Potential of Aluminum Drug Packages with Press-Through Packaging Considering Usability for a Wide Range of Users.

Purpose: Press-through packages (PTPs) are frequently used for the packaging of prescription drugs in Japan. However, tablets or capsules packaged in PTPs may become unstable and difficult to store. Therefore, aluminum pouches (pillow packages) are applied as an additional packaging option.

Trends in prescription of anti-seizure medications in Japan between 2018 and 2021: A retrospective study using the National Database Open Data Japan.

Purpose: This retrospective study aimed to analyze anti-seizure medication (ASM) prescription trends in Japan, particularly among older adults and women of childbearing age, to inform future treatment strategies and optimize ASM selection criteria.

Methods: Data were extracted from the National Database Open Data Japan for fiscal years (FY) 2018-2021, covering prescriptions across sex and 5-year age groups. We conducted data imputation for prescriptions under 1,000 units to maintain anonymity, calculated the estimated number of patients using standard adult maintenance doses, and adjusted for pediatric dosing using Augsberger's formula.

The Current Status of Utilizing a Medication Record Handbook for Evaluating Shared Medication History: A Retrospective Study Using the Japanese National Claims Database.

While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted medication adherence and consultation patterns, its effects on the medical practice and dispensary separation system of Japan remain unclear. Thus, the utilization of the medication record handbook (MRH) in both medical and dental areas remains uncertain. This study uses the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan (NDB); we analyzed the separation of medication prescription and dispensing in both medicine and dentistry, as well as estimated how much drug information is shared by utilizing a patient-carried MRH.

Feasibility of Child-Resistant and Senior-Friendly Press-Through Packages: Potential of Different Materials.

Press-through packaging (PTP) is the most common type of drug packaging in Japan, and a production procedure for PTP has been established at an acceptable cost. However, unknown problems and new needs with regard to safety among users of various age-groups still need to be examined. Considering accident reports involving children and older adults, the safety and quality of PTP and new forms of PTP, such as child-resistant and senior-friendly (CRSF) packaging, should be evaluated.

Evaluation of Newly Designed Blister Packs for Easier Handling to Prevent Pill Dropping.

Background: Blister packs with paperboard backing, which is useful for displaying instructions and information, are the most popular type of packaging for osteoporosis drugs in Japan. However, the main users of drugs are the aged, who often find blister packs difficult to open or drop their pills during opening. In this study, we compared different types of blister packs in terms of usability and handling.

Amino acid analyses of the exosome-eluted fractions from human serum by HPLC with fluorescence detection.

Objectives: Amino acid levels in serum or plasma are used for early detection and diagnosis of several diseases. The objective of this study was to analyze amino acid levels in serum exosomes, which have not been previously reported.

Design And Methods: We investigated the amino acid composition of exosomes from human serum using HPLC with fluorescence detection.

Mechanical Role of Nesprin-1-Mediated Nucleus-Actin Filament Binding in Cyclic Stretch-Induced Fibroblast Elongation.

The intracellular mechanical link tethering the nucleus to the cytoskeleton has been suggested to be the linker of the nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex. Previous studies have reported that knockdown of nesprin-1, a component of the LINC complex that directly binds to actin filaments, suppresses cellular morphological response to mechanical stimuli. The relation between nesprin-1 knockdown and cellular morphological changes, however, remains unclear.

Determination of sex-based differences in serum γ-linolenic [corrected] acid and dihomo-γ-linolenic [corrected] acid using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Because serum unsaturated fatty acids can provide useful information on disease diagnosis, the simultaneous determination of several fatty acids in small volumes of human serum would be beneficial for clinical applications. In the present study, serum fatty acids were extracted with n-heptane/chloroform from 10μL of serum collected from 26 healthy Japanese subjects (11 men, ages 23-37 years; 15 women, ages 18-37 years) after deproteinization with perchloric acid, derivatization to their methyl ester using p-toluenesulfonic acid as an acid catalyst, and subsequent separation and measurement by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in the selected ion monitoring mode. Nine types of fatty acids (palmitoleic acid [PLA], oleic acid [OA], linoleic [corrected] acid [LA], γ-linolenic acid [GLA], α-linolenic acid [ALA], dihomo-GLA [DGLA], arachidonic acid [AA], eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA], and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) were analyzed in the serum within 35 min by GC-MS.

Involvement of reactive oxygen species in the enhancement of membrane lipid peroxidation by sonodynamic therapy with functionalized fullerenes.

Background/aim: Sonodynamic cancer therapy is based on the preferential uptake and/or retention of a sonosensitizing drug (sonosensitizer) in tumor tissues and subsequent activation of the drug by ultrasound irradiation. In the present study, we investigated the participation of lipid peroxidation in the mechanism of the sonodynamically-induced antitumor effect with functionalized fullerenes, such as polyhydroxy fullerene (PHF.

Materials And Methods: Ultrasonically-induced cell damage and lipid peroxidation with PHF were compared in the same in vitro insonation setup.

Determination of free fatty acids in human serum by HPLC with fluorescence detection.

It has been suggested that serum concentrations of polyunsaturated essential fatty acids correlate with the symptoms or severity of various diseases, including depression and Alzheimer-type dementia, and that determination of serum fatty acids might be important for disease diagnosis. Thus, we developed to analyze serum fatty acids in healthy individuals by using a high-performance liquid chromatography method with fluorescence detection, because free fatty acids have a carboxyl group that can be derivatized with a fluorescent reagent, 4-N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl-7-N-(2-aminoethyl)amino-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole. This approach could quantify five types of free fatty acids [α-linolenic acid (ALA), palmitoleic acid (PLA), arachidonic acid (AA), linoleic acid (LA) and oleic acid (OA)] in human serum.

Quantitative analyses of schizophrenia-associated metabolites in serum: serum D-lactate levels are negatively correlated with gamma-glutamylcysteine in medicated schizophrenia patients.

The serum levels of several metabolites are significantly altered in schizophrenia patients. In this study, we performed a targeted analysis of 34 candidate metabolites in schizophrenia patients (n = 25) and compared them with those in age- and gender-matched healthy subjects (n = 27). Orthogonal partial least square-discriminant analysis revealed that complete separation between controls and patients was achieved based on these metabolites.

HPLC-fluorescence determination of thiol compounds in the serum of human male and female subjects using HILIC-mode column.

High-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection using a hydrophilic interaction chromatography-mode column (ZIC®-HILIC) was used to determine four kinds of thiol compounds in human serum. Sera were obtained from 34 subjects for this study (17 male subjects aged 22-38 years and 17 female subjects aged 18-38 years). Serum cysteine, cysteinylglycine, glutathione, and γ-glutamylcysteine, derivatized with ammonium 7-fluoro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole-4-sulfonate, were separated on the ZIC®-HILIC column and quantified.

The role of TNF-α in a murine model of Kawasaki disease arteritis induced with a Candida albicans cell wall polysaccharide.

Objectives: Various inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), have been reported to play roles in Kawasaki disease (KD). Recently, anti-TNF-α therapy was reported to show efficacy in patients who do not respond to high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. However, there are many gaps in our understanding of the role that TNF-α plays in the development of KD arteritis as well as whether anti-TNF-α therapy causes any histological changes in the arteritis.

Determination of l-tryptophan and l-kynurenine in Human Serum by using LC-MS after Derivatization with (R)-DBD-PyNCS.

Concentrations of l-tryptophan (l-Trp) and its metabolite, l-kynurenine (l-KYN), in sera of 19 normal subjects (age: 23.6 ± 3.5 y, male: 8, female: 11) were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with mass-spectrometric detection, following their derivatization with (R)-(-)-4-(N, N-dimethylaminosulfonyl)-7-(3-isothiocyanatopyrrolidin-1-yl)-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (DBD-PyNCS).

Enantiomeric separation of tolperisone and eperisone by reversed-phase HPLC with cellulose tris(3-chloro-4-methylphenylcarbamate)-coated chiral column.

Enantiomeric separations of centrally acting muscle relaxants, that is, tolperisone (TOL) and eperisone (EP), that are marketed as racemates were investigated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on a polysaccharide-based chiral column. Both TOL and EP are basic drugs because they contain a tertiary amino group and have similar chemical structures with the exception of the p-methylphenyl and p-ethylphenyl groups in TOL and EP, respectively. A reversed-phase chiral column, that is, a Chiralcel OZ-RH column, which bears cellulose tris(3-chloro-4-methylphenylcarbamate) as the chiral moiety, was effective for the enantiomeric separation of TOL and EP enantiomers.

Effects of inhaled lavender essential oil on stress-loaded animals: changes in anxiety-related behavior and expression levels of selected mRNAs and proteins.

Inhalation of various essential oils elicits behavioral changes as a consequence of a complex centrally coordinated response. To understand the molecular mechanisms of action of aromatic compounds on emotional responses, we evaluated the stress-induced changes in mouse brain and the efficacy of inhaled essential oil from Lavandula officinalis (LvEO) using two approaches: a behavioral test, and examining the expression levels of selected genes {fast nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR) mRNA, activity regulated cytoskeletal-associated protein (Arc) mRNA} and proteins {galactokinase 1 (GLK1) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)}. Animals were randomly divided into 4 groups depending on the treatment given: stress (-)/H20, stress (-)/LvEO, stress (+)/H2O, and stress (+)/LvEO group.

Vagus nerve stimulation induced long-lasting enhancement of synaptic transmission and decreased granule cell discharge in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of urethane-anesthetized rats.

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) ameliorates deficits of hippocampal functions, such as contextual learning and memory, probably through direct modulation of neuronal activity. Previous studies showed that VNS enhanced excitatory synaptic transmission in the hippocampal CA3 area via activation of β-adrenergic receptors. However, effects of VNS on excitatory synaptic transmission and action potential (AP) discharge of granule cells (GCs) in the dentate gyrus have not been studied.

Quantitative evaluation of the disintegration of orally rapid disintegrating tablets by X-ray computed tomography.

To measure the rapid disintegration of Oral Disintegrating Tablets (ODT), a new test (XCT) was developed using X-ray computing tomography (X-ray CT). Placebo ODT, rapid disintegration candy (RDC) and Gaster®-D-Tablets (GAS) were used as model samples. All these ODTs were used to measure oral disintegration time (DT) in distilled water at 37±2°C by XCT.

Organ accumulation in mice after inhalation of single or mixed essential oil compounds.

Essential oils are composed of multiple components. It is thought that the effect of essential oils is due to specific component ratios, which may differ from the original ratio when the essential oil is absorbed. However, very little detailed research exists in this area.

Interspecies comparison of chemical composition and anxiolytic-like effects of lavender oils upon inhalation.

Essential oils have traditionally been used for decades to alleviate the symptoms of various mental problems. In terms of anxiolytic-like properties, lavender oil is probably the most commonly used and best-studied essential oil. Although there is compositional variance among the oils extracted from different origins, there have been few studies performed to date to investigate how these differences affect the expression of anxiolytic-like activity.

Components of essential oils extracted from leaves and shoots of abies species in Japan.

The essential oils extracted from the leaves and the shoots of five Abies species (Pinaceae) growing in Japan, i.e., A.

Clinical effectiveness of KSS formula, a traditional folk remedy for alcohol hangover symptoms.

A formula (KSS formula) containing the pith of Citrus tangerine Hort. et Tanaka (Kitsuraku), the rhizome of Zingiber officinale (Shokyo), and brown sugar has been traditionally used in China for the treatment of discomfort and cold sensation in the abdomen after ingestion of large amounts of alcohol. We evaluated the clinical effectiveness of this formula on signs and symptoms of alcohol hangover (AH).