Derivatives of glutathione (γ-Glu-Cys-Gly) and glutathione-derived inhibitors of enzymes involved in glutathione-related metabolism can be used as therapeutic agents against various diseases. However, their intracellular delivery is difficult because of poor cell membrane permeability due to high hydrophilicity. Conventional design strategies to enhance cell membrane permeability include the esterification of carboxy groups in γ-Glu and Gly residues. However, our design strategy involves replacing a carboxy group in the Gly residue with a structurally similar but more lipophilic counterpart; the hydrolysis rate of a Gly ester residue in glutathione is slow. Herein, to preliminarily validate our new design strategy, we investigated the cellular uptake and intracellular metabolism of carboxy group-modified glyoxalase I inhibitors derived from glutathione, which were radiolabeled for tracing their behaviors. We synthesized and evaluated three radioiodinated model compounds [¹²⁵I]2–4 using NH₂-γ-Glu[-Dab(N-(p-bromobenzoyl)-N-hydroxyl)-Gly-OH]-OH (1) as a lead compound in vitro. [¹²⁵I]2, a conventional diester, features two carboxy groups esterified with cyclopentyl alcohol. A new design strategy was followed for [¹²⁵I]3 and [¹²⁵I]4, wherein the ester group at the Gly residue in [¹²⁵I]2 was replaced by a CH₂OH or CF₃ group. These compounds showed log D_7.4 values suitable for membrane permeability. Their cellular uptake increased in a time-dependent manner; however, that of [¹²⁵I]3 remained low. While the majority of metabolites of [¹²⁵I]2 comprised multiple unknown compounds, the main metabolite of [¹²⁵I]4 was monocarboxylic acid generated by the hydrolysis of an ester of γ-Glu residue. These results provide useful insights for developing glutathione-derived therapeutic agents.

Paclitaxel (PTX) is an anticancer drug that induces peripheral neuropathy-associated muscle weakness. However, only a few effective therapeutic agents are currently available. Shakuyakukanzoto (SKT) is a traditional kampo medicine that consists of two herbal medicines, Paeoniae radix (PR) and Glycyrrhizae radix (GR). SKT is used to treat muscle-related pain. Recently, we found that mice treated with PTX exhibited decreased grip strength. In the present study, we demonstrated that SKT attenuated the decrease in grip strength in mice treated with PTX. PTX was injected intraperitoneally once daily, every other day, a total of four times in mice. Dried water extract (WE)-SKT, WE-PR, and WE-GR were orally administered once a daily. PTX induced a reduction in grip strength. WE-SKT, but not WE-PR or WE-GR, inhibited the decrease in grip strength in PTX-treated mice. PTX decreased peripheral blood flow in mice. WE-SKT and WE-PR, but not WE-GR, inhibited the decrease in peripheral blood flow in PTX-treated mice. Histochemical staining showed that PTX induced skeletal muscle atrophy, whereas WE-SKT, but not WE-PR and WE-GR, inhibited atrophy. PTX reduced proliferation and F-actin formation in C2C12 cells. WE-SKT did not inhibit the above action of PTX in C2C12 cells. These results show that the direct action of PTX on skeletal muscles and PTX-induced muscle atrophy may be involved in the decrease in grip strength and peripheral blood flow. It is suggested that the improvement of these things by SKT contributes the inhibitory action of SKT on PTX-induced muscle weakness.

A migraine is a type of chronic headache characterized by severe pain, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms, and anxiety experienced during interictal periods also affects patients’ quality of life. However, consultation rates with doctors or specialists remain low. This study aimed to identify factors influencing medical consultation and examine the role of pharmacists. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 600 people in their 20s to 40s who regularly experience headaches. All respondents were divided into two groups: the Doctor-visited
group (those who had visited a medical institution at least once) and the Non-doctor-visited group (those who had never visited a medical institution). The Doctor-visited group contained significantly more migraine sufferers (p < 0.001) and was significantly more likely to have consulted a pharmacist (p < 0.001). Among those in the Doctor-visited group who consulted a pharmacist, only 34% cited pharmacist’s advice as the reason for visiting a doctor. The main reasons for not consulting a doctor included self-assessing their headache as “mild,” “usual,”
or “temporary.” Respondents’ Headache Impact Test and Migraine Interictal Burden Scale showed a high correlation. However, some respondents did not seek professional support even when their headaches were highly disruptive, indicating that severity does not solely determine their decision to visit a medical institution. These results suggest that pharmacists should actively support patients’ decision-making by assessing their headache disruptiveness and promoting appropriate medical utilization.

Patients undergoing hemodialysis are prone to gastrointestinal complications such as constipation, indigestion, abdominal pain, and reflux, with constipation being a particular problem. Various reasons, including fluid intake and dietary restrictions, decreased bowel motility due to changes in body water content, decreased physical activity during dialysis, and the use of serum potassium suppressants and phosphorus-adsorbing drugs, can explain this. However, there are no guidelines for treating constipation in patients undergoing hemodialysis, and physicians still use their own judgment when selecting medications. In this study, we investigated the use of laxatives in patients undergoing hemodialysis and evaluated their safety. The results showed that 40.0% of the patients regularly used laxatives. The laxative Macrogol (Movicol®) accounted for more than 80% of the patients. No changes in body weight or serum potassium levels were observed after 3 months of Movicol® initiation, suggesting that the drug is safe for patients undergoing hemodialysis.

This distinctive single-center survey study aimed to assess the actual awareness of oral care and the understanding of oral health and periodontal disease among patients visiting not a dental clinic, but a community pharmacy. Out of the 225 patients who were given the questionnaire, 150 provided valid responses. Participants were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of interest in oral care. The proportion of participants in the interested group who had relatives working in healthcare, visited the dentist frequently, and used oral care products was significantly higher than that of participants in the uninterested group. However, in each group, only a small proportion of participants understood parts of the oral cavity regarding the development of periodontal disease. More patients with diabetes were in the uninterested group. Participants in the uninterested group also tend to show a passive attitude for oral health. Furthermore, a large number of participants were unaware that pregnancy and genetics could be risk factors for periodontal disease. The results indicated that the one of the most important factors in improving oral care awareness is providing accurate information regarding oral hygiene and prevention of periodontal disease. Pharmacies and pharmacists serve as the most accessible healthcare institutions and professionals within the community. Therefore, to prevent periodontal disease and to improve oral health awareness, pharmacists need to provide information regarding oral health and pharmacies should serve as the first point of access for community residents.

Virgin coffee inner husk (VCIH) and VCIH calcined at 1000°C (CIH1000) were prepared in this study. These adsorbents were characterized by scanning electron microscopy imaging, thermal analysis, specific surface area measurements, surface functional groups, and point-of-zero charge (pH_pzc). The adsorption capacity of methylene blue (MB) was greater for CIH1000 than for VCIH. In addition, the MB adsorption capacity was evaluated by demonstrating the effect of initial concentration, temperature, contact time, and pH on the adsorption. The results were fitted to both the Langmuir model (correlation coefficient: 0.915–0.997) and the pseudo-second-order model (correlation coefficient: 0.989–0.997). To elucidate the MB adsorption mechanism, elemental distributions and binding energies were characterized and the components of MB (carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen) were detected after adsorption. These findings provide useful information for the removal of MB from aqueous media.