• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.230-235
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• 2002

Gold sodium thiomalate (GST, gold compound) is a widely used anti-arthritic, anti-rheumatic and anti-inflammatory drug that is considered a good alternative to sodium salicylate (NaSA) for individuals who cannot tolerate salicylates. Nitric oxide (NO) synthesized by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) has been implicated as a mediator of inflammation. Recent evidence suggests that anti-inflammatory effect of NaSA lies in the inhibition of iNOS, but nothing has been reported about the direct effect of iNOS expression by GST. The present study was designed to elucidate sequentially the action mechanisms of GST and NaSA on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plus interferon-gamma (IFN-$\gamma$) induced iNOS expression in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Both GST and NaSA inhibited NO production and iNOS protein expression in a dose dependent manner. GST inhibited iNOS mRNA expression induced by LPS plus IFN-$\gamma$, whereas NaSA did not. These findings suggest that GST may exert anti-arthritic, anti-rheumatic and anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting iNOS expression induced by LPS plus IFN-$\gamma$ at transcriptional level, whereas NaSA exert its effect by inhibiting iNOS expression at the translational or posttranslational level.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.148-159
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• 2003

Objective: This study examines the effects of acupoint combination on NADPH-diaphorase and neuronal nitric oxide synthase(nNOS) in the brainstem of spontaneously hypertensive rats. Methods: The changes of NADPH-d-positive neurons using a histochemical method and the changes of nNOS-positive neurons using an immunohistochemical method were evaluated. The optical densities of NADPH-d-positive neurons and nNOS-positive neurons of the Choksamni(ST36) Umnungchon(SP9) groups were significantly increased in all brainstem areas as compared to the Choksamni and Choksamni Kokchi(LI11) groups and decreased, with the exeption of the nNOS-positive neurons in the superficial gray of superior colliculus, as compared to the normal group. Results: Our results demonstrated that electroacupuncture changes the activity in the NO system in the brainstem of SHR and the acupoint combination is one of the important parameters for this effect.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.143-147
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• 2000

The present study was aimed at investigating whether there are changes in the expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in relation with the unclipping-induced fall of blood pressure in two-kidney, one clip (2K1C) hypertension. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were made 2K1C hypertensive by clipping the left renal artery for four weeks. Sham-clipped rats served as control. The expression of endothelial constitutive (ec) NOS proteins and tissue levels of NO metabolites were determined in the kidney. Systolic blood pressure was significantly increased in clipped rats compared with that in the control. The development of hypertension was associated with decreases in the expression of ecNOS proteins and tissue levels of NO metabolites in the clipped kidney. The blood pressure at twenty-four hours after removal of the renal arterial clip fell to the control level. Accordingly, in the unclipped kidney, the expression of ecNOS proteins and tissue contents of NO metabolites were increased to the control level. The contralateral kidney was not affected by the development or reversal of hypertension. It is suggested that an enhanced expression of ecNOS in the unclipped kidney is an important component in the reversal of renovascular hypertension.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.209-220
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• 2023

This study is to determine the regulation of nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3) by edaravone in mice with hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH). C57BL/6J mice were reared in a hypoxic chamber. HPH mice were treated with edaravone or edaravone + L-NMMA (a NOS inhibitor). Lung tissue was collected for histological assessment, apoptosis analysis, and detection of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and NOS3. The levels of serum TNF-α and IL-6 were also measured. Immunohistochemistry was used to visualize the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) in pulmonary arterioles. Edaravone treatment improved hemodynamics, inhibited right ventricular hypertrophy, increased NOS3 expression, and reduced pathological changes, pulmonary artery wall thickness, apoptotic pulmonary cells, oxidative stress, and the expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and α-SMA in HPH mice. L-NMMA treatment counteracted the lung protective effects of edaravone. In conclusion, edaravone might reduce lung damage in HPH mice by increasing the expression of NOS3.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.452-465
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• 1998

Rosae laevigatae Fructus extract (RLF) was tested for the effects on the urethral nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and Antioxidation in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. RLF was treated firstly into samples, and then STZ induced diabetic rats were set with them. In vitro, the urethral NOS activity was not noted but the type O activity and type conversion ratio of xanthine oxidase and the level of urethral lipid peroxide were decreased in the level of Dose of extract prepared from RLF. In vivo, after the extract was administered to the animal model for fifteen days, the urethral NOS activity increased in STZ induced diabetic rats to the level of normal rats. The content of urethral nitrite and glutathione followed by RLF pre-medicating administration, increased as highly as normal group in compare with the group treated with STZ. The type O activity and type conversion ratio of xanthine oxidase and the level of urethral lipid peroxide followed by RLF pre-medicating administration, decreased as lowly as normal group in compare with the group treated with STZ. In conclusion, the extract of RLF will be able to restore erectile dysfunction of STZ induced diabetic rats.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.231-236
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• 2005

This study investigated the changes in the neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) activities during food restriction in the rat brain such as cerebral cortex, cerebellum, caudate pautamen and hypothalamus. The rats were placed on a restricted feeding schedule consisting of half the ad libitum quantity for 3 days and 1, 2, 4, 6 and 9 weeks, and a free feeding schedule for 4 weeks. The loss of body weight peaked after 1 week of food restriction and persisted during the entire 9-week period of food restriction. The dramatic weight change in the first week ($12\%$) and the reduction in weight changes thereafter suggest that major adaptation changes occur early and body maintenance occurs subsequently. In the hypothalamus, the optical densities of the NADPH-d and nNOS immunoreactivities were found to be significantly higher in the 1-week and lower in the 9-week food restricted group than in the ad libitum fed control rats. In contrast, in the cerebral cortex, the optical densities of the NADPH-d- and nNOS-positive neurons were not changed significantly during the period of food restriction. This study provides the morphological evidence showing that food restriction has a significant effect on the nitric oxide synthesizing system of the hypothalamus.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.33-46
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• 2000

This study was produced to examine the effects of moxibution that had been played a role of traditional oriental medical treatment on disease. We used LPS and INF-gamma in RAW 264.7 cell line to produce Nitric Oxide(NO). And results was that Moxi tar decreased NO in activated RAW 264.7 cell by LPS and INF-gamma significantly, which was decreasing Nitric Oxide Synthase. So we proposed that Moxi tar had anti-inflammation and anti-cytotoxity in RAW 264.7 cell by decreasing Nitric Oxide Synthase.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.196-196
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• 1998

Nitric oxide is involved in various physiological processes. Among isoforms of nitric oxide synthase, iNOS is partly responsible for inflammation and septic shock. During our continual search for anti-inflammatory flavonoids, we have found that flavonoids, especially flavones, possessed the inihibitory activity of NO production by iNOS from LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cell. In this study, flavonoids from Scutellaria radix were investigated for their inhibitory activity of nitric oxide production. It was found that wogonin, among tested flavonoids including baicalein, oroxylin A, skullcapflavone II, showed the strongest inhibition of nitric oxide production (IC$\sub$50/ = 17 uM). And this inhibition was, at least partly, due to down-regulation of iNOS enzyme induction, not due to direct inhibition of iNOS enzyme activity.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.198-207
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• 1999

The aim of the present investigation was to examine whether YH439, a hepatoprotective agent, exerts protective effect against hepatotoxicity and reduces the production of cytokines and NO in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-primed rats with carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$). Administration of LPS following a single dose of CCl4 injection resulted in remarkable elevations of the serum $TNF{\alpha},{\;}IL-l{\beta$ and IL-6 level. The serum NO level was moderately elevated and severe liver damage was evidenced by increases in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) activities. YH439 decreased the levels of TNF, $IL-l{\beta}$, IL-6, ALT, SDH as well as NO in the serum elevated by CCl4+LPS in a dose-dependent manner. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) level was decreased in the liver of rats treated with YH439. The increased iNOS activity induced by LPS and $interferon-{\gamma}$ was significantly decreased in RAW 264.7 cells by YH439 treatment. YH439 increased the GSH level decreased by $CCl_4+LPS$ and suppressed the ratio of GSSG/GSH. The reduction of hepatotoxicity by YH439 may associated with the decrease in the production of cytokines as well as suppression of iNOS protein in conjunction with an increase in the GSH level.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.145-151
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• 2006

We investigated the effects of Ginsenoside $R_e$ on human sperm motility in fertile and asthenozoospermic infertile individuals in vitro and the mechanism by which the Ginsenosides play their roles. The semen samples were obtained from 10 fertile volunteers and 10 asthenozoospermic infertile patients. Spermatozoa were separated by Percoll and incubated with 0, 1, 10 or $100\;{\mu}M$ of Ginsenoside $R_e$. Total sperm motility and progressive motility were measured by computer-aided sperm analyzer (CASA). Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity was determined by the $^{3}H$-arginine to $^{3}H$-citrulline conversion assay, and the NOS protein was examined by the Western blot analysis. The production of sperm nitric oxide (NO) was detected using the Griess reaction. The results showed that Ginsenoside $R_e$ significantly enhanced both fertile and infertile sperm motility, NOS activity and NO production in a concentration-dependent manner. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 100 nM), a NO donor, mimicked the effects of Ginsenoside $R_e$. And pretreatment with a NOS inhibitor $N^{w}$-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, $100\;{\mu}M$) or a NO scavenger N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (LNAC, 1 mM) completely blocked the effects of Ginsenoside $R_e$. Data suggested that Ginsenoside $R_e$ is beneficial to sperm motility, and that induction of NOS to increase NO production may be involved in this benefit.