• Mycobiology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.159-167
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• 2018

This study evaluated the in vitro and in vivo hypolipidemic effects of the medicinal mushroom Phellinus pini. The methanol extract (ME) of the fruiting body of Ph. pini was active against pancreatic lipase and cholesterol esterase with 99.14% and 67.23% inhibited activity at 1.0 mg/mL, respectively. It also inhibited 81.81% and 55.33% of ${\alpha}$-glucosidase and ${\alpha}$-amylase activities, respectively, at 2.0 mg/mL. Hyperlipidemia as induced by feeding rats with a high fat and cholesterol diet (HFC). HFC supplemented with a 5% fruiting body powder of Ph. pini (HFC + PhP) significantly reduced plasma total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides in rats compared with HFC. The reduced levels were comparable to rats fed the normal control diet (NC). The atherogenic index of HFC + PhP rats was significantly lower than that of the HFC rats. The excretion of fecal total lipid and cholesterol in the HFC + PhP rats was significantly higher than those in the NC and HFC rats. Histopathological examinations demonstrated scant deposition of lipids in the liver of rats fed HFC + PhP. The dietary supplementation with the fruiting body powder provided natural plasma lipid and glucose lowering effects in experimental rats without adverse effects on the plasma biochemical parameters and liver function related enzyme activities. Therefore, the hypolipidemic effects of Ph. pini may be due to the inhibitory effects on pancreatic lipase, cholesterol esterase, ${\alpha}$-glucosidase, and ${\alpha}$-amylase, and excretion of excess lipids and cholesterol in the feces.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.289-297
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• 2017

The objective of this study was to identify and compare the anti-diabetic effects of mulberry leave (ML), silkworm (SK), mulberry fruit (MF), and Cudrania tricuspidata BUREAU (CT) extracts in high fat diet (HFD)-induced obese and diabetic mice. C57BL/6N mice were assigned to six groups: normal diet (ND, n=7), HFD (n=10), HFD with 5% ML powder (ML, n=10), HFD with 2% SK powder (SK, n=10), HFD with 5% MF powder (MF, n=10), and HFD with 5% CT powder (CT, n=10). Mice were fed their assigned diet for 14 weeks. ML group showed significant reduction in levels of plasma glucose and insulin compared with the HFD group. Plasma total cholesterol (T-C) was significantly reduced by ML and SK compared with the HFD group. Plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and HTR (HDL-C to T-C ratio) levels of the ML, SK, MF, and CT groups were significantly elevated compared to the HFD group. Moreover, concentrations of hepatic T-C and triglycerides in the ML, SK, MF, and CT groups were significantly reduced in comparison to the HFD group. Levels of pAKT, pS6K, and pAMPK significantly increased in the ML group compared with the HFD group. Taken together, ML appears to be the most potent anti-diabetic and anti-dyslipidemic substance among sericultural products. ML could be developed as a potential agent for diabetes and its complication management.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.177-182
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Irisin, a newly identified hormone, is associated with energy homeostasis. We investigated whether aged garlic extract (AGE) and exercise training intervention could improve body weight, insulin sensitivity, skeletal muscle fibronectin domain containing protein 5 (FNDC-5) levels, and plasma irisin in high-fat diet (HFD). MATERIALS/METHODS: Male Sprague Dawley rats were fed a ND (normal diet, n=5) or HFD (n=28) for 6 weeks. After 6 weeks, all rats were divided into 5 groups for the next 4 weeks: ND, (normal diet, n=5), HFD (high-fat diet, n=7), HFDA (high-fat diet + aged garlic extract, n=7), HFDE (high-fat diet + exercise, n=7), and HFDEA (high-fat diet + exercise + aged garlic extract, n=7). Exercise groups performed treadmill exercises for 15-60 min, 5 days/week, and AGE groups received AGE (2.86 g/kg, orally injected) for 4 weeks. RESULTS: Significant decreases in body weight were observed in the ND, HFDE, and HFDEA groups, as compared with the HFD group. Neither intervention affected the masses of the gastrocnemius muscle or liver. There were no significant differences in glucose levels across the groups. The homeostatic model assessments of insulin resistance were significantly higher in the HFD group, as compared with the ND, HFDA, HFDE, and HFDEA groups. However, skeletal muscle FNDC-5 levels and plasma irisin concentrations were unaffected by AGE or exercise in obese rats. AGE supplementation and exercise training did not affect skeletal muscle FNDC-5 or plasma irisin, which are associated with insulin sensitivity in obese rats. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the protection against HFD-induced increases in body fat/weight and insulin resistance that are provided by AGE supplementation and exercise training may not be mediated by the regulation of FNDC-5 or irisin.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.11
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• pp.1522-1527
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• 2009

We investigated the effects of feeding diet containing medicinal plant water extracts (MPWEs) on body weight, epididymal adipose tissue weight, adipocyte size of epididymal adipose tissue and plasma lipid levels in high fat (HF) diet-induced obese mice. To test antiobese effects of diet containing the MPWEs, C57BL/6J mice were fed with HF diet for 11 weeks. In the last 6 weeks, the HF diet was supplemented with 0 (HFD) or MPWEs (5 g/kg, HFD＋MPWEs) or orlistat [0.5 g/kg, HFD＋orlistat (antiobesity drug)]. The HF-free diet group was fed normal chow for 11 weeks. Eleven-weeks feeding with HFD resulted in significant increase in lipid levels, body weight, liver and epididymal adipose tissue weights, compared with the HF-free group. Diet containing MPWEs significantly reduced plasma total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride and glucose concentrations as well as body weight, liver weight and epididymal adipose tissue weight. Plasma triglyceride levels were significantly lower in the HFD＋Forlistat group after 6 weeks and a similar effect was found with HFD＋MPWEs group. The adipocyte size of epididymal adipose tissue in HFD group was significantly larger than those of HF-free group. MPWEs and orlistat (positive control) significantly decreased the size of epididymal adipocytes but orlistat was slightly more effective than MPWEs. These results suggest that oral feeding of the MPWEs may have antiobesity effects by suppressing body weight gain, adipose tissue formation and adipocyte size increase.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.225-230
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• 2008

Diabetes mellitus is the fifth leading cause of death among Koreans. Control of hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia is strongly correlated with decrease in risks for cardiovascular diseases, the most common and fatal diabetic complication. The effects of chronic feeding of a mixture of Chinese herbs on blood lipid profile were measured in an animal model of type 2 diabetes mellitus, db/db mice (C57BL/Ks). The Chinese herb mixture was composed of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer,Astragalus membranaceus, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Lycium chinense, Morus, Pueraria thunbergiana, Prunella vulgaris var. lilacina, Acanthopanax sessiliflorus, Schizandra chinensis, Scutellaria baicalensis, Dioscorea batatas, Polygonatum doratumvar. pluriflorum, Paeonia lactiflora, and Rehmannia glutinosa in a ratio of 1 : 0.7 : 0.4 : 0.7 :0.4 : 0.7 : 1.1 : 0.9 : 0.4 : 0.4 : 0.7 :0.7 : 0.9 : 0.9. Methanol extract of the Chinese herb mixture was tested for the inhibitory activity against yeast ${\alpha}$-glucosidase in vitro. The Chinese herb mixture extract inhibited ${\alpha}$-glucosidase by 25.2% at the concentration of 0.5mg/mL. Four weekold male db/db mice (n = 14) were fed AIN-93G semipurified diet or diet containing 10% powder of the Chinese herb mixture for 6 weeks after 1 week of adaptation period. Body weight (39.5 ${\pm}$ 1.6 g) and food intake (4.3 ${\pm}$ 0.6 g/day) of the Chinese herb group were not significantly different from those of the control group (40.4 ${\pm}$ 2.6 g and 4.5 ${\pm}$ 0.6 g/day). Consumption of Chinese herb mixture significantly decreased plasma glucose level (442.5 ${\pm}$ 36.0mg/dL) compared with the control group (489.8 ${\pm}$ 34.6 mg/dL, p < 0.05). Plasma cholesterol level (159.2 ${\pm}$ 18.4 mg/dL) of the Chinese herb group was significantly lower than that of the control group (185.4 ${\pm}$ 13.7 mg/dL, p < 0.05). Blood glycated hemoglobin (6.3 ${\pm}$ 0.8%) and plasma triglyceride levels (99.4 ${\pm}$ 15.0mg/dL) of the Chinese herb group were not significantly different from those of the control group (6.7 ${\pm}$ 0.7% and 108.8 ${\pm}$ 11.0mg/dL). Thus, the Chinese herb mixture could be useful in the treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular complications of diabetes.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.455-459
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• 2008

This study examined the effects of Bulnesia sarmienti ethanol extract on lipid metabolism in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Sprague Dawley rats were induced with diabetes mellitus by injecting STZ (45 mg/kg) into the tail vein, and were then divided into 5 groups: normal, STZ-control, and three experimental diabetic groups. The rats were fed a basal diet along with B. sarmienti ethanol extract for 8 weeks. According to the results, after 8 weeks of consuming the experimental diets, the body weights and food efficiency ratios of the B. sarmienti ethanol extract-fed groups were not different from those of the control group. However, the concentrations of plasma total-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides were significantly lower in the B. sarmienti ethanol extract groups as compared to those of the control group. Although a blood glucose control effect was not observed after the eight weeks of B. sarmienti ethanol extract treatment in this type-l diabetes model, it was discovered that the experimental diets were highly effective at lowering levels of serum lipids, including triglycerides, total-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.128-133
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• 2017

To determine the optimum water temperature (a temperature which minimizes metabolic activities and stress in fish) for long distance transportation of red-spotted grouper (Epinephelus akaara), by evaluating the behavior, survival and physiological and hematological responses to variable water temperature conditions (9, 12, 15, 18 and $21^{\circ}C$) for 48 hours. Fish exposed to $9^{\circ}C$ died at 48 hours exposure, but those exposed to 12, 15, 18 and $21^{\circ}C$ treatment groups all survived. Fish in the 15, 18 and $21^{\circ}C$ exposure groups exhibited normal swimming, while those exposed to $12^{\circ}C$ were observed to be stationary at the bottom of the tank. The plasma cortisol and glucose concentration were higher in fish exposed to $12^{\circ}C$ than at other temperature conditions. The fish in the 12 and $15^{\circ}C$ groups had significantly higher hematocrit (Ht) and hemoglobin (Hb) than those in the 18 and $21^{\circ}C$ groups (P<0.05). Levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), $NH_3$ and osmolality showed a pattern similar to the levels of plasma cortisol, while alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and total protein did not significantly vary among the experimental groups. These results indicate that the optimum water temperature for long distance transportation of the red-spotted grouper is $15^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.1147-1153
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• 2004

The effect of commercial deer antler drink (provided by Chung-yang Deer Farm) on blood glucose level, plasma lipids and antioxidants state in type 2 diabetic patients were studied. Ten patients with type 2 diabetes participated in the study and consumed 2 pouches (200 mL) of deer antler drink every day for 3 weeks. No significant differences were observed in levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). However, oxidized LDL measured as conjugated dienes decreased in the patients after the trial. Plasma tocopherols and carotenoids levels showed no significant changes. No significant differences were observed in erythrocyte SOD, catalase and GSH-Px in the each group. No significant differences were observed in plasma TRAP. The results would suggest that deer antler drink influences conjugated dienes but long-term intervention trial may be necessary to see further beneficial effect of deer antler drink in diabetic patients.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.178-184
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• 2013

This study investigates the impact of exercises, coffee intakes, and physical trainings on fuel utilization in rats. Ninety-six rats were fed a control diet with either water (C) or coffee (CF; 0.12 g freeze-dried instant coffee/100 g body weight/d). Additionally, the animals go through physical training (TC and TCF) or no training (NTC and NTCF) for 4 weeks. For physical training, animals have to exercise on treadmills for 30 minutes (5 d per week, $15^{\circ}$ incline, 0.5-0.8 km/h). At the end of week 4, the animals in each group were subdivided into three exercise groups: before exercise (BE), during exercise (DE), and after exercise (AE). The DE rats exercised on treadmills for 1 hour immediately before being sacrificed. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, glucose, glycogen, protein, triglyceride (TG), and free fatty acid (FFA) levels in the plasma, liver, and skeletal muscle of the rats were compared accordingly. Organ weights were also measured. Coffee-training interaction had a significant impact on heart weight, visceral fat, hemoglobin, hematocrit, liver glycogen in DE and AE, and liver triglyceride in DE and AE. Exercise (meaning exercised on a treadmill for 1 hour immediately before being sacrificed) training interaction was significant in liver glycogen, muscle glycogen in control diet and control diet with coffee, FFA and muscle TG levels at control diet with coffee group. Exercise-coffee interactions significantly influenced the FFA with no training groups. Exercise-coffee-training interaction significantly effects on FFA, Liver TG and Muscle TG. Coffee intakes can increase lipolysis during exercising but coffee consumptions delay the recovery of liver glycogen levels in trained rats after exercising. Coffee intakes can increase lipolysis during exercising but coffee consumptions delay the recovery of liver glycogen levels in trained rats after exercising. Coffee can be an effective ergogenic aid during exercise for physically trained rats.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.221-228
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• 2021

Objective: This study investigated the effect of crocin in methylglyoxal (MGO)-induced diabetic male mice. Methods: Seventy 1-month-old male NMRI mice weighing 20-25 g were divided into seven groups (n=10): sham, MGO (600 mg/kg/day), MGO+crocin (15, 30, and 60 mg/kg/day), MGO+metformin (150 mg/kg/day), and crocin (60 mg/kg/day). MGO was administered orally for 30 days. Starting on day 14, after confirming hyperglycemia, metformin and crocin were administered orally. On day 31, plasma and tissue samples were prepared for experimental assessments. Results: Blood glucose and insulin levels in the MGO group were higher than those in the sham group (p<0.001), and decreased in response to metformin (p<0.001) and crocin treatment (not at all doses). Testis width and volume decreased in the MGO mice and improved in the crocin-treated mice (p<0.05), but not in the metformin group. Superoxide dismutase levels decreased in diabetic mice (p<0.05) and malondialdehyde levels increased (p<0.001). Crocin and metformin improved malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase. Testosterone (p<0.001) and sperm count (p<0.05) decreased in the diabetic mice, and treatment with metformin and crocin recovered these variables. Luteinizing hormone levels increased in diabetic mice (p<0.001) and crocin treatment (but not metformin) attenuated this increase. Seminiferous diameter and height decreased in the diabetic mice and increased in the treatment groups. Vacuoles and ruptures were seen in diabetic testicular tissue, and crocin improved testicular morphology (p<0.01). Conclusion: MGO increased oxidative stress, reduced sex hormones, and induced histological problems in male reproductive organs. Crocin and metformin improved the reproductive damage caused by MGO-induced diabetes.