Effects of the Detoxified Extract of Rhus verniciflua on Regulation of Catecholamine Biosynthesis

Kumar Sapkota,김승,Jae-Sung Kim,김명곤,전홍성,Sung-Jun Kim 한국응용생명화학회 2009 Applied Biological Chemistry (Appl Biol Chem) Vol.52 No.6

Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) has traditionally been used as a food supplement and traditional herbal medicine for centuries in Korea, despite the fact that it contains the plant allergen, urushiol. Previously, we developed a new biological approach for the removal of urushiol from RVS. In this study, we investigated the effect of detoxified RVS on the expression of catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes in rat brain. Our results showed that RVS is a potent inducer of catecholamine production in rodent brain as indicated by the enhanced expression of the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) and dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH) gene. Induction of TH and AADC in response to RVS was biphasic and transient, and maximal at 10 mg/ kg for 4 h. We also detected consistent upregulation of TH and AADC mRNAs and proteins with RVS; however, DBH expression was not detected in the brain by immunostaining. Moreover, we examined the protective effect of detoxified RVS on rotenone induced cell toxicity in the cultured human dopaminergic cell line, SH-SY5Y. We found that rotenone induced cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells was suppressed by treatment with RVS. These results suggest that RVS may serve as an ideal adjuvant in regards to regulating the brain dopaminergic (DArgic) system and may contribute to neuroprotection in neurodegenerative diseases.

Effects of the Detoxified Extract of Rhus verniciflua on Regulation of Catecholamine Biosynthesis

( Kumar Sapkota ),( Seung Kim ),( Jae Sung Kim ),( Myung Kon Kim ),( Hong Sung Chun ),( Sung Jun Kim ) 한국응용생명화학회 2009 Applied Biological Chemistry (Appl Biol Chem) Vol.52 No.6

Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) has traditionally been used as a food supplement and traditional herbal medicine for centuries in Korea, despite the fact that it contains the plant allergen, urushiol. Previously, we developed a new biological approach for the removal of urushiol from RVS. In this study, we investigated the effect of detoxified RVS on the expression of catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes in rat brain. Our results showed that RVS is a potent inducer of catecholamine production in rodent brain as indicated by the enhanced expression of the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) and dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH) gene. Induction of TH and AADC in response to RVS was biphasic and transient, and maximal at 10 mg/kg for 4 h. We also detected consistent upregulation of TH and AADC mRNAs and proteins with RVS; however, DBH expression was not detected in the brain by immunostaining. Moreover, we examined the protective effect of detoxified RVS on rotenone induced cell toxicity in the cultured human dopaminergic cell line, SH-SY5Y. We found that rotenone induced cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells was suppressed by treatment with RVS. These results suggest that RVS may serve as an ideal adjuvant in regards to regulating the brain dopaminergic (DArgic) system and may contribute to neuroprotection in neurodegenerative diseases.

Effects of the Detoxified Extract of Rhus verniciflua on Regulation of Catecholamine Biosynthesis

Sapkota, Kumar,Kim, Seung,Kim, Jae-Sung,Kim, Myung-Kon,Chun, Hong-Sung,Kim, Sung-Jun The Korean Society for Applied Biological Chemistr 2009 Applied Biological Chemistry (Appl Biol Chem) Vol.52 No.6

Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) has traditionally been used as a food supplement and traditional herbal medicine for centuries in Korea, despite the fact that it contains the plant allergen, urushiol. Previously, we developed a new biological approach for the removal of urushiol from RVS. In this study, we investigated the effect of detoxified RVS on the expression of catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes in rat brain. Our results showed that RVS is a potent inducer of catecholamine production in rodent brain as indicated by the enhanced expression of the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) and dopamine ${\beta}$-hydroxylase (DBH) gene. Induction of TH and AADC in response to RVS was biphasic and transient, and maximal at 10 mg/kg for 4 h. We also detected consistent upregulation of TH and AADC mRNAs and proteins with RVS; however, DBH expression was not detected in the brain by immunostaining. Moreover, we examined the protective effect of detoxified RVS on rotenone induced cell toxicity in the cultured human dopaminergic cell line, SH-SY5Y. We found that rotenone induced cytotoxicity in SHSY5Y cells was suppressed by treatment with RVS. These results suggest that RVS may serve as an ideal adjuvant in regards to regulating the brain dopaminergic (DArgic) system and may contribute to neuroprotection in neurodegenerative diseases.

Antioxidant and Antimelanogenic Properties of Chestnut Flower Extract

SAPKOTA, Kumar,PARK, Se-Eun,KIM, Ji-Eun,KIM, Seung,CHOI, Han-Suk,CHUN, Hong-Sung,KIM, Sung-Jun Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and A 2010 Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry Vol.74 No.8

<P>In this study, we analyzed the antioxidant and antimelanogenic properties of a variety of solvent extracts of pre-bloom and full-bloom chestnut flowers. Among the solvent extracts, a pre-bloom methanol extract (preM) and an ethanol extract (preE) showed the highest amounts of phenolics (467.92±0.45 and 456.24±5.88 mg of gallic acid equivalent/g of extract) and flavonoids (60.96±1.86 and 41.59±8.57 mg of quercetin equivalent/g of extract). These extracts exhibited the highest DPPH radical and reducing activities, as well as the greatest mushroom tyrosinase inhibition activity. In addition, preE effectively protected the skin against ultraviolet (UV) rays. Further, extracts were tested for cytotoxicity on human melanoma cells (SK-MEL-2), and we observed that all the extracts were non-cytotoxic for the cells. Their effects on tyrosinase and melanin inhibitory action were further assessed, and we found that all the extracts reduced the tyrosinase activity and melanin formation of SK-MEL-2 cells as effectively as arbutin. Moreover, the protein level expression of tyrosinase decreased dramatically. However, the protein levels of the other melanogenic enzymes, tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP1) and dopachrome tautomerase (DCT), were not altered significantly. Therefore, the antimelanogenic effects of chestnut flower extracts were attributable to their inhibitory effects on tyrosinase <I>via</I> their anti-oxidative action, making them a strong candidate for use in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical applications.</P>

A Detoxified Extract of <i>Rhus verniciflua</i> Stokes Upregulated the Expression of BDNF and GDNF in the Rat Brain and the Human Dopaminergic Cell Line SH-SY5Y

SAPKOTA, Kumar,KIM, Seung,KIM, Myung-Kon,KIM, Sung-Jun Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and A 2010 Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry Vol.74 No.10

<P><I>Rhus verniciflua</I> Stokes (RVS) has traditionally been used as a food supplement and a traditional herbal medicine for centuries in Korea. This study attempted to evaluate the effects of RVS on the expression of Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in SH-SY5Y cells and the rat brain. The results indicated that RVS is a potent inducer of Neurotrophic factor (NTF) production both <I>in vitro</I> and <I>in vivo</I>. Treatment with 10 μg/ml and 10 mg/kg RVS for 4 h of SH-SY5Y cells and rats yielded significant increases in BDNF and GDNF protein levels. We also detected BDNF and GDNF immunoreactive neurons in the rat brain. Both BDNF and GDNF-immunohistochemical staining was markedly enhanced in the animals treated with RVS. These results suggest that RVS serves as an ideal adjuvant in regard to regulating NTF expression, and can contribute to neuroprotection in neurodegenerative diseases.</P>

Policy implications for up-scaling of off-grid solar PV for increasing access to electricity in rural areas of Nepal: Best practices and lessons learned

Sapkota, Surya Kumar Korea Photovoltaic Society 2020 한국태양광발전학회지 Vol.6 No.1

Nepal has huge potential of hydro and other renewable energy resources including solar energy. However, only 70% of the total population have access to electricity despite the long history of hydropower development in the country. Still more than 37% population in rural areas and around 73% population in Karnali Province, one of the least developed provinces, are living without access to electricity despite taking several initiatives and implementing various policies by government supporting electrification in off-grid rural areas. Government together with donors and private sector has extensively been promoting the off-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) echnology in un-electrified areas to increase electricity access. So far, more than 900,000 households in rural areas of Nepal are getting electricity from stand-alone solar PV systems. However, there are many challenges including financial, technical, institutional, and governance barriers in Nepal. This study based on extensive review of literatures and author's own long working experiences in renewable energy sector in Nepal, shares the best practices and lessons of off-grid solar PV for increasing access to electricity in rural areas of Nepal. This study suggests that flexible financial instruments, financial innovations, bundling of PV systems for concentrating energy loads, adopting standards process, local capacity building, and combination of technology, financing and institutional aspects are a key for enhancing effectiveness of solar PV technology in rural areas of Nepal.

Seminal Attributes and Semen Cryo-banking of Nepalese Indigenous Achhami (Bos indicus) Bull under Ex-situ Conservation

Pankaj Kumar Jha,Saroj Sapkota,Neena Amatya Gorkhali,Bhoj Raj Pokharel,Ajeet Kumar Jha,Shishir Bhandari,Bhola Shankar Shrestha 사단법인 한국동물생명공학회 2019 한국동물생명공학회지 Vol.34 No.4

The study was conducted to evaluate the seminal attributes and cryo-banking of Achhami (Bos indicus) bull semen. Of two Achhami bulls, 8 ejaculates from each bull were evaluated for seminal attributes. For semen freezing and cryo-banking, 4 ejaculates (having ≥2 mL semen volume, ≥75% of sperm motility and ≥1,000 × 106 cells/mL of sperm concentration) from each bull were used. Semen samples were diluted in egg-yolk-tris-citrate extender using a two-step dilution protocol, and were frozen in liquid nitrogen (LN2) vapour in a styrofoam box. The mean semen volume, colour, sperm mass activity, motility, viability, concentration, abnormal acrosome, midpiece and tail and, abnormal head of two Achhami bulls were 4.4 ± 0.5 mL vs. 2.5 ± 0.2 mL, 2.5 ± 0.1 vs. 2.4 ± 0.1, 3.5 ± 0.1 vs. 3.5 ± 0.1, 77.0 ± 1.1% vs. 78.3 ± 1.3%, 94.4 ± 0.5% vs. 91.0 ± 0.6%, 1137.7 ± 73.7 × 106 cells/mL vs. 1060.0 ± 44.3 × 106 cells/mL, 10.2 ± 0.5% vs. 10.3 ± 0.5% and 6.7 ± 0.5% vs. 8.2 ± 0.3%, respectively. The post-thawed sperm motility and viability were 53.0 ± 2.0% vs. 50.0 ± 0.0% and 80.2 ± 0.4% vs. 73.2 ± 0.7%, while evaluating by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system, the percentage of the progressive motility, fast motility, slow motility, local motility and immotile sperm were 75%, 68%, 7.4%, 16.6% and 8.6%, respectively. A total number of 620 doses semen straw were cryo-banked. Due to the acceptable post-thawed sperm motility and viability recorded, cryopreservation of Achhami semen is hereby recommended so as to preserve the Achhami breed. For further validation, the fertility will be observed from the produced frozen semen.

Vibration upshot of operating mechanical sewing machine

Prakash Kumar Yadav,Ram Lochan Yadav,Deepak Sharma,Dev Kumar Shah,Niraj Khatri Sapkota,Dilip Thakur,Nirmala Limbu,Md Nazrul Islam 대한직업환경의학회 2017 대한직업환경의학회지 Vol.29 No.-

Background: Most of the people associated with tailoring occupation in Nepal are still using mechanical sewing machine as an alternative of new technology for tailoring. Common peroneal nerves of both right and left legs are exposed to strenuous and chronic stress exerted by vibration and paddling of mechanical sewing machine. Methods: The study included 30 healthy male tailors and 30 healthy male individuals. Anthropometric variables as well as cardio respiratory variables were determined for each subject. Standard Nerve Conduction Techniques using constant measured distances were applied to evaluate common peroneal nerve (motor) in both legs of each individual. Data were analyzed and compared between study and control groups using Man Whitney U test setting the significance level p ≤ 0.05. Results: Anthropometric and cardio respiratory variables were not significantly altered between the study and control groups. The Compound muscle action potential (CMAP) latency of common peroneal nerves of both right [(11.29 ± 1.25 vs. 10.03 ± 1.37), P < 0.001] and left [(11.28 ± 1.38 vs. 10.05 ± 1.37), P < 0.01] legs was found to be significantly prolonged in study group as compared to control group. The Amp-CMAP of common peroneal nerves of both right [(4.57 ± 1.21 vs. 6.22 ± 1.72), P < 0.001] and left [(4.31 ± 1.55 vs. 6.25 ± 1.70), P < 0.001] legs was found significantly reduced in study group as compared to control group. Similarly, the motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) of common peroneal nerves of both right [(43.72 ± 3.25 vs. 47.49 ± 4.17), P < 0.001] and left [(42.51 ± 3.82 vs. 46.76 ± 4.51), P < 0.001] legs was also found to be significantly reduced in study group in comparison to control group. Conclusion: Operating mechanical sewing machine by paddling chronically and arduously could have attributed to abnormal nerve conduction study parameters due to vibration effect of the machine on right and left common peroneal nerves. The results of present study follow the trend towards presymptomatic or asymptomatic neuropathy similar to subclinical neuropathy.

Policy implications for up-scaling of off-grid solar PV for increasing access to electricity in rural areas of Nepal: Best practices and lessons learned

Surya Kumar Sapkota 한국태양광발전학회 2020 한국태양광발전학회지 Vol.6 No.1

Nepal has huge potential of hydro and other renewable energy resources including solar energy. However, only 70% of the total population have access to electricity despite the long history of hydropower development in the country. Still more than 37% population in rural areas and around 73% population in Karnali Province, one of the least developed provinces, are living without access to electricity despite taking several initiatives and implementing various policies by government supporting electrification in off-grid rural areas. Government together with donors and private sector has extensively been promoting the off-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) echnology in un-electrified areas to increase electricity access. So far, more than 900,000 households in rural areas of Nepal are getting electricity from stand-alone solar PV systems. However, there are many challenges including financial, technical, institutional, and governance barriers in Nepal. This study based on extensive review of literatures and author’s own long working experiences in renewable energy sector in Nepal, shares the best practices and lessons of off-grid solar PV for increasing access to electricity in rural areas of Nepal. This study suggests that flexible financial instruments, financial innovations, bundling of PV systems for concentrating energy loads, adopting standards process, local capacity building, and combination of technology, financing and institutional aspects are a key for enhancing effectiveness of solar PV technology in rural areas of Nepal.

Seminal Attributes and Semen Cryo-banking of Nepalese Indigenous Achhami (Bos indicus) Bull under Ex-situ Conservation

Pankaj Kumar Jha,Saroj Sapkota,Neena Amatya Gorkhali,Bhoj Raj Pokharel,Ajeet Kumar Jha,Shishir Bhandari,Bhola Shankar Shrestha 한국동물생명공학회(구 한국동물번식학회) 2019 Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Vol.34 No.4

The study was conducted to evaluate the seminal attributes and cryo-banking of Achhami (Bos indicus) bull semen. Of two Achhami bulls, 8 ejaculates from each bull were evaluated for seminal attributes. For semen freezing and cryo-banking, 4 ejaculates (having ≥2 mL semen volume, ≥75% of sperm motility and ≥1,000 × 106 cells/mL of sperm concentration) from each bull were used. Semen samples were diluted in egg-yolk-tris-citrate extender using a two-step dilution protocol, and were frozen in liquid nitrogen (LN2) vapour in a styrofoam box. The mean semen volume, colour, sperm mass activity, motility, viability, concentration, abnormal acrosome, midpiece and tail and, abnormal head of two Achhami bulls were 4.4 ± 0.5 mL vs. 2.5 ± 0.2 mL, 2.5 ± 0.1 vs. 2.4 ± 0.1, 3.5 ± 0.1 vs. 3.5 ± 0.1, 77.0 ± 1.1% vs. 78.3 ± 1.3%, 94.4 ± 0.5% vs. 91.0 ± 0.6%, 1137.7 ± 73.7 × 106 cells/mL vs. 1060.0 ± 44.3 × 106 cells/mL, 10.2 ± 0.5% vs. 10.3 ± 0.5% and 6.7 ± 0.5% vs. 8.2 ± 0.3%, respectively. The post-thawed sperm motility and viability were 53.0 ± 2.0% vs. 50.0 ± 0.0% and 80.2 ± 0.4% vs. 73.2 ± 0.7%, while evaluating by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system, the percentage of the progressive motility, fast motility, slow motility, local motility and immotile sperm were 75%, 68%, 7.4%, 16.6% and 8.6%, respectively. A total number of 620 doses semen straw were cryo-banked. Due to the acceptable post-thawed sperm motility and viability recorded, cryopreservation of Achhami semen is hereby recommended so as to preserve the Achhami breed. For further validation, the fertility will be observed from the produced frozen semen.