• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.163-168
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• 2014

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are known to play an important role in the repair of damaged blood vessels. We used an endothelial progenitor cell colony-forming assay (EPC-CFA) to determine whether EPC numbers could be increased in healthy individuals through regular exercise training. The number of functional EPCs obtained from human peripheral blood-derived AC133 stem cells was measured after a 28-day regular exercise training program. The number of total endothelial progenitor cell colony-forming units (EPC-CFU) was significantly increased compared to that in the control group (p=0.02, n=5). In addition, we observed a significant decrease in homocysteine levels followed by an increase in the number of EPC-CFUs (p=0.04, n=5), indicating that the 28-day regular exercise training could increase the number of EPC colonies and decrease homocysteine levels. Moreover, an inverse correlation was observed between small-endothelial progenitor cell colony-forming units (small-EPC-CFUs) and plasma homocysteine levels in healthy men (r=-0.8125, p=0.047). We found that regular exercise training could increase the number of EPC-CFUs and decrease homocysteine levels, thus decreasing the cardiovascular disease risk in men.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.483-490
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 50% ethanol extracts of ripe black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis, RBR) on hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The final systolic blood pressure of the group treated with RBR for 12 weeks was significantly lower than that of the SHR group. The mRNA expression level of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) was significantly decreased in SHR. However, treatment with RBR and captopril increased the level of eNOS mRNA in SHR. Moreover, plasma levels of homocysteine and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 were significantly reduced by RBR. Plasma total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were lower in SHR than Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). However, there was no significant difference in plasma triglyceride level between WKY and SHR. The number of eosinophilic cardiac muscle cells was reduced in heart muscles after treatment with captopril and RBR. Therefore, this study suggests that RBR extracts may be useful for improvement of hypertension.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.303-311
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• 2007

As obesity is known to be related to hyperlipidemia, diabetes and coronary heart disease, and other chronic diseases, many researches have focused on functional food materials showing anti-obesity activity. The adipokines secreted by adipose tissue, resistin and adiponectin are known to play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases directly. C-reactive protein and homocysteine are molecules regulated by adipose tissue indirectly also relate to the chronic diseases. This study was performed to study of the anti-obesity effects of Sasa borealis in diet-induced obese mice (C57/BL6J). The mice were divided into four group: NFD (Normal fat diet), HFD (High fat diet), BSE (High fat diet containing 5% of 70% ethanol extract of Sasa borealis leaves), BLW (High fat diet containing 5% of water extract of Sasa borealis leaves). The experimental diets were fed for 11 weeks. The final body weight of the mice in the groups of BSE and BLW groups were significantly lower than the HFD group. The effects of weight reduction were due to reduced body fat accumulation. The adiponectin levels are significantly decreased in HFD group compared than NFD group and increased taken by Sasa borealis containing diet. The resistin levels are not significantly different between experimental groups. The CRP and homocyteine levels are significantly higher in HFD group than NFD group and significantly decreased by Sasa borealis containing diet, especially BLW group. These results indicate that orally administered Sasa borealis not only has the effect of reducing the body weight and total fat weight, but preferable effect in adiponectin levels and related molecules as CRP and homocysteine. Therefore we expect the Sasa borealis may have an anti-obesity function and anti-metabolic syndrome effect in diet-induced obese mice.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.331-338
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• 2004

Folate nutrition in early pregnancy is crucial in order to prevent neural tube defects (NTDs) in the fetus and maternal folate deficiency in late pregnancy If the influencing factors on maternal folate status are identified we may be able to detect the women at most risk of folate deficiency. This study intends to determine folate intakes, assess the levels of serum folate, erythrocyte folate, and plasma homocysteine, and reveal theinfluencing factors on maternal folate status in early pregnancy. A total of 151 healthy women in their first trimester volunteered for this study. The average length of gestation period was 9.1$\pm$ 2.3 weeks and seventy subjects were primipara. They consumed 1599$\pm$589 ㎉/day of energy and 230.8$\pm$145.2 $\mu\textrm{g}$/day of folate. This represented 72.5％ and 46.2％ of the Korean RDA respectively for pregnant women in the first half of Pregnancy. Results show that they consume less folate and energy due to morning sickness. Morning sickness correlated negatively with the intakes of energy, folate, ana Kimchi also. Their levels of serum folate, erythrocyte folate, and plasma homocysteine were 5.5$\pm$1.9 ng/mL, 266.6$\pm$75.0 ng/mL, and 7.0$\pm$1.8 $\mu$mol/L, respectively. Results indicate that 7.8% were deficient and 60.3% were borderline deficient in serum folate, 4.3% were deficient in erythrocyte folate, however, all had normal levels of plasma homocysteine. Results indicate that the folate status was not poor Contributing factors influencing serum folate concentrations ($R^2$= 0.724, p = 0.0001) were self-reported health status (+), folate intake (+), age (-), length of gestation (-), and homocysteine levels (-). Factors influencing erythrocyte folate concentrations ($R^2$ = 0.570, p = 0.0029) were the infant birth height of the last pregnancy (+), energy intake (+), age (-), plasma homocysteine concentration (-), and education level (-). Factors influencing plasma homocysteine concentrations ($R^2$= 0.450, p = 0.0051) were income level (+), prepregnancy weight (+), serum folate concentration (-), and the infant birth weight of the last pregnancy (-). These results indicate that pregnant women are likely to have a folate deficiency if they are in poor health status, having a history of delivering small infant and low energy and/or folate intake, and/or are older. And folate status is likely to decline as pregnancy progresses.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.518-529
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• 2008

Lactating women have an increased need of folate in the breastfeeding period and, as a consequence, may be in risk of folate deficiency. Folate content of breast milk, furthermore, is important for infants to support exponential growth. However, little is known about the folate content of breast milk from Korean lactating women and their folate nutritional status. In this study, therefore, we investigated the folate status of Korean lactating women and the folate content of their breast milk during extended lactation. A total of 10 subjects who delivered full-term infants participated this study voluntarily. Dietary folate intakes were measured and blood and breast milk were collected at 1, 2, 3, and 6 months postpartum. The women who did not take folic acid supplements failed to meet the recommended intake(RI) of folate for lactating women during all the study periods but those who did met the RI. The unsupplemented women showed lower plasma folate concentrations compared to the supplemented women and all the women were in suboptimal folate status determined by plasma folate concentration throughout the study periods. But the supplemented women showed lower prevalence of suboptimal folate status only at 3 or 6 months postpartum. Plasma folate concentrations of both groups decreased with the progression of lactation. Erythrocyte folate concentrations were not different between the two groups, however, that of the unsupplemented reduced further as time progressed. Plasma homocysteine levels were not different between the two groups. Concentrations of erythrocyte folate and plasma homocysteine were not changed throughout the study periods. Folate contents of their breast milk through the study periods were not different between the two groups and it decreased as lactation progressed in both groups. The results of this study suggest that the folate nutritional status of Korean lactating women might be deteriorated with the progression of lactation without folic acid supplements.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.144-149
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of high dietary methionine (Met) consumption on plasma and hepatic oxidative stress and dyslipidemia in chronic ethanol fed rats. MATERIALS/METHODS: Male Wistar rats were fed control or ethanol-containing liquid diets supplemented without (E group) or with DL-Met at 0.6% (EM1 group) or 0.8% (EM2 group) for five weeks. Plasma aminothiols, lipids, malondialdehyde (MDA), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase were measured. Hepatic folate, S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) were measured. RESULTS: DL-Met supplementation was found to increase plasma levels of homocysteine (Hcy), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and MDA compared to rats fed ethanol alone and decrease plasma ALT. However, DL-Met supplementation did not significantly change plasma levels of HDL-cholesterol, cysteine, cysteinylglycine, and glutathione. In addition, DL-Met supplementation increased hepatic levels of folate, SAM, SAH, and SAM:SAH ratio. Our data showed that DL-Met supplementation can increase plasma oxidative stress and atherogenic effects by elevating plasma Hcy, TG, and TC in ethanol-fed rats. CONCLUSION: The present results demonstrate that Met supplementation increases plasma oxidative stress and atherogenic effects by inducing dyslipidemia and hyperhomocysteinemia in ethanol-fed rats.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.520-526
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• 2011

Folate deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia are found in most patients with alcoholic liver disease. Oxidative stress is one of the most important mechanisms contributing to homocysteine (Hcy)-induced tissue injury. However it has not been examined whether exogenous administration of folic acid attenuates oxidative stress and hepatic toxicity. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vivo effect of folic acid supplementation on oxidative stress and hepatic toxicity induced by chronic ethanol consumption. Wistar rats (n = 32) were divided into four groups and fed 0%, 12%, 36% ethanol, or 36% ethanol plus folic acid (10 mg folic acid/L) diets. After 5 weeks, chronic consumption of the 36% ethanol diet significantly increased plasma alanine transaminase (ALT) (P < 0.05) and aspartate transaminase (AST) (P < 0.05), triglycerides (TG) (P < 0.05), Hcy (P < 0.001), and low density lipoprotein conjugated dienes (CD) (P < 0.05) but decreased total radical-trapping antioxidant potential (TRAP) (P < 0.001). These changes were prevented partially by folic acid supplementation. The 12% ethanol diet had no apparent effect on most parameters. Plasma Hcy concentration was well correlated with plasma ALT (r = $0.612^{**}$), AST (r = $0.652^*$), CD (r = $0.495^*$), and TRAP (r = $-0.486^*$). The results indicate that moderately elevated Hcy is associated with increased oxidative stress and liver injury in alcohol-fed rats, and suggests that folic acid supplementation appears to attenuate hepatic toxicity induced by chronic ethanol consumption possibly by decreasing oxidative stress.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.106-111
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• 2006

Chronic alcohol consumption is associated with perturbation of hepatic metabolism of sulphur-containing amino acid. The goal of present study was to evaluate the influence of dietary supplementation of methionine or folate to chronically ethanol-fed mts on the metabolism of sulfur-containing amino acids and one-carbon metabolism. Sprague-Dawley male mts were fed Lieber-Decarli liquid diet with 0% ethanol (control), 36% ethanol (E), 36% ethanol combined with methionine supplement (EM) or folate supplement (EF) for 8 weeks. Hepatic S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), plasma folate and homocysteine (Hcy), urinary excretion of folate and formiminoglutamate were investigated after feeding experimental diets. Growth was retarded by 36% ethanol consupmtion (E, EM and EF) (p<0.01). Liver total fat (p<0.05) and plasma ALT (P<0.01) were increased by methionine supplementation (EM), implicating fatty liver and liver injury. Liver folate was increased slightly by folate supplementation (EF) (p=0.077). Urinary folate loss was increased 2.3 fold by ethanol consumption (E) and 17.2 fold by folate supplementation (EF), while decreased by methionine supplementation (EM) (p<0.000l). Plasma Hcy was increased 1.9 fold by methionine supplementation (EM) in ethanol-fed mts (p<0.05), which was related with decreased methionine synthase activity (p<0.05). Hepatic SAM/SAH ratio was depressed by methionine supplementation in ethanol-fed mts (EM) (p<0.05). Urinary formininoglutamate (Figlu) excretion after histidine loading was increased by ethanol ingestion and reduced by methionine supplementation (p<0.00l). Based on these data, methionine supplementation appears to accelerate histidine oxidation. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of methionine to ethanol-fed mts exacerbates alcoholic liver injury possibly by complicating sulphur-containing amino acid metabolism, as while it may have beneficial effects on folate and histidine metabolism.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.109-114
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• 2013

We compared the preventive capacity of high intakes of vitamin C (VC) and vitamin E (VE) on oxidative stress and liver toxicity in rats fed a low-fat ethanol diet. Thirty-two Wistar rats received the low fat (10% of total calories) Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet as follows: either ethanol alone (Alc group, 36% of total calories) or ethanol in combination with VC (Alc + VC group, 40 mg VC/100 g body weight) or VE (Alc + VE group, 0.8 mg VE/100 g body weight). Control rats were pair-fed a liquid diet with the Alc group. Ethanol administration induced a modest increase in alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), conjugated dienes (CD), and triglycerides but decreased total radical-trapping antioxidant potential (TRAP) in plasma. VE supplementation to alcohol-fed rats restored the plasma levels of AST, CD, and TRAP to control levels. However, VC supplementation did not significantly influence plasma ALT, AST, or CD. In addition, a significant increase in plasma aminothiols such as homocysteine and cysteine was observed in the Alc group, but cysteinylglycine and glutathione (GSH) did not change by ethanol feeding. Supplementing alcohol-fed rats with VC increased plasma GSH and hepatic S-adenosylmethionine, but plasma levels of aminothiols, except GSH, were not influenced by either VC or VE supplementation in ethanol-fed rats. These results indicate that a low-fat ethanol diet induces oxidative stress and consequent liver toxicity similar to a high-fat ethanol diet and that VE supplementation has a protective effect on ethanol-induced oxidative stress and liver toxicity.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.761-771
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• 2009

Objectives : The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between metabolic syndrome and erythrocyte deform ability in acute stroke patients. Methods : Among 88 of the recruited patients, 52 were diagnosed as metabolic syndrome. We assessed their general characteristics, risk factors. We compared the assessed variables between metabolic syndrome and control group. We analyzed the relationship between metabolic syndrome and erythrocyte deform ability. We analyzed relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and erythrocyte deformability. Results : The general characteristics waist and hip circumference, waist/hip ratio were higher in metabolic syndrome group. The metabolic syndrome group was also diagnosed with hypertension, DM, and hyperlipidemia more often than the control group. The blood test metabolic syndrome group showed higher triglycerides, total lipids, fasting blood sugar, and 2 hours postprandial plasma glucose level and lower HDL-cholesterol than the control group. There were more patients diagnosed with Dampness-Phlegm in the metabolic syndrome group. There were more patients showing lower erythrocyte deform ability in the metabolic syndrome group. The plasma homocysteine level was negatively correlated with erythrocyte deform ability. Conclusion : The results reconfirmed that the risk factors are more in metabolic syndrome group. The results indicated that metabolic syndrome lead to a lower erythrocyte deform ability in small vessel disease stroke patients. The Plasma homocysteine level was negatively correlated with erythrocyte deform ability.