• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.149-154
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• 1997

The ability of exercise and buckwheat diet to modify plasma glucose and cholesterol levels in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats has been studied. Diabetic rats were fed corn starch as a control diet or buckwheat as an experimental diet for 4 weeks. One group of rats were exercise-trained to swim for 60 min/day, 6 days a week. Plasma glucose levels of sedentary rats both on the control diet and on the buckwheat diet were significantly increased from 367.0$\pm$33.6 mg/dl to 545.0$\pm$38.7 mg/dl and from 380.3$\pm$18.9 mg/dl to 540.5$\pm$36.6 mg/dl, respectively. However, this large increase of plasma glucose was not seen in exercised rats on the buckwheat diet (from 345.0$\pm$25.6 mg/dl to 391.4$\pm$34.7 mg/dl). The total plasma cholesterol level was not affected by either diet or exercise. The HDL-cholesterol level tends to increase due to the buckwheat diet or an exercise, but not with a significant increase. Our results suggest that the buckwheat diet is beneficial in lowering the plasma glucose level only when diabetic rats ar exercised.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.96-103
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• 2022

Purpose: The survival of organisms critically depends on avoidance responses to life-threatening stimuli. Information about dangerous situations needs to be remembered to produce defensive behavior. To investigate underlying brain regions to process information of danger, manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI) was used in olfactory fear-conditioned rats. Materials and Methods: Fear conditioning was conducted in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The animals received nasal injections of manganese chloride solution to monitor brain activation for olfactory information processing. Twenty-four hours after manganese injection, rats were exposed to electric foot shocks with odor cue for one hour. Control rats were exposed to the same odor cue without foot shocks. Forty-eight hours after the conditioning, rats were anesthetized and their brains were scanned with 9.4T MRI. Acquired images were processed and statistical analyses were performed using AFNI. Results: Manganese injection enhanced brain areas involved in olfactory information pathways in T1 weighted images. Rats that received foot shocks showed higher brain activation in the central nucleus of the amygdala, septum, primary motor cortex, and preoptic area. In contrast, control rats displayed greater signals in the orbital cortex and nucleus accumbens. Conclusion: Nasal delivery of manganese solution enhanced olfactory signal pathways in rats. Odor cue paired with foot shocks activated amygdala, the central brain region in fear, and related brain circuits. Use of MEMRI in fear conditioning provides a reliable monitoring technique of brain activation for fear learning.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.141-149
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• 2001

The effect of ginseng on gastric ulcer and gastric acid secretion was investigated in pylorus-ligated rats. Methods: Sprague-Dawley strain rats were used after 24 hours fast. Pylorus-ligation was performed under light ether anaesthesia, then gastric mucosal damage was evoked in conscious pylorus-ligated rats by the administration of subcutaneous (s.c.) indomethancin (20mg/kg), s.c. histamine (150mg/kg) or by pylorus-ligation (Shay ulcer). Ginseng was given by intragastric (i.g.) or intraperitoneal (i.p.) route simultaneously with the ulcerogens. Rats were killed after 3h (indomethacin) and histamine models) or after 18h (Shay ulcer), when the gastric secretory responses, the number and severity of gastric mucosal lesions and mucosal mucus content deetermined. the effect of i.p. ginseng on basal gastric acid secretion and on gastric acide secretion in indomethacin (20mg/kg, s.c.)-treated rats was also investigated in urethane anesthetized rats. Gastric acid secretion was measured by flushing of the gastric lumen with saline every 15min through an oesophageal cannula. Results: In conscious pylorus-ligated rats, i.g. ginseng(12.5-50mg/$m\ell$; 50-200mg/kg) protected against gastric mucosal lesions evoked by s.c. indomethacin or s.c. histanmine in the d3-h pylorus-lighted rat, withoutmodifying gastric acid secretory responses. Ginseng given i.p. (150 or 200mg/kg) did not reduce the gastric lesions produced by histamine or by ligating the pylorus (Shay ulcer) Ginseng given orally in 50mg/$m\ell$ (200mg/kg) increased gastric mucus secretion in saline- and indomethacin-treated conscious pylorus-ligated rats. In anaesthetized rats ginseng (50 or 200mg/kg) did not modify basal gastric acid secretion or gastric acid secretion in the indomethacin-treated rats. Conclusions: ginseng given orally exerts gastroprotective effects in the rat stomach. Such anti-ulcer effect does not involve changes in gastric acid secretory responses. In addition, ginseng possesses stimulatory effect on gastric mucus secretion, which could be one mechanism by which the compound exerts its antiulcer effect. Our data are in favor for a beneficial effect for topically applied ginseng on the gastric mucosa.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.975-981
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• 2011

The aim of this study was to observe the effect of moxibustion at matched acupoints of ST36, ST37 and ST39 in rats with sex and age. This study measured small intestinal motility in rats. First, cauterize with moxa was applied to the ST36, ST37 and ST39 in rats classified by sex and age under enflurane anesthesia. And then same treatment is done to matched acupoints of ST36, ST37 and ST39. In each groups of ST36, ST37 and ST39, the small intestinal motility was increased in 5, 6, 8 weeks male and 5 weeks female rats at ST36, 6, 7 weeks male and 5, 6, 8 weeks female rats at ST37, 5, 6 weeks male and 5 weeks female rats at ST39. In matched acupoints, the small intestinal motility was increased in 5, 8 weeks male and 5, 6, 7, 8 weeks female rat at ST36+ST37, 5 weeks male and 6, 7, 8 weeks female rats at ST36+ST39, 5, 7 weeks male and 5, 8 weeks female rats at ST37+ST39. The effects of moxibustion at each acupoints decreased by advancing age and when these acupoints were combined, the effective results were shown in female rats of all age group. These results suggest that when each acupoints and matched acupoints was chosen in moxibustion treatment, the sex and age of individual is worth consideration.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.65-74
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• 2014

Objectives : The purpose of this study is evaluating the effect of Hoelen Herbal-acupuncture (HO-HA) at $KI_{10}$(Umgok) on Lipopolysaccharide(LPS) induced nephritis in rats. Methods : The experimental rats were assigned to four groups; normal, LPS, saline, HO-HA groups. LPS(2 mg/kg) was administered to the rats in LPS, saline and HO-HA groups to induce acute inflammatory kidney damage. Saline injection and HO-HA were administered at $KI_{10}$ three times a week. Blood samples were taken from the rats for analysis of white blood cell(WBC), neutrophil, blood urea nitrogen(BUN), creatinine TNF-${\alpha}$, CINC-1. Urine samples were taken from the rats for analysis of urinal volume, creatinine and total protein. The kidney samples were taken from the rats for analysis of renal myeloperoxIdase(MPO). Results : HO-HA suppressed the increases of WBC and neutrophils in blood, BUN, creatinine, TNF-${\alpha}$ and CINC-1 in serum, and MPO in kidney of LPS-stimulated rats. In addition, HO-HA inhibited the decrease of urinary volume in LPS-stimulated rats. Conclusions : HO-HA has therapeutic effects on LPS-induced inflammatory kidney damage in rats. Further studies may be needed for clinical use of HO-HA.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.720-729
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• 1998

Immunohistochemical technique of the c-fos primary gene protein, Fos, was used to analyze the effects of external factors on the neuronal activities in the periaqueductal gray(PAG) of the intact rats, sham-operated rats and post-operated stress control rats. In addition, the number of Fos positive neurons has been evaluated to verify the effects of cannula implantation and veratridine treatment on the neuronal activities in PAG area. The results were summerized as follow : 1. There was no significant difference in the number of Fos positive neurons observed in the caudal and middle portion of lateroventral PAG from cannula implanted rats and sham operated rats. 2. The number of Fos positive neurons in the PAG was not changed by the stress induced by connection of collecting tube to rats for 12 hours as compared to that of intact rats. 3. In the saline treated group, the Fos immunoreactivity in the PAG did not changed at 30 minutes and 1 hour after saline treatment as compared to that of intact rats. However, the number of Fos positive neurons was significantly increased at 2 hours after treatment compared to that of saline treated rats at 30 minutes after treatment. 4. The Fos immunoreactivity was dramatically increased at 30 minutes, 1 hour and 2 hours after veratridine treatment as compared to those of saline treated groups. The number of Fos immunoreative neurons showed the maximal level at 2 hours after veratridine treatment. 5. The Fos positive neurons induced by saline and veratridine treatment were mainly distributed in front of the microdialysis window. These results suggest that new microdialysis demonstrated in this study improves efficiency and accuracy to confine the neuronal activity in front of microdialysis window site. Moreover, this directional specificity allows us to locate probe tips adjacent to the brain area of the interest site rather than centering the probes within that brain area. Finally, This microdialysis method can be used to dialyse the neurotransmitters using concious and freely moving rats.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.7-17
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• 2014

Objectives: Condurango is widely used in various systems of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) against oesophageal and stomach ailments including certain types of cancer. However, until now no systematic study has been conducted to verify its efficacy and dose with proper experimental support. Therefore, we examined if ethanolic extract of Condurango could ameliorate benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)-induced lung cancer in rats, in vivo to validate its use as traditional medicine. Methods: Fifteen male and 15 female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were treated with 0.28 mg/kg of Sweet Bee Venom (SBV) (high-dosage group) and the same numbers of male and female SD rats were treated with 0.2 mL/kg of normal saline (control group) for 13 weeks. We selected five male and five female SD rats from the high-dosage group and the same numbers of male and female SD rats from the control group, and we observed these rats for four weeks. We conducted body-weight measurements, ophthalmic examinations, urinalyses and hematology, biochemistry, histology tests. Results: A histological study revealed gradual progress in lung tissue-repair activity in Condurango-fed cancer-bearing rats, showing gradual tissue recovery after three months of drug administration. Condurango has the capacity to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which may contribute to a reduction in anti-oxidative activity and to an induction of oxidative stress-mediated cancer cell-death. Condurango-activated pro-apoptotic genes (Bax, caspase-3, caspase-9, p53, cytochrome-c, apaf-1, ICAD and PARP) and down-regulated antiapoptotic-Bcl-2 expression were noted both at mRNA and protein levels. Studies on caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage by western blot analysis revealed that Condurango induced apoptosis through a caspase-3-dependent pathway. Conclusion: The anticancer efficacy of an ethanolic extract of Condurango for treating BaP-induced lung cancer in rats lends support for its use in various traditional systems of medicine.

• Mycobiology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.159-167
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• 2018

This study evaluated the in vitro and in vivo hypolipidemic effects of the medicinal mushroom Phellinus pini. The methanol extract (ME) of the fruiting body of Ph. pini was active against pancreatic lipase and cholesterol esterase with 99.14% and 67.23% inhibited activity at 1.0 mg/mL, respectively. It also inhibited 81.81% and 55.33% of ${\alpha}$-glucosidase and ${\alpha}$-amylase activities, respectively, at 2.0 mg/mL. Hyperlipidemia as induced by feeding rats with a high fat and cholesterol diet (HFC). HFC supplemented with a 5% fruiting body powder of Ph. pini (HFC + PhP) significantly reduced plasma total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides in rats compared with HFC. The reduced levels were comparable to rats fed the normal control diet (NC). The atherogenic index of HFC + PhP rats was significantly lower than that of the HFC rats. The excretion of fecal total lipid and cholesterol in the HFC + PhP rats was significantly higher than those in the NC and HFC rats. Histopathological examinations demonstrated scant deposition of lipids in the liver of rats fed HFC + PhP. The dietary supplementation with the fruiting body powder provided natural plasma lipid and glucose lowering effects in experimental rats without adverse effects on the plasma biochemical parameters and liver function related enzyme activities. Therefore, the hypolipidemic effects of Ph. pini may be due to the inhibitory effects on pancreatic lipase, cholesterol esterase, ${\alpha}$-glucosidase, and ${\alpha}$-amylase, and excretion of excess lipids and cholesterol in the feces.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.239-247
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• 1999

Six-week-old Sprague Dawley rats were fed the diets of 20% casein or soy protein. Two weeks after the feeding, hepatocellular chemical carcinogenesis was initiated by diethylnitrosamine(DEN), and promoted by the diet containing 0.01% 2-acetylamino-fluorene(AAF) and two-thirds partial hepatectomy(PH). The animals were sacrificed at 8 weeks after the DEN injection. The area of placetal glutathione S-trnasferase(GST-P) positive foci, the activities of several enzymes in cellualr antioxidant enzyme systems and glucose 6-phosphatase were determined to investigate the mechanism of the anticarcinogenic effect by the dietary proteins. In another set of experiments, the drinking water of rats fed casein was supplemented with 1.5% inositol hexaphosphate(InsP6) to elucidate whether it has the comparable anticancer action of soy protein. The area and number of GST-P positive foci in the soy protein group were significantly(p<0.05) lower than those inthe casein group. The livers of rats fed casein showed moderate fattydegeneration and larger hyperplastic nodules than those of rats fed soy protein. In another set of experiments, the area and number of GST-P positive foci in the rats fed casein supplemented with InsP6 were not significantly different from those in the rats fed casein or soy protein. The lipid peroxidation of rats fed different protein sources showed no significant difference. Glutathione S-transferase(GST) activities were increased significantly(p<0.05) by carcinogen treatment in all dietary groups. Glucose 6-phosphatase(G6Pase) activities were decreased by carcinogen treatment, and hence showed a reverse relationship(r=-0.695, p<0.01) to the GST-P positive foci. Therefore, the activities in the rats fed casein were lower than those in the rats fed soy protein. These results suggest that the soy protein seems to be more anti-carcinogenic than casein by decreasing the preneoplastic lesion and by increasing the membrane stability but inositol hexaphosphate, a component of soy protein, may not be protective against hepatocarcinogenesis.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.417-428
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• 1996

In order to know the toxic effect and carcinogenic activity in rats and mice fed with juice of Korean native Petasites japonicus Maxim of its pellet(4% or 8%) which were dried, milled and mixed with basal diet, the investigations were carried out by macroscopy and histopathology. Macroscopically, although remarkable changes were not observed in the liver of mice, there were slight to moderate swelling of rat livers in the whole groups at 12 to 14 weeks after feeding and milky spots in rats fed with its juice and 8% pelleted Petasites japonicus Maxim diet and a normal diet for 1 week alternatively for 14 weeks. Moreover, moderate to severe swelling and milk spots were recognized in livers of all rats fed with its juice and 8% pellet or 8% pelleted Petasites japonicus Maxim for 16 weeks. But, in cases of rats fed with its juice and 4% pellet or 4% pelleted Petasites japonicus Maxim, only swelling of livers was recognized moderately or severely. Histopathologically, major lesions were found in livers of both rats and mice. There were congestion, hemorrhage, fatty change, focal necrosis, megalocytosis and hyperplasia of endothelial cell in livers of mice and rats, the additional lesions such as proliferation of bile duct and nodular regeneration with diffuse regenerating cells were seen in livers of rats. In addition, preneoplastic lesions, the areas of milky spots macroscopically, were observed in livers of rats fed with Petasites japonicus Maxim for 14 to 16 weeks. In a few cases, haemangioendothelial sarcoma in livers was detected in rats fed with Petasites japonicus Maxim for 16 weeks. Petasites japonicus maxim growing naturally in Korea seem to exhibit toxic effect especially in liver and it contained a causative agent of primary liver tumors.