• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.200-207
• /
• 1994

A biosensor for the measurement of L-glutamine has been constructed by immobilizing the slice of Wistar rat kidney and it's organelle on $NH_3$ gas-sensing electrode. The effects of pH, buffer solution, temperature and thickness of slice were investigated in order to optimize electrode response. The tissue sensor had the linearity in the range of L-glutamine concentration $8.0{\times}10^{-5}{\sim}1.0{\times}10^{-2} M$ with a slope of 53.8 mV/decade in 0.05 M phosphate buffer solution, pH 7.8 at $30^{\circ}C$, and optimum thickness of slice and response time were 30 ${\mu}m$ and 3∼5 min, respectively. The organelle sensor showed the linearity within L-glutamine concentration range of $1.2{\times}10^{-4}{\sim}5.0{\times}10^{-3} M$ with a slope of 54.0 mV/decade in 0.05 M phosphate buffer solution, pH 7.8 at $30^{\circ}C$, and response time was 6∼7 min, respectively. Thus, it is clear that the tissue and organelle sensor will be useful for L-glutamine measurements.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.13-24
• /
• 2019

Numerous ethnomedicinal uses have been attributed to different parts of Annona senegalensis (ASE), including its uses as food and food additives. The present study investigated toxicological and antioxidant effects of 28 days administration of ethanol extracts of ASE stem bark to Wistar strain albino rats. Acute toxicity test was done to determine lethal dose in Wistar rats while sub-acute toxicity test was conducted on rats divided into four groups (A - control, B - 50 mg/kg, C - 100 mg/kg, D - 150 mg/kg, respectively and treated for 28 days. Oxidative stress markers in liver and kidney as well as hepatic succinate dehydrogenase activity in the mitochondrial and post mitochondrial fractions (PMF) were evaluated. The $LD_{50}$ value of ASE was > 2,000 mg/kg. White blood cell counts gradually increased, but red blood cell counts and haematocrits level decreased significantly (p < 0.05) by about 50%. Liver enzymes in the serum and mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase activity increased significantly (p < 0.05). Superoxide dismutase and catalase activities also increased in liver mitochondria and PMF while malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione levels increased only in the PMF. Furthermore, only MDA levels increased significantly in the kidney after 28 days extract administration. Histopathological examination showed hepatic necrosis and no obvious signs of nephrotoxicity. Anona senegalensis is relatively safe, but prolonged ingestion could induce oxidative stress and impair ATP synthesis through the modulation of the activity of mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.209-215
• /
• 2022

Objectives: Aqueous leaf extract of Tridax procumbens (ALETP) has potent relaxant activity. However, this relaxant activity in respiratory smooth muscle remains uninvestigated. This study investigates the effect of ALETP on the contractile activity of tracheal smooth muscle (TSM) in adult male Wistar rats. Methods: Twelve male Wistar rats divided into 2 groups and were treated with either 100 mg/kg of ALETP (ALETP treatment group) or vehicle (distilled water; control group) through oral gavage for 4 weeks. Dose responses of TSM from the 2 groups to acetylcholine (10^-9 to 10^-5 M), phenylephrine (10^-9 to 10^-5 M), and potassium chloride (KCl; 10^-9 to 10^-4 M) were determined cumulatively. Furthermore, cumulative dose responses to acetylcholine (10^-9 to 10^-5 M) after pre-incubation of TSM with atropine (10^-5 M), L-NAME (10^-4 M), indomethacin (10^-4 M), and nifedipine (10^-4 M), were determined. Results: Treatment with ALETP substantially inhibited TSM contraction stimulated by cumulative doses of acetylcholine, phenylephrine, and KCl. Furthermore, preincubation of TSM from the 2 groups in atropine significantly inhibited contractility in TSM. Incubation in L-NAME and indomethacin also significantly inhibited contractility in TSM of ALETP-treated rats compared to that of controls. Contractile activity of the TSM was also inhibited significantly with incubation in nifedipine in ALETP-treated rats. Conclusion: ALETP enhanced relaxant activity in rat TSM primarily by blocking the L-type calcium channel and promoting endothelial nitric oxide release. ALETP contains agents that may be useful in disorders of the respiratory tract.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.271-279
• /
• 2022

Background: Inflammation is known to underlie the pathogenesis in neuropathic pain. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective mechanisms involved in antinociceptive effects of co-administration of acetaminophen and L-carnosine in chronic constriction injury (CCI)-induced peripheral neuropathy in male Wistar rats. Methods: Fifty-six male Wistar rats were randomly divided into seven experimental groups (n = 8) treated with normal saline/acetaminophen/acetaminophen + L-carnosine. CCI was used to induce neuropathic pain in rats. Hyperalgesia and allodynia were assessed using hotplate and von Frey tests, respectively. Investigation of spinal proinflammatory cytokines and antioxidant system were carried out after twenty-one days of treatment. Results: The results showed that the co-administration of acetaminophen and L-carnosine significantly (P < 0.001) increased the paw withdrawal threshold to thermal and mechanical stimuli in ligated rats compared to the ligated naïve group. There was a significant (P < 0.001) decrease in the levels of nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer B cell inhibitor, calcium ion, interleukin-1-beta, and tumour necrotic factor-alpha in the spinal cord of the group coadministered with acetaminophen and L-carnosine compared to the ligated control group. Co-administration with acetaminophen and L-carnosine increased the antioxidant enzymatic activities and reduced the lipid peroxidation in the spinal cord. Conclusions: Co-administration of acetaminophen and L-carnosine has anti-inflammatory effects as a mechanism that mediate its antinociceptive effects in CCI-induced peripheral neuropathy in Wistar rat.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.215-223
• /
• 1999

Background: The replacement of the narrowed long-segment trachea with various prosthetic materials or tissue grafts remains a difficult and unsolved surgical problem. Homologous cryopreserved tracheal transplantation has been considered to treat the irreversibly-damaged organs, such as in the lung or heart transplantation and also to overcome the limited supply of donor organs. We examined the morphological changes and the immunosuppressive effects of the cryopreserved trachea after the heterotopic transplantation in the rats. Material and Method: Sixty tracheal segments harvested from 30 donor Wistar rats were heterotopically implanted into the peritoneal cavity of 20 recipient Wistar rats and 40 Sprague Dawley rats. The 60 recipient rats were divided into 6 groups(10 rats/ group). In groups I, II, and III, 30 tracheal segments were implanted immediately after the harvesting and in groups IV, V, and VI, the segments were implanted 28 days after the cryopreservation. Groups I and IV were Wistar syngeneic controls. Groups II and V were Sprague Dawley recipients receiving no immunosuppression and Groups III and VI, were Sprague Dawley recipients receiving immunosuppressive agents. At 28 days all rats were sacrificed and the tracheal segments were evaluated grossly and histologically. Result: Immunosuppression of the tracheal segments had a significant influence on the changes of the tracheal lumen and tracheal epithelial cells, irrespective of the cryopreservation of the trachea(p<0.001). In groups III and VI receiving immunosuppressive agents, the tracheal lumen was patent and the normal epithelial cells were observed, however in the other groups not receiving the immunosuppressive agents, there were almost luminal obliteration by the proliferation of the fibrous tissues and a loss of the epithelial cells, the findings were similar to those in the case of obliterative bronchiolitis after a lung and a heart-lung transplantation. Conclusion: With the appropriate immunosuppressive agents, the lumen and the respiratory epithelium of the transplanted tracheal segment were well preserved, even after the cryopreservation of the tracheal segment, which shows the possibility of the long-term preservation and homologous transplantation of the trachea. But fibroproliferative obliteration of the tracheal lumen and the loss of the normal respiratory epithelial cells, characteristic findings of obliterative bronchiolitis, were observed in the groups without the immunosuppression. This experiment using the rat trachea may be useful in studying the pathogenesis, treatment, and prevention of obliterative bronchiolitis after a lung and a heart-lung transplantation.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.67-77
• /
• 1993

Acute and chronic effects of ethanol (EOH) administration on the cardiovascular and hormonal responses to repeated hemorrhage were investigated in conscious normotensive Wistar rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The chronic EOH treated group received 5% EOH (vol/vol) ad libitum in the drinking water far the first week,10% for the last 2 weeks, and 20% for the last 5 weeks from the age of 6 weeks. The EOH free group received tap water. Chronic EOH and EOH free groups were randomly subdivided into acute EOH infusion and control groups. Under ether anesthesia, catheters were inserted into the femoral vein and both femoral arteries. After rats regained consciousness and their blood pressure was stabilized, responses to quick hemorrhage (5 ml/kg BW) were tested. In the acute EOH infusion group, hemorrhage was induced 20 min after EOH infusion (1.0 g/kg BW), Baroreceptor reflex sensitivity was assessed by the ratio of changes in hen.1 rate and mean arterial pressure (${\Delta}HR/{\Delta}MAP$) immediately after the hemorrhage. Chronic EOH administration elevated MAP in Wistar rats. During acute EOH infusion, MAP do- creased and HR increased in all groups. In comparison to EOH free control rats, acute or chronic EOH treated rats showed a greater reduction in MAP and a smaller elevation in heart rate in response to a hemorrhage. The degree of MAP reduction was significantly greater in SHR than in Wistar rats. Both the acute and chronic EOH administration attenuated the baroreceptor reflex and retarded MAP recovery, again the trend being much more prominent in SHR. The increase in plasma vasopressin and lenin concentrations after hemorrhage were intensified by the chronic EOH administration. SHR showed a greater vasopressin response but a smaller lenin response than Wistar rats. These results indicate that the EOH treated rats, particularly SHB, are prone to shock by a hemorrhage, which may be partly attributed to an impaired baroreceptor reflex function.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.57-66
• /
• 1993

Effects of a voltage dependent calcium channel antagonist, nifedipine, on the responses of blood pressure, and secretion of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and aldosterone to angiotensin II (Ang II) were compared in male Wistar and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). A low, control or high sodium diet (2, 10 or 25 mmol Na/100 g diet) was fed for 6 weeks from the age of 6 weeks. On the morning of the experiment catheters were inserted under ether anesthesia in the femoral artery for pressure recording and blood sampling, and in the femoral vein for drug infusion. Ang II was infused at a rate of 250 ng/kg/min for 20 min. Nifedipine mixed with Ang II was infused at a rate of $16{\mu}g/kg/min$ for 20 min. Arterial blood samples were collected before and after infusion of Ang II with or without nifedipine. The control plasma level of aldosterone was inversely related to the amount of salt intake, whereas the plasma ANP level was not different between the salt groups. SHR showed a higher basal plasma ANP but a lower aldosterone concentration than Wistar rats. Infusion of Ang II produced a significant increase in blood pressure and plasma levels of aldosterone and ANP: The % increase was not significantly different either between the salt groups or between SHR and Wistar rats. SHR showed a greater pressor response to Ang II but a remarkably smaller decrease in heart rate after Ang II infusion than Wistar rats, With increasing sodium intake, the effect of Ang II on aldosterone secretion was decreased, whereas that on ANP secretion or blood pressure was not changed. Nifedipine decreased the responses of blood pressure and heart rate to Ang II in all groups. Nifedipine caused almost a complete inhibition of Ang II induced ANP secretion, but only a partial inhibition of Ang II induced aldosterone secretion or vasoconstriction. These results indicate that calcium dependent processes were involved in Ang II induced vasoconstriction, and secretions of aldosterone and ANP. However, the calcium dependent process far ANP secretion was considerably different from that for aldosterone secretion or vasoconstriction evoked by ang II. The ang II induced increase in ANP secretion appeared to be caused primarily by activating voltage-dependent calcium channels, whereas Ang II induced aldosterone secretion and vasoconstriction was not.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.21 no.6
• /
• pp.595-600
• /
• 1992

This study was performed to investigate the effects of dietary protein levels(5% and 15% PEP), caffeine or green tea powder on body fat deposition in rats. Male weanling Wistar rats weighting the average of 90g were allotted into 6 experimental groups, each of which was fed two different levels of dietary protein with or without caffeine or green tea powder(5p+0.15% caffeine ; 5p+6.1% green tea powder ; 15p+0.15% caffeine ; 15p+6.1% green tea powder) during 8 weeks of the experimental period. Caffeine and green tea powder were supplemented at the levels of 0.15% and 6.1% of experimental diets. The rats fed 5% PEP diet which had received caffeine or green tea powder showed significantly(p<0.01) reduced gain in body weight. The food efficiency of which rats fed both 5% and 15% PEP diet supplemented with 6.1% green tea powder was significantly low(p<0.05, respectively) compared with the control group. Rats fed diets containing 0.15% caffeine and 6.1% green tea powder showed the significant reduction(p<0.01) of hite adipose tissue weight, triglycerides levels of liver and plasma. The addition of 0.15% caffeine or 6.1% green tea powder to 5% PEP diet resulted in significantly(p<0.01) higher levels of plasma total cholesterol, free cholesterol, cholesterol ester, but HDL-cholesterol levels were significantly(p<0.01, in 5% PEP group) high. The atherogenic index(Tchol-HDLchol/HDLchol) in rats fed 6.1% green tea powder diets decreased especially compared with the control group.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.41-49
• /
• 1990

$^{88}SrCl_2$ was injected to the tail vein of Wistar rats and investigated its distribution and clearance in the tissues and blood. We also measured the changes in Sr binding to the blood plasma protein by administrating chelating agents and organic acids. For the blood, 60% of the Sr occurred in the plasma and 40% on the cell membrane. Fifty percent of Sr in the blood plasma was bound to plasma protein. Sr on the cell membrane seemed to be bound loosely. The binding in the lymphocyte was higher than in the erythrocyte .and granulocyte. Within one hour Sr was quickly disappeared from the blood stream, to be accumulated in the bone. Twenty four hours after the injection, Sr decreased rapidly in the organs of soft tissue, but slowly in the bone. The binding of Sr to plasma protien decreased from 57% of the control to 27-33% in the group treated with chelating agents, EDTA, EGTA and DTPA and to 19% and 40% in the groups treated with organic acids, citrate and oxalate, respectively.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.241-248
• /
• 2019

Pesticide exposure may induce biochemical alterations including oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. However, in the context of developmental origin of health and disease, putative trans-generational effect of exposure to pesticides are insufficiently studied. We therefore aimed to evaluate the biochemical effect of gestational exposure to four pesticides on female Wistar rats and their offspring at adult age. We studied 30 female nulliparous Wistar rats divided into 5 equal groups. Group 1 served as the control group and received distilled water while group 2, 3, 4 and 5 received orally pesticide 1 (imidacloprid), pesticide 2 (chlorpyrifos), pesticide 3 (imidacloprid + lambda cyhalothrin) and pesticide 4 (oxamyl) respectively once daily throughout gestation at a dose equivalent to 1/10 lethal dose 50. The mothers were followed up until one month post gestation. The offspring were followed up from birth until adult age (12 weeks). In all animals at each time point we evaluated malondialdehyde (MDA), oxidative stress and liver function enzymes. There was similar variation of total body weight in all the groups during and after gestation. However, Female Wistar rats of the exposed groups had significant alterations in liver SOD (-30.8% to +64.1%), catalase (-38.8% to -85.7%) and GSH (-29.2% to -86.5%) and; kidney catalase (> 100%), GSH (> 100%). Moreover, MDA, alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) levels were significantly higher in pesticide exposed rats compared to the control group. Similar alterations in antioxidant enzymes, MDA and liver function enzymes were observed in offspring of treated rats evidenced at weaning and persisting until adult age. Exposure to pesticides causes oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in exposed female Wistar rats and their offspring. The persistence in offspring at adult age suggests transgenerational adverse effects.