• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.214-219
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• 2014

Artemisia apiacea is a traditional herbal medicine using treatment of eczema and jaundice in Eastern Asia including China, Korea, and Japan. In this study, the three phytosterol constituents were isolated and identified from the hexane fraction of 80% aqueous methanol extract of A. apiacea. Compounds were isolated using open column chromatography (silica gel). Their chemical structures were also established using $^1H$-NMR and $^{13}C$-NMR. Moreover, neuroprotective activity of each compound against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in hippocampal HT-22 cell line was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Furthermore, Inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium ion ($Ca^{2+}$) accumulation were measured for elucidation of neuroprotective mechanism of isolated compounds. They showed that stigmasterol had neuroprotective activity against the glutamate-induced toxicity by inhibition of ROS and $Ca^{2+}$ production. In conclusion, isolated compound of A. apiacea might be useful for therapeutic agent against neurodegenerative diseases.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.1334-1336
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• 2006

Effects of twenty-three aqueous herbal extracts used in oriental medicines on heme oxygenase (HO)-1 expression were estimated in a mouse hippocampal cell line, HT22. HO-1 is one of the cytoprotective enzymes activated various stimuli, and Western blot analysis was used for evaluated HO-1 expression. Six aqueous extracts such as Rhei Rhizoma, Paeoniae Radix, Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus, Theae Folium, Prunellae Spica, and Coptidis Rhizoma significantly increased HO-1 expression in HT22 cells at the concentration of 300 ${\mu}$g/ml. In Addition, four aqueous extracts including Eucommiae Cortex, Moutan Cortex Radicis, Ginseng Radix Rubra, and Scutellariae Radix moderately increased HO-1 expression. These results would be usefulfor the isolation and identification of their neuroprotective principles.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.1-15
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• 2018

Objectives: Cerebral ischemia results from a variety of causes that cerebral blood flow is reduced due to a transient or permanent occlusion of cerebral arteries. Reactive astrocytes and microglial activation plays an important role in the neuronal cell death during ischemic insult. Acupunctural treatment is effective for symptom improvement in cerebrovascular accident, including cerebral ischemia. Methods: In the present study, the effects of acupuncture at the ST40 acupoint on short-term memory and apoptosis in the hippocampal CA1 region following transient global cerebral ischemia were investigated using gerbils. Transient global ischemia was induced by occlusion of both common carotid arteries with aneurysm clips for 5 min. Acupuncture stimulation was conducted once daily for 7 consecutive days, starting one day after surgery. Results: In the present results, ischemia induction deteriorated short term memory, increased apoptosis, and induced reactive astrocyte and microglial activation. Acupuncture at ST40 acupoint ameliorated ischemia-induced short-term memory impairment by suppressing apoptosis in the hippocampus through down-regulation of reactive astrocytes and microglial activation. Conclusion: The present study suggests that acupuncture at the ST40 acupoint can be used for treatment of patients with cerebral stroke.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.10-17
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• 2024

Glutamate-mediated oxidative stress causes neuronal cell death by increasing intracellular Ca²⁺ uptake, reactive oxidative species (ROS) generation, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation, and translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) to the nucleus. In the current study, we demonstrated that corydaline exerts potent neuroprotective effects against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity. Treatment with 5 mmol/L glutamate increased cellular Ca²⁺ influx, ROS generation, MAPK activation, and AIF translocation. In contrast, corydaline treatment decreased cellular Ca²⁺ influx and ROS generation. Western blot analysis revealed that glutamate-mediated MAPK activation was attenuated by corydaline treatment. We further demonstrated that corydaline treatment inhibited the glutamate-mediated translocation of AIF to the nucleus. We propose that corydaline is a promising lead structure for the development of safe and effective neuroprotectants.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2012

The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortex (HPA) axis is the central mediator of the stress response. The supramammillary (SuM) region is relatively unique among the hypothalamic structures in that it sends a large, direct projection to the hippocampal formation. It has been shown that mild stress could activate the SuM cells that project to the hippocampus. However, the role of these cell populations in modulating the stress response is not known. The present study examined the effect of stress on different populations of SuM cells that project to the hippocampus by injecting the fluorescent retrograde tracer, fluorogold (FG), into the hippocampus and utilizing the immunohistochemistry of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF), serotonin (5-HT), glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and NADPH-d reactivity. Immobilization (IMO) stress (2 hr) produced an increase in the expression of ChAT- immunoreactivity, and tended to increase in CRF, 5-HT, GAD, TH-immunoreactivity and nitric oxide (NO)-reactivity in the SuM cells. Fifty-three percent of 5-HT, 31% of ChAT and 56% of CRF cells were double stained with retrograde cells from the hippocampus. By contrast, a few retrogradely labeled cells projecting to the hippocampus were immunoreactive for dopamine, ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and NO. These results suggest that the SuM region contains distinct cell populations that differentially respond to stress. In addition, the findings suggest that serotonergic, cholinergic and corticotropin releasing cells projecting to the hippocampus within the SuM nucleus may play an important role in modulating stress-related behaviors.

• Journal of electromagnetic engineering and science
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.173-180
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• 2015

To explore the effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic field on the fate of neuronal cells, we investigated whether exposure to 915 MHz radiofrequency identification (RFID) caused morphological changes in neuronal cells in rat hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG). A reverberation chamber was used as a whole-body RFID exposure system. Rats were assigned to two groups: sham- and RFID-exposed groups. Rats in the RFID-exposed group were exposed to RFID at 4 W/kg specific absorption rate (SAR) for 8 hours daily, 5 days per week, for 2 weeks. Morphological evaluation of DG was performed using immunohistochemistry with doublecortin (DCX) as a neuronal precursor cell marker and neuronal nuclei (NeuN) as a mature neuronal cell marker. No significant morphological changes in DCX+ or NeuN+ cells in the DG of RFID-exposed rats were observed. These results suggest that RFID exposure induces no significant change in DCX+ neuronal precursor or NeuN+ neuronal cells in DG of rats.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.44-50
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• 2007

Ginseng powerfully tonifies the original Qi. Ginseng used for insomnia, palpitations with anxiety, restlessness from deficient Qi and blood and mental disorientation. In order to investigate whether Ginseng cerebral ischemia-induced neuronal and cognitive impairments, we examined the effect of Ginseng on ischemia-induced cell death in the hippocampus, and on the impaired learning and memory in the Morris water maze and passive avoidance in rats. Ginseng when administered to rat at a dose of 200 mg/kg i.p. water extracts to 0 minutes and 90 minutes after 4-VO, significantly neuroprotective effects by 86.4% in the hippocampus of treated rats. For behavior test, rats were administered Ginseng (200mg/kg p.o.) daily for two weeks, followed by their training to the tasks. Treatment with Ginseng produced a marked improvement in escape latency to find the platform in the Morris water maze. Ginseng reduced the ischemia-induced learning disability in the passive avoidance. Consistent with behavioral data, treatments with Ginseng reduced jschemia-induced cell death in the hippocampal CA1 area. Oxidative stress is a causal factor in the neuropathogenesis of ischemic-reperfusion injury. Oxidative stress was examined in a rat model of global brain ischemia. The effects of Ginseng on lipid peroxidation (inhibition of the production of malondialdehyde, MDA) in different regions of the rat brain were studied. Ferrous sulfate and ascorbic acid (FeAs) were used to induce lipid peroxidation. The antiperoxidative effect showed 48-72% protection from tissue damage as compared with untreated animals. These results showed that Ginseng have a protective effect against ischemia-induced neuronal loss and learning and memory damage.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.594-601
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• 2002

The current study was carried out to evaluate neuroprotective effects of Citri Pericarpium after transient global ischemia in gerbils. Male Mongolian gerbils weighing 60-80g were anesthetized with 2% isoflurane mixed with 30% oxygen and 70 % nitrogen. Bilateral common carotid arteries were occluded for 5 minute with microaneurysm dips. On 3 or 7 days after ischemic surgery, the gerbils were sacrificed. The brain were removed, embedded in paraffin and sectioned at 8㎛-thickness. Gerbils that received ischemic insult for 5 min showed extensive neuronal damage in the hippocampal CA1 region, and the number of viable neuronal cell was 51.0±2.5/mm, 32.2% of normal group at 7 days after ischemic surgery. In animals that underwent the extract of Citri Pericarpium treatment, the number of viable neuronal cell were significantly better preserved at 110.58±3.58/mm, 72.0% of normal group than those of ischemic group (P<0.01). In the immunohistochemistry of Bax and Bcl-2, the Citri Pericarpium treated group down-regulated the expression of Bax protein at 72hr after transient global ischemia. In contrast, Bcl-2 protein level was not changed. The appearance in TUNEL assay is similar to the pattern of Bax protein. The water extract of Citri Pericarpium significantly reduced the number of TUNEL-positive CA1 pyramidal neurons at 72hr. The results suggest that Citri Pericarpium has potential neuroprotective effects in the transient global ischemia and the increase in the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax may contribute to the anti-apoptotic effect of Citri Pericarpium.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.165-179
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• 2014

Objectives To evaluate the neuroprotective effects of Hyangsayangwi-tang (HY), a Korean traditional medicinal prescription in a Parkinson's disease mouse model. Methods Four groups(each of 10 mouse per group) were used in this study. The neuroprotective effect of HY was examined in a Parkinson's disease mouse model. C57BL/6 mouse treated with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP, 30mg/kg/day), intraperitoneal (i.p.) for 5 days. Slow behavioral responses and memory disorder is the major clinical symptoms of PD. In order to investigate the effect of HY on recovery of behavioral deficits and memory, we examined the motor function and memory by using Morris water maze and Forced swimming test. Ischemic mouse brain stained with TTC(2,3,5 triphenyl tetrazolium chloride) in the MPTP-induced Parkinson's disease to find out ischemia and tissue damage in mouse. The convenient, simple, and accurate high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was established for simultaneous determination of neurotransmitters in MPTP-HY group. To measure the amount of dopamine in mice brain, striatum-substantia nigra, was examined by Bradford assay. Immunohistochemistry was examined in the MPTP-induced Parkinson's disease (PD) mouse to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of Hyangsayangwi-tang on hippocampal lesion, ST and SNpc. Results and Conclusions Hyangsayangwi-tang (HY) prevents MPTP-induced loss of serotonin, hippocampus and TH-ir cell.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.1-14
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• 2009

Objectives : Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by neuronal loss and extracellular senile plaque. Moreover, the cellular actions of ${\beta}$-amyloid (A${\beta}$ play a causative role in the pathogenesis of AD. This study was designed to determine whether Woo-Gui-Um, a commonly used Korean herbal medicine, has the ability to protect cortical and hippocampal neurons against A${\beta}_{25-35}$ neurotoxicity Methods : In the present study, the authors investigated the preventative effects of the water extract of Woo-Gui-Um in a mouse model of AD. Memory impairment was induced by intraventricularly (i.c.v.) injecting A${\beta}_{25-35}$ peptides into mice. Woo-Gui-Um extract was then administered orally (p.o.) for 14 days. In addition, A${\beta}_{25-35}$ toxicity on the hippocampus was assessed immunohistochemically, by staining for Tau, MAP2, TUNEL, and Bax, and by performing an in vitro study in PC12 cells. Results : Woo-Gui-Um extract had an effect to improve learning ability and memory score in the water maze task. Woo-Gui-Um extract had significant neuroprotective effects in vivo against oxidative damage and apoptotic cell death of hippocampal neurons caused by i.c.v. A${\beta}_{25-35}$. In addition, Woo-Gui-Um extract was found to have a protective effect on A${\beta}_{25-35}$-induced apoptosis, and to promote neurite outgrowth of nerve growth factor (NGF)-differentiated PC12 cells. Conclusions : These results suggest that Woo-Gui-Um extract reduces memory impairment and Alzheimer's dementia via an anti-apoptotic effect and by regulating Tau and MAP2 in the hippocampus.