• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.37 no.10
• /
• pp.1264-1270
• /
• 2008

In order to evaluate their possible subacute toxicity, the male and female of SD rats were given to 30 kGy irradiated cereal powders for three months. During the experimental periods, appearance, behavior, mortality, body weight, organ weight, and food consumption of rats fed the 30 kGy cereal powders were not affected compared to the non-irradiated control. In urine analysis, histopathological examination, hematological as well as in serum biochemical findings, no significant differences were found between the rats administered with non-irradiated control and 30 kGy cereal powders for three months. These results indicate that cereal powders irradiated at 30 kGy did not show any toxic effects under these experimental conditions.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.799-804
• /
• 2009

Kamikaekyuk-tang(KMKKT), a formula of ten Oriental herbs, was orientally designed to promote vital energy, to remove blood stasis, and to decrease inflammation for treating cancers. KMKKT and its component had potent antiandrogen and androgen receptor activities in prostate cancer and also inhibited angiogenesis induced by basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and suppressed the tumor growth in LLC-bearing mice, and liver metastasis of colon 26-L5 cancer cells, suggesting a potent cancer preventive agent. Nevertheless, there is no safety study of KMKKT before clinical trial so far. Thus, in the current study, we investigated the toxicity about ethanol-extracted KMKKT. Male and female Spraque Dawley (SD) rats were given orally by KMKKT at 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg for 4 weeks. Mortality, clinical signs and measured change of body weight, food consumption and water consumption were observed. In addition, we performed ophthalmologic, urinary, hematological, blood serum biochemical and histopathological examination. Any general toxicity was not found in KMKKT treated group. Also, there were no significant differences in the parameters such as body weight, food consumption and water consumption, a lot of urine and blood factor levels except WBC, MCHC and Ca level compared with control group. Although WBC and MCHC were elevated in female rats and Ca level was decreased in male rats, these were within normal ranges. Finally, we determined that maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was 1000 mg/kg and no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) was 500 mg/kg. Taken together, these results demonstrated that KMKKT is very safe to SD rats.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.75-82
• /
• 2009

Saengshik is an uncooked and powdered functional food composed of various edible plants, and has been consumed widely due to its health benefits and convenient uptake. Recently, superfine ground saengshik, which contains a certain extent of nanoscale particles, has been commercialized to enhance efficacy, but its safety has not been determined. This study was conducted to evaluate the food safety of superfine saengshik (SS) through general toxicity examination after oral uptake in mice compared to conventional fine saengshik (FS). The SS particle size distribution was 0.479-26.303 f.1m in diameter, with about 68.92% of particles with a diameter < $0.955{\mu}m$. From our safety evaluation, the number of white blood cells (WBCs) and biochemical values in the serum fell into the normal range, and the weight of organs showed no significant difference between FS and SS groups. Histological observation of the liver, small intestine and large intestine did not show any abnormal or pathological findings under light microscopy. Our results suggest that oral intake of SS is not harmful to mice in terms of general toxicity.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.141-146
• /
• 1997

Postmortem examination was conducted on 350 (three hundred and fifty) chickens. Related samples (Liver, heart, ovary, spleen, bone-marrow, and caecal junction) were collected. The appropriate materials from the samples were cultured into different media. A total 40(forty) isolates of salmonella pullorum and S. gallinarum were identified and preserved. Characterization of the isolates were done by cultural, morphological, biochemical, and serological tests. Salmonella pullorum antigen was prepared from the local isolate, standardized and tested. This antigen was used in the field for the detection of pullorum or fowl typhoid infection or carrier birds. The antigen consisted of suspension of Salmonella pullorum in 0.50 percent sodium chloride plus 1.5 percent sodium sulfate and inactivated with 1% formalin U.S.P. and standardized with McFarland scale iv or by pour plate method containing 800 million organisms per milliliter and stained by the addition of alcoholic crystal violet. Sterility, safety and potency were tested and found as good as other international antigens. The antigen was found to retain its quality for six months when preserved at room temperatures. The test was made by mixing one drop of the antigen with a drop of blood or a drop of serum, on a glass plate or white tile. The locally produced antigen was as good as antigens from Japan, Hungary, Holland and India. A serological study was conducted with the locally prepared antigen in different farms, and the incidence was 0-4% in government farms, 5-10% in commercial imported breeds and 0-3% in cross breed local farms respectively.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.186-189
• /
• 2006

A 7-month-old female Cocker spaniel dog was examined for chronic anemia. Based on information provided by local clinician the patient had had a 'flu-like' illness three weeks before submission of the sample, had a fever of $40.9^{\circ}C$, and had mild hepatomegaly. This dog had also history of weight loss, vomiting, anorexia, dehydration, lethargy, ascites, polyuria and polydipsia. A blood smear showed non-regenerative anemia. Thoracic radiograph showed irregular shadowing in the left mid-zone. Serum biochemical results showed a hypercalcemia, azotemia, hypercholesterolemia, hyperphosphatemia, hypoalbuminemia, and metabolic acidosis. Results of urinalysis showed proteinuria, slightly acidic with isosthenuria. Histopathologic examination of tissue sections revealed amyloid deposits in multiple sites including kidneys, liver and spleen.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.197-201
• /
• 2006

A 2-year-old female mongrel dog was referred to the Veterinary Medical Center of Chungbuk National University due to anorexia, depression and weight loss after the administration of exogenous estrogen for contraception in the local hospital. Although the dog was medicated with antibiotics and fluid for two weeks in the local hospital, there was a deterioration in the patient's general condition. Therefore the dog was referred to our Veterinary Medical Center. Hematological and biochemical analysis showed non-regenerative anemia, thrombocytopenia, severely immature leukocytosis, hyperbilirubinemia, hyperglycemia and elevated serum alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase. Abdominal ultrasonography showed double line of gallbladder and irregular hypertrophic wall of uterus. On the basis of these examination's results and history taking, final diagnosis was exogenous estrogen-induced myelotoxicosis with cholecystitis and endometritis. The symptomatic therapy for estrogen toxicosis was performed for 26 days after the final diagnosis. However, the symptom had no response to therapy except endometritis and anemia. On day 135 after administration of estrogen, platelet and neutrophil count were normalized, but monocytic leukocytosis was occurred.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.44 no.5
• /
• pp.717-724
• /
• 2020

Background: Malignant arrhythmias require drug therapy. However, most of the currently available antiarrhythmic drugs have significant side effects. Ginsenoside Rg2 exhibits excellent cardioprotective effects and appears to be a promising candidate for cardiovascular drug development. So far, the oral toxicity and antiarrhythmic effects of Rg2 have not been evaluated. Methods: Acute oral toxicity of Rg2 was assessed by the Limit Test method in mice. Subchronic oral toxicity was determined by repeated dose 28-day toxicity study in rats. Antiarrhythmic activities of Rg2 were evaluated in calcium chloride-induced arrhythmic rats. Antiarrhythmic mechanism of Rg2 was investigated in arrhythmic rats and H9c2 cardiomyocytes. Results: The results of toxicity studies indicated that Rg2 exhibited no single-dose (10 g/kg) acute oral toxicity. And 28-day repeated dose treatment with Rg2 (1.75, 3.5 and 5 g/kg/d) demonstrated minimal, if any, subchronic toxicity. Serum biochemical examination showed that total cholesterol in the high-dose cohort was dramatically decreased, whereas prothrombin time was increased at Day 28, suggesting that Rg2 might regulate lipid metabolism and have a potential anticoagulant effect. Moreover, pretreatment with Rg2 showed antiarrhythmic effects on the rat model of calcium chloride induced arrhythmia, in terms of the reduced duration time, mortality, and incidence of malignant arrhythmias. The antiarrhythmic mechanism of Rg2 might be the inhibition of calcium influx through L-type calcium channels by suppressing the phosphorylation of Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. Conclusion: Our findings support the development of Rg2 as a promising antiarrhythmic drug with fewer side effects for clinical use.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.79-83
• /
• 2006

We evaluated therapeutic and preventive properties of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a weak androgenic steroid, against isoproterenol-induced cardiomyopathy. The cardiomyopathy was induced by daily i.p. administration of isoproterenol to rats for five days. One group of rats were given with daily s.c. for 5 days during isoproterenol and the other group with daily s.c. DHEA for total 10 days, including 5 days before and during isoproterenol. The animals were killed after each treatment, and cardiac muscle failure was evaluated using histopathologic examination and biochemical indices. DHEA was found to reduce the damaged area and inhibit the elevation in the serum levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), skeletal muscle creatine kinase (CK) and heart creatine kinase (CK-MB) induced by isoproterenol. We also assayed widely used oxidative stress parameters, including thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathion peroxidase (GPx). DHEA decreased the escalated level of TBARS and enhanced the anti oxidant defense reaction with an increase in Mn-SOD and Cu/Zn-SOD. On the other hand, the treatment with DHEA did not affect catalase and GPx activity. The present study indicates that DHEA has a therapeutic and preventive effect against isoproterenol-induced cardiomyopathy and its effects may depend largely on the increase in SOD activity.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.73-81
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this study was to obtain scientific information regarding classification and health hazards that may result from a 13 weeks inhalation exposure of isoprene in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The testing method was conducted in accordance with OECD guidelines for the testing of chemicals No. 413. The Rats were divided into 4 groups (10 male and 10 female rats in each group) and exposed to 0, 360, 1,620, 7,300 ppm isoprene in each exposure chamber for 6 h/day, 5 days/week, for 13 weeks. As a result, there were no mortality or abnormality during the period of study and did not show any significant changes of body weight. There were no dose response changes in urinalysis, hematological and serum biochemical value examination. Relative organ weight was increased significantly the right kidney in 7,300 ppm group of male rats. In female rats, relative organ weight of the left kidney and the both lungs in 1,620 ppm group and the left lung and the both kidneys in 7,300 ppm group were increased significantly. But the histopathological findings did not reveal any exposure-related changes. According to the above results, the no observable adverse effect level (NOAEL) of isoprene was 7,300 ppm (20.3 mg/L) in both male and female rats. In conclusion, Isoprene was not classified specific target organ toxicity of the 'Standard for Classification and Labeling of Chemical Substance and Material Safety Data Sheet' (Ministry of Employment and Labor, 2009).

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.140-148
• /
• 2017

Hyperlipidemia, which is closely associated with a fatty diet and aging, is commonly observed in the western and aged society. Therefore, a novel therapeutic approach for this disease is critical, and an immunological view has been suggested as a novel strategy, because hyperlipidemia is closely associated with inflammation and immune dysfunction. In this study, the effects of an aqueous extract of Rubus occidentalis (RO) in obese mice were investigated using immunological indexes. The mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) to induce hyperlipidemia, which was confirmed by biochemical analysis and examination of the mouse physiology. Two different doses of RO and rosuvastatin, a cholesterol synthesis inhibitor used as a control, were orally administered. Disturbances in immune cellularity as well as lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production were significantly normalized by oral administration of RO, which also decreased the elevated serum tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$ level and total cholesterol. The specific immune-related actions of RO comprised considerable improvement in cytotoxic T cell killing functions and regulation of antibody production to within the normal range. The immunological evidence confirms the significant cholesterol-lowering effect of RO, suggesting its potential as a novel therapeutic agent for hyperlipidemia and associated immune decline.