• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.22 no.1 s.56
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• pp.73-82
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• 2007

Six week-old ICR mite which were divided into four groups including NC, RC, RR and RS were injected with sun ginseng (RS), red ginseng (RR) and saline (RC) intraperitonedlly as an amount of 60 mg/g body weight at 1 hour, 12 hours and 36 hours before the irradiation of high-energy X-ray and the mire were sacrificed at three and a half days after the irradiation. The RS group were significant increase in the weight of spleen (p<0.01) and the numbers of jejunal crypt cells (P<0.01), WBC (p<0.05), lymphocytes (p<0.05) and neutrophils (p<0.05) in comparison with the RC group. The RR group were significant increase in the numbers of jejunal crypt cells (p<0.001), WBC (p<0.05) and neutrophils (p<0.05) in comparison with the RC group. The RS group exhibited a more increase in the weights of spleen and thymus and the numbers of jejunal crypt cells and all items of hematological examination than the RR group. The values of ALT (alanine transaminase) and AST (aspartate transaminase) were significantly elevated (p<0.05) by radiation and they were significantly decreased (p<0.05) in the RS group to the values of the NC group. Taken together the above results, sun ginseng demonstrated a jejunal crypt survival effect, the protective effects on hepatocytes and immune and hematopoietic cells in mice irradiated with high-energy X-ray, and those radiation protective effects were a little higher in comparison with red ginseng.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.209-215
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• 2009

1. Objects: This case study reports a liver injury in treatment of constipation with Yeoldahanso-tang plus Rheum rhabarbarum. 2. Methods: The patient's subjective symptoms and the laboratory data including aspartate transaminase(AST), alanine transaminase(ALT), alkaline phosphatase(ALP), and gamma($\gamma$)-glutamyl transpeptidase(GGT) were observed before and after liver injury. We used the Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method(RUCAM) scale in order to find out whether if Yeoldahanso-tang plus Rheum rhabarbarum was related with the liver injury. 3. Results: The patient's AST and ALT were elevated more than twice after a 3week administration period of herbal medicine. After discontinuation of the herbal medicine and administration of hepatic protective medication, AST and ALT decreased. The patient's general condition improved during hospitalization. The RUCAM score was estimated at 8. 4. Conclusions: This case is presented to bring more attention to the toxicity of herbal medicine.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.5
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• pp.212-217
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• 2016

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical features of children who have survived a water submersion incident, and to identify risk factors for prognosis. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who experienced submersion between January 2005 and December 2014. The patients were classified into 2 groups, according to complications, and prognostic factors were evaluated. Results: During the study period, 29 children experienced submersion (20 boys and 9 girls; mean age, $83.8{\pm}46.4$ months). Submersion occurred most commonly in the summer, with the peak incidence in August. The most frequent Szpilman clinical score was grade 5 (13 patients; 44.8%), followed by grade 6 (7 patients; 24.1%), and grades 1 or 2 (3 patients; 10.3%). Five children (17.2%) in the poor prognosis group died or had hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, and the overall mortality rate was 6.9%. Poor prognosis after submersion was associated with lower consciousness levels (P=0.003), higher Szpilman scores (P=0.007), greater need for intubation and mechanical ventilator support (P=0.001), and longer duration of oxygen therapy (P=0.015). Poor prognosis was also associated with lower bicarbonate levels (P=0.038), as well as higher sodium, aspartate transaminase (AST), and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels (P=0.034, P=0.006, and P=0.005, respectively). Szpilman clinical scores were positively correlated with consciousness levels (r=0.489, P=0.002) and serum liver enzyme levels (AST and ALT; r=0.521, P=0.004). Conclusion: We characterized the prognostic factors associated with submersion outcomes, using the Szpilman clinical score, which is comparable to consciousness level for predicting mortality.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.222-226
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• 2017

Flavonoids including quercetin and rutin are a group of naturally occurring compounds widely distributed in plants, especially in buckwheat. Thus, cereal and the leaf of the plant have increasingly used as a source of nutritional and functional foods such as noodle, cake or soup in Korea, Japan and other countries. This study investigated comparative effects of dietary rutin rich in buckwheat and its aglycone, quercetin, on serum biomarkers and antioxidant parameters in rats treated with chronic ethanol. Rats were fed with the liquid diets prepared by the method of Lieber Decarli. Serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) activities increased significantly by alcohol feeding. Dietary flavonoids including rutin, quercetin and their mixtures (1/1, v/v) decreased significantly the activities of serum ALT whereas the feeding of quercetin decreased only the activity of serum AST. The concentration of serum malondialdehydes elevated by chronic alcohol feeding decreased markedly in all the experimental groups that were fed with the flavonoids; however, the combined administration of quercetin or rutin, but not that of rutin or quercetin alone decreased significantly the concentration of liver malondialdehydes to the normal range in rats fed without ethanol. Our results suggested that dietary combined mixture of rutin and quercetin might be effective in ameliorating adverse responses seen in rats exposed to ethanol chronically.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2014

In this study, we investigated the hepatoprotective effects of aged black garlic (ABG) in rodent models of liver injury. ABG inhibited carbon tetrachloride-induced elevation of aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT), which are markers of hepatocellular damage, in SD rats. D-galactosamine-induced hepatocellular damage was also suppressed by ABG treatment. However, ABG does not affect the elevation of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), a marker of hepatobilliary damage, in rats treated with carbon tetrachloride or D-galactosamine. We also examined the effect of ABG on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced fatty liver and subsequent liver damage. ABG had no significant effect on body weight increase and plasma lipid profile in HFD-fed mice. However, HFD-induced increase in AST and ALT, but not ALP, was significantly suppressed by ABG treatment. These results demonstrate that ABG has hepatoprotective effects and suggest that ABG supplementation might be a good adjuvant therapy for the management of liver injury.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.272-277
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• 2011

The hypoglycemic effects of germinated rough rice extract in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were investigated. Weight gain was significantly lower in the diabetic groups than in the normal control (NC); however, they were higher in the 1% and 3% diabetic groups given germinated Goami2 rough rice extract (DM-3%GGRRE) than in the diabetic control (DC). While food intake in all diabetic groups was significantly higher than that of the NC, there was no significant difference among all diabetic groups. The weight percentages of liver and kidney in all diabetic groups were significantly higher than that of the NC. In terms of blood glucose, the diabetic group showed about a three times larger value than the normal group. Moreover, in the 3% germinated rough rice extract group, the blood glucose level became lowered. The levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine phosphokinsae, and creatinine increased in general with the induction of diabetes using STZ; however, the 3% GGRRE-treated group displayed a significant decrease in these levels compared to the diabetic group. The results show that the 3% GGRRE, rather than the 1% GGRRE, was considerably more effective at reducing blood glucose and improving impaired glucose tolerance, suggesting the germinated rice extracts may play a role in preventing liver and kidney damage.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.324-333
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was conducted to compare the changes in the levels of liver enzymes after providing health education to workers. Methods: Among 909 electronics-manufacturing workers, 96 (10.6%) workers had abnormal liver functions. Of these, male workers were randomly assigned into either the health education experimental group (48 [52.2%]) or the control group (44 [47.8%]). Depending on the level of participation in the health education, workers in the experimental group were classified into the participation (32 [34.8%]) and non-participation groups (16 [17.4%]). Changes in the levels of liver enzymes were compared among three groups. Results: The changes in the levels of gamma-glutamyltransferase (r-GTP) in the participation, non-participation, and control groups were $-25.3{\pm}54.5$ IU/L, $-4.4{\pm}24.1$ IU/L, and $-5.3{\pm}38.8$ IU/L, respectively (p=.036). Aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, waist circumference, body mass index, daily alcohol consumption, weekly exercise, and changes in smoking habits in the 3 groups did not differ significantly. In the multiple linear regression analysis, the variable of education participation revealed a significant regression coefficient of -25.10 when the change in r-GTP levels was the dependent variable. Conclusion: A brief health education targeted towards the management of liver disease among workers improved r-GTP levels.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.17-31
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• 2010

Objectives : Ganoderma Lucidum has been used in traditional oriental medicine to treat various conditions including chronic fatigue and cough. This experimental study was designed to investigate the effects of yeast-fermented Ganoderma Lucidum extract on the fatigue of rats elicited by forced swimming. Materials and methods : The rat subjects were divided into 4 groups: normal group, control group administered with 0.9% normal saline, experimental I(Exp I) group administered with yeast-fermented Ganoderma lucidum extract and experimental II(Exp II) group administered with Ganoderma lucidum extract for 4 weeks. All the serum samples collected by heart puncture were used to measure biochemical factors such as glucose, lactate, lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), creatine kinase(CK), inorganic phosphorus, ammonia, total cholesterol(TC), triglycerides(TG), high-density lipoprotein(HDL), low-density lipoprotein(LDL), aspartate transaminase(AST), alanine transaminase(ALT). Results : 1. Weight change and swimming time were not significantly different in the experimental groups as compared with control group. 2. Lactate was significantly decreased in the experimental groups as compared with control group. Inorganic phosphorus was also significantly decreased in the Exp I group as compared with control group(p<0.05). 3. Serum lipid concentration was not significantly different in the experimental groups as compared with control group. 4. AST and ALT were significantly decrease in the experimental groups as compared with control group. Conclusions : Yeast-fermented Ganoderma lucidum in forced swimming rats would appear to reduce fatigue-related factors, AST, ALT of serum and promote anti-fatigue effect.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.115-120
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• 2015

Purpose: Cholecystectomy is rarely performed in the child and adolescent. However, it is associated with several conditions. This study was conducted to describe the characteristics of pediatric patient who underwent cholecystectomy unrelated to hematologic disorders, and then to suggest its clinical significance in management by comparing a simple and complicated gallbladder disease. Methods: We reviewed cases of cholecystectomy in pediatric patients (under 18 years old) at a single institution between January 2003 and October 2014. There were 143 cases during the study period and 24 were selected as the subject group. Results: There were 7 male (29.2%) and 17 female (70.8%) patients. The mean age was 13.1 years old, and 66.6% of patients were older than 12 years. Mean body weight was 52.7 kg, and body mass index was $21.7kg/m^2$, with 41.7% of patients being overweight or obese. We could identify a female predominance and high proportion of overweight or obesity in a complicated disease. There were also significantly increased levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin in this group. Most patients (87.5%) underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Conclusion: Cholecystectomy for diseases unrelated to hematologic disorders is rarely performed in the child and adolescent. In general, female patients who are overweight or obese, and those older than 12 years old, require laparoscopic cholecystectomy owing to multiple gallstones. This condition has a tendency to show a complicated gallbladder disease and significantly increased levels of AST, ALT, ALP, and bilirubin.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.22 no.2 s.57
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• pp.147-156
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• 2007

Six week-old ICR mice were divided into four groups including NC, RC, RR and RS, then they were injected with sun ginseng (RS), red ginseng (RR) and saline (RC) intraperitoneally as an amount of 60mg/kg body weight at 1 hour, 12 hours and 36 hours before the whole body irradiation with 6.5Gy of X-ray. And the mice were sacrificed at nine days after the irradiation. The RS group were significant increase in the weight of spleen (p<0.05) and the numbers of endogenous spleen colony (p<0.001) and WBC (p<0.05) especially neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes in comparison with the RC group. The RR group were significant increase in the numbers of endogenous spleen colony (p<0.01) and WBC (p<0.05) especially neutrophils, lymphocytes and eosinophils in comparison with the RC group. The RS group exhibited a more increase in the weight of spleen and the number of endogenous spleen colony than the RR group. The values of ALT (alanine transaminase) and AST (aspartate transaminase) were significantly elevated (p<0.05) by radiation and they were significantly decreased (p<0.05) in the RS group to the values of the NC group. The value of TBARS(thiobarbituric acid reactive substance) was significantly elevated (p<0.01) by radiation and it was significantly decreased (p<0.05) in the RS group. And the values of SOD (superoxide dismutase) and CAT (catalase) were significantly increased (p<0.05) in the RS group in comparison with the RC group. Taken together the above results, sun ginseng demonstrated the protective effects on hepatocytes and immune and hematopoietic cells in mice exposed to medium dose of irradiation, and those radioprotective effects were a little higher or similar to the red ginseng.