영남 평야지에서는 추석전 햅쌀 출하를 목적으로 조기재배나 극조기재배가 증가하고 있는 추세이다. 그러나 극조기 벼 수확 이후에 후작물로 적합한 작목이 없어서 휴경을 하는 농가가 많아 적합한 작부체계 개발을 위한 재배법 개발이 필요한 실정이다. 따라서 본 시험은 극조기 벼 수확 후 이모작 작부체계에 적합한 벼 품종 및 재배시기 설정을 위해 수행하였다. 조생종 14개 품종을 4월 7일, 4월 14일, 4월 21일, 4월 28일에 각각 이앙하였을 때, 극조기 벼 이모작을 위한 기준 출수기인 7월 10일 이전에 출수가능한 품종은 백일미, 주남조생, 중모1032, 진옥이었다. 이 품종들의 적산온도로 추정한 적정 이앙시기는 4월 10일에서 4월 20일 사이로, 이 시기에 이앙할 경우 8월 20일 이내에 수확이 가능하여 8월 하순 후작물과의 작기연결성에 유리한 적합 품종으로 판단된다.

Oxidative DNA damage negatively affects humans and the research is currently ongoing to find ways to reduce oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been identified as a key factor in triggering various diseases. Thus, its alleviation is important for human health. Broussonetia kazinoki (B. kazinoki) has been used in traditional Korean medicine as a dermatological therapy to treat burns, pruritus, and acne. B. kazinoki is generally segregated into peeled root (PR), root bark (RB), peeled stem (PS), and stem bark (SB). To assess these components for their antioxidant activity and protection against DNA damage, their ethyl acetate fractions were examined by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radical scavenging assay. As a result of confirming the expression of factors involved in attenuating DNA damage, the protective effect of SB on oxidative stress suppressed the expression of p-p53 and γ-H2AX. Additionally, the levels of p53 and H2AX mRNA were significantly downregulated. In conclusion, these results indicated that the SB component of B. kazinoki had the potential to be used as an effective natural antioxidant compared to the other parts of the plant.

The pathological condition of excessive melanogenesis causing freckles, melasma, senile lentigo, pigmented acne scars, and cancer has a critical impact on the wellness of individuals. The mechanism of melanogenesis is related to the expression of melanogenic enzymes. Here, we evaluated the inhibitory effect of pine cone (Pinus densiflora) extracts on melanogenesis. P. densiflora, the Korean Red Pine, is the predominant tree species in the cool, temperate forests of northeast Asia, occurring in pure stands across Korea, Japan, and parts of northern China and Russia. P. densiflora leaves, pollen, and bark have been widely used for traditional medicine, or edible purposes. However, pine cones are rarely used as natural raw materials, although they contain many bioactive phytochemicals. The pine cone ethyl acetate fraction (PEF) showed no toxicity to B16F10 cells at a concentration of less than 100 ㎍/mL. PEF inhibited the expression of microphthalmiaassociated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related factors in B16F10 cells treated with 3-Isobutyl- 1-methylxanthine (IBMX). These results suggest that pine cones can be used as an effective natural melanogenesis inhibitory agent.

In this study, we evaluated the whitening activity of prethanol A and water extracts from Abeliophyllum distichum Nakai. The extracts were prepared using 0, 50, 70, and 100% prethanol A at 121℃, 1.2 atm for 15 minutes. To confirm effective extraction, the acteoside content of each extract was analyzed with the HPLC-PDA method. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH and ABTS scavenging activity assays, and the whitening activity was evaluated based on inhibitory activities on the protein and mRNA expression of tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP-1), tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP-2), and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) in B16 F10 cells. Each extract showed strong antioxidant and whitening activity. IC50 values of antioxidant activity from each extract were in order of 100%, 70%, 50%, and 0%. In addition, whitening activity inhibited the protein and mRNA expression of melanin synthesis factor, following the same pattern as antioxidant activity. In conclusion, water and prethanol A extracts of A. distichum showed effective antioxidant and whitening activity and are thus considered to be valuable materials for whitening cosmetics. The results of this study will also provide basic data for the safe and efficient production of A. distichum as a cosmetic material.