• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.384-396
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• 1999

Acyl-CoA: Cholesterol Acyltransferase (ACAT) is a key enzyme responsible for cholesteryl ester formation in atherogenesis and in cholesterol absorption from the intestines. In addition under pathological conditions, formation and accumulation of cholesteryl ester as lipid droplets by ACAT within macrophages constitute a characteristic feature of early lesions of atherosclerotic plaques. ACAT inhibitors are expected to be effective for treatment of atherosclerosis and hypercholesterolemia. ACAT inhibitors of natural origin have been rarely reported. In our screening program for ACAT inhibitors, 303 plants were extracted with methanol or ethanol, and screened for the inhibitory activity against ACAT from the rat liver microsome. Extracts of 13 plants including Quercus aliena, Diospyros kaki, Platycarya strobilacea and Hibiscus syriacus inhibited more than 90% of ACAT activity and 43 samples in alcohol extracts such as Magnolia obovata and Panax ginseng also inhibited more than 70% of ACAT activity at a concentration of $100\;{\mu}g/ml$.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.279-286
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• 2017

The root bark extract of Aralia taibaiensis is used traditionally for the treatment of diabetes mellitus in China. The total saponin extracted from Aralia Taibaiensis (sAT) has effective combined antihyperglycemic and hypolipidemic activities in experimental type 2 diabetic rats. However, the active compounds have not yet been fully investigated. In the present study, we examined effects of twelve triterpenoid saponins on AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation, and found that compound 28-O-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranosyl ester (AT12) significantly increased phosphorylation of AMPK and Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). AT12 effectively decreased blood glucose, triglyceride (TG), free fatty acid (FFA) and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in the rat model of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The mechanism by which AT12 activated AMPK was subsequently investigated. Intracellular ATP level and oxygen consumption were significantly reduced by AT12 treatment. The findings suggested AT12 was a novel AMPK activator, and could be useful for the treatment of metabolic diseases.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.454-460
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• 2002

While atherosclerosis is a major killer, there is now concern that mortality from the disease will increase due to the rising incidence of type II diabetes. Because diet can potentially influence both diseases, it is important to elucidate the role of diet in the progression of atherosclerosis. In addition, the mechanisms involved in dietary-related alterations of the disease need to be defined to guide public health recommendations to reduce athero-sclerosis incidence and limiting unwanted side effects. Since diet is thought to play a role in atherosclerosis even without added complications due to type II diabetes, reducing the incidence of that metabolic disease will not be enough. While evidence is increasing that high intake of carbohydrate can lead to type II diabetes and atherosclerosis, the preponderance of existing evidence indicates that intake of specific fats as a major dietary causal factor. It has recently been hypothesized that a dietary fat link to atherosclerosis may depend partly on the activity of a transcriptional regulator, the peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPAR). Thusfar, PPAR $\alpha$, $\beta$/$\delta$ and ${\gamma}$, have been shown to play a major role in metabolism, inflammation, and cancer. Furthermore, PPAR may regulate specific processes associated with atherosclerosis such as triglyceride and low density lipoprotein (LDL) metabolism; the reverse cholesterol transport pathway; lipid accumulation within plaques; the local inflammatory response and plaque stability. Synthetic ligands for PPAR have been developed; however, natural ligands include specific fatty acids and their metabolites. Though the role of PPAR in atherosclerosis has been reported with respect to synthetic ligands, additional studies need to be done with established and possible natural ligands. In this review, we will focus on the relation of dietary fat to PPAR alteration of atherosclerosis.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.149-156
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• 2000

Atherosclerosis is emerging as one of the major causes of death in Korea as well as Western societies. In the present study; hypocholesterolemic and antiatherogenic effects of the ethanol extract of Allium victorialis Makino was investigated using the conventional rabbit and the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP)-transgenic mouse model. Hypercholesterolemia was induced by feeding high cholesterol diet to the animals for 30 days and they were then fed with high cholesterol diet containing 0.5% of the A. victorialis extract for additional 30 (or 40) days. In the experiment using rabbits, treatment with the A. victorialis extract significantly decreased plasma total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, triglyceride levels and lipid peroxidation compared to those in the control group. Total cholesterol contents in the liver and the heart were also significantly decreased. Lipid staining of the aorta isolated from the rabbits showed that treatment with the A. victorialis extract decreased formation of atheromatous plaques on the intima of the aorta. In the experiment employing CETP transgenic mouse model, treatment with the A. victorialis extract decreased the levels of plasma total cholesterol and the tissue triglyceride levels in the heart. These results demonstrated that the ethanol extract of A. victorialis lowered serum cholesterol levels, tissue lipid contents and accumulation of cholesterol in the artery.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.416-421
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• 2005

Cudrania tricuspidata Bereau (Moraceae) have been used for anti-inflammatory, anti-hepatotoxic, anti-hyper­tensive and anti-diabetic activities. In order to investigate the efficacy of antioxidant activity, the bio-activity guided fraction and isolation of Biologically active substance were performed. $H_{2}O,\;30\%,\;60\%,\;100%$ MeOH and acetone fractions were examined on the antioxidant activity by DPPH method. It was shown that $30\%,\;60\%,\;100\%$ MeOH fractions have sig­nificantly antioxidant activity. From $30\%$ MeOH fraction, two dihydroflavonoid glycosides dihydroquercetin 7-O-$\beta$-D-glu­copyranoside (I), dihydrokaempferol 7-O-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside (V) were isolated and $60\%$ MeOH fraction, six flavonoids including quercetin 3-O-$\alpha$-L-rhamnopyranosyl($1\rightarrow6$)-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside (II), quercetin 3-O-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside (III), quercetin 7-O-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside (IV), kaempferol 3-O-$\alpha$-L-rhamnopyranosyl($1\rightarrow6$)-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside (VI), kaempferol 3-O-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside (VII), kaempferol 7-O-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside (VIII) were isolated. To investigate the antioxidant activities of each compounds, we measured radical scavening activity with DPPH method and anti-lipid per­oxidative efficacy on low density lipoprotein (LDL) with TBARS assay. Four compounds of quercetin glycosides (I, II, III, IV) showed significant antioxidant activity.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.59-70
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• 2013

Objectives : This study was designed to test the effect of a warm environment and Bujaijung-tang on immune and lipid metabolism in rats. Methods : The extract from Bujaijung-tang was made by the pharmacy department of Kyung-Hee oriental medical hospital. The animals were divided into four groups, by room or warm environment and Bujaijung-tang administration. Each group had 8 Sprague-Dawley Rats. We measured body temperature twice a week, body weight three times a week. After 3 weeks of experiment, serum lipid level, WBC, differential count, lymphocyte proliferation and immune cytokine concentration were measured. Results : 1. warm environment induced weight loss in rats. 2. warm environment induced a decrease of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol gain. 3. warm environment and Bujaijung-tang induced an increase of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ concentration. Conclusions : The warm environment had a hyperlipidemia modulating effect. The warm environment and Bujaijung-tang had an immune modulating effect.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.438-443
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• 2006

This trial was designed to study the caponization effects on the appearance, carcass characteristics, blood constituents and lipid metabolism of Taiwan country chicken cockerels. Cockerels were caponized at 8 weeks of age. Sixteen-week-old chickens, including 10 capons, 5 slips (incomplete caponized male chickens) and 20 normal chickens of equal sexes were selected for a 10 week ad libitum feeding trial. Results showed that the testosterone concentrations in the capons and females were lower (p<0.05) than that of intact males. The comb length, height and weights were also lower (p<0.05). The weight of the slips was between that of the capons and intact males, but was heavier (p<0.05) than that of the capon. The live-weight, carcass weight and shank perimeter in the capons were higher than those of the other groups (p<0.05). Hepatic lipogenic enzyme activity analyses showed that NADP-malic dehydrogenase (MDH) activity in the capons and female chickens was higher than that in intact male chickens (p<0.05). The MDH activity in the slips was between that for the capon and intact male chickens (p>0.05). The abdominal fat weight and relative abdominal fat weight of the capons and females were heavier than that for intact males (p<0.05); the slips were between the capons and intact males. The blood lipid content results showed that the triacylglycerol and cholesterol in the capons were higher than that for intact males (p<0.05). However, the percentage of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was lower than that in intact male chickens (p<0.05). It appears that the increase in lipid accumulation in caponized male chickens is attributed mainly to an increase in MDH activity and the changes in lipid transportation in the capons.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.495-502
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• 2013

Recent studies suggest that vitamin D deficiency and cardiometabolic disorders are becoming increasingly more prevalent across multiple populations. However, there is a lack of comprehensive data for Korean adults. We investigated the vitamin D status, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its association with metabolic syndrome (MS) risk in Korean adults aged 20 years or older. The study subjects (n = 18,305) were individuals who participated in the Korean National Health Examination and Nutrition Survey (KNHANES) in 2008-2010. Vitamin D status (25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]) was categorized as < 20, 21-29, and ${\geq}$ 30 ng/mL, which are the cut-off points for deficiency, insufficiency and normal limits. A wide variety of cardiometabolic risk factors were compared according to the vitamin D status. Vitamin D deficiency was found in 53.9% of men and 70.5% of women. Mean BMI, systolic BP, HbA1c and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were highest in the vitamin D deficiency group in both genders. Further, the MS was most prevalent in the vitamin D deficiency group in both genders (12.3%, P = 0.002 in men and 9.2%, P < 0.001 in women). Compared to the vitamin D normal group, the adjusted odds ratio (ORs) (95% confidence interval [95% CI]) for MS in the vitamin D deficiency group were 1.46 (1.05-2.02) in men and 1.60 (1.21-2.11) in women, after adjusting for confounding variables. In conclusion, Vitamin D deficiency is a very common health problem in Korean adults and is independently associated with the increasing risk of MS.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.52-66
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• 2008

Objectives :Ginkgo-Chunghyul-dan (GCHD) is newly developed herbal medicine to prevent and treat stroke. In this study, we investigated whether the GCHD had antioxidant activity and anti-platelet aggregation effect in vitro and hypolipidemic activities in vivo. Methods :Anti-oxidant activity of GCHD was measured using the Blois method, anti-platelet effect of GCHD was assessed by the Born method, and hypolipidemic activities of GCHD were evaluated in corn oil- or Triton WR-1339-induced and cholesterol-fed rats. Results :GCHD showed anti-oxidant activity in the study inhibiting the formation of 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals and xanthine oxidase activity. GCHD had anti-platelet aggregation activity. GCHD significantly lowered total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in high cholesterol diet and Triton WR-1339 induced model TG in corn oil-induced model. GCHD had no acute toxicity at a single dosage. Conclusion : These results suggest that GCHD has the potential to treat hyperlipidemia and stroke.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 2020

There has been a lot of interest in medicinal effects for hyperlipidemia from the natural product since the therapy of atherosclerosis has emerged as social concern. Rats were acclimated to the feeding environment for one week and induced to obesity with high fat diet during 4 weeks until their body weight were more than 30% of normal range. To evaluate the effect of hyperlipidemia of mulberry leaf of Morus alba and yacon tuber of Smallanthus sonchifolia extracts (MLYT), 1%, 3%, 5% of MLYT were treated to Sprague-Dawley rats. Aspartate transaminase (AST) was significantly increased 26.2% in high fat diet group (G2) compared to normal diet group (G1) (P<0.05). But AST were significantly decreased in high fat diet with 0.5% hydroxycitric acid diet group (G3) and all the MLYT treated groups compared to G2. Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides and phospholipids were observed significant improvements in the MLYT-treated groups (P<0.05). These improvements in liver and feces were further supported by the lipid content. MLYT remarkably suppressed the level of lipid peroxidation caused by high-fat diet in rats. The level of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase activity. As a result, the proper combination of mulberry leaves and yacon tuber extract will have a synergistic effect on hyperlipidemia. These results indicate that MLYT could be a candidate for the improvement of hyperlipidemia.