Sappanchalcone, a biologically active compound isolated from Caesalpinia sappan L., is reported to exert a variety of biological activities, such as neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory actions and inhibitory effect on antigen-induced beta hexosaminidase release. However, the vascular protective effects of this compound are not fully understood. The present study examined the effects of sappanchalcone in suppressing cell adhesion molecules expression in high glucose stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Sappanchalcone significantly decreased 25 mM high glucose-induced vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression in a dose-dependent manner. Sappanchalcone also significantly inhibited the formation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, we found that the vascular protective effects of sappanchalcone were linked to the up-regulation of heme oxygenase-1 expression in HUVEC. The effects of sappanchalcone on the high glucose-induced expression of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 were partially reversed by treatment of the cells with an inhibitor of HO-1, tin protoporphyrin IX (SnPP). Based on these results, these findings suggest that sappanchalcone-induced HO-1 expression plays a key role in the vascular protective effects of sappanchalcone in HUVEC.

Taraxaci Herba has long been used in herbal medicine for their choleretic, anti-heumatic and diuretic properties. In the present study, we investigated the effects of origin plants of Taraxaci Herba, Taraxacum coreanum Nakai, as an anti-inflammatory agent in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced microglial activation in BV2 cells. NNMBS273, the EtOH extracts of roots T. coreanum was examined for anti-neuronal inflammatory activity as new drug development. The roots of T. coreanum, showed the potent anti-neuroinflammatory effects on LPS-induced inflammation in microglial BV2 cells. The anti-inflammatory effects of NNMBS273, the EtOH extracts of roots T. coreanum was demonstrated by the suppression of pro-inflammatory mediators, including pro-inflammatory enzymes (inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2) and cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β). These results suggest that the roots T. coreanum may be a promising candidate for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases related to neuroinflammation.

Glutamate-induced oxidative injury contributes to neuronal degeneration in many central nervous system (CNS) diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy and ischemia. Inducible heme oxygenase (HO)-1 acts against oxidants that are thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of these diseases. The EtOH extracts of Viola mandshurica (NNMBS274), Viola patrinii (NNMBS275) and Viola papilionacea Pursh (NNMBS276), origin plants of Violae Herba, showed the potent neuroprotective effects on glutamate-induced neurotoxicity. Among them, NNMBS275, the extract of V. patrinii possessed the protective effects against glutamate toxicity by inducing the expression of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 in the mouse hippocampal HT22 cells. These results suggest that extracts of V. patrinii could be the effective candidates for the treatment of ROS-related neurological diseases. Furthermore, it is suggested that the protective effects of V. patrinii extract due to inducing the expression of HO-1 as an antioxidant/cytoprotective target

This study describes the development of a web-based system that collects all data generated in the research conducted to set pre-harvest residue limits (PHRLs) for agricultural product safety control. These data, including concentrations of pesticide residues, limit of detection, limit of quantitation, recoveries, weather charts, and growth rates, are incorporated into a database, a regression analysis of the data is performed using statistical techniques, and the PHRL for an agricultural product is automatically computed. The development and establishment of this system increased the efficiency and improved the reliability of the research in this area by standardizing the data and maintaining its accuracy without temporal or spatial limitations. The system permits automatic computation of the PHRL and a quick review of the goodness of fit of the regression model. By building and analyzing a database, it also allows data accumulated over the last 10 years to be utilized.

Background : As a part of ongoing research to elucidate and characterize anti-inflammatory nutraceuticals, six kinds of plant extracts (aerial part of Nepeta cataria, leaves of Lonicera maackii, leaves of Platycarya strobilacea, flower of Fagopyrum dibotrys, flowers and fruits of Solanum nigrum, stem of Physostegia virginiana) were tested for their ability to suppress inflammation. The anti-inflammatory has been studied in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells which cells synthesized nitric oxide (NO) from L-arginine by nitric oxide synthase (NOS). In this study, NO synthesis inhibitory activity of six kinds of plant extracts on LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages was evaluated. Methods and Results : Six kinds of plant extracts were parceled out from RDA (Rural Development Administration). RAW 264.7 cells (1.5×105 cells/well) were seeded onto 96-well plates with DMEM media containing 10% FBS and 1% antibiotics. The cells were pretreated with the extracts and LPS-stimulated cells for 24 h. Cellular NO production was stimulated by adding 1 μg/mL of LPS. After incubation, Griess reagent was used to determine NO production. Absorbance was measured at 520 nm by microplate reader. NO synthesis inhibitory activity potential of these extracts was evaluated by assessing NO production by LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells in the presence. As a result, inhibition rate of NO production was about 40% of L. maackii, 33% of F. dibotrys, 23% of P. strobilacea and 17% of P. virginiana. Meanwhile, there was no significant results in aerial part of N. cataria and flowers and fruits of S. nigrum. Conclusion : From the above results, we be able to confirm that leaves of L. maackii and flower of F. dibotrys appeared dose-dependent NO synthesis inhibitory activity and leaves of P. strobilacea appeared NO synthesis inhibitory activity in low-concentration. As screening NO synthesis inhibition of six extracts, they may be a good candidate for delaying the progression of human inflammatory diseases and warrants further studies.

This study was carried out to gain the basic informations about botanical characteristics of plant type and properties related to table quality for developing the new colored waxy corn hybrid. Materials used were produced by our laboratory in 2007 and their major traits were evaluated fro two years(2008 to 2009) at Corn Breeding Farm of Coll. of Agri. & Life in CNU. Items surveyed were major agricultural characteristics including ear length and traits related to edible. Botanical characteristics as a plant type and ear pattern of the developed waxy corn hybrids showed large ranges among them; stem height of CNU08H-h39 among used hybrids was the highest as 235.7cm, while CNUH08-15 was the lowest. Ear height of Daehackchal Gold 1 was the highest as 83.7cm and that of CNU08H-15 was the lowest among used hybrids. Ear length of CNU08H-h121 among used hybrids was the longest as 23.1cm, while that of CNU08H-71 was the smallest as 12.7cm. Kernel sugar content of the used hybrids appeared to be 16.1 to 13.0Brix(%). Especially, CNU08H-15, CNU08H-35 and CNU08H-h39 hybrids were highly appeared as 15 above. Pericarp thickness of check hybrid, Yeonongchal, was thicker as 46.0㎛, while that of CNU08H-39 compared to other hybrids showed the thinnest as 23.0㎛. From this study, we could obtain several superior colored hybrids with thinner pericarp and high sugar contents like CNU 08-39 and CNU 08-h121 hybrids. Accordingly, these hybrids will be apply as new developed variety through confirmed trials.

One-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (1D SDS-PAGE) was used to determine whether it would provide improved resolving power of hordein proteins concomitant with improved identification of Korean barley cultivars and germplams. This system gave rapid and reproducible separations of hordein polypeptides. Total fourteen of clear and easily scorable subunits were identified in Korean barley cultivars and germplasms and their polymorphic constitutions could provide biochemical genetic information in progeny analysis and endosperm quality improvement in barley breeding programs. Each hordein polypeptides residing in B, C, and D hordein pattern designations were scored to prepare a cultivar catalogue of protein patterns. On the basis of this character, 7 hordein polypeptide patterns were constructed from 108 barley cultivars and experimental lines. The molecular weight of hordein subunits in Korean barley cultivars and experimental lines varied in the range of 98 to 48 kDa. In contrast, less polymorphic hordein polypeptides were found in the low protein barley lines including malting barleys than those found in Korean barley cultivars and experimental lines