• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.199-206
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• 2016

Purpose: To analyze the associations among the degrees of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by ultrasonography and metabolic syndrome, degrees of obesity in children, and degrees of parental obesity. Methods: A total of 198 children with obesity who visited a pediatric obesity clinic were prospectively enrolled in this study. The severity of NAFLD based on ultrasonography was classified into no, mild, moderate, or severe NAFLD group. The degree of obesity based on the percentage over standard weight for height per sex was classified into mild, moderate, or severe. Results: Of 132 patients evaluated for the degree of NAFLD and metabolic syndrome, the p-value of correlation between the two factors was 0.009. Therefore, metabolic syndrome might significantly affect the degree of NAFLD. Of 158 patients evaluated for the degree of NAFLD and the degree of obesity, the p-value of correlation between the two factors was 0.122. Of 154 patients evaluated for the degree of obesity and father's obesity, the p-value was 0.076. Of 159 patients evaluated for the degree of obesity and mother's obesity, the p-value was 0.000, indicating that mother's obesity could significantly affect the degree of obesity in children. Of 142 patients evaluated for the degree of obesity and metabolic syndrome, the p-value was 0.288. Conclusion: Metabolic syndrome might significantly affect the degree of nonalcoholic fatty liver in children. In addition, mother's obesity might be a significant factor that affects the degree of obesity in children.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.472-478
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• 2021

Background: Early identification of patients who are highly likely to develop severe illness among confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) can be expected to lead to effective treatment. This study therefore aimed to determine whether the presence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has an impact on the exacerbation of COVID-19 symptoms. Methods: The study used the Korean National Health Insurance claim data for treatment of COVID-19 patients in 2020. NAFLD includes nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The outcome variables used were hospitalization and the use of medical devices. Hospitalization was defined by a length of stay exceeding one day and the use of medical devices was defined as one or more uses of a ventilator or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to determine if there was a difference in the hospitalization and use of medical devices of COVID-19 patients depending on the presence of NAFLD. Results: The odds ratio of hospitalization was 1.059, indicating slightly higher odds of hospitalization for patients with NAFL or NASH compared to those without the conditions, but it was not statistically significant (0.969-1.156). On the other hand, the odds ratio of use of medical devices was high at 1.667 and was statistically significant (1.111-2.501). Conclusion: The study results found NAFLD to be a risk factor that can exacerbate symptoms in COVID-19 patients. Accordingly, it is necessary to identify NAFLD patients through preemptive screening and provide them with appropriate treatments.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.542-551
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to retrospectively assess the effectiveness of Chunggan plus extract (CGX) in improving liver function in a Korean medical clinic. Methods: We collected the data of inpatients who received CGX to improve abnormal liver function test (LFT) results from March 2016 to February 2020. We analyzed the changes in LFT and adverse events based on subjective symptom changes and creatinine results. Results: The data of eight patients, three male and five female, were selected by inclusion criteria (patients who did LFT before and after the prescription of CGX and who prescribed CGX more than 6 days) and exclusion criteria (patients who administered other herbal medicine for improving liver function except CGX and who are diagnosed with terminal stage of hepatobiliary cancer). As a cause of abnormal LFT, one case was diagnosed with alcoholic liver disease, two cases with non-alcoholic fatty hepatitis, and one case with cholecystitis. Three of the other four were suspected to have drug-induced hepatitis, and one case was determined to have an unknown cause. Most patients showed a decrease in LFT results (Aspartate transaminase 87.5%, Alanine transaminase 87.5%, and Alkaline Phosphatase 100%) without any critical adverse events. Conclusions: CGX may be an efficient and convenient herbal medicine for improving liver function regardless of the chief impression. Further study should be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of CGX.

• 한국식품위생안전성학회지
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.198-205
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• 2022

본 연구에서는 경증 또는 중등도 간기능 이상 소견자를 대상으로 ESE의 간기능 개선 효과를 평가하기 위해 시험식품군과 대조식품군으로 나누어 단일기관, 위약대조, 무작위배정, 이중눈가림 평행 인체적용시험으로 연구를 수행하였다. 12주간 ESE 420 mg(210 mg/포, 1일 2회)을 함유한 시험식품 또는 대조식품을 섭취하였을 때 ESE의 간 기능 개선 유효성과 안전성을 평가하였다. 유효성 평가 결과, 섭취 후 시험식품군은 대조식품군과 비교하여 ALT, AST, γ-GT 수준이 유의하게 감소하였다. 반면, 지질대사 지표는 두 군간의 의미 있는 차이를 보이지 않았다. 또한, 비알콜성 시험대상자군을 대상으로 분석하였을 때도 ALT 및 AST 수준이 유의하게 감소하였으며 γ-GT의 경우 감소하는 경향성을 보였다. 안전성 평가로서 혈액, 소변, 활력 징후를 검사한 결과 대부분 항목에서 시험식품군과 대조식품군 군간 차이가 없었으며 몇몇 유의성이 나타난 지표도 임상적 의미는 없었다. 따라서 ESE는 간기능 개선에 도움을 줄 수 있을 것으로 보이며 안전한 식품 소재로 판단된다.

• 한방비만학회지
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.1-12
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• 2024

Objectives: Ephedrae herba (EH) and Coicis semen (CS) has been frequently prescribed for the treatment of obesity. However, effects of combinational extracts of these two herbs on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of EH and CS on lipid accumulation and glucose absorption in free fatty acids (FFAs) or palmitic acid (PA)-treated HepG2 cells. Methods: Five samples of EH and CS were extracted by combination ratios (S1=0:100, S2=25:75, S3=50:50, S4=75:25, S5=100:0). Oil Red O staining was used to measure lipid accumulation in FFAs-induced steatosis cells. Intracellular triglycerides and total cholesterol levels were measured in FFAs-induced steatotic HepG2 cells. In PA-treated cells, intracellular 2-NBDG was detected using a fluorescence microplate reader and flow cytometry. Phosphorylation of key metabolism-related factors of AMP-activated protein kinase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase, expression of key lipid synthesis-related factors carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 alpha (CPT1α), sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and CCAAT enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPα) were confirmed by western blot. Results: Treatment of EH-CS combination in the FFAs-induced steatotic HepG2 cells significantly reduced lipid accumulation. As the relative ratio of Ephedrae herba increased, the lipid-lowering effects of the combination were increased. However, S1 and S5 of Ephedrae herba and Coicis semen did not significantly reduce triglycerides and total cholesterol induced by FFAs. However, the combination of Ephedrae herba and Coicis semen restored glucose absorption in PA-induced HepG2 cells. Major makers of SREBP1, PPARγ, C/EBPα, and CPT1α expression tended to decrease with EH ratio. Conclusions: The EH-CS combination has advantages over sole EH and CS extracts in improving lipid and glucose metabolism in liver steatosis models.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
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• 제45권6호
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• pp.789-796
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• 2016

본 연구에서 고당식이로 비알코올성 지방간을 유도한 마우스의 체중 변화는 대조군보다 백미군, 혼합잡곡군, 항비만혼합잡곡군에서 체중증가율이 낮았고 간 무게 또한 유의적으로 감소했으며, 간 내 조직학적 지방구 수와 크기가 감소한 것을 관찰할 수 있었다. 혈청 지질 수치 역시 개선 효과를 보였는데 모든 실험군이 대조군보다 중성지방, 총콜레스테롤 및 저밀도 콜레스테롤의 농도가 감소하였고, 혈청 고밀도 콜레스테롤은 모두 증가하였다. 간 조직 내 지질합성 및 지방산 침투와 관련 유전자 인자에서 대조군보다 SREBP-1c mRNA 유전자 발현 수준은 백미군, 혼합잡곡군 및 항비만혼합잡곡군에서, ACC 및 FAS mRNA 유전자 발현 수준은 혼합잡곡군과 항비만혼합잡곡군에서, SCD-1 mRNA 유전자 발현 수준은 항비만혼합잡곡군에서 감소하였다. CD36 및 $PPAR-{\gamma}$ mRNA 유전자 발현 수준 또한 대조군보다 백미군, 혼합잡곡군, 항비만혼합잡곡군에서 감소하였다. 간 내 ${\beta}$산화로 지방축적 억제와 관련된 유전자 인자인 $PPAR-{\alpha}$ 및 CPT-1 mRNA 유전자 발현 수준은 대조군보다 혼합잡곡군, 항비만혼합잡곡군에서 증가하였다. 본 실험 결과를 종합해 볼 때 고당식이로 비알코올성 지방간질환을 유도한 마우스에서 백미군, 혼합잡곡군 및 항비만혼합잡곡군 모두 지질 대사 개선 효과가 나타났으며 항비만혼합잡곡군이 가장 효과적이었다.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제30권5호
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• pp.391-398
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• 2022

Polyploidization is a process by which cells are induced to possess more than two sets of chromosomes. Although polyploidization is not frequent in mammals, it is closely associated with development and differentiation of specific tissues and organs. The liver is one of the mammalian organs that displays ploidy dynamics in physiological homeostasis during its development. The ratio of polyploid hepatocytes increases significantly in response to hepatic injury from aging, viral infection, iron overload, surgical resection, or metabolic overload, such as that from non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLDs). One of the unique features of NAFLD is the marked heterogeneity of hepatocyte nuclear size, which is strongly associated with an adverse liver-related outcome, such as hepatocellular carcinoma, liver transplantation, and liver-related death. Thus, hepatic polyploidization has been suggested as a potential driver in the progression of NAFLDs that are involved in the control of the multiple pathogenicity of the diseases. However, the importance of polyploidy in diverse pathophysiological contexts remains elusive. Recently, several studies reported successful improvement of symptoms of NAFLDs by reducing pathological polyploidy or by controlling cell cycle progression in animal models, suggesting that better understanding the mechanisms of pathological hepatic polyploidy may provide insights into the treatment of hepatic disorders.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.438-447
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• 2012

Objectives : In this study, we investigated the effect and the underlying mechanism of ethanol extract of Benincasa seeds on a cellular model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) established by treating HepG2 cells with palmitate. Methods : We evaluated ethanol extract of Benincasa seeds (EEBS) for its hepatic lipid-lowering potential in fatty acid overloaded HepG2 cells. After incubation in palmitate containing media with or without EEBS, intracellular neutral lipid accumulations were quantified by Nile red staining. We also investigated the effect of EEBS on lipogenesis and ${\beta}$-oxidation. $LXR{\alpha}$-dependent SREBP-1c activation, expression of lipogenic genes, and expression of ${\beta}$-oxidation related genes were determined with or without pretreatment of EEBS. Results : EEBS significantly attenuated palmitate-induced intracellular neutral lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. EEBS suppressed fatty acid synthesis by inhibiting $LXR{\alpha}$-dependent SREBP-1c activation. EEBS also repressed SREBP-1c mediated induction of lipogenic genes, including ACC, FAS, and SCD-1. However, EEBS had no effect on ${\beta}$-oxidation related CPT-1 and $PPAR{\alpha}$ gene expression. Conclusions : Our results suggest that EEBS has an efficacy to decrease hepatic lipid accumulation, and this effect was mediated by inhibiting the $LXR{\alpha}$-SREBP-1c pathway that leads to expression of lipogenic genes and hepatic steatosis. Therefore, the Benincasa seeds may have a potential clinical application for treatment of this chronic liver disease.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.317-325
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• 2017

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most prevalent liver disease in parallel with worldwide epidemic of obesity. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) contributes to the development and progression of NAFLD. Peroxisomes play an important role in fatty acid oxidation and ROS homeostasis, and catalase is an antioxidant exclusively expressed in peroxisome. The present study examined the role of endogenous catalase in early stage of NAFLD. 8-week-old male catalase knock-out (CKO) and age-matched C57BL/6J wild type (WT) mice were fed either a normal diet (ND: 18% of total calories from fat) or a high fat diet (HFD: 60% of total calories from fat) for 2 weeks. CKO mice gained body weight faster than WT mice at early period of HFD feeding. Plasma triglyceride and ALT, fasting plasma insulin, as well as liver lipid accumulation, inflammation (F4/80 staining), and oxidative stress (8-oxo-dG staining and nitrotyrosine level) were significantly increased in CKO but not in WT mice at 2 weeks of HFD feeding. While phosphorylation of Akt (Ser473) and $PGC1{\alpha}$ mRNA expression were decreased in both CKO and WT mice at HFD feeding, $GSK3{\beta}$ phosphorylation and Cox4-il mRNA expression in the liver were decreased only in CKO-HF mice. Taken together, the present data demonstrated that endogenous catalase exerted beneficial effects in protecting liver injury including lipid accumulation and inflammation through maintaining liver redox balance from the early stage of HFD-induced metabolic stress.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.49-54
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• 2014

In this study, we investigated the hepatoprotective effects of aged black garlic (ABG) in rodent models of liver injury. ABG inhibited carbon tetrachloride-induced elevation of aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT), which are markers of hepatocellular damage, in SD rats. D-galactosamine-induced hepatocellular damage was also suppressed by ABG treatment. However, ABG does not affect the elevation of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), a marker of hepatobilliary damage, in rats treated with carbon tetrachloride or D-galactosamine. We also examined the effect of ABG on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced fatty liver and subsequent liver damage. ABG had no significant effect on body weight increase and plasma lipid profile in HFD-fed mice. However, HFD-induced increase in AST and ALT, but not ALP, was significantly suppressed by ABG treatment. These results demonstrate that ABG has hepatoprotective effects and suggest that ABG supplementation might be a good adjuvant therapy for the management of liver injury.