• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.64-70
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• 2003

Jaeumgenby-tang(JGT) have been used in oriental medicine for many centuries as a therapeutic agent of vertigo caused by deficiency of qi(氣) and blood(血). Effect of Aurantii Fructus(AF) take off the phlegm by promoting the circulation of qi, Gastrodae Rhizoma(GR) has effects treating for headache, vertigo by calming the liver and suppressing hyperactivity of the liver-yang(陽). And, I designed to investigate whether injection of JGT adding AFㆍGR extract(JGTAG) affects cytotoxicity in vitro, cerebral hemodynamics [regional cerebral blood flow(rCBF), pial arterial diameter(PAD), mean arterial blood pressure(MABP)] in normal and cerebral ischemia rats by MCA occlusion method. The changes of rCBF and MABP were determinated by laser-doppler flowmetry(LDF), and the change of PAD was determinated by video microscope and width analyzer. The results were as follows in normal rats; JGTAG was not cytotoxicity in brain cells. And JGTAG was significantly increased rCBF, PAD and MABP. This results suggest that JGTAG increased significantly rCBF by dilating PAD. And the results were as follows in cerebral ischemic rats; The changes of rCBF and PAD were increased stably by treatment with JGTAG(10mg/kg, i.v.) during the period of cerebral reperfusion, and pretreatment with propranolol and indomethacin were increased JGT AG induced increase of rCBF and PAD during the period of cerebral reperfusion. We suggest that JGTAG has an anti-ischemic effect through the improvement of cerebral hemodynamics.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.993-999
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• 2008

Ischemic brain injury such as cerebral infarction is characterized by acute local inflammatory response mediated by cytokines. The mechanism of cytokines involved in cerebral infarction progression are uncompletely revealed yet. We investigated to find out the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of interleukin 4 receptor(IL4R) and Oriental Medicine therapy efficacy in patients with cerebral infarction for 2 weeks. Oriental Korean Medicine therapies (herbal medicine and acupuncture) were applied daily and motor functions of patients were assessed using the modified cerebral vascular accident (MCVA) scores. Genotyping for IL4R polymorphism was done by pyrosequencing analysis. In IL4R genotypes and the frequency of alleles, there was no significant difference between cerebral infarction patients (n=124) and controls group (n=175). And there was also no significant difference among good and bad responders in cerebral infarction patients. In this study the IL4R genotype might not be the risk factor or a good predictive genetic marker for good and bad responders in cerebral infarction patients in Korean. Further studies including different cytokine genes will be necessary for the exact genetic markers.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.467-472
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• 2004

Transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) is a useful diagnostic method to measure cerebral blood flow velocity in various cerebral disorders. However, we haven't data enough to be available for young persons, especially in the twenties in Korea. This study was performed to collect the basic data of the cerebral blood flow velocity and to understand the cerebral physiology in the twenties. We determined the mean velocities of middle, anterior, and posterior cerebral artery, and vertebral and basilar artery (MCA-V, ACA-V, PCA-V, VA-V, and BA-V, respectively) in eighty-two healthy volunteers. For evaluating cerebral autoregulation, only the MCA- V was measured under various conditions such as stable, apnea, and hyperventilation state. Right and left MCA-V were 80.66±14.03 and 83.22±14.40 cm/sec at stable state, 90.13±17.47 and 90.26±16.38 cm/sec at apnea, and 54.83±11.09 and 55.33±10.74 cm/sec at hyperventilation. Right and left ACA-V were 49.11±15.71 and 48.19±13.75 cm/sec. Right and left PCA-V were 39.44±9.12 and 37.91±6.74 cm/sec. Right and left VA-V were 33.65±9.26 and 36.l8±10.39 cm/sec. BA-V was 48.49±11.16 cm/sec. Right and left MCA- V, V A-V, and right ACA- V and PCA- V in women were higher than those of men (P<0.05). No significant differences were found between men and women in the others. These findings indicate that cerebral hemodynamics and autoregulation were normal in young people in their twenties. The velocities of MCA, ACA, PCA, and BA were high values in women as compared with men.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.85-88
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• 2007

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) can degrade a wide range of extracellular matrix components. It has been reported that MMP-9 are activated after focal ischemia in experimental animals. (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major constituent of green tea polyphenols, is a potent free radical scavenger and reduces the neuronal damage caused by oxygen free radicals. And it has been known that EGCG could reduce the infarction volume in focal brain ischemia and inhibit MMP-9 activity. To delineate the relationship between the anti-ischemic action and the MMP-9-inhibiting action of EGCG, we investigated the effect of EGCG on brain infarction and the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9 induced by permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) in ICR mice. EGCG (40 mg/kg, i.p. $15{\sim}30min$ prior to MCAO) significantly decreased infarction volume at 24 hr after MCAO. GM 6001 (50 mg/kg, i.p. $15{\sim}30min$ prior to MCAO), a MMP inhibitor, also significantly reduced infarction volume. In zymogram, MMP-9 activities began to increase at ipsilateral cortex at 2 hr after MCAO, and the increments of MMP-9 activities were attenuated by EGCG treatment. Western blot for MMP-9 also showed patterns similar to that of zymogram. These findings demonstrate that the anti-ischemic action of EGCG ire mouse focal cerebral ischemia involves its inhibitory effect on MMP-9.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.485-491
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• 2013

The present study was designed to investigate the putative effect of neurosteroid modulation on global ischaemia-reperfusion-induced cerebral injury in mice. Bilateral carotid artery occlusion followed by reperfusion, produced a significant rise in cerebral infarct size along with impairment of grip strength and motor coordination in Swiss albino mice. Administration of carbamazepine (16 mg/kg, i.p.) before global cerebral ischaemia significantly attenuated cerebral infarct size and improved the motor performance. However, administration of indomethacin (100 mg/kg, i.p.) attenuated the neuroprotective effect of carbamazepine. Mexiletine (50 mg/kg, i.p.) did not produce significant neuroprotective effect. It may be concluded that the neuroprotective effect of carbamazepine may be due to increase in synthesis of neurosteroids perhaps by activating enzyme ($3{\alpha}$ HSD) as indomethacin attenuated the neuroprotective effect of carbamazepine. The sodium channel blocking effect of carbamazepine may not be involved in neuroprotection as mexiletine, a sodium channel blocker, did not produce significant neuroprotective effect.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.6
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• pp.665-672
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• 1997

This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of cerebroprotection of platelet-activating factor(PAF) antagonists in transient cerebral ischemia of rat. Right middle cerebral artery(MCA) of Sprague-Dawley rat was occluded for 2 hours using an intraluminal filament technique. After 22 hours of reperfusion, morphometrically detectable infarct was developed in the cortex and striatum identical to the territory of MCA. The infarct size was significantly reduced by PAF antagonists, BN 52021 and CV-6209, as well as an inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS) inhibitor aminoguanidine(1 mg/kg, i.p., respectively) administered 5 min after MCA occlusion. PAF antagonists significantly inhibited the enzymatic activities of both myeloperoxidase and iNOS in the cerebral hemisphere ipsilateral to ischemia, whereas aminoguanidine did not inhibit myeloperoxidase activity but significantly inhibited the iNOS activity. These results suggest that PAF antagonists exert a cerebroprotective effect against ischemic brain damage through inhibition of leukocyte infiltration and iNOS activity in the postischemic brain.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.467-477
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• 2001

We examined astrocyte regional heterogeneity in their morphological changes in response to various stimuli. Astrocytes were cultured from six different neonatal rat brain regions including cerebral cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum, mid brain, brain stem and hypothalamus. Astrocyte stellation was induced by serum deprivation and the maximum stellation in different regional astrocytes was achieved after 2 h. After 24 h, in all astrocyte cultures, the level of stellation returned to their original level. Cerebellar or hypothalamic astrocytes were the most or the least sensitive, respectively, to serum deprivation. The order of maximum sensitivity to serum deprivation among different regional astrocytes was: cerebellum＞mid $brain{\ge}hippocampus,\;brain\;stem{\ge}cerebral$ cortex＞hypothalamus. Isoproterenol-induced astrocyte stellation was also examined in different regional astrocytes, and similar order of maximum sensitivity as in serum deprivation was observed. Next a possible developmental effect on astrocyte morphological changes was examined in cerebral cortex and cerebellum astrocytes cultured from postnatal day 1 (P1), P4 and P7 rat brains. A much higher sensitivity of cerebellum astrocytes to serum deprivation as well as isoproterenol treatment was consistently observed in P1, P4 and P7-derived astrocytes compared to cerebral cortex astrocytes. The present study demonstrates different regional astrocytes maintain different levels of morphological plasticity in vitro.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.113-119
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• 2012

The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in blood homocysteine levels and blood d-dimer levels of cerebral infarction patients categorized by Pattern Identification. We studied hospitalized patients within 4 weeks after the onset of stroke who were admitted to the Oriental Internal Medical Department at Semyung University Chungju Oriental Medical Hospital from May 2008 to September 2009. We analyzed risk factors and blood homocysteine levels and blood d-dimer levels accordings to Pattern Identification in Cerebral infarction patients. A total of 49 patients were included in the trial. No statistical significance was noted for any characteristics except body weight and body mass index. Body weight and body mass index were significantly higher Dampness-Phlegm pattern. On past history of patients, prevalence of DM was significantly higher in Fire-Heat pattern than that of other patterns. There was no significant difference of blood homocysteine levels and blood d-dimer levels among Pattern Identification. This study investigated the differences in blood homocysteine levels and blood d-dimer levels of cerebral infarction patients categorized by Pattern Identification. The correlation in homocysteine and d-dimer levels and Pattern Identification was not clarified.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.741-747
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• 2007

This study evaluated neuroprotective effects of Yanggyuksanhwa-tang (YST), which have been known to be efficacy in the treatment of the stroke and diabetes. on focal cerebral ischemia of diabetic rats. On primary experiment, diabetic condition in rats was induced by streptozotocin injection, then, focal cerebral ischemia was induced by the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) under the diabetic condition. Then neuroprotective effect of YST was observed with changes of infarct size and volume, expressions of c-Fos, Bax, and hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1${\alpha}$ in the brain tissues by using 2% 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining and immunohistochemistry. YST treatment showed a significant decrease of infarct size and volume induced by MCAO in diabetic rats. YST treatment showed a significant decrease of c-Fos and Bax positive neurons in cortex penumbra. YST treatment showed a decrease of HIF-l${\alpha}$ positive neurons in cortex penumbra, but it was not significant statistically. These results suggest that YST has effects on neuroprotection against cerebral infarct under diabetic condition. And it is supposed that neuroprotective effect of YST reveals by anti-apoptosis mechanism.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.4 no.6
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• pp.445-453
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• 2000

The present investigation tested the hypothesis that the activation of protein kinase G (PKG) leads to a phosphorylation of $Ca^{2+}-activated$ potassium channel $(K_{Ca}\;channel)$ and is involved in the activation of $K_{Ca}$ channel activity in cerebral arterial smooth muscle cells of the rabbit. Single-channel currents were recorded in cell-attached and inside-out patch configurations of patch-clamp techniques. Both molsidomine derivative 3-morpholinosydnonimine-N-ethylcarbamide $(SIN-1,\;50\;{\mu}M)$ and 8-(4-Chlorophenylthio)-guanosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate $(8-pCPT-cGMP,\;100\;{\mu}M),$ a membrane-permeable analogue of cGMP, increased the $K_{Ca}$ channel activity in the cell-attached patch configuration, and the effect was removed upon washout of the drugs. In inside-out patches, single-channel current amplitude was not changed by SIN-1 and 8-pCPT-cGMP. Application of ATP $(100\;{\mu}M),$ cGMP $(100\;{\mu}M),$ ATP+cGMP $(100\;{\mu}M\;each),$ PKG $(5\;U/{\mu}l),$ ATP $(100\;{\mu}M)+PKG\;(5\;U/{\mu}l),$ or cGMP $(100\;{\mu}M)+PKG\;(5\;U/{\mu}l)$ did not increase the channel activity. ATP $(100\;{\mu}M)+cGMP\;(100\;{\mu}M)+PKG\;(5\;U/{\mu}l)$ added directly to the intracellular phase of inside-out patches increased the channel activity with no changes in the conductance. The heat-inactivated PKG had no effect on the channel activity, and the effect of PKG was inhibited by 8-(4-Chlorophenylthio)-guanosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate, Rp-isomer $(Rp-pCPT-cGMP,\;100\;{\mu}M),$ a potent inhibitor of PKG or protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A, 1 U/ml). In the presence of okadaic acid (OA, 5 nM), PP2A had no effect on the channel activity. The $K_{Ca}$ channel activity spontaneously decayed to the control level upon washout of ATP, cGMP and PKG, and this was prevented by OA (5 nM) in the medium. These results suggest that the PKG-mediated phosphorylations of $K_{Ca}$ channels, or some associated proteins in the membrane patch increase the activity of the $K_{Ca}$ channel, and the activation may be associated with the vasodilating action.