• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.65-76
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• 2010

1. Objectives The present study was designed to investigate the effect of Soyangin Hyeongbangdojeok-san(HBDJS) on acute cocaine-induced behavior effect and gene expression in the rat brain. 2. Methods Experimental animals were composed of saline(SAL), cocaine(COC), HBDJS + COC, HBDJS + SAL group. Rats received HBDJS(100, 200 mg/kg, p.o.) 1 h prior to cocaine hydrochloride(20 mg/kg, i.p.) treatment respectively. After cocaine injection, locomotor activity and rearing were measured in a rectangular container equipped with a video camera above the center of the floor for 60 min. In addiction, c-Fos expression in the rat brain was detected using immunohistochemistry 2 h after cocaine injection. And the effect of HBDJS on acute cocaine-induced pERK, pElk, pCREB upstream of c-Fos expression was detected using western blotting and immunohistochemistry 15 min after cocaine challenge. 3. Results The present results show that HBDJS at dose of 200 mg/kg attenuated cocaine-induced both locomotor activity and rearing. Also HBDJS at dose of 200 mg/kg significantly decreased c-Fos expression in the rat brain(nucleus accumebns and striatum). However HBDJS at dose of 200 mg/kg have no effect on cocaine-induced pERK, pCREB, pElK-1 expression. HBDJS is c-Fos expression through ERK-independent pathway. 4. Conclusions. These results suggest that HBDJS may be effective in suppressing the reinforcing effects of cocaine.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.281-286
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• 2012

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of Rehmannia glutinosa on phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK) and cAMP response element-binding protein(CREB) in the acute cocaine-treated rats. Rats orally received vehicle or extract of Rehmannia glutinosa 1 h prior to saline (1 ml/kg, i.p.) or cocaine hydrochloride (20 mg/kg, i.p.) treatment. Rats were sacrificed 15 min after a single intraperitoneal injection of saline or cocaine. Rehmannia glutinosa at dose of 50 mg/kg significantly decreased phosphorylation of ERK, CREB and Elk-1 in the nucleus accumbens and striatum of the cocaine-treated rat brain by immunocytochemistry. These results suggest that Rehmannia glutinosa may contribute to the effects of cocaine on gene expression and on behaviors.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.103-106
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• 2006

A 35-year-old Perubian who suffered from grand mal seizures died in the aircraft on his way from the United States to Hongkong via Incheon international airport of Korea. While performing the autopsy, 115 packs made with double layer of transparent film and black plastic bag containing cocaine were found in the ileum and large intestine. Among of them, 3 packs were ruptured. To determine the concentration of cocaine and its metabolites, blood, urine, bile, liver, spleen, heart, kidney, brain and gastric contents were taken and toxicological analysis was performed. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) following liquid-phase extraction using chloroform:isopropanol (=9:1) and derivatization with bis(trimethylsilyl)-trifluoroacetamide (contains 1% trimethylchlorosilane) was performed. High levels of cocaine, benzoylecgonine (BE) and ecgonine methylester (EME) were found in the postmortem blood (0.96, 3.09 and $5.59{\mu}g/mL$) and urine (32.85, 145.35 and $53.17{\mu}g/mL$), respectively. Cocaine and its metabolites were also detected in all other biological specimen.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.75-88
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• 1990

The characteristics of dopamine uptake, D-1 and D-2 receptors after acute and subacute cocaine administration were determind in striatum from WKY and SHR. Cocaine was administered either acutely (40 mg/kg, s.c.) or twice daily (20 mg/kg, s.c.) for 3 and 7 days in 9-wk old WKY and SHR. Rats were sacrificed 30 min, 2 or 24 h after the single injection and 18 h after the last administration to the subacutely treated group. The changes in dopamine uptake, dopamine uptake sites, D-1 and D-2 receptors were determined using $(^3H)$dopamine, $(^3H)$-GBR-12935, $(^3H)$SCH-23390 and $(^3H)$sulpiride, respectively. In acutely treated rats, significant increases in $V_{max}$of dopamine uptake were observed 30 min after the cocanine injection in both strains without changes in $K_m$ values. The in vitro $IC_{50}$for cocaine was significantly decreased 30 min in WKY and 2 h in SHR. However, that for in vitro GBR-12909 was significantly increased 30 min and 2 h in both strains. Also densities of $(^3H)$-GBR-12935 binding sites were significantly increased 30 min and 2 h without changes in their $K_d$. Significant increases in D-2 receptor density were observed 30 min, 2 or 24 h after acute injection in both strains without changes in their affinities. The density of D-1 receptor was significantly decreased 30 min after the injection in WKY, but not in SHR. In subacutely treated rats, a significant increase in $K_m$ of dopamine uptake was observed in 7-day treated SHR. The in vitro $IC_{50}$fot GBR-12909 was significantly increased in 3-day treated WKY. The density of D-1 receptors was significantly increased in 3- and 7-day treated WKY, but not in SHR. The affinity of both binding sites remained unchanged. The results suggest that cocanine administration alters dopamine uptake, characteristics of dopamine uptake sites and dopamine receptor binding characteristics in rat brain. Furthermore, D-1 and D-2 dopamine receptors appear to be differently regulated.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.141-147
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• 2010

Objectives : The aim of present study is to examine the effect of methanolic extract from the root of Bupleurum falcatum L. (BF) on acute cocaine-induced c-Fos expression in the rat caudate putamen (CPu), a major dopaminergic terminal. Methods : Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to an intraperitoneal injection with either cocaine hydrochloride (20 mg/kg) or saline 30 min after an administration of either extract of BF (100 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle. Animals were sacrificed 2 hr after treatment with cocaine or saline for immunohistochemistry. Quantification of brain slices was examined for c-Fos positive nuclei using light microscopy. Results : Pretreatment with BF significantly attenuated cocaine-induced c-Fos expression in the rat CPu. Conclusions : This finding suggests that BF has the inhibitory effect on cocaine-induced c-Fos expression in the rat CPu via possibly modulating the activities of central dopaminergic systems.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2002

Substantial evidence suggests that behavioral and reinforcing effects of cocaine can be mediated by the mesolimbic dopaminergic system. Injections of cocaine can produce one of the immediate-early gene, c-fos expression in the brain and behavioral activation. Acupuncture as a therapeutic intervention is widely used for the treatment of many mental disorders such as drugs of abuse. In order to investigate whether acupuncture has an influence on cocaine-induced reinforcing and behavioral effects, we examined the effect of acupuncture on cocaine-induced locomotor activity and c-Fos expression in the nucleus accumbens and the striatum using Fos-like-immunoreactivity(FLI). Male SD rats received acupuncture for 1 min after injection of cocaine hydrochloride(1 mg/kg, i.v.). The employed acupuncture point, Shenmen$(HT_7)$, has been clinically used to treat mental and psychosomatic disorders. Injections of cocaine produced a marked increase in locomotor activity and FLI in the nucleus accumbens and the striatum. Acupuncture at $HT_7$, but not at control points($PC_6,\;TE_4$ or tail), significantly attenuated cocaine-induced increase in locomotor activity and Fos-like immunoreactivity. These results demonstrated that reduction in locomotor activity by acupuncture may be reflected by reduction of postsynaptic neuronal activity in the nucleus accumbens and the striatum. Our results suggest that acupuncture may have a therapeutic effect on cocaine addiction.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.389-395
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• 2011

Repeated administration of psychostimulants such as cocaine leads to the development of behavioral sensitization. Extracellular signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK), an enzyme important for long-term neuronal plasticity, has been implicated in such effects of these drugs. Although the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) is the site mediating the expression of behavioral sensitization by drugs of abuse, the precise role of ERK activation in this site has not been determined. In this study we demonstrate that blockade of ERK phosphorylation in the NAcc by a single bilateral microinjections of PD98059 (0.5 or $2.0{\mu}g/side$), or U0126 (0.1 or $1.0{\mu}g/side$), into this site dose-dependently inhibited the expression of cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization when measured at day 7 following 6 consecutive daily cocaine injections (15 mg/kg, i.p.). Acute microinjection of either vehicle or PD98059 alone produced no different locomotor activity compared to saline control. Further, microinjection of PD98059 ($2.0{\mu}g/side$) in the NAcc specifically lowered cocaine-induced increase of ERK phosphorylation levels in this site, while unaffecting p-38 protein levels. These results indicate that ERK activation in the NAcc is necessary for the expression of cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization, and further suggest that repeated cocaine evokes neuronal plasticity involving ERK pathway in this site leading to long-lasting behavioral changes.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.347-357
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• 2013

Drug abuse has become a major social problem of the modern world and majority of these abusive drugs or their metabolites are excreted through the kidneys and, thus, the renal complications of these drugs are very common. Morphine, heroin, cocaine, nicotine and alcohol are the most commonly abused drugs, and their use is associated with various types of renal toxicity. The renal complications include a wide range of glomerular, interstitial and vascular diseases leading to acute or chronic renal failure. The present review discusses the renal toxicity profile and possible mechanisms of commonly abused drugs including morphine, heroin, cocaine, nicotine, caffeine and alcohol.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.113.1-113.1
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• 2003

A 35-year-old Perubian who suffered from grand mal seizures died in aircraft on his way from United States to Hongkong. When he boarded the aircraft, he was normal but later he suffered from hyperthermia, dizziness, abdominal pain, agitation and convulsion in the flight before dead. While performing the autopsy, 115 cocaine packs were found in the GI tract. To determine the concentration of cocaine and its metabolites, blood, urine, bile juice, gastric content, liver, spleen, heart, kidney, cellebrum and lung were taken and analyzed. (omitted)

• The Journal of the Korean life insurance medical association
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.10-14
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• 2012

The importance of the diseases which are differentiated with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) cannot be overemphasized in insurance medicine. Although there are lots of diseases similar with AMI, in this paper, 5 diseases were described; Myocardial bridging, cocaine toxicity, myocarditis, cardiac syndrome X, and Takotsubo syndrome. Costs of the interventions like coronary angiography or echocardiography are relatively low in Korea compared to western countries. Therefore, detection of those diseases has been increased recently and illegal drug addiction also has been increased probably due to globalization. In conclusion, the knowledge of those diseases dealt with this article could be helpful for the person who is related to insurance medicine.