• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.331-338
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• 2013

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an important regulator of energy metabolism, is activated in response to cellular stress when intracellular levels of AMP increase. We investigated the neuroprotective effects of AMPK against scopolamine-induced memory impairment in vivo and glutamate-induced cytotoxicity in vitro. An adenovirus expressing AMPK wild type alpha subunit (WT) or a dominant negative form (DN) was injected into the hippocampus of rats using a stereotaxic apparatus. The AMPK WT-injected rats showed significant reversal of the scopolamine induced cognitive deficit as evaluated by escape latency in the Morris water maze. In addition, they showed enhanced acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-reactive neurons in the hippocampus, implying increased cholinergic activity in response to AMPK. We also studied the cellular mechanism by which AMPK protects against glutamate-induced cell death in primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons. We further demonstrated that AMPK WT-infected cells increased cell viability and reduced Annexin V positive hippocampal neurons. Western blot analysis indicated that AMPK WT-infected cells reduced the expression of Bax and had no effects on Bcl-2, which resulted in a decreased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. These data suggest that AMPK is a useful cognitive impairment treatment target, and that its beneficial effects are mediated via the protective capacity of hippocampal neurons.

• 한국자원식물학회지
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.10-15
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• 2018

황칠나무 잎과 줄기를 분리하여 각각 methanol 추출하여, 계통분획상법에 따라 dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, butanol로 분획하였다. 분획물로 실시한 TLC에서 알칼로이드 성분으로 분리되는 성분을 확인할 수 있었다. 잎과 줄기 모두 ethyl acetate분획물은 $IC_{50}$ $30{\mu}g/m{\ell}$으로 높게 측정 되었으며, ethyl acetate, dichloromethane, butanol분획물 순으로 저해 활성이 높게 나타났다. Acetyl cholinesterase inhibition assay를 실시한 결과 황칠나무 잎과 줄기 모두 dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, butanol 분획물 순으로 저해 활성이 높은 것으로 나타났으며, 가장 높은 활성을 보인 황칠나무 줄기와 잎의 dichloromethane 분획물의 알칼로이드 함량이 상대적으로 높은 것으로 보아 알칼로이드 성분에 의한 것으로 유추 할 수 있으므로, 알칼로이드 성분의 동정 및 성분구조의 규명을 통하여 AChE저해 활성을 이용한 신경관련 질환에 도움을 줄 수 있는 천연물의 개발이 가능할 것으로 사료된다.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.81-87
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• 2020

Cognitive impairment is symptoms of dementia, a degenerative brain disease that is drawing attention in a rapidly aging society. This study was conducted to investigate the improvement of cognitive function of Leonurus japonicus on scopolamine-induced memory impairment in mice and the effect and mechanism of memory recovery. In vivo studies were conducted on mice orally pretreated with L. japonicus in doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg (p.o.) and scopolamine (1 mg/kg, i.p.) were injected 30 min before the behavioral task. Antioxidant activity was assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) assay and 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assay, and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition activity evaluated by Ellman's method. In behavior studies showed that L. japonicus has an improved the memory of scopolamine-treated mice in Y-maze, passive avoidance and Morris water maze test. In addition, L. japonicus was also exerted free radical scavenging activity and inhibited acetyl cholinesterase activity. These results suggest that L. japonicus improves short-term and long-term memory in scopolamine-induced memory decline model and prevents scopolamine-induced memory impairments through in reduced oxidative stress and acetyl cholinesterase inhibition effect. Thus, L. japonicus is related to functional medicinal materials for prevention and treatment of human dementia patients.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.1001-1005
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• 2005

This paper evaluates the performance of ventilation for the removal of indoor pollutants as a function of ventilation rate and the number of occupants in a test room and school classroom. An experimental apparatus consists of a test room, a tracer gas supply system, a gas detector, and a fan for ventilation air supply with a controller. The ventilation performance is evaluated in a step-down method based on ASTM Standard E741-83 using $CO_{2}$ gas as a tracer gas in the test room of 35 $m^{3}.$ For the ventilation air flow rate of 1.0 ACH, a recommended ventilation flow rate of Korea school standard for acceptable indoor air quality in the case of one person, CO_{2}$ gas concentration decreases up to $55{\%}$ within 50 minutes without occupancy and increases up to $75{\%}$ in the case of one occupant. Also indoor air quality at the school classroom is investigated experimentally.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.137-150
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• 2008

Sexually mature male and female rats were orally intubated with the organophosphorus insecticide, Pestban at a daily dosage of 7.45 or 3.72 mg/kg bwt, equivalent to 1/20 and 1/40 $LD_{50}$, respectively. Male rats were exposed for 70 days, while the female rats were exposed for 14 days, premating, during mating and throughout the whole length of gestation and lactation periods till weaning. The results showed depressed acetylcholinesterase(AChE) activity in the brain of parents, fetuses and their placentae in a dose-dependent manner. The fertility was significantly reduced with increasing the dose in both treated groups, with more pronounced suppressive effects in the male treated group. The number of implantation sites and viable fetuses were significantly reduced in pregnant females of both treated groups. However, the number of resorptions, dead fetuses, and pre-and postimplantation losses were significantly increased. The incidence of resorptions was more pronounced in treated female compared to male group and was dose dependant. The behavioral responses as well as fetal survival and viability indices were altered in both treated groups during the lactation period. The incidence of these effects was more pronounced in the treated female group and occurred in a dose-related manner. The recorded morphological, visceral, and skeletal anomalies were significantly increased with increasing the dose in fetuses of both treated groups, with more pronounced effects on fetuses of treated females. In conclusion, the exposure of adult male and female rats to Pestban would cause adverse effects on fertility and reproduction.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제21권6호
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• pp.462-469
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• 2013

Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. Bark (EUE) is commonly used for the treatment of hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbago, and ischialgia as well as to promote longevity. In this study, we tested the effects of EUE aqueous extract in graded doses to protect and enhance cognition in scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairments in mice. EUE significantly improved the impairment of short-term or working memory induced by scopolamine in the Y-maze and significantly reversed learning and memory deficits in mice as measured by the passive avoidance and Morris water maze tests. One day after the last trial session of the Morris water maze test (probe trial session), EUE dramatically increased the latency time in the target quadrant in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, EUE significantly inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) activities in the hippocampus and frontal cortex in a dose-dependent manner. EUE also markedly increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and phosphorylation of cAMP element binding protein (CREB) in the hippocampus of scopolamine-induced mice. Based on these findings, we suggest that EUE may be useful for the treatment of cognitive deficits, and that the beneficial effects of EUE are mediated, in part, by cholinergic signaling enhancement and/or protection.

• 대한한의학회지
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• 제28권2호통권70호
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• pp.1-12
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• 2007

Objective : Gagamchongmyung-tang is clinically one of the most popular prescriptions as an herbal medicine for the treatment of amnesia. In order to evaluate its neuroprotective effects on the ischemia-induced cognitive deficits caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), we examined its ability to reduce impairments of learning and memory of rats in the Morris water maze. Method and Result : Focal cerebral ischemia produced a decrease in acetylcholine transmission in the hippocampus, and deficits of learning and memory in the Morris water maze task. Treatment with two types of Gagamchongmyung-tang, methanol and water extracts, produced a substantial increase in acquisition in the Morris water maze. Treatment with methanol extract of Gagamchongmyung-tang increased the performance of the retention test in the Morris water maze. Consistent with behavioral data, immunohistochemical data showed that treatment with methanol extract, but not water extract, of Gagamchongmyung-tang significantly recovered reduction of AchE and ChAT reactivity in the hippocampal CAl area. Conclusion : These results demonstrated that methanol extract of Gagamchongmyung-tang has protective effects against ischemia-induced learning and memory impairments, and provided evidence of methanol extract of Gagamchongmyung-tang as a putative treatment for amnesia, vascular dementia, and longer memory.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• 제17권E4호
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• pp.157-162
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• 2001

Jet Bubbling Reactors(JBRs) were operated for the removal of SO$_{x}$ in flue gases produced from many electric power plants. However, many JBR flue gas desulfurization (FGD) facility faced a decrease of SO$_{x}$ removal efficiency and an increase of scale problems with continuous operations. We increased alkalinity of the SO$_{2}$ absorbing medium by adding the dibasic acids (DBAs) to solve these problems more effectively. The SO$_{2}$ removal efficiency, the purity of CaCO$_{3}$ and COD of the wastewater was measured to identify the addition effects of DBAs (150, 200, 250, and 400 ppm) for 2hr in a day into the JBR attached to the large-scale power plants (400 MW$\times$3). Addition of the DBAs resulted in the improvement of the SO$_{2}$ removal efficiency from 2 to 5% and the purity of the gypsum from 1 to 2%; these improvement were due to the alkalinity increase of the absorbing medium and the reduction of a proportion of un-reacted CaCO$_{3}$, respectively. Also, the scale problems formed by un-reacted CaCO$_{3}$ inside the reaction zone of the JBR were substantially reduced. Even though the effluent COD of the wastewater slightly increased from 10~15 to 18~36 mg/l and the erosion problems in the injection pump and duct occurred, this method of increasing SO$_{2}$ removal efficiency by adding the DBAs could be considered as a profitable approach.ach.

• 동의신경정신과학회지
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.125-144
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• 2010

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to characterize the effect of the fraction of Korean mountain ginseng folium (FKG) on the learning and memory impairments induced by scopolamine. Methods: The memory ameliorating effect of FKG was investigated using a passive avoidance test, the Y-maze test, and the Morris water maze test in mice. Drug-induced amnesia was induced by treating animals with scopolamine(1mg/kg, i.p.). Results: FKG (2 or 4mg/kg, p.o.) administration significantly reversed scopolamine-induced cognitive impairments in mice by the passive avoidance test and the Y-maze test(P<0.05), and also improved escape latency in the Morris water maze test at 2 or 4mg/kg(P<0.05). Although FKG has little inhibitory activity for AChE (IC50 value; 1847 ${\mu}g/ml$) in an invitro study, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase(pERK) was increased by the administration of FKG inhippocampus on immunohistochemistry. Conclusions: These results suggest that FKG may be a useful cognitive impairment treatment, and its beneficial effects are mediated, in part, via activation of ERK pathway.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.167-172
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• 1998

To investigate the effect of pine needle extract (PNE) on membrane fluidirt and neurotransmiter-related enzymes in brain of Spragu-Dawley(SD), male SD rats were fed basic diets (control group), and experimantal diets (PNE group)with 0.5% and 0.1% fo PNE for 6 weeks. pine (pinus tabulaeformis C$_{ARR}$ is one of the popular plant drugs which has used as a medicine in Asia. Cholesterol levels in brain mitochondria of 0.5%-PNE and 0.1%-PNDE groups were significantly decreased in 15% and 25%, respectively, compared with control group, but cholesterol levels in brain microsomes of these PNE groups howed almost no change compared with control group. Lipofuscin accumulations in brain membranes of 0.5%-PNE and 0.1%-PNE groups were sgnificantly inhibited in 18% and 21%, respectively, compared with control group. Brain memberance fluidity was also activated in 50% and 100% by the administration of 0.5%-PNE and 0.1%-PNE. higher acetylcholinesterase(15% and25%) and lower monoamine oxidase B (25% and 15%0 activities were effectively modulated by the administration of 0.5%-PNE and 0.1%-PNDE. These results suggest that more beneficial effects such as inhibition of cholesterol and lipofuscin, increase of membrane fluidity, higher acetylcholinesterase and lower monoamone oxidase activities in brain membranes of SD rats may be effectively modulated by administration of pine needle extract (PNE).