• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.254-261
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• 2005

The effects on memory and learning ability of the Korean herbal medicine, Xingyo-tang(XGT, 神交湯), which consists of Ginseng Radix(人蔘) 4 g, Liriopis Tuber(麥門冬) 40 g, Morindae Officinalis Radix(巴戟天) 40 g, Biotae Semen(柏子仁) 20 g, Dioscoreae Rhizoma(山藥) 40 g, Euryales Semen(?實) 20 g, Scrophulariae Radix(玄蔘) 40 g, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix(丹蔘) 12 g, Poria(茯神) 12 g, Cuscutae Semen(免絲子) 40 g, was investigated. The effects of XGT on learning and memory performance were examined in normal or memory impaired mice by using avoidance tests, Pentobarbital -induced sleep test, fear conditioning task, novel object recognition task, and water maze task. Hot water extract from XGT was used for the studies. Learning ability and memory are based on modifications of synaptic strength among neurons that are simultaneously active. Enhanced synaptic coincidence detection leads to better learning and memory. The XGT-treated (30 mg/100 g and 60 mg/100 g, p.o.) mice exhibit superior ability in learning and memorizing when performing various behavioral tasks. XGT did not affect the passive avoidance responses of normal mice in the step through and step down tests, the conditioned and unconditioned avoidance responses of normal mice in the shuttle box, lever press performance tests, and the ambulatory activity of normal mice in normal condition. In contrast, XGT produced ameliorating effects on the memory retrieval impairment induced by ethanol. XGT also improved the memory consolidation disability induced by electric convulsive shock (ECS). XGT extended the sleeping time induced by pentobarbital dose-dependently, suggesting its transquilizing or antianxiety action. These results suggest that XGT has an improving effect on the impaired learning through the effects on memory registration and retrieval.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.163-173
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• 2007

Jeungaektang (JAT) is the herbal formula, has the effect of moistening the dryness by activating lung Qi and by nourishing Yin, has being used for dryness syndromes. Generally the herbal formulae for moistening dryness are used for exogenous or endogenous dryness syndromes. JAT has been clinically used for the treatment of endogenous dryness syndromes. It is composed of Scrophulariae Radix. Rehmanniae Radix and Liriopis Tuber. Recent studies showed that JAT has a protective effect against $CCl_{4}-induced$ hepatotoxicity and anti-inflammatory effects against ear swelling of mouse induced by Crotonis Fructus. However, the effect of JAT on the immunological activity was rarely studied. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of JAT the regulatory mechanism of nitric oxide (NO) and cytokines in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. After the treatment of JAT water extract, cell viability was measured by MTT assay, NO production was monitored by measuring the nitrite content in culture medium. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX -2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were determined by immunoblot analysis, and levels of cytokine were analyzed by sandwich immunoassays. Results provided evidence that JAT inhibited the production of nitrite and nitrate ($0.1{\sim}1.0$ mg/ml), iNOS ($0.1{\sim}1.0$ mg/ml), $interleukin-1{\beta}$ ( $0.1{\sim}1.0$ mg/ml) and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($0.1{\sim}1.0$ mg/ml) in RAW 264.7 cells activated with LPS. Furthermore, JAT inhibited the expression of COX-2 expression and production of prostagladin E2 ($0.1{\sim}1.0$ mg/ml). These findings suggest that JAT can produce anti-inflammatory effect, which may play a role in adjunctive therapy in Gram-negative bacterial infections.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1391-1398
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• 2005

The anti-thrombic properties of the oriental herbal medicine Daejowhan(DJW, 大造丸) which consists of 11 kinds of herbs (indicated as ratio) of Rehmanniae Radix 24%, Hominis Placenta 5%, Testudinis Carapax 9%, Eucommiae Cortex 9%, Asparagi Radix 9%, Phellodendri Cortex 9%, Achyranthis Radix 7%, Liriopis Tuber 7%, Angelicae Sinensis Radix 7%, Ginseng Radix 5% and Schizandrae Fructus 3% were investigated. The water extracts from DJW inhibited Platelet-activating factor(PAF) induced platelet aggregation. DJW was extracted with methanol and further fractionated by ethylacetate. A 70% methanol extract showed a strong inhibition against PAF-induced aggregation in vitro and in vivo assays. The ethylacetate soluble fraction was shown to have inhibitory effect on PAF-induced platelet aggregation in vitro assay. The ethylacetate soluble fraction specially protected against the lethality of PAF, while verapamil did not afford any protection. These results indicate that the water extracts and alcoholic-fractions inhibit the action of PAF in vivo by an antagonistic effect on PAF, so that it may be useful in treating disorders caused by PAF, such as acute allergy, inflammation, asthma, gastrointestinal ulceration, toxic shock and so forth. DJW was investigated regarding its assumed anti-thrombic action on human platelets which was deduced from its ability to suppress Arachidonic acid(AA)-induced aggregation, exocytosis of ATP, and inhibition of Cyclooxygenase(COX) and Thromboxane synthase(TXS) activity. The latter two effects were estimated from the generation of Prostaglandin $E_2(PGE_2)$ and Thromboxane $A_2(TXA_2)$ respectively. Exogenously applied AA ($100{\mu}mol/{\ell}$) provoked a $89\%$ aggregation of platelets, the release of 14 pmol ATP, and the formation of either 225 pg $TXA_2$ or 45 pg $PGE_2$, each parameter being related to 106 platelets. An application of DJW 5 min before AA dose-dependently diminished aggregation, ATP-release and the synthesis of $TXA_2$ and $PGE_2$ with $IC_{50}$ values of 74, 108, 65, $72{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, respectively. The similarity of the $IC_{50}$ values suggest an inhibition of COX by DJW as primary target, thus suppressing the generation of $TXA_2$ which induces aggregation of platelets and exocytosis of ATP by its binding on $TXA_2$-receptors.