• Toxicological Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.365-374
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• 2004

Inhalation toxicity, mutagenicity, and immunotoxicity tests were performed using a smoke generation system to investigate the safety of Herbrette, a tobacco substitute made with the leaves of Perilla frutescens. ICR mice were exposed to nicotine-free Herbrette smoke with concentrations of 0 (control), 4.08 $\pm$ 1.32 mg/$m^3$ (low dose), 7.72 $\pm$ 2.14 mg/$m^3$ (medium dose) and 12.83 $\pm$ 1.69 mg/$m^3$ (high dose) total particulate matters (TPM) for 4 weeks. When compared to the control group, the body weights, organ weights in the exposed groups did not show any significant differences. However, certain change of several serum chemical data and biochemical parameters were observed, however, the changes were within normal physiological ranges. Moreover, no changes in organ weight, and no gross/microscopic changes were observed between the exposed and control groups. Salmonella typhimurium reverse mutation, in vivo chromosomal aberration and micronucleus assays revealed that Herbrette did not induce mutagenicity. Upon evaluation of peripheral cellular immunity of mice through in vitro lymphocyte proliferation assay, no significant difference was observed in mean stimulation index between the exposed and control groups. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that Herbrette may not cause toxicity on mice under current condition.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.281-286
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• 2000

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin (TCDD), a ubiquitous environmental contaminant, causes a variety of adverse effects on the male reproductive system in rats. The effect of green tea extract (GTE) was investigated on the testicular function in Spragure-Dawley rats after a single exposure of 10$\mu\textrm{g}$ TCDD/kg body weight. The exposure of rat to TCDD significantly increased the weights of the epididymis and ventral prostate, yet significantly decresed the weight of the seminal vesicle when compared to the controls (p<0.05). In a combined treatment of TCDD with GTE, the organ weight changes caused by TCDD treatment disappeared. Significant decreases in sperm motility and sperm numbers were observed in the TCDD-treated rats, when compared to the control (p<0.05). GTE treatment reversed the decrease of sperm motility and sperm numbers caused by TCDD. There were no differences in sperm morphology, histological changes of the reproductive organs, and spermatogenesis between all the treated groups. In the ventral prostate and seminal vesicle, TCDD increased the CYP1A1 mRNA level, however, it did not affect the estrogen receptor $\beta$ (ER-$\beta$) mRNA level. GTE treatment did not influence the effect of TCDD on the levels of CYP1A1 and Er-$\beta$ mRNA. These results seem to indicate that green tea protects the testicular function against TCDD-induced reproductive toxicity, not because of a receptor-mediated mechanism but rather due to a secondary change of testes or accessory sex organs.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.189-198
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• 2012

Our former study indicated efficacy of apoptotic cell death on animal study by using Egg white combined Chalcanthite (EC). Clinically, bamboo salt is using because of safety. Hence we investigated a toxicity study for determining safety by adding bamboo salt in former materiel. We had two studies: toxicity of EC and of Bamboo salt with egg white combined Chalcanthite (BC). Both were studied in 1-week single and 5-week repeated oral dose toxicity tests on male Imprinting Control Region mice. In EC, doses used in 1 week single oral dose toxicity tests were 0, 0.05, 0.5, 5 and 50 mg/kg/day and 0, 0.01, 0.05, 0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg/day. In BC, doses used by 0, 0.08, 8.3, 83.3 and 166.6 mg/kg/day in single oral dose toxicity and 0, 4.2, 8.3, 41.7 and 83.3 mg/kg/day in repeated oral dose toxicity tests. Their blood and urine were assayed and organ morphology were examined. Mann-Whitney U test and ANOVA tests were used by analysing methods. First, significant increased left renal weight in all groups of EC and BC. Second, increased ALT score was found in EC-S2 and increased relative liver weight was found in EC-S3. In addition, increased relative weight and urine bilirubin and urobilinogen were found in EC-R2 and EC-R3. There was no significant toxic change in BC. The Mixture of EC had a possibility of hepatotoxicity in the short and long term. Processed BC appears to be safe and non-toxic in these studies and a no-observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) was established at 83.3 mg/kg/day in mice. Relatively, The BC were safer than The EC.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.79-86
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• 2007

The isolated plantamajoside from Plantago asiatica that is often used as a marker compound in chemotaxonomic studies has various bioactivites such as the inhibitions of cyclic AMP phosphodi-esterase and 5-lipoxygenase, microbial growth and inflammation, and currently demands the generation of toxicity data. The purpose of this study was to examine the toxicities of the single and 14 days repeated dose toxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats orally administrated with plantamajoside at dose levels of 0, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg of dried material/kg body weight/day. The results showed that there was no difference in body weight change, food intake, water consumption, or relative organ weight among different dose groups. Also we observed no death and abnormal clinical signs were observed during the experimental period. Between the groups orally administered Plantago asiatica and the control group, there was no statistical significance in hematological test or serum biochemical values. There were no gross findings at final sacrifice. There was no evidence of histopathological alteration mediated by 14 days treatment with Plantago asiatica. These results suggest that no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of the oral application was considered to be more than 2000 mg/kg in rats under the conditions employed in this study. Another observation was performed to investigate the safety of Plantago asiatica in respect of genotoxicity. This substance was examined that Salmonella typhimurium reversion assay (Ames test) in strain TA98, TA100, TA1535. In the reverse mutation test, Plantago asiatica did not induce mutagenicity in Samonella typhimurium with and without metabolic activation. These results indicated that Plantago asiatica had no genotoxicity.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.37-53
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• 1973

For the elucidation of the metabolic effects due to alcoholic drink and moldy rice intake author designed two experiments as follows. In the first experiment, sixty male and female rats, divided into six groups, 10 rats each in both sexes, were given 7.5% sucrose-30% alcohol solution (Jinro-Soju) and diets varied of fat content (2%, 7%, 30% of diet) and protein quality (casein, bean, anchovy) for 6 weeks. In the Second experiment, six groups of rats, 10 male rats each, were fed the diets containing zero, 5%, 10%, 25%, 50%, and 100% moldy rice contaminated Penicillium Islandicum and the experimental periods were 4 weeks and 6 weeks. The results of these studies due to the toxicity of alcohol consumption and moldy rice ingestion of the fatty liver production and the other effects are as follows. 1. Food intake of alcohol consumed groups decreased to 50%-70% of that of standard group. In the second study, there was no significant differences on food intake due to the different contents of moldy rice and experimental period. 2. On the view paint of body weight gain, the body weight of alcohol consumed groups gained much less than that of standard group, because food consumption was decreased due to alcohol ingestion. 3. In comparison of F.E.R. and P.E.R. between standard and experimental groups, there was no significant differences in this study. 4. As a matter of fact, there was no significance on the nitrogen balance in both studies. 5. From the result of hematology, R.B.C. counts, W.B.C. counts, hemoglobin, and hematocrit showed normal values in all groups including in this study. So we might conclude that the toxicity of alcohol and moldy rice do not effect significantly on blood picture. 6. The larger organs shrank on the range of 20%-70% of that against standard group in this study. The major reason for the shrinkage of organs might be account of decreased food consumption due to alcoholic drink. There was no great changes on the organ weight due to the ingestion of moldy rice. 7. The nitrogen content in various organs in both experiments was revealed at the normal level for the worst condition in terms of the least food intake. In other word, it was noteworthy that the concentration of nitrogen in various organs was kept at the normal ratio as standard groups under the circumstances of this study. 8. The lipid content in the liver of rats fed alcohol and diets containing either various lipid contents or protein quality did not increase. Hepatic lipids accumulation due to the dietary fat content was observed, but there wvas no significances among the compared groups. In the second experiment, the difference of hepatic lipid content between the moldy rice groups and standard group was not showed. In addition to the result of total lipid, hepatic free cholesterol, free fatty acid, and triglyceride did not change in both studies, we might conclude that the toxicity of alcohol and moldy rice could not effect on the hepatic lipid contents. 9. There was no significant differences on the serum glucose level between alcohol groups and standard group. In the second experiment, serum glucose level increase in 6th week compared with in 4th week, but there was no significant differences.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 2009

Single-dose toxicity test of germanium-fortified lettuce was investigated in mice. Both sexes of C57BL/6 mice were orally administered once at a dose of 2,000 mg/kg. No death, clinical signs and pathological findings related to the treatment were observed. In addition, no significant changes in feed consumption and body weight gain were obtained during the treatment period, in spite of day-to-day fluctuation of water consumption. There were no considerable changes in hematology and serum biochemistry, except a significant decrease in GPT, GOT and LDH. Several alterations were observed in organ weight and blood biochemistry, including thymus, ovaries, heart, kidney and platelet in male or female mice. The ability of spleen cells proliferation was almost same level as shown in control group. However the population of B cells, helper T cells and cytotoxic T cells was not comparably changed in all groups. Taken together, it is suggested that single oral dose of germanium-fortified lettuce to C57BU6 mice did not cause apparent toxicological change at the dose of 2,000 mg/kg body weight.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.515-527
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• 1996

The most serious problem resulting from estrogen deficiency induce osteo porosis. Recently, they make efforts to inquire a relation between hematopoietic organ and bone loss due to estrogen deficiency. Estrogen have an effect on growth and formation of skeletal system, and inhibit bone resorption under the influence of osteoblast and osteoclast, and basically inhibit the increase of hematopoietic progenitor and immune factor connected with bone resorption and prevent the osteoid formation. The purpose of this article was to observe the change of spleen and effect on hematopoietic function following estrogen administration. In this study, female rats of 150g weight was ovariectomized, after 70 days, experimental group was injected estrogen at interval of a week and sacrificed on 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 weeks. Control group was sacrificed after ovariectomy on 11, 12, 13, 14, 16 weeks without estrogen injection, and normal rats were sacrificed for harvest of spleen and femur. Paraffin sections and H&E stain was performed, and observed under light microscope. The obtained results were as follows. 1. From 11 to 12 weeks at bone marrow of control group, hematopoietic cells were decreased in comparison with normal group, and lipid infiltration was seen, and irregular bone remodelling was seen after 13 weeks. From 14 to 16 weeks, there were more decreased hematopoietic cells and lipid degeneration, and lipid degeneration of hematopoietic cells appeared. 2. All the bone marrow of experimental group, the structure of hematopoietic cells with decreased lipid infiltration was recovered from 2 weeks of estrogen adminstration and maintained to 6 weeks. 3. At spleen of control group, borders of white and red pulp was not well demarcated, and size of white pulp was decreased. 4. At spleen of experimental group, borders between white and red pulp have been well demarcated from 3 weeks of estrogen adminstration relatively, and white pulp was increased with distinct border. From above findings, we could regarded that estrogen deficiency due to ovariectomy influenced on hematopoietic cells of bone marrow and spleen, and histologic recovery of hematopoietic cells were observed after 3 weeks of estrogen adminstration even if it was not reach to normal group.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.495-509
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• 2009

Objective : Membranous nephropathy(MN) is an organ-specific autoimmune disease and a relatively common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults worldwide. But treatment of MN is not defined. This study was to evaluate the effects of Acasia Catechu extract(ACE) on the MN induced by cBSA in mice. Methods : Mice were divided into 4 groups. The normal group was injected with a saline solution. The control group was treated with cBSA(10 mg/kg i.p.) only. The third group was treated with cBSA (10 mg/kg i.p.) and ACE (250 mg/kg, p.o.). The fourth group was treated with cBSA (10mg/kg i.p.) and ACE (500mg/kg, p.o.). After cBSA and ACE treatment for 6 weeks, we measured change of body weight, 24hrs proteinuria, serum albumin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, BUN, creatinine, TNF-$\alpha$, IL-6, IL-$1{\beta}$, IFN-$\gamma$, IgA, IgM and IgG levels. The morphologic changes of renal glomeruli were also observed with a light microscope. Results : The levels of 24 hrs proteinuria, total cholesterol, triglyceride, IgG, IgM, IgA, TNF-$\alpha$, IL-6, IL-$1{\beta}$, IFN-$\gamma$ significantly decreased in both ACE groups. The level of albumin significantly increased in both ACE groups. The mRNA expression of IL-$1{\beta}$ in splenocytes considerably decreased in the ACE-500 group. In histological findings of kidney tissue, thickening of GBM decreased in both ACE groups. Conclusions : This study shows that ACE might be effective for treatment of MN. More clinical data and studies are to be done for efficient application.

• The Journal of Dong Guk Oriental Medicine
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• v.1
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• pp.81-107
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• 1992

In order to estimate the effects of Eucommiae Cortex, which is one of the most important herb medicines used for invigorating the liver and kidney and strengthening ones and muscles, fetus-soothing etc., this experiment was conducted the quantitative analysis of geniposidic acid and geniposide by HPLC, and the analgesic effects of mice, the lipid metabolism of rats, the catecholamine concentration in the brain and the plsma of rats stressed by immobilization. The results obtained are as follows. 1. The contents of geniposidic acid and geniposide were 22.3mg/g, 5.4mg/g in Eucommiae Cortex without processing, and 119.8mg, 10.4mg/g in Eucommiae Cortex fried with salts. 2. In analgesic effects of mice, there were all significant in Eucommiae Cortex without processing and Eucommiae Cortex fried with salts. 3. In the effects of lipid metabolism of rats, there were not significant on the change of organ weight and the level of serum total lipid and total cholesterol, triglyceride, phospholipid, HDL-cholesterol. But, there were significant on the level of free fatty acid. 4. In tile effects of the catecholamine concentration in the brain and the plsma of rats stressed by immobilization, there were all significant in Eucommiae Cortex without processing and Eucommiae Cortex fried with salts, especially in case of norepinephrine. From the results mentioned above, there were significant on the analgesic effects of mice, and the catecholamine concentration in the brain and the plsma of rats stressed by immobilization. And there were different from Eucommiae Cortex without processing and Eucommiae Cortex fried with salts in the contents of geniposidic acid and geniposide. These results are relative to invigorating the liver and kidney and strengthening ones and muscles, and fetus-soothing, therefore when we use Eucommiae Cortex, it is more desirable to use Eucommiae Cortex with processing.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.192-200
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• 2010

Objectives: We have investigated the toxic effects of the inhalation of subchronic and acute levels of n-octane. Methods: The rats were exposed to n-octane of 0, 2.34, 11.68 and 23.36 mg/L (n = 5 rats/group/gender) in an acute inhalation test (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) TG 403), or to 0, 0.93, 2.62 and 7.48 mg/L (n = 10 rats/group/gender) for a subchronic inhalation test (OECE TG 413), to establish a national chemical management system consistent with the Globally Harmonized Classification System (GHS). Results: Acutely-exposed rats became lethargic but recovered following discontinuation of inhalation. Other clinical symptoms such as change of body weight and autopsy finds were absent. The LC50 for the acute inhalation toxicity of n-octane was determined to exceed 23.36 mg/L and the GHS category was 'not grouping'. Subchronically-treated rats displayed no significant clinical and histopathological differences from untreated controls; also, target organs were affected hematologically, biochemically and pathologically. Therefore, the no observable adverse effect level was indicated as exceeding 7.48 mg/L and the GHS category was 'not grouping' for the specific target organ toxicity upon repeated exposure. Conclusion: However, n-octane exposure should be controlled to be below the American Conference of Industrial Hygienists recommendation (300 ppm) to prevent inhalation-related adverse health effects of workers.