• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.35-38
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• 1997

We investigated the effects of ginseng protopanaxadiol (PD) and protopanaxatriol (PT) saponins on the spontaneous contractility of intestine. Treatment with PD saponins showed a slight inhibition of spontaneous contraction of rabbit jejunum. In contrast, PT saponins showed much larger inhibition with dose-dependent manner in a range of 25~250 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml. The inhibitory effect by PT saponins was not desensitized with continuous presence of PT saponins for several minutes. In addition, leu-enkephalin (1 PM) also inhibited the spontaneous contraction of rabbit jejunum but the in- hibition by leu-enkephalin was desensitized rapidly. The presence of PT saponins prevented the desenstization induced by leu-enkephalin. In conclusion, we found that PT saponins exert inhibition of spontaneous contractility of rabbit jejunum and the pattern of inhibition is different from that of opioid.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.200-205
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• 1998

Isolated rabbit jejunal segments were used to study the effects of ginseng total saponins (GTS) , protopanaxatriol saponins (PT) and protopanaxadiol saponins (PD) on intestinal contractility. GTS, PT and PD caused a dose-dependent decrease in intestinal spontaneous movements, and PT was the most efficacious of them. The effect of GTS, PT and PD were not blocked by pretreatment with phentolamine (10-6 M), yohimbine (10-6 M), d1-propranolol (10-6 M), naloxone(10-6∼10-5M), Nu-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (10-4 M), methylene blue (10-5M), and N-ethylmaleimide (10-4 M). However, pretreatment with tetraethylammonium chloride (3-10 mM) antagonized the effect of GTS, PT and PD. Furthermore, 4-amlnopyridine (1 mM) also inhibited the effect of GTS, PT and PD. The results suggest that GTS, PT and PD inhibited the spontaneous movements in isolated rebait jejunum by causing hyperpolarization through an activation of K+ channels directly.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.192-198
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• 1986

dopamine이 십이지장구를 포함한 소장의 운동성에 미치는 영향, cholecystokinin이 dopamine의 작용에 미치는 영향 그리고 이들 작용의 신경성 기전을 알아보고자 다음과 같은 실험을 실시하였다. ether로 마취한 토끼 54마리에서 십이지장구, 십이지장, 공장 그리고 회장을 적출하고 절편(길이 1cm)을 만들어 Krebs-Ringr 용액이 채워진 기록 용기에 넣고 자발적인 등장성 수축을 기록하였다. Krebs-Ringr 용액에는 5% $Co_2$를 함유하는 $O_2$를 계속 공급하였으며, 용액의 온도가 $37^{\circ}C$를 유지하도록 하였다. 자발적 수축이 시작하고 20분이 경과한 다음 dopamine($10^{-4}M$), CCK-8($10^{-8}M$), dopamine($10^{^6}M$)등을 투여하면서 수축성을 관찰하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 1) dopamine은 소장의 모든 부위에서 자발적 수축성을 억제하였으며, 이러한 dopamine의 작용은 회장을 제외한 다른 부위에서 tetrodotoxin에 의하여 유의하게 감소하였다. 2) domperidone은 소장의 모든 부위에서 dopamine의 억제작용에 길항적으로 작용하였으며, tetrodotoxin을 전처치하면 회장을 제외한 다른 부위에서 domperidone의 길항작용은 완전히 소실되었다. 3) CCK-8는 소장의 모든 부위에서 dopamine의 작용을 감소시켰으며, tetrodotoxin을 전처치하면 CCK-8의 작용은 유의하게 감소되었다. 이상의 결과로 미루어 보아 dopamine은 십이지장구를 포함한 모든 소장의 수축성을 억제하며, CCK-8는 dopamine의 억제 작용을 감소시키는데, 이러한 작용들은 장관내 신경계를 거쳐서 간접적으로 일어나는 것으로 생각된다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.129-136
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• 1992

The effects of $Cd^{2+}$ on spontaneous contraction, and the contractures induced by $0mM\;Na^+,\;60mM\;K^+\;and\;10^{-6}\;M$ acetylcholine, 1mM caffeine were studied in order to elucidate diverse actions of $Cd^{2+}$ on the $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization related with contractility in the antral circular muscle of guinea pig stomach. $Cd^{2+}$ inhibited the spontaneous contraction in a does dependent manner $(10^{-6}\;M\;10^{-4}\;M).\;Cd^{2+}\;(3{\times}10^{-5}M)$ suppressed 60 mM $K^+$ induced contracture composed or a phasic and a tonic response and the increased tonic response by the increased external $Ca^{2+}$ concentration. $Cd^{2+}$ also suppressed acetylcholine induced contracture composed of repetitive phasic and a tonic component and the increased tonic response by the increased external $Ca^{2+}$ concentration. Caffeine in the concentration of 1mM evoked contracture but $Cd^{2+}$ suppressed the contracture. $Cd^{2+}$ suppressed the amplitude of the $Na^+$ tee contracture dose dependently and the amplitude of $Na^+$ free contracture almost decreased to 20% of control amplitude in the concentration of $10^{-4}\;M\;Cd^{2+}$. From the above results, it is suggested that $Cd^{2+}$ may inhibit not only $Ca^{2+}$ influx via voltage sensitive, receptor operated $Ca^{2+}$ channel and Na/ca exchange but also intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum in the antral circular muscle of guinea pig stomach.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.35-46
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• 1987

It has been well known that estrogens stimulate the uterine contractility and progestins inhibit it. Then, one may expect that the uterine contractility and sensitivities to oxytocin (OT) and prostaglandin $F_{2{\alpha}}\;(PGF_{2{\alpha}})$ would be different among the estrus cycle. These hypotheses were tested using the mature female rat. Spontaneous isometric contractions of isolated uterine strips $(1{\times}0.3\;cm)$ from cyclic rats in various stages of the estrus cycle, bilateral ovarectomized rats and hypophysectomized rats were recorded in absence or presence with $estradiol-17{\beta}\;(E_2)$, progesterone $(P_4)$, OT and $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$. The results were summarized as follows: 1) The spontaneous uterine contractile force was the highest in the estrus rat and the lowest in the ovarectomized or the hypophysectomized rat. In the proestrus rat, the contractile frequency was the lowest (2.7 beats/10 min) and the contractile duration was the longest (70 sec). In the other groups, there were no any differencies in frequency (9 beats/10 min) and in duration (30 sec). 2) OT and $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ stimulated the uterine contractility in all groups tested except in the hypophysectomized rat in which OT failed to stimulate the uterine contraction. $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ was more effective in stimulating the uterine contraction than OT in all groups tested except in the estrus rat. OT-induced contraction was the highest in the estrus rat and $PGF_{2{\alpha}}-induced$ contraction was the lowest in the hypophysectomized rat. 3) Uterine contractilities were not changed by the in vitro treatments of $E_2$ or $P_4$ under the influence of endogenous steroids, however, $E_2$ and $P_4$ stimulated the uterine contraction in the ovarectomized rat in which endogenous steroids were almost abolished. 4) Increased uterine contraction by the treatment of OT was suppressed by in vitro $E_2$ or $P_4$ in the estrus rat, while it was potentiated by the $P_4$ in the proestrus rat. In other groups, exogenous $E_2$ or $P_4$ did not affect the OT-induced uterine contraction. 5) $PGF_{2{\alpha}}-induced$ uterine contraction was suppressed in the ovarectomized rat by $E_2$ and $P_4$, in the diestrus and proestrus rats by $P_4$ and in the hypophysectomized rat by $E_2$. In other groups, exogenous $E_2$ or $P_4$ was ineffective in altering the $PGF_{2{\alpha}}-induced$ uterine contraction. According to the above results, it may conclude that the mechanisms of the different uterine contractility and the different uterine sensitivity to OT or $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ according to the estrus cycle are not explicable with only the serum concentrations of steroids, OT and $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ but also other unknown factors.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.359-381
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• 1992

Benzodiazepine계 약물들은 진정 최면제의 대표적인 약물로서, 중추신경계에서의 그 작용은 gamma amino butyric acid(GABA) 수용체와 짝지워져 있는 benzodiazepine 수용체를 통해서 나타나며 또한 뇌에 있는 synaptosome에서 전위 의존성 calcium channel을 통한 calcium의 섭취를 억제함으로써 진정작용 및 최면 작용이 나타난다. 이와 아울러 말초 장기에서도 benzodiazepine 수용체와 GABA 수용체가 발견 되었는데 이들의 기능과 상호관계는 잘 알려져 있지 않다. 이에 본 실험에서는 benzodiazepine계통의 대표적인 약물이며 중추신경과 말초 장기에 동시에 작용하는 diazepam이 흰쥐 적출자궁의 자발 수축 및 oxytocin 유발 수축에 미치는 영향을 검색하고, 이러한 diazepam의 효과와 GABA 수용체 및 calcium과의 상호관계를 검색함으로써 그 작용기전을 추구해 보기 위하여 다음과 같은 실험을 하였다. 난소를 제거한 후 estrogen(17 beta-estradiol : $500{\mu}g/kg/day$)을 4일 동안 전 처치한 흰쥐의 자궁을 적출하여 등척성 장력을 측정함으로써 그 수축력의 변화를 관찰하였다. Diazepam과 GABA 수용체 효현제 및 그 봉쇄제들이 자궁절편의 자발 수축과 oxytocin 유발 수축에 미치는 영향을 검색하였고, 또 이들 약물의 작용에 관련된 calcium 동원기전에 대하여 관찰하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. Diazepam은 흰쥐 적출자궁의 자발수축 및 oxytocin 유발수축을 농도 의존적으로 억제하였다. GABA, GABA A 수용체 효현제인 muscimol, GAGA A 수용체의 상경적 봉쇄제인 bicuculline, GABA A 수용체의 비상경적 봉쇄제인 picrotoxin, GABA B 수용체 효현제인 boclofen, 그리고 GABA B 수용체 봉쇄제인 delta-aminovaleric acid는 흰쥐 적출 자궁의 자발 수축 및 oxytocin 유발수축에 아무런 영향을 미치지 않았다. 자발 수축 및 oxytocin 유발수축에 대한 diazepam의 억제 작용은 GABA 수용체 효현제 및 봉쇄제의 영향을 받지 않았다. 그러나 bicuculline은 diazepam의 억제 작용에 상가적으로 작용하였는데, bicuculline의 이러한 작용은 muscimol에 의해서 길항되지 않았다. 정상 PSS 내에서 diazepam에 의해 억제되었던 자발수욱 및 oxytocin유발수촉은 calcium의 첨가 및 calcium inophore인 A23187의 첨가로 일부 회복되었다. Calcium 배제 용액내에서는 diazepam이 calcium 첨가로 인한 수축력 회복을 방해하였으며 calcium inophore인 A23187에 의한 수축력 증가는 막지 못하였다. 또 세포외액에 calcium이 결핍된 상태에서는 oxytocin 자체에 의한 수축을 방해하지 못하였으나 이어 첨가된 calcium에 의한 oxytocin 유발 수축의 증가는 일부 억제하였다. 이상의 실험결과로 미루어 볼 때 diazepam은 자궁의 자발수측 및 oxytocin 유발 수축을 억제할 수 있으며, 이러한 작용은 GABA 수용체 의존성이 아닌 세포외액의 calcium의 유입을 억제함으로써 나타나는 것으로 사료된다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.241-249
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• 2009

Although extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ entry through the voltage-dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channels plays an important role in the spontaneous phasic contractions of the pregnant rat myometrium, the role of the T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels has yet to be fully identified. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel in the spontaneous phasic contractions of the rat myometrium. Spontaneous phasic contractions and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ were measured simultaneously in the longitudinal strips of female Sprague-Dawley rats late in their pregnancy (on day 18 ${\sim}$ 20 of gestation: term=22 days). The expression of T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel mRNAs or protein levels was measured. Cumulative addition of low concentrations (< 1 ${\mu}M$) of nifedipine, a L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel blocker, produced a decrease in the amplitude of the spontaneous $Ca^{2+}$ transients and contractions with no significant change in frequency. The mRNAs and proteins encoding two subunits (${\alpha}$ 1G, ${\alpha}$ 1H) of the T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels were expressed in longitudinal muscle layer of rat myometrium. Cumulative addition of mibefradil, NNC 55-0396 or nickel induced a concentration-dependent inhibition of the amplitude and frequency of the spontaneous $Ca^{2+}$ transients and contractions. Mibefradil, NNC 55-0396 or nickel also attenuated the slope of rising phase of spontaneous $Ca^{2+}$ transients consistent with the reduction of the frequency. It is concluded that T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels are expressed in the pregnant rat myometrium and may play a key role for the regulation of the frequency of spontaneous phasic contractions.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제2권3호
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• pp.361-368
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• 1998

The spontaneous contractions of gastric smooth muscles are regulated by slow waves, which are modulated by both nervous system and humoral agents. This study was designed to examine the effects of prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) on the contractile and electrical activities of antral smooth muscles in guinea-pig stomach, using an intracellular recording technique. To elucidate the underlying mechanism for its effect on contractility, ionic currents were also measured using a whole-cell patch clamp method. The basal tone by $PGE_2$ was variable, whereas the magnitude of phasic contractions was reduced ($19.0{\pm}2.1%$, n=19). The resting membrane potentials were hyperpolarized ($-4.4{\pm}0.5%$ mV, n=10), and plateau potentials were lowered ($-2.9{\pm}0.5%$ mV, n=10). In most cases, however, the initial peak potentials of slow waves were depolarized more by $PGE_2$ than those of control. The frequency of the slows wave was increased from $5.7{\pm}0.2$ cycles/min to $6.5{\pm}0.2$ (n=22). Voltage-operated $Ca^{2+}$ currents were decreased by $PGE_2$ (n=5). Voltage-operated $K^+$ currents, both Ca-dependent and Ca-independent, were increased (n=5). These results suggest that $PGE_2$ plays an important role in the modulation of gastric smooth muscle activities, and its inhibitory effects on the contractility and activities of slow waves are resulted from both decrease of $Ca^{2+}$ currents and increase of $K^+$ currents.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.103-107
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• 1983

This experiment was undertaken to see whether dopamine has any effect on a uterine function and whether the uterus has a dopamine receptor. We used 14 female rats in the diestrus state which was identified by a vaginal smear. Under ether anesthesia, 3 pieces(1 cm length) from each side of the uterus were dissected out and mounted in 3 tissue chambers (4 cm diameter, 10 cm height) that contained Krebs-Ringer solution. The solution was continuously aerated with 95% $O_2$ containing 5% $CO_2$ and kept $37^{\circ}C$ consistantly during the whole experimental period. The spontaneous contractile activity of the isolated uterus was recorded using a force transducer. After a recovery period of 15 min in the chamber, the following experiments were carried out. In 7 rats, each piece of the uterus was received dopamine at concentrations of $10^{-4}$, $10^{-5}$ or $10^{-6}\;M$ for 10 min and then followed by domperidone at a concentration of $10^{-5}\;M$. In another 7 rats, each piece was received domperidone, a specific peripheral dopamine receptor antagonist, was administered at a concentration of $10^{-5}\;M$ for 5 min prior to dopamine at concentrations of $10^{-4}$, $10^{-5}$, or $10^{-6}\;M$. Dopamine inhibited the spontaneous uterine contraction dose-dependently (r=0.99, p<.01). The inhibited contractility by dopomine was significantly (P<.05) resumed by post-treatment of domperidone. Pre-treatment of domperidone also blocked significantly(p<.05) the inhibitory effect of dopamine. It is concluded from these results that dopamine has inhibitory role upon the spontaneous uterine contraction of the rat in the diestrus state and domperidone antagonized the inhibitory effect of dopamine. These results suggest strongly that dopamine may exert the inhibitory effect via the dopamine receptor in the rat uterus.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.452-464
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• 1990

It is well known that extracellular Calcium plays a very important role in several steps of smooth muscle excitability and contractility, and there have been many concerns about factors influencing the distribution of extracellular Ca++ and the Ca++ flux through the cell membrane of the smooth muscle. Based on the assumption that Mg++ may also play an important role in the excitation and contraction processes of the smooth muscle by taking part in affecting Ca++ distribution and flux, many researches are being performed about the exact role of Mg++, especially in the vascular smooth muscle. But yet the effect of Mg++ in the smooth muscle activity is not clarified, and moreover the mechanism of Mg++ action is almost completely unknown. Present study attempted to clarify the effect of Mg++ on the excitability and contractility in the multiunit and unitary smooth muscle, and the mechanism concerned in it. The preparations used were the guinea-pig aortic strip as the experimental material of the multiunit smooth muscle and the rat uterine strip as the one of the unitary smooth muscle. The tissues were isolated from the sacrificed animal and were prepared for recording the isometric contraction. The effects of Mg++ and Ca++ were examined on the electrically driven or spontaneous contraction of the preparations. And the effects of these ions were also studied on the K+ or norepinephrine contracture. All experiments were performed in tris-buffered Tyrode solution which was aerated with 100% 02 and kept at 35oC. The results obtained were as follows: 1] Mg++ suppressed the phasic contraction induced by electrical field stimulation dose-dependently in the guinea-pig aortic strip, while the high concentration of Ca++ never recovered the decreased tension. These phenomena were not changed by the a - or b - adrenergic blocker. 2]Mg++ played the suppressing effect on the low concentration [20 and 40 mM] of K+-contracture in the aortic muscle, but the effect was not shown in the case of 100mM K+-contracture. 3] Mg++ also suppressed the contracture induced by norepinephrine in the aortic preparation. And the effect of Mg++ was most prominent in the contracture by the lowest [10 mM] concentration of norepinephrine. 4] In both the spontaneous and electrically driven contractions of the uterine strip, Mg++ decreased the amplitude of peak tension, and by the high concentration of Ca++ the amplitude of tension was recovered unlike the aortic muscle. 5] The frequency of the uterine spontaneous contraction increased as the [Ca++] / [Mg++] ratio increased up to 2, but the frequency decreased above this level. 6] Mg++ decreased the tension of the low[20 and 40mM] K+-contracture in the uterine smooth muscle, but the effect did not appear in the 100mM K+-contracture. From the above results, the following conclusion could be made. 1] Mg++ seems to suppress the contractility directly by acting on the smooth muscle itself, besides through the indirect action on the nerve terminal, in both the aortic and uterine smooth muscles. 2] The fact that the depressant effect of Mg++ on the K+-contracture is in inverse proportion to an increase of K+ concentration appears resulted from the extent of the opening state of the Ca++ channel. 3] Mg++ may play a depressant role on both the potential dependent and the receptor-operated Ca++ channels. 4] The relationship between the actions of Mg++ and Ca++ seems to be competitive in uterine muscle and non-competitive in aortic strip.