In the past decade, significant progress has been achieved in the battle against hepatitis B virus. In addition to the immunomodulating agents such as interferon-.alpha., and thymosin, many novel antiviral agents have been discovered, among which nucleoside analogues are the mainstay. New-generation compounds such as 3TC and famciclovir have shown promise in the treatment of patients chronically infected by this virus, and are on the line for approval. However, viral rebound after cessation of therapy still remains a major problem. Additionally, the reports on the drug resistance to these antiviral agents suggest that combination therapy will be the eventual strategy (Bartholomew et al., 1997; Tipples et al., 1996). Therefore, developments of safe and effective antiviral agents which do not cross-resist with currently available antiviral drugs are still much needed.

Structure-activity relationship of 20 fluoroquinolones was studied using the susceptible and 4 resistant Escherichia coli which were developed against 4 fluoroquinolones [ciprofloxacin (1), KR-10755 (6), norfloxacin (2), and ofloxacin (3)] in our laboratory. The C-7 and C-8 substituents of fluoroquinolone were important in various functions such as the inhibitory activity on DNA gyrase, permeability, and efflux. Among 20 fluoroquinolones, compounds with a 3-methyl-3,7-diazabicyclo[3.3.0]octan-1(5)-ene-7-yl substituent at the C-7 position or a chlorine substituent at the C-8 position showed a good inhibitory activity on DNA gyrase (especially a mutated DNA gyrase). Compounds with a 3,7-diazabicyclo [3.3.0]octan-1(5)-ene-7-yl substituent at the C-7 position showed good permeability in the susceptible and resistant strains, while compounds with a fluorine substituent at the C-8 position were less eff luxed from cells.

Changes in the release and uptake of glutamate in cerebellar granule and glial cells of offspring of lead-exposed mothers were determined. In cultured cerebellar granule cells exposed to lead for 5 days, glutamate release was less influenced upon N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) stimulation than that in the control. Although the NMDA-stimulated release of glutamate in cerebellar granule cells prepared from lead-exposed first generation pups was not different from that of the control group, the S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP)-stimulated release of glutamate in cerebellar granule cells obtained from lead-treated pups was less elevated than that in the control. Furthermore, in cerebellar granule cells obtained from lead-exposed second generations pups, glutamate release did not respond to both NMDA and SNAP stimulation. In cerebellar glial cells exposed to lead, the basal glutamate uptake was not changed. However, the L-trans-pyrollidine-2,4-dicarboxylic acid (PDC)-blocking effects was significantly reduced. In glial cells obtained from lead-exposed pups, the glutamate uptake was also less blocked by PDC than that in the control. Further decreases in PDC-blocking effects were observed in cerebellar glial cells obtained from lead-treated second generation pups compared to those from the control group. These results indicate that lead exposure induces the changes in the sensitivities of the glutamate release and uptake transporter. In addition, these results suggest that lead exposure might affect the intracellular signalling pathway and transmission in glutamatergic nervous system.

Peroxisome proliferators induce hepatic peroxisome proliferation and hepatic tumors in rodents. These chemicals increase the expression of the peroxisomal $\beta$-oxidation pathway and the cytochrome P-450 4A family, which metabolizes lipids, including eicosanoids. Peroxisome proliferators transiently induce increased cell proliferation in vivo. However, peroxisome proliferators are weakly mitogenic and are not co-mitogenic with epidermal growth factor (EGF) in cultured hepatocytes. Earlier study found that the peroxisome proliferator ciprofibrate is cornitogenic with eicosanoids. In order to study possible mechanisms of the comitogenicity of peroxisome proliferator ciprofibrate and eicosanoids' we hypothesized that the co-mitogenicity may result from synergistic or additive increases of second messengers in mitogenic signal pathways. We therefore examined the effect of the peroxisome proliferator ciprofibrate, prostaglandin $F_2_{\alpha}$($PGF_2{\alpha}$) and the combination of ciprofibrate and $PGF_2{\alpha}$ with or without growth factors on the protein kinase C (PKC) activity, and inositol-1, 4, 5-triphosphate ($IP_{3-}$) and intracellular calcium ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) concentrations in cultured rat hepatocytes. The combination of ciprofibrate and $PGF_2{\alpha}$ significantly increased particulate PKC activity. The combination of ciprofibrate and $PGF_2{\alpha}$ also significantly increased EGF, transforming growth factor-$\alpha$ ($TGF_2{\alpha}$) and hepatic growth factor (HGF)-induced particulate PKC activity. The combination of ciprofibrate and $PGF_2_\alpha$greatly increased $[Ca^{2+}]_i$. However, the increases of PKC activity and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ by ciprofibrate and $PGF_2{\alpha}$ alone were much smaller. Neither ciprofibrate or $PGF_2{\alpha}$ alone nor the combination of ciprofibrate and $PGF_2{\alpha}$ significantly increased the formation of $IP_3$. The combination of ciprofibrate and $PGF_2{\alpha}$, however, blocked the inhibitory effect of $TGF-{\beta}$ on particulate PKC activity and formation of $IP_3$ induced by EGF. These results show that co-mitogenicity of the peroxisome proliferator ciprofibrate and eicosanoids may result from the increase in particulate PKC activity and intracellular calcium concentration but not from the formation of $IP_3$.

Nitric oxide synthase, NOS (EC.1.14.13.39), was purified from bovine pancreas over 5,500-fold with a 7.6% yield using 30% ammonium sulfate precipitation, and $2^1$,$5^1$-ADP-agarose and calmodulin-agarose affinity chromatography. The purified bovine pancreatic NOS (bpNOS) showed a single band on SDS-PAGE corresponding to an apparent molecular mass of 160 kDa, whereas it was 320 kDa on non-denaturating gel-filtration. This indicated a homodimeric nature of the enzyme. The specific activity of the purified bpNOS was 31.67 nmol L-citrulline fored/mtn/mg protein and an apparent $K\textrm{m}$ for L-arginine was 15.72 $\mu\textrm{M}$, The enzyme activity was dependent on $Ca^{2+}$ and calmodulin, and to a lesser extent on NADPH, FAD and FMN. $H_4B$ was not required as a cofactor for the activity. In an inhibition experiment with L-arginine analogues, $N^G$-nitro-L-arginine (NNA) had the most potent inhibitory effect on bpNOS, and $N^{G}$, $N^{G1}$-dimethyl-L-arginine (symmetric; sDMA) did not have any inhibitory effect. Immunohistochemical analysis of the bovine pancreas using brain type NOS antibody (anti-bNOS antibody) revealed that acinar cells showed strong immunoreactivity against the antibody.

High titer rabbit polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) which show a specificity for saikosaponin a (SSA), have been generated. The immunogen used was a conjugate of SSA linked through its glucose moiety to bovine serum albumin by periodate oxidation method. The antibody titers obtained from two rabbits, innoculated with the immunogen, reached a plateau after the fourth and third booster injection, respectively. The specificity of the pAbs was determined by hapten inhibition assays using several SSA-like structures. SSA competitively inhibited the binding of the rabbit anti-SSA pAbs to SSA-ovalbumin on solid phase, a coated antigen on the well. The antibodies showed high specificity to SSA, exhibiting no significant cross-reactivity with any of SSA analogues tested.

Hypoglycemic action of brazilin was found to be based on the improvement of peripheral glucose utility, and this action might be correlated with the insulin action pathway. In the present study we investigated the effect of brazilin on the insulin receptor autophosphorylation, protein kinase C (PKC), protein phosphatase and insulin receptor serine kinase in order to confirm whether the hypoglycemic mechanism is concerned with insulin action pathway. Brazilin was found to inhibit PKC and insulin receptor serine kinase, which are involved in the regulation of insulin signal pathway. But any significant effect was not shown on insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activity, autophosphorylation and phosphatase activity. These findings suggest that brazilin might enhance insulin receptor function by decreasing serine phosphorylation, which might mediate hypoglycemic effect of brazilin.

Cinnamaldehydes and related compounds were synthesized from various cinnamic acids based on the $2^{I}$-hydroxycinnamaidehyde isolated from the bark of Cinnamomum cassia Blume. The cytotoxicity to human solid tumor cells such as A549, SK-OV-3, SK-MEL-2, XF498 and HCT15 were measured. Cinnamic acid, cinnamates and cinnamyl alcohols did not show any cytotoxicity against the human tumor cells. Cinnamaldehydes and realted compounds were resistant to A549 cell line up to 15 .mu.g/ml. In contrast, HCT15 and SK-MEL-2 cells were much sensitive to these cinnamaidehyde analogues which showed $ED{50} values 0.63-8.1{\mu}g/ml.$Cytotoxicity of the saturated aldehydes was much weak compared to their unsaturated aldehydes. From these studies, it was found that the key functional group of the cinnamaldehyde-related compounds in the antitumor activity is the propenal group.p.

The crude extract of Saussurea lappa displayed significant lethality to brine shrimp larvae. Investigation of the causative components by bioactivity-directed fractionation resulted in the isolation of three $C_17$-polyene alcohols. Based on various nmr spectral data, these compounds were identified as shikokiols which had been previously isolated from Cirsium nipponicum and/or Centaurea aegyptica. These $C_17$-polyene alcohols exhibited moderate cytotoxicities against the human tumor cell lines, A549, SK-OV-3, SK-MEL-2, XF498, and HCT15.

Several aniline mustard analogues were obtained by introducing N,N-bis(2-chloroethyl)amino moiety to phenyl ring of A10 analogues in order to increase reactivity of A10 analogs and selectivity into DNA. The in vitro antitumor activity of synthesized compounds was evaluated using five different solid tumor cell lines by SRB method. Aniline mustard analogues exhibited more potent antitumor activity than A10 analogs. Especially, m-aniline mustard of benzoyl analogue displayed remarkable antitumor activity.

Bis-${\gamma}$-lactones (1,2) having a perhydrofuro[3,4-c]furan-1,4-dione skeleton were designed as conformationally constrained diacylglycerol analogues. They were synthesized from D-apiose in 11 steps, and evaluated as $PKC-{\alpha}$ ligands by measuring their ability to displace bound $^3H$]PDBU from the enzyme. The compounds showed moderate binding affinities with $K_i$ values of 13.89 (${\pm}5.67$) ${\mu}M$ and 11.47 (${\pm}0.89$) ${\mu}M$, respectively. Their similar binding affinities indicate that these two bicyclic compounds were not effectively discriminated by $PKC-{\alpha}$ in terms of the direction of the side chain as other ligands built on similar bis-${\gamma}$-lactones.

The epoxyalkanoyl derivatives were designed and synthesized as ACE inhibitors. Coupling of unsaturated carboxylic acids with amino acids and following epoxidation with dimethyldioxirane gave the epoxyalkanoyls with high yield. The inhibitory activity of synthesized compounds on angiotensin converting enzyme was $IC_{50}$ values of 0.06~5.5 ${\mu}M$.

As a new colon-specific prodrug of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), 5-aminosalicyl-glycine (5-ASA-Gly) was prepared by a simple synthetic route in good yield. Apparent partition coefficients of 5-ASA-Gly were lower than those of 5-ASA, which determined in$ CHCl_{3}$/pH 6.8 buffer or n-octanol/pH 6.8 buffer system. Stability of 5-ASA-Gly by peptidases was investigated by incubation of 5-ASA-Gly with the homogenates of tissue and contents of stomach, proximal small intestine or distal small intestine of rats at $37^{\circ}C$. 5-ASA was not detected, indicating that the prodrug was stable in the upper intestine. The amount of 5-ASA liberated from incubation of the prodrug in cecal or colonic contents of rats was about 65% or 27% in 8 hrs, respectively, which indicated that the prodrug activation took place more readily in the rat cecum whose bacterial counts are high like human colon. Results from in vitro experiments suggested 5-ASA-Gly as a promising candidate of a colon-specific prodrug of 5-ASA.

Dextran-5-aminosalicylic acid ester (dextran-5-ASA) was synthesized as a colon-specific prodrug of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) which is active against inflammatory bowel diseases. Chemical stability of dextran-5-ASA in the bath of pH 1.2 or 6.8 was investigated at $37^{\circ}C$ for 6 hrs, and 5-ASA was not released on such conditions. Depolymerization (%) of dextran-5-ASA by dextranase with the degree of substitution (DS) of 18, 23, or 30 was 92, 62 or 45 in 8 hrs respectively, but was not affected by the MW of dextran (9,000, 40,600, 80,200 or 580,000). Distribution of 5-ASA in dextran, determined by gel filtration chromatography, appeared to be relatively uniform. Incubation of dextran-5-ASA (DS 18) in cecal contents of rats released 20% (28 g) and 35% (49 g) of 5-ASA in 8 hrs and 24 hrs, respectively, but no 5-ASA was liberated from small intestinal contents.

The cis- and trans-diastereomers of the 7,8-dihydro-7-deazapurine derivatives were synthesized from the corresponding diastereomers of 4-tran5-cyano-2-methyl-3-phenyl-5-oxopyrrolidine (5), which were reduced from the 2-cis- and 2-tran5-diastereomers of 4-trans-cyano-2-hydroxymethyl-3-phenyl-5-oxopyrrolidine (2) via tosylation, iodination and following elimination respectively. The prepared cis- and ttans-diastereomers of 6-amino-2-mercapto-8-methyl-7-phenyl-7,8-dihydro-7(9H)-deazapurine (8) were transferred to the corresponding 2-methylthio-diastereomers 9 and following desulfurization with Raney-nickel leaded to the cis and trans-diastereomers of 6-amino-8-methyl-7-phenyl-7,8-dihydro-7(9H)-deazapurine (10), respectively. The synthesized 7-deazapurine derivatives were tested for their antibiotic activity by the serial two-fold dilution method.

A number of substituted isoquinolin-1-ones, possible bioisosteres of the 5-aryl substituted 2,3-dihydroimidazo[2,$1-a$]isoquinolines, were synthesized and tested for their antitumor activity against five different human tumor cell lines. O-(3-hydroxyporpyl) substituted compound (15) exhibited the best antitumor activity which is 3-5 times better than 5-[$4^1$-(piperidinomethyl)phenyl]-2,3-dihydroimidazo[2,$1-a$]isoquinoline (1).

Fourty eight derivatives of 2-(1-oxyalkyl)-1,4-dioxy-9,10-anthraquinone were synthesized, and their antitumor activity was evaluated. On the whole, 2-(1-hydroxyalkyl)-1,4-dihydroxy-9,10-anthraquinones (DHAQ=1,4-dihydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone) showed stronger cytotoxic activity against L1210 cells than 2-(l-hydroxyalkyl)-1,4-dimethoxy-9,10-anthraquinones(DMAQ =1,4-dimethoxy-9,10-anthraquinone), implying that free hydroxy groups at C-1 and C-4 of the anthraquinone structure are necessary for the cytotoxic activity. The bioactivity of 2-(lhydroxyalkyl)-DHAQ derivatives differed according to the size of alkyl group at C-1;while the elongation of alkyl group over 7 carbon atoms failed to enhance the bioactivity, the derivatives possessing alkyl moiety of 1-6 carbon atoms showed an increase in the cytotoxicity and the antitumor activity in Sarcoma-180; 2-hydroxymethyl-DHAQ ($ED_{50}$, $15\mu\textrm{g}$/ml; T/C, 125%), 2-(1 -hydroxyethyl)-DHAQ($1.9{\mu}g/ml;139.2%)$;, 2-(1-hydroxypropyl)-DHAQ ($7.2{\mu}g$/ml; 135.1%), 2-(1-hydroxybutyl)-DHAQ ($10.2{\mu}g/ml; 125.3%)$, 2-(1-hydroxypentyl)-DHAQ ($23.7{\mu}g/ml; 110.1%$). and 2-(1-hydroxyhexyl)-DHAQ ($58{\mu}g/ml;108%$). Next, 2-(1-Hydroxyalkyl)-DHAQ derivatives were acetylated to produce 2-(1-acetoxyalkyl)-DHAQ analogues. Although the acetylation somewhat enhanced the cytotoxicity, but not the antitumor action. In addition, the presence of phenyl group at $C-1^{l}$ enhanced the cytotoxicity and the T/C value, compared to alkyl groups of same size; 2-(1-hydroxy-1-phenyl)-DHAQ ($ED_{50}$, $5.6{\mu}g$, T/C, 137%).

Three prolyl endopeptidase inhibitors were isolated and identified as luteolin, quercetin and ${\beta}$-sitosterol-3-O-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside with $IC_{50}$ of 0.17, 0.19 and 27.5 ppm, respectively. The inhibition of two flavonoids were non-competitive with substrate. Twenty authentic flavonoids were tested in order to investigate structure-activity relationship. No significant relationship was found in them, however, catechol moiety of B-ring and 7-OH group in flavonoid skeleton were seemed to be responsible for the stronger activity.

A coupled achiral-chiral high-performance liquid chromatographic system has been developed for the determination of the enantiomers of salmeterol, S-(+)-salmeterol and R-(-)-salmeterol in urine. THe salmeterol was separated from the interfering components in urine and quantified on the silica column, and the enantiomeric composition was determined on a Sumichiral OA-4700 chiral stationary phase. The two columns were connected by a switching valve equipped with a silica precolumn. The two columns wer connected by a switching valve equipped with a silica precolumn. The precolumn was used to concentrate the salmeterol in the eluent from the achiral column before backflushing onto the chiral phase. The coupled system was validated.

A stereospecific HPLC method has been developed for the resolution of the enantiomers of salbutamol in human urine. After solid-phase extraction and derivatization with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-$\beta$-D-glucopyranosyl isothiocyanate, the diastereomeric derivatives were resolved (Rs=1.83) on $5{\mu}m$ octadecylsilan column using 35% acetonitrile in 0.05M ammonium acetate buffer (pH=6) as a mobile phase with electrochemical detection. The diastereomeric derivatives were formed within 30 min. The detection limit of each enantiomer was 20 ng/ml (S/N=3).