• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
• /
• 2002.10a
• /
• pp.92-93
• /
• 2002

With the recent development of combinatorial chemistry, recombinant biotechnology and rational drug design, millions of compounds are being produced in the laboratories of pharmaceutical companies. These new drug candidates are evaluated their efficacy and toxicity through in vivo animal model studies which is very important in drug development. From these studies, very successful drug candidates are selected. (omitted)

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.329-336
• /
• 2011

The purpose of Phase I clinical trial is to identify the maximum tolerated dose with specific toxicity rate. The standard TER design does not guarantee the pre-specified toxicity rate. It depends on the dose-toxicity curves. Therefore it is necessary to check the expected toxicity rate of various dose-toxicity curves before we conduct clinical trials. We developed TERAplusB library to help this situation, especially in cancer research. This package will help design the cancer clinical trial. We can compare the expected toxicity rates, the expected number of patients, and the expected times calculated with various dose-toxicity curves. This process will help find the best clinical trial design of the proposed drug.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.107-118
• /
• 2017

Although alternative test methods based on the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) are being developed to replace animal testing in reproductive and developmental toxicology, they are still in an early stage. Consequently, we aimed to develop alternative test methods in male animals using mouse spermatogonial stem cells (mSSCs). Here, we modified the OECD TG 489 and optimized the in vitro comet assay in our previous study. This study aimed to verify the validity of in vitro tests involving mSSCs by comparing their results with those of in vivo tests using C57BL/6 mice by gavage. We selected hydroxyurea (HU), which is known to chemically induce male reproductive toxicity. The 50% inhibitory concentration ($IC_{50}$) value of HU was 0.9 mM, as determined by the MTT assay. In the in vitro comet assay, % tail DNA and Olive tail moment (OTM) after HU administration increased significantly, compared to the control. Annexin V, PI staining and TUNEL assays showed that HU caused apoptosis in mSSCs. In order to compare in vitro tests with in vivo tests, the same substances were administered to male C57BL/6 mice. Reproductive toxicity was observed at 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/day as measured by clinical measures of reduction in sperm motility and testicular weight. The comet assay, DCFH-DA assay, H&E staining, and TUNEL assay were also performed. The results of the test with C57BL/6 mice were similar to those with mSSCs for HU treatment. Finally, linear regression analysis showed a strong positive correlation between results of in vitro tests and those of in vivo. In conclusion, the present study is the first to demonstrate the effect of HU-induced DNA damage, ROS formation, and apoptosis in mSSCs. Further, the results of the current study suggest that mSSCs could be a useful model to predict male reproductive toxicity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.9
• /
• pp.4597-4606
• /
• 2012

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is an uncommon adenocarcinoma which arises from the epithelial cells of the bile ducts. The aim of the study was to investigate the cytotoxicity, toxicity, and anticancer activity of a crude ethanolic extract of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) against CCA. Cytotoxic activity against a CCA cell line (CL-6) was assessed by calcein-AM and Hoechst 33342 assays and anti-oxidant activity was evaluated using the DPPH assay. Investigation of apoptotic activity was performed by DNA fragmentation assay and induction of genes that may be involved in the resistance of CCA to anticancer drugs (MDR1, MRP1, MRP2, and MRP3) was examined by real-time PCR. To investigate anti-CCA activity in vivo, a total of 80 OV and nitrosamine (OV/DMN)-induced CCA hamsters were fed with the ginger extract at doses of 1000, 3000, and 5000 mg/kg body weight daily or every alternate day for 30 days. Control groups consisting of 10 hamsters for each group were fed with 5-fluorouracil (positive control) or distilled water (untreated control). Median $IC_{50}$ (concentration that inhibits cell growth by 50%) values for cytotoxicity and anti-oxidant activities of the crude ethanolic extract of ginger were 10.95, 53.15, and $27.86{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. More than ten DNA fragments were visualized and up to 7-9 fold up-regulation of MDR1 and MRP3 genes was observed following exposure to the ethanolic extract of ginger. Acute and subacute toxicity tests indicated absence of any significant toxicity at the maximum dose of 5,000 mg/kg body weight given by intragastric gavage. The survival time and survival rate of the CCA-bearing hamsters were significantly prolonged compared to the control group (median of 54 vs 17 weeks). Results from these in vitro and in vivo studies thus indicate promising anticancer activity of the crude ethanolic extract of ginger against CCA with the absence of any significant toxicity. Moreover, MDR1 and MRP3 may be involved in conferring resistance of CCA to the ginger extract.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.183-188
• /
• 2006

The field of cytochrome P450 pharmacogenomics has progressed rapidly during the past 25 years. Recently, conjugating enzymes including sulfotransferase, acetyltransferase, glucuronosyltransferase and glutathione transferase have been also extensively studied. All the major human drug-metabolizing P450 enzymes and some conjugating enzymes have been identified and cloned, and the major gene variants that cause inter-individual variability in drug response and are related to adverse drug reactions have been identified. This information now provides the basis for the use of predictive pharmacogenomics to yield drug therapies that are more efficient and safer. Today, we understand which drugs warrant dosing based on pharmacogenomics to improve drug treatment. It is anticipated that genotyping could be used to personalize drug treatment for vast numbers of subjects, decreasing the cost of drug treatment and increasing the efficacy of drugs and health in general. It is assumed that such personalized P450 gene-based treatment which is so-called tailor(order)-made drug therapy would be relevant for 10-20% of all drug therapy in the future.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.261-271
• /
• 1996

It has been reported that G009, polysaccharide isolated from Ganoderma lucidum IY009 has various pharmacological effects, such as antinflamatory, antiviral, anticarcinogenic and immunmodulation effects. The purpose of this study was to determine the subacute toxicity of orally administered G009 in Sprague-Dawley rats. Groups of 40 male and 40 female rats were gavaged with 0, 500, 1,000 or 2,000 mg/kg/day for 30 days. No drug-related deaths and clinical morbidities were resulted. There was no drug-related effect on the body weight gain, food consumption and water consumption. Statistically significant changes were observed in several hematological and biochemical parameters of G009-treated groups; however, most of these changes were within normal range and had no relationship to dosage. Urinalysis and bone marrow biopsy showed no remarkable changes in all treated groups. Gross necropsy and hisopathology revealed no evidence of specific toxicity related to G009. Our data indicate that no-observed effect level of G009 is estimated to be above 2,000 mg/kg/day in rats.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.280-285
• /
• 1997

Pectenotoxin 2 (PTX2), isolated from marine sponges, was examined for its hepatotoxic potential using male ICR mice. PTX2 $(20\;or\;100\;{\mu}g/kg/day,\;ip)$ was administered to mice repeatedly for one or two week. Histopathological examination revealed an increase in granularity in the liver from the mice treated with PTX2. PTX2 did not alter the parameters for hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity such as sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Cytochrome P-450, cytochrome $b_5$, or NADPH cytochrome c reductase was net changed by repeated administration of PTX2. Hepatic microsomal activity of p-nitroanisole O-demethylase, but not aminopyrine N-demethylase, was slightly depressed by PTX2 administerd repeatedly $(100\;{\mu}g/kg/day,\;ip)$ fur 2 weeks. The toxicity of PTX2 $(200\;{\mu}g/kg/day,\;ip)$ was determined in mice pretreated with a metabolic inducer or inhibitor such as phenobarbital, 3-methyl-cholanthrene, $CoCl_2$, or SKF 525-A. Significant alterations in lethality and hepatotoxicity of PTX2 were observed in mice pretreated with a metabolic modulator. The results suggest that liver seems to be the target organ for PTX2 toxicity and also that induction of the PTX2 toxicity may be associated with hepatic drug metabolizing activity.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
• /
• v.3 no.3
• /
• pp.177-184
• /
• 2007

As a possible feasibility of the extrapolation between in vivo and in vitro systems, we investigated the global gene expression from both mouse liver and mouse hepatic cell line treated with hepatotoxic chemical, acetaminophen (APAP), and compared between in vivo and in vitro genomic profiles. For in vivo study, mice were orally treated with APAP and sacrificed at 6 and 24 h. For in vitro study, APAP were administered to a mouse hepatic cell line, BNL CL.2 and sampling was carried out at 6 and 24 h. Hepatotoxicity was assessed by analyzing hepatic enzymes and histopathological examination (in vivo) or lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay and morphological examination (in vitro). Global gene expression was assessed using microarray. In high dose APAPtreated group, there was centrilobular necrosis (in vivo) and cellular toxicity with the elevation of LDH (in vitro) at 24 h. Statistical analysis of global gene expression identified that there were similar numbers of altered genes found between in vivo and in vitro at each time points. Pathway analysis identified glutathione metabolism pathway as common pathways for hepatotoxicty caused by APAP. Our results suggest it may be feasible to develop toxicogenomics biomarkers or profiles by comparing in vivo and in vitro genomic profiles specific to this hepatotoxic chemical for application to prediction of liver toxicity.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Pathology
• /
• v.1 no.2
• /
• pp.91-96
• /
• 1997

General steps in the discovery and development of novel drugs in the United States are presented. The first step is the discovery of novel drugs. Brief histories and mechanisms of a few novel drugs in the American market are outlined. In this presentation preclinical animal toxicologic studies (drug safety evaluateion) are emphasized in regard to drug development. When preclinical animal studies have defined the toxicity and the doses at which it occurs an Investigational new Drug Application (IND) is submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) An IND notifies the FDA the intention to begin testing a novel drug in human subjects.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
• /
• 2022.05a
• /
• pp.273-275
• /
• 2022

The use of drugs by pregnant women poses a potential risk to the fetus. Therefore, it is essential to classify drugs that pregnant women should prohibit. However, the fetal toxicity of most drugs has not been identified. This takes a lot of time and cost. In silico approaches, such as virtual screening, can identify compounds that may present a high risk to the fetus for a wide range of compounds at the low cost and time. We collected class information of each drug from the hazard classification lists for prescribing drugs in pregnancy by the government of Korea and Australia. Using the structural and chemical features of each drug, various machine learning models were constructed to predict fetal toxicity of drugs. For all models, the quantitative performance evaluation was performed. Based on the attention algorithm, important molecular substructures of compounds were identified in the process of predicting the fetal toxicity of the drug by the proposed model. From the results, we confirmed that drugs with a high risk of fetal toxicity can be predicted for a wide range of compounds by machine learning. This study can be used as a pre-screening tool for fetal toxicity predictions, as it provides key molecular substructures associated with the fetal toxicity of compounds.