• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.74-82
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• 2018

Objectives: The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of Silbi-um (SBU) extract on the alcoholic fatty liver induced by EtOH administration for 8 weeks. Methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats were used. All animals were randomly divided into 3 groups; Normal, EtOH and EtOH+SBU. The rats of EtOH group were daily treated with ethanol of 25% (v/v) for 8 weeks (n=10). EtOH+SBU group was orally treated with SBU water extract after ethanol administration (n=10). The rats of Normal group were treated with saline (n=10). After 8 weeks, the mean body weight, liver weight, and liver-body weight ratio were calculated. The serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) of all groups were measured. The morphological alterations were observed using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Oil Red O staining. Moreover, the alteration of tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$) levels were analyzed immunohistochemistrically. Results: The histological data showed that liver sections from EtOH group displayed severe steatosis. SBU extract significantly inhibited the progression of the alcoholic liver injury. The increased serum level of ALT and AST induced by ethanol administration were decreased by SBU extract. Furthermore, SBU extract significantly decreased the liver concentrations of $TNF-{\alpha}$. Conclusions: SBU water extract attenuated the alcohol induced fatty liver by improving hepatic lipid metabolism via suppression of $TNF-{\alpha}$ protein. SBU could be effective in protecting the liver from alcoholic fatty liver.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.386-393
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• 2006

The effects of Curcuma extract Solomon's seal (Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum), and maltodextrose on acute hepatotoxicity in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were investigated. Acute hepatotoxicity was induced by 0.5 mL of carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$) per kg of SD rats, which was injected to them before administration of Curcuma extract or both Solomon's seal (Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum) and maltodextrose mixtures. SD rats dose with Curcuma extract of 4 mg or 40 mg per kg per day significantly (p<0.05) reduced the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALKP) after 7 days compared to the controls dose with water. Treatments of Curcuma extract with 4 mg per kg per day in SD rats significantly (p<0.05) reduced aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALKP) to 78.0%, 82.6%, and 76.3% after 7 days compared to the controls, respectively. The levels of AST and ALT in SD rats dose with both Solomon's seal (Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum) and maltodextrose mixtures or either alone had no significantly different (p>0.05) compared to the controls. Treatments of Curcuma extract combined with Solomon's seal (Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum) and maltodextrose mixtures was 'liked more' to the sensory scores for odor and flayer compared to the controls. It was considered that Curcuma extract combined with both Solomon's seal (Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum) and maltodextrose mixtures could be used to functional food for enhancement of health and consumer acceptance.

• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.9
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• pp.578-583
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• 2011

Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) are biochemical markers used to test for liver diseases. Copy number variation (CNV) plays an important role in determining complex traits and is an emerging area in the study various diseases. We performed a genome-wide association study with liver function biomarkers AST and ALT in 407 unrelated Koreans. We assayed the genome-wide variations on an Affymetrix Genome-Wide 6.0 array, and CNVs were analyzed using HelixTree. Using single linear regression, 32 and 42 CNVs showed significance for AST and ALT, respectively (P value < 0.05). We compared CNV-based genes between the current study (KARE2; AST-140, ALT-172) and KARE1 (AST-1885, ALT-773) using NetBox. Results showed 9 genes (CIDEB, DFFA, PSMA3, PSMC5, PSMC6, PSMD12, PSMF1, SDC4, and SIAH1) were overlapped for AST, but no overlapped genes were found for ALT. Functional gene annotation analysis shown the proteasome pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, programmed cell death, and protein binding.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 2011

We evaluated whether liver markers such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT), and bilirubin have a relationship with other physiological factors in the normal (n=115) and fatty liver subjects (n=122) and there are differences between the two populations. Body indices were higher in the fatty liver group than in the normal group. Liver markers and blood pressure (BP) were greater in the fatty liver group than in the normal group. AST and ALT levels were positively correlated with body indices in the fatty liver group, but not in the normal group. AST, ALT and GGT levels in the fatty liver group had positive relationship with cardiovascular indices (CI). ALP and bilirubin levels were negatively associated with some of CI. Liver markers were negatively or positively correlated with inflammatory markers, thyroid hormones, or several biochemical markers levels. These findings suggest that abnormal changes in liver markers may be useful tool for diagnosis or prognosis of development of cardiovascular and/or inflammatory diseases as well as metabolic syndrome.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.344-349
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was carried out to investigate the effect of scoparone(6, 7-dimethoxyco-umarin) on liver function. Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with scoparone at a dose of 20mg/kg body weight for 5 days. Hepatic bile flow, liver weight, BSP(bromosulfophthalein) biliary excretion, alanine aminotransferase(ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase(AST) activities, malondialdehyde production and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) release were assayed. Among them, ALT and AST activities, malondialdehyde production and LDH release were assayed by using primary hepatocyte cultures at a concentration of 0.1mg/ml. Scoparone treatment had no effect on liver weight and hepatic bile flow. Scoparone treatment not only increased BSP biliary excretion, but also recovered the decreased BSP biliary excretion by CCl4, Also scoparone significantly decreased with the increases of ALT and AST activities, malondialdehyde production and LDH release induced by CCl4. These results suggested that scoparone could protect the liver damage by chemicals via promoting the liver excretory function.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.10
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• pp.1037-1041
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• 2006

Purpose : The prevalence of obesity and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH) was increased in adolescents. This study was performed to observe the prevalence of elevated aminotransferase levels in adolescents and to assess the correlations between aminotransferase levels and obesity related parameters(body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist to hip ratio and insulin level). Methods : We obtained weight, height, waist circumference and hip circumference from 2,417 male and 1,219 female adolescents. Mean age was $15.7{\pm}0.7$ years old. We measured fasting insulin, aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and alanine aminotransferase(ALT). Obese and overweight were defined as body mass indices(BMI) of more than the 95th, and 85th-94th percentiles, respectively, for age and sex. Results : The number of adolescents with obesity is 324(8.9 percent). 414(11.4 percent) subjects belonged to the overweight group. The average ALT level of obese, overweight and control groups were significantly different(obese : $32.1{\pm}34.3U/L$, overweight : $19.6{\pm}13.6U/L$, control : $12.7{\pm}6.7U/L$, P<0.001). The average AST level was also different according to group(obese : $27.8{\pm}16.5U/L$, overweight : $22.8{\pm}8.6U/L$, control : $20.8{\pm}8.5U/L$, P<0.001). AST and ALT were correlated with anthropometric parameters and insulin level. After multiple regression analysis, waist circumference was the significant predictive value for AST(r=0.234, P<0.001). Waist circumference, BMI and insulin levels were significant predictive values for ALT(r=0.435, P<0.001). Conclusion : The prevalence of abnormal aminotransferase was higher in the obese and overweight groups than control group. Waist circumference was useful to predict abnormal aminotransferase levels.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.999-1005
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to probe the influences of krill (Euphausia superba) meal with NaF oral administration on a dose-effect relationship between fluoride levels of krill meal and serum enzyme activity such as alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in rats fed experimental diets for 5 weeks. There were no significant decreases in the activities of ALP, AST, ALT, and LDH in sera among krill meal diet groups (KF10, KF20, KF30). However, these groups were significantly (p<0.05) lower enzyme activities than normal diet (ND) plus NaF 10 mg group (NF). The fluoride levels of serum and organ tissues (liver, brain, heart, lung, kidney) in NaF 10 mg groups (NF, KF10, KF20, KF30) were significantly increased by adding krill meal in comparison with normal diet group. The results indicate that a difficult to found toxicity to the tissues from krill meal diet groups.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 2005

The hepatoprotective effects of chalcone derivatives were evaluated in D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide (D-GaIN/LPS)-induced fulminant hepatic failure in mouse. Thirteen chalcone derivatives were synthesized for study and their hepatoprotective effects were evaluated by assessing aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in serum. Chalcone preparations were injected into mice at 12 hand 1 h before intraperitoneal injection of D-GaIN/LPS. After abdominal administration, changes in AST and ALT between the control and treated groups were observed. Ten of the synthesized chalcone derivatives exhibited inhibitory effects on D-GaIN/LPS-induced levels of AST and ALT in mice. Compounds 2, 3, 8, 9, and 12 markedly reduced serum AST and ALT at 8 h, inhibited hepatocyte necrosis and showed significant hepatoprotective activities. The activity of compound 3 was compared with the bifendate (DDB) through oral administration. Compound 3 showed much higher inhibitory effects than bifendate for decreasing AST and ALT activity. The results indicate that compound 3 has strong hepatoprotective activity through suppression of tumor necrosis factor­alpha (TNF-alpha) preduction, reduction of the histological change in the liver, and attenuated of hepatocyte apoptosis confirmed by DNA fragmentation assay.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.34-39
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• 2012

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and the efficacy of Korean herbal, western and combination medicine use in patients with abnormal liver function tests. Methods: We investigated nerve disease patients with abnormal liver function tests who were treated with Korean herbal, western and combination medicine at Dong-Eui University Oriental Hospital from January 2011 to August 2011. We compared aspartic aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin (T-bil) levels before and after taking medicine and excluded patients who had liver-related disease when admitted. Results: AST and ALT were decreased significantly in patients who had taken herbal, western medicine. AST, ALT and ALP were decreased significantly in patients who had taken combination medicine. Compare to herbal medicine, AST, ALT and ALP were decreased significantly in patients who had taken western medicine, and ALT and ALP were decreased significantly in patients who had taken combination medicine. There were no significant differences between western and combination medicine. Conclusions: This study suggests that prescribed Korean herbal medicine, at least, does not injure liver function for patients', moreover, it was shown to be effective in patients with abnormal liver function tests.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.247-254
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to obtain reference data of parameters for hematological health diagnosis in cultured freshwater fish and also evaluate application of automatic dry-type chemistry analyzer (FUJI DRI-CHEM 3000) used to those blood tests. A blood profile of total 200 fish for rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss), israel carp (Cyprinus carpio), tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and eel (Anguilla japonica) cultured in Inland Fisheries Research Institute of NFRDI was determined by hemoglobin (Hb) and plasma chemistry tests: total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TCHO), creatinine (CRE), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), glucose (GLU). The values of ALT, TG, LDH, ALB, TCHO, AST and ALP were outside from the minimum and/or maximum of the established detectable range of the analyzer. ALT and TG were not detectable in the range of 67%~61.5%. LDH, ALB and TCHO were not detectable in the range of 36~17%. AST and ALP were not detectable in the range of 5.5~0.5%. However, the values of BUN, CRE, GLU, Hb and TP were below the detectable limits of the analyzer.