• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.361-365
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• 2009

Effects of quercetin, a kind of flavonoids, on the vasodilating actions were investigated. Among the mechanisms for quercetin-induced vasodilatation in rat aorta, the involvement with the $Ca^{2+}$ activated $K^+$ ($K_{Ca}$) channel was examined. Pretreatment with NE ($5\;{\mu}M$) or KCl (60 mM) was carried out and then, the modulation by quercetin of the constriction was examined using rat aorta ring strips (3 mm) at $36.5^{\circ}C$. Quercetin (0.1 to $100\;{\mu}M$) relaxed the NE-induced vasoconstrictions in a concentrationdependent manner. NO synthesis (NOS) inhibitor, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine acetate (L-NMMA), at $100\;{\mu}M$ reduced the quercetin ($100\;{\mu}M$)-induced vasodilatation from $97.8{\pm}3.7%$ (n=10) to $78.0{\pm}11.6%$ (n=5, p<0.05). Another NOS inhibitor, L-NG-nitro arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), at $10\;{\mu}M$ also had the similar effect. In the presence of both $100\;{\mu}M$ L-NMMA and $10\;{\mu}M$ indomethacin, the quercetin-induced vasodilatation was further attenuated by $100\;{\mu}M$ tetraethylammonium (TEA, a $K_{Ca}$ channel inhibitor). Also TEA decreased the quercetin-induced vasodilatation in endothelium-denuded rat aorta. Used other $K_{Ca}$ channel inhibitors, the quercetin-induced vasodilatation was attenuated by $0.3\;{\mu}M$ apamin (a SK channel inhibitor), but not by 30 nM charybdotoxin (a BK and IK channel inhibitor). Quercetin caused a concentration-dependent vasodilatation, due to the endotheliumdependent and -independent actions. Also quercetin contributes to the vasodilatation selectively with SK channel on smooth muscle.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.218-223
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• 2011

To obtain eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)-producing bacteria, some 600 strains of bacteria were isolated from Antarctic sediment and marine organisms during the summer expedition of 1999-2000 and 7 EPA-producing bacteria were obtained through screening with TLC and GC. A strain designated as L93 showed the highest EPA production, which was gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium. L93 strain was identified as Shewanella sp., from the sequence analysis of 16S rDNA. Optimal conditions temperature and pH for the growth and EPA production were about $4^{\circ}C$ and pH 7. In addition, its production was optimized by 50%(w/v) sea salt. We establish the optimal production system to produce about 320 mg per liter by using this optimal EPA production conditions. EPA-methyl ester was purified from cultured L93 strain to a purity of higher than 97% and typical purification yield is greater than 72% of the input amount via urea complexation and HPLC.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.145-151
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• 2006

We investigated the effects of Ginsenoside $R_e$ on human sperm motility in fertile and asthenozoospermic infertile individuals in vitro and the mechanism by which the Ginsenosides play their roles. The semen samples were obtained from 10 fertile volunteers and 10 asthenozoospermic infertile patients. Spermatozoa were separated by Percoll and incubated with 0, 1, 10 or $100\;{\mu}M$ of Ginsenoside $R_e$. Total sperm motility and progressive motility were measured by computer-aided sperm analyzer (CASA). Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity was determined by the $^{3}H$-arginine to $^{3}H$-citrulline conversion assay, and the NOS protein was examined by the Western blot analysis. The production of sperm nitric oxide (NO) was detected using the Griess reaction. The results showed that Ginsenoside $R_e$ significantly enhanced both fertile and infertile sperm motility, NOS activity and NO production in a concentration-dependent manner. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 100 nM), a NO donor, mimicked the effects of Ginsenoside $R_e$. And pretreatment with a NOS inhibitor $N^{w}$-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, $100\;{\mu}M$) or a NO scavenger N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (LNAC, 1 mM) completely blocked the effects of Ginsenoside $R_e$. Data suggested that Ginsenoside $R_e$ is beneficial to sperm motility, and that induction of NOS to increase NO production may be involved in this benefit.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.141-147
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• 2016

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitrogen species (RNS) are both important signaling molecules involved in pain transmission in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Xanthine oxidase (XO) is a well-known enzyme for the generation of superoxide anions ($O_2^{\bullet-}$), while S-nitroso-N-acetyl-DL-penicillamine (SNAP) is a representative nitric oxide (NO) donor. In this study, we used patch clamp recording in spinal slices of rats to investigate the effects of $O_2^{\bullet-}$ and NO on the excitability of substantia gelatinosa (SG) neurons. We also used confocal scanning laser microscopy to measure XO- and SNAP-induced ROS and RNS production in live slices. We observed that the ROS level increased during the perfusion of xanthine and xanthine oxidase (X/XO) compound and SNAP after the loading of 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate ($H_2DCF-DA$), which is an indicator of intracellular ROS and RNS. Application of ROS donors such as X/XO, ${\beta}-nicotinamide$ adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), and 3-morpholinosydnomimine (SIN-1) induced a membrane depolarization and inward currents. SNAP, an RNS donor, also induced membrane depolarization and inward currents. X/XO-induced inward currents were significantly decreased by pretreatment with phenyl N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN; nonspecific ROS and RNS scavenger) and manganese(III) tetrakis(4-benzoic acid) porphyrin (MnTBAP; superoxide dismutase mimetics). Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (NAME; NO scavenger) also slightly decreased X/XO-induced inward currents, suggesting that X/XO-induced responses can be involved in the generation of peroxynitrite ($ONOO^-$). Our data suggest that elevated ROS, especially $O_2^{\bullet-}$, NO and $ONOO^-$, in the spinal cord can increase the excitability of the SG neurons related to pain transmission.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.257-263
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• 2012

Biodiesel is a renewable energy which is nontoxic and acting as a replacement for conventional diesel which derived from fossil fuel. Classified biodiesel producing way such as acid, base, supercritical and enzyme methods, this study focused on eco-friendly production of biodiesel using supercritical and immobilized enzyme process. Assuming a plant with a production rate of 10,000 tons a year, a PRO II simulator program was used to simulate the product conversion rate and total energy consumption. The product conversion in supercritical process and immobilized enzyme was found to be 91.17% (including 0.9% glycerol) and 93.18% (including 1.0% glycerol) respectively. The result shows that the efficiency of immobilized enzyme process is higher compared to supercritical process but having lower end product purity. From the energy consumption point of view, supercritical process consume about 8.9 MW while immobilized enzyme process consume much lower energy which is 3.9 MW. Consequently, this study certifies that energy consumption of supercritical process is 2.3 times higher than immobilized enzyme process.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.487-492
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• 2013

Transesterifications of waste oils mixed with animal tallows and vegetable oil by ultrasonic energy were examined over various catalysts for biodiesel production. Reaction activities of the transesterification were evaluated to the ultrasonic energy and thermal energy. The physicochemical properties of feedstock and products were also investigated to the biodiesels produced from the oils in the reaction using ultrasonic energy. The highest fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) yield was obtained on the potassium hydroxide catalyst in the transesterification by ultrasonic irradiation. The effective reaction conditions by ultrasonic energy were 0.5 wt% catalyst loading and 6:1 molar ratio of methanol to the mixed oils. The reaction rate of the transesterification by ultrasonic energy was faster than that by thermal energy. The highest yields of FAME were obtained as 80% in 5 min and the reaction equilibrium reached at that time.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.468-471
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• 2015

Microalgae have the advantages of being able to utilize the solar energy and culturing at a low cost. In particular, microalgae have a great potential in the production of biodiesel due to the high lipid content. Lipids produced from microalgae are converted to fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) by trans-esterification reaction and FAME is called a biodiesel in general. In addition, microalgae can also be utilized as a substrate for ethanol fermentation after saccharification reaction. In this study, three types of microalgae (Nanochloris, Dunaliella tertiolecta, Tetraselmis) were cultured and their lipid contents were compared. In addition, the effects of lighting period on the growth rate and lipid content were studied. Finally, the amounts of glucose produced from each saccharified microalgae were investigated. As a result, we demonstrated that D. tertiolecta has 43.6% higher lipid content and 22% higher glucose conversion than two others.

• BMB Reports
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.500-506
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• 1996

We have isolated a water-extracted novel regulator for blood coagulation from an earthworm, Lumbricus rubellus. As a folk remedy, the earthworm has been known to facilitate blood circulation. After complete heat inactivation of endogenous proteases in the earthworm, an anticoagulant(s) was purified through ammonium sulfate fractionation and three consecutive gel permeation chromatography of Sephacryl S-300, Sephadex G-75, and G-150 by measuring activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) The anticoagulant was further purified to 2,800 fold with a C4 reversed-phase HPLC This activity was stable under heat ($100^{\circ}C$ for 30 min) and acidic conditions (0.4 N HCl). The effects of this partially purified anticoagulant on thrombin were observed with various substrates such as N${\alpha}$-benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nitroanilide (BApNA), H-D-phenylalanyl-L-pipecoyl-L-arginine-p-nitroanilide (S-2238), N${\alpha}$-p-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester (TAME), and fibrinogen as a natural substrate. Only TAME hydrolysis, due to an esterase activity of the enzyme, was inhibited among the chromogenic substrates. In addition, the anticoagulant not only inhibited the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin but also prolonged the fibrin clot formation monitored with the in vitro coagulation test. Based on these observations, we suggest the significance of measuring the ability of antithrombotic drugs to inhibit the esterase activity of thrombin. In this report, it was also shown that the earthworm indeed contained a water-extractable, heat- and acid-stable anticoagulant which could be used as a novel antithrombotic agent.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.165-176
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• 2001

This study demonstrates the effects of Yanggyuksanhwa-Tang, Sasang constitutional herb prescription reported its clinical effect on the stroke of the So-yang In(少陽人), on the cerebral blood flow changes induced by nitro L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) treatment and ischemic brain damage induced by the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in the rats. The changes of the arterial blood pressure, cerebral blood flow, and the diameter of the pial artery were measured in rats treated with L-NAME. And the changes of the infarct size, volume, and plasma tumor necrosis factor alpha ($TNF-{\alpha}$) levels were measured in the rats that the middle cerebral artery has been occluded by the intraluminal suture thread method. Yanggyuksanhwa-Tang was administered by the i.v. injection on the L-NAME treated rats, by the i.o. administration on the MCAO rats. The results is 1. The changes of the arterial blood pressure was not different statistically between in the L-NAME treated control group and in the Yanggyuksanhwa-Tang administered group. 2. Increase in the cerebral blood flow induced by L-NAME treatment was attenuated in the Yanggyuksanhwa-Tang administered group significantly (P<0.05) as compared with the L-NAME treated control group. 3. Decrease in the diameter of the pial artery induced by L-NAME treatment was attenuated about 18% in the Yanggyuksanhwa-Tang administered group as compared with the L-NAME treated control group. 4. Ischemic damaged infarct areas were decreased significantly (P<0.05) in the interaural 12mm, 10mm, and 6mm brain sections of the Yanggyuksanhwa-Tang administered group as compared the MCA occluded control group. 5. Total ischemic infarct volume was decreased significantly (P<0.05) in the Yanggyuksanhwa-Tang administered group as compared the MCA occluded control group. 6. Plasma $TNF-{\alpha}$ levels were decreased significantly (P<0.01) in the Yanggyuksanhwa-Tang administered group as compared the MCA occluded control group.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.400-404
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• 2006

This study examined the effect of Gamma-Amino butyric acid (GABA) and selective GABA receptor related drugs on the electrically stimulated relaxation in the lower esophageal sphincter muscle (LES) of a cat. Tetrodotoxin $(10^{-6}\;M)$ suppressed the electrically stimulated (0.5-5 Hz) relaxation of the LES. However, guanethidine $(10^{-6}\;M)$ and atropine $(10^{-6}\;M)$ had no effect indicating that the relaxations were neurally mediated via the nonadrenergic and noncholinergic (NANC) pathways. NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester ($10^{-4}M$, L-NAME) also inhibited the relaxant response but did not completely abolish the electrically stimulated relaxation with 60% inhibition, which suggests the involvement of nitric oxide as an inhibitory transmitter. This study examined the role of GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, on neurally mediated LES relaxation. GABA ($10^{-3}-10^{-5}M$, non selective receptor agonist), muscimol ($10^{-3}-10^{-5}M$, GABA-A agonist), and baclofen ($10^{-3}-10^{-5}M$, GABA-B agonist) had no significant effect on the electrically stimulated relaxation. Moreover, bicuculline ($10^{-5}M$, GABA-A antagonist) and phaclofen ($10^{-5}M$, GABA-B antagonist) had no inhibitory effect on the electrically stimulated relaxation. This suggests that GABA and the GABA receptor are not involved in the electrically stimulated NANC relaxation in the cat LES.