• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.402-413
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• 2001

Food safety is a term broadly applied to food quality that may adversely affect human health. These include zoonotic diseases and acute and chronic effects of ingesting natural and human-made xenobiotics. There are two major areas of concern over the presence of residues of antibiotics in animal-derived foodstuffs with regard to human health. The first is allergic reactions. Some antibiotics, such as penicillins can evoke allergic reactions even though small amounts of them are ingested or exposed by parenteral routes. The second is development of antibiotic resistance in gut bacteria of human. Recently multi-resistant pneumococcal, glycopeptide-resistant enterococci and gram negative bacteria with extended-spectrum $\beta$-lactamases have spread all over the world, and are now a serious therapeutic problem in human. Although it is evident that drugs are required in the efficient production of meat, milk and eggs, their indiscriminate use should never be substituted for hygienic management of farm. Drug should be used only when they are required. In addition to veterinary drugs, environmental contaminants that were contaminated in feed, water and air can make residues in animal products. Mycotoxins, heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals derived from industries can be harmful both to animal and human health. Most of organic contaminants, such as dioxin, PCBs and DDT, and metals are persistent in environment and biological organisms and can be accumulated in fat and hard tissues. Some of them are suspected to have endocrine disrupting, carcinogenic, teratogenic, immunodepressive and nervous effects. The governmental agencies concerned make efforts to prevent residue problems; approval of drugs including withdrawal times of each preparation of drugs, establishment of tolerances, guidelines regarding drug use and sanitation enforcement of livestock products. National residue program is conducted to audit the status of the chemical residues in foods. Recently HACCP has been introduced to promote food safety from farm to table by reducing hazardous biological, chemical and physical factors. Animal Production Food Safety Program, Quality Assurance Programs, Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank are para- or non-governmental activities ensuring food safety. This topic will cover classification and usage or sources of chemical residues, their adverse effects, and chemical residue status of some countries. Issues are expanded to residue detection methodologies, toxicological and pharmacokinetic backgrounds of MRL and withdrawal time establishments, and the importance of non-governmental activities with regard to reducing chemical residues in food.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.151-158
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• 2010

Therapeutic drug monitoring of Mycophenolate mofetil(MMF) has been suggested in some clinical trials, but has not been widely adopted in Korea. The purpose of this study was to analyze the withdrawal rates of MMF and determine the characteristics of the patients who experienced adverse reactions with MMF therapy and to suggest the criteria for selecting patients who need monitoring of MMF levels. We retrospectively collected data of patients who started MMF between July 2007 and June 2008. A total of 154 adult patients were included in our study. Among them, ninety seven patients discontinued MMF with 59 cases being due to adverse drug reactions. Thirty one patients required dosage reduction of MMF with twenty three cases being due to adverse reactions. Twenty six patients continued the MMF without or with mild adverse reactions. Of the 82 adverse reaction cases, hematologic adverse reactions accounted for 38 cases (46%) and gastrointestinal (GI) adverse reactions accounted for 28 cases (34%). Older age and lower serum albumin levels were significantly different characteristics between the patients who withdraw MMF due to hematological adverse reactions and those who were able to continue therapy. The group who experienced GI adverse reactions had higher MMF dosages based on body weight and lower serum albumin levels. In conclusion, the factors affecting the adverse reactions of MMF were age, serum albumin level and higher dosage, therefore therapeutic drug monitoring of MMF should be considered in these patients.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.222-228
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• 2020

Background: 20(S)-ginsenoside-Rg3 (C₄₂H₇₂O₁₃), a natural triterpenoid saponin, is extracted from red ginseng. The increasing use of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 has raised product safety concerns. Methods: In acute toxicity, 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 was singly and orally administrated to Kunming mice and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at the maximum doses of 1600 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg, respectively. In the 26-week toxicity study, we used repeated oral administration of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 in SD rats over 26 weeks at doses of 0, 20, 60, or 180 mg/kg. Moreover, a 4-week recovery period was scheduled to observe the persistence, delayed occurrence, and reversibility of toxic effects. Results: The result of acute toxicity shows that oral administration of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 to mice and rats did not induce mortality or toxicity up to 1600 and 800 mg/kg, respectively. During a 26-week administration period and a 4-week withdrawal period (recovery period), there were no significant differences in clinical signs, body weight, food consumption, urinalysis parameters, biochemical and hematological values, or histopathological findings. Conclusion: The mean oral lethal dose (LD₅₀) of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3, in acute toxicity, is above 1600 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg in mice and rats, respectively. In a repeated-dose 26-week oral toxicity study, the no-observed-adverse-effect level for female and male SD rats was 180 mg/kg.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.44-55
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• 2021

Objectives: As the use of herbal medicinal products (HMPs) increases worldwide, systematic verification of the safety of HMPs is required. The induction of cardiotoxicity is one of the major factors in post-approval withdrawal of medicinal products, and drug-induced cardiotoxicity assessment is emerging as an important step in drug development. In the present study, we evaluated human ether-à-go-go-related gene (hERG) potassium channel-related cardiotoxicity to predict the risk of cardiac arrhythmia in thirteen herbal medicines known to have cardiac toxicity. Methods: We measured the inhibition rate of hERG potassium channel activity of 13 medicinal herbal extracts in hERG-expressing HEK 293 cells using an automated patch-clamping system. Quinidine was used as a positive control for inhibition of hERG activity. Results: Extracts of Evodiae Fructus, Strychni Semen, and Corydalis Tuber potently inhibited the activity of hERG, and IC₅₀ values were 3.158, 19.87, and 41.26 ㎍/mL, respectively. Cnidi Fructus, Ephedra Herba, Lithospermi Radix, Polygoni Multiflori Radix, Visci Ramulus et Folium, Asiasari Radix et Rhizoma, and Scolopendra weakly inhibited hERG activity, and the IC₅₀ value for each herbal medicine was more than 400 ㎍/mL. Aconiti Kusnezoffii Tuber and two types of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata (Po and Yeom) had weak inhibitory activity against hERG, and the IC₅₀ values were more than 700 ㎍/mL. The IC₅₀ value of quinidine against hERG was 1.021 𝜇M. Conclusion: Evodiae Fructus, Strychni Semen, and Corydalis Tuber acted as potent inhibitors against hERG. These herbal medicines may cause cardiac arrhythmia through QT prolongation, so care should be taken when taking them.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.121-132
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the lived experience of the patients with cancer participating in a clinical trial for the development of a new drug. Method: This study was based on a phenomenological approach. The eight patients participating in a clinical trial were selected as the participations of this study. The data were obtained through in-depth interviews from the participants and were analyzed using the Giorgi method. Results: Essential experiences of the patients with cancer under a clinical trial consisted of anticipating recovery of physical health and a social role, passing the strict criteria of a clinical trial, diminishing economic burden, satisfaction with special treatment receiving, social contribution, concerns about side effects and withdrawal from the clinical trial, conflicts as a participant, pain, limited administration of other treatments, regret for giving up other treatments, strict compliance with instructions, prevention of side effects and maintaining desirable life-style. Integrated units of meaning of these components were hope, good luck, a sense of satisfaction, fear, distress, and the will of self-control. Conclusion: The most essential meaning of the cancer patients participating in a clinical trial was hope. Hope was found to be a primary factor reinforcing the will of self-management. The results of this study can be of great help to the research nurses to understand the lived experience of the patients with cancer and to plan an effective nursing intervention for the patients.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.175-179
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• 2008

Parallux, a solid-phase fluorescence immunoassay (SPFIA) developed for detection antibiotics residue in milk, was applied for analysis of antibiotics in muscle tissue of olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus), rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli), and red sea bream (Pagrus major). Fishes were dipped in neomycin 140 mg/ton water, the recommended therapeutic dose, for 24 h. Muscle samples were obtained on 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th day after drug treatment. The concentration of neomycin in muscle was determined using an internal standard (100 ppb as neomycin). The absorbance ratio of sample to internal standard (S/C) was employed as an index to determine the muscle residues in fishes. To investigate the recovery rate, the standard solutions were added to muscle samples to give final concentrations in muscle of 0.2 and 0.5 mg/ml. The recovery rates of all spiked samples were > 85% of the spiked value. Neomycin was detected in muscles of fishes treated after the 1st day of withdrawal period. On the 2nd day after drug treatment, all muscle samples showed negative reaction (S/C ration ${\leq}$ 1.0). The present study showed that the SPFIA can be applied for predicting residues of neomycin in muscle tissues of farmed fishes.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.425-431
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• 2018

Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) peptide is a widely distributed neurotransmitter expressed in the central nervous systems. Previously, several reports demonstrated that nucleus accumbal-injected CART peptide positively modulated behavioral sensitization induced by psychostimulants and regulated the mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic pathway. It is confirmed that CART peptide exerted inhibitory effect on psychostimulant-enhanced dopamine receptors signaling, $Ca^{2+}$/calmodulin-dependent kinase signaling and crucial transcription factors expression. Besides modulation of dopamine receptors-related pathways, CART peptide also exhibited elaborated interactions with other neurotransmitter receptors, such as glutamate receptors and ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid receptors, which further account for attribution of CART peptide to inhibition of psychostimulant-potentiated locomotor activity. Recently, CART peptide has been shown to have anxiolytic functions on the aversive mood and uncontrolled drug-seeking behaviors following drug withdrawal. Moreover, microinjection of CART peptide has been shown to have an antidepressant effect, which suggests its potential utility in the mood regulation and avoidance of depression-like behaviors. In this review, we discuss CART pathways in neural circuits and their interactions with neurotransmitters associated with psychostimulant-induced depression.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.60 no.2
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• pp.109-116
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• 2022

Drug resistance is an important problem hindering malaria elimination in tropical areas. Point mutations in Plasmodium falciparum dihydrofolate reductase (Pfdhfr) and dihydropteroate synthase (Pfdhps) genes confer resistance to antifolate drug, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) while P. falciparum chloroquine-resistant transporter (Pfcrt) genes caused resistance to chloroquine (CQ). Decline in Pfdhfr/Pfdhps and Pfcrt mutations after withdrawal of SP and CQ has been reported. The aim of present study was to investigate the prevalence of Pfdhfr, Pfdhps, and Pfcrt mutation from 2 endemic areas of Thailand. All of 200 blood samples collected from western area (Thai-Myanmar) and southern area (Thai-Malaysian) contained multiple mutations in Pfdhfr and Pfdhps genes. The most prevalent haplotypes for Pfdhfr and Pfdhps were quadruple and double mutations, respectively. The quadruple and triple mutations of Pfdhfr and Pfdhps were common in western samples, whereas low frequency of triple and double mutations was found in southern samples, respectively. The Pfcrt 76T mutation was present in all samples examined. Malaria isolated from 2 different endemic regions of Thailand had high mutation rates in the Pfdhfr, Pfdhps, and Pfcrt genes. These findings highlighted the fixation of mutant alleles causing resistance of SP and CQ in this area. It is necessary to monitor the re-emergence of SP and CQ sensitive parasites in this area.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 1994

Anxiety and anxiety disorders are one of the most common and most serious psychiatric problems. Anti-anxiety drugs are one of the most effective treatment method for these problems. Benzodiazepines have various side-effects and the risk of overuse and abuse. Therefore, physicians should prescribe benzodiazepines carefully. However, they should not be discouraged from prescribing benzodiazepines when they have a knowledge of the pharmacological characteristics of these drugs and there is a clear indication for their use. Generally speaking, problems of benzodiazepine use such as dependence withdrawal symptoms, and cognitive impairment are more likely to occur with high dose, long-term use(more than 4 months), in geriatric patients and patients with a history of alcohol or other sustance abuse. But long-term or high-dose use can be jusified for patients with panic disorder of agoraphobia, and medically-ill patients with persistent anxiety that cannot be otherwise treated. In summary, there cannot be a general prescribing formulation for benzodiazepine use. Physician should always make their decision based on the individual patient's risk/benefit factors.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.5-9
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• 2000

Several nonpharmacological treatment methods of insomnia and their effects were reviewed. A long-term use of most hypnotics may produce tolerance, dependence, cognitive and psychomotor impairments at daytime, shallow sleep, and rebound insomnia on drug withdrawal. To reduce hypnotic abuse, nonpharmacological strategies have been developed to correct disordered behavioral and cognitive factors. These treatments aim at modifying maladaptive sleep habits, lowering physiological and cognitive arousal levels, and correcting dysfuctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep. These non-pharmacological or cognitive behavior treatments include stimulus control, sleep restriction, relaxation training, sleep hygiene education, cognitive therapy, and light therapy. Among them the stimulus control therapy has been demonstrated most effective as a single treatment or in combination with other treatments. Through nonpharmacological treatments, sleep latency was most significantly reduced and wake time after sleep onset was also reduced. About 50% of insomniacs reported clinical improvements in terms of nearly normalized sleep latency, awakening time, sleep efficiency, and reduction of hypnotic use. Compared to the hypnotic therapy, nonpharmacological treatments are more cost-effective and more readily accepted by patients, and their effects last longer.