Exploration of Daptomycin Adsorption by Polymethylmethacrylate Hemofilter In Vitro.

Blood purification therapy with cytokine-adsorbing hemofilters has been used to treat sepsis-associated hypercytokinemia. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) hemofilters are frequently used for this purpose; however, adsorption and removal of teicoplanin, a therapeutic agent, have been reported. Similar concerns have been shared regarding daptomycin because its structure resembles that of teicoplanin; nevertheless, there have been no reported effects associated with daptomycin in this context.

Pharmaceutical studies of levothyroxine sodium hydrate suppository provided as a hospital preparation.

The levothyroxine sodium hydrate suppository (L-T4-suppository) is provided as a hospital preparation for the treatment of hypothyroid patients with dysphagia in Japan because only oral preparations of levothyroxine sodium (L-T4) are approved for the treatment of hypothyroidism. However, it has been found that serum thyroxine and triiodothyronine levels do not increase as expected with the hospital preparation, requiring a higher dosage of L-T4 in the L-T4-suppository than in the oral preparations. In this study, to determine an effective thyroid gland hormone-replacement therapy for patients with dysphagia, the pharmaceutical properties of the L-T4-suppository were investigated.

Super-acute onset of tumor lysis syndrome accompanied by hypercytokinemia during treatment of Hodgkin's lymphoma with ABVD chemotherapy.

Background: Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a group of life-threatening metabolic complications that can occur after initiation of cancer chemotherapy. Onset of TLS in the middle of chemotherapy, however, has not been reported previously in patients with hematologic malignancies.

Objective: We report a case of a patient who experienced TLS of super-acute onset accompanied by hypercytokinemia during chemotherapy treatment with a combination of doxorubicin (Adriamycin), bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD).

Probable interaction between warfarin and antitumor agents used in R-ESHAP chemotherapy.

Background: The pharmacologic effects of warfarin might be altered by various factors, including drug-drug interaction.

Case Summary: A 49-year-old Japanese man (height, 174 cm; weight, 68 kg) presented with a 20-month history of malignant lymphoma (diffuse large B cell lymphoma, clinical stage IV). He was treated with a combination of rituximab chemotherapy and etoposide, cisplatin, high-dose cytarabine, and methyl-prednisolone (R-ESHAP).

[Appropriate use of anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus agents in a retrospective study].

The track records of the use of anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus agents (anti-MRSA agents) in a 5-year period (2001.4-2006.3) were collected, and cases in which anti-MRSA agents were used for >4 days were selected.

Identification and partial characterization of a novel CYP2C9 splicing variant encoding a protein lacking eight amino acid residues.

CYP2C9 is known as an enzyme responsible for the metabolism of various clinically important drugs. Recently, we cloned a cDNA corresponding to a CYP2C9 splicing variant (SV), which seemed to have an open reading frame of a protein with 482 amino acid residues. To investigate whether or not the SV can be translated as a functionally active protein, we expressed the CYP2C9SV in insect cells, and spectrophotometric and enzymatic properties were characterized.

Phase I/II adenoviral p53 gene therapy for chemoradiation resistant advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

We investigated the feasibility, safety, biological activity and therapeutic efficacy of adenovirus-mediated p53 gene transfer in patients with chemoradiation resistant advanced esophageal carcinoma. Eligible patients were not surgical candidates and had measurable, advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus that was resistant to chemoradiation therapy. On a 28-day cycle, intratumoral injections of Ad5CMV-p53 (INGN 201; ADVEXIN) were administered on days 1 and 3 at four dose levels (10 x 10(11) particles to 25 x 10(11) particles) and treated for up to five cycles.

Molecular cloning of monkey CYP2C43 cDNA and expression in yeast.

A cDNA clone designated as CYP2C43 was isolated from the rhesus monkey liver cDNA library. The first 16 amino acid residues at the N-terminal region of this cDNA product were identical with those of P450 CMLd which have been purified and characterized as S-mephenytoin 4'-hydroxylase in monkey liver. The respective nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of CYP2C43 were 83% and 77%, identical to those of monkey CYP2C20.

Effects of continuous ingestion of green tea or grape seed extracts on the pharmacokinetics of midazolam.

Limited systematic data on herb-drug interaction are available, despite many opportunities to concomitant use of herb with prescribed drugs. We investigated the effects of 15 herbal extracts in dietary supplements on CYP2C9, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 activities in human liver microsomes. Strong inhibition of these CYP activities was found by the addition of green tea extracts (GTE) or grape seed extracts (GSE) in vitro.

[The interchange between hospital pharmacists and pharmacists: evaluation of practical classes "chozaigijutsu-konwakai" from the participants].

We have held practical classes called chozaigijutsu-konwakai(Konwakai) for pharmacists working in drugstores every month since December 1994. Konwakai is composed of lectures and practice. The practice is carried out for pharmacists to obtain a better understanding of prescriptions and compounding them in exercises.

CYP3A4 and CYP3A7-mediated carbamazepine 10,11-epoxidation are activated by differential endogenous steroids.

Recently, we reported that several endogenous steroids affect CYP3A4-mediated drug metabolism, using human adult liver microsomes as an enzyme source. Especially, carbamazepine (CBZ) 10,11-epoxidation is activated by androstenedione (AND). In the present studies, we investigated the effects of endogenous steroids on the activity of CBZ 10,11-epoxidation by expressed CYP3A4 and CYP3A7.

Effects of Kampo extracts on drug metabolism in rat liver microsomes: Rhei Rhizoma extract and Glycyrrhizae Radix extract inhibit drug oxidation.

In the present study, the effects on drug oxidations in rat liver microsomes in vitro using 126 Kampo extracts were investigated. Although the effects of inhibition on drug oxidations were dependent on the Kampo extracts and probe reactions studied, most of the Kampo extracts showed inhibitory effects on both N-demethylations of aminopyrine and erythromycin in rat liver microsomes. Among the Kampo extracts studied herein, Daio-kanzo-to exhibited the most remarkable inhibitory effect on both reactions.

Effects of endogenous steroids on CYP3A4-mediated drug metabolism by human liver microsomes.

In the present study, we investigated the effects of 14 endogenous steroids on the CYP3A4-mediated drug metabolism by human liver microsomes in vitro. Nevirapine (NVP) 2-, 12-hydroxylations, carbamazepine (CBZ) 10,11-epoxidation, triazolam (TZM) 1'-, 4-hydroxylations, erythromycin (EM) N-demethylation, and 2-sulphamoylacetylphenol (SMAP) formation from zonisamide (ZNS) were investigated. The activities of the NVP 2-, 12-hydroxylations, the CBZ 10,11-epoxidation, and the TZM 4-hydroxylation were activated by endogenous androgens, such as androstenedione (AND), testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone.