• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.69-74
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• 2006

Objectives : This study was undertaken to determine if a combined(SPe) has a protective effect against functional failure induced by $CCl_4$ in rat liver. Methods : Acute liver injury which initiated from free radical induced by $CCl_4$, were applied to rats and data were obtained. Liver injury was estimated by measuring aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and alanine aminotransferase(ALT) activity in serum. Lipid peroxidation was examined by measuring malondialdehyde, a product of lipid peroxidation. GSH activities in liver tissues were also measured. Results : When rats were treated intraperitoneally with $CCl_4$, serum AST and ALT were increased compared with the control, which was significantly inhibited by pretreatment of SPe. SPe also prevented reduction in GSH induced by $CCl_4$. Conclusion : Above results suggest that SPe exerts protective effect against $CCl_4$ by its antioxidant action in liver tissues. Thus, SPe may be used in prevention and treatment of drug-induced liver cell injury. However, the precise mechanisms of SPe protection remain to be determined.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.247-255
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• 1998

Carbon tetrachloride (CCI$_4$) induces the hepatotoxicity due to the reactive free radicals generated by cytochrome P-450 (CYP-450) enzyme, which result in destabilization of cellular membrane. Diltiazem, a calcium channel blocking agent, has been known to suppress the CYP-450 enzyme activities. To study the effect of diltiazem in $CCl_4$-treated rats, we measured the activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and glutathione S-transferase (GST), contents of bilirubin, albumin, total protein, cholesterol, triglyceride, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine malondialdehyde and calcium. Also we conducted liver histopathologic examinations. Diltiazem, when administered 1 hour prior to CCI$_4$ treaeent, significantly reduced the activities of ALT and AST, the contents of microsomal malondialdehyde and calcium in liver and microsome as compared with those of $CCl_4$-treated rats. In addition, histopathologic examination showed that diltiazem prevented the development of centrilobular necrosis induced by CCI$_4$ in liver tissue. Our results suggested that diltiazem could inhibit the formation of free radicals and the influx of calcium. Therefore diltiazem may be applied to suppress the liver damage caused by $CCl_4$.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.471-480
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• 2021

Objectives: Cadmium is widely used, leading to extensive environmental and occupational exposure. Unlike other organs, for which the harmful and carcinogenic effects of cadmium have been established, the hepatotoxicity of cadmium remains unclear. Some studies detected correlations between cadmium exposure and hepatotoxicity, but others concluded that they were not associated. Thus, we investigated the relationship between cadmium and liver damage in the general population. Methods: In total, 11 838 adult participants from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2015 were included. Urinary cadmium levels and the following liver function parameters were measured: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), total bilirubin (TB), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Linear and logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the associations between urinary cadmium concentrations and each liver function parameter after adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, annual family income, smoking status, alcohol consumption status, physical activity, and body mass index. Results: The covariate-adjusted results of the linear regression analyses showed significant positive relationships between log-transformed urinary cadmium levels and each log-transformed liver function parameter, where beta±standard error of ALT, AST, GGT, TB, and ALP were 0.049±0.008 (p<0.001), 0.030±0.006 (p<0.001), 0.093±0.011 (p<0.001), 0.034±0.009 (p<0.001), and 0.040±0.005 (p<0.001), respectively. Logistic regression also revealed statistically significant results. The odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of elevated ALT, AST, GGT, TB, and ALP per unit increase in log-transformed urinary cadmium concentration were 1.360 (1.210 to 1.528), 1.307 (1.149 to 1.486), 1.520 (1.357 to 1.704), 1.201 (1.003 to 1.438), and 1.568 (1.277 to 1.926), respectively. Conclusions: Chronic exposure to cadmium showed positive associations with liver damage.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.21 no.2 s.24
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• pp.329-339
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• 1988

The study is carried out to investigate the effect of drinking and smoking for the activities of aspartate aminotransferase(AST, or GOT) and alanine aminotransferase(ALT or GPT), from December 25, 1986 to April 30, 1987. The male physical examinees for employment, 900 who had visited to the Taegu Medical Center were subjected. And the positive cases of HBs-Ag, Anti-HBs and skin test for Clonorchis sinensis were excluded. The general characters of drinking and smoking pattern were introduced by interview with questionnaire provided for. In drinking cases, the longer duration was significantly effected the higher rate of abnormality in AST and ALT level. But the amount and the frequency were not. It was not appeared effects by mackgulri which is a Korean traditional wine and small amount of beers. In smoking cases, also same pattern. The age was related in all cases. By the way, when the effect is related the positive results with other factors: HBs-Ag, Anti-HBs, skin test for Clonorchiasis and harmful occupational history, it is higher abnormal rate of AST and ALT in the duplicated cases with two factors or more. Particularly in HBs-Ag positive cases, those who had smoking was the highest in rate of abnormality, and drinking was the follows. In correlation matrix among seven factors; HBs-Ag, age, drinking amount, drinking period, drinking frequency, smoking amount and smoking period, correlation coefficient was significant between the abnormal rate and to with age, drinking period, smoking period, and smoking amount.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 2009

Purpose: To investigate the physical and biochemical parameters related with elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in obese children. Methods: One hundred forty-two obese or overweight children who visited the out-patient clinics of Chungnam National University Hospital between January 2006 and August 2008 were enrolled. Physical measures and biochemical tests were performed in all patients. Liver sonography was performed in 43 patients. They were divided into the following 2 groups based on ALT levels: group I, normal ALT levels (n=65); and group II, elevated ALT levels (n=77). We compared the physical measures, biochemical results, and ultrasonographic findings of the livers in both groups. Other causes of elevated serum ALT levels were ruled out. Results: The male-to-female ratios were 1.6:1 in group I and 7.6:1 in group II. Among physical parameters, the waist circumference-to-height ratio and hip circumference-to-height ratio were significantly higher in group II (p=0.001 and 0.046, respectively). Among biochemical parameters, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), ${\gamma}$-glutamyltransferase (${\gamma}$-GT), and total cholesterol levels were significantly higher in group II (p<0.001, 0.001, and 0.001, respectively). The AST/ALT ratio was <1 (mean, 0.55) and statistically lower in group II. There was a positive correlation between the serum ALT level and ${\gamma}$-GT (p<0.001, r=0.750), and a positive correlation between the serum ALT level and the waist circumference-to-height ratio in group II (p<0.001, r=0.401). Conclusion: The results suggest that the waist circumference-to-height ratio and ${\gamma}$-GT may be associated with elevated alanine aminotransferase activity in obese children.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 1998

The antilipidperoxidative and hepatopreventive effects of Houttuynia cordata extract(HCE) were investigated at the level of liver homogenates and serum of SD rats intoxicated EtOH(3g/kg for 3days). We measured MDA(malondialdehyde) in the live. homogenate, AST(1-aspartate-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase) and ALT( 1-alanine-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferse) in the serum. The analysis of the measurement indicated that HCE reduced MDA, ALT and AST significantly and their reduction was in relation to dose dependence. In rat liver homogenate intoxicated with EtOH, HCE treatment group inhibited lipidperoxidation by 50-75%. In rat serum intoxicated EtOH, HCE inhibited AST and ALT by 40-70%.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.375-385
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• 2001

Objectives : This study was carried out to research the protective effects of Sagunja-Tang(SA) through in vivo experiments, and tried to investigate the relation between oxidation of liver tissues and deficiency of Qi. Methods : Acute liver injury which initiated from free radical induced by $CCl_4$, were applied to mice and metabolic data were obtained. In order to measure the degree of liver injury, serum level of alanine aminotransferase(AST), aspartate aminotransferase(ALT), creatinine, blood urea nitrogen(BUN), total protein(TP) and glucose were measured. Lipid peroxidation of liver slice was examined by measuring malondialdehyde(MDA), a product of lipid peroxidation. Results : SA had protective effects on $CCl_4$ induced acute liver injury by decreasing serum level of ALT. Kidney injury was induced by injection of $CCl_4$ too, and SA protected kidney injury by decreasing serum level of creatinine and BUN. Conclusions : Through this study, we found that SA have healing effects on liver and kidney injury of $CCl_4$ induced oxidative stress that is similar to deficiency of Qi. And further studies have to be followed to certify the mechanisms.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.46-51
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• 2012

We analyzed the concentration of Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), Gamma Glutamyl Transferase (GGT), total protein (TP), albumin, total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride in sera of patients (n=455) aged 60 years and older with hyperglycemia (${\geq}120mg/dL$ in serum). The average concentration of biochemicals in patient group was compared with those in reference group. Our data showed that the average concentrations of AST and TC in sera of senior patients with hyperglycemia were significantly increased by 27.5% (P<0.05) and 82% (P<0.05) in total group, 38.5% (P<0.05) and 75.0% (P<0.05) in sixty years' group, 16.0% (P<0.05) and 89.7% (P<0.05) in seventy years' group and 27.0% (P<0.05) and 79.5% (P<0.05) in eighty years' group, respectively. Patients with hyperglycemia showed a significant decrease in albumin level by 6.7% (total group, P<0.05), 4.5% (sixty years' group, P<0.05), 8.9% (seventy years' group, P<0.05) and 4.5% (eighty years' group, P<0.05), respectively. In conclusion, the high concentration of glucose in the senior patients with hyperglycemia may be a cause of severe liver function and lipid metabolism disorder.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.38 no.2 s.149
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• pp.139-147
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• 2007

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective activity of curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin, isolated from Curcuma longa Linne, on hepatocyte injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl$_4$,10 mM), t-butyl hydroperoxide (TBH, 0.5 mM) and D-galactosamine (GaIN,30 mM). Primary cultures of rat hepatocyte (18 h culture) were treated with CCl$_4$, TBH or GaIN and various concentrations (0.1, 1, 10 and 100 ${\mu}$M) of curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin CCl$_4$ significantly increased the levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). The increases in LDH, ALT and AST levels were inhibited by curcumin. Demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin decreased the levels of AST. Curcumin inhibited the increases in ALT and AST levels induced by TBH. The increased levels of LDH, ALT and AST induced by TBH were inhibited by bisdemethoxycurcumin. GaIN markedly increased the levels of LDH, ALT and AST. These increases were significantly inhibited by bisdemethoxycurcumin. The increase in AST level was inhibited by curcumin. These results suggest that curcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin have potent hepatoprotective activities.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.485-491
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to probe the influences of krill (Euphausia superba) meal supplementation on a dose effect relationship between fluoride levels of krill meal and serum hepatic functional enzyme activity such as alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in rats fed experimental diets for 5 weeks. There were no significant differences in the activities of ALP, AST, ALT, and LDH in sera among krill meal diet groups (KM10, KM20, KM30). However, these groups were significantly (p<0.05) lower enzyme activities than control group (CG). The fluoride levels of sera and organ tissues (liver, brain, heart, lung, kidney) in krill meal diet groups (KM10, KM20, KM30) were significantly increased by adding krill meal in comparison with CG. The results indicate that a difficult to found toxicity to the liver from krill meal diet groups.