• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2009

Background: The neuropathic pain arising from nerve injury is difficult to treat and the therapeutic effects of opioid drugs remain debatable. Agonists acting at the ${\alpha}_2$ adrenergic and opioid receptors have analgesic properties and they act synergistically when co-administered in the spinal cord. The lack of subtype-selective pharmacological agents has previously impeded the synergistic effects that are mediated by the adrenergic receptor subtypes. Methods: We created neuropathic pain model by ligating the L5 spinal nerve in Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 18). We divided the rats into three groups (n = 6 for each group), and we administered intraperitoneal morphine (1 mg/kg, 3 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg) and then we measured the mechanical allodynia with using von-Frey filaments for 8 hours. We then injected morphine (5 mg/kg) intraperitoneally, twice a day for 2 weeks. We measured the tactile and cold allodynia in the morphine group (n = 9) and the saline group (n = 9). After 2 weeks, we decapitated the rats and harvested the spinal cords at the level of lumbar enlargement. We compared the ${\alpha}_2$ subtype mRNA expression with that of control group (n = 6) by performing real time polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR). Results: Intraperitoneal morphine reduced the neuropathic pain behavior in the dose-dependent manner. Chronic morphine administration showed an antiallodynic effect on the neuropathic pain rat model. The rats did not display tolerance or hyperalgesia. The expression of the mRNAs of the ${\alpha}_{2A}$, ${\alpha}_{2B}$, ${\alpha}_{2C}$ subtypes decreased, and morphine attenuated this effect. But we could not get statistically proven results. Conclusions: Systemic administration of morphine can attenuate allodynia during both the short-term and long-term time course. Morphine has an influence on the expression of ${\alpha}_2$ receptor subtype mRNA. Yet we need more research to determine the precise effect of morphine on the ${\alpha}_2$ subtype gene expression.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1988.08a
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• pp.1-10
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• 1988

Previously. we reported that the intraperitoneal administration of ginseng crude saponin increased: (I) nuclear RNA polymerase activity. (2) nuclear RNA synthesis. (3) cytoplasmic RNA synthesis. (4) cytoplasmic heavy polyrioosome content. (5) amino acid incorporation in vitro of microsome and polysome isolated rat liver. and (6) the incorporation rate of labeled amino acids into serum protein. In addition, a spectacular increase in the rough endoplasmic reticulum of hepatocyte administered crude saponin for four weeks orally was shown through electron microscopy. An increase in polysomal content in membrane-hound ribosome was shown through ultracentrifugation. Recently, successive intraperitoneal. administration .of $ginsenosid-Rb_2$ was given to streptozotocin (STZ) diaoetic rats of hypoproteinemia. The blood urea nitrogen and hepatic urea concentration were decreased significantly. The total protein and alhumin levels in the serum were increased in comparison to control values. In contrast. the $ginsenoside-Rb_2$ treated group of STZ diahetic rats showed a significant increase in liver RNA. total ribosome and membrane-bound ribosomal contents. The administration of $ginsenoside-Rb_2$ increased the incorporation rate of labeled - precursor into total serum protein. Additionally $ginsenoside-Rb_2$ improved the nitrogen balance of diabetic rats. On the bases of these experimental results, ginseng saponin has a metabolic stimulatory or anabolic action on RNA and protein synthesis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.375-380
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• 2000

The preliminary screening of several cyanobacteria, using mice bioassay, reveale the production of a hepatotoxin by the cyanobacterium Scytonema sp. strain BT 23 isolated from soil. An intraperitoneal injection of the crude toxin (LD50 56 mg/kg body wt) from this strain caused the death of the mice within 40 min, and the anmals showed slinical signs of mice within 40 min, and the animals showed clinical signs of hepatotoxicity. The toxin was purified and partially characterized. The active fraction appears to be nonpolar in nature and shows absorption peaks at 240 and 285 nm. The purified toxin had an LD50 of TEX>$100<\mu\textrm{g}/kg$ body wt and the test mice died within 40 min of toxin administration. The toxin-treated mice showed a 1.65-fold increase in liver weight at 40 min and the liver color chnged to dark red due to intrahepatic hemorrhage and pooling of blood. Furthermore, the administration of the toxin to test mice induced a 2.58, 2.63, and 2.30-fold increse in the activity of the serum enzymes alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase, respectively. Further experiments with the 14C-labeled toxin revealed a maximum accumulation of the toxin in the liver. The clinical symptoms in the mice were similar to those produced by microcystin-L.R. These results suggest that hepatotoxins may also be produced in non bloom-forming planktonic cyanobacteria.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.72-83
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• 2014

Objective: This study was to evaluate whether herbal mixture (HM-A : Houttuynia cordata Thunberg, Rubus coreanus, Rehmannia glutinosa, Prunus yedoensis, HM-B : Houttuynia cordata Thunberg, Rubus coreanus, Rehmannia glutinosa, Angelica gigas nakai) supresses the development of atopic dermatitis in Balb/c mice sensitized by ovalbumin. Methods: Mice were sensitized by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin plus aluminum hydroxide hydrate, followed by epicutaneous sensitization for 6 weeks. After induced atopic dermatitis, HM-A and HM-B were orally administrated for two weeks(once a two days) as a 50 mg/kg concentration. After all mice were sacrificed at the end of the experiment, skin and blood were harvested. Results: Oral administration group was reduced the infiltration of eosinophils, mast cells and total T cells on the skin areas as well as blood analysis. Also, cutaneous expression of IL-4,13,17 decreased. Blood IgE level was decreased. Conclusion: These drugs could be potential candidates for the atopic dermatitis.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.21-33
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• 1988

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of chlorambucil on the mouse Leydig cell by electron microscopy. Chlorambucil suspended in the 0.5N sodium bicarbonate(pH 8.0) was injected I.P.(intraperitoneal) at a dosage of level 20mg/kg for 1 weeks, 3 weeks and 5 weeks, respectively. The results obtained from this experiment are as follows: 1. One week after the administration of chlorambucil, there was an increase in heterochromatin, swelling and cristae disruption in some mitochondria, mild vacuolation between cells and the occurrence of membrane bound inclusions in some nuclei. 2. After 3 weeks, smooth endoplasmic reticulum dilations, cytoplasmic vacuolation, mitochondrial swelling, inner mitochondrial cristae disruption, membranous whorls, and intranuclear inclusions were observed in the treated cells. 3. After 5 weeks of treatment, most mitochondria were swollen and their membranes were severely disrupted. Further, smooth endoplasmic reticulum dilations and vacuolation of the cytoplasm were apparent in the treated Leydig cells. In addition numerous membranous whorls and intranuclear inclusion bodies were present. The nuclei displayed invaginatons of the nuclear membrane and large clumps of heterochromatin. From these results it is concluded the longer the duration of chlorambucil administration, the greater the degeneration of the nucleus and cytoplasmic organelles.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.493-498
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• 1990

The effects of an antimetabolite, 6-aminonicotinamide (6-AN) on the levels of enzymes and metabolites in rabbit serum were investigated. The intraperitoneal administration of 6-AN (multiple doses of l5mg/kg body weight) gave tise to a remarkable increase in glucose and cholesterol levels but did not exert any appreciable influence on the concentration of albumin and total protein. Alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly reduced by administration of 6-AN, whereas creatine phophokinase, serum glutamic oxaloacetate transaminase and serum glutamic pyruvate transaminase activities were matkedly enhanced. Nevettheless, the levels of Ca, P, Na, K, Cl and Co were not affeded to any extent by 6-AN.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.20-29
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• 1989

The humoral immune response of Eicosapentanoic acid(EPA) was investigated in mice. ICR male mice were divided into 8 groups and received intraperitoneal injection of EPA(5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg/kg) for 4 weeks. Cyclophosphamide(5 mg/kg) was administered i.p. 2 days prior to secondary immunization. Humoral immune response was evaluated by antibody titer, hypersensitivity to SRBC (Arthus), plaque forming cell(PFC) and organ weight. The ontanined results were as followings: The increased rate of body weight, the ratio of liver weight, spleen weight to body weight were decreased by all EPA administration groups as compared to normal group. HA titer, HY titer and Arthus reaction were enhanced according to the increase of EPA doses as compared to normal group. PFC was significantly enhanced by EPA 10 mg administration group. These results suggest that EPA enhances humoral immune response to SRBC in mice, indicating that EPA may block a immunoglobulin synthesis inhibition of arachidonic acid.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 2005

The hepatoprotective effects of chalcone derivatives were evaluated in D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide (D-GaIN/LPS)-induced fulminant hepatic failure in mouse. Thirteen chalcone derivatives were synthesized for study and their hepatoprotective effects were evaluated by assessing aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in serum. Chalcone preparations were injected into mice at 12 hand 1 h before intraperitoneal injection of D-GaIN/LPS. After abdominal administration, changes in AST and ALT between the control and treated groups were observed. Ten of the synthesized chalcone derivatives exhibited inhibitory effects on D-GaIN/LPS-induced levels of AST and ALT in mice. Compounds 2, 3, 8, 9, and 12 markedly reduced serum AST and ALT at 8 h, inhibited hepatocyte necrosis and showed significant hepatoprotective activities. The activity of compound 3 was compared with the bifendate (DDB) through oral administration. Compound 3 showed much higher inhibitory effects than bifendate for decreasing AST and ALT activity. The results indicate that compound 3 has strong hepatoprotective activity through suppression of tumor necrosis factor­alpha (TNF-alpha) preduction, reduction of the histological change in the liver, and attenuated of hepatocyte apoptosis confirmed by DNA fragmentation assay.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.159-165
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• 2002

Recently, we reported (korean J. Biomed. Lab. Sci., 6(4): 245-251, 2000) that cyclohexane (l.56 g/kg of body wt., i.p.) administration led to lung injury in rats. However the detailed mechanism remain to be elucidated. This study was designed to clarify the mechanism of lung damage induced by cyclohexane in rats. First, lung damage was assessed by quantifying bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) protein content as well us by histopathological examination. Second, activities of serum xanthine oxidase (XO), pulmonary XO and oxygen free radical scavenging enzymes. XO tope conversion (O/D + O, %) ratio and content of reduced glutathione (GSH) were determined. In the histopathological findings, the vasodilation, local edema and hemorrhage were demonstrated in alveoli of lung. And vascular lumens filled with lipid droplets, increased macrophages in luminal margin and increased fibroblast-like interstitial cells in interstitial space were observed in electron micrographs. The introperitoneal treatment of cyclohexane dramatically increased BAL protein by 21-fold compared with control. Cyclohexane administration to rats led to a significant rise of serum and pulmonary XO activities and O/D + O ratio by 47%,30% and 24%, respectively, compared witれ control. Furthermore, activities of pulmonary oxygen free radical scavenging enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase, and GSH content were not found to be statistically different between control and cyclohexane-treated rats. These results indicate that intraperitoneal injection of cyclohexane to rats may induce the lipid embolism in pulmonary blood vessel and lead to the hypoxia with the ensuing of oxygen free radical generation, and which may be responsible for the pulmonary injury.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.143-150
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• 2009

The effects of aqueous extract of Schizandrae Fructus (AESC) on lead (Pb)-induced changes of monoamine neurotransmitters in the hippocampus (HIP) of adult rats were investigated. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were received intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of Pb acetate (5 mg/kg/d) for 28 days and sacrificed 7 days after the last administration. Concentrations of norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) in HIP were measured by HPLC. There were significant decreases of NE, DA, 5-HT and 5-HIAA in Pb treated rats (P < 0.05), while pretreatment with AESC (100 mg/kg/d or 300 mg/kg/d, p.o., 2 h before Pb) greatly inhibited the decrease of monoamine transmitters, respectively (P < 0.05). Also, AESC (300 mg/kg/d) significantly increased the reduction of glutathione contents and superoxide dismutase activities in HIP induced by chronic Pb. These results suggest that AESC ameliorates Pb-induced depletion of monoamine neurotransmitters in HIP through its antioxidant activity.