• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.471-476
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• 2005

Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) has been used as a food supplement and a traditional herbal medicine for a men's sexual enhancement. In this study, we prepared a flavonoid fraction (RWE) from a hot water extract of RVS and its influence on sexual behavior was studied in male rats which were orally administered varying doses of RWE for 2 weeks. All doses of RWE stimulated sexual behavior in male rats such as reducing mounting latency and enhancing mount frequencies. However, intermission numbers were not changed and none of group can observe the ejaculation during behavioral testing time 5 min. Testosterone levels were Increased about 0$\∼$53$\%$ and 92$\∼$164$\%$ by the treatment of RWE for 1 and 2 weeks, respectively. However, estrogen levels in male rats tended to decrease in a dose dependent manner of RWE. At the dose of RWE 200 mg/kg, estrogen level was reduced to 77.5$\%$ and 70.3$\%$ of control after 1 and 2 weeks treatment. These findings suggest that the Rhus flavonoid fraction can stimulate the androgen-dependent male sexual behavior and it can be applied to the material of functional food for enhancing the sexual function.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2008

The efficient strategies to cope with unpredictable and/or harmful environmental changes have been developed by every organism in order to ensure its survival and continuity of it's own species. As a results, all living things on earth maintain dynamically internal stability via a process termed 'homeostasis' among physiological parameters despite of external environment changes. Stress is an emotional and physical response to threat homeostasis. Stress may have not only transient but rather permanent effect on the organism; recent evidence clearly show that prenatal stress could organize or imprint permanently physiological systems without any change in genetic codes, a process known as 'epigenetic programming'. In this review, a series of reproduction-associated events occurred in prenatally stressed male rats such as alteration in the structure of sexually dimorphic brain regions, modification of neurotransmitter metabolism, changes in reproductive endocrine status, and finally, disorders of sexual behavior will be introduced. The fetal brain is highly sensitive to prenatal programming and glucocorticoids in particular have powerful brain-programming properties. The chronic hyperactivation of fetal brain by maternal stress-induced glucocorticoid input will provide new program via increasing the neuroplasticities. This 'increased neuroplasticities' will be the basis for the 'increased phenotypic plasticities' rendering the organism's better adaptation to environmental challenges. In conclusion, organism who experienced 'harsh' environment in his fetal life seems to give up a certain portion of reproductive competence to make good chance of survival in his future life by epigenetic (re)programming.