• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.205-210
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• 2011

Genistein (GT), a major isoflavone found in soybeans, has a potent antioxidant effect that protects the skin from UV-induced damages and malignant melanoma. In order to enhance the cellular uptake of GT, liposome/Tat complexes were prepared by an electrostatic interaction of anionic liposome (DMPC/DCP, 9:1 in molar ratio) with Tat peptide (0.02 to 0.08 mole), one of the well-known cell penetrating peptide (CPP). As the amount of Tat increased, the size increased but the zeta potential decreased. In vitro release study with dialysis membrane elicited GT release from liposomal preparations in a controlled manner. The addition of Tat increased GT release, especially for the initial period. In the cellular uptake study by incubating B16 melanoma cells with various liposomal preparations containing GT, B16 melanoma cells demonstrated a time-dependent increase of drug accumulation. Compared to the aqueous GT suspension, intracellular uptake was substantially enhanced by anionic liposomal formulation and further increased by the complex formulation. Therefore, liposome/ Tat complex might be a good candidate for facilitating intracellular drug delivery.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.167-173
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• 2010

Repeated oral administration of hydrochlorothiazide, a loop diuretic, due to transient high blood levels, may cause adverse effects such as gastric disturbance, nausea, high blood sugar, and hyper lipidemia. Transdermal administration could avoid some of these systemic side effects and gastric disorders. We have developed a matrix using ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), a heat-processible and flexible material, for transdermal delivery of hydrochlorothiazide. Drug solubility was highest at 40% PEG-400 volume fraction. Drug release increased as concentration increased with a linear relationship between the release rate and the square root of loading dose. Increasing temperature increased drug release from the EVA matrix. The activation energy, measured from the slope of log P versus 1000/T, was 11.9 kcal/mol for a 2.5% loading dose from EVA matrix. Diethyl phthalate had the highest plasticizing effects on the release of hydrochlorothiazide. To increase the skin permeation of hydrochlorothiazide from the EVA matrix, enhancers such as the saturated fatty acids, the unsaturated fatty acids, and the non-ionic surfactants were added to the EVA matrix, and skin permeation was evaluated using a modified Keshary-Chien diffusion cell fitted with intact excised rat skin. Polyoxyethylene 23-lauryl ether showed the highest enhancing effects. In conclusion, transdermal delivery of hydrochlorothiazide could be improved from an EVA matrix containing plasticizer and permeation enhancer.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.623-632
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• 2007

Thermosensitive nanoparticles were prepared via the self-assembly of two different $poly({\varepsilon}-caprolactone)$-based block copolymers of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-b-$poly({\varepsilon}-caprolactone)$ (PNPCL) and poly(ethylene glycol)-b-$poly({\varepsilon}-caprolactone)$ (PEGCL). The self-aggregation and thermosensitive behaviors of the mixed nanoparticles were investigated using $^1H-NMR$, turbidimetry, differential scanning microcalorimetry (micro-DSC), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and fluorescence spectroscopy. The copolymer mixtures (mixed nanoparticles, M1-M5, with different PNPCL content) formed nano-sized self-aggregates in an aqueous environment via the intra- and/or intermolecular association of hydrophobic PCL chains. The microscopic investigation of the mixed nanoparticles showed that the critical aggregation concentration (cac), the partition equilibrium constants $(K_v)$ of pyrene, and the aggregation number of PCL chains per one hydrophobic microdomain varied in accordance with the compositions of the mixed nanoparticles. Furthermore, the PNPCL harboring mixed nanoparticles evidenced phase transition behavior, originated by coil to the globule transition of PNiPAAm block upon heating, thereby resulting in the turbidity change, endothermic heat exchange, and particle size reduction upon heating. The drug release tests showed that the formation of the thermosensitive hydrogel layer enhanced the sustained drug release patterns by functioning as an additional diffusion barrier.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.979-985
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• 2007

Induction of growth hormone (GH) by Glycyrrhizae Radix (GR), one of the most popular herbal medicine, and its major ingredients were studied in rat pituitary cells in vitro and in vivo assay. The MeOH extract and the n-hexane (HX) fraction of GR induced rat GH (rGH) release up to 1.89 times ($0.34{\pm}0.04 nM$) and 4.59 times ($0.83{\pm}0.03 nM$), compared to the basal level (p < 0.05). Among many ingredients isolated and purified from GR both glycyrrhetinic acid and glycyrrhizin induced significantly rGH release compared to the control (p < 0.05). After an intravenous injection of rat growth hormone releasing hormone (rGHRH) ($10{\mu}g$/kg) as positive control, in SD rats, $T_{max}$ of plasma rGH level was 10 min, $C_{max}$ was $3.84{\pm}0.01 nM$ (n = 3), and enhanced plasma rGH level returned to the baseline in 90 min. Both $AUC_{0-90}$ (area under the curve) of plasma rGH level after HX fraction and that after rGHRH administration were increased significantly from the basal level, respectively (p < 0.01). In conclusions, HX fraction is the most active fraction of MeOH extract of GR in rGH induction.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.526-529
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• 2006

The aim of this study was to prepare cyclosporin A-loaded liposome (CyA-Lip) as an oral delivery carrier, with their encapsulation into microspheres based on alginate or extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) p-m10356. The main advantage of liposomes in the microspheres (LIMs) is to improve the restricted drug release property from liposomes and their stability in the stomach environment. Alginate microspheres containing CyA-Lip were prepared with a spray nozzle; CyA-Liploaded EPS microspheres were also prepared using a w/o emulsion method. The shape of the LIMs was spherical and uniform, and the particle size of the alginate-LIMs ranged from 5 to $10\;{\mu}m$, and that of the EPS-LIMs was about $100\;{\mu}m$. In a release test, release rate of CyA in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) from the LIMs was significantly enhanced compared to that in simulated gastric fluid (SGF). In addition, the CyA release rates were slower from formulations containing the liposomes compared to the microspheres without the liposome. Therefore, alginate-and EPS-LIMs have the potential for the controlled release of CyA and as an oral delivery system.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.429-433
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• 1990

Transdermal patches and polymer membrane were prepared and evaluated for their ability to antiviral agent in vitro. The membrane perpared with styrene and HEMA by 0.5 and 10% of styrene composition. And the transdermal patches were fabricated with this membrane and silastic silicone sheeting. The antiviral agents used were ACV, BVDU and FEAU. The higher HEMA content membranes exhibited relatively high release rate of each drug. Permeation was enhanced by increasing of drug concentration. The parameters of each drug in diffusion experiment with styrene-HEMA membrane were investigated.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.179-184
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• 2011

This study aimed to confirm the effect of molecular weight (MW) in solid dispersion of carvedilol with poly-vinylpyrrolidone (PVP) of various MW. Solid dispersion of carvedilol with PVP was prepared by spray-drying method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze the surface of solid dispersion samples. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to analyze the crystalline of solid dispersion. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to analyze the change of chemical structure characteristic of solid dispersion. DSC and XRD show that drug crystalline was changed. FT-IR revealed that chemical structure of solid dispersion comparing the chemical structure of drug was changed. The dissolution studies of solid dispersion presented at simulated gastric juice (pH 1.2). The dissolution rate of solid dispersion was dramatically enhanced than pure drug and the MW of PVP has an effect on the release property of carvedilol in solid dispersion. In conclusion, the present study has confirmed the effect of MW of PVP on release property of solid dispersion formulation of carvedilol with PVP.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.452-459
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• 2017

In this study, the effect of particle size of genistein-loaded solid lipid particulate systems on drug dissolution behavior and oral bioavailability was investigated. Genistein-loaded solid lipid microparticles and nanoparticles were prepared with glyceryl palmitostearate. Except for the particle size, other properties of genistein-loaded solid lipid microparticles and nanoparticles such as particle composition and drug loading efficiency and amount were similarly controlled to mainly evaluate the effect of different particle sizes of the solid lipid particulate systems on drug dissolution behavior and oral bioavailability. The results showed that genistein-loaded solid lipid microparticles and nanoparticles exhibited a considerably increased drug dissolution rate compared to that of genistein bulk powder and suspension. The microparticles gradually released genistein as a function of time while the nanoparticles exhibited a biphasic drug release pattern, showing an initial burst drug release, followed by a sustained release. The oral bioavailability of genistein loaded in solid lipid microparticles and nanoparticles in rats was also significantly enhanced compared to that in bulk powders and the suspension. However, the bioavailability from the microparticles increased more than that from the nanoparticles mainly because the rapid drug dissolution rate and rapid absorption of genistein because of the large surface area of the genistein-solid lipid nanoparticles cleared the drug to a greater extent than the genistein-solid lipid microparticles did. Therefore, the findings of this study suggest that controlling the particle size of solid-lipid particulate systems at a micro-scale would be a promising strategy to increase the oral bioavailability of genistein.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2005

Depot system for local drug delivery using chitosan hydrogel has been developed to enhance the therapeutic efficacy and to prevent the severe side effect in whole body. Thus, we have prepared an injectable chitosan hydrogel containing liposomes to treat cancers clinically. Anionic liposomes incorporated to improve sustained release efficiency within chitosan hydrogel. The chitosan solution containing liposomes was designed to form a hydrogel complex at body temperature. The released behavior of doxorubicin from liposomes in chitosan hydrogel showed sustained-release caused by diffusion of doxorubicin from temperature responsive liposome into chitosan hydrogel. The chitosan hydorgel containing liposomes enhanced the therapeutic potency for the solid tumor in vivo system. Our results indicate that the liposomes in chitosan hydrogel represent a depot system for local drug delivery.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.161-170
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• 2004

Molecular Nuclear Neuro-Imaging in "CNS" drug discovery and development tan be divided into four categories that are clearly inter-related.(1) Neuroreceptor mapping to examine the involvement of specific neurotransmitter system in CNS diseases, drug occupancy characteristics and perhaps examine mechanisms of action;(2) Structural and spectroscopic imaging to examine morphological changes and their consequences;(3) Metabolic mapping to provide evidence of central activity and "CNS fingerprinting" the neuroanatomy of drug effects;(4) Functional mapping to examing disease-drug interactions. In addition, targeted delivery of therapeutic agents could be achieved by modifying stem cells to release specific drugs at the site of transplantation('stem cell pharmacology'). Future exploitation of stem cell biology, including enhanced release of therapeutic factors through genetic stem cell engineering, might thus constitute promising pharmaceutical approaches to treating diseases of the nervous system. With continued improvements in instrumentation, identification of better imaging probes by innovative chemistry, molecular nuclear neuro-imaging promise to play increasingly important roles in disease diagnosis and therapy.