• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.1021-1027
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• 1999

This study was carried out to determine the effects of ${\beta}-carotene$ on the control of mastitis in dairy cows during the dry period. The relationship between the levels of plasma ${\beta}-carotene$ and the status of udder health in Holstein dairy cows were investigated. Blood samples were collected from 117 cows to compare the levels of plasma ${\beta}-carotene$ in lactating cows. The levels of plasma ${\beta}-carotene$ were $1.82{\mu}g/ml$ in healthy cows(n = 65) and $1.12{\mu}g/ml$ in mastitic cows(n = 52), respectively(p < 0.01). In the experiment to compare the level of plasma ${\beta}-carotene$ in the cows at different stages of lactation, the plasma ${\beta}-carotene$ levels were $1.73{\mu}g/ml$ in lactating cows(n = 22), $1.29{\mu}g/ml$ in nonlactating cows(n = 35) and $0.43{\mu}g/ml$ in cows after calving(n = 16)(p < 0.05).

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.51-61
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• 1993

This study was designed to investigate the effect of dietary level of $\beta$-carotene on level of antioxidant nutrients of rat tissues. Male Sprague Dawley rats at the age of 30days were fed on diets containing different levels of $\beta$-carotene(0, 10, 120, 1200, 12000mg per kg diet). Body weight gain of rats fed with 12000mg $\beta$-carotene diet was significantly decreased, but liver and heart weights were not significantly different among groups, The content of total glutathione tended to decrease significantly in 12000mg $\beta$-carotene diet group when compared to $\beta$-carotene restriction group(BC O). However, total vitamin C content of liver showed the tendency to increase by $\beta$ -carotene supply up to 1200mg. But this tendency was not found in plasma, The content of zinc in liver and plasma was significantly decreased by $\beta$-carotene restriction. Alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly higher in 12000mg diet group. In case of $\beta$-carotene restriction group, fibroblasts were proliferated in portal endothelium, and the vacuolar size was enlarged more than the nuclear, In 12000mg diet group, hepatic vacuoles were extended, but their size was regular and the lysis of hepatocytes was observed. Also, fibroblasts were proliferated in portal endothelium and the regular vacuolar size was extended.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.151-160
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the intake of antioxidant vitamins and plasma concentrations of those in 60 maternal-infant pairs (30 in normal term delivery group, NT; 30 in preform delivery group, PT). We also investigated the relationship between vitamin levels of maternal-umbilical cord plasma and pregnancy outcome. Mean energy intakes of NT and PT pregnant women were 93.2% and 85.4%, and their protein intakes were 113.3% and 110.9% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA), respectively. While vitamin A intakes were only 51.2% and 39.6% of the RDA in NT and PT pregnant women. The vitamin E intake was about 50% of the RDA (NT 6.27 mg, PT 7.78 mg). The levels of retinol in maternal plasma of NT and PT were $1.51\mumol/\ell\;and\;1.43\mumol/\ell$, respectively. The retinol levels in umbilical cord plasma in NT and PT were $0.72\mumol/\ell\;and\;0.61\mumol/\ell$, respectively. The level of $\beta-carotene$in maternal plasma of NT was 0.49 $\mu$mol/$\ell$, significantly (p ＜ 0.01) higher than that of PT ($0.31\mumol/\ell$).The $\beta-carotene$ of umbilical cord plasma of NT and PT were $0.702\mumol/\ell\;and\;0.01\mumol/\ell$, respectively. The plasma $\alpha$-tocopherol of maternal of NT and PT were $0.72\mumol/\ell\;and\;0.01\mumol/\ell\;29.51 /mumol/\ell\; and 27.17\mumol/\ell,\;respectively.\; The $\alpha$-tocopherol of umbilical cord plasma of NT and PT were $4.16\mumol/\ell\;and\;3.80\mumol/\ell$, respectively. The antioxidant vitamin levels (retinol, $\beta-carotene,\;and\;\alpha$-tocopherol) in maternal plasma were significantly higher (p＜0.0001) than those in umbilical cord plasma. However, there was no correlation between the vitamin levels in maternal plasma and those in umbilical cord plasma. The maternal plasma $\beta$-carotene level showed a positive correlation to gestational age. Also Apgar score at 1 min produced a positive correlation to maternal plasma $\beta$-carotene level.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.675-683
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• 2003

This study investigated the effect of dietary $\beta$-carotene supplementation on lipid peroxidation and anti oxidative enzyme activity as indices of oxidative stress in diabetic rats. Fifty Sprague-Dawley male rats aging 7 weeks were used as experimental animals, which were divided into the non-diabetic control group and the diabetic group. The diabetic group received an intraperitoneal injection with streptozotocin to induce diabetes. Then the diabetic rats were divided into four dietary groups which contained different amounts of $\beta$-carotene; 0%, 0.002%, 0.02%, or 0.2% of the diet. The diabetic rats were fed the experimental diets and the non-diabetic rats were fed the basal diet without $\beta$-carotene supplementation for 2 weeks and then sacrificed. The diabetic group had a significantly higher blood glucose level than the non-diabetic group. However, blood glucose level were not significantly changed by the level of dietary $\beta$-carotene supplementation. Compared to the non-diabetic control group, the diabetic control group indicated a significant increase of plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS). Liver TBARS level also tended to be higher in diabetic control group, although it was not significant. The $\beta$-carotene supplementation did not reduce plasma TBARS level. However, Liver TBARS level was significantly decreased when 0.02% or more $\beta$-carotene was supplemented in the diet. The liver lipofuscin level in the diabetic control group was higher than in the non-diabetic control group, but the effect of $\beta$-carotene supplementation did not show any differences. Superoxide dismutase activity was significantly lower in the diabetic group, but it was increased in groups receiving 0.02% or more $\beta$-carotene. Compared to the non-diabetic control group, lower activities of catalase and glutathione peroxidase were observed in the diabetic control group, although it was not significant. Catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities tended to increase as the levels of $\beta$-carotene supplementation increased, although it was not statistically significant. Therefore, it seems that dietary $\beta$-carotene supplementation might reduce diabetic complications by partly decreasing the lipid peroxidation and increasing the activity of antioxidative enzyme in diabetes.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.540-547
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• 2011

High consumption of fruits and vegetables has been suggested to provide some protection to smokers who are exposed to an increased risk of numerous cancers and other degenerative diseases. Carrot is the most important source of dietary ${\beta}$-carotene. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate whether carrot juice supplementation to smokers can protect against lymphocyte DNA damage and to compare the effect of supplementationof capsules containing purified ${\beta}$-carotene or a placebo (simple lactose). The study was conducted in a randomized and placebo-controlled design. After a depletion period of 14 days, 48 smokers were supplemented with either carrot juice (n = 18), purified ${\beta}$-carotene (n = 16) or placebo (n = 14). Each group was supplemented for 8 weeks with approximately 20.49 mg of ${\beta}$-carotene/day and 1.2 mg of vitamin C/day, as carrot juice (300 ml/day) or purified ${\beta}$-carotene (20.49 mg of ${\beta}$-carotene, 1 capsule/day). Lymphocyte DNA damage was determined using the COMET assay under alkaline conditions and damage was quantified by measuring tail moment (TM), tail length (TL), and% DNA in the tail. Lymphocyte DNA damage was significantly decreased in the carrot juice group in all three measurements. The group that received purified ${\beta}$-carotene also showed a significant decrease in lymphocyte DNA damage in all three measurements. However, no significant changes in DNA damage was observed for the placebo group except TM (P = 0.016). Erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme was not significantly changed after supplementation. Similarly plasma lipid profiles were not different after carrot juice, ${\beta}$-carotene and placebo supplementation. These results suggest that while the placebo group failed to show any protective effect, carrot juice containing beta-carotene or purified ${\beta}$-carotene itself had great antioxidative potential in preventing damage to lymphocyte DNA in smokers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.72-77
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• 2004

Diabetic vascular complications such as atherosclerosis have been reported as one of significant obstructions in treatment of diabetes. There has been a significant increase in recognition of the importance of antioxidative nutrients such as vitamin E, for the prevention of diabetic vascular complication by oxidative stress. This study focused on the effect of dietary $\beta$-carotene on the levels of lipid peroxide and antioxidative vitamins of diabetic rats. The plasma glucose level, hepatic level of lipid peroxide and contents of antioxidants such as vitamins A and E were determined in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Dietary supplementation of B-carotene did not reduce the blood glucose in diabetic rats. Hepatic level of lipid peroxide tended to increase in diabetic rats, but $\beta$-carotene intake reduced the value. Plasma levels of retinol and retinol/lipid were not changed by dietary supplementation of $\beta$-carotene. There was no significant difference among experimental groups in plasma level of $\alpha$-tocopherol. Hepatic levels of retionl and retinyl palmitate were increased by dietary supplementation of $\beta$-carotene in diabetic rats. These results suggest that the supplementation of $\beta$-carotene to the normal diet of diabetics may reduce the incidence of the diabetic vascular complications through the improvement of antioxidants depletion.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.443-452
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• 2010

Elevated plasma concentration of total homocysteine (ptHcy) is known as an independent risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and oxidative stress is also commonly implicated in CVD. An association between ptHcy and oxidative stress has recently been suggested. The study objective is to examine the relationship between ptHcy and oxidative stress markers in 103 healthy college students (62 males and 41 females). Plasma levels of ptHcy, oxidative stress markers (conjugated diene, erythrocyte catalase, TRAP, lymphocyte DNA damage), antioxidant vitamins ($\alpha$-tocopherol, $\gamma$-tocopherol, carotenoids), and lipid parameters (total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol) were determined. The results show that the concentration of ptHcy was significantly higher in male subjects ($22.17\;{\pm}\;2.14\;{\mu}mole/L$) than in female subjects ($12.28\;{\pm}\;0.45\;{\mu}mole/L$). There was a negative association between ptHcy and plasma ${\beta}$-carotene in male subjects (p $lt; 0.05), but no correlation between ptHcy and other plasma antioxidant vitamin levels in either gender. However, there were the negative correlations between ptHcy and plasma ${\alpha}$-carotene or ${\beta}$-carotene, and a positive correlation between ptHcy and lymphocyte DNA damage. A significantly low level of ${\alpha}$-carotene or ${\beta}$-carotene was found in male subjects with elevated ptHcy (${\geq}\;15\;{\mu}mol/L$), as compared to those with lower plasma homocysteine. These study results confirmed the views on the association between plasma homocysteine and oxidative stress markers in humans and support the hypothesis that homocysteine promotes the oxidative environment by counteracting the antioxidant defense mechanism.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.37 no.9
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• pp.771-779
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• 2004

This study was performed to investigate the effect of dietary $\beta$-carotene supplementation on lipid metabolism and antioxidant enzyme activities in hyperlipidemic rats. Fifty Sprague-Dawley male rats aging 7 weeks were fed the control diet (CD,5% corn oil) and the high fat diet (HFD,15% beef tallow +1% cholesterol) for 4 weeks and then 0.02% $\beta$-carotene was supplemented to CD and HFD group for 8 more weeks. Serum lipid compositions, lipid peroxides and antioxidative enzymes in liver were analyzed at 4, 8 and 12week of the experiment. Serum levels of total lipid, total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol, VLDL-cholesterol were higher in HFD groups than in CD groups (p < 0.001), Serum levels of HDL-cholesterol were higher in CD groups than in HFD groups (p < 0.01) . The effect of $\beta$-carotene supplementation was not significant in all groups but tended to be lower in total lipid, total cholesterol and Triglyceride. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels in plasma and liver were showed significantly higher in HFD groups (p < 0.001, p < 0.05). The effects of $\beta$-carotene supplementation on the level of plasma and liver TBARS were not found except HFD groups at 12 week. Liver conjugated diene levels in HFD groups were higher than in CD groups (p < 0.01), but the effect of $\beta$-carotene supplementation did not show any differences. Liver lipofuscin levels were not significantly different among all groups. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase were significantly lower in HFD groups at 8 week (p < 0.001) but were not significantly different at 4 and 12week. The activity of SOD in $\beta$-carotene supplemented HFD group was significantly higher at 8 week (p < 0.01). Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity was significantly lower in HFD groups (p < 0.01) and was significantly increased in groups supplemented $\beta$-carotene (p < 0.05). It is suggested that $\beta$-carotene supplementation partly decreases the serum lipid and lipid peroxide levels and increases the activities of antioxidant enzymes in hyperlipidemic rats.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.376-383
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• 1999

The effects of $\beta$-carotene substitutionl for vitamin A and the chronic consumption of ethanol of ethanol on hepatic folate metabolism were studied it rats. The substitution of $\beta$-carotene for vitamin A depressed hepatic 10-formyl-tetreahydrofolate dehydrogenase(10-formyl-tetrahydrofolate : NADP oxidoreductase, E.C. 1.5. 1.6)activity to 65% of controls(p<0.001) and enhanced hepatic 5, 10-methy-lenetetrahydrofolate reductase(E. C. 6.3.3.2)activity by 56% with respect to control levels(p<0.001). Hepatic activity of 10-formyltertrahydrofolate dehydrogenase was depressed to about half that of control levels by ethanol administration to rats(36% ethanol diet, p<0.001). The activity of 5, 10-methyleneterahydrofolate reductase was not changed by ethanol consumption. The increased activity of 5, 10-methyleneterahydrofolate reductase and the decreased activity of 10-formyltetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase appeared to decrease the level of nonmethyl folate conezyme and the rate of one-carbon metabolism. Plasma homocysteine concentrations were significantly higher in rats fed ethanol(p<0.01) o $\beta$-carotene(p<0.001) than in controls, which suggests that increased activity of 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase can depress homocysteine metabolism. We concluded that dietary substitution of $\beta$-carotene for vitamin A or chronic administration of ethanol resulted in changes in the activity of hepatic folate-dependent enzymes, which could affect the distribution of folate derivatives, plasma homocysteine levels and one-carbon metabolism.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.158-166
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• 2000

The effects of smoking and physical exercise on the plasma concentrations of lipid-soluble antioxidants were investigated in 62 healthy males, aged 34-65 years. Current smokers (n=21) and ex-smokers(n=16) had significantly lower plasma levels of carotenoids ($\alpha$-carotene, $\beta$-carotene, cryptoxanthin and lycopene), $\alpha$-tocopherol and ${\gamma}$-tocopherol than non-smokers (n=25). Plasma concentrations of retionl and ubiquinone (coenzyme Q10) were lower among ex-smokers and current smokers than among non-smokers, but the differences were not statistically significant. Regular physical exercise was associated with increased plasma levels of lipid-soluble antioxidants. Plasma concentrations of crytoxanthin, retinol and ubiquinone were significantly elevated in the group engaging in moderate amounts of exercise (more than 20 minutes per day) compared to the group engaging in small amounts of exercise (less than 10 minutes per day). Plasma $\alpha$-carotene, $\beta$-carotene, lycopene levels in the subjects were affected more by smoking than by exercise. However, plasma levels of cryptoxanthin, retinol and ubiquinone in the subjects were affected more by exercise than by smoking. These findings suggest than smoking may cause a decrease in plasma lipid-soluble antioxidants during neutralization of reactive oxygen species present in cigarette smoke and that poor exercise habits may accelerate this imbalance of oxidant/antioxidant homeostasis in middle-aged Korean men.