DSpace community: 藥學系暨研究所

Pharmaceutical Perspective of Drug Therapy in Pediatrics

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:53:13 GMT

title: Pharmaceutical Perspective of Drug Therapy in Pediatrics abstract: 雖然台灣小兒醫療在數十年來有長足進步，但在小兒製劑及調劑上卻因藥學專業人員未曾在此方面著力，未能充分以藥學專業在療劑之使用方面提供適切服務，影響藥品之適當使用甚鉅。希望藉由本回顧性文獻讓醫藥界了解一些小兒製劑及調劑上正確的觀念，進而促進國內醫藥界共同努力，讓小兒的用藥更加進步。

Yc-1 3-(5'-Hydroxymethyl-2'-Furyl)-1-Benzyl Indazole Inhibits Neointima Formation in Balloon-Injured Rat Carotid through Suppression of Expressions and Activities of Matrix Metalloproteinases 2 and 9

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:48:42 GMT

title: Yc-1 3-(5'-Hydroxymethyl-2'-Furyl)-1-Benzyl Indazole Inhibits Neointima Formation in Balloon-Injured Rat Carotid through Suppression of Expressions and Activities of Matrix Metalloproteinases 2 and 9 abstract: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), particularly MMP-2 and MMP -9, and postrevascularization production of vascular smooth muscle cells may play key roles in development of arterial restenosis. We investigated the inhibitory effect of 3-(5'- hydroxymethyl-2'-furyl)-1-benzyl indazole (YC- 1), a benzyl indazole compound, on MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity in a balloon- injury rat carotid artery model. Injury was induced by inserting a balloon catheter through the common carotid artery; after 14 days, histopathological analysis using immunostaining and Western blotting revealed significant restenosis with neointimal formation that was associated with enhanced protein expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9. However , these effects were dose-dependently reduced by orally administered YC-1 (1 -10 mg/kg). In addition, gelatin zymography demonstrated that increased MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity was diminished by YC-1 treatment. On the other hand , YC-1 inhibited hydrolysis of the fluorogenic quenching substrate Mca-Pro-Leu-Gly-Leu-Dpa-Ala-Arg-NH(2) by recombinant MMP-2 and MMP-9 with IC(50) values = 2.07 and 8. 20 muM, respectively. Reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction analysis of MMP-2 and MMP-9 mRNA revealed that YC- 1 significantly inhibited mRNA levels of MMPs. Finally, for the YC-1 treatment group, we did not observe elevation of cGMP levels using enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay, suggesting that YC-1 inhibition of neointimal formation is not through a cGMP-elevating pathway. These data show YC-1 suppression of neointimal formation is dependent on its influence on MMP-2 and MMP-9 protein, mRNA expression, and activity, but not through a cGMP- elevating effect. YC-1 shows therapeutic potential for treatment of restenosis after angioplasty.

Effects of a National Health Education Program on the Medication Knowledge of the Public in Taiwan

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:45:12 GMT

title: Effects of a National Health Education Program on the Medication Knowledge of the Public in Taiwan abstract: BACKGROUND: The inappropriate use of medication and inadequate medication knowledge among the general population has long been a concern in Taiwan. One of the reasons for the deficiencies might be the lack of an active role of pharmacists in educating the public. To rectify the situation, in 2002 the Bureau of Pharmaceutical Affairs, Department of Health of Taiwan, began to sponsor a national effort, entitled Community Education Program on Medication Use, to involve the expertise of pharmacists in public education. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of this education program by analyzing the changes in medication knowledge among the participating public. METHODS: This was a single-group pre- and post-comparison study. Between September 2003 and January 2004, a total of 955 community residents enrolled in the pharmacist- facilitated education program offered at 31 community universities. The medication knowledge of the participants was evaluated before and after the program. Demographic variables that might affect the education outcomes of the program were also examined. RESULTS: The study revealed that medication knowledge at baseline was positively correlated with education level and negatively correlated with age. Females were more aware of drug-related information than males. The participants showed a significant improvement in medication knowledge (p<0.001) at the end of the program. The baseline knowledge score was the most important determinant of the improvement of the post-test score. CONCLUSIONS: A national education program facilitated by pharmacists can improve the medication knowledge of the participants. Pharmacists should be encouraged to play a proactive role in large-scale health- education programs.

Cyp2c9 Polymorphism and Warfarin Sensitivity in Taiwan Chinese

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:42:34 GMT

title: Cyp2c9 Polymorphism and Warfarin Sensitivity in Taiwan Chinese abstract: BACKGROUND: Warfarin prevents thromboembolism in patients with prosthetic heart valvular replacement. Cytochrome P4502 C9 (CYP2C9) is polymorphic in human and is principally responsible for the metabolism of warfarin. However, known CYP2C9 polymorphisms cannot entirely account for the low dose requirement of warfarin in Chinese-Taiwanese receiving mitral valve replacement. We screened a new polymorphism of CYP2C9 and investigated its role in warfarin sensitivity. METHODS: We examined warfarin dose requirements in 239 Chinese-Taiwanese patients who had attended a cardiac surgery clinic in National Taiwan University Hospital. DNA samples were obtained from 106 Chinese-Taiwanese (37 patients and 69 unrelated healthy controls), and healthy control subjects of Caucasians (n=28) and African- Americans( n=28). Four out of those 37 patients were poor metabolizers of warfarin, and their DNA were subjected to sequencing analysis. Moreover, CYP2C9 genotyping analyses were performed using PCR-RFLP analysis. The chi 2 test and Fisher 's exact test were used to compare the differences of the allelic frequency and genotype. The association between warfarin dose requirement and genetic polymorphism of CYP2C9 was also analysed. RESULTS: The mean daily warfarin dose was 3.11+/-1.62 mg for the maintenance of the international normalized ratio of 2 to 3 in 239 patients. A single nucleotide substitution from G to C was found in this study. This SNP, G- 65/C, is in intron 3, 65 base pairs upstream of exon 4. The allelic frequencies of C-65 in healthy controls were 0.125, 0.058 and approximately 0 with respect to African-American, Chinese-Taiwanese and Caucasian, implying inter-ethnic variations of the C-65 allele. In addition, patients who were carrier of either the heterozygous or homozygous C-65 variant received half of the usual warfarin dose. CONCLUSION: The novel intronic G-65/C mutation appears to be inter- racially different in allelic frequency, and that the anticoagulation was affected in response to warfarin sensitivity in Chinese-Taiwanese patients receiving mitral valve replacement.