• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.149-154
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• 2002

The blood pressure (BP) is regulated by the nervous system and humoral factors, such as renin- angiotensin system, vasopressin and others. In the present study, we examined the central effects of glutamate and GABA on the cardiovascular regulation by injection of these substances into the lateral ventricle and also investigated the relationship between these central effects and the action of angiotensin II (Ang). Male Sprague Dawley rats, $350{\sim}400$ g, were anesthetized with urethane and instrumented with an arterial catheter for direct measurement of BP and heart rate (HR), and an guide cannula in the lateral ventricle for drug injection. A glass microelectode was inserted into the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) for recording single unit spikes. Barosensitive neurons were identified by changes of single unit spikes in RVLM following intravenous injection of nitroprusside and phenylephrine. The effects of GABA and glutamate injected into the lateral ventricle were studied in single neuronal activity of the RVLM in addition to changes in BP and heart rate, and compared the results before and after treatment with intravenous losartan, nonpeptide Ang II-type 1 receptor antagonist (1 mg/100 g BW). Intracerebroventricular administration of GABA decreased systolic blood pressure (SBP) and HR, but increased the firing rates in the RVLM. However, intracerebroventricular glutamate injection produced effects opposite to GABA. After pretreatment of intravenous losartan, the central effects of GABA on BP and firing rate in the RVLM were significantly attenuated and that of glutamate showed a tendency of attenuation. These results suggested that central GABA and glutamate regulated BP and firing rates in RVLM were inversely related to BP change. The central effects of GABA or glutamate on the autonomic nervous function were modulated by humoral factor, Ang II, by maintaining BP.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.121-125
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to investigate the antinociceptive effects of ginsenosides on toothache. c-Fos immunoreactive (IR) neurons were examined after noxious intrapulpal stimulation (NS) by intrapulpal injection of 2 M KCl into upper and lower incisor pulps exposed by bone cutter in Sprague Dawley rats. The number of Fos-IR neurons was increased in the trigeminal subnucleus caudalis (Vc) and the transitional region between Vc and subnucleus interpolaris (Vi) by NS to tooth. The intradental NS raised arterial blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR). The number of Fos-IR neurons was also enhanced in thalamic ventral posteromedial nucleus (VPMN) and centrolateral nucleus (CLN) by NS to tooth. The intradental NS increased the number of Fos-IR neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) and rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM), hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus (SON) and paraventricular nucleus (PVN), central cardiovascular regulation centers. Ginsenosides reduced the number of c-Fos-IR increased by NS to tooth in the trigeminal Vc and thalamic VPMN and CLN. Naloxone, an opioid antagonist, did not block the effect of ginsenoside on the number of Fos-IR neurons enhanced by NS to tooth in the trigeminal Vc and thalamic VPMN and CLN. Ginsenosides ameliorated arterial BP and HR raised by NS to tooth and reduced the number of Fos-IR neurons increased by NS to tooth in the NTS, RVLM, hypothalamic SON, and PVN. These results suggest that ginsenosides have an antinociceptive effect on toothache through non-opioid system and attenuates BP and HR increased by NS to tooth.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.675-686
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• 2017

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is associated with symptoms including headache, dizziness, and syncope. The incidence of OH increases with age. Attenuation of the vestibulosympathetic reflex (VSR) is also associated with an increased incidence of OH. In order to understand the pathophysiology of OH, we investigated the physiological characteristics of the VSR in the disorder. We applied sodium nitroprusside (SNP) to conscious rats with sinoaortic denervation in order to induce hypotension. Expression of pERK in the intermediolateral cell column (IMC) of the T4~7 thoracic spinal regions, blood epinephrine levels, and blood pressure were evaluated following the administration of glutamate and/or SNP. SNP-induced hypotension led to increased pERK expression in the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN), rostral ventrolateral medullary nucleus (RVLM) and the IMC, as well as increased blood epinephrine levels. We co-administered either a glutamate receptor agonist or a glutamate receptor antagonist to the MVN or the RVLM. The administration of the glutamate receptor agonists, AMPA or NMDA, to the MVN or RVLM led to elevated blood pressure, increased pERK expression in the IMC, and increased blood epinephrine levels. Administration of the glutamate receptor antagonists, CNQX or MK801, to the MVN or RVLM attenuated the increased pERK expression and blood epinephrine levels caused by SNP-induced hypotension. These results suggest that two components of the pathway which maintains blood pressure are involved in the VSR induced by SNP. These are the neurogenic control of blood pressure via the RVLM and the humoral control of blood pressure via epinephrine release from the adrenal medulla.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2004

The arterial pressure is regulated by the nervous and humoral mechanisms. The neuronal regulation is mostly carried out by the autonomic nervous system through the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM), a key area for the cardiovascular regulation, and the humoral regulation is mediated by a number of substances, including the angiotensin (Ang) II and vasopressin. Recent studies suggest that central interleukin-1 (IL-1) activates the sympathetic nervous system and produces hypertension. The present study was undertaken to elucidate whether IL-1 and Ang II interact in the regulation of cardiovascular responses to the stress of hemorrhage. Thus, Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized and both femoral arteries were cannulated for direct measurement of arterial pressure and heart rate (HR) and for inducing hemorrhage. A guide cannula was placed into the lateral ventricle for injection of IL-1 $(0.1,\;1,\;10,\;20\;ng/2\;{\mu}l)$ or Ang II $(600\;ng/10\;{\mu}l)$. A glass microelectrode was inserted into the RVLM to record the single unit spike potential. Barosensitive neurons were identified by an increased number of single unit spikes in RVLM following intravenous injection of nitroprusside. I.c.v. $IL-1\;{\beta}$ increased mean arterial pressure (MAP) in a dose-dependent fashion, but HR in a dose-independent pattern. The baroreceptor reflex sensitivity was not affected by i.c.v. $IL-1\;{\beta}$. Both i.c.v. $IL-1\;{\alpha}\;and\;{\beta}$ produced similar increase in MAP and HR. When hemorrhage was induced after i.c.v. injection of $IL-1\;{\beta}$, the magnitude of MAP fall was not different from the control. The $IL-1\;{\beta}$ group showed a smaller decrease in HR and a lower spike potential count in RVLM than the control. MAP fall in response to hemorrhage after i.c.v. injection of Ang II was not different from the control. When both IL-1 and Ang II were simultaneously injected i.c.v., however, MAP fall was significantly smaller than the control, and HR was increased rather than decreased. These data suggest that IL-1, a defense immune mediator, manifests a hypertensive action in the central nervous system and attenuates the hypotensive response to hemorrhage by interaction with Ang II.