• Toxicological Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.159-166
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• 2004

Safety pharmacological properties of CJ-11555, an anti-cirrhotic agent, were investigated in experimental animals and in vitro test system. CJ-11555 had no effects on normal body temperature in rats, motor coordination, chemoshock induced by pentetrazol, electric shock induced by electric shocker and writhing syndromes in mice at dose levels of 100, 300 and 1,000 mg/kg. CJ-11555 inhibited intestinal activity and prolonged hexobarbital-induced sleeping time in mice at the dose level of 1,000 mg/kg. CJ-11555 affected on general activity and behaviour tests in SD rats, such as lacrimation, ptosis, piloerection, decreased body tone, abnormal dispersion within the cage, diarrhoea, red colored faeces, slight hypothermia and decreased grooming, at the dose level of 1,000 mg/kg in rats. CJ-11555 was effected on cardiovascular and respiratory system in anesthetized beagle dogs, such as tachycardia, increase of mean blood pressure and decrease of PR interval, decrease of respiratory rate and minute volume, at dose levels of 10 and 30 mg/kg. However, these effects were also observed in vehicle treated anesthetized beagle dogs. In in vitro experiments, CJ-11555 inhibited agonists (histamine, acetyl-choline or $BaCl_2$) induced contraction of isolated guinea-pig at the concentration of 30$\times$$10^6$ M. CJ-11555 was weekly inhibited hERG channel current at concentrations of 10 and 30$\times$$10^6$ M, and $IC_{50}$ was estimated to be higher than 30${\times}$$10^6$M. Based on these results, it was concluded that CJ-11555 affected on cardiovascular and respiratory system, general activity and behaviour and hexobarbital-induced sleeping time at the dose level of 1,000 mg/kg and contraction of the smooth muscle and hERG channel current at the concentration of 30$\times$$10^6$ M.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.789-796
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• 1997

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of sulfinpyrazone on fumonisin $B_1$-induced elevation of free sphingoid bases in LLC-$PK_1$ cells. Fumonis ins are a family of mycotoxins produced by the fungi Fusarium moniliforme which is common contaminant in corn. Fumonisins are also potent inhibiors of sphingosine and sphinganine N-acyltransferases (ceramide synthases), key enzymes in sphingolipid metabolism resulting in the elevation of free sphinganine. The cytosolic concentration of fumonisin B1 was known to be closely proportional to the elevation of free sphinganine in LLC-PK1 cells [Yoo, H.-S., Norred, W.P., Wang, E., Merrill, A.H., Jr., and Riley, R.T. (1992) Toxicol. Appl.Pharmacol. 114. 9-15]. Sulfinpyrazone, an anion transport inhibitor, reduced the elevated level of free sphinganine resulting from fumonisin B1 inhibition of de novo sphingolipid biosynthesis. Fumonisin B1 at a concentration of 20${\mu}$M showed approximately 120pmol/$10^6$ cells relative to 3-10pmol/$10^6$ cells in control cultures, and sulfinpyrazone at a concentration of 200${\mu}$M partially reversed the increased level of free sphinganine induced by fumonisin $B_1$ down to normal level after exposure to fumonisin $B_1$ for 8 to 24hr. However, the reduced effect of sulfinpyrazone on the fumonisin $B_1$-induced elevation of intracellular sphinganine was not shown after 24hr. Fumonisin $B_1$ exposure to LLC-PK1 cells for 36 and 48hr showed approximately 74 and 80pmol per $10^6$ cells relative to 82 and 76pmol,respectively, in fumonisin $B_1$ plus sulfinpyrazone-treated cultures. Sulfinpyrazone-induced less elevation of free sphinganine in confluent cells after exposure to fumonisin $B_1$ suggested that either sulfinpyrazone may block the availability of fumonisin $B_1$ to cells or act on the fumonisin $B_1$ interaction with ceramide synthase.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.487-492
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• 2003

This study investigated the effects of extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) on the sensitivity of seizure response to bicuculline, picrotoxin and NMDA in mice. The mice were exposed to either a sham or 20 G ELF-MFs for 24 hours. Convulsants were then administered i.p. at various doses. The seizure induction time and duration were measured and lethal dose ($LD_{50$}) and convulsant dose ($CD_{50}$) of the clonic and tonic convulsion were calculated. The analysis of glutamate, glycine, taurine and GABA of mouse brain was accomplished by HPLC. The mice exposed to ELF-MFs showed moderately higher $CD_{50}.{\;}LD_{50}$ and onset time on the bicuculline-induced seizure. However, the ELF-MFs did not influence them in the NMDA and picrotoxin-induced seizures. After the exposure to MFs exposure, the glutamate level was increased and GABA was decreased significantly in NMDA and picrotoxin-induced seizure. The level of glutamate and GABA were not changed by MFs in bicuculline-induced seizure. These results suggest that ELF-MFs may alter the convulsion susceptibility through GABAergic mechanism with the involvement of the level of glutamate and GABA.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.311-318
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• 2005

Oxidative stress has been reported to elevate ceramide level during cell death. The purpose of the present study was to modulate cell death in relation to cellular glutathione (GSH) level and GST (glutathione S-transferase) expression by regulating the sphingolipid metabolism. LLC­PK1 cells were treated with H$_2$O$_2$ in the absence of serum to induce cell death. Subsequent to exposure to H$_2$O$_2$, LLC-PK1 cells were treated with desipramine, sphingomyelinase inhibitor, and N-acetylcysteine (NAC), GSH substrate. Based on comparative visual observation with H202-treated control cells, it was observed that 0.5 $\mu$M of desipramine and 25 $\mu$M of NAC exhibited about 90 and $95\%$ of cytoprotection, respectively, against H$_2$O$_2$-induced cell death. Desipramine and NAC lowered the release of LDH activity by 36 and $3\%$ respectively, when compared to $71\%$ in H$_2$O$_2$-exposed cells. Cellular glutathione level in 500 $\mu$M H202-treated cells was reduced to 890 pmol as compared to control level of 1198 pmol per mg protein. GST P1-1 expression was decreased in H$_2$O$_2$-treated cells compared to healthy normal cells. In conclusion, it has been inferred that H$_2$O$_2$-induced cell death is closely related to cellular GSH level and GST P1-1 expression in LLC-PK1 cells and occurs via ceramide elevation by sphingomyelinase activation.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.107-114
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• 2009

The present study was carried out to summarize the effect of ginseng in the experimental diabetic rats by meta-analysis related studies. The association measure to test effect of ginseng was the mean difference(MD) between group of rats induced streptozotocin(STZ) and group of rats induced STZ treated with ginseng about the considered effect factors. The level of FI, glucose and TG were significantly reduced(< 0.01), and the level of glycogen was significantly increased by treatment with ginseng (< 0.01) After checking the indication of publication bias for the combined MDs by using the funnel plots, the anti-diabetic effects of ginseng is clearly presented in FI, glucose, TG and glycogen (< 0.05).

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.167-172
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• 2009

The protective effects of Phaleria macrocarpa (PM) against oxidative stress in diabetic rats were investigated. Diabetes was induced in male Sprague Dawley rats using alloxan (150 mg/kg i.p). After the administration of PM fractions for two weeks the diabetic symptoms, nephropathy and renal antioxidant enzymes were evaluated. The results showed that the oral PM treatments reduced blood glucose levels in diabetic rats. The PM fractions decreased kidney hypertrophy and diminished blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in diabetic rats. Malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation marker, was increased in diabetic animals, but was suppressed by the PM treatments. In addition, the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, and glutathione (GSH) level in the alloxan-induced diabetic rats were significantly decreased compared with those in the normal rats, but were restored by PM treatments. The PM fractions also suppressed the level of MDA in the kidney. In conclusion, the anti hyperglycemic and anti-nephropathy of P. macrocarpa may be correlated to the increased renal antioxidant enzyme activity in the kidney.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.311-315
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• 2000

Previous studies showed that benzoquinone derivatives inhibited platelet aggregation. but there is no information available on their cytotoxicity to platelets. 1n the present study. washed platelets isolated from rats were treated with 1.4-benzoquinone. a representative benzoquinone derivative. to examine its antiaggregating effect and cytotoxicity. 1.4-Benzoquinone significantly inhibited thrombin-induced platelet aggregation. Consistent with this finding. 1.4-benzoquinone suppressed cytosolic calcium increase induced by thrombin. To examine the cytotoxicity by 1 A-benzoquinone in platelets. turbidometry and lactate dehydrogenase release were measured. Treatment with 1.4-benzoquinone resulted in slight cytotoxicity (30% release at 60 min) to platelets. However. the cytotoxicity was not correlated with increase of cytosolic calcium levels in platelets. All these data suggested that 1.4-benzoquinone inhibited thrombin-induced platelet aggregation mediated by inhibition elf calcium level increase and that 1.4-benzoquinone reveals cytotoxicity to some extent without alteration of calcium level in platelets.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.286-290
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• 2009

In the course of screening for substances inhibiting apoptosis of U937 human leukemia cells induced by etoposide ($10\;{\mu}g/ml$), Forsythiae fructus, which showed a high level of inhibition, was selected. The regulating compounds were purified from the ethyl acetate extract by silica gel column chromatography and HPLC. The active substance was purified and identified as rengyolone by spectroscopic methods. This compound showed inhibitory activity on caspase-3 induction, a major protease of the apoptosis cascade, with an $IC_{50}$ value of $38.96\;{\mu}M$ after 8 h of etoposide treatment in U937 cells. The expression level of caspase-3 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) were dose-dependently inhibited by the compound, suggesting that rengyolone inhibits etoposide-induced apoptosis via downregulation of caspases.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.7 no.1_2
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• pp.35-43
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• 1992

Mugwort has been used as a Korean folk medicine in treating liver diseases acting as an analgesics, sedative, diuresis, choleretics. This study was perfomed to evaluate the effect of mugwort extracts on the changes of enzyme activities, lipid accumulation of the serum and liver, when hepatotoxicity was induced by benzo(a)pyrene. The results are as follows: 1. Mugwort water extract administration prevented the increase of serum and liver AST, ALT, LDH, ${\gamma}$-GTP, liver ALP activities and bilirubin content caused by B(a)P injection. 2. The increase of serum and liver ALT, LDH, ${\gamma}$-GTP, serum AST activities and liver bilirubin contents in B(a)P treated group were decreased by mugwort methanol extract treatment. 3. Serum and liver total cholesterol, phospholipid, triglyceride level and serum HDL-cholesterol level were increased by B(a)P treatment. After combined treatment of mugwort water and methanul extracts, these lipid content were significantly decreased. 4. The hepatotropic effect of mugwort water extract and after-treatment against B(a)P induced hepatotoxicity was superior to that of methanol extract and pretreatment.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.130.3-131
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• 2003

The biological effects of NADPH-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) inhibitor. DA-11004, was examined in obese zucker rats or streptozotocin-induced diabetic SD rats. Diabetes was induced by injection of streptozotocin (50mg/kg) dissolved in citrate buffer (pH 4.8) into the tail vein and induction of diabetes was confirmed by the measurement of the tail blood glucose level at 48h. DA-11004 (30mg/kg, po) was injected for successive 7days and significantly reduced the plasma glucose in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (P<0.05). (omitted)