• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.37 no.9
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• pp.786-793
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• 2004

Women with menopause or rats with ovariectomy is associated with increased body weight, body fat and insulin resistance, which are components of metabolic syndrome. Increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome after menopause might be associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, since mitochondrial oxidative and phosphorylation activity is strongly correlated with insulin sensitivity. Although estradiol replacement prevents the metabolic syndrome, harmful effect of estradiol hampers the casual usage to prevent the metabolic syndrome. It has been reported that genistein has a mild estrogenic activity, decreases fat mass in mice and has an antidiabetic role in diabetic rats. Although insulin resistance is closely related to mitochondrial functions, there has not been yet any study in regard to the effect of dietary genistein on mitochondrial function in the insulin resistant female subjects induced by ovariectomy or similar situation. The present study investigated whether the supplementation of genistein in the high fat diet affected the mitochondrial function of high fat fed ovariectomized rats. Female Sprague Dawley rats (8 weeks old) were assigned to the following groups: sham-operated+ high fat diet (S, n=6); sham-operated + high fat diet with 0.1% genistein (S + G, n=7); ovariectomized + high fat diet (OVX, n=8); ovariectomized + high fat diet with 0.1% genistein (OVX+ G, n=8). Ovariectomy significantly increased body weight compared with S group. Genistein consumption in ovariectomized (OVX + G) rats decreased body weight gain compared with OVX rats. Liver weights were increased by ovariectomy. The hepatic mitochondrial protein density expressed as mg per g liver was lower in the OVX group than in the S group. However, OVX + G group showed the increased mitochondrial protein density similar to the level of S group. When mRNA levels of genes related to mitochondria such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ coactivator 1 (PGC-1) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit III (COX III) were measured, there were decreases in the mRNA levels of PGC-1 and COX III in S + G, OVX and OVX + G group. The activity of cytochrome c oxidase was not different between groups. We could observe the decrease in succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity per g liver in OVX rats. Genistein supplement increased SDH activity. In conclusion, genistein supplementation to the OVX rats enhanced mitochondrial function by increasing mitochondrial protein density and SDH activity. The improvement in mitochondrial function by genistein can contribute to the improvement in metabolic syndrome.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1562-1569
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• 2004

The objective of this experiment was to determine the effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs)-enriched diet supplemented with different levels of $\alpha$-tocopherol on the activities of hepatic lipogenic-related enzymes and the contents of liver and plasma lipid fractions in laying Tsaiya ducks. A total of 180 30-wk-old laying Tsaiya ducks, at the beginning of peak production, were allotted into 6 treatments with 3 replicates each. Ducks were fed one of the 6 experimental diets, containing 4% tallow (control), and 4% fish oil supplemented with graded levels of $\alpha$-tocopheryl acetate ($\alpha$-tocopherol) at 0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 mg/kg, respectively, for 6 wks. Feed and water were supplied ad libitum throughout the experimental period. The results indicated that the n-3 PUFAsenriched diet supplemented with different levels of $\alpha$-tocopherol did not affect (p>0.05) egg weight, feed intake, body weight change or liver and abdominal fat weights. Egg production, egg mass and feed efficiency significantly (p<0.05) improved as dietary $\alpha$-tocopherol levels increased. The activities of hepatic lipogenic-related enzymes including acetyl-CoA carboxylase (EC 6. 2. 1. 3; ACC), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1. 1. 1. 49; G-6-PDH), ATP-citrate cleavage enzyme (EC 4. 1. 3. 8; CCE), NADP-malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.40; NADP-MDH) and fatty acid synthetase (FAS) were higher (p<0.05) in birds fed with the tallow diet than in those fed with fish oil diets and increased with increasing dietary $\alpha$-tocopherol levels. None of the dietary treatments significantly affected the contents of triglyceride and total cholesterol in the liver, or total cholesterol, phospholipid and total lipid in the plasma. However, the contents of phospholipid and total lipid in the liver, and triglyceride in the plasma increased as dietary $\alpha$-tocopherol levels increased. Increasing dietary $\alpha$-tocopherol levels decreased the non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) content in the plasma and trended to decrease the cholesterol contents in the egg yolk. The lipid metabolism of laying Tsaiya ducks was influenced not only by the dietary fat but also by the supplementation levels of $\alpha$-tocopherol.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.67-74
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• 2005

The ethanolic extracts of the leaves and bulbs of Allium victorialis var. platyphyllum (Liliaceae) collected from Daegwallyoung (D) and Ullung Island (U) in Korea were obtained using three different extracting methods. The first extracts, DL-1 DB-1, UL-1 and UB-1, were obtained from leaves (L) and bulbs (B) dried at $90^{\circ}C$, respectively, and the second extracts, DL-2, DB-2, UL-2 and UB-2, were obtained by extracting the leaves and bulbs of fresh plant parts. The third extracts DL-3, DB-3, UL-3 and UB-3 were obtained by incubating leaves and bulbs at $36^{\circ}C$. The six extracts obtained from A. victorialis var. platyphyllum at Daegwanllyoung (cultivated site) were orally administered to examine for a possible antihepatotoxic effect in $CCl_4-induced$ rats. DL-1 exhibited the most pronounced effect. The extracts inhibited serum ALT, AST, SDH, ${\gamma}-GT$, ALP and LDH activities elevated by $CCl_4$ injection and attenuated decreased glutathione S-transferase, glutatione reductase and ${\gamma}-glutamylcysteine$ synthetase activities and a decreased hepatic glutathione. However, the extracts obtained from Ullung Is. (native site) were less active than the extracts from Daegwallyoung, suggesting that A. victorialis var. platyphyllum from the cultivated site is more useful for functional food than of native site. These results also suggest that the antihepatotoxic effect is due to a higher content of hepatic glutathione. Gas chromatography of the twelve extracts showed significantly different sulfides, disulfides or trisulfides contents belonging to volatile sulfur substances (VSS). Nine components were identified on the basis of their mass spectra, namely, dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, diallyl disulfide, dipropyl disulfide, allyl methyl sulfide, allyl methyl trisulfide, 2-vinyl-4H-1,3-dithiin, 3,4-dihydro-3-vinyl-1,2-dithiin, and allithiamine. Extract DL-1 had the highest VSS content. Dried plant materials contained larger amounts of the VSSs than other extracts, and the leaves contained larger amount than the bulbs. These results suggest that heat treatment increases the antiheaptotoxic ability of A. victorialis var. platyphyllum by increasing the proportion of VSSs.

• Kidney Research and Clinical Practice
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.48-57
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• 2017

Background: Hepatic steatosis measured with controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) using transient elastography predicts metabolic syndrome in the general population. We investigated whether CAP predicted metabolic syndrome in chronic kidney disease patients. Methods: CAP was measured with transient elastography in 465 predialysis chronic kidney disease patients (mean age, 57.5 years). Results: The median CAP value was 239 (202-274) dB/m. In 195 (41.9%) patients with metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus was more prevalent (105 [53.8%] vs. 71 [26.3%], P < 0.001), with significantly increased urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (184 [38-706] vs. 56 [16-408] mg/g Cr, P = 0.003), high sensitivity C-reactive protein levels (5.4 [1.4-28.2] vs. 1.7 [0.6-9.9] mg/L, P < 0.001), and CAP (248 [210-302] vs. 226 [196-259] dB/m, P < 0.001). In multiple linear regression analysis, CAP was independently related to body mass index (${\beta}=0.742$, P < 0.001), triglyceride levels (${\beta}=2.034$, P < 0.001), estimated glomerular filtration rate (${\beta}=0.316$, P = 0.001), serum albumin (${\beta}=1.386$, P < 0.001), alanine aminotransferase (${\beta}=0.064$, P = 0.029), and total bilirubin (${\beta}=-0.881$, P = 0.009). In multiple logistic regression analysis, increased CAP was independently associated with increased metabolic syndrome risk (per 10 dB/m increase; odds ratio, 1.093; 95% confidence interval, 1.009-1.183; P = 0.029) even after adjusting for multiple confounding factors. Conclusion: Increased CAP measured with transient elastography significantly correlated with and could predict increased metabolic syndrome risk in chronic kidney disease patients.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.131-140
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• 2022

Objectives This study aimed to investigate whether the concurrent use of conventional and herbal medications affects liver and kidney function, by examining blood test data. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of 590 inpatients with musculoskeletal diseases between 2013 and 2017. We investigated cases of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) according to the Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method criteria and cases of drug-induced kidney injury (DIKI) based on the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes definition. Results One case (0.17%) of DILI and one case (0.17%) of DIKI were identified. Significant improvements in serum laboratory data were observed after the concurrent use of both types of medications (p<0.05). The kappa coefficients ranged from 0.26 to 0.72, indicating that the values after the concurrent use of conventional and herbal medications showed a fair similarity to the baseline values of the patients. The linear regression test showed that female sex and high body mass index (BMI) were risk factors for an increase in the serum blood levels of liver function parameters. Conclusions The concurrent use of conventional and herbal medications for musculoskeletal disorders is relatively safe; however, clinicians should exercise caution when prescribing these medications to female patients and patients with a high BMI because of their potential effect on hepatic function.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.227-236
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• 2012

Previous study showed that swimming improved obesity but was not through $PPAR{\alpha}$ activation in liver and skeletal muscle in high fat diet-fed female mice with functioning ovaries as an animal model of obese premenopausal women. Thus, this study was aimed at investigation of the effects of swimming on the promotion of health and its molecular mechanism in adipose tissue of high fat diet-fed female mice. Eight-week-old female C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into two groups (a non-swim control group and a swim group, n=8/group). Mice in the swim group swam for 2 h daily for 6 weeks in water bath with temperature of $35{\pm}1^{\circ}C$. All the animals received high fat diet (45% kcal fat) for 6 weeks. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to elucidate the molecular mechanism. Female mice subjected to swimming had significantly decreased body weight gain and white adipose tissue mass compared with the female control mice. Histological studies illustrated that swimming decreases the hepatic lipid accumulation. As expected, swimming did not affect the expression of mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) ${\alpha}$ and $PPAR{\alpha}$ target genes responsible for mitochondrial fatty acid ${\beta}$-oxidation, such as carnitine palmitoyltransgerase-1 and medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase in the white adipose tissue. However, mice that underwent 6-weeks of swimming exercise had decreased the mRNA expression of lipogenic genes, such as sterol regulatory element-binding proteins-1C and fatty acid synthase in comparison to sedentary control mice, with decreased $PPAR{\gamma}$ target genes involved in adipocyte-specific marker genes, such as adipocyte fatty acid binding protein and leptin in the white adipose tissue. These results suggest that swimming can effectively prevent obesity induced by high fat diet-fed, in part through down-regulation of adipogenesis and lipogenesis in white adipose tissue of female obese mice. Moreover, these results suggest that swimming maybe contributing the promotion of health through regulation of adipogenesis and lipogenesis in overweight premenopausal women.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.259-267
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• 2017

Present study aimed to determine the effect of 'bitter melon', a popularly used fruit in Bangladesh and several other Asian countries, on high-fat-diet-induced type 2 diabetes. To investigate the effect, ethanol extract from bitter melon (BME) as a dietary supplement with mouse chow was used. BME was found to significantly attenuate the high-fat diet (HFD) -induced body weight and total fat mass. BME also effectively reduced the insulin resistance induced by the HFD. Furthermore, dietary supplementation of BME was highly effective in increasing insulin sensitivity and reducing hepatic fat and obesity. These results indicate that BME could be effective in attenuating type 2 diabetes and could therefore be a preventive measure against type 2 diabetes.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.161-165
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• 2010

Echinococcus granulosus, an intestinal tapeworm of dogs and other canids, infects humans in its larval stage and causes human echinococcosis or hydatid disease. In the Republic of Korea, 31 parasite-proven human echinococcosis cases have been reported, most of which were imported from the Middle East. We recently examined a 61-year-old Korean man who had a large cystic mass in his liver. ELISA was negative for tissue parasitic infections, including echinococcosis, cysticercosis, paragonimiasis, and sparganosis. The patient underwent surgery to remove the cyst, and the resected cyst was processed histopathologically for microscopic examinations. In sectioned cyst tissue, necrotizing protoscolices with disintegrated hooklets of E. granulosus were found. In some areas, only freed, fragmented hooklets were detected. The patient had traveled to western and central Europe in 1996, and had no other history of overseas travel. We report our patient as a hepatic echinococcosis case which was probably imported from Europe.

• Mycobiology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.204-209
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• 2020

Three hepatic failure poisoning incidents caused by Lepiota brunneoincarnata and Lepiota venenata mushrooms have been occurred in China in 2017, L. venenata has been described as a new species. However, the cyclopeptide toxins of these lethal mushrooms remain poorly understood. In this study, the composition and content of amatoxins in L. brunneoincarnata and L. venenata are analyzed and compared, the analysis of composition and content of amatoxins in L. venenata are reported for the first time. The results showed that β-amanitin (β-AMA), α-amanitin (α-AMA), amanin, and amaninamide were identified in L. brunneoincarnata, and α-AMA, amanin II (an analog of amanin), and an unknown compound were identified in L. venenata. The differences between L. brunneoincarnata and L. venenata in the identified compounds provide chemical evidence for L. venenata as a new species. Quantitative analysis shows that α-AMA concentrations in L. brunneoincarnata and L. venenata were 0.72-1.97 mg/g dry weight, β-AMA concentrations in L. brunneoincarnata were 0.57-0.94 mg/g dry weight, and β-AMA was absent in L. venenata.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.4 no.6
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• pp.477-485
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of repeated fasting and refeeding on lipid metabolism. Thirty male ICR mice, aged 6 weeks, were fed an AIN-93 control diet during the experimental period. The mice were divided into 5 groups: Non fasting group (ad libitum-fed, NF), fasting for 3 days (F), fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated once (FRF1), fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated twice (FRF2), and fasting for 3 days and then refeeding for 4 days repeated three times (FRF3). Rates of body weight gain, epididymal fat weight, and serum TG were significantly decreased in the F, FRF1, FRF2, and FRF3 groups, compared to the NF group. LDL-cholesterol was significantly higher in the FRF3 group than the NF and F groups, but HDL-cholesterol and HDL/TC were significantly lower in the FRF3 group than in the NF and F groups. Serum total carnitine was significantly lower in the FRF1, FRF2, FRF3 groups than the NF and F groups. However, rates of serum and hepatic acyl-carnitine concentration were significantly lower in FRF1, FRF2, and FRF3 than in NF and F. Repeated tasting-refeeding resulted in visible reductions of body weight and fat mass, but it caused ill-effects with lipid and carnitine metabolism in the body.