• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.327-332
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• 2011

It has been shown that some opium derivatives promote cell death via apoptosis. This study was designed to examine the influence of opium addiction on brain and liver cells apoptosis in male and female diabetic and non-diabetic Wistar rats. This experimental study was performed on normal, opium-addicted, diabetic and diabetic opium-addicted male and female rats. Apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL and DNA fragmentation assays. Results of this study showed that apoptosis in opium-addicted and diabetic opium-addicted brain and liver cells were significantly higher than the both normal and diabetic rats. In addition, we found that apoptosis in brain cells of opium-addicted and diabetic opium-addicted male rats were significantly higher than opium-addicted and diabetic opium-addicted female, whereas apoptosis in liver cells of opium-addicted and diabetic opium-addicted female rats were significantly higher than opium-addicted and diabetic opium-addicted male. Overall, these results indicate that opium probably plays an important role in brain and liver cells apoptosis, therefore, leading neurotoxicity and hepatotoxicity. These findings also in away possibly means that male brain cells are more susceptible than female and interestingly liver of females are more sensitive than males in induction of apoptosis by opium.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2002

DM is a systemic disease with many complications. One of them, diabetic osteopenia is important sequelae and many authors reported reduced bone mass in diabetic rats. However, in mandible, study has been rare because of its anatomical limits. So the objective of this study was to investigate bony change in mandible of diabetic rats. Thirty-two adult rats were used in this study. Half of them were male and female respectively. In sixteen rats, streptozotocin was injected intraperitoneally to induce DM and the serum glucose concentration was checked to ensure the induction of DM prior to the time of sacrifice. At 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16weeks, control group and diabetic group rats were sacrificed respectively. And then bone mineral density of mandibles and femurs of the rats was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry(DEXA). In addition serum osteocalcin and urine deoxypyridinoline were measured as markers of bone formation and resoption respectively. Mandibular and femoral bone density in streptozotocin induced rats was decreased with significance statistically after 4 weeks from injection. In mandible, comparing with femur, bone density was moderately decreased. The alveolar bone in mandible was more decreased bone density than the whole body in the mandible From these results, bone mineral density decreased in uncontrolled diabetic group with time, and especially alveolar bone was more destructive in the mandible. So authors think that consideration of reduced bone mineral density is necessary in dental procedure.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.284-289
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• 2002

The effects of Okcheonsan powder on the body weights, the organ weights, the blood glucose level, the lipid and protein concentrations of serum and liver in diabetic rats were studied. Female rats (Sprague-Dawley, mean weight 313.6$\pm$18.5 g) were randomly assigned to one normal and two diabetic groups. They were fed experimental diets for 5 weeks. The diabetic groups were divided into the diabetic control (D-control group) and 3% Ok-cheonsan groups (D-Okcheonsan group). Rats were injected with streptozotocin intraperitoneally to induce diabetes. The body weights, the concentrations of total lipid and triglyceride of liver, the concentrations of total protein and albumin of serum in tole D-control and the D-Okcheonsan groups were significantly decreased compared with those in the normal group. The pancreatic weight in the D-control group was significantly more increased than that in the D-Okcheonsan group, but in the D-Okcheonsan group it was similar to that in the normal group. The fasting blood glucose levels and the atherogenic index in all the diabetic groups were significantly higher than those in the normal group. The concentrations of triglyceride, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol of serum, and the cholesterol of fiver in the D-Okcheonsan group were significantly lower than those in the D-control group. The concentration of HDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholestrol/total cholesterol ratio of serum were similar to those in all the groups. The concentrations of phospholipid of serum and liver in the D-Okcheonsan group were significantly decreased compared with those of the normal group, In conclusion, the Okcheonsan powder feeding could decrease the pancreatic weight, the concentrations of the triglyceride, the total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol of serum, and the cholesterol of liver in the diabetic rats. But the concentrations of the blood glucose, the hepatic triglyceride and the atherogenic index seems to be not affected by it.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.215.2-215
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• 2001

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.661-668
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• 2002

We investigated the effect of tea fungus/kombucha beverage(TF) on the body weights, the blood glucose levels, lipid and protein concentrations, and enzyme activities in diabetic female rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were fed drinking water supplemented with 20% or 40% TF groups, respectively for 7 weeks. The female rats (mean weight 155.5$\pm$9.3 g) were assigned to one control and three diabetic groups. Diabetic groups were divided into diabetic control (TF free water), 20% or 40% TFD groups (20% or 40% TF in water) according to the levels of TF supplementation. Diabetes was experimentally induced by intraperitonially administration of streptozotocin in citrate buffer(pH 4.3) after 2 weeks feeding of four experimental water. Animals were sacrificed at the 5 weeks of diabetic state. The diabetic groups showed significantly decrease of body weight(6.8-7.5 g) compared with the control group(48.3 g). The hepatic, kidney and pancreatic weights of 20% or 40% TFD groups were not significantly different with D-control group. The fasting serum glucose level were higher in all diabetic groups than that of the control group. The concentrations of serum triglyceride in 40% TFD group and serum LDL-cholesterol in 20% TFD group were significantly decreased compared with the D-control group. The concentrations of serum total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio, and atherogenic index in 20% or 40% TFD groups were similar to those in D-control group. The concentrations of hepatic triglyceride in 20% or 40% TFD groups were significantly decreased compared with the D-control group, but the concentrations of hepatic cholesterol and phospholipid were similar to all diabetic groups. The concentrations of serum and hepatic total protein, serum albumin, and the activities of GOT, GPT and LDH in the serum were the same levels of all diabetic groups.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.207.3-208
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• 2000

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Toxicological Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.87-96
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• 2007

Single and repeated-dose toxicity of anti-diabetic herb extract microcapsule (ADHEM) were evaluated according to Toxicity Test Guidelines of Korea Food and Drug Administration using Sprague-Dawley rats. For single-dose toxicity test, kneading ADHEM with sterilized water were administered orally once at dose levels of 0 and 2,000 mg/kg and examined for 14 days. No dead animals, clinical signs and abnormal necropsy findings were observed and also no significant difference in body weights was found. Therefore, the $LD_{50}$ of ADHEM was considered to be higher than 2,000 mg/kg in both male and female rats. For repeated-dose toxicity test, ADHEM were mixed with powder fodder and administerd orally for 28 days at dose levels of 0, 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg/day. No dead animals, clinical signs and significant difference in body weights were found. In hematology and serum biochemistry, all values were included within the normal ranges. In relative organ weights, kidney or liver were significantly increased in the 500, 1000 or 2000 mg/kg/day male groups, uterus was significantly increased in the 500 mg/kg/day female group and left adrenal glands were significantly decreased in the 2000 mg/kg/day female group. In histopathological examinations, vacuolation and microgranuloma in the liver, chronic progressive nephropathy and inflammation in the kidney were observed in the 500, 1000 or 2000 mg/kg/day both male and female groups. Therefore, the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of ADHEM was considered to be lower than 500 mg/kg/day in both male and female rats.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.37 no.9
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• pp.786-793
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• 2004

Women with menopause or rats with ovariectomy is associated with increased body weight, body fat and insulin resistance, which are components of metabolic syndrome. Increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome after menopause might be associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, since mitochondrial oxidative and phosphorylation activity is strongly correlated with insulin sensitivity. Although estradiol replacement prevents the metabolic syndrome, harmful effect of estradiol hampers the casual usage to prevent the metabolic syndrome. It has been reported that genistein has a mild estrogenic activity, decreases fat mass in mice and has an antidiabetic role in diabetic rats. Although insulin resistance is closely related to mitochondrial functions, there has not been yet any study in regard to the effect of dietary genistein on mitochondrial function in the insulin resistant female subjects induced by ovariectomy or similar situation. The present study investigated whether the supplementation of genistein in the high fat diet affected the mitochondrial function of high fat fed ovariectomized rats. Female Sprague Dawley rats (8 weeks old) were assigned to the following groups: sham-operated+ high fat diet (S, n=6); sham-operated + high fat diet with 0.1% genistein (S + G, n=7); ovariectomized + high fat diet (OVX, n=8); ovariectomized + high fat diet with 0.1% genistein (OVX+ G, n=8). Ovariectomy significantly increased body weight compared with S group. Genistein consumption in ovariectomized (OVX + G) rats decreased body weight gain compared with OVX rats. Liver weights were increased by ovariectomy. The hepatic mitochondrial protein density expressed as mg per g liver was lower in the OVX group than in the S group. However, OVX + G group showed the increased mitochondrial protein density similar to the level of S group. When mRNA levels of genes related to mitochondria such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ coactivator 1 (PGC-1) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit III (COX III) were measured, there were decreases in the mRNA levels of PGC-1 and COX III in S + G, OVX and OVX + G group. The activity of cytochrome c oxidase was not different between groups. We could observe the decrease in succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity per g liver in OVX rats. Genistein supplement increased SDH activity. In conclusion, genistein supplementation to the OVX rats enhanced mitochondrial function by increasing mitochondrial protein density and SDH activity. The improvement in mitochondrial function by genistein can contribute to the improvement in metabolic syndrome.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.551-560
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• 2010

The study aim was to investigate the effects of three types of mulberry products on the blood glucose and lipid statuses and peroxidative state under diabetic condition. The three types were mulberry liquor prepared by adding 30% ethanol to the crushed fresh fruit, mulberry wine and vinegar by fermentation. For diet experiment the mulberry liquor (M-Liquor), wine (M-Wine), and vinegar (M-Vinegar) were prepared as powders by freeze-drying of the respective product and were added to the diet at the level of 1% and mulberry fruit powder (M-Powder) at the level of 5%. Sprague- Dawley female rats weighing $150{\pm}10\;g$ were randomly assigned to one normal group, and five diabetic groups induced by one intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) at the level of 50 mg/kg. The normal and diabetic control (DM-Control) groups were fed diet without the mulberry products. During twenty-one days of experimental diet, blood glucose was maintained at a low level in the M-Liquor group compared with the DM-Control group. However, serum insulin level was higher in both M-Liquor and M-Vinegar groups after the experimental diet period. Serum levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride (TG) were lower in M-Liquor but HDL-/total cholesterol ratios were higher in the four M groups. The TG liver level was lower in M-Powder and M-Vinegar groups but the cholesterol level was lower in M-Powder than in the DM-Control group. Serum levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were not different among the groups but the liver levels of these substances were lower in the four M groups than in DM-Control. Serum GOT and GPT levels were not changed by the mulberry products. These results indicated that mulberry liquor is the most effective among the four mulberry products for normalizing blood glucose and lipid status and that all the mulberry products were effective in enhancing antioxidant defense in the diabetic state.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.474-485
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• 2013

Pharmacological studies and clinical practices have indicated that Radix Astragali, a dried root of Astragalus membranaceus possesses a lot of biological activities, including antioxidant, hepatoprotective, anti-diabetic, tonic, diuretic, antimicrobial, antiviral, and immunological activities. These biological activities approved by the modern pharmacological studies are mainly due to the constituents of Astragalus membranaceus including polysaccharides, saponins, flavonoids, amino acids, and trace elements. In resent, the main constituents in the root part showing a lot of biological activities has been isolated also from the aboveground parts such as leaves and sprouts in our laboratory. However, the safety evaluation for the aboveground parts of Astragalus membranaceus should be checked before expanding their application as one of food. In the study, a 90-day rat oral gavage study has been conducted with the extracts from Astragalus membranaceus-above-ground parts at doses of 1000, 3000, and 5000mg/kg/day. The following endpoints were evaluated: clinical observations, body weight, gross and microscopic pathology, clinical chemistry, and hematology. Based on the analysis of these endpoints, it was estimated that NOEL (no observed effect level) for male rats and NOAEL (no observed adverse effect level) for female rats are 5000mg/kg/day of the water-extracts from Astragalus membranaceus-aboveground parts.