• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.351-355
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• 2023

Background: Wet cupping (WC) is an efficient and cost-effective technique for removing metabolic waste from the bloodstream via the skin. The study aimed to examine the effect of WC on cholesterol levels including total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in a Sudanese population. Methods: In this prospective cross-sectional study, 30 participants undergoing regular WC therapy were enrolled. Blood samples collected twice: pre-WC therapy (case group) and 10-14 days afterward (controls). Results: Of the participants, 56.67% were male and 43.33% were female, aged 24-69. Pre-WC TC and LDL-C levels were significantly higher than the post-WC control group (p = 0.001). Conversely, HDL-C levels decreased significantly in the pre-WC cases compared to controls (p = 0.001). No significant sex-based difference in mean cholesterol levels (p > 0.05). Conclusions: After WC, males and females experienced significant reductions in TC and LDL-C, and significant increase in HDL-C.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.195-207
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• 1982

To determine the influence of vegetarian diet on serum lipoprotein, cholesterol and protein levels, 45 young Buddhist nuns (age: $20{\sim}34$ years) and 29 female students(age: $20{\sim}22$ years) were examined. Daily caloric intakes were 1,945 Kcal for the Buddhist nuns and 1,815 Kcal for the students. The ratio of% calorie of carbohydrate: protein: fat from total calories in the Buddhist nuns was 84:11:5 and that in the students was 70:15:15. The Buddhist nuns had significantly higher carbohydrate intake but markedly lower lipid intakes than the students. Anthropometric measurement showed that the Buddhist nuns had significantly higher values of body weight, skin-fold thickness, body surface area and obesity index than the students. Both systolic and diastolic pressures of the Buddhist nuns and students were similar. Serum levels of total lipid, cholesterol and proteins in the Buddhist nuns were not different from those of the students. However, when comparing the levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) fractions, the Buddhist nuns had lower level of HDL but significantly higher LDL levels than the students. Furthermore, the Buddhist nuns had significantly lower levels of serum HDL-cholesterol but significantly higher LDL-cholesterol levels. There were significant correlations between LDL and LDL cholesterol (r=0.40), VLDL and VLDL-cholesterol(r=0.85), HDL and HDL-cholesterol(r=0.45), total serum lipid and total cholesterol (r=0.66) and total serum cholesterol and LDL(r=0.79). On the other hand, values of both serum total protein, and fractions of serum proteins were similar in the Buddhist nuns and students(ratio of albumin: ${\alpha}_{1}-:\;{\alpha}_{2}-:\;{\beta}-:\;{\gamma}-$globulins=55:3:10:13:19). Hematocrit and hemogloblin levels were similar in the Buddhist nuns and students. Above results suggest that vegetarian diets of the Buddhist nuns produced alterations in the metabolism of the lipoproteins and cholesterol.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.142-149
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• 2016

This study was designed to investigate the antihyperlipidemic activity of Fermented Rhus Verniciflua Stokes Extract(FRVSE) on diet-induced hyperlipidemia in rats. The animals were divided into 4 groups of the normal group(fed with normal diet), control group(fed with high fat diet), sample A group(fed with high fat diet and medicated FRVSE 192 ㎎/㎏/day), sample B group(fed with high fat diet and medicated FRVSE 384 ㎎/㎏/day), and received oral administration of each prescription with diet for a period of six weeks. The changes in the body weight, the liver weight, the epididymal fat weight, and the plasma levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride(TG), high density lipoprotein(HDL) cholesterol and low density lipoprotein(LDL) cholesterol were measured. In sample A group, the weight of liver and plasma level of TG decreased significantly. There was a significant decrease in the plasma level of total cholesterol, TG and LDL cholesterol in the sample B group. These results suggest that the FRVSE have a good antihyperlipidemic activity and a potential to treat hyperlipidemia.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.175-180
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• 2005

Green tea, which has high polyphenols amount, is thought to have hypocholesterolemic effects. The present study was performed to further examine the hypocholesterolemic action of green tea, especially (-) epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) for its effect on diet-induced hypercholesterolemia in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=15) were fed a green tea-free diet (control), $1.0\%$ green tea catechin (catechin) or $0.5\%$ green tea catechin EGCG for seven weeks. Hypercholesterolemia was induced by adding $1\%$ cholesterol and $0.5\%$ cholic acid to all diets. There was no difference in food intake and body weight gain among the groups. The green tea EGCG treatment led to a significant improvement in plasma levels of total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol and high density lipoprotein (HDL)/LDL ratio (p<0.05). There was no significant effect on the plasma HDL-cholesterol level. The catechin treatment led to a 4.19-fold increase in the LDL-receptor mRNA level compared to the control, but the EGCG treatment did not affect the hepatic LDL-receptor mRNA level. Our results suggest that when blood cholesterol level is down-regulated by green tea EGCG, the LDL receptor gene-independent pathway may dominate the hypocholesterolemic action of EGCG.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.114-121
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• 1986

Effect of saponin fraction of ginseng C.A. Meyer on blood serum lipoprotein distribution of high cholesterol fed rabbits for two to four weeks was investigated. A. significant increase of very low density lipoprotein(VLDL) and low density lipoprotein(LDL) occured while high density lipoprotein(HDL) were decreased in the blood of both groups which were fed high cholesterol diet with (test group) and/or without ginseng saponin(control group) for 2-4 weeks. However the degrees of VLDL and LDL increase and HDL decrease were relatively small in ginseng administered group compared with control group. This suggests that the hypocholesterolemic action of the saponin might be brought about by decreasing the raised VLDL and LDL level and increasing the lowered HDL level.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.530-539
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• 1994

All lipoproteins are made up of three major classes of lipids : triglycerides, cholesterol, and phospholipids. Lipoproteins vary in their relative content of these lipids as well as in size and protein content. Human low density lipoprotein (LDL) is a main carrier for cholesterol in the blood stream, and it is well established that cholesterol deposits in the arteries stem primarily from LDL and that increased levels of plasma LDL correlated with in increased risk of atherosclerosis. Various lines of research provide strong evidence that lDL may become oxidized in vivo and that oxidized-LDL is the species involved in the formation of early atherosclerotic lesions. the most crucial findings in this context are the following : (1) Oxidized -LDL has chemotactic properties and if present in the intimal space of the arteries would recruit blood monocytes which then can develop into tissue macrophages ; (2) marcrophages take up oxidized-LDL unregulated to from lipid laden foam cells ; (3) Oxdized-LDLis highly cytotoxic and could be responsible for damage of the endothelial layer and for the destruction of smooth muscle cells.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.320-327
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• 1999

The flavonoids are one of the most numberous and widespread groups of natural consituents. The low molecular weight of benzo-${\gamma}$-pyrone derivative are ubiquitous in plants and are vegetables nuts, seeds, leaves, flowers, and bark. The flavonoids constitute of a large class of compounds ubiquitous in plants containing a number of phenolic hydroxyl groups attached to ring structures conferring the antioxidant activity. Epidemiologic studies suggest that the dietary intake of antioxidants constitutes a risk factor for vasclar disease indicating that oxidation may be important in the pathogenesis of human athero-sclerosis. Elevated plasma low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentration are associated with accelerated atherosclerosis, LDL is oxidized by smooth muscle cells resulting in several chemicals and physical changes of LDL. Oxidized LDL is responsible for cholesterol loading of macrophages foam cells formation and atherogenesis. There have been insulficient tests of the protective effects of flavonoids against LDL oxidation to make definitive statements about their structure activity relationships. How-ever hydroxylation of the flavone uncleas can appears to be advantageous because polyhydroxylated aglycone flavonoids are potent inhibitor of LDL modification. This identification may lead to new and more effective antioxidant strategies for abrogating the atherosclerotic process the leading cause of death and disability in industrialized societies.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.526-534
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• 2013

This study was conducted to examine the effects of Opuntia ficus-indica complex (OF) on the lipid metabolism, bile acid in feces, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, aspatate aminotransferase (AST) activity, composition of urine and expression of cholesterol related mRNA in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Thirty two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into non-diabetic control (NC), diabetic control (DC), diabetic OF of 2% (OF-2) and diabetic OF of 5% (OF-5), then each group was fed for 3 weeks. Plasma total cholesterol, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) were decreased significantly (p<0.05) in OF-5 group compared to DC, but high density lipoprotein (HDL) was not changed. AST and ALT were also reduced and bile acid excretion was improved. Composition of urine in OF-5 was almost same in NC. The expression of cholesterol $7{\alpha}$-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA-R), Low density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R) mRNA indicated that feeding OF have the effects of cholesterol decreation in plasma by synthesis of bile acid from cholesterol. These results provide experimental evidence about improved lipid metabolism of the OF feeding in the STZ-induced diabetic rats.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.29-33
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• 2003

Sense-line (SL), a dietary functional food, is our invention for weight loss. To evaluate such an effect of SL, we analyzed the plasma levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and weight changes after rats were fed on high fat diet with SL for 20 days. Plasma total cholesterol level and LDL-cholesterol level was decreased by 52% and 91.89% in 5% SL treated group and by 13% and 51.45% in 10% SL treated group, respectively. But HDL-cholesterol was not changed. In addition, the weight was significantly lower in SL group than in high-fat diet group (P<0.05). Our findings indicate that SL may contain compounds with actions, which can treat blood circulatory trouble as well as overweight.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.41-49
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• 2008

Objectives : This study was aimed at examining significant curative effects of Cupping therapy on Cerebral infarction patients with hyperlipidemia. Methods : The subjects in this study were fifty-two patients visited or admitted to Dong-seo Oriental Hospital who broke out with Cerebral infarction from March 2007 through February 2008, with high total cholesterol(240mg/$d\ell$ above) or high triglyceride(200mg/$d\ell$ above) or low density lipoprotein(160mg/$d\ell$ above) Before prescription, they were tested for total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein with fasting and were then rescribed the cupping therapy for 4 weeks(take an average ten times), after which they were retested for total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein. Results : 1. In the high total cholesterol group(triglyceride and low density lipoprotein are normal), statistical significance of total cholesterol changes was recognized before and after the treatment. 2. In the high triglyceride group(total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein are normal), statistical significance of triglyceride changes was recognized before and after the treatment. 3. In the high low density lipoprotein group(total cholesterol and triglyceride are normal), statistical significance of triglyceride changes was recognized before and after the treatment. 4. In the high total cholesterol and high triglyceride group(low density lipoprotein is normal), statistical significance of total cholesterol changes was recognized before and after the treatment. But, triglyceride changes was not that. 5. In the high total cholesterol and high low density lipoprotein group(triglyceride is normal), statistical significance of total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein changes were recognized before and after the treatment. 6. In the high triglyceride and high low density lipoprotein group(total cholesterol is normal), statistical significance of triglyceride changes was recognized before and after the treatment. But, low density lipoprotein changes was not that. 7. In the high total cholesterol and high triglyceride and high low density lipoprotein group, statistical significance of total cholesterol changes and low density lipoprotein changes were recognized before and after the treatment. But, triglyceride changes was not that. Conclusions : Cupping therapy decreased total cholesterol in whole hyperlipidemia group including high total cholesterol.