• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.1415-1423
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• 2007

Carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-induced liver injury depends on a toxic agent that has to be metabolized by the liver NAPDH-cytochrome P450 enzyme system to a highly reactive intermediate. Alternations in the activity of cytochrome P450 enzymes affect the susceptibility to hepatic injury from $CCl_4$. In this study, we evaluated the potential protective activity of the traditional Korean medicinal herb, Corni fructus (CF), against an experimental model of hepatotoxicity induced by $CCl_4$. The CF exhibited a hepatoprotective activity against $CCl_4-induced$ liver damage in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, as measured by GOT, GPT, ALP and histological observation. The CF also showed significant decrease of malodialdehyde (MDA) and increase of glutathion (GSH), catalase activity in rat liver homogenate. In addition, the expression of CYP2E1, as measured by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis, was significantly decreased in the liver of CF treated SD rats. But $CCl_4$ and CF has no significant effect on 1A1 and 3A1 isoform of cytochrome P450. Based on these findings, it is suggested that hepatoprotective effects of CF possibly related to antioxidative effects and regulation of CYP2E1 expression.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.30-39
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• 2020

Background: This study examined the effects of gabexate mesilate on spinal nerve ligation (SNL)-induced neuropathic pain. To confirm the involvement of gabexate mesilate on neuroinflammation, we focused on the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and consequent the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used for the study. After randomization into three groups: the sham-operation group, vehicle-treated group (administered normal saline as a control), and the gabexate group (administered gabexate mesilate 20 mg/kg), SNL was performed. At the 3rd day, mechanical allodynia was confirmed using von Frey filaments, and drugs were administered intraperitoneally daily according to the group. The paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) was examined on the 3rd, 7th, and 14th day. The expressions of p65 subunit of NF-κB, interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and iNOS were evaluated on the 7th and 14th day following SNL. Results: The PWT was significantly higher in the gabexate group compared with the vehicle-treated group (P < 0.05). The expressions of p65, proinflammatory cytokines, and iNOS significantly decreased in the gabexate group compared with the vehicle-treated group (P < 0.05) on the 7th day. On the 14th day, the expressions of p65 and iNOS showed lower levels, but those of the proinflammatory cytokines showed no significant differences. Conclusions: Gabexate mesilate increased PWT after SNL and attenuate the progress of mechanical allodynia. These results seem to be involved with the antiinflammatory effect of gabexate mesilate via inhibition of NF-κB, proinflammatory cytokines, and nitric oxide.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.267-272
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to examine the antiobesity effects of lactic acid bacteria-fermented Dioscoreae Rhizoma powder (LDR) in Sprague-Dawley rats with high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity. Rats were divided into 5 groups: normal diet group, control (high fat diet-vehicle) group, 0.4 g/kg LDR (high fat diet + 0.4 g/kg lactic acid bacteria-fermented Dioscoreae Rhizoma powder) group, 1 g/kg LDR (high fat diet + lactic acid bacteria-fermented Dioscoreae Rhizoma powder) group, 2.5g/kg LDR (high fat diet + lactic acid bacteria-fermented Dioscoreae Rhizoma powder) group. Our results indicate that LDR administration has effects on decreasing of body weight, fat weight, blood parameters and adipocyte size in the obesity animals. In addition, verified that fat degeneration and ballooning degeneration were alleviated in the experimental group fed on a high fat diet combined with LDR groups. These results indicate that lactic acid bacteria-fermented Dioscoreae Rhizoma powder may reduce elevating body weight and lipid accumulation in rat fed a high fat diet, suggesting its usefulness as a functional food for reducing body fat and obesity.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.279-287
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• 1995

This study examined the anti-cancer effects of diallyl sulfide(DAS) and/or diallyl disulfide(DDS), major components of garlic oil, with the DEN-PH model in rats, by the numbers and areas per cm$^2$ of induced glutathion S-transferase placental form(GST-P) positive foci and silver-stained nucleolar organizer regions(Ag-NORs) counts per nuclei in liver as indicator. Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats were given the diethylnitrosamine(DEN, 200 mg/kg, i.p.) as initiator and 2 weeks later, in experiment 1, rats were treated with DAS(200 mg/kg, i.g.) and/or DDS(50 mg/kg, i.g.) for 6 weeks, respectively and concomitantly and also were given the same dose of DAS and/or DDS prior to DEN treatment for 2 weeks, and in experiment II, rats were treated with potential cancer promoter, 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF, 20 mg/kg, i.g.). The DAS and/or DDS were treated prior to 2-AAF for 8 weeks, respectively and concomitantly. Then the anti-promoting effects of DAS and/or DDS were assessed. All rats were subjected to the two-thirds partial hepatectomy(PH) at week 3 and sacrificed at week 8. In experiment I, DAS and/or DDS treatment only prior to DEN showed inhibition of the development of GST-P positive foci. In experiment II, DAS and/or DDS treatment prior to 2-AAF promotion showed obvious inhibition of the development of GST-P positive foci in numbers and areas and AgNORs counts. In conclusion, We found DAS and/or DDS had the preventive effects on the hepatocarcinogenesis in rats and the concomitant treatment had some additive effects compared with the each treatment and AgNORs counts correlated well with the preneoplastic hepatic lesion.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.149-157
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• 2017

The interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) is a potential stroke treatment candidate. Intranasal delivery is a novel method thereby a therapeutic protein can be penetrated into the brain parenchyma by bypassing the blood-brain barrier. Thus, this study tested whether intranasal IL-1RA can provide neuroprotection and brain penetration in transient cerebral ischemia. In male Sprague-Dawley rats, focal cerebral ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 1 h. The rats simultaneously received 50 mg/kg human IL-1RA through the intranasal (IN group) or intraperitoneal route (IP group). The other rats were given 0.5 mL/kg normal saline (EC group). Neurobehavioral function, infarct size, and the concentration of the administered human IL-1RA in the brain tissue were assessed. In addition, the cellular distribution of intranasal IL-1RA in the brain and its effect on proinflammatory cytokines expression were evaluated. Intranasal IL-1RA improved neurological deficit and reduced infarct size until 7 days after MCAO (p<0.05). The concentrations of the human IL-1RA in the brain tissue 24 h after MCAO were significantly greater in the IN group than in the IP group (p<0.05). The human IL-1RA was confirmed to be co-localized with neuron and microglia. Furthermore, the IN group had lower expression of $interleukin-1{\beta}$ and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ at 6 h after MCAO than the EC group (p<0.05). These results suggest that intranasal IL-1RA can reach the brain parenchyma more efficiently and provide superior neuroprotection in the transient focal cerebral ischemia.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.75-84
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• 2005

Objectives : Acupuncture has been used as treatment of disease in the korean medicine. In this study, it was investigated that effects of reduction of acupuncture techniques of five evolutive phase for appling excess in the heart, kidney on cardiovascular system as blood pressure and renin and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in plasma, cardiac hypertrophy. Materials and methods : The experiments were performed on Sprague Dawley rats, 2K1C hypertension model was prepared by constricting the left renal artery with a sliver clip. Animals were then divided into seven groups, 2K1C induced and no treated group (Control), acupuncture on SP3 HT7(AC-1), LR1 KI1 (AC-2), SP3 HT7 LR1 KI1 (AC-3). The treatments were performed once a day for 10 days in rats. Results : The results are that the blood pressure was significantly decreased at 15days in AC-1 group. The cardiac hypertrophy was significantly decrease in AC-3 group. The activity of plasma ANP was increased in all groups without AC-1 group and the that of plasma Rein was decrease in AC-1, AC-2 groups than control group. Conclusions : These results suggest that acupuncture at SP3 HT7 and SP3 HT7 LR1 KI1 can be used as a therapy for controlling renal hypertension induced by 2K1C in the rats.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.383-393
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• 2022

Purpose: Aloe-emodin (AE), a natural anthraquinone abundant in aloe plants and rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum), has long been used to treat chronic inflammatory diseases. However, AE's underlying mechanisms in periodontal inflammation have not been fully elucidated. Acidic mammalian chitinase (AMCase) is a potential biomarker involved in bone remodeling. This study aimed to evaluate AE's effect on periodontitis in rats and investigate AMCase expression. Methods: Eighteen Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into the following groups: healthy (group 1), disease (group 2), vehicle (group 3), AE high-dose (group 4), and AE low-dose (group 5). Porphyromonas gingivalis ligatures were placed in rats (groups 2-5) for 7 days. Groups 4 and 5 were then treated with AE for an additional 14 days. Saliva was collected from all groups, and probing pocket depth was measured in succession. Periodontal pocket tissues were subjected to histomorphometric analysis after the rats were sacrificed. Bone marrow-derived macrophages and murine macrophages were stimulated with receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) and treated with different concentrations of AE. AMCase expression was detected from the analysis of saliva, periodontal pocket tissues, and differentiated osteoclasts. Results: Among rats with P. gingivalis-induced periodontitis, the alveolar bone resorption levels and periodontal pocket depth were significantly reduced after treatment with AE. AMCase protein expression was significantly higher in the disease group than in the healthy control (P<0.05). However, AE inhibited periodontal inflammation by downregulating AMCase expression in saliva and periodontal pocket tissue. AE significantly reduced RANKL-stimulated osteoclastogenesis by modulating AMCase (P<0.05). Conclusions: AE decreases alveolar bone loss and periodontal inflammation, suggesting that this natural anthraquinone has potential value as a novel therapeutic agent against periodontal disease.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.1089-1104
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• 2022

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the efficacy and underlying mechanism of cloves as an osteoarthritis (OA) treatment in a monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced rat OA model. Osteoarthritis (OA) is nowadays one of the most prevalent degenerative joint diseases. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats treated with MIA (50 μL; 80 mg/mL) were used as in vivo OA models. Cloves (100 and 200 mg/kg b.w.) were administered orally once daily for 2 weeks from 7 days after MIA injection. Changes in hindpaw weight distribution (HWD) were measured as a joint discomfort index. Activation markers related to inflammatory responses and cartilage degeneration in the right knee joints were evaluated by serum analysis and western blotting. Results: HWD decreased in the MIA control group but showed a dose-dependent elevation after clove treatment. Clove treatment inhibited inflammatory factors by PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathways, while also activating antioxidant factors through Sirt1/AMPK signaling pathways. Clove treatment also suppressed matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) overexpression and significantly increased the levels of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Conclusions: Treatment with cloves effectively reversed MIA-induced effects. Therefore, clove treatment could have the potential to protect against or treat OA.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.6-13
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• 2019

[Purpose] In this study, we examined the in vitro antioxidant activities and laxative effects of taurine-xylose (T-X), a synthetic taurine-carbohydrate derivative, in a rat model of constipation induced by loperamide. [Methods] The animals were divided into four treatment groups: normal untreated rats (NOR group), loperamide-treated control rats (CON group), loperamide and taurine-xylose (15 mg/kg)-treated rats (T-X group), and loperamide and commercial Dulcolax S (5.5 mg/kg)-treated rats (DS group). [Results] In the present study, T-X exhibited potent reducing power and free radical scavenging activities for DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS+ (2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline 6-sulfonic acid ammonium salt) radicals. The laxative effects of T-X were dependent on food, body weight, fecal properties, gastrointestinal transit (GIT) ratio, and serum metabolic parameters. In the T-X group, the number, wet weight, and water content of fecal pellets were noticeably increased compared to those in the loperamide-induced group. T-X treatment significantly increased the activities of hepatic antioxidant enzymes, including those of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT), relative to those in loperamide-induced constipated rats. Furthermore, the GIT ratio and loperamide-induced metabolic parameters in serum, including gastrin (GAS), motilin (MTL), and somatostatin (SS) levels, were significantly improved by T-X treatment. [Conclusion] These results suggest that taurine-xylose exerts antioxidant activities and laxative effects on loperamide-induced constipation by promoting gastrointestinal motility.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.12
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• pp.894-903
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• 2003

Protection against ischemia-reperfusion injury is crucial for successful transplantation of the lung. It has been known that nitric oxide has many favorable effects on the donor lungs but at the same time, has some potential side effects of cytotoxicity. In this regards, we investigated whether the administration of nitroglycerin could decrease ischemia-reperfusion injury in isolated rat lung reperfusion model for the confirmation of the effect of nitroglycerin, a donor of nitric oxide, on lung transplantation. Material and Method: 35 Sprague-Dawley species male white rats were used for this experiment. For nitroglycerin group (n=18), nitroglycerin was administered intravenously followed by mixed in flushing solution for preservation. As a control group (n=17), we used the same amount of normal saline. To evaluate the effect of nitroglycerin on the lung, heart-lung block was obtained, weighed and stored in University of Wisconsin Solution at 1$0^{\circ}C$ for 24 hours. In each group of the isolated lungs, reperfusion was carried out with Krebs-Hensleit-diluted human blood for 60 minutes. As parameters of the state of the isolated lung, peak inspiratory and pulmonary arterial pressures were continuously recorded. Oxygen and carbon dioxide tension of reperfusing blood were measured before and after 30, 60 minutes of reperfusion. After sixty minutes of reperfusion, protein content in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was measured also for the evaluation of the degree of alveolar flooding. Lung myeloperoxidase activity was determined to verify the accumulation of neutrophils. Results: Although statistically significant differences were not noted in peak inspiratory and pulmonary arterial pressure between control and nitroglycerin group, latter group showed lowering tendency of pulmonary arterial pressure during the entire reperfusion period. Oxygen tension was higher (p<0.05) in nitroglycerin group compared with that of the control group, in contrast, there were no differences in carbon dioxide tension, protein content in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and myeloperoxidase activity between the groups. In the examination of ultrastructural changes, nitroglycerin denoted the protective effect on the pulmonary architecture compared with that of control group. Conclusion: Collectively, on the bases of these experimental results, prior treatment of donor lung with nitroglycerin could result in better preservation of the lung. Consequently, these nitroglycerin preserved lungs are thought to be more suitable for successful transplantation of the lung.