• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.475-483
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• 1994

Background: N-acetylcysteine(ACE) is used both orally and intravenously in a variety of experimental pathologies resembling human disease states which exhibit endothelial toxicity as a result of oxidative stress, including acute pulmonary oxygen toxicity, septicemia and endotoxin shock. Despite these observations in vivo, it is not certain how this thiol drug produces its protective effects. ACE is a cysteine derivative which is able to direct1y react with oxygen radicals and may also act as a cysteine and glutathione(GSH) precursor following deacetylation. In this paper, we tried to know whether the therapeutic doses of ACE can modify the inflammatory function of the neutrophils and can increase the glutathione level of plasma in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) patients. In addition, the effect of ACE to the purified neutrophil in terms of superoxide release and glutathione synthesis were observed. Method: Firstly, we gave 600mg of ACE for seven days and compare the release of superoxide, luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence from the neutrophils, neutrophil chemotaxis, and plasma GSH levels before and after ACE treatment in COPD patients. Secondly, we observed the dose dependent effect of ACE to the purified neutrophil's superoxide release and GSH levels in vitro. Results: 1) Usual oral therapeutic doses(600mg per day) of ACE for seven days did affect neither on the neutrophil's superoxide release, chemiluminescence, chemotaxis, nor on the plasma GSH concentration in the COPD patients. 2) ACE decreases the purified neutrophil's superoxide release and increase the GSH production in dose dependent fashion in vitro. Conclusion: Despite the fact that oral ACE treatment did not affect on the neutrophil's inflammatory function and plasma GSH concentration in COPD patients in usual therapeutic doses, it decreases the superoxide release and increases the GSH production from the isolated neutrophils in high molar concentrations. These findings suggest that to obtain an antioxidative effects of ACE, it might be needed to increase the daily dosage of ACE or therapeutic duration or change the route of adminisration in COPD patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.524-533
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• 2001

Background: Hyperoxemic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) has been recognized as a safe technique and is widely used in cardiac surgery. However, hyperoxemic CPB may produce higher toxic oxygen species and cause more severe oxidative stress and ischemia/reperfusion injury than normoxemic CPB. This study was undertaken to compare inflammatory responses and myocardial injury between normoxemic and hyperoxemic CPB and to examine the beneficial effect of normoxemic CPB. Material and method: Thirty adult patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery were randomly divided into normoxic group (n=15), who received normoxemic CPB (about Pa $O_{2}$ 120 mmHg), and hyperoxic group (n=15), who received hyperoxemic CPB (about Pa $O_{2}$ 400 mmHg). Myeloperoxidase (MPO), malondialdehyde (MDA), adenosine monophosphate (AMP), and troponin-T (TnT) concentrations in coronary sinus blood were determined at pre- and post-CPB. Total leukocyte and neutrophil counts in arterial blood were measured at the before, during, and after CPB. Lactate concentration in mixed venous blood was analyzed during CPB, and cardiac index (Cl) and pulmonary vascular

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.673-681
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• 2011

We investigated the effects of an ethanol extract of Eriobotrya japonica Lindl. (loquat) leaves (EJ) on the lipid metabolism of serum, liver, and adipose tissue, and antioxidative activity in rats fed a fat/cholesterol diet for four weeks. Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 207 g were divided into 4 groups: a normal diet group (N), a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet group (HFC), a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet group administered 200 mg/kg day EJ (HFC-EJL), and a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet group administered 400 mg/kg/day EJ (HFC-EJH). The serum ALT and AST activities of the EJ groups were lower than those of HFC group, but there was no significant change in serum ALP or LDH activities. The serum total and LDL-cholesterol, atherogenic index, and cardiac risk factor tended to be decreased in the EJ groups compared to the HFC group, while the serum HDL-cholesterol decreased in the HFC group and increased only minimally in the EJ groups. The total cholesterol in liver and mesenteric adipose tissues was lower in the EJ groups than in the HFC group. Triglycerides in the mesenteric and epididymal adipose tissues were lower in the EJ groups than in the HFC group. The liver GSH levels of the EJ groups were significantly lower than the HFC group. The liver TBARS content was significantly lower in the EJ groups than in the HFC group. These results suggest that EJ ethanol extract may improve the lipid metabolism of serum, liver, and adipose tissue and prevent oxidative stress by stimulating antioxidative systems in rats fed a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.42-56
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• 2005

Hyperlipidemia is one of the risk factors for coronary artery disease. Despite of epidemiological evidence that tea consumption is associated with the reduced risk of coronary heart disease, experimental studies designed to show that drinking tea affects blood lipid concentration or oxidative stress have been unsuccessful. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether functional tea (three servings/day) supplement with medical nutrition therapy (MNT) lead to a beneficial outcomes in mildly hyperlipidemic adults. From February to October, 2003, the 43 hyperlipidemic (23 men, 20 women) subjects (total cholesterol$\geq$200 mg/dL or triglyceride$\geq$150 mg/dL) admitted to K Medical Center were studied. Subjects were randomly divided into 3 groups; placebo tea (PT), half dose of functional tea (HFT), full dose of functional tea (FFT). During 12 weeks of study period, the subjects were given placebo or functional tea daily with MNT. Anthropometric measurements, blood chemical analysis including lipid levels, total superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels, and dietary assessment were carried out at the beginning and end of experiment. The effects of functional tea were compared with the placebo in randomized clinical trial study. The placebo was prepared to match with the functional tea in color and taste. After the 12 weeks of MNT, the subjects had regular and balanced meal pattern. Consumption of foods high in cholesterol and saturated fat, salty foods, fried foods, and instant foods decreased significantly in all three groups (p<0.05). Intake of energy and cholesterol also decreased (p<0.05). Drinking three servings per day (390 mL/day) of functional tea significantly reduced the levels of blood triglyceride (HFT, 42.5%; FFT, 29.4%), total cholesterol (HFT, 8.5%; FFT, 13.7%), and atherogenic index (HFT, 14.6%; FFT, 21.7%). Whereas no changes were found in the LDL-, HDL-cholesterollevels, and LDL/HDL ratio. Plasma homocysteine (Hcy) concentration decreased significantly (p<0.05) in functional tea groups (HFT, 14.9%; FFT, 14.1%). SOD increased significantly (p<0.05) in HFT (8.3%). GSH-Px increased significantly (p<0.05) in FFT (12.8%). In conclusion, the MNT improved the dietary habits, in addition, functional tea supplement decreased blood lipid levels and Hcy, and increased SOD and GSH-Px levels. These results indicate that functional tea consumption may decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease via improving blood lipid levels and antioxidant status.