ABSTRACT

Anti-oxidative Effect of Yongyukjowi-tang (YJT) Oral Administration on the Internal Organs of Aged Rats


Jea-Hong Kim
Dept. of Korean Medicine
Graduate school, Daejeon University
(Directed by Prof. Yun-Kyoung Yim, K.M.D., Ph.D.)


Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-oxidative effect of Yongyukjowi-tang (YJT) distillate on the organs of differently aged rats.

Methods : Sprague Dawley rats were split up into three different groups according to age (6, 48, and 68 weeks old). Each group was divided into three different treatment groups : the Yongyukjowi-tang (YJT) group, distilled water group (control), and Vitamin C group(positive control group), which were administered an oral dose (1 mL/day) for four weeks. After four weeks, the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured in the liver, spleen, lung, heart, kidney, and brain tissues. The levels of catalase, nitric oxide (NO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured only in the liver tissue.


Results :
1. In the liver tissue of 52-week-old rats, the levels of SOD and catalase were significantly increased and NO was significantly decreased in the YJT group compared to those in the DW group.
2. In the liver tissue of 72-week-old rats, the level of catalase was significantly increased and those of NO and MDA were significantly decreased in the YJT group compared to those in the DW group. Furthermore, in the liver tissue of 52-and 72-week-old rats, the level of catalase was significantly increased in the YJT group compared to that in the Vitamin C group.
3. In the kidney and brain tissues of 72-week-old rats, the level of SOD was significantly increased in the YJT group compared to that in the DW group.


Conclusions : Yongyukjowi-tang distillate has an anti-oxidative effect on the liver, kidney, and brain tissues of aged rats.


Key words : Yongyukjowi-tang (YJT), anti-oxidative effect, aging, internal organs.