• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.249-258
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• 2015

This study was conducted to determine the affecting factors among patients with drinking behavior of liver cirrhosis. Data were collected by questionnaire from 157 patients who were diagnosed with liver cirrhosis at a tertiary hospital located in D-city. Measurements included patients' demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, disease-related of symptom experience, emotional-factors of anxiety-depression and social-factor of social support. Data were analyzed using t-test, and logistic regression analyses. The incidence rate of drinking behavior was 31.8%. Multivariate analysis revealed that smoking(yes), men, symptom experience, social support and anxiety were more likely to report high level of drinking behavior. Future research should consider managing drinking behavior as an essential component of comprehensive care for patients with liver cirrhosis.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 2004

Liver and serum rhodanese activities were determined in acute ethanol intoxicated rats with extrahepatic cholestasis induced by common bile duct ligation (CBD) to manifest the biochemical background of alcohol drinking hazard under the hepatobiliary disease. Liver cytosolic and microsomal rhodanese activities and these Vmax values in CBD ligated rats with acute ethanol intoxication were found to be decreased much more than that in CBD ligation alone. However, the difference of Km value on above hepatic enzyme was not found between the experimental groups. On the other hand, serum rhodanese activity in CBD ligated rats with acute ethanol intoxication was greater increased more than that in CBD ligation alone. These results indicate that the biosynthesis of the hepatic rhodanese decreases and the serum rhodanese activity increases in cholestasis combined with acute ethanol intoxication, reflecting damage of aggravated hapatocytic membrane. Accordingly, the resulting data supported the fact that alcoholic drinks were enzymologically harmful to the hepatobiliary disease.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1144-1151
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• 2019

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic liver disease associated with various metabolic syndromes, such as obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes. Cudrania tricuspidata is a medicinal plant distributed widely in Asia and has been used in clinical practice to treat various diseases. The aim of this study is to determine the lipid-lowering effects of C. tricuspidata fruit extract (CTE) using a cell model induced by free fatty acids (FFAs). HepG2 cells were exposed to 1mM FFAs (palmitic acid:oleic acid = 2:1) for 24 hr to simulate the conditions of NAFLD in vitro. CTE attenuated the increases of lipid accumulation, intracellular triglyceride, and cholesterol content and inhibited 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA reductase) activity in the HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Also, CTE inhibited the protein expression of lipogenesis-related genes, such as sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1/-2 (SREBP-1/-2), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and stearoyl CoA desaturase-1 (SCD-1) in FFAs-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. In addition, CTE-induced adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation in HepG2 cells. These results suggest that CTE attenuates hepatic lipid accumulation by inhibiting lipogenesis through the modulation of the AMPK signaling pathway on FFAs-induced lipogenesis in HepG2 cells and may potentially prevent NAFLD.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.438-447
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• 2012

Objectives : In this study, we investigated the effect and the underlying mechanism of ethanol extract of Benincasa seeds on a cellular model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) established by treating HepG2 cells with palmitate. Methods : We evaluated ethanol extract of Benincasa seeds (EEBS) for its hepatic lipid-lowering potential in fatty acid overloaded HepG2 cells. After incubation in palmitate containing media with or without EEBS, intracellular neutral lipid accumulations were quantified by Nile red staining. We also investigated the effect of EEBS on lipogenesis and ${\beta}$-oxidation. $LXR{\alpha}$-dependent SREBP-1c activation, expression of lipogenic genes, and expression of ${\beta}$-oxidation related genes were determined with or without pretreatment of EEBS. Results : EEBS significantly attenuated palmitate-induced intracellular neutral lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. EEBS suppressed fatty acid synthesis by inhibiting $LXR{\alpha}$-dependent SREBP-1c activation. EEBS also repressed SREBP-1c mediated induction of lipogenic genes, including ACC, FAS, and SCD-1. However, EEBS had no effect on ${\beta}$-oxidation related CPT-1 and $PPAR{\alpha}$ gene expression. Conclusions : Our results suggest that EEBS has an efficacy to decrease hepatic lipid accumulation, and this effect was mediated by inhibiting the $LXR{\alpha}$-SREBP-1c pathway that leads to expression of lipogenic genes and hepatic steatosis. Therefore, the Benincasa seeds may have a potential clinical application for treatment of this chronic liver disease.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.693-696
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• 1998

Chitosan is the deacetylated product of chitin. Chitosan and its derivatives have many properties that make them attractive for a wide variety of health applications. This study was performed to investigate some effects of water soluble chitooligosaccharides on liver function in the mouse. The animals given the sterol diet containing 3% cholesterol for 6 weeks showed increase in plasma cholesterol level, which were lowered by 23% when they were fed on 1% chotooligosaccharide. While there was no significant change in liver cholesterol and plasma HDL-cholesterol levels. Continuous administration of 15% ethanol via drinking water to mice for 8 weeks elicited pathological alterations such as inflammation, necrosis, accumulation of lipid droplets in the liver and increase in GPT activity, while simultaneous administration of ethanol and chitooligosaccharide prevented remarkedly ethanol-induced liver injury; there was no observable lipid droplet and GPT activity was decreased by 25% in the liver. These results suggest that chitooligosaccharide play some roles in liver function, such as reducing the plasma cholesterol level and preventing alcoholic liver disease.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2024

Objectives: Ephedrae herba (EH) and Coicis semen (CS) has been frequently prescribed for the treatment of obesity. However, effects of combinational extracts of these two herbs on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of EH and CS on lipid accumulation and glucose absorption in free fatty acids (FFAs) or palmitic acid (PA)-treated HepG2 cells. Methods: Five samples of EH and CS were extracted by combination ratios (S1=0:100, S2=25:75, S3=50:50, S4=75:25, S5=100:0). Oil Red O staining was used to measure lipid accumulation in FFAs-induced steatosis cells. Intracellular triglycerides and total cholesterol levels were measured in FFAs-induced steatotic HepG2 cells. In PA-treated cells, intracellular 2-NBDG was detected using a fluorescence microplate reader and flow cytometry. Phosphorylation of key metabolism-related factors of AMP-activated protein kinase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase, expression of key lipid synthesis-related factors carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 alpha (CPT1α), sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and CCAAT enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPα) were confirmed by western blot. Results: Treatment of EH-CS combination in the FFAs-induced steatotic HepG2 cells significantly reduced lipid accumulation. As the relative ratio of Ephedrae herba increased, the lipid-lowering effects of the combination were increased. However, S1 and S5 of Ephedrae herba and Coicis semen did not significantly reduce triglycerides and total cholesterol induced by FFAs. However, the combination of Ephedrae herba and Coicis semen restored glucose absorption in PA-induced HepG2 cells. Major makers of SREBP1, PPARγ, C/EBPα, and CPT1α expression tended to decrease with EH ratio. Conclusions: The EH-CS combination has advantages over sole EH and CS extracts in improving lipid and glucose metabolism in liver steatosis models.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.185-191
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• 2009

Although alcohol drinking may cause fatty liver to induce hepatocytic injury, other factors lead to it. We designed this study to investigate the differences in serum iron, cardiac, and biochemical indices in men with fatty liver and the difference between alcohol drinkers (Alcohol group) and non-drinkers (Non-alcohol group). The alcohol group had higher body indices than the non-alcohol group. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), and right and left intraocular pressure in the alcohol group were higher than those in the non-alcohol group. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and monocyte counts were higher in the alcohol group than in the non-alcohol group. Alanine aminotransferase, ${\gamma}$-glutamyltranspeptidase, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose, creatinine, uric acid, iron, total iron binding capacity, and ferritin levels in the alcohol group were greater than those in the non-alcohol group. The present data reveals that alcohol-induced fatty liver has more elevated level of iron indices than in non-alcohol fatty liver as well as biochemical and cardiac indices, indicating that alcohol- induced fatty liver may cause possibility of adult diseases including cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.188-202
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• 2011

Objectives : Oxidative stress seems to play a major role in mechanisms by which ethanol causes liver injury. Previous studies have shown that treatment with Chungganhaeju-tang (Qingganjiejiu-tang, CGHJT) has protective effects on alcoholic liver disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Chungganhaeju-tang on oxidative stress. Materials and Methods : In vitro, we evaluated the inhibitory activities of CGHJT on DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl), xanthine oxidase, trypsin, and hyaluronidase, and measured cell viability, and proliferation. In the cell culture model, we measured the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) after CGHJT treatment in C34 and E47 cell lines, HepG2 cells transfected with/without the cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) gene. In vivo, we measured malondialdehyde levels in the liver tissue and alcohol concentration in the blood. Results : CGHJT showed significant free radical scavenging activity against DPPH and xanthine oxidase in the in vitro study, and increased cell viability, proliferation, and activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase in C34 and in E47 cell lines. CGHJT reduced malondialdehyde levels and blood alcohol concentration in vivo, as well. Conclusions : This study suggests that CGHJT has antioxidant effects on oxidative stress by reducing lipid peroxidation and inhibiting the ethanol induced suppression of antioxidant enzyme activities.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.129-135
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• 2008

The results of recent studies indicate that high levels of free fatty acids(FFAs) and adipokines may be the main causes of non-alcoholic liver disease; however, the molecular mechanism that links FFAs to lipotoxicity remains unclear. In the present study, we treated HepG2 cells with FFA(either palmitate or oleate) to investigate the mechanisms involved in lipotoxicity in the liver cells. We also treated cells with palmitate in the presence of a chemical chaperone, 4-phenylbutyric acid(PBA), to confirm the involvement of ER stress in lipotoxicity. Palmitate significantly induced cytotoxicity in dose- and time-dependent manners. Apoptosis was also significantly induced by palmitate as measured by caspase-3 activity and DAPI staining. Palmitate led to increased expressions of the spliced form of X-box-protein(Xbp)-1 mRNA and C/EBP homologous transcription factor(CHOP) protein, suggesting activation of the unfolded-protein response. PBA co-incubation significantly attenuated apoptosis induced by palmitate. The above data demonstrate that high levels of palmitate induce apoptosis via the mediation of ER stress in the liver cells and that chemical chaperones act to modulate ER stress and accompanying apoptosis.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1785-1788
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• 2006

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH) may progress to advanced liver disease. The diagnosis is made on liver biopsy when investigating a patient with raised transaminases and an otherwise negative biochemical and serological work-up. The subject was a obese male patient who had unexplained raised GOT, GPT. He had no alcoholic consumption and drug ingested. On serological examination, HBsAg and Anti-HCV test are negative. The subject was diagnosed as NASH, and was treated with oriental treatment for obesity. After 2months treatment the raised GOT, GPT decreased to normal range.