The studies of the occurrence and changes of experimental brain edema have been observed by calculating wet weight, volume, dry weight, per cent water content and swelling per cent in 12 normal rabbits as a control group and 24 rabbits of experimental group. The brain edema was induced by expansion of laminaria which resulted in brain compression, that was inserted into the supratentorial extradural space of rabbit. The piece of section of laminaria which is a sea weed and used for the purpose of slow expanding space-occupyin gmass has a characteristic mode of slow expansion in volume on contact with water. The average wet weight of cerebral hemisphere of normal rabbits was 3.30+/-0.19 gm. The average dry weight of unilateral hemisphere of 156 from 78 rabbits was 0.69+/-0.04 gm, while its volume was 2.97+/-0.29 ml and the percentages of water content was 78.92+/-1.36 per cent. The weight, volume and percentages of water content and swelling in the compressed sides of hemisphere showed higher values compared them to the opposite noncompressed hemisphere in the "laminaria-compression" group and showed gradually increasing tendency in the values as the time elapsed.
Brain ; Brain Edema* ; Cerebrum ; Laminaria ; Rabbits ; Water

Cistanche tubulosa and Laminaria japonica have been reported to have anti-oxidative, anticoagulant, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. They are expected to be a promising candidates for promoting hair growth and treating dandruff and scalp inflammation as a consequence. In this double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial, we investigated the efficacy of Cistanche tubulosa extract and Laminaria japonica extract complex (MK-R7) in promoting hair health in patients with mild to moderate patterned hair loss. Using phototrichogram (Folliscope 4.0, LeadM, Seoul, Korea), we compared the density and diameter of hairs in patients receiving a placebo or Cistanche tubulosa extract and Laminaria japonica extract complex (MK-R7) at baseline, 8 and 16 weeks of the study. In order to determine the efficacy of treatment on dandruff and scalp inflammation, investigator's assessment score and patient's subjective score were also performed. We found a statistically significant increase in the hair density of the test group (n = 45, MK-R7 400 mg) after 16 weeks of consuming the MK-R7 (test group: 23.29 n/cm2 +/- 24.26, control: 10.35 n/cm2 +/- 20.08, p < 0.05). In addition, we found a statistically significant increase in hair diameter in the test group compared to control group at week 16 (test group: 0.018 mm +/- 0.015, control: 0.003 mm +/- 0.013, p < 0.05). There were also significant outcomes regarding the investigator's visual assessment and patient's subjective score of dandruff and scalp inflammation in the test group compared to those in control group. Based on the results of this clinical study, we conclude that Cistanche tubulosa extract and Laminaria japonica extract complex (MK-R7) are promising substances for promoting health of the scalp and hair.
Cistanche* ; Dandruff ; Hair* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Laminaria* ; Scalp* ; Seoul

OBJECTIVE: To compare the abortion time, success rate and efficiency of application of intravaginal misoprostol versus intracervical laminaria insertion and intravenous sulprostone administration for mid-trimester pregnancy termination. MATERIAL: Patients requesting termination of second trimester pregnancy were randomized into two groups. In Group I, the women were given 200 microg tablet of misoprostol placed in the posterior vaginal fornix. In Group II, the women were given laminaria insertion in cervical canal with intravenous sulprostone administration. Altogether 50 subjects were recruited with 25 women in each group. RESULTS: The mean interval from start of induction to vaginal delivery was 1480.84+/-37.73 minutes in Group I and 1236.16+/-77.59 minutes in Group II(p=0.232). The success rate of termination within 48 hours in Group I and Group II were 84%, 92%(p=0.384). There were no significant differences in the mean interval time and success rates. Measurement of blood loss(differs in hemoglobin between the admission and postabortive 24 hours) shows in Group I(1.0352+/-0.5774) and in Group II(1.5640+/-0.8976). Mean changes in hemoglobin level were significantly lesser in the misoprostol group(p=0.017). No serious complication occurred. CONCLUSION: Intravaginal misoprostol appears to be acceptably safe and effective agents for second trimester pregnancy termination.
Female ; Humans ; Laminaria* ; Misoprostol* ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Pregnancy*

The cerebral compression and edema were successfully produced by the expansion of the stalk of laminaria in the right epidural space of the rabbits. By weighting the wet and dry brain tissues, and by calculating the percentage of water content and that of swelling, with the rate of per cent water content to that of control group, the studies of the occurrence and changes of experimental brain edema have been observed. In the normal rabbits, the average per cent water content of cerebral gray and white matters were 79.9+/-0.7% and 73.0+/-1.0% respectively. The percentage of water content and swelling of cerebral gray and white matters in the compression site showed higher values than those in control group. As compared with normal group, the rate of per cent water content of cerebral gray matter at the site of compression showed gradual increasing tendency as time elapsed by 24 hours, while that of white matter demonstrated rapid increased of it by 6 hours and decreased gradually thereafter. And it appeared that the value of the cerebral white matter showed higher than that of gray matter throughout the period of 24 hour's compression. Cereral edema induced by laminaria compression was more evident and severe in the white matter than in the gray, which was more striking at the early stage of cerebral compression.
Brain Edema ; Brain* ; Edema ; Epidural Space ; Laminaria ; Rabbits ; Strikes, Employee

OBJECTIVE: Articular cartilage has a highly limited capacity to repair because of lack of blood supply. There have been no effective modality to regenerate the articular cartilage and prevent degenerative changes. It is necessary to proliferate the cells in vitro, however the cells lose their phenotype during in vitro monolayer culture. Although it is not enough to increase the number of the cells in the three dimensional culture, it is a effective way to maintain their original phenotype expression. Alginate has been used as a good source of scaffold in chondrocyte three dimensional culture. The objective of this study was to find the most favorable scaffold for chondrocyte viability among various alginate extracted from natural source in chondrocyte three dimensional culture. METHODS: The alginate extracted from brown seaweed, Undaria pinnatifida and sea tangle, Laminaria japonica inhabitating near Korean sea and commercially available alginate were used. Chondrocytes isolated from adult pig were used. Three kinds of chondrocyte-alginate bead were made and incubated for forty-four days. Cellular viability and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content were measured and compared. SPSS Version 10.0 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Viability of chondrocyte and GAG content were increased as a function of time. Alginate from brown seaweed, U. pinnatifida appeared more favorable to maintain chondrocyte viability than others. The total GAG content was similar among three kinds of alginate CONCLUSION: Alginate extracted from natural see weed, especially brown seaweed, may be a good source to maintain chondrocyte viability in three dimensional culture.
Adult ; Cartilage, Articular ; Chondrocytes* ; Humans ; Laminaria ; Phenotype ; Seaweed ; Statistics as Topic ; Undaria

A variety of therapeutic maneuvers of the arteriovenous or carotidcavernous fistulas has been tried and mainly discarded as inadequate because of complicated factors such as an anatomical situation of the fistula, and embolus of predetermined size and configuration, and introducing method. The fistulas have been embolized by a variety of materials with no gain of wide acceptance. One of the major problems inherent in the procedure is the inability to control the ultimate location of the embolus, which is closely related to predetermined size and shape of the embolus. To get around this difficulty, a piece of the laminaria stalk shappen into a small columnar bar was used as an embolus in this experiment. The laminaria, sea weed used for a slow dilatation of the uterine cervical orifice in gynecological practice, has specific nature of gradual increase in its volume on contact with water or tissue fluids, expanding only in width, radial direction, but not in length. It expanded gradually with maximal increase of 3.3 times the original width by 12 hours of the contact and with increase of more than 80% of its maximal expansion by three to four hours contact. In a series of experiments, arteriovenous fistulous lesions have been created in albino rats, using a portion of jugular vein implanted on the cervical carotid artery, and it has been tried to occlude the excluded fistulous segment with the help of the laminaria stalk. A stalk of laminaria with diameter of one third of vascular lumen could easily reached to the fistulous point by the arterial pulse and thrust because the stalk was fairly smaller relative to the size of the vessel, and it occluded the lumen of the vessel near totally by a slow expansion of it into as large as the luminal size of the vessel within a couple of hours after lodging in the vessel.
Animals ; Carotid Arteries ; Dilatation ; Embolism ; Fistula* ; Jugular Veins ; Laminaria ; Phenobarbital ; Rats ; Water

Many different type of embolic material, such as muscles Gelfoam, porcelain, and detachable balloon, etc, has been used for the treatment of carotid-cavernous fistula. In an effort to achieve better results the authors used laminaria, a sea-weeds root, as a newly-tried embolus which has a unique characteristic of expanding gradually within 4 hours 3-4 times from its original width, but not in length, when in contact with any type of fluid. A very special feature of the laminaria is that the initial hard and coarserness is slowly transformed while expanding into a rounded softness as to allow no menhanical injury to the surrounding vessels of tissue. The laminaria was formed into a reversed bowling-pin shape measuring 8x1.5mm with tapered tail and a round head in which contains a sliver clip as a radiographic marker. An extension of standard angiographic technique ahs been used to complete an alternative method of treatment. This technique involves introducing the cather harboring the laminaria by the percutaneous route either transfemoral or directly transcarotid and releasing the terminal internal carotid artery at the site of the fistula. Releasing a few of the shaped laminaria piece from the catheter tip has resulted in a successful obliteration of the fistula in 7 cases out of total 8 of carotid-cavernous fistula.
Carotid Artery, Internal ; Catheters ; Dental Porcelain ; Embolism ; Fistula* ; Gelatin Sponge, Absorbable ; Head ; Laminaria* ; Muscles

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of oral misoprostol with vaginal misoprostol administration in mid-trimester pregnancy termination after pretreatment with serial laminarias tenting. METHODS: This study was made in 50 patients for mid-trimester pregnancy termination at Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chonbuk National University Hospital from January 1999 through December 2002. Twenty five women received misoprostol orally in a dose of 200 micro gram every hour for 3 doses followed by 400 micro gram every 4 hours after serial laminarias tenting. Twenty five women received misoprostol vaginally in a dose of 400 micro gram every 4 hours after serial laminarias tenting. Side effects of drug, induction to delivery interval, delivery numbers within 24 hours, curettage numbers for retained placenta, and the length of hospital stay were compared. RESULTS: The mean time of induction to delivery interval was significantly shorter in the vaginal group (15.5 +/- 12.7 vs 24.2 +/- 14.3 hours, p<0.01). The length of hospital stay was also shorter in the vaginal group (38.9 +/- 13.1 vs 47.2 +/- 14.5 hours, p<0.01). The number of patients delivered within 24 hours was more in the vaginal group (92 vs 72%, p<0.05). The side effects of misoprostol were slightly more common in the oral group than the vaginal group without statistical significance. CONCLUSION: We suspect that after serial tenting of laminarias, intravaginal misoprostol appears to be more safe and effective than oral misoprostol for mid-trimester termination.
Curettage ; Female ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Jeollabuk-do ; Laminaria ; Length of Stay ; Misoprostol* ; Obstetrics ; Placenta, Retained ; Pregnancy*

The anti-inflammatory effects of fuciodan and Cistanche tubulosa (CT) extract were investigated in vitro macrophage culture system and in vivo carrageenan-induced air pouch inflammation model. CT extract inhibited nitric oxide production from activated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells, while fucoidan was inactive. In vivo air pouch inflammation model, carrageenan-induced vascular exudation and increased nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 concentrations in the exudates were synergistically suppressed by co-administration of fucoidan or CT extract. Moreover, tissue inflammation was substantially attenuated by the combinational therapy. However, there was no synergistic effect against the inflammatory cell infiltration, although fucoidan and CT extract each markedly reduced the cell numbers. Therefore, it is suggested that fucoidan blocks infiltration of inflammatory cells, while CT extract inhibits activation of the cells, and that their combinational treatment could be a promising candidate for the relief of various types of inflammation.
Carrageenan ; Cell Count ; Cistanche ; Dinoprostone ; Exudates and Transudates ; Inflammation ; Laminaria ; Macrophages ; Nitric Oxide ; Polysaccharides

Cerebral herniations were successfully produced in experimental animals during the expansion of intracranial balloon or laminaria. Visualizing structures deep in the brain, cat's heads were instantaneously frozen with liquid nitrogen and were sectioned in the midline longitudinally. The cerebral herniations were assessed by measureing the distance between parts of various anatomical structures on the brain in mid-sagittal sectional plane. Transtentorial rostrocaudal herniation of the brain stem was evident and more marked in the group of bilateral lesions than in the groups of frontal and temporal lesions. Infratentorial lesions produced transtentorial upward herniation of a part of anterior cerebellar vermis and downward herniation of the cerebellar tonsil through the foramen magnum. The risk of brain herniation was noted to be greater in rapid expanding lesions with balloon than the more slowly developing lesions with laminaria.
Animals ; Brain Stem ; Brain* ; Foramen Magnum ; Head ; Laminaria ; Nitrogen ; Palatine Tonsil