Factors linked to muscle weakness

The most cited professor at Kanazawa University, Ikumi Tamai, has dedicated his career to investigating the molecules and genes responsible for cardiomyopathy, muscle weakness, and Reye's syndrome. His key discoveries relate to human organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATPs), their associated genes and their roles in the body. Following on from these successes, Tamai went on to categorize all OATPs present in the human body, including three novel polypeptides. In his most recent research, Tamai is investigating OATPs and their influence on drug absorption in the body. His newest papers examine the intake of fruit juices and their effects on the absorption of prescription drugs into the body. In particular, Tamai is focusing how sugars such as naringin and hesperidin in orange, apple and grapefruit juices affect how drugs are absorbed. “OATP2B1 is functionally impaired through both competitive and long-lasting inhibition mechanisms by components of apple and orange juice, but not grapefruit juice. Apple juice has a [particularly] potent, long-lasting inhibitory effect”.