• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.5646-5657
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• 2013

In this study, to evaluate the anti-obesity effects of mulberry leaf tea and its fermented product by Monascus pilosus, we investigated body and organ weight, blood and liver biomarkers in mice fed 1% tea infusions instead of water for 8 weeks. Mice were divided into three groups such as a normal control (NC), unfermented mulberry leaf tea infusion (UMI) and fermented mulberry leaf tea infusion (FMI). Although it is not significant, tea infusion groups showed reduction of body weight gains compared with NC group. Moreover, contents of LDL-cholesterol and lipid peroxide (LPO), altherogenic index, and xanthin oxidase (XO) activity were significantly decreased, and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was significantly elevated. The results from this study suggested that UMI and FMI may have an anti-obesity activity, upregulate antioxidant enzymes and reduce levels of oxidants related to liver damage.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.24 no.4 s.36
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• pp.516-530
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• 1991

A case-control study was conducted to investigate the effect of low-level blood lead on the blood pressure. The plasma renin activity(PRA) was measured also to investigate one of the possible mechanisms by which lead nay play a role to influence on the blood pressure. Seventy-two hypertensive and sixty -nine control study subjects were selected from the workers who had no history of b-related lead exposure, in Ulsan city and it's vicinity, Korea. In addition to measuring blood lead levels and PRA, body mass index(BMI), hematocrit, serum sodium, potassium, creatinine, ionized calcium, and cholesterol were measured. Also, the habits of smoking, alcohol drinking and family history of hypertension were checked. The blood lead level of the hypertensive group was $19.8{\pm}5.5{\mu}g/dl$, which was significantly higher than that of the control group, $12.5{\pm}4.7{\mu}g/dl$(p<0.01). On multiple logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio of blood lead level on the occurence of high blood pressure was 1.38, also statistically significant (p<0.01). There was no significant differences between the hypertensive and the control group in the PRA or In (PRA), but there was a marginally significant linear relationship between blood lead and PRA in the hypertensive group(p<0.1). In conclusion, blood lead level which has been known to be within normal limits may be one of the possible risk factors of hypertension and PRA alteration by lead may act as one of the mechanisms.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.139-146
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• 2011

This study was carried out to investigated astaxanthin producing "Xanthophyllomyces dendrohous" on growth performances and meat quality in ducks. A total of 450 ducks (cheribery) were allotted into 3 groups. The three groups were control (commercial feed), treatment 1 (0.1% feed additives), and treatment 2 (0.2% feed additives). Each group had 3 replicates. Viable cell number of "Xanthophyllomyces dendrohous" is $1.0{\times}10^8$ cfu/g. Growth performance carried out during 39 days. Average weight gain was significantly higher (p<0.05) in treatment 2 than that of control. Feed conversion was significantly lower (p<0.05) in treatment 1 and 2 than that of control. The results of nutrients composition analysis of duck meat showed that treatment 1 and 2 had significantly lower (p<0.05) fat and cholesterol levels. Water holding capacity showed significantly higher (p<0.05) value than that of control. Both treatment groups showed lower (p<0.05) value than control in drip loss and shear force. Control showed higher unsaturated fatty acids(palmitic acid, stearic acid) content than treatment 1 and 2. Treatment 1 and 2 showed significantly lower (p<0.05) saturated fatty acids (oleic acid, linoleic acid) levels than control. These results suggested that the supplementation of feed additives containing "Xanthophyllomyces dendrohous" might be used effectively for inproving productivity and meat quality of ducks.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.307-314
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• 2009

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary garlic powder (GP) on growth performance and mRNA expression of hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMG-CoA reductase) in broiler chickens. Day-old male chicks (Ross, n=270) were fed diets containing 0% [positive control (PC) with antibiotics or negative control (NC) without antibiotics], 1%, 3% and 5% GP for 6 wks. There were no significant differences in feed intake among the treatments throughout the experimental period. Body weight gains in groups fed dietary GP at 3% and 5% were significantly higher than that of NC group (P<0.05). Feeding GP up to 5% did not exert any adverse effect on weight gain and feed intake. There were no significant differences in the relative weights of liver, spleen, cecum and breast muscle. The content of meat cholesterol in GP containing dietary groups tended to be reduced as compared to NC group. Average infectious bronchitis antibody titers in chicks fed GP containing diets were significantly higher than that of NC group (P<0.05). The mRNA expression of hepatic HMG-CoA reductase was reduced by dietary GP. These results indicate that dietary GP has growth promoting effects and tended to alter cholesterol metabolism in broiler chickens.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.99-107
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• 2012

Purpose: Most terminally ill cancer patients die from cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome. This study evaluated a prognostic role of plasma leptin levels in terminally ill cancer patients. Methods: This study enrolled 69 terminally ill cancer patients who were aged above 20 years old from July 2009 to July 2010. For univariate analysis, an association between leptin levels and patient's characteristics or other variables was examined using Spearman's correlation analysis, Wilcoxon's rank-sum test or Kruskal-Wallis test, as appropriately. For multivariable analysis, Cox's proportional hazard regression model was used to evaluate a clinical significance of plasma leptin levels as a prognostic factor and to determine factors which affect the risk of death in terminally ill cancer patients. Results: A statistically significant positive correlation between plasma leptin levels and survival time was found. Univariate Cox's proportional hazard regression analyses also showed a moderately significant association between plasma leptin levels and survival time. However, after adjusting variables for sex, white blood cell counts, total bilirubin, AST, ALT, albumin and CRP levels, plasma leptin levels were not significantly associated with survival time. Conclusion: No significant association was found between plasma leptin levels and survival time in terminally ill cancer patients. However, this study suggested a prognostic value of plasma leptin levels in gastrointestinal cancer patients.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.172-179
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• 2017

The fermentation of Panax ginseng can yield many compounds from ginsenosides that have a wide variety of biological functions. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains are capable of converting ginsenosides. The purposes of this study were to: (1) characterize Enterococcus faecium SA5, an isolated LAB from Mongolian mare milk, (2) identify the existence of extracellular ${\beta}$-glucosidase activity in the milk, and (3) ascertain if the ${\beta}$-glucosidase has the capacity of converting ginsenoside in Korean ginseng. The results revealed that E. faecium SA5 was acid-resistant, bile salt-resistant, and has antibiotic activities against 4 pathogenic microorganisms (Salmonella typhimurium KCTC 3216, Listeria monocytogenes KCTC 3710, Bacillus cereus KCTC 1012, Staphylococcus aureus KCTC 1621). In addition, E. faecium SA5 had tolerance against some antibiotics such as colistin, gentamycin and neomycin. It was also found that E. faecium SA5 possessed bile salt hydrolase activity, which could lower blood cholesterol level. When incubated in 10% (w/v) skim milk as a yogurt starter, E. faecium SA5 caused to decrease pH of the medium as well as increase in viable cell counts. Using TLC and HPLC analysis on the samples incubated in MRS broth, our study confirmed that E. faecium SA5 can produce ${\beta}$-glucosidase, which was capable of converting ginsenoside $Rb_1$ into new ginsenosides $Rg_3-s$ and $Rg_3-r$. It was concluded that E. faecium SA5 possessed a potential of probiotic activity, which could be applied to yogurt manufacture as well as ginsenoside conversion in ginseng.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1233-1243
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• 2018

Sterol regulatory-element binding proteins (SREBPs) are a family of transcription factors that regulate lipid homeostasis and metabolism by controlling the expression of enzymes required for endogenous cholesterol, fatty acid (FA), triacylglycerol, and phospholipid synthesis. The three SREBPs are encoded by two different genes. The SREBP1 gene gives rise to SREBP-1a and SREBP-1c, which are derived from utilization of alternate promoters that yield transcripts in which distinct first exons are spliced to a common second exon. SREBP-2 is derived from a separate gene. Additionally, SREBPs are implicated in numerous pathogenic processes, such as endoplasmic reticulum stress, inflammation, autophagy, and apoptosis. They also contribute to obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases. Genome-wide analyses have revealed that these versatile transcription factors act as important nodes of biological signaling networks. Changes in cell metabolism and growth are reciprocally linked through SREBPs. Anabolic and growth signaling pathways branch off and connect to multiple steps of SREBP activation and form complex regulatory networks. SREBPs are activated through the PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway in these processes, but the molecular mechanism remains to be understood. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of SREBPs in physiology and pathophysiology at the cell, organ, and organism levels.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.29-33
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• 1999

To investigate the effects of Angelica gigas Nakai diet on lipid metabolism, alcohol metabolism and liver function of rats administered with chronic ethanol, Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed either AIN-76 diet (control), control diet with ethanol, control plus Angelica gigas Nakai diet, or control plus Angelica gigas Nakai diet with ethanol for 30 days. On the 21st day, all of the rats were given an oral dose of ethanol and blood-ethanol concentration was monitored for the next 5 hours. The results obtained were: 1) Upon ethanol administration, the blood ethanol concentration was decreased from 2 hr significantly in the group of control plus Angelica gigas Nakai diet compared with control diet group; 2) The blood ethanol oxidation rate was increased in the group of control plus Angelica gigas Nakai diet with ethanol compared with control diet group or control plus Angelica gigas Nakai diet group. After 30 days, rats were sacrificed and then lipid and enzyme determinations in blood and liver were carried out. The results obtained were: 1) LDL-cholesterol in the blood of control plus Angelica gigas Nakai diet group was decreased significantly compared with control diet group; 2) Angelica gigas Nakai diet decreased liver triglyceride and total lipid and blood ${\gamma}-GTP$ level increased due to the chronic ethanol administration. These data suggest that Angelica gigas Nakai can have a recovery function on the symptoms of alcohol related diseases.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.169-174
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• 1984

For the purpose of investigating whether the administration of sunflower pollen load has any influence upon liver cholesterol metabolism in mouse, lipids were isolated from sunflower pollen load, identified and quantitated by thin-layer and gas liquid chromatographies. We also studied changes in liver cholesterol level in mouse according to the amount and the period of pollen load administration. Lipids of sunflower pollen load were constituted 84.10f of neutral lipid, 10.50% of glycolipid and 5.40% of phospholipid. The main fatty acid contents of neutral lipid, glycolipid and phospholipid were ranged 28.48 to 33.70% of linoleic acid, 12.90 to 47.50% of palmitic acid ana 11.20 to 12.20% of oleic acid, however, phospholipid contained more palmitic acid than the other lipids. The body weight of the Pollen fed mouse significantly increased during experimental Period in comparison with control group. From the fact tat the ratio of liver weight to body weight of pollen fed mouse was smaller than that of control group, it was proved that liver lipid metabolism of pollen fed mouse was more active than that of control group. During early experimental period, liver cholesterol level had been increased according to pollen load administration(P.O), and then the level decreased rapidly to the similar level to that of control group at the end of the period.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.1387-1393
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• 2007

Hambag mushroom is edible mushroom, and one of new strains in Grifola frondosa. It was developed from Korean wild Grifola frondosa by National Institute Science & Technology. In this study, we investigated the effects of the powder extracted from fruit-body of hambag mushroom on hyperglycemia, hyperlipemia and pancreatic cells in rats with streptozotocin (STZ) and high fat diet-induced diabetes. The diabetic rats were fed with hambag mushroom-powder (1 and 2% of diet weight) for 6 weeks. And then the levels of blood glucose and lipid and the pancreatic tissue were analyzed and compared. The diabetic rats fed with hambag mushroom-powder lost less body weight than those fed with the powder-free normal diet. flood glucose levels in the diabetic rats fed with hambag mushroom-powder at all concentrations was lower by 50% than in the diabetic rats fed with normal diet. The levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol in the diabetic rats fed with hambag mushroom-powder were increased compared to those in the diabetic rats fed with normal diet. There were the blood levels of cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol by hambag mushroom-powder concentrations in a dose-dependent response. The decreased damage of pancreatic tissue in the group treated with hambag mushroom-powder could be suggested possibly as one of mechanisms for the effects of hambag mushroom-powder on hyperglycemia and hyperlipemia.