• BMB Reports
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• 제39권4호
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• pp.339-345
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• 2006

The blood-neural barrier (BNB), including blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-retinal barrier (BRB), is an endothelial barrier constructed by an extensive network of endothelial cells, astrocytes and neurons to form functional 'neurovascular units', which has an important role in maintaining a precisely regulated microenvironment for reliable neuronal activity. Although failure of the BNB may be a precipitating event or a consequence, the breakdown of BNB is closely related with the development and progression of CNS diseases. Therefore, BNB is most essential in the regulation of microenvironment of the CNS. The BNB is a selective diffusion barrier characterized by tight junctions between endothelial cells, lack of fenestrations, and specific BNB transporters. The BNB have been shown to be astrocyte dependent, for it is formed by the CNS capillary endothelial cells, surrounded by astrocytic end-foot processes. Given the anatomical associations with endothelial cells, it could be supposed that astrocytes play a role in the development, maintenance, and breakdown of the BNB. Therefore, astrocytes-endothelial cells interaction influences the BNB in both physiological and pathological conditions. If we better understand mutual interactions between astrocytes and endothelial cells, in the near future, we could provide a critical solution to the BNB problems and create new opportunities for future success of treating CNS diseases. Here, we focused astrocyte-endothelial cell interaction in the formation and function of the BNB.

• 생약학회지
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.179-185
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• 1990

The acute and subacute toxicities and pharmacological actions of two preparations of Ssanghwa Tang prescriptions have been evaluated in mice, rats and rabbits. The two prescriptions were found to be safe drugs because those preparations exhibited almost no acute and subacute toxicities even at a high dosage level. The two prescriptions elicited CNS depressant activities characterized by potentiation of hexobarbital-induced narcosis, antipyretic activity in typhoid-vaccinated rabbits and a significant antifatigue effect against cold immobilized stress, the activities of prescription B being more potent.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• 제6권4호
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• pp.344-348
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• 2006

The crude methanolic extract of the bark of Cerbera odollam Gaertn. was evaluated for its possible antinociceptive and neuropharmacological activities in animal models. At the dose of 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight, the extract showed a significant antinociceptive effect in acetic acid induced writhing in mice comparable to that produced by aspirin, used as standard drug (P<0.001). The extract significantly reduced the time of onset of sleep (P<0.01) and potentiated the pentobarbital induced sleeping time in mice at the dose of 400 mg/kg of body weight significantly (P<0.001). It also decreased the open field score in open field test significantly at the dose of 400 mg/kg of body weight (P < 0.05). The obtained results tend to suggest the probable antinociceptive and neuropharmacological activities of the crude extract.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제12권3호
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• pp.196-200
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• 1989

The methanolic extract of the Rhizome of Curcuma zedoaria exhibited a significant prolongation of hexobarbital (HB)-induced hypnosis. Through liquid chromatography of an ether soluble fraction. monitoring by bioassay, three sequiterpenes, germacrone (A), curzerenone (B) and germacrone epoxide (C) were isolated as active consituents. A single treatment (100-200 mg/kg, i.p.) of each compound showed not only a significant prolongation of HB-induced sleeping time but also a significant inhibition of aminopyrine N-demethylase activity in mice, and further exhibited a typical type I binding spectra with oxidized rat hepatic cytochrome P-450 induced by phenobarbital. All of the compounds provoked a sleep episode at a subhypnotic dose of HB, implying that they possess CNS depressant properties.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.86-89
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• 2010

Two common Indian spices Carum copticum Karst (ajowan) and Cinnamomum tamala T.Nees. (bay leaves) has been investigated first time to report the activity on the central nervous system. Preliminary study of the hot water extract showed depressant activity on the hole board test as evidenced from the ambulation and head dipping scores. The extracts further quicken the onset and increased the duration of pentobarbital induced sleeping time.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.401-412
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• 2013

Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) is an oriental herbal preparation obtained from Panax ginseng Meyer (Araliaceae). To expand our understanding of the action of KRG on central nervous system (CNS) function, we examined the effects of KRG on tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)/plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) expression in rat primary astrocytes. KRG extract was treated in cultured rat primary astrocytes and neuron in a concentration range of 0.1 to 1.0 mg/mL and the expression of functional tPA/PAI-1 was examined by casein zymography, Western blot and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. KRG extracts increased PAI-1 expression in rat primary astrocytes in a concentration dependent manner (0.1 to 1.0 mg/mL) without affecting the expression of tPA itself. Treatment of 1.0 mg/mL KRG increased PAI-1 protein expression in rat primary astrocytes to $319.3{\pm}65.9%$ as compared with control. The increased PAI-1 expression mediated the overall decrease in tPA activity in rat primary astrocytes. Due to the lack of PAI-1 expression in neuron, KRG did not affect tPA activity in neuron. KRG treatment induced a concentration dependent activation of PI3K, p38, ERK1/2, and JNK in rat primary astrocytes and treatment of PI3K or MAPK inhibitors such as LY294002, U0126, SB203580, and SP600125 (10 ${\mu}M$ each), significantly inhibited 1.0 mg/mL KRG-induced expression of PAI-1 and down-regulation of tPA activity in rat primary astrocytes. Furthermore, compound K but not other ginsenosides such as Rb1 and Rg1 induced PAI-1 expression. KRG-induced up-regulation of PAI-1 in astrocytes may play important role in the regulation of overall tPA activity in brain, which might underlie some of the beneficial effects of KRG on CNS such as neuroprotection in ischemia and brain damaging condition as well as prevention or recovery from addiction.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제7권3호
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• pp.76-82
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• 2001

The pharmacological activities of the acetonitrile (MeCN), hexane extracts and isolated pure terpenoidal compound Lupeol from the leaves of Teclea nobilis, Delile (TN), on inflammation induced by carrageenan an implantation of cotton pellets in rats; the nociceptive response using writhing and tail flick tests and the antipyretic activity in yeast-induced fever were examined in mice. Oral administration of TN extracts at doses of 150 and 300 mg/ks and lupeol 5 and 10 mg/kg showed a significant anti-inflammatory activity in rats. The extracts of TN and lupeol significantly decreased the number of contractions and stretchings induced by acetic acid and heat-induced pain in mice. The antipyretic effect of extracts and lupeol was also found to be significant. The behavioral observation of animals showed that the hexane extract and lupeol caused CNS depressant activity and did not produce any toxic or lethal effects in animals at various dose levels. The results suggest that the Teclea nobilis extracts and lupeol possesses anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities.

• 통합자연과학논문집
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.170-180
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• 2020

Abnormal regulation, hyperphosphorylation, and aggregation of the tau protein are the hallmark of several types of dementia, including Alzheimer's Disease. Increased activity of Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β (GSK-3β) in the Central Nervous System (CNS), increased the tau hyperphosphorylation and caused the neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) formation in the brain cells. Over the last two decades, numerous adenosine triphosphate (ATP) competitive inhibitors have been discovered that show inhibitory activity against GSK-3β. But these compounds exhibited off-target effects which motivated researchers to find new GSK-3β inhibitors. In the present study, we have collected the dataset of 31 C-Glycosylflavones derivatives that showed inhibitory activity against GSK-3β. Among the dataset, the most active compound was docked with the GSK-3β and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was performed for 50 ns. Based on the 50 ns MD pose of the most active compound, the other dataset compounds were sketched, minimized, and aligned. The 3D-QSAR based Comparative Molecular Field Analysis (CoMFA) model was developed, which showed a reasonable value of q2=0.664 and r2=0.920. The contour maps generated based on the CoMFA model elaborated on the favorable substitutions at the R2 position. This study could assist in the future development of new GSK-3β inhibitors.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.56-68
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• 2001

Objective : Functional brain mapping study on acupuncture stimulation using the [14C]2-deoxyglucose([14C]2-DG) autoradiography provides quantitative data and visualized pathway in central nervous system(CNS). We aimed to investigate the neural pathway and spatial distribution of metabolic activity elicited in CNS on electroacupuncture stimulation using [14C]2-DG autoradiography. Methods : The study were divided into three groups by stimulation times. 45-mins stimulation group according to Sokoloffs method, 5-mins stimulation group according to Duncun's method, and 15-mins stimulation group. ;A venous catheter was equipped into right jugular vein. The rats (Sprague-Dawley rats, 230-260g) were kept fastened loosely on a holding platform without anesthesia. Electroacupuncture stimulation (5 ms, 2 Hz, 1~3 mA) were applied on the left Zusanli (ST36) acupoint and [14C]2-DG ($25{\mu}Ci/rat$) injection was performed through the catheter. After sacrifice, the brain and the spinal cord were made to sections for film image. The film images were digitalized as the isotope concentration based upon comparison of optical densities with that of the standards and normalized by the optical density of corpus callosum. Results : 1. 15-mins stimulation group was most effective among 3 experiments. 2. On 15-mins stimulation group, medial geniculate nucleus, intetpeduncular nucleus intermedius, ventral periolivary nucleus, caudal periolivary nucleus, medial superior olive, lateral paragigantocellular nucleus, including hypothalamic arcuate nucleus were increased by more than 25% (at least, p<0.05) by electroacupuncture stimulation. 3. Especially, the metabolism in hypothalamic arcuate nucleus was increased by 90% (p<0.05). 4. The fact that arcuate nucleus of hypothalamus might play a role of interconnection area between ascending and descending pathway of acupuncture stimulation was demonstrated visually. Conclusions : Advanced study on electroacupuncture stimulation elicited significant increase of metabolic activity in various nuclei of hypothalamus will provide the important experimental basis in research of the relationship between electroacupuncture stimulation and internal visceral functions.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제40권4호
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• pp.211-218
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• 2010

포유동물의 난소는 호르몬과 감각신경 및 교감신경의 지배를 받아 난소 내 혈류의 조절, 스테로이드 호르몬 생성 및 난포의 발달과 관계된 난소의 고유기능이 조절되고 있다. 본 실험에서는 통상적인 추적자인 CT-HRP와 Pseudorabies바이러스(PRV)의 Bartha strain을 신경추적자로 이용하여 뇌하수체 후엽 및 난소와 연결된 중추신경부위를 밝히고자 하였다. 또 oxytocin을 난소 지배 신경축속에서 동정함으로써 신경축내 oxytocinergic neuron들의 존재를 확인하고, 이들이 배란을 중심으로 한 난소생식주기에 따라 보이는 중추 내 oxytocin신경세포의 변화를 조사하고자 하였다. Sprague-Dawley 흰쥐를 대상으로 난소 내에 PRV를 주사하고 48시간 후 실험동물들은 4% paraformaldehyde-lysine periodae로 고정하였으며, 뇌를 적출하여 $30{\mu}m$ 두께의 관상연속 절편을 만들어 CTHRP, PRV 및 oxytocin에 대한 삼중염색을 시행하였다. 본 실험 결과 후뇌에서부터 전뇌에 이르기까지 PRV에 양성반응을 보인 신경핵들이 관찰되어 난소를 지배하는 신경축을 구성할 수 있었다. 또 시상하부의 뇌실옆핵에서 oxytocin, PRV와 CT-HRP에 삼중으로 염색된 세포가 관찰됨으로써 신경내분비축과 자율신경축이 공동으로 기원하고 있다는 것을 형태학적으로 보여주었다. 따라서 oxytocin은 이 두 계통 내에서 호르몬의 역할과 신경전달물질의 역할을 겸할 것이라는 것을 추측할 수 있었다.