• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.223-243
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• 2014

Objectives: To provide information on the safety of GST (GamiSasangja-tang; CnidiiFructus, Sophora Root, Angelica Gigas Root, Clematidis Radix, Stemonae Radix, Spirodelae Herba), we carried out a 13-week repeated oral dose toxicity and a 4-week recovery test of GST in Sprague-Dawley rats. Methods: Female and male rats were treated with GST at oral doses of 1,250, 2,500, and 5000 mg/kg. The GST was administered for 13 weeks. Mortality, clinical signs, body weight changes, food consumption, ophthalmologic findings, urinalysis, hematological and biochemical parameters, gross findings, organ weights and histological markers were monitored during the study period. The rats were then monitored for 4 extra weeks to determine recovery time after the study period. Results: We found no mortality or abnormalities among clinical signs, body weight, food consumption, ophthalmologic findings, urinalysis, hematological and biochemical parameters, gross findings, organ weights or histological markers in any of the rats tested. Conclusions: The no-observed adverse effects level (NOAEL) is considered as over 5000 mg/kg for male and female rats.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.364-372
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• 2005

This study is designed to examine the effects of dietary supplementation with vitamin E and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on the formation of preneoplastic lesions in diethylnitrosamine (DEN) induced rat hepatocarcinogenesis. All Weaning male Sprague-Dawley rats were initiated by a single dose of DEN (200mg/kg body weight), subjected to two­thirds partial hepatectomy 3 weeks later and were sacrificed 8 weeks after DEN initiation. Two weeks after initiation, rats were fed Purina purified rodent diet 5053 (Ralston Purina Rat chow, USA) with $1.5\%$ (15,000 IU/kg diet) vitamin E, $0.5\%$ DHEA and both of those supplemented diet for 6 weeks. Placental glutathione S-transferase (GST-P) positive foci, the activities of catalase, total-glutathione peroxidase (GPx) , glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) contents were decreased significantly by vitaimin E supplement. On the other hand GST-P positive foci number, Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glucose 6-phosphatase (G6Pase) activities weren't changed by vitamin E supplement. It might suggest that protective effect of vitamin E against hepatocarcinogens is not involved in the formation of the GST-P positive foci but related to the expansion of that. It seemed that vitamin E supplement helped endogenous defense system in carcinogenesis by decreasing TBARS contents, $H_2O_2$, organic peroxides. Therefore, vitamin E seemed to protect cell from free radical damage in carcinogenesis. By DHEA supplement liver weight and liver/body ratio were increased, the area and number of GST-P positive foci, the activities of catalase, GR, total GPx, GST and the TBARS contents were decreased significantly. On the other hand Cu/Zn-SOD and G6Pase activities weren't changed by DHEA supplement. In hepatocarcinogenesis the activities of antioxidant enzymes weren't increased by DHEA supplement. DHEA did not increase the oxidative stress, while DHEA seems to have anticarcinogenic effect in rats hepatocarcinogenesis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.911-917
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• 2009

The apoptotic caspases have been classified in accordance with their substrate specificities, as the optimal tetrapeptide recognition motifs for a variety of caspases have been determined via positional scanning substrate combinatorial library technology. Here, we focused on two proteolytic recognition motifs, DEVD and IETD, owing to their extensive use in cell death assay. Although DEVE and IETD have been generally considered to be selective for caspase-3 and -8, respectively, the proteolytic cleavage of these substrates does not display absolute specificity for a particular caspase. Thus, we attempted to monitor the cleavage preference for caspase-3, particularly using the recombinant protein substrates. For this aim, the chimeric GST:DEVD:EGFP and GST:IETD:EGFP proteins were genetically constructed by linking GST and EGFP with the linkers harboring DEVD and IETD. To our best knowledge, this work constitutes the first application for the monitoring of cleavage preference employing the recombinant protein substrates that simultaneously allow for mass and fluorescence analyses. Consequently, GST:IETD:EGFP was cleaved partially in response to caspase-3, whereas GST:DEVD:EGFP was completely proteolyzed, indicating that GST:DEVD:EGFP is a better substrate than GST:IETD:EGFP for caspase-3. Collectively, using these chimeric protein substrates, we have successfully evaluated the feasibility of the recombinant protein substrate for applicability to the monitoring of cleavage preference for caspase-3.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.15-18
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• 1993

To evaluate an effect of dietary protein on the intoxication of methanethiol in rats, the methanethiol was intraperitoneally injected to the rats fed a low or high protein diet and then the liver weight per body weight and seurm levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities were determined to investigate the differences in liver damage between the animal groups fed low protein diet and that fed high protein diet. On the other hand, the hepatic glutathione content and its conjugating enzyme, glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity were determined to clarify the cause of difference in liver function between the two groups. The increasing rate of liver weigh/body wt., serum levels of ALT to its control group were higher in methanethiol-treated rats fed low protein diet than those fed high protein diet. The hepatic content of glutathione and GST activity were higher in rats fed high protein diet than those fed low protein diet and the decreasing rate of hepatic glu-tathione content to its control group was higher in rats fed low protein diet than those fed high protein diet. Furthermore, the hepatic GST activity in methanethiol-treated rats was higher in rats fed high protein diet than those fed low protein diet. In case of control group, the GST activity was also higher in rats fed high protein diet than those fed low protein diet.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.231-240
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• 1996

Human blood clotting (coagulation) factor 9 cDNA which codes for 461 amino acid has been cloned by screening human fetal liver cDNA library using PCR. This 1.4 kb cDNA spanning from the ATG initiation codon to the TAA termination codon was cloned into bacterial .expression vector pGEX-2T, generating pGEX-F9 plasmid. The plasmid pGEX-F9 expresses about 73 kDa GST (Glutathione S-transferase)-Factor 9 fusion protein when introduced into E. coli. Western blot analysis using polyclonal antibody raised against human factor 9 confirmed this fusion protein contains factor 9 protein. The level of GST-factor 9 expression was about 20% of total protein and the purification of fusion protein was efficiently achieved by using GST agarose bead based on one step purification protocol.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.153-171
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• 2005

Objective : This experiment has been done to evaluate the effects of Gamisogunjung-tang(GST) on antioxidant capability and lipidic concentration in blood which are presumed to be related to aging. Method : In this study, we divided 14 weeks old SD rats into normal group, control group and GST group. Control and GST group were induced aging by D-galactose. At the same time GST group were administered extract of Gamisogunjung-tang for 6 weeks. After then we took blood, and measured the activities of SOD, GSH-px, catalase in erythrocytes and measured TBARS values, concentrations of total lipid, tryglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol in plasma. Results : The activities of SOD, GSH-px, catalase in erythrocytes increased significantly in GST group compared with control group. The value of TBARS and the concentration of total lipid, total cholesterol in plasma decreased significantly in GST group compared with control group. The concentration of HDL-cholesterol increased significantly in GST group compared with control group. The concentration of triglyceride were not noticeable. Conclusion : it is considered that Gamisogunjung-tang has an influence on control aging by activation the antioxidative enzyme systems in erythrocytes and decreasing the concentration of lipid in blood plasma.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.8-15
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• 2016

Objectives: To provide information on the safety of GST (Gami-Sasangja-tang), we carried out a single oral dose-increasing toxicity test of GST in beagle dogs.Materials and Methods: Six beagle dogs (three males and three females) were randomly assigned to two groups (experimental group: n=4, control group: n=2). The experimental group (two males, two females) was given oral doses of GST in increasing order (1,250, 2,500, and 5,000 mg/kg) at three-day intervals. After administration, the participants’ mortality, clinical signs, and body weight changes were monitored for two weeks. After two weeks, all dogs were sacrificed for autopsy.Results: Temporary vomiting was observed according to increasing dosage (n=1, 250 mg/kg; n=4, 2,500 and 5,000 mg/kg). Transient diarrhea was observed on the second and third dosing day (n=1, 2,500 mg/kg; n=2, 5,000 mg/kg). Temporary salivation was noted on the third dosing day (n=3, 5,000 mg/kg). Compound-colored stool was observed in all dogs fed the GST on all dosing days and also on the following days. We found no mortality and no abnormalities in the clinical signs, body weight, and gross findings in any of the dogs tested.Conclusions: The maximum tolerated dose was over 5,000 mg/kg for both male and female dogs.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.191-196
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• 2001

To evaluate an effect of cyclohexanone (CHO) treatment on the serum levels of glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity in acute liver damaged animals, acute liver damage was induced in rats with pretreatment of 50% $CCl_4$ in olive oil (0.1 ml/100 g body wt) intraperitoneally 14 times every other day. To liver damaged rats, CHO (1.56 g/kg body wt, i. p.) was injected once and then rats were sacrificed at 4 hours after injection of CHO. Increasing rate of GST activity to the control in serum was higher in CHO-treated rats pretreated with CCL$_4$ than the $CCl_4$-pretreated those. All the more, the injection of CHO to the liver damaged rats led to more enhanced liver damage on the basis of liver functional findings, i. e., serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, liver weight per body weight, and malondialdehyde content. The changing pattern of serum ALT activity was similar with that of GST activity, whereas that of liver in both enzymes differed more or less from each other; the liver GST activity in CHO-treated rats pretreated with $CCl_4$ being more increased tendency than that of $CCl_4$-pretreated rats. Concomitantly the injection of CHO showed a increasing tendency of liver GST activity compared with the control. Furthermore, CHO injection to the liver damaged rats showed somewhat higher Vmax in the kinetics of liver GST enzymes. In conclusion, injection of CHO to the liver damaged animals led to more increased activity of serum GST, and it may be chiefly caused by the alteration of membrane permeability.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.97-103
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• 1998

Effects of safener fluxofenim was investigated for crop injury of acetanilide's upland herbicides and for enzyme activity of glutathione S-transferase (GST) in grain sorghum. Bioassay with etiolated grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. cv. 'G522DR'] seedlings grown in agar containing metolachlor or alachlor showed that they are strong inhibitors on root growth of grain sorghum ($GI_{50}=4.5{\mu}M$ for metolachlor and $6.2{\mu}M$ for alachlor). The safener fluxofenim applied by seed soaking protected growth of grain sorghum from crop injury of metolachlor or alachlor at the concentrations of 1 to 10 ${\mu}M$. There was a significant increase in glutathione-herbicide conjugates in root tissues of fluxofenim-treated seedlings. Activities of $GST_{-metolachlor}$ and $GST_{-CDNB}$ were increased by 82% and 70%, respectively, in the cytosolic fraction of roots with fluxofenim treatment.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.409-415
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• 1997

The influences of dietary supplement of citron tea on the hepatocellular chemical carcinogenesis have been studied by examining placental glutathione S-transferase(GST-P) positive foci area in a liver tissue, contents of total cytochrome P450, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances(TBARS) and glucose 6-phosphatase(G6Pase) in hepatic microsome and glutathione S-transferase(GST) activity. Weaning Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed AIN76 diet with or without citron tea supplement. Rats of CTR and CTR+ groups were fed diet without citron tea supplement while CDI and CDI+ groups were fed diet with citron tea supplement for the entire experimental period(13 weeks). Rats of CDP and CDP+ groups were fed diet without citron tea supplement for the first 7 weeks and swiched to citron tea containing diet for the last 6 weeks of experimental period. CTR+, CDI+ and CDP+ groups were carcinogen treated group. Diethylnitrosamine(DEN) was used as a carcinogen initiator and injected to the rats of carcinogen treated groups as a single dose of 200 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally after 4 weeks of feeding. 2-Acethylaminofiuorene(AAF) was used as a carcinogen promoter and supplied in the diets of carcinogen treated rats as 0.02% content for the last 6 weeks starting from 2 weeks after DEN injection. Rats were sacrificed after 13 weeks of feeding. Liver/body weight ratio and GST activities were increased by carcinogen treatment. However, they were not changed by citron tea supplement. Total cytochrome P450 contents were not changed by carcinogen treatment or citron tea supplement. TBARS contents of carcinogen treated rats showed tendency to decrease by citron tea supplement. G6Pase activity decreased by carcinogen treatment and citron tea supplement. The area of GST-P positive foci detected in carcinogen treated rats were decreased by citron tea supplement and not affected by the timing and the duration of citron tea supplement. These results suggest that citron tea has suppressive effects on hepatocellular chemical carcinogenesis probably through antioxidant compounds by decreasing TBARS contents.