• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.1063-1073
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• 2016

Male climacteric syndrome, andropause, or testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS) is one of the new health issues in elderly men. It is a natural phenomenon that happens with age in men, which is clinically characterized by a decline in levels of serum testosterone resulting in a significantly decreasing of physical and mental activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the putative alleviative effects of dandelion extract on the symptoms of TDS by increasing serum testosterone levels and compare the efficacy between dandelion extract (DE) and fermented dandelion extract (FDE). After daily intake of DE and FDE for 4 weeks, serum testosterone levels, muscles of vastus lateralis, forced swimming time, total sperm counts, and motile sperm counts were significantly increased in older rats (22 weeks). Additionally, SHBG, epididymal fat pad, total serum cholesterol and triglyceride were significantly decreased in DE and FDE fed groups. However, PSA levels were not different among all groups. Furthermore, DE and FDE enhanced the expression of genes related to testosterone biosynthesis in TM3 Leydig cells. Overall, these positive effects on andropause were greater in FDE compared to DE. These results suggest the potential of FDE as a safe and efficacious natural material for recovering testosterone levels and reducing andropause symptoms.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.673-681
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• 2011

We investigated the effects of an ethanol extract of Eriobotrya japonica Lindl. (loquat) leaves (EJ) on the lipid metabolism of serum, liver, and adipose tissue, and antioxidative activity in rats fed a fat/cholesterol diet for four weeks. Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 207 g were divided into 4 groups: a normal diet group (N), a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet group (HFC), a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet group administered 200 mg/kg day EJ (HFC-EJL), and a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet group administered 400 mg/kg/day EJ (HFC-EJH). The serum ALT and AST activities of the EJ groups were lower than those of HFC group, but there was no significant change in serum ALP or LDH activities. The serum total and LDL-cholesterol, atherogenic index, and cardiac risk factor tended to be decreased in the EJ groups compared to the HFC group, while the serum HDL-cholesterol decreased in the HFC group and increased only minimally in the EJ groups. The total cholesterol in liver and mesenteric adipose tissues was lower in the EJ groups than in the HFC group. Triglycerides in the mesenteric and epididymal adipose tissues were lower in the EJ groups than in the HFC group. The liver GSH levels of the EJ groups were significantly lower than the HFC group. The liver TBARS content was significantly lower in the EJ groups than in the HFC group. These results suggest that EJ ethanol extract may improve the lipid metabolism of serum, liver, and adipose tissue and prevent oxidative stress by stimulating antioxidative systems in rats fed a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.9
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• pp.1235-1243
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• 2011

In this study, we investigated the antioxidative activity (scavenging activity of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical and superoxide anion radical) and anti-obesity effects of black bean chungkugjang extract (BBCE). DPPH free radical-scavenging activity and superoxide anion radical-scavenging activity ($SC_{50}$ value) of BBCE were $162.7{\pm}2.8$ ppm, and $205.62{\pm}3.6$ ppm, respectively. The anti-obesity effects of BBCE were investigated by measuring Oil Red O staining in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. BBCE reduced the content of Oil Red O dye in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We also examined the effects of BBCE on adiposity, serum lipid, and leptin levels in obese mice fed a high-fat diet. Mice were fed the BBCE experimental diets for 7 weeks, after which they were sacrificed. ICR male mice were randomly divided into three groups, one normal diet group (ND group) and two high fat diet groups with or without BBCE supplementation (HFD group and HFD-BBCE group). The results showed that weight gain and the food efficiency ratio significantly decreased upon addition of BBCE compared to those of the HFD group. Further, white adipose tissue weights of epididymal, mesenteric, and retroperitoneal areas in the HFD-BBCE group were reduced to 34.8%, 7.1%, and 40.6%, respectively, compared to that of the HFD group. The serum levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and leptin in the HFD-BBCE group were significantly lower than those of the HFD group. Based on these results, it can be concluded that BBCE may have beneficial effects on reducing fat mass and serum lipid content.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.9
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• pp.1215-1226
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to investigate the anti-obesity and lipid-lowering effects of extracts of persimmon leaf (PWE), buckwheat leaf (BWE), and chinese matrimony vine leaf (LWE) in rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=40) were divided into four groups: HFD (35% fat, w/w), HFD (38.5% fat, w/w) supplemented with PWE (10%, w/w), BWE (10%, w/w), and LWE (10%, w/w) groups. The epididymal, perirenal, and interscapular white adipose tissue (WAT) weights as well as plasma leptin level were lowest in the LWE group. Supplementation with PWE and BWE also tended to lower the perirenal and retroperitonal WAT weights compared to the HFD control group, and there was a significant decrease in plasma leptin concentration. Furthermore, plasma triglyceride concentration, hepatic cholesterol content, and hepatic lipid droplet accumulation were significantly lower in the PWE, BWE, and LWE groups than in the HFD group. BWE supplementation markedly lowered plasma total cholesterol concentration, although there were no significant differences in plasma HDL-cholesterol concentration and ratio of HDL-cholesterol/total cholesterol among the groups. Hepatic HMG-CoA reductase activity was significantly higher in the PWE and LWE groups than in the HFD group, and hepatic ACAT was not changed by extract supplementation. However, supplementation with PWE, BWE, and LWE significantly increased fecal acidic sterol content in rats fed a HFD. These results suggest that supplementation with PWE, BWE, and LWE may be an effective anti-obesity strategy by lowering body fat weight and improving plasma and hepatic lipid profiles in HFD-fed rats.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.579-584
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• 2009

In this experiment, three different diets were produced to investigate the effects of Jeju native chicken eggs fed with citrus peel on the profiles of rats. The first diet did not contain any eggs (TS), the second diet contained 10% eggs and no citrus peels (T0), and the third diet contained 10% chicken egg with citrus peels (T1). These diets were provided to 11-week-old male rats for four weeks. The weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency were not significantly different between the three treatment groups, TS, T0, and T1. The weight of the liver was significantly higher in T0 and T1 than TS (p<0.05), but the weights of the kidney and epididymal fat pad were not significantly different between the TS, T0, and T1 groups. The total lipid, phospholipid, triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol did not significantly difference among the TS, T0, and T1 groups. The HDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol/ total cholesterol of T1 were the highest among the groups, and the atherogenic index of T1 was the lowest among the groups (p<0.05). The total protein of TS was significantly lower in T0 and T1, and the albumin of T1 was the highest among the groups (p<0.05). The albumin/globulin ratio of TS was significantly higher in T0 and T1, but the creatinine of T0 was significantly higher in T0 and T1 (p<0.05). The blood sugar and blood pigment were not significantly different between the TS, T0, and T1 groups. The $\gamma$-GTP of T1 was the lowest among the groups (p<0.05), but the ALT, AST and ALP did not show significant difference among the TS, T0, and T1 groups.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.309-318
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate the cholesterol lowering and anti-obesity effects of an ethanol extract of broccoli sprouts (BS) in rats fed high fat diet. Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing $150{\sim}155g$, were divided into 6 groups; a normal diet group (ND), a high fat diet group (HFD), a normal diet and BS with 200 mg/kg treated group (ND-BSL), a normal diet and BS with 400 mg/kg treated group (ND-BSH), a high fat diet and BS with 200 mg/kg treated group (HFD-BSL), and a high fat diet and BS with 400 mg/kg treated group (HFD-BSH). The body weight gain and mesenteric adipose tissue weight were increased by high fat diet, but gradually decreased to the corresponding level of ND group after administration of BS extract. The liver and epididymal adipose tissue weights of HFD group were the highest among the six groups, although the difference was not significant. Food intake was lower in high fat diet groups compared with normal diet groups. The serum ALT and AST activities that were elevated by the high fat diet were significantly decreased after BS administration. Levels of serum total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride and the atherogenic index tended to be decrease in the BS administered groups compared with HFD group. However, HDL-cholesterol level in serum decreased in HFD group and markedly increased in BS administered groups. There were no differences in the contents of serum triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol between normal diet groups. Levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride in liver and adipose tissues were also lower in BS administrated groups than in HFD group. The activities of heparin-releasable lipoprotein lipase (HR-LPL) and total-extractable LPL (TE-LPL) in adipose tissue were increased in HFD group compared with the BS administered groups, but those of the ND-BSL group and ND-BSH group were similar to ND group. These results suggest that BS ethanol extract may exert cholesterol-lowering effect and potentially reduce lipid storage.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.87-92
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• 1998

This study was carried out to investigate in vitro/in vivo development of vitrified mouse oocytes. Mouse oocytes were vitrified using EFS30, 35 and 40 (30, 35 and 40% ethylene glycol, 18% ficoll and 0.5 M sucrose in M2 medium). After being exposed or vitrified-thawed, oocytes of normal morphology were inseminated in vitro by $1-2\times10^6/ml$ of epididymal sperm. The rates of fertilization, in vitro/in vivo development and cell number (inner cell mass and tropectoderm cell) of blastocysts in each treatment group were examined. The results obtained in these experiments were summarized as follows: The cleavage rates were obtained in EFS35 containing 35% ethylene glycol higher than in EFS30 and EFS40. The development rate of vitrified-thawed oocytes to two-cell stage after in vitro fertilization (51.1%) was significantly different compared to that of exposed to vitrification solution without cooling (60.0%) and control (68.2%) (p<0.05). However, there were no differences in the blastocyst formation from the cleaved embryos among groups (75.0, 73.3 and 80.0%). Also, the mean number of cells per blastocysts of vitrified group $(92.5{\pm}2.9)$ was similar to that of the exposed $(98.5{\pm}5.3)$ and control $(100.9{\pm}4.8)$. In vivo development of the blastocysts derived from vitrified-thawed oocytes resulted in fetal development (50.7%) and implantation rates (80.0%) which are very similar to those of control (58.2, 78.2%). These results suggest that mouse oocytes could be cryopreserved using vitrification solution (EFS35) based on ethylene glycol.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.720-725
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• 2003

Effects of Gastrodiae Rhizoma on serum lipids and body fat in rats fed high-fat diet supplemented with 10% (w/w) lard during 11-week experimental period were investigated. Ninety-six male rats were randomly divided into eight groups: A, negative control (lard 10%); B, positive control (lard 10%+rat chow+5 brix water extract); C, lard 10%+1% G. Rhizoma powder; D, lard 10%+5% G. Rhizoma powder; E, lard 10%+2 brix 50% ethanol extract; F, lard 10%+10 brix 50% ethanol extract; G, lard 10%+2 brix water extract; H, lard 10%+10 brix water extract. Body weight gain, although slightly higher in groups A, B, and G, did not differ significantly among dietary groups. Weights of liver, spleen, kidney, and testis were significantly higher among dietary groups. Serum total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were markedly higher in both control groups than group H (p<0.05). Serum HDL concentration was significantly higher in group E, and lower in group A (p<0.05). Serum LDL+VLDL concentration was significantly lower in groups E, G, and H (p<0.05). Serum testosterone level was slightly higher in groups E, D, and H. Blood glucose level was significantly higher in groups B and G, whereas lower in group H (p<0.05). Epididymal fat pad (EFP) was markedly higher in control groups than G. Rhizoma diet-fed groups (p<0.05). The results indicated that decrease in serum lipids (TC, TG, LDL+VLDL) and body fat, and increase in serum HDL and testosterone levels were higher in groups E and H extracts than groups fed G. Rhizoma powder.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.1012-1018
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to determine whether Alzheimer's amyloid precursor protein (APP) is dysregulated in adipose tissues of C57BL/6 male mice by high-fat diet (HFD) induced obesity, aging, or streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. APP mRNA expression was examined by quantitative real-time PCR (QPCR) in subcutaneous (SAT) and epididymal adipose tissues (EAT) from mice in 8 different condition groups. By combining conditions of age (16 weeks/26 weeks of age), diet (normal diet (ND)/high-fat diet), and induction of diabetes (non-diabetic/diabetic), 88 mice were divided into 8 different groups. QPCR demonstrated that APP expression in SAT was significantly increased by about two-fold in HFD-induced obese mice compared to both 16 week-old and 26 week-old mice in the ND group (16 weeks p=0.001; 26 weeks p<0.0001), but no changes in EAT was found. Particular effects of aging on APP gene expression were not observed in either adipose tissue depots. Significantly decreased APP expression was found in SAT in STZ-induced diabetic mice fed on ND or HFD at 16 weeks of age (ND p<0.05; HFD p<0.01). Linear regression analysis demonstrated that APP expression levels correlated with body weight in both the non-diabetic group (R=0.657, p<0.0001, n=39) and the diabetic group (R=0.508, p=<0.0001, n=49), but did not correlate with plasma glucose levels, which suggests that decreased APP expression in STZ-induced diabetic mice is most likely due to weight loss rather than hyperglycemia. These data confirm APP dysregulation by weight changes in humans and suggest a possible role linking midlife obesity with the later development of amyloidogenesis in the brain of older patients with Alzheimer's disease.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.667-673
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• 2009

The antihyperlipidemic and glycemic control effects of mycelia of Inonotus obliquus including protein-bound polysaccharides extract were investigated. In high fat diet-induced obese C57BL/6J mice, the mycelia of Inonotus obliquus including protein-bound polysaccharides extract showed significant decrease in epididymal fat tissue weight, blood triglyceride and VLDL level, triglyceride and total cholesterol level in liver, serum insulin and HOMA-IR level and AUC. Oral glucose tolerance test glucose level reduction were 4.9% (M150L; ${\beta}$-glucan 1.303 mg/kg bw), 9.5% (M150; ${\beta}$-glucan 2.606 mg/kg bw) after 180 min of glucose loading compared to H-C group. Besides, the mycelia of Inonotus obliquus including protein-bound polysaccharides extract treatment significantly increased glycogen contents in liver and adiponectin level in high fat diet-induced obese mice. In conclusion, the results showed that the mycelia of Inonotus obliquus including protein-bound polysaccharides extract possesses significant antihyperlipidemic and glycemic control effects in C57BL/6J mice.