• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.35-48
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• 1988

This study was made to investigate the effect of testosterone and cyclic-AMP (cAMP) on rat epididymis. Peritoneai injections of testosterone and cAMP to rats were earned out The activities of acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured and ultrastructural changes of luminal epithelial cells were observed. As a result, the activity of ACP was significanily decreased on the third day, that of ALP on the fifth day and that of LDH on the seventh day respectively in castrated group. In addition, the activities of ACP and ALP were significanily increased when treated with testosterone for 5 days, that of LDH when treated with testosterone for 7 days. In case of cAMP and cAMP - theophylline injection, the activities of ACP and LDH were increased but the range of increase was of no significance. However a significant increase in the activity of ALP was seen on both cases. On electron microscopic examination, gradually deformed Golgi complex, destructed mitochondria and disrupted stereociha were observed in castrated group. In case of testosterone injection, disrupted Golgi complex, mitochondria and stereocilia showed recovery. When cAMP and cAMP-theophylline were injected as an alternative, various cytoplasmic organelles as well as Golgi com- plex were recovered but stereocilia remained unrecovered.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.705-711
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• 2019

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common urogenital disorder in men, benign tumor and is a typical disease deteriorating the quality of old men's lives, and its prevalence increases with age. Though the molecular pathogenesis of BPH has not yet been clearly revealed, it is known that the variation and aging of the endocrine including sex hormone may cause BPH. Especially the hypertrophy of the prostate cell by the formation of the excessive dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is estimated to cause BPH. If testosterone exists excessively in blood, a lot of DHT is produced in prostate by $5{\alpha}-reductase$. Thus, in this study we tried to analyze haematological change and histopathological change by using the model rat with BPH caused by hypodermic injection of testosterone to prove the effect of Houttuynia cordata extracts on BPH. Rats were divided into four experimental groups: no treatment group (N), the testosterone injection and D.W treatment group (DO), the testosterone injection and Houttuynia cordata treatment group (HO) and testosterone injection and finasteride treatment group (FO). Prostate weight, volume and weight ratio in the HO and FO groups were significantly lower than the DO group. Testosterone and DHT levels in the HO group were significantly lower than the DO group. The HO and FO groups showed trophic symptoms and were lined by flattened epithelial cells, thus, the stromal proliferation is relatively low as compared to the DO group. These results suggest that Houttuynia cordata may control benign prostatic hyperplasia.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.492-498
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• 2015

Testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS) is normally observed in elderly men and is a clinical and biochemical syndrome, characterized by a decline in plasmic testosterone levels resulting in a significant decrease in quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a mixed extract of fenugreek seeds and Lespedeza cuneata (YHM) on TDS. Rats were divided into three groups: the negative control, YHM-40 (40 mg/kg), and YHM-80 (80 mg/kg) groups. After 4 weeks of YMH administration, an increase was observed in the plasmic testosterone levels, vastus lateralis muscular strength, forced swimming time, total sperm counts, and motile sperm counts in YHM-40 and YHM-80 groups compared to the negative control group. Moreover, sex hormone binding globulin, the epididymal fat pad, total plasmic cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were significantly decreased in the YHM-fed groups. However, prostate specific antigen, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase levels did not differ among the groups. These results suggest that YHM may enhance testosterone levels in elderly men and alleviate TDS without common side effects.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.22-27
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• 1998

Thirteen female patients of somatization disorder, undifferentiated somatoform disorder and somatoform disorder, NOS, diagnosed by DSM-IV were studied for their pain threshold and serum testosterone and the results were compared with the respective data of 20 control females. The results are as follows : 1) The pain threshold as measured by Variable Weight Pressure Algometer was significantly lower in the patient group(153.8${\pm}$39.5 gm/$0.05mm^2$) as compared to the control group(197.5${\pm}$66.7 gm/$0.05mm^2$)(p<0.05). 2) There was no significant difference of serum testosterone between the patient(0.175${\pm}$0.081 ng/ml) and the control(0.174${\pm}$0.108 ng/ml) groups. 3) A significant positive correlation was noted between the pain threshold and serum testosterone in the patient group(r=0.632, p<0.05, two tailed, Pearson's correlation test), but not in the normal control group(r= -0.405). From these results, it was suggested that the role of testosterone in endogenous pain control system might be more important in somatoform disorders than normals.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.742-749
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• 2016

Boar taint, an unpleasant odor of pork, is associated with two substances including androstenone and skatole. Testosterone is a steroid hormone as well as a strong predictor for androstenone secretion. Isoflavones of soy origin play a role in modulating the metabolism of sex hormones. Although several methods responsible for reducing boar taint are under investigation, the precise mechanism by which isoflavones reduce testosterone has not yet been identified. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of isoflavones extracted from a soy by-product on the concentration of serum testosterone in mouse. A total of 24 mice were supplemented with basal diet (control), daidzin plus genistin mix (T1), or isoflavone extracts (T2). After 11 days of treatment, size and weight of testis, as well as the concentration of sex hormones, including testosterone and estrogen, were analyzed. There was no difference in size or weight of testis from mice among control, T1, and T2. Serum testosterone levels were significantly decreased (p < 0.05) both in T1 and T2 when compared with the control group. Furthermore, estrogen concentration in blood was increased (p < 0.05) in T2 (numerically increased in T1) compared with the control group. Taken together, the use of isoflavones extracted from soy by-products would be a plausible strategy for reducing testosterone level, ultimately reducing boar taint without castration of piglets.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.215-221
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• 2005

We investigated the effects of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone on inflammatory response of iNOS and COX-2 expression in rat vascular smooth muscle cells. Rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) stimulated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide $(LPS;\;10{\mu}g/ml)$ for 24 hours were incubated with increasing amounts of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (1 and 100 nM). LPS was found to induce inflammatory response of iNOS and COX-2 mRNA and protein in VSMC. These processes were affected by male sex steroid hormones. For 3 hours, however, pretreatment of the cells with 100 nM each of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone suppressed LPS induced iNOS and COX-2 protein expression. RT-PCR analysis revealed that testosterone and dihydrotestosterone did not inhibit mRNA expression of iNOS and COX-2 stimulated by 24 hours of LPS incubation. Proliferation rate was slower in VSMC treated with testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. Testosterone enhanced androgen receptor expression, and LPS significantly reduced androgen receptor protein expression in VSMC. These results indicate that the expression of both iNOS and COX-2 proteins was suppressed by testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in LPS stimulated VSMC and leading to reduction of vascular inflammation.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.656-661
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• 2005

The study was conducted to investigate per oral (PO) effects of Black raspberry wine on testosterone levels in Sprague-Dawley rats oral administrated with Methoxychlor in order to establish the experimental clinical model for evaluating the influences on the sexual hormones of SD-Rat administrated with Methoxychlor(MET), it was dissolved in acetone and olive oil (1:19), which was administrated orally at doses of 200mg/kg body weight/ day for 7days. Black raspberry wine of 13% alcohol concentration, was prepared from ripen fruits of Rubus coreanus fermented with Saccharomyces cervisiae. PO administration of Black raspberry wine for 15 week produced dramatic increases of serum testosterone levels. Increase in the testosterone level was observed, using gamma counter with 125I testosterone, starting from 1 week post administration. Maximum increase in testosterone level was observed at 4 week post administration, 5.18${\pm}$0.76ng/mL, which was 10.1 times higher than before and at 15 weeks post administration it was recorded as 1.67${\pm}$0.19ng/mL indicating Black raspberry wine as an effective phyto-testosteronic beverage of the future.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.235-240
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• 2015

Androgen receptor (AR) signaling is important for prostate cancer (PCa) cell proliferation. Here, we showed that proliferation of hormone-sensitive prostate cancer cells such as LNCaP was significantly enhanced by testosterone stimulation whereas hormone-insensitive prostate cancer cells such as PC3 and VCaP did not respond to testosterone stimulation. Blocking of AR using bicalutamide abolished testosterone-induced proliferation of LNCaP cells. In addition, knockdown of AR blocked testosterone-induced proliferation of LNCaP cells. Basal expression of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) was elevated in VCaP cells whereas stimulation of testosterone did not affect the expression of LRP6. However, expression of LRP6 in LNCaP cells was increased by testosterone stimulation. In addition, knockdown of LRP6 abrogated testosterone-induced proliferation of LNCaP cells. Given these results, we suggest that androgen-dependent expression of LRP6 plays a crucial role in hormone-sensitive prostate cancer cell proliferation.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.241-249
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• 2013

We reported previously that the extracts of Yacon tuber and leaf have spermatogenic activity and testosterone level increasing effect in men. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of testosterone level increasing effect of Yacon tuber and leaf extracts. In this study, we found that Yacon leaf extracts and chlorogenic acid, a constituent of Yacon extracts showed significantly inhibition effect of testosterone degradation in rat liver homogenate. We suggest that this could be a part of direct mechanism about increasing effect of testosterone level. Futhermore, we evaluated the inhibition effect of testosterone metabolism of Torilis japonica and Coix lacryma-jobi have been reported as $5{\alpha}$-reductase inhibitor. The inhibition ratio of testosterone metabolism of these were Torilis japonica>Coix lacryma-jobi>Yacon. We also evaluated the benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) score with the preparation composed of these natural product, Yacon pill. It showed the decreased the BPH score in men. Rats with BPH showed significantly increased dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels in the serum; however, Yacon pill extracts treated rats showed significant reduction of DHT levels compared with the BPH group. Conclusively, Yacon pill showed the possibility as ameliorable agents of BPH symptoms.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.375-379
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• 2005

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of black raspberry wine, administered per os on testosterone levels in rabbits. Black raspberry wine containing 13% alcohol(v/v) was prepared from ripe fruits of Rubus coreanus fermented with Saccharomyces cervisiae. Experimental rats were divided into 2 groups(A and B) with 2 animals group: Group A received black raspberry wine. Group B received 13% concentrated alcohol('Soju') over a period of 6 weeks. all animals were monitored weekly for testosterone levels by radioimmunoassay using $^{125}I$ labeled anti-testosterone monospecific antibody. There was a significant(1.7-2.33 fold) increase in testosterone levels in Group A with a peak at 1 week post administration of black raspberry wine. There was no significant change in testosterone levels of rabbits in Group B. These data point to yet uncharacterized phytotestronegenic mechanisms of black raspberry wine that appear to be independent of ethyl alcohol. Further investigation of the mechanism of action of this fruit is warranted. These observations have potential implications for human reproductive health.