Big data analysis methods are useful tools for sorting valuable data and products. Achyranthes Radix root extract (AR) is a well-known herbal medicine in East Asia due to its anti-osteoarthritis, pro-circulatory, and anti-osteoporosis effects. In this stud y, we investigated the liver- and kidney-protective effects of AR by applying big data analysis to traditional medicine. CDDP (cis-diamminedichloridoplatinum) is an effective cancer cell anti-proliferative agent used in the treatment of diverse types of tumors. However, it is clinically limited due to liver and kidney toxicity. The current study was designed to assess the potential protective effects of AR against CDDP-induced hepato-renal toxicity. For this purpose, male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were assigned to four groups, each consisting of four animals. Intravenous injection or oral administration of either saline or AR was performed daily for 14 days, whereas CDDP was injected intraperitoneally on day 3 following AR treatment. Serum biochemistry results revealed that CDDP induced clear hepatic and renal damage while the AR treatment groups showed less damage relative to controls. Next, we tested the pharmacokinetics of AR using 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-HE), which is the most abundant component of AR extract. After intravenous administration of AR, the plasma concentration of 20-HE rapidly declined with a terminal half-life (t1/2) of 0.99±0.47 h. The area under the plasma concentration vs. time curve was 24.96±3.5 h*ng/mL. The present study provides valuable tools for further verification studies of the classical herbal literature and its scientific relevance.

The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver damage, using fluorescence bioimaging, serum biochemistry, and histopathology. At six weeks of age, eighteen mice were divided into three groups as group 1 (G1) as control, group 2 (G2) as fluorescence probe control and group 3 (G3) as APAP-treated. G3 mice were orally treated with APAP (800 mg/kg b.w.), while G1 and G2 mice were treated with 0.9% saline. Twenty-two hours after APAP treatment, G2 and G3 mice were intravenously treated with Annexin-Vivo 750 as probe, while G1 mice were treated with saline. Fluorescence bioimaging was performed at two hours after probe treatment. The mice were sacrificed and serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase were analyzed. Liver damage was examined by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. In vivo bioimaging, fluorescence intensity of the region of interest (ROI) was significantly increased in the livers of G2 and G3 mice compared with those in G1 mice (p<0.05 and p<0.01). In addition, ex vivo bioimaging confirmed that the fluorescence intensity of the ROI was significantly increased in the livers of G2 and G3 mice compared with those in G1 mice (p<0.05 and p<0.01). All examined serum parameters of G3 were significantly increased compared with G1 and G2 (p<0.05 and p<0.01). H&E examination showed acute hepatic cell necrosis in the livers of G3 mice, while there was no cell death in the livers of G1 and G2 mice. TUNEL staining also showed many cell death features in G3 mice, whereas no pathological findings were shown in G1 or G2 mice. In summary, fluorescence bioimaging showed the possibility of cell death detection in the livers of mice treated with APAP, and this was corroborated by serum chemistry and histopathological examination.

본 연구는 4주간의 동계훈련기간 중 산수유 추출물을 섭취시켜 간 기능, 근 손상 및 혈중 피로물질에 미치는 영향을 구명하기 위하여 남중 축구선수 20명을 대상으로 동계훈련+산수유 추출물 섭취군(10 명), 동계훈련군(10명)으로 구분하여 실시하였다. 동계훈련은 1일 오전, 오후, 야간운동으로 구분하여 주 6 일, 4주간 실시되었으며, 운동강도는 70-95%HRR로 수행되었다. 산수유 추출물은 매일 아침과 저녁 식사 후 각각 80 mL(1일 160mL)를 4주간 섭취시켰으며, 측정된 자료의 그룹 내 변화는 대응표본 T검정, 그룹 간 차이는 변화율을 산출 한 뒤 독립표본 T검정을 이용하여 비교 분석하였다. 그 결과 혈중 피로물질의 젖산은 동계훈련+산수유 추출물 섭취군에서 유의하게 감소하였으며(p<.05), 동계훈련군 보다 동계훈련+산수유 추출물 섭취군이 유의하게 감소하였다(p<.05). 암모니아는 동계훈련+산수유 추출물 섭취군(p<.05), 동계훈련군(p<.001) 모두 유의하게 증가하였다. 근 손상지표의 CK는 동계훈련+산수유 추출물 섭취군이 유의하게 감소하였으며(p<.05), LDH는 동계훈련+산수유 추출물 섭취군(p<.001), 동계훈련군(p<.05) 모두 유의하게 감소하였다. 간 기능 효소 중 AST(p<.01), ALT(p<.05)는 동계훈련+산수유 추출물 섭취군이 유의하게 감소하였으며, AST는 동계훈련군 보다 동계훈련+산수유 추출물 섭취군이 유의하게 감소하였다. 동계 훈련 시 피로에 쉽게 노출 될 수 있는 선수들에게 있어 산수유 추출물 섭취는 항피로의 역할을 하는데 긍정적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 사료된다.

β-cyclodextrin has an ability to protect compounds from oxidative reaction by collecting them within its ring-like structure. So, In harsh condition (40oC), marker compound, quercetin, was dramatically reduced in Hovenia dulcis fruit extract containing dextrin at 4 and 8 week compared to 0 week, but not that containing β-cyclodextrin. To evaluate the effects of dextrin and β-cyclodextrin on protective effect of H.dulcis fruit extract against alcohol- induced liver damage, The mice were orally injected alcohol, H. dulcis fruit extract/dextrin (HD) and H. dulcis fruit extract/β-cyclodextrin (HCD), respectively, for 7 days. The mice orally administrated with alcohol significantly enhanced the serum concentration of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in serum compared to the control group. HD and HCD significantly decreased the levels of serum ALT and AST and serum LDH activities compared to alcohol group. And also alcohol group significantly increased the level of total cholesterol compared to the control group, but HD and HCD significantly reduced it compared to the alcohol group. However, the levels of TG in blood were not significantly changed in all groups. The activities of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) were significantly increased in HD and HCD group although those of aldehyde dehydrogenase showed an increasing tendency. This data suggested that HD and HCD were able to induce alcohol degradation in the liver tissues. All together, the results showed that HCD demonstrated their ability to protect liver from alcohol-induced damage on equal terms with HD.

t-BHP는 대표적인 산화스트레스에 의한 간 손상 모델이며, 본 연구자는 랫드에 기능성이 강화된 기능성 들깻잎 추출물(P. frutescens leaf extract, PLE)을 250, 500 또는 1000 mg/kg body weight (b.w.)으로 6일간 경구 투여하고 t-BHP의 복강 주사로 간 손상을 일으킨 후 기능성 들깻잎 추출물이 간에서 산화스트레스를 얼마나 억제하여 주는지를 혈액의 간 손상 지표인 lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 그리고 alanine aminotransferase (ALT)를 측정하였으며, 간 조직에서 항산화 바이오 마커인 reduced glutathione (GSH), 지질과산화물의 척도인 malondialdehyde (MDA)를 통해서 측정하였다. 산화스트레스에 의한 간 손상시 GSH는 아무것도 처리하지 않은 정상 대조군(146.0 ± 5.4 mM GSH/g protein)에 비해 t-BHP로 산화스트레스를 유발한 그룹에서 128.6 ± 6.8 mM GSH/g protein로 감소하였다. 반면 기능성 들깻잎 추출물을 250, 500 그리고 1000 mg/kg b.w. 을 투여한 그룹에서는 129.3 ± 2.6 mM GSH/g protein, 151.9 ± 6.8 mM GSH/ g protein, 171.9 ± 5.2 mM GSH/g protein로 농도 의존적으 로 GSH 함량이 회복되는 경향을 나타내며, 500 mg/kg b.w. 투여군부터 정상 대조군의 GSH 함량과 비슷한 수준을 나타내었다. 또한, 간 조직에서 산화스트레스에 의하여 발생된 지질 과산화물을 측정하였을 때 t-BHP에 의하여 산화스트레스만 유발한 그룹은 834.0 ± 154.7 μM/g protein 로 정상 대 조군의 385.6 ± 39.7 μM/g protein 보다 2.17배 높은 MDA 를 생성한 것으로 지질과산화가 많이 일어난 것을 확인하였으나, 기능성 들깻잎 추출물을 투여한 그룹의 MDA의 생성량은 669.2 ± 145.0, 595.1 ± 142.6, 415.9 ± 133.8 μM/g protein 로 농도에 따라 감소하는 경향을 확인하였다. 랫드의 간 조직에서, 독성을 유발하는 t-BHP를 복강 투여 후 기능성 들깻잎 추출물을 경구 투여하였을 때 지질과산화의 지표인 MDA의 감소와 항산화의 지표인 GSH 함량이 증 가하였다. 조직병리학적 확인을 위하여 간 조직을 H&E 염색 후 광학현미경으로 관찰하였을 때, t-BHP만 처리한 음성 대조군의 경우 간 세포의 괴사와 조직의 변형을 확인할 수 있었지만 기능성 들깻잎 추출물을 처리하였을 경우 모두 정상 상태의 조직을 관찰할 수 있었다. 위의 결과들을 종합하였을 때, t-BHP가 간에서 산화스 트레스를 유발하여 간 손상을 야기시키고, 간 조직의 인지질 막 손상을 줄 수 있으며, 기능성 들깻잎 추출물은 간 손상에 대한 보호 효과가 있음을 확인하였다.

Diethylnitrosamine (DEN) is known as a potential hepatic carcinogen by single administration. This study was designed to measure the effects of DEN-induced cell damage on the triglyceride and cholesterol concentration in the liver, excluding dietary effects. Fertilized chicken eggs, 10 days before hatching, were randomly divided into three groups (n=20) and each egg was injected 10 ul of corn oil (vehicle control), 5 ug of DEN/10 ul and 10 ug of DEN/10 ul into yolk via air sac. After 48 hr and 96 hr incubation, the damage of the chick-embryo liver cell was investigated by electron microscopy and by measuring the concentration of lipid components (total cholesterol, free cholesterol, phospholipid and triglyceride). For eggs administered 10 ug of DEN and incuvated 96 hr, in hepatocyte, the nucleus membrane was roughed, the size of nucleolus was apparently increased and euchromatin was accumulated. Mitochondria were condensed and cristae, located mitochondrial inner membrane, were obscured. Additionally, the levels of triglyceride and cholesterol classes were significantly increased depend on the amount of DEN and incubation time. Especially, triglycerides were notably increased in the group treated with 10 ug DEN at 96 hr, but phospholipids, component of cell membrane, were decreased with significance. As a conclusion, carcinogen induced hepatic lesion was correlated with the changes in lipid component of liver.

Background : Excess alcohol consumption can lead to alcoholic liver damage and gastritis. Korean thistle (Cirsium japonicum var. maackii) has been reported that it’s administration protective from liver from lipid accumulation and toxicity. Also, Korean dandelion (Taraxacum coreanum Nakai) has been traditionally used for treating various inflammation-related diseases including ethanol-induced gastritis. In this study, we aimed to determine whether the combination treatment of Korean thistle and Korean dandelion could regulate alcoholic liver damage and gastritis in mice. Methods and Results : Seven-week-old mice were treated with ethanol (5 g/㎏ of body weight) by gavage every 12 h for a total of three doses to induce acute liver damage and gastritis. Ethanol extract of Korean thistle, Korean dandelion or combination was gavaged simultaneously with ethanol for three doses. The results showed that the combination treatment of Korean thistle and Korean dandelion significantly inhibited alcohol-induced increase of serum alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase levels, liver weight, and hepatic caspase-3 expressions. Hepatic histopathological changes induced by alcohol were also remarkably improved by the combination treatment. The combination treatment inhibited alcohol-induced Morphological changes of gastritis and attenuated the expressions of pro-inflammatory protein, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase. Conclusion : The results of our study suggest that the combination treatment of Korean thistle and dandelion may simultaneously alleviate acute alcohol-induced gastritis and liver damage.

동물실험에서 실크단백질 산 가수분해물을 투여하고 t-BHP투여한 군의 혈액 생화학적 검사 결과t-BHP만 투여한 군과 비교하였을 때 AST, ALT 그리고 LDH가 실크단백질 산 가수분해물의 투여 농도가 높아질수록 수치가 감소하는 것으로 나타났고 세포가 손상할 시에 증가하는 MDA를 간 조직을 대상으로 측정한 결과 실크단백질 산 가수분해물의 농도가 높아질수록 수치가 대조군과 유사한 정도로 감소하는 것으로 보아 간 손상에 관여하는 효소의 누출 억제효과가 있는 것으로 사료된다. HPLC로 간 조직에서의 GSH측정결과t-BHP만 투여한 군과 비교하였을 때 유의적으로 증가하였고 조직학적 검사 결과 t-BHP만 투여한 군과 비교하였을 때 실크단백질 산 가수분해물을 투여한 군이 대조군과 가까운 모습을 보이는 것으로 관찰되어 실크단백질 산가수분해물이 산화적 스트레스로부터의 간 보호 효과가 있는 것으로 사료된다. 따라서 실크단백질 산 가수분해물의 기능적 소재로서의 이용가능성이 확대될 것으로 사료된다.

Inonotus obliquus is one of the immune-regulatory substances and is recognized to play the role in the metabolic process of inflammation, allergy and immuntiy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of water extracts of Inonotus obliquus (IOW) on the liver lymphocyte immune function in the Sprague-Dawley male rats treated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) to induce liver damage. Rats were fed with each experimental diet and water for 4 weeks. We found that effects of IOW on interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), phospho-signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (pSTAT1) and GATA-binding protein 3 (GATA-3) were decrease in vivo. Interleukin-4 (IL-4), STAT6, pSTAT6 and T-box expressed in T-cells (T-bet) decreased significantly lower in CCl4+IOW group than the CCl4 group. Our data indicated that cytokine protein production were increased in CCl4 group and CCl4+IOW group. As a result of this study, we assume that IOW fed could regulate the immuno-modulating functions through regulate the cytokine production capacity activated by liver damage.

GATA-binding protein-3 (GATA-3) and T-box expressed in T-cells (T-bet) are now considered as master transcription factors involving Th cell differentiation, but the roles of these factors are still uncertain in vivo. This study was conducted to investigate the expression of these transcription factors in the liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in rats. In this study, liver damage were induced with Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi water extracts (SBW) and followed for 4 weeks. The expression of GATA-3 and T-bet protein in liver damage induced by CCl4 and the serum levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgE were studied after 4 weeks of treatment. We found that effect of SBW on IFN-γ, STAT1, pSTAT1 and T-bet was decreased in vivo. Several genes were demonstrated to be IL-4 inducible prior to the discovery of STAT6. CCl4+SBW group was significantly lower than CCl4 group in IL-4, STAT6, pSTAT6 and GATA-3. Our data indicate that cytokine protein production were increased in CCl4 group and CCl4+SBW group. From these results, water extracts obtained from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi may have an immunoregulatory effect in the liver induced by CCl4 of rats.

The purpose of this study evaluated the immunoregulatory effect of phellinus linteus ethanol (PLE) extracts on liver damage on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced in rats. Four-week old Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into the three experimental groups randomly; Control group, CCl4 group, CCl4 + PLE group. We found that effect of PLE on IFN-γ, STAT1 and pSTAT1 was decrease in vivo. Several genes were demonstrated to be IL-4 inducible prior to the discovery of STAT6. IL-4, STAT6 and pSTAT6 decreased significantly lower in CCl4 + PLE than the CCl4 group. Our data indicated that cytokine protein production were increased in CCl4 group with CCl4 + PLE group. In our data indicate that IgA levels in MLN lymphocytes were low, while IgE was high in CCl4 + PLE group compared with CCl4 group. Therefore, the results of this study show that PLE can be proposed to protect the liver against CCl4-induced immunoregulatory activity in rats.

Mouse의 CCl4에 의한 급성간장해에 있어서 마늘분말은 농도의존적으로 간세포보호효과, 간독성억제효과를 갖는 것이 인정되었으며, 이러한 결과는 GOT, GPT등의 혈청학적 수치의 결과와 일치하였다. 그러나 마늘 extract 투여군에서의 간장 보호효과는 마늘분말보다도 미약하고 오히려 고농도 투여군인 10ml/kg 투여군에 비하여 저농도투여군인 1ml/kg에서 보다 뚜렷한 간장보호효과가 관찰되어 마늘 extract에 관한 약효, 약리작용에 관한 검토 및 독성에 관한 연구가 보다 필요한 것으로 사료되었다.