• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2005

The micron or nano-sized lysozyme as a model protein drug was prepared using solution enhanced dispersion by supercritical fluid (SEDS) process at various conditions (e.g., solvent, temperature and pressure) to investigate the feasibility of pulmonary protein drug delivery. The lysozyme particles prepared were characterized by laser diffraction particle size analyzer, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and powder X-ray diffractometry (PXRD). The biological activity of lysozyme particles after/before SEDS process was also examined. Lysozyme was precipitated as spherical particles. The precipitated particles consisted of 100 - 200 nm particles. Particle size showed the precipitates to be agglomerates with primary particles of size $1\;-\;5 \;{\mu}m$. The biological activity varied between 38 and 98% depending on the experimental conditions. There was no significant difference between untreated lysozyme and lysozyme after SEDS process in PXRD analysis. Therefore, the SEDS process could be a novel method to prepare micron or nano-sized lysozyme particles, with minimal loss of biological activity, for the pulmonary delivery of protein drug.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.60 no.2
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• pp.142-150
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• 2006

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is often difficult to diagnose and challenging to treat. Untreated, it is characterized by a progressive increase in pulmonary vascular resistance leading to right ventricular failure and death. The past decade has seen remarkable improvements in therapy, driven largely by the conduct of randomized controlled trials. Still, the selection of most appropriate therapy is complex, and requires familiarity with the disease process, evidence from treatment trials, complicated drug delivery systems, dosing regimens, side effects, and complications. We tried to provide evidence-based treatment recommendations for physicians involved in the care of these complex patients. Due to the complexity of the diagnostic evaluation required, and the treatment options available, it is strongly recommended that consideration be given to referral of patients with PAH to a specialized center.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.167-171
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• 2009

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres have been a useful tool as a controlled drug delivery system for peptides and proteins. Recently, porous microspheres have gained great attention as inhalation drug delivery system due to their low aerodynamic densities. Here, we report highly porous PLGA microspheres, which were prepared by using a single o/w emulsification/solvent evaporation method. Two types of porogen, i.e., (i) extractable Pluronic F127 and (ii) gas foaming salt of ammonium bicarbonate, were used to induce pores on the surface of PLGA microspheres. The respective preparation conditions on dp/cp ratio and porogen concentration were determined by the previous preliminary experiments, and other preparation factors were further optimized on the basis of PLGA Mw and porogen type. The morphological features examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM) show these porous microspheres have highly porous surface structure with a diameter range of 20${\sim}$30 ${\mu}$m. These highly porous PLGA microspheres, which have much lower density, would be a practical aerosol system for pulmonary drug delivery.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.231-236
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• 2010

This study was to fabricate the porous poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microparticles with anthocyanin (as a model antioxidant) for pulmonary drug delivery. The highly porous PLGA microparticles were prepared by the waterin-oil-in-water ($W_1/O/W_2$) multi-emulsion method, followed by the decomposition of ammonium bicarbonate (AB) in $W_1$ phase to the base of ammonia, carbon dioxide and water vapor at $50^{\circ}C$, making a porous structure in PLGA microparticles. Herein, hyaluronate (HA), a viscous polysaccharide, was incorporated in the porous microparticles for sustained anthocyanin release. In in vitro release studies, the anthocyanin release from the porous microparticles with HA continued up to 24 hours, while the porous microparticles without HA released 80 wt.% of encapsulated anthocyanin within 2 hours. In addition, these microparticle are expected to be effectively deposited at a lung epithelium due to its high porosity (low density) and avoid alveolar macrophage's uptake in the lung due to its large particle size. We believe that this system has a great pharmaceutical potential as a long acting antioxidant for relieving the oxidative stress in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.42-49
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• 1987

This study is to evaluate the potential use of aclarubicin-loaded gelatin microspheres as an intravascular biodegradable drug delivery system for the regional cancer therapy. The diameter of the microspheres prepared by water in oil emulsion polymerization could be controlled by adjusting the stirring rate in the range of 10-50 $\mu$m : D(in $\mu$m) = -73.8 log (rpm) + 262.7. The addition of proteolytic enzyme increased the in vitro aclarubicin release but it did not change the amount of the initial burst release which reached about 45%. Microspheres injected intravenously into the mouse tail vein embolized only to the lung when observed by fluorescence microscopy. From histological examination following injection of gelatin microspheres into mouse femoral muscle, mild inflammation was observed from the appearance of neutrophils after 2 days and rapid repair process was confirmed thereafter. Biodegradation process of gelatin microspheres lodged on the pulmonary capillary bed was followed up by microscopic observation; degradation was taking place by about 36 hrs, followed by severe damage on the spheerical shape and microspheres was no longer found 10 days after injection.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.212-230
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• 2001

Recent advances in recombinant DNA technology have resulted in development of many new protein drugs. Due to the unique properties of protein druges, they have to be delivered by parenteral injection Although delivery of protein drugs by other routes, such as pulmonary and nasal routes, has shown some promises, to date most protein drugs are administered by par-enteral routs. For long-term delivery of protein drugs by parenteral administration, they have been formulated into biodegradable microspheres. A number of microencapsulation methods have been developed, and the currently used microencapsulation methods are reviewed here, The microen-capsulation methods have been divided based on the method used. They are: solvent evapora-tion/extraction; phase separation (coacervation);spray drying; ionotropic gelation/polyelectrolyte complexation; interfacial polyumerization and supercritical fluid precipitation. Each method is de-scribed fro its applications, advantages, and limitations.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 2017

Our study aims to determine the metabolism and excretion of novel pulmonary-targeting docetaxel liposome (DTX-LP) using the in vitro and in vivo animal experimental models. The metabolism and excretion of DTX-LP and intravenous DTX (DTX-IN) in New Zealand rabbits were determined with ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. We found DTX-LP and DTX-IN were similarly degraded in vitro by liver homogenates and microsomes, but not metabolized by lung homogenates. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry identified two shared DTX metabolites. The unconfirmed metabolite $M_{un}$ differed structurally from all DTX metabolites identified to date. DTX-LP likewise had a similar in vivo metabolism to DTX-IN. Conversely, DTX-LP showed significantly diminished excretion in rabbit feces or urine, approximately halving the cumulative excretion rates compared to DTX-IN. Liposomal delivery of DTX did not alter the in vitro or in vivo drug metabolism. Delayed excretion of pulmonary-targeting DTX-LP may greatly enhance the therapeutic efficacy and reduce the systemic toxicity in the chemotherapy of non-small cell lung cancer. The identification of $M_{un}$ may further suggest an alternative species-specific metabolic pathway.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2010

Inhalational drug is an attractive modality for local therapy of pulmonary diseases as well as systemic drug delivery. Flower of Lonicera japonica (FLJ) and flower of Tussilag farfara (FTF) are medicinal herbs for respiratory disease in traditional Korean medicine. As a preliminary study for effective inhalable formulation of FLJ and FTF, this study was to provide the toxicity and anti-inflammatory effect on murine macrophages. The dried FLJ and FTF were extracted with distilled water, filtered and freeze-dried. After treatment with FLJ and FTF extract on RAW 264.7 cells, the cell viabilities were measured by MTT assay. FLJ and FTF did not show cytotoxicity on RAW 264.7 cells. LPS stimulated RAW 264.7 cells were treated with 3 and $30\;{\mu}g/ml$ of FLJ or FTF. FLJ and FTF did not inhibit TNF-a and IL-6 secretion in both concentration of treatment. We suggest that FLJ and FTF may be useful drugs for respiratory disease. Future work will focus on the physical characteristics for inhalable formulation.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2003

Clenbuterol, a selective ${\beta}_2-adrenergic$ receptor stimulant, has been introduced as a potent bronchodilator for patients with bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive bronchial disease, chronic bronchitis and pulmonary emphysema. The percutaneous permeation of clenbuterol was investigated in hairless mouse skin after application of 50/50 buffer(pH 10)/propylene glycol solvent mixture. The enhancing effects of various penetration enhancers such as terpenes, non-ionic surfactants, pyrrolidones, fatty acids and some other enhancers on the permeation of clenbuterol were evaluated using Franz diffusion cell. Among terpenes studied, 1,8-cineole was the most effective enhancer, which increased the permeability of clenbuterol approximately 39.33-fold compared with the control without penetration enhancer, followed by menthone with enhancement ratio of 23.57. Nonionic surfactants did not have significant enhancing effects. N-Lauryl-2-pyrrolidone increased the permeability of clenbuterol approximately 4.51-fold compared with the control. Lauric acid increased the permeability of clenbuterol approximately 35.57-fold with decreasing the lag time from 2.64 to 0.52 hr. Oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid and capric acid showed enhancement ratio of 22.62, 19.60, 17.45 and 16.51, respectively. $Labrafil^{\circledR}$ enhanced the permeability of clenbuterol 9.24-fold compared with that without enhancer.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.321-329
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• 2006

Albuterol, a selective ${\beta}_2$-adrenergic receptor stimulant, has been introduced as a potent bronchodilator for patients with bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive bronchial disease, chronic bronchitis and pulmonary emphysema. The percutaneous permeation of albuterol sulfate was investigated in hairless mouse skin in vitro with and without pretreatment with enhancers. The enhancing effects of ethanol and various penetration enhancers such as terpenes, non-ionic surfactants, pyrrolidones, and fatty acids on the permeation of albuterol sulfate were evaluated using Franz diffusion cells. Among terpenes studied, 1,8-cineole was the most effective enhancer, which increased the permeability of albuterol sulfate approximately 33-fold compared with the control without enhancer pretrement, followed by d-limonene with enhancement ratio of 21.79. 2-Pyrrolidone-5-carboxylic acid increased the permeability of albuterol sulfate approximately 5.5-fold compared with the control. Other pyrrolidones tested showed only slight permeability enhancing effect with enhancement ratio less than 2.8. Nonionic surfactants showed moderate enhancing effects. Lauric acid increased the permeability of albuterol sulfate approximately 30-fold with decreasing the lag time from 2.85 to 0.64 hr. Oleic acid and linoleic acid showed enhancement ratio of 24.55 and 22.91, respectively. These findings would allow a more rational approach for designing formulations for the transdermal delivery of albuterol sulfate and similar drugs.