• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 2001

To investigate an effect of the topical toluene application to .at skin on the liver injury, toluene (35 mg/$cm^2$) was sequentially applied for 3 or 5 days to rat skin and then the animals were sacrificed. 5 day toluene-treated rats showed the slight increase of live. weight per body weight(%) compared with control. Serum levels of xanthine oxidase and alanine aminotransferase activity were significantly increased both in 3 days and 5 days toluene-treated animals compared with control. In the histopathological findings, cytoplasmic degeneration of hepatocytes around the central vein was noted in the liver of rats applied with toluene to the skin. These results indicate toluene application to rat skin feds to somewhat slight liver injury. On the other hand, the hepatic benzylalcohol or aldehyde dehydrogenase activities were significantly decreased by toluene application to rat skin. In conclusion, the liver min was induced by toluene application to rat skin, and it can be hypothesized that accumulation of benzaldehyde in liver cell may be responsible for liver injury.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.996-1001
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• 2003

It is well known that oxidative stress of reactive oxygen species(ROS) may be a causative factor in the pathogenesis of bone disorder. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity of oxidative stress. Cell viability by MTS assay or INT assay, activity of glutathione peroxidase(GPx), lipid peroxidation(LPO) activity and cell viablity. And also protctive effect of glutamate receptors against ROS-induced osteotoxicity was examined by protein synthesis, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in cultured rat osteoblasts and osteoclasts. XO/HX decreased cell viability and GPx activity, protein synthesis and ALP activity, but increased LPO activity and LDH activity. In the protective effect, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists or AMPA/kainate receptor antagonists such as D-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV), 7-chlorokynurenic acid (CKA), 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) and 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (DNQX), NMDA receptor antagonists but AMPA/kainate receptor antagonists showed protective effect on xanthine oxidase (XO) and hypoxanthine (HX) in these cultures by the increse of protein synthesis, ALP activity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.669-675
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• 2000

This study investigated the effect of Puerariae Flos (PF; flower of Puerariae plant) and Puerariae Radix (PR; root of Puerariae plant) water extracts on the activities on the activities of ethanol-metabolizing enzymes and free radical generating/scavenging enzymes of brain in ethanol-treated rats. Five groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were orally administered ethanol (25%, v/v) 5 g/kg body weight/day, and sacrificed 5 weeks post treatment. PF and PR water extracts were supplemented in a diet based on 1.2g (I) or 2.4 g (II) raw PF or PR/kg body weight/day. Alcohol dehydrogenase activity of brain was significantly lowered in PF of PR groups, whereas aldehyde dehydrogenase activity was significantly higher in PR groups than those of control and PF groups. Cytochrome P-450 content, aminopyrine D-methylase and aniline hydroxylase activities were decreased in both PF and PR groups compared to control group. Aldehyde oxidase and xanthine oxidase activities tended to decrease by Puerariae plant extract supplemented goups and degree of decrease predominated in PRI. Superoxide dismutase and glutathione S-transferase activities were increased in PF or PR groups, whereas glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities were significantly decrased by Puerariae plant extracts supplement. These results indicated that supplementation of PF or PR lowers free radical generating enzymes activities. It was suggested that the activities of ethanol metabolizing emzymes and antioxidant enzymes in brain can be enhanced by PF or PR supplement in ethanol-treated rats.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 1996

The protective effect of 'ischemic preconditioning (IP)'on ischemia-reperfusion injury of heart has been reported in various animal species, but the mechanism is unclear. In an attempt to elucidate the mechanism of IP, we examined the effects of blockers against adenosine and protein kinase C in preconditioned heart of rat. The hearts perfused with oxygen-saturated Krebs-Henseleit solution by Langendorff method were exposed to 30 min global ischemia followed by 20 min reperfusion. IP was performed with three episodes of 5 min ischcmia and 5 min reperfusion just before ischemia-reperfusion. IP prevented the depression of contractile function and the myocardial contracture in the ischemic-reperfused heart and reduced the release of lactate dehydrogenase during the reperfusion period. Polymyxin B, chelerythrine and colchicine, PKC inhibitors, attenuated almost completely the anti-ischemic effect of IP, while adenosine receptor antagonists did not. These results indicate that PKC may be a crucial intracellular mediator in anti-ischemic action of IP in ischemic-reperfused rat heart, while adenosine may not be involved in the mechanism of IP.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.1675-1682
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• 2010

The biological activity of hot water extract from Ecklonia cava Kjellman (ECE) was investigated to assess antioxidative, anti-skin aging, and nitrite scavenging abilities, as well as alcohol metabolizing activities. Antioxidant activity of ECE was measured by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity. DPPH radical scavenging activity and SOD-like activity of ECE increased in a remarkably dose-dependent manner, and were about 91.4% and 75% at 1 mg/ml, respectively. The xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity was indicated to be about 70% at 1 mg/ml of ECE. Nitrite scavenging ability of ECE showed to be 93.6% at 1 mg/ml and pH 1.2. The influence of ECE on alcohol metabolism was demonstrated through the generating activity of reduced-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). The facilitating rate of ADH and ALDH activity by ECE was 167.2% and 334% at 10 mg/ml, respectively. In addition, tyrosinase and elastase inhibitory activities of ECE were 58% and 72% at 10 mg/ml, respectively. These results indicated that ECE has valuable biological attributes owing to its antioxidant, nitrite scavenging, alcohol metabolizing, and elastase and tyrosinase inhibitory activities.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.37 no.4 s.147
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• pp.246-252
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• 2006

Processing of traditional herbal medicine is one of the pharmaceutical technique in oriental medicine. Most frequently used processing method in oriental medicine are roasting and steaming. In this studies, to elucidate the pharmacological transformation of traditional herbal medicine by means of processing them, Ginseng Radix (root of Panax ginseng, Araliaceae) was used as a sample. Processed ginseng radix (SGR, Sun Ginseng) was prepared by steaming of roots of white ginseng (GR) for 3 hours at $120^{\circ}C$. The biological activities of methanol extract of GR and SGR were investigated. According to DPPH radical scavenging effects, and inhibitory effects of xanthine oxidase and AAPH induced hemolysis, PGR exhibited more effective than those of GR in vitro. And, the antifatigue effect of GR and SGR were investigated using a weight-loading forced swimming test by monitoring swimming times and prolonged intensity exercise model rats by measuring blood biochemical parameters. GR and SGR were significantly prolonged swimming times in 8% body weight ratio loaded mice. Also, they had the inhibitory effects on the decrease of blood glucose levels, the elevation of serum creatinine, lactic acid and free fatty acid, and lactic dehydrogenase activities in forces swimming rats with 1% of the body weight attached to the neck for 3 hours. SGR was more excellent than GR on these effect. Also, these effects were transformed to the n-butanol fraction of methanol extract of SGR. From these results, it can be considered that SGR has antifatigue effect.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 1996

One mechanism of free-radical production by ethanol is suggested to be through the intracellular conversion of XDH to XO by increased ratio of NADH to NAD. The major mechanism for physiological compensation of cytosolic NADH/NAD balance is the malate/aspartate shutfie. Therefore, it is important to develop the method to improve the efficiency of malate/aspartate shuttle in ethanol metabolism. In the present study, various amino acids and organic acid involved in the shuttle were tested for their functional efficiency in modulating shuttle in the ethanol-perfused rat liver. The rate of ethanol oxidation in the liver perfused with aspartate alone or aspartate in combination with pyruvate, respectively, was increased by about 10% compared to control liver, but not in the tissues perfused with glummate, cysteine or pyruvate alone. Though glummate, cysteine and pyravate did not affect the ethanol oxidation significanfiy, they showed some suppresive effect on the ethanol-induced radical generation monitored by protein carbonylation analysis. Among the tested components, aspartate is confirmed to be the most efficient as a metabolic regulator for both ethanol oxidation and ethanol-induced oxidative stress in our perfusion system. These effects of aspartate would result from NAD recycling by its supplementation through the coupled aspartate aminotransferase/malate dehydrogenase reactions and the malate-aspartate shuttle.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.319-326
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• 2005

It is well known that oxidative stress of reactive oxygen species (ROS) may be a causative factor in the pathenogenesis of bone disorder on osteoblast or osteoclast. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity of oxidative stress, protective effect of glutamate receptor antagoinst against ROS-induced osteotoxicity, secretion of tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-\alpha$ and the expression of c-fos gene in the cultured rat osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Cell viability by MTS assay or !NT assay, activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), lipid peroxidation (LPO) activity, protein synthesis by sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, MTS assay for NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor antagonist or AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist, measurement for $TNF-\alpha$, and c-fos gene expression were performed after these cells were treated with or without various cocentrations of xanthine oxidase (XO), hypoxanthine (HX), D-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV), 7-chlorokynurenic acid (CKA), 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) and 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (DNQX), respectively. In this study, XO/HX showed decreased cell viability and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, but it showed increased LPO activity, $TNF-\alpha$ secretion and c-fos expression. APV and CKA incresed protein sythesis and ALP activity. While, CNQX or DNQX did not show any protective effect in LDH activity or cell viability. From these results, XO/HX showed cytotoxic effect in cultured rat osteoblast or osteoclast, and also NMDA receptor antagonist such as APV or CKA was effective in blocking XO/HX-induced osteotoxicity in these cultures.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.195-201
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• 2010

We studied on the proteomic characteristics of Toxoplasma gondii KI-1 tachyzoites which were originally isolated from a Korean patient, and compared with those of the well-known virulent RH strain using 2-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE), mass spectrometry, and quantitative real-time PCR. Two-dimensional separation of the total proteins isolated from KI-1 tachyzoites revealed up to 150 spots, of which 121 were consistent with those of RH tachyzoites. Of the remaining 29 spots, 14 showed greater than 5-fold difference in density between the KI-1 and RH tachyzoites at a pH of 5.0-8.0. Among the 14 spots, 5 from the KI-1 isolate and 7 from the RH strain were identified using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and database searches. The spots from the KI-1 tachyzoties were dense granule proteins (GRA 2,3,6, and 7), hypoxanthine-guanine-xanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGRPTase), and uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (UPRTase). The spots from the RH strain were surface antigen 1 (SAG 1), L-lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), actin, chorismate synthase, peroximal catalase, hexokinase, bifunctional dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase (DHTR-TS), and nucleosidetriphosphatases (NTPases). Quantitative real-time PCR supported our mass spectrometric results by showing the elevated expression of the genes encoding GRA 2,3, and 6 and UPRTase in the KI-1 tachyzoites and those encoding GRA 7, SAG 1, NTPase, and chorismate synthase in the RH tachyzoites. These observations demonstrate that the protein compositions of KI-1 and RH tachyzoites are similar but differential protein expression is involved in virulence.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.2 s.30
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• pp.320-336
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• 1995

SANGNYANGHYOLTANG(SYT) is one of the most important prescription that has been used in oriental medicine for diabetes mellitus. The sudy was done in order to elucidate the anti-diabetic effect of SYT. After pretreatment of SYT(1,000mg／kg) for 6 weeks, the effect of of SYT was prevented on serum liver function test and hepatic lipid peroxide content in rats i.v. injected with streptozotocin(STZ, 50mg／kg, tail vein) 5 weeks after pretreatment of SYT. The hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 and aniline hydroxylase were significantly decreased, and aminopyrine N-demethylase activity was significantly increased in SYT-STZ group as compared with control group. Changes in aldehyde oxidase, xanthine oxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, epoxide hydrolase, UDP-glucuronyltransferase and sulfotransferase activities were not significantly different in any of the group. The cytosolic glutathione S-transferase activity was significantly decreased in SYT-STZ group as compared with control group. The selenium-independent glutathione peroxidase was significantly increased in SYT-STZ group as compared with control group, but there was no significant difference in selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase in any of the groups. The hepatic glutathione concentration was significantly increased in SYT-STZ group as compared with control group, and ${\gamma}-glutamylcystein$ synthetase and glutathione reductase activities were not significantly different in any of the groups. The hepatic lipid peroxide content, serum aminotransferase and sorbitol dehydrogenase activities were slightly decreased in significantly in SYT-STZ groups.