• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.70-78
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• 2009

Coptis japonica (C. japonica) is a perennial medicinal plant that has anti-inflammatory activity. C. japonica contains numerous biologically active alkaloids including berberine, palmatine, epi-berberine, and coptisine. The most well-known anti-inflammatory principal in C. japonica is berberine. For example, berberine has been implicated in the inhibition of iNOS induction by cytokines in microglial cells. However, the efficacies of other alkaloids components on microglial activation were not investigated yet. In this study, we investigated the effects of three alkaloids (palmatine, epi-berberine and coptisine) from C. japonica on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced microglial activation. BV2 microglial cells were immunostimulated with LPS and then the production of several inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) were examined as well as the phosphorylation status of Erk1/2 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK). Palmatine and to a lesser extent epi-berberine and coptisine, significantly reduced the release of NO, which was mediated by the inhibition of LPS-stimulated mRNA and protein induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) from BV2 microglia. In addition to NO, palmatine inhibited MMP-9 enzymatic activity and mRNA induction by LPS. Palmatine also inhibited the increase in the LPS-induced MMP-9 promoter activity determined by MMP-9 promoter luciferase reporter assay. LPS stimulation increased Erk1/2 phosphorylation in BV2 cells and these alkaloids inhibited the LPS-induced phosphorylation of Erk1/2. The anti-inflammatory effect of palmatine in LPS-stimulated microglia may suggest the potential use of the alkaloids in the modulation of neuroinflammatory responses, which might be important in the pathophysiological events of several neurological diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD), multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease (PD) and stroke.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.29 no.1 s.52
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• pp.43-50
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• 1996

We experienced a case of nephropathy in chronic lead poisoning. The patient was 43-year-old male who has been working in secondary lead smelting plant for 14 years. On admission, blood pressure was 160/90 mmHg and the others were non-specific. In past history, he received chelating agent administration for lead poisoning irregularly and medicated for gout, and the blood lead concentration was $180.0{\mu}g/dl$ on 2 months before admission. Smoking habit has been 1 pack per day for 15 years and drinking habit has been 1 bottle of Soju per day but less flow. In liver function test, AST/ALT were 27/28 IU/l and $\gamma-GT$ was 456 IU/l. In blood test, Hb : 11.5 g/dl, Hct : 34.0% and basophilic stipplings were found in peripheral blood smear. Chest PA was normal and abdominal ultrasonographic finding was non-specific except fatty liver. In the test of lead exposure indices, $PbB:83.0{\mu}g/dl,\;PbU:28.3{\mu}g/l$, and blood ZPP was $300.0{\mu}g/dl$. And in renal function test, BUN : 31.4 mg/dl, blood creatinine : 2.7mg/dl, blood uric acid. 9.1 mg/dl, urinary albumin : 100.0 mg/g creatinine, urinary $\alpha_1-microglobulin$ : 120.5 mg/g creatinine, urinary $\beta_2-microglobulin$ : $183.8{\mu}g/g$ creatinine, and 24 hours urinary creatinine clearance was 31.9 ml/min. The ultrasonoguided renal biopsy showed the global sclerosis of glomerulus, moderate atrophy and loss of tubule, and interstitial fibrosis in light microscopy. There were diffuse losses of brush border of proximal tubule in electronmicroscopy.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.716-722
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• 2006

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is physiologically important in regulating cellular homeostasis and apoptotic cell death, and its mutations are the cause of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS). Mitochondrial serine protease HtrA2 has a pro-apoptotic function and has known to be associated with neurodegenerative disorders. To investigate the relationship between genes associated with apoptotic cell death, such as HtrA2 and SOD1, we utilized the pGEX expression system to develop a simple and rapid method for purifying wild-type and ALS-associated mutant SOD1 proteins in a suitable form for biochemical studies. We purified SOD1 and SOD1 (G93A) proteins to approximately 90% purity with relatively high yields (3 mg per liter of culture). Consistent with the result in mammalian cells, SOD1 (G93A) was more insoluble than wild-type SOD1 in E. coli, indicating that research on the aggregate formation of SOD1 may be possible using this pGEX expression system in E. coli. We investigated the HtrA2 serine protease activity on SOD1 to assess the relationship between two proteins. Not only wild-type SOD1 but also ALS-associated mutant SOD1 (G93A) were cleaved by HtrA2, resulting in the production of the 19 kDa and 21 kDa fragments that were specific for anti-SOD1 antibody. Using protein gel electrophoresis and immunoblot assay, we compared the relative molecular masses of thrombin-cleaved GST-SOD1 and HtrA2-cleaved SOD1 fragments and can predict that the HtrA2-cleavage sites within SOD1 are the peptide bonds between leucine 9-lysine 10 (L9-K10) and glutamine 23-lysine 24 (Q23-K24). Our study indicates that SOD1 is one of the substrate for HtrA2, suggesting that both HtrA2 and SOD1 may be important for modulating the HtrA2-SOD1-mediated apopotic cell death that is associated with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorder.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.57-66
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• 2007

Purpose: We investigated the effects of the combined therapy in rats with rheumatoid arthritis induced by type II collagen for 28 days, which consisted of the oral administration of the AR and EA applied to zusanli acupoint(ST36). Methods: Normal group was oral administered with 0.9% NaCl $0.5\;m{\ell}/day$ to normal rats. Control group was oral administered with 0.9% NaCl $0.5\;m{\ell}/day$ to arthritic rats. Group I was oral administered with AR 500 mg/kg $0.5\;m{\ell}/day$ to arthritic rats. Group II was given 2 Hz EA of ST36 in the test group for 30 min/day to arthritic rats. Group III was oral administered with AR 500 mg/kg $0.5\;m{\ell}/day$ and 2 Hz EA of ST36 in the test group for 30 min/day to arthritic rats. We Observed effect of the histopathological changes by H&E stain of liver, kidney, knee joint and ELSIA of cytokines($TNF-{\alpha}$). Results: 1. The vacuolization of liver tissue was decreased in group I, II, III comparing with control group. 2. The glomerular sclerosis of kidney tissue was decreased in group I, II, III comparing with control group. 3. The erosion of arthritic site of knee joint tissue was decreased group I, II, III comparing with control group. In particular group III was the most effective comparing with group I, II on the histopathological view. 4. In the ELSIA test of $TNF-{\alpha}$ concentration, Control group significantly increased in the concentration more than group I, II, III. The rate of increase in concentration slowed down in group III more than group I, II(p<0.05). Conclusion: It is concluded that 500 mg/kg of AR extracts and EA have clear therapeutic effect on the rheumatoid arthritis.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.17-21
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• 1994

We studied 115 patients with seizure who had been performed brain SPECT, brain MRI or CT and EEG. To evaluate the pattern of brain SPECT in seizure patients 28 of them had secondary epilepsies, 87 had primary epilepsies. In primary epilepsies, 42 were generalized seizure and 45 were partial seizure. The causes of secondary epilepsies were congenital malformation, cerebromalacia, cerebral infarction, multiple sclerosis, AV-malformation, granuloma and etc, in order. In 28 secondary epilepsies, 25 of them, brain SPECT lesions was concordant with MRI or CT lesions, 3 were disconcordant. The brain SPECT findings of generalized seizure were normal in 22 patients, diffuse irregular decreased perfusion in 8, decreased in frontal cortex in 4, temporal in 5 and frontotemporal in 3. In 45 partial seizure, 19 brain SPECT were concordant with EEG (42.4%).

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.433-452
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• 1997

Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) has been as an animal model for studing the neurological diseases such as stroke and epilepsy because of the congenital incompleteries in Willis circle, as well as the investigation of water metabolism because of the long time-survival in the condition of water-deprived desert condition, compared with other species animals. In order to accomplish the this research, first of all another divided the laboratory animals 5 groups of which each group include the 5 animals. In this study were investigated the histological structure in the kidney, measured the plasma osmolalities at the time of sacrifice of indivisual animals, and the body weights every day during water-deprived. The results obtained in this study were summarized as followings: 1. The body weights and decreasing rates of the body weight in water-deprived mongolian gerbil groups were continuosly decreased. 2. The plasma osmolalities were increased from the 5th water-deprived day, after then the gradually increasing reached nearly its equilibrium state at the 10th water-deprived day. 3. The urine volumes were abruptly decreased from the 2th water-deprived day, after then the gradually decreasing patterns were reached nearly its equilibrium state at the 10th day, and stopped the 11th day. 4. In the light microscopical observation of the kidney, glomerular capillary loop thickening, mesangial matrix increasing, sclerosis, glomerular cystic atrophy, interstitial fibrosis, tubular dilatation, mononuclear interstitial inflammation, interstitial mineralization, and hyperplasia of the collecting duct epithelium in the cortex area, were observed from the 10th water deprived day, and the lesions were gradually severe changed as the time lapse. 5. In the electron microscopical findings of the kidney, the degenerative changes of endothelial cell, podocyte and mesangial cell in glomeruli were initially observed on the 10th water-deprived day as well as the degeneration of microvilli and intracellular organelle in the renal tubules.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.331-347
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• 1990

This study was designed under the purpose to analyze the Korean Traditional Folk Remedies on food, to submit the basic statistical data, and to utilize them by examining how much they know about the Korean Traditional Folk Remedies and also by examining how frequently they used them. The sample was consisted of 312 housewives living in Daegu, Kyungsan city and Kyungsan-eup, the survey was made by use of questionaires from July 15 to August 1 1989. The results are as follows 1. Analysis of Folk Remedical Contents 1) The method of the Folk Remedies used in this area was mainly food, which can be easily found around their house and easy to use, it was possible to apply scientific principles in some cases. 2) The major popular method was shown to feed boiled barley or brown rice which are known as the Folk Remedy for Diabetes. 3) The ANOVA of variable shows the significant influence on each object which age, religion, the level of education, job, monthly income, and the area except family formation. 2. The Frequency of Folk Remedies and additional analysis 1) The most frequently used Folk Remedy was Arterio-sclerosis(1.44), which is followed by the loss of Eyesight(1.40), Hang over(1.28), Couth(1.27), Cold(1.26) etc. 2) In the analysis of Pearson Correlation between frequencies of Folk Remedies used, and demographic variables such as age(p<.05), the monthly income(p<.01), in that area, total number of response items showed a positive correlation. 3. The source to learn about Folk Remedy. 1) It is acknoledged that they are mostly instructed by their forefathers, friends, neighbors, professional textbooks, mass communications, herb doctors, other medical sources or education at school etc. 2) The ANOVA of Variables shows the big differences between each group by age. Based on the above findings, the following suggestions are made ; Most of Korean Traditional Folk Remedies are recognized scientific and reasonable which are based on the scientific research and herb medicine therefore it should be made good use of for our life in good health additionally. I hereby insist that the importance of our Folk Remedies should be reviewed and focused for maintenance our health.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.141-152
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• 1984

The author analysed the bone changes, the positional relationships between condylar head and articular fossa, and the interrelationship between the bone changes and the abnormal position of condylar head, from 1,036 radiographs of 259 patients with temporomandibular joint arthrosis, which were obtained by the oblique-lateral transcranial projection and orthopantomograms. The results were as follows: 1. Among the radiographic bone changes of the temporomandibular joint arthrosis, deformity was 36.90%(217 case), sclerosis 34.18% (20 cases), errosive chang 25.85% (152 cases) and marginal proliferation 3.06% (18 cases) respectively. 2. In the positional changes between condylar head and articular fossa, the downward positioning of condylar head in centric occlusion was most frequent(36.90%), of which frequency was signifiantly higher than forward positioning (11.22%) and backward positioning(4.76%) in same condition. Also, radiographs showed that the enlargement of articular space showed higher frequency than its narrowing. In the opening position of mouth, the restricted movement of condylar head within articular fossa was most frequent(35.03%). The forward positioning and the downward positioning was 15.65% and 9.52% respectively. Also, radiographs revealed that the incomplete movement or no positional change of condylar head was most frequent. 3. In the interrelationship between bone changes and abnormal position of condylar head, deformity was 42.79% in the cases of downward positioning of condylar head in centric occlusion and 37.50% in those of normal positioning of condylar head in same condition. This revealed that deformity was most frequent bone change in above condylar positionings. However, erossive change was 34.62% in the cases of downward positioning of condylar head in centric occlusion and 33.33% in those of forward positioning. In opening position of condylar head, and deformity in the cases of normal positioning, forward positioning and downward positioning of condylar head was 38.38%, 36.96% and 44.64% respectively. 4. Bone changes of condylar head was 47.11%, articular eminence 41.50% and articular fossa 11.39% respectively. This revealed that the frequencies of bone changes. were higher in the projected portion of bony structures of temporomandibular joint than their depressed portions. On the otherhand, in the bone changes of condylar head, deformity was 59.57% which was the most frequent. In the bone changes of articular eminence and articular fossa, however, sclersis was 41.39% and 65.67% respectively, which was the most frequent in those portions.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.121-134
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• 1984

The authors analyzed the morphological change of bone structure from 3,140 radiographs (1570 joints) of 785 patients with temporomandibular joint arthrosis, which were obtained by the oblique lateral transcranial projection and orthopantomographs. The interrelation of bone change and clinical symptoms, duration of the diseases were examined. Also, the bone changes of articular eminence, condyle, articular fossa were examined according to positional change of the condyle in the mouth open and close state. The results were as follows. 1. In the 785 patients with TMJ arthrosis, 782 patients (99.62%) show the positional change of the condyle. Among them 691 patients (88.03%) show the bone change. 2. In TMJ arthrosis patients with bone changes 451 patients (65.27%) showed both the condylar positional changes and bone changes bilaterally. 198 patients (28.65%) show the condylar positional changes bilaterally and bone changes unilaterally. 3. The bone changes in the TMJ arthrosis were in order of frequency eburnation (647 cases, 32.8%), erosion (548 cases, 27.79%), flattening (418 cases, 21.20%), deformity (138 cases, 6.99%). sclerosis (115 cases, 5.83%), marginal proliferation (106 cases, 5.38%). The region of bone change in TMJ arthrosis with condylar positional changes were in order of frequency the articular eminence (43.97%) condylar head (38.64%), articular fossa (17.39%). In the patients with bone changes, their clinical symptoms were pain (44.34%), clicking sound (33.5%), limitation of mouth opening (22.52%). In the patients complaining pain the most frequent bone change was erosion (28.60%), in the patients complaining clicking sound, eburnation (28.97%) in the patients complaining the limitation, eburnation (29.40%). Also in the patients with the duration below 1 year most common bone change was eburnation. 5. The most common condylar positional change was downward position (39.94%) in closed state, restricted movement of condyle (30.07%) in open state. The condylar positional changes and bone changes according to the region were as follows: a) In the condylar head the most frequent bone change was erosion (30.45%) and the most frequent condylar positional change was downward position (37.40%) in closed state, restricted movement of condyle (33.2%) in open state. b) In the articular eminence the most frequent bone change was eburnation (39.91%) and the most frequent condylar positional change was downward position (39.79%) in closed state, restricted movement of condyle (27.22%) in open state. c) In the articular fossa the most frequent bone change was eburnation (53.94%) and the most frequent condylar positional change was downward position (42.57%) in closed state, restricted movement of condyle (30.32%) in open state.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.177-184
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• 2006

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a disease model of multiple sclerosis (MS) that is characterized by remittance and relapse of the disease and autoimmune and demyelinating lesions in the central nervous system (CNS). Autoimmune inflammation is maintained by secretion of a large number of protein. Previous studies have suggested that transcripts encoding osteopontin (OPN) are frequently detected in the mRNA population of MS plaques. To elucidate the functional role of OPN in initiation and development of EAE, we examined the expression and localization of OPN in the spinal cord during acute EAE. We demonstrated that OPN significantly increased at the early stage of EAE and slightly declined thereafter by western blot analysis. An immunohistochemical study revealed that OPN was constitutively expressed in some glial cells (microglia, astrocytes) of white matter and neurons in the CNS of control rats. OPN expression was shown to be increased in the same cells at the early and peak stage of EAE. To identity cells expressing OPN by double-immunofluorescence labeling, we labeled rat spinal cord sections for OPN with a monoclonal OPN antibody and with mAbs for astrocyte (GFAP), microglia/macrophage (OX42)-specific markers. The major cell types of OPN-expressing cells were activated astrocytes and microglia in the adjacent inflammatory lesions. Interestingly, OPN was mainly expressed in the end feet of astrocytes around vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expressing endothelial cells of CNS blood vessel. These findings suggest that increased levels of OPN in activated glial cell may play an important role in the recruitment of inflammatory cells into the CNS parenchyma during EAE.