• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.894-901
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• 2007

This study investigated the effects of cell cultured Acanthopanax senticosus extract (ASE) supplementation and swimming exercise on lipid profiles and carnitine concentrations in C57BL/6J mice fed high fat diets. Male C57BL/6J mice (n=50), aged 4 weeks, were divided into 5 groups based on exercise and/or ASE supplementation (0.5 g/kg of body weight): normal diet (N-C), high fat diet (H-C), high fat diet non-supplement & exercise (H-NSE), high fat diet supplement & no exercise (H-SNE), high fat diet supplement & exercis (H-SE). Liver nonesterified carnitine (NEC) was significantly higher in the H-SNE group than in the H-C group, and liver total carnitine (TCNE) levels were significantly higher in the H-SNE group than in the H-NSE and H-SE groups. Liver and muscle carnitine palmitoyltransferase-I (CPT-I) mRNA levels tended to be higher with ASE supplementation and/or exercise. These results suggest that supplementation with ASE and/or exercise might have a role in improving lipid oxidation.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.85-105
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• 2011

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to characterize the neuroprotective effects and anxiolytic-like effects of Gongjin-dan and Polygala japonica, Polygala tenuifolia, Acorus gramineus mixed pills(G.J.D-P.P.A.). Methods : The neuroprotective effects of G.J.D-P.P.A. determined by the passive avoidance and Y-maze tasks and Morris water maze task, and the anxiolytic-like effects of the G.J.D-P.P.A. using an elevated plus-maze(EPM) in mice. Results : Drug-induced amnesia was induced by treating animals with scopolamine(1 mg/kg, i.p.). A single G.J.D-P.P.A.(400 and 800 mg/kg) administration significantly enhanced cognitive function and attenuated scopolamine-induced cognitive impairments as determined by the passive avoidance and Y-maze tasks(P < 0.05) and also reduced escape-latency on the Morris water maze task(P < 0.05). The administration of GJD-PPA(400 and 800 mg/kg) significantly increased the percentage of time spent in open arms and entries into the open arms of the EPM compared with saline-treated control group(P < 0.05). Moreover, there were no changes in the locomotor activity and myorelaxant effects in any group compared with saline-treated control group. Conclusions : These results suggest that GJD-PPA dramatically possesses the anti-amnestic and cognitive-enhancing activities related to the memory processes, and promotes the anxiolytic-like activity in mice.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.27-40
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• 2000

The influence of moxibustion, a traditional Chinese medical treatment, on type II collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) was examined in DBA/1J mice in vivo. Mice were immunized intradermally twice at the 3-week interval with bovine type II collagen (C Il). The main incidence of arthritis started about on day 30 and lasted to day 60 after the first immunization. Moxibustion with three different regimens, was applied at the acupoint equivalent to GV 4 every other day. Moxibustion, from day 0 to day 30 after the first immunization, suppressed the onset and development of arthritis, as well as anti-collagen antibody level. Treatment with moxibustion, from the day 31 to day 60, also resulted in a significant inhibition of progression of arthritis and production of anti-C II antibody. Thirdly we examined the influence of moxibustion on the established arthritis. Moxibustion given from day 61 to day 120, significantly but mildly decreased the anti-C II antibody level in diseased mice, while the bone erosion and joint destruction were not affected. These results indicate that moxibustion could prevent the incidence and attenuates the development of murine CIA.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.273-279
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to determine the independent and the combined effects of cell cultured Acanthopanax senticosus extracts (ASE) supplementation and swimming exercise on body weight, lipid profile, carnitine and leptin levels in C57 BL/6J mice. Forty C57BL/6J mice were divided into four groups: non-supplement and non-exercise (NSNE); non-supplement and exercise (NSE); supplement and non-exercise (SNE); supplement and exercise (SE) mice. They were allowed free access to food and water. The exercised groups were forced to swim (1hr, 6 days a week) in a water bath for 12 weeks. The supplemented groups were fed Cell cultured ASE (0.5 g/kg body weight/day) for 12 weeks. In this study, we found that the combination of Cell cultured ASE supplementation and exercise significantly decreased liver triglyceride (TG) level and serum leptin level but significantly increased serum HDL-cholesterol level compare to control (NSNE) group. These improved lipid profiles and decreased serum leptin would have positive effects on obesity and cardiovascular disease.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.99-107
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• 1998

Numerous studies have demonstrated a negative association between cigarette smoking and Parkinson's disease. The present study was undertaken to investigate whether chronic exposure of mice to cigarette smoke a(footed the metabolism of 1-methyl-1113,6-tetrahydro-pyridine (MPTP) by cytochrome P4SO (P-450) or flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) in the hepatic microsomes of C57BL6/J mice. Adult male C57BL6/J mice were exposed to mainstream smoke generated from 15 cigarettes for 10 min a day and 5 day per week for 6 weeks. MPTP (10 mg/kg body weight) was administered to mice by subcutaneous injection for 6 consecutive days. Microsolnal P-450 content was increased by MPTP, smoke exposure, or both, but NADPH cytochrome P-450 reductase activity was rather decreased by the same treatments. The activities of benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase, 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase were significantly increased by the exposure of cigarette smoke, but were not or little affected by MPTP treatment. Benzphetamine N-demethylase activity was not affected either by MPTP treatment or by cigarette smoke exposure, but it was significantly increased by the combined MPTP treatment with cigarette smoke exposure, showing their synergic effect for the induction of the enzyme activity. Interestingly, in vitro studies of hepatic FMO and P-450 system both O-oxygenation and N-demethylation of MPTP were increased in the smoke-exposed or in the MPTP-treated mice. These results suggest that the enhancement in the N-demethylation as well as O-deethylation of P-450 system and in the N-oxygenation of FMO activity by cigarette smoke exposure in mouse liver may contribute to attenuating the neurotoxic effects of MPTP on the nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.295-301
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Consumption of cholesterol-rich foods, such as eggs, has a minimal effect on circulating cholesterol levels in healthy humans. To gain insight, we investigated whether phospholipids rich in eggs (EPL) interfere with intestinal cholesterol absorption in vivo. MATERIALS/METHODS: To investigate the acute effect of EPL on intestinal cholesterol absorption, male C57BL/6J mice were orally administered with 6, 11, or 19 mg of EPL for three days. We also tested the effect of chronic EPL consumption on cholesterol metabolism in the small intestine and the liver in mice with diet-induced hypercholesterolemia. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a high fat/high cholesterol (HF/HC; 35% fat, 0.25% cholesterol, w/w) diet for 4 weeks to induce hypercholesterolemia, and subsequently the mice were either fed 0, 0.4 or 0.8% (w/w) of EPL for 6 weeks. RESULTS: Intestinal cholesterol absorption was significantly decreased by the highest dose of acute EPL administration compared to control. Chronic EPL supplementation did not significantly alter intestinal cholesterol absorption nor plasma levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. In the small intestine and the liver, EPL supplementation minimally altered the expression of genes which regulate cellular cholesterol levels. CONCLUSION: Although chronic EPL consumption was not able to counteract hypercholesterolemia in HF/HC-fed mice, acute EPL administration decreased intestinal cholesterol absorption. This study provides in vivo evidence that acute administration of PLs in eggs prevent cholesterol absorption in the intestine, suggesting a mechanism for a minimal effect of egg consumption on circulating cholesterol levels.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2013

Betaine supplementation has been shown to alleviate altered glucose and lipid metabolism in mice fed a high-fat diet or a high-sucrose diet. We investigated the beneficial effects of betaine in diabetic db/db mice. Alleviation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and oxidative stress was also examined in the livers and brains of db/db mice fed a betaine-supplemented diet. Male C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice were fed with or without 1% betaine for 5 wk (referred to as the db/db-betaine group and the db/db group, respectively). Lean non-diabetic db/+ mice were used as the control group. Betaine supplementation significantly alleviated hyperinsulinemia in db/db mice. Betaine reduced hepatic expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha, a major transcription factor involved in gluconeogenesis. Lower serum triglyceride concentrations were also observed in the db/db-betaine group compared to the db/db group. Betaine supplementation induced hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a mRNA levels, and reduced acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity. Mice fed a betaine-supplemented diet had increased total glutathione concentrations and catalase activity, and reduced lipid peroxidation levels in the liver. Furthermore, betaine also reduced ER stress in liver and brain. c-Jun N-terminal kinase activity and tau hyperphosphorylation levels were lower in db/db mice fed a betaine-supplemented diet, compared to db/db mice. Our findings suggest that betaine improves hyperlipidemia and tau hyperphosphorylation in db/db mice with insulin resistance by alleviating ER and oxidative stress.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.206-212
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• 2013

The herbal composition Gyeongshingangjeehwan 18 (GGEx18), which is composed of three herbs, Laminaria japonica Aresch (Laminariaceae), Rheum palmatum L. (Polygonaceae), and Ephedra sinica Stapf (Ephedraceae), has been used as an anti-obesity drug in Korean local clinics. Thus, we investigated whether GGEx18 regulates obesity by suppressing appetite in high fat diet-induced obese C57BL/6J mice. Administration of GGEx18 to obese mice for 9 weeks significantly decreased body weight gain, epididymal adipose tissue weight, and food efficiency ratio. GGEx18 also caused a significant decrease in the circulating levels of leptin, which were increased by about 450% in obese control mice compared with normal lean mice. Concomitantly, GGEx18 decreased mRNA levels of a potent appetite-stimulating hormone neuropeptide Y, but increased an appetite-suppressing hormone pro-opiomelanocortin mRNA levels. These results suggest that GGEx18 may prevent obesity through regulating appetite in nutritionally obese mice.

• Medical Lasers
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 2021

Background and Objectives Hypothyroidism is the most common endocrine disease. On the other hand, there is no treatment that can improve the thyroid function. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) can improve the cellular activity. The effect of hypothyroidism is not obvious. This study examined the effects of LLLT on the thyroid gland function of a propylthiouracil (PTU)-induced hypothyroidism mouse model. Materials and Methods Twenty-five male ICR mice were distributed into five groups of five animals each: Negative control (none PTU animal) and positive control (PTU animal) of unirradiated animals, and three experimental groups with LLLT (3J, 6J, and 12J). Each mouse was exposed to a distinct dose of a 632-nm laser once a week for three rounds. The positive control group and three LLLT groups were induced into a hypothyroidism state by PTU administration. The animals' thyroid-stimulating hormone and thyroxine levels were measured using an ELISA kit, and their thyroid tissue was harvested and analyzed after sacrifice at the end of the experiment. The hormone level and morphological changes in the tissue of the five groups were compared. Results The thyroid hormone levels in the control group and LLLT groups were similar. On the other hand, the thyroid tissue of the LLLT groups showed some morphological changes that were similar to those of iodine deficiency thyroid. Conclusion LLLT did not affect the thyroid gland function in PTU-induced hypothyroidism mice.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.93-104
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• 2004

Objectives : The aim was to identify the inhibitory effects of Liriopis Tuber on bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis by analysing the changes of imflammatory cell cytokines and SHI(Semiquantitative Histological Index), Materials and Methods : In this study fibrosis prone C57BL/6J mice were used. Control group was treated with blomycin(0.06mg/0.1 ml) by IT(intratracheal) instillation which is a popular method of inducing lung fibrosis and sample group took Liriopis Tuber water extract(38.0mg/10g body weight) orally for 14 days after IT instillation of blomycin. We measured the total and differential count of WBC, $IFN-{\gamma}$ & IL-4 in mice BALF and SHI(Semiquantitative Histological Index) from lung tissues of mice. BALF and lung tissues of mice were taken 14 days after IT instillation of blomycin. Results : In sample group total WBC count, proportion of neutrophil, SHI and IL-4 significantly(p<0.05) decreased, proportion of macrophage significantly(p<0.05) increased and proportion of lymphocyte, $IFN-{\gamma}$ did not decrease significantly. Conclusions : This study suggests that Liriopis Tuber has an inhibitory effects of pulmonary fibrosis by attenuation of inflammation and Th2 immune response. To determine whether this herbal medicine contribute to cure and prophylaxis of pulmonary fibrosis, further studies on the role of $IFN-{\gamma}$ relating to fibrosis are required.