• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.677-687
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• 2006

Objective : Hypothyroidism is a common disease of the endocrinal system. characterized by fatigue, cold intolerance, bradycardia, and so on. Clinically, Levothyroxine(L-T4) has been usually used for replacement therapy, but it often has side effects. so many hypothyroidism patients wants oriental medical therapy. Zingiberis rhizoma, traditionally has been used in treatment of coldness, fatigue, and bradycardia. In this study. I investigated the therapeutic effects of Zingiberis rhizoma on PTU induced hypothyroidism in rats. Methods : I used two-month-old rats administered PTU and induced with hypothyroidism. After 2 weeks. Zingiberis rhizoma and thyroxine were daily administered, respectively. Body weights was measured every weeks. After 4 weeks, blood samples were taken and analyzed biochemically and T4 and TSH were measured by ELISA kits. Results : In comparison with normal groups, control groups showed hypothyroidism with low T4 and high TSH level. In Zingibris rhizoma administration groups were observed T4 level elevation, this elevation was dependent on the dose of Zingibris rhizoma. Between experimental groups and control groups, there was no difference in TSH level, statistically. Changes of biochemistry were not observed in any experimental groups. Conclusions : These findings suggest that Zingiberis rhizoma makes thyroid cells producing thyroid hormones. There is also a non-toxic effect on the cardiovascular system, liver and kidney function. So, Zingiberis rhizoma should be an effective agents for treating hypothyroidism.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.69-76
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• 1985

This study was carried out to observe the formation of superoxide radicals and the changes in the activities of superoxide dismutase (EC.1.15.1.1.) from the various organs of a rat which was blocked tricarboxylic acid cycle. In order to block the tricarboxylic acid cycle, the beta-fluoroethylacetate was injected into peritoneal cavity of rat and removed the various tissues from the rat at internals of an hour. By tissue extracts being prepared by the method of Weigiger and Fridovich the activities of superoxide dismutase, aconitase, and contents of bliid glucose, citrates, and wuperoxide radicals were determined. The experimental results are summarized as follows: Accumulation of citrates if increased within three hours after treatment in the all tested tissues, especially, in the geart and spleen they are higher than one of other tissues as 12 and 20 times of control. The activities of aconitase are ingibited to 30-35% on an hour after beta-fluoroethylacetate treatment comparing with that of control rat. The content of blood glucose is increased to 1.6 fold of normal value after 5 hours of treatment. In all tested tissues, superoxide radicals are formed in the heart as 0.26 micromoles per gram tissue between one and three hours after treatment. The activities of total superoxide dismutase are increased between one and three hours after treatment in the all tested tissues and one of these enzymes in heart is highest. The activities of superoxide dismutase containing Mn are also increased with an increase of total superoxide dismutase activities.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.20-26
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• 1999

Purpose : Several modulatory factors for renal peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) has been reported, but their physiological significance remains elusive. Tissue-specific, stress-induced down-regulation of renal PBR coupled with the pharmacological stimulation of these effects by angiotensin II suggested that physiological significance of renal PBR may be related to the pathophysiology of stress-induced hypertension. The boderline hypertensive rat (BHR) has been used extensively to study the interaction of environmental factors, such as stress and blood pressure. The BHR is the first-generation progeny of a cross between the spontaneously hypertensive rat and the control Wistar-Kyoto rat. The pathogenesis of stress induced hypertension in this model is not demonstrated well. Methods In this study, BHR (male, 150-200 g) and Sprague-Dawley (SD, male, 150-200 g) rats were treated by repeated immobilization to induce anxiety. We used plus-maze performance to observe the level of anxiety by measuring percent open crosses and percent time in open. Results : Percent open crosses and percent time in open in BHR were lower than in SD rats (P<0.05). Receptor densities of renal PBR in BHRs were significantly lower than those of SDs (P<0.05). We also observed that the renal PBR was upregulated in the repeatedly stressed (immobilization, 2 hours daily, for 2 weeks) rats, both in the BHR and SD. However, the density of renal PBR in the stressed BHR was still lower than that of stressed SD. Renal PBR has been suggested to be an important organs which Is responsible for the production of cholesterol-derived products during stress. Conrlusion : From these results, it can be summarized that the lowed density of renal PBR may be involved in the pathogeneis of stress-induced hypertension.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.401-410
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• 1996

The microwave fixator has recently been introduced in morphological research. The present study was carried out to investigate the ultrastructural effects of microwave fixation of rat brain. kidney, liver and skeletal muscle tissues. The results are as follows: In the case of microwave fixed cerebrum. the cytoplasmic processes of neurons and the various membranous organelles such as nuclear envelope, mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus were well preserved, The myelin sheath wrapping neuronal axon was prominent. Microwave fixed hepatocytes showed the microvilli on the free surface of bile canaliculus, the evident nucleolar components, and typical organelles. In nephron, ultrastructures of glomerulus and Bowman's capsule were preserved, and also tubular wall were structurally observed. Among the skeletal muscle cells, plentiful collagen fibers were appeared, myofibrils and mitochondria were typically observed. In conclusion, the microwave fixation procedures result in an good preservation of the tissues and would be time- and reagent-saving.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.119-124
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• 1994

Experiments were performed to determine age-associated changes in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) gene and Ha-ras cellular oncogene expression in tissues of female rats. In the kidney, ODC mRNA levels did not show age-associated changes, while ODC enzyme activities were decreased with advancing age from 3 to 10 months. These results suggest that post-transcriptional mechanism (s) are involved in the age-dependent decrease in renal ODC enzyme activity. In addition, we found no correlation between testosterone-induced renal ODC expression and DNA methylation pattern. Ha-ras mRNA levels in brain decreased as animals aged from 3 to 6 months, while renal Ha-ras mRNA levels were not influenced by age. Results demonstrate the age-dependent expression of Ha-ras in a tissue-specific manner.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.570-576
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• 1992

The treatment with gentamicin in the presence of pretreatment with bismuth nitrate significantly reduced blood urea nitrogen compared with given gentamicin alone. But the amelioration of gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity by bismuth nitrate was abolished by pretreatment with indomethacin that is cyclooxygenase inhibitor, which significantly decreased renal glutathione S-transferase activity and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance compared with mice of given gentamicin and bismuth nitrate. On the other hand, treatment with bismuth nitrate significantly increased prostaglandin $E_2$ production in rat kidney slice. These results suggest that bismuth nitrate might ameliorate the nephrotoxicity of gentamicin via prostaglandin $E_2$ production.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.736-738
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• 2003

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is the key enzyme in the synthetic pathway of polyamines. This enzyme is a homodimeric and a pyridoxal 5-phosphate (PLP) dependent enzyme. We have isolated, a cDNA clone encoding ODC from brain cDNA library constructed from flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). The ODC cDNA contained a complete ORF consisting of 460 amino acids and one stop codon with comparison to nucleotide sequences of the flounder, zebrafish and rat ODC genes, the ODC genes were highly conserved. The transcription of ODC was analyzed with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) species in brain, kidney, liver, and embryo.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.291-295
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• 2011

The present investigation evaluated the safety of the methanol extract from the fruit body of Phellinus pini Ames (PPA) by determining its potential toxicity after a subacute administration in rats. The extract was orally administered in doses of 1 g/kg, 2 g/kg, and 4 g/kg daily for 14 days to rats. Body weight, biochemical, and hematological parameters were determined at the end of 14 days of daily administration. The no-observed adverse effect levels (NOAEL) of the extract were 4 g/kg, when given by gavage routes. Daily oral administration of PPA extract for up to 14 days did not result in the death of significant changes in the body weight, hematological, and mainly biological parameters. In biological analysis, some significant changes occurred, including triglyceride and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), indicating that the PPA extract has liver and kidney-modulating activity. The PPA extract was found to be low or non-toxic in rats.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.819-827
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• 1994

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of 50% buckwheat diet on the body weight, organ weight, urine albumin, urine glucose, plasma glucose and plasma lipid in normal rats and diabetic rats treated with streptozotocin(STZ). The food intake, body weight, the level of urine glucose in diabetic buckwheat groups were not significantly different with diabetic control group. The level of urine albumin was lower in raw and steam buckwheat group than in the diabetic control group. Compared to the normal control group, liver and kidney weights were heavier in the diabetic groups. Pancreas weight was heavier diabetic buckwheat groups than in normal and diabetic control groups. Fasting plasma glucose level of diabetic buckwheat groups significantly decreased by 18-37% compared with the diabetic control group. Plasma triglyceride level of diabetic buckwheat groups significantly decreased by 34-50% compared with the diabetic control group. Plasma total cholesterol level of diabetic buckwheat groups decreased by 15-27% compared with the diabetic control group. The level of HDL-cholesterol was not affected by buckwheat diet. These results indicate that buckwheat is an effective therapeutic regimen for the control of metabolic derangements in diabetics.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.996-1006
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• 1994

This study was performed to investigate the effect of dietary chitin & chitosan on cadmium (Cd) toxicity and lipid metabolism in rats. Forty-two male rats of Sprague-Dawley strain weighing 137$\pm$2g were blocked into 6 groups according to body weight, and were raised for 4 weeks. Cadmium chloride was given at the level of 0 or 400ppm in diet and chitin and chitosan were given at the level of 0 or 4%(w/w) of diet. The results are summarized as follow. Chitosan decreased the toxicity of Cd on liver, kidney and femur and increase the Cd content of fecal excretion. Chitosan increased the lipdi & cholesterol content of fecal excretion by combining with lipid and bile acid. Chitosan decreased lipid, cholesterol and TG content in serum and liver by combining with lipid and bile acid. Chitin was less effective than chitosan in decreasing of Cd toxicity and lipid content of rat.