• Toxicological Research
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.251-258
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• 1996

Panax ginseng has been used for various diseases including hepatic disorders. The aim of the present study was to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of ethanol extract and saponin of Panax ginseng in thioacetamide-intoxicated rats and to compare with silymarin, a known hepatoprotective agent. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were given single intragastric administration of thioacetamide. Aqueous solutions of ethanol extract and saponin of Panax ginseng with or without silymarin were administered intragastrically daily for six days from four days before until one day after thioacetamide administration. At the end of the treatment, the rats were fasted overnight and sacrificed. As a result, thioacetamide caused significant increase in serum levels of AST, ALT, 5'-nucleotidase and bilirubin. Thioacetamide increased $Ca^++$ content but decreased protein content in liver tissue. These thioacetamide-induced biochemical changes were prevented both by ethanol extract of ginseng and silymarin, but not by ginseng saponin. Silymarin did not potentlate the effect of either ethanol extract or saponin of ginseng on these parameters. Thioacetamide-induced confluent necrosis was not protected by the test drugs. In conclusion, ethanol extract of ginseng protects the liver possibly by stabilizing the cell membrane and by inhibiting thioacetamide-induced $Ca^++$ increase in the hepatocytes, which was comparable to that of silymarin.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.276-287
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• 2006

Background & Objective : The herbal medicine Sojukgunbihwan granule has been used for the treatment of functional dyspepsia, generally categorized as a gastric dysmotility disease. However, its mechanisms are not yet well known. Therefore, the effects of Sojukgunbihwan granules on gastric motility in rats was investigated. Methods : The myoelectrical activity of the gastric smooth muscle was recorded by a bipolar electrode placed at the gastric antrum of rats. The contractile waves were measured for 30 minutes before and after intragastric administration of each solution(normal saline, Pyungwisan 40mg/kg, Sojukgunbihwan granules 60mg/kg) and expressed as the motility index. Gastric emptying was measured by the number of glass beads expelled from the stomach(containing one hundred 1mm glass beads) within an hour after glass beads and test drugs(normal saline, Pyungwisan 40mg/kg, Pyungwisan 120mg/kg, Sojukgunbihwan granules 60mg/kg, Sojukgunbihwan granules 180mg/kg) were administered. In another series of experiments to evaluate the mechanisms of Sojukgunbihwan granules under delayed conditions, the rats were treated with atropine sulfate(1 mg/kg, s.c.), cisplatin(10mg/kg, i.p.), and NAME($N^G$-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, 75mg/kg, s.c.) respectively. Results : Intragastric administration of Sojukgunbihwan granules increased the myoelectrical activity significantly, gastric motility index rose 25%, and gastric emptying of glass beads was significantly enhanced over a period of 60minutes. Under the delayed gastric emptying induced by atropine sulfate, cisplatin, and NAME, Sojukgunbihwan granules aggravated gastric emptying in the atropine sulfate($5.71{\pm}3.45\;vs\;3.71{\pm}4.42$) and cisplatin($13.86{\pm}3.53\;vs\;5.14{\pm}5.05$, p<0.01) treated groups, but enhanced gastric emptying in the NAME treated group($5.00{\pm}3.21\;vs\;11.71{\pm}5.65$, p<0.05). Conclusions : Results suggest that Sojukgunbihwan granules stimulate gastric motility through cholinergic and 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 receptors. Results are indicative of Sojukgunbihwan as an especially effective remedy in dysmotility-like functional dyspepsia with impaired reservoir functions such as gastric adaptive relaxation.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.313-321
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• 1995

Conflicting data have been reported on the effect of nicotine on gastric mucosal damage. To elucidate the effect of chronic intermittent nicotine on gastric mucosal damage, intragastric nicotine (5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg) was administered twice per day for 9 days. Gastric mucosal damage was created by s.c. injection of a large dose (1.2 mg/kg) of pentagastrin followed by pylorus ligation for 6 hours. Nicotine treated rats showed reduced gastric mucosal damage about 50% of the control. To examine the mechanism of the protective effect of nicotine, gastric perfusion experiments were done. Basal acid secretion was not affected by intragastric or intravenous nicotine. However, pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion markedly inhibited by a bolus injection of nicotine, and this response was dose-related. These data indicates that chronic intermittent administration of nicotine protects gastric mucosa against gastrin-induced gastric mucosal damage, and nicotine-induced inhibition of gastrin-stimulated acid secretion has an important role for the protective effect of nicotine. Considering reports concerning nicotine's aggravating effect on the gastric mucosal damage, it is suggested that the methods of administration of nicotine may be an important decisive factor of the divergent action of nicotine on the gastric mucosa.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.22-29
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• 2017

Increased alcohol consumption is a burden on the world because it is associated with various health problems. However, the effects of silkworms on alcohol metabolism have not been studied yet. The hard-to-eat mature silkworms have become easier to ingest recently due to the development of technology, steam-lyophilising mature silkworm larvae. In this study, we investigated and compared the effects of SMSPs from three silkworm varieties, Baekokjam, Golden-silk and Yeonnokjam weaving white, golden, and light green cocoons on alcohol metabolism in vivo. Sprague-Dawley rats pretreated with three SMSPs (0.1 g/kg or 1 g/kg body weight) or normal diet (AIN-76A) for 2 weeks were subjected to intragastric administration of absolute ethanol (3 g/kg body weight, 3 h). Three SMSPs did not affect the final body weight and liver weight. All 3 SMSPs were effective to reduce the enzymes in alcohol metabolism, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), and liver damage and enzymes involved in liver damage, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Among SMSP from 3 varieties of silkworm, preadministration of 1 g/kg Baekokjam SMSP showed the most effective suppressive effect on the activities of ADH, ALDH, AST and ALT. The Baekokjam SMSP contained higher amounts of beneficial amino acids than Golden-silk or Yeonnokjam SMSP. These results suggest that Baekokjam SMSP might be used as a new and promising candidate for improving alcohol metabolism and liver injury through promoting rapid alcohol metabolism.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.446-452
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• 2016

Pharmacokinetic interaction of chrysin, a flavone present in honey, propolis and herbs, with caffeine was investigated in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Because chrysin inhibited CYP1A-selective ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase and methoxyresorufin O-demethylase activities in enriched rat liver microsomes, the pharmacokinetics of caffeine, a CYP 1A substrate, was studied following an intragastric administration with 100 mg/kg chrysin. In addition to the oral bioavailability of chrysin, its phase 2 metabolites, chrysin sulfate and chrysin glucuronide, were determined in rat plasma. As results, the pharmacokinetic parameters for caffeine and its three metabolites (i.e., paraxanthine, theobromine and theophylline) were not changed following chrysin treatment in vivo, despite of its inhibitory effect on CYP 1A in vitro. The bioavailability of chrysin was found to be almost zero, because chrysin was rapidly metabolized to its sulfate and glucuronide conjugates in rats. Taken together, it was concluded that the little interaction of chrysin with caffeine might be resulted from the rapid metabolism of chrysin to its phase 2 metabolites which would not have inhibitory effects on CYP enzymes responsible for caffeine metabolism.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.209-216
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• 2007

Background & Objective : The herbal medicine JGT has been used for the treatment of functional dyspepsia, generally categorized as a gastric disease. However, its effect and mechanism are not yet well known. Therefore, the effects of JGT on gastric emptying in rats was investigated to know its effectiveness and mechanism. Methods : Gastric emptying effect was measured by the number of glass beads expelled from the stomach within an hour after glass beads and test drugs were administered. In another series of experiments to evaluate the mechanisms of JGT under delayed conditions, the rats were treated with atropine sulfate Results : Intragastric administration of JGT significantly increased gastric emptying of glass beads Under the gastric emptying delayed with atropine sulfate, JGT insignificantly increased gastric emptying of glass beads. Conclusions : These suggest that JGT has a significant effect to stimulate gastric emptying. Results are indicative of JGT as an especially effective remedy for dysmotility-like functional dyspepsia with impaired reservoir function such as gastric adaptive relaxation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1995.04a
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• pp.92-92
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• 1995

It has been suggested that oxygen-derived free radicals have an important role in the pathophysiology of acute gastric ulceration induced by NSAIDs and ischemia-reperfusion. Taurine is hypothetized to exert its protective effect on NSAIDS-induced gastric injury by its antioxidant properties, Protect ive effect of taurine on indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal lesion and its protective mechanism were investigated. Intragastric administration of 25 mg/kg of indomethacin induced hemorrhagic lesions on the glandular stomach in rats, Pretreatment with 0.25 g/kg of taurine for 3 days significantly reduced the gastric lesion formation and Inhibited the elevation of lipid peroxide level In gastric mucosa. Both resting and FMLP-induced luminol-dependent chemiluminescence of rat peritoneal neutrophils increased immediately after treatment of indomethacin. 5-20mM of taurine inhibited chemiluminescence of neutrophils activated by indomethacin and/or FMLP. Human neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leukocytes) significantly adhered to confluent monolayer of human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVEC) after coincubation with aspirin or indomethacin. Also taurine prevented neutrophil adhesion induced by these drugs to HUVEC in dose-dependent manner. These results indicate that the protective effect of taurine against NSAIDS-induced gastric mucosal Injury is due to its antioxidant effect, which inhibits lipid peroxidation and neutrophil activation.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.85-90
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• 1996

It has been suggested that oxygen-derived free radicals play an important role in the pathophysiology of acute gastric ulceration induced by NSAIDs and ischemia-reperfusion. Taurine is hypothetized to exert its protective effect on NSAIDs-induced gastric injury by its antioxidant properties. Protective effect of taurine on indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal lesion and its protection mechanism were investigated. Intragastric administration of 25 mg/kg of indomethacin induced hemorrhagic lesions on the glandular stomach in rats. Pretreatment with 0.25 or 0.5 g/kg of taurine one day before or for 3 days significantly reduced the gastric lesion formation and inhibited the elevation of lipid peroxide level in gastric mucosa. The luminol-dependent chemiluminescence of rat peritoneal neutrophils increased immediately after treatment of FMLP or indomethacin. Taurine (5-20 mM) inhibited chemiluminescence of neutrophils activated by FMLP. Human neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leukocytes) significantly adhered to the confluent monolayer of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) after coincubation with indomethacin. This neutrophil adhesion induced by indomethacin to HUVEC was prevented by taurine in a dose-dependent manner. These results indicate that the protective effect of taurine against NSAIDs-induced gastric mucosal injury is due to its antioxidant effect, which inhibits lipid peroxidation and neutrophil activation.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.61-67
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• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Socheongryong-tang, a traditional herbal medicine, on gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders (inflammatory and diabetic models) in mice. Methods: The in vivo effects of Socheongryong-tang on GI motility were investigated by calculating percent intestinal transit rates (ITR) and gastric emptying (GE) values using Evans Blue and phenol red, respectively, in normal mice and in mice with experimentally induced GI motility dysfunction (GMD). GMD models were induced by acetic acid and streptozotocin. Results: In normal ICR mice, ITR and GE values were significantly and dose-dependently increased by the intragastric administration of Socheongryong-tang (0.0025~0.25 g/kg). The ITR values (%) of GMD mice were significantly lower than those of normal mice, and these reductions were significantly and dose-dependently inhibited by Socheongryong-tang. Conclusions: These results suggest that Socheongryong-tang is a good candidate for the development of a prokinetic agent that may prevent or alleviate GMD.

• The Korean journal of helicobacter and upper gastrointestinal research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.231-234
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• 2018

Peptic ulcer bleeding (PUB) is the most common cause of non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and its frequency has been declining over the past decades. However, mortality from PUB persists, and it is still a serious challenge in clinical practice. Although endoscopic intervention is the basic treatment modality for PUB, pharmacological therapy is an important adjunct. The emergence of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) enables maintenance of intragastric pH >6, which greatly helps in the treatment of PUB. Continuous intravenous infusion of high-dose PPI reduces the re-bleeding rate, thereby helping avoid additional surgery in patients with high-risk stigmata. Moreover, administration of PPIs prior to endoscopy may reduce the need for additional endoscopic intervention. Recently introduced gastric acid suppressants, such as potassium-competitive acid blockers, have shown promising results in further treatment of PUB.