• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.162-165
• /
• 1999

Background and Objectives: Multiple primary tumors of the upper aerodigestive tract are not unusual. We examined head and neck cancer patients to discover the presence of second primary cancer in their upper gastrointestinal tract, using esophagogastroscopy. Materials and Methods: Endoscopic examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract was performed on 51 patients whose head and neck cancers were treated at department of therapeutic radiology from August 1996 to April 1999. Two of all patients had been studied by barium swallowing study. In 51 patients, twenty-four had a primary tumor in the larynx, 8 in the oropharynx, 6 in the nasopharynx, 6 in the oral cavity, 6 in the hypopharynx, and 1 in the nasal cavity. Endoscopically pathologic lesions were biopsied. In control group, endoscopy was performed on 1097 patients who didn't complain any symptoms. Results: Endoscopy showed early malignant lesions in 4 cases(7.7%). Histology of esophageal cancers showed squamous cell carcinoma. Malignant lesions of stomach in 2 cases were histologically identified as adenocarcinoma. Two esophageal cancers occurred in patients whose primary lesions had oropharynx and hypopharynx. Two cases of gastric cancer were also accompanied by oropharynx and hypopharynx. The incidence of second primary cancer was 2 in oropharynx and 2 in hypopharynx. In all cases, second primary cancers were found simultaneously. In control group, 9(0.8%) of 1097 patients were confirmed as early esophageal and gastric cancers. Conclusion: The majority of esophageal and gastric cancer detected by endoscopy were early stage in both head and neck cancer and control group. The incidence of esophageal and gastric cancer of head and neck cancer patients was 10 times as high as that of control group. Although followup period was short, all second primary cancers were detected simultaneously. We would recommend that endoscopic evaluation be included in the workup and followup of all patients with newly diagnosed head and neck cancer.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.145-252
• /
• 1987

Isolated rat adipocytes are well known to possess opposite pathways of lipid metabolism: lipolysis and ipogenesis. Both of the metabolism respond to various biologically active substances such as epinephrine, ACTH and insulin. Epinephrine and ACTH stimulate lipolysis and insulin accelerates lipogenesis. Recently, Korean red ginseng powder was found to contain adenosine and an acidic poptide which inhibited epinephrine-induced lipolysis and sl imulated insulin-mediated lipogenesis from added glucose. The acidic peptide is consisted mainly of glutamic acid and glucose. Ginsenosides Rb1 and Re inhibited ACTH-induced lipolysis in isolated rat adipocytes, while they did not affect insulinstimulated lipogenesis, Thus, all these substances extracted from Korean red ginseng exhibited selective modulations toward the opposite metabolic pathways in rat adipocyte; They inhibited the lipolysis but not the lipogenesis. We call these substances"selective modulators". Recently, we isolated a toxic substance named "toxohormone-L " from ascites fluid of patients with various malignant tumors. The toxohormone-L stimulated lipolysis in rat adipocytes and induced anorexia in rats. Both the lipolytic and the anorexigenic actions of toxohormone-L were found to be inhibited by ginsenoside Rb2 in Korean red ginseng. Based on these results, physiological signifi¬cances of these substances in Korean red ginseng were discussed. Pan ax ginseng is a medicinal plant long used in treatment of various pathological states including general complaints such as head ache, shoulder ache, chilly constitution and anorexia in cancer patients, There have been many pharmacological studies on Panax ginseng roots. Petkovllreported that oral administration of an aqueous alcoholic extract of ginseng roots decreased the blood sugar levtl of rabbits. Saito2lreported that Panax ginseng suppressed hyperglycemia induced by epinephrine and high carbohydrate diets. These findings suggest that Panax ginseng roots contain insulin-like substances. Previously, we demonstrated that gin¬seng roots contain an insulin-like peptide which inhibits epinephrine-induced lipolysis and stimulated insulin-mediated lipogenesis. In 1984, we suggested that such an insulin-like substance should be called a selective modulator4). Present investigation describes the details of the selective modulators in ginseng roots. During progressive weight loss in patients with various neoplastic disease, depletion of fat stores have been observed. The depletion of body fat during growth of neoplasms is associated with increase in plasma free fatty acids. Recently, we found that the ascites fluid from patients with hepatoma or ovarian tumor and the pleural fluid from patients with malignant lymphoma elicited fatty acid release in slices of rat adipose tissue in vitro. The lipolytic factor, named"toxohormone-L". was purifed from the ascites fluid of patients with hepatoma. The isolated preparation gave a single band on both disc gel electrophoresis and sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS)-acrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of ${\beta}$-mercaptoethanol. Its molecular weight was determined to be 70,000-75,000 and 65,000 by SDS-acrylamide gel electrophoresis and analytical ultracentrifugation, respectively. Injection of toxohormone-L into the lateral ventricle of rats significantly suppressed food and water intakes. There was at least 5 hr delay between its injection and appearance of its suppressive effect. In the present study, we also tried to find a inhibitory substance toward toxohormone-L from root powder of ginseng.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
• /
• v.42 no.6
• /
• pp.185-195
• /
• 2012

Purpose: (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has been reported to exert anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects in periodontitis. However, its exact mechanism of action has yet to be determined. The present in vitro study evaluated the anti-in-flammatory effects of EGCG on human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (hPDLFs) and human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) affected by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) extracted from Porphyromonas gingivalis. Methods: hPDLFs and hPDLSCs were extracted from healthy young adults and were treated with EGCG and/or P. gingivalis LPS. After 1, 3, 5, and 7 days from treatment, cytotoxic and proliferative effects were evaluated using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and bromodeoxyuridine assay, respectively. And then, the gene expressions of hPDLFs and hPDLSCs were observed for interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, osteoprotegerin (OPG), receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL), and RANKL/OPG using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at 0, 6, 24, and 48 hours after treatment. The experiments were performed with the following groups for hPDLFs and hPDLSCs; 1) No treat, 2) EGCG alone, 3) P. gingivalis LPS alone, 4) EGCG+P. gingivalis LPS. Results: The 20 ${\mu}M$ of EGCG and 20 ${\mu}g/mL$ of P. gingivalis LPS had the lowest cytotoxic effects, so those concentrations were used for further experiments. The proliferations of hPDLFs and hPDLSCs increased in all groups, though the 'EGCG alone' showed less increase. In real-time PCR, the hPDLFs and hPDLSCs of 'EGCG alone' showed similar gene expressions to those cells of 'no treat'. The gene expressions of 'P. gingivalis LPS alone' in both hPDLFs and hPDLSCs were highly increased at 6 hours for IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$, RANKL, and RANKL/OPG, except the RANKL/OPG in hPDLSCs. However, those increased gene expressions were down-regulated in 'EGCG+P. gingivalis LPS' by the additional treatment of EGCG. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that EGCG could exert an anti-inflammatory effect in hPDLFs and hPDLSCs against a major pathogen of periodontitis, P. gingivalis LPS.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.15-21
• /
• 2000

Ameloblasotma is slowly growing, locally invasive neoplasm with a potentially destructive behavior. The epithelium of ameloblastoma is thought to have an intrinsic growth potential and has been shown to present a higher rate of proliferation as compared to odontogenic cysts with low local recurrence rate. The molecular mechanisms that regulate the cell growth and invasion of ameloblastoma cells are unknown. Bcl-2 protein, which prevent apoptosis, is expressed in immortalized ameloblastoma cell line(AM-1)(Harada et al 1998). Expression of bcl-2 protein occurs in tooth germs, whose epithelial component may act as the histogenic precursor of ameloblastoma. Bax is considered as a main effector of apoptosis. Bax forms homodimers and also heterodimers with bcl-2. p53 tumor supressor gene participates not only in cell proliferation control but also in induction of apoptosis. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the apoptosis related protein expression in odontogenic cyst and ameloblastoma. A total of 10 dentigerous cysts and 16 ameloblastomas were used in the present study. Dentigerous cyst showed negative or slight positive for p53 and bcl-2 but strongly positive for bax, ameloblastoma, on the other hand, strongly positive for p53 and bcl-2 but weekly positive for bax. Bcl-2 was expressed for ameloblastoma mainly in outer layer or whole layer of epithelium and for dentigerous cyst mainly in basal layer. The difference in expression of apoptosis related protein in dentigerous cyst and ameloblastoma might explain the peculiar aggressive growth pattern of ameloblastoma.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.6-9
• /
• 2009

Gastric cancer with gastric outlet obstruction has a high incidence of direct invasion into neighboring organs, with a low resection rate and a poor prognosis. Traditionally, open gastrojejunostomy has been the standard palliative treatment in these patients. Recently, endoscopic self-expanding metal stents have been used increasingly for the palliative treatment of malignant gastric outlet obstruction, but the choice of modality to treat the obstruction caused by gastric cancer is still controversial. Many studies have shown that endoscopic stenting is less invasive and offers not only a shorter time to oral intake and length of hospital stay, but also less frequent complications compared to open gastrojejunostomy. However, recurrent obstruction by tumor overgrowth and ingrowth occur more frequently and re-intervention for recurrent obstructive symptoms are more frequently performed after stent placement than after gastrojejunostomy. Thus, stent placement may be associated with more favorable results in patients with a relatively short life expectancy, while gastrojejunostomy is preferable in patients with a more prolonged prognosis. Also, open surgery affords a greater chance for curative surgery. However, most underlying diseases analyzed in previous studies were pancreaticobiliary malignancies, and there have been few prospective studies specific for patients with gastric cancer. Additional randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes are expected to decide the treatment modality for unresectable gastric cancer with gastric outlet obstruction.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.83-91
• /
• 2009

$\beta$-glucan is a fiber-type complex sugar (polysaccharide) derived from the cell wall of baker's yeast, oat and barley fiber, and many medicinal mushrooms, such as maitake. The primary uses of $\beta$-glucan are to enhance the immune system, to lower blood cholesterol levels and to treat tumor. $\beta$-glucan has no systemic toxicity in mice, therefore it needed clinical trail to prove efficacy and safety for human. The subjects total 56 healty volunteers were divided into two groups including taken $\beta$-glucan tablet group and placebo group. Subjects were taken two tablets per oral for 4 weeks. They had agreed to take part in this experiment, and didn't take any other clinical trail products. After 4 weeks blood of subjects were checked. The check list are TNF-$\alpha$, INF-$\gamma$, IL-2, IL-4, total WBC, differential WBC, RBC, hemoglobin, platelet, MCV, MCH, MCHC, HCT, Na, K, Ca, Cl, AST, ALT, ALP, $\gamma$-GTP, total protein, triglyceride, total cholesterol, total bilirubin, albumin, uric acid, creatinine, BUN, pH, protein, glucose, ketone body, blood, bilirubin. We evaluated efficacy by cytokines that compare before and after taking. Collected data were analyzed as two sample t-test, chi-square test and ANOVA using SAS V.9.1.This study results are that in TNF-$\alpha$ of $1^{st}$ efficacy measurement item, all of two groups figure were increased significantly compare to before figure. In IL4 of $2^{nd}$ efficacy measurement item, experimental group figure were decreased significantly but placebo group figure were increased. The conclusions show that based on the above results, $\beta$-glucan has favorable effect to enhance immune system, especially IL4 results showed that it has effect to improve the allergic immune system.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.93-97
• /
• 2006

To investigate whether GyeongshinhaeGihwan 1(GGT1), an anti-obesity herbal medicine widely used in oriental medicine, regulates the expression of obesity-related genes, we measured the changes in mRNA levels of these genes by GGT1 in human growth hormone transgenic (hGHTg) obese male rats, and these effects by GGT1 were compared with those of reductil (RD), an anti-obesity drug approved by FDA. Rats received once daily oral administrations of autoclaved water, RD, or GGT1 for 8 weeks. At the end of study, rats were sacrificed and tissues were harvested. Total RNA from adipose tissue, liver and kidney was prepared and the mRNA levels for LPL (lipoprotein lipase), PPAR $\gamma$ (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma), PPAR$\delta$ (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-delta), leptin, TNF$\alpha$ (tumor necrosis factor-alpha), and internal standard G3PDH (glyceraldehyde-3- phosphate dehydrogenase) were analyzed by RT-PCR. PPAR$\gamma$ mRNA levels of liver and kidney were decreased in drug-treated groups compared with control group and the decrease of PPAR$\gamma$ expression was more prominent in GGT1 group than in RD group, suggesting that GGT1 is effective in the inhibition of adipogenesis and lipid storage by decreasing the PPAR$\gamma$ expression. In contrast, PPAR$\delta$ mRNA levels of adipose tissue and kidney were increased by RD and GGT1 , and the magnitudes of increase were higher in GGT1 group than in RD group, indicating that GGT1 stimulates fatty acid oxidation and energy metabolism by activating PPAR$\delta$ expression, Compared with control and RD groups, GGT1 group had higher concentrations of serum leptin, a well-known inhibitor of appetite. However, The mRNA levels of leptin, LPL, and TNF$\alpha$ were not changed by GGT1 and RD, compared with DW. These results demonstrate that GGT1 not only decreases PPAR$\gamma$ expression of liver and kidney, but also increases PPAR$\delta$ expression of adipose tissue and kidney, leading to the regulation of obesity and that these effects were more pronounced in GGT1 group compared with RD group. In addition, GGT1 seems to prevent obesity by increasing the serum leptin levels.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.30 no.7
• /
• pp.896-902
• /
• 2001

Objectives : Aspergillosis of central nervous system(CNS) is a rare pathologic condition and it has been known to be difficult to diagnose and treat. We analyzed seven cases of central nervous system aspergillosis. The clinical characteristics, and the problems in diagnosis and treatment are discussed with review of previous literatures. Material and Methods : We reviewed the clinical records, radiological findings, and pathologic reports of 7 patients with aspergillosis which involved CNS. Results : Five patients were immunocompetent, and infection was related with previous operation in 4 of them. Two patients were immunocompromised and had no history of operation. Five patients had intracranial lesions and two had spinal lesions. Mean duration from the onset of initial symptom to pathologic diagnosis was 2.4 months. Mean duration from the previous operation to the onset of symptom was 9.3 months, and from the onset of symptom to diagnosis was 2.9 months in the patients who had histories of operation. All of them were treated with surgical procedures and intravenous and oral antifungal agents, resulting in cure in 6 cases. Mean duration of the treatment was 4.9 months. Conclusion : Because aspergillosis of CNS is a rare disease and is difficult to be differentiated from the pyogenic abscess or recurrent tumor, the pathologic diagnosis is very important for adequate treatment. Although the prognosis of aspergillosis of CNS has been known to be poor, adequate surgery for both diagnosis and treatment and antifungal chemotherapy resulted in good outcome.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.29-37
• /
• 2015

Background: Panax ginseng (i.e., ginseng) root is extensively used in traditional oriental medicine. It is a modern pharmaceutical reagent for preventing various human diseases such as cancer. Ginsenosidesd-the major active components of ginsengd-exhibit immunomodulatory effects. However, the mechanism and function underlying such effects are not fully elucidated, especially in human monocytes and dendritic cells (DCs). Methods: We investigated the immunomodulatory effect of ginsenosides from Panax ginseng root on $CD14^+$ monocytes purified from human adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and on their differentiation into DCs that affect $CD4^+$ T cell activity. Results: After treatment with ginsenoside fractions, monocyte levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10 increased through phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), but not p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). After treatment with ginsenoside fractions, TNF-${\alpha}$ production and phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and JNK decreased in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-sensitized monocytes.We confirmed that DCs derived from $CD14^+$ monocytes in the presence of ginsenoside fractions (Gin-DCs) contained decreased levels of the costimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86. The expression of these costimulatory molecules decreased in LPS-treated DCs exposed to ginsenoside fractions, compared to their expression in LPS-treated DCs in the absence of ginsenoside fractions. Furthermore, LPS-treated Gin-DCs could not induce proliferation and interferon gamma (IFN-${\gamma}$) production by $CD4^+$ T cells with the coculture of Gin-DCs with $CD4^+$ T cells. Conclusion: These results suggest that ginsenoside fractions from the ginseng root suppress cytokine production and maturation of LPS-treated DCs and downregulate $CD4^+$ T cells.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.705-711
• /
• 2019

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common urogenital disorder in men, benign tumor and is a typical disease deteriorating the quality of old men's lives, and its prevalence increases with age. Though the molecular pathogenesis of BPH has not yet been clearly revealed, it is known that the variation and aging of the endocrine including sex hormone may cause BPH. Especially the hypertrophy of the prostate cell by the formation of the excessive dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is estimated to cause BPH. If testosterone exists excessively in blood, a lot of DHT is produced in prostate by $5{\alpha}-reductase$. Thus, in this study we tried to analyze haematological change and histopathological change by using the model rat with BPH caused by hypodermic injection of testosterone to prove the effect of Houttuynia cordata extracts on BPH. Rats were divided into four experimental groups: no treatment group (N), the testosterone injection and D.W treatment group (DO), the testosterone injection and Houttuynia cordata treatment group (HO) and testosterone injection and finasteride treatment group (FO). Prostate weight, volume and weight ratio in the HO and FO groups were significantly lower than the DO group. Testosterone and DHT levels in the HO group were significantly lower than the DO group. The HO and FO groups showed trophic symptoms and were lined by flattened epithelial cells, thus, the stromal proliferation is relatively low as compared to the DO group. These results suggest that Houttuynia cordata may control benign prostatic hyperplasia.