include Kaempferol, Quercetin, and Luteolin, all proven to inhibit osteoclastogenesis. Stewartia pseudocamellia extracts I and II (P370 and P397) showed moderate or 44% osteoclast inhibition. Stewartia pseudocamellia extract II (P397) enhanced the growth of RAW 264.7 cells by 19%. Torilis japonica (P411) and Stewartia pseudocamellia extract II (P397) suppressed the expression of osteoclast-specific genes in RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis in RAW 246.7 cells. Torilis japonica (P411) extracts even increased osteoblast-specific RUNX2 gene expression. This results provide that six extracts could be used as a potential treatment option for osteoporosis disease with the extracts of Torilis japonica (P411) and Stewartia pseudocamellia (P397) as an ideal candidates. However, the combination of the extract with higher osteoclastic inhibition and less toxic effects with further analysis should be recommended.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.164-173
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• 1999

Background : cis-Diamminedichloroplatinum(Ⅱ)(cis-platin) has been exhibited similar to bifunctional alkylating agents in the cell and known as an effective anticancer drug. Although this agent is very beneficial to the cancer patients, it may also damage to the normal cell. Many side effects were developed. Objectives : This experiments was undertaken to pursue the effect of cis-Platin on the mucous variation of the trachea. Materials and Methods : The male of Sprague-Dawley strain were used as and experimental animals. The experimental animals were killed at 1, 3 days and 1, 2 and 3 weeks after the third injection of cis-Platin was administered 1.5mg/kg to intraperitoneal injection at once a week for three weeks. The trachea was fixed to neutral formaline and stained with alcian blue(pH 1.0)-PAS, alcian blue(pH 2.5)-PAS double stains and these preparation observed with light microscope. Results : 1. In the trachea stained with alcian blue(pH 2.5)-PAS double stain, the epithelial cells were constricted in the 1 week, In the 1st day, 3rd day and 1st week, acidic mucopolysaccharide was increased but in the 2nd week, neutral mucopolysaccharide was increase. 2. In the trachea stained with alcian blue(pH 1.0)-PAS double stain, the 1st and 3rd day exhibited sulfa mucopolysaccharide with moderately or weakly positive reaction. In the 1st week the sulfa mucopolysaccharide with strongly positive reaction was increased. In the 2nd and 3rd week, the sulfa mucopolysaccharide with weakly positive and non-sulfa or neutral mucopolsaccharide with negative reaction were modified. Conclusion : It is consequently suggested that cis-Platin induces reversible toxic damage to tracheal cells including goblet cell.