• BMB Reports
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.500-506
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• 1996

We have isolated a water-extracted novel regulator for blood coagulation from an earthworm, Lumbricus rubellus. As a folk remedy, the earthworm has been known to facilitate blood circulation. After complete heat inactivation of endogenous proteases in the earthworm, an anticoagulant(s) was purified through ammonium sulfate fractionation and three consecutive gel permeation chromatography of Sephacryl S-300, Sephadex G-75, and G-150 by measuring activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) The anticoagulant was further purified to 2,800 fold with a C4 reversed-phase HPLC This activity was stable under heat ($100^{\circ}C$ for 30 min) and acidic conditions (0.4 N HCl). The effects of this partially purified anticoagulant on thrombin were observed with various substrates such as N${\alpha}$-benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nitroanilide (BApNA), H-D-phenylalanyl-L-pipecoyl-L-arginine-p-nitroanilide (S-2238), N${\alpha}$-p-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester (TAME), and fibrinogen as a natural substrate. Only TAME hydrolysis, due to an esterase activity of the enzyme, was inhibited among the chromogenic substrates. In addition, the anticoagulant not only inhibited the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin but also prolonged the fibrin clot formation monitored with the in vitro coagulation test. Based on these observations, we suggest the significance of measuring the ability of antithrombotic drugs to inhibit the esterase activity of thrombin. In this report, it was also shown that the earthworm indeed contained a water-extractable, heat- and acid-stable anticoagulant which could be used as a novel antithrombotic agent.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.1794-1801
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• 2009

This study was conducted to examine the effects of soluble collagen peptides extract supplementation on the improvement of blood glucose, lipid components and enzyme activities in the sera of streptozotocin (STZ, 55 mg/kg BW, IP injection)-induced diabetic rats fed on experimental diets for 5 weeks. The concentrations of blood glucose, total cholesterol, atherosclerotic index, LDL, LDL-cholesterol, free cholesterol, cholesteryl ester ratio, triglycerides (TG) and phospholipids (PL) in serum were remarkably higher in the diabetic group (group SW) and STZ (IP)+collagen peptides extract supplementation group (group SFW) than those in the control group (group CG, basal diet + water). However the concentrations of blood glucose, total cholesterol, atherosclerotic index, LDL, LDL-cholesterol, free cholesterol, cholesteryl ester ratio, TG and PL in serum were lower in the SFW group than in the SW group, whereas the ratio of HDL-cholesterol concentration to total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol concentration in the SFW group were higher than in the SW group. The activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and aminotransferase (AST, ALT) in serum were lower in the SFW group than in the diabetic SW group. The results shown above suggest that soluble collagen peptides extract supplementation effectively improves blood glucose, lipid compositions and enzyme activities in the sera of STZ induced diabetic rats.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.8-16
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• 1996

Effects of water extract of aloe vera on lead-induced neurotoxicity were investigated in sciatic nerve isolated from rat. The mechanism on toxicity reduction by measuring activities of axonal enzymes, metabolism of myo-inositol in nerve, lead concentration in several organs and so on were further examimed. In the lead-treated rats, the transport rate of axonal enzyme, such as acetyl cholinesterase and choline acetyltransferase, was reduced by from 50% to 30% respectively. Reduction in myo-inositol concentration and $Na^+/K^+$ ATPase activity were also observed in sciatic nerve from lead-treated rat. However, the aloe extract administration significantly eliminated the impairment and maintained myo-inositol concentration to about 85% of normal level. Also aloe extract promoted the excretion rate of lead which is accumulated in blood, sciatic nerve and kidney. These results suggest that lead-induced neurotoxicity was significantly reduced by administration of aloe extract and the mechanism might be partly increase in kidney excretion rate of lead and parity normalization of $Na^+/K^+$ ATPase activity which is critical factor in order to keep nerve maintaining normal myo-inositol level.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.172-178
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• 1999

Previous studies have shown that methanol extract and its butanol fraction of Carthamus tinctorius L. Semen have the hepatoprotective effect on the CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity. The hepatoprotective effect of subfractions has been evaluated by analyzing blood and hepatocyte biochemical analyses and biotransformation enzyme analyses. Treatment of BS-5, subfraction has significantly decreased the activities of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase. In addition, the levels of cholesterol and triglyceride in liver have been decreased as compared with that of CCl4 treated rats. The hepatoprotective effect of BS-5, subfraction on the CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity would be mediated of the attenuation of the level of cytochrome P450 and the enhancement of the activity of glutathion S-transferase.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.244-246
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• 2001

Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor acts on the inhibition of ACE and causes a decrease in blood pressure. There have been several reports on screening of ACE inhibitors from natural food products and protein hydrolysates of various food sources. Ripe Cucurbita moschata Duch has been used as an oriental medicine in Korea. To isolate ACE inhibitors, crude water extracts of the edible portion of ripe Cucurbita moschata Duch were obtained after heating in water at 95$^{\circ}C$ for 2 h. Crude extracts were then filtered using PM-10 and YM-1 membranes. The membrane-filtered solution was loaded onto Sephadex G-15 column equlibrated with a phosphate buffer. Among the four major fractions of gel permeation chromatography, the second fraction had the highest inhibitory activity of 65%. Further purification of the fraction using reversed-phase HPLC with a $C_{18}$ column produced ACE inhibitors, which were identified as a mixture having molecular mass of 222 and 273 by Tandem mass spectrometry.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.223-230
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• 2009

This study is to find out the antioxidative effect and serum and liver lipid composition of wild grape juice in vivo. Forty 6-week-old white Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups such as normal lipid group, normal lipid group with wild grape juice, oxidized lipid (basic diet plus 10% of oxidative lipid) group and oxidized lipid group with wild grape juice, and 2ml juice was provided everyday. After 4 weeks of feeding with experimental diet each groups were examined for the antioxidant enzyme activity in blood and liver microsome and their serum and liver lipid composition. Glutanthione peroxidase activity in blood was significantly higher in oxidized lipid group with wild grape juice than in oxidized lipid group. Glutanthione peroxidase activity showed no difference depending on wild grape juice supplementation. Glutanthione peroxidase activity in liver was significantly higher in the groups with wild grape juice than in the groups supplemented only with oxidized lipid. Glutanthione reductase activity showed no difference depending on the supplementation of wild grape juice. Serum triglyceride level in the group supplemented with oxidized lipid diet and wild grape juice showed similar value to the normal lipid group and the normal lipid group with wild grape juiceoxidized fa6. Liver total lipid in the group supplemented with oxidized lipid and wild grape juice showed similar value to the normal lipid group and the group supplemented with normal lipid and wild grape juice. And it was lower than that of oxidative lipid group without juice. The liver triglyceride level in the group supplemented with normal lipid and wild grape juice was lower than that in the oxidative lipid group, but it was as low as in the group supplemented only with normal lipid.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 1973

To study the effects of Korean ginseng on mice visceral alkaline phosphatase activity and inorganic phosphate phosphorus level in the blood, the experimental groups of male and female mice were injected subcutaneously with 0.01 ml or 0.02 ml of Tyrode solution per 10 g of body weight daily, and 0. 1 mg or 0.2 mg of alcohol extract of ginseng which was diluted with Tyrode solution. After groups of mice were treated for 7 days or 14 days, the alkaline phosphatase activity in the jejunum, kidney and liver homogenate and serum were determined with sodium ${\beta}-glycerophophosphate$ as substrate, and quantified the content of inorganic phosphate phosphorus in the blood of above mice. 1. Alkaline phosphatase activity in the jejunum, kidney, liver and serum of male mice for the 7 day treatment with ginseng extract (0.1 mg/10 g) was increased by 15.28%, 12.86%, lg.05% and 11.70% respectively, compared with Tyrode solution group. 2. Alkaline phosphatase activity in the jejunum, kidney, liver and serum of female mice for the 7 day treatment with ginseng extract (0.2 mg/10 g) was increased 3.46%, 6.94%, 20.37% and 4.05 % respectively. 3. Alkaline phosphatase activity in the jejunum, kidney, liver and serum of male mice for the 14 day treatment with ginseng extract(0.1 mg/10 g) was increased·15.92%, 19.76f, 10.16% and -1.63 % respectively. 4. Alkaline phosphatase activity in the jejunum, kidney, liver and serum of female mice for the 14 day treatment with ginseng extract(0.2 mg/10 g) was increased 18.89%, 24.55%, 16.97% and 27.59% respectively. 5. Increasing activity of the enzyme in the liver of both male and female mice for the 7 day treatment was declined to some extent at the 14 day treatment, on the other hand, increasing activity of the enzyme in the jejunum, kidney and serum of mice for the 7 day treatment was more promoted at the 14 day treatment. 6. The 7 day and 14 day treatment with ginseng extract increased 20.20% and 20.96% of inorganic phosphate phosphorus in male blood, 22.38% and 17.57f in female blood respectively. In accordance with the results mutual relationships of ginseng, internal secretion, nucleic acid and alkaline phosphatase activity were disscussed.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.691-698
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate how herb extracts may improve blood circulation. Twenty-six extracts from nine different herbs (marjoram, lavender, dill, rosemary, hyssop, rose, lemon balm, pineapple sage, and echinacea) were evaluated for their anti-hypertensive effects via angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition. Their cholesterol-lowering effects via hydroxy-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibition and their fibrinolytic activity via fibrin-plate method were also evaluated. Both water extraction of rose flowers and 70% EtOH extraction of pineapple sage leaves effectively reduced the ACE activity with inhibition rates of 133.8% and 91.2%, respectively. Similarly, both water and 70% EtOH extracts of rose flowers strongly inhibited the enzymatic activity of HMG-CoA reductase by 48.9% and 80.5%, respectively. Water and 70% EtOH extracts of rose flowers also showed relatively high fibrinolytic activity. Based on these observations, rose flower extracts can be developed as a functional tool for use in the improvement of blood circulation.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.184-188
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• 2007

The major goal in the treatment of diabetes mellitus is to achieve near-normal glycemic control. To optimize both fasting blood glucose and postprandial glucose levels is important in keeping blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible. ${\alpha}-Glucosidase$ is the enzyme that digests dietary carbohydrate, and inhibition of this enzyme could suppress postprandial hyperglycemia. The purpose of this study was to test the inhibitory activity of methanol extract of Euonymus alatus on ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ in vitro and in vivo to evaluate its possible use as an anti-diabetic agent. Yeast ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ inhibitory activities of methanol extract of E. alatus were measured at concentrations of 0.50, 0.25, 0.10, and 0.05 mg/ml. The ability of E. alatus to lower postprandial glucose was studied in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. A starch solution (1 g/kg) with and without E. alatus extract (500 mg/kg) was administered to diabetic rats by gastric intubation after an overnight fast. Plasma glucose levels were measured at 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, and 240 min. Plasma glucose levels were expressed in increments from baseline, and incremental areas under the response curve were calculated. Extract of E. alatus, which had an $IC_{50}$ value of 0.272 mg/ml, inhibited yeast ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ activity in a concentration-dependent manner. A single oral dose of E. alatus extract significantly inhibited increases in blood glucose levels at 60 and 90 min (p<0.05) and significantly decreased incremental response areas under the glycemic response curve (p<0.05). These results suggest that E. alatus has an antihyperglycemic effect by inhibiting ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ activity in this animal model of diabetes mellitus.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.1189-1196
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• 1998

The antiatherogenic effect of kimchi ingredients was studied in terms of antioxidative effect against Newzealand white rabbits that fed 1% cholesterol. Experimental groups was fed 8% Baechu (Brassica pekiinensis), or 1% red pepper(Capsium annum), or 1% garlic(Allium sativum) for 12 weeks. Blood samples were drawn every 2 weeks to analyze vitamin E, POV, and TBARS. Hepatic antioxidative enzyme activity, vitamin E, and carotene concentration also were measured. Plasma TBARS and POV level were markedly lowered in both red pepper and garlic fed rabbits(p<0.05) compared to control. Hepatic POV and protein carbonyl values were lowered in the rabbits fed kimchi ingredients compared to control(p<0.05). Plasma vitamin E concentration was increased in the rabbits fed red pepper and garlic compared to control(p<0.05). Hepatic vitamin E concentration was increased in red pepper and garlicfed rabbits compared to control. For the hepatic antioxidative enzyme acitivity, catalase activity was significantly increased in red pepper and garlic fed rabbits compared to control. Therefore, Baechu, red pepper, and garlic exert an antioxidative effect against rabbits fed 1% cholesterol for 3 months.