The antibacterial activities of methanol extracts of 19 commercial herbal medicines were measured against the fish pathogens Vibrio ichthyoenteri and Streptococcus iniae, which cause several fish diseases. Rhus javanica showed the strongest antibacterial activity against V. ichthyoenteri and S. iniae. The methanol extract of R. javanica was extracted further using several organic solvents with different polarities. The extract from the ethyl acetate fraction showed strong activity against both fish pathogens. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the R. javanica extract was 32 μg/mL for V. ichthyoenteri and 128 μg/mL for S. iniae. Further purification and isolation of the active compound (s) responsible for these activities and further study of the synergistic effect using combinations of antibiotics against pathogenic bacteria are needed.

The present study was carried out to investigate the in vivo single-dose acute toxicity of Bacillus subtilis JNS isolated from Cheonggukjang, which is a probiotic candidate showing strong and broad antibacterial activity. The test sample was orally administrated to male and female ICR mice at a highest dose of 2,000 mg/kg for 14 days. No significant change in general conditions, mortalities, body weight changes, clinical signs, autopsy findings, or presence of gross lesions was observed in either sex of mice. The results indicate that up to 2,000 mg/kg of B. subtilis JNS had no adverse effect on ICR mice.

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This study examined the effect of calcium (AC) extracted from salt fermented anchovy Engraulis japonicus on osteoporosis in ovariectomized (OVX) SD female rats. After AC treatment for 8 weeks, the body weight of the OVX-AC group decreased, while the weight of the OVX group (control) increased 43.9%. The blood osteocalcin, calcium, and ALP levels were examined as physiological markers for osteoporosis. The concentrations of all markers were elevated in the OVX-AC group compared to the OVX group. Thus, anchovy calcium is useful as an organic calcium supplement.