• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.263-275
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• 1989

Mechanical contractions and electrical activities of the fundic longitudinal and antral circular muscle fibers were investigated in order to elucidate topical differences of gastric motility. K-induced contracture was produced by exposure of muscle strips to high K Tyrode solution. Membrane potential and mechanical contraction were simultaneously recorded by conventional glass microelectrode method and single sucrose-gap technique. All experiments were performed in tris-buffered Tyrode solution which was aerated with $100%\;O_2\;and\;kept\;35^{\circ}C$. The results obtained were as follows: 1) The resting membrane potential of circular muscle cells in the antral region was about 10 mV more negative than that in the fundic region. 2) The membrane potentials decreased almost linearly as the extracellular KCI concentration was increased both in antral circular muscle cells and in fundic longitudinal muscle cells. 3) The thresholdal K concentration of K-contracture was 15 mM (membrane potential, -48 mV) for the antral circular muscle strip and 20 mM for the fundic longitudinal muscle cells. 4) The ratio of membrane permeability coefficient for $Na^+\;and\;K^+,\;P_{Na}/P_K\;({\alpha})$ was 0.065 for antral circular muscle cells and was 0.108 for fundic longitudinal muscle cells. 5) K-contracture of antral and fundic smooth muscle strips showed the contracture composed of phasic and tonic components. The amplitude of the phasic component increased sigmoidally in a dose-dependent manner, whereas that of the tonic component was maximal at a concentration of 40 mM KCI and at the concentrations above or below 40 mM KCI the amplitude was reduced. 6) The inverse relationship between the amplitude of tonic component and extracellular KCI concentration in the range of 40 to 150 mM KCI was more prominent in the antral circular muscle strip than in the fundic longitudinal muscle strip, where the amplitude of the tonic component decreased less steeply and was maintained higher at the same high K concentrations. 7) The tonic component was totally dependent on the external $Ca^{2+}$ and completely abolished by verapamil, while tile phasic component was far less dependent on the external $Ca^{2+}$ and partially suppressed by verapamil. From the above results, the following conclusions could be made. 1) The phasic component of K-contracture is produced both by intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization and by $Ca^{2+}$-influx from outside, while the tonic component is generated and maintained by the $Ca^{2+}-influx$ through the potential-dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channel. 2) The mechanism of reducing the free $Ca^{2+}$ concentration in the myoplasm seems to be more developed in the antral circular muscle than in the fundic longitudinal muscle. 3) The lower resting membrane potential of the fundic longitudinal muscle cell reflects a relatively high $P_{Na}/P_K$ ratio of about 0.108.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1545-1549
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• 2003

Broiler chickens were subjected to (i) pre-treatment for 24 h with 1,200 ppm L-ascorbic acid in their drinking water on day 42 (AA), (ii) 60% feed restriction on days 4, 5 and 6 (FR), (iii) combination of AA and FR (AAFR), or (iv) neither treatment (control). On day 43, the birds were crated and transported in an open truck for either 60 min or 120 min. Heterophil/lymphocyte ratios (HLR) were determined prior to ($T_0$) and 20 h following the 60 min ($T_60$) and 120 min ($T_120$) journeys. Prior to transportation, all treatment groups had similar HLR. Following $T_60$, the AAFR chicks had smaller increase in HLR than their control, AA and FR counterparts. The AA, FR and AAFR birds exhibited lower HLR than controls following $T_120$. The means HLR of AA, FR and AAFR did not differ significantly. Irrespective of journey time, AA and AAFR birds had shorter tonic immobility duration than their FR and control counterparts. The tonic immobility duration of all birds increased with journey duration.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.130-138
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• 2018

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an autoimmune inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system characterized by optic neuritis and longitudinally extensive myelitis. Painful tonic spasm is a common complication of NMO, but there have been no reports about it in Korean medicine studies. In this case, we treated a 53-year-old woman diagnosed with NMO with paraplegia, painful tonic spasm, and decreased visual acuity using Korean medicine treatment, including acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping, and moxibustion. We measured changes in clinical symptoms using the manual muscle testing (MMT), the numeric rating scale (NRS), the modified Barthel Index (MBI), and the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). After treatment, clinical symptoms were improved. The results indicate that Korean medicine treatment may be effective in the treatment of an NMO patient with paraplegia and painful tonic spasm.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 1993

The purpose of this study was to find out what changes in weight bearing in the both upper extremities occurred in response to Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex by rotation of head in the quadruped position. The subjects for the study were 80 children (44 male, 44 female) who were neurologically normal. They were divided into two groups $6\~7$ year olds and $8\~9$ year olds. Paired t-test was applied as a atatistical method at the 0.01 level of significance. The results of this study are as follows; 1. In the neutral position of head, there was mort weight bearing on the left hand than the right in both of the two groups(p<0.01). 2. When the head was rotated to the right or left passively, there was more weight bearing on the hand of side to which the face was rotated(p<0.01). 3. When the head was rotated to the right or left actively, there us also more weight bearing on the hand of side to which the face was rotated(p<0.01). Therefore, it is possible to un Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex to increase body weight for muscle strengthening in children with weakened muscles of the upper extremities. further studies are required for confirmation of these findings.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.123-126
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• 2002

More than three hundred million men in the world are suffering from erectile dysfunction. Korean ancient medical records say that the unmated male silkworm moth is effective in strengthening men's vitality, but no scientific examination has preyed its clinical efficacy. Currently, silkworm moths are not allowed for food-stuff. Thus, we selected silkworm of 14-days-after-metamorphosis, at which external morphology possesses that of pupae, but internal component is that of moths. To obtain the reliable source of unmated male silkworm moth, we used the sex-limited silkworm breed with larval marking. The body marker allows casual separation of sex during larval period, preventing mating right after emergence from cocoon. Using the extract prepared with the pupae of 14-days-after-metamorphosis, we investigated the tonic effect of the extract on the rat fed the extract for three weeks. The results showed that the testosterone levels in serum increased maximum by 19%, that of testicle increased maximum by 200%, and athletic endurance of the rats rose by 6%, suggesting positive tonic effect of the pupae prepared at the stage of 14 days after metamorphosis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.416-426
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• 1991

The effects of an irreversible or a reversible $\alpha_1$-adrenoceptor antagonist (dibenamine or prazosin) on $\alpha_1$-adrenoceptor-mediated vasoconstrictions were studied in the endothelium-denuded rat aorta. In these experiments, the mobilization of intracelluier calcium and translocation of extracellular calcium were also studied. To exclude the modulation of endothelium releasing EDRF and EDCF, the endothelium was removed in all rat aortas. Contraction induced by phenylephrine (a full $\alpha_1$-adrenoceptor agonist) was separated into a fast phasic component of the response due to the release of intracellular calcium and a slow tonic one due to the influx of extracellular calcium. Pretreatments with increasing doses of reversible $\alpha_1$-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin, as well as irreversible $\alpha_1$-adrenoceptor antagonist dibenamine, inhibited the phasic component of phenylephrine-induced contraction more effectively than the tonic one. Pretreatment of dibenamine (0.2 $\mu{M}$) or prazosin (10 nM) to the rat aorta abolished phasic response but remained tonic one about 41% and 51%, respectively. These results suggest that as the efficiency of phenylephrine was progressively reduced by pretreatments with increasing doses of an irreversible or a reversible $\alpha_1$-adrenoceptor antagonist (dibenamine or prazosin), the contraction induced by phenylephrine became progressively more dependent on the influx of extracellular calcium.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.119-124
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• 2011

Objective : This study was carried out to investigate effect of korean medicinal herbs-included hair tonic (MHT) and food (MF) on hair growth in an alopecia model of C57BL/6 mice. Methods : Six-weeks old mice were given laboratory rodent chow diet for 1 week. Then, we used a depilatory for hair removal on mice. The next day, mice were randomized and separated in 3 groups of 6 mice; normal group (N, vehicle epidermal application+normal diet-treated group), positive control group (C, 3% minoxidil sulfate epidermal application+normal diet-treated group), and the treatment group (T, HT epidermal application+ MF diet-treated group). The hair regrowth was determined by photograph, which was taken at 7, 14 and 21 days. And scoring indices, hair density and hair thickness, were evaluated by Folliscope at same day. In addition, the hair regrowth was analyzed insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) in the dorsal skin of mice. Results : As a result, not only external appearance but also hair density and hair thickness on dorsal skin were increased more in C, T groups than in N group at 21 days with mixed treatment. Therefore, distinct regrowth pattern is appeared by treatment of herbal tonic and natural food for 21 days. Also, the expressions of IGF-1 on dorsal skin were higher in C, T groups than in N group. Conclusion : These results suggested that this herbal hair tonic and natural food has hair growth promoting activities and may be useful for treatment of bald or alopecia.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.13 no.1_2
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• pp.41-50
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• 1979

The activation mechanism of K-induced contracture was studied in renal vascular muscle which does not generate an action potential readily and in taenia coli which generates a spike potential spontaneously. Helical strips of arterial muscle from rabbit renal arteries and longitudinal strips of taenia coli from guinea-pig's colons, respectively, were prepared. All experiments were performed in Tris-buffered Tyrode solution which was aerated with 100% $O_2$ and kept $35^{\circ}C$. Renal arterial muscles developed the contracture rapidly, which was composed of a small phasic and a large tonic components, when exposed to a 40 mM K-Tyrode solution. In the absence of external $Ca^{++}$, however, no K-contracture appeared. The contracture induced by K-depolarization was abolished by the treatment with verapamil, which is known to be a selective $Ca^{++}-blocker$ through potential-sensitive $Ca^{++}-channel$. K-contracture of taenia coli showed the contracture composed of a large phasic and a small tonic components. In the $Ca^{++}-free$ Tyrode solution, only the tonic component was abolished and almost no change in the phasic component was observed. The amplitude of tonic component was dependent on the external $Ca^{++}$; The tonic component increased dose-dependently by a stepwise increase of the external $Ca^{++}$, and this component decreased in parallel with the increase of verapamil in the external medium. The results of this experiment suggest that K-contracture of rabbit renal artery is the direct result of the influx of the external $Ca^{++}$, while that of taenia coli is the result of both $Ca^{++}$ influx and the release of sequestered $Ca^{++}$.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 1995

Gastric smooth muscle of guinea pigs was used to investigate whether the inhibitory effect of calcium antagonists on tonic contraction was accompanied by inhibition of phospholipase C activity. Tonic contraction and $[^{3}H]$ inositol phosphate (IP) formation in response to acetylcholine were measured after pretreatment with verapamil, nifedipine, 8-(N,N-diethylamino)octyl 3,4,5-trimethoxy-benzoate (TMB-8) or EGTA. Verapamil $(10\;{\mu}M)$, TMB-8 $(10\;{\mu}M)$ or EGTA (2 mM) significantly inhibited acetylcholine $(1\;{\mu}M)$-stimulated tonic contraction but nifedipine (100 nM) did not. Acetylcholine dose-dependently increased the formation of $[^{3}H]IP$. This effect was not observed in the presence of 2 mM EGTA. Both verapamil and TMB-8 significantly inhibited $[^{3}H]IP$ formation induced by $10\;{\mu}M$ acetylcholine, whereas nifedipine did not. In a subsequent study, we measured phospholipase C activity in gastric muscle cell homogenate and in permeabilized cells to determine whether calcium antagonists could inhibit the activity directly. The calcium antagonists did not change the phospholipase C activity of the cell homogenate or the permeabilized cells. But EGTA decreased phospholipase C activity by 50%. These results suggest that the inhibitory effects of verapamil and TMB-8 on acetylcholine-stimulated tonic contraction may be accompanied by inhibition of phospholipase C activity.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.345-364
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• 2024

Objectives : Gyeongokgo is a representative herbal formula for longevity in Korean medicine and has been applied to prevent and treat various diseases. Gyeongokgo is recognized as a representative tonic for the Joseon royal family. However, there is yet no legitimate research on how the royal family used Gyeongokgo. The present study aims to analyze Gyeongokgo during the reign of King Sukjong and Gyeongjong with historical records. Methods : Historical records were searched through databases such as the veritable records of the Joseon Dynasty and the daily records of royal secretariat of Joseon Dynasty. Results : During the reign of King Myeongjong, the administration of Gyeongokgo started and expanded to the entire royal family, including the king, queen, and queen mother, by King Sukjong. In the early stage, Gyeongokgo was taken to treat coughing or breathing difficulties. Gradually it was recognized as agood tonic for replenishing energy and blood. Conclusions : The tendency to prefer tonic in the late Joseon Dynasty started during the reign of King Sukjong, and Gyeongokgo began to be used as a seasonal tonic in the fall and winter even though no symptoms appear.