• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.1586-1591
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• 2011

This study was carried out to evaluate the antiobesity effects of Crataegus fructus in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and mice fed a high fat diet (high fat 45% cal). The inhibitory effect of methanol extract from Crataegus fructus on lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes was quantified using Oil red O staining. Compared with the control, lipid accumulation was significantly decreased by 10-25% with treatment with Crataegus fructus extract at a concentration of 600-2,000 ug/ml. Three-week old ICR mice (n=24) were randomly divided into four groups (T0: normal diet, T1: high fat diet, T2: high fat diet and 50 ug of Crataegus fructus extract, T3: high fat diet and 100 ug of Crataegus fructus extract) and were fed an experimental diet for 5 weeks. At the end of the experiment, body weight gain in the T1 group (3.9${\pm}$0.24 g) was higher than that in the T0 group (2.56${\pm}$0.14 g), while body weight gain in the T2 (3.02${\pm}$0.25 g) and T3 (2.58${\pm}$0.16 g) groups was significantly reduced as compared with that of the T1 group. Moreover, liver weight in the T1 (4.8${\pm}$0.17 g) and T2 (4.8${\pm}$0.16 g) groups was significantly higher than that of the T0 (4.05${\pm}$0.16 g) and T3 (4.57${\pm}$0.10 g) groups, while kidney weight was significantly lower than that of the T0 and T3 groups (p<0.05). The levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride in serum in the T2 and T3 groups were significantly decreased compared to the T1 group. These results suggest that Crataegus fructus can be used as functional materials in food and medicine.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.7
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• pp.790-800
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• 2017

As men get older, total testosterone levels decline gradually, and concentrations of free and bioavailable testosterone decline sharply with each decade beyond their 30s. Andropause or testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS) is defined as a decrease in sexual satisfaction or decline in general well-being accompanied by low levels of testosterone in older men. This male climacteric is characterized by nervousness, reduced potency, decreased libido, irritability, fatigue, depression, memory problems, sleep disturbances, and hot flushes. Cirsium japonicum (CJ) is used as a traditional medicine for hemorrhage, blood congestion, and inflammation in Korea. However, there is no report on the efficacy of CJ treatment for TDS. In this study, we observed the mitigating effect of CJ extract (CE) and fermented CJ extract (FCE) on symptoms of TDS. In elderly male rats, total and testosterone levels, hind limbs muscles, forced swimming time, and total and motile sperm counts significantly increased after daily intake of CE and FCE for 6 weeks. In contrast, sex hormone binding globulin, retroperitoneal fat, total serum cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were significantly reduced in CE and FCE groups. However, there was no difference in prostate specific antigen, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase levels among all groups, which means CE and FCE did not have putative adverse effects. In a cell experiment, we also observed that CE and FCE enhanced expression of genes related to testosterone biosynthesis but reduced genes involved in testosterone conversion. On the whole, these positive effects on TDS were greater in FCE compared to CE. Thus, these results suggest the potential of FCE as a promising natural product for recovering testosterone levels and alleviating TDS.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.310-320
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• 2003

To study the nutritional and health status of the elderly in Songnam, the anthropometic measurments, fat composition of body(FAT), blood pressure(BP) and blood test for analyzing biochemical indies of the elderly in seongnam were carried out in 338 free-living elderly (161 men, 177 women) aged from 58 to 92. Anthropometric measurements and blood pressure were assessed, and body fat was analyzed by BI(Bioelectrical Impedence) method. Biochemical measurements including blood glucose(BG), GPT, serum total cholesterol(TC) and albumin(AL) were analyzed. Average heights of the subjects were lower than the standards established in the Korean Recommended Dietary Allowances, and average weights were similar to the standards. FAT were significantly higher in women(36.4%) than men(27.7%), and both groups showed higher values than the reference. Mean systolic BP levels of men and women were 153.3mmHg and 153.7mmHg, and diastolic BP levels were 87.5mmHg and 86.0mmHg, respectively, and there were no significant differences between the sex. Mean BG levels of men and women were 115.9mg/㎗ and 123.7mg/㎗, respectively, and there were no significant differences between the sex and among the age groups. Mean GPT levels of men and women were 19.4unit and 18.1unit, respectively, and women older than 75 years showed significanly low levels of GPT compared to other women's age groups. Mean TC levels of men and women were 186.0mg/㎗ and 206.6mg/㎗, respectively, and significantly higher TC levels were shown in women than men. Mean AL levels of men and women were 4.8g/㎗ and 4.8g/㎗, respectively, and men aged 50 ∼ 64 years showed significant high AL levels compared to other age groups of men. It was suggested that nutrition education program was a good way to improve health status of the elderly.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.382-391
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• 2016

The purpose of this experiment was designed to investigate the effects of medicinal herbs (MH) extracts on dementia induced by trimethyltin chloride (TMT) in rats. Six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups; normal group (group 1), control group (group 2), MH extracts group (250, 500 mg/kg) (group 3, group 4) and positive control group (tacrine group, group 5). In the control group to induce dementia, a 2.5 mg/kg of TMT intraperitoneal injection was used for 14 days (1 per day) in the rats. In the MH extracts group 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg of MH extracts were medicated in an oral inoculation for 20 days (1 per day). After 30 minutes, a 2.5 mg/kg of TMT intraperitoneal injection, which causes dementia, was used for 14 days (1 per day). In the positive control group (Tacrine group) 10 mg/kg of Tacrine, the dementia treatment, was medicated in an oral inoculation. After 30 mintues, 1 mg/kg of TMT intraperitoneal injection, which causes dementia, was used for 14 days (1 per day). The present author observed the passive avoidance performance test, and memory ability test (Y maze test), the values of MDA, acetlycholinesterase (AchE) activity in the brain and antioxidant enzyme in serum. MH extracts significantly improved memory of AD model rats in the Y-maze test, and also significantly improved memory of AD model rats in the passive avoidance test. MH extracts significantly reduced AChE activity, and significantly increased the SOD level, but not catalase and MDA. From the results above, MH extracts is thought to be effective in the improvement of antioxidant enzymes and memory ability.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.667-673
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• 2009

The antihyperlipidemic and glycemic control effects of mycelia of Inonotus obliquus including protein-bound polysaccharides extract were investigated. In high fat diet-induced obese C57BL/6J mice, the mycelia of Inonotus obliquus including protein-bound polysaccharides extract showed significant decrease in epididymal fat tissue weight, blood triglyceride and VLDL level, triglyceride and total cholesterol level in liver, serum insulin and HOMA-IR level and AUC. Oral glucose tolerance test glucose level reduction were 4.9% (M150L; ${\beta}$-glucan 1.303 mg/kg bw), 9.5% (M150; ${\beta}$-glucan 2.606 mg/kg bw) after 180 min of glucose loading compared to H-C group. Besides, the mycelia of Inonotus obliquus including protein-bound polysaccharides extract treatment significantly increased glycogen contents in liver and adiponectin level in high fat diet-induced obese mice. In conclusion, the results showed that the mycelia of Inonotus obliquus including protein-bound polysaccharides extract possesses significant antihyperlipidemic and glycemic control effects in C57BL/6J mice.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.197-204
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• 2015

This study was performed to examine the effects of dietary Acanthopanax senticosus (AS) on growth performance, immune organ weights, blood biochemical parameters and the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in broiler chicks. A total of 120 4-day-old birds were given a basal diet (CON) or a basal diet supplemented with 0.5% (AS1) or 1.0% (AS2) AS powder until the birds were 35 days of age. There was no difference in body weight, total gain, feed intake or immune organ weights among the treatment groups. However, the feed conversion ratio in the AS2 group was lower (p<0.05) than that in the CON group. Serum biochemical components, including AST (aspartate aminotransferase), ALT (alanine aminotransferase), albumin and total protein, were not affected by the dietary treatments, whereas glucose and triglyceride levels increased (p<0.05) in the AS2 group compared with the CON group. The AS1 group exhibited decreased mRNA expression (p<0.05) of IFN-${\gamma}$ in white blood cells and iNOS in the liver compared with the CON group. The other pro-inflammatory cytokines were unaffected by dietary AS supplementation, although there was a trend towards decreased expression of these genes, including those encoding Il-$1{\beta}$, IL-6 and TNF-${\alpha}$. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 0.5% AS decreased the expression of several pro-inflammatory cytokines without affecting growth performance, suggesting that this supplement might be applicable as an immunoregulatory feed additive in broiler chicks.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.133-141
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• 2003

Purpose : Idiopathic Membranous Nephropathy(IMN) is a rare renal disease in children. To help better understanding of its clinical course and treatment strategies, we reviewed the clinical manifestations and pathological findings of children with IMN. Methods : Among 58 cases with MN, from 1977 to 2003, 42(72.4%) were hepatitis B virus (HBV) associated and 16(27.6%), 6 males and 10 females, were idiopathic. All cases diagnosed aster 2000 were IMN. Several clinicopathological findings(sex, onset age, proteinuria, serum albumin, cholesterol, creatinine clearance, tubulointerstitial changes, glomerular sclerosis, hypertension, renal vein thrombosis, the use of ACE inhibitor, and immunosuppressive therapy) were compared between the remission and the non-remission group of the patients with IMN. Results : The median onset age was 13.4 years. Clinical manifestations were nephrotic syn-drome(7 cases, 43.8%), gross hematuria(5 cases, 31.3%) and microscopic hematuria with proteinuria(3 cases, 18.8%). Hypertension, hypocalcemic tetany and renal vein thrombosis were accompanied in 2, 1 and 2 cases, respectively. In addition to the typical findings of MN, the kidney biopsies showed segmental sclerosis(5 cases, 31.3%) or global sclerosis(6 cases, 37.5 %), diffuse crescents(1 case), and mild(11 cases, 68.7%) or moderate tubulointerstitial changes(3 cases, 18.8%). Thirteen cases(86.7%) received oral steroid. Among them 2 cases received cyclophophamide and 1 received cyclosporin as well. Ten cases(62.5%) received ACE inhibitors. In the patients followed up, 7 cases(46.7%) became free from proteinuria (remission group) while 8(53.3%) presented continous proteinuria (non-remission group), two (13.3%) of which progressed to renal failure. Clinicopathological findings showed no significant differences between the two groups. Conclusion : With HBV vaccination, HBV associated MN decreased markedly and IMN has taken up most of MN in children. For better understanding of this rare disease, a prospective multicenter study of the clinical course and treatment strategies should be done.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.39-48
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate effects of different levels of seleniferous whole crop barley (WCB) supplementation on performance, and blood characteristics as physiological responses in growing pigs. A total of 20 cross-bred pigs ((Landrace ${\times}$ Yorkshire) ${\times}$ Duroc) were divided into 4 treatments of 5 pigs each and experimental period lasted for 6 weeks. They were fed diets containing 0.1 (non-seleniferous WCB as controls), 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 mg/kg levels of selenium (Se) by supplementing seleniferous WCB, and non-seleniferous or seleniferous WCB was formulated to 5% level in total ration. The diets were isonitrogenous (18% crude protein) and isocaloric (3,500 kcal/kg digestible energy) across treatments. Increasing levels of seleniferous WCB supplements did not affect feed intake and BW gain, and blood total protein concentration was (p<0.05) significantly higher for 0.2 mg/kg Se treatments than for controls. On d 14, blood albumin concentration was higher (p<0.05) for seleniferous WCB supplemented groups than for control group. Contrarily, blood glucose concentration was tended to be higher for controls than for seleniferous WCB groups. Blood total lipid concentration was significantly (p<0.05) lowered with increasing levels of seleniferous WCB. Serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase did not have any difference among treatments. It was tended that blood total cholesterol and triglyceride were lowered with increasing levels of seleniferous WCB. Blood Se concentration was significantly (p<0.05) increased with increasing levels of seleniferous WCB. The results indicate that Se present in seleniferous WCB had favorable effects on blood characteristics and blood Se increased by supplementing seleniferous WCB implies not only a good intestinal absorption of Se present in WCB but also the possibility of Se transfer into tissues.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.204-209
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate the anti-diabetic activity of Kocat-D1, which is widely used in traditional medicine to treat diabetes in Shandong, China. Sprague Dawley rats (8 weeks of age) were separated into 4 groups: a normal control, streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat group (DM control), Kocat-D1-1 (diabetic rat treated with 0.25 g/kg/day hot water extract), and Kocat-D1-2 (diabetic rat treated with 1 g/kg/day hot water extract). After eight weeks of treatment, the fasting blood glucose levels of the Kocat-D1-1 ($334.3{\pm}32.9\;mg/dL$) and Kocat-D1-2 group ($259.5{\pm}35.0\;mg/dL$) were significantly lower when compared to the DM control group ($451{\pm}42.6\;mg/dL$). Furthermore, the levels of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), albumin and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in the serum of the Kocat-D1-2 group were significantly normalized when compared to the DM control group. However, significant differences were not observed between the Kocat-D1-1 group and the DM control group. Histochemical staining of the liver of the Kocat-D1-2 group revealed no fat accumulation. The insulin level was significantly upregulated in the Kocat-D1-2 group ($0.13{\pm}0.02\;ng/mL$) when compared to the DM control group ($0.05{\pm}0.04\;ng/mL$). The relative volume of $\beta$-cells in the pancreas of the Kocat-D1-2 group ($49.4{\pm}4.2%$) also increased significantly when compared to the DM control group ($12.9{\pm}7.9%$). These results suggest that Kocat-D1 exerts an anti-hyperglycemic effect through the enhancement of insulin secretion.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.125-138
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• 2016

To assess the industrial possibility of mixed-extracts containing Hovenia dulcis Thunberg and 12 different botanical ingredients, a protective effect was confirmed in the chronic ethanol-induced the liver, brain, and blood injury in mouse. Blood glucose levels of the normal control group(NG) and ethanol administration group(EG) were respectively 119.43mg/dL and 305.25mg/dL, and the mixed-extracts administration group(100, 200mg/kg body weight + 25% ethanol 5g/kg body weight respectively; ME100 & ME200) were decreased to 272.76mg/dL and 234.60mg/dL. Blood ethanol contents were decreased in ME100 and ME200(3.85mg/dL, 3.08mg/dL) compared to EG(4.08mg/dL), and blood acetaldehyde contents were also decreased in ME(15.76mg/dL, 15.16mg/dL) compared to EG(18.72mg/dL). The contents of hepatotoxic indicators such as glutamine pyruvic transaminase(GPT) and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), nephrotoxic indicators such as blood urea nitrogen(BUN), and creatine(CRE), and total cholestero(TCHO), and triglyceride(TG) in mouse blood serum were significantly decreased in the ME compared to EG. The acetylcholinesterase(AChE) activity of ME(109.00% and 108.47%, respectively) in mouse brain tissues was decreased in ME compared to EG(116.10%). Finally, ME was remarkable in vivo antioxidant activities in the mouse liver and brain tissues by superoxide dismutase(SOD), oxidized glutathione(GSH)/total GSH ratio and the malondialdehyde (MDA) assay. Therefore, the mixed-extracts was considered to be effective a high value food with protective effect against chronic ethanol traetment-induced cytotoxicity in liver and brain tissues.