• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.187-208
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• 2000

By the activation of ovary hormone, many morphological changes occur in the epithelial cell lines and muscle cells in rat uterus. These two cells in uterus are important to the implantation of embryo, maintaining pregnancy and starting parturition. One important change associated with the morphological change of these two cells in uterus is the change on prostaglandin(PG) metabolism. Its presence and synthesis in endometriurn and myometrium in uterus affects estrous cycle and the start of embryo implantation in uterus. It also performs as an important modulator in parturition. So the abnormally weak expression of PG causes difficulty during labor and over-expression causes pre-term labor. PG biosynthesis starts from either free or liberated arachidonic acids from membrane phospholipid by phospholipase. Such arachidonic acids are converted into PG catalyzed by Cyclooxygenase. Under normal physiological condition, Cyclooxygenase-1(COX-1) having 602 units of amino acids controls the synthesis of PG. It acts as a local hormone regulating vasomodulation of blood flow, flexible muscle movement, increasing the blood permeability and contributing the protective role in preserving integrity of the stomach lining and Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is induced by the inflammation, pregnancy and increased its expression until parturition. Lipid metabolite like PG is located in uterine and expression of COX-2 increased with pregnancy. Increased expression of COX proteins in epithelial cells and myometrial cells are told to increase the muscle contractility in uterus but decreased right after the labor in rat. It is a good sign indicating that COX proteins are deeply related to the start of labor. Currently, Several studies report the use of PG and COX-2 inhibitor as medication for controlled abortion or to prevent pre-term labor but they entail various side-effects. Our study proposed to suggest use of acupuncture as an another mediator to control abortion or pre-term labor without causing unnecessary side-effects by those medicines. Two acupuncture sites, LI-4 & SP-6 were selected due to their known efficacy. From the immunohistochemical staining of COX-2, normal expression of COX-2 protein in nonpregnant SD rat's uterus revealed that COX-2 protein was primarily detected in the lumina epithelial lining and in the epithelial cell lining contacting the stromal cells. High resolution optical microscopic scanning revealed distinguishable staining in the myometrial mucosa. LI-4 acupuncture administered nonpregnant rat's uterus showed strong expression for COX-2 in endometrium contacted with lumina epithelial lining of rat uterus and in myometrial mucosa. Stromal cells showed more staining than untreated nonpregnant rat's uterus and stronger staining in stromal cells contacting myometrial layer compared to untreated nonpregnant rat's uterus. SP-6 acupuncture administered nonpregnant rat's uterus showed weak expression for COX-2 in myometrial layers and stromal cells but no staining was visible in lumina epitheliai and glandular epithelial cells. Few stromal cells and myometrial mucosa were positively stained for COX-2. Pregnant SD rat's uterus was also immunostained for COX-2 expression after 18 days of pregnancy. Unlike to untreated nonpregnant rat's uterus, luminal epithelial cells were not positively stained for COX-2 but stronger staining for COX-2 was revealed in stromal cells. LI-4 acupunctured SD rat's uterus had very strong expression of COX-2 in luminal epithelial lining. Few stromal cells showed stronger positive COX-2 staining and myometrial layers also showed more expression than untreated pregnant rat. SP-6 acupuncture administered pregnant SD rat's uterus showed positive expression of COX-2 in epithelial cells of luminal mucosa layer but weaker than that of LI-4 acupuncture treatment's case. However, strong positive staining was revealed in stromal mucosa and myometrial layers. Virgin SD rat's uterus motility index during LI-4 acupuncture was 66.52 % (Prob〉T = 0.0197) compared to its motility before the acupuncture treatment but the motility index was slighdy elevated up to 79.58 % (Prob〉T = 0.1175) after the acupuncture. During the SP-6 acupuncture treatment for 30 minutes, uterus motility index was 90.52 % (Prob〉T = 0.1832) showing lesser decrement but consequently reached similar motility index decreasal to 79.95 % (Prob〉T = 0.0215) after the acupuncture treatment as LI-4 showed. LI-4 acupuncture tend to be a quick treatment to reducing the uterus motility in a virgin rat but eventually both two acupuncture administration created very similar reduction of uterus motility seeing the index after the both acupunctures. The uterus movement monitored during the LI-4 acupuncture administered for 30 minutes, Pregnant SD rat showed decreased motility down to 77.90 % (Prob〉 T = 0.0076) compared to uterus motility before the acupuncture and it continuously decreased down to 71.81 %(Prob〉T = 0.0214) after the removal of needle. The statistical analysis using paired t-test showed significance difference for both two motility indexs at =0.05. SP-6 acupuncture administered to pregnant SD rat also had similar pattern of decreasing uterus motility index down to 74.70 % (Prob〉T = 0.1730) during the initial 30 minutes acupuncture administration and it was continuously lowered to 71.52 % (Prob〉T = 0.0155) after the acupuncture. The paired t-test resuit for SP-6 suggest prompt response of uterus motility index to the SP-6 acupuncture treatment but consequently reached same level of inducing the motility reduction as LI-4 at =0.05 level.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.350-363
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• 1987

This study dealt with the comparison of the individual lipid component and fatty acid composition in the six varieties of dent corn, Zea mays Indentata. The fatty acid and sterol compositions of the total lipid were analyzed by gas liquid chromatography. The total lipid was also fractionated into three lipid classes namely neutral, glyco and phospolipid by the methods of silicic acid column chromatography. The lipid componets of lipid-classes were estimated by thin layer chromatography and TLC-scanner. The contents of total lipid in six varieties of Cdent corn were $3.7{\sim}5.3%$. Total lipid were mainly Composed of triglyceride$(69.8{\sim}75.7%)$ free fatty acid$(13.0{\sim}17.9%)$, lanosterol$(4.8{\sim}6.0%)$. hydrocarbon & esterified sterol$(3.5{\sim}6.0%)$, and polar lipid & pigment$(2.7{\sim}5.9%)$. The contents of triglycerde in $Chech'{\breve{o}}nok$ and Hwangok No.3 were slightly higher then other varieties. The major fatty acid In total lipid from six varieties of dent corn were chiefly consisted of linoleic$(46.0{\sim}61.4%)$, oleic$(21.9{\sim}29.9%)$ and palmitic acid$(10.9{\sim}16.7%)$. Particularly the content of linoleic acid in $Chech'{\breve{o}}nok$ was higher but oleic and palmitic acid in $Chech'{\breve{o}}nok$ were less than other varieties. The compositions of 4-desmethylsterol were mainly composed of siterol $(44.0{\sim}63.2%)$, campestetel$(11.6{\sim}15.5%)$ and stigmasterol$(5.6{\sim}9.1%)$. The content of sitosterol in Chinjuok was higher than other varieties and isofucosterol was detected only in Chinjuok. The compositions of 4-monomethlysterol were mainly composed of obtusifoliol$(17.7{\sim}37.6%)$, gramisterol$(15.0{\sim}27.0%)$ and citrostadienol$(9.1{\sim}17.3%)$. The contents of obtusifoliol and citrostadienol in Kwangok and Chinjuok were less than other varieties. The contents of fractionated neural lipid in Suwon No.19. Kwangok, $Hoengs{\breve{o}}ngok$ and Chinjuok$(90.3{\sim}97.1%)$ were higher than those of $Chech'{\breve{o}}nok$ and Hwangok No.3$(85.5{\sim}86.1%)$. Neutral lipid were mainly composed of triglyceride$(24.7{\sim}80.0%)$, lanosterol$(6.2{\sim}20.2%)$, Cholesterol$(1.0{\sim}50.6%)$, free fatty acid$(4.4{\sim}8.9%)$ and esterified sterol$(1.5{\sim}15.9%)$. The major fatty acid in neutral lipid from six varieties of dent corn were chiefly consisted of linoleic$(26.2{\sim}55.4%)$ oleic$(22.7{\sim}39.1%)$ and palmitic acid$(11.4{\sim}41.6%)$. Particularly the contents of linoleic acid Suwon No.19 and $Chech'{\breve{o}}nok$ were higher but palmtic acid in Suwon No.19 and $Chech'{\breve{o}}nok$ were less tan other varieties. Glycolipd were mainly composed of nlonoglycosflsterol $(17.5{\sim}56.4%)$, monoglycosylce-ramide $(8.2{\sim}25.9%)$ and monoglycoslydiacylglycerol$(12.4{\sim}22.2%)$. The contents of mono-g1ycosrlceramide and monoglycosrlsterol in Chinjuok. Were higher than other varieties. The major fatty acid in glycolipid from six varieties of dent corn were chiefly consisted$(14.6{\sim}39.3%)$, palmitic$(20.0{\sim}26.1%)$, linoleic$(3.6{\sim}26.9%)$ and heptadecanoic acid $(3.3{\sim}24.7%)$. Particutarly the cantents of oleic acid in Chinjuok and heptadecanoic acid in $Chech'{\breve{o}}nok$ were higher than other varieties. Phospholipid were mainly composed of phosphatidyllnositol$(30.9{\sim}86.4%)$ and phosphatidylcholine$(4.5{\sim}22.0%)$. The contents of phosphatidrlinositol in $Hoengs{\breve{o}}ngok$ and Hwanngok No. 3 were less than other varieties. The major fatty acid in phospolipid from six varieties of dent corn chiefly consisted of patmitic$(37.2{\sim}61.6%)$ heptadecanoic$(9.2{\sim}31.8%)$ and oleic acid$(4.3{\sim}17.2%)$. Particuiarlr the content of oleic acid in $Hoengs{\breve{o}}ngok$ was higher but heptadccanoic acid in $Hoengs{\breve{o}}ngok$ was less than othcr varieties.