• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.441-447
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• 2006

Abuse of drugs can elicit compulsive drug seeking behaviors upon repeated administration, and ultimately leads to the phenomenon of addiction. We developed a procedure for the standardization of microarray gene expression data of rat brain in drug addiction and stored them in a single integrated database system, focusing on more effective data processing and interpretation. Another characteristic of the present database is that it has a systematic flexibility for statistical analysis and linking with other databases. Basically, we adopt an intelligent SQL querying system, as the foundation of our DB, in order to set up an interactive module which can automatically read the raw gene expression data in the standardized format. We maximize the usability of this DB, helping users study significant gene expression and identify biological function of the genes through integrated up-to-date gene information such as GO annotation and metabolic pathway. For collecting the latest information of selected gene from the database, we also set up the local BLAST search engine and non-redundant sequence database updated by NCBI server on a daily basis. We find that the present database is a useful query interface and data-mining tool, specifically for finding out the genes related to drug addiction. We apply this system to the identification and characterization of methamphetamine-induced genes' behavior in rat brain.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.234-238
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• 2012

Propofol is an anesthetic commonly used to provide sedation or to induce and maintain an anesthetic stated. However, there are reports which indicate propofol may cause psychological dependence or be abused. In the present study, we used various behavioral tests including climbing test, jumping test, conditioned place preference, and self-administration test to assess the dependence potential and abuse liability of propofol compared to a positive control (methamphetamine) or a negative control (saline or intralipid). Among the tests, the conditioned place preference test was conducted with a biased method, and the selfadministration test was performed under a fixed ratio (FR) 1 schedule, 1 h per session. No difference was found in the climbing test and jumping test, but propofol (30 mg/kg, i.p.) increased the rewarding effect in the conditioned place preference test, and it showed a positive reinforcing effect compared to the vehicle. These results indicate that propofol tends to show psychological dependence rather than physical dependence, and it seems not to be related with dopaminergic system.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.326-336
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• 1997

In order to investigate the effect of aqua-acupuncture solution with Panax Ginseng into $Qihai(CV_6)$ and $Shenshu(BL_{23})$ on immune response induced by glucocorticoid in mouse, Panax Ginseng aqua-acupuncture solution was injected into $Qihai(CV_6)$ and $Shenshu(BL_{23})$ for seven days after injection with glucocorticoid. And then MA-HRP (methamphetamine-horseradish peroxidase) induced antibody production, numbers and lysozyme activity in macrophage were measured. The results were as follows: 1. The antibody production in mouse immunized with MA-HRP was decreased in control group as compared with normal group. Although $Qihai(CV_6)$ group showed slight increasement, $Shenshu(BL_{23})$ group indicated great increasement compared with normal group. However in Aa-BL group, antibody production was almost increased to normal group. 2. In control group, the numbers of macrophage were decreased about 14% as compared with normal group. And in the pretreated groups of $Qihai(CV_6)$ and $Shenshu(BL_{23})$ were respectively increased 3.0 times and 2.9 times as compared with normal group. 3. Effect of Panax Ginseng-aqua acupuncture solution on the lysozyme activity in macrophage was increased gradually in the pretreated groups of $Qihai(CV_6)$ and $Shenshu(BL_{23})$ as compared with control group. These results suggest that Panax Ginseng aqua-acupuncture at $Qihai(CV_6)$ and $Shenshu(BL_{23})$ may increase antibody production and lysozyme activity in macrophage that is suppressed by glucocorticoid, and Panax Ginseng aqua-acupuncture will have immuno adjuvant effects on the cells which concerned with immunomechanisms.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.145-153
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• 2011

A simultaneous detection and quantification method for determining the Phenylalkylamine derivatives, such as methamphetamine (MA), amphetamine (AM), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), ketamine (KT), norketamine (NKT), phentermine (PT), fenfluramine (FFA) and phenmetrazine (PM), in oral fluid was developed and validated according to international guidelines. The validated method was applied to actual oral fluid samples collected from drug abuse suspects. The recovery of phenylalkylamines from oral fluid collection devices was also assessed. Oral fluid specimens from 20 drug abuse suspects submitted by the police were collected using Salivette$^{TM}$, Quantisal$^{TM}$ or direct expectoration. The samples were screened using a biochip array analyzer. For confirmation, the samples were analyzed by GC-MS in selected-ion monitoring (SIM) mode after extraction using automated SPE with a mixed-mode cation exchange cartridge and derivatization with trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA). The results from the immunoassay were consistent with those from GC-MS. All the oral fluid samples gave positive results for MA, AM, PT and/or PM. The detection of phenylalkylamines in oral fluid can provide a better indication of recent use than urine or hair. Therefore, the oral fluid specimen was useful for demonstrating phenylalkylamines abuse in the driving under the influence of drug (DUID) as an alternative specimen for urine.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1998.06a
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• pp.168-173
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• 1998

A single administration of cocaine (CO), morphine (MOR) and methamphetamine (MA) showed hyperactivity in mice. Ginseng total saponin (GTS), ginsenosides Rbl and Rgl inhibited the hyperactivity induced by the drugs. The repeated administration of CO, MOR and MA showed the development of psychological dependence showing a.: the development of conditioned place preference (CPP) in mice and the development of dopamine (DA) receptor supersensitivity showing as sensitization of the drugs. GTS and Rgl inhibited the development of not only psychological dependence but also of DA receptor supersensitivity induced by CO and MA Rbl prevented also the development of psychological dependence and DA receptor supersensitivity induced by CO and MA but not by MOR. These results suggest that the development psychological dependence induced by the drugs is closely related with the development of DA receptor supersensitivity since both phenomena were inhibited by them. Apomorphine induced climbing behavior was also inhibited by G75 but not by both of Rbl and Rgl, indicating that GTS modulate dopaminergic action at both of pre and postsynaptic sites, but both of Rbl and Rgl , only at the presynaptic site. These results suggest that active components acting at the postsynaptic site exist in GTS. In this study, it was found that GTS, ginsenosides Rbl and Rgl inhibited tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and these components exerted inhibitory effects on both Cal' currents and $\Delta$ Cm in rat adrenal chromaffin cells. These results suggest that G75 and ginsenosides regulate catecholamine synthesis and secretion. Meanwhile, it has been demonstrated that Rbl, at high doses has more powerful inhibition of cartecholamine secretion at the presynaptic site than Rbl. Therefore, it was presumed that inhibition of morphine induced psychological dependence by Rgl, but not by Rbl results from differences in the extent of this inhibitory action on dopaminergic synthesis and secretion.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.79 -94
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• 2024

Over the past few decades, new psychoactive substances (NPS) have become prevailing. With the widespread emergence of NPS, phenethylamines (PEAs) have become one of the groups abused most which PEAs, along with other stimulants, make up the majority of stimulants. When determining the NPS, the methods for screening and confirmation are crucial which assesses the reliability of testimony. In this study, a set of GC/MS methods employing two derivatizing agents for determining 76 target PEAs in urine was established and further applied for authentic sample analysis. Five PEAs (N,N-DMA, PMMA, 4-CA, amphetamine, and methamphetamine) with contents over their LLOQs were detected in thirteen of the twenty tested samples. In order to compare the result from the GC/MS methods with the previously established LC-MS/MS method, Cohen's kappa coefficient and McNemar's test were applied for statistical analysis. Perfect agreement between GC/MS and LC-MS/MS techniques for determining target PEAs is demonstrated by the Kappa coefficient for each of the five detected targets.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.257-275
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• 1995

The purpose of this study was to provide basic data for preventing the youth from their dug abuse and contributing to improve their health. A total of 1,210 students of middle and high schools in Pusan were selected to answer this questionnaire. The data was collected from March 23 to April 6, 1995. The major findings of this study are as follows; 1) The attitude about drugs of middle and high school students was desirable. By groups, girl students showed more desirable attitude than boy students, and middle school students than high school students. 2) For the experience of drinking coffee, 70.4% of the subjects of survey answered that they have had:62.4% of middle school students and 78.9% of high school students. For the stated time of drinking coffee 59.8% of them, the largest number, said from middle school days. 3) For the experience of drinking alcoholic liquors, 40.4% of the subjects of survey answered that they have had: 51.4%n of boy students and 29.5% of girl students, 23.4% of middle school students and 57.7% of high school students. For the started time of drinking liquors 53.1% of them, the largest number, said from middle school days. 4) For the experience of smoking, 24.8% of the subjects of survey answered that they have had: 37.2% of boy students and 12.5% of girl students, 16.3% of middle school students and 33.3% of high school students. For the started time of smoking 52.0% of them, the largest number, said from middle school days. 5) For the experience of drugs, 6.3% of the subjects of survey answered that they have had. For the started time of abusing drugs 71.0% of them, the largest number, said from middle school days. The kinds and composing ratio of abused drugs were: Timing was 51.4%, bond 20.3%, butane gas 12.6%, thinner 3.8%, methamphetamine 1.9% and mescaline 1.9%. 6) The attitude points toward drugs in case of not taking coffee and liquors, smoking and abusing drugs were higher than the points in case of taking them. 7) The rate of abusing drugs in case of taking coffee and liquors and smoking was higher than that in case of not taking them and smoking.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.315-327
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• 1995

Diverse neurotoxic insults result in proliferation and hypertrophy of astrocytes, a subtype of glia in central nervous system. The hallmark of this response, often terms "reactive gliosis", is the enhanced expression of the major intermediate filament protein of castrocytes, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). These changes in the astrocytes suggest that GFAP may be a useful biochemical indicator of neurotoxicity. To investigate this possibility, we administered intra-peritoneally prototype nerotoxicants, metharnphetamine (MAP, 5 mg/kg), cocaine (30 mg/kg), N-buthyl benzenesulfonamide (NBBS, 300 mg/kg) and trimethytin (TMT, 8 mg/kg) to Wistar Rats and then assessed the effects of these agents on content of GFAP, which were determined by Sandwish ELISA and evaluated with neurotoxic symptoms, and quantitative changes of imrnunoreactivity of GFAP by light microscopic image analysis in specific regions. We found that assay of GFAP revealed time- and region-dependant patterns of neurotoxicity. The GFAP immunoreactivity of rat brain was increased in substantia nigra and hippocampus by MAP, NBBS and TMT; in roedial septal nucleus and nucleus accurnbens, it was also increased by RrBBS. Sandwich ELISA showed that GFAP levels of cerebrum in all groups on days 3 and 7 and that of brainstem(including cerebellum) in MAP, NBBS groups on day 1 and 3 were increased. A review of the background, design and results of these experiments are presented in this paper. Our findings indicate that GFAP is a sensitive and specific biomarker of neurotoxicity.otoxicity.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.578-585
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• 2017

Recently, there has been a rise in the number of amphetamine derivatives that serve as substitutes for controlled substances (e.g. amphetamine and methamphetamine) on the global illegal drug market. These substances are capable of producing rewarding effects similar to their parent drug. In anticipation of the future rise of new and similar psychoactive substances, we designed and synthesized four novel amphetamine derivatives with N-benzyl, N-benzylamphetamine HCl (NBNA) substituent on the amine region, 1,4-dioxane ring, ethylenedioxy-amphetamine HCl (EDA), methyl, para-methylamphetamine HCl (PMEA), and naphthalene, 2-(aminopropyl) naphthalene HCl (2-APN) substituents on the phenyl site. Then, we evaluated their abuse potential in the conditioned place preference (CPP) test in mice and self-administration (SA) test in rats. We also investigated the psychostimulant properties of the novel drugs using the locomotor sensitization test in mice. Moreover, we performed qRT-PCR analyses to explore the effects of the novel drugs on the expression of D1 and D2 dopamine receptor genes in the striatum. NBNA, but not EDA, PMEA, and 2-APN, induced CPP and SA in rodents. None of the test drugs have produced locomotor sensitization. qRT-PCR analyses demonstrated that NBNA increased the expression of striatal D1 dopamine receptor genes. These data indicate that NBNA yields rewarding effects, suggesting potential for abuse. Continual observation for the rise of related substances is thus strongly encouraged.

• Journal of Digital Contents Society
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.1551-1560
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• 2017

The aim of this review is to analyze the trend of using Virtual Reality (VR) in addiction treatment by categorizing the types of addictions and methods of Virtual Reality Therapy (VRT) for substance use disorders. VR has been utilized as a new paradigm for treating various mental and psychological problems. In recent years, a number of researches have been done to demonstrate the effectiveness of VRT for addiction treatment, specifically substance use disorders. In order to comprehend the tendency of these researches, the current study performed a systematic review of published book and journal articles using the following bibliographical databases: ScienceDirect, MEDLINE, ProQuest, and Embase. Forty-five (45) articles were retrieved; out of these researches, nicotine/smoking has garnered the highest number of studies (73%, n=33); alcohol (18%, n=8); cannabis/marijuana (2%, n=1); and other drugs such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine (7%, n=3). This paper analyzed the results of those studies, found some limitations as well as strengths, and made suggestions for further research on VRT for addiction treatment.