• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.1064-1071
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• 2022

Arabinogalactans have diverse biological properties and can be used as pharmaceutical agents. Most arabinogalactans are composed of β-(1→3)-galactan, so it is particularly important to identify β-1,3-galactanases that can selectively degrade them. In this study, a novel exo-β-1,3-galactanase, named PoGal3, was screened from Penicillium oxalicum sp. 68, and hetero-expressed in P. pastoris GS115 as a soluble protein. PoGal3 belongs to glycoside hydrolase family 43 (GH43) and has a 1,356-bp gene length that encodes 451 amino acids residues. To study the enzymatic properties and substrate selectivity of PoGal3, β-1,3-galactan (AG-P-I) from larch wood arabinogalactan (LWAG) was prepared and characterized by HPLC and NMR. Using AG-P-I as substrate, purified PoGal3 exhibited an optimal pH of 5.0 and temperature of 40℃. We also discovered that Zn²⁺ had the strongest promoting effect on enzyme activity, increasing it by 28.6%. Substrate specificity suggests that PoGal3 functions as an exo-β-1,3-galactanase, with its greatest catalytic activity observed on AG-P-I. Hydrolytic products of AG-P-I are mainly composed of galactose and β-1,6-galactobiose. In addition, PoGal3 can catalyze hydrolysis of LWAG to produce galacto-oligomers. PoGal3 is the first enzyme identified as an exo-β-1,3-galactanase that can be used in building glycan blocks of crucial glycoconjugates to assess their biological functions.

• CELLMED
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1.1-1.13
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• 2014

Epilepsy has now become the most serious brain disorder. A number of synthetic antiepileptic drugs are available in practice, however their effectiveness does not grip true with the entire population suffering from epilepsy. Traditional systems of medicine are popular in developing countries and most of the population relies on traditional medicines for their primary health care need. Medicinal plants to be an important source of traditional medicines. Various plants are used for the treatment of epilepsy in traditional system of medicines and various plants are yet to be scientifically investigated. Phyto-constituents have been the basis of treatment of human diseases including epilepsy. Herbal products are extensively used for the treatment of many diseases worldwide and where allopathic fails or has severe side effects. Psycho neural drugs are also have very serious side effects like physical dependence, tolerance, deterioration of cognitive function and effect on respiratory, digestive and immune system. So the treatments through herbal medicines are widely used across the world due to their wide applicability and therapeutic efficacy with least side effects, which in turn has accelerated the research regarding natural therapy. In this review we have summarized some herbal anti-epileptics.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1994.04a
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• pp.50-62
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• 1994

Opium, morphine and rotated natural and synthetic opiates have been used since antiquity, and to the present, for the relief of moderate and severe pain. Morphine and pharmacologically related drugs, however, produced an array of undesired or dangerous side effect that limit their use as analgesics. Prominent among the limiting side effects are constipation, respiratory depression, release of prolactin, and liability for the production of drug dependence. It was our aim to develop, if possible, a drug or class of drugs with analgesic activity similar to that of morphine, but without the serious side effects associated with morphine. Our overall strategy was to take advantage of advancing knowledge concerning multiple types of opioid receptors, to develop ligands selective for the delta type receptors, to determine whether delta receptor agonists offer advantages over mu agonists, then to design compounds with pharmacokinetic properties compatible with practical therapeutic application. All but the last of these objectives have been realized.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.920-931
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• 2011

Nerve agents are irreversible inhibitors of the cholinesterase enzyme. Exposure causes a progression of toxic signs, including hypersecretions, fasciculations, tremor, convulsions, respiratory distress, epileptiform seizures, brain injuries and death. A combined regimen of prophylaxis and therapy is the most effective medical countermeasure for dealing with the threat of nerve agent poisoning to military personnel. In this paper, the author investigated the updated technologies regarding various pre- and post-treatment drugs for nerve agents detoxification which are under development in several countries including Korea. Some characteristics of active ingredients in the formulations of drugs, their action mechanisms, and effectiveness were analyzed. Additionally, part of experimental data on the transdermal patch studied in ADD using beagle dogs was introduced.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.189-192
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• 2016

Thoracotomy is a surgical technique used to reach the thoracic cavity. Management of pain due to thoracotomy is important in order to protect the operative respiratory reserves and decrease complications. For thoracotomy pain, blocks (such as thoracic epidural, paravertebral, etc.) and pleural catheterization and intravenous drugs (such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs], and opioids, etc., can be used. We performed a serratus anterior plane (SAP) block followed by catheterization for thoracotomy pain. We used 20 ml 0.25% bupivacaine for analgesia in a patient who underwent wedge resection for a lung malignancy. We provided analgesia for a period of close to seven hours for the patient, whose postoperative VAS (visual analog scale) scores were recorded. We believe that an SAP block is effective and efficient for the management of pain after thoracotomy.

• CELLMED
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.27.1-27.13
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• 2013

Epilepsy has now become the most serious brain disorder. A number of synthetic antiepileptic drugs are available in practice, however their effectiveness does not grip true with the entire population suffering from epilepsy. Traditional systems of medicine are popular in developing countries and most of the population relies on traditional medicines for their primary health care need. Medicinal plants to be an important source of traditional medicines. Various plants are used for the treatment of epilepsy in traditional system of medicines and various plants are yet to be scientifically investigated. Phytoconstituents have been the basis of treatment of human diseases including epilepsy. Herbal products are extensively used for the treatment of many diseases worldwide and where allopathic fails or has severe side effects. Psycho neural drugs are also have very serious side effects like physical dependence, tolerance, deterioration of cognitive function and effect on respiratory, digestive and immune system. So the treatments through herbal medicines are widely used across the world due to their wide applicability and therapeutic efficacy with least side effects, which in turn has accelerated the research regarding natural therapy. In this review we have summarized some herbal antiepileptics.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.159-168
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• 2020

The demand for drug-induced sedation for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans have substantially increased in response to increases in MRI utilization and growing interest in anxiety in children. Understanding the pharmacologic options for deep sedation and general anesthesia in an MRI environment is essential to achieve immobility for the successful completion of the procedure and ensure rapid and safe discharge of children undergoing ambulatory MRI. For painless diagnostic MRI, a single sedative/anesthetic agent without analgesia is safer than a combination of multiple sedatives. The traditional drugs, such as chloral hydrate, pentobarbital, midazolam, and ketamine, are still used due to the ease of administration despite low sedation success rate, prolonged recovery, and significant adverse events. Currently, dexmedetomidine, with respiratory drive preservation, and propofol, with high effectiveness and rapid recovery, are preferred for children undergoing ambulatory MRI. General anesthesia using propofol or sevoflurane can also provide predictable rapid time to readiness and scan times in infants or children with comorbidities. The selection of appropriate drugs as well as sufficient monitoring equipment are vital for effective and safe sedation and anesthesia for ambulatory pediatric MRI.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.62-70
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• 2020

Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2). Currently, the management of patients with COVID-19 depends mainly on repurposed drugs which include chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir, ribavirin, remdesivir, favipiravir, umifenovir, interferon-α, interferon-β and others. In this review, the potential of Nigella sativa (black cumin seeds) to treat the patients with COVID-19 analyzed, as it has shown to possess antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, immunomodulatory, bronchodilatory, antihistaminic, antitussive, antipyretic and analgesic activities. Medline/PubMed Central/PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Directory of open access journals (DOAJ) and reference lists were searched to identify articles associated with antiviral and other properties of N.sativa related to the signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Various randomized controlled trials, pilot studies, case reports and in vitro and in vivo studies confirmed that N.sativa has antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, bronchodilatory, antihistaminic, antitussive activities related to causative oraganism and signs and symptoms of COVID-19. N. sativa could be used as an adjuvant therapy along with repurposed conventional drugs to manage the patients with COVID-19.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.238-243
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• 2016

The efficacy of anticancer drugs depends on a variety of signaling pathways, which can be positively or negatively regulated. In this study, we show that SETDB1 HMTase is down-regulated at the transcriptional level by several anticancer drugs, due to its inherent instability. Using RNA sequence analysis, we identified FosB as being regulated by SETDB1 during anticancer drug therapy. FosB expression was increased by treatment with doxorubicin, taxol and siSETDB1. Moreover, FosB was associated with an increased rate of proliferation. Combinatory transfection of siFosB and siSETDB1 was slightly increased compared to transfection of siFosB. Furthermore, FosB was regulated by multiple kinase pathways. ChIP analysis showed that SETDB1 and H3K9me3 interact with a specific region of the FosB promoter. These results suggest that SETDB1-mediated FosB expression is a common molecular phenomenon, and might be a novel pathway responsible for the increase in cell proliferation that frequently occurs during anticancer drug therapy.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.190-200
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• 2015

Evaluation Project on Appropriate Prescribing (EPAP) which is analysing prescribing pattern and providing physicians feedback has begun in 2001. EPAP indicators are related to antibiotics for acute respiratory tract infections, overuse of injection, polypharmacy (no. of drugs prescribed together, no. of prescriptions with 6 or more drugs), prescribing of specific medication group (drugs for acid related disorders, NSAIDs, corticosteroids) and medication expenditure per prescription day. The aim of this study was to suggest a development plan for EPAP indicators suitable for domestic situation. A consensus group consisting of seventeen health care professionals evaluated significance of each therapeutic class for EPAP indicators expansion considering information such as magnitude of issue, prescribing indicators of foreign countries, reimbursement criteria by each therapeutic class. Based on the data and group survey, 5 classes were selected as candidates for prescribing indicators and we presented 24 indicators regarding 5 classes. The results suggested that we need to augment evaluation indicators of additional area.