• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제34권3호
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• pp.212-218
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• 2010

Korean red ginseng (KRG) has been shown to enhance endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in experimental animals; however, little is known about its pharmacological effects on vascular stiffness in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial was carried out to determine whether KRG has beneficial effects on arterial stiffness, cardiovascular risk factors such as plasma lipid profiles and blood pressure (BP), and Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) activity. Twenty patients (mean age, 62.5 years) with stable angina pectoris were given KRG (2.7 g/day) and a placebo alternatively for 10 weeks. Blood biochemical analysis and pulse wave velocity (PWV) recording were performed on day 0 and after the completion of each treatment. ROCK activity was assessed based on the level of phospho-$Thr^{853}$ in the myosin-binding subunit of myosin light chain phosphatase, determined by Western blot analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. KRG significantly decreased the systolic BP, brachial ankle PWV, and heart femoral PWV in the patients (all p<0.05), but did not significantly alter the serum lipid profiles, including triglycerides and total, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. The ROCK activity tended to decrease (p=0.068) following KRG treatment. The placebo did not significantly alter any of the variables. In conclusion, KRG decreased systolic BP and arterial stiffness, probably via the inhibition of ROCK activity, in patients with CAD, but had a neutral effect on serum lipid profiles. Our data suggest that KRG has a therapeutic effect on CAD.

• 수면정신생리
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.96-106
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• 1997

The clinical validity of a korean EEG and EP mapping system(Neuronics) was evaluated with schizophrenic patients(n=20), normal controls(n=19), and 10 patients with central nervous system disease(8 patients with cerebrovascular accident, 1 patient with brain mass, and 1 patient with periodic paralysis). In the normal control group, the pattern of resting computerized EEG with eyes closed showed normal parieto-occipital dominance of alpha wave. Compared with normal controls, schizophrenic patients had more delta activity in the frontal region, and less alpha activity especially in the parieto-occipital region. In most cases patients with cortical organic lesions(n=5) revealed increased delta and theta activity and decreased alpha activity on the lesion areas. These findings were compatible with their MRI and clinical findings. However in the cases of subcortical lesions(n=5) EEG showed various findings which suggest diverse influences of subcortical abnormalities on cortical activities. The P300 of schizophrenic group was smaller and more delayed than those of normal controls. These results are generally compatible with the previous studies using other EEG and EP mapping systems consequenty and suggest that the this EEG and EP mapping system(Neuronics) has clinical validity.

• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.1-8
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• 2024

When situated in green landscapes, water bodies play a crucial role in positively influencing mood and mental health, yet research on the cognitive mechanisms underlying these therapeutic effects is lacking. This study is intended to examine differences in brain function among adult males exposed to forest landscapes with or without water bodies. The wooded landscapes included views of a waterfall, a valley, and a forest without water. The control group was exposed to a local urban landscape. Twelve adult males participated in a field experiment in which prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity was measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). In the experiment, participants engaged in low-intensity walking in three forested areas with similar vegetation and climatic conditions. Participants showed significant differences in left PFC activity depending on whether they were in the three forested landscapes or in the control landscape (P < 0.01). An analysis of variance (ANOVA) confirmed that significantly lower left PFC activity was recorded in the wooded landscape containing a water view . Notably, the lowest PFC values recorded in the landscape with a waterfall view suggest that landscapes with dynamic water flow may be associated with greater therapeutic benefits in terms of PFC activity than static landscapes. Our results underscore that water is a critical aspect of a landscape due to its therapeutic benefits and should be incorporated in the planning and design of green spaces for health promotion.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제18권5호
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• pp.365-369
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• 2014

Cedrus deodara (Pinaceae) has been used traditionally in Ayurveda for the treatment of central nervous system disorders. 3,4-bis(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)furan-2,5-dione (BDFD) was isolated from heart wood of Cedrus deodara and was shown to have antiepileptic and anxiolytic activity. Thus, the present study was aimed to explore its anti-depressant effect and to correlate the effect with serotonin and nor adrenaline levels of brain. Albino mice were used as experimental animal. Animals were divided in to three groups; vehicle control, imipramine (30 mg/kg i.p.), BDFD (100 mg/kg i.p.). Tail suspension test (TST) and forced swim test (FST) was performed to evaluate antidepressant effect of BDFD. BDFD (100 mg/kg, i.p.) showed a significant decrease in immobility time when subjected to FST whereas immobility time was not significantly altered in TST. BDFD treatment increased serotonin and noradrenaline levels in the brain which is indicative of BDFD having possible atypical antidepressant action.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.24-30
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• 2016

Fresh ginseng roots were aged in an oven at $80^{\circ}C$ for 14 d. The in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activities of this aged ginseng, in comparison with those of the white and red ginsengs, were evaluated. In in vitro antioxidant assays, the ethanolic extracts from aged ginseng showed significantly higher free radical scavenging activity and reducing power than those of the white and red ginsengs. In in vivo antioxidant assays, mice were fed a high fat diet supplemented with white, red, or aged ginseng powders. High fat feeding resulted in a significant increase in lipid peroxidation and a substantial decrease in antioxidant enzymes activities in the animals. However, diet supplementation of ginseng powders, particularly aged ginseng, markedly reduced lipid peroxidation and enhanced the antioxidant enzymes activities. The results illustrate that the aged ginseng has greater in vitro and in vivo antioxidant capacity than the white and red ginsengs. The aged ginseng also showed considerably higher total saponin, phenolic, and flavonoid contents, indicating that its antioxidant capacity may have been partly due to its high levels of antioxidant compounds. This new ginseng product may be useful as a functional food with strong antioxidant potential.

• 생약학회지
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.320-323
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• 2006

The effects of evodiamine on monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity were investigated. MAO was purified from mouse brain and the $K_m\;and\;V_{max}$ values of MAO were $78.5{\pm}5.28{\mu}M$ and $0.68{\pm}0.07$ nmol/min/mg protein, respectively (n=4). Evodiamine at $30-120{\mu}M$ showed an inhibitory effect on MAO activity using a substrate kynuramine with an $IC_{50}$ value of $104.2{\mu}M$ (n=4). Evodiamine also exhibited a non-competitive inhibition on MAO. The $K_i$ value for evodiamine was $72.5{\pm}10.8{\mu}M$ (n=4). These results suggest that evodiamine partially contributes to the regulation of monoamine content.

• 대한예방한의학회지
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.122-131
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• 2000

This dissertation is try to figure out why chestnut belongs to kidney channel, from the viewpoint of five elements theory. After studying chestnut's property, flavor, channel tropism, main cure ability, prescriptions, shape, sweet, and prohibitions, I came to the following results. 1. Property of chestnut is warm and has no toxicity, so it is less related than kidney property. 2. Flavor of chestnut is salty and sweet, so it has some relation to kidney and spleen properties. 3. Channel tropism of chestnut enters mainly into kidney channel, and then spleen and stomach channels. 4. Chestnut controls kidney function of storing the essence of life, determining the condition of bone and marrow, conduction water metabolism, affecting reasoning activity, and controls activity of nine openings of body. It also has effects on functions of spleen, intestines and stomach. 5. Prescriptions including chestnut is similar to that of human brain, it is possible to reason out that chestnut has some relation to human brain. 7. As flavor of chestnut flower is similar to that of spermatic fluid, so it has som relation to kidney property. 8. As chestnut has property of blocking qi and it causes spleen, stomach and colon system to be confused, so it is suggested that persons with weakende spleen and stomach be not allowed to take in.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.111-119
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• 1970

Alterations of H-and M-isozymes of Lactic Dehydrogenase(LDH) were observed in the various tissues after exposing the rats to 50ppm and 250ppm of sulfur dioxide. These isozymes of the respective tissue were separated by Diethlaminoethyl (DTAE)-cellulose from the tissue homogenates of brain, lung and muscle, presenting the activities by rate of reduction of nicotinamide-adenine-dinucleotide ($NAD^+$). Pure LDH and the coenzyme ($NAD^+$) were directly treated with sulfur dioxide in vitro in order to find out the direct to sulfur dioxide on LDH and $NAD^+$ and the results were as follows. 1. In the normal tissues, the H-isozyme activity was dominant in the brain and heart, and the M-isozyme in the muscle. 2. In the lung tissue of normal rats, there was no difference between the activity of H-and M-type of LDH. 3. When rats inhale sulfur dioxide gas in concentration of 50ppm and 250ppm, it appeared that the H-type tend to be suppressed in aerobic tissues and the M-type in anaerobic tissues. 4. In the lung tissue exposed to sulfur dioxide, both the LDH activities were suppressed. 5. It seems that LDH and the coenzyme ($NAD^+$) are not directly affected by exposing in sulfur dioxide gas.

• 한국응용약물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국응용약물학회 2006년도 Spring Conference
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• pp.77-90
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• 2006

Beta-amyloid peptide (A$\beta$) is a major component of senile plaques and its aggregation is considered to play a critical role in pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aggregation of A$\beta$ could result from both increased synthesis and decreased degradation of A$\beta$. Our laboratory is interested in understanding the mechanism of A$\beta$ degradation in brain. Recently our laboratory identified a bacterial gene (SKAP) from Streptomyces sp KK565 whose protein product has an activity to cleave A$\beta$ and thus reduce the A$\beta$-induced neurotoxicity. The sequence analysis showed that this gene was closely related to aminopeptidase. Maldi-Tof analysis showed that the recombinant SKAP protein expressed in E. coli cleaves both A$\beta$ 40 and A$\beta$ 42 at the N-terminal of A$\beta$ while an aminopeptidase from Streptomyces griseus (SGAP) cleaves at the C-terminal. We also identified a mammalian homolog of SKAP and the recombinant mammalian protein expressed in Sf-9 insect cells showed a similar proteolytic activity to SGAP, cutting A$\beta$ at the C-terminus. I well discuss the detailed mechanism of the enzyme action and its functional implication in AD.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제10권1_2호
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• pp.15-20
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• 1995

The effects of volatile substances inhalation on lactate dehydrogenase and cholinesterase in rats were investigated. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to marketed odorant, ethyl acetate and ethyl ether for 15 days. Enzyme activities were measured in serum and several tissues such as liver, lung, brain, heart, kidney and muscle to find differences of effects according to the organ. Cholinesterase activity in serum and most of tissues revealed time-dependent decrease in the case of marketed odorant inhalation. Especially in heart and kidney significant decrease was observed. Ethyl acetate exposure to rats revealed also decrease in serum and all tissues by 40% to 60%. Ethyl ether inhalation showed significant decrease by 30% to 50%. Lactate dehydrogenase activity was markedly increased in serum and similarly in heart, brain and kidney by exposure to marketed odorant. No changes were observed in liver. Ethyl acetate exposure to rats revealed increase in serum by about 200%, compared to normal group and in other tissues by 40% to 70% except in liver and muscle. Ethyl ether inhalation showed significant increase in serum by about 100%. There was no change in 'liver and slight increase in muscle.