• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.313-320
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• 2021

This study evaluates the radiation protection effects of Schizonepeta tenuifolia water extract on white rat by gender. Schizonepeta tenuifolia contains polyphenol and flavonoid, which are typical substances that remove free radical. Thus, to determine the effectiveness of radiation protection, the Schizonepeta tenuifolia water extract was administered to Sparaqu-Dawely (SD) rat males and females for two weeks, followed by hematological analysis, analysis of changes in the length of the small intestine villi length, and SOD activity evaluation. The male rat in ST+IR group showed a slightly greater recovery of platelets than the IR group. The ST+IR group also showed a higher platelet recovery capability than the IR group. lymphocyte showed that male and female rat ST+IR groups have higher resilience than IR groups likewise platelet. After irradiation, the villi length of the male rat and female rat decreased less in ST+IR group than in the IR group, indicating that the villi length of all genders was less damaged. This result confirmed that the Schizonepeta tenuifolia water extract had a radiation protection effect.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.95-108
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• 2021

Objectives This study was conducted to investigate the beta-glucan, ginsenoside content, antioxidant activity and safety of modified Kyungohkgo added to Sparassis crispa and Hericium erinaceum. Methods The marker compounds contents, antioxidant activity and safety of modified Kyungohkgo were tested. The contents of beta-glucan and ginsenoside Rb1, Rg1, and Rg3 marker compounds were measured, the antioxidant activity was measured using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, and a safety test was conducted via single dose toxicity assessment. Results Analyzing the contents of marker compounds showed 351.75 mg/g of beta-glucan, 0.0327 mg/g of ginsenoside Rb1 and 0.0802 mg/g of ginsenosai Rg3. In the DPPH free radical scavenging activity, the inhibition concentration 50% of modified Kyungohkgo was 0.2880%. The scavenging activity of modified Kyungohkgo was 5.49% activity at 0.05% concentration, 89.66% activity at 0.5% concentration, 94.68% activity at 1% concentration, and 96.06% activity at 5% concentration. In the single dose toxicity test of modified Kyungohkgo, a dose of 2,000 mg/kg B.W. was set at its highest capacity and observed after oral administration to female and male rats. No toxicological findings were recognized. It was observed that the resulting lethal dose can be set to 2,000 mg/kg B.W. or higher for both females and males. Conclusions The results of the experiment on modified Kyungohkgo showed that the marker compounds contents were beta-glucan and ginsenoside Rb1 and Rg3, that antioxidant activity was observed through the DPPH free radical scavenging activity, and safety was confirmed through the single dose toxicity assessment.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.155-162
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• 2022

This study investigated the immunostimulatory effect of enzymatic porcine placental hydrolyzate (EPPH) in cyclophosphamide (Cy)-treated rats. This effect of EPPH prevented Cy-induced decreases in body, spleen, and thymus weights and natural killer (NK) cell activity. The numbers of immune cells, such as white blood cells, granulocytes, and lymphocytes, and mid-range absolute counts were significantly higher compared to the control group. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-12, and immunoglobulin G (IgG) were notably reduced by Cy, while EPPH prevented these effects. Histopathological analysis of spleen samples revealed the protective effect of EPPH against Cy-induced immunosuppression. The findings demonstrate that EPPH can alleviate immunosuppression by cell viability, tissue damage, and regulation of the levels of cytokines. EPPH may have value as a component of immunostimulatory agents or an ingredient in functional foods.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.550-566
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• 2022

Stroke is among the leading causes of death and long-term physical and cognitive disabilities worldwide, affecting an estimated 15 million people annually. The pathophysiological process of stroke is complicated by multiple and coordinated events. The breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in people with stroke can significantly contribute to the development of ischemic brain injury. Therefore, BBB disruption is recognized as a hallmark of stroke; thus, it is important to develop novel therapeutic strategies that can protect against BBB dysfunction in ischemic stroke. Traditional medicines are composed of natural products, which represent a promising source of new ingredients for the development of conventional medicines. Indeed, several studies have shown the effectiveness of Korean medicine on stroke, highlighting the value of Korean medicinal treatment for ischemic stroke. This review summarizes the current information and underlying mechanisms regarding the ameliorating effects of the formula, decoction, herbs, and active components of traditional Korean medicine on cerebral ischemia-induced BBB disruption. These traditional medicines were shown to have protective effects on the BBB in many cellular and animal ischemia models of stroke, and experiments in various animal species, such as mice and rats. In addition, they showed brain-protective effects by protecting the BBB through the regulation of tight junction proteins and matrix metalloproteinase-9, reducing edema, neuroinflammation, and neuronal cell death. We hope that this review will help promote further investigation into the neuroprotective effects of traditional Korean medicines and stimulate the performance of clinical trials on Korean herbal medicine-derived drugs in patients with stroke.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.59-65
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• 2022

Rodent model for chronic cerebral hypoperfusion caused by bilateral carotid artery occlusion (BCAO) show clinically relevant evidences for vascular dementia and impairments of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate effect of fermented garlic (F-Garlic) extract with NO metabolites on cognitive behaviors, synaptic plasticity, and molecular events in the hippocampus following BCAO. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided three experimental groups into: control+water; BCAO+water; BCAO+F-Garlic. Animals were treated with oral administration of F-Garlic in tap water as a drinking water after surgery for 4 weeks. On passive avoidance test and Y-maze test, BCAO+water showed a significant decrease in step-through latency and spontaneous alteration, indicating deficit of hippocampal memory formation but the treatment of F-Garlic significantly increased these cognitive behaviors. In control+water, a robust increase in the amplitude of evoked field excitatory postsynaptic potentials was observed by theta burst stimulation to hippocampal neural circuit indicating formation of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampal CA1. BCAO+water showed a highly significant deficit in LTP induction 4 weeks after BCAO. On other hand, daily oral administration of F-Garlic extract caused the marked preservation of LTP induction. Moreover, parvalbumin was markedly reduced in the CA1, especially, in the stratum radiatum of BCAO+water. In contrast, BCAO+F-Garlic mitigate a significantly reduction of the parvalbumin. In summary, these results suggest that daily oral administration of F-Garlic extract can ameliorate cognitive memory deficit through the preservation of synaptic plasticity and interneurons integrity in the hippocampus in rodent model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.427-438
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• 2022

Pyroptosis, a form of cell death associated with inflammation, is known to be involved in diabetic nephropathy (DN), and discoid domain receptor 1 (DDR1), an inflammatory regulatory protein, is reported to be associated with diabetes. However, the mechanism underlying DDR1 regulation and pyroptosis in DN remains unknown. We aimed to investigate the effect of DDR1 on renal tubular epithelial cell pyroptosis and the mechanism underlying DN. In this study, we used high glucose (HG)-treated HK-2 cells and rats with a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin as DN models. Subsequently, the expression of pyroptosis-related proteins (cleaved caspase-1, GSDMD-N, Interleukin-1β [IL-1β], and interleukin-18 [IL-18]), DDR1, phosphorylated NF-κB (p-NF-κB), and NLR family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes were determined through Western blotting. IL-1β and IL-18 levels were determined using ELISA. The rate of pyroptosis was assessed by propidium iodide (PI) staining. The results revealed upregulated expression of pyroptosisrelated proteins and increased concentration of IL-1β and IL-18, accompanied by DDR1, p-NF-κB, and NLRP3 upregulation in DN rat kidney tissues and HG-treated HK-2 cells. Moreover, DDR1 knockdown in the background of HG treatment resulted in inhibited expression of pyroptosis-related proteins and attenuation of IL-1β and IL-18 production and PI-positive cell frequency via the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway in HK-2 cells. However, NLRP3 overexpression reversed the effect of DDR1 knockdown on pyroptosis. In conclusion, we demonstrated that DDR1 may be associated with pyroptosis, and DDR1 knockdown inhibited HG-induced renal tubular epithelial cell pyroptosis. The NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway is probably involved in the underlying mechanism of these findings.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.531-540
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• 2022

Group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) can positively affect postsynaptic neuronal excitability and epileptogenesis. The objective of the present study was to determine whether group 1 mGluRs might be involved in synaptically-induced intracellular free Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) spikes and neuronal cell death induced by 0.1 mM Mg²⁺ and 10 µM glycine in cultured rat hippocampal neurons from embryonic day 17 fetal Sprague-Dawley rats using imaging methods for Ca²⁺ and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays for cell survival. Reduction of extracellular Mg²⁺ concentration ([Mg²⁺]_o) to 0.1 mM induced repetitive [Ca²⁺]_i spikes within 30 sec at day 11.5. The mGluR5 antagonist 6-Methyl2-(phenylethynyl) pyridine (MPEP) almost completely inhibited the [Ca²⁺]_i spikes, but the mGluR1 antagonist LY367385 did not. The group 1 mGluRs agonist, 3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG), significantly increased the [Ca²⁺]_i spikes. The phospholipase C inhibitor U73122 significantly inhibited the [Ca²⁺]_i spikes in the absence or presence of DHPG. The IP₃ receptor antagonist 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate or the ryanodine receptor antagonist 8-(diethylamino)octyl 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate also significantly inhibited the [Ca²⁺]_i spikes in the absence or presence of DHPG. The TRPC channel inhibitors SKF96365 and flufenamic acid significantly inhibited the [Ca²⁺]_i spikes in the absence or presence of DHPG. The mGluR5 antagonist MPEP significantly increased the neuronal cell survival, but mGluR1 antagonist LY367385 did not. These results suggest a possibility that mGluR5 is involved in synaptically-induced [Ca²⁺]_i spikes and neuronal cell death in cultured rat hippocampal neurons by releasing Ca²⁺ from IP₃ and ryanodine-sensitive intracellular stores and activating TRPC channels.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.1-17
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• 2022

Objectives This study was conducted to investigate the beta-glucan & ginsenoside content, antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory effect and safety of herbal medicine mix. Methods The marker compounds contents, antioxidant activity and safety of herbal medicine mix were tested. The contents of beta-glucan and ginsenoside Rg3 were measured, the antioxidant activity was measured using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, anti-inflammatory and a safety test was conducted via single dose toxicity assessment. Results Analyzing the contents of marker compounds showed 362.3 mg/g of beta-glucan, and 0.4184 mg/g of ginsenoside Rg3. In the DPPH free radical scavenging activity, the IC50 of herbal medicine mix, was 0.146%. The scavenging activity of herbal medicine mix was 88.28% activity at 0.5% concentration, and 90.61% activity at 5% concentration. In the lipopolysaccharides (LPS) anti-inflammatory test, the herbal remix showed a significant decrease in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-𝛼) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) compared to the LPS-induced group. In the single dose toxicity test of herbal medicine mix, a dose of 2,000 mg/kg body weight (BW) was set at its highest capacity and observed after oral administration to female and male rats. No toxicological findings were recognized. It was observed that the resulting lethal dose can be set to 2,000 mg/kg BW or higher for both females and males. Conclusions The results of the experiment on herbal medicine mix showed that the marker compounds contents were beta-glucan and ginsenoside Rg3, that antioxidant activity was observed through the DPPH free radical scavenging activity, anti-inflammatory effect was observed through TNF-𝛼 and IL-6 measurement, and safety was confirmed through the single dose toxicity assessment.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.519-524
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• 2022

Domestic building finishing materials are being evaluated according to KS F 2271 standards according to the notification of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and this test is evaluated using laboratory animals. In this study, experiments were conducted on highly combustible organic insulation materials such as EPS, urethane, and phenolic foam. The purpose of this study was to analyze the cause of the behavioral suspension of the experimental mice by measuring the average behavioral suspension time of the mice caused by the harmful gas generated when these three types of insulation materials were burned. FTIR analysis and smoke density experiment were performed as a cause analysis method for the behavioral suspension of mice, and the experimental results were analyzed by dividing the causes of behavioral suspension into suffocation by particulate matter and toxic inhalation by gaseous substances. As a result of the test, urethane was evaluated as the most harmful insulation material, and as a result of FTIR analysis and smoke density test as a cause analysis for the gas toxicity test results, it is judged that the behavioral stop of the rats by suffocation is higher than the effect of toxic inhalation. This study is a basic study on the cause analysis of harmful gases, and it will be necessary to prepare the toxicity basis and analyze various materials and gases.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.11
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• pp.565-570
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• 2022

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive and devastating disease whose pathogenesis is associated with a phenotypic switch of pulmonary arterial vascular smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling and potassium two pore domain channel subfamily K member 3 (KCNK3) play crucial roles in PAH pathogenesis. However, the relationship between BMP signaling and KCNK3 expression in the PASMC phenotypic switching process has not been studied. In this study, we explored the effect of BMPs on KCNK3 expression and the role of KCNK3 in the BMP-mediated PASMC phenotypic switch. Expression levels of BMP receptor 2 (BMPR2) and KCNK3 were downregulated in PASMCs of rats with PAH compared to those in normal controls, implying a possible association between BMP/BMPR2 signaling and KCNK3 expression in the pulmonary vasculature. Treatment with BMP2, BMP4, and BMP7 significantly increased KCNK3 expression in primary human PASMCs (HPASMCs). BMPR2 knockdown and treatment with Smad1/5 signaling inhibitor substantially abrogated the BMP-induced increase in KCNK3 expression, suggesting that KCNK3 expression in HPASMCs is regulated by the canonical BMP-BMPR2-Smad1/5 signaling pathway. Furthermore, KCNK3 knockdown and treatment with a KCNK3 channel blocker completely blocked BMP-mediated anti-proliferation and expression of contractile marker genes in HPAMSCs, suggesting that the expression and functional activity of KCNK3 are required for BMP-mediated acquisition of the quiescent PASMC phenotype. Overall, our findings show a crosstalk between BMP signaling and KCNK3 in regulating the PASMC phenotype, wherein BMPs upregulate KCNK3 expression and KCNK3 then mediates BMP-induced phenotypic switching of PASMCs. Our results indicate that the dysfunction and/or downregulation of BMPR2 and KCNK3 observed in PAH work together to induce aberrant changes in the PASMC phenotype, providing insights into the complex molecular pathogenesis of PAH.