• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.61-72
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• 2006

Objectives : Human chondrocytes co-treated with Buthus martensi Karsch herbal acupuncture solution(BMK-HAS) extract produced significantly less NO compared with chondrocytes stimulated with $IL-1{\beta}$ alone Methods : Activation and translocation of and NF-kB DNA binding activity were determined by Western blotting and specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results : The inhibition of NO production correlated with the suppression of induction and expression of nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) and activation protein-1 (AP-1)-dependent gene. BMK-HAS inhibited the activation and translocation of NF-kB to the nucleus, indicating that BMK-HAS inhibits the $IL-1{\beta}-induced$ production of NO in human chondrocytes by interfering with the activation of NF-kB through a novel mechanism. In addition, BMK-HAS reduced prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)production in mouse peritoneal macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide, whereas no influence on the activity of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) or cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) was observed. My data, therefore, suggest that BMK-HAS may be a therapeutically effective inhibitor of $IL-1{\beta}-induced$ inflammatory effects that are dependent on NF-kB activation in human OA chondrocytes. Conclusion : The results indicate that BMK-HAS exerts anti-inflammatory effects related to the inhibition of neutrophil functions and of NO and PGE2 production, which could be due to a decreased expression of iNOS and COX-2 through the transcription factors NF-kB and AP-1.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제20권5호
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• pp.441-447
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• 2016

Despite the complex vascular effects of dexmedetomidine (DEX), its actions on human pulmonary resistance arteries remain unknown. The present study tested the hypothesis that DEX inhibits vascular tension in human pulmonary arteries through the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) mediated production of nitric oxide (NO). Pulmonary artery segments were obtained from 62 patients who underwent lung resection. The direct effects of DEX on human pulmonary artery tension and changes in vascular tension were determined by isometric force measurements recorded on a myograph. Arterial contractions caused by increasing concentrations of serotonin with DEX in the presence or absence of L-NAME (endothelial nitric oxide synthase inhibitor), yohimbine (${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptor antagonist) and indomethacin (cyclooxygenase inhibitor) as antagonists were also measured. DEX had no effect on endothelium-intact pulmonary arteries, whereas at concentrations of $10^{-8}{\sim}10^{-6}mol/L$, it elicited contractions in endothelium-denuded pulmonary arteries. DEX (0.3, 1, or $3{\times}10^{-9}mmol/L$) inhibited serotonin-induced contraction in arteries with intact endothelium in a dose-dependent manner. L-NAME and yohimbine abolished DEX-induced inhibition, whereas indomethacin had no effect. No inhibitory effect was observed in endothelium-denuded pulmonary arteries. DEX-induced inhibition of vasoconstriction in human pulmonary arteries is mediated by NO production induced by the activation of endothelial ${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptor and nitric oxide synthase.

• 한국응용약물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국응용약물학회 1998년도 Proceedings of UNESCO-internetwork Cooperative Regional Seminar and Workshop on Bioassay Guided Isolation of Bioactive Substances from Natural Products and Microbial Products
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• pp.145-145
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• 1998

In the present study, we have demonstrated that taurine could stimulate the production of nitric oxide and the activity of ERK2 (extracellular signal regulated protein kinase or pp42 MAP kinase). Nitric oxide(NO), the product of inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS), is known to be implicated in the metabolism of bone. ERK cascade plays a key role in the gene expression of iNOS in osteoblastic cell. We investigated whether taurine (l-20mM) could stimulate ERK2 activity, nitric oxide production, and inducible nitric oxide synthase in osteoblast-like UMR-106 cells. Nitric oxide was measured spectophotometrically as nitrite and the activation of ERK2 and iNOS was studied using Western 145 blot analysis. Taurine increased the production of nitric oxide in a dose-dependent manner and the effect was reached to a maximum at 10 mM. The activation of iNOS were consistent with NO levels. The tyrosine phosphorylation of ERK2 was increased by taurine in a time-dependent manner. The these result suggest that taurine might stimulate the production of nitric oxide in osteoblast-like cells by the activation of ERK2 and could regulate the metabolism of bone via nitric oxide.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.477-486
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• 2011

The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether polyphenol-rich fraction extracted from fruit wine of Rubus coreanum M (PCRC) can affect the contractility of the thoacic aortic strips isolated from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), and to clarify its mechanism of action. PCRC (200-800 ${\mu}g/mL$) concentration-depenedently blocked phenylephrine (10 ${\mu}M$)-induced contractile responses of the isolated aortic strips of SHRs. PCRC (400 ${\mu}g/mL$), added in to bath medium, also depressed the contractile active tension evoked by both phenylephrine (3 and 10 ${\mu}M$) and high potassium (25 and 56 mM). In the simultaneous presence of PCRC (400 ${\mu}g/mL$) and L-NAME (a selective inhibitor of NO synthase, 300 ${\mu}M$), the contractile responses evoked by phenylephrine and high $K^+$ were recovered to considerable level of the corresponding control contractility compared with those effects of PCRC-treatment alone. However, in the simultaneous presence of indomethacin (10 ${\mu}M$, a selective cyclooxygenase inhibitor) and PCRC (400 ${\mu}g/mL$), they were not affected. In the endothelium-denuded aortic strips by CHAPS-treatment, PCRC did not affect the contractile responses induced by phenylephrine or high potassium. Interestingly, PCRC (1.0, 3.0 and 10.0 mg/kg/30 min, i.v., respectively) dose-dependently suppressed norepiphrine-induced vasopressor responses in anesthetized SHRs. Collectively, we concluded that PCRC causes vasorelaxation in the thoracic aortic strips with intact endothelium of SHRs at least partly by the increased NO production through the activation of NO synthase of vascular endothelium, but not through the activation of cyclooxygenase. These results suggest that PCRC might be helpful to prevent or alleviate cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.416-425
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• 2009

Angiogenesis is important for promoting cardiovascular disease, wound healing, and tissue regeneration. We here investigated the pharmacological effects of Korea red ginseng water extract (KRGE) on angiogenesis and its underlying signal mechanism. This study showed that KRGE increased in vitro proliferation, migration, and tube formation of human umbilical endothelial cells, as well as stimulated in vivo angiogenesis. KRGE-induced angiogenesis was accompanied by phosphorylation of ERK1/2, Akt, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) as well as an increase in NO production. Inhibition of PI3K activity by wortmannin completely inhibited KRGE-induced angiogenesis and phosphorylation of Akt, ERK1/2, and eNOS, indicating that PI3K/Akt activation is an upstream event of KRGE-mediated angiogenic pathway. The MEK inhibitor PD98059 completely blocked KRGE-induced angiogenesis and ERK phosphorylation without affecting Akt and eNOS activation. However, the eNOS inhibitor NMA effectively inhibited tube formation, but partially blocked proliferation and migration as well as ERK phosphorylation without altering Akt and eNOS activation, revealing that eNOS/NO pathway is in part involved in ERK1/2 activation. This study first demonstrated the critical involvement of both ERK1/2 and eNOS activation in KRGE-induced angiogenesis, which lie on downstream of PI3K/Akt. Thus, these results indicate that KRGE requires activation of both the PI3K/Akt-dependent ERK1/2 and eNOS signal pathways and their cross-talk for its full angiogenic activity.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.216-225
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• 2014

The present study was designed to investigate whether ethylacetate (EtOAc) fraction extracted from Rubus coreanum affect the contractility of the isolated thoracic aortic strips and blood pressure of normotensive rats. The EtOAc fraction ($400{\mu}g/mL$) significantly depressed both phenylephrine (PE, $10{\mu}M$)- and high $K^+$ (56 mM)-induced contractile responses of the isolated thoracic aortic strips in a concentration-dependent fashion. In the simultaneous presence of L-NAME (an inhibitor of NO synthase, $300{\mu}M$) and EtOAc ($400{\mu}g/mL$), both PE- and high $K^+$-induced contractile responses were recovered to the corresponding control level in comparison with inhibition of EtOAc-treatment alone. Moreover, in the simultaneous presence of EtOAc after pretreatment with 0.4% CHAPS, both PE- and high $K^+$-induced contractile responses were recovered to the corresponding control level compared to the inhibitory response of EtOAc-treatment alone. Also, in anesthetized rats, EtOAc fraction (0.3~3.0 mg/kg) injected into a femoral vein dose-dependently produced depressor responses. This hypotensive action of EtOAc fraction was greatly inhibited after treatment with phentolamine (1 mg/kg), chlorisondamine (1 mg/kg), L-NAME (3 mg/kg/30 min) or sodium nitroprusside ($30{\mu}g/kg/30 min$). Intravenous infusion of EtOAc fraction (1.0~10.0 mg/kg/30 min) markedly inhibited norepinehrine-induced pressor responses. Taken together, these results demostrate that EtOAc causes vascular relaxation in the isolated rat thoracic aortic strips as well as hypotensive action in anesthetized rats. These vasorelaxation and hypotension of EtOAc seem to be mediated at least by the increased NO production through the activation of NO synthase of vascular endothelium, and the inhibitory adrenergic modulation.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제27권1호
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• pp.65-71
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• 2012

Objective : Nelumbinis Folium (NF) is used for diarrhea, headache and dizziness in traditional medicine. In this paper, we examined the anti-inflammatory effects of the methanol extract of NF in mouse macrophages. Methods : Peritoneal macrophages from thioglycollate medium-injected mice were cultured and stimulated with lipopolysaccharide(LPS) or LPS/interferon(IFN)-${\gamma}$ for viability assay, cytokine measurement and Western blotting. Results : NF methanol extract suppressed the levels of nitric oxide (NO) through reduction of inducible NO synthase in a concentration-dependent manner. The extract reduced LPS/IFN-${\gamma}$-stimulated STAT1 phosphorylation and LPS-induced $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation through inhibition of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ kinase activation. The extract also inhibited p38, JNK/SAPK and ERK1/2 activation. Conclusions : Our findings suggested that NF has anti-inflammatory activity, and have a potential for therapeutic application. Further research is required to investigate its anti-inflammatory active compounds.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.54-58
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• 2000

To elucidate the molecular mechanisms for the suppression of LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production by a dehydrocostus lactone (DL) from Saussurea lappa, we examined the preventive effect of this compound on $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation in LPS-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages and U937 human monocytic cells. The results suggest that the suppression of NO production is mediated by the inhibitory action on the i-NOS gene expression through the inactivation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ and this sesquiterpene lactone can act as a pharmacological inhibitor of the $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation.

• 한국식품과학회지
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• 제44권6호
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• pp.759-762
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• 2012

이번 실험을 통하여 PEIC가 OVA에 의해 유도된 NF-${\kappa}B$ 활성과 iNOS, COX-2 발현에 어떠한 영향을 미치는지 알아 보았다. PEIC는 OVA에 의해 유도된 NF-${\kappa}B$ 활성을 억제시켰다. 또한 PEIC는 OVA에 의해 유도된 iNOS의 발현도 억제시켰다. 하지만 PEIC는 OVA에 의해 유도된 COX-2 발현은 억제시키지 못하였다. 이러한 결과는 iNOS와 COX-2가 서로 다른 메커니즘에 의해 조절된다는 것을 암시한다. 또한 PEIC는 알러지와 같은 만성적인 질병들을 조절할 수 있는 치료제 개발 및 백신 제조에 중요한 역할을 할 것으로 기대한다.

• 한국응용약물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국응용약물학회 1996년도 춘계학술대회
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• pp.208-208
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• 1996

In this work we investigated coupling of the m2 and m4 subtypes of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors expressed in chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells to activation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). Stimulation of guanylate cyclase activity in detector neuroblastoma cells was used as an index of generation of nitric oxide (NO) in CHO cells. The agonist carbachol induced marked time and concentration-dependent enhancement of the activity of nNOS at m2 receptors. In sharp contrast, the response in CHO cells transfected with the m4 receptor gene was similar in magnitude to that observed in non-transfected cells, suggesting lack of significant coupling of m4 muscarinic receptors to NO signaling. This novel observation of functional divergence of the two muscarinic receptor subtypes at the level of activation of nNOS is quite intriguing, in light of the currently accepted dogma that they belong to the same functional class. This functional selectivity was not due to differential effects on intracellular Ca$\^$2+/ concentration, since activation of both subtypes of muscarinic receptors produced a comparable, albeit quite small, Ca$\^$2+/ signal. Taken together, our present data strongly suggest that the generally assumed functional equivalence of m2 and m4 muscarinic receptors should be carefully reexamined. These data also suggest the presence of alternate mechanisms of activation of nNOS, which might be operative in the absence of large changes in the concentration of cellular Ca$\^$2+/. The latter mechanisms are expected to be activated by m2, but not m4 muscarinic receptors. Both sets of findings are quits important in regards to refining the functional classification of muscarinic receptor subtypes and the cellular mechanisms of activation of NOS.