• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.87-93
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• 2002

The present study was aimed to examine the role of endothelium in the relaxant effect of hawthorn fruit extract of Crataegus pinnatifida in four different types of rat arteries, posterior cerebral communicating artery, right descending coronary artery, common carotid artery, and aorta. In $9,11-dideoxy-11{\alpha}$, $9{\alpha}-epoxy-methanoprostaglandin$ $F_{2{\alpha}}$ (U46619)-preconstricted arterial rings except for aorta, the extract produced endothelium-independent relaxations with similar potency. This relaxation was unaffected by pretreatment with $100\;{\mu}M\;N^G-nitro-L-arginine$ methylester (L-NAME, the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor), $3\;{\mu}M$ 1H-[l,2,4]oxadiazolo$[4,2-{\alpha}]$quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ, the guanylate cyclase inhibitor), or $10\;{\mu}M$ indomethacin (the cyclooxygenase inhibitor). Putative $K^+$ channel blockers (charybdotoxin plus apamin or glibenclamide) did not affect the extract-induced relaxation in cerebral or coronary artery rings. In contrast, in rat aortic rings the extract produced significantly smaller relaxant response in endothelium-denuded rings than that in endothelium-intact rings. Pretreatment with L-NAME or ODQ abolished the extractinduced endothelium-dependent aortic relaxation, whilst indomethacin $(3\;{\mu}M)$ had no effect. The present results indicate that hawthorn fruit extract possesses a vasorelaxing effect in cerebral, coronary and carotid arteries and this effect is independent of the presence of a functional endothelium. However, the extract-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation in rat aorta was mediated through endothelial nitric oxide and cyclic GMP-dependent mechanisms, suggesting that active components in the extract may act on endothelium to stimulate release of nitric oxide in large conduit arteries of the rats.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제43권3호
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• pp.373-382
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• 2003

Magnesium ion ($Mg^{2+}$) is a vasodilator, but little is known about its mechanism of action on vascular system. In vitro, extracellular magnesium sulfate ($MgSO_4$) produced relaxation in phenylephrine (PE) or high KCl-precontracted isolated rat thorocic aorta with (+E) or without (-E) endothelium in a concentration-dependent manner. The $MgSO_4$-induced relaxations were not affected by removal of the endothelium. Pretreatment of +E or -E aortic rings with nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors ($20{\mu}M$ L-NNA, $100{\mu}M$ L-NAME, $1{\mu}M$ dexamethasone and $400{\mu}M$ aminoguanidine), cyclooxygenase inhibitor ($10{\mu}M$ indomethacin), guanylate cyclase inhibitors ($10{\mu}M$ ODQ and $30{\mu}M$ methylene blue) and $Ca^{2+}$ transport blocker ($10{\mu}M$ ryanodine) did not affect the relaxant effects of $MgSO_4$. $Ca^{2+}$ channel blockers ($0.3{\mu}M$ nifedipine and $0.5{\mu}M$ veropamil) completely decreased the relaxant effects of $MgSO_4$ in +E and -E aortic rings. However, in $Ca^{2+}$-free medium, $MgSO_4$-induced vasorelaxation was potentiated and this response was inhibited by nifedipine. Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors ($1.0{\mu}M$ staurosporine, $0.5{\mu}M$ tamoxifen and $0.1{\mu}M$ H7) or PLC inhibitor ($100{\mu}M$ NCDC) markedly decreased the relaxant effects of $MgSO_4$ in +E and -E aortic rings. In vivo, infusion of $MgSO_4$ elicited significant decreases in arterial blood pressure. After intravenous injection of nifedipine ($150{\mu}g/kg$) and NCDC (3 mg/kg), infusion of $MgSO_4$ inhibited the $MgSO_4$-lowered blood pressure markedly. However, after introvenous injection of saponin (15 mg/kg), L-NNA (3 mg/kg), L-NAME (5 mg/kg), indomethacin (2 mg/kg), methylene blue (15 mg/kg) and aminoguanidine (10 mg/kg) failed to inhibit it. These results suggest that endothelial NQ-cGMP or prostaglandin pathway is not involved in vasorelaxant or hypotensive action of $Mg^{2+}$ and that these effects are due to the inhibitory action of $Mg^{2+}$ on the $Ca^{2+}$ channel or PLC-PKC pathway, and are due to the competitive influx of $Mg^{2+}$ and $Ca^{2+}$ through the $Ca^{2+}$ channel.

• 생약학회지
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• 제37권1호통권144호
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• pp.56-59
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• 2006

The vascular relaxant effets of Alpinia officinarum(Zingiberaceae) were evaluated on isolated thoracic aorta from rats. The methanolic extract of rhizome of Alpinia officinarum caused a concentration-dependent relaxation of rat aortic preparations precontracted with $0.3{\mu}M$ phenylephrine, The intensive investigation of the extract by way of activity-guided fractionation led us to yield three kind of active components, galangin(1), kaempferide(2), and kaempferol(3), which were responsible for the vasodilating property of the extract. Stuctures of the isolated active components were established by chemical and spectroscopic means.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제1권6호
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• pp.759-767
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• 1997

In the present study, we characterized the non-vascular smooth muscle relaxant effects of a novel benzoyran derivative ,SKP-450 (2-[2'(1',3'-dioxolone)-2-methyl-4- (2'-oxo-1'-pyrrolidinyl) -6-nitro-2H-1- benzopyran) and its metabolite, SKP-310, in comparison with levcromakalim (LCRK). In the rat stomach fundus, the spontaneous motility stimulated by $10^{-6.5}\;M$ bethanechol was completely eliminated not only by $10^{-7}\;M$ SKP-450 but also by $10^{-6}\;M$ LCRK, which were blocked by $10^{-6}\;M$ glibenclamide. The inhibitory effect of SKP-450 $pD_2,\;3.94{\pm}0.66)$ was much less than LCRK $(pD2,\;5.73{\pm}0.38,\;p<0.05)$. In the bethanechol $(10{-6.5 }\;M)-stimulated$ urinary bladder, the tonus was decreased in association with elimination of spontaneous motility by $10^{-7}\;M$ M SKP-450 and $10^{-6}\;M\;LCRK\;(pD2,\;6.77{\pm}0.06)\;(P<0.05)$, which were inhibitable by $10^{-6}\;M$ glibenclamide. The inhibitory effect of SKP-450 $(pD2,\;7.66{\pm}0.05)$ was significantly more potent than that of LCRK $(pD2,\;6.77{\pm}0.06,\;p<0.05)$. In the rat uterus stimulated by $PGF_{2\alpha}\;(10^{-7}\;M)$, both increased tonus and spontaneous motility were eliminated by $10^{-6}\;M$ LCRK with slight depression of the tonus, but not by SKP-450 $(10^{-5}\;M)$. The stimulated trachea of guinea-pig by $10^{-6.5}\;M$ bethanechol was moderately suppressed by SKP-450 $(10^{-6}{sim}10^{-5}\;M)$ but little by SKP-310. In association with the relaxant effects, SKP-450 $(10^{-6}\;M)$ and LCRK $(10^{-5}\;M)$ caused a significant stimulation of the $^{86}Rb$ efflux from rat urinary bladder and stomach fundus, which were antagonized by $10^{-5}\;M$ glibenclamide, whereas the $K^+$ channel openers could not exert a stimulation of the $^{86}Rb$ efflux from rat uterus. In conclusion, it is suggested that SKP-450 exerts potent relaxant effects on the urinary bladder detrusor muscle and duodenum, whereas it shows much less effect on stomach fundus and uterus as contrasted to LCRK.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.339-348
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• 2020

We aimed to characterize the participation of rapid non-genomic and delayed non-genomic/genomic or genomic mechanisms in vasoactive effects to triiodothyronine (T3), emphasizing functional analysis of the involvement of these mechanisms in the genesis of nitric oxide (NO) of endothelial or muscular origin. Influences of in vitro and in vivo T3 treatments on contractile and relaxant responsiveness of isolated rat aortas were studied. In vivo T3-treatment was 500 ㎍·kg^-1·d^-1, subcutaneous injection, for 1 (T3_1d) and 3 (T3_3d) days. In experiments with endothelium-intact aortic rings contracted with phenylephrine, increasing concentrations of T3 did not alter contractility. Likewise, in vitro T3 did not modify relaxant responses induced by acetylcholine or sodium nitroprusside (SNP) nor contractile responses elicited by phenylephrine or angiotensin II in endothelium-intact aortas. Concentration-response curves (CRCs) to acetylcholine and SNP in endothelium-intact aortic rings from T3_1d and T3_3d rats were unmodified. T3_3d, but not T3_1d, treatment diminished CRCs to phenylephrine in endothelium-intact aortic rings. CRCs to phenylephrine remained significantly depressed in both endothelium-denuded and endothelium-intact, nitric oxide synthase inhibitor-treated, aortas of T3_3d rats. In endothelium-denuded aortas of T3_3d rats, CRCs to angiotensin II, and high K⁺ contractures, were decreased. Thus, in vitro T3 neither modified phenylephrine-induced active tonus nor CRCs to relaxant and contractile agonists in endothelium-intact aortas, discarding rapid non-genomic actions of this hormone in smooth muscle and endothelial cells. Otherwise, T3_3d-treatment inhibited aortic smooth muscle capacity to contract, but not to relax, in an endothelium- and NO-independent manner. This effect may be mediated by delayed non-genomic/genomic or genomic mechanisms.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제36권1호
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• pp.83-91
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• 1996

Activation of $K^+$ channels induces relaxation of smooth muscles by reducing electrical excitability and cytosolic free $Ca^{2+}$ level. ${\beta}$-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol is known to induce relaxation of the uterine smooth muscle by membrane hyperpolarization and $K^+$ efflux. Recently it is suggested that the activity of $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^+$ channel was increased by isoproterenol in the uterine myocytes isolated from myometrium of the pregnant rat. However, the type of $K^+$ channel mediating the relaxant effect of isopreterenol in the tissue level has not yet studied. In this work, we investigated the type of $K^+$ channels involved in the isoproterenol-induced relaxation of uterine smooth muscle by measuring the integrated insometric tension of the estrogen-treated isolated nonpregnant rat uterus. Contraction of uterine tissue was induced by oxytocin (0.2nM, 2~3 contractions/min) or high KCl(20~80mM). The result are as follows : 1. Isoproterenol($10^{-10}{\sim}10^{-4}M$) inhibited oxytocin-induced contraction of isolated rat uterus($EC_{50}=1.17{\times}10^{-10}M$). 2. Isoproterenol($10^{-10}{\sim}10^{-4}M$) effectively inhibited uterine contraction induced by low KCl(20~40mM) but little those induced by high KCl(60~80mM). 3. Relaxant effect of isoproterenol($10^{-10}{\sim}10^{-4}M$) on 0.2nM oxytocin-induced contraction was effectively reduced by 4-aminopyridine(3, 10mM) but little by TEA(10~30mM), $Ba^{2+}$($1{\sim}30{\mu}M$) and glibenclamide($100{\mu}M$). Our data suggest that the relaxant effect of isoproterenol is mediated by the $K^+$ channel(s) which can be blocked by 4-aminopyridine.

• 한국생물물리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국생물물리학회 1996년도 정기총회 및 학술발표회
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• pp.35-35
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• 1996

Nitric oxide (NO) has been reported to have many roles in vivo ranging from the neurotransmitter in brain to the relaxant in smooth muscles. Recently, using inside-out patches, Bolotina et al. (1) showed that relaxing effect of NO is aortic smooth muscle is through direct activation of Ca2+-activated K+ channels (maxi-K), resulting in hyperpolarization. (omitted)

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.429-437
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• 2017

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relaxant and anti-inflammatory effects of two thalidomide analogs as phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE-4) inhibitors in pregnant rat uterus. Uteri from Wistar female rats were isolated at 19 day of pregnancy. Uterine samples were used in functional studies to evaluate the inhibitory effects of the thalidomide analogs, methyl 3-(4-nitrophthalimido)-3-(3,4- dimethoxyphenyl)-propanoate (4NO2PDPMe) and methyl 3-(4-aminophthalimido)- 3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-propanoate (4APDPMe), on prostaglandin-$F2{\alpha}$ ($PGF2{\alpha}$)-induced phasic, $K^+$-induced tonic, and $Ca^{2+}$-induced contractions. Accumulation of cAMP was quantified in uterine homogenates by ELISA. Anti-inflammatory effect was assessed by using ELISA for determination of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ ($TNF{\alpha}$) and interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, and anti-inflammatory IL-10, from uterine explants stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Nifedipine, forskolin and rolipram were used as positive controls where required. Both thalidomide analogs induced a significant inhibition of the uterine contractions induced by the pharmaco- and electro-mechanic stimuli. Nifedipine and forskolin were more potent than the analogs to inhibit the uterine contractility, but these were more potent than rolipram, and 4APDPMe was equieffective to nifedipine. Thalidomide analogs increased uterine cAMP-levels in a concentration-dependent manner. The LPS-induced $TNF{\alpha}$ and $IL-1{\beta}$ uterine secretion was diminished in a concentration-dependent fashion by both analogs, whereas IL-10 secretion was increased significantly. The thalidomide analogs induced utero-relaxant and anti-inflammatory effects, which were associated with the increased cAMP levels as PDE-4 inhibitors in the pregnant rat uterus. Such properties place these thalidomide analogs as potentially safe and effective tocolytic agents in a field that urgently needs improved pharmacological treatments, as in cases of preterm labor.

• 대한약리학회지
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.191-203
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• 1994

$K^+$ channel openers (KCOs) are known to have a wide range of effects by opening the $K^+$ channel in plasma membranes of various smooth muscles, cardiac muscle and pancreatic ${\beta}-cell$. In the present study, we investigated the effects of 5 types of KCOs, cromakalim, RP49356, pinacidil, nicorandil and diazoxide on the contractility of isolated rat uterus. All KCOs tested inhibited the uterine contraction induced by 0.2 nM oxytocin in a dose-dependent manner. Individual KCO and its $pD_2$ values were cromakalim 6.5, RP49356 6.3, pinacidil 5.92, nicorandil 4.43 and diazoxide 4.18. The relaxant effects of KCO were inhibited by glibenclamide (0.3, 1 and $10\;{\mu}M$) with $pA_2$ values of cromakalim 6.91, RP49356 6.59, pinacidil 6.55, nicorandil 5.97 and diazoxide 6.37. In addition, the relaxant effect of cromakalim or pinacidil was antagonised by TEA, a non-selective $K^+$ channel blocker, but not by apamin. Contractions induced by low concentration of KCI (< 40 mM) were inhibited by cromakalim $(100{\mu}M)$ and nicorandil $(300{\mu}M)$, but those evoked by higher concentration (> 40 mM) of KCI were little affected. In ovariectomized rat uterus, cromakalim dose-dependently inhibited oxytocin-induced contraction and glibenclamide $(10{\mu}M)$ inhibited the relaxant effect of cromakalim with $pD_2$ and $K_B$ values of 7.48 and $1.26{\times}10^{-7}M$, respectively. In estrogen-primed rat uterus, these values were 6.51 and $1.57{\times}10^{-7}M$, respectively, indicating that the cromakalim is less effective on the estrogen-treated uterine smooth muscle. Our results suggest that the KCO-sensitive $K^+$ channels participate in the motility of uterine smooth muscle and such channels are, at least in part, under the control of estrogen. In addition, our data Indicate that the type of $K^+$ channels activated by KCO is ATP-sensitive $K^+$ channels which is blocked by glibenclamide.

• 약학회지
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.206-215
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• 1985

1) Puerariae Radix butanol ext. (100, 200, 400mg/kg, p.o. single treatment) alone partly showed blood pressure decreasing effect in SHRs and increasing effect of urinary volume in normal rats. 2) Cadmium nitrate (10mg/kg, s.c. single treatment) induced toxicity such as body weight decreasing effect, antidiuretic effect and muscle relaxant effect such as pull-up test, traction test and rota rod test in rats. However, Puerariae Radix butanol ext. (100, 200, 400mg/kg, p.o. single treatment) showed antidotal effects on the above and also in acute toxicity test when coadministered with both of them. 3) Cadmium nitrate (1mg/kg, s.c. 7 days consecutive treatment) did not showed toxicity in body weight change, blood pressure, change, serum biochemical parameters in rats. Puerariae Radix butanol ext. (100, 200, 400mg/kg, p.o. 7 days consecutive treatment) did not also showed any antidotal effects when coadministered with both of them for 7 days.