Youn-Soo Cha

Wound-dressing materials with antibacterial activity from electrospun polyurethane-dextran nanofiber mats containing ciprofloxacin HCl.

Dextran is a versatile biomacromolecule for preparing electrospun nanofibrous membranes by blending with either water-soluble bioactive agents or hydrophobic biodegradable polymers for biomedical applications. In this study, an antibacterial electrospun scaffold was prepared by electrospinning of a solution composed of dextran, polyurethane (PU) and ciprofloxacin HCl (CipHCl) drug. The obtained nanofiber mats have good morphology. The mats were characterized by various analytical techniques. The interaction parameters between fibroblasts and the PU-dextran and PU-dextran-drug scaffolds such as viability, proliferation, and attachment were investigated. The results indicated that the cells interacted favorably with the scaffolds especially the drug-containing one. Moreover, the composite mat showed good bactericidal activity against both of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Overall, our results conclude that the introduced scaffold might be an ideal biomaterial for wound dressing applications.

Germinated brown rice extract shows a nutraceutical effect in the recovery of chronic alcohol-related symptoms.

Chronic ethanol abuse can cause liver damage and unfavorable lipid profiles in humans and rodents. Phytonutrients have the potential to partially reverse some of the adverse effects of alcoholism. In this study, a germinated brown rice grown under conditions that favor high concentrations of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was evaluated for protective effects against the toxic consequences of chronic ethanol use. Serum and hepatic lipid concentrations and enzymes indicative of liver damage were determined in mice chronically administered ethanol. Balb/c mice were fed with either AIN-76 diet (control), control diet plus ethanol, or control diet plus ethanol and supplemental brown rice extract for 30 days. The extract naturally contained 841 nmol GABA per milliliter and was prepared from germinated brown rice. Serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), liver aspartate aminotransferase, and liver alanine aminotransferase levels were increased in mice administered ethanol, but not in mice given ethanol and brown rice extract. The brown rice extract significantly increased serum and liver high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations. Furthermore, administration of the extract prevented ethanol-induced increases in liver triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations. These findings raise the possibility that brown rice extracts containing a high level of GABA may have a nutraceutical role in the recovery from and prevention of chronic alcohol-related diseases.

Anti-obesity effect of kimchi fermented with Weissella koreensis OK1-6 as starter in high-fat diet-induced obese C57BL/6J mice.

In this study, we investigated the anti‐obesity effects of kimchi (Korean traditional fermented vegetable) fermented either without starter culture or with a specific starter culture, Weissella koreensis OK1‐6.

Ethanolic extract of seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L) prevents high-fat diet–induced obesity in mice through down-regulation of adipogenic and lipogenic gene expression

Phenolic compounds and flavonoids ameliorate bodyweight, blood glucose, and serum lipid profile. Since seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) is known as a rich source of isoflavones and flavonoids, we hypothesized that ethanolic extract of seabuckthorn leaves (SL) may have anti-obesity and hypoglycemic effects. To investigate the effect of ethanolic extract of SL, 32 C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 4 dietary groups, containing 8 mice in each group: normal diet group; high-fat diet (HD) control group; high-fat diet with SL extract, 500 mg/kg body weight (BW) (SL1) group; and high-fat diet with SL extract, 1000 mg/kg BW (SL2) group. After 13 weeks, it was observed that oral administration of SL extract significantly reduced the energy intake; BW gain; epididymal fat pad weight; hepatic triglyceride, hepatic, and serum total cholesterol levels; and serum leptin levels in the SL groups compared to the HD group. However, differences in serum triglyceride and insulin levels in the SL groups were not significant in comparison to the HD group. The hepatic mRNA expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) α and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 along with PPAR-γ were significantly increased in SL groups, whereas the level of acetyl-CoA carboxylase was significantly reduced in SL groups compared to HD group. Our results indicated that SL is effective in preventing BW gain and fat accumulation in the liver; it also reduced adipose tissue mass, hepatic lipid profile, and serum leptin level in the mouse. Together, these observations suggest that SL is a potential agent to study in the management of obesity and related disorders.

Millet consumption decreased serum concentration of triglyceride and C-reactive protein but not oxidative status in hyperlipidemic rats

This study was undertaken to investigate the hypothesis that whole grain consumption would have beneficial effects on lipid profiles, antioxidant status, and the inflammation state of hyperlipidemic rats compared to those resulting from a white rice (WR) diet. Forty-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 24) were fed a high-fat diet (188.3 kJ% energy as fat) for 8 weeks to induce hyperlipidemia and were then randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 6 each) that were fed diets containing WR (control), sorghum, foxtail millet (FM), or proso millet for the next 5 weeks. Blood lipid profiles, hepatic antioxidant parameters, and inflammation-related measurements were determined in all of the groups. The concentrations of serum triglycerides were significantly lower in the FM and proso millet groups compared to those of the WR and sorghum groups. The concentrations of serum total, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol were significantly higher in the sorghum group than in the WR, FM, and proso millet groups. Hepatic catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione activities, as well as thiobarbituric acid reactive substance levels were not significantly different between the groups. Levels of C-reactive protein were significantly lower in the FM group than in the WR, sorghum, and proso millet groups. Inhibitor kappaB-alpha was expressed in the liver cytosolic fraction, and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappaB (p65) into the liver nucleus was blocked in all groups. In conclusion, FM and proso millet may prevent cardiovascular disease by reducing plasma triglycerides in hyperlipidemic rats; in contrast, sorghum increases total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol concentrations.

Lactobacillus plantarum LG42 isolated from gajami sik-hae decreases body and fat pad weights in diet-induced obese mice.

This study investigated the antiobesity effect of lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus plantarum LG42) isolated from gajami sik‐hae.

Effect of Exercise on Hepatic Gene Expression in an Obese Mouse Model Using cDNA Microarrays

To understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the effect of exercise training, we examined hepatic transcriptional profiles using cDNA microarrays in exercise‐trained and untrained mice with diet‐induced obesity. C57BL/6J male mice (n = 10/group) were fed with a normal diet, high‐fat diet (HFD), or HFD with exercise training for 12 weeks. The expression level of ∼10,000 transcripts in liver tissues from each group was assessed using cDNA microarray analysis. Exercise training improved lipid profiles and hepatic steatosis and decreased body fat mass induced by the HFD. Seventy‐three genes were differentially expressed in the HFD‐ and/or HFD with exercise training‐treated groups, compared with the normal diet‐ and HFD‐fed groups, respectively. Interestingly, the expression profiles involved in metabolism, such as elongation of very long chain fatty acids‐like 2, lipin, and malic enzyme, were changed by exercise training. In addition, expression of genes altered by exercise training related to defense and stress response, including metallothionein 1 and 2 and heat shock protein, showed interesting findings. Our study showed beneficial effects of exercise training in preventing the development of obesity and metabolic disorders in mice with diet‐induced obesity.

Intracellular lipid accumulation inhibitory effect of Weissella koreensis OK1‐6 isolated from Kimchi on differentiating adipocyte

To investigate the intracellular lipid accumulation inhibitory effect of spent culture medium extract and the cytoplasmic fraction of Weissella koreensis OK1‐6 cells isolated from kimchi in differentiating 3T3‐L1 cells.

Effects of Persimmon-Vinegar on Lipid Metabolism and Alcohol Clearance in Chronic Alcohol-Fed Rats

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of persimmon-vinegar supplementation on lipid profiles, carnitine levels, and alcohol clearance in chronically alcoholic rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: the normal control group (NC), the ethanol-administered group (EC) (4 g/kg of body weight), the ethanol plus low-dose persimmon-vinegar-administered group (EVL) (1 mL/kg of body weight), and the ethanol plus high-dose persimmon-vinegar-administered group (EVH) (2 mL/kg of body weight). In this study, we found that persimmon-vinegar supplementation significantly decreased serum triglyceride and total cholesterol and liver total cholesterol levels compared to those of the EC group. The liver nonesterified carnitine level was significantly elevated in the persimmon-vinegar-administered groups as compared to that of the EC group. The blood ethanol concentration tended to be the lowest in the EVH group. There was a trend for the level of hepatic acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase mRNA to be decreased and hepatic carnitine palmitoyltransferase-I mRNA to be increased with increasing doses of persimmon-vinegar. These results suggest that supplementation of persimmon-vinegar prevents metabolic disorders induced by chronic administration of alcohol.

Grape seed extract (Vitis vinifera) partially reverses high fat diet-induced obesity in C57BL/6J mice

The aim of the present study was to assess the anti-obesity effects of grape seed extract (GSE) supplement in C57BL/6J mice. Thirty mice were divided into three groups; normal diet control group (ND), high fat diet control group (HD) and high fat diet plus grape seed extract supplemented group (HD+GSE). Results were as follows: 1. GSE supplement reduced the weight gain in mice fed high fat diets; epididymal and back fat weights were lower compared to non-supplemented HD group. 2. Blood lipid concentrations were lower in the HD+GSE group than in the HD group. Serum HDL-C concentrations were higher in the HD+GSE group compared with the other groups. 3. The concentrations of acid-insoluble acylcarnitines (AIAC) in serum and liver were higher in the HD+GSE group than in the HD group. 4. GSE supplementation increased mRNA levels of lipolytic genes such as carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1) and decreased mRNA levels of lipogenic genes such as acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC). These findings suggest that grape seed extract supplements in high fat diet might normalize body weight, epididymal and back fat weights, lipid concentrations, and carnitine levels through controlling lipid metabolism.