• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.393-397
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECFTIVES: Artemisinin, a natural product isolated from Gaeddongssuk (artemisia annua L.) and its main active derivative, dihydroartemisinin (DHA), have long been used as antimalarial drugs. Recent studies reported that artemisinin is efficacious for curing diseases, including cancers, and for improving the immune system. Many researchers have shown the therapeutic effects of artemisinin on tumors such as breast cancer, liver cancer and kidney cancer, but there is still insufficient data regarding glioblastoma (GBM). Glioblastoma accounts for 12-15% of brain cancer, and the median survival is less than a year, despite medical treatments such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. In this study, we investigated the anti-cancer effects of DHA and transferrin against glioblastoma (glioblastoma multiforme, GBM). MATERIALS/METHODS: This study was performed through in vitro experiments using C6 cells. The toxicity dependence of DHA and transferrin (TF) on time and concentration was analyzed by MTT assay and cell cycle assay. Observations of cellular morphology were recorded with an optical microscope and color digital camera. The anti-cancer mechanism of DHA and TF against GBM were studied by flow cytometry with Annexin V and caspase 3/7. RESULTS: MTT assay revealed that TF enhanced the cytotoxicity of DHA against C6 cells. An Annexin V immune-precipitation assay showed that the percentages of apoptosis of cells treated with TF, DHA alone, DHA in combination with TF, and the control group were $7.15{\pm}4.15%$, $34.3{\pm}5.15%$, $66.42{\pm}5.98%$, and $1.2{\pm}0.15%$, respectively. The results of the Annexin V assay were consistent with those of the MTT assay. DHA induced apoptosis in C6 cells through DNA damage, and TF enhanced the effects of DHA. CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrated that DHA, the derivative of the active ingredient in Gaeddongssuk, is effective against GBM, apparently via inhibition of cancer cell proliferation by a pharmacological effect. The role of transferrin as an allosteric activator in the GBM therapeutic efficacy of DHA was also confirmed.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.114-121
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• 2009

The effect of diet supplemented with red beet (Beta vulgaris L.) leaf on antioxidant status of plasma and tissue was investigated in C57BL/6J mice. The mice were randomly divided into two groups after one-week acclimation, and fed a high fat (20%) and high cholesterol (1%) diet without (control group) or with 8% freeze-dried red beet leaf (RBL group) for 4 weeks. In RBL mice, lipid peroxidation determined as 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS value) was significantly reduced in the plasma and selected organs (liver, heart, and kidney). Levels of antioxidants (glutathione and $\beta$-carotene) and the activities of antioxidant enzyme (glutathione peroxidase) in plasma and liver were considerably increased, suggesting that antioxidant defenses were improved by RBL diet. Comet parameters such as tail DNA (%), tail extent moment, olive tail moment and tail length were significantly reduced by 25.1%, 49.4%, 35.4%, and 23.7%, respectively, in plasma lymphocyte DNA of RBL mice compared with control mice, and indicated the increased resistance of lymphocyte DNA to oxidative damage. In addition, the RBL diet controlled body weight together with a significant reduction of fat pad (retroperitoneal, epididymal, inguinal fat, and total fat). Therefore, the present study suggested that the supplementation of 8% red beet leaf in high fat high cholesterol diet could prevent lipid peroxidation and improve antioxidant defense system in the plasma and tissue of C57BL/6J mice.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.1305-1309
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• 2005

Experiments were conducted to determine the efficacy of modified montmorillonite nanocomposite (MMN) to reduce the toxic effects of aflatoxin (AF) in growing/finishing pigs. 96 weaned pigs were assigned to four dietary treatment groups (0 g of MMN and 0 mg of AF/kg feed, 3 g of MMN/kg feed, 0.1 mg of AF/kg feed, and 3 g of MMN plus 0.1 mg of AF/kg feed). Body weight gain (BW gain), feed/gain ratio, serum biochemical values and enzyme activities were evaluated. Compared with the control, AF alone markedly reduced BW gain and resulted in a significantly higher feed/gain ratio. There were no differences in BW gain and feed/gain ratio between 0.3% MMN or 0.3% MMN plus AF and the control. These results suggested that the deleterious effects of AF were ameliorated by MMN addition. AF intake markedly increased relative organ weights of liver, kidney, spleen and pancreas, and resulted in significant alterations of serum parameters. However, these parameters for pigs fed diets containing MMN and AF returned to normal values, indicating that MMN had the ability to recover the AF-decreased performance, organ damage and to correct aberrations in serum parameters. These findings in our study suggested that MMN can effectively modulate the toxicity of AF in growing/finishing pigs and may offer a novel approach to the preventive management of aflatoxicosis in animals.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.1355-1363
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of vitamin E on liver microsomal cytochrome P450 contents and xanthine oxidase activity in acute cadmium poisoned rats. Sprague Dawley male rats weighing 100$\pm$10g were randomly assigned to one normal and three cadmium injected groups. Cadmium injected groups were fed vitamin E free diet(0E Cd group), 40mg vitamin E per kg diet(40E Cd group) or 400mg vitamin E per kg diet(400E Cd group). Vitamin E level of normal group was 40mg per kg diet. Animals were injected intraperitoneally with 2.0mg Cd2+/kg bw for 4 days after the rats were fed diets with three different levels of vitamin E for 2 and 4 weeks. Body weight, food intake and feed efficiency ratio of cadmium injected animals, were decreased compared with those of normal group. The weights of liver and kidney in cadmium injected groups were not different from those of normal group. Cadmium contents of liver in cadmium groups were 160 fold higher those that of normal group. Accumulation of cadmium poisoned rat liver was reduced by vitamin E supplementation. Contents of blood hemoglobin and hematocrit in 0E Cd groups were decreased to 2~ 14% of those of the other groups. Contents of serum triglyceride in all experimental groups were not significantly different each other. Levels of serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and antherogenic index in 0E Cd and 40E Cd groups were higher than those of normal group, while the contents of HDL cholesterol in 0E Cd and 40E Cd groups were lower than those of normal group. Xanthine oxidase(XOD) activity and cytochrome P450 contents in the liver were significantly increased in cadmium injected groups but these were reduced by vitamin E supplementations. The present results indicate that acute cadmium poisoning in rats causes increasing free radical generation systems in the liver and that leads to liver tissue damage. But these abnormalities can be reduced by dietary vitamin E supplementations.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.212-218
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• 2011

Purpose: The diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis (APN) is often difficult, as its clinical and biological manifestations are non-specific in children. If not treated quickly and adequately, however, APN may cause irreversible renal damage, possibly leading to hypertension and chronic renal failure. We were suspecting the diagnostic value of $^{99m}Tc$-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) scan by experiences and so compared the results of DMSA scan to those of multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT). Methods: We retrospectively selected and analyzed 81 patients who were diagnosed as APN by MDCT during evaluation of their acute abdomen in emergency room and then received DMSA scan also for the diagnostic work-up of APN after admission. We evaluated the results of imaging studies and compared the diagnostic value of each method by age groups, <2 years (n=45) and ${\geq}$2 years (n=36). Results: Among total 81 patients with MDCT-proven APN, DMSA scan was diagnostic only in 55 children (68%), while the remaining 26 children (32%) showed false negative normal findings. These 26 patients were predominantly male and most of them, 19 (73.1%) were <2 years of age. Conclusion: DMSA scan holds obvious limitation compared to MDCT in depicting acute inflammatory lesions of kidney in children with APN, especially in early childhood less than 2 years of age. MDCT showed hidden lesions of APN, those were undetectable through DMSA scan in children.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.27-38
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• 2004

Saam acupuncture has an evident principles of prescription based on acupuncture tonification and purgation of Nan-gyeong but many prescriptions of Saam acupuncture are not typical patterns. Therefore it is difficult to understand principles of those prescriptions. Understanding the principles of any prescription means understanding the physiology and pathology of that prescription and it have an important role in selecting the best prescription and taking the most effective treatment. This paper studies principles of prescriptions of the king fire and the premier fire. The theoretical authorities of analysis are Nan-gyeong, works of Joo dan-gye and Li dong-won and Uihakimmun. The damage of fire to mentality is very intensive and severe. The prescriptions of the king fire and premier fire have a good effect on diseases by fire. The fire of human body are two types, the king fire and the premier fire but the water of human body is only one and then inferior to fire. The fire superior to the water is unstable and the fire influences rapidly and intensively on four elements, wood, earth, metal, water. So the control of the water is the key to treat the disease by fire. Considering the attack and the treatment of disease, heart and liver are attacked with a disease by fire in its early stage and kidney and lung are the key to treatment. Consequently the pathology of the disease by fire is corresponding to the theory- Yang Sufficient, Yin Deficient- of Joo dan-gye. It seems that the theory of Joo dan-gye influenced on the medical theory of Saam Acupuncture. On that account I believe that the study of medical theories of the Geum and Won Dynasty that various medical theories appeared is very available.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Embryo Transfer Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.110-110
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• 2002

Rapidly progressive interstitial renal fibrosis has recently been reported in young women who have been on a slimming regimen including chinese herbs. Aristolochic acid, suspected as the causal factor of this renal disease, is a well known carcinogen. It has been known that Madouling (Aristolochiae fructus) contains aristolochic acid. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of Madouling, Madouling-tang, which are the extract mixture from 10 different chinese herbs including Madouling, and aristolochic acid on reproductive and developmental toxicity. Female rats were administered orally with the extracts of Madouling, madouling-tang, and aristolochic acid from 14 days before mating to day 17 of gestation. Madouling (8mg/kg) decreased fertility in the 8mg/kg group, but Madouling-tang and aristolochic acids did not. Significant decrease of mean fetal body weights were observed in the 16mg/kg group of aristolochic acids. External, visceral and skeletal malformation of fetuses were not observed with treatment. Histopathological examination showed the discrete damage of kidney in the 8mg/kg group of Madouling and 16mg/kg groups of aristolochic acid. In whole embryo culture, Madouling and Madouling-tang caused the retardation of growth and development of embryo in the dose of 1 $\mu$g/ml and 0.02 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg, respectively while aristolochic acids showed the similar effect in the dose of 300 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg. These results indicate that Madouling, up to 0.05mg/kg (prescription dose to human) has no adverse effects on the fertility, reproduction and development of Sprague-Dawley rats.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.683-686
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• 2000

Vesicoureteral reflux(VUR) is a state that urine regurge from bladder to ureter and kidney because of congenital, structural, functional abnormality of ureterovesical junction and lower urinary tract than bladder. It may be the primary cause of recurrent urinary tract infection(UTI) in chindhood, If urine regurge with UTI, it can cause renal damage, leading to scar formation, hypertension, chronic renal failure, But upper complications can be prevented by early diagnosis and proper treatment of VUR and UTI, so clinician must focus on them in treatment of VUR. We had experienced a case of recurrent UTI with VUR regardless of consistent antibiotics therapy in 7 years old boy, Chief complain was urinary frequency, The symptom of urinary frequency was successfully treated by herb medicine(Gamijihwag-tang), So, we report this case with a brief review of related literatures.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.21-30
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• 2001

목적 : 이전 연구에서 단삼 추출액이 강력한 항산화 작용이 있음을 확인한 바 있어 단삼 추출액이 신장세뇨관 세포에서 oxidant에 의한 세포사망 및 DNA 손상을 방지하는 지를 조사하고 이러한 효과가 지질의 과산화를 억제하는 효과에 기인하는 지를 시험하였다. 방법 : 신장 근위세뇨관 세포 유래 세포주인 opossum kidney (OK)세포를 이용하여 세포 사망은 frypan blue exclusion방법을 이용하여 평가하였고, DNA손상 정도는 double stranded DNA의 파괴를 측정하여 평가하였다. Oxidant 약물 모델로는 $H_2O_2$를 사용하였다. 결과 : $H_2O_2$는 적용시 간과 농도에 비례하여 세포 사망을 유도하였다. 단삼 추출액은 0.05% 농도에서 $H_2O_2$에 의한 세포사망 및 DNA 손상을 방지하였다. 이러한 방지효과는 $H_2O_2$ 제거 효소인 catalase와 철 착염제인 deferoxamine에 의해서도 나타났다. 그러나 강력한 항산화제인 DPPD는 $H_2O_2$에 의한 세포 사망이나 DNA손상을 방지하지 못하였다. $H_2O_2$는 세포내 ATP 농도를 감소시켰으며. 이러한 감소는 poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase억제제인 3-aminobenzamide에 의해 방지되었으나 단삼 추출액에 의해서는 영향을 받지 않았다. 3-aminobenzamide는 $H_2O_2$에 의한 세포 사망을 방지하였다. $H_2O_2$는 지질의 과산화를 증가시켰으며, 이러한 변화는 단삼 추출액과 DPPD에 의해 방지되었다 결론 : OK 세포에서 $H_2O_2$에 의한 세포사망과 DNA 손상에는 지질의 과산화가 중요한 역할을 하지 않으며, 단삼 추출액의 $H_2O_2$에 의한 세포 사망과 DNA 손상 방지 효과는 항산화 작용이 아닌 다른 기전에 기인하는 것으로 사료된다.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.791-797
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• 2006

Objectives : The objective of the study was to observe the effects of different treatment lengths of Rhizoma Alismatis on diabetes mellitus. Methods : Rats were divided into three groups: normal(non-treated group), control (group administered saline for 4, 11, and 18 days), and RA (group administered 2.45mg/200g Rhizoma Alismatis for 4, 11, and 18 days). The experimental results were derived from the measurement of the levels of glucose, ALP, AST, ALT, creatinine and BUN in the serum from the rats on days 4, 11, and 18. Results : The glucose level in the serum significantly decreased on the 18th day. The ALP level in the serum did not show statistical significance. The GOT and GPT levels in the serum slightly decreased on the 4th, 11th, and 18th days, but did not show statistical significance. The creatinine level in the serum was unchanged for all of them. The BUN level in the serum did not show statistical significance. Conclusions : According to the above results, it is concluded that Rhizoma Alismatis has a therapeutic effect on diabetes mellitus with a longer period ofintake. As to influence upon the liver and kidney, there was no damage orside effects.