• Development and Reproduction
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.281-286
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• 2010

Recent evidence has revealed that the intratesticular injection of hypertonic saline(20%) resulted in a chemically castrated state such as nadir testosterone levels in rats. To confirm the efficacy of this simple saline-injection method further, we investigated the changes in the gross and microscopic anatomy of testis. Our study comprised three groups; intact(control) group, orchidectomy group and saline-injection (experimental) group. Single dose of hypertonic saline (sterilized, $750{\mu}{\ell}/testis$) were directly administered into both testis of adult rats (about 300 g BW). Bilateral orchidectomy was performed at the same day of saline injection. Following 30 days post-injection, reproductive tissues were surgically removed, weighed and fixed for histological examination. The body weights were not changed in both orchidectomy group and saline-injection group when compared to those in intact group. The wet weights of testis were significantly decreased in saline-injection group when compared to those in intact group. The wet weights of epididymis and seminal vesicle and prostate were significantly decreased in orchidectomy group and saline-injection group when compared to those in intact group. Macroscopically, the testes exerted slight atrophy and the tunica albuginea seemed to be intact in saline injection group. Histologically, however, larger parts of testicular tissue underwent necrosis and were barely recognizable after hematoxylin-eosin staining. In the same section, only the opposite part of the injection site was stained showing abnormal state of cell layers mostly fibrosis and infiltrated leukocytes. Sloughing of immature germ cells from the basement membrane along with shedding cells in the intraluminal space was notable in most seminiferous tubules from the saline injected testis. The present study confirmed that the direct injection of hypertonic saline into testis can induce a castration-like, testosterone-depriving effects on accessory sex organs. Our findings suggest that the efficacy of this less expensive and minimally invasive method seems to be almost even with that of conventional orchidectomy and chemical castration, though more in-depth evaluation should be supported.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.9
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• pp.1178-1184
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• 2006

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of ethanol extract of antler velvet (EAV) on common serum chemistry panels and histopathological change in rats exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Administration of TCDD ($50{\mu}g/kg$ body weight) induced significant decrease in platelet count (p<0.01), creatine phosphokinase (CPK, p<0.01), lactatate dehydrogenase (LDH, p<0.05) and glucose (p<0.05) levels and increase in hemoglobin (p<0.05), aspartate aminotransferase (AST, p<0.01), alanine amino transferase (ALT, p<0.05) and lipase activities (p<0.05), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN, p<0.05), triglyceride (p<0.01) and low density lipoptotein cholesterol (LDL-C, p<0.05) levels. However, pretreatment of EAV at daily dose of 20 mg/kg b.w. from 1 wk before TCDD exposure for 5 wks attenuated the abnormality of the overall serum chemistry panels but statistical difference between TE and TA groups was observed only in testicular weight (p<0.01), LDH activity (p<0.05), glucose (p<0.05) and lipase activity (p<0.01). In addition, TCDD induced significant histopathological changes including swelling, fatty metamorphosis, and vacuolar degeneration in liver; edema in proximal and distal convoluted tubules, and glomerulus in kidney; severe atrophy of red purple and appearance of significant number of macrophage in spleen; prominent atrophy and decrease in immune cells in thymus. On the other hand, administration of EAV attenuated histopathological damage induced by TCDD. These results further suggest that administration of EAV attenuates TCDD induced testicular, liver, pancreatic, hematopoietic and nephrotic toxicities in rats.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.10-19
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• 2017

Anabolic steroids have similar structures to testosterone, both of which promote the growth of muscle mass and increase strength. However, the side effects of anabolic steroid use may lead to heart attacks or strokes. Additionally, the excessive use of steroids inhibits the production of the sex hormones in the body via a negative feedback loop, which results in testicular atrophy in males and amenorrhea in females. Currently, the method of choice used to test for the presence of anabolic steroids is GC-MS. However, GC-MS methods require chemical derivatization of the steroid sample to ensure compatibility with the analytical method; therefore, analysis of many different samples is difficult and time consuming. Unlike GC-MS, the liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF-MS) method is suitable for many samples. Twenty-two different anabolic steroids were analyzed by LC-Q-TOF-MS with various collision energies (CE). Accurate mass spectral data were obtained using a Q-TOF-MS equipped with an electro-spray ionization source and operated in the positive MS/MS mode for several classes of steroids that are often the targets of testing. Based on the collected data, fragmentation pathways were carefully elucidated. The high selectivity and sensitivity of the LC-Q-TOF-MS instrument combined with these fragmentation pathways offers a new approach for the rapid and accurate screening of anabolic steroids. The obtained data from the 22 different anabolic steroids will be shared with the scientific community in order to establish a library to aid in the screening of illegal anabolic steroids.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.504-512
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• 2021

Sperm formation disorders and sperm quality degradation comprises the largest proportion of male infertility caused by TCDD. To solve this problem, this study examined the effects of Gobonyangjeonbang oriental medicine prescription on the endocrine function and reproductive toxicity-related indicators in rat-induced TCDD-induced reproductive. Male SD rats were divided into five groups of seven animals and tested. The normal control group was administered the vehicle and saline, the TCDD alone group was administered intraperitoneally with TCDD (2 ㎍/kg, weeks) and physiological saline, and the test group was administered orally by dividing GYB (75, 150, and 300 mg/kg) into three concentrations for six weeks. Weight loss was observed in all groups administered TCDD. Regarding the hormonal changes, a significant decrease in free testosterone was observed in the GYB 300 mg/kg group (p<0.01). In addition, some of the germ cell destruction, seminiferous tubular atrophy, and decrease in sperm count was improved in a concentration-dependent manner in the testicular tissue of the GYB-treated group. In addition, Johnsen's score and serotoli cell index (SCI) were improved in a concentration-dependent manner (p<0.05). Overall, GYB can be used in drug therapy rather than medical procedures to solve male infertility in the future.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.222-229
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• 1999

Histopathological study has been carried out to elucidate the protective effect of Korean red ginseng water extract (KRG-WE) on 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-induced acute toxicity in male guinea pigs. Forty male guinea pigs ($200{\pm}20g$) were divided into 4 groups: normal controls (group 1) received vehicle and saline; group 2 (single TCDD-treated) received TCDD (5 ${\mu}g/kg$, single dose) and saline; group 3 received KRG-WE (200 mg/kg, i.p.) for 2 weeks starting 1 week before TCDD-exposure; group 4 received same dose of KRG-WE for 7 days from the day of TCDD-exposure. Weights of liver, testis, kidney, spleen and lung of the TCDD-exposed guinea pigs were significantly decreased. Thymus was severely shrunken, thereby could not be distinguished from adipose tissue in group 2 animals. Focal interstitial inflammation and fibrosis were observed from the lung parenchyma of group 2 animals. Furthermore, moderate swelling of hepatocyte, diffused aggregates of hemosiderin-laden macrophages from the Prussian blue stained spleen, marked decrease in spermatogenesis, and pyknotic and degenerative changes in the renal tubules were observed from intestinal organs of group 2 animals. On the other hand, histopathological damage was moderately to markedly alleviated in groups 3 and 4, but pretreatment of KRG-WE was more effective than the simultaneous treatment. In particular, TCDD-induced testicular atrophy was significantly attenuated by KRG-WE (p<0.01). From these results, it could be suggested that Korean red ginseng might be a useful herb that prevented TCDD-induced toxicity on liver, testis, kidney and spleen.