• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.76-85
• /
• 2015

Objectives: Radix Ginseng has been traditionally used as an adaptogen that acts on the adrenal cortex and stimulates or relaxes the nervous system to restore emotional and physical balance and to improve well-being in cases of degenerative disease and/or old age. Radix Ginseng has been used for a long time, but the safety of ginseng pharmacopuncture needs testing. This study was done to analyze the single-dose toxicity of water- soluble ginseng pharmacopuncture (GP) intramuscular injections in rats. Methods: All experiments were performed at Biotoxtech, an institution authorized to perform non clinical studies under the regulations of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP). Each group contained 10 Sprague-Dawley rats, 5 males and 5 females. GP was prepared in a sterile room at the Korean Pharmacopuncture Institute under regulations of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). GP dosages were 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 mL for the experimental groups; normal saline was administered to the control group. The animals general condition was examined daily for 14 days, and the rats were weighed on the starting day and at 3, 7 and 14 days after administration of the pharmacopuncture. Hematological and biochemistry tests and autopsies were done to test the toxicological effect of GP after 14 days. This study was performed with approval from the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee of Biotextech. Results: No deaths were found in this single-dose toxicity test of intramuscular injections of GP, and no significant changes in the general conditions, body weights, hematological and biochemistry tests, and autopsies were observed. The local injection site showed no changes. Based on these results, the lethal dose was assumed to be over 1.0 mL/animal in both sexes. Conclusion: These results suggest that GP is relatively safe. Further studies, including a repeated toxicity test, are needed to provide more concrete evidence for the safety of GP.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.373-381
• /
• 2012

Antibiotics have been issued recently in water environments because of potential impacts on ecosystem and public health. This study was aimed to investigating the degradation of antibiotics such as tetracycline, lincomycin, sulfamethazine and cephradine using gamma ray irradiation. And the toxicity before and after irradiation on antibiotics was tested in order to examine the aquatic eco-risk assessment by aquatic organisms. In addition, comparing tests on toxicity for gamma ray and UV irradiated antibiotics was conducted. Four different antibiotics were prepared by concentration of 30 mg/L with demi-water respectively. The absorption dose of gamma ray was ranged from 0.2 to 2 kGy. The concentration of four antibiotics was gradually decreased corresponding to the increase of the absorption dose. A method for toxicity assessment using Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata was evaluated to the most acceptable compared with methods by Daphnia magna and Microtox$^{(R)}$ in terms of sensibility. It showed that the reduction of toxicity on antibiotics treated by gamma ray was superior comparing to the test results obtained from UV treatment. By-products from antibiotics treated by gamma ray were easily decomposed by microorganism and their toxicity was also evaluated to low.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
• /
• 2001.11a
• /
• pp.89-89
• /
• 2001

Paclitaxel is currently administered i.v. as a slow infusion of a solution of the drug in an ethanol: cremophor EL: saline admixture. However, poor solubilization and toxicity are associated with this drug therapy. We have tried to develop a new surfactant for paclitaxel to improve efficacy and reduce toxicity of solubilizer. We performed the hemolysis test for chemicals which passed the paclitaxel-stabilizing test and 5 chemicals showing relatively low hemolytic effects were tested for a single dosing toxicity test. And then aceporol 330, which showed the most favorable result, was introduced to the repeated dosing toxicity tests in mouse and beagle dog. According to data based on body weight, mortality, dissection, homological test and biochemical test, Aceporol 330 exhibited much more reduced toxicity than cremophor EL.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.259-266
• /
• 2018

Glycomacropeptide (GMP), a whey protein of milk, has functions including differentiation and development of nervous system, and anticancer and antiviral effects. To develop new functions, N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA) containing 7% sialic acid was separated from GMP to produce G-7%NANA. N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) is another type of sialic acid separated from GMP, which has been linked to immune disorders and chronic inflammation-mediated diseases. Therefore, safety was a concern in the use of G-7%NANA in functional foods. To ensure safety, in this study, three genetic toxicity tests on G-7%NANA were conducted. In the reverse mutation test using Salmonella typhimurium TA98, TA100, TA1535, TA1537, and Escherichia coli WP2uvrA, and in the chromosome aberration test using CHO-K1 cells, no significant differences from negative control were found at all dose levels. Similarly, no dose-related differences were evident compared to negative control in the micronucleus test using ICR mice. There was no evidence of G-7%NANA-related genetic toxicity.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.49 no.2
• /
• pp.89-98
• /
• 2023

Background: Organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) are a group of chemical substances used in building materials and plastic products to suppress or mitigate the combustion of materials. Although OPFRs are generally used in mixed form, information on their mixture toxicity is quite scarce. Objectives: This study aims to elucidate the toxicity and determine the types of interaction (e.g., synergistic, additive, and antagonistic effect) of OPFRs mixtures. Methods: Nine organophosphorus flame retardants, including TEHP (tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate) and TDCPP (tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate), were selected based on indoor dust measurement data in South Korea. Nine OPFRs were exposed to the luminescent bacteria Aliivibrio fischeri for 30 minutes and the human hepatocyte cell line HepG2 for 48 hours. Chemicals with significant toxicity were only used for mixture toxicity tests in HepG2. In addition, the observed EC_x values were compared with the predicted toxicity values in the CA (concentration addition) prediction model, and the MDR (model deviation ratio) was calculated to determine the type of interaction. Results: Only four chemicals showed significant toxicity in the luminescent bacteria assays. However, EC₅₀ values were derived for seven out of nine OPFRs in the HepG2 assays. In the HepG2 assays, the highest to lowest EC₅₀ were in the order of the molecular weight of the target chemicals. In the further mixture tests, most binary mixtures show additive interactions except for the two combinations that have TPhP (triphenyl phosphate), i.e., TPhP and TDCPP, and TPhP and TBOEP (tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate). Conclusions: Our data shows OPFR mixtures usually have additivity; however, more research is needed to find out the reason for the synergistic effect of TPhP. Also, the mixture experimental dataset can be used as a training and validation set for developing the mixture toxicity prediction model as a further step.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.392-396
• /
• 2007

Aquatic ecotoxicity of bisphenol A, a well-known endocrine disrupter in mammals, was studied using laboratory-reared Daphnia magna as a test organism. The static acute 48 h $EC_{50}$ of bisphenol A for daphnid neonates(<24 hold) was 12.9 mg/l and 110 h $LC_{50}$ values of bisphenol A for daphnid embryos of different ages after deposition into the brood chamber increase with ages in the range of 1.55 mg/l-8.91 mg/l. Also, 48 h $EC_{50}s$ generally increase with daphnid's ages in the range of 12.9 mg/l-19.8 mg/l. In the acute toxicity tests using mature daphnids, the lethal response and immobility all showed good concentration-response relationship with exposure concentration and exposure time, showing little difference between lethality and immobility. These results clarify that acute toxicity tests, using daphnid and its embryo, could also be useful tools easily available for the assessment of ecotoxicity of various harmful chemicals.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
• /
• v.13 no.3_4
• /
• pp.87-94
• /
• 1998

The use of cisplatin is limited by severe side effects such as renal toxicity. Our platinum-base drug discovery is aimed at developing drugs capable of diminishing toxicity and improving antitumor activity. We synthesized new Pt (II) complex analogue [Pt (cis-DACH)(DPPP)]. 2NO$_3$ (PC) containing cis-1,2-diaminocyclohexane as a carrier ligand and 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino) propane as a leaving group. Furthermore, nitrate was added to improved the solubility. In this study, its structure was determined and its antitumor activity against SKOV-3 and NIH-OVCAR-3 human ovarian adenocarcinoma, and in vitro cytotoxicity was determined against primary cultured rabbit kidney proximal tubular and renal cortical cells of human kidney using colorimetric MTT assay. PC demonstrated acceptable antitumor activity against SKOV-3 and NIH-OVCAR-3 human ovarian adenocarcinoma and significant activity as compared with that of cisplatin. The toxicity of PC was found quite less than that of cisplatin using MTT and $^3$H-thymidine uptake tests in rabbit proximal tubular cells and human kidney cortical cells. PC was used for human cortical tissue in 7 weeks hitoculture by the glucose-consumption tests. We determined that the new platinum drug has lower nephrotoxicity than cisplatin. Based on these results, this novel platinum (II) complex compound (PC) represent a valuable lead in the development of a new anticancer chemotherapeutic agent capable of improving antitumor activity and low nephrotoxicity.

• Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.16-20
• /
• 2007

Toxicity of metal plating wastewater was evaluated by using acute toxicity tests on Daphnia magna. To identify toxicants of metal plating wastewater, several manipulations such as solid phase extraction (SPE), ion exchange and graduated pH adjustment were used. The SPE test had no significant effect on baseline toxicity, suggesting absence of toxic non-polar organics in metal plating wastewater. However, anion exchange largely decreased the baseline toxicity by 88%, indicating the causative toxicants were inorganic anions. Considering high concentration of chromium in metal plating wastewater, it is thought the anion is Cr(VI) species. Graduated pH test showing independence of the toxicity on pH change strongly supports this assumption. However, as revealed by toxicity confirmation experiment, the initial toxicity of metal plating wastewater (24-h TU=435) was not explained only by Cr(VI) (24-h TU = 725 at $280\;mg\;L^{-1}$). Addition of nickel($29.5\;mg\;L^{-1}$) and copper ($26.5\;mg\;L^{-1}$) largely decreased the chromium toxicity up to 417 TU, indicating antagonistic interaction between heavy metals. This heavy metal interaction was successfully predicted by an equation of 24-h $TU\;=\;3.67\;{\times}\;\ln([Cu]\;+\;[Ni])\;+\;79.44$ at a fixed concentration of chromium.

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
• /
• 2002.05a
• /
• pp.117-117
• /
• 2002

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.106-113
• /
• 2020

BACKGROUND: Bumblebees have been shown to be very effective pollinators for most greenhouse tomatoes. Neonicotinoid insecticides are one of the most widely used pesticides in tomato crops in Korea. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study was carried out to investigate the toxicity of four neonicotinoid insecticides (clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam) to bumblebees based on the OECD guidelines (No.246, 247). The 48 hr LD₅₀ (㎍ a.i. /bumblebee) values in the acute contact toxicity tests were determined as follows: clothianidin, 0.467; dinotefuran, 3.741; imidacloprid, 3.967; and thiamethoxam, 0.747. The 48 hr LD₅₀ values in the acute oral toxicity tests were determined as follows: clothianidin, 0.005; dinotefuran, 0.056; imidacloprid, 0.325; and thiamethoxam, 0.018. The acute contact and oral toxicity of the test insecticides to bumblebees from most to least toxic was clothianidin > thiamethoxam > dinotefuran > imidacloprid. CONCLUSION: This study provided the basic toxicological data of neonicotinoid insecticides for bumblebees. In the near future, acute toxicity and mixture toxicity of other pesticides to bumblebees could be determined using this method.