• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.603-605
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• 2006

Our previous study demonstrated that aqueous ethanolic extract of hardy rubber tree (HRT; Eucommia ulmoides Oliver) leaves potently inhibited glycation, and that two known flavonols and one new flavonol were the active compounds in protein glycation in vitro using the model system of bovine serum albumin and fructose. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of HRT extract and its flavonols against the glycation of hemoglobin (Hb) in primary cultured rat erythrocytes. The extract at $40-400\;{\mu}g/mL$ and the flavonols at $0.2-20\;{\mu}g/mL$ significantly inhibited Hb glycation in a concentration-dependent manner. They were more effective than aminoguanidine, a well-known inhibitor of glycation. Three flavonols seemed to be responsible for the inhibitory activity of the extract, furthermore, the extract of HRT leaves showed advantages over single isolated flavonols in the inhibition of Hb glycation.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.343-351
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• 2001

This study was undertaken to investigate the mechanism of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and nitric oxide (NO) as a regulator of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation. VSMC was primarily cultured from rat aorta and confirmed by the immunocytochemistry with anti-smooth muscle myosin antibody. The number of viable VSMCs were counted, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was measured to assess the degree of cell death. Concentrations of nitrite in the culture medium were measured as an indicator of NO production. LPS was introduced into the medium to induce the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in VSMC, and Western blot for iNOS protein and RT-PCR for iNOS mRNA were performed to confirm the presence of iNOS. Inhibitors of iNOS and soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and L-arginine were employed to observe the action of LPS on the iNOS-NO-cGMP signalling pathway. LPS and SNP decreased number of VSMCs and increased the nitrite concentration in the culture medium, but there was no significant change in LDH activity. A cell permeable cGMP derivative, 8-Bromo-cGMP, decreased the number of VSMCs with no significant change in LDH activity. L-arginine, an NO substrate, alone tended to reduce cell count without affecting nitrite concentration or LDH level. Aminoguanidine, an iNOS specific inhibitor, inhibited LPS-induced reduction of cell numbers and reduced the nitrite concentration in the culture medium. LY 83583, a guanylate cyclase inhibitor, suppressed the inhibitory actions of LPS and SNP on VSMC proliferation. LPS increased amounts of iNOS protein and iNOS mRNA in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that LPS inhibits the VSMC proliferation via production of NO by inducing iNOS gene expression. The cGMP which is produced by subsequent activation of guanylate cyclase would be a major mediator in the inhibitory action of iNOS-NO signalling on VSMC proliferation.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.373-382
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• 2003

Magnesium ion ($Mg^{2+}$) is a vasodilator, but little is known about its mechanism of action on vascular system. In vitro, extracellular magnesium sulfate ($MgSO_4$) produced relaxation in phenylephrine (PE) or high KCl-precontracted isolated rat thorocic aorta with (+E) or without (-E) endothelium in a concentration-dependent manner. The $MgSO_4$-induced relaxations were not affected by removal of the endothelium. Pretreatment of +E or -E aortic rings with nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors ($20{\mu}M$ L-NNA, $100{\mu}M$ L-NAME, $1{\mu}M$ dexamethasone and $400{\mu}M$ aminoguanidine), cyclooxygenase inhibitor ($10{\mu}M$ indomethacin), guanylate cyclase inhibitors ($10{\mu}M$ ODQ and $30{\mu}M$ methylene blue) and $Ca^{2+}$ transport blocker ($10{\mu}M$ ryanodine) did not affect the relaxant effects of $MgSO_4$. $Ca^{2+}$ channel blockers ($0.3{\mu}M$ nifedipine and $0.5{\mu}M$ veropamil) completely decreased the relaxant effects of $MgSO_4$ in +E and -E aortic rings. However, in $Ca^{2+}$-free medium, $MgSO_4$-induced vasorelaxation was potentiated and this response was inhibited by nifedipine. Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors ($1.0{\mu}M$ staurosporine, $0.5{\mu}M$ tamoxifen and $0.1{\mu}M$ H7) or PLC inhibitor ($100{\mu}M$ NCDC) markedly decreased the relaxant effects of $MgSO_4$ in +E and -E aortic rings. In vivo, infusion of $MgSO_4$ elicited significant decreases in arterial blood pressure. After intravenous injection of nifedipine ($150{\mu}g/kg$) and NCDC (3 mg/kg), infusion of $MgSO_4$ inhibited the $MgSO_4$-lowered blood pressure markedly. However, after introvenous injection of saponin (15 mg/kg), L-NNA (3 mg/kg), L-NAME (5 mg/kg), indomethacin (2 mg/kg), methylene blue (15 mg/kg) and aminoguanidine (10 mg/kg) failed to inhibit it. These results suggest that endothelial NQ-cGMP or prostaglandin pathway is not involved in vasorelaxant or hypotensive action of $Mg^{2+}$ and that these effects are due to the inhibitory action of $Mg^{2+}$ on the $Ca^{2+}$ channel or PLC-PKC pathway, and are due to the competitive influx of $Mg^{2+}$ and $Ca^{2+}$ through the $Ca^{2+}$ channel.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.67-76
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• 1990

Hydrocortisone 50 mg/kg (HC), dehydroepiandrosterone 250 mg/kg (DHEA), ${\beta}-estradiol$ 5 mg/kg (E2), and testosterone 20 mg/kg (TS) were subcutaneously injected into the castrated ICR mice at noon for four days, and the animals were sacrificed at 10-12 A.M. of the fifth day. The intestinal DAO activity was significantly decreased by HC, but it was rather increased by E2 and TS, respectively. And DHEA did not change the DAO activity. But the hepatic MAO activity was not affected by anyone of HC, DHEA, E2, and TS. Aminoguanidine 25 mg/kg produced the marked decrease of the intestinal DAO activity and the significant increases of the intestinal PT and SD contents, but it did not change the hepatic polyamine contents. HC and DHEA induced the significant increase of the intestinal PT content. E2 induced the marked increase of the hepatic PT content and the moderate increase of the intestinal PT content. TS little affected the polyamine contents of the liver and intestine. These results suggest that the E2-induced increase of the hepatic PT content is rather ascribed to the greater enhancement of PT synthesis than the inhibition of polyamine catabolism, and that the HC-induced increase of the intestinal PT content is due partly to the inhibition of polyamine catabolism via DAO.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.148-160
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• 2002

배 경 : 쥐를 고농도의 산소에 60시간 이상 노출시켰을 때 급성 폐손상이 유발되지만 내독소를 저용량으로 투여시에는 이러한 폐손상이 경감된다고 알려져 있으나 그 기전에 대하여는 확실히 밝혀지지 않고 있다. 산화질소(nitric oxide, NO)는 내독소나 염증성 사이토카인(cytokine) 등의 자극에 의해서 폐내 여러 염증세포에서 만들어지며 이 산화질소는 경우에 따라 우리 몸에 이롭거나 해로운 양면성을 지니고 있다. 저자들은 쥐에서 고농도의 산소에 의한 폐손상이 저농도의 내독소 투여로 경감되는 기전에, 산화질소가 중요한 역할을 하는지 또는 황산화효소나 다른 항염증성 사이토카인이 중요한 역할을 하는지를 규명하고자 하였다. 방 법 : 총 120마리의 쥐 (Sprague-Dawley rat)를 24마리씩 5군으로 나누어 대조군은 실내 공기를, 고농도 산소군은 100%의 산소를 100%의 산소를 60시간 투여하였고 내독소군은 100% 산소 투여시 2일간 저용량의 내독소를 투여하였다. 다른 두 군은 산화질소 합성 억제물인 aminoguanidine(AG)과 N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)를 각각 2일간 고농도 산소와 내독소에 더하여 투여하였다. 각각의 군에서 폐손상의 정도와 사망률을 관찰하고 superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase, nitric oxide, IL-6, IL-11을 기관지폐포세척액에서 측정하고, 고농도산소 투여군의 폐조직에서 iNOS synthase rnRNA의 발현을 비교하였다. 결 과: 1. 100%의 산소에 60시간 노출시켰을 때 쥐의 사망률은 8.3% 이었고 내독소 투여군은 4.2%, NAME 투여군이 37.5%, AG 투여군이 25%로 산화질소 합성 억제제에 의하여 사망률의 증가가 관찰되었다. 2. 폐의 손상 정도를 나타내는 폐의 wet/dry 중량비와 늑막액도 100%의 산소에 노출된 군에서 증가되었고 내독소 투여에 의하여 감소되었으며 NAME나 AG 투여군에서는 오히려 증가되었다. 3. 이러한 내독소에 의한 폐손상 억제효과가 항산화효소인 SOD나 catalase, 또는 protective cytokine인 IL-6나 IL-11등의 증가와 관련이 있는지를 관찰하였으나 이들 모두에서 유의한 변화를 관찰하지 못하였다. 4. 산화질소는 100% 산소에 노출시킨 군에서도 증가하였으나 내독소 투여군에서 유의하게 더욱 증가하였고 이는 L-NAME 나 aminoguanidine의 투여시 감소하였다. 5. iNOS mRNA의 발현도 내독소 투여군에서 유의하게 증가하였다. 결 론 : 쥐의 고농소 산소 투여에 의한 폐손상은 저용량의 내독소 투여로 경감되며, 이는 주로 내독소 투여에 의한 iNOS mRNA의 발현을 유도하여 생성된 산화질소의 증가에 기인하는 것으로 생각된다.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.18 no.E2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2002

This study was carried out to investigate if nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors modulate airway inflammation induced by diesel exhaust particles (DEP). N$\^$G/-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a potent constitutive NOS (cNOS) inhibitor, and aminoguanidine (AG), a selective inducible NOS (iNOS) inhibitor, were administered to mice in their drinking water for 7 weeks. Airway inflammation was elicited by the repeated intratracheal administration of DEP. The results showed that macrophages, inflammatory eosinophils and neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids by intratracheal DEP instillation were significantly suppressed in the mice treated with two NOS inhibitors toghther with DEP. The suppression of these cells was more effective in AG treated groups than in L -NAME treated groups. NOS inhibitor treatment also reduced interleukin -5 (IL-5 in the BAL fluids and lung homogenates. Additionally, it was found that eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) activity in the BAL fluids was also decreased by NOS inhibitor treatment. These results suggest that nitric oxide (NO) is produced in airway inflammation by repeated DEP instillation, and that iNOS inhibition as well as cNOS inhibition can play a modulating role in this airway inflammation by DEP.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.37 no.4 s.147
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• pp.307-313
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• 2006

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy by hyperglycemia. To find natural agents improving diabetic nephropathy, 63 natural resources which used to the treatment of diabetes mellitus in a folk remedy were investigated with an in vitro system employing radical scavenging activity and inhibitory activity of AGEs formation. In results, the extracts of Aspalathus linearis, Rubus coreanus, Rosa rugosa, and Epimedium koreanum significantly inhibited the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical with $IC_{50}$ values less than $10{\mu}g/ml$. The extracts of Zea mays, Cucurbita moschata, Cudrania tricuspidata, and Aspalathus linearis effectively reduced the formation of AGEs compared with the positive control $N-acetyl-_L-cystenine$ (NAC) and aminoguanidine (AG). In addition, the extracts of Aspalathus linearis, Commelina communis, Cornus officinalis, and Lespodeza cuneata showed the all inhibitory activity against DPPH radical and AGEs formation. Also, these resources definitely showed the radical scavenging activity against peroxynitrite $(ONOO^-)$ and hydroxyl radical $({\cdot}OH)$ relating to high glucose-induced ROS production. Thus, these results suggest that some natural resources may regulate the initiation and progression of diabetic nephropathy through inhibition of ROS production and AGEs formation.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.260-267
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• 2015

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been postulated to play a central role in the development of diabetic complications. A variety of different agents that inhibit AGEs have been under investigation. In this study, 111 herbal medicines from China have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation system using AGEs formation inhibitory activity. Of these, 9 herbal medicines (IC₅₀: <5 μg/ml) were found to have significant AGEs formation inhibitory activity. Particularly, herbal medicines Barleria cristata (leaves), Calotropis gigantea (stems), Ardisia virens (leaves), Dalbergia yunnanensis (leaves) Pittosporum runcatum (leaves), Ardisia japonica (leaves), Rhododendron racemosum (twigs), Oxyria sinensiss (aerial parts), Pyrrosia calvata (whole plants), showed more potent inhibitory activity (approximately 15-40 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine (IC₅₀: 76.47 μg/ml).

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.250-259
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• 2015

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been implicated in diabetic complications. In this study, the inhibitory effect on AGEs formation of 156 Korean herbal medicines has been evaluated. Among them, 15 Korean herbal medicines were showed to have significant effect (IC₅₀: <10 μg/ml) compared to positive reference, aminoguandine (IC₅₀: 76.47±4.81 μg/ml). Especially, four herbal medicines, Alnus firma (leaves, IC₅₀: 3.25±0.10 μg/ml), Juncus decipiens (whole plants, IC₅₀: 4.30±0.44 μg/ml), Smilax china (stems, IC₅₀: 3.55±0.21 μg/ml), and Vicia amoena (Aerial parts, IC₅₀: 4.25±0.06 μg/ml) showed more potent inhibitory activity approximately 8-24 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.268-278
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• 2015

In this study, 80 herbal medicines from Vietnam have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation system using advanced glycation end products (AGEs) formation inhibitory activity. Of these, 10 herbal medicines (IC₅₀: <5 μg/ml) were found to have significant AGEs formation inhibitory activity. Particularly, herbal medicines Strobilanthes pateriformis (aerial parts), Rhodamnia dumetorum (twigs), Glochidion rubrum (twigs), Dipterocarpus obtusifolius (twigs), Bombax ceiba (twigs), Amesiodendron chinense (twigs), Bauhinia coccinea (twigs), Lithocarpus laouanensis (twigs), Bauhinia bracteata (twigs) and Connarus paniculatus (twigs), showed more potent inhibitory activity (approximately 16-31 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine (IC₅₀: 76.47 μg/ml).