Velvet antler is widely used as a traditional medicine, and numerous studies have demonstrated its tremendous nutritional and medicinal values including immunity-enhancing effects. This study aimed to investigate different deer velvet extracts (Sample 1: raw extract, Sample 2: dried extract, and Sample 3: freeze-dried extract) for proximate composition, uronic acid, sulfated glycosaminoglycan, sialic acid, collagen levels, and chemical components using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-light mass spectrometry. In addition, we evaluated the cytotoxic effect of the deer velvet extracts on BV2 microglia, HT22 hippocampal cells, HaCaT keratinocytes, and RAW264.7 macrophages using the cell viability MTT assay. Furthermore, we evaluated acute toxicity of the deer velvet extracts at different doses (0, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg) administered orally to both male and female ICR mice for 14 d (five mice per group). After treatment, we evaluated general toxicity, survival rate, body weight changes, mortality, clinical signs, and necropsy findings in the experimental mice based on OECD guidelines. The results suggested that in vitro treatment with the evaluated extracts had no cytotoxic effect in HaCaT keratinocytes cells, whereas Sample-2 had a cytotoxic effect at 500 and 1000 μg/mL on HT22 hippocampal cells and RAW264.7 macrophages. Sample 3 was also cytotoxic at concentrations of 500 and 1000 μg/mL to RAW264.7 and BV2 microglial cells. However, the mice treated in vivo with the velvet extracts at doses of 500–2000 mg/kg BW showed no clinical signs, mortality, or necropsy findings, indicating that the LD50 is higher than this dosage. These findings indicate that there were no toxicological abnormalities connected with the deer velvet extract treatment in mice. However, further human and animal studies are needed before sufficient safety information is available to justify its use in humans.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in many commercial products may interfere with the normal functioning of the endocrine system and are unsafe because of their cumulative effect on the human body. However, little is known about the effects of combinations of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in humans. Methoxychlor and bisphenol A are toxic to male reproductive organs. Therefore, we studied the effects of methoxychlor and bisphenol A on male reproductive function. Male mice were divided into four treatment groups: control, 400 mg methoxychlor, 1 mg bisphenol A, and 400 mg methoxychlor + 1 mg bisphenol A/kg/day. Methoxychlor and bisphenol A were dissolved in sesame oil and acetone and administered orally for 4 weeks. After administration, the weight and histological changes in the testicles and epididymis, sperm count and health were observed biochemical tests and whole blood counts were performed. The results showed that the mice in the bisphenol A and methoxychlor + bisphenol A groups gained more weight than those in the control and methoxychlor group. The weights of the testes and epididymis were higher in the experimental groups than in the control. Sperm motility and progression were significantly reduced in the bisphenol A and methoxychlor + bisphenol A groups. Histological observation showed a reduced number of sperm, smaller seminiferous tubules, and destroyed lumen in the methoxychlor + bisphenol A group compared to the other groups. In conclusion, our study showed that methoxychlor and bisphenol A destroy male reproductive tissues and decrease sperm quality.

This study aims to investigate the effects of exogenous succinic acid (SCA) on Brucella (B.) abortus infection in macrophage RAW 264.7 cells and ICR mice. Firstly, the in vitro experiment was conducted by MTT cytotoxicity and bacterial internalization assay to evaluate the uptake of B. abortus into macrophage cells. Two non-cytotoxic concentrations of SCA demonstrated attenuated invasion of Brucella into macrophages at 30 and 45 min post- infection (pi). Secondly, ICR mice were treated with SCA and infected with B. abortus. On day-14 pi, spleen and blood serum were collected to evaluate the bacterial burden and total spleen weight as well as the production of cytokine/chemokine, respectively. The results showed that SCA treatment promoted bacterial growth and reduced the total spleen weight in mice. Furthermore, SCA treatment increased the level of IL-10 cytokine in the sera, while dampening the production of MCP-1 chemokine compared to the control. The results of bacterial load in spleen and spleen weight together with cytokine/chemokine production profile in the sera indicated that SCA induced the host anti-inflammatory response which is beneficial for the survival of Brucella. Therefore, these findings suggest that SCA contributed to host immunity against Brucella infection and the emerging potential topic-immunometabolism should be invested for further investigations.

본 연구의 목적은 벼메뚜기(Oxya chinensis sinuosa) 분말 섭취가 유산소성 운동훈련(트레드밀 달리기)의 병행 유무에 의해 ICR 생쥐의 에 너지 대사를 증가시키는지를 알아보고자 하는 것이다. 이 목적을 달성하기 위하여, 28 마리의 ICR 생쥐를 보통식 대조군(CON), 보통식 대조군 으로서 운동훈련 병행군(COEX), 벼메뚜기 분말이 혼합된 사료 섭취군(GH), 그리고 벼메뚜기 분말이 혼합된 사료를 섭취함과 동시에 운동훈련 을 병행군(GHEX)으로 구분하였다. 벼메뚜기 분말 사료섭취 및 운동은 6주간 진행하였다. 체중증가율은 유의하지 않았다. 지방량은 GH와 GHEX에서 유의하게 감소하였다. 혈중 glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase와 glutamic pyruvic transaminase 수준은 처치 집단간 변화가 없었다. 제2형 당수송체 및 제4형 당수송체는 처치 집단간 유의한 차이가 없었다. GHEX의 fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 단백질 발현량이 가장 높았다. AMP-activated protein kinase 단백질 수준은 GHEX에서 유의하게 증가하였다. Glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta 단백질 발현량은 GHEX가 CON과 비교할 때 감소하였다. 이러한 결과들은 벼메뚜기 분말을 섭취하면서 지구성 운동훈련을 하는 경우에 에너지 대사에 영향을 준다는 것을 제시하고 있다.

식용곤충은 대체 식량자원으로 관심이 증가되고 있다. 본 연구의 목적은 누에나방 번데기 분말 섭취 유무에 따른 저항성운동 훈련(등장성 수축)이 ICR 마우스의 근육량 증가에 미치는 영향을 분석하였다. 이를 위하여 ICR 마우스 28마리를 대조군(CON), 저항성운동 훈련군(EX), 누에나방 번데기 분말 섭취군(SP), 누에나방 번데기분말 섭취 저항성운동 훈련군(SPEX)으로 그룹 당 각각 7마리씩 분류하였다. 체중증가율은 EX와 SPEX가 CON과 SP에 비해 유의하게 억제되었다. 혈중 총 단백질 농도는 SPEX가 다른 그룹에 비하여 가장 높았다. 알부민 농도 변화는 운동훈련 병행 시에만 증가하였다. 혈액 GOT와 GPT 수준은 유의차가 없었다. Akt와 Gsk-3β의 단백질 발현의 유의차는 없었다. 그러나 번데 기 분말 섭취 시 Akt 증가 및 Gsk-3β의 감소 경향이 나타났다. 비복근 근육 양은 저항성 운동 훈련을 하였을 때만 증가하였다. 그리고 또한, 번데 기 분말 섭취 시 근육량은 유의차가 없었으나 증가하는 경향을 보였다. 이러한 결과는 저항성 운동훈련과 누에나방 번데기 분말 섭취는 간독성을 유발하지 않고 근육량을 증가시킬 수 있다는 점을 시사한다. 그러나 보다 상세한 결과를 제시하기 위해 부가적인 연구가 필요할 것이다.

To investigate the in vivo cognitive effects of syringic acid(SA), Y-maze and passive avoidance tests were performed in amyloid-β(Aβ)-induced cytotoxicity. Learning and memory impairment by Aβ neurotoxicity was partially recovered in Institute of Cancer Research(ICR) mice orally administered SA(10mg/kg of body weight). The SA treated group showed an inhibitory effect on acetylcholinesterase(AChE) that was extracted from mice brain tissue after in vivo tests. Aβ-induced oxidative stress was also examined by malondialdehyde(MDA) and 2',7,-dichlorofluorescein diacetate(DCF-DA) assays, and lipid peroxidation of brain homogenates and cellular oxidative stress were reduced by SA. In cell viability assays using 3-[4,5-dimethythiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide(MTT), lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) leakage, and caspase 3/7 activity, the SA treated group showed relatively effective protection against Aβ-induced neurotoxicity compared to the others. Consequently, these results suggest that SA in black soybean seed coat extract might improve cognitive function because of its neuronal cell protective effects against oxidative stress and the inhibitory effect of AChE as a cholinergic enzyme.

This study was conducted to evaluate the accumulation and distribution of hydrophobically modified glycol chitosan (HGC) as a degradable nanoparticle in the body. To determine the movement of degradable HGC nanoparticles in the body, 20 mg/kg of lutetium177-labeled HGC (Lu177-HGC) with the size ranging from 320 to 400 nm was injected intravenously into ICR mice, and the amount of radioactivity remaining in blood and several organs was measured at various time points during the period of 5 days. In the pharmacokinetics analysis using the Lu177 radioisotope, the free Lu177 was mainly distributed and accumulated in the order of kidney>liver>lung at 1 day after the injection of the radioisotope. However, the Lu177-HGC showed a high distribution of nanoparticles in the order of liver>spleen>kidney during the experimental period of 5 days. These results would provide a basic pharmacokinetics for the use of HGC as a drug carrier in drug delivery system.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of soy hydrolysate fractions on appetite suppression and ghrelin releasing. In a short-term experiment, the cumulative food intake and serum ghrelin level were decreased significantly (p<0.05) during a 4-hr period after the interperitoneal injection of soy hydrolysate fractions (0.5, 1 g/㎏ BW), following a 12-hr period of food deprivation. In a long-term experiment, food efficiency ratio (FER) was also reduced significantly (p<0.05), when soy hydrolysate fractions (0.5, 1% in drinking water) were given orally for 8 wks. Therefore, we found that soy hydrolysate fractions affected food intake through appetite and ghrelin releasing in short-term and long-term experiments. In conclusion, this study indicated that soy hydrolysate fractions would diminish the sensation of hunger by reducing the secretion of orexigenic factors such as ghrelin that send satiety signals to the brain, terminating food intake.

Little attention has been paid to the functional aspect of the flower petal of Paeonia lactiflora, compared to that of its root. To determine the components of flower petal of Paeonia lactiflora, we conducted the Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) MASS spectrophotometric analysis. We detected the 24 different types of ingredients from the 70% ethanol extracts of flower petal of peonia lactiflora cv. ‘Red Charm’. The main compounds were quercetin glucopyranosides, methyl gallate, paonioflolol and kaemperol glucopyranosides. We further tested its functional activity. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of the extracts was 87.9-90.4% at 0.1mg/ml. This result showed that these flower extracts have approximately 5-fold stronger antioxidant potential than a previous report with root extracts (Bang et al. 1999). The result of tyrosinase inhibition assay of Paeonia lactflora extract was almost similar to that of arbutin except significantly higher effect in the coral sunset extract at 0.1% concentration. Hyaluronidase inhibition assay showed 76.5% inhibition at 5% concentration of this flower extract, indicating that Peaonia lactiflora flower extracts have the major anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and brightening effects. Taken together, these results suggest these three Paeonia lactiflora species extracts might provide the basis to develop a new natural brightening agent.

This study was to investigate the effect of fermentation extracts on the concentration of serotonin and melatonin in the serum of the ICR mice. The ICR mice were divided into water control group, lactobacillus fermentation solution including (Lactobacillus paracasei and Bifidobacterium longum B6) control group, positive control group (milk and doxylamine succinate), negative control group (caffein) and the groups treated with the extracts of Berberis koreana bark (WE: water extracts, FE-L.P: fermentation extracts of Lactobacillus paracasei, FE-B.L: fermentation extracts of Bifidobacterium longum B6). After ten-day feeding treatment, the mean concentration of serotonin for water control, WE, FE-L.P and FEB. L group was 134.72, 183.01, 232.09 and 223.78 ng/ml, respectively. The mean concentration for FE-L.P and FE-B.L group were approximately 66% larger than that for water control group. The mean concentration of melatonin for water control, WE, FE-L.P and FE-B.L group was 76.92, 106.66, 157.56 and 141.81pg/ml, respectively. The mean concentration of melatonin for FE-L.P and FE-B.L group were also larger than that for water control group. Our results indicated that the fermentation extracts of Berberis koreana bark have relatively greater potential to induce secretion of serotonin and melatonin. Therefore, the fermentation extracts have antidepressant effect.