• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제27권6호
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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.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제27권5호
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• pp.602-610
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• 2013

This study was aimed to evaluate the cavernosal relaxation effect of Crataegii fructus(CF) in the contracted rabbit penile corpus cavernosum by agonists.In order to study the effect of CF on the vasoconstriction of rabbit penile corpus cavernosum, isolated rabbit penile corpus cavernosum tissues were used for the experiment using organ baths containing Krebs solution.To investigate the cavernosal relaxation of CF, CF extract at $0.01{\sim}3.0mg/m{\ell}$ was added after penile corpus cavernosum were contracted by norepinephrine(NE) $1{\mu}M$. To analyze the mechanism of CF's vasorelaxation, CF extract infused into contracted penile tissues by NE after each treatment of indomethacin(IM), $N{\omega}$-nitro-L-arginine(L-NNA), methylene blue(MB), tetraethylammonium chloride(TEA).To study the effect of CF on influx of extracellular calcium chloride($Ca^{2+}$) in penile tissues, in $Ca^{2+}$-free krebs solution, $Ca^{2+}$ 1 mM infused into contracted penile tissues by NE after pretreatment of CF. Cytotoxic activity of CF on human umbilical vein endothelial cell(HUVEC) was measured by MTT assay, and nitric oxide(NO) prodution was measured by Griess reagent. CF relaxed cavernosal strip with endothelium contracted by NE, but in the strips without endothelium, CF-induced relaxation was significantly inhibited. The pretreatment of L-NNA, MB, TEA decreased significantly on the cavernosal relaxation than not-treatment of them. But the pretreatment of IM had no significant effect on the cavernosal relaxation. In $Ca^{2+}$-free krebs solution, when $Ca^{2+}$ infused into contracted penile tissues by NE, pretreatment of CF inhibit contraction induced by adding $Ca^{2+}$.NO production wasn't increased by treatment of CF on HUVEC. This findings showed that CF is effective for the relaxation of rabbit penile corpus cavernosum, and we suggest that CF relax rabbit corpus cavernosal smooth muscle through multiple action mechanisms that include increasing the release of nitric oxide from corporal sinusoidal endothelium, inhibition of $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization into cytosol from the extracellular fluid, and maybe a hyperpolarizing action.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.339-343
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• 1996

The effect of ginseng on the reactivity of penile corpus cavernosal smooth muscle strips of rabbits was investigated to support the clinical application of ginseng for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into two groups, normal diet group (n=9) and ginseng saponin diet group (n=5). Then, each group was fed normal diet and Korean red ginseng saponin diet (50 mg/kg/day) for 10 weeks. We measured concentration dependent relaxation of corporal smooth muscle to acetylcholine (10-8 M to 10-4M) in organ chamber. The degree of relaxation was expressed as percentage of maximal relaxation obtained by papaverine (10-4M). Dose dependent relaxation of corpus cavernosal smooth muscle to acetylcholine, at the concentration of 10-8 M to 10-4M by half log increment, was 4.06$\pm$0.00, 4.30$\pm$1.30, 5.32$\pm$0.68, 11.64$\pm$1.74, 16.24$\pm$1.61, 23.33$\pm$ 2.29, 26.45$\pm$2.25, 30.43$\pm$2.40 and 33.41 $\pm$2.48 (%), respectively in normal diet group and 9. 83$\pm$4.15, 20.60$\pm$4.62, 24.1815.12, 35.75$\pm$5.71, 43.35$\pm$6.11, 51.30$\pm$6.22, 56.33$\pm$6.22, 54.30$\pm$4.17 and 51.98$\pm$3.92 (Vc), respectively in ginseng group. These data suggest that ginseng enhances ondothelium-dependent acetylcholine-induced relaxation of penile corpus cal.ernosal smooth muscle in rabbits.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.98-103
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• 1997

On the precontracted rabbit cavernosal muscle strips with phenylephrine ($5\ast10^{-6}$M), Increasing concentrations of acetylcholine (10-7, 10-6, 10-5, 10-4M) showed relaxation effect dose-dependently in control group ($10^{-7}$M : 15.32%, $10^{-6}$M : 35.44%, 10-5M : 59.45%, 10-4M : 76.54%). After 3 months administering Korean red ginseng, the relaxation action of acetylcholine was significantly increased ($10^{-7}$M : 34.18%, $10^{-6}$M : 56.35%, $10^{-5}$M : 75.33%, $10^{-4}$M : 89.86%). Relaxation effect of Korean red ginseng was significantly increased after 3 months administering Korean red ginseng. Intracavernous pressure response to electrostimulation wan 107.52 cm$H_2O$ in control group and significantly increased to 138.34 cm $H_2O$ after 3 month administering Korean red ginseng. With these results, we can confirm that long-term administration of Korean red ginseng enhances the erectly capacity and that its action is mediated by endothelium derived relaxing factor and peripheral neurophysiologic enhancement.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.257-262
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• 2015

It is well known that cigarette smoke can cause erectile dysfunction by affecting the penile vascular system. However, the exact effects of nicotine on the corpus cavernosum remains poorly understood. Nicotine has been reported to cause relaxation of the corpus cavernosum; it has also been reported to cause both contraction and relaxation. Therefore, high concentrations of nicotine were studied in strips from the rabbit corpus cavernosum to better understand its effects. The proximal penile corpus cavernosal strips from male rabbits weighing approximately 4 kg were used in organ bath studies. Nicotine in high concentrations ($10^{-5}{\sim}10^{-4}M$) produced dose-dependent contractions of the corpus cavernosal strips. The incubation with $10^{-5}M$ hexamethonium (nicotinic receptor antagonist) significantly inhibited the magnitude of the nicotine associated contractions. The nicotine-induced contractions were not only significantly inhibited by pretreatment with $10^{-5}M$ indomethacin (nonspecific cyclooxygenase inhibitor) and with $10^{-6}M$ NS-398 (selective cyclooxygenase inhibitor), but also with $10^{-6}M$ Y-27632 (Rho kinase inhibitor). Ozagrel (thromboxane $A_2$ synthase inhibitor) and SQ-29548 (highly selective TP receptor antagonist) pretreatments significantly reduced the nicotine-induced contractile amplitude of the strips. High concentrations of nicotine caused contraction of isolated rabbit corpus cavernosal strips. This contraction appeared to be mediated by activation of nicotinic receptors. Rho-kinase and cyclooxygenase pathways, especially cyclooxygenase-2 and thromboxane $A_2$, might play a pivotal role in the mechanism associated with nicotine-induced contraction of the rabbit corpus cavernosum.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.133-138
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• 1996

Rabbit corpus cavernosal smooth muscle strips submaximally precontracted with phenylephrine (5$\times$$10^6$ M) and treated with increasing concentrations of Korean ginseng (1, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 mg/ml) showed tension decrease concentration-dependently (1 mg/ml: 1.7%, 5 mg/ml: 10.2%, 10 mg/ml: 22.7%, 20 mg/ml: 44.0%, 30 mg/ml: 65.2%, 40 mg/ml: 95.6%). Relaxations to Korean ginseng were inhibited significantly by endothelial disruption, by pretreatment with methylene blue, pyrogallol, L-NNA and atropine. Pretreatment of the muscle strips with ginseng caused concentration-related inhibition of a phenylephrine induced contraction, and in calcium-free high potassium depolarizing solution, decreased basal tension as well as inhibited contraction induced by Caclr. Korean ginseng also produced the reduction of responses to depolarizing medium(50, 40, 60 mM KCI). With these results we can confirm the relaxation effect of ginseng at a dose dependent on the cavernosal smooth muscle and suggest that its action is mediated by multiple action mechanisms that include increasing the release of nitric oxide from the corporal sinusoids. Increasing intracellular calcium sequestration, and a hyperpolarizating action.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제40권4호
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• pp.334-343
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• 2016

Background: Progressed tissue culture techniques have allowed us to easily obtain mass products of tissue-cultured mountain ginseng over 100 yr old (TCMG-100). We investigated the effects of TCMG-100 extract on erectile function using in vitro and in vivo studies. Methods: To examine the relaxation effects and mechanisms of action of TCMG-100 on rabbit cavernosal strips evaluated in an organ bath. To investigate the long-term treatment effect of TCMG-100, 8-wk administration was performed. After administration of TCMG-100, intracavernosal pressure, cyclic guanosine monophosphate and nitric oxide (NO) levels of cavernosal tissue, serum testosterone level, histological observation of collagen fiber, endothelium, smooth muscle cell, and transforming growth factor-${\beta}1$ were investigated. Results: TCMG-100 extract displayed dose-dependent relaxation effects on precontracted rabbit corporal smooth muscle. The TCMG-100-induced relaxation was significantly reduced by removing the endothelium, and treatment with an NO synthase inhibitor or NO scavenger. Eight weeks of TCMG-100 administration increased intracavernosal pressure in a rat model. The levels of cyclic guanosine monophosphate and NO in the corpus callosum and serum testosterone level were also increased by TCMG-100 treatment. Furthermore, histological evaluation of collagen, smooth muscle, and endothelium showed increases in endothelium and smooth muscle, and a decrease in transforming growth factor-${\beta}1$ expression. Conclusion: These relaxation effects on corporal smooth muscle and increased erectile function suggest that TCMG-100 might be used as an alternative herbal medicine to improve erectile function.

• 약학회지
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.370-380
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• 1997

The role of nitric oxide (NO) on the non-adrenergic non-cholinergic (NANC) relaxations induced by the short and prolonged electrical field stimulation (EFS) has been studied in the rabbit corpus cavernosum. In the presence of atropine and guanethidine the prolonged EFS (2-16 Hz) of corpus cavernosal strips precontracted with phenylephrine produced frequency-dependent relaxations, which were abolished by tetrodotoxin as shown in the relaxations induced gy the short EFS, indicating that their orgin is NANC nerve stimulation. $N^G$-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), inhibitor of nitirc oxide synthase, caused a concentration-dependent inhibition to the NANC relaxation, and at 100 M L-NNA the relaxation were virtually abolished. The inhibitory effect of L-NNA was reversed by L-arginine. Hemoglobin abolished the relaxations to NO and also caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of the NANC relaxation. The hemoglobin-resistant relaxation induced by EFS was eliminated by L-NNA. Methylene blue significantly reduced the NANC relaxation in a conentration-dependent manner. The NANC relaxation was not affected by a VIP-inactivating pepridase, alpha0chymotrypsin, whereas VIP-induced relaxation was completely abolished. NO- and VIP-induced relaxation were not affected by L-NNA. These results indicate that the NANC relaxation induced by prolonged EFS of the rabbit corpus cavernosum is mediated by NO-guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate pathway as shown in the relaxation induced by the short EFS, and that VIP release is not essential for the NANC relaxation of the rabbit corpus cavernosum and VIP is not involved the generation fo NO.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.13-20
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• 1999

사포닌 함량과 PD계 사포닌과 PT계 사포닌의 조성 비율이 상이한 사포닌 분획물 TS-1, TS-2, TS-3 즉 주종 ginsenoside의 총함량$(G-Rb_1,\;-Rb_2,\;-Rc,\;-Rd,\;G-Re,\;-Rf,\;-Rg_1)$은 각각 $41\%,40\%,62\%$이고, PD계 사포닌과 PT계 사포닌의 함유 조성비율(PD/PT)이 각각 1.55, 2.25, 2.61인 시료를 6년근 홍삼으로부터 추출 제조하여, 생체외 실험으로 음경해면체 절편에 대한 이완반응과 생체내 실험으로 사포닌분획물 투여에 따른 음경 해면체내압의 변화에 미치는 효과를 조사하였다. PHE에 의해 수축된 음경해면체 절편에 대한 이완 반응은 홍삼 사포닌은 각각 농도 의존적 이완작용을 보였으며, 음경 해면체평활근의 이완작용에 있어 각 분획물의 $ED_{50}$은 TS-1이 1.68, TS-2, 1.97, TS-3, 2.29 mg/ml서 TS-1이 가장 의의있게 낮았다. 이러한 홍삼 사포닌 분획물의 이완효과 기전은 음경 해면체평활근에 NO나 칼슘 및 칼륨 통로 등에 영향을 미쳐 복합적인 이완작용을 보이는 것으로 사료되었다. 흰쥐를 이용한 생체내 실험으로 홍삼 사포닌 투여에 따른 음경해면체내압의 변화 조사에서 각 사포닌 분획물은 농도의존적으로 해면체내압의 증가를 야기시켰다. 이들 해면체내압의 증가 정도는 TS-1이 가장 강하였고,TS-2,TS-3 순이었다. 이상의 결과로부터 홍삼의 사포닌 분획물은 음경해면체평활근의 이완작용과 내압의 증가에 영향을 미쳐 음경발기의 상승을 야기시키는 효과가 있으며 그 효과는 그 함유 조성에 따라 차별성이 있다는 것이 확인되었으므로 금후 주요 활성성분의 구명이 요망되고 있다.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
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• 제35권7호
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• pp.847-852
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• 2006

KH204가 음경해면체 이완과 생식기능에 미치는 영향을 규명하기 위해 효능을 실험한 결과 토끼의 음경해면체를 $1{\times}10^{-6}M$ pheylephrine으로 수축시킨 후 KH204를 61, 183 및 549 mg/L의 축적용량으로 처리하여 각각 6.8, 10.1 및 16%의 용량의존적인 이완효과를 관찰하였다. 흰쥐를 이용한 생식기능 실험은 KH204를 61, 183 및 549 mg/kg으로 10주간 장기투여에서 생식장기인 고환조직의 중량 및 정자수 증가에 유의한 효과를 나타내었다. 정자 형태검사는 대조군과 비슷한 수치로 나타내어 고농도로 장기투여에도 정자군과 비슷한 수치로 나타내어 고농도로 장기투여에도 정자 기형에 문제가 없음을 확인하였다. 이상의 결과로 KH204가 특별한 부작용이 없이 음경해면체를 농도의존적으로 이완시키는 효과가 있어, 음경발기를 개선시키는 효과뿐만 아니라 고환성 원인 또는 정자생산 기능부전으로 보이는 남성불임에서 또한 효능이 있음을 시사하였다.