• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.1 s.81
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• pp.143-149
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• 2007

Scutellaria baicalensis GEORGI(SB) is used in oriental medicine for the treatment of incipient strokes. Although it has been reported that SB is neuroprotective in a hypoxia model, its mechanism is poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effect of SB on the modulation of retinoic acid receptor a (RARa). Rat cerebrocortical cells were grown in neurobasal medium. On DIV12 cells were treated with SB $(20{\mu}g/ml)$ and given a hypoxic shock $(2%\;O_2/5%\;CO_2,\;3hr)$ on DIV14. In situ hybridization using cRNA probe revealed that RARa mRNA punctae are distributed, in addition to nucleus, throughout neuronal dendrites, where SB upregulated its density by 69.8% (p=0.001) and 129.8% (p=0.001) in both normoxia and hypoxia, respectively. At the protein level, SB upregulated RARa in the neuronal soma by 78.8% (p=0.004) and 23.6% (p=0.001) in both normoxia and hypoxia, respectively. These results indicate that SB upregulates RARa in both normoxia and hypoxia, which might contribute to the neuroprotection.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.638-645
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• 1999

This study was done to investigate effects of ${\gamma}$ irradiated beef feeding on the formation of gluta thione S transferase placental form positive(GST P+) foci, lipid peroxidation, cytochrome P450 system and microsomal glucose 6 phosphate activity in diethylnitrosamine(DEN) initiated rat hepatocarci nogenesis. Weaning Sprague Dawley male rats were fed the diet containing ${\gamma}$ irradiatied ground beef at the dose of 0, 3, 5kGy as a 20% of protein source for 8 weeks. One week after feeding, rats were intraperitoneally injected twice with a dose of DEN(50mg/kg BW). As a promoter, 0.05% phenobarbital was fed in drinking water from one week after DEN treatment until the end of experiment. At the end of 8th week, rats were sacrificed and hepatic GST P+ foci, microsomal malondialdehyde(MDA) and conjugated diene contents were determined. In addition, cytochrome P450 content and the activities of NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase and glucose 6 phosphatase were also measured. There was no significant effect by gamma irradiation on microsomal MDA content, conjugated diene, cytochrome P450 content and activities of NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase and glucose 6 phosphatase. However with DEN treatment, microsomal MDA content and conjugated diene contents were significantly changed. Cytochrome P450 content was also significantly increased while microsomal glucose 6 phophatase activity was significantly decreased with DEN treatment. However activity of NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase was not affected. An interesting finding in this study was that the number and area of hepatic GST P+ foci of the rats fed gamma irradiated beef were significantly(p<0.05) lower than those of the control. Such a lowering effect on GST P+ foci formation was highest at the dose of 3kGy than others. Overall results suggest that the consumption of low dose of gamma irradiated beef does not affect the formation of lipid peroxide, cytochrome P450 system and membrane stability.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.106-111
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• 2008

Background: Chronic pain after thoracotomy has been recently reproduced in a rat model that allows investigating the effect of potentially beneficial drugs that might reduce the incidence of allodynia or alleviate pain. Local anesthetics produce antinociception in normal animals and alleviate mechanical allodynia in animals with nerve injury although their mechanisms of action may differ in these situations. Our purpose of this study was to test whether the preoperative intercostal nerve block of bupivacaine could prevent the development of allodynia in a rat model of chronic postthoracotomy pain. Methods: All male Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized and the right 4th and 5th ribs were exposed surgically. The pleura were opened between the ribs to which a retractor was placed and was opened 10 mm in width. Retraction was maintained for one hour. Total 1 mg of 0.5% bupivacaine was injected at the intercostal nerves before (n = 17) or after (n = 16) surgery. A control group (n = 25) that underwent rib retraction did not receive any drug. Rats were tested for mechanical allodynia using calibrated von Frey filaments applied around the incision site during the three weeks following surgery. Results: The incidence of development of mechanical allodynia in the group that received intercostal injection with bupivacaine before surgery was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Preoperative intercostal nerves block around the surgical incision before thoracotomy may decrease the incidence of postthoracotomy pain syndrome.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.34 no.3 s.134
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• pp.250-255
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• 2003

To develop Allium victorialis var. platyphyllum (Liliaceae) for an available functional food, pharmacological experiments on the extracts of this plant were undertaken in the rat treated with streptozotocin, poloxamer-407 and $CCl_4$. The two MeOH extracts were obtained from the leaves and the bulbs, respectively. The three agents, streptozotocin, poloxamer-407 and $CCl_4$, were treated to induce diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia and hepatic injury, respectively. Treatment with the leaf extract lowered blood glucose by 24.9% at 200 mg/kg (p.o.) in the STZ-treated rat and prohibited the increase of body weight, water consumption and food intake. This exσact also significantly decreased not only thε plasma cholesterol and triglyceride in the poloxamer-407-treated rat by 35.3% but also serum ALT by 49.0%. The potency was found by overall estimation on the experimental results as followings: 200 mg/kg leaf extract> 200 mg/kg bulb extract> 100 mg/kg leaf exσact> 100 mg/kg bulb extract. These results suggested that this plant might have the availability for a functional food. It was also suggested that the leaves are more effective than the bulbs for the functional vegetable, especially in hyperlipidemia and hepatic injury.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.5 s.85
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• pp.706-713
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• 2007

Scutellaria baicalensis GEORGI(SB) is used in oriental medicine for the treatment of incipient strokes. Although it has been reported that SB is neuroprotective in a hypoxia model, its mechanism is poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effect of SB on the modulation of heme oxygenase-1(HO-1), which has important biological roles in regulating mitochondrial heme protein turnover and in protecting against conditions such as hypoxia, neurodegenerative diseases, or sepsis. Rat cerebrocortical day In vitro(DIV)12 cells were grown in neurobasal medium. On DIV12 cells were treated with SB($20{\mu}g/ml$) and given a hypoxic shock ($2%\;O_2/5%\;CO_2,\;3\;hr$) on DIV14. In situ hybridization results revealed that SB upregulated HO-1 mRNA in neuronal dendrites in both normoxia and hypoxia(38.5% and 59.2%, respectively). At the protein level, SB upregulated HO-1 in the neuronal soma in both normoxia and hypoxia(22.4% and 15.7%, respectively). Interestingly, most significant increase was associated with astrocytes, which increased HO-1 protein by 77.5% compared to SB-untreated culture. These results indicate that SB upregulates both neuronal and glial HO-1 expression, which contributes to the neuroprotection efficacy in hypoxia).

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.12-26
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• 2012

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of Sagunjatang-Gami(SGJT) on uterine and ovarian function in the ovariectomized rat postmenopause model. Methods: SGJT was administered in ovariectomized Wister albino female rats for three month. After that, uterine weight, uterine index, serum estradiol-$17{\beta}$ levels and phosphorylation of ERK or AKT, and histological analysis of uterus were measured to assess the impact on uterine and ovarian function in ovariectomized rats. In addition, phosphorylation of $ER{\alpha}$, ERK, AKT by SGJT in MDA-MB-231 cells were measured. To identify safety of SGJT, the cell cytoxicity in MDA-MB-231 cells and serum GOT, GPT levels were measured in ovariectomized rats. Results: The results were as follows. 1. SGJT decreased the viability of MDA-MB-231 cells in a dose-dependent manner. 2. The level of serum GOT, GPT in SGJT-treated group showed significant decrease in comparison with control group. 3. Phosphorylation of $ER{\alpha}$, ERK, AKT by SGJT in MDA-MB-231 cells were increased. 4. Uterus index in SGJT-treated group showed significant increase in comparison with control group. The level of serum estradiol-$17{\beta}$ in SGJT-treated group showed significant increase in comparison with control group. Phosphorylation of ERK or AKT by SGJT in the uterus of ovariectomized rats was increased significantly. 5. Uterus index and the level of serum estradiol-$17{\beta}$ in SGJT-treated group increased at higher rates in comparison with estrogen-treated group. Conclusions: Taken together, we suggest that SGJT has been shown to be effective in preventing postmenopausal uterine and ovarian degeneration and curing postmenopausal low estrogen related symptoms.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.109-119
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• 2009

Objectives : The present study was purposed to compare Adenophorae Radix (henceforth AR), Codonopsis lanceolatae Radix (henceforth ClR) and Glehniae Radix cum Rhizoma (henceforth GRcR) concerning their anti-oxidant effect. Methods : We measured eythrocyte, leukocyte, thrombocyte, serum albumin, total bilirubin, LDL cholesterol, and glucose as well as SOD, GSH, catalase, NO, and MDA in the rat liver oxidatively stressed by AAPH. Results : 1. The oxidative stress-induced thrombocyte levels were significantly decreased in CIR-treated and GRcR-treated groups. 2. The oxidative stress-impaired SOD acitivities were significantly recovered in AR-treated and GRcR-treated groups. 3. The oxidative stress-reduced GSH contents were significantly increased in ClR-treated and GRcR-treated groups. 4. The oxidative stress-reduced catalase contents were significantly increased in all of the three groups. 5. The oxidative stress-induced NO productions were significantly decreased in all of the three groups. Conclusions : AR, ClR, and GRcR altogether showed the anti-oxidant effect in the rat liver oxidatively stressed by AAPH. The anti-oxidant properties of tAR, ClR, and GRcR seem to be similar even if those have different botanical properties and different medical efficacies in oriental medicine.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.835-845
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• 2008

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of FS for the modulation of ROS and MMP in a hypoxic model of cultured rat cortical cells. Methods : For the effect of FS on the viability, FS was added to culture media (neurobasal supplemented with B27) and cell viability was measured by LDH assay. To investigate the effects of FS on ROS generation and MMP preservation, cells grown in FS-containing media were given a hypoxic shock(2% $O_2/5%$ $CO_2$, $37^{\circ}C$, 3 hrs) on DIV 10, stained with $H_2DCF-DA$(10 nM) and JC-1, respectively, and observed by fluorescent microscope. Results : 1. FS has a protective effect of cortical cells in both normoxia and hypoxia. 2. FS reduced the generation of ROS and this reduction was especially significant at 3 days after hypoxia. 3. FS was effective for the maintenance of MMP in hypoxia, and this efficacy was especially significant at 3 days after hypoxia. Conclusions : Taken together, these results indicate that FS attenuates ROS generation and MMP dissipation, which eventually protects from neuronal cell death in hypoxia.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.163-168
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• 2007

Objectives : This study was designed to investigate effects of Sayeoksanhap-Pyeongweisan-Gambang (SPG) on gene expression in rats damaged by CCl4 Methods : We investigated the effects of SPG on gene expression in terms of microarray methods in rat liver which were obtained from rats damaged by CCl4. Results : Decreased gene expressions, which were induced by single injection of CCl4, were restored to those in normal rats by administration of SPG or herbal acupuncture. In acupuncture group, gene expressions were restored by 80% of those in control group. In oral administration group and combination group, gene expressions were restored above 90% of those in cuntrol group. Conclusion : These results suggest that oral administraion of SPG was useful to protect liver against CCl4 by its restoration of gene expressions in liver resected from rat damaged by CCl4.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.32 no.1 s.88
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• pp.60-66
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• 2006

Bisphenol A(BPA) was known as an endocrine disrupting chemical. This study was conducted to assess the effect of BPA, weaker estrogen, on the preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN). One hundred male F344 rats were divided into four groups which were treated with DEN followed by BPA. To make liver tumor early, we conducted that DEN containing osmotic pump implanted into rat abdominal cavity. Then diet containing BPA were fed to the rats. All animals were sacrificed at 10 and 18 weeks. Body weights were significantly decreased in 4000ppm at 18 weeks. Relative Liver weights of 4000 ppm BPA treated group were significantly increased compared to that of DEN alone group at 18 weeks. There were no significant differences of liver tumor incidences. Sum area of GST-P positive foci and BrdU labeling indices of BPA treated group were not significantly different compared to those of control group. These results suggest that BPA have no effects in preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions on DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis.