• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.350-361
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• 2020

Background: Black ginseng (BG) is a type of Korean ginseng prepared by steaming and drying raw ginseng to improve the saponin content. This study examined the effects of BG on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in HepG2 cells and diet-induced obese mice. Methods: HepG2 cells were treated with free fatty acids to induce lipid accumulation before supplementation with BG. NAFLD-induced mice were fed different doses (0.5%, 1%, and 2%) of BG for 8 weeks. Results: BG significantly reduced lipid accumulation and expression of lipogenic genes, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c, and fatty acid synthase in HepG2 cells, and the livers of mice fed a 45% high-fat diet with 10% fructose in the drinking water (HFHF diet). BG supplementation caused a significant reduction in levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, while antioxidant enzymes activities were significantly increased in 45% high-fat diet with 10% fructose in the drinking water diet-fed mice. Expression of proliferator-activated receptor alpha and carnitine palmitoyltransferase I were upregulated at the transcription and translation levels in both HepG2 cells and diet-induced obese mice. Furthermore, BG-induced phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase and acetyl CoA carboxylase in both models, suggesting its role in AMP-activated protein kinase activation and the acetyl CoA carboxylase signaling pathway. Conclusion: Our results indicate that BG may be a potential therapeutic agent for the prevention of NAFLD.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.158-164
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• 2020

Objectives: The aim of the present work was to evaluate the possible beneficial effects of F. latisecta on blood glucose, lipids, and diabetes-related changes in the liver and kidney of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Methods: Male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups (n = 6): normal control rats, diabetic control rats, diabetic rats treated for 4 weeks with F. latisecta root (400 mg/kg/day), and diabetic rats treated with F. latisecta aerial parts (400 mg/kg/day). Results: Induction of diabetes significantly (p < 0.05) increased the levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Diabetes also increased (p < 0.05) oxidative stress in the kidney and liver (decrease of thiol and increase of superoxide dismutase). The root and aerial parts of F. latisecta significantly reduced the level of LDL (p < 0.05) and restored the content of thiol (p < 0.05) and superoxide dismutase (p < 0.01) in the kidney and liver. F. latisecta had no significant effect on the levels of FBG, BUN, AST, and ALT. The root of F. latisecta also reduced the serum level of total cholesterol (p < 0.05) and prevented the progression of hyperglycemia. Conclusion: These findings suggest that F. latisecta may improve diabetic dyslipidemia by reducing serum LDL. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.531-541
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• 2020

From January 2014 to December 2016, 38 out of 153 inpatients admitted to the Korean Medicine Hospital for more than one month underwent follow-up blood tests to evaluate their liver function levels, and one drug-induced liver injury (DILI) patient was observed. 1. At the time of admission, six (15.8%) of the 38 patients had abnormal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and five of them recovered after hospitalization. 2. At follow-up, two (5.3%) patients had a Council for International Organizations of Medical Science (CIOMS)-based liver injury. One was identified as a liver injury accompanied by pneumonia, and one was judged as a liver injury caused by the drug. 3. The patient had a suspected DILI and completely recovered after 13 days while discontinuing the herbal medication and by using Sanggangunbi-tang (生肝健脾湯).

• Toxicological Research
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.29-33
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• 2009

Phellinus gilvus (PG) is a widely used mushroom for health promotion. We studied the hepatoprotective effect of the polysaccharide aqueous extract of PG (PGP) against carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-induced liver injury in rats. Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups: Normal control, $CCl_4$ control, PGP 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg + $CCl_4$. The levels of serum biochemical parameters, liver lipid peroxide and antioxidant enzymes, and histological appearances were evaluated. The $CCl_4$-induced increments of alanine aminotransferase, asparate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase levels in serum were significantly decreased by PGP-pretreatments. The PGP dose-dependently decreased hepatic malondialdehyde formations in $CCl_4$-treatment groups. Hepatic antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase) were elevated by PGP in $CCl_4$-treatment groups. Histopathological evaluation of liver showed that the loss of hepatocytes, fatty changes, swelling and extensive necrosis of hepatocytes in centrilobular regions of the $CCl_4$-treated rats were ameliorated by PGP pretreatment. The PGP has hepatoprotective and antioxidative effects in $CCl_4$-induced liver injury of rat.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.290-299
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• 2010

The bioactive effects of ethanol extracts from fly maggot (ME) on reduction of plasma lipids levels in rats fed high-fat diets (Expt. Ⅰ), and on liver function recovery of hepatotoxicity rats by intraperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$) or by orally administration of alcohol (Expt. II) were investigated. In expt. I, twenty seven, male rat SDS(sprague dawley strain) were randomly assigned to three treated groups, including normal control group, HF (group with high fat diets which have no extracts) and HFE (HF plus orally administered doses of ME extract at 5.0 mg/100g of body weight). In expt. II, forty five, male rats (SDS) were randomly assigned to each of the five groups: T1 (control), T2 (intraperitoneal injection of $CCl_4$), T3 (intraperitoneal injection of $CCl_4$ after orally administered with ME), T4 (orally administered with combination of ME and alcohol), T5 (orally administration of ME after orally administered with alcohol). There were significant decreases in plasma (TAG), (TC), (LDL-C) in the HFE group with orally administered doses of ME at 5.0 mg/100g of body weight, respectively, however, the (HDL-C) were significantly increased in HFE group as compared to HF group with high fat diets which have no extracts (p<0.05). The levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), ${\gamma}$-glutamyl transferse(${\gamma}$-GTP) and bilirubin were highest in T2 or T3, and high in order T4 or T5, and lowest in T1 except for bilirubin which has same with T4, T5 (p<0.05). The high recovery of liver damage by $CCl_4$ from the light microscopic appearance was observed in rats (T3) with extracts, and also high in T4 than T5 by orally administrated with alcohol. In conclusion, the ethanol extracts from fly maggot may have a bioactive effects to prevent for human lipids disorder and alcoholic disease.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.81-85
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• 2013

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of fermented blackberry drinks (BD) on carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-induced liver injury in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups with 6 rats per group: control, $CCl_4$, $CCl_4$ plus BD $3ml\;kg^{-1}$, and $CCl_4$ plus BD $6ml\;kg^{-1}$. We found that the levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were significantly increased and the activity of antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the liver was decreased in rats treated with $CCl_4$ alone when compared with the control group. However, the administration of BD attenuated the levels of serum AST and ALT in $CCl_4$-treated rats. Moreover, the administration of BD significantly increased the activity of GPx in $CCl_4$-treated rat livers. Taken together, these results suggest that BD could protect the liver from $CCl_4$-induced hepatic damage.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.949-957
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• 2021

Objective: This study aimed to report a case of alcoholic liver disease with jaundice that was improved with Korean medicine treatment. Methods: A patient who developed jaundice due to continuous drinking was treated with herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, and cupping. Blood tests were performed to measure the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GTP), total bilirubin, albumin, and total protein; AST/ALT ratio; and mean corpuscular volume (MCV). Jaundice parameters were subjectively recorded at 3-day intervals. Results: After treatment, the AST, ALT, ALP, γ-GTP, and total bilirubin levels; MCV; and jaundice were decreased. Conclusion: Korean medicine treatment appeared to be an effective method for alcoholic liver disease with jaundice.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.160-172
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• 2021

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Nutritional status and food intake during pregnancy and lactation can affect fetal programming. In the current metabolic syndrome epidemic, high-fructose diets have been strongly implicated. This study investigated the effect of maternal high-fructose intake during pregnancy and lactation on the development of metabolic syndrome in adult offspring. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Drinking water with or without 20% fructose was administered to female C57BL/6J mice over the course of their pregnancy and lactation periods. After weaning, pups ate regular chow. Accu-Chek Performa was used to measure glucose levels, and a tail-cuff method was used to examine systolic blood pressure. Animals were sacrificed at 7 months, their livers were excised, and sections were stained with Oil Red O and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Kidneys were collected for gene expression analysis using quantitative real-time Polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Adult offspring exposed to maternal high-fructose intake during pregnancy and lactation presented with heavier body weights, fattier livers, and broader areas under the curve in glucose tolerance test values than control offspring. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, glucose, triglycerides, and total cholesterol and systolic blood pressure in the maternal high-fructose group were higher than that in controls. However, there were no significant differences in mRNA expressions of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system genes and sodium transporter genes. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that maternal high-fructose intake during pregnancy and lactation induces metabolic syndrome with hyperglycemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia in adult offspring.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.173-193
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most representative neurodegenerative disease mainly caused by the excessive production of amyloid beta (Aβ). Several studies on the antioxidant activity and protective effects of Populus tomentiglandulosa (PT) against cerebral ischemia-induced neuronal damage have been reported. Based on this background, the present study investigated the protective effects of PT against cognitive impairment in AD. MATERIALS/METHODS: We orally administered PT (50 and 100 mg/kg/day) for 14 days in an Aβ_25-35-induced mouse model and conducted behavioral experiments to test cognitive ability. In addition, we evaluated the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in serum and measured the production of lipid peroxide, nitric oxide (NO), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in tissues. RESULTS: PT treatment improved the space perceptive ability in the T-maze test, object cognitive ability in the novel object recognition test, and spatial learning/long-term memory in the Morris water-maze test. Moreover, the levels of AST and ALT were not significantly different among the groups, indicating that PT did not show liver toxicity. Furthermore, administration of PT significantly inhibited the production of lipid peroxide, NO, and ROS in the brain, liver, and kidney, suggesting that PT protected against oxidative stress. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that administration of PT improved Aβ_25-35-induced cognitive impairment by regulating oxidative stress. Therefore, we propose that PT could be used as a natural agent for AD improvement.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.471-480
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• 2021

Objectives: Cadmium is widely used, leading to extensive environmental and occupational exposure. Unlike other organs, for which the harmful and carcinogenic effects of cadmium have been established, the hepatotoxicity of cadmium remains unclear. Some studies detected correlations between cadmium exposure and hepatotoxicity, but others concluded that they were not associated. Thus, we investigated the relationship between cadmium and liver damage in the general population. Methods: In total, 11 838 adult participants from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2015 were included. Urinary cadmium levels and the following liver function parameters were measured: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), total bilirubin (TB), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Linear and logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the associations between urinary cadmium concentrations and each liver function parameter after adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, annual family income, smoking status, alcohol consumption status, physical activity, and body mass index. Results: The covariate-adjusted results of the linear regression analyses showed significant positive relationships between log-transformed urinary cadmium levels and each log-transformed liver function parameter, where beta±standard error of ALT, AST, GGT, TB, and ALP were 0.049±0.008 (p<0.001), 0.030±0.006 (p<0.001), 0.093±0.011 (p<0.001), 0.034±0.009 (p<0.001), and 0.040±0.005 (p<0.001), respectively. Logistic regression also revealed statistically significant results. The odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of elevated ALT, AST, GGT, TB, and ALP per unit increase in log-transformed urinary cadmium concentration were 1.360 (1.210 to 1.528), 1.307 (1.149 to 1.486), 1.520 (1.357 to 1.704), 1.201 (1.003 to 1.438), and 1.568 (1.277 to 1.926), respectively. Conclusions: Chronic exposure to cadmium showed positive associations with liver damage.