• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.176-182
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• 2008

Scolopendra was known to cure erectile dysfunction. This study was aimed to investigate the effects of Scolopendra on the nitric oxide synthase activity, nitrite level, cyclic-GMP and erectile responses in rat's corpus cavernosum penis. The crushed Scolopendra was extracted 3 times, each time with 3 volumes of methyl alcohol at $60^{\circ}C$ for 24 h. The extract was filtered and evaporated under a reduced pressure using a rotary evaporator to yield 14.2 g. Scolopendra extract was oral-administered 50 mg per 1 kg of body weight for 30 days. First, samples were treated with Scolopendra, and then ethanol-treated rats and L-N-Nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME) treated rats were fed with the samples. The level of urethral nitrite and nitric oxide synthase activity in the ethanol-Scolopendra double administered rats were as high as in the normal group, while the one in the ethanol-treated group was decreased. The level of urethral cyclic-GMP and guanylate cyclase actiyity in the ethanol-Scolopendra double administered rats were as high as in the normal group, while the one in the ethanol-treated group was decreased. The level of urethral phosphodiesterase activity in the ethanol-Scolopendra double administered rats was as low as in the normal group, while the one in the ethanol-treated group was increased. The erectile response to a cavernous nerve stimulation in L-NAME $(10^{-4})-treated$ rats was restored by the Scolopendra to the similar level seen in the normal group. The electile response to cavernous nerve stimulation in the ethanol-Scolopendra double administered rats were increased as high as in the normal group while the one in the ethanol-treated group was decreased. Scolopendra was effective in restoring the ethanol-induced or L-NAME-induced erectile dysfunction in rats.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.234-241
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• 2011

Mantidis Vagina Ovorum was formulated to contain various natural products known to cure erectile dysfunction. This study was aimed to investigate the effects of Mantidis Vagina Ovorum on the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity, nitrite level, antioxidation and erectile responses in rat's corpus cavernosum penis. The crushed Mantidis Vagina Ovorum was extracted 3 times, each time with 3 volumes of methyl alcohol at $60^{\circ}C$ for 24 h. The extract was filtered and evaporated under a reduced pressure using a rotary evaporator to yield 16.6 g. Mantidis Vagina Ovorum extract oral-administered 75 mg per 1 kg of body weight for 30 days. First, samples were treated with Mantidis Vagina Ovorum, and then cimetidine-treated rats and L-N-Nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME) treated rats were put with the samples. The level of urethral lipid peroxide in the cimetidine-Mantidis Vagina Ovorum double administered rats was decreased as low as in the normal group, while the one in the cimetidine-treated group was increased. The urethral NOS activity, the level of urethral nitrite, the level of testosterone and the electile response to cavernous nerve stimulation in the cimetidine-Mantidis Vagina Ovorum double administered rats were increased as high as in the normal group while the one in the cimetidine-treated group was decreased. The electile response to cavernous nerve stimulation and the level of nitrite in L-NAME ($10^{-4}$)-treated rats was restored by the administration of Mantidis Vagina Ovorum as high as in the normal group. Mantidis Vagina Ovorum was effective in restoring the cimetidine-induced or L-NAME-induced erectile dysfunction in rats.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.371-376
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• 1994

To reevaluate the clinical usefulness of erection penography for diffential diagnosis of impotence, we reviewed retrospectively the data of penography in 56 patients who were diagnosed as impotence by various diagnostic workup. Twelve normal males were studied as control group. Papaverine HCl 30mg was injected into the corpus cavernosum and simultaneously $^{99m}Tc$-HSA 20mCi was injected via an antecubital vein. After injection radioactivities in the penile area were detected for 30 minutes by gamma camera and time activity curve was displayed. We defined that transit time(TT) is the time to reach peak activity and erection persistent time(EPT) is the duration of time to maintain peak activity and venous index(VI) is the ratio of radioactivity($R_{30}/R_{max}$). The results were as follows. The TT of arteriogenic group($10.7{\pm}2.8min$) was significantly increased compared with those of control and venogenic groups(P<0.05, respectively). The EPT of venogenic group ($6.2{\pm}6.8min$) is significantly decreased compared with those of control and arteriogenic groups(P<0.05, respectively). The TT of psychogenic($15.2{\pm}5.5min$) is significantly increased compared with those of control and arteriogenic groups(P<0.05, respectively). In conclusion erection penography was very useful for the diagnosis of vascular and psychogenic impotence and for differentiation between arteriogenic and venogenic but it could not differentiate mixed type or neurogenic from vascular or psychogenic.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.69-75
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• 2015

Objectives : This study was designed to investigate effects of the combination with Korean Red Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer), Gastrodia Rhizoma (Gastrodia elata Blume) and Polygoni Multiflori Radix (Polygonum multiflorum Thunberg) on metabolic disorders including cholesterol and erectile dysfunction in hyperlipidemia rats.Methods : Animals were divided into six groups; Control with normal diet, high fat/cholesterol-diet (HFCD), fluvastatin, Korean Red Ginseng treated (KRG), and the combination treated (Korean Red Ginseng, Gastrodia Rhizoma and Polygoni Multiflori Radix; 1:1:1 for KGP1 and 2:1:1 for KGP2). The experimental groups initially received HFCD for 10 weeks and then treated orally with fluvastatin, KRG, KGP1 and KGP2 during the final 6 weeks. Erectile function was determined by the measurements of intracavernosal pressure (ICP) and maximal arterial pressure (MAP) after electrical stimulation of the cavernosal nerve.Results : KGP2 decreased the level of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in the sera of HFCD rats without no changes of body weights. KRG, KGP1 and KGP2 decreased the level of C-reactive protein (CRP) levels except of fluvastatin, synthetic HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor. KRG, KGP1 and KGP2 significantly increased the ICP, ICP/MAP ratio, area under the curve (AUC) compared with those of normal rat. Morphometric analyses showed that KRG, KGP1 and KGP2 increased the volume of smooth muscle and the regular arrangement of collagen fibers in corpus cavernosum of HFCD rats. The penile expression of eNOS was increased by KRG, KGP1 and KGP2.Conclusions : Based on these results, we suggest that the combination with Korean Red Ginseng, Gastrodia Rhizoma and Polygoni Multiflori may improve hyperlipidemia through regulating the lipid profiles and erectile dysfunction in rats.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.174-180
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• 2006

We examine the effect of Geiji-Bokryung-Hwan(GBH) on erectile function in a rat model of hypercholesterolemic erectile dysfunction. GBH, a drug preparation consisting of five herbs of Cinnamomi Ramulus (Geiji), Poria Cocos (Bokryun), Mountan Cortex Radicis (Mokdanpi), Paeoniae Radix (Jakyak), and Persicae Semen (Doin) is a traditional Korean herbal medicine that is widely used in the treatment of atherosclerosis-related disorders. In this study, 3-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats were used. The 6 rats control animals were fed a normal diet and the other 18 rats were fed 1% cholesterol diet for 3 months. After 1 months, GBH was added to the drinking water of the treatment group of 12 rats but not the cholesterol only group of 6 rats. Of the 12 rats 6 received 30 mg/kg per day (group 1) and 6 received 60 mg/kg per day (group 2) of GBH. At 3 months erectile function was evaluated with cavernous nerve electrostimulation in all animals. Penile tissues were collected for electron microscopy, and to perform Western blot for endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and caveolin-1. Systemic arterial pressure was not significantly different between the animals that were fed the 1% cholesterol diet and the controls. Conversely erectile function was not impaired in the herbal medicine treated rats. Electron microscopy showed many caveolae with fingerlike processes in the cavernous smooth muscle and endothelial cell membranes in control and treated rats but not in the cholesterol only group of rats. Western blot showed differences among groups in protein expression for eNOS, nNOS, caveolin-1 and bFGF protein expression in penile tissue. Increased eNOS and nNOS protein expressions dy high cholesterol diet were significantly decreased in group 1 and group 2. Interestingly, caveolin-1 and bFGF protein expression was significantly higher in groups 1 and 2 than in the cholesterol only and control groups.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.89-101
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• 2019

In recent times, the number of men with late-onset hypogonadism has increased, and interest on this topic has also increased. This study was conducted to investigate effects of the mixture extract of Fructus amomi Amari, Eucommiae cortex, Bombyx batryticatus on improve late-onset hypogonadism. The experimental subjects consisted of three groups: a control group consisting of 8-week-old male ICR mice that had undergone no treatment, an aging-elicited group (AE group) consisting of 50-week-old ICR male mice that had undergone no treatment, and a Mixed herbal extract treatment group (MT group) consisting of 50-week-old ICR male mice that had undergone the mixture extract of Fructus amomi Amari, Eucommiae cortex, Bombyx batryticatus treatment (0.1 g/kg/day) for 6 months. After the experiment, the mice from all the experimental groups were dissected, and they were analyzed through histochemical and immunohistochemical methods. The mixture extract of Fructus amomi Amari, Eucommiae cortex, Bombyx batryticatus reduces aging-induced cell damage and oxidative stress and increases the secretion of serotonin and B-endorphin in aged mice, and promotes spermatogenesis in seminiferous tubules and reduces apoptosis and oxidative stress, and increases androgen receptor, $17{\beta}-HSD$ and GnRH, increases the ratio of smooth muscle to collagen fibers in the corpus cavernosum, increases eNOS, decreases PDE-5 and oxidative stress in aged mice, so it improves depression, reproductive, sexual problems caused by Late-onset hypogonadism. the mixture extract of Fructus amomi Amari, Eucommiae cortex, Bombyx batryticatus inhibits the induction of osteoporosis by increasing decreased bone matrix distribution due to aging, increasing the activities of OPC and OPN, which are produced in osteoblasts, and decreasing RANKL, MMP-3 activity, increasing OPG activity. It also reduces muscle damage, oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis of muscle tissue, and increases Myo-D in the sartorius muscle of aged mice for improving muscle atrophy caused by by Late-onset hypogonadism.