• 대한한의학회지
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.17-27
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• 2010

Objectives: Cocaine has been well known as a representative drug of abuse for its strong reinforcing effect linked to the mesolimbic reward system including dopamine, and such reinforcement leads to the addiction. Acupuncture has been used widely in eastern Asia for the treatment of various diseases including mental disorders and psychiatric problems, and is gathering more interest as one of the complementary and alternative medicines in western countries. In a previous study, we demonstrated that acupuncture at HT7 could affect dopamine release in the mesolimbic system of rats sensitized to alcohol and morphine. This study was designed to investigate whether acupuncture at HT7 could attenuate cocaine intake or not. Material & Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 270-300 g at the start of experiment were trained to self-administer food pellets under a fixed ratio 1 schedule. After the success of acquisition of 100 pellets within 3 h for 3 consecutive days, animals were subjected to surgery whereby Silastic tubing was implanted into right jugular vein and secured with mesh under the anesthetization using pentobarbital injection (50 mg/kg, i.p.). Following recovery, rats were trained to self-administer cocaine (0.25 mg/kg) in daily 2 h sessions under fixed ratio 1 schedule over 10 days. Each treatment was performed on the next day of each establishment of baseline. Results: Results show that acupuncture at HT7, but not at control points, reduced cocaine intake significantly. Acupuncture at HT7 decreased selectively active lever response from $63.15{\pm}3.35$ to $51.46{\pm}3.99$ corresponding $82.12{\pm}5.31%$ compared to basal level. Also, it was demonstrated that the effect of acupuncture was mainly occurred at the half period. Nevertheless, acupuncture at HT7 did not influence the food taking behavior. Conclusions: From the results of this study, it may be suggested that acupuncture at HT7, at least in part, could contribute to the treatment of cocaine abuse.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.25-33
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• 2002

Substantial evidence suggests that behavioral and reinforcing effects of cocaine can be mediated by the mesolimbic dopaminergic system. Injections of cocaine can produce one of the immediate-early gene, c-fos expression in the brain and behavioral activation. Acupuncture as a therapeutic intervention is widely used for the treatment of many mental disorders such as drugs of abuse. In order to investigate whether acupuncture has an influence on cocaine-induced reinforcing and behavioral effects, we examined the effect of acupuncture on cocaine-induced locomotor activity and c-Fos expression in the nucleus accumbens and the striatum using Fos-like-immunoreactivity(FLI). Male SD rats received acupuncture for 1 min after injection of cocaine hydrochloride(1 mg/kg, i.v.). The employed acupuncture point, Shenmen$(HT_7)$, has been clinically used to treat mental and psychosomatic disorders. Injections of cocaine produced a marked increase in locomotor activity and FLI in the nucleus accumbens and the striatum. Acupuncture at $HT_7$, but not at control points($PC_6,\;TE_4$ or tail), significantly attenuated cocaine-induced increase in locomotor activity and Fos-like immunoreactivity. These results demonstrated that reduction in locomotor activity by acupuncture may be reflected by reduction of postsynaptic neuronal activity in the nucleus accumbens and the striatum. Our results suggest that acupuncture may have a therapeutic effect on cocaine addiction.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.767-773
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• 2004

Substantial evidence suggests that repeated injections of nicotine produce increase in locomotor activity and expression of the immediate-early gene, c-fos in the dopaminergic target areas. Herbal medicine as a therapeutic intervention has been widely used for the treatment of mental dysfunction. Many studies have shown that Cortex Phellodendris (CP) can affect the biochemical balance in the central nervous system. In order to investigate whether CP have an influence on their nicotine-induced behavioral sensitization, we examined the effect of CP on nicotine-induced locomotor activity and c-Fos expression in the striatum and nucleus accumbens utilizing the Fos-like immunohistochemistry (FLI). Male SD rats received CP (200㎎/㎏, i.p.) 30 min before repeated daily injections of nicotine (0.4㎎/㎏, s.c.) for 7 days. Rats were followed withdrawal for 3 days and one challenge for 1 day. System challenge with nicotine produced a much larger increase in locomotor activity and accumbal FLI. Pretreatment with CP significanly inhibited nicotine-induced locomotor activity and FLI in the striuatum and nucleus accumbens. These results demonstrated that reduction in locomotor activity by CP may be reflected by reduction of dopamine release and postsynaptic neuronal activity in the striatum and nucleus accumbens. Our results suggest that CP may have therapeutic effect on nicotine addiction. Supported by a fund (99-PJ9-PG1-002-0004).

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.53-61
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• 2004

Substantial evidence suggests that behavioral and reinforcing effects of cocaine can be mediated by the mesolimbic dopaminergic system. It has been shown that repeated injections of cocaine produce increase in locomotor activity, expression of the immediate-early gene, c-fos in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), which was one of the main dopaminergic terminal areas. Herbal-acupuncture as a therapeutic intervention has been widely used for the treatment of many functional disorders such as drug abuse. Coptidis Rhizoma (CR) and its main component, berberine (BER) were selected as herbal medicine of herbal-acupuncture. Both medicines have been known to have the therapeutic effect on the central nervous system. In order to investigate the effects of CR and BER herbalacupuncture at shenmen (HT7) point (CR/H and BER/H) on the cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization, the influence of CR/H and BER/H on repeated cocaine-induced locomotor activity, the change of c-Fos expression in the brain by immunohistochemistry were examined. Male SD rats were given CR/H (0.4mg/kg) and BER/H (0.1mg/kg) 30 min before daily injections of cocaine hydrochloride (15mg/kg. i.p.) 10 days. After 3 days withdrawal, rats received a challenge injection of cocaine (15mg/kg, i.p.). Systemic challenge with cocaine produced much larger increased locomotor activity, accumbal Fos-like immunoreactivity in the NAc. Pretreatment with CR/H and BER/H significantly inhibited cocaine-induced locomotor activity, the change of c-Fos expression in the rats. Our data demonstrated that the inhibitory effects of cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization by CR/H and BER/H were closely associated with the reduction of presynaptic dopamine release in the NAc. These results suggest that CR/H and BER/H can be effectively applied to cocaine addiction.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.260-266
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• 2020

알코올 중독과 GABA계와의 관련성에 대한 많은 연구가 있으며, 중추신경계의 GABA계를 항진시키면 알코올 중독의 재발을 억제한다는 보고가 있다. 이에 GABA 고함유쌀과 저함유쌀의 섭취가 생쥐의 알코올 섭취 행동에 미치는 영향을 조사하고자 한다. 흑찰거대배아미(BSRGE), 조생흑찰벼(BSR)와 거대배아미(GER) 및 일반미(Rice)를 각각 현미상태에서 48시간 발아시켜 배아만을 채취하여 발아현미배아의 비율이 70%가 함유되도록 기존의 사료에 혼합하여 사료화한 후 C57BL/6 생쥐에게 16일 동안 자유 섭취시키면서 2시간 알코올 섭취량, 22시간 물 섭취량, 24시간 사료섭취량 및 체중의 변화를 조사하였다. 흑찰거대배아미군과 조생흑찰군 간에 일별 2시간 알코올 섭취량의 일변화에 대해 repeated measure ANOVA를 실시하였을 때에 섭취일수(시간)에 따라서는 유의한 차이가 나타났다(df=7, F=4.812, p=0.026). 일별 2시간 알코올 섭취량의 일변화에 대해 양군을 비교하였을 때, BSR에 비하여 BSRGE에서 2시간 알코올 섭취량이 유의하게 감소하였으며, 이러한 감소효과는 섭취 10일째부터 16일째까지 지속적으로 나타났다(10일째, df=14, t=3.18, p=0.012; 12일째, df=14, t=3.39, p=0.004; 14일째, df=14, t=5.11, p=0.001; 16일째, df=14, t=6.79, p<0.001). GER과 Rice 양군을 비교하였을 때 Rice에 비하여 GER에서 2시간 알코올 섭취량이 유의하게 감소하였으며, 이러한 감소효과는 섭취 12일째부터 16일째까지 지속적으로 나타났다(12일째, df=14, t=2.61, p=0.021; 14일째, df=14, t=4.24, p=0.001; 16일째, df=14, t=2.81, p=0.023). GABA 고함유쌀인 BSRGE과 GER을 첨가한 사료를 섭취한 경우 GABA 저함유쌀인 BSR과 Rice를 첨가한 사료를 섭취한 것에 비해 C57BL/6 생쥐의 알코올 섭취량이 억제되었다. 이는 GABA 고함유쌀인 흑찰거대배아미가 알코올 사용 장애 환자의 재발 방지에 시도될 수 있음을 시사하고 있다.