• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.110-117
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• 2007

In vitro toxicity tests such as cytotoxicity, mutagenicity and genotoxicity assay are useful for evaluating the relative toxicity of smoke or smoke condensates obtained from different cigarette configurations. A major disadvantage of these tests is relatively time-consuming, complicated and expensive. Recently, a cell-free glutathione consumption assay (GCA) as a rapid and simple screening method for the toxicity assessment of smoke has been reported by Cahours et al. (CORESTA, 2006). This study was carried out to assess the GCA application capable of predicting the toxicity of gas/vapor phase (GVP) of cigarette smoke and to identify individual compounds responsible for the glutathione (GSH) consumption in smoke. Each GVPs from 2R4F, standard cigarette, carbon filter cigarette (ExC) and new carbon filter cigarette (ExN), test cigarettes were collected by automatic smoking machine and evaluated the relative toxicity by GCA and neutral red uptake (NRU) assay. Toxic compounds existed in smoke were also chosen, relative toxicities of these compounds were screened by using two methods and compared individually. The overall order of toxicity by GCA was 2R4F > ExC > ExN, which was consistent with the result of Neutral Red Uptake assay. The levels of carbonyl compounds of ExN were lower than those of 2R4F and ExC, indicating that GSH consumption was associated with carbonyl compound yields. A major toxicant under current study is acrolein, which contributed to more than half of the GSH consumption. Collectively, the toxicity of GVP determined by GCA method may be mainly attributed to acrolein.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.295-302
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• 1995

Menadione-ghitathione conjugate (MEN-SG), a metabolite of menadione, is known to be a redoxcycler in rat hepatocyte subcellular fraction. Therefore, it was assumed that MEN-SG could exert cytotoxlclty to ral platelets, another target tissue of menadione. We first synthesized MEN-SG, the identity of which was verified by mass, $^1{H}$-NMR and UV-visible spectra. In addition, the stability of MEN-SG was investigated in biological assay system. MEN-SG was degraded in a time-dependent manner in DMSO which had been used as a vehicle and thus, tris-HCl buffer was used as a vehicle of MEN-SG despite the low solubility in it. Perchloric acid as well as platelets itself did not affect the stability of MEN-SG. Our next attempt was the evaluation of cytotoxicity of MEN-SG in rat platelets. MEN-SG did not induce cytotoxicity to rat platelets measured by two different methods, LDH release and turbidity changes. The extents of oxygen consumption by MEN-SG in intact platelets were significantly lower than those by menadione, though it had been observed that oxygen consumptions by menadione and MENSG were similar in subcellular fractioas of platelets. These results suggest that MEN-SG is not toxic to rat platelets despite its redox cycling capacity and glutathione conjugation reaction of menadione could be regarded as a detoxification process.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.75-84
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• 2009

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of nitrogen compounds such as protein on the chemical composition and toxicity of cigarette mainstream smoke. BSA protein was treated into the tobacco leaf of original 2R4F cigarette at 1~4 % level. The studies were performed which included a bacterial mutagenicity assay and a mammalian cell cytotoxicity assay for total particulate matter(TPM), and glutathione(GSH) consumption assay for gas/vapor phase(GVP) and determination of smoke chemical constitute. Cigarettes treated with protein were observed dose-dependent increase in yield of volatiles, semi-volatiles and aromatic amines compared with control cigarette. However, carbonyl compounds such as acrolein was lower than that of control cigarette when calculated on an equal TPM basis. The cytotoxicity of TPM obtained from the protein-added cigarettes was not different from that of control cigarette. However, the mutagenicity of the TPM from protein-treated cigarettes(1~4 %) was up to 10-27 % higher than that of control. On the other hand, toxicity of GVP from protein-treated cigarette(4 %) was significantly decreased compared with control cigarette. An overall assessment of our data suggests that nitrogen compounds such as protein should be important for the chemical composition and biological activity of cigarette mainstream smoke.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.544-551
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• 2020

Background: Previous studies have shown the insecticidal efficacy of ginsenosides. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the metabolic mechanism related to the inhibitory effect of panaxadiol saponins (PDSs) against the Asian corn borer Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenee). Methods: Third instar larvae of O. furnacalis were fed normal diets with different concentrations of PDSs for 4 days. The consumption index, relative growth rate, approximate digestibility, and conversion of ingested and digested food were recorded. A targeted gas chromatographye-mass spectrometry assay was performed to detect the profiles of amino acids, fatty acids, and carbohydrates in larvae of O. furnacalis. In addition, the activity of detoxification-related enzymes was determined. Results and Conclusions: PDSs decreased the consumption index, relative growth rate, approximate digestibility, and conversion of ingested and digested food in the 3rd instar larvae of O. furnacalis in a dose-dependent manner. PDSs decreased 15 free amino acids, 16 free fatty acids, and 5 carbohydrates and increased the levels of palmitoleic acid, palmitic acid, and 9-octadecenoic acid in the 3rd instar larvae. The activity of detoxification-related enzymes, such as acetylcholinesterase, glutathione S-transferase, cytochrome P450, carboxylesterase, trehalase, acid phosphatase, and alkaline phosphatase, was reduced in a dose-dependent manner in the 3rd instar larvae exposed to PDSs. These data confirmed the inhibitory effect of PDSs against growth, food utilization, and detoxification in the 3rd instar larvae of O. furnacalis and the potential for using PDSs as an efficient tool for insect pest management for O. furnacalis larvae.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.156-161
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• 2009

Hyperglycemia in the diabetic state increases oxidative stress and antioxidant therapy can be strongly correlated with decreased risks for diabetic complications. The purpose of this study is to determine antioxidant effect of garlic and aged black garlic in animal model of type 2 diabetes. The antioxidant activity of garlic and aged black garlic was measured as the activity in scavenging free radicals by the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay. Three week-old db/db mice were fed AIN-93G diet or diet containing 5% freeze-dried garlic or aged black garlic for 7 weeks after 1 week of adaptation. Hepatic levels of lipid peroxides and activities of antioxidant enzymes were measured. TEAC values of garlic and aged black garlic were $13.3{\pm}0.5$ and $59.2{\pm}0.8{\mu}mol/g$ wet weight, respectively. Consumption of aged black garlic significantly decreased hepatic thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) level compared with the garlic group which showed lower TBARS level than control group (p<0.05). Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) of garlic and aged black garlic group were significantly elevated compared to the control group. Catalase (CAT) activity of aged black garlic group was increased compared with the control group. These results show that aged black garlic exerts stronger antioxidant activity than garlic in vitro and in vivo, suggesting garlic and aged black garlic, to a greater extent, could be useful in preventing diabetic complications.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.9
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• pp.1239-1248
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• 2016

Pumpkin juice (PJ), corn silk tea (CT), and adzuki bean tea (AT) have long been used for treatment of obesity in Korea. This study investigated the efficacy of PJ, CT, AT, and their mixture (PCA) on alteration of body weight and antioxidant metabolism in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese rats. After being fed HFD for 4 weeks, SD rats were divided into six groups fed a normal diet (ND), HFD, HFD+PJ [250 mg/kg body weight (BW)], HFD+CT (250 mg/kg BW), HFD+AT (250 mg/kg BW), and HFD+PCA (PJ : CT : AT=1:1:1, 250 mg/kg BW) for another 9 weeks. HFD consumption resulted in total lipid, triglyceride, and total cholesterol accumulation in adipose tissue, which was reduced by administration of PJ, CT, AT, or PCA. The plasma oxygen radical absorbance capacity value and hepatic glutathione peroxidase activity significantly increased compared to the HFD group. The liver thiobarbituric acid reactive substances was significantly lower in the PCA group than the HFD group. HFD-induced DNA damage in hepatocytes, as measured by comet assay, decreased in the PJ, AT, and PCA-supplemented groups. The PCA group exerted a superior antigenotoxic effect compared to other treatments. PCA recovered the concentration of plasma adiponectin, which was reduced by HFD. Adipocyte surface area (%) was significantly higher in the HFD group than the ND group, significantly lower in the PJ and PCA groups than the HFD group, and not significantly different compared with the ND group. Based on the results, supplementation of PJ, CT, AT, and PCA exhibited lipid-lowering effects in adipocytes of HFD-induced obese rats. Furthermore, the PCA group exhibited superior antioxidant activity in all treated groups. This study suggests that a mixed beverage consisting of PJ, CT, and AT may be a significant source of natural antioxidants, which might be helpful in preventing obesity and progress of various oxidative stresses induced by HFD.