• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.145-152
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• 2017

Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) is an intrinsic phenomenon whereby 3~4 consecutive ischemia-reperfusion cycles to a remote tissue (non-cardiac) increases the tolerance of the myocardium to sustained ischemia-reperfusion induced injury. Remote ischemic preconditioning induces the local release of chemical mediators which activate the sensory nerve endings to convey signals to the brain. The latter consequently stimulates the efferent nerve endings innervating the myocardium to induce cardioprotection. Indeed, RIPC-induced cardioprotective effects are reliant on the presence of intact neuronal pathways, which has been confirmed using nerve resection of nerves including femoral nerve, vagus nerve, and sciatic nerve. The involvement of neurogenic signaling has been further substantiated using various pharmacological modulators including hexamethonium and trimetaphan. The present review focuses on the potential involvement of neurogenic pathways in mediating remote ischemic preconditioning-induced cardioprotection.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.749-752
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• 2013

Trehalose-tethered monomeric and dimeric berberines were synthesized in 50% and 30% from the reaction of berberrubine with 6-tosyl-${\alpha}$,${\alpha}^{\prime}$-trehalose and 6,6'-ditosyl-${\alpha}$,${\alpha}^{\prime}$-trehalose, respectively, and fully characterized by MS (HR and ESI) and NMR ($^1H$, $^{13}C$, COSY and HSQC). Spectrophotometric and spectrofluorimetric titrations indicated that compared with berberine, trehalose-tethered monomeric berberine had comparable DNA-binding affinity toward calf-thymus DNA, whereas trehalose-spaced dimeric berberine exhibited higher DNA-binding affinity. The potential application of these conjugates is also briefly discussed.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.230-233
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• 1998

The methanol extract of Asparagus racemosus root was evaluated for its anti-inflammatory activity on carrageenin and serotonin-induced rat hind paw oedema models. The extract (200 and 400 mg/kg) showed maximum inhibition of oedema of 18.6% and 33.7% at 3 h with carrageenin and 22.2% and 40.5% at 5 h with serotonin-induced rat paw oedema respectively. The experimental models tested, where the effect produced by the extract was compared to that of phenylbutazone, a prototype non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.13-24
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• 2021

Purpose: This research is aimed to explore factors affecting on Kazakhstan's pharmaceutical distribution industry, selection of various factors and assessment of the level of their influence. Based on the literature review it was defined that there is a great variety of scientific works relating to pharmaceutical distribution industry competitiveness and management improvement. Research design, data and methodology: There is very little research, which to determine the issues of pharmaceutical industry distribution in developing countries, in particular EAEU countries. The algorithm was chosen for research provision: statistical and comparative analysis, correlation, and regression analysis. The data of 1993-2020 obtained from the World Bank, Bureau of National Statistics, National Bank of Kazakhstan, which is expressed by 19 factors as macroeconomic indicators. Results: The chosen variables were selected non-randomly, these economic indicators had the most reliable, unique, and utmost for the whole research period complete information. Conclusions: There could be made adequate conclusions of the research, there is a strong positive relationship for six factors: population, GDP per capita, average annual US dollar exchange rate, the minimum pension, average assigned monthly pension, minimum wage. Pension and wage are the most significant factors affecting on the pharmaceutical distribution industry in Kazakhstan.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.232-238
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• 2013

Background: Although thromboembolism is common and one of the major causes of mortality in cancer patients, maintaining therapeutic anticoagulation effect with warfarin is challenging. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and the causes of non-therapeutic INR (International Normalized Ratio) in cancer patients. Methods: Medical and pharmacy records for cancer patients managed by the pharmacist-run anticoagulation service (ACS) between May, 2010 and April, 2011 at Seoul National University Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. The causes of non-therapeutic INR were identified and compared with the results from a former study with mechanical heart valve patients. Results: A total of 335 cancer patients and 6,737 patient-visits were analyzed producing 68% (n=4,590) of non-therapeutic INR readings. Eighty-five percent of the non-therapeutic INR readings were categorized as sub-therapeutic. Frequent causes linked to non-therapeutic INR included inadequate dosage adjustment (21.8%), changes in health status (11.8%), dietary changes (8.1%), and drug interactions (4.2%). More than half of the non-therapeutic INR values had no known etiology. As causes for non-therapeutic INR, changes in health status (p<0.0001), adverse reactions (p<0.0001), and dietary changes (p=0.017) were statistically more frequent in cancer patients than in patients with mechanical heart valves. Furthermore, exposure to sub-therapeutic INR were more prevalent in cancer patients than in patients with mechanical heart valve (p<0.0001). Conclusions: This study shows that there is a tendency to keep the level of INR low and that health status change, dietary change, and drug interactions are found to be frequent causes for non-therapeutic INR in cancer patients.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2004

The solubility and stability of quercetin in various vehicles were determined. The solubility of quercetin at $28^{\circ}C$ increased in the rank order of isopropyl myristate < oleyl alcohol < propylene glycol monolaurate < oleoyl macrogol­6 glycerides < linoleoyl macrogol-6 glycerides < propylene glycol laurate (PGL) < propylene glycol monocaprylate (PGMC) < polyethylene glycol-8 glyceryl linoleate < caprylocaproyl macrogol-6 glycerides < diethylene glycol mono ethyl ether (DGME). The addition of DGME to non-aqueous vehicles such as PGL ad PGMC markedly increased the solubility of quercetin. From the stability studies, it was found that quercetin was unstable due to rapid oxidation by dissoved oxygen. The addition of a combination of ascorbic acid and edetic acid (EDTA) at 0.1 % markedly decreased the degradation rates of quercetin in 40% polyethylene glycol 400 in saline. Quercetin was relatively unstable in non-aqueous vehicles such as PGL and PGMC alone, and PGL-PGMC co-solvent The degradation of quercetin in such non-aqueous vehicles was fast, depending on temperature. The addition of butylated, hydroxytoluene, butylated hydroxyanisole, citric acid and/or EDTA at 0.1 % was effective in retarding the degradation of quercetin.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.119-125
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• 2000

In an attempt to develop a non-aqueous liquid formulation of practically insoluble biphenyl dimethyl dicarboxylate (DDB), dissolution and permeation studies were performed. Various non-aqueous DDB solutions were formulated and filled into empty hard capsules. Dissolution rates of a new formulation were compared with those of commercially available DDB preparations using one and eight dose units. Dissolution rates after 2 hr of DDB tablets (DDB 25 mg), hard capsules (DDB 7.5 mg) and soft capsules (DDB 7.5 mg) on market and new formulation (DDB 7.5 mg) were 6.3, 15.0, 84.5 and 98.0%, respectively. Higher doses (8 units) resulted in a supersaturation within one hr of dissolution, and dissolved amounts were reduced markedly. Due to the saturation and precipitation, a directly proportional dose-dissolution relationship was not observed. The addition of copolyvidone and/or glycyrrhizic acid ammonium salt to DDB solution in polyethylene glycol 300 and 400 inhibited the formation of precipitates during dissolution and markedly enhanced the rabbit duodenal permeation of DDB. From the site-specific gastrointestinal permeation studies, it was found that permeation rates of DDB after mixing of non-aqueous DDB solutions with aqueous buffered solutions were faster in the order of $rectal\;<\;colonic\;{\risingdotseq}\;ileal\;{\risingdotseq}\;duodenal\;<\;jejunal\;<\;gastric$.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.311-325
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• 2020

Background: Health statistics of pharmaceutical use and expenditure are essential to make and implement evidence-based pharmaceutical policy. This study aims to demonstrate the methods and results of pharmaceutical consumption and sales in 2018 according to the sources and methods given by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Methods: The medication list contains 39,346 medicines both reimbursed and non-reimbursed by the National Health Insurance in 2018. We used the therapeutic categories based on Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical Classification of World Health Organization. This study analyzed National Health Insurance claims data and supply data generated from wholesalers to health care facilities. The indicators are defined daily dose (DDD), per 1,000 inhabitants per day and US$ per capita. Results: In South Korea, the number of medications to which DDD were assigned was 18,055 and it was 45.9% of the total number of medications on the list. The consumption in anti-infective for systemic use (J) and musculo-skeletal system (M) was higher than the mean consumption among the OECD countries. The pharmaceutical sales per person in Korea was also higher than the mean sales per person across the OECD countries. Conclusion: We sought to explain the methods to produce pharmaceutical consumption and sales statistics which we had submitted annually to OECD. Considering the characteristics of pharmaceutical statistics, a direct comparison should be approached with caution. Since the growth in pharmaceutical spending has greatly increased over the past decade, we need to monitor pharmaceutical consumption and expenditure consistently.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.31.1-31.20
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• 2020

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are enzymes that can degrade collagen in hybrid layer and reduce the longevity of adhesive restorations. As scientific understanding of the MMPs has advanced, useful strategies focusing on preventing these enzymes' actions by MMP inhibitors have quickly developed in many medical fields. However, in restorative dentistry, it is still not well established. This paper is an overview of the strategies to inhibit MMPs that can achieve a long-lasting material-tooth adhesion. Literature search was performed comprehensively using the electronic databases: PubMed, ScienceDirect and Scopus including articles from May 2007 to December 2019 and the main search terms were "matrix metalloproteinases", "collagen", and "dentin" and "hybrid layer". MMPs typical structure consists of several distinct domains. MMP inhibitors can be divided into 2 main groups: synthetic (synthetic-peptides, non-peptide molecules and compounds, tetracyclines, metallic ions, and others) and natural bioactive inhibitors mainly flavonoids. Selective inhibitors of MMPs promise to be the future for specific targeting of preventing dentin proteolysis. The knowledge about MMPs functionality should be considered to synthesize drugs capable to efficiently and selectively block MMPs chemical routes targeting their inactivation in order to overcome the current limitations of the therapeutic use of MMPs inhibitors, i.e., easy clinical application and long-lasting effect.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.91-103
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• 2023

As one of the most common mood disorders, numerous studies have shown depression is the main risk factor for non-suicidal self-harm. The pathogenesis of depression is complex, and a comprehensive and rapid measurement of monoamine neurotransmitters and their metabolites will be very helpful in understanding the pathogenesis of depression. Therefore, a rapid and sensitive underivatized liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the simultaneous monitoring of the levels of ten neurotransmitters and their metabolites in rat serum and limbic system and successfully applied to quantify the changes of neurotransmitter levels in chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced rats. The analytes studied were mainly involved in tyrosine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, and glutamate cycling pathways, which are important in the pathogenesis of depression. It had been verified the method was sensitive and effective, with satisfactory linearity, and met the requirements of biological sample determination. Levels of neurotransmitters in rat serum, hippocampus, amygdala, prefrontal cortex, striatum, and hypothalamus were determined via the method. The results showed serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and their metabolites were decreased, glutamine was increased, and glutamate was disturbed in chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced depression rats. This method provides a new approach to studying the pathogenesis of depression and other neurological disorders.