• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제22권5호
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• pp.485-490
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• 1999

The mechanism of action of fish oil (FO), currently used in different chronic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is not completely understood, although it is thought that it could alter the metabolism of endogenous autacoids. In addition, we hypothesized that the known capability of fatty acids (FA) of stabilizing serum albumin and perhaps other proteins, may be of pharmacological relevance considering that it is shared by other anti-rheumatic agents (e.g. nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs). Thus, we studied the effect of oral administration of FO and corn oil (CO), a vegetable oil with a different composition, on the stability of rat serum proteins, evaluated buy a classical in vitro method based on heat-induced protein denaturation. FO, and, to a lower extent, CO inhibited heat-induced denaturation of rat serum (RS): based on the inhibitory activity (EC50) of the major fatty acids against heat-induced denaturation of RS in vitro, it was possible to speculate the in vivo effects of palmitic acid (C16:0) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5, n-3) may be more relevant than that of linolenic acid (C18:2). To better investigate this phenomenon, we extracted albumin from the serum of animals treated or not with FO with a one-step affinity chromatography technique, obtaining high purity rat serum albumin preparations (RSA-CTRL and RSA-FO), as judged by SDS-PAGE with Coomassie blue staining. When these RSA preparations were heated at $70^{\circ}C$ for 30 min, it was noted that RSA-FO was much more stable than RSA-CTRL, presumably due to higher number of long chain fatty acids (FA) such as palmitic acid or EPA. In conclusion, we provided evidences that oral administration of FO in the rat stabilizes serum albumin, due to an increase in the number of protein bound long chain fatty acids (e.g. palitic acid and EPA). We speculate that the stabilization of serum albumin and perhaps other proteins could prevent changes of antigenicity due to protein denaturation and glycosylation, which may trigger pathological autoimmune responses, suggesting that this action may be involved in the mode of action of FO in RA and other chronic inflammatory diseases.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.59-65
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• 2010

In India, Tectona grandis is traditionally used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus and lipid disorder. In the present study, the antihyperglycemic and lipid lowering effect of ethanolic extract of bark of Tectona grandis (TG) was evaluated using alloxan induced diabetes in rats. Alloxan was given at the dose of 140 mg/kg, i.p. After induction of diabetes, TG was administered for 42 days p. o. and simultaneously different biochemical parameters like plasma glucose, liver glycogen content, serum triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol were estimated. Diabetic control showed significant increase (P < 0.01) in plasma glucose, serum triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and significant decrease (P < 0.01) in serum HDL-cholesterol and liver glycogen content. Treatment with TG showed significant reduction (P < 0.01) in plasma glucose when compared with diabetic control. The elevated levels of serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels were significantly reduced (P < 0.01) by TG. TG treatment for 42 days showed significant decrease in serum LDL-cholesterol (P < 0.01) and significant increase in serum HDL-cholesterol level (P < 0.01). Moreover, diabetic control there was significant decrease in liver glycogen content which was significantly increased (P < 0.05) by treatment with TG. Hence, from the result obtained in the present study it can be concluded that Tectona grandis has the potential to treat diabetes condition and associated lipid disorder.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.33-37
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• 2003

Oxidative damage to mitochondria is a critical mechanism in necrotic or apoptotic cell death induced by many kinds of toxic chemicals. Thioredoxin (Trx) family proteins are known to play protective roles in organisms under oxidative stress through redox reaction by using reducing equivalents of cysteines at a conserved active site, Cys-X-X-Cys. Whereas biological and physiological properties of Trx1 are well characterized, significance of mitochondrial thioredoxin (Trx2) is not well known. Therefore, we addressed physiological role of Trx2 in PC12 cells under oxidative stress. In PC12 cells, transiently overexpressed Trx2 significantly reduced cell death induced by hydrogen peroxide, whereas mutant Trx2, having serine residues instead of two cysteine residues at the active site did not. In addition, stably expressed Trx2 protected PC12 cells from serum deprivation. These results suggest that Trx2 may play defensive roles in PC12 cells by reducing oxidative stress to mitochondria.

• 대한약리학회지
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.1-6
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• 1977

The physicochemical equivalencies of drugs are not usually correlate to the generic equivalencies of drugs and the generic equivalencies of drugs produced by different manufacturers or different formulations are being called in question frequently. The bioabailability of two formulations of oxytetracycline and erythromycin stearate were performed in healthy human volunteers. At the same time, the disintegration testes were performed with randomly sampled materials in question. For the biological evaluation of new oxytetracycline formulation; tablet(250mg), two-way cross over study in 10 healthy young volunteers was performed using oxytetracycline capsule (250mg) as reference, Erythromycin stearate (250mg) tablets and capsules produced by different manufacturers were compared in a two-way cross over study in 12 subjects with same manner of oxytetracyclines. oxytetracycline tablets showed somewhat slow disintegration rate, but appeared not statistical differences in serum concentrations from the reference, up to six hours after ingestion. Erythromycin stearate capsules disintegrated more rapidly than enteric coated tablets. Serum concentrations of capsules were more variable and markedly lower (P<.005 after 2hrs) than the enteric coated tablets. Rapid disintegration of capsules may result in destruction of active chemicals owing to the interaction with gastric acid and the above factor may contribute mainly to the low serum level after ingestion of capsules.

• 대한약리학회지
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.15-24
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• 1980

[${\alpha}$]-Amylase catalyses the hydrolysis of starch, glycogen, and related poly- and oligosac-charide by random cleavage of ${\alpha}$-D-(l-4) glucan linkage. In man large amounts of amylase are secreted into the digestive tract by the salivary and exocrine pancreatic gland, minimal amount being produced also in other tissues. It has been known that ${\alpha}$-amylase exists in multiple molecular forms, isoenzyme which can be separated from each other because of difference in their physicochemical properties. By using various methods, several groups of investigator have separated the many isoenzyme in serum, saliva and pancreatic juice. Furthermore, changes of the normal serum isoenzyme pattern is diagnostically useful even when the total serum enzyme activity is noninformative, such as the clinical use of isoenzyme of serum lactate dehydrogenase. Procarboxypeptidase-A which is one of the pancreatic enzymes is also present as isoenzymes. Four forms of procarboxypeptidase-A haye been found in the bovine enzyme and three forms of the porcine enzyme. In human pancreatic juice four forms of procarboxypeptidase-A isoenzyme were found by isoelectric focusing method. Recently, the so-called isoamylase analysis was developed for the diagnostic use of amylase in pancreatic diseases. In alcohotic patients, the serum concentration of pancreatic isoamylase is subnormal and this lowered activity provides strong evidence for pancreatic exocrine insufficiency. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the variations of the isoenzyme of amylase and procarboxypeptidase-A in serum, saliva and pancreatic juice of the experimental animals. The results are as follow. 1) Three main forms of isoenzyme of amylase by isoelectric focusing were found in pancreatic juice of normal rabbit. However, many new bands were appeared in the pancreatic juice of cholic acid administered animal intravenously while the infusion of cholic acid or elastase into pancreatic duct produced the decrease of number of the fractions on the isoelectric focusing. In the case of serum isoenzyme from normal animal, two major and a few minor isoamylases were observed. By injecting alcohol intravenousely the fractions of serum isoamylase were significantly decreased and in contrary to the pattern in the pancreatic juice the infusion of cholic acid or elastase into pancreatic duct exhitited a significant decrease of the isoenzyme of amylase fractions. In saliva from normal animal three main isoamylase were produced of the administration of alcohol. 2) In the case of procarboxypeptidase-A isoenzyme, two major fractions which have isoelectric point at 6.2 and 6.4 and other two minor bands were observed in the pancreatic juice of normal rabbit. By the treatment of the juice with trypsin, only one band was produced on the isoelectric focusing. No procarboxypeptidase was appeared on the electrofocusing by the infusion of cholic acid or phospholipase A into the pancreatic duct of rabbit. However, a single major fraction of procarboxypeptidase-A was appeared at 3 hr after simple ligation of the pancreatic duct. No significant changes were observed in the juice of the alcohol or cholic acid administered group.

• 대한약리학회지
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.29-35
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• 1971

The effect of Capricornidis Cornu (C.C) on the amount of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipid in serum from rabbit were observed. The preparations were extracted by methanol, and extracted samples were oraly adminstrated to the rabbits fasted for three days. After three days starvation, the amounts of total cholesterol and triglycerides in serum of the rabbit were markedly increased, while phospholipid was slightly decreased. The amount of total cholesterol and triglycerides were gradually decreased by adminstration of the extracted samples and were returned to the control leveles after 15 days. However, the amount of phospholipid was increased to higher than the control levels by adminstraion of the drug. According to the above results, it would be concluded that the extract of C.C. and crude drug preparation containing C.C. influences for the recovery of the increased amounts of total cholesterol and triglycerides by abnormal metabolism to the normal on rabbit.

• 대한약리학회지
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.99-109
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• 1966

It has been known that the pronounced hypotension resulting from hemorrhage gives rise to compensatory stimulation of the adrenosympathetic system, which leads to an increase of liberation of catecholamines from sympathetic nervous system and adrenal medulla. It is obvious, therefore, that numerous physiological and biochemical changes during the hemorrhagic hypotention might be mediated through the increased liberation of catecholamines. Although an extensive studies have been reported on changes of protein and carbohydrate metabolism in hemorrhagic shock a few studies on the changes of lipid metabolism have been reported. Levenson(1961) observed a marked increase of serum lipids content during hemorrhagic shock and also noticed a marked elevation of serum free fatty acids. He suggested that these effects were due to mobilization and accelerated metabolic breakdown of lipids which might be resulted by sympathetic stimulation as a cause. To elucidate the mechanism of this, author studied the change of serum free fatty acids and blood sugar with relation to catecholamines during experimentally induced hemorrhagic shock in dog. Healthy male mongrel dogs weighing approximately 15kg were used. Under the general anesthesia with pentobarbital, rapid hemorrhage was produced from the femoral artery maintaining blood pressure level of 40 mmHg measured by the manometer connected with the opposite femoral artery throughout the experiment. Serum free fatty acids(FFA) and blood sugar were measured by the methods of Dole(1956) and Folin-wu,(1920) respectively. Tissue catecholamine was measured by Shore and Olin method(1958) using Aminco-Bowman spectrophotofluorometer.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제5권6호
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• pp.467-477
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• 2001

We examined astrocyte regional heterogeneity in their morphological changes in response to various stimuli. Astrocytes were cultured from six different neonatal rat brain regions including cerebral cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum, mid brain, brain stem and hypothalamus. Astrocyte stellation was induced by serum deprivation and the maximum stellation in different regional astrocytes was achieved after 2 h. After 24 h, in all astrocyte cultures, the level of stellation returned to their original level. Cerebellar or hypothalamic astrocytes were the most or the least sensitive, respectively, to serum deprivation. The order of maximum sensitivity to serum deprivation among different regional astrocytes was: cerebellum＞mid $brain{\ge}hippocampus,\;brain\;stem{\ge}cerebral$ cortex＞hypothalamus. Isoproterenol-induced astrocyte stellation was also examined in different regional astrocytes, and similar order of maximum sensitivity as in serum deprivation was observed. Next a possible developmental effect on astrocyte morphological changes was examined in cerebral cortex and cerebellum astrocytes cultured from postnatal day 1 (P1), P4 and P7 rat brains. A much higher sensitivity of cerebellum astrocytes to serum deprivation as well as isoproterenol treatment was consistently observed in P1, P4 and P7-derived astrocytes compared to cerebral cortex astrocytes. The present study demonstrates different regional astrocytes maintain different levels of morphological plasticity in vitro.

• 대한약리학회지
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.21-32
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• 1976

The influence of Panax ginseng and Acanthopanax on the metabolism of hens are studied experimentally. The hens are fed with three dose levels of ethanol extract of Panax ginseng and Acanthopanax for 24 months and for comparing, there are control hens and young control hens. The results are as follows. 1. Hemoglobin, hematocrit and erythrocyte sedimentation rate values of hens fed with Panax ginseng and Acanthopanax are not significantly. different from control group. There is tendency of decreasing of erythrocyte sedimentation rate with aging. 2. The serum total lipid values of hens fed with Panax ginseng and Acanthopanax have tendency of increment compared with control group, especially in large dose treated hens of Panax ginseng and it is statistically significant. The serum cholesterol levels of all treated hens seem to be increased without significance statistically. Serum triglyceride level is higher in young hens compared with aged, and Panax ginseng and Acanthopanax treated hens reveal much higher values than control hens. So the increment of triglyceride levels in the Panax ginseng and Acanthopanax treated hens may be mainly contribute to increment of total lipid content. 3. Long-term administration of Panax ginseng and Acanthopanax seem to increase total serum protein content. Such increment seem to be due to the increment of globulin, especially gamma globulin, which is statistically significant in the large dose group of Acanthopanax. There are no differences of serum albumin levels of all the groups. 4. The blood glucose level and the glycogen content of liver and muscle have no difference among all the experimental groups. To summarize the results, the effects of Panax ginseng and Acanthopanax on the metabolism of hens have similarity in the majority of data of this experiment, and seem to be mainly influence to lipid and protein metabolisms by increasing serum triglyceride and globulin, especially gamma globulin.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제1권5호
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• pp.515-521
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• 1997

Endothelial cells play a central role in the inflammatory processes, and activation of nuclear factor kappa B ($NF-_{\kappa}B$) is a key component in that inflammatory processes. Previously, we reported that tumor necrosis factor alpha($TNF{\alpha}$) had protective effect of cell death induced by serum deprivation and this protection was related to $NF-_{\kappa}B$ activation. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is a member of the molecules which transcription is regulated mainly by $NF-_{\kappa}B$. And the role of nitric oxide (NO) generated by iNOS on cell viability is still controversial. To elucidate the mechanism of $TNF{\alpha}$ and $NF-_{\kappa}B$ activation on cell death protection, we investigate the effect of NO on the cell death induced by serum- deprivation in bovine cerebral endothelial cells in this study. Addition of $TNF{\alpha}$, which are inducer of iNOS, prevented serum-deprivation induced cell death. Increased expression of iNOS was confirmed indirectly by nitrite measurement. When selective iNOS inhibitors were treated, the protective effect of $TNF{\alpha}$ on cell death was partially blocked, suggesting that iNOS expression was involved in controlling cell death. Exogenously added NO substrate (L-arginine) and NO donors (sodium nitroprusside and S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine) also inhibited the cell death induced by serum deprivation. These results suggest that NO has protective effect on bovine cerebral endothelial cell death induced by serum-deprivation and that iNOS is one of the possible target molecules by which $NF-_{\kappa}B$ exerts its cytoprotective effect.