• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.191-199
• /
• 2011

The human ether-a-go-go-related gene (HERG) cardiac $K^+$ channels are one of the representative pharmacological targets for development of drugs against cardiovascular diseases such as arrhythmia. Panax ginseng has been known to exhibit cardioprotective effects. In a previous report we demonstrated that ginsenoside $Rg_3$ regulates HERG $K^+$ channels by decelerating deactivation. However, little is known about how ginsenoside metabolites regulate HERG $K^+$ channel activity. In the present study, we examined the effects of ginsenoside metabolites such as compound K (CK), protopanaxadiol (PPD), and protopanaxatriol (PPT) on HERG $K^+$ channel activity by expressing human a subunits in Xenopus oocytes. CK induced a large persistent deactivatingtail current ($I_{deactivating-tail}$) and significantly decelerated deactivating current decay in a concentration-dependent manner. The $EC_{50}$ for persistent $I_{deactivating-tail}$ was $16.6{\pm}1.3$ ${\mu}M$. In contrast to CK, PPT accelerated deactivating-tail current deactivation. PPD itself had no effects on deactivating-tail currents, whereas PPD inhibited ginsenoside $Rg_3$-induced persistent $I_{deactivating-tail}$ and accelerated HERG $K^+$ channel deactivation in a concentration-dependent manner. These results indicate that ginsenoside metabolites exhibit differential regulation on Ideactivating-tail of HERG $K^+$ channel.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.366-379
• /
• 2017

In this study, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify the effects of exercise on endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). We conducted database searches (Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, CINAHL, Scopus, KoreaMed, KISS, RISS, KMBASE) for the effect of exercise on cardiovascular disease, using heart disease, coronary artery disease, heart failure, cardiovascular disease, exercise, motor activity, rehabilitation, and endothelial progenitor cells as the keywords. Of the 539 studies identified, 9 met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 2.0 was used to analyze the effect size and the publication bias was checked with a funnel plot. Exercise was found to improve the VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), CD34+KDR+, and endothelial function, assessed via FMD (flow-mediated dilation), in the exercise vs. control groups, viz. 2.008 (95% CI 0.204-3.812), 1.399 (95% CI 0.310-2.489), and 1.881 (95% CI 0.848-2.914), respectively. Exercise improved the VEGF, number of EPCs, and endothelial function in the CVD patients. Considering the increasing prevalence and mortality rates for cardiovascular disease in Korea, the findings of this study that analyzed the effects of exercise on EPCs might provide guidelines for planning exercise interventions for patients with CVD.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.89-103
• /
• 2018

Objectives : This study is aimed to compare the changes in Antioxidative capacity of Liriopis Tuber by steaming process and to compare the effects in hyperlipidemia induced rats fed high cholesterol diet between Simvastatin and Liriopis Tuber by steaming process. Methods : The SD rats were divided into six groups: normal diet (Nor), high cholesterol diet (Veh), high cholesterol diet plus Simvastatin 5 mg/kg (Sim), high cholesterol diet plus LT0 extract 200 mg/kg (LT0), high cholesterol diet plus LT6 extract 200 mg/kg (LT6) and high cholesterol diet plus LT9 extract 200 mg/kg (LT9). We compared the total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) contents and reactive oxygen species (ROS) from each serums. Protein expression in liver tissues related to antioxidant and cholesterol was analyzed. Results : The Antioxidant activity of Liriopis Tuber increased by steaming process. In vivo, TC, TG, LDL-c, atherogenic index (AI) and cardiac risk factor (CRF) decreased and HDL-c increased with increasing steaming frequency. aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) decreased with increasing steaming frequency. ROS decreased only in LT9, and SOD, catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) increased with increasing steaming frequency. phospho-AMP-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK) increased and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP-2), Phospho-Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase (p-ACC) and HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR) decreased with increasing steaming frequency. Liver staining showed a decrease in hepatic fat accumulation of LT9. LT9 showed significant results in all experiments. Conclusions : LT9 showed significance of anti-lipid effect and improved fatty liver of hyperlipemia induced rats fed on high cholesterol diet, In conclusion, LP9 can be effectively used for the treatment of hyperlipidemia.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.291-297
• /
• 2008

We investigated whether 1) the combined capsaicin (75 mg), sesamin (30 mg), and L-carnitine (900 mg) (CCSC) ingestion enhances autonomic nervous system (ANS) activities including thermogenic sympathetic activity as energy metabolic modulator, 2) ${\beta}_3-AR$ polymorphism of each subject influences with ANS activity. Seven healthy males $(22.0{\pm}0.5\;yr)$ volunteered for this study. The cardiac autonomic nervous activities evaluated by means of heart rate variability of power spectral analysis were continuously measured during 5 min every 30 min for total 120 min resting condition with CCSC or placebo oral administration chosen at random. The results indicated that, there are not $Arp/Arg^{64}$ variants of the ${\beta}_3-AR$ genotypes in our subjects. There were not also significant differences in heart rate during rest between both trials. The difference of ANS activity did not reach the statistical significance between both trials. However, the significant improvement showed TOTAL power, HF component, and the indices of SNS and PNS activities before and at 30 min after CCSC ingestion (p<0.05, respectively). In conclusions, although each component of combined CCSC is associated with lipolysis and/or fat oxidation, the combined CCSC consumption is not influenced in stimulation of thermogenic sympathetic activity as modulator of energy metabolism. In rather, our results suggested that CCSC ingestion improves the balance of both SNS and PNS activities. Therefore, it will be considered many combined nutrient components for ergogenic and/or lipolysis effects as well as genetic variants affecting ANS activity in further studies.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.432-442
• /
• 2013

In this study, we examined the biological activity and synergistic effects of an extract powder of 1% and 3%, each fresh (FGP) and black garlic (BGP) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Blood glucose content was significantly lower in FGP and BGP groups than control group. Glycosylated Hb was significantly higher in streptozotocin induced diabetic control group than normal group, but significantly lower in FGP and BGP groups. Total cholesterol content of the FGP and BGP groups were lower than control group, but not shown the significant difference between garlic fed groups. HDL-cholesterol concentrations of the FGP and BGP fed groups were significantly higher than control group, except of 1% BGP group. LDL and VLDL-cholesterol contents were significantly lower in 3% FGP group, and the same tendency atherogenic index and cardiac risk factor. GOT, GPT, and ${\gamma}$-GTP activity of serum were lower in FGP and BGP fed groups than control group. Glycogen contents in liver significantly higher than control group, and has not significantly difference between normal group. TBARS content was no significantly difference in the liver and serum, but in the kidney, 3% FPG and BGP fed groups were significantly lower than other experimental group. DPPH radical scavenging activity of liver has not significant difference among experimental groups, but activity was higher garlic extract powder fed groups in serum and kidney. These results indicate that dietary supplements of fresh and black garlic extract powder was contributed to lower of blood glucose, loss prevention of glycogen in liver and improve of lipid metabolism.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.287-295
• /
• 2016

Involuntary physical activity induced by the avoidance of electrical shock leads to improved endurance exercise capacity in animals. However, it remains unknown whether voluntary stand-up physical activity (SPA) without forced simulating factors improves endurance exercise capacity in animals. We examined the effects of SPA on body weight, cardiac function, and endurance exercise capacity for 12 weeks. Twelve male Sprague-Dawley rats (aged 8 weeks, n=6 per group) were randomly assigned to a control group (CON) or a voluntary SPA group. The rats were induced to perform voluntary SPA (lifting a load equal to their body weight), while the food height (18.0 cm) in cages was increased progressively by 3.5 every 4 weeks until it reached 28.5 cm for 12 weeks. The SPA group showed a lower body weight compared to the CON group, but voluntary SPA did not affect the skeletal muscle and heart weights, food intake, and echocardiography results. Although the SPA group showed higher grip strength, running time, and distance compared to the CON group, the level of irisin, corticosterone, genetic expression of mitochondrial biogenesis, and nuclei numbers were not affected. These findings show that voluntary SPA without any forced stimuli in rats can effectively reduce body weight and enhance endurance exercise capacity, suggesting that it may be an important alternative strategy to enhance endurance exercise capacity.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.22 no.10
• /
• pp.1407-1414
• /
• 2012

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is an effective regimen that has been found to prevent these diseases in postmenopausal women. However, HRT is accompanied by an increased risk of unfavorable outcomes. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Eisenia Bicyclis extract on lipids in ovariectomized rats. Fifty 7-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups: sham-operated rats (SHAM), ovariectomized rats (OVX-CON), and ovariectomized rats that were treated with Eisenia bicyclis extracts. The extract-treated diets were fed to the rats for 6 weeks after operation. Antioxidant effects were measured by DPPH free radical scavenging activity. Antioxidant activity of the ethanol extract increased in a dose-dependent manner and was about 55.9% in a concentration of 100 ${\mu}g/ml$. We measured the total cholesterol content, triglyceride content, HDL-cholesterol content, LDL-cholesterol content, atherosclerotic index, cardiac risk factor in serum, and anti-platelet aggregation and blood rheology. The total cholesterol and triglyceride concentration in serum increased for the OVX-control group, but supplementation with the E. bicyclis extract caused these factors to decrease. Notably, the serum LDL-cholesterol concentration in the OVX-EB200 group was significantly lower than the OVX-CON group. In addition, the blood passage times in rats that received the E. bicyclis extract were more rapid than the times in the untreated group (OVX-CON). Microscopic evaluation revealed that whole blood passed more smoothly through the microchannels in rats in the E. bicyclis extract supplement groups. Our results clarified the effects of E. bicyclis extract on serum lipid content in ovariectomized rats, and consequently we expect positive effects from providing E. bicyclis extract to postmenopausal women with cardiovascular disease.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.396-402
• /
• 2010

This study was designed to investigate the effects of 4 kinds of plant water extract mixture and garlic extract (PMC) administration on serum lipid metabolism in hypercholestrolemic rats. The normal group was administered a cholesterol free diet, the control group a 1% cholesterol diet, and each experimental group was given a diet of 1% cholesterol, 1% plant mixture and 0.3, 0.5, 0.7% garlic extract (PMC-I, PMC-II, PMC-III), respectively. Each diet was administered orally to SD-male rats for 4 weeks. Total cholesterol content decreased by about 20% with administration of PMC. Triglyceride content also decreased from 9.3 to 15.0% compared to the control group, and phospholipid was similar to triglyceride. There was no significant difference in HDL-cholesterol content between the control and experimental groups. LDL-cholesterol content of the normal group was 9.4 times lower than the control group and its content was significantly lower in the PMC-II ($68.45{\pm}12.83\;mg/dl$) and PMC-III ($66.35{\pm}5.18\;mg/dl$) groups than the PMC-I group. VLDL-cholesterol content of the PMC-II and III groups were similar to the normal group. Atherogenic index (AI) and cardiac risk factor (CRF) were significantly lower in the PMC group. Blood glucose content was the lowest in the PMC-II ($189.37{\pm}12.02\;mg/dl$) group among all groups tested. Total protein content was $9.56{\pm}0.87{\sim}10.05{\pm}2.69\;mg/dl$ in the PMC-I~III groups and was significantly higher than the normal group. CPT activity did not show a significant difference among the experimental groups, while COT activity was effective only in the PMC-I group. Serum TBARS content in the PMC-III group was lower than in the normal group. Serum antioxidant activity by DPPH radical scavenging was $83.75{\pm}2.32%$ in the PMC-III group, which was significantly higher than the control group.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.538-543
• /
• 2011

This study was conducted for the antihyperlipidemic effect of ethanol extract from Portulaca oleracea in high fat diet-induced obese mice after having injected the ethanol extract from Portulaca oleracea to the obese mice with high fat diet. The 30 six-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were divided into 3 groups of 10 and fed for 5 weeks to be obese with high fat diet. Thereafter, for 4 weeks, ethanol extract from Portulaca oleracea was provided through oral injection to the 3 groups: control group (HFD), group injected with 75 mg/kg of ethanol extract from Portulaca oleracea (HFD+POE 75) and the group injected with 125 mg/kg of ethanol extract from Portulaca oleracea (HFD+POE 125). The serum and liver lipid and the alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) activity were measured. The result showed that there was no significant difference in weight gain and feed intake, and the feed efficiency ratio was significantly low in the group provided with ethanol extract from Portulaca oleracea. Serum total cholesterol was significantly low in the group of ethanol extract from Portulaca oleracea (HFD+POE 125). It appeared that all the groups provided with ethanol extract from Portulaca loeracea reduced plasma triglyceride significantly according to the ethanol extract from Portulaca oleracea dose. There was no dose dependency of HDL-cholesterol to the dose of ethanol extract of Portulaca oleracea. LDL-cholesterol was low in the group dosed with high ethanol extract from Portulaca oleracea (HFD+POE 125). There was difference of total cholesterol, triglyceride and total lipid contents in liver. AI (atherogenic index) and CRF (cardiac risk factor) were significantly low in the group with high dose of ethanol extract from Portulaca oleracea (HFD+POE 125). There was no difference of serum AST activity, however, serum ALT activity was significantly low in the group with high dose of ethanol extract from Portulaca oleracea (HFD+POE 125).

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.37 no.5
• /
• pp.391-400
• /
• 2004

Xenotransplantation in discordant species results in immediate and irreversible hyperacute rejection due to natural antibodies, IgM. With this, antibody depletion is one option to reduce hyperacute rejection, we investigated the effect of PCPP (postcentrifugal plasmapheresis) on the depletion of natural antibodies and the effect of antibody titer on xenograft survival. Material and Method: Outbred swines (n=4) weighing 10∼20 kg were used as donors and mongrel dogs (n=4) weighing 25∼30 kg were used as recipients. Recipient canines underwent plasmapheresis (COBE TPE Laboratories, Lakewood. CO, USA). Pre-transplantation PCPP was peformed on day －2 and day 0. There were three groups (Group 0: no PCPP, Group 1: 1 pla sma-volume (PV) at day －2 and 2 PV at day 0, Group 2: 2 PV at day －2 and 2 PV at day 0). A swine heart was heterotopically transplanted into a recipient's abdominal infrarenal aorta and inferior vena cava. Mean percent depletion of total IgM and IgG in plasma of the recipients was calculated. Serum albumin, electrolyte, complement activity and coagulation factors were measured. Histopathologic examination of heart specimens was performed. Result: Mean percent depletion of IgM and IgG were 95.7$\pm$1.2%, 80.5$\pm$2.4% in the group 2 at the end of PCPP. The percent depletion of serum albumin concentration was decreased from 2.8 to 1.4 g/㎗ in the group 1 and 3.0 to 1.5 g/㎗ in the group 2. Complement hemolytic activity was decreased in group 1 and 2, but returned to normal level within 24 hours. Complement hemolytic activity was reduced to 10% of pre-PCPP level in group 2. Serum fibrinogen decreased to 20% or less and was recovered within 24 hours in group 2. Antithrombin III decreased but less than fibrinogen. PT and aPTT were sometimes but not always prolonged during plasmapheresis. After plasmapheresis, PT and aPTT were prolonged beyond the measurable level. D-dimer was not found during PCPP, but appeared and maintained from 10 minutes after trasplantation. Graft Survival time was 5 min in group 0, and it was 90$\pm$0 min in the group 2. Histopathologic changes were more typically characterized by edema, hemorrhages, thrombosis in all groups at the end of experiment. Conclusion: PCPP effectively removed immuoglobulins and reduced the titer of natural antibodies, as a result, significantly prololonged swine heart xenograft survival.