• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.3 s.70
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• pp.461-467
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• 2005

This study was conducted to investigate the biological activity and hepatoprotective effect of DWP-04 [DDB : selenium yeast: glutathione (31.1 : 6.8 : 62.1(w/w/w)] in D-galactosamine (GaIN) intoxicated rats. The DWP-04 (50, 100 or 200 mg/kg) or its vehicle was orally administered everyday before the start of GaIN injection (400 mg/kg, ip) for two weeks and animal decapitated for 24 hrs after GaIN­injected. The activities of serum enzymes, markers of liver function, were increased in the GaIN group compared to normal group and significantly lowered in the DWP-04 pretreated group than in the GaIN group. Hepatic lipid peroxide level and activities of phase 1 enzymes were significantly higher than those of GaIN group compared to normal group and lower in the DWP-04 pretreated group than in the GaIN group, and phase II enzyme activities in liver were lower in the GaIN group than in the normal group and were increased in the DWP-04 pretreated group than in the GaIN group. Total hepatic glutathione content and glutathione biosynthesis enzymes were lower in the GaIN group than in the normal group and were increased in the DWP-04 pretreated group than in the GaIN group. Therefore, the current results indicated that DWP-04 administration alleviated the GaIN-induced adverse effect through enhancing the antioxidant enzyme activities.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.260-266
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• 1998

The effects of acidic polysaccharide of Korean red ginseng (AcPS) on metabolisms of drug and alcohol in the liver were investigated. We could find that treatment of AcPS to six-week ethanol administered rats lowered the levels of alcohol and acetaldehyde in serum. We also we found that treatment of AcPS normalized the elevated activities of free radical generation system, decreased activities of detoxification system such as ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine synthetase and glutathione S-transferase, and decreased activities of acetaldehyde metabolizing system. The cytosolic alcohol dehy drogenase and microsomal ethanol oxidizing system (MEOS) were strongly enhanced.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.22-34
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• 1988

The biochemical changes of the hepatic tissues, induced by the carcinogen treatment such as diethylnitrosamine and acetamidofluorene in combination with the partial hepatectomy after Solt and Farber, were determined for the characterization of the induction of the proliferative capacity and the environmental adaptability of the carcinogenic tissues during the malignant transformation process. For the study of the proliferative capacity of the tissues, the activities of the enzymes, related with the nitrogen trapping mechanism, such as glutamine synthetase and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase, were monitroed, while the cintents of cytochrome P450's and their isozymic patterns as well as the activities of the glutathione S-transferase were determined in the function of time after the hepatocarcinogenic stimuli.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2006

As the antioxidant and free radical scavenger, glutathione (GSH) participates in the preservation of cellular redox status and defense against reactive oxygen species and xenobiotics. Glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL; also known as ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine synthetase, EC 6.3.2.2) is the rate limiting enzyme in GSH synthesis. In the present study, the accurate method for determination of GCL activity in crude liver extracts was developed by measuring both ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine and GSH from cysteine in the presence of glutamate, glycine and an ATP-generating system. We added glycine to promote the conversion of ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine to GSH, and to minimize the possibility of ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine metabolism to cysteine and oxoproline by ${\gamma}$-glutamylcyclotransferase. We established optimal conditions and substrate concentrations for the enzyme assay, and verified that inhibition of GCL by GSH did not interfere with this assay. Therefore, this assay of hepatic GCL under optimal conditions could provide a more accurate measurement of this enzyme activity in the crude liver extracts.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1984.09a
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• pp.37-43
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• 1984

노화는 모든 다세포 유기물의 특징이다. 노화가 됨에 따라서 효소활성 및 면역반응의 감소와 과산화지질과 지방갈색물질의 축적, 효소와 염색질을 포함하는 단백질 구조의 변화, 호르몬계의 불균형 등이 일어난다. 그렇지만, 노화가 어떻게 일어나는지에 관하여는 현재까지 확실하지 않다. 본 연구진은 노화와 관련된 효소들에 관하여 연구를 하여 왔으며, 노화가 진행되는 동안의 효소의 활성을 유지시켜주거나, 또는 효소의 활성이 감소되는 것을 지연시켜 주는 물질을 찾고자 노력하였다. 그 가운데 하나로서, 고려인삼 추출물을 흰쥐에 기간별로 투여하여 효소활성의 차이, 열에 대한 안정성, 기질에 대한 친화력, 전기 영동 상의 이동성과 면역적인 반응을 대조군과 비교하였다. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphog-luconate dehydrogenase, glutathione redutease, glutathion peroxidase와 같은 노화와 관련된 효소들의 활성을 고려인삼 추출물을 1개월간 흰쥐에 ($60{\~}80$g)투여하여 대조군과 비교 조사하였으나, 별 차이가 없었다. 그러나 고려인삼 추출물을 15개월간 투여하였을 때에는 이러한 노화관련 효소들의 활성이 급격히 증가함이 ($70{\~}200\%$) 관찰되었다. 예견된 바와 같이, 효소의 열에 대한 안정성과 기질에 대한 친화력도 증가함이 관찰되었다. 그러나 glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase의 경우에서 전기영동상의 차이 및 면역적인 반응은 대조군과 유사하였다. 이상의 결과는 고려인삼 추출물이 노화와 관련된 효소들의 활성이 감소되는 것을 지연시켜줄 수 있으며, 노화를 어느정도 지연시켜 줄 수 있음을 의미한다. 이와 같은 결과를 포함한 실험자료를 국제 인삼심포지움에서 발표할 것이다.$-tocopherol의 항 산화작용을 더욱 효과적으로 촉진 시킬 것으로 생각된다.-L(독성 호르몬-L)의 작용을 억제함으로서 암환자의 체중 감소를 방지하고, 식욕감퇴를 개선할것으로 생각된다.해되었으며, $Rb_{1}$은 장내의 효소와 tetracycline-resistantant bacteria에 의해 Rd와 2 종류의 미확인 물질로 분해되었다.xA_{2}$ synthetase 억제제인 imidazole의 효과와 유사하였다. 4. G-Re는 $1{\times}10^{-5}g/ml$ 이하의 농도에서는 효과가 없으나 $1{\times}10^{-4}g/ml$ 이상의 농도에서 농도의존적으로 유의성 있는 $PGE_{2},\;PGF_{2}{\alpha},\;TXB_{2}$의 생성억제와 함께 6-keto-$PGF_{1}{\alpha}$ 증가를 보였다. 이는 prostacyclin synthetase를 자극하는 serotonin의 효과와 같은 작용으로서 prostacyclin synthetase 억제제인 tranylcypromine에 대하여 길항효과를 보였다. 5. $TxB_{2}$생성억제 작용을 나타내는 ginsenoside들의 효과를 뒷받침하기 위하여 인삼 saponin 성분을 전처치한 patelet rich plasma에서 혈소판 응집시험 결과, ADP로 유도된 혈소판 응집반응에는 모든 인삼 saponin 성분들이 효과가 없었으나 arachidonic acid로 유도된 혈소판 응집반응에는 $G-Rb_{2}$, G-Rc, G-Re의 순으로 농도 의존적인 억제현상을 보였다. 이상의 결과와 같이 인삼 saponin 성분들은 arachidonic acid로부터 cyclooxygenase를

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.67-74
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• 2005

The ethanolic extracts of the leaves and bulbs of Allium victorialis var. platyphyllum (Liliaceae) collected from Daegwallyoung (D) and Ullung Island (U) in Korea were obtained using three different extracting methods. The first extracts, DL-1 DB-1, UL-1 and UB-1, were obtained from leaves (L) and bulbs (B) dried at $90^{\circ}C$, respectively, and the second extracts, DL-2, DB-2, UL-2 and UB-2, were obtained by extracting the leaves and bulbs of fresh plant parts. The third extracts DL-3, DB-3, UL-3 and UB-3 were obtained by incubating leaves and bulbs at $36^{\circ}C$. The six extracts obtained from A. victorialis var. platyphyllum at Daegwanllyoung (cultivated site) were orally administered to examine for a possible antihepatotoxic effect in $CCl_4-induced$ rats. DL-1 exhibited the most pronounced effect. The extracts inhibited serum ALT, AST, SDH, ${\gamma}-GT$, ALP and LDH activities elevated by $CCl_4$ injection and attenuated decreased glutathione S-transferase, glutatione reductase and ${\gamma}-glutamylcysteine$ synthetase activities and a decreased hepatic glutathione. However, the extracts obtained from Ullung Is. (native site) were less active than the extracts from Daegwallyoung, suggesting that A. victorialis var. platyphyllum from the cultivated site is more useful for functional food than of native site. These results also suggest that the antihepatotoxic effect is due to a higher content of hepatic glutathione. Gas chromatography of the twelve extracts showed significantly different sulfides, disulfides or trisulfides contents belonging to volatile sulfur substances (VSS). Nine components were identified on the basis of their mass spectra, namely, dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, diallyl disulfide, dipropyl disulfide, allyl methyl sulfide, allyl methyl trisulfide, 2-vinyl-4H-1,3-dithiin, 3,4-dihydro-3-vinyl-1,2-dithiin, and allithiamine. Extract DL-1 had the highest VSS content. Dried plant materials contained larger amounts of the VSSs than other extracts, and the leaves contained larger amount than the bulbs. These results suggest that heat treatment increases the antiheaptotoxic ability of A. victorialis var. platyphyllum by increasing the proportion of VSSs.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17
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• pp.299-304
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• 2001

Xenobiotics and their reactive intermediates bind to cellular macromolecules and/or generate oxidative stress. which provoke deleterious effects on the cell function. Induction of xenobiotic-biotrans-forming enzymes and antioxidant molecules is an important defense mechanism against such insults. A group of genes involved in the defense mechanism. e.g. genes encoding glutathione S-transferases. NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UDP-GT) and ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GGCS). have a common regulatory sequence, Antioxidant or Electrophile Responsive Element (ARE/EpRE). Recently. Nrf2. discovered as a homologue of erythroid transcription factor p45 NF-E2, was shown to bind ARE/EpRE and induce the expression of these defense genes. Mice that lack Nrf2 show low basal levels of expression and/or impaired induction of these genes. which makes the animals highly sensitive to xenobiotic toxicity. Indeed. we show here that nrf2-deficient mice had a higher mortality than did the wild-type mice when exposed to acetaminophen (APAP). Detailed analyses of APAP hepatotoxicity in the nrf2 knockout mice indicate that a large amount of reactive APAP metabolites was generated in the livers due to the impaired basal expression of two detoxifying enzyme genes, UDP-GT (Ugt1a6) and GGCS. while the cytochrome P450 content was unchanged. Thus. the studies using the nrf2 knockout mice clearly demonstrate significance of the expression of Nrf2-regulated enzymes in protection against xenobiotic toxicity.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.84-93
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• 2024

Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a phenolic ester that protects human keratinocytes against oxidative damage induced by ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure, however, the mechanisms underlying its effects remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the cell signaling mechanisms that regulate the antioxidant activity of RA and confirm its cyto-protective role. To explore the signaling mechanisms, we used the human keratinocyte cell line HaCaT and SKH1 hairless mouse skin. RA enhanced glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) and glutathione synthetase (GSS) expression in HaCaT cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Moreover, RA induced nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (NRF2) nuclear translocation and activated the signaling kinases protein kinase B (AKT) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Treatment with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002, the ERK inhibitor U0126, and small interfering RNA (siRNA) gene silencing suppressed RA-enhanced GCLC, GSS, and NRF2 expression, respectively. Cell viability tests showed that RA significantly prevented UVB-induced cell viability decrease, whereas the glutathione (GSH) inhibitors buthionine sulfoximine, LY294002, and U0126 significantly reduced this effect. Moreover, RA protected against DNA damage and protein carbonylation, lipid peroxidation, and apoptosis caused by UVB-induced oxidative stress in a concentration-dependent manner in SKH1 hairless mouse skin tissues. These results suggest that RA protects against UVB-induced oxidative damage by activating AKT and ERK signaling to regulate NRF2 signaling and enhance GSH biosynthesis. Thus, RA treatment may be a promising approach to protect the skin from UVB-induced oxidative damage.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.593-623
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• 1999

This experimental study was designed to verify the anti-aging efficacy of Eukmigihwangtang (EMGHT) and Rehmannia Radix, and determine the specific role and actions of Rehmannia Radix. Normal rat (2 months old), aging rat (8 months old), and pathologically induced rat (2 months old, injected 30mg/kg of streptozotocin) are observed to study the aging eliciting factors such as peroxide contents and enzyme activities. The following results were obtained in this study: 1. For the body weight changes, normal group given Rehmannia Radix showed decrease in the body weight compared to the control group, aging group given EMGHT and Rehmannia Radix showed significant decrease in the body weight, and STZ injected group showed suppression to the body weight loss when given EMGHT and Rehmannia Radix. 2. For the content changes in serum lipid peroxide, normal group showed increasing level as the rat gets older. Aging group and STZ injected group given EMGHT and Rehmannia Radix showed significant decrease in the lipid peroxide level compared to the control group. Decrease was more prominant in the group given EMGHT. 3. For the changes in serum hydroxyl radical, normal group did not show significant changes, but aging group and STZ injected group given EMGHT and Rehmannia Radix showed significant decrease in the hydroxyl radical level compared to the control group. Decrease was more prominant in the group given EMGHT. 4. For the changes in serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, normal group did not show significant changes, but aging group given EMGHT and Rehmannia Radix showed significant increase in the SOD activity compared to the control group. STZ injected group given EMGHT and Rehmannia Radix showed significant decrease in the SOD activity compared to the control group. 5. For the content changes in hepatic lipid peroxide, aging group and STZ injected group given EMGHT and Rehmannia Radix showed significant decrease in the lipid peroxide level compared to the control group. 6. For the changes in hepatic cytochrome P-450 activity, aging group and STZ injected group given EMGHT and Rehmannia Radix showed significant decrease compared to the control group. Cytochrome b5 activity was significantly decreased only in the STZ injected group given EMGHT and Rehmannia Radix. 7. For the changes in hepatic aminopyrine demethylase and aniline hydroxylase activity, aging group given EMGHT and Rehmannia Radix showed significant decrease compared to the control group. STZ injected group given EMGHT and Rehmannia Radix showed significant increase in the aminopyrine demethylase activity, and showed significant decrease in the aniline hydroxylase activity compared to the control group. 8. For the content changes in hepatic protein bound-SH and nonprotein bound-SH, againg group and STZ injected group given EMGHT and Rehmannia Radix showed significant increase compared to the control group. 9. For the content changes in hepatic glutathione level, aging group and STZ injected group given EMGHT and Rehmannia Radix showed significant increase compared to the control group. 10. For the changes in hepatic glutathione S-transferase activity, aging group and STZ injected group given EMGHT and Rehmannia Radix showed significant increase and decrease, respectively, compared to the control group. 11. For the changes in hepatic glutathione reductase activity, aging group and STZ injected group given EMGHT and Rehmannia Radix showed significant increase compared to the control group, while $\gamma$-Glutamylcystein synthetase activity did not show significant changes. 12. For the changes in hepatic superoxide dismutase activity, aging group and STZ injected group given EMGHT and Rehmannia Radix showed significant decrease compared to the control group. From the above results, the antioxidant effects of EMGHT and Rehmannia Radix were proved, as well as the role of Rehmannia Radix, a chief of EMGHT, was examined. In addition, since no change was reconized as the quantity of Rehmannia Radix and the order herbs increased, the reasonableness on EMGHT was proven with respect to its composition and quantity. Thus, the significance of EMGHT could be objectively exmined in terms of its composition and quantity. Considering animals used in the experiment, there were obvious changes in aging rats and pathologically induced rats than in normal rats. Consequently, it was noticeable that EMGHT and Rehmannia Radix were working selectively on the subjects.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.1286-1293
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• 2004

This study was conducted to investigate the biological activity and hepatoprotective effect of various fractions and isolated compounds from Kochiae fructus (KF) extract on D-galactosamine (GaIN)-intoxicated rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control, GaIN treated group (GaIN), GaIN plus KF methanol extract treated group (KFM 200-GaIN), GaIN plus KF butanol extract treated group (KFB 200-GaIN), GaIN plus momordin Ic treated group (Momordin Ic 30-GaIN) and GaIN plus oleanolic acid treated group (Oleanolic acid 30-GaIN). KFM (200 mg/kg BW), KFB (200 mg/kg BW), momordin Ic (30 mg/kg BW) and oleanolic acid (30 mg/kg BW) were orally administered once a day for 14 days. GaIN (400 mg/kg BW) was injected at 30 minutes after the final administration of the compounds. The activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were increased in the GaIN group compared to the control group and significantly lower in the KFB 200-GaIN, momordin Ic 30-GaIN and oleanolic acid 30-GaIN group than in the GaIN group. Hepatic lipid peroxide level was increased in the GaIN group compared to the control group and was lower in the KFM 200-GaIN, KFB 200-GaIN, momordin Ic 30-GaIN and oleanolic acid 30-GaIN group than in the GaIN group. Activities of xanthine oxidase and aldehyde oxidase in liver were higher in the GaIN group than in the control group and were significantly decreased in the KFB 200-GaIN, momordin Ic 30-GaIN and oleanolic acid 30-GaIN group compared to the GaIN group. Hepatic glutathione, ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine synthetase and catalase activities were decreased in the GaIN group compared to the control group and were higher in the KFB 200-GaIN, momordin Ic 30-GaIN and oleanolic acid 30-GaIN group than in the GaIN group. Activities of hepatic glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were lower in the GaIN group than in the control group and were improved in the KFM 200-GaIN, KFB 200-GaIN, momordin Ic 30-GaIN and oleanolic acid 30-GaIN group compared to the GaIN group. Therefore, the current results indicate that momordin Ic administration alleviated the GaIN-induced adverse effect through enhancing the antioxidant enzyme activities.