• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.42-49
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• 2018

Background: Ginsenoside F1 has been described to possess skin-whitening effects on humans. We aimed to synthesize a new ginsenoside derivative from F1 and investigate its cytotoxicity and melanogenesis inhibitory activity in B16BL6 cells using recombinant glycosyltransferase enzyme. Glycosylation has the advantage of synthesizing rare chemical compounds from common compounds with great ease. Methods: UDP-glycosyltransferase (BSGT1) gene from Bacillus subtilis was selected for cloning. The recombinant glycosyltransferase enzyme was purified, characterized, and utilized to enzymatically transform F1 into its derivative. The new product was characterized by NMR techniques and evaluated by MTT, melanin count, and tyrosinase inhibition assay. Results: The new derivative was identified as (20S)-$3{\beta},6{\alpha},12{\beta}$,20-tetrahydroxydammar-24-ene-20-O-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranosyl-3-O-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside(ginsenoside Ia), which possesses an additional glucose linked into the C-3 position of substrate F1. Ia had been previously reported; however, no in vitro biological activity was further examined. This study focused on the mass production of arduous ginsenoside Ia from accessible F1 and its inhibitory effect of melanogenesis in B16BL6 cells. Ia showed greater inhibition of melanin and tyrosinase at $100{\mu}mol/L$ than F1 and arbutin. These results suggested that Ia decreased cellular melanin synthesis in B16BL6 cells through downregulation of tyrosinase activity. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first study to report on the mass production of rare ginsenoside Ia from F1 using recombinant UDP-glycosyltransferase isolated from B. subtillis and its superior melanogenesis inhibitory activity in B16BL6 cells as compared to its precursor. In brief, ginsenoside Ia can be applied for further study in cosmetics.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.243-250
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• 2013

Pyracantha is a genus of thorny evergreen large shrubs in the family of Rosaceae, with common names Firethorn or Pyracantha. It's extract has also been used in cosmetics as a skin-whitening agent and functioning through tyrosinase inhibition. Recent studies have shown that pyracantha extract possesses antioxidant activities and may significantly improve lipoprotein metabolism in rats. Although the mode of action of Pyracantha extract is not fully understood, a strong relationship was observed between antioxidant and apoptosis in some types of cells. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluated the effect of pyracantha extract on blastocysts formation and their quality of the porcine parthenogenetic embryos. After parthenogenetic activation by chemicals, presumptive porcine parthenogenetic embryos were cultured in PZM-3 medium supplemented with extracts of pyracantha leaf, stalk and root for 6 day (1, 5 and $10{\mu}g/ml$, respectively). In our results, the frequency of blastocyst formation in pyracantha root extract ($5{\mu}g/ml$) treated group had increased that of other groups. Furthermore, blastocysts derived from pyracantha root extract ($5{\mu}g/ml$) treated group had increased the total cell numbers and reduced apoptotic index. Blastocyst development was significantly improved in the pyracantha root extract ($5{\mu}g/ml$) treated group when compared with the $H_2O_2$ treated group (p<0.05). Subsequent evaluation of the intracellular levels of ROS in pyracantha root extract ($5{\mu}g/ml$) treated groups under $H_2O_2$ induced oxidative stress were decreased (p<0.05). In conclusion, our results indicate that treatment of pyracantha root extract may improve in vitro development of porcine parthenogenetic embryos through its antioxidative and antiapoptotic effects.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.129-134
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• 2006

Biological activities and application of Isodon japonicus H. were investigated. In the physiological activities, the electron donating ability (EDA) was 66.3% in 100 ppm and SOD-like activity was as high as 85.0% in 1,000 ppm with gradual increase. As for the inhibitory effect of xanthine oxidase, it was 70.0% in 1,000 ppm and as low as 40.0% in 500 ppm; also, as for the inhibitory effect of tyrosinase, it was as low as 20.5% below 1,000 ppm. The tyrosinase inhibition effect related to skin whitening function showed 30.0% at 1,000 ppm level or below, indicating a relatively low effect. As for the result of measuring the lipid oxidation, all the concentrations of medical ion treatments showed anti-acidification ability; also, as for the metal ion blocking effects against the lipid oxidation promoting factors $(Fe^{2+}\;and\;Cu^{2+})$, $Fe^{2+}$ was better than $Cu^{2+}$ and all concentrations of medical ion treatments was 60.0% in 100 ppm. Also, the clear zone against various bacteria at 0.5 and 1.0 mg/disc was clearly shown. When it was applied into a normal skin-softener, it was safe, showing its potential as a natural material of cosmetics.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.193-198
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• 2010

Melanin is synthesized by the melanocytes in basal layer of epidermis and distributed over all the layers of skin including corneocytes in stratum corneum, outermost layer of the epidermis. Melanin of corneocytes was stained using Fontana-Masson method and quantified by image analysis. The correlation between melanin contents and skin color value was estimated in the skin of 71 Korean women. Melanin covering area (MCA) showed good correlation with $L^*$ value and $ITA^{\circ}$ (Individual Typology Angle) (r = 0.6049, 0.6651, respectively). MCA can be used as new parameter for skin color study and has potential application for evaluating the efficacy of the skin whitening cosmetics.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.193-203
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• 2014

Natural Monument is a designated cultural property as part of the country. According to Article 2 of the Cultural Properties Protection Act, a national, ethnic and global heritage artificially or naturally formed, with a great historical, artistic, scientific and landscape significance is defined as a cultural heritage. Animals, plants, topography, geology, minerals, caves, biological products and special natural phenomena, having a great of historic, scenic and scientific value, are defined as the monument. According to Article 3 of Cultural Properties Protection Act, the conservation, management and utilization of National Heritage should be kept intact in its original form. So, Natural monuments are managing as retained its original form under the Basic Principles of current law. The highest population of coniferous tree in natural monument plant is ginkgo tree including 22 objects, followed by pines, junipers that order. And in case of broadleaf tree, there are zelkova trees, retusa fringe trees, pagoda trees, cork oaks, silver magnolias and etc. There are many of reported efficacy in available natural monument plants. The efficacy of plant species on pharmaceutical like anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, antioxidant activity, neuroprotective, improves cholesterol, anti-inflammatory, liver protection and anti-bacterial efficacy, on cosmetics and beauty like the inhibiting formation of skin wrinkles, whitening effect, variety of materials and the efficacy of the proposed utilization of its various papers and etc have been widely reported. Before the Nagoya Protocol enters into force, the future role of the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties Administration of Cultural Heritage should be obtain a legal right to manage the social, cultural and national natural monument with emotional value to the plant genetic resource as a natural monument efficient ways to study and preserve traditional knowledge biological resources by securing a claim to the sovereignty of the material will be ready.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.149-158
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• 2013

L-ascorbic acid, the representative antioxidants, has a great effect on skin whitening, collagen synthesis, and anti-aging, but has low oxidative stability during storage. Therefore, in this study, thermal and oxidation properties of L-ascorbic acid under various storage conditions (powder, aqueous phase, changes of temperature, UV-irradiation, and inflow of external air etc.) were investigated. And the storage stability of ingredient was validated in the double-spaced pouch by analysing oxidation properties under each storage conditions (powder phase and blended with essence). In oder to analyze the thermal properties, TGA, DSC, and FT-IR analysis were carried out and UV-visible spectrophotometer & redox titration were used in parallel for oxidation property analyses. From the result of experiment, L-ascorbic acid was oxidized fast when it contained lots of metallic ion, hydroxy ion in aqueous solution under high temperature, UV-irradiation & inflow external air, whereas it was not oxidized for a long time when it was stored as pure powder although it has same condition as heating up, UV-irradiation & inflow external air. Based on this result, retention period of cosmetics which is using L-ascorbic acid, less stable material in oxidation can be innovatively increased when using double-spaced pouch that is designed and produced for separating storage of active ingredients.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.11-21
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• 2014

Atractylodes macrocepala KOIDZ. (AmK) is a herbal medicine and resources of functional food which has been used for the treatment of indigestion, anorexia, diarrhea and digestive dysfunction. Recently AmK is frequently used as resources of functional food and whitening cosmetics. In this study was carried out to evaluate the acute oral toxicity of Amk in Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats. male and female rats were administered orally with Amk extract of 1,000 mg/kg (low dosage group), 2,000 mg/kg (middle dosage group) and 4,000 mg/kg (high dosage group). We daily observed number of deaths, clinical signs and gross findings for 7 days. No dead SD rats and no clinical signs were found during the experiment period. Also other specific changes were not found between control and treated groups in hematology and serum biochemistry. But we found out feeble histopathological changes in liver fat tissues. In addition no significant changes of gross bady and individual organs weight. These results suggest that water soluble extract of AmK has not acute oral toxicity and oral $LD_{50}$ value was over 4,000 mg/kg in SD rats.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.648-654
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• 2014

Grape pruning stems constitute a scarcely investigated class of byproducts with limited reports on their bioactive polyphenol content and/or industrial applications. Herein we present the outcome of our investigation on grape pruning stems extracts, concerning the assessment of their total polyphenolic content and the detailed evaluation of their antioxidant properties. Results obtained indicate that grape pruning stems are particularly rich in flavonoids and trans-resveratrol. The antioxidant activities was analyzed and expressed as electron donating ability, ABTS cation radical decolorization, hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity and superoxide anion radical scavenging activity, the antioxidant activity of Vitis labrusca L. pruning stems extracted (GPSE) was higher than that of BHA and L-ascrobic acid. The whitening and anti-wrinkle activities display an capability. Results herein grape pruning stems used as a valuable resource for the extraction of resveratrol, which would be added to functional cosmetics and food materials.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2020

In this experiment, the Grateloupia elliptica (G. elliptica) was fermented using the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans (A. pullulans) and its extract was obtained from hot water and 70% ethanol solution. The extract was studied for their biological activities such as antioxidant effect, Collagenase and tyrosinase inhibition in comparison to the nonfermented exatract in same solvents. Antioxidative activity test using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) showed that ethanol extract had higher antioxidant activity than water extract. Among all of the samples, the antioxidant activity of G. elliptica fermented ethanol extracts (GEFEE) was highest. Tyrosinase inhibitory activity of GEFEE was highest with 9.8% at the 1,000 ㎍/mL concentration. No inhibition of collagenase from G. elliptica water extract (GEWE) and G. elliptica fermented water extract (GEFWE) was observed, but G. elliptica ethanol extracts (GEEE) and GEFEE showed increased collagenase inhibition activity with increasing concentrations of them. Collagenase inhibitory activity of GEFEE was highest with 50.3% at the 1,000 ㎍/mL concentration. MTS cell proliferation assay was conducted with the GEWE, GEEE, GEFWE, GEFEE and cell viability was over 90% at the 10 ㎍/mL ~ 1000 ㎍/mL concentrations for all of the samples, which suggested that the extracts were noncytotoxic. In conclusion, fermented extracts of G. elliptica could be developed to bioactive functional material for cosmetics with antioxidant and wrinkle improvement effects.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.220-227
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• 2019

Stevia rebaudiana (Asteraceae), a perennial plant, has been used as a low-calorie sweetener and is being developed as a therapeutic agent for diabetes, hypertension, myocardial diseases, and microbial infections. Despite the common use of its leaves and stem, the bioavailability of the components present in S. rebaudiana flowers, when used as ingredients of cosmetics, has not been well investigated. Herein, we investigated the antioxidative and antimelanogenic effects of an aqueous extract of S. rebaudiana flowers (Stevia-F). Total flavonoid and phenolic content in Stevia-F were determined to be $8.64{\pm}0.23mg$ of quercetin equivalents/100 g and $631.5{\pm}2.01mg$ of gallic acid equivalents/100 g, respectively. The $IC_{50}$ values of Stevia-F for reducing power, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate radical, hydrogen peroxide, and nitric oxide scavenging activities were 5541.96, 131.39, 466.34, and $10.44{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Stevia-F showed inhibitory effects on the tyrosinase ($IC_{50}=134.74{\mu}g/mL$) and ${\alpha}$-glucosidase ($IC_{50}=114.81{\mu}g/mL$) activities. No significant cytotoxicity of Stevia-F was observed in B16F10 cells, treated with up to $100{\mu}g/mL$ of the extract for 24 and 48 h (p > 0.05). Stevia-F ($1-100{\mu}g/mL$) suppressed ${\alpha}$-melanocyte stimulating hormone-induced melanin production in B16F10 cells (p < 0.05) and also inhibited the cellular tyrosinase activity (p < 0.05). Overall, our results show that Stevia-F possesses potential for inhibiting tyrosinase and ${\alpha}$-glucosidase activities and has significant antioxidant capacity. The antimelanogenic potential of Stevia-F should extend the usage of S. rebaudiana flowers in the development of skin-whitening products.