• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.191-196
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• 1991

The present study was performed to determine whether estradiol, via cAMP mediation, induces prostaglandin synthesis by modulating phospholipase $A_2$ activity which hydrolyzes phospholipids into arachidonic acids, a precursor for prostaglandin synthesis, during the implantation process in rats. Uterine phospholipase $A_2$ activity was elevated on day 5 of pregnancy when implantation normally occurs in rats. Moreover, phospholipase $A_2$ activity was higher in the implant sites than in the non-implant sites of uterus on day 6. In delayed implantation model, phospholipase $A_2$ activity was increased at 12 hrs after estradiol administration and at 8 hrs after dbcAMP administration. In addition, higher activity of phospholipase $A_2$ was induced by the treatment of estradiol plus theophylline, compared with estradiol-only treated group. The simultaneous treatment of indomethacin with estradiol or dbcAMP did not alter phospholipase $A_2$ activity compared with estradiol or dbcAMP-only treated group although significant suppression was observed in uterine PGE and $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ concentrations. These results suggest that estradiol or cAMP stimulates uterine phospholipase $A_2$ activity, thereby increasing prostaglandin synthesis during the implantation process in rats.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.173-177
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• 2019

Objective: We investigated the clinical characteristics of men with testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)-induced hypogonadism and its effect on assisted reproductive technology (ART) in infertile couples. Methods: This study examined the records of 20 consecutive male patients diagnosed with azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia (< 5 × 10⁶/mL) who visited a single infertility center from January 2008 to July 2018. All patients were treated at a primary clinic for erectile dysfunction or androgen deficiency symptoms combined with low serum testosterone. All men received a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor and TRT with testosterone undecanoate (Nebido^®) or testosterone enanthate (Jenasteron^®). Patients older than 50 years or with a chronic medical disease such as diabetes were excluded. Results: The mean age of patients was 37 years and the mean duration of infertility was 16.3 ± 11.6 months. At the initial presentation, eight patients had azoospermia, nine had cryptozoospermia, and three had severe oligozoospermia. Serum follicle-stimulating hormone levels were below 1.0 mIU/mL in most patients. Three ongoing ART programs with female factor infertility were cancelled due to male spermatogenic dysfunction; two of these men had normal semen parameters in the previous cycle. After withholding TRT, serum hormone levels and sperm concentrations returned to normal range after a median duration of 8 months. Conclusion: TRT with high-dose testosterone can cause spermatogenic dysfunction due to suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis, with adverse effects on infertility treatment programs. TRT is therefore contraindicated for infertile couples attempting to conceive, and the patient's desire for fertility must be considered before initiation of TRT in a hypogonadal man.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.225-231
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• 1997

As it has been reported that the depolarization-induced norepinephrine (NE) release is modulated by activation of presynaptic $A_1-adenosine$ heteroreceptor and various lines of evidence indicate the involvement of adenylate cyclase system in $A_1-adenosine$ post-receptor mechanism in hippocampus, it was attempted to delineate the role of adenylate cyclase system in the $A_1-receptor-mediated$ control of NE release in this study. Slices from rat hippocampus were equilibrated with $[^3H]-NE$ and the release of the labelled products was evoked by electrical stimulation.(3 Hz, $5Vcm^{-1}$, 2 ms, rectangular pulses). The influence of various agents on the evoked tritium-outflow was investigated. $N^6-Cyclopentyladenosine$ (CPA), a specific $A_1-adenosine$ receptor agonist, in concentrations Tanging from 0.1 to $10{\mu}M$ decreased the $[^3H]-NE$ release in a dose-dependent mauler without any change of basal rate of release. 8-Cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX, $2{\mu}M$), a selective $A_1-receptor$ antagonist, inhibited the CPA effect. The responses to N-ethylmaleimide $(3&10{\mu}M)$, a SH-alkylating agent of G-protein, were characterized by increments of the evoked NE-release and the CPA effects were completely abolished by NEM pretreatment. Forskolin, a specific adenylate cyclase activator, in concentrations ranging from 0.1 to $30{\mu}M$ increased the evoked and basal rate of NE release in a dose-dependent manner and the CPA effects were inhibited by forskolin pretreatment. Rolipram $(1&10{\mu}M)$, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, did not affect the evoked NE release but reduced the CPA effect. And 8-bromo-cAMP $(100&300{\mu}M)$, a membrane permeable cAMP analogue inhibited the CPA effect significantly. These results suggest that the $A_1-adenosine$ heteroreceptor plays an important role in NE-release via nucleotide-binding protein $G_i$ in the rat hippocampus and that the adenylate cyclase system might be participated in this process.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.117-123
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• 2010

Ibudilast, 3-isobutyryl-2-isopropyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine, is a nonselective inhibitor of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE). It preferentially inhibits PDE 3A, PDE4, PDE10 and PDE11 as well as a number of the other PDE families, albeit to a lesser extent. Ibudilast is used clinically to treat bronchial asthma and cerebrovascular disorders. Thes e clinical uses are based on the ability of ibudilast to inhibit platelet aggregation, improve cerebral blood flow and attenuate allergic reactions. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the bioequivalence of two ibudilast capsules, Ketas capsule (Handok Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.) and Pinatos capsule (Sam Chun Dang Pharm. Co., Ltd.), according to the guidelines of the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). The in vitro release of ibudilast from the two ibudilast formulations was tested using KP Apparatus method with various dissolution media. Twenty six healthy male subjects, 23.31${\pm}$1.09 years in age and 70.45${\pm}$8.51 kg in body weight, were divided into two groups and a randomized $2{\times}2$ cross-over study was employed. After a single capsule containing 10 mg as ibudilast was orally administered, blood samples were taken at predetermined time intervals and the concentrations of ibudilast in serum were determined using HPLC/UV detector. The dissolution profiles of two formulations were similar in all tested dissolution media. The pharmacokinetic parameters such as $AUC_t$, $C_{max}$ and $T_{max}$ were calculated, and computer programs (Equiv Test and K-BE Test 2002) were utilized for the statistical analysis of the parameters using logarithmically transformed $AUC_t$, $C_{max}$ and untransformed $T_{max}$. The results showed that the differences between two formulations based on the reference drug, Ketas, were 6.99%, -2.48% and 9.93% for $AUC_t$, $C_{max}$ and $T_{max}$, respectively. There were no sequence effects between two formulations in these parameters. The 90% confidence intervals using logarithmically transformed data were within the acceptance range of log 0.8 to log 1.25 (e.g., log 0.8791~log 1.1861 and log 0.8347~log 1.1199 for $AUC_t$ and $C_{max}$, respectively). Thus, the criteria of the KFDA bioequivalence guideline were satisfied, indicating Pinatos capsule was bioequivalent to Ketas capsule.