• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.205-213
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• 1985

It is well documented that calcium is essential to cardiac contraction and the amplitude of contractility is proportional to the ionized calcium not to total calcium. Changes of serum ionic calcium before and after extracorporeal circulation were observed in fifty two patients operated on at Dept. of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, from May 21st, 1984, to July 6th, 1984. They were 28 males and 24 females including 21 acyanotic congenital heart diseases, 21 cyanotic congenital heart diseases, and 10 acquired valvular heart diseases. In general, preoperative serum ionic calcium was around the normal level, but those of immediate postoperative day and postop-first day were decreased subnormally with significance [P<0.05 vs. preop.]. From postop-third day, serum ionic calcium was returned to normal range. No significant difference was noticed in subgroups divided by 10 Kg of body weight and by the methods of myocardial protection. But the change of serum ionic calcium in the patients with prolonged pump time over 90 minutes was remarkable and the values were as follow; on immediate postop-day 1.780.18 mEq/L vs. 1.970.20 mEq/L [P<0.005],on postop-first day, 1.940.20mEq/L vs. 2.060.12 mEq/L [P<0.025], on postop-third day, 2.030.11mEq/L vs. 2.150.13mEq/L [P<0.01], and on postop-seventh day, 2.030.09mEq/L vs. 2.190.11mEq/L [P<0.005]. In summary, the serum ionic calcium was lowered after extracorporeal circulation and even severer degree according to the prolongation of bypass time. So, after extracorporeal circulation esp. in the cases with prolonged bypass time, early correction of lowered serum ionic calcium would be helpful to the postoperative hemodynamics.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2003

General pharmacological properties of DA-8159, a new pyrazolopyrimidinone derivative were examined in laboratory animals to investigate its safety profile. The oral administration of DA-8159 (1, 5 or 30 mg/kg) in mice and rats had no effect on general behaviors and central nervous system of the animals in test systems, such as hexobarbital-induced sleeping time, motor coordination, normal body temperature, writhing syndromes induced by 0.75% acetic acid solution, chemo-shock produced by pentetrazole solution and rotar rod test. Anesthetized cats treated intravenously with DA-8159 (0.1, 0.3, 1, 3 or 10 mg/kg) showed transient and mild decrease in blood pressure. However, heart rate, respiration rate and tidal volume were not changed by intravenous DA-8159. In the isolated organs including ileum, heart (sinus rate of atria and contractility of papillary muscle), trachea of guinea pigs and phrenic nerve of rats, DA-8159 ($10^{-8}$ ∼$10^{-5}$ mg/L) did not elicit any effect or inhibitory action on the chemically or electrically stimulated contraction. DA-8159 did not influence gastric secretion, pH and total acid output in rats and intestinal propulsion in mice. The administration of DA-8159 in rats had no effect on the platelet aggregation induced by ADP in rabbit plasma, urinary volume and electrolyte ion ($Na^{+}$, $K^{+}$, $Cl^{-}$) excretion in rats. Prothrombin time (PT) of the rats showed a mild but significant increase after administration of DA-8159. Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), however, was not affected by DA-8159. These results indicate that DA-8159 does not exert any of serious pharmacological effects.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.374-379
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• 2018

In this study, we investigated the effects of pelargonidin, an anthocyanidin found in many fruits and vegetables, on endothelium-independent vascular contractility to determine the underlying mechanism of relaxation. Isometric contractions of denuded aortic muscles from male rats were recorded, and the data were combined with those obtained in western blot analysis. Pelargonidin significantly inhibited fluoride-, thromboxane A2-, and phorbol ester-induced vascular contractions, regardless of the presence or absence of endothelium, suggesting a direct effect of the compound on vascular smooth muscles via a different pathway. Pelargonidin significantly inhibited the fluoride-dependent increase in the level of myosin phosphatase target subunit 1 (MYPT1) phosphorylation at Thr-855 and the phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate-dependent increase in the level of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 phosphorylation at Thr202/Tyr204, suggesting the inhibition of Rho-kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) activities and subsequent phosphorylation of MYPT1 and ERK1/2. These results suggest that the relaxation effect of pelargonidin on agonist-dependent vascular contractions includes inhibition of Rho-kinase and MEK activities, independent of the endothelial function.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.228-236
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• 2004

The aim of the present study was to examine whether green tea extract (CUMC6335) affects the blood pressure and the isolated aortic contractility of the rabbit in comparison with one of the most powerful active catechins, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). The phenylephrine $(1-10\;{\mu}M)-induced$ contractile responses were greatly inhibited in the presence of CUMC6335 (0.3-1.2 mg/ml). Also, high potassium (56 mM)-induced contractile responses were depressed in high concentration (0.6-1.2 mg/ml), but not affected in low concentration CUMC6335 (0.3 mg/ml). However, epigallocatechin gallate $(EGCG,\;4-12\;{\mu}g/ml)$ did not affect the contractile responses evoked by phenylephrine and high $K^+$. The infusion of CUMC6335 with a rate of 20 mg/kg/30 min made a significant reduction in pressor responses induced by intravenous norepinephrine. However, EGCG (1 mg/kg/30 min) did not affect them. Collectively, these results obtained from the present study suggest that intravenous CUMC6335 causes depressor action in the anesthetized rat at least partly through the blockade of adrenergic ${\alpha}_1-receptors$. CUMC6335 also causes the relaxation in the isolated aortic strips of the rabbit partly via the blockade of adrenergic ${\alpha}_1-receptors$, in addition to the unknown direct mechanism. It seems that there is no species difference in the vascular effect between the rat and the rabbit.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.797-807
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate whether Mahwangyunpye-tang(MYT) significantly affects mucin secretion from airway epithelial cells. Methods : Confluent hamster tracheal surface epithelial (HTSE) cells were metabolically radiolabeled with 3H-glucosamine for 24 hrs and chased for 30 min in the presence of MYT to assess the effect of the agent on 3H-mucin secretion. Total elution profiles of control spent media and treatment sample through Sepharose CL-4B column were analyzed. Effect of MYT on contractility of isolated tracheal smooth muscle was investigated; also investigated was effect of the agent on MUC5AC gene expression in cultured NCI-H292 cells. Possible cytotoxicities of the agent were assessed both by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release from HTSE cells and examining the rate of survival and proliferation of NCI-H292 cells. Results : MYT significantly increased mucin secretion from cultured HTSE cells, without significant cytotoxicity. MYT chiefly affected the 'mucin' secretion. MYT inhibited Acetylcholine-induced contraction of isolated tracheal smooth muscle. MYT did not significantly affect the expression levels of MUC 5AC gene in cultured NCI-H292 cells. Conclusions : Based on the above results, it is suggested that MYT increased mucin secretion from cultured HTSE cells without significant cytotoxicity and inhibited contraction of isolated tracheal smooth muscle.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.233-241
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• 1995

The nonapeptide bradykinin has been shown to exhibit an array of biological activities including relaxation/contraction of various smooth muscles. In order to investigate the effects of bradykinin on the contractility and the electrical activity of antral circular muscle of guinea-pig stomach, the isometric contraction and membrane potential were recorded. Also, using standard patch clamp technique, the $Ca^{2+}-activated$ K currents were recorded to observe the change in cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ concentration. $0.4 {\mu}M$ bradykinin induced a triphasic contractile response (transient contraction-transient relaxation-sustained contraction) and this response was unaffected by pretreatment with neural blockers (tetrodotoxin, atropine and guanethidine) or with apamin. Bradykinin induced hyperpolarization of resting membrane potential and enhanced the amplitude of slow waves and spike potentials. The enhancement of spike potentials was blocked by neural blockers. Both the bradykinin-induced contractions and changes in membrane potential were reversed by the selective $B_2$-receptor antagonist $(N{\alpha}-adamantaneacetyl-_{D}-Arg-[Hyp, Thy,_{D}-Phe]-bradykinin)$. In whole-cell patch clamp experiment, we held the membrane potential at -20 mV and spontaneous and transient changes of Ca-activated K currents were recorded. Bradykinin induced a large transient outward current, consistent with a calcium-releasing action of bradykinin front the intracellular calcium pool, because such change was blocked by pretreatment with caffeine. Bradykinin-induced contraction was also blocked by pretreatment with caffeine. From these results, it is suggested that bradykinin induces a calciumrelease and contraction through the $B_{2}$ receptor of guinea-pig gastric smooth muscle. Enhancement of slow wave activity is an indirect action of bradykinin through enteric nerve cells embedded in muscle strip.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.103-107
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• 1983

This experiment was undertaken to see whether dopamine has any effect on a uterine function and whether the uterus has a dopamine receptor. We used 14 female rats in the diestrus state which was identified by a vaginal smear. Under ether anesthesia, 3 pieces(1 cm length) from each side of the uterus were dissected out and mounted in 3 tissue chambers (4 cm diameter, 10 cm height) that contained Krebs-Ringer solution. The solution was continuously aerated with 95% $O_2$ containing 5% $CO_2$ and kept $37^{\circ}C$ consistantly during the whole experimental period. The spontaneous contractile activity of the isolated uterus was recorded using a force transducer. After a recovery period of 15 min in the chamber, the following experiments were carried out. In 7 rats, each piece of the uterus was received dopamine at concentrations of $10^{-4}$, $10^{-5}$ or $10^{-6}\;M$ for 10 min and then followed by domperidone at a concentration of $10^{-5}\;M$. In another 7 rats, each piece was received domperidone, a specific peripheral dopamine receptor antagonist, was administered at a concentration of $10^{-5}\;M$ for 5 min prior to dopamine at concentrations of $10^{-4}$, $10^{-5}$, or $10^{-6}\;M$. Dopamine inhibited the spontaneous uterine contraction dose-dependently (r=0.99, p<.01). The inhibited contractility by dopomine was significantly (P<.05) resumed by post-treatment of domperidone. Pre-treatment of domperidone also blocked significantly(p<.05) the inhibitory effect of dopamine. It is concluded from these results that dopamine has inhibitory role upon the spontaneous uterine contraction of the rat in the diestrus state and domperidone antagonized the inhibitory effect of dopamine. These results suggest strongly that dopamine may exert the inhibitory effect via the dopamine receptor in the rat uterus.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.3 no.6
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• pp.623-630
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• 1999

Decreased cardiac contractility occurs in endotoxicosis, but little is known about the ionic mechanism responsible for myocardial dysfunction. In this study, we examined the changes in $Ca{2+}$ and $K^+$ currents in cardiac myocytes from endotoxin-treated rat. Ventricular myocytes were isolated from normal and endotoxemic rats (ex vivo), that were treated for 10 hours with Salmonella enteritidis lipopolysaccharides (LPS; 1.5 mg/kg) intravenously. Normal cardiac myocytes were also incubated for 6 hours with 200 ng/ml LPS (in vitro). L-type $Ca{2+}$ current $(I_{Ca,L})$ and transient outward $K^+$ current $(I_{to})$ were measured using whole cell patch clamp techniques. Peak $I_{Ca,L}$ was reduced in endotoxemic myocytes (ex vivo; 6.00.4 pA/pF, P＜0.01) compared to normal myocytes (control; 10.90.6 pA/pF). Exposure to endotoxin in vitro also attenuated $I_{Ca,L}$ (8.40.4 pA/pF, P＜0.01). The amplitude of $(I_{to})$ on depolarization to 60 mV was reduced in endotoxin treated myocytes (16.51.5 pA/pF, P＜0.01, ex vivo; 20.00.9 pA/pF, P＜0.01 , in vitro) compared to normal myocytes (control; 24.71.0 pA/pF). There was no voltage shift in steady-state inactivation of $I_{Ca,L}$ and $(I_{to})$ between groups. These results suggest that endotoxin reduces $Ca{2+}$ and $K^+$ currents of rat cardiac myocytes, which may lead to cardiac dysfunction.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.287-293
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• 2009

The dried roots of Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) and Sanchi (Panax notoginseng) have been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for promoting blood circulation as well as various other bodily functions. Here we investigated the effects of a mixture of aqueous extracts of Danshen and Sanchi, named PASEL, on blood pressure and vascular contractility in rats. Orally administered PASEL (62.5 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg, for 5 weeks) lowered the blood pressure of spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR) but this was not observed in normal Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKR). We then investigated the effects of PASEL on the arterial contraction of the small branches of cerebral arteries (CAs) and large conduit femoral arteries (FAs) in rats. PASEL did not affect high-K (KCI 60 mM)- or phenyleprine (PhE)-induced contracture of FAs. The myogenic response, a reactive arterial constriction in response to increased luminal pressure, of small CA was dose-dependently suppressed by PASEL in SHR as well as control rats. Interestingly, the KCI-induced contraction of small CAs was slowly reversed by PASEL, and this effect was more prominent in SHR than control WKR. PASEL did not inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity. These results demonstrated that the antihypertensive effect of PASEL might be primarily mediated by altering the arterial MR, not by direct inhibition of L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels or by ACE inhibition.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.375-382
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• 1999

Growing evidence indicates that enhanced generation or actions of nitric oxide (NO) are implicated in the pathogenesis of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats and diabetic nephropathy in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. We investigated whether inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in STZ-induced diabetic rats is responsible for the alterations of vascular reactivity. Diabetic state was confirmed 28 days after injection of STZ (i.p) in rats by measuring blood glucose. In order to evaluate whether short term (4 weeks) diabetic state is related with altered vascular reactivity caused by iNOS expression, isometric tension experiments were performed. In addition, plasma nitrite/nitrate (NOx) levels and expression of iNOS in the lung and aorta of control and STZ-treated rats were compared by using Griess reagent and Western analysis, respectively. Results indicated that STZ-treated rats increased the maximal contractile response of the aorta to phenylephrine (PE), and high $K^+,$ while the sensitivity remained unaltered. Endothelium-dependent relaxation, but not SNP-mediated relaxation, was reduced in STZ-treated rats. Plasma nitrite/nitrates are significantly increased in STZ-treated rats compared to controls. The malondialdehyde (MDA) contents of liver, serum, and aorta of diabetic rats were also significantly increased. Furthermore, nitrotyrosine, a specific foot print of peroxynitrite, was significantly increased in endothelial cells and smooth muscle layers in STZ-induced diabetic aorta. Taken together, the present findings indicate that enhanced release of NO by iNOS along with increased lipid peroxidation in diabetic conditions may be responsible, at least in part, for the augmented contractility, possibly through the modification of endothelial integrity or ecNOS activity of endothelium in STZ-diabetic rat aorta.