• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2009

The antifertility activity of methanol extract of Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. stem (MECR) and Corchorus olitorius Linn. seed (MECO) were studied on male Swiss albino mice. The extracts were found to decrease sperm count, percentage of motile sperm and testosterone level in treated mice when compared with vehicle control after 17 days of treatment. The weight of gonads, epididymis were decreased whereas no significant changes of the body weight of mice were observed after methanol extract treatments. The fertility test showed 100% negative result in MECR and MECO treated mice at medium and high dose level of treatment. MECR and MECO in low (25 mg/kg and 15 mg/kg, respectively), medium (50 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg, respectively) and high (75 mg/kg and 25 mg/kg, respectively) dose level caused a simultaneous fall in testicular ${\Delta}5$-$3{\beta}$-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities which are involved in testicular steroidogenesis. Total cholesterol and ascorbic acid content in testis were increased significantly in gonads. The activities of lactate dehydrogenase, malic dehydrogenase and ascorbic acid oxidase were reduced whereas that of carbonic anhydrase was increased significantly in the testis of MECR and MECO treated mice. All these observations indicate that the methanol extract of C. reflexa stem and C. olitorius seed produced antifertility activity in sexually matured male mice, which may be due to inhibition of gonadal steroidogenesis. This activity may be attributed due to the presence of flavonoids and steroids, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.71-78
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• 2013

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of treadmill exercise on blood components and antioxidant system in hyperlipidemic rats. METHODS: Three weeks old male rats were randomly assigned into General diet(GD, n=10), High fat Diet(HD, n=10), and High fat diet+Treadmill exercise(HDT, n=10) groups. Treadmill exercise consisted of the treadmill running 5 times per week during 6 weeks(30 min/time for first 3 weeks and 60 min/time the other 3 weeks). RESULTS: The levels of triglyceride and total cholesterol were increased in HD group compared with GD group, and recovered to level of GD group by treadmill exercise(p<.05). Plasma glucose and insulin concentrations were increased in HD group compared with GD group, and recovered to level of GD group by treadmill exercise(p<.05). Glutathione(GSH) and glutathione reductase(GRD) concentrations were decreased in HD group compared with GD group, and these decreases returned to the level of GD group by treadmill exercise(p<.05). Xanthine oxidase(XO) and malondialdehyyde (MDA) concentrations were increased in HD group compared with GD group, and these increases retuned to the level of GD group by treadmill exercise(p<.05). CONCLUSION: This study showed that treadmill exercise application were effective treatment strategy on hyperlipidemia. Therefore, it could be considered as a treatment method in the patients with hyperlipidemia disease. Treadmill exercise, Hyperlipidemia, Blood components.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.7
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• pp.1043-1053
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• 2013

We investigated the ability of soybean curd residue (SCR) and its fermented products to inhibit obesity and improve the blood lipid profiles of obese mice fed a high-fat diet. Samples were prepared by fermenting SCR with Aspergillus oryzae var effuses KACC 44990 (ASCR), a microbe used for the fermentation of traditional Korean Meju, and with Monascus pilosus IFO 4480 (MSCR), a microbe used for the production of red rice. In addition, AMSCR, a mixture composed of equal amounts of ASCR and MSCR, was also prepared. Male mice were divided into six groups and fed with either a normal diet, a high-fat diet, or a high-fat diet supplemented with SCR, ASCR, MSCR, or AMSCR. After 8 weeks, body weight gain, serum and hepatic lipid profiles, and the activities of enzymes that generate or scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) were evaluated. Compared with the high-fat diet group, all the test groups showed a significant reduction in body, organ, and epididymal fat weight gain. These effects were observed with supplements in the order AMSCR>ASCR>MSCR>SCR. Similarly, supplements of test samples reduced high levels of serum and hepatic triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol caused by hight-fat diet, while high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was increased. Interestingly, the ability of ASCR to lower serum TG was stronger than that of MSCR, while MSCR showed a stronger hypocholesterolemic effect than ASCR. Meanwhile, AMSCR returned comprehensively serum lipid levels to normal. In addition, hepatic damage was prevented with effects in the order AMSCR>ASCR>MSCR>SCR. Hepatic ROS generating system including xanthine oxidase (XO) and ROS scavenging system including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) were recovered to normal level by all test diets. In conclusion, this study suggests that SCR and its fermented products can inhibit obesity and improve lipid profiles.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.384-391
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• 2016

In previous studies, we confirmed that the ethanol extract of Polygonatum sibiricum (ID1216) has anti-obesity effects on high-fat diet-fed mice. To identify the obesity-related genes affected by ID1216, we studied its effects both in vivo and in vitro. In mice, single administration of ID1216 increased the expression of obesity-related genes including sirtuin1 (SIRT1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ coactivator $1{\alpha}$ ($PGC1{\alpha}$) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\alpha}$ ($PPAR{\alpha}$) compared to that in mice administered the vehicle; their downstream genes (uncoupling proteins, acyl-CoA oxidase, adipocyte protein 2, and hormone-sensitive lipase) were also increased by ID1216. In fully differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes, ID1216 showed the same effects on anti-obesity genes as those in the animal model. Based on these results, we propose that ID1216 has anti-obesity effects by regulating the $SIRT1-PGC1{\alpha}-PPAR{\alpha}$ pathway and their downstream genes, thereby controlling energy and lipid metabolisms.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.137-143
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Mulberry leaves contain quercetin derivatives, which have the effects of reducing obesity and improving lipid and glucose metabolism in mice with obesity. It is not clear whether or not mulberry leaves can directly affect metabolic disorders, in the presence of obesity, because of the interaction between obesity and metabolic disorders. The aim of the current study was to assess the direct action of quercetin derivatives on metabolic disorders in non-obese conditions in short-term high-fat diet fed mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: C57BL/6N mice were fed a high-fat diet, supplemented with either 0% (control), 1%, or 3% mulberry leaf powder (Mul) or 1% catechin powder for five days. Anthropometric parameters and blood biochemistry were determined, and hepatic gene expression associated with lipid and glucose metabolism was analyzed. RESULTS: Body and white fat weights did not differ among the four groups. Plasma triglycerides, total cholesterol, and free fatty acids in the 1%, 3% Mul and catechin groups did not differ significantly from those of the controls, however, plasma glucose and 8-isoprostane levels were significantly reduced. Liver gene expression of gp91phox, a main component of NADPH oxidase, was significantly down-regulated, and PPAR-${\alpha}$, related to ${\beta}$-oxidation, was significantly up-regulated. FAS and GPAT, involved in lipid metabolism, were significantly down-regulated, and Ehhadh was significantly up-regulated. Glucose-metabolism related genes, L-PK and G6Pase, were significantly down-regulated, while GK was significantly up-regulated in the two Mul groups compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the Mul quercetin derivatives can directly improve lipid and glucose metabolism by reducing oxidative stress and enhancing ${\beta}$-oxidation. The 1% Mul and 1% catechin groups had similar levels of polyphenol compound intake ($0.4{\times}10^{-5}$ vs $0.4{\times}10^{-5}$ mole/5 days) and exhibited similar effects, but neither showed dose-dependent effects on lipid and glucose metabolism or oxidative stress.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.1177-1183
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• 2001

This study was done to investigate the effects of ethanol extract of Cassia semen (Cassia tora L.) on the activities of hepatic oxygen free radicals metabolizing enzymes and blood lipid profile in rats of hepatotoxicity induced by ethanol. Sprague-Dawley male rats weighing 100~160 g were divides into 5 groups; control grouts (CON), Cassia semen ethanol extracts (200 mg/kg) treated group (CEL), ethanol (10 mL/kg, 35%) treated group (ETH), Cassia semen ethanol extracts (200 mg/kg) and ethanol treated group (CE1 ) and Cassia semen ethanol extracts (400 mg/kg ) and ethanol treated group (CE2), respectively. Compared with ETH, the growth rate of CE1 and CE2 were to be increased tendency, and in blood levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and the activities of alanine aminotranferase and asparate aminotranferase elevated by ethanol were significantly decreased (p<0.05). It was observed that the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, xanthine oxidase and glutathione peroxidase of rat liver increased by ethanol, were more decreased by the treatment of Cassia semen ethanol extract than the only ethanol-treated group. The content of glutathione depleted by ethanol treatment was increased in CE1 and CE2. TBA-reactants of liver increased by ethanol were decreased in CE1 and CE2, compared with ethanol-treated group. These results suggested that ethanol extract of Cassia semen may influence upon the ability of oxygen free radical detoxication and lowering of blood lipid level on ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in rat.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.759-767
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• 2014

This study examined the effect of Momordica charantia L. (bitter melon: BM) on lipid and hepatic antioxidative enzyme levels in diabetic rats. Diabetes mellitus was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by injection of streptozotocin (STZ), and rats were fed for 4 weeks with experimental groups divided into four groups: a normal control group, STZ-control and STZ-BM 5% & STZ-BM 10% treated groups. Levels of free fatty acids (FFA), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-chol), triglycerides (TG) in plasma and malondialdehyde (MDA) & protein in liver, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and xanthine oxidase (XOD) were measured in liver cytosol. Level of HDL-chol significantly increased in the STZ-BM 5% diabetic group. TG & FFA levels were significantly higher in all diabetic groups compared to the control group. MDA and protein levels were significantly higher in the STZ-BM 5% group compared to all other experimental group. CAT level was higher in the supplementary group with BM compared to the STZ-control group, although the difference was not significantly different. SOD level was not significant in any experimental groups. GST level was significantly higher in the BM-treated groups compared to the STZ-control group. XOD level was significantly lower in the BM 5% group and significantly decreased in all experimental groups. These results show that supplementation of BM fruit powder may have beneficial effects on diabetic complications and damage caused by oxidative stress.