• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.91-98
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• 2000

The water extract of Seongpungtang(SPT) has commonly been used for treatment of ischemic brain damage in Oriental traditional medicine. However, little is known about the mechanism by which the water extract of SPT rescues brain cells from ischemic damage. To elucidate the protective mechanism of ischemic induced cytotoxicity, the regulation of Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and PMA (phobol-12-myristate-13-acetate) induced iNOS expression in microglial cells was investigated. LPS and PMA treatment for 48 hr in microglial cells markedly induced nitric oxide (NO), but treatment of the cells with the water extract of SPT decreased nitrite formation. In addition, LPS and PMA treatment for 48 hr induced severe cell death in microglial cells. However treatment of the cells with the water extract of SPT did not induce significant changes compared to the control cells. Furthermore, NO production was markedly decreased by treatment of nuclear factor kappa B(NF-kB) inhibitor, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate(PDTC). According to the above results, it is suggested that the protective effects of the water extract of SPT against ischemic brain damage may be mediated by regulation of iNOS during ischemic condition.