Curcumin [1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione] is the active ingredient of turmeric, which has a long history of being consumed as a dietary spice.1) In addition, turmeric is widely used in traditional Indian medicine to treat biliary disorders, anorexia, cough, diabetic complications, hepatic disorders, rheumatism, and sinusitis.2) Extensive investigation over the past five decades has indicated that curcumin reduces blood cholesterol, prevents low-density lipoprotein oxidation, inhibits platelet aggregation, suppresses thrombosis and myocardial infarction, suppresses symptoms associated with type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer's disease, inhibits human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication, enhances wound healing, protects against liver injury, increases bile secretion, protects from cataract formation, and protects against pulmonary toxicity and fibrosis.3-5) Evidence indicates that the divergent effects of curcumin are dependent on its pleiotropic molecular effects.In spite of these attractive properties of curcumin, information on the therapeutic efficiency of curcumin has been limited, partly due to its poor oral bioavailability. 6) Curcumin was found to be poorly soluble in water, the maximum solubility of which in aqueous buffer (pH 5.0) was reported to be as low as 11 ng/ml.7) The limited solubility of curcumin, as well as extensive systemic metabolism, could be responsible for the low bioavailability of curcumin after oral delivery. [8][9][10] In addition, curcumin in solution may be sensitive to UV light, and so marked photochemical degradation could occur under UV exposure, 11) leading to difficulty in its handling for clinical use.A number of efforts have been made to design a soluble formulation of curcumin, but no suitable delivery options have been found so far. We have developed an effective preparation of curcumin, a nano-particle colloidal dispersion, with improved oral bioavailability, and named it THER-ACURMIN. It has the following unique properties: 1) it is an effective preparation for new health care products (beverages, food, and supplements) which may be taken at a much lower dosage; 2) it is soluble in water, which is a must for an effective beverage product; 3) the preparation is highly stable in light (UV), and, therefore, can be put into transparent PET bottles; 4) it is heat-stable, including high temperature sterilization conditions; 5) the preparation has no unpleasant odor or taste.The main purpose of this study was to provide evidence to support the improved bioavailability and alcohol-toxicity-reducing effect of THERACURMIN through oral delivery. We evaluated the plasma pharmacokinetics of this new curcumin preparation and compared the results with curcumin powder after oral administration in rats and healthy human subjects. We also investigated the effect of THERACURMIN on the toxicity of alcohol following drinking. MATERIALS AND METHODS Preparation of Curcumin Powder and THERACUR-MINCurcumin powder was extracted...

THERACURMIN can safely increase plasma curcumin levels in a dose-dependent manner at least up to 210 mg without saturating the absorption system. To the best of our knowledge, THERACURMIN is the first nanoparticle formulation of curcumin that demonstrates improved bioavailability in human subjects. We believe this compound could be a promising tool when testing the potential anticancer effects of curcumin in clinical trials.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to compare 27-gauge (27G) with 25-gauge (25G) microincision vitrectomy in patients with epiretinal membrane (ERM).ParticipantsSeventy-four eyes of 66 patients undergoing 3-port pars plana vitrectomy using 27G or 25G instrumentation.MethodsSeventy-four eyes of 66 patients with ERM, who underwent 27G or 25G microincision vitrectomy were prospectively evaluated.ResultsThe mean operation time for vitrectomy was significantly longer in the 27G group than in the 25G group (9.9±3.5 vs 6.2±2.7 min, respectively, P<0.0001). No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of the mean operation time for ERM–inner limiting membrane peeling (27G vs 25G: 20.2±9.9 vs 16.1±9.3 min, P=0.14), although the time for vitreous cutting was longer in the 27G group (9.9±3.5 vs 6.2±2.7 min, respectively, P<0.0001). The flare value, intraocular pressure (IOP), and rate of hypotony 1 day after surgery did not differ between the 27G and 25G groups (flare value: 18.7 vs 17.2; IOP: 8.8 vs 9.7 mm Hg; rate of hypotony: 30 vs 35%, respectively). There was no significant difference in the surgically induced astigmatism between the two groups in the follow-up period. The mean time required for wound closure did not show a significant difference between the 27G and 25G groups (7.7 vs 8.6 weeks, respectively).ConclusionThe 27G system is as safe and useful for ERM vitrectomy as the 25G system. Based on its potential, further improvement of 27G instruments could result in greater efficiency.

Thymidine Phosphorylase (dThdPase) is the rate-tissues expressed high levels of DPD (median >70 U/mg limiting enzyme that metabolizes 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine protein), while high concentrations of the dThdPase were (5'-dFUrd, doxifluridine), an intermediate metabolite of expressed in esophageal, cervical, breast, and pancreatic capecitabine, to the active drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FUra), while cancers and hepatoma (median >150 U/mg protein). The dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) catabolizes 5-FUra dThdPase/DPD ratio, which was reported to correlate with to an inactive molecule. The susceptibility of tumors to the susceptibility of human cancer xenografts to capecitabine, fluoropyrimidines is reported to correlate with tumor levels was high in esophageal, renal, breast, colorectal, and gastric of these enzymes. To obtain some insight into the tumor cancers (median ratio of > 1.5). In any of these three parameters, types susceptible to fluoropyrimidine therapy, we measured the inter-patient DPD variability for each cancer type was expression levels of these two enzymes in various types of much larger than the DPD variability among cancer types; human cancer tissues (241 tissue samples) by the ELISA highest/lowest ratios for dThdPase, DPD, and dThdPase/DPD methods. DPD exists in all the cancer types studied, such were 10-321, 7-513, and 2-293, respectively. These results as bladder, breast, cervical, colorectal, esophageal, gastric, indicate that measurements of the three parameters, DPD, hepatic, pancreatic, prostate, and renal cancers. Among them, dThdPase and dThdPase/DPD, would be useful criteria for the cervical, hepatic, pancreatic, esophageal, and breast cancer selecting cancer patients suitable for fluoropyrimidine therapy rather than for selecting cancer types.

PurposeTo determine whether the inverted internal limiting membrane (ILM) flap technique contributes to high reattachment and closure rates in patients with macular hole-associated retinal detachment (MHRD).Patients and methodsIn all, 15 eyes of 15 patients with MHRD undergoing 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy with the inverted ILM flap technique or ILM peeling. The patients were divided into the inverted ILM flap technique group (6 eyes) and ILM peeling group (9 eyes). The logarithm of minimal angle of resolution best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and retinal attachment and macular hole closure rates were compared between the two groups before and after surgery.ResultsNo significant differences were found in the pre- and postoperative BCVA at 1 and 3 months after surgery in either group (inverted ILM flap technique group, preoperatively 1.04±0.55, 1 month 0.95±0.30, 3 months 0.83±0.22; ILM peeling group, preoperatively 1.00±0.44, 1 month 1.05±0.38, 3 months 1.06±0.49; P>0.05, respectively). The postoperative BCVA at 6 months after surgery was significantly better in the inverted ILM flap technique group than in the ILM peeling group (inverted ILM flap technique group, 0.62±0.35; ILM peeling group, 1.02±0.41, P=0.045). The improvement in BCVA was significantly better in the inverted ILM flap technique group than in the ILM peeling group (inverted ILM flap technique group, –0.41±0.29; ILM peeling group, 0.02±0.36; P=0.021). The primary macular hole closure rates were 100% in the inverted ILM flap technique group and 55.5% in the ILM peeling group. The primary reattachment rates were 100% in the inverted ILM flap technique group and 55.5% in the ILM peeling group. The primary macular hole closure and reattachment rates were not significantly different in both groups (P=0.056, respectively).ConclusionThe inverted ILM flap technique is a useful procedure for MHRD in highly myopic eyes.