• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.151-156
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• 2017

A phytochemical study of Alphonsea cylindrica King (unreported) has led to the isolation of six alkaloids. The compounds were identified as kinabaline (1; azafluorenone alkaloid), muniranine (2), O-methylmoschatoline (3; oxoaporphine alkaloid), lysicamine (4), atherospermidine (5) and N-methylouregidione (6; 4, 5-dioxoaporphine alkaloid). The structures of the isolated compounds were determined based on the spectroscopic techniques and by comparison with data reported in the literature. Alkaloid 2 was isolated as a new derivative of azafluorenone while alkaloids 1, 3 - 6 were isolated for the first time from Alphonsea species. In addition, alkaloid 3 and 4 showed inhibition zone against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus cereus in disc diffusion test. The minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) values of lysicamine (4) against S. aureus, B. cereus and P. aeruginosa were found to be smaller than O-methylmoschatoline (3). Therefore, the reported antibacterial activity showed the potential of this plant as natural antibacterial agent and supported the documented traditional use of Alphonsea sp. in the treatment of diarrhea and fever.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.403-412
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• 2021

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to assess oral health knowledge and behavior levels of community pharmacists as a step toward projecting them to play the role of oral health partners and to confirm pharmacists' willingness to participate in oral health education programs. Methods: t-test and one-way analysis of variance were performed to analyze the data, and correlation analysis was also performed. Results: The mean score for pharmacists' oral health knowledge was 7.29 out of 10. Of the 12 questions asked, the correct answer rate was highest for the question about the effect of smoking cessation on periodontal disease prevention; conversely, the correct answer rate was lowest for the question about the effect of taking medication for gingival infections on periodontal disease prevention. The mean score for pharmacists' oral health behavior was 2.97 out of 4 points. Of all oral health behaviors, brushing twice a day was the most practiced, whereas immediately visiting a dentist in case of an oral health issue was the least practiced. Pharmacists' oral health knowledge and behavior levels showed a weak positive correlation with their intention to participate in oral health education programs. Conclusions: Oral health education programs are necessary to improve community pharmacists' oral health knowledge and behavior.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.145-155
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• 2022

Multidrug resistance of tumors has been a severe obstacle to the success of cancer chemotherapy. The study wants to investigate the reversal effects of imperatorin (IMP) on doxorubicin (DOX) resistance in K562/DOX leukemia cells, A2780/Taxol cells and in NOD/SCID mice, to explore the possible molecular mechanisms. K562/DOX and A2780/Taxol cells were treated with various concentrations of DOX and Taol with or without different concentrations of IMP, respectively. K562/DOX xenograft model was used to assess anti-tumor effect of IMP combined with DOX. MTT assay, Rhodamine 123 efflux assay, RT-PCR, and Western blot analysis were determined in vivo and in vitro. Results showed that IMP significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of DOX and Taxol toward corresponding resistance cells. In vivo results illustrated both the tumor volume and tumor weight were significantly decreased after 2-week treatment with IMP combined with DOX compared to the DOX alone group. Western blotting and RT-PCR analyses indicated that IMP downregulated the expression of P-gp in K562/DOX xenograft tumors in NOD/SCID mice. We also evaluated glycolysis and glutamine metabolism in K562/DOX cells by measuring glucose consumption and lactate production. The results revealed that IMP could significantly reduce the glucose consumption and lactate production of K562/DOX cells. Furthermore, IMP could also remarkably repress the glutamine consumption, α-KG and ATP production of K562/DOX cells. Thus, IMP may sensitize K562/DOX cells to DOX and enhance the antitumor effect of DOX in K562/DOX xenograft tumors in NOD/SCID mice. IMP may be an adjuvant therapy to mitigate the multidrug resistance in leukemia chemotherapy.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.229-244
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• 2014

Background: Antibiotic skin test(AST) is very useful for the diagnosis of drug allergies to prevent immediate allergic reactions. Although it is a safe and widespread method, it is performed very diversely by doctors and nurses without consistency and it also differs from countries and hospitals. This study aims to evaluate the current practice of AST by nurses in Korea and to compare it to the general guidelines. Methods: During January 1, 2013 to May 20, 2013, the study was conducted as questionnaires and case-based survey. The questionnaires were given to the nurses who were randomly selected in various University Hospitals (University Hospitals N=276, and Medical center N=19). The case-based surveys were given to the nurses who were conducting AST at various wards of a University Hospital (N=130). The analysis and evaluations of the responses were carried out. Results: The response rate for the questionnaires was 97.6% and 130 cases of the actual case-based surveys were collected. There were clear differences between the survey results and the general guidelines, such as the method of skin test (skin prick test was not conducted), the method of patient selection for AST, test drugs, concentration, volume and interpretation of AST. AST conducted by nurses was highly variable and inconsistent, even among nurses who worked in the same wards and hospitals. Manufactured standard concentration antibiotic solution of AST showed consistency of concentration to a certain degree. Conclusion: Although the general guidelines have been published by several countries including Korea, these are not a great help to nurses as they lack details for conducting AST, practical consideration for nurses in the clinical setting, propagation and education. Standardized guideline for nurses should be published and it should be a safe, clear, comfortable and easily accessible protocol. Futhermore, additional antibiotic solutions to standardize skin test should be developed and manufactured. Lastly, it would be the pharmacists role to compare their hospitals antibiotic skin test methods with the standard guidelines and develop a protocol within the hospital for patients' safety, and to strive to consistently implement it.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.158-166
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• 2013

Background: Colorectal cancer shows a significant increase in South Korea due to westernization of diet, lack of dietary fiber, drinking and smoking, irregular defecation. There are surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy in treatment of colorectal cancer. There may be a medication errors in the process of chemotherapy because of its high toxicity, narrow therapeutic index and the health status of cancer patients. Consequently medication errors can cause increasing the risk of death, prolonging hospital stay and increasing the cost. Among medication errors on medication use process, prescribing errors are of particular concern due to higher risk of serious consequences. It is important for pharmacist to prevent the prescribing errors before reaching patient. Therefore we analyzed the prescriptions of colorectal cancer, classified prescribing errors, suggested guideline to reduce prescribing errors and verified the importance of pharmacist's role in prevention of medication errors activity. Methods: We collected the numbers of prescriptions of colorectal cancer(n=2,373) through anti cancer management program and EMR and analyzed the errors of prescriptions by categories from Oct 1st 2011 to Sep 30th 2012 at Chungbuk National University Hospital. We reviewed the prescriptions as follows - patients' characteristics, the result of test, previous prescriptions, characteristics of antineoplastic agents and patients' allergy, drug sensitivity, adverse events. Prescriptions are classified into inpatient and outpatient and analyzed the errors of prescriptions by categories (dosage form, dose, input, diluents, regimen, product). Results: Total prescription number of inpatient and outpatient of colorectal cancer was 1,193 and 1,180 and that of errors was 107(9%) and 22(1.9%), respectively. In case of errors of categories, the number of errors of dosage form is 69 and 8, errors of dose is 15 and 5, errors of input is 9 and 9 in inpatient and outpatient prescriptions, respectively. Errors of diluents is 8, errors of regimen is 3, errors of product is 3 in only inpatient prescriptions. In case of errors of categories by inpatient department, the number of errors of dosage form is 34 and 35, errors of dose is 7 and 8, errors of input is 6 and 3, errors of diluents is 4 and 4, errors of regimen is 2 and 1, errors of product is 2 and 1 in SG and HO, respectively. In case of outpatient department, the number of errors of dosage form is 8 in HO, errors of dose is 5 in HO, errors of input is 5 and 4 in SG and HO, respectively. Conclusions: The rate of errors of inpatient is higher than that of outpatient. Junior doctors are engaged in prescriptions of inpatient and pharmacist need to pay attention to review all prescriptions. If prescribing errors are discovered, pharmacist should contact the prescriber and correct the errors without delay. The guideline to reduce prescribing errors might be upgrading software of anti cancer management program, education for physicians as well as pharmacists and calling prescriber's attention to preventing recurrence of errors.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.218-226
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• 2018

PURPOSE. The aim of this study was to define a color space of non-vital teeth and to compare it with the color space of matched vital teeth, recorded in the same patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS. In a group of 218 patients, with the age range from 17 to 70, the middle third of the buccal surface of 359 devitalized teeth was measured using a clinical spectrophotometer (Vita Easyshade Advance). Lightness ($L^*$), chromatic parameters ($a^*$, $b^*$), chroma ($C^*$), hue angle (h) and the closest Vita shade in Classical and 3D Master codifications were recorded. For each patient, the same data were recorded in a vital reference tooth. The measurements were performed by the same operator with the same spectrophotometer, using a standardized protocol for color evaluation. RESULTS. The color coordinates of non-vital teeth varied as follows: lightness $L^*$: 52.83-92.93, $C^*$: 8.23-58.90, h: 51.20-101.53, $a^*$: -2.53-24.80, $b^*$: 8.10-53.43. For the reference vital teeth, the ranges of color parameters were: $L^*$: 60.90-97.16, $C^*$: 8.43-39.23, h: 75.30-101.13, $a^*$: -2.36-9.60, $b^*$: 8.36-39.23. The color differences between vital and non-vital teeth depended on tooth group, but not on patient age. CONCLUSION. Non-vital teeth had a wider color space than vital ones. Non-vital teeth were darker (decreased lightness), more saturated (increased chroma), and with an increased range of the hue interval. An increased tendency towards positive values on the $a^*$ and $b^*$ axes suggested redder and yellower non-vital teeth compared to vital ones.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.1007-1021
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• 2018

Cancer represents one of the most significant threats to human health on a global scale. Hence, the development of effective cancer prevention strategies, as well as the discovery of novel therapeutic agents against cancer, is urgently required. In light of this challenge, this research aimed to evaluate the effects of several potent bioactive peptides and proteins contained in crocodile white blood cell extract (cWBC) against LU-1, LNCaP, PC-3, MCF-7, and CaCo-2 cancer cell lines. The results demonstrate that 25, 50, 100, and $200{\mu}g/ml$ cWBC exhibits a strong cytotoxic effect against all investigated cell lines ($IC_{50}$ $70.34-101.0{\mu}g/ml$), while showing no signs of cytotoxicity towards noncancerous Vero and HaCaT cells. Specifically, cWBC treatment caused a significant reduction in the cancerous cells' colony forming ability. A remarkable suppression of cancerous cell migration was observed after treatment with cWBC, indicating potent antimetastatic properties. The mechanism involved in the cancer cell cytotoxicity of cWBC may be related to apoptosis induction, as evidenced by typical apoptotic morphology features. Moreover, certain cWBC concentrations induced significant overproduction of ROS and significantly inhibited the $S-G_2/M$ transition in the cancer cell. The molecular mechanisms of cWBC in apoptosis induction were to decrease Bcl-2 and XIAP expression levels and increase the expression levels of caspase-3, caspase-8, and p53. These led to a decrease in the expression level of the cell cycle-associated gene cyclin-B1 and the arrest of cell population growth. Consequently, these findings demonstrate the prospect of the use of cWBC for cancer therapy.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2002

Hypertension is an important public health problem because it increases the risk of stroke, angina, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and end-stage renal disease. If it is not actively treated, morbidity and mortality increase with hypertension-induced complications and quality of life decreases. This study was to evaluate the use of antihypertensive drugs and blood pressure changes and to compare algorithms chosen (or the 1st and 2nd line therapy of hypertension based on the JNC VI recommendations. The medical charts of 222 patients with essential hypertension at St. Vincent's Hospital in Suwon from January 1997 to January 2000 were reviewed retrospectively. Data collection and analysis included baseline BP underlying diseases and complications, administered antihypertensives, BP changes, changes of antihypertensive regimen, and adverse effects with treatments. As results, the higher BP the patients had, the more frequent they had target organ damages and clinical cardiovascular diseases. Mean duration to reduce blood pressure less than 140/90 mmHg was 8 weeks in $85.3\%$ of the patients. The rate of control in BP was $82.4\%$ at 6 months. The major antihypertensive drugs prescribed were calcium channel blockers $(61.8\%)$ , ACE inhibitors $(19.1\%),\;\beta-blockers\;(13.7\%)$ and diuretics $(5.3\%)$ as the 1st-line monotherapy. The methods of treatment used as the 1st-line therapy were monotherapy$(59\%)$ and combination therapy $(41\%)$. Blood pressure change was significantly greater for combination therapy than monotherapy$(-26.2\pm21.4\;vs.\;-18.56\pm16.7$ mmHg for systolic blood pressure; P<0.003, $-16.9\pm13.2\;vs.\;-9.2\pm12.8$ mmHg for diastolic blood pressure; p<0.001). When blood pressure was not completely controlled with the first antihypertensive selected, the 2nd line therapy had 4 options: addition of 2nd agent from different class; $66.2\%$, substitution with another drug, $21.9\%$ increase dose $11.9\%$ continue first regimen $27.9\%$ Calcium channel blockers were the most frequently prescribed agents. This was not comparable to the JNC VI guideline which recommended diuretics and $\beta-blockers$ for the 1st-line therapy. Most of patients achieved the goal BP and maintained it until 6 months, but the remaining patients should be controlled more tightly to improve their BP with combination of life style modification, patient education, and pharmacotherapy.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1997.04a
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• pp.107-107
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• 1997

Cytochrome P450 enzymes have been intensively investigated in hepatic tissues and several mammalian cell lines. Compared to most studies about cytochrome P450 isozymes in liver in vivo and hepatic, cell lines in vitro, the study of cytochrome P450IA1 in human breast cancer cells could be very important to understand the mechanism of the regulation of CYPIA1 gene expression and cell growth. MCF-7 human breast cancer cells are well characterized to study estrogen and antiestrogen action due to the fact that they contain high level of estrogen receptor and have biological markers characterized. And also MCF-7 cells express high level of arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase activity and human cytochrome P450IA1 cDNA was cloned from MCF-7 cells. Ah receptor was characterized in many breast cancer cell lines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon such as 3-MC induced the expression of CYPIA1 gene and cytochrome P450- dependent monooxygenase activity. We undertook a study to examine the effect of estrogens and other chemicals on the regulation of human CYPIA1 gene expression in MCF-7 cells via RTPCR analysis, that might help us to understand the mechanism of the regulation of CYPIA1 gene expression and MCF-7 cell growth. Expression vector containing the functional 5'-regulatory region of human CYPIA1 fused to the CAT reporter gene was transfected into estrogen receptor positive MCF-T cells or estrogen receptor negative MDA-MB-231 cells. After these cells were treated with various chemicals, RTPCR was carried out to measure both CYPIA1 mRNA and CAT mRNA levels. 1nM 3-MC increased in both P450 and CAT mRNA levels over those of control by two folds in MCF-7 cells but does not in MDA-MB-231 cells. Estrogen or tamoxifen or retinoic acid or chrysin decreased in both P450 and CAT mRNA levels that were induced by 3-MC in MCF-7 when each chemical was administered with 3-MC concomitantly. These results suggested that the level of CYPIA1 gene expression is modulated with estrogen-related molecules and make it possible to speculate that ER is related to CYPIA1 gene expression and cell growth in breast cancer cells. [Supported by grants from the Korean Ministry of Education ]

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.7
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• pp.643-650
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• 2015

The use of conditioned medium from mesenchymal stem cells may be a feasible approach for regeneration of bone defects through secretion of various components of mesenchymal stem cells such as cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. Mesenchymal stem cells secrete and accumulate multiple factors in conditioned medium under specific physiological conditions. In this study, we investigated whether the conditioned medium collected under hypoxic condition could effectively influence bone regeneration through enhanced migration and adhesion of endogenous mesenchymal stem cells. Cell migration and adhesion abilities were increased through overexpression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in hypoxic conditioned medium treated group. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 was upregulated by microRNA-221 in mesenchymal stem cells because microRNAs are key regulators of various biological functions via gene expression. To investigate the effects in vivo, evaluation of bone regeneration by computed tomography and histological assays revealed that osteogenesis was enhanced in the hypoxic conditioned medium group relative to the other groups. These results suggest that behavioral changes of endogenous mesenchymal stem cells through microRNA-221 targeted-intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression under hypoxic conditions may be a potential treatment for patients with bone defects.