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Histones are intracellular proteins that are structural elements of nuclear chromatin and regulate gene transcription. However, the extracellular histones released in response to bacterial challenges have been identified as mediators contributing to endothelial dysfunction, organ failure, and death during sepsis. In the present study, the adsorption of histones as well as plasma proteins (α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), albumin, and γ-globulin) on alginic acid, pectin, dextran, and chitosan was examined in order to evaluate the potential of natural polysaccharides as therapeutic agents for multiple organ failure in sepsis. Alginic acid and pectin strongly adsorbed histones, whereas the adsorption abilities of dextran and chitosan toward histones were very low or negligible. Among the natural polysaccharides examined, only alginic acid did not adsorb any of the plasma proteins. These results demonstrated that alginic acid strongly adsorbed histones, but not plasma proteins; therefore, it has potential as a candidate drug for the treatment of multiple organ failure in sepsis.

The Eudragit RS and polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400) blend polymer (EPG) membranes were prepared by the solvent casting method to pioneer a novel application of Eudragit RS to a thermo-sensitive material. The EPG membranes containing 2.5-10% PEG 400 (2.5-10% EPG) showed the glass transition temperatures (Tgs) around the body temperature (32-42 degrees C). Drug permeation studies through the EPG membranes were carried out using acetaminophen (AAP) and aminopyrine (AMP) as the model drugs. The permeability of AAP and AMP through the EPG membranes has been shown to be a discontinuous function of temperature, that is, their permeability increased steeply above the Tg of the membranes. The amount of AMP permeated at 42 degrees C was nearly eight times as much as that at 36 degrees C. Arrhenius plots of the steady-state permeability coefficient (P) of AAP indicated two straight lines that intersect at the Tg of the 10% EPG membrane. In the water uptake study for the 10% EPG membrane, the degree of the swelling for the membrane tended to increase with increasing temperature above the Tg of the membrane. The thermo-sensitive permeation mechanism for the EPG membranes might be based on the structure change of the membranes caused by the glass transition, so that the membranes could absorb more water. Considering the high biological safety of Eudragit RS and PEG 400, the EPG membranes might be used to develop a novel thermo-sensitive drug delivery system.

In order to develop the polymer materials having temperature-sensitive and high biological safety, Eudragit RS-PO and polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400) blend polymers (EPG) were prepared. The EPGs that have the glass transition temperature (Tg) at around the body temperature were prepared by the addition of 5--13% PEG 400 to Eudragit RS. As glassy polymers are not in thermodynamic equilibrium below their Tg, the effects of isothermal aging on the T(g)s of Eudragit RS and EPG containing 10% PEG 400 (10% EPG) were also studied at various aging temperatures. The Tg values of Eudragit RS increased with the aging time and after 30 d of aging, they apparently reached constant values which markedly differed depending on the aging temperatures. On the other hand, the Tg values of 10% EPG were almost independent of the aging temperature and reached around 33 degrees C at 30 d after aging. The ability as thermo-sensitive polymer of EPG was evaluated by the dissolution test of the acetaminophen (AAP) matrix tablets prepared with EPG. The AAP release rate from the EPG matrix tablets slightly changed below the Tg of tablets, and then, it markedly increased above the Tg. Considering high biological safety of Eudragit RS and PEG 400, EPG might be available to develop the novel thermo-sensitive drug delivery systems.

Two types of magnetically responsive sustained release tablets (magnetic tablet) with different drug release rates were prepared using acetaminophen (AAP) as the model drug. The effect of the gastric residence of these magnetic tablets on the bioavailability of AAP was investigated by magnetically controlling the gastric emptying time (GET) in beagle dogs. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) of the AAP magnetic tablets after administration with magnet application increased about 2-fold as compared to that during administration without the application of the magnet. The mean residence time (MRT) of AAP magnetic tablets also tended to be prolonged by magnet application. It was suggested from the AAP absorption rate-time profiles obtained using a deconvolution method that the variation in these pharmacokinetic parameters was caused by the delay of 3 h in the GET. Furthermore, the variation in the pharmacokinetic parameters was influenced by the AAP release rate of the magnetic tablets.

In this study, the sonodynamically induced antitumor effect of pyrrolidine tris-acid fullerene (PTF) was investigated. Sonodynamically induced antitumor effects of PTF by focused ultrasound were investigated using isolated sarcoma-180 cells and mice bearing ectopically-implanted colon 26 carcinoma. Cell damage induced by ultrasonic exposure was enhanced by 5-fold in the presence of 80 µM PTF. The combined treatment of ultrasound and PTF suppressed the growth of the implanted colon 26 carcinoma. Ultrasonically induced 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidone-1-oxyl (4oxoTEMPO) production in the presence and absence of PTF was assessed, and it was shown that 80 µM PTF enhanced 4oxoTEMPO production as measured by ESR spectroscopy. Histidine, a reactive oxygen scavenger, significantly reduced cell damage and 4oxoTEMPO generation caused by ultrasonic exposure in the presence of PTF. These results suggest that singlet oxygen is likely to be involved in the ultrasonically induced cell damage enhanced by PTF.

The Eudragit RS and polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400) blend polymer (EPG) membranes were prepared by the solvent casting method to pioneer a novel application of Eudragit RS to a thermo-sensitive material. The EPG membranes containing 2.5-10% PEG 400 (2.5-10% EPG) showed the glass transition temperatures (Tgs) around the body temperature (32-42 degrees C). Drug permeation studies through the EPG membranes were carried out using acetaminophen (AAP) and aminopyrine (AMP) as the model drugs. The permeability of AAP and AMP through the EPG membranes has been shown to be a discontinuous function of temperature, that is, their permeability increased steeply above the Tg of the membranes. The amount of AMP permeated at 42 degrees C was nearly eight times as much as that at 36 degrees C. Arrhenius plots of the steady-state permeability coefficient (P) of AAP indicated two straight lines that intersect at the Tg of the 10% EPG membrane. In the water uptake study for the 10% EPG membrane, the degree of the swelling for the membrane tended to increase with increasing temperature above the Tg of the membrane. The thermo-sensitive permeation mechanism for the EPG membranes might be based on the structure change of the membranes caused by the glass transition, so that the membranes could absorb more water. Considering the high biological safety of Eudragit RS and PEG 400, the EPG membranes might be used to develop a novel thermo-sensitive drug delivery system.