• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.528-533
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• 2004

The immune system acts to protect the host from infectious agents that exist in the environment and from other noxious insults. The immune system has two functional divisions: the innate and the acquired. Both components involve various factors such as cytokines. A number of methodologies exist to assess aspects of immune function. There are large inter-individual variations in many immune functions even among the healthy. Genetics, age, gender, smoking habits, habitual levels of exercise, alcohol consumption, diet, stage in the female menstrual cycle, stress, history of infections and vaccinations, and early life experiences are likely to be important contributors to the observed variation. While it is clear that individuals with immune responses significantly below 'normal' are more susceptible to infectious agents and exhibit increased infectious morbidity and mortality, it is not clear how the variation in immune function among healthy individuals relates to variation in susceptibility to infection. Oriental medicine is an important factor contributing to immune competence. The author investigated the immune enhancement effects of Bojungikkitanggami-bang (BITB). The forced swimming test (FST) has been used as a screening model for new immune enhancement agents. In the present study, the author investigated the effects of BITB on FST and blood biochemical parameters related to fatigue, glucose (Glc); blood urea nitrogen (BUN); lactate dehydrogenase (LDH); creatinine; and total protein (TP). The author found that BITB (1 g/kg) significantly reduced the immobility time in the FST compared to the control. In addition, the contents of Glc, LDH, BUN, TP in the blood serum were increased in BITB (1g/kg)-fed group. Also, the author investigated the effects of BITB on the production of cytokines in human T-cell line, MOLT-4 cells. BITB (1 mg/ml) significantly increased the interferon (IFN)-vproduction compared with media control (about 2.2-fold for IFN-γ) at 24 h. However, BITB has not affect the production of IL-2 and IL-4. In addition, BITB increased the protein expression level of IFN-γ in MOLT-4 cells. Thus, BITB may have therapeutic value in generating or enhancing immune function in a clinical setting.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.369-376
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• 2003

This experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of different levels of metabolizable energy (ME) and crude protein (CP) on post-molt performance and egg quality of spent laying hens. Four hundred and thirty two, ISA Brown hens at sixty six weeks of age after molt induction were fed six experimental diets containing three ME (2,750, 2,800, 2,850 kcal/kg) with two CP (15, 17%) levels in a factorial design. The influence of ME and CP were evaluated on egg production, egg weight and feed intake throughout 24 weeks of production. Egg mass and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were measured during the experimental period. Haugh unit, yolk color and eggshell breaking strength were measured at 5%, 50%, peak, post peak and end stage of egg production. The hens fed 2800 kcal/kg diet along with 15% CP recorded the highest outcome of egg production (P<0.05). The egg weight has been shown to increase with hens receiving 2,800 kcal/kg ME. Daily egg mass tended to increase in hens fed with 15% CP and 2,800 kcal/kg ME. Feed intake decreased significantly with the level of ME and CP in the diet increased (P<0.05). Yolk color was improved significantly in eggs laid by the hens receiving 17% CP than 15% diet. It also tended to be higher in 17% CP with 2,800 or 2,850 kcal/kg ME diet treatments. Egg shell breaking strength increased with hens receiving diets of 15% CP and 2,800 kcal/kg. From this experiment it can be concluded that the ME level of 2,800 kcal/kg coupled with 15% CP could be used to achieve the higher egg production and better eggshell strength in induced molting hens.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.191-199
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• 2010

Acanthopanax Koreanum stem (AK) has been used in Korea as a tonic and sedative as well as a drug with ginseng like activities. The purpose of our present study was to investigate the effects of AK extract (AKE) and Eleutheroside E, major component of AKE on an exacerbated immune function through utilization of protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) diet by using forced swimming test (FST). The immobility time were significantly decreased in the AKE or Eleutheroside E-administrated group compared with the control group on the FST (P < 0.05). The level of blood parameters were not changed significantly. PEM-induced weight loss of mice was reduced by oral administration of 500 mg/kg AKE. AKE oral administration improved the nutritional status such as the food efficiency ratio and the adrenal gland weight. AKE treatment significantly increased the production of interferon (IFN)-$\gamma$ compared with unstimulated splenocytes but not interleukin (IL)-4. Eleutheroside E also significantly increased the IFN-$\gamma$ production but not IL-2 and IL-4 in T cell line, MOLT-4 cells. These results suggest that AKE and Eleutheroside E may influence to immune-enhancing through increasing the physical endurance capacity and immune cell activation.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.375-380
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding induced molting on the visceral organs and blood component profile in laying hens and designed to test 400 flocks of 60 week old Leghorn laying hens for 34 weeks. A total of four molting treatment methods by including the molted with customary molting by fasting method (c), feeding single diet of corn (T1), feeding single diet of wheat bran (T2) and feeding single diet of alfalfa meal (T3) were tested, and each treatment was repeated for 5 times, and 20 laying hens were randomly assigned in an cage for each repeat. As the result of the experiment, ovary was $2.03{\sim}6%$ and oviduct was $2.51{\sim}3.47%$ in visceral organs for body weight at pre-molting term, but there was no significant difference. At post-molting, no significant difference was found, ovary was $0.25{\sim}0.41%$, uterus of control, T1, T2 and T3 was 1.12%, 0.82%, 0.48% and 0.90%, respectively. T2 was significantly lower than control, T3 (p<0.05) at the 50% of egg production. Ovary was $2.20{\sim}2.60%$ and oviduct was $2.98{\sim}3.45%$. In addition, ovary was $2.65{\sim}3.01%$, oviduct was $3.23{\sim}3.64%$ at the peak egg production, but there was no significant difference by non-feeding and feeding molting treatments. In blood component profile, cholesterol was $179.8{\sim}245.7\;mg/dL$ at pre-molting, but there was no significant difference and at post-molting, concentration of cholestrol in control, T1, T2 and T3 was 353.6, 229.1, 261.8 and 300.6 mg/dL, respectively. T1 was significantly lower than control and T3 (p<0.05). In addition, first laying day was $228.1{\sim}271.8\;mg/dL$, 50% of egg production was $236.5{\sim}284.8\;mg/dL$, there was no significant difference. Concentration of cholestrol in control, T1, T2 and T3 was 324.1, 591.6, 363.0 and 315.6 mg/dL, respectively, at the peak egg production period. T1 was significantly higher than other treatment (p<0.05).