• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.26-31
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• 2005

The present study examined effects of a water-soluble fraction from mulberry leaves (ML water fraction) on the circulatory and autonomic nervous systems, which were compared with those of acetylcholine (ACh) used as a reference drug in order to elucidate its mechanism of action. Intravenous administration of ACh or a ML water fraction produced temporary depressor and tachycardiac responses in a dose-dependent manner in unrestrained, conscious Sprague-Dawley rats. The systemic hemodynamic effects of ACh and a ML water fraction were almost completely blocked by pretreatment with atropine, a muscarinic antagonist. The depressor responses to ACh and a ML water fraction were slightly enhanced and prolonged by pretreatment with neostigmine, an anticholinesterase, whereas the tachycardiac responses were remarkably blocked by pretreatment with pentolinium, a ganglionic blocking agent. In vitro experiments using the ileum isolated from rats showed that ACh and a ML water fraction increased ileal contractility in a dose-dependent manner. The increases in ileal contractility were also completely abolished in the presence of atropine. Finally, the specific binding of [$^3H$]quinuclidinyl benzilate, a muscarinic antagonist, to rat cortical synaptic membranes was inhibited by a ML water fraction in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC$_{50}$ value of 9.5 mg/ml. The results suggest that the effects of a ML water fraction are mediated through direct stimulation of muscarinic cholinergic receptors by unknown cholinomimetic substance(s) contained in that fraction.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.273-278
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• 2005

Nicotine transdermal therapeutic systems $(TTS_S)$ have been regarded as an effective mean to aid smoking cessation. However, most of nicotine $TTS_S$ in the market have some problems such as unpleasant side effects and skin irritation due to the excess amount of the drug permeated and the properties of the additives employed. In order to solve these problems, new nicotine $TTS_S$ were formulated using biocompatible additives. The optimized formula of the drug layer consisted of nicotine, propylene glycol and poloxamer 188 at the ratio of 1.2: 17.0: 2.0. The drug layer had the sickness of $1,250\;{\mu}m$, the pH of 8.12. The skin permeation rate of nicotine from optimized nicotine patch (NP) was $21.5\;{\mu}g/cm^2/h$. Transdermal administration of nicotine patch has been carried out for the determination of pharmacokinetic parameters in rats. Steady-state plasma concentration of nicotine following transdermal application of NP (area of patch = $15\;cm^2$) on the dorsal skin of rats was 143.2 ng/ml and AUC for 24 hrs was 3,022 ng h/ml. In case of $EXODUS^{\circledR}$ and Nicotinell $TTS^{\circledR}$, the steady-state plasma concentration of nicotine and ACU for 24 hrs were 428.9 ng/ml, $9,121\;ng{\cdot}hr/ml$ and 155.3 ng/ml, $3,152\;ng{\cdot}h/ml$, respectively. NP showed the experimental plasma nicotine concentration profile was very similar to the simulated one and had an appropriate skin permeation rate and a steady-state concentration of nicotine, which can show therapeutic blood levels of the drug for 24 hrs without severe side effects.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.143-150
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• 2001

Butyrolactone ester of ceftezole (CFZ-BL) was synthesized by esterification of ceftezole (CFZ) with ${\alpha}-bromo-{\gamma}-butyrolactone$. The synthesis was confirmed by spectroscopic analysis. CFZ-BL was more lipophilic than CFZ when the lipophilicity was assessed by partition coefficients between n-octanol and water at various pH. CFZ-BL itself did not show any microbiological activity in vitro, but serums taken after oral administration of CFZ-BL showed substaintial microbiological activity indicating that CFZ-BL is converted to microbiologically active metabolite, probably CFZ, in the body. The conversion was confirmed by in vitro incubation study, in which CFZ-BL was incubated in some body tissues of rabbit. Liver homogenate showed fastest conversion of CFZ-BL among the tissues tested (blood and intestine). Thus, CFZ-BL appeares to be rapidly metabolized in the liver to CFZ following oral administration. The metabolism process appears to be hydrolysis of the ester to CFZ, the parent drug of CFZ-BL. In vivo metabolism of CFZ-BL to CFZ was confirmed by analying CFZ by HPLC. CFZ concentration in the serum samples taken after oral administration of CFZ-BL were higher than those in the serum samples taken after oral administration of equivalent amount of CFZ. Oral bioavailability of CFZ-BL, a prodrug of CFZ, was 1.45-fold higher than that of CFZ in rabbits possibly due to enhanced lipophility and absorption of the prodrug.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.74-80
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• 2003

Two cellular biomarker parameters of the farmed Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas were studied in vivo and in vitro after exposure to concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls in terms of neural red uptake (NRU) and lysozyme activity. The oysters exposed in vivo to the xenobiotic concentrations, 0, 30, 90, and 180 ng/g for 14 days, enhanced hemocyte NRU with occasional significant differences (P<0.05), depending on the chemical concentration and duration. An adverse tendency was manifest in the lysozyme activities both in the hemocyte and serum of the oyster treated with the chemical in a same manner, rendering these two cellular parameters as biomarker candidates against the chemical. The oysters exposed in vitro to the chemical concentrations, 0, 1, 5, 10, 100, 1,000, and 10,000 ng/g for 24 hrs at $10^{\circ}C$ showed a similar tendancy as those exposed in vivo to the chemical. Unlike in vivo response, however, the in vitro NRU was first influenced by very low concentration of the chemical. In in vitro results, marked but not significant increase of hemocyte NRU was noticed at the chemical concentration of 5 ng/g, where the value was almost as high as those exposed to higher chemical concentrations, up to 10,000 ng/g. An unusual result was observed in the in vitro lysozyme activity of hemocyte in which significant decrease was first noticed at the chemical concentration of 100 ng/g.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.220-226
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Arsenic, which causes human carcinogenicity, is ubiquitous in the environment. This study was designed to evaluate modulation of arsenic induced cancer by resveratrol, a phytoalexin found in vegetal dietary sources that has antioxidant and chemopreventive properties, in arsenic trioxide ($As_2O_3$)-induced Male Wistar rats. MATERIALS/METHODS: Adult rats received 3 mg/kg $As_2O_3$ (intravenous injection, iv.) on alternate days for 4 days. Resveratrol (8 mg/kg) was administered (iv.) 1 h before $As_2O_3$ treatment. The plasma and homogenization enzymes associated with oxidative stress of rat kidneys were measured, the kidneys were examined histologically and trace element contents were assessed. RESULTS: Rats treated with $As_2O_3$ had significantly higher oxidative stress and kidney arsenic accumulation; however, pretreatment with resveratrol reversed these changes. In addition, prior to treatment with resveratrol resulted in lower blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and insignificant renal tubular epithelial cell necrosis. Furthermore, the presence of resveratrol preserved the selenium content ($0.805{\pm}0.059{\mu}g/g$) of kidneys in rats treated with $As_2O_3$. However, resveratrol had no effect on zinc level in the kidney relative to $As_2O_3$-treated groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that supplementation with resveratrol alleviated nephrotoxicity by improving antioxidant capacity and arsenic efflux. These findings suggest that resveratrol has the potential to protect against kidney damage in populations exposed to arsenic.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.754-760
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• 2007

The effect of dehydrated food waste product (DFWP) inclusion in diets of Taiwan native chickens on the growth performance, carcass traits, clinical blood chemistry and nutrient digestibility was investigated with 320 male Taishi Native Chickens (Taishi No. 13). They were randomly allocated into four levels of DFWP inclusion (0, 5, 10, or 20%) treatment. Each treatment had 80 chickens with four replicates. At 15 weeks of age, 8 chickens were selected from each group for the nutrient digestibility trial. The results showed that body weight gain during the 0 to 4 week period decreased as the feed intake and feed conversion rate (FCR) increased linearly with increasing level of DFWP inclusion. During the 4 to 8 week period, greater body weight gains were recorded for the birds on the 5% DFWP inclusion level than for the control (p<0.05). During 8 to16 weeks, the feed intake and FCR increased linearly (p<0.05). Interestingly too, results of the carcass analysis showed that DFWP inclusion up to 20% in the diet significantly decreased the relative abdominal fat weight but increased the relative proventriculus and gizzard weights of the birds. However, other carcass parameters, meat quality and sensory scores were not significantly influenced by the dietary DFWP inclusion levels (p>0.05). Higher serum aspartate aminotransferase, ${\gamma}$-glutamyltransferase activity and crude protein digestibility, and lower gross energy digestibility were observed in the 20% DFWP group compared to the control (p<0.05). Dietary DFWP inclusion was inappropriate during the 0 to 4 week period. During 4 to 8 weeks, there was no adverse effect on chicken performance in the 20% group. There was no disadvantage on carcass properties and in the meat panel test. This result would not affect consumer determination.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.107-130
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• 2020

Objectives : This paper aims to lay out the meaning of Gongjindan, its indications and mechanisms based on relevant contents in the 『Donguibogam』, for better clinical application. Methods : First, Gongjindan related contents were searched in the medical classics database. Next, contents from the 『Shizhaibaiyixuanfang』 and the 『Donguibogam』 were analyzed. Finally, the properties of the Gongjindan ingredients were examined based on the 『Donguibogam』 and the 『Zhongyaodacidian』. Results & Conclusions : Examination of its indications according to the 『Donguibogam』 in terms of applicable age and viscera/bowels, Gongjindan could be applied to children with constitutional insufficiency and elder generations, but it could not be said to be most appropriate for older generations. In regards to viscera/bowels, Gongjindan sends water upwards into fire in the water-rising-fire-descending mechanism, which makes it applicable to symptoms of anxiety and fear by tonifying the consumed Jing and Blood caused by Liver deficiency. To summarize, those who would most benefit from Gongjindan are young adults in weak, fearful and lethargic conditions.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.76-82
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• 2004

Pine needles are known as a traditional medicine and their ingestion has been shown to be beneficial to human beings. Following induction of the neoplastic process in rats by azoxymethane (AOM), we determined the effects of pine needle supplementation on colon carcinogenesis and on antioxidant systems in the blood and liver. Five week old male Fisher 344 rats were injected with AOM (15 mg/kg) once a week for two weeks. After the second injection, 18 rats were randomly assigned into two groups and were fed a casein-based high-fat diet (120 g fat and 1 g cholesterol/kg diet) with or without pine needle powder (10%w/w). After 6 weeks, rats receiving pine needle powder showed a 40% lower incidence of the number of colonic preneoplastic lesions (aberrant crypts) and a 52% lower incidence of aberrant crypt foci (p<0.01). A significantly elevated level of erythrocyte catalase activity was observed in the pine needle supplemented group (17.4$\pm$1.1 vs. 24.5$\pm$1.5, p<0.01). Pine needle supplementation also increased liver glutathione peroxidase activity (7.5$\pm$0.6 vs. 14.6$\pm$0.6, p<0.01). Other antioxidant parameters such as erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase, liver catalase activity, and plasma total antioxidant potential (TRAP), showed no statistical differences between the two groups. Our data demonstrate that pine needle supplementation improves the antioxidant system and suppresses the formation of colonic preneoplastic lesions in AOM-treated rats. This result provides additional insights into the chemo-preventative properties of pine needles.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.88-93
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• 2004

Background: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) inhibit the immune response of lymphocytes to specific antigens and dendritic cells (DC) are professional antigenpresenting cells whose function is to present antigen to naive T-lymphocytes with high efficiency and play a central role in the regulation of immune response. We studied the effects of MSC on DC to evaluate the relationship between MSC and DC in transplantation immunology. Methods: MSC were expanded from the bone marrow and DC were cultured from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) of 6 myelogenous leukemia after achieving complete response. Responder cells isolated from PBMNC and lysates of autologous leukemic cells are used as tumor antigen. The effect of MSC on the DC was analyzed by immunophenotype properties of DC and by proliferative capacity and the amount of cytokine production with activated PBMNC against the allogeneic lymphocytes. Also, cytotoxicity tests against leukemic cells studied to evaluate the immunologic effect of MSC on the DC. Results: MSC inhibit the CD83 and HLA-class II molecules of antigen-loaded DC. The proliferative capacity and the amount of INF-$\gamma$ production of lymphocytes to allogeneic lymphocytes were decreased in DC co-cultured with MSC. Also the cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes against leukemic cells was decreased in DC co-cultured with MSC. Conclusion: MSC inhibit the activation and immune response of DC induced by allogeneic or tumor antigen.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.277-284
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• 2006

The alloys were prepared by a non-consumable vacuum arc melting and homogenized at $1050^{\circ}C$ for 24 hrs. Two kind of surface modifications were performed alkali treatment in 5.0M NaOH solution subsequent and heat treatment in vacuum furnace at $600^{\circ}C$, and were oxidizing treatment at the temperature range of 550 to $750^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes. After surface modification, these samples were soaked in SBF which consists of nearly the same ion concentration as human blood plasma. Cytotoxicity tests were performed in MTT assay treated L929 fibroblast cell culture, using indirect methods. A porous and thin activated layer was formed on Titanium and Ti-8Ta-3Nb alloy by the alkali treatment. A bone-like hydroxyapatite was nucleated on the activated porous surfaces during the in vitro test. However, Ti-8Ta-3Nb alloys showed better bioactive properties than Titanium. According to XRD results, oxide layers composed of mostly $TiO_2$(rutile) phases. Cytotoxicity test also revealed that moderate oxidation treatment lowers cell toxicity and Ti-8Ta-3Nb alloy showed better results compared with Titanium.