• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.79-92
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• 2004

Objectives : This experiments were performed to determine the effect of OYakSoonGi-San extract on hypertension in spontaneous hypertensive rat and norepinephrine-induced arterial contraction in rabbit. Methods : In order to define the effect of OYakSoonGi-San extract on contracted rabbit carotid arterial strips, transverse strips with intact or damaged endothelium were used for the experiment using organ bath. To analyze the mechanism of OYakSoonGi-San extract-induced relaxation, OYakSoonGi-San extract infused into contracted arterial strips induced by norepinephrine after treatment of indomethacin, $N{\omega}-nitro-L-arginine$, methylene blue or tetraethylammonium chloride. Results : Blood pressure was significantly decreased five days after administration of OYakSoonGi-San extract. The relaxation effect of OYakSoonGi-San extract was dependent on the presence of endothelium, showing that OYakSoonGi-San extract-induced relaxation was not observed in the strips without endothelium. Also OYakSoonGi-San extract-induced relaxation was significantly inhibited in arterial strips which were contracted by high $K^+$. OYakSoonGi-San extract-indeced relaxation was significantly inhibited by the pre-treatment of $N{\omega}-nitro-L-arginine$ or methylene blue, but it was not observed in the strips pre-treated with indomethacin or tetraethylammonium chloride. When additive application of $Ca^{2+}$ in arterial strips which were pre-contracted by norepinephrine in a $Ca^{2+}$-free solution, arterial contraction was increased. But contractile response to $Ca^{2+}$ was attenuated by pre-treatment of OYakSoonGi-San extract. Conclusions : These results demonstrated that OYakSoonGi-San could be applied effectively to hypertension and may inhibit agonist-induced contraction through an decrease influx of extra-cellular $Ca^{2+}$ by the formation of nitric oxide in the vascular endothelial cells.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.43-56
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• 2018

Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the basis for developing the herbal decoction that may help promote healthy blood vessels in accordance with the basic principles of Korean medicinal materials. Methods: In this study, we investigated the vascular relaxation effects of fifty herbal decoctions on vascular response in isolated thoracic aorta of phenylephrine-preconracted rats. Results: The results of identify the vascular relaxation effect of fifty herbal decoctions provided by Korea Institute of Korean Medicine, twenty-one herbal decoctions showed vascular relaxation effects. Among them, four herbal decoctions, Mahwang-tang (麻黃湯), Samchulgeonbi-tang (參朮健脾湯), Cheonwangbosim-dan (天王補心丹), and Socheonglyong-tang (小靑龍湯), with showed significantly concentration-dependent vasodilation was examined. Vascular relaxation level are $84.02{\pm}4.70$, $79.39{\pm}13.9$, $51.26{\pm}12.56$, and $54.73{\pm}15.8%$, respectively (P<0.05, 0.01, and 0.001). Conclusions: Thus these results provide a basic data for the treatment of the impairment of vascular function and blood pressure in traditional Oriental medicine.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.169-177
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• 2024

This study investigated the effects of a spinal thermal massage device on physical and mental relaxation in office workers. Fifteen participants in their 30s and 40s used the device at home for 40 minutes, five times a week, for one month. Subjective measures, including fatigue, stress, muscle pain, blood circulation, indigestion, and insomnia, were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) before and after the intervention. Objective measures included blood pressure (diastolic/systolic) and pulse pressure. The results showed significant reductions in fatigue (-51.5%), muscle pain (-49.6%), blood circulation difficulties (-23.1%), and stress (-20.9%), with trends suggesting reductions in insomnia (-20%) and indigestion (-7.4%). Systolic blood pressure significantly decreased, with tendencies for reductions in diastolic blood pressure and pulse pressure. In conclusion, the spinal thermal massage device appeared to promote physical and mental relaxation by combining thermotherapy and massage, likely activating the parasympathetic nervous system.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.199-215
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• 2015

Objective: The purpose of this study is to find the level of physical relaxation of individual subject by monitoring psychophysiological biofeedback to different types of mattresses. And, the study also aims to find a protocol to make a selection of the best mattress based on the measured information. Background: In Korea, there are an increasing number of people using western style bed. However, they are often fastidious in choosing the right mattress for them. In fact, people use their past experience with their old mattress as well as the spontaneous experience they encounter in a show room to finally decide to buy a bed. Method: Total five mattresses were tested in this study. After measuring the elasticity of the mattresses, they were sorted into five different classes. Physiological and psychological variables including Electromyography (EMG), heart rates (HR), oxygen saturations (SaO2) were used. In addition, the peak body pressure concentration rate was used to find uncomfortably pressured body part. Finally, the personal factors and subjective satisfaction were also examined. A protocol was made to select the best mattress for individual subject. The selection rule for the protocol considered all the variables tested in this study. Results: The result revealing psychological comfort range of 0.68 to 0.95, dermal comfort range of 3.15 to 6.07, back muscle relaxation range of 0.25 to 1.64 and personal habit range of 2.0 to 3.4 was drawn in this study. Also a regression model was developed to predict biofeedback with the minimal use of biofeedback devices. Moreover results from the proposed protocol with the regression equation and subjective satisfaction were compared with each other for validation. Ten out of twenty subjects recorded the same level of relaxation, and eight subjects showed one-level difference while two subjects showed two-levels difference. Conclusion: The psychophysiological variables and suitability selection process used in this study seem to be used for selecting and assessing ergonomic products mechanically or emotionally. Application: This regression model can be applied to the mattress industry to estimate back muscle relaxation using dermal, psychophysiology and personal habit values.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.458-467
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was object to the effects of a resistance exercise combined with relaxation therapy on blood pressure, frequency of exercise and physical fitness in elderly women. Methods: Seventy three elderly women participated in an exercise program for 12 months. The exercise program consisted of stretching, massage and resistance training using thera-bands twice a week and 50 minutes in every sessions each week. Repeated measures ANOVA were performed using SAS. Results: After the exercise program there was a significant difference in systolic blood pressure, frequency of exercise, body fat, sitting to standing, walking 2 minutes, sitting on a chair and reaching, and standing on one leg with eyes opened. After 6 months, there was a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure and significant increase in frequency of exercise, body fat, sitting to standing and standing on one leg with eyes opened. In 12 months, there was a significant increase in body fat, 2 minutes walking, and sitting in a chair and reaching. Conclusion: Resistance exercise combined with muscle relaxation therapy would have a positive effect on elderly women. We found that it was helpful for the elderly women in terms of physical fitness.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.587-595
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• 2003

The aim of this study was to investigate trazodone's effect on vasorelaxation and blood pressure lowering and to examine its underlying mechanism of action in isolated thoracic aorta and anesthesized rats. Precontracted aortic rings with high KCl were relaxed with trazodone, at concentrations of $50{\mu}M$ or greater. However, precontracted rings with phenylephrine (PE) were relaxed with trazodone, at concentrations of $0.03{\mu}M$ or greater, in a concentration-dependent manner. These relaxant effects of trazodone on endothelium intact rat aortic rings were significantly greater than those on denuded rings. The trazodone-induced relaxations were suppressed by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) and N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), guanylate cyclase inhibitors, methylene blue and 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), a $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^+$ channel blocker, tetrabutylammonium (TBA), a $Ca^{2+}$ channel blocker, nifedipine, $Na^+$ channel blockers, lidocaine and procaine, and removal of extracellular $Na^+$, but not by aminoguanidine, 2-nitro-4-carboxyphenyl-n, n-diphenylcarbamate (NCDC), indomethacin, glibenclamide and clotrimazole. In vivo, infusion of trazodone elicited significant decrease in arterial blood pressure. Trazodone-induced decrease in blood pressure was markedly inhibited by pretreatment of intravenous injection of saponin, L-NNA, methylene blue, TBA, lidocaine or nifedipine. These findings suggest that the endothelium-dependent relaxation and decrease in blood pressure induced by trazodone is mediated by release of NO from the endothelium, activation of TBA-sensitive $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^+$ channels or inhibition of $Ca^{2+}$ entry through voltage-gated channel.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.634-648
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• 1997

To examine the effect of Artemisia princeps var orientalis on cardiovascular system, cadiovascular response from its water extracts were studied in the atria and aortae of normal rats. The extracts diminished spontaneous beat and contractile force in the left and right atria, and caused the relaxation of thoraic aortae. As for the blood pressure, the mugwort extract had a descending effect.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.9
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• pp.918-923
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• 2003

L-theanine Is an amino acid in green tea and has been known to decrease serotonin and increase norepinephrine in rat brains, and also reported to produce mental relaxation, lower blood pressure and improve learning ability in human beings. But, few studies on these effects for human beings have been conducted so far. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of L-theanine on the release of brain alpha waves known to be related with mental relaxation and concentration. Twenty healthy male volunteers aged 18 to 30 years without any Physical and Psychological diseases were recruited through written advertisement. Alpha power values of EEG as a surrogate marker of mental relaxation and concentration were measured in frontal and occipital regions for 40 minutes after administration of four placebo or test tablets and 20 minute resting period. The same procedure crossed over at 7-day intervals. We analyzed average alpha power values in frontal and occipital regions at 10 minute intervals. Repeated ANOVA revealed that there were significant differences of occipital alpha power values between placebo and test groups with high anxiety (p < 0.05). The mean values at 20,30,40,50 and 60 minute intervals were 0.23, 024, 0.28, 0.25 and 0.34 in placebo, respectively and 0.23, 0.29, 0.40, 0.34, and 0.45 in test, respectively. But there were no significant differences of frontal and occipital alpha power values between placebo and test groups with low anxiety (p > 0.05) . The results of this study suggest that L-theanine containing tablets promote the release of alpha waves related to mental relaxation and concentration in young adult males.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.1573-1579
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• 2005

This study was undertaken to define the effect of DaeSiHo-Tang extract on the hypertension in spontaneous hypertensive rat and norepinephrine-induced arterial contraction in rabbit. Systolic blood pressure and blood velocity were significantly attenuated by administration of DaeSiHo-Tang extract. but blood flow and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system unaffected by DaeSiHo-Tang extract. The relaxation effect of DaeSiHo-Tang extract was dependent on the presence of endothelium, showing that DaeSiHo-Tang extract-induced relaxation was not observed in the strips without endothelium. The endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by DaeSiHo-Tang extract was decreased by the pretreatment of $N{\omega}$-nitro-L-arginine or methylene blue, but it was not observed in the strips pretreated with indomethacin or tetraethylammonium chloride. When $Ca^{2+}$ was applied, the strips which were contracted by norepinephrine in a $Ca^{2+}$-free solution, arterial contraction was increased. But pre-treatment of DaeSiHo-Tang extract inhibited contractile response to $Ca^{2+}$. These results indicate that antihypertensive effect of DaeSiHo-Tang extract is due to descend arterial resistance by the arterial relaxation through the formation of nitric oxide in the vascular endothelial cells.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.124-124
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• 2005