• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.87-95
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• 1995

The concentrations of cadmium, metallothionein(MT), superoxide dismutase(SOD), and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) were investigated in liver and kidney of rats which were fed the water containing 100 ppm cadmium chloride with basal diet and 5% Agaricus bisporus diet during 16 weeks. Cadmium concentrations in liver and kidney increased during 16 weeks, and there were significantly higher accumulation of cadmium in the kidney than in the liver. The concentrations of MTs in liver and kidney decreased linearly during 16 weeks, but there was no significant difference between control and experimental group. MT concentrations of liver were significantly higher than those of kidney. The superoxide dismutase activities and lactate dehydrogenase activities were not affected by the diet, but there was a significant difference by the duration of administration. These data indicate that the kidney is a major target organ of chronic cadmium poisoning, and suggest that Cd-induced hepatic injury, via release of Cd-MT, may play an important role in the nephrotoxicity. In conclusion, induction of MT occurs in both the liver and the kidney after administration of $CdCl_2$. However, the kidney is less responsive than the liver to the induction of MT by cadmium, which may contribute to making the kidney the target organ of toxicity during chronic Cd exposure.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.539-544
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• 2004

Herbal medicine has been used in the Eastern world for 2,000 years, and is beneficial for numerous diseases. There have been reports pertaining to the safety of herbal medicine, but there have been few reports about herbal medicine induced liver injury in Eastern or Western medicine. Most are descriptions of hepatotoxicity of certain toxic herbs. We experienced one case of drug induced liver injury in the treatment of cerebral infarction with Chungsim Yeonja-tang. Although the patient had not used medication and Chungsim Yeonja-tang has no toxic herbs in it. patient's ALP, AST, ALT, GGT was twice elevated after 20 days on medication. This was diagnosed as drug induced liver injury, possibly due to incorrect diagnosis of Sasang constitution. So no herbal medicine was given for seven days. Then Gagam Saeng Gan-tang was given. Gagam Saeng Gan-tang have been used to treat hepatic disease and have been known to have beneficial effects. After 25 days on medication, the clinical symptoms and liver function improved. So, this case is presented to bring more attention to the toxicity of herbal medicines.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.283-290
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• 2009

Differential gene expression profiling was performed in the hepatic tissue of marine medaka fish (Oryzias javanicus) after exposure to benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), by heterologous hybridization using a medaka cDNA microarray. Thirty-eight differentially expressed candidate genes, of which 23 were induced and 15 repressed (P<0.01), were identified and found to be associated with cell cycle, development, endocrine/reproduction, immune, metabolism, nucleic acid/protein binding, signal transduction, or non-categorized. The presumptive physiological changes induced by BaP exposure were identified after considering the biological function of each gene candidate. The results obtained in this study will allow future studies to assess the molecular mechanisms of BaP toxicity and the development of a systems biology approach to the stress biology of organic chemicals.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.372-378
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• 2007

A well known Ayurvedic formulation Ashokarista, used for menstrual disorders has been studied in a single blind randomised placebo controlled clinical trial for the treatment of menorrhagia and dysmenorrhoea. Dysmenorrhoea and menorrhagia patients who were taking Ashokarista (20 ml twice daily) for 10 menstrual cycles had an increase in haemoglobin level. Menorrhagia treated group has shown to reduce the erythrocyte sedimentation rate level that has been increased in the menorrhagia control group. The platelet count, total count and differential count were observed unchanged in the study. The Ashokarista did not affect the SGPT and SGOT level, which signify its lack of toxicity in hepatic function. The treated menorrhagic patients showed an increase in serum albumin content and decrease in blood clotting time, whereas the serum protein content was observed unchanged. There was a significant increase in both serum cholesterol and triglyceride level, which usually associated with the use of oral contraceptives. No major side effects were observed by the clinicians during the study.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.363-371
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• 2007

The methanol extract of the seed of Swietenia macrophylla (Meliaceae) seeds were investigated for its hypoglycaemic activity in normal and alloxan induced diabetic rats. Seed extract suspended in aqueous Tween 80 solution, the graded doses were administered to normal and experimental diabetic rats for 10 days. Fasting blood glucose levels, serum lipid profiles and changes in body weight were evaluated in normal rats while the hepatic marker enzymes and liver glycogen levels were evaluated additionally in diabetic rats. The diabetic groups treated with the seed extract were compared with standard drug glibenclamide. The findings showed the significant antidiabetic potential of the extract in ameliorating the diabetic conditions in diabetic rats. The extract also has hypoglycaemic action in normal rats. A toxicity study has been performed for the extract, which revealed that the extract is safe to use even at the doses of 3.2 mg/kg of body weight orally. The result from the present investigation indicates good correlation between the folk use and scientific investigation.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.193-196
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• 1997

Matricaria Chammomillal L., Foemiculum Vulgare mill, and Plantago Psylium L. have been screened for their hepato protective activities against liver damge induced by $CCl_4$ intoxication in mice. Hydroalcoholic extractions (2:8) of herbal drugs were concentrated in vacuo and concentrated crude extracts of Matrica Chammomilla L. and Foeniculum Vulgare mill were orally administered at doses of 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg, and 800 mg/kg. Plantago Psyllium was given at doses of 50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 400 mg/kg. Liver protective activities of these herbs were determined after administration of $CCl_4$ Liver size, serum enzyme activities, sleeping time, and histopatology of the liver were examined one hour after administration of $CCl_4$. ALT and AST activities, liver weight and sleeping time decreased in groups that received 400 mg/kg of Matricaria Chammomilla L. or Foeniculum Vulgare. Histological investigation showed significant increase in hepatic cell regeneration and reduction in liver injury. The group that received 100 mg/kg Plantago Psylium showed liver protection but protection was not significant in other doses.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.225-231
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• 2009

The present study deals with the amelioration by Lagerstroemia speciosa Linn. leaf extract against hepatotoxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$), which was evaluated in terms of serum marker enzymes like serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase, serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, serum total bilirubin, total protein levels along with concomitant hepatic and antioxidants like superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase and lipid peroxidation enzymes were monitored. These biochemical parameters altered by the single dose level of $CCl_4$ (0.75 ml/kg body weight, i.p). Pre treatment with L. speciosa prior to the administration of $CCl_4$, at the doses of 50 and 250 mg/kg. body weight/day, p.o. for 7 days, significantly restored all the serum and liver tissue parameters near to the normal levels, respectively. Silymarin was used as a reference standard, prior to the administration of $CCl_4$ to rats. These findings indicate the protective potential of L. speciosa against hepato toxicity which possibly involve mechanism related to its ability of selective inhibitors of (reactive oxygen species like antioxidants brought about significant inhibition of TBARS suggesting possible involvement of $O_2{\cdot}-$, $HO_2{\cdot}$, and ${\cdot}OH$. In conclusion, the amelioration may be attributed to the synergistic effects of its constituents rather than to any single factor as the leaves are rich in tannins, sterols, flavonoids, saponins etc.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.355-361
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• 2011

Effects of aluminum (Al) on plasma vitellogenin (VTG), alkaline-labile phosphorus (ALPP), calcium (Ca), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), the hepatosomatic index (HSI), and hepatic Al concentration were examined in estradiol-$17{\beta}$ ($E_2$)-administered immature rockfish Sebastes schlegeli. Fish were injected intraperitoneally with $E_2$ (5 mg/kg body weight [BW]) and/or Al (0, 0.1, 1, 5, and 10 mg/kg BW) and plasma and liver samples were extracted 7 days later. After sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the relative amount of VTG was determined by integrated optical density. VTG accounted for 23.6% of the total proteins in the control group, but this value decreased with increasing Al administration. Al reduced the concentrations of ALPP and Ca in a concentration-dependent manner and significant reduction occurred at Al concentrations greater than 5 mg/kg. The concentration of GPT increased in a concentration-dependent manner in all Al-administered rockfish. The concentrations of Al in the liver also increased, and HSI was decreased, in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that Al inhibits $E_2$-induced VTG production by being toxic to hepatocytes in marine fish.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.148-153
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• 1995

As an initial step for evaluating hepatoprotective components against alcohol-induced toxicity, the effect of various fractions from Aloe vera on alcohol metabolism in rats were examined and the results were as follows: Water soluble fraction, after a single oral administration to rats, was found to cause a significant decrease in the serum ethanol concentration as well as enhancement of liver cytosolic ADH activity. On the other hand, the fractions soluble in organic solvent was found to cause an increase in the blood ethanol concentration and inhibit ADH activity. Further fractionation of the water soluble fraction by ultrafiltration system gave four subfractions corresponding to molecular weight and treatment of them in rats demonstrated that subfraction of M.W. > 30,000 exhibited the most potent enhancing activity of ethanol methabolism.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.171-176
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to investigate the in vivo toxicity of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), on the immune system of the rock bream, Oplegnathus fasciatus. Fish were injected twice intraperitoneally with DEHP (200, 400, and 800 mg/kg BW), and the cellularity and functional activity of phagocytes in the spleen and head kidney were measured. The number of head kidney leukocyte cells was significantly greater in fish treated with 800-mg DEHP/kg BW. Nonspecific immunity, as determined by the phagocytic index, was significantly decreased at 800-mg DEHP/kg BW in the head kidney. A significant reduction in phagocytic capacity was observed in the head kidney at ${\geq}$400-mg DEHP/kg BW. Furthermore, significantly increased levels of serum glutamic oxaloacetate transaminase and glutamic pyruvate transaminase indicated a marked hepatic dysfunction in immunosuppressed fish. Total serum protein was significantly reduced at ${\geq}$400-mg DEHP/kg BW; however, there were no significant changes in lysozyme activity. These results demonstrate that immune responses in the rock bream, Oplegnathus fasciatus can predict immunotoxicity at doses ${\geq}$400-mg DEHP/kg BW.