• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.65-67
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• 2004

Dehydroevodiamine (DHED) is one of the bioactive components of the Chinese herbal medicine Wu-chu-yu-tang that has been shown to produce various pharmacological effects. In the present study, we investigated the pharmacokinetics of DHED after intravenous administration of two doses (2.5 and 5 mg/kg) in anesthetized rats. The plasma concentration of DHED was measured by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. The mean area under the curve of the time-concentration profile was $21.9\;and\;53.9\;{\mu}g{\cdot}min/ml$ after the 2.5- and 5-mg/kg doses, respectively, and the volume of distribution was 1584.9 and 1580.6 ml following 2.5- and 5-mg/kg doses, respectively. Plasma concentration profiles versus time were compatible with a two-compartment model and first-order kinetics. The terminal elimination half-life was $91.8{\pm}16.6\;min$ and $78.7{\pm}11.9\;min$ in the dose of 2.5 and 5 mg/kg, respectively. This is the first report to study the pharmacokinetics of DHED in animals.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.598-604
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• 2006

In many conventional drug delivery systems in vogue, failure to deliver efficient drug delivery at the target site/organs; is evident as a result, less efficacious pharmacological response is elicited. Microspheres can be derived a remedial measure which can improve site-specific drug delivery to a considerable extent. As an application, Lung-targeting Ofloxacin-loaded gelatin microspheres (GLOME) were prepared by water in oil emulsion method. The Central Composite Design (CCD) was used to optimize the process of preparation, the appearance and size distribution were examined by scanning electron microscopy, the aspects such as in vitro release characteristics, stability, drug loading, loading efficiency, pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution in albino mice were studied. The experimental results showed that the microspheres in the range of $0.32-22\;{\mu}m$. The drug loading and loading efficiency were 61.05 and 91.55% respectively. The in vitro release profile of the microspheres matched the korsmeyer’s peppas release pattern, and release at 1h was 42%, while for the original drug, ofloxacin under the same conditions 90.02% released in the first half an hour. After i.v. administration (15 min), the drug concentration of microspheres group in lung in albino mice was $1048\;{\mu}g/g$, while that of controlled group was $6.77\;{\mu}g/g$. GLOME found to release the drug to a maximum extent in the target tissue, lungs.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.267-275
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• 2021

Objectives : Previously, we reported that compound K isolated from fermented ginseng by Aspillus oryzae has a wide biochemical and pharmacological effect, including anti-cancer activity in prostate cancer PC-3 cells. Despite these findings, its signaling pathway and gene expression pattern are not clearly understood. Methods : To confirm the gene expression study of treated with compound K in PC-3 cells, a cDNA microarray chip composed of 44K human cDNA probes was used. MTT assay, western blot analysis, propidium iodide staining, and annexin V/propidium iodide staining were analyzed. Results : We confirmed the differences of gene expression profiles. Then, we analyzed with the cell cycle arrest, cell death and cell proliferation related genes using DAVID database. Conclusions : Our finding should be useful for understanding genome-wide expression patterns of compound K-mediated cell cycle arrest toward induction of cell death and be helpful for finding future cancer therapeutic targets for prostate cancer cells.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2019

Resveratrol was first isolated in 1939 by Takaoka from Veratrum grandiflorum O. Loes. Following this discovery, sporadic descriptive reports appeared in the literature. However, spurred by our seminal paper published nearly 60 years later, resveratrol became a household word and the subject of extensive investigation. Now, in addition to appearing in over 20,000 research papers, resveratrol has inspired monographs, conferences, symposia, patents, chemical derivatives, etc. In addition, dietary supplements are marketed under various tradenames. Once resveratrol was brought to the limelight, early research tended to focus on pharmacological activities related to the cardiovascular system, inflammation, and cancer but, over the years, the horizon greatly expanded. Around 130 human clinical trials have been (or are being) conducted with varying results. This may be due to factors such as disparate doses (ca. 5 to 5,000 mg/day) and variable experimental settings. Further, molecular targets are numerous and a dominant mechanism is elusive or nonexistent. In this context, the compound is overtly promiscuous. Nonetheless, since the safety profile is pristine, and use as a dietary supplement is prevalent, these features are not viewed as detrimental. Given the ongoing history of resveratrol, it is reasonable to advocate for additional development and further clinical investigation. Topical preparations seem especially promising, as do conditions that can respond to anti-inflammatory action and/or direct exposure, such as colon cancer prevention. Although the ultimate fate of resveratrol remains an open question, thus far, the compound has inspired innovative scientific concepts and enhanced public awareness of preventative health care.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.353-359
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• 2000

${\alpha}_2$-Adrenoceptor antagonists, which can enhance synaptic norepinephrine levels by blocking feedback inhibition processes, are potentially useful in the treatment of disease states such. as depression, memory impairment, impotence and sexual dysfunction. (10bS)-1,2,3,5,6,10b-Hexahydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline oxalate (YSL-3S) was evaluated in several in vitro biological tests to establish its pharmacological profile of activities as an ${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptor antagonist. Saturation binding assay revealed that$^{3}[H]$rauwolscine bound to the $\alpha$$_2$-adrenoceptors with a Kd value of 6.3$\pm$0.5 nM and a Bmax value of 25l$\pm$39 fmol/mg protein in rat cortical synaptic membranes. Competitive binding assay showed that YSL-3S inhibited the binding of$^3[H]$rauwolscine (1 nM) in a concentration-dependent manner with a Ki value of 98.2$\pm$12.1 nM while it did not inhibit the binding of [$^3$H]cytisine (1.25 nM) to neuronal nicotinic cholinergic receptors. The Ki values of yohimbine, clonidine and norepinephrine for $^3[H]$rauwolscine binding were 15.8$\pm$1.0, 40.1$\pm$5.9 and 40.0$\pm$11.5 nM, respectively. In addition, the binding affinity of YSL-3S for ${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptors was higher than that of its antipode and the racemic mixture. The functional activity of YSL-3S at the presynaptic ${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptors was assessed using the prostatic portion of the rat vas deferens. Clonidine inhibited field-stimulated contractions of the vas deference in a dose-dependent manner. The presence of YSL-3S or yohimbine caused a parallel, rightward the dose-response curve of clonidine in a dose-dependent manner, indicating an antagonistic action at the presynaptic ${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptors. The $pA_2$values of yohimbine and YSL-3S were 7.66$\pm$0.13 and 6.64$\pm$0.18, respectively. The results indicate that YSL-3S acts as a competitive antagonist at presynaptic ${\alpha}_2$ -adrenoceptors with a potency approximately ten times lower than yohimbine, but is devoid of binding affinity for neuronal nicotinic cholinergic receptors.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.131-135
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• 2008

The profile of membrane currents was investigated in differentiated neuronal cells derived from human neural stem cells (hNSCs) that were obtained from aborted fetal cortex. Whole-cell voltage clamp recording revealed at least 4 different currents: a tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sensitive $Na^+$ current, a hyperpolarization-activated inward current, and A-type and delayed rectifier-type $K^+$ outward currents. Both types of $K^+$ outward currents were blocked by either 5 mM tetraethylammonium (TEA) or 5 mM 4-aminopyridine (4-AP). The hyperpolarization-activated current resembled the classical $K^+$ inward current in that it exhibited a voltage-dependent block in the presence of external $Ba^{2+}$ (30 ${\mu}$M) or $Cs^+$ (3${\mu}$M). However, the reversal potentials did not match well with the predicted $K^+$ equilibrium potentials, suggesting that it was not a classical $K^+$ inward rectifier current. The other $Na^+$ inward current resembled the classical $Na^+$ current observed in pharmacological studies. The expression of these channels may contribute to generation and repolarization of action potential and might be regarded as functional markers for hNSCs-derived neurons.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.75-82
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• 2012

Objective : In the present study, we investigated the pharmacological profile of the aqueous extract of $Patrinia$ $scabiosaefolia$ Fischer ex Link (EPS) and $Patrinia$ $villosa$ Jussieu (EPV) for its anti-asthmatic activities. The purpose of this study is to ascertain if EPS result in better anti-asthmatic activities and functional outcome as compared with EPV. Methods : In this study, BALB/c mice were systemically sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA) followed intratracheally, intraperitoneally, and by aerosol allergen challenges. We investigated the effect of EPS, EPV on the recruitment of pulmonary inflammatory cells, various immune cell phenotypes, Th1/Th2 cytokine gene expression and production and histamine production in serum. Results : In BALB/c mice, we found that EPV-treated groups had more effectively suppressed inflammatory cell infiltration of lung and BALF, B220+IgE+, CD11b+Gr-1+ cell population in lung and these occurred by suppressing the gene expression of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-4 cytokine production in BALF and serum. Conclusions : These results suggest that EPV may play an important role in the control of anti-asthmatic activities by down-regulation of Th2 cytokine (especially IL-4, IL-5). In general, EPV has shown a better anti-asthmatic activities compared to EPS.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.2291-2295
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• 2016

Small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting HER 2 receptors have emerged as an important therapeutic approach in inhibition of downstream proliferation and survival signals for the treatment of breast cancers. Recent drug discovery efforts have demonstrated that naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds like delphinidin have potential to inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis of breast cancer cells by targeting HER2 receptors. While delphinidin may thus reduce tumour size, it is associated with serious side effects like dysphonia. Owing to the narrow therapeutic window of delphinidin, the present study aimed to identify high affinity compounds targeting HER2 with safer pharmacological profiles than delphinidin through virtual screening approaches. Delphinidin served as the query parent for identification of structurally similar compounds by Tanimoto-based similarity searching with a threshold of 95% against the PubChem database. The compounds retrieved were further subjected to Lipinski and Verber's filters to obtain drug like agents, then further filtered by diversity based screens with a cut off of 0.6. The compound with Pubchem ID: 91596862 was identified to have higher affinity than its parent. In addition it also proved to be non-toxic with a better ADMET profile and higher kinase activity. The compound identified in the study can be put to further in vitro drug testing to complement the present study.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5611-5615
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• 2014

Context: Tobacco is the single largest cause of preventable death among adults globally, as it is in India. Despite this alarming situation, there is very minimal inclusion of tobacco in formal education systems, including the medical discipline, in India. Aims: The present study analyzed the extent of integration of tobacco control related content in Masters of Public Health (MPH) curricula of various institutes in India. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted during January 2011 to May 2011 in all colleges of the country offering a MPH course. The colleges were enlisted using various internet search engines (Google Scholar, Pubmed, Medline), other published literature and snowball technique. A 50 items semi-structured questionnaire was designed, posted and e-mailed (followed by hard copy) to the Person-In-Charge of the MPH program. Statistical Analysis: Descriptive statistics were used to profile the tobacco control content in respective institutions. All data entry and analysis was conducted using SPSS (version 16) for windows. Results: The duration of the MPH course was two years in all institutes and had accreditation with some affiliated body. Tobacco related diseases were covered under 'non communicable diseases' section by every institute. However, a mere 41.4% of institute's had faculty who had received specialized training in tobacco control. More coverage was given to health risks and effects of smoking as compared to cessation interventions (5 A's), symptoms of withdrawal and pharmacological treatments. Only 25% of institutes were in process of introducing tobacco courses into their curricula. Lack of expertise and administrative barriers were cited as perceived major problems in inclusion of tobacco control in MPH curricula. Conclusions: It can be concluded that tobacco control is not receiving adequate attention in public health curricula in India. There is a need for coordinated efforts in the area of tobacco control so as to reduce morbidity and mortality from tobacco induced diseases.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.151-155
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• 2009

The role of $Cl^-$ channels in regulatory volume decrease (RVD) in human salivary gland acinar cells was examined using a whole-cell patch clamp technique. Human tissues were obtained from healthy volunteers or from patients with oromaxillofacial tumors. During the measurements, $K^+$-free solutions were employed to eliminate contamination of whole-cell conductance by $K^+$ currents. When the cells were exposed to a 70% hypotonic solution, outward-rectifying currents, which were not observed in the resting state, were found to have significantly increased both in human labial and parotid gland acinar cells. The amplitudes of the currents were reduced in a low $Cl^-$ bath solution. Furthermore, the addition of $100{\mu}M$ 5-Nitro-2- (3-phenyl propylamino) benzoic acid (NPPB) or $100{\mu}M$ 4,4'-diisothio cyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid (DIDS), known to partially block $Cl^-$ channels, significantly inhibited these currents. Its outward-rectifying current profile, shift in reversal potential in a low $Cl^-$ bath solution and pharmacological properties suggest that this is a $Ca^{2+}$-independent, volume activated $Cl^-$ current. We conclude therefore that volume activated $Cl^-$ channels play a putative role in RVD in human salivary gland acinar cells.