• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.1-13
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• 2009

Objectives : This study evaluates neuroprotective effect of Gastrodiae Rhizoma on apoptosis in the cerebral infarct. Methods : Cerebral infarct was induced by the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 2 hours with intraluminal thread method in Sprague-Dawley rats. Then ethanol extract of Gastrodiae Rhizoma was administered orally for 3 days. Infarct area and volume were evaluated with TTC staining. Neuronal apoptosis was identified with TUNEL labeling. Apoptosis modulatory effect was observed with immunohistochemical Bax, Bcl-2, iNOS, and MMP-9 expressions in penumbra. Results : 1. Ethanol extract of Gastrodiae Rhizoma reduced infarct size partly and volume significantly of in the MCAO rat brain. 2. Ethanol extract of Gastrodiae Rhizoma reduced TUNEL positive cell ratio in the penumbra of MCAO rat brain significantly. 3. Ethanol extract of Gastrodiae Rhizoma suppressed Bax, iNOS and MMP-9 expression in the penumbra of MCAO rat brain significantly. 4. Ethanol extract of Gastrodiae Rhizoma did not change Bcl-2 expression in the penumbra of MCAO rat brain. But expression ratio of Bcl-2 against Bax was increased in the Gastrodiae Rhizoma group. Conclusions : These results suggest that Gastrodiae Rhizoma plays an anti-apoptotic neuroprotective effect through suppression of Bax, iNOS, and MMP-9 expressions and relative up-regulation of Bcl-2 in the ischemic brain tissue.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.85-93
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• 2010

Objectives : This study aimed at evaluation of the effects of Gastrodiae Rhizoma on brain edema and aquaporin water channel expressions in the brain. Methods : Brain edema following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) was induced by the stereotaxic intrastriatal injection of bacterial collagenase type VII in Sprague-Dawley rats. Then ethanol extract of Gastrodiae rhizoma was treated once a day for 3 days. Brain edema % and water contents, and cell size of neurons in the cerebral cortex were examined. Immuno-histochemistry was processed for AQP4, AQP1, and AQP9 expressions in the brain sections and area % of immuno-labeling was analyzed with image analysis. Results : 1. Ethanol extract of Gastrodiae Rhizoma reduced brain edema of ICH induced rats significantly. 2. Ethanol extract of Gastrodiae Rhizoma reduced excessive brain tissue water contents of ICH induced rats significantly. 3. Ethanol extract of Gastrodiae Rhizoma reduced cellular edema of neurons in cerebral cortex of ICH induced rats significantly. 4. Ethanol extract of Gastrodiae Rhizoma reduced AQP4 immuno-positive area % in cerebral cortex and external capsule of ICH induced rat brain significantly. 5. Ethanol extract of Gastrodiae Rhizoma reduced AQP9 immuno-positive area % in glia limitans externa of ICH induced rat brain significantly. Conclusions : These results suggest that Gastrodiae Rhizoma reveals protective effects against brain edema and cytotoxic edema of neurons by means of down-regulation of AQP4 expression in the brain.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.64-70
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• 2000

Effects of Rhizoma gastrodiae on glucose oxidase-induced neurotoxicity was investigated in cultured newborn mouse spinal dorsal root ganglion(DRG) neurons that were treated in the media with or without glucose oxidase. In addition, the protective effect of Rhizoma gastrodiae extract against glucose oxidase-induced neurotoxicity was examined. Cytotoxic values were expressed as a percentage of number of living cells by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. In this paper, exposure of neurons to glucose oxidase resulted in a significant call death in a dose- and time-dependent manners in DRG neuron cultures. The decrease in cell viability induced by the glucose oxidase was blocked by Rhizoma gastrodiae extract. These results indicate that the neuroprotective effect of Rhizoma gastrodiae extract against glucose oxidase-induced neurotoxicity may result from a prevention or attenuation of oxidative damage induced by glucose oxidase.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.283-291
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• 2005

This study was penonned to provide basic data that predict the usefulness of Gastrodiae rhizoma as food materials for oriental medicinal cuisine(YakSun). We measured the changes of regional cerebral blood flow(rCBF) and blood pressure(BP) in rats, following the intravenous injection of Gastrodiae rhizoma water extract The measurement was continually monitored by laser-doppler flowmeter and pressure transducer in anesthetized adult Sprague-Dawley rats for about two to two and half hours through the data acquisition system composed of MacLab and Macintosh computer. The results of this experiment were as follows. Gastrodiae rhizoma increased the changes of rCBF in rats significantly. The rCBF of Gastrodiae rhizoma did not change by pretreated propranolol, atropin, methylene blue and indomethacin. But the rCBF of Gastrodiae rhizoma was increased by pretreated L-NNA. Gastrodiae rhizaoma decreased the changes of BP significantly. The BP of Gastrodiae rhizoma did not change by pretreated propranolol, atropin, methylene blue and indomethacin. But the BP of Gastrodiae rhizoma was decreased by pretreated L-NNA. These results indicated that Gastrodiae rhizoma might increase the rCBF and the BP which related to nitric oxide synthesis. Also these results indicate that Gastrodiae rhizoma can be used as a safe and clinically applicable to diet therapy of cerebral cardiovascular disease.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2015

Objectives : The objective of this study is to evaluate antioxidant activity and the main component content change of steaming-drying fermented Gastrodiae rhizoma extract. Methods : The antioxidant activities were determined for total polyphenol, flavonoid contents, SOD-like activity, electron donating activity, nitrite scavenging ability and major functional components(gastrodin and 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol content) were also measured. Results : The polyphenol content of fermented Gastrodiae rhizoma by S. cerevisiae were higher than those of fermented Gastrodiae rhizoma by A. oryzae, and when the fermentation period is extended. SOD like activity of fermented Gastrodiae rhizoma showed to be increased by fermentation with S. cerevisiae than fermentation by A. oryzae. Electron donating activity of fermented Gastrodiae rhizoma were increased at almost parallel level as vitamin C, by fermentation. Notably, fermentation by A. oryzae was moderately better than fermentation by S. cerevisiae. Flavonoid content of Gastrodiae rhizoma showed to increasing by fermentation, particularly fermentation by S. cerevisiae was proven to be more effective than by A. oryzae. The more steaming-drying or increased period of fermentation would be resulted in more gastrodin contents but under the same conditions, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol content of fermentation by A. oryzae in case of steaming and drying 1 time and 3 time was higher than control. Conclusions : These results has strongly hint the possible applicability of fermentation might be effective to improve the diverse biological activities of Gastrodiae rhizoma and may further supports to develop a functional food materials.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.2 s.30
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• pp.433-446
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• 1995

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of water extract and 70% ethanol extract from Gastrodiae Rhizoma on cardiovascular activities and plasma levels of catecholamines in unanaesthetized spontaneously hypertensive rats. The depressor response in SHR was observed during three to six hour period after an oral administration of water extract from Gastrodiae Rhizoma(GR). There was a statistically significant correlation between the magnitude of the depressor response induced by an oral administration of water extract from GR and the initial control blood pressure level. The increase in blood pressure induced by norepinephrine was less in Wistar rat treated with GR water extract than those without GR extract. No significant change in heart rate was observed in SHR receiving either water extract or ethanol extract from GR. Associated with the depressor response, there was a concomitant reduction in plasma levels of norepinephrine in SHR at 4 hour after an oral administration of water extract from GR. Plasma levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine were decreased slightly at 2 hour after an oral administration of ethanol extract from GR. These results suggest that the depressor effect of water extract from GR may be due, in part, to a decreased sympathoadrenal activity.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.554-562
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• 2007

This study was performed to provide basic data for predicting the usefulness of Gastrodiae rhizoma as a materials for functional foods. Changes in regional cerebral blood flow(rCBF) and blood pressure(BP) were measured in rats, following the intravenous injection of processed Gastrodiae rhizoma water extract. In its processing, we used rice water, Sderotium Poriae Cocos and Radix Ligustici Chuanxiaong. The rCBF and BP measurements were continually monitored by a laser-doppler flowmeter and a pressure transducer in the anesthetized adult Sprague-Dawley rats for approximately about two to two and a half hours, through a data acquisition system composed of a MacLab and Macintosh computer. The results of the experiment are as follows: the processed Gastrodiae rhizoma significantly increased changes in rCBF in the rats. The rCBF with processed Gastrodiae rhizoma did not change by pretreatment with propranolol, atropin, methylene blue, and indomethacin. But the rCBF of the processed Gastrodiae rhizoma was increased by pretreatment with L-NNA. The processed Gastrodiae rhizoma significantly decreased the changes in BP. However, BP with the processed Gastrodiae rhizoma did not change by pretreatment with propranolol, atropin, methylene blue and indomethacin. On the other hand, BP decreased with the processed Gastrodiae rhizoma pretreatment with L-NNA. These results indicate that processed Gastrodiae rhizoma might increase the rCBF and the BP which are related to nitric oxide synthesis. Also these results indicate that the used of processed Gastrodiae rhizoma in safe, as well as clinically applicable in diet therapy for cerebral related disease and hypertension.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.59-65
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• 2000

To clarify the toxic effect of oxidative stress, hydrogen peroxide $(H_{2}O_{2})-induced$ neurotoxicity was examined in cultured newborn mouse spinal motor neurons after spinal motor neurons were grown in the media containing various concentrations of glucose oxidase (GO). And also, the protective effect of Rhizoma gastrodiae extract against GO-induced neurotoxicity was evaluated. Cytotoxicity was expressed as a cell viability by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) -2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. In this study, exposure of motor neurons to GO-induced cell death significantly, in a dose- and time-dependent manners in spinal motor neuron cultures. The decrease in cell viability of motor neurons damaged by GO was proventioned by Rhizoma gastrodiae extract. These results suggest that the neuroprotective effect of Rhizoma gastrodiae extract on GO-induced neurotoxicity may result from a attenuation of $H_{2}O_{2}-induced$ oxidative stress.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2018

Objectives : Gastrodiae Rhizoma extract (GE) is possess the various bioactive compounds such as gastrodin, vanilyl alcool and p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol. Various processing methods such as steaming have been widely applied to ease ingestion and enhance the therapeutic effects of plant materials including GE in East-Asia area. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dermal bioactive properties of GE. Methods : First, total phenol, total flavonoid, gastrodin and ergothionein contents of GE were measured. In order to evaluate the dermal bioactive properties of steamed GE compared with not-steamed GE, tyrosinase, collagenase and elastase inhibitory activity were tested. Furthermore, the anti-oxidant activity of GE assessed based on DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assay. Results : In results, total phenol and total flavonoid contents were increased when 9 times steamed compared to not-steamed GE. Also, GE increased gastrodin contents, in proportion to the number of steaming times and ergothioneine content was abolished in the steaming state. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of GE increased by steaming, but the ABTS radical scavenging activity was not related to the steaming process. In addition, the tyrosinase inhibitory activity was increased as the number of steaming times of GE increased. Collagenase was most inhibited by 4 times steamed GE, and elastase was inhibited by 8 times steamed GE. Conclusion : In conclusion, these results suggest that steamed GE extract has the potential as a cosmetic material which possess anti-oxidant and whitening activities than not steamed GE.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.1 s.61
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• pp.115-122
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• 2005

Background and objective: Gastrodiae Rhizoma (GR), the rhizoma of Gastrodia elata BL., is one of the popular drugs to treat headache, dizziness, blackout, numbness of limbs, hemiplegia, facial paralysis, dysphrasia, and infantile convulsions. It has been reported that it provides an antihypertensive effect and lowers cerebrovascular resistance in animal experiments. However, there has been no data about these effects with human subjects. In this study, the author examined the effect of Gastrodiae water extracts on blood pressure and cerebrovascular reactivity in human subjects. Methods: We selected 16 normal volunteers, who were divided into 2 groups: Gastrodiae extract administration group and placebo (creamy powder) group. Using transcranial Doppler ultrasound, we monitored changes of mean flow velocity and breath-holding induced CO2 reactivity of middle cerebral artery in both groups. Mean blood pressure, heart rate and PETCO2 were measured using Compact Anesthesia Monitor. In both groups, all evaluation was performed during basal condition, and repeated at 30, 60, and 90 min after administration. Results: Gastrodiae extract decreased CO2 reactivity after administration, reaching the lowest level at 90 minutes $(-29.1\%\;vs.\;basal\;level)$, which showed significant difference compared with the placebo group (p = 0.004). In the placebo group, the pulse rates tended to decrease over time (at 90 minute, $-5.2\%$ vs. basal level) while in the Gastrodiae group the values showed nearly no change, which showed significant difference between both groups (p = 0.036). However, the changes of mean blood pressure and mean flow velocity did not show significant difference between both groups. Conclusion : This study demonstrated that Gastrodiae extract significantly decreased breath-holding induced CO2 reactivity. This result suggests that the clinical effect of Gastrodiae extract might be caused by increasing cerebral blood flow via dilation of cerebral resistant vessels instead of antihypertensive effect.