• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1996.11a
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• pp.153-159
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• 1996

${\alpha}$-Melanotropin (Ac-Ser-Tyr- Ser-Met-Glu$\^$5/-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly$\^$10/-Lys-Pro-Val-NH$_2$) is one of the first peptide hormones to be isolated and have its structure determined. It was early recognized to have essentially the same N-terminal tridecapeptide sequence as adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) except that the N-terminal was acetylated in the case of ${\alpha}$-MSH but not in the case of ACTH, indicating that their biosyntheses were different (Figure 1). Subsequently it was discovered that ${\alpha}$-MSH and ACTH were derived from the same gene, currently referred to as proopiomelanocortin (POMC). Its original bioactivity was pigmentation, but it also was recognized that it may have activity in the central nervous system, though the precise nature of these central activities have been controversial. The recent cloning and expression of five melanocortin receptors, with the MC3 and MC4 receptors found primarily in the brain and the MC5 receptor (MC5-R) found throughout the body, has provided new impetus to understand the structure-activity relationships of ${\alpha}$-MSH at these receptors. The effects of ${\alpha}$-MSH on pigmentation are mediated by the MC1-R expressed specifically on the surface of melanocytes. Similarly the MC2-R is involved in the regulation of adrenal steroidogenesis by ACTH. However, given the complexity of expression of the MC3, MC4, and MC5 receptors, it has not been possible to identify any simple correlations between these receptors and the reported biological activities of the melanocortin peptides. Consequently, potent and receptor specific agonists and especially antagonists would be extremely valuable tools for the determination of the physiological roles of the MC3, MC4, and MC5 receptors. Though the extensive structure-activity relationships have provided much information on agonist activity related to pigmentary effects, only recently has it been possible to begin to systematically develop potent and selective antagonists.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.86-93
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• 2010

Objectives : The aim of this research is to determine the effects of depression and anxiety symptoms of schizophrenic psychopathology on the HPA axis. Methods : Twenty patients with schizophrenia were included and divided into the medication non-exposed group(n = 10) and the medication exposed group(n = 10). Evaluated scales were the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS), Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms(SANS), Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms(SAPS), Hamilton Depression Inventory(HAM-D) and Hamilton Anxiety Inventory (HAM-A), and then the combined Dexamethasone/Corticotropin Releasing Hormone(DEX/CRH) test was conducted to determine the basal level, the peak level and the area under the curve(AUC) of cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH). Results : When the correlations between each psychopathology and cortisol level or ACTH AUC value were analyzed, HAM-D showed a negative correlation, whereas HAM-A showed a positive correlation. Also, the non-depression group(HAM-D ${\leq}$ 18) showed higher cortisol and ACTH concentrations than the depression group(HAM-D > 18), and the anxiety group(HAM-A ${\geq}$ 14) showed significantly higher concentrations than the non-anxiety group(HAM-D < 14)(p < 0.05). Also, as for the comparison between the medication non-exposed group and the medication exposed group, the non-exposed group showed significantly higher cortisol and ACTH concentration than exposed group(p < 0.05). Conclusion : This study suggest that anxiety symptoms rather than depression symptoms are related to the increased activity of the HPA axis of schizophrenics.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.15-18
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• 2005

Background: Epidural steroid injections (ESI) have been used widely for the treatment of back and radiating extremity pain. Although its effects on the metabolic and endocrine system have been studied, the effects following repeated injections remain to be determined. We studied the effects of three repeated caudal epidural injections of low dose triamcinolone. Methods: the subject were 10 elderly women with spinal stenosis. Caudal epidural injections were performed biweekly. Triamcinolone (20 mg), mixed with 15 ml of 0.25% lidocaine, was used as the ESI injectate. The procedures were performed with the patient in the prone position. Blood sampling was performed just before the first injection, and used as the baseline, and then just before each injection on the same day of the 2nd and 4th weeks, with the last samples taken 2 weeks after the third injection. Results: The blood glucose concentrations showed no significant changes. The blood cortisol and ACTH concentrations were significantly decreased after the first injection, but there were no further decreases after each of the subsequent injections. The cortisol concentrations were maintained within the normal range. Conclusion: Caudal epidural injections, with low dose triamcinolone, suppressed the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, but no further suppression followed the subsequent repeated injections. Three consecutive caudal injections at 2 week intervals seems to be a safe procedure.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.195-203
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• 2012

Objectives: This paper aims to investigate the influence on stress hormones of job stress resulting from firefighting duties, as well as the degree of such influence. Methods: KOSS-26 and stress hormones such as norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (EPI), adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), and cortisol were analyzed for 191 male firefighters from the western area of Incheon, the Incheon Industrial Complex, and Bucheon, Korea. Job stress and stress hormones were compared between a office working group and field-working group. Results: There was no significant difference in EPI and ACTH between the two groups. Change of stress hormones prior to engaging in typical duties, following typical duties, and immediately after field activities was examined. All the EPI, ACTH, and cortisol showed statistically significant changes with time, but not NE in the blood. In the field-working group, the cortisol levels in the blood of the firefighting and rescue groups showed notable differences depending on the time at which the measurements were taken. Conclusion: The differences in stress hormone levels depending on the type of duties of the firefighters were identified. Thus, interventions proper to job requirements is required in order to ease stress.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.101-115
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• 2008

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effects of Sam-Jeong-Hwan(SJH) on the animal model of depression induced immobilization stress. Method: The subject were divided into 4 groups(l. normal 2. saline solution administered during immobilization stress treatment 3. SJH of 100mg/kg administered 4. BKJ of 400mg/kg administered). Immobilization stress was treated for 1 hours on day. During 2 days of immobilization stress treatment, they were executed forced swimming test, passive avoidance test, elevated plus maze test. Corticosterone and ACTH in blood were measured. Results: In forced swimming test, SJH of 400mg/kg group showed decreased immobilization. In passive avoidance test, SJH of 400mg/kg group showed increased learning execution. In EPM test, SJH of 400mg/kg group showed decreased anxiety. In locomotor activity test, SJH groups showed significantly increased locomotor activity. Stress group showed significantly increase in serum level of corticosterone, SJH of 400mg/kg group showed decreased serum level of corticosterone. Stress group showed significantly increase in serum level of ACTH, SJH of 400mg/kg group showed decreased serum level of ACTH. Conclusion: These results suggest that Sam-Jeong-Hwan(SJH) is effective in the treatment of depression.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.986-994
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• 1999

This study was carried out (a) to investigate the variations of blood chemistry and (b) to examine the secretion trend of endocrine substances in a dog model after electroacupuncture and laser stimulation at different time period(9 to 11a.m. and 6 to 8p.m.). Two acupuncture points ; Da Zhui(GV-14) and Shen Shu(BL-23) were electroacupunctured for 20 minutes with 2Vol, 20Hz and irradiated for 5 minutes with 8,000Hz. Before stimulation and after a lapse of time(10-minutes, 30-minutes and 60-minutes) all dogs were checked the following parameters ; cortisol, ACTH, RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, WBC, Ca, P, SGPT, SGOT and creatinine. The results were as follow : The levels of cortisol and ACTH have been increased 10 minutes after the stimulation of the electroacupuncture and laser. The higher levels of cortisol and ACTH have been decreased to keep the normal levels from 30 minutes after the stimulation of the electroacupuncture and laser. The RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit and WBC showed the physiological phenomena in the electroacupuncture and laser stimulation. In sero chemical analysis, calcium, phosphate, SGOT, SGPT and creatinine levels were within normal physiological ranges.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.570-576
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• 2014

Studies have demonstrated that electromagnetic waves, as the one of the most important physical factors, may alter cognitive and non-cognitive behaviors, depending on the frequency and energy. Moreover, non-ionizing radiation of low energy waves e.g. very low frequency waves could alter this phenomenon via alterations in neurotransmitters and neurohormones. In this study, short, medium, and long-term exposure to the extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) (1 and 5 Hz radiation) on behavioral, hormonal, and metabolic changes in male Wistar rats (250 g) were studied. In addition, changes in plasma concentrations for two main stress hormones, noradrenaline and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were evaluated. ELF-EMF exposure did not alter body weight, and food and water intake. Plasma glucose level was increased and decreased in the groups which exposed to the 5 and 1Hz wave, respectively. Plasma ACTH concentration increased in both using frequencies, whereas noradrenaline concentration showed overall reduction. At last, numbers of rearing, sniffing, locomotor activity was increased in group receiving 5 Hz wave over the time. In conclusions, these data showed that the effects of 1 and 5 Hz on the hormonal, metabolic and stress-like behaviors may be different. Moreover, the influence of waves on stress system is depending on time of exposure.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.33.1-33.7
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• 2023

Background: Laminitis is a complex and debilitating disease of horses. Numerous predisposing factors contribute to laminitis development, however the exact pathogenesis remains undetermined. Serum T4, cortisol, and histamine are components of the innate stress response and could play a causative or contributory role. Stress hormone concentrations in laminitis are largely unknown. Objective: To evaluate parameters associated with stress response in horses with laminitis, and compare these to healthy horses and horses with gastrointestinal (GI) disease. Methods: Thirty-eight adult horses presenting for non-medical conditions, GI abnormalities, or clinical laminitis were prospectively enrolled. Horses were assigned to the appropriate disease group (healthy, GI disease, and laminitis) and had blood drawn on presentation to the hospital. Samples were analyzed for plasma endogenous adrenocorticotrophic hormone (eACTH), serum cortisol, serum thyroid hormone, and plasma histamine. Results: Stress hormone concentrations were significantly different between horses in the laminitis and GI disease groups. Plasma histamine levels were highest in horses with laminitis, compared with GI disease and controls. Both horses with laminitis and GI disease had increased plasma eACTH when compared to healthy horses. Horses with GI disease had higher serum cortisol concentrations than horses with laminitis or controls. Serum T4 was lower in horses with GI disease than in horses with laminitis and controls. Conclusions: Horses with laminitis had relative increases in both plasma histamine and eACTH concentrations. Serum T4 and cortisol concentrations of horses with laminitis did not differ significantly when compared to healthy horses. The role of stress hormones in equine disease warrants further investigation.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.288-294
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• 1996

Background : Most studies of the pituitary hormonal responses to electroconvulsive therapy(ECT) have used limited blood sampling schedules. Little is known about the precise sequence of neuroendocrine events immediately following en ECT application. or about the regulation of the hormonal responses. Methods : Blood was sampled at three minute intervals from eleven patients(two schizophrenics and nine affective disorder patients) undergoing ECT. Each sample was immunologically assayed for arginine vasopressin(AVP), adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH), prolactin(PRL), and cortisol. Baseline hormone concentrations and several measures of response were determined for each hormone. The temporal and quantitative relationships among the hormonal responses were determined. Correlations were calculated between seizure duration and secretory responses. Results : All four hormones demonstrated significant secretory responses to ECT, with AVP increasing from 1.2 to 33.3pg/ml(P<0.001), ACTH from 5.4 to 32.3fmol/ml(P<0001). PRL from 21.8 to 102.2ng/ml(P<0.005) and cortisol from 20.1 to 31.1ug/dl(P<0.001). The three pituitary hormones showed consistent time courses of secretion with onset of responses by three minutes but clearly differing peak times of 3, 6, and 12-15 minutes for AVP, ACTH, and PRL, respectively. Cortisol began to rise after 6minutes and pecked between 20-30minutes. There ware no significant correlations between seizure duration and any of the secretory response measures. Conclusions : 1) The pituitary hormone response to ECT is sequential rather than synchronous 2) The AVP response was extremely rapid and more massive than those of any other hormones. 3) The ACTH response of this study was more rapid and mare robust than thai revealed by the mast of past studies. 4) The results strongly suggest that the pituitary hormones are released as a result of the seizure rather tho, the electrical stimulus. 5) The sequential pattern of responses suggests that neuroendocine feedback-regulatory mechanisms determine the response profile.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.115-122
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• 1983

The influences of diazepam and naloxone on the increase of plasma corticosterone level induced by morphine, pentazocine, ACTH, or picrotoxin were investigated in male mice. The results obtained were summarized as follows: 1) The increase induced by morphine or pentazocine of plasma corticosterone level was not affected by naloxone pretreatment but markedly suppressed by diazepam pretreatment. 2) The increase induced by ACTH of plasma corticosterone level was not affected by diazepam or naloxone pretreatment. 3) The picrotoxin markedly increased plasma corticosterone level, and the inceease was not affected by diazepam or naloxone pretreatment. This above results suggest that the increase induced by opioids of plasma corticosterone level seems to be rather related with other than opiate- or GABArerecptor.