• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.25 no.4 s.99
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• pp.388-394
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• 1994

80% Methanol extracts of 44 traditional drugs used for the treatment of liver diseases or tonic effects were screened for anti-hepatotoxic activity by in vitro assay using $CCl_4-induced$ cytotoxicity in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. $CCl_4-induced$ cytotoxicity was evaluated by determination of LDH, GOT or GPT activity in the medium. Rehmaniae Radix Preparata and Gelantina nigra inhibited the release of LDH, GOT or GPT from $CCl_4-treated$ hepatocytes. Gibotii Rhizoma and Eucommiae Cortex showed inhibitory effect on release of LDH from normal hepatocytes as well as $CCl_4-treated$ hepatocytes. Eucommiae Cortex and Lili Bulbus decreased release of GOT and LDH from normal hepatocytes, respectively. Astragali Radix inhibited release of GPT in $CCl_4-treated$ hepatocytes. Phlomidis Radix, Imperatae Rhizoma, Cistanchis Herba, Broussonetiae Fructus, Asparagi Tuber, Trigonellae Semen and Polgonati Rhizoma inhibited release of LDH from $CCl_4-treated$ hepatocytes. Among 44 traditional drugs, most of them released LDH, GOT or GPT at the dose of 1 mg/ml in normal hepatocytes, and Drynariae Rhizoma, Acanthopanacis Cortex, Longanae Arillus, Atratylodis Rhizoma and Ecliptae Herba increased $CCl_4-induced$ cytotoxicity.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.23-27
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• 2005

The major garlic component, Allicin [diallylthiosulfinate, or (R, S)-diallyldissulfid-S-oxide] is known for its medicinal effects, such as antihypertensive activity, microbicidal activity, and antitumor activity. Allicin and diallyldisulfide, which is a converted form of allicin, inhibited the cholesterol level in hepatocytes, in vivo and in vitro. The metabolism of allicin reportedly occurs in the microsomes of hepatocytes, predominantly with the contribution of cytochrome P-450. However, little is known about how allicin affects the genes involved in the activity of hepatocytes in vivo. In the present study, we used the short-term intravenous injection of allicin to examine the in vivo genetic profile of hepatocytes. Allicin up-regulate ten genes in the hepatocytes. For example, the interferon regulator 1 (IRF-I), the wingless-related MMTV (mouse mammary tumor virus) integration site 4 (wnt-4), and the fatty acid binding protein 1. However, allicin down-regulated three genes: namely, glutathione S-transferase mu6, a-2-HS glycoprotein, and the corticosteroid binding globulin of hepatocytes. The up-regulated wnt-4, IRF-1, and mannose binding lectin genes can enhance the growth factors, cytokines, transcription activators and repressors that are involved in the immune defense mechanism. These primary data, which were generated with the aid of the Atlas Plastic Mouse 5 K Microarray, help to explain the mechanism which enables allicin to act as a therapeutic agent, to enhance immunity, and to prevent cancer. The data suggest that these benefits of allicin are partly caused by the up-regulated or down-regulated gene profiles of hepatocytes. To evaluate the genetic profile in more detail, we need to use a more extensive mouse genome array.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.285-302
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• 1992

Human and rat hepatocytes were isolated by nonperfusion method and cultured for longer than 5 days. Human liver biopsy sample and rat liver were used as hepatocyte source. Several physical and chemical factors which were influencing on hepatocyte isolation procedure were examined and a batch isolation procedure was established for small size sample of rat liver. Isolated hepatocytes showed normal morphlologica characteristics in microscopy and electron microscopical examinations and a morphologica response to phalloidin. Isolated cells were cultured as a monolayer and proven to have intact morphological characteristics for longer than 15 days. Because human liver sample is harder and tighter compared with rat liver, a standard procedure for rat hepatocytes was slightly modified to reduce mechanical damage. Similarly with rat hepatocytes, isolated human hepatocytes showed a normal morphological characteristics and could be cultured for longer than 15days. Human and rat hepatocytes were examined on their functional integrities including cytochrome-P450 related enzyme activity and it's inducibility, hormonal inducibility of AIB uptake and TAT activity, albumin synthesis, DNA synthesis, cellular protein maintenance. In all parameters used in the present study, human and rat hepatocytes showed normal functional characteristics.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.137-149
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• 2015

Human hepatocytes, with complete hepatic metabolizing enzymes, transporters and cofactors, represent the gold standard for in vitro evaluation of drug metabolism, drug-drug interactions, and hepatotoxicity. Successful cryopreservation of human hepatocytes enables this experimental system to be used routinely. The use of human hepatocytes to evaluate two major adverse drug properties: drug-drug interactions and hepatotoxicity, are summarized in this review. The application of human hepatocytes in metabolism-based drug-drug interaction includes metabolite profiling, pathway identification, P450 inhibition, P450 induction, and uptake and efflux transporter inhibition. The application of human hepatocytes in toxicity evaluation includes in vitro hepatotoxicity and metabolism-based drug toxicity determination. A novel system, the Integrated Discrete Multiple Organ Co-culture (IdMOC) which allows the evaluation of nonhepatic toxicity in the presence of hepatic metabolism, is described.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Food Hygiene and Safety Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.147-147
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• 2002

This experimental study was carried out to investigate on the safety of Nog-yong aqua-acupuncture solution in primary culture of adult rat hepatocytes. Primary culture of adult rat hepatocytes has been considered as a ideal model for toxicological studies because cultured hepatocytes maintained many liver-specific functions. In this research, we investigated the effects of Nog-yong aqua-aqupunture(1-10$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml) on cytotoxicites in primary culture of adult rat hepatocytes using LDH release assays. Hepatic glutathione level. glutathione-S-transferase activity, and albumin synthesis were not affected by treatment with Nog-yong aqua-aqupuntur alone. Nog-yong aqua-aqupuncoure solution(0.5-$10{\mu}\textrm{g}$/ml) on cytotoxicites in primary culture of adult rat hepatocytes using LDH release not significantly affected normal functional charaterists.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 1995

To devise an in vitro screening method for antihepatotoxic activity, $CCl_4-induced$ cytotoxicities in primary cultures rat hepatocytes were examined. When rat hepatocytes were intoxicated with 0.5, 1.0 or 1.5 mM $CCl_4$ for 1.5, 3 or 19hr, in order of LDH>GOT>GPT release form hepatocytes was increased in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with 1.5 mM $CCl_4$ for 1.5 hr showed maximum increase in activity of LDH, GOT or GPT released in the medium compared with the control. At this experimental condition, well known antihepatotoxic substances, glycyrrhizin and silybin markedly inhibited $CCl_4-induced$ cytotoxicities. These results demonstrated that the screening method using $CCl_4-induced$ injury in primary cultured rat hepatocytes might be suitable in vitro assay for antihepatotoxic activity.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.173-181
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• 1991

Membrane transport of brazilin was investigated i primary cultured rat hepatocytes. Brazilin was transported into hepatocytes very slowly and reached plateau at about 60 minutes. Saturation of transport process was not observed and the transport was not affected by ouabain, metabolic inhibitors, and its structural analog. The amount of brazilin transported into hepatocytes was decreased when the environmental temperature was decreased. These results suggest that brazilin might be transported into hepatocytes by simple diffusional process.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.125-131
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• 2000

The ethanol extract of Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS), the Korean Lacquer tree, was subsequentely isolated and fractioned into two portions using distilled water (SED) and 99% ethanol (SEE) as elution buffers through silica gel column (4x28 em, 22 $\AA$. 28~200 mesh). To know the antioxidative effect of the RVS extracts, primary hepatocytes were exposed to hydroxyl radical generated by 20 mU/$m\ell$ glucose oxidase with SED or SEE for 4 hr. The addition of 100$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ SED in culture medium showed good protection from glucose oxidase (GO)-mediated cytotoxicity of hepatocytes, showing approximately equivalent to control. When the hepatocytes were incubated with 100 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ SED or SEE only for 4 hr. the activities of cell-associated superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase were elevated up to 1.22 fold and 1.4 fold, respectively, compared to control. Further increase, 1.88fold in SOD activity or 1.64fold in catalase activity, was also observed when the hepatocytes were incubated with 100 units/$m\ell$ of commercial SOD or catalase for 4 hr. Moreover. the glucose oxidase-mediated cytotoxicity in cultured hepatocytes was generally reduced upon addition of lysate obtained from SED or SEE-stimulated hepatocytes in a dose-dependent manner. From these results, we suggest that, in cultured hepatocytes, RVS ethanol extract can efficiently reduce cytotoxicity induced by glucose oxidase and may increase the activity of cell-associated SOD and/or catalase, thereby preventing and/or scavenging superoxides and hydroxyl radicals in this experiment.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.179-184
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• 2002

We investigated the morphological changes and TUNEL reaction of apoptotic cells in the liver of D-galactosamine (20 mg/mouse) and lipopolysaccharide (5 $\mu\textrm{g}$/mouse)-treated 30 mice (BALB/c), and in additioa also of apoptotic cells in kidney and spleen. The livers and other some organs of mice at 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hrs after treatment were collected and were fixed with 10% neutral formalin and paraffin sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin or terminal deoxynucleotidly transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) method. Morphological changes in apoptotic hepatocytes were chondensation of nuclei and density of cytoplasms, then the margination and pyknosis of chromatin, the formation of half-moon- or horse-shoe- or ship-like shapes of condensed chromatin mass, lastly formation of apoptotic bodies, disappearance of nuclear envelopes, decrease of stainability, then lysis and disappearance of apoptotic bodies. TUNEL positive reactions of hepatocytes were appeared first moderate in uncondensed hepatocytes, severe in condensed hepatocytes, moderate in chromatin-marginated hepatocytes. These reactions also were appeared moderate in hepatocytes with half-moon- or horse-shoe- or ship-like pyknotic chromatin mass or apoptotic bodies, and mild or negative in hepatocytes with lysed apoptotic bodies or with disappeared nuclear envelopes. Consequently these results suggested that TUNEL positive reactions of hepatocytes appeared at more early stages than appearance of chromatin condensation and disappeared at more early stage than disappearance of histological findings of apoptosis. We also confirmed that the differentiation of apoptotic cells from normal healthy cells of Kupffer cells and vascular endothelial cells in liver, reticular cells and lymphocytes in spleen and epithelial cells of tubules and ducts in kidney was impossible in H-E preparations but was possible in TUNEL preparations.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The $NAD^+$ precursor nicotinamide riboside (NR) is a type of vitamin $B_3$ found in cow's milk and yeast-containing food products such as beer. Recent studies suggested that NR prevents hearing loss, high-fat diet-induced obesity, Alzheimer's disease, and mitochondrial myopathy. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of NR on inflammation and mitochondrial biogenesis in AML12 mouse hepatocytes. MATERIALS/METHODS: A subset of hepatocytes was treated with palmitic acid (PA; $250{\mu}M$) for 48 h to induce hepatocyte steatosis. The hepatocytes were treated with NR ($10{\mu}M$ and 10 mM) for 24 h with and without PA. The cell viability and the levels of sirtuins, inflammatory markers, and mitochondrial markers were analyzed. RESULTS: Cytotoxicity of NR was examined by PrestoBlue assay. Exposure to NR had no effect on cell viability or morphology. Gene expression of sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) and Sirt3 was significantly upregulated by NR in PA-treated hepatocytes. However, Sirt1 activities were increased in hepatocytes treated with low-dose NR. Hepatic pro-inflammatory markers including tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 were decreased in NR-treated cells. NR upregulated anti-inflammatory molecule adiponectin, and, tended to down-regulate hepatokine fetuin-A in PA-treated hepatocytes, suggesting its inverse regulation on these cytokines. NR increased levels of mitochondrial markers including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ coactivator-$1{\alpha}$, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1, uncoupling protein 2, transcription factor A, mitochondrial and mitochondrial DNA in PA-treated hepatocytes. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrated that NR attenuated hepatic inflammation and increased levels of mitochondrial markers in hepatocytes.