• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1533-1537
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• 2003

This double-blind randomized clinical trial was performed to evaluate the anti-anxiety, anti-stress effect of a modified formula WS-01 consisted with several herbs(Jujubae Fructus. Longanae Arillus. Poria Cocos) and germinated rice. The extract of the formula was administered (p.o) to 24 students and placebo was to 23 students for 4 weeks. STAI-KYZ(Hahn. Hakjisa), ABR2000(Meridian, Korea), CBC, LFT, U/A were checked before and after the administration period. There was no difference between the STAI score of WS-01 and that of placebo group in first test. But the STAI state anxiety score was 5.33±7.33 reduced in WS-01 group and it was 0.52±6.42 increased in placebo group in second test. this result was significant stastically. 10 students in WS-01 group showed improving result, but only 1 student in placebo group showed improving result of ABR2000 test. The result of ABR2000 was analyzed with curve 2, Regulation 2, and graph 1,2,3, because those reflect central nerve system and stressful condition of the body. There was no significant result in first and second CBC, LFT, Urine test. The results of this clinical study suggest that WS-01 has anti-anxiety, anti-stress effect, and it could be applied to various conditions or disorders related with anxiety and stress.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 1994

Anxiety and anxiety disorders are one of the most common and most serious psychiatric problems. Anti-anxiety drugs are one of the most effective treatment method for these problems. Benzodiazepines have various side-effects and the risk of overuse and abuse. Therefore, physicians should prescribe benzodiazepines carefully. However, they should not be discouraged from prescribing benzodiazepines when they have a knowledge of the pharmacological characteristics of these drugs and there is a clear indication for their use. Generally speaking, problems of benzodiazepine use such as dependence withdrawal symptoms, and cognitive impairment are more likely to occur with high dose, long-term use(more than 4 months), in geriatric patients and patients with a history of alcohol or other sustance abuse. But long-term or high-dose use can be jusified for patients with panic disorder of agoraphobia, and medically-ill patients with persistent anxiety that cannot be otherwise treated. In summary, there cannot be a general prescribing formulation for benzodiazepine use. Physician should always make their decision based on the individual patient's risk/benefit factors.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2021

Shihogayonggolmoryo-tang (ST) is a Korean medical herb cocktail which has been used to treat anxiety induced insomnia. In this study, we will examine sleep-promoting and anti-anxiety effects of ST, and investigate its mechanism. ICR mice were divided into three groups for the first examination : control group (n=11), ST50 group (50 mg/kg, po, n=11), ST200 group (200 mg/kg, po, n=11). Sleep-promoting effect was confirmed by measuring the sleeping duration time and sleeping onset time after thiopental sodium treatment (50 mg/kg, ip). ICR mice were divided into five groups for the second examination : control group (n=11), ST200 group (200 mg/kg, po, n=11), ST200+Flumazenil group (ST 200 mg/kg, po, flumazenil 0.3 mg/kg, ip, n=11), diazepam group (1 mg/kg, ip, n=11), diazepam+flumazenil group (diazepam 1 mg/kg, ip, Flumazenil 0.3 mg/kg, ip, n=11). Anxiety behavior and sleep-promoting effect was confirmed by open field test and measuring the sleeping duration time and sleeping onset time. Expression levels of c-fos in tuberomammillary nucleus (TMN) and ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO) were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. ST treated group showed significantly decreased anxiety behavior and enhanced sleeping duration time and sleeping onset time concentration dependently. The expression of c-fos was significantly upregulated in VLPO as sleep-inducing center and TMN as downregulated in arousal center by ST treatment. In addition, all effects of ST were reversed by flumazenil. Our results suggest that ST has sleep-promoting and anti-anxiety effects through regulating arousal center (TMN) and sleep-inducing center (VLPO).

• ETRI Journal
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.757-766
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• 2016

This study was conducted to examine the usage effects of an augmented reality head-up display (AR-HUD) system on the risk perception and psychological changes of drivers. To do so, we conducted an experiment to collect the driver response times for vehicles and pedestrians as their risk perception behavior, and used a driving behavior determinants questionnaire consisting of Problem Evading, Benefits/Sensation Seeking, Anti-Personal Anxiety, Anti-Personal Angry, and Aggression factors for collecting the psychological characteristics of the drivers. Thirty drivers were randomly assigned into an in-vehicle AR-HUD using group and a control group. As a result, the Anti-Personal Anxiety and Anti-Personal Angry factors were negatively correlated with the response time for the control group. In contrast, these results were not shown for the in-vehicle AR-HUD system using group. These results indicate that the in-vehicle AR-HUD system may partially induce a relaxation of tension or stress for drivers with a high level of interpersonal anxiety. Therefore, the in-vehicle AR-HUD system might contribute to not only the visual safety driving behaviors of drivers, but also to their psychological driving safety with specific characteristics.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.525-538
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• 2018

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a trauma-induced psychiatric disorder characterized by impaired fear extermination, hyperarousal, and anxiety that may involve the release of monoamines in the fear circuit. The reported pharmacological properties of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) include anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-atherosclerotic, and neuropsychiatric activities. However, the anxiolytic-like effects of TMP and its mechanism of action in PTSD are unclear. This study measured several anxiety-related behavioral responses to examine the effects of TMP on symptoms of anxiety in rats after single prolonged stress (SPS) exposure by reversing the serotonin (5-HT) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction. Rats were given TMP (10, 20, or 40 mg/kg, i.p.) for 14 days after SPS exposure. Administration of TMP significantly reduced grooming behavior, increased the time spent and number of visits to the open arm in the elevated plus maze test, and significantly increased the number of central zone crossings in the open field test. TMP administration significantly reduced the freezing response to contextual fear conditioning and significantly restored the neurochemical abnormalities and the SPS-induced decrease in 5-HT tissue levels in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. The increased 5-HT concentration during TMP treatment might be partially attribute to the tryptophan and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid mRNA level expression in the hippocampus of rats with PTSD. These findings support a role for reducing the altered serotonergic transmission in rats with PTSD. TMP simultaneously attenuated the HPA axis dysfunction. Therefore, TMP may be useful for developing an agent for treating psychiatric disorders, such those observed in patients with PTSD.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.131-137
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of a standardized special ethanol extract from Gynostemma pentaphyllum as a management for anxiety and stress of normal population. This is a two-arm, parallelgroup, randomized, double blind clinical trial comparing Gynostemma pentaphyllum extract 200 mg bid (GP-EX, n=48) or placebo bid (n=54). The main outcome measures were the decrease in anxiety sensitivity index (ASI), the State version (S-STAI) of the Stait-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Trait version (T-STAT) of the STAI from baseline over a 6 weeks treatment period. In more anxious group (S-STAI50 or ASI19), the anxiety in group with GP-EX was decreased significantly than one in normal population with placebo [S-STAI50: T-STAI = from $57.7{\pm}6.5$ ($mean{\pm}S.D.$) to $46.8{\pm}11.2$ in normal population with GP-EX, p=0.002 vs. from $54.1{\pm}9.9$ to $49.0{\pm}9.6$ in normal population with placebo, p>0.05; ASI19: T-STAI = from $47.2{\pm}12.0$ to $42.4{\pm}11.1$ in normal population with GP-EX, p=0.022 vs. from $48.7{\pm}11.5$ to $46.0{\pm}10.4$ in normal population with placebo, p>0.05]. The most frequently reported adverse reactions considered possibly related to treatment were mild gastrointestinal events. GP-EX is more effective than placebo and is well tolerated as a therapy for anxiety and stress of normal population.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1369-1374
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• 2019

We isolated Lactobacillus mucosae NK41 and Bifidobacterium longum NK46 from human feces, which induced BDNF expression in corticosterone-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells, and examined their anti-depressive effects in mice. NK41, NK46, and their (1:1) mixture significantly mitigated immobilization stress (IS)-induced anxiety-like/depressive behaviors, hippocampal $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation, BDNF expression, $Iba1^+$ cell population, and blood corticosterone, $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-6, and lipopolysaccharide levels. Furthermore, they inhibited colitis marker $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation, and $TNF-{\alpha}$ expression in mice with IS-induced anxiety/depression. They additionally suppressed gut Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes populations and bacterial lipopolysaccharide production. These findings suggest that NK41 and NK46 may alleviate anxiety/depression and colitis by suppressing gut dysbiosis.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.72-81
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate anti-depressive effects of exercise on child and adolescent and its association with brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Methods: Twenty nine middle school boys (age $13.3{\pm}0.7$) were divided into two groups, 15 boys for control group and 14 in the experimental group. The control group participated in a regular exercise program, 3 times a week for 15 weeks. During the same period, the experimental group participated in an aerobic exercise program specifically designed to enhance anti-depressive effect of exercise. Serum BDNF level and its performance of each group on the Beck Depression Index (BDI), Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED), Aggression Questionnaire (AK-Q), and Stroop task were compared before and after the exercise program. Results: Scores of BDI, CDI, SCARED, and AK-Q were significantly lower in both groups after the exercise programs compared to those before the programs. The Stroop task performances were significantly improved after the programs. However, there were no significant differences between two exercise programs, except SCARED separation anxiety, AK-Q physical, and verbal aggression scores. Also, no association was found between serum BDNF level and anti-depressive effects of exercise. Conclusion: Our preliminary results suggest a possible effect of exercise on depression, anxiety, aggression, and cognition of child and adolescents.

• CELLMED
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.14.1-14.9
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• 2021

Background: Cuscuta reflexa Roxb is a member of the Cuscutaceae family, and in Unani medicine, it is known as Aftimoon. It is a parasitic plant that can be found growing abundantly on various host plants in India up to 3000 metres in altitude during the rainy season. Unani physicians have been using it for years to cure a variety of illnesses, including psychiatric illnesses like melancholia, schizophrenia, and epilepsy. It has been used to cure hepatitis, palpitations, and skin disorders, among other things. Objective of the study: To evaluate anti-anxiety effect of Cuscuta reflexa Roxb in Swiss Albino mice of either sex. Materials and Methods: A total of 24 Swiss Albino mice weighing 25-35 g were used in this study. Animals were chosen at random and held in their cages for at least 7 days in a standard setting. Group A was given regular saline as a vehicle, Group B was given a hydro alcoholic extract of the lower dose of the test drug, Group C was given a hydro alcoholic extract of the higher dose of the test drug, and Group D was given the standard drug Diazepam 5 mg/kg orally. Aftimoon as hydro alcoholic extract (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg body wt.) was given in single and double doses and observed for 7 days. Results: For each parameter in each category, mean and standard deviations were computed. For multiple group comparisons, a one-way ANOVA was used, followed by Turkey's post hoc test. (p<0.05) was used as the significance standard. Conclusion: These results advocate that the Aftimoon as double dose (400 mg/kg body wt.) revealed anti-anxiety effect similar to standard drug.