• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.399-405
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• 2001

Urushiol, a natural pro-electrophilic quinone compound, has potential structural characteristics as antitumor chemotherapeutic agents. However, urushiol's use as an antitumor drug has some problems, because it is hardly miscible with an aqueous solution. Purified urushiol is highly viscous and soluble only in strong solvents. for this study, we prepared an urushiol-ethanol micro-emulsion with a unimodal size distribution by high-speed homogenization. This generated effective delivery of urushiol to its action wites, so that we could investigate its cytotoxic activity against cancer cells. Using a colony-forming assay, we were able to show that urushiol selectively inhibited the growth of the ovarian cancer cells PA-1 and 2774 at a concentration of $10^{-6}$, whereas it had only a negligible effect on normal CHO cells at the same concentration. The data suggest that urushiol may have potential as an effective antitumor agent in the treatment of ovarian cancer. In addition, we addressed the question of whether the specific cytotoxic effect of urushiol is linked to apoptosis, by DNA fragmentation and DAPI staining assays. The inhibitory effects of urushiol on the growth of ovarian cancer cells was found to be associated with DNA fragmentation and the fragmented nuclei formation, both of which represent markers for the induction of apoptosis. Therefore, the results suggested that urushiol affected its profound cytotoxicity by triggering apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells.

• 청정기술
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.22-27
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• 2007

옻은 전통적으로 옻칠로서 사용되었으며, 최근 많은 연구를 통하여 과학적으로 그 내구성, 항균성들이 밝혀졌기 때문에 본 연구진은 옻이 최근 대두되고 있는 친환경적 방오도료의 문제를 해결할 수 있을 것으로 예상하고 있다. 따라서 본 실험에서는 옻의 주성분인 urushiol을 화학적으로 합성하고, 그 유도체들과 함께 어느 정도의 항균효과가 있는지 알아보았다. 그 결과, 본 연구진은 합성된 urushiol이 뛰어난 항진균효과를 가짐을 알 수 있었고, 항균효과 측면에서는 그람양성균에는 좋은 효과를 보인 반면 그람음성균에서는 큰 효과를 보이지 않음을 알 수 있었다. 또한 urushiol과 그 유도체들의 항균력은 균주에 따라 서로 다른 특이적 항균성을 보이는 것을 알 수 있었다.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.1-6
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• 2020

Objectives : Heating process is the traditional processing method that has been applied to reduce the toxicity of dried resin of Toxicodendron vernicifluum (Anacardiacea) used as Geon-chil (乾漆, Lacca Rhois Exsiccata or Toxicodendri Resina). Urushiol, which is found in the plants of Toxicodendron genus, is a toxic compound that is absorbed into the skin and induces allergic dermatitis by being contacted. Hence, the reduction of urushiol level by heating processing of Geon-chil is crucial method for its medicinal application. Methods : Due to lack of Geon-chil processing-related articles, the articles researching the processing of lacquer (漆), as a coating material, were collected and analyzed to investigate the chemical change of urushiol during heating process. Results : The results demonstrate that the resin which was collected from the sap of T. vernicifluum tree was dried under warm and humid conditions repeatedly. During primary drying process, the laccase, a copper-containing enzyme in the resin, participated in the formation of urushiol polymers and thereafter urushiol-related toxicity could be reduced by making a lacquer harder and more stable. Moreover, heating a lacquer over 200℃ could cause thermo-degradation of urushiol polymers, and vaporized thermally degraded urushiol monomers and their by-products, which were determined using pyrolysis/GC-MS. Conclusions : These results support that heating process being performed over 200 ℃, such as stir-frying (炒) or calcination (煅), reduces the urushiol content in Geon-chil and hence, its medicinal use can be more stable without urushiol-related allergic reactions.

• 한국균학회지
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.347-357
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• 2019

본 연구에서는 urushiol 제거에 적합한 장수버섯 종균용 원료에 대하여 평가하였다. 세 가지 곡물조, 현미, 통밀에서의 장수버섯 균사체 증식속도는 각각 4.92±0.05, 2.20±0.03, 1.93±0.03 mm/day 이었다. 장수버섯이 배양된 곡물종균의 laccase의 활성은 각각 0.86±0.02, 0.04±0.01, 0.01±0.00 U/mL 이었다. 증식속도와 효소활성 측면에서 장수버섯 종균용 곡물로는 조를 사용하는 것이 적합하였다. 조에 배양된 장수버섯 종균을 옻나무에 배양하였더니 3일차에 urushiol이 최대 86.6% 감소하였고 7일차에 98.5%까지 감소하였다. Urushiol 제거를 위한 적정 배양기간은 3일이었으며 이때 flavonoid 잔존량은 68%, phenolic 성분의 잔존량은 42% 이었다. 액체종균을 사용하여 배양한 것과 비교했을 때 urushiol을 제거하기 위한 증식기간이 10일에서 3일로 단축되었다.

• 한국자원식물학회지
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.40-46
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• 1998

For the comparison of the urushiol composition and biological acitivity between the fresh sap and fire distilled sap of lacquer tree(Rhus vernicifera), we analysed the urushiol composition by HPLC and EI-MS, and investigated the antioxidative , antimicrobial and anticancer acitivities according to solvent fractionations. There was no difference in the urushiol composition between fresh and fire distilled saps of lacquer tree. The hexane frqctionsof two saps showed a strong DPPH radical scaverging activity (RC50 : 7.0-7.5$\mu\textrm{g}$). They also showed a strong antifungal activity onthe spore germination of Cladosporium herbarum(MIC : 8$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml), whereas they have no or low activity against the bacteria(BAcillus subtilis , Escherichia coli). In addition , hexane and butanol fractions of two saps showed a strong inhibitory activity against cultured tumour cell lines (GI50 : 0.35, 12.29$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml) in vitro. These results confirm that the fresh sap and fire distilled sap might have the similar urushiol compositions and biological activities.

• 한국식품영양학회지
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.267-270
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• 2006

한국에서 옻나무(Rhus verniciflua)는 전통적으로 약용식물로 오랫동안 사용되어 왔다. 민간요법으로 위장병 치료를 목적으로 옻나무껍질을 닭과 함께 넣어 끊여서 백숙형태로 옻닭으로 식용하였다. 그러나 일부 사람에게서 피부발진이 발생하는 극심한 알러지 반응을 일으키는 나무로 인식되어 왔다. 알러지 발생을 유발시키는 우루시올은 옻나무의 수지상 옻칠 액의 주성분이다. 이 성분의 화학적 구조는 카테친의 기본구조에 알킬기인 불포화지방산(C$_{15}_{\sim}_{17}$)이 곁사슬로 붙어 있다. 곁사슬의 불포화지방산 성분은 칠기의 고분자화 및 경화과정에 중요한 역할을 하며, 옻칠공예품의 색상 및 품질에 커다란 영향을 미친다. 한국에서 생산되는 원주산 옻칠액의 우루시올성분은 역상 컬럼을 사용하여 고속 액체 크로마토그라피 (HPLC)법으로 정제하여 ESI(-), FAB(+) 질량분석기(MS)로 분석한 결과 분자량 340인 Hetadecatetetraenyl catechol 이었다.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.257-264
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• 2022

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumor. 5-FU is commonly used for the treatment of CRC. However, the development of drug resistance in tumor chemotherapy can seriously reduce therapeutic efficacy of 5-FU. Recent data show that FoxM1 is associated with 5-FU resistance in CRC. FoxM1 plays a critical role in the carcinogenesis and drug resistance of several malignancies. It has been reported that urushiol V isolated from the cortex of Rhus verniciflua Stokes is cytotoxic to several types of cancer cells. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms for its antitumor activity and its potential to attenuate the chemotherapeutic resistance in CRC cells remain unknown. Here, we found that urushiol V could inhibit the cell proliferation and induced S-phase arrest of SW480 colon cancer cells. It inhibited protein expression level of FoxM1 through activation of AMPK. We also investigated the combined effect of urushiol V and 5-FU. The combination treatment reduced FoxM1 expression and consequently reduced cell growth and colony formation in 5-FU resistant colon cancer cells (SW480/5-FUR). Taken together, these result suggest that urushiol V from Rhus verniciflua Stokes can suppress cell proliferation by inhibiting FoxM1 and enhance the antitumor capacity of 5-FU. Therefore, urushiol V may be a potential bioactive compound for CRC therapy.

• 한국산림과학회지
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• 제87권2호
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• pp.260-269
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• 1998

본 연구는 전통적인 민간요법으로 많이 이용되고 있는 옻나무의 옻칠액의 주성분인 urushiol의 암세포증식억제 효과를 검정하기 위하여 L1210(mouse 혈액암세포), PC-9(인체폐암세포), A427(인체폐암세포), KATO III(인체위암세포)에 대한 urushiol의 세포독성을 검정하였다. Urushiol은 column chromatography에서 hexane과 acetone을 혼합하여 step-wise법으로 용출한 분획을 암세포주 L1210, PC-9, A427, KATO III에 투여했다. 그 결과 암세포 증식억제효과는 hexane : acetone(9 : 1) 분획이 가장 높았고, 그외 50%억제농도($IC_{50}$)는 A427 에서 $0.018{\mu}g/m{\ell}$로 가장 우수하였다. 이들 암세포에 대한 urushiol의 hexane: acetone(9 : 1)분획의 50%억제농도($IC_{50}$)를 시판용 tetraplatin 비교한 결과 urushiol이 tetraplatin에 대하여 L1210에서 3.4배, PC-9 에서 3.9배, A427에서 105.5배의 낮은 농도에서도 동일한 억제효과를 나타냈고, KATO III에서는 다소 높았다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.369-375
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• 2001

Urushiol, a natural monomeric oil, was used to prepare a detergentless micro-emulsion with water and 2-propanol The formation of micro-emulsion was verified by conductivity measurements and dynamic light scattering. The conductivity data showed phase change dynamics, a characteristics of micro-emulsions, and subsequent dynamic light scattering study further confirmed the phenomenon. Average water droplet diameter was 10 nm to 500 nm when the molar ratio of 2-propanol ranged from 0.40 to 0.44 . Earlier studies were performed on toluene and hexane, in which the insoluble substrate in water phase was added to the solvents to be reacted on by enzymes. However, in the present urushiol system, urushiol was used as both solvent and substrate in the laccase polymerization of urushiol. The laccase activity in the system was examined using polymerization of urushiol. The laccase activity in the system was examined using syringaldezine as a substrate, and the activity increased rapidly near the molar ratio of 2-propanol at 0.4, where micro-emulsion started. The activity rose until 0.46 and fell dramatically thereafter. The study of laccase activity in differing mole fractions of 2-propanol showed the existence of an ‘optimal zone’, where the activity of laccase was significantly higher. In order to analyze urushiol polymerization by laccase, a bubble column reactor using a detergentless micro-emulsion system was constructed. Comparative study using other organic solvents systems were conducted and the 2-propanol system was shown to yield the highest polymerization level. The study of laccase activity at a differing mole fraction of 2-propanol showed the existence of an ‘optimal zone’ where the activity was significantly higher. Also, 3,000 cP viscosity was achieved in actual urushi processing, using only 1/100 level of laccase present in urushi.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.23-27
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• 2004

The urushiol-ethanol corpuscle of 320 nM in average particle size was prepared and concentrated by ultra homogenization and centrifugation. The cytotoxic profiles of this particle for use as anti-tumor agent have been evaluated in vitro in cultures of human fibroblasts (MRC-9) and celvical carcinoma cells (CUMC-3). The cytotoxicty assays revealed that the inhibitor effect of $10^{-5}$ M urushiol-ethanol particle on the growth of MRC-9 was hardly detected, while CUMC-3 cells exhibited over 50% of growth inhibition under the same conditions. In addition, a clear multiple-unit ladder pater of apoptotic DNA was observed for the urushiol treated CUMC-3 cells. Thus, the results indicated that urushiol inhibited growth of celvical carcinoma cells by inducing apoptosis, which is a mechanism observed with other typical antitumor agents.