• Toxicological Research
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.59-69
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• 2009

Metabolomics which deals with the biological metabolite profile produced in the body and its relation to disease state is a relatively recent research area for drug discovery and biological sciences including toxicology and pharmacology. Metabolomics, based on analytical method and multivariate analysis, has been considered a promising technology because of its advantage over other toxicogenomic and toxicoproteomic approaches. The application of metabolomics includes the development of biomarkers associated with the pathogenesis of various diseases, alternative toxicity tests, high-throughput screening (HTS), and risk assessment, allowing the simultaneous acquisition of multiple biochemical parameters in biological samples. The metabolic profile of urine, in particular, often shows changes in response to exposure to xenobiotics or disease-induced stress, because of the biological system's attempt to maintain homeostasis. In this review, we focus on the most recent advances and applications of metabolomics in toxicological research.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.122-126
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• 1988

The effects of psoralen and angelicin on hepatic microsomal drug-metabolizing enzyme (DME) activities were investigated to elucidate the mode of the interaction of furanocoumarins with DME system. A single administration (30 mg/kg,i. p.) of both coumarins to mice cased a significant prolonagation of hexobarbital-induced hypnosis as well as an increase in strychnine toxicity. The inhibitory potencies of both coumarins as measured by rat hepatic microsomal aminopyrine N-demethylase and hexobarbital hydroxylase activities in vitro were considerably weaker than those of other furanocoumarins which possess a side chain moiety. Both coumarins were found to have significant inducing effects of DME system, with repeated treatments of them. The activities of an angular coumarin were stronger than those of a linear coumarin.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.823-833
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• 2012

Now a days, number of non alcoholic fatty liver patients are increasing more rapidly compare to past rate, and the average age of patients is getting younger, but there are no appropriate therapeutics in non alcoholic fatty liver disease. This study was aimed to analyze relationship between non alcoholic fatty liver disease and Injinho-tang. The papers were collected and analysed from domestic and international journals. The effects of Injinho-tang and constituent-herb were researched. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was induced complex causes of the metabolic syndrome. Medications that can be used in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, it should be have many effects such as anti-hepatic fibrosis, hepatocyte protection, liver cancer inhibitory effect, inflammatory cytokine regulation, improving hyperlipidemia, weight control, decrease the toxicity of the drug, antioxidant. Injinho-tang (Artemisia capillaris Thunb, Gardenia fructus, Rhei rhizome) has been widely used in disease that causes jaundice and liver biliary disease. Drugs for standardization of Injinho-tang index components(6,7-Dimethylesculetin, geniposide, rhein) have been presented. And Injinho-tang has been proven reliability in the administration of single dose toxicity. Also clinical stability in the administration of four years was reported. Injinho-tang has been reported some effects which anti-hepatic fibrosis, hepatocyte protection, liver cancer inhibitor, inflammatory cytokine regulation, improving hyperlipidemia, weight control, decrease the toxicity of the drug, and antioxidant. Therefore, Injinho-tang can be used in Non alcoholic fatty liver disease without Syndrome Differentiation.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.802-808
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• 1999

An rat liver enzyme test was carried out in order to investigate preventing effect of selested amino acids and some food extracts on ethanol induced liver toxicity in vitro. Solutions of aspartic acid, arginine, glutamic acid were prepared and treated on ethanol treated rat liver preparation. Protective effect of amino acids on lipid peroxidation was determined. Same experiments were conducted using aqueous extracts of Dried soybean sprout, Dried Alaskan pollack and Ganoderma lucidum. The TBA value indicating the lipid peroxidation decreased significantly (p<0.05) by addition of aspartate, glutamate and arginine, repectively at concentrations of $6.25{\sim}50\;{\mu}g/mL$. Similar results were observed by adding the aqueous extracts of Soybean sprout, dried Alaskan pollack and Ganoderma lucidum. The aqueous extracts added after ethanol treatment presemted more effect than added before the treatment.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.236-243
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• 2006

Microarray analysis of gene expression has become a powerful approach for exploring the biological effects of drugs, particularly at the stage of toxicology and safety assessment. Acetaminophen (APAP) has been known to induce necrosis in liver, but the molecular mechanism involved has not been fully understood. In this study, we investigated gene expression changes of APAP using microarray technology. APAP was orally administered with a single dose of 50 mg/kg or 500 mg/kg into ICR mice and the animals were sacrificed at 6, 24 and 72 h of APAP administration. Serum biochemical markers for liver toxicity were measured to estimate the maximal toxic time and hepatic gene expression was assessed using high-density oligonucleotide microarrays capable of determining the expression profile of >30,000 well-substantiated mouse genes. Significant alterations in gene expression were noted in the liver of APAP-administered mice. The most notable changes in APAP-administered mice were the expression of genes involved in apoptosis, cell cycle, and calcium signaling pathway, cystein metabolism, glutatione metabolism, and MAPK pathway. The majority of the genes upregulated included insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1, heme oxygenase 1, metallothionein 1, S100 calcium binding protein, caspase 4, and P21. The upregulation of apoptosis and cell cycle-related genes were paralleled to response to APAP. Most of the affected gene expressions were returned to control levels after 72 hr. In conclusion, we identified potential hepatotoxicity makers, and these expressions profiling lead to a better understanding of the molecular basis of APAP-induced hapatotoxicity.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.159-162
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• 2011

Venlafaxine is among the most widely prescribed antidepressants. It is extensively metabolized to O-desmethylvenlafaxine via cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6. We report a case of acute toxic hepatitis resulting from venlafaxine in a 54-year-old woman with pain disorder. During venlafaxine treatment, laboratory tests revealed elevated liver enzymes with a maximum of 169 IU/L for aspartate transaminase (AST) and 166 IU/L for alanine transaminase (ALT). AST and ALT levels returned to normal after 6 days of discontinuation of venlafaxine. The patient was finally diagnosed with acute toxic hepatitis through liver biopsy. This case indicates the importance that clinicians should be aware of the hepatotoxicity of venlafaxine in practice.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.191-196
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• 2007

The ethanol extract of leaves of the mangrove Aegiceras corniculatum Blanco (Myrsinaceae) was screened for its antinociceptive, antidiarrhoeal and cytotoxic activities. The extract produced significant writhing inhibition in acetic acid-induced writhing in mice at the oral dose of 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight (P < 0.001), which was comparable to the standard drug diclofenac sodium at the dose of 25 mg/kg of body weight. When tested for its antidiarrhoeal effects on castor oil induced diarrhoea in mice, it increased mean latent period and decreased the frequency of defecation significantly at the oral dose of 500 mg/kg body weight (P<0.05; P<0.01) comparable to the standard drug loperamide at the dose of 50 mg/kg of body weight. Moreover, when tested for toxicity using brine shrimp, the extract showed potent activity against the brine shrimp Artemia salina ($LC_{50}$ 10 mg/ml). The overall results tend to suggest the antinociceptive, antidiarrhoeal and cytotoxic activities of the extract.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.299-305
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• 2013

This study was to evaluate the single dose toxicity of Arecae Semen (AS) in male and female ICR mice. Aqueous extracts of AS (Yield = 13.15%) were administered as an oral dose of 2,000, 1,000 and 500 mg/kg (body weight) according to the recommendation of Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) guidelines. Animals were monitored for the mortality and changes in body weight, clinical signs and gross observation during 14 days after dosing, upon necropsy; organ weight and histopathology of 12 principle organs were examined. We could not find any mortality, clinical signs, and changes in the body and organ weight except for diarrhea. Diarrhea were observed in all three different dosage groups of male mice, and in 2000 mg/kg groups of female mice within 48hrs after administration. In addition, no AS extract related abnormal gross findings and changes in histopathology of principle organs were detected except for some sporadic accidental findings. Although the 50% lethal dose and approximate lethal dose of AS aqueous extracts in female and male mice were detected as over 2,000 mg/kg - the limited highest dosage recommended by KFDA guidelines. It should be carefully used in clinics because AS may be induced severe digestive tract disorders.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.374-379
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• 2003

Herbal remedies are enjoying a growing popularity in the world. But, we still pay few attention to the potential hepatotoxicity of herbal remedies, and there are only a few reports about that. We recently experienced a case of drug induced hepatitis caused by ingestion of Dyctamnus dasycarpus, one of herbs used for dermatologic disorders. The patient, a 38 year old woman, was admitted due to jaundice after ingestion of some herbal mixture containing Dyctamnus dasycarpus to treat her atopic dermatitis for 4 months. Other possible causes of liver injury were excluded by laboratory test and imaging studies, and we could find a report on similar cases caused by ingestion of Dyctamnus dasycarpus. During conservative treatment, elevated liver enzyme and total bilirubin level slowly returned to normal value. This case stresses the need to warn the potential hepatotoxicity of Dyctamnus dasycarpus, especially for a long time ingestion. So we suggest the necessity of toxicology screen at regular intervals during long time ingestion of herbal medicine, and further evaluation of the safety and toxicity of Dyctamnus dasycarpus.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.171-184
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• 2013

Single-and repeated-dose toxicities of Compound K (CK) were evaluated according to Toxicity Test Guidelines of Korea Food and Drug Administration using Sprague-Dawley rats. For single-dose toxicity study, CK was dissolved in drinking water, orally administered and examined for 14 days. As results, CK up to a dose of 5,000 mg/kg, the limited dose, neither induced death, clinical signs and necropsy findings, nor affected body weight gain and organ weights, in which 10% lethal dose could not be estimated. Based on the results of single-dose toxicity test, CK was administered at doses of 500, 1,000 or 2,000 mg/kg for 28 days for the evaluation of repeated-dose toxicity. All doses including the limited dose (2,000 mg/kg) of CK did not cause any abnormalities of rats, including mortality, clinical signs, body weight gain, feed/water consumption, necropsy findings, organ weights, hematology, blood biochemistry. Rather, high doses (1,000 - 2,000 mg/kg) of CK reduced the serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), creatinine phosphokinase (CPK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and triglycerides, in addition to an increase in glucose, indicative of protective effects on hepatic and muscular injuries. Thus, both maximum tolerable dose (MTD) and no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) were not determined. The results indicate that long-term intake of high-dose CK might not induce general adverse effects.