• Applied Microscopy
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.66-80
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• 1984

The organic phosphorus compounds have been widely used as an insecticide, since toxicity of these compounds is especially drastic to the insects than to men and other mammals. The organic phosphates are rapidly hydrolized and hence have little cumulative and ecologic effects. However, due to their acute toxic effects organophosphate have recorded rather high fatalities in men and domestic animals. The organic phosphorus compounds are powerful inhibitors to the carboxylic esterase enzymes such as acetylcholinesterase and pseudocholinesterase. As a result of firm binding characteristics of phosphate radicals to the active sites of enzyme, the activities of these enzymes are inhibited by the organophosphates. The organophosphates such as diazinon is easily observed from skin, gastrointestinal tract, conjunctivas and respiratory tract, and it is converted to more toxic form during metabolism in the liver The present study was carried out in order to investigate the hepatotoxicity of diazinon by observing the changes in the ultrastructure of cytoplasmic organelles of hepatic cells in albino mice. The animals were killed at 6, 12 and 24 hours after administration of 25mg/kg diazinon. The piece of hepatic tissue obtained from each animal was ultrathinly sectioned. The specimens stained by uranyl acetate and lead citrate double contrast methods were observed with JEM model 100B electron microscope. The results obtained were as follows: 1) A prominent dilatation and sacculation of the cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum associated with detachment of membrane bound-ribosomes, and disaggregation of the free ribosomes were recognized. 2) The hypertrophy of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum associated with depletion of the glycogen particles was observed. 3) The atrophy of cisternae of Golgi complex was observed. 4) A large number of secondary lysosomes (autophagic vacuoles and residual bodies) were formed. Consequently it is suggested that diazinon would induce disorganization of the cytoplasmic organelles of hepatocytes in albino mice.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.31-38
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• 2005

Objectives : This study was aimed at investigating liver protection mechanism of bear bile juice (Fel Ursi)by inducing liver toxicity through $CCl_4$ in mice and evaluated histological and serological findings. Methods : Experiment groups was categorized into untreated normal group, $CCl_4$ treated control group, and orally administered bear bile juice experiment group. At the termination of experiment, gross examination of the liver as well as histological findings, and Total protein, Albumin, Total bilirubin, Direct bilirubin SGOT, SGPT, and ALP contents in the serum were evaluated. Results : 1. For gross examination and histological findings, $CCI_4$ treated control group showed destroyed lobular structure, increased fibrosis, as well as hepatic cirrhosis. For the group treated with bear bile juice, the lobular structure suffered less damage, and showed lower level of fibrosis and liver cirrhosis compared to the control group. 2. For serum analysis, Total protein and Albumin were significantly increased in the bear bile juice experiment group than the control group. Total bilirubin and Direct bilirubin didn't show significant differences between the two groups. SOOT, SGPT, and ALP were significantly decreased in the normal and bear bile juice experiment groups compared to the control group. Conclusion : Taken together, bear bile juice can be effectively used for recovering the liver functions and further researches must be conducted to verify the efficacies of bear bile juice.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2006

Objectives : This study was aimed at investigating liver protection mechanism of Moschus by inducing liver toxicity through $CCl_4$ in mice and evaluated histological and serological findings. Methods : Experiment groups was categorized into untreated normal group, $CCl_4$ treated control group, and orally administered Moschus experiment group. At the termination of experiment, gross examination of the liver as well as histological findings, and Total protein, Total bilirubin, Direct bilirubin SGOT, SGPT, and ALP contents in the serum were evaluated. Results : 1. For gross examination and histological findings, $CCl_4$ treated control group showed destroyed lobular structure, increased fibrosis, as well as hepatic cirrhosis. For the group treated with Moschus, the lobular structure suffered less damage, and showed lower level of fibrosis and liver cirrhosis compared to the control group. 2. For serum analysis, Total protein were significantly increased in the Moschus experiment group than the control group. 3. Total bilirubin didn't show significant differences between the two groups. but direct bilirubin was significantly increased in the Moschus experiment group than the control group. 4. SGOT, SGPT, were significantly decreased in the normal and Moschus experiment groups compared to the control group. 5. ALP was significantly decreased in the normal group compared to the control group, but Moschus experiment group didn't show significant differences compared to the control group. Conclusion : Taken together, Moschus can be effectively used for recovering the liver functions and further researches must be conducted to verify the efficacies of Moschus bile juice.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.245-256
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• 2002

This studt was investigated to prove the effect of SPBST on the hypertension, the thrombosis and the brain damage. The results were as follows; 1. SPBST affected the htpertension as adepressant, but insignificant. 2. SPBST decreased significantly dopamine, aldosterone but ineffective on the epinephrine, norepinephrine and renin activity. 3. SPBST increased the NO product but insignificant. 4. SPBST had a death suppression effect by 50% in pulmonary thrombosis inducement experiment and activated slightly on the fibrinolytic activity. 5. SPBST suppressed significantly platelet diminution and prolonged insignificantly PT and APTT. 6. On the measure of the blood flow rate induced by the thrombus, in vivo SPBST accelerated the blood flow rate, in vitro insignificant. 7. SPBST had no toxicity on the PC12 cell and B103 cell induced by amyloid β protein (-35) and a protective effect, in proportion to the density. 8. SPBST decreased significantly coma duration time in a Infatal dose of KCN and showed 50% of survival rate in a fatal dose. 9. SPBST decreased significantly ischemic area and edema incited by the MCA blood flow block. These results indicate that SPBST can be used in hypertension, the thrombosis, the brain damage, the ischemic cerebral infarction and the acute stage of the brain damage. Further study will be needed about the functional mechanism and etc.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.1176-1184
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• 2007

Chunmagudeungeumgamibang(CGE) has been used for many years as a therapeutic agent for acute stage of cerebrovascular disease and hypertension in oriental medicine. But the effect of CGE on hypertension and vascular system is not well-known. This study was done to investigate the effects of CGE on hypertension. The results were obtained as follow : CGE showed a safety in cytotoxicity and toxicity of liver. CGE showed scavenging activity on DPPH free radical. CGE showed the inhibitory effect on ROS and ACE. CGE significantly decreased the blood pressure and pulse in DOCA-salt hypertensive rat. CGE significantly decreased the levels of aldosterone in DOCA-salt hypertensive rat. CGE significantly decreased the levels of dopamine, epinephrine in DOCA-salt hypertensive rat. CGE significantly decreased the levels of potassium and chloride in DOCA-salt hypertensive rat. CGE significantly increased the levels of calcium in DOCA-salt hypertensive rat. These results suggest that CGE might be effective in treatment and prevention of hypertension

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.183-191
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• 2008

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are common constituents of cleaning and degreasing agents, paints, pesticides, personal care products, gasoline and solvents. And VOCs are evaporated at room temperature and most of them exhibit acute and chronic toxicity to human. Benzene is the most widely used prototypical VOC and the toxic mechanisms of them are still unclear. The multi-step process of toxic mechanism can be more fully understood by characterizing gene expression changes induced in cells by toxicants. In this study, DNA microarray was used to monitor the expression levels of genes in HepG2 cells and HL-60 cells exposed to the benzene on IC20 and IC50 dose respectively. In the clustering analysis of gene expression profiles, although clusters of HepG2 and HL-60 cells by benzene were divided differently, expression pattern of many genes observed similarly. We identified 916 up-regulated genes and 1,144 down-regulated genes in HepG2 cells and also 1,002 up-regulated genes and 919 down-regulated genes in HL-60 cells. The gene ontology analysis on genes expressed by benzene in HepG2 and HL-60 cells, respectively, was performed. Thus, we found some principal pathways, such as, focal adhesion, gap junction and signaling pathway in HepG2 cells and toll-like receptor signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, p53 signaling pathway and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction in HL-60 cells. And we also found 16 up-regulated and 14 down-regulated commonly expressed total 30 genes that belong in the same biological process like inflammatory response, cell cycle arrest, cell migration, transmission of nerve impulse and cell motility in two cell lines. In conclusion, we suggest that this study is meaningful because these genes regarded as strong potential biomarkers of benzene independent of cell type.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.345-354
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• 2008

Objectives : Our objective is to review and summarize the previous studies on the health effects of exposure to oil spills in order to make suggestions for mid- and long-term study plans regarding the health effects of the Hebei Spirit oil spill occured in Korea. Methods : We searched PubMed to systemically retrieve reports on the human health effects related to oil spill accidents. The papers' reference lists and reviews on the topic were searched as well. Results : We found 24 articles that examined seven oil spill accidents worldwide over the period from 1989 to August 2008, including the Exxon Valdes, Braer, Sea Empress, Erika, Nakhodka, Prestige and Tasman Spirit oil spills. Most of the studies applied cross-sectional and short-term follow-up study designs. The exposure level was measured by assessing the place of residence, using a questionnaire and environmental and personal monitoring. Studies on the acute or immediate health effects mainly focused on the subjective physical symptoms related to clean-up work or residential exposure. Late or mid-term follow-up studies were performed to investigate a range of health effects such as pulmonary function and endocrine, immunologic and genetic toxicity. The economic and social impact of the accidents resulted in the socio-psychological exposure and the psychosocial health effects. Conclusions : Studies of the health effects of exposure to oil spills should consider a range of health outcomes, including the physical and psychological effects, and the studies should be extended for a considerable period of time to study the long-term chronic health effects.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.117-128
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• 2002

Metal problems in herbal medicine are not regulate properly by law and public management around world country until this time. General people belief as safety about herbal since natural material. And almost all persons can also purchase by their-self and use by self-prescription in reality. As this result herbal medicines can always occur acute and chronic toxicity by not proper use problems, side-effect and overdose. Heavy metal toxic diseases in historical view point was big accidents that didnot forget including minamata and itai-itai in Japan. These accident's teach to us must not use toxic metal level and not include or at least Pb Hg As Cd in all kind material use and intake by people, especially herbal. Herbal contamination research is beginner state that had not many papers until nowadays. Even if this pan had some papers, it had negative result and bigger and larger than problems level because of one way research trend of not many sample case-report and screening test of dried herbal form in chiefly. Many persons have afraid and risk thinking about herbal, animal and minerals since these cause. Further research related this subject will be needed at fact of epidemiology including case-control and cohort study for more precision research affecting in short and long term intake of oriental medicines

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.60-70
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• 2012

Zn, Cu, Fe, Al contents of sludges produced from sewage treatment plants and night soil treatment plant in Pocheon City, Gyeong-gi Province were investigated. And the accumulated contents of those metals in the earthworm Eisenia fetida were also investigated while 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105 grams(dw) of sludges were cumulatively supplied to the earthworms. Zn contents of sludges were 75.1~196.1 mg/kg, Cu contents 3.74~76.1 mg/kg, Fe contents 219.9~857.8 mg/kg, Al contents 198.4~991.7 mg/kg, all of which would not cause acute toxicity to the earthworm, but could cause sublethal effects on earthworm and reduce the density of next generation's population. However, cumulative supplies of sludges didn't increase the bioaccumulation rates of metals in the earthworm body, and BAFs of those metals after 60g of sludge supply were 0.0~0.43, which meant that the accumulated Zn, Cu, Fe, Al contents in the earthworm were lower than those of sludges.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.893-902
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• 2020

Propolis is a resinous substance that is collected by Apis mellifera from plant sources and is used in traditional medicine. To study the phytochemical constituents and apoptotic potential of Jordanian propolis extract against different cancer cell lines, propolis was extracted using methanol, hexane, and ethyl acetate and was fractionated using chromatographic methods. Cytotoxicity was assessed using MTT and LDH assays. The apoptotic potential was investigated using florescence microscopy, multicaspase assay, Annexin-V and dead cell assay, and cell cycle assay. The phytochemical constituents were analyzed using GC-MS. The methanol extract of propolis exhibited cytotoxic potential against all cell lines tested. The IC₅₀ values of the methanol extract were 47.4, 77.8, 91.2, and 145.0 ㎍/ml for HepG2, LoVo, MDAMB231, and MCF7 cell lines, respectively. The IC₅₀ values of the F1 fraction were 31.6 (MDAMB231), 38.9 (HepG2), 36.7 (LoVo) and 75.5 (MCF7) ㎍/ml. On further purification using thin-layer chromatography, the IC₅₀ values of the F1-3 fraction were found to be 84.31(HepG2), 79.2 (MCF7), 70.4 (LoVo), and 68.9 (MDAMB231) ㎍/ml, respectively. The anticancer potential of the F1 fraction was confirmed through the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase. The GC-MS analysis of the F1 fraction revealed the presence of 3-methyl-4-isopropylphenol (29.44%) as a major constituent. These findings indicate the potential of propolis extract as a cancer therapy. However, further investigation is required to assess the acute and subacute toxicity of the most active fraction.