• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1449-1455
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• 2004

Bufonis venenum (dried toad venom; Chinese name, Chan su) is a traditional Chinese medicine obtained from the skin venom gland of the toad. It has long been used in treating arrhythmia and other heart diseases in China and other Asian countries. Additionally, Bufonis venenum has been reported to selectively inhibit the growth of various lines of human cancer cells. In the present study, it was examined the effects of extract of Bufonis venenum (EBV) on the growth of human bladder carcinoma cell line T24 in order to investigate the anti-proliferative mechanism and induction of apoptosis by EBV. Treatment of T24 cells to EBV resulted in the growth inhibition, morphological change and induction of apoptotic cell death in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that EBV treatment caused G2/M phase arrest of the cell cycle and down-regulation of cyclin A, cyclin B1 and Cdc2, which was associated with a marked up-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) inhibitor p21 (WAF1/CIP1) in a p53-independent manner. The Cdc25C expression was also significantly inhibited by EBV treatment, however Wee1 kinase expression was not affected. The induction of apoptotic cell death by EBV was connected with down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-XS/L expression without alteration pro-apoptotic Bax expression. Taken together, these findings suggest that EBV may be a potential chemotherapeutic agent for the control of human bladder carcinorma cells and further studies will be needed to identify the active compounds that confer the anti-cancer activity of EBV.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.92-97
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• 2005

Inhibition of inflammatory response, acceleration of basal cell growth, and balanced synthesis of extracellular matrix (ECM) are important in healing of cutaneous open wounds. In order to evaluate the healing effects of water extracts of Radix Astragali (the root of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.)) on open wound at early stage, the experimental open wounds were generated on the dorsal sides of SD rats under anesthesia. The boiled-water extracts of Radix Astragali $(100{\mu}l)$, soaked into an occlusive film dressing were applied once a day for eleven consecutive days. The healing process was assessed by measuring macroscopic appearance and wound areas of the open wounds. The molecular aspects of healing process by Radix Astragali extracts were also investigated by Hematoxylin-Eosin (H-E) double staining and immunohistological staining of collagen type I in the healed skin area, implying cell density and linear alignment of the granulation tissue, and ECM synthesis and its remodeling, respectively. The Astragali radix extracts were found to significantly accelerate the cutaneous wound healing by suppressing the inflammation and stimulating the basal cell growth in wounded area, as compared to epidermal growth factor (EGF).

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.930-942
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• 2008

Following conclusions were derived from researching various consumption caused after surgical operation. The meaning of surgery in HyungSang medical point of view is a big flaw of the original configuration. Therefore meaning, the loss of container to store something. Changes of the body after surgery can be formation of stagnated blood and abnormal cyst of the removed part and entangled undigested food and stagnant blood. After surgery when the symptoms become chronic or the patients develop side effects as they age, consumption and aging process begins. HyungSang medical treatments of consumption caused after surgery are the followings. We should prevent aging of the framework by using appropriate medication to make up for faults in Gall Bladder, Bladder type and six meridian type by considering its form, color, pulse and symptoms. Stability of emotion that can endure various mental stimulation is needed. Prevent stagnation, indigestion, obstruction and numbness by smoothing up the constructive energy and the defensive energy in the operated part. The Heart and Kidney should be under control and Stomach and Spleen should be reinforced so that food intake is accelerated and produce vital substances and Ki and blood. Eum blood and Yang Ki should circulate around the body well. Examine daily life and if small changes in skin complexion, appetite, sleep and excretion occur, also difference in adaptation of external stimulation and mental health occurs immediate treatment and care is necessary. Treatment of side-effects caused from both aging process and post-surgery in HyungSang's view point is considered better than other ways of treatment and will contribute in expanding the field of medical science.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.1243-1249
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• 2007

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ethanol extract of Fagopyrum esculentum on the melanogenesis. To determine whether ethanol extract of Fagopyrum esculentum suppress melanin synthesis in cellular level, B16F10 melanoma cells were cultured in the presence of different concentrations of Fagopyrum esculentum ethanol extract. In the present study, we examined the effects of Fagopyrum esculentum ethanol extract on cell proliferation, melanin contents, tyrosinase activity, expression of melanogenic enzyme proteins including tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP-1) and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP-2). Cell proliferation was slightly increased by treatment with ethanol extract of Fagopyrum esculentum $(25-200 {\mu}g/m{\ell}).$ The ethanol extract of Fagopyrum esculentum effectively suppressed melanin contents at a dose of $100 {\mu}g/m{\ell}).$ It was observed that the color of cell pellets was totally whitened compared with the control. The ethanol extract of Fagopyrum esculentum inhibited tyrosinase activity, regulate melanin biosynthesis as the key enzyme in melanogenesis. Using western blot analysis, the ethanol extract of Fagopyrum esculentum dose-dependently decreased tyrosinase and TRP-1 protein levels, and tyrosinase and TRP-1 were detected in similar manner. ${\alpha}-MSH$ leads to a stimulation of melanin synthesis through increase of tyrosinase activity, melanin contents and cytoplasmic dendricity. In this study, ethanol extract of Fagopyrum esculentum down-regulated the ${\alpha}-MSH$-induced tyrosinase activity, melanin contents and cytoplasmic dendricity. Regarding protein levels of the melanogenic enzymes, the amounts of tyrosinase and TRP-1 was increased after incubation with a-MSH. The treatment of ethanol extract of Fagopyrum esculentum decreased the ${\alpha}-MSH$-induced expression levels of tyrosinase and TRP-1. These results suggest that the ethanol extract of Fagopyrum esculentum exerts its depigmenting effects through the suppression of tyrosinase, TRP-1 and cytoplasmic dendricity. And it may be a potent depigmetation agent in hyperpigmentation condition.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.133-142
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• 1993

Vitamin B6(pyridoxine, pyridoxamine. and pyridoxal) is a dietary requirement in relatively small quantities for growth, health, and function in animals and fish. The metabolically active B6 is pyridoxal-5-phosphate(PLP). It does function as a coenzyme in number of enzymes(PLP-dependent enzymes) in which amino acids are metabolized, including decarboxylases, aminotransferases, sulfhydrases, tryptophanase, and hydroxylases. Vitamin B6 requirement is higher for fish because fish are fed much higher protein diet than land animals. B6 is also involved in metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids and essential for the synthesis of heme and serotonin. Deficiency signs in fish develop quickly, in cluding nervous disorders, convulsions, poor swimming coordination, skin lesions, edema, exophthalmos, and tetany. The conversion of vitamin B6 to metabolically active form(PLP) is catalyzed by pyridoxal kinase and pridoxine(pyridoxamine) oxidase. In this review, we summarized in detail the enzymatic studies on vitamin B6 metabolism and about the mechanisms and properties of a PLP-dependent enzyme.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.752-758
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• 2013

Estrogen like activities were evaluated using ethanol and hot water extracts of herbal medicines by using an in vitro detection system. Bokryung (Poria cocos), Sanyak (root of Dioscorea batatas) and Mokdanpi (root skin of Paeonia suffruticosa) represented statistically significant estrogen-like activities (p<0.001), while Omija (fruit of Schizandra chinensis), Taeksa (root of Alisma canaliculatum A. BR.), Jihwang (root of Rhemannia glutinosa), and Sansuyu (fruit of Cornus officinalis) did not. Estrogen-like activities of Bokryung hot water extract (500 ${\mu}g/ml$) and ethanol extract (50 ${\mu}g/ml$) were almost same as that of a C M $17{\beta}$-estradiol. Furthermore, estrogen-like activities of ethanol extracts (500 ${\mu}g/ml$) of Bokryung and Mokdanpi were stronger than that of $10^{-7}$ M $17{\beta}$-estradiol. These results suggest that Bokryung, Sanyak and Mokdanpi show estrogen-like activities. Especially, Sanyak and Mokdanpi represented promotive effect on the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells. Bokryung, Sanyak and Mokdanpi also exhibited superior inhibitory effect on the viability of RAW 264.7 cells. In conclusion, these three herbal medicines might be interpreted as candidates for the further study or development of functional foods or medicine to prevent or avoid postmenopausal symptoms of women.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.99-108
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• 2007

Vibrio harveyi, one of the major causal agent of vibriosis, affects a diverse range of marine vertebrates and invertebrates over a wide geographical area. The organism is synonymous with Vibrio carchariae, which is also known as a fish pathogen. The aims of this study were to investigate the characteristics of the pathogenic non-luminous V. harveyi and the luminous V. harveyi. And V. harveyi isolates were examined the pathogenicity to the black rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli. Both strains of V. harveyi showed haemolytic activity, and the survival rate of non-luminous V. harveyi FR 2 was higher than other strains in the skin, gut mucus and fresh serum of olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus and black rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli, respectively. The virulence of non-luminous V. harveyi FR 2 was higher than that of luminous V. harveyi VIB 391 in the intraperitoneally infected black rockfish. In conclusion, the present study revealed that the pathogenicity of V. harveyi FR 2 isolated from marine fish was higher than that of V. harveyi VIB 391 isolated from shrimp for black rockfish. It was suggested that the pathogenicity of V. harveyi on the black rockfish was related with bacterial luminescense.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.71-80
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to investigate the microbiological characteristics and the distributions of the bacteria causing streptococcicosis occurred in marine fish farm, Korea. Many kinds of cultures fishes suffered from the disease accompanied with typical symptoms, including darkening of the skin, exophthalmia, petechiae inside of the opercula and distended abdomen. The isolates from the diseased fishes were compared with Lactococcus garvieae by biochmical, biophysical and serological methods and polymerase chain reaction(PCR) assay. We isolated 35 strains of the geuns Streptococcus from the diseased olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus, yellow tail, Seriola quinqueradiata and Korean rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli. 15 strains out of the isolates were identified to L. garvieae and the others were not because of their different biochemical and biophysical charateristics. Seven strains of the isolates were agglutinated by rabbit serum raised against L. garvieae $KG^+$ phenotypic cells(ATCC49156)as a reference strain. Twenty-one strains of the isolates identified to L. garvieae since they were formed the expected band through performing PCR assay using specific primers, pLG-1(5'-CATAACAATGAGATCGC-3') and pLG-2(5'-GCACCCCGCGGTTG-3'). In the present study, it showed that L. garvieae was a dominant strain causing streptococcicosis in the tested area due to occurrence of 21 strains as L. garvieae out of all the isolates, 9 atrains as Streptococcus sp. and 5 strains as Enterococcus sp.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.68 no.3
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• pp.175-179
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• 2010

The ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with an unknown etiology. The major symptoms of ulcerative colitis are diarrhea, abdominal pain and hematochezia. However, arthritis, skin disorders, hepatobiliary inflammation and uveitis are occasionally recognized as systemic complications. Although there are few reports of coexistent pulmonary and inflammatory bowel disease, the lung is not generally considered to be a target organ in ulcerative colitis. We report a patient with ulcerative colitis-related bronchilolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia confirmed by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, who responded to corticosteroid therapy.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2000

A new nutritional disease has occurred among the hatchery-reared Korean bullhead fingerlings (Pseudobagrus fulvidraco) in the Chonbuk Province in September 1997. Diseased fish were all dead within 3-7 days, showing sluggish behavior, head up and tail down swimming. Most characteristic clinical signs were anaemia, clubbed and fused gill, skin desquamation. haemorrhage around the mouth and at the base of pectoral fins. Any causative bacteria and parasites were not isolated from the lesions and internal organs of the diseased fish. The hepatosomatic index, red blood cell count, hematocrit, hemoglobin and erythrocytes size of peripheral blood in the diseased fish were remarkably decreased compared with those of normal fish. In the histopathological observations, epithelial hyperplasia of the gill filaments initiated at the base of the gill was pronounced. This symptom was the characteristic appearence of all the diseased fish. A 0.6% saline bath and feeding a pantothenic acid-supplemented diet were conducted to decrease the mortality. Ten days after 0.6% saline bath or 25 days after feeding a pantothenic acid supplemented diet resulted in decreasing in the mortality. Microscopic appereance of the gill from the recovered fish was similar to that of the gill from healthy fish. These results indicate that the disease was caused by deficency of pantothenic acid in their diet and that 0.6% saline bath or supplementation of pantothenic acid in the diet was an effective way to decrease the mortality.