• Toxicological Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.191-200
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• 2019

Alismatis rhizoma (AR), the dried rhizome of Alisma orientale (Sam.) Juzep, is a well-known, traditional medicine that is used for the various biological activities including as a diuretic, to lower cholesterol and as an anti-inflammatory agent. The present study was carried out to investigate the potential toxicity of the Alismatis rhizoma aqueous extract (ARAE) following 90-day repeated oral administration to Sprague-Dawley rats. ARAE was administered orally to male and female rats for 90 days at 0 (control), 500, 1,000 and 2,000 mg/kg/day (n = 10 for male and female rats for each dose). Additional recovery groups from the control group and high dose group were observed for a 28-day recovery period. Chromatograms of ARAE detected main compounds with four peaks. Treatment-related effects including an increase in the red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, albumin, total protein, and urine volume were observed in males of the 2,000 mg/kg/day group (p < 0.05). However, the diuretic effect of ARAE was considered, a major cause of hematological and serum biochemical changes. The oral no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of the ARAE was > 2,000 mg/kg/day in both genders, and no target organs were identified.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.63-74
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• 1974

This study was carried out to observe the direct effect of hydrocortisone on renal function by infusing it into a renal artery. Hydrocortisone (5mg/kg) or saline (0.5 ml/kg) was infused directly into the left renal artery of the rabbit, the right kidney was left intact to serve as a control for general action of acetazolamide (10 mg/kg) or aminophylline (10 mg/kg), which was administered intravenously 30 minutes after the direct infusion of pretreated drugs (hydrocortisone or saline). The changes of urine volume, pH, urinary excretion rates of $Na^+,\;K^+\;and\;Cl^-$, and the clearances of inulin and PAH were measured at an interval of 10 minutes for half an hour after the direct infusion of hydrocortisone or saline, and for one hour after intravenous administration of acetazolamide or aminophylline. The results of the experiment were as follows: 1. Significant changes in urine volume and urinary electrolytes (excreted rates of $Na^+,\;K^+\;and\;Cl^-$) were observed in the hydrocortisone-infused group 10 minutes after the administration of acetazolamide, compared with the saline-infused group. Especially, the effect was more potent on the infused (left) side than on the contralateral (right) side. 2. Significant changes in urine volume and urinary electrolytes were also observed in all the aminophylline-treated groups, but no remarkable difference was noticed between the hydrocortisone-infused group and the saline-infused group, nor between the left and right sides. 3. No signicant changes in the clearances of inulin and PAH were in the infused (left) side of all the experimental groups, as compared with the contralateral (right) side. From the above results, it is obvious that hydrocortisone infused into a renal artery exerts diuretic action when administered in combination with acetazolamide, and the mechanism of action rests not on its hemodynamic change for renal blood flow, but on the potentiation of carbonic anhydrase inhibiting action. However, the exact mode of action remains yet to be clarified.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.141-148
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• 1969

The direct effect of isoproterenol on renal function, when given intravenously, is usually obscured by its potent hypotensive action. To obviate the latter action, isoproterenol was infused directly into one renal artery of the dog, the other kidney serving as a control for the general action. And following results were obtained. In the first series of experiments, the directic action of isoproterenol was ascertained. $1.0\;{\mu}g/kg/min$. reduced on both kidneys the urine flow, clearances of PAH and creatinine, as well as the amount of sodium excreted, but the effect was weaker on the experimental side than on contralateral side. With $0.1\;{\mu}g/kg/min$., two cases among 6 experiments showed marked diuresis, two cases no apparent effect, and another two marked antidiuresis on the experimental kidney, whereas the contralateral kidney exhibited antidiuresis in all cases. Further reducing the dose unmasked the diuretic action on the ,experimental kidney. In another series, the effects of isoproterenol on the blood flow distribution within the kidney and on sodium concentration gradient within the kidney tissue were observed. $0.05\;{\mu}g/kg/min$ isoproterenol markedly increased the medullary plasma flow and slightly increased total renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration rate, along with concomitant increase in the amount of sodium excreted and osmolar clearance, and decrease in reabsorption of free water. Sodium concentration gradient markedly decreased in the experimental kidney, reaching 2/3 of the value observed in the contralateral kidney at the papilla. It is thus concluded that isoproterenol exerts a diuretic action, when infused directly into a renal artery, and the mechanism of the action rests on its hemodynamic action, substantiated as the increase in glomerular filtration and in the medullary blood flow, resulting in washout of hyperosmolality produced by the coutercurrent multiplier system.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.494-499
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• 2001

Houttuynia cordata (Saururaceae) has pungent smell and taste. It has been regarded as detoxicant, antipyretic, antiinflammantory and diuretic agents. In order to evaluate antioxidative and antilipidperoxidative efficacies, its fractions ($H_2O$, 20% MeOH, 40% MeOH, 60% MeOH, 170% MeOH) were measured by DPPH method and TBARS assay on rat liver homogenate. It was revealed that 60% MeOH fractions had potential antioxidative activity and inhibited lipid peroxidation significantly: In active fractions, we isolated rutin, hyperin, quercitrin and quercetin.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.209.3-209.3
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• 2003

Cordyceps species has been used as antiinflammatory, antitoxic, diuretic in folk remedies. Recent research has been reported the effect of anticancer, antidiabetic, antimutagenic, antilipid peroxidation. We examined the antidiabetic activity of cultivated Cordyceps pruinosa on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The blood glucose level was recovered by treatment with Cordyceps pruinosa ethanol extract. The contents of GPT, total cholesterol and xanthine oxidase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase activities of the cytosol were significantly decreased as compared to the diabetic group. (omitted)

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.115-121
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• 1990

The interaction between a calcium channel blocker nifedipine and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) was examined in normotensive and renal hypertensive rats. The infusion of either ANP or nifedipine produced a significant decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP). The combined infusion of ANP with nifedipine resulted in a greater fall of MAP than did the infusion of each drug alone. ANP significantly increased urinary volume and excretion of sodium, while nifedipine was without effects. The diuretic/natriuretic effects of ANP were potentiated by the combined infusion with nifedipine. The vasodepressor and renal effects of ANP or nifedipine were qualitatively similar between the normotensive and hypertensive rats. Nifedipine caused an upward and leftward shift of the ANP dose-relaxation curve of the phenylephrine-precontracted thoracic aortic rings isolated from the normotensive rats , suggesting that the vasodilation sensitivity to ANP is increased in the presence of nifedipine. These results indicate that nifedipine enhances the vasodepressor effect of ANP, the likely mechanisms being attributable to a contraction of effective intravascular volume as a consequence of potentiated renal excretion and a greater peripheral vasodilation.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.16 no.1 s.26
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• pp.51-56
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• 1980

Phytolaccae Radix (PR), Brunella Herba (BH), Akebiae Lignum (AL) and Atractylis Rhizoma (AR) are some of the diuretic agents used in Chinese medicine and folk remedy. Water or methanol extracts of them (100mg/kg) were intravenously injected to rabbits in order to re-evaluate the effects on renal function. PR water extract elicited moderate diuresis while water extracts of BH, AL and methanol extract of AR had antidiuretic effects. Influence of PR on renal hemodynamics and $Na^+-K^+$-ATPase activity in rabbit kidney were observed in vivo and in vitro. The results were as follows: 1) Clearances of inulin and p-aminohippuric acid increased significantly after 15 minutes following the administration of PR water extract, but Na+ reabsorption rate was not changed. 2) The increase of $Na^+-K^+$-ATPase activity in renal cortex, outer and inner medulla was observed at 15 minutes after PR water fraction was given intravenously, and the change was most prominent in cortical area. 3) More than 50% of decrease in $Na^+-K^+$-ATPase activity in renal tissues was observed with PR water fraction $(10^{-2}g/ml)$ in vitro experiments. However, the inhibition of $Na^+-K^+$-ATPase activity was reversed with lower concentrations $(10^{-4}g/ml,\;10^{-6}g/ml)$ of PR water fraction in outer and inner medullary zone. These results suggest the diuretic effect of PR is due to improved renal hemodynamics, and contradictory reults concerning $Na^+-K^+$-ATPase activity require further investigation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.151-159
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• 1993

Effect of yohimbine, a specific antagonist for presynaptic adrenoceptor, on the renal action of clonidine, a specific presynaptic adrenoceptor agonist, was investigated in dog. Clonidine, when given intravenously, produced diuretic action accompanied with augmentation of osmolar and free water clearance (Cosm and 4C_{H_2O}$), and elicited the increase of amounts of sodium and potassium excreted in urine ($E_{Na}\; and\; E_k$). These actions of clonidine were inhibited by yohimbine either injected intravenously or infused into a renal artery. Clonidine, when infused into a renal artery, produced antidiuretic action accompanied with decreased of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal plasma flow (RPF), and exhibited the reduced amounts of sodium and potassium in urine. These actions of clonidine injected into a renal artery were blocked by yohimbine administered either into vein or into a renal artery. Above results suggest that yohimbine block the renal action of clonidine only in central system, do not in kidney.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.215-221
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• 2008

In this present study Indian traditional Ayurvedic herbal formulation Amritaristo has been studied to assess the general pharmacological effect on mice. The drug showed no significant activity on the neuropharmacological test models experimented. The increased pentobarbital sleeping time was considered related with hepatic metabolism of pentobarbital. The formulation exhibited a non-significant reduction of gastrointestinal motility, and devoid of any acute diuretic activity. The tested drug revealed antidiarrhoeal activity on castor oil-induced model, whereas on magnesium sulphate-induced model no effect was observed.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.232-241
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• 1986

The whole plants of Prunella vulgaris (Labiatae) and Thesium chinense (Santalaceae) are used as Hakocho(夏枯草) in the market in Korea. In oriental medicine, these herb drugs are prescribed as a diuretic or antiinflammatory drugs. In order to investigate the efficacy of the plants, the extracts were bioassayed for antiinflammatory action. The water extracts of Prunella Herba and Thesii Herba showed remarkable anti-carrageenin effect and significant inhibition of the swellings in adjuvant arthritis in rats. However, the extracts did not show any inhibition of leucocyte emigration in CMC pouch in rats.