• Toxicological Research
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.297-304
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• 2014

Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is a plant native to Europe and has been widely used as a carminative and gastric stimulant worldwide. This plant also has been used in cosmetic formulations as a fragrance component and skin conditioning agent. This study investigated the effect of peppermint oil on hair growth in C57BL/6 mice. The animals were randomized into 4 groups based on different topical applications: saline (SA), jojoba oil (JO), 3% minoxidil (MXD), and 3% peppermint oil (PEO). The hair growth effects of the 4-week topical applications were evaluated in terms of hair growth, histological analysis, enzymatic activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gene expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), known bio-markers for the enhanced hair growth. Of the 4 experimental groups, PEO group showed the most prominent hair growth effects; a significant increase in dermal thickness, follicle number, and follicle depth. ALP activity and IGF-1 expression also significantly increased in PEO group. Body weight gain and food efficiency were not significantly different between groups. These results suggest that PEO induces a rapid anagen stage and could be used for a practical agent for hair growth without change of body weight gain and food efficiency.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제29권9호
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• pp.1361-1368
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• 2019

Codium fragile is an edible seaweed in Asian countries that has been used as a thrombolytic, anticoagulant, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-stimulatory agent. Ginseng has also been known to maintain immune homeostasis and to regulate the immune system via enhancing resistance to diseases and microorganisms. In this study, anionic macromolecules extracted from C. fragile (CFAM) were orally administered with red ginseng extract (100 mg/kg body weight) to cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed male BALB/c mice to investigate the immune-enhancing cooperative effect of Codium fragile and red ginseng. Our results showed that supplementing CFAM with red ginseng extract significantly increased spleen index, T- and B-cell proliferation, NK cell activity, and splenic lymphocyte immune-associated gene expression compared to those with red ginseng alone, even though a high concentration of CFAM with red ginseng decreased immune biomarkers. These results suggest that CFAM can be used as a co-stimulant to enhance health and immunity in immunosuppressed conditions.

• 한국자원식물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국자원식물학회 2022년도 추계학술대회
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• pp.97-97
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• 2022

The fruit of the Crataegus pinnatifida bunge has been known to have a role as a digestive stimulant, and is used for postpartum abdominal pain and women's menstrual pain. It is used for coronary artery disease, angina pectoris, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Ascorbic acid, hydroquinone, retinoids, alpha-hydroxy acids, kojic acid, azelaic acid have been used for cosmetic whitening and medical depigmentation. To determine whether Crataegus pinnatifida bunge fruit also has whitening and depigmentation effect, tyrosinase inhibition assay was performed with American Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge ethanol extracts, Korean Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge (Cra) ethanol extracts and Arbutin as a positive control as previously described by Korean FDA guideline. Korean Cra fruit ethanol extracts were 1.87 fold more inhibitory function to tyrosinase activity than American Cra in the experimental condition that inhibitory function to tyrosinase activity of Korean Cra Arbutin is 81.8% when compared to that of the standard control Arbutin as 100%. These results suggest that ethanol extracts of Crataegus pinnatifida bunge have significant whitening effects and may provide the basis for development of cosmetic whitening agent and medical depigmentation applications.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• 제57권2호
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• pp.163-171
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• 2024

In the last decade, melatonin has gained recognition as a potent scavenger and an effective antioxidant capable of neutralizing free radicals, including reactive oxygen species. Additionally, it exhibits anti-apoptotic properties. In this review, we will examine a compilation of articles that explore the cellular signaling function of melatonin on spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) and adjacent cells such as Sertoli and Leydig cells. These cells play a crucial role in the proliferation of SSCs both in vitro and in vivo. In this review, we analyze the function of melatonin in the proliferation of SSCs from other aspects. For this purpose, we examine the articles based on the presence of melatonin on SSCs in four groups: As a supplement in SSCs medium culture, SSCs three-dimensional culture system, SSCs freezing medium, and as a therapeutic factor in vivo. Mechanisms of growth and proliferation of SSCs were considered. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential effects of melatonin as a powerful antioxidant or growth stimulant for SSCs, both in vivo and in vitro.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.180-186
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• 1999

Eugenol has been reported to reduce odontogenic pain and is known to have a structure similar to capsaicin, a potent stimulant of certain nociceptors. We have hypothesized that the analgesic effect of eugenol may be due, in part, to inhibition of capsaicin-sensitive nociceptors. To test this hypothesis, we evaluate whether eugenol inhibits capsaicin-sensitive release of immunoreactive calcitonin generated peptide(iCGRP) from bovine dental pulp. Freshly extracted bovine incisors were transported to the lab. on ice, Spilitted and pulp tissue was removed. The tissue was chopped into 200${\mu}m$ slices. Dental pulp was superfused(340 ${\mu}l/min$) in vitro with oxygenated Kreb's buffer. Eugenol and vehicle(0.02% 2-hydroxyl-${\beta}$-cyclodextrin) were administered prior to stimulation of pulp with capsaicin and iCGRP was measured by RIA. The results were as follows: 1. Administration of eugenol has no effect on basal release of iCGRP. 2. In the vehicle treated group, capsaicin evoked a 2.5-fold increase over basal iCGRP levels. 3. Administration of eugenol(600 ${\mu}M$) reduced capsaicin evoked release of iCGRP by more than 40%(153.4${\pm}$41.1% vs 258.9${\pm}$21.7%). 4. 2-hydroxylpropyl-${\beta}$-cyclodextrin of less than 0.02% is found to be an effective vehicle to dissolve eugenol without evoking iCGRP release from dental bovine pulp. These data indicate that eugenol inhibits pulpal capsaicin-sensitive fibers and suggest that intracanal medicament of eugenol may relieve pain, in part, by this mechanism.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.201-208
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• 1997

It is becoming increasingly clear that the inflammatory reaction can be ascribed to a complex array of mediators generated and released from activated phagocytes. In this study, the effect of PAF on interleukin-1(IL-1) activity by rat alveolar macrophages(AM) was examined using thymocyte proliferation assay in the supernate of sample obtained after 24 hr culture. When AM were cultured with PAF alone, no change in IL-1 activity was observed. However, the combined addition of PAF and muramyl dipeptide(MDP) or lipopolysaccharide(LPS) to AM cultures markedly enhanced IL-1 activity by 2-3 fold compared with AM cultures with the stimulant alone in a concentration dependent fashion. The peack effect was found at $10^{-8}$ M PAF with MDP and $10^{-14}$ M PAF with LPS. the effect of PAF was also tested in silica, toxic respirable dust, -added AM cultures as well as in the cultures containing bacterial compounds. Although silica did not stimulate the IL-1 activity, PAF could enhance IL-1 activity by 2 fold above the value of the silica-treated AM cultures with the peak response at $10^{-12}$ M PAF. Optimal enhancement of IL-1 activity occured when MDP and PAF were present together at the initiation of the 24 hr AM cultures. Additionaly, the biologically inactive precursor/metabolite of PAF, lyso-PAF failed to induce enhancement of IL-1 activity. When the specific, but structurally different PAF receptor antagonists, BN 52021($10^{-5}$ M) and CV 3988($10^{-5}$ M) was treated 15 min before addition of PAF($10^{-8}$ M) and MDP$(10\;{\mu}g/ml)$ to the AM cultures, it markedly inhibited the enhancement of IL-1 activity induced by PAF. The effects of these PAF antagonists were also observed in LPS$(10\;{\mu}g/ml)$-stimulated cells. Collectively, these data suggest that PAF enhances IL-1 activity by interaction with a specific receptor.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.247-252
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• 2000

The advantages of transdermal administration are avoiding hepatic first pass effect, minimizing inter- and intra-patient variation, maintaining steady-state plasma level to provide long-term therapy from a single dose, and allowing a rapid termination of drug input. Clenbuterol, a selective ${\beta}_2-adrenergic$ receptor stimulant, has been introduced as a potent bronchodilator for patients with bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive bronchial disease. For the development of transdermal systems containing clenbuterol, two limiting factors - long lag time and low flux - must be overcome. In this study, we attempted to select optimal formulation for preparation of clenbuterol patch using hairless mouse skin and flow-through diffusion cell. The flux of clenbuterol increased as the percent of clenbuterol dose dependently in the concentration range of 5-15%. Based on this result, we fixed the concentration of clenbuterol as 15%. The effect of various penetration enhancers on percutaneous absorption of clenbuterol through hairless mouse skin was investigated. Labrafil was the most effective enhancer, which increased the permeability of clenbuterol approximately 4-fold compared with the control without penetration enhancer. Optimal enhancer concentration was 3%. The effect of various adhesives on penetration of clenbuterol was also investigated. Among the adhesives studied, MA-31 was the most effective adhesive. Furthermore, the clenbuterol patch composed of 15% clenbuterol, 3% Labrafil and 82% MA-31, which gave most excellent penetration of drug in in vitro penetration study, maintained therapeutic plasma levels in in vivo study using S.D. rats. These studies demonstrated a good feasibility of clenbuterol administration through the intact skin using a transdermal patch, and show a possibility of the development of clenbuterol patches.

• 한국건설순환자원학회논문집
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• 제9권3호
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• pp.389-396
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• 2021

본 논문에서는 자기치유 마이크로캡슐이 시멘트 복합재료의 품질 및 치유특성에 미치는 영향을 평가하였다. 마이크로캡슐의 혼합은 마이크로캡슐의 입자 특성에 의하여 시멘트 복합재료의 소성점도 및 항복응력이 감소하며, 혼합율에 비례하여 감소하였다. 테이블 플로우는 손실량에 의한 코어재료가 자극제 역할을 함에 따라 감소하는 경향이 나타났으며, 압축강도는 배합수 보정을 통하여 강도보완이 가능하였다. 마이크로캡슐 혼합이 시멘트 복합재료의 치유 특성에 미치는 영향을 평가한 결과, 균열개시 이후 즉시 치유반응에 의하여 단위투수량이 감소되는 결과가 나타났으며, 마이크로캡슐 3% 이상 혼합할 경우 치유재령 7일에 95% 이상의 치유율이 있는 것으로 나타났다.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.1-8
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• 1982

The effect of acetylcholine, oxytocin and prostaglandin $F_{2{\alpha}}$ ($PGF_{2{\alpha}}$) on cyclic nucleotide levels in estrogen-primed rabbit whole uterus were studied in the presence and absence of 1-methyl-3-isobutyl xanthine (MIX), a phosphodiestrase inhibitor, and indomethacin, a prostagandin inhibitor. In the absence of MIX, acetylcholine increased guanosine 3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP), but had no effect on adenosine 3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) levels. In contrast, oxytocin had no influence on cGMP, but decreased cAMP levels. $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ increased cGMP and decreased cAMP levels. MIX increased both cAMP and cGMP levels. Oxytocin and $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ further increased cGMP levels, indicating activation of guanylate cyclase activity. The ratio of cAMP/cGMP was decreased by uterine stinulants both in presence and absence of MIX. Indomethacin elevated cAMP and cGMP revels. The effects of uterine stimulants in the presence of indomethacin on cyclic nucleotide levels were varied from tissue to tisse. In general, oxytocin decreased cGMP and $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ increased cAMP/cGMP levels, but the effects were statisically nonsignicficant. The cAMP/cGMP ratio was increased by uterine stimulant in the presence of indomethacin. In conclusion, uterine stimulants eased cAMP/cGMP ratio which indicates that the uterine stimulants have opposing effects on adenylate cyclase and guanylate cyclase activities. The endometrium plays a role in the regulation of cyclic nucleotide levels and uterine contraction by means of PG synthesis. Indomethacin has an unknown activities besides both of PG synthetase and phosphodiesterase inhibitions.

• 동의신경정신과학회지
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.85-106
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• 2003

Studies have shown that both the psychomotor stimulant effects and rewarding properties of addictive drugs, including morphine, are sensitized by repeated drug administration and it is suggested that both of these effects are mediated by the same or closely overlapping dopamine systems. Specifically, the mesolimbic dopamine system has been implicated in the reinforcing and sensitizing properties of morphine. In oriental medicine, Shenmen (HT7) point on the heart channel has been used to treat mental and psychosomatic disorders. This study was designed to investigate the effect of acupuncture on acute and repeated morphine-induced changes in extracellular dopamine levels using in vivo microdialysis and morphine-induced behavioral changes. In the morphine sensitization experiment, male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated twice a day for three days with increasing doses of morphine (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg, s.c.) or with saline. After 15 days of withdrawal, rats were challenged with morphine hydrochloride (5mg/kg, s.c.). Acupuncture was applied at bilateral Shenmen (HT7) points for 1 min after the morphine challenge. In the acute experiment, rats also received acupuncture for 1 min after an injection of morphine hydrochloride (5 mg/kg, s.c.). Results showed that acupuncture at the specific acupoint HT7, but not at control points (tail) significantly decreased both dopamine release and behavior induced by a systemic morphine challenge or a single sc morphine injection in the acute animals. These results suggest that reduction in sensitization may be one mechanism whereby acupuncture alleviates morphine craving in addicts.