The therapeutic anti-diabetic effect of SMK001, a poly herbal formula was evaluated in the streptozotocin (STZ; 60 mg/kg, single intraperitoneal injection) induced diabetic rats. For therapeutic study, test articles were orally dosed once a day from 21 d after STZ-dosing at 100, 200 and 500 mg/kg/5 ml dosage levels for 4 weeks. The body weight changes, blood and urine glucose level changes were monitored with changes on the pancreas weight, and after sacrifice, the histopathological changes of pancreas and the changes of insulin-and glucagonproducing cells were also observed by immunohistochemistry. The results were compared to that of glibenclamide 5 mg/kg-dosing group. Significantly ( pϽ0.01 or pϽ0.05) decrease of body weight, blood and urine glucose levels were detected in STZ-induced diabetic animals with disruption and disappearance of pancreatic islets. In addition, significantly (pϽ0.01) increase of glucagon-and decrease of insulin-producing cells were detected in STZ induced diabetic rats. However, these diabetic changes were significantly ( pϽ0.01 or pϽ0.05) and dose dependently decreased in SMK001-dosing groups, and SMK001 100 mg/kg showed more favorable effects compared to that of glibenclamide 5 mg/kg. Based on these results, it is considered that SMK001 has favorable effect to inhibit the changes on the blood and urine glucose levels, body weight and the histopathological changes of pancreas in STZ induce diabetes.
Platycodin D is a major pharmacological constituent of Platycodi radix and has showed various pharmacological activities through oxidative stress defense mechanisms. Here, possible antitumor, anticachexia, and immunomodulatory activities of platycodin D were observed on the H520 tumor cell-bearing athymic nude mice after confirming the in vitro cytotoxicity. Platycodin D was orally administered at dose levels of 200, 100, and 50 mg/kg, once a day for 35 days from 15 days after implantation. The results were compared with gemcitabine 160 mg/kg intraperitoneally treated mice (7-day intervals). Platycodin D showed favorable cytotoxic effects on the H520 cells, and also dose-dependently decreased the tumor volumes and weights with increases of apoptotic cells (caspase-3 and PARP immunopositive cells), iNOS and TNF-α immunoreactivities, decreases of COX-2 immunoreactivities in tumor masses. Platycodin D also showed dose-dependent immunostimulatory and anticachexia effects. Gemcitabine showed favorable cytotoxity against H520 tumor cell and related in vivo antitumor effects but aggravated the cancer related cachexia and immunosuppress in H520 tumor cell-bearing athymic nude mice. Taken together, it is considered that oral treatment of platycodin D has potent antitumor activities on H520 cells through direct cytotoxic effects, increases of apoptosis in tumor cells, and immunostimulatory effects and can be control cancer related cachexia.
The preventive and therapeutic effects of aqueous extracts of Mornidae Radix (MR) were observed in sciatic neurectomized mice, a disused osteoporotic model. The right hind limbs of 80 mice were neurectomized and 20 mice were sham-operated and served as a sham control. Then 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg of MR extracts were dosed 3 days after neurectomy for 6 weeks in the prevention study and were dosed 2 weeks after neurectomy for 12 weeks for the therapeutic study. After dosing with the MR extracts, the thickness of the hind limbs, tibia failure load, tibia bone mineral density (BMD), serum osteocalcin levels, tibia calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) contents were monitored with histomorphometrical changes of the tibia. In both the prevention and therapeutic studies, the MR extracts significantly and dose-dependently suppressed the decrease in hind limb thickness, tibia failure load, BMD, tibia Ca and P contents with an increase in serum osteoclacin levels. In addition, the MR extracts also significantly and dose-dependently suppressed the decrease in histomorphometrical parameters of the tibia such as volume, length and thickness of trabecular bone and thickness of cortical bone with an increase in osteoclast cells in both the prevention and therapeutic studies. Based on these results, the MR extracts may act as both a suppressor of bone resorption and an enhancer of bone formation in vivo and may have some favorable effects for preventing and treating the osteoporosis induced by sciatic neurectomy.
A feasibility study for developing Advanced Power Reactor Plus (APR+), an improved nuclear power unit to succeed to the Korea’s current Advanced Power Reactor 1400 MWe (APR1400), has been carried out for 2 years from August 2007 to July 2009. The major goals of this study are to identify top-tier requirements for the candidate APR+, to develop a preliminary design concept, and to evaluate conceptual design in terms of safety, economics, and performance characteristics. From this study, it is presumed that the APR+ can be developed as a two loop evolutionary pressurized water reactor with a number of advanced design features to enhance safety and economics based on the APR1400 technology. For economic enhancement, the APR+ core power has increased up to 4,290 MWth which corresponds to a 1500MWe class nuclear power plant. Several new construction technologies are introduced so as to shorten construction period. For safety enhancement, several advanced design features have been proposed in APR+ design such as an improved direct vessel injection (DVI+), an advanced fluidic device (FD+), a passive auxiliary feedwater system (PAFS), and a mechanical and electrical four train safety concept based on N+2 design philosophy. As accident mitigation features are improved, the in-vessel retention through external reactor vessel cooling (IVR-ERVC) system will be incorporated. The standard design of APR+ is in progress and expected to acquire the standard design approval from the Korean nuclear regulatory body by the end of 2012.
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