• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.43-54
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• 1974

The cactus family Cactaceae, numbering about 1,500 species, is a fleshy-stemmed perennial plant which is principally distributed in the south and north America. On the other hand, the cactus plant is presumed to be introduced into Korea in 1912-1945, thereafter it has been cultivated merely in favor of ornamentation with the exception of being occasionally used as medication among laymen. Opuntia elata which belongs to Opuntia genus, the Cactaceae family is one of the cacti being cultivated a great deal in Korea. Cho et. al. reported in 1974 that Opuntia dilenii manifested the cardiac inhibitory effect and oxytocic effect, and its mechanism might be partially due to the direct action. Besides this, there are few reports on the pharmacological research concerning Opuntia genus to be demonstrated in Korea. However, some other cacti have the remarkable pharmacological effects; the active ingredients, mescaline, anhalamine, anhalanine, etc. from Peyote cactus (Lophophora williamsii) belonging to Lophophora genus have the psychotomimetic and sympathomimetic effects, and the cardioactive glycosides from Cactus Grandifolius (Selenicereus grandiflorus) belonging to Cereus genus have the cardioactive and diuretic effects. The authors hereby inquired into this study to find out the propriety of the pharmacological properties of the ethanol extract of Opuntia elata (EX) on the heart, blood pressure, respiration, intestine and uterus in the experimental animals. The results of the experiment were as follows: 1. Administration of EX manifested the cardiac inhibitory effect caused by the negative inotropic action in the isolated heart of frog, and the pretreatment of atropine did not affect the inhibitory effect produced by EX. 2. Administration of EX manifested the transient hypotensive effect in the intact rabbit, and the pretreatment of atropine did not affect the hypotensive effect produced by EX. 3. Administration of the small dose of EX manifested no significant effect, but moderate dose or more the stimulating effect, and the large dose the asphyxia on the respiratory motility in the intact rabbit. 4. Administration of EX manifested the sustained augmentation of contractility in the excised duodenum of rabbit, and the pretreatment of atropine did not affect the stimulating effect produced by EX. 5. Administration of EX manifested the sustained augmentation of contractility in the excised pregnant uterus of rabbit, and the pretreatment of atropine and oxytocin did not affect the oxytocic effect produced by EX, but that of barium chloride more or less stimulated the oxytocic effect produced by EX.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.229-238
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• 2014

Background: A toxic dose of bupivacaine produces vasodilation in isolated aortas. The goal of this in vitro study was to investigate the cellular mechanism associated with bupivacaine-induced vasodilation in isolated endothelium-denuded rat aortas precontracted with phenylephrine. Methods: Isolated endothelium-denuded rat aortas were suspended for isometric tension recordings. The effects of nifedipine, verapamil, iberiotoxin, 4-aminopyridine, barium chloride, and glibenclamide on bupivacaine concentration-response curves were assessed in endothelium-denuded aortas precontracted with phenylephrine. The effect of phenylephrine and KCl used for precontraction on bupivacaine-induced concentration-response curves was assessed. The effects of verapamil on phenylephrine concentration-response curves were assessed. The effects of bupivacaine on the intracellular calcium concentration ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) and tension in aortas precontracted with phenylephrine were measured simultaneously with the acetoxymethyl ester of a fura-2-loaded aortic strip. Results: Pretreatment with potassium channel inhibitors had no effect on bupivacaine-induced relaxation in the endothelium-denuded aortas precontracted with phenylephrine, whereas verapamil or nifedipine attenuated bupivacaine-induced relaxation. The magnitude of the bupivacaine-induced relaxation was enhanced in the 100mM KCl-induced precontracted aortas compared with the phenylephrine-induced precontracted aortas. Verapamil attenuated the phenylephrine-induced contraction. The magnitude of the bupivacaine-induced relaxation was higher than that of the bupivacaine-induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ decrease in the aortas precontracted with phenylephrine. Conclusions: Taken together, these results suggest that toxic-dose bupivacaine-induced vasodilation appears to be mediated by decreased calcium sensitization in endothelium-denuded aortas precontracted with phenylephrine. In addition, potassium channel inhibitors had no effect on bupivacaine-induced relaxation. Toxic-dose bupivacaine-induced vasodilation may be partially associated with the inhibitory effect of voltage-operated calcium channels.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.122-147
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• 2012

The Four-guardian statues in Song-gwang buddhist temple, Suncheon, Korea, have been remade in AD 1628 and have been repaired and repainted over several times since then. Therefore, the study of the pigments applied on the statues can provide good chance for investigation about pigments used in the late Chosun Period. Pigments on fragments from Gwang-mok(Virupaksha), one of the Four-guardian statues, have been analyzed by optical microscope, SEM-EDX and XRD in order to identify the components and compounds. Six types of materials were found from the fragments, which are soil layer with brown clay band, soil layer containing a lot of fibers, Korean paper with loose texture, Korean paper with dense texture, silk, and hemp textile. Presumably, the soil layer which have brown clay band is basis layer and the other layers are repaired layers. From comparative study for the components of the pigments, applied on upper and lower parts of the repaired layers, we have concluded that those repaired layers had been applied on the statue by the following order; basis layer ${\rightarrow}$ Korean paper with loose texture ${\rightarrow}$ soil containing a lot of fibers ${\rightarrow}$ silk ${\rightarrow}$ hemp textile and Korean paper with dense texture. In addition, the years that those materials were applied on the statue have been estimated as 1720~1891, 1926, 1946 and 1976, respectively. The distinct features of each age are as the following; lead white and copper chloride hydroxide are major white and green pigments before 1891, zinc white, barium white, emerald green, and ultramarine blue appear after 1926 and titanium white uprises around 1976. Our result presented here, study on pigments applied on traditional statues over several different periods, will provide good database for future study on pigments used for traditional painting in Buddist temples and Dancheong.