• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.55-66
• /
• 2004

Objectives : This study was aimed to evaluate the anti-starvation stress effect of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma on mice. Methods : First, we divided the mice into 6 groups: Normal Group (group with no starvation), Control Group (administered normal saline 6 times before starting 36 hours starvation), Sample A Group (administered Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma 0.25g/kg 6 times before starting 36 hours starvation), Sample B Group (administered Atractylodis Mocrocephalae Rhizoma 0.5g/kg 6 times before starting 36 hours starvation), Sample C Group (administered Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma 1.0g/kg 6 times before starting 36 hours starvation), and Sample D Group (administered Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma 3.0g/kg 6 times before starting 36 hours starvation). Blood was collected from the retro-orbital plexus and then we measured the plasma corticosterone level from the blood. Rectal temperature was measured right after the blood collection. Results : 1. The plasma corticosterone level in Sample A. B, C, and D Groups decreased compared with the Control Group. Sample A and Sample B Groups showed significant differences (p<0.05, p<0.01) compared with the Control Group. 2. The rectal temperature in Sample A, B, C, and D Groups increased compared with the Control Group. Sample A, B. C, and D Groups showed significant differences (p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.01, p<0.001) compared with the Control Group. Conclusions : Based on the above results, it might be recognized that Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma has anti-starvation stress effect, and that further study is needed from various viewpoints.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.2
• /
• pp.131-139
• /
• 2013

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of housing systems on physiological and immunological responses as stress indicators in laying hens. A total of 500 White Leghorn aged 16 weeks were allotted into ten conventional cages (10 birds/cage and 810 $cm^2$/bird) and four floor pens (100 birds/pen and 2,800 $cm^2$/bird) for 24 weeks. The hens housed in conventional cages with higher stocking density resulted in a significantly (P<0.05) lower BW compared with those housed in floor pens with lower stocking density without affecting the relative weights of immune organs between housing conditions. In plasma biochemical values, cholesterol and corticosterone were significantly (P<0.05) lower in the hens housed in floor pens compared with those housed in conventional cages. In pro-inflammatory cytokines, hepatic interleukin (IL)-10 and interferon-gamma (IFN-${\gamma}$) levels were significantly (P<0.05) higher in the hens housed in conventional cages compared with those kept in floor pens. Splenic and thymic IFN-${\gamma}$ expression was significantly (P<0.05) up-regulated in the hens kept in conventional cages compared with those kept in floor pens without affecting IL-1, IL-10, lipopolysaccharide- induced tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ factor (LITAF) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). In the bursa of Fabricius, IL-10 and iNOS expression of the hens housed in conventional cages were significantly (P<0.05) higher compared with those of the hens housed in floor pens. In conclusion, layers housed in conventional cages enhanced plasma cholesterol, corticosterone and some pro-inflammatory cytokines in the immune organs compared with those in floor pens.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.45-55
• /
• 2007

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effects of Radix Curcumae on the animal model of depression induced immobilization stress. Method : 1) Male rats were used for this experiment. The subject were divided into 4 groups(1. normal 2. saline solution administered during immobilization stress treatment 3. Radix Curcumae of l00mg/kg administered 4. Radix Curcumae of 400mg/kg administered). 2) Immobilization stress was treated for 1 hours on day. During 2 days of immobilization stress treatment, they were executed forced swimming test, passive avoidance test, elevated plus maze test. Corticosterone in blood were measured. Results : 1) In EPM test, stress group showed significantly increased anxiety, Radix Curcumae of 400mg/kg group showed significantly decreased anxiety. 2) In forced swimming test, Radix Curcumae of 400mg/kg group showed significantly decreased immobilization. 3) In passive avoidance test, stress group showed significantly decreased learning execution, Radix Curcumae groups showed significantly increased learning execution. 4) Stress group showed significantly increase in serum level of corticosterone, Radix Curcumae of 400mg/kg group showed significantly decreased serum level of corticosterone. Conclusion : These results suggest that Radix Curcumae is effective in the treatment of depression.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.313-322
• /
• 2013

Previous studies have demonstrated that repeated administration of the exogenous stress hormone corticosterone (CORT) induces dysregulation in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and results in depression and anxiety. The current study sought to verify the impact of catechin (CTN) administration on chronic CORT-induced behavioral alterations using the forced swimming test (FST) and the elevated plus maze (EPM) test. Additionally, the effects of CTN on central noradrenergic systems were examined by observing changes in neuronal tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity in rat brains. Male rats received 10, 20, or 40 mg/kg CTN (i.p.) 1 h prior to a daily injection of CORT for 21 consecutive days. The activation of the HPA axis in response to the repeated CORT injections was confirmed by measuring serum levels of CORT and the expression of corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) in the hypothalamus. Daily CTN administration significantly decreased immobility in the FST, increased open-arm exploration in the EPM test, and significantly blocked increases of TH expression in the locus coeruleus (LC). It also significantly enhanced the total number of line crossing in the open-field test (OFT), while individual differences in locomotor activities between experimental groups were not observed in the OFT. Taken together, these findings indicate that the administration of CTN prior to high-dose exogenous CORT significantly improves helpless behaviors, possibly by modulating the central noradrenergic system in rats. Therefore, CTN may be a useful agent for the treatment or alleviation of the complex symptoms associated with depression and anxiety disorders.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.507-517
• /
• 2015

The bark of Magnolia officinalis has been used in traditional oriental medicine to treat a variety of mental disorders including anxiety and depression. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of M. officinalis ethanol extract on stress-induced alterations in learning and cognitive function using a passive avoidance test (PAT) and also on anxiety-related behavior using the elevated plus-maze test (EPM) in female rats . The degree of Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the region of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the locus coeruleus (LC) was measured using an immunohistochemical method. Corticosterone concentrations in serum were also measured. The ethanol extract from Magnolia officinalis was orally administered to female rats 30 minutes before evaluating their immobilization stress and anxiety-related behavior using an elevated plus-maze test and a passive avoidance test. Time spent in the open arms of the EPM increased in the M. officinalis-treated group compared with that of the saline-treated control group. In the passive avoidance test, the memory and cognitive function improved in the M. officinalis extract-treated group. M. officinalis extracts reduced elevated corticosterone concentrations in serum. Also, stress-induced TH increases were suppressed in the M. officinalis extract-treated group in the LC and the VTA region. These results suggest that M. officinalis might prove to be an effective anxiolytic anti-stress agent.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.713-717
• /
• 2008

In the present study, chronic effects of the hot water extracts of walnut seed (Juglans regia L.) (WSE) and Nelumbo nucifera seed (NSE) were investigated in mice exposed to 2 hr of restraint stress each day for 4 weeks. Corticosterone levels in serum were significantly increased in the vehicle-treated stressed group ($25\;{\mu}g/dL$) compared to that in the control group ($13\;{\mu}g/dL$). This stress induced gastric redness and lesions. However, treatment with WSE and/or NSE significantly protected the stomach from this lesion by 50-60% compared to that in the vehicletreated group. In the amygdala, the administration of WSE and/or NSE also reduced the immediate early gene (c-fos) expression by 70-90% vs. the vehicle-treated group. These suggest that WSE and/or NSE may reduce the appearance of symptoms induced by stress and these materials are useful as anti-stress foods, as natural products tend to be relatively safe compared to chemical products.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.253-258
• /
• 2004

Stress is a global menace exacerbated by the advancement of industrialization. Failure of stress management is to a breakdown of the psychological and physiological protection mechanisms against stress. The aim of present study was to investigate the anti-stress potential of ginseng against immobilization stress. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=24) were divided into three groups; (i) control, (ii) immobilization stress (2hr daily, for 2 weeks), and (iii) immobilization stress (2 hr daily, for 2 weeks) plus oral administration of ginseng (200 mg/kg BW Id). Immobilization stress resulted in a significant inhibition of body weight gain by 45 % and a significant decrease in the tissue weights of thymus and spleen (p < 0.05). The concentrations of blood GOT and GPT were significantly increased in the immobilization-stressed group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). There were no differences in the blood cholesterol levels among groups. Ginseng administration in the immobilization-stressed group tended to reverse the lack of body weight gain and food intake, though not significantly. The ginseng-administered group showed a significant reversal in the stress-induced effect on spleen and thymus weight, increasing the tissue weights by 16% and 20%, respectively, compared to immobilization-stressed group (p<0.05). The plasma corticosterone level was significantly increased in the stressed group by 39 % compared to the control group (p<0.05), but ginseng administration significantly reversed the stress-induced increase in plasma corticosterone by 15 % compared to the immobilization-stressed group. The present study suggests that the anti-stress effect of ginseng is mediated by normalization of stress-induced changes in the circulating hormones and a reversal of tissue weight loss, thereby returning the body to normal homeostasis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.77-83
• /
• 2024

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by neuronal cell death and memory impairment. Corticosterone (CORT) is a glucocorticoid hormone produced by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in response to a stressful condition. Excessive stress and high CORT levels are known to cause neurotoxicity and aggravate various diseases, whereas mild stress and low CORT levels exert beneficial actions under pathophysiological conditions. However, the effects of mild stress on AD have not been clearly elucidated yet. In this study, the effects of low (3 and 30 nM) CORT concentration on Aβ_25-35-induced neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells and underlying molecular mechanisms have been investigated. Cytotoxicity caused by Aβ_25-35 was significantly inhibited by the low concentration of CORT treatment in the cells. Furthermore, CORT pretreatment significantly reduced Aβ_25-35-mediated pro-apoptotic signals, such as increased Bim/Bcl-2 ratio and caspase-3 cleavage. Moreover, low concentration of CORT treatment inhibited the Aβ_25-35-induced cyclooxygenase-2 and pro-inflammatory cytokine expressions, including tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β. Aβ_25-35 resulted in intracellular accumulation of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation, which were effectively reduced by the low CORT concentration. As a molecular mechanism, low CORT concentration activated the nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2, a redox-sensitive transcription factor mediating cellular defense and upregulating the expression of antioxidant enzymes, such as NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase, glutamylcysteine synthetase, and manganese superoxide dismutase. These findings suggest that low CORT concentration exerts protective actions against Aβ_25-35-induced neurotoxicity and might be used to treat and/or prevent AD.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.18-32
• /
• 2013

Objectives: In this research, the effect of Gyogam-dan (GGD) on depression and immunity were assessed in ovariectomized rats subjected to repetitive stress. GGD is the prescription consisting of Poria cocos and Cyperi Rhizoma. Methods: Ovariectomized rats were repeatedly stressed over a 2-week period. After GGD (100 or 400 mg/kg) were orally administered, Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) and forced swimming test (FST) were performed to evaluate depressive and anxiety response. As well, the change of corticosterone (CORT) and the change of interleukin-$1{\beta}$ (IL-$1{\beta}$) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) in blood serum and in brain were mesured. Results: 1. In the EPM, there were no statistically significant differences among the groups. 2. In the FST, immobility time significantly decreased in rats of each experiment group compared with the control group (p<0.01). 3. Serum CORT level were decreased in 400 mg GGD group (p<0.05). 4. On IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-4 measurement in the serum and brain, there were not significant increase or decrease compared with the control group. Conclusions: These results suggest that GGD is effective to reduce depression-behavior in ovariectomized rats. However, GGD do not has significant efficacy to reduce anxiety-behavior in EPM test. Measurement of serum CORT level reveals significant decrease and it shows anti-depressant like effect. Results on immunity are not significant.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.143-150
• /
• 2021

In this study, we investigated the effects of light intensity on broiler chick growth performance, blood parameters, and stress levels. A total of 240 one-day-old male Ross 308 broilers (47.97±0.166 g) were subjected to three different intensities of light (20, 30, and 50 lx), with each treatment being conducted with four replicates. On the seventh day, the growth performance (body weight, feed conversion ratio, and breast muscle and liver weights) and blood parameters were determined; the levels of serum corticosterone, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α were also evaluated. The body weight, weight gain, liver weight, and breast muscle weight of chicks exposed to a light intensity of 50 lx were significantly increased compared with those of chicks subjected to 20 lx (P<0.05). No significant differences were observed in the leukocyte, erythrocyte, and platelet counts and the biochemical profile exceptions being the levels of glucose and inorganic phosphorus in the blood of the chicks in the three light intensity groups. However, serum corticosterone and IL-6 levels were the highest in chicks exposed to a light intensity of 20 lx (P<0.05). In conclusion, the findings of this study indicate that broiler chicks exposed to higher light intensity (50 lx) show significant improvements in terms of weight gain and corticosterone and IL-6 levels. Thus, high light intensities enhanced the growth performance, stress levels, and immune status of broiler chicks.