• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.236-243
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• 2009

This study was performed to investigate the effects of aluminum sulfate administration on the brain tissues of old rats, when given at different concentrations. The experiment attempted to further ascertain whether aluminum exposure cause Alzheimer's disease. Seventy-five aged Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups; a control group, 2 ppm aluminum sulfate group, 20 ppm aluminum sulfate group, 40 ppm aluminum sulfate group, and 200 ppm aluminum sulfate group, and were kept on the respective diets for 12 weeks. In order to understand the influence of aluminum on the brain, serum aluminum concentrations, phospholipid composition, and catecholamine concentrations were compared between the aluminum-treated groups and the normal group. According to the results, serum aluminum was higher in the aluminum sulfate-treated groups than in the normal group. Within the cortex, catecholamine concentrationes were significantly increased but cerebellum and brainstem tissue were significantly decreased, in the aluminum sulfate-treated groups compared to the normal group. For phospholipid composition, phosphatidyl inositol was significantly increased wherase phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, and phosphatidyl serine were significantly decreased in the aluminum sulfate-treated groups versus the normal group. Based on the data, increased aluminum consumption in experimental animals causes increased serum aluminum levels and catecholamine variation. These phenomena are very similar to conditions of Alzherimer's disease. Therfore, the results of this experiment further suggest that aluminum cause Alzherimer's disease, coinciding with reports that aluminum is a cause of neurofibrilly tangles in the brain.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.552-561
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• 2023

The endocrinology of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its predisposing factors have been studied extensively while its skeletal effects have received negligible research despite this being a global disease. The cellular and molecular association between proximal humeral fractures and T2D has not been fully elucidated. We aimed to study bone cell quantities and immunolabel osteogenic and antiosteogenic cytokines. The study used 12-week-old rats (23 males) consisting of 8 Sprague Dawley (SD) and 15 Zucker Diabetic Sprague Dawley (ZDSD). Weekly mass measurements were taken while fasting blood glucose levels were recorded every 2 weeks with oral glucose tolerance tests conducted once every 4 weeks. Upon termination at the age of 28 weeks, humeri were fixed in 10% buffered formalin, prior to decalcification in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. The bone samples were then processed in ascending grades of alcohol using an automatic processor before embedding in paraffin wax. Sections were cut at 5 ㎛ thickness in a series for Haematoxylin and Eosin stain, and immunohistochemistry was performed with the anti-tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), anti-alkaline phosphatase (ALP), anti-bone morphogenetic protein 3 (BMP3), anti-transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1), anti-aged glycation end product (AGE) antibodies in the sequence. ZDSD rats had more adipocytes, BMP3 and AGEs expression with higher numbers of TRAP positive osteocytes and fewer ALP cells although no differences were found in TGFβ1 immunopositivity. We also found that T2D increases the number of AGEs immuno-positive cells, as well as its extracellular expression, thus providing a conducive environment for the interaction of the osteogenic cytokine and its antagonist to suppress osteoblastogenesis. ZDSD groups had higher adipocyte numbers therefore increased marrow adiposity in T2D.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.294-304
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• 2024

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is increasingly becoming more prevalent worldwide together with hospital care costs from secondary complications such as bone fractures. Femoral fracture risk is higher in diabetes. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the osteometric and microarchitecture of the femur of Zucker Diabetic Sprague-Dawley (ZDSD) femur. Ten-week-old male rats (n=38) consisting of 16 control Sprague-Dawley (SD) and 22 ZDSD rats were used. The rats were terminated at 20 weeks and others at 28 weeks of age to assess age, diabetes duration effects and its severity. Bilateral femora were taken for osteometry, bone mass measurements and micro-focus X-ray computed tomography scanning to assess the trabecular number (TbN), thickness (TbTh), spaces (TbSp), bone tissue volume to total volume (BV/TV) and volume (BV). Diabetic rats had shorter (except for 20-weeks-old), lighter, narrower, and less robust bones than SD controls that wered more robust. Although cortical area was similar in all diabatic and control rats, medullary canal area was the largest in ZDSD rats. This means that the diabetic rats bones were short, light and hollow. Diabetic rats aged 20 weeks had reduced BV, BV/TV, TbN with more spacing (TbSp). In contrast, the 28 weeks old diabetic rats only showed reduced BV and TbN. Discriminant function analysis revealed, for the first time, that osteometric parameters and TbTh, TbN, and TbSp were affected by diabetes. This knowledge is valuable in the management of diabetic complications.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 1985

Two cases of human Erhinostoma hortense infection and their probable infection source were identified by prasiqantel (Distocide) treatment of the patients and by examining two kinds of fresh water fish which were eaten raw by them. The result of the research can be summarized as follows: 1. The patients, each aged 31 and 30, were residing in the same house in Wonju City, Kangwon Province. The first case was hospitalized due to epidemic hemorrhagic fever (E.H. fever) and the second case was healthy but had slight degree of abdominal pain and diarrhea from time to time. In the stool examination, eggs of 5. hortense ($114.3{\times}71.0{\mu\textrm{m}}$) average from the first case and $119.1{\times}68.3{\mu\textrm{m}}$ average from the second) were found. By administering single dose of praziquantel (10~15mg/kg) and purgation with magnesium salt to them. sin adults of 5. hortense were collected from the diarrheal stools of the second case. 2. By examining 8:k Moroco oxycephalus and 20 Carassius carassius which were captured at the place where the two patients had captured and eaten the fresh water fish, the metacercariae of Echinostoma sp. were found from 3 (3.5%) M. oxycephalus. 3. After the experimental infection of 3 isolated metacercariae to one albino rat three adults of 5. hortense were recovered. By the present study, the two patients revealing the echinostomatid eggs in their stools were proven to be infected with 5. hortense and to be the second and third human cases of this luke infection in Korea. Mcroco oxycephalus harboured the metacercariae of E. hortense and appeared to be a new second intermediate host.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.87-101
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• 1998

There is considerable interests in the effect of regular, vigorous exercise, in particular weight training as a possible measure in improving myocardial function. The present investigation aimed to examine possible effect of a long-term weight training program on the heart in aging rats. Male rats aged 3-,10-, and 20-month-old were divided at random into a control (sedentary) and the exercise group. The training group was exercised for 5 days a week by 1 RM of ten times with weight training apparatus. This investigation examined the changes of the heart muscle relative to histological, ultrastructural, cytochemical, and stereological studies in rats. Quantity of lipofuscin pigments was clearly increased in the weight training group of 15-month-old rats, and mitochondrial degeneration, vacuolization, and interstitial proliferation were observed as well. In the weight training group of 25-month-old rats the frequency as separated intercalated discs, fraying myofibrils and hypercontraction band increased in number compared with the same 15-mon1h-old group. From the experimental result of glucose-6-phosphatase activity, the enzyme activities decreased in the weight training group of 15-month-old rats, and more decreased in the same 25-month-old group. In stereological study, both 15- and 25-month-old training groups, mitochondrial and myofibrilar volume densities significantly decreased, whereas interstitial volume density significantly increased. From the experimental results obtained in the present study, it is suggested that long-term weight training exercise do not cause any significantly qualitative and quantitative ultrastructural change of the heart muscle in the young. On the contrary, long-term weight training exercise stress may actually induce degenerative changes in the heart muscle in the old age.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.903-910
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• 2016

In this study, the expression level of estrogen receptor in an ovariectomized rat model was effectively enhanced by MS-10, Cirsium japonicum and Thymus vulgaris extract complex, in a reversible manner. MS-10 plays a positive role in enhancing estrogen activity at low concentrations, leading to improved women's health. In order to determine whether or not MS-10 improves menopausal symptoms clinically, a randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled clinical study was carried out on 62 middle-aged women treated with 500 mg of MS-10 or placebo daily for 12 weeks. Clinical menopausal symptoms were evaluated by Kupperman's index (KI) detecting various menopausal symptoms, including hot flushes, parenthesis, insomnia, nervousness, melancholia, dizziness, fatigue, rheumatic pain, palpitations, formication, and headaches. Total KI score decreased significantly by about 18% upon ingestion of MS-10. Colpoxerosis, a main symptom of menopause, was significantly reduced by about 21% upon ingestion of MS-10 in contrast to placebo. In addition, reduction of insulin-like growth factor-1 with age was improved by over 10% upon ingestion of MS-10, whereas there were no significant difference with placebo. No side effects appeared after treatment with MS-10. Thus, MS-10 can be suggested as a plausible natural substance for improving women's health.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.884-892
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• 2011

This study was performed to investigate the increase of S-allylcysteine content, a biomarker of black garlic, during its aging period, as well as the serum lipid-lowering effects of black garlic extract in high fat diet fed rats. The highest content of S-allylcysteine was observed on the 15th day of the aging period. Sensory evaluation was also estimated to be extremely good on the 15th day of the aging period. High fat diet rats with induced hyperlipidemia were fed diets containing black garlic extract of low, medium, and high doses for 6 weeks. No significant difference in body weight gain and food efficiency was observed between normal, placebo and black garlic fed groups. Liver weight was significantly higher in black garlic fed groups than in the normal group. Total serum cholesterol and triglyceride were significantly lower in low, medium, and high dose groups than in the normal group. Also, HDL-cholesterol was significantly higher and LDL-cholesterol was significantly lower in black garlic diet fed groups than in the normal group. Hepatic levels including total lipid and cholesterol were especially decreased in the black garlic diet fed group than in the placebo group. These results suggest that black garlic intake reduces the levels of serum and hepatic cholesterol in high fat diet fed rats. In conclusion, black garlic has a potential to be used as a functional health food ingredient with beneficial effects on lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.423-431
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• 2017

The present study was intended to orally administer aronia to rats, irradiate radiation once to the whole bodies of the rats, and conduct blood tests to observe, compare, and analyze changes in blood cells, such as leukocytes, erythrocytes, and platelets, in order to examine the radioprotective effects of aronia. As experimental animals, 15 male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats aged six weeks weighing 200~250 g were taken and divided into the normal group (A) of five rats, the 5 Gy control group (B) of five rats, and the 5 Gy experimental group (C) of five rats. The normal group (A) was not~irradiated at all, the control group (B) was administered with general diets and irradiated, and the experimental group(C) was orally administered with 50 mg/kg/day of aronia two times per day to achieve a distilled water oral dose of 100 mg/kg/day and irradiated thereafter (5 Gy at 500 cGy/min) for 14 days. After the experiment, differences in leukocytes, erythrocytes, and platelets among the normal group (A), the control group (B), and the experimental group (C) were examined by comparing the counts of the blood cells and the results showed no statistically significant differences. However, on a detailed review, the normal group (A) showed statistically higher mean values for all of lymphocytes, hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin as compared to the control group (B) and the experimental group (C). Statistically significant differences in the counts of lymphocytes were shown between the normal group (A) and the control group (B), and between the normal group (A) and the experimental group (C); furthermore, statistically significant differences in mean corpuscular hemoglobin were shown between the normal group (A) and the experimental group (C). Given the results of the present study, in irradiated rats, aronia was generally considered as having no radioprotective effect on leukocyte, erythrocyte, and platelet while having statistically significant radioprotective effects on lymphocytes, hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin. Based on the present experiment, diverse studies should be conducted hereafter.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.342-350
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• 2005

In the present work antidotal effect of dietary garlic was studied on lead-intoxicated rat. One of 5 groups of young Wistar sp. male rat, aged 4 weeks for control were fed only normal diet. Lead (25 ㎎/㎏.bw/week) was administered to other four groups for plumbism model over 4 weeks, of which three groups were supplemented with one of the following raw garlic juice: 1.10 (1% diet), 2.21 (2%) and 3.31 (3%) ㎎/㎏.bw/day respectively. Body weight gain rates in all garlic group significantly increased, especially in 2% garlic group that showed 9.8% net gain, as compared with only-lead treated group but lower values than control. The fecal and urinary lead excretion in all garlic groups significantly increased in a dose dependent fashion with highest value of 9.59% net gain in 3% garlic group as compared to lead treated control group. In comparison with lead treated control group, all garlic groups showed significantly increased hemoglobin contents, hematocrit values (Hct), red blood cell (RBC) count, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and δ-amino levulinic acid dehydratase (δ-ALAD) activities. The values of 2% and 3% garlic groups remarkably increased while no significant difference between the values of 2% and 3% garlic groups was observed. The ALT activities, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (CR) in all garlic groups significantly decreased as compared with lead-treated control group. The values of 2% garlic group were the lowest and significantly different from the values of 1% and 3% garlic groups. The results showed that 2%-3% garlic juice in diet had obviously antidotal effects in lead-poisoned rats by promoting lead excretion. However, mega dose garlic such as in 3% garlic group might have some adverse effects on hepatic and renal functions in rats. In conclusion, the dietary habit to take ordinary garlic sauce in appropriate amount, may be helpful for preventing lead or other heavy metal intoxication.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.516-523
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of exercise and/or L-arginine on abdominal fat, IGF-1 on GH/IGF-1 axis, fibrinogen, and PAI-1 in aged and obese rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with a D-galactose aging inducing agent (50 mg/kg) given intraperitoneally for 12 weeks. Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated and divided into four groups: aging-high fat diet group (AG+HF), AG+HF with L-arginine intake group (AG+LA), AG+HF with exercise group (AG+EX), and AG+EX with L-arginine intake group (AG+LA+EX). The experimental rats underwent treadmill training (60 min/day, 6 days/week at 0% gradient) for 12 weeks. L-arginine was given orally (150 mg/kg/day) for 12 weeks. After the experiment, blood was collected from the left ventricle and abdominal fat was extracted. The results showed that GH was significantly increased in AG+EX and AG+AL+EX. IGF-1 was significantly increased in both the AG+AL+EX and AG+EX group ($p$<0.05), while fibrinogen and PAI-1 were not significantly different among the groups. Abdominal fat was significantly decreased in the AG+LA, AG+EX, and AG+LA+EX groups ($p$<0.05) compared with the AG+HF group. In conclusion, this study suggests that exercise alone or L-arginine alone or a combination not only increases the GH and IGF-1 concentration, but also decreases the abdominal fat mass.