• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.247-259
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• 2000

Objective : The mechanism of acupuncture to increase cerebral blood flow is still uncertain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the neural basis of acupuncture by comparing the cerebral regions activated by the stimulation of two different methods of acupunctures at the same acupoint which was suggested by oriental medicine to increase rCBF. Materials and Methods : Thirty-nine healthy volunteers(26 males, 13 females, age $31{\pm}11$ years) were studies by rest/acupuncture Tc-99m ECD brain SPECT using a subtraction method. SPECTs using two methods(needle retention and heated needle with 90% alcohol) at two acupoints (right LI. 4 and ST. 36) were peformed at an interval of three days. For the needle retention method, acupuncture needle was inserted to a depth of about 2 cm into each acupoint 8 minutes after the lst acquisition and continued to retain, and the second injection of Tc-99m ECD was done 15 minutes after the insertion of needle. For the heated acupuncture method, heated needle was inserted in a twinkle within several msec 20 second after the second injection of Tc-99m ECD. The differences of between rest and acupuncture activation state were statistically analyzed using a statistical parametric mapping software. Result : Acupunctures of both methods reveal similar patterns of increase in rCBF. Acupuncture at ST.36 increase rGBF in left anterior temporal, right inferior frontal lobes, and left cerebellum. Acupuncture at LI. 4 increase rCBF in the left frontal cortex, right temporal pole, both inferior frontal cortices and right cerebellum. Conclusion : The effects of two different acupunctures to the same acupoints on rCBF were similar. Therefore, this result suggests Chat the mechanism of acupuncture in the increase of cerebral blood flow have a neural basis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.157-166
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• 2013

This study aimed to investigate whether nociceptin contributes to the alterations in cerebral blood flow (CBF) regulation following postnatal exposure to ethanol in Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals received ethanol twice a day, 2 hr apart, on postnatal 6, 7 and 8 days. The changes in regional CBF (rCBF) in response to the changes in mean arterial blood pressure were determined at 4-, 8-, and 12-week of age by laser-Doppler flowmetry. Hypotension was induced by the gradual withdrawal of blood from arterial catheter, and the reversal of blood pressure was produced by the reinfusion of blood. Expression of nociceptin-like immunoreactivity was determined in dura mater and cerebral cortex using immunohistochemistry. Postnatal exposure to ethanol almost abolished the autoregulation of rCBF in all age groups. Pretreatment with nociceptin but not with [$Nphe^1$]nociceptin(1-13)$NH_2$, a selective competitive nociceptin receptor antagonist, 5 min prior to ethanol administration preserved the autoregulation of rCBF in all age groups. Postnatal exposure to ethanol markedly increased the expressions of nociceptin-like immunoreactivity in the dura mater and cerebral cortex, both of which were significantly inhibited by pretreatment with 7-nitroindazole monosodium salt as well as aminoguanidine 5 min prior to ethanol administration in all age groups. The values of arterial blood gas analysis were not significantly different from the basal levels in all groups. These results suggest that nociceptin deeply contributes to the compensatory mechanisms for the nitric oxide-dependent alterations in CBF autoregulation following postnatal exposure to ethanol.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.92-111
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• 2002

Objective : Carthami Flos has been used as a herb to promote blood circulation to remove blood stasis in oriental medicine for many centuries, and Amun(GV15) has been used as a meridian point to treat apoplexy etc. To investigate treatment of cerevral vascular disease(CVA) by promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis(活血化瘀法), we observed the experimental effects and mechanism of auqa-acupunture of Carthami Flos(ACF) injected into GV15 on cerevral hemodynamics and cardiovascular system of rats. Method : Aqua-acupuncture of Carthami Flos(ACF) was injected into GV15, and then we investigated experimental effects and mechanism of ACF on the cerebral hemodynamics[regional cerebral blood flow(rCBF), pial arterial diameter(PAD), meal arterial blood pressure(MABP)] and cardiovascular system[cardiac muscle contractile force(CMF), heart rate(HR)I by pretreatment with methylene blue(MTB) and indomethacin(IDN). The changes in rCBF, MABP, CMF and HR were tested by Laser Doppler Flowmetry(LDF), and the changes in PAD was determinated by video microscopy methods and video analyzer. Results :The results were as follows in normal rats ; The changes of rCBF and PAD were significantly increased by ACF($120{\mu}{\ell}/kg$) in a injected time-dependent manner, but MABP was not changed by ACF. The changes of cardiovascular system were increased by ACF in a injected time-dependent manner. And pretreatment with MTB was significantly inhibited ACE induced increase of rCBF and PAD, and was decreased ACF induced increase of HR. And pretreatment with IDN was increased ACF induced MABP and CMF. And the results were as follows in cerebral ischemic rats ; The changes of rCBF was increased stabilizly by treatment with ACF($120{\mu}{\ell}/kg$) in during the period of cerebral reperfusion, but pretreatment with MTB was increased ACF induced increase of rCBF during the period of cerebral reperfusion. The results were as follows in normal rats ; The changes of rCBF and PAD were significantly increased by ACF($120{\mu}{\ell}/kg$) in a injected time-dependent manner, but MABP was not changed by ACF. The changes of cardiovascular system were increased by ACF in a injected time-dependent manner. And pretreatment with MTB was significantly inhibited ACF induced increase of rCBF and PAD, and was decreased ACF induced increase of HR. And pretreatment with IDN was increased ACF induced MABP and CMF. And the results were as follows in cerebral ischemic rats ; The changes of rCBF was increased stabilizly by treatment with ACF($120{\mu}{\ell}/kg$) in during the period of cerebral reperfusion, but pretreatment with MTB was increased ACF induced increase of rCBF during the period of cerebral reperfusion Conclusions : In conclusion, ACF causes a diverse response of rCBF, PAD an HR, and action of ACF is mediated by cyclic GMP. I suggested that ACF has an anti-ischemic effect through the improvement of crebral hemodynamics in a transient cerebral ischemia.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2012

This study was designed to investigate the effects of a new herbal medicine named CWS-A on the changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) in normal rats, and further to determine the mechanism of action. Also, this study was designed to investigate the effects of CWS-A on the changes in rCBF in cerebral ischemic rats and the safety examination of CWS-A in rats regared to body weight change, renal and liver function test, CBC, $LD_{50}$ and histological observation in rats. The rCBF was significantly and stably increased and MABP was significantly decreased by CWS-A during the period of cerebral reperfusion in normal rats. However, there were no here were no significant changes of rCBF in ischemic rats. In additional, there were no significant changes on the safety examination. In conclusion, these results suggest that medication of CWS-A is effective for the improve the cerebral blood flow and CWS-A can be prescribed as vertigo(眩暈) symptoms treatment.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.1194-1202
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• 2021

Objective: To investigate the age-dependent changes in regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) in healthy adults by fitting mathematical models to imaging data. Materials and Methods: In this prospective study, 90 healthy adults underwent pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling imaging of the brain. Regional CBF values were extracted from the arterial spin labeling images of each subject. Multivariable regression with the Akaike information criterion, link test, and F test (Ramsey's regression equation specification error test) was performed for 7 models in every brain region to determine the best mathematical model for fitting the relationship between CBF and age. Results: Of all 87 brain regions, 68 brain regions were best fitted by cubic models, 9 brain regions were best fitted by quadratic models, and 10 brain regions were best fitted by linear models. In most brain regions (global gray matter and the other 65 brain regions), CBF decreased nonlinearly with aging, and the rate of CBF reduction decreased with aging, gradually approaching 0 after approximately 60. CBF in some regions of the frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes increased nonlinearly with aging before age 30, approximately, and decreased nonlinearly with aging for the rest of life. Conclusion: In adults, the age-related perfusion patterns in most brain regions were best fitted by the cubic models, and age-dependent CBF changes were nonlinear.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1083-1088
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• 2004

This Study was designed to investigate the mechanism of Prescription for Treatment Abundant Expectoration due to Deficiency of Qi(Yukgunja-Tang, YGT) on cerebral hemodynamics [regional cerebral blood f1ow(rCBF) and pial arterial diameter(PAD)] in cerebral ischemia rats. The results were as follows: Both rCBF and PAD were significantly and stably decreased by YGT (10㎎/㎏, i.p.) during the period of cerebral reperfusion, which contrasted with the findings of rapid and marked increase in Control group. Pretreatment with indomethacin(1㎎/㎏, i.p.), an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase and methylene blue(10㎍/㎏, i.p.), an inhibitor of guanylate cyclase significantly but unstably increased the YGT-induced increases in rCBF during the period of cerebral reperfusion. Pretreatment with indomethacin significantly and stably decreased the YGT-induced increases in PAD during the period of cerebral reperfusion, but pretreatment with methylene blue increased unstably the YGT-induced increases in PAD during the period of cerebral reperfusion. In conclusion, the present authors thought that mechanism of YGT on cerebral hemodynamics was connected with guanylate cyclase in cerebral ischemia rats.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.50-56
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• 2009

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of Phamacopuncture therapy using Cervi Pantotrichum Cornu (PC) at BL23 BL52 on the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) in normal rats, then the related mechanisms were also investigated. In addition, the present author also investigated the effects of phamacopuncture therapy at BL23.BL52 on the rCBF in cerebral ischemic rats. The results in normal rats were as follows; PC (3 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg) at BL23 BL52 significantly increased rCBF but decreased MABP. This result suggests that PC at BL23 BL52 significantly increased rCBF by dilating pial arterial diameter. Increase of PC (5 mg/kg)-induced rCBF was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with indomethacin (1 mg/kg, i.p.), an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase and methylene blue ($10{\mu}g/kg$, i.p.), an inhibitor of guanylate cyclase. Decrease of PC (5 mg/kg)-induced MABP was significantly increased by pretreatment with methylene blue but was decreased by pretreatment with indomethacin. These results suggested that the action of PC (5 mg/kg) was mediated by guanylate cyclase. The results in cerebral ischemic rats were as follows ; The rCBF was significantly and stably increased by PC (5 mg/kg) during the period of cerebral reperfusion, which contrasted with the findings of rapid and marked increase in Control group. In conclusion, these results suggest that phamacopuncture therapy using Carthami flos at BL23 BL52 can increase rCBF in normal state, and improve stability of rCBF in ischemic state. In addition, the present author also suggest that related mechanisms are involved in guanylate cyclase pathway.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.150-157
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• 2004

As an attempt to develop new functional health beverage by using medicinal herb, green ginger(Zingiber officinale Roscoe), we investigated the effect of Zingiber officinale on blood pressure and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) of rats with Zingiber officinale extracts. Zingiber officinale extract increase rCBF significantly. The drink produced consisted of Zingiber officinale extract 1.825%, maltitol syrup 17.0%, citric aicd 0.06%, ascorbic acid 0.02%, stevioside 0.001%, ginger flavor 0.11% and water. Brix, pH and acidity of product were 13.7, 4.4 and 0.09, respectively. This drink had good score by the sensory evaluation. The above results showed that development of such functional beverage using Zingiber officinale can used as a functional material improving blood circulation in beverage industry.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1643-1651
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• 2004

This experimental study was designed to investigate the effects of SIEGESBECKIAE HERBA extract (SHE) on the change of cerebral hemodynamics 〔regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and mean arterial blood pressure(MABP)〕 in normal condition and cerebral ischemic rats, and to determine the mechanism of action of SHE. This study was designed to investigate whether or not SHE inhibit lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in neuronal cells and cytokines production in serum of cerebral ischemic rats. The results were as follows SHE increased rCBF significantly in a dose-dependent manner, but MABP was not changed by SHE in normal rats. The SHE-induced increase in rCBF was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with indomethacin (IDN), an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase but was increased by methylene blue (MTB), an inhibitor of guanylate cyclase. SHE inhibited lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity significantly in neuronal cells. rCBF was increased significantly and stably by SHE(10㎎/㎏, i.p.) during the period of cerebral reperfusion, which contrasted with the findings of rapid and marked increase in control group in ischemic rats. In serum by drawing from femoral arterial blood after middle cerebral arterial occlusion(MCAO) for 1hr and reperfusion for 1hr, the sample group was decreased IL-1β production significantly compared to that of the control group. In serum by drawing from femoral arterial blood after MCAO 1hr and reperfusion 1hr, sample group decreased TNF-α production significantly compared to that of the control grolilp. In serum by drawing from femoral arterial blood after reperfusion 1hr, sample group increased TGF-β production significantly compared to that of the control group. In serum by drawing from femoral arterial blood after MCAO for 1hr and reperfusion for 1hr, IL-10 production of the sample group was similar to that of control group. These results suggested that SHE had inhibitive effect on the brain damage by inhibited LDH activity, IL-1β and TNF-α production, but accelerated TGF-β production.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.201-209
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• 2005

This study aimed to investigate the cerebroprotective effect of nociceptin on transient focal cerebral ischemia in Sprague-Dawley rats by determining the changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and the infarct size. Right middle cerebral artery (MCA) was occluded for 2 hours, and thereafter was followed by reperfusion by an intraluminal monofilament technique. An open cranial window was made on the right parietal bone for determination of continuous changes in rCBF by laser-Doppler flowmetry. The infarct size was morphometrically determined using the 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride technique. In normal rats, nociceptin ($0.01\~100\;nmol/kg$, Lv.) increased rCBF and decreased cerebral arterial resistance in a dose-dependent manner. Systemic arterial blood pressure was little affected by nociceptin at the doses of 0.01 and 0.1nmol/kg, but dose-dependently reduced at the doses of 1 nmol/kg or more. In transient cerebral ischemic rats, nociceptin ($0.01\~0.1$ nmol/kg, i.p.) significantly attenuated the postischemic cerebral hyperemia, and progressively increased rCBF. The improving effect of nociceptin on the postischemic rCBF response was markedly blocked by pretreatment with $[Nphe^1]nociceptin(1-13)NH_2$ (1 nmol/kg, i.p.), a selective nociceptin receptor antagonist, but not by naloxone ($3{\mu}mol/kg$, i.p.), a selective opioid receptor antagonist. The cerebral infarct size was significantly reduced by nociceptin ($0.01\~0.1$ nmol/kg) administered i.p. 5 min after MCA occlusion in transient cerebral ischemia of 2-hour MCA occlusion and 22-hour reperfusiion. It is suggested that nociceptin improves the postischemic cerebral hemodynamics and thereby has a cerebroprotective effect in transient focal cerebral ischemia.