• Applied Microscopy
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.17-35
• /
• 1990

Effect of 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT, serotonin) and its precursor tryptophan on the cell proliferation of brain and somite parts of 4 day chick embryo in Dulbeco's modified essential medium was examined morphologically at cellular level. It was realized that the externally added 5-HT and/or tryptophan disturbed cell proliferation and severve necrosis occured. Electron micrograph showed that the development of cell organelles were greatly impaired. The activities of both acetylcholine esterase and $Mg^{2+}$ -dependent ATPase of the brain tissues of 5 day chick embryo, which received 1mg of tryptophan and/or 0.1mg of 5-HT at primitive streak stage after 24 hrs incubation of the fertilized egg, were much lower(about 20-25%) than those of control group. These results were supported by the electron micrographs of chemically treated cells. Control cells showed clear densed bands of acetylcholine esterase activity around nucleus and rough endoplasmic reticulum but tryptophan or 5-HT treated groups showed discontinued activity bands. In the case of $Mg^{2+}$-ATPase, the control groups showed clear continuous activity bands but tryptophan and/or 5-HT treated groups were discontinuous. From the previous and present studies, it seems that the intracelluar 5-HT level is very important for the cell proliferation and normal morphogenesis.

• Herbal Formula Science
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.185-196
• /
• 2003

Depression is very common mental disorder, so many people suffer from it, which makes the treatment of depression important. Many drugs to treat depression were developed and being prescripted. But they have a lot of side effects, so it needs to develop drugs without side effects or with less side effects. Herbal medicines have been used to treat not only physical disorder but also mental disorder and it has been reported that they have less side effects. Therefore, there is the need to discover and use herbal medicine with antidepressant effect. The purpose of this study was to reseach Antidepressant effect of Licium chinense Mill. and its influence on serotonin and its metabolite of depression model rats. We used 'forced swimming test(FST)' to know antidepressant effect of Licium chinense Mill. and HPLC to check the influence on serotonin and its metabolite(5-HIAA) of Licium chinense Mill. after rats' brains were divided into cerebral cortex, striatum, hypothalamus and hippocampus. The results were obtained as follows : In the study of antidepressant effect by 'forced swimming test(FST)' method, Licium chinense Mill. had a significant antidepressant effect. In the study of influence on serotonin and 5-HIAA by HPLC, Licium chinense Mill. mainly increased serotonin and 5-HlAA of cerebral cortex and striatum signigficantly among 4 parts of rat's brain above-mentioned. These results suggest that Licium chinense Mill. has antidepressant effect that may be related with the increase of serotonin and its metabolite as its mechanism, but more precise experiments will be need to prove their relation.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.215-233
• /
• 1986

The effect of tryptophan on brain formation at the early stage of chick embryo has been investigated morphologically using electron microscope. The electron micrographs of cerebral cortex cells of $5\\sim10$ day old chick embryo, which received 1.0mg of tryptophan showed that the irregularity, evagination and disruption of nuclear membrane and nuclear chromatin condensation, nucleolar chromatin margination and segragation. Hypertrophy of stalks, vesicles, and vacuoles can be seen and dilation and vesiculation of rough endoplamic reticulum and polysome disaggregation occured. Protein and RNA levels and the activity of several enzymes such as lactate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase of tryptophan administered group were significantly lower than those of control group suggesting that the tryptophan administration depressed protein biosynthesis resulting in the decrease of enzyme activity. It was found that serotonin content of egg yolk which has been incubated for 10 days were as much as three times that of control egg yolk. It is not clear whether the increase of serotonin content might inhibit intracellular yolk granule degradation which might result in malformation of chick embryo, but it is likely that tryptophan administration might depress protein biosynthesis, consequently, the enzyme biosynthesis would be impaired. This might give rise to improper development of chick embryo.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.145-150
• /
• 1999

To explain the theory of KIMI which is the theory of therapeutics in oriental medicine, monoamine oxidase(MAO) activities were measured in the brain and liver of mice which were orally administered oriental medicinal herbs which were classified into cold and hot drugs. Rheum palmatum, Anemarrhena asphodeloides, Gardenia jasminoides, Scutellaria baicalensis and Coptis japonica were considered as the cold drugs and Zingiber officinale, Aconitum carmichaeli, Asiasarum sieboldi, Evodia officinalis and Cinnamomum cassia were included in the hot drugs. The effects of cold and hot drugs on in vitro enzyme activities were measured and compared with the in vivo effects. Serotonin is important neurotransmetter involved in the control of body temperature. The MAO plays a central role in the metabolism of many neurotransmetter monoamines including serotonin. MAO is a flavoprotein found exclusively in the mitochondrial outer membrane, occuring in the MAO-A and MAO-B subtypes. MAO-A deaminates serotonin and noradrenaline, whereas MAO-B prefers phenylethylamine and benzylamine as substrates. Coptis japonica and Aconitum carmichaeli elevated the in vivo MAO activities and especialy, in vivo MAO-B activities were significantly increased. In vitro MAO-A activities were increased by hot drugs, whereas the in vitro MAO-B activities were inhibited. Cold drugs inhibited both enzyme activities in vitro.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.175-185
• /
• 2008

Accumulating evidence has suggested the existence of reciprocal communication between immune, endocrine, and neurotransmitter system. Cytokine hypothesis of depression implies that increased pro-inflammatory cytokine such as -1, IL-6, IL-12, TNF-${\alpha}$, and IFN-${\gamma}$ in major depression, acting neuromodulators, play a key role in the mediation of behavioral, neuroendocrine, and neurochemical disturbances in depression. Concerning the relation between cytokines and serotonin metabolism, pro-inflammatory cytokines have profound effects on the metabolism of brain serotonin through the enzyme indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase(IDO) that metabolizes tryptophan, the precursor of 5-HT to neurodegenerative quinolinate and neuroprotective kynurenate. The neurodegeneration process is reinforced by the neurotoxic effect of the hypercortisolemia during depression. From this perspective, it is possible that efficacy of antidepressants in the treatment of depression may, at least in part, rely on downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine synthesis. So, the use of cytokine synthesis inhibitors or cytokine antagonists may be a new treatment approach in depression. However, at present the question whether cytokines play a causal role in the onset of depression or are mere epiphenomena sustaining depressive symptoms remains to be elucidated. Nevertheless, cytokine hypothesis has created new perspectives in the study of psychological and pathophysiological mechanism that are associated with major depression, as well as the prospect for developing a new generation antidepressants.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.57-68
• /
• 2018

Objectives: To experimentally assess the anti-depressant effects of Gammakdaejo-tang Complex Extracts (GMDJ-Tang) in rats. Methods: Twenty Wistar Hannover (160~170 g) stressed rats were treated with different concentrations of GMDJ-Tang extracts i.e., 0, 62.5 mg/kg, 125 mg/kg, and 250 mg/kg. Chronic mild stress was induced by food deprivation, empty bottles, forced swimming, flickered light, tilt cages, shaking cages, high density breeding, water deprivation, and by soaking the litter cover according to fixed schedule. Blood and brain tissue samples were collected for biochemical analysis. Tests included serotonin and ELISA assays. Results: GMDJ-tang increased the weight of treated rats as well as levels of serotonin, BDNF and TrkB; however, the differences were not significant. In contrast, the extracts significantly decreased blood glucose in stressed rats. GMDJ-tang extracts did not significantly impact Serum AST, ALT, leukocytes, erythrocytes and thrombocytes when comparing treatment groups to control rats. Likewise, hemoglobin, hematocrit and PLT increased in treatment groups following treatment with GMDJ-tang, but this change was without significance. Conclusions: These results suggest that GMDJ-tang can alleviate chronic mild stress in rats, possibly through anti-depressant activity.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.34 no.2 s.133
• /
• pp.185-189
• /
• 2003

We examined the inhibitory activities against monoamine oxidase (MAO) of Morus alba in vitro and in vivo methods. Methanolic extract of M. alba showed significantly inhibitory activities on MAO-A and MAO-B that were prepared from rat brain and liver in vitro. The inhibitory activities were measured by serotonin and benzylamine as substrates, respectively. MAO-A and MAO-B activities were potently inhibited by ethylacetate extracts of M. alba in vitro tests. Those activities in vivo tests have different tendency each other. MAO-A activity was increased by the oral administration of methanolic extract of M. Alba, while, MAO-B activity was decreased. Consequently, we can suggest that M. alba may have the effects on the inhibitory activities against MAO both in vitro and in vivo.

• Anxiety and mood
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.20-25
• /
• 2007

The definite causes of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are still unknown. OCD has been suggested to be related to many neurotransmitters in brain, such as serotonin, dopamine and glutamate. It has been shown that serotonergic neurons play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of OCD. Recently, it is known that neurotransmitters other than serotonin also play a role in the pathophysiology of OCD, and a series of studies have provided a few evidence that glutamate may be involved in some OCD patients. The purpose of this article was to review the literatures on glutamatergic dysfunction in OCD. We suggest that glutamatergic dysfunction may be implicated in the pathophysiology of OCD.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.157-161
• /
• 2006

We examined the inhibitory activities against monoamine oxidase (MAO) of Prunella vulgaris in vitro and in vivo methods. Methanolic extract of P. vulgaris showed significantly Inhibitorγ activities on MAO-A and MAO-B that were prepared from rat brain and liver in vitro. The inhibitory activities were measured by serotonin and benzylamine as substrates, respectively. MAO-A and MAO-B activities were potently inhibited by ethylacetate extracts of P. vulgaris in vitro tests. It was observed that those activities in vivo tests have different tendency each other. MAO-A activity was increased by the oral administration of methanolic extract of P. vulgaris while MAO-B activity was decreased. Consequently, we suggest that P. vulgaris may have the effects on the inhibitory activities against MAO both in vitro and in vivo.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.127-133
• /
• 1999

To elucidate the preventive effect of oriental medicine Gungchi -hwadamsun (GH) on stress, we investigated the physiological change of rats which were applied immobilization stress. For immobilization stress, rats were placed in restrainer for 12 hours a day for 3 days. During application of stress, body weight of rats was measured. After sacrifice, 8 organs were taken for measurement of organ weight. Brain was sectioned into 4 parts that are Frontal Cortex, Corpus Striatum, Hypothalamus and Hippocampus. Each part was homogenated and its catecholamine and serotonin contents were measured with HPLC. In our study, stress mainly induced increase of concentration of neurotransmitters in brain, but had mild effect on other physical function of rats. GH inhibited stress induced changes of neurotransmitter content in brain.