• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.604-609
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• 2011

Pine (pinus densiflora) needles have long been used as a traditional health-promoting medicinal food in Korea. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of pine needle extracts on the hepatic antioxidant system in the damaged liver of carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-treated rats. Nine-week-old Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups: normal group (NOR), $CCl_4$-treated group (CCL), pine needle hot water extract and $CCl_4$-treated group (CCL-P), and Vitamin C and $CCl_4$-treated group (CCL-V). The enzyme activities and antioxidant effects of the pine needle hot water extracts were investigated at the levels of liver homogenates and serum of rats intoxicated with $CCl_4$. Serum GOT and GPT activities by $CCl_4$ treatment increased compared to those of the NOR group. However, they tended to decrease in the hot water extract-administered group. Liver SOD activity in the CCL group was significantly lower than the NOR group (p<0.05). However, they increased in the CCL-P group compared to the CCL group. Further, the CAT and GPx activities of serum treated with $CCl_4$ were higher compared to those of the NOR group but lower in the CCL-P group compared to CCL group. These results suggest that pine needle hot water extract increases antioxidant activities.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.7
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• pp.1043-1053
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• 2013

We investigated the ability of soybean curd residue (SCR) and its fermented products to inhibit obesity and improve the blood lipid profiles of obese mice fed a high-fat diet. Samples were prepared by fermenting SCR with Aspergillus oryzae var effuses KACC 44990 (ASCR), a microbe used for the fermentation of traditional Korean Meju, and with Monascus pilosus IFO 4480 (MSCR), a microbe used for the production of red rice. In addition, AMSCR, a mixture composed of equal amounts of ASCR and MSCR, was also prepared. Male mice were divided into six groups and fed with either a normal diet, a high-fat diet, or a high-fat diet supplemented with SCR, ASCR, MSCR, or AMSCR. After 8 weeks, body weight gain, serum and hepatic lipid profiles, and the activities of enzymes that generate or scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) were evaluated. Compared with the high-fat diet group, all the test groups showed a significant reduction in body, organ, and epididymal fat weight gain. These effects were observed with supplements in the order AMSCR>ASCR>MSCR>SCR. Similarly, supplements of test samples reduced high levels of serum and hepatic triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol caused by hight-fat diet, while high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was increased. Interestingly, the ability of ASCR to lower serum TG was stronger than that of MSCR, while MSCR showed a stronger hypocholesterolemic effect than ASCR. Meanwhile, AMSCR returned comprehensively serum lipid levels to normal. In addition, hepatic damage was prevented with effects in the order AMSCR>ASCR>MSCR>SCR. Hepatic ROS generating system including xanthine oxidase (XO) and ROS scavenging system including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) were recovered to normal level by all test diets. In conclusion, this study suggests that SCR and its fermented products can inhibit obesity and improve lipid profiles.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.807-813
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• 2014

The objective of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of anthocyanin-enriched extract from radiation-induced blackberry (Rubus fruticosus L.) mutant (${\gamma}$-B201) against carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-induced liver injury in Spargue-Dawley (SD) rats. The in vivo results show that ${\gamma}$-B201 attenuated the levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and liver lipid peroxidation in $CCl_4$-treated SD rats. Histopathological examination of rat livers showed that ${\gamma}$-B201 reduced the incidence of liver lesions induced by $CCl_4$. Moreover, ${\gamma}$-B201 prevented DNA damage in $CCl_4$-treated SD rats. Furthermore, administration of ${\gamma}$-B201 significantly increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR), in $CCl_4$-treated rat livers. In conclusion, the present study suggests that ${\gamma}$-B201 blackberry extract protects the liver from $CCl_4$-induced hepatic damage through an antioxidant mechanism. Therefore, ${\gamma}$-B201 blackberry may be functional food material for human health.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.570-576
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of turmeric on antioxidative systems and oxidative damage in rats fed a high fat and cholesterol diet. A total 40 rats were divided into four experimental groups: a normal diet group (N), a high fat and cholesterol diet group (HF), a high fat and cholesterol diet group supplemented with 2.5% turmeric powder (TPA group) and a high fat and cholesterol diet group supplemented with 5% turmeric powder (TPB group). The serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) activity of the turmeric supplemented groups were decreased compared to the HF group. The GPT activity of the TPB group was especially and significantly decreased compared to the HF group. Hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) of the TPB group was significantly increased compared to the HF group. However, there were no significant differences in the activities of hepatic glutathione peroxidase (GSHpx) and catalase (CAT) among all experimental groups. Hepatic glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity in the TPA and TPB groups were increased compared to the HF group. Hepatic superoxide radical content in mitochondria of the 5% turmeric supplemented group was significantly decreased compared to the HF group. Hepatic hydrogen peroxide content in the cytosol and mitochondria of the turmeric-supplemented groups were decreased compared to the HF group. Hepatic carbonyl values in the mitochondria of the turmeric supplemented groups were significantly decreased compared to the HF group. Thiobarbituric acid reaction substance (TBARS) values in the liver were significantly reduced in turmeric supplemented groups compared to the HF group. These result suggest that turmeric powder may reduce oxidative damage through the activation of antioxidative defense systems in rats fed high fat and cholesterol diets.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.140-148
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of coffee in diabetic rats in order to prevent hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia, and to improve antioxidant enzyme activity in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Methods: Thirty two male Sprague-Dawley rats (body weight $200{\pm}5g$) were divided into two groups; diabetic and nondiabetic groups. The groups were each randomly divided into two subgroups; fed control and coffee (5 g coffee powder/kg diet) diets. Diabetes was induced by intramuscular injection of 50 mg streptozotocin/kg body weight. Rats with blood glucose concentrations ${\geq}300mg/dL$ were considered diabetic for these experiments. All rats were fed an experimental diet and deionized water ad libitum for 4 weeks. Results: The results of this study indicate that body weight gain was significantly lower in diabetic groups than in nondiabetic groups regardless of diet. Mean food intake was significantly higher in diabetic groups than in nondiabetic groups, and significantly higher in the coffee group than in the control group in diabetic rats. Food efficiency ratio (FER) was significantly lower in diabetic groups than in nondiabetic groups regardless of diet. The fasting blood glucose of coffee supplemented groups was significantly lower compared with the control group in diabetic and nondiabetic rats. The levels of serum LDL-cholesterol and atherogenic index were significantly lower in the coffee group than in the control group in diabetic and nondiabetic rats, and serum HDL-cholesterol was significantly higher in the coffee group than in control groups. The contents of hepatic triglyceride were significantly lower in the coffee group than in the control group in diabetic and nondiabetic rats. The lipid peroxidation of malondialdehyde (MDA) contents was significantly lower in the coffee group than in the control group in diabetic and nondiabetic rats. Activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase in liver was not significantly different by experimental diets among all groups. Conclusion: In conclusion, effects of 0.5% coffee powder supplemented diet were beneficial on blood glucose and lipids in diabetic rats.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.309-316
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• 2008

This study was carried out to examine the effects of vitamin E on chronic gastric ulcer induced by alcohol treatment in rats. Chronic gastric ulcer model was established by oral administration of 70% ethanol at one time and supply of 15% ethanol for additional 7 days. Male Sprague-Dawley rats, approximately 200 g, were fasted for 24 hours and orally gavaged with 1 mL of 70% ethanol for the induction of acute ulcer. A supply of 15% ethanol dissolved in distilled water for 7 days were followed to maintain chronic gastric ulcer. Acute ulcer group was sacrificed at 3 hours after oral administration of 1 mL of 70% ethanol. Chronic groups were divided into three groups according to vitamin E levels; low-vitamin E (LVE, 0 mg/mL oil/day), normalvitamin E (NVE, 1 mg/mL oil/day) and high-vitamin E (HVE, 10 mg/mL oil/day). These groups were fed vitamin E free diets which were made of vitamin E free vitamin mix followed AIN-93M pattern for 7 days. Histological findings of congestion, hemorrhage and necrosis in gastric tissue were shown severely in acute ulcer group and LVE group of chronic ulcer groups. The concentration of gastrin in serum was significantly higher in LVE group. The content of histamine in stomach was lower in acute ulcer group but there was no significant difference among the chronic groups regardless of vitamin E levels. Content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in gastric tissue was higher in HVE group and activities of antioxidant enzyme, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase, were lower in HVE group. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities as a marker of neutrophils infiltration was significantly higher in LVE group. These results suggested that vitamin E supplementation has positive effects on healing of alcohol-induced chronic gastric ulcer through alleviation of gastric tissue injuries and reduction of the MPO activity in gastric tissue and gastrin in serum.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.637-642
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• 2004

Effects of defatted sesame and perilla methanol extracts on cognitive function and antioxidant activity of learning- and memory-impaired animal model SAMP8 mice. Animals were divided into 4 groups and fed with diets containing 0.3%(w/w) defatted sesame (S) or defatted perilla methanol extracts (P) for 12 weeks. Step through latency of SAMP8 control group was significantly higher than that of SAM R1 normal group, whereas significantly increased in S and P groups compared with SAMP8 control on passive avoidance test (p<0.001). Acetylcholinesterase activity of brain in SAMP8 increased compared with SAMR1 but no difference between SAMP8 control group and sample-treated group. Brain TBARS contents of SAMP8 control significantly increased compared with SAMR1 and were lowered significantly by supplementation of defatted sesame and perilla methanol extracts. Defatted sesame and perilla methanol extracts attenuated increased brain superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in SAMP8. These results suggest defatted sesame and perilla methanol extracts could attenuate cognitive deficits induced by aging possibly through activation of antioxidant activity of defatted sesame and perilla methanol extracts.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.197-202
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• 2008

In our previous publication we compared the gene expression profiles on hepatotoxicants exposure to assess the comparability between in vivo and in vitro test systems. We investigated global gene expression from both mouse liver and mouse hepatic cell line treated with thioacetamide (TAA) and identified several common genes. In this study, we selected genes to validate them as potential biomarkers for hepatotoxicity on the relevance of in vitro and in vivo system. Three up-regulated, aquaporin 8 (Aqp8), glutathione peroxidase 1 (Gpx1), succinate-CoA ligase, GDP-forming, alpha subunit (Suclg1) and two down-regulated, DnaJ (Hsp40) homolog subfamily C member 5 (Dnajc5) and tumor protein D52 (Tpd52) genes were tested for their effects in vitro. For characterization of gene function, short interfering RNA (siRNA) for each gene was synthesized and transfected in mouse hepatic cell line, BNL CL.2. Cell viability, mRNA expression level and morphological alterations were investigated. We confirmed siRNA transfection against selected five genes induced down-regulation of respective mRNA expression. siRNA transfection in general decreased cell viability in different degrees and induced morphological changes such as membrane thickening and alterations of intracellular structures. This suggests that these genes could be associated with TAA-induced toxicity. Furthermore, these genes may be used in the investigation of hepatotoxicity for better understanding of its mechanism.

• BMB Reports
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.144-149
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• 2001

Antioxidant enzymes, scavengers of the reactive oxygen intermediate (ROI), are involved in numerous defense systems in cells. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the hot-water extracts of two medicinally potent mushrooms (Ganoderma lucidum and Phellinus linteus) on the activity and expression of antioxidant enzymes in vitro and in vivo. The mushroom extracts stimulated the catalase activity in a dose-dependent manner in vitro, whereas the other antioxidant enzymes (such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx)) were unaffected by the extracts. The catalytic activity of catalase in the liver and brain was significantly increased after the oral treatment of the mushroom extracts (2.5 g/kg) to ICR mice for 2 months. Western blot analysis of the liver and brain tissues revealed that the expression level of catalase in the mice, treated with both mushroom extracts, was significantly increased compared to that of the control mice. However, the level of the SOD expression in the mice treated with the natural product extracts was unchanged under the same experimental conditions. Although the mechanisms for the stimulatory effect of the catalase expression by these extracts remains unclear, these results suggest that the ingredients of the Ganoderma lucidum and Phellinus linteus extracts act as an activator of catalase, and regulate the expression of catalase at the translational or transcriptional level.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.81-88
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• 2015

Objectives : The aim of present study was to evaluate the beneficial effect of Scutellariae Radix (SR) and Scutellariae Radix EtOH-heated at 200℃ (SR200) using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treated intestine of mice.Methods : Extract of SR and SR200 were orally administrated. Their effects were compared with vehicletreated LPS and normal groups. Subsequently, we measured reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide in the serum and western blotting in the intestine.Results : The average weight in LPS treated (Vehicle) group was lowered significantly compare to that in non-treated normal group and this weight loss in the vehicle group was effectively prevented by the administration of SR and SR200 respectively. The increased oxidative stress biomarker levels such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) in the serum was markedly decreased by treated with SR200. The decreased levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) induced by LPS injection were significantly restored by both SR and SR200 treatment. Moreover, increased inflammatory mediators and cytokines such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the LPS treated vehicle mice were significantly decreased through down-regulation c-JUN through reduction of oxidative stress.Conclusions : SR and SR200 could have benefit effect through down-regulation of abnormal oxidative stress in LPS induced intestine injury mice. Moreover, The anti-inflammatory activity of SR200 extract was better than SR extract in the LPS induced intestine injury mice.