• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.119-125
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• 2001

We have reported that kalopanaxsaponin A (KPS-A) Isolated from Kalopanax pictus have anti-rheumatoidal activity in the rat treated with Freunds complete adjuvant (FCA) reagent. In addition, it has been also reported that KPS-A is a potent antioxidant in the rheumatoidal rat. This research was undertaken to examine whether the saponins of KPS-A and -1 could adjust the abnormal lipid metabolisms and hematological changes in immunological diseases. KPS-A significantly inhibited the increases in both triglycerides and total proteins in addition to the decrease in total cholesterol induced by FCA reagent treatment. KPS-A treatment decreased the number of leucocytes elevated by FCA reagent treatment. Excess dose of the methanol extract produced no severe toxicity on the body weight, wet organ weights and hepatic functions. Since $LD_50$ value of K. pictus methanol extract was shown to be 4,033 ${mg/kg}$, it could be estimated to be a safe agent for anti-rheumatoidal herbal medicines.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.73-79
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• 2006

This investigation was undertaken to study the effects of oral administration (3 weeks) of Collybia confluens mycelial powder (CCMP) produced by a submerged culture on plasma glucose and other biochemical parameters in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Antidiabetic and hypolipidemic effects were proportionally increased with the increasing concentration of the CCMP for oral administration. The CCMP, at the dose of 400 mg/kg BW, substantially reduced the plasma glucose level by as much as 33.1 % as compared to the STZ-induced diabetic rats group. It also lowered the plasma total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by 22.9%, 19.9%, and 37.3%, respectively. The levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride in liver were reduced to the extent of by 13.5% and 18.8%, and the activity of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) was decreased by 48.8% and 37.2%, respectively, under the influence of CCMP. The general components of CCMP were found to contain 26.18% carbohydrate, 3.67% crude ash, 4.02% crude fat, 22.55% crude protein, and 43.58% dietary fiber. The amino acid composition of the CCMP was also analyzed in detail.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.880-885
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• 2003

Research in this paper focuses on the kinetic evaluation of swelling of the liquid crystalline phases of glyceryl monooleate (GMO). Swelling of the lamellar and cubic liquid crystalline phases of GMO was studied using two in vitro methods, a total immersion method and a Franz cell method. The swelling of the lamellar phase and GMO having 0 %w/w initial water content was temperature dependent. The swelling ratio was greater at $20^{\circ}^C than 37^{\circ}^C$ . The water uptake increased dramatically with decreasing initial water content of the liquid crystalline phases. The swelling rates obtained using the Franz cell method with a moist nylon membrane to mimic buccal drug delivery situation were slower than the total immersion method. The swelling was studied by employing first-order and second-order swelling kinetics. The swelling of the liquid crystalline phases of GMO could be described by second-order swelling kinetics. The initial stage of the swelling (t < 4 h) followed the square root of time relationship, indicating that this model is also suitable for describing the water uptake by the liquid crystalline matrices. These results obtained from the current study demonstrate that the swelling strongly depends on temperature, the initial water content of the liquid crystalline phases and the methodology employed for measuring the swelling of GMO.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.514-520
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• 1998

Simple and accurate methods to detect the adulteration of commercial aloe gel powder were developed. Crude polysaccharide in aloe gel powder was isolated by precipitating with excess ethyl alcohol and total hexose in isolated polysaccharide was determineded by dubois assay. After hydrolysis of non-dialysable polysaccharides, resultant free sugar was determined by gas chronmatography for sugar recogniton and ash contents was very low while the content of total hexose was very high. And polysaccharides of these products revealed typical dextran pattern, therefore, these products could be identified that adulterated with commercial maltodextrin. The content of maltodextrin in adulterated product was determined by HPLC and TLC analysis which could be adopted as a part of a certification process.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.325-329
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• 1991

Effects of Lycii Fructus on primary cultured chicken embryonic brain cells were studied by microscopic observation, determination of the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHC), and syntheses of protein, RNA and DNA. The brain cells were prepared from the brains or 10-day-old chicken embryos and cultured with a deficient medium. The activity of PDHC in the brain cells cultured with a deficient medium was increased to 1.8 times by the addition of $30\;{\mu}g/ml$ of the total methanol extract of Lycii Fructus. To seek the active fraction, total methanol extract was further fractionated by the polarity. The survival rate of neuronal cells was significantly increased by the addition of $100\;{\mu}g/ml$ of the buthanol or aqueous fraction. At this concentration, the significant increase of the syntheses of protein and RNA, but not of DNA, indicates that the fractions may act on the neuronal cells which are known to be non-dividing cells.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.458-462
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• 2003

The antioxidant activity of the stem bark from Albizzia julibrissin was evaluated for its potential to scavenge 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals, to inhibit the generation of the hydroxyl radical ($\cdot OH$), total reactive oxygen species (ROS) and to scavenge authentic peroxynitrites ($ONOO^{-}$). The methanol extract of A. julibrissin exhibited strong antioxidant activity in the tested model systems. Therefore, it was further fractionated using several solvents. The antioxidant activity of the individual fractions were in the order of ethyl acetate (EtOAc) ＞ n-butanol (n-BuOH) ＞ dichloromethane ($CH_2 CI-2$) ＞ and water ($H_2O$). The ethyl acetate soluble fraction, which exhibited strong antioxidant activity, was further purified by repeated silicagel, Sephadex LH-20 and RP-18 gel column chromatography. Sulfuretin (1) and 3 ,4 ,7-trihydroxyflavone (2) were isolated as the active principles. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited good activity in all tested model systems. Compound 1 exhibited five times more inhibitory activity on the total ROS than Trolox. Compound 2 showed six times stronger DPPH radical scavenging activity than L-ascorbic acid. These results show the possible antioxidant activity of the A. julibrissin crude extract and its major constituents.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.214-217
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• 2018

Skeletal cavernous hemangiomas are rare, benign tumors that may involve the supraorbital rim and orbital roof. However, such involvement is extremely rare. We report a case of skeletal cavernous hemangioma of the frontal bone involving the orbital roof and rim. En bloc excision and reconstruction, using a calvarial bone graft for the orbital roof and rim defect, was performed. It is important not only to perform total excision of skeletal cavernous hemangiomas, but to properly reconstruct the defects after the total excision since several complications can arise from an orbital roof and rim defect.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.541-545
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• 2002

Pharmacokinetic characteristics of Acebutolol and its main metabolite, diacetolol, following a single 10 mg/kg oral dose, were investigated in rabbits with carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic failure. Plasma concentrations of acebutolol and diacetolol were determined by a high performance liquid chromatography assay. The area under the plasma concentration-time curves (AUC) and maximum plasma concentration ($C_{max}$) of acebutolol were significantly increased in moderate and severe carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic failure rabbits. The ratio of the diacetolol to total acebutolol in plasma (i.e., metabolite percentage rate) was significantly decreased in moderate and severe carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic failure rabbits. Volume of distribution ($V_{d}$) and total body clearance ($CL_{t}$) of acebutolol were significantly decreased in moderate and severe carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic failure rabbits. Slope of terminal phase ($\beta$) of acebutolol was significantly decreased in hepatic failure rabbits. These findings suggest that the $V_{d},{\;}CL_{t}$ and $\beta$ of acebutolol were significantly decreased as a result of inhibition of the hepatic metabolism in moderate to severe hepatic failure rabbits. Therefore, dose adjustment may be necessary for acebutolol in hypertensive patients with hepatic damage.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.189-193
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• 2021

Breast implant insertion is one of the most commonly used methods for breast reconstruction after total mastectomy. However, infection is a common postoperative complication of implant insertion. In most cases, these infections can be managed with antibiotics and supportive therapy. However, severe septic conditions, such as toxic shock syndrome (TSS), can sometimes occur. TSS is an extremely rare but life-threatening complication, for which early diagnosis and proper management play a crucial role in determining patients' outcome. Although only 16 cases of TSS after breast implant insertion have been reported in the literature, most of those cases involved a serious clinical course. The reason for the seriousness of the clinical course of TSS in these cases is that the initial impression and presentation of these patients are nonspecific, and patients can easily be misdiagnosed as having a simple upper respiratory infection, causing the underlying condition to be neglected. Herein, we present two patients who were diagnosed with TSS after receiving breast reconstruction surgery via a silicone implant after total mastectomy. Both patients were misdiagnosed at the initial examination since they showed no local infectious signs on the postoperative wound.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.453-456
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• 2022

When the scrotal sac is entirely debrided following a Fournier gangrene, testes exposure poses unique challenges for the reconstructive surgeon. Despite the anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap is considered a workhorse in such context, aesthetic results are often suboptimal because of the lack of natural ptosis and patchwork appearance. We describe the use of a super-thin pedicled ALT flap for total scrotal reconstruction, modified according to a peculiar flap design and inset technique. A 42-year-old man was referred to our department for delayed total scrotal reconstruction 8 months after a Fournier gangrene extensive debridement. A super-thin pedicled ALT flap from the right thigh was designed: in the central portion of the ALT, a lateral skin paddle extension was marked to guarantee adequate posterior anchorage during insetting and ptosis of the scrotal sac. This particular flap arrangement has inspired the name "sombrero" as the shape is akin to the famous hat. No secondary refinements were needed, and the patient showed satisfying aesthetic and functional results at 12 months' follow-up. The ALT flap design "sombrero" modification proposed in this article can improve scrotum cosmesis and patient satisfaction in a single-stage single-flap procedure.