• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.249-255
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• 2013

Yam (Dioscorea) has long been used as foods and folk medicine with the approved positive effects for health promotion. Although consumption of yam products is increasing for health promotion, reports for the metal contamination in commercial yam powder products to protect the consumers are lacking. In this study, we aimed to assess whether the commercial yam powder products were heavy metal contaminated or not using the yam products from six commercial products from various places in South Korea. The contents of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, As, Pb, Ni, and Sn) in yam powder products were measured and compared to national and international food standard levels. Also, the metal contamination was monitored during the food manufacturing steps. The study results showed that the contents of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, As, and Pb) in yam powder products are similar to those in national 'roots and tubers' as well as in various crops. In comparison to three international standard levels (EU, Codex and Korea), Cd content in yam powder products was lower but Pb content was 5 times higher. Also, Pb, Ni, and Sn may have the potential to be contaminated during food manufacturing steps. In conclusion, the level of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, As, Ni, and Sn) except Pb is considered relatively safe on comparison to national and international food standard levels.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.227-233
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• 2013

This study investigated the protective effect of the butanol (BuOH) fraction from fermented Laminaria japonica extract (BFLJ) on AAPH-induced oxidative stress in porcine kidney epithelial cells (LLC-PK1 cells). L. japonica was fermented by Aspergillus oryzae at $35{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ for 72 h. Freeze-dried fermented L. japonica was extracted with distilled water, and the extracted solution was mixed with ethanol and then centrifuged. The supernatant was subjected to sequential fractionation with various solvents. The BuOH fraction was used in this study because it possessed the strongest antioxidant activity among the various solvent fractions. The BuOH fraction of fermented L. japonica had a protective effect against the AAPH-induced LLC-PK1 cells damage and increased cell viability while reducing lipid peroxidation formation and increased activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. The inhibitory effect of BFLJ on lipid peroxidation formation had a higher value of $0.11{\pm}0.01nmol$ MDA at $100{\mu}g/mL$ concentration in comparison with intact BuOH fraction showing $0.22{\pm}0.08nmol$ MDA at the same concentration. Furthermore, BFLJ treatment increased glutathione concentration. GSH concentration in the cell treated with BFLJ of $100{\mu}g/mL$ was $1.80pmol/L{\times}10^5cells$. These results indicate that BFLJ protects the LLC-PK1 cells against AAPH-induced cell damage by inhibiting lipid peroxidation formation and increasing antioxidant enzyme activities and glutathione concentration.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.27-35
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• 2015

Objectives: In Korea, cancer is one of the most important causes of death. Cancer patients have sought alternative methods, like complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) together with Western medicine, to treat cancer. Also, there are many kinds of providers of CAM therapy, including providers of Korean oriental medicine therapy. The purpose of this study is to identify the behaviors of Korean oriental medicine therapy and CAM therapy providers who treat cancer patients and to provide background knowledge for establishing a new policy with the management and quality control of CAM. Methods: Structured and well organized questionnaires were made, and 350 persons were surveyed concerning the providers of CAM or Korean oriental medicine. The questionnaires were collected and analyzed. Results: The questionnaires (182) were collected. The questionnaires identified a total of 73 known providers, such as medicinal professionals or other providers of CAM suppliers, 35.6% of whom had had experience with treating cancer patients (52.6% vs. 29.6%). The treatment methods were a little different: alternative therapy and nutritional therapy being preferred by medicinal professionals and mind body modulation therapy and alternative therapy being preferred by other CAM providers. Four patients (7.4%) experienced side effects, and 6 patients (12.5%) experienced legal problems. As the method for managing the therapy, CAM providers, medicinal professionals, and other CAM providers had different viewpoints. For example, some CAM providers stated that both legislation and an official education on CAM or a national examination were needed as a first step to establish the provider's qualifications and that as a second step, a license test was needed for quality control. To the contrary, medicinal professionals stated that a license test was needed before legislation. Conclusion: Adequate management and quality control of CAM providers is thought to involve both education and legislation.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.42-50
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• 2015

Objectives: The aims of the study were to test the single- dose intravenous toxicity of Daebohwalryeok pharmacopuncture (DHRP) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and to estimate the crude lethal dose. Methods: The experiments were conducted at Biotoxtech Co., a Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) laboratory, according to the GLP regulation and were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Biotoxtech Co. (Approval no: 110156). The rats were divided into three groups: DHRP was injected into the rats in the two test groups at doses of 10 mL/kg and 20 mL/kg, respectively, and normal saline solution was injected into the rats in the control group. Single doses of DHRP were injected intravenously into 6 week old SD rats (5 male and 5 female rats per group). General symptoms were observed and weights were measured during the 14 day observation period after the injection. After the observation period, necropsies were done. Then, histopathological tests were performed. Weight data were analyzed with a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) by using statistical analysis system (SAS, version 9.2). Results: No deaths and no statistical significant weight changes were observed for either male or female SD rats in either the control or the test groups during the observation period. In addition, no treatment related general symptoms or necropsy abnormalities were observed. Histopathological results showed no DHRP related effects in the 20 mL/kg DHRP group for either male or female rats. Conclusion: Under the conditions of this study, the results from single-dose intravenous injections of DHRP showed that estimated lethal doses for both male and female rats were above 20 mL/kg.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제15권5호
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• pp.259-266
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• 2011

The aim of this study was to evaluate the preventive role of epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG, a derivative of green tea) in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of isolated rat hearts. It has been suggested that EGCG has beneficial health effects, including prevention of cancer and heart disease, and it is also a potent antioxidant. Rat hearts were subjected to 20 min of normoxia, 20 min of zero-flow ischemia and then 50 min of reperfusion. EGCG was perfused 10 min before ischemia and during the whole reperfusion period. EGCG significantly increased left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) and increased maximum positive and negative dP/dt (+/-dP/dtmax). EGCG also significantly increased the coronary flow (CF) at baseline before ischemia and at the onset of the reperfusion period. Moreover, EGCG decreased left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP). This study showed that lipid peroxydation was inhibited and Mn-SOD and catalase expressions were increased in the presence of EGCG. In addition, EGCG increased levels of Bcl-2, Mn-superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase expression and decreased levels of Bax and increased the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax in isolated rat hearts. Cleaved caspase-3 was decreased after EGCG treatment. EGCG markedly decreased the infarct size while attenuating the increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in the effluent. In summary, we suggest that EGCG has a protective effect on I/R-associated hemodynamic alteration and injury by acting as an antioxidant and anti-apoptotic agent in one.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.141-151
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• 2012

The objectives of this research were to evaluate antioxidant activities and nutritional components, including phenolic acid, catechin, organic acid, sugar, and amino acid, of persimmon juice from persimmons grown in different regions around Korea. Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) exhibits potent antioxidant effects in DPPH, ABTS, reducing power, and FRAP methods of analysis. The levels of nutritional constituents showed significant differences among all the samples. In particular, tartaric acid, glucose, gallic acid, epicatechin gallate and aspartic acid were observed to be the predominant component for each of their general chemical groups, with total average contents of 1876.51 mg/kg, 62.69 g/kg, 12.73 mg/kg, 208.99 mg/kg, and 31.84 mg/100 g, respectively. Interestingly, persimmons from the Hadong region presented the highest sugar (130.60 g/kg), phenolic acid (42.27 mg/kg), and catechin (527.97 mg/kg) contents in comparison with other regional samples. Moreover, this location exhibited the greatest antioxidant activity with highest total phenolic (298.01 mg GAE/kg) and flavonoid (32.11 mg/kg RE) contents. Our results suggest that strong antioxidant activities of persimmons correlate with high phenolic acid and catechin contents, particularly gallic acid and epicatechin gallate. Additionally, these two compounds may be key factors when considering the useful ingredients of persimmon.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.122-128
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• 2012

Gelidium (G.) elegans is a red alga inhabiting intertidal areas of North East Asia. We examined anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of G. elegans, depending on drying and extraction conditions, by determining reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) in 3T3-L1 and RAW 264.7 cells. Extraction yields of samples using hot air drying (HD) and far-infrared ray drying (FID) were significantly higher than those using natural air drying (ND). The 70% ethanol extracts showed the highest total phenol and flavonoid contents compared to other extracts (0, 30, and 50% ethanol) under tested drying conditions. The scavenging activity on 2,2-diphenyl- 1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and nitrite correlated with total phenol or flavonoid content in the extracts. The greatest DPPH scavenging effect was observed in 70% ethanol extract from FID and HD conditions. The production of ROS and NO in 3T3-L1 and macrophage cells greatly decreased with the 70% ethanol extraction derived from FID. This study suggests that 70% ethanol extraction of G. elegans dried by FID is the most optimal condition to obtain efficiently antioxidant compounds of G. elegans.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• 제35권3호
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• pp.437-445
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• 1995

This experiment was carried out to study the preventive effect of cysteine on the toxicities of captafol to the hematological and serum biochemical values. A single dose of captafol(5mg/kg BW, ip) was given to male Sprague-Dawley rats and its toxicities were evalutated by body weitht changes, autopsy findings, absolute organ weight, and hematological and serum biochemical parameters. The single dose of captafol caused significant decreases in body weitht, and absolute liver weight, as-cites, fibrin clot in abdominal cavity, adhesion of liver lobes significant elevation of number of RBC, hemoglobin concentration and serum AST activity, and decreased of serum phospholipid level. Where as cysteine(over 58mg/kg BW) given immediately after captafol appeared to prevent the ascites, fibrin clot in abdominal cavity and liver lobe adhesion. It also prevented the liver and blood, especially RBC toxicites. The results suggest that cysteine and other compounds containing sulfhydryl groups may protect the subjects from captafol-induced toxicity.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.287-297
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• 2020

Background: Type II diabetes is considered as one of the common diseases. Bangpungtongseongsan (BPS) has been used as a traditional medicine for treating obesity and hypertension in Korea. According to previous reports, it has anti-obesity, anti-chronic asthma, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the effects of BPS on type II diabetes have not yet been elucidated. Thus, in this sutudy, we evaluated the water extracts of BPS using type II diabetes animal models. Methods and Results: Each group was orally administered with BPS (170, 850 and 1,700 mg/kg) for approximately 13 weeks. A mixture of 150 mg/kg metformin and 10 mg/kg sitagliptin (MS) was used as a positive control. The glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and glucose levels, and hematological parameters including blood urine nitrogen, creatinine, low density lipoprotein and total cholesterol, were measured using blood samples. Treatment with 170 mg/kg BPS decreased the HbA1c and glucose levels in blood without affecting the weights of the animals. However, threatment with 1,700 mg/kg BPS reduced the weights and fatty liver, and increased the blood glucose level in type II diabetes animal models Conclusions: These results indicate that a low dose of BPS for 13 weeks, which reduces HbA1c and blood glucose levels, could be used for the treatment of type II diabetes. However, further studies are required to elucidate how active ingredients of BPS influence HbA1c and glucose levels in blood.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.370-374
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• 2005

Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is known as the causative bacterial playing the most important role informing plaque and it is being noticed as major causative bacteria of dental caries. Therefore, development of more effective, substantial and safe preventive agent against dental caries and periodontal disease is honestly required. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of Cyperus rotundus (Cyperaceae) methanol extracts on the growth, acid production, adhesion, and insoluble glucan synthesis of S. mutans. The methanol extract of C. rotundus showed concentration dependent inhibitory activity against the growth and acid production of S. mutans, and produced significant inhibition at the concentration of 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 mg/ml compared to the control group. The extracts markedly inhibited S. mutans adherence to HA treated with saliva, and cell adherence was repressed by more than 50% at the concentration of 0.5 mg/ml and complete inhibition was observed at the concentration of 4 mg/ml. On the activity of glucosyltransferase which synthesizes water insoluble glucan from sucrose, methanol extract of C. rotundus showed more than 10% inhibition over the concentration of 2 mg/ml. Thus, the application of C. rotundus can be considered a useful and a practical method for the prevention of dental caries.