• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.107-112
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• 2005

Background: Nerve ligation injury may produce mechanical allodynia, but this can be reversed after an intrathecal administration of adenosine analogues. In many animal and human studies, ATP-sensitive potassium channel blockers have been known to reverse the antinociceptive effect of various drugs. This study was performed to evaluate the mechanical antiallodynic effects of spinal R-PIA (Adenosine A1 receptor agonist) and the reversal of these effects due to pretreatment with glibenclamide (ATP-sensitive potassium channel blocker). Thus, the relationship between the antiallodynic effects of R-PIA and ATP-sensitive potassium channel were investigated in a neuropathic model. Methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats were prepared by tightly ligating the left lumbar 5th and 6th spinal nerves and implantation of a chronic lumbar intrathecal catheter for drug administration. The mechanical allodynia was measured by applying von Frey filaments ipsilateral to the lesioned hind paw. And the thresholds for paw withdrawal assessed. In study 1, either R-PIA (0.5, 1 and $2{\mu}g$) or saline were administered intrathecally for the examination of the antiallodynic effect of R-PIA. In study 2, glibenclamide (2, 5, 10 and 20 nM) was administered intrathecally 5 min prior to an R-PIA injection for investigation of the reversal of the antiallodynic effects of R-PIA. Results: The antiallodynic effect of R-PIA was produced in a dose dependent manner. In study 1, the paw withdrawal threshold was significantly increased with $2{\mu}g$ R-PIA (P < 0.05). In study 2, the paw withdrawal threshold with $2{\mu}g$ R-PIA was significantly decreased almost dose dependently by intrathecal pretreatment of 5, 10 and 20 nM glibenclamide (P < 0.05). Conclusions: These results demonstrated that an intrathecal injection of ATP-sensitive potassium channel blockers prior to an intrathecal injection of adenosine A1 receptors agonist had an antagonistic effect on R-PIA induced antiallodynia. The results suggest that the mechanism of mechanical antiallodynia, as induced by an intrathecal injection of R-PIA, may involve the ATP-sensitive potassium channel at both the spinal and supraspinal level in a rat nerve ligation injury model.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.467-475
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to investigate the vasodilatation effect of kirenol isolated from Sigesbeckia pubescens on the rabbit basilar artery. In this study, to determine the vasodilatation effect of kirenol on the rabbit basilar artery, arterial rings with intact or damaged endothelium were used for the experiment. And used an organ bath and force transducer were contracted by endothelin. Kirenol, major active constituents of S. pubescens, showed a moderate vasodilatation effect on the basilar arteries of rabbits. Therefore, treatment with kirenol may selectively accelerate cerebral blood flow through dilatation of the basilar artery. This result suggests a potential role of kirenol isolated from S. pubescens as a source of vasodilatation agent.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.1281-1286
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• 2010

Gaucher disease (GD) is caused by glucocerebrosidase functional deficiency and the most prevalent lysosomal storage disorder (LSD), with an incidence of about 1 in 20,000 new births. Resveratrol, one kind of phytoalexin, is a produced naturally by several plants and has anti-tumor, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and neuro-protective effects. In this paper we provide the cellular protective effect of resveratrol in both type I and type II Gaucher disease cells. Resveratrol treatment did not show any significant change in the p21 and p53 mRNA expression level, however expression level of the p21 protein, a cell cycle arrest factor, shows significant increment in both types of Gaucher disease cells. These cell cycle arrest patterns were confirmed by both MTT assay measurement and microscopy detection. In comparison, expression level of poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP), an apoptosis indicator protein, was significantly decreased in both type I and II Gaucher disease cells after treatment with resveratrol. This result indicates that resveratrol relievescellular apoptotic stress fromtype I and II Gaucher disease cells. Therefore, we demonstrate that resveratrol inhibits cell proliferation via p21 activity and activates cellular repair systems for Gaucher disease cells. Our results provide at least one of the molecular mechanisms of Gaucher disease and may allow the verification of potential drug targets for therapeutic trials.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2006

Background: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive diagnostic method particularly suited to investigation the long motor tracts. The clinical value of TMS in most spinal cord diseases has still to be made. Diagnostic value of magnetic motor evoked potential (MEP) parameters in intramedullary spinal cord lesions was investigated. Methods: MEP elicited by TMS was recorded in 57 patients with clinically and radiologically defined intramedullary myelopathy. Twenty five patients with cervical myelopathy (CM) and 32 thoracic myelopathy (TM) were included. Recordings were performed during resting and minimal voluntary contraction at both abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles. Stimulation threshold(ST), amplitude, and central motor conduction time (CCT) were measured at resting and facilitated conditions. CCT was calculated by two means; central motor latency (CML)-M using magnetic transcranial and root stimulation, and CML-F using electrical F-wave study. The results were compared between patient groups and 10 normal control group. Results: Facilitated mean ST recorded at TA was elevated in both CM and TM compared with control group. Resting mean CML-M at TA was significantly prolonged in both CM and TM, and CML-M was absent or delayed in 37.1% of CM and 8% of TM at APB with facilitation. Facilitated mean MEP amplitude at ABP was lower in CM than in TM, while MEP/M ratios were not different significantly between groups. Conclusions: Magnetic motor evoked potential has diagnostic value in intramedullary myelopathy and localizing value in differentiating between CM and TM by recording at APB and TA. It is a noninvasive way to investigate the functional status of motor tracts of spinal cord.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.133-146
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• 2012

Background: Most antitumor agents have the side effect of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Cancer patients who take antitumor agents suffer from CIPN, but there is no known treatment for it. Unlike the central nerve system, the peripheral nerve can self-repair, and the Schwann cell takes this mechanism. Objectives: In this study, we researched the effect of YideungJetong-Tang (YJT) extract on taxol-induced sciatic nerve damage, through in vitro and in vivo experiments. Also, we studied the effect of YJT extract on neurite recovery and anti-inflammatory effect after compression injury of sciatic nerve in vivo. Methods: Vehicle, taxol and taxol+YJT were respectively applied on sciatic nerve cells of rat in vitro, then the cells were cultured. The sciatic nerve cells and Schwann cells were then observed using Neurofilament 200, Hoechst, ${\beta}$ -tubulin, S-$100{\beta}$, caspase-3 and phospho-Erk1/2. CIPN was induced by taxol into the sciatic nerve of rat in vivo, then YJT extract was taken orally. The axons, Schwann cells and neurites of the DRG sensory nerve were then observed using Neurofilament 200, ${\beta}$-tubulin, Hoechst, S-$100{\beta}$, phospho-Erk1/2 and caspase-3. YJT was taken orally after sciatic nerve compression injury, and the changes in axon of the sciatic nerve, Schwann cells and TNF-${\alpha}$ concentration were observed. Results: The taxol and YJT treated group showed significant effects on Schwann cell recovery, neurite growth and recovery. In vivo, YJT compared with control group showed Schwann cell structural improvement and axons recovering effect after taxol-induced Schwann cell damage. After sciatic nerve compression injury, recovery of distal axon, changes of Schwann cell distribution, and anti-inflammatory response were observed in the YJT. Conclusions: Through this study, we found that after taxol-induced neurite damage of sciatic nerve in vivo and in vitro, YJT had significant effects on sciatic nerve growth and Schwann cell structural improvement. In vivo, YJT improved recovery of distal axons and Schwann cells and had an anti-inflammatory effect.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.598-605
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• 2020

Padina gymnospora is a brown algae of the class Phaeophyceae. It has been established that P. gymnospora ameliorates amyloid-β-induced neuropathology and has an anticoagulation effect, but this study was designed to estimate its skin-whitening effect and identify its active component. The ingredients of P. gymnospora were extracted with ethanol and its activity was compared with arbutin. First, the P. gymnospora extract was observed to inhibit tyrosinase activity in a dose-dependent manner, tyrosinase being the rate-limiting enzyme of melanin synthesis. Notably, where 200 μM of arbutin inhibited tyrosinase activity by 58.1%, P. gymnospora extract (0.5%) achieved 76.7%. The P. gymnospora extract also significantly reduced α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone-induced TRP-1 and TRP-2 mRNA expression. In addition, it significantly inhibited melanin synthesis in B16F10 melanoma cells. We identified the 0.66% fucosterol content that inhibited melanin synthesis as comparable to that of arbutin. Additionally, we tested the potential cytotoxicity of P. gymnospora by MTT and LDH release assay and found that the extract significantly reduced LDH release in CCD-986sk cells. These results indicate that P. gymnospora extract could be a potential active ingredient of cosmetics with a skin-whitening effect.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.1-12
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• 2005

Objectives : The Purpose of this study is to report in patient with common peroneal nerve palsy, who improved by oriental medical treatament. Methods : We Checked the temperature of a leg by Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging(DITI) at intervals of 10 days, angle of active dorsiflexion and range of active motion for estimating the improvement of symptoms. We used the Visual Analogue Scale(VAS) for estimating the degree of pain, too. Results : After 4 weeks treatment, the movement and power of ankle joint improved to nearly normal range. The degree of active dorsiflexion of the ankle increased from $-40^{\circ}\;to\;15^{\circ}$ and range of active motion increased from Gr III to Gr I. The difference of temperature between the both legs decreased remarkably. Conclusion : In this case we experienced improvement of symptoms by conservative oriental medical therapy, e.g acupuncture stimulation, herbal medication, physical therapy. It should be needed further investigation on common peroneal nerve palsy and its symptoms in order to set up a reasonable standard about a surgical operation.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.203-210
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• 2021

Bertolotti's syndrome is a rare spinal disease and it is known to cause low back pain due to a lumbosacral transitional vertebra. There has been rare study of Bertolotti's syndrome. This study reports the effects of Korean medicine treatment on the patient who was diagnosed on Bertolotti's syndrome. The patient was treated with Korean medicine treatment including acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine, and Chuna manual therapy during 40 days. Numerical rating scale (NRS), Euroqol five dimension (EQ-5D) index, Oswestry disability index (ODI), lumbar range of motion were used for assessment. After treatment, low back pain NRS decreased from 3 to 2, and low limb pain NRS decreased from 5 to 2. EQ-5D index, ODI and lumbar range of motion also were improved. This study shows Korean medicine treatment can be an effective care for Bertolotti's syndrome.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.107-124
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• 2022

Objectives This study aimed to identify optimal combinations of acupoints used to treat chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Methods We searched four international databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Allied and Complementary Medicine Databases [AMED], and China National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI]) and five Korean databases (DBpia, Research Information Sharing Service [RISS], Korean Studies Information Service System [KISS], Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System [OASIS], and KoreaMed) to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that used acupuncture to treat CIPN. Network analysis was performed on the acupoints used in more than three included articles. We constructed a network by calculating the Jaccard similarity coefficient between acupoints and applied minimum spanning tree. Then, modularity analysis, degree centrality (Cd), and betweenness centrality (Cb) were used to analyze properties of the acupoints. Results A total of 25 articles were included. 24 acupoints were extracted from 25 articles. The combinations of acupoints having the highest Jaccard similarity coefficient were {EX-UE9, EX-LE10} and {ST36, SP6}. In the modularity analysis, acupoints were classified to six modules. ST40, EX-UE11, and KI6 had the highest Cd value while ST40, GB34 had the highest Cb value. Conclusions This study found the systematic framework of acupoint combinations used in CIPN studies. This study is expected to provide new perspectives of CIPN treatment to therapists. A RCT is in progress of using the network of this study as a guideline. If significant results are derived from the RCT, it will be possible to lay the groundwork to consider acupuncture for CIPN treatment.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.231-243
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• 2023

Background: Diabetic polyneuropathy is the most common complication in diabetics, occurring in 50% of all cases. About 10-20% of all diabetics are accompanied by neurological pain, showing a tendency to increase with age. Clinical aspects are very diverse, from mild abnormalities on nerve conduction tests to severe abnormalities in all sensory, motor, and autonomic nerves; however, sensory symptoms usually precede motor symptoms. Patients typically express sensory symptoms, such as positive and negative symptoms, which decrease the quality of life and have marked clinical implications, such as increased morbidity and mortality. Although Western medical drugs, such as tricyclic antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and narcotic analgesics, are used for diabetic polyneuropathy, a standard treatment has not been established. Case report: A 65-year-old male with paresthesia and pain due to diabetic polyneuropathy was treated with Uchashinki-hwan, acupuncture, electroacupuncture, moxibustion, and Jungsongouhyul pharmacopuncture for 10 days. We used the Toronto Clinical Neuropathy Scoring System, EuroQol-5 Dimension, and Visual Analog Scale to evaluate symptoms. Subsequently, the Neuropathy Scoring System, EuroQol-5 Dimension, and subjective discomfort improved. Conclusion: The present case report suggests that combined Korean medicine treatment might be an effective treatment for paresthesia and pain with diabetic polyneuropathy. Several follow-up studies should be conducted to clarify the effectiveness of the treatment.