• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.176-190
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• 2011

There seems to be some controversy about the effect of total ginseng saponin (TGS) on the secretion of catecholamines (CA) from the adrenal gland. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine whether TGS can affect the CA release in the perfused model of the adrenal medulla isolated from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). TGS (15-150 ${\mu}g/mL$), perfused into an adrenal vein for 90 min, inhibited the CA secretory responses evoked by acetylcholine (ACh, 5.32 mM) and high $K^+$ (56 mM, a direct membrane depolarizer) in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. TGS (50 ${\mu}g/mL$) also time-dependently inhibited the CA secretion evoked by 1.1-dimethyl-4 -phenyl piperazinium iodide (DMPP; 100 ${\mu}M$, a selective neuronal nicotinic receptor agonist) and McN-A-343 (100 ${\mu}M$, a selective muscarinic M1 receptor agonist). TGS itself did not affect basal CA secretion (data not shown). Also, in the presence of TGS (50 ${\mu}g/mL$), the secretory responses of CA evoked by veratridine (a selective $Na^+$ channel activator (50 ${\mu}M$), Bay-K-8644 (an L-type dihydropyridine $Ca^{2+}$ channel activator, 10 ${\mu}M$), and cyclopiazonic acid (a cytoplasmic $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase inhibitor, 10 ${\mu}M$) were significantly reduced, respectively. Interestingly, in the simultaneous presence of TGS (50 ${\mu}g/mL$) and N${\omega}$-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride [an inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthase, 30 ${\mu}M$], the inhibitory responses of TGS on the CA secretion evoked by ACh, high $K^+$, DMPP, McN-A-343, Bay-K-8644, cyclopiazonic acid, and veratridine were considerably recovered to the extent of the corresponding control secretion compared with the inhibitory effect of TGS-treatment alone. Practically, the level of NO released from adrenal medulla after the treatment of TGS (150 ${\mu}g/mL$) was greatly elevated compared to the corresponding basal released level. Taken together, these results demonstrate that TGS inhibits the CA secretory responses evoked by stimulation of cholinergic (both muscarinic and nicotinic) receptors as well as by direct membrane-depolarization from the isolated perfused adrenal medulla of the SHRs. It seems that this inhibitory effect of TGS is mediated by inhibiting both the influx of $Ca^{2+}$ and Na+ into the adrenomedullary chromaffin cells and also by suppressing the release of $Ca^{2+}$ from the cytoplasmic calcium store, at least partly through the increased NO production due to the activation of nitric oxide synthase, which is relevant to neuronal nicotinic receptor blockade, without the enhancement effect on the CA release. Based on these effects, it is also thought that there are some species differences in the adrenomedullary CA secretion between the rabbit and SHR.

• 약학회지
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• 제51권2호
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• pp.150-156
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• 2007

Some flavonoids have spasmolytic activities in various smooth muscles, but structure-activity relationships on their spasmolytic activity and its mechanism are unclear. In this study, effects of flavones (flavone and apigenin) and flavonols (quercetin and rutin) on the rat ileal smooth muscle contraction were studied in vitro and in vitro. In the electric stimulation-induced contraction, all of four flavonoids inhibited concentration-dependently the rat ileal smooth muscle contraction induced by electric stimulation (10 mV, 0.1 cps, 0.1 msec duration), IC$_{50}$ of quercetin, apigenin, flavone and rutin were 0.98${\times}$10$^{-5}$, 1.20${\times}$10$^{-5}$, 1.55${\times}$10$^{-5}$ and 1.85${\times}$10$^{-5}$ M, respectively. Flavonoids at a concentration of 2${\times}$10$^{-5}$ M also significantly inhibited the anaphylactic contraction and decreased concentration-dependently the mast cell degranulation by anaphylactic reaction, IC$_{50}$ of quercetin, apigenin, flavone and rutin were 4.0${\times}$10$^{-5}$, 7.5${\times}$10$^{-5}$, 8.0${\times}$10$^{-5}$ and 9.5${\times}$10$^{-5}$ M, respectively. These results indicated that flavones and flavonols inhibited the rat ileal smooth muscle contraction induced by electric stimulation because of their antagonism against acetylcholine and have spasmolytic activities on anaphylactic contraction which may be due to their mast cell-stabilizing activities. Furthermore, double bond of C$_{2,3}$ in benzene ring of flavonoids may be important in the their antispasmodic activities on the rat ileal smooth muscle contraction induced by electric stimulation and anaphylactic reaction.

• 한국식품과학회지
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.435-440
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• 2009

잎녹차 추출물 보다는 분말녹차 추출물의 경우가 그리고 저장된 sample보다는 fresh sample의 AChE 저해활성이 상대적으로 높았고 이는 생리활성 물질의 추출효율성과 생리활성 물질의 특성 변화 측면에서 기인되는 것으로 판단된다. 또한 본 연구팀에서 구성한 저장 조건에서, 4주간의 짧은 저장기간이 3개월 저장조건보다는 우수한 효소 저해활성도를 나타냈다. 수분활성도 측면에서는 수분활성도 0.81의 조건을 갖는 sample에서의 효과가 비교적 우수했고, 3개월 저장하는 동안의 저장온도 조건은 효소 저해 활성도에 큰 차이를 보이는 요소로 작용하지 못했다. 다만 상온이나 냉장조건 보다는 냉동상태의 저장조건이 다소 우수한 것으로 판단된다. 결국 생리활성물질을 보다 효율적으로 추출할 수 있는 녹차의 상태와 처리 또는 섭취 농도가 더욱 중요한 것으로 사료되고, 추출 효율을 증가시키기 위해서는 잎 보다는 분말의 상태가 더 우수한 것으로 판단된다. 따라서 녹차 추출물은 acetylcholine성 신경세포의 기능을 강화시켜줄 수 있는 AChE 저해제로서 활용가치가 높을 것이다.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.47-54
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• 2002

Cimetropium bromide, a quaternary ammonium compound which is chemically related to scopolamine, exhibits its antispasmodic activity by competing with acetylcholine for the muscarinic receptors of the smooth muscle of gastrointestinal tract. The drug has been used for the treatment of various disorders involving spasms of the musculature of the gastrointestinal, biliary and genitourinary tracts. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the bioequivalence of two cimetropium bromide tablets, $Algiron^{TM}$ (Boehringer Ingelheim Korea Ltd.) and $Alpit^{TM}$ (Hana Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.), according to the prior and revised guidelines of Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). The cimetropium bromide release from the two cimetropium bromide tablets in vitro was tested using KP VII Apparatus II method with various different kinds of dissolution media (pH 1.2, 4.0, 6.8 buffer solution and water). Twenty normal male volunteers, $25.25{\pm}2.10$ years in age and $65.76{\pm}6.39$ kg in body weight, were divided into two groups and a randomized $2{\times}2$ cross-over study was employed. After three tablets containing 50 mg of cimetropium bromide per tablet were orally administered, blood was taken at predetermined time intervals and the concentrations of cimetropium bromide in serum were determined using HPLC method with UV detector. The dissolution profiles of two cimetropium bromide tablets were very similar at all dissolution media. Besides, the pharmacokinetic parameters such as $AUC_t,\;C_{max}\;and\;T_{max}$ were calculated and ANOVA test was utilized for the statistical analysis of the parameters using non-transformed and logarithmically transformed $AUC_t\;and\;C_{max}$. The results showed that the differences in $AUC_t,\;C_{max}\;and\;T_{max}$ between two tablets based on the $Algiron^{TM}$ were 2.19%, -5.97% and 3.49%, respectively. Minimum detectable differences $({\Delta})\;at \;{\alpha}=0.05\;and\;1-{\beta}=0.8$ were less than 20% (e.g., 13.71 %, 19.05% and 15.11% for $AUC_t,\;C_{max}\;and\;T_{max}$, respectively). The powers $(1-{\beta})\;at\;{\alpha}=0.05,\;{\Delta}=0.2\;for\;AUC_t$, $C_{max}\;and\;T_{max}$ were 97.79%, 83.22% and 95.60%, respectively. The 90% confidence intervals were within ${\pm}20%$ (e.g., $-5.84{\sim}10.21,\;-17.11{\sim}5.18\;and\;-5.35{\sim}12.33\;for\;AUC_t,\;C_{max}\;and\;T_{max}$, respectively). There were no sequence effect between two tablets in logarithmically transformed $AUC_t\;and\;C_{max}$. The 90% confidence intervals using logarithmically transformed data were within the acceptance range of log(0.8) to log(1.25) (e.g., $0.94{\sim}1.10\;and\;0.85{\sim}1.05\;for\;AUC_t\;and\;C_{max}$, respectively). Two parameters met the criteria of prior and revised KFDA guideline for bioequivalence, indicating that $Alpit^{TM}$ tablet is bioequivalent to $Algiron^{TM}$ tablet.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제2권4호
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• pp.369-375
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• 1994

A polysaccharide, G009, isolated from Ganoderma lucidum IY 009, was subjected to investigating on general pharmacology. This material at the large oral doses of 1000 and 2000 mg/kg in mice did not exhibit any abnormal behaviors and another effects on central nervous system. It also had no influences on hexobarbital-induced sleeping time, rotarod test and spontaneous activity test at each oral dose of 1000 mg/kg in mice. No effects on the body temperature and on acetic acid induced writhing syndrome in mice were observed with its oral administration at 1000 mg/kg, and the convulsions induced by strychnine and pentetrazole were not inhibited at its oral doses of 1000 mg/kg in mice. The solution of G009 as given intravenously at the doses of 30 and 60 mg/kg in rabbit had no influences on blood pressure and respiration rates and depth. In isolated organs of rat uterus and fundus muscles and guineapig ileum and trachea, it did not show any contraction or relaxation at the concentrations of 2$\times$10$^{-3}$ g/ml, and the contractive actions produced by oxytocin, acetylcholine, serotonin and histamine were not inhibited at the same doses. This material showed no effect on intestinal propulsion test in mice and gastric secretion in rats at the oral doses of 1000 mg/kg. However, it is interesting that the material exhibited potent inhibition of acidified aspirin induced gastric damage at the doses of 500 and 1000 mg/kg in rats.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.39-43
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• 2017

Meldonium is a drug for treating ischemia by expanding the arteries but it can also enhance the performance of sports players. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has included it in the list of prohibited substances since 2016. Meldonium is one of the challenging substances for anti-doping testing because it is difficult to recover by general liquid-liquid or solid phase extraction due to its permanent charge and high polarity. Therefore, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is currently used by injecting a diluted urine sample (known as the "dilute-and-shoot" strategy). There is no loss of target compounds in the extraction/cleanup procedure but its high matrix effect could interfere in their separation or detection from the endogenous urinary compounds. We report a single method using high-resolution mass spectrometry that can be used for both screening and confirmation, which follows the "dilute-and-shoot" strategy. In this method, the endogenous compounds' interfering peaks in the mass spectrum are separated at a high resolution of FWHM 140,000, and the results are suitable for substance detection following the WADA guidelines. The interferences in the obtained mass spectrum of the urine matrix are identified as acetylcholine, lysine, and glutamine by further analysis and database searching. Validation of the method is performed in routine anti-doping testing, and the limit of detection is 50 ng/mL. This method uses simple sample preparation and a general reverse phase HPLC column, and it can be easily applied to other substances.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.451-460
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• 2000

Objective : This experiment is aimed at clarifying the characteristics of spasmodic basilar arteries in the rabbits of subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH) with observation of vascular response to nitric oxide(NO) and endothelin-1. Material and Methods : Seventy-nine New Zealand white rabbits were divided into 4 groups : control(n=17), sham operation(n=13), postictal-2-day(n=25), and postictal-7-day group(n=24). Rabbits in the postictal-2-day group and postictal-7-day group underwent transfemoral vertebral angiography 2 days and 7 days after SAH respectively. A vascular ring of spasmodic basilar artery was harvested and suspended in organ chamber($37^{\circ}C$) to observe isometric tension changes in response to NO and endothelin-1 under both high(95% $O_2$/5% $CO_2$) and low(95% $N_2$/5% $CO_2$) $O_2$ tension. To investigate the vascular response to NO, acetylcholine from $10^{-7}M$ to $3{\times}10^{-4}M$ concentration was applied to basilar artery ring precontracted with histamine $10^{-6}-10^{-5}M$ in the organ chamber. The vascular response to endothelin-1 was observed by applying endothelin-1 from $10^{-11}M$ to $3{\times}10^{-8}M$ concentration into organ chamber. Results : Seven of 15 live rabbits which underwent angiography 2 days after SAH, were confirmed to develop vasospasm($64.3{\pm}11.2%$) whereas seven of 13 live rabbits which underwent angiography 7 days after SAH, were confirmed to develop vasospasm($64.9{\pm}10.9%$). In all groups, hypoxia significantly reduced the vascular relaxation of basilar arteries to NO. However, hypoxia made no influence on the vascular contraction of basilar arteries to endothelin-1 in all groups. In vascular relaxation of basilar arteries to NO under high $O_2$ tension between groups, the maximum relaxation of basilar arteries in the postictal-7-day group was significantly reduced compared to the postictal-2-day group. In vascular contraction of basilar arteries to endothelin-1 under high $O_2$ tension between groups, the maximum contraction of basilar arteries in the postictal-7-day group was significantly reduced compared to the postictal-2-day group. Conclusions : This experiment suggests that the characteristics of vascular response to NO and endothelin-1 in the spasmodic basilar arteries of rabbits observed 2 days after SAH is different from those observed 7 days after SAH.

• 고려인삼학회:학술대회논문집
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• 고려인삼학회 2002년도 학술대회지
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• pp.55-65
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• 2002

Ginseng has been used as a key constituent in traditional medicine prescriptions for centuries. Other than its well-known anti-stress and adaptogenic properties, ginseng has also been shown to be very effective in treating age-related deterioration in metabolic and memory functions. Although it is generally believed that the saponin (GS) fraction of the ginseng root accounts for the bioactivity of ginseng, a direct demonstration on which ginsenoside does what is still generally lacking. In the past decade, our laboratory has endeavored to identify the active GS components involved in energy metabolism, memory, and anti-neurotoxicity. To examine the ergogenic effects of GS in enhancing aerobic capacity, rats were subjected to either severe cold ($40^{\circ}C$ under helium-oxygen, two hours) or exercise workload $(70\%\;VO_{2}max,$ to exhaustion). Acute systemic injection (i.p.) of ginseng GS (5-20 mg/kg) significantly elevated both the total and maximum heat production in rats and improved their cold tolerance. However, pretreating the animal with the optimal dose (10 mg/kg) of GS devoid of $Rg_1\;and\;Rb_1$ failed to elicit any beneficial effects in improving cold tolerance. This indicates that either $Rb_1\;and/or\;Rg_1$ may be essential in exemplifying the thermogenic effect of GS. Further studies showed that only pretreating the animals with $Rb_1(2.5-5\;mg/kg),\;but\;not\;Rg_l,$ resulted in an increase in thermogenesis and cold tolerance. In contrast to the acute effect of GS on cold tolerance, enhancement of exercise performance in rats was only observed after chronic treatment (4 days). Further, we were able to demonstrate that both $Rb_1\;and\;Rg_1$ are effective in enhancing aerobic endurance by exercise. To illustrate the beneficial effects of GS in learning and memory, a passive avoidance paradigm (shock prod) was used. Our results indicated that the scopolamineinduced amnesia can be significantly reversed by chronically treating (4 days) the rats with either $Rb_1\;or\;Rg_1$ (1.25 - 2.5 mg/kg). To further examine its underlying mechanisms, the effects of various GS on ${\beta}-amyloid-modulated$ acetylcholine (ACh) release from the hippocampal slices were examined. It was found that inclusion of $Rb_1$ (0.1 ${\mu}M$), but not $Rg_1$, can attenuate ${\beta}-amyloid-suppressed$ ACh release from the hippocampal slices. Our results demonstrated that $Rb_1\;and\;Rg_1$ are the key components involved in various beneficial effects of GS but they may elicit their effects through different mechanisms.

• 고려인삼학회:학술대회논문집
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• 고려인삼학회 2002년도 학술대회지
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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.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제24권6호
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• pp.546-551
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• 2001

We have previously shown that, in circular muscle cells of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) isolated by enzymatic digestion, contraction in response to maximally effective doses of acetylcholine (ACh) or Inositol Triphosphate ($IP_3$) depends on the release of $Ca^{2+}$ from intracellular stores and activation of a $Ca6{2+}$-calmodulin (CaM)-dependent pathway. On the contrary, maintenance of LES tone, and response to low doses of ACh or $IP_3$ depend on a protein kinase C (PKC) mediated pathway. In the present investigation, we have examined requirements for $Ca6{2+}$ regulation of the interaction between CaM- and PKC-dependent pathways in LES contraction. Thapsigargin (TG) treatment for 30 min dose dependently reduced ACh-induced contraction of permeable LES cells in free $Ca6{2+}$ medium. ACh-induced contraction following the low level of reduction of $Ca6{2+}$ stores by a low dose of TG ($10^{-9}{\;}M$) was blocked by the CaM antagonist, CCS9343B but not by the PKC antagonists chelerythrine or H7, indicating that the contraction is CaM-dependent. After maximal reduction in intracellular $Ca{2+}$ from $Ca6{2+}$stores by TG ($10^{-6}{\;}M$), ACh-induced contraction was blocked by chelerythrine or H7, but not by CCS9343B, indicating that it is PKC-dependent. In normal $Ca^{2+}$medium, the contraction by ACh after TG ($10^{-9}{\;}M$) treatment was also CaM-dependent, whereas the contraction by ACh after TG ($10^{-9}{\;}M$) treatment was PKC-dependent. We examined whether PKC activation was inhibited by activated CaM. CCS 7343B Inhibited the CaM-induced contraction, but did not inhibit the DAC-induced contraction. CaM inhibited the DAC-induced contraction in the presence of CCS 9343B. This inhibition by CaM was $Ca{2+}$dependent. These data are consistent with the view that the switch from a PKC-dependent pathway to a CaM dependent pathway can occur and can be regulated by cytosolic $Ca{2+}$ in the LES.