• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 1998

In vitro contractile response of the uterus in the pregnant rat to oxytocin increases with advancing gestation. This increase coincides with an increase in uterine oxytocin receptor number. However, in vitro the change in uterine contractile response of the pregnant uterus to oxytocin with advancing gestation is not clear. The purpose of the present study was to find out that the uterine response in vitro to oxytocin changes as delivery a, pp.oaches. Secondly, to determine if the incubation of uterine tissue in vitro altered the uterine oxytocin receptor number and affinity and thus explain the ambiguity between the in vitro and in vitro results. The studies were performed on rats at days 15, 20 and 21 or pregnancy. In vitro the uterine contractile response to oxytocin was sgreater (P<0.05) at day 21 compared to days 15 and 20 (Emax : 724.8　88.9, 130.0　81.5 and 133.4　53.4, respectively). This correlated with a significant increase (P<0.05) in uterine oxytocin receptor number at day 21 (days 21, 15 and 20 : 540　89, 53　24, 89　35 fmoles/mg protein, respectively). However, the kids at days 15, 20 and 21 did not differ (P>0.05). Finally no difference (P>0.05) in oxytocin receptor number or affinity was detected between incubated and non-incubated tissue. The results of these studies suggest that either pre-oxytocin or post-oxytocin receptor factors are important in determining the uterine myometrial responsiveness to oxytocin.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.181-187
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• 2003

Effects of repeated treatment with butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) on the induction of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) and teratogenicity of cyclophosphamide were investigated in rats. Pregnant rats were orally treated with BHA (50 mg/kg) for 7 days, from days 6 to 12 of gestation, and intraperitoneally challenged with cyclophosphamide (15 mg/kg) 2 hr after the final treatment. On day 20 of gestation, the maternal and fetal abnormalities were examined. Separately, a part of rats was sacrificed for the assay of hepatic and placental GSTs activities on day 12 of gestation following 7-day treatment with BHA. Cyclophosphamide, administered on day 12 of gestation, induced 43.2% of fetal death and resorption, and 100% of malformations in live fetuses, in contrast to low fetal resorption (8.7%) and malformations (8%) in control group. The malformations include cranial defect and exencephaly (100%), micrognathia and tongue extrusion (100%), limb defects (40%), renal pelvic dilatation (39%), and cleft palate (15%). Interestingly, BHA induced GSTs activities by 62% and 46% over the control in liver and placenta, respectively, and remarkably reduced the fetal resorption (13.9%) and malformations, resulting in 62% of cranial defect and exencephaly, 68% of micrognathia and tongue extrusion, 29% of limb defects, and 14% of renal pelvic dilatation. Taken together, it is suggested that a long-term pretreatment with BHA could substantially prevent fetuses from abortion and malformations following intrauterine exposure to teratogens including cyclophosphamide by inducing phase II antioxidant enzymes such as GSTs.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.144-152
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• 2012

Objective: Concerns are growing about the decrease in male reproductive health. Caffeine is one of the popular nutrients that has been implicated as a risk factor for infertility. In the present study, we examined whether in utero and lactational exposure to caffeine affects the reproductive function of the offspring of rats. Methods: Pregnant rats received caffeine via drinking water during gestation (26 and 45 mg/kg) and lactation (25 and 35 mg/kg). Body and reproductive organ weight, seminiferous tubule diameter, germinal epithelium height, sperm parameters, fertility rate, number of implantations, and testosterone level of the offspring were assessed from birth to adulthood. Results: Significant dose-related decreases were observed in the body and reproductive organ weight, seminiferous tubule diameter, and germinal epithelium height of the offspring. Sperm density had declined significantly in offspring of the low-dose and high-dose groups, by 8.81% and 19.97%, respectively, by postnatal day 150. The number of viable fetuses had decreased significantly in females mated with male offspring of the high-dose group at postnatal days 60, 90, 120, and 150. There were also significant reductions in testosterone levels of high-dose group offspring from birth to postnatal day 150. Conclusion: It is concluded that maternal caffeine consumption impairs gonadal development and has long-term adverse effects on the reproductive efficiency of male offspring rats.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2001

Korean ginseng products have been fumigated with ethylene oxide (EO) for sterilization and prolongation of storage periods. However, there had been controversies indicating that consumption of EO treated foods might cause harmful effects in human. In Korea, the use EO gas for food treatment was banned in 1991. Since then, irradiation technique has been developed as an alternative. This study was carried out to evaluate the safety of irradiated ginseng on embryo and fetal developmental toxicity effects in rats. Either EO gas fumigated or $\gamma$-irradiated ginseng was administered to pregnant Wistar rats by oral gavage from gestational day 7 to 17. The amount of irradiation used in this study was 5, 10 and 30 kGy, respectively. There were no treatment related changes of dams in deaths, clinical signs, food consumption and body/organ weight. No treatment related changes in implantation ratio, litter size, sex ratio and body/organ weight of fetuses were observed. Also, no F1fetuses with external, visceral, head and skeletal mal-formation were observed. The results of this study showed that $\gamma$-irradiated ginseng, up to 30 kGy, has no adverse effects on fetal development of rats.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 2001

Korean ginseng products have been fumigated with ethylene oxide (EO) for sterilization and prolongation of storage periods. However, there had been controversies indicating that consumption of EO treated foods might cause harmful effects in human. In Korea, the use EO gas for sterilization of food was banned in 1991. Since then, irradiation technique has been developed as an alternative. This study was carried out to evaluate the safety of irradiated ginseng on peri- and postnatal developmental toxicity in rats. Either EO gas fumigated or gamma-irradiated ginseng was administered to pregnant Wistar rats by oral gavage from gestational day 16 to postnatal day 21. The amount of irradiation used in this study was 5, 10 and 30 kGy, respectively. There were no treatment related changes of dams in deaths, clinical signs, and parturition. No treatment related changes in food consumption, body/organ weight and lactation of dams were observed. Also, no F1 fetuses in external abnormality, physical development, reflex/sensory junctions and behavioral development were found. The results of this study showed that gamma-irradiated ginseng, up to 30 kGy, has no adverse effects on the peri- and postnatal development of rats.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.89-98
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• 2009

The toxicity of aristolochic acid (ArA) has attracted considerable attention since the case of nephropathy regarding diet pill preparations was reported. The present study was performed to determine the reproductive toxicity of ArA in female SD rats. ArA was administered orally to female rats at 2, 8 or 16 mg/kg b.w./day and the females were mated with untreated males and their reproductive status was determined. ArA is well known as PLA2 inhibitor, toxic effects of such a relationship are not yet clear, and in vivo study on this matter are scarce. For this study, ArA was administered to pregnant rats at 10 or 20 mg/kg b.w./day, because premating treatments were not conducted. Administration of 20 mg/kg b.w./day caused infertility or abortion. In ArA-treated groups, PGF2a productions were inhibited and apoptosis were suppressed. Collectively, this study may help to further define the roles of sPLA2 in reproductive organs and to determine the toxic mechanisms of ArA.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.27-35
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• 2008

Purpose : The experiments was undertaken to evaluate the effects of Ojeoksan-herbal medicine, in rats' fetus Methods : Female Sprague-Dawley rats were orally administered with the Ojeoksan at dose of 5mg/kg/day for 20 days. Pregnant rats were sacrificed at 20th day of gestation, and observed internal and reproductive organs. Approximately live fetuses in the 20th day of gestation were randomly selected and fixed in 95% ethanol. Results : Neonatal body weight and number of fetus of Ojeoksan group were increased to that of control group. The fetuses of dams treated with Ojeoksan didn't showed external malformation. Vertebral and sternal skeletal variations were observed in Ojeoksan administered group, but compared to the control, those skeletal variations were insignificant. There were no significant changes in number of ribs, cervical, thoracic, lumber, sacral and caudal Conclusion : From these results, it can be concluded that Ojeoksan showed no toxicity effects on number of live fetuses. There were no significant changes in skeletal variations were showed in vertebrate and sternum, Ojeoksan weren't shown significant changes in bone malformation. We need more precise study to investigate the mechanism of early or late resorption by the herbal medicines such as Ojeoksan.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.313-322
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• 1982

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of long- term Ginseng administration on metabolism of rats during growing period. A group of pregnant rats was divided into 2 groups, the one was given 18% casein diet and the other, 18% casein diet with ginseng powder 500 mg/kg body was during the gestation and lactation. After weaning, 84 male offsprings were taken at random from the 2 groups. The rats from each group were divided subsequently into 2 groups. Ginseng and control group. The rats were sacrificed at three different times -7, 11, 17 weeks of age. The body weight and amount of food intake were measared during the feeding period. After sacrificing, the weight of some organs, liver glycogen. serum total lipid values, urinary nitrogen and creatinine were examined. The results were analysed by t-test and F-test Results obtained are summarized as follows : 1) Addition of Ginseng did not significantly affect the body weight of rats. 2) The weight of liver, testis, epididymal fat pad were not significantly different between ginseng group and control group during the experimental period. 3) Urinary nitrogen and creatinine did not have significance among all the experimental groups. 4) Amount of liver glycogen was not statistically significant in the ginseng group and control group. 5) The serum total lipid values of rats Iron ginseng group was not statistically different from that of the control group. It can be concluded that Ginseng, 500 mg ginseng powder /kg body wt, does not affect the metabolism of rats under the conditions of this study.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.335-344
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• 1997

The absorption, distribution and excretion of $^{14}C$ labeled YH1885 {5,6-Dimethyl-2(4-fluorophenylamino)-4-(1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolin-2-yl)pyrimidine hydroc hloride), a new proton pumpinhibitor, were investigated in rats after a single administration of $^{14}C$-YH1885. 1. After intravenous administration of 5mg/kg, the blood level of radioactivity declined in a biphasic fashion with the mean terminal elimination half-life of 12.4hr. 2. After oral administration of 20mg/kg, the maximum blood level of radioactirity was reached at 4.0hr in female rats. The blood level of radioactivity-time profiles in male and female rats were similar, and the absorptionof $^{14}C$-YH1885 was not affected by food. 3. Appproximately 89% and 1% of radioactivity of the total dose were excreted in feces and urine, respectively. 4. Biliary excretion of radioactivity was 47.9% of the dose. Enterohepatic circulation of radioactivity was 49.6%. 5. Radioactivity was excreted maily into feces via bile. 6. The concentration of radioactivity in most tissues reached the peak level at 4.0hr after dosing, and then declined. Autoradiograms of male rats showed that the radioactivity levlels in the fat, harder's gland, liver and G-Itract were higher than those in the other tissues and the elimination of radioactivity from fat and liver was slow. 7. Autoradiograms of a pregnant rat showed that radioactivity was transferred to mammary gland, placenta and fetus. The radioactivity level in the mammary gland was higher than that in the blood.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Life Science Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.36.2-36.2
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• 2008