医療用・一般用漢方製剤の情報の比較検討：葛根湯

[Purpose] Kampo medicine is widely used in Japan. Although traditional Kampo medicines were used through the decoction and combination of constituent crude drugs, powdered preparations such as extract granules are often used for the sake of simplicity. Kakkonto is a decoction made of seven kinds of crude drugs, including Kakkon. Many Kakkonto preparations exist for both prescription drugs and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs in Japan and are often prescribed by doctors. Furthermore, Kakkonto is well-known by citizens and used frequently as a general purpose medicine. Therefore, in this research, we aimed to compare prescription contents and formulations of Kakkonto in prescription and OTC drugs existing in Japan and identify differences.[Method] We searched for “Kakkonto” on the website of the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency and obtained a package insert.[Result] As a result of our search of “Kakkonto,” we found 14 and 127 items for prescription and OTC drugs, respectively. For prescription drugs, 11 items were one of four prescriptions prescribed in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia, and the other item referred to Keishi instead of Keihi. The dosage was one time for all items. For OTC drugs, everything was one of the four prescriptions, but the dosage was 1/3 to 1 times the dose. As for formulations, 12 were in the form of powders and two were in tablet form for prescription drugs. For OTC drugs, 62 were formulated as powders, 13 as tablets, 48 as liquids, and four as decoctions. Many kinds of additives were used; even products by the same company included different additives, though dosage levels were often the same.[Conclusion] Kakkonto in prescription and OTC drugs had a wide range of herbal composition ratios and amounts thereof. Pharmacists should be aware of such differences and appropriately provide information to medical staffs, patients, and general consumers.論

北海道南部におけるキタムラサキウニ（Mesocentrotus nudus）の生殖周期と主要卵黄タンパク質 mRNA 量

We examined the reproductive cycle and transcription-level changes of the major yolk protein (MYP) in gonads of both sexes during the different reproductive stages of wild northern sea urchin, Mesocentrotus nudus, collected in two areas of southern Hokkaido, Japan. Histological evaluation revealed mature gonads in both April and August, suggesting two annual spawning seasons at Otoshibe, whereas one annual spawning season was observed in autumn (September) at Usujiri. The transcription levels of MYP, which is synthesized and stored in the gonads, increased from stage 1 (recovering) to stage 2 (growth) and thereafter decreased, in both female and male sea urchins. The current results indicate that two annual spawning seasons may occur in wild populations of the northern sea urchin in southern Hokkaido