Food allergy is a widespread phenomenon: An estimated 1–2% of the population suffers from some type of food allergy. Fruits and vegetables are considered among the most important elicitors of food allergy. Berry fruits rich in phenolic compounds including flavonols, flavones and anthocyanins have recently gained increasing interest due to their possible beneficial effects on human health. Howev...

Ellagitannins from red raspberries (Rubus idaeus) and cloudberries (Rubus chamaemorus) were isolated by using column chromatography and preparative HPLC. The berry phenolic isolates consisted of 80% (cloudberry) and of 60% (raspberry) of ellagitannins, with raspberries also containing anthocyanins. The main ellagitannins of both raspberries and cloudberries were identified by ESI-MS to consist ...

A survey of mosquitoes, including the vector status of Brugia malayi filariasis and their relative larval density, was conducted from 2002 to 2005 at several southern remote islands of Jeollanam-do (province), Gyeongsangnam-do, and Jeju-do, Korea, where filariasis was previously endemic. Overall, a total of 9 species belonging to 7 genera were collected. Ochlerotatus togoi (formerly known as Ae...

While analyzing wild mosquitoes caught in Paju, South Korea, we identified one egg-laying hybrid female between Anopheles kleini and Anopheles sinensis. Additional evidence was obtained by identifying several F(1) progeny and conducting self-crossing between them. Sequencing of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 sequence suggested that the maternal origin of the female should be An. s...

To investigate the population densities of potential malaria vectors, Anopheles species were collected by light traps in malaria endemic areas, Paju and Gimpo, Gyeonggi-do of Korea. Five Anopheles Hyrcanus sibling species (An. sinensis, An. pullus, An. lesteri, An. kleini, and An. belenrae) were identified by PCR. The predominant species, An. pullus was collected during the late spring and mid-...

We have examined antioxidant activities of twenty-six medicinal herbal extracts that have been popularly used as folk medicines in Taiwan. The results of scavenging DPPH radical activity show that, among the 26 tested medicinal plants, Ludwigia octovalvis, Vitis thunbergii, Rubus parvifolius, Lindernia anagallis, and Zanthoxylum nitidum exhibited strong activities and their IC50 values for DPPH...

PURPOSE Blackberry ingestion has been demonstrated to attenuate brain degenerative processes with the benefits ascribed to the (poly)phenolic components. The aim of this work was to evaluate the neuroprotective potential of two wild blackberry species in a neurodegeneration cell model and compare them with a commercial variety. METHODS This work encompasses chemical characterization before an...

Solar ultraviolet (UV) irradiation leads to distinct changes in the skin connective tissues by degradation of collagen, which is a major structural component in the extracellular matrix. UV irradiation induces the production of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) capable of attacking native fibrillar collagen and responsible for inhibiting the construction of collagenous extracellular matrix. In th...

Objective: The investigation was undertaken to explore the anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities of Rubus ellipticus. Materials and Methods: The methanolic leaf extract (up to 2000 mg/kg b. wt.) of R. ellipticus was used to observe acute toxicity. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using carrageenan induced paw edema in rats and croton oil induced ear edema in mice. Anal...