• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.298-305
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• 2023

This study aimed to examine the effects of several essential oils on insomnia in dementia patients following transdermal treatment (aromatherapy). The mean change rates (%) of sleep biomarkers were compared between the single essential and jojoba (vehicle) oil massage groups in this study. The lavender (L) essential oil massage group demonstrated a significant decrease in the mean change rate (%) of 24-h urinary free cortisol, whereas the valerian (V) essential oil massage group demonstrated a significant increase in the mean change rate (%) of serum 5-hydroxytryptamine. In addition, a significant increase in the mean change rate (%) of 24-h urinary norepinephrine was observed in the chamomile (C) essential oil massage group only. Based on these results, valerian, lavender, and chamomile oils were mixed in different ratios to produce blending oils A (L:C:V=2:2:1), B (L:C:V=3:1:1) and C (L:C:V=1:3:1). The highest level of serum 5-hydroxytryptamine was observed after administering blending oil A. These results suggest that blending oil A might possess therapeutic effects against insomnia. Overall, it is hypothesized that the optimally blended essential oil will produce synergic effects when combined with hypnotic drugs.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.419-426
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• 2019

Mosapride accelerates gastric emptying by acting on 5-hydroxytryptamine type 4 ($5-HT_4$) receptor and is frequently used in the treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders requiring gastroprokinetic efficacy. We tested the effect of mosapride on 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 ($5-HT_3$) receptor currents because the $5-HT_3$ receptors are also known to be expressed in the GI system and have an important role in the regulation of GI functions. Using the whole-cell voltage clamp method, we compared the currents of the $5-HT_3$ receptors when 5-HT was applied alone or was co-applied with mosapride in cultured NCB-20 cells known to express $5-HT_3$ receptors. The $5-HT_3$ receptor current amplitudes were inhibited by mosapride in a concentration-dependent manner. Mosapride blocked the peak currents evoked by the application of 5-HT in a competitive manner because the $EC_{50}$ shifted to the right without changing the maximal effect. The rise slopes of $5-HT_3$ receptor currents were decreased by mosapride. Pre-application of mosapride before co-application, augmented the inhibitory effect of mosapride, which suggests a closed channel blocking mechanism. Mosapride also blocked the opened $5-HT_3$ receptor because it inhibited the $5-HT_3$ receptor current in the middle of the application of 5-HT. It accelerated desensitization of the $5-HT_3$ receptor but did not change the recovery process from the receptor desensitization. There were no voltage-, or use-dependency in its blocking effects. These results suggest that mosapride inhibited the $5-HT_3$ receptor through a competitive blocking mechanism probably by binding to the receptor in closed state, which could be involved in the pharmacological effects of mosapride to treat GI disorders.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.295-301
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• 2003

Striatum plays a crucial role in the movement control and habitual learning. It receives an information from wide area of cerebral cortex as well as an extensive serotonergic (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) input from raphe nuclei. In the present study, the effects of 5-HT to modulate synaptic transmission were studied in the rat corticostriatal brain slice using in vitro extracellular recording technique. Synaptic responses were evoked by stimulation of cortical glutamatergic inputs on the corpus callosum and recorded in the dorsal striatum. 5-HT reversibly inhibited coticostriatal glutamatergic synaptic transmission in a dose-dependent fashion (5, 10, 50, and $10{\mu}M$), maximally reducing in the corticostriatal population spike (PS) amplitude to $40.1{\pm}5.0$% at a concentration of $50{\mu}M$ 5-HT. PSs mediated by non-NMDA glutamate receptors, which were isolated by bath application of the NMDA receptor antagonist, d,l-2-amino-5-phospohonovaleric acid (AP-V), were decreased by application of $50{\mu}M$ 5-HT. However, PSs mediated by NMDA receptors, that were activated by application of zero $Mg^{2+}$ aCSF, were not significantly affected by $50{\mu}M$ 5-HT. To test whether the corticostriatal synaptic inhibitions by 5-HT might involve a change in the probability of neurotransmitter release from presynaptic nerve terminals, we measured the paired-pulse ratio (PPR) evoked by 2 identical pulses (50 ms interpulse interval), and found that PPR was increased ($33.4{\pm}5.2$%) by 5-HT, reflecting decreased neurotransmitter releasing probability. These results suggest that 5-HT may decrease neurotransmitter release probability of glutamatergic corticostriatal synapse and may be able to selectively decrease non-NMDA glutamate receptor-mediated synaptic transmission.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.17-35
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• 1990

Effect of 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT, serotonin) and its precursor tryptophan on the cell proliferation of brain and somite parts of 4 day chick embryo in Dulbeco's modified essential medium was examined morphologically at cellular level. It was realized that the externally added 5-HT and/or tryptophan disturbed cell proliferation and severve necrosis occured. Electron micrograph showed that the development of cell organelles were greatly impaired. The activities of both acetylcholine esterase and $Mg^{2+}$ -dependent ATPase of the brain tissues of 5 day chick embryo, which received 1mg of tryptophan and/or 0.1mg of 5-HT at primitive streak stage after 24 hrs incubation of the fertilized egg, were much lower(about 20-25%) than those of control group. These results were supported by the electron micrographs of chemically treated cells. Control cells showed clear densed bands of acetylcholine esterase activity around nucleus and rough endoplasmic reticulum but tryptophan or 5-HT treated groups showed discontinued activity bands. In the case of $Mg^{2+}$-ATPase, the control groups showed clear continuous activity bands but tryptophan and/or 5-HT treated groups were discontinuous. From the previous and present studies, it seems that the intracelluar 5-HT level is very important for the cell proliferation and normal morphogenesis.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.35-38
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• 1969

1. The sensibility of Fluta alba Zuiew to acetylcholine is more than ten times as strong as that of Ophicephalus argus Cantor which has been ever known as the most sensitive material. Fluta alba Zuiew is, therefore, considered as the best material for the bioassay of acetylcholine. 2. 5-hydorxytryptamine accelerates very much the heart activity of Misgurnus mizolepis Gunther but inhibits that of Fluta alba. 3. The sensibility of Fluta alba to norepinephrine is more than a hundred times as strong as that to epinephrine.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.5-8
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• 2003

Alcohol abuse and cigarette smoking have been on the rise worldwide and it has been reported that alcohol and nicotine influence serotonergic neuronal activity in the dorsal raphe. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of various neuropsychiatric disorders. In the present study, the effects of alcohol and nicotine on the synthesis of 5-HT and the expression of tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH), the rate limiting enzyme of 5-HT synthesis, in the dorsal and median raphe of young rats were investigated via immunohistochemistry. The numbers of the 5-HT-positive and TPH-positive cells in raphe nuclei were reduced by alcohol and nicotine treatment, and these numbers were reduced more potently by co-administration of alcohol and nicotine. Based on the results, it can be suggested that the pathogenesis of alcohol- and nicotine-induced neuropsychological disorders involves alcohol- and nicotine-induced suppression of 5-HT synthesis and TPH expression in raphe, and that this may be of particular relevance in the consumption of alcohol and nicotine during adolescence.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.349-354
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• 1995

Crude methanolic(80%) extracts from 109 kinds of traditional herbal drugs were randomly screened for inhibitory effects on 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT) uptake in primary cultured rat brainstem neurons. Rat brainstem neurons were cultured from embryonic day 14, and maintained for 7-9 days in vitro. Clomipramine (500 nM), a reference drug, decreased 5-HT uptake to 16% of control values. Of the 109 herbal drugs screened, Citri immaturi Pericarpium(靑皮), Coptidis Rhizoma(黃蓮), Cnidii Rhizoma(土川芎) showed the most potent 5-HT uptake inhibiting activities. These herbal drugs, at the concentration of $10{\;}{\mu}g/ml$, inhibited 5-HT uptake 69, 69, and 57% respectively, when inhibition(%) was expressed as a relative value compared to the 500 nM clomipramine-induced inhibition.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 2003

We have examined the relaxational response to the water extract of Angelica gigas $N_{AKAI}$ (AG), Gingko biloba $L_{INNE}$ (GB), Acanthopanax senticosus $H_{ARMS}.$ (AP) and Augumented-Four-Substance Decoction (AG-FSD, GB-FSD, AP-FSD) in isolated thoracic aorta from sprague dawley(SD) rat. Rat thoracic aorta was investigated in vessel segments suspended for isometric tension recording by polygraph. Responses to AG, GB, AP and AG-FSD, GB-FSD, AP-FSD were investigated in vessels precontracted with 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT) were compared in vasodilation effect. We found that the thoracic aorta segments responded to AG, GB, AP and AG-FSD, GB-FSD, AP-FSD with a dose-dependent vasodilation. The 5-hydroxytryptamine induced contraction at $10^{-4}M$ were inhibited by 26.3%, 75.8%, 87.5% and 6.9%, 22.6%, 30.8% after addition of the 0.1 g/mL water extract of AG, GB, AP and AG-FSD, GB-FSD, AP-FSD. In conclusion, AG, GB, AP and AG-FSD, GB-FSD, AP-FSD induced relaxation in the isolated rat thoracic aorta were composed of dose-dependent relaxation. AP-FSD has very potent vasodilation.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 1999

Previous work in our laboratory has shown that the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, AP-5, CPP, MK-801, ketamine, dextrorphan and dextromethorphan cause a pronounced enhancement of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-induced head-twitch response (HTR) in intact mice, suggesting the involvement of NMDA receptors in the glutamatergic modulation of serotonergic function at the postsynaptic $5-HT_{2}$ receptors. The purpose of this study was to extend our previous work on the behavioral interaction between glutamatergic and serotonergic receptors. In the present study, both competitive (AP-5 and CPP) and noncompeti-tive (MI-801, ketamine, dextrorphan and dextromethorphan) NMDA receptor antagonists markedly enhanced 5-HT-induced selective serotonergic behavior, HTR, in p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA)-treated mice which were devoid of any involvement of indirect serotonergic function, to establish the involvement of the NMDA receptor in 5-HT-induced HTR at the postsyaptic $5-HT_{2}$receptors. In addition, the enhancement of 5-HT-induced HTR was inhibited by a dopamine agonist, apomorphine, NMDA receptor antagonist, NMDA and a serotonin $5-HT_{2}$receptor antagonist, cyproheptadine, in PCPA-treated mice. Therefore, the present results support our previous conclusion that the NMDA receptors play an important role in the glutamatergic modulation of serotonergic function at the poststynaptic $5-HT_{2}$ receptors.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.82-86
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• 2003

Objective : To examine the inhibition of 5-Hydroxytryptamine(5-HT) induced vasocontraction of the water extract of Acanthopanax senticosus Harms roots (ASR) on rat thoracic Aorta and mesenteric artery with and without endothelium. Methods : Segments of thoracic aorta and mesenteric artery obtained from rats immediately after delivery were mounted in organ baths superfused on a polygraph. Results : We found that the thoracic aorta segments responded to the water extract of ASR with a dose-dependent and concentration-dependent vasorelaxation. 5-HT produced a concentration-dependent contraction of the thoracic aorta and mesenteric artery. At high concentrations of ASR, the inhibition responses were 93.7% (Jang-su), 93.5% (Heok-ryong-kang-sung), 92.8% (Mt. Back-doo), and 83.5% (Yeon-byun) of the maximum 5-HT induced contraction. At high concentrations of ASR, the relaxational response at thoracic aorta and mesenteric artery wi1h endothelium were 95.2% and 94.6%; without endothelium were 93.5% and 92.5% of 1he maximum 5-HT induced contraction. Conclusions : In conclusion, the effect of water extract of ASR had potent inhibition at 5-HT and the effect of ASR in isolated thoracic aorta and mesenteric artery showed dose-dependent inhibition but endothelium-independent response.