Bupleuri Radix (BR), the dried roots ofBupleurum falcatumL., has been used in folk medicine as an antiinflammatory and antioxidative agent. The aqueous extract of BR was evaluated for its possible ameliorative effect in the regulation of hyperthyroidism in l-thyroxine- (LT4-) induced rat model. After oral administration of 300, 150, and 75 mg/kg of BR extracts, once a day for 15 days from 12th LT4 treatments, changes on the body, thyroid gland, liver, and epididymal fat pad weights, serum triiodothyronine, thyroxine, thyroid-stimulating hormone, asparte aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase concentrations, hepatic lipid peroxidation, glutathione contents, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities were investigated with thyroid gland, liver, and epididymal fat histopathological changes. The effects of BR extracts were compared with that of propylthiouracil, a standard antithyroid drug 10 mg/kg (intraperitoneally). In this experiment, BR extracts dose dependently reversed LT4-induced hyperthyroidisms, and these effects indicating their potential in the regulation of hyperthyroidism. Further, the BR extract normalized LT4-induced liver oxidative stresses, and also reduced liver and epididymal fat pad changes. BR extracts 150 mg/kg showed comparable effects on the LT4-induced rat hyperthyroidism as compared with PTU 10 mg/kg. These effects of BR may help the improvement of hyperthyroidisms and accompanied various organ damages.

A sensitive and rapid liquid chromatography/electrospray ion trap mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method has been developed for the quantitative determination of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) in human plasma. Plasma samples (1.0 mL) were simply extracted with pentane and the extracts were analyzed by HPLC with the detection of the analyte in the selective reaction monitoring (SRM) mode. The determination of MPA was accurate and reproducible, with a limit of quantitation of 0.05 ng/mL in plasma. The standard calibration curve for MPA was linear (r = 0.998) over the concentration range 0.05-6.0 ng/mL in human plasma. Analysis precision over the concentration range of MPA was lower than 18.8% (relative standard deviation, RSD) and accuracy was between 96.2 and 108.7%.

The purpose of this study is to report the clinical effectiveness of Korean medicine, especially Galhwahajung-tang and Yijintang-gamibang on patient with acute alcoholic hepatitis and renal dysfunction. The patient in this case had suffered from pantalgia and dizziness with nausea. He was diagnosed as acute alcoholic hepatitis. Based on related symptoms and blood-test, we could diagnose acute alcoholic hepatitis. We treated him with Korean medicine, involving herbal decoction, acupuncture, moxibustion and cupping. We used visual analogue scale and blood-test for assessment. After 31 days of treatment, the pantalgia and dizziness with nausea were disappeared and liver function test was in the normal range. According to this study, Korean medicine, including Galhwahajung-tang and Yijintang-gamibang are an effective treatment for the cure of acute alcoholic hepatitis with renal dysfunction which occurs on crapulence.

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