• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.307-312
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• 2013

Quetiapine is an atypical or second-generation antipsychotic agent and has been a subject of a series of case report and suggested to have the potential for misuse or abuse. However, it is not a controlled substance and is not generally considered addictive. In this study, we examined quetiapine's dependence potential and abuse liability through animal behavioral tests using rodents to study the mechanism of quetiapine. Molecular biology techniques were also used to find out the action mechanisms of the drug. In the animal behavioral tests, quetiapine did not show any positive effect on the experimental animals in the climbing, jumping, and conditioned place preference tests. However, in the head twitch and self-administration tests, the experimental animals showed significant positive responses. In addition, the action mechanism of quetiapine was found being related to dopamine and serotonin release. These results demonstrate that quetiapine affects the neurological systems related to abuse liability and has the potential to lead psychological dependence, as well.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.215-222
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• 2020

Metformin is a recommended first-line therapy drug for type 2 diabetes patients. However, compared to other oral antidiabetic drugs (OAD), metformin has a large unit dosage, with bioavailability of 40-60%. This limiting bioavailability is because metformin is absorbed only in the upper gastrointestinal tract as a BCS class 3 drug. Hence, we propose that applying the Gastroretentive Drug Delivery System (GRDDS) and extending drug release time in the stomach will result in improved bioavailability. We selected the swelling type delivery system, as it is considered the most stable gastroretention technology compared to other GRDDSs. We modified the swelling excipient by using a natural swelling excipient to form a swelling tablet made of carrageenan and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC). Our results indicate that the swelling complex tablet made of carrageenan and HPMC has a good swelling ability and shows required sustained release in a dissolution pattern. In addition, the carrageenan complex has a better swelling ability than the marketed metformin tablet, as determined by the ratio, (swelling ability)/(excipient weight). Taken together, our results indicate that the carrageenan complex can be developed as a good swelling excipient. Further optimizations are required for the commercialization of the carrageenan complex.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.143-149
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• 2008

We synthesized PEG-PLA (or PLGA) amphiphilic di-block copolymers, which consist of PEG as biocompatible and hydrophilic block and PLA (or PLGA) as biodegradable and hydrophobic block, by ring opening polymerization of LA in the presence of methoxy PEG as a macroinitiator. The compositions and the molecular weights of the copolymers were controlled by changing the feed ratio of LA (and GA) to PEG initiator. The di-block copolymers could self-assemble in aqueous media to form micellar structure. A hydrophobic model drug, pioglitazone, was loaded into the polymer micelle using solid dispersion and dialysis methods, and the drug-loaded micelles were characterized by AFM, DLS and HPLC measurements. The drug loading capacity and in vitro release studies were performed and evaluated under various conditions. These results indicated that the amphiphilic di-block copolymers of PEG-PLA (or PLGA) could solubilize pioglitazone by solid dispersion method and the drug release was modulated according to micellar chemical compositions.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.161-167
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• 2006

The objective of this study was to investigate the dissolution patterns of variety of orally administered drug products available on the market. It aimed to understand their dissolution behaviors on the basis of the biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS) concept. On the tenets of BCS, several active pharmaceutical ingredients were selected: fluoxetine hydrochloride (class I), naproxen sodium (class ll), pyridostigmine bromide (class III), furosemide (class IV) and simvastatin (class IV). Typical dissolution media used in this study were pH 1.2, pH 4 & 6.8 phosphate buffers, and water. In cases, particular dissolution media specified in the KP and/or USP were used. Dissolution patterns of fluoxetine hydrochloride and pyridostigmine bromide products were characterized by their rapid release In addition, their dissolution characteristics were relatively unaffected by the type of a dissolution medium. Similar dissolution patterns were observed with pH 1.2, pH 4 & 6.8 phosphate buffers and water. By sharp contrast, poor dissolution patterns were noticed with naproxen sodium products, when pH 1.2 and pH 4 phosphate buffer were used. Improvements in its dissolution were achieved by switching the dissolution media to pH 6.8 phosphate buffer or water. Unsatisfactory dissolution data also were observed with a simvastatin product, when it was subject to dissolution tests by use of a surfactant-free pH 1.2, pH 4 & 6.8 phosphate buffers and water. All the release patterns reported in this study were best understood when BCS concepts were implemented. Our results demonstrated that a BCS-based drug classification should be considered first to choose a dissolution test/method and set up dissolution specification.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 2003

The objective of this study was to solidify the simvastatin self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) and to improve the encapsulation efficiency of solidified alginate beads using sodium alginate. Typical simvastatin SMEDDS was composed of various oils, surfactants and cosurfactants. Also solidified-alginate beads was prepared by crosslinking liquid emulsion mixtures containing sodium alginate and other excipients (cetylpyridinum chloride (CP-Cl), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, starch and so on). in $CaCl_2$ solution, it has been investigated that the drug release pattern and encapsulation efficiency were varied with the ratio of cationic lipid (CP-Cl). Solidified sodium alginate beads containing simvastatin SMEDDS were redispersed into media without re-aggregation. Oil droplet size of redispersed solidified-beads in media produced smaller than the initial size. The density of beads and drug loading amount were increased with increasing cationic lipid content. These systems have advantages of storage stability and predictability of drug release rate.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.2395-2400
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• 2016

Conventional drug carriers such as liposomes, nanoparticles, polymer micelles, polymeric conjugate and lipid microemulsion for cancer chemotherapy shield normal tissues from toxic drugs to treat cancer cells in tumors. However, inaccurate tumor targeting uncontrolled drug release from the carriers and unwanted accumulation in healthy sites can limit treatment efficacy with current conventional drug carriers with insufficient concentrations of drugs in the tumors and unexpected side effects as a result. Sickle red blood cells show natural tumor preferential accumulation without any manipulation due to the adhesive interaction between molecular receptors on the membrane surface and counter-receptor on endothelial cells. In addition, structural changes of microvascular in tumor sites enhances polymerization of sickle red blood cells. In this research, we examined the use of sickle red blood cells as a new drug carrier with novel tumor targeting and controlled release properties to quantify its therapeutic effects.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.161-170
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• 2004

Molecular Nuclear Neuro-Imaging in "CNS" drug discovery and development tan be divided into four categories that are clearly inter-related.(1) Neuroreceptor mapping to examine the involvement of specific neurotransmitter system in CNS diseases, drug occupancy characteristics and perhaps examine mechanisms of action;(2) Structural and spectroscopic imaging to examine morphological changes and their consequences;(3) Metabolic mapping to provide evidence of central activity and "CNS fingerprinting" the neuroanatomy of drug effects;(4) Functional mapping to examing disease-drug interactions. In addition, targeted delivery of therapeutic agents could be achieved by modifying stem cells to release specific drugs at the site of transplantation('stem cell pharmacology'). Future exploitation of stem cell biology, including enhanced release of therapeutic factors through genetic stem cell engineering, might thus constitute promising pharmaceutical approaches to treating diseases of the nervous system. With continued improvements in instrumentation, identification of better imaging probes by innovative chemistry, molecular nuclear neuro-imaging promise to play increasingly important roles in disease diagnosis and therapy.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.929-936
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• 2003

Methanol extract (MeOH), n-hexane (Hx), chloroform ($CHCl_3$), ethyl acetate (EA), butanol (BuOH) and aqueous ($H_2O$) fractions of Eucommiae Cortex including geniposidic acid (GA), geniposide (GP) and aucubin (AU) were tested for their therapeutic efficacy on osteoporosis. The contents of GA, GP and AU in the cortex and leaf of Eucommia ulmoides Oliver were quantified by HPLC. The effect of Eucommiae Cortex on the induction of growth hormone (GH) release was studied by using rat pituitary cells. The proliferation of osteoblast-like cells increased by herbal extracts was assayed using a tetrazolium (MTT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and [$^3H$]-proline incorporation assays. The inhibition of osteoclast was studied by using the coculture of mouse bone marrow cells and ST-2 cells. As a result, the GA, GP and AU were present in the cortex more than in the leaf of E. ulmoides Oliver. The MeOH (1mg/mL), Hx, $CHCl_3$ and EA fractions (each 20 $\mu$ g/mL) had potent induction of GH release. The $CHCl_3$ exhibited the potent proliferation of osteoblasts. The AU, GP and GA were increased proliferation of osteoblasts. In addition, GA ($IC_{50}: 4.43{\times}10^{-7}$M), AU and GP were significantly inhibited proliferation of osteoclast. In summary, it is thought that the components in a part of the fractions of Eucommiae Cortex participate in each step of mechanism for activating osteoblast to facilitate osteogenesis, and suppress osteoclast activity to inhibit osteolysis.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.233-239
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• 2001

Local drug delivery by using biocompatible polymers has been developed in the treatment of periodontitis for many years. In the field of dental therapy, doxycycline is usually a first choice because of its broad-spectrum antibiotic activity. The strip releases antibiotics for a week, and the polymer should be degradable after a week. In this study, we prepared and evaluated the chitosan strips and nanoparticle strips containing doxycycline hydrochloride, and studied their antiacterial activity, dissoultion, and degrability in vitro. The weight of cast strip containing a 5 mg of doxycycline hydrochloride and a 45 mg of chitosan polymer was $57.67{\pm}0.17\;mg$. The release rate of doxycycline hydrochloride from the strip was measured by HPLC. The drug released from chitosan strip and nanoparticle strip was shown to be $50\;{\mu}g/mL$ in first 24 hours. In antibacterial test showed growth inhibitory activity after 24 hrs anaerobic incubation. In vitro degradability showed demolished weight of $93.74{\pm}0.08%$ chitosan strip, $82.48{\pm}1.29%$ chitosan nanoparticle strip, $2.47{\pm}1.99%$ polycarprolactione strip (control). These results showed that, with this doxycycline hydrochloride strip, it is feasible to obtain a sustained release of the drug within the periodontal pocket for seven days which may be improve for local drug delivery system for treatment of periodontal disease.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.359-366
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• 2009

In this study, paclitaxel-loaded lipid nanosuspension (PxLN) was prepared and the in vivo profiles after intravenous administration in rats were investigated. We compared the manufacturing processes depending on the temperature: PxLN-H for a hot homogenization process and PxLN-C for solidification of lipid-drug mixtures by liquid nitrogen. Both formulations showed submicron size distribution and the similar drug loading efficiency of about 70%. In vitro release of PxLNs and Taxol$^{(R)}$ performed by a dialysis diffusion method showed similar pattern for PxLN-H and Taxol$^{(R)}$, but the reduced release profile for PxLN-C. PxLN or Taxol$^{(R)}$ was intravenously administered to the rats at a dose of 5 mg/kg as paclitaxel. The drug in blood samples were assayed by the HPLC/MS/MS method. The AUC$_t$ of PxLN-H was 3.4-fold greater than that of Taxol$^{(R)}$. PxLN-H gave higher biodistribution in all tissues than did Taxol$^{(R)}$. In addition, it maintained the higher drug concentration for 12 h. This lipid nanosuspension might be a promising candidate for an alternative formulation for the parenteral delivery of poorly water-soluble paclitaxel.