• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.385-389
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• 2004

A novel gene Jpk, originally isolated as a trans-acting factor associating with the position-specific regulatory element of murine Hox gene has been reported to be expressed differentially in the liver of diabetic animals. Therefore, in an attempt to develop a possible diagnostic marker and/or new therapeutic agent for the Diabetes Mellitus, we analysed the expression pattern of Jpk among organs of normal and diabetic Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Total RNAs were isolated from each organs (brain, lung, heart, liver, spleen, kidney, muscle, blood, and testis) of diabetic and normal rats in both normal feeding and after fasting condition. And then RT (reverse transcription) PCR has been performed using Jpk­specific primers. The Jpk gene turned out to be expressed in all organs tested, with some different expression profiles among normal and diabetes, though. Upon fasting, Jpk expressions were reduced in all organs tested except kidney, muscle and brain of normal rat. Whereas in diabetes, Jpk expressions were increased in all organs except heart, muscle and testis when fasted. Compared to the normal rat, the Jpk expression level in blood was remarkably upregulated (about 15-30times) in diabetic rat whether in normal feeding or fasting conditon, suggesting that the Jpk could be a candidate gene for the possible blood diagnostic marker for the Diabetes Mellitus.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.49-63
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• 2005

Objectives : Ojayeonjonghwan(五子衍宗丸) is composed of Polygonum multiflorum THUNB, and some medical herbs that are known as formula of senescence delay effects. The purpose of this study is to investigate th effect of Ojayeonjonghwan on antioxidant enzyme activities, such as Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance(TBARS), Superoxide dismutase(SOD), Catalase(CAT), Glutathione preoxidase (GSH-px) in rat erythrocytes and blood plasma. Methods : Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups, Normal group (supplied enough water and feeds only, Normal Group), D-galatose administered group(injected D-galatose 50mg/kg, 1time/day for 6 weeks, Control Group) and Ojayeonjonghwan administered group (D-galactose 50mg/kg and Ojayeonjonghwan extracts 245.0mg/200g 1time/day for 6 weeks, OJY Group). Rats were sacrificed and TBARS, SOD, CAT, GSH-px, Plasma total lipid, Plasma triglyceride and cholesterol were measured in rat erythrocytes and blood plasma. Results : TBARS in plasma concentration of OJY group was significantly lower than that of control group. Red blood cell(RBC) SOD activity of OJY group was significantly higher than that of control group(F=16.057, p=0.0001, ANOVA test), RBC GSH-px activity of OJY group was increased(F=4.271, p=0.034, ANOVA test). RBC catalase activities of all experimental group were not significantly different. Total lipid and triglyceride concentration in plasma of all experimental groups were not significantly different. Total cholesterol concentrations in plasma of OJY group were significantly lower than those of control group(F=4.387, p=0.032, ANOVA test). Conclusions : According to the above results, it is considered that Ojayeonjonghwan is effective in inhibiting lipid peroxidation and increasing antioxidative enzyme activities in D-galactose induced aging rat.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.277-281
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• 2001

Chromium is an essential nutrient and participates in glucose and lipid metabolism in human beings and animals. The present study was conducted to assess the effects of chromium picolinate (Cr-pic) on glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in type I and ll diabetic rats. The experimental groups were type I diabetic (streptozotocin-induced: 40 mg/kg, i.p.) and type II diabetic (Goto-Kakizaki rats) models. Each group was subdivided into control. low-dose and high-dose of Cr-pic treated groups. The Cr-pic was orally administered with Cr-pic (100 mg/kg for low dose group and 200 mg/kg for high dose group) for 4 weeks. And then we performed intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) and insulin sensitivity test (ITT). The glucose tolerance test was carried out by inection of glucose (2 g/kg, i.p.). The peripheral insulin sensitivity test was con- ducted by injection of insulin (5 units/kg, s.c.) and glucose. We performed determining of blood glucose concentration at 0, 10, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min using automated glucose analyzer. The plasma insulin concentration was determined by rat insulin EIA kit. Administration of Cr-pic improved weight gain in all group s with higher significant in the low-dose group. There was no significance between the control and the Cr-pic treated groups in the area under the blood glucose curve and serum insulin concentration plots of IPGTT and peripheral ITT in type I diabetic rats. But Cr-pic treated groups showed significantly lower levels of the area under the blood glucose currie during IPGTT and ITT and the high-dose group showed less effects compared with the low-dose group in the type II diabetic rats. The plasma insulin concentration of both diabetic groups was not influenced by Cr-pic supplementation. We can conclude that chromium picolinate may improve the endogenous and exogenous insulin action and peripheral insulin sensitivity in type II diabetic rats.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.30-37
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• 2005

Xuesaitong Ruanjiaonang (XR), a soft capsule containing Panax notoginseng saponins as main ingredients, is believed to remove extravasated blood and increase cerebral blood flow by improving blood circulation, and therefore, has been used in China to treat ischemic stroke or hemiplegia caused by cerebral thrombosis. To characterize pharmacological actions of XR, the present study evaluated its effects on neuronal cell damage induced by various oxidative insults or excitotoxic amino acids in primary cultured rat cortical cells. The neuronal cell viability was not affected by XR with the exposure for 2 h at the concentrations tested in this study ($10{\sim}1000\;{\mu}g/ml$). However, significant reduction of the cell viability was observed when the cultured cells were exposed to XR at $1000\;{\mu}g/ml$ for 24 h. XR was found to concentration-dependently inhibit the oxidative neuronal damage induced by $H_{2}O_2$, xanthine/xanthine oxidase or $Fe^{2+}$/ascorbic acid. In addition, it dramatically inhibited the excitotoxic damage induced by glutamate or N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA). We found that the NMDA-induced neurotoxicity was inhibited more effectively and potently than the glutamate-induced toxicity. Moreover, XR was found to exert mild inhibition of lipid peroxidation induced by $Fe^{2+}$/ascorbic acid in rat brain homogenates and some 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity. Taken together, these results demonstrate neuroprotective and antioxidant effects of XR, showing inhibition of oxidative and excitotoxic damage in the cultured cortical neurons, as well as inhibition of lipid peroxidation and its radical scavenging activity. Considering that excitotoxicity and oxidative stress pl ay crucial roles in neuronal cell damage during ischemia and reperfusion, these results may provide pharmacological basis for its clinical usage to treat ischemic stroke.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.69-76
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• 2021

The aim of this study was to evaluate gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-induced erythropoietin (EPO) and EPO-receptor expression in human Hep3B cells and Sprague Dawley (SD) rats during hypoxia. Expression levels of EPO, EPO-R mRNA, Janus kinase-2 (JAK-2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), and HIF-2 in response to GABA treatment were evaluated in cell lines. SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of 8 rats each, and GABA was orally administered; the groups were the normal control (NC), hypoxia-exposed (G0), as well as the GABA 1 mg/100 g body weight (BW) GABA treated group (G1), 5 mg/100 g BW GABA treated group (G5), and 10 mg/100 g BW GABA treated group (G10) with hypoxia. We analyzed EPO levels and red blood cell counts in rat blood and EPO gene expression in kidney tissue. EPO and VEGF mRNA levels in Hep3B cells exposed to hypoxia were significantly increased and further increased after GABA treatment. However, the expression of EPO-R and JAK-2 mRNAs were not affected by GABA, but hypoxia-induced HIF-1 and HIF-2 mRNA expression was inhibited by GABA. In the kidney tissue of rats exposed to hypoxia, the expression level of EPO mRNA was greatly increased, but levels in the GABA treatment groups significantly decreased. EPO levels in the serum showed the same significant trend, but the red blood cell counts were not significantly different. These findings demonstrate that HIF-1 and HIF-2 activation increase EPO expression in Hep3B cells exposed to hypoxia. However HIF decreased by GABA addition and VEGF increased significantly.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.703-707
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• 2007

This study was performed to investigate the effect of silk protein hydrolysates hydrolyzed by protease on blood glucose level, serum insulin and leptin secretion in the OLETF rats. Twenty seven week-old-male OLETF rats were divided in three groups: diabetic control, 0.5% and 0.8% silk protein hydrolysates groups that were fed daily for 19 weeks. Body weight increased in the 0.5% and 0.8% silk protein hydrolysates fed groups compared with diabetic control group. Food and water intake were not different among diabetic and silk protein hydrolysates groups. In random state, the blood glucose levels in silk protein hydrolysates fed groups were lower than diabetic control group; however, the blood glucose in the three groups were not different in fasting state. Also silk protein hydrolysates improved the glucose tolerance in OLETF rat. The silk protein hydrolysates did not influence serum lipids while serum insulin and leptin levels were increased in the experimental OLETF rats. These results suggested that the administration of silk protein hydrolysates solution reduced significantly (p<0.05) an increasing rate of blood glucose level by stimulating the insulin secretion and increasing the serum leptin level.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.222-227
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• 2001

The production results of the oriental functional beverage, which is aimed at reducing the alcohol concentration in blood, are as follows. Different kinds of herb medicine ingredients were combined to achieve the balance between Yin And Yang. They were grouped according to their respective characteristics and extracted by heat, Then they were combined and produced following the most effective mixture ratio. The drink produced by this way consisted mainly of water, Sugar, mineral, protein and fiber were partially contained. Among the minerals, the proportion of calcium, potassium, magnesium was high and iron was also contained. This drink turned out to be effective in reducing the alcohol concentration in blood within a very short time when it was taken once after drinking and taken aging 30 minutes later, which would double the dosage. This result shows that development of such a functional beverage using the herbal medicine, At the same time it will play an important part in reducing the alcohol concentrate in blood after drinking liquors.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.98-98
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• 2001

It has been suggested that hyperuricemia is related to the development of essential hypertension. Hypertensive patients with hyperuricemia has decreased glomerular filtration activity as compared to normotensive patients with hyperuricemia. These studies indicates uric acid concentrations in blood is associated with hypertension, Probenecid is an uricosuric agent which decreases uric acid reabsorption at the proximal tubule. Recently, we have shown that probenecid exerts anti-hypertensive action in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats. Considering these results, I have designed a series of experiments to explore potential mechanism of antihypertensive action, of probenecid. In isolated rat thoracic aorta. probenecid significantly prevented phenylephrine-induced contraction of the blood vessel. When endothelium removed blood vessels were used, probenecid produced same effect as the intact blood vessels, indicating that probenecid directly act through the ${\alpha}$ -adrenergic receptor in vascular smooth muscles rather than through endothelium. These results suggest that one of the mechanism of antihypertensive effects of probenecid is due to the direct inhibition of ${\alpha}$ -adrenergic receptor in blood vessels.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.45-49
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to clarify the efflux transport system of choline from brain to blood across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in rats using the brain efflux index (BEI) method. $[^3H]$Choline was micro-injected into parietal cortex area 2 (Par2) of the rat brain, and was eliminated from the brain with elimination halflife of 45 min. The BBB efflux clearance of $[^3H]$choline was about 124 mL/min/g brain, which was determined from combination of an elimination rate constant $(1.54X10^{-2}min^{-1})$ and the distribution volume in the brain (8.05 mL/g brain). The efflux of $[^3H]$choline was inhibited by unlabeled choline in a dose-dependent manner and was significantly inhibited by cationic substrates, such as hemicholinium-3 and tetraethylammonium (TEA). These results suggest that the BBB may act as an efflux pump for choline to reduce the excessive choline concentration in the brain interstitial fluid.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 2001

This study was performed to elucidate the patho-physiology of copper-poisoned rats after consecutive oral administrations of the copper sulfate. The changes in feed and water intake, gains of body weight, blood pictures and mineral compositions of several organs were observed to measure the effects of copper poisoning. 1. Compared with control group, every experimental group of which 1,000, 2,000, or 4,000 ppm/kg of copper sulfate was administered displayed a gradual decrease in feed intake in dose-dependent manners. 2. After 1,000, 2,000 or 4,000 ppm/kg of copper sulfate administration, water intake seemed to decrease in every experimental group in dose-dependent manners, but there was little statistical significance. 3. After 1,000, 2,000 or 4,000 ppm/kg of copper sulfate administration, body weight decreased in every experimental group in dose-dependent manners. 4. After 1000, 2,000 or 4,000 ppm/kg of copper sulfate administration, the PLT values and numbers of RBC and WBC significantly increased after copper sulfate administration, but the values of Hb and PCV were lower than those of control group's. 5. After 2,000 or 4,000 ppm/kg of copper sulfate administration, the levels of Cu, Mn, Fe, Pb and Zn in the liver were lowered, but the levels of Mn, Fe, Pb and Zn in the kidneys increased except Cu levels.