• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.905-910
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• 2002

To investigate an eliminatory effect of mixed extract of Hovenia dulcis Thunb, Gastrodia elata and Alnus japonica etc., on the ethanol-induced hangover, 12 hr-fasted male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 220±20 g were given mixed extract (10 mL/kg, p.o.) and administered ethanol at a dose of 3 g/kg bw (25% in distilled water) orally 30 min postdosing. Blood was collected from caudal artery at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 hr and then the animals were sacrificed at 24 hr after the ethanol treatment. From 0 to 12 hr, the administration of mixed extract significantly decreased the area under the serum alcohol concentrations-vs.-time curves by 21 % compared with control group. In these experiments, liver function indices, such as alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and sorbitol dehydrogenase activities, showed unaltered results in all treated groups compared with the normal group. These results suggest that oral intake of the mixed extract may be effective on elimination of ethanol-induced hangover.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.130-135
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• 2003

Mulberry, Mori folium leaves (ML) and fruits (MF), Lycii fructus (LF), and Panax ginseng have been known to maintain normal blood sugar levels (BSL) in folk medicine. Here we investigated the effects of coated rice with these herb extract to diabetic patients. Alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus (DB) mice (80 mg/kg BW., i.v.) separated into 3 groups. One group received the extract in high dose (6.5 mg/kg B.W.), and another one group received in low dose (1.3 mg/kg B.W.) perorally for 30 days. (+) control received no extracts. (-) control received neither of them. BSL, volume of water consumed (VWC), body weights (BW) of each group were measured and compared. BSL in both of the extracts-received groups got close to normal levels on 4th week after starting the experiments. VWC also showed the same pattern. BSL in (+) control remained high through the experiment periods. BW in (+) control remained high, but those in the extracts-received groups recovered to normal levels. The clinical trials for both of healthy volunteers and DB patients, conducted in a University Hospital, also showed that the rice coated with the extracts could control the BSL. From these results, we suggest that the functional rice with herb extracts could be used as a new alimentotherapy for DB patients.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.291-297
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• 2007

Although Traditional Korean Medicine had always referred to Mamok(痲木: Paresthesia) as the prodrome of stroke for a long time, yet there were only few research papers on it. Hence, the purpose of this research is to explore the relationship between Mamok(痲木; Paresthesia) as the prodrome and an attack of stroke. Setting 509 Korean impatient women as the subject of research, 264 of the whole are stroke patients and 245 are non-stroke patients. Blood tests, questionnaires, and body measurements (height, weight, waist, hip) are performed to the subjects. Basic population traits, life-style, and past history are included in the contents of questionnaires. whether or not they have experience the numbness, description about the clinical characteristics of the symptom, the body parts which the symptom occurred, the onset of the symptom, and the incidences are examined in the category inquiring the numbness of the hand and foot. After adjusting for age, unilateral numbness was associated with significantly increased risk of stroke. When adjusted for other factors(Half of WHR, History of Hypertension and Diabetes mellitus, Cigarette smoking, Alcohol drinking, Education, Marital status, Regular exercise), the risk of stroke was positively associated with unilateral numbness.(Age Adjusted Odds Ratios=2.282(95%CI=1.107-4.705), Multivariate Odds Ratios=4.105(95% CI=1.233-13.671)) Whereas no significant association was observed in the onset and the incidence of unilateral numbness. This study suggest that preceding Mamok(痲木; paresthesia) before stroke attack is may be common prodrome symptoms of stroke. Prospective cohort study on the association between Mamok(痲木;Paresthesia) as the prodrome and an attack of stroke in Korean population will be necessary.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.138-144
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• 2017

The pharmacological rationale of Agastache rugosa (AR) or Pogostemon cablin (PC), which have been used in traditional Korean medicine to treat dampness pattern or syndrome in gastrointestinal tract, was investigated on the gastrointestinal disorders. In-vivo model studies that examined the effect on the gastrointestinal disorders of AR or PC were collected. They were classified into disease-induced in-vivo models or non-disease in vivo models. The target disease, animal species, induction method, administration, and outcomes (changes in morphological and histological parameter, or blood and fluid) of each study were analyzed. The therapeutic mechanism of AR or PC extract was evaluated by the induced diseases and the changes in outcomes. There were contradictory reports on gastrointestinal motility of AR or PC in disease non-disease in-vivo model. AR or PC inhibited gastrointestinal motility in disease model of increased gastrointestinal motility, while promoted motility in disease model of decreased gastrointestinal motility. AR or PC also inhibited inflammatory changes in gastrointestinal inflammation model. These results suggest that the bidirectional regulation of gastrointestinal motility and the improvement of gastrointestinal inflammatory disorders might underpin traditional therapeutic effect of AR or PC, that is effect to resolve dampness of gastrointestinal tract.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.114-121
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• 2018

Background: Unfractionated heparin is commonly used for anticoagulation in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Several studies have shown that nafamostat mesilate (NM) has comparable clinical outcomes to unfractionated heparin. This study compared anticoagulation with NM and heparin in a large-animal model. Methods: Beagle dogs (n=8; weight, 6.5-9 kg) were placed on venovenous ECMO. Blood samples were taken every hour and the following parameters were compared: hemoglobin level, activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), thromboelastography (TEG) data, platelet function, and inflammatory cytokine levels. Results: In both groups, the aPTT was longer than the baseline value. Although the aPTT in the NM group was shorter than in the heparin group, the TEG parameters were similar between the 2 groups. Hemoglobin levels decreased in both groups, but the decrease was less with NM than with heparin (p=0.049). Interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$ levels significantly decreased in the NM group (p=0.01), but there was no difference in the levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha or IL-10 between the 2 groups. Conclusion: NM showed a similar anticoagulant effect to that of unfractionated heparin, with fewer bleeding complications. NM also had anti-inflammatory properties during ECMO. Based on this preclinical study, NM may be a good alternative candidate for anticoagulation in ECMO.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.99-104
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• 2015

The aim of this study is to develop a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model in intra-abdominal infected rats, and extrapolate it to human to predict moxifloxacin pharmacokinetics profiles in various tissues in intra-abdominal infected human. 12 male rats with intra- abdominal infections, induced by Escherichia coli, received a single dose of 40 mg/kg body weight of moxifloxacin. Blood plasma was collected at 5, 10, 20, 30, 60, 120, 240, 480, 1440 min after drug injection. A PBPK model was developed in rats and extrapolated to human using GastroPlus software. The predictions were assessed by comparing predictions and observations. In the plasma concentration versus time profile of moxifloxcinin rats, $C_{max}$ was $11.151{\mu}g/mL$ at 5 min after the intravenous injection and $t_{1/2}$ was 2.936 h. Plasma concentration and kinetics in human were predicted and compared with observed datas. Moxifloxacin penetrated and accumulated with high concentrations in redmarrow, lung, skin, heart, liver, kidney, spleen, muscle tissues in human with intra-abdominal infection. The predicted tissue to plasma concentration ratios in abdominal viscera were between 1.1 and 2.2. When rat plasma concentrations were known, extrapolation of a PBPK model was a method to predict drug pharmacokinetics and penetration in human. Moxifloxacin has a good penetration into liver, kidney, spleen, as well as other tissues in intra-abdominal infected human. Close monitoring are necessary when using moxifloxacin due to its high concentration distribution. This pathological model extrapolation may provide reference to the PK/PD study of antibacterial agents.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.214-223
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• 2017

Objective: In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a well-known method for the treatment of infertility. The present study aimed to compare the differences between infertile women with successful and unsuccessful IVF outcomes regarding the expression of T helper (Th) cell transcription factors and a group of related cytokines before and after exposure to their husbands' seminal plasma. Methods: This study was performed on 19 couples with unexplained infertility undergoing IVF treatment. Among the studied group, nine and 10 couples had successful and unsuccessful IVF outcomes, respectively. This study was carried out using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Before seminal plasma exposure, the expression levels of T-bet (p< 0.007), $interferon-{\gamma}$ (p= 0.013), and tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$ (p= 0.017) were higher in the infertile women with IVF failure than in those with successful IVF outcomes, while those of GATA3 (p< 0.001), Foxp3 (p= 0.001), and interleukin (IL)-35 (p< 0.003) were lower. After seminal exposure, the expression of T-bet (p= 0.02), Rorc (p< 0.001), $TNF-{\alpha}$ (p= 0.001), Foxp3 (p= 0.02), and $interferon-{\gamma}$ (p= 0.001) increased in the unsuccessful IVF group, while the expression of Foxp3 (p= 0.02), Rorc (p< 0.001), IL-23 (p= 0.04), IL-17 (p= 0.02), IL-6 (p< 0.001), transforming growth $factor-{\beta}$ (p= 0.01), and IL-35 (p< 0.001) increased in the successful IVF group. Conclusion: In summary, IVF failure was associated with imbalanced Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg responses. Moreover, our results show that seminal plasma might have a positive effect on IVF outcomes via changes in peripheral blood T cell subsets.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.1378-1382
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• 2008

This study is aim to evaluate pulse diagnosis as indicators for classification of the pattern identifications in stroke patients. To get the clinical information, we recruited the onset 1 month stroke patients through the multicenter network which consists of 13 oriental hospitals. The clinical informations about three pairs of pulse wave form and levels of their significancy based on the case report form (CRF) were collected and their distribution in each pattern identification were analyzed. The results are as follows Fire-Heat group shows high portions of floating pulse, rapid pulse and solid pulse. Qi Defficiency group has a greater portion of deep pulse, slow pulse, deficient pulse. The well-defined character of Phlegm-Retained Fluid, Yin Defficiency, Static Blood groups cannot be explained by pulse wave form. These results show a rough relationship between the pulse diagnosis and pattern identifications of stroke therefore, further studies are required to determine the pulse diagnosis as significant indicators of stroke pattern identification.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.181-186
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• 2016

Glucose tolerance tests have been devised to determine the speed of blood glucose clearance. Diabetes is often tested with the standard oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), along with fasting glucose level. However, no single test may be sufficient for the diagnosis, and the World Health Organization (WHO)/International Diabetes Federation (IDF) has suggested composite criteria. Accordingly, a single multi-class trait was constructed with three of the fasting phenotypes and 1- and 2-hour OGTT phenotypes from the Korean Association Resource (KARE) project, and the genetic association was investigated. All of the 18 possible combinations made out of the 3 sets of classification for the individual phenotypes were taken into our analysis. These were possible due to a method that was recently developed by us for estimating genomic associations using a generalized index of dissimilarity. Eight single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were found to have the strongest main effect are reported with the corresponding genes. Four of them conform to previous reports, located in the CDKAL1 gene, while the other 4 SNPs are new findings. Two-order interacting SNP pairs of are also presented. One pair (rs2328549 and rs6486740) has a prominent association, where the two single-nucleotide polymorphism locations are CDKAL1 and GLT1D1. The latter has not been found to have a strong main effect. New findings may result from the proper construction and analysis of a composite trait.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.363-370
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• 2018

Many studies reported reduced antioxidant capacity in the vasculature under hypertensive conditions. However, little is known about the effects of antihypertensive treatments on the regulation of vascular antioxidant enzymes. Thus, we hypothesized that antihypertensive treatments prevent the reduction of antioxidant enzyme activity and expression in the small vessels of angiotensin II-induced hypertensive rats (ANG). We observed the small mesenteric arteries and small renal vessels of normotensive rats (NORM), ANG, and ANG treated with a triple antihypertensive therapy of reserpine, hydrochlorothiazide, and hydralazine (ANG + TTx). Systolic blood pressure was increased in ANG, which was attenuated by 2 weeks of triple therapy (127, 191, and 143 mmHg for NORM, ANG, and ANG + TTx, respectively; p < 0.05). Total superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the small mesenteric arteries of ANG was lower than that of NORM. The protein expression of SOD1 was lower in ANG than in NORM, whereas SOD2 and SOD3 expression was not different between the groups. Reduced SOD activity and SOD1 expression in ANG was not restored in ANG + TTx. Both SOD activity and SOD isoform expression in the small renal vessels of ANG were not different from those of NORM. Interestingly, SOD activity in the small renal vessels was reduced by TTx. Between groups, there was no difference in catalase activity or expression in both the small mesenteric arteries and small renal vessels. In conclusion, SOD activity in the small mesenteric arteries decreased by angiotensin II administration, but not by hypertension, which is caused by decreased SOD1 expression.