Immunotitration experiments using the specific antibody which was raised against the intracellular lipase purified from Rhizopus japonicus NR400 (M. Suzuki and M. Mizugaki: J. Biochem., 100, 1207 (1986)) demonstrated the existence of another lipase in the lipase preparation from the same microorganisms. The extracellular lipase, which was mainly found in the culture filtrate, had an optimum pH between 4 and 6. About 75% of its activity remained after the heat treatment at 50°C for 15 minutes at pH 7.2, and its activity slightly increased in the presence of 1 mM ferrous ion. The extracellular lipase as well as the intracellular lipase had such suitable properties as a component of digestive drugs.

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A thin-layer chromatographic method for the determination of an amount of free formaldehyde in children's clothing using the plates treated with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane is described. By elution with benzene-methanol (25: 1 v/v) on a silica gel TLC plate treated with 3-aminopropyl groups, the formaldehyde and low-molecular weight aldehyde as their lutidine derivatives were separated. By this method, the amount of formaldehyde was determined within 4.76% error in the range of 0.02-1.0 μg and 0.05-6.0 μg in 1 ml of aqueous solution by using a fluorescence spectrophotometer and a visible spectrophotometer, respectively, and the limit of detection was 0.4 ng.

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Paraquat was directly assayed in biological fluids by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a UV detector using a reversed phase column packed with CHEMCOSORB 3-ODS-H (4.6 I. D.×75mm) and ion-pair chromatography. Mobile phase consisted of 0.02M sodium dodecylsulf ate and 0.1M triethylamine in 31% acetonitrile-water, with the pH adjusted to 4.0 with phosphoric acid. Ethylparaquat (1, 1'-diethy1-4, 4'-bipyridylium diiodide) was used as the internal standard. Samples (500μl each) of the biological fluids were each added to the internal standard solution (50μl) and mixed with 50% trichloric acid solution (50μl) for deproteinization. After the centrifugation of the mixture, 20μl of its supernatant was analyzed by HPLC.
The recovery of paraquat from the biological fluids spiked with this agent in the concentration of 0.1-10μg/ml was 93.0-107.0% in serum, 93.2-103. 8% in urine, 100.4-109.1% in intestinal juice 93.4-108.3% in gastric juice. The linearlity of calibration curve was evident for paraquat in the concentration of 0.1-10 μg/ml in these biological fluids. This method was not in disagreement with chromatograms of therapeutic drugs and other compounds. The detection limit of paraquat in the analysis of biological fluids was 0.0μg/ ml (S/N= 2).

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Physicochemical properties, drug release and stability of polymyxin B sulfate in an ointment prepared for the treatment of burn with use of o/w type emulsified base were studied. This ointment showed the equal consistency and spreadability to those of the commercial emulsified base for burn, and the washing-out time was appreciably shorter than that. The rate of the release of polymyxin B sulfate from the ointment was higher in the order of macrogol, emulsified and hydrophilic ointment. When polymyxin B sulfate were prepared with any of 3 ointment bases, their potencies lowered by about 10% when they were stored at 37°C for 2 months, but they were almost stable when stored at room temperature for a month

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The stability of vitamin C (VC) in hyperalimentation fluids with a fat emulsion combination was studied. The total VC content when dehydroascorbic acid was reduced to ascorbic acid and the ascorbic acid content without the reduction process were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography.
Measurements were performed serially while the samples were stored with or without light shielding under a 500 lux fluorescent light or in a cool, dark place. The total VC residue was more than 90% after 12 hours without light shielding and after 24 hours with light shielding. The stability was adequate even after 7 days when the samples were stored in a cool, dark place.

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The stability of hydrocortisone-17-butyrate (HC-17-B) in the admixture of Locoid^®, Ointment with Anderm^® Ointment (AO), zinc oxide (10%) ointment (ZO) or Juvela^® Ointment (JO) was investigated by the quantitative analysis using high performance liquid chromatography. The decomposition routes of HC-17-B to hydrocorisone-21-butyrate (HC-21-B) and hydrocortisone (HC) in such ointment admixtures were also investigated.
In the stability test, percentages of the residual active HC-17-B and decomposition products in the admixtures immediately after mixing and after 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks of storage in darkness at 5°C, 25°C or 40°C were investigated. As a result, it was found that the admixture with AO of a white petrolatum base was stable under any of the storage conditions. In the admixture with ZO, HC-17-B was stable at 5°C but it decomposed after storage at 25°C or higher temperature, resulting in the formation of HC-21-B and HC. In the admixture with a JO of o/ w type hydrophilic ointment base, HC-17-B decomposed under any of the storage conditions, and with the rise in storage temperature the level of HC-17-B decreased quickly while the level of HC-21-B increased rapidly first, then decreased slowly with the gradual increase in the level of HC.

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As an evaluation of the quality of the sustained release pindolol tablet, the test on dissolution, weight variation, content uniformity, disintegration and hardness were examined. The weight variation of this preparation was 1.2%, the content variation was 19.5 to 20.4mg, the disintegration time variation was 2.54 to 2.60 hours, and the mean hardness was 9.8kg at the outer layer, 10.6kg at the inner core.
In the dissolution test, this preparation showed about 50% dissolution within a few minutes in the first fluid in J.P.X disintegration test, and showed a sustained release pattern in the second fluid in J.P.X. However, their dissolution profiles depended on the pH of the dissolution medium. And the release rate was approximately relative to the rate of stirring.
In addition, disintegration and dissolution tests were examined in the medium with bile salt (sodium cholate) from a consideration of the medium in the gastrointestinal tract, showing that the rates of both the disintegration and the dissolution increased in this medium.

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The concentration of benzyl alcohol (BA) in the blood of the patients after the intravariceal injection of ethanolamine oleate (EO) with meglumine amidotrizoate (EO-MA) for endoscopic sclerotherapy of esophageal varices was determined by GLC method. BA appeared in the peripheral blood immediately after the interavariceal injection of EO-MA, therefore it was found that the leak of BA from the varix occurred very early. But BA disappeared rapidly from the blood (t¹/₂= 10 minutes). The hemolysis after the intravariceal injection had no relation to the concentration of BA in the blood.
The actions of BA and EO on erythrocytes were examined in vitro, and the hemolyzing effect of EO was much stronger than that of BA. From these results, it is thought that the effect of BA on the hemolysis after the intravariceal injection of EO-MA is only a little and the hemolysis probably results from EO.

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Recently, the design of individualized dosage regimens has been focused on the method based on the Bayesian principle. This method is available for estimating the individual pharmacokinetic parameters using only one or two plasma drug concentrations theoretically, but needs correct population prameter in order to obtain a good estimate of the individual parameters.
In this report, we evaluated accuracy of the Bayesian method for estimating the asthmatic children's pharmacokinetic parameters treated by theophylline slow-release preparation at Round The Clock (RTC) therapy. When the plasma drug concentration obtained 4 hours (Cl) after oral administration was used, considerable variation on estimative ability of Bayesian method was expected. This result suggested that Bayesian method was required optimal collection time of the blood sample. But, it was assumed that given the certain degree variance on calculation in consideration of difference of the preparations was possible to obtain a good estimate of the individual parameters.

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Many investigations concerning a proper selection and an usage of disinfectants have been actively promoted by Drug Reevaluation of the Welfare Ministry and the Japanese Society of Hospital Pharmacists and the Japanese Society of Environmental Infection, etc. and the importance of radical prevention of hospital infection has been more emphasized. Now we surveyed the actual conditions of use of disinfectants in order to grasp the conditions in our hospital and to prepare “Manual for Use of Disinfectants in Hospital” . The survey used a questionnaire system with the response rate of 85.7% and revealed that in general, chlorhexidine, povidone-iodine and alcohols were frequently used and held important positions as disinfectants, as previously reported. Among them, aldehydes were used in about 90% of disinfection of linen and precision medical appliances.

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Compatibility test on Dopram ^® with 94 kinds of commercially available injections were performed in terms of visible change, pH, osmotic pressure against isotonic sodium chloride solution and residual ratio of Doxapram hydrochloride after mixing.
The results are summarized as follows:
1. Mixing with following injections should be avoided: Neophylin, Soldactone, Lasix, Horizone, Solu-cortef, Hydrocortone, Decadron, Predonine, Solu-medorol, Ravonal, Nutrase, Foliamin, Viscorin, Aspara-K, Futraful, Pentcillin, Pansporin, Bestcall, Cefortax, Cefoperazin, Yamatetan, Cefametazone, Shiomarin, Suncefal, Viccilin-S and Zinacef.
2. Mixing with following injections should be made with caution: Potacol-R Aml-U, Transamin, Digosin, Dobutrex, Bisolvon, Ketalar 10, Flavitan, Kaytwo, Ribomin-S, Neolamin 3B, Esquinon, Gripenin and Minomycin.

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