• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제7권3호
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• pp.210-215
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• 1999

Nitric oxide (NO) can mediate numerous physiological processes, including vasodilation, neurotransmission, cytotoxicity, secretion and inflammatory response. The regulation of NO production by inducible NO synthase (iNOS) is considered to be the possible target of the development of anti-inflammatory agent, based on the observation that NO can activate cyclooxygenase, which results in the synthesis of prostaglandins. In an effort to screen new inhibitor of NO production from about 352 species of herbal extracts, we found 9 species with 50% or more inhibitory effect on NO production. Especially, the dose-dependent inhibition of NO production in lipopolysaccharide-treated macrophages by two of the herbal extracts (Artemisiae asiaticae Herba and Saussureae Radix) was due to the decrease in the expression of iNOS.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• 제27권5호
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• pp.543-551
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• 2002

Nitric oxide (NO) is a small molecule (mol. wt. 30 Da) and oxidative free radical. It is uncharged and can therefore diffuse freely within and between cells across membrane. Such characteristics make it a biologically important messenger in physiologic processes such as neurotransmission and the control of vascular tone. NO is also highly toxic and is known to acts as a mediator of cytotoxicity during host defense. NO is synthesized by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) through L-arginine/nitric oxide pathway which is a dioxygenation process. NO synthesis involves several participants, three co-substrates, five electrons, five co-factors and two prosthetic groups. Under normal condition, low levels of NO are synthesized by type I and III NOS for a short period of time and mediates many physiologic processes. Under condition of oxidant stress, high levels of NO are synthesized by type II NOS and inhibits a variety of metabolic processes and can also cause direct damage to DNA. Such interaction result in cytostasis, energy depletion and ultimately cell death. NO has the potential to interact with a variety of intercellular targets producing diverse array of metabolic effects. It is known that NO is involved in hemodynamic regulation, neurogenic inflammation, re-innervation, management of dentin hypersensitivity on teeth. Under basal condition of pulpal blood flow, NO provides constant vasodilator tone acting against sympathetic vasoconstriction. Substance P, a well known vasodilator, was reported to be mediated partly by NO, while calcitonin-gene related peptide has provided no evidence of its relation with NO. This review describes the roles of NO in dental pulp in addition to the known general roles of it.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.131-135
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• 1994

The effect of ginsenoside (GS) from Panax ginseng on basal and nitro-L-arginine suppressed nitric oxide (NO) production was studied in rat kidney. NO production was determined by conversion to [$^{14C}$]=L-citrulline from [$^{14C}$]-L-arginine both in whole kidney and three renal segments; glomerulus, cortex excluding glomerulus (cortex-) and medulla. Nitro-L-arginine (total dose of 30 mg/kg/3 days, i.p.) significantly reduced NO production in whole kidney, which was prevented by GS pretreatment (30 mg/kg/3 days, i.p.). Relative high dose of GS (120 mg/kg/4 days, i.p..) selectively increased NO production in glomerulus and cortex-. Protein content, on wet weight basis, in cortex- and glomerular DNA content were significantly reduced by GS. Our results confirm the existence of constitutive nitric oxide synthase in kidney and it seems that target nephron segment for volume expansion due to GS'NO-mediated vasodilation and for NO production stimulated by GS is cortex including glomerulus.lus.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제9권3호
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• pp.183-187
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• 2001

Nitric oxide (NO) produced in large amounts by the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is known to be responsible for the vasodilation and hypotension observed in septic shock and inflammation. The inhibitors of iNOS, thus, may be useful candidate for the treatment of inflammatory diseases accompanied by the overproduction of NO. We prepared alcoholic extracts of Chinese medicinal plants and screened their inhibitory activity against NO production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages. Among the 80 kinds of extracts of herbal drugs, 15 extracts showed potent inhibitory activity of NO production above 80% at the concentration o$50\mu\textrm{g}/ml$. These potent extracts showed dose dependent inhibition of NO production of LPS-activated macrophages at the concentration of 50, 30,$10\mu\textrm{g}/ml$. Especially, Rhus chinensis, Senecio scandens and Wikstroemia indica showed most potent inhibition above 50% at the concentration of $10\mu\textrm{g}/ml$. These plants are promising candidates for the study of the activity-guided purification of active compounds and would be useful for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and endotoxemia accompanying the overproduction of NO.

• 한국응용약물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국응용약물학회 1995년도 제3회 추계심포지움
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• pp.125-132
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• 1995

In neurons, nitric oxide(NO) is produced by neuronal nitric oxide synthase following stimulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate(NMDA) receptors and the subsequent influx of Ca$\^$2+/. NO, induced in this manner, reportedly plays critical roles in neuronal plasticity, including neurite outgrowth, synaptic transmission, and long-term potentiation(LTP) (1-7). However, excessive activation of NMDA receptors has also been shown to be associated with various neurological disorders, including focal ischemia, epilepsy, trauma, neuropathic pain and chronic neurodegenerative maladies, such as Parkinson's disease, Hungtington's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(8). The paradox that nitric oxide(NO) has both neuroprotective and neurodestructive effects may be explained, at least in part, by the finding that NO effects on neurons are dependent on the redox state. This claim may be supported by the recent finding that tissue concentrations of cysteine approach 700 ${\mu}$M in settings of cerebral ischemia (9), levels of thiol that is expected to influence both the redox state of the system and the NO group itself(10).

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.459-466
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• 1999

Objectives:eurotoxicity is mediated by nitric oxide(NO) in the rat primary neuronal cultures and assess the effect of $Mn^{2+}$ on the N-methyl-D aspartate(NMDA) receptors. Methods: We have used 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT)assay to examine the effect of cytotoxicity of $MnCl_2$ in neuronal cells , NO production was determined by measuring nirites, a stable oxidation product of NO. The neurons in the rat that contains neuronal nitric oxide synthase(nNOS) were examined by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy. The effects of $Mn^{2+}$ on the NMDA receptors was assesed by the whole cell voltage clamp technique. Results: We showed that the NO release and NOS expression was increased with 500uM $MnCl_2$ treatment and an NOS inhibitors, $N^G-nitro-L-arginine$, prevented neurotoxicity elicited by manganese. In the electrophysiological study, $Mn^{2+}$ does not block or activate the NMDA receptors and not pass through the NMDA receptors in a neurons of basal ganglia. Conclusions: It is concluded that manganese neurotoxicity in basal ganglia was partially mediated by nitric oxide in the cell culture model.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제22권7호
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• pp.1048-1053
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• 2009

The present study was conducted to determine the effects of chitosan on nitric oxide (NO) content and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity in serum, and relative expression of iNOS mRNA in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of broiler chickens. A total of 240 one-day-old Arbor Acre mixed-sex broiler chickens were randomly allotted to six dietary treatments with five replicates in each treatment and eight chickens in each replicate. The broiler chickens in the six treatments were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 0.05, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 g/kg chitosan. The trial lasted for 42 days. The results showed that dietary chitosan enhanced NO content and iNOS activity in serum as well as iNOS mRNA expression in the duodenum and ileum of broiler chickens in a quadratic dose-dependent manner (p<0.05), and improved jejunum iNOS mRNA expression in a quadratic dose-dependent manner (p<0.10) with increasing addition of chitosan. Chicks fed a diet containing 0.5-1.0 g/kg chitosan had higher NO content and iNOS activity in serum as well as small-intestinal iNOS mRNA expression compared with birds given the control diet, but positive effects of chitosan tended to be suppressed when addition of chitosan in the diet was increased to 2.0 g/kg. These results implied that there was a threshold level of chitosan inclusion beyond which progressive reductions in serum NO content and small intestinal iNOS expression occured, and the regulation of chitosan on immune functions in chickens is probably associated with activated expression of iNOS and NO secretion.

• 한국콘텐츠학회논문지
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• 제9권7호
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• pp.211-217
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• 2009

본 연구에서는 알긴산올리고당의 일부 방사선 방어효과를 규명하기 위해 마우스에 3 Gy 선량의 방사선을 1회 전신 조사하여 방사선 유도 nitric oxide를 측정하였다. 측정결과 방사선조사 대조군에서 nitric oxide 생성이 하강된 반면 방사선조사 전 3일간 처치군 및 방사선조사 후 3일간 처치군에서 유의한 생성 증가를 보였고, 특히 방사선조사 전 3일간 처치군에서 가장 큰 차이를 보였다(P<0.001). 결론적으로, 항산화효과가 탁월한 알긴산올라고당은 nitric oxide의 생성 증가를 촉진시킴으로써 일부 방사선 방어작용을 수행한다는 사실을 규명하였고, 화학적 독성이 적은 자연산생물이 방사선방어제로 활용될 수 있음을 확인하였다.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.64-73
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• 2013

Korean red ginseng water extract (KG-WE) has known beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system via inducting nitric oxide (NO) production in endothelium. Endothelial arginase inhibits the activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) by substrate depletion, thereby reducing NO bioavailability and contributing to vascular diseases including hypertension, aging, and atherosclerosis. In the present study, we demonstrate that KG-WE inhibits arginase activity and negatively regulates NO production and reactive oxygen species generation in endothelium. This is associated with increased dimerization of eNOS without affecting the protein expression levels of either arginase or eNOS. In a vascular tension assay, when aortas isolated from wild type mice were incubated with KG-WE, NO-dependent enhanced vasorelaxation was observed. Furthermore, KG-WE administered via by drinking water to atherogenic model mice being fed high cholesterol diet improved impaired vascular function. Taken together, these results suggest that KG-WE may exert vasoprotective effects through augmentation of NO signaling by inhibiting arginase. Therefore, KG-WE may be useful in the treatment of vascular diseases derived from endothelial dysfunction, such as atherosclerosis.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
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• 제38권12호
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• pp.1685-1690
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• 2009

본 연구에서는 구절초의 항염증 효과를 탐색하기 위해 NO의 함량과 iNOS의 발현 및 PGE2와 COX-2의 발현을 LPS로 염증을 유도한 RAW 264.7 macrophage cell을 이용하여 실험하였다. 연구 결과 구절초 꽃 추출물은 NO 함량을 농도 의존적으로 감소시키는 경향을 나타냈으며 유의한 차이를 보였다. 또한 세포독성은 꽃 추출물(5～50 μg/mL)은 최고 농도인 50 μg/mL에서 약 20%의 독성을 나타냈으며 그 이하의 농도에서는 독성을 나타내지 않았다. NO 생성의 억제는 iNOS의 단백질과 mRNA의 발현을 농도 의존적으로 저해하였으며 유의성 있는 차이를 나타내었다. 이 결과로 구절초 꽃 추출물이 전사단계에서 저해 활성을 나타낸다는 것을 보여주었다. 그러나 PGE2와 COX-2의 발현 억제 효과는 나타나지 않았으며, 이 결과 구절초 꽃 추출물에 의한 COX-2 단백질의 발현 억제와 PGE2 생성 억제는 유의성이 없는 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구 결과, 구절초 추출물은 염증을 일으키는 중요 인자인 NO를 저해하였고, iNOS의 발현, iNOS의 mRNA 발현 등 항염증에 우수한 효과를 보였으며, 항염증 연구의 기초 자료로 활용될 것으로 예상된다. 또한 추후 산업적 응용도 가능하므로 지속적인 연구가 진행되어야 할 것으로 사료된다.