• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.183-190
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• 2023

Red yeast rice, also known as Hong Qu and red Koji, has been used for a long time in Asian functional food and traditional medicine. It consists of multiple bioactive substances, which can potentially be used as nutraceuticals. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) can range from simple steatosis or inflammation to fibrosis and cirrhosis, possibly through leaky gut and systemic endotoxemia. This study examined the liver and gut effects of red yeast rice (RYR) (Monascus purpureus) ethanol extract against binge ethanol-induced liver injury in mice. RYR extract was orally administered to C57BL/6N mice at a concentration of 200 mg/kg body weight per day for 10 days. Then, mice were administered binge alcohol (5 g/kg/dose) three times at 12 hr intervals. Binge alcohol exposure significantly elevated the endotoxin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine transaminase (ALT) activity of plasma, as well as hepatic triglyceride levels; however, RYR treatments reduced these levels. In addition, RYR pretreatment significantly reduced the alcohol-induced oxidative maker protein and apoptosis maker in binge alcohol-induced gut and liver injuries. These results suggest that RYR may prevent alcohol-induced acute leaky gut and liver damage.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.325-331
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• 2007

The present study was performed to clarify the recovery effect of polyacetylene constituents from Acanthopanax senticosus ethanol extracts on $CCl_4$-induced acute hepatic injury in dogs. Sixteen clinically healthy dogs were divided into the control group (six dogs), and experimental group I (three dogs), II (three dogs) and III (four dogs). Acute hepatic injury was induced by single intraperitoneal injection of 1 ml/kg $CCl_4$ solution ($CCl_4$ : olive oil = 1 : 1) after sterilization. The control group was orally administered with 10 ml of corn oil, and experimental groups I, II and III were orally administered with extracts of A. senticosus at the dose of 5, 10 and 30 mg/kg in 10 ml corn oil for seven consecutive days at 24 h after $CCl_4$ injection. We assessed changes occurring in serum ALT, AST and GGT activities on the pre, day 0, day 1, day 2, day 3, day 5 and day 7, together with the histopathological findings. In experimental group I, the significant changes in serum ALT activities were found on day 5 (p<0.05) and day 7 (p<0.05), compared with those in the control group. However, significant differences were not found in the changes of serum AST and GGT activities. In experimental group II, significant changes were found on day 2 (p<0.05), day 3(p<0.05), day 5 (p<0.05) and day 7 (p<0.05) in serum ALT activities, on day 1 (p<0.05) in serum AST, and on day 2 (p<0.05) and day 3 (p<0.05) in serum GGr activities, respectively. In experimental group III, the changes in serum ALT, AST and GGT activities were not significant. In the histopathological evaluation, experimental group I and II showed much improvement, while experimental group III became worse when compared with the control group. Based on the results of the present study, it was concluded that low dose (below 10 mg/kg) administration of polyacetylene constituents from A. senticosus ethanol extracts was effective for recovery of acute hepatic injury induced by $CCl_4$ in dogs.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.209-216
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• 2013

Soybean polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholine (PC) is thought to exert anti-inflammatory activities and has potent effects in attenuating acute renal failure and liver dysfunction. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of PC in protecting multiple organ injury (MOI) from lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Six groups of rats (N=8) were used in this study. Three groups acted as controls and received only saline, hydrocortisone (HC, 6 mg/kg, i.v.) or PC (600 mg/kg, i.p.) without LPS (15 mg/kg, i.p.) injections. Other 3 groups, as the test groups, were administered saline, HC or PC in the presence of LPS. Six hours after the LPS injection, blood and organs (lung, liver and kidney) were collected from each group to measure inflammatory cytokines and perform histopathology and myeloperoxidase (MPO) assessment. Serum cytokines (TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-6 and IL-10) and MPO activities were significantly increased, and significant histopathological changes in the organs were observed by LPS challenge. These findings were significantly attenuated by PC or HC. The treatment with PC or HC resulted in a significant attenuation on the increase in serum levels of TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6, pro-inflammatory cytokines, while neither PC nor HC significantly attenuated serum levels of IL-10, anti-inflammatory cytokine. In the organs, the enhanced infiltration of neutrophils and expression of ED2 positive macrophage were attenuated by PC or HC. Inductions of MPO activity were also significantly attenuated by PC or HC. From the findings, we suggest that PC may be a functional material for its use as an anti-inflammatory agent.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.5 no.1 s.8
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• pp.61-79
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• 2002

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate acute and subacute toxicity and sarcoma-180 anti-cancer effects of Herbal acupuncture with Anneniacae amarum semen (Haeng-in) in mice and rats. Method: Balble mice were injected intraperitoneany with Haeng-In extract for $LD_{50}$ and acute toxicity test. Sprague-Dawley rats were injected intraperitoneally with Haeng-In extract for subacute toxicity test. TheAnneniacae amarum semen Herbal-Acupuncture was injected on Chung-wan (CV12) of mice with Sarcoma-180 cancer cell line. Results: 1. $LD_{50}$ was uncountable as none of the subjects expired from the treatment groups during the test. 2. The clinical signs and the body weight of mice treated with 0.1cc and 0.2cc Haeng-In extract were not affected during the acute toxicity test. 3. In acute toxicity test of serum biochemical values of mice, total protein and albumin were decreased in treatment group Ⅰ. Glucose was increased, and total cholesterol was decreased in treatment groups. GPT was increased in treatment group Ⅰ. 4. In subacute toxicity test, toxic symptoms were not detected in the treatment groups. 5. In subacute toxicity test, the body weight was increased in treatment groups on 14th and 21st day. 6. In subacute toxicity test. liver weight was increased in treatment group Ⅱ, and spleen weight was increased in treatment group Ⅱ. Lung weight was increased in an the treatment groups.(p<0.05) 7. In subacute toxicity test, severe tissue injury was found in lung and liver, especially treatment group Ⅰshowed more significant lung damage compared to treatment group l. 8. In subacute toxicity test, WBC. MCH and MCHC were increased in an the treatment groups, RBC, HGB and HCT were decreased in treatment group H(p<0.05). 9. In subacute toxicity test of serum biochemical values of rats, triglyceride was decreased in all the treatment groups. ALP was decreased in treatment group Ⅰ. and creatinine was decreased in treatment group Ⅱ. BUN/CR was increased in treatment group Ⅱ(p<0.05). 10. Median survival time of Sarcoma-180 cancer cell treated with Haeng-In was increased in all the treatment groups by twenty percent, compared to the control group(p<0.05). 11. Natural killer cell activity about the Sarcoma-180 cell was decreased at the ratio of 100:1 but was increased at the ratio of 10:1. In treatment group Ⅱ, increase was found at the ratio of 100:1 and 50:1 (p<0.05). 12. Interleukin-2 productivity of the Sarcoma-180 cell was decreased in treatment group I, but was increased in treatment group Ⅱ(p<0.05). Conclusion: According to the results, we can conclude Herbal-acupuncture with Anneniacae amarum semen caused toxicity, and had effects in Sarcoma-180 cancer cell.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.64-72
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• 1994

Tolerance to toxic effects of cadmium (Cd), including lethality has been shown following pretreatment with cadmium and zinc. This study was designed to determine if tolerance also develops to Cd-induced hepatotoxicity and renal toxicity. Three groups of rats (A, B, C), each consisting of 108 rats, were studied and each group was divided into three subgroups (1, 2, 3), 12 rats for each subgroup. Rats were subcutaneously pretreated with saline (A), CdCl$_2$ (0.5 mg/kg, B), and ZnCl$_2$ (13.0 mg/kg, C) during time periods of 5 days. At the end of the period, rats were challenged with CdCIa (3.0 and 6.0 mg/kg) by intraperitoneal injection. As for the cadmium levels in rat tissues after pretreatments, it was highest in the liver. Then kidney, heart, blood and muscle followed it in that order. After 24, 48 and 96 hours of intraperitoneal injection by challenge doses the concentration of cadmium in liver and kidney increased proportionally to the increase of challenge dosage. However metallothioneins in liver and kidney were increased by the pretreatment of cadmium and zinc. These data indicate the liver is a major target organ of acute Cd poisoning, and suggest that cadmium induced hepatic injury, via release of Cd-MT, may play and important role in the nephrotoxicity observed in response to short-term exposure to cadmium. This result suggests that increasing cadmium concentrations, gradually accumulating in liver and kidney as the result of the pretteatmerit, served to induced the synthesis of metallothionein, thus making them resistant to the challenge from cadmium.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.66-70
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• 2019

Traumatic diaphragmatic injuries (TDIs) are a rare complication in thoraco-abdominal trauma. The diagnosis is difficult and if left untreated, TDI can cause traumatic diaphragmatic hernia (TDH). Through an injured diaphragm, the liver, spleen, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine can be herniated to the thoracic cavity, but pancreatic herniation and pancreatitis are quite rare in TDH. This paper reports a case of pancreatitis developed by additional trauma in a patient with asymptomatic chronic TDH. A 58-year-old male visited the emergency department with a left abdominal injury after a fall 6 hours earlier. The vital signs were stable, but the amylase and lipase levels were elevated to 558 U/L and 1,664 U/L, respectively. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a left diaphragmatic hernia and an incarceration of the stomach, pancreatic ductal dilatation, and peripancreatic fatty infiltration. Additional history taking showed that he had suffered a fall approximately 20 years ago and had an accidentally diaphragmatic hernia through a chest CT 6 months earlier. A comparison with the previous CT revealed the pancreatitis to be caused by secondary pancreatic ductal obstruction due to the incarcerated stomach. For pancreatitis, gastrointestinal decompression was performed, and after 3 days, the pancreatic enzyme was normalized; hence, a thoracotomy was performed. A small ruptured diaphragm was found and reposition of the organs was performed. This paper reports the experience of successfully treating pancreatitis and pancreatic hernia developed after trauma without complications through a thoracotomy following gastrointestinal decompression.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.261-269
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• 1998

Concomitant administration of a single acute dose of ethanol (4 g/kg) protected mice from the hepatocellular injury observed upon administration of a large dose of acetaminophen (400 mg/kg). This was evidenced by the normal histological appearances of liver sections and by the lowered serum aminotransferase activities in mice treated with ethanol and acetaminophen together. In the mice treated with acetaminophen alone, along with the hepatic necrosis, the hepatic microsomal aminopyrine N-demethylase activity was decreased. However, co-administration of ethanol prevented this acetaminophen dependent inhibition on the microsomal mixed function oxidase activity. Pharmacokinetic studies indicated that the concentration of un-metabolized drug in the blood was increased in the ethanol treated mice. Furthermore, upon co-administration of ethanol, although the biliary levels of acetaminophen metabolites (glucuronide, sulfate and cysteine conjugates) were decreased, the level of unmetabolized acetaminophen was increased. Our findings suggest that co-administration of an acute dose of ethanol reduces the degree of hepatocellular necrosis produced by a large dose of acetaminophen and this ethanol dependent protection is, in major part, afforded by suppression of the hepatic microsomal mixed function oxidase activity catalyzing the metabolic activation of acetaminophen.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.86-93
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• 2021

A high salt diet contributes to kidney damage by causing hypoxia and oxidative stress. Recently, an increase in dietary salt has been reported to induce an inflammatory phenotype in immune cells, further contributing to kidney damage. However, studies on the exact mechanism and role of a high salt diet on the inflammatory response in the kidneys are still insufficient. In this study, a cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury model using C57BL/6 mice was used to analyze the effect of salt intake on kidney injury. Results showed that high salt administration aggravated kidney edema in mice induced by treatment with cisplatin. Moreover, the indicators of kidney and liver function impairment were significantly increased in the group cotreated with high salt compared with that treated with cisplatin alone. Furthermore, the exacerbation of kidney damage by high salt administration was also associated with a decrease in the number of cells in the immune regulatory system. Additionally, high salt administration further decreased renal perfusion functions along with increased cisplatin-induced damage to proximal tubules. This was accompanied by increased expression of T cell immunoglobulin, mucin domain 1 (a biomarker of kidney injury), and Bax (a pro-apoptotic factor). Moreover, cisplatin-induced expression of proinflammatory mediators and cytokines, including cyclooxygenase-2 and tumor necrosis factor-α in kidney tissue, was further increased by high salt intake. Therefore, these results indicate that the kidney's inflammatory response by high salt treatment can further promote kidney damage caused by various pathological factors.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Pathology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2001

To investigate the effects of safflower seed supplementation diet on the hepatic injury of rats administered with carbon tetrachloride (CCI$_4$), histopathological changes were assessed following acute and chronic administration in rats. In acute cases, all rats in group fed with 10% safflower seed supplementation diet survived despite the administration of lethal doses of $CCl_4$. However, most rats in group fed with control diet died. The hepatic injuries of survived rats, in the histopathological findings, were mild compared to those of dead rats. In the chronic cases, livers of group 2 fed with control diet were more progressive in fatty changes and centrilobular necrosis than those of group 3 fed with 20%safflower seed diet. However, after six weeks, livers of group 2 and 3 showed severe necrosis and mild fibrosis at the same time. Group 5 fed with 10% safflower seed supplementation diet and water containing 0.05% phenobarbital sodium showed mild fatty changes and necrosis compared with group 4 fed with control diet and water containing 0.05% phenobarbital sodium at sixth week. At 8 to 10 wee71s after the administration of $CCl_4$, severe fibrosis. fatty changes and marked necrosis were observed in group 4, but hepatic injuries were less severe in group 5. The present results suggested that safflower seed has some protective effect in hepatic lesions and consequently delay the progression of hepatic fibrosis.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.53-59
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• 2016

Alcoholism is a significant health problem in the world. The liver is the first and primary target organ for alcohol metabolism. Alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase play important roles in the metabolism of alcohol and aldehyde. In this study, I aimed to investigate the eliminatory effects of a Phellinus spp. extract on alcohol metabolism in drunken Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Male SD rats were given Phellinus spp. extract at 30 min after 40% (5 g/kg) alcohol ingestion. To assay the effect of Phellinus spp. extract on blood alcohol concentration, blood samples were taken from the tail vein at 1, 3 and 5 h after alcohol ingestion. The concentrations of alcohol, alcohol dehydrogenase, and aldehyde dehydrogenase in Phellinus spp. extract treated rat were significantly lower than that of the control with a time-dependent manner. In addition, the alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities of Phellinus spp. extract-treated groups were altered compared to those of the control group. These results suggest that Phellinus spp. extract intake can have a positive effect on the reduction of alcohol, alcohol dehydrogenase, and aldehyde dehydrogenase concentrations in the blood and may alleviate acute alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity by altering alcohol metabolic enzyme activities. Phellinus spp. extract is thus a good nutraceutical candidate.