• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.55-65
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• 2002

Ginseng has been used as a key constituent in traditional medicine prescriptions for centuries. Other than its well-known anti-stress and adaptogenic properties, ginseng has also been shown to be very effective in treating age-related deterioration in metabolic and memory functions. Although it is generally believed that the saponin (GS) fraction of the ginseng root accounts for the bioactivity of ginseng, a direct demonstration on which ginsenoside does what is still generally lacking. In the past decade, our laboratory has endeavored to identify the active GS components involved in energy metabolism, memory, and anti-neurotoxicity. To examine the ergogenic effects of GS in enhancing aerobic capacity, rats were subjected to either severe cold ($40^{\circ}C$ under helium-oxygen, two hours) or exercise workload $(70\%\;VO_{2}max,$ to exhaustion). Acute systemic injection (i.p.) of ginseng GS (5-20 mg/kg) significantly elevated both the total and maximum heat production in rats and improved their cold tolerance. However, pretreating the animal with the optimal dose (10 mg/kg) of GS devoid of $Rg_1\;and\;Rb_1$ failed to elicit any beneficial effects in improving cold tolerance. This indicates that either $Rb_1\;and/or\;Rg_1$ may be essential in exemplifying the thermogenic effect of GS. Further studies showed that only pretreating the animals with $Rb_1(2.5-5\;mg/kg),\;but\;not\;Rg_l,$ resulted in an increase in thermogenesis and cold tolerance. In contrast to the acute effect of GS on cold tolerance, enhancement of exercise performance in rats was only observed after chronic treatment (4 days). Further, we were able to demonstrate that both $Rb_1\;and\;Rg_1$ are effective in enhancing aerobic endurance by exercise. To illustrate the beneficial effects of GS in learning and memory, a passive avoidance paradigm (shock prod) was used. Our results indicated that the scopolamineinduced amnesia can be significantly reversed by chronically treating (4 days) the rats with either $Rb_1\;or\;Rg_1$ (1.25 - 2.5 mg/kg). To further examine its underlying mechanisms, the effects of various GS on ${\beta}-amyloid-modulated$ acetylcholine (ACh) release from the hippocampal slices were examined. It was found that inclusion of $Rb_1$ (0.1 ${\mu}M$), but not $Rg_1$, can attenuate ${\beta}-amyloid-suppressed$ ACh release from the hippocampal slices. Our results demonstrated that $Rb_1\;and\;Rg_1$ are the key components involved in various beneficial effects of GS but they may elicit their effects through different mechanisms.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.411-417
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• 2018

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of participation in the 622 km hyper-ultra-marathon on hepatic metabolism and renal function in middle-aged men. Healthy middle-aged male amateur ultra-marathoners between the ages of 40 and 60. Blood was collected at the pre-race, immediately after 300 km, 622 km hyper-ultra marathon race, 72 hours (3 day) and 144 hours (6 day) after the race, AST (aspartate aminotransferase), ALT (alanine aminotransferase), ALP (alkaline phosphatase), ${\gamma}$-GTP (gamma glutamyl transferase), T-Bil (total bilirubin), D-Bil (direct bilirubin), T-protein (total protein), albumin, uric acid, BUN (blood urea nitrogen), creatinne were analyzed. ALP was significantly increased at 300 km, 622 km, day 3 and day 6 than the pre-race. ${\gamma}$-GTP, T-protein, albumin, uric acid, BUN and creatinine were not significantly different between the distances and the recovery period respectively. AST and ALT were significantly increased at 300 km, 622 km, day 3 and day 6 than the pre-race, respectively (P<0.05) at day 3 and day 6 they showed significant decrease from 300 km and 622 km, respectively (P<0.05). T-Bil and D-Bil increased significantly at 300 km and 622 km, respectively (P<.05) and significantly decreased at day 3 (P<0.05) compared to the pre-race, at day 3 and day 6 they were decreased significantly than 300 km and 622 km, respectively (P<0.05). In conclusion, no disturbance of renal function was observed according to the distances and between the recovery period of 622 km hyper-ultra marathon race, but reversible hepatocyte function could be degraded and some hemolysis of blood vessels was induced.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.605-612
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• 2000

Four young swamp buffalo cows of similar age ranging in weight between 280 to 380 kg and trained to do physical work were used in a study to determine energy and protein requirements for draught using a $4{\times}4$ Latin square designed experiment. The experiment consisted of field trials employing 4 levels of work load, e.g. no work as control, and loads amounting 450 to 500 Newton (N) pulled continuously for 1, 2 and 3 h daily for 14 consecutive days. Cows were fed king grass (Penisetum purpuroides) ad libitum and were subjected to materials balance trials. Body composition was estimated in vivo by the body density method and daily energy expenditure (EE) was calculated from ME minus retained energy (RE). The results show that EE while not working ($EE_{resting}$) was $0.42kgW^{0.75}MJ/d$ and maintenance ME ($ME_m$) was $0.37kgW^{0.75}MJ/d$. ME requirement increased to 1.65 times maintenance for the work of 3 hours. The energy expended for doing exercise ($E_{exercise}$) was 9.56, 20.0 and 25.86 MJ/cow for treatments 1, 2 and 3 II, respectively. Fat retention was absent in all groups of working cows, but protein retention was only negative for cows undertaking 3 h work. The relationship between $E_{exercise}$ (MJ), work load (F, kN), work duration (t, h) and body mass (W, kg) was found to be: $E_{exercise}=(0.003F^{1.43}t^{0.93})/W^{0.09}MJ$. The maintenance requirement for digestible protein was $2.51kgW^{0.75}g/d$, whereas digestible protein for growth ($DP_{growth}$) and for work ($DP_{work}$) followed the equations: $DP_{growth}=[(258+1.25W^{0.75}){\Delta}Wkg/d]g$ and $DP_{work}=[12.59e^{0.95t}]g$, respectively The coefficients a, b and c for the calculation of $E_{exercise}$ components according to the Lawrence equation were found to be 2.56 J/kgW.m, 5.2 J/kg load carried.m and 0.29, respectively, thus efficiencies to convert ME into work were 0, 16.09, 27.3 and 32.44% for control, 1, 2 and 3 h/d work, respectively. ME and DP requirements for a 250 to 400 kg working buffalo cow allowing to growth up to 0.5 kg/d are presented.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.1532-1540
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• 2011

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of climbing resistance training on GLUT-4 protein and LDH isozyme activities of the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles in rats. Each experimental group was randomly divided into a control group (n=6) and a resistance exercise (n=6) group. Sprague-Dawley rats were made to climb a 180 cm tower for 12 wk. Weight changes in the resistance exercise group were significantly higher than in the control group (p<0.05). GLUT-4 protein expression of the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles was significantly higher (p<0.05) in the resistance exercise group than in the control group. There was no difference in soleus tissue LDHA4 isozyme activity between the groups. In the case of other LDH isozyme, when compared with the control group, the resistance exercise group showed a significantly higher activity (p<0.05). LDHA4 activity of gastrocnemius muscle tissue was not different between the groups. However, the activity of the resistance exercise group of all the other LDH isozymes was significantly higher than that of the control group (p<0.05). In summary, based on the results of this study, over 12 weeks of resistance training, the total body weight of the rats was reduced and the GLUT-4 activity in the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles was increased. In addition, except for LDH A4 all of the other LDH isozymes activities were increased. These results suggest that climbing resistance training affects the balance of body composition, increases LDH B-type isoenzymes and glucose metabolism capacity, and improves mitochondrial function.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.507-515
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• 2001

The elevation of plasma total homocysteine(tHcy) is now established as a risk factro for cardiovascular disease. It is also well known that plasma levels of folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ influences homocysteine metabolism as cofactors. Recently, the effects of health-related lifestyle factors, such as smoking, alcohol drinking coffee consumption, regular exercise, and etc, on plasma tHcy have been determined. The Hordalane Homocysteine Study revealed that smoking and coffee consumption are major deter minants of plasma tHcy as well as folate levels; however, the influence of alcohol intake is still controversial. In Koreans, the effects of lifestyle factors of plasma tHcy have not yet been determined. Thus, we investigated the relationships of various lifestyle determinants with plasma tHcy, folate, and vitamin $B_{12}$ levels and the erythrocyte folate concentrations in Korean adults (99 males and 96 fermales). Plasma tHcy levels were significantly hight in male subjects. On the contrary, plasma levels of folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ and erythrocyte folate concentration of the females were significantly higher than those of the males. Among the five lifestyle factors determined in the study, regular exercise significantly affects plasma tHcy levels only in the females, Contrary to the expectation, there were on significant differences in plasma tHcy levels between alcohol drinkers and non-alcohol drinkers as well as smokers and non-smokers. And also, plasma tHcy leverls were not different between coffee consumers and non-coffee consumer and between green tea consumers and non-green tea consumers. Although alcohol intake did not influence plasma tHcy levels, the duration, frequency, and amount of alcohol drinking showed significant negative relationships with plasma folate levers. These results indicate the regular exercise and alcohol intake might influence plasma levels of tHcy and folate in Koreans, although the results were not reveled in both sexes.

• Aerospace Engineering and Technology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.207-214
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of hypoxic exercise at head down tilt (HDT) on cardiovascular responses. Eight men ($23{\pm}2$ yrs, $176{\pm}4$ cm, and $75{\pm}8$ kg) underwent four separate exercise testing sessions; seated normoxia (SN), seated hypoxia (SH), HDT normoxia (HN), and HDT hypoxia (HH). Each participant performed the leg cycling at predetermined 40% of maximal aerobic capacity relevant to each posture for 15 min. Heart rate was higher in SH than SN and higher also in HH than SH (p<0.05). Blood oxygen saturation was lower in SH than SN (p<0.05). During resting, diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure was significantly lower in HDT than seated posture (p<0.05). No differences were found between conditions in hemoglobin and hematocrit and electrolytes including, sodium, potassium, and chloride. Lactate was higher in SH than SN. In conclusion, there was no effect for cardiovascular responses to duplicate stimuli both hypoxia and posture.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1038-1044
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• 2002

The study was designed to observe the effect of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on tumor incidence, eicosanoid formation and antioxidant enzyme activities in colonic mucosa and the fecal excretion of deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-treated rats. One hundred twenty male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 2 groups, BT (beef tallow diet) group and FO (fish oil diet) group, and each group was again subdivided into 2 groups depending on CLA supplementation, i.e.4 groups of BT, BTC, FO, FOC. All rats were fed experimental diet for 30 weeks, which contained 12% (wt/wt) total dietary fat including 1% (wt/wt) CLA, and were intramuscularly injected with DMH for 6 weeks to give total dose of 180 mg/kg body. CLA-supplemented to BT and FO diet reduced tumor incidence, eicosanoid (PGE$_2$ and TXA$_2$) level in colonic mucosa. N-3 fatty acids (mainly DHA) of fish oil diet (FO, FOC group) also reduced tumor incidence and significantly reduced eicosanoid (PGE$_2$ and TXA$_2$) level in colonic mucosa. CLA supplementation and n-3 fatty acid significantly increased colonic mucosal level of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities but reduced secondary bile acids (deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid) excretion in the feces. In conclusion, CLA supplementation and n-3 fatty acid could reduce tumor incidence by reducing eicosanoids and increasing antioxidant enzyme activities in colon and decreasing the excretion of deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid in the feces. The data might suggest that CLA supplementation and n-3 DHA rich fish oil may modulate colon carcinogenesis.termediate level of endurance exercise training for 6 weeks did not influence concentrations of most of free amino acid in soleus muscle of rats collected at an overnight fasted and rested state. In contrast, isolucine and leucine concentrations in extensor digitorum longus muscle of exercise-trained rats were significantly lower than those for control animals. These results indicate that aerobic energy metabolism had not been efficiently conducted, and thereby the utilization of BCAA for energy substrate was enhanced in fast twitch oxidative glycolytic fibers of extensor digitorum longus muscle of rats followed exercise-training protocol for 6 weeks.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.101 no.4
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• pp.626-634
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of persimmon vinegar as a functional beverage by analyzing the effects of persimmon vinegar ingestion on the energy substrate during endurance exercise. The healthy male adolescents (n=8) drunk persimmon vinegar ingested trial (PSV) or purified water ingested trial as the control trial (CON) 1 h prior to the exercise with the 60% of maximal oxygen uptake ($\dot{V}O_{2max}$) for 1 h. The exercise intensity was increased to the 80% of $\dot{V}O_{2max}$ and remained until exhaustion. And, the physiological variables, blood components, and amounts of energy oxidation were analyzed. There was no significant difference between trials in physiological variables, and the heart rates after exhaustion were higher in PSV compared to CON. There was no significant difference between trials in blood glucose level, while the blood lactic acids decreased significantly in PSV 30 and 60 minutes after onset of exercise. The free fatty acids concentration increased significantly in PSV from 15 minutes to 60 minutes after onset of exercise. The carbohydrate oxidation decreased significantly in PSV from 45 minutes after exercise and, on the contrary, the fatty acids oxidation increased significantly for the same period. And, fatty acids oxidation was higher in PSV compared to CON even after exhaustion. The respiratory exchange ratio was lower significantly in PSV compared to CON from 30 minutes to 60 minutes after exercise, whereas lower in CON after total exhaustion. The exercise time to exhaustion was 41% longer in PSV compared to CON. These results showed that the persimmon vinegar increase the level of lipids metabolism and decrease sense of fatigue by inhibiting carbohydrate oxidation during moderate intensity exercise, suggesting the possibility of using of persimmon vinegar as exercise functional beverage when ingested 1 h prior to the endurance exercise performance.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.71-90
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• 1996

There is considerable current interest in the effect of regular vigorous exercise and in particular endurance-running as a possible measure in improving myocardial function. Some data indicate that the aging heart may actually suffer from vigorous endurance exercise. On the contrary appropriate exercise in aged animals improves myocardial function and aerobic energy metabolism. So far there is relatively little data to indicate that endurance exercise is in fact beneficial in improving myocardial function or damaging to heart of aged animals. The present investigation aimed to study the possible effect of a long range treadmill training program on the heart in aging rats. Male rats aged 3, 10, and 20 months were divided at random into a control (sedentary) and an exercise group. The training group was exercised for 5 days a week on an automated treadmill for 20minutes at 18m/min over a period of 5 months. The exercise regimen of our experiments did not cause any significant changes in the tissues and ultrastructural as com-pared with sedentary age-matched control. Tissues and ultrastructures of myocardial cells in trained group aged 8 months are intact and well organized as well as sedentary control group. Age associated tissue and ultrastructural changes of trained group aged 15 months included : an increase in transformed mitochondria, vacuoles, lysosomes, lipid droplets and early lipofuscin. But the trained heart did not show significant difference in tissue and ultrastructural properties from those of sedentary controls. Endurance-trained group aged 25 months showed significant qualitative tissue and ultrastructural difference as compared with age-matched controls. In addition to those found in 25 months control group, focal necrosis, myofibril fraying, hypercontraction band, seperation of intercalated discs, degenerating nucleus and infiltration of collagenous fiber into myocyte were noted in trained 25 months group. The stereological examination of the mi-crographs disclosed no significant difference in the myoflbril, mitochondrion, sarcotubule and in-terstitium volume density and surface density of mitochondrial cristae and numerical density of mitochondria between trained and control group aged 8 and 15 months. In the trained 25 months group, significant increase in volume density of interstitium, lipofucsin granule were shown as compared to untrained age-matched control. On the other hand, significant decrease in mitochondrion volume density was shown. The myofibril volume density did not differ between trained and control group although trained group showed slight increase. From the data obtained a reduced mitochondria/myofibrils ratio was found in trained rat heart aged 25 months and there was no difference between trained and control rat aged 15 months. But a slight but not significant increase was found in the trained group aged 8 months as compared with same age control group. Such increase in the ratio in young animals is considered to be of great importance to cardiac pumping and adaptability. Whereas such adaptations don't seem to occur in aged heart muscle. This study proposed that repeated endurance exercise do not cause any significant qualitative and quantitative ultrastructural change of heart muscle in young(3months) and adult (10months) suggesting that the heart is able to adapt to the exercise. On the contrary, the repeated endurance exercise stress may actually induce degenerative changes in the aged heart muscle(20months).

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.667-674
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• 2003

The paper examines the effect of physical exercise on blood lipid with young male students. Our analysis is based on the body measurement, food intake and blood lipid component for 70 male students of Kongju National University who either major in physical exercise (group A) or do not major in physical exercise (group B). The average weight of group A is 71.97 $\pm$ 10.79 kg while that of group B is 67.57 $\pm$ 8.66 kg. The former is significantly higher (p<0.05) than the latter. The SBP of group A (128.20 $\pm$ 11.40 mmHg) is significantly (p<0.001) higher than that of group B (136.27 $\pm$ 13.18 mmHg). In terms of the intake of total kcal, group A marks significantly higher than group B; group A goes with 2190.26 $\pm$ 581.96 kcal and group B goes with 2392.94 $\pm$ 769.03 kcal. The comparative analysis of the three nutrient intake shows that the intake proportions for group A are carbohydrate 55.08 $\pm$ 6.03%, protein 15.58 $\pm$ 2.75%, and lipid 29.34 $\pm$ 5.16% while the intake proportions for group B are carbohydrate 57.29 $\pm$ 8.09%, protein 15.62 $\pm$ 3.26%, and lipid 27.10 $\pm$ 6.90%. For group A, the vitamin B$_1$ intake amounts to 1.50 $\pm$ 0.5 mg which fulfills 100% of RDA, and the niacin intake amounts to 16.57 $\pm$ 5.54 mg N.E which is less than RDA. In contrast, both intakes for group B are more than the RDA. In the case with minerals except calcium, both group A and B mark more intake than RDA. Group A's calcium intake is 517.12 $\pm$ 200.63 mg and group B's is 409.56 mg. The total cholesterol intake for group A is 447.00 $\pm$ 245.08 mg which is significantly (p<0.05) higher than for group B with 352.35 $\pm$ 200.25 mg. The total cholesterol in the lipid of serum is 151.30 $\pm$ 12.92 mg/dl for group A and 182.30 mg/dl for group B, where the dominance of group B over group A is true at the level of significance 0.01. In the case with triglyceride, group A is 107.57 $\pm$ 31.60 mg/dl and group B is 108.07 $\pm$ 33.93 mg/dl so that the group difference is non-significant. The HDL-cholesterol for group A is 54.67 $\pm$ 6.49 mg/dl which is significantly higher (p<0.001) than for group B with 36.13 $\pm$ 4.64 mg/dl. We conclude that regular exercise may have an effect on blood lipid metabolism among young males.