Efficacy of various larvicides against Aedes aegypti immatures in the laboratory.

We conducted a laboratory study to evaluate the efficacy of control agents against small larvae, large larvae, and pupae of Aedes aegypti to determine an appropriate larvicide regime to employ in emergency dengue control programs. The control agents included Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti), pyriproxyfen (an insect growth regulator), a larvicidal oil, Aquatain AMF (polydimethylsiloxane, a monomolecular film), and temephos at the recommend application dosages and rates.

A dengue vector surveillance by human population-stratified ovitrap survey for Aedes (Diptera: Culicidae) adult and egg collections in high dengue-risk areas of Taiwan.

Aedes aegypti L. is the primary dengue vector in southern Taiwan. This article is the first report on a large-scale surveillance program to study the spatial-temporal distribution of the local Ae.

Screening of dengue virus in field-caught Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) by one-step SYBR green-based reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay during 2004-2007 in Southern Taiwan.

We carried out virological surveillance of dengue virus (DENV) in field-caught Aedes mosquitoes during 2004-2007 to estimate the monthly prevalence of infected females in dengue high-risk areas of Taiwan. A total of 92,892 Aedes aegypti (43,133 females and 49,759 males) and 79,315 Aedes albopictus (57,319 females and 21,996 males) adults were collected, grouped into 25,654 pools, and processed for virus detection using a one-step SYBR Green-based real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay. DENVs were periodically and sympatrically detected in Ae.

Drug-drug interactions of silymarin on the perspective of pharmacokinetics.

Silymarin, which is extracted from the milk thistle (Silybum marianum), has been used for centuries for treating hepatic disorders and its hepatoprotective effects have been known for hundreds of years. Silymarin is a mixture of polyphenoic flavonoids, which include silibinin (silybin A and silybin B), isosilyin A and B, silychristin A and B, silydianin and other phenol compounds. The pharmacokinetics of silibinin shows fast absorption and elimination.

Hepatobiliary excretion of silibinin in normal and liver cirrhotic rats.

Silibinin is the main biologically active flavonolignan extracted from the seeds and fruits of milk thistle and has potential efficacy in the treatment of liver disease. The aim of the present study was to examine the hepatobiliary excretion of silibinin and its effect on dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced liver cirrhosis. The experiments were divided into five groups: 10, 30, and 50 mg/kg silibinin alone, 30 mg/kg silibinin coadministered with cyclosporin A (CsA), and 50 mg/kg silibinin with liver cirrhosis induced by DMN.

Analysis of silibinin in rat plasma and bile for hepatobiliary excretion and oral bioavailability application.

Silibinin is an herbal ingredient isolated from milk thistle. The aim of this study was to develop a simple liquid chromatographic system to assay silibinin in plasma and bile for pharmacokinetic study. Silibinin was given oral and intravenously.

Effect of silibinin on the pharmacokinetics of pyrazinamide and pyrazinoic acid in rats.

Pyrazinamide (PZA) is widely used in combination with other drugs in chemotherapy for tuberculosis. However, the dose-related liver injury is the main adverse effect of PZA and its metabolite [pyrazinoic acid (PA)]. Silibinin is the main flavonoid extracted from milk thistle (Silybum marianum), and it displays hepatoprotective properties.

Regulation of hepatobiliary excretion of sinomenine by P-glycoprotein in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Sinomenine, an herbal ingredient isolated from Sinomenium acutum, is used for the amelioration of arthritis. Using microdialysis and a specially constructed hepato-duodenal shunt probe, the present study investigated the pharmacokinetics of sinomenine in rat blood and bile and the effects of P-glycoprotein modulation and cytochrome P450 inhibition. The results indicated that the pharmacokinetics of sinomenine in rat blood appeared to be dose dependent in the 3 to 30 mg/kg range.