• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.238-246
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• 2020

Background: Dietary fat has been suggested to be the cause of various health issues. Obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and kidney disease are known to be associated with a high-fat diet (HFD). Obesity and associated conditions, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), are currently a worldwide health problem. Few prospective pharmaceutical therapies that directly target NAFLD are available at present. A Traditional Chinese Medicine, ginseng-plus-Bai-Hu-Tang (GBHT), is widely used by diabetic patients to control glucose level or thirst. However, whether it has therapeutic effects on fat-induced hepatic steatosis and metabolic syndrome remains unclear. Methods: This study was conducted to examine the therapeutic effect of GBHT on fat-induced obesity, hepatic steatosis, and insulin resistance in mice. Results: GBHT protected mice against HFD-induced body weight gain, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia compared with mice that were not treated. GBHT inhibited the expansion of adipose tissue and adipocyte hypertrophy. No ectopic fat deposition was found in the livers of HFD mice treated with GBHT. In addition, glucose intolerance and insulin sensitivity in HFD mice was also improved by GBHT. Conclusion: GBHT prevents changes in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in a HFD mouse model. Our findings provide evidence for the traditional use of GBHT as therapy for the management of metabolic syndrome.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.168-178
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• 2014

Objectives : Mahuang-Chuanwu(Mahwang-Cheonoh) Pharmacopuncture(MCP) has been used to treat obesity in Clinical Korean Medicine. MCP solution(MCPS) is also expected to have strong anti-obesity activities. However, little is known about the mechanisms of its inhibitory effects on adipocyte differentiation and lipogenesis. Methods : In the present study, we examined the effects of MCPS on differentiation and lipogenesis of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. To elucidate the mechanism of the effects of MCPS on lowering lipid content in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, we examined whether MCPS modulates the expressions of transcription factors to induce lipogenesis and adipogenic genes related to regulate the accumulation of lipids. Results : Our results showed that MCPS significantly inhibited differentiation and lipogenesis of 3T3-L1 adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner. MCPS suppressed the mRNA expressions of cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine(CCAAT)/enhancer binding proteins ${\alpha}$($C/EBP{\alpha}$), C/EBP ${\beta}$, $C/EBP{\delta}$, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$($PPAR{\gamma}$) genes related to the induction of adipose differentiation. MCPS inhibited the mRNA expressions of adipose-specific aP2, adipsin, lipoprotein lipase(LPL), CD36, TGF-${\beta}$, and leptin genes related to the fat formation. MCPS downregulated the mRNA expressions of liver X receptor(LXR) ${\alpha}$ and fatty acid synthase(FAS) genes related to the induction of lipogenesis. In addition, MCPS reduced the production of adipocyte-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines. Conclusions : MCPS could regulate the accumulation of lipids and expression of adipogenic genes via inhibition of transcript factors related to induction of adipose differentiation.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: In this study, we investigated whether Gelidium amansii extract (GAE) ameliorates obesity in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: The mice were maintained on a high-fat diet (HD) for 5 weeks to generate the DIO mouse model. And then mice fed HD plus 0.5% (GAE1), 1% (GAE2) or 2% (GAE3) for 8 weeks. RESULTS: After the experimental period, GAE-supplemented groups were significantly lower than the HD group in body weight gain and liver weight. GAE supplemented groups were significantly lower than the HD group in both epididymal and mesenteric adipose tissue mass. The plasma leptin level was significantly higher in the HD group than in GAE-supplemented groups. The leptin level of HD+GAE3 group was significantly lower than that of the HD+conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) group. In contrast, plasma adiponectin level of the HD group was significantly lower than those of HD+GAE2 and HD+GAE3 groups. The expression levels of adipogenic proteins such as fatty acid synthase, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$, and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein ${\alpha}$ in the GAE supplemented groups were significantly decreased than those in HD group, respectively. In addition, the expression levels of HD+GAE2 and HD+GAE3 groups are significantly decreased compared to those of HD+CLA group. On the contrary, the expression levels of hormone-sensitive lipase and phospho-AMP-activated protein kinase, proteins associated with lipolysis, were significantly increased in the GAE supplemented groups compared to those in the HD group. HD+GAE3 group showed the highest level among the GAE supplemented groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that GAE supplementation stimulated the expressions of lipid metabolic factors and reduced weight gain in HD-fed C57BL/6J obese mice.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.72-78
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• 2012

Alnus japonica Steud (A. japonica) have long been used in the traditional medicine for gastric disorder, hepatitis and fatty liver in Korea. Antiulcer effects of A. japonica hot water extract (AJ ext) were evaluated by in vitro antibacterial activity against H. pylori, by the inhibitory action against the in vitro gastric $H^+/K^+$-ATPase and using rat models of gastric mucosal damage and gastric ulcer induced by HCl-ethanol, indomethacin, and restraint and water-immersion stress. For the determination of antibacterial activity of AJ ext against H. pylori, the activity of urease which released from H. pylori was measured in culture. AJ ext showed weak antibacterial activity against H. pylori with the growth inhibitions of 37% and 61% by adding final concentrations of 500 and $1000{\mu}g/ml$ culture, respectively at 24 h. To observe the inhibitory activity of AJ ext against the $H^+/K^+$-ATPase in hog gastric membrane vesicle, $IC_{50}$ value of AJ ext was $806.3{\mu}g/ml$. Pretreatment of AJ ext (200, 500 mg/kg, p.o.) prevented in a dose-dependent manner the acute gastritis in HCl-ethanol model and the formation of gastric ulcer in indomethacin model and restraint and water-immersion stress model. These results suggest that the AJ ext can be used for prevention and treatment of gastric mucosal damage and ulcers induced by various stress.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.287-297
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• 2020

Background: Type II diabetes is considered as one of the common diseases. Bangpungtongseongsan (BPS) has been used as a traditional medicine for treating obesity and hypertension in Korea. According to previous reports, it has anti-obesity, anti-chronic asthma, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the effects of BPS on type II diabetes have not yet been elucidated. Thus, in this sutudy, we evaluated the water extracts of BPS using type II diabetes animal models. Methods and Results: Each group was orally administered with BPS (170, 850 and 1,700 mg/kg) for approximately 13 weeks. A mixture of 150 mg/kg metformin and 10 mg/kg sitagliptin (MS) was used as a positive control. The glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and glucose levels, and hematological parameters including blood urine nitrogen, creatinine, low density lipoprotein and total cholesterol, were measured using blood samples. Treatment with 170 mg/kg BPS decreased the HbA1c and glucose levels in blood without affecting the weights of the animals. However, threatment with 1,700 mg/kg BPS reduced the weights and fatty liver, and increased the blood glucose level in type II diabetes animal models Conclusions: These results indicate that a low dose of BPS for 13 weeks, which reduces HbA1c and blood glucose levels, could be used for the treatment of type II diabetes. However, further studies are required to elucidate how active ingredients of BPS influence HbA1c and glucose levels in blood.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.634-641
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• 2007

In order to investigate the effects of Bogigambi-tang(here in after referred to BGGBT) on the obese gene and obese inhibitory, C57BL/6 mice were induced by high fat diet. C57BL/6 mice were divided into three groups(normal, high fat diet with control, high fat diet with BGGBT extract) and fed for 15 weeks. Items of this experimental study are as follows. Body weight change, final inclose of body weight, the weight change of the adipocytes in body, the level change of ALT, AST, total cholesterol, LDL-Cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, free fatty acid and creatinine, the expression of ${\beta}$3AR and leptin gene in primary adipocytes, the production change of leptin in primary adipocytes, the expression of ${\beta}$3AR and leptin in adipocytes tissue. The following results have been obtained All experimental group have shown that the weight and the final increase of weight have decreased considerably. All experimental group have shown that the amount of the adipocyte in weight has decreased considerably. All experimental group have shown that the amount of leptin has decreased considerably. All experimental group have shown that the revelation of ${\beta}$3AR in primary adipose cell and 3T3-L1 cell has increased considerably, and that the revelation of leptin in primary adipose cell and 3T3-L1 cell has decreased considerably, All experimental group have shown that the size of adipocyte in adipocytes tissue has decreased. The high density group have shown that the adipose vacuoles in liver tissue has decreased considerably, and that the cell nucleuses has similar with normal group.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.235-240
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• 2005

Pollen has been used for prevention or treatment of certain diseases such as diabetes arthritis or cancer in traditional medicine. Among various pollens, pine tree pollen is known to relieve hypertension, suppress fatty liver progression, and facilitate the digestion, but its immunological activities are less known. To evaluate immunological reactivities and immunotoxicities of pine tree pollen, BALB/c mice were administered to the poller through oral route. Pine tree pollen suspended in distilled water or extracted with methanol has been administered at the concentration of 0, 10, or 100 mg/kg five days per week for four weeks. Polyclonal activation of splenic T cells with phytohemagglutinins did not induce a significant difference in IL-4 and $IFN_{\gamma}$ production between the pollen-administered mice groups and the control mice. Furthermore, polyclonal activation of splenic B cells with lipopolysaccharides did not result a significant difference in IgG1 and IgG2a production among the groups. These findings imply that the intake of pine tree pollen does not bring any humoral and cellular immune-dysrequlation. Whereas, viability of Listeria monocytogenes was suppressed in the mice administered with 100 mg/kg bw methanol extract, indicating the potential ability of pine tree pollen to enhance cell-mediated immunity mediated by type-1 helper T cells. In addition, aberrant upregulation of plasma IgG1 level was observed in the pollen-administered mice, which suggests a possibility of allergic response induction through the pine tree pollen uptake. Overall, pine tree pollen-mediated modulation of humoral or cellular immunity is worthy of further systematic investigation.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.76-81
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• 2016

Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A) is an enzyme functioning in mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (FAO) of the liver. Patients with CPT1A deficiency have impaired mitochondrial FAO and display hypoketotic hypoglycemia and hepatic encephalopathy as typical manifestations. In this report, we present a case of CPT1A deficiency presenting jaundice as the first manifestation. A 1.9 years old boy showed jaundice and elevated levels of free and total carnitine were observed. From direct sequencing analysis of CPT1A, two novel mutations, c.1163+1G>A and c.1393G>A (p.Gly465Arg), were identified. At the age of 2.2 years, hypoglycemia, tachycardia, and altered mental status developed just after cranioplasty for craniosynostosis. High glucose infusion rate was required for recovery of his vital signs and mentality. Diet rich in high carbohydrate, low fat and inclusion of medium chain triglyceride oil resulted in improvement in cholestatic hepatitis and since then the boy has shown normal growth velocity and developmental milestones to date.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.532-546
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• 1993

This study was done to investigate the effects of different dietary oils on hepatic mitochondrial lipid compositon, adenine nucleotide translocase(AdNT) and ATPase activities in carcinogen treated rats. Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 50∼60g, were fed three different types of dietary oil, beef tallow(BT), corn oil(CO) and sardine oil(SO) at 15% by weight for 14 weeks. Three weeks after feeding rats were intraperitoneally injected with a single dose of diethylnitrosamine(200mg/Kg BW). After five weeks rate fed 0.02% acetylaminofluorene contating diet for 6 weeks, and after seven weeks 0.05% phenobarbital containing diet for 7 weeks. At 14th week, rats were sacrificed and hepatic mitochondrial lipid composition, AdNT and ATPase activities were determined. Percent liver weight per body weight was significantly by carcinogen treatment. Analysis of mitochondrial lipid composition showed that body cholesterol and phospholipid contents were not affected by dietary oils but significantly increased by carcinogen treatment. Individual phospholipid composition as well as phosphatidyl ethanolamine/phosphatidyl choline ratio were altered by either dietary oils or carcinogen treatment. Fatty acid composition was changed by dietary oils but not much by carcinogen treatment. AdNT activity was affected by dietary oils in only carcinogen treated groups. ATPase activity was affected by dietary oils in only carcinogen nontreated groups. These data indicate that both dietary oils and caricinogen treatment can change mitochondrial lipid composition and thereby change AdNT and ATPase activities. Particularly effects of carcinogen treatment on cholesterol/phopholipid ratio, phospholipid compositon and ATPase activity were different among dietary oil groups. Therefore it is suggested that different dietary oils can somewhat modulate the changes of mitochnodrial lipid composition and membrane bound enzyme activites during hepatocarcinogenesis.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.1093-1099
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• 1998

Dioscorea japonica Thunb its effects has been used in f31k remedies f9r various purposes including treatment of diabetes, on hypoglycemic actiity and energy metabolism were investigated. The plant was extracted with methanol(MeOH) and fractionated into four layers hexane, chloroform(CHCI$_3$), butanol(BuOH), and $H_2O$. Diabetes mellitus was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by the injection of streptozotocin(STZ) into tail vein at a dose of 45mg/kg body weight(BW). Sprague-Dawley male rats weighing 160-200g were divided into five groups a diabetic control and four experimental groups such as hexane group, CHCl$_3$ group, BuOH group, and $H_2O$ group. The rats of all groups were fed on a AIN-76 diet and the four experimental groups were orally administered each fraction(500mg/kg BW) for 12 days. The diabetic control group was orally administered 5% carboxymethyl cellulose. The body weights were monitored and the concentrations of blood glucose were determined. The levels of glycogen and protein in liver were also measured. The plasma levels of cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), and fee fatty acid(FFA) were also analysed. The body weight gain was higher in the $H_2O$ group than in the control group. Heart weight was significantly reduced by administrations of Dioscorea japonica Thunb. The extents of blood glucose decrement in BuOH and $H_2O$ group were greater than that found in the control group. The muscle protein levels showed significantly higher amounts in all experimental groups. Glycogen levels were higher in the BuOH group than in the control group. The levels of TG were decreased in all experimental groups and the levels of plasma FFA were lower in the BuOH group. The plasma cholesterol levels were not influenced by these four fractions in diabetic rats. These results suggest that the orally administered H2O fraction of Dioscorea japonica Thunb exhibited hypoglycemic effects in STZ induced diabetic rats. (Korean J Nutrition 31(7) : 1093-1099, 1998)