• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2005

Objectives: To find out the effects GGTl, an antiobestic drug widely used in clinics, has on the blood-antiobestic index and the toxicity index using the data from the hGHTg obese male rats. We looked closely into both of the two indices because GGTl antiobestic effect can happen not only by pharmacological action, but also by its toxicity. Also, we verified the difference in effect between GGTl and reductil (sibutramine), which has been approved by the FDA of the United States. Methods: After performing the experiments for 8 weeks on the hGHTg obese male rats divided into three groups: the control group, the GGTl group, and the reductil (RD) group, we anesthetized the rats with Diethyl ether and took a 3ml blood sample from the heart. Then, after coagulating the blood in room temperature by using the plasma separator, we centrifuged it for 25 minutes in 3,000rpm using the high-speed refrigerated centrifuge. We kept the separated plasma in a deep freezer at $-80^{\circ}C$, and repeatedly measured the antiobestic index and the toxicity index twice using the hematology biochemistry analyzer. Also, in order to judge the indirect toxicity index, we separated liver from kidney and observed them. Results: When we looked at the results of the analysis of covariance on the measuring elements related to the antiobestic index (TC, HDL, LDL, TG, and GLU), there was no significant difference among the groups in all measuring elements. Also, the results of the analysis of covariance on the two roups (RD group and GGTl group) showed that the p-values had no significant difference under the level of significance 0.05. When we looked at the result of the analysis of covariance on the measuring elements related to the toxicity index (GOT, GPT, GGT, CREA, UA, ALB, and TP), we could see that the p-values in GPT, ALB, and TP have a significant difference among the groups. Also, the results of the analysis of covariance about the measuring elements related to the toxicity index on both groups, RD group and GGTl group, showed no significant difference in the p-values of all of the measuring elements in the two groups, RD and GGTl group. Conclusions: In conclusion, through this experiment, the safety of GGTl has been approved, and although the verification on its medical effect has not been clearly approved, when we consider the fact that it belongs to the same group as reductil, an antiobestic drug approved by the FDA of the United States, we could indirectly verify that GGTl has an antiobestic effect. We believe that when doing a sample design for a future experiment, it needs to be performed on a greater sample size based on the power analysis that needs to be performed primarily in experiments, and a more accurate verification is needed through more systematic experiment plans.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.150-157
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• 2006

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of combined extract of safflower seed with herbs on the improvement of blood glucose, lipid peroxides, lipids in the plasma and liver of strpetozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Rats in the experimental group were orally administered with combined extract of safflower seed (100 mg, 200 mg/kg B.W.) with herbs (Ophiopogon japonicus Ker-Gaqler, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch, Mori Folium, Poria cocos, Rehmannia glutinosa, Eriobtrya japonica, Aralia continentalis Kitagawa, Zizyphus jujuba var, Cornus officinalis, Paeonia suffruticosa, Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim and Schizandra chinensis Baill) for 4 weeks. Body weight gain and food efficiency ratio were significantly lower in diabetic groups than those of control group. These were no protective effect of the supplementation of combined extract of safflower seed with herbs. Concentration of blood glucose was significantly higher in the diabetic groups than those in the control group. Blood glucose concentration was remarkably lower supplementation of combined extract of safflower seed (200 mg/kg B.W.) with herbs. There was no significant difference of plasma lipid peroxides among experimental groups, while liver lipid peroxides of diabetic group was significantly higher in control group. But supplementation of combined extract of safflower seed with herbs was induced markedly lower in liver lipid peroxides in diabetic rats. Diabetic groups had markedly higher levels in triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol and atherogenic index, while had lower HDL-cholesterol level. Triglyceride levels of plasma and liver were significantly lower with combined extract of safflower seed with herbs. But total cholesterol, phospholipid and free fatty acid were no differing significantly among experimental groups.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.479-484
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• 2003

This study was attempted to evaluate the effectiveness of extract of fermented red pepper The extract of fermented red pepper was prepared from fermented red pepper puree and polydextrose. Sixteen female college students were participated in this 8 weeks weight control program. All subjects were randomly assigned to the Internet Diet (ID) group or Internet I, fermented red pepper (IR) group. Mean energy intake of ID group was 1,279.9$\pm$112.0 kcal (carbohydrate: 66.9%, protein: 17.4%, fat: 15.6%) and IR group consumed 1,223.8$\pm$57.1 kcal (carbohydrate: 66.3%, protein: 19.3%, fat: 14.4%) during program. The ID group lost 2.5$\pm$1.0 kg of body weight, 0,9$\pm$0,7 kg of fat mass and 1.6$\pm$0.7 kg of lean body mass, and the IR group lost 2.7$\pm$0.3 kg of body weight, 1.8$\pm$0.6 kg of fat mass and 0.9$\pm$0.7 kg of lean body mass. There was no significant differences in the loss of total body weight & lean body mass between two groups, however, the fat mass and the abdominal fat were significantly decreased in the IR group compared to the IC group (p<0.05) The ID group experienced a significantly reduced Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), however, IC group slightly increased. The change of RMR between groups were significantly different (p<0.05) . There were no differences in the change of blood glucose, total-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride between groups. Therefore, the intake of fermented red pepper doting the weight control program might decreased the body fat especially abdominal fat and prevent the decline of RMR during weight reduction period.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.335-343
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• 2006

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of meal pattern on lipogenesis and activities of lipogenic enzyme in rats epididymal and mesenteric adipose tissues. A high fat diet was fed either ad libitum or in 1 meal during the last 3 h of the dark cycle for 4 weeks. Lipogenesis was measured as glucose conversion to total lipid and activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), 6-phophogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) and NADP-malate dehydrogenase (ME) were determined by measuring NADPH production. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity and serum lipoprotein concentrations were also measured. Meal-fed (3 h) rats had a decreased food intake, body weight and carcass fat compared with rats fed ad libitum. The serum triglyceride concentration of meal-fed rats tended to be higher than that of the ad libitum rats. However, there were no differences between meal-fed group and ad libitum group in serum concentrations of HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and total-cholesterol. Rates of lipogenesis in both epididymal and mesenteric adipose tissues were significantly higher in the meal-fed group than that in the ad libitum group. In addition, meal-fed group showed higher G6PDH, 6PGDH and LPL activities in both epididymal and mesenteric adipose tissues, but exerted no significant effect on ME activity. These results suggest that meal-fed rats compared with ad libitum rats have marked lipogenic capacity, although such elevation probably does not result in increase in carcass fat concentration. Thus, meal-fed diet can be an important determinant of the alterations in adipose lipid metabolism.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.344-352
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a daily regimen of green vegetable drink supplementation to male subjects improves the blood pressure and enhances other antioxidant enzyme status, lipid profiles and liver functionalities. Twenty nonsmokers and 19 smokers aged $23{\sim}60$ were given 240 mL of green vegetable drink every day for 8 weeks in addition to their normal diet, and blood samples were drawn before and after the intervention. The 8 weeks of green vegetable drink consumption resulted in a significant decrease of diastolic blood pressure in smokers (p<0.05) as well as in nonsmokers (p<0.01), and systolic blood pressure in smokers (p<0.05). Erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was significantly increased in both nonsmokers and smokers after the trials. Plasma total cholesterol (TC) level was decreased in smokers and plasma TC and LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were decreased in nonsmokers while triglyceride (TG) and HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) was not affected in both nonsmokers and smokers by green vegetable drink consumption. Plasma glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), a marker of liver function was significantly reduced in both nonsmokers and smokers and plasma glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) level was significantly reduced in nonsmokers after the supplementation. These results support the hypothesis that green vegetable drink exerts a blood pressure reducing effect and affects not only the activity of antioxidant enzymes, lipid profiles but also plasma GOT and/or GPT levels.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.683-690
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• 2000

In this research high-fat-diet, which amounts to 40% out of the total calories, is prepared and taken to SD-lined rats for four weeks, and the exercise is taken using treadmill so that two groups are formed; one is for exercise group (E, EG) and the other for non-exercise group (CO,G). In addition the diet-intake-amount and body weight are measured for momparing a green tea extract intake group (EG,G) with a non-intake group (CO,E) and then serum lipid components can be analyzed after four weeks. Considering the total diet amounts for four weeks, Co group has the largest while the EG group does the smallest for the diet-intake-amounts; there is, however, no significant difference among all groups. Both body weight gain and the feed efficiency ratio of the CO group are larger than those of the EG and G group with significant differences (p<0.05). Taking into account the serum lipid components analysis, all of serum total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride of EG group have smaller values than those of non-exercise groups (CO,G) with significant differences (p<0.05) respectively, while HDL/LDL-cholesterol of EG group does a larger value than that of non-exercise groups with significant difference (p<0.05); these, hence, show efficient results. For the HDL-cholesterol level, there are no significant differences among each group and the ratio TC/HDL-cholesterol of EG group is smaller than that of Co group with a significant difference (p<0.05). Therefore, we can draw conclusions that exercise and green tea extract intake group (EG) has relatively better results than non-exercise groups (CO, G) through serum lipid components results and furthermore the effects of the green tea extracts intake is considered to play a supplementary role for the improvement of the serum lipid components.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.1095-1101
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• 2003

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of Gastrodiae Rhizoma (G. Rhizoma) on blood pressure-lowering in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) fed high-fat diet supplemented with 10% (w/w) of lard during the experimental period of 8 weeks. Forty of male SHR weighing approximately 100 g were randomly divided into eight groups; A: negative control (lard 10%), B: positive control (lard 10% ＋ basal diet ＋ 5 brix water extract), C: lard 10% ＋ 1% G. Rhizoma powder, D: lard 10%＋5% G. Rhizoma powder, E: lard 10%＋2 brix 50% ethanol extract, F: lard 10%＋10 brix 50% ethanol extract, G: lard 10%＋2 brix water extract, H: lard 10% ＋ 10 brix water extract. A gain in weight did not differ significantly among dietary groups, but a little higher in control groups than in G. Rhizoma dietary groups. Except for spleen, weights of liver, kidney and testis are significantly different among dietary groups. Serum total cholesterol concentration was markedly higher in control groups than in G. Rhizoma groups (p<0.05), however, there was no significant difference in serum triglyceride. Except for negative control (A) and group D, serum HDL concentration was significantly higher in G. Rhizoma groups (p<0.05). On the other hand, serum LDL concentration was significantly higher in two control groups (A, B) and markedly lower in E and G groups of hot water extract of G. Rhizoma (p<0.05). Reference systolic blood pressure (BP) showed average 185.7$\pm$5.8 mmHg for 4 weeks after feeding high-fat diet, and the pressure was measured on every 7 days intervals after feeding of G. Rhizoma diet. Comparing with reference BP before feeding of G. Rhizoma diet, the groups of 50% ethanol (E, F) and water (G) extracts on BP level after 28 days were shown to be reduced at 16.8, 20.2 and 11.7 mmHg, respectively. When the pressure (187 mmHg) of group A was considered as 100%, the reduction rate of BP in group F was 11% (20.5 mmHg). These results indicated that the groups treated with ethanol extracts of G. Rhizoma showed to have lower blood pressure level compacred to the groups treated with whole powder or water extracts of G.Rhizoma in SHR fed with high-fat diet.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.683-689
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• 2006

This study was established to investigate the effect of germanium-fortified yeasts on the serum lipid composition and immune system of human body. All 50 subjects with the age range of $50{\sim}75$ were entered in this clinical trial for 6 months. The effects were determined by the proliferative responses of immune-mediated cells, T-cell, B-cell and NK-cell during daily supplementation with/without germanium-fortified yeast. The results of hematology and blood chemistry didn't show any significant differences during administration periods. Serum lipid compositions also didn't show any significant differences during administration periods except triglyceride (TG) and VLDL-cholesterol. TG and VLDL-cholesterol levels were increased significantly by the consumption of germanium-fortified yeast (p<0.05). Immune mediated T-celt and NK-cell didn't increased in both control and test group supplemented with germanium fortified yeast, while B-cell increased in the germanium fortified yeast group after 8 week (p<0.05). Also $TNF-{\alpha}$ increased in the group of germanium fortified yeast after 8 week (p<0.05) but not in the control group. From the above results, germanium fortified yeast is expected to be useful on the improvement of the cellular immune response and protection of organs from various chronic diseases.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.10
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• pp.1422-1430
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• 2015

This study was conducted to determine the effect of fermented water extracts from Ligularia fischeri (LAF) on reduction of hepatotoxicity induced by D-galactosamine (D-GalN) in rats. In this experiment, male Sprague-Dawley rats were used as experimental animals, which were divided into eight groups: normal group, D-GalN-treated group (control), D-GalN and non-fermented water extracts from Ligularia fischeri (LA)-treated groups [100, 200, and 400 mg/kg BW (body weight)], and D-GalN and LAF-treated groups (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg BW). ${\gamma}$-Glutamyl transferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase activities in serum of the D-GalN and LAF-treated groups decreased significantly compared to those of the control group (P<0.05). The high density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels of the D-GalN and LAF-treated groups increased significantly compared to those of the control group (P<0.05). The low density lipoprotein-cholesterol and triglyceride levels of the D-GalN and LAF-treated groups decreased significantly compared to those of the control group (P<0.05). The atherogenic index values of the D-GalN and LAF-treated groups decreased significantly compared to those of the control group (P<0.05), and their high density lipoprotein cholesterol by total cholesterol ratio increased significantly in these groups (P<0.05). Superoxide dismutase activity of liver tissues were enhanced significantly (P<0.05) in the D-GalN and LAF-treated groups compared to that of the control group (P<0.05), whereas their malondialdehyde content decreased significantly in these groups (P<0.05). The histopathological observations revealed apoptotic cells and mild portal inflammation in liver tissues of the D-GalN and LAF-treated groups. Taken together, these results demonstrate that LAF may improve plasma lipid profile and alleviate hepatic damage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.10
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• pp.1431-1438
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• 2015

This study was conducted to determine the effects of fermented water extracts from Ligularia fischeri (LAF) on reduction of hepatotoxicity induced by ethanol in rats. Ethanol-treated Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into the following eight groups: ethanol-treated group (control), ethanol and ursodeoxycholic acid-treated group (positive control), ethanol and non-fermented water extracts from Ligularia fischeri (LA)-treated groups [100, 200, and 400 mg/kg BW (body weight)], ethanol and LAF-treated groups (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg BW). ${\gamma}$-Glutamyl transferase activities of the ethanol+LA-treated (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg BW) groups and ethanol+LAF-treated (400 mg/kg BW) group decreased significantly compared to those in the control group (P<0.05). Aspartate aminotransferase activities of the ethanol+LAF-treated (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg BW) groups and ethanol+LA-treated (200 and 400 mg/kg BW) groups decreased significantly compared to those in the control group (P<0.05). Alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase activities of all groups significantly decreased compared to those in the control group (P<0.05). The total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and triglyceride levels of all groups tended to decrease compared to those in the control group, but the differences were not significant. Superoxide dismutase activity of liver tissues was enhanced in the ethanol+LAF-treated (400 mg/kg BW) group (P<0.05). The contents of malondialdehyde in liver tissues decreased in the ethanol+LAF-treated groups (P<0.05). All treated groups showed well preserved lobular architectures with no evidence of steatosis or liver damage compared to the control group. As the results of this study, LAF may improve the plasma lipid profile and alleviate hepatic damage by ethanol.