• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.791-795
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• 2011

Sea tangle, a kind of brown seaweed, was fermented with Lactobacillus brevis BJ-20. The gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content in fermented sea tangle (FST) was 5.56% (w/w) and GABA in total free amino acid of FST was 49.5%. The effect of FST on the enzyme activities and mRNA protein expression of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) involved in alcohol metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was investigated. Yeast was cultured in YPD medium supplemented with different concentrations of FST powder [0, 0.4, 0.8, and 1.0% (w/v)] for 18 h. FST had no cytotoxic effect on the yeast growth. The highest activities and protein expressions of ADH and ALDH from the cell-free extracts of S. cerevisiae were evident with the 0.4% and 0.8% (w/v) FST-supplemented concentrations, respectively. The highest concentrations of GABA as well as minerals (Zn, Ca, and Mg) were found in the cell-free extracts of S. cerevisiae cultured in medium supplemented with 0.4% (w/v) FST. The levels of GABA, Zn, Ca, and Mg in S. cerevisiae were strongly correlated with the enzyme activities of ADH and ALDH in yeast. These results indicate that FST can enhance the enzyme activities and protein expression of ADH and ALDH in S. cerevisiae.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.27-36
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• 2017

Angelicae Gigantis Radix (AGR, Angelica gigas) has been used for a long time as a traditional folk medicine in Korea and oriental countries. Decursinol angelate (DCA) is structurally isomeric decursin, one of the major components of AGR. This study was performed to confirm whether DCA augments pentobarbital-induced sleeping behaviors via the activation of $GABA_A$-ergic systems in animals. Oral administration of DCA (10, 25 and 50 mg/kg) markedly suppressed spontaneous locomotor activity. DCA also prolonged sleeping time, and decreased the sleep latency by pentobarbital (42 mg/kg), in a dose-dependent manner, similar to muscimol, both at the hypnotic (42 mg/kg) and sub-hypnotic (28 mg/kg) dosages. Especially, DCA increased the number of sleeping animals in the sub-hypnotic dosage. DCA (50 mg/kg, p.o.) itself modulated sleep architectures; DCA reduced the counts of sleep/wake cycles. At the same time, DCA increased total sleep time, but not non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. In the molecular experiments. DCA (0.001, 0.01 and $0.1{\mu}g/ml$) increased intracellular Cl- influx level in hypothalamic primary cultured neuronal cells of rats. In addition, DCA increased the protein expression of glutamic acid decarboxylase ($GAD_{65/67}$) and $GABA_A$ receptors subtypes. Taken together, these results suggest that DCA potentiates pentobarbital-induced sleeping behaviors through the activation of $GABA_A$-ergic systems, and can be useful in the treatment of insomnia.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.552-557
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• 2014

This study investigated the effects of ${\gamma}$-aminobutylic acid (GABA) on the quality and sensorial properties of both the GABA/NaCl complex and model meat products. GABA/NaCl complex was prepared by spray-drying, and the surface dimensions, morphology, rheology, and saltiness were characterized. For model meat products, pork patties were prepared by replacing NaCl with GABA. For characteristics of the complex, increasing GABA concentration increased the surface dimensions of the complex. However, GABA did not affect the rheological properties of solutions containing the complex. The addition of 2% GABA exhibited significantly higher saltiness than the control (no GABA treatment). In the case of pork patties, sensory testing indicated that the addition of GABA decreased the saltiness intensity. Both the intensity of juiciness and tenderness of patties containing GABA also scored lower than the control, based on the NaCl reduction. These results were consistent with the quality characteristics (cooking loss and texture profile analysis). Nevertheless, overall acceptability of the pork patties showed that up to 1.5%, patties containing GABA did not significantly differ from the control. Consequently, the results indicated that GABA has a potential application in meat products, but also manifested a deterioration of quality by the NaCl reduction, which warrants further exploration.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 2006

Gabapentin, 1-(aminomethyl-1-cyclohexyl)acetic acid, is anew antiepileptic drug related to ${\gamma}-aminobutyric$ acid(GABA) currently being introduced in therapy worldwide. The bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of gabapentin capsules were examined in 22 volunteers who received a single oral dose in the fasting state by randomized balanced $2{\times}2$ crossover design. After dosing, blood samples were collected for a period of 24 hours and analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). Time course of plasma gabapentin concentration was analyzed with non-compartmental and compartmental approaches. $WinNonlin^{(R)}$, the kinetic computer program, was used for compartmental analysis. One compartment model with first-order input, first-order output with no lag time and weighting by $1/(predieted\;y)^2$ was chosen as the most appropriate pharmacokinetic model for the volunteers. The major pharmacokinetic parameters $(AUC_{0-24hr},\;AUC_{inf},\;C_{max}\;and\;T_{max})$ and other parameters $(K_a,\;K_{el},\;V_d/F\;and\;Cl/F)$ of $Gapentin^{TM}$ (test drug) and $Neurontin^{TM}$ (reference drug) were estimated by non-compartmental analysis and compartmental analysis. The 90% confidence intervals of mean difference of logarithmic transformed $AUC_{0-24hr}\;and\;C_{max}$ were $log(0.9106){\sim}log(1.l254)\;and\;log(0.8521){\sim}log(1.0505)$, respectively. It shows that the bioavailability of the test drug is equivalent with that of the reference drug. There was no statistically significant difference between the two drugs in all pharmacokinetic parameters.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.113-119
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to investigate changes in 7 nutritional components (fatty acid, protein, fat, ash, total dietary fiber (TDF), $\gamma$-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and $\gamma$-oryzanol) of paddy rice (PR) and brown rice (BR) throughout the germination process, as measured at different shoot lengths (10 mm, 20 mm, and 30 mm). With the increase of shoot length, the nutritional components' concentrations increased, as compared to the concentrations measured before germination. Moreover, BR exhibited higher GABA, $\gamma$-oryzanol, and protein than PR. Among the components, TDF, GABA, and $\gamma$-oryzanol showed significant concentration differences throughout germination, while the others exhibited only slight variations. In particular, GABA and $\gamma$-oryzanol were predominantly increased in grains of 10 mm shoot length. These compounds might prove to be important factors from germinated rice. Additionally, the germinated cultivar 'Keunnun' might also prove to be a very important food source, owing to its high GABA and $\gamma$-oryzanol contents. These results suggest that variations in nutritional components related to the increase of shoot length may prove to be important when considering the beneficial aspects of rice on human health.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.586-592
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• 2017

Sinomenium acutum has been long used in the preparations of traditional medicine in Japan, China and Korea for the treatment of various disorders including rheumatism, fever, pulmonary diseases and mood disorders. Recently, it was reported that Sinomenium acutum, has sedative and anxiolytic effects mediated by GABA-ergic systems. These experiments were performed to investigate whether sinomenine (SIN), an alkaloid derived from Sinomenium acutum enhances pentobarbital-induced sleep via ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic systems, and modulates sleep architecture in mice. Oral administration of SIN (40 mg/kg) markedly reduced spontaneous locomotor activity, similar to diazepam (a benzodiazepine agonist) in mice. SIN shortened sleep latency, and increased total sleep time in a dose-dependent manner when co-administrated with pentobarbital (42 mg/kg, i.p.). SIN also increased the number of sleeping mice and total sleep time by concomitant administration with the sub-hypnotic dosage of pentobarbital (28 mg/kg, i.p.). SIN reduced the number of sleep-wake cycles, and increased total sleep time and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. In addition, SIN also increased chloride influx in the primary cultured hypothalamic neuronal cells. Furthermore, protein overexpression of glutamic acid decarboxylase ($GAD_{65/67}$) and $GABA_A$ receptor subunits by western blot were found, being activated by SIN. In conclusion, SIN augments pentobarbital-induced sleeping behaviors through $GABA_A$-ergic systems, and increased NREM sleep. It could be a candidate for the treatment of insomnia.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.325-331
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• 2000

The present study was designed to assess the role of spinal adenosine $A_2$ receptor in the regulation of cardiovascular functions such as mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats (250~300 g) were anesthetized with urethane and paralyzed with d-tubocurarine and artificially ventilated. blood pressure and HR were continuously monitored via a femoral catheter connected to a pressure transducer and a polygraph. Drugs were administered intrathecally using injection cannula through guide cannula which was inserted inthrathecally at lower thoracic level through a puncture of an atlantooccipital mombrane. Intrathecal injection of an adenosine $A_2$ receptor agonist, 5'-(N-cyclopropyl)-carboxamaidoadenosine (CPCA; 1, 2 and 3 nmol, respectively), produced a dose-dependent decrease in MAP and HR. Pretreatment with $N^{G}$-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor or 10 nmol of MDL-12,330, an adenylate cyclase inhibitor blocked significantly the depressor and bradycardic effect of 2 nmol of CPCA. But, Pretreatment with 3 nmol of bicuculline, gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GAB $A_{A}$) receptor antagonist, or 50 nmol of 5-aminovaleric acid, GAB $A_{B}$ receptor antagonist did not inhibit the depressor and bradycardic effect of 2 nmol of CPCA. These results indicate that adenosine $A_2$ receptor in the spinal cord plays an inhibitory role in the regulation of cardiovascular function and that the depressor and bradycardic action of adonosine $A_2$ receptor are mediated via the synthesis of nitric oxide and the activation of adenylate cyclase in the spinal cord of rats.s.s.s.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.275-283
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• 2019

Sparassis latifolia is a fungus abundant in β-glucan and amino acids and is highly valued as a medicinal mushroom. Among amino acids, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a free amino acid and has biological effects, such as increase/decrease of hypertension, improvement of cerebral blood flow, and prevention of dementia. In this study, biological elicitors were used to increase bioactive substances as a biofortification method. Sodium alginate extracted from seaweed (Sargassum horneri, Sargassum fulvellum, Sargassum fusiforme) were used as the elicitor. The levels of β-glucan and GABA in the mycelium and fruiting body grown by adding the elicitor to the medium were investigated. Addition of sodium alginate positively affected GABA production and negatively affected the β-glucan production in these fungi. Sodium alginates extracted from S. fulvellum induced the highest increase in GABA in the mycelium and fruiting bodies. Moreover, we investigated the effects of the extracts from mycelium and fruiting bodies on dendrite development in primary cortical neurons. We found that the extract from the fruiting bodies of sodium alginate treated fungi with increased levels of GABA inhibited the dendrite outgrowth of excitatory neurons, but not inhibitory neurons.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.304-313
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• 2010

This study was undertaken to discover the effects and possible mechanisms of the effect of red ginseng extract (RGE) on spontaneous sleep. The effects of a low dose (10 mg/kg) and a high dose (200 mg/kg) of RGE were compared in rats. After recovery from a surgical operation enabling electroencephalograms recordings, rats were administered RGE orally. RGE was administered orally for 1 day or once per day for 5 days in either 10 or 200 mg/kg doses. Polygraphic signs were recorded for 12 h after oral administration of RGE. Both treatment with a large dose (200 mg/kg) of RGE for one day and treatment with either a large or a small dose for 5 days reduced the number of sleep.wake cycles. Daily treatment with RGE (either 10 or 200 mg/kg) for 5 days augmented NREM and total sleep, but reduced wakefulness. Delta wave activity recorded during non-REM (NREM) sleep and REM sleep was increased after one treatment with RGE (either 10 or 200 mg/kg). Delta wave activity during NREM was enhanced after daily treatment with RGE (either 10 or 200 mg/kg) for 5 days. Both alpha and beta subunits of the $\gamma$-aminobutyric acid $(GABA)_A$ receptor were significantly over-expressed in the hypothalamus of the RGE-treated groups. Moreover, the expression of glutamic acid decarboxylase was also increased in the hypothalamus. These results demonstrate that RGE may regulate spontaneous sleep via $GABA_A$ergic systems.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.403-410
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• 2012

The current inquiry was conducted to assess the change in sleep architecture after long periods of administration to determine whether ginseng can be used in the therapy of sleeplessness. Following post-surgical recovery, red ginseng extract (RGE, 200 mg/kg) was orally administrated to rats for 9 d. Data were gathered on the 1st, 5th, and 9th day, and an electroencephalogram was recorded 24 h after RGE administration. Polygraphic signs of unobstructed sleep-wake activities were simultaneously recorded with sleep-wake recording electrodes from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for 6 h. Rodents were generally tamed to freely moving polygraphic recording conditions. Although the 1st and 5th day of RGE treatment showed no effect on power densities in nonrapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the 9th day of RGE administration showed augmented ${\alpha}$-wave (8.0 to 13.0 Hz) power densities in NREM and REM sleep. RGE increased total sleep and NREM sleep. The total percentage of wakefulness was only decreased on the 9th day, and the number of sleep-wake cycles was reduced after the repeated administration of RGE. Thus, the repeated administration of RGE increased NREM sleep in rats. The ${\alpha}$-wave activities in the cortical electroencephalograms were increased in sleep architecture by RGE. Moreover, the levels of both ${\alpha}$- and ${\beta}$-subunits of the ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid $(GABA)_A$ receptor were reduced in the hypothalamus of the RGE-treated groups. The level of glutamic acid decarboxylase was over-expressed in the hypothalamus. These results demonstrate that RGE increases NREM sleep via $GABA_A$ergic systems.