• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.809-817
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to evaluate the mechanism of vasodilation of Lespedezea cuneata(LC) in rabbit common carotid artery and cavernosal smooth muscle. LC relaxed arterial strips precontracted with norepinephrine and cavernosal strips precontracted with phenylephrine. The arterial relaxation effects of LC was endothelium-dependent. $N{\omega}$-nitro-L-arginine(L-NNA), NOS inhibitor, methylene blue(MB), cGMP inhibitor, indomethacin(IM), cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor and tetraethylammonium chloride(TEA), KCa-channel blocker attenuate the relaxation responses of LC in arterial strips. In $Ca^{2+}$-free krebs-ringer solution, pretreatment of LC extract significantly reduced the contraction induced by addition $Ca^{2+}$. L-NNA reduced LC extract-induced relaxation in cavernosal strips, but IM, TEA and MB didn't affect LC extract-induced relaxation. When LC extract was applicated on human umbilical vein endothelial cell, the nitric oxide concentration was increased. We conclude that in rabbit common carotid artery, LC may suppress influx of extra-cellular $Ca^{2+}$ through the release of endothelium derived relaxing factor including nitric oxide, prostacyclin, endothelium derived hyperpolarizing factor. And LC exerts a relaxing effect on corpus cavernosum through activating the NO.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2005

The extracts in n-hexane layer from Lespedezea cuneata G. Don exelled at sexual activity according to in vitro experiment using biopsy of rabbit corpus cavernosum to investigate effects on sexual function. The extracts were injected into 9 samples at $10{\mu}l$. The lowest relaxation was showed at sample C, $4.8{\pm}1.4%$ and the highest relaxation was showed at sample A, $20.2{\pm}6.0%$. The relaxation by every sample, except sample C and G-1, were higher than by $10^{-7}M$ ACh, $7.8{\pm}5.1%$, and their effects were above 10%. Also, the extracts were injected into 9 samples at $15{\mu}l$. The lowest relaxation was showed at sample C, $15.4{\pm}9.7%$ and the highest relaxation was showed at sample J, $54.8{\pm}9.7%$. The relaxation by sample A and D was as much as by $10^{-6}M$ ACh, $28.0{\pm}20.1%$. The relaxation by sample H was $41.9{\pm}7.3%$. The relaxation by sample J was $54.8{\pm}9.7%$ and it was higher than by $10^{-5}M$ ACh, $53.9{\pm}25.9%$. Also, the extracts were injected into 9 samples at $20{\mu}l$. The lowest relaxation was showed at sample E, $28.9{\pm}0.6%$ and it was a little higher than by $10^{-6}M$ ACh. The relaxation by sample G was as much as by $10^{-5}M$ ACh. The two higher relaxation were showed at sample H, $99.4{\pm}16.0%$ and J, $95.7{\pm}7.2%$, and their relaxation against contraction reaction by PhE were near 100%. Experiment by sample I was not performed for lack of sample amount.