Su-Hyun Seo

Phenolic Compound Concentration and Antioxidant Activities of Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms from Korea

A study was conducted to determine the content of phenolic compounds and the antioxidative activity of five edible and five medicinal mushrooms commonly cultivated in Korea. Phenolic compounds were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography, and antioxidant activity was evaluated by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and superoxide dismutase activity. A total of 28 phenolic compounds were detected in the mushrooms studied. The average total concentration of phenolic compounds was 326 microg/g, the average being of 174 microg/g in edible mushrooms and 477 microg/g in medicinal mushrooms. The average total flavonoids concentration was 49 microg/g, with averages of 22 and 76 microg/g in edible and medicinal mushrooms, respectively. The DPPH radical scavenging activities ranged between 15 (Pleurotus eryngii) and 70% (Ganoderma lucidum) when reaction time was for 1 min. When reaction time was 30 min, the values ranged between 5 (Pleurotus eryngii) and 78% (Agaricus bisporus). The SOD activity averaged 28% among the 10 mushroom species, averages for edible and medicinal mushrooms being comparable. DPPH activities was significantly correlated (p < 0.01) with total content of phenolic compounds in edible mushrooms, while in medicinal mushrooms there was a significant correlation (p < 0.01) between SOD activity and total concentration of phenolic compounds. Numerous significant positive correlations were observed between phenolic compounds detected and antioxidative potential.

Effect of processing, fermentation, and aging treatment to content and profile of phenolic compounds in soybean seed, soy curd and soy paste

This study reports the effect of processing, fermentation, and aging treatment on the content and profile of 43 phenolic compounds in soybean seeds, soy curd (tofu), and soy paste (ChungGukJang, CGJ). Mean content of phenolic compounds was ranked as soybean seed=CGJ aged for 3days (CGJ-3D)=CGJ aged for 6days (CGJ-6D)>tofu (P<0.0001). Low percent recovery (47.1%) of phenolic compounds in tofu was due to heating (boiling), leaching in water, filtering, coagulation, and whey exclusion during tofu making. Aging period did not affect the mean contents of 43 phenolic compounds in the CGJ, whereas it affected the phenolic acids contents in the CGJ (P<0.01). Benzoic, ferulic, chlorogenic, gentisic, protocatechuic, or β-Resorculic acid was major phenolic compounds in soybean seeds, tofu, CGJ-3D, or CGJ-6D. Especially, the CGJ-3D contained large amounts of isoflavone aglucons and phenolic acids compared to soybean seeds or tofu.

Protective effects of 3′‐deoxy‐4‐O‐methylepisappanol from Caesalpinia sappan against glutamate‐induced neurotoxicity in primary cultured rat cortical cells

To examine the neuroprotective effects of Caesalpinia sappan L., we tested its protection against the glutamate‐induced neurotoxicity in primary cortical cultured neurons. We found that an aqueous extract of this medicinal plant exhibited significant protection against glutamate‐induced toxicity in primary cultured rat cortical cells. In order to clarify the neuroprotective mechanism(s) of this observed effect, isolation was performed to seek and identify active fractions and components. By such fractionation, two known compounds – sappanchalcone and 3′‐deoxy‐4‐O‐methylepisappanol – were isolated from the methanol extracts from the air‐dried and chipped C. sappan. Among these two compounds, 3′‐deoxy‐4‐O‐methylepisappanol exhibited significant neuroprotective activities against glutamate‐induced toxicity, exhibiting cell viability of about 50%, at concentrations ranging from 0.1 μM to 10 μM. Therefore, the neuroprotective effect of C. sappan might be due to the inhibition of glutamate‐induced toxicity by the protosappanin derivative it contains. Copyright

Antiplasmodial activity of isolated compounds from Carpesium divaricatum

The whole plants of Carpesium divaricatum are used in traditional medicine as an antipyretic, analgesic and vermifugic, including a topical application for sores and inflammation. In a previous paper, the isolation and structural elucidation of isolated ineupatorolides A from methanol extracts of C. rosulatum (Compositae) were reported. The present paper deals with the isolation and identification of antiplasmodial compounds from C. divaricatum in Carpesium spp. Five compounds, 1β,6α‐dihydroxy‐4(15)‐eudesmene [1], β‐dictyopterol [2], 2‐isopropenyl‐6‐acetyl‐8‐methoxy‐1,3‐benzodioxin‐4‐one [3], (3E,6E,10E,14E,18E)‐2,6,10,15,19,23‐hexamethyl‐3,6,10,14,18,22‐tetracosahexaen‐2‐ol [4] and neophytadiene [5], were isolated from the whole plants of C. divaricatum. The in vitro activity against P. falciparum strain D10 was assessed using the parasite lactate dehydrogenase assay method. The main antiplasmodial principle, 2‐isopropenyl‐6‐acetyl‐8‐methoxy‐1,3‐benzodioxin‐4‐one [3], has been isolated from C. divaricatum for the first time. Compound 3 exhibited an antiplasmodial activity with IC50 values of 2.3 ± 0.3 μm. This is the first report on the antiplasmodial activity of the compounds from C. divaricatum. Copyright

RETRACTED: Larvicidal effects of the major essential oil of Pittosporum tobira against Aedes aegypti (L.)

RETRACTED