• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.81.1-81.10
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• 2020

Background: Although previous in vivo studies explored urinary microRNA (miRNA), there is no agreement on nephrotoxicity-specific miRNA biomarkers. Objectives: In this study, we assessed whether urinary miRNAs could be employed as biomarkers for nephrotoxicity. Methods: For this, literature-based candidate miRNAs were identified by reviewing the previous studies. Female Sprague-Dawley rats received subcutaneous injections of a single dose or repeated doses (3 consecutive days) of gentamicin (GEN; 137 or 412 mg/kg). The expression of miRNAs was analyzed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in 16 h pooled urine from GEN-treated rats. Results: GEN-induced acute kidney injury was confirmed by the presence of tubular necrosis. We identified let-7g-5p, miR-21-3p, 26b-3p, 192-5p, and 378a-3p significantly upregulated in the urine of GEN-treated rats with the appearance of the necrosis in proximal tubules. Specifically, miR-26-3p, 192-5p, and 378a-3p with highly expressed levels in urine of rats with GEN-induced acute tubular injury were considered to have sensitivities comparable to clinical biomarkers, such as blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, and urinary kidney injury molecule protein. Conclusions: These results indicated the potential involvement of urinary miRNAs in chemical-induced nephrotoxicity, suggesting that certain miRNAs could serve as biomarkers for acute nephrotoxicity.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.288-295
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• 2017

The incidence of polypharmacy-which can result in drug-drug interactions-has increased in recent years. Drug-metabolizing enzymes and drug transporters are important polypharmacy modulators. In this study, the effects of bosentan and rifampin on the expression and activities of organic anion-transporting peptide (OATP) and cytochrome P450 (CYP450) 2C9 and CYP3A4 were investigated in vitro. HEK293 cells and primary human hepatocytes overexpressing the target genes were treated with bosentan and various concentrations of rifampin, which decreased the uptake activities of OATP transporters in a dose-dependent manner. In primary human hepatocytes, CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 gene expression and activities decreased upon treatment with $20{\mu}M$ $bosentan+200{\mu}M$ rifampin. Rifampin also reduced gene expression of OATP1B1, OATP1B3, and OATP2B1 transporter, and inhibited bosentan influx in human hepatocytes at increasing concentrations. These results confirm rifampin- and bosentan-induced interactions between OATP transporters and CYP450.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.363-369
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• 2014

Synthetic cannabinoids (CBs) such as the JWH series have caused social problems concerning their abuse liability. Because the JWH series produces euphoric and hallucinogenic effects, they have been distributed illegally under street names such as "Spice" and "Smoke". Many countries including Korea have started to schedule some of the JWH series compounds as controlled substances, but there are a number of JWH series chemicals that remain uncontrolled by law. In this study, three synthetic CBs with different binding affinities to the $CB_1$ receptor (JWH-073, 081, and 210) and ${\Delta}^9$-tetrahydrocannabinol (${\Delta}^9$-THC) were evaluated for their potential for psychological dependence. The conditioned place preference test (unbiased method) and self-administration test (fixed ratio of 1) using rodents were conducted. $K_i$ values of the three synthetic cannabinoids were calculated as supplementary data using a receptor binding assay and overexpressed $CB_1$ protein membranes to compare dependence potential with $CB_1$ receptor binding affinity. All mice administered JWH-073, 081, or 210 showed significantly increased time spent at unpreferred space in a dose-dependence manner in the conditioned place preference test. In contrast, all tested substances except ${\Delta}^9$-THC showed aversion phenomenon at high doses in the conditioned place preference test. The order of affinity to the $CB_1$ receptor in the receptor binding assay was JWH-210 > JWH-081 >> JWH-073, which was in agreement with the results from the conditioned place preference test. However, no change in self-administration was observed. These findings suggest the possibility to predict dependence potential of synthetic CBs through a receptor binding assay at the screening level.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.278-287
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• 2015

Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE-5 inhibitors) are used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. In recent years, a number of reports have been conducted on dietary supplements contaminated with PDE-5 analogues. In this study, 58 analogues of PDE-5 inhibitors were sorted into five groups: tadalafil, sildenafil, hongdenafil, vardenafil, and other analogues. These analogues were then evaluated using a liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS) electrospray ionization mass method. Each compound has a unique fragmentation ion, which can be easily analyzed qualitatively. The fragmentation pathways of the analogues were elucidated based on the QTOF-MS and MS/MS data. Common ions were confirmed for each group by analyzing the structural characteristics and fragmentation pathways. Specifically, common ions were observed at m/z 169.08 and 135.04 (tadalafil analogues), m/z 311.15 and 283.12 (sildenafil analogues and hongdenafil analogues), and m/z 312.16 and 151.09 (vardenafil analogues). The advantage of this method is that the structure of unknown components can be determined by interpreting the product ions. Hence, the developed method can be used for the identification of unknown compounds. Fragmentation pathways may also aid in the detection and identification of PDE-5 inhibitor analogues.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.171-178
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• 2018

Recently, for successful lactation, many breastfeeding mothers seek various products, including herbal medicine, dietary supplements, and prescribed medicines, to improve milk production. As demand for galactogogues grows, it is highly possible that pharmaceutical galactogogues may be adulterated with illegal products to maximize their efficacy. For continuous control and supervision of illegal products, we developed and validated a simple and sensitive LC-MS/MS method capable of simultaneously determining five galactogogues. Chromatographic separation was conducted using an Agilent Poroshell $120SB-C_{18}$ column with a mobile phase consisting of 20 mM ammonium formate (pH 5.4) and 100 % acetonitrile. The total run time was 13 min per analyte. The proposed method was performed according to the guidelines of the International Conference of Harmonization and it produced reliable results. This method showed high sensitivity and specificity, with a limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 0.01-0.82 ng/mL and 0.02-2.45 ng/mL, respectively, for the solid- and liquid-type samples. Specificity was evaluated by analyzing matrix-blank samples spiked with the target compounds at LOQ levels, which provided a good separation of all peaks without interference. Additionally, the repeatability and intermediate precision were typically <15 %, whereas the recovery was 80-120 % of the values obtained using blank samples. Thus, we concluded that this method could be used for the identification and quantification of galactogogues in food or herbal products.

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.97-97
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• 2002

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.125-133
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• 2020

Methylisothiazolinone (MIT) and chloromethylisothiazolinone (CMIT) cause allergic contact dermatitis and are banned cosmetics ingredients, except in rinse-off products. However, their presence has been detected in cosmetics. We report a UPLC-tandem MS/MS screening method for their simultaneous determination in cosmetics. To facilitate extraction from various matrices, pretreatment methods were developed for each sample type. The method was optimized through a series of assessments, including specificity, LOD, LOQ, linearity, recovery, stability, precision, and accuracy. The LODs and LOQs for MIT ranged from 0.054 and 0.163 ㎍ mL^-1 whereas those for CMIT ranged from 0.040 and 0.119 ㎍ mL^-1. The linear correlation coefficients (r²) were higher than 0.999. Relative standard deviations (RSDs) for both intra- and inter-day measurements ranged from 0.3 ~ 13.6 %. Recoveries at three different concentrations were within 87.9 ~ 118.9 %. The RSD for stability measurements of spiked samples was within 7 %. These results confirm the suitability of the developed method for the simultaneous quantitation of MIT and CMIT in cosmetics. Samples of 320 color cosmetics, including eyeshadows, solid lipsticks, liquid lipsticks, and nail polishes were analyzed using the developed method, and two of them were found to contain both MIT and CMIT and one of them was found to contain only MIT. This data and the method will aid the regulation of ingredients used in cosmetics.

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.105-106
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• 2003

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.180-186
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• 2016

This research is to estimate the toxicity of Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba (ARA) in F344 rats and to find a dose level for the 13 weeks toxicity study. A hot water extract of ARA (ARWE) was administered orally to F344 rats at dose levels of 0 (vehicle control), 500, 1000, 2000, 3500, and 5000 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks. Each group was composed to five male and five female F344 rats. According to the result, there were no ARWE-related adverse changes in mortality, body weights, food consumption, urinalysis, hematology, clinical chemistry, gross finding at necropsy, and organ weight examination. Salivation was observed in 3500 and 5000 mg/kg/day in male and female rats but it could not have found any relationship with ARWE administration. Based on our findings, ARWE may not cause toxicity in rats under the experimental conditions. Therefore, dose level of 5000 mg/kg/day as a highest treatment group in 13-week exposure study is recommended for further toxicity assessment.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.79-90
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• 2014

Objectives : This study was carried out to evaluate the repeated dose oral toxicity of Alismatis Rhizoma in Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats. Methods : Male and female rats were administered orally with Alismatis Rhizoma water extract of 500 mg/kg(low dosage group), 1,000 mg/kg(middle dosage group) and 2,000 mg/kg(high dosage group). We daily observed number of deaths, clinical signs and gross findings for 14 days(twice a day). After 14 days, we measured body and organs weight. Also we analyzed hematological changes. Results : No dead SD rats and no clinical signs were found during the experiment period. Also other specific changes were not found between control and treated groups in hematology and serum biochemistry. In addition no significant changes of gross body and individual organs weight. Conclusions : These results suggest that water soluble extract of Alismatis Rhizoma has not repeated dose oral toxicity and oral LD50 value was over 2,000 mg/kg in SD rats. As a result, we can determine Alismatis Rhizoma is a relatively safe substance.