• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.193-203
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• 2000

Objectives : Hindered barrier function of vascular endothelium has been implicated in the initiation and progression of degenerative vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. In this study, the effect of Sunghyangchungisan(SHCS) as a protectant against oxidant-induced destruction of endothelial barrier function was assessed. Methods : Toward this end, endothelial cells derived from the human umbilical vein were cultured as monolayers on permeable membrane filters. Endothelial permeability was monitored by measuring transendothelial electrical resistance and movement of low density lipoprotein (LDL) across the endothelial monolayer. Results : Along with increased movement of LDL, $H_2O_2$-induced increase in endothelial permeability was paralleled by a decrease in transendotheliaI electrical resistance. The effect of $H_2O_2$ was mimicked by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a potent activator of proteinkinase C. Calphostin-C, a protein kinase C inhibitor, effectively blocked the increase in endothelial permeability induced by $H_2O_2$ or PMA, indicating that activation of protein kinase C is associated with the $H_2O_2-induced$ permeability change. SHCS effectively protected the endothelial monolayer against $H_2O_2-induced$ increase in permeability, whereas, it did not affect PMA-induced change. Forskolin, a potent activator of adenylyl cyclase, antagonized $H_2O_2$ to increase endothelial permeability. In addition, in ${H_2O_2}-treated$ cens, intracenular cAMP concentration was significantly decreased, indicating that impaired cAMP production as well as activation of proteinkinase C is a mechanism underlying ${H_2O_2}>-induced$$H_2O_2$ with regard to its effect on intracellular cAMP content. However, SHCS itself did not affect resting cAMP concentration in endothelial cells. Conclusions : These results suggest that SHCS might operate as an effective protectant against oxidant-induced destruction of endothelial barrier function. The mechanism does not appear to involve direct interaction with protein kinase C- or cAMP-associated signaling mechanism.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.732-737
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• 2012

The aim of this study is examine the protection effect for artery and antithrombotic effect of Sokmyong-tang(SMT; xuming-tang) on carotid artery thrombosis in a rat model. Thirty minutes before $FeCl_3$ treatment, SD rats were intraperitoneal injected with SMT. We tested the effects of SMT on time to occlusion (TTO) in thrombosis model by induced $FeCl_3$ using the laser Doppler flow meter and accessed thrombus weight (TW) inhibition and measured collagen fibers in the vessel after injury using Masson's trichrome stain. SMT(100 mg/kg, i.p.) showed significantly delayed TTO ($13.17{\pm}1.33$ min, P < 0.001) compared to vehicle control group ($8.63{\pm}0.92$ min) and inhibiting effect on TW with $0.72{\pm}0.02$ mg/mm (P < 0.05). In addition, SMT prevented collagen fibres damage in injured vessel ($22.24{\pm}4.48%$, P < 0.001). These results provide experimental evidence for SMT can be used to prevent vascular injury and thrombosis such as hypertension, arteriosclerosis, and so on.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.305-311
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• 2019

Background: Gintonin is a ginseng-derived exogenous ligand of the G protein-coupled lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor. We previously reported that gintonin stimulates gliotransmitter release in primary cortical astrocytes. Astrocytes play key roles in the functions of neurovascular systems. Although vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is known to influence the normal growth and maintenance of cranial blood vessels and the nervous system, there is little information about the effect of gintonin on VEGF regulation in primary astrocytes, under normal and hypoxic conditions. Methods: Using primary cortical astrocytes of mice, the effects of gintonin on the release, expression, and distribution of VEGF were examined. We further investigated whether the gintonin-mediated VEGF release protects astrocytes from hypoxia. Results: Gintonin administration stimulated the release and expression of VEGF from astrocytes in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The gintonin-mediated increase in the release of VEGF was inhibited by the LPA1/3 receptor antagonist, Ki16425; phospholipase C inhibitor, U73122; inositol 1,4,5- triphosphate receptor antagonist, 2-APB; and intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ chelator, BAPTA. Hypoxia further stimulated astrocytic VEGF release. Gintonin treatment stimulated additional VEGF release and restored cell viability that had decreased due to hypoxia, via the VEGF receptor pathway. Altogether, the regulation of VEGF release and expression and astrocytic protection mediated by gintonin under hypoxia are achieved via the LPA receptor-VEGF signaling pathways. Conclusion: The present study shows that the gintonin-mediated regulation of VEGF in cortical astrocytes might be neuroprotective against hypoxic insults and could explain the molecular basis of the beneficial effects of ginseng on the central nervous system.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2012

This study was carried out to observe the impacts of a mouse's inhalation of toxic gas SO2 generated from combustion on its organs by different concentrations. As for research methods: First, after concentrations of SO2 generation from combustion had been set to three: low (10.4 ppm), middle (24.9 ppm) and high (122 ppm) through Gas Toxicity Testing Method (KS F 2271) and SO2 combustion gas was exposed to eight mice in each concentration. Five mice that were able to move based on LD50, a criterion, which sets the down time of a mouse's average behaviors to over 9 minutes, were randomly selected in each concentration, and they were set up as the subjects of the study on toxicity bio-markers. Second, tissues were taken from heart, liver, lungs, spleen and the thymus gland of the mice selected in each concentration and a pathological examination of them was carried out. As a result, microvascular congestion appeared in the heart, and cell necrosis, cortex congestion and tubule medulla congestion, etc. in each concentration were observed in addition to vascular congestion in liver, lungs, spleen and the thymus gland. Also, it was found that the higher the concentrations of SO2 exposure is, the greater, the changes in the organs get. Through this study, SO2 of various toxic gases generated from fire turned out to affect the tissues of each organ of a mouse, it is expected that the toxic gases may greatly affect human body in case of actual fire, and this study is evaluated as having a significance as a basic data on inhalation toxicity assessment of toxic substances generated in combustion.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.102-107
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• 2022

South Korea will soon be a super-aged society, as more than 20.6% of its population will be 65 years and older by 2025. As of 2022, 17.5% of the total population in South Korea is 65 years and older, which exceeds the set threshold for an aged society, where more than 14% of the population is 65 years and older. The proportion of older subway construction workers has increased. Aging workers and their work stress negatively impact their workability. A previous study demonstrated that the stress index measured using the uBioMacpa measurement device (Macpa stress index) had a significant correlation with work stress in South Korea. The device tests vascular health and measures stress levels via Macpa signal analysis. In this study, the pulse waves of subway construction workers were measured using uBioMacpa to identify their stress levels. The stress levels were analyzed by age, years of service, job position, employment type, and work type. Herein, these statistics could not be easily represented by a normal distribution; therefore, the Kruskal-Wallis test, a nonparametric statistical method, was used for the analysis of data. The results showed that age, job position, employment type, and working type affected the Macpa stress index and the stress levels of workers increased with age. In terms of job position, technical engineers were more stressed than other workers because of their poor working environment. In terms of employment type, daily-wage workers were more stressed than other workers. In terms of working type, tunneling, waterproofing, and construction scored the highest Macpa stress indexes without any significant difference, whereas earthworks scored the lowest. Based on the analysis of Macpa stress index, safety and health management plans were proposed to reduce the stress levels of workers. Moreover, a manual for efficient stress management must be developed for subway construction workers.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.256-263
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• 2020

Incidence of Fusarium wilt was surveyed in fields of summer radish in Gangwon province in Korea in 2018 and 2019. The disease started in early July and spread rapidly in hot summer of late July and August and in severe case, reached up to 80% in a field in Gangneung area. Symptoms in the seedling stage include poor growth and browning of internal tissue of root. During mid-growth, the leaves of diseased plant turned yellow over time, the surface of the roots changed from white to blackish, and the vascular tissues turned brown. A total of 23 isolates was obtained from the diseased plants and identified as Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. raphani by elongation factor-1α and intergenic spacer sequence analysis. Pathogenicity of the isolates was tested by artificial inoculation to the radish and other plants. All the isolates tested were pathogenic to radish plant, although there were differences in virulence on radish 11 cultivars. However, the isolates were not virulent to other plants except some cruciferous vegetables including Brussels sprouts, rocket, stock, and turnip. The results of pathogenicity test showed that it is necessary to rotate with crops other than cruciferous vegetables in order to prevent Fusarium wilt from radish fields.

• BMB Reports
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.200-205
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• 2012

Enzymatic oxidation of commercially available pyrogallol was efficiently transformed to an oxidative product, purpurogallin. Purpurogallin plays an important role in inhibiting glutathione S-transferase, xanthine oxidase, catechol O-methyltransferase activities and is effective in the cell protection of several cell types. However, the anti-inflammatory functions of purpurogallin are not well studied. Here, we determined the effects of purpurogallin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated proinflammatory responses. The results showed that purpurogallin inhibited LPS-mediated barrier hyper-permeability, monocyte adhesion and migration and such inhibitory effects were significantly correlated with the inhibitory functions of purpurogallin on LPS-mediated cell adhesion molecules (vascular cell adhesion molecules, intracellular cell adhesion molecule, E-selectin). Furthermore, LPS-mediated nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$) and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) releases from HUVECs were inhibited by purpurogallin. Given these results, purpurogallin showed its anti-inflammatory activities and could be a candidate as a therapeutic agent for various systemic inflammatory diseases.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.191-196
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• 1994

Higenamine is a tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloid which was isolated as a cardiotonic principle from Aconiti tuber. 1.v. injection of higenamine was reported to increase the cardiac output and heart rate and to decrease the blood pressure and the systemic vascular resistance presumably by stimulating the adrenergic ${\beta}-receptors$. The anti-platelet and anti-thrombotic effects of higenamine were investigated in this paper. Higenamine(0.5 mg/ml) showed mild inhibitory effect against collagen induced platelet aggregation in vitro and the inhibito교 effect was increased with the pre-incubation$(5{\sim}30\;min)$ of platelet rich plasma(PRP) with higenamine. With the 30 min incubation, the platelet aggregation was almost completely inhibited. And the oral administration of higenamine$(50{\sim}200\;mg/kg)$ enhanced the survival in the mouse model of thrombosis and that of endotoxic shock. The anti-thrombotic and anti-septic effects of higenamine thus appear to be due to the ${\beta}-agonistic$ and the anti-platelet effects of this compound.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.443-454
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• 1993

Shiga-like toxin-II(SLT-II)-producing Escherichia coli 0157 : H7 strain B2387이 분비하는 SLT-II가 gnotobiotic자돈에서의 뇌혈관 병변을 일으키는 pathogenesis에 관해서 실험을 했다. 제왕절개 수술로 태어난 자돈들을 두 그룹으로 나누어서, 한 그룹에는 SLT-II 중화항체를 포함한 혈청을 구강을 통해서 수동면역을 시키고, 또다른 한 그룹에는 SLT-II 중화항체가 포함되어 있지 않은 혈청을 구강을 통해서 수동면역시켰다. 24시간후 두 그룹 모두에게 SLT-II producing Escherichia coli O157 : H7 strain B2387를 구강으로 접종했다. SLT-II 중화항체가 포함되어 있지 않은 혈청으로 수동면역시킨 그룹의 자돈들은 설사와 맹결장염, 신경증상, 뇌혈관병변을 일으키고, plasma의 prostacyclin의 level이 증가했다. 하지만 SLT-II 중화항체가 포함되어 있는 혈청으로 수동면역시킨 그룹의 자돈들은 설사와 맹결장염은 유발했지만, 신경증상과 뇌혈관병변은 관찰되지 않았고, prostacyclin의 level도 증가하지 않았다. 이런 실험결과는 SLT-II 중화항체는 뇌혈관병변은 방어하지만 맹결장염은 방어하지 못한다는 의미를 나타내며, prostacylin의 증가는 뇌혈관의 endothelium의 병변을 의미한다.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.308-311
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• 2020

Extracts of ginseng species show antihyperglycemic activity. We evaluated the inhibitory effects of diabetic complications for Korean Red Ginseng (KRG), which is enriched in ginsenosides using Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats. The animals were divided into one of four groups (n = 6~9): Long-Evans-Tokushima-Otsuka rats (control rats), OLETF rats, rats given 200 mg/kg KRG, and rats given 400 mg/kg KRG. We examined the protective potential of KRG against type 2 diabetic illnesses. The results exhibited that KRG showed significant antihyperglycemic and antioxidative effects in KRG-treated OLETF rats. And, our results proposed the amelioration of cardiac function through normalized ejection fraction, fractional shortening, and vascular reactivity. Furthermore, histopathological abnormalities in the OLETF rats were prevented by KRG treatment.