• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.79-92
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• 2004

Objectives : This experiments were performed to determine the effect of OYakSoonGi-San extract on hypertension in spontaneous hypertensive rat and norepinephrine-induced arterial contraction in rabbit. Methods : In order to define the effect of OYakSoonGi-San extract on contracted rabbit carotid arterial strips, transverse strips with intact or damaged endothelium were used for the experiment using organ bath. To analyze the mechanism of OYakSoonGi-San extract-induced relaxation, OYakSoonGi-San extract infused into contracted arterial strips induced by norepinephrine after treatment of indomethacin, $N{\omega}-nitro-L-arginine$, methylene blue or tetraethylammonium chloride. Results : Blood pressure was significantly decreased five days after administration of OYakSoonGi-San extract. The relaxation effect of OYakSoonGi-San extract was dependent on the presence of endothelium, showing that OYakSoonGi-San extract-induced relaxation was not observed in the strips without endothelium. Also OYakSoonGi-San extract-induced relaxation was significantly inhibited in arterial strips which were contracted by high $K^+$. OYakSoonGi-San extract-indeced relaxation was significantly inhibited by the pre-treatment of $N{\omega}-nitro-L-arginine$ or methylene blue, but it was not observed in the strips pre-treated with indomethacin or tetraethylammonium chloride. When additive application of $Ca^{2+}$ in arterial strips which were pre-contracted by norepinephrine in a $Ca^{2+}$-free solution, arterial contraction was increased. But contractile response to $Ca^{2+}$ was attenuated by pre-treatment of OYakSoonGi-San extract. Conclusions : These results demonstrated that OYakSoonGi-San could be applied effectively to hypertension and may inhibit agonist-induced contraction through an decrease influx of extra-cellular $Ca^{2+}$ by the formation of nitric oxide in the vascular endothelial cells.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.83-91
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• 1996

Activation of $K^+$ channels induces relaxation of smooth muscles by reducing electrical excitability and cytosolic free $Ca^{2+}$ level. ${\beta}$-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol is known to induce relaxation of the uterine smooth muscle by membrane hyperpolarization and $K^+$ efflux. Recently it is suggested that the activity of $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^+$ channel was increased by isoproterenol in the uterine myocytes isolated from myometrium of the pregnant rat. However, the type of $K^+$ channel mediating the relaxant effect of isopreterenol in the tissue level has not yet studied. In this work, we investigated the type of $K^+$ channels involved in the isoproterenol-induced relaxation of uterine smooth muscle by measuring the integrated insometric tension of the estrogen-treated isolated nonpregnant rat uterus. Contraction of uterine tissue was induced by oxytocin (0.2nM, 2~3 contractions/min) or high KCl(20~80mM). The result are as follows : 1. Isoproterenol($10^{-10}{\sim}10^{-4}M$) inhibited oxytocin-induced contraction of isolated rat uterus($EC_{50}=1.17{\times}10^{-10}M$). 2. Isoproterenol($10^{-10}{\sim}10^{-4}M$) effectively inhibited uterine contraction induced by low KCl(20~40mM) but little those induced by high KCl(60~80mM). 3. Relaxant effect of isoproterenol($10^{-10}{\sim}10^{-4}M$) on 0.2nM oxytocin-induced contraction was effectively reduced by 4-aminopyridine(3, 10mM) but little by TEA(10~30mM), $Ba^{2+}$($1{\sim}30{\mu}M$) and glibenclamide($100{\mu}M$). Our data suggest that the relaxant effect of isoproterenol is mediated by the $K^+$ channel(s) which can be blocked by 4-aminopyridine.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.181-187
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• 1991

The muscarinic antagonist 1-[benzilic 4, 4'-$[^3H]$ QUINUCLIDINYL BENZILATE $([^3H]$ QNB) bound to a single class of muscarinic receptors with high affinity in rabbit ileal membranes. The $K_D\;and\;B_{ max}$ values for $([^3H]$ QNB calculated from analysis of saturation isotherms were 52.5 pM AND 154 fmol/mg, respectively. Chlopheniramine (CHP), histamine $H_1$ blocker, increased $K_D$ vlue for $([^3H]$QNB without affecting the binding site concentrations and Hill coefficient. The $K_i$ value of CHP for inhibition of $([^3H]$QNB binding in ileal membranes was 1.44\mu{M}$ and the pseudo-Hill coefficient for CHP was close to unit. In the functional assay carbachol, muscarinic agonist, increased the contractile force of ileum with $ED_{50}$ value of $0.11\mu{M}$. CHP caused the rightward shift of the dose-response curve to carbachol. The $pA_2$ value of CHP determined from Schild analysis of carbacholinduced contraction was 5.77 and the slope was unity indicating competitive antagonism with carbachol. The dissociation constant $(K_i)$ of CHP obtained in competitive experiments with $([^3H]$ QNB was similar to the $K_A$ value (1.69 \mu{M)}$ of CHP as inhibitor of carbachol induced contraction in rabbit ileum. This result suggest that the binding of $H_i$ blocker. CHP, vs $([^3H]$QNB to muscarinic receptors in ileal membranes represents an interaction with a receptor of physiological relevance.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.175-181
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• 2007

The present study was undertaken to determine whether $SM22{\alpha}$ participates in the regulation of vascular smooth muscle contractility using $SM22{\alpha}$ knockout mice and, if so, to investigate the mechanisms involved. Aortic ring preparations were mounted and equilibrated in organ baths for 60 min before observing contractile responses to 50 mM KCl, and then exposed to contractile agents such as phenylephrine and phorbol ester. Measurement of isometric contractions using a computerized data acquisition system was combined with molecular or cellular experiments. Interestingly, the aortas from $SM22{\alpha}$-deficient mice ($SM22^{-/-LacZ}$) displayed an almost three-fold increase in the level of $SM22{\beta}$ protein compared to wild-type mice, but no change in the levels of caldesmon, actin, desmin or calponin. $Ca^{2+}$-independent contraction in response to phenylephrine or phorbol ester was significantly decreased in the $SM22{\alpha}$-deficient mice, whereas in the presence of $Ca^{2+}$ neither contraction nor subcellular translocation of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) in response to phenylephrine or 50 mM KCl was significantly affected. A decrease in phosphorylation of extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 was observed in the $SM22{\alpha}$-deficient mice and this may be related to the decreased vascular contractility. Taken together, this study provides evidence for a pivotal role of $SM22{\alpha}$ in the regulation of $Ca^{2+}$-independent vascular contractility.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.382-395
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• 1992

GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in central nervous system and produce sedative, antianxiety and muscle reaxing effects via $GABA_A$ receptor or $GABA_B$ receptor. Recently it is known that GABA is widely distributed throughout peripheral organs and may playa physiological role in certain organ. The vas deferens is innervated by species-difference. These study, therefore, was performed to investigate the mode and the mechanism of action of GABA on the norepiniphrine-, ATP- and electric stimulation-induced contraction of vas deferens of rat. Sprague-Dawley rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation. The smooth muscle strips were isolated from the prostastic portion and were mounted in the isolated muscle bath. PSS in the bath was aerated with 95/5%-$O_2/CO_2$ at $33^{\circ}C$. Muscle tensions were measured by isometric tension transducer and were recorded by biological recording system. 1. GABA, muscimol, a $GAB_A$ agonist, and baclofen, a $GABA_B$ agonist inhibited the electric field stimulation(EFS, 0.2Hz, 1mSec, 80 V, monophasic square wave)-induced contraction with a rank order of potency of GABA greater than baclofen greater than muscimol. 2. The inhibitory effect of GABA was antagonized by delta aminovaleric acid(DAVA), a $GABA_B$ antagonist, but not by bicuculline, a $GABA_A$ mtagonist. 3. The inhibitory effect of baclofen was antagonized by DAVA, but the effect of muscimol was not antagonized by bicuculline. 4. Exogenous norepinephrine(NE) and ATP contracted muscle strip concentration dependently, but the effect of acetylcholine was negligible : and GABA did not affect the NE-and ATP-induced contractions. 5. GABA, baclofen and muscimol did not affect basal tone, and GABA did not affect the NE-and ATP-induced contractionsm 6. EFS-induced contraction was including 2 distinctable components. The first phasic component was inhibited by beta gamma-methylene ATP(mATP), a desensitizing agent of APT receptor and the second tonic component was reduced by pretreatment of reserpine(3 mg/Kg, IP). 7. GABA inhibited the EFS-induced contraction of reserpinized strips, but not the mATP-treated strips. These results suggest that in the prostatic portion of the rat vas deferens, adrenergic and purinergic neurotransmissions are exist, and GABA inhibits the release of ATP via presynaptic $GABA_B$ receptor on the excitatory neurons.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.503-516
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• 2020

KCNQ family constitutes slowly-activating potassium channels among voltage-gated potassium channel superfamily. Recent studies suggested that KCNQ4 and 5 channels are abundantly expressed in smooth muscle cells, especially in lower urinary tract including corpus cavernosum and that both channels can exert membrane stabilizing effect in the tissues. In this article, we examined the electrophysiological characteristics of overexpressed KCNQ4, 5 channels in HEK293 cells with recently developed KCNQ-specific agonist. With submicromolar EC₅₀, the drug not only increased the open probability of KCNQ4 channel but also increased slope conductance of the channel. The overall effect of the drug in whole-cell configuration was to increase maximal whole-cell conductance, to prolongate the activation process, and left-shift of the activation curve. The agonistic action of the drug, however, was highly attenuated by the co-expression of one of the β ancillary subunits of KCNQ family, KCNE4. Strong in vitro interactions between KCNQ4, 5 and KCNE4 were found through Foster Resonance Energy Transfer and co-immunoprecipitation. Although the expression levels of both KCNQ4 and KCNE4 are high in mesenteric arterial smooth muscle cells, we found that 1 μM of the agonist was sufficient to almost completely relax phenylephrine-induced contraction of the muscle strip. Significant expression of KCNQ4 and KCNE4 in corpus cavernosum together with high tonic contractility of the tissue grants highly promising relaxational effect of the KCNQ-specific agonist in the tissue.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.15-22
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• 2009

Because it is known that bivalve hearts contain various modulatory systems activated by neuroendocrine substances, it was examined whether different classes of endogenous and synthetic drugs of neuroendocrinological importance can influence cardiac functions of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. Cholinergically active agents acetylcholine and carbachol increased heart rates while diminishing cardiac contractility. Adrenergically active substances norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (Epi) also induced heart rate increase and contractility decrease. An $\alpha_1$-adrenergic receptor-selective agonist phenyephrine (PE) failed to modulate either parameter. The Epi-induced heart rate increase and contractile depression were both blocked significantly by non-selective $\beta_1/\beta_2$-adrenergic antagonist propranolol. A $\beta_1$-selective antagonist atenolol prevented Epi-induced heart rate decrease but not the contractile depression, suggesting possible $\beta_2$ receptors for Epi-induced contractile depression. The three autacoids examined exerted discrete responses: histamine increased heart rate and depressed contraction; $\gamma$-amino-butyric acid increased both parameters; serotonin failed to change either parameter. The 5 piscine anesthetic agents examined, MS-222, benzocaine, quinaldine, urethane, pantocaine and pentobarbital, all failed to influence the cardiac function of oysters. Collectively, activities of neuroendocrinologically acting agents in mammals showed unexpected and distinct activities from those in mammalian cardiovascular systems. These results obtained from substances of different physiological functions can serve as a basis for understanding neuroendocrine control of the heart function in Pacific oyster.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 1993

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) has been known to have peripheral actions as well as central actions. Recently physiological roles of 5-HT as a central neurotransmitter have been studied in detail and this is a subject of the present study. Plausible central actions mediated by 5-HT receptor seem to be a control of appetite, bring about psychiatric disorders such as anxiety or dementia, and migraine headache. In this study, thirty-five medicinal plants were tested for their antagonistic activities to 5-HT mediated actions. Through the preliminary screening, methanol extracts of three medicinal plants (Saussureae Radix, Sanguisorbae Radix and Xanthii Fructus) were shown to possess relatively specific antagonistic activities to 5-HT mediated ileal contraction over acetylcholine. To luther investigate the central antagonistic activities of the selected plant in vivo, m-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP) which is known to be a 5-H $T_{1c}$ receptor agonist was injected to mouse to induce an anxious and/or hypolocomotion states, and also social interaction test, which was based on the method described by File (S.E. File, 1980), was performed to see whether ethylacetate fraction of Sanguisorbae Radix methanol extract possessed a specific anxiolytic activity.y.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.15-32
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• 1997

This study was undertaken to define the mechanism of Siegesbeckiae Herba-induced relaxation in rabbit common carotid artery contracted by agonists. In order to investigate the effect of Siegesbeckiae Herba on contracted rabbit carotid arterial strips, transverse strips with intact or damaged endothelium were used for the experiment using organ bath. To analyze the mechanism of Siegesbeckiae Herba-induced relaxation, Siegesbeckiae Herba extract infused into contracted arterial strips induced by agonists after treatment of lanthanum chloride, indomethacin, atropine, $N\omega-nitro-{_L}-arginine$, cobalt chloride or methylene blue. The relaxation effect of Siegesbeckiae Herba was dependent on the presence of endothelium, showing that Siegesbeckiae Herba-induced relaxation was not observed in the strips without endothelium. The endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by Siegesbeckiae Herba was suppressed by the pretreatment of lanthanum chloride, $N\omega-nitro-{_L}-arginine$, cobalt chloride or methylene blue, but it was not observed in the strips pretreated with indomethacin or atropine. These results demonstrated that Siegesbeckiae Herba may inhibit agonist-induced contraction through an increase in the cyclic GMP by the production of nitric oxide in the vascular endothelial cells.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.69-78
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• 2017

Background: The purpose of the present study is to report the effect of muscle performance on knee flexion and extension by chin in exercise. Methods: This study was Participated in 10 healthy subjects. For conducting the chin-in exercise, subjects are lay down with supine position. Using the rounded towel, subjects was performed contraction of longus colli and longus capatis muscle by push the towel. Chin-in exercise was conducted 3 times a day, 4 times a week for 4 weeks. By using the Biodex system4, We measured absolute muscle strength, relative muscle strength, total exercise quantity and average rate of production in knee flexion and extension. The data was analyzed by the repeated-measure ANOVA for comparing before, after exercise 2 weeks, after exercise 4 weeks changes of factors. Results: After chin-in exercise, there was significant difference of before, after 2 weeks and 4weeks results in absolute muscle strength, relative muscle strength, total exercise quantity, average rate of production, agonist/antagonist ratio(p<.05). Conclusion: As a results of this study, chin-in exercise may help to improve muscle ability of knee joint activation and knee joint action performance.