• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.27-31
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• 2024

Dried fruits of Amomum villosum Lour. have been used an korean medicine to treat digestive diseases for a long time. It has been reported that Amomum villosum extracts(AVE) have effects for diabetes and steatosis in experimental models. But we did not find the report about the cholesterol synthesis inhibition effects of AVE. The objective of this study is to clarify the inhibitory effect of AVE against oleic acid and glucose-induced hypercholesterolemia in HepG2 cells. The results show that AVE had a significant inhibitory effect against oleic acid and glucose-induced cholesterol accumulation. Those effects seem to be caused by inhibition of AVE on oleic acid and glucose-induced decrease of HMG CoA reductase, which is the rate-limiting enzyme for cholesterol biosynthesis in liver. It is believed that the results of this study can provide basic data for the drug and functional food development of hypercholesterolemia treatments.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.263-270
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• 2017

This study was conducted to investigate the dietary supplementation of fruiting body of Hericium erinaceus (HE) mushroom on lipid profiles of serum and histological changes of the liver in rats with high fat and cholesterol diet. Five-week old female Sprague-Dawley albino rats were divided into three groups of 8 rats each: The normal control diet (NC group), high fat and cholesterol diet (HFC group), and HFC diet supplemented with 5% fruiting powder of Hericium erinaceus (HFC+HE group). In the HFC+HE group, serum total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, and triglyceride concentrations were significantly reduced compared with the NC group. Body weight gain of those in the HFC+HE group were lower than those in the HFC group; whereas HFC+HE had no effect on the levels of plasma albumin, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, uric acid, glucose, and total protein. The enzyme activities related to the liver function, such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), were lower in the NC group than in the HFC group, but without significance. Feeding the mushroom increased the excretion of total lipid and cholesterol. A histopathological analysis showed that the those in the HFC group developed hepatic steatosis, whereas those in the HFC+HE group developed small fat droplet. In conclusion, these results suggest that 5% HE supplementation to HFC diet provided health benefits by acting on lowering atherogenic lipid profile in rats with high fat and cholesterol diet.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.324-330
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• 2012

The aim of the present study was to assess the anti-hypercholesterolemic effect of bile salt hydrolase-producing Lactobacillus plantarum CIB 001 (KCTC 11717 bp) in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet. Four treatment groups of rats (n=5) were fed experimental diets: a normal diet (ND), a ND plus L. plantarum CIB 001(NDL) at $5.0-7.5{\times}10^9$ colony forming unit (CFU)/day, a high-cholesterol diet (HCD), as well as a HCD plus L. plantarum CIB 001 (HCDL) at $5.0-7.5{\times}10^9$ CFU/day for 6 weeks. Compared with the HCD group, the HCDL group demonstrated a decrease in serum triglyceride (p<0.05), total cholesterol (p<0.05), and the corresponding HDL-cholesterol concentration increased at a rate of 40% (p<0.05). The HCDL group also induced a decrease in liver inflammation and steatosis. The present results suggest that supplementation of L. plantarum CIB 001 can have short-term (6 weeks) effects on blood lipids and liver injury, as well as on the atherogenic index and cardiac risk factors.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2022

Ulcerative colitis is a disease that causes inflammation in the mucosal or submucosal layer of the colon. Previous studies have reported that obesity increases the prevalence of ulcerative colitis and aggravates the progression. This study was therefore undertaken to investigate whether curcumin inhibits the progression of ulcerative colitis caused by obesity. Mice were bred on a high-fat diet to induce obesity, and curcumin was administered with the high-fat diet to confirm the anti-inflammatory effect. To induce ulcerative colitis, dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) was administered orally, and clinical symptoms of colitis were subsequently observed. For histological evaluation of curcumin, the colon, liver and abdominal fat tissue samples were prepared and analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Alcian blue-periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. Our results confirm that consumption of curcumin resulted in decreasing the score of the disease activity index, and inhibited shortening of the colon length. In addition, inflammatory cell infiltration and mucosal damage were inhibited in the colon tissue of ulcerative colitis exacerbated by obesity. We further confirmed that exposure to curcumin significantly reduced the steatosis area of the liver and adipocytes of abdominal fat. In conclusion, we believe that curcumin can be applied as a therapeutic agent to treat ulcerative colitis, by inhibiting the progression of colitis caused by obesity.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2010

Purpose: It has been reported that children with hypopituitarism have features of metabolic syndrome, including obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, and dyslipidemia. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features and liver histology of pediatric non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) associated with hypopituitarism. Methods: We reviewed the clinical data of 11 children diagnosed with NAFLD among patients with hypopituitarism. Results: The mean age at the time of diagnosis of hypopituitarism was 10.4${\pm}$3.2 years, and the mean age at the time of diagnosis of NAFLD was 13.1${\pm}$2.7 years. A craniopharyngioma was the most common cause of pituitary dysfunction. At the time of diagnosis of NAFLD, 9 patients (82%) had a body mass index greater than the 85th percentile, 5 patients (45%) had elevated fasting blood glucose levels, and 9 patients (82%) had hypertriglyceridemia. The mean height SD score was significantly lower at the time of diagnosis of NAFLD than at the time of diagnosis of hypopituitarism. Of the six patients who were biopsied, one had cirrhosis, two had non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with bridging fibrosis, two had NASH with mild portal fibrosis, and one had simple steatosis. Conclusion: Children with hypopituitarism are at risk of short stature, obesity, dyslipidemia, and NAFLD. The early diagnosis of NAFLD is important in children with hypopituitarism because advanced fibrosis is common.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.10
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• pp.1431-1438
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• 2015

This study was conducted to determine the effects of fermented water extracts from Ligularia fischeri (LAF) on reduction of hepatotoxicity induced by ethanol in rats. Ethanol-treated Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into the following eight groups: ethanol-treated group (control), ethanol and ursodeoxycholic acid-treated group (positive control), ethanol and non-fermented water extracts from Ligularia fischeri (LA)-treated groups [100, 200, and 400 mg/kg BW (body weight)], ethanol and LAF-treated groups (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg BW). ${\gamma}$-Glutamyl transferase activities of the ethanol+LA-treated (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg BW) groups and ethanol+LAF-treated (400 mg/kg BW) group decreased significantly compared to those in the control group (P<0.05). Aspartate aminotransferase activities of the ethanol+LAF-treated (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg BW) groups and ethanol+LA-treated (200 and 400 mg/kg BW) groups decreased significantly compared to those in the control group (P<0.05). Alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase activities of all groups significantly decreased compared to those in the control group (P<0.05). The total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and triglyceride levels of all groups tended to decrease compared to those in the control group, but the differences were not significant. Superoxide dismutase activity of liver tissues was enhanced in the ethanol+LAF-treated (400 mg/kg BW) group (P<0.05). The contents of malondialdehyde in liver tissues decreased in the ethanol+LAF-treated groups (P<0.05). All treated groups showed well preserved lobular architectures with no evidence of steatosis or liver damage compared to the control group. As the results of this study, LAF may improve the plasma lipid profile and alleviate hepatic damage by ethanol.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.658-666
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• 2015

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of rice contatining Aspergillus terreus (Hwangkuk, HK) on lipid metabolism in male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats fed a high-cholesterol diet (HCD) for 8 weeks. SD rats were divided into five groups: Normal, [Negative Control (HCD), Positive Control (lovastatin)], [HK 0.5 g/kg and HK 2 g/kg]. Hepatic total lipids significantly decreased following treatment with rice contatining Asp. terreus. Furthermore, this treatment led to higher expression levels of HMG-CoA reductase, LDL receptor and SREBP2 mRNA in the liver compared with the HCD group. In addition, histopathologic evaluation showed that feeding rats with rice containing Asp. terreus suppressed hepatic steatosis. These results suggest that rice containing Asp. terreus may be able to regulate of cholesterol synthesis and prevent hyperlipidemia.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.194-199
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-obesity effects of Lentinus edodes water extract powder (LEP) in mice fed a high fat diet (HF, 45% kcal fat). Mice were administrated a HF diet supplemented with 1%, 3%, or 5% LEP for 12 weeks. Consumption of HF diet caused increases in body weight, serum lipid profiles, and adipose tissue weights. Serum TC and TG levels in the LEP-supplemented groups were lower than those in the NC group. Supplementation with 5% LEP significantly suppressed body weight gain and reduced the weight of subcutaneous adipose tissue compared to the HF group. HF diet ingestion resulted in higher lipid content and increased lipid peroxidation in the liver. However, LEP supplementation inhibited accumulation of hepatic lipids induced by HF diet, considerably decreased MDA levels, and elevated total antioxidant activity in the livers of mice in the 5% LEP group. Histopathological analysis indicated that the livers of mice fed HF diet developed hepatic steatosis, whereas LEP-treated groups showed small fat droplets. These results suggest that long-term supplementation with LEP may also have an ameliorating effect on HF-induced obesity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.317-322
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• 2015

Alcohol-induced fatty liver (steatosis) results from excessive generation of reducing equivalents by ethanol metabolism. Generally, chronic ethanol treatment causes hepatosteatosis by regulating sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c), which increases the synthesis of hepatic lipids. The effect of ethanol on SREBP-1c is mediated through mammalian sirtuin-1 (SIRT-1), a NAD⁺-dependent protein deacetylase that regulates hepatic lipid metabolism. Ginseng is a widely used herbal medicine that is used in Asia for its anti-diabetes and anti-obesity effects. The pharmacological and therapeutic effects of ginseng are primarily produced by bioactive constituents known as ginsenosides. Here, we examined the regulatory effects of Korean red ginseng (KRG) extracts on SREBP-1c and SIRT-1 on lipid homeostasis in AML-12 mouse hepatocytes. AML-12 cells were treated with ethanol and/or KRG extracts (0 - 1,000 μg/ml). Lipid droplets were assayed using Oil red O staining, and western blotting was used to measure SIRT-1 and SREBP-1 expression. Treatment with KRG extracts restored SIRT-1 expression and reduced SREBP-1c expression in ethanol-treated cells. We also showed that KRG extract and ginsenosides Rb₂ and Rd significantly decreased SREBP-1 acetylation in ethanol-treated cells. These results show that treatment with KRG extract and its active ginsenoside constituents Rb₂ and Rd protected against alcohol-related hepatosteatosis via regulation of SIRT-1 and downstream acetylation of SREBP-1c, which altered hepatic lipid metabolism.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.9
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• pp.1270-1278
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• 2010

Dietary effects of chicken treated with Hwangki-Beni Koji sauces (HBS) on serum and hepatic lipid profiles in rats fed high a fat and high cholesterol diet were investigated. Experimental plots (5 rats per each group) were divided into normal control diet group (NC), high fat and high cholesterol diet group (HFC), HFC plus 15% base sauce treated chicken supplemented diet group (HFC-BS), HFC plus 15% HBS-treated chicken supplemented diet group (HFC-HBS), and fed for 5 weeks. Feed intakes in HFC-HBS group were higher than those of HFC and HFC-BS groups, whereas body weight gain and feed efficiency ratio of the HFC-HBS group were lower than those of the HFC and HFC-BS groups. Serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities of HFC-HBS group were significantly lower than those of HFC and HFC-BS groups. Level of serum triglyceride, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol in HFC-HBS group were 34.06%, 6.28% and 31.00% lower than those of HFC-BS group, respectively, whereas HDL-cholesterol level and atherogenic index in HFC-HBS group were 1.72-fold higher and 2.52-fold lower, respectively, than those of HFC-BS group. Level of hepatic total lipid, triglyceride and total cholesterol in HFC-HBS group were 9.53%, 5.25% and 22.20% lower than those of HFC-BS group, respectively. In the morphological results of liver, the hepatocytes of central vein lesion and intact hepatic cell plate are preserved well from steatosis in HFC-HBS group, whereas the hepatocytes in HFC and HFC-BS groups are distended by accumulation of multiple fat droplets, and sinusoids are occluded. In the above results, we expected that chicken treated with Hwangki-Beni Koji sauce may have functionalities of anti-obesity, anti-cholesterol and also, lowering anti-atherogenic index in high fat and high cholesterol diets.