• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.39-48
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• 2009

We have evaluated the effect of long term treatment of Enicostemma littorale (E. littorale) in type 2 diabetic patients taking pills of aqueous extract of E. littorale regularly as a complimentary medicine for at least 9 months. The effects of E. littorale on glycemic control, lipid profile, cardiac function and DNA damage in these patients were compared with those who had not been regular in taking E. littorale but regular in taking other conventional anti-diabetics. Our data suggest that, E. littorale can maintain normal blood glucose, serum insulin, serum triglycerides levels of type 2 diabetic patients if taken regularly. E. littorale also improves insulin sensitivity, and normalize disturbed lipogram and elevated creatinine levels, thereby produces beneficial effect in preventing cardiovascular complications and may preserve the kidney function. The finding that E. littorale also prevents DNA damage suggest a long term effect in diabetic patients. E. littorale thus can be considered as safe supplementary therapy for a long term and effective management of type 2 diabetic patients.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.230-237
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• 2015

This study investigated the impact of microalgal oil (MO) on body weight management in C57BL/6J mice. Obesity was induced for 8 weeks and animals were orally supplemented with the following for 8 additional weeks: beef tallow (BT), corn oil, fish oil (FO), microalgal oil (MO), or none, as a high fat diet control group (HD). A normal control group was fed with a normal diet. After completing the experiment, the FO and MO groups showed significant decreases in body weight gain, epididymal fat pad weights, serum triglycerides, and total cholesterol levels compared to the HD and BT groups. A lower mRNA expression level of lipid anabolic gene and higher levels of lipid catabolic genes were observed in both FO and MO groups. Serum insulin and leptin concentrations were lower in the MO group. These results indicated that microalgal oil has an anti-obesity effect that can combat high fat diet-induced obesity in mice.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.38-41
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• 2012

A 32-year-old female patient and her sister show high levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in regular health checkups, since female patient was 11 years old. The patient's serum total cholesterol was 285 mg/dL and HDL cholesterol was 113 mg/dL. Her sister's total cholesterol was 240 mg/dL and the HDL cholesterol measured to be 90 mg/dL. Lipoprotein pattern and cholesteryl ester transfer activity gene analysis were examined in these patients. We found c.1321+1G>A (IVS14+1G/A) hetero mutation in cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) genes. Generally, CETP mediates transfer and exchange of triglycerides and cholesteryl ester between plasma lipoproteins. Also we investigated a key role of HDL-CE and Apo A-1 metabolism. Patients with low levels of CETP have increased serum HDL levels. We hereby report two Korean cases of CETP deficiency in a family. Brief literature review ensues with the cases.

• Journal of Menopausal Medicine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.176-182
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• 2018

Objectives: Menopause is associated with adverse metabolic changes in plasma lipoprotein and inflammation markers. Estrogens have beneficial effects on lipid metabolism and inflammation. Isoflavones (ISO) have structurally similar to estradiol. Our objective was analize the effect of soy-ISO on serum lipid and inflammatory markers (sP-selectin and sCD40L) in postmenopausal women. Methods: A 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention with soy-ISO (50 mg, twice daily) was conducted in 35 healthy postmenopausal women (55-72 years old). The women were divided in 2 groups: 20 were allocated to soy-ISO, and 15 to a placebo group. Results: The changes of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins-cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, Apo-A1, sP-selectin and sCD40L in 2 groups before and after 12-week treatment showed no statistical significance. In subgroup analysis, soy-ISO supplementation significantly decreased the levels of TC, LDL-C and sCD40L in women under 65 years old, and with null effects on serum lipid and inflammation markers in women over 65 years old. Conclusions: Soy-ISO did not significantly favorable effects on the lipid profile and inflammatory markers in postmenopausal women. However, in women under 65 years of age, soy-ISO significantly decreased the TC, LDL-C and sCD40L, whereas, no effects on lipid profile and inflammation markers in women over 65 years old were observed.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 2022

Squid is a sustainable source of long-chain omega 3 fatty acids. This study aims to assess the safety and triglyceride-lowering efficacy of refined oil derived from the squid(Todarodes pacificus) viscera. Male and female participants with elevated fasting serum lipids (i.e., total cholesterol of ≥5.2 mmol/L or fasting serum triglyceride of ≥1.65 mmol/L) were randomly allocated to the control (n = 52) or squid oil group (n = 52), and participants in the latter group were instructed to consume 3 g of squid oil daily for 60 days. None of the subjects reported adverse events associated with the consumption of squid oil. Baseline clinical chemistry and hematological parameter values and those toward the end of the treatment period were similar, and all values were within the normal range. Fasting cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the control and squid oil groups were similar; however, toward the end of the 60 day study period, these levels significantly reduced in the squid oil group relative to those in the control group (P< 0.01). However, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol remained unchanged in both groups. Thus, it can be inferred that squid oil is a safe source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and has beneficial effects on the blood lipid levels. This is the first clinical study on squid oil usage, and suggests that it could be a sustainable source of omega 3 fatty acids.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2012

The purposes of this study were to investigate the effects of acute exercise on blood vaspin, glucose level, and inflammatory cytokines in middle-aged women with pre-diabetes. Nineteen middle-aged women (normal women, n = 11) and women with pre-diabetes(n = 8), who were apparently healthy and not taking any medications affecting their blood pressure or blood glucose, participated. Body fatness parameters including body mass index, body fat percentage, and waist circumference were measured using a bio-impedance analyzer. Resting blood pressure was measured in duplicate, and mean values were used for the data analysis. Regardless of group assignments, all subjects participated in a 3-day consecutive walking exercise at an intensity of 65% VO_2max targeting an energy expenditure of 1200 kcal (400 kcal per day). The major outcome variables included total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose, vaspin, interleukin-6, and adiponectin levels. Unlike normal women, women with pre-diabetes had a significant improvement in the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (p < 0.025) with no significant group difference in response to acute exercise. The findings suggest that acute exercise results in a significant improvement in insulin sensitivity without any change in serum vaspin levels in women with pre-diabetes.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.115-120
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• 2008

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between serum ferritin and the metabolic syndrome (MS). Methods : We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1,444 adults over age 40 and under age 70 that lived in a rural area and participated in a survey conducted as part of the Korean Rural Genomic Cohort Study (KRGCS). The MS was defined as the presence of at least three of the followings : elevated blood pressure, low high density lipoprotein cholesterol, elevated serum triglycerides, elevated plasma glucose, or abdominal obesity. After adjustment for age, alcohol intake, menopausal status, body mass index (BMI), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), odds ratios (ORs) for the prevalence of the MS by sex were calculated for quartiles of serum ferritin using logistic regression analysis. Results : The MS was more common in those persons , with the highest levels of serum ferritin, compared to persons with the lowest levels, in men (37.1% vs. 22.4%, p=0.006) and women (58.8% vs. 34.8, p<0.001). In both sexes, the greater the number of MS components presents, the greater the serum ferritin levels. After adjustment for age, alcohol intake, and menopausal status, the OR for metabolic syndrome, comparing the fourth quartile of ferritin with the first quartile, was 2.21 (95% confidence interval; CI=1.26-3.87; p-trend=0.024) in men and 2.10 (95% CI=1.40-3.17; p-trend=0.001) in women. However, after further adjustment for BMI, hs-CRP, and ALT, the ORs were statistically attenuated in both sexes. Conclusions : Moderately elevated serum ferritin levels were not independently associated with the prevalence of the MS after adjusting for other risk factors. Further studies are needed to obtain evidence concerning the association between serum ferritin levels and the MS.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.109-115
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• 2004

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of taurine (Tau) supplements on broiler growth performance, serum constituents and antibody production. In Exp. 1, 3 day old chicks received a basal diet supplemented with Tau at 0, 0.10, 0.20, 0.30 or 0.40% for 6 weeks. Although dietary Tau supplementing at 0.30 or 0.40% enhanced feed conversion and reduced feed consumption during 0 to 3 weeks (p<0.05), neither serum total cholesterol or anti-Newcastle disease virus (NDV) titer were affected. In Exp. 2, dietary Tau supplement at 0.25-0.75% enhanced feed conversion of broilers during 0 to 3 weeks, but daily gain and feed consumption were not affected. The 0.75% Tau supplement group displayed lower serum total cholesterol at 6 weeks (p<0.05) comparing with the control group but no difference in anti-NDV titers. In Exp. 3, broilers were treated with dietary Tau of 0 or 0.50% combined with low (0/0%), medium (0.18/0.08%), or high (0.36/0.16%) methionine (Met) levels for 6 weeks (0 to 3/3 to 6 weeks). The addition of Met significantly improved daily gain and feed conversion of broilers during 0 to 3 weeks (p<0.01). Dietary Tau interacted significantly with Met on daily gain and feed consumption. Broiler serum amino acids revealed that Met supplements only increased serum Met level, but only serum Tau level was enhanced as given dietary Tau supplementation. The broilers receiving Tau normalized serum triglycerides level by feeding with the low Met diet and tended to display higher anti-NDV titers (p<0.10). The experimental results suggest that the growth response obtained by Tau supplements results partly from interactions with sulfur amino acids. However, the modulation of the broiler lipid metabolism may be responsible for dietary Tau.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.278-281
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• 2002

The objective of the current study was to determine the influences of dietary proteins and methionine on plasma lipid concentrations. Thirty growing male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets similar in all respects except that dietary protein was from either casein, soy protein isolate, or soy protein isolate supplemented with L-methionine (0.24 %). The animals were fed experimental diets ad libitum for nine weeks. Plasma total-cholesterol concentrations were unaffected by the protein source or methionine supplementation. Plasma triglyceride concentrations were lower in rats of methionine supplemented soy protein diets (76 mg/dL) than in the rats fed casein or soy diet (120 mg/dL, 109 mg/dL, respectively). These results indicate that soy protein reduces plasma triglycerides relative to casein in rats fed cholesterol free diets, and that methionine-supplemented soy diets decrease plasma triglyceride concentrations more than soy protein alone.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.410-414
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• 2003

The effect of treatment with pine needle oil complex (complex of pine needle oil and Korean medicinal herbs) upon rat hepatocytes exposed to alcohol was investigated. We compared body weight gain and ratios of liver and kidney to body weight and the serum biochemistry of rats administered both alcohol and Pine needle oil complex to control rats treated with alcohol alone. Pine needle oil complex treatment resulted in a significant reduction in the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and triglycerides (TG) compared to the control rats. These data suggest that Pine needle oil complex represents an excellent candidate for protection of rat hepatocytes from alcohol-mediated damage.