• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.46-52
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• 2016

Salicornia herbacea L. (S. herbacea) is an annual herbaceous plant of Chenopodiaceae. It grows in groups on the coast or mud flat of Korea is known to be rich in minerals. S. herbacea has potent anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-obesity, bowel function improvement. However, pharmacological mechanisms of S. herbacea extract (SHE) remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential acute toxicity of SHE in ICR mice administered a single oral dose of 0, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg by gavage. After administration of the extract, signs of toxicity were observed every day for 14 days. No mortality, abnormal clinical signs, body weight, organ weight or pathological changes were observed compared to a control group, and there were no differences in the body weights of the control and treatment groups. Biological serum activities and histological tests were not significantly changed in the treatment group compared to the control group. Especially, treatment of SHE was significantly decreased of total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. These results indicated that a single oral administration of SHE does not exerts any toxic effects at a dose of 2,000 mg/kg and that the $LD_{50}$ of SHE is greater than 2,000 mg/kg. Accordingly, SHE appears to have potential in various functional agents of foods, without toxicity.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.77-88
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• 2015

Lithospermum erythrorhizon has long been used in traditional Asian medicine for the treatment of diseases, including skin cancer. The oral toxicity of a hexane extract of Lithospermum erythrorhizon root (LEH) was investigated in Beagle dogs by using single escalating doses, two-week dose range-finding, and 4-week oral repeat dosing. In the single dose-escalating oral toxicity study, no animal died, showed adverse clinical signs, or changes in body weight gain at LEH doses of up to 2,000 mg/kg. In a 2 week dose range-finding study, no treatment-related adverse effects were detected by urinalysis, hematology, blood biochemistry, organ weights, or gross and histopathological examinations at doses of up to 500 mg LEH/kg/day. In the 4 week repeat-dose toxicity study, a weight loss or decreased weight gain was observed at 300 mg/kg/day. Although levels of serum triglyceride and total bilirubin were increased in a dose dependent manner, there were no related morphological changes. Based on these findings, the sub-acute no observable adverse effect level for 4-week oral administration of LEH in Beagles was 100 mg/kg/day.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.351-356
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• 2009

Ciliates are undoubtedly one of the most diverse protozoans that play a significant role in ecology. However, molecular examination, based on comparing the DNA sequences, has been done on a limited number of the species. Because most ciliates are uncultivable and their population sizes are often too small, it is usually difficult to obtain sufficient genomic DNA required for PCR based experiments. In the present study, we evaluated the effectiveness of four commercial DNA extraction procedures that extract high quality genomic DNA from a single ciliate cell. It was discovered that RED Extract-N-$Amp^{TM}$ PCR kit is the best method for removing PCR-inhibiting substances and minimizing DNA loss during purification. This method can also amplify more than 25 reactions of PCR. In addition, this technique was applied to single cells of 19 species belonged to 7 orders under 5 classes that isolated from mixed natural populations. Their small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) was successfully amplified. In summary, we developed a simple technique for the high-yield extraction of purified DNA from a single ciliate cell that may be more useful for rare ciliates, such as tiny and uncultivable marine microbes.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.334-344
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• 2011

Objectives : Sipjeondaebo-tang is a medicine traditionally prescribed as a restorative. The aim of this study was to investigate the single oral dose toxicity and safety of extract of fermented Sipjeondaebo-tang in ICR mice. Methods : In single oral dose toxicity study, non-fermented or fermented Sipjeondaebo-tang were administered by oral gavage to ICR mice (5 males, 5 females) at single doses of varying concentrations: 1250, 2500 and 5000 mg/kg. Changes of body weight, general behavior, adverse effects and mortality were determined throughout the experimental period. Hematological parameters, organ weights and necropsy findings were evaluated at the end of the experiment. Results : There were no mortality or signs of toxicity in single oral dose toxicity studies. There were also no significant differences in body weight, organ weight, or hematological parameters between the treatment and control groups. Conclusions : Fermented Sipjeondaebo-tang did not cause remarkable adverse effects in ICR mice. The oral lethal dose of fermented Sipjeondaebo-tang is more than 5000 mg/kg and no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of the extract for both male and female mice is 5000 mg/kg.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.255-266
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• 2017

Chemically derived pesticides have been used to prevent biological damage to domestic cultural property. However, their use is gradually being restricted due to the harmful effects on the human body and environment. Therefore, there is a growing interest in the search for new antifungal biopharmaceuticals whose safety has been confirmed by toxicity evaluation through animal experiments. This paper presents methods of toxicity evaluation of natural biocides using Sprague-Dawley rats and New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits. Safety of the natural biocide extract of Asarum sieboldii was evaluated using single-dose oral and dermal toxicity tests in Sprague-Dawley rats, and eye and skin irritation tests in NZW rabbits. The extract has proven antimicrobial and insecticidal activities against wood-rotting fungi and termites. After single oral administration to rats, the $LD_{50}$ values were determined to be over 4,000 and 2,000 mg/kg for males and females, respectively. After single dermal administration to rats, the $LD_{50}$ values exceeded 10,000 mg/kg for both males and females. The extract was identified to be non-irritant to the rabbit eye, and only slightly irritant to the rabbit skin. In this study, we confirmed the safety of the A sieboldii extract through animal testing. Due to the harmfulness of humidifier disinfectants, focus is on the safety of chemical pesticides, and toxicity evaluation is suggested as the basic method for hazard evaluation.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.141-148
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• 2004

Two compounds from Gomisin N and Gomisin A were isolated from the fruits of Schizandra chinensis Baillon. The highest extraction yield as 21.36% was observed in the ethanol extract, compared to the yield obtained form the water extract. The extraction yields of the single compounds were measured to be 0.13 and 0.014 Gomisin A and Gomisin N, respectively. Approximately, 90% of the growth of human stomach adenocarcinoma cancer cells was inhibited after adding 1.0 g/l of the ethanol extract. The growth of the human normal lung cell was limited to 24% after adding the ethanol extract. The water extract lowered the specific secretion of $TNF-\acute{a}$ and IL-6 from T cells, $10.3{\times}10^{-4}\;pg/cell\;and\;12.1{\times}10^{-4}\;pg/cell$, respectively, compared to the ethanol extracts. On the other hand, a treatment with the ethanol extract increased the specific secretion of $TNF-\acute{a}$ and IL-6 from human T cells, to $11{\times}10^{-4}\;pg/cell\;and\;14.3{\times}10^{-4}\;pg/cell$, respectively. The crude ethanol extract had the highest effect on the differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cells compared to the other extracts and Gomisin A and N. In general, the biological activities of the extracts gradually decreased as the purification process proceeded, which suggests that higher immunostimulatory activities can be maintained by adding the crude extracts of the fruits rather than by adding a single compound.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.75-82
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• 2001

Effect of single pre-administration of Cordyceps militaris(Cm) extract on the survival ratio, body weight and organ weight changes and blood cell counts after whole-body ${\gamma}-irradiation$ were investigated. The single pre-administration of Cm extract at 24 hrs before ${\gamma}-irradiation$ increased the 40-day survival ratio of irradiated mice from 60.1% to 71.4%. The administration of Cm extract completely prevented weight reductions of spleen and thymus produced by ${\gamma}-irradiation$ (P<0.01, P<0.05). Similar but somewhat less radioprotective effect was also found In the testis of the Cm treated mice. The administration of Cm extract retarded the reduction of both leukocyte and lymphocyte counts occured during the first 7 days and accelerated the recovery of the counts thereafter. The exrtract also acclerated the recovery of the erythrocyte counts occured after the day 21th. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the soluble proteins extracted from various organs did not reveal differences to any extent in all groups except in the livers of the irradiated and extract treated groups, in which some proteins were missing or less present. Also, the result of general intra and extra mycelial enzyme assays with Cm, extramycelial enzyme activity was relatively higher than the intramycelial enzyme, Cm appeared to indicate that ${\alpha}-amylase$ was the highest among the enzymes and gluosidase and chitinase were followed. Since the spleen, thymus and testis have been well known as radiosensitive organs, the protective action of Cm extract on irradiated mice may be responsible for its enhancing recovery of these organs. Although the exact mechanism in protective effect of Cm extract on irradiated mice is not clear yet, the present study is the first report regarding the Cm which was tested and found to be a potential radioprotective agent.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.151-166
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• 1989

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of red ginseng extract on development of pepsinogen 1 decrased pyloric glands in experimental stomach carcinogenesis in Sprague-Dawley male rats. Sequential quantitative analyses (by ABC immunohistochemical staining) were made of pepsinogen 1 decreased pyloric glands (PDPG) after treating rats first with a single dose (160 mg/kg) N-methyl-N'-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and then with N-ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (ENNG) (100ug/ml of drinking water) as a second gastric carcinogen (or promoter).

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.715-721
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• 2005

Antioxidant activities of grape seeds extracted with various solvents were evaluated by measuring total phenol and flavanol contents, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) following lipid peroxidation, 2-deoxyribose degradation, SOD-like activity, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthizaoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical-scavenging ability, and electron-donating ability using 1,1-diphenyl-2-pycryl hydrazil (DPPH) method. Total phenol and flavanol contents of mixted-solvent extracts were higher than those of single-solvent extracts, with the mixing ratio of 17:3 (ethyl acetate: water) (EW) showed the highest contents. Antioxidant activities (%) of TBARS following phosphatidylcholine peroxidation were 14, 45, 45, 7, 4, 25, 21, 23, and 20% for ascorbic acid (AA), butylated hyroxytoluene (BHT), quercetin (Q), acetone extract (AT), ethyl acetate (EA) extract, methanol (MeOH) extract, 4:1 (EA) extract, 9:1 (EW)-extract, and 17:3 EW extract, respectively. Antioxidant activities for 2-deoxyribose degradation were 5, 80, 87, 78, 56, 73, 64, 60, and 75% in AA, BHT, Q, AT, EA, MeOH extract, 4:1 EW extract, 9:1 EW extract, and 17:3 EW extract, respectively. MeOH grape seed extract showed distinctly stronger electron-donating activity than other solvent extracts.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.263-278
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• 2013

The silkworm extract powder contain 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), a potent ${\alpha}$-glycosidase inhibitor, has therapeutic potency against diabetes mellitus. Therefore, natural products containing DNJ from mulberry leaves and silkworm are consumed as health functional food. The present study was performed to evaluate the safety of the silkworm extract powder, a health food which containing the DNJ. The repeated toxicity studies and gentic toxicity studies of the silkworm extract powder were performed to obtain the data for new functional food approval in MFDS. The safety was evaluated by a single-dose oral toxicity study and a 90 day repeated-dose oral toxicity study in Sprague-Dawley rats. The silkworm extract powder was also evaluated for its mutagenic potential in a battery of genetic toxicity test: in vitro bacterial reverse mutation assay, in vitro chromosomal aberration test, and in vivo mouse bone marrow micronucleus assay. The results of the genetic toxicology assays were negative in all of the assays. The approximate lethal dose in single oral dose toxicity study was considered to be higher than 5000 mg/kg in rats. In the 90 day study, the dose levels were wet at 0, 500, 1000, 2000 mg/kg/day, and 10 animals/sex/dose were treated with oral gavage. The parameters that were monitored were clinical signs, body weights, food and water consumptions, ophthalmic examination, urinalysis, hematology, serum biochemistry, necropsy findings, organ weights, and histopathological examination. No adverse effects were observed after the 90 day administration of the silkworm extract powder. The No-Observed-Adverse-Effect-Level (NOAEL) of silkworm extract powder in the 90 day study was 2000 mg/kg/day in both sexes, and no target organ was identified.