• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 1996

Intracellular calcium concentration ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) may play a crucial role in a variety of neuronal functions. Here we report that in primary culture of mouse cerebellar granule cells nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are expressed in a specific developmental stage and involved in the regulation of intracellular calcium homeostasis. Nicotine-mediated calcium responses were measured using $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ or fluorometrically using the calcium-sensitive fluorescent dye fura-2. Maximal uptake of $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ evoked by nicotine in mouse cerebellar granule cells were revealed $8{\sim}12$ days in culture. In contrast, nicotine did not alter the basal $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ uptake in cultured glial cells. In cerebellar granule cells nicotine-evoked $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ uptake was largely blocked by the NMDA receptor antagonists. Glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT). which removes endogenous glutamate, also prevented nicotine effects, implying the indirect involvement of glutamate in nicotine-mediated calcium responses. Fluorometric studies using fura-2 showed two phases of nicotine-evoked $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ rises: the initial rising phase and the later plateau phase. Interestingly, the NMDA receptor antagonists and GPT appeared to inhibit only the later plateau phase of nicotine-evoked $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ rises. The present results imply that nicotine mediated $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ uptake and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ rises are attributed to the calcium fluxes through both nAchRs and NMDA receptors in a time-dependent manner. Consequently, nAChRs may play an important role in neuronal development by being expressed in a specific developmental stage and regulating the intracellular calcium homeostasis.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.119-128
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• 2000

This study was carried out to determine if Salviae Radix extract (SRE) exerts protective effect against alterations in membrane transport function in rabbits with rhabdomyo lysis-induced acute renal failure. Acute renal failure was induced by intramuscular administration of glycerol (50%, 10 ml/kg). GFR in the glycerol-injected animals was reduced to 11% of the basal value and the fractional $Na^{+}$ excretion was increased to 7.8-fold, indicating generation of acute renal failure. When animals received SRE pretreatment for 7 days prior to glycerol injection, such changes were significantly attenuated. The fractional excretion of glucose and phosphate was increased more than 43-fold and 27-fold, respectively, in rabbits treated with glycerol alone. However, they were increased to 17-and 4.3-fold, respectively, in SRE-pretreated rabbits, and these values were significantly lower than those in rabbits treated with glycerol alone. Uptakes of glucose and phosphate in purified isolated brush-border membrane, the $Na^{+}-K^{+}-ATPase$ activity in microsomal fraction, and cellular ATP levels all were reduced in rabbits treated with glycerol alone. Such changes were prevented by SRE pretreatment. Uptakes of organic ions, PAH and TEA, in renal cortical slices were inhibited by the administration of glycerol, which was prevented by SRE pretreatment. Pretreatment of an antioxidant DPPD significantly attenuated the increase in the fractional excretion of glucose and phosphate induced by rhabdomyolysis. These results indicate that rhabdomyolysis causesimpairment inreabsorption of solutes in the proximal tubule via the generation of reactive oxygen species, and SRE pretreatment may provide the protection against the rhabdomyolysis-induced impairment by its antioxidant action.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.298-303
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• 2009

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major flavonoid in green tea has multiple health benefits including chemoprevention, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and anti-obesity effects. In connection with these effects, EGCG can be a candidate to help the treatment of metabolic diseases. Metformin is a widely used anti-diabetic drug regulating cellular energy homeostasis via AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation. Therefore, the combination of metformin with EGCG may have additive or synergistic effects on treatment of type 2 diabetes. Nevertheless, there is no report for the pharmacokinetic and/or pharmacodynamic interaction of EGCG with metformin. Here, we evaluated the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interaction between metformin and EGCG in rats. Pharmacokinetics parameters of metformin were measured after oral administration of metformin in rats pre-treated with EGCG (10 mg/kg) or saline for 7 days. The results showed that there is no significant difference in pharmacokinetic parameters between saline control and EGCG-treated group. In addition, the hepatic AMPK activation by metformin in EGCG-treated rats was also similar to the control. The lack of additive effects of EGCG on AMPK activation or intracellular uptake of metformin was also evaluated in cells in the presence or absence of EGCG. Treatment of HepG2 cells with EGCG inhibited the metformin-induced AMPK activation. Combined results suggested that EGCG has no effect on the pharmacokinetics of metformin but may contribute to metformin action.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.354-362
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• 2009

This study was performed to develop a suitable nutrient solution for standard rose substrate culture in a closed hydroponic system. 1/4, 1/2, 2/3 and 1 strength of the nutrient solution made by Japan National Institute of Vegetable and Tea Science (JNIVT) were supplied. The photosynthesis rate, quality and growth of cut flower were higher in the 1/2 and 2/3 strength of nutrient solution during high and low temperature period. Based on the above results, optimum nutrient solutions (UOS) were composed by nutrientwater (n/w) absorption ratio with 1/2S ($NO_{3^-}N$ 6.8, $NH_{4^-}N$ 0.7, $PO_{4^-}P$ 2.0, K 3.8, Ca 3.0, Mg 1.2, $SO_{4^-}S$ $1.2me{\cdot}L^{-1}$) at high temperature season and 2/3($NO_{3^-}N$ 9.7, $NH_{4^-}N$ 0.8, $PO_{4^-}P$ 2.2, K 5.0, Ca 3.9, Mg 1.5, $SO_{4^-}S$ $1.5me{\cdot}L^{-1}$) at low temperature season. The results of suitability examination showed that the EC level in newly composed nutrient solution (UOS) was more stable than other nutrient solutions due to its large amount of calcium and potassium. The growth of cut flower cultivated with UOS was higher than those of other nutrient solutions. Especially, the yield of cut flowers in UOS nutrient solution increased 1.4 times than that of other nutrient solution treatments. Consequently, the new nutrient solution investigated in this experiment was suitable for rose cultivation in a closed hydroponic system.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.649-656
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• 2012

To obtain the basic information for agricultural utilization of germanium (Ge), the growth characteristics and Ge absorption in rice plant were investigated under different Ge concentrations by foliar spray application. The Ge concentrations were treated with 0 (control), 10, 20, 40 and $80mg\;L^{-1}$ in pot (1 5000$^{-1}$ a), respectively. The Ge absorption rate in rice by foliar spray application with $80mg\;L^{-1}$ in pot was higher in the order of leaf (5.75%) > stem (4.52%) > root (<0.01%). By foliar spray application, the Ge content in rice was higher in the order of $80mg\;L^{-1}$ > $40mg\;L^{-1}$ > $20mg\;L^{-1}$ > $10mg\;L^{-1}$. When rice was treated with $80mg\;L^{-1}$ of Ge, the Ge content in rice grain was higher in the order of rice bran ($0.21mg\;pot^{-1}$) $\gg$ brown rice ($0.04mg\;pot^{-1}$) ${\geq}$ polished rice ($0.03mg\;pot^{-1}$). By foliar spray application, the Ge uptake in rice bran was higher than that in other parts. Therefore, optimum Ge concentration by foliar spray application was $80mg\;L^{-1}$ in pot based on the results from the Ge treatments.