• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.220-224
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• 2003

To test the protective effect of Sophorae Radix (SR) on the damage of cardiac endothelial cells by xanthine oxidase (XO)/hypoxanthine (HX)-induced oxygen tree radical, Neutral Red (NR), lactate dyhydrogenase (LDH), and c-fos immunopositive cells assay were used in the presence of SR extract. The results of these experiments were obtained as follows ; Cardiac endothelial cells treated with XO/HX showed the cytotoxicity such as a decrease in viability, and increases in LDH activity and c-fos immunopositive cells. Cardiac endothelial cells pretreated with SR extract protected the increase of LDH activity. Alos, cardiac endothelial cells pretreated with SR extract inhibited the increase of c-fos immunopositive cells. These results show that XO/HX induces toxic effects in cultured cardiac endothelial cells derived from neonatal rat, and suggest that SR extract is very effective in the prevention of XO/HX-induced toxicity.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.483-489
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• 2020

Background: Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) has been known to possess many ginsenosides. These ginsenosides are used for curing cardiovascular problems. The present study show the protective potential of KRG against doxorubicin (DOX)-induced myocardial dysfunction, by assessing electrocardiographic, hemodynamic, and biochemical parameters and histopathological findings. Methods: Animals were fed a standard chow and adjusted to their environment for 3 days before the experiments. Next, the rats were equally divided into five groups (n = 9, each group). The animals were administered with KRG (250 and 500 mg/kg) for 10 days and injected with DOX (20 mg/kg, subcutaneously, twice at a 24-h interval) on the 8th and 9th day. Electrocardiography and echocardiography were performed to study hemodynamics. Plasma levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and malondialdehyde were measured. In addition, the dose of troponin I and activity of myeloperoxidase in serum and cardiac tissue were analyzed, and the histopathological findings were evaluated using light microscopy. Results: Administration of KRG at a dose of 250 and 500 mg/kg recovered electrocardiographic changes, ejection fraction, fractional shortening, left ventricular systolic pressure, the maximal rate of change in left ventricle contraction (-dP/dt_max), and left ventricle relaxation (-dP/dt_max). In addition, KRG treatment significantly normalized the oxidative stress markers in plasma, dose dependently. In addition, the values of troponin I and myeloperoxidase were ameliorated by KRG treatment, dose dependently. And, KRG treatment showed better histopathological findings when compared with the DOX control group. Conclusion: These mean that KRG mitigates myocardial damage by modulating the hemodynamics, histopathological abnormality, and oxidative stress related to DOX-induced cardiomyopathy in rats. The results of the present study show protective effects of KRG on cardiac toxicity.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.51-55
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• 2003

Resibufogenin is a single compound isolated from the skin venom gland of the toad (Bufo bufo gargarizans cantor). Formulations containing toad venom have been widely used as complementary and alternative medicines. However, like digitalis, resibufogenin possesses both pharmacological and toxicological activities. Our previous data indicated that resibufogenin induces electro-toxicity, including delayed afterdepolarization and triggered arrhythmias at high concentration, both in cardiac fiber in vitro and in beating heart in vivo.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.58-60
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• 2006

The venom gland of Toad contains large quantities of cardiac glycosides, and toad venom poisoning is similar to digitalis toxicity and carries a high mortality. Sometimes after ingestion of aphrodisiac pills which contain dried toad, a patient develops gastrointestinal symptoms and bradycardia, psychoneurologic symptoms. We have experienced 2 cases of toad venom intoxication, who ingested asian toads. Patients were presented to our ED with nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The patients were peformed monitoring and conservative treatment and were fully recovered. Toad venom intoxication should be considered in patients with clinical manifestation of gastrointestinal irritation, cardiac arrhythmias, hyperkalemia, and detectable serum digoxin level without current medication of digoxin.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2012

Purpose: Herbal preparations have long been used for medical purposes by traditional cultures, and their use is increasing in modern societies. However, many herbal agents produce specific cardiovascular toxicities in humans. We performed this study in order to investigate the clinical characteristics of the cardiac toxicities associated with herbal remedies. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 45 patients (mean age $57{\pm}10$ years) who presented with cardiotoxicity between January 2007 and May 2011 due to ingestion of herbal remedy substances. Patients were identified as suffering cardiotoxicity if they presented with chest pain, EKG abnormality, and elevation of cardiac enzyme. Results: Of the 45 total cases, 17 included hemodynamic instability (37.8%), 7 with increasing cardiac enzyme (15.6%), 2 with cardiac arrest (4.4%) and one case of mortality (2.2%). The cardiotoxic herb group that demonstrated the worst clinical course was Ranunculaceae. Conclusions: In our study results, 57.6% of the herbal intoxication patients demonstrated the effects of cardiotoxicity. Thus, we recommend careful monitoring of herbal intoxication patients.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.352-355
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• 2003

To investigate the protective effect of Gamdu-tang(GDT) and its constituents. Radix Glycyrrhizae(RG) and Semen Glycine(SG) on the damage of cardiac endothelial cells by xanthine oxidase (XO)/hypoxanthine (HX)-induced oxygen free radical, Neutral Red (NR) and DNA synthesis assay were used. The results were obtained as follows ; Cardiac endothelial cells treated with XO/HX showed the cytotoxicity such as decreases in viability and DNA synthesis. Cardiac endothelial cells pretreated with GDT extracts were not showed the decrease of DNA synthesis by XO/HX, These results show that XO/HX elicits toxic effects in cultured cardiac endothelial cells derived from neonatal rat, and suggest that GDT extract is very effective in the prevention of XO/HX-induced toxicity.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.12-20
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• 1995

Clofibrate, a peroxisome proliferator, is hepatocarcinogenic in rats in a dose-dependent manner. A total of 70 male and female F344 rats, 5-week-old, were divided into three groups. Rats were fed clofibrate at 0, 0.25, or 0.5% in diet for 30 days. All rats were anesthetized with $CO_2$, blood samples were taken by cardiac puncture for hematology and clinical chemistry, and the rats were killed by exsanguination. Livers, kidenys, pancreas, adrenal glands, spleen, heart, lungs, thyroid gland, reproductive organs, and digestive organs were removed, weighed, later processed, and embedded with paraplast for histological examination. The relative liver and kidney weights with respect to final body weight in the clofibrate-treated group were significantly increased compared with those of control group at all dose levels (p<0.01). It has been suggested that clofibrate may influence on hepatotoxicity by increases in peroxisomal proliferation.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.739-745
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• 2001

Of all pesticides, carbamates are known to be most common, since alternatives such as organophosphates have long lifetime and are extremely toxic to produce a delayed neurotoxic effect. Although a number of studies about toxicity of carbofuran, a most widely used carbamate, have been reported, its cardiovascular toxicity has not yet been studied. In the present study, we investigated its cardiovascular toxic effect in anesthetized rat in vivo and in isolated Langendorff rat heart, In anesthetized rat model, carbofuran (10 mg/kg) significantly reduced heart rate, and transiently increased blood pressure. In isolated rat heart, carbofuran (10${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$) caused a significant depression in the left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), indicating contractile dysfunction by carbofuran. Carbofuran (10${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$) also decreased coronary flow rate (CFR) in isolated heart, indicating carbofuran-induced coronary dysfunction. These results suggest that carbofuran can cause cardiac dysfunction in rat in vivo and vitro.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.233-240
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• 1993

Toxic effects of chronic adminstration of methamphetamine (MA) to SD rats were studied in respect to histopathological changes induced in each organ. In experimental groups liver weight decreased and brain weights increased markedly compared with controls in the 12th month after subcutaneous injection of 0.5 mg and 5mg/kg/BW MA. Serum alkaline phosphotase levels increased, but marked decrease of cholesterol, triglyceride, and BUN levels were checked depending on both the dose of MA and duration of treatment.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.375-384
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• 2002

Repeated-dose toxicity of hyrubicin ID6105, a novel anthrarycline anticancer agent, was investigated in Sprague-Dawley rats. ID6105 was injected intravenously to rats at dose levels of 0.04, 0.2 or 1.0 mg/kg/day for 4 week. As a result, there were no dose-related mortality and specific clinical signs of all animals treated with the drug. However body weight gain of both male and female rats treated with a high dose (l.0 mg/kg/day) of ID6105 significantly decreased compared to control. Interestingly, the numbers of RBC and platelets, and concentration of hemoglobin remarkably increased, while protein synthesis was suppressed, which may be related to the atrophy of spleen, thymus and liver. Moreover there were severe lymphocytic depletion in spleen and thymus as well as decrease in the number of hematopoietic cells in bone marrow. Also, degeneration of cardiac muscles and testicular germinal epithelia were observed. Taken together, it is suggested that Long-term administration of ID6105 at high doses over 0.2 mg/kg/day might cause hematopoietic and male reproductive system injuries, in addition to hepatic dysfunction.