• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.79-92
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• 2007

Oxidative stress have known to be a risk factor for the degenerative processes and closely related to a lot of diseases. It is well established that antioxidants are good in protection and therapeutic means against oxidative damage. There is increasing interest in natural antioxidants and many natural antioxidants have been found and utilized as the possible protection for various diseases and skin aging. We have screened natural antioxidant agents for cosmeceuticals, nutraceuticals, and drugs as therapeutic and preventive means against oxidative stress, and have developed a number of novel antioxidants from various natural sources. A novel melanin synthesis inhibitor, Melanocin A, isolated from the metabolite of a fungal strain Eupenicillium shearii F80695 inhibited mushroom tyrosinase and melanin biosynthesis of B16 melanoma cells with $IC_{50}$ value of 9.0 nM and MIC value of $0.9\;{\mu}M$, respectively. Melanocin A also exhibited potent antioxidant activity by scavenging of DPPH and superoxide anion radicals. UV was found to increase the level of hydrogen peroxides and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) in skin tissues. This increase in ROS may not only alter the structure and function of many genes and proteins directly but may also modulate their expressions through signal transduction pathways and, ultimately, lead to skin damage. We investigated the effect of Melanocin A on UV-induced premature skin aging. Firstly, the effect of Melanocin A on UV-induced matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 expression in an immortalized human keratinocyte cell line, HaCaT in vitro was investigated. Acute UV irradiation induced MMP-9 expression at both the mRNA and protein levels and Melanocin A suppressed this expression in a dose-dependent manner. We then investigated UV-induced skin changes in hairless mice in vivo by Melanocin A. Chronic exposure of hairless mouse dorsal skin to UV increased skin thickness and induced wrinkle formation and the gelatinase activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Moreover, Melanocin A significantly suppressed UV-induced morphologic skin changes and MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression. These results show that Melanocin A can prevent the harmful effects of UV that lead to skin aging. Therefore, we suggest that Melanocin A should be viewed as a potential therapeutic agent for preventing and/or treating premature skin aging. Terrein is a bioactive fungal metabolite isolated from Penicillium species. Terrein has a relatively simple structure and can be easily synthesized. However, the biologic effects of terrein are comparatively unknown. We found for the first time that terrein potently inhibit melanin production in melanocytes and has a strong hypopigmentary effect in a spontaneously immortalized mouse melanocyte cell line, Mel-Ab. Treatment of Mel-Ab cells with terrein (10-100 mM) for 4 days significantly reduced melanin levels in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, terrein at the same concentration also reduced tyrosinase activity. We then investigated whether terrein influences the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) pathway and the expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), which is required for tyrosinase expression. Terrein was found to induce sustained ERK activation and MITF down-regulation, and luciferase assays showed that terrein inhibits MITF promoter activity in a dose-dependent manner. To elucidate the correlation between ERK pathway activation and a decreased MITF transcriptional level, PD98059, a specific inhibitor of the ERK pathway, was applied before terrain treatment and found to abrogate the terrein-induced MITF attenuation. Terrein also reduced the tyrosinase protein level for at least 72 h. These results suggest that terrain reduces melanin synthesis by reducing tyrosinase production via ERK activation, and that this is followed by MITF down-regulation.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.176-186
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• 2014

Objectives: As a sequel to the former analysis of the quality of life (QoL) among young-old and old-old in Korea, this research was aimed to identify factors related to the quality of life and the gender difference after controlling for the related factors among Korean elderly. Methods: Selected elderly data of 1,339 subjects from the 5th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2010 was analyzed. In this survey, QoL was measured using Euro Quality of Life (EQ-5D) instrument. Data were analyzed using complex survey data analysis on IBM-SPSS 20.0. The related factors were identified using general linear models with backward elimination. The gender difference was tested also using general linear models. Results: The distributions of educational level, family income level, and presence of cohabitant were different between male and female elderly in both young-old and old-old age group. So were the health behaviors and perceived health, and experience of stress, depression, and suicidal thoughts. QoL and its subscales- mobility, self care, daily living, pain and discomfort, and anxiety and depression- were consistently better among male elderly regardless of age group. Among the variables considered, education, family income level, presence of cohabitant, perceived health, age group and BMI were found to be related to the QoL at p=.05, and presence of chronic diseases at p=.10. The difference in QoL between male and female elderly after controlling for the variables was statistically significant. Conclusion: Improving QoL is particularly important for the elderly. In order to improve QoL of the elderly, age- and gender- differences need to be considered when developing services and programs for the elderly.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.479-488
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate factors affecting low body weight of solitary elderly people by grasping the illness and health behavior of elderly living alone. Using the raw data of the community health survey from 2014, the data of 922 elderly living alone who are 65 years or older were used for the final analysis. Data were analyzed by technical analysis statistics, The Rao Scott $x^2$ test, and logistic regression analysis using the composite analysis module of the SPSS/WIN 22.0 program. The results of this study showed that elderly living alone had a high percentage of chronic diseases as well as poor health behaviors such as smoking, drinking, lack of exercise, poor eating habits, difficulties in dentistry due to dentures, and poor subjective health status. Result of logistic regression analysis the risk probability of low-weight due to gender of the elderly living alone is as follows. Risk of low body weight because of smoking was 3.004 times among occasional smokers in women and the elderly, while risk of low body weight due to walking amount is less than 3 days the possibility that the person walking is low is 1.420 times significantly higher. When feeling subjective stress, the possibility of low body weight was 2.220 times greater for male elderly and 1.282 times for female elderly. The probability of low body weight for a person with a poor subjective health level was 3.633 times for male elderly and 1.590 times for female elderly. Based on the results of this study, it is necessary to establish appropriate nursing intervention and management strategies to improve health behavior of low body weight elderly living alone. It is also necessary to conduct additional studies considering various variables such as physical, psychological, and social characteristics of low-weight elderly individuals.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.1047-1059
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• 1998

Senile Dementia is one of the dispositional mental disorder which has been known to the world since Hippocratic age. It has become a wide-spread social problem all over the world because of chronic disease processes and the demands of dependent care for several years as well as improbability of treatment of it at the causal level. Essentially, life styles of the older generation differ from those of the younger generation. While the fomer is used to the patriarchal system and the spirit of filial piet and respect, the latter is pragmatized and individualized under the effects of the Western material civilization. These differences between the two generations cause conflict between family members. In particular, the pain and conflict of care-givers who take care of a totally dependent dementia patient not only is inciting to the collapse of the family union, but is expanding into a serious social problem. According to this practical difficulty, this study has tried to compare dementia care-givers' experiences inter-culturally and to help set up more proper nursing interventions, describing and explaining them through ethnographies by participant observation and in-depth interviews that enable seeing them in a more close, honest and certain way. It also tries to provide a theoetical model of nusing care for dementia patients which is proper to Korean culture. This study is composed of 12 participants (4 males, 8 females) whose ages range from 37-71 years. The relations of patients are 5 spouses(3 husbands, 2 wives), 4 daughters-in-law, 2 daughters, and 1 son-in-law. The following are the care-givers' meaning of experiences that results of the study shows. The first is "psychological conflict". It contains the minds of getting angry, reproaching, being driven to dispair, blaming oneself, giving up lives, and being afraid, hopeless, and resigned. The second is "physical, social and psychological pressure" . At this stage, care-givers are shown to be under stress of both body and soul for the lack of freedom and tiredness. They also feel constraint because they hardly cope with the care and live through others' eyes. The third is "isolation". It makes the relationship of patient care-giver to be estranged, without understanding each other. They, also, experience indifference such as being upset and left alone. The forth is "acceptance" They gradually have compassion, bear up and then adapt themselves to the circumstances they are in. The fifth is "love". Now they learn to reward the other with love. It is also shown that this stage contains the process of winning others' recognition. The final is "hope". In this stage they really want situations to go smoothly and hope everything will be O.K. These consequences enable us to summarize the principles of cue experience such as, in the early stage, negative response such as physical·psychological confusion, pain and conflict are primary. Then the stage of acceptance emerges. It is an initial positive response phase when care-givers may admit their situations. As time passes by a positive response stage emerges. At last they have love and hope. Three stages we noted above : however, there are never consistent situations. Rather it gradually comes into the stage of acceptance, repeating continuous conflict, pressure and isolation. If any interest and understanding of families or the support of surrounding society lack, it will again be converted to negative responses sooner or later. Otherwise, positive responses like hope and love can be encouraged if the family and the surroundings give active aids and understanding. After all, the principles of dementia care experiences neither stay at any stage, nor develop from negative stages to positive stages steadily. They are cycling systems in which negative responses and positive responses are constantly being converted. I would like to suggest the following based on the above conclusions : First, the systematic and planned education of dementia should be performed in order to enhance public relations. Second, a special medical treatment center which deals with dementia, under government's charge, should be managed. Third, the various studies approaching dementia care experiences result in the development of more reasonable and useful nursing guidelines.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.6
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• pp.33-45
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to develop a basic framework and criteria for evaluation of quality care provided to patients with the attributes of disease in the home care nursing field, and to provide measurement tools for home health care in the future. The study design was a developmental study for evaluation of hospital-based HCN(home care nursing) in Korea. The study process was as follows: a home care nursing study team of College of Nursing. Yonsei University reviewed the nursing records of 47 patients who were enrolled at Yonsei University Medical Center Home Care Center in March, 1995. Twenty-five patients were insured at that time, were selected from 47 patients receiving home care service for study feasibility with six disease groups; Caesarean Section (C/S), simple nephrectomy, Liver cirrhosis(LC), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD), Lung cancer or cerebrovascular accident(CVA). In this study, the following items were selected : First step : Preliminary study 1. Criteria and items were selected on the basis of related literature on each disease area. 2. Items were identified by home care nurses. 3. A physician in charge reviewed the criteria and content of selected items. 4. Items were revised through preliminary study offered to both HCN patients and discharged patients from the home care center. Second step : Pretest 1. To verify the content of the items, a pretest was conducted with 18 patients of which there were three patients in each of the six selected disease groups. Third step : Test of reliability and validity of tools 1. Using the collected data from 25 patients with either cis, Simple nephrectomy, LC, COPD, Lung cancer, or CVA. the final items were revised through a panel discussion among experts in medical care who were researchers, doctors, or nurses. 2. Reliability and validity of the completed tool were verified with both inpatients and HCN patients in each of field for researches. The study results are as follows: 1. Standard for discharge with HCN referral The referral standard for home care, which included criteria for discharge with HCN referral and criteria leaving the hospital were established. These were developed through content analysis from the results of an open-ended questionnaire to related doctors concerning characteristic for discharge with HCN referral for each of the disease groups. The final criteria was decided by discussion among the researchers. 2. Instrument for measurement of health statusPatient health status was measured pre and post home care by direct observation and interview with an open-ended questionnaire which consisted of 61 items based on Gorden's nursing diagnosis classification. These included seven items on health knowledge and health management, eight items on nutrition and metabolism, three items on elimination, five items on activity and exercise, seven items on perception and cognition, three items on sleep and rest, three items on self-perception, three items on role and interpersonal relations, five items on sexuality and reproduction, five items on coping and stress, four items on value and religion, three items on family. and three items on facilities and environment. 3. Instrument for measurement of self-care The instrument for self-care measurement was classified with scales according to the attributes of the disease. Each scale measured understanding level and practice level by a Yes or No scale. Understanding level was measured by interview but practice level was measured by both observation and interview. Items for self-care measurement included 14 for patients with a CVA, five for women who had a cis, ten for patients with lung cancer, 12 for patients with COPD, five for patients with a simple nephrectomy, and 11 for patients with LC. 4. Record for follow-up management This included (1) OPD visit sheet, (2) ER visit form, (3) complications problem form, (4) readmission sheet. and (5) visit note for others medical centers which included visit date, reason for visit, patient name, caregivers, sex, age, time and cost required for visit, and traffic expenses, that is, there were open-end items that investigated OPD visits, emergency room visits, the problem and solution of complications, readmissions and visits to other medical institution to measure health problems and expenditures during the follow up period. 5. Instrument to measure patients satisfaction The satisfaction measurement instrument by Reisseer(1975) was referred to for the development of a tool to measure patient home care satisfaction. The instrument was an open-ended questionnaire which consisted of 11 domains; treatment, nursing care, information, time consumption, accessibility, rapidity, treatment skill, service relevance, attitude, satisfaction factors, dissatisfaction factors, overall satisfaction about nursing care, and others. In conclusion, Five evaluation instruments were developed for home care nursing. These were (1)standard for discharge with HCN referral. (2)instrument for measurement of health status, (3)instrument for measurement of self-care. (4)record for follow-up management, and (5)instrument to measure patient satisfaction. Also, the five instruments can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the service to assure quality. Further research is needed to increase the reliability and validity of instrument through a community-based HCN evaluation.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.475-483
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• 1994

Background: N-acetylcysteine(ACE) is used both orally and intravenously in a variety of experimental pathologies resembling human disease states which exhibit endothelial toxicity as a result of oxidative stress, including acute pulmonary oxygen toxicity, septicemia and endotoxin shock. Despite these observations in vivo, it is not certain how this thiol drug produces its protective effects. ACE is a cysteine derivative which is able to direct1y react with oxygen radicals and may also act as a cysteine and glutathione(GSH) precursor following deacetylation. In this paper, we tried to know whether the therapeutic doses of ACE can modify the inflammatory function of the neutrophils and can increase the glutathione level of plasma in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) patients. In addition, the effect of ACE to the purified neutrophil in terms of superoxide release and glutathione synthesis were observed. Method: Firstly, we gave 600mg of ACE for seven days and compare the release of superoxide, luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence from the neutrophils, neutrophil chemotaxis, and plasma GSH levels before and after ACE treatment in COPD patients. Secondly, we observed the dose dependent effect of ACE to the purified neutrophil's superoxide release and GSH levels in vitro. Results: 1) Usual oral therapeutic doses(600mg per day) of ACE for seven days did affect neither on the neutrophil's superoxide release, chemiluminescence, chemotaxis, nor on the plasma GSH concentration in the COPD patients. 2) ACE decreases the purified neutrophil's superoxide release and increase the GSH production in dose dependent fashion in vitro. Conclusion: Despite the fact that oral ACE treatment did not affect on the neutrophil's inflammatory function and plasma GSH concentration in COPD patients in usual therapeutic doses, it decreases the superoxide release and increases the GSH production from the isolated neutrophils in high molar concentrations. These findings suggest that to obtain an antioxidative effects of ACE, it might be needed to increase the daily dosage of ACE or therapeutic duration or change the route of adminisration in COPD patients.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.77-84
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• 2019

Objectives : The Illness Intrusiveness Rating Scale (IIRS) is a well-validated self-report instrument for assessing negative impact of chronic illness and/or adverse effects of its treatment on everyday life domains. Although extensive literature probed its psychometric properties in medical illness, little attention was paid for its validity for psychiatric population. This study aimed to test factorial structure of the Korean Version of the IIRS (IIRS-K) in a consecutive sample of psychiatric outpatients. Methods : Data set of 307 first-visit patients of psychiatric clinic at Guri Hanyang univ. Hospital were used. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency were tested in IIRS-K. We also checked Spearman's correlation analysis between IIRS-K, Zung's self-report anxiety scale and Zung's self-report depression scale. Results : 76.9% of the patients were with anxiety disorder and depressive disorder. The principal component factor analysis of the IIRS-K extracted three-factor structure accounted for 63.2% of total variance that was contextually similar to the original English version. This three-factor solution showed the best fit when tested confirmatory factor analysis compared to the original IIRS, two-factor model of IIRS-K suggested from medical outpatients, and one-factor solution. The IIRS-K also showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's α=0.90) and good convergent validity with anxiety and depression scales. Conclusions : The IIRS-K showed the three-factor structure that was similar but not identical to original version. Overall, this study proved factorial validity of the IIRS-K and it can be used for Korean clinical population.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.560-569
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• 2003

Background : A large number of pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and ozone influence on the body. These pollutants put a burden on the lung and the sequelae resulting from the oxidative stress are thought to contribute to the development of fibrotic lung disease, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and lung cancer. Also, carbon monoxide generated from the incomplete combustion of carbon-containing compounds is an important component of air pollution caused by traffic exhaust fumes and has the toxic effect of tissue hypoxia and produce various systemic and neurologic complications. The objective of this study is to compare the difference of pulmonary function and serum carboxyhemoglobin(CO-Hb) level between the traffic policemen and clerk policemen. Method : Three hundred and twenty-nine of traffic policemen, and one hundred and thirty clerk policemen were included between 2001 May and 2002 August. The policemen who took part in this study were asked to fill out a questionnaire which included questions on age, smoking, drinking, years of working, work-related symptoms and past medical history. The serum CO-Hb level was measured by using carboxyoximeter. Pulmonary function test was done by using automated spirometer. Additional tests, such as elecrocardiogram, urinalysis, chest radiography, blood chemistry, and CBC, were also done. Results : $FEV_1(%)$ was $97.1{\pm}0.85%$, and $105.7{\pm}1.21%$(p<0.05). FVC(%) was $94.6{\pm}0.67%$, and $102.1{\pm}1.09%$, respectively(p<0.05). Serum CO-Hb level was $2.4{\pm}0.06%$, and $1.8{\pm}0.08%$(p<0.05). After correction of confounding factors (age, smoking), significant variables were FVC(%), $FEV_1(%)$ and serum CO-Hb level(%)(p<0.05). Conclusion : Long exposure to air pollution may influence the pulmonary function and serum CO-Hb level. But, further prospective cohort study will be needed to elucidate detailed influences of specific pollutants on pulmonary function and serum carboxyhemoglobin level.

• The Journal of Dong Guk Oriental Medicine
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• v.4
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• pp.161-187
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• 1995

This study was perfomed to investigate causes of the senile hypotension, pathogenic mechanism, symptoms, and therapies through medical literatures, recent chinese medical literatures and chinese medical journals. The results are as follows ; 1. The senile hypotension has major symptoms of dizziness, weakness, syncope, palpitation, shortness of breath, and deficiency of Qi. Additionally, it has minor symtoms of letharhy, isomnia, tinnitus, amnesia etc... 2. The prodromal symptoms of Kwul and Kwul are relating to the symptoms of tachycardia, facial pallor, sweating, anxietas, ambiguous consciousness, and fainting. Weakness and dizziness due to deficiency make the symptoms of exhaustion, fatigue, vertigo, lethargy, and brachycardia. 3. The most principal cause of the senile hypotension is deficiency of Shen due to aging, congenital deficiency, and chronic illness. The rest of causes are defciency of Qi and blood, phlegm of retention, stagnation of Qi, blood stasis, blood prostration etc... In the view of the occidental meicine, the causes of the senile hypotension came from the reduction of cardiac output, the decretion of cardiovascular system's extention due to aging, hereditary factor, secondary factor due to exsanguination, diabetes mellitus, C.V.A etc..., and factor of neurogenic system's degeneration. 4. The principal pathogenic mechanisms are the insufficiency of Xing-Yang, the deficiency of Qi in middle jiao, and deficiency of Shen-Qi. The rest of mechanisms are the deficiency of both Qi and blood, stagnation of the Gan-Qi, and the deficiency of Gan and Shen. Zang-Pu Organs have something to do with Xing, Bi, and Shen. 5. As principal therapies, there are warming and recuperation the Xing-Yang, strengthing the middle-jiao and replenishing Qi, replenishing vital essence to tonify the Shen, and warming and recuperation the Shen-Yang. Additionally, the therapies of invigorating the Bi and relieving mental stress, strengthning the Bi and tonifing the Shen, invigorating Qi and nourishing Yin, soothing the Gan and regulating the circulation of Qi, and tonifing the Shen and nourishing the Gan help the cure of the senile hypotension. In prescriptions there are Baohe Yuan Tang, Buzhong Yigi Tang, Zuoguei Yin, Yougui Yin, Guipi Tang, Zhu Fu Tang, Shengmai San, Sini San, and Qi Ju Dihuang Wan. The medical herbs of Astragali Radix, Codonopsitis Pilosulae Radix, Ginseng Radix, Aconiti Tuber, Ephedrae Herba, Cinnamomi Ramulus, Cinnamomi Corfex Spissus, Zingiberis Rhizoma, Polygalae Radix, Liriopis Tuber, Polygonati Sibirici Rhifoma, Lycii Fructus, Schizandrae Fructus, and Glycyrrhizae Radix can be treated. 6. According to the clinical report, the principal causes are the deficiency of Qi, and insufficiency of Yang which symptoms are dizziness, vitality fatigue and acratia, amnesia, body cold and alger of extremity, spontaneous perspiration, and therady and weak pulse. It was improved by taking WenYang YiQi Tang, Zhu Fu Tang about 20-30 days. The improvement was shown on disappearance of subjective symptoms or the ascending of blood pressure to normal figure, and the rate of improvement was over 70%. 7. As regimens, taking warming and recuperating food(a sheep mutton, juglans regia, chiness date, longan aril etc...) and pungent food(chinese green onion, fress ginger, pipers fructns etc...), doing physical training, not being ill in bed at a long time, and preventing descent of blood pressure coming from sudden change of posture are needed. Additionally, the usage of diuretic, abirritant, and depressor needs to be extra cautious.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.9
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• pp.1208-1214
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• 2011

Caffeine, a psychoactive stimulant, has been implicated in the modulation of learning and memory functions due to its action as a non-selective adenosine receptors antagonist. On the contrary, some side effects of caffeine have been reported, such as an increased energy loss and metabolic rate, decrease DNA synthesis in the spleen, and increased oxidative damage to exerted on LDL particles. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a safe stimulant from natural plants mixture (Aralia elata, Acori graminei Rhizoma, Chrysanthemum, Dandleion, Guarana, Shepherd's purse) that can be used as a substitute for caffeine. Thirty SD rats were divided into three groups; control group, caffeine group (15.0 mg/kg, i.p.), and natural plants mixture group (NP, 1 mL/kg, p.o.). The effect of NP extract on stimulant activity was evaluated with open-field test (OFT) and plus maze test for measurement of behavioral profiles. Plasma lipid profiles, lipid peroxidation in LDL (conjugated dienes), total antioxidant capacity (TRAP) and DNA damage in white blood, liver, and brain cells were measured. In the OFT, immobility time was increased significantly by acute (once) and chronic (3 weeks) supplementation of NP and showed a similar effect to caffeine treatment. Three weeks of caffeine treatment caused plasma lipid peroxidation and DNA damage in liver cells, whereas there were no changes in the NP group. NP group showed a higher plasma HDL cholesterol concentration compared to the caffeine group. The results indicate that the natural plants mixture had a stimulant effect without inducing oxidative stress.