PURPOSE: Wound represents a major health challenge as they consume a large amount of healthcare resources to improve patient's quality of life. Many scientific studies have been conducted in search of ideal biomaterials with wound-healing activity for clinical use and collagen has been proven to be a suitable candidate biomaterial. This study intended to investigate the wound healing activity of collagen peptides derived from jellyfish following oral administration. METHODS: In this study, collagen was extracted from the jellyfish--Rhopilema esculentum using 1% pepsin. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and fourier transform infrared (FTIR) were used to identify and determine the molecular weight of the jellyfish collagen. Collagenase II, papain and alkaline proteinase were used to breakdown jellyfish collagen into collagen peptides. Wound scratch assay (in vitro) was done to determine migration potential of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) covering the artificial wound created on the cell monolayer following treatment with collagen peptides. In vivo studies were conducted to determine the effects of collagen peptides on wound healing by examining wound contraction, re-epithelialization, tissue regeneration and collagen deposition on the wounded skin of mice. Confidence level (p < 0.05) was considered significant using GraphPad Prism software. RESULTS: The yield of collagen was 4.31%. The SDS-PAGE and FTIR showed that extracted collagen from jellyfish was type I. Enzymatic hydrolysis of this collagen using collagenase II produced collagen peptides (CP) and hydrolysis with alkaline proteinase/papain resulted into collagen peptides (CP). Tricine SDS-PAGE revealed that collagen peptides consisted of protein fragments with molecular weight <25 kDa. Wound scratch assay showed that there were significant effects on the scratch closure on cells treated with collagen peptides at a concentration of 6.25 μg/mL for 48 h as compared to the vehicle treated cells. Overall treatment with collagen peptide on mice with full thickness excised wounds had a positive result in wound contraction as compared with the control. Histological assessment of peptides treated mice models showed remarkable sign of re-epithelialization, tissue regeneration and increased collagen deposition. Immunohistochemistry of the skin sections showed a significant increase in β-fibroblast growth factor (β-FGF) and the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) expression on collagen peptides treated group. CONCLUSION Collagen peptides derived from the jellyfish-Rhopilema esculentum can accelerate the wound healing process thus could be a therapeutic potential product that may be beneficial in wound clinics in the future.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Collagen ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Fibroblast Growth Factors ; metabolism ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; Humans ; Male ; Regeneration ; Scyphozoa ; chemistry ; Skin ; metabolism ; Skin Physiological Phenomena ; Stimulation, Chemical ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism ; Wound Healing ; drug effects

The sensory function of the trigeminal nerve is to provide tactile, proprioceptive, and nociceptive afference by chemical stimulation. Various physical responses of the trigeminal nerve to stimuli help to defend against harmful substances. Recently, many studies have been conducted on solitary chemoreceptor cells innervated by trigeminal nerve. Most volatile organic compounds stimulate both the olfactory and trigeminal nervous systems. In general, the trigeminal nervous system is less sensitive than the olfactory nervous system. Studies have shown that sensation of the trigeminal nerve by chemical stimulation results in inhibition of olfaction. This indicates that the olfactory and trigeminal nerves interact with each other in the central nervous system. It is important to study various noxious stimuli acting on the trigeminal nerve in modern society where environmental concerns are intensifying.
Central Nervous System ; Chemoreceptor Cells ; Nervous System ; Sensation ; Smell ; Stimulation, Chemical ; Trigeminal Nerve ; Volatile Organic Compounds

AIMTo investigate the influence of an extract obtained from five Chinese medicinal plants on sexual behavior of adult male rats.

METHODSThe extract was administered at doses of 30, 60 and 120 mg/kg by oral gavage, acutely (one time, 45 min before mating test) or subchronically (daily for 10 days) in sexually potent and sexually sluggish/impotent rats. Sexual behavior, serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T) were evaluated in treated rats and compared with controls receiving vehicle. The effect of the extract on central dopaminergic neurotransmission was assessed in the nucleus accumbens using a microdialysis technique.

RESULTSIn sexually potent rats, both acute and subchronic treatment with the extract dosed at 30 and 60 mg/kg reduced mount latency and intromission latency. In sluggish/impotent rats, the acutely administered extract at the dose of 60 mg/kg shortened ejaculation latency, whereas subchronically administered at the doses of 30 and 60 mg/kg, reduced mount, intromission and ejaculation latencies, increasing also the percentage of mounting and ejaculating rats. The extract dosed at 60 mg/kg significantly increased LH and T following acute and subchronic administration and increased 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid levels in the nucleus accumbens, 30 min after the acute administration.

CONCLUSIONThe improvement in both appetitive and consummatory components of sexual behavior observed in male rats treated with the extract could be ascribed to increased serum T level in parallel with the activation of the central dopaminergic system.

Animals ; Brain Chemistry ; drug effects ; Central Nervous System ; drug effects ; Copulation ; drug effects ; Dopamine ; physiology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Ejaculation ; drug effects ; Erectile Dysfunction ; drug therapy ; psychology ; Female ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; blood ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Microdialysis ; Motivation ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sexual Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Stimulation, Chemical ; Synaptic Transmission ; drug effects ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVE: This study characterized the neurons in the lumbosacral cord that express phospho ERK (pERK) after distension or irritation of the bladder, and their relation to the vanilloid receptor 1 (VR1) positive primary afferents. METHODS: Mechanical distension and chemical irritation of the bladder were induced by intravesical injection of the saline and mustard oil, respectively. Spinal neurons expressing pERK and the primary afferent fibers were characterized using multiple immunofluorescence for neurokinin 1 (NK1), neuronal nitric oxide synthetase (nNOS) and VR1. RESULTS: Neurons in lamina I, medial dorsal horn (MDH), dorsal gray commissure (DGC) and sacral parasympathetic nucleus (SPN) were immunoreactive for pERK after either mechanical or chemical stimulation. The majority of pERK positive cells were positive for NK1 in lamina I and SPN, but not in the DGC. Most of pERK positive cells are not stained for nNOS except in a small population of the cells in the SPN and DGC. Contacts between perikarya and dendrites of pERK-positive cells and terminals of primary afferents expressing VR1 were identified in lamina I, lateral collateral path (LCP) and SPN. CONCLUSION: In this study, the lumbosacral neurons activated by mechanical and chemical stimulation of the urinary bladder were identified with expression of the pERK, and also provided the evidence that VR1-positive primary afferents may mediate the activation of these neurons.
Administration, Intravesical ; Animals ; Dendrites ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Horns ; Mustard Plant ; Neurons* ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Rats* ; Spinal Cord ; Stimulation, Chemical* ; Urinary Bladder*

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of the new antiallergic agent N-(pyridin-4-yl)-(indol-3-yl) acetamide-45 (acetamide-45) on electric field stimulation (EFS)-and methacholine-induced contraction of airway smooth muscle in vitro.

METHODSContractions were induced by EFS in isolated trachea and bronchus of rats or by cumulative methacholine concentrations in isolated trachea of guinea pigs. Changes in isometric force of isolated airway smooth muscle were measured by force transducers and recorded on a multi-channel polygraph recorder.

RESULTSAcetamide-45 inhibited the contraction induced by EFS in isolated rat airway. The IC50 was 10.74 (95% CI 8.87-13.00) micromol.L(-1) and 18.83 (95% CI 14.57-24.33) micromol.L(-1) in tracheae and bronchi, respectively. Acetamide-45 also inhibited methacholine-induced contractile response of isolated guinea pig trachea in a concentration-dependent manner. At concentrations of 3, 10, 30 micromol.L(-1) acetamide-45 significantly decreased maximal contractile response of methacholine by 24.6%-43.2% and increased EC50 of methacholine by 3.1-to 21.4-fold.

CONCLUSIONAcetamide-45 inhibits EFS-or methacholine-induced contraction of isolated airway smooth muscle, and these effects might be non-specific inhibition on cholinergic receptor.

Acetamides ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Depression, Chemical ; Electric Stimulation ; Guinea Pigs ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Methacholine Chloride ; pharmacology ; Muscle Contraction ; drug effects ; Muscle, Smooth ; drug effects ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Trachea ; drug effects

The effects of paraventricular nucleus (PVN) stimulation and vasopressin on gastric ischemia-reperfusion injury (GI-RI) were investigated in male SD rats of which the celiac artery was clamped for 30 min and reperfused for 1 h by removal of the clamp. The results were as follows. Both electrical and chemical stimulation of the PVN obviously attenuated the GI-RI. Bilateral electrolytic lesion of the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) or microinjection of AVP-V(1) receptor antagonist into the NTS could eliminate the protective effect of electrical stimulation of the PVN on GI-RI. Hypophysectomy did not influence the effect of electrical stimulation of the PVN. Both vagotomy and sympathectomy could increase the effect of stimulating PVN on GI-RI. Microinjection of arginine-vasopressin (AVP) into the PVN also attenuated the effect on GI-RI. These results suggest that the PVN and AVP participate in the regulation of GI-RI and play an important role in protection against GI-RI. This protective effect of PVN on GI-RI might be mediated by activation of AVP-ergic neurons in the PVN, which release AVP from the descending projection fibers and activate the AVP-V(1) receptors on the NTS neurons. The vagus and sympathetic nerves are involved in the efferent pathway exerting their effects on GI-RI. Hypophysis does not seem to be involved in the protective effect of PVN stimulation.
Afferent Pathways ; physiology ; Animals ; Electric Stimulation ; Male ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; drug effects ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Stimulation, Chemical ; Stomach ; blood supply ; Sympathetic Nervous System ; physiology ; Vagus Nerve ; physiology ; Vasopressins ; pharmacology

The effects of exogenous glucose in artificial spring water (ASW) were studied on the survival and infectivity of Schistosoma mansoni cercariae. The mean percent survival of cercariae maintained in 1 % glucose in ASW for 36 and 48 hr was significantly greater than that of cercariae maintained identically in ASW. Cercariae maintained in ASW with or without glucose for 24 hr, fixed in neutral buffered formalin, and stained in Oil Red O, showed an accumulation of neutral lipid in the tail. Cercariae maintained as described above and stained in periodic acid-Schiff exhibited depleted glycogen, mainly from the tail. Cercariae maintained in ASW with glucose for 24 hr did not resynthesize glycogen. Cercariae maintained in ASW with glucose for 24 hr were as capable of infecting male FVBN202 mice as were freshly emerged cercariae, and increased the percent of worm recovery. Exogeneous glucose added to ASW prolonged the survival of S. mansoni cercariae and increased infectivity in terms of worm recovery.
Animals ; Glucose/*pharmacology ; Larva ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Schistosoma mansoni/*growth & development/*pathogenicity ; Stimulation, Chemical ; Time Factors ; Water

Dentinal hypersensitivity is one of the complicated symptom rather than a disease. It has special reaction or pain over uncovered root by heat, mechanical or chemical stimulations, which are normal with healthy teeth. The purpose of this study is to discover rather MS Coat (oxalate-containing pre-polymerized resin suspension) or Elmex gel(amine fluoride+sodium fluoride) is effective on hypersensitivity after periodontal treatment using NRS(Numerical Rating Scales), which it is useful for evaluating pain level This study has been prepared in Dankook Dental Hospital with generally healthy adult who had been suffered from dentinal hypersensitivity after periodontal treatment. Divided in three groups with saline(control group), MS Coat(test 1 group) and Elmex gel(test 2 group). And then, following evaluations were made at the end of 1 minute, 1 week, 1 month and 3 months. 1. The sequence of higher frequency & severeness of hypersensitivity is water within 7degrees C, air stream & explorer. 2. As time goes on, 1 minute, 1 week, 1 month & 3 months, severeness of hypersensitivity scored lower with water, air stream and explorer. 3. With explorer, the differences among three groups as time had to seen. 4. With air stream, the sensitivity scored lower after 1min with MS Coat, Elmex, and saline sequence. As time goes on the sensitivity was lower with MS Coat and Elmex than saline, but there was no difference between MS Coat and Elmex. 5. With water in 7degrees C, the sensitivity was much decreasing with MS Coat and Elmex than saline, but there was no difference between MS Coat and Elmex. As the result, MS Coat and Elmex are effective on hypersensitivity caused by periodontal treatment
Adult ; Dentin Sensitivity* ; Dentin* ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Rivers ; Stimulation, Chemical ; Tooth ; Water

Although nociceptive informations are thought to be processed via different neural mechanisms depending on the types of stimuli, sufficient data have not been accumulated yet. We performed a series of experiments to elucidate the possible neural mechanisms as to chemical stimuli such as formalin, capsaicin and ATP. Single unit activity of wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons and high threshold cells were recorded extracellularly from the lumbosacral enlargement of cat spinal cord before and after chemical stimulation to its receptive field (RF). Each chemical substance - formalin (20 microliter, 4%), capsaicin (33 mM) or Mg-ATP (5 mM)- was injected intradermally into the RFs and then the changes in the spontaneous activity, mechanical threshold and responses to the peripheral mechanical stimuli were observed. In many cases, intradermal injection of formalin (5/11) and capsaicin (8/11) resulted in increase of the spontaneous activity with a biphasic pattern, whereas ATP (8/8) only showed initial responses. Time courses of the biphasic pattern, especially the late response, differed between formalin and capsaicin experiments. One hour after injection of each chemical (formalin, capsaicin, or ATP), the responses of the dorsal horn neurons to mechanical stimuli increased at large and the RFs were expended, suggesting development of hypersensitization (formalin 6/10, capsaicin 8/11, and ATP 15/19, respectively). These results are suggested that formalin stimulates peripheral nociceptor, local inflammation and involvement of central sensitization, capsaicin induces central sensitization as well as affects the peripheral C-polymodal nociceptors and neurogenic inflammation, and ATP directly stimulates peripheral nociceptors.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Capsaicin ; Cats* ; Central Nervous System Sensitization ; Formaldehyde ; Inflammation ; Injections, Intradermal ; Neurogenic Inflammation ; Neurons ; Nociceptors ; Posterior Horn Cells* ; Spinal Cord* ; Stimulation, Chemical*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Mechanical or chemical stimulation of the supraglottic mucosa may result in either or both of two responses: the laryngeal adductor reflex response (LAR), which causes glottic closure, and the laryngeal chemoreflex (LCR), which results in centrally mediated apnea, hemodynamic instability and swallowing. Exaggeration of this normally protective reflexes is thought to be responsible for several disorders, including the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The supraglottic laryngeal mucosa which was topically stimulated by saline, distilled water, cow's milk and acid at pH 1.0 was introduced in 14 anesthetized puppies of three different age groups. In group I, four puppies were 2-weeks-of-age, and in group II and III, five puppies were 4 and 6-weeks-of-age, respectively. RESULT: 1) Strong acid (pH 1.0) induced the LCR response.20) After stimulating, respiration was depressed initially, followed by later hyperventilation. We found strong contraction or laryngospasm of thyroarytenoid (TA) muscle after a short period of latency. 3) Respiration was not, or minimally depressed in group I. Moderate depression or apnea was elicited in group II and III. 4) After stimulating, the heart rate was reduced, but it had no statistical meaning. 5) We found 3 types of TA muscle contraction pattern. Type I showed no laryngospasm, but large contraction wave was noted by EMG. Type II showed no laryngospasm, but strong contraction was noted initially and followed by some large waves by EMG. Type III showed laryngospasm that was visible to the naked eye and by EMG. 6) Peak to peak amplitude differences of TA muscle were significantly increased statistically in all age groups. CONCLUSION: We suggest that the LCR is an age-dependent response which is absent in very young puppies before 2 weeks and appears after that age. Thus, it has important implications that postnatal neural maturation may influence laryngeal reflex to some extent.
Apnea ; Deglutition ; Depression ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hyperventilation ; Laryngeal Mucosa ; Laryngeal Nerves ; Laryngismus ; Milk ; Mucous Membrane ; Muscle Contraction ; Reflex ; Respiration ; Stimulation, Chemical ; Sudden Infant Death ; Water