• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.521-526
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• 2007

The effects of red ginseng powder on hepatotoxicity in $benzo(\alpha)pyrene\;[B(\alpha)P]$-treated mice were investigated. Male ICR mice were pretreated with red ginseng powder (50 or 100 mg/kg/day, for 5 days, intraperitoneally) before treatment with $B(\alpha)P$ (0.5 mg/kg, i.p, single dose). The ability of red ginseng powder to protect against oxidative damage to the mouse liver was examined by determining the level of lipid peroxide, glutathione, and the antioxidant enzyme activities. The glutathione content depleted by $B(\alpha)P$ were significantly increased by red ginseng powder, but elevation of lipid peroxide content induced by $B(\alpha)P$ was decreased by red ginseng powder. The increased activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase after $B(\alpha)P$-treatment were decreased by the treatment of red ginseng Powder; however, glutathione S-transferase activity depleted by $B(\alpha)P$ were significantly increased. These results suggest that red ginseng powder can protect against $B(\alpha)P$ intoxification through its antioxidant properties.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.94-101
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• 2008

The aim of this study was to assess the responses of mixed function oxygenase (MFO) and antioxidative systems of feral Javelin goby, Acanthogobius hasta, caught in two sites of different pollution level in Shihwa lake, which has been a highly polluted lake by organic pollutants from nearby industrial complexes and sites. Enzymes analyzed in phase I of MFO system are cytochrome P450 (CYP), NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (P450R), NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase (b5R), and ethoxyresorufin deethylase (EROD). Phase II enzyme of glutathione S-transferase (GST) in MFO system was also investigated. Moreover, oxidative-enzyme system including catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR) and total-glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities and glutathione concentration in both of oxidized (GSSG) and reduced form (GSH) were determined. P450R, b5R, and GST activities of fish are relatively high in the polluted area, whereas hepatic EROD activity levels of fish in polluted area were lower than those of unpolluted area. CYP concentrations are not different between areas. These results indicated that feral Acanthogobius hasta were adaptive to highly polluted environment and exposed to oxidative stress in Shihwa lake.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.226-234
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• 2006

Disturbance of antioxidant system is very common in chronic alcoholics and herbal or natural products with antioxidant activity have been used for its treatment. This study was to investigate the effect of Vitis vinifera extract(V), Schisandra chinensis extract(S), Taraxacum officinale extract(T), Gardenia jasminoides extract(G), Angelica acutiloba extract(A) and Paeonia japonica extract(P), and their combinations on the antioxidant and ethanol oxidation system. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to Lieber-DeCarli ethanol liquid diet(ED) and were then given different herbal extract mixtures for 6 weeks including VST(V 100+S 150+T 150mg/kg/day), VSG(V 100+S 150+G 150mg/kg/day), VTG(V 100+T 150+G 150mg/kg/day), and VAP(V 100+A 150+P 150mg/kg/day). When the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase(ADH) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase(ALDH) were compared between ED only group and herbal extracts treatment group, the differences were statistically significant. Phase I and II(glutathione-S-transferase, phenol sulfatransferase) enzyme activities were found to be significantly higher in the VAT treatment group compared to the ED group. Herbal extracts not only repressed the ethanol-induced elevation of malondialdehyde level, but also protected against ethanol-induced decrease in glutathione content, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase activities. The administration of the herbal extracts was found to be effective in eliminating lipid-peroxides induced by long-term consumption of alcohol by activating various enzyme systems and physiological active compound formation system. After a chronic consumption of alcohol, Angelica Radix protected the liver via activating the ethanol-metabolism enzyme system, and Paeoniae Radix via activating the ethanol-metabolism enzyme and the phase I, II-metabolism enzyme system. Taraxaci Herba was also effective in liver protection via activating the ethanol-metabolism enzyme system and the phase I, II-metabolism enzyme system, Gardeniae Fructus via activating the phase II-metabolism enzyme system and the anti-oxidation system enzyme, and Schisandra Fructus and a grapestone via activating the anti-oxidation system. Our data suggest that these herbal extracts may be useful as a health functional food or new drug candidate for fatty liver and hepatotoxicity induced by chronic alcohol consumption.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.155-164
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• 2006

Great inter-variability in drug response and adverse drug reactions is related to inter-variability of drug bioavailability, drug interaction and patient's disease and physyological state that cause change in absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of drugs. However, these alone do not sufficiently predict and explain inter-variability in drug response. In recent studies, it is reported that inter-variability in drug response and adverse drug reactions may largely resulted from genetically determined differences in drug absoption, distribution, metabolism and drug target proteins. Especially, the major human drug-metabolizing enzymes such as CYP450, N-acetyl tranferase, thiopurine S-methyl transferase, glutathione S-transferase are identified as the major gene variants that cause inter-individual variability in drug's response and adverse drug reactions. These variations may have most significant implications for those drugs that have narrow therapeutic index and serious adverse drug reactions. Therefore, the genetic variation such as polymorphisms in drug metabolizing enzymes can affect the response of individuals to drugs that are used in the treatment of depression, psychosis, cancer, cardiovascular disorders, ulcer and gastrointestinal disorders, pain and epilepsy, among others. This review describes the pharmacogenomics of the drug metabolizing enzymes associated with the drug response and its clinical applications.

• BMB Reports
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.73-79
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• 1997

This study was designed to investigate the effects of dietary garlic powder on cytochrome P450 enzymes and membrane stability in murine hepatocarcinogenesis initiated by diethylnitrosamine (DEN). Male Sprague-Dawley rats received a single intraperitoneal injection of DEN (200 mg/kg body wt) dissolved in saline. After 2 weeks on a basal diet, animals were fed diets containing 0. 0.5. 2.0. or 5.0% garlic powder for 6 weeks, and were subjected to two-thirds partial hepatectomy. The areas of placental glutathione S-transferase (GST-P) positive foci were inhibited in rats fed with garlic diets. GST-P is the most effective marker for DEN-initiated lesions. Hepatic microsomal lipid peroxidation was significantly decreased in rats fed with 2.0 and 5.0% garlic powder diets compared with that observed in the control animals and hepatic microsomal glucose 6-phosphatase (G6Pase) activity was found to increase significantly in rats fed 0.5 and 2.0% garlic powder diets. Thus as little as 0.5% garlic powder has a positive effect on the stability of hepatic microsomal membranes. p-Nitrophenol hydroxylase (PNPH) activity and the level of cytochrome P450 2E1 protein in the hepatic microsomes from rats fed diets containing 2.0 and 5.0% garlic powder were much lower than those of control microsomes. Rats fed 5.0% garlic powder diets exhibited the lowest P450 2E1 activity and protein levels among groups. Pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylase activity and immunoblot (cytochrome P450 2B1) analyses were not different between groups. However, the levels of cytochrome P450 1A1/2 protein in rats fed 0.5 and 2.0% garlic powder were significantly induced compared to controls. These results suggest that 2.0% garlic powder is effective in inhibiting the areas of GST-P positive foci, modulating certain isoforms of cytochrome P450 enzymes and stabilizing the hepatic microsomal membrane. Thus, the selective modification of cytochrome P450 enzymes and membrane stability by dietary garlic powder may influence areas of GST-P positive foci and chemoprevention of post-initiation of rat hepatocarcinogenesis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.749-755
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• 2014

Background: Purple rice has become a natural product of interest which is widely used for health promotion. This study investigated the preventive effect of purple rice extract (PRE) mixed diet on DMH initiation of colon carcinogenesis. Materials and Methods: Rats were fed with PRE mixed diet one week before injection of DMH (40 mg/kg of body weight once a week for 2 weeks). They were killed 12 hrs after a second DMH injection to measure the level of $O^6$-methylguanine and xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme activities. Results: In rats that received PRE, guanine methylation was reduced in the colonic mucosa, but not in the liver, whereas PRE did not affect xenobiotic conjugation, with reference to glutathione-S-transferase or UDP-glucuronyl transferase. After 5 weeks, rats that received PRE with DMH injection had fewer ACF in the colon than those treated with DMH alone. Interestingly, a PRE mixed diet inhibited the activity of bacterial ${\beta}$-glucuronidase in rat feces, a critical enzyme for free methylazoxymethanol (MAM) release in the rat colon. These results indicated that purple rice extract inhibited ${\beta}$-glucuronidase activity in the colonic lumen, causing a reduction of MAM-induced colonic mucosa DNA methylation, leaded to decelerated formation of aberrant crypt foci in the rat colon. Conclusions: The supplemented purple rice extract might thus prevent colon carcinogenesis by the alteration of the colonic environment, and thus could be further developed for neutraceutical products for colon cancer prevention.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 1992

We cloned a gene cluster encoding phenanthrene-degrading enzymes on a 6.8-kb Xhol fragment from the Pseudomonas sp. DJ77 chromosomal DNA into the vector pBLUESCRIPT SIC(+). The resultant clone, containing the recombinant plilsmid pHENX7, was able to convert 3-methylcatechol to a yellow mela-cleavage compound. Since the pHENX7R in which the DNA insert was cloned in the opposite orientation lacked extradiol dioxygenase activity. the direction of transcription was established. Four polypeptides, PhnC (24 kDa). PhnD (31 kDa), PhnE (34 kDa). and PhnF (15 kDa), were identified in E coli JM101 transformed with several pHENX7-derived plasmids. The locations and extents of ~ndividual genes were determined by subcloning. The gene order was phnC-phnD-phnE-phnF-phnG, and phnC, phnD, phnE, and phnG genes encoded glutathione S-transferase, mrta-cleavage compound hydrolase, extradiol dioxygenase, mera-cleavage compound dehydrogenase, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.198-198
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• 1998

Muc1 mucin is found in a variety of epithelial tissue and is overexpressed in several epithelial cancer. Recently it is alsol reported that primary Hamster tracheal surface epithelial(HTSE) cells express Muc1 protein and cDNA encoding HTSE muc1 protein has been cloned. Although numerous monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to human muncins, particularly Muc1 have been produced, no such antibodies to murine Muc1 have been described. We now describe monoclonal antibody, called mAb M1CT, produced to C-terminal region of HTSE Muc1 protein by immunising mice with a glutathion-s-transferase linked fusion protein. In this study, using this antibody(mAb M1CT) we investigated the effect of RA on the expression of Muc1 in HTSE cells. Retinoic acid(RA) plays an essential role in maintaining normal differentiation of tracheal epithelial cells. With RA-deficiency tracheocytes undergo squamous metaplasia, an abnormal differentiation that can be reversed by RA. We had primary culture of HTSE cells under different concentrations of RA. Culture was maintained until the direction of differentiation was determined. Then Western blot analysis with mAb M1CT was performed with the cell lysates from the culture. The expression of Muc1 protein was decreased in dose-dependent manner as the concentration of retinoic acid was decreased. Our result indicates that the expression of Muc1 protein is coordinately regulated with airway mucous cell differentiation by RA pathway. And the antibody, mAb M1CT, produced in this study should provide useful tool to study the expression of Muc1 mucin in differentiation process or disease.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.466-471
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• 2015

BACKGROUND: Currently, natural products have been shown to exhibit interesting biological and pharmacological activities and are used as chemotherapeutic agents. The purpose of this study, conducted on Wistar rats, was to evaluate the beneficial effects of Artemisia arborescens oil on oestroprogestative treatment induced damage on liver. MATERIALS/METHODS: A total of 36 Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups; a control group (n = 9), a group of rats who received oestroprogestative treatment by intraperitoneal injection (n = 9), a group pre-treated with Artemisia arborescens then injected with oestroprogestative treatment (n = 9), and a group pre-treated with Artemisia arborescens (n = 9). To minimize the handling stress, animals from each group were sacrificed rapidly by decapitation. Blood serum was obtained by centrifugation and the livers were removed, cleaned of fat, and stored at $-80^{\circ}C$ until use. RESULTS: In the current study, oestroprogestative poisoning resulted in oxidative stress, which was demonstrated by 1) a significant increase of lipid peroxidation level in hepatic tissue 2) increased levels of serum transaminases (aspartate amino transferase and serum alanine amino transferase), alkaline phosphatase, glycemia and triglycerides and a decrease in the level of cholesterol 3) alteration of hepatic architecture. Pre-administration of Artemisia arborescens oil was found to alleviate oestroprogestative treatment induced damage by lowering lipid peroxidation level and by increasing activity of catalase, superoxide-dismutase, and glutathione-peroxidase in liver and by reducing disruption of biochemical parameters. CONCLUSION: Therefore, the results obtained in this study confirmed that Artemisia essential oil protects against oestroprogestative administration induced hepatotoxicity by restoration of liver activities.