Eul Won Seo

Protective Effects of Crude Mucin and Saponin from Dioscorea Rhizoma on Gastric Ulcer Induced by Alcohol in Rats

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of crude mucin and saponin from Dioscorea Rhizoma on acute gastric ulcers in rats. The gastric ulcer group (GU group) and mucin-applied group (DR-M group) exhibited serious bleeding of the mucous membrane of the stomach due to the ulcers, as well as blood congestion for three days. The saponin-applied group (DR-S group) exhibited less mucous membrane bleeding, and reddened and inflamed membranes recovered dramatically within 24 hours. After developing an acute pgastric ulcer, the tissues of the stomach, intestine, and liver in the control group and the DR-M group exhibited edema in the submucous membrane, as well as seri- ous bleeding. However, the DR-S group recovered quickly from mucous membrane bleeding due to gastric ulcer. The DR-M group did not show any notable changes in serum formation or activity of antioxidant enzymes compared to the GU rats. Increased AST and ALT activities were detected from the first day with saponin application in the gastric ulcer rats. As the AST and ALT activities de- creased, the gastric ulcers recovered with the increased activities of the antioxidant enzymes. Accordingly, this study suggest that mucin in Dioscorea Rhizomahas no effect on the recovery of damaged stomachs due to gastric ulcers, but saponin is mainly responsible for decreasing tissue dam- age by activating antioxidant enzymes.

Effect of Dendranthema indicum Extracts on Cell and DNA Damage Induced by Oxidative Stress

In this study, we evaluated the protective effects of ethanol extracts from Dendranthema indicum on cell and DNA damages induced by oxidative stress. Antioxidant activities of D. indicum extracts are higher than scavenging activities of DPPH free radical and hydroxyl radical by 92.8% and 73.8%, respectively, and higher than ferrous iron chelating effects by 59.4%. D. indicum extracts showed a protective effect on oxidative cell damage by inhibiting lipid peroxidation by 90.3% in the control group, and inhibiting expression level of p21 protein by 79.6% for the control group. This means D. indicum extracts have a great protective effect against oxidative stress. DNA fragmentation inhibition in D. indicum extracts were 89.6% for the control group, which makes the movement of DNA tail reduced, and phosphorylation of H2AX was 20.2% of the radical experiment group. This means that D. indicum extracts effectively inhibit DNA fragmentation and H2AX phosphorylation. Taken together, we suggest that ethanol extract from D. indicum has a role as a useful chemopreventor against oxidative damage.

Heavy Metal Contents in Tissues of Fishes in Andong and Imha Reservoirs

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of heavy metal contamination in the aquatic environ-ment on the fishes (Opsariichthys bidens, Cyprinus carpio, Hemiculter eigenmanni and Culter brevicauda) inhabiting Andong and Imha reservoirs by comparing and analyzing the heavy metal contents accu-mulated in their tissues. Heavy metal contents were shown to be higher in the Andong reservoir than in the Imha reservoir. Accumulated heavy metals, Cr, Cu and Pb, were detected in tissues and bone tissues, but Cd was also found in the kidneys. Zn content was the highest among accumulated metals, whereas Cu content was the lowest in all tissues from the fishes in the Andong and Imha reservoirs. However, the amount of Cr in the tissues showed a twofold higher level in the Andong reservoir than that in Imha reservoir. The heavy metal contents of fish inhabiting the Andong reservoir were de-tected to be higher than those in the Imha reservoir. We also proposed that heavy metal con-tamination in water and its inhabiting fish is attributed to various heavy metals derived from water and sediments in the water environment of the Andong reservoir. Keywords : Heavy metal, fishes, tissues, Andong reservoir, Imha reservoir

Protective Effect of Semisulcospira libertina Extract on Induced Hepatitis in Rats

본 연구는 다슬기(Semisulcospira libertine) 열수 추출물이 D-galactosamine에 의해 급성 간독성이 유도된 흰쥐에 미치는 보호 효과를 조사하였다. 다슬기 열수 추출물은 D-galactosamine에 의해 유발된 간 조직 내 국소적 지방 변성과 염증세포 침윤을 크게 완화하여 대조군과 유사하게 보호하는 경향을 보였다. 또한 다슬기 열수 추출물을 처리한 실험군은 간 손상 지표 효소인 AST와 ALT, LDH 및 ALP의 활성이 대조군 수준으로 유지되었으며 간조직 내 지질함량과 과산화지질함량이 감소되는 것으로 나타나 다슬기 열수 추출물이 D-galactosamine으로 인한 혈중 효소 활성과 조직 내 지질함량을 개선하는 것으로 조사되었다. 또한 다슬기 열수 추출물을 처리한 실험군은 염증반응을 촉진시켜 조직 상해 및 괴사를 유도하는 TNF-α의 발현을 억제하고 있어 염증 반응에서 세포 손상을 감소시키는 데 관여하는 것으로 나타났다. 따라서 다슬기 열수 추출물은 D-galactosamine에 의한 조직 괴사를 감소시키고 혈중 효소의 활성과 조직 내 지질함량을 개선하는 효과를 나타내고 있으며 염증 반응 인자의 발현과 항산화효소 활성을 조절하여 간독성에 대해 보호 효과가 높을 것으로 생각된다.This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of Semisulcospira libertina extract on liver injury induced by D-galactosamine in rats. After the administration of S. libertina extract, the local fat degeneration and infiltration of inflammatory cells in liver tissues were significantly decreased and peripheral hemorrhages around portal triads and central necrosis around central veins were found to be protective. The elevated levels of plasma ALT, AST, and LDH, the ALP activation lipid peroxidation, and the lipid contents of a damaged liver were recovered in experimental rats administrated with S. libertina extract, suggesting its role in blood enzyme activation and lipid content restoration within damaged rat liver tissues. Moreover, the expression rate of TNF-α, which accelerates inflammation and induces tissue damage and necrosis, was significantly decreased. In addition, the activities of antioxidant enzymes were more effectively upregulated compared to those of the control group induced hepatotoxicity. All data showed that S. libertina extract has a preventive role against liver damages, such as inflammation and tissue necrosis, as instigated with D-galactosamine by improving the activities of blood enzymes and antioxidant enzymes and modulating the expression of inflammation factor, suggest S. libertina extract is an effective medicinal resource for the restoration of hepatotoxicity.

Stress Resistance of Zacco koreanus due to Exposure of Cement Powder

This study investigated the effects of dissolved cement powder on Zacco koreanus by analyzing mor- phophysiological changes. The gills exposed to dissolved cement powder developed abnormal shapes in their secondary lamellae and increased numbers of mucous cel ls after long-term exposure. Additionally, clubbing, edema, and exfoliation of the epithelial cells were observed in the secondary lamellae. In the kidney tissue, the space in Bowmans capsule was widened, and in the integument tissue the arrangement of the dermis was irregular due to the thinned epidermis. These results sug- gest that long-term exposure to cement powder can significantly affect morphological change, result- ing death. The activities of antioxidant enzymes and LDH tended to increase commensurately with the duration of cement exposure. It was concluded that up-regulated proteins were the stress proteins involved in myofibrillar-protein production and down-regulated proteins were involved in glycolysis and energy metabolism after the integuments exposure to cement. According to these results dis- solved cement powder is a serious threat to the survival of fish because it causes morphological changes and weakens physiological activity in Z. koreanus tissues.