• Toxicological Research
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.285-291
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• 1998

This study was designed to examine the effects of polyundaturated fatty acid(PUFA) from different sourecs on hepatic lipogenic enzyme and peroxisomal ${\beta}$-oxidation in murine hepatocarcinogenesis initiated by diethylnitrodamine (DEN). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed one of three diets containing 10%(w/w)fat; fish oil-corn oil blended(FO), corn oil-beef tallow-fish oil blended(CF), or corn oil-beef tallow-perilla oil blended (CP), from the gestation period. At 10 weeks, animals were received a single inraperitoneal injection of DEN (200mg/kg body weight), were subjected to two-thirds partial hepatectomy 3 weeks later and were sacrificed 8 weeks after DEN initiation. The areas of placental glutathione S-transferase (GST-P) positive foci were significantly smaller in rats fed fish oil containing diets (FO and CF) than those fed CP diet. Fish oil feeding significantly decreased th activities of lipogenic enzyme. Rats fed fish oil containing diets (FO, CF) exhibited the lower fatty acid synthase (FAS) activity than those fed CP diet and FAS activity was positively correlated with areas of GSP-P positivie foci. Glucose-6-phophate dehydrogenase activity was the lowest and peroxisomal ${\beta}$-oxidation was stimulated in rats fed FO diet compared to other groups. It was also found that serum cholesterol was decreased in FO group. Therefore, the preventive effect against hepatocarcinogenesis and hypolipidemic effect of fish oil can be explained partly by suppression of the hepatic lipogenesis and by increase of peroxisomal ${\beta}$-oxidation.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.73-78
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• 2007

To evaluate the immuno-toxicity of magnolia extracts, mutagenicity of Salmonella, chromosome aberration of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and micronucleus formation in rats were examined. Magnolia extracts at the concentrations of $312{\sim}5,000{\mu}g/plate$ did not induce mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium TA 98, TA 100 and TA 1535 with and without metabolic activation of S-9 mixture. In chromosome aberration assay, Magnolia extracts at the concentrations of $50{\sim}800{\mu}g/plate$ did not cause a significant chromosome aberration in CHO cells with and without metabolic activation of S-9 mixture. Magnolia extracts were treated with dose of 0.5, 1 and 2 g/kg in ICR mice. After 48 hours, the frequencies of the micro-nucleided polychromasia erythrocytes (MNPCE) were determined in bone marrows isolated from the mice. Magnolia extracts did not increase the incidence of polychromasia erythrocytes of bone marrow in ICR mice. These results show that Mgnolia extracts did not induce any harmful genotoxic effects.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.49-53
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• 2018

Cyclohexanone ($C_6H_{10}O$, CAS No. 108-94-1) is a colorless oily liquid obtained through the oxidation of cyclohexane or dehydrogenation of phenol. It is used in the manufacture of adhesives, sealant chemicals, agricultural chemicals, paint and coating additives, solvent, electrical and electronic products, paints and coatings, photographic supplies, film, photochemicals, and as an intermediate in nylon production. Owing to the lack of information on repeated inhalation toxicity of cyclohexaone, in this study, we aimed to characterize the subacute inhalation toxicity. B6C3F1 mice were exposed to 0, 50, 150, and 250 ppm of cyclohexanone for 6 hr/day, 5 days/week for 4 weeks via whole-body inhalation in accordance with the OECD Test Guideline 412 (subacute inhalation toxicity: 28-day study). Mortality, clinical signs, body weights, food consumption, hematology, serum biochemistry, organ weights, as well as gross and histopathological findings were evaluated between the control and exposure groups. No mortality or remarkable clinical signs were observed during the study. No adverse effects on body weight, food consumption, hematology, serum biochemistry, and organ weights, gross or histopathological lesions were observed in any male or female mice in any of the exposure groups, although some statistically significant changes were observed in organ weights. We concluded that no observable adverse effect level (NOAEL) is above 250 ppm in mice exposed to cyclohexanone for 6 hr/day for 5 days/week.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.77-85
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• 2005

Cadmium is an environmental pollutant exposed from contaminated foods or cigarette smoking and known to cause oxidative damage in organs. We investigated the cadmium-induced apoptosis and cell arrest in human breast cancer cells, MCF-7 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells. Obvious apoptotic cell death was shown in CdCl₂ 100 μM treatment for 12 hr, which were determined by DAPI staining and flow cytometric analysis. In cell cycle analysis, MCF-7 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells were arrested in S phase and G2/M phase respectively. These could be explained by the induction of cell cycle inhibitory protein, p21/sup Waf1/Cip1/ and p27/sup Kip1/, expression and reduction of cyclin/Cdk complexes in both cell lines. The decreased expression of cyclin A and Cdk2 in MCF-7 cells and cyclin B1 and Cdc2 in MDA-MB-231 cells were consistent with the flow cytometric observation. p-ERK expression was increased dose-dependent manner in both cell lines. It suggests that ERK MAPK pathway are involved in cadmium-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Moreover, cotreatment of zinc (100 μM, 12 hr) recovered the cadmium-induced cell arrest in both cells, which shows cadmium-induced oxidative stress mediates apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in human breast cancer cells.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.22-25
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• 1998

Anticarcinogenic activity of astaxanthin-containing egg yolks (designate AEY) was investigated for 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced two stage mouse epidermal carcinogenesis. Female ICR mouse (6-7 weeks of age) were house in a humidity-and-temperature-controlled facility and subjected to feed and water ad libitum. AEY (10 mg/0.2 ml acetone) was painted on the back of mice 7 days, 3 days and 5 min before DMBA treatment (50 nmole/0.2 ml acetone). One week later after DMBA treatment, 6 ${\mu}g$ tetradecanoyl 12-phorbol 13-O-acetate (TPA) dissolved in 0.2 ml acetone was applied on the mouse twice weekly over a period of 22 weeks. No sample was given to control mice. Control egg yolk (CEY) and astaxanthin-containing oil (designate AO) from Phaffia rhodozyma were used as positive controls. Mouse treated with AEY exhibited 10 tumors per mouse whereas control mouse exhibited 15 tumors per mouse, the fact that 33% reduction of tumor per mouse by AEY treatment. Tumor incidence was also reduced to 15% by AEY treatment when compared to that of control group. Such effects were also seen in CEY and AO treatment groups, but leaser extent. AO gave reduction of food intake and body weights relative to those of AEY and CEY, indicating toxicity of AO. These results suggest that AEY exhibits anticarcinogenic activity for DMBA-induced mouse epidermal carcinogenesis.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2003

New breeding method by genetic engineering is expected as a key technology to solve food shortage due to the growing world population in the year 2000s. Many genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were already developed and the commercial cultivation had started. The first GMO, Flavr Savr tomato, which rotted at a much slower pace than ordinary ones, was developed in US in 1994. Since then, over than 70 different agricultural products including corn, cotton, soybean, papaya, potato, and squash made with genetically modified plants are reportedly on sale worldwide. Supporters favor the GMOs because they have greater yields, longer shelf lives and stronger resistance to disease and insects. On the other hand, opponents say that the supporters ignore a potential danger that they may damage the environment as well as human beings. To assure the safe development and use of GMOs as food and other biotech products, the possible risks on biological environment and human health should be throughly examined and regulated by developer and government. Because the biosafety problem is a global, environmental, and trade issue, a new international treaty is under development. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety was adopted at the 1 st Extraordinary Conference of Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity which was held at Mont-real, Canada, Jan. 29th, 2000. The adoption of the Protocol is seen as a breakthrough in that it is based on the" Precautionary Principle" despite scientific uncertainties surrounding potential risks that GMOs may inflict on human health and the environment and that it has laid the ground for introduction of specific steps to handle international trading of GMOs. In this paper, the authors would like to introduce the current status and perspective of environmental and human risk assessment of GMOs.t of GMOs.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.309-318
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• 2005

Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) has been used as a food supplement and a traditional herbal medicine. In this study, we prepared various flavonoid fractions (RS, RW1, RW2 and RWE) from a hot water extract of RVS and their influence on male reproductive organs and spermatogenesis were studied in rats which were orally administered 200 mg/kg of them for 8 weeks. All experimental groups did not show any significant changes in body weight and blood clinical chemistry for liver function. Plasma testosterone level was elevated about 3.7, 5.2 and 6.3 folds in RW1, RW2 and RWE groups, respectively. The weights of testes and epididymides tended to increase slightly without the statistical significance in RW2 and RWE. The spermatozoon motility and epididymal sperm concentration were significantly increased (P<0.05) in RWE and RW1, respectively, when compared to the control group. There was no significant difference in histology and apparent shape of testes and epididymides among the control and the experimental groups. Collectively, RWE showed effectively the elevation of plasma testosterone level, spermatozoon motility and the epididymal sperm concentration without the significant increase of testis and epidiymides weights. When the component HPLC profile among the flavonoids fractions of RVS was compared, the ratio of components were only different. These findings suggest that the Rhus flavonoid fraction, particularly RWE, can stimulate the androgen-dependent male sexual function and it can be applied to the material of functional food for enhancing the sexual function.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.355-360
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• 2005

Epidemiological and laboratory studies provide insight into the anti-carcinogenic potential of garlic and its constituent compounds. Garlic is appealing as an anti-carcinogenic agent due to its ability to induce apoptosis in vitro. Diallyl disulfide (DADS) is one of the major components of garlic that used to determine inhibition of cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in human colon cell lines. In this study, human colorectal cancer cell lines (LOVO, HCT-116, SW-480) were exposed to DADS. The inhibitory effects of DADS dose level more than $50\;{\mu}M$ in the cell viability of all cell lines. Cell growth activity inhibits of human colon cancer cell lines. The inhibitory effects of DADS dose level more than $25\~50\;{\mu}M$ in the cell growth using MTT assay. We found that DADS may have the apoptosis action (chromatin condensation, DNA fragmentation) using DAPI staining and increased the expression of caspase-3 at the dose level more than $100\;{\mu}M$, decreased the expression level of $\beta-catenin$ at dose dependent in the western blotting. We suggest that DADS may have a potential candidate as cancer chemopreventive agents.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.281-292
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to assess the single and 5 week oral dose toxicity of calcitriol and alendronate combination (1 : 10,000) treatment for osteoporosis or Paget's disease in male and female rats. In single dose oral toxicity study, the values of $LD_{50}$ of calcitriol and alendronate mixture were 750.075 mg/kg in male rats and 775.0775 mg/kg in female rats, respectively. Body weight and food consumption were continuously increased after adminstration of calcitriol and alendronate mixtures, and there was no significant changes in body weight and food consumption in all groups. In five-week oral toxicity study of calcitriol and alendronate mixture at a dose of 0.2 $\mu\textrm{g}$ + 2 mg, 1 $\mu\textrm{g}$ + 10 mg, 5 $\mu\textrm{g}$ + 50 mg and 25 $\mu\textrm{g}$ + 250 mg, respectively, there was no mortality, abnormal behavior and appearance in all groups throughout the administration period (5 weeks) and recovery period (2 weeks). Dose-dependent changes in parameters of urinalysis and hematological analysis were not observed in male and female rats treated with calcitriol and alendronate mixtures. All the values of the parameters appeared to be in the normal range. These data indicate that both calcitriol and alendronate are drugs having low toxicity in rats. NOAEL of calcitriol and alendronate mixtures were 50.005 mg/kg in 5-week oral toxicity.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.131-138
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• 2014

Radix Astragali, the root of Astragalus (A.) membranaceus, has been applied in a variety of diseases for a long time in Asian countries such as Korea and China. In addition, the aerial parts such as leaves and stems of A. membranaceus have received a great deal of attention. Recently, the polysaccharide fraction showing a potent immunomoduating activity was isolated from the aerial parts of A. membranaceus. Thus, the aerial parts of A. membranaceus would be worthy enough for a food material and a dietary supplement. However, they should be safe even though valuable. In our previous study, it was estimated that NOAEL for female rats are 5000 mg/kg/day of the crude polysaccharide fraction from A. membranaceus-aboveground parts. As a series of safety evaluation, genotoxicity test for the crude polysaccharide fraction was carried out in this study. In conclusion, the three genotoxicity assays provided strong overall support that the crude polysaccharide fraction lacks mutagenic and/or clastogenic potential under the GLP-based test conditions. This indicates the aerial parts of A. membranaceus would be safe enough for a food material and a dietary supplement.