The detection of influenza virus at the community pharmacy to improve the management of local residents with influenza or influenza-like disease.

BACKGROUND: As of 2014, community pharmacies in Japan are approved by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to measure lipid panel, HbA1c, glucose, ALT, AST and γ-GTP, but not to screen for influenza virus. We provided influenza virus screening tests at a community pharmacy to triage people with symptoms suggestive of influenza. Participants were given appropriate advice on how to prevent the spread of and safeguard against influenza. We subsequently evaluated the effects of community pharmacy-based influenza virus screening and prevention measures. METHODS: Local residents with symptoms suggestive of influenza participated in this study. Influenza virus screening tests using nasal samples were provided to the pharmacy, and we assessed samples for the presence of influenza virus. The study consisted of a preliminary interview, informed consent, and screening test on Day 1, and mail-in survey on Day 14. RESULTS: A total 52 local residents participated in the study. The number of participants and influenza virus positive results followed the same trend as the influenza epidemic in the study area. Influenza virus was found in 28.8% of samples. There was no significant difference between the appearance ratios of subjective symptoms among influenza-positive and influenza-negative groups. The percentages of participants who were first screened at the pharmacy, and those who were first screened at a clinic and then tested again at the pharmacy, were 71.2% (37/52) and 28.8% (15/52), respectively. In the latter group, 14 of 15 were negative by screening at the clinic, and one was diagnosed with influenza without testing. Subsequently, 46.8% (7/15) of participants tested positive for influenza by pharmacy-based screening. According to the mail-in survey, all influenza-positive (100%, 7/7) and 35.3% (6/17) of influenza-negative participants visited the clinic after being tested at the community pharmacy; test results between the community pharmacy and clinic were consistent. A total 64.7% (11/17) of symptomatic participants who tested negative recovered spontaneously at home. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of influenza virus screening followed by provision of appropriate advice for both influenza-positive and influenza-negative participants at the community pharmacy showed a significant effect on improving the health of the local community.

Instructing students to measure their own bone density and prepare a simulated health class during pharmacy school improves their awareness and understanding of osteoporosis prevention.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is estimated to afflict over 200 million people worldwide and healthcare professionals are needed to successfully intervene. The aim of this study was to assess cognitive changes in students pertaining to the primary prevention of osteoporosis after measuring their bone density and having them participate in a simulated health class during pharmacy school. METHODS: Third year pharmacy students participated in the training program, which consisted of measuring their bone density using quantitative ultrasound and preparing educational materials and conducting a simulated health class. The students' knowledge concerning the prevention and education on osteoporosis was surveyed using questionnaires before and after the training. RESULTS: The bone area ratio (BAR) in 24 % of the students was evaluated as category 4 (slightly low) or 5 (low or caution). Regression analysis indicated a significant relationship between the BAR and amount of exercise reported in both males (p = 0.005) and females (p = 0.004). The student-made educational materials were prepared in line with the requirements of the Japanese 2011 guidelines. The student response rates for the importance of food, exercise, and the bone density measurement in youth were significantly increased after the training (p < 0.001 in all). More than 95 % of students reported that the program was useful, improved their understanding, and important, with 94 % satisfied with the experience. CONCLUSIONS: This experience-based educational program combining measuring the bone density and the preparation and presentation of a simulated health class appeared to improve the awareness and understanding of osteoporosis prevention in pharmacy students.

Green tea catechin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, attenuates the cell viability of human non-small-cell lung cancer A549 cells via reducing Bcl-xL expression.

Clinical and epidemiological studies have indicated that the consumption of green tea has a number of beneficial effects on health. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCg), the major polyphenolic compound present in green tea, has received much attention as an active ingredient. Among the numerous promising profiles of EGCg, the present study focused on the anticancer effects. Apoptosis induced by EGCg and subsequent cell growth suppression have been demonstrated in a number of cell culture studies. However, the underlying mechanism of apoptotic cell death remains unclear. Thus, the aim of the present study was to identify the major molecule that mediates proapoptotic cell death by EGCg. The effect of EGCg on cell proliferation and the induction of mRNA that modulates apoptotic cell death was evaluated in the A549 human non-small-cell lung cancer cell line. In addition, morphological changes were assessed by microscopy in A549 cells that had been treated with 100 µM EGCg for 24 h. The MTT assay revealed that cell proliferation was significantly reduced by EGCg in a dose-dependent manner (3-100 µM). The mRNA expression level of B-cell lymphoma-extra large (Bcl-xL) was decreased in A549 cells following 24 h incubation with 100 µM EGCg. Therefore, the results indicated that the inhibition of cell proliferation by EGCg may be achieved via suppressing the expression of the cell death-inhibiting gene, Bcl-xL.

Simultaneous detection of green tea catechins and gallic acid in human serum after ingestion of green tea tablets using ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

We developed an analytical method for the simultaneous determination of tea catechins and gallic acid (GA) in human serum using ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detection. GA was measured to estimate the amount of gallate moiety produced by degradation of gallated catechins ((-)-epicatechin-3-gallate, ECG; (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, EGCG). Ethyl gallate was adopted as an internal standard to correct for the extraction efficiency. To maximize extraction efficiency, a hydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) filter was selected for pre-treatment prior to separation. HPLC separation was performed using a C18 reversed-phase column with a gradient mobile phase of phosphate buffer (pH 2.5) containing tetrahexylammonium hydrogensulfate as an ion-pair reagent. Using this method, (-)-epicatechin (EC), (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), ECG, EGCG, ethyl gallate, and GA were detected as single peaks. The resolution values for target analytes were 4.0-13.0 and the mean values of the absolute recoveries of catechins and GA were 77.3-93.9%. The detection limits for catechins and GA in serum were 0.4-3.1ng/mL. The serum catechin levels of eight healthy volunteers after ingestion of a single dose of green tea tablets were measured using this method. The concentration of total catechins (free+conjugated forms) in serum peaked 60min after ingestion. From these results, this method is thought to enable the simultaneous quantification of GA, the hydrolysis product of gallated catechins, and target catechins, and to be sufficiently sensitive for pharmacokinetic studies of catechins following oral administration of green tea.

Effect of pre-treatment with St John's Wort on nephrotoxicity of cisplatin in rats.

An herbal health care supplement, St John's Wort (SJW, Hypericum perforatum) has become widely used in the treatment of depression, and is known to interact with therapeutic drugs. Here we report a preventive effect of SJW on cisplatin nephrotoxicity in rats. Rats were given SJW (400 mg/kg/day, p.o.) for 10 consecutive days, and were injected with cisplatin (5 mg/kg, i.v.) on the day after the final SJW treatment. Cisplatin treatment increased the serum creatinine level, which is an index of nephrotoxicity, to 1.51+/-0.22 mg/dl (mean+/-SE) from 0.28+/-0.05 mg/dl (control) on day 5 after the cisplatin injection. This increase fell significantly to 0.86+/-0.13 mg/dl by pre-treatment with SJW. Cisplatin-induced histological abnormality of the kidney was blocked by pre-treatment with SJW. When SJW was administered for 10 days, the amounts of renal metallothionein (MT) and hepatic multidrug resistance protein 2 (Mrp2) were increased to 164.8+/-13.0% and 220.8+/-39.3% (mean+/-SE) of controls, respectively. GSH levels in the kidney and liver were not changed. Total and free cisplatin concentration in serum was not influenced by SJW treatment. In conclusion, the results suggest that pre-treatment with SJW may diminish cisplatin nephrotoxicity.

Up-regulation of methionine-enkephalin-like immunoreactivity by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin treatment in the forebrain of the Long-Evans rat.

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is considered to be one of the most toxic environmental contaminants, named dioxin. Exposure to TCDD induces a plethora of intoxication symptoms, including anorexia and hypothermia, in several mammals and human. Enkephalin, an endogenous pentapeptide, is an important neuroregulator of autonomic functions, such as food intake and body temperature. In this study, we investigated the effects of TCDD gastric administration on methionine-enkephalin (MEK) immunoreactivity in the brain of the Long-Evans rat, the species strain considered to be the most TCDD-susceptible, using immunohistochemical staining. A single dose of TCDD (dissolved in olive oil, 50 microg/kg) or olive oil alone was administrated to the rats by gavage. Compared with the vehicle-treated rat, a marked increase in the density of MEK immunoreactive cell bodies, fibers and terminals was found 2 weeks after TCDD treatment in the forebrain of the TCDD-treated rat, i.e. the central amygdaloid nucleus, field CA3 of the hippocampus, paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, medial preoptic nucleus, interstitial nucleus of the posterior limb of the anterior commissure, lateral globus pallidus, ventral pallidum and lateral division of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. These results demonstrated for the first time a site-specific increased enkephalinergic activity in certain brain regions of the Long-Evans rat. It is suggested that the increased MEK immunoreactivity may act as a compensatory adaptation for the pathophysiological alterations caused by TCDD exposure.

Role of the vestibular nuclei in endothelin-1-induced barrel rotation in rats.

The fourth or lateral ventricular injection of endothelin-1 resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the barrel rotation and produced marked induction of c-Fos-positive cells in the vestibular nuclei. The doses of the former injection were lower and had shorter mean latent periods compared with the later injection. c-Fos expression after endothelin-1 injection was prevented by the pretreatment with the endothelin ET(A) receptor antagonist, cyclo(D-alpha-aspartyl-L-propyl-D-valyl-L-leucyl-D-tryptophyl) (BQ-123), the glutamate NMDA receptor antagonist, dizocilpine maleate (MK-801), or the L-type Ca(2+) channel antagonist, verapamil, in addition to the incidence of the rotational behavior. There was a significant difference in c-Fos expression between the right and left medial vestibular nuclei, and the number of c-Fos-labeled neurons in the medial vestibular nucleus was markedly increased on the opposite side of the rotational direction. These results suggest that the elicitation of the barrel rotation may be mediated by endothelin ET(A) receptors, glutamate NMDA receptors, and L-type Ca(2+) channels. The changes in the receptor and channel systems induced by endothelin-1 injections appeared to exert crucial influences on the vestibular nuclei and then on the maintenance of equilibrium. The direction of the barrel rotation has a deep connection with the imbalance of neuronal activity in the left and right medial vestibular nuclei.