• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2011.06a
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• pp.953-954
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• 2011

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.41-45
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• 2007

The roots of the plant Korean ginseng have been extensively used in the traditional Chinese herbal medicine. The effects of chronic administration of Korean ginseng extract (KGE) were investigated on two different anxiety models: the elevated T-maze (for inhibitory avoidance and escape measurements) and the open field test (OFT). Diazepam (1 mg/kg), KGE (10, 30 and 100 mg/kg) were administered orally for 15 days. On the 14th day, mice were previously exposed for 30 min to one of the open arms of the T-maze, 24 h before the test. On 15th day, mice had two exposures to the enclosed and open arm of the elevated T-maze followed by exposure to the open field apparatus. The number of line crossings in the apparatus was used to assess locomotor changes. Cumulative Concentration Response Curve of 5-HT was plotted using rat fundus which were pre-treated in a similar way. Treatment with Diazepam (1 mg/kg) and KGE (10, 30 and 100 mg/kg) significantly (P < 0.05) impaired inhibitory avoidance performance but did not impair escape latency. In OFT, diazepam facilitated locomotion as compared to vehicle and other treatment groups. KGE at any of the selected doses did not impair locomotion. Concentration response curve of 5-HT was shifted towards the right with suppression of maxima in rats treated with KGE. The results suggest that KGE exerts anxiolytic like behaviour in a specific subset of defensive behaviour, particularly those related to generalized anxiety disorder.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.53-68
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• 2001

This study was performed to investigate the anti-depression effect of Guibiondamtang in rat model of depression. The rats in the experiment were stratified into 3 groups, ie, Guibiondamtang, saline, normal (non-stressed) groups. Chronic exposure to mild unpredictable stress such as white noise, flashing lights and restriction of food and water, causes the behavioral symptoms correspondent to depression. Consumption of 1% sucrose solution fell in rats exposed to CMS for 4 weeks. In the open field test , the exploratory activity ie. locomotion and centering decreased after CMS. We then evaluated the sucrose consumption and activity during 4 weeks of treatment with experimental drugs. The results were as follows: 1) There was no relation between sucrose intake and weight. 2) The Guibiondamtang(歸脾溫膽湯) group reinstated sucrose consumption within 5-6 weeks while having no influence on sucrose intake in normal group. 3) The Guibiondamtang(歸脾溫膽湯) group restored some exploratory activity in the open field test. 4) The Guibiondamtang-group had a-reduced potentiated startle response.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.99-103
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• 1994

Single neuronal activities were recorded in the cuneate nucleus of awake rats during rest and running behavior. Movement-induced changes in somatic sensory transmission were tested by generating post-stimulus time histograms of these neurons' responses to stimulation through eleetrodes chronically implanted under the skin of the forepaw, during control resting behavior and during two standardized speeds of locomotor movement: slow (1.0 steps/s), fast (2.0 steps/s). The magnitudes of firing during these responses were measured and normalized as percentage increases over background firing. The averaged evoked unit responses were facilitated by $+59.3{\pm}12.5%\;and\;+25.6{\pm}5.4%$ (SEM) as compared with resting behavior, during slow and fast movement respectively. This is to be compared with the movement-induced sensory suppressions observed previously in the ventrobasal thalamus $(-31.0%{\pm}1.9%)$ and in the primary somatosensory cortex $(-71.2%{\pm}3.8%)$ of slowly running rats. These results suggest that afferent somatosensory information may be uniquely modulated at each sensory relay, such that it may be facilitated at brainstem level and then subjected to suppression at higher somatosensory nuclei during movement.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.257-263
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• 2011

This study was designed to investigate the effects of Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture treatment and electroacupuncture therapy on the functional recovery and histological change, protein expression in spinal cord injury(SCI) rats. Experimental groups were divided into the Group I(normal control rat), Group II(Non-treatment after spinal cord injury induction), Group III(Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture treatment after SCI induction), Group IV (Electroacupuncture therapy after SCI induction), Group V(Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture treatment and electroacupuncture therapy after SCI induction). After operation, rats were tested at modified Tarlov test at 1 to 3 days with divided into 4 groups, and motor behavior test(BBB locomotor rating scale, Grid walk test) was examined at 3, 7, 14, and 21 days. For the observation of damage change and size of the organized surface in muscle and spinal cord, histopathological studies were performed at 21 days by H & E stain, and BDNF & NT-3 protein expression studies were performed at 21 days. Acco rding to the results, Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture treatment and electroacupuncture therapy can play a role in facilitating recovery of locomotion following spinal cord injury. Specially, Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture treatment and electroacupuncture combimed therapy after SCI induction was most improvement in functional recovery, BDNF, and NT-3 protein synthesis.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.91-98
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• 2013

Armeniacae semen (AS) has been considered a toxic herb in the Korean medicine as it contains hydrogen cyanide and amygdalin, especially in its endocarp. Therefore, prebrewed AS that is devoid of endocarp has been traditionally used. In the present study, amygdalin content of the prebrewed AS was significantly lower ($2.73{\pm}0.32{\mu}g/ml$; p<0.01) than the content in the extract that contained the endocarps ($28.50{\pm}6.71{\mu}g/ml$); amygdalin content corresponded to 10% of the extract in the present study. Because of single oral dose toxicity of prebrewed AS according to the recommendation of Korea Food and Drug Administration Guidelines (2009-116, 2009), which was based on single oral dose toxicity study of prebrewed AS, mortality due to toxic principles was significantly reduced. In this study, 2,000 mg/kg of prebrewed AS led to death of 1 female rat and 1 male rat at the end of 2 hr of administration. Based on these results, the 50% lethal dose in both male and female rats was determined to be 9279.5 mg/kg. Seizure, loss of locomotion, and increases in respiration and heart rate were observed as prebrewed AS treatment-related toxicological signs; these signs were restrictedly manifested in the prebrewed AS (2,000 mg/kg)-treated rats. In addition, no changes were observed in body weight, organ weight, gross features, and histopathological parameters with 2,000 mg/kg of AS in both male and female rats. These findings serve as direct evidence that amygdalin in AS is the toxic principle, which can be reduced by the traditional prebrewing method involving the exclusion of endocarp.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.145-159
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• 2012

Objectives : The object of this study was to obtain acute toxicity information (single oral dose toxicity) of Armeniacae Semen (AS), a medicinal herb used for treating constipation and various respiratory diseases, in rats. Methods : In order to observe the $LD_{50}$ (50% lethal dose), approximate lethal dosage (ALD) and target organs, AS aqueous extracts were orally administered once to female and male Sprague Dawley rats at dose levels of 2,000, 1,000, 500 and 0 (control) mg/kg (body weight). The mortality, changes in the body weight, clinical signs and gross observation were monitored for 14 days after single oral treatment of AS extracts, and the organ weights and histopathological findings of principle organs were observed after sacrifice. Results : After single oral treatment of AS 2,000 and 1,000 mg/kg, all (5/5; 100%) female and male rats died within 30 minutes after treatment, while no mortalities were observed in the female and male rats treated with 500 mg/kg of AS extract. Therefore, $LD_{50}$ in female and male rats was calculated as 741.95 mg/kg. Seizure, loss of locomotion, salivation, increases of respiration and heart-beat were observed after AS extract treatment, which were observed in all rats including the lowest dosage group, 500 mg/kg in the present study. In addition, lung congestion was visible in all mortal rats with AS 2,000 and 1,000 mg/kg, respectively. Conclusions : The results obtained in this study suggest that AS extract ranges in Class III, because the $LD_{50}$ and ALD in both female and male rats were calculated as 741.95 mg/kg and 500~1,000 mg/kg, respectively. However, AS extract should be carefully treated at clinical applications, because salivation, increase of respiration and heart-beat were also observed in the lowest dosage group, 500 mg/kg in the present study.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.15-24
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• 2007

Purpose: This study was designed to investigate the effects of treadmill exercise on functional recovery after rat with experimental SCI. Methods: SCI was induced by the NYU-spinal cord impactor(NYU, USA) dropped a weight of 10 gm after laminectomy. Experimental groups were divided into the Group I (normal), Group II (control) and Group III(treadmill exercise). After 2 days of the operation, 24 rats(group II, III) were trained to walk on treadmill for 21 days twice/day, 15 min/session. After operation, rats were tested at modified Tarlov scale at 1, 2, 3, 4 days with divided into 2 groups, and Motor behavior test(BBB locomotor rating scale, Grid walking test, Narrow beam crossing test, Modified inclined plane test) was examined at 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 days. Histopathological study were performed at 1. 3, 7, 14 and 21 days by H&E, Luxol Fast Blue staining were same times. Results: After SCI an improvement of motor behavior was shown group II, III. The motor behavior test of group Ill showed considerable improvement until 14 days. Conclusion: These results suggest that treadmill exercise treatment can playa role in facilitating recovery of locomotion following spinal cord injury.