• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.239-244
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• 2011

Immediate-type hypersensitivity is involved in many allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis and anaphylaxis. The discovery of drugs for the treatment of allergic disease is an important subject in human health. Stimulation of mast cells releases inflammatory mediators, such as histamine and pro-inflammatory cytokines with immune regulatory properties. We investigated the effect of the aqueous extract of Schizonepeta tenuifolia (AEST) (Labiatae) on the immediate-type allergic reaction. AEST inhibited compound 48/80-induced systemic allergic reaction. AEST attenuated immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated skin allergic reaction and histamine release from human mast cell line (HMC-1) cells. In addition, AEST decreased the gene expression and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus calcium ionophore A23187 (A23187)-stimulated HMC-1 cells. Our results indicate that AEST inhibits the mast cell-derived allergic reactions and involvement of histamine and pro-inflammatory cytokines in these effects.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.287-290
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• 2007

Intrinsic or acquired resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs is one of the major obstacles to effective cancer treatment. Hypoxia is widespread in solid tumors as a consequence of decreased blood flow in the tumor-derived neovasculature. The recent finding of a link between hypoxia and chemoresistance prompted us to investigate whether hypoxia induces doxorubicin resistance in human MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Low oxygen concentration decreased the doxorubicin sensitivity in MCF-7 cells. The expression of p-glycoprotein, a major MDR-related transporter, and those of apoptosis-related proteins (anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, Bcl-XL and pro-apoptotic Bax) were not altered by hypoxia in MCF-7 cells. Intracellular uptake of doxorubicin was significantly decreased under hypoxic conditions. Decreased cellular uptake of doxorubicin under hypoxia may contribute to causing doxorubicin resistance in these cells. The use of agents that can modulate the doxorubicin uptake for adjuvant therapy may contribute to improving the therapeutic efficacy of doxorubicin in breast cancer patients.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.185-192
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• 1995

Flurbiprofen, one of potent nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, has several systemic side effects due to dose dumping effect following oral administration of its conventional solid dosage forms. To reduce these side effects and to sustain therapeutic concentration of the drug, matrix tablets of flurbiprofen were prepared and evaluated for sustained release from the tablets. The matrix tablets of flurbiprofen were prepared with Eudragit, Pluronic, (anhydrous) lactose and colloidal silicon dioxide employing two different preparation methods, wet granulation and direct compression. The dissolution rates of the tablets were evaluated using KP 2 method. Formulation factors that affected dissolution rates of flurbiprofen were the type and content of Eudragit, the type and content of Pluronic, and the tablet preparation method. Several formulations of the matrix tablets showed dissolution patterns close to the simulated profile using pharmacokinetic parameters of flurbiprofen.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.217-221
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• 1984

Nylon microcapsules of sodium salicylate containing three different matrixes, acacia, gelatin and formalized gelatin, were prepared by interfacial polymerization and the effect of the matrix on the dissolution rate of sodium salicylate from its nylon microcapsule was investigated. The microcapsules were spherical and their particle diameter increased in proportion to the amount of matrix. The surface was different from each other according to the kind and the amount of matrix when observed by the scanning electron microscopy. The dissolution rate of sodium salicylate from its microcapsules was decreased by increase of the amount of matrix and the formalized gelatin most decreased the dissolution rate of drugs.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.231-238
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• 2021

Several structural proteins present in keratinocytes of the skin are known to play an important role in the formation of epidermal tissue and barrier function, and the absence of structural proteins in keratinocytes causes various skin diseases. In this study, 42 types of tetrapeptides derived from the sequence of Loricrin, a kind of terminally differentiating structural protein, were synthesized, and skin anti-aging properties were measured by measuring the elastase inhibition, proliferation of skin cells. The anti-aging efficacy was verified and, based on this, it succeeded in selecting one of the most excellent peptides. It is expected that the selected tetrapeptide can be used as a raw material for various cosmetics and quasi-drugs based on anti-aging and skin cell proliferation effects.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.22.1-22.4
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• 2023

The increasing resistance of head lice Pediculus humanus capitis to many drugs has highlighted the need for new alternatives to control head lice in adults. The effect of two types of extracts (aqueous and alcoholic) of Citrullus colocynthis fruit on adult lice was tested in vitro. The results showed that the alcoholic extract with a concentration of 20% showed similar efficacy in killing adult lice to that of Natroba 9% w/w, with values ranging between 87% to 98% within 18 minutes, followed by a 20% aqueous extract with a 44% to 79% death rate. A 10% concentration of both types of extracts had moderate lethality for lice, while a 5% concentration did not show strong lethality for adult lice. These results revealed significant differences between the control group and those treated with alcoholic and aqueous extract concentrations of C. colocynthis fruits at the probability level p ≤ 0.05.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.289-295
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• 1994

Pharmacokinetic drug interaction between phenytoin and verapamil was investigated following i.v. administration of two drugs concomitantly to rabbits. Verapamil was coadministered with phenytoin (5 mg/kg) to rabbits at the doses of 0.5,1 and 2 mg/kg, respectively. Plasma concentration and AUC of phenytoin were increased significantly, but volume of distribution and total body clearance were decreased significantly (p<0.05) at doses of 1mg and 2mg/kg of verapamil, respectively. From the results of this experiment, it is desirable that dosage regimen of phenytoin should be adjusted and that therapeutic drug monitoring should be performed for reduction of side or toxic effect when phenytoin should be administered with verapamil in clinical practice.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.345-354
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• 2012

Angelica keiskei has exhibited numerous pharmacological effects including antitumor, antimetastatic, and antidiabetic effects. However, the anti-inflammatory effects and mechanisms employed by xanthoangelol E isolated from Angelica keiskei are incompletely understood. In this study, we attempted to determine the effects of Xanthoangelol E on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated mouse peritoneal macrophage. The findings of this study demonstrated that xanthoangelol E inhibited the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-6, and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$). Xanthoangelol E inhibited the enhanced levels of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) caused by LPS. Additionally, we showed that the anti-inflammatory effect of xanthoangelol E is through the regulation of the activation of nuclear factor (NF)-${\kappa}B$ and caspase-1. These results provide novel insights into the pharmacological actions of xanthoangelol E as a potential candidate for the development of new drugs to treat inflammatory diseases.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.181-190
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• 1997

Zolpidem is a relatively new, short-acting, rapid onset, and nonbenzodiazepine hypnotics. Zolpidem selectively binds to the central benzodiazepine 1 (BZI) receptor subtype. The present study was designed to compare the hypnotic effects of zolpidem (10 mg), triazolam (0.25 mg), and placebo in 22 schizophrenic inpatients. Zolpidem, triazolam, and placebo were administered orally in a randomized, double-blind design. Compared with placebo, zolpidem and triazolam significantly decreased sleep latency (p<0.05), increased total sleep time (p<0.05), and increased improvement of satisfaction of sleep (p<0.05). Zolpidem decreased the number of awakenings significantly in comparison with placebo (p<0.05), but triazolam did not. In addition, both drugs were well tolerated and did not produce severe side effects. These results suggest that zolpidem is effective for transient insomnia of schizophrenic inpatients and zolpidem is superior to triazolam in hypnotic effect.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.64-73
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• 1993

The study was conducted to investigate the mechanism of tumor promotion as the time courses and the doses of promoter, and the effect of plant fiavonoids on the TPA-induced ODC responses. The results are summarized as follows: 1. A single, toppical application of 17 nmole of the potent tumor promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate, resulted in an induction of mouse epidermal Ornithine Decarboxylase with a peak at 5 hours after treatment and maximized 5.1 times as large as ODC activities of control. 2. Dose-response curve indicated that the tumor promotion increases proportionally between 1.7 and 170 nmole of TPA. This dose dependency relationship indicated that the ability of TPA to stimulate ODC is linked its ability to promote tumors. 3. Naturally occurring plant fiavonoids with anticarcinogenic and antipromotional activities were tested for their abilities to inhibit ODC response induced by skin tumor promoter TPA. Intra peritoneal administration of fiavonoids compounds (rutin, naphthofiavone, baicalein, quercitrin) and herbal drugs (sophorae rios, crataegi fructus, armeniacae semen) inhibited 17 nmole TPA-induced ODC activities in mouse epidermis in vivo.