• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.600-607
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• 2015

In vitro and in vivo experiments using Achyranthis radix and Drynariae rhizoma extracts were conducted. Antioxidant properties were analyzed and the effects on bone, glucose and lipid metabolism were investigated. Drynariae rhizoma (64.67%) obtained higher DPPH radical scavenging activity compared to Achyranthis radix (19.03%). Similar results were obtained in the reducing power. No differences were observed on the ABTS radical scavenging ability and SOD. In contrast, Achyranthis radix (77.60%) has higher chelating ability compared to Drynariae rhizoma (46.21%). In vivo experiments revealed higher plasma TBARS in OVX-DR than in OVX-AR. Opposite result was seen in erythrocyte TBARS. Hepatic, nephritic and erythrocyte enzymes were considered for the antioxidant enzyme activities. GSH-Px and PON of hepatic enzymes were higher in OVX-AR. While the CAT and GR were higher in OVX-DR. SOD, GSH-Px, GR and PON of nephritic enzymes of OVX-DR were higher compared to OVX-AR. Almost similar values were obtained in CAT using both extracts. The OVX treated rats obtained higher CAT and GR in the erythrocyte enzymes compared to SHAM. The SOD of erythrocyte enzymes in OVX-DR was higher compared to OVX-AR. On the other hand, the GSH-Px was higher in OVX-AR.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.185-192
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• 2013

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Agarum cribrosum on weight change and defecation states in rats with constipation induced by loperamide. Food intake and body weight both decreased in the 5% Agarum cribrosum and loperamide-treated group (SD5) and 10% Agarum cribrosum and loperamide-treated group (SD10), whereas fecal water contents increased by 1.6 and 2.1-fold in the SD5 and SD10 groups, respectively. The concentrations of total-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride in the sera of the SD5 and SD10 groups were lower than those in the control (C) group. However, the biochemical parameters, GOT (glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase), GPT (glutamic pyruvic transaminase), and glucose levels, were not affected by the level of Agarum cribrosum. In addition, the concentrations of total-cholesterol and triglyceride in the livers of the SD5 and SD10 groups were also lower than those in the control group. The results of the present study demonstrated that Agarum cribrosum might ameliorate constipation symptoms, and lower lipid concentrations in the blood and liver.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.63-76
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• 2014

Objectives : This study investigated the improvement effects of Pakistani (DF-a) and Chinese Ephedra herba-containing Gangjihwan (DF-b) on obesity in a high fat diet-fed obese mouse model. Methods : Eight-week-old C57BL/6N mice were divided into four groups: a normal lean group given a standard diet, an obese control group given a high fat diet, and DF-a and DF-b groups given a high fat diet with DF-a (80 mg/kg), and DF-b (80 mg/kg), respectively. After 8 weeks of treatment, body weight gain, feeding efficiency ratio, blood lipid markers, fat weight and histology were examined. Results : 1. Body weight gain and fat mass were significantly decreased in DF-a and DF-b groups compared with control. The extent of decreases was eminent in DF-a group. 2. Feeding efficiency ratio and circulating leptin concentration were significantly decreased in DF-a and DF-b groups compared with control, whereas circulating adiponectin concentration was increased in DF-a and DF-b groups compared with control. 3. Consistent with their effects on body weight gain and fat mass, circulating concentrations of triglyceride, glucose and insulin were decreased in DF-a and DF-b groups compared with control. 4. The size of adipocytes were decreased by DF-a and DF-b compared with control, whereas the adipocyte number per unit area was increased by them, suggesting that DF-a and DF-b decreased the number of large adipocytes. 5. Consistent with their effects on body weight gain, liver fibrosis was reduced in DF-a and DF-b groups compared with control. Conclusions : In conclusion, these results suggest that DF-a and DF-b not only decrease feeding efficiency ratio, plasma leptin concentration, and blood anti-obesity biomarkers, but also reduce fat mass, contributing to the improvement of obesity. DF-a and DF-b also inhibit liver fibrosis. In addition, these effects were similar between Pakistani Ephedra herba and Chinese Ephedra herba-containing Gangjihwan.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.105-120
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• 2014

Objectives : This study was investigated the improvement effects of Gangjihwan (DF) and combination of Gangjihwan and Gamisochehwan (GSH) on obesity in a high fat diet-fed obese mouse model. Methods : Eight-week-old C57BL/6N mice were divided into four groups: a normal lean group given a standard diet, an obese control group given a high fat diet, and DF and DF+GSH groups given a high fat diet with DF (40 mg/kg), and DF+GSH (80 mg/kg), respectively. After 8 weeks of treatment, body weight gain, feeding efficiency ratio, blood lipid markers, fat weight and histology were examined. Results : 1. Body weight gain and fat mass were significantly decreased in DF and DF+GSH groups compared with control. The extent of decreases was eminent in DF+GSH group. 2. Feeding efficiency ratio and circulating concentration of leptin were decreased in DF and DF+GSH groups compared with control. These decreases were significant in DF+GSH group. 3. Consistent with their effects on body weight gain and fat mass, circulating concentrations of triglyceride, glucose and insulin were decreased in DF and DF+GSH groups compared with control. 4. The size of adipocytes was decreased by DF and DF+GSH compared with control, whereas the adipocyte number per unit area was increased by them, suggesting that DF and DF+GSH decreased the number of large adipocytes. 5. Consistent with their effects on body weight gain, liver fibrosis was also improved in DF and DF+GSH groups compared with control. Conclusions : In conclusion, these results suggest that DF and DF+GSH groups decrease feeding efficiency ratio, plasma leptin concentration, blood anti-obesity biomarkers and fat mass, improves body weight gain contributing to the inhibition of liver fibrosis. In addition, these effects were more effective in DF+GSH combination group than in DF-only group.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.333-342
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• 2003

The pathogenic effort of high glucose, possibly in concert with fatty acids, is mediated to vascular complications of diabetes via increased production of reactive oxygen species(ROS), reactive nitrogen species(RNS), and subsequent oxidative stress. This study was carried out to investigate the suppressive effect of buchu(Allium tuberosum) on oxidative stress in streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetes in Sprague Dawley male rats. The effect of buchu supplementation (10%) on lipid peroxidation, and antioxidative defense system in blood and liver was compared among normal rats fed basal diet(normal) and diabetic rats fed basal diet(DM-control) or 10% buchu-supplemented diet(DM-buchu). Diabetes was experimentally induced by the femoral muscle injection of 50 mg STZ per kg of body weight. Animals were sacrificed after 4 wks of experimental diets feeding. The induction of diabetes by STZ elevated the level of lipid peroxidation represented by thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances(TBARS) and conjugated dienes in plasma, LDL, liver, and erythrocytes. 10% buchu-supplemented diet significantly reduced the levels of conjugated dienes in erythrocytes(p<0.05) and lowered TBARS in liver and LDL to the levels of control. Induction of diabetes by STZ elevated Mn-superoxide dismutase(Mn-SOD) activity and lowered activities of glutathionine reductase(GSH-red) and glutathionine peroxidase(GSH-px). Catalase activity was not affected by the induction of diabetes by STZ. However, buchu supplementation to diabetic rats significantly elevated catalase activity(p<0.05) and slightly elevated GSH-px and GSH-red activities in liver. GSH levels of blood and liver were lowered or not changed by induction of diabetes by STZ, respectively, while buchu supplementation to diabetic rats significantly elevated hepatic GSH level (p<0.05). In conclusion, it can be concluded that buchu might be a food source to attenuate oxidative stress in diabetic patients by inhibiting lipid peroxidation, by increasing hepatic GSH level, and by inducing anti-oxidative enzyme systems.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.146-154
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• 2011

In this study, physiological changes in a thermotolerant yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae KNU5377 cell exposed to 48-hour alcohol fermentation at $40^{\circ}C$ were investigated. After 12 hours of alcohol fermentation at $40^{\circ}C$, the $C_{16:1}$ unsaturated acid of plasma membrane increased to 1.5 times more than the $C_{16:0}$ saturated fatty acid, and to about 2 times more for the $C_{18:1}$ unsaturated fatty acid. Fermentation at both $30^{\circ}C$ and $37^{\circ}C$ fermentation showed the same pattern as that done at $40^{\circ}C$. The pH of the alcohol-fermentation medium was reduced to pH 4.1 from a starting pH of 6.0 through the 12-hr fermentation and then maintained this level during the continuing fermentation. With the process of fermentation, the remaining glucose was reduced, but its amount remaining during the $40^{\circ}C$-fermentation was less reduced than those fermented at $30^{\circ}C$ and $37^{\circ}C$. In the study investigating the changing pattern of cellular proteins in the alcohol-fermenting cells, the SDS-PAGE and 2-D data indicated the most expressed dot was phosphoglycerate kinase, which is one enzyme involved in glycolysis. Why this enzyme was most expressed in the cells exposed to unfavorable conditions such as high temperature, increasing concentration of produced alcohol and long time exposure to other stress factors remains unsolved.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.1012-1018
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to determine whether Alzheimer's amyloid precursor protein (APP) is dysregulated in adipose tissues of C57BL/6 male mice by high-fat diet (HFD) induced obesity, aging, or streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. APP mRNA expression was examined by quantitative real-time PCR (QPCR) in subcutaneous (SAT) and epididymal adipose tissues (EAT) from mice in 8 different condition groups. By combining conditions of age (16 weeks/26 weeks of age), diet (normal diet (ND)/high-fat diet), and induction of diabetes (non-diabetic/diabetic), 88 mice were divided into 8 different groups. QPCR demonstrated that APP expression in SAT was significantly increased by about two-fold in HFD-induced obese mice compared to both 16 week-old and 26 week-old mice in the ND group (16 weeks p=0.001; 26 weeks p<0.0001), but no changes in EAT was found. Particular effects of aging on APP gene expression were not observed in either adipose tissue depots. Significantly decreased APP expression was found in SAT in STZ-induced diabetic mice fed on ND or HFD at 16 weeks of age (ND p<0.05; HFD p<0.01). Linear regression analysis demonstrated that APP expression levels correlated with body weight in both the non-diabetic group (R=0.657, p<0.0001, n=39) and the diabetic group (R=0.508, p=<0.0001, n=49), but did not correlate with plasma glucose levels, which suggests that decreased APP expression in STZ-induced diabetic mice is most likely due to weight loss rather than hyperglycemia. These data confirm APP dysregulation by weight changes in humans and suggest a possible role linking midlife obesity with the later development of amyloidogenesis in the brain of older patients with Alzheimer's disease.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 2003

Considerable attention has been focused on the cryopreservation of semen and estrus induction in dog, as consequence of poor productivity caused by long anestrus period, in order to enhance the productivity of youngs and to preserve the breeds. The objectives of this study were to improve reproductive efficiency of artificial insemination with fresh- and frozen-semen following estrus induction in dog. Fifty infertilie dogs (age 2~3 years) were selected fur the study and divided into three different estrus induction treatment groups. Group 1 : dogs (n=15) were given clomifene (0.1 mg/kg) orally f3r five days at 12 hr intervals. Croup 2: dogs (n=15) were given bromocriptine (50 $\mu$g/kg) orally for five days at 12 hr intervals, followed by single injection intravenously of 500 IU GnRH (Croup 3, n=20) when pro-estrus occurred. After being treated, the dogs were evaluated fur the rates of estrus induction and time interval lapses from treatment to beginning of the pro-estrus. The rates of pregnancy in estrus inducted dogs mated naturally compared to those inseminated artificially with ejaculated fresh semen and frozen-thawed semen. Estrus detection was performed using the method of vaginal smear and confirmed by the plasma progesterone assay. Pregnancy was confirmed by ultrasonograpy on day 25, 35 and 55 post insemination. The ejaculated semen was exposed to a mixture of Tris extender with cryoprotectant (Trisma, 81 mM; TES, 209 mM; citric acid, 6 mM; glucose, 5 mM; glycerol, 8%) and cryopreserved gradually by slow-cooling at 17 co above the surface of liquid nitrogen (L$N_2$) for 23 min. The use of fresh semen, the pregnancy rates were observed 66.6, 66.6, 75.0 and 83.3% in natural estrus, clomifene induced, bromocriptine induced and a combination of GnRH and bromocriptine, respectively. The use of frozen-thawed semen, the pregnancy rates were observed 66.6, 33.3, 50.0 and 60.0% in natural estrus, clomifene induced, bromocriptine induced and a combination of GnRH and bromocriptine, respectively. No difference was observed in the number of offspring produced among natural estrus and treated groups inseminated with fresh or frozen-thawed semen. In conclusion, there was no significant differences in the pregnancy rate of dogs between group treated with a combination of GnRH and bromocriptine and group treated clomifene or bromocriptine only. However, frozen-thawed semen can be used successfully fur artificial insemination in dog.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.595-600
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• 2002

Comparison of blood properties in juvenile black seabream (Acanthopans schlegeli) between transfer from seawater to freshwater (sFW) and transfer from freshwater to seawater (fSW) were investigated for 60 days. Plasma cortisol levels in sFW were significantly increased from 34.2 $\pm$ 28.6 ng/mL at the beginning to 365.6 $\pm$ 136.0 ng/mL at 3 hours, and decreased to the beginning level at 24 hours. However, in fSW, no significant differences in the cortisol levels were recognized throughout experimental period. No significant difference was found in the glucose levels between sFW and fSW. The transfer from seawater to freshwater of juvenile black seabream resulted in reduced $Na^{+}\;and\; Cl^{-}$ concentrations for 24 hours (decreasing from 165.3 $\pm$ 2.5, 146.0$\pm$ 2.2 to 118.3 $\pm$ 12.3, 78.0$\pm$ 7.0 mEq/L, respectively), but these were completely recovered the beginning levels at 30 days. Total protein and AST showed no significant differences between the two rearing conditions, while ALT was markedly elevated at 3 hour in sFW and at 24 hours in fSW. Ht in sFW was increased from 18.5 $\pm$ $0.6\%$ at the beginning to 25.3 $\pm$ $4.0\%$ at 12 hours, and was decreased to the beginning level at 24 hours. Ht, RBC and Hb in fSW were also significantly higher at 12 hours, but recovered to their initial levels at 24 hours. All fish were dead until 50 days in sFW while survival rate in fSW was $85\%$ at the end of experiment.

• Laboratory Medicine Online
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.10-14
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• 2012

Background: Measurement of HbA_1c levels is widely used to diagnose diabetes mellitus and to evaluate and monitor plasma-glucose concentrations over 6-8 weeks. In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of the newly developed latex immunoturbidimetric method by using Autolab HbA_1c. Methods: We analyzed and compared the diagnostic performance of Autolab HbA_1c with that of Toshiba 200FR between April 2009 and July 2009. According to guidelines (EP5-A2, EP6-P, EP9-A2) of the clinical and laboratory standards institute (CLSI), we compared linearity, precision and correlation of Autolab HbA_1c with those of G7 (Tosoh Corp., Kyoto, Japan) by using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. Results: Data obtained using Autolab HbA_1c showed good linearity in mixtures of samples with low (3.1%) and high (15.1%) levels of HbA_1c (r²=0.9997). In the analysis of within-run precision of the samples with HbA_1c levels of 5.1% and 12.1%, the SDs were 0.04 and 0.06 and covariances of these samples were 0.8% and 0.5%, respectively. In the Deming regression model, the regression equation was as follows: Autolab HbA_1c=1.0859×Tosoh HPLC-0.6957. Conclusions: In this study, Autolab HbA_1c method showed better performance characteristics than Tosoh G7 did. In reference review, there was no interference of variant hemoglobin. The data acquisition time of Autolab HbA_1c was lower than that of Tosoh G7. The advantages of Autolab HbA_1c are that it can be used as an autoanlyzer in routine chemical analysis, it does not require pre-analytical treatment, and the samples are automatically treated with distilled water for hemolysis.