Object: Fucoidan is a sulfated polysaccharide in brown marine algae. Gagome kombu (Kjellmaniella crassifolia) is a Japanese edible seaweed and contains fucoidan abundantly. Recently, it was reported that fucoidan from Gagome kombu (GKF) had anti-tumor, immune-enhancing and anti-coagulant activities. In this study, we conducted a safety of GFK on the healthy adult.
Methods: Thirty-two healthy volunteers were randomly divided into 4 groups and administered a standard volume and three times volume of two kinds of test drinks containing GKF for 4 weeks.
Result: No abnormal changes were observed after test drinks ingestion on blood chemistry, urinalysis, hematological data and blood pressure. No severe adverse events related to test drinks were observed. Moreover, increase of Th1 cells was observed in immunological analysis.
Conclusion: This study suggests that GKF is safe in healthy adults.

Objective: Distigmine can cause cholinergic crisis as the side effect.  In 2010, the safety information of distigmine was announced and its dosage was changed up to 5 mg per day.  However, the malpractice that a pharmacist dispensed over dose of distigmine caused severe health damages in a community pharmacy.  Therefore, we made the protocol with the urologists for the appropriate use of distigmine, including contents of monitoring the side effects.  The purpose of this study was to measure using the protocol was useful for the propulsion of proper use of distigmine.
Methods: The protocol was introduced in 10 community pharmacies and 1 hospital pharmacy from December 2013 to April 2014, and the patients and pharmacists were filled out the answer to the questions that we have made.  The protocol consisted of five main checks; the dosage, lower urinary tract symptom, presence of renal disease, combined drugs, and signs of the side effects.  Each patient was filled out the checklist given by the pharmacist to monitor the signs of the side effects for 2 weeks.
Results: The 3 prescriptions of distigmine (18.8%) were more than 10 mg per day.  Although 2 patients were confirmed diarrhea and sweating etc., they were mild.  The pharmacists significantly more (p<0.05) answered that the protocol made their motivation to do the pharmaceutical interventions.  All of the patients answered that the pharmaceutical interventions made them relieved.
Conclusion: The use of protocol that we made supported pharmacists to do the pharmaceutical interventions and patients welcome them.

OBJECTIVEPhytoestrogen isoflavones (IFs) are considered to suppress estrogen-related cancers through their antiestrogenic activity. The antioxidant effect of IFs, however, has not been confirmed in anin vivo system, so suppression of hydroperoxide formation and resultant DNA adduct formation were studied.

METHODSThe antioxidant effects of the soya-hypocotyl tea (SHT), which contained daidzein (14+/-1.5 mg/l) and genistein (3+/-0.5 mg/l), were examined in Wistar rats fed the AIN-76 control diet or iron deficient diet (FeD) for 4 weeks. The intake amount of the diet and IFs were measured daily. Urinary excretion of IFs was measured for 3 days before sacrifice. In addition to the serum lipid analyses, phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide (PCOOH), and phosphatidylethanolamine hydroperoxide (PEOOH) production in red blood cells and the liver were measured as a biomarker of oxidants. Production of DNA adducts by oxidative stress was measured by the amount of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (oh(8)dG) in the liver and kidney, and urine. Histological changes were checked by H&E staining and immunohistochemistry for oh(8)dG.

RESULTSFeD rats showed anemia, growth retardation, hyperlipidemia. IFs only lowered the triacylglycerol level and did not change the cholesterol level. Rats fed the normal diet did not show suppression of PCOOH and PEOOH production in either red blood cells or the liver, while groups administered SHT showed suppressed production of PCOOH and PEOOH in the liver. The cumulative intake of daidzein, genistein and the total amount of IFs showed significant inverse associations with urinary excretion of oh(8)dG. oh(8)dG in the kidney showed an inverse association with the amount of oh(8)dG in the urine. Enzymehistochemically, a strong localization of oh(8)dG was found in the epithelial cells of the bile canaliculi and proximal tubules of the kidney.

CONCLUSIONIFs and SHT showed antioxidant effects at physiological concentrations in anin vivo system. The antioxidant effects of IFs decreased oxidation stress to the nuclear DNA, which was shown by the decreased oh(8)dG production. It is suggested that to prevent various cancers, in addition to the known antiestrogenie, antityrosin kinase, and other effects. IFs appeared to promote excretion of oh(8)dG.

BACKGROUND: Oral health is thought to be associated with diet quality, and socioeconomic status (SES) affects both oral health and diet. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the number of teeth and dietary intake as well as nutritional biomarker, considering the subjects' SES. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from 2049 individuals aged ≥ 50 years from the National Integrated Project for Prospective Observation of Non-communicable Disease and its Trends in the Aged 2010. The number of remaining teeth was categorized into age-specific quartiles (Q1 to Q4). We assessed the adjusted means and 95% confidence intervals for dietary variables by the number of teeth using analysis of covariance. Stratified analyses by SES were also conducted. RESULTS: The intake of grain products was 31 g higher, and those of vegetables and meat were 30 g and 8 g lower, respectively, in Q1 (fewer teeth) than in Q4 (more teeth). Carbohydrate intake was higher whereas protein, minerals (potassium, magnesium, and zinc), vitamins (vitamins A, E, B, B, β-carotene, and folic acid), and dietary fiber intakes were lower among individuals with fewer teeth. Adjusted mean serum albumin levels were low in Q1. The associations between the number of teeth and dietary intake were more evident in individuals with a low SES. CONCLUSIONS Having few remaining teeth was associated with a low nutrient intake and low serum albumin levels in middle-aged and older Japanese adults, and these associations were more evident in individuals with low SES.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carbohydrates ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diet ; Energy Intake ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Japan ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nutrients ; Nutrition Surveys ; Nutritional Status ; Serum Albumin ; analysis ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Tooth ; Vegetables