• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 2000

This study investigated the effects of Siegesbeckia glabrescens, an antihypertensive remedy, on the contraction evoked by phenylephrine and KCl in isolated rat thoracic arata, and also analyzed antioxidative status in vitro. Siegesbeckia glabrescens revealed dose-dependent relaxation on phenylephrine(PE)/KCl-induced arterial contraction and more markedly on PE-induced contraction. Siegesbeckia glabrescens reduced malondialdehyde(MDA)levels, Phosphatidyl choline-liposome(PC-OOH) contents, linoleic acid-induced lipid peroxidation and exerted 1,1-diphenyl-2- picryl-hydrazyl(DPPH) radical scavenging effect, in vitro. These results indicated that Siegesbeckia glabrescens doesn't relaxe artery through a blocking α-adrenergic receptor and calcium channel mediated by voltage-operated calcium channel, and it s antioxidative effects may be involved in endothelium-dependent relaxation of arteries via vascular protective properites. (J Korean Oriental Med 2000;21(1):77-83)

• 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.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.163-181
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to analyze the Rhizoma on the blood pressure, heart rate and to define the mechanism of Notopterygii Rhizoma-induced relaxation in rabbit common carotid arterial contracted by agonists. Method : In order to explore the effect of Notopterygii Rhizoma on the blood pressure and heart rate, Notopterygii Rhizoma extract was injected in vein of rabbit ear. In order to investigate the effect of Notopterygii Rhizoma on norepinephrine(NE)-induced 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 Notopterygii Rhizoma-induced relaxation, Notopterygii Rhizoma extract infused into NE-induced contracted strips induced by agonists after treatment of methylene blue, propranolol, ouabain and it infused into serotonin, potassium chloride-induced contracted strips. Result : The blood pressure was significantly decreased by Notopterygii Rhizoma, but heart rate was insignificantly. In addition, Notopterygii Rhizoma significantly relaxed the norepinephrine, serotonin, potassium-induced contracted strips with intact endothelium or damaged endothelium. The relaxing effect of Notopterygii Rhizoma In NE-induced contracted strips with damaged endothelium by pretreatment of methylene blue, propranolol was not changed, but Ouabain was significantly decreased. Conclusion : These results were shown that Notopterygii Rhizoma affected the NE -induced contracted smooth muscle without the participation of endothelium, and demonstrated that the mechanism of NotoDtervgii Rhizoma-induced relaxation was the obstruction of receptor-operated Ca2+ channel.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 1998

Nitric oxide (NO)-mediated relaxation in vascular smooth muscle involves not only activation of guanylate cyclase but also hyperpolarization of the membrane. It has been shown that depolarization decreases the [$Ca^{2+}$] sensitivity of myosin light chain kinase in arterial smooth muscle, and nitric oxide (NO)-mediated relaxation was attenuated in this situation. However, why potassium inhibits or attenuates the action of EDRF/NO is not clear. Therefore, we investigated the magnitude of relaxation and cGMP contents using measures known to release NO, such as photorelaxation, photo activated NO-mediated relaxation, and NO-donor (SNP)-mediated relaxation in porcine coronary arterial rings in which contractile conditions were made by different degree of depolarization, i.e., contraction in response to U46619 or U46619 plus KCl. In all cases, the magnitude of relaxation was significantly greater (P＜0.05) in U46619-contracted rings than in U46619+KCl-contracted ones. Although accumulation of cGMP was evident with three measures employed in the present study, no difference was found in cGMP contents between U46619 and U46619+KCl conditions, indicating that the diminished relaxation in KCl containing solution is cGMP-independent mechanism(s). To understand this further, cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ changes due to NO were compared in rat thoracic aorta by exploiting photoactivated NO using streptozotocin (STZ) that was contracted with either NE or KCl. Fura-3 $[Ca]_{cyt}$ signal caused by NO was small and transient in high $K^+$-, but large and sustained in NE-contracted aorta. The inhibitory potency of STZ expressed in terms of $IC_{50}$ was 5.14 and 3.88 ${\mu}M$ in NE and in high $K^+$, respectively. These results suggest that modification of the cellular mobilization of $Ca^{2+}$ rather than cGMP levels may be an important mechanism for the NO-mediated relaxation when vascular membrane is depolarized, such as atherosclerosis and hypertension.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.198-206
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• 2019

This study was conducted to evaluate the vasorelaxant effect of DangGuiSu-San and SamHwangSaSim-Tang extract on contracted rabbit carotid artery. To study the effect of DangGuiSu-San and SamHwangSaSim-Tang extract on contracted rabbit carotid arterial strips, arterial strips with intact or damaged endothelium were used for experiment using organ bath. The pre-contracted arterial strips with Phenylephrine(PE) was treated with various concentrations of DangGuiSu-San and SamHwangSaSim-Tang extract(0.01, 0.03, 0.1, 0.3 and $1.0mg/m{\ell}$). To determine the mechanisms of DangGuiSu-San and SamHwangSaSim-Tang-induced vasorelaxant, DangGuiSu-San and SamHwangSaSim-Tang extract were infused into contracted arterial rings which had been pretreated by indomethacin(IM), tetraethylammonium chloride(TEA), $N{\omega}$-nitro-L-arginine ($_L-NNA$), methylene blue(MB). And calcium chloride(Ca) 1 mM was infused into precontracted arterial ring induced by PE after treatment of DangGuiSu-San and SamHwangSaSim-Tang extract in $Ca^{2+}$-free krebs solution. DangGuiSu-San and SamHwangSaSim-Tang extract revealed significant relaxation on PE-induced arterial contraction. DangGuiSu-San and SamHwangSaSim-Tang extract also had an effective relaxation to the intact endothelium arterial ring. SamHwangSaSim-Tang extract on contracted rabbit carotid artery is related with NO-cGMP pathway. Pretreatment of DangGuiSu-San and SamHwangSaSim-Tang extract inhibited the contraction by influx of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ in contracted arterial ring induced by NE. This study indicated that the relaxation effect of SamHwangSaSim-Tang extract on contracted rabbit carotid artery is related with NO-cGMP pathway. Pretreatment of DangGuiSu-San and SamHwangSaSim-Tang extract inhibited the contraction by influx of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ in contracted arterial ring induced by NE.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.51-59
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• 1995

This study was designed to test whether or not 1) ischemia-reperfusion attenuates endothelium-dependent relaxation of coronary arteries and 2) preconditioning protects the arterial endothelium from ischemia-reperfusion injury. In anesthetized open chest rabbits, branches of the left circumflex artery were exposed to different combinations of the experimental conditions; ischemia (15 minutes), ischemia (15 minutes)-reperfusion (10 minutes), preconditioning ischemia, and pre-conditioning fellowed by ischemia-reperfusion. Preconditioning consisted of 3 occlusions of 2-min duration, each followed by n 5-min reperfusion. Rings of the artery exposed to the experimental condition and of normal left anterior descending coronary artery were prepared and suspended for isometric force measurement in organ chambers containing Krebs Ringer bicarbonate solution. The rings were contracted with 29.6 mM KCI. Ischemia alone did not attenuate endothelium-dependent relaxation by acetylcholine. However, ischemia-reperfusion significantly impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation. Endothelium-independent relaxation by sodium nitroprusside was not impaired by ischemia-reperfusion and the constrictive response to acetylcholine was not altered in reperfused rings without endothelium, compared with control rings. Arterial rings exposed to preconditioning followed by ischemia-reperfusion exhibited impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation by acetyl-choline. However, although preconditioning not fellowed by ischemia-reperfusion, attenuated endothelium-dependent relaxation at low concentrations of acetylcholine, the magnitude of the impairment by preconditioning followed by ischemia-reperfusion was significantly less than that of the impairment by ischemia-reperfusion alone. These data demonstrate that ischemia-reperfusion significantly attenuates endothelium-dependent relaxation by producing endothelial dysfunction and preconditioning Protects the endothelium of coronary arteries from ischemia-reperfusion injury.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.62-66
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• 2002

Hypertension is not only a well-established cardiovascular risk factor but also increase the risk of atherosclerosis. Most studies conducted to investigate the effectiveness of treatment for cardiovascular disease such as hypertension have focused primarily on conventional drug and physiotherapeutic treatments. BanhabackchulChunma-tang(半夏白朮天麻湯:BCT) is popular herbal medicine used in clinic for the treatment of various symptoms of drulatory disorders and weakness of digestive system, including anorexa and nausea with vertigo, severe headache, vomiting and so on. However, the mechanisms underlying its efficacy are unknown. This study investigated the effects of BCT as an alternative medication on the contraction induced by phenylephrine and KCI in rat thoratic aorta. BCT revealed siginificant relaxation on phenylephrine-induced arterial contraction, but revealed noncompetitive effect on concentration responses of phenylephrine-induced contraction. Treatment of N-L/sup ω/ -argine methyl ester(L-NAME) and methylene blue(MB)(10/sup -5/M) reduced the relaxation of BCT. BCT also increased in vitro NO production. It suggest that the relaxation effect of BBT is related with NO pathway, becausse the effect of L-NAME and MB are due to inhibition of NO synthesis from endothelial cells. These results indicate that BCT would be effective in hypertension treatment and its mechanism of relaxtion on arterial contraction is likely to be related with NO production, blocking of α-receptor and signal transduction after receptor activation.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.216-221
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• 1991

The inhibitory effects of glipizide on cromakalim-induced relaxation of aortae and hypotension in the anesthetized rats was examined. In rat thoracic aortic rings pre-contracted with norepinephrine, cromakalim produced a relaxation sustainedly. This relaxation was completely inhibited by pre- or post-treatment of glipizide. In the anesthetized rat, cromakalim produced a rapid and sustained fall in the arterial blood pressure. This hypotensive action of cromakalim was abolished by pre- or post-treatment of glipizide. It is suggested that glipizide is the potent inhibitor of cromakalim, $K^{+}$ channel opener, in the rats.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.228-243
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• 1998

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of Sunghyangchungisan (SHCS) on the regulation of vascular tone. Vascular rings isolated from rabbit carotid artery were myographed isometrically in isolated organ baths and the effect of SHCS on contractile activities were determined. SHCS relaxed the arterial rings which were pre-contracted by phenylephrine(PE). The responses to SHCS were partially dose-dependent at concentrations lower than 0.5 mg/ml. When SHCS was applied prior to the exposure to PE, it inhibited the PE-induced contraction by a similar magnitude which was comparable to the relaxation of pre-contracted arterial rings. Washout of SHCS after observing its relaxant effect resulted in a full recovery of PE-induced contractions, indicating that the action mechanism is reversible. The observation that SHCS did not change the $ED_{50}$ of PE on its dose-response curve ruled out the possible interaction of SHCS and ${\alpha}-receptor$. The relaxant effect of SHCS was not affected by removal of endothelium, and pretreatment of the arterial rings with methylene blue or nitro-L-arginine. This results suggest that the action of SHCS is not mediated by endothelium nor soluble guanylate cyclase. SHCS relaxed high $K^{+}-induced$ contractions as well, whereas it failed to relax phorbol ester-induced contractions. When contraction was induced by additive application of $Ca^{2+}$ in arterial rings which were pre-depolarized by high $K^+$ in a $Ca^{2+}-free$ solution, the relaxant effect of SHCS was attenuated by increasing the $Ca^{2+}$ concentration. SHCS, when applied to the arterial rings pre-contracted by PE and then relaxed by nifedipine, a $Ca^{2+}$ channel blocker, did not show additive relaxation. From above results, it is suggested that SHCS relax PE-induced contraction of rabbit carotid artery in an endothelium-independent manner, and inhibition of $Ca^{2+}$ influx may contribute to the underling mechanism.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.485-493
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• 2005

We studied the effects of trazodone on arterial blood pressure in anesthesized guinea pigs, and on vascular responses in isolated thoracic aorta. Trazodone produced a concentration-dependent relaxation in phenylephrine-precontracted endothelium intact (+E) rings, but not in a KCl-precontracted aortic rings. These relaxant effects of trazodone on +E rings were significantly greater than those on denuded (-E) rings. The trazodone-induced relaxation was suppressed by glibenclamide and tetrabutylammonium, but not by N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), methylene blue (MB), nifedipine, indomethacin, 2-nitro-4-carboxyphenyl-n,n-diphenylcarbamate (NCDC) and clotrimazole. In vivo, infusion of trazodone elicited a significant decrease in arterial blood pressure. Trazodone-induced blood pressure lowering was markedly inhibited by intravenous pretreatment of prazosin but not by pretreatment of saponin, L-NNA, L-NAME, MB, nifedipine, glibenclamide, clotrimazole and NCDC. In addition, trazodone produced an increase in twitch force of isolated papillary muscle and left ventricular pressure of perfused heart. These findings suggest that the endothelium-independent vasorelaxant effect of trazodone may be explained by activation of $Ca^{2+}$-activated and ATP-sensitive $K^+$ channels, and the hypotensive effect of trazodone is not associated with cardiac contraction.