• Toxicological Research
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• v.13 no.1_2
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• pp.103-110
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• 1997

This study was performed to investigate the effects of cadmium chloride on the acute and chronic toxicity on rats. Several toxic effects of cadmium has been shown following short-term and longterm pretreatment with cadmium and zinc. Four groups of rats (A, B, C, D), each consisting of 16 rats, were studied and each group was divided into four subgroups (1, 2, 3, 4), 4 rats for each subgroup. Rats were subcutaneously pretreated with $CdCl_2$ (0.5 mg/kg, A & C), and $ZnCl_2$ (13.0 mg/kg, B & D) during time periods of 1 weeks (group A & B) and 6 weeks (group C & D). At the end of the period, rats were challenged with $CdCl_2$ (3.0, 6.0 and 9.0 mg/kg, i.p.). After giving the challenge dose, cadmium and metallothionein(MT) concentrations were determined. The concentrations of cadmium were higher in the liver than the kidney irrelevantly to cadmium and zinc pretreatment and increased dose-dependently to the challenge dosage. The metallothioneins showed higher concentrations in the liver than the kidney following cadmium pretreatment and were higher in the long-term pretreatment groups than the short-term pretreatment groups in the liver and the kidney of rats. These data suggest that metallothioneins are induced preferentially in the liver by pretreatment of cadmium and then, formed in the form of Cd-MT, may play an important role in the nephrotoxicity.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.71-84
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• 2012

Objectives: GG is the EtOH fraction of extract of Pueraria lobata. In this study, we aimed to elucidate a possibility that GG reduce obesity and obesity-derived complications such as cardiovascular and metabolic disease. Methods: The effects of GG on the estrogen-deficient obese rats and the level of gene expression in muscle of rats were investigated. Results: GG decreased body weight in obese rats with estrogen deficiency. GG increased leptin gene expression in obese rats with estrogen deficiency. GG decreased TNFa gene expression in obese rats with estrogen deficiency. And GG increased PPAR-gamma, PGC-1a, Prdx6, FDFT1, and ACC gene expression of those in obese rats. Conclusions: We conclude GG might reduce body weight and regulate gene expression of muscle in obese rats.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.704-712
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• 2013

This study was designed to examine the effects of bitter melon (BM) on the plasma blood glucose and cholesterol levels in diabetic rats. Diabetes mellitus was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats through an injection of streptozotocin (STZ) dissolved in a citrate buffer into the tail vein at a dose of 45 mg/kg of body weight. Sprague-Dawley rats were then fed for four weeks, with the experimental groups receiving a modified diet containing 5% or 10% powder derived from BM. The experimental groups were divided into 4 groups, consisting of the normal control group, STZ-control group and diabetic fed with BM 5% & 10% treated groups. The rats' body weight, blood glucose and cholesterol values were measured along with the hematocrit (Hct) values and aminotransferase activities. Body weight losses were observed in the diabetic groups, whereas the control rats gained weight. There were significant differences in kidney weight between the control group and the diabetic groups. The Hct levels of the diabetic BM-treated group were significantly higher than the STZ-control group. Aspartate aminotransferase activity was lower in the non-diabetic group compared to the diabetic experimental groups. Further, the blood glucose was significantly decreased in the 5% & 10% BM of the diabetic group. There were no significant difference in cholesterol levels among the diabetic groups. These results indicate that the supplementation of bitter melon may have a favorable influence on reducing the blood glucose level in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.598-603
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• 2012

Objectives : This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Polygoni avicularis Herba Herbal-acupuncture( PaH-HA) at KI10(Umgok) on nephritis induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS) in rats. Methods : Rats were allocated into normal, control, and 3 experimental groups. The rats in the control group were intra-peritoneally injected with LPS for nephritis induction. The rats in the groups of experiment 1, experiment 2, and experiment 3 were treated with single needle prick, saline injection, and PaH-HA, respectively at KI10 three times for a week and then injected with LPS. To evaluate the effects of PaH-HA at HI10, WBC count in blood, serum CINC-1, renal TNF-${\alpha}$ and renal MPO were measured. Results : Needle prick at KI10 suppressed the increase of WBC in blood and CINC-1 in serum of LPS-stimulated rats. Saline injection at KI10 suppressed the increase of WBC in blood. PaH-HA at KI10 suppressed the increase of WBC in blood, CINC-1 in serum, and MPO in kidney of LPS-stimulated rats. Conclusions : PaH-HA at KI10 has an anti-inflammatory effect on LPS-induced nephritis in rats and there may be a synergism between KI10(Umgok) stimulation and PaH-HA Solution.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.15-22
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• 1970

The present study is concerned with the demonstration of the relationship between the behavior and the brain concentration of noradrenaline resulted from pretreatment of amphetamine in isolated or aggregated rats. The experimental subjects were rats weighing from 120g to 200g housed 1, 2, and 6 in a cage. Analeptic activity of amphetamine was measured by determining the sleeping time induced by pentobarbital sod. The noradrenaline content in brain was determined with Aminco-Bowmann's spectro-photofluorometer by Lee's modification of Shore and Olin method. Results: 1) The analeptic activity of amphetamine on the sleeping time induced by pentobarbital sod. was more increased in the grouped rats than in isolated animal. 2) In being isolated and grouped rats, the sleeping time induced pentobarital sod, was markedly prolonged by pretreatment of amphetamine. 3) Means of housing rats, e.g., isolation or aggregation did not seem to affect the brain noradrenaline depleting action. 4) Repeated daily parenteral administration of amphetamine sulfate for a period 1 to 3 weeks resulted in decrement of brain noradrenaline concentration in being isolated and grouped rats. 5) The prolongation of sleeping time of the isolated or aggregated rats, when pretreated with amphetamine, compared with that of stock rats, seems to be attributable rather to the means of housing than the variation of the noradrenaline caused by amphetamine.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.171-176
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• 1993

Purpose of the present study was to clarify the role of noradrenergic neural activities in hypothalamus for either triggering or maintaining hypertension in deoxycorticosterone (DOCA)-salt hypertensive rats. Two groups of animals were prepared: 1) normotensive Wistar rats and 2) DOCA-salt induced hypertensive rats. Voltage dependent $^{45}Ca^{++}$ uptake, endogenous norepinephrine release, and the catecholamine content in the hypothalamus of DOCA-salt hypertensive and normotensive Wistar rats were compared. Animals at 4, 6 and 16 week-old of two groups were sacrificed by decapitation and hypothalamus was dissected out. Voltage dependent calcium uptake and norepinephrine release were determined from hypothalamic synaptosomes either in low potassium or high potassium stimulatory condition by using $^{45}Ca^{++}$ isotope and HPLC-ECD technique. Degrees of voltage dependent $^{45}Ca^{++}$ uptake and norepinephrine release in hypothalamic synaptosomes of 16-week-old DOCA-salt hypertensive rats were significantly greater than those of age matched normotensive control rats. The norepinephrine and dopamine contents of hypothalamus were about the same in two groups of animals. These results suggest that the alteration of evoked norepinephrine release related to calcium uptake in hypothalamus may play a role in the maintenance of hypertension in DOCA-salt hypertensive rats.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.870-875
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• 2011

Arthritis of the knee is the most common type of joint inflammatory disorder and it is associated with pain and inflammation of the joint capsule. The aim of present study was to investigate the endogenous effect of low intensity laser acupuncture on collagen-induced arthritis in rats. Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal group, arthritis group, low laser group with 10 rats in each group. Arthritis in rats was induced by subcutaneous injection of type II collagen combined with complete Freund's adjuvant. Here we investigated the effects of low intensity laser therapy in experimentally induced rat knee arthritis. To evaluate preventive and therapeutic effects of low intensity laser acupuncture on collagen-induced arthritis rats. In collagen induced arthritic rats, there was significant increase in rat paw volume and decrease in body weight increment, whereas low intensity laser therapy groups, showed significant reduction in paw volume and normal gain in body weight. The altered biochemical parameters(blood urea, serum creatinine, total proteins and acute phase proteins) in the arthritic rats were significantly brought back to near normal by the low intensity laser therapy. Therefore, low intensity laser acupuncture may be a useful treatment in the prevention and treatment of collagen-induced arthritis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.253-259
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• 1997

The effect of corticosteroid on the diabetic pregnant rats and their fetuses was investigated. Streptozotocin (STB) was injected into the pregnant rats on the fifth day of pregnancy. Dexamethasone (DXM) was injected into the pregnant rats on the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th days of pregnancy In prenatal rats, the body weight, an abortion rate, number of fetus, the ratio of lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) and the levels of blood glucose and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) were determined. In the postnatal rats, the body weight, the levels of blood glucose, fetal number, stillbirth rate, an organ weight and the levels of hepatic glycogen, protein and triglyceride were determined. The body weight of fetuses was lower in the DXM group and higher in the STZ group than the those of control group. Blood glucose of fetuses produced hypoglycemia in the STZ group compared with the control group. A significant increase in the abortion and stillbirth rates was observed in STZ group. The levels of glycogen, protein and triglyceride in fetus liver and the weight of pancreas were significantly increased in the 572 and STZ+DXM groups compared with the control group. The L/S ratio and the level of PG in the amniotic (quid were significantly decreased in STZ group compared with the control group, whereas those of the STZ+DXM group were similar to the control group. It has been observed that corticosteroid administration on the STZ-induced diabetic rats during final stage of pregnancy can prevent the respiratory depression syndrome of neonatal rats.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.126-132
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• 2003

Efficacy and in vivo bioassay of recombinant human erythropoietin (rh-EPO, DWP413) was investigated. Efficacy studies on erythropoiesis were conducted in normal, cisplatin-induced anemic rats and acute hemorrhage - induced anemic rats. Animals were treated intravenously with DWP413 for 5 days, the changes in the number of red blood cells (RBC), hematocrit value (Hct), hemoglobin concentration (Hb) and reticulocyte were examined. In normal rats, at the doses of 50, 250, and 1250 IU/kg/day, in cisplatin-induced anemic rats, at the doses of 50, 100 and 200 IU/kg/day, RBC, Hb, Hct and reticulocyte were increased dose-depen-dently. And in acute hemorrhage-induced anemic rats, DWP413 (150, 450 and 1350 IU/kg/day) significantly increased RBC, Hb, Hct and reticulocytes. In histopathological findings of kidney, cisplatin alone treated rats expressed severe glomerulus and tubular damage. But in the DWP413 treated rats after cisplatin treatment, these were not remarkable compared to cisplatin alone treated rats. In vivo bioassay, DWP413 had 102.43% of bioactivity compared to erythropoietin BRP(Biological Reference Product, European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines). These results suggest that DWP413 might be useful for the therapy of anemia induce by renal failure and acute blood loss.

• Mycobiology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.40-44
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• 2011

Aspergillus fumigatus is associated with invasive disease aspergillosis in immunocompromised individuals. The major aim of this study was to investigate the biochemical and immunological responses of male Wistar rats against A. fumigatus experimentally-induced pulmonary fungal infection. Nostril experimental exposure of male Wistar rats to a high dose of A. fumigatus freeze-dried preparation for only 24 hr resulted in a significant increase in levels of catalase, nitric oxide and lipid peroxide in lung homogenates, compared to those of the control animals. However, the oxidative status of the lungs of rats challenged with killed fungus did not change significantly, except for the stimulation in the level of lipid peroxide. IgG level was significantly elevated only in rats that received two low doses of fungus, compared to unexposed animals (p < 0.005). Examining the lung of rats exposed to A. fumigatus revealed no abnormal changes, except for pus in bronchial lumen spaces and per bronchial inflammation. Histologically, large numbers of granuloma cells were evident in the lungs of challenged rats, while no granuloma formation was evident in the lungs of rats exposed to killed fungus.