• Journal of Life Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.91-96
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• 1998

Pine(Pinus densiflora Sieb et Zucc.) is one of rhe popular plant drugs which has been used as a medicine in Asia. To investigate the effect of pine needle extract (PNE) on oxygen radicals and their scavenger enzymes in brain membranes of Sprague- Dawley (SD), make SD rats were fed basic diets(control group), and experimental diets (PNE group) with 0.5 and 1.0% of PNE 6 weeks. Mitochondrial hydroxyl radical levels in brain of 0.5%-PNE and 1.0%-PNE groups were significantly inhibited to 30% and 25%, respectively, and microsomal hydrogen peroxide levels in brain of 0.5%-PNE and 1.0%-PNE groups were significantly inhibited to 15% compared with control group. Cytosolic superoxide rdical levels in 1.0%-PNE group were significantly inhibited to 20% compared with control group. Lipid peroxide(LPO) levels in brain mitochondria of 0.5%-PNE and 1.0%-PNE groups were significantly lower(25% and 35%) than that in control group. Mn-superoxide disumtase (SOD) activities in brain of 0.5%-PNE and 1.0%-PNE groups were significantly higher(18% and 12%) than those in control groups, but Cu,Zn-SOD activities in brain of 0.5%-PNE were significantly activated to 15% compared with control group. Glutathione peroxidase(GSHPx) activities in brain of 1.5%-PNE and 1.0% PNE groups were significantly higher(14% and 12%) than those in control group. These results suggest that more beneficial effects such as inhibition of oxygen radicals and lipid peroxide(LPO). and oncreases of scavenger enzymes in brain membranes of SD rats may be effectively modulated by administration of pine needle extract (PNE)

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.53-69
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• 2021

Sleep disorders, increasingly prevalent in the general population, induce impairment in daytime functioning and other clinical problems. As changes in cortical excitability have been reported as potential pathophysiological mechanisms underlying sleep disorders, multiple studies have explored clinical effects of modulating cortical excitability through non-invasive brain stimulation in treating sleep disorders. In this study, we critically reviewed clinical studies using non-invasive brain stimulation, particularly transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), for treatment of sleep disorders. Previous studies have reported inconsistent therapeutic effects of TMS and tDCS for various kinds of sleep disorders. Specifically, low-frequency repetitive TMS (rTMS) and cathodal tDCS, both of which exert an inhibitory effect on cortical excitability, have shown inconsistent therapeutic effects for insomnia. On the other hand, high-frequency rTMS and anodal tDCS, both of which facilitate cortical excitability, have improved the symptoms of hypersomnia. In studies of restless legs syndrome, high-frequency rTMS and anodal tDCS induced inconsistent therapeutic effects. Single TMS and rTMS have shown differential therapeutic effects for obstructive sleep apnea. These inconsistent findings indicate that the distinctive characteristics of each non-invasive brain stimulation method and specific pathophysiological mechanisms underlying particular sleep disorders should be considered in an integrated manner for treatment of various sleep disorders. Future studies are needed to provide optimized TMS and tDCS protocols for each sleep disorder, considering distinctive effects of non-invasive brain stimulation and pathophysiology of each sleep disorder.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.239-252
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• 2024

Dexmedetomidine displays multiple mechanisms of neuroprotection in ameliorating ischemic brain injury. In this study, we explored the beneficial effects of dexmedetomidine on blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity and neuroinflammation in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 1.5 h and reperfusion for 24 h to establish a rat model of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. Dexmedetomidine (9 ㎍/kg) was administered to rats 30 min after MCAO through intravenous injection, and SB203580 (a p38 MAPK inhibitor, 200 ㎍/kg) was injected intraperitoneally 30 min before MCAO. Brain damages were evaluated by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, hematoxylin-eosin staining, Nissl staining, and brain water content assessment. BBB permeability was examined by Evans blue staining. Expression levels of claudin-5, zonula occludens-1, occludin, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) as well as M1/M2 phenotypes-associated markers were assessed using immunofluorescence, RT-qPCR, Western blotting, and gelatin zymography. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to examine inflammatory cytokine levels. We found that dexmedetomidine or SB203580 attenuated infarct volume, brain edema, BBB permeability, and neuroinflammation, and promoted M2 microglial polarization after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. Increased MMP-9 activity by ischemia/reperfusion injury was inhibited by dexmedetomidine or SB203580. Dexmedetomidine inhibited the activation of the ERK, JNK, and p38 MAPK pathways. Moreover, activation of JNK or p38 MAPK reversed the protective effects of dexmedetomidine against ischemic brain injury. Overall, dexmedetomidine ameliorated brain injury by alleviating BBB permeability and promoting M2 polarization in experimental cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury model by inhibiting the activation of JNK and p38 MAPK pathways.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.199-213
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• 1997

In convulsion state by PTZ in rat, anticonvulsive effect and some of ${\gamma}-aminobutyric$ acid(GABA)-related mechanisms of Buthus extract in brain was experimented. It was inhibited GABA-T activity, lipid peroxide generation and xanthine oxidase activity as scheduled administration in vitro and vivo. And the content of brain glutathione was increased as scheduled administration in rat. In convulsion state by PTZ of previously managed rat by Buthus extract, onset time and duration were non-specific changes but recovery time and severity was remarkably reduced. In conclusion speculated that Buthus extract inhibits convulsion by control of GABA content In brain.

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1997 no.11
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• pp.71-74
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• 1997

MR acoustic sound or noise due to gradient pulsings has been one of the problems in MRI, both in patient scanning as well as in many areas of psychiatric and neuroscience research, such as brain fMRI. Especially in brain fMRI, sound noise is one of the serious noise sources which obscures the small signals obtainable from the subtle changes occurring in oxygenation status in the cortex and blood capillaries. Therefore, we have studied the effects of acoustic or sound noise arising in fMR imaging of the auditory, motor and visual cortices. The results show that the acoustical noise effects on motor and visual responses are opposite. That is, for the motor activity, it shows an increased total motor activation while for the visual stimulation, corresponding (visual) cortical activity has diminished substantially when the subject is exposed to a loud acoustic sound. Although the current observations are preliminary and require more experimental confirmation, it appears that the observed acoustic-noise effects on brain unctions, such as in the motor and visual cortices, are new observations and could have significant consequences in data observation and interpretation in future fMRI studies.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.117-123
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• 2018

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of increased brain activity on the muscle endurance and the effect of brain activation through the combination of transcranial direct current stimulation and aerobic exercise on elderly woman. Methods : To investigate the effect of the muscle endurance on right leg, muscle endurance was evaluated by measuring the surface EMG of the muscles of the rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius muscle. Results : There was a significant difference in the pre and post comparisons of muscle endurance on rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior muscle (p<.05). Difference of Combination of transcranial direct current stimulation and aerobic exercise group median frequency was smaller than control group (p<.05). There was not a significant difference in the pre and post comparisons of muscle endurance on biceps femoris, and gastrocnemius muscle. Difference of Combination of transcranial direct current stimulation and aerobic exercise group median frequency was showed a similar pattern. Conclusion : Through these results, It was found that increasing the brain activity by the transcranial direct current stimulation improves the exercise capacity on the elderly women. Combination of transcranial direct current stimulation and aerobic exercise maybe applied as an effective treatment for improving muscular endurance.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.133-143
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• 2012

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a subfamily of zinc-dependent proteases that are re-sponsible for degradation and remodeling of extracellular matrix proteins. The activity of MMPs is tightly regulated at several levels including cleavage of prodomain, allosteric activation, com-partmentalization and complex formation with tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). In the central nervous system (CNS), MMPs play a wide variety of roles ranging from brain devel-opment, synaptic plasticity and repair after injury to the pathogenesis of various brain disorders. Following general discussion on the domain structure and the regulation of activity of MMPs, we emphasize their implication in various brain disorder conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, ischemia/reperfusion and Parkinson's disease. We further highlight accumu-lating evidence that MMPs might be the culprit in Parkinson's disease (PD). Among them, MMP-3 appears to be involved in a range of pathogenesis processes in PD including neuroinflamma-tion, apoptosis and degradation of ${\alpha}$-synuclein and DJ-1. MMP inhibitors could represent poten-tial novel therapeutic strategies for treatments of neurodegenerative diseases.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1124-1131
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• 2009

Acanthopanax senticosus has been used in East Asia as a traditional medicine. The purpose of this study is the investigation of an extraction method for A. senticosus var subinermis (ASvS) leaves to improve their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Six extracts were prepared: extracted with water (W), ethanol (Eth), water or ethanol after ultra high pressure (WP, EthP), and water or ethanol after an extrusion process (WEx, EthEx). Diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing ability showed that all extracts had a significant antioxidant activity. In anti-inflammatory activities, Eth and EthEx significantly inhibited the release of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, and interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$ independent of cell viability in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Inducible NO synthase (iNOS) protein was significantly decreased by EthEx. These findings present that Eth and EthEx extracts of ASvS leaves have anti-inflammatory activities, and EthEx extract suppresses LPS-induced NO through the down-regulation of iNOS and pro-inflammatory cytokines.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.231-236
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• 1996

The toxicity of the mixture of diazinon, toxaphene(TOX) and/or endrin was studied in ICR male mice(18-22 g) by oral intubation, in corn oil, daily for up to 14 days. On day 15, the exposure was discontinued and animals were monitored for an additional period of 7 days for the possible reversibility of the toxicity. The body weight gain decreased with the mixtures, as well as with the individual pesticides, during the 14-day period. TOX and TOX containing mixtures significantly increased the liver/body weight ratio. The serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase level increased at 23~374% in diazinon, TOX, and endrin or their mixture group. The cholinesterase(ChE) activity in the serum and brain was inhibited in the animals of the group of diazinon(5, 10 mg/kg) and diazinon(5 mg/kg) containing mixtures. TOX(40, 80 mg/kg) caused initial inhibitory effects on the serum ChE Day 1. but there is little effects on the brain ChE levels. endrin(5,10 mg/kg) results in significantly elevated levels of the serum ChE, with substantial decreases in the brain ChE activity. TOX and TOX containing mixtures decreased the pentobarbital(60 mg /kg, ip., in saline) induced sleep. The effects produced by this pesticides singly, as well as by their mixtures, appeared to be reversible in nature. The toxic effects exhibited by the mixtures of diazinon(5 mf/kg), TOX(40 mg/kg), and /or endrin(5 mg/kg) were found to be the resultant of the effect showed by their components individually.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.79-88
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• 1983

There has been some evidence concerning the fact that trihalomethanes(THMs), toxic chlorinated compounds, may be present in drinking water. One of the important methodologies to evaluate the toxicity of THMs is to determine enzyme alteration in experimental animal tissues after treatment. This study was intended to investigate how lactic dehydrogenase(LDH) of rat tissues is affected by administration of chloroform($CHCl_3$) and dichloromonobromomethane($CHCl_2\;Br$). THMs, high dose(1/10 LD50) or low dose(1/50 LD50) of $CHCl_3$ or $CHCl_{2}Br$ were administered orally to experimental rats for 4 or 8 weeks. The treated groups of rats were sacrificed to determine LDH specific activity and isozyme pattern in various organs which were liver, thigh muscle, kidney and brain. The conclusions were obtained as follows: 1. Alteration of LDH activities and isozyme patterns were revealed before morphologic changes in tissues. 2. The LDH specific activities were increased significantly in liver and brain after administration of high concentrations of $CHCl_3$ and $CHCl_{2}Br$ for 4 weeks respectively. Otherwise, they were decreased significantly in liver, muscle and kidney after administration for 8 weeks. 3. The isozyme activities of LDH-4 and LDH-5 were increased in muscle, brain, and especially the liver. 4. It was more distinct for the decrement of LDH H-type isozyme than the increment of M-type isozyme in muscle.