• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.1772-1777
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• 2011

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene and sodium-independent $Cl^-/HCO_3^-$ anion exchanger (AE) genes are expressed in a wide variety of mammalian tissues including cholangiocytes. They play an important role in the regulation of intracellular pH (pHi) as well as in transepithelial acid/base transport necessary for biliary bicarbonate secretion. The aim of this study was to examine the expression level of CFTR gene and AE genes (AE1, AE2 and AE3) in the cholangiocytes and the hepatocytes, and also measure AE2 gene expression level after bile duct ligation (BDL). As we previously described, isolated hepatocytes and cholangiocytes from the liver of normal and BDL rats were prepared and gene expression levels were measured by using RT-PCR. We found that AE1, AE2, and AE3 genes were expressed in both hepatocytes and cholangiocytes, but CFTR was only in cholangiocytes. AE2 gene expression level was higher in the BDL hepatocytes than normal hepatocytes, which was significantly different between two groups. AE2 gene expression level was lower in the BDL cholangiocytes than normal cholangiocytes. However, AE2 gene expression level in both hepatocytes and cholangiocytes were not changed with a longer duration of BDL. These results suggest that CFTR and AE2 may play an important role in the pathogenetic mechanism of biliary cholestatic liver disease.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.106-110
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• 2009

In order to reduce the bitter taste and improve the bioavailability of red ginseng extract(RGE), inclusion complexes (RGE-CD) of the extract with ${\alpha}-,\;{\beta}-,\;{\gamma}$-cyclodextrin were prepared and studied for their sensory quality and bioavailability compared to RGE. By complexation, the bitter taste-reducing efficacies of ${\alpha}$-CD and ${\beta}$-CD were much lower than that of ${\gamma}$-CD. In comparative sensory analysis for the bitter taste, RGE-${\gamma}$-CD10, prepared using 10%(w/w) of ${\gamma}$-CD, showed a score of 1.93(decreased by about 78%) compared to RGE as the control. In addition, in sensory analysis for flavor, RGE-${\gamma}$-CD10showed a score of 5.60. Upon increasing the amount of ${\gamma}$-CD to 15%(w/w) and 20%(w/w), respectively, the bitter taste of RGE-${\gamma}$-CD was removed and the flavor of RGE disappeared(scores of 2.67 and 1.67, respectively). Therefore RGE-${\gamma}$-CD10 was chosen as an optimum. The same dosages of RGE and RGE-${\gamma}$-CD10 were orally administered to SD(Sprague-Dawley) rats on a saponin basis, and the plasma concentrations of ginsenoside Rg1 and Rb1 were measured over time to estimate the average AUC(area under the plasma concentration versus time curve) of the ginsenosides. After the oral administration, there were no significant differences in the AUC values of the RGE and RGE-${\gamma}$-CD 10 groups for ginsenoside Rg1. However, AUC values for ginsenoside Rb1 were $25.8{\mu}g{\cdot}hr/mL$ in the RGE group and $81.5{\mu}g{\cdot}hr/mL$ in the RGE-${\gamma}$-CD 10 group, respectively. Therefore, the bioavailability of ginsenoside Rb1 in the RGE-${\gamma}$-CD 10 group was significantly higher by up to 315% compared with that in the RGE group(p = 0.0029). These results show that the bitter taste of RGE can be simultaneously removed by the complexation of RGE and ${\gamma}$-CD(RGE-${\gamma}$-CD) along with increased bioavailability.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.685-695
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• 2009

Background: Calcification is the most frequent cause of clinical failure of bioprosthetic tissues that are fabricated from Glutaraldehyde (GA)-fixed porcine valve or bovine pericardium. We recently used a multi-factorial approach of employing different mechanisms to investigate how to reduce the calcification of bioprosthetic tissues. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the synchronized synergism using ethanol, L-lysine and $NaBH_4$ in glutaraldehyde treated porcine pericardium from the standpoint of calcification and tissue elasticity. Material and Method: Porcine pericardium was fixed with 0.625% GA (commercial fixation). An interim step of ethanol (80%; 1 day at room temperature) or L-lysine (0.1 M; 2 days at $37^{\circ}C$) or $NaBH_4$ (0.1 M; 2 days at room temperature) was followed by completion of the GA fixation (2 days at $4^{\circ}C$ and 7 days at room temperature). The tensile strength and thickness of the samples were measured. The treated pericardiums were implanted subcutaneously into three-week old Sprague-Dawley rats for 8 weeks. The calcium content was assessed by atomic absorption spectroscopy and the histology of the samples. Result: The amount of calcium in the pericardium pretreated with ethanol (13.6${\pm}$10.0 ug/mg, p=0.008), L-lysine (15.3${\pm}$1.0 ug/mg, p=0.002) and both (16.1${\pm}$11.1 ug/mg, p=0.012) was significantly reduced compared with the control (51.2${\pm}$8.5 ug/mg). However, $NaBH_4$ pretreatment (65.7${\pm}$61.8 ug/mg, p=0.653) and combined pretreatment that including ethanol, L-lysine and $NaBH_4$ (92.9${\pm}$58.3 ug/mg, p=0.288) were not significantly different from the controls(51.2${\pm}$8.5 ug/mg). Both the combined pretreatment using ethanol and L-lysine (7.60${\pm}$1.55, p=0.76) and the combined pretreatment that included ethanol, L-lysine and $NaBH_4$ (7.47${\pm}$1.85, p=0.33) increased the tensile strength/thickness ratio compared with that of the controls (4.75${\pm}$1.88). Conclusion: The combined pretreatment using ethanol and L-lysine seemed to decrease the calcification of porcine pericardium fixed with glutaraldehyde, as compared to single pretreatment, and it increase the tissue elasticity, but to the degree that showed synchronized synergism. $NaBH_4$ pretreatment seemed to increase the calcification of porcine pericardium, irrespective of whether single or combined pretreatment was used.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.795-807
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• 1996

This study was conducted to identify the effects of caffeine on the lipid and protein components or blood chemistry levels of the serum as well as the total homogenate, mitochondrial and microsomal fraction of the rat(Sprague-Dawley, female) liver. Acute test were conducted to determine those effects. The acute test was conducted by dividing rats into 7 groups according to the time lapsed after a single oral administration of 100mg/kg caffeine(that is control, 2hrs, 4hrs, 8hrs, 24hrs, 48hrs and 72hrs lapsed group). The concentrations of glucose, urea nitrogen, uric acid, creatinine, total protein, albumin, A/G ratio, triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, free fatty acid, phospholipid as well as the activities of alanine aminotransferase(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and alkaline phosphatase(ALP) were measured in the serum of each experimental groups. The concentrations of the carbonyl group, malondialdehyde(MDA) and the patterns of the SDS-PAGE(Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis) were analyzed to determine the oxidative damages and metabolic changes on the lipid and protein components in the serum, and total homogenate, mitochondrial and microsomal fractions of the rat liver. The results obtained from this study were summarized as follows; 1. The concentrations of serum glucose were significantly higher(p<0.01) between 4(143.0mg/dl) and 8hrs(138.0mg/dl) in comparison to that of the control(101.1mg/dl) after a single oral administration of caffeine(100mg/kg). While on the other, there were no significant differences in the concentrations of urea nitrogen, uric acid, creatinine, total protein, albumin and albumin/globulin(A/G) ratio in comparison to those of the control. 2. The concentrations of total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol in serum were significantly higher(p<0.01) between 4(77.4mg/dl, total cholesterol) and 8hrs(64.7mg/dl, HDL-cholesterol) in comparison to those of the control(62.8, 46.7mg/dl) after a single oral administration of caffeine(100mg/kg). On the other hand, the concentrations of triglyceride in serum were significantly lower(p<0.01) after 8hrs(38.8mg/dl) in comparison to that of the control(66.5mg/dl). 3. The activities of AST in serum was significantly higher(p<0.05) from 2hrs(149U/L) to 8hrs(178U/L) in comparison to the control(112U/L) after a single oral administration of caffeine(100mg/kg). The activities of ALT in serum were significantly higher(p<0.01) at 4(45.5U/L), 24(49.3U/L), 48(46.8U/L) and 72 hrs(42.3U/L) in comparison to that of the control(39.7U/L) after a single oral administration of caffeine(100mg/kg). On the other hand, there were no significant differences in the activities of ALP in comparison to that of the control. 4. The concentrations of free fatty acid in serum were significantly higher(p<0.01) at 8hrs(65.0mg/dl) in comparison to that of the control(37.6mg/dl) after a single oral administration of caffeine(100mg/kg). However, there were no significant differences in the concentrations of carbonyl group and malondialdehyde within serum, and liver homogenate, mitochondrial and microsomal fractions in comparison to that of the control. 5. The patterns of SDS-PAGE in serum, mitochondrial and microsomal fraction of the liver showed no significant differences.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.26 no.2 s.42
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• pp.222-230
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• 1993

Industrial glues, known as 'Bonds' in Korea, contain many kinds of organic solvents, and glue sniffing of youths became one of the social problems in Korea. Mixed exposures to solvents by glue sniffing may induce chronic toxicities different from those by exposures to solvents of single component. To test effects of the glue sniffing on weight gain or central nervous system, two groups of 20 male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to air(control group) or vapors of the glues to narcotic status(exposed group), and weight check, tail flick test, hot plate test, rotarod treadmill test were done on the 14th,24th, 36th, 45th, 53rd, 86th, 102nd, 117th, 134th and 151st days after the first exposure. On the 188th day, their brains were excised and examined by a pathologist. Weight gain, controlled against time change, showed significant difference between the groups, but response times in tail flick test, hot plate tests, and rotarod treadmill test didn't. In pathological examination with blind method, no macroscopic or microscopic differences were found between the two groups. These results suggests that organic lesion in central nervous system may not ensue glue sniffing, but, before firm conclusion, more studies in various exposure conditions should be followed.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.52-61
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• 2006

Background: Korean ginseng (KG) has been used as a general tonic, and for voiding dysfunction for a long time in oriental society. However, scientific basic studies on the use of KG, have been rare, especially for voiding and erectile dysfunction. This study was performed to investigate the effects of KG on voiding and erectile function by examining the effects of total saponin (TS) on the bladder, urethral and penile cavernosal smooth muscle. Materials and methods: To examine the effects of TS, NewZeland white rabbits were used to obtain tissue strips from the smooth muscle of the bladder, proximal urethra and corpus cavernosum. Adult Sprague Dawley rats were used to examine the changes in urodynamic findings and penile erection after administration of TS. Results: In proximal urethral strips, the rate of relaxation of the proximal urethra was increased from $9.0{\pm}2.9$ to $33.7{\pm}4.8%$ in a dose-dependent manner when the concentration of TS was added accumulatively from 0.25 mg/ml to 4.0 mg/ml (p<0.05). However, no significant response was observed in the bladder strips within these concentration ranges. For the corpus cavernosal strips, the rate of relaxation ranged from $5.8{\pm}2.1$ to $36.7{\pm}5.8%$, increasing in a dose-dependent manner when TS was increased from 1.0 mg/ml to 4.0 mg/ml (p<0.05). After administration of 0.1 ml of TS (32 mg/ml) in the rat, the bladder pressure was $37.5{\pm}8.5$ mmHg at $52.1{\pm}7.0$ sec. during isovolumetric bladder contraction, showing no significant differences from $35.7{\pm}7.8mmHg$ and $50.7{\pm}7.2$ sec, respectively, before treatment. However, when 0.1 ml of TS (32 mg/ml) was administered, the relative reduction of urethral pressure was $6.9{\pm}0.5mmHg$ at $62{\pm}7.5$ sec, which was significantly higher compared to $4.6{\pm}1.1mmHg$ at $45{\pm}10$ sec before treatment (p<0.05). For the cavernosal injection study, the change in intracavernosal pressure (${\Delta}ICP$) was examined after administering 0.1 ml of TS. The cumulative additions of TS at concentrations from 0.5 mg/ml to 32 mg/ml increased ${\Delta}ICP$ from $1.3{\pm}0.5$ to $21.3{\pm}7.8mmHg$ in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.05). The duration of tumescence was from $0.3{\pm}0.1$ to $5.2{\pm}0.2$ min, showing dose-dependent increase (p<0.05). Furthermore, the cumulative addition of TS at concentrations from 0.5 mg/ml upto 32 mg/ml did not cause any significant change in systemic blood pressure. Conclusion: These results suggest that ginseng improves voiding functions, which is mainly achieved by TS relaxing the proximal urethra, the most important part of the bladder outlet function. In addition, ginseng safely induced a penile erection hemodynamically by relaxing the corpus cavernosum.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.374-382
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• 2011

Aflatoxin ($AFB_1$) is a potent hepatotoxic and hepatocarcinogenic mycotoxin in humans. It is also well-known to be accumulated in animal tissues via various metabolic pathways. This study was conducted to determine the effects of vitamin C on the residual $AFB_1$ in rat sera that were treated with radiation and $AFB_1$. Six week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: a control group, $AFB_1$-treated group, the group treated with $AFB_1$ and vitamin C, the group treated with X-ray and AFB1, and the group treated with X-ray and $AFB_1$ with vitamin C. On the first day of the experiment, only one dose of X-rays was exposed to the entire liver at 1,500 cGy. Next, vitamin C was injected at 10 mg/kg body weight via intraperitoneal injection, followed 1 hr later by the administration of 0.4 mg/kg of $AFB_1$ via intraperitoneal injection. These treatments were then administered every three days over a period of 15 days. On the 16th day of treatments, the animals were sacrificed. The contents of $AFB_1$ in rat sera were determined via indirect competitive ELISA and HPLC method. In the quantitative analysis of $AFB_1$ in rat sera via ELISA, $5.17{\pm}0.34$ ng/mL of $AFB_1$ was detected in the $AFB_1$-treated groups, but the amount more significantly decreased to $3.23{\pm}0.76$ ng/mL in the groups treated with $AFB_1$ and vitamin C (p<0.01) than in the $AFB_1$-treated groups. The $AFB_1$ contents of the rat sera of the groups treated with X-ray and $AFB_1$ did not significantly decreased with the administration of vitamin C. The $AFB_1$ content of the rat sera that was analyzed via HPLC showed a tendency similar to that of the content that was analyzed via ELISA. With regard to these data, vitamin C was very effective in reducing $AFB_1$ residue in rat sera.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.96-102
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• 2003

This study was designed to develope the functional anti-diabetes drink, Dia-D using silkworm (Bombyx mori L) extract Sprague-Dawley (SD) male rats (160${\pm}$10g) were fed basic diet (control group), and experimental diets (SWE-l0, 30, 60 groups and Daonil-40, 80 groups) added silkworm extract 10, 30 and 60mg/day or diabetes drug prepared and marketed by Handok Pham. Co., Daonil 40 and 80 mg/day for 12 days. Blood glucose contents were significantly decreased 25-30％ in SWE-30 and SWE-60 groups, and about 35％ in Daonil 40 and Daonil 80 groups compared with control group. Triglyceride (TG) and lipid peroxide (LPO) contents were significantly inhibited 10-16％ and 8-13％, respectively, in SWE-30 and 60 groups, whereas these contents were 13-30％ and 15％, respectively, in Daonil-40 and 80 groups compared with control group. Hydroxyl radical (OH) contents were significantly inhibited 19-20％ in SWE-30 and 60 groups, and 7-12％ in Daonil-40 and 80 groups compared with control group. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were significantly increased 11-14％ in SWE-30 and 60 groups, and 12-29％ in Daonil-40 and 80 groups compared with control group. In results of clinical test using normal subjects, blood glucose content tested in NIAST subjects as anti-diabetes drink, Dia-D willi 100mg/vial was significantly decreased 17.5％, and these content tested in PKNU subjects as anti-diabetes drink, Dia-D with 150mg/vial was significantly decreased 20.5％ compared with control group. These results suggest that administration of Dia-D as an anti-diabetes drink prepared with silkworm extract may playa very effective role in a decreasing of blood glucose in hyperglycemia patients.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.300-309
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• 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of two ginsenoside Rb1 (G-Rb1) loaded films on oral wound healing. Two types of G-Rb1 films, G-Rb1 loaded carboxymethyl cellulose (GCMC) film and G-Rb1 loaded hyaluronic acid (GHA) film, were developed. A total of 36 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups: control, GCMC, and GHA. After wound formation on midpalate, the control group was left without treatment, whereas the experimental groups had films attached. The specimen was analyzed clinically and histologically after 7 and 21 days. For clinical analysis, the area of incompletely re-epithelialized wound was measured. For histological analysis, the distance between the margins of the wound (soft tissue gap) was measured and the percentage of the collagen-stained area on the specimen was calculated. In clinical and soft tissue gap analysis, the GCMC group presented improved healing compared to the GHA group and the control at day 7 (p < 0.05). And, both GCMC (9.74 ± 10.12%) and GHA groups (19.50 ± 14.47%) presented greater collagen-positive pixels compared to control (0.89 ± 1.60%) at day 7 (p < 0.05). However, there were no differences in these parameters among the groups on day 21. Therefore, G-Rb1 loaded films improved oral wound healing.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.222-227
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• 2008

This study examined the chemical composition of lotus root and functionally evaluated a fermented lotus root drink. Electron-donating ability using DPPH along with nitrite-scavenging ability were used to compare the antioxidative activities of unfermented and fermented lotus root drinks. The electron-donating abilities of the unfermented lotus root drink (1%) and fermented lotusroot drink (1%) were 22.55% and 23.88%, respectively. At pH 6.0, the nitrite-scavenging abilities of the unfermented lotus root drink and the fermented lotus root drink (100%) were 27.64% and 40.3%, respectively, and their scavenging ability increased in a dose-dependent manner at all pH values. In order to study the anti-obesity effects of the two drinks, male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups (A: basal diet, B: high fat diet, C: high fat diet+unfermented lotus root drink, D: high fat diet+fermented lotus root drink). Net weight gains were not significantly different among the four groups. Plasma total cholesterol concentrations significantly decreased in the groups receiving the unfermented and fermented lotus root drinks. Also, plasma total lipid and triglyceride contents were lower in the groups receiving the unfermented and fermented lotus root drinks as compared to the high fat diet group; however, the differences among the three groups were not significant.