• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.67-75
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• 2005

This study was performed to examine the change of lipid metabolism and immune function caused by antioxidant material in hypercholesterolemic elderly women (serum total cholesterol $\geq$200 mg/dI). The subjects were 51 elderly women aged over 60 yrs. They were divided into antioxidant nutrients complex group (n = 25) and spirulina group (n= 26). Antioxidant nutrients complex (1 capsule/day) and spirulina (7.5 mg/day) were used for intervention for 8weeks. All the subjects were fully informed the purpose of study and gave written consents to participate in this study. Dietary intakes, anthropometric indices and blood assessment for lipid, immune function and antioxidant status were measured before and after supplementation. Either antioxidant nutrients complex or spirulina supplementation for 8weeks resulted in improved antioxidant status evidence by increased TAS (total antioxidant status) and decreased TB-ARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substance) . This intervention led to decreased serum levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, oxLDL, apolipoprotein B, IL-6 and IL-6 production by peripheral blood lymphocyte. In conclusion, the lipid profiles, immune function and antioxidant capacity were improved after either antioxidant nutrient complex or spirulina supplementation for hypercholesterolemic women. Therefore, improving antioxidant status using supplemen-tation could provide means of controlling cardiovascular disease in Korean elderly people.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.577-581
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• 2006

Oxidative mechanisms are thought to have a major role in cataract formation and diabetic complications. Antioxidant enzymes play an essential role in the antioxidant system of the cells that work to maintain low steady-state concentrations of the reactive oxygen species. When HLE-B3 cells, a human lens cell line were exposed to 50-100 mM glucose for 3 days, decrease of viability, inactivation of antioxidant enzymes, and modulation of cellular redox status were observed. Significant increase of cellular oxidative damage reflected by lipid peroxidation and DNA damage were also found. The glycation-mediated inactivation of antioxidant enzymes may result in the perturbation of cellular antioxidant defense mechanisms and subsequently lead to a pro-oxidant condition and may contribute to various pathologies associated with the long term complications of diabetes.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2003

This study was done to evaluate the antioxidant status of female college students by determining their intakes and plasma levels of antioxidnt vitamins (vitamin C, A and E) and total antioxidant status (TAS). Subjects were 46 healthy female college students aged 20 - 29 years. Body composition was determined by a multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis. Dietary intakes were examined by 24hr record method and nutrients intakes were analyzed by the Computer Aided Nutritional analysis program for professional (CAN-pro). Plasma vitamin C level were measured by spectrophotometric method and retinol, ${\beta}$-carotene, ${\alpha}$-tocopherol were measured by HPLC. Plasma TAS was measured with a Randox kit using the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) method. Daily energy and protein intakes of the female college students were 1670.5㎉ (83% of RDA) and 63.3g (115.1% of RDA), respectively. However their intakes of Ca and Fe were below 75% of RDA. Their intakes of vitamin A and C were 596.6 ${\mu}$ gRE (85.2% of RDA) and 71.0mg (101.4% of RDA), respectively. Plasma levels of vitamin C, retinol, ${\beta}$-carotene and ${\alpha}$-tocopherol were 14.7mg/L, 0.7mg/L, 0.2mg/L and 9.1mg/L, respectively which were within normal range. There was no subject with deficiency or marginal level in plasma vitamin A and C. However 1.6% of the subjects had below adequate level in vitamin E. Plasma TAS level was 1.2mmol/L. Correlation data showed that all plasma antioxidant vitamins were positively correlated with plasma TAS. Overall data indicate that the antioxidant status of female college students were pretty good. However it might be necessary to educate them to eat more fruits and vegetables for preventing many chronic diseases in a later life. (J Community Nutrition 5(1) : 13∼20, 2003)

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.527-538
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• 2002

Body antioxidant status is an important factor in the prevention of many chronic diseases caused by oxidative stress, especially in the elderly and is affected by health-related habits, such as smoking, drinking and regular physical activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between these health-related habits and plasma antioxidant status in the elderly. Plasma antioxidant status was examined by determining plasma levels of antioxidant vitamins (vitamin C, A, E, $\beta$ -carotene), total antioxidant status (TAS) and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) . The subjects included 225 elderly persons aged over 60 yews (63 males, 162 females) living in the Ulsan area. They were interviewed to collect data on their general characteristics and health behaviors such as smoking, exercise and alcohol consumption by means of questionnaires. Their dietary intakes were obtained by means of semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) The study population was divided into two or three groups according to their smoking, drinking, and exercise status. The ratio of smoker, drinker and exerciser was 16.7%, 31.0% and 44.2% respectively. The dietary antioxidant vitamin intakes were not significantly different among groups of smoking and drinking status, but tended to be higher in non-smokers and non-drinkers than in smokers and drinkers. Plasma vitamin C and $\beta$ -carotene levels were significantly higher in non-smokers, but Plasma vitamin A and TBARS levels were significantly lower in non-smokers than in smokers. Plasma TAS was not significantly different among the smoking groups, but showed a tendency to decrease with an increase in the number of packyear. Plasma vitamin C and $\beta$ -carotene levels of the non-drinkers were higher than those of drinkers and past-drinkers, but plasma vitamin A, C, E, TAS and TBARS showed no difference among the groups of drinker. All vitamin intakes of the exercisers were slightly higher than those of the non-exercisers, but vitamin C intake was significantly higher in female exercisers than in non-exercisers. Plasma $\beta$ -carotene levels were significantly higher in male exercisers and plasma vitamin A, C, E, TAS and TBARS levels tended to be higher in exercisers than in non-exercisers. These results suggested that change to non-smoker, modulation of alcohol consumption and regular exercise could enhance antioxidant defences against reactive oxygen species and might increase the likelihood of a healthier life span.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2005

There has been increasing research interests that green vegetables play beneficial roles in human health. This study was performed to investigate the effects of freeze-dried green vegetable extract of Angelica keiskei Koidz (A) and Brassica oleracea acephala (B) on lipid profiles and antioxidant status in rats. Seven-weeks old male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 6 groups and fed diets containing 5% A & B and 0.5% cholesterol (cho) for 8 weeks [Control Diet (C) & C + chol (CC), A & A + chol (AC), B & B + chol (BC)]. Lipid profiles and antioxidant status were determined by enzyme assay methods. The serum levels of [LDL + VLDLJ-cholesterol of the rats fed vegetable extract diets A and B were significantly lower than that of group C and the ratios of HDL/[LDL + VLDL] were significantly higher in groups A and B. Addition of cholesterol in the diet, however, abolished this effect. The Brassica oleracea acephala juice lowered serum TG level even when cholesterol was added to the diet. Serum total antioxidant status(TAS) were significantly higher in groups A and B as compared to the control group and the ratios of [GSH-Px +Catalase]/total-SOD in the liver were also significantly higher in groups A and B indicating that H202 produced be efficiently removed. In conclusion, freeze-dried green vegetable extract diets (A and B) improved serum lipid profiles by increasing the HDL/[LDL + VLDL〕 ratio and exerted favorable influences on antioxidant systems by improving total antioxidant status (TAS) in serum and by significantly increasing the ratio of [GSH-Px + Catalase]/total-SOD in the liver.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.103-109
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• 2004

Body antioxidant status is an important factor for the prevention of many chronic diseases in the elderly. This study was done to investigate antioxidant status and its relationship to immune response by measuring plasma cytokine (IL-2 and IL-6) levels in elderly women. Subjects were 76 elderly women aged over 60 years, visiting Jangwhi Social Welfare Center of Seongbook-Gu in Seoul. Subjects were divided into 3 groups according to age (< 65, 65 - 74, > 75). Dietary intakes were assessed by semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires (SFFQ). Plasma vitamin C level was measured by 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine method and plasma levels of vitamin E, A and ${\beta}$-carotene were measured by HPLC. Plasma levels of IL-2 and IL-6 were determined with a solid phase sandwich enzyme linked-immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) using commercial kits. The average intakes of antioxidant vitamins were 96.3mg (137.5% of RDA) for vitamin C and 523.3 ${\mu}$gRE (74.8% of RDA) for vitamin A in elderly women. All of the average plasma levels of antioxidant vitamins were within normal range. However the percentage of the elderly women with deficiency plus marginal values were 7.9% in vitamin C, 9.2% in vitamin A and 7.9% in vitamin E. Plasma levels of IL-2 and IL-6 were 27.1${\pm}$7.1pg/ml and 5.9${\pm}$5.3pg/ml in elderly women. Correlation data showed that plasma IL-2 level was negatively correlated with plasma vitamin C level. In addition, IL-6 level was also negatively correlated with plasma vitamin C, A and E levels, respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between erythrocyte thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance(TB-ARS) level and plasma IL-2 or IL-6 levels. In addition, erythrocyte TBARS level showed a significant positive correlation with plasma total antioxidant status (TAS) level and a significant negative correlation with plasma vitamin C level. Overall results might imply that the decreased levels of antioxidant vitamins result in an increase in oxidative stress and thereby increase cytokine production such as IL-2 and IL-6. However further research is required to elucidate these relationships.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.167-178
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• 2000

The effect of oral vitamin e (800IU/day) and C (500mg/day) supplementation for 10 days and/or smoking cessation for 5 days on oxidative damage to the red blood cells (RBC) of male smokers (22.2$\pm$0.2 years old) was studied. RBC were tested for their ability to protect against smoking-induced oxidative damage by measuring heme proteins (carboxyhemoglobin, hemoglobin, methemoglobin, oxyhemoglobin), hemolysis and thiobarbiturinc acid reactive substances (TBARS). Plasma levels of vitamin c, A, E, $\beta$-catotene, total cholesterol, glutamic pyruvic transaminase(GPT) and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase(GOT) were also analyzed. In experiment one, a comparison was made of heme proteins and lipid damage to RBC, plasma antioxidant status (indexed by plasma levels of vitamin C, E, A and $\beta$-carotene) between smokers(n=56) and non-smokers (n=16). No differences were found in plasma antioxidant status, heme protein damage and TBARS concentration of RBC. In experiment two, 46 fasting male smokers from experiment one were divided into 4 groups. The groups were smoking with placebo group(SP, n=14), smoking cessation with vitamins supplementatin group (SV, n=13), smoking cessation with placebo group (NSP, n=9) and smoking cessation with vitamins supplementation group (NSV, n=10). After supplementing antioxidant vitamins, significant increases were seen in plasma vitamins supplementation group (NSV, n=10). After supplementing antioxidant vitamins, significant increases were seen plasma vitamin C (p<0.05) and vitamin E levels (p<0.05). The plasma vitamin E level was highest in the NSV group. Vitmain E and C supplementation provided some protection against heme proteins and lipid damage by lowering methemoglobin, hemolysis and TBARS concentration of RBC. Smoking cessation significantly decreased TBARS of RBC and plasma total cholesterol concentration. Supplementing vitamin E and C with smoking cessation considerably lowered plasma total cholesterol. These results point to a special association among smoking, oxidative damage and plasma antioxidant vitamin status. They indicate that increases in plasma antioxidant status can be detected after the supplementation of vitamin C and E and that smoking cessation had an additional effect on plasma vitamin E level. The present data suggest that improved antioxidant status induced by antioxidant supplementation or smoking cessation may help prevent oxidative damage in smokers.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.161-164
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• 2007

Oxidative stress is prerequisite for the development of atherosclerosis. Apart from the traditional risk factors that contribute to this devastating condition, in the past few decades, much attention has been focused on plasma total homocysteine mainly because of its strong association with coronary artery disease. It has been suggested that homocysteine induces oxidative stress and hence the present work was undertaken to assess the total homocysteine status and plasma total antioxidant capacity in the acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients among Tamil population. The study subjects included only the Tamil population. Blood samples were collected from 100 AMI patients and 100 controls. Plasma was separated and the total antioxidant status was assessed as a measure of ferric reducing power of antioxidants using spectrophotometric method. Plasma total homocysteine concentrations were assessed by automated chemiluminescence method. While Total antioxidant status was significantly decreased, the plasma homocysteine concentrations were elevated in AMI patients compared to the controls. However, there was no correlation between the homocysteine levels and total antioxidant status. The findings of this study may have therapeutic implications, including food sources rich in antioxidants for all AMI patients to minimize the effect of free radicals formed during oxidative stress among Tamil population.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.330-337
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nutritional status of antioxidant vitamins in relation to serum malondialdehye(MDA) level in postmenopausal women with common occurance of cardiovascular disease(CVD). Data about general characteristics including smoking, drinking and exercise status, dietary intake and serum level of antioxidant vitamins, and serum MDA level were collected from eighty-five postmenopausal women. Mean serum MDA level was 1.62$\pm$0.03nmol/ml, and general characteristics and serum lipid profiles were not significantly different among the three group: low MDA(<1.45nmol/ml), midium MDA(1.45-1.74nmol/ml) and high MDA($\geq$1.74nmol/ml). Total mean vitamin A intake was 472.8$\pm$37.7RE, 68% of RDA, vitamin C intake was 134.3$\pm$8.7mg, 192% of RDA and vitamin E intake was 8.6$\pm$0.5mg, 86% of RDA for Korean. In takes of antioxidant vitamins from the diet were not significantly different among the three groups. However significant negative correlation(r=-0.242, p<0.05) was observed between vitamin E intake and serum MDA level in total subjects. Total mean serum vitamin A, $\beta$-carotene and vitamin C level were 0.59$\pm$0.01$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml, 0.25$\pm$0.01$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml and 9.02$\pm$0.28$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml, respectively. Total mean serum vitamin E and vitamin E/total cholesterol level were 9.15$\pm$0.42$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml and 4.09$\pm$0.17$\mu\textrm{g}$/mg, respectively. Serum antioxidant vitamins levels were not significantly different among the three groups. However serum vitamin C and E level were negatively correlated to serum MDA level. We can conclude that it will be helpful for postmenopausal women with common occurance of CVD to improve nutritional status of antioxidant vitamins by increasing intakes of antioxidant vitamins, especially vitamin C and E. (Korean J Nutrition 34(3) : 330~337, 2001)

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.432-443
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• 2000

Smoking can increase oxidative stress and thereby change the antioxidant defense system in the body. Supplementation of antioxidant vitamins might improve antioxidant status in the body. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of vitamin C supplementation and smoking cessation education on changes of antioxidant status and psychosocial factors related to smoking. To obtain above purposes, we investigated the effectiveness of intervention for male adolescent smokers were evalnate by assessing changes in dietary intakes, plasma antioxidant vitamin concentration, and psychosocial factors related to smoking after program completion. Subjects, male adolescent smokers, were assigned into four groups : Control group(19 students), Educ. group(19 students), Vit. C supple. group(19 students), and Educ.+Vit. C suppl. group(19 students). The Educ. group and Educ.+Vit. C suppl. group received nutrition and smoking cessation education once a week for 5 weeks. Vit. C suppl. group and Educ.+Vit. C suppl. group received 500 mg per day of ascorbic acid for 35 days. All data were collected before and after intervention. Vit. B$_2$and Vit. C intakes of all groups were increased, but the only Ca intake was increased in the Educ. group. Plasma Vit. C concentration and Ratio(plasma Vit. C/Vit. C intakes) were increased in the Vit. C suppl. group and Educ.+Vit. C suppl. group, and the Vit. C deficiency status of these groups(Vit. C suppl. group and Educ.+Vit. C suppl. group) disappeared. Showing the effects of Vit. C supplementation, plasma $\alpha$-tocopherol was increased in the Educ. and Educ.+Vit. C suppl. group, and especially high increases were seen in the Educ.+Vit. C suppl. group. Psychosocial factors related to smoking changed after the education a little. This intervention program had an impact on nutrition intakes, plasma antioxidant vitamins, and some beliefs related to smoking in male adolescent students. Various programs of nutrition and smoking cessation education and vitamin supplementation for quitting smoking must be implemented for adolescent smokers, and further studies are needed regarding sorts and amount of antioxidant nutrients and supplementation periods.