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Background: Herbal medicine Ja-Geum-Jeong (JGJ) has been used for the treatment of detoxification in Eastern Asia. However, the mechanisms involved are not clearly defined. The purpose of the present study was to investigate if herb medication inhibits Methamphetamine (METH)’s reinforcing effect and also examined if a combination of herb medication and acupuncture produces a synergistic effect on METH. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were given acute METH intraperitoneally and the locomotor activity and ultrasonic vocalization (USV) calls were measured. Rats were administered JGJ orally and acupuncture was given at HT7 or SI5. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonists were injected into the Central amygdala (CeA) to investigate a possible neuroscientific mechanism. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and fast scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) were measured to immunohistochemically and electrically confirm the behavioral data. Results: Locomotor activity and USV calls were increased by METH (P < 0.05) and these increases were inhibited by JGJ (P < 0.05). Also, JGJ had no effect on the normal group given saline, and acupuncture at SI5 acupoint, but not at HT7 acupoint, produced a synergistic effect when combined with JGJ (P < 0.05). The JGJ's inhibition was blocked by the inactivation of CeA (P < 0.05), and MSG mimicked JGJ (P < 0.05). TH and FSCV measures showed the same pattern with the behavioral data (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Results of the present study suggest that JGJ had inhibitory effects on the METH which was mediated through the activation of CeA and that combination of acupuncture and herb produced synergistic effect.

Four lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Lactobacillus paraplantarum KM, Enterococcus durans KH, Streptococcus salivarius HM and Weissella confusn JY, are isolated from humans and their capabilities are tested for converting isoflavone glucosides to aglycones in soymilk, and changes in growth, pH and titratable activity (TA) are investigated during fermentation at 37 degrees C for 12 h. Changes in the daidzio and genistin levels were not found to be significant in soymilk fermented with Enterococcus durans KH.

The article focuses on social isolation-related depression accelerates ethanol intake via microglia-derived neuroinflammation. Topics include the social isolation is common in modern society and is a contributor to depressive disorders, and the people with depression are highly vulnerable to alcohol use, and abusive alcohol consumption is a well-known obstacle to treating depressive disorders.