• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2018

Background: Examination of the effects of deer antler, old antler, and antler glue on postmenopausal osteoporosis in an ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rat model. Methods: The study involved 7 experimental groups; SHAM (sham-operated rats), OVX (ovariectomized rats), E2 (ovariectomized rats with estradiol $10{\mu}g/kg$ daily, orally), DA (ovariectomized rats with deer antler extract 5.83 mg/kg), OA (ovariectomized rats with old antler extract 3.8 mg/kg), low-AG (ovariectomized rats with low dose of antler glue powder 12.5 mg/kg), high-AG (ovariectomized rats with high dose of antler glue powder 37.5 mg/kg). After 6 weeks of treatment, body weight, blood calcium, phosphorus, estradiol, liver [alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT)] and kidney [blood urea nitrogen (BUN)/creatinine ratio] function, and femoral bone mineral density (BMD) were measured. Results: The body weights of DA, OA, low-AG, and high-AG groups did not significantly differ from OVX group. Blood estradiol levels were significantly increased in the DA, low-AG, and high-AG groups compared to the OVX group. Blood calcium, phosphorus, ALP, AST, and ALT levels and BUN/creatinine ratio did not show significant changes in the DA, OA, low-AG, and high-AG groups. BMDs of the femur, and femoral head and neck were significantly increased in the low-AG group. In the OA group, the BMD of the femoral head and neck was significantly increased. Conclusion: Treatment with deer antler, or antler glue for 6 weeks was effective for increasing estradiol and femoral BMD in ovariectomized rats, suggesting that this may be of therapeutic benefit for osteoporosis.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.249-255
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• 2015

BACKGROUD/OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted in order to investigate the effect of peanut sprout extracts (PSE) on health indices in overweight and obese women (BMI $${\geq_-}23kg/m^2$$). SUBJECTS/METHODS: Subjects were divided into three groups by double-blind randomized trial; the Placebo group (n = 15) and the Low PSE group (2.6 g PSE/day, n = 15), and the High PSE group (5.8 g PSE/day, n = 15). Subjects consumed 12 capsules per day, three times a day, 30 min before meals, for 4 weeks. Anthropometric data, blood biochemical variables, and dietary intake were evaluated before and after the experiments. RESULTS: In the Low and High PSE group, the waist circumference showed a significant decrease between pre- and post-test. In the Low PSE group, the reduction of systolic blood pressure between pre- and post-test was statistically significant. Serum LDL or triglyceride levels in both Low and High PSE groups were significantly decreased, and serum alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase were significantly decreased only in the Low PSE group. The parameters regarding erythrocyte and leucocyte counts showed no significant differences between pre- and post-test among groups, which suggested the safety of intake of peanut sprouts as a dietary supplement. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that PSE supplementation improves abdominal obesity and overall health indices. Therefore, an appropriate amount of peanut sprouts may be a plausible effective agent for obesity and obesity related health problems in obese women.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.124-127
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• 2017

Purpose: Chloramphenicol and tetracycline are not recommended for treating scrub typhus in pediatric patients because of potential side effects, such as aplastic anemia or tooth discoloration. While clarithromycin has recently been used in adults, few reports have been published on its effects in pediatric patients. We report the clinical profiles of pediatric scrub typhus and the effects of clarithromycin on scrub typhus in children. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed medical records of 56 children with scrub typhus who were admitted between 2004 and 2013 to Chonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju, Korea. Cases were divided into 3 groups based on the treatment drug (chloramphenicol, azithromycin, and clarithromycin). We compared their clinical manifestations and laboratory findings. Results: All patients exhibited fever and rash. Other common clinical manifestations were eschars (66%), lymphadenopathy (48%), upper respiratory symptoms (42%), abdominal pain (32%), and hepatosplenomegaly (14%). Elevated levels of C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rates, aspartate transaminase, and alanine transaminase were detected in 95%, 96%, 84%, and 77% of patients, respectively. Additionally, decreased platelet and white blood cell levels were observed in 43% and 36% of patients, respectively. There were no statistical differences between the treatment groups in mean age (P=0.114) or sex (P=0.507). However, time to defervescence after the treatments differed significantly, being the shortest in the clarithromycin group (P=0.019). All patients recovered without complications related to the disease or drugs. Conclusion: Clarithromycin was as effective as chloramphenicol and azithromycin in pediatric scrub typhus patients and may be used as a first-line treatment drug.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.21-32
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• 2003

Objective : The aim of this study is to investigate the inhibitory effect of Injinchunggantang on hepatic sclerosis induced by $CCl_4$. Methods : Weight, liver function test and complete blood cell count, gross findings, and findings on liver tissue of the past(Hematoxylin & Eosin stain, Masson-Trichrome stain) were studied. Results : When it comes to the change of rats' body weight, The $CCl_{4^+}$Injinchunggantang group lost far less weight than The $CCl_{4^-}$only group. In the liver function test, which is focused on various areas such as total cholesterol, alkaline phosphotase, albumin, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, The $CCl_{4^+}$Injinchunggantang group was much more closer to normal limit than the $CCl_4$ only group. In the complete blood cell count, including white blood cell, red blood cell, hemoglobin, hematocrite, platelet, The $CCl_{4^+}$Injinchunggantang group significantly closer to normal limit than $CCl_{4^-}$only group. In the gross findings of hepatic fibrosis models, Injinchunggantang showed inhibitory effect on hepatic fibrosis in the order. In the past findings of hepatic fibrosis models in Hematoxylin & Eosin, Masson-Trichrome staining, the liver in $CCl_{4^-}$only group showed atrophy and necrotic change with white nodules, whereas that of $CCl_{4^+}$Injinchunggantang group showed lesser significant change with the well_preserved tone of the tissue. In the extent of the inhibition of the hepatic fibrosis, the Injinchunggantang group showed statistically significant inhibitory effect(p<0.05) in the sclerosis model. Conclusions : These results show that Injinchunggantang have inhibitory effect on hepatic sclerosis induced by $CCl_4$ and further ultimately prevent liver cirrhosis. To obtain more credible results in this experiment, the invention of a new experimental model more similar to human hepatic sclerosis is still needed.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.32 no.2 s.125
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• pp.121-127
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• 2001

The effect of bear bile on 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin (TCDD)-induced hepatotoxicity was investigated in 6-week-old C57BL/6 male mice. Bear bile (100 mg/kg or 500 mg/kg) was administered orally daily for 4 weeks, respectively. From the second week, $10\;{\mu}g/kg$ of TCDD was administered to the bear bile-treated animals orally once a week for 3 weeks (a total of $30\;{\mu}g/kg$). There were no specific clinical findings and significant body weight changes in all groups. Although the livers in TCDD-treated mice appeared a severe hypertrophy and many necrotic foci, and changed to yellow-brown color in gross findings, these lesions were remarkably reduced by bear bile administration. The elevated serum activities of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase due to TCDD were significantly decreased by bear bile treatment (P<0.05). The lipid peroxidation induced by TCDD was significantly prevented by bear bile administration (P<0.05). In histological examinations, there were a moderate necrosis of hepatic cells around central veins, severe cytoplasmic vacuolizations, inflammatory cell infiltrations, and remarkable fatty changes in the liver of TCDD-treated animals. However, the lesions were dose-dependently inhibited by the bear bile treatments. These findings indicate that bear bile may have a protective effect against TCDD-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.222-226
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• 2017

Flavonoids including quercetin and rutin are a group of naturally occurring compounds widely distributed in plants, especially in buckwheat. Thus, cereal and the leaf of the plant have increasingly used as a source of nutritional and functional foods such as noodle, cake or soup in Korea, Japan and other countries. This study investigated comparative effects of dietary rutin rich in buckwheat and its aglycone, quercetin, on serum biomarkers and antioxidant parameters in rats treated with chronic ethanol. Rats were fed with the liquid diets prepared by the method of Lieber Decarli. Serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) activities increased significantly by alcohol feeding. Dietary flavonoids including rutin, quercetin and their mixtures (1/1, v/v) decreased significantly the activities of serum ALT whereas the feeding of quercetin decreased only the activity of serum AST. The concentration of serum malondialdehydes elevated by chronic alcohol feeding decreased markedly in all the experimental groups that were fed with the flavonoids; however, the combined administration of quercetin or rutin, but not that of rutin or quercetin alone decreased significantly the concentration of liver malondialdehydes to the normal range in rats fed without ethanol. Our results suggested that dietary combined mixture of rutin and quercetin might be effective in ameliorating adverse responses seen in rats exposed to ethanol chronically.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2014

In this study, we investigated the hepatoprotective effects of aged black garlic (ABG) in rodent models of liver injury. ABG inhibited carbon tetrachloride-induced elevation of aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT), which are markers of hepatocellular damage, in SD rats. D-galactosamine-induced hepatocellular damage was also suppressed by ABG treatment. However, ABG does not affect the elevation of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), a marker of hepatobilliary damage, in rats treated with carbon tetrachloride or D-galactosamine. We also examined the effect of ABG on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced fatty liver and subsequent liver damage. ABG had no significant effect on body weight increase and plasma lipid profile in HFD-fed mice. However, HFD-induced increase in AST and ALT, but not ALP, was significantly suppressed by ABG treatment. These results demonstrate that ABG has hepatoprotective effects and suggest that ABG supplementation might be a good adjuvant therapy for the management of liver injury.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.258-268
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• 2004

This study was carried out to investigate preventive effects of extracts of cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus, against the 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin(TCDD)-induced toxicity in 7-week-old Sprague-Dawley male rats. Thirty five male rats were divided into 5 groups: one normal control group treated with vehicle and saline (G1); one TCDD-treated group by single intraperitoneal injection (G2); three preventive groups (G3, G4, and G5). The last three groups, G3, G4, and G5, were fed on cricket extracts (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, respectively) for 2 weeks before TCDD treatment. Various harmful effects were shown by TCDD treatment. The body weights of rats were lost by TCDD. In addition, severe hypertrophy and color change, and the weights gaining were found in the livers of TCDD-treated rats. It was observed that the cytoplasmic vacuolizations and inflammatory cell infiltration around portal triad in the liver. TCDD also elevated the serum activity levels of alanine transaminase(ALT) and aspartate transaminase(AST). However, those losses were compensated by cricket extracts treatment at the level of 200 mg/kg. These findings indicate that cricket extracts may have protective effects against TCDD-induced toxicities in rats.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.189-198
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• 2020

Objectives : This study investigated the liver-protective effects of MJY2018, a Herbal formula, against alcoholic fatty liver disease and anti-oxidative effects. Methods : Its effects were investigated in an alcoholic fatty liver disease model in male C57BL/6 mice, which were fed Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet containing ethanol. MJY2018 (100 and 200 mg/kg bw/day) or silymarin (50 mg/kg bw/day) were orally administered daily in the alcoholic fatty liver disease mice for 16 days. Results : The results indicate that MJY2018 promotes hepatoprotection by significantly reducing aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels as indicators of liver damage in the serum. Furthermore, MJY2018 reduced accumulation of triglyceride and total cholesterol, increased levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) in the livers of the alcoholic fatty liver disease mice model. Additionally, it improved the serum alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity. Conclusions : These results indicate that MJY2018 were effective in improving and protecting oxidative stress and alcoholic liver disease.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.272-277
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• 2011

The hypoglycemic effects of germinated rough rice extract in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were investigated. Weight gain was significantly lower in the diabetic groups than in the normal control (NC); however, they were higher in the 1% and 3% diabetic groups given germinated Goami2 rough rice extract (DM-3%GGRRE) than in the diabetic control (DC). While food intake in all diabetic groups was significantly higher than that of the NC, there was no significant difference among all diabetic groups. The weight percentages of liver and kidney in all diabetic groups were significantly higher than that of the NC. In terms of blood glucose, the diabetic group showed about a three times larger value than the normal group. Moreover, in the 3% germinated rough rice extract group, the blood glucose level became lowered. The levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine phosphokinsae, and creatinine increased in general with the induction of diabetes using STZ; however, the 3% GGRRE-treated group displayed a significant decrease in these levels compared to the diabetic group. The results show that the 3% GGRRE, rather than the 1% GGRRE, was considerably more effective at reducing blood glucose and improving impaired glucose tolerance, suggesting the germinated rice extracts may play a role in preventing liver and kidney damage.