• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제40권1호
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• pp.38-57
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• 2019

Objective: This study reviewed recent clinical research trends regarding the effects of herbal medicine treatment containing diuretic herbs on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in China. Methods: We reviewed clinical studies on NAFLD from the China Academic Journal of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure from January 1, 2016, to September 10, 2018. Results: Thirty-nine papers from 86 studies were reviewed. The most commonly used herbal prescriptions included Alismatis Rhizoma(澤瀉), Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix (丹蔘), Crataegii Fructus (山査), Polia Sclerotium (茯?), Bupleuri Radix (柴胡), and Cassiae Semen (決明子). The treatment effective rate, liver function test, serum lipid test, radiological examination, and symptom comparisons were used to analyze the treatments. In 32 of the papers, the effective treatment rate was 76.9%-100%, and the effectiveness in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (p<0.05). The risk ratio for the treatment effective rate was 1.26. The mean difference of ALT was -13.44 U/L (95% confidential interval, -24.45 U/L, -2.44 U/L, p=0.0166). Conclusion: Herbal medicine containing diuretic herbs has been demonstrated to be an effective and useful treatment for NAFLD. Clinical studies that are more scientific and systematic should be actively conducted in the future, and the results of the current study could be used as basic data in future clinical studies on herbal medicine treatment for NAFLD.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.83-88
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• 2014

The adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key sensor of cellular energy. Once activated, it switches on catabolic pathways generating adenosine triphosphate (ATP), while switching off biosynthetic pathways consuming ATP. Pharmacological activation of AMPK by metformin holds a therapeutic potential to reverse metabolic abnormalities such as type 2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In addition, altered metabolism of tumor cells is widely recognized and AMPK is a potential target for cancer prevention and/or treatment. Panax ginseng is known to be useful for treatment and/or prevention of cancer and metabolic diseases including diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and obesity. In this review, we discuss the ginseng extracts and ginsenosides that activate AMPK, we clarify the various mechanisms by which they achieve this, and we discuss the evidence that shows that ginseng or ginsenosides might be useful in the treatment and/or prevention of metabolic diseases and cancer.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.150-157
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• 2024

The prevalence of childhood and adolescent obesity has increased and exacerbated during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, both in Korea and globally. Childhood and adolescent obesity poses significant risks for premature morbidity and mortality. The development of serious comorbidities depends not only on the duration of obesity but also on the age of onset. Obesity in children and adolescents affects almost all organ systems, including the endocrine, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, reproductive, nervous, and immune systems. Obesity in children and adolescents affects growth, cognitive function, and psychosocial interactions during development, in addition to aggravating known adult comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and cancer. Childhood and adolescent obesity are highly associated with increased cardiometabolic risk factors and prevalence of metabolic syndrome. The risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in later life can be considerably decreased by even a small weight loss before the onset of puberty. Childhood and adolescent obesity is a disease that requires treatment and is associated with many comorbidities and disease burdens. Therefore, early detection and therapeutic intervention are crucial.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제17권5호
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• pp.870-882
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Obesity is a major risk factor for metabolic syndrome, a global public health problem. Mentha canadensis (MA), a traditional phytomedicine and dietary herb used for centuries, was the focus of this study to investigate its effects on obesity. MATERIALS/METHODS: Thirty-five male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 2 groups and fed either a normal diet (ND, n = 10) or a high-fat diet (HFD, n = 25) for 4 weeks to induce obesity. After the obesity induction period, the HFD-fed mice were randomly separated into 2 groups: one group continued to be fed HFD (n = 15, HFD group), while the other group was fed HFD with 1.5% (w/w) MA ethanol extract (n = 10, MA group) for 13 weeks. RESULTS: The results showed that body and white adipose tissue (WAT) weights were significantly decreased in the MA-supplemented group compared to the HFD group. Additionally, MA supplementation enhanced energy expenditure, leading to improvements in plasma lipids, cytokines, hepatic steatosis, and fecal lipids. Furthermore, MA supplementation regulated lipid-metabolism-related enzyme activity and gene expression, thereby suppressing lipid accumulation in the WAT and liver. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that MA has the potential to improve diet-induced obesity and its associated complications, including adiposity, dyslipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and inflammation.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제64권1호
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• pp.12-20
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• 2021

The mean age at menarche (AAM) of Korean females has been rapidly decreasing over the last 50 years; currently, the prevalence of early menarche (<12 years) is 22.3%. Female adolescents who experience early menarche are known to be at greater risk of psychosocial and behavioral problems along with several physical health problems such as menstrual problems. They also tend to achieve a shorter final height and develop obesity. Population-based Korean studies have shown a strong association between early menarche and the risk of obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, diabetes, breast cancer, and cardiovascular disease in adulthood. Although the exact mechanism of how early menarche causes cardiometabolic derangement in later adulthood is unknown, childhood obesity and insulin resistance might be major contributors. Recent studies demonstrated that an excessive consumption of fructose might underlie the development of obesity and insulin resistance along with an earlier AAM. A positive association was observed between sugar-sweetened beverages (a major source of fructose) intake and obesity, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and cardiometabolic risk in Korean females. In pediatrics, establishing risk factors is important in preventing disease in later life. In this regard, early menarche is a simple and good marker for the management of cardiometabolic diseases in adulthood. Decreasing one's fructose intake might prevent early menarche as well as the development of obesity, insulin resistance, and cardiometabolic diseases.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.311-318
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• 2018

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) supplementation has been suggested to negatively correlate with obesity in humans and other animals. Previous studies, including ours, have demonstrated that a high-fat diet (HFD) induces obesity and related diseases such as hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Here, we investigated the effects of vitamin C on visceral adipocyte hypertrophy and glucose intolerance in C57BL/6J mice. Mice received a low-fat diet (LFD, 10% kcal fat), HFD (45% kcal fat), or the same HFD supplemented with vitamin C (HFD-VC, 1% w/w) for 15 weeks. Visceral adiposity and glucose intolerance were examined using metabolic measurements, histology, and gene expression analyses. Mice in the HFD-VC supplementation group had reduced body weight, mesenteric fat mass, and mesenteric adipocyte size compared with HFD-fed mice. Vitamin C intake in obese mice also decreased the mRNA levels of lipogenesis-related genes (i.e., stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c) in mesenteric adipose tissues, inhibited hyperglycemia, and improved glucose tolerance. In addition, vitamin C attenuated the HFD-induced increase in the size of pancreatic islets. These results suggest that vitamin C suppresses HFD-induced visceral adipocyte hypertrophy and glucose intolerance in part by decreasing the visceral adipose expression of genes involved in lipogenesis.

• 산업식품공학
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.358-365
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• 2018

통곡물 시리얼(Whole grain cereal, WGC)이 함유된 식이는 에너지 대사 조절에 중요한 다량영양소(macronutrients)를 제공한다. 본 연구는 고지방식이(high-fat diet, HFD)로 유발된 비만 마우스를 이용하여 WGC의 근감소성 비만 예방 효과에 대해 평가하였다. C57BL/6N 마우스에 정상식이(normal diet, ND), ND+WGC, HFD, HFD+WGC를 12주 동안 제공하였다. WGC는 체중, 식이효율, 체지방 및 지방세포의 크기를 감소시켰다. 또한, WGC는 간 무게 및 간에 축적된 지방을 감소시킴으로써 HFD에 의한 비알코올성 지방간을 개선시켰다. 더욱이, WGC는 비만 마우스 및 정상 마우스의 근육 무게 및 근력을 증가시켰다. 따라서, WGC는 지방 축적을 억제하고 근육량을 증가시키므로 근감소성 비만 예방을 위한 기능성 식품으로 사용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권9호
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• pp.3595-3604
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• 2015

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been one of the most fatal malignant tumors worldwide and its associated morbidity and mortality remain of significant concern. Based on in-depth reviews of serological diagnosis of HCC, in addition to AFP, there are other biomarkers: Lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive AFP (AFP-L3), descarboxyprothrombin (DCP), tyrosine kinase with Ig and eprdermal growth factor (EGF) homology domains 2 (TIE2)-espressing monocytes (TEMs), glypican-3 (GPC3), Golgi protein 73 (GP73), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA) have been proposed as biomarkers for the early detection of HCC. The diagnosis of HCC is primarily based on noninvasive standard imaging methods, such as ultrasound (US), dynamic multiphasic multidetector-row CT (MDCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Some experts advocate gadolinium diethyl-enetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) MRI and contrast-enhanced US as the promising imaging madalities of choice. With regard to recent advancements in tissue markers, many cuting-edge technologies using genome-wide DNA microarrays, qRT-PCR, and proteomic and inmunostaining studies have been implemented in an attempt to identify markers for early diagnosis of HCC. Only less than half of HCC patients at initial diagnosis are at an early stage treatable with curative options: local ablation, surgical resection, or liver transplant. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is considered the standard of care with palliation for intermediate stage HCC. Recent innovative procedures using drug-eluting-beads and radioembolization using Yttrium-90 may exhibit beneficial effects in HCC treatment. During the past few years, several molecular targeted agents have been evaluated in clinical trials in advanced HCC. Sorafenib is currently the only approved systemic treatment for HCC. It has been approved for the therapy of asymptomatic HCC patients with well-preserved liver function who are not candidates for potentially curative treatments, such as surgical resection or liver transplantation. In the USA, Europe and particularly Japan, hepatitis C virus (HCV) related HCC accounts for most liver cancer, as compared with Asia-Pacific regions, where hepatitis B virus (HBV) may play a more important role in HCC development. HBV vaccination, while a vaccine is not yet available against HCV, has been recognized as a best primary prevention method for HBV-related HCC, although in patients already infected with HBV or HCV, secondary prevention with antiviral therapy is still a reasonable strategy. In addition to HBV and HCV, attention should be paid to other relevant HCC risk factors, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease due to obesity and diabetes, heavy alcohol consumption, and prolonged aflatoxin exposure. Interestingly, coffee and vitamin K2 have been proven to provide protective effects against HCC. Regarding tertiary prevention of HCC recurrence after surgical resection, addition of antiviral treatment has proven to be a rational strategy.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제52권11호
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• pp.1279-1282
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• 2009

당뇨병 환자에서 간비대와 간 기능 이상이 동반될 경우 간 내 당원축적증과 비알콜성 지방간염을 감별해야 한다. 저자들은 인슐린 치료를 제대로 받지 않아 혈당 조절이 불량한 환자에서 저혈당과 간비대로 발현한 간 내 당원축적증을 경험하여 보고한다. 만 6세경 1형 당뇨병으로 진단받은 환아로 10세경 우상복부 통증과 반복되는 고혈당과 저혈당으로 내원하였으며, 당시 진찰상 둥근 얼굴, 우측 늑골연 하방 6 cm 정도에서 만져지는 간비대가 있었다. 검사상 소변 케톤 양성, 당화혈색소는 9.6%였다. 간 효소치가 증가되어 있었고, 혈중 콜레스테롤/중성지방 250/267 mg/dL였다. 바이러스성 간염, 자가면역성 간염, 대사성 간 질환에 대한 검사는 모두 정상이었다. 복부 초음파 및 컴퓨터 단층 촬영상 지방간과 간비대 소견을 보였다. 간 조직 검사상 PAS 염색에서 양성, diastase-PAS 염색에서는 음성으로 전형적인 당원축적증의 소견을 보였다. 고혈당을 보일 때마다 초속효성 인슐린을 투여하고 심한 저혈당의 증상이 동반된 경우 글루카곤을 투여하였으며 생옥수수 전분 가루를 간식으로 먹이면서 저혈당 횟수가 감소하여 퇴원하였다. 현재 외래에서 초속효성 인슐린으로 혈당 조절하면서 관찰 중이다. 제1형 당뇨병 환자에서 당원축적증은 간비대와 간 효소치의 상승을 야기할 수 있는 원인이다. 본 증례에서는 심한 저혈당이 반복되어 하루에도 수 차례 글루카곤을 투여하였으며, 생옥수수 전분 가루을 투여하면서 저혈당이 호전되었다. 엄격한 혈당 관리로 간 비대 및 간 기능 이상이 호전될 수 있으므로 적절한 인슐린 치료로 혈당을 조절하고 저혈당을 예방해야 하겠다.

• 한국자원식물학회지
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• 제28권5호
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• pp.635-640
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• 2015

본 연구는 지방축적이 유도된 HepG2 세포를 이용하여 용아초 EtOAc 분획물의 지방축적억제 효능을 확인하고자 하였다. Oleic acid를 HepG2 세포에 처리하여 지방의 축적을 유도하였으며, 용아초 EtOAc 분획물 25, 50, 100㎍/㎖을 처리하여 실험을 진행하였다. 그 결과 용아초 EtOAc 분획물은 100 ㎍/㎖의 농도에서 HepG2 세포의 지방축적을 효과적으로 억제하였으며, 이 효능의 기전을 확인하기 위하여 지질관련 유전자인 PPAR-α와 PPAR-γ의 발현을 확인하였다. 용아초 EtOAc 분획물은 농도 의존적으로 (25, 50, 100 ㎍/㎖) PPAR-α의 발현을 증가시켰으며, PPAR-γ는 억제함으로써 지질관련 유전자의 발현을 조절하였다. 따라서 용아초 EtOAc 분획물의 지방축적억제 효능은 지방 생성의 주요 인자로 알려진 PPAR-α와 PPAR-γ의 유전자 발현을 통해 작용하는 것으로 보이며, 비교적 저농도인 100 ㎍/㎖에서 효과적으로 지방축적억제 효능을 나타내었으므로 용아초 EtOAc 분획물은 비알콜성 지방간의 위해성을 경감하기 위한 후보물질로서 적합할 것으로 사료되며, 향후 활성성분 규명 및 명확한 작용기전 규명을 통하여 식품, 의약품의 원료에 대한 가능성을 확인할 계획이다.