• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.33 no.4 s.131
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• pp.312-318
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• 2002

Effect of the acid hydrolysate of silk fibroin on obesity was investigated in obese(057BL/KsJ-db/db) mice. After 8 weeks feeding of 1%(w/w) or 3%(w/w) fibroin hydrolysate, the extents of reduction in body weight were significantly higher than that of obese control. The weight reduction in female mice was higher than that in male mice. Plasma leptin in male mice increased up to 1.8-fold higher level than obese control by feeding hydrolysate. In case of female mice, however, it rather decreased with increased feeding concentration of hydrolysate. From the results of high glycine and serine contents of peptide fractions contained in fibroin hydrolysate, it was inferred that fibroin peptides might affect xylosyltransferase(XT) activity on chondroitin sulfate synthesis causing to change susceptibility of adipocytes to hormones such as insulin followed by the reduced leptin synthesis in female mice. The result of the higher lipolysis in hydrolysate-fed group than obese control indicated that the reduction in body weight was due to the increased lipolytic activities in male and female mice in common.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.157-171
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• 2021

To determine whether the reproductive processes of sea bass, Lateolabrax japonicus, proceed normally after transportation from an outdoor net-cage into indoor tanks, we examined changes in the gonadosomatic index (GSI), histological gonadal tissue, and plasma levels of sex hormones (testosterone and estradiol-17ß) during their annual reproductive cycle. We also measured maturation and spawning across two sea water salinity levels (full and low salinity). Fecundity was estimated by the relationship between egg number and body size in female sea bass. Monthly changes in the GSI, histological gonadal tissues, and oocyte size showed both male and female sea bass reach final maturation in January and February, respectively, indicating that the spermiation of males occurs earlier than the spawning of females. The histological results indicated that the sea bass is a multiple spawner, similar to many marine teleosts, exhibiting group-synchronous oocyte development. Female maturation and spawning were enhanced in lower salinity seawater (29.6-31.0 psu) compared to that of normal salinity (34.5-35.1 psu). These results confirm that sea bass reproduction can occur successfully in captivity and imply that fertilized eggs can be collected from February to March. Additionally, our results show that lower salinity enhances oocyte maturation and spawning of female sea bass.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.532-536
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• 2004

Due to the fourth-instar larvae of C. riparius have a sensitive to ecdysteroidal molting hormones for the life cycle developments, accordingly the emerged adult affected corresponding to larval phase's environments. The emerged female from larval phase exposure to DEHP observed a fact body and clumsy fling behavior in females. The body volume of treated female groups was clearly larger than that of control fe- males. In the 2D/E gel 1108 protein spots were identified. The visualized protein spots allowed extraction of 27 protein spots differed more than 3 fold in DEHP treated animals, which was approximately 2.4％ of the total protein spots. In this view, the body volume (or morphological characters) was well observed and detected faster than physiological detection for various EDCs. In this study, the body volume as a detecting po-int for EDCs suggested a bio-marker in individual levels.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.303-306
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• 2009

The defatted methanol extract of Raphanus sativus Linn. (Cruciferae) seed (MERS) was evaluated for its antisteroidogenic potential in mature female Swiss albino mice. The methanol extract at the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight significantly elevated the levels of cholesterol and ascorbic acid contents which serve as a precursor for the synthesis of steroid hormones in ovaries. The extract also significantly inhibited glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and ${\Delta}^5-3{\beta}$-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase, the two key enzymes involved in ovarian steroidogenesis. Hence the extract (MERS) exhibited significant antisteroidogenic activity.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.11 no.1 s.17
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• pp.61-79
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• 1975

The recent knowledge about the effects and the biological roles of prostaglandins(PGs) in the female reproductive system were reviewed on the following view points in detail and the authors also argued on the efficacy and reliability for the induction of labour and therapeutic abortions in midtrimester pregnancy. 1. The actions of PGs on the myometrium in vivo and in vitro and the effects of ovarian hormones on the actions of PGs. 2. The actions of PGs on the fallopian tube. 3. The role of PGs in the initiation of menstrual bleeding and dysmenorrhea. 4. The biological action of PGs on the mechanism of labour and parturition. 5. The efficacy and reliability of PGs for therapeutic abortion in the first and midtrimester pregnancy. 6. The biological role of PGs in the activity and life-span of corpus luteum.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.395-400
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• 2010

Objective : To observe the effectiveness of Jayeumganghwa-tang on hot flush of a breast cancer patient who takes tamoxifen. Methods : For six weeks a dosage witch contained 13.92g of Jayeumganghwa-tang was administered 3 times (30 mins after meal) per day, for improvement of hot flush. No other therapies like hormone therapy or substituted therapy were done. Results : As a result of 6 weeks of Jayeumganghwa-tang therapy, the patient who suffered hot flush on taking tamoxifen showed improvement on several indices, including frequency, intensity and point of hot flush, Beck Depression Inventory-K (BDI-K) which shows uneasiness and sadness, and also Functional Assessment Cancer Therapy - Breast (FACT-B) which is an index of life quality of breast cancer patients. But no changes on female hormones like follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) or luteinizing hormone (LH) were observed. Conclusion : This case demonstrates 6 weeks of Jayeumganghwa-tang taking had no effect on female hormones but can reduce the hot flush by tamoxifen. This shows minimum evidence of safety and efficacy of Jayeumganghwa-tang on hot flush of breast cancer patient. However this is a single case study so further case-series research should be compiled.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 2010

Mammalian reproduction is regulated by a feedback circuit of the key reproductive hormones such as GnRH, gonadotropin and sex steroids on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. In particular, the onset of female puberty is triggered by gain of a pulsatile pattern and increment of GnRH secretion from hypothalamus. Previous studies including our own clearly demonstrated that genistein (GS), a phytoestrogenic isoflavone, altered the timing of puberty onset in female rats. However, the brain-specific actions of GS in female rats has not been explored yet. The present study was performed to examine the changes in the activities of GnRH neurons and their neural circuits by GS in female rats. Concerning the drug delivery route, intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection technique was employed to eliminate the unwanted actions on the extrabrain tissues which can be occurred if the testing drug is systemically administered. Adult female rats (PND 100, 210-230 g BW) were anaesthetized, treated with single dose of GS ($3.4{\mu}g$/animal), and sacrificed at 3 hrs post-injection. To determine the transcriptional changes of reproductive hormone-related genes in hypothalamus, total RNAs were extracted and applied to the semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). ICV infusion of GS significantly raised the transcriptional activities of enhanced at puberty1 (EAP-1, p<0.05), glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD67, p<0.01) which are known to modulate GnRH secretion in the hypothalamus. However, GS infusion could not change the mRNA level of nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS-2). GS administration significantly increased the mRNA levels of KiSS-1 (p<0.001), GPR54 (p<0.001), and GnRH (p<0.01) in the hypothalami, but decreased the mRNA levels of LH-$\beta$ (p<0.01) and FSH-$\beta$ (p<0.05) in the pituitaries. Taken together, the present study indicated that the acute exposure to GS could directly activate the hypothalamic GnRH modulating system, suggesting the GS's disrupting effects such as the early onset of puberty in immature female rats might be derived from premature activation of key reproduction related genes in hypothalamus-pituitary neuroendocrine circuit.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.264-270
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• 2005

This study was performed to evaluate the effect of red-yeast-rice on blood lipids and also to investigated the relation of blood lipids, bone related hormones, and bone mineral density in overiectomized rats. Forty female rats (body weight $210\pm5$g) were divided into two groups. The rats in the first group were ovariectomized which the others received sham operation (SHAM). And then each rat group was further divided into control diet $(casein\;20\%)$ and red-yeast-rice powder supplemented $(0.1\%)$ diet group. All rats were fed on experimental diet and deionized water ad libitum for 9 weeks. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) were measured using PIXImus in spine and femur. Bone formation and bone resorption were measured by serum osteocalcin and urinary deoxypyridinoline (DPD) crosslinks value. Serum growth hormone, IGF-1 and calcitonin were analyzed using radioimmunoassay kits. The red-yeast-rice group had significantly lower the blood triglyceride concentration and had lower the blood total cholesterol concentration than casein group did in ovariectomized rats. And the red-yeast-rice group than casein group in ovariectomized rats. The red-yeast-rice group had significantly lower the atherogenic index than control group within the ovariectomized groups. In the experimental rats, serum total cholesterol concentration was negatively correlated with femur BMC and crosslink value. Crosslink value was negatively correlated with spine BMC and IGF-1. Osteocalcin concentration was negatively correlated with crosslink value. Growth hormone was negatively correlated with crosslink value and positively correlated with spine BMC. The findings of this study suggest that red-yeast-rices are beneficial for blood lipid in ovariectomized rats. And when considering a population-based public health approach to lowering cholesterol and bone loss, and preventing coronary heart disease and osteoporosis, the red-yeast-rice dietary supplement could provide a new approach for the maintenance of healthier cholesterol and bone.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.219-222
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• 2011

Eight female Himalayan tahrs (Hemitragus jemlahicus) were estrus-synchronized, and transcervically inseminated with frozen-thawed semen in September, 2009, about 2 to 3 months earlier than their natural breeding season. Intravaginal progesterone-releasing devices were inserted into vaginas of six Himalayan tahrs on September 7, and the other two on September 8 to suppress luteal function of ovaries. The devices had been placed deep inside the vagina prior to withdrawal on September 23. A day before CIDR removal, a combination of PMSG 400 IU and hCG 200 IU was intramuscularly injected. Forty hours later, frozen-thawed semen was transcervically inseminated. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed 39 days later by analyzing progesterone level of serum. Every treatment was done under anesthesia inducted by xylazine injection. In conclusion, vaginal discharge of cervical mucus, hormonal changes induced by implant-typed or muscularly injectable hormones and widening of cervix enough to insert an insemination gun into uterine body were achieved in non-breeding season. Moreover, the first inseminated Himalayan tahr, 36 hours after CIDR removal was assumed to be pregnant but the fetus may have been lost due to the use of anesthetic drug.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.38-42
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• 2009

We conducted two studies to determine the effect of gender, gonadectomy (GDX) on growth and plasma cholesterol levels in pigs. In experiment 1, five sham-operated and five GDX female Landrace pigs (26kg) were allowed to have free access to water and feed up to market weight (approximately 100kg). Body weight and feed consumption were recorded biweekly, and daily body weight gain, daily feed intake and feed efficiency (gain/feed) were calculated during the feeding period. In experiment 2, 10 male (26kg) and 10 female (26kg) Landrace pigs were used; five male and five female pigs were assigned to sham-operated or GDX. Pigs were allowed to have free access to water and a diet without added cholesterol (Table 1) until they were 6 months old (male 104 and female 98kg) and thereafter they were fed a hypercholesterolemic diet (Table 1) containing 0.5% cholesterol and 0.1% cholate for 10 days. GDX of female pigs increased average daily gain (P<0.05), compared with their sham-operated counterparts during the growing-finishing period, but had no effect (P>0.05) on feed efficiency. Plasma cholesterol levels in pigs fed a hypercholesterolemic diet for 10 days were much higher (P<0.05) in females than in males (161 vs 104mg/100mL plasma), and were increased by GDX only in male pigs. HDL-cholesterol/LDL+VLDL-cholesterol ratio appeared to be higher in males than in females, and was not influenced by GDX in either sex. Results suggested that the lower growth rate of female pigs than their male counterparts is attributable to the ovarian activity, and the lower plasma cholesterol level in male than in female pigs fed a hypercholesterolemic diet is due to the testicular activity.