• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.484-493
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• 2007

Two polymeric prodrugs of PGE1 (prodrugs IVg and PNg) were newly synthesized. The drug conjugation proceeded in quantitative yield without decomposition of PGE1 to PGA1. With two types conjugates, PEG-PGE1 and PN-PGE1 with different spacer groups, we first discovered a possibility of slow release of PGE1 in blood circulatory system. PGE1 is conjugated with PEG and PN through the long alkylene spacers, and their availability as polymeric prodrugs is evaluated. Their drug-releasing behavior was examined both in phosphate buffer (pH=7.4) and rat plasma. Each prodrug was known to be highly stabile in the buffer solution. The drug-releasing rate became much faster in rat plasma than in the buffer solution due to the acceleration by the plasma enzymes. The drug-release was found to reach a plateau in rat plasma because the released PGE1 or its derivatives may be captured or decomposed by the plasma proteins. The slower drug-releasing rate of pro drug PNg in rat plasma is reasonably attributed to the molecular aggregation due to the hydrophobic bonding between the PGE1 moieties and spacers.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.461-465
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• 2006

Two types of injectable system using thermosensitive chitosan (chitosan-g-NIPAAm), hydrogel and microparticles (MPs)-embedded hydrogel were developed as drug carriers for controlled release and their pharmaceutical potentials were investigated. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU)-loaded, biodegradable PLGA MPs were prepared by a double emulsion method and then simply mixed with an aqueous solution of thermosensitive chitosan at room temperature. All 5-FU release rates from the hydrogel matrix were faster than bovine serum albumin (BSA), possibly due to the difference in the molecular weight of the drugs. The 5-FU release profile from MPs-embedded hydrogel was shown to reduce the burst effect and exhibit nearly zero-order release behavior from the beginning of each initial stage. Thus, these MPs-embedded hydrogels, as well as thermosensitive chitosan hydrogel, have promising potential as an injectable drug carrier for pharmaceutical applications.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.109-116
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• 1989

Solid dispersion of fenticonazole nitrate (FN) with poloxamer 407, polyethylene glycol 6000, povidone (K-90) were prepared by the solvent method. To characterize the state of the drug in solid dispersions, the x-ray diffractometry and differential scanning calorimetry were carried out. The identification of these systems suggested that FN in the poloxamer 407 system remained in crystalline state, and the drug in the PVP system was amorphous. A marked increase in the dissolution rate of FN was attained by dispersing the drug in the hydrophilic polymers used, and the dispersion with poloxamer 407 was superior to the other two carriers in releasing the drug into solution.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2008

Liposomes as one of the efficient drug carriers have some shortcomings such as their short circulation time, fast clearance from human body by reticuloendothelial system (RES) and limited intracellular uptake to target cell. In this study, polyethylenglycol (PEG)-incorporated cationic liposomes were prepared by ionic complexation of positively charged liposomes with carboxylated polyethyleneglycol (mPEG-COOH). The cationic liposomes had approximately $98.6{\pm}1.0nm$ of mean particle diameter and $42.8{\pm}0.8mV$ of zeta potential value. The PEG-incorporated cationic liposomes had $110.1{\pm}1.2nm$ of mean particle diameter with an increase of about 10 nm compared to the cationic liposomes. Zeta potential value of them was $12.9{\pm}0.6mV$ indicating 30mV decrease of cationic charge compared to the cationic liposomes. The amount of PEG which was incorporated onto the cationic liposomes was assayed by using picrate assay method and the incorporation efficiency was $58.4{\pm}1.1%$. Loading efficiency of model drug, doxorubicin, into cationic liposomes or PEG-incorporated cationic liposomes was about $96.0{\pm}0.7%$. Results of intracellular uptake which were evaluated by flow cytometry analysis of doxorubicin loaded liposomes showed that intracellular uptake of PEG-incorporated cationic liposomes was higher than the cationic liposomes or DSPE-mPEG liposomes. In addition, cytotoxicity of PEG-incorporated cationic liposomes was comparable to cationic liposomes. Consequently, the PEG-incorporated cationic liposomes of which surface was incorporated with PEG by ionic complex may be applicable as anticancer drug carriers that can increase therapeutic efficacy.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.461-467
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• 1995

In this study, the release experiments of drug were operated in the phosphate buffer solutions of pH 7.4 and pH 1.2 by using drug carriers(chitosan, chitosan hydrochloride, and sulfonated chitosan)coated by poly(DL-lactide) with prednisolone for delivery drug. The release time of drug was more delayed in pH 7.4 than in pH 1.2. The release time of according to the kinds of drug carrier was delayed in the order of chitosan, sulfonated chitosan, and chitosan hydrochloride. In short, the formulation allows biodegradable coated monolithic polymetic matrices to suppress the burst effect of the drug release mechanism, which led to the sustained release pattern.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.169-176
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• 2004

Acyclovir(ACV) is an important antiviral drug used extensively against infections caused by herpes viruses, especially herpes simplex and varicella zoster. Because of high crystallinity and large particle size, solubility of intact ACV is very low in water(1.3 mg/ml). The goal of this work is to enhance the solubility of ACV. To make solid dispersion, Polyethyleneglycol, Hydroxyprophylmethylcelluose and Polyvinylpyrrolidone were used as polymer carriers in this work. Polymer carriers and drug were dissolved in acetic acid. And then spray drying method and freeze drying method were used as solvent extraction. Morphology, crystallization and functional group were characterized using SEM, XRD and FT-IR. The result of in vitro test showed the sample using PVP as polymer carrier had higher dissolution rate(up to 466%) than intact ACV.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.423-434
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• 2013

The adoption of oligonucleotide aptamer is well on the rise, serving an ever increasing demand for versatility in biomedical field. Through the SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment), aptamer that can bind to specific target with high affinity and specificity can be obtained. Aptamers are single-stranded nucleic acid molecules that can fold into complex three-dimensional structures, forming binding pockets and clefts for the specific recognition and tight binding of any given molecular target. Recently, aptamers have attracted much attention because they not only have all of the advantages of antibodies, but also have unique merits such as thermal stability, ease of synthesis, reversibility, and little immunogenicity. The advent of novel technologies is revolutionizing aptamer applications. Aptamers can be easily modified by various chemical reactions to introduce functional groups and/or nucleotide extensions. They can also be conjugated to therapeutic molecules such as drugs, drug containing carriers, toxins, or photosensitizers. Here, we discuss new SELEX strategies and stabilization methods as well as applications in drug delivery and molecular imaging.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.283-292
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• 2011

Solid dispersion is one of well-established pharmaceutical techniques to improve the dissolution and consequent bioavailability of poorly water soluble drugs. It is defined as a dispersion of drug in an inert carrier matrix. Solid dispersions can be classified into three generations according to the carrier used in the system. First and second generations consist of crystalline and amorphous substances, respectively. Third generation carriers are surfactant, mixture of polymer and surfactants, and mixture of polymers. Solid dispersions can be generallyprepared by melting method and solvent method. While melting method requires high temperature to melt carrier and dissolve drug, solvent method utilizes solvent to dissolve the components. The improvement in dissolution through solid dispersions is attributed to reduction in drug particle size, improvement in wettability, and/or formation of amorphous state. The primary characteristics of solid dispersions, the presenceof drug in amorphous state, could be determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). In spite of the significant improvement in dissolution by solid dispersion technique, some drawbacks have limited the commercial application of solid dispersions. Thus, further studies should be conducted in a direction to improve the congeniality to commercialization.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.473-477
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• 2012

The novel chitosan-based thermosensitive hydrogels were prepared as control-releasing drug carriers. N-carboxyethyl chitosan (ACS) was synthesized by microwave heating for 1 h through Michael addition of CS to acrylic acid in a grafting yield of 52.97%, which was proved to be a faster and more efficient way than ordinary methods. 5-Fu was modified with formaldehyde to synthesize N,N'-Bis(hydroxymethyl)-5-fluorouracil (5-Fu-OH). Then an esterification was performed using ACS and 5-Fu-OH to give 5-Fu-ACS. The new thermosensitive hydrogels were prepared by adding sodium glycerophosphate to the solution of compounds under a certain constant temperature. Simultaneously, the hydrogels' swelling rate, in vitro drug release rate and thermosensitive were studied, and found that the 5-Fu-ACS composite hydrogel had more excellent releasing effect, higher drug loading and better thermosensitive.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.257-263
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• 2001

The microspheres have been developed as a new drug delivery system. Although many particulate drug carriers, such as liposome, niosome and emulsion, have been introduced, injectable and biodegradable microspheres appears to be a particularly ideal delivery system because the local anesthesia is not necessary for the insertion of large implants and for the removal of the device after the drug release is finished. Biodegradable microspheres with nicotine and triamcinolone acetonide are prepared and evaluated. As biodegradible polymers, PLA (M.W. 15,000, PLA-0015), PLGA (M.W. 17,000, RG 502) and PLGA (M.W. 8,600, RG 502H) are used. This study attempted to prepare and evaluate the nicotine and triamcinolone acetonide-incorporated microspheres, which were prepared by two methods, solvent-evaporation and spray-drying methods. The microspheres, as a disperse system for injections, were evaluated by particle size, size distribution, entrapment efficiency, and in vitro drug release patterns. The differences of preparation method, partition coefficient, types of polymer, and preparation conditions of microspheres influence the particle size, entrapment efficiency, and in vitro drug release patterns.