• Animal cells and systems
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2007

Recently, we have shown that some endocrine disruptors, heavy metals, organotins and azoles suppressed steroidogenic enzymes such as P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc) and aromatase in bullfrog ovarian follicles. In the present study, by using an amphibian ovarian follicle culture system, we examined the effects of these endocrine disruptors on maturation and ovulation of oocytes from Rana dybowskii in vitro. Ovarian fragments or isolated follicles were cultured for 24 h in a medium containing frog pituitary homogenate (FPH) or progesterone ($P_{4}$) with or without endocrine disruptors, and oocyte maturation (germinal vesicle breakdown, GVBD) and ovulation were examined. Among the organotins, tributyltin (TBT) strongly inhibited both FPH-and $P_{4}-induced$ oocyte maturation ($ED_{50}$:0.6 and 0.7 ${\mu}M$, respectively); however, tetrabutyltin (TTBT) and dibutyltin (DBT) showed only partial suppression, while monobutyltin (MBT) showed no inhibitory effect. All of the organotins suppressed $P_{4}-induced$ oocyte ovulation very effectively at a low concentration, and TBT and DBT exerted an inhibitory effect on FPH-induced ovulation. Among the heavy metals, mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd) and cobalt (Co) were very effective in inhibiting FPH-induced oocyte maturation and ovulation, while lead (Pb), arsenite (As) and zinc (Zn) were less effective. However, all of the heavy metals suppressed FPH-induced oocyte ovulation at a high dose ($100{\mu}M$). Among the azoles, itraconazole (ICZ), ketoconazole (KCZ) and clotrimazole (CTZ) effectively inhibited FPH-induced oocyte maturation and ovulation, while econazole (ECZ), miconazole (MCZ) and fluconazole (FCZ) were considerably less effective. These results demonstrated that the abovementioned endocrine disruptors exhibited differential effects on oocyte maturation and ovulation in amphibian follicles and that the frog ovarian culture system could be used as an effective experimental tool to screen and evaluate the toxicity of various endocrine disruptors in vitro.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.68-75
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• 2021

Objectives: The hair follicle is composed of more than 20 kinds of cells, and mesoderm derived dermal papilla cells and keratinocytes cooperatively contribute hair growth via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. We are to investigate β-catenin expression and regulatory mechanism by CBD in alopecia hair tissues and dermal papilla cells. Methods: We performed structural and anatomical analyses on alopecia patients derived hair tissues using microscopes. Pharmacological effect of CBD was evaluated by β-catenin expression using RT-PCR and immunostaining experiment. Results: Morphological deformation and loss of cell numbers in hair shaft were observed in alopecia hair tissues. IHC experiment showed that loss of β-catenin expression was shown in inner shaft of the alopecia hair tissues, indicating that β-catenin expression is a key regulatory function during alopecia progression. Consistently, β-catenin expression was decreased in testosterone or PMA treated dermal papilla cells, suggesting that those treatments are referred as a model on molecular mechanism of alopecia using dermal papilla cells. RT-PCR and immunostaining experiments showed that β-catenin expression was decreased in RNA level, as well as decreased β-catenin protein might be resulted from ubiquitination. However, CBD treatment has no changes in gene expression including β-catenin, but the decreased β-catenin expression by testosterone or PMA was restored by CBD pretreatment, suggesting that potential regulatory effect on alopecia induction of testosterone and PMA. Conclusion: CBD might have a modulating function on alopecia caused by hormonal or excess of signaling pathway, and be a promising application for on alopecia treatment.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 2000

The root of Pseudostellaria heterophylla Pax et Hoffm. (Caryophyllaceae) is a herbal medicine called Taejasam(太子蔘) and used as a good tonic in China that strengthens the functions of the lung and the stomach like Ginseng in Korea. It has been known to have the antitussive activity for tuberculosis, appetizing effect and antifatigue activity, and so on. Especially it has been known to generate body fluids for the severe thirst and the shortage of water in body after a febrile disease for a long time. Recently some components of cyclic peptides, pseudostellarins A,B,C,D,E,F,G, that inhibit the activity of tyrosinase, were separated from this root. In this report several biological activities including acute toxicity, analgesic activity, antifatigue activity, bile juice increasing activity, hepatoprotective activity and antiinflammatory activity were investigated. These results showed as such; $LD_{50}$ of methanol extracts was above 10,000 mg/kg. The analgesic effect was revealed in the writhing test using rats. The BuOH fractions showed a prominent antifatigue effect against immobilized stress, significant hepatoprotective activities against $CCl_4$ intoxication and inhibitory effect on carrageenin-induced edema in rat's paw.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.47-56
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• 2011

Objectives : This study was conducted to identify the antimicrobial anti-oxidative and tyrosinase inhibitory effect of three kinds of herbal plants, Polygonum cuspidatum, Chelidonii herba, Pharbitis nil L. naturally grown across the nation. Methods : To investigate in vitro anti-oxidative activity assay, antimicrobial effect and tyrosinase inhibitory activity, MeOH 80% extract, n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water fractions of herbal plants were tested by diphenylpicrylhydrazyl(DPPH) method. Results : Bsutanol fractions of each plants showed about 90% on anti-oxidative effect. In case of tyrosinase activity, ethlyacetate fraction of Polygonum cuspidatum showed a potent inhibition effect. In the antimicrobial effect, ethylacetate fraction of Polygonum cuspidatu, hexane fractions of Chelidonii herba and the methanol 80% extracts of Pharbitis nil L. exhibited inhibition effect significantly. Conclusions : In MeOH 80% extracts, we couldn't found any extracts or fractions which have antimicrobial, anti-oxidative and tyrosinase inhibitory activity, however ethylacetate fractions of Polygonum cuspidatum showed effects commonly in these three assay system.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.181-184
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• 1988

The effect of clover saponin on the phase transition of liposomal lipid bilayers of dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine was investigated with differential scanning calorimetry. The thermograms of the liposomal bilayers incorporated with the clover saponin were obtained, and the enthalpy changes and the sizes of cooperative unit of the transition were calculated. The results showed that incorporation of the clover saponin into the liposomal bilayers effectively reduced the transition temperature at which the transition from solid state to liquid-crystalline state occurs, and broadened the thermogram peaks. It also reduced the size of cooperative unit of the transition. These results indicate that the clover saponin might have significant effect on the fluidity of biological membranes.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.2 no.1_2
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• pp.43-53
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• 1987

Among the environmental toxic metals, cadmium and lead compounds are very hazard for human health because these may affect the biological function of human body and furthermore enhance the cause of various disease. In recent years, as the view of environmental toxicology, the combination of toxic metals suffering human health is especially significant cadmium chloride (10 mg/kg P. 0., 1 mg/kg I.P.) and lead acetate (20 mg/kg P.O., 2 mg/kg I.P.) were administered to rats for 4 weeks on alternate days and then examined the effect of these on body weight, tissue weight and also biochemical function in blood and tissue were investigated and comparision of the two experimental groups such as single and combined administration. According to the results of this experiment, accumulation of heavy metals increased and biological metabolic function grew worse but, in tissue, toxic effect decreased by combined administration and intraperitoneal administration was more toxic than per OS.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.131-134
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• 2001

Effects of water-soluble extract from roasted-chicory root on the cholesterol metabolism in rats fed cholesterol diet were investigated. Sprague-Dawley rats received a hypercholesterolemic diets without (control group) or with 5.0% water-soluble extract from roasted chicory root for 2 weeks. Roasted chicory extract group showed significantly higher body weight gain and food intake compared with the control group. The concentrations of total cholesterol and LDL+VLDL cholesterol in serum were significantly lower in rats fed roasted chicory extract diet. However, HDL-cholesterol concentration, and atherogenic index were not significantly affected by the dietary roasted chicory extract. Fecal net weight, fecal cholesterol, and bile acid excretion were significantly higher in the chicory extract group. The results suggest that the hypocholesterolemic effect in rats fed roasted chicory extract may be caused by an alteration in the absorption of cholesterol by an increase in the fecal excretion of cholesterol and bile acid.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.563-575
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• 2014

Concrete which is a composite material is frequently used in construction works. Properties and behavior of concrete are significant under the effect of different loading cases. Impact loading which is a sudden dynamic one may have destructive effects on structures. Testing apparatuses are designed to investigate the impact effect on test members. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is a computational model that is inspired by the structure or functional aspects of biological neural networks. It can be defined as an emulation of biological neural system. In this study, impact parameters as acceleration and impact force values of a reinforced concrete slab are obtained by using a testing apparatus and essential test devices. Afterwards, ANN analysis which is used to model different physical dynamic processes depending on several variables is performed in the numerical part of the study. Finally, test and predicted results are compared and it's seen that ANN analysis is an alternative way to predict the results successfully.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.427-433
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• 2006

We investigated the effect of propolis on the activity of antioxidant enzymes in rat liver exposed by X-ray irradiation. The dosage of propolis showed the effect of lowering the concentration of superoxide anion in irradiated rat liver, suggesting that propolis has a significant role to remove superoxide anion as an antioxidant and/or by activating the antioxidant enzyme. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GR), disturbed by X-ray irradiation, were restored in 30 days to normal status in the group which dosed propolis before X-ray irradiation. Interestingly, catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPOX) activities were highly increased with feeding propolis to rat compared to untreated group, whereas glutathione s-transferase (GST) activity was little affected. Taken together, it suggests that the propolis has a protective role in the rat liver cells against X-ray irradiation by increasing and recovering the activities of antioxidant enzymes.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.662-669
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• 2017

Rubia cordifolia has been used to treat diseases for many years in China and India. Although the biological properties and major compounds of R. cordifolia have been extensively studied, the underlying mechanisms of its biological effects remain elusive. In terms of immunological effects, anti-inflammation effect of macrophage (Raw 264.7) simply has been reported. In this study, R. cordifolia was extracted in 70% ethanol and the extract did not affect to macrophage (Raw 264.7) pro-inflammation and T cell (Molt-4). However, in mast cell (RBL-2H3), it showed inhibition of degranulation. The inducing inhibitory effect on degranulation was related to concentration dependent variation in phosphorylation of ERK-1/2 and upregulating the JNK phosphorylation in RBL-2H3 cells. Based on these data, we concluded that R. cordifolia newly have anti-allergenic effects in RBL-2H3 and might be used as a therapeutic agent to treat or prevent allergic diseases such as asthma and atopic dermatitis.