• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.57-66
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was performed to analyze single dose toxicity and the lethal dose of Scolopendrid Pharmacopuncture in rats. Methods: All experiments were conducted at the Korea Testing & Research Institute (KTR), an institution authorized to perform non-clinical studies, under the regulations of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP). Sprague-Dawley rats were chosen for the pilot study. Doses of Scolopendrid pharmacopuncture, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mL, were administered to the experimental group, and 1.0 mL doses of normal saline solution were administered to the control group. This study was conducted under the approval of the Institutional Animal Ethic Committee. Results: No deaths or abnormalities occurred in any of the groups. No significant changes in the weight, hematological parameters or clinical chemistry were noted between the control group and the experimental group. To check for abnormalities in organs and tissues, we used microscopy to examine representative histological sections of each specified organ; the results showed no significant differences in any of the organs or tissues. Conclusion: The above findings suggest Scolopendrid Pharmacopuncture is a relatively safe to use for treatment. Further studies on the subject should be conducted to yield more concrete evidence.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.23-38
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• 2017

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical prognostic factors affecting facial palsy in 98 idiopathic facial palsy patients who were hospitalized and treated in 2015, using retrospective statistical analysis. Methods : We investigated patients with idiopathic facial nerve palsy, admitted to a Korean medical hospital in 2015, and examined patients' variables and therapeutic variables. For analysis of clinical data, an independent sample t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and simple regression analysis were performed using IBM SPSS version 24.0. Results : 1. The initial degree of facial palsy showed statistical significance with age. The older the age, the more severe the initial palsy. 2. Following treatment degree of facial palsy was statistically significant with age, hypertension, and fasting blood sugar (FBS). The higher the value, the slower the recovery from facial palsy. There was a statistical significance with the number of treatments in a Korean medical hospital. The more frequent the treatment, the faster the facial palsy recovery. 3. Degree of facial palsy after 12 months was statistically significant with age, hypertension, diabetes, FBS, and the initial severity of facial palsy. The higher the value, the slower the facial palsy recovery. 4. Sex, left or right sided palsy, alcohol consumption, smoking, history of facial palsy, season of onset, total number of treatments and bio chemistry (BC), complete blood cell count (CBC), urinalysis (UA) factors had no statistical significance with prognosis of facial palsy. Conclusion : Age, season of onset, hypertension, diabetes, FBS, initial severity of facial palsy, and the number of treatments at a Korean medical hospital showed statistical significance. The number of treatments at the Korean medical hospital positively correlated with facial palsy prognosis, and the others variables showed a negative correlation with facial palsy prognosis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.180-197
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• 1999

Acute and subacute oral toxicity of $HELIKIT^{TM}$ ($^{13}C-urea$) were carried out in Sprague-Dawley rats of both sex. The toxicity of $HELIKIT^{TM}$ was compared with urea($^{12}C-urea$ which is used for control). In acute toxicity studies, we daily examined number of deaths, clinical signs, body weights and pathological examination for 14 days after single oral administration of HELIKIT or urea($^{12}C-urea$) at a dose of 5000 mg/kg. The subacute oral toxicity was investigated in Sprague-Dawley rats treated with $HELIKIT^{TM}$ at a dose of 40, 200 and 1,000 mg/kg/day or $^{12}C-urea$ at a dose of 1,000 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks. In acute toxicity studies, $HELIKIT^{TM}$ and urea did not show any toxic effect in rats and oral LD50 value was over 5,000 mg/kg rats. In subacute toxicity studies, no death occured and no drug-related changes were found in clinical observations; body weight, food consumption, opthalmoscopy. auditory test, urinalysis, hematology, blood chemistry, gross pathological examination or organ weight between $HELIKIT^{TM}$, urea and control groups. In histopathological examinations, the slight thickening of mucosa of the limiting ridge in the stomach was noted in the animals treated with $HELIKIT^{TM}$ at a dose of 1,000 mg/kg/day and also the changes in urea group at a dose of 1,000 mg/kg/day was found, but all of these changes in the changes in ures group at a dose of 1,000 mg/kg/days was found, but all of these changes in the stomach regressed after withdrawal of the test article for 2 weeks and reversibility of the effect was revealed. These results indicate that the non toxic dose level of $HELIKIT^{TM}$ was 1,000 mg/kg/day in the 4 weeks-repeated dose study, suggesting that the substitution of $^{13}C$ for carbon in urea molecule has no effect on the toxicity of urea and changes in stomach are reversible.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.34-40
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• 2005

We examined the effects of food on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of fenofibrate released from sustained-release(SR) capsule as therapy for hypolipidemia. Twenty-four healthy volunteers were used in $3{\times}3$ crossover pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic study; Additional six volunteers were used as a control group (i.e., no fenofibrate administration). A single dose of fenofibrate (SR capsule, 250 mg) was administered on three occasions: after overnight fasting, after consumption of a standard breakfast, and after a high-fat breakfast. Serial blood samples were collected for the next 72 hours. Plasma fenofibric acid concentrations were measured by high performance liquid chromatography, and pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using ADAPT II program. Plsama triglyceride concentrations were measured by blood chemistry analyzer (CH-100). The pharmacokinetic parameters were significantly affected by food intake. The high-fat breakfast affected the rate of absorption of fenofibrate more than did the standard breakfast and fasted conditions. Plasma concentrations of triglyceride at 24 hours decreased significantly after the administration of fenofibrate compared with the concentration at 0 hours(P<0.05). In healthy volunteers, the bioavailability of fenofibrate was greater when administered via sustained-release capsules immediately after the consumption of food than after fasting condition.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.123-130
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• 1995

A single-blind comparative study was performed using haloperidol as a reference drug in order to evaluate the efficacy and safety of nemonapride, a new benzamide derivative, in sixty-nine Korean schizophrenic patients. the total period of the study was 8 weeks, maximum dosage of nemonapride was 36mg and that of haloperidol was 24mg. Psychopathology and extrapyramidal symptoms were assessed every week or four weeks until the end of the 8th week using the PANSS, BPRS, and 4 point general side effect check list, The drug safety was assessed every week until the end of the 8th week using vital sign, body weight, EEG, EKG, and blood chemistry. In total. one patient discontinued nemonapride treatment and seven patients discontinued haloperidol treatment before the end of the study. Therefore sixty-one patients(88 %) completed the study. PNASS and BPRS scores of the two groups on the end study point demonstrated a significant improvement compared with baseline score. The number of patients who had a clinical improvement of at least 20% in baseline score was similiar in both treatment groups. The difference of Simpson's rating scale socres were significant in both groups, and mean scores were more high in the haloperidol group than in nemonapride group. No significant EKG, EEG changes were induced, no relevant change in body weight or clinical laboratory parameters were observed in the sixty-one patients during 8 weeks and no Significant difference in the both groups. From these results, nemonapride is considered to be a clinically useful drug having a wide range of antipsychotic effect in schzophrenic patients.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.607-609
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• 2011

A 6-year-old, neutered female, Cocker spaniel presented with severe abdominal erythema and crusts. These conditions developed 1 month ago. This patient had a history of using humectant spray for several months. Irritant contact dermatitis was diagnosed by history, clinical signs, laboratory and histopathologic examinations (H-E stain). Complete blood count and serum chemistry showed no remarkable findings. Histopathologic examination of skin samples revealed parakeratosis accompanied by acanthosis of the dermis and mild perivascular inflammations of the superficial dermis. Clinical signs were improved after avoidance of suspected offending substance.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1164-1169
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• 2008

We developed multiplex RT-PCR assays that can detect and identify 12 hemagglutinin (H1-H12) and 9 neuraminidase (N1-N9) subtypes that are commonly isolated from avian, swine, and human influenza A viruses. RT-PCR products with unique sizes characteristic of each subtype were amplified by multiplex RT-PCRs, and sequence analysis of each amplicon was demonstrated to be specific for each subtype with 24 reference viruses. The specificity was demonstrated further with DNA or cDNA templates from 7 viruses, 5 bacteria, and 50 influenza A virus-negative specimens. Furthermore, the assays could detect and subtype up to $10^5$ dilution of each of the reference viruses that had an original infectivity titer of $10^6\;EID_{50}/ml$. Of 188 virus isolates, the multiplex RT-PCR results agreed completely with individual RT-PCR subtyping results and with results obtained from virus isolations. Furthermore, the multiplex RT-PCR methods efficiently detected mixed infections with at least two different subtypes of influenza viruses in one host. Therefore, these methods could facilitate rapid and accurate subtyping of influenza A viruses directly from field specimens.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7641-7651
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• 2015

It has been shown previously that nutritional supplements rich in polyphenolic compounds play a significant role in prostate cancer chemoprevention. Propolis is a natural, resinous hive product that has several pharmacological activities including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumoral activities. The aim of this study was to compare the cytotoxic, antioxidant and antitumoral activities of an ethanolic extract of Egyptian propolis (EEP) in vitro with an established chemotherapeutic drug such as doxorubicin (DOX), and the effects of their combination against the PC3 human prostate cancer cell line. Cellular viability and $IC_{50}$ levels with EEP, DOX and their (v/v) combination were detected by sulphorhodamine-B (SRB) assay after incubation of PC3 cells for 72h with different doses (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 and $100{\mu}g/ml$). Two selected doses of $IC_{50}$ and $IC_{25}$ were applied to cells for 24h for antitumor evaluation assay of treatment compounds. EEP and its (v/v) combination with DOX showed significant antitumor potential besides high antioxidant properties of superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase (CAT), nitric oxide (NO) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels when compared with the control untreated cells. DNA fragmentation assay and semi quantitative RT-PCR analyses for p53 and Bax genes showed that EEP activated cellular apoptosis and increased the mRNA expression levels more than other treatment. In conclusion, EEP alone or in combination with DOX at both doses used here showed greater antioxidant, antiproliferative and apoptotic effects against the PC3 cell lines as compared to treatment with DOX alone. Therefore, EEP could be considered as a promising candidate for prostate cancer chemotherapy.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.115-119
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• 2006

The object of this study was to examine whether the germanium fortified yeast administered to SD rat is accumulated in the liver and kidney. The administration doses were within 2,000 mg/kg which is the level of NOAEL (no observed adverse effect level) proved through the previous study of single/consecutive oral toxicity test. There were no significant clinical symptoms and mortality following the administration of organic germanium-fortified yeast (0, 500, 1,000, 2,000 mg/kg) during the whole test period, and also no difference in the consumed amount of feed and water for each group. No significant abnormalities of hematology and blood chemistry parameters were found in all groups of organic germanium-fortified yeast (0, 500, 1,000, 2,000 mg/kg). The amount of germanium accumulated in liver and kidney was 0 g/kg by ICP-AES method in the group of organic germanium-fortified yeast. In the positive control group of $GeO_2$ (150 mg/kg), the amount of accumulation was shown to 3135.0 and 4277.2 g/kg in each female and male kidney and 1044.3 and 2135.8 g/kg in each female and male liver, respectively. Organic germanium-fortified yeast, a biosynthetic product resulting from putting germanium into yeast, did not show any clinical symptoms, blood chemical significance, and residues in kidney and liver. It could be inferred that the non-toxic amount of organic germanium-fortified yeast was up to 2,000 mg/kg.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was performed to analyze the single dose toxicity of Chukyu (spine-healing) pharmacopuncture. Methods: All experiments were conducted at the Biotoxtech, an institution authorized to perform non-clinical studies under the regulations of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) regulations. Sprague-Dawley rats were chosen for the pilot study. Doses of Chukyu (spine-healing) pharmacopuncture, 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 mL, were administered to the experimental groups, and a dose of normal saline solution, 1.0 mL, was administered to the control group. This study was conducted under the approval of the Institutional Animal Ethic Committee. Results: No deaths or abnormalities occurred in any of the four groups. No significant changes in weight, hematological parameters or clinical chemistry between the control group and the experimental groups were observed. To check for abnormalities in organs and tissues, we used microscopy to examine representative histological sections of each specified organ; the results showed no significant differences in any of the organs or tissues except in one case, where interstitial infiltrating macrophages were found in one female rat in the 0.5-mL/animal experimental group. Conclusion: The above findings suggest that treatment with Chukyu (spine-healing) pharmacopuncture is relatively safe. Further studies on this subject are needed to yield more concrete evidence.