• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.237-242
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• 2008

The effect of Picrorrhiza Rhizoma (PR) aqueous extracts were evaluated on 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced contact dermatitis, type I allergic model. Contact dermatitis was induced by sensitization with dinitrophenyl-derivatized ovalbumin (DNP-OVA) and DNFB challenge as antigen. Three different concentrations of PR extracts (300,150 and 75mg/kg) were orally administered to DNP-OVA sensitization mice once a day for 7 days with reference materials; dexamethasone (15mg/kg, intraperitoneal treatment). End of 7 days oral administration of PR extracts or intraperitoneal treatment of dexamethasone, the changes on the edematous changes and scratching behavior were measured. Immediate after DNFB challenge on ear or paw of DNP-OVA sensitized mice, increases of ear and paw thicknesses and weights were detected with anterior ear skin (dermis to epidermis) thickness and paw scratching behavior increases. However, these DNFB-induced increases on ear and paw thicknesses, weights and scratching behaviors were decreased by treatment of all three different dosages of PR extracts and dexamethasone, respectively. In addition, the increases of anterior skin thicknesses were also dramatically inhibited by treatment of all three different dosages of PR extracts and dexamethasone at histopathological observations. The results obtained in this study suggest that oral treatment of PR extracts also has relatively favorable effects on allergic dermatitis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.325-331
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• 2009

The object of this study was to evaluate the single oral dose toxicity of Low Molecular Weight Fucoidan (LMF) in male and female rats. LMF was administered to female and male SD rats as an oral dose of 2,000, 1,000 and 500 mg/kg (body wt.). Animals were monitored for the mortality and changes in body weight, clinical signs and gross observation organ weight and histopathology of 14 principle organs were examined upon necropsy. As the results, no LMF treatment related mortalities, clinical signs, changes on the body and organ weights, gross and histopathological observations against 14 principle organs were detected up to 2,000 mg/kg in both female and male rats except for some sporadic findings not LMF treatment related toxicological signs. Therefore, $LD_{50}$ (50% lethal dose) and approximate LD of LMF after single oral treatment in female and male rats were considered over 2,000 mg/kg - the limited dosages recommended by KFDA Guidelines [2005-60, 2005], respectively.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.30 no.1 s.56
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• pp.69-76
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• 1997

To exanime in vivo tissue reactions of glass fibers, we injected glass fibers to rats subcutaneously. We made fibers of average dimensions of approximately $2{\mu}m$ in diameter and $60{\mu}m$ in length. After instilation of glass fiber we sacrificed rats sequentially at 1, 3 and 6 months. At 1 month after injection of glass fibers, the exposure area turned to yellow color and formed well-demarcated round mass. The average size of the mass was $1\times0.3cm$. Grossly detectable mass was decreased in size at 6 months compared to 1 or 3 months. Microscopically, strong foreign body reaction to glass fibers, inflammation and fibrosis were observed until 6 months. Foreign body reaction was increased up to 3 months, but it was decreased after 6 months. In scanning electron microscope, there was many bundles of glass fibers around the inflammation area, but the size of glass fibers were gradually reduced from 1 month to 6 months. These results suggest that subcutaneous exposure of glass fiber can provoke strong tissue reaction including foreign body granulomas, inflammation and fibrosis. But glass fiber itself did not produce any neoplastic changes.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 2018

Blastocystis is an enteric Straminopile in tropical, subtropical and developing countries. Metronidazole has been a chemotheraputic for blastocystosis. Failures in its regimens were reported and necessitate new studies searching for alternative therapeutic agents. Aim of current study is to investigate potential effects of Atorvastatin (AVA) compared to the conventional chemotherapeutic MTZ in experimentally Blastocystis-infected mice. Anti-Blastocystis efficacy of AVA was evaluated parasitologically, histopathologically and by transmission electron microscopy using MTZ (10 mg/kg) as a control. Therapeutic efficacy of AVA were apparently dose-dependent. Regimens of AVA (20 and 40 mg/kg) proved effective against Blastocystis infections with highreduction in Blastocystis shedding (93.4-97.9%) compared to MTZ (79.3%). The highest reductions (98.1% and 99.4%)were recorded in groups of combination treatments AVA 20-40 mg/kg and MTZ 10 mg/kg. Blastocystis was nearly eradicated by the 20th day post infection. Genotype analysis revealed that genotype I was most susceptible, genotype III was less. Histopathologic and ultrastructural studies revealed apoptotic changes in Blastocystis and significant improvement of intestinal histopathological changes more remarkable in combinational therapy groups. Thus, the present study offers AVA as a potential candidate for Blastocystis therapy combined with MTZ.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.1-6
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• 2012

Objectives : The present study was undertaken to evaluate whether Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba ethanol (ARA-E) extract, which is the pericarp of $Atractylodes$ $japonica$ Koidz. has an effect on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice. Methods : Male DBA/1J mice were induced by intradermal injection of bovine collagen-II in Freund's incomplete adjuvant (IFA). The CIA mice in the onset of arthritis were treated daily with oral administration of ARA-E extract at dose of 50 mg/kg/bw for 28 days. Arthritis index, histopathological changes and the levels of anti-type II collagen (CII) IgG and inflammatory cytokine, TNF-${\alpha}$ in sera of mice were measured to evaluate the antiarthritic effect of ARA-E. Results : ARA-E extract significantly decreased the arthritic scores and inhibited pathological changes of knee joint tissues in CIA mice. ARA-E extract also significantly decreased the serum levels of anti-CII IgG and TNF-${\alpha}$ in CIA mice. These results indicate that ARA-E extract may effectively prevent arthritic damages in CIA mice, at least partially, by inhibiting the production of autoantibodies and inflammatory cytokine. Conclusions : This studies suggest that ARA-E has a therapeutic potential in inflammatory joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.195-203
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• 2002

This study was performed to evaluate single and repeated-dose toxicities oj a new cophalosporin antibiotic agent IDC-7l81 in Sprague-Dawley rats. IDC-7181 was injected intravenously to rats at dose levels of 0, 3.2, 16, 80, 400 and 2,000 mg/kg/day for single-dose toxicity study and at dose levels of 0, 10, 50 and 250 mg/kg/day for 4-week repeated-dose toxicity study. In both studies, there were no dose-related changes in mortality clinical signs, body weight changes, food and water consumption, opthalmoscopy, organ weights, urine analysis, biochemical examination, and hematological findings of all animals treated with IDC-7l8l. Gross and histopathological findings revealed no evidence of specific toxicity related to IDC-7181. These results suggest that the intravenous maximum tolerated dose value of IDC-7181 may be over 250 mg/kg and $LD_{50}$ value may be over 2,000 mg/kg in rats.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.139-147
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• 2002

Hantaan (HTNV) and Puumala (PUUV) viruses cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in human. In the present study, the repeated dose toxicity of the HTNV-PUUV combination vaccine was evaluated in Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals were injected subcutaneously for 28 days with dosages of 0, 0.017, 0.17 and 1.7 dose/kg body weight per day, respectively. No any significant changes of body weight, food and water consumptions were shown. There were no death and clinical findings during the experimental period. In both male and female rats, there were not significant changes in hematological and serum biochemical analysis, urinalysis, and ophthalmoscopic and histopathological examination. These results indicate that the HTNV-PUUV combination vaccine may have no toxic effects and no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) may be over 1.7 dose/kg/day at subcutaneous route in rats.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.679-686
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• 2012

This study was to elucidate the effects of Ukgan-san on the hyperthyroidism induced by sodium levothyroxine. Hyperthyroidisms were induced by continuous subcutaneous treatment of LT4, 0.3 mg/kg, once a day for 27days, and 1,500, 1,000 and 500 mg/kg of Ulkansan extracts were orally administered, once a day for 15 days from 12th LT4 treatment, and the changes on the body, thyroid gland, liver and epididymal fat pad weights, serum triiodothyronine(T3), thyroxine(T4), thyroid-stimulating hormone(TSH), asparte aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) concentrations, hepatic lipid peroxidation(LPO), glutathione(GSH), superoxide dismutase(SOD) and catalase(CAT) activities were investigated with throid gland, liver and epididymal fat pad histopathological changes. The effects of Ukan-san extracts were compared with that of propyl thiouracil(PTU), a standard antithyroidic drug 10 mg/kg(intraperitoneally). 1,500 and 1,000 mg/kg of Ukan-san extracts reversed all LT4-induced hyperthyroidisms and these effects indicating their potential in the regulation of hyperthyroidism. Further, the Ukan-san extract normalized LT4-induced liver oxidative stresses, and also reduced liver damages and epididymal fat pad reducements suggesting its antioxidative and relative organ protective nature. However, nor favorable effects on LT4-induced hyperthyroidisms were detected in Ulkansan 500 mg/kg treated rats as compared with LT4 control rats in the present study. These effects of Ukan-san may help improvement of hyperthyroidisms and accompanied various organ damages.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.759-765
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• 2006

In this study, we investigate Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expressions in adriamycin (ADR)-induced cadiomyopathy in rats. Sixty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two main groups: control and ADR groups. Myocardial histopathological observation was performed; Expressions of 3 isoforms of NOS genes were examined by RT-PCR analysis; Expressions of 3 isoforms of NOS protein was assessed by Western blot analysis. Myocardium exhibited intensive morphological changes after 8 weeks of ADR treatment. The expression levels of inducible NOS (iNOS) gene and protein were significantly increased in ADR-treated rats after 8 weeks of treatment and then slightly increased at weeks 9 and 10. No significantly difference of neuronal NOS (nNOS) or endothelial NOS (eNOS) gene and protein were observed in the myocardium obtained from the control rats and ADR-injected rats at any time point. iNOS gene expression is selectively induced by ADR in heart. The upregulation of iNOS gene and protein may be somehow correlated with morphological changes seen in heart of rat treated with ADR.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.66-78
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• 2010

Acute (24 h) and chronic (90 days) oral toxicity studies on the ethanol extract of Trigonella foenumgraecum Leguminosae (L.) seeds were carried out. Acute dosages were 0.5, 1.0 and 3 g/kg while chronic dosage was 100 mg/kg per day of the extract. All morphological, biochemical, haematological and spermatogenic changes, in addition to mortality, body weight changes and any change in vital organs were recorded. Histopathological investigations were done on vital organs. Growth arrest in the treated animals was observed. The treated mice gained no significant weight during chronic treatment while there was a significant gain in body weight of the control group mice. Biochemical studies revealed a significant decrease in blood sugar levels of fenugreek treatment groups while haematological parameters remained comparable to the control. In the treatment, male group there was a significant decrease in weight of testes as compared to the control. There was a marginal weight gain in kidney weight of mice after chronic treatment as compared to the control. Fenugreek chronic treatment caused a highly significant spermatotoxic effects in male mice.