• Applied Microscopy
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2008

Dandelion has been frequently used as a remedy for women's disease, inflammatory diseases and disorders of the liver and gallbladder. Dandelion extracts water extract, an herbal medication, may have an effect on the activity of hepatic antioxidant enzymes in diabetic rat. This study aims demonstrate the effect of dandelion extracts, one of the natural chelator, on the biochemical and enzyme activity changes in the mouse liver caused by $HgCl_2$. Mice approximately 30 gm in weight were grouped into the control, mercury chloride-treated, and the dandelion extracts-treated after mercury chloride groups. $HgCl_2$ (5 mg/kg) and dandelion extracts (3 g/kg) were delivered orally. Serum AST and ALT were measured, enzyme activity of liver were examined by spectrophotometer and ultrastructural alteration of liver were examined by light and electron microscopy. Dandelion extracts were decreased the increase of serum AST and ALT level induced by mercury. The catalase activity was decreased in the dandelion extracts group. The activity of SOD was dereased, but did not show significant differences. Mercury chloride-treated hepatic cell were irregular nucleus, enlarged and reduced number of mitochodria, enlarged rough endoplasmic reticulum, loss of ribosomes. Cells treated with dandelion extracts were similar to those of the control group. In conclusion, dandelion extracts may protect the mercury-induced toxicity on Liver.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.401-408
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• 1997

Adult male ICR mice were exposed to methylmercuric chloride (CH$_3$HgCI) through drinking water for 80 days. The distribution of mercury in the kidney, liver, spleen and cerebellum of the mouse was examined according to a autometallographic silver-enhancement technique based on a physical development process which renders mercury deposit visible. Grains of mercury traces were located in the proximal convoluted tubules. Lesser staining of the grains was seen in the collecting tubules of medulla. The glomerular basement membrane was void. In the liver, mercury accumulations were present primarily in the hepatocytes around portal area containing interlobular bile duct, artery and portal vein. Also grains of mercury traces were accumulated in the white pulp of the spleen and Purkinje cell layer of the cerebellum.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.241-246
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• 2004

Mercury is a widespread metal and consequently there are large populations that currently exposed to low levels of mercury. Endotoxin is a component of the gram-negative bacteria and promotes inflammatory responses. The present study was designed to determine the impact of mercury on lymphocytes phenotype populations and endotoxin-induced inflammatory cytokine expressions in immune organ, spleen and thymus. Male BALB/c mice were exposed continuously to 0, 0.3, 1.5, 7.5, or 37.5 ppm of mercuric chloride in drinking water for 14 days and at the end of the treatment period, lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 0.5 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally 2 h prior to euthanasia. The dose-range of mercury used did not cause hepatotoxicity. Mercury at 7.5 and 37.5 ppm dose-dependently decreased CD3$^{+}$ T lymphocytes in spleen; both CD4$^{+}$ and CD8$^{+}$ single positive lymphocyte populations were decreased. Exposure to 7.5 and 37.5 ppm of mercury decreased the CD8$^{+}$ T lymphocyte population in the thymus, whereas double positive CD4$^{+}$ / CD8$^{+}$ and CD4$^{+}$ thymocytes were not altered. Mercury altered LPS-induced inflammatory cytokine gene expressions such as, tumor necrosis factor $\alpha$, interferon ${\gamma}$, and interleukin-12 in spleen and thymus. Results indicated that decreases in T lymphocyte populations in immune organs and altered cytokine gene expression may contribute to the immune-modulative effects of inorganic mercury.ganic mercury.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.4258-4264
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• 2011

The total mercury concentration ($Hg_T$) of surface snow samples collected along a ~1500 km transect in east Queen Maud Land was determined using inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry to address the behavior of Hg on the Antarctic Plateau. Due to the volatile nature of mercury, measures were taken against Hg loss from standard solutions by choosing appropriate container material and stabilizing agents. Glass bottles with Teflon-lined caps were superior to Teflon and polyethylene containers in protecting against Hg loss, but addition of gold chloride ($AuCl_3$) or bromine chloride (BrCl) was necessary to ensure preservation of Hg. As Hg loss was also observed in snowmelt samples, our analysis may underestimate the actual amount of HgT in the snow. Even so, the measured HgT was still very low (< 0.4-10.8 pg $g^{-1}$, n = 44) without a signal of depositional enhancement accompanying photo-oxidation of atmospheric elemental mercury in austral midsummer. Moreover, the dynamic variation along the traverse implies spatial and temporal heterogeneity in its source processes.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.13-20
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• 1980

This present study was undertaken to assess the effect of sterilization of the thermometer with three sorts of disinfectant sponges-0.1 % bichloride of mercury sponge 70% alcohol sponge, 0.5% zephiran chloride sponge,- by bacterial culture methods in 10 admitted adult patients in S. Hospital, Mok Po city. The results obtained were as follows ; 1. The thermometer sterilized with 0.1 ％ bichloride of mercury sponge showed no growth of bacteria organism in 5 cases but showed growth of pathogenic organism in 1 case and non pathogenic organism in 4 cases. 2. The thermomerer sterilized with 70 ％ alcohol sponge showed no growth of bacteria organism in 8 cases but showed growth of nonpathogenic organism in 2 cases. 3. The themometer sterilized with 0.5 ％ zephiran chloride sponge showed no growth of bacteria organism in all 10 cases. From these results it could be concluded that 0.5 ％ zephiran chloride would be most effective in sterilization of thermometer.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.451-455
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• 2006

It is demonstrated that inorganic mercury has cytotoxic effect on glial cells. Recently, oxygen radicals is involved in methylmercuric chloride (MMC)-induced cytotoxicity. But, the toxic mechanism of MMC is left unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the cytotoxicity of MMC on $C_6$ glioma cells. The cytotoxicy was measured by cell viability using XTT assay in $C_6$ glioma cells. Colorimetric assay is regarded as a very sensitive screening method for the determination of the cell viability on various agents. In this study, MMC decreased cell viability according to the dose- and time dependent manners after $C_6$ glioma cells were grown with various concentrations of MMC for 48 hours. In the protective effect of allopurinol on MMC-induced cytotoxicity, allopurinol was effective in the prevention of MMC-induced cytotoxicity in these cultures. These results suggest that MMC has highly cytotoxic effect on $C_6$ glioma cells by the decrease of cell viavility, and free radical scavenger such as allopurinol was effective on organic mercury-induced cytotoxicity in these cultures.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.811-818
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• 2018

This study was performed to investigate the localization and concentration changes of mercury compound in female reproductive organs with time. Methylmercuric chloride was subcutaneously injected weekly into pubescent female mice for 3 weeks. For the concentration changes of mercury with time, the mice were sacrificed at 10, 150, and 300 days post treatment (DPT). Body and organ weights were not significantly different between the control and mercury-treated groups, except for 10 DPT in body weight. Localization of accumulated mercury was identified by the autometallography method. Localization of mercury compounds in the uterus, ovary, and ovum was analyzed with a light microscope. In the uterus, mercury was densely located in the stroma cells and surface epithelium of the perimetrium at 10 DPT. Mercury concentration was decreased at 150 DPT and did not appear at 300 DPT. In the ovary, mercury particles were distributed in the stroma cells of the cortex region, cells of the theca around the follicle, and the corpus luteum at 10 DPT. Mercury was concentrated in the medulla region at 150 DPT and was not distributed at 300 DPT. In the ovum, mercury particles were mainly located in the marginal region at 10 and 150 DPT. Mercury concentration was decreased and evenly distributed at 300 DPT. These results suggest that hormone synthesis, implantation, and developing embryos will be affected by mercury compound in the female mouse.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.205-213
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• 1987

In order to investigate the effects of red ginseng extract to methyl mercury toxicities in mice, the serum lipoproteins, tissure protein patternsm and growth rates were studied. Animals wee divided into 3 groups of the control, group I treated with methyl mercury chloride only, and group II treated together with methyl mercury chloride and red ginseng extract. In serum lipoprotein fractions of group I, beta lipoprotein fraction was increased and pre-beta lipoprotein fraction was decreased in comparision to those of the control. However, there was almost no difference in quantities of serum lipoprotein fractions between the control and group II. Total pretein contents of groups I and II were increased in liver and those of groups I and II in the kidney were decreased. However, in comparison to group I, total protein contents of group II in the liver and kidney were similar values with those of the control. Percentage of tissue protein fractions between control and group I in the liver and kindey showed considerable difference. On the other hand, the percentage of protein fractions of group II approximated to that of the control. Daily average growth rate of body weight in group II was similar to the control, but that of group I was decreased significantly in comparison to the other 2 groups.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.187-192
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• 2008

To clerify the protective effect of omega-3 of polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on the cytotoxicity induced by organic mercury in cultured NIH3T3 fibroblasts. The measurement of cell viability on ogranic mercury wad done by XTT assay after NIH3T3 fibroblasts were cultured with various concentrations of methyl mercuric chloride (MMC). And also, the effect of DHA on the MMC-mediated cytotoxicity was examined by cell viability, and antioxidant effect of DHA was also assessed by superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity and the lipid peroxidation activity in cultured NIH3T3 fibroblasts. In this study, MMC decreased cell viability and $XTT_{50}$ value was determined at $50{\mu}M$ of MMC in these culture. In the effect of DHA against the cytotoxicity induced by MMC, DHA significantly increased the cell viability damaged by MMC in cultured NIH3T3 fibroblasts. And also, DHA showed the antioxidant effect by showing the increase of SOD-like activity and the decrease of lipid peroxidation activity. From these results, it is suggested that organic mercury such as MMC has highly toxic effect on cultured NIH3T3 fibroblasts, and also, omega-3 of polyunsaturated fatty acid, DHA showed the protection on MMC-induced cytotoxicity and antioxidant effect.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1999

This study was performed to investigate the antitoxic effect of Oenanthe javanica extracts on orally administered mercury compound. Adult male ICR mice were exposed to methylmercuric chloride (CH3HgCl)through drinking water. The control, mercury treated and Oenanthe javanica treated groups not showed significant differences in mean body and organ weights of mice. The distribution of mercury in the cerebellum, kidney, liver and spleen of the mouse were examined according to a histochemical mathod. Grains of mercury traces were located in the purkinje cell and granular layers of the cerebellum and cortex of kidney respectively. Lesser staining of the grains was seen in the collecting tubules of medulla. in the liver, mercury accumulations were present primarily in the hepatocytes around portal area containing interlobular bile duct, artery and portal vein. Also grains of mercury traces were accumulated in the white pulp of the spleen. In the group of Oenanthe javanica extracts, staining intensity of mercury was decreased in the Purkinje cell layer of cerebellum and in the portal area of liver respectively. Staining patterns in kidney and spleen of extracts group were similar to that of only mercury treated group.