• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.165-176
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• 2001

This study demonstrates the effects of Yanggyuksanhwa-Tang, Sasang constitutional herb prescription reported its clinical effect on the stroke of the So-yang In(少陽人), on the cerebral blood flow changes induced by nitro L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) treatment and ischemic brain damage induced by the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in the rats. The changes of the arterial blood pressure, cerebral blood flow, and the diameter of the pial artery were measured in rats treated with L-NAME. And the changes of the infarct size, volume, and plasma tumor necrosis factor alpha ($TNF-{\alpha}$) levels were measured in the rats that the middle cerebral artery has been occluded by the intraluminal suture thread method. Yanggyuksanhwa-Tang was administered by the i.v. injection on the L-NAME treated rats, by the i.o. administration on the MCAO rats. The results is 1. The changes of the arterial blood pressure was not different statistically between in the L-NAME treated control group and in the Yanggyuksanhwa-Tang administered group. 2. Increase in the cerebral blood flow induced by L-NAME treatment was attenuated in the Yanggyuksanhwa-Tang administered group significantly (P<0.05) as compared with the L-NAME treated control group. 3. Decrease in the diameter of the pial artery induced by L-NAME treatment was attenuated about 18% in the Yanggyuksanhwa-Tang administered group as compared with the L-NAME treated control group. 4. Ischemic damaged infarct areas were decreased significantly (P<0.05) in the interaural 12mm, 10mm, and 6mm brain sections of the Yanggyuksanhwa-Tang administered group as compared the MCA occluded control group. 5. Total ischemic infarct volume was decreased significantly (P<0.05) in the Yanggyuksanhwa-Tang administered group as compared the MCA occluded control group. 6. Plasma $TNF-{\alpha}$ levels were decreased significantly (P<0.01) in the Yanggyuksanhwa-Tang administered group as compared the MCA occluded control group.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.400-404
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• 2006

This study examined the effect of Gamma-Amino butyric acid (GABA) and selective GABA receptor related drugs on the electrically stimulated relaxation in the lower esophageal sphincter muscle (LES) of a cat. Tetrodotoxin $(10^{-6}\;M)$ suppressed the electrically stimulated (0.5-5 Hz) relaxation of the LES. However, guanethidine $(10^{-6}\;M)$ and atropine $(10^{-6}\;M)$ had no effect indicating that the relaxations were neurally mediated via the nonadrenergic and noncholinergic (NANC) pathways. NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester ($10^{-4}M$, L-NAME) also inhibited the relaxant response but did not completely abolish the electrically stimulated relaxation with 60% inhibition, which suggests the involvement of nitric oxide as an inhibitory transmitter. This study examined the role of GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, on neurally mediated LES relaxation. GABA ($10^{-3}-10^{-5}M$, non selective receptor agonist), muscimol ($10^{-3}-10^{-5}M$, GABA-A agonist), and baclofen ($10^{-3}-10^{-5}M$, GABA-B agonist) had no significant effect on the electrically stimulated relaxation. Moreover, bicuculline ($10^{-5}M$, GABA-A antagonist) and phaclofen ($10^{-5}M$, GABA-B antagonist) had no inhibitory effect on the electrically stimulated relaxation. This suggests that GABA and the GABA receptor are not involved in the electrically stimulated NANC relaxation in the cat LES.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.25-32
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• 2015

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation effect of Cynomorii Herba(CH) extract on contracted rabbit carotid artery.Methods : To clarify the vasorelaxation effect of CH extract, arterial strips with intact was used, to endothelium -dependent vasorelaxation effect of CH extract, arterial strips damaged endothelium was used for experiment using organ bath. Arterial strips was contracted with phenylephrine(PE) before treated with CH extract(0.01, 0.03 and 0.1 ㎎/㎖). To study mechanisms of CH-induced vasorelaxation effect, CH extract infused into arterial rings after treatment by indomethacin(IM), tetraethylammonium chloride(TEA), Nω-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), methylene blue(MB) for comparing with non-treated. And calcium chloride(Ca²⁺) 1 mM was treated into precontracted arterial ring induced by PE after treatment of CH extract in Ca²⁺-free krebs solution. Cytotoxic activity of CH extract on human umbilical vein endothelial cell(HUVEC) was measured by MTT assay, and nitric oxide(NO) concentration was measured by Griess reagent.Results : PE-induced arterial strips was significantly relaxed, but the damaged endothelium arterial ring wasn't relaxed by CH extract. Pretreatment of IM, TEA didn't inhibit the vasorelaxation of CH extract, but pretreatment of L-NNA, MB inhibited the vasorelaxation of CH extract. Pretreatment of CH extract reduced the increase of contraction by influx of extracellular Ca²⁺ in contracted arterial ring induced by PE, CH extract increased nitric oxide concentration on HUVEC significantly.Conclusions : This study shows that CH extract have the vasorelaxation effect by blocking the influx of extracellular Ca²⁺ through the activating NO-cGMP system.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.275-285
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• 1973

The addition of one mole of aluminum chloride to three moles of sodium borohydride in tetrahydrofuran gives a turbid solution with enormously more powerful reducing properties than those of sodium borohydride itself. The reducing properties of this reagent were tested with 49 organic compounds which have representative functional groups. Alcohols liberated hydrogen immediately but showed no sign of hydrogenolysis of alkoxy group. Aldehydes and ketones were reduced rapidly within one hr. Acyl derivatives were reduced moderately, however, carboxylic acids were reduced much more slowly. Esters, lactones and epoxides were reduced readily than sodium borohydride or borane. Tertiary amide was reduced slowly, however, primary amide consumed one hydride for hydrogen evolution but reduction was sluggish. Aromatic nitrile was reduced much more readily than aliphatic nitrile. Nitro compounds were inert to this reagent but azo and azoxy groups were slowly attacked. Oxime was reduced slowly but isocyanate was only partially reduced. Disulfide and sulfoxide were attacked slowly but sulfide and sulfone were inert. Olefin was hydroborated rapidly.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 1997

Streptomyces virginiae produces a set of autoregulators termed virginiae butanolide A-E(VB-A-E) which trigger virginiamycin production, and possesses a high-affinity virginiae butanolide receptor. To elucidate the functions of VB-C and VB-C receptor, we isolated two mutants from S. virginiae by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine and hydroxylamine. The characteristics of the mutants showed that the producing time of antibiotics was very delayed due to a slower production of VB-C receptor than that of VB. In S. ostreogriseus(VB', receptor -) and S. graminofaciens(VBU, receptor+), which produce the virginiamycin, the addition of synthetic VB-C repressed the production of antibiotics in S. ostreogriseus but induced tbe production in S. graminofaciens. HPLC analysis of S. graminofaciens suggested that the VB-C might have an ability to induce the production of virginiamycin and other antibiotics. These results imply that the VB-C has an ability to trigger the production of other secondary metabolites as well as virginiamycin under VB-C receptor existence.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.53-66
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• 1982

1. When Chong Ju and Chung Ju soils possessing different physicochemical properties were treated with 500 ppm of TOK and incubated in flooded anaerobic condition for 2, 4, and 6 months, respectively, they produced 4-Chloro-4'-amino diphenyl ether, 2,4-Dichloro-4'-amino diphenyl ether(amin-TOK), N-[4'-(4-Chlorophenoxy)] phenyl acetamide, and N-[4'-(4-Chlorophenoxy)] phenyl formamide as the metabolities. This result indicates that TOK undergose the reduction of its $NO_2\;to\;NH_2$ group, dechlorination, acetylation, and formylation under this condition. The cleavage of ether linkage does not occur. In addition, TOK degrades more readily in Chung Ju soil which is characterized by pH 6.43 and higher contents of $Ca^{++}$ and C.E.C. than in Chong Ju soil which is lower in pH, $Ca^{++}$, and C.E.C. 2. In the aerobic incubation of TOK of 25ppm in Chung Ju soil suspension for 21 days, the ratio of the resulting metabolites, TOK : amino-TOK : 4-Chloro-4'-amino diphenyl ether was 100 : 130 : 76. Meanwhile, in the 42 day incubation, the ratio was 100 : 19 : 5, which indicates that TOK in aerobic condition dose not necessrily degrade as a function of the incubation period. 3. The citrate buffer extract of Chung Ju soil has the capability of degrading TOK, which was verified to be due to the action of the microorganisms involved. 4. Twelye strains of soil bacteria were isolated from the TOK-treated soils. In the incubation of TOK in pure cultures of the respective isolates, the strain T-1-1 isolated from Chong Ju soil had almost no degradability whereas the strain T-2-3 was the most potent. The degradation of TOK by the isolates constituted mostly the reduction of the nitro group to amino group. 5. In a test for the degradability of TOK by some selected microorganisms, Pseudomonas species were more potent than fungi. Yet, Isolate B which had been isolated from Chung Ju soil suspension was the most potent.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.189-195
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• 2010

Water extracts from 20 medicinal plants, traditionally used for postmenopausal symptoms in Korea, were examined for their vasorelaxant activity in isolated rat thoracic aorta rings precontracted with norepinephrine (NE). Among the 20 medicinal plants, Cornus officinalis (CoEx, 0.3 mg/mL), Schisandra chinensis (ScEx, 0.3 mg/mL), Erythrina variegate (EvEx, 0.3 mg/mL), and Epimedium koreanum (EkEx, 0.3 mg/mL) showed rapid relaxation of endothelium-intact aorta ($69\pm4%$, $40\pm3%$, $25\pm2%$, and $23\pm3%$ of active tone induced by NE, respectively). In contrast, the extracts of Erythrina variegata (EvEx), Angelica gigas (AgEx), Pueraria thunbergiana (PtEx), and EkEx lead to gradual (i.e., long-term) relaxation to baseline in endothelium-intact vessels. The time to complete relaxation was 20～40 min. These 6 plant extracts were selected for the investigation of possible underlying mechanisms. The CoEx-, ScEx-, or EkEx-induced rapid relaxations were virtually abolished by endothelium denudation, and were significantly inhibited by pretreatment with nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor $N^G$-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA, 10 ${\mu}M$), indicating that increased formation of NO might contribute to the endothelium-mediated relaxation. In long-term responses, the endothelium denudation did not affect PtEx-induced relaxation, whereas it delayed responses by EvEx and AgEx, and significantly inhibited the effect of EkEx. Among EvEx, AgEx, and PtEx, EvEx attenuated the $CaCl_2$-induced vasoconstriction in high-potassium depolarized medium, implying that EvEx is involved in inhibition of the extracellular calcium influx to smooth muscle through voltage dependent calcium channels. These results provide the scientific rationale for the interrelationships between the use of 20 medicinal plants and their effects on cardiovascular health in estrogen deficient conditions.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.345-351
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• 1998

The role of nitric oxide (NO) in the hemorrhagic hypotension was examined using a NO synthase inhibitor, $N^{\omega}-nitro-L-arginine$ methyl ester (L-NAME), in conscious rats. The rats were bled at a constant rate (2 ml/kg/min) through a femoral arterial catheter until the mean arterial pressure (MAP) was reduced by 50 mmHg. We studied the responses to hemorrhage under normal condition (Control) and after the pretreatment with 3 doses of L-NAME (1.6, 8, 40 mg/kg i.v. of NOX1.6, NOX8, and NOX40, respectively). Intravenous bolus injection of L-NAME produced a sustained increase in MAP and decrease in heart rate (HR). During hemorrhage, the MAP fell faster in the NOX8 and NOX40-treated groups than in Control group, but the control group showed same response to NOX1.6. HR greatly increased in NOX groups. The recovery from hemorrhagic hypotension was slowed in the control group, which was not treated with L-NAME. In comparison with the control group, NOX8 and NOX1.6-treated groups registered a significant recovery in MAP during the 15 min recovery period, but NOX40 brought about only a slight increase in MAP. NO precursor, L-arginine (150 mg/kg i.v.), produced significant bradycardic responses before and after hemorrhage and significant depressor response only after hemorrhagic hypotension regardless of pretreatment with L-NAME. These data suggest that the role of NO in blood pressure regulation is greater after hemorrhagic hypotension than basal condition, but the effect of NO can be detrimental to the recovery from hemorrhagic hypotension. In addition, the bradycardic response of L-arginine provides indirect evidence that NO may inhibit sympathetic activity, especially after hemorrhagic hypotension.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.433-440
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• 2020

The substantia gelatinosa (SG) of the trigeminal subnucleus caudalis (Vc) is the first relay site for the orofacial nociceptive inputs via the thin myelinated Aδ and unmyelinated C primary afferent fibers. Borneol, one of the valuable time-honored herbal ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine, is a popular treatment for anxiety, anesthesia, and antinociception. However, to date, little is known as to how borneol acts on the SG neurons of the Vc. To close this gap, the whole-cell patch-clamp technique was applied to elucidate the antinociceptive mechanism responding for the actions of borneol on the SG neurons of the Vc in mice. In the voltage-clamp mode, holding at -60 mV, the borneol-induced non-desensitizing inward currents were not affected by tetrodotoxin, a voltage-gated Na⁺ channel blocker, 6-cyano-7-nitro-quinoxaline-2,3-dione, a non-N-methyl-ᴅ-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor antagonist and DL-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid, an NMDA receptor antagonist. However, borneol-induced inward currents were partially decreased in the presence of picrotoxin, a γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)_A receptor antagonist, or strychnine, a glycine receptor antagonist, and was almost suppressed in the presence of picrotoxin and strychnine. Though borneol did not show any effect on the glycine-induced inward currents, borneol enhanced GABA-mediated responses. Beside, borneol enhanced the GABA-induced hyperpolarization under the current-clamp mode. Altogether, we suggest that borneol contributes in part toward mediating the inhibitory GABA and glycine transmission on the SG neurons of the Vc and may serve as an herbal therapeutic for orofacial pain ailments.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.591-600
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• 2016

Objective: This study aimed to examine the relaxation effects and underlying mechanisms of Cynomorii herba (CH) extract in isolated rabbit corpus cavernous tissues.Methods: We experimented with CH extract (0.01-3.0 mg/mL). Nω-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) was experimented before the CH extract to contracted strips induced by phenylephrine (PE, 1 μM)and compared with nonexperimented. In addition, we experimented with calcium chloride (Ca²⁺, 1 mM) after pretreatment of the CH extract in Ca²⁺-free Krebs-Ringer solution to contracted strips induced by PE. The cell viability and nitric oxide (NO) concentration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were measured by an methylthiazol-2-yl-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazoliumbromide (MTT) assay and Griess reagent system. The ratio of smooth muscles to collagen fibers, in addition to eNOS- and PDE-5-positive reactions, was examined by histochemical and immunohistochemical staining.Results: The CH extract significantly induced the relaxation of the cavernous strips, and the pretreatment with L-NNA inhibited CH extract-induced relaxation. The L-NNA pretreatment reduced the increased contraction induced by the addition of Ca²⁺in Ca²⁺-free solution. Furthermore, the NO concentration of the HUVECs increased. When the CH extract was applied to the corpus cavernosum of the penis (CCP) of Sprague Dawley rats, the ratio of smooth muscles to collagen fibers by PE and the formation of eNOS around the helicine artery increased. However, the CH extract treatment decreased PDE-5 positive reactions.Conclusions: These results show that the relaxation effects induced by the CH extract are associated with the suppression of the influx of extracellular Ca²⁺ via the production of NO and eNOS and inhibition of PDE-5.