담관암의 유일한 치료 방법은 수술로, 수술 가능성 평가가 진단 과정에 있어 매우 중요하다. 처음 진단 당시에는 원격 전이가 확인되지 않아 수술적 치료를 계획하던 중 다발성의 폐결절이 새롭게 확인되었던 원위부 총담관암 증례를 문헌고찰과 함께 보고한다. 원발 부위의 원위부 총담관암의 크기 변화는 없어 폐 전이 외의 감별진단이 필요하다고 판단하였다. 최근 COVID-19 감염력이 있던 증례로 수술 생검 결과상 최종적으로 폐 크립토코코스증으로 진단되었다.

This study was conducted to investigate the anti-obesity effect of Discorea Japonica Thunb. fermented with Monascus After inducing obesity by feeding hight fat diet (diet induced obesity model: DIO) for four weeks, each 8 rats were assigned to normal (Nor), high fat diet (HF), high fat diet containing orlistat (PC), high fat diet containing different concentration of Discorea Japonica Thunb. fermented with Monascus (UPDM_L, UPDM_H) and Discorea Japonica Thunb. (UPD) extract. Although the UPD, UPDM_L (ultrafine pulverized Discorea Japonica Thunb. fermented with Monascus: 400 mg/kg) and UPDM_H (DIO oral administration ultrafine pulverized Discorea Japonica Thunb. fermented with Monascus: 800 mg/kg) showed weight gain inhibition effects, the results of poor obesity inhibition rather than PC were confirmed. However, it showed a more effective weight loss effect in UPDM_H than UPD, and significantly reduced the weight of epididymal fat and subcutaneous fat. Furthermore, the possibility of anti-obesity effects of Discorea Japonica Thunb. fermented with Monascus can be confirmed by observing the effects of reducing serum total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL concentrations, reducing ALT and AST levels, and inhibiting fat build-up in liver tissue. It is believed that Discorea Japonica Thunb. fermented with Monascus can be expected to utilize as a functional material that is important to improve anti-obesity and metabolic syndrome.

This study was conducted to verify the effects of Erigeron annuus powder on serum lipid levels of high-fat diet-induced mice from a nutritional viewpoint. Erigeron annuus powder has been used as a folk remedy since ancient times in Korea. There was no significant difference in the weight of the kidneys and spleens of the mice. The high-fat diet group had a significantly higher kidney weight compared to other groups (p<0.05). In the group of mice fed 20% Erigeron annuus powder with a high-fat diet, the concentration of serum LDL-cholesterol was high (p<0.05), whereas the concentration of triglyceride was remarkably lower compared to other groups (p<0.05). The group fed 10% Erigeron annuus with a high-fat diet had the lowest concentration of blood phospholipids (p<0.05) as well as the highest alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminotransferase levels in blood (p<0.05). There was no difference in blood insulin concentration. However, blood leptin concentration was significantly higher (5.88±3.53 ng/dL) in mice fed a high-fat diet compared to other groups (p<0.05). Measurements of Erigeron annuus revealed that TPC, ABTS+ radical scavenging activity of trolox, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and the measured value of FRAP were higher in the ethanol extract than in the water extract. Especially, the antioxidant activity effects were excellent for the ABTS+ radical scavenging activities of trolox and FRAP values of Erigeron annuus. Therefore, Erigeron annuus powder showed antioxidant activity. Hence, Erigeron annuus powder drastically lessened triglyceride concentration in blood in high-fat diet-induced mice. Thus, the powder is considered to have utility in the food processing industry. Additional related experiments are ongoing.

Cladosiphon okamuranus is edible brown algae cultured commercially and massively at Okinawa coast. Dietary fiber occupying most of C. okamuranus isn't digested and absorbed by digestive enzymes of human. But it is known to prevent and treat constipation as metabolic disease. This study was to investigate the effects of dietary fiber extracted from C. okamuranus on the damage of liver and the blood cholesterol level in the high fat dietfed rats. The effects were measured by the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (ALT), alanine aminotransferase (AST), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) in sera. The levels of ALT, AST, TC, TG and LDL were significantly reduced in the C. okamuranus-treated group compared with the high fat diet group. But HDL level was markedly increased. The results showed that the dietary fiber extracts from C. okamuranus have the inhibitive effects of cholesterol biosynthesis in the high fat diet-fed rats.

This study was performed to investigate the antioxidative effect of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort extracts (LCE) against the hyperlipidemia of high-fat diet-fed obese rats. The rats were divided into the three groups (normal group, control group and sample group) to perform the experimental research. 1.5 ml/kg of LCE was intraperitoneally administered into the sample group for 21 days. The equal dose of 0.9% saline was intraperitoneally administered into the normal group and the control group. On day 22, they were anesthetized with ether and dissected. The levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were examined in serum of rats. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) was measured in mitochondrial fraction. Malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), and glutamate peroxidase (GPx) were determined in liver homogenate. High-fat diet markedly increased the levels of AST, ALT and MDA, significantly decreasing those of SOD, CAT and GPx. But Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort-pretreatment decreased the levels of AST, ALT, and MDA. increasing those of SOD, CAT and GPx. These results demonstrated the antioxidative effects, suggesting that LCE could be the candidate for the functional material.

Background: An imbalance in energy intake and expenditure can cause obesity, which is a major risk factor for chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, cancers and hyperlipidemia. Methods and Results: In this study, we evaluated the anti-obesity effects of a water extract from the young leaves of barley sprout (BS) in 3T3-L1 cells and in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice (HF). Lipid accumulation measurement indicates that BS markedly inhibited adipogenesis by reducing lipid droplet production in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the mRNA expression of adipogenic transcription factors peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ and fatty acid synthetase, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-α and fatty acid binding protein 4 in 3T3-L1 cells was significantly inhibited by BS treatment. In an in vivo test, the BSadministered group of HFD-induced mice showed less body weight gain, and lower liver and epididymal white adipose tissue weights. The BS-treated mice showed decreased serum levels of leptin and lipids compared to untreated HFD mice and the levels of adiponectin and the HDL-cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio increased. These results indicate that BS inhibits body fat accumulation by reducing the mRNA expression of lipogenesis transcription factors and increasing serum adipokine concentration in in vitro and in vivo tests. Conclusions: BS reduced high fat diet-induced weight gain and had a positive effect on dyslipidemia.

Obesity is a pro-inflammatory state that contributes to the development of metabolic disorders such as hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver, and cardiovascular disease. In this study, we evaluated the inhibition of adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells and in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice by Peucedanum japonicum Thunberg L. water extract (PJT). Lipid accumulation measurement indicates that PJT markedly inhibited adipogenesis in a dose-dependent manner. RT-PCR results demonstrated that the mRNA expression of adipogenic transcription factors such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein- α (C/EBPα) in 3T3-L1 cells were significantly down-regulated by PJT treatment. Oral administration of PJT (100, 300, and 500 ㎎/㎏, b.w/daily for 4 weeks) was conducted in high-fat diet induced obese mice and C57BL/6 mice. The PJT-administered group of HFD-induced mice had a lower body weight gain, along with decreased serum levels of glucose, triglycerides, and total cholesterol compared with the control mice, however, the HDL-cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio was increased. Furthermore, the elevated mRNA expression levels of adipogenesis related genes in the white adipose tissue of obese mice were significantly suppressed by PJT. These results indicate that PJT exhibits anti-obesity effects in obese mice by decreasing in serum lipid levels and lipogenesis related gene.