• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.231-236
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• 1996

In our previous study (Kim et al, 1991), GLUT 4 protein content correlated negatively with plasma glucose levels in skeletal muscles of STZ-induced diabetic rats. Thus, in this study, to confirm whether expression of GLUT 4 correlate negatively with degree of hyperglycemia, we measured levels of GLUT 4 mRNA in red and white gastrocnemius muscles in STZ-induced mild and severe diabetic rats. Rats were randomly assigned to control, mild, and severe diabetic groups, and the diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal administration of STZ. The experiment was carried out 10 days after STZ administration. Gastrocnemius red and white muscles were used fur the measurement of GLUT 4 expression. Plasma glucose levels of mild and severe diabetic rats were increased compared to control rats (control, mild, and severe diabetes; $6.4{\pm}0.32,\;9.4{\pm}0.68,\;and\;22.0{\pm}0.58$ mmol/L, respectively). Plasma insulin levels of mild and severe diabetic rats were decreased compared to control rats (control, mild, and severe diabetes; $198{\pm}37,\;l14{\pm}14,\;and\;90{\pm}15$ pmol/L, respectively). GLUT 4 mRNA levels of gastrocnemius red muscles in mild and severe diabetic rats were decreased compared to control rats ($64{\pm}1.2%\;and\;71{\pm}2.0%$ of control, respectively), but GLUT 4 mRNA levels in gastrocnemius white muscles were unaltered in diabetic rats. In summary, GLUT 4 mRNA levels were decreased in STZ-induced diabetic rats but did not correlated negatively with degree of hyperglycemia, and this result suggest that the regulatory mechanisms of decreased GLUT 4 mRNA levels are hypoinsulinemia and/or other metabolic factor but not hyperglycemia. And regulation of GLUT 4 expression in STZ-induced diabetes between red and white enriched skeletal muscles may be related to a fiber specific gene regulatory mechanism.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.318-327
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• 1985

This study was designed to investigate the effect of early protein undernutrition of rats on later susceptibility to lead poisoning. Weanling rats, weighing about 55 grams, were malnourished by feeding low protein diets ( 12% and 5% casein diet ) during the four weeks of protein deprivation period. For the following 5 weeks, the malnourished rats were fed with 25% casein diet as rehabilitation diet. After the rehabilitation period, all rats were fed with 25% casein diet and the drinking water containing 2000ppm-Pb during the four weeks. The results obtained were as follows ; 1 ) Feed intake, body weight gain and food efficiency ratio were reduced in all rats exposed to lead, especially in rats fed with 5% casein diet during the four weeks of weanling period. 2 ) Enlargement of kidney and spleen were observed in all rats exposed to lead and were more remarkable in rats fed with 5% casein diet. 3 ) In rats exposed to lead, activity of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase ( S- GOT ) was significantly increased by increasing the degree of early protein deprivation, whereas hematocrit value was significantly decreased. Activity of serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase ( S- GPT ) was shown a tendency to increase by increasing the degree of early protein deprivation, but the difference was not significant. 4) In rats exposed to lead, the amount of lead accumulation in kidney was increased by increasing the degree of early protein deprivation. The significant increase was shown in rats fed with 5% casein diet during the four weeks of weanling period. The results of the experiment suggest that early protein undernutrition, even after some period of rehabilitation, may enhance the later susceptibility to lead poisoning.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.12-18
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• 2001

Background: It is controversial whether the change in nitric oxide (NO) expression in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) may be responsible for developtment and/or maintenance of painful diabetic neuropathy. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of NO in the pathogenesis of painful diabetic neuropathy. Methods: The effect of L-nitroargine methylester (L-NAME) or sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on allodynia was measured in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. NO concentration was measured in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma of the diabetic rats. NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemistry was performed on the DRG and spinal cords of the STZ-induced diabetic rats. Results: L-NAME, an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, alleviated allodynia, while SNP, a nitric oxide donor, aggravated allodynia in diabetic rats. Plasma NO level in the diabetic rats was significantly decreased compared with control rats. NO level in the CSF of diabetic rats did not differ from that of the control rats. NADPH-d positive cells were decreased in the DRG of diabetic rats. However, NADPH-d histochemistry in the diabetic spinal cord was not different from that of the control rats. Conclusions: Downregulation of NO expression in the diabetic rats may not be causally related to the development and/or maintenance of painful diabetic neuropathy.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.521-527
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• 2001

The effects of dietary restriction (DR) on antioxidant enzymes were studied in liver, lung and erythrocytes of diabetic rats. Experimental animals used Sprague-Dawley (SD; body weight 350$\pm$20g) male rats and Otsuka Long Evans Tokushima fatty (OLETE; body weight 5--$\pm$30g) male rats, as a model of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Type I diabetes was induced in SD rats by intramuscular injection of alloxan (80 mg/kg BW). Animals were randomly assigned either to continue the ad libitum diet or 40% DR (60% intake of ad libitum diet) groups. The body weight was measured at every 2 weeks to 4 months following DR. The activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) were measured in liver, lung and erythrocytes and the concentration of TBARS as a marker of reactive oxygen species-induced tissue injry was also measured in rats after 4 months 40% DR. The body weight 4 months after 40% DR of control SD, alloxian-diabetid SD and OLETE rats were 80%, 98% and 75% of each control groups, respectively. The activities of SOD, catalase and GSHPx in lung and erythrocytes of rats were not change by 40% DR but in 4 month 40% DR rat liver, the activities of SOD and catalase were increased in control SD, alloxan-diabetic SD, and OLETF groups. The concentration of TBARS in lung and erythrocytes was also not changed by 40% DR, while liver TBARS concentration was decreased in OLETF and control SD rats compared to each non-DR control rats. These results suggested that the body weight changes in diabetic rats by DR was more prominent in type 2 diabetes and changes of antioxidant enzymes is most prominent in liver by DR either type 1 and 2 diabetic rats.

• BMB Reports
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.434-439
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• 2001

The effects of regular endurance exercise, or acute-exercise and rest on the levels of lipids, carnitines and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-I (CPT-I) were investigated in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were exercise trained on a treadmill for 60 min per day for 60 days (long-term trained, LT), or non-trained for 59 days (NT) and exercised for 60 min on the 60th day. In NT rats, the levels of serum nonesterified carnitine (NEC), acidsoluble acylcarnitine (ASAC), and total carnitine (TONE) increased significantly during the post-exercise recovery period (PERP). In LT rats, ASAC, and TCNE, which increased right after the 60 min running session decreased to the levels of pre-exercise during the PERP. The levels of skeletal muscle ASAC in NT rats, which increased significantly by the acute-exercise, decreased to the pre-exercise levels during the PERP. However, the ASAC level in LT rats reached its peak at 4 h after running for 60 min. Liver triglyceride (TG) and total lipids (TL), which increased by the acute-exercise, decreased to the pre-exercise levels during the PERP in both NT and LT rats. CPT-I activity in NT rats increased significantly after 1 h of a 60-min exercise and slowly decreased to pre-exercise levels during the PERP. However, the CPT-I activity in LT rats, which increased significantly by the 60 min exercise, decreased slowly and reached its pre-exercise level within 8 h of the PERP. Northern blot analysis showed that the changes of CPT-I activities during the PERP coincided with changes in CPT-I mRNA levels. This study shows that both regular endurance exercise, and acute-exercise and rest, can influence differently the levels of carnitines, lipids and CPT-I in rats. The results suggest that regular endurance exercise, rather than the acute-exercise, can change effectively the distributions of carnitines, lipids and CPT-I in rats during exercise and rest.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.569-577
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• 1992

To study the effects of the age and the dietary protein content on Ca metabolism male rats of 1 month 6 month 12 month of age were fed experimental diets containing 5%, 15% or 50% casein for 4 weeks. Food and ca intake were higher in old rats and in high protein groups. The weight ash and Ca contents of femur and tibia were higher in old rats. The higher dietary protein level resulted in higher skeletal weigh ash and Ca contents. But high protein diet(50% casein) lead to reduced bone mineral density(ash/dry bone weight) and Ca density(Ca/dry bone weight) in 1 month old rats. Low protein diet(5% casein) on the other hand reduced the bone growth even though the bone density was higher in this group. The ill effect of low protein diet was not evident in 12 month old rats. Glomerular filteration rate(GFR) and urinary Ca excretionincreased with age and with dietary protein level especially in 12 month old rats. Serum immunoreactive parathyroid hormone(iPTH) level tended to be higher in aged rats but was not affected by dietary protein level except 1 month old rats where 50% protein group showed significantly higher value. This study showed that the dietary protein level seemed to have different effect on Ca metabo-lism in rats of different age., The low bone density in the high protein group of growing rats may be due to the higher iPTH level and increased urinary Ca. The dietary protein level however had no effects on the bone composition in aged rats even though the higher urinary Ca excretion. In conclusion this study suggests that high protein intake from young may lead to less peak bone mass and to increase the bone loss in later years, which would increase the risk for osteporosis.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.147-157
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• 2000

This study examined the effects of excess intake of calcium (Ca) and iron (Fe) supplement on bone loss, nephrocalcinosis and renal function in osteoporotic model rats. Seven-week-old female rats were first fed a Ca-deficient diet for four weeks after ovariectomy operation, and then one of nine experimental diets for additional eight weeks, containing three levels of Ca, normal (0.5%) or high (1.5%) or excess (2.5%) and three levels of Fe, normal (35ppm) or high (210ppm) or excess (350ppm). The osteoporotic model rats showed a remarkable increase in body weight, serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and decrease in breaking force, Ca, P, Mg contents of femur. Serum Ca concentration was not significantly affected by dietary Ca and Fe levles. Liver Ca content increased in rats fed a high-and excess-Ca diet. Kidney Ca content and microscopic Ca deposition remarkably increased in osteoporotic model rats compared to control group, and showed a tendency to decrease in rats fed a excess-Ca diet. Breaking force of femur increased with increasing dietary Ca levels, but Ca, P contents of femur and serum ALP were not significantly affected by dietary Ca and Fe levels. Serum total protein decreased in rats fed a excess-Ca diet, BUN increased in rats fed a excess-Ca diet, while serum uric acid and creatinine were not significantly affected by dietary Ca levels. Urinary creatinine, GFR increased in rats fed a high-and excess-Ca, diet, and GFR was highest in rats fed a excess-Ca/excess-Fe diet. These results suggest that excess intake of Ca may increase breaking force of femur, but not increase mineral contents of femur, and decrease kidney function. Furthermore, excess intake of Fe and Ca concurrently may aggravate kidney function leading to potential health problems in ovariectomized osteoporotic model rats.

• 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.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.1165-1169
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• 2002

Palm kernel cake (PKC), a by-product of oil palm seeds after extraction of their oil. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different levels of PKC on growth performance and blood lipids in rats. A total of 64 Sprague-Dawley (8 weeks of age) male rats were assigned individually to four treatments with different levels of PKC in the diet: 0, 15, 20 and 25%. No differences (p<0.05) were found in daily feed intake (6-8 g/day), body weight, growth rate and epididymal fat weight for all the dietary groups. Plasma protein and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) triacylglycerol (TG) were higher (p<0.05) for 20% PKC fed rats than the control rats. Conversely, the plasma cholesterol and TG and VLDL-phospholipid (PL) concentrations of the control rats were higher (p<0.05) than those of PKC fed rats. The VLDL-protein, total cholesterol, free cholesterol (FC) and cholesteryl ester (CE) were not significantly different (p>0.05) among the treatment groups. Rats fed PKC had greater (p<0.05) ratios of total surface to core lipid components [(FC+PL)/(CE+TG)] than control rats. The results reflect dissimilarities of VLDL particle size between PKC treatment and control rats, where the plasma of the PKC treated rats contained more lipid rich VLDL. In conclusion, there was no adverse effect on growth performance when inclusion of PKC up to 25%. However, fibre content may affect the plasma lipid concentrations.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.413-418
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• 2009

This study was performed to investigate the changes of the serological parameters of the rats fed a high fat and high cholesterol diets with or without quercetin supplement for five weeks. Thirty Sprague-Dawley male rats ($152.1{\pm}17.0\;g$ of body weight) were randomly divided into three groups with 10 rats in each group. Rats in the control(C) group were fed the high fat and high cholesterol diet containing 15% lard, 2% cholesterol and 0.5% sodium cholate (w/w). Rats in two treatment groups were fed the same diet supplemented with 0.25% quercetin (Q-0.25) or 0.5% quercetin (Q-0.5) on the weight to weight basis, respectively. The final body weight, gain of body weight, the amount of feed intake and the feed efficiency of rats in between control and treatment groups were not significantly different. Serum glucose, total protein, albumin, globulin and albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio of rats showed no significant differences between control and treatment groups. Serum total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and atherogenic index(AI) of rats in both Q-0.25 and Q-0.5 groups were significantly lower than in C group (p < 0.05). However serum high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) was significantly higher in both Q-0.25 and Q-0.5 groups than in C group (p < 0.05). The levels of triglyceride in sera of rats showed no significant differences between control and treatment groups. The values of AST and ALT in sera of rats showed no significant differences between control and treatment groups. Therefore the supplementation of quercetin to high fat and high cholesterol diet in rats was effective in reducing the levels of serum lipids to cause cardiovascular diseases and in elevating the level of HDL-C to protect cardiovascular diseases.