The safety of a new natural plant composition (ADP) was assessed on the genotoxicity study and 14-day repeat dose toxicity study. ADP contains a mixed water extract obtained from the mixture of Phellodendron cortex (Phellodendron amurense) and Anemarrhena rhizoma (Anemarrhena asphodeloides), and poses the contractile properties mediated by alpha-adrenoceptor of the prostate and urethra as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In order to evaluate genetic safety, in vivo micronucleus test was performed in ICR mice orally administered with three dose levels of 1250, 2500, 5000 mg/kg body weight, and vehicle and positive control. In the 14 days study, Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with ADP at the dose levels of 500, 1000, 2000 mg/kg once a day, and clinical signs, body weights, hematology, serum biochemistry, necropsy findings and organ weights were monitored and examined. In experimental results, ADP treatment, compared with vehicle control, did not induce the micronucleated erythrocytes from mouse bone marrow. In the 14 days study, any significant and toxicological differences in all measurements of parameters were not observed in ADP treatment groups of animals, compared with vehicle treatment. The No-Observed-Adverse-Effect-Level (NOAEL) of ADP in the 14 days study was determined to be greater than 2000 mg/kg/day in both sexes.

본 연구는 동충하초(Isaria tenuipes)를 유전적 당뇨 질환 동물모델인 OLETF 랫드에서 4주간 경구 투여하여 항당뇨 효과에 대한 연구결과로써, OLETF 랫드 동충하초(Isaria tenuipes) 투여군은 당뇨대조군과 비교하여 투여 4주에는 사료 섭취량과 체중이 증가하였다. 이는 동충하초(Isaria tenuipes)를 섭취한 OLETF 랫드는 고지방식 사료만 섭취 한 OLETF 랫드에 비해 당뇨 유발이 개선된 결과로 판단 된다. 혈중 포도당 농도, 인슐린 농도 및 인슐린 저항성 지표인 HOMA-IR 수치가 용량 의존적으로 감소하였다. 또한 GLUT4 유전자 발현을 측정한 결과 대조군에 비해 동충 하초(Isaria tenuipes) 투여군의 mRNA 및 단백질이 용량의존적으로 증가하는 경향을 보였다. 따라서, 동충하초 (Isaria tenuipes)의 섭취가 제2형 당뇨에서 인슐린의 감수성이나 저항성에 영향을 미치고, 혈당을 강화시키는 것으로 사료되므로 당뇨병환자의 혈당저하에 기여할 것이라 기대한다. 이에 본 연구는 천연물질을 이용한 당뇨병의 예방 및 치료에 동충하초(Isaria tenuipes)를 사용할 수 있는 이론적 토대를 제공할 것으로 생각된다.

Several recent studies have detected genetic and cytogenetic alterations in epithelial odontogenic tumors. However, the detailed mechanisms of oncogenesis, cytodifferention, and tumor progression remain unknown. p63 as p53 homolog gene has been identified at loci 3q27-29. The p53 signaling cascade has an important role in oncogenesis or cyto- differentiation of odontogenic epithelium. Recently, several syndromes associated with p63 gene mutations have shown to include various tooth abnormalities of both the primary and permanent dentition. But little is known about p63 expression in odontogenic tumors, especially ameloblastomas. The purpose of this study were to examine various expression of p63 in ameloblastomas by immunohistochemistry and to clarify the possible biological role of p63 in ameloblastomas. 15 specimens including 6 follicular, 4 plexiform, 3 acanthomatous, and 2 granular cell types were fixed in 10% neutral formalin. 4um thick sections were used for routine H&E and immunohistochemical examinations. After immuno- histochemical satining, they were examined at a final magnification of 400X. For each case a minimum of 1000 nuclei located in the central and peripheral layers were counted in up to 10 consecutive microscopic fields per case. The immunoreactive cells were evaluated semiquantitatively. Immunoreactivity for p63 in all the types of ameloblastomas was higher in peripheral neoplastic cells than in central neoplastic cells. Keratinizing cells in acanthomatous ameloblastoma and granular cells in granular cell ameloblastoma showed markedly decreased reactivity for p63 in acanthomatous and granular cell ameloblastoma. Labelling index of acanthomatous, plexiform, and granular cell type was 86±11%, 81±17% and 83±15% in peripheral area while 88±14%, 82±11% and 76±10% in central area, respectively. Labelling index of follicular type was 17±4% in peripheral area while 21±3% in central area. There was no significant relationship between plexiform, acanthomaous, and granular cell type, while significant relationships between follicular and acanthomatous type, between plexiform and follicular type, and between granular cell and follicular type, respectively. It suggested that p63 expression could paly an important role in the pathogenesis of ameloblastomas. Morever plexiform, acanthomatous, and granular cell type would show more aggressive proliferative potentiality than follicular type.