• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.559-592
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• 1999

It has been known that Ki(氣) energy is very effective on many adult diseases. Oriental Medicine has acknowledged Ki as an existing reality and investigated its effects on the body. However, the existence of Ki has not been fully explained. In order to find a conclusive evidence on the existence of Ki, this experiment was done to study the mutual relationship of Ki with a magnetic field and BEP (biological energy projector). The BEP apparatus was irradiated under the magnetic field on rats in the hyperlipidemic induced state. Following criterias were measured in this experiment: weight change, weight of the visceral organs, serum, hepatic lipid peroxide, bleeding time, tissue factor, and etc. The following results were obtained in this study: 1. The weight of rat significantly decreased in the magnetic field treated group and radically reduced in the group treated with both magnetic field and BEP. 2. The weight of liver, heart, and kidney increased in both the magnetic field treated group and magnetic field+BEP group compared to the normal group, but decreased in comparison to the control group. No changes were witnessed in the weight of spleen. 3. Serum and hepatic total cholesterol, total lipid, and lipid peroxide level significantly decreased in both magnetic field treated group and magnetic field+BEP treated group, while lipase activity has increased noticeably. 4. Serum HDL showed a significant increase in both magnetic field treated group and magnetic field+BEP treated group compared to the control group, while LDL and VLDL level decreased significantly. 5. A bleeding time significantly increased in both magnetic field treated group and magnetic field+BEP treated group compared to the control group. A tissue factor value of the lung decreased in the magnetic field treated group and magnetic field+BEP treated groups while increased in the control group. 6. Serum and hepatic lipid peroxide and glutathione level were significantly decreased in the magnetic field treated group and magnetic field+BEP treated group, while hepatic glutathione level was significantly increased compared to the control group. 7. A significant increase was found in the serum hydroxyl radical and SOD activity in the dietary hyperlipidemic rats, and significant decrease was found in the serum lipid peroxide content and superoxidase activity. 8. Hepatic cytosolic enzyme xanthine oxidase and aldehyde oxidase showed a significant decrease in the magnetic field treated group and magnetic field+BEP treated group. Through the above experimental results, one can suggest that the magnetic field with BEP can suppress hyperlipidemia and boost lipid metabolism and restructuring a lipid in liver, which increases the function of liver. To conclude, BEP is considered to show more potent effects under the exposure of magnetic field because magnetic field seems to increase the flow of Ki in the body.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.236-245
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• 2017

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of guava leaf extract (GLE) supplementation on antioxidant enzyme activity and expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) mRNA in ovariectomized rats. Methods: All animals were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 7 for each group): non-ovariectomized control (Sham), the ovariectomized control (OVX), ovariectomy + 150 mg/kg b.w. of GLE ($OVX{\cdot}GL$), and ovariectomy + 300 mg/kg b.w. of GLE ($OVX{\cdot}GH$). Treatment groups were administered GLE for 8 weeks every day. Results: Body weight gain was significantly reduced in the $OVX{\cdot}GL$ group compared with the OVX group (p < 0.05). The level of serum $17{\beta}$-estradiol (E2) was significantly lower in the OVX groups than the Sham group (p < 0.05). Serum triglyceride (TG) and HDL-cholesterol levels were not significantly different between all groups. However, serum total cholesterol (TC) level was significantly reduced in the $OVX{\cdot}GH$ group compared with the OVX group (p < 0.05). Serum free fatty acid (FFA) level and liver TG level were significantly reduced in both $OVX{\cdot}GL$ and $OVX{\cdot}GH$ groups compared with the OVX group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, serum glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity was significantly elevated in the GLE groups (p < 0.05). The mRNA expression level of GPx was not affected by ovariectomy. However, administration of GLE resulted in significantly increased nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) and catalase (CAT) mRNA expression levels in the liver (p < 0.05). In addition, liver nitric oxide (NO) level was significantly reduced in the $OVX{\cdot}GH$ group compared with the OVX group (p < 0.05). Expression level of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) was significantly elevated in the $OVX{\cdot}GH$ group compared with the OVX group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These results suggest that GLE could have protective effects in OVX rats by stimulating eNOS expression and improving the antioxidant defense system.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.296-304
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• 2016

It has been reported that fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) do not act only as intracellular mediators of lipid responses but also have extracellular functions. This study aimed to investigate whether extracellular liver type (L)-FABP has a biological activity and to determined serum L-FABP levels in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). We isolated L-FABP complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) from the Huh7 human hepatocarcinoma cell line and expressed the recombinant L-FABP protein in Escherichia coli. A549 lung carcinoma and THP-1 monocytic cells were stimulated with the human recombinant L-FABP. Human whole blood cells were also treated with the human recombinant L-FABP or interleukin (IL)-1α. IL-6 levels were measured in cell culture supernatants using IL-6 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Human recombinant L-FABP induced IL-6 in a dose-dependent manner in A549, THP-1 cells, and whole blood cells. The blood samples of healthy volunteers and patients with ESRD were taken after an overnight fast. The serum levels of L-FABP in healthy volunteers and ESRD patients were quantified with L-FABP ELISA. The values of L-FABP in patients with ESRD were significantly lower than those in the control group. Our results demonstrated the biological activity of L-FABP in human cells suggesting L-FABP can be a mediator of inflammation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.486-492
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• 2015

Drug metabolism mostly occurs in the liver. Cytochrome P450 (CYP) is a drug-metabolizing enzyme that is responsible for many important drug metabolism reactions. Recently, the US FDA and EU EMA have suggested that CYP enzyme induction can be measured by both enzymatic activity and mRNA expression. However, these experiments are time-consuming and their interassay variability can lead to misinterpretations of the results. To resolve these problems and establish a more powerful method to measure CYP induction, we determined CYP induction by using luminescent assay. Luminescent CYP assays link CYP enzyme activity to firefly luciferase luminescence technology. In this study, we measured the induction of CYP isozymes (1A2, 2B6, 2C9, and 3A4) in cryopreserved human hepatocytes (HMC424, 478, and 493) using a luminometer. We then examined the potential induction abilities (unknown so far) of mesalazine, a drug for colitis, and mosapride citrate, which is used as an antispasmodic drug. The results showed that mesalazine promotes CYP2B6 and 3A4 activities, while mosapride citrate promotes CYP1A2, 2B6, and 3A4 activities. Luminescent CYP assays offer rapid and safe advantages over LC-MS/MS and qRT-PCR methods. Furthermore, luminescent CYP assays decrease the interference between the optical properties of the test compound and the CYP substrates. Therefore, luminescent CYP assays are less labor intensive, rapid, and can be used as robust tools for high-throughput CYP screening during early drug discovery.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 1999

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Plantago asiatica var. densiuscula Pilg. water extracts(PWE) on fat metabolism of rats and prevention to cardiovascular disease. Male Spague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups consisting of the control group(N), $CCl_4$(T), Plantago asiatica var. densiuscula Pilg.(P), Plantago asiatica var. densiuscula Pilg. after injection of $CCl_4$(TP) and $CCl_4$ after injection of Plantago asiatica var. densiuscula Pilg.(PT) at the level of 0.5%. After 6 weeks of feeding serum lipid levels were measured for experimental rats and analyzed enzyme activity(EA). Rats were divided into five groups of 6 animals. The enzyme activities of ALT, AST, LDH and ALP increased by administration of $CCl_4$ group and decreased by Plantago asiatica var. densiuscula Pilg. water extracts. Total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol in serum increased by administration of $CCl_4$ group and decreased by Plantago asiatica var. densiuscula Pilg. water extracts. And, HDL-cholesterol decreased by $CCl_4$ group and significantly increased by TP group(p＜0.05) Total lipid, triglyceride and phospholipid in serum decreased by P group as compared to T group(p＜0.05). Considering all results obtained throughout this experiments, it can be concluded that Plantago asiatica var. densiuscula Pilg. water extracts wald improve the liver fuction and enzyme activity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.808-813
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• 2002

This study investigated the effects of different kinds of dietary fibers, cellulose, psyllium husk, pectin and the Psyllium husk Plus Pectin, on the lipid concentration and hernobiochemical enzyme activity in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The experimental groups were divided into four groups : the cellulose group, the psyllium husk group, the pectin group and the psyllium husk Plus Pectin group. Dietary fiber was supplemented at 10% (w/w) levels in the diet. Body weight gain, food intake and relative tissue seight were not significantly different among the dietary groups. Concentrations of triglyceride and phospholipid of serum in the psyllium husk and the pectin groups were significantly lower than those of the cellulose and the psyllium husk plus pectin groups. Concentration of total cholesterol of serum in the psyllium husk plus pectin group was lower than other dietary groups. However, concentrations of triglyceride and phospholipid of liver in the psyllium husk and the pectin groups were significantly higher than those of the cellulose and the psyllium husk plus pectin groups. The hemobiochemical Parameters, total protein, albumin, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase and blood urea nitrogen in serum of the psyllium husk group were lower than other dietary groups. These results showed that dietary psyllium husk could have lowering effects on serum triglyceride concentration without any side effect of hemobiochemical enzyme activity in rats.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.191-196
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• 2003

This study was performed to investigate the effect of water extract of green tea (GT), persimmon leaf (PL) and safflower seed (SS) on heme synthesis and erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activities in lead (Pb)-administered rats. Male rats were divided into five groups. a normal, Pb-control (Pb-Con), Pb-GT, Pb-PL and Pb-55 groups with ten rats per group. Pb (25 mg/kg. BW) was orally administerd once a day for 4 weeks. The extract of GT, PL and 55 were administered based on 1.26 g of raw traditional tea/kg BW/day. Blood hematocrit, homoglobin level and red blood cell counts were significantly lower in rb-Con group than in normal group. However, the supplementation of GT, PL and 55 were effective to improve the hematological parameters. Plasma AST and ALT activities were significantly lower in Pb-GT, Pb-PL, Pb-SS groups than in Pb-Con group. The $\delta$ -amino-levulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) activity of blood and liver were significantly lowered in Pb-Con group com-pared to those of the normal group. The ALAD activity in Pb administered rats was recovered to tile normal level by the water extract of GT, PL and 55 supplementation. Erythrocyte superoxide dismutase and catalse activities were significantly higher in Pb-Con group than in normal group, whereas glutathione peroxidase activity was lowered in Pb administered rats. The extract of GT, PL and SS supplement attenuated changes of these erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activities by Pb intoxication.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.4 s.71
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• pp.613-618
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• 2005

We investigated the effect of chicory (Chicorium intybus) extract on triglyceride concentration and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) activity in rats. The effect of water-soluble extract of chicory fed at the $2.0\%\;and\;4.0\%(w/w)$ levels for 2 weeks on the concentration of serum triglyceride and the activity of hepatic microsomal riglyceride transfer protein (MTP) was investigated in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The triglyceride concentrations in serum of the chicory extract fed groups were significantly lower than in the control group. MTP activity, known to be essential for the assembly/secretion of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins, was also significantly lower in the chicory extract groups than in the control group. The concentrations of other lipids in serum and liver and the activity of phosphatidate phosphohydrolase, the rate-limiting enzyme in triglyceride synthesis, showed no significant differences among in the chicory fed groups. These results indicate that dietary chicory extract decrease hepatic MTP activity and serum triglyceride concentration, and therefore reduces hepatic lipoprotein assembly and secretion.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.31 no.3 s.52
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• pp.273-277
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• 2005

This study was performed to develop new cosmeceutical agents with sebosuppressive activity from native plant extracts in Korea. Inhibitory efforts of the extracts on $5{\alpha}-reductase$ (5-AR) were evaluated by enzyme kinetics analysis using UV-spectrophotometric method. Two kinds of enzyme suspensions as 5-AR sources were prepared from rat liver tissue and cultured hSG cells. The sebosuppressive effects were determined by measuring the total lipid quantity produced in cultured hSG cells after incubation with the extracts. As a result, Pinus thunbergii extracts showed the most potent 5-AR inhibitory effects. Its $K_i$ values were 0.0002% and 0.0014% for rat liver 5-AR and human sebaceous gland 5-AR, respectively. Addition of Pinus thunberii extract to hSG cells showed 48% reduction in total lipid production at 0.005% concentration. In conclusion, Pinus thunbergii extracts can be used as a cosmeceutical agent to regulate sebum production and to alleviate the sebum-involved skin diseases, such as acne and seborrheic dermatitis.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.624-630
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• 2005

Glycoprotein (60 kDa) isolated from Ficus Carica Linnoeus (FCL glycoprotein) was examined by evaluating its hypolipidemic effects on plasma cholesterol levels and hepatic detoxicant enzyme activities in ICR mice. FCL glycoprotein $(100{\mu}g/mL)$ had strong scavenging activities (38%) against lipid peroxyl radicals. When mice were treated with Triton WR-1339 (400 mg/kg), levels of total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol in plasma significantly increased by 53.9 and 47.5 mg/dL, respectively, compared to the control, whereas, when pretreated with FCL glycoprotein $(100{\mu}g/mL)$, decreased remarkably by 55.4, and 47,0 mg/dL, compared to Triton WR-1339 treatment alone. Interestingly, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol level did not change. Body and liver weights did not change significantly after Triton WR-1339 treatment in presence of FCL glycoprotein. FCL glycoprotein $(100{\mu}g/mL)$ stimulated activities of antioxidative detoxicant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), whereas GPx activity significantly increased compared to the control. These results suggest FCL glycoprotein has abilities to scavenge lipid peroxyl radicals, lower plasma lipid levels, and stimulate detoxicant enzyme activity in mouse liver.