• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.27-34
• /
• 1999

The goal of oral anticoagulation therapy with warfarin is to maintain INR values within the therapeutic range in order to prevent complications such as bleeding and thrombosis. The purposes of this study were to investigate the current level of anticoagulation control using INR values, to investigate the incidences of thromboembolism and bleeding complications, and to compare the effect of low intensity INR regimen with therapeutic range recommended by ACCP (American College of Chest Physician). Two hundred three patients with mechanical heart valve replacement done at Yonsei University Cardiovascular Center between January 1994 and December 1996 were selected and reviewed retrospectively. The target INR ranges of $2.5\sim3.5$ (ACCP standard) and low intensity INR of $2.0\sim3.5$ were used for evaluation. According to ACCP standard, $51.2\%$ of patients and $31.1\%$ of INR values were within the therapeutic range when average INR and cumulative INR were used, respectively. Applying low intensity INR values of $2.0\sim3.5$, the therapeutic control was achieved in $57.4\%\;and\;90.1\%$, using average INR and total INR, respectively. The incidences of major and minor bleedings were $0.5\%\;and\;26.6\%$, respectively. The incidence of thromboembolism was $0.5\%$. There was no significant difference in terms of complication incidences between INR $2.0\sim2.5\;and\;INR\;2.5\sim3.5$ groups. However, INR values at the time of bleeding were generally high. In conclusion, the evaluation of patients with mechanical heart valve replacement showed low level of therapeutic control with warfarin therapy. This is partially explained by the fact that the physicians at Yonsei University Cardiovascular Center were using lower intensity INR values as a goal than recommended INR. Also, in the near future, systematic anticoagulation service should be implemented at various hospitals in Korea so that patients on anticoagulant therapy can be more closely monitored to be within the recommended INR by ACCP.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.49-54
• /
• 1999

This study was carried out to compare the bioavailability of Hanmi clarithromycin (250 mg/tablet) with that of $Klaricid^{(R)}$ The bioavailability was examined on 20 volunteers who received a single dose (500 mg) of each drug in the fasting state in a randomized balanced 2-way crossover design. After dosing, blood samples were collected for a period of 12 hours. Plasma samples were analyzed for clarithromycin and roxithromycin(internal standard) by HPLC/Coulometric BCD. The pharmaco-kinetic parameters ($AUC_{0-l2hr}$, Cmax, Tmax, $AUC_{inf}$, Ka, Kel, $t_{1/2}$, Vd/F and Cl/F) were calculated from the plasma clarithromycin concentration-time data of each volunteer. The computer program 'WinNonlin' was used for compartmental analysis. One compartment model with first-order input, from order output with lag time, weighting factor $l/y^2$ was chosen as the appropriate pharmacokinetic model. The major pharmacokinetic parameters ($AUC_{0-l2hr},\;AUC_{inf}$, Cmax and Tmax) of Hanmi clarithromycin were $10.7\pm0.5\;{\mu}g{\cdot}hr{\cdot}ml^{-1},\;12.7\pm0.7\;{\mu}g{\cdot}hr{\cdot}ml^{-1},\;1.7\pm0.1\;{\mu}g/ml\;and\;2.0\pm0.2\;hr$, respectively, and those of $Klaricid^{(R)}\;were\;9.8\pm0.5\;{\mu}g{\cdot}hr{\cdot}ml^{-1},\;11.7\pm0.6\;{\mu}g{\cdot}hr{\cdot}ml^{-1},\;1.6\pm0.1\;{\mu}g/ml\;and\;2.1\pm0.1\;hr$, respectively. The differences in mean values of $AUC_{0-l2hr},\;AUC_{inf}$ and Cmax between two products were $9.88\%,\;8.94%\;and\;6.59\%$, respectively. The least significant differences at $\alpha=0.05$ for $AUC_{0-l2hr},\;AUC_{inf}$ and Cmax were $16.08\%,\;17.81\%\;and\;18.94\%$, respectively. Though the plasma clarithromycin concentrations of Hanmi clarithromycin were higher than those of $Klaricid^{(R)}$ at all observed times, the bioavailability of Hanmi clarithromycin appeared to be bioequivalent with that of $Klaricid^{(R)}$. The Ka, Kel, $t_{1/2}$, Vd/F and Cl/F of the Hanmi clarithromycin were $2.69\pm0.53\;hr^{-1},\;0.18\pm0.01 hr^{-1},\;3.9\;hr,\;248.8\pm11.4\;L\;and\;43.7\pm2.6\;L/hr$, respectively, and those of $Klaricid^{(R)} were 2.19\pm0.51\;hr^{-1},\;0.18\pm0.02\;hr^{-1},\;3.7\;hr,\;266.7\pm22.4\;L\;and\;45.3\pm2.8L/hr$, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between two drugs in all pharmacokinetic parameters.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.29 no.7
• /
• pp.591-597
• /
• 2006

Aerial parts of Artemisia asiatica (Compositae) have been traditionally used as an oriental medicine for the treatment of inflammatory and ulcerogenic diseases. In the present study, artemisolide was isolated as a nuclear factor $(NF)-{\kappa}B$ inhibitor from A. asiatica by activity-guided fractionation. Artemisolide inhibited $NF-{\kappa}B$ transcriptional activity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages RAW 264.7 with an $IC_{50}$ value of $5.8\;{\mu}M$. The compound was also effective in blocking $NF-{\kappa}B$ transcriptional activities elicited by the expression vector encoding the $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65 or p50 subunits bypassing the inhibitory kB degradation signaling $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation. The macrophages markedly increased their $PGE_2$ and NO production upon exposure to LPS alone. Artemisolide inhibited LPS-induced $PGE_2$ and NO production with $IC_{50}$ values of $8.7\;{\mu}M$ and $6.4\;{\mu}M$, respectively, but also suppressed LPS-induced synthesis of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 or inducible NO synthase (iNOS). Taken together, artemisolide is a $NF-{\kappa}B$ inhibitor that attenuates LPS-induced production of $PGE_2$ or NO via down-regulation of COX-2 or iNOS expression in macrophages RAW 264.7. Therefore, artemisolide could represent and provide the anti-inflammatory principle associated with the traditional medicine, A. asiatica.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.101-108
• /
• 2019

Objectives The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety of Gunghatang tablet in healthy male volunteers. Methods Single center pharmacokinetics study was carried out in healthy male volunteers. Through the laboratory test, vital sign and adverse event data, safety evaluation was conducted. Total 15 of 16 subjects who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled and three subjects were allocated to waiting group. 12 subjects were allocated by serial number according to registration order. Subjects took the maximum daily dose of the tablet on the second day of hospitalization. For the evaluation of safety, blood samples were collected and vital sign were checked 4 times (screening, before administration, after administration and follow up period) during the trial. All adverse events were recorded and summarized as frequency and percentage. All continuous data were summarized as mean and standard deviation. For comparison of variables between before administration and after administration, data were analyzed by paired T-test or Wilcoxon signed rank test (p<0.05). Results As a result of all data related to vital sign and laboratory test in both group, there were no significant differences associated with the clinical trial drug between pre and post administration. And there was no adverse event associated with the clinical trial drug. Conclusions Gunghatang tablet were found to be safe for healthy male volunteers.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.26 no.8
• /
• pp.585-590
• /
• 2003

Activity-guided fractionation of the EtOAc-soluble extract of the whole plants of Sida acuta using a bioassay based on the induction of quinone reductase (OR) in cultured Hepa 1c1c7 mouse hepatoma cells, led to the isolation of ten active compounds of previously known structure, quindolinone (1), cryptolepinone (2), 11-methoxyquindoline (3), N-trans-feruloyltyramine (4), vomifoliol (5), loliolide (6), 4-ketopinoresinol (7), scopoletin (8), evofolin-A (9), and evofolin-B (10), along with five inactive compounds of known structure, ferulic acid, sinapic acid, syringic acid, ($\pm$)-syringaresinol, and vanillic acid. These isolates were identified by physical and spectral data measurement. A new derivative of quindolinone, 5,10-dimethylquindolin-11-one (1a) was synthesized and characterized spectroscopically. Of the active substances, compounds 1-3 and 1a exhibited the most potent QR activity, with observed CD (concentration required to double induction) values ranging from 0.01 to 0.12 $\mu$ g/mL. Six compounds were then evaluated in a mouse mammary organ culture assay, with cryptolepinone (2), N-trans-feruloyltyramine (4), and 5,10-dimethylquindolin-11-one (1a) found to exhibit 83.3, 75.0, and 66.7% inhibition of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced preneoplastic lesions, respectively, at a dose of 10 $\mu\textrm{g}$/mL.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.26 no.8
• /
• pp.620-630
• /
• 2003

The proliferative effects of thirty Oriental medicinal herbs on MCF-7 (estrogen-sensitive breast cancer cell line) and ROS 17/2.8 osteoblast-like cells were determined using the MTT assay. Methanol extracts from several herbs was found to show proliferative activity on the above two cell lines in the range of 5 to 100 $\mu$g/mL. Among these active herbs, the methanol extract from the rhizomes of Drynaria fortunei showed the most potent proliferative activity, and the cell proliferations were significantly increase by 136 and 158% in the MCF-7 and ROS 17/2.8 cells, respectively, when treated with 100 $\mu$ g/mL. Through a bioassay-guided separation, eight flavonoids, including four new flavan-3-ols and two propelargonidins, together with the known (-)-epiafzelechin and naringin, were isolated. Their chemical structures were characterized as (-)-epiafzelechin (1), (-)-epiafzelechin-3-O-$\beta$-D-allopyranoside (2), (-)-epiafzelechin-3-O-(6"-O-acetyl)-$\beta$-D-allopyranoside (3), 4$\beta$-carboxymethyl-(-)-epiafzelechin methyl ester (4), 4$\beta$-car-boxymethyl-(-)-epiafzelechin sodium salt (5), naringin (6), (-)-epiafzelechin-(4$\beta$\rightarrow8)-4$\beta$-car-boxymethylepiafzelechin methyl ester (7) and (-)-epiafzelechin-($4\beta\rightarrow8, 2\beta\rightarrowΟ\rightarrow7)-epiafzelechin-(4\beta\righarrow8)-epiafzelechin (8) by extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Most of these flavonoids, in the range of $10^{-15}∼10^{-6}$ M, accelerated the proliferation of MCF-7 cell, with compounds 7 and 8, in the range of $10^{-15}∼10^{-12}$ M, showing especially potent proliferation effects. Meanwhile, seven flavonoids, with the exception of compound 4, stimulated the proliferation of ROS 17/2.8 cells in the range of $10^{-15}∼10^{-6}$ M, with compounds 5-8 especially accelerating the proliferation, in dose-dependent manners ($10^{-15}∼10^{-9}$ M), and their proliferative effect was much stronger than that of $E_2$ and genistein. These results suggest that propelargonidin dimers and trimers isolated from the rhizomes of Drynaria fortunei may be useful as potential phytoestrogens, which play important physiological roles in the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.546-551
• /
• 2001

We have previously shown that, in circular muscle cells of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) isolated by enzymatic digestion, contraction in response to maximally effective doses of acetylcholine (ACh) or Inositol Triphosphate ($IP_3$) depends on the release of $Ca^{2+}$ from intracellular stores and activation of a $Ca6{2+}$-calmodulin (CaM)-dependent pathway. On the contrary, maintenance of LES tone, and response to low doses of ACh or $IP_3$ depend on a protein kinase C (PKC) mediated pathway. In the present investigation, we have examined requirements for $Ca6{2+}$ regulation of the interaction between CaM- and PKC-dependent pathways in LES contraction. Thapsigargin (TG) treatment for 30 min dose dependently reduced ACh-induced contraction of permeable LES cells in free $Ca6{2+}$ medium. ACh-induced contraction following the low level of reduction of $Ca6{2+}$ stores by a low dose of TG ($10^{-9}{\;}M$) was blocked by the CaM antagonist, CCS9343B but not by the PKC antagonists chelerythrine or H7, indicating that the contraction is CaM-dependent. After maximal reduction in intracellular $Ca{2+}$ from $Ca6{2+}$stores by TG ($10^{-6}{\;}M$), ACh-induced contraction was blocked by chelerythrine or H7, but not by CCS9343B, indicating that it is PKC-dependent. In normal $Ca^{2+}$medium, the contraction by ACh after TG ($10^{-9}{\;}M$) treatment was also CaM-dependent, whereas the contraction by ACh after TG ($10^{-9}{\;}M$) treatment was PKC-dependent. We examined whether PKC activation was inhibited by activated CaM. CCS 7343B Inhibited the CaM-induced contraction, but did not inhibit the DAC-induced contraction. CaM inhibited the DAC-induced contraction in the presence of CCS 9343B. This inhibition by CaM was $Ca{2+}$dependent. These data are consistent with the view that the switch from a PKC-dependent pathway to a CaM dependent pathway can occur and can be regulated by cytosolic $Ca{2+}$ in the LES.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.584-589
• /
• 2001

Isopropryl 2-(1-3-dithiethane-2-ylidene)-2 [N-(4-methyl-thiazole-2-yl) carbamoyl] acetate (YH439) is currently under phase ll clinical trials by the Yuhan Research Center for use as a hepatoprotective agent. Unfortunately, the oral bioavailbility of YH439, which is sparingly soluble in water (i.e., $0.3{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml{\;}or{\;}0.91{$\mu}M$ at room temperature), reportedly, is negligibleregardless of the dose administered to rats in the 10-300 mg/kg range. The bioavailability of the compound increased up to 24%, when administered in the form of a micellar solution ($700{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml$or 2.1 mM for YH439) at a dose of 10 mg/kg, suggesting that its limited solubility is associated with its negligible bioavailability. In order to obtain additional informmation concerning the bioavailability of YH439, the mechanism(s) involved in gastrointestinal (Gl) absorption were investigated in the present study. For this purpose, the transport of YH430 across a Caco-2 cell monolayer was measured in a $Transwell^{\circledR}$. A permeability of $4.07{\times}10^{-5}{\;}cm/s$ was obtained for the absorptive (i.e., apical to basolateral direction) transport of $0.42{\mu}M$ YH439, implicating that the in vivo Cl absorption is nearly complete. The absorptive transport exhibited a slight concentration-dependency with an intrinsic clearance ($CL_{i}$) of $0.38{\mu}L/{\textrm{cm}^2}/sec$, which accounted for 28.1% of the total intrinsic clearance (i.e., $CL_i$ plus the intrinsic clearance for the linear component) of the transport. Thus, saturation of the absorption process appears to be a minor factor in limiting the bioavailability of the compound. The apparent permeability of YH439 from the basolateral to the apical direction (i.e., efflux, $6.67{\times}10^{-5}{\;}cm/s$) was comparable to that for absorptive transport, but, interestingly, a more distinct concentration-dependency was observed for this transport. However, the efflux does not appear to influence the bioavailability of the compound, as evidenced by the sufficiently high permeability in the absorption direction. Rather, a reportedly extensive first-pass hepatic metabolism appears to be a principal factor in limiting the bioavailability. In this respect, reducing the first-pass metabolism by some means would lead to a higher bioavailability of the compound. Thus, elevation of the absorption rate of YH439 becomes a necessity. From a practical point of view, increasing the concentration of YH439 in the Cl fluid appears to be a feasible way to increase the absorption rate, because the compound is primarily absorbed via a linear mechanism. In summary, the solubilization of YH439, as previously demonstrated for a micellar solution of the compound, appears to be a practical way to increase the oral bioavailability of YH439.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.90-99
• /
• 1995

The effect of protein kinase C inhibitors, sturosporine and 1-(5-isoquinolinyl sulfonyl)-2-methyl piperazine(H7) on in vitro differentiation of erythroid progenitor cells which were isolated from spleens of mice infected with the anemia-inducing strain of Friend virus were examined. Erythropoietin-mediated differentitation of erythroid progenitor cells, as determined by the incorporation of $^{59}Fe$ into protoporphyrin, was inhibited by staurosporine and H7 in a concentration -dependent manner. Scatchard analysis of the $^3H-phorbol-12$, 13-dibutyrate binding to erythroid progenitor cells revealed that at the high affinity sites the dissociation constant was 22nM and the maximum number of $^3H-phorbol-12$, 13-dibutyrate binding to erythroid progenitor cells revealed that at the high affinity sites the dissociation constant was 22nM and the maximum number of $^3H-phorbol-12$, 13-dibutyrate binding sites per cell was approximately $3.7\times10^5$. Cytosonic protein kinase C was isolated from erthroid progenitor cells and then purified by sequential column chromatogrphy. Two isoforms of protein kinase C were found. Photoaffinity labeling of the purified protein kinase C samples with $^3H-phorbol-12$12-myristate 13-acetate followed by analysis of SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and autofluorography showed radiolabeled 82-KDa pepticles. Rediolabeling of the 82-KDa peptides with $^3H-phorbol-12$myristate 13-acete was almost completely blocked by excess unlabeled phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate was almost 12-muristate 13-acetate-promoted phosphorylation with the puyrified protein kinase C samples showed that the phosphorylation of 82-KDa peptides was increased as the concentration of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate was increased from $10^{-8}M{\;}to{\;}10^{-4}$M. In light of the findings that erythroid progenitor cells possessed an abundance of protein kinase C and that stauroporine and H7 inhibited erythroid differentiation, it seemed likely that protein kinase C would play a role in the erythroid progenitor cell development.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.555-559
• /
• 1997

The three different batches of an oral sustained release melatonin (MT) delivery system were prepared by aqueous-based fluid-bed coating of the sugar spheres for the evaluation of in vitro release characteristics and plasma concentration profiles in human subjects. The MT contents in 20% coated sugar spheres of three batches (B1, B2 and B3) were $3.3{\pm}0.08$, $2.4{\pm}0.1$ and $2.5{\pm}0.13$ mg per gram of coated sugar spheres, respectively. The release profiles of three different batches had a very similar fashion. However, the release profiles of three different batches had a very similar fashion. However, the release half-lives $(T_{50%})$ of MT from B1, B2 and B3 was $3.70{\pm}0.2$, $5.2{\pm}0.2$ and $4.9{\pm}0.07h$, respectively. Plasma concentration profiles of sustained release 0.2mg melatonin-loaded sugar spheres containing 10% immediate release melatonin in gelatin capsules (B1 and B2) were then evaluated in human subjects. The in vivo plasma concentration profies of the two batches (B1 and B2) were very similar each other and located between the physiological endogenous ranges. The time to reach the peak concentration $(T_max)$ was more advanced in case of B1 when compared to B2. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the maximum concentration $(C_max)$ and the area under the curve (AUC) between B1 and B2. The AUC of melatonin-loaded sugar spheres containing 10% and 20% immediate release MT in human subjects had a good linearity between dose and AUC, regardless of the fraction of immediate release MT, indicating the first order elimination process of MT within these doses. The current oral sustained release MT delivery system may be utilized to treat circadian rhythm disorders if it is proven to be more clinically useful when compared to immediate release MT.