• Toxicological Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 2001

Korean ginseng products have been fumigated with ethylene oxide (EO) for sterilization and prolongation of storage periods. However, there had been controversies indicating that consumption of EO treated foods might cause harmful effects in human. In Korea, the use EO gas for sterilization of food was banned in 1991. Since then, irradiation technique has been developed as an alternative. This study was carried out to evaluate the safety of irradiated ginseng on peri- and postnatal developmental toxicity in rats. Either EO gas fumigated or gamma-irradiated ginseng was administered to pregnant Wistar rats by oral gavage from gestational day 16 to postnatal day 21. The amount of irradiation used in this study was 5, 10 and 30 kGy, respectively. There were no treatment related changes of dams in deaths, clinical signs, and parturition. No treatment related changes in food consumption, body/organ weight and lactation of dams were observed. Also, no F1 fetuses in external abnormality, physical development, reflex/sensory junctions and behavioral development were found. The results of this study showed that gamma-irradiated ginseng, up to 30 kGy, has no adverse effects on the peri- and postnatal development of rats.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.2123-2128
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• 2014

A current hurdle in cancer management is the intrinsic or acquired resistance of cancer cells to chemical agents that restricts the efficacy of therapeutic strategies. Accordingly, there is an increasing desire to discover new natural compounds with selective toxicity to combat malignancies. In present study, the cytotoxic and apoptosis-inducing activities of ferutinin, a terpenoid derivative from Ferula ovina, were investigated on human breast (MCF7) and bladder (TCC) cancer cells as well as normal fibroblasts (HFF3).The toxicity and DNA damage inducing effects of ferutinin were studied by MTT and comet assays, DAPI and PI staining and DNA laddering. The $IC_{50}$ values of ferutinin were identified and compared with routine prescribed drugs, doxorubicin and vincristine, by MTT test. Alkaline comet assay and DAPI staining revealed DNA damage due to ferutinin, which was significantly (p<0.001) higher in MCF7 and TCC than HFF3 cells. Apoptosis induction was evidenced by PI staining and DNA laddering. Our results suggest that ferutinin could be considered as an effective anticancer agent for future in vivo and clinical experiments.

• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.260-264
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• 2009

Tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$ (TNF-$\alpha$) exhibits cytotoxicity towards various tumor cells in vitro and induces apoptotic necrosis in transplanted tumors in vivo. It also shows severe toxicity when used systemically for the treatment of cancer patients, hampering the development of TNF-$\alpha$ as a potential anticancer drug. In order to understand the structure-function relation of TNF-$\alpha$ with respect to receptor binding, we selected four regions on the bottom of the TNF-$\alpha$ trimer that are in close contact with the receptor and carried out mutagenesis studies and computational modeling. From the study, various TNF-$\alpha$ muteins with a high therapeutic index were identified. These results will provide a structural basis for the design of highly potent TNF-$\alpha$ for therapeutic purposes. By conjugating TNF-$\alpha$ muteins with a high therapeutic index to a fusion partner, which targets a marker of angiogenesis, it could be possible to develop TNF-$\alpha$ based anticancer drugs.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.245-252
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• 2014

Arsenic is a unique element with distinct physical characteristics and toxicity whose importance in public health is well recognized. The toxicity of arsenic varies across its different forms. While the carcinogenicity of arsenic has been confirmed, the mechanisms behind the diseases occurring after acute or chronic exposure to arsenic are not well understood. Inorganic arsenic has been confirmed as a human carcinogen that can induce skin, lung, and bladder cancer. There are also reports of its significant association to liver, prostate, and bladder cancer. Recent studies have also suggested a relationship with diabetes, neurological effects, cardiac disorders, and reproductive organs, but further studies are required to confirm these associations. The majority of research to date has examined cancer incidence after a high exposure to high concentrations of arsenic. However, numerous studies have reported various health effects caused by chronic exposure to low concentrations of arsenic. An assessment of the health effects to arsenic exposure has never been performed in the South Korean population; thus, objective estimates of exposure levels are needed. Data should be collected on the biological exposure level for the total arsenic concentration, and individual arsenic concentration by species. In South Korea, we believe that biological exposure assessment should be the first step, followed by regular health effect assessments.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.17-31
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• 1991

The effects of environmental agents on health are great concern for all. It was recognized that each human has differential susceptibility to environmental effects. Susceptibility are changed by many factors includin gdevelopmpntal processes, genetic factors, nutritional stratus, preexisting disease conditions, life style and personal habits. Of all factors nutritional factors seem to be the area most modifiable. Consequently, It is an area that must be more thoroughly evaluated. In this paper, nutrient and environment interactions are reviewed briefly with published literatures. This paper deals with the influence of micronutrients(energy, protein and fat), Vitamins (vitamin 4, vitamin B-complex, vitamin C, vitamin D and vitamin I) and Minerals(calcium, iron, selenium, zinc and other minerls) on environmental effects. The role of arch nutrient was assessed in modifyine the expression of environmental pollutant toxicity with available litertures. In each nutrient section, the effect of environment was considered in following agents : heavy metals(lead, cadmium, mercury, silver and etc), inorganic agents(nitwits, sulfite, fluoride and etc), organic agents(benzene, carbon tatra-chloride, aflatoxin, auto dye, dialbrin etc), Irritant gas(ozone, carbon monooxide and etc), physical agents(X-irradiation, ultra violet, temperature and noise) and insectcides. The extent to which nutritional status modifies environmental effects 3nd its converse, how envirollments affects nutritional status is very complex. In deed, at the present time there are more than 50 chelnical/phycical agents that affect the nutrient metabolism and/or have their toxicity either directly diminished or enhanced by nutrients of those agents, small number of agents for each nutrients have sufficient evidence to warrant any reasonable degree of confidence in their hypothesized associtation. With these information at this present time it is hard to conclude that the recommended dietary allowance for each nutrient should be reconsidered.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.192-198
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• 2007

Emodin (1,3,8-trihydroxy-6-methylanthraquinone) is a major constituent of rhubarb. Although it has been claimed to have a wild spectrum of therapeutic value, its side effects, especially in human kidney cells have not been well characterized. In this study, we have carried out in vitro genetic toxicity test of emodin and microarray analysis of differentially expressed genes in response to emodin. The result of Ames test showed mutations with emodin treatment in base substitution strain TA1535 both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. Likewise, emodin showed mutations in frame shift TA98 both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. The result of COMET assay in L5178Y cells with emodin treatment showed DNA damage both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. Emodin did not increase micronuclei in CHO cells both with and without exogenous metabolic activation. 150 Genes were selected as differentially expressed genes in response to emodin by microarray analysis and these genes would be candidate biomarkers of genetic toxic action of emodin.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.177-180
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• 2013

Two dogs were presented with melena, vomiting and depression after accidental swallowing of candy form of Strepsils (flurbiprofen), which is one of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs used in human medicine for controlling a sore throat. These dogs had common signs of anemia induced by gastrointestinal ulceration and hemorrhage with azotemia and leukocytosis. The dogs were treated with blood transfusion, fluid therapy, proton-pump inhibitor, antiemetics, mucus protectant and antibiotic. Although most of clinical signs of two dogs were resolved, azotemic problem with evidence of renal injury have remained.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Fisheries Technology Conference
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• 2000.05a
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• pp.88-89
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• 2000

Chitosan is derived from chitin by deacetylation in the presence of alkali, which is a copolymer consisting of $\beta$-(1longrightarrow4)-2-acetamido-D-glucose and $\beta$-(1longrightarrow4)-2-amino-D-glucose units with the latter usually exceeding 80% (Arvanitoyannis et al., 1998). Chitosan has been developed as new physiological material since it possesses antibacterial activity, hypocholesterolemic activity and antihypertensive action. However, even though chitosan has very strong functional properties in many areas, its high molecular weight and high viscosity may restrict the use in vivo. In addition, there is little doubt that such properties will influence absorption in the human intestine. Recently, studies on chitosan have attracted interest for converted chitosan to oligosaccharide, because the oligosaccharide possesses not only water-soluble property but also versatile functional properties such as antitumor activity, immune-enhancing effects, enhancement of protective effects against infection with some pathogens in mice, antifungal activity, calcium absorption accelerating effect (Jeon et al., 1999) and antimicrobial activity. There is, however, little information on the toxicity of chitosan oligosaccharide. (omitted)

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.44-51
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• 2018

Fluoroquinolone (FQ) antibiotics are an important class of synthetic antibacterial agents. These are the most extensively used drugs for treating bacterial infections in the field of both human and veterinary medicine. Herein, the antibacterial and pharmacological properties of four fluoroquinolones: lomefloxacin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and ofloxacin have been studied. The objective of this study was to analyze the antibacterial characteristics of the different fluoroquinolones. Also, the pharmacological properties of the compounds including the Lipinski rule of five, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, LD50, drug likeliness, and toxicity were evaluated. We found that among all four FQ molecules, ofloxacin showed the highest antibacterial activity through in silico assays with a strong interaction (-38.52 kJ/mol) with the antibacterial target protein (topoisomerase-II DNA gyrase enzyme). The pharmacological and pharmacokinetic analysis also showed that the compounds ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, lomefloxacin and norfloxacin have good pharmacological properties. Notably, ofloxacin was found to possess an IGC50 (concentration needed to inhibit 50% growth) value of $0.286{\mu}g/L$ against the Tetrahymena pyriformis protozoa. It also tested negative for the Ames toxicity test, showing its non-carcinogenic character.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.276-281
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• 2007

The toxicity of two species of puffer fish, Takifugu xanthopterus and T. stictonotus, collected from coastal regions of Korea, was determined using a mouse bioassay. The highest toxin scores in the muscle, skin, fins, and testis in both species were below 50 mouse units (MU) per gram, and for each organ of both species the proportion of toxic specimens containing ${\geq}10MU/g$ was less than about 10%. In T. xanthopterus, the highest toxin levels in the liver, gallbladder, and ovary exceeded 1,000 MU/g (1,275-1,910), while less than 200 MU/g (12-136) was detected in the same organs of T. stictonotus. Therefore, the toxicities of muscle, skin, and testis in both species of puffer fish were within acceptable levels for human consumption.