• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.87-94
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• 2000

In order to investigate the hepatoprotective constituents, Melonis Pedicellus was systematically extracted and fractionated with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, butanol and water Treatment of rats with ethyl acetate fraction reduced hepatic injuries induced by $\alpha$-naphthylisothiocyanate or D-galactosamine, whereas the components in water fraction showed protective effect only against D-galactosamine-induced hepatitis in rats. Two cucurbitacins and three sterols were isolated from ethylacetate fraction and their chemical structures were identified as cucurbitacin B, isocucurbitacin B, $\alpha$-spinasterol, stigmast-7-en-3-ol and stigmast-7-en-3-ol-0-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside. Cucurbitacin B at the dose of 1 mg/kg (p.o.) signifcantly increased in bile flow in rats with ANIT-induced cholestasis. Isocucurbitacin B at 5 mg/hg (p.o.) showed signilicant protective effects against ANIT-induced cholestasis. These results showed that cucurbitacin B and isocucurbitacin B from Melonis Pedicellus may have hepatoprotective effect in rats with experimental cholestasis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.383-388
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• 1993

Pharmacokinetics of aucubin, an irdoid glucoside, was compared in rats of experimental hepatic failure(EHF). EHF was induced by CCI$_{4}$ or D-galactosamine pretreatment. This work was designed to find out any differences in the pharmacokinetics of aucubin that may explain the different protective effect of aucubin on CCI$_{4}$- and galactosamine-induced EHF : aucubin reportedly protected CCI$_{4}$-inducing hepatotoxicity effectively, but did not for galactosamine-hepatotoxicity. EHF was induced by intraperitoneal injection Of CCI$_{4}$(0.9ml/kg) or galactosamine(250 mg/kg) to Wistar rats 24 hr before the pharmacokinetic study. The rats were fasted during the 24 hr. Aucubin was iv injected at a dose of 15 mg/kg and the plasma aucubin was assayed by HPLC. There were no significant differences in the pathophysiologies(body weight, liver weight, GTP, hematocrit, blood cell distrbution and plasma protein binding of aucubin) between the two EHF models except GOP which was significantly (p<0.05) higher in CCI$_{4}$-than in galactosamine-EHF. On the other hand, pharmacokinetics of aucubin such as total cleatance(CL$_{t}$), distribution volume at steady-state(Vd$_{ss}$), and mean residence time(MRT) differed significantly(p<0.05) between the models : for example, CL$_{t}$ was increased two fold by CCI$_{4}$, but not by galaclosamine ; Vd$_{ss}$, in galactosamine-EHF was higher than that in CCI$_{4}$-EHF ; MRT was decreased by CCI$_{4}$, but increased conversely by galactosamine. The increase of CL$_{t}$(and decrease of MRT) in rats of CCI$_{4}$-EHF was contrary to the general expectation for the hepatic failure : most of the hepatic failures have been known to decrease CL$_{t}$ of the administered drugs. Whether the difference in the pharmacokinetics is responsible for the different protective effect of aucubin against the two EHF models is of interest. However, much more studies on biliary excretion, urinary excretion, and hepatic uptake in cellular level should be preceded before any conclusions are made on the role of different pharmacokinetics on the different pharmacology of aucubin.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 2013

Korean red ginseng is known to regulate the immune system and help the body struggle infection and disease. Cadmium is widely distributed in the environment due to its use in industry. Exposure to cadmium is problematic causing organ dysfunction. This study was conducted to evaluate the protective effect of Korean red ginseng extract (RGE) against cadmium-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. In experiments, animals were orally administrated with RGE (25, 50 mg/kg) for 7 d and then intravenously injected with cadmium ($CdCl_2$, 4 mg/kg) to induce acute hepatotoxicity. Cadmium caused the elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase in serum. In contrast, pretreatment with RGE significantly reduced those serum indexes related with liver damage. In histopathological analysis, RGE decreased the centrilobular necrosis around central veins and the peripheral hemorrhage around portal triads. Moreover, RGE restored the deficit in hepatic glutathione level resulting from cadmium treatment. RGE also inhibited the increase in the expression of Bad, a representative apoptosis marker protein, induced by cadmium treatment. Collectively, these results demonstrate that RGE can reduce the cadmium-induced hepatic toxicity, partly via anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic process.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.581-586
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• 1994

The study was initiated elucidate the mechanism by examining the effect of GE-132 on hepatic glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity. Activity of GST increased with dose-dependent manner in hepatic cytosolic fraction of GE-132 treatment rats. Double reciprocal plotting gave Vmax value 1.4 fold increase by the treatment of GE-132(100mg/kg, p.o.for 6 weeks) compared with control group, but did not change Km value. Ethacryinc acid (85mg/kg, once a day, i.p) was injected to control rat, the GST activity decreased remarkably . However, GE-132 pretreated group, the effect caused by ethacrynic acid was markedly reduced. And activity of ${\gamma}$-glutamylcys- teine synthetase was not changed either by GE-132 treatment , but the activity of glutathione reudctase increased significantly. Decreasing properties of ethacrynic acid decreased level of hepatic glutathione , which was restored to same degree by GE -132 pretreatment . GE-132 protective effect on ethacrynic acid-induced mortality. It is concluded that the efect of GE-132 is partly mediated by increase in hepatic GST activity.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.370-378
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• 2019

The hepatic ischemic model has recently been widely used for the epidemiological study of ischemic reperfusion injury. This study was carried out to investigate the protective effect of vanillin, which is known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, against hepatic and renal injury using an ischemia-reperfusion rat model, and we also investigated the mechanism related to vanillins' protective effect. The test material was administered at a concentration of 100 mg/kg for 3 days, followed by ligation of the liver for 60 minutes to induce ischemia reperfusion. As control groups, there was a negative control, sham control and ischemia-reperfusion-only ischemia reperfusion control, and the controls groups were compared with the drug administration group. In the vanillin group, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities were significantly inhibited compared with the AST and ALT activities of the ischemia-reperfusion group, and histopathological examination showed significant reduction of both inflammation and necrosis. The malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were significantly different from the ischemia-reperfusion group. In conclusion, vanillin showed a hepatocyte protective action by alleviating the cellular inflammation and cell necrosis caused by hepatic ischemia-reperfusion, and vanillin mitigated inflammatory changes in the kidney glomeruli and distal tubules. The protective effect is considered to be caused by vanillin's antioxidant function. Further studies such as on cell death and possibly vanillin's same effect on damaged tissue will be necessary for clinical applications such as organ transplantation.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.309-321
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• 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of folic acid supplementation in high-fructose-induced hepatic steatosis and clarify the underlying mechanism of folic acid supplementation. MATERIALS/METHODS: Male SD rats were fed control, 64% high-fructose diet, or 64% high-fructose diet with folic acid for eight weeks. Plasma glutamate-pyruvate transaminase, glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase, lipid profiles, hepatic lipid content, S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) were measured. RESULTS: The HF diet significantly increased hepatic total lipid and triglyceride (TG) and decreased hepatic SAM, SAH, and SAM:SAH ratio. In rats fed a high fructose diet, folic acid supplementation significantly reduced hepatic TG, increased hepatic SAM, and alleviated hepatic steatosis. Moreover, folic acid supplementation in rats fed high fructose enhanced the levels of phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and liver kinase B (LKB1) and inhibited phosphorylation of acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) in the liver. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the protective effect of folic acid supplementation in rats fed high fructose may include the activation of LKB1/AMPK/ACC and increased SAM in the liver, which inhibit hepatic lipogenesis, thus ameliorating hepatic steatosis. The present study may provide evidence for the beneficial effects of folic acid supplementation in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.172.2-173
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• 2003

Naringenin, a phytoalexin found in grapefruit. has been reported to exhibit a wide range of pharmacological properties. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the protective effect of naringenin on hepatic fibrosis induced by dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) in rats. Fibrosis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of DMN. Naringenin was given orally at 20 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg daily for 4 weeks. (omitted)

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Veterinary Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.17-17
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• 2003

Accumulation of cholesterol may occur due to liver injury like hepatic steatosis and fibrosis as well as athrosclerosis and coronary heart disease. The aim of this study was search for protective effect of active ceramic water on experimental hepatic injury induced by high cholesterol diet(containing 1.0 ％ cholesterol and 0.3 ％ sodium cholate) in rats. (omitted)

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.325-335
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• 2008

The protective effects of the Naringin, on carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-induced hepatotoxicity and the possible mechanisms involved in this protection were investigated in mice. Pretreatment with Naringin prior to the administration of $CCl_4$ significantly prevented an increase in serum alanine, aspartate aminotransferase activity and hepatic lipid peroxidation in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, pretreatment with Naringin also significantly prevented the depletion of glutathione (GSH) content in the livers of $CCl_4$-induced mice. However, reduced hepatic glutathione levels was unaffected by treatment with Naringin alone. In addition, Naringin prevented $CCl_4$-induced apoptosis and necrosis, as indicated by a liver DNA laddering. To determine whether caspase-8,-3 pathway involved in $CCl_4$-induced acute liver injury, caspase-8, -3 activities were tested by ELISA. Naringin attenuated $CCl_4$induced caspase-8, -3 activities in mouse livers. $CCl_4$-induced hepatotoxicity was also prevented, as indicated by a liver histopathologic study. The effects of Naringin on the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2E1, the major isozyme involved in $CCl_4$ were also investigated. Treatment of mice with Naringin resulted in a significant decrease of the CYP2E1-dependent hydroxyl at ion and aniline in a dose-dependent manner. These findings suggest that protective effects of Naringin against the $CCl_4$-induced hepatotoxicity may be due to its ability to block CYP2E1-mediated $CCl_4$ bioactivation and that is also protects against caspase-8, -3 pathway mediated apoptosis.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.647-653
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• 2017

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) is linked with high mortality rate. Several agents have been developed so far to reduce the risk of HIRI. In this study, we investigated the effects of Acanthopanax senticosus extract (AS) on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion. To explore the protective effects of A. senticosus extract injection (ASI) on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury rats animal model were used. After the development of HIRI by using clamping method rats were then randomly divided into five groups. Different doses of AS were administered in HIRI rat model. The level of ALT, AST, and MDA content in serum were detected in sham and HIRI groups. The activity of SOD, MPO and $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$, content of MDA, and cAMP in hepatic tissue were also measured. Expression of Bcl-2 and Bax protein were detected by immunohistochemical staining method. Compared with sham group, ASI has the protective effect on the HIRI model in rats. Blood levels of ALT, AST, SOD, MPO, and MDA were significantly lower in ASI group compared with HIRI. Indeed SOD and $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ activities, MDA content, and cAMP level were improved in ASI group. Furthermore, Bcl-2 and Bax protein were improved in ASI group compared with only HIRI group. These results suggest that AS may provide potential ameliorative therapy by inhibiting the damage signaling mechanism in hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury model.