• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.245-251
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• 2000

In order to search the target organ of cylclohexane toxicity, the rats were intraperitoneally treated with cyclohexane (1.56 g/kg of body wt.) four times every other day. In the increasing rate of organ weight per body weight (%) in cyclohexane-treated animals, the lung was highest among the liver, spleen, small intestine, stomach, heart and kidney. And in the decreasing rate of glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase) activity in each organ, that of lung was also highest among all organs. Lung MDA content was significantly increased (p<0.05) by the cyclohexane treatment. On the other hand, microsomal aniline hydroxylase activity in lung tissue both of control and cyclohexane-treated rats was greatly low as could be scarcely measured, but that in liver possessing high activity was significantly increased (p<0.05) in cyclohexane-treated rats compared with control. Alcohol dehydrogenase activity in lung was markedly higher than that of liver and the latter was significantly (p<0.05) increased by the cyclohexane treatment. In conclusion, cyclohexane treatment to the rats showed mainly lung toxicity and it may be responsible for cyclohexanon, cyclohexane metabolite, distributed from liver.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.97-102
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• 2004

We developed an x-ray cone-beam micro computed tomography (micro-CT) system for small-animal imaging. The micro-CT system consists of a 2-D flat-panel x-ray detector with a field-of-view (FOV) of 120${\times}$120 mm2, a micro-focus x-ray source, a scan controller and a parallel image reconstruction system. Imaging performances of the micro-CT system have been evaluated in terms of contrast and spatial resolution. The minimum resolvable contrast has been found to be less than 36 CT numbers at the dose of 95 mGy and the spatial resolution about 14 lp/mm. As small animal imaging results, we present high resolution 3-D images of rat organs including a femur, a heart and vessels. We expected that the developed micro-CT system can be greatly used in biomedical studies using small animals.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.167-174
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• 2011

Acute ischemic stroke results from sudden decrease or loss of blood supply to an area of the brain, resulting in a coinciding loss of neurological function. The antioxidant action of melatonin is an important mechanism among its known effects to protective activity during ischemic/reperfusion injury. The focus of this research, therapeutic efficacy of melatonin on recovery of neurological function following long term treatment in ischemic brain injured rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=40; 8 weeks old) were divided into the control group, and MCAo groups (Vehicle, MT7 : MCAo+ melatonin injection at 7:00, MT19 : MCAo+melatonin injection at 19:00, and MT7,19 : MCAo+melatonin injection at 7:00 and 19:00). Rat body weight and neurological function were measured every week for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, the rats were anesthetized with a mixture of zoletil (40 mg/kg) and xylazine (10 mg/kg) and sacrificed for further analysis. Tissues were then collected for RNA isolation from brain tissue. Also, brain tissues were analyzed by histological procedures. We elucidated that melatonin was not toxic in vital organs. MT7,19 was the most rapidly got back to mild symptom on test of neurological parameter. Also, exogenous melatonin induces both the down-regulation of detrimental genes, such as NOSs and the up-regulation of beneficial gene, including BDNF during long term administration after focal cerebral ischemia. Melatonin treatment reduced the loss of primary motor cortex. Therefore, we suggest that melatonin could be act as prophylactic as well as therapeutic agent for neurorehabilitative intervention.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.467-479
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• 2018

The aging process induces a plethora of changes in the body including alterations in hormonal regulation and metabolism in various organs including the heart. Aging is associated with marked increase in the vulnerability of the heart to ischemia-reperfusion injury. Furthermore, it significantly hampers the development of adaptive response to various forms of conditioning stimuli (pre/post/remote conditioning). Aging significantly impairs the activation of signaling pathways that mediate preconditioning-induced cardioprotection. It possibly impairs the uptake and release of adenosine, decreases the number of adenosine transporter sites and down-regulates the transcription of adenosine receptors in the myocardium to attenuate adenosine-mediated cardioprotection. Furthermore, aging decreases the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator 1-alpha ($PGC-1{\alpha}$) and subsequent transcription of catalase enzyme which subsequently increases the oxidative stress and decreases the responsiveness to preconditioning stimuli in the senescent diabetic hearts. In addition, in the aged rat hearts, the conditioning stimulus fails to phosphorylate Akt kinase that is required for mediating cardioprotective signaling in the heart. Moreover, aging increases the concentration of $Na^+$ and $K^+$, connexin expression and caveolin abundance in the myocardium and increases the susceptibility to ischemia-reperfusion injury. In addition, aging also reduces the responsiveness to conditioning stimuli possibly due to reduced kinase signaling and reduced STAT-3 phosphorylation. However, aging is associated with an increase in MKP-1 phosphorylation, which dephosphorylates (deactivates) mitogen activated protein kinase that is involved in cardioprotective signaling. The present review describes aging as one of the major confounding factors in attenuating remote ischemic preconditioning-induced cardioprotection along with the possible mechanisms.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.157-164
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• 2017

This study was to evaluate the age-dependent effects of caffeine exposure on the long bones and reproductive organs using male rats. A total of 15 immature male rats and 15 young adult male rats were allocated randomly to three groups: a control group and two groups fed caffeine with 120 and 180 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks. Exposure to caffeine at either dose significantly reduced body weight gain; a proportional reduction in muscle and fat mass in immature animals, whereas a selective reduction in fat mass with relatively preserved muscle mass in young adult animals. The long bones of immature rats exposed to caffeine were significantly shorter and lighter than those of control animals along with decreased bone minerals. However, there was no difference in the length or weight of the long bones in young adult rats exposed to caffeine. Exposure to caffeine reduced the size and absolute weight of the testes significantly in immature animals in comparison to control animals, but not in young adult animals exposed to caffeine. In contrast, the adrenal glands were significantly heavier in caffeine-fed young adult rats in comparison to control animals, but not in caffeine-fed immature rats. Our results clearly show that the negative effects of caffeine on the long bones and testes in rats are different according to the age of the rat at the time of exposure, and might therefore be caused by changes to organ sensitivity and metabolic rate at different developmental stages. Although the long bones and testes are more susceptible to caffeine during puberty, caffeine has negative effects on body fat, bone minerals and the adrenal glands when exposure occurs during young adulthood. There is a need, therefore, to educate the public the potential dangers of caffeine consumption during puberty and young adulthood.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1995.04a
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• pp.108-108
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• 1995

Pharmacokinetic studies on time-course of blood levels, tissue distribution, and excretion of G009, a potential hepatoprotective agent, were performed in male rats after a single oral dose(20mg/kg) of $\^$14/C-labelled G009. The radioactivity concentrations in plasma during 0～3 hours are low, but subsequently increase to a maximum at 12 hours after dosing. $\^$14/C-G009 was well distributed to all tissue. Tissue concentration profiles of radioactivity vary among tissues on time-course after administration. G009(single oral dosage) was distributed and/or absorbed at gastric intestines and excretional organs for initial time of 0-7 hours, and distributed to most tissue at 12-24 hours. In special, the concentration of radioactivity in tiller at 48 hours were 1% of total radioactivity of $\^$14/C-G009 administered. The expired air, urinary and fecal excretion of radioactivity within 24hours after administration were 61.5%, 1.9% and 21.2% of total radioactivity of $\^$14/C-G009 administered. The biliary excretion of radioactivity in rat increased slightly for 0-6 hours after administration. The biliary excretion of radioactivity within 48hours were 1.97%.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.73-83
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• 2002

The single dose toxicity of Jengjengamiyjintang, a herbal drug for duodenal ulcer was evaluated in male and female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Jengjengamiyjintang was once administered to both sexes of rats at the dose levels of 2000, 1000, 500, 250 and 125mg／kg for oral route according to KFDA guidelines for single dose toxicity test (1999-61). In addition, vehicle control group was added in order to compare clinical signs, body weight changes and abnormal necropsy findings. After single administration, clinical signs were observed every twice a day for 14 days and body weights were measured 5 times including initial measurement on day 0. When observation period was over, the animals were sacrificed and macroscopic examination of major organs was conducted. Neither significant clinical signs nor death after administration was observed during the observation periods except for soft feces or diarrhea that were restricted to Day 1 of 2000 and 1000mg/kg-dosing groups. Although some accidental findings such as gross and histopathological changes of lung that were demonstrated in some animals of all experimental groups including vehicle control group, no abnormal necropsy findings and changes of body weight were observed at terminal necropsy in both sexes. From these results, it is considered that $LD_{50}$ of Jengjengamiyjintang is over 2000mg／kg in oral administration in both sexes of rats and approximated lethal dose was considered over 2000mg/kg.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.100-105
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• 2006

Liver and kidney are specific organs which play an active role in biotransformation and detoxification mechanisms. Ant adverse effect of chemicals or heavy metal can cause the delay or fade in these mechanisms. Present study was designed to find out the protective effect of Panax ginseng extract on renal functions altered by mercuric chloride (heavy metal) in albino rat. Fifty albino rats were divided into 10 groups. Five groups for acute study and five groups for sud-acute study viz. control group (Tween 20 and distilled water), mercuric chloride treated group (0.926 mg/kg body wt. for acute and 0.044 mg/kg body wt. for sub-acute group after calculated $LD_{50}$ (9.26 mg/kg body wt.) by probit analysis (Finney, 1971), Panax ginseng extract treated group (10 mg/kg body wt. for acute and sub-acute sets), mercuric chloride treated followed by Panax ginseng extract and Panax ginseng extract followed by mercuric chloride group. All doses were given orally by gavage tube. The result revealed that the serum urea and creatinine significantly increased in mercuric chloride treated group, while significantly decreased (p<0.01) in Panax ginseng extract group after acute and sub-acute treatment. The biochemical estimation is also confirmed by nephropathological aspect. However, the Panax ginseng extract treated followed by mercuric chloride group is more prominent than the mercuric chloride treated followed by Panax ginseng extract group. It can be concluded that Panax ginseng extract had a protective nature on renal functions against mercuric chloride toxicity in albino rats.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.44-54
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• 2020

Objectives : In the present study, we investigated whether or not an herb mixture including Lycii fructus(HML) has attenuation effects on light stress in rats. Methods : Light stress was induced by exposure to 300 lx of constant lifht for 24 h and 1mg/kg of caffeine was injected into the rat. Rats were orally treated with distilled water of HML for 21 days at 100mg/kg/d. The changes of mortality rate, clinical signs, body, blood chemistry, melatonin and IL-2 expression were analyzed after experiment. Results : Normal weight changes were observed in all treatment groups. In addition, no changes were observed in dead animals and general symptoms. At the time of autopsy, the appearance of all groups and gross examination of major organs were observed, and no gross findings were observed. Blood biochemical tests showed that total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels were statistically significantly decreased in the group treated with HML compared to the stress-induced group. Melatonin was measured in the blood, but there was no significant difference in the group treated with HML compared to the group with stress-induced group, but it tended to increase. IL-2 was measured in the blood, no significant change was observed in the group treated with HML compared to the stress-induced group. Conclusions : According to the above results, HML maybe help with hematological changes expressed by caffeine and light-induced stress.

• BMB Reports
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.555-563
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• 1996

A membrane-bound phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase (PI 4-kinase) was separated in a sucrose gradient and solubilized with 1% Triton X-100 from mouse brain. The enzyme was purified 2,952-fold by various chromatographic techniques including DEAE-cellulose, PI-Sepharose and Sephacryl S-200 gel filtration. The molecular weight of PI 4-kinase was approximately 76 kDa by gel filtration and 70.8 kDa by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The purified enzyme exhibited specific activity of 11.2 nmol/min/mg protein and pi value of 4.7. Kinetic analysis of the PI 4-kinase indicated apparent $K_m$, values of 190 ${\mu}M$ and 120 ${\mu}M$ for phosphatidylinositol and ATP, respectively. The maximal activity of this purified enzyme was observed at pH 7.4 at an incubation temperature of $37^{\circ}C$. The enzyme activity was significantly activated by $Mg^{2+}$, $Mn^{2+}$ and $Fe^{2+}$, and inhibited severely by $Ca^{2+}$. PI 4-kinase was proved to be pure in its immunoblot test by polyclonal antibody prepared from immunized rabbit sera. By this test, we were able to detect the existence of the same type of PI 4-kinase from other mouse organ tissues, such as liver, heart, kidney and spleen. Furthermore, similar immunoblot analysis with the same antisera recognized the different epitopes of PI 4-kinase proteins from various organs of rabbit, chinese hamster and rat.