• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.135-142
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• 2023

Background: This study aimed to investigate hyperuricemia, renal inflammation, and xanthine oxidase (XO) activity improvement in a rat model treated with Scutellaria baicalensis extract (SBE). Methods: The rats were divided into 4 groups (n = 5 each), including sham, potassium oxonate (PO) injected hyperuricemia (control group), PO + 10 mg/kg allopurinol administrated (allopurinol group), and a PO + 50 mg/kg SBE administrated (SBE group), to investigate the effectiveness and molecular mechanisms of SBE. The effects of SBE on PO-induced hyperuricemia rats, renal inflammation, and XO activity were measured. Body weight and organ index of the kidney and liver were measured in PO-induced hyperuricemia rats, and serum uric acid level was extracted from whole blood and was measured. Renal inflammation was observed under a microscope after sections. XO activity was measured by liver tissue and serum XO levels. Results: Organ indexes of the kidney and liver in rats were significantly decreased in the allopurinol group than in the control group and with no significant difference in the SBE group. A PO injection for 5 days significantly increased serum uric acid levels in the control group compared to the sham group. Meanwhile, the SBE and allopurinol groups have significantly decreased serum uric acid levels compared to the control group. The SBE group revealed effectively improved renal histopathological changes compared to the control group. The XO inhibitor, allopurinol, significantly decreased XO activity. Additionally, SBE significantly lowered XO activity in rats. Conclusion: SBE can be used as an effective treatment for gout in the future.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.732-742
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• 2002

Purpose : In order to evaluate the hypoxia-ischemia(H-I) induced neurotoxicity and the protective effect of xanthine oxidase(XO) inhibitor(allopurinol), cell number, cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), protein synthesis(PS) and protein kinase C(PKC) activity were measured in cerebral neurons and astrocytes. Methods : Cytotoxic effect was measured by in vitro assay at 12-72 hours after H-I on cerebral neurons and astrocytes derived from 7-day old neonatal rats which were subjected to unilateral common carotid artery occlusion and exposed to hypoxic condition for 3 hours. The protective effect of XO inhibitor was examined by the cell number, cell viability, LDH and PS on 14 days after H-I with allopurinol intraperitoneal injection 15 minutes prior to H-I. In addition, the effect of allopurinol on PKC activity in hypoxic conditions was examined in neurons. Results : 72 hours from H-I, the cell numbers and viability were decreased significantly in time-dependent manner on neurons and those of astrocytes also decreased slightly, compared with control. In neonatal rats treated with H-I, the cell number, cell viability, and PS in neurons were decreased, but LDH was increased significantly compared with control. In neonatal rats pretreated with allopurinol, the cell number and viability, and PS in neurons were increased and LDH was decreased significantly compared with H-I. PKC was increased remarkably after hypoxic condition. But PKC was decreased significantly against hypoxic condition after allopurinol pretreatment. Conclusion : From these results, it is suggested that H-I is more toxic in neurons than astrocytes and allopurinol is very protective with increasing of PS, and decreasing of LDH and PKC in neurons from hypoxic-ischemic condition.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.53-60
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• 2023

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effects of Oenanthe javanica (OJ) extracts on rats with potassium oxonate (PO)-induced hyperuricemia. Methods: The effects of OJ extract on rats with PO-induced hyperuricemia-induced were monitored. Changes in the body weight and organ indices of hyperuricemic rats were calculated to detect anti-hyperuricemic effects. Blood samples were collected to observe the effect of reducing serum uric acid concentration. Kidney tissues were stained to observe histopathological changes under a microscope. The activity of xanthine oxidase (XO), which catalyzes xanthine to uric acid in the liver, was assessed to observe the inhibitory effect of XO. Results: 1. The body weight of hyperuricemic rats showed no considerable differences between the control group and the treatment group. The OJ group had significantly improved liver index, whereas the allopurinol group had improved liver and kidney indices. 2. Serum uric acid levels increased significantly after PO injection, and the OJ and allopurinol groups showed a significant reduction effect. 3. PO injection led to the inflammation of kidney tissues, and OJ improved it significantly. 4. The activity of XO after PO injection was significantly increased, and allopurinol significantly inhibited XO activity in the liver. Conclusion: In the hyperuricemia rat model, OJ extract reduced uric acid concentration and demonstrated its anti-inflammatory effects. Thus, OJ extracts can be used to lower uric acid levels.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.449-451
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• 2011

An 1.28 kg, male, thirteen years of age, red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) was presented with one month history of anorexia, decreased mobility, and swelling and erythema of forelimbs. Hyperuricemia and tophaceous gout such as osteolysis at the digit, carpal and metacarpal bones with radiopaque densities around the lesion were detected. Allopurinol (20 mg/kg, PO, once a day) and u/d (Hill's diet) were selected for treatment and other antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs were not administered. One month after initial presentation, clinical signs and radiographic findings were improved. According to the medical response, the turtle was presumptively diagnosed as articular gout and allopurinol revealed effective response to the articular gout in turtles.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.1535-1542
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• 2010

Spectrophotometric micro determination of allopurinol (ALP) via charge-transfer formation is described. This includes the utility of some $\pi$-acceptors such as 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-p-benzoquinone (DDQ) and 3,6-dichloro-2,5-dihydroxy-p-benzoquinone (p-CLA) for estimation of ALP drug (act as $\grave{e}$-donor). These reactions are applied for determination of ALP in its pharmaceutical preparations coming from different companies. Elucidation of the chemical structure of the solid CT complexes formed via reaction between drugs under study and $\pi$-acceptors, using elemental analyses (C, H, N), I. R., $^1H$ NMR and mass spectrometry.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 2001

In order to investigate a pathogenesis of liver damage induced by skin burn, thermal injury was induced by scald burn on entirely dorsal surface in rats (total burn surface area $20\sim25\%$) except for inhalated injury. At 5 and 24 h after scald burn, biochemical assay and morphological changes in serum and liver tissue were examined. Skin burn increased liver weight (% of body weight, p<0.05) and the activity of serum aniline amino-transferase (ALT, p<0.05), in addition, the activity of xanthine oxidase (XO), an enzyme of oxygen free radical generating system, was elevated (p<0.01) in serum, but not in skin and in liver. Postburn treatment of allopurinol intraperitoneally decreased liver weight, serum ALT activity and serum XO activity. Scald burn induced ultrastructurally swelling of endoplasmic reticulum, ribosome detachment, accumulation of lipid, dilatation of bile canaliculi and intercellular space, neutrophil infiltration, activation of Kupffer's cells and degeneration of hepatocytic microvilli. Futhermore , thermal injury decreased not only the protein concentration in plasma but also the number of intravascular leukocytes, that indicates induction of edema formation with protein exudation and inflammation by neutrophil infiltration into the internal organs. However allopurinol injection after burn inhibited post burn ultrastructural changes. These data suggest that acute dermal scald burn injury leads to liver damage, that is related to elevation of xanthine oxidase activity in serum. Xanthine oxidase may be a key role in the pathogenesis of liver damage induced by skin burn.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.427-432
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• 1997

These studies were performed to approach the precise pathway inducing the meiotic inhibitory action of hypoxanthine on mouse follicular oocytes and to identify the cause of detrimental effect of hypoxanthine on viability of the oocyte in vitro. In addition, a correlation between the meiotic inhibitory effect and the detrimental effect of hypoxanthine was investigated. Mouse follicular oocytes at germinal vesicle(GV) stage were collected from the ovaries of ICR mice by puncturing the antral follicles with a fine needle, at 48 hours after PMSG injection. Oocytes were cultured in Modified Whittingham's T6 media containing hypoxanthine and several materials that involved in metabolism of hypoxanthine, and the effects of the materials on the actions of hypoxanthine were investigated by observing germinal vesicle breake down (GVBD), 1st polar body (PB) extrusion and viability of the oocytes. Phophodiesterase significantly reduced the meiotic inhibitory effect of dbcAMP but did not influence on the inhibitory effect of hypoxanthine. Allopurinol and 6-MP significantly enhanced the meiotic inhibitory effect of hypoxanthine, but the materials themselves also showed the meiotic inhibitory action like hypoxanthine. Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase significantly enhanced the meiotic inhibitory effect of hypoxanthine, on the contrary HGPRT itself promoted meiotic resumption of the oocytes. Catalase did not induce any change in the meiotic inhibitory effect of hypoxanthine, but SOD increased the GVBD rate suppressed by hypoxanthine. The detrimental effect of hypoxanthine on viability of the oocytes was significantly reduced by allopurinol and catalase, but SOD increased the GVBD rate suppressed by hypoxanthine. The detrimental effect of hypoxanthine on viability of the oocytes was significantly reduced by allopurinol and catalase, but SOD did not reduce the deterimental effect of hypoxanthine. In conclusion, the meiotic inhibtory effect of hypoxanthine may be caused by guanyl dervartives converted from hypoxanthine via salvage pathway, and superoxide anion may partially participate in the inhibitory effect of hypoxanthine. The detrimental effect of hypoxanthine on viability of the oocytes be cused by hydrogen peroxide produced during the metabolism of hypoxanthine.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.5
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• pp.629-635
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• 1998

It has been suggested that oxygen free radicals are involved in the initiation process of acute pancreatitis, although its pathogenesis is not clear. This study evaluates the roles of oxygen radicals and the effects of small molecular antioxidants (rebamipide, N-acetyl-cysteine, allopurinol, ${\beta}-carotene)$ on the development of cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis. Acute edematous pancreatitis was induced by the intravenous infusion of cerulein at supramaximal dose of 10 ${\mu}g/kg/hour$ for 3.5 hours. The effects of antioxidants, rebamipide (100 mg/kg, i.p.), N-acetyl-cysteine (200 mg/kg, i.v.), allopurinol (20 mg/kg/hour), ${\beta}-carotene$ (50 mg/kg, i.p.), were examined. Cerulein administration resulted in a significant increase in serum amylase activity and pancreatic malondialdehyde (MDA), but not glutathione peroxidase (GSHpx). The glutathione (GSH) content in pancreatic tissue decreased dramatically. Pretreatment of N-acetyl-cysteine significantly decreased the cerulein-induced hyperamylasemia and maintained GSH content in pancreas, but MDA was slightly decreased. In addition, N-acetyl-cysteine ameliorated histological damage. Allopurinol and ${\beta}-carotene$ attenuated cerulein-induced hyperamylasemia, but histologically there was no difference from control. These results indicate that oxygen free radicals play an important role in the initiation of experimental acute pancreatitis. N-acetyl-cysteine is an effective antioxidant that ameliorates the cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis, and the possible therapeutic application of antioxidants against acute pancreatitis needs a further evaluation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.803-815
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• 1988

The present experiments were performed to confirm the hypothesis that xanthine oxidase[XOD], as a source and mechanism of oxygen radical production, plays an important role in the genesis of the reperfusion injury of ischemic myocardium. The experimental ischemic-reperfusion injury was induced in isolated, Langendorff preparations of rat hearts by 60 min. Of global ischemia with aortic clamping followed by 20 min. of reperfusion with oxygenated Krebs-Henseleit solution[pH 7.4, 37*C]. The results were as follows: 1. The releases of creatine phosphokinase and a lipid peroxidation product, malondialdehyde[MDA] into the coronary effluent were abruptly increased upon reperfusion of ischemic hearts. The increases of the enzyme and MDA were suppressed significantly in the hearts removed from rats pretreated with allopurinol, a specific XOD inhibitor[20mg/kg, oral, 24 hrs and 2 hrs before study]. This effect of allopurinol was comparable to that of oxygen radical scavengers, superoxide dismutase[5, 000U] and catalase[12, 500 U]. 2. The increased SOD-inhibitable reduction of ferricytochrome C, which was infused to the hearts starting with reperfusion, was significantly suppressed in allopurinol pretreated hearts. 3. Activities of myocardial XOD were compared in the normal control hearts and the ischemic ones. Total enzyme activities were not different in both hearts. However, comparing with the control, the ischemic ones showed higher activity in 0-form and lower activities in D-form and D/O-form. 4. In the ischemic hearts, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, a serine protease inhibitor, prevented significantly the increase of 0-form and the decreases of D and D/O-form, while thiol reagents did not affect the changes of the enzyme. 5. The increase of 0-form and the decreases of D and D/0-form were not significant in both calcium-free perfused and pimozide, a calmodulin inhibitor, treated ischemic hearts. 6. The SOD-inhibitable reduction of ferricytochrome C were suppressed by PMSF and pimozide treatment as well as by calcium-free perfusion. It is suggested from these results that in the ischemic rat myocardium, xanthine oxidase is converted to oxygen radical producing 0-form by calcium, calmodulin-dependent proteolysis and plays a contributing role in the genesis of ischemic-reperfusion injury by producing oxygen free radicals.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.189-195
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• 2007

To study the protective effects of antioxidants on the radiation damages of the cells, vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMC) from thoracic aorta of Sprague-Dawley rats were cultured and irradiated with gamma-ray. Cell viability was measured by direct cell counting and MTT assay, and flow cytometry was performed to measure fractional distributions of the cells. Gamma-ray irradiation inhibited cell proliferations accompanied with decreased G1 phase and increased S- and G2/M phases, and the maximum effects were observed at 1500 or 2000 cGy. Submaximal concentrations of antioxidants, such as allopurinol, vitamin C, N-acetylcycteine(NAC), lipoic acid, dihydrolipoic acid and rebamipide tended to increase the cell viability suppressed by low dose of radiation(500 cGy), and enalapril and vitamin E increased it significantly. Allopurinol, vitamin E, NAC, lipoic acid, captopril and enalapril significantly increased G1 phase. Allopurinol and vitamin E tended to increase c-Myc expression, detected by Western blot, that was reduced by the radiation, and enalapril increased it significantly. The cell viability and c-Myc expression were highly correlated(r=0.97) with each other. These results suggest that antioxidants, especially enalapril and vitamin E, recover the viability of VSMC from gamma-radiation injury, through a mechanism which includes increase of c-Myc protein expression.