• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.49-53
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• 2009

Objectives : The protective effect of Vasopurus, a mixture of three medicinal plants, on atherosclerosis induced by dietary cholesterol in low density lipid (LDL) receptor deficient mice was studied. Methods : Experimental groups were divided into three groups of six animals each; a normal group (N); a high cholesterol group (HC), a high cholesterol plus Vasopurus group (HCVA). The experimental groups were fed for 6 months. Results : Vasopurus supplementation significantly lowered plasma total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol conc entrations compared with the high.cholesterol (HC) diet group. In addition, supplementation with Vasopurus significantly increased fecal cholesterol contents compared to mice fed a HC diet. Mice whose diet was supplemented by Vasopurus showed considerably fewer atherosclerotic plagues in the aortic values of heart and aortas compared to mice receiving the HC diet. Conclusions : These results indicate that Vasopurus has efficacy in anti.atherosclerosis medication.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.214-223
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• 2024

Metabolic abnormalities in the liver are closely associated with diverse metabolic diseases such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ameliorating effect of robinetin (RBN) on the significant pathogenic features of metabolic failure in the liver and to identify the underlying molecular mechanism. RBN significantly decreased triglyceride (TG) accumulation by downregulating lipogenesis-related transcription factors in AML-12 murine hepatocyte cell line. In addition, mice fed with Western diet (WD) containing 0.025% or 0.05% RBN showed reduced liver mass and lipid droplet size, as well as improved plasma insulin levels and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) values. CD38 was identified as a target of RBN using the BioAssay database, and its expression was increased in OPA-treated AML-12 cells and liver tissues of WD-fed mice. Furthermore, RBN elicited these effects through its anti-histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity. Computational simulation revealed that RBN can dock into the HAT domain pocket of p300, a histone acetyltransferase, which leads to the abrogation of its catalytic activity. Additionally, knock-down of p300 using siRNA reduced CD38 expression. The chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay showed that p300 occupancy on the promoter region of CD38 was significantly decreased, and H3K9 acetylation levels were diminished in lipid-accumulated AML-12 cells treated with RBN. RBN improves the pathogenic features of metabolic failure by suppressing the p300-CD38 axis through its anti-HAT activity, which suggests that RBN can be used as a new phytoceutical candidate for preventing or improving this condition.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.1160-1171
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• 2013

A feeding trial was conducted in tilapia to determine the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, digestive enzymes, and postprandial blood metabolites in response to different dietary amylose-amylopectin ratios. Five isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets containing an equal starch level with different amylose-amylopectin ratios of 0.11 (diet 1), 0.24 (diet 2), 0.47 (diet 3), 0.76 (diet 4) and 0.98 (diet 5) were formulated using high-amylose corn starch (as the amylose source) and waxy rice (as the amylopectin source). Each diet was hand-fed to six tanks of 15 fish each, three times a day over a 6-wk period. After the growth trial, a postprandial blood metabolic test was carried out. Fish fed diet 2 exhibited the highest percent weight gain and feed efficiency and protein efficiency ratio, whereas fish fed with diet 5 showed the lowest growth and feed utilization among treatments. The digestibility for starch in fish fed diet 1 and 2 was higher than those in fish fed with other diets (p<0.05). The highest activities for protease, lipase and amylase were found in fish fed the diet 2, diet 1, and diet 1 respectively among dietary treatments, while the lowest values for these indexes were observed in fish fed the diet 3, diet 5 and diet 4, respectively. The liver glycogen concentrations in fish fed diets 4 and 5 were found higher than in fish fed other diets (p<0.05). The feeding rate, hepatosomatic index, condition factor, and plasma parmeters (glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) did not differ across treatments. In terms of postprandial blood responses, peak blood glucose and triglycerides were lower after 3 or 6 h in the fish fed with diets 3-5 than in the fish fed diet 1, but delayed peak blood total amino acid time was observed in fish fed with the diets 1 or 2. The lowest peak values for each of the three blood metabolites were observed in fish fed diet 5. The results indicate that high-dietary amylose-amylopectin ratio could compromise growth, but help in reducing the blood glucose stress on fish caused by postprandial starch load.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.450-464
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• 2016

Objectives: This study developed and validated reference materials (RMs) to analyze metal compounds in blood. Methods: We referred to KoNEHS (Korea National Environmental Health Survey) to estimate concentrations of blood metals (cadmium, Cd; lead, Pb; mercury, Hg) and applied analytical methods (inductively coupled plasma - mass spectroscopy, ICP-MS, for Cd and Pb; graphite furnace - atomic absorption spectrometry, GF-AAS, for Cd and Pb; and direct mercury analyzer, DMA, for Hg). Homogeneity and stability tests were carried out. In addition, certified values and uncertainties of RMs were calculated through internal and external experiments. All RMs were developed and assessed in various forms according to element, analytical method, and two types of concentration levels high concentration for occupational exposure and low concentration for environmental exposure. Results: All samples showed acceptable homogeneity, except for low concentration of Cd in the GF-AAS method. Short- and long-term stabilities were satisfied by ANOVA testing. In the inter-laboratory comparison, robust medians were lower than the certified values of all RMs (robust median/reference value; $1.301/1.327{\mu}g/L$ for Cd, ICP-MS, low concentration; $3.152/3.388{\mu}g/L$ for Cd, ICP-MS, high concentration; $1.219/1.301{\mu}g/L$ for Cd, GF-AAS, low concentration; $3.074/3.321{\mu}g/L$ for Cd, GF-AAS, high concentration; $14.473/14.516{\mu}g/L$ for Pb, ICP-MS, low concentration; $50.069/50.114{\mu}g/L$ for Pb, ICP-MS, high concentration; $12.881/14.147{\mu}g/L$ for Pb, GF-AAS, low concentration; $47.015/47.591{\mu}g/L$ for Pb, GF-AAS, high concentration; $4.059/4.218{\mu}g/L$ for Hg, DMA, low concentration; $11.474/11.181{\mu}g/L$ for Hg, DMA, high concentration). Conclusion: This study demonstrates procedures for developing and validating RMs for biomonitoring in the field of the environmental health.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 1997

We investigated the content of heavy metals contained in the soil at an Il-Kwang disused mine in Kyung Nam. Three sampling points were selected, each point was digged to 210 or 240cm, sampled each 30cm depth. After air drying, each sample was digested in aqua regia and then analyzed with an Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer. We determined the content of Zn, Pb, Cr, Cd, Cu, Mn, and Fe, maximum content of Pb, Cd, and Zn was observed to $(4.6{\pm}0.1){\times}10^3$, 9.4(${\pm}3.6$), and $(2.7{\pm}0.1){\times}10^2{\mu}g/g$ respectively. Mean pH values of soil sampled at No.1, 2, and 3 regions were 3.2, 2.6, and 2.8, respectively. These values are remarkably lower than pH of the conventional standard soil which usually shows pH level around 4.9. At each sampling point, maximum content of heavy metals was observed from 30cm to 60cm depth. The depth profiles of Zn, Cd, Pb, and Cr showed very similar tendencies to each other, but those of Fe, Cu. and Mn showed different tendencies to former ones.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1996.04a
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• pp.246-246
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• 1996

The glucuronide conjugates of morphine have been claimed to exert significant neuropharmacological effects. Morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G) may be a potent opioid agonist in vivo, and morphine-3-glucuronide (M3G) may act as a weak opioid antagonist. The present study addressed the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) for these metabolites compared to morphine. Tracers were prepared by enzymatic glucuronidation of U-methyl-$^3$H]-morphine. Brain uptake in rats was measured by the internal carotid artery perfusion technique and after i.v. bolus injections. In the perfusion experiments morphine showed a permeability-surface area product (PS) of 3.52${\pm}$0.61 ${\mu}$L min$\^$-1/ g$\^$-1/ Uptake seems to be mediated by passive diffusion and was not saturable by 100 ${\mu}$M morphine in the perfusate. The BBB permeability of [$^3$H]-M3G and [$^3$H]-M6G was too low to be quantified after 5 min of perfusion. Brain uptake of [$^3$H]-M3G and [$^3$H]-M6G 60 min after i.v. bolus injection reached 0.0060${\pm}$0.0003 and 0.0030${\pm}$0.0005% injected dose per g, respectively. From these brain concentrations and from the corresponding plasma concentration - time curves, BBB PS values of 0.14${\pm}$ 0.02 ${\mu}$L min$\^$-1/g$\^$-1/ and 0.11 ${\pm}$ 0.01 ${\mu}$L min$\^$-1/g$\^$-1/, respectively, were calculated. The ratio of BBB PS values is complementary to the analgesic potencies of morphine and M6G after different routes of administration. The low PS of MSG explains, why it is approximate]y equipotent to morphine after systemic injection, although it is about 2 orders of magnitude more potent than morphine after administration directly into the central nervous system.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.102-108
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• 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: In Oriental medicine, certain foods may be beneficial or detrimental based on an individual's constitution; however, the scientific basis for this theory is insufficient. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of body constitution, based on the Sasang type of Korean traditional medical classification system, on the bioavailability of soy isoflavones of Cheonggukjang, a quick-fermented soybean paste. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A pilot study was conducted on 48 healthy Korean men to evaluate the bioavailability of isoflavone after ingestion of food based on constitution types classified by the Sasang typology. The participants were classified into the Taeeumin (TE; n = 15), Soyangin (SY; n = 15), and Soeumin (SE; n = 18) groups. Each participant ingested 50 g of Cheonggukjang per 60 kg body weight. Thereafter, blood was collected, and the soy isoflavone metabolites were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Ntrikinetic analysis of individual isoflavone-derived metabolites was performed. RESULTS: Our nutrikinetic analysis identified 21 metabolites derived from isoflavones in the blood samples from 48 healthy Korean men (age range, 21-29 years). Significant differences were observed in the time to maximum concentration (T_max) and elimination half-life (t_1/2) for nine metabolites among the three groups. The T_max and t_1/2 of the nine metabolites were higher in the SE group than in the other groups. Moreover, the absorption rates, as determined by the area under the plasma-level curve (AUC) values of intact isoflavone, were 5.3 and 9.4 times higher in the TE group than in the SY and SE groups, respectively. Additionally, the highest AUC values for phase I and II metabolites were observed in the TE group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that isoflavone bioavailability, following Cheonggukjang insgestion, is high in individuals with the TE constitution, and relatively lower in those with the SE and SY constitutions.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.420-425
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• 2016

The present study aimed to calcium (Ca), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) contents were compared with reference values indicated on the nutrition label of nutrition emphasized food. Also, this paper will briefly review and evaluate what is currently known about Fe-Zn and Ca-Fe interaction. Ca, Fe or Zn-emphasized product, including cereal, snack, soy milk, chocolate product, other cocoa product, sugars product, beverage and tea were analyzed. The contents of Ca, Fe, and Zn in samples after dry-ashing were examined by ICP. The measured Ca (n = 42), Fe (n = 13), Zn (n = 6) values were ranged 87~176%, 98~167%, 98~275% of reference value indicated product, respectively. All samples were ranged more than 80% of the reference value, which were complied with food regulation. High intake of Ca has been shown to adversely affect Fe absorption and the negative effect of Fe on Zn absorption is well known. Therefore, it is important to consider Ca-Fe and Fe-Zn absorption interaction, when Ca, Fe or Zn-emphasized product produce and nutrition labeling policy should be managed regularly with continuous monitoring.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.18-23
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• 2006

Purpose : The reliability of hair mineral analyses regarding nutritional status, environmental exposure or diseases is controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the normal reference range of hair mineral concentration of Korean children. Methods : We examined hair mineral concentrations of 223 children(3-12 yrs old, 110 boys, 113 girls, mean age $8.8{\pm}2.2$ yrs old) living in the northern area of Seoul. The trace elements including six toxic elements(Al, As, Cd, Ba, Hg, Pb) and 11 nutritional elements(Na, Mg, P, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se) were analyzed by inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS). Results : The mean concentrations of Ca and Mg were higher in girls than in boys. The mean concentrations of Cd, Pb and Cr were higher in boys than girls. The Zn, Ca, Mg, Cu and Hg levels in hair samples were positively correlated with increasing age. The Zn levels of the Korean children's hair samples appear to be lower than that of other countries' reference values. Conclusion : There are considerable differences in hair mineral concentrations by age, sex and race. Additional research is needed to establish Korean reference values, and to evaluate the usefulness of hair mineral analyses as a screening tool for nutrition- and environment-related childhood diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.185-195
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• 2000

Vascular diseases are significant complications of diabetes mellitus (DM), and the endothelial cells may play a pivotal role in the development of vascular disease in DM. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) released from endothelium is a potent vasoconstrictor peptide and circulating level of ET-1 is increased in a variety of disease states. The purpose of this study was to determine the changes of responsiveness to ET-1 in DM, and we experimented on the changes in the ET-1-induced contraction, levels of nitrite and lipid peroxidation, and ET-1 immunoreactivity in aorta from streptozotocin-induced DM rats. DM was induced by single injection of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg, i.p.). The immunoreactive ET-1 levels in endothelial layer of thoracic aorta were much higher in DM rats than control rats. Nitrite in tissue homogenate was decreased and plasma nitrite was increased in DM rats. Malondialdehyde (MDA) was significantly increased in DM rats and cGMP was not significantly different between control and DM rats. ET-1 produced concentration- dependent contractile responses that are significantly attenuated in DM rats compared to controls. In the presence of selective $ET_A$ receptor antagonist BQ610, the maximum contraction was decreased and the concentration ratios for BQ610 yielded $pA_2$ values of 7.3 (slope, 0.65) in control rats, whereas BQ610 had no antagonistic effect on ET-1-induced contraction in DM rats. However, pretreatment with BQ788, an $ET_B$ receptor antagonist, maximum response was decreased and the dose-response curves for ET-1 were shifted to the right in both groups and $pA_2$ values were 7.9 and 7.7 (slope, 1.05 in control and DM rats), respectively. IRL 1620 and sarafotoxin S6c, $ET_B$ agonists, induced relaxation in control rats but not in DM rats. These results indicate that endothelial cell dysfunction and enhanced immunoreactivity of ET-1 have been found in DM rat and ET-1-induced contraction was attenuated in DM rat. These attenuated responses might be at least in part caused by the alteration of $ET_A$ receptor properties (e.g. desensitization), and partly related with an alteration in intracellular mechanism for contraction to ET-1.