• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.124-128
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• 2014

Alcoholism is a significant global health problem. Alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase play important roles in the metabolism of alcohol and aldehyde. In this study, we aimed to investigate the eliminatory effects of a fruit extract drink on alcohol metabolism in drunken Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Male SD rats were given a fruit extract drink or a commercial product (10 mL/kg) 30 min prior to 40% (5 g/kg) ethanol ingestion. To assay the effect of the fruit extract drink on blood ethanol concentration, blood samples were taken from the saphenous vein at 3 and 5 h after ethanol ingestion. The blood concentrations of alcohol, alcohol dehydrogenase, and aldehyde dehydrogenase were significantly lower in the fruit extract drink group than in the control group, in a time-dependent manner. However, the alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities of all experimental groups were unaltered compared to those of the control group. These results suggested that fruit extract drink intake can have a positive effect on the reduction of alcohol, alcohol dehydrogenase, and aldehyde dehydrogenase concentrations in the blood and may alleviate acute ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity by altering alcohol metabolic enzyme activities.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.73-77
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• 2006

Poisoning with mushroom containing amatoxin may be a real medical emergency and is characterized by long incubation time lag, gastrointestinal symptoms, hepatotoxic phase and sometimes death. We report a family of parents and two children who ingested wild mushroom and recovered from varying degrees of hepatotoxicity. After eating cooked wild mushroom and its soup, they all developed abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea 11 hours later, Their liver enzymes reached peak level between 48 and 72 hours after the ingestion. Among the family members, 5-year-old girl showed the most severe hepatic toxicity of AST/ALT 14,099/13,176 IU/L. They were all treated with supportive measures including repeated activated charcoal and penicillin G and recovered from the hepatotoxicity between 7 and 28 days after the ingestion. Being based on the shape and a typical course of the amatoxin poisoning, we presume that this wild mushroom belongs to Amanita virosa.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.66-69
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• 2016

Some carnivorous gastropods have heat stable tetramine toxins in their salivary glands. This toxin is an autonomic ganglionic blocking agent that enables them to catch the prey easily by paralyzing their targets. Acute tetramine toxin poisoning in humans from eating whelks has been well described based on numerous cases, but is rare in Korea. Symptoms of tetramine poisoning include eyeball pain, blurred vision, headache, dizziness, muscular twitching, tingling of hands and feet, weakness, paralysis and sometimes collapse. Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting can also occur. However, intoxication is self-limiting and patients will usually recover in about 24 hours. Herein, we report 2 cases of tetramine poisoning after ingestion of Buccinum striatissinum as meat and soup.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.42-46
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• 2020

Tetramine toxicity due to sea snail ingestion is generally mild and has a good prognosis. Tetramine toxicity acts on the acetylcholine receptor, affecting the neuromuscular junction and autonomic nervous system. A 78-year-old female patient visited the emergency room with vomiting and dyspnea after eating sea snails. At the time of admission, the vital signs recorded were 140/80 mmHg-105/min-24/min-36.5℃, and 90% oxygen saturation. Arterial blood test revealed hypercapnia (pCO₂ 58.2 mmHg) and respiratory acidosis (pH 7.213, HCO₃^- 22.5 mmol/L), whereas other blood tests showed no specific findings. Due to decreased consciousness and hypoxia, endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation were administered to the patient. Successful weaning was accomplished after 12 hrs, and the patient was discharged without any further complications. Although tetramine toxicity rarely results in acute respiratory failure due to paralysis of the respiratory muscle, caution is required whilst treating the patient.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.157-162
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• 1999

Serum from mouse orally ingested with tissue cyst forming stain (Me49) of Toxoplasma gondii was assayed by Western blot and immunofluorescene assay (IFA) to establish early responses in antigenicity of the parasite in mouse model of foodborne toxoplasmosis. Sera were collected weekly to blot the RH antigen transferred onto nitrocellulose paper after being separated by 12% SDS-PAGE. With the second week serum, 34 kDa protein (p34) was detected uniquely, and all antigens of T.gondii were detected with the sera from 3 or 4 weeks. p34 was not a member of the major surface membrane proteins and confirmed to be localized in the rhoptry by IFA. It was secreted into parasitophorous vacuolar membrane (PVM) during the entry into host cells. 10.3% of sera detected p34, while all the ELISA positive sera detected the band. It has diagnostic usefulness of presumed T.gondii infection. We suggest the name of the p34 protein as ROP9.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.215-218
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• 2008

A 2-year-old, female, Maltese dog (3.2 kg of body weight) was referred to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Chungnam National University with vomiting, anorexia and depression. Twelve hours prior to the onset of clinical signs, the dog ingested some grape skins (about 60 g). Physical examination at the time of presentation showed peripheral edema and mucous pallor. Blood and blood chemical analysis revealed anemia and moderate azotemia with elevated blood urea nitrogen (107.2 mg/dl), creatinine (6.3 mg/dl) and hyperphosphatemia (11.3 mg/dl). Echogenicity of renal cortex were observred by ultrasonography. The dog was diagnosed as acute renal failure occurred by grape skin toxicosis. The dog was treated with supportive care such as fluid therapy, diuretics (furosemide) and phosphorus binder (almagate). A normal condition of blood and blood chemical findings and clinical signs was observed at five days after treatment, and prognosis is good to date.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.63-66
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• 2014

The effects of a newly developed flower thinning formulation (FTF) on the vitality of the honey bee Apis mellifera were examined by measuring the activities of various digestive enzymes in adult worker bees. First, direct spraying of the FTF solution did not cause any behavioral changes or lethal effects for the honey bees based on 24 h observation. Second, oral ingestion of a sugar solution containing the FTF did not produce any significant change in the activities of amylase, proteinases, lipase, or acetylcholine esterase (AChE) in the worker bees 6 h or 24 h after treatment. Meanwhile, a commercial formulation containing sulfur compounds showed slightly reduced activities for several digestive enzymes and AChE, although no behavioral disturbance. Thus, the results of the present study suggest that the FTF is not toxic for honey bees, in terms of contact and ingestion. Therefore, this newly developed FTF can be used for flower thinning without any detrimental effects on pollinating insects.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.70-74
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• 2010

We report a familial case of visceral larva migrans of Toxocara canis after eating raw chicken liver. A 9-year-old female ate raw chicken liver with her father and older brother and was admitted to the hospital with periumbilical pain, a mild fever, and headache. The total peripheral eosinophil count was 9,884/$mm^3$ and the total lgE concentration was 2,317 IU/dL. Chest and abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans demonstrated multiple, poorly-defined, small, nodular lesions scattered in the liver and lung parenchyma. Toxocara ELISA and Western blot tests were positive in the patient, and her father and brother. A liver biopsy revealed extensive eosinophilic infiltrations in the portal and lobular areas. She took albendazole for 5 days and was discharged in good condition. These results suggest that clinicians should consider foodborne toxocariasis in patients with multiple, small nodules in the liver and lung parenchyma with eosinophilia and a history of raw meat ingestion.

• Proceeding of EDISON Challenge
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• 2017.03a
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• pp.677-687
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• 2017

Caffeine has a long history of human consumption but the consumption of caffeine due to caffeinated energy drinks(CEDs) is rapidly growing. Marketing targets of CED sales are children, adolescents and young adults, possibly caffeine-sensitive groups and its effect for them can be significantly different from healthy adults. Caffeine-related toxicities among these groups are growing in number and a number of countries are recognizing severity of caffeine toxicities. Previous research showed prediction of maximal plasma caffeine concentration profiles after the single CED ingestion and the primary aim of this study is to visually predict plasma caffeine concentration after the single and multiple ingestion of standard servings of CED. Based on the population pharmacokinetic model using Monte Carlo simulation, prediction of caffeine concentration leading to caffeine intoxication in the sensitive groups is quantitatively presented and visualized. This research also broadens the perspective by creating and utilizing diverse open science tools including R package, Edison Science App and Shiny apps.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.68-76
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• 2000

Objectives: This experiment was conducted to verify the effects of Chungganhaeju-tang(Qingganjiejiu-tang) on the alcohol metabolism and liver functions, by measuring the activity levels of ADH and ALDH, as well as glucose, triglyceride, and BUN. Damage of the liver cells caused by alcohol was determined through the examination of serum levels of AST, ALT, ALP, LDH, and uric acid. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this experiment and the rats were divided into control and experiment groups. Chungganhaeju-tang(Qingganjiejiu-tang) extract was orally administered in the experiment group for three weeks. Each group was further classified into two sub-groups, and control group's blood was taken without oral ingestion of alcohol, while the experiment group' s blood was withdrawn after ingestion of alcohol. Evaluation of damage level was done considering the presence of extract and alcohol. Results: In this experiment, Chungganhaeju-tang(Qingganjiejiu-tang) significantly suppressed the activity of ADH which is a precursor enzyme of acetaldehyde, but didn't cause significant changes in the activity of ALDH which is a catabolic enzyme. Decreased glucose level due to alcohol consumption was recovered back to the normal level and increased levels of triglyceride, BUN, AST, ALT, ALP, LDH, and uric acid were significantly reduced. Conclusions: These experiment results suggest that Chungganhaeju-tang(Qingganjiejiu-tang) inhibits the formation of acetaldehyde in the metabolism of alcohol, and affects the recovery of weakened liver functions due to alcohol.