• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1987.06a
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• pp.38-46
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• 1987

The present study was undertaken to determine the inhibitory effects of orally administered ginseng saponins (GS), protopanaxadiol saponins(PD) and protopanaxatriol saponins(PT) on the development of morphine induced tolerance and physical dependence in mice, and to determine the increases in the loss of morphine tolerance and dependence. The study also sought to determine the hepatic glutathione contents, which are closely related to the degree of detoxication of morphinone, a novel metabolite of morphine, and the effects of ginseng saponins on morphine 6-dehydrogenase. The results of the present study showed that GS, PD and PT administered orally inhibited the development of morphine-induced tolerance and dependence. GS, PD and PT, however, increased the loss of morphine tolerance and dependence. GS, PD and PT inhibited the reduction of hepatic glutathione concentration in mice treated chronically with morphine, and the activity of morphine 6-dehydrogenase. So we hypothesized that these results were partially due to the dual action of the test drugs, the inhibition of morphine production and the activation in morphine-glutathione conjugation due to the increased glutathione level for detoxication.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.351-356
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• 2000

The hepatoprotective effects of bergenin and its derivative, acetylbergenin, were evaluated against D-galactosamine-induced liver damage in rats. Bergenin is a C-glucoside of 4-O-methyl gallic acid that has been isolated from the cortex of Mallotus japonicus (Euphorbiaceae). Acetylbergenin was synthesized from acetylation of bergenin to increase lipophilic and physiological activities. Bergenin (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) and acetylbergenin (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) were administered orally once daily for successive 5 days after the injection of galactosamine (400 mg/kg, i.p.), respectively. The substantially elevated serum enzyme activities of alanine/aspartate aminotransferase, sorbitol dehydrogenase and ${\gamma}-glutamyltransferase$ due to galactosamine treatment were dose-dependently restored towards normalization by post-treatment with bergenin and acetylbergenin. Bergenin and acetylbergenin also significantly prevented the elevation of hepatic malondialdehyde formation and depletion of reduced glutathione content induced by galactosamine in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the decreased activities of glutathione S-transferase and glutathione reductase were restored towards normalization. These results suggest that effects of bergenin and acetylbergenin may be related to complex mechanisms that involve prevention of lipid peroxidation and preservation of hepatic glutathione. The results of this study clearly indicate that bergenin and acetylbergenin have potent hepatotherapeutic action against galactosamine-induced hepatotoxicity in rats, and lipophilic acetylbergenin is more active in the antihepatotoxic effects against galactosamine than much less lipophilic bergenin.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.113-121
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• 2019

Effects on glutathione-related antioxidant parameters were examined after a chronic exposure of olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus to dietary 4-tert-octylphenol (4-tert-OP). Fish were fed diets containing 4-tert-OP at 0, 1, 5 and 10 mg/kg diet for 6 weeks. Antioxidant parameters examined were reduced glutathione (GSH) contents and enzyme activities of glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in tissue homogenates of the liver, kidney and gill. It was observed that all parameters examined increased although there were some differences in dose responses and temporal patterns in the increase. GSH contents increased after exposure to 4-tert-OP in the three organs examined. However, the GSH increase was evident only after 4 weeks in the liver whereas it was elevated after 2 weeks in the kidney and gill. GR activity exhibited a significant increase in response to 4-tert-OP at 1 mg/kg in all three organs, however, its activity returned to control levels when exposed to 5 and 10 mg/kg. Hepatic GST activity showed an earlier increase at week 2 in contrast to the kidney and gill where they increased after 4 weeks of 4-tert-OP exposure. Temporal patterns in GPx activity changes to 4-tert-OP exposure were dissimilar among the organs: hepatic activity increased from week 2 through week 6; renal activity increased transiently at week 2; gill levels were higher through weeks 4 - 6. The results suggest that elevation of several GSH-related antioxidant parameters can be considered as evaluation criteria for 4-tert-OP-induced oxidative stress in a fish.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.559-564
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• 2004

The effects of intra-peritoneal injection of inorganic mercury on haemato-logical parameters and hepatic oxidative stress enzyme activities were studied in common carp, Cyprinus carpio. The fish were injected thrice intra-peritoneally with mercuric chloride TEX>$(5,\;10mg\;Hg\;kg\;b.W.^{-1})$. After exposure of three different mercury concentrations a physiological stress response was exerted on C. carpio by causing changes in the blood status such as erythropenia in blood and oxidative stress in liver. Red blood cell counts, hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit level were reduced in most cases by inorganic mercury. Remarkable low level of serum chloride, calcium and osmolality were also observed in the mercury- exposed fish. However, serum magnesium and phosphate were not altered by exposure to mercury. An increased activity of hepatic glutathione peroxidase was observed in the lowest treatment group of carp $(1mg\;Hg\;mg\;b.w.^{-1})$, hence, hepatic catalase and glutathione peroxidase of carp exposed to higher concentration of mercury $(5,\;10mg\;Hg\;kg\;b.W.^{-1})$ showed significant reduction in such activities.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.102-106
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• 2001

To investigate the effects of leek green juice on the damaged liver of $CCl_{4}$-treated rats, Sprague-Dawley male rats weighing about 100g, were divided into 4 groups ; control group (CON), leek green juice-administered group (LGJ), $CCl_{4}$-treated group (CCL) and leek green juice and $CCl_{4}$-treated group (LCL). After 6 weeks, the activities of sGPT and sGOT, and content of hepatic TBA-reactants, elevated by $CCl_{4}$ treatment, were markedly decreased by administering leek green juice, compared to CCL. It was also observed that activities of hepatic SOD and GSH-Px were elevated by $CCl_{4}$-treatment as compared to CON, but concomitant treatment of leek green juice and $CCl_{4}$ decreased those levels adjacent to CON, whereas catalase activity did not show significant decreasing effects compared to CCL. The hepatic content of glutathione, decreased by $CCl_{4}$, was more abundantly increased by leek green juice administration than by CCL. These results suggest that leek green juice is believed to b a possible protective effect for the carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rat liver.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.295-302
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• 2007

This study was designed to examine the effects of fractions of ethanol extract of Benincasa hispida (wax gourd) on hepatic antioxidative status in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were induced diabetes mellitus by STZ injection (45 mg/kg) into the tail vein and were divided into 5 groups: normal, STZ-control, three experimental diabetic groups. Fractions of ethanol extract of Benincasa hispida were administered orally into the diabetic rats for 14 days. Hepatic glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) activity (determined with H$_2$O$_2$ as substrate) was increased in the groups supplemented with chloroform (CHCl$_3$) and butanol (BuOH) fractions. Glutathione peroxidase (GR) activity in the liver cytosol of H$_2$O fraction groups was significantly lower than that of STZ-control group. The H$_{2}$O fraction supplemented group has been shown the notably decrease in the hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. The hepatic cytosol catalase (CAT) activity was significant decreased by the supplementation with BuOH fraction. It was found from the results that the supplementation of BuOH and H$_2$O fractions of Benincasa hispida extract could be beneficial for the diabetic complications and damages from the lipid peroxidation.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.612-616
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• 2006

The protective effect of water extract of ash tree leaves (ALE) against oxidative damages was investigated in paracetamol-induced BALB/c mice. Biochemical analysis of anti-oxidative enzymes, immunoblot analyses of hepatic cytochrome P450 2El (CYP2E1), and the gene expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-${\alpha}$) were examined to determine the extract's protective effect and its possible mechanisms. BALB/c mice were divided into three groups: normal, paracetamol-administered, and ALE-pretreated groups. A single dose of paracetamol led to a marked increase in lipid peroxidation as measured by malondialdehyde (MDA). This was associated with a significant reduction in the hepatic antioxidant system, e.g., glutathione (GSH). Paracetamol administration also significantly elevated the expression of CYP2E1, according to immunoblot analysis, and of TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA in liver. However, ALE pretreatment prior to the administration of paracetamol significantly decreased hepatic MDA levels. ALE restored hepatic glutathione and catalase levels and suppressed the expression of CYP2E1 and TNF-${\alpha}$ observed in inflammatory tissues. Moreover, ALE restored mitochondrial ATP content depleted by the drug administration. These results show that the extract of ash tree leaves protects against paracetamol-induced oxidative damages by blocking oxidative stress and CYP2E1-mediated paracetamol bioactivation.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.299-306
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• 2008

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of the calcium intake on lipid profile and antioxidant capacities in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Rats were divided into 3 groups and fed diet with different levels of calcium (low 0.1%, adequate 0.5%, high 1.5%) for 4 weeks. The half of rats in each group was ovariectomized and the others were sham-operated. And rats were fed same diets for 8 weeks after operation. Feed intake and weight gain were significantly higher in OVX group than those in sham-operated. Serum HDL-cholesterol was the highest in high-calcium group of OVX. Hepatic triglyceride of low-calcium group in sham-operated was the highest, while that of highcalcium group in OVX was the highest. Hepatic activities of glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase were significantly decreased by increasement of calcium intake. Hepatic TBARS level was the lowest in high-calcium group of OVX. And hepatic level of TBARS induced by AAPH was significantly decreased by increasement of calcium intake. These results may indicate that the high calcium intake have the potential role to improve lipid profiles and antioxidant capacities in OVX rats.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.382-395
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• 2007

The herb, Cajanus indicus L, is well known for its hepatoprotective action. A 43 kD protein has been isolated, purified and partially sequenced from the leaves of this herb. A number of in vivo and in vitro studies carried out in our laboratory suggest that this protein might be a major component responsible for the hepatoprotective action of the herb. Our successive studies have been designed to evaluate the potential efficacy of this protein in protecting the hepatic as well as renal tissues from the sodium fluoride (NaF) induced oxidative stress. The experimental groups of mice were exposed to NaF at a dose of 600 ppm through drinking water for one week. This exposure significantly altered the activities of the antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR) and the cellular metabolites such as reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), total thiols, lipid peroxidation end products in liver and kidney compared to the normal mice. Intraperitoneal administration of the protein at a dose of 2 mg/kg body weight for seven days followed by NaF treatment (600 ppm for next seven days) normalized the activities of the hepato-renal antioxidant enzymes, the level of cellular metabolites and lipid peroxidation end products. Post treatment with the protein for four days showed that it could help recovering the damages after NaF administration. Time-course study suggests that the protein could stimulate the recovery of both the organs faster than natural process. Effects of a known antioxidant, vitamin E, and a non-relevant protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA) have been included in the study to validate the experimental data. Combining all, result suggests that NaF could induce severe oxidative stress both in the liver and kidney tissues in mice and the protein possessed the ability to attenuate that hepato-renal toxic effect of NaF probably via its antioxidant activity.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.101-107
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• 2000

To evaluate the effect of intervals of bromobenzene treatment on the liver damage, the bromobenzene (400 mg/kg, i.p.) was given to rats at either one day or two days interval at three times. All the experimental animals were sacrificed at 24 hours after the last injection. Liver morphological changes were observed under a light microscopic examination and liver functional changes were determined by the measurement of alaine aminotransferase (ALT) activity and hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) content. The experimental to examine the cause of liver damage were cytochrome P45O, glutathione (GSH) content and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities. The results are summarized as follows; Based on the liver morphological and functional findings, the daily bromobenzene-treated rats (ED) showed the more severe liver damage than every other day bromobenzene-treated rats (EOD). The hepatic cytochrome P45O content was higher in EOD group than that in ED group. And the increasing rate of hepatic GST activity and decreasing rate of GSH content to the control were higher in EOD group than that in ED group. In conclusion, the treatment of bromobenzene intermittently to the rats may lead to more reduced liver injury compared with the continuously treated animals when both cases are treated with the same dose and frequency, and it may be caused by the enhancement of bromobenzene metabolism.