• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.392-400
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• 2002

We have previously found that the saponins but not other components in the ginseng reduce the secretion of catecholamines (CAs) from bovine adrenal chromaffin cells, a model of sympathetic nerves, evoked by acetylcholine (ACh) due to the blockade of $Na^+$ influx through nicotinic ACh receptor-operated cation channels, and it has been concluded that the inhibitory effect may be associated with the anti-stress action of ginseng. However, the saponins, which showed the great reduction of the CA secretion, were mainly the protopanaxiatriols. The protopanaxadiol and oleanolic acid saponins had a little or little such effect. Recent studies demonstrated that the oligosaccharides connected to the hydroxyl groups of the aglycones of the saponins are in turn hydrolyzed by gastric acid and enzymes in the intestinal bacteria when the ginseng is orally administrated. In this study, the effects of their major 6 kinds of metabolites on the secretion of CAs were investigated. All metabolites (M1, 2, 3 and 5 derived from the protopanaxadiols, and M4 and 11 from the protopanaxiatriols) reduced the ACh-evoked secretion from the cells. In the metabolites, the M4 inhibition was the most potent ($IC_{50}({\mu}M):M4(9)$ < M2 (18) < M3 (19) < M1l (22) < M5 (36) < MI (38)). Although M4 also reduced the CA secretion induced by high $K^+$, a stimulation activating voltage-sensitive $Ca^{2+}$ channels, the inhibitory effect was much less than that on the ACh-evoked secretion. M4 inhibited the ACh-induced $Na^+$ influx into the cells in a concentration-dependent manner similar to that of the inhibition of the ACh-evoked secretion. When the cells were washed by the incubation buffer after the preincubation of the cells with M4 and then incubated without M4 in the presence of ACh, the M4 inhibition was not completely abolished. On the other hand, its inhibition was maintained even by increasing the external ACh concentration. These results indicate that the saponins are metabolized to the more active substances in the digestive tract and the metabolites attenuate the secretion of CAs from bovine adrenal chromaffin cells stimulated by ACh due to the noncompetitive blockade of the ACh-induced $Na^+$ influx into the cells. These findings may further explain the anti-stress action of ginseng.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1988.08a
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• pp.55-62
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• 1988

The effect of panaxadiol (PD). an active component of Korean ginseng saponins on the secretion of catecholamines (CA) from the rabbit adrenal gland and its mode of action were investigated. PD ($400\;{\mu}g$) increased significantly the secretion of CA from the isolated perfused rabbit adrenal gland. PD-induced secretion of CA was reduced markedly by treatment with atropine. CA secretion induced by Ach or PD was potentiated by physostigmine treatment. Chlorisondamine inhibited CA secretion of PD or Ach. Perfusion of PD ($400\;{\mu}g$) for 30 minutes enhanced the secretory activity of CA by Ach. Ouabain weakened the secretory rsponse caused by PD but enhanced the response by Ach. Adenosine treatment resulted in marked increase in CA secretion by PD or Ach. Perfusion with calcium free Krebs solution containing 5 mM EDTA for 30 minutes completely blocked the secretory effect induced by Ach and also weakened that evoked by PD. It is suggested that PD causes the secretion of CA from the rabbit adrenal gland by a calcium dependent exocytotic process. The secretory effect of PD is due to the stimulation of cholinergic muscarinic and nicotinic-receptors present in the adrenal gland partly by direct action on the chromaffin cell.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.167-181
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• 1991

The present study was an attempt to investigate the effect of forskolin on secretion of catecholamines (CA) evoked by Ach, excess $K^+$, DMPP, McN-A-343 and caffeine from the isolated perfused rat adrenal glands and to elucidate its mechanism of action. The perfusion with forskolin (1.0 uM) for 1 min into the adrenal vein enhanced markedly the secreation of CA evoked by Ach (50 ug), excess $K^+$ (56 mM) DMPP (100 uM) and by caffeine (0.3 mM) but did not that by McN-A-343. Forskolin alone did not potentiate the CA secretion. Moreover, forskolin augmented the CA release evoked by the above same stimulation even in the absence of extracellular calcium. The 1 min perfusion of 300 uM-dibutyryl cyclic AMP (DBcAMP), which is known to increase cyclic AMP levels, led to enhancement of Ca secretion evoked by Ach, excess $K^+$ and DMPP but did not that by McN-A-343 and caffeine. DBcAMP by itself also did not augment the CA secretion. In the calcium-free medium DBcAMP significantly enhanced the CA secretion by the same stimulation, except for the case of McN-A-343. These experimental results suggest that forskolin activates adenylate cyclase, resulting the elevation of cyclic AMP which may potentiate cholinergic nicotinic receptor-mediated and also depolarization-dependent CA secretion and that it may alter the intracellular calcium homeostasis in the rat adrenal glands.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.699-708
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• 2005

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of naloxone, a well known opioid antagonist, on the secretion of catecholamines (CA) evoked by cholinergic stimulation and membrane-depolarization in the isolated perfused rat adrenal glands, and to establish its mechanism of action. Naloxone ($10^{-6}\~10^{-5}$ M), perfused into an adrenal vein for 60 min, produced dose- and time-dependent inhibition of CA secretory responses evoked by ACh ($5.32\times10^{-3}$ M), high K+ ($5.6\times10^{-2}$ M), DMPP ($10^{-4}$ M) and McN-A-343 ($10^{-4}$ M). Naloxone itself also failed to affect the basal CA output. In adrenal glands loaded with naloxone ($3\times10^{-6}$ M), the CA secretory responses evoked by Bay-K-8644, an activator of L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels, and cyclopiazonic acid, an inhibitor of cytoplasmic $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase, were also inhibited. In the presence of met-enkephalin ($5\times10^{-6}$ M), a well known opioid agonist, the CA secretory responses evoked by ACh, high $K^+$, DMPP, McN-A-343, Bay-K-8644 and cyclopiazonic acid were also significantly inhibited. Taken together, these results suggest that naloxone greatly inhibits the CA secretion evoked by stimulation of cholinergic (both nicotinic and muscarinic) receptors as well as that by membrane depolarization. It seems that these inhibitory effects of naloxone does not involve opioid receptors, but might be mediated by blocking both the calcium influx into the rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells and the uptake of $Ca^{2+}$ into the cytoplasmic calcium store, which are at least partly relevant to the direct interaction with the nicotinic receptor itself.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.20 no.2 s.22
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• pp.215-220
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• 1987

Under the extreme change of the environment, animals react physiologically to adapt to the stress and secrete catecholamines. Cold exposure is a kind of the environmental stress. Author tried to determine the amount of catecholamines in rat urine as a parameter of physiological response to cold stress. Urinary catecholamine was measured by using HPLC with fluorescence detector, cation exchange column prepacked with Bio·Rex 70 and ammonium pentaborate as catecholamine eluent. The amount of dopaminc in normal state rat urine was 42.0 ng, but under the low temperature of $5^{\circ}C$, the dopamine amount was increased to 221.25 ng/5 ml. Above findings are suggesting that catecholamine secretion, especially dopamine, increases in the stressful condition such as cold exposure.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.53-67
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• 1991

The characteristics and differences between DMPP and McN-A-343 on the secretory effect of catecholamines(CA) were studied in the isolated perfused rat adrenal glands. DMPP(100 uM) and McN-A-343(100 uM) perfused into an adrenal vein of the gland casued significant increases in CA secretion. On molar basis the secretory effect of McN-A-343 was about one fifth as potent as that of DMPP. Tachyphylaxis to releasing effects of CA evoked by DMPP and McN-A-343 was not observed by repeated perfusion of these agents. The DMPP-evoked CA secretion was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with chlorisondamine, desipramine and profusion of $Ca^{2+}-free$ Krebs solution containing EGTA, while it was not affected by pirenzepine, ouabain and physostigmine. However, pretreatment with atropine rather enhanced CA release by DMPP. The releasing effect of CA induced by McN-A-343 was markedly depressed by pretreatment with atropine, pirenzepine, chlorisondamine, physostigmine, and perfusion of $Ca^{2+}-free$ medium plus EGTA but was not influenced by desipramine, except for the case of ouabain which clearly potentiated CA release by McN-A-343. These experimental results suggest that both DMPP and McN-A-343 cause greatly secretion of CA from the isolated perfused rat adrenal glands by a calcium-dependent exocytotic mechanism. The secretory effect of DMPP is due to the stimulation of cholinergic nicotinic receptors and the secretion by McN-A-343 via activation of selecive $M_{1}-muscarinic$ receptors in the adrenal gland. It is also thought that the DMPP-evoked secretory effect is much greater than McN-A-343-induced effect.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.37-45
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• 1981

The importance of thyroid hormones for the survival of rats in the cold is along-established fact. Hypothyroid animals are unable to survive in a cold environment. It was also reported that acute exposure of rats, guinea pigs and rabbits to cold produced an increased secretion of TSH and thereby thyroid hormone secretion within 10 to 30 min, but this increase of thyroid activity disappeared quite rapidly during warming. However, in human study no significant difference was found in the concentration of $T_4$, TSH and cortisol between summer and winter. But plasma $T_3$ concentration was increased significantly in winter in 56 adult men. On the other hand, it has been also known that catecholamines are important in the maintenance of body temperature of rat exposured to cold. Abundant evidences suggest that the sympathetic nervous system is involved in the activation of nonshivering thermogenesis and that thyroid hormone metabolism and secretion are influenced by catecholamines and consequently by the activity of the sympatheticadrenal system. Many of the metabolic effects of catecholamines are associated with an increase in the level of cAMP mediated through activation of adenylate cyclase which converts ATP to cAMP. Other studies have shown that thyroid hormones affect the amount of adenylate cyclase present in the adipose tissue. On the other hand. it was also reported that a particulate cAMP phosphodiesterase activity in fat cells was modulated by the action of thyroid hormones. The objective of the present study was to determine the interaction between thyroid activity and cyclic nucleotides during acute exposure to cold. Albino rats weighing around 200 g were used as the experimental animal. The room temperature group was kept at $25^{\circ}C$ and the cold-exposured group was kept at $4^{\circ}C$ for 1 week or 2 weeks. Each group was subdivided into three subgroups; control, KI, and MTU group. At the end of experiment the animals were etherized and blood was taken from abdominal aorta for $T_4,\;T_3$ and cyclic nucleotides. The determinations of $T_3,\;T_4$ and cyclic nucleotides were carried out with a radioimmunoassay(RIA) method. The results were summerized as followings. 1) A significant increase of thyroid weight was observed in rats exposured to cold for 2 weeks. Furthermore, in rats administered MTU while to exposure to cold the thyroid weight was also increased significantly. 2) After 2 weeks $T_3$ concentration in the plasma of cold-exposured rats was significantly increased in KI group and MTU group as well as in control group. On the contrary, after 2 weeks of cold exposure $T_4$ level was decreased in control group. 3) In the case of cyclic nucleotides, plasma cAMP was increased in the control group after 1 or 2 weeks of cold exposure. However, cAMP level in plasma was rather significantly decreased in KI group and MTU group as well as in control group.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.55-67
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• 1991

The influence of caffeine on secretion of catecholamines (CA) was examined in the isolated perfused rat adrenal gland. Caffeine (0.3 mM) perfused into an adrenal vein of the gland produced a marked increase in secretion of CA. This secretory effect of CA evoked by perfusion of caffeine for one minute was considerably prolonged, lasting for more than 90 minutes. The tachyphylaxis to releasing effect of CA induced by caffeine was observed by repeated perfusion of this drug. The caffeine-evoked CA secretion was markedly inhibited by pretreatment with ouabain, trifluoperazine, TMB-8 and perfusion with calcium-free Krebs solution containing 5 mM EGTA, but was not affected by perfusion of calcium-free Krebs solution without other addition. CA secretion evoked by caffeine was not reduced significantly by pretreatment with chlorisondamine but after the first collection of perfusate for 3 min was clearly inhibited. Interestingly, the caffeine-evoked CA secretion was considerably potentiated by pretreatment with atropine or pirenzepine, but after the first collection for 3 min it was markedly decreased. These experimental results suggest that caffeine causes a marked increase in secretion of CA from the isolated perfused rat adrenal gland by an extracellular calcium-independent exocytotic mechanism. The secretory effect of caffeine may be mainly due to mobilization of calcium from an intracellular calcium pool in the rat chromaffin cells and partly due to stimulation of both muscarinic and nicotinic receptors.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.75.2-75.2
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• 2003

The present study was designed to compare the effects of conotoxin GVIA, a selective blocker of N-type voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCC) and cilnidipine, a blocker of both L- and N-type VDCC, on the secretion of catecholamines (CA) evoked by cholinergic stimulation and membrane-depolarization in the isolated perfused rat adrenal gland, and also to establish the mechanism of action. 1. The inhibition of the CA secretory response evoked by acetylcholine (5.32 x 10$\^$-3/ ${\mu}$M) was stronger in cilnidipine-treated glands than in conotoxin GVIA-treated glands. (omitted)

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.126.1-126.1
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• 2003

Adrenal medullary chromaffin cells secrete catecholamines in response to nicotinic agonists (Douglas ＆ Rubin. 1961; Wakade, 1981; Amy ＆ Kirshner, 1982). Several types of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels are present on adrenal chromaffin cells, but the role of each type in the catecholamine secretion process remains controversial. (omitted)