• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.505-518
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of Gugijagami-bang (GGB) in a hyperlipidemic animal model induced by a high-fat diet using diverse biological methods. Methods: This study was to determine whether fractionated GGB extracts inhibit reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) in RAW 264.7 cells. Hyperlipidemia was induced by a high-fat diet fed for 6 weeks. Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, liver function and histologic change of liver were measured after oral administration of GGB. Results: 1. DPPH scavenging bow performance was increased in a concentration-dependent manner by GGB. 2. Compared to the control group, NO production (%) and ROS production (%) were decreased significantly by GGB. 3. Total-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride were decreased significantly by GGB. 4. HDL cholesterol increased more than the control group, but not significantly. 5. In histopathologic examination, fatty liver (hepatic steatosis) was inhibited, almost no rounds of fat were observed in the liver. Conclusions: GGB would appear effective in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, other cardiovascular diseases caused by hyperlipidemia.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.119-132
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• 2014

Objectives : This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of Samulhwalhyeol-tang (SM) in a hyperlipidemic animal model induced by a high-fat diet using diverse biological methods. Methods : This study was to determine whether fractionated EtOH extracts of SM inhibit reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) in RAW 264.7 cells. Hyperlipidemia was induced by a high-fat diet fed for 6 weeks. Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, liver function, cholesterol gene revelation control efficiency, and histologic change of liver were measured after oral administration of SM. Results : 1. Compared to the control group, ROS production (%) and NO production (%) were decreased significantly by SM. 2. Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglyceride were decreased significantly by SM. 3. HDL cholesterol was increased significantly by SM. 4. Rats' body weight and glucose were decreased significantly by SM. 5. AST, ALP were decreased significantly by SM. 6. In histopathologic examination, fatty liver and fiver fibrosis were inhibited, almost eliminated as round of fat was observed in the liver. Conclusions : SM would appear that effective in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, other cardiovascular diseases, fatty liver and nephrotic syndrome caused by hyperlipidemia.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.3 s.67
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• pp.14-25
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• 2006

Objectives: Samjunghwan has been known to be effective for the treatment of obesity. To show the effectiveness of Samjunghwan in a more scientific way, Samjunghwan extract was prepared and evaluated in high-fat diet rats by measuring the changes of body weight and lipid metabolism as described below. Methods: 245 g of crushed Samjunghwan was extracted with methyl alcohol. The extract was evaporated under reduced pressure to give 21.8 g. For 30 days, the control group rats were given a high fat diet, while the test group rats were given a high fat diet plus Samjunghwan extract. The normal group rats were given a normal diet. 50 mg of Samjunghwan extract per 1 kg of body weight was added to the diet for the test group rats. Results: The control group rats on a high fat diet gained weight by about 27-28% as compared to the normal group, whereas the test group rats on a high fat diet plus Samjunghwan extract lost weight about 6-8% as compared to the control group. A significant increase of liver weight caused by a high fat diet was also inhibited by the same Samjunghwan extract administration. Similar inhibitory effects on the food intake and on the epididymal adipose tissue weight were observed in the high fat diet rats by the administration of Samjunghwan extract. Serum and liver total lipid levels in the control group on a high fat diet increased significantly as compared to the normal group, whereas their serum and liver levels increased less on a high fat diet plus Samjunghwan extract administered test group than the control group. Impressively, serum leptin levels in the test group decreased almost to the level of the normal group, which was well in accordance with the decreased fat contents in the test group rats. Furthermore, the activities of hepatic acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthetase were increased in the control group, while their activities in the test group on a high fat diet plus Samjunghwan extract decreased nearly to the levels of normal group rats on a normal diet. Conclusions: These results showed that the obesity caused by a high fat diet was effectively inhibited the administration of Samjunghwan extract. Our results also showed that the abnormal lipid metabolism caused by a high fat diet was effectively cured by the administration of Samjunghwan extract.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.5-19
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• 2007

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Bee Venom and Sweet Bee Venom to the primary cultured preadipocyte, adipocytes, and localized fat tissue. Methods Decreased preadipocyte proliferation and decreased lipogenesis are mechanisms to reduce obesity. So, preadipocytes and adipocytes were performed on cell cultures using Sprague-Dawley Rats and treated with 0.01-1mg/ml Bee Venom and Sweet Bee Venom. And porcine skin including fat tissue after treated Bee Venom and Sweet Bee Venom according to the dosage dependent variation are investigated the histologic changes after injection of these Pharmacopuncture. Result Following results were obtained from the preadipocyte proliferation and lipolysis of adipocyte and histologic investigation of fat tissue. 1. Bee Venom and Sweet Bee Venom showed the effect of decreased preadipocyte proliferation depend on concentration. 2. Bee Venom and Sweet Bee Venom showed the effect of decreased the activity of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GPDH) significantly. 3. Bee Venom was not showed the effect of lipolysis, but Sweet Bee Venom was increased in low dosage and decreased in high dosage. 4. Investigated the histologic changes in porcine fat tissue after treated Bee Venom and Sweet Bee Venom, we knew that these Pharmacopuncture was activated nonspecific lysis of cell membranes depend on concentration. Conclusion These results suggest that Bee Venom and Sweet Bee Venom efficiently induces decreased proliferation of preadipocyte and lipolysis in adipose tissue.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.80-89
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• 2008

Objectives : This study was carried out to investigate the effects of Ephedrae Herba pharmacopuncture (EHP) on the adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells, lipolysis in rat epididymal adipocytes and histological changes in porcine adipose tissue. Methods : Inhibition of preadipocyte differentiation and/or stimulation of lipolysis play important roles in reducing obesity. 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were differentiated with adipogenic reagents by incubating for 3 days in the absence or presence of EHP ranging from 0.01 to 1.0 $mg/m{\ell}$. The effect of EHP on adipogenesis was examined by measuring glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity and by oil red O staining. Mature adipocytes from rat epididymal fat pad were incubated with EHP ranging from 0.01 to 1.0 $mg/m{\ell}$ for 3 days. The effect of EHP on lipolysis was examined by measuring free glycerol released. Fat tissue from porcine skin was injected with EHP ranging from 0.1 to 10.0 $mg/m{\ell}$ to examine the effect of EHP on histological changes under light microscopy. Results : The following results were obtained from present study on adipogenesis of preadipocytes, lipolysis of adipocytes and histological changes in fat tissue. Proliferation of preadipocytes was significantly inhibited by EHP at the concentration of 1.0 $mg/m{\ell}$. Lipolysis of adipocytes was increased by EHP at the concentration of 0.1, 1.0 $mg/m{\ell}$. Porcine fat tissues were widely injured by EHP at the concentration of 10.0 $mg/m{\ell}$. Conclusions : From the above results, EHP efficiently induces inhibition of preadipocytes proliferation, lipolysis of adipocytes and histologic injury in fat tissues. Therefore, EHP may be useful to treat localized obesity.

• Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.169-177
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• 2023

BACKGROUND: Acute worsening of cardiac function frequently leads to kidney dysfunction. This study aimed to identify clinical and imaging parameters associated with impaired kidney function in patients with acute decompensated heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). METHODS: Data from 131 patients hospitalized with acute decompensated HFrEF (left ventricular ejection fraction, < 40%) were analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups according to the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) at admission (those with preserved kidney function [GFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m²] and those with reduced kidney function [GFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m²]). Various echocardiographic parameters and perirenal fat thicknesses were assessed by computed tomography. RESULTS: There were 71 patients with preserved kidney function and 60 patients with reduced kidney function. Increased age (odds ratio [OR], 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-1.12; p = 0.005), increased log N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.14-2.66; p = 0.010), and increased perirenal fat thickness (OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.10-1.29; p < 0.001) were independently associated with reduced kidney function, even after adjusting for variable clinical and echocardiographic parameters. The optimal average perirenal fat thickness cut-off value of > 12 mm had a sensitivity of 55% and specificity of 83% for kidney dysfunction prediction. CONCLUSIONS: Thick perirenal fat was independently associated with impaired kidney function in patients hospitalized for acute decompensated HFrEF. Measurement of perirenal fat thickness may be a promising imaging marker for the detection of HFrEF patients who are more susceptible to kidney dysfunction.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.88-100
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• 2020

Objective: We aimed to develop and validate a deep learning system for fully automated segmentation of abdominal muscle and fat areas on computed tomography (CT) images. Materials and Methods: A fully convolutional network-based segmentation system was developed using a training dataset of 883 CT scans from 467 subjects. Axial CT images obtained at the inferior endplate level of the 3rd lumbar vertebra were used for the analysis. Manually drawn segmentation maps of the skeletal muscle, visceral fat, and subcutaneous fat were created to serve as ground truth data. The performance of the fully convolutional network-based segmentation system was evaluated using the Dice similarity coefficient and cross-sectional area error, for both a separate internal validation dataset (426 CT scans from 308 subjects) and an external validation dataset (171 CT scans from 171 subjects from two outside hospitals). Results: The mean Dice similarity coefficients for muscle, subcutaneous fat, and visceral fat were high for both the internal (0.96, 0.97, and 0.97, respectively) and external (0.97, 0.97, and 0.97, respectively) validation datasets, while the mean cross-sectional area errors for muscle, subcutaneous fat, and visceral fat were low for both internal (2.1%, 3.8%, and 1.8%, respectively) and external (2.7%, 4.6%, and 2.3%, respectively) validation datasets. Conclusion: The fully convolutional network-based segmentation system exhibited high performance and accuracy in the automatic segmentation of abdominal muscle and fat on CT images.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.37-47
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• 2011

Objectives: This study investigated the effects of Choweseuncheung-tang (CWSCT, Tiaoweishengqing-tang) on body weight, serum lipid level, serum insulin level and serum leptin level in high-fat-diet-induced obese mice. Methods: Four-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups (7 mice in each group), including a normal group, control group, and CWSCT group. The normal group was fed a general diet, but the other groups were fed a high fat diet. The CWSCT group was administered CWSCT for 4 weeks. Animals were weighted weekly and blood lipids, insulin and leptin levels were measured after 4 weeks. Results: The results were as follows. 1. In the CWSCT group, compared with the control, body weight gain was significantly inhibited. 2. In the CWSCT group, compared with the control, the level of HDL cholesterol in serum increased significantly. 3. In the CWSCT group, compared with the control, the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol decreased significantly. 4. In the CWSCT group, compared with the control, the elevation of serum leptin level was significantly inhibited. Conclusions: Choweseuncheung-tang treatment has inhibitory effects on obesity and hyperlipidemia in high-fat-dietinduced obese mice.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.413-422
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• 2022

Objectives: To investigate the weight loss effect of Gambi-tang in obese and overweight adults. Methods: From September 1, 2016 to December 31, 2021, a retrospective chart analysis was conducted on adult men and women who were prescribed Gambi-tang to address obesity and overweight in the National Medical Center (NMC). Partial analysis by age, obesity (Body Mass Index, BMI), duration of dose, and cumulative dose was also conducted. Results: The weight and BMI of the study subjects showed a significant decrease of more than 5% on average before and after treatment. In an analysis of age, significant differences by age could not be confirmed. In the analysis by obesity level, the effect of reducing weight, body fat, and abdominal fat rates in the obese and highly obese groups was greater than in the normal and overweight groups. There was no significant difference by group in the analysis by dosage period. In the analysis by cumulative dose, the greater the cumulative dose up to 1,800 g, the greater the decrease in weight and body fat. The side effect that patients appealed to the most was misjudgment, but not to a serious extent. Conclusions: Gambi-tang has been shown to be effective in weight and body fat loss for both obese and overweight adult men and women.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.75-82
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• 2008

Objective : The purposes of this study are to evaluate the effect of zymolysis-dietotherapy with herbal formula on the obesity and to improve the oriental medical methods of treatment in obesity patients. Methods : Forty one patients were classified into four groups(Normal, Overweight, 1st Obesity, 2nd Obesity) by Body Mass Index(BMI). Weight, body fat rate, BMI and obesity index were compared in each group by paired t-test. Results : The weight, BMI and obesity index were decreased significantly in all groups. Except normal group, the body fat were decreased significantly. The body fat rate were decreased significantly in 1st obesity and 2nd obesity groups. Conclusions : From these results, it could be concluded that zymolysis-dietotherapy with herbal medication is effective on obesity care.