• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.975-981
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• 2011

The aim of this study was to observe the effect of moxibustion at matched acupoints of ST36, ST37 and ST39 in rats with sex and age. This study measured small intestinal motility in rats. First, cauterize with moxa was applied to the ST36, ST37 and ST39 in rats classified by sex and age under enflurane anesthesia. And then same treatment is done to matched acupoints of ST36, ST37 and ST39. In each groups of ST36, ST37 and ST39, the small intestinal motility was increased in 5, 6, 8 weeks male and 5 weeks female rats at ST36, 6, 7 weeks male and 5, 6, 8 weeks female rats at ST37, 5, 6 weeks male and 5 weeks female rats at ST39. In matched acupoints, the small intestinal motility was increased in 5, 8 weeks male and 5, 6, 7, 8 weeks female rat at ST36+ST37, 5 weeks male and 6, 7, 8 weeks female rats at ST36+ST39, 5, 7 weeks male and 5, 8 weeks female rats at ST37+ST39. The effects of moxibustion at each acupoints decreased by advancing age and when these acupoints were combined, the effective results were shown in female rats of all age group. These results suggest that when each acupoints and matched acupoints was chosen in moxibustion treatment, the sex and age of individual is worth consideration.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.181-187
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• 2009

Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is one of common causes of acute lung injury (ALI). Early and accurate diagnosis of patients who are like to develop serious acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) would give a therapeutic advantage. Ferritin and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) are increased by oxidative stress and are potential candidates as a predictive biomarker of ARDS. However, the mechanisms responsible for the increases of ferritin and HO-1, and their relationship to ALI, are unclear. In order to elucidate the interactions between ferritin and HO-1, we studied the changes in ferritin and HO-1 levels in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid after intestinal I/R injury in rats. Leukocyte number and protein contents in BAL fluid were elevated following I/R, and the increases were attenuated by mepacrine pretreatment. Both serum ferritin and HO-1 concentrations were progressively elevated throughout the 3 h observation period. Mepacrine pretreatment attenuated the increase of serum and BAL fluid ferritin concentrations, but did not suppress the increase of serum HO-1. Moreover, BAL fluid HO-1 levels did not change after I/R or after mepacrine pretreated I/R compared with sham rats. Unlike ferritin, HO-1 levels are not exactly matched with the ALI. Therefore, there might be a different mechanism between the changes of ferritin and HO-1 in intestinal I/R-induced ALI model.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.187-191
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• 2006

Serum ferritin levels are increased in subjects at-risk for or with acute lung injury (ALI), and there are observations to suggest that increases in serum ferritin levels may help predict the development of ALI in at-risk individuals. To deepen our understanding of increases of serum ferritin and their relationship to the development of ALI, we measured serum ferritin levels before and after intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats, and found that serum ferritin levels increased significantly following I/R. Increases in serum and lavage ferritin levels paralleled increases in lung inflammation (lavage leukocyte numbers and tissue myeloperoxidase activities) and lung leak (lavage protein levels). In contrast, pre-treatment of rats with mepacrine (60 mg/kg, i.p.), a phospholipase $A_2$ inhibitor, attenuated not only I/R-induced serum and lavage ferritin increases, but also the development of ALI. These findings indicate that, besides of human subjects with ALI, serum ferritin levels increase early on also in an animal model of ALI. Therefore, serum and lavage ferritin can be a candidate for early biomarker of ALI.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.521-527
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• 1998

An important property of the intestine is the ability to secrete fluid. The intestinal secretion is regulated by a number of substances including vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), ATP and different inflammatory mediators. One of the most important secretagogues is adenosine during inflammation. However, the controversy concerning the underlying mechanism of adenosine-stimulated $Cl^-$ secretion in intestinal epithelial cells still continues. To investigate the effect of adenosine on $Cl^-$ secretion and its underlying mechanism in the rabbit colon mucosa, we measured short circuit current ($I_{SC}$) under automatic voltage clamp with DVC-1000 in a modified Ussing chamber. Adenosine, when added to the basolateral side of the muocsa, increased $I_{SC}$ in a dose-dependent manner. The adenosine-stimulated $I_{SC}$ response was abolished when $Cl^-$ in the bath solution was replaced completely with gluconate. In addition, the $I_{SC}$ response was inhibited by a basolateral Na-K-Cl cotransporter blocker, bumetanide, and by apical $Cl^-$ channel blockers, dephenylamine-2-carboxylate (DPC), 5-nitro-2-(3-phenyl-propylamino)-benzoate (NPPB), glibenclamide. Amiloride, an epithelial $Na^+$ channel blocker, and 4,4-diisothiocyanato-stilbene-2,2-disulphonate (DIDS), a $Ca^{2+}-activated$ $Cl^-$ channel blocker, had no effect. In the mucosa pre-stimulated with forskolin, adenosine did not show any additive effect, whereas carbachol resulted in a synergistic potentiation of the $I_{SC}$ response. The adenosine response was inhibited by 10 ${\mu}M$ H-89, an inhibitor of protein kinase A. These results suggest that the adenosine-stimulated $I_{SC}$ response is mediated by basolateral to apical $Cl^-$ secretion through a cAMP-dependent $Cl^-$ channel. The rank order of potencies of adenosine receptor agonists was $5'-(N-ethylcarboxamino)adenosine(NECA)＞N^6-(R-phenylisopropyl)adenosine(R-$ PIA)＞2-[p-(2-carbonylethyl)-phenyl-ethylamino]-5'-N-ethylcarboxaminoadenosine(CGS21680). From the above results, it can be concluded that adenosine interacts with the $A_{2b}$ adenosine receptor in the rabbit colon mucosa and a cAMP-dependent signalling mechanism underlies the stimulation of $Cl^-$ secretion.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.748-754
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• 2007

Electroacupuncture is the combined treatment of mechanical and electric stimuli on the needle head, on which electricity runs after acupuncturing at the acupuncture points. It is reported that its treatment effect depends on the parameter of stimulus, which is wave of stimulus, frequency, voltage, and duration of electric current. To get the effective treatment, stimulus intensity over threshold is needed. We planned to experiment whether acupuncture effect is affected by sex, age, and weight. After we conducted electric stimulus at Zusanli(ST 36) which is known to increase small intestinal motility in normal rats, we observed the effects and got the following results. Though the increased effects of small intestinal motility of electro-acupuncture at Zusanli(ST 36) did not show the difference of sex, this effect was observed to have a tendency to decrease according to weight increase without distinction of sex. But the effect of electro-acupuncture shown in 4, 5, 7 weeks old without distinction of sex was observed to have a tendency to decrease with the growing of weeks-old in the male rat group. And the significant change without specific tendency was observed in the 4, 5 weeks old female rat group. This result suggested that sex, weight, and age should be considered to get the efficient electro-acupuncture. The more experimental study should be advanced to investigate the correlation between the factors that can affect the acupuncture treatment, and, afterward, the interconnection into the clinical use.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.1309-1316
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• 2023

To exert their beneficial effects, it is essential for the commensal bacteria of probiotic supplements to be sufficiently protected as they pass through the low pH environment of the stomach, and effectively colonize the intestinal epithelium downstream. Here, we investigated the effect of a multilayer coating containing red ginseng dietary fiber, on the acid tolerance, and the adhesion and proliferation capacities of three Lactobacillus strains (Limosilactobacillus reuteri KGC1901, Lacticaseibacillus casei KGC1201, Limosilactobacillus fermentum KGC1601) isolated from Panax ginseng, using HT-29 cells, mucin-coated plates, and human pluripotent stem cell-derived intestinal epithelial cells as in vitro models of human gut physiology. We observed that the multilayer-coated strains displayed improved survival rates after passage through gastric juice, as well as high adhesion and proliferation capacities within the various gut epithelial systems tested, compared to their uncoated counterparts. Our findings demonstrated that the multilayer coat effectively protected commensal microbiota and led to improved adhesion and colonization of intestinal epithelial cells, and consequently to higher probiotic efficacy.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.549-554
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• 2003

In order to estimate the availability of ruminally-protected Lys (RPLys) and Met (RPMet), quantitative changes of free Lys and Met in the total abomasal outflow and feces were determined in three Holstein heifers with a T-shaped duodenal cannula. RPLys was prepared by coating Lys with fat and RPMet with a pH-sensitive polymer. RPLys and RPMet containing 30 g of each amino acid were supplied together to heifers, and total abomasal outflow was collected hourly from the T-shaped duodenal cannula for a 48 h period. Collected abomasal outflows were fractionated into liquid and solid phases to measure free Lys and Met concentration. At 2 wk after total abomasal outflow sampling, heifers were supplied RPLys and RPMet together again, and total feces were collected every 12 h for a 3 d period t estimate excreted RPLys and RPMet in feces. The amounts of Lys and Met recovered from the liquid fractions of abomasal outflow were estimated to be $23.9{\pm}8.3%$ and $68.6{\pm}3.6%$ (p=0.008) of RPLys and RPMet ingested, respectively. Final intestinal disappearances of Lys and Met were estimated to be $49.5{\pm}2.6%$ and $78.2%{\pm}6.5%$ (p=0.015) of ingested RPLys and RPMet, respectively.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 2000

The present study was aimed at investigating the nutritional and physiological significance of rice bran as a source of dietary fiber as compared to pectin and wheat bran. The parameters for comparison included hypertrophy and morphology of intestines, stool weights and villus marker enzyme activity. For 6 weeks, 10 Sprague Dawley male rats were given one of six experimental diets: 1% cellulose control (CC), 5% pectin (P5), 5% rice bran(RB5), 10% rice bran(RB10), 5% wheat bran (WB5) or 10% wheat bran (WB10) based on the level of dietary fiber. Among experimental groups, food efficiency ratio and body weight gain was comparable. RB10 increased cecal and colonic tissue weights and content weights of cecum and colon as much as P5 did. Stool weight was positiviely correlated with colonic tissue weight (r=0.727, P<0.001), with colonic content weight(r=0.647, P<0.001). Small intestine length increased most in the P5 group, followed by the RB10 group. The scanning electron micrograph of jejunal villi from rice bran groups showed a leaf-shaped, smooth and regular pattern, whereas that of CC group produced a rather long shape. The wheat bran groups showed an irregular leafshaped pattern, and the pectin group typically produced leaf-shaped villi with surface damage. The activities of villus marker enzymes (maltase and sucrase) were higher in the bran-fed rats than in the control or pectin-fed rats. The results indicate than not only dietary fiber amounts but also fiber sources are closely related to the physiology and morphology of the large and small intestines in rats. Rice bran exerted effects on fecal output and trophic effects on the intestines similar to those of pectin.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.147-152
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• 2016

Present study aimed to investigate the effect of curcumin-pretreatment on intestinal I/R injury and on intestinal mucosa barrier. Thirty Wistar rats were randomly divided into: sham, I/R, and curcumin groups (n=10). Animals in curcumin group were pretreated with curcumin by gastric gavage (200 mg/kg) for 2 days before I/R. Small intestine tissues were prepared for Haematoxylin & Eosin (H&E) staining. Serum diamine oxidase (DAO) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ levels were measured. Expression of intestinal TNF-${\alpha}$ and tight junction protein (ZO-1) proteins was detected by Western blot and/or immunohistochemistry. Serum DAO level and serum and intestinal TNF-${\alpha}$ leves were significantly increased after I/R, and the values were markedly reduced by curcumin pretreatment although still higher than that of sham group (p<0.05 or p<0.001). H&E staining showed the significant injury to intestinal mucosa following I/R, and curcumin pretreatment significantly improved the histological structure of intestinal mucosa. I/R insult also induced significantly down-regulated expression of ZO-1, and the effect was dramatically attenuated by curcumin-pretreatment. Curcumin may protect the intestine from I/R injury through restoration of the epithelial structure, promotion of the recovery of intestinal permeability, as well as enhancement of ZO-1 protein expression, and this effect may be partly attributed to the TNF-${\alpha}$ related pathway.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.98-105
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• 2020

Background: Little is known about capsule endoscopy (CE) findings in patients with intestinal tuberculosis who exhibit small bowel lesions. The aim of the present study was to distinguish between Crohn's disease (CD) and intestinal tuberculosis based on CE findings. Methods: Findings from 55 patients, who underwent CE using PillCam SB CE (Given Imaging, Yoqneam, Israel) between February 2003 and June 2015, were retrospectively analyzed. Results: CE revealed small bowel lesions in 35 of the 55 patients: 19 with CD and 16 with intestinal tuberculosis. The median age at diagnosis for patients with CD was 26 years and 36 years for those with intestinal tuberculosis. On CE, three parameters, ≥10 ulcers, >3 involved segments and aphthous ulcers, were more common in patients with CD than in those intestinal tuberculosis. Cobblestoning was observed in five patients with CD and in none with intestinal tuberculosis. The authors hypothesized that a diagnosis of small bowel CD could be made when the number of parameters in CD patients was higher than that for intestinal tuberculosis. The authors calculated that the diagnosis of either CD or intestinal tuberculosis would have been made in 34 of the 35 patients (97%). Conclusion: The number of ulcers and involved segments, and the presence of aphthous ulcers, were significantly higher and more common, respectively, in patients with CD than in those with intestinal tuberculosis. Cobblestoning in the small bowel may highly favor a diagnosis of CD on CE.