• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.213-220
• /
• 1985

It was attempted to observe the effects of ginseng saponin, one of the major components of the roots of Panax ginseng, on androgen biosynthesis from cholesterol in vitro as well as in vivo in rat testis. Ginseng saponin was administered by stomach tubing prior to intraperitoneal injection of cholesterol containing (4-14C)-cholesteroll into adult male rats and the liver, testis and blood serum were analyzed. The first high radioactivity of the liver and blood serum of test animal was observed at 6 hours after radioactive cholesterol injection, while that of control appeared at 12 hours after the injection. In the case of testis, the first high radioactivity of test group appeared between 4 and 6 hours after the radioactive cholesterol injection, while that of control appeared at 10-14 hours. Analysis of radioactivity distribution of cholesterol, androstenedione and testosterone in the testis of rats fed with/without ginseng saponin piror to (4-14C)-cholesterol injection showed that the saponin stmulated the synthesis of androgens from cholesterol. This was confirmed again by in vitro experiment using testis homogenate as an enzyme source. From the above experimental results, it was suggested that the ginseng saponin stimulates both cholesterol transport and the biosynthesis of androgens from cholesterol in rat testis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.55 no.1
• /
• pp.75-79
• /
• 2011

The replication competent adenoviral vector (AV), AdLPCDIRESE1A was generated and reported previously to have cytotoxic effects in some cell lines. In AdLPCDIRESE1A, the expression of cytosine deaminse (CD) and E1A genes are under the control of tumor-specific L-plastin promoter. CD enzyme can deaminate the nontoxic prodrug 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) to the toxic 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). E1A gene is essential for viral replication. Primary liver cancer, most of which is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is the third common leading cancer in Korea. Thus, we have conducted in vitro preclinical study to evaluate effectiveness of AdLPCDIRESE1A on HCC. The efficacy of cytotoxicity was measured by generation of cytopathic effect (CPE) and cell counting. We infected HepG2 cells with various MOI of vector alone or concurrent with 5-FC. Exposure of cells to AdLPCDIRESE1A generated a significant cytotoxic effect as compared to the control. Almost 83% of the cell had manifested the characteristic cytotoxic effect on day 9 after infection of cells with 10 MOI of vector. We also observed the additive cytotoxic effects when AdLPCDIRESE1A vector had been coadministrated with 5-FC. The results suggest that the use of AdLPCDIRESE1A/5FC may be value in treatment of liver cancer. Further animal studies are needed for clinical trial.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.907-911
• /
• 1999

To evaluate the effect of defatted sesame flour(DSF) on the oxidative stress of ethanol feeding in rats, Wistar male rats were divided into 4 groups of control, ethanol, DSF and DSF ethanol. Each group was sacrificed after feeding for 4 weeks and was examined by measuring the formation of 2 thiobarbituric acid reactive substance(TBARS), total cholesterol(TC) in serum, redox glutathione S transferase(GST) enzyme activity and the contents of glutathione(GSH) in the liver. The formation of TBARS in the liver after ethanol feeding was significantly increased comparing to the control, but the levels were significantly decreased by the DSF as compared to the ethanol feeding group(p<0.05). When compared to fed control diet, we found that serum TC levels were significantly lower in the DSF fed group than control group (p<0.05). The activity of hepatic GST was significantly increased by DSF as compared to the control and was decreased by ethanol feeding. On the other hand, the hepatic contents of GSH were unaffected by DSF feeding. Our findings suggest that feeding DSF may inhibit ethanol induced oxidative stress may be due to the stimulation of antioxidative activity by sesaminol glucosides in DSF.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.205-211
• /
• 1999

Effects of Houttuynia cordata ethanol extracts on lipid metabolism and antioxidant enzymes in Sprague Dawley male rats were investigated. High fat used in the diet mixture included 10% of lard, 1% of cholesterol and 0.25% of sodium cholate. Total serum cholesterol contents of the rats fed Houttuynia cordata extracts were decreased compared to the control. On the other hand, HDL cholesterol contents were increased along with the decrease of athrogenic index. When high fat diet was fed, total serum cholesterol contents were significantly increased(p<0.01) with the athrogenic index increase of four times of the control. With the administration of Houttuynia cordata extract HDL cholesterol was increased by 53% in the high fat diet group. Antioxidant enzymes including GST and catalase activities were increased comparing the control. On the otherhand, the extracts lowered phospholipid(p<0.01), GOT, GPT, Cu,Zn SOD and alkaline phosphatase enzyme activities in the serum which are related to the liver functions. Therefore, the above results suggest that Houttuynia cordata ethanol extracts can help to maintain normal liver functions and help to protect from peroxidative damages caused by excess dietary fat intake.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.243-250
• /
• 1996

To evaluate an effect of ethanol pretreatment on the toluene metabolism, toluene (50% in olive oil) was given three times at 0.2 ml/100g body weight at the interval of one day to the rats fed with 5% ethanol during two months. The ethanol pretreated rats were not identified particular liver injury by the histopathologic findings. In case of toluene treatment, the ethanol pretreatment to the rats led to more increased concentration of urinary hippuric acid than those treated with only toluene. The ethanol pretreatment to the rats led to the increased activities of hepatic aniline hydroxylase and these enzyme activities were higher both in toluene treated and those pretreated with ethanol, but no differences were found in two groups. Ethanol pretreated rats showed the more increased activities of benzylalcohol dehydrogenase than control group. Moreover, the ethanol pretreatment to the toluene treated rats led to significantly more increased activities of benzylalcohol dehydrogenase compared with those treated with toluene only. Furthermore, the alcohol pretreatment to the toluene treated rats also led to somewhat higher activities of benzaldehyde dehydrogenase than those treated with toluene. In conclusion, these results indicate that the chronic pretreatment of ethanol at not so much liver damage as normal may rather activate the toluene metabolism.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.280-285
• /
• 1997

Pectenotoxin 2 (PTX2), isolated from marine sponges, was examined for its hepatotoxic potential using male ICR mice. PTX2 $(20\;or\;100\;{\mu}g/kg/day,\;ip)$ was administered to mice repeatedly for one or two week. Histopathological examination revealed an increase in granularity in the liver from the mice treated with PTX2. PTX2 did not alter the parameters for hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity such as sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Cytochrome P-450, cytochrome $b_5$, or NADPH cytochrome c reductase was net changed by repeated administration of PTX2. Hepatic microsomal activity of p-nitroanisole O-demethylase, but not aminopyrine N-demethylase, was slightly depressed by PTX2 administerd repeatedly $(100\;{\mu}g/kg/day,\;ip)$ fur 2 weeks. The toxicity of PTX2 $(200\;{\mu}g/kg/day,\;ip)$ was determined in mice pretreated with a metabolic inducer or inhibitor such as phenobarbital, 3-methyl-cholanthrene, $CoCl_2$, or SKF 525-A. Significant alterations in lethality and hepatotoxicity of PTX2 were observed in mice pretreated with a metabolic modulator. The results suggest that liver seems to be the target organ for PTX2 toxicity and also that induction of the PTX2 toxicity may be associated with hepatic drug metabolizing activity.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.17 no.5
• /
• pp.870-882
• /
• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Obesity is a major risk factor for metabolic syndrome, a global public health problem. Mentha canadensis (MA), a traditional phytomedicine and dietary herb used for centuries, was the focus of this study to investigate its effects on obesity. MATERIALS/METHODS: Thirty-five male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 2 groups and fed either a normal diet (ND, n = 10) or a high-fat diet (HFD, n = 25) for 4 weeks to induce obesity. After the obesity induction period, the HFD-fed mice were randomly separated into 2 groups: one group continued to be fed HFD (n = 15, HFD group), while the other group was fed HFD with 1.5% (w/w) MA ethanol extract (n = 10, MA group) for 13 weeks. RESULTS: The results showed that body and white adipose tissue (WAT) weights were significantly decreased in the MA-supplemented group compared to the HFD group. Additionally, MA supplementation enhanced energy expenditure, leading to improvements in plasma lipids, cytokines, hepatic steatosis, and fecal lipids. Furthermore, MA supplementation regulated lipid-metabolism-related enzyme activity and gene expression, thereby suppressing lipid accumulation in the WAT and liver. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that MA has the potential to improve diet-induced obesity and its associated complications, including adiposity, dyslipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and inflammation.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.40 no.6
• /
• pp.452-456
• /
• 2023

This report presents two rare cases of gallbladder rupture in dogs with small gallbladders that did not result in bile leakage and their subsequent surgical treatment. The report includes a 5-year-old spayed female Chihuahua weighing 3.5 kg and a 9-year-old castrated male Poodle weighing 5.3 kg. Both dogs had elevated liver enzyme levels on blood chemistry. However, only the second dog (2) (Poodle) presented with hyperbilirubinemia and jaundice, whereas the first dog (Chihuahua (1)) did not display any specific clinical signs. Diagnostic imaging revealed a small gallbladder in both dogs, and the dogs were diagnosed with cholecystolithiasis (1) and extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction (2). No bile leakage-related abdominal effusion was observed. Gallbladder rupture and adhesion to the adjacent tissues were confirmed during cholecystectomy.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.725-730
• /
• 1994

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary zinc (Zn) and/or cadmium (Cd) on hepatic microsomal and cytosol enzyme activities. Male Spraque-Dawley rats (110$\pm$10g ) received zinc (0, 30 and 300 ppm/) and Cd-treated groups were administered oral intubation with Cd chloride (5.0mg/kg of body weight 0 at the same time once a week. The effect of Cd on the activity of hepatic cytochromep-450 , xanthine oxidase(X. O) and superoxide dismutase (SOd) was studied in rats. Cd oral intubation resulted in a decrease in cytochrome P-450 content and SOD activity whereas a significant increase in the X.O. activity was observed was observed . Intake of excessive Zn led to an increased activity of microsomal alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) , whereas Zn deficiency group led to a decreased group. The mechanism by which Zn induces the decreasing of Cd toxicity in rats, seems to rely on the protection of the enzyme systems P-450, ADH, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and X.O. in the liver, possibly by forming non-toxic Cd metallothionein. These results indicate that Zn and Cd regulation might occur via inhibitory protein component of the $H_2O$$_2$ -generator system.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.145-150
• /
• 1999

To explain the theory of KIMI which is the theory of therapeutics in oriental medicine, monoamine oxidase(MAO) activities were measured in the brain and liver of mice which were orally administered oriental medicinal herbs which were classified into cold and hot drugs. Rheum palmatum, Anemarrhena asphodeloides, Gardenia jasminoides, Scutellaria baicalensis and Coptis japonica were considered as the cold drugs and Zingiber officinale, Aconitum carmichaeli, Asiasarum sieboldi, Evodia officinalis and Cinnamomum cassia were included in the hot drugs. The effects of cold and hot drugs on in vitro enzyme activities were measured and compared with the in vivo effects. Serotonin is important neurotransmetter involved in the control of body temperature. The MAO plays a central role in the metabolism of many neurotransmetter monoamines including serotonin. MAO is a flavoprotein found exclusively in the mitochondrial outer membrane, occuring in the MAO-A and MAO-B subtypes. MAO-A deaminates serotonin and noradrenaline, whereas MAO-B prefers phenylethylamine and benzylamine as substrates. Coptis japonica and Aconitum carmichaeli elevated the in vivo MAO activities and especialy, in vivo MAO-B activities were significantly increased. In vitro MAO-A activities were increased by hot drugs, whereas the in vitro MAO-B activities were inhibited. Cold drugs inhibited both enzyme activities in vitro.