YAKUGAKU ZASSHI
Online ISSN : 1347-5231
Print ISSN : 0031-6903
ISSN-L : 0031-6903
Featured articles
Displaying 1-20 of 91 articles
  • Volume 145 (2025) Issue 6 Pages 553-560
    Performance Evaluation of High-performance Liquid Chromatography Instrument in Determining the Serum Concentration of Linezolid Read more
    Editor's pick

    LM1010, a high-performance liquid chromatography system for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), can rapidly measure clinical samples, with fully automated data analysis. This study evaluated its analytical performance for the measurement of serum concentrations of linezolid (LZD), showing strong correlation with LC-MS/MS (r = 0.991) and high reproducibility among three LM1010 instruments. Long-term stability of LZD at −30°C for 48 weeks was also confirmed. These results suggest that LM1010 can be used for TDM of LZD in clinical practice.

  • Volume 145 (2025) Issue 5 Pages 461-468
    Usefulness of SPLINE–Deconvolution Method to Analyze Absorption Kinetics of Fentanyl Released from Systemically Acting Fentanyl Patch Read more
    Editor's pick

    The effective serum concentration range of fentanyl is very narrow; therefore, analyzing the absorption kinetics (ABK) of the transdermal Durotep®MT patch (DMTP) is important. There are 5 analytical methods for evaluating ABK, including Wanger-Nelson method and SPLINE-Deconvolution method. The absorbed rate of fentanyl from DMTP with elapsed time obtained by SPLINE-Deconvlution indicates 3 times amplitude and the absorption steady state was reached. Findings in this study suggest that SPLINE-Deconvolution is the most appropriate method to assess fentanyl ABK from DMTP.

  • Volume 145 (2025) Issue 4 Pages 351-357
    Changes in the Serum Calcium Level and Renal Function After Switching from Alfacalcidol to Eldecalcitol Read more
    Editor's pick

    Eldecalcitol (ELD) promotes bone formation strongly, but whether or not ELD affects serum Ca levels and renal function significantly is unclear. This study retrospectively investigated the affection of serum Ca levels and renal function inpatients switching from alfacalcidol (ALF) to ELD. In the switched ELD group at Week 2, the changes of serum Ca levels in all patients were elevated. This result suggests that serum Ca levels should be measured by Week 2 when ELD is newly started or changed.

  • Volume 145 (2025) Issue 3 Pages 247-256
    Essential Components of Pharmacist-Prepared Home Care Reports to Facilitate Information Sharing from the Pharmacy Pharmacist to Other Professionals Read more
    Editor's pick

    This study evaluated whether information sharing with multidisciplinary healthcare professionals can be enhanced by improving the method and content of the “home medical care management guidance reports” and “home-visit drug management guidance reports” that provided information obtained at home by pharmacists, and quantitatively analyzed the content of these reports. This information considered to be useful for pharmacists to make effective use of the information obtained at home and to build a team medical care system.

  • Volume 145 (2025) Issue 2 Pages 155-161
    Survey on Characteristics of Potentially Abused Japanese OTC Pharmaceuticals in Japan Read more
    Editor's pick

    On OTC abuse among youths which are social problems in Japan, there were clear the necessity of paying attention to designated schedule II pharmaceuticals such as oral cold remedies, antitussive and expectorants, oral rhinitis medicines. Therefore, the survey suggested that it is difficult to prevent OTC abuse by pharmacists alone, and that cooperation with registered sales clerks is important. This survey is worth information dissemination not only to pharmacists, but also to faculty teachers, school pharmacists, registered sales clerks.

  • Volume 145 (2025) Issue 1 Pages 61-70
    Effect of Concomitant Metformin Use on Hematologic Adverse Events in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients Undergoing Pemetrexed-Based Chemotherapy: A Study Using a Japanese Claims Database Read more
    Editor's pick

    Metformin, an oral antidiabetic drug, inhibits the absorption of vitamin B12. The authors hypothesized that the risk of adverse events associated with pemetrexed, for which vitamin B12 supplementation is essential, might be increased by the concomitant use of metformin. In this study, the authors verified this hypothesis and found that the risk of hematologic toxicity caused by pemetrexed was not significantly increased. This finding may contribute to safer cancer chemotherapy.

  • Volume 144 (2024) Issue 12 Pages 1125-1135
    Analysis of Overdose-related Posts on Social Media Read more
    Editor's pick

    Drug misuse, particularly overdose (OD), is a major social issue affecting young people. This study analyzed posts written in Japanese that included the term "OD" from the most popular social media platform, X® (formerly Twitter®), using Natural Language Processing techniques. The posts related to OD comprised both prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs, often using slang terminology. By monitoring social media for OD-related content, it may be possible to identify high-risk individuals and develop effective prevention strategies.

  • Volume 144 (2024) Issue 11 Pages 1009-1018
    Development of a Virtual Reality Training Tool Promoted at Skill Acquisition in Preparatory Clinical Education for Pharmacy Students and Verification of Its Educational Effectiveness: Preparation of Liquid Medications Read more
    Editor's pick

    Virtual reality (VR) technology is gaining recognition as a new education tool. The authors developed a VR training tool to effectively enable beginning students to acquire pharmaceutical dispensing skills and evaluated its effectiveness compared to traditional text (Tx) methods. In a study with 12 VR and 10 Tx student group, VR learners were significantly more capable in some of dispensing practices. VR learners completed tasks faster, with many Tx learners taking more minutes. The results suggest that VR is an effective method for teaching practical dispensing skills to beginners.

  • Volume 144 (2024) Issue 10 Pages 957-962
    Survey of Preventing Exposure Regarding Sweat in Patients Receiving Antineoplastic Agents at Base Hospitals for Promoting Hematopoietic Stem Cell Read more
    Editor's pick

    This survey aimed to reveal the actual preventing exposure for handling of clothing and sweat of patients treated with anticancer drugs, following the publication of “Guideline for Preventing Occupational Exposure in Cancer Chemotherapy Drugs, 2019 Edition” (Guideline 2019). A survey was conducted among nurses working at 95 hematopoietic stem cell transplantation promotion base hospitals. The response rate was 84.2%. This survey shows that nurses may not be following the Guideline 2019 for use of personal protective equipment and handling of clothes.

  • Volume 144 (2024) Issue 9 Pages 887-896
    Evaluation of the Stability and Antibacterial Activity of Burow’s and Neo-Burow’s Solutions was Prepared Using Different Methods Read more
    Editor's pick

    Burrow’s solution is a 13% aluminum acetate solution, which is an in-house preparation used to treat chronic suppurative otitis media. In this study, several formulations of Burrow’s solution and neo-Burrow’s solution were prepared. Different methods were used to assess the ease of preparation and stability of Burrow’s solution through physicochemical methods and antibacterial activity using the disk method. The data obtained from this study provide useful information for the selection of an optimal formulation for individual hospitals.

  • Volume 144 (2024) Issue 8 Pages 805-813
    A Nationwide Survey on Medication Follow-up Care by Community Pharmacists: From The Japanese Nationwide Pharmacy Collaboration Survey in 2023 Read more
    Editor's pick

    This study is the first nationwide survey on follow-up cases conducted by community pharmacists. Information on the rate of follow-up care, content, methods, and target drugs in clinical practice was collected. The results suggest that community pharmacists contribute to the optimization of drug therapy through follow-up care. This article will provide useful information for implementing effective follow-up care in the future.

  • Volume 144 (2024) Issue 7 Pages 749-754
    Subsidy Programs for Seasonal Influenza Vaccination of Children and Pregnant Women in Japanese Municipalities Read more
    Editor's pick

    In Japan, influenza vaccination is offered to children and pregnant women at clinics or hospitals as an elective, self-funded treatment. However, some Japanese municipalities offer a discretionary subsidy for seasonal influenza vaccination of children and pregnant women as a local policy. This study identified these local subsidy programs during 2019/2020 by conducting a cross-sectional survey across Japan. While policy diffusion of subsidy programs for children was observed since a previous study, such programs for pregnant women remain limited.

  • Volume 144 (2024) Issue 6 Pages 675-683
    A Pilot Test of Olive Weevil Repellents in an Olive Orchard Read more
    Editor's pick

    Olive weevil, utilizing olive trees as a host plant, is the greatest obstacle to olive cultivation in Japan. This paper reports on the demonstration that a plant-derived aromatic chemical that has been shown to be repellent to the olive weevil in the laboratory also has repellent activity in an olive orchard. The use of this environment-friendly chemical as a repellent against olive weevil will reduce the amounts of toxic insecticides and enable olive cultivation based on integrated pest management.

  • Volume 144 (2024) Issue 5 Pages 553-565
    Syntheses and Structure–Activity Relationship Studies of Antitumor Bicyclic Hexapeptide RA-VII Analogues Read more
    Editor's pick

    This review outlines structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies focusing on the plant-derived antitumor bicyclic hexapeptide RA-VII. The SAR data, encompassing conformational properties, were obtained from designed and synthesized analogues that underwent modifications either at the amino acid side-chain or the peptide backbone, along with newly isolated RA-VII congeners from Rubiae Radix. These insights are anticipated to be invaluable for synthesizing analogues of other bioactive natural cyclic peptides incorporating unnatural amino acids.

  • Volume 144 (2024) Issue 4 Pages 339-344
    Mechanistic Analysis of Oxidative Stress-related Diseases Using Nitroxyl Radicals and Electron Spin Resonance Read more
    Editor's pick

    Nitroxyl radicals are used as probes for ROS measurement by ESR. Therefore, it is important to select appropriate probes and modifications for the evaluation of the relationship between oxidative stress and various diseases. This review introduces a study on the pharmacokinetics of probes, in vivo redox evaluation of sepsis model mice using acyl-protected probes, and an examination of the photosensitivity mechanism.

  • Volume 144 (2024) Issue 3 Pages 311-328
    Forty-three Years of Dedicated Efforts in Advancing Pharmacist Expertise: Aspiring to Become a Pharmacist and Cultivate Pharmacists Proficient in Recommending Prescription Medicines to Doctors Read more
    Editor's pick

    When the author graduated from university, her aim was to become a pharmacist capable of recommending prescription medicines to doctors and teaching others to do the same. To achieve this goal, she developed comprehensive curricula incorporating progressive educational tools such as PBL and SGD. the effectiveness of these tools and curricula was evaluated. Many evidence on the most effective ways to recommend prescription medicines to doctors was gradually established. This review describes the author's research over 43 years.

  • Volume 144 (2024) Issue 2 Pages 183-195
    Dynamic Chemistry of Tannins Read more
    Editor's pick

    This comprehensive review discusses the dynamic structural changes of tannins in living plants or food processing based on the author's 40 years of research. The discovery of common reaction mechanisms in ellagitannin biosynthesis and black tea polyphenol formation, in addition to the structural determination of new metabolites, holds significance in the fields of phytochemistry and food chemistry. The research findings outlined in this review provide valuable insights into understanding the significance of tannins.  

  • Volume 144 (2024) Issue 1 Pages 87-97
    Application of Hydrogenated Soya Lecithin in Solid Dispersion and Oily Gel, and the Study of Skin-Applied Formulations Read more
    Editor's pick

    This review article contains application of hydrogenated lecithin as additives. When preparing solid dispersions using phosphatidylcoline (PC) as a carrier, drug with hydrogen-donating groups interacts with PC to produce amorphous solid dispersions with high drug content; this overcomes improves drug absorption. The drug was solubilized and supersaturated in the oil-based gel formed with hydrogenated lecithin; this facilitates drug permeation through the skin. The effects of various oils on skin permeation of drugs are also addressed.

  • Volume 143 (2023) Issue 12 Pages 1013-1025
    Modulation of Expression of Drug Metabolizing Enzymes and Augmentation of Anti-cancer Drug Effects: Through Epigenetics and Three-dimensional Cancer Cell Culture Systems Read more
    Editor's pick

    This review article describes inhibitors of enzymes involved in the epigenetic processes, e.g., DNA methyltransferases and histone deacetylases, increase expression of drug metabolizing cytochrome P-450s (CYPs) 1B1 and 3A4.It also describes alteration of gene regulation of CYP1 family enzymes through aryl hydrocarbon receptors in three dimensional cultures of human solid cancer cells. As changes in gene expression by epigenetic inhibitors accompany increased cancer drug sensitivities, relationship between cellular drug sensitivities and cell environments seems worth to be investigated.

  • Volume 143 (2023) Issue 11 Pages 931-940
    Current Status and Issues on the Foods with Function Claims System in Japan: Evidence of Functionality of the Foods Read more
    Editor's pick

    This narrative review comprehensively clarified the current status and issues of scientific evidence for functionality in the Foods with Function Claims system based on previous research. Systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in notification often have low-quality notifications. Therefore, the author reports that it is necessary to correctly communicate this information to consumers in order to make appropriate purchasing decisions.

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