• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.175-181
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• 1999

The prevalence of alcoholism among elderly population is reported to be high in rural areas in Korea. Chronic abuse of alcohol can lead to the development of vitamin B deficiency through inadequate intake, altered absorption and metabolism, and increased excretion. The present study was conducted to assess vitamin B1 and B2 status in seventeen alcohol dependent subjects who do not exhibit any clinical neurological symptoms. Vitamin B1 and B2 nutritional states were determined enzymatically by measurement of transketolase and glutathione reductase activities in erythrocytes, respectively. And dietary intakes of nutrients were determined by a 24-hr recall method. The mean percent activation of erythrocyte transketolase was significantly higher in alcoholics than in alcoholics than in control (p<0.05). The proportion of subjects with a low and borderline status of vitamin B1, was significantly higher in alcoholics than in control (p<0.05). The mean percent activation of erythrocyte glutathione reductase was not different between alcoholics and control. And the proportion of subjects with low and borderline status of Vitamin B2, was higher in alcoholics than in control (p<0.1). Vitamin B1 and B2 status were significantly decreased in alcoholics who were smoking cigarettes compared to non-smoking and non-alcoholic subjects(p<0.05). Whether vitamin supplementation improves the vitamin status of alcohol dependent subjects remains to be researched.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2013

The effect of lycopene supplementation on the antioxidant system was investigated by analyzing lipid peroxide levels, glutathione contents, and antioxidant enzyme activities in Mongolian gerbils fed a high fat diet. Gerbils were fed on each experimental diet for 6 weeks; normal diet (NC), normal diet with 0.05% lycopene (NL), high fat diet (HF), and a high fat diet with 0.05% lycopene (HFL). Dietary supplementation of lycopene increased hepatic lycopene level in gerbils fed a normal or high fat diet (P < 0.05). Liver and erythrocyte concentrations of lipid peroxide increased in gerbils fed a high fat diet, whereas lycopene supplementation decreased liver and erythrocyte concentrations of lipid peroxide (P < 0.05). Hepatic total glutathione content was higher in the NL group than that in the NC group (P < 0.05). Total antioxidant status in plasma increased following lycopene supplementation compared with that of the non-lycopene supplemented groups (P < 0.05). Hepatic catalase activity increased following dietary lycopene supplementation (P < 0.05). Superoxide dismutase activity in liver remained unchanged with lycopene supplementation, but erythrocyte superoxide dismutase activity increased in NL group compared with NC group (P < 0.05). Glutathione-S-transferase activity increased in the NL group compared to NC group (P < 0.05). Liver and erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity increased significantly in the NL group compared to that in the HF group (P < 0.05). Liver glutathione reductase activity was higher in the NL group than that in the NC group (P < 0.05). These results suggest that lycopene supplementation may be efficient for preventing chronic diseases induced by oxidative stress related to high fat diet.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.507-516
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• 1996

This study was undertaken to estimate seasonal variation of riboflavin status and investigate the relationship between riboflavin intake and its biochemical status in rural women. Dietary intake was measured by determining both 24hr recall method and conventient method. The riboflavin intake was also estimated by food frequency method. Ribofiavin biochemeical status was assessed by erythrocyte glutathione reductase activity coefficient(EGR AC) and urinary riboflavin excretion. All information was repeatly collected in three seasons ; farming season (June), harvest season(October), nonfarming season(February). Mean daily riboflavin intake was below RDA for Koreans in all seasons. Cereal & pulse, vegetable were the primary sources of riboflavin intake and provided above 60% of the total dietary riboflavin intake in all seasons. Riboflavin biochemical status was significantly different among seasons(EGR AC P<0.005, 24hr urinary riboflavin excretion P<0.05), and riboflavin biochemical deficiency was highest in February. The mean values of EGR AC revealed riboflavin deficiency in all seasons. However the mean values of urinary riboflavin excretion were within the normal range except 24hr urinary riboflavin excretion in February. On the basis of EGR AC criteria, 44.7% of subjects were at risk of deficiency in June, 44.7% in October, 81.6% in February. Result of individual riboflavin status assessed by EGR AC or 24hr urinary riboflavin excretion criteria was quite alike. Urinary riboflavin excretion per gram of creatinine underestimated riboflavin deficiency. Significant correlations were observed among biochemical indexes. It also appeared that riboflavin intake measured by food frequency method showed significant correlation with biochemical indexes, especially high correlation with EGR AC (P<0.001). The results indicated that the prevalence of riboflavin deficiency seems to be high among rural women in all seasons and the inadequacy of dietary riboflavin intake was reflected in the abnormalcy of riboflavin biochemical status assessed by EGR, AC. Therefore EGR AC seems to be more sensitive measure of impaired riboflavin status compared to urinary excretion.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.729-739
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• 1994

Riboflavin status of 17 insulin-dependent diabetic mellitus(IDDM) patients in growing period was evaluated as a function of energy intake and expenditure, biochemical nutritional status and diabetic control indicators. Compared with recommended dietary allowances for Koreans(RDA, 1989), only 35.3% of subjects was at good levels of all nutrients intakes and 52.9% of subjects was below normal level of height and weight. Nutrients consumed below RDA levels were energy(=88.5% of subjects), niacin(64.7%), iron(52.9%) and protein(23.5%) respectively. The riboflavin status was within normal range by urinary riboflavin excretion but 17.6% of subjects was evaluated as showed riboflavin deficiency by erythrocyte glutathione reductase activity coefficient(EGRAC). Correlation between riboflavin intake, urinary riboflavin excretion, EGRA level and diabetic duration were not statistically significant. Correlation analyses indicated that EGRA level was inversely correlated with thiamin, niacin and cabohydrate intake. No significant correlations were found between the EGRA and glycosylated hemoglobin A1(HbA1) (r=-0.464, p=0.129). From this study, it is suggested that IDDM subjects need to maintain balanced diet containing nutrients above RDA for individual activity during growing period. It needs more study whether the current recommended riboflavin allowance is adequate for diabetic patients.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.24-32
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• 1977

It was attempted in this study to assess the vitamin $B_{1},\;B_{2}$, and $B_6$ status in tissue by determination of erythrocyte transketolase (TK), glutathione reductase (GR), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities, and their activation by their respective coenzymes, thiamine pyrophosphate, flavin-adenine dinucleotide, and pyridoxal-5-phosphate. The activities of erythrocyte enzymes were stable for more than 30 days when erythrocyte had been stored at $-20^{\circ}C$ and affirmed that the enzyme activities were more stable in the case of deep frozen sotrage of erythrocytes rather than hemolysates. The assay procedures involving ultraviolet kinetic analysis with continuous monitoring for each of enzymes have good within-batch and between-batch precisions and will be avalable in the routine laboratories for the nutritional and clinical surveys. Activity coefficient of TK, GR, and AST was studied in healthy medical students (fifteen men and twelve women, between 21 and 30 years old) on an unrestricted diet. The mean activity coefficient of TK, GR, and AST were 1.18, 1.35, and 2.01 for men, and 1.14, 1.33, and 1.83 for women, respectively. And the upper limit of normal (mean+2SD) were 1.52, 1.69, and 2.61 for men, and 1.50, 1.61, and 2.37 for women, respectively.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.95-103
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• 2011

This study was performed to investigate the antioxidant mechanism of tomato wine with varying lycopene content in rats fed a high fat diet (HFD). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups (n=10 per group) and fed an HFD (35% of total energy from fat) plus ethanol (7.2% of total energy from alcohol), tomato wine with varying lycopene content (0.425 mg%, 1.140 mg% or 2.045 mg% lycopene) or an isocaloric control diet for 6 weeks. Mice fed HFD plus ethanol significantly increased erythrocyte hydrogen peroxide and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels with increases in activities of erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and glutathione reductase (GR) compared to pair-fed rats. Supplementation of tomato wine with varying lycopene content decreased ethanol-mediated increases of erythrocyte lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities in HFD-fed rats, and tomato wine with higher lycopene appeared to be more effective. Tomato wine also dose-dependently lowered TBARS levels with decreased pro-oxidant enzyme, xanthine oxidase (XOD) activity in plasma of HFD-fed rats. In contrast to erythrocytes, the inhibitory effects of tomato wine on hepatic lipid peroxidation were linked to increased hepatic antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT) and alcohol metabolizing enzyme (alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase) activities. There were no significant differences in hepatic XOD and cytochrome P450-2E1 activities among the groups. Together, our data suggest that tomato wine fortified with lycopene has the potential to protect against ethanol-induced oxidative stress via regulation of antioxidant or pro-oxidant enzymes and alcohol metabolizing enzyme activities in plasma, erythrocyte and liver.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.89-95
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• 2005

This study was performed to investigate the effect of soy isoflavone on plasma nitrite concentration and the antioxidant enzyme activities of erythrocyte and the liver using adult male rats fed high fat diet. Seven-week old male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups and fed high fat diet (15% beef tallow, 1 % cholesterol; control: IF0) or high fat diets containing isoflavone 80 ppm (IF80) or 320 ppm (IF320) for 10 weeks. Plasma nitrite concentration as a vasodilator, and antioxidant enzyme activities in erythrocytes and the liver were measured. Plasma nitrite concentration was increased by 45% and 35%, respectively, in IF80 and IF320 than in IF0 group. Erythrocyte catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities increased by 31 %, 30% and 40% in IF320 compared to IF0 group. Especially, erythrocyte GR activity increased by 61 % in IF80 group. However, catalase activity in the liver was decreased in IF80 group. GPx and GR activities in the liver were not differ among groups. The results suggest that soy isoflavone have the protective effect against risk factors related with cardiovascular disease by improving vasodilator factor, nitrite, and antioxidant enzyme activities in blood. (Korean J Nutrition 38(2): 89～95, 2005)

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.368-377
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• 1994

The purpose of this study was to investigate determining factors which influence the riboflavin and pyridoxin nutritional status of korean newborns. The riboflavin and pyridoxine nutriture were evaluated by measuring the enzymecoenzyme saturation kinetics of erythrocyte glutathione reductase and alanine aminotransferase. The subjects were 259 newborns and their mothers. The average activity coefficent values of the cord blood EALAT was 1.4$\pm$0.11 and 32% of the samples had EALATAC values greater than 1.25. EGRAC was 1.26$\pm$0.12 and 27.4 of the blood samples had EALATAC values greater than 1.25. Vitamine B6 nutrition of the newborns whose mothers consumed more energy, protein and vitamine B6 was better as cord blood EALATAC values were found to the lower in this group. A stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that birth length and mother's age significantly influenced EGRAC values, positive and negative ways, respectively.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.507-515
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• 1989

Ten healthy wome 2-~25 years participated in a 5-week metabolic study to investigate the daily riboflavin requirement of Korean women. Three daily menu and meal patterns were used. Low riboflavin(LR) diet provided riboflavin at a level of 0.71mg / 1000Kcal based on food composition table. High riboflavin(HR) diet provided 1.14mg / 1000Kcal. The riboflavin status was assessed by erythrocyte glutathione reductase activity coefficient(EGRAC) and urinary exretion of riboflavin. Mean EGRAC of LR period and HR period were 1.17+0.08 and 1.01+0.03, repectively. There were discrepanices of riboflavin content of experimental diet between chemical analysis and calculation by Korean food composition table. Urinary riboflavin excretion of subjects was acceptable over the whole study period. It appeared that 0.71mg / 1000Kcal is requirement of riboflavin to maintain EGRAC withing normal range. Thus, it is suggested that current recommendation of 0.6mg / 1000Kcal of riboflavin intake may not be adequate as RDA level in Korea.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.680-691
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• 1993

Rats were fed for an 8-week period a low riboflavin diet(5ug riboflavin/day) or a control diet(30ug/day) supplied either ad libitum or by pair feeding in order to study the effect of riboflavin on the metabolism of lipids and neurotransmitters. Erythrocyte glutathione reductase (EGR) and monomine oxidase(MAO) activity in the liver and brain were assayed. EGR activity coefficient in riboflavin deficient rats was significantly higher than in ad libitum controls whereas MAO activity was decreased in the deficient rats. Fatty acid composition showed a different trend in the serum, liver and brain. In the serum, the concentrations of essential fatty acids and $\omega$-3 fatty acids(eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid)were decreased about 20-40% in the deficient and pair-fed than in the ad libitum controls. Brain serotonin and 5-HIAA(5-hydroxyindole acetic acid) concentrations were decreased in the riboflavin deficient rats. Learning ability measured by a water maze and exploratory activity using the open field test were not impaired in the deficient rats. These results indicate that brain lipid metabolism was protected in subclinical riboflavin deficiency, however, riboflavin deficiency affected brain serotonin content.