• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.863-869
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• 2011

The aim of the present study is to investigate whether an ethanol extract of Acorus gramineus Soland (EAG) augments penile erection in vitro and in vivo experiment. Preconstructed with phenylephrine (PE) in isolated endothelium-intact rabbit corpus cavernosum, EAG relaxed penile smooth muscle in a dose-dependent manner, which was inhibited by pretreatment with NG-nitro-L-argininemethylester (L-NAME), a nitricoxide synthase inhibitor, and 1H-[1,2,4]-oxadiazole-[4,3-${\alpha}$]-quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), a soluble guanylylcyclase (sGC) inhibitor, respectively. EAG-induced relaxation was significantly attenuated by pretreatment with tetraethylammonium (TEA), a nonselective $K^+$ channel blocker. EAG increased cGMP levels of the rabbit corpus cavernosum in a concentration-dependent manner without changes in cAMP levels. In addition, EAG caused increase of peak intracavernous pressure (ICP), ICP/MAP ratio and area under the carve (AUC) in SD rats. Taken together, these results suggest that EAG augments penile erection via NO-cGMP system and $K^+$ channels in corpus cavernosum.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2010

Chlorella has been reported to have certain beneficial physiological effects, including hypocholesterolemic, antihypertensive, antioxidative, and anti-tumor activities in animal and human studies. The aim of this study was to determine the anti-inflammatory activities of an 80% methanol extract(CE-Met), hexane fraction (CE-Hex), and ethyl acetate fraction (CE-EA) of Chlorella ellipsoidea in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 murine macrophage. Treatment with various concentrations of the C. ellipsoidea extract resulted m a significant, dose-dependent reduction in nitric oxide (NO) production by LPS-induced macrophages. The C. ellipsoidea extract significantly inhibited LPS-induced NO production accompanied by an attenuation of IL-6 and TNF-$\alpha$ formation in macrophages. These results suggest potent inhibit이y effects on the production of inflammatory mediators by a C. ellipsoidea extract. Thus, C. ellipsoidea extract may be a potent anti-inflammatory agent for troubled skin.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.454-461
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• 2013

The neuroprotective effects of a butanol fraction of white rose petal extract (WRPE-BF) were investigated in a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model. Seven week-old male rats were orally administered WRPE-BF for 2 weeks and subjected to MCAO for 2 h, followed by reperfusion. Twenty-four h later, MCAO-induced behavioral dysfunctions were markedly improved in a dose-dependent manner by pretreatment with WRPE-BF. Moreover, higher dose of WRPE-BF not only decreased infarction area but also effectively reduced astrogliosis. The expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and glial fibrillary acidic protein in MCAO model were markedly inhibited by WRPE-BF treatment. Notably, WRPE-BF decreased nitricoxide and malondialdehyde levels in the striatum and subventricular zone of stroke-challenged brains. These data suggested that WRPE-BF may exert its neuroprotective effects via anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities against ischemia-reperfusion brain injury and could be a good candidate as a therapeutic target for ischemic stroke.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.112-123
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• 2010

Objectives: Three yin-tonifying formulae (Ssanghwa-tang, Yukmijihwang-tang and Jaeumganghwa-tang) were applied to investigate their immunological activities on antigen (Ag)-specific or Ag-non-specific immune responses in the murine macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7) and in ovalbumin (OVA)-immunized mice. Methods: This study was carried out in nitricoxide (NO) synthesis in RAW 264.7 cells and cellular proliferation in mouse splenocytes in association with three herbal formulas. C57BL/6 mice were immunized intraperitoneally with OVA/aluminum ($100\;{\mu}g/200\;{\mu}g$/mouse) on days 1, 8, and 15. Three herbal formulas were administrated to mice orally for 3 weeks from day 1. On day 22, OVA-, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-, and concanavalin A (Con A)-stimulated splenocyte proliferation and antibodies (OVA-specific antibodies of the IgG, IgG1, and total IgM classes) in plasma were measured. Results: All three yin-tonifying formulas significantly enhanced cellular proliferation by LPS and Con A in splenocytes from OVA-immunized mice (p<0.001). Also, these herbal formulas all significantly enhanced plasma OVA-specific IgG, IgG1, and total IgM levels compared with the OVA/Alum group. Conclusion: These results suggested that the three yin-tonifying formulae could be used as stimulators of immune response.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.1717-1722
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• 2007

In the present study, all of the treadmill exercise-trained SHR expressed clear adaptive changes such as reduced resting heart rate and blood pressures, LPOA, homocysteine Therefore, treadmill exercise was sufficient to induce physiological adaptation in the SHR. Endurance training is known to induce physiological cardiac hypertrophy, while hypertension induces patho logical cardiac hypertrophy that increases cardiomyocyte apoptosis. The pathological adaptation to pressure overload has also been associated with a further increase in the expression of several marker genes including cardiomyocyte ET-1 in the SHR, but not in the exercise-trained SHR. Additionally, there is an increase in the endothelial nitricoxide synthases (eNOS) protein expression of soleus, gastrocnemius, and extensor digitorum longus muscle in the exercise-trained SHR but not in the SHR in the present study. Thus, compared to pathological adaptation to pressure overload, physiological adaptation to exercise training is associated with distinct alterations in cardiac and molecular phenotypes. based on these results, exercise training improves hypertension by cardiovascular regulating genes and hemodynamic parameters.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.217-221
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to reduce the immune toxicity of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by gamma irradiation. LPS was gamma-irradiated at the various doses of 20, 100 and 200 kGy and then evaluated on the immune toxicity through the cell proliferation, nitricoxide production and cytokine release. Cell proliferation significantly decreased in the intact LPS treated groups, whereas gamma-irradiated LPS treated group were not reduced the cell proliferation. Similarly, the production of nitric oxide and cytokine showed the high levels in the intact LPS treated group. However, gamma-irradiated LPS treated group remarkably decreased the production of nitric oxide and cytokine in dose-dependent manner. Therefore, gamma irradiation may effective method to reduce the immune toxicity of LPS.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2022.09a
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• pp.90-90
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• 2022

Pueraria flos and Adzuki Beans contains several bioactive compounds, such as saponin, oleanolic acid, and flavone. Pueraria flos and Adzuki Beans has traditionally been used to treat disorders of antioxidant activity, diabetes and liver detoxication, and it has antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties. However, complex saponin were validity of the anti-inflammatory activity has not been scientifically investigated. In this study, to determine anti-inflammatory activity of complex saponin separated from Pueraria flos and Adzuki Beans mixture extract on nitric oxide and prostaglandinE₂ assay. The anti-inflammatory activities of complex saponin separated from Pueraria flos and Adzuki Beans mixture extract were evaluated for inhibitory activities against lipopolysacchride induced nitric oxide and prostaglandinE₂ production protein expressions in RAW264.7 cell lines. The complex saponin separated from Pueraria flos and Adzuki Beans mixture extract inhibitory activity for both tests with protein high depressions(%) values showed in the ranges of 50~100 ㎍/ml. Overall, prostaglandinE₂ tests had a higher inhibitory effect on inflammation than nitricoxide tests. Theseis result suggest a potential role of complex saponin separated from Pueraria flos and Adzuki Beans mixture extract as source of anti-inflammation agent.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.804-811
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• 2013

Melanopsin is an opsin-like photopigment found in the small proportion of photosensitive ganglion cells of the retina. It is involved in the regulation of the synchronization of the circadian cycle as well as in the control of pupillary light reflex. The purpose of the present study is to investigate whether melanopsin is also expressed in the other areas of the central visual system outside the retina. We have studied the distribution and morphology of neurons containing melanopsin in the mouse visual cortex with antibody immunocytochemistry. Melanopsin immunoreactivity was mostly present in neuronal soma, but not in nuclei. We found that melanopsin was present in a large subset of neurons within the adult mouse visual cortex with the highest density in layer II/III. In layer I of the visual cortex, melanopsin-immunoreactive (IR) neurons were rarely encountered. In the mouse visual cortex, the majority of the melanopsin-IR neurons consisted of round/oval cells, but was varied in morphology. Vertical fusiform and pyramidal cells were also rarely labeled with the anti-melanopsin antibody. The labeled cells did not show any distinctive distributional pattern. Some melanopsin-IR neurons in mouse visual cortex co-localized with nitricoxide synthase, calbindin and parvalbumin. Our data indicate that melanopsin is located in specific neurons and surprisingly widespread in visual cortex. This finding raises the need of the functional study of melanopsin in central visual areas outside the retina.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 2013

To investigate the efficacy of enzymatic extract of Ecklonia cava and its polyphenol extract (AG-DK) as cosmetic ingredients, the anti-oxidative effect, anti-glycation effect, anti-melanogenic effect, and anti-inflammatory effect of the extracts were evaluated in vitro. The enzymatic extract of E. cava ($SC_{50}$ 42.9 ppm) and AG-DK ($SC_{50}$ 6.4 ppm) showed a strong DPPH free radical scavenging activity. The anti-glycation ability of the enzymatic extract of E. cava and AG-DK was tested using bovine serum albumin (BSA), which inhibited the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in the BSA/glucose system. The enzymatic extract of E. cava ($IC_{50}$ 97.2 ppm) and AG-DK ($IC_{50}$ 7 ppm) had inhibitory effects on tyrosinase activity. Moreover, the enzymatic extract of E. cava and AG-DK had an anti-inflammatory effect through the inhibition of nitricoxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 ($PGE_2$). These findings suggest that the enzymatic extract of E. cava and AG-DK can be applied to skin-care products as cosmetic ingredients.