• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.243-251
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• 2001

The present study was attempted to investigate the effect of strychnine on catecholamine (CA) secretion evoked by ACh, high $K^+,$ DMPP and McN-A-343 from the isolated perfused rat adrenal gland. The perfusion of strychnine $(10^{-4}\;M)$ into an adrenal vein for 20 min produced great inhibition in CA secretory responses evoked by ACh $(5.32{\times}10^{-3}\;M),$ DMPP $(10^{-4}\;M\;for\;2\;min)$ and McN-A-343 $(10^{-4}\;M\;for\;2\;min),$ but did not alter CA secretion by high $K^+\;(5.6{\times}10^{-2}\;M).$ Strychnine itself did also fail to affect basal catecholamine output. Furthermore, in adrenal glands preloaded simultaneously with strychnine $(10^{-4}\;M)$ and glycine (an agonist of glycinergic receptor, $10^{-4}\;M),$ CA secretory responses evoked by ACh, DMPP and McN-A-343 were considerably recovered to some extent when compared with those evoked by treatment with strychnine only. However, CA secretion by high $K^+\;(5.6{\times}10^{-2}\;M)$ was not affected. Taken together, these results demonstrate that strychnine inhibits greatly the CA secretory responses evoked by stimulation of cholinergic (both nicotinic and muscarinic) receptors, but does not affect that by membrane depolarization. It is suggested that strychnine-sensitive glycinergic receptors are localized in rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.87-94
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• 2013

An analytical methodology based on solid-space extraction (SPE) with with Bond Elut Certify cartridge (Varian, 130 mg) has been developed for the qualification and quantitation of strychnine in blood. After the elution layer was evaporated, the residue was reconstituted with methanol for GC/MS. Internal standard was used 10 mg/l dextromethorphan. Strychnine is a potent central nervous stimulant and convulsant, and an alkaloid found in seeds of Strychnos nux-vomica. It was used therapeutically to improve circulation and muscle tone in oral or intramuscular doses of 0.05~8 mg. The fatal dose of strychnine for humans is 50~100 mg. A man was found dead lying curled up the corner of the large room in a roof house after the fire fighter opened a locked door inside to put out the fire. The postmortem blood and gastric contents were analyzed for toxicological testing. Strychnine and brucine were detected using GC/MS first in gastric contents extracts. The contents of strychnine was 0.083 mg/l in heart blood, 0.088 mg/l in peripheral blood and 4.0 mg/kg in gastric contents, respectively. Method validation was carried out in terms of linearity, accuracy, precision (intraday, interday) in blood. The assay is linear over 0.05~10 mg/l ($r^2$=0.999). Limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) in blood were determined 0.02 mg/l (S/N=3) and 0.07 mg/l (S/N=10), respectively. Accuracy (bias%) of strychnine with 0.1, 1 and 10 mg/l was 12.0% (n=6), 9.3% (n=6) and 6.9% (n=6), respectively. Intraday precision (CV%) of strychnine with, 0.1, 1 and 10 mg/l were 6.4%, 10.4%, 1.2% (n=6), respectively. Interday precision (CV%) of strychnine with 0.1, 1 and 10 mg/l over three days were 24.0%, 18.5%, 13.8% (n=18), respectively. Relative recovery with 0.1, 1 and 10 mg/l (in blood) were 114.9%, 99.3% and 87.4% (n=6), respectively. The described method can be applied in forensic toxicology to determine strychnine in blood samples.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.77-84
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• 1983

The behavioral pattern of an animal is influenced by endogenous and endogenous stimuli such as humoral secretion, neurohumoral transmitters, drugs, light and environmental change. It has teen known that adenosine is a normal constituent of brain, and has sedative or hypnotic effects and anticonvulsant effects, inhibiting the spontaneous firing of cells in the brain via membrane adenosine receptors. Recent studies suggest that the excitatory responses to xanthines in the CNS might be related to the competitive antagonism of xanthines to adenosine. This study was undertaken to Investigate the effects of adenosine and the CNS stimulants such as picrotoxin, strychnine and caffeine on the spontaneous activity of mire, and to examine the influence of adenosine on the seizures induced by large doses of CNS stimulants. Subjects were $20{\sim}30\;g$ adult mice, and the spontaneous activity was measured using the Selective Activity Meter after intraperitoneal injection of adenosine (10 mg/kg), caffeine (100 mg/kg), strychnine(0.2 mg/kg) or picrotoxin(0.5 mg/kg) with or without adenosine pretreatment. The seizures were induced with caffeine(200, 250 and 300 mg/kg), strychnine(1.25 and 1.5 mg/kg) or picrotoxin(10 and 15 mg/kg). The results are summarized as follows : 1) The spontaneous activity in mite was significantly inhibited between 10 and 20 minutes after adenosine treatment. 2) Caffeine and picrotoxin increased the motor activity significantly while strychnine had no effect on the activity. 3) The ambulatory activity in the caffeine, strychnine and picrotoxin treated groups was significantly inhibited by adenosine pretreatment. 4) The seizures were observed with caffeine(200, 250 and 300 m9/kg), strychnine(1.25 and 1.5 mg/kg) or picrotoxin(10 and 15 mg/kg). The caffeine induced seizures were inhibited by adenosine pretreatment, but the strychnine or picrotoxin induced seizures were not affected.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2008

Objectives In order to investigate the anticonvulsive effects of Jisungbomuyngtan, the experiments were done in mice. Methods After solid extracts of Jisungbomuyngtan was orally administered to mice, four types of convulsion were induced in mice by ECT, strychnine, picrotoxin, caffein. Each of the time to convulsion and death was measured. Results 1. The solid extracts of Jisungbomuyngtan showed a remarkable effect in delaying the onset of convulsion induced by ECT 2. In case of convulsion induced by strychnine, the solid extracts of Jisungbomuyngtan revealed a slight, but not statistically significant effect. 3. Considerable prolongation of time to death was observed in convulsion induced by picrotoxin due to the anticonvulsive effect of Jisungbomuyngtan. 4. The anticonvulsive effect of Jisungbomuyngtan was not found in convulsion induced by caffein. Conclusions Jisungbomuyngtan effect remarkably in delaying the onset of convulsion induced by ECT. But slightly effect by strychnine. And Jisungbomuyngtan effect in prolonging time to death in convulsion induced by picrotoxin, but not found in convulsion induced by caffein.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.450-456
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• 2019

Taurine has a number of beneficial pharmacological actions in the brain such as anxiolytic and neuroprotective actions. We explored to test whether taurine could be transported to the central nervous system through the intranasal route. Following intranasal administration of taurine in mice, elevated plus maze test, activity cage test and rota rod test were carried out to verify taurine's effect on anxiety. For the characterization of potential mechanism of taurine's anti-anxiety action, mouse convulsion tests with strychnine, picrotoxin, yohimbine, and isoniazid were employed. A significant increase in the time spent in the open arms was observed when taurine was administered through the nasal route in the elevated plus maze test. In addition, vertical and horizontal activities of mice treated with taurine via intranasal route were considerably diminished. These results support the hypothesis that taurine can be transported to the brain through intranasal route, thereby inducing anti-anxiety activity. Taurine's anti-anxiety action may be mediated by the strychnine-sensitive glycine receptor as evidenced by the inhibition of strychnine-induced convulsion.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.53-56
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• 1984

The effect of twenty two spices on liver microsomal monooxygense activity was tested as measured by alteration of hexobarbital (HB) narcosis and strychnine mortality in mice. Oral administration of seven spices for 7 consecutive days caused a significant shortening of the duration of HB-induced sleeping time. The treatment of mice with a single i. p. injection of 9 spices resulted in a significant prolongation of the sleeping time. White pepper, dill and fennel reduced the toxicity of strychnine. These results strongly indicated that some spices might affect the activity of liver microsomal drug metabolizing enzyme (DME) function.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.163-168
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• 1986

Thirteen compounds were synthesized by condensing the N-heterocyclic amines (piperidine, pyrrolidine, morpholine) and secondary aliphatic amines (dimethylamine, diethylamine) with 3,4-methylenedioxyphenylalkenoic acid chlorides for developing CNS depressants. Among them, N, N-diethyl-3,4-methylenedioxycinnamamide (IX) and N, N-dimethyl-5-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-2, 4-pentadienoic acid amicle (XII) exhibited strong activity in antagonism against pentylenetetrazole-induced convulsion, strychnine-induced convulsion and maximal electroshock seizure. N, N-Dimethyl-3, 4-methylenedioxycinnamide (VIII) showed more potent activity in antagonism against strychnine-induced convulsion and maximal electroshock seizure and in the prolongation of hexobarbital sleeping time.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 1978

Alcohol extracts of plants widely used in the traditional medicine have been tested to establish if they affect the metabolism of drug in mice. Forteen of the plants tested exhibited prolonging and/or inhibitory effect on hexobarbital sleeping time. Some of them also showed increasing effect on strychnine mortality, whereas piperis retrofracti Fructus reduced the toxicity of strychnine.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.171-180
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• 1990

In 19 cats anesthetized with ${\alpha}-chloralose$ effects of taurine and ${\beta}-alanine$ on the responses of wide dynamic range (WDR) cells to mechanical, chemical and thermal stimuli were investigated in the lumbar spinal cord of the cat. Also studied was an interaction of strychnine with taurine in affecting the activities of WDR cells. Following intravenous administration of taurine, the responses of WDR cells to all types of mechanical stimuli were markedly enhanced, demonstrating that the response to pressure was most sensitive to taurine action. When the receptive field was exposed to thermal stimuli ($50^{\circ}C$) for 20 sec. taurine increased activity of WDR cell to 169.5% of the control value. The $K^{+}$-induced activation of WDR cells was invariably suppressed after taurine administration. Intravenously administered strychnine remarkably reduced the enhanced response of WDR cell to natural stimuli resulting from intravenous administration of taurine. Also ${\beta}-alanine$ markedly activated the response of spinal dorsal horn cell to natural mechanical stimuli. These findings suggest that neutral amino acid and its derivative such as ${\beta}-alanine$ and taurine can enhance the response of WDR cells to different stimuli in cats.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.27-40
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• 1992

The purpose of the present study is an attempt to investigate the effect of intraventricular taurine, which is a naturally occuring amino acid containing sulfur and has inhibitory action in brain, on heart rate and blood pressure in the urethane anesthetized rabbits and also to elucidate the mechanism of its cardiovascular actions. Taurine $(0.15{\sim}1.5\;mg)$ injected into the lateral ventricle of anesthetized normontensive rabbits produced a dose-related fall in arterial blood pressure and heart rate, which were marked and long-lasting along with considerable respiratory depression. However, the intravenous administration of taurine at the same dose with intraventricular injection did not induce any changes in blood pressure as well as heart rate. Depressor responses induced by taurine were inhibited significantly by pretreatment with chlorisondamine, clonidine, strychnine and bicuculline but not by atropine, vagotomy, propranolol and metoclopramide. Moreover, taurine did not affect the pressor responses of norepinephrine. Taurine-induced bradycardic effects were blocked clearly by pretreatment with chlorisondamine, propranolol, clonidine, strychnine and bicuculline, while they were not influenced by atropine, vagotomy and metoclopramide. These experimental results suggest that intraventricular taurine causes long-lasting hypotensive and bradycardic actions, and that these cardiovascular effects may be exerted through taurinergic (glycinergic) and GABAergic receptors which are associated with catecholaminergic neurons in brain.