• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.369-373
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• 2005

The objectives of the current work is to understand the factors impacting the formulation and performance of a Carbopol mucoadhesive buccal delvery system for a model peptide drug, $[D-Ala{^2},\;D-Leu{^5}]$enkephalin (DADLE, Mw=569.7) with comparable chemical and enzymatic stability. Specifically, in vitro buccal DADLE delivery from the cross-linked poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) hydrogel system was characterized. In addition, the influences of several penetration enhancers on the ex vivo buccal absorption of DADLE were also studied. In this study, the PAA hydrogels generally swell to 100% of their original weight in the phosphate pH 7.4 buffer. The water penetration into the PAA hydrogel occurred based on a zero-order kinetics for the first 60 min and steadily decreased afterwards. From the release study, it can be seen that the initial DADLE release was so rapid and the rate of release of DADLE decreased as the time elapsed. The porcine buccal tissue was found to be permeable to DADLE with a flux value of $0.07%/cm{^2}/hr({\pm}0.01\;SD)$. From the ex vivo diffusion study, it was found that sodium taurodihydrofusidate showed a greater degree of enhancement compared to the phospholipids with an Enhancement Ratio (ER) of 8.7 compared to 2.7 and 1.9 for didecanoylphosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylcholine, respectively. The work encompassed within this paper has demonstrated the feasibility of using the PAA hydrogel delivery system with its good mucoadhesive properties for the buccal delivery of peptides.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.1007-1014
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• 2015

Plectasin, the first defensin extracted from a fungus (the saprophytic ascomycete Pseudoplectania nigrella), is attractive as a prospective antimicrobial agent. The purpose of this study was to establish a bacterium-based production system and evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the resulting plectasin. A gene encoding plectasin, with the codon preference of Escherichia coli, was optimized based on its amino acid sequence, synthesized using genesplicing with overlap extension PCR, and inserted into the expression vector pGEX-4T-1. The fusion protein was expressed in the soluble fraction of E. coli and purified using glutathione Stransferase affinity chromatography. Plectasin was cleaved from the fusion protein with thrombin and purified by ultrafiltration. The purified plectasin showed strong, concentrationdependent antimicrobial activity against gram-positive bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria, especially penicillin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. This antimicrobial activity was equal to chemically synthesized plectasin and was maintained over a wide range of pH and temperatures. This soluble recombinant expression system in E. coli is effective for producing plectasin at a relatively lower cost, and higher purity and efficiency than prior systems, and might provide a foundation for developing a large-scale production system. Overall, plectasin shows potential as a novel, high-performance, and safe antibiotic for the treatment of refractory diseases caused by drug-resistant bacterial strains.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.523-528
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• 2005

Diblock copolymers with different poly($\varepsilon$-caprolactone) (PCL) block lengths were synthesized by ringopening polymerization of $\varepsilon$-caprolactone in the presence of monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG-OH, MW 2000) as initiator. The self-aggregation behaviors of the diblock copolymer nanoparticle, prepared by the diafiltration method, were investigated by using $^1H$ NMR, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and fluorescence spectroscopy. The PEG-PCL block copolymers formed the nano-sized self-aggregate in an aqueous environment by intrsa- and/or intermolecular association between hydrophobic PCL chains. The critical aggregation concentrations (cac) of the block copolymer self-aggregate became lower with increasing hydrophobic PCL block length. On the other hand, reverse trends of mean hydrodynamic diameters were measured by DLS owing to the increasing bulkiness of the hydrophobic chains and hydrophobic interaction between the PCL microdomains. The hydrodynamic diameters of the block copolymer nanoparticles, measured by DLS, were in the range of 65-270 nm. Furthermore, the size of the nanoparticles was scarcely affected by the concentration of the block copolymers in the range of 0.125-5 mg/mL owing to the negligible interparticular aggregation between the self-aggregated nanoparticles. Considered with the fairly low cac and nanoparticle stability, the PEG-PCL nanoparticles can be considered a potential candidate for biomedical applications such as drug carrier or imaging agent.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.472-477
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• 2018

Pravastatin sodium is a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor used in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia by reducing cholesterol biosynthesis. Pharmaceutical excipients of commonly used including water, diluents, stabilizers, disintegrants, lubricants and colorants, and were identified for compatibility. All tests were performed by means of physical mixture of pravastatin and the excipients, which were placed in a press-through-pack (PTP) and incubated under accelerated conditions ($40^{\circ}C$ and 75% relative humidity) for 3 months. The blends of pravastatin with all excipients developed white, off white, and light brown powders, which showed no changes upon visual analysis. Accelerated conditions changed the degradation profile of pravastatin calcium in the HPLC system when mixed with different excipients. Although most excipients can have minor effects on pravastatin stability, the major degradation product from pravastatin was lactone. Low-level interaction (assay and impurity) was induced by all excipients except for microcrystalline cellulose and croscarmellose sodium. These excipients increased lactone impurity in 3 months by as much as 0.22% and 0.18% respectively. The total mixture slightly increased the lactone impurity (by 0.43% in 3 months) of pravastatin. There was no change in the assays of all excipients. These results will be helpful in studying tablet size reductions for convenience of use.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.291-298
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• 2003

Anti-diabetic effect of various fractions of Cordyceps militaris (CM), CCCA (crude cordycepin containing adenosine), CMESS (ethanol soluble supernatant), and cordycepin were evaluated in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic mice, CMESS showed potent inhibitory activity of 34.7% in starch-loaded mice (2 g/kg) while acarbose as a positive standard exhibited 37.8% of inhibition rate. After 3 days administration (50 mg/kg), cordycepin (0.2 mg/kg), and acarbose (10 mg/kg) dramatically reduced blood glucose level (inhibition ratio: 46.9%, 48.4% and 37.5% respectively). CCCA that has high contents of cordycepin (0.656 mg/4 mg) did not influence on reducing blood glucose level. The proliferation of splenocytes and peritoneal macrophages derived from STZ-induced diabetic mice administered samples were evaluated out by addition of mitogens to see the stability of the usage of these herbal medicines. Proliferation of T-lymphocyte was significantly decreased; while NO production was increased more than two fold to STZ control in the cordycepin-administered group. Changes of serum enzyme levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) were also evaluated. Cordycepin administered group was appeared to acarbose. We conclude that CMESS and cordycepin may be useful tools in the control of blood glucose level in diabetes and promising new drug as an anti-hyperglycemic agent without defects of immune responses and other side effects.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.2290-2294
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• 2014

For the present study, rhEGF was encapsulated into solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs). The SLNs were prepared by the $W_1/O/W_2$ double emulsification method combined with the high pressure homogenization method and the physical properties such as particle size, zeta-potential and encapsulation efficiency were measured. The overall particle morphology of SLNs was investigated using a transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The percutaneous skin permeation and accumulation property of rhEGF was evaluated using Franz diffusion cell system along with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The mean particle size of rhEGF-loaded SLNs was $104.00{\pm}3.99nm$ and the zeta-potential value was in the range of -$36.99{\pm}0.54mV$, providing a good colloidal stability. The TEM image revealed a spherical shape of SLNs about 100 nm and the encapsulation efficiency was $18.47{\pm}0.22%$. The skin accumulation of rhEGF was enhanced by SLNs. CLSM image analysis provided that the rhEGF rat skin accumulation is facilitated by an entry of SLNs through the pores of skin.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.216-227
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• 1993

Complex formations of practically insoluble antelmintic drugs such as mebendazole (MBZ), albendazole (ABZ) and flubendazole (FBZ) with dimethyl-$\beta$-cyclodextrin (DM-$\beta$-CyD) and 2-hydroxypropyl-$\beta$-cyclodextrin (HP-$\beta$-CyD) together with $\alpha$-, $\beta$- and $\gamma$-cyclodextrins(CyDs) in duffered solutions were investigated by solubility method. $A_{L}$ type phase solubility diagrams were obtained in all cases except for the complexation (B$_{s}$, type) of FBZ with $\gamma$-CyD. The highest stability constants were obtained with DM-$\beta$-CyD, followed by $\alpha$-CyD > $\beta$-CyD > HP-$\beta$-CyD > $\gamma$-CyD for ABZ, and HP-$\beta$-CyD > $\gamma$-CyD > $\beta$-CyD > $\alpha$-CyD for FBZ at pH 1.2. On the other hand, solid dispersion systems of ABZ and FBZ with $\beta$- and DM-$\beta$-CyDs were prepared by solvent evaporation method and evaluated by dissolution, differential thermal analysis and powder x-ray diffractometry. The dissolution rates of ABZ- and FBZ-DM-$\beta$-CyD solid dispersions were much faster than those of drugs alone, corresponding physical mixtures and tablets on market both at pH 1.2 and 6.8. Although dissolution rates of all samples at pH 6.8 were by far lower than those obtained at pH 1.2, as explained by pH-solubility profiles for ABZ and FBZ, the dissolution rates at pH 6.8 of ABZ from $\beta$- and DM-$\beta$-CyD solid dispersions exceeded the respective equilibrium solubility (23.9 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml). Fast dissolution of ABZ from solid dispersions with CyDs was attributed to the reduction of drug crystallinity and particle size which was supported by DTA and powder x-ray diffractometry. Consequently these results suggest that solid dispersion systems with CyDs may provide useful means to markedly enhance the solubility and dissolution of benzimidazole antelmintic drugs.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.181-184
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• 2000

Dizziness is one of common diseases clinically, it is defined as a hallucination or an illusion of motion that causes sensation disorder of circumstance, and described as circulatory. rotatory leaning. shaking sensation. In particular, benign paroximal positional vertigo(BPPV) is one of peripheral vertigo, it causes dizziness due to debris which has collected within a part of the inner ear. Chemically, debris are small crystals of calcium carbonate. They are derived from structures in the ear called 'otoliths' that have been damaged by head injury, infection, or other disorder of the inner ear, or degenerated because of advanced age. The symptoms of BPPV include dizziness or vertigo, lightheadedness, imbalance, and nausea, Activities which bring on symptoms will vary in each person, but symptom are almost always precipitated by a position change of the head or body. As for treatment of vertigo, it is differentiated as excess in the upper and deficiency in the lower(上實下虛) and treated in oriental medicine and are used to stability. antihistaminics . anticolinergics . vestibule control drug of GABA system in western medicine. Moreover, Dix-hallpike maneuver is applicated in diagnosis and treatment of BPPV patients. A case of dizziness patient suggested benign paroximal positional vertigo who is diagnosed as weakly dizziness(虛暈)showed prominent improvement by Jaeumkunbitang-gamibang(滋陰建脾湯) and Dix-hallpike maneuver.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.14-19
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• 1998

The residual tissue concentraion of the widely used aquatic antibacterial agent, oxolinic acid, was surveyed in eels collected from fish markets of Chonbuk Province, Korea. Their concentrations in the dorsolateral muscle were widely varying. In about 32% of samples examined, oxolinic acid was not detected. In about 16% of those samples in which oxolinic acid was detected, the concentration was above 0.1 ppm. The tissue distrubution of the agent in major organs was in the rank order of kidney>liver>plasma>muscle. When the muscle samples which contained residual oxolinic acid were baked for up to 10 min, there was no change in the drug concentration. Their concentration declined to about 50% by baking for 30 min at which time the tissue turned to the texture of charcoal. The extreme stability of oxolinic acid to heating process was confirmed with muscle samples from eels to which a high dose of oxolinic acid was administered, and also with an aqueous oxolinic acid solution of known concentration. It is suggested that an effective regulatory measure should be initiated to keep eel consumers from residual oxolinic acid impact.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.176-181
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• 2010

The primary sigma factor ($\sigma^{A}$) of Staphylococcus aureus, a potential drug target, was little investigated at the structural level. Using an N-terminal histidine-tagged $\sigma^{A}$ (His-$\sigma^{A}$), here we have demonstrated that it exits as a monomer in solution, possesses multiple domains, harbors primarily $\alpha$-helix and efficiently binds to a S. aureus promoter DNA in the presence of core RNA polymerase. While both N- and C-terminal ends of His-$\sigma^{A}$ are flexible in nature, two Trp residues in its DNA binding region are buried. Upon increasing the incubation temperature from 25$^{\circ}$ to 40$^{\circ}C$, $\sim$60% of the input His-$\sigma^{A}$ was cleaved by thermolysin. Aggregation of His-$\sigma^{A}$ was also initiated rapidly at 45$^{\circ}C$. From the equilibrium unfolding experiment, the Gibbs free energy of stabilization of His-$\sigma^{A}$ was estimated to be +0.70 kcal $mol^{-1}$. The data together suggest that primary sigma factor of S. aureus is an unstable protein. Core RNA polymerase however stabilized $\sigma^{A}$ appreciably.