• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.35-38
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• 1997

We investigated the effects of ginseng protopanaxadiol (PD) and protopanaxatriol (PT) saponins on the spontaneous contractility of intestine. Treatment with PD saponins showed a slight inhibition of spontaneous contraction of rabbit jejunum. In contrast, PT saponins showed much larger inhibition with dose-dependent manner in a range of 25~250 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml. The inhibitory effect by PT saponins was not desensitized with continuous presence of PT saponins for several minutes. In addition, leu-enkephalin (1 PM) also inhibited the spontaneous contraction of rabbit jejunum but the in- hibition by leu-enkephalin was desensitized rapidly. The presence of PT saponins prevented the desenstization induced by leu-enkephalin. In conclusion, we found that PT saponins exert inhibition of spontaneous contractility of rabbit jejunum and the pattern of inhibition is different from that of opioid.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.200-205
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• 1998

Isolated rabbit jejunal segments were used to study the effects of ginseng total saponins (GTS) , protopanaxatriol saponins (PT) and protopanaxadiol saponins (PD) on intestinal contractility. GTS, PT and PD caused a dose-dependent decrease in intestinal spontaneous movements, and PT was the most efficacious of them. The effect of GTS, PT and PD were not blocked by pretreatment with phentolamine (10-6 M), yohimbine (10-6 M), d1-propranolol (10-6 M), naloxone(10-6∼10-5M), Nu-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (10-4 M), methylene blue (10-5M), and N-ethylmaleimide (10-4 M). However, pretreatment with tetraethylammonium chloride (3-10 mM) antagonized the effect of GTS, PT and PD. Furthermore, 4-amlnopyridine (1 mM) also inhibited the effect of GTS, PT and PD. The results suggest that GTS, PT and PD inhibited the spontaneous movements in isolated rebait jejunum by causing hyperpolarization through an activation of K+ channels directly.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.192-198
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• 1986

The present study was undertaken to see an interaction of dopamine and cholecystokinin on spontaneous contractility of the small intestine including the duodenal bulb. A possible neural mechanism of the interaction was alto examined. The spontaneous isometric contractility of a segment of the duodenal bulb, duodenum, jejunum and ileum obtained from the rabbit anesthetized with ether was recorded in a chamber filled with Krebs-Ringer's solution. The solution was constantly kept at $37^{\circ}C$ and aerated with $O_2$ containing 5% $CO_2$. After 20 min from beginning of the contraction, dopamine $(10^{-4}M)$, CCK-8($10^{-8}M$), domperidone($10^{-5}M$) and tetrodotoxin ($10^{-6}M$) were administered into the chamber The following results were obtained by analyzing changes in the contractility of the intestinal segments. 1) Dopamine inhibited the spontaneous contractility of the duodenal bulb, duodenum, jejunum and ileum. The inhibitory action of dopamine on all parts of the small intestine except the ileum was reduced by tetrodotoxin. 2) Domperidone knwon to be a specific peripheral dopamine receptor antagonist blocked the inhibitory action of dopamine on all parts of the small intestine. The antagonistic action of domperidone on all parts of the small intestine except the ileum was completely abolished by tetrodotoxin. 3) CCK-8 reduced the inhibitory action of dopamine on all parts of the small intestine. The effect of CCK-8 on the dopamine action was diminished by tetrodotoxin. These results suggest that dopamine inhibits the spontaneous contractility of the small intestine including the duodenal bulb and CCK-8 reduces the inhibitory action of dopamine through the enteric nervous system.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.129-136
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• 1992

The effects of $Cd^{2+}$ on spontaneous contraction, and the contractures induced by $0mM\;Na^+,\;60mM\;K^+\;and\;10^{-6}\;M$ acetylcholine, 1mM caffeine were studied in order to elucidate diverse actions of $Cd^{2+}$ on the $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization related with contractility in the antral circular muscle of guinea pig stomach. $Cd^{2+}$ inhibited the spontaneous contraction in a does dependent manner $(10^{-6}\;M\;10^{-4}\;M).\;Cd^{2+}\;(3{\times}10^{-5}M)$ suppressed 60 mM $K^+$ induced contracture composed or a phasic and a tonic response and the increased tonic response by the increased external $Ca^{2+}$ concentration. $Cd^{2+}$ also suppressed acetylcholine induced contracture composed of repetitive phasic and a tonic component and the increased tonic response by the increased external $Ca^{2+}$ concentration. Caffeine in the concentration of 1mM evoked contracture but $Cd^{2+}$ suppressed the contracture. $Cd^{2+}$ suppressed the amplitude of the $Na^+$ tee contracture dose dependently and the amplitude of $Na^+$ free contracture almost decreased to 20% of control amplitude in the concentration of $10^{-4}\;M\;Cd^{2+}$. From the above results, it is suggested that $Cd^{2+}$ may inhibit not only $Ca^{2+}$ influx via voltage sensitive, receptor operated $Ca^{2+}$ channel and Na/ca exchange but also intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum in the antral circular muscle of guinea pig stomach.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.35-46
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• 1987

It has been well known that estrogens stimulate the uterine contractility and progestins inhibit it. Then, one may expect that the uterine contractility and sensitivities to oxytocin (OT) and prostaglandin $F_{2{\alpha}}\;(PGF_{2{\alpha}})$ would be different among the estrus cycle. These hypotheses were tested using the mature female rat. Spontaneous isometric contractions of isolated uterine strips $(1{\times}0.3\;cm)$ from cyclic rats in various stages of the estrus cycle, bilateral ovarectomized rats and hypophysectomized rats were recorded in absence or presence with $estradiol-17{\beta}\;(E_2)$, progesterone $(P_4)$, OT and $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$. The results were summarized as follows: 1) The spontaneous uterine contractile force was the highest in the estrus rat and the lowest in the ovarectomized or the hypophysectomized rat. In the proestrus rat, the contractile frequency was the lowest (2.7 beats/10 min) and the contractile duration was the longest (70 sec). In the other groups, there were no any differencies in frequency (9 beats/10 min) and in duration (30 sec). 2) OT and $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ stimulated the uterine contractility in all groups tested except in the hypophysectomized rat in which OT failed to stimulate the uterine contraction. $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ was more effective in stimulating the uterine contraction than OT in all groups tested except in the estrus rat. OT-induced contraction was the highest in the estrus rat and $PGF_{2{\alpha}}-induced$ contraction was the lowest in the hypophysectomized rat. 3) Uterine contractilities were not changed by the in vitro treatments of $E_2$ or $P_4$ under the influence of endogenous steroids, however, $E_2$ and $P_4$ stimulated the uterine contraction in the ovarectomized rat in which endogenous steroids were almost abolished. 4) Increased uterine contraction by the treatment of OT was suppressed by in vitro $E_2$ or $P_4$ in the estrus rat, while it was potentiated by the $P_4$ in the proestrus rat. In other groups, exogenous $E_2$ or $P_4$ did not affect the OT-induced uterine contraction. 5) $PGF_{2{\alpha}}-induced$ uterine contraction was suppressed in the ovarectomized rat by $E_2$ and $P_4$, in the diestrus and proestrus rats by $P_4$ and in the hypophysectomized rat by $E_2$. In other groups, exogenous $E_2$ or $P_4$ was ineffective in altering the $PGF_{2{\alpha}}-induced$ uterine contraction. According to the above results, it may conclude that the mechanisms of the different uterine contractility and the different uterine sensitivity to OT or $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ according to the estrus cycle are not explicable with only the serum concentrations of steroids, OT and $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ but also other unknown factors.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.359-381
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• 1992

This study was designed to investigate the effect of diazepam on the spontaneous contraction and oxytocin induced contraction of the isolated rat uterus. Female rat(Sprague-Dawley) pretreated with oophorectomy and 4 days administration of estrogen, weighing about 200 g, was sacrificed by cervical dislocation, and the uteruses were isolated. A longitudinal muscle strip was placed in temperature controlled($37^{\circ}C$) muscle chamber containing Locke's solution and myographied isometrically. Diazepam inhibited the spontaneous contraction and oxytocin induced contraction of the isolated rat uterus in a concentration-dependent manner. GABA, muscimol, a GABA A receptor agonist, bicuculline, a competitive GAGA A receptor antagonist, picrotoxin, a non competitive GABA A receptor antagonist, baclofen, a GABA B receptor agonist, and delta-aminovaleric acid, a GABA B receptor antagonist, did not affect on the spontaneous and oxytocin induced contraction of the isolated rat uterus. The inhibitory actions of diazepam on the spontaneous and oxytocin induced contraction were not affected by all the GABA receptor agonists and antagonists, but exceptionally potentiated by bicuculline. This potentiation-effect by bicuculline was not antagonized by muscimol. In normal calcium PSS, addition of calcium restored the spontaneous contraction preinhibited by diazepam and recovered the contractile of oxytocin preinhibited by diazepam. A23187, a calcium inophore, enhanced the restoration of both the spontaneous and oxytocin induced contraction by addition of calcium. In calcium-free PSS, diazepam suppressed the restoration of spontaneous motility by addition of calcium but allowed the recovery of spontaneous motility to a considerable extent. Diazepam could not inhibit some development of contractility by oxytocin in calcium-free PSS, but inhibited the increase in contractility by subsequent addition of calcium. These results suggest that the inhibitory action of diazepam on the rat uterine motility does not depend on or related to GABA receptors and that diazepam inhibits the extracellular calcium influx to suppress the spontaneous and oxytocin induced contractilities.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.241-249
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• 2009

Although extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ entry through the voltage-dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channels plays an important role in the spontaneous phasic contractions of the pregnant rat myometrium, the role of the T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels has yet to be fully identified. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel in the spontaneous phasic contractions of the rat myometrium. Spontaneous phasic contractions and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ were measured simultaneously in the longitudinal strips of female Sprague-Dawley rats late in their pregnancy (on day 18 ${\sim}$ 20 of gestation: term=22 days). The expression of T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel mRNAs or protein levels was measured. Cumulative addition of low concentrations (< 1 ${\mu}M$) of nifedipine, a L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel blocker, produced a decrease in the amplitude of the spontaneous $Ca^{2+}$ transients and contractions with no significant change in frequency. The mRNAs and proteins encoding two subunits (${\alpha}$ 1G, ${\alpha}$ 1H) of the T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels were expressed in longitudinal muscle layer of rat myometrium. Cumulative addition of mibefradil, NNC 55-0396 or nickel induced a concentration-dependent inhibition of the amplitude and frequency of the spontaneous $Ca^{2+}$ transients and contractions. Mibefradil, NNC 55-0396 or nickel also attenuated the slope of rising phase of spontaneous $Ca^{2+}$ transients consistent with the reduction of the frequency. It is concluded that T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels are expressed in the pregnant rat myometrium and may play a key role for the regulation of the frequency of spontaneous phasic contractions.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.361-368
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• 1998

The spontaneous contractions of gastric smooth muscles are regulated by slow waves, which are modulated by both nervous system and humoral agents. This study was designed to examine the effects of prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) on the contractile and electrical activities of antral smooth muscles in guinea-pig stomach, using an intracellular recording technique. To elucidate the underlying mechanism for its effect on contractility, ionic currents were also measured using a whole-cell patch clamp method. The basal tone by $PGE_2$ was variable, whereas the magnitude of phasic contractions was reduced ($19.0{\pm}2.1%$, n=19). The resting membrane potentials were hyperpolarized ($-4.4{\pm}0.5%$ mV, n=10), and plateau potentials were lowered ($-2.9{\pm}0.5%$ mV, n=10). In most cases, however, the initial peak potentials of slow waves were depolarized more by $PGE_2$ than those of control. The frequency of the slows wave was increased from $5.7{\pm}0.2$ cycles/min to $6.5{\pm}0.2$ (n=22). Voltage-operated $Ca^{2+}$ currents were decreased by $PGE_2$ (n=5). Voltage-operated $K^+$ currents, both Ca-dependent and Ca-independent, were increased (n=5). These results suggest that $PGE_2$ plays an important role in the modulation of gastric smooth muscle activities, and its inhibitory effects on the contractility and activities of slow waves are resulted from both decrease of $Ca^{2+}$ currents and increase of $K^+$ currents.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.103-107
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• 1983

This experiment was undertaken to see whether dopamine has any effect on a uterine function and whether the uterus has a dopamine receptor. We used 14 female rats in the diestrus state which was identified by a vaginal smear. Under ether anesthesia, 3 pieces(1 cm length) from each side of the uterus were dissected out and mounted in 3 tissue chambers (4 cm diameter, 10 cm height) that contained Krebs-Ringer solution. The solution was continuously aerated with 95% $O_2$ containing 5% $CO_2$ and kept $37^{\circ}C$ consistantly during the whole experimental period. The spontaneous contractile activity of the isolated uterus was recorded using a force transducer. After a recovery period of 15 min in the chamber, the following experiments were carried out. In 7 rats, each piece of the uterus was received dopamine at concentrations of $10^{-4}$, $10^{-5}$ or $10^{-6}\;M$ for 10 min and then followed by domperidone at a concentration of $10^{-5}\;M$. In another 7 rats, each piece was received domperidone, a specific peripheral dopamine receptor antagonist, was administered at a concentration of $10^{-5}\;M$ for 5 min prior to dopamine at concentrations of $10^{-4}$, $10^{-5}$, or $10^{-6}\;M$. Dopamine inhibited the spontaneous uterine contraction dose-dependently (r=0.99, p<.01). The inhibited contractility by dopomine was significantly (P<.05) resumed by post-treatment of domperidone. Pre-treatment of domperidone also blocked significantly(p<.05) the inhibitory effect of dopamine. It is concluded from these results that dopamine has inhibitory role upon the spontaneous uterine contraction of the rat in the diestrus state and domperidone antagonized the inhibitory effect of dopamine. These results suggest strongly that dopamine may exert the inhibitory effect via the dopamine receptor in the rat uterus.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.452-464
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• 1990

It is well known that extracellular Calcium plays a very important role in several steps of smooth muscle excitability and contractility, and there have been many concerns about factors influencing the distribution of extracellular Ca++ and the Ca++ flux through the cell membrane of the smooth muscle. Based on the assumption that Mg++ may also play an important role in the excitation and contraction processes of the smooth muscle by taking part in affecting Ca++ distribution and flux, many researches are being performed about the exact role of Mg++, especially in the vascular smooth muscle. But yet the effect of Mg++ in the smooth muscle activity is not clarified, and moreover the mechanism of Mg++ action is almost completely unknown. Present study attempted to clarify the effect of Mg++ on the excitability and contractility in the multiunit and unitary smooth muscle, and the mechanism concerned in it. The preparations used were the guinea-pig aortic strip as the experimental material of the multiunit smooth muscle and the rat uterine strip as the one of the unitary smooth muscle. The tissues were isolated from the sacrificed animal and were prepared for recording the isometric contraction. The effects of Mg++ and Ca++ were examined on the electrically driven or spontaneous contraction of the preparations. And the effects of these ions were also studied on the K+ or norepinephrine contracture. All experiments were performed in tris-buffered Tyrode solution which was aerated with 100% 02 and kept at 35oC. The results obtained were as follows: 1] Mg++ suppressed the phasic contraction induced by electrical field stimulation dose-dependently in the guinea-pig aortic strip, while the high concentration of Ca++ never recovered the decreased tension. These phenomena were not changed by the a - or b - adrenergic blocker. 2]Mg++ played the suppressing effect on the low concentration [20 and 40 mM] of K+-contracture in the aortic muscle, but the effect was not shown in the case of 100mM K+-contracture. 3] Mg++ also suppressed the contracture induced by norepinephrine in the aortic preparation. And the effect of Mg++ was most prominent in the contracture by the lowest [10 mM] concentration of norepinephrine. 4] In both the spontaneous and electrically driven contractions of the uterine strip, Mg++ decreased the amplitude of peak tension, and by the high concentration of Ca++ the amplitude of tension was recovered unlike the aortic muscle. 5] The frequency of the uterine spontaneous contraction increased as the [Ca++] / [Mg++] ratio increased up to 2, but the frequency decreased above this level. 6] Mg++ decreased the tension of the low[20 and 40mM] K+-contracture in the uterine smooth muscle, but the effect did not appear in the 100mM K+-contracture. From the above results, the following conclusion could be made. 1] Mg++ seems to suppress the contractility directly by acting on the smooth muscle itself, besides through the indirect action on the nerve terminal, in both the aortic and uterine smooth muscles. 2] The fact that the depressant effect of Mg++ on the K+-contracture is in inverse proportion to an increase of K+ concentration appears resulted from the extent of the opening state of the Ca++ channel. 3] Mg++ may play a depressant role on both the potential dependent and the receptor-operated Ca++ channels. 4] The relationship between the actions of Mg++ and Ca++ seems to be competitive in uterine muscle and non-competitive in aortic strip.