• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.107-114
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• 1999

It has long been recognized that dropwort contains specific funtional subtances for protecting human liver and preventing and curing its diseases, and thus it has been widely utilized in traditional folk remedy. In the present study. fresh of fermented extract of dropwort shoots grown on dryland and fresh extract of those grown on flooded fie1d were fed to the rats suffering from acute, subacute or chronical toxication induced by alcohol administration, and their affects were investigated. Administration of alcohol to rats and mice for 2 days at 5ml of 30% EtOH/kg/day raised total cholesterol and total glyceride which were, however, great1y supressed when alcohol was administered to the laboratory animals previously fed on fresh or fermented extract of dryland dropwort, or fresh extract of flooded field-grown dropwort for 20 days, without significant differences among the extracts. The levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase which were raised by alcohol adminstration were also lowered by feeding dropwort extract, among which that of fermented dryland-grown one was more effective than the other two. Chronic alcohol toxication was induced to rats by administering 10% alcohol for 10 months and fermented dropwort extract or tap water was fed to the rats for 5 days. The rats fed on fermented dropwort extract were lower in total cholesterol by 40% and in tota1 glyceride by 60% than the control. Alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in the rats fed on fermented dropwort extract were decreased by 87.2% and 91.7%, respectively, compared to the control, and the rats recovered almost to normal. Activity of alkaline phosphatase, catalase, superoxide dismutase or glutathione peroxidase changed greatly by alcohol administration in the rats suffering from chronic as well as acute toxication. The extract of fermented dry land dropwort significantly lowed the activity of those enzymes, especially, alkaline phosphatase and superoxide dismutase. The present results suggesting the possible medicinal effect of fermented dropwort extract to liver diseases.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.353-359
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• 1987

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of growth rate on the biosynthesis of tylosin in Streptomyces fradiae. In order to elucidate the relation between the growth rate and the tylosin formation rate, the activities of enzymes involved in oxaloacetate metabolism were determined using cells grown at different growth rates in chemostats. As the results, it was found that the specific rate of tylosin formation($q_{p}$) was closely related to the specific cell growth rate and the maximum value of $q_{p}$ was 1.1mg tylosin, $q_{p}$ cell, $0.013h^{-1}$ at the growth rate $0.013h^{-1}$. However further increase in the growth rate over $0.013h^{-1}$ resulted in apparent decrease of $1_{p}$. The synthesis and activities of citrate synthase, aspartate aminotransferase, and PEP carboxylase were very low at lower growth rate. On the other hand, the activity and synthesis of methylmalonyl-CoA carboxyltransferase was closely related to tylosin formation. Therefore it was concluded that tylosin formation was apparently controlled by the growth rate.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.471-480
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• 2021

Objectives: Cadmium is widely used, leading to extensive environmental and occupational exposure. Unlike other organs, for which the harmful and carcinogenic effects of cadmium have been established, the hepatotoxicity of cadmium remains unclear. Some studies detected correlations between cadmium exposure and hepatotoxicity, but others concluded that they were not associated. Thus, we investigated the relationship between cadmium and liver damage in the general population. Methods: In total, 11 838 adult participants from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2015 were included. Urinary cadmium levels and the following liver function parameters were measured: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), total bilirubin (TB), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Linear and logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the associations between urinary cadmium concentrations and each liver function parameter after adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, annual family income, smoking status, alcohol consumption status, physical activity, and body mass index. Results: The covariate-adjusted results of the linear regression analyses showed significant positive relationships between log-transformed urinary cadmium levels and each log-transformed liver function parameter, where beta±standard error of ALT, AST, GGT, TB, and ALP were 0.049±0.008 (p<0.001), 0.030±0.006 (p<0.001), 0.093±0.011 (p<0.001), 0.034±0.009 (p<0.001), and 0.040±0.005 (p<0.001), respectively. Logistic regression also revealed statistically significant results. The odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of elevated ALT, AST, GGT, TB, and ALP per unit increase in log-transformed urinary cadmium concentration were 1.360 (1.210 to 1.528), 1.307 (1.149 to 1.486), 1.520 (1.357 to 1.704), 1.201 (1.003 to 1.438), and 1.568 (1.277 to 1.926), respectively. Conclusions: Chronic exposure to cadmium showed positive associations with liver damage.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2010

We determined oxidative stress caused by thermal stress in olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus based on the altered-mRNA expression and enzymatic activity of two key antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), along with monitoring of several other biomarkers. When the fish were exposed to acute thermal change (from $20^{\circ}C$ to $25^{\circ}C$ and $30^{\circ}C$), the expression and activity of both enzymes were significantly higher at elevated temperatures ($25^{\circ}C$ and $30^{\circ}C$) than at $20^{\circ}C$. Lipid peroxidation (LPO) was also higher at $25^{\circ}C$ and $30^{\circ}C$ than at $20^{\circ}C$. In addition, the plasma $H_2O_2$ concentration was significantly increased by thermal stress. Furthermore, we investigated changes due to thermal stress by measuring levels of plasma alanine aminotransferase (AlaAT) and aspartate aminotrasferase (AspAT). Both were significantly increased by thermal stress. As an immune indicator, the lysozyme concentration was lower at $30^{\circ}C$ than at $20^{\circ}C$, indicating that thermal stress decreases immune function. Therefore, thermal stress could induce oxidative stress and suppress immune function and can cause physiological stress.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.176-182
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• 2014

Haw (Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge) has been used in traditional medicine for treating various ailments such as obesity and digestive trouble in Far East countries, including Korea. The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of feral haw on hepatic functional enzymes in dyslipidemic rats. Four groups of male rats (Sprague Dawley strain) were fed different diets for 5 weeks: NND (normal-nondyslipidemic diet) group, NNDH (normal-nondyslipidemic diet + haw extract) group, CDD (control-dyslipidemic diet) group and DDH (dyslipidemic diet + haw extract) group. ALP (alkaline phosphatase), LDH (lactate dehydrogenase), AST (aspartate aminotransferase) and ALT (alanine aminotransferase) activities were significantly higher in the CDD group than the NND group. However, haw extract supplement significantly reduced hepatic functional enzyme activities compared to the CDD group. Lipid deposition of the DDH group decreased compared to the CDD group. The size of adipose tissue decreased significantly in the DDH group compared to the CDD group. These results suggest that feral haw could be used as a food resource and functional food material.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1342-1347
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• 2008

The purpose of present study was to investigate the protective effect of silkworm excrement powder (SEP) on alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Semisynthetic diet supplemented with SEP (3%, w/w) given to alcohol-feeding rats for 30 days, then blood and tissues were collected, processed and used for alcohol concentration mensuration, various biochemical estimations and histopathological examination. Chronic alcohol administration resulted in significantly increase in the activities of the clinically important liver marker enzymes, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), $\gamma$-glutamyl transpeptidase ($\gamma$-GTP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Also, a highly significant increase in the blood alcohol level by alcohol treatment was observed. But alcohol-induced elevation of ALT and LDH levels markedly prevented and the level of blood alcohol decreased in SEP treated rats as compared to alcohol-administered control rats. SEP supplementation showed highly decreased the concentrations of total lipid, triglyceride and cholesterol in serum, as compared with alcohol treated control rats. Alcohol treatment induced the marked accumulation of large lipid droplets, hepatocytes necrosis and inflammation in the liver, but SEP administration attenuated to alcohol-induced accumulation of lipid droplets and hepatocyte necrosis. The results indicated that SEP may exert a protective effect against alcoholic hepatotoxicity through decreasing the activity of hepatic marker enzymes.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.339-350
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• 2013

The decreased body, liver, kidney, spleen and testis weights of guinea pigs by TCDD (2,3,7,8-tetracholorodibenzo-${\rho}$-dioxin) treatment (TT) were statistically significantly increased after treating red ginseng saponin fraction (SF) (p>0.01). After treated with SF, the decreased hematocrits values and numbers of RBC and platelet, activity of amylase and lactate dehydrogenase, levels of uric acid, total protein and albumin by TT were increased, and the increased numbers of WBC, levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus, activities of creatinine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase were decreased after treated with SF. And they all had a statistical significance (p>0.01) except for RBC, WBC, platelet, blood glucose, TC, calcium and albumin. From these results, we knew that SF mollified the acute toxicity induced by TCDD in guinea pigs.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2018

We tried to determine the optimum salinity for a cultured of olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) by investigating after exposing the fish at different salinity (10, 15, 20 and 25 psu) for 24 and 48 hours compared with control group (fish before transfer to experimental tank). As a control groups, we compared an analyzed with other experimental groups using olive flounder in natural sea water. Hematological parameters including hematocrit (Ht) and hemoglobin (Hb), cortisol and glucose, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), $NH_3$, osmolality, total protein (TP), $Na^+$, $K^+$ and $Cl^-$ mostly exhibited significant changes at 10 and 15 psu groups compared with control groups for 24 and 48 hours exposed. Plasma SOD (superoxide dismutase) and CAT (catalase) activity also increased with experimental groups (10 and 15 psu) compared to the control groups. The expression of HSP70 mRNA was also higher at low-salinity (10 and 15 psu) than at control group. In particular, after 24 hours exposed, it expression to 15 psu groups showed a significant difference compared to the control group. However, after 48 hours exposed, it expression was higher in the 10 psu groups than the control. It is assumed that the changes in the hematological responses and hormone, homeostasis and metabolism were resulted in to protect fish body from stress. Based on these results, we are expected that it will be used as basic data for the culture of olive flounder prepared for low salinity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.136-143
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• 2002

Jaboyangyeong-hwan (IAE) has been known as a traditional medicine for the treatment of debility, fatigue, and liver diseases. The hepatoprotective effect of the water extract of Jaboyangyeong-hwan was investigated against carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-induced hepatic damage. A single intraperitoneal injection of $CCl_4$produced liver damage in rats as manifested by the significant rise of aspartate aminotransferase (AST, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in serum as compared to those of untreated normal group. Pretreatments of rats with the JAE extract (300, 600, and 1200 mg/kg for 7 days) were significantly reduced AST, ALT, and ALP levels compared with $CCl_4$-treated control group. Treatment of rats with $CCl_4$led to significantly increase in lipid peroxidation and significantly decrease in cytochrome P450 and P450 reductase. The oral administration of the JAE extract significantly inhibited the accumulation of microsomal thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and increased the cytochrome P450 and P450 reductase activity. All these biochemical alterations resulting from $CCl_4$administration were inhibited by the pretreatment with JAE extract. These results suggest that JAE water extract can be useful as a hepatoprotective agent.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.325-329
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• 2002

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of porphyran on enzyme activity in rats and immunity in mice. Animals were divided into 5 groups, and were given porphyran diet for 4 weeks. Porphyran was extracted from Porphyra yezoensis: Diet groups were normal diet, control diet fed high fat, cholesterol and sodium cholate, control and 1% porphyran diet (1% PD), control and 5% porphyran diet (5% PD), control and 10% of porphyran diet (10% PD). Also Balb/c female mouse were injected i.p. with porphyran extract every other day for 20 days at levels of 1%, 2% and 5%. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities were lower in the porphyran diet group than those in control group. Superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in liver homogenates were reduced in porphyran diet group compared to those of control group. Also, the level of liver thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) was lower in porphyran group than that of control group. Porphyran increased IL-1 production in a dose-dependent manner, however, interleukine-2 production was reduced as the amount of porphyran increases. These results showed that supplementation of porphyran lowered antioxidant enzyme activities and has possibility of modulating immunological function.