• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.363-371
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• 2020

This study was designed to evaluate the improvement in exercise endurance by Hovenia dulcis fruit hot water extract (HDWE) for the potential application as a functional food material. The effect was based on the evaluation of the forced-swimming capacity and changes in biochemical parameters in mice. Six-week-old mice were classified into four groups based on a randomized block design: the negative control group, the HDWE 50 mg/kg body weight group, the HDWE 200 mg/kg body weight group, and the 1-octacosanol 50 mg/kg body weight group (n=8 mice per group). The swimming exercise time in the HDWE-50 group was increased at 545±43 sec compared to the control group at 263±28 sec. The HDWE-200 fatigue indicators, lactate acid and ammonia content, decreased to 4.99±0.33 mg/mL and 0.63±0.05 mg/mL, respectively. In addition, the content of glycogen in the liver and muscle tended to increase in the group administered HDWE but was not significant. Likewise, the LDH and glucose contents were increased compared to the control group. The muscle damage indicators ALT (52.7±2.6 U/L) and AST (42.5±5.2 U/L) tended to decrease compared to the control group (76.4±10.2 U/L).

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.5
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• pp.523-528
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• 1997

Peripheral benzodiazepine receptor(PBR) has been indentified in various peripheral tissues including kidney. The physiological and pharmacological functions of PBR are still uncertain, althought it has been suggested that these are associated with the regulation of stress/anxiety response. Diazepam progeny, which were exposed to diazepam perinatally, was reported to be an animal model of chronic anxiety. However, PBR in the diazepam progenies are not known yet. In the present study, therefore, we examined the changes of PBR in the stress/anxiety response. Dams of rats were given injection of diazepam or vehicle during puerperium. Diazepam progenies showed increased level of anxiety on the performance of elevated plus maze, and increased Bmax of PBR. Saturation experiments followed by scatchard analysis of the results showed that the increase in the density of PBR and the affinity of the PBR remained unchanged. Forced swim stress increased anxiety on the plus maze in both groups of rats. In contrast to control, diazepam progenies did not show further upregulation of renal PBR immediately after swimming stress, but still higher than control. From the above results, it may be concluded that upregulation of renal PBR is associated with chronic anxiety as well as stress-induced response.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.163-167
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• 2000

Cordyceps is reputed for its broad biological activities and as a tonic for replenishing vital function in Chinese traditional medicines. As an attempt to obtain fundamental data for the development of a new type Cordyceps, the effects of the fruiting bodies of cultivated fungus of Paecilomyces japonica grown on silkworm larvae on hyperglycemia induced by streptozotocin(STZ) and by epinephrine in rats and in mice as well as on immunological functions in mice were investigated. The 70% methanol extract of the fungus, when administered orally at 100 and 300 mg/kg in STZ-induced hyperglycemic rats, caused a significant decrease in blood glucose level 3hr after sample treatments. The methanol extract, when administered p.o. at the same dose levels in epinephrine-induced hyperglycemic mice, also caused a significant decrease in serum glucose levels as well as a significant reversal of the liver glycogen contents suggesting its hypoglycemic activity might be due to glycogen breakdown in the liver. Treatment of normoglycaemic mice with the methanol extract of the fungus exhibited a significant glucose tolerance up to 3hr after oral glucose load(2.0 g/kg). The methanol extract also showed immuno-stimulating activity as measured by carbon clearance in mice and a significant antifatigue effect as measured by weight loaded forced swimming performance in mice.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition Conference
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• 2001.12a
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• pp.22-37
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• 2001

Melatonin is secreted during the hours of darkness and is thought to influence the circadian and seasonal timing of a variety of physiological processes. Serotonin N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT) which is found to be expressed in pineal gland, retina, and various tissues, catalyses the conversion of serotonin to N-acetylserotonin and is known as the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway of melatonin. The compounds that modulate the activity of AA-NAT can be used to treat serotonin-and melatonin-related diseases such as insomnia, depression and seasonal affective disorders (SAD). Several assay methods have been developed by which to measure AA-NAT activity. We have also developed a simple, rapid and sensitive AA-NAT assay method that takes advantage of differences in the organic solubilities between acetyl CoA and N-acetyltryptamine. We screened modulators of AA-NAT activity from the water extracts of the medicinal plants. We found MNP1005 which strongly inhibited the activity of AA-NAT ($IC_{50}$=2.2$\mu$M). Enzyme inhibitory kinetic studies revealed that MNP1005 exhibited a noncompetitive inhibition toward tryptamine. The antidepressant effect of MNP1005 was investigated on behavioral despair test so called forced swimming test (FST). MNP1005 significantly increased swimming behavior by reducing immobility with treatment of 10 mg/kg when compared to the vehicle-treated control group (P < 0.05). This suggests that MNP1005 possesses antidepressant activity. The influence of chronic MNP1005 treatment on the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was examined by in situ hybridization and Northern blot. Chronic treatment of MNP1005 blocked the downregulation of BDNF mRNA in the frontal cortex and other cortex regions in response to restraint stress.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.97-105
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• 2024

Objective : This study examined the effects of yaksun recipe on the anti-fatigue and endurance enhancement properties in the forced swimming test (FST). Methods : The treatment groups were divided randomly into three groups: water-treated FST (control), 200 mg/kg of red ginseng-treated FST (RG200), 200 mg/kg of water extract of yaksun recipe-treated FST (YS200). After FST, an autopsy was performed, and the tissue and serum were collected. Results : The swimming exhaustion time in the RG200 and YG200 groups were significantly increased compared to the control group. The YG200 group fatigue indicators, D-Lactate, LDH(lactate dehydrogenase), creatine kinase, and ammonia content, significantly decreased compared to the control group. In addition, liver glycogen content significantly increased in the YG200 and tended to increase in RG200. Likewise, the glucose contents were significantly increased compared to the control group. The muscle damage indicators GPT (glutamic pyruvic transaminase) and BUN (blood urea nitrogen), a protein metabolite, in the YG200 group significantly decreased compared to the control group. Furthermore the concentration of liver lipid peroxidation, MDA(malondialdehyde) levels significantly decreased in the RG200 and YG200 compared to control group. Conclusions : These results suggest that YG200 can increase the endurance exercise capacity by decreasing the fatigue indicators, saving glycogen, and elevating the antioxidant defense system.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.113-117
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• 2003

This study was performed to investigate the anti-depression effect of herbal extracts (Rehmanniae Radix Preparat, Corni Fructus, Lycii Fructus, Pinelliae Rhizoma, Nelumbinis Semen) in the chronic mild stressed rat. After adaptation period for 2 weeks, each herbal extract was administered to the rats divided 5 groups. For comparison, St. John's wart was administered to another group in the same environment. The chronic mild stress was induced to rats by overnight illumination for 2 days before the forced swimming test. Struggling time, first latency and rest duration were calculated during the forced swimming test to evaluate the anti-depressant effect. The results were as follows: 1. In the result of evaluation of the struggling time, there was no significance in Pinelliae Rhizoma (-1.1%), Corni Fructus (-3.9%), Rehmanniae Radix Preparat (15.2%), Lycii Fructus (4.9%), St. John's wart (25.2%). There was a significant increase only in Nelumbinis Semen (43.9%) (P=0.0037). 2. In the result of evaluation of the first latency time, there was no significance in Lycii Fructus (-21.37%), Rehmanniae Radix Preparat (38.4%), Pinelliae Rhizoma (65.5%), Corni Fructus (29.2%), St. John's wart (75.8%). There was a significant increase only in Nelumbinis Semen (90.2%) (P=0.0116). 3. In the result of evaluation of the first rest duration, there was no change in St. John's wart, and Decrease was shown in Pinelliae Rhizoma (62.4%), Corni Fructus (31.6%) Rehmanniae Radix Preparat (63.1 %), Lycii Fructus (12.4%), Nelumbinis Semen (59.0%), but there was no significance in all. 4. Nelumbinis Semen is considered to have a superior anti-depression effect than the other herbal extracts, and to have a superior and-depression effect than St. John's wart being used commonly.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1762-1768
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• 2004

The Korean formula medicine, Gami-Yukmi-Jihwang-Tang (GYJT) has been used for growing slowly, short of stature, incomplete development, fatigue, weak child, growing pain of child. However, it is still unclear how GYJT has an effect on experimental models. In the present study, the author investigated the immune-enhancing effect of GYJT. Forced swimming test (FST) was performed as a model of activity test in mice and measured blood urea nitrogen (BUN), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), glucose (Glc) and total protein (TP) in the serum. GYJT (1, 0.1 and 0.01 g/㎏) were orally administered to mice, once per day for 7 days using a feeding atraumatic needle. After 3 days, on FST, the immobility time was significantly decreased in the GYJT (0.01g/㎏/day)-fed group (120.75±5.71s) in comparison with the saline-fed group (153.80±10.74s). After 7 days, the immobility time was significantly decreased in the GYJT (0.1 and 0.01g/㎏/day)-fed group (125.67±5.36s and 107.67±3.71s) in comparison with the saline-fed group (167.67±12.99s). In addition, the contents of BUN and Glc in the blood serum were significantly decreased and the contents of AST, ALT and LDH were also decreased in the GYJT (1g/㎏/day)-fed group. However, the content of TP was not changed. The present results suggest that GYJT may be useful for the anti-fatigue and immune-enhancing agent. Also, the author investigated the effect of GYJT on the production of cytokines in human T-cell line, MOLT-4 cells. However, GYJT has not affected the production of IFN­γ, IL-2, IL-4. These results suggest that GYJT has immune-enhancing effect but does not affect T cell-mediated production of cytokines in the immune function improvement.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.90-98
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• 1985

1) In the study of the forced-swimming test in mice (FSM), the duration of immobility posture was dose-dependently shortened by ${\alpha}_2$-agonists, clonidine and guanabenz. BH-T 933 and oxymetazoline also decreased it . Xylazine rather increased the immobility duration at low dose. 2) ${\alpha}_1$-Agonists, cirazoline, amidephrine and methoxamine, however, showed inconsistent effect on the immobility duration (ID). 3) The decrease in ID by clonidine and guanabenz was antagonized by pretreatment with yohimbine, idazoxan and phentolamine (${\alpha}_2$antagonist), but not by prazosin and corynanthine (${\alpha}_1$-antagonist) .4) The ID in the FSM was shortened dose-dependently by d-amphetamine, and it was also antagonized by yohimbine, but not by prazosin. 5) In the mice pretreated with either ${\alpha}$-methyl-p-tyrosine or reserpine, or with combination of both, the decrease in ID was still evoked by clonidine. 6) When the mice were chronically treated with antidepressants (desipramine and imipramine), or with electroconvulsive shock, clonidine still decreased the ID as it did in the control. 7) These results provided the evidences to hypothesize that the change of the ID in the FSM is closely related with the postsynaptie ${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptor located on the central noradrenergic neuron body. Furthermore, it is assumed that this escape-directed behavior enhanced by ${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptor agonist may be the result in some analogy with the incentive of drives which are directed toward the self-preservation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.219-227
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• 2009

The antifatigue and endurance promoting properties of two Korean medicinal herb extracts and molasses with various mineral components were studied by evaluating forced-swimming capacity and biochemical parameters in ICR mice. The treatment groups were orally administered mineral beverages which were contained 6% sugar with the mixture of Maesil (Prunus mume fruit) extracts, Omija (Schisandra chinensis fruit) extracts and molasses for 4 weeks. The exercised forced-swimming tests were conducted after 28 days of beverage supplementation. The swimming times to exhaustion were longer 1.5${\sim}$2 times in group 6 and group 10 than control goup (Control: 93.2${\pm}$10.4 sec; Beverage 6; 190.8${\pm}$25.6 sec, Beverage 10; 173.6${\pm}$21.8 sec; p<0.05). Moreover, the activity of hexokinase (Control: 5.23${\pm}$0.38 ${\mu}mol$l/g tissue; Beverage 6: 5.99${\pm}$0.18 ${\mu}mol$/g tissue, Beverage 10: 6.13${\pm}$0.25 ${\mu}mol$/g tissue, p<0.05) and citrate synthase (control: 42.9${\pm}$1.87 ${\mu}mol$/g tissue; Beverage 6: 56.8${\pm}$3.98 ${\mu}mol$/g tissue, Beverage 10; 59.5${\pm}$3.09 ${\mu}mol$/g tissue, p<0.05) were also significantly higher than those of control group. Even if the treatment groups had long swimming than control group, there is no significant difference in the glycogen contents of gastrocnemus muscle or liver between the control group and each treatment group. This demonstrated an improvement in endurance. These results suggest that reported herbal beverage is very effective to combat fatigue, improve endurance and increase overall physical activity.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.69-85
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• 2023

Depression is one of the most common neuropsychiatric disorders and is associated with dysfunction of the neuroendocrine system and alterations in specific brain proteins. Boophone disticha (BD) is an indigenous psychoactive bulb that belongs to the Amaryllidacae family, which is widely used in Southern Africa to treat depression, with scientific evidence of potent antidepressant-like effects. The present study examined the antidepressant effects of BD and its mechanisms of action by measuring some behavioural parameters in the elevated plus maze, brain content of corticosterone, brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), and neuroblast differentiation in the hippocampus of Balb/c mice exposed to the five day repeated forced swim stress (5d-RFSS). Male Balb/c mice were subjected to the 5d-RFSS protocol to induce depressive-like behaviour (decreased swimming, increased floating, decreased open arm entry, decreased time spent in the open arms and decreased head dips in the elevated plus maze test) and treated with distilled water, fluoxetine and BD. BD treatment (10 mg/kg/p.o for 3 weeks) significantly attenuated the 5d-RFSS-induced behavioural abnormalities and the elevated serum corticosterone levels observed in stressed mice. Additionally, 5d-RFSS exposure significantly decreased the number of neuroblasts in the hippocampus and BDNF levels in the brain of Balb/c mice, while fluoxetine and BD treatment attenuated these changes. The antidepressant effects of BD were comparable to those of fluoxetine, but unlike fluoxetine, BD did not show any anxiogenic effects, suggesting better pharmacological functions. In conclusion, our study shows that BD exerted antidepressant-like effects in 5d-RFSS mice, mediated in part by normalizing brain corticosterone and BDNF levels.