• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.730-734
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• 2006

Aqueous extracts of medicinal plants traditionally used in the East Asia such as China, Korea, and Japan were screened for inotropic activity using isolated rabbit atria. Among the twenty-one aqueous-extracts from medicinal plants, the aqueous extracts of Convallaria keiskei(ACK) and rhizome of Coptis chinesis (ACC) were found to exhibit distinctive positive inotropic activity. The aqueous extracts of C. keiskei and rhizome of C. chinensis significantly increased atrial stroke volume and pulse pressure in beating rabbit atria. These findings suggest that the aqueous extracts of C. keiskei and rhizome of C. chinensis enhance the cardiac muscle contractility and then could be useful for the treatment of cardiac failure.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.203-216
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• 1995

The effects of ${\alpha}_1-adrenergic$ receptor stimulation on membrane potential, intracellular $Na^+$ activity, and twitch force were investigated in ventricular muscles from guinea-pig hearts. Action potentials, intracellular $Na^+$ activity, and twitch force of ventricular papillary muscles were measured simultaneously under various experimental conditions. Stimulation of the ${\alpha}_1-adrenergic$ receptor by phenylephrine produced variable changes in action potential duration, a slight hyperpolarization of the diastolic membrane potential, a decrease in intracellular $Na^+$ activity, and a biphasic inotropic response in which a transient negative inotropic response was followed by a sustained positive inotropic response. These changes were blocked by prazosin, an antagonist of the ${\alpha}_1-adrenergic$ receptor, but not by atenolol, an antagonist of the ${\beta}-adrenergic$ receptor. This indicates that the changes in membrane potential, intracellular $Na^+$ activity, and twitch force are mediated by stimulation of the ${\alpha}_1-adrenergic$ receptor, but not by stimulation of ${\beta}-adrenergic$ receptor. The decrease in intracellular $Na^+$ activity was not observed in quiescent muscles, depending on the rate of the action pontentials in beating muscles. The intracellular $Na^+$ activity decrease was substantially inhibited by tetrodotoxin. However, the decrease in intracellular $Na^+$ activity was not affected by an inhibition of the $Na^+-K^+$ pump. Therefore, the decrease in intracellular $Na^+$ activity mediated by the ${\alpha}_1-adrenergic$ receptor appears to be due to a reduction of $Na^+$ influx during the action potential, perhaps through tetrodotoxin sensitive $Na^+$ channels. Our study also revealed that the decrease in intracellular $Na^+$ activity might be related to the transient negative inotropic response. The intracellular $Na^+$ activity decrease could lower intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ through the $Na^+-Ca^{2+}$ exchanger and thereby produce a decline in twitch force.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.189-199
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• 1996

Myocardial ${\alpha}_1-adrenoceptors$ have been shown to mediate a biphaslc inotropic response that was characterized by a transient decline followed by a sustained increasing phase in guinea pig ventricular muscle. Recently one group reported that an ${\alpha}_1-adrenoceptors-induced$ intracellular $Na^+$ decrease is linked to fast $Na^+$ channel inhibition and another group reported that it is linked to $Na^+$-$K^+$ pump activation by ${\alpha}_{1b}-adrenoceptors$. But until now, its mechanism is not clear. Therefore, to see whether the $Na^+$channel or $Na^+-K^+$ pump is related to a decrease in intracellular $Na^+$ activity and/or the negative inotropic response, and which ${\alpha}_1-adrenoceptor$ subtype was involved in the decrease in intracellular $Na^+$activity by phenylephrine, we used conventional and sodium selective microelectrodes, and tension transducer to determine the effects of ${\alpha}_1-adrenergic$ stimulation on membrane potential, intracellular $Na^+$ activity, and twitch force in guinea pig ventricular muscles. $10^{-5}$ M Phenylephrine produced a slight hyperpolarization of the diastolic membrane potential, a decrease or increase in $a_N^i_a$, and a biphasic inotropic response. The negative inotropic response accompanied by a decrease in intracellular $Na^+$activity, whereas in muscles showing a remarkable positive inotropic response without initial negative inotropic effect was accompanied by an increase in intracellular $Na^+$ activity. The decrease in intracellular $Na^+$ activity was apparently inhibited by WB4101, an antagonist of the ${\alpha}_{1a}-adrenoceptors$. The decrease in intracellular $Na^+$ activity caused by phenylephrine was not abolished or reduced by a block of the fast $Na^+$ channels. $V_{max}$ also was not affected by phenylephrine. Phenylephrine produced an increase in intracellular $Na^+$ activity in the presence of a high concentration of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ (in quiescent muscle) or phorbol dibutyrate, a protein kinase C activator(in beating muscle). These suggest that the ${\alpha}_{1a}-adrenoceptors-mediated$ decrease in intracellular $Na^+$ activity may be related to the protein kinase C.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.175-183
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• 1986

Since it was proposed that vanadate may be an ‘ideal endogenous regulator of the $Na^+,\;K^+-ATPase$ activity (Cantley et at, 1979), vanadate has been a subject of intensive research and a variety of its physiological effects have been described (Nechay, 1984). In isolated guinea pig heart muscle vanadate shows a positive inotropic effect on ventricular muscle, while it induces a negative inotropic effect on atrial muscle. But its underlying mechanism has not been elucidated so far. Therefore, in this study the flux rates of calcium ion into and from guinea pig heart muscle were measured to throw some light on the underlying mechanism, because those rates have been known to be closely related to the cardiac contractility and the results are summarized as follows: 1) Calcium efflux rates from the intracellular $Ca^{++}$ pool (compartment 4) of both guinea pig left atrium and right ventricle were significantly reduced by vanadate and their pool sizes were significantly increased by vanadate. 2) The magnitude of calcium influx into left atrium was reduced by vanadate, While the magnitude of calcium influx into right ventricle was not affected by vanadate. From these results, it may be concluded that the positive inotropic effect of vanadate on the ventricular muscle was due to a reduced efflux rate of calcium ion and its negative inotropic effect on atrial muscle was resulted from a reduced influx of calcium ion.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 1976

Aconiti tuber butanol fraction shows positive inotropic effect on the isolated atrium of rabbit heart. To investigate the mechanism, the effect on microsomal ATPase activity of rabbit heart is observed. The microsomal fraction which contains the $Na^+$- and $K^+$-activated ATPase in the presence of $Mg^{++}$ is isolated from the left ventricle of rabbit heart. The microsomal ATPase activity is maximally stimulated at $Na^+$ and $K^+$ concentration of 100 mM and 10 mM respectively. Microsomal $Na^+-K^+$-activated ATPase is inhibited by ouabain and Aconiti tuber butanol fraction. Ouabain and Aconiti tuber butanol fraction depress $Na^+$-stimulation on microsomal ATPase activity, and the inhibitory effects are not completely reversed at $Na^+$ concentration of 300 mM. Also, $K^+$-stimulation on microsomal ATPase activity is inhibited by ouabin and Aconiti tuber butanol fraction and the inhibitions are not compeletely reversed at $K^+$ concentration of 30 mM. It is, therefore, suggested that the inhibitory effect of Aconiti tuber butanol fraction on the microsomal ATPase activity may contribute to leading to the positive inotropic effect.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.272-279
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• 1986

This study was conducted about the effect of Shihogesikungang-tang on the central nervous system and cardiovascular system for the investigation of its clinical effect based on the Oriental medicinal references. The results of this study were summerized as follows; Analgesic activity as evaluated by the writhing syndrome in mice was significantly noted. A decrease effect of the spontaneous movement as estimated by wheel cage method, muscle relaxant effect as evaluated by the rotor rod method and the prolonged effect of sleeping time induced by thiopental-Na were significantly shown in mice. A antipyretic activity in febrile rats induced by the endotoxin was recognized. Anti-inflammatory effect in carrageen-induced paw edema in rats was significantly noted. Negative inotropic action on the isolated heart of frogs was noted. A vasodilative action in rabbits peripheral blood vessels and hypotension in anesthetized rabbits were remarkably recognized.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.199-209
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• 1993

The effects of ${\alpha}_1$-adrenergic stimulation on membrane potential, intracellular sodium activity $(a_N{^i{_a}})$, and contractility were investigated in the isolated papillary muscle of euthyroid, hyperthyroid, and hypothyroid guinea pigs. Cardiac alterations in the thyroid state have been shown to induce marked changes in action potential characteristics, the most pronounced shortening of action potential duration by hyperthyroidism and an increase in duration by hypothyroidism. $10^{-5}M$ Phenylephrine produced a decrease in $(a_N{^i{_a}})$ in euthyroid and hypothyroid preparations, but an increase in $(a_N{^i{_a}})$ in hyperthyroid ones. The major findings were that phenylephrine produced a stronger positive inotropic effect(PIE) without initial negative inotropic effect(NIE) in hyperthyroid preparations, while phenylephrine produced markedly NIE in hypothyroid ones. The alterations in membrane potential, $(a_N{^i{_a}})$, and contractility were abolished by $3{\times}10^{-5}M$ prazosin in hypothyroidism. In hypothyroid ventricular muscle, the decrease in $(a_N{^i{_a}})$ caused by phenylephrine were not abolished or reduced by $10^{-5}M$ strophanthidin, $10^{-5}M$ TTX, $3{\times}10^{-4}M$ lidocaine, or $100^{-5}M$ verapamil. These results indicate that the ${\alpha}_1$-adrenoceptor-mediated decrease in $(a_N{^i{_a}})$ is not associated with a stimulation of the $Na^+$-$K^+$ pump, inhibition of the $Na^+$ or $Ca^+$ channel in hypothyroid ventricular muscle. $10^{-5}M$ Phenylephrine decreased $(a_N{^i{_a}})$ but increased $(a_N{^i{_a}})$ in the presence of a PKC activator phorbol dibutyrate$(PDB_u)$. In conclusion, it is suggested that the following sequence of events in response to phenyleplhane occur in guinea pig ventricular muscle. First, changes in thyroid state may contribute to the ventacular electrophysiological propeties or ion transport system. Second, the adrenoceptor-mediated initial transient NIE may be associated with the decrease in $(a_N{^i{_a}})$ by PKC activation.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.57-65
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• 1987

ABSTRACT - To examine antihypertensive components of Ganoderma lucidum in Korea, two kinds of fruiting bodies (J and K) were used for extraction with water and the extracts were purified by ethanol precipitation and dialysis. Three fractions, i.e., the aqueous total extract(A), the ethanol supernatant(B} and the purified precipitate(C), were compared for antihypertensive activity in anesthetized spontaneously hypertensive rats (SUR). Although fractions A and B showed the activity, fraction C did not. Particularly, fraction B of sample K produced 44.3% reduction in diastolic blood pressure and 30.6% reduction in heart rate after i.v. administration of a dose of 10 mg/kg. Direct effects of this fraction B to the heart were observed in the isolated blood perfused heart preparation of the dog. It induced positive chronotropic and inotropic responses dose-dependently in the case of sample J. In the case of sample K, marked chronotropic and inotropic effects on atrial muscle but not on ventricular muscle were induced. In both samples, coronary blood flow (CBF) was dose-relatedly increased.reased.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.257-263
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• 1984

In our former report we observed that cinnarizine influenced the antihypertensive effect of propranolol beneficially, but not of metoprolol in SHR and normal cat. Cardiac contractilities and smooth muscle relaxations induced by above drugs were measured to elucidate their mechanism of action. In cinnarizine and propranolol treated group, both of negative inotropic and ${\beta}-blocking$ activity of propranolol in perfused rat hearts were increased and propranolol induced contraction in isolated arterial and trachea smooth muscle of the guinea pig was antagonized comparing to propranolol alone treated group. However, in the cinnarizine and metoprolol treated group, no significant differences in activity on the above were observed compared to metoprolol alone treated group.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.129-132
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• 2003

The hypoglycemic and hypolipidaemic effects of fenugreek seeds (Trigonella foenum graecum) are well established. Owing to the wide spread use of the seeds by healthy individuals and by diabetic patients we wanted to test whether the seeds can affect biological systems such as membrane transport function. In the present study fenugreek seed polyphenols were extracted and their effect on erythrocyte membrane-bound sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase $(Na^+/K^+-ATPase)$ activity was studied in vitro. Fenugreek seed polyphenols inhibited $Na^+/K^+-ATPase$ in erythrocyte membrane of diabetic and normal subjects. Maximum inhibition was observed at $100\;{\mu}l$ of extract containing 0.75 mM gallic acid equivalents. The uncoupling of membrane ATPases in vitro suggest that polyphenols from fenugreek seeds may possess a positive inotropic effect.