Bong-Yong Lee

Determination of mirodenafil and sildenafil in the plasma and corpus cavernous of SD male rats

The purpose of the present study was to determine sildenafil and a novel PDE-5 inhibitor, mirodenafil in the plasma and corpus cavernosum tissue of rats to compare their pharmacokinetic properties. The concentrations of mirodenafil and sildenafil in the rat plasma and corpus cavernosum tissue samples were analyzed using LC-MS/MS after a single oral administration at a dose of 40mg/kg to rats. Although the T(max), Tlambda(1/2) and MRT were not different between mirodenafil and sildenafil, the C(max) and AUC of mirodenafil were significantly higher than those of sildenafil in the plasma and corpus cavernosum tissue. Consequently mirodenafil remained longer than sildenafil in the plasma and tissue. This may provide pharmacokinetic evidence for assessment of the in vivo efficacy of mirodenafil and sildenafil.

Houttuynia cordata Improves Cognitive Deficits in Cholinergic Dysfunction Alzheimer's Disease-Like Models.

Cognitive impairment is a result of dementia of diverse causes, such as cholinergic dysfunction and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (Saururaceae) has long been used as a traditional herbal medicine. It has biological activities including protective effects against amyloid beta (Aβ) toxicity, via regulation of calcium homeostasis, in rat hippocampal cells. To extend previous reports, we investigated the effects of water extracts of H. cordata herb (HCW) on tauopathies, also involving calcium influx. We then confirmed the effects of HCW in improving memory impairment and neuronal damage in mice with Aβ-induced neurotoxicity. We also investigated the effects of HCW against scopolamine-induced cholinergic dysfunction in mice. In primary neuronal cells, HCW inhibited the phosphorylation of tau by regulating p25/p35 expression in Aβ-induced neurotoxicity. In mice with Aβ-induced neurotoxicity, HCW improved cognitive impairment, as assessed with behavioral tasks, such as novel object recognition, Y-maze, and passive avoidance tasks. HCW also inhibited the degeneration of neurons in the CA3 region of the hippocampus in Aβ-induced neurotoxicity. Moreover, HCW, which had an IC50 value of 79.7 μg/ml for acetylcholinesterase inhibition, ameliorated scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment significantly in Y-maze and passive avoidance tasks. These results indicate that HCW improved cognitive impairment, due to cholinergic dysfunction, with inhibitory effects against tauopathies and cholinergic antagonists, suggesting that HCW may be an interesting candidate to investigate for the treatment of AD.

Anti-gastritis and wound healing effects of Momordicae Semen extract and its active component

Momordicae Semen, Momordica cochinchinensis Springer (Cucurbitaceae), has long been known to effectively relieve boils, rheumatic pain, and hemorrhoids. In this study, we investigated whether Momordicae Semen extract (MSE) has anti-gastritis effects in various rodent models and also explored possible mechanisms for the gastroprotective effects of MSE. MSE provided remarkable protective effects, comparable to those of rebamipide, in ethanol- and diclofenac-induced acute gastritis. In addition, it has demonstrated protective effect in a Helicobacter pylori-insulted chronic gastritis model. MSE also showed wound healing effect on cutaneous injury of mice and stimulated calcitonin gene-related peptide and somatostatin receptors, which may be related to its anti-gastritis effects. In a single oral dose toxicity study, the approximate lethal dose of MSE was determined at >2000 mg/kg/day. The NOAEL was set to be 2000 mg/kg/day from the repeated oral dose toxicity study. Moreover, momordica saponin I, a major ingredient of MSE, treatment decreased gastric mucosa damage indices in the ethanol- and diclofenac-induced acute gastritis models. The results suggest that MSE could be a promising gastroprotective herbal medicine and momordica saponin I might be used as an active marker compound for MSE.

Development of LC/MS/MS assay for the determination of 5-ethyl-2-{5-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine-1-sulfonyl]-2-propoxyphenyl}-7-propyl-3,5-dihydropyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidin-4-one (SK3530) in human plasma: application to a clinical pharmacokinetic study

5-Ethyl-2-{5-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine-1-sulfonyl]-2-propoxyphenyl}-7-propyl-3,5-dihydropyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidin-4-one (SK3530) is a new phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor currently undergoing a Phase III investigation for the treatment of male erectile dysfunction. This study first describes a rapid and sensitive LC/MS/MS assay method for the quantification of SK3530 and its major metabolite, SK3541, in human plasma. The assay was validated to demonstrate the specificity, linearity, recovery, lower limit of quantification (LLOQ), accuracy, and precision. The multiple reaction monitoring was based on the transition of m/z=532.5-->99.1 for SK3530, 488.6-->295.5 for SK3541, and 520.3-->99.1 for SK3304 (internal standard). The assay utilized a single liquid-liquid extraction and isocratic elution, and the LLOQ was 1 ng/ml using 0.2 ml human plasma. The assay was linear over a range from 1 to 1000 ng/ml for both SK3530 and SK3541, with correlation coefficients >0.9999. The mean intra- and inter-day assay accuracy ranged from 94.7 to 101.6% and 96.8 to 101.1% for SK3530 and 92.6-105.7% and 97.4-107.8% for SK3541, respectively. The mean intra- and inter-day precision was between 7.2-12.1% and 5.7-7.4% for SK3530 and 4.6-13.2% and 5.0-14.1% for SK3541, respectively. The developed assay was applied to a clinical pharmacokinetic study after oral administration of SK3530 in healthy male volunteers (dose 100 mg).

Pharmacokinetics of mirodenafil, a new erectogenic, and its metabolite, SK3541, in rats: involvement of CYP1A1/2, 2B1/2, 2D subfamily, and 3A1/2 for the metabolism of both mirodenafil and SK3541

PURPOSE This study was performed to find which types of hepatic CYP isoforms are responsible for the metabolism of mirodenafil (a new erectogenic) and one of its metabolite, SK3541, using various hepatic CYP inducers and inhibitors in rats. METHODS Mirodenafil at a dose of 20 mg/kg was administered intravenously to control rats and rats pretreated with various CYP inducers and inhibitors. The disappearance of SK3541 was also measured in vitro hepatic microsomes of rats with and without CYP inducer and inhibitors. RESULTS Compared to controls, in rats pretreated with 3-methylcholanthrene, orphenadrine, and dexamethasone (main inducers of CYP1A1/2, 2B1/2, and 3A1/2, respectively), the non-renal clearances (CLNRs) of mirodenafil were significantly faster (by 39.4%, 59.3%, and 63.9%, respectively). However, compared to controls, in rats pretreated with quinine and troleandomycin (main inhibitors of CYP2D subfamily and 3A1/2, respectively), the CLNRs of mirodenafil were significantly slower (by 36.1% and 33.2%, respectively). In rat hepatic microsomes spiked with furafylline, quinine, and troleandomycin (main inhibitors of CYP1A2, 2D subfamily, and 3A1/2, respectively), the intrinsic clearances (CLints) for the disappearance of SK3541 were significantly slower (by 18.4%, 35.3%, and 51.5%, respectively) than controls. Also in rat hepatic microsomes pretreated with orphenadrine (a main inducer of CYP2B1/2), the CLint for the disappearance of SK3541 was significantly faster (by 55.5%) than controls. CONCLUSIONS The above data suggest that hepatic CYP1A1/2, 2B1/2, 2D subfamily, and 3A1/2 are involved in the metabolism of both mirodenafil and SK3541 in rats.

Transverse stability of the proximal segment after bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy for mandibular setback surgery

This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between the transverse displacement of the proximal segment after bilateral sagittal osteotomy for mandibular setback and the amount and design of the mandibular setback. Patients who underwent either bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy (BSSRO) alone or two-jaw surgery were selected, and cephalographic postero-anterior (PA) measurements were taken pre-operatively (T1), immediately post-operatively (T2), and at follow-up (T3). The inter-gonal (IG) and inter-ramal (IR) width increased immediately after surgery, but decreased to the initial value during follow-up (P=0.002; IR, P=0.046). Only the immediate IG changes after surgery correlated with the amount of mandibular setback (P=0.009). The IG changes were significant in the symmetric group, but not in the asymmetric group. There was no difference in the IG and IR changes between the symmetric group and the asymmetric group. The immediate IG change in two-jaw patients with symmetric setback showed correlation with the setback amount. The gonial width of the deviated group showed more significant changes than that of the non-deviated group. There was no difference in the unilateral gonial width between the deviated and the non-deviated group, but the difference was significant for the unilateral ramal angle between the two groups. These correlations will be helpful in predicting post-surgical results for patients.

Determination of S- and R-Amlodipine in Rat Plasma using LC-MS/MS After Oral Administration of S-Amlodipine and Racemic Amlodipine

The pharmacokinetic properties of S-amlodipine were studied using racemic amlodipine and single S-enantiomer (SK310) administration to rats. Plasma levels of the drug were determined using chiral liquid chromatography coupled with tan- dem mass spectrometry following solid phase extraction. The stereospecific analysis of amlodipine was performed on an α-acid glycoprotein (AGP) column using a mobile phase comprising 10 mM ammonium acetate (pH 4.0) and propanol at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min. This method was used to perform a comparative study of the pharmacokinetics of amlodipine and SK310. The results revealed that the pharmacokinetic profile of S-amlodipine after the administration of SK310 was comparable to that following the administration of the racemic mixture.