• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.33 no.4 s.131
• /
• pp.324-331
• /
• 2002

This study was performed to investigate the protective effect of Houttuynia cordata Thunb on hepatotoxicity in carbon tetrachloride$(CCI_4)$ intoxicated rats. The examined effects hexane, chloroform, butanol and water fractions prepared from the Houttuynia cordata Thunb methanol exlract and rats were administrated with those orally once a day for successive 6 days, fellowed by treaoent with $CCl_4$ on the sixth day. After 6 days, the activities of aminotransferase, alkalinephosphatase, ${\gamma}-glutamyl$ transpeptidase, lactate dehydrogenase and contents of triglyceride, hepatic lipid peroxide in butanol fraction pretreated rats were significantly decreased compared to the only $CCl_4$ treated rats, also depletion glutathione content induced by treatment with $CCl_4$ was prevented by butanol fraction pretreated rats. In addition, activities of hepatic superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase in butanol fiaction pretreated rats were significantly decreased compared to the only $CCl_4$ treated rats, but the activity of hepatic glutathione-S-transferase was not significantly effect. These results suggest that butanol fiuction of Houttuynia cordata Thunb methanol extract have potent hepatoprotective effect against carbon tetrachloride intoxicated rats.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.328-335
• /
• 2008

The principal objective of this study was to assess the effects of chitosan oligosaccharide supplementation on the improvement of blood glucose, lipid components and enzyme activities in the serum of streptozotocin(STZ, 55 mg/kg B.W., I.P. injection)-induced hyperglycemic rats fed on experimental diets for 5 weeks. The concentrations of blood glucose, total cholesterol, atherosclerotic index, LDL, LDL-cholesterol, free cholesterol, cholesteryl ester ratio, triglycerides(TG) and phospholipids(PL) in serum were remarkably higher in the hyperglycemic group(group BSW) and STZ(I.P.)+chitosan oligosaccharide supplementation group(group ECW) than those in the control group(group BW, basal diet+water). However the concentrations of blood glucose, total cholesterol, atherosclerotic index, LDL, LDL-cholesterol, tree cholesterol, cholesteryl ester ratio, TG and PL in serum were lower in the ECW group than in the BSW group, whereas the ratio of HDL-cholesterol concentration to total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol concentration in the ECW group were higher than in the BSW group. The activities of alkaline phosphatase(ALP) and aminotransferase(AST, ALT) in serum were lower in the ECW group than in the hyperglycemic BSW group. The results shown above suggested that chitosan oligosaccharide supplementation effectively improves blood glucose, lipid composition and enzyme activities in the sera of STZ-induced hyperglycemic rats.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.47-51
• /
• 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 the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.494-500
• /
• 1997

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of acorn extracts on the antioxidative enzyme system. Male Sprague-Dawley rats(110$\pm$10g) were fed on containing normal and high fat diets. They were orally administrated (0.02g/100g B.W) of acorn ethylacetate-extract and water-extract at the same time once a day, respectively. Net weight gain and feed efficiency ratio were increased in high fat diet groups and decreased by acorn extracts administration. The effect of acorn extracts on hepatic glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px), glutathione S-transferase(GST) and catalase activities did not show significancy in normal fat diet groups. GST and catalase activities and lipid peroxidation content(LPO) were significantly increased in high fat diet groups and this increment were decreased by acorn extracts administration. However GSH-Px activity and GSH content were decreased in high fat diet groups but increased by acorn extracts administration. The activities of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), alkaline phosphatase(ALP) and aminotransferase in serum were significantly increased in high fat diet group but these increment reduced in acorn extracts administration groups. These results indicate that acorn extracts could improve the liver function and prevent the metabolic diseases by hyperlipidemia.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.27-34
• /
• 1990

This study was undertatken to investigate the effects of dietary vitamin E on the toxicity of cadmium(Cd) in rats. The two variables were the supplmentary vitamin E(400lU/kg) and the protein amount(10.5% in the low protein diet and 18.0% in the normal protein diet) In cadmium treated rats net weight gain and food intake were decreased but improved by supplementation with vitamin E in the normal protein, hematocrit values reduced by Cd were significantly increased by the addition of vitamin E to normal protein diet in Cd intoxicated rats, The supplementation with vitamin E diminished the effect of Cd on aspartate aminotransf-rase and alanine aminotransferase activities in serum In Cd treated rats fed normal protein diet with vitamin E the contents of triglyceride were decreased and total-cholesterol contents were significantly reduced in serum and both of them in liver were markedly decreased. The activity of alcohol dehydrogenase in liver was decreased by Cd however supplementation with vitamin E reduced the effects of Cd on hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase. the results of this experiment indicated that there was some interaction between vitamin E and protein levels and supplementation with vitamin E had an effect more than protein levels oncd toxicity.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.321-330
• /
• 1995

Concentrations of total vitamin B-6 in human milk as well as individual, B-6 vitamers have important implications for the nutritional management of breast-fed(BF) infants. Vitamin B-6 status was assessed in 3 groups of infants : two groups preterm (PT) BF infants whose mothers were supplemented with 2 or 27mg pyridoxine(PN)-HCI ; a sub group of formula-fed (FF) PT infants. Mothers and infants were assessed weekly during the 28-day post feeding. Throughout the neonatal period, levels of total vitamin B-6 and percentages of pyridoxal(PL) in breast milk were lower in PT than T mothers, even in mothers supplemented with 27mg PN-HCI. Total vitamin B-6 levels in PT milk paralleled maternal supplementation but percentage distributions of B-6 vitamers did not change. Vitamin B-6 intakes of BF preterm infants paralleled their mothers' level of infants in the 2mg group was suggested by vitamin status parameters. Vitamin B-6 inadequacy of infants correlated with their plasma pyridoxal-5-phosphate(PLP) levels and erythrocyte alanine aminotransferase(E-ALAT) activity; all parameters such as plasma PLP, PL/PLP ratio and stimulation % of E-ALAT were highest for FF PT infants. The positive correlation of vitamin B-6 levels in breast milk gestational age may contraindicate its adequacy for some PT infants.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.111-116
• /
• 2001

To investigate an effect of aging on the xylene metabolism in liver damaged animals, a study was conducted. 50% carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$) in olive oil (0.1 ml/100 g body weight) was intraperitoneally given to 5-week and 12-week rats 12 times every other day and then one dose of 50% xylene in olive oil (0.25 ml/100 g body weight) was intraperitoneally given to the rats, and after 24 hr, the animals were sacrificed. On the basis of the functional findings in rat liver, ie, serum levels of alanine aminotransferase activity, liver protein and malonedialdehyde contents, 5-week rats showed less liver damage than 12-week rats. The increasing rate of urinary methylhippuric acid concentration to the control was significantly higher in 5-week rats than 12-week rats in case of xylene treatment after induction of liver damage. On the other hand, liver damaged 5-week rats showed significant rise of hepatic cytochrome P45O content compared with the liver damaged 12-week rats by the xylene treatment. And increasing rate of hepatic alcohol or aldehyde dehydrogenase activities to each liver damaged animals was higher tendency in 5-week rats than 12-week rats by the xylene treatment. In conclusion, 5-week rat showed greater metabolic rate of xylene than 10-week rats in case of liver injury because 5-week rats led to a slight liver damaged compared with 12-week rats.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.320-324
• /
• 2001

To investigate the effect of Sarcodon aspratus methanol extract on liver damage in benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P)-treated mice, mice were divided into 4 groups of control, B(a)P, Sarcodon aspratus methanol extract and Sarcodon aspratus methanol extract-B(a)P. The activities of serum aminotransferase, cytochrome P-450 and hepatic content of lipid peroxide after B(a)P-treatment were increased than control, but those levels were significantly decreased by the treatment of Sarcodon aspratus methanol extract. On the other hand, the hepatic glutathione content and glutathione S-transferase activity were increased by the treatment of Sarcodon aspratus methanol extract. Also the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase were decreased by the treatment of Sarcodon aspratus methanol extract. In addition cytochrome P-450 1A1 isozyme protein level, which was remarkably increased by B(a)P treatment from results of immuno blotting, was decreased by the treatment with methanol extract of Sarcodon aspratus. These results suggest that Sarcodon aspratus methanol extract have protective effect on liver damage by decreasing lipid peroxide and activities of free radical generating enzymes.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.293-298
• /
• 2000

Bergenin is a C-glucoside of 4-O-methyl gallic acid that has been isolated from the cortex of Mallotus japonicus (Euphorbiaceae). Acetylbergenin was synthesized by acetylation from bergenin to increase lipophilic and physiological activities. The therapeutic effects of bergenin and acetylbergenin were evaluated against carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Bergenin and acetylbergenin were administered orally once daily for successive 5 days, after the intraperitoneal injection of a mixture 0.5 m1/kg of $CCl_4$ in olive oil (1:1). The substantially elevated serum enzymatic activities of alanine/aspartate aminotransferase, sorbitol dehydrogenase and ${\gamma}$-glutamyltransferase induced by $CCl_4$ were restored towards normalization by posttreatment with bergenin and acetylbergenin. Bergenin and acetylbergenin also significantly prevented the elevation of hepatic malondialdehyde formation and depletion of glutathione content induced by $CCl_4$ in a dose dependent fashion. In addition, the decreased activities of glutathione S-transferase and glutathione reductase were restored towards normalization. These results suggest that therapeutic effects of bergenin and acetylbergenin may be related complex mechanisms that involve prevention of lipid peroxidation and preservation of hepatic GSH. The results of this study clearly indicate that bergenin and acetylbergenin have potent hepatothrapeutic action against $CCl_4$-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. In addition, acetylbergenin 50 mgHg showed almost the same levels of hepatoprotective activity as those of bergenin 100 mgAg, indicating the fact that lipophilic acetylbergenin is more effective in the hepatoprotective action against $CCl_4$ than bergenin.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.66-70
• /
• 1993

Introduction : Methanethiol is a toxicant that is a byproduct in the industrial process (oil refinery), and it is produced in vivo from methionine via transamination in case of its overintake. And it also can be generated by the action of mucosal thiol Smethyltransferase on hydrogen sulfite which is formed by anaerobic bacteria in the intestinal tract. The toxicity of methanethiol has often been suggested as one of endogenous factors involved in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy. Furthermore, methanethiol could cause the membrane damage and inhibition of some membrane protective enzymes.