• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.233-240
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• 2006

We investigated enzyme activity and histochemical changes in hind limb of mouse treated with 6-aminonicotinamide (6-AN). The activity of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and creatine phosphokinase in 6-AN treated group were significantly higher than those of the control and pair-fed groups. Also, the activity of lactic dehydrogenase in 6-AN treated group was the highest among the three groups, whereas that of the pair-fed group were higher than that of the control group. In the 6-AN treated group, oxidative histochemical stains, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide reductase (NADH), succinyl dehydrogenase (SDH) showed increased scattered fibers in 6-AN treated subsarcolemma. Cytochrome c oxidase (COX) stain showed decreased up to 85% in 6-AN treated fibers. These results demonstrate that 6-AN antagonizes cell metabolism and induces the morphological deformity like the other mitochondrial muscle diseases. Therefore, we suppose that these data would be useful indexes for disclosing the mechanism of mitochondrial muscle disease.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.291-297
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• 2007

This study was conducted to investigate the hepatic detoxification effect of microcluster-water (McW). Animal experiments were divided into 4 groups: distilled water intake group (DC), distilled water intake-bromobenzene treated group (DB), McW intake group (MC), and McW intake-bromobenzene treated group (MB). There were no significant differences in alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities between DC and MC groups, but the activities in MB group were significantly (p<0.05) lower than those in DB group. No apparent changes of aniline hydrolase activity were shown in all experimental groups, while glutathione S-transferase activity in MC and MB groups was higher than that in DC and DB, respectively. The content of hepatic lipid peroxide in DC group was similar to that of MC group. In addition, the contents in DB and MB groups were significantly (p<0.05) increased than that of DC group. The increasing rate in MB group was lower than that of DB group. Also, the electron donating activity of McW was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of distilled water. From these results, it could be suggested that McW has the possibility of having detoxification effect of bromobenzene induced hepatic injury by increasing glutathione S-transferase, which is known as a kind of hepatiic detoxification enzyme.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 1997

The effects of Trichosanthes kirilowii Max. subfractions, which has long been used as a wild vegetable and folk medicine, on insulin activity and acute toxicity were investigated. Diabetes melitus was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by the injection of streptozotocin(STZ) into the tail vein at a dose of 45mg/kg. The hexane fraction of the plant was subfractioned by silica gel column chromatography and were administered orally for 14 days and the normal and STZ-control group were orally administered with tween 80. The body weight gain was monitored and plasma levels of glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, free fatty acid HDL-cholesterol were determined. The plasma activities of aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were analysed. The subjraction A of hexane fraction lowered plasma glucose levels significantly and increased insulin activity compared to that of STZ-control. The activities of AST and ALT were decreased by administration of subfractions A and C of hexane fraction. The intakes of the hexane fraction of Trichosanthes kirilowii Max. did not showed the acute toxicity. It is suggested from the results that the subfraction A of the hexane fraction of Trichosanthes kirilowii Max. showed a hypoglycemic effect on diabetic rats and that the subfraction may be beneficial for insulin secreation.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.314-320
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• 2009

We examined metabolic conversion of cysteine into glutathione (GSH) and taurine in rat liver under oxidative stress. Administration of tert-butylhydroperoxide (t-BHP) into the portal vein of male rats resulted in a rapid elevation of serum sorbitol dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase activities, which decreased gradually in 24 hr. Hepatic cysteine concentration was reduced in 3 hr, and recovered progressively, reaching a level greater than 200% of the normal value in 24 hr. GSH was increased both in liver and blood at 9 hr after t-BHP challenge, whereas hypotaurine or taurine was not altered. $\gamma$-Glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS) activity was increased from 9 hr after t-BHP treatment, but protein expression of the GCS-heavy subunit was not changed in liver. Activity or expression of cysteine dioxygenase was not affected by t-BHP treatment. Taken together, these data show that an acute oxidant challenge to the rats may induce upregulation of cysteine availability and GCS activity, resulting in an enhancement of hepatic GSH synthesis, but the increased cysteine level does not stimulate taurine synthesis via cysteine sulfinate pathway. It is indicated that the regulation of GSH and taurine biosynthesis from cysteine is not solely dependent on the cysteine concentration in rat liver under oxidative stress.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2003

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of trauma on alterations in cytochrome P450 (CYP 450)-dependent drug metabolizing function and to determine the role of Kupffer cells in hepatocellular dysfunction. Rats underwent closed femur fracture (FFx) with associated soft-tissue injury under anesthesia, while control animals received only anesthesia. To deplete Kupffer cells in vivo, gadolinium chloride (GdCl$_3$) was injected intravenously via the tail vein at 7.5 mg/kg body wt., 1 and 2 days prior to FFx surgery. At 72 h after FFx, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity was increased, and this increase was attenuated by GdCl$_3$ pretreatment. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and lipid peroxidation levels were not changed by FFx. Hepatic microsomal CYP 450 content and aniline p-hydroxylase (CYP 2E1) activity were significantly decreased; decreases that were not prevented by GdC1$_3$. The level of CYP 2B1 activity was decreased by Kupffer cell inactivation, but not by FFx. There were no significant differences in the activities of CYP 1A1, CYP 1A2 and NADPH-CYP 450 reductase among any of the experimental groups. Our findings suggest that FFx trauma causes mild alterations of hepatic CYP 450-dependent drug metabolism, and that Kupffer cells are not essential for the initiation of such injury.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.280-285
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• 1997

Pectenotoxin 2 (PTX2), isolated from marine sponges, was examined for its hepatotoxic potential using male ICR mice. PTX2 $(20\;or\;100\;{\mu}g/kg/day,\;ip)$ was administered to mice repeatedly for one or two week. Histopathological examination revealed an increase in granularity in the liver from the mice treated with PTX2. PTX2 did not alter the parameters for hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity such as sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Cytochrome P-450, cytochrome $b_5$, or NADPH cytochrome c reductase was net changed by repeated administration of PTX2. Hepatic microsomal activity of p-nitroanisole O-demethylase, but not aminopyrine N-demethylase, was slightly depressed by PTX2 administerd repeatedly $(100\;{\mu}g/kg/day,\;ip)$ fur 2 weeks. The toxicity of PTX2 $(200\;{\mu}g/kg/day,\;ip)$ was determined in mice pretreated with a metabolic inducer or inhibitor such as phenobarbital, 3-methyl-cholanthrene, $CoCl_2$, or SKF 525-A. Significant alterations in lethality and hepatotoxicity of PTX2 were observed in mice pretreated with a metabolic modulator. The results suggest that liver seems to be the target organ for PTX2 toxicity and also that induction of the PTX2 toxicity may be associated with hepatic drug metabolizing activity.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.297-301
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• 2021

Toxoplasma gondii infection is widespread worldwide, not only posing a serious threat to human food safety and animal husbandry, but also endangering human health. The selectivity index was employed to measure anti-T. gondii activity. Hederagenin (HE) exhibited potent anti-T. gondii activity and low cytotoxicity. For this reason, HE was selected for in vivo experiments. HE showed 64.8%±13.1% inhibition for peritoneal tachyzoites in mice, higher than spiramycin 56.8%±6.0%. Biochemical parameters such as alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, glutathione, and malondialdehyde, illustrated that HE was a good inhibitor of T. gondii in vivo. This compound was also effective in relieving T. gondii-induced liver damage. Collectively, it was demonstrated that HE had potential as an anti-T. gondii agent.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.583-588
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• 2002

Heavy metals like Mercury and Cadmium cause various kinds of toxicities in the organs of Liver and Kidney. To observe the results of toxicity in the liver, kidney, and serum when the rats were injected subcutaneously with HgCl$_2$ and CdC1$_2$ and sacrificed after 24 hours and 72 hours from the last injection, we measured variation of lipidperoxide values in rat liver homogenate, variation of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase in rat serum. Variation of lipidperoxide values in rat kidney homogenate and variation of BUN in rat serum. It was found that Mercury and Cadmium administered subcutaneously to the skin in the air could cause the damages of liver and kidney.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.232-239
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• 2005

An aqueous extract of oriental herbal composition named Onchengyeum and curcumin, an antioxidant isolated from turmeric (Curcuma Zonga L.) reduced hepatotoxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride ($CCI_4$). Improved liver function was observed by measuring the activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (CRE), total cholesterol (T-CHO), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-CHO), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-CHO), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB) and total bilirubin (BIL) in serum. Hepatic parameters monitored were levels of cholesterol (CHO), triglyceride (TG), and malondialdehyde (MDA) and activities of cytochrome P450 (CYP), NADPH-CYP reductase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). The histopathological examination showed that the treatment of Onchengyeum and curcumin relieved the ballooning degeneration of hepatocytes which had been generated by $CCI_4$. The results suggested that hepatoprotective effects of Onchengyeum and curcumin possibly are due to their promising antioxidative activity.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.1096-1100
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• 1999

The protective effect of Bifidobacterium breve K-110, K-111 and B. infantis K-525 on carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in rats was investigated. Among them, B. infantis K-525 had the most potent hepatoprotective activity. It reduced serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels to 51% and 80% of the $CCl_{4}-treated$ groups, respectively. In rat liver homogenate intoxificated with $CCl_{4}$, B. infantis K-525 inhibited in vitro as well as in vivo lipid peroxidation more than the other Bifidobacteria.