• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.450-455
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• 2017

Chronic liver disease, one of the most common diseases, typically arises from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease, chronic viral hepatitis, or hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, there is a pressing need for improved treatment strategies. Korean Red Ginseng has been known to have positive effects on liver disease and liver function. In this paper, we summarize the current knowledge on the beneficial effects of Korean Red Ginseng on chronic liver disease, a condition encompassing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease, chronic viral hepatitis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, as supported by experimental evaluation and clinical investigation.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.122-128
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• 2024

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic liver disease characterized by hepatic fat accumulation, while nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is an advanced form of NAFLD characterized by hepatic inflammation, fibrosis, and liver injury, resulting in liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Given the evidence that ginseng and its major bioactive components, ginsenosides, have potent anti-adipogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-fibrogenic effects, the pharmacological effect of ginseng and ginsenosides on NAFLD and NASH is noteworthy. Furthermore, numerous studies have successfully demonstrated the protective effect of ginseng on these diseases, as well as the underlying mechanisms in animal disease models and cells, such as hepatocytes and macrophages. This review discusses recent studies that explore the pharmacological roles of ginseng and ginsenosides in NAFLD and NASH and highlights their potential as agents to prevent and treat NAFLD, NASH, and liver diseases caused by hepatic steatosis and inflammation.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.45.1-45.11
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• 2023

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common type of chronic liver disease, with severity levels ranging from nonalcoholic fatty liver to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The extent of liver fibrosis indicates the severity of NASH and the risk of liver cancer. However, the mechanism underlying NASH development, which is important for early screening and intervention, remains unclear. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) is a useful method for identifying hub genes and screening specific targets for diseases. In this study, we utilized an mRNA dataset of the liver tissues of patients with NASH and conducted WGCNA for various stages of liver fibrosis. Subsequently, we employed two additional mRNA datasets for validation purposes. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted to analyze gene function enrichment. Through WGCNA and subsequent analyses, complemented by validation using two additional datasets, we identified five genes (BICC1, C7, EFEMP1, LUM, and STMN2) as hub genes. GSEA analysis indicated that gene sets associated with liver metabolism and cholesterol homeostasis were uniformly downregulated. BICC1, C7, EFEMP1, LUM, and STMN2 were identified as hub genes of NASH, and were all related to liver metabolism, NAFLD, NASH, and related diseases. These hub genes might serve as potential targets for the early screening and treatment of NASH.

• Laboraroty Animal Research
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.133-139
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• 2018

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is becoming common chronic liver disease because of the increasing global prevalence of obesity and consequently Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the mechanism for progression of NAFLD to NASH and then cirrhosis is not completely understood, yet. The triggering of these hepatic diseases is thought from hepatocyte injury caused by over-accumulated lipid toxicity. Injured hepatocytes release damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which can stimulate the Kupffer cells (KCs), liver-resident macrophages, to release pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and recruit monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs). The increased activation of KCs and recruitment of MDMs accelerate the progression of NAFLD to NASH and cirrhosis. Therefore, characterization for activation of hepatic macrophages, both KCs and MDMs, is a baseline to figure out the progression of hepatic diseases. The purpose of this review is to discuss the current understanding of mechanisms of NAFLD and NASH, mainly focusing on characterization and function of hepatic macrophages and suggests the regulators of hepatic macrophages as the therapeutic target in hepatic diseases.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제48권1호
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• pp.13-20
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• 2005

목 적 : 비만증은 대사성증후군과 더불어 비알코올성 지방간염과 밀접한 관계가 있다. 본 연구는 비만증으로 진단된 학생을 대상으로 비알코올성 지방간염 및 그에 관련된 인자를 알아보고자 하였다. 방 법 : 초 중학교 신체검사상 체질량지수 95 백분위수 이상의 비만아 중 279명을 대상으로 설문지, 신체계측, 혈액검사, 복부지방 초음파 검사를 실시하였다. 결 과 : 전체 연구 대상자 279명 중 비알코올성 지방간염이 있는 사람은 27명으로 9.7%였다. 이중 비만도 30% 이하인 경도비만아 135명 중 5명(3.7%)에서 비알코올성 지방간염이 나타났으며 비만도 30% 이상인 중증도 이상의 비만아에서 비알코올성 지방간염의 유병률은 144명 중 22명(15.2%)으로 비만정도가 심할수록 지방간염의 유병률은 증가하였다. 또한 대사성증후군과 밀접한 연관성이 있다고 알려진 복부 내장지방두께와 허리/엉덩이 둘레비가 클수록 비알코올성 지방간염이 잘 반영되는 것으로 나타났다. 결 론 : 본 연구의 결과는 소아 비만아에서 비알코올성 지방간염의 유병률은 9.7%였으며 비만정도가 심할수록 비알코올성 지방간염의 유병률은 증가하였다. 또한 대사성 증후군의 구성인자와 비알코올성 지방간염은 상당한 연관성이 있으며 이들의 공통적인 특징인 인슐린 저항성의 지표는 치료효과 판정 및 통합적인 위험인자 관리에 도움이 될 것이라 생각된다.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.43-53
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was intended to analyze the types and measurement parameters of non-pharmacological interventional studies for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods: NAFLD related literatures were systematically reviewed. The existing literatures were searched electronically using the data base of PubMed, a Medline data base of the National Library of Medicine with the key words of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, NAFLD, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, and NASH. The criteria for inclusion in this review were 1) non-pharmacological intervention, 2) human, 3) English. Finally, 20 articles were included in the review. Results: The major findings of this study were as follows: 1) the types of non-pharmacological intervention were exercise (35%), caloric restriction (30%), and lifestyle modification with combination both of exercise and caloric restriction (35%), 2) Almost all studies adopted various measurement parameters derived from pathophysiological mechanism-based biomarkers such as anthropometric indices, biochemical parameters, body fat mass, and liver biopsy results. Conclusion: Non-pharmacological interventions have been reported to be effective to improve NAFLD status, and many objective biomarkers confirmed supported these findings. Therefore, the development of nursing interventions for NAFLD subjects is needed and the consideration of using mechanism-based biomarkers is suggested to verify nursing outcomes objectively.

• 사상체질의학회지
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.22-30
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• 2019

Objectives The aim of this study is to investigate the related factors of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods The subjects were 187 persons diagnosed as fatty liver by abdominal ultrasonography. They were divided into three groups according to the severity of fatty liver: control, mild, moderate or severe. The three groups' general characteristics, laboratory results, liver function indexes, metabolic syndrome indexes, tumor markers, heart rate variability values and Sasang constitution distribution were compared and analyzed. Results Male ratio, height, weight, body mass index, red blood cell count, hemoglobin level and creatinine level were higher in NAFLD groups than in control group. The levels of sodium and amylase were higher in control than in NAFLD. In liver function, the levels of aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and gamma-glutamyl transpepsidase of NAFLD were higher. In metabolic syndrome index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference, total cholesterol, triglyceride and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were higher in NAFLD, while high density lipoprotein cholesterol level was higher in control. The alpha-feto protein level was higher in NAFLD, and the heart rate variability was not different between NAFLD and control groups. In Sasang constitution, Taeeumin ratio of NAFLD was higher than of control. Conclusions The results suggest that nonalcoholic fatty liver is clinically related to liver dysfunction, metabolic syndrome, tumor markers, and Sasang constitution. Further studies are needed to control nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and prevent severe disease such as cirrhosis and cancer caused by fatty liver.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제56권2호
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• pp.45-51
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• 2013

Because nonalcoholic steatohepatitis can progress towards cirrhosis even in children, early detection of hepatic fibrosis and accurate diagnosis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are important. Although liver biopsy is regarded as the gold standard of diagnosis, its clinical application is somewhat limited in children due to its invasiveness. Noninvasive diagnostic methods, including imaging studies, biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress, hepatic apoptosis, hepatic fibrosis, and noninvasive hepatic fibrosis scores have recently been developed for diagnosing the spectrum of NAFLD, particularly the severity of hepatic fibrosis. Although data and validation are still lacking for these noninvasive modalities in the pediatric population, these methods may be applicable for pediatric NAFLD. Therefore, noninvasive imaging studies, biomarkers, and hepatic fibrosis scoring systems may be useful in the detection of hepatic steatosis and the prediction of hepatic fibrosis, even in children with NAFLD.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제43권2호
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• pp.184-190
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• 2022

Objectives: This study aims to report the clinical efficacy of Korean medical treatment of a patient with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease accompanied by obesity and dyslipidemia. Methods: A 52-year-old man with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, obesity, and dyslipidemia was treated with Saenggangunbi-tang extract from November 3, 2021 to January 8, 2022. During the treatment period, the patient also undertook exercise and maintained a hypocaloric diet to reduce body weight. Changes were observed in the patient's symptoms, laboratory findings, such as liver enzymes and lipid profiles, and bioelectrical impedance analyzer results. Results: After taking Saenggangunbi-tang extract for approximately two months, with concomitant adjustments to exercise and diet, the serum levels of liver enzymes and triglyceride were decreased and the patient's body weight, body mass index, hepatic steatosis index, and visceral fat area were also reduced. In addition, symptoms including fatigue and dyspepsia improved. Conclusion: This study suggests that Saenggangunbi-tang extract with exercise and a regulated diet could be a helpful treatment strategy for managing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with metabolic disorders.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제22권6호
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• pp.501-510
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• 2019

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in children. The global prevalence of pediatric NAFLD from general populations is 7.6%. In obese children, the prevalence is higher in Asia. NAFLD has a strong heritable component based on ethnic difference in the prevalence and clustering within families. Genetic polymorphisms of patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 3 (PNPLA3), transmembrane 6 superfamily member 2, and glucokinase regulatory protein (GCKR) are associated with the risk of NAFLD in children. Variants of PNPLA3 and GCKR are more common in Asians. Alterations of the gut microbiome might contribute to the pathogenesis of NAFLD. High fructose intake increases the risk of NAFLD. Liver fibrosis is a poor prognostic factor for disease progression to cirrhosis. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy and magnetic resonance proton density fat fraction are more accurate for steatosis quantification than ultrasound. Noninvasive imaging methods to assess liver fibrosis, such as transient elastography, shear-wave elastography, and magnetic resonance elastography are useful in predicting advanced fibrosis, but they need further validation. Longitudinal follow-up studies into adulthood are needed to better understand the natural history of pediatric NAFLD.