• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.37-40
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• 2011

Oleanolic acid (OA) and ursolic acid (UA) are triterpenoid compound present in many plants. This study examined the antimicrobial activity of OA and UA against Streptococcus downei. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and time kill curves. The MIC values of OA and UA for S. downei isolated from the Korean population were $8{\mu}g/ml$. OA and UA had a bactericidal effect on S. downei ATCC $33748^T$ above $2{\times}MIC$, $16{\mu}g/ml$ and $8{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. The results suggest that OA and UA can be used in the development of oral hygiene products for the prevention of dental caries.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.1559-1567
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• 2021

The root bark of Morus alba L. has cytotoxic activity against several types of cancer cells. However, little is known about its chemopreventive mechanisms and bioactive metabolites. In this study, we showed that M. alba L. root bark extracts (MRBE) suppressed β-catenin response transcription (CRT), which is aberrantly activated in various cancers, by promoting the degradation of β-catenin. In addition, MRBE repressed the expression of the β-catenin/T-cell factor (TCF)-dependent genes, c-myc and cyclin D1, thus inhibiting the proliferation of RPMI-8226 multiple myeloma (MM) cells. MRBE induced apoptosis in MM cells, as evidenced by the increase in the population of annexin VFITC-positive cells and caspase-3/7 activity. We identified ursolic acid in MRBE through LC/mass spectrum (MS) and observed that it also decreased intracellular β-catenin, c-myc, and cyclin D1 levels. Furthermore, it suppressed the proliferation of RPMI-8226 cells by stimulating cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. These findings suggest that MRBE and its active ingredient, ursolic acid, exert antiproliferative activity by promoting the degradation of β-catenin and may have significant chemopreventive potential against MM.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.149-154
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• 2013

In general, oleanolic acid (OA) and ursolic acid (UA) have antimicrobial effect against Gram-positive bacteria but not Gram-negative bacteria whereas sophoraflavanone G has antimicrobial activity against both bacterial types. However, the antimicrobial effects of OA, UA, and sophoraflavanone G against periodontopathogens have not been studied to any great extent. The aim of this study was to investigate antimicrobial effect of OA, UA, and sophoraflavanone G against 15 strains (5 species) of oral Gram-negative bacteria, which are the major causative bacteria of periodontal disease. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) determinations. OA and UA showed antimicrobial effects against all of the Porphyromonas gingivalis strains tested and also Prevotella intermedia ATCC $25611^T$. Interestingly, P. intermedia ATCC 49046 showed greater resistance to OA and UA than P. intermedia ATCC $25611^T$. In contrast, sophoraflavanone G had antimicrobial activity against all strains, with MIC and MBC values below $32{\mu}g/ml$, except Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. These results indicate that sophoraflavanone G may have potential for use in future oral hygiene products such as dentifrices and gargling solution to prevent periodontitis.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.7
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• pp.610-615
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• 2015

Alveolar epithelial cells have been functionally implicated in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. This study investigated the role of ursolic acid (UA)-a triterpenoid carboxylic acid with potent antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tuberculosis properties in mycobacterial infection of alveolar epithelial A549 cells. We observed that M. tuberculosis successfully entered A549 cells. Cytotoxicity was mediated by nitric oxide (NO). A549 toxicity peaked along with NO generation 72 h after infection. The NO generated by mycobacterial infection in A549 cells was insufficient to kill mycobacteria, as made evident by the mycobacteria growth indicator tube time to detect (MGIT TTD) and viable cell count assays. Treatment of mycobacteria-infected cells with UA reduced the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, NO generation, and eventually improved cell viability. Moreover, UA was found to quench the translocation of the transcription factor, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$), from the cytosol to the nucleus in mycobacteria-infected cells. This study is the first to demonstrate the cytotoxic role of NO in the eradication of mycobacteria and the role of UA in reducing this cytotoxicity in A549 cells.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.254-259
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• 2014

The pentacyclic triterpenoid ursolic acid (UA) and its isomer oleanolic acid (OA) are ubiquitous in food and plant medicine, and thus are easily exposed to the population through natural contact or intentional use. Although they have diverse health benefits, reported cardiovascular protective activity is contentious. In this study, the effect of UA and OA on platelet aggregation was examined on the basis that alteration of platelet activity is a potential process contributing to cardiovascular events. Treatment of UA enhanced platelet aggregation induced by thrombin or ADP, which was concentration-dependent in a range of $5-50{\mu}M$. Quite comparable results were obtained with OA, in which OA-treated platelets also exhibited an exaggerated response to either thrombin or ADP. UA treatment potentiated aggregation of whole blood, while OA failed to increase aggregation by thrombin. UA and OA did not affect plasma coagulation assessed by measuring prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time. These results indicate that both UA and OA are capable of making platelets susceptible to aggregatory stimuli, and platelets rather than clotting factors are the primary target of them in proaggregatory activity. These compounds need to be used with caution, especially in the population with a predisposition to cardiovascular events.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.75-79
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate antimicrobial effect of oleanolic acid (OA), ursolic acid (UA), and sophoraflavanone G against Enterococcus faecalis and Propionibacterium acnes, which are the major causative bacteria of endodontic infections. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). The data showed that the OA, UA, and sophoraflavanone G had antimicrobial effect on all the strains use in the study with $16-64{\mu}g/ml$, $8-64{\mu}g/ml$, and $1-8{\mu}g/ml$ of MIC values, respectively. These results indicate that OA, UA, and sophoraflavanone G could be useful in the development of antiseptic solution for washing the root canal in endodontic treatments.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.282-288
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• 1993

Very little utilization of the fruits of Malus baccata(Rosaceae) has been employed for food and medicinal plants except for preparing fruit beverages. But, it was estimated as valuable to investigate the chemical components for the botanical resource of this plant. In this study, it was found that the fruits of this plant contained primary long chain alcohol, ${\beta}-sitosterol$, campesterol, ursolic acid and ${\beta}-_D-glucosides$ of ${\beta}-sitosterol$ and campesterol. However, phloretin(dihydrochalcone) and its 5-O-glucoside(phloridzin) known as plant growth regulators in many Rosaceae plants were not found in this plant material by co-TLC analysis with authentic specimens. Although plant sex hormone, estrone, was often contained in relates of M. baccata, e.g., Prunus spp., Crataegus spp. and Malus spp., this compound was not detected in this fruit by comparison with an authentic material. By RIC chromatography, it was suggested that the Soxhlet extraction by the solvent of ether was excellently useful to extract ursolic acid efficiently.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.212-215
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• 2012

The antimicrobial activity of ursolic acid (UA) and oleanolic acid (OA), both triterpenoid compounds, against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is controversial. We examined the antimicrobial effects of UA and OA against 19 strains of MRSA isolated from Koreans by determining minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC). The data showed that the methicillin-sensitive strain S. aureus KCTC $1621^T$ was more resistant to UA and OA than that of the MRSA strains. The MBC values of UA and OA against MRSA had broad ranges; 4 to 32 ${\mu}g/ml$ and 16 to >256 ${\mu}g/ml$, respectively. It was difficult to understand the different antimicrobial activities of UA and OA among the MRSA strains, because UA and OA antimicrobial mechanisms are unknown. These results indicate that the antimicrobial effects of UA and OA against MRSA are dependent on resistance to UA and OA in each strain.

• 대한치주과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1994.12a
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• pp.36-37
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• 1994

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.182-187
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• 2013

This study was conducted to investigate glutathione S-transferase(GST) activity, tyrosinase inhibitory effect and elastase inhibitory effect in persimmon calyx(calyx of Diospyros kaki Thunberg) for screening of functional materials from natural products. As a result, EtOAc extract of persimmon calyx turned out to be having tyrosinase inhibitory effect and elastase inhibitory effect. The active constituents of tyrosinase and elastase inhibitory effect were isolated from EtOAc extract of persimmon calyx. Their structure of compounds were identified as ursolic acid and (-)-daucosterol by spectroscopic evidence, respectively.