• Korean Circulation Journal
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• 제53권5호
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• pp.313-327
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• 2023

Background and Objectives: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare but fatal disease. Recent advances in PAH-specific drugs have improved its outcomes, although the healthcare burden of novel therapeutics may lead to a discrepancy in outcomes between developing and developed countries. We analyzed how the epidemiology and clinical features of PAH has changed through the rapidly advancing healthcare infrastructure in South Korea. Methods: PAH was defined according to a newly devised 3-component algorithm. Using a nationwide health insurance claims database, we delineated annual trends in the prevalence, incidence, medication prescription pattern, and 5-year survival of PAH in Korea. Cumulative survival and potential predictors of mortality were also assessed among 2,151 incident PAH cases. Results: Between 2002 or 2004 and 2018, the prevalence and incidence of PAH increased 75-fold (0.4 to 29.9 per million people) and 12-fold (0.5 to 6.3 per million person-years), respectively. The proportion of patients on combination PAH-specific drug therapy has also steadily increased up to 29.0% in 2018. Among 2,151 incident PAH cases (median [interquartile range] age, 50 [37-62] years; 67.2% female), the 5-year survival rate and median survival duration were 71.8% and 13.1 years, respectively. Independent predictors of mortality were age, sex, etiology of PAH, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and chronic kidney disease. Conclusions: This nationwide study delineated that the prevalence and incidence of PAH have grown rapidly in Korea since the early 2000s. The use of combination therapy has also increased, and the 5-year survival rate of PAH in Korea was similar to those in western countries.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.107-111
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• 1999

To investigate less toxic antiviral agents from Basidiomycetes, EA, the water soluble substance, was isolated from the carpophores of Elfvingia applanata (pers.) Karst. Anti-varicella zoster virus (Oka strain; anti-VZV/Oka) activity of EA was examined in MRC-5 cells by plaque reduction assay in vitro. And the combined antiviral effects of EA with nucleoside anti-VZV agents, acyclovir and vidarabine, were examined on the multiplication of VZV/Oka. EA exhibited a concentration-dependent reduction in the plaque formation of VZV/Oka with a 50% effective concentration $(EC_{50})$ of $464.14\;{\mu}g/ml$. The results of combination assay were evaluated by the combination index (CI) that was calculated by the multiple drug effect analysis. The combination of EA with acyclovir showed more potent synergism with CI values of $0.18{\sim}0.62$ for $50{\sim}90%$ effective levels than that of EA with vidarabine with CI values of $0.67{\sim}1.04$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.685-693
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• 2017

Candidiasis involving the biofilms of Candida albicans is a threat to immunocompromised patients. Candida biofilms are intrinsically resistant to the antifungal drugs and hence novel treatment strategies are desired. The study intended to evaluate the anti-Candida activity of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) alone and with fluconazole (FLC), particularly against the biofilms. Results revealed the concentration-dependent activity of AITC against the planktonic growth and virulence factors of C. albicans. Significant (p <0.05) inhibition of the biofilms was evident at ${\leq}1mg/ml$ concentrations of AITC. Notably, a combination of 0.004 mg/ml of FLC and 0.125 mg/ml of AITC prevented the biofilm formation. Similarly, the preformed biofilms were significantly (p <0.05) inhibited by the AITC-FLC combination. The fractional inhibitory concentration indices ranging from 0.132 to 0.312 indicated the synergistic activity of AITC and FLC against the biofilm formation and the preformed biofilms. No hemolytic activity at the biofilm inhibitory concentrations of AITC and the AITC-FLC combination suggested the absence of cytotoxic effects. The recognizable synergy between AITC and FLC offers a potential therapeutic strategy against biofilm-associated Candida infections.

• 생약학회지
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.151-157
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• 1999

In order to find less toxic antiherpetic agents, the effect of natural quercetin on the plaque formation of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) was studied in vitro in cell culture monolayers employing the technique of viral plaque reduction assay. Quercetin caused a concentration-dependent reduction in the plaque formation of herpesviruses. It also exhibited more potent antiherpetic activity on HSV-1 with effective concentration $(EC_{50})$ of $18.7\;{\mu}g/ml$ than on HSV-2 with $EC_{50}$ of $24.5\;{\mu}g/ml$. The combined antiherpetic effects of quercetin with nucleoside antiherpetic agents, acyclovir and vidarabine, were examined on the multiplication of these two strains of herpesviruses in Vero cells by the combination assay. The results of combination assay were evaluated by the combination index (CI) that was calculated by the multiple drug effect analysis. The combinations of quercetin with acyclovir on HSV-1 and HSV-2 showed more potent synergism with CI values of $0.19{\sim}0.89$ for 50%, 70%, 90% effective levels than those with vidarabine with CI values of $0.43{\sim}1.46$.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.59-66
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• 1997

This study was done to determine that vitamins I and C are synergistic in protecting liver cells during hepatic ischemia and repefusion. Rats treated with vitamins I and C were subjected to 60 min of hepatic ischemia and to 1 and 5 hr of reperfusion thereafter. Serum aminotransferase level and microsomal lipid peroxidation were markedly increased by ischemia/reperfusion. These increases were significantly attenuated by vitamins E, C or its combination. Hepatic wet weight-to-dry weight ratio was increased in ischemic group, but this increase was prevented by combination of vitamin I and C. Bile flow and cholate output were markedly decreased by ischemia/reperfusion and vitamin C alone and combination of vitamin I and C restored their secretion. Cytochrome P-450 content and aminopyrine N-demethylase activity were decreased by ischemia/ reperfusion and restored by vitamin C and combination of vitamin I and C to the level of sham-operated rat. Aniline p-hydroxylase activity was increased by ischemia/reperfusion and this increase was prevented by vitamin E. Our findings suggest that ischemia/reperfusion diminishes hepatic secretory and microsomal functions by increasing lipid peroxidation and vitamins I and C synergistically ameliorates these changes.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.23-27
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• 1994

Wound healing and antibacterial effects of solcoseryl-micronomicin combination gel on an open wound were studied in mice. A simple model was designed for assessing the effects. Using the model, we compared the efficacy of a combined topical gel of solcoseryl and micronomicin with those gels of solcoseryl or micronomicin alone. From the results of our experiment, the wound healing effect of open wounds by treatment with the combination gel was significantly enhanced when compared with those by treatment with solcoseryl gel or micronomicin gel alone. And the antibacterial effect of the combination gel was higher than those of solcoseryl gel or micronomicin gel alone.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권9호
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• pp.5243-5248
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• 2013

Background: Triptolide, extracted from the herb Tripteryglum wilfordii Hook.f that has long been used as a natural medicine in China, has attracted much interest for its anti-cancer effects against some kinds of tumours in recent years. Artesunate, extracted from the Chinese herb Artemisia annua, has proven to be effective and safe as an anti-malarial drug that possesses anticancer potential. The present study attempted to clarify if triptolide enhances artesunate-induced cytotoxicity in pancreatic cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Methods: In vitro, to test synergic actions, cell viability and apoptosis were analyzed after treatment of pancreatic cancer cell lines with the two agents singly or in combination. The molecular mechanisms of apoptotic effects were also explored using qRT-PCR and Western blotting. In vivo, a tumor xenograft model was established in nude mice, for assessment of inhibitory effects of triptolide and artesunate. Results: We could show that the combination of triptolide and artesunate could inhibit pancreatic cancer cell line growth, and induce apoptosis, accompanied by expression of HSP 20 and HSP 27, indicating important roles in the synergic effects. Moreover, tumor growth was decreased with triptolide and artesunate synergy. Conclusion: Our result indicated that triptolide and artesunate in combination at low concentrations can exert synergistic anti-tumor effects in pancreatic cancer cells with potential clinical applications.

• 생약학회지
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.244-249
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• 1999

In order to find less toxic antiviral agents from Basidiomycetes, EA, the water soluble substance, was prepared from the carpophores of Elfvingia applanata(Pers.) Karst. Antiviral activity of EA against vesicular stomatitis virus [Indiana serotype, VSV(IND)] was examined in Vero cells using plaque reduction assay in vitro. And the combined antiviral effects of EA with interferon (IFN) alpha or gamma were examined on the multiplication of VSV(IND). EA caused a concentration-dependent reduction in the plaque formation of VSV(IND) with 50% effective concentration $(EC_{50})$ of $104.02\;{\mu}g/ml$. The results of combination assay were evaluated by the combination index (CI) that was analysed by the multiple drug effect analysis. All cases of the combination of EA with IFN alpha or IFN gamma showed potent synergism with CI values of $0.38{\sim}0.52$ for $50{\sim}90%$ effective levels.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.1-15
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• 2023

Autophagy is a process of eliminating damaged or unnecessary proteins and organelles, thereby maintaining intracellular homeostasis. Deregulation of autophagy is associated with several diseases including cancer. Contradictory dual roles of autophagy have been well established in cancer. Cytoprotective mechanism of autophagy has been extensively investigated for overcoming resistance to cancer therapies including radiotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy. Selective autophagy inhibitors that directly target autophagic process have been developed for cancer treatment. Efficacies of autophagy inhibitors have been tested in various pre-clinical cancer animal models. Combination therapies of autophagy inhibitors with chemotherapeutics are being evaluated in clinal trials. In this review, we will focus on genetical and pharmacological perturbations of autophagy-related proteins in different steps of autophagic process and their therapeutic benefits. We will also summarize combination therapies of autophagy inhibitors with chemotherapies and their outcomes in pre-clinical and clinical studies. Understanding of current knowledge of development, progress, and application of cytoprotective autophagy inhibitors in combination therapies will open new possibilities for overcoming drug resistance and improving clinical outcomes.

• 환경위생공학
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.89-96
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• 2007

To determine 8 anti-impotence drug/drug-like compounds such as sildenafil, vardenafil, tadalafil, homosildenafil, hydroxyhomosildenafil, aminotadalafil, pseudovardenafil and hongdenafil in foods, simultaneously, high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) were used. The HPLC/UV analysis was performed on a column of capcellpak $C_{18}$ with 0.1% sodium-1-hexansulfonate in 0.2M ammonium formate/acetonitrile as a mobile phase. Mass spectra of the compounds by LC/MS were investigated with SCAN mode(Mass range and Fragment voltage) and SIM(Selected Ion Monitoring) mode (Ion target and Fragment voltage). The results follow as; 1. The HPLC/UV analysis was detected from 5 out of 63 samples. The content of sildenafil was in the range of 32.80 ppm ${\sim}$ 60.13 ppm from 4 out of 5 samples. The contents of sildenafil, vardenafil, homosildenafil were in the range 47.14 ppm from 1 out of 5 samples. 2. The conformed result of LC/MS was equal of detected from 5 out of 63 samples in HPLC/UV analysis. An easily available, simultaneous determination of 8 standards in adulterated health related foods was established by using a combination of LC/MS methods.