• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• 제11권1호
• /
• pp.23-29
• /
• 1998

Background: The present study was conducted to investigate effects of microinjection of bicuculline, GABA-A receptor antagonist, into the brain stem nuclei on the dorsal horn neuron responsiveness in rats with an experimental peripheral neuropathy. Methods: An experimental neuropathy was induced by a unilateral ligation of L5~L6 spinal nerves of rats. After 2~3 weeks after the surgery, single-unit recording was made from wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons in the spinal cord dorsal horn. Results: Responses of WDR neurons to both noxious and innocuous mechanical stimuli applied to the somatic receptive fields were enhanced on the nerve injured side. These enhanced responsiveness of WDR neurons were suppressed by microinjection of bicuculline into periaqueductal gray(PAG) or nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis(Gi). A similar suppression was also observed when morphine was microinjected into PAG or Gi. Suppressive action by Gi-bicuculline was reversed by naloxonazine, ${\mu}$-opioid receptor antagonist, microinjected into PAG whereas PAG-bicuculline induced suppression was not affected by naloxonazine injection into Gi. Gi-bicuculline induced suppression were reversed by a transection of dorsolateral funiculus(DLF) of the spinal cord. Conclusions: The results suggest that endogenous opioids, via acting on GABAergic interneurons in PAG and Gi, may be involved in the control of neuropathic pain by activating the descending inhibitory pathways that project to the spinal dorsal horn through DLF to inhibit the responsiveness of WDR neurons.

• 대한의생명과학회지
• /
• 제11권2호
• /
• pp.201-209
• /
• 2005

This study aimed to investigate the cerebroprotective effect of nociceptin on transient focal cerebral ischemia in Sprague-Dawley rats by determining the changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and the infarct size. Right middle cerebral artery (MCA) was occluded for 2 hours, and thereafter was followed by reperfusion by an intraluminal monofilament technique. An open cranial window was made on the right parietal bone for determination of continuous changes in rCBF by laser-Doppler flowmetry. The infarct size was morphometrically determined using the 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride technique. In normal rats, nociceptin ($0.01\~100\;nmol/kg$, Lv.) increased rCBF and decreased cerebral arterial resistance in a dose-dependent manner. Systemic arterial blood pressure was little affected by nociceptin at the doses of 0.01 and 0.1nmol/kg, but dose-dependently reduced at the doses of 1 nmol/kg or more. In transient cerebral ischemic rats, nociceptin ($0.01\~0.1$ nmol/kg, i.p.) significantly attenuated the postischemic cerebral hyperemia, and progressively increased rCBF. The improving effect of nociceptin on the postischemic rCBF response was markedly blocked by pretreatment with $[Nphe^1]nociceptin(1-13)NH_2$ (1 nmol/kg, i.p.), a selective nociceptin receptor antagonist, but not by naloxone ($3{\mu}mol/kg$, i.p.), a selective opioid receptor antagonist. The cerebral infarct size was significantly reduced by nociceptin ($0.01\~0.1$ nmol/kg) administered i.p. 5 min after MCA occlusion in transient cerebral ischemia of 2-hour MCA occlusion and 22-hour reperfusiion. It is suggested that nociceptin improves the postischemic cerebral hemodynamics and thereby has a cerebroprotective effect in transient focal cerebral ischemia.

• 한국식품영양과학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국식품영양과학회 2001년도 International Symposium on Food,Nutrition and Health for 21st Century
• /
• pp.69-73
• /
• 2001

Two opioid peptides, YPLDL and YPLDLF, were isolated from enzymatic digests of spinach ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) and named rubiscolin-5 and -6, respectively. These peptides were selective for delta-receptor and the latter was about 3 times more potent than the former. After oral administration in mice at the dose of 100 mg/kg, rubiscolin-6 showed analgesic activity in tail pinch test. It also stimutated learning performance at the same dose in passive avoidance experiment using step-through apparatus. An immunostimulating peptide, MITLAIPVNKPGR, was isolated from a trypsin digest of soybean protein and named soymetide. Immunostimulating activy of soymetide was mediated by fMLP receptor. Interestingly, after oral administration in rats at a dose of 300 mg/kg (po.), soymetide-4 (MITL) protected alopecia (hair-loss) induced by etoposide, a cancer chemotherapy agent. Stimulation of IL-1 release by the peptide was involved in the mechanism. Ovokinin(2-7), RADHPF, is a vasorelaxing peptide released from ovalbumin by the action of chymotrypsin. It lowered blood pressure of spontaneously hypersensive rats (SHR) after oral administration at a dose of 10 mg/kg. RPLKPW, which was designed by replacing 4 amino acid residues in ovokinin(2-7), exhibited hypotensive activity at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg (po.). This peptides was introduced into 3 homologous sites in soybean beta-conglycinin alpha' subunit by site-directed mutagenesis of the cDNA and expressed in E. coli. The minimum effective dose for hypotensive activity of the genetically modified beta-conglycinin alpha' subunit was 10 mg/kg (po.), which is about 1/200 that of ovalbumin.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• 제5권3호
• /
• pp.213-221
• /
• 2001

The amygdala is known as a site for inducing analgesia, but its action on the trigeminal nucleus has not been known well. Little information is available on the effect of dynorphin on NMDA receptor-mediated electrophysiological events in the trigeminal nucleus. The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in the single neuron spikes at the trigeminal nucleus caused by the amygdala and the action of dynorphin on the trigeminal nucleus. In the present study, extracellular single unit recordings were made in the dorsal horn of the medulla (trigeminal nucleus caudalis) and the effects of microiontophoretically applied compounds were examined. When [D-Ala2, N-Me-Phe4, Glys5-ol]enkephalin (DAMGO, 10-25 mM), a ${\mu}-opioid$ receptor agonist, was infused into the amygdala, the number of NMDA-evoked spikes at the trigeminal nucleus decreased. However, the application of naloxone into the trigeminal nucleus while DAMGO being infused into the amygdala increased the number of spikes. Low dose (1 mM) of dynorphin in the trigeminal nucleus produced a significant decrease in NMDA-evoked spikes of the trigeminal nucleus but the NMDA-evoked responses were facilitated by a high dose (5 mM) of dynorphin. After the ${\kappa}$ receptors were blocked with naloxone, dynorphin induced hyperalgesia. After the NMDA receptors were blocked with AP5, dynorphin induced analgesia. In conclusion, dynorphin A exerted dose-dependent dual effects (increased & decreased spike activity) on NMDA-evoked spikes in the trigeminal nucleus. The inhibitory effect of the dynorphin at a low concentration was due to the activation of ${\kappa}$ receptors and the excitatory effect at a high concentration was due to activation of NMDA receptors in the trigeminal neurons.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• 제12권1호
• /
• pp.14-18
• /
• 2006

The effect(s) of the volatile oil (VO) of Nigella sativa and its two components, ${\alpha}-pinene$ and ${\rho}-cymene$ on body temperature of male and female conscious mice were studied. Further investigations to delineate the mechanism(s) of action of the observed effect(s) by using various blockers involved in the central regulation of body temperature were made. VO and ${\alpha}-pinene$ caused significant reductions in rectal body temperature at is and 30 minute after treatment. ${\rho}-cymene$ had negligible effect on body temperature of mice. Cyproheptadine inhibited VO and ${\alpha}-pinene-induced$ hypothermia significantly. Nalbuphine inhibited ${\alpha}-pinene-induced$ hypothermia significantly but did not affect VO-induced hypothermia. Droperidol potentiated VO and ${\alpha}-pinene-induced$ hypothermia to a non-significant level; whereas atropine potentiated VO-induced hypothermia non-significantly. The study confirms further the role of serotoninergic receptors in the mechanism(s) of the observed pharmacological effects of the VO of Nigella sativa. It also indicated a possible role of opioid receptors in ${\alpha}-pinene-induced$ hypothermia.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
• /
• 제21권1호
• /
• pp.67-77
• /
• 1987

Effect of intravenously injected clonidine on the flexion reflex was studied in 15 decerebrated and spinalized cats. The flexion reflex was elicited by electrical stimulation of the tibial nerve or the common peroneal nerve and it was recorded as single unit activity from filaments of the L6 or L7 ventral roots. In order to obtain the late flexion reflex discharges, $A{\delta}$ and C afferent fibers were stimulated with single or train electrical pulses respectively. The flexion reflex, especially the late component, was markedly inhibited after intravenous administration of clonidine. The clonidine-induced inhibition of the flexion reflex was compared before and after treatment of the animals respectively with yohimbine and naloxone. The inhibitory effect on the flexion reflex of clonidine was not altered by naloxone, a ${\mu}-opioid$ receptor blocker, whereas it was completely blocked by yohimbine, an ${\alpha}_2-adrenergic$ antagonist. These results indicate that clonidine inhibits the flexion reflex through excitation of ${\alpha}_2-adrenoceptors$ even at the spinal cord level.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• 제29권2호
• /
• pp.86-93
• /
• 2005

This study was undertaken to determine the antagonism of the ginseng total saponin (GTS) on the development of nalbuphine-induced tolerance and physical dependence. GTS is blown to have antinarcotic action with a dose of 100mg/kg (i.p.) in rats. STS significantly inhibits the development of nalbuphine-induced physical dependence as well as the tolerance. The level of pCREB was elevated in the striatum by the chronic treatment with nalbuphine or GTS, how-ever, the elevation of pCREB was inhibited by the GTS co-treatment. It has been suggested that NMDA receptor and/or NO is involved in the penomena of opioid dependence and withdrawal. However, the level of nNOS and NR1 was not modulated by the treatment with nalbuphine or GTS on the cortex, hippocampus and striatum in the rat brain. These results suggest that the GTS could be used to ameliorate the nalbuphine tolerance and withdrawal symptoms.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• 제18권4호
• /
• pp.215-220
• /
• 2012

The stem of Lindera obtusiloba (Lauraceae), has been widely used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of abdominal pain, bruise and hepatocirrhosis. In the present study, antinociceptive and sedative properties of the methanol extract of L. obtusiloba (MLO) were evaluated. MLO demonstrated strong and dose-dependent antinociceptive activities on various experimental pain models including thermal nociception and chemical nociception, compared to tramadol and indomethacin, reference drugs. In combination test using naloxone, the diminished analgesic activity of MLO was observed, indicating the relation with opioid receptor. Moreover, MLO also decreases pentobarbital-induced sleep latency and increases sleeping time suggesting its hypnotic and sedative action. The present results indicate that MLO could be used as valuable antinociceptive and sedative agent for the treatment of various diseases.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• 제19권4호
• /
• pp.311-315
• /
• 2013

Ribes fasciculatum (Saxifragaceae) has been widely used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of cough, antidote, cold, lacquer poison, and sore throat. In the present study, we evaluated the anti-nociceptive effects of ethyl acetate fraction of Ribes fasciculatum (ERF) in mice. Test results of tail-immersion test and hot plate test revealed that the ERF had strong anti-nociceptive activities on thermal nociception in a dose dependent manner, indicating ERF's anti-nociception on the central pain. Moreover, the acetic acid-induced chemical nociception was also significantly reduced by ERF treatment. This result shows that ERF may also work on the peripheral pain. We further performed formalin test to confirm ERF's anti-nociceptive properties and found that pain responses were significantly decreased by ERF treatment. Interestingly, in the combination test with naloxone, the analgesic activity of ERF was not changed, indicating that the opioid receptor was not involved in the ERF-mediated anti-nociception. These results indicate that ERF might be possibly used as a painkiller for the treatment of nociceptive pains.

• 한국응용약물학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국응용약물학회 1998년도 Proceedings of UNESCO-internetwork Cooperative Regional Seminar and Workshop on Bioassay Guided Isolation of Bioactive Substances from Natural Products and Microbial Products
• /
• pp.150-151
• /
• 1998

Drug delivery to the brain is facilitated by the synthesis of chimeric peptides, where in neuropharmaceuticals are linked to a vector such as an antibody to the transferrin receptor that mediates transcytosis through the blood-brain barrier (BBB). When disulfide linkers are used in the chimeric peptide, it is crucial that the S-S bridge is stable during transit and that cleavage does not occur prematurely within endothelial cells, as the peptide drug moiety would then be sequestered by the BBB instead of passing through it. The present study addressed that problem. As a model drug a metabolically stable opioid peptide, [$^3$H]DALDA (Tyr-dArg-Phe-Lys-NH$_2$), was used. It was monobiotinylated with NHS-SS-biotin to yield bio-[$^3$H]DALDA. The biotinylated peptide was bound to the vector OX26-SA which is a covalent conjugate of OX26 and streptavidin (molar ratio = 1: 1). In vitro treatment of the chimeric peptide, bio-[$^3$H]DALDA/OX26-SA, with a reducing agent, dithiothreitol, released the labeled peptide from the vector by conversion of bio-[$^3$H]DALDA to the desbiotinylated derivative, desbio-[$^3$H]DALDA.