• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.59-66
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• 1999

To evaluate the effect of repeated treatment of xylene on its metabolism, m-xylene (0.25 ml of 50% in olive oi1/100 g body weight) has been intraperitoneally given to the rats 1, 4, 8, 12 and 16 times every other day. m-Xylene was once more administered to the animals after 24 hrs since last injection of it. And then the animals were sacrificed after 24 hrs. Four times xylene treated rats showed the significantly elevated urinary m-methylhippuric acid, compared to those treated with the single dose of m-xylene with the continued similiar high levels of urinary m-methylhippuric acid up to the animals pretreated 12 times and then those treated 16 times defined the significantly decreased urinary m-methylhippuric acid compared to those treated 12 times. On the other hand, hepatic aniline hydroxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase activities demonstrated a gradual increase from the first group to the 12 times xylene-treated animals, but those treated 16 times showed the significantly decreased value compared with the 12 times treated-group. And aldehyde dehydrogenase activities in rats treated with m-xylene 8, 12 or 16 times were significantly decreased compared to those pretreated one or four times. In the early stage of xylene administration, proliferation of SERs were seen whereas SERs were decreased and RERs were clearly increased in xylene-treated rats 16 times. These results indicate that the frequency of xylene injection may influence upon the changes in xylene metabolite, m-methylhippuric acid and it may be due to induction of xylene metabolizing enzymes.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.3335-3340
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• 2016

Background: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a precancerous condition with a 4 to13% malignant transformation rate. Related to the habit of areca nut chewing it is mainly prevalent in South-east Asian countries where the habit of betel quid chewing is frequently practised. On chewing, alkaloids and polyphenols are released which undergo nitrosation and give rise to N-nitrosamines which are cytotoxic agents. CYP450 is a microsomal enzyme group which metabolizes various endogenous and exogenous chemicals including those released by areca nut chewing. CYP1A1 plays a central role in metabolic activation of these xenobiotics, whereas CYP2E1 metabolizes nitrosamines and tannins. Polymorphisms in genes that code for these enzymes may alter their expression or function and may therefore affect an individuals susceptibility regarding OSF and oral cancer. The present study was therefore undertaken to investigate the association of polymorphisms in CYP1A1 m2 and CYP2E1 (RsaI/PstI) sites with risk of OSF among areca nut chewers in the Northern India population. A total of 95 histopathologically confirmed cases of OSF with history of areca nut chewing not less than 1 year and 80, age and sex matched controls without any clinical signs and symptoms of OSF with areca nut chewing habit not less than 1 year were enrolled. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples and polymorphisms were analyzed by PCR-RFLP method. Gene polymorphism of CYP1A1 at NcoI site was observed to be significantly higher (p = 0.016) in cases of OSF when compared to controls. Association of CYP1A1 gene polymorphism at NcoI site and the risk of OSF (Odd's Ratio = 2.275) was also observed to be significant. However, no such association was observed for the CYP2E1 gene polymorphism (Odd's Ratio = 0.815). Our results suggest that the CYP1A1 gene polymorphism at the NcoI site confers an increased risk for OSF.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.141-147
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• 2004

In this study, we investigated the effect of Teminalia Chebula (TC) water extract on liver in Rat. Treatment of TC water extract was orally administered 200, 300 mg/kg daily for one week and two weeks. The clinical parameters of serum, values of AST, ALT showed significantly higher than in normal group. Xanthine oxidase and aldehyde oxidase activities were significantly increased comparison with normal group. Microsomal enzymes, aminopyrine N-demethylase and aniline hydroxylase were not affected. Water extract of TC also increased hepatic rnalondialdehyde formation and reduced glutathione content. We also found that water extract of TC decreased activities of glutathione S-transferase and glutathione reductase but was not affected activities of $\gamma$-glutamylcysteine synthetase Thus, it seems that the water extract of TC induced decrease of oxygen free radical scavenger, glutathione content by inhibition of glutathione reductase which may reform oxidized glutathione to reduced glutathione.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.203-209
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• 1994

When $^{14}C-{\alpha}-endosulfan$ was incubated with carp liver, kidney and gut preparations, it was metabolized to water soluble and organosoluble metabolites. In an in vitro test, endosulfan was converted to endosulfan ${\alpha}-hydroxyether$ (EHE), endosulfan alcohol (EA) and endosulfan ether (EE). The addition of NADPH resulted in rapid conversion of endosulfan to the metabolites in 105,000 g soluble fraction and microsomes. However, the rate of metabolism of endosulfan in liver, kidney and gut supplemented with NADPH as a cofactor was higher in the 105,000 g soluble fraction than that in the microsomes of carp under incubation conditions. The enzymes probably involved in the metabolism of endosulfan include the glutathione S-transferase (GST) and the mixed function oxidases (MFO), based on the evidence that addition of either GSH or NADPH increased the degradation of endosulfan.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.129-135
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• 2008

Paraquat (1,1-dimethyl 4,4' -dipyridium dichloride; PQ) is a kind of herbicide. Terminalia chebulae (TC) has been used as a medicine in China and in Korea for treating illnesses such as diarrhea, collapsed anus, spasmodic, diphtheria, asthma etc.. This study was to examin new physiological activities of methanol extract of TC (TCM) on the toxicity of PQ. It was observed biochemical effects on the toxicity of PQ in kidney and lung tissues after treatment orally administered 100, 200, 300 mg/kg of TCM daily for two weeks. In the experiment related to the toxicity of PQ, we got following results: renal and pulmonary lipid peroxide contents, activities of aminopyrine N-demethylase, aldehyde oxidase and xanthine oxidase were significantly increased in control group as compared with normal group, in the treatment of TCM the values were decreased as compared with control group. Activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase which are free radical scavenging enzymes were also increased in control group as compared with normal goup, but were decreased in TCM group as compared with control group. Collagen content and glucose-6-phosphatase activity in lung tissue were increased in control group as compared with normal, but was decreased in TCM group as compared with control group. From these results, we concluded that TCM can playa role as an effective agent to decrease toxicity of PQ.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.904-912
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• 2013

This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of cordycepin-increased Cordyceps militaris strain on carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups (n=6) based on six dietary categories: normal (N), $CCl_4$ control (C), $CCl_4$ plus Paecilomyces japonica (CPJ) (3%, w/w), $CCl_4$ plus C. militaris (CCM) (3%, w/w), and $CCl_4$ plus cordycepin-increased C. militaris ($CCM{\alpha}$) (3%, w/w). The activities of the liver marker enzymes ALT, AST, and LDH and the levels of lipid peroxidation were increased in the $CCl_4$-treated groups, but these parameters were significantly decreased in the $CCM{\alpha}$ group. The TBARS content in the liver homogenate, microsome, and mitochondrial fractions of the C group was significantly elevated compared with the N group. However, in the $CCl_4$-treated groups, $CCM{\alpha}$ group was significantly lowered in the TBARS levels of hepatic homogenate and microsomal fractions. The C group showed a significant decrease in the levels of plasma and hepatic glutathione, whereas they were significantly increased in the $CCM{\alpha}$ group. Accordingly, cordycepin-increased C. militaris may be an ideal animal model for studying hepatoprotective effects.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.1019-1026
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• 2010

Obesity and being overweight are strongly associated with the development of metabolic disease such as diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia. High-fat diet (HFD) is one of the most important factors which cause obesity. In this study, C57BL/6 mice were treated with a HFD for 22 weeks in order to induce obesity and hyperglycemia. Twenty-two weeks later, body weight and plasma glucose level of the HFD group were significantly increased, compared with the normal diet (ND) group. Intra-peritoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) showed glucose intolerance in the HFD group compared with the ND group. These results confirmed that a HFD induced obesity and hyperglycemia in C57BL/6 mice. Plasma levels of triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) were increased in the HFD group compared with the ND group. Hepatic levels of TG and TC were also increased by a HFD. To investigate the alteration of lipid metabolism in liver, proteins which are related to lipid metabolism were observed. Among lipid synthesis related enzymes, fatty acid synthase (FAS) and glycerol phosphate acyl transferase (GPAT) were significantly increased in the HFD group. Apolipoprotein B (apoB) and microsomal triglyceride transport protein (MTP), which are related to lipid transport, were significantly increased in the HFD group. Interestingly, protein level and phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which is known as a metabolic regulator, were significantly increased in the HFD group compared with the ND group. In the present study we suggest that HFD may physiologically increase the proteins which are related with lipid synthesis and lipid transport, but that HFD may paradoxically induce the activation of AMPK.