• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.21 no.3 s.54
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• pp.229-238
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• 2006

Although, mercury (Hg) is not a naturally abundant element in the environment, residues frequently occur in many environmental compartments because of widespread contamination from industrial and agricultural practices. This research evaluated Hg-B concentrations of general population who was not occupationally exposed. And also evaluates the association between life factor and health effect with Hg-B concentration of general adult through interrelationship estimation and index about kidney function and oxidative damage that appeared by questionnaire survey and medical examination. Average concentration of Hg-B was 3.19 $\mu$g/L (ND$\sim$8.64 $\mu$g/L), and persons who exceed mercury exposure level (5 $\mu$g/L) presented in WHO (1990) appeared by 16 (7.0%). High-risk group (smoking and meat main intake group) had significantly higher Hg-B concentration than low-risk group (non-smoking and vegetable diet main intake group) (p < 0.05, low-risk group: 3.30 $\mu$g/L (ND$\sim$8.64 $\mu$g/L), high-risk group: 4.27 $\mu$g/L (ND$\sim$7.84 $\mu$g/L).

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.361-366
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• 1999

One of the potential causes of age-related neuronal damage can be reactive oxygen species (ROS), as the brain is particularly sensitive to oxidative damage. In the present study, we investigated the effects of aging and dietary restriction (DR) on ROS generation, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzymes in cerebrum, hippocampus, and cerebellum of 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-month-old rats. ROS generation significantly increased with age in cerebrum of ad libitum (AL) rats. However, no significant age-difference was observed in hippocampus and cerebellum. DR significantly decreased ROS generation in cerebrum and cerebellum at 24-months. On the other hand, the increased lipid peroxidation of AL rats during aging was significantly reduced by DR in all regions. Our results further showed that catalase activity decreased with age in cerebellum of AL rats, which was reversed by DR, although SOD activity had little change by aging and DR in all regions. In a similar way, glutathione (GSH) peroxidase activity increased with age in cerebrum of AL rats, while DR suppressed it at 24-months. These data further support the evidence that the vulnerability to oxidative stress in the brain is region-specific.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2008

The leaves of Perilla frutescens Britt. var. japonica Hara (Labiatae) are often used in gourmet food in several Asian countries. Two kinds of perilla cultivars, Namcheon (NC) and Bora (BR), have been respectively developed in Korea by the pure line of 'deulkkae' from the local variety and by the cross of 'deulkkae' and 'chajogi'. The present study evaluated and compared antioxidant and neuroprotective effects of the fractions prepared from the leaves of the two cultivars using cell-free bioassay systems and primary cultured rat cortical cells. We found that the spirit, chloroform, hexane and butanol fractions from NC and BR leaves inhibited lipid peroxidation initiated in rat brain homogenates by $Fe^{2+}$ and L-ascorbic acid. In contrast, only the spirit and butanol fractions from both cultivars exhibited 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity. Among the fractions tested, the butanol fractions from NC and BR leaves exhibited the most potent antioxidant properties, and the butanol fraction from BR was more potent than the NC fraction. In consistence with these findings, the butanol fractions from both cultivars protected primary cultured cortical cells from the oxidative damage induced by $H_2O_2$ or xanthine and xanthine oxidase, with the BR butanol fraction being more active. The butanol fractions from NC and BR did not produce cytotoxicity in our cultures treated for 24 h at the concentrations of up to $100\;{\mu}g/ml$. Taken together, these results indicate that the leaves of the two cultivars of Perilla frutescens exert antioxidant and neuroprotective effects, and that the butanol fraction from BR leaves exhibits the most potent antioxidative neuroprotection among the fractions tested in this study.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.17-24
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• 2015

Objectives : Persicaria tinctoria belongs to the Polygonaceae family and it has been used as the natural dye traditionally. Also, it is well known that the Persicaria tinctoria is used for treating the following symptoms such as fever, inflammation and edema. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effective source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agent from various parts of Persicaria tinctoria.Methods : We investigated the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties of the Persicaria tinctoria extracts. Antioxidant activities were measured by 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2, 2'-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radical scavenging activity, Fe²⁺ chelating activity and Reducing power of Persicaria tinctoria extracts. And its inhibitory effect against oxidative DNA damage was evaluated in non-cellular system using φX-174 RF I plasmin DNA. The anti-inflammatory effect of Persicaria tinctoria was measured by using the inhibitory efficacy for the amount of nitric-oxide (NO) produced in LPS induced RAW264.7 cells.Results : The extracts from stem part showed better DPPH scavenging activity compared to those of the leaf and root extracts. Their IC₅₀s were measured as 7.17, 144.40 and 165.07 ug/ml, respectively. These results were similar to that of ABTS radical scavenging assay and reducing power. Also, Persicaria tinctoria showed the protective effects of DNA damage against oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory effect by suppression of NO production in LPS induced RAW264.7 cells.Conclusions : These results showed that various parts of Persicaria tinctoria can be used as an effective source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents via antioxidative activities and anti-inflammatory effect.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.466-471
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• 2015

BACKGROUND: Currently, natural products have been shown to exhibit interesting biological and pharmacological activities and are used as chemotherapeutic agents. The purpose of this study, conducted on Wistar rats, was to evaluate the beneficial effects of Artemisia arborescens oil on oestroprogestative treatment induced damage on liver. MATERIALS/METHODS: A total of 36 Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups; a control group (n = 9), a group of rats who received oestroprogestative treatment by intraperitoneal injection (n = 9), a group pre-treated with Artemisia arborescens then injected with oestroprogestative treatment (n = 9), and a group pre-treated with Artemisia arborescens (n = 9). To minimize the handling stress, animals from each group were sacrificed rapidly by decapitation. Blood serum was obtained by centrifugation and the livers were removed, cleaned of fat, and stored at $-80^{\circ}C$ until use. RESULTS: In the current study, oestroprogestative poisoning resulted in oxidative stress, which was demonstrated by 1) a significant increase of lipid peroxidation level in hepatic tissue 2) increased levels of serum transaminases (aspartate amino transferase and serum alanine amino transferase), alkaline phosphatase, glycemia and triglycerides and a decrease in the level of cholesterol 3) alteration of hepatic architecture. Pre-administration of Artemisia arborescens oil was found to alleviate oestroprogestative treatment induced damage by lowering lipid peroxidation level and by increasing activity of catalase, superoxide-dismutase, and glutathione-peroxidase in liver and by reducing disruption of biochemical parameters. CONCLUSION: Therefore, the results obtained in this study confirmed that Artemisia essential oil protects against oestroprogestative administration induced hepatotoxicity by restoration of liver activities.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.12
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• pp.1517-1522
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• 2007

Inhibitory effects of allergic contact dermatitis of hot water extract of Duchung (Eucommia ulmoides Oliver) leaf, bark and stem growing at Sancheong-gun were investigated for female BALB/c mouse induced by repeat elicitation of DNCB (2,4-dinitro-chlorobenzene). Skin reactions, consisting of increased ear thickness and the presence of ear inflammation, were observed in mice treated with DNCB and Duchung. Weight of lymph node, spleen and thymus in mice treated with Duchung extracts were lower than that of mouse treated with DNCB. Ear weight of mouse treated with Duchung extracts was decreased by increasing the concentration of sample as compared to control group and dropped as low as control level at 1,000 mg/kg. Ear thickness became thinner as test time on Duchung extract progressed. MDA (malondialdehyde) contents in liver tissue were not different in sample group with DNCB group, but were different in ear tissue. NO (nitric oxide) contents was decreased in Duchung extract groups at serum and ear tissues as compared to 1% DNCB group. In the present study, the results suggested that Duchung extract inhibits inflammatory response and oxidative damage induced DNCB allergen.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.123-128
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• 2017

Hangover due to alcohol consumption causes social and physical problems. There is a growing interest in edible insects worldwide. We have previously published a new technology to make hard mature silkworm, Bombyx mori, into edible form, steamed and freeze-dried mature silkworm larval powder (SMSP). In this study, AIN-76 or SMSP (0.1 and 1 g/kg rat body weight) containing diets in SD rats were pretreated for 2 weeks, and ethanol (3 g/kg rat body weight) was administered as an oral gavage and sacrificed after 3 hours. As a result, blood alcohol and aldehyde levels were significantly decreased in SMSP fed rats. In addition, liver injury markers, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were significantly decreased in SMSP group compared to ethanol group. $TNF-{\alpha}$, an inflammatory cytokine, and malondialdehyde (MDA), an oxidative stress marker, also showed a dose-dependent decrease in the group receiving SMSP. Conclusively, consumption of SMSP not only reduced hangover induced by ethanol, but also decreased liver damage, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.395-403
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• 2019

Purpurogallin, a natural phenol obtained from oak nutgalls, has been shown to possess antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. Recently, in addition to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation that induces cell apoptosis via oxidative stress, particulate matter 2.5 ($PM_{2.5}$) was shown to trigger excessive production of reactive oxygen species. In this study, we observed that UVB radiation and $PM_{2.5}$ severely damaged human HaCaT keratinocytes, disrupting cellular DNA, lipids, and proteins and causing mitochondrial depolarization. Purpurogallin protected HaCaT cells from apoptosis induced by UVB radiation and/or $PM_{2.5}$. Furthermore, purpurogallin effectively modulates the pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic proteins under UVB irradiation via caspase signaling pathways. Additionally, purpurogallin reduced apoptosis via MAPK signaling pathways, as demonstrated using MAPK-p38, ERK, and JNK inhibitors. These results indicate that purpurogallin possesses antioxidant effects and protects cells from damage and apoptosis induced by UVB radiation and $PM_{2.5}$.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.222-230
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• 2019

Intestinal barrier dysfunction always accompanies cirrhosis in patients with advanced liver disease and is an important contributor facilitating bacterial translocation (BT), which has been involved in the pathogenesis of cirrhosis and its complications. Several studies have demonstrated the protective effect of Vitamin D on intestinal barrier function. However, severe cholestasis leads to vitamin D depletion. This study was designed to test whether vitamin D therapy improves intestinal dysfunction in cirrhosis. Rats were subcutaneously injected with 50% sterile $CCl_4$ (a mixture of pure $CCl_4$ and olive oil, 0.3 mL/100 g) twice a week for 6 weeks. Next, $1,25(OH)_2D_3$ ($0.5{\mu}g/100g$) and the vehicle were administered simultaneously with $CCl_4$ to compare the extent of intestinal histologic damage, tight junction protein expression, intestinal barrier function, BT, intestinal proliferation, apoptosis, and enterocyte turnover. Intestinal heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression and oxidative stress were also assessed. We found that vitamin D could maintain intestinal epithelial proliferation and turnover, inhibit intestinal epithelial apoptosis, alleviate structural damage, and prevent BT and intestinal barrier dysfunction. These were achieved partly through restoration of HO-1 and inhibition of oxidative stress. Taken together, our results suggest that vitamin D ameliorated intestinal epithelial turnover and improved the integrity and function of intestinal barrier in $CCl_4$-induced liver cirrhotic rats. HO-1 signaling activation was involved in these above beneficial effects.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.3_spc
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• pp.405-416
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• 2021

Objective: This study evaluated the effects of feeding diets naturally contaminated with deoxynivalenol (supplemental 2 mg/kg) on health, growth, and the effects of a mycotoxin-detoxifying additive in newly-weaned pigs. Methods: Thirty-six pigs (27 day-old) were housed individually and assigned to 3 treatments for 5 weeks: CON (diet containing minimal deoxynivalenol), MT (diet with supplemental 1.9 mg/kg of deoxynivalenol), and MT+D (MT + mycotoxin-detoxifying additive, 0.2%, MegaFix, ICC, São Paulo, Brazil). The mycotoxin-detoxifying additive included bentonite, algae, enzymes, and yeast. Blood was taken at week 2 and 5. Jejunal tissue were taken at week 5. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Results: Pigs fed MT+D tended to have decreased (p = 0.056) averaged daily feed intake during week 1 than MT. At week 2, serum aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase in MT tended to be lower (p = 0.059) than CON, whereas it was increased (p<0.05) for MT+D than MT, indicating hepatic damages in MT and recovery in MT+D. Pigs fed MT had lower (p<0.05) blood urea nitrogen/creatinine than CON, supporting hepatic damage. At week 5, pigs fed MT tended to have reduced (p = 0.079) glucose than CON, whereas it was increased (p<0.05) for MT+D than MT, indicating impaired intestinal glucose absorption in MT, which was improved in MT+D. Pigs fed CON tended to have increased (p = 0.057) total glutathione in jejunum than MT, indicating oxidative stress in MT. Pigs fed MT+D had a reduced (p<0.05) proportion of Ki-67-positive cells in jejunum than MT, indicating lower enterocyte proliferation in MT+D. Conclusion: Feeding supplemental 1.9 mg/kg of deoxynivalenol reduced growth and debilitated hepatic health of pigs, as seen in leakage of hepatic enzymes, impaired nitrogen metabolism, and increase in oxidative stress. The mycotoxin-detoxifying enhanced hepatic health and glucose levels, and attenuated gut damage in pigs fed deoxynivalenol contaminated diets.