• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.249-254
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• 2008

This study was performed to investigate the effects of sea tangle (ST) extracts on serum lipid concentration in ovariectomized rats. Weight-matched female Sprague-Dawley strain rats were assigned to four groups. Three groups were surgically ovariectomized (OVX). The fourth group was sham operated. Rats were randomly assigned to the following groups: sham-operated rats (Sham), ovariectomized control rats (OVX-control), ovariectomized rats supplemented with ST at 50 mg/kg body wt (OVX-ST50) and ovariectomized rats supplemented with ST at 200 mg/kg body wt (OVX-ST200). The activities of serum GOT and GPT were increased by ovariectomized. The serum GOT levels in OVX-ST50 and OVX-ST200 groups were decreased than OVX-control group. But GPT level was only decreased in the serum of OVX-ST200 group. Serum total cholesterol and triglyceride contents decreased in sham group compared with OVX-control group by ovariectomy. Six weeks feeding of ST extract resulted in a significant lowering of serum triglyceride and lowering tendency of total cholesterol Level. The serum HDL-cholesterol was higher in ST groups than OVX-control group. These results suggest that the beneficial effect of ST extract may be used to possibly improve on the lipid metabolic syndrome of menopausal women.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.66 no.6
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• pp.471-476
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• 2009

Human placenta contains various kinds of nutritional elements essential for embryonic development. Currently, human placenta extracts are widely overused in Korea to improve certain health conditions (postmenopausal syndrome, liver function, and cosmetic purposes) without scientific evidence that they actually work. The use of placenta extracts should be restricted, due to a lack of systematic research on the therapeutic effectiveness and adverse results from these treatments. While the common adverse effects that have been reported are fever, rash, itching, nausea, vomiting, breast pain, and rare cases of anaphylactic shock, there have been no reports of pulmonary complications such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Recently, we experienced a patient with hypersensitivity pneumonitis following a placenta extract injection. To our knowledge, this is the first case of hypersensitivity pneumonitis associated with placenta extract use.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.713-722
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• 2009

Vitamin D levels have been reported to be associated with diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome. There have been studies on the nutritional status of vitamin D in postmenopausal women at Seoul and premenopausal women at Busan, and these studies showed that nearly no relationship between serum vitamin D levels and the obesity index existed. However, there have been no studies that examined about the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and insulin resistance in Korea. In this study, we investigated serum vitamin D levels and the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and insulin resistance (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance), obesity index (body mass index, percentage of body fat and waist circumference) in 180 premenopausal women (non-obese women 87.8%, obese women 12.2%) in spring (March~April), fall (September~October) and winter (January~February) at Daejeon. Serum vitamin D levels were lower in winter than in spring-fall, after adjusting for age and the obesity index. The frequency of vitamin D inadequacy (serum vitamin D levels were $\leq$ 20 ng/mL) was 45.5% in winter and, 23.5% in spring-fall, and which showed that vitamin D inadequacy was higher in winter than in spring-fall. Multiple regression analysis showed that serum vitamin D levels had no relationship with the obesity index or insulin resistance. There was no difference in the obesity index or insulin resistance between the vitamin D inadequacy and normal group, and there was no relationship between serum vitamin D levels and the obesity index or insulin resistance in non-obese and obese premenopausal women, respectively. In conclusion, serum vitamin D levels in premenopausal women at Daejeon were lower in winter than in spring-fall, and the frequency of vitamin D inadequacy was higher in winter than in spring-fall. Serum vitamin D levels had no relationship with the obesity index or insulin resistance in premenopausal women, most of whom were not obese.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1680-1687
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• 2012

Postmenopausal women are at an increased risk of developing coronary artery disease, primarily due to dyslipidemia that accompanies the loss of estrogen secretion. This study was performed to investigate the effects of Opuntia humifusa seed extracts on blood flow and serum lipid level in ovariectomized rats. Twenty-eight 9-week old female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups as sham-operated rats (SHAM), ovariectomized rats (OVX-CON), and ovariectomized rats that were treated with Opuntia humifusa seed extracts (OVX-OHS 2% and OVX-OHS 6%). The diets were fed to the rats for 7 weeks after operation. Serum total cholesterol and triglyceride contents decreased in the SHAM group compared to the OVX-CON group. Seven weeks of feeding of Opuntia humifusa seed extracts resulted in significant (p<0.05) lowering of serum triglyceride and a decreasing tendency in total cholesterol levels. The level of HDL-cholesterol in serum increased significantly by feeding diets containing the 2% and 6% Opuntia humifusa seed hot-water extract (p<0.05). Blood passage times were shorter in the Opuntia humifusa seed extract-supplemented groups than in the untreated group (OVX-CON). The platelet aggregation ability was lower in groups treated with Opuntia humifusa seed extracts than in the OVX-CON group. These results suggest that Opuntia humifusa seed extracts may have benefits in improving metabolic syndrome in menopausal women.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.506-515
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• 2015

In this study, the effect of Goheung pomegranate extract on postmenopausal syndrome was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo in ovariectomized Sprague-Dawly (SD) rats. Sixty female SD rats were divided into six groups: sham, sham operation and distilled water; OVX, ovariectomized and distilled water; PE1, ovariectomized and pomegranate concentrate (0.75 mL/twice/d); PE2, ovariectomized and pomegranate concentrate (1.5 mL/twice/d); PE3, ovariectomized and pomegranate concentrate (2.2 mL/twice/d); and CE, ovariectomized and commercial pomegranate concentrate (2.2 mL/twice/d). Percent bone volume (bone volume/tissue volume) and trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) improved in a dose-independent manner in PE1, 2, and 3. Especially, bone mineral density was significantly improved in PE3 (P<0.05) compared to OVX. Pomegranate extract reduced body weight and visceral fat mass. High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level slightly increased in a dose-independent manner in the experimental group. In addition, HDL-C/total cholesterol level of PE3 significantly increased (P<0.05) compared with OVX. These results show that pomegranate concentrate improved blood lipid levels and bone metabolism in ovariectomized rats. Therefore, Goheung pomegranate concentrates are expected to improve cardiovascular and bone-related diseases in menopausal women.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.1851-1858
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• 2010

Estrogen deficiency in peri- and postmenopausal women results in variety of neurovegetative, psychic and somatic symptoms, and may contribute to severe diseases within the aged female population. Ecklonia stolonifera (ES) is an edible brown algae traditionally used in fishery towns in Far East Asia. This study was performed to investigate the effects of ES extracts on blood flow and serum lipid concentration in ovariectomized rats. Weight-matched female Sprague-Dawley strain rats were assigned to four groups. Three groups were surgically ovariectomized (OVX). The fourth group was sham operated. Rats were randomly assigned to the following groups: sham-operated rats (Sham), ovariectomized control rats (OVX-CON), ovariectomized rats supplemented with ES extract at 50 mg/kg bw/day (OVX-ES50) and ovariectomized rats supplemented with ES extract at 200 mg/kg bw/day (OVX-ES200). Serum total cholesterol and triglyceride contents decreased in the sham group compared to the OVX-CON group. Six weeks feeding of ES extract resulted in a significant (p<0.05) lowering of serum triglyceride and a lowering tendency of total cholesterol level. The level of Hdl-cholesterol in serum increased by supplementation of ES extracts at 50 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg bw/day (p<0.05). Blood passage time of the ES extracts-supplemented group was higher than the OVX-CON group. The ability of platelet aggregation of groups treated with ES extracts was less than that of the OVX-CON group. These results suggest that the beneficial effects of ES extract may be used to possibly improve on the metabolic syndrome of menopausal women.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.117-130
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• 2005

Objective : Generation after generation, by Oriental medicine literatures, Soyo-san has been used as a clinical prescription that is important to climacteric syndrome, and also has been used extensively to psyco-neurotic problems, melancholia and stress symptoms. The experimental study of Soyo-san's effect has been reported, but the effect of herbal acupuncture solution by Soyo-san is not reported yet. Thus the purpose of this experiment is to test whether Herbal acupuncture of Soyo-san have anti-stress or antidepressant effects in the menopause or not. Methods : Female Sprague-Dawley(240-260g) rats were used. Temperature controlled within $20-25^{\circ}C$. Water and food not limited, and Manipulated the day and night 12 hours each. In the experiment, enforced Morris water maze after immobilization stress for 5 minutes, and operating Herbal acupuncture of Soyo-san 30 minutes before stress every day during 7 days. Flowed through by 4% paraformaldehyde and fixed brain tissue after test of 7 days. Results : 1) As a result of the acquisition test, Soyo-san group was recognized by significant difference compared to Ovx group and the retention test Soyo-san group increased significantly compared to Sham and Ovx group. 2) Soyo-san group showed that the degree of revealation of Tyrosine hydroxylase decreased comparing to Ovx group in ventral tegmental area and that of Choline acetyltransferase increased comparing to Ovx group in CAI region of Hippocampus. Conclusion : As a result of this experiment to grasp those effects on postmenopausal depression or learing disability and memory disorder, the possibility of Herbal acupunture by Soyo-san is warranted as a suitable treatment to relieve women's monopausal depression and those of stress reaction, improving tearing disability and memory disorder.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.545-554
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• 2019

The phytochemical compounds of Pueraria, a medicinally important leguminous plant, include various isoflavones that have weak estrogenic activity and a potential role in preventing chronic disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and postmenopausal syndrome. However, the major isoflavones are derivatives of puerarin and occur mainly as unabsorbable and biologically inactive glycosides. The bioavailability of the glucosides can be increased by hydrolysis of the sugar moiety using ${\beta}$-glucosidase. In this study, we investigated the antioxidant effects of a Pueraria extract after fermentation by Lactobacillus rhamnosus BHN-LAB 76. The L. rhamnosus BHN-LAB 76 strain was inoculated into Pueraria powder and fermented at $37^{\circ}C$ for 72 hr. The total polyphenol content of the Pueraria extract increased by about 134% and the total flavonoid content increased around 110% after fermentation with L. rhamnosus BHN-LAB 76 when compared to a non-fermented Pueraria extract. Superoxide dismutase-like activities, DPPH radical scavenging, and ABTS radical scavenging increased by approximately 213%, 190%, and 107%, respectively, in the fermented Pueraria extract compared to the non-fermented Pueraria extract. Fermentation of Pueraria extracts with L. rhamnosus BHN-LAB 76 is therefore possible and can effectively increase the antioxidant effects. These results can be applied to the development of improved foods and cosmetic materials.