• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.625-633
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• 2016

Allium hookeri is known as a healthy food since it contains larger amounts of sulfur compounds than commonly known alliaceous plants. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of A. hookeri were compared between two types of extracts, $80^{\circ}C$ water and 95% ethanol extracts of A. hookeri roots. A. hookeri root 95% ethanol extracts displayed superior total polyphenol content, antioxidant activity [1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) radical scavenging activity], and anti-inflammation activity than those of water extracts (P<0.05). We studied the effects of A. hookeri root 95% ethanol extracts (95% ethanol extracts group: AHE) on acute alcohol-induced intoxication in mice. AHE [250, 500, and 1,000 mg/kg body weight (BW)/d] was orally administered to the study group once a day for 1 week. On the last day of AHE treatment, 40% ethanol (10 mL/kg BW) was orally administered to induce acute liver injury. The blood alcohol concentration of mice treated with AHE was significantly lower compared to the control group (P<0.05). The levels of hepatic aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were lower in the AHE-treated group than the control group (P<0.05). The RT-PCR results for alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase measured based on mRNA in liver tissues showed that enzyme activities were higher in the AHE-treated group than in the control group at a low blood alcohol concentration.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.183-190
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• 2023

Red yeast rice, also known as Hong Qu and red Koji, has been used for a long time in Asian functional food and traditional medicine. It consists of multiple bioactive substances, which can potentially be used as nutraceuticals. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) can range from simple steatosis or inflammation to fibrosis and cirrhosis, possibly through leaky gut and systemic endotoxemia. This study examined the liver and gut effects of red yeast rice (RYR) (Monascus purpureus) ethanol extract against binge ethanol-induced liver injury in mice. RYR extract was orally administered to C57BL/6N mice at a concentration of 200 mg/kg body weight per day for 10 days. Then, mice were administered binge alcohol (5 g/kg/dose) three times at 12 hr intervals. Binge alcohol exposure significantly elevated the endotoxin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine transaminase (ALT) activity of plasma, as well as hepatic triglyceride levels; however, RYR treatments reduced these levels. In addition, RYR pretreatment significantly reduced the alcohol-induced oxidative maker protein and apoptosis maker in binge alcohol-induced gut and liver injuries. These results suggest that RYR may prevent alcohol-induced acute leaky gut and liver damage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.307-312
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• 2016

We studied the effects of oleanolic acid and hederagenin on acute alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. Oleanolic acid [10 and 20 mg/kg body weight (BW)/d] or hederagenin (10 and 20 mg/kg BW/d) was orally administered to the study group for 1 week. On the last day of treatment, ethanol (5 g/kg BW) was orally administered to induce acute liver injury. The oleanolic acid-treated group showed lower levels of alanine aminotransferase compared to the ethanol-treated group (EtOH). The mRNA expression level of alcohol dehydrogenase was significantly increased in the high dosage oleanolic acid-treated group compared with the control and EtOH groups. The glutathione levels of the oleanolic acid or hederagenin-treated groups were elevated significantly compared with those of the control and EtOH groups. The mRNA expression levels of glutathione synthetic enzymes were also elevated in the oleanolic acid-treated groups. The oleanolic acid or hederagenin-treated groups also showed lower levels of mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha. Thus, these results show that oleanolic acid and hederagenin could reduce oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity in ethanol-treated mouse liver.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.412-420
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• 2014

This study was performed to investigate the effect of fermented Hovenia dulcis Thunb fruit water extract on biomarkers for acute (a) ethanol-induced hangover and chronic (c) ethanol-induced liver injury in rats. For acute ethanol-induced hangover, the rats were administered distilled water (D.W., 10 mL/kg body wt.), Hovenia dulcis Thunb fruit water extract (HWE, 400 mg/10 mL/kg body wt.) and fermented HWE (FHWE, 400 mg/10 mL/kg body wt.), respectively, before 40% ethanol (5 g/kg body wt.) was administered. For chronic ethanol-induced liver injury, the rats were randomly divided into the normal control (cNC), ethanol (cET), cET-HWE and cET-FHWE groups. The cNC and cET groups were administered D.W. (10 mL/kg body wt.) before 40% alcohol (5 g/kg body wt.) was administrered for 21 days. The cET-HWE and cET-FHWE groups were administered HWE (400 mg/10 mL/kg body wt.) and FHWE (400 mg/10 mL/kg body wt.), respectively before 40% ethanol (5 g/kg body wt.) administration for 21 days. For acute ethanol-induced hangover, the serum alcohol and acetaldehyde concentrations were more significantly reduced in the aHWE and aFHWE groups than in the aET group. Moreover, the effect of FHWE was greater than that of HWE. For chronic ethanol-induced liver injury, the serum ethanol, acetaldehyde, ${\gamma}$-glutamyl transpeptidase (${\gamma}$-GTP) levels and the hepatic lipids concentration more significantly dropped in the cET-HWE and cET-FHWE groups than in the cET group. The FHWE administration showed faster recovery of the serum glucose concentration than in the cET and cET-HWE groups. The body weight reduction tended to normalize in the cET-HWE and cET-FHWE groups, which is ideal for chronic ethanol administration. These results suggest that FHWE has a protective effect against ethanol-induced liver damage, as evidenced by its ability to lower the serum ethanol and acetaldehyde concentrations after alcohol administration, and by its ability to decrease the level of ${\gamma}$-GTP and hepatic lipids. FHWE also elevated serum glucose concentration. Therefore, FHWE is effective in reducing ethanol-induced hangover and can play a beneficial role in the treatment of ethanol-induced liver damage as well as body weight reduction.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.53-59
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• 2016

Alcoholism is a significant health problem in the world. The liver is the first and primary target organ for alcohol metabolism. Alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase play important roles in the metabolism of alcohol and aldehyde. In this study, I aimed to investigate the eliminatory effects of a Phellinus spp. extract on alcohol metabolism in drunken Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Male SD rats were given Phellinus spp. extract at 30 min after 40% (5 g/kg) alcohol ingestion. To assay the effect of Phellinus spp. extract on blood alcohol concentration, blood samples were taken from the tail vein at 1, 3 and 5 h after alcohol ingestion. The concentrations of alcohol, alcohol dehydrogenase, and aldehyde dehydrogenase in Phellinus spp. extract treated rat were significantly lower than that of the control with a time-dependent manner. In addition, the alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities of Phellinus spp. extract-treated groups were altered compared to those of the control group. These results suggest that Phellinus spp. extract intake can have a positive effect on the reduction of alcohol, alcohol dehydrogenase, and aldehyde dehydrogenase concentrations in the blood and may alleviate acute alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity by altering alcohol metabolic enzyme activities. Phellinus spp. extract is thus a good nutraceutical candidate.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.311-321
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• 2016

Chronic or acute alcohol abuse often leads to liver injury associated with alcoholic hepatitis, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. In addition to the liver, alcohol abuse also induces a variety of other tissue injuries including pancreatitis, cardiomyopathy, neurotoxicity and muscle loss. Chronic skeletal muscle myopathy, independent of peripheral neuropathy, is well recognised in alcoholic patients. Several mechanisms may be involved in the pathogenesis of alcoholic myopathy. Ethanol is a potent inhibitor of muscle protein synthesis. Gastrocnemius and plantaris muscles are Type II fiber-predominant and usually considered representative of the musculature as a whole. Whereas, soleus muscle is Type I fiber predominant. Shihosogan-san is a traditional Korean medicine that is widely employed to treat indigestion and liver diseases. Muscle diseases are often related to liver diseases and conditions. We therefore tested the hypothesis that treatment with Shihosogan-san could ameliorate the ethanol-induced changes in muscle protein synthesis. Young male Sprague-Dawley rats were orally given 25% ethanol (5ml/kg, body weight) daily with Ethanol for 28 days. Normal group was similarly administrated with saline. In Shihosogan-san treated group, rats were orally administrated Shihosogan-san extract, and rats of EtOH group were given with the vehicle only. After 4 week, the morphology of gastrocnemius and plantaris muscles were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. For comparative purposes, liver function was also investigated. The muscles from rats of EtOH group displayed a significant reduction in average cross section area compared to Normal group. Shihosogan-san treated group had increased fiber compared to the EtOH group. Moreover, Shihosogan-san treated group compared with EtOH group showed significantly decreased pro-apoptotic BAX expression and increased anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 expression. In conclusion, Shihosogan-san extract showed ameliorating effects on chronic alcohol toxicity in skeletal muscle.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.34-40
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• 2004

Hovenia dulcis which is distributed in Korea, China and Japan is known to show hepatoprotctive effect and reduce the acute alcohol toxicity. In this study, the hepatoprotective effect against the chemically induced experimental liver injury models and lowering effect of blood alcohol level in animal models acutely administered alcohol by the peduncle extracts of Hovenia dulcis var. koreana were investigated. HdfHW-1, and HdfM-1 which are the extracts of fruit peduncles and young branches with hot water or 70％ methanol and followed with 100％ methanol, were significantly reduced the $CCl_4$ or D-galactosamine/LPS induced damage in sliced liver. The hot water or methanol extracts of fruit peduncle protected dose-dependently against $CCl_4$ induced toxicity in primary hepatocyte culture and particularly, the amount of LDH release was reduced to the control level at 500 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml of hot water extracts. HdfHW-1 also decreased the hepatotoxicity induced by $CCl_4$ in rats. The active components of HdfHW-1 seemed to be high molecular weights because 0.2 M NaCl HdfHW-1 fraction was the most effective among NaCl fractions of HdfHW-1 eluted with various concentrations of NaCl on DEAE 650C column chromatography. HdfM and HdfHW were significantly reduced the levels of blood alcohol in rats and mice administered 40％ alcohol. These results indicated that the hot water or methanol extracts of fruit peduncle of Hovenia dulcis var. koreana have hepatoprotective effect and may be reduce alcohol toxicity.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.202-208
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• 2007

Persimmon is well-known as a Korean traditional medicine for alleviating coughs and enhancing blood circulation; it is also used for treatment of hypertension, cancer, diabetes and atherosclerosis. To evaluate the protective properties of persimmon leaf methanol extract (PLME) and persimmon fruit methanol extract (PFME) administration on acute ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity, C57BL/6 male mice were gavaged with or without persimmon extracts for 1 week. Hepatotoxicity was then induced by gavage of 5 g/kg BW ethanol. After 12 hr of ethanol administration, blood and liver were collected and analyzed for biochemical markers of hepatotoxicity. The results showed PLME and PFME treatments decreased the activities of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) compared with ethanol control. Both PLME and PFME reduced serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, but elevated alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity. Serum triglyceride (TG) and hepatic cholesterol levels were significantly decreased when treated with PLME and PFME. Liver malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly decreased in PLME and PFME groups compared with ethanol control. Furthermore, the administration of PLME and PFME significantly increased the activities of catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and glutathione reductase (GSH-red). In summary, PLME and PFME appeared to prevent hepatic injury by accelerating alcohol metabolism by increasing alcohol-metabolizing enzyme activities, by activating the antioxidative enzyme system against oxidative stress, and by decreasing fat accumulation, which is evidenced by decreased hepatotoxic indices in serum.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.124-128
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• 2014

Alcoholism is a significant global health problem. Alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase play important roles in the metabolism of alcohol and aldehyde. In this study, we aimed to investigate the eliminatory effects of a fruit extract drink on alcohol metabolism in drunken Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Male SD rats were given a fruit extract drink or a commercial product (10 mL/kg) 30 min prior to 40% (5 g/kg) ethanol ingestion. To assay the effect of the fruit extract drink on blood ethanol concentration, blood samples were taken from the saphenous vein at 3 and 5 h after ethanol ingestion. The blood concentrations of alcohol, alcohol dehydrogenase, and aldehyde dehydrogenase were significantly lower in the fruit extract drink group than in the control group, in a time-dependent manner. However, the alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities of all experimental groups were unaltered compared to those of the control group. These results suggested that fruit extract drink intake can have a positive effect on the reduction of alcohol, alcohol dehydrogenase, and aldehyde dehydrogenase concentrations in the blood and may alleviate acute ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity by altering alcohol metabolic enzyme activities.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.55-63
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• 2006

Alcoholism and alcohol abuse are major public health concerns. This is linked to the injury of many organs, especially liver. Experiments were peformed to know the acute effects of LeeKwaDoo (LKD) induced by two-third partial hepatectomy (PH) in rats. In liver samples, regeneration parameters and histological assessment were performed. For the blood biochemical study, the blood were assayed with AST, ALT. The portal branch of liver lobes was ligated in the male Sprague-Dowley rats, two-thirds partial hepatectomies were also performed. It was estimated bodyweight and relative liver weight for the index of liver mass. For the marker of blood chemistry, we investigate the serum sample of rats and demonstrated the level of AST, ALT. Remaining tissues of liver developed as microscopic structures. Resection of the lobes in PH+LKD group resulted in a marked change of liver weight, blood chemistry and histological changes. The initiation of the proliferative response in PH group stimulated as well as reduction of the liver mass. On the other hands, the Initiation of the proliferative response in PH+LKD group delayed. Eventually, both PH group and PH+LKD group was restored relative liver weigh after 7 day. In conclusion, the acute adminstration of LKD seems to inhibit the initial response of liver regeneration through alcohol effects.