• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.31-41
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• 1986

The sufficient myoplasmic $Ca^{++}$ to react with the contractile proteins is necessary to induce contraction of a cardiac muscle. These $Ca^{++}$ for the production of muscle contraction are supplied from the three recognized $Ca^{++}$ sources; internal $Ca^{++}$ release via the sarcoplasmic reticulum(SR), $Ca^{++}$ influx through a gated Ca-channel in the membrane as a Isi, and $Ca^{++}$ transport by the mechanism of Na/ca exchange. However, it is still controversial which $Ca^{++}$ sources act as a main contributor for myoplasmic $Ca^{++}$, Therefore, this study was undertaken in order to examine the $Ca^{++}$ sources for the contraction of frog ventricle. There is evidence that the SR is sparse in frog ventricular fibers, and that T-tubules are absent. Isolated ventricular strips of frog, Rana nigromaculata, were used in this experiment. Isometric tension was recorded by force transducer, and membrane potentials of ventricular muscles were measured through the intracellular glass microelectrodes, which were filled with 3M KCI and had resistance of $30{\pm}50M{\Omega}$. All experiments were performed at room temperature in a tris·buffered Ringer solution which was aerated with 100% $O_2$. Isotonic high K, low Na solution was used to induce K-contracture, K-contracture appeared at the concentration of 20 to 30mM-KCI and was potentiated in parallel with the increase in KCI concentration. The contracture had two components: an initial rapid phasic and a subsequent slow tonic contractile responses. Membrane Potentials measured at normal Ringer solution(2.5mM KCI) was -90 to -100 mV, and decreased linearly as the KCI concentration increased; -55mV at 20mM.KCI, -45mV at 30 mM.KCI, -30 mY at 50 mM.KCI, and -12 mV at 100 mM.KCI. K-contracture was evoked firstly at the membrane potential of -45 mV. The contracture was potentiated by the increase of bathing extracellular $Ca^{++}$ concentration. However, in the absence of $Ca^{++}$ the contracture was almost not induced by 50 mM.KCI solution. Caffeine(20mM) in normal Ringer solution, which is known to release $Ca^{++}$ from SR without substantial effects on the $Ca^{++}$ fluxes across the surface membrane, did not affect membrane potential and also not initiate contracture, but the caffeine in 20 mM-KCI Ringer solution produced a contracture. Above results suggest that the main $Ca^{++}$ source for the K·contracture of frog ventricle is $Ca^{++}$ influx through the voltage-dependent Ca-channel, and that in the K-contracture at the concentration of 100 mM-KCI, the mechanism of Na/ca exchange also partly contributs, in addition to the $Ca^{++}$ influx.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.454-474
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• 2002

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a very potent dilatator and a nonadrenergic, noncholinergic (NANC) neurotransmitter or neuromodulator in the peripheral and the central nervous systems. The mechanisms of action of VIP were examined in aortic circular and in uterine longitudinal smooth muscle strips of the rat. The effects of sympathetic neurotransmitter were investigated in gastric and aortic circular muscle strips of the mouse and the rat. The effects of silver spike point, SSP, low frequency electrical stimulations of VIP, sympathetic neurotransmitter and $\beta$-endorphin were examined in plasma, serum and 24h urine from the healthy volunteer. In gastric smooth muscle strips from the mouse, adrenergic neurotransmitter norepinephrine was inhibitory effected, followed by caused phasic and tonic contraction to the, muscrine receptor agonist carbachol and acetylcholine, respectively. In urine from the healthy volunteer, both norepinephrine and epinephrine were significantly decreased in continue type and low frequency (3 Hz) of SSP electrical stimulations. The contractile responses to S-HT in uterine longitudinal smooth muscle strips of the rats were completely decreased by a VIP 1 $\mu$M. The contractile responses to PGF2$\alpha$ were not decreased by a VIP. In plasma and serum from the healthy volunteer, both VIP and $\beta$-endorphin were significantly increased in continue type and low frequency (3 Hz) of SSP electrical stimulations. Therefore, this study demonstrate that VIP has the capacity to relax vascular or gastric smooth muscles in part by stimulating the generation of NO, and silver spike point low frequency electrical stimulation has the capacity both to decrease sympathetic neurotransmitters and to increase VIP, $\beta$-endorphin.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.452-464
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• 1990

It is well known that extracellular Calcium plays a very important role in several steps of smooth muscle excitability and contractility, and there have been many concerns about factors influencing the distribution of extracellular Ca++ and the Ca++ flux through the cell membrane of the smooth muscle. Based on the assumption that Mg++ may also play an important role in the excitation and contraction processes of the smooth muscle by taking part in affecting Ca++ distribution and flux, many researches are being performed about the exact role of Mg++, especially in the vascular smooth muscle. But yet the effect of Mg++ in the smooth muscle activity is not clarified, and moreover the mechanism of Mg++ action is almost completely unknown. Present study attempted to clarify the effect of Mg++ on the excitability and contractility in the multiunit and unitary smooth muscle, and the mechanism concerned in it. The preparations used were the guinea-pig aortic strip as the experimental material of the multiunit smooth muscle and the rat uterine strip as the one of the unitary smooth muscle. The tissues were isolated from the sacrificed animal and were prepared for recording the isometric contraction. The effects of Mg++ and Ca++ were examined on the electrically driven or spontaneous contraction of the preparations. And the effects of these ions were also studied on the K+ or norepinephrine contracture. All experiments were performed in tris-buffered Tyrode solution which was aerated with 100% 02 and kept at 35oC. The results obtained were as follows: 1] Mg++ suppressed the phasic contraction induced by electrical field stimulation dose-dependently in the guinea-pig aortic strip, while the high concentration of Ca++ never recovered the decreased tension. These phenomena were not changed by the a - or b - adrenergic blocker. 2]Mg++ played the suppressing effect on the low concentration [20 and 40 mM] of K+-contracture in the aortic muscle, but the effect was not shown in the case of 100mM K+-contracture. 3] Mg++ also suppressed the contracture induced by norepinephrine in the aortic preparation. And the effect of Mg++ was most prominent in the contracture by the lowest [10 mM] concentration of norepinephrine. 4] In both the spontaneous and electrically driven contractions of the uterine strip, Mg++ decreased the amplitude of peak tension, and by the high concentration of Ca++ the amplitude of tension was recovered unlike the aortic muscle. 5] The frequency of the uterine spontaneous contraction increased as the [Ca++] / [Mg++] ratio increased up to 2, but the frequency decreased above this level. 6] Mg++ decreased the tension of the low[20 and 40mM] K+-contracture in the uterine smooth muscle, but the effect did not appear in the 100mM K+-contracture. From the above results, the following conclusion could be made. 1] Mg++ seems to suppress the contractility directly by acting on the smooth muscle itself, besides through the indirect action on the nerve terminal, in both the aortic and uterine smooth muscles. 2] The fact that the depressant effect of Mg++ on the K+-contracture is in inverse proportion to an increase of K+ concentration appears resulted from the extent of the opening state of the Ca++ channel. 3] Mg++ may play a depressant role on both the potential dependent and the receptor-operated Ca++ channels. 4] The relationship between the actions of Mg++ and Ca++ seems to be competitive in uterine muscle and non-competitive in aortic strip.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.373-380
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• 1996

Recently we reported that GS 386, 1-(4'-methoxybenzyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-3,4-dihydroisoquinoline, inhibited amplitude of the $Ca^{2+}$ current by reducing the probability of $Ca^{2+}$ channel opening without changing channel kinetics in isolated rabbit atrial myocyte. In the present study, further investigation of the mechanism of action of GS 386 was performed using isolated rat trachealis. GS 386 concentration-dependently relaxed rat trachealis contracted by carbachol $(0.3{\mu}M)$ and high $K^+$(65.4 mM) with $IC_{50}$ 5.24 and 5.67 ${\mu}M$, respectively. Verapamil inhibited more effectively the high $K^+-contracted$ tissues than those with carbachol in the rat trachealis muscle. In $Ca^{2+}-free$ media, $Ca^{2+}-induced$ contraction was inhibited by GS 386. Furthermore, high concentration of GS 386 $(100{\mu}M)$ but not verapamil, attenuated a phasic contraction induced not only by carbachol but also caffeine, indicating that GS386 can enter into the cytoplasm where it may exert secondary actions on internal sites of the muscle, such as sarcoplasmic reticulum. Moreover, GS 386 showed verapamil-resistant component of relaxation and increased cAMP levels in rat trachal smooth muscle. These results suggest that the mechanism of action of GS 386 attributes to not only $Ca^{2+}$ antagonistic action but also weak phosphodiesterase inhibitory action.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.12 no.2 s.20
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• pp.33-41
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• 1976

Agkistrodon halys (Crotalidae) is the only species of poisonous snakes in Korea, and is divided into three subspecies; Agkistrodon bromhoffii brevicaudus, Agkistrodon calaginosus and Agkistrodon saxatilis. With the three venoms, the pharmacological actions on the cardiovascular system and intestine as well as some toxicological characteristics were studied. In addition, the precipitin test in an agar gel medium was employed for immunological comparison of the venoms and the sera of envenomed patients. The results obtained were as follows: Lyophilized venoms contained solids of $211{\sim}273mg/ml$, and LD50 to mice were 1.73 and 0.86 mg/kg in venoms of Agkistrodon bromhoffii brevicaudus obtained on July and October respectively, and 0.40 and 0.32 mg/kg in Agkistrodon calaginosus and the venoms of Agkistrodon saxatilis obtained on October was 2.29 mg/kg. Isoelectric focusing of lyophilized snake venoms showed 19 to 22 protein fractions and 2 to 3 isoamylase fractions. Acute irreversible hypotension was caused by the intravenous injection of large doses of venoms in rabbits and cats, but at the small doses, acute hypotension followed by slow recovery. Little changes of cardiac movements by the venom injection despite of marked hypotension were showed except bradycardia and arrhythmia prior the death. Also no changes on the isolated rabbit atria by the snake venoms were noted. The hypotensive effect of the snake venoms was prevented by the bilateral vagotomy or atropine pretreatment (1 mg/kg), but they did not affect when already the hypotension has undergone. In the isolated rabbit duodenum, small doses of venom increased the phasic movement, while large doses decreased after spastic contraction. With the injection of venoms in dog, strong contraction of gall-bladder was caused and it was not blocked by the pretreatment with phenoxybenzamine (10 mg/kg) or atropine (1.4 mg/kg). In the venoms of Agkistrodon bromhoffii brevicaudus and Agkistrodon calaginosus, at least 5 antigenic components were detected, and four of them were shared in common with each other. Polyvalent antivenin (Wyeth Lab. USA) had three common precipitating antibodies with the venom of Agkistrodon bromhoffii brevicaudus and Akistrodon calaginosus. In the serum of envenomed patients, no precipitating antibodies were seen to the venoms and little changes in serum protein, GOT and GPT were observed. In conclusion, the snake venoms obtained in Korea were highly toxic and caused chiefly the vascular collapse leading to death. This vascular collapse was resulted largely by cholinergic effects, and not cardiotoxin of venoms. In human, it is likely that precipitating antibodies to venom were not produced by an envenomed incidence to poisonous snakes.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to develop EMG triggered FES system for restoration of upper extremity function in chronic hemiplegic patients and to identify the optimal location of electrode application for the EMG triggered FES system which produces effective muscle contraction and detects EMG activity for extension in the wrist and finger joints. The stimulus system was composed of EMG measuring component, constant current component and the program for muscle contraction by EMG triggered FES and passive FES. Parameter of electrical stimulation was 35 ㎐ in frequency, 150 ${\mu}\textrm{s}$ in pulse width and symmetric bi-phasic wave. In 15 hemiplegic patients, EMG triggered FES was applied to the proximal half of forearm which was divided into 12 areas. The most sensitive area for measuring EMG activities during extension of the wrist and fingers was area 4, 5 and the optimal location of electrical stimulation for producing extension of the wrist and fingers was area 4, 5, 7, 8. These results suggest that the area 4 and 5 was considered as the most optimal location of electrode application for measuring EMG activities as well as producing extension of the wrist and fingers by EMG triggered FES system.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.382-395
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• 1992

GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in central nervous system and produce sedative, antianxiety and muscle reaxing effects via $GABA_A$ receptor or $GABA_B$ receptor. Recently it is known that GABA is widely distributed throughout peripheral organs and may playa physiological role in certain organ. The vas deferens is innervated by species-difference. These study, therefore, was performed to investigate the mode and the mechanism of action of GABA on the norepiniphrine-, ATP- and electric stimulation-induced contraction of vas deferens of rat. Sprague-Dawley rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation. The smooth muscle strips were isolated from the prostastic portion and were mounted in the isolated muscle bath. PSS in the bath was aerated with 95/5%-$O_2/CO_2$ at $33^{\circ}C$. Muscle tensions were measured by isometric tension transducer and were recorded by biological recording system. 1. GABA, muscimol, a $GAB_A$ agonist, and baclofen, a $GABA_B$ agonist inhibited the electric field stimulation(EFS, 0.2Hz, 1mSec, 80 V, monophasic square wave)-induced contraction with a rank order of potency of GABA greater than baclofen greater than muscimol. 2. The inhibitory effect of GABA was antagonized by delta aminovaleric acid(DAVA), a $GABA_B$ antagonist, but not by bicuculline, a $GABA_A$ mtagonist. 3. The inhibitory effect of baclofen was antagonized by DAVA, but the effect of muscimol was not antagonized by bicuculline. 4. Exogenous norepinephrine(NE) and ATP contracted muscle strip concentration dependently, but the effect of acetylcholine was negligible : and GABA did not affect the NE-and ATP-induced contractions. 5. GABA, baclofen and muscimol did not affect basal tone, and GABA did not affect the NE-and ATP-induced contractionsm 6. EFS-induced contraction was including 2 distinctable components. The first phasic component was inhibited by beta gamma-methylene ATP(mATP), a desensitizing agent of APT receptor and the second tonic component was reduced by pretreatment of reserpine(3 mg/Kg, IP). 7. GABA inhibited the EFS-induced contraction of reserpinized strips, but not the mATP-treated strips. These results suggest that in the prostatic portion of the rat vas deferens, adrenergic and purinergic neurotransmissions are exist, and GABA inhibits the release of ATP via presynaptic $GABA_B$ receptor on the excitatory neurons.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.103-109
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• 1988

Cyclobuxine D, extracted from Buxus microphylla var. koreana Nakai, is a steroidal alkaloid. Many pharmacological effects of cyclobuxine D were examined in our Lab. Cyclobuxine D showed a significant bradycardic effect in the rat heart and an inhibitory action on acetylcholine and $Ba^{++}-induced$ contraction of the longitudinal muscle isolated from the rabbit jejunum. In this study, we investigated the effect of cyclobuxine D on the contractile response-elicited by acetylcholine, oxytocin and $Ba^{++}$ in rat uterine. In order to analyse the inhibitory action of cyclobuxine D on the smooth muscle, we examined the inhibitory action of cyclobuxine D against the contractile response of the high potassium-depolarized rat ileum to calcium. Concentration-dependent decrease in the peak tension and duration of the acetylcholine, oxytocin and $Ba^{++}-induced$ contraction in the isolated rat uterus was observed when cyclobuxine D was added to the organ bath. The isolated longitudinal muscle from the rat ileum was immersed calcium-depleted potassium-depolarizing solution. Ten minutes after, 1.8 mM $CaCl_2$ was added to muscle bath and elicited a biphasic increase in muscle tension. Cyclobuxine D $(6.2{\times}10^{-5}\;M)$ produced an appreciable inhibition of both components of the mechanical response. In addition, $3.1{\times}10^{-4}\;M$ cyclobuxine D, introduced at a point when the tonic response had reached its maximum level, caused the muscle to exhibit a rapid lose of tension. Based on these experimental results, we propose the possibility that the inhibitory action of cyclobuxine D on the acetylcholine, oxytocin and $Ba^{++}-induced$ contraction in the isolated rat uterus may be due to blocking potassium-activated calcium channels, voltage-sensitive calcium channels.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.189-206
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• 1988

The effects of ouabain on the contractile and electrical activities were investigated in the isolated preparations of guinea-pig taenia coli, and compared with those of vanadate. Spontaneous contractions were recorded with force transducer, and electrical activites were measured by use of suction electrode, or single sucrose-gap technique. The contractions were induced by the electrical stimulation for 5 seconds every 1 minute with alternating current (60 Hz, 3.0 V/cm) through the platinum electrodes located in parallel with the long axis of the preparation. All experiments were performed in tris-buffered Tyrode solution which was aerated with $100%{\;}O_2$ and kept at $35^{\circ}C$. The results obtained were as follows: 1) Responses of spontaneous contractions to ouabain were concentration-dependent; $10^{-7}M$ ouabain caused a rise of basal tone. Above the concentration of $10^{-6}M$ ouabain, an initial increase followed by a decrease in tension was observed. 2) A continuous spike discharge was induced by the administration of $10^{-7}M$ ouabain. Above $10^{-6}M$ ouabain, a transient initial increase followed by a decrease in spike frequency and amplitude was produced, and finally membrane potential was sustained at a certain level without a spike discharge. 3) The characteristic response to $10^{-7}M$ ouabain was not blocked by the pretreatment with $10^{-7}M$ atropine. 4) The electrically induced contractions were completely suppressed at the concentration of $2{\times}10^{-7}M$ ouabain. These contractions were blocked more rapidly in paralled with the increase in ouabain concentration. 5) Effects of vanadate on the spontaneous activities were quite different from those of ouabain; $10^{-6}M$ vanadate increased the amplitude of contractions and $10^{-5}M$ vanadate increased slightly both amplitude and frequency of spontaneous contractions. $10^{-4}M$ vanadate showed irregular phasic contractions superimposed on the increased basal tone. 6) $10^{-5}M$ vanadate depolarized the membrane potential and shortened the interval between the bursts of spike discharge, whereas $10^{-4}M$ vanadate induced continuous spike discharge with membrane depolarization. 7) Vanadate caused a characteristic inhibitory response to the contractions induced by electrical stimulation; An initial rapid inhibition of tension development and then gradual recovery to a certain level. From the above results, the following conclusions could be made: 1) The rise of basal tone at $10^{-7}M$ ouabain is due to continuous spike discharge without a silent period. The continuous spike discharge is likely to be associated with a slight membrane depolarization caused by the blockage of Na pump. 2) The biphasic response induced by above $10^{-6}M$ ouabain seems to occur by the different mechanisms. The initial increase in tension is associated with depolarization along with an increase in spike frquency, whereas the subsequent relaxation occurs through a non-electrical mechanism. 3) The characteristic response to $10^{-7}M$ ouabain is resulted not from the action on intrinsic nerve terminal, but from its direct action on the membrane of smooth muscle cells. 4) The phasic contractions superimposed on the increased basal tone at the concentration of $10^{-4}M$ vanadate is resulted from the continuous spike discharge with membrane depolarization, of which mechanism remains unknown. 5) The inhibitory action of ouabain on the electrically induced contractions suggests that the increasein intracellular Na in some way inhibits the electrically induced $Ca^{2+}$ influx. The mechanism of vanadate action on the induced contractions remains unknown.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.195-206
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• 1995

The study was undertaken to examine the possibility of the involvement of $K^+$ channels in the mechanism of relaxant-action of imipramine on the isolated canine detrusor muscle strips. Canine urinary bladder were isolated, and smooth muscle strips of 15 mm long and 2 mm wide from the mid-portion of anterior wall were made in the Tyrode solution of $0{\sim}4^{\circ}C$. The strips were prepared for isometric myography in Biancani's isolated muscle chamber containing 1 ml of Tyrode solution, which was maintained with pH 7.4 by aeration with $95%\;O_2/5%CO_2\;at\;37^{\circ}C$. RP 52891, a non-specific $K^+$ channel opener, concentration-dependently suppressed the spontaneous phasic contractions of the detrusor strips. Imipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant, also reduced the spontaneous contractions in a concentration-dependent manner. RP 52891 was more potent than imipramine(p<0.05), and Imipramine was more efficient than RP 52891(p<0.05).Procaine, a voltage-dependent $K^+$ channel blocker, glibenclamide, an ATP-dependent $K^+$ channel blocker, and apamin, a calcium-dependent $K^+$ channel blocker antagonized the relaxant effect of RP 52891, but not of imipramine. Imipramine reduced the electric field stimulation (EFS) -induced contractions concentration-dependently. None of the $K^+$ channel blockers employed for this study, procaine, glibenclamide or apamin antagonized the inhibitory action of imipramine on the EFS-induced contraction. These results suggest that in canine detrusor, the $K^+$ channels of the characteristics of voltage-dependent, ATP-dependent and/or calcium-dependent are exist, and the inhibitory action of imipramine on the contractility of the detrusor is independent from the $K^+$ channels.