• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.155-164
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• 2008

Resveratrol has been known to possess various potent cardiovascular effects in animal, but there is little information on its functional effect on the secretion of catecholamines (CA) from the perfused model of the adrenal medulla. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the effect of resveratrol on the CA secretion from the isolated perfused model of the normotensive rat adrenal gland, and to elucidate its mechanism of action. Resveratrol (10${\sim}100{\mu}$M) during perfusion into an adrenal vein for 90 min inhibited the CA secretory responses evoked by ACh (5.32 mM), high $K^+$ (a direct membrane-depolarizer, 56 mM), DMPP (a selective neuronal nicotinic $N_n$ receptor agonist, 100${\mu}$M) and McN-A-343 (a selective muscarinic $M_1$ receptor agonist, 100${\mu}$M) in both a time- and dose- dependent fashion. Also, in the presence of resveratrol (30${\mu}$M), the secretory responses of CA evoked by veratridine 8644 (an activator of voltage-dependent$Na^+$ channels, 100${\mu}$M), Bay-K-8644 (a L-type dihydropyridine $Ca^{2+}$ channel activator, 10${\mu}$M), and cyc1opiazonic acid (a cytoplasmic $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase inhibitor, 10${\mu}$M) were significantly reduced. In the simultaneous presence of resveratrol (30${\mu}$M) and L-NAME (an inhibitor of NO synthase, 30${\mu}$M), the CA secretory evoked by ACh, high $K^+$, DMPP, McN-A-343, Bay-K-8644 and cyc1opiazonic acid were recovered to a considerable extent of the corresponding control secretion compared with the inhibitory effect of resveratrol alone. Interestingly, the amount of nitric oxide (NO) released from the adrenal medulla was greatly increased in comparison to its basal release. Taken together, these experimental results demonstrate that resveratrol can inhibit the CA secretory responses evoked by stimulation of cholinergic nicotinic receptors, as well as by direct membrane-depolarization in the isolated perfused model of the rat adrenal gland. It seems that this inhibitory effect of resveratrol is exerted by inhibiting an influx of both ions through $Na^+$ and $Ca^{2+}$ channels into the adrenomedullary cells as well as by blocking the release of $Ca^{2+}$ from the cytoplasmic calcium store, which are mediated at least partly by the increased NO production due to the activation of NO synthase.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.517-526
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• 2009

The present study was attempted to investigate whether polyphenolic compounds isolated from wine, which is brewed from Rubus coreanum Miquel (PCRC), may affect the release of catecholamines (CA) from the isolated perfused adrenal medulla of the spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), and to establish its mechanism of action. PCRC $(20\sim180\;{\mu}g/ml)$ perfused into an adrenal vein for 90 min relatively dose-dependently inhibited the CA secretory responses to ACh (5.32 mM), high $K^+$ (56 mM), DMPP $(100\;{\mu}M)$ and McN-A-343 $(100\;{\mu}M)$. PCRC itself did not affect basal CA secretion (data not shown). Also, in the presence of PCRC $(60\;{\mu}g/ml)$, the CA secretory responses to veratridine (a selective $Na^+$ channel activator $(10\;{\mu}M)$, Bay-K-8644 (a L-type dihydropyridine $Ca^{2+}$ channel activator, $10\;{\mu}M$), and cyclopiazonic acid (a cytoplasmic $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase inhibitor, $10\;{\mu}M$) were significantly reduced, respectively. In the simultaneous presence of PCRC $(60\;{\mu}g/ml)$ and L-NAME (an inhibitor of NO synthase, $30\;{\mu}M$), the inhibitory responses of PCRC on the CA secretion evoked by ACh, high $K^+$, DMPP, and Bay-K-8644 were considerably recovered to the extent of the corresponding control secretion compared with that of PCRC-treatment alone. The level of NO released from adrenal medulla after the treatment of PCRC $(60\;{\mu}g/ml)$ was greatly elevated compared with the corresponding basal level. Taken together, these results demonstrate that PCRC inhibits the CA secretion from the isolated perfused adrenal medulla of the SHRs evoked by stimulation of cholinergic receptors as well as by direct membrane-depolarization. It seems that this inhibitory effect of PCRC is mediated by blocking the influx of calcium and sodium into the adrenal medullary chromaffin cells of the SHRs as well as by inhibition of $Ca^{2+}$ release from the cytoplasmic calcium store at least partly through the increased NO production due to the activation of NO synthase.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.359-365
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• 2013

Plasma pH can be altered during pregnancy and at labor. Membrane excitability of smooth muscle including uterine muscle is suppressed by the activation of $K^+$ channels. Because contractility of uterine muscle is regulated by extracellular pH and humoral factors, $K^+$ conductance could be connected to factors regulating uterine contractility during pregnancy. Here, we showed that TASK-2 inhibitors such as quinidine, lidocaine, and extracellular acidosis produced contraction in uterine circular muscle of mouse. Furthermore, contractility was significantly increased in pregnant uterine circular muscle than that of non-pregnant muscle. These patterns were not changed even in the presence of tetraetylammonium (TEA) and 4-aminopyridine (4-AP). Finally, TASK-2 inhibitors induced strong myometrial contraction even in the presence of L-methionine, a known inhibitor of stretch-activated channels in myometrium. When compared to non-pregnant myometrium, pregnant myometrium showed increased immunohistochemical expression of TASK-2. Therefore, TASK-2, seems to play a key role during regulation of myometrial contractility in the pregnancy and provides new insight into preventing preterm delivery.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.389-396
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• 2009

Objective : Triptolide (TP) has been reported to suppress the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphatase-1 (MKP-1), of which main function is to inactivate the extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 (ERK-1/2), the p38 MAPK and the c-Jun N-terminal kinase-1/2 (JNK-1/2), and to exert antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic activities. However, the mechanisms underlying antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic activities of TP are not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the down-regulation of MKP-1 expression by TP would account for antiproliferative activity of TP in immortalized HT22 hippocampal cells. Methods : MKP-1 expression and MAPK phosphorylation were analyzed by Western blot. Cell proliferation was assessed by $^3H$-thymidine incorporation. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) against MKP-1, vanadate (a phosphatase inhibitor), U0126 (a specific inhibitor for ERK-1/2), SB203580 (a specific inhibitor for p38 MAPK), and SP600125 (a specific inhibitor for JNK-1/2) were employed to evaluate a possible mechanism of antiproliferative action of TP. Results : At its non-cytotoxic dose, TP suppressed MKP-1 expression, reduced cell growth, and induced persistent ERK-1/2 activation. Similar growth inhibition and ERK-1/2 activation were observed when MKP-1 expression was blocked by MKP-1 siRNA and its activity was inhibited by vanadate. The antiproliferative effects of TP, MKP-1 siRNA, and vanadate were significantly abolished by U0126, but not by SB203580 or SP600125. Conclusion : Our findings suggest that TP inhibits the growth of immortalized HT22 hippocampal cells via persistent ERK-1/2 activation by suppressing MKP-1 expression. Additionally, this study provides evidence supporting that MKP-1 may play an important role in regulation of neuronal cell growth.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.133-137
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• 2016

The aims of this study were to analyze the Korean fire fighters' applications for the public worker's compensation between 2011 and 2013 and to suggest a feasible solution for prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The Korean Ministry of Public Safety and Security provided the complete list of fire fighters' application from January 2011 to December 2013. 510 applicants with chief complaint of musculoskeletal disorders were screened out of all 1596 applicants. Male applicants were 92%. Fire fighters in their early 40's applied most frequently, followed by those in early 30's. Musculoskeletal disorders of fire fighters were reported most frequently in May and June. Regionally, Seoul had most applicants and Jeonbuk showed the highest prevalence. Low back was the most frequently reported body part followed by the knee. Ligament was insured most frequently followed by vertebral disc and bone. The fire fighter's injury occurred while fire extinguish (38.3%), emergency medical service (37.7%), rescue (12.4%), and other duties. Result of this study suggests further investigation on the large variation in regional prevalence and on the injury mechanism of musculoskeletal disorders especially during the fire extinguish and emergency medical service.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.297-301
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• 2009

Stephania delavayi Diels. (S. delavayi Diels.) has been used as a drug for pain-relieving and acute gastroenteritis treatment in China. Because the major therapeutic mechanism of anti-inflammatory drug is to inhibit the cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and because COX-2 proteins inhibit apoptosis, COX-2 inhibitor has been thought as the anticancer drug candidate. For this reason, we examined S. delavayi Diels. as an anticancer drug. S. delavayi Diels. was fractionated with methanol and then partitioned with ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and reducing power. DPPH radical scavenging activities of the crude fractions at the concentration of $1,000{\mu}g/mL$ were 75.23% (n-butanol), 68.11% (methanol), 63.58% (ethyl acetate), and 50.13% (water). The reducing power increased according to the concentration in dose-dependent manner. Also, when the antiproliferation effects of each fraction against human breast cancer cell-lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 were examined, methanol extract, n-butanol fraction and ethyl acetate fraction exhibited cell proliferative inhibition effects in both cell-lines whereas water fraction did not. Among the crude fractions, the n-butanol fraction exhibited the most potent anti-proliferation effect. In conclusion, fractions from S. delavayi Diels. are promising anticancer drug candidates.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.172-182
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• 2020

Objectives : In this study, we conducted a focus group interview among expatriates living in Korea, to investigate their experiences and perceptions of acupuncture and Korean Medicine in order to improve the usage of Korean Medicine in the medical tourism market. Methods : The inclusion criteria for the focus group interview was: (1) participants between the age of 20 to 75 years old; (2) those who had lived in Korea for more than 90 days, and (3) those who were able to express their thoughts freely in English. The participants were informed that the interviews will be recorded and transcribed. We ended recruitment once saturation of materials was met. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the data was analyzed after each interview. Results : The interviews were held between June to December 2016. Twenty-four participants were recruited but four dropped out and a total of twenty participants successfully finished the interviews. Six focus group interviews were conducted. Analysis revealed that Korean Medicine was relatively less known compared to Traditional Chinese Medicine or Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Participants automatically associated acupuncture with the management of pain or stress and replied that these were the areas that they thought acupuncture would be most effective. Positive experiences with acupuncture and with the acupuncture practitioners were factors that promoted the use of acupuncture whereas lack of awareness, accessibility and accreditation were factors that hindered its use. Other factors that hindered the use of acupuncture was needle phobia and the perception that acupuncture lacks scientific evidence. Conclusions : Awareness on Korean Medicine and acupuncture is low. Participants lack awareness on what diseases acupuncture can treat, the scientific evidence behind the mechanism of action, and the rigorous education system that Korean Medicine doctors must go through to get their license. Rigorous marketing should be encouraged, which includes greater exposure in the media, more honest reviews from patients, and promotion of the scientific evidence base.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.50-62
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to identify and construct a substantive theory about the experience of fatigue among the female elderly with osteoarthritis. The interviewees were 6 female elderly with osteoarthritis. Of them 3 were admitted General hospital, the remaining 3 didn't admitted hospital. The data were collected through in-depth interviews by the investigators from May 20th, 1995 to June 19th, 1995. The collected data were coded into concepts and categories according to Strauss & Corbin's grounded method. The data thus collected were analyzed immediatly after interviews and fed into next round of interviews until the data collection reaches the saturation point where no additional concepts emerge. The 35 concepts were from analyzing the grounded data. The results of this study were as follows : 'change of the health condition','change of the life pattern', 'physiologic change', 'change of the coping pattern', 'performance of homework', 'activity daily living', 'tireness', 'ache', 'change of general apperance', 'sleep disturbance', 'powerlessness'. 'Physiologic unbalance', 'change of the family dynamics', 'physical imbalance', 'loss of the control', aviodance', 'conversion', 'leaving', 'indifference', 'hesitation', 'the pursue of information and trial', 'the western therapy', 'heat therapy', 'the oriental therapy','exercise', 'weight control', 'support', 'solution', 'being as before', 'adding more'. Six categories emerged from the analysis of ground data. They were as follows : 'stimuli', 'fatigue', 'passive coping', 'active coping', 'disolution', 'remains'. 13 hypothesis were derived from the integration of categories as follows : 1. The stronger the stimulus as perceived by the subjects, the more the fatigue will exrerience. 2. The more severe the fatigue, the more severe the tireness. 3. The more severe the fatigue, the more the hardness. 4. The more severe the fatigue, the more the variability of appear will experience. 5. The more severe the fatigue, the more the pain will experience. 6. The more severe the fatigue, the more the insomnia will experience. 7. The more severe the fatigue, the more the powerless will experience. 8 The more severe the fatigue, the more the psychological unbalance will experience. 9. The more severe the fatigue, the more variability of the family dynamics will experience. 10. The more severe the fatigue, the more the physical unbalance will experience. 11. The more severe the fatigue, the more loss of control will experience. 12. The subjects who experienced the fatigue will be to show passive coping and active coping mechanism.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.316-322
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• 2019

Helicobacter pylori, a gram-negative bacterium, is one of the risk factors that induces gastritis and gastric cancer. Therefore, much attention has been paid to the compounds that inhibit bacterial growth or eradicate bacteria. Evodiae fructus (EF), the fruit of Evodia rutaecarpa, has been used for treating diarrhea and abdominal pain. EF extract was already found to inhibit the growth of H. pylori. However, to the best of our knowledge, the effect of EF on the virulence factors of H. pylori has not been reported. In this study, when comparing the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the different methanol concentration extracts, the 95% methanol extract (EF95) showed the lowest MIC value. EF95 extract suppressed the expressions of cagA, vacA and ureB, but interestingly, it up-regulated the expression of ureA. A decrease in production of ammonia in the culture medium and the cell lysates indicated that EF95 inhibited the urease activity in H. pylori, which was the result of EF95 inhibiting the ureB expression. Although the mechanism by which EF95 extract regulates the virulence factors in H. pylori needs further study, EF95 could be used for treatment of gastric troubles induced by H. pylori.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.89-93
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• 2022

Earthing, caused by direct skin contact with the Earth's surface, is used to reduce the symptoms of inflammation (fever, fever, swelling and pain). However, there is little evidence to support the anti-inflammatory effects of earthing mattresses. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate whether anti-inflammatory effect of earthing mattress using an in vivo animal model. The anti - inflammatory effect was evaluated by measuring ear thickness and foot volume in 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13 acetate (TPA) - induced ear edema and carrageenan - induced paw edema model, respectively. Balb/c mouse in carrageenan paw edema model showed significant anti - inflammatory effect in the group treated with earthing mattress for 4 hours or 24 hours for 3 days. For females, the anti-inflammatory effect was greater when the earthing mattress was added to the mattress than the mattress alone treatment. From the above results, it was found that the female responds more to the effect of the earthing as well as the mattress effect. In addition, when the male and female Balb/c mice were exposed to mattresses and earthing mattresses for 24 h for 3 days, respectively, the mattress and earthing mattresses showed significant inhibition of IL (Interleukin)-1β levels compared to the control. In the TPA ear edema model, Balb/c mouse showed significant anti - inflammatory effect in the group treated with the earthing mattress for 4 hours or 24 hours for 3 days. Both males and females showed more anti-inflammatory effects when they were exposed to earthing mattresses with mattresses added to the mattresses. From the above results, it was found that both male and female respond to the effect of earthing as well as the mattress effect in the TPA ear edema model. In conclusion, in this study, we have verified that earthing mattress shows inhibitory effects on TPA and carrageenan-induced inflammation. From these results, it is suggested that the anti-inflammatory effect can be expected by applying the earthing mattress to patients suffering from inflammatory diseases. However, there is a need to pinpoint exactly how the earthing mattress relieves inflammation, and further research is needed to investigate the mechanism.