• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.197-200
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• 2006

We analyzed total protein (TP), albumin (AL), aspartic aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), urea nitrogen (UN), creatinine (CRE) and serum protein electrophoretic fractions in sera of rural elderly patients to evaluate the health status in rural elderly patients. We observed that the frequencies of patients showed lower level of total protein, albumin, and both total protein and albumin than them of reference range were 20.3%, 22.8% and 19.0%, respectively. The rates of patients showed higher level of AST, ALT, both of AST and ALT, UN, creatinine and both of UN and creatinine than them of reference range were 33.8%, 40.0%, 30.0%, 17.7%, 15.2% and 7.9%, respectively. Comparison of protein fractions of each patient to reference range showed that 77.2% of patients showed normal in all of patterns. Few of patients showed abnormal pattern in albumin (13.6%), ${\alpha}1-globulin (0.0%),\;{\alpha}_2-g10bulin(1.1%),\;{\beta}-globulin(1.9%)\;and\;{\gamma}-globulin(6.2%)$. These data suggest that many of rural elderly patients may suffer from heart, liver and kidney diseases. The serum protein fractions are not typical criterion to evaluate the disease, but production of proteins in rural elderly patients may be affected by liver disease and kidney disease.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.34-39
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• 2012

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and the efficacy of Korean herbal, western and combination medicine use in patients with abnormal liver function tests. Methods: We investigated nerve disease patients with abnormal liver function tests who were treated with Korean herbal, western and combination medicine at Dong-Eui University Oriental Hospital from January 2011 to August 2011. We compared aspartic aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin (T-bil) levels before and after taking medicine and excluded patients who had liver-related disease when admitted. Results: AST and ALT were decreased significantly in patients who had taken herbal, western medicine. AST, ALT and ALP were decreased significantly in patients who had taken combination medicine. Compare to herbal medicine, AST, ALT and ALP were decreased significantly in patients who had taken western medicine, and ALT and ALP were decreased significantly in patients who had taken combination medicine. There were no significant differences between western and combination medicine. Conclusions: This study suggests that prescribed Korean herbal medicine, at least, does not injure liver function for patients', moreover, it was shown to be effective in patients with abnormal liver function tests.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.57-67
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• 2011

In this study, we investigated the correlation between the administration of various antiviral agents and the alternation of specific biomarkers induced by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Eligible subjects diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B were prescribed with antiviral drugs at the Gastroenterology Internal Medicine Department of E University Hospital in Daejeon between May 2004 and September 2009. Lamivudine was prescribed to 66 out of 100 patients. Of the 12 patients, 6 (50.0%) showed a change from being HBe-antigen-positive to being HBe-antigen-negative. Of the 39 patients, 23 (59.0%) showed higher than 40 IU/L alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Of the 65 patients, 41 (63.1%) showed HBV DNA decrease of 1 log, and were prescribed with Lamivudine. Adefovir was prescribed to 3 out of 100 patients. Of the 12 patients, 1 (8.3%) showed a change from being HBe-antigen-positive to being HBe-antigen-negative, and was prescribed with Adefovir. Entecavir was prescribed to 19 (19.0%) out of 100 patients. Of the 12 patients, 3 (25.0%) showed a change from being HBe-antigen-positive to being HBe-antigen-negative. Of the 12 patients, 3 (125.8%) showed higher than 40 IU/L ALT. Of the 65 patients, 14 (21.5%) showed HBV DNA decrease of 1 log, and were prescribed with Entecavir. Clavudine was prescribed to 7 out of 100 patients. Of the 12 patients, 1 (8.3%) showed a change from positive HBe antigen to negative HBe antigen. Of the 39 patients, 5 (12.8%) showed higher than 40 IU/L ALT. Of the 65 patients, 6 (9.2%) showed HBV decrease of 1 log, and were prescribed with Clavudine. These results do not show a statistically significant correlation between drugs and biomarkers. Data on combination therapy using Lamivudine and Adefovir show no statistically significant difference between drugs and biomarkers. Medications for periodic inspection was not correlated to HBe-antigen-negative conversion, ALT, and HBV DNA. HBV DNA was significantly reduced in patients with high levels of AST(aspartic acid aminotransferase) and ALT before treatment. In addition, the decrease of HBV DNA after 12 months of treatment was less frequently observed in patients treated with Lamivudine compared with other drugs. This result is associated with Lamivudine resistance. Although the association of drugs with diagnostic markers and the correct choice of treatment is difficult to determine, these results may be useful for further research on diagnosis and treatment of the hepatitis B virus.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.287-291
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• 2007

The factors and mechanisms by infection of Oriental Tsutsugamushi caused disease are not well understood. The onset of tsutsugamushi disease is characterized by chilliness, fever, malaise, headache and generalized aching. Infection of tsutsugamushi is the cause of impairment of function of a major organ often complicate the picture and immediately change the prognosis for the worse. Tsutsugamushi disease is reported that this disease is characterized by the histopathogenesis of liver, kidney, heart, and lung, but the variation of biochemical components in serum of tsutsugamushi disease patient are not clear. We analyzed total protein (TP), albumin (AL), aspartic aminotranferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphotase (ALP), urea nitrogen (UN), creatinine (CRE), glucose (GLD), cholesterol (CHOL) and total bilirubin (TB) in sera of patients with tsutsugamushi disease. In comparison with reference, total protein and albumin were abnormally decreased in 19.6% and 39.2% of patients, respectively. AST, ALT, ALP, creatinine, UN, glucose, cholesterol and total bilirubin were abnormally increased in 94.1 %, 72.5%, 25.5%, 15.7%, 9.8%, 62.7%, 25.5% and 6.0% of patients, respectively. The patients showed abnormal relative rate of protein electrophoretic fractions to total protein in serum compared to them of reference were 43.1% (albumin), 12.9% ($\alpha_1$-globulin), 58.8% ($\alpha_2$-globulin), 60.8% ($\beta$-globulin) and 70.6% ($\gamma$-globulin), respectively. These data suggest that infection of Oriental Tsutsugamushi causes impairment of function of a major organ and abnormal serum protein electrophoresis fractions to tsutsugamushi patients.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.253-257
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• 2004

The mechanisms by which leptospires caused disease are not well understood. A number of putative virulence factors have been suggested, but with few exceptions their role in pathogenesis remains unclear. In these days, many cases of leptospirosis are diagnosed by serological immunoassay. Leptospirosis is characterized by the histopathology of liver, kidney, heart, and lung, but the electrophoresis fractions of serum protein are not compared. We analyzed total protein, albumin, aspartic aminotranferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine and urea nitrogen (UN) in sera of patients diagnosed leptospirosis. Total protein and albumin were decreased in 18.5％ and 31.2％ of patients, respectively. AST, ALT, ALP, UN and creatinine were increased in 90.4％, 66.9％, 28.0％, 15.9％ and 10.8％ of patients, respectively. We performed cellulose acetate membrane electrophoresis (EP) on sera of patients increased both of AST and ALT, and of patients increased both of creatinine and UN. In patients increased both of AST and ALT, and in patients increased both of AST and ALT, the relative percentage of albumin to total protein in patient serum was dcreased in 89.1 ％ of patients. α₁-globulin, α₂-globulin, β-globulin and γ-globulin were increased in 85.1 ％, 75.2％, 33.6％ and 98.0％ of patients, respectively. In patients increased both of creatinine and UN, the relative percentage of albumin to total protein in patient serum was dcreased in 93.8％ of patients. α₁-globulin, α₂-globulin, β-globulin and γ-globulin were increased in 87.5％, 100％, 31.2％ and 93.8％ of patients, respectively. These data indicate that infection of Leptospira causes severe liver damage to most of leptospirosis patients, but doesn't cause renal damage to most of them. The relative rate of serum protein electrophoresis fractions to total protein are not identical with them of typical hepatitis patient.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.235-241
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to investigate the immune activation effect of Sasamsaengmaek-san (SSSMS) consisted of a mixture of Adenophora triphylla var. japonica, Liriope platyphylla, Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer and Schisandra chinensis. in Balb/c mice. Measuring alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartic acid transaminase (AST) levels in Balb/c mice was performed to analyze the cytotoxicity. Cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-12) which regulate the immune activation in Balb/c mice were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Activated T lymphocytes in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC), spleen, lymph nodes were analyzed by flow cytometry using percentages. All tests were compared with red ginseng 100 ㎍/mL (RG 100), which is the most used for immune activity. As a result, cytokine activity was significantly increased at SSSMS 300 group. Activated T lymphocytes in PBMC, spleen, lymph nodes were significantly increased at SSSMS 300 group. These results suggest that there is a possibility of SSSMS activating an immune system by activating the cytokines, and it is confirmed that SSSMS also effective for generation and differentiation of T, B lymphocytes which activate the immune response.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.715-722
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• 2009

The aim of this study was to investigate the safety of short-term use of Korean herbal medicine (KHM; prescribed herbal medicine by doctors of traditional Korean medicine) on liver function. Three hundred eighty four outpatients who took KHM for various conditions were enrolled for multi-center, prospective observational study. Of them 237 patients completed questionnaire and were checked liver function (aspartic aminotransferase;AST, alanine aminotransferase;ALT, alkaline phosphatase;ALP, total bilirubin;t-Bil, direct bilirubin;d-Bil, gamma glutamyltranspeptidase;GGT, protein and albumin) before and after taking KHM (duration; 21.4${\pm}$10.0 days), and data were analysed statistically. Of the 213 patients showing normal liver function test (LFT) at baseline, 209 (98.1%) remained within the normal range at the second test while 3 (1.4%) revealed slight increase of LFT. Only one subject had raised LFT regarding level of liver injury without perceived symptoms. Twenty-four of 237 patients were abnormal at baseline, and 16 at the second testing. Of the patients taking KHM, only 4 changed from normal to abnormal while 12 from abnormal to normal in their LFT. There were no significant increase in LFT level between the first and second test, except in the t-Bil level, however, the change of t-Bil was small and within normal range. The current study showed that the use of KHM did not increase the frequency of abnormal LFTs, at least in the short term.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.206-213
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• 2011

Hepatoprotective effects of Monascus pilosus mycelial ethanol extract (MPME) were examined in high-fat diet induced-obese rats. The rats were randomly divided into 2 groups; normal control (NC) and a high-fat and high cholesterol diet group (HFC). The HFC diet group was fed a 5L79 diet supplemented with 15% lard and 1% cholesterol for 3 weeks for induction of obesity. And then, the rats were divided into 4 groups (n=5); the NC, a HFC diet obesity control group (HF), 0.5% MPME supplemented HFC diet group (MPM), and 2% conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) supplemented HFC diet group for 7 weeks. Whereas the daily weight gain of NC and HFC groups were 3.48 g and 4.48 g, respectively, those of MPM and CLA were 3.09 g and 4.38 g, respectively. Furthermore, activity of serum alanine and aspartic aminotransferase in HF was markedly higher than those of NC group, but, the activity in MPM and CLA was significantly lower than HF. Hepatic reduced glutathione content in MPM and CLA was higher than HF. On the contrary, hepatic lipid peroxide content in MPM and CLA was significantly lower than HF. In conclusion, although the precise mechanisms of the hepatoprotective effects of the MPME in this study are unknown, our study provides experimental evidence that MPME may prevent obesity and hepatic damage by high-fat and high cholesterol diet via inhibition of lipid absorption and induction of reactive oxygen spices scavenging enzyme such as superoxide dismutase.