Korea University · Medicine
Professor Kyungae Jo's research lab specializes in the pharmacological and biological evaluation of natural products, with a focus on their applications in skin health, sleep regulation, and gut microbiome modulation. The lab investigates bioactive compounds from botanicals such as *Vaccinium uliginosum*, lotus leaf, jujube, and deer antler to understand their mechanisms in photoprotection, sleep promotion, and prebiotic effects. Using in vitro and in vivo models—including mice, rats, and *Drosophila*—the lab integrates biochemical, histological, and molecular analyses to validate the therapeutic potential of natural extracts.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Accumulating evidence indicates that botanical extracts affect skin biophysical parameters, such as hydration, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), melanin index, erythema index, and wrinkle development. <i>Vaccinium uliginosum</i> extract contains a high level of anthocyanins as antioxidant and is ideal for use in dietary skin care products. Here, we assessed the photoprotective effects of dietary <i>V. uliginosum</i> extract in ultraviolet B (UVB)-irradiated hairless mice. Quantitative analysis o
Current pharmacological treatments for insomnia carry several and long-term side effects. Therefore, natural products without side effects are warranted. In this study, the sleep-promoting activity of the lotus leaf (<i>Nelumbo nucifera</i>) extract was assessed using ICR mice and Sprague Dawley rats. A pentobarbital-induced sleep test and electroencephalogram analysis were conducted to measure sleep latency time, duration, and sleep architecture. The action mechanism of the extract was evaluate
This study measured the proliferative activity of malto-oligosaccharide (MOS) as a prebiotic against Bifidobacteria, resistance to digestion in vitro, and changes during in vitro fermentation by human fecal microorganisms. It consisted of 21.74%, 18.84%, and 11.76% of maltotriose, maltotetraose, and maltopentaose produced by amylase (HATT), respectively. When 1% of MOS was added to a modified PYF medium as the carbon source, proliferation of <i>Bifidobacterium breve</i> was increased significant
We evaluated the sleep enhancement activity of the medicinal herbs valerian (<i>Valeriana officinalis</i>), jujube (<i>Ziziphus jujube</i>), lotus seed (<i>Nelumbo nucifera</i>), <i>Gastrodia elata</i>, <i>Polygonatum sibiricum</i>, and baekbokryung (<i>Poria cocos</i>), which can relieve insomnia in a <i>Drosophila</i> model. Locomotor activity was measured in the <i>Drosophila</i> model to evaluate the sleep activity of Korean medicinal herbs traditionally used as sleep aids. The group treated
Although <i>Ziziphus jujuba</i> Mill (jujube) is used in folk medicine for hypnotic sedative, anxiolytic, and many other purposes, to date, only a few studies have revealed its sleep-promoting effects and related mechanisms. Currently, drugs used for the treatment of sleep disorders have various side effects, so it is essential to develop safe natural materials. Therefore, we evaluated the sleep-enhancing activity and mechanism of action of an aqueous extract of jujube seeds (ZW) fermented with
The effect of deer antler extract on muscle differentiation and muscle atrophy were evaluated to minimize muscle loss following aging. Various deer antler extracts (HWE, hot water extract of deer antler; FE, HWE of fermented deer antler; ET, enzyme-assisted extract of deer antler; UE, extract prepared by ultrasonication of deer antler) were evaluated for their effect on muscle differentiation and inhibition of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside (AICAR)-induced muscle atrophy in C2C12
Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) is a lipid carrier in mammals including humans that consists mainly of polar lipids, like phospholipids and glycolipids. In this study, a process to enrich polar lipids in commercial butter and whey powder, including polar lipids of MFGM, was developed. WPC (whey protein concentrate) 60 was selected as the most suitable raw material based on the yield, phospholipid, protein, and lactose content of the polar lipid fraction obtained by ethanol extraction of two WPC
In this study, we used various proteinases to investigate the effect of whey protein hydrolysates on proliferation and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts. To confirm hydrolysis of the whey protein hydrolysates, the yield and α-amino acid content were determined. Since osteogenic cell activity is an important factor in osteogenesis, we evaluated the proliferation of osteogenic cells by measuring 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) acti
The efficacy and safety of galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) in treating functional constipation were evaluated in a four-week randomized, double-blind clinical trial on 63 patients who met Rome IV criteria (34 GOS, 29 placebo group). The number of bowel movements per day and changes in the shape of bowel movements in the treatment group significantly improved compared to those in the control group after four weeks. The Patient Assessment Constipation Quality of Life questionnaire showed that satis
Effect of capsaicinoids in hot pepper powder (HP) contains various chemical compounds, including capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, which are the main ingredients of the spicy taste. To evaluate the effect of HP on the microbial community in kimchi fermentation, kimchi [kimchi-HP, kimchi-HPE and kimchi-HPER made by adding HP, HP alcohol extract (HPE) and HPE residues (HPER)] was fermented at 4°C for 28 days. The pH and titratable acidity of the samples and the number of bacteria changed with fermen
This study investigated the effect of ethanol-extracted green lettuce leaf (GLE) on sleep behavior in physical stress-induced invertebrate and vertebrate models. In <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i>, the group that experienced vibration stress showed decreased sleep time compared to the no-vibration-stress control group, but the GLE treatment group recovered this lost sleep time. The GLE group also recovered the gene expression of downregulated superoxide dismutase induced by vibration stress condi
Rice is a staple food in Korea. The protein in rice reportedly contains higher levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) than proteins in other grains. Taking BCAAs during exercise can reduce muscle fatigue by reducing muscle glycogen depletion. However, there are limited studies reporting the anti-fatigue effect of rice protein. We investigate the muscular endurance and anti-fatigue effects of the protein hydrolysate of rice syrup meal in mouse models. BALB/C mice were divided into the follo
Hops contain flavonoids that have sedative and sleep-promoting activities such as α-acid, β-acid, and xanthohumol. In this study, the sleep-enhancing activity of a Saaz-Saphir hops mixture was measured. In the caffeine-induced insomnia model, the administration of a Saaz-Saphir mixture increased the sleep time compared to Saaz or Saphir administration alone, which was attributed to the increase in NREM sleep time by the δ-wave increase. Oral administration of the Saaz-Saphir mixture for 3 weeks
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