Artemisia scoparia (A. scoparia), perennial herb is indigenous to Korea and has been traditionally used in liver damage. We investigated the effect of the essential oil obtained from A. scoparia on apoptosis of KB cells. Cytotoxicity and cellular DNA content were analyzed by MTT assay and flow cytometry, agarose gel electrophoresis, and Hoechst 33258 staining. The caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) proteins were estimated by Western blotting method. We found that the essential oil induced the apoptosis of the KB cells by concentrations of 0.4 to 0.2 mg/ml which was verified by DNA fragmentation, apoptotic bodies, and the sub-G0/G1 ratio. The essential oil also transient caspase-9 and caspase-3 activity and cleavage of PARP in KB cells for 24 h. The essential oil-induced apoptotic cell death was accompanied by up-regulation of Bax and down-regulation of Bcl-2. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the essential oil of A. scoparia induces apoptosis in KB cells

메치실린내성 황색포도상구균(MRSA)은 가장 중요한 지역 사회 병원성 균주의 하나로서 항생제 내성 문제가 세계적으로 대두되고 있다. 감염 치료에 대한 부작용과 내성이 적은 새로운 항생제의 개 발에 많은 관심과 연구가 필요하다. Cinnamomum camphora는 제 주도에서 자생하는 녹나무과의 식물이다. 민간에서는 신경 쇠약, 간질, 방광염, 신우 신염, 당뇨, 암과 당뇨병 치료제로 이용되고 있 다. 본 연구에서는 80% 에탄올을 이용하여 녹나무잎을 추출물하여 임상에서 분리한 메치실린 내성 균주에 대한 항균활성을 연구하였 다. 그 결과 녹나무잎 추출물에서 높은 항균활성을 관찰 할 수 있었 고, 항생제와의 병용처리 녹나무잎 추출물의 MIC와 MBC의 범위는 156-313 ㎍/㎖와 313-625 ㎍/㎖로 판독되었고, oxacillin의 병용 처리의 범위는 1288-256 ㎍/㎖와 128-512 ㎍/㎖, 그리고 ampicillin 의 병용처리 범위는 ㎍/㎖와 8-128 ㎍/㎖로 판독되었다. 녹나무잎 추출물과 항생제의 병용처리는 MRSA 항균활성에 대한 상승효과 가 높게 나타났다.

This study was conducted to investigate the antibacterial activity of lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional fermented foods and to develop a new starter for fermented milk. The isolates were identified using 16S rDNA sequencing and named Lactobacillus plantarum A, Leuconostoc lactis B and L. acidophilus C. The activity of these strains to inhibit the growth of food-borne human pathogens (Escherichia coli NCTC 12923, Salmonella Typhimurium NCTC 12023, Listeria monocytogenes NCTC 11994) was measured using the paper disc method. All these strains showed strong antibacterial activity against Li. monocytogenes NCTC 11994. The experiment groups were the fermented milks with these strains, and the control group was the fermented milk with the commercial starter (ABT 5). The change of pH, acidity and viable cell counts were measured during their aging time. All the experiment groups showed a significant difference in their aging times compared to the control group. However, the sensory test showed that the experiment groups can be used as useful starters for fermented milk. This result suggests that L. plantarum A, Leu. lactis B and L. acidophilus C have the potential to be developed as new starters for fermented milk.