• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.1-25
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• 2009

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Yanghyuljanggeungunbo-tang(Yangxuezhuangjinjianbu-tang, YGKT) and electrical acupuncture treatment in spinal cord injury(SCI)-induced rats. Methods : The subjects were divided into 5 groups ; Normal, Control-no treatment after SCI, Experimental I(Exp. I)-taken with YGKT 500 mg/kg $0.5m{\ell}$ daily after SCI. Experimental II(Exp. II)-taken with electrical acupuncture after SCI and Experimental III(Exp. III)-taken with YGKT 500 mg/kg $0.5m{\ell}$ and electrical acupuncture after SCI. After each operation, the present author observed cytological changes, the motor behavior recovery and nerve regeneration by analysis of the motor behavior tests, EMG, hematological(AST, ALT, WBC), histological and immunological changes. Rats were tested by Motor behavior test at 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th and 21st day. Results : 1. All the experimental groups were improved compared with control group in the motor behavior tests including Tarlov test, Basso-Beattle-Bresnahan locomotor rating scale, modified inclined plane test, open field test, grid walk test and narrow beam test. Especially Exp. III was significantly improved among other groups. 2. In EMG test, H and M wave were significantly increased in Exp. III. 3. All the experimental groups were significantly decreased compared with control group in AST, ALT and WBC. 4. NGF, BDNF and Trk B of spinal cord gray matter in all the experimental groups were increased compared with control group. Especially, Exp. III was more effective. 5. In histological observations, muscle contraction and denaturation of gastrocnemius muscle of all the experimental groups were inhibited. Especially, those of Exp. III was more effective. On the observations of liver and kidney, cell atrophy and apoptosis of all the experimental groups were decreased compared with control group. Especially, those of Exp. III was more effective. Conclusions : It can be suggested that YGKT and electrical acupuncture may improve motor behavior, EMG, hematological, histological and immunological findings in SCI-induced rats. Especially, combination of these two treatments will be somewhat better in spinal nerve recovery and motor function improvement.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.201-207
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• 2019

Temperature is one of the most important criteria considered in species preference for aquaculture. Acute drop in temperature during winter is a cause of disease and mass mortality in farmed fish. This study was carried out the low water temperature tolerance, oxygen consumption, hematologic and histological responses to use as basic data for the management of fish farming which frequently cause death due to winter water temperature drop. Low-lethal water temperature for 4 days of file fish Thamnaconus modestus (4day-LT₅₀) was 6.97℃ (6.69~7.27℃). Oxygen consumption rate decreased with decreasing water temperature, showing a significant difference between water temperatures. SOD activity increased significantly at 6℃ experimental group than control group (10℃) (p<0.05), but CAT did not show any significant difference between experimental temperatures (p>0.05). Cortisol increased with decreasing experimental water temperature compared to control group. Histological changes in the liver include decreased blood vessels in the blood vessels, proliferation of acid cells, condensation of the nucleus, atrophy of pancreatic exocrine gland cells, and enzyme source granules.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.155-162
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• 2009

The mass mortality of Korean rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli that occured at the fish farms in Tongyeong and Geoje City regions between late August and early September in 2006 was investigated. Sixty two fish showed no significant external symptoms except ulcerative lesions with reddish foci on the skin. From the internal observations and diagnosis results, some yellowish brown liver, intestine bleeding, atrophy and congestion in the abdominal cavity of the fish were found. In the gill, swelled filaments caused by foreign material accumulation and mucus secretion were observed. However, the main cause of the fish mass mortality in both sampling regions could be due to physiological weakness induced by significant change of water temperature causing by typhoon Wookong during the summer in 2006.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.97-107
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• 2023

Aristolochic acid (AA), extracted from Aristolochiaceae plants, plays an essential role in traditional herbal medicines and is used for different diseases. However, AA has been found to be nephrotoxic and is known to cause aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN). AA-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) is a syndrome in AAN with a high morbidity that manifests mitochondrial damage as a key part of its pathological progression. Melatonin primarily serves as a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant. However, its mitochondrial protective role in AA-induced AKI is barely reported. In this study, mice were administrated 2.5 mg/kg AA to induce AKI. Melatonin reduced the increase in Upro and Scr and attenuated the necrosis and atrophy of renal proximal tubules in mice exposed to AA. Melatonin suppressed ROS generation, MDA levels and iNOS expression and increased SOD activities in vivo and in vitro. Intriguingly, the in vivo study revealed that melatonin decreased mitochondrial fragmentation in renal proximal tubular cells and increased ATP levels in kidney tissues in response to AA. In vitro, melatonin restored the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in NRK-52E and HK-2 cells and led to an elevation in ATP levels. Confocal immunofluorescence data showed that puncta containing Mito-tracker and GFP-LC3A/B were reduced, thereby impeding the mitophagy of tubular epithelial cells. Furthermore, melatonin decreased LC3A/B-II expression and increased p62 expression. The apoptosis of tubular epithelial cells induced by AA was decreased. Therefore, our findings revealed that melatonin could prevent AA-induced AKI by attenuating mitochondrial damage, which may provide a potential therapeutic method for renal AA toxicity.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.55-84
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• 1988

This study was carried out to investigate the teratological potential of azinphos-methyl in the rat fetuses and to establish the nature of the effects on organogenesis and intrauterine development. The Sprague-Dawley female rats (180-210g) without previous litter were used in this study. Azinphos-methyl dosages of 0.094mg/kg, 0.4mg/kg, 1.5mg/kg were selected based on the acute intragastric $LD_{50}$ of 15mg/kg in the rat. Azinphos-methyl in water (Treatment Group), non-treatment control (Negative Control), water control (Sham Control), were administered by oral route and aqueous solution of acetyl salicylic acid (Positive Control) was administered by gavage at rate of 10 ml/kg of body weight from day 6 through 15. The results obtained were summarized as follows. 1. Decreased body weight of dams was observed in animals treated with aspirin and azinphos-methyl 1.5 mg/kg from day 7 through 14. (P<0.01) 2. There was an apparent decrement in the absolute liver weight in the azinphos-methyl 1.5 mg/kg treated group (P<0.05). However, the absolute and relative kidney weight in aspirin group (P<0.05, P<0.01) and the absolute and relative ovary weight in aspirin, azinphos-methyl treatment groups (P<0.01, P<0.05) were increased. 3. Decreased protein contents of dam's liver was observed in the aspirin and high dose azinphos-methyl treated group of animals (P<0.01). 4. The number of male-female ratio per dam increased in azinphos-methyl 1.5 mg/kg group but there was an apparent decrement in the body weight of fetuses in aspirin and high dose azinphos-methyl group (P<0.01, P<0.05). Total immature and resorbed fetuses were increased in aspirin group and the number of dead fetuses were also increased in azinphos-methyl 1.5mg/kg treated group of animals. (P<0.01, P<0.05). 5. In soft tissue defects, diaphragmatic hernia in diaphragm, anophthalmia, enlarged olfactory bulb, hydrocephalus, absence of third and lateral ventricle in skull, hydronephrosis in kidney, atrophy of left ventricle wall, enlarged apex in heart were observed. Especially, defects of diaphragm, heart and eye ball showed peak incidences in the high dose azinphosmethyl and aspirin group. (P<0.01). 6. Variations in the ossification patterns of skull, sternebrae, tail, forelimbs and hindlimbs showed peak incidences in the aspirin and high dose azinphos-methyl group. (P<0.01). 7. In the developmental indices of offspring, the mortality of aspirin and azinphos-methyl 1.5mg/kg treated group was higher than that of negative control. And, there was an apparent decrement in the body weight of fetuses (P<0.01) and considerable differences were obtained in pivoting, development of fur, auditory function, vision, quadrupled muscle development and testes descent in aspirin and azinphos-methyl 1.5mg/kg group. (P<0.01).

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.222-229
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• 1999

Histopathological study has been carried out to elucidate the protective effect of Korean red ginseng water extract (KRG-WE) on 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-induced acute toxicity in male guinea pigs. Forty male guinea pigs ($200{\pm}20g$) were divided into 4 groups: normal controls (group 1) received vehicle and saline; group 2 (single TCDD-treated) received TCDD (5 ${\mu}g/kg$, single dose) and saline; group 3 received KRG-WE (200 mg/kg, i.p.) for 2 weeks starting 1 week before TCDD-exposure; group 4 received same dose of KRG-WE for 7 days from the day of TCDD-exposure. Weights of liver, testis, kidney, spleen and lung of the TCDD-exposed guinea pigs were significantly decreased. Thymus was severely shrunken, thereby could not be distinguished from adipose tissue in group 2 animals. Focal interstitial inflammation and fibrosis were observed from the lung parenchyma of group 2 animals. Furthermore, moderate swelling of hepatocyte, diffused aggregates of hemosiderin-laden macrophages from the Prussian blue stained spleen, marked decrease in spermatogenesis, and pyknotic and degenerative changes in the renal tubules were observed from intestinal organs of group 2 animals. On the other hand, histopathological damage was moderately to markedly alleviated in groups 3 and 4, but pretreatment of KRG-WE was more effective than the simultaneous treatment. In particular, TCDD-induced testicular atrophy was significantly attenuated by KRG-WE (p<0.01). From these results, it could be suggested that Korean red ginseng might be a useful herb that prevented TCDD-induced toxicity on liver, testis, kidney and spleen.