• CELLMED
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.3.1-3.5
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• 2012

Ocimum basilicum belongs to the family Lamiaceae and can be found in tropical Asia, Africa, Central America and South America. It is widely cultivated commercially as a condiment or for the production of essential oil. In this review, this plant is accredited with important effects on health, in addition to being a condiment. In folk medicine it is used to treat vomiting, intestinal colic and diarrhea, menstrual pains and to improve kidney function. Some studies have demonstrated that it can be used for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and also that it has antioxidant, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory and vasodilator properties as well as hepatoprotective effects. In view of its broad range of effects, further studies should be conducted to ascertain the possible use of this plant in clinical trials, not only for prevention but also as an adjuvant in the treatment of different diseases.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.221-229
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• 1999

Certain indigestible oligosaccharides may benefit gastrointestinal tract via fermentation and proliferation of desirable bacterial species. The purose of this study was to elucidate the effect of selected oligosaccharides, such as fructooligosaccharides(FOS), soybean oliosaccharides(SOE), and highly concentrated branched oligosaccharides(HiBOS), on fecal micorflora proliferation, lipid concentration, lipid peroxide formation and antioxidant enzymes acitivies in plasma and liver of the rats. Thirty two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to one of four treatments ; 1) control diet(AIN-93G diet); 2) control diet +5% FOS ; 3) control diet + 5% SOE ; 4) control diet + 5% HiBOS. The duration of the study was 4 weeks. Fecal bifidobacteria concentration were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the HiBOS group compared with the control after 4 weeks of dietary treatment. FOS and SOE groups also had higher fecal bifidobacteria levels than control, but statistical significance was not found. The concentration of plasma total lipid was decreased by oligosaccharide consumption, especially in HiBOS group(p<0.05). The concentration of plasma total triglyceride was significantly lower in all of the oligosaccharide containing groups compared with the control(p<0.05). The plasma total cholesterol concentration tended to be lower in the oligosaccharide consuming groups than control. The concentrations of hepatic total lipid, triglyceride and total cholesterol were not affected by consumption of oligosaccharides. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance(TBARS) concentrations and antioxidant enzyme activities in plasma and liver were not affected much by experimental diets. There results suggest that dietary oligosaccharides may be beneficial for increasing intestinal bifidobacteria and lowering plasma lipid levels.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.263-269
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• 2016

The intestine represents the largest and most elaborate immune system organ, in which dynamic and reciprocal interplay among numerous immune and epithelial cells, commensal microbiota, and external antigens contributes to establishing both homeostatic and pathologic conditions. The mechanisms that sustain gut homeostasis are pivotal in maintaining gut health in the harsh environment of the gut lumen. Intestinal epithelial cells are critical players in creating the mucosal platform for interplay between host immune cells and luminal stress inducers. Thus, knowledge of the epithelial interface between immune cells and the luminal environment is a prerequisite for a better understanding of gut homeostasis and pathophysiologies such as inflammation. In this review, we explore the importance of the epithelium in limiting or promoting gut inflammation (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease). We also introduce recent findings on how small RNAs such as microRNAs orchestrate pathophysiologic gene regulation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.107-113
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• 2013

Yacon (Smallanthussonchifolius) is a root crop that contains high amounts of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS). FOS has a sweet taste, is low in calories, and is known to promote intestinal tract health. In this study, various yacon concentrates were substituted for sugar in white pan bread to obtain healthy benefits from the use of FOS. The quality characteristic changes during storage of the white pan breadswith 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of added yacon concentrates instead of sugar were investigated. During storage, the water contents and water activities of the breads made with high amounts of yacon concentrates changed less than in those made with only sugar. The hardness and chewiness of the breads made with high amounts of yacon concentrates had lower values than those made with only sugar. Thus, bread made with yacon concentrates might exhibit increased moisture retention and decreased aging velocity. The substitution of yacon concentrates for sugar in pan bread improved the bread quality.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.191-200
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• 1986

It is now generally accepted that individuals at increased risk for cardiovascular disease may be identified by certain traits or habbits. The factors such as high blood pressure, elevated blood cholestrol, age, sex and obesity are associated with increseaed frequency of disease. The blood cholesterol level lowering will decrease cardiovascular disease risk. The regression of atherosclerosis can be achieved by lowering the level of circulating cholesterol. Those things are connected with the quantity and quality of protein, fats, carbohydrates, especially soluble and non-soluble fiber, magnesium and calcium. The lipoprotein and lipid metabolism are connected with the lipid transport. The factors on lipid absorption and blood serum lipid pattern of human are exist. The factors have a variety of materials with different chemical and physical properties. The soluble fiber diet make a low blood and liver lipids. Many kind of soluble fiber results in a lowering of blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The cholesterol lowering effects of dietery fiber may be a results of alterations of in intestinal handling of fats, hepatic metabolism of fatty acid or triglyceride acid metabolism of lipoprotein. It is investigated that the high density lipoprotein (HDL) is inversely related to coronary artery disease. It has been postulated that HDL may be an important factor in cholesterol efflux from the tissues, therby reducing the amount of cholesterol deposited there. Alternatively, the HDL may pick up cholestyl ester and phospholipid during normal VLDL lipolysis in the plasma. The HDL levels are relatively insensitive to diet. At present time, the cause-and -diet effect of HDL's inverse relation to CHD remains unclear.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.385-388
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• 2015

Three cases of hepatic encephalopathy were diagnosed in scimitar-horned oryxs housed at a zoo. Administration of amino acid and ornithine-aspartate fluid therapy via an intravenous injection decreased serum levels of ammonia and liver enzymes in cases 1 and 2. Further, additional oral ingestion of non-absorbable disaccharide lactulose to eliminate intestinal nitrogenous products enabled recovery of two oryxs. However, in case 3, the serum levels of ammonia and liver enzymes increased even after treatment, and the oryx died. Necropsy revealed cecum and colon compaction due to stiff dried feces, and this condition could have an adverse effect on increased blood ammonia levels that may have caused mortality. Overconsumption of pellets may have been the primary cause of hepatic encephalopathy. Thus, a fiber rich diet with decreased amount of pellets is needed to prevent hepatic encephalopathy, since the normal diet of scimitar-horned oryxs is rich in fiber.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.165-169
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• 2008

Microphallus species occur primarily as intestinal parasites of birds and mammals, and metacercariae of a new species belonging to this genus have been discovered from the crab, Macrophthalmus dilatatus, in the Republic of Korea. The metacercaria of this fluke was round with 2 thick walls, and the excysted one had mature genital organs. The adult flukes recovered from experimentally infected chicks had numerous intrauterine eggs, well-developed pars prostatica, widely bifurcating ceca, and prominent uterine bulge. After observing internal structures, it was concluded that this species is different from any other known Microphallus spp. Based on the morphology of metacercariae and adult flukes, we describe this specimen as a new species, Microphallus koreana n. sp.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.595-599
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• 2019

In this study we take a closer look at the diseases that afflicted Japanese police officers who were stationed in a remote mountainous region of Taiwan from 1921 to 1944. Samples were taken from the latrine at the Huabanuo police outpost, and analyzed for the eggs of intestinal parasites, using microscopy and ELISA. The eggs of Eurytrema sp., (possibly E. pancreaticum), whipworm and roundworm were shown to be present. True infection with Eurytrema would indicate that the policemen ate uncooked grasshoppers and crickets infected with the parasite. However, false parasitism might also occur if the policemen ate the uncooked intestines of infected cattle, and the Eurytrema eggs passed through the human intestines. These findings provide an insight into the diet and health of the Japanese colonists in Taiwan nearly a century ago.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.601-605
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• 2019

As we learn more about parasites in ancient civilizations, data becomes available that can be used to see how infection may change over time. The aim of this study is to assess how common certain intestinal parasites were in China and Korea in the past 2000 years, and make comparisons with prevalence data from the 20th century. This allows us to go on to investigate how and why changes in parasite prevalence may have occurred at different times. Here we show that Chinese liver fluke (Clonorchis sinensis) dropped markedly in prevalence in both Korea and China earlier than did roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides) and whipworm (Trichuris trichiura). We use historical evidence to determine why this was the case, exploring the role of developing sanitation infrastructure, changing use of human feces as crop fertilizer, development of chemical fertilizers, snail control programs, changing dietary preferences, and governmental public health campaigns during the 20th century.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1235-1239
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• 2008

To study the health promoting effects of medicinal plants, 30 medicinal plants commonly available in Korea have been evaluated for their antioxidant compounds and antioxidant and antiproliferative activities. Total polyphenolics and flavonoids in the methanolic extracts were measured by spectrophotometric methods and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging activities and chelating effects have been determined for antioxidant activities. Moreover, the effects of medicinal plants on cell proliferation of intestinal (Caco-2) and pituitary (GH3) tumor cells were investigated using thiazolyl blue terazolium bromide (MIT) assay. The methanolic extracts of Pueraria thunbergiana and Artemisiae asiatria contained the highest total polyphenolic and flavonoid contents, respectively. P. thunbergiana exhibited the highest antioxidant activities. A. asiatria showed the strongest antiproliferative activity against Caco-2 and Ponciruc trifoliata Rafin and Lophathrum gracile Bronghiart exhibited the highest activities against GH3. Although there was positive correlation between ABTS radical scavenging activity and polyphenolic contents ($R^2=8189$), no relationship was found between antiproliferative and antioxidant activities.