• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.126-133
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• 2006

Thioacetamide (TA) is well known hepatotoxic and hepatocarcinogenic agent. TA also diminishes the contents of hepatic cytochrome P450 and inhibits the enzyme activity of the hepatic mixed function oxidases. TA metabolite, thioacetamide-s-oxide, is further transformed into a still unknown highly reactive metabolite that binds to macromolecules. In this study, we focused on TA-induced gene expression at hepatotoxic dose. Mice were exposed to two levels (5 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg i.p.) of TA, sampled at 6 or 24 h, and hepatic gene expression levels were determined to evaluate dose and time dependent changes. We evaluated hepatotoxicity by serum AST and ALT level and histopathological observation. Mean serum activities of the liver leakage enzymes, AST and ALT, were slightly increased compare to control. H & E and PAS evaluation of stained liver sections revealed TA-associated histopathological finding in mice. Centrilobular eosinophilic degeneration was observed at high dose-treated mice group. Hepatic gene expression was analyzed by QT clustering. Clustering of high dose-treated samples with TA-suggests that gene expressional changes could be associated from toxicity as measured by traditional biomarkers in this acute study.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.266-272
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• 2007

The present study evaluated the effect of various dosages of soybean isoflavone extract on body weight changes, glucose tolerance and liver function in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. One group of normal rats (normal control) was fed an AIN-76-based experimental diet and four groups of diabetic rats were fed the same diet supplemented with four different levels of soybean isoflavone extract for seven weeks. The daily dosages of pure isoflavone for four diabetic groups were set to be 0 mg (diabetic control), 0.5 mg (ISO-I), 3.0 mg (ISO-II) and 30.0 mg (ISO-III) per kilogram of body weight, respectively. The daily consumption of isoflavone at the level of 3.0mg per kilogram of body weight resulted in the suppression of body weight loss and increased the survival rate of diabetic animals one and half times compared to that of the diabetic control group. Blood glucose levels in a fasting state and after the oral administration of glucose were significantly lower in the ISO-II group during the oral glucose tolerance test. The ISO-II group showed a tendency to elongate the gastrointestinal transit time. The activity of serum aminotransferases, indicator of liver function, was not negatively affected by any intake level of isoflavone. The present study demonstrated that the soybean isoflavone extract may be beneficial to diabetic animals by improving their glucose tolerance and suppressing weight loss without incurring hepatotoxicity at the daily dosage of 3.0 mg per kg of body weight.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.1026-1034
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• 2019

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the lipid-lowering effect and safety of Daeshiho-tang in patients with uncontrolled lipid levels by statins. Methods: We investigated patients who had an abnormal lipid profile even when taking statins and who were administered Daeshiho-tang at Kyung-Hee University Korean Medical Hospital for at least one day between January 2008 and December 2018. Their basal characteristics and examinations were reviewed retrospectively with respect to lipid profile, AST, ALT, GGT, BUN, and creatinine. The lipid profile was composed of total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol. Subgroup analysis was performed on each component of dyslipidemia. Results: Among 20 participants, there were 10 males and 10 females. The mean BMI was 23.52. Eighty five percent of the participants were diagnosed as having cerebral infarction. After the administration of Daeshiho-tang, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were significantly reduced, to 41.3 mg/dl and 33.95 mg/dl, respectively. In subgroup analyses, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were significantly decreased, to 63 mg/dl and 54.6 mg/dl, respectively. Liver and kidney function showed no significant difference after taking Daeshiho-tang. Conclusions: Daeshiho-tang as a decoction or powder had significant lipid-lowering effects on total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in patients with dyslipidemia. The lipid-lowering effect on total and LDL cholesterol increased in patients with hypercholesterolemia and hyper-LDL-cholesterolemia, respectively. Based on the minimal changes in the liver and kidney function test, Daeshiho-tang would be safe enough to be used in clinics.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.657-664
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• 2012

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of onion vinegar on the cerebral blood flow by measuring the changes of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) and by observing the recovery of focal ischemic brain injury in rats. Rats are divided into thee groups depending on the medication; control group (no medication), 8.8-OV group (vinegar using 8.8 brix onion medication), 14.6-OV group (vinegar using 14.6 brix onion medication). The medication of onion vinegar significantly increased rCBF but decreased MABP. This result suggests that onion vinegar significantly increased rCBF by dilating arterial diameter. In addition, focal ischemic brain injury is induced in rats by middle cerebral arterial occlusion. The recovery from focal ischemic brain injury is more significantly improved in the groups using onion vinegar compared to the control group. The amount of recovery is measured by the GAP-43 and the medication of onion vinegar significantly increased GAP-43. This result suggests that onion vinegar is effective on the nerve regeneration. After the medication, the change of body weight, outcomes of renal and liver function test, and outcomes of CBC are analysed for safety examination. There are no statistical differences among control group and all experimental groups in the body weight, renal and liver function test, and CBC. In conclusion, these results suggest that onion vinegar can increase rCBF in normal state, and improve the stability of rCBF in ischemic state.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.657-661
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• 2014

Gilbert's syndrome is one that shows a benign course with intermittent unconjugate hyperbilirubinemia without any evidence of hepatobiliary tract disease or hemolysis. It is often found in a health examination or blood laboratory test by chance. In particular, patients who are taking drugs, including herbal medicine should be careful for their medication due to the possibility of associations with changes in liver function because of drug metabolism, sometimes they have to quit the use of the medication for a certain period and often they should get an additional test. Two male patients increased serum total bilirubin level without other systemic symptoms in screening test for clinical herb medicine pharmacokinetics study. Therefor they was diagnosed with suspected Gilbert's syndrome. They had been calory deprivation test with 24 hours fasting state. They also performed liver function test and ultrasonogram for evaluation of hepatobiliary tract disease. Total serum bilirubin was markedly increased, especially unconjugate bilirubin level higher over the two times than base line after they had been calory deprivation for 24 hours, They was not found another abnormality all laboratory results and physical examination. This study is a report on two cases of hyperbilirubinemia, diagnosed as Gilbert's syndrome, which were found in the process of a clinical pharmacokinetic study of a decoction of medicinal herbs.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.677-681
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• 1992

This experiment was carried out to establish a proper method of indocyanine green(ICG) excrection test for a applicable liver function test in three Korean native cattle average weighing about 450kg and dairy cattle parity of 3~5. The results obtained the half life($T^1/_2$), fractional clearance rate(KICG), retention rate and plasma enzyme activities before or after injection of ICG were as follows. 1. The maximum absorbance of ICG in plasma was at 805nm. 2. Average half life and fractional clearance rate following the injection of ICG 0.25mg/kg body weight were $5.53{\pm}1.27$ minute and $0.131{\pm}0.031$/minute in Korean native cattle, $4.55{\pm}0.68$ minute and $0.156{\pm}0.031$/minute in dairy cattle, respectively. The ICG removal rate was exponentially liner for the first 15 minutes after injection both of Korean native cattle and dairy cattle. 3. Average plasma retention rate when 10, 15, 30 minutes after injection was $35.7{\pm}13.9$, $23.2{\pm}7.1$, $10.8{\pm}3.5%$ in Korean native cattle, $26.8{\pm}3.3$, $14.2{\pm}1.2$, $5.5{\pm}2.2%$ in dairy cattle, respectively. 4. Plasma enzyme activities(AST, ALT, r-GTP) were no variation among the before, during and after injection of ICG. From these results, ICG excretion test to cattle is applicable to evaluation of liver funtion in both clinical and research, and adopted the 15 minutes plasma sample as the sample taken at the ideal time for comparative purposes.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.55-59
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• 1975

Safety study of the continuous releasing dichlorvos-resin insecticide $(Mopari^{\circledR})$ was conducted in human volunteers and domestic fowls. For the purpose, the potential hazards in using the insecticide were observed in terms of the inhibition of plasma cholinesterase activity and the changes in the liver function (GOT, GPT, Alkaline phosphatase, Bilirubin, Thymol turbidity), the blood picture (RBC, WBC with differential count, Hemoglobin, Hematocrit and ESR) and the urine picture (sugar, albumin, pH and microscopic findings) in 40 healthy adult volunteers and 60 leghorn domestic fowls. In case of the human study the observation was continued for 2 months during the application of the insectiside ($1{\sim}3$ solid formulations/$30m^3$) in the living rooms of ordinary Korean dwelling houses or in the office. In the animal test, however, 1 to 5 solid formulations of the insecticide were applied in the fowl cage of $9.2m^3$ for 5 weeks. Any significant inhibition of the plasma cholinesterase activity was not observed in both the human volunteer and the fowl throughout the experimental period. And the liver function as well as the blood and urine pictures were also not changed after exposure to the vaporizing insecticide. It is considered from the result that the amount of dichlorvos released into the air by the continuous vaporizing dichlorvos-resin insecticide presents no significant hazardous effect on humans or animals in the present experimental condition.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.363-370
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• 2023

In order to use Cudrania tricuspidata extract for the development of health-functional food, biological changes in normal rodents, such as changes in blood constituent cells, blood lipids, and anti-inflammatory activity, were measured after the rodents had been drinking the substance for 2 weeks. A 30 mg daily dose of the extract taken for 2 weeks produced no change in body weight or renal function, and no toxicity was observed. Increased red blood cell levels and white blood cell levels were confirmed, and platelet counts tended to increase; thus, the extract seems to cause an overall increase in blood cells. In the case of blood lipids, it was confirmed that the extract-treated group exhibited an effect of improved blood-lipid levels, demonstrated through an increase in HDL-C of 21%, with a decrease in triglyceride of 27% compared to the control group. In addition, the decreases in both GOT and GPT led to improved liver function through use of the extract. Therefore, this study suggests that drinking Cudrania tricuspidata extract can have various effects, such as promoting blood cell production, improving blood lipids profile, improving liver function, and improving inflammatory action. The extract would be useful in the future in developing high-value industrial products such as functional foods and pharmaceuticals.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.671-675
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• 1992

This experiment was carried out to establish a proper method of indocyanine green(ICG) excretion test for a applicable liver function test in dogs. The half life(T1/2), fractional clearance rate(KICG) and retention rate after injection of ICG with or without administred carbon tetrachloride($CCl_4$) were also invested. The results obtained were as follows ; 1. The maximum absorbance of ICG in plasma was at 810nm. 2. Half life and fractional clearance rate when administered 0.25 and 0.50mg of ICG per Kilogram body weight were $6.33{\pm}0.58$ minutes and $0.11{\pm}0.99$/minute in the former, $10.01{\pm}1.0$ minutes and $0.07{\pm}0.007$/minute in the latter, respectively. The ICG removal rate was exponentially linear for the first 15 minutes after injection both, of 0.25 and 0.50mg of ICG. 3. One day following the administration of $0.0042m{\ell}\;CCl_4$ kilogram body weight which injected 0.50mg of ICG, half life was more longer and fractional clearance rate was significantly reduced than that of ICG single injection. 4. Plasma retention rate when 15, 30, 45 minutes after injection dose of 0.25 and 0.50mg ICG per Kilogram body weight, $14.7{\pm}4.8$, $5.1{\pm}3.1$, $2.6{\pm}1.6%$ in the former, $26.9{\pm}1.8$, $11.1{\pm}2.4$, $4.8{\pm}1.3%$ in the latter, respectively. However, after administration of $CCl_4$, plasma retention rate of ICG at a dose of 0.50mg, it was $39.3{\pm}0.9$, $16{\pm}2.9$, $10.7{\pm}0.1%$, respectively. 5. Plasma enzyme(AST, ALT, r-GTP) activities administered with $CCl_4$ were increased, but there was no change which injected any dose of single ICG injection. From these results, ICG excretion test to dog is applicable to evaluation of liver function in both clinical and research.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.254-259
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• 2003

$^{99m}Tc-galactosyl$ human serum albumin (Tc-GSA) is a radiopharmaceutical that binds to asialoglycoprotein receptors, which are specifically present in the hepatocyte membrane. Because these receptors are decreased in hepatic parenchymal damage, the degree of Tc-GSA accumulation in the liver correlates with findings of liver function test. Hepatic images were performed with Tc-GSA in patients with acute hepatic dysfunction by Amantia Subjunquillea poisoning, and compared with these of liver ultrasonography (USG). Tc-GSA (185 MBq, 3 mg of GSA) was injected intravenously, and dynamic images were recorded for 30 minutes. Time-activity curves for the heart and liver were generated from regions of interest for the whole liver and precordium. Degree of hepatic uptake and clearance rate of Tc-GSA were generated by visual interpretation and semiquantitative analysis parameters (receptor index : LHL15 and index of blood clearance : HH15). Visual assessment of GSA scintigraphy revealed mildly decreased liver uptake in all of subjects. The mean LHL15 and HH15 were 0.886 and 0.621, graded as mild dysfunction in 2, and mild to moderate dysfunction in 1 subject. In contrast, liver USG showed no remarkable changes of hepatic parenchyme. Tc-GSA scintigraphy was considered as a useful imaging modality in the assessment of the hepatic dysfunction.