• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.9
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• pp.1185-1193
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• 2006

This study investigated the effects of green tea on the disorders of lipid metabolism, oxidative system and hepatic functions induced by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), using adult male rats (SD) for 3 weeks. These 36 animals were divided into four groups. TCDD ($50{\mu}g/kg$ BW) was intraperitoneally injected at the beginning of experiment. Green tea powder was added 1% or 3% levels in basal diets respectively. Relative weights of thymus were decreased about one-third of control group, but those of liver, brain and testis were significantly increased in rats treated TCDD. Neutrophill% and lymphocyte% by TCDD treatment was improved by green tea diets. In liver functional enzyme, elevation of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities due to TCDD treatment was lowered by green tea diets. The concentrations of serum and liver lipids were significantly increased by TCDD treatment, however, those of serum and liver triglyceride tended to decrease by green tea diets. Fecal lipid excretion was increased in rats fed green tea diets. Especially, fecal total cholesterol level was significantly elevated by 3% green tea diets. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) were increased in rats fed 3% green tea diets. Increment of benzphetamine N-demethylase (BPND) activity by TCDD treatment was declined by 1% green tea diets. These results indicate that green tea can exert improving effects on liver lipid accumulation and unfavorable hepatic functions, and elevate antioxidation.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.311-317
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• 2009

This study was performed using animals to confirm the effect of tourmaline-ionized water (TIW) the properties of which were changed by tourmaline energy and electric discharge. In the ICR mice fed high-fat diet, body weight increasing rate of the TIW-treated group (Exp) was generally decreased and moreover exhibited significance at 11th week (P<0.05) compared with the control (Con) group fed distilled water, although water intake of the Exp group was lower than that of the Con group. In the ICR mice with $CCl_4$-induced hepatotoxicity, AST and ALT activities of the Exp group were not significant but showed some decreasing trend, and histological damage of liver was less compared with thatof the Con group. On the study of ethanol-induced hangovers in Sprague-Dawley rat, blood alcohol concentration was significantly decreased (P<0.01), activity of GST, antioxidant enzyme related to the alcohol metabolism, was increased in liver tissue (P<0.05), and AST and ALT show a tendency to be decreasedin the Exp group. These results suggest that drinking TIWhas not only some obesity preventing effect but also an alcohol detoxification effect and liver protecting effect in vivo. It is supposed due to a structural change of water cluster and a property which maintains the changed structure through tourmaline energy and electric discharge. Therefore, TIW has a potentiality to be developed as functional water with several beneficial effects as well as for daily drinking, but further study on the mechanism related with efficacy will be necessary.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2006

Entomopathogenic fungus Cordyceps militaris is famous for its medicinal efficacies. It has been reported to have various pharmacological activities such as anti-tumour, insecticidal, antibacterial, immunomodulatory and antioxidant. In this study, we investigated the effect of the extract of C. militaris (MPUN8501), which was identified by the analysis of the nucleotide sequences of 5.8S ribosomal RNA, on the function of liver. C. militaris powder was extracted using hot water extracts method as time, volume and temperature and using method as differential polarity of organic solvent. Each fraction was tested for the improvement of hepatic enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity. The BuOH extracts (CME) had highest activity which was used for the test of toxicity and efficacy of C. militaris. The enhancing effect of CME on the activity of ADH and ALDH was much more than medicine, drink, natural tea etc. Thus CME promoted the resolution of alcohol and acetaldehyde in rats, inducing recovery to normal condition rapidly. Furthermore, oral administration of CME effectively protected the carbon tetrachloride-induced acute hepatic injury as revealed by the hematological parameters (levels of sGOT and sGPT) and histological observation. CME was ascertained to be safe by regulatory toxicity studies of single dose toxicity and genotoxicity. These results suggest that CME would be useful for the maintaining normal hepatic activity as a functional health food.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.671-680
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• 2018

Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of Jerusalem artichoke composites (JAP) with extracts of G. procumbens (12.5%), M. charantia (12.5%), and C. longa (12.5%) to H. tuberosus concentrate (JA, 50%) were evaluated in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Rats were divided into seven groups: normal (Normal), diabetic control (Diabetic), group fed G. procumbens extract (0.5 g/kg bw, D-GPE), group fed JAP (0.5 g/kg bw, D-JAP1; 1.5 g/kg bw, D-JAP2), group fed JA (0.5 g/kg bw, D-JA), and group fed Metformin (0.2 g/kg bw, D-MET) as a positive control. The blood glucose levels over 4 weeks were significantly decreased in the D-JAP2 and D-MET groups compared to the other groups after 3 weeks. The serum insulin level was not significant among the groups fed an experimental diet, but the HOMA-IR value was significantly decreased compared to the diabetic control group. AST and ALT activities in the serum were lowest in D-JAP1. Total lipid and triglyceride contents in the serum decreased in the groups fed an experimental diet, and the HDL-C contents of D-GPE, D-JAP1, and D-JAP2 were significantly increased compared to the diabetic control group. Triglyceride contents in the liver tissue were significantly lower in the D-GPE, D-JAP1, and D-JAP2 groups, and hepatic TBARS content was significantly decreased in the D-JAP1 and D-JAP2 groups compared to the diabetic control group. Hepatic antioxidative enzyme levels, such as SOD, catalase, and GSH-Px, were significantly elevated in groups fed an experimental diet compared to the diabetic control group. Therefore, JAP may be more effective than JA in the human body due to its hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities.