Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

T Ofuji

Publications and source records attributed to T Ofuji.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

A multicenter double-blind controlled study of lobenzarit, a novel immunomodulator, in rheumatoid arthritis.

A multicenter double-blind study was carried out in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by comparing treatment with a novel immunomodulator, lobenzarit, disodium 4-chloro-2, 2'-iminodibenzoate, with an inert placebo. Both groups of patients received 75 mg/day of indomethacin as a basal regimen during the study period of 16 weeks. Group 1 (115 patients) received 240 mg/day lobenzarit, 80 mg TID, and Group 2 (115 patients) received placebo TID orally. A statistically significant improvement was noted in the number of swollen joints and in the Lansbury index at Weeks 12 and 16 in Group 1 as compared to Group 2. Overall clinical effectiveness was significantly higher in Group 1 (63%) than in Group 2 (43%). Incidence of side effects was 38% in Group 1 and 22% in Group 2. The most frequent side effect in both groups was gastrointestinal upset. Our data confirm that lobenzarit is a useful agent in the treatment of patients with RA.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

Simultaneous determination of glucuronides of trimetozine in human urine by gas chromatography.

A gas chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of four glucuronides (metabolites) of trimetozine excreted in human urine is described. The method involves pretreatment of the urine specimen [i.e. removal of interfering substances by solvent extraction, desalting on an ion-exchange (Amberlite XAD-2) column], and permethylation of glucuronides by reaction with methylsulfinyl carbanion and methyl iodide. The permethylated derivatives were submitted to gas chromatographic separation on an OV-17 column, and their structures were investigated by subsequent gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis. The minimum detectable concentration of each glucuronide is 5 micrograms/ml when 1 ml of urine is used. The utility of the present method is successfully demonstrated by determining the urinary concentration of four glucuronides following oral administration of trimetozine to human subjects.

Adult↗

[The separation of neuropeptides by high performance liquid chromatography and its application to the analysis of peptides in the rat pituitary neurointermediate lobe (author's transl)].

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for the separation of many neuropeptides. Chromatography was carried out using a Hitachi Model 638 high performance liquid chromatograph. Peptides and samples from tissue dissolved in an aqueous buffer were injected into a stainless-steel column (4 X 250mm) packed with Hitachi #3053 (octadecylsilane). The aqueous buffer consisted of NaH2PO4 and H3PO4. After a loading phase (0% organic solvent) of 1 min, the peptides were sequentially eluted at room temperature using a gradient of organic solvent (acetonitrile or methanol, 0-60%). The eluted polypeptides were detected by UV absorbance at 220nm, and then they were collected for subsequent bio and radioimmunoassay using a fraction collector. The gradient of methanol or acetonitrile in 0.02M NaH2PO4, 0.1% H2PO4 was useful for separating small molecular peptides. The gradient of acetonitrile in 0.05-0.1M NaH2PO4, 0.1% H2PO4 was useful for separating many neuropeptides including ACTH related peptides. Retention times of chromatographed polypeptides showed good reproducibility. Good reproducibility was also found in peak areas of these peptides. A linear relationship was observed between the doses of peptides and their peak areas. The extracts of rat pituitary neurointermediate lobe showed several peaks of UV absorbance on PHLC; some of them coincided with AVP, oxytocin, alph-MSH, CLIP and beta-endorphin but others were unidentified. AVP immunoreactivity showed one peak which coincided with the AVP peak of UV absorbance, but ACTH immunoreactivity showed 5-6 peaks. Thus, many polypeptides were well separated using HPLC by changing the eluting condition. The simplicity, speed, good reproducibility and good quality of the separations render this technique suitable for purification and quantitative analysis of neuropeptides, and the combination of HPLC, radioimmunoassay and bioassay gives very fine analysis of neuropeptides.

Animals↗

Clinical pharmacology of a new beta-adrenoceptor blocking drug, befunolol. Cross-over comparison with propranolol on repeated administration.

Repeated doses of a new beta-adrenoceptor blocking agent, befunolol, were administered orally to adult male volunteers for a cross-over comparison with propranolol. The beta-adrenoceptor blocking activity of befunolol was greater than that of propranolol when assessed by the percentage reduction in exercise-induced tachycardia. The elimination half-life of drug was significantly prolonged on repeated administration of propranolol, but not of befunolol. The percentage reduction in exercise-induced tachycardia was highly correlated with the log plasma level of each drug. Both drugs produced a significant reduction in pre-exercise systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and significant attenuation of exercise-induced rise in systolic blood pressure.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

Cerebrospinal fluid GABA levels in various neurological and psychiatric diseases.

Cerebrospinal fluid gamma-aminobutyric acid (CSF-GABA) was analysed by radioreceptor assay in 16 normal controls and 84 patients with various neurological and psychiatric diseases. In patients with spinocerebellar degeneration, neuro-Behçet's syndrome and Parkinson's disease, CSF-GABA levels were decreased. On the other hand, increased CSF-GABA levels were detected in patients with meningitis.

Adult↗