• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.104-107
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• 2007

To investigate the comparative susceptibility of E. coli and S. aureus strains isolated from Korean foods to sanitizer/disinfectants, the bactericidal efficacies of sodium hypochlorite and benzalkonium chloride were assessed by quantitative suspension tests in both 'clean' and 'dirty' conditions, respectively. The sanitizers/disinfectants achieved over 5-log reduction in viable counts of all strains at the tolerance exemption concentration, except in the case of S. aureus exposure to sodium hypochlorite under dirty condition. There were no significant differences in the susceptibility of antibiotic-resistrant and antibiotic-sensitive isolated strains to the sanitizers/disinfectants (p>0.05).

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.474-478
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• 1999

Modulation of unscheduled DNA synthesis by dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) after exposure to various chemical carcinogens was investigated in the primary rat hepatocytes. Unscheduled DNA synthesis was induced by treatment of such direct acting carcinogens as methly methanesulfonate (MMS) and ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) or procarcinogens including benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and 7, 12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA). Unscheduled DNA synthesis was determined by measuring [methyl-3H]thymidine radioactivity incorporated into nuclear DNA of hepatocytes treated with carcinogens in the presence or absence of DHEA. Hydroxyurea $(5{\times}10^{-3} M)$was added to growth medium to selectively suppress normal replication. DHEA at concentrations ranging from $(1{\times}10^{-6} M)$ to$(5{\times}10^{-4} M)$ did not significantly inhibit unscheduled DNA synthesis induced by either MMS $(1{\times}10^{-4} M)$ or EMS $(1{\times}10^{-2} M)$. In contrast, DHEA-significantly inhibited unscheduled DNA synthesis induced by BaP $(6.5{\times}10^{-5} M)$ and DMBA.$(2{\times}10^{-5} M)$. DHEA-induced hepatotoxicity in rats was examined using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release as an indicator of cytotoxicity. DHEA exhibit no significant increase in LDH release compared with the control at 18 h. These data suggest that nontoxic concentration of DHEA does not affect the DNA excision repair process, but it probably influence the enzymatic system responsible for the metabolic activation of procarcinogens and thereby decreases the amount of the effective DNA adducts formed by the ultimate reactive carcinogenic species.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.370-378
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• 2018

Background: Ginseng has been the subject of many experimental and clinical studies to uncover the diverse biological activities of its constituent compounds. It is a traditional medicine that has been used for its immunostimulatory, antithrombotic, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. Ginseng may interact with concomitant medications and alter metabolism and/or drug transport, which may alter the known efficacy and safety of a drug; thus, the role of ginseng may be controversial when taken with other medications. Methods: We extensively assessed the effects of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) in rats on the expression of enzymes responsible for drug metabolism [cytochrome p450 (CYP)] and transporters [multiple drug resistance (MDR) and organic anion transporter (OAT)] in vitro and on the pharmacokinetics of two probe drugs, midazolam and fexofenadine, after a 2-wk repeated administration of KRG at different doses. Results: The results showed that 30 mg/kg KRG significantly increased the expression level of CYP3A11 protein in the liver and 100 mg/kg KRG increased both the mRNA and protein expression of OAT1 in the kidney. Additionally, KRG significantly increased the mRNA and protein expression of OAT1, OAT3, and MDR1 in the liver. Although there were no significant changes in the metabolism of midazolam to its major metabolite, 1'-hydroxymidazolam, KRG significantly decreased the systemic exposure of fexofenadine in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: Because KRG is used as a health supplement, there is a risk of KRG overdose; thus, a clinical trial of high doses would be useful. The use of KRG in combination with P-glycoprotein substrate drugs should also be carefully monitored.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.266-272
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• 2010

The present study was carried out to assess exposure & risk for Korean by total and inorganic As intake through agricultural products. Total arsenic analysis was performed using microwave device and ICP-MS. 50% MeOH extraction and anion-exchange HPLC-ICP-MS method has been used to determine arsenic species. 329 samples covering 20 kinds of agricultural products were collected from various retail outlets and markets across Korea. The concentration of total As was in the range of 0.001~0.718 mg/kg, while inorganic and organic arsenic species in all samples was not determined. For risk assessment, probable daily intake was calculated and compared with provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI, 15 ${\mu}g$/kg b.w./week for inorganic arsenic) established by JECFA. The median daily exposure to total and inorganic As by intake of agricultural products except rice was ranged 0.0002~0.012, 0.0001~0.001 ${\mu}g$/kg b.w./day, corresponding to 0.01~0.5%, 0.002~0.1% of PTWI, respectively. The median level of total and inorganic As intake through rice was 0.603 and 0.041 ${\mu}g$/kg b.w./day, and 28.1% and 1.9% of PTWI, respectively. Therefore, the level of overall exposure to arsenic for Korean through agricultural products was below the recommended JECFA levels, indicating of least possibility of risk.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.21 no.2 s.53
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• pp.103-113
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• 2006

This study examined effects of crude oil on the phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes UDP-glucuronosyl transferase (UDPGT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in mussel Mytilus edulis and rockfish Sebastes schlegeli, a representative bivalve and a culture fish, respectively. This work also intended indirectly to evaluate the post impact recovery from the massive oil tanker spillage accidents occurred during the summer of 1995 in the sea area off Yosu City, Chonnam. For these, enzyme activities of UDPGT and GST were examined in the fish and mussel following laboratory exposure to fresh crude oil, weathered oil, field-obtained oil residues, or in the field biota samples. Decreased GST activity was observed in rock fish following exposure to oil-soluble fraction (OSF) of fresh oil. A similar diminished GST activity was also observed after OSF of artificially weathered oil. OSF of field oil residues retrieved from the spillage area approximately 1 year later also exerted a slight inhibition of GST to rockfish. There was neither a change in UDPGT in rockfish, nor were there changes in mussel in both enzymes to any oil fractions. We could not observe any difference in the two enzymes either in rockfish or mussel sampled from the field during $1.5{\sim}2.0$ years post spillage, indicating that their enzyme systems might had been recovered by the sampling time. In conclusion, it seems that the inhibition of GST activity in rockfish is a biomarker response to crude oil exposure. The results, however, must be interpreted with care, as the inhibition nay reflect various factors such as oil concentration, duration and water temperature.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.12
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• pp.1779-1784
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• 2009

Establishment of simultaneous analysis method and monitoring for individually analyzing residual eight ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitors, EBI (difenoconazole, diniconazole, fenarimol, fenbuconazole, hexaconazole, myclobutanil, nuarimol and paclobutrazol) pesticides in commercial agricultural products, were conducted. The simultaneous analysis method for the pesticides was established using a GC/MS/MS for EBI pesticides. Residual amount of those pesticides were investigated in 989 commercial agricultural products (fifteen kinds of cereal grains, vegetables, beans, nuts, fruits and mushrooms) from seven metropolitan cities and eight provinces. In EBI pesticides analysis, linearity of GC/MS/MS analysis was 0.9974-0.9992, and that of recoveries were 86-135% with relative standard deviations (RSD) <20%. The limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method ranged from 0.5 to 5.0 mg/kg for eight EBI pesticides. According to the monitoring of the EBI pesticides in commercial agricultural products, difenoconazole, fenarimol, hexaconazole showed various residual levels (total frequency of 8/989 detection, 0.8%). Paclobutrazole showed in excess levels of the MRLs (maximum residue limits) for pesticides in one chard sample by the Korea Food Code. As a result of exposure assessment on the detected 8 individual pesticides, all pesticides (difenoconazole, fenarimol, hexaconazole, paclobutrazole) were evaluated as safe level in comparison to toxicologically acceptable daily intake.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.285-291
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• 2010

Recently, reproductive and neurobehavioral effects of bisphenol A (BPA) have been documented, and thus a review was requested for BPA management direction by the government. Therefore, this study was performed to establish a Korean tolerable daily intake (TDI) for BPA. An expert committee, consisting of specialists in fields such as toxicology, medicine, pharmacology, and statistics, was asked to evaluate BPA health based guidance values (HbGVs). Although many toxicological studies were reviewed to select a point of departure (POD) for TDI, rat and mouse reproductive studies by Tyl et al. (2002, 2006), which were performed according to GLP standards and OECD guidelines, were selected. This POD was the lowest value determined from the most sensitive toxicological test. The POD, a NOAEL of 5 mg/kg bw/day, was selected based on its systemic toxicity as critical effects. An uncertainty factor of 100 including interspecies and intraspecies differences was applied to calculate the TDI. According to the evaluation results, a TDI of BPA for Korean was suggested at 0.05 mg/kg bw/day. In addition, the BPA exposure level based on food consumption by the Korean population was estimated as 1.509 ${\mu}g/kg$ bw/day, and the HI was evaluated at 0.03 when the TDI of 0.05 mg/kg bw/day was applied. This HI value of 0.03 indicated that hazardous effects would not be expected from BPA oral exposures. Although highly uncertain, further studies on low dose neurobehavioral effects of BPA should be performed. In addition, it is recommended that the 'as low as reasonably achievable' (ALARA) principle be applied for BPA exposure from food packaging materials in newborn infants and children.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.561-567
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• 2012

Objectives: Parabens are widely used as antimicrobial agents in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics as well as by the food industry. Parabens have been reported to show weak estrogenic activity and be related to health effects such as allergic reactions and skin and breast cancer. We evaluated an online solid phase extraction (SPE) method coupled with LC-MS/MS technique using free and conjugated parent parabens in human urine for assessing human exposure to parabens. Methods: We employed LC/MS/MS through online solid phase extraction and column-switching techniques and analyzed free and conjugated parabens as biomarkers of human exposure. Four major parabens, methyl-paraben (MP), ethyl-paraben (EP), propyl-paraben (PP) and butyl-paraben (BP), were analyzed. Method validation was performed by sensitivity, accuracy, precision and comparison of the results of online SPE with offline SPE. Results: The limits of detection (LOD) were in the range of 0.2-2 ng/mL, and actual limits of quantification (LOQ) were in the range of 0.7-6 ng/mL urine, depending upon the compound. Accuracy was in the range of 98.3-106.4%, and precision was in the range of 1.3-8.7% (CV) depending upon the compound. We found a good correlation between the results of analysis by online SPE method and that by off-line SPE method. Conclusions: The online SPE method showed proper LOD and validated accuracy, precision and good correlation with the offline method for analyzing parabens in urine.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.177-182
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• 2014

This study was to determine the correlation between endothelial function and neuro-endocrine-immune (NEI) network through observing the changes of NEI network under the different endothelial dysfunction models. Three endothelial dysfunction models were established in male Wistar rats after exposure to homocysteine (Hcy), high fat diet (HFD) and Hcy+HFD. The results showed that there was endothelial dysfunction in all three models with varying degrees. However, the expression of NEI network was totally different. Interestingly, treatment with simvastatin was able to improve vascular endothelial function and restored the imbalance of the NEI network, observed in the Hcy+HFD group. The results indicated that NEI network may have a strong association with endothelial function, and this relationship can be used to distinguish different risk factors and evaluate drug effects.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.347-349
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• 1995

A 43 year old man who suffered from right facial palsy was treated successfully with the application of both magnetic resonance diagnostic analyser(MRA) and drug therapy. Treatment of facial palsy is generally composed of stellate ganglion block(SGB), drug therapy and operative intervention. Short periods of exposure to appropriate magnetic resonance can beneficially modulate the balance of autonomic nervous system that are responsible for sympathetic overflow. It was concluded that recovery of facial palsy by application of both MRA and drug therapy was effective in patient who refused SGB.