• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2013

Korean red ginseng, the processed root of Panax ginseng Meyer, has been frequently used for various therapeutic purposes in oriental medicine. The present study investigated the possible effect of Korean red ginseng extract (RGE) for the treatment of liver fibrosis in mice injected with carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$) for 4 wk. Liver injuries were assessed by blood biochemistry and histopathology in mice treated with $CCl_4$ alone or $CCl_4$+ RGE (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg). Concomitant treatment with RGE and $CCl_4$ (three times/wk for 4 wk) effectively inhibited liver fibrosis as evidenced by decreases in plasma alanine and aspartate aminotransferases, as well as by the percentages of degenerative regions, numbers of degenerative hepatocytes, and collagen accumulation in hepatic parenchyma. Treatment with $CCl_4$ for 4 wk increased mRNA levels of transforming growth factor ${\beta}1$ and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 in fibrogenic liver, whereas RGE (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg) significantly blocked the induction of fibrogenic genes by $CCl_4$. Similarly, RGE also prevented transforming growth factor ${\beta}1$-mediated induction of fibrogenic genes in human hepatic stellate cell lines. More importantly, RGE markedly reduced the number of ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin-positive cells in liver tissue. This study implies that RGE efficaciously protects against the liver fibrosis induced by chronic $CCl_4$ treatment, and may therefore have potential to treat liver disease.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.98-109
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• 1968

The small type piroplasma which is known to be prevailing in Korean cattle was injected to un-susceptible hosts such as mice, guinea pigs, rats, rabbits, fowls and developing chicken eggs by i.v., i.p, and intra C.A.M. routes, and its morphological development in each animal species was observed. 1. The small type piroplasma of cattle did not produce any pathogenicity in the experimental animals such as mice, guinea pigs, rats, rabbits, fowls and developing chicken embryos. However, only a partial sign for developing cycle of the organism was observed in the peritoneal fluid. The schizogony of protozoa was not detected in any organs of the inoculated animals. 2. In the animals inoculated, the parasites of I-III types, relative to the process of time in the host, have changed their shapes into IV-VI types and then VI-X types however, the type X was not restored to the type I. In guinea pigs, more grape type was detected then X type in number, and in process of time, the shape was changed from round to elliptic, and the pointed end of the organism appeared in flesh color. 3. None of the organisms were found from the blood stream of inoculated animals excepts only a few piroplasma as were found in the experimental mice shortly after inoculation or i.v. route, No protozoa was also found in the organs of the animals autopsied. 4. The form change of protozoa was more clear in these animals than that in susceptible host. The most piroplasmas have changed their forms into VI-X types 30 hours after inoculation and were dispersed from R.B.C. Tracing of piroplasrna beyond this stage was not attempted. 5. The small type piroplasma comprises in I. X types and it is further believed that VII-X types which were freed from one cell proceeded to invade others. The from of development resembles to the small type of piroplasma which is prevailing in Japan.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.54-60
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• 2006

The immunomodulatory effect of a new herbal preparation, HemoHIM, on the recovery from leukopenia induced by cyclophosphamide treatment was investigated. The HemoHIM was made up with an addition of the ethanol-insoluble fraction to the total water extract of Angelica Radix, Cnidii Rhizoma and Paeonia Radix. Daily oral administration of 100 mg/kg BW or 500 mg/kg BW HemoHIM accelerated the recovery from cyclophosphamide-induced leukopenia. HemoHIM increased the number of leukocytes and lymphocytes in the peripheral blood when compared with the cyclophosphamide-treated control. Moreover, the suppressed natural killer (NK) cell activity and interferon $(IFN)-{\gamma}$ secretion in the cyclophosphamide-treated mice were restored by the administration of HemoHIM. HemoHIM significantly reduced the abnormally heightened ratio of interleukin $(IL)-4/IFN-{\gamma}$ and immunoglobulin (Ig)E/IgG2a in the cyclophosphamide-treated mice. These results suggest that HemoHIM accelerates the recovery from leukopenia and alleviates the imbalanced T helper (Th)l/Th2 responses in the cyclophosphamide-treated mice. Additionally, HemoHIM was found to stimulate normal splenocytes to secrete not only Thl type cytokines such as $IFN-{\gamma}$ and IL-2, but also Th2 type cytokine IL-4. In conclusion, our results show that HemoHIM certainly has an influence on the balanced recovery of immune cells and the activation of their activities in the cyclophosphamide-treated mice.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.177-183
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• 2012

Interruption of blood flow through coronary arteries and its subsequent restoration triggers the generation of a burst of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to myocardial cell death. In this study, we determined whether a methanol extract of Cassia mimosoides var. nomame Makino could prevent myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. When radical scavenging activity of the extract was measured in vitro using its ${\alpha}$,${\alpha}$-diphenyl-${\beta}$-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical quenching ability, the extract showed an activity slightly lower than that of ascorbic acid. Three days after oral administration of the extract (400 mg/kg/day) to rats, myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury was generated by 30 min of ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), followed by 3 hr reperfusion. Compared with the vehicle-treated group, administration of the extract significantly reduced infarct size (IS) (ratio of infarct area to area at risk) in the extract-treated group by 28.3%. Reduction in the cellular injury was mediated by attenuation of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio by 33.3%, inhibition of caspase-3 activation from procaspase-3 by 40%, and subsequent reduction in the number of apoptotic cells by 66.3%. These results suggest that the extract attenuates myocardial injury in a rat model of ischemia-reperfusion by scavenging ROS, including free radicals, and consequently blocking apoptotic cascades. Therefore, intake of Cassia mimosoides var. nomame Makino might be beneficial for preventing ischemic myocardial injury.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.60 no.2
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• pp.38-44
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• 2017

Purpose: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an immune-related multisystemic vasculitis that occurs in children, especially ensuing from a coronary artery abnormality. Sodium level is known to be related to vascular injury, which could affect the progress of KD. The purpose of this study was to determine the serum sodium levels that could predict the occurrence of cardiac and coronary artery events in KD. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of medical records for 104 patients with KD from January 2015 to December 2015. Patients with serum Na levels of <135 mEq/L at the time of initial diagnosis were assigned to the hyponatremia group. Laboratory findings and echocardiographic data were analyzed for various aspects. Results: Among the 104 patients with KD, 91 were included in the study, of whom 48 (52.7%) had hyponatremia. The degree of fever, white blood cell count, percentage of neutrophils, percentage of lymphocytes, total bilirubin level, brain natriuretic peptide level, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein level were higher in the patients with hyponatremia. They also demonstrated a trend of larger coronary artery diameters based on Z scores. Conclusion: The severity of vascular inflammation in acute KD with hyponatremia might worsen the prognosis of coronary vasculature. Although no statistically significant correlation was found between the initial serum sodium levels and coronary arteriopathy in the patients with KD in this study, a long-term follow-up study with a larger number of enrolled patients should be designed in the future to elucidate the relationship between serum sodium level and coronary arteriopathy in patients with KD.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.35-49
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• 2013

Objectives : We aimed to determine therapeutic effects of probiotics-fermented Magnolia denudata(MD) in the allergic rhinitis model mice. Methods : Polyphenol production, DPPH radical scavenging activity and NO inhibition of fermented MD by different bacterial strains were evaluated to select the one that is most suitable for fermentation. Thirty C57BL/6 mice were divided randomly into 5 groups as follows: normal group, ovalbumin(OVA)-treated plus water fed(CON group), OVA-treated plus unfermented MD fed(UMD group), OVA-treated plus fermented autoclaved MD fed(A-FMD group) and OVA-treated plus fermented unautoclaved MD fed(FMD group). After 9 weeks, we observed changes in the blood cell count, OVA-specific IgE level, nasal rubbing, nasal mucosal tissue and body weight. Results : Extract of MD fermented by Bifidobacterium breve(BB) for 48 hours showed the highest anti-oxidant activity and anti-inflammatory activity out of all the other bacterial strains. The number of eosinophil count in A-FMD, FMD group and platelet count in FMD group showed statistically significant decrease(p<0.05). OVA-specific IgE level decreased in all 3 experimental groups, significantly in UMD and A-FMD group. Nasal symptoms were attenuated in all 3 experimental groups, statistically significant in A-FMD and FMD group (p<0.05). Histologically, infiltration of eosinophils into the nasal mucosa decreased in all 3 experimental groups, especially marked decrease in FMD group. Conclusions : According to the above results, it is considered that probiotics-fermented Magnolia denudata has inhibitory effects on the allergic rhinitis animal models.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2015

Serine proteases form one of the most important families of enzymes and perform significant functions in a broad range of biological processes, such as intra- and extracellular protein metabolism, digestion, blood coagulation, regulation of development, and fertilization. A number of serine proteases have been identified in parasitic helminths that have putative roles in parasite development and nutrition, host tissues and cell invasion, anticoagulation, and immune evasion. In this review, we described the serine proteases that have been identified in parasitic helminths, including nematodes (Trichinella spiralis, T. pseudospiralis, Trichuris muris, Anisakis simplex, Ascaris suum, Onchocerca volvulus, O. lienalis, Brugia malayi, Ancylostoma caninum, and Steinernema carpocapsae), cestodes (Spirometra mansoni, Echinococcus granulosus, and Schistocephalus solidus), and trematodes (Fasciola hepatica, F. gigantica, and Schistosoma mansoni). Moreover, the possible biological functions of these serine proteases in the endogenous biological phenomena of these parasites and in the host-parasite interaction were also discussed.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.549-558
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• 1989

This experiment was carried out to investigate the influence of Aloe vera in the pancreatic islets of streptozotocin diabetic mice. Experimental diabetes was induced in ICR mice with a single injection of SZ(140mg/kg body weight, ip). The mice demonstrating hyperglycemia 48 hours after SZ injection were treated for 16 days with Aloe vera(300, 800mg/kg). Plasma glucose was measured, and for morphological studies of the islets specimens were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and by immunocytochemical methods. Then we observed the morphological changes of islets. Polymorphonuclear cells were infiltrated at the periphery of the islets 48 hours after SZ injection in SZ-treated ICR mice, but no prominent WBC infiltration was observed throughout the experiment. Blood glucose in mice treated with Aloe vera after SZ injection was higher than that of SZ injected mice, and mononuclear cells were heavily infiltrated at the islets 16 days after Aloe vera treatment(300mg/kg), and significant islets infiltration of mononuclear cells was observed 30 days after Aloe vera treatment(800mg/kg). Islets of ICR mice treated with Aloe vera after SZ injection showed severer insulitis, degranulation and necrosis of B cells than those of SZ injected mice. These studies indicate that Aloe vera in SZ injected mice increases vascular permeability and number of WBC in pancreatic islets, and potentiates destruction of B cells by cell-mediated immune system.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.103-110
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• 2002

Diets containing 0.02 to 10.0% EM-fermented orange (EFO) were fed to Paralichthys olivaceus(8.5 g), which were reared in flow-through system for 16 weeks. Groups fed on diets containing 0.1 and 0.2% EFO grew significantly faster; their feed coefficient and daily feeding rate were also higher. The number of goblet cells present in the mid-intestine of the fish receiving dietary EFO was significantly more. Total cholesterol level in plasma of the fish fed with 0.02% EFO was lower. However, there was no significant difference in GOT and GPT among the groups receiving different levels of EFO.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.4931-4933
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• 2012

Objective: To determine the diagnostic performance of hematuria as a screening test for urinary bladder infiltration in cervical cancer patients with a prospective study design. Materials and Methods: Newly diagnosed cervical cancer patients at Srinagarind hospital from 14 June 2011 to 30 April 2012 were enrolled in this study. We collected midstream urine samples for urinalysis from every patient before routine cystoscopic exam for clinical staging. The presence of 3 or more red blood cells (RBCs) per high power field was defined as positive for hematuria. A two-by-two table was used to determine the diagnostic performance of hematuria to detect urinary bladder mucosal infiltration using cystoscopy and biopsy as the gold standard. Result: A total of 130 were patients included, 54 of which (41.5%) had hematuria. Of these, four patients (3.08%) had pathological report from cystoscopic biopsy confirmed metastatic squamous cell carcinoma. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of hematuria as a screening test to detect urinary bladder mucosal infiltration of cervical cancer were 100%, 60.3%, 7.4%, 100%, and 61.5%, respectively. There was no single case of urinary bladder mucosal infiltration in patients initially staged less than stage III. Conclusions: Hematuria can be used as a screening test to detect urinary bladder mucosal infiltration of cervical cancer. This can reduce the number of cervical cancer patients who really need to undergo cystoscopy as a staging procedure to less than half and to less than 20% if stage III or more were included without missing a single case of urinary bladder mucosal infiltration.