• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.595-600
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• 1992

This study was performed to investigate the effects of dietary protein levels(5% and 15% PEP), caffeine or green tea powder on body fat deposition in rats. Male weanling Wistar rats weighting the average of 90g were allotted into 6 experimental groups, each of which was fed two different levels of dietary protein with or without caffeine or green tea powder(5p+0.15% caffeine ; 5p+6.1% green tea powder ; 15p+0.15% caffeine ; 15p+6.1% green tea powder) during 8 weeks of the experimental period. Caffeine and green tea powder were supplemented at the levels of 0.15% and 6.1% of experimental diets. The rats fed 5% PEP diet which had received caffeine or green tea powder showed significantly(p<0.01) reduced gain in body weight. The food efficiency of which rats fed both 5% and 15% PEP diet supplemented with 6.1% green tea powder was significantly low(p<0.05, respectively) compared with the control group. Rats fed diets containing 0.15% caffeine and 6.1% green tea powder showed the significant reduction(p<0.01) of hite adipose tissue weight, triglycerides levels of liver and plasma. The addition of 0.15% caffeine or 6.1% green tea powder to 5% PEP diet resulted in significantly(p<0.01) higher levels of plasma total cholesterol, free cholesterol, cholesterol ester, but HDL-cholesterol levels were significantly(p<0.01, in 5% PEP group) high. The atherogenic index(Tchol-HDLchol/HDLchol) in rats fed 6.1% green tea powder diets decreased especially compared with the control group.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.319-329
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• 1990

Effects of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) on blood pressure, plasma lenin activity, aldosterone and renal excretion were compared in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar rats fed low, medium or high sodium diet (2, 10, 25 mmol NaCl/100g diet) for 6 weeks. ANP infusion (380 ng/kg/min for 20 min) produced reductions in blood pressure, plasma renin activity, and aldosterone level, but marked increases in hematocrit, urine flow, and excretions of sodium and potassium. The low sodium group showed a significantly enhanced aldosterone lowering effect of ANP than the high sodium group. However, three salt groups showed no difference in effects of ANP on blood pressure, plasma renin activity, hematocrit and diuresis. Natriuretic response to ANP was significantly greater in the high salt-than in the low sait-SHR, but was not different between the Wistar salt groups. There were strain differences in effects of ANP: SHR showed greater responses of blood pressure and natriuresis than Wistar rats. Above results indicate that aldosterone-lowering and natriuretic effects of ANP were modifed by different dietary sodium intakes. However, blood pressure- and renin-lowering, or diuretic effects of ANP were not affected by dietary sodium intakes. The mechanisms whereby dietary sodium intakes alter the effects of ANP in the pathogenesis of hypertension are not clear.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2004.12a
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• pp.83-84
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• 2004

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2004.12a
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• pp.87-87
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• 2004

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2014

Objectives: The present study investigated the protective effect of Wattakaka (W.) volubilis leaf extract against streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in rats. Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into five groups (with six rats in each group) and were fed ad libitum. The rats were fasted for sixteen hours before diabetes was induced by injecting a single dose of 90 mg/kg body weight of STZ in 0.9-percent normal saline through an intraperitoneal route. The five groups were as follows: Group 1: normal control (saline-treated), Group 2: untreated diabetic rats, Groups 3 and 4: diabetic rats treated orally with petroleum ether cold maceration extract (PEME) of W. volubilis (50 and 100 mg/kg body weight), and Group 5: diabetic rats treated orally with metformin (250 mg/kg body weight). All rats received treatment for 21 days. For the STZ-induced diabetic rats, the blood-glucose, ${\alpha}$-amylase, total protein and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels were measured on days 7, 14 and 21 of the treatment with PEME of W. volubilis and the treatment with metformin. Histopathological changes in the liver were examined with hematoxylin-eosin staining. Morphological changes in the liver were also examined with glutaraldehyde fixation. Results: The treatments with PEME of W. volubilis and with metformin in experimental rats by oral injections for 21 days produced reductions in the levels of serum biochemical markers. Histopathology and scanning electron microscopy results showed that the administrations of PEME of W. volubilis and of metformin suppressed the generation of abnormal liver cells in the STZ-treated rats. Conclusion: These results suggest that both PEME of W. volubilis and metformin have a protective effect against STZ-induced diabetes.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.241-248
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• 2019

Pesticide exposure may induce biochemical alterations including oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. However, in the context of developmental origin of health and disease, putative trans-generational effect of exposure to pesticides are insufficiently studied. We therefore aimed to evaluate the biochemical effect of gestational exposure to four pesticides on female Wistar rats and their offspring at adult age. We studied 30 female nulliparous Wistar rats divided into 5 equal groups. Group 1 served as the control group and received distilled water while group 2, 3, 4 and 5 received orally pesticide 1 (imidacloprid), pesticide 2 (chlorpyrifos), pesticide 3 (imidacloprid + lambda cyhalothrin) and pesticide 4 (oxamyl) respectively once daily throughout gestation at a dose equivalent to 1/10 lethal dose 50. The mothers were followed up until one month post gestation. The offspring were followed up from birth until adult age (12 weeks). In all animals at each time point we evaluated malondialdehyde (MDA), oxidative stress and liver function enzymes. There was similar variation of total body weight in all the groups during and after gestation. However, Female Wistar rats of the exposed groups had significant alterations in liver SOD (-30.8% to +64.1%), catalase (-38.8% to -85.7%) and GSH (-29.2% to -86.5%) and; kidney catalase (> 100%), GSH (> 100%). Moreover, MDA, alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) levels were significantly higher in pesticide exposed rats compared to the control group. Similar alterations in antioxidant enzymes, MDA and liver function enzymes were observed in offspring of treated rats evidenced at weaning and persisting until adult age. Exposure to pesticides causes oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in exposed female Wistar rats and their offspring. The persistence in offspring at adult age suggests transgenerational adverse effects.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.28-34
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• 1993

Using in vitro autoradiography with a digital autoradiography system and radioreceptor assay, the distribution and the binding characteristics of the muscarinic cholinergic receptors (mAChR) were studied in regions of rat brain. Radioreceptor assay revealed that mAChR could be measured with saturation binding assay in the brain and heart homogenates: No difference in Kd or Bmax of the brain or heart was found between the normal Wistar rats and SHR rats. Specific binding of $^3H$ quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) increased and saturation was reached by 2 hours after incubation with slide-mounted brain tissue. The distribution of mAChR was heterogeneous along the fields of brain. Affinity (Kd) of mAChR was not different significantly among cortex, hippocampus and caudate-putamen. No difference was found between normal rats and SHR strain. More receptors (Bmax) were found in the cortex and hippocampus than in the caudate-putamen in normal rats. More receptors were found in the cortex and caudate-putamen in SHR rats than in normal rats. Radioreceptor assay and digital autoradiographic analysis of affinity and number of mAChR gave the same results. With the above findings, we concluded that we could use digital autoradiographic system with $^3H$-QNB in the characterization of mAChR of rats and that the cortex and caudate-putamen of SHR strain rats have more receptors than those of normal rats.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.253-258
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• 2016

Objectives: The goals of this research were to evaluate acute (single-dose) and sub-acute (repeated-dose) toxicity profiles of methanolic extract of Pistacia integerrima J. L. Stewart ex Brandis (PI) for Wistar rats and to assess the safety profile of PI by observing physiological changes, mortality, changes in body weight, the histopathology of body organs, the hematology and the biochemistry of the animals. Methods: The toxicity profile of PI was evaluated using Wistar rats of both sexes. Animals were divided into four groups: Group 1; control group (normal saline), Group 2; PI-1 (250 mg/kg), Group 3; PI-2 (500 mg/kg), Group 4; PL-3 (1,000 mg/kg). An acute-toxicity study in which animals received a single dose of PI extract (2,000 mg/kg) and were then observed for 14 days for changes in skin, fur, eye color, mucous membrane secretions and excretions, gait, posture, and tonic or clonic movements was performed according to guideline 425 of the Organization of Economic and Corporation Development (OECD). In the repeated-dose toxicity study (OECD - 407) animals received a daily dose of PI extract for 28 days (4 weeks). The parameters observed in this study include body weight, hematology and biochemistry of the animals. Results: In the acute toxicity study, no mortalities or changes in behavior were noted in the animals. The repeated-dose toxicity study was also devoid of any toxicity in the animals during the 28 days of testing with PI extract. The extract did not alter- the body weight, hematology or biochemistry of the animals. The methanolic extract of PI was to be found safe to the no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) for the single-dose and repeated-dose toxicity tests in rats. Conclusion: The methanolic extract of PI was devoid of toxicity; hence, it can be used for various ayurvedic preparations and treatments of diseases.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.13-24
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• 2019

Numerous ethnomedicinal uses have been attributed to different parts of Annona senegalensis (ASE), including its uses as food and food additives. The present study investigated toxicological and antioxidant effects of 28 days administration of ethanol extracts of ASE stem bark to Wistar strain albino rats. Acute toxicity test was done to determine lethal dose in Wistar rats while sub-acute toxicity test was conducted on rats divided into four groups (A - control, B - 50 mg/kg, C - 100 mg/kg, D - 150 mg/kg, respectively and treated for 28 days. Oxidative stress markers in liver and kidney as well as hepatic succinate dehydrogenase activity in the mitochondrial and post mitochondrial fractions (PMF) were evaluated. The $LD_{50}$ value of ASE was > 2,000 mg/kg. White blood cell counts gradually increased, but red blood cell counts and haematocrits level decreased significantly (p < 0.05) by about 50%. Liver enzymes in the serum and mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase activity increased significantly (p < 0.05). Superoxide dismutase and catalase activities also increased in liver mitochondria and PMF while malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione levels increased only in the PMF. Furthermore, only MDA levels increased significantly in the kidney after 28 days extract administration. Histopathological examination showed hepatic necrosis and no obvious signs of nephrotoxicity. Anona senegalensis is relatively safe, but prolonged ingestion could induce oxidative stress and impair ATP synthesis through the modulation of the activity of mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.271-279
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• 2022

Background: Inflammation is known to underlie the pathogenesis in neuropathic pain. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective mechanisms involved in antinociceptive effects of co-administration of acetaminophen and L-carnosine in chronic constriction injury (CCI)-induced peripheral neuropathy in male Wistar rats. Methods: Fifty-six male Wistar rats were randomly divided into seven experimental groups (n = 8) treated with normal saline/acetaminophen/acetaminophen + L-carnosine. CCI was used to induce neuropathic pain in rats. Hyperalgesia and allodynia were assessed using hotplate and von Frey tests, respectively. Investigation of spinal proinflammatory cytokines and antioxidant system were carried out after twenty-one days of treatment. Results: The results showed that the co-administration of acetaminophen and L-carnosine significantly (P < 0.001) increased the paw withdrawal threshold to thermal and mechanical stimuli in ligated rats compared to the ligated naïve group. There was a significant (P < 0.001) decrease in the levels of nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer B cell inhibitor, calcium ion, interleukin-1-beta, and tumour necrotic factor-alpha in the spinal cord of the group coadministered with acetaminophen and L-carnosine compared to the ligated control group. Co-administration with acetaminophen and L-carnosine increased the antioxidant enzymatic activities and reduced the lipid peroxidation in the spinal cord. Conclusions: Co-administration of acetaminophen and L-carnosine has anti-inflammatory effects as a mechanism that mediate its antinociceptive effects in CCI-induced peripheral neuropathy in Wistar rat.