This study was conducted to evaluate the hangover relieving effect of algae and plant complex extract. The complex extract showed 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging effect in a concentration-dependent manner and high antioxidant capacity (59.48%) when administered at 120 μg/mL. In addition, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activities were increased according to the concentration of the complex extract. A locomotor activity test with an alcohol-complex extract mouse group showed improved motor activities over that of the alcohol-water group at 120 min post-administration. Blood was harvested from each mouse at 120 min post-administration then concentrations of alcohol and aldehyde were measured. The alcohol-extract treated group showed significantly lower (p<0.0001) alcohol (33.48 ± 0.59 μg/mL) and aldehyde (1.54 ± 0.13 μg/mL) concentrations than the alcohol-water treated group. These results suggest that the hangover relieving effects of complex extract results in increased motor activity of mice, which reduces the alcohol and aldehyde concentration in the blood.

This study investigated the synergistic effect of single inoculation and co-inoculation of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) Burkholderia metallica JH-7 and Burkholderia contaminans JH-15. Phosphate-solubilizing abilities of these strains were assessed by measuring phosphorus content in culture media that were singly inoculated or co-inoculated with these strains for 7 days. B. metallica JH-7 was found to release the highest content of soluble phosphorus (140.80 μg mL-1) into the medium, followed by single inoculation of B. contaminans JH-15 (135.95 μg mL-1) and co-inoculation of two strains (134.84 μg mL-1). The highest pH reduction, organic acid production, and glucose consumption were observed in the medium inoculated with B. metallica JH-7 alone compared with that in the medium co-inoculated with both the strains. Results of a plant growth promotion bioassay showed 17.4% and 7.48% higher leaf and root growth, respectively, in romaine lettuce inoculated with B. metallica JH-7 alone than in romaine lettuce inoculated with a control strain. However, no significant difference was observed between single inoculation and co-inoculation of these strains with respect to phosphorus release and plant growth. Although the results of the present study did not show the synergistic effect of phosphate solubilization by the PSB strains examined, these results indicate that treatment with PSB exerts a beneficial effect on crop growth.

This study focused on evaluating the phytoextraction of heavy metals (Co, Pb, and Zn) induced by bioaugmentation of button mushroom compost (BMC) in Helianthus annuus (sunflower). When the potential ability of BMC to solubilize heavy metals was assessed in a batch experiment, the inoculation with BMC could increase more the concentrations of water-soluble Co, Pb, and Cd by 35, 25, and 45% respectively, compared to those of non-inoculated soils. BMC-assisted growth promotion and metal uptake in H. annuus was also evaluated in a pot experiment. In comparison with non-inoculated seedlings, the inoculation led to an increase in the growth of H. annuus by 27, 25, and 28% in Co-, Pb-, and Zn-contaminated soils, respectively. Moreover, enhanced accumulation of Co, Pb, and Zn in the shoot and root systems was observed in inoculated plants, where metal the translocation from root to the above-ground tissues was also found to be enhanced by the BMC. Evidently, these results suggest that the BMC could be effectively employed in enhancing the phytoextraction of Co, Pb, and Zn from contaminated soils.

An auxin-producing bacterial strain, designated 4-3, was isolated from waste button mushroom compost in Boryeong-si, Chungnam. The strain 4-3 was classified as a novel strain of Leucobacter tardus, based on chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses. TLC and HPLC the isolated L. tardus strain 4-3 produced indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), the auxin. Maximum IAA productionof 94.3 mg L-1 was detected for bacteria cultured in R2A medium with 0.1% l-tryptophan, incubated for 24 h at 35oC. Negative correlationwas observed between IAA production and pH of the culture medium, indicating that the increase inIAA caused acidification ofthe medium. The effect of supplementation with varying concentrations of l-tryptophan, a known precursor of IAA, was also assessed. production was maximal at 0.1% l, but decreased at lconcentrations above 0.2%. To investigate the plant growth-promoting effects of the bacterium, L. tardus strain 4-3 culture broth was used to inoculate water cultures and seed pots of mung bean. We found thatadventitious root induction and root growth were 2.2-times higher in thethan in the non-inoculated plants.