The water absorption behavior of karaya gum ointment, which improves perianal dermatitis following definitive operation for diseases, such as Hirschsprung was investigated to elucidate the mechanisms of its action. Forty percent karaya gum ointment (10g) swelled and absorbed 7. 5 and 16g of saline solution under the experimental condition of after 6 and 24hr, respectively. The water absorption was not saturable during the experimental periods. The linear square root of time plots suggested that the water absorption properties of karaya gum ointment are controlled by the diffusion model of water into ointment, and the observed absorption rate constant of 40% ointment was 0.426g/10gitnin^1/2. Distilled water as a tested fluid was absorbed more rapidly than saline solution.The effect of concentration on the absorption behavior for the karaya gum and CMC-Na ointment showed that CMC-Na ointment is more absorbent in intermediate concentrations. The water absorption pattern of ointments containing other high molecular compounds was also studied. The order of water absorbency was CMC-Na, sodium alginate, karaya gum, tragacanth gum and acacia at concentration of 40%. Karaya gum ointment exhibited water absorbency comparable to those of the marketed skin barriers containing karaya gum. These results suggest that the water absorption effect of karaya gum ointment is associated with one of the mechanisms by which it improves perianal dermatitis.

View full abstract

We studied the latex agglutination inhibition method (the Biotrack system) for rapid measurement of plasma theophylline concentrations. Blood was collected from patients hospitalized for treatment of bronchial asthma and from healthy volunteers. The plasma theophylline concentrations of the samples were also measured by two other systems: fluorescence polarization immunoassay and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). When the results were compared, it was found that some combinations of Biotrack 516 units and cartridges afforded high plasma theophylline concentrations for some patients. Using HPLC, we found that the high values were not due to cross-reactivity with theophylline or caffeine metabolites. After careful investigation, the high values appeared to result from the characteristics of the individual Biotrack 516 units and cartridges used. Re-evaluation after improved materials were introduced into the system of Biotrack manufacturing yielded theophylline concentrations that correlated significantly with those obtained by HPLC.

View full abstract

The characteristics such as weight variations, hardness, drug content, release properties and the conservation stability of three commercial sustained-release formulations (Nitrol-R^®, NTR; Frandol^®, FRD; Nitrol^®, NT) of isosorbide dinitrate were determined. NTR and FRD showed the sustained-release properties with the release rate of NTR being higher than that of FRD. These preparations were maintained under five conditions that are based on the composite experimental design composing the temperature and the humidity. NTR was softened by humidity to a greater extent than FRD. The weight of NTR tended to increase under proportion to the humidity. The hardness of FRD was increased in the conditions of high temperature and low humidity. This phenomenon can be explained by the fact that the melted wax in the tablet penetrated the gaps and hardened after cooling.
The contents of NTR remained constant against the rise in temperature and humidity; it was assumed that the capsule worked to protect the inner granules. During the 14-day stability test, the residual rate of isosorbide dinitrate was predicted by multiple regression analysis and the results are illustrated three-dimensionally. The predicted residual rate of isosorbide dinitrate on NTR and FRD agreed well with the experimental data. The release profiles of these sustained-release preparations were influenced by both temperature and humidity. Guaranteed quality and efficacy of the preparations by hospital pharmacists is required for proper medical treatment.

View full abstract

Microbial contamination of residual solutions for the oral liquid preparation of drugs after intake was investigated, and in vitro preservative efficacy of those solutions was studied. Four oral liquid preparations were selected for this study, because they had been administered in large volume without dilution. Three principle results were apparent.
First, the residual solutions of Alloid G^® obtained from outpatients were heavily contaminated by gram-negative bacilli and yeast-like fungi. On the other hand, actual microbial contaminations were not found in Maalox^® and two lacturose preparations. Second, the study of in vitro preservative efficacy indicated that two lacturose preparations exhibited sufficient efficacy to inhibit the microbial growth. However, Alloid G^® and Maalox^® presented conditions suitable for the bacterial growth: liquid pH, concentration of preservative agents, water activity and preparation ingredients. This inadequate preservative efficacy suggested a possibility of microbial contamination for these preparations.
Finally, the low temperature maintained in a refrigerator inhibited the growth of contaminants on the challenging test for Alloid G^® and Maalox^®.
Consequently, the most important factor regarding storage conditions is that Alloid G^® and maalox^® should be kept in the refrigerator immediately after oral intake because of their poor preservative efficacy.

View full abstract

With a recent progress in biotechnology, mass production of various kinds of cytokines became possible. At present, recombinant human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, rhG-CFG is widely applied to clinical areas, and its good efficacy has been confirmed.
rhG-CSF is administered by drip infusion or by subcutaneous injection, which is chosen depending on the indications. We previously indicated that the adsorption of rhG-CSF onto an end-line filter used for preventing compromised hosts from the infection or the infusion route was a serious problem for its use, because the administration dose was extremely low, in an order of μg.
Since we obtaind a newly developed filter (PDl), we made a comparative study on the adsorption of rhG-CSF to two kinds of filters which are frequently used for infusion; ELD-096LL and IVEX-II.The drug was used at a half of the ordinary adult dose of 150μg/100ml. The adsorption of rhG-CSF was found for the conventional filters but almost not for the new fluter tested. Its adsorption to the infusion route was estimated to be 10-20%.

View full abstract

Cisapride is a widely used drug which stimulates gastrointestinal motility. We report a case of extrapyramidal syndrome apparently caused by cisapride. In November, 1993, a 77-year-old female patient had symptoms of tremor, stiffness and numbness. She had been receiving 15 mg/day of cisapride since June 1993. Additionally, the patient was receiving 10 kinds of medications.
Cisapride was discontinued in December 1994. Two months later, the above-noted symptoms disappeared. Cisapride acts selectively on the myenteric plexus of the digestive tract, and enhances the release of acetylcholine. It has been reported that cisapride has neither an antidopaminergic nor a nonspecific cholinergic property. For these reason, it is believed that cisapride did not induce these side effects. However, the above case of extrapyramidal syndrome apparently caused by cisapride shows that cisapride should be used carefully especially with regards to the potential neurological side effects.

View full abstract

We examined the stability of 2% glutohyde solution. The pH of 2% glutohyde solution was changed to the alkaline site and precipitation was produced when we prepared it with an accompanying buffer and stored it in an unsealed container. The pH of 2% glutohyde solution was changed to alkaline when we prepared it with sodium bicarbonate as an alkalizing agent, but its pH was changed to acidic when we prepared it with sodium hydroxide as an alkalizing agent. Another factor that may have produced the precipitation was its treatment with an accompaning buffer of 20 % w/v Glutohyde^® except for sodium bicarbonate.

View full abstract

The existing status of the number of times handwashing in a day, the kinds of antiseptics used, discontent over the antiseptics used and the resulting roughness of their hands for 157 doctors and nurses who work in our university hospital were investigated in an effort to prevent the transmission of nosocomial infection.
We derived three principal results, 1) The largest frequences of handwashing for doctors were 63% at 5-10 times in a day, and for nurses 51% at 10-20 times in a day, indicating namely that doctors washed their hands less than nurses, 2) Both doctors and nurses mainly used povidoneiodine and chlorhexidine digluconate in ethanol in our hospital, 3) 23.9% of doctors and 71. 1% of nurses expressed discontent over the roughness of their hands as a result of the antiseptics used.
Furthermore, we examined the disinfectant effects of four antiseptics; 4 % chorhexidine digluconate scrub (CHG), 7. 5% povidone-iodine scrub (PVP-I), 0.5% chlorhexidine digluconate in 70w/w% ethanol, and 70w/w% ethanol for disinfection (ALC) for amelioration of the uneasiness of personal concerning the adverse effect of antiseptics.
We found that, the disinfectant rate of their hands for 10 persons per group was more than 90% for CHG-A, CHG and PVP-I while ALC was 73%.
Overall, this study suggests that the selection of pertinent antiseptics for handwashing and the counterplan to preventing the roughness of hands should be implemented as quickly as possible woking our hospital.

View full abstract

A simple colorimetic test, the MTT assay, has been adapted for chemosensitivity testing of a human lung adenocarcinoma cell line, A549, and 25 lung cancer specimens clinically obtained by radical surgery. Seven different chemotherapeutic agents [cisplatin (CDDP), carboplatin (CBDCA), mitomycin C (MMC), adriamycin (ADM), etoposide (VP-16), vindesine (VDS), and 7-ethyl-10-ydroxyl camptothecin (SN-38)] were tested. Minced tumor tissues were treated with collagenase/DNase in RPMI 1640 medium containing 10% fetal calf serum for 1 h at 37°C. These cells were plated in 96-well plates at 1.0×10⁴ cells per well. The MIT assay was carried out following incubation of the cells with each antitumor agent for 72 h in humidified 5% CO₂ atmosphere at 37°C. The drug concentrations were determined on the basis of theoretical peak plasma concentrations (PPC) proposed by Scheithauer et al. The growth inhibition rates and IC₅₀ (the concentration of drug that caused 50% reduction in absorbance compared to baseline values) were used for evaluation of the chemosensitivity.
The growth inhibition rates of A549 and lung cancer specimens to all drugs except VDS gradually increased in a drug concentration-dependent manner as well as in an exposure timedependent manner. The mean IC₅₀ values of 25 lung cancer specimens were: MMC: 1.40±1.77 PPC, SN-38: 2.15±3.19 PPC, ADM: 2.49±2.76 PPC, VP-16: 3.17±1.15 PPC, CDDP: 5.26±3.29 PPC, and CBDCA: 5.35±2.27 PPC. Although IC₅₀ values of clinical samples were highly variable, MMC and SN-38 showed a strong antitumor activity. Thus it was concluded that MMC and SN-38 might be useful chemotherapeutic agents for human lung cancer.

View full abstract

Sterilized chlorhexidine gluconate solutions (GCH) in 500 ml polypropylene containes are prepared in our hospital pharmacy. To determine the expiration period after unsealing the container, the stability and potency of 0.02% GCH were examined by high-performance liquid chromatography and cultivation tests, respectively. The main ingredient of 0.02% GCH which had been used partially for more than 6 months, was maintained at over 95% of its initial concentration at room temperature. No bacterium nor fungus was evident in the 0.02% GCH partially used at several sections for 2-15 months, when examined by three different cultivation tests. Under the conditions of excess microbe contamination such as falling microbial test and sticking fingers test, 0.02% GCH prevented the growth of microbes. These results suggest that there is only a minor possibility of microbial contamination in the sterilized 0.02% GCH after the container has been unsealed.
In general, this preparation may be usable for at least one month after unsealing although the existence of microbes resistant to GCH has been reported.

View full abstract

We constructed a management and support system using a personal computer for activity of clinical pharmacists. This system is capable of recording the medicinal history, managing and estimating the medicinal therapy at the same time, by linking with medicinal history with the patients drug information. Using this system allows us to manage property patients the medicinal history and the records for routine activities, offer guidance were necessary and provide essential drug inforormation. Moreover, we are able to determine prescriptions precisely based on the incorporated system data.

View full abstract

Sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC-Na) has been used in preparation in hospital pharmacies. It is not easy to prepare this solution because it is difficult to mix. We prepared it using various methods and examined the factors affecting its viscosity. In addition, we examined the bacterial contamination in sterilized and non-sterilized CMC-Na solutions under practical conditions.
The preparation of CMC-Na solution using an electric mixer was determined to be the most practical method, and the viscosity was affected by several factors including mechanical stress arising during preparation, the concentration, and the storage temperature. Autoclaved CMC-Na solution was kept free from bacterial contamination during the period of general use, although its viscosity was slightly reduced.

View full abstract