• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.95-101
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• 2014

Cardiovascular disease is the prime cause of morbidity and mortality and the population ages that may contribute to increase in the occurrence of cardiovascular disease. Arginase upregulation is associated with impaired endothelial function in aged vascular system and thus may contribute to cardiovascular disease. According to recent research, Korean Red Ginseng water extract (KRGE) may reduce cardiovascular disease risk by improving vascular system health. The purpose of this study was to examine mechanisms contributing to age-related vascular endothelial dysfunction and to determine whether KRGE improves these functions in aged mice. Young ($10{\pm}3$ weeks) and aged ($55{\pm}5$ weeks) male mice (C57BL/6J) were orally administered 0, 10, or 20 mg/mouse/day of KRGE for 4 weeks. Animals were sacrificed and the aortas were removed. Endothelial arginase activity, nitric oxide (NO) generation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) coupling, vascular tension, and plasma peroxynitrite production were measured. KRGE attenuated arginase activity, restored nitric oxide (NO) generation, reduced ROS production, and enhanced eNOS coupling in aged mice. KRGE also improved vascular tension in aged vessels, as indicated by increased acetylcholine-induced vasorelaxation and improved phenylephrine-stimulated vasoconstriction. Furthermore, KRGE prevented plasma peroxynitrite formation in aged mice, indicating reduced lipid peroxidation. These results suggest KRGE exerts vasoprotective effects by inhibiting arginase activity and augmenting NO signaling and may be a useful treatment for age-dependent vascular diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제20권5호
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• pp.539-545
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• 2016

Nafamostat mesilate (NM), a synthetic serine protease inhibitor, has anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory properties. The intracellular mediator and external anti-inflammatory external signal in the vascular wall have been reported to protect endothelial cells, in part due to nitric oxide (NO) production. This study was designed to examine whether NM exhibit endothelium dependent vascular relaxation through Akt/endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activation and generation of NO. NM enhanced Akt/eNOS phosphorylation and NO production in a dose- and time-dependent manner in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and aorta tissues obtained from rats treated with various concentrations of NM. NM concomitantly decreased arginase activity, which could increase the available arginine substrate for NO production. Moreover, we investigated whether NM increased NO bioavailability and decreased aortic relaxation response to an eNOS inhibitor in the aorta. These results suggest that NM increases NO generation via the Akt/eNOS signaling pathway, leading to endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation. Therefore, the vasorelaxing action of NM may contribute to the regulation of cardiovascular function.

• 대한화장품학회지
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.173-180
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• 2006

참깨(Sesamum indicum L.)는 1년생 초본식물로서 볶은 참깨나 참기름은 우리나라 식단에서 아주 중요한 조미용 양념 및 식용유지로서 이용되고 있다. 약효로는 동맥경화, 고혈압 및 노화 예방 등으로 알려져 왔으나, 참깨에 함유되어 있는 어떤 성분이, 이들 약효에 관여하고 있는지의 과학적인 규명이 미흡한 실정이다. 본 연구에서는 천연물 유래의 새로운 노화방지제를 개발하기 위해 참깨의 리그난 화합물(sesamin, sesamol, sesaminol, sesaminol diglucosides (SDG), sesaminol triglucosides (STG))의 항염증 활성을 검색하고, 그 중에서 항염증 효과가 가장 높게 나타난 sesamin을 전처치 방법과 동시처치 방법으로 NO 생성억제효과, 세포독성, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) 및 cyclooxygenases-2 (COX-2) 발현에 미치는 영향을 탐색하고 작용기작을 규명하고자 하였다. 리그난 화합물의 NO 생성억제효과를 탐색한 결과, sesamol, sesaminol, sesamin에서 NO 생성에 미치는 억제율이 높았으나, sesamol, sesaminol은 세포독성이 나타났다. 하지만 sesamin ($IC_{50}: 64{\mu}M$)은 세포독성은 없으면서 농도의존적으로 NO 생성을 억제시켰으며, iNOS 발현에서도 억제 효과를 보여주었다. 결론적으로 sesamin은 피부노화에 원인 중 하나이며 체내 염증반응의 중요 매개인자인 NO의 생성을 억제하는 항염증 물질로서 이와 같은 연구 결과는 향후 임상에서 항염증과 관련된 새로운 항노화 전략으로 개발하기 위해 기초자료로 응응될 수 있음을 시사한다.

• 치위생과학회지
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.96-103
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• 2021

Background: We aimed to investigate the effect of Citrous limon extract (CLE) on oxidative stress-induced cytotoxicity and nitric oxide (NO) generation and the tooth bleaching effect of CLE as a substitute for hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and determine the feasibility and application of CLE as a safe and effective natural tooth bleaching agent. Methods: The protective effect of CLE on H₂O₂-induced cytotoxicity in Raw264.7 macrophages was investigated by the MTT assay. The inhibitory effect of CLE on the generation of H₂O₂-induced NO was confirmed by the NO assay, and the changes in inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein expression were confirmed by western blotting. Stained bovine teeth were treated with/without 15% and/or 35% CLE and H₂O₂, 15% sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) for 3 hours, and were irradiated with/without bleaching light (BL) for 15 minutes. The color change of the treated bovine tooth surface was measured using a colorimeter. Results: The viability of Raw264.7 cells treated with each concentration of CLE and 500 μM H₂O₂ significantly increased as CLE increased, and NO generation and iNOS protein expression were significantly reduced in cells treated with 300 ㎍ CLE+/500 μM H₂O₂+ and 300 ㎍ CLE+/500 μM H₂O₂+/150 ㎍ NaHCO₃+. The bleaching effect of 35% CLE+ was higher than that of 15% CLE+ and 15% NaHCO₃+, and the effect was similar to that of 15% H₂O₂+. The 35% CLE+/15% NaHCO₃+ showed the greatest bleaching effect and was higher than that of the groups irradiated with the BL. The greatest bleaching effect was observed with 35% CLE+/15% NaHCO₃+, followed by 35% H₂O₂+/BL+. Conclusion: CLE inhibited oxidative stress-induced cytotoxicity and NO generation in Raw264.7 cells and, could replace H₂O₂, which causes side effects and risks in teeth breaching treatment. It showed greatest teeth bleaching effect when combined with NaHCO₃. CLE is an effective and safe natural tooth bleaching substitute.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제34권6호
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• pp.326-333
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• 2020

Nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide (NO) pathway is a major alternative source of NO and is essential for NO - dependent physiological functions in body. Food supplements having nitrate/nitrite can improve metabolic syndromes including hypertension through antioxidant activity or vasodilation. The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of fermented garlic (F. garlic) having high concentration of NO2- on changes in blood flow and nitric oxide synthesis in the cerebral cortex of rodents. The generation of nitric oxide detected by a chemi-luminescence detector was higher in F. Garlic compared with NaNO2 solution under artificial gastric juice with pH 2.0. Ether F. garlic or NaNO2 diluted with artificial cerebrospinal fluid was directly applied into around the needle probe of laser Doppler flow meter that was located on epidural surface of the cortex. Direct application of F. garlic resulted in increase of cerebral blood flow detected by a laser Doppler flow meter with a dose-dependent manner. Compared with NaNO2 solution, F. garlic produced changes in cerebral blood flow at lower concentration of NO2-. Pretreatment of methylene blue, a guanylyl cyclase inhibitor prevented upregulation of cerebral blood flow by the treatment of F. garlic. In addition, the application of F. garlic with 250, 500ppm of NO2- caused significantly the production of NO in the cortical tissue but NaNO2 solution with 500ppm of NO2- did not. In summary, these results suggested that F. garlic with high content of NO2- induce increase in cerebral blood flow through nitric oxide-dependent signal pathway.

• 한국응용약물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국응용약물학회 1996년도 춘계학술대회
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• pp.207-207
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• 1996

Through molecular cloning, five muscarinic receptors have been identified. The muscarinic receptors can be generally grouped according to their coupling to either stimulation of phospholipase C (m1, m3, and m5) or the inhibition of adenylate cyclase (m2 and m4). Each m1, m3, and m5 receptors has the additional potential to couple to the activation of phospholipase A$_2$, C, and D, tyrosine kinase, and the mobilization of Ca$\^$2+/. However, the differences in coupling efficiencies to different second messenger systems between these receptors have not been studied well. Ectopic expression of each of these receptors in mammalian cells has provided the opportunity to evaluate the signal transduction of each in some detail. In this work we compared the coupling efficiencies of the m1, m3 and m5 muscarinic receptors expressed in chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells to the Ca$\^$2+/ mobilization and the stimulation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). Because G protein/PLC/PI turnover/[(Ca$\^$2+/])i/NOS pathway was supposed as a main pathway for the production of nitric oxide via muscarinic receptors, we studied on ml, m3 and m5 receptors. Stimulation of guanylate cyclase activity in detector neuroblastoma cells was used as an index of generation nitric oxide (NO) in CHO cells. The agonist carbachol increased the cGMP formation and the intracellular [Ca$\^$2+/] in concentration dependent manner in three types of receptors and the increased cGMP formation was significantly attenuated by scavenger of NO or inhibitor of NOS. m5 receptors was most efficiently coupled to stimulation of nNOS, And, the coupling efficiencies to the stimulation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in three types of receptors were parallel with them to the Ca$\^$2+/ mobilization.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.121-134
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• 2008

Objectives: Melia toosendan(MT) has been used as a traditional Korean herbal medicine, and today it is used as a medication for colic, side aches, heartache and other disorders of liver. The aim of this study was to determine whether fractionated extracts of MT inhibit free radical generation such as DPPH radical, superoxide radical and nitric oxide, production of nitrite, an index of NO, PGE2, iNOS, COX-2 and proinflammatory cytokines in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Methods: MT extract prepared with methanol, and then fractionated with hexane, dichloromethane, ethylacetate, n-butanol and water. Inhibitory effect of MT onto free radical generation was determined by measuring DPPH, superoxide anions and nitric oxide scavenging activities in vitro. Cytotoxic activity of extracts on RAW 264.7 cells was measured using 5-(3-caroboxymeth-oxyphenyl)-2H-tetra-zolium inner salt(MTS) assay. Intracelluar oxidation was analysed by DCF-DA assay. The nitric oxide(NO) production was measured by Griess reagent system. The levels of iNOS and COX-2 expression were confirmed by western blot. And pro inflammatory cytokines were measured by ELISA kit. Results: Our results indicated that fractionated extracts, especially dichloromethane and ethyl acetate extracts, significantly inhibited free radical generation, the LPS-induced $H_2O_2$, NO, $PGE_2$ production and iNOS, COX-2 expression accompanied by an attenuation of TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-1${\beta}$ and IL-6 formation in macrophages. Conclusions: These results indicate that dichloromethane and ethyl acetate extracts of MT have potential as an agent of chronic inflammatory diseases.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제50권4호
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• pp.264-269
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• 2007

Root extracts of Angelica gigas and A. acutiloba have been used traditionally for the treatment of gynecological diseases, as well as anemia, blood stasis, and inflammatory pain, as blood tonics in Oriental medicine. In the present study, we investigated the effects of A. gigas and A. acutiloba on inflammatory mediators in mouse macrophages and compared their activities. Many studies suggest that prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) biosynthesis and nitric oxide (NO) production play important roles in the processes of both inflammation and carcinogenesis. Ethanolic extracts from the roots of both species exhibited significant inhibitory effects on $PGE_2$ generation in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. In particular, the extract from A. gigas was more effective than that from A. acutiloba. Although neither inhibited NO generation, the extract from A. acutiloba stimulated NO generation. Our results suggest that the roots of A. gigas might possess more anti-inflammatory and/or cancer chemopreventative activity than that of A. acutiloba due to the suppression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2)-mediated $PGE_2$ production. In addition, A. acutiloba might exert anti-tumor activity through an increase in macrophage-produced NO.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.421-431
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• 2008

Objectives : This study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of Ulmus davidiana on the generation of peroxynitrite $(ONOO^{-})$, nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide anion radicals $(O_{2}^{-})$ in the endothelial cells of rat vessels. The effects of Ulmus davidiana on the expression of inflammation-related proteins, $NF-{\kappa}B$ (p50, p65), COX-2, and iNOS, were examined by western blotting. Methods : For this study, fluorescent probes, namely dihydrorhodamine 123 (DHR 123), 4,5-diaminofluorescein (DAF-2) and 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA) were used. Western blotting was performed via using anti-$NF-{\kappa}B$ (p50, p65), anti-COX-2, and anti-iNOS, respectively. Results : Ulmus davidiana inhibited the generation of $ONOO^{-}$, NO and $(O_{2}^{-})$ in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated endothelial cells of rat vessels in vitro. Ulmus davidiana inhibited the expression of COX-2 and iNOS genes by means of decreasing the $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation. Conclusions : These results suggest Ulmus davidiana is effective on inhibiting the generation of $ONOO^{-}$, NO and $O_{2}^{-}$, and that therefore it might have a potential role as a treatment for the inflammatory process and inflammation-related diseases.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.67-72
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• 2006

Nitric oxide(NO) is a labile, uncharged, reactive radical that functions as a sensitive mediator of intercellular communication in diverse tissues. It has been reported that NO is produced by osteoblast and these results may suggest that NO is integrally involved in the regulation of osteoclast formation and osteoclast resorption activity by osteoblastic cells. We examined the effect of cytokines on NO release by mouse bone marrow cell. We also examined the effects of cytokines and sodium nitroprusside(SNP) on the formation of osteoclast-like cell from mouse bone marrow cells in culture. Cytokines stimulated NO production of mouse bone marrow cells, and N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, a specific inhibitor of NO synthase, suppressed the cytokine-induced NO production. SNP showed dual action in the generation of osteoclasts. The addition of $30{\mu}M$ SNP inhibited the formation of tartrate resistant acid phosphatase(TRAP)(+) multinucleated cell, whereas lower concentration($3{\mu}M$) of SNP enhanced it. Although the precise action of NO remains to be elucidated in detail, the action of NO in osteoclast generation in our studies seems to be associated, at least in part, with bone metabolism and bone pathophysiology.