• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.61-64
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• 2017

A characteristic imaging finding in cases of methanol intoxication is putaminal necrosis, but its presence is usually not suspected due to its rarity. Methanol intoxication generally produces serious neurological symptoms that include visual disturbances and diminished consciousness, characteristically with metabolic acidosis. We reported the case of a 59-year-old man who was admitted to the hospital with diminished consciousness. Acute methanol intoxication was determined as the cause. Laboratory tests revealed high anion gap metabolic acidosis. Diffusion-weighted MRI indicated diffuse symmetric diffusion restriction lesions in the subcortical white matter of both cerebral hemispheres.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.421-425
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• 2018

Methanol is a clear, colorless, volatile, and poisonous liquid that is commonly used as an industrial solvent. Visual impairment is a common symptom of methanol poisoning; however, visual impairment rarely occurs after exposure through inhalation. Therefore, visual loss after methanol intoxication via respiration has rarely been reported. We report a case of visual damage associated with methanol poisoning via respiratory exposure in an industrial setting. In this case in South Korea, a 28-year-old woman who worked at a cell phone factory was admitted to the emergency department with mental changes. She had blurred vision that began two days prior, but she did not come to the hospital until she experienced mental changes. She ranked 9 on the Glasgow Coma Scale and presented with severe metabolic acidosis. So, she was admitted to intensive care, and continuous renal replacement therapy was performed. Finally, she was discharged after recovery of her mental state, but had to undergo rehabilitation for six months. Also, her visual impairment was permanent. Methanol intoxication can occur through inhalation, which is difficult to detect initially. However, treatment of methanol poisoning is time-critical. Therefore, doctors should always keep in mind that methanol intoxication may occur via respiration. If in doubt, treatment should be given as soon as possible.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.389-395
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• 2016

Objectives: Acute methanol poisonings known to be typical occupational diseases occurring in developing countries broke out in sub-contract manufacturers in the early 2016. The present paper attempted to identify underlying causes which hide under apparent findings, and suggest alternative policies to prevent recurrence of similar intoxication Methods: We evaluated occupational health and safety characteristics of workers in micro-enterprises similar to workplaces with methanol poisoning by in depth-interview of employers, workers, and labor inspectors, and literature review. Results: The common findings of workplaces with methanol poisoning were addressed; First, the victims were illegal agency workers. Second, the workplaces were sub-contract micro-manufacturers with less than 5 employees. Investigators found that local ventilations did not work, while most of workers did not wear any proper personal respiratory protective equipment in the workplace. In addition, periodic environmental monitoring and medical check-ups were not done. However, these apparent findings do not appear to be root causes of methanol poisoning. Our in depth-analysis clarified a root cause; micro-enterprises with less than 5 employees are exempted with essential regulations of OSH Act, and employers do not know about OSH Act. Conclusions: We suggest occupational health policies to prevent recurrence of similar intoxication; First, government should introduce programs so that all employers should know about employers' responsibilities in OSH Act from the start of business. Second, even manufacturers with less than 5 employees should not be exempted with essential regulations of OSH Act. Finally, employers should take responsibilities for health and safety of all the workers including agency workers working in workplaces.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2012

Purpose: Toxic alcohols are responsible for accidental and suicide motivated poisonings, resulting in death or permanent sequelae for the afflicted patients. Major therapeutic modalities in these cases include treatment with alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitors and extracorporeal elimination. There have been a number of case reports of toxic alcohol intoxication in Korea. The purpose of this study was to review the clinical characteristics of patients suffering toxic alcohol intoxication. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who presented with toxic alcohol intoxication at 8 emergency departments (ED) from Jun 2005 to Nov 2011. Patients who ingested methanol, isopropyl alcohol, ethylene glycol, and other alcohols except ethanol, were included in this study. The clinical characteristics of these patients were analyzed to include anion and osmolar gap, and estimated concentration of alcohol in the body. Results: During the study period, 21 patients were identified who had ingested toxic alcohol (methanol; 12 patients, ethylene glycol; 9 patients). At ED arrival, the mean anion gap was $18.7{\pm}6.9$ and the osmolar gap was elevated in 13 patients. Oral and IV ethanol were administrated to 11 patients in order to inhibit alcohol dehydrogenase. Extracorporeal elimination procedures such as hemodialysis were performed in 9 patients. There were no fatalities, but the one patient suffered permanent blindness. Conclusion: This study found that ethylene glycol and methanol were the substances ingested which produced toxic alcohol intoxication. The patients presented with high anion gap metabolic acidosis and were typically treated with oral ethanol and hemodialysis.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.96-100
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• 1989

Traditional herbal drugs of Korea, namely, Atractylodes Rhizome(蒼朮) and Atractylodes Rhizome White(白朮) which are derived from and old-grown rhizome and a newly-grown rhizome of Atractylodes japonica Koidz.(Compositae), respectively, were investigated their potential liver-protective activities against hepatotoxicity induced by $CCl_4$ intoxication in mice. Each herbal drug was extracted separately with chloroform, methanol and butanol. No extract of Atractylodes Rhizome showed a significant reduction of the duration of hypnosis produced by hexobarital after $CCl_4$ intoxication in mice. In addition, the the treatments of Atractylodes Rhizome extracts produced no decrease of aspartate aminotransferase(EC 2.6.1.1) activity in serum. However, the methanol extract of Atractylodes Rhizome White exhibited a marked protection from hepatotoxicity induced by $CCl_4$ intoxication in mice. It produced significant reductions of the duration of hypnosis and serum enzyme activity, but no other extract showed liver-protective activity against $CCl_4-induced$ hepatotoxicity.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.139-144
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• 1978

Total methanol extract of Plantago asiatica seeds showed significant hepatotonic activities against animal model of hepatitis. The methanol extract was further fractionated with petroleum ether, chloroform, n-butanol and water. Among these fractions, methanol extract and water and chloroform fractions exhibited hepatonic activities, whereas petroleum ether and n-butanol fractions appeared to give rise a rather toxicity. Measurements of serum GOT, GPT and duration of sleeping time induced by hexobarbital after $CCl_4$ intoxication indicated that water fraction showed most potent activities.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2006

The methanol extracts of the roots, root bark and stem of Berberis tinctoria, were investigated for their hepatoprotective activity against carbon tetrachloride $(CCl_4)$ induced toxicity in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes, HEp-G2 cells and animal models. The methanol extracts were able to significantly normalise the levels of aspartate amino transferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, triglycerides, total proteins, albumin, total bilirubin and direct bilirubin, which were altered due to $CCl_4$ intoxication in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes and also in animal models. The anti-hepatotoxic effect of the methanol extracts in vitro were observed at $600\;-\;1,000\;{\mu}g/ml$ concentrations. A dose dependent increase in the percentage viability was observed when $CCl_4$ exposed HEp-G2 cells were treated with different concentrations of the methanol extracts. The highest percentage viability of HEp-G2 was observed at a concentration of $1,000\;{\mu}g/ml$. The results from the present investigations also indicate good correlation between the in vivo and in vitro studies.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.309-313
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• 1995

The aim and objective of this study are to carry out the liver protective activities against the $CCl_4$ intoxication in mice with some Iranian medicinal plants traditionally used for liver injuries. The methanol extracts of Cichorium intybus, Lactuca scarJoia, Eucalyptus camadulensis were evaluated. With various doses of these plants, liver protective activities were performed after $CCl_4$ administration to mice. The serum aminotransferases activites, liver sizes, and histopatological examinations of liver were studied. At a dose of 50 mg/ kg, all three plants were able to protect liver damages induced by $CCl_4$.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.6-14
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• 1984

Pharmacological studies have been carried out with the methanol extract of the whole plant of Pseudostellaria palibiniana Ohwi (Caryophyllaceae). The results showed that it had stimulation effect on heart, hypotensive actions depending on extract contents, stimulation effect on respiration, contraction on excised intestines, enhancement of tension on excised uterus, antineoplastic activity on Ehrlich carcinoma, liver protective activity against $CCl_4$ intoxication, writhing and diuretic activities.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.23-25
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• 1981

Methanol extracts of the roots of Atractylodes japonica (alba) (Compositae) and Gentiana scabra (Gentianaceae) were further fractionated with n-butanol, chloroform, n-hexane and water. Then each fraction was p.o. administered to an animal model of hepatitis caused by $CCl_4$ intoxication. Measurements of sleeping time of mice induced by hexobarbital administration indicated that n-butanol and chloroform fractions of Atractylodes japonica (alba), and chloroform and n-hexane fractions of Gentiana scabra showed significant liver protective activities. Measurements of the activities of serum transaminase, S-GOT and S-GPT appeared to support these results.