• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.191-196
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• 2015

Attenuated functional exercise capacity in elderly and diseased populations is a common problem, and stems primarily from physical inactivity. Decreased function and exercise capacity can be restored by maintaining muscular strength and mass, which are key factors in an independent and healthy life. Resistance exercise has been used to prevent muscle loss and improve muscular strength and mass. However, the intensities necessary for traditional resistance training to increase muscular strength and mass may be contraindicated for some at risk populations, such as diseased populations and the elderly. Therefore, an alternative exercise modality is required. Recently, blood flow restriction (BFR) with low intensity resistance exercise (LIRE) has been used for such special populations to improve their function and exercise capacity. Although BFR+LIRE has been intensively studied for a decade, a comprehensive review detailing the effects of BFR+LIRE on both skeletal muscle and vascular function is not available. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to discuss previous studies documenting the effects of BFR+LIRE on hormonal and transcriptional factors in muscle hypertrophy and vascular function, including changes in hemodynamics, and endothelial function.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.764-770
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• 2013

Stevia rebaudiana is a traditional herb used as a sweetener in Brazil and Paraguay as well as Korea and China. This study investigated the efficacy of Stevia rebaudiana methanol extract (SRE) to protect cells against the mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis in hepatocyte. To determine the effects of SRE on oxidative stress, we used the human derived hepatocyte cell line, HepG2 cell. Treatment of arachidonic acid (AA)+iron in HepG2 cells synergistically amplified cytotoxicity, as indicated by the excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial permeability transition by fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) and immunoblot analysis. Treatment with SRE protected hepatocytes from AA+iron-induced cellular toxicity, as shown by alterations in the protein levels related with cell viability such as procaspase-3. SRE also prevented the mitochondrial dysfunction induced by AA+iron, and showed anti-oxidant effects as inhibition of $H_2O_2$ production and GSH depletion. Moreover, we measured the effects of SRE on AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a key regulator in determining cell survival or death. Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase (ACC), a direct downstream target of AMPK. SRE increased phosphorylation of ACC, and prevented the inhibition of ACC phosphorylation by AA+iron. These results indicated that SRE has the ability to protect cells against AA+iron-induced $H_2O_2$ production and mitochondrial impairment, which may be mediated with AMPK-ACC pathway.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2012

Ginseng, the root of Panax ginseng Meyer, has been used frequently in traditional oriental medicine and is popular globally. Ginsenosides, which are the saponins in ginseng, are the major components having pharmacological and biological activities, including anti-diabetic and anti-tumor activities. In this study, we investigated the effects of total saponin from Korean red ginseng(TSKRG) on thrombin-produced thromboxane $A_2$ ($TXA_2$), an aggregating thrombogenic molecule, and its associated microsomal enzymes cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and $TXA_2$ synthase (TXAS). Thrombin (0.5 U/mL) increased $TXA_2$ production up to 169 ng/$10^8$ platelets as compared with control (0.2 ng/$10^8$ platelets). However, TSKRG inhibited potently $TXA_2$ production to the control level in a dose-dependent manner, which was associated with the strong inhibition of COX-1 and TXAS activities in platelet microsomes having cytochrome c reductase activity. The results demonstrate TSKRG is a beneficial traditional oriental medicine in platelet-mediated thrombotic diseases via suppression of COX-1 and TXAS to inhibit production of $TXA_2$.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1575-1579
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• 2004

According to 2004 health statistics yearbook, cancer ocupies second death reason next to disease of blood circulation system and 1/4 was died because of cancer. There are very many factors to onset cancer, for example the exposure to varius kinds of pollution materials by development of industry, excess intake of harmful food to one's health, spritual stress, as become old age society, increase of attack-rate of geriatric diseases etc, attack-rate of cancer comes to be high gradually. The author had study about to treatment cancer by TCM(traditional chinese medicine) and combining TCM & western medicine, in Guang An Men hospital in Beijing of China from February 2003 to January 2004. TCM papers are 105 and combining TCM & western medicine papers are 280 of total 385 papers. Clinical reserch papers are 166, review articles are 194, animal experimental papers are 25. The papers used development herbal medicine are 42(10.9%), the papers used undevelopment herbal medicineare are 228(59.2%), the papers used senior TCM doctor's therapeutic experience and theory are 17(4.4%), the papers used theory of TCM or theory of combining TCM & western medicine are 71 (18.4%), the papers used acupuncture, qigong, thermotherapy, etc, other methods are 5, the papers used TCM patient's care or dietary treatment are 12 and ststistical papers are 10. Cancer is complicated hard case disease in pathological process. Combining TCM & western medicine treatment system is more efficient than one of TCM or western medicine in diagnosis, treatment, reserch of cancer.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.361-365
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• 2009

Effects of quercetin, a kind of flavonoids, on the vasodilating actions were investigated. Among the mechanisms for quercetin-induced vasodilatation in rat aorta, the involvement with the $Ca^{2+}$ activated $K^+$ ($K_{Ca}$) channel was examined. Pretreatment with NE ($5\;{\mu}M$) or KCl (60 mM) was carried out and then, the modulation by quercetin of the constriction was examined using rat aorta ring strips (3 mm) at $36.5^{\circ}C$. Quercetin (0.1 to $100\;{\mu}M$) relaxed the NE-induced vasoconstrictions in a concentrationdependent manner. NO synthesis (NOS) inhibitor, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine acetate (L-NMMA), at $100\;{\mu}M$ reduced the quercetin ($100\;{\mu}M$)-induced vasodilatation from $97.8{\pm}3.7%$ (n=10) to $78.0{\pm}11.6%$ (n=5, p<0.05). Another NOS inhibitor, L-NG-nitro arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), at $10\;{\mu}M$ also had the similar effect. In the presence of both $100\;{\mu}M$ L-NMMA and $10\;{\mu}M$ indomethacin, the quercetin-induced vasodilatation was further attenuated by $100\;{\mu}M$ tetraethylammonium (TEA, a $K_{Ca}$ channel inhibitor). Also TEA decreased the quercetin-induced vasodilatation in endothelium-denuded rat aorta. Used other $K_{Ca}$ channel inhibitors, the quercetin-induced vasodilatation was attenuated by $0.3\;{\mu}M$ apamin (a SK channel inhibitor), but not by 30 nM charybdotoxin (a BK and IK channel inhibitor). Quercetin caused a concentration-dependent vasodilatation, due to the endotheliumdependent and -independent actions. Also quercetin contributes to the vasodilatation selectively with SK channel on smooth muscle.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.684-692
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• 2002

Cordyceps militaris has been known as a Chinese traditional medicine for the treatment of tuberculosis, asthma, kidney disease, debility and fatigue etc. This study was attempted to investigate the therapeutic effect of C. militaris extract on the cytotoxic activity of HepG2, human hepatocellular carcinoma cells and the liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride in SD rats. C. militaris extracts inhibited significantly the proliferation of HepG2 cells in vitro. Carbon tetrachloride(CCl₄) caused a significant an increase in liver weight, serum aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and alanine aminotransferase(ALT) activity, alkaline phosphatase(ALP), serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), microsomal TBARS, and decrease in microsomal detoxification enzymes (cytochrome P-450, P-450 reductase, cytochrome b5, b5 reductase). TBARS and ALP in serum pretreated with C. militaris extracts (300mg/kg/day, 600mg/kg/day) was significantly reduced compared to control group(CCl₄). Cytochrome b5 and b5 reductase activities were significantly increased in CM300 (300 mg/kg/day) and CM600 group(600 mg/kg/day), and cytochrome P-450 reductase was significantly increased in CM300 group. Pretreatment (100, 300, and 600 mg/kg/day for 7 days) of C. militaris with CCl₄ was significantly inhibited the accumulation microsomal TBARS and the significantly increased in the cytochrome P-450 activity. These results suggested that C. militaris (300mg/kg/day for 7 days) has appreciable therapeutic effect on CCl₄ induced hepatotoxicity.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.62-69
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• 2018

This study aimed to review case reports of Korean medical treatments for sudden sensory neural hearing loss published in Korea from 1980 to 2016. We searched sudden sensory neural hearing loss through 6 major Korean web article search engines and search period was January 1980 to September 2016. Two researchers included studies on sudden hearing loss, clinical studies on korean medical treatments, and excluded in vivo studies, in vitro studies, non-original studies, published abstracts only, and studies not published in Korean or English. 19 articles were included in this study from 63 articles. Only one case report used Korean medical treatment alone. The most tools for treatment were acupunture, herbal medicine, pharmacopunture, moxibustion, cupping treatment and laser therapy. Most acupoints used in the treatment is SI19(聽宮). When patients got treated sooner, recovery rate was better. There was no direct relationship between recovery rate and degree of hearing loss. This study suggests that more research about sudden sensory neural hearing loss is needed in the future.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.347-355
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• 2016

Cryptotanshinone (CPT) is a natural compound isolated from traditional Chinese medicine Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. In the present study, the regulatory effect and potential mechanisms of CPT on tumor necrosis factor alpha ($TNF-{\alpha}$) induced lectin-like receptor for oxidized low density lipoprotein (LOX-1) were investigated. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured and the effect of $TNF-{\alpha}$ on LOX-1 expression at mRNA and protein levels was determined by Real-time PCR and Western blotting respectively. The formation of intracellular ROS was determined with fluorescence probe $CM-DCFH_2-DA$. The endothelial ox-LDL uptake was evaluated with DiI-ox-LDL. The effect of CPT on LOX-1 expression was also evaluated with SD rats. $TNF-{\alpha}$ induced LOX-1 expression in a dose- and time- dependent manner in endothelial cells. $TNF-{\alpha}$ induced ROS formation, phosphorylation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65 and ERK, and LOX-1 expression, which were suppressed by rotenone, DPI, NAC, and CPT. $NF-{\kappa}B$ inhibitor BAY11-7082 and ERK inhibitor PD98059 inhibited $TNF-{\alpha}-induced$ LOX-1 expression. CPT and NAC suppressed $TNF-{\alpha}-induced$ LOX-1 expression and phosphorylation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65 and ERK in rat aorta. These data suggested that $TNF-{\alpha}$ induced LOX-1 expression via ROS activated $NF-{\kappa}B/ERK$ pathway, which could be inhibited by CPT. This study provides new insights for the anti-atherosclerotic effect of CPT.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.131-137
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• 2021

Aging is the process spontaneously occurred in living organisms. Cardiac fibrosis is a pathophysiological process of cardiac aging. Mangiferin is a well-known C-glucoside xanthone in mango leaves with lots of beneficial properties. In this study, rat model of cardiac fibrosis was induced by injected with 150 mg/kg/d D-galactose for 8 weeks. The age-related cardiac decline was estimated by detecting the relative weight of heart, the serum levels of cardiac injury indicators and the expression of hypertrophic biomakers. Cardiac oxidative stress and local inflammation were measured by detecting the levels of malondialdehyde, enzymatic antioxidant status and proinflammatory cytokines. Cardiac fibrosis was evaluated by observing collagen deposition via masson and sirius red staining, as well as by examining the expression of extracellular matrix proteins via Western blot analysis. The cardiac activity of profibrotic TGF-β1/p38/MK2 signaling pathway was assessed by measuring the expression of TGF-β1 and the phosphorylation levels of p38 and MK2. It was observed that mangiferin ameliorated D-galactose-induced cardiac aging, attenuated cardiac oxidative stress, inflammation and fibrosis, as well as inhibited the activation of TGF-β1/p38/MK2 signaling pathway. These results showed that mangiferin could ameliorate cardiac fibrosis in D-galactose-induced aging rats possibly via inhibiting TGF-β/p38/MK2 signaling pathway.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.847-852
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to investigate the difference of electrodermal activity between the hypertensive and non-hypertensive subjects. A total 161 subjects who visited a hospital for health check ups from August 2011 through November 2011 and from September 2012 through November 2012 were included in this study. We divided the subjects into two groups by blood pressure, hypertension group(81 patients) and non-hypertension group(180 subject). Then we compared electrodermal activity between two groups by using the autonomic bioelectric response device model CP-6000A. The data was analyzed by independent t-test and logistic regression. In this study, there was a significant difference in electrodermal activity(the mean absolute value of positive, negative pulse conductivity) between hypertensive and normotensive group in t-test and electrodermal activity showed the significant influence on the prevalence risk of hypertension with age, body mass index and dyslipidema in binominal logistic regression. In conclusion, hypertensive patients had high level of electrodermal activity compared with normotensive subjects and this finding suggests that electrodermal activity which is explained excess tendency in Korean traditional medicine could be used for diagnosis in hypertension patients at Korean traditional medical clinic.