• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.131-139
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• 2000

Even the pharmacotherapy is more effective than placebo for the treatment of depression, the outcome of pharmacoltherapy remains unsatisfactory for many patients. Apart from side effects, there are two major limitations of antidepressant therapy. One is the delayed onset of improvement and another is partial response. In order to address these clinical dilemmas, many psychiatrists more commonly employ add-on therapy. In past, the practice of using multiple drugs to enhance treatment response was called polypharamcy, and was disparaged as poor clinical practice. However, with improved understanding of how drugs affects the central nervous system and increased communication in journals and on computer networks about the relative merits of specific combinations, the scientific basis for the combining drugs is being defined. Indeed, the use of multiple medications as a stratege to enhance response has become both acceptable and widespread now a days. It is now referred to more positively as add-on therapy, co-medication, combination therapy, or drug augmentation. Thus, as the methods of practical strategies for treatment of depression, switching classes antidepressant drugs, combination therapy, augmentation strategies and brief treatment algorithm will be presented with items of considerations. However, when combination of drugs being tried, knowledges about the action of mechanism, pharamcokinetics, and pharmacodynamics are essential to cope with the possible adversive reactions and to get the appropriate responses for the treatment of depressive symptoms.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.180-185
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• 2002

The bioequivalence of two 4 mg triamcinolone tablets (Dong-Kwang Triamcinolone$\textregistered$ vs. Wyeth Korea Ledercoat$\textregistered$) was assessed in healthy male volunteers after oral administration of 16mg triamcinolone in a randomized crossover study. Blood samples were collected at specified time intervals, and plasma was analyzed for triamcinolone using a validated HPLC method. The pharmacokinetic parameters of $T_{max}$, $C_{max}$, $AUC_{0\longrightarrowlast}$, $AUC_{0\longrightarrowinf}$ and $T_{1/2, \beta} were determined from plasma concentration-time profile of two formulations. The pharmacokinetic parameters were statistically compared to evaluate bioequivalence between two formulations, according to Korea Food and Drug Administration Guideline. The analysis of variance did not show any significant difference between the two formulations and 90% confidence limits fell within the acceptable range (80-120%) for bioequivalence. Based on these data it was concluded that the two products showed comparable pharmacokinetic profiles and that the Dong-Kwang triamcinlone$\textregistered$ tablet is bioequivalent to the Wyeth Korea Ledercoat$\textregistered$ tablet.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.691-698
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• 1995

We used rats as the experimental animal for the elucidation of metabolic patterns and pharmacokinetic profiles of SMZ in the rat, by use of the urine and plasma from predetermined intervals, respectively. Information herefrom would give some insight into species differences and sex differences in the metabolism and pharamcokinetics of drugs, at least SMZ in particular. Results would be summarized as follows: 1. There were two hydorxy metabolites(5-hydroxysulfamethazine and 6-hydroxyethylsulfamethazine) and an acetyl derivative($N_4$-acetyl sulfamethazine) in the 24h-collected urine, on confirmation with each standard materials. There were also two unknown metabolites therein. 2. In the viewpoint of quantitative aspect, $N_4$-acetylsulfamethazine was the largest, hence it is assumed that the acetyl pathway is the major one in the metabolism of SMZ in the rat. 3. As regards sex difference in the rat, the male had more metabolic capacity than the female in metabolism of SMZ. 4. The concenteration-time curves of sulfamethazine(20mg/kg, po) in the plasma compartment were fitted to a one-compartment open model by use of a computer program(NONLIN). 5. There were significant differences(P<0.05) in the pharmacokinetics of sulfamethazine between two sexes in the rat, with higher disposition rate in the male. 6. The emergence of $N_4AcSMZ$ metabolized from SMZ was fast in the plasma of the rat. Half-life of $N_4AcSMZ$ was also. significantly different(P<0.05) between two sexes, suggesting differences in the eliminatory capacity of $N_4AcSMZ$.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.676-681
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• 2004

Acetyl-L-camitine (ALC), a naturally occurring endogenous compound, has been shown to improve the cognitive performance of patients with senile dementia Alzheimer＇s type, and to be involved in cholinergic neurotransmission. Because ALC is an endogenous compound, valida-tion of the analytical methods of ALC in the biological fluids is very important and difficult. This study was presented validation and correction for plasma ALC concentrations and pharmacok-inetics after oral administration of ALC to human volunteers. ALC concentrations in human plasma were corrected by subtracting the concentration of blank plasma from each sample. Precision and accuracy (bias %) for uncorrected ALC concentrations were below 2.6 and 6.5% for intra-days, and 4.0 and 9.4% for inter-days, respectively. Precision and accuracy (bias %)for corrected ALC concentrations were below 10.9 and 6.0% for intra-days, and 10.5 and 16.9% for inter-days, respectively. Quantitation limit was $0.1{\;}\mu\textrm{g}／mL$. After oral administration of a 500 mg ALC tablet to 8 healthy volunteers, the principle pharmacokinetic parameters were 4.2 h of the half-life$ (t_{1/2},{\beta})$, the area under the curve $(AUC_{0{\rightarrow}8){\;}of{\;}9.88{\;}\mu\textrm{g}{\cdot}h/mL$, and 3.1 h of the time ($T_{max}$) to reach $C_{max}$. This study first describes the pharmacokinetic study after oral admin-istration of a single dose of ALC in human volunteers.