• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.595-602
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• 2013

As a major inhibitory neurotransmitter of the central nervous system in animals, ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has several physiological functions, such as anti-hypertensive, diuretic, tranquilizer and anti-stress effects in human. In order to determine strains with high GABA producing ability and glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) activity, 273 bacteria were isolated from various types of Kimchi. Strain K255 contained $386.37{\mu}g/mL$ of GABA in MRS broth containing 1% MSG, $600.63{\mu}g/mL$ of GABA in MRS broth containing 2% MSG and $821.24{\mu}g/mL$ of GABA in MRS broth containing 3% MSG. It showed that K255 had the highest GABA production ability compared to other commercial lactic acid bacteria. K255 was identified as Lactobacillus plantarum based on its API carbohydrate fermentation pattern and 16S rDNA sequence. K255 was investigated for its physiological characteristics. The optimum growth temperature of K255 was $37^{\circ}C$and cultures took 13 h to reach the pH 4.4. K255 showed more sensitive to bacitracin in a comparison of fifteen different antibiotics, and showed most resistance to kanamycin and vancomycin. Moreover, it was comparatively tolerant to bile juice and acid and displayed resistance to Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, with rates of 30.8%, 29.7%, and 23.4% respectively. These results demonstrate that K255 could be an excellent strain for the production of functional products.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.95-108
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• 1999

We investigated whether an aqueous extract of Polygala tenuifolia root (PTAE) inhibits secretion of inflammatory cytokines from primary cultures of mouse astrocytes. PTAE dose-dependently inhibited the Tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ $(TNF-{\alpha})$ secretion by astrocytes stimulated with substance P (SP) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Interleukin-1 (IL-1) has been shown to elevate $TNF-{\alpha}$ secretion from LPS-stimulated astrocytes while having no effect on astrocytes in the absence of LPS. We therefore also investigated whether IL-1 mediated inhibition of $TNF-{\alpha}$ secretion from primary astrocytes by PTAE. Treatment of PTAE to astrocytes stimulated with both LPS and SP decreased IL-1 secretion to the level observed with LPS alone. Moreover, incubation of astrocytes with IL-1 antibody abolished the synergistic cooperative effect of LPS and SP. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated the significantly reduced level of the $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA was expressed in astrocytes treated with PTAE. These results suggest that PTAE has an antiinflammatory activity on the central nervous system curing some pathological disease states.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.173-183
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• 2001

Substance P can stimulate secretion of tumor necrosis $factor-\;{\alpha}\;(TNF-\;{\alpha}\;)$ from astrocytes stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Here I report that Chilbogeum can modulate cytokines secretion from primary cultures of rat astrocytes. Chilbogeum $(10\;{\mu}g/ml)$ significantly inhibited the $TNF-\;{\alpha}$ secretion by astrocytes stimulated with LPS and Substance P. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) has been shown to elevate $TNF-\;{\alpha}$ secretion from LPS-stimulated astrocytes while having no effect on astrocytes in the absence of LPS. Treatment of Chilbogeum $(10,\;100\;{\mu}g/ml)$ to astrocytes stimulated with both LPS and Substance P decreased IL-1 secretion significantly. The secretion of $TNF-\;{\alpha}$ by LPS and Substance P in astrocytes was progressively inhibited with increasing amount of IL-1 neutralizing antibody. Upon stimulation from various agents, these cells adopt a reactive phenotype, a morphological hallmark in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology, during which they themselves may produce still more inflammatory cytokines. Chilbogeum $(10,\;100\;{\mu}g/ml)$ significantly inhibited the $TNF-\;{\alpha}$ secretion by CCF-STTG1 astrocytoma cells stimulated with $A\;{\beta}$ and IL-1. These results suggest that Chilbogeum may inhibit $TNF-\;{\alpha}$ secretion by inhibiting IL-1 secretion and that Chilbogeum has an antiinflammatory activity in AD brain.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.69-76
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• 2008

${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, and its actions are mediated by subtypes of GABA receptors named as $GABA_A$, $GABA_B,\;and\;GABA_C,\;GABA_A$, receptor consisting of ${\alpha},\;{\beta},\;{\gamma}\;and\;{\delta}$ subunits is a heterooligomeric ligand-gated chloride channel. This study was performed to investigate regulation of $GABA_A$ receptor by protein kinase C(PKC). Ion currents were recorded using gramicidine-perforated patch and whole cell patch clamp. mRNA encoding the subunits of PKC expressed in major pelvic ganglion (MPG) neurons was detected by using RT-PCR. The GABA-induced inward current was increased by PKC activators and decreased by PKC inhibitors, respectively. These effects were not associated with intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ and GAG (1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol), a membrane permeable diacylglycerol (DAG) analogue. These results mean that the subfamily of PKC participating in activation of $GABA_A$ receptor would be an atypical PKC (aPKC). Among theses, ${\xi}$ isoform of aPKC was detected by RT-PCR. Taking together, we suggest that excitable $GABA_A$ receptor in sympathetic MPG neuron seemed to be regulated by aPKC, particular in ${\xi}$ isoform. The regulatory roles of PKC on excitatory $GABA_A$ receptors in sympathetic neurons of MPG may be an important factor to control the functional activity of various pelvic organs such as bowel movement, micturition and erection.

• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.9
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• pp.484-489
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• 2020

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by unpredictable seizures, which are bursts of electrical activity that temporarily affect the brain. Cereblon (CRBN), a DCAFs (DDB1 and CUL4-associated factors), is a well-established protein associated with human mental retardation. Being a substrate receptor of the cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase (CRL) 4 complex, CRBN mediates ubiquitination of several substrates and conducts multiple biological processes. In the central nervous system, the large-conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ (BK_Ca) channel, which is the substrate of CRBN, is an important regulator of epilepsy. Despite the functional role and importance of CRBN in the brain, direct injection of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) to induce seizures in CRBN knock-out mice has not been challenged. In this study, we investigated the effect of PTZ in CRBN knock-out mice. Here, we demonstrate that, compared with WT mice, CRBN knock-out mice do not show the intensification of seizures by PTZ induction. Moreover, electroencephalography recordings were also performed in the brains of both WT and CRBN knockout mice to identify the absence of significant differences in the pattern of seizure activities. Consistently, immunoblot analysis for validating the protein level of the CRL4 complex containing CRBN (CRL4^Crbn) in the mouse brain was carried out. Taken together, we found that the deficiency of CRBN does not affect PTZ-induced seizure.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 1992

Spontaneous pain and painful overreaction to external stimuli resulting from lesion confined central nervous system (CNS) were named as thalamic syndrome. Thalamic lesion and decreased regional cortical perfusion thought to the pathogenesis of thalamic syndrome due to decreased function of thalamocortical tract. We performed $^{99m}Tc-HMPAO$ regional cerebral perfusion in 10 patients with clinical diagnosis of thalamic syndrome due to thalamic lesion or near the thalamic lesion at Yonsei University Hospital, from January 1989 to August 1991. In contrast to five patients with lesions near the thalamus who did not show secondarily decreased perfusion at cerebral cortex, four among the five patients with thalamic lesions revealed decreased cortical perfusion in the ipsilateral cerebral cortex on brain SPECT. These phenomena may suggest the loss of afferent activating stimuli from the thalamus led to decreased neuronal activity and the followitng hypoperfusion of cerebral cortex, and might be one of the indirect signs for suggesting presence of the thalamocortical tract. A causal relationship between cortical hypoperfusion and neuropsychological deficit is strongly suggested.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.1-12
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• 2007

Objectives : Allergic children have known to have multiple behavior problems. Among them, attentional ability disorder is one of the most common problems. This study is to examine relationship between learning ability and allergic rhinitis by analyzing EEG status of children. Methods : We analyzed cognitive functions of two different children groups; 21 children with allergic rhinitis and 19 normal children with CANS 3000(Central & Autonomic Nervous System, LAXTHA Inc., Korea), cognitive functions assessment program by EEG. Results : 1. According to mean active EEG rhythm of Theta, Alpha, SMR, M-beta, there were no significant difference between allergic rhinitis and the normal group. 2. According to mean active EEG rhythm of right H-beta, Gamma wave allergic rhinitis group's value was significantly higher than that of the normal group. 3. According to mean cognitive strength, response, concentration, left / right brain activity and learning ability score, there were no significant difference between allergic rhinitis and the normal group. 4. According to mean workload score, allergic rhinitis group's value was significantly higher than that of the normal group. Conclusions : It is likely that allergic rhinitis group, which showed relatively high frequency EEG rhythm, is more fragile to stress and less active on mental processing. Along side with physical examination, psychological assessment should also be conjugated on treating children with allergic rhinitis.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.101-105
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• 2005

[ ${\beta}ig-h3$ ] is a secretory protein that is induced by $TGF-{\beta}$ and implicated in various disease conditions including fibrosis. We have previously reported that ${\beta}ig-h3$ expression is implicated in astrocyte response to brain injury. In this study, we further investigated potential roles of ${\beta}ig-h3$ protein in the injured central nervous system (CNS). We specifically assessed whether the treatment of microglial cells with ${\beta}ig-h3$ can regulate microglial activity. Microglial cells are the prime effector cells in CNS immune and inflammatory responses. When activated, they produce a number of inflammatory mediators, which can promote neuronal injury. We prepared conditioned medium from the stable CHO cell line transfected with human ${\beta}ig-h3$ cDNA. We then examined the effects of the conditioned medium on the LPS- or $IFN-{\gamma}-mediated$ induction of proinflammatory molecules in microglial cells. Preincubation with the conditioned medium significantly attenuated LPS-mediated upregulation of $TNF-{\alpha},\;IL-1{\beta}$, iNOS and COX-2 mRNA expression in BV2 murine microglial cells. It also reduced $IFN-{\gamma}-mediated$ upregulation of $TNF-{\alpha}$ and COX-2 mRNA expression but not iNOS mRNA expression. Assays of nitric oxide release correlated with the mRNA data, which showed selective inhibition of LPS-mediated nitric oxide production. Although the regulatory mechanisms need to be further investigated, these results suggest that astrocyte-derived ${\beta}ig-h3$ may contribute to protection of the CNS from immune-mediated damage via controlling microglial inflammatory responses.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 1971

This study was planned to see whether the Panax Ginseng root has any influence upon the emotionality in rats exposed to a novel open-field and induced by a grid shock. Sixty four male albino rats whose body weight ranged from 130 to 180 gm were used. They were divided into four groups, i.e., placebo control group, 5mg/kg Ginseng ext. group, 10mg/kg Ginseng ext. group, and 20mg/kg Ginseng ext. group. Sixteen rats were subjected in each group. Open-field activity was measured in a $2.20m\;{\times}\;2.20m$ open-field that was divided into 15cm squares. Four novel objects and food pellets were put with an equal distance in the open-field. Locomotion was recorded by entering the number of squares traversed for 4 min. and behaviors which were shown at the 10-sec. period were checked by a modified Jarrad and Bunnel's observation procedure. Sensitivity to the grid shock was measured in a compartment of shuttle box. 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 volt ac. 2 sec., electric shock were delivered in each subject by the grid to animal's feet. Flinch, vocalization and jumping responses were rated in each shock level. The results obtained were as follows: 1.) 5mg/kg and 10mg/kg Ginseng ext. groups were tended to increase the ambulation and exploration compared with placebo control. 2.) All Ginseng extract groups were defecated significantly less often than placebo control in the open-field and shock situation. 3.) Thresholds to the electric shock were tended to elevate in all Ginseng groups. 4.) These results suggest that Ginseng extract has a stimulant action in open-field and a tranqulizing action in feared situation.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.1-24
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• 2011

Backgrounds: Danggui, one of the major herbs in Korean traditional medicine consists of three species: Angelica gigas of Korea, Angelica sinensis of China, and Angelica acutiloba of Japan. Despite its importance in Korean traditional medicine, recognition of the clinical differences between its three species is insufficient. Objectives: The purpose of the present review is to suggest evidence in using Angelica gigas, Angelica sinensis, and Angelica acutiloba distinctively in clinic, by comparing their pharmacological effects and bioactive compounds. Methods: We searched articles published from 2000 to 2009 in Pubmed, EMbase, and RISS. The search keywords were "Angelica gigas", "Angelica sinensis", "Angelica acutiloba", "dongquei", "toki", "Angelicae Radix", "Archangelica officinalis Hoffm.", "Garden Angelica", "Chinese angelica root", "tangkuei", and "danggui". 861 articles were searched. Among them, we selected 143 articles which met our inclusion criteria. Results: This review summarizes active constituents, experimental studies, clinical studies, pharmacokinetics, side effects and toxicity, drug interaction, and industrial use of Angelica gigas, Angelica sinensis, and Angelica acutiloba. Conclusions: While Angelica sinensis and Angelica acutiloba are relatively similar, Angelica gigas is quite different from the others in main active constituents and genetic form. The main experimental studies of Danggui are cardiovascular studies, central nervous system studies and anti-cancer activity. Even though there were cases in which the three species show similar pharmacological effects, the mechanism was not always shared. Therefore, distinguished use of Angelica gigas, Angelica sinensis and Angelica acutiloba is needed.