著者

Tomoko Nakano Tomomi Kotani Yukio Mano Hiroyuki Tsuda Kenji Imai Takafumi Ushida Hua Li Rika Miki Seiji Sumigama Yoshiaki Sato Akira Iwase Akihiro Hirakawa Masato Asai Shinya Toyokuni Fumitaka Kikkawa

出版者

SOCIETY FOR FREE RADICAL RESEARCH JAPAN

雑誌

Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition (ISSN:09120009)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.57, no.3, pp.178-182, 2015 (Released:2015-11-01)

参考文献数

33

被引用文献数

12 11

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Fetal brain injury is often related to prenatal inflammation; however, there is a lack of effective therapy. Recently, molecular hydrogen (H2), a specific antioxidant to hydroxyl radical and peroxynitrite, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to investigate whether maternal H2 administration could protect the fetal brain against inflammation. Pregnant C3H/HeN mice received an intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on gestational day 15.5 and were provided with H2 water for 24 h prior to LPS injection. Pup brain samples were collected on gestational day 16.5, and the levels of apoptosis and oxidative damage were evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were examined using real-time PCR. The levels of apoptosis and oxidative damage, as well as the levels of IL-6 mRNA, increased significantly when the mother was injected with LPS than that in the control group. However, these levels were significantly reduced when H2 was administered prior to the LPS-injection. Our results suggest that LPS-induced apoptosis, oxidative damage and inflammation in the fetal brain were ameliorated by maternal H2 administration. Antenatal H2 administration might protect the premature brain against maternal inflammation.

著者

Kenji Kawakita Hisashi Shinbara Kenji Imai Fumihiko Fukuda Tadashi Yano Kinya Kuriyama

出版者

The Japanese Pharmacological Society

雑誌

Journal of Pharmacological Sciences (ISSN:13478613)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.100, no.5, pp.443-459, 2006 (Released:2006-06-24)

参考文献数

98

被引用文献数

78 98

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The mechanisms of action of acupuncture and moxibustion as reported by Japanese researchers are reviewed. The endogenous opioid-mediated mechanisms of electroacupuncture (EA) as used in China are well understood, but these are only one component of all mechanisms of acupuncture. These studies emphasize the similarity of the analgesic action of EA to various sensory inputs to the pain inhibition mechanisms. In Japanese acupuncture therapy, careful detection of the acupuncture points and fine needling technique with comfortable subjective sensation are considered important. The role of polymodal receptors (PMR) has been stressed based on the facts that PMRs are responsive to both acupuncture and moxibustion stimuli, thermal sensitivity is essential in moxibustion therapy, and the characteristics of acupuncture points and trigger points are similar to those of sensitized PMRs. Acupuncture and moxibustion are also known to affect neurons in the brain reward systems and blood flow in skin, muscle, and nerve. Axon reflexes mediated by PMRs might be a possible mechanism for the immediate action of acupuncture and moxibustion. Reports on the curative effects of acupuncture on various digestive and urological disorders are also reviewed briefly.