• Communications for Statistical Applications and Methods
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.179-187
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• 2011

The purpose of a Phase I clinical trial is to estimate the maximum tolerated dose, MTD, of a new drug. In this paper, the MTD estimation method is suggested by curve fitting the dose-toxicity data to an S-shaped curve. The suggested MTD estimation method is compared with established MTD estimation procedures using a Monte Carlo simulation study.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.202-206
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• 2012

In this study, we developed transdermal direct drug delivery device using micro-needle painlessly. We has fabricated micro-needle that is 130 ${\mu}m$ thickness and 250 ${\mu}m$length with 10 ${\mu}m$ spiral groove for rolling down drug. Head part of micro-needle device is composed of 20ea micro-needles, an on-off valve and a protective cap. Glass bottle for containing drug is connected to head part of micro-needle device. We examined the puncture characteristic testing using porcine skin and drug delivery testing using porcine, rat skin with Indian Ink.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.67-73
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• 2011

The purpose of licensing system is to ensure that the medicines are examined for safety, efficacy and quality. Nevertheless, off-label or unlicensed drug usages in pediatric practice is widespread in Korea and worldwide. Psychotropics are one of the most commonly used off-label or unlicensed drugs. The most valid approach to face this dilemma will be to have more evidences from pediatric pharmacological studies. Clinicians, in addition, need to monitor closely their off-label or unlicensed drug prescriptions to minimize the trial and error in practice. Researchers should publish their experiences and provide guidelines. Pharmaceutical companies, regulatory authorities, and consumer organizations should endeavor altogether for the children's right to get safe and efficacious drugs as adults do. Here, the definition as well as the current status of off-label and unlicensed drug prescriptions will be introduced. Critical issues regarding the off label drugs are discussed. In addition, I will describe the present condition as to the off-label and unlicensed drugs in child and adolescent psychiatry and the authorization process of off-label drug prescription in Korea. Lastly, direction we should like to take in this field will be mentioned.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.397-402
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• 2007

Restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) continues to be a serious problem in clinical cardiology. To solve this problem, drug eluting stents (DES) with antiproliferative agents have been developed. Variable local drug delivery systems in the context of stenting require the development of stent manufacture, drug pharmacology and coating technology. We have worked on a system that integrates electrophoretic deposition (EPD) technology with the polymeric nanoparticles in DES for local drug delivery and a controlled release system. The surface morphology and drug loading amount of DES by EPD have been investigated under different operational conditions, such as operation time, voltage and the composition of media. We prepared poly-D,L-lactide-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles embedded with curcumin, which was done by a modified spontaneous emulsification method and used polyacrylic acid (PAA) as a surfactant because its carboxylic group contribute negative charge to the surface of CPNPs (?53.5 ± 5.8 mV). In the process of ‘trial and error' endeavors, we found that it is easy to control the drug loading amount deposited onto the stent while keeping uniform surface morphology. Accordingly, stent coating by EPD has a wide application to the modification of DES using various kinds of nanoparticles and drugs.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2020.12a
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• pp.14-14
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• 2020

In December 2019, the COVID-19 epidemic was discovered in Wuhan, China, and since has disseminated around the world impacting human health for millions. Herein, in-silico drug discovery approaches were utilized to identify potential candidates as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) main protease (M^pro) inhibitors. We investigated several databases including natural and natural-like products (>100,000 molecules), DrugBank database (10,036 drugs), major metabolites isolated from daily used spices (32 molecules), and current clinical drug candidates for the treatment of COVID-19 (18 drugs). All tested compounds were prepared and screened using molecular docking techniques. Based on the calculated docking scores, the top ones from each project under investigation were selected and subjected to molecular dynamics (MD) simulations followed by molecular mechanics-generalized Born surface area (MM-GBSA) binding energy calculations. Combined long MD simulations and MM-GBSA calculations revealed the potent compounds with prospective binding affinities against M^pro. Structural and energetic analyses over the simulated time demonstrated the high stabilities of the selected compounds. Our results showed that 4-bis([1,3]dioxolo)pyran-5-carboxamide derivatives (natural and natural-like products database), DB02388 and Cobicistat (DB09065) (DrugBank database), salvianolic acid A (spices secondary metabolites) and TMC-310911 (clinical-trial drugs database) exhibited high binding affinities with SARS-CoV-2 M^pro. In conclusion, these compounds are up-and-coming anti-COVID-19 drug candidates that warrant further detailed in vitro and in vivo experimental estimations.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.253-265
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• 2024

Orally administered ginsenosides, the major active components of ginseng, have been shown to be biotransformed into a number of metabolites by gastric juice, digestive and bacterial enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract and also in the liver. Attention is brought to pharmacokinetic studies of ginseng that need further clarification to better understand the safety and possible active mechanism for clinical application. Experimental results demonstrated that ginsenoside metabolites play an important role in the pharmacokinetic properties such as drug metabolizing enzymes and drug transporters, thereby can be applied as a metabolic modulator. Very few are known on the possibility of the consistency of detected ginsenosides with real active metabolites if taken the recommended dose of ginseng, but they have been found to act on the pharmacokinetic key factors in any clinical trial, affecting oral bioavailability. Since ginseng is increasingly being taken in a manner more often associated with prescription medicines, ginseng and drug interactions have been also reviewed. Considering the extensive oral administration of ginseng, the aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview and perspectives of recent studies on the pharmacokinetic properties of ginsenosides such as deglycosylation, absorption, metabolizing enzymes and transporters, together with ginsenoside and drug interactions.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.239-247
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• 2013

Background: Fixed drug combinations are formulations containing two or more active ingredients in a single dosage form. Such combination therapies are commonly applied to improve efficacy, reduce adverse events and replace co-administration, etc. National and international guidelines for hypertension treatment recommend addition of other classes of antihypertensive drugs rather than incremental dose of mono-therapy, when blood pressure is not adequately controlled. Thus, many dual combinations of antihypertensive drugs have been approved and pharmaceutical companies are recently interested in developing antihypertensive triple combinations. Clinical trial designs for the fixed combinations are various depending on the target patients, dosage and clinical endpoints. Thereby, further discussions for the clinical trials of antihypertensive triple therapies are required regarding the indication claimed. Conclusion: This article provides a review for the assessment of the label and medical reports of the clinical trials on antihypertensive triple therapies in advanced foreign countries.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.124-142
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• 2017

Objectives: This study aimed to learn what should be considered in [Guideline of Clinical Trial with Herbal Medicinal Product for Gastric Cancer)] by analyzing the existing guidelines and clinical trials. Methods: The development committee searched guidelines for herbal medicinal product or gastric cancer developed already. Then, clinical trials for gastric cancer using herbal medicine were searched. The searched trials were analyzed in terms of inclusion and exclusion of participants, intervention, comparator, outcomes and trial design. Then, we compared the results of analysis with the regulations and guidelines of Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to suggest the issue that we will have to consider when making the [Guideline of Clinical Trial with Herbal Medicinal Product for Gastric Cancer]. Results: As a result, few guidelines for anti-tumor agent and clinical trial with herbal medicinal product were searched in the national institution homepage. In addition, 10 articles were searched by using the combination following search term; 'stomach neoplasm', 'herbal medicine', 'Medicine, Korean traditional', 'Medicine, Chinese Traditional', 'TCM', 'TKM', 'trial'. Most trials included gastric cancer participants with medical history of operation. The type of intervention was various such as decoction, granules, and fluid of intravenous injection. Comparators were diverse such as placebo, conventional treatment including chemotherapy and nutritional supplement. The most frequently used outcome for efficacy was quality of life. Besides, the symptom score, tumor response, and survival rate were used. Safety was investigated by recording adverse events. Conclusion: We found out some issue by reviewing the existing guidelines and comparing it with clinical trials for gastric cancer and herbal medicinal products. These results will be utilized for developing [Guideline of Clinical Trial with Herbal Medicinal Product for Gastric Cancer].

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.33-49
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• 1995

The purpose of this study is to understand present situation of clinical trials, and evaluate the preparedness of the desiRnated institutions to abide by GCP(Good Clinical Practice) standards during clinical trials. Survey on the status of clinical trials was conducted for the desienated 83 clinical trial hospitals, and response rate was $95.2\%$. The results showed that 39 hospitals have conducted clinical trials to obtain drug manufacturing approval from 1990 to 1994. Most of them were trials on Phase III. Only $46.8\%$ of the institutions had sufficient human resources to perform the clinical trials. Institutions which established IRB(Institutional Review Board) accounted for 41 or $51.9\%$, but those who have a protocol evaluation guideline, or Adverse Drug Reaction(ADR) reporting system were only 12, and 21 Places, respectively. Regarding supervision of the investigational drugs, less than 30 institutions designated pharmacist as a supervisor. In conducting clinical trials, $97.4\%$ of trials had high rates of prior consent of testees, but only part of them-$61.7\%$-gave written consent. The level of conducting GCP is found to be unsatisfactory. Institutions must build the appropriate infrastructure and government must prepare in order to protect testees' rights as well as to ensure validity of the results.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.193-199
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• 2005

Gabapentin is an antiepileptic drug that is structurally similar to ${\gamma}-aminobutyric$ acid (GABA), but does not interact with the GABA receptor. It does not bind significantly to plasma proteins, and is excreted to unchanged form in the urine. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the bioequivalence of two gabapentin capsules, $Neurontin^{TM}$ capsule 300 mg (Pfizer Pharm. Co., Ltd.) and Kuhnil $Gabapentin^{TM}$ capsule 300 mg (Kuhnil Pharm. Co., Ltd), according to the guidelines of the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). The release of gabapentin from the two gabapentin formulations in vitro was tested using KP VIII Apparatus II method with various dissolution media (pH 1.2, 4.0, 6.8 buffer solution and water). Twenty six healthy male subjects, $22.46{\pm}1.86$ years in age and $67.64{\pm}7.24$ kg in body weight, were divided into two groups and a randomized $2{\times}2$ cross-over study was employed. After a single capsule containing 300 mg as gabapentin was orally administered, blood samples were taken at predetermined time intervals and the concentrations of gabapentin in serum were determined using HPLC with fluorescence detector. The dissolution profiles of two formulations were similar at all dissolution media. In addition, the pharmacokinetic parameters such as $AUC_t$, $C_{max}$ and $T_{max}$ were calculated and ANOVA test was utilized for the statistical analysis of the parameters using logarithmically transformed $AUC_t$, $C_{max}$ and untransformed $T_{max}$. The results showed that the differences between two formulations based on the reference drug, $Neurontin^{TM}$ capsule 300 mg, were -2.03, -0.43 and 4.29% for $AUC_t$, $C_{max}$ and $T_{max}$, respectively. There were no sequence effects between two formulations in these parameters. The 90% confidence intervals using logarithmically transformed data were within the acceptance range of log 0.8 to log 1.25 $(e.g.,\;log\;0.89{\sim}log\;1.09\;and\;log\;0.91{\sim}log\;1.09$ for $AUC_t$ and $C_{max}$, respectively). Thus, the criteria of the KFDA bioequivalence guideline were satisfied, indicating Kuhnil $Gabapentin^{TM}$ capsule 300 mg was bioequivalent to $Neurontin^{TM}$ capsule 300 mg.