• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.65 no.3
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• pp.143-152
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• 2022

We investigated the serum cholesterol and visceral fat lowering effects of Momordica charanatia (MC) and Withania somnifera (WS) extracts in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Combination of fermented MC and WS extracts (FMCWS) as well as that of non-fermented extracts (MCWS) were orally administered to HFD-induced obese mice along with the HFD supplementation for 8 weeks. During the experiment, body weight, food intake, and levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol were analyzed. Body weight and the levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly increased in the HFD-fed mice compared with the normal control (NC) group. However, supplementation of the extracts showed a tendency to reduce body weight gain and suppressed the levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride with the increment of HDL-cholesterol levels. Abdominal fat weight was significantly increased in the HFD group, and the size of adipocytes within the epididymal adipose tissue was markedly expanded compared with the NC group. However, in the FMCWS and MCWS groups, the abdominal fat weight was significantly reduced and the sizes of the adipocytes were noticeably diminished compared with those of the HFD-fed mice. Moreover, the deposition of giant vesicular fat cells observed in the liver tissue of the HFD group was prominently reduced in these groups. These results indicate that the combination of extracts from MC and WS tends to have potent synergic effects in reducing body weight gain as well as significantly lowering the visceral fat and the serum lipid levels, and thus improving anti-obesity efficacy in HFD-induced obese mice.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.147-154
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• 2024

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed physical activities due to social distancing to prevent the spread of infectious disease. The restriction could affect physical activities and serum lipid levels. The purpose of this study is to investigate changes of serum lipid levels and physical activities due to the social distancing between the pre-and-post COVID-19 pandemic on Jeju Island. A total of 5,373 subjects who underwent medical examination at a medical center located on Jeju Island. between May 2018 and December 2021 was enrolled. They were divided into two groups (the pre-COVID-19 vs. the post-COVID-19) based on their medical checkup dates and analyzed about clinical variables between them. Among the clinical variables, the mean age (P<0.014) and the mean levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (P=0.001), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (P=0.039) and total-cholesterol (P<0.001) and the proportions of subjects with abdominal obesity (P<0.001), aerobic exercise (P=0.003) and physical activity (P=0.008) were significantly higher in the post-COVID pandemic than those in the pre-COVID-19 pandemic. Even though the proportions of subjects with physical activity and aerobic exercise were statistically greater in the post-COVID-19 pandemic, those with central obesity and dyslipidemia were significantly higher in the period than before on Jeju Island.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.314-323
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• 2015

Black ginseng was made by steaming raw white ginseng nine times at $100^{\circ}C$ for 2 h and drying. We then performed pilot experiments using the nine black ginseng extracts for different steaming and drying times to determine their anti-obesity effects. Two ginseng extracts, steaming and drying five times (FSFD) and steaming and drying nine times (NSND), prepared in water or ethanol solution decreased lipid accumulation of 3T3-L1 cells. FSFD in water and ethanol extracts showed higher levels of ginsenosides, in particular, Rh1, Rg2, and Rb1 than NSND, and levels of the three ginsenosides were higher in ethanol extracts than in water extracts. Treatment with FSFD and/or NSND in ethanol extracts significantly regulated $PPAR{\gamma}$, C/$EBP{\alpha}$ and AMPK phosphorylation in 3T3-L1 cells. We verified doubling time of stem cells from both abdominal fat and subcutaneous fat after FSFD and NSND in ethanol and water extracts were added. Although addition of FSFD and NSFD in water extracts had no effects on proliferation, ethanol extracts with FSFD and NSND increased doubling time of stem cells in subcutaneous fat. FSFD and NSND in ethanol extracts more effectively reduced adipogenesis compared to those in water extracts. FSFD in ethanol extracts promoted secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokine such as IL-10 and depressed MCP-1 infiltration in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes co-cultured with RAW264.7 cells. We concluded that FSFD and NSND ethanol extracts may be developed as a functional food for its anti-obesity effect, but anti-inflammatory effect was shown in ethanol extracted FSFD rather than in NSND.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.12
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• pp.1771-1778
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• 2015

The study aimed to investigate the anti-obesity effects of 1% Rhus verniciflua vinegar (RV) supplementation in high-fat-diet (60% fat)-induced obese rats. A total of 50 4-wk-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed normal chow diet or maintained on high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks to induce obesity and were then randomized into five groups as follows: normal diet+ultra-pure water (CON), HFD+ultra-pure water (OB-DW), HFD+1% acetic acid (OBAA), HFD+1% RV (OB-RV), and HFD+0.1% caffeine (OB-CF). AA was used as a control for RV, and caffeine was used as a positive control due to its weight reducing effect. After 2 months, body weight, organ and adipose tissue weights, serum lipids, hepatic lipids, adipocyte size, and cell number per spot level were analyzed. As a result, food efficiency ratio, abdominal adipose tissue weight, serum levels of total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, free fatty acids, coronary artery index, and fecal lipid were significantly reduced in the RV treatment group. In this study, we found that dietary RV improved obesity by increasing lipid excretion and reducing lipogenesis. These results suggest that RV has potential as a functional anti-obesity food.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.685-694
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• 2009

This experimental study was designed to investigate the inhibitory effects of ethanol extract of modified Yukgunja-tang(mYGJT) on high-fat diet-induced obesity and hyperlipidemia in Sprague-Dawley rats, Animals were divided into normal, control, mYGJT(100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg) treated groups. Obesity with hyperlipidemia was induced by high fat diet treatment for 6 weeks. mYGJT was given to the amimals by oral gavage for 4 weeks, starting at the high-fat diet regimen, The effect of mYGJT on the differentiation of 3T3 L1 adipocytes in vitro and serological paramamters for obesity and hyperlipidemia in vivo were evaluated, mYGJT significnatly inhibited the differentiation of 3T3 L1 adipocytes in a concentration dependent manner. mYGJT treatment siginficantly reduced body weight, abdominal and epididymal fat weight, and FER(Food Efficiency Ratio) compared with control group in a dose dependent manner. It also signficantly inhibited the levels of serum total lipid, triglyceride, phospholipid, total cholesterol, LDL, AI(Atherosclerosis Index) and returned the serum HDL to normal. Total lipids, triglycerides and cholesterols in the liver, as well as malondialdehyde(MDA) and hydroxy radical in the serum were significantly reduced. However, superoxide dismutase(SOD) activity was significantly increased in mYGJT treated group compared with control group. Finally, mYGJT treatment signficantly decreased the MDA and protein carbonyl concentrations of the hepatic homogenate but signficantly increased the activities of SOD, GSH-Px and Catalase. Taken together, these results suggest that mYGJT can be clinically useful in inhibiting high-fat diet-induced obesity and hyperlipidemia.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.415-419
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• 2005

Objectives : We wanted to evaluate the relationship between obesity and left colonic adenomatous polyps in Korean adult men. Methods : This study was conducted among 575 adults men (aged between 40 and 69), who had colonoscopy done from January to December 2002 during a routine health examination at Health Promotion Center, Ulsan University Hospital. The patients' colons were examined up to splenic flexure by using fiberoptic colonoscopy. A questionnaire survey on behavioral factors and physical measurements were also done. The body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio (WHR) were used as the indices of obesity. The BMI was categorized into three levels: normal ($BMI{\leq}22.9$), overweight ($23{\leq}BMI{\leq}24.9$), and obese ($BMI{\geq}25.0$). The WHR was categorized into four levels with cutoff points at the 30th, 60th, and 90th percentile of the control group. Age, education, smoking, alcohol use and exercise were controlled for by performing multiple logistic regression analysis. Results : There were 99 cases of colonic adenomatous polyps. Four hundred seventy six subjects with normal colonoscopy findings served as the control. The BMI and WHR were associated with the adenomatous polyps (odds ratio, 1.81 [95% CI=1.02-3.19] for a $BMI{\geq}25.0$ as compared with a $BMI{\leq}22.9$, odds ratio, 3.94 [95% CI=1.77-8.77] for a $WHR{\geq}0.95$ as compared with a $WHR{\leq}0.86$). The BMI was not associated with the risk of adenomatous polyps after additional adjustment was made for the WHR, but the association between the WHR and adenomatous polyps was still positive and independent of the BMI (odds ratio, 4.15 [95% CI=1.63-10.59]). Conclusions : The results support that obesity, and particularly abdominal obesity, can be associated with an increased risk of incurring colonic adenomatous polyps.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.36 no.2 s.141
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• pp.109-115
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• 2005

The herb of Allium victorialis var. platyphyllum (Liliaceae) has been used as an edible wild herb and to treat heart failure and gastritis. We have already reported antihyperlipidemic anti-tumor effects of this plant. To enlarge the commercial availability of this food, it was investigated whether the extracts of A. victorialis var. platyphyllum reduce hyperlipidemia and obesity or not. The plants tested in this experiment were collected from two eco-types of Is. Ullung and Mt. Odae cultivated at Pyongchang. Extracts were prepared by extracting the fresh leaves and those dried at $36^{\circ}C$ and $90^{\circ}C$, respectively. Pretreatment with the ethanolic extracts for two weeks(p.o.) reduced serum triglyceride-, total cholesterol- and LDL-cholesterol contents in rats induced by Triton WR-1339, respectively. Furthermore, oral administration of the extracts also inhibited the hyperlipidemia induced with oral diet of 30% corn oil. In the other attempt to find to alleviate the obesity, the model rats with obesity were induced by the high fat-diet for six weeks. Post-treatment with the extracts for two weeks significantly reduced the hyperlipidemia. Retroperitoneal-, epidymal- and total abdominal fat pad weights were considerably reduced at 100 mg/kg oral administration of the extracts. Increased feces lipid contents were also found in the rat treated with the extracts. The extract may lead to the higher activity in treatment of hyperlipidemia and obesity than of the dried one.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.151-158
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• 2015

Purpose: Obesity is associated with morbidity following gastric cancer surgery, but whether obesity influences morbidity after laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) remains controversial. The present study evaluated whether body mass index (BMI) and visceral fat area (VFA) predict postoperative complications. Materials and Methods: A total of 217 consecutive patients who had undergone LG for gastric cancer between May 2003 and December 2005 were included in the present study. We divided the patients into two groups ('before learning curve' and 'after learning curve') based on the learning curve effect of the surgeon. Each of these groups was sub-classified according to BMI (<$25kg/m^2$ and ${\geq}25kg/m^2$) and VFA (<$100cm^2$ and ${\geq}100cm^2$). Surgical outcomes, including operative time, quantity of blood loss, and postoperative complications, were compared between BMI and VFA subgroups. Results: The mean operative time, length of hospital stay, and complication rate were significantly higher in the before learning curve group than in the after learning curve group. In the subgroup analysis, complication rate and length of hospital stay did not differ according to BMI or VFA; however, for the before learning curve group, mean operative time and blood loss were significantly higher in the high VFA subgroup than in the low VFA subgroup (P=0.047 and P=0.028, respectively). Conclusions: VFA may be a better predictive marker than BMI for selecting candidates for LG, which may help to get a better surgical outcome for inexperienced surgeons.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.10
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• pp.892-897
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• 2010

Purpose: This study evaluated the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and risk factors for metabolic derangement in young adults with childhood-onset hypopituitary growth hormone deficiency (ACOHGHD). Methods: Thirty patients with ACOHGHD who were treated with hormone-replacement therapy, aged 18 to 29 years, who visited the Seoul National University Children's Hospital between September 2009 and February 2010 were enrolled. Height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, and blood pressure were measured, and the clinical and hormonal features were reviewed retrospectively. We evaluated measures of metabolic derangement in the enrolled patients and in the data of healthy adults aged 20 to 29 years taken from the 2005 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) as part of the National Cholesterol Education Program-the Adult Treatment Panel III. Results: Compared with the KNHANES participants, patients with ACOHGHD had significantly large waist circumference (men and women), high systolic blood pressure (BP) (women) and diastolic BP (men), and high serum triglyceride levels (women). The duration of illness correlated significantly with central obesity ($r^2$=0.546, $P$=0.003). The prevalence of MetS was 10% in patients with ACOHGHD and 2.3% in KNHANES participants. The prevalence of central obesity and MetS was higher in patients with ACOHGHD than in KNHANES participants ($P$<0.001 and $P$=0.042, respectively). Conclusion: Abdominal obesity correlated with the duration of illness in patients with ACOHGHD. Waist circumference should be measured in the clinic to prevent MetS, particularly in patients with a long history of ACOHGHD, regardless of age or sex.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.36 no.4 s.143
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• pp.324-331
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• 2005

The roots of Rosa rugosa have been used to treat diabetes mellitus in the folkloric society of Korea. To demonstrate the active component for the rat obesity induced by high fat diet for 6 weeks, the phytochemical fractionation and the pharmacological activity test were performed on this crude drug. It was shown that the methanolic extract and its EtOAc fraction inhibited the weight increase of the rat body, abdominal fat pad and hyperlipidemia at 200 mg/kg dose. Further, the triterpenoids, euscaphic acid and tormentic acid, isolated from R. rugosa roots were active at 30 mg/kg in the same assay. The two components shifted serum total-, HDL, and LDL-cholesterol levels toward the values of the unteated group, suggesting that the active compounds has hypolipidemic effects. The rats fad euscaphic acid and tormentic acid also reduced thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) and hydroxyl radical in the rat blood and increased superoxide dismutase activity compared to the control. TBARS values and carbonyl contest of the hepatic protein were reduced by treatment with the two triterpenoids. Antioxidative enzyme (SOD, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase) activities in hepatic were increased by treatment of rats with the triterpenoids, which suggests that triterpenoids inhibited the reduction of hepatic antioxidative activity caused by high fat diet. Taken together, these results support that euscaphic acid and tormentic acid improve a high fat diet-induced hyperlipidemia via the activation of antioxidative mechanism.