Aim : The hypoglycemic effects of soyasaponin extracted from the hypocotyl were investigated by using genetically diabetic mice, and also, rough saponins were orally administered to persons.
Methods and results : Type 2 genetically diabetic mice (KK-A^y/Ta) were used. Soyasaponin A (A) and soyasaponin B (B) were isolated from the hypocotyl by 50% methanol extraction and sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. Casual blood glucose levels were measured at 0, 3, 5, 13, 17, 19 day after feeding the AIN-76 food as control and the A or B adding diet to the AIN-76. Furthermore, at the end of the experiment, fasting blood glucose, plasma insulin, plasma leptin were estimated. And glucose level estimation and glucose tolerance test were performed in persons at 0, 4, 8, 12 weeks and after examination termination 4 weeks.
The glucose levels in the B group were significantly lower than those in other groups. Plasma insulin levels in the B group were lowest after 19th day. Plasma leptin levels in the B group were higher than those in other groups at the 19th day after. There was not the difference in glucose level of normal persons. In the persons whose glucose levels were more than 111 mg/dL, the glucose level decreased after 12 weeks, increased after examination termination 4 weeks. As a result of glucose tolerance test, elevation of glucose was restrained at the 12 weeks. The elevation of glucose level after examination termination became the same before administration.
Conclusion : Soyasaponin may correct glucose level, it was the thing which had an enough meaning for clinical.

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As an attempt to develop presymptomatic diagnosis on small animals, portable electrocardiograph was applied to large, medium and small size dogs.
Methods : Electrocardiograms of three dogs were recorded with a type of portable ECG (CG-2100, Card Guard Japan) . Portable ECG was placed between dorsal surface of a foreleg and the palmar side of the opposite foreleg. For 30 seconds pulses were recorded and then signals were sent to call center. In a few minutes ECG and brief comments were called back. For comparison ordinary ECG (Cardisuny D500, Fukuda M. E Kogyo), for dogs, was also utilized in this experiment.
Results : Three cardiograms by portable ECG were compared to those that were obtained by ordinary ECG. In conclusion, transtelephonic ECG was comparable to ordinary ECG.
Discussion : Since animals cannot explain their body condition in details, and frequent visit to animal hospital is not practical, transtelephonic diagnosis at home is highly effective procedure. The present device is possible to apply to other small animals with minor modifications. The present trial is expected to open the gate for presymptomatic medicine for animals. It also creates new field of work for animal nurses. Telemedicine is not necessarily limited to ECG, but analysis of hair, nail, saliva, blood and urine can be used in the field of telemedicine to control everyday life of animals.

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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