• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.181-189
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• 2014

The aim of this was to evaluate the effects of Rhus Verniciflua Stoke (RVS) extract powder on the endurance capacity for the forced swimming mice. Thirty mice were divided into 3 groups including negative control, 250 (RVS-250) and 500 (RVS-500) mg/kg RVS extract powder groups for 4-times swimming exercises. The swimming times to exhaustion in RVS-250 and RVS-500 mice were prolonged 1.6- and 2.0-fold at 4 weeks compared with negative control mice, respectively. Blood biochemical parameters for AST, ALT, T-CHO and TG were not significantly different between RVS fed or negative control mice. However, blood concentration of creatinine was significantly increased in RVS-250 mice, but not in RVS-500 mice. During the longer swimming exercise in RVS group, blood glucose and lactate levels were significantly decreased, but free fatty acid not changed. And also LDH levels were significantly decreased in RVS groups compared to negative control mice. Hepatic lipid peroxidation was not affected by RVS, but SOD and catalase activity were significantly increased in RVS groups. Interestingly, the levels of testosterone and free testosterone were significantly increased in RVS groups before swimming exercise, but they were not significantly changed among groups after swimming exercise. The present results suggest that RVS extract powders may enhance swimming exercise performance by recovering the exercise-fatigue via reduction of blood LDH activity and by burning blood glucose as an energy source. These results imply that RVS-produced testosterone may act as an energy buster to enhance physical activity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.467-474
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• 2000

Male mice (ddY strain) were fed a laboratory chow diet containing the water extract from stem bark of Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) for 14 days. There were no significant difference in body weight gain, feed intake, the hepatic lipid profile and serum total cholesterol and phodpholipid concentrations. The concentration of triglyceride in serum was significantly lower in the RVS group than that in the control group. The concentration of high-density-lipoprotein cholestrol in serum was significantly higher in the RVS group than that in the control group. The methanol extract from RVS stem bark effectively inhibited the formation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances as a marker of lipid peroxidation of liver microsomes in a concentration-dependent manner. This study showed that the water extract from stem bark of RVS decreased the serum triglyceride concentration and methanol extract has an antioxidative activity.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.210-217
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• 2005

This study was designed to evaluate the quality comparison of emulsion-type sausages made from different Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) sources. The pigs were fed a supplemented concentrate diet with a RVS supplement of $4\%$ feed for 5 weeks before slaughter. The RVS extract was prepared from 100g of RVS sawdust and 1L of distilled water for 48 hours. Emulsion-type sausages were made using lean meat or dietary RVS han1 lean $(51.07\%)$, ice water or RVS extract $(19.63\%)$, back fat $(26.60\%)$ and other additives $(2.70\%)$. The treated sausages were divided into non-dietary meat with water (T1, Control), dietary RVS meat with water (T2), non-dietary meat with RVS extract (T3), and dietary meat with RVS extract (T4). The crude fat was significantly lower (p<0.05) in dietary RVS meat-added sausages (T2, T4) than in control sausage (T1). The lightness ($L^{\ast}$) and redness ($a^{\ast}$) were significantly lower (p<0.05) in RVS extract-added sausages (T3, T4) during refrigerated storage. The $a^{\ast}$ value was higher (p<0.05) in T2 than in the other treatments. The VBN and TBARS values were significantly lower in RVS extract-added sausages (T3, T4) during refrigerated storage. The hardness, adhesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness were significantly lower (p<0.05) in T2 than in the other treatments. This results showed that feeding of RVS in diet and/or RVS extract had a significant impact on the quality of emulsion-type sausage. The RVS extract-added emulsion-type sausages (T3, T4) showed dark and reddish color although they were more effective in delaying the protein deterioration and lipid oxidation. Consequently, the sausage prepared from pigs fed $4\%$ RVS with water (T2) was more effective in increasing the $a^{\ast}$ value, textural properties, and delaying the protein deterioration, lipid oxidation than that without RVS in diet.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.156-160
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• 2008

The methanolic extract of Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS-T) and its fractions (RVS-H, RVS-C, RVS-E and RVS-B) showed significant neuroprotective activity against glutamate-induced toxicity in primary cultures of rat cortical cells. RVS-B, which showed the most potent neuroprotective activity, was further fractionated to yield RVS-B5. Treatment of cortical cells with the RVS-T, RVS-B and RVS-B5 reduced the cellular ROS level and restored the reduced activities of glutathione reductase and SOD induced by glutamate. Although, the activity of glutathione peroxidase was not virtually changed by glutamate, RVS-B5 increased the glutathione peroxidase activity. In addition, these three tested fractions significantly restored the content of GSH which was decreased by glutamate insult in our cultures. Taken together, it could be postulated that RVS extract, in particular its fraction RVS-B5, protected neuronal cells against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity through acting on the antioxidative defense system.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.112-117
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• 2009

Objective: Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) has anticancer effect confirmed by preclinical studies and historical records. We thus tried to evaluate retrospectively the effect of RVS as a complementary medicine for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) showing refractory to conventional chemotherapy. Patients and Methods: From June 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007, patients with advanced NSCLC who received both the standardized RVS extract and a standard course of second or more line therapy such as pemetrexed ($Alimta^{(R)}$), erlotinib ($Tarceva^{(R)}$), and gefitinib ($Iressa^{(R)}$) were checked. A total of 13 patients were eligible for the final analysis after fulfilling inclusion/exclusion criteria. Time to progression (TTP) of these patients treated with the standardized RVS extract was checked in the aftercare period. Results: Patients received RVS treatment for a median period of 296 (range 84-698) days. The median TTP was 220.5 (range 36-489) days, and three patients (23.1%) had TTP values of 15 more months. No significant side effects from RVS treatment have been observed. Conclusion: The standardized RVS extract might have synergetic effects by assisting apoptosis in advanced NSCLC with concurrent standard therapy agents, since it prolonged TTP without significant adverse effects. This study suggests that the standardized RVS extract is beneficial to patients with chemotherapy-refractory NSCLC. Further clinical trials and preclinical studies are necessary to determine the efficacy and safety of the standardized RVS extract in NSCLC.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.34 no.4 s.135
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• pp.339-343
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• 2003

We investigated the effects of Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) on high fat diet- induced obesity in C57BL/6 that received ad libitum exposure to a high fat diet for 8 weeks. Male C57BL/6 mice weighing $20.1{\pm}0.95\;g$ were divided into four groups and the body weight and food intake were weighed for 8 weeks. After the administration of RVS extract, the liver, subcutaneous and retroperitoneal adipose tissue in the mice were weighed and common blood count in whole blood and biochemical parameters in plasma were measured. It was founded that body weight increase was significantly suppressed by the oral administration of RVS extract in group with high fat diet. Weight of subcutaneous adipose tissue and concentration of triglyceride in plasma from mice which were administrated RVS extract were lower than obesity control group. These results suggest that RVS extract may effect on inhibition of diet-induced obesity.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.701-709
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• 2006

The Rhus verniciflua Stokes (乾漆-RVS) has been used in traditional East Asia medicine for the therapy of gastritis, stomach cancer, although the mechanism for the biological activity is unclear. In the present study aims to investigate RVS extract contributes to growth inhibitory effect and it's the molecular mechanism on the human gastric cancer cells. AGS (gastric cancer cells) and RIEI (normal cells) were treated to different concentrations and periods of RVS extract $(10{\;}{\sim{{\;}100{\;}ug/mil)$. Growth inhibitory effect was analyzed by measuring FACS study and MTS assay. Cell cycle inhibition was confirmed by measuring CDK2 kinase activity by immunoprecipitation and kinase assay. And apoptosis was confirmed by surveying caspase cascades activation using a pan caspase inhibitor Exposure to RVS extract (50 ug/mll) resulted in a synergistic inhibitory effect on cell growth in AGS cells. Growth inhibition was related with the inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis. The extract induces Gl -cell cycle arrest through the regulation of cyclins, the induction of p27kip1, and the decrease CDK2 kinase activity. And upregulated p27kip1 level is caused by protein stability increment by the reduction of S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2), a key molecule related with p27kip1 ubiquitination and degradation, and do novo protein synthesis. Besides, 乾漆 extract induces apoptosis through the expression of Bax, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and activation of caspase-3. RVS extract induces Gl -cell cycle arrest via accumulation of p27kip1 and apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells but not in normal cells, therefore we suggest that the extract can be used as a novel class of anti-cancer drugs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.98 no.6
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• pp.681-689
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• 2009

We investigated the effect of Rhus verniciflua Stokes extract ingestion with exercise training on plasma lipids and insulin resistance for 8 weeks. Forty SD (Sprague-Dawley) male rats were used as the experimental animals that were divided into CON (control), RVS (Rhus verniciflua Stokes), EXE (exercise training), and RVS-EXE (Rhus verniciflua Stokes with exercise training), respectively. Body weight gain in EXE (202%) and RVS-EXE (203%) was significantly lower than CON (253%) and RVS (239). Stored fats were significantly lower with RVS and/or exercise training. Blood lipids were enhanced in RVS and RVS-EXE compared to CON. Blood glucose was significantly high in CON compared to the other groups. Insulin and HOMA index has the same tendencies with glucose, however, the synergic effect was found in RVS-EXE. In conclusion, Rhus verniciflua Stokes extract ingestion with exercise training has the effect of lowering amount of stored fats, reducing blood lipids, and enhancing insulin resistance, therefore, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity, and hyperlipidemia might be prevented.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.189-195
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• 2005

This study was carried out to investigate the antioxidant effect of Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) extracts. The antioxidant activity of ethanol and water extract from RVS was examined on model systems and cooked beef, respectively. As concentration of RVS ethanol extract increased (1, 10, 100, and 1,000 ppm), the reductive activity of DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) was significantly increased (14.79, 75.08, 82.02, and $83.97\%$ respectively) (p<0.05). The RVS ethanol extract (10 ppm) was showed higher antioxidant activity than control in liposome and meat homogenate (p<0.05). It had more antioxidative effect in 10 ppm RVS ethanol extract with 2 ppm $\alpha-tocopherol$ treatment The maximum antioxidant activity appeared at pH 6.0 in meat homogenate and at pH $5.0\~6.0$ in liposome. Cooked beef mixed with Rhus verniciflua Stokes water extract showed significantly lower TBARS value, POV during storage for 4 days at $4^{\circ}C$ (p<0.05). And the RVS water extract also showed strong antioxidant activity in cooked beef which accelerated NaCl-catalyzed oxidation. Therefore, the results suggest that RVS extract may be used in commercial meat products as natural antioxidant in the near future.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.825-831
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• 2016

This study was carried out to investigate the quality characteristics of fermented milk containing Rhus verniciflua seed (RVS) extracts (0.0%, 0.1%, 0.3% and 0.5%) and antioxidant activity of RVS extracts. The proximate composition of RVS was moisture (4.76%), crude ash (1.40%), crude fat (5.33%) and crude protein (11.10%). A total polyphenol content of 70% ethanol extract of RVS ($554{\pm}2.64mg/g$) was higher than that of RVS water extract ($145{\pm}3.47mg/g$). 70% ethanol extract ($1103{\pm}6.42mg/g$) of RVS showed higher content in the total flavonoids ($37{\pm}2.30mg/g$) and activities on DPPH free radical scavenging (73.23%) and ABTS free radical scavenging (83.47%) when compared with water extracted of RVS. The quality characteristics, such as pH, titratable acidity, and the number of lactic acid producing bacteria were not remarkably different between the fermented milk samples subjected to treatments with and without the addition of RVS extracts.