AAPS PharmSci最新文献

The feasibility of using dense gas techniques such as rapid expansion of supercritical solutions (RESS) and aerosol solvent extraction system (ASES) for micronization of pharmaceutical compounds is demonstrated. The chiral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory racemic ibuprofen is soluble in carbon dioxide at 35 degrees C and pressures above 90 bar. The particle size decreased to less than 2 microm while the degree of crystallinity was slightly decreased when processed by RESS. The dissolution rate of the ibuprofen (a poorly water-soluble compound) was significantly enhanced after processing by RESS. The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug Cu2(indomethacin)4L2(Cu-Indo); (L = dimethylformamide [DMF]), which possessed very low solubility in supercritical CO2, was successfully micronized by ASES at 25 degrees C and 68.9 bar using DMF as the solvent and CO2 as the antisolvent. The concentration of solute dramatically influenced the precipitate characteristics. The particles obtained from the ASES process were changed from bipyramidal to spherical, with particle size less than 5 microm, as the concentration increased from 5 to 100 mg/g. A further increase in solute concentration to 200 mg/g resulted in large porous spheres, between 20 and 50 micron, when processing Cu-Indo by the ASES method. The dissolution rate of the micronized Cu-Indo was significantly higher than the commercial product.

The influence of the organic solvents widely used in the pharmaceutical industry (acetone, methylethylketone, ethanol, and isopropanol) both in the presence and in the absence of water on the crystallization behavior of erythromycin (Em), a clinically relevant antibiotic of the macrolide group, was investigated. It was observed that despite a high preference for water as a guest molecule, Em rather easily forms solvates with the organic solvents studied. Consequently, 4 distinct solvates of Em have been isolated by recrystallization: acetonate, methylethylketonate, ethanolate, and isopropanolate. It was established that in a pure organic solvent, or 1:9 or 1:1 water-organic solvent mixtures, the corresponding solvate is always crystallized. However, the recrystallization of erythromycin from 2:1 water-organic solvent (excluding methylethylketone) mixture results in the formation of a crystal hydrate form. X-ray powder diffraction revealed the isostructurality of the solvates with acetone and methylethylketone. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the loss of volatiles by all of the solvated crystals is nonstoichiometric. The desolvation behavior of the solvates with the organic solvents studied by means of variable-temperature x-ray powder diffraction indicates that in contrast to erythromycin dihydrate, they belong to a different class of solvates--those that produce an amorphous material upon desolvation.

CYP2B6 is a highly polymorphic P450 isozyme involved in the metabolism of endo- and xenobiotics with known implications for the activation of many procarcinogens resulting in carcinogenesis. However, lack of validated high-throughput screening (HTS) CYP2B6 assays has limited the current understanding and full characterization of this isozyme's involvement in human drug metabolism. Here, we have developed and characterized a fluorescence-based HTS assay employing recombinant human CYP2B6 and 2 novel fluorogenic substrates (the Vivid CYP2B6 Blue and Cyan Substrates). Assay validation included testing the inhibitory potency of a panel of drugs and compounds known to be metabolized by this isozyme, including CYP2B6 substrates, inhibitors, and known inducers. Compound rankings based on inhibitory potency in the Vivid CYP2B6 Blue and Cyan Assays matched compound rankings based on relative affinity measurements from previously published data (K(i), K(d), or K(m) values) for the CYP2B6 isozyme. In conclusion, these assays are proven to be robust and sensitive, with broad dynamic ranges and kinetic parameters allowing screening in HTS mode of a large panel of compounds for CYP2B6 metabolism and inhibition, and are a valuable new tool for CYP2B6 studies.

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) methods were developed and validated for the evaluation of motexafin lutetium (MLu, lutetium texaphyrin, PCI-0123) pharmacokinetics in human plasma. The LC-MS/MS method was specific for MLu, whereas the ICP-AES method measured total elemental lutetium. Both methods were fast, simple, precise, and accurate. For the LC-MS/MS method, a closely related analogue (PCI-0353) was used as the internal standard (IS). MLu and the IS were extracted from plasma by protein precipitation and injected into an LC-MS/MS system configured with a C18 column and an electrospray interface. The lower limit of quantitation was 0.05 microg MLu mL(-1), with a signal-to-noise ratio of 15:1. The response was linear from 0.05 to 5.0 microg MLu mL(-1). For the ICP-AES method, indium was used as the IS. The sample was digested with nitric acid, diluted, filtered, and then injected into the ICP-AES system. Two standard curve ranges were validated to meet the expected range of sample concentrations: 0.5 to 50, and 0.1 to 10 microg Lu mL(-1). The LC-MS/MS and ICP-AES methods were validated to establish accuracy, precision, analyte stability, and assay robustness. Interday precision and accuracy of quality control samples were < or =6.3% coefficient of variation (CV) and within 2.2% relative error (RE) for the LC-MS/MS method, and < or =8.7% CV and within 4.9% RE for the ICP-AES method. Plasma samples from a subset of patients in a clinical study were analyzed using both methods. For a representative patient, over 90% of the elemental lutetium in plasma could be ascribed to intact MLu at early time points. This percentage decreased to 59% at 48 hours after dosing, suggesting that some degradation and/or metabolism of the drug may have occurred.

The transdermal delivery of buspirone hydrochloride across hairless mouse skin and the combined effect of iontophoresis and terpene enhancers were evaluated in vitro using Franz diffusion cells. Iontophoretic delivery was optimized by evaluating the effect of drug concentration, current density, and pH of the vehicle solution. Increasing the current density from 0.05 to 0.1 mA/cm2 resulted in doubling of the iontophoretic flux of buspirone hydrochloride, while increasing drug concentration from 1% to 2% had no effect on flux. Using phosphate buffer to adjust the pH of the drug solution decreased the buspirone hydrochloride iontophoretic flux relative to water solutions. Incorporating buspirone hydrochloride into ethanol:water (50:50 vol/vol) based gel formulations using carboxymethylcellulose and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose had no effect on iontophoretic delivery. Incorporation of three terpene enhancers (menthol, cineole, and terpineol) into the gel resulted in a synergistic effect when combined with iontophoresis. Menthol was the most active enhancer, and when combined with iontophoresis it was possible to deliver 10 mg/cm2/day of buspirone hydrochloride.

Purpose: In an attempt to increase the local concentration of tamoxifen in estrogen receptor positive breast cancer cells, we have prepared and characterized poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) nanoparticle formulation.

Methods: PCL (mol wt 14,800 daltons) nanoparticles were prepared by the solvent displacement method in acetone-water system in the presence of Pluronic F- 68. PCL nanoparticles, labeled with rhodamine123, were incubated with MCF-7 estrogen receptor positive breast cancer cells to determine uptake, intracellular distribution, and localization as a function of time. Intracellular drug concentrations over a specified period of time using different initial doses were examined using tritiated [3H]-tamoxifen.

Results: A significant fraction of the administered rhodamine123-loaded PCL nanoparticles was found in the perinuclear region of the MCF-7 cells, where estrogen receptors are also localized, after 1 hour of incubation. Measurements of the intracellular concentrations revealed that most of the administered nanoparticle dose was internalized within the first 30 minutes of incubation, and the uptake followed saturable transport kinetics.

Conclusion: Results of this study show that PCL nanoparticles were rapidly internalized in MCF-7 cells and intracellular tamoxifen concentrations followed a saturable process. This approach may provide better therapeutic benefit by delivering the drug locally, near the tumor cells, for a longer period of time.

Caco-2 cell permeability was evaluated in isotonic media containing high (25 mM) or physiological (5.5 mM) glucose concentrations. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and membrane fluidity were measured to assess glucose-induced alterations in physical barrier properties. In parallel, distribution of the actin filament (F-actin) and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) proteins was assessed by confocal microscopy. Transepithelial fluxes of mannitol, hydrocortisone, digoxin, and glycyl sarcosine (Gly-Sar) that permeate the intestinal mucosa by various pathways were measured to quantify the effect of glucose-induced changes on Caco-2 cell permeability. High glucose decreased maximum TEER of cell monolayers by 47%, whereas membrane fluidity at the hydrophobic core and lipid/polar head interphase was significantly increased. F-actin distribution in high glucose cells appeared more diffuse while ZO-1 was unchanged. Mannitol and hydrocortisone fluxes across Caco-2 cells cultured in high glucose increased by 65% and 24%, respectively. In addition, high glucose decreased the maximum transport capacity (Vmax) of PepT-1. P-glycoprotein activity, however, was unchanged. In conclusion, high extracellular glucose concentration in isotonic media significantly alters physical barrier properties of Caco-2 cell monolayers, which predominantly affects transepithelial transport of solutes permeating the cell barrier by paracellular and transcellular passive diffusion and facilitated transport mediated by the proton-dependent oligopeptide transporter (PepT-1).

The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of nucleoside/nucleobase transporters on the Statens Seruminstitut rabbit corneal (SIRC) epithelial cell line and to evaluate SIRC as an in vitro screening tool for delineating the mechanism of corneal permeation of nucleoside analogs. SIRC cells (passages 410-425) were used to study uptake of [3H]thymidine, [3H]adenine, and [3H]ganciclovir. Transport of [3H]adenine and [3H]ganciclovir was studied across isolated rabbit cornea. Uptake and transport studies were performed for 2 minutes and 120 minutes, respectively, at 34 degrees C. Thymidine uptake by SIRC displayed saturable kinetics (K(m) = 595.9 +/- 80.4 microM, and V(max) = 289.5 +/- 17.2 pmol/min/mg protein). Uptake was inhibited by both purine and pyrimidine nucleosides but not by nucleobases. [3H]thymidine uptake was sodium and energy independent but was inhibited by nitrobenzylthioinosine at nanomolar concentrations. Adenine uptake by SIRC consisted of a saturable component (K(m) = 14.4 +/- 2.3 microM, V(max) = 0.4 +/- 0.04 nmol/min/mg protein) and a nonsaturable component. Uptake of adenine was inhibited by purine nucleobases but not by the nucleosides or pyrimidine nucleobases and was independent of sodium, energy, and nitrobenzylthioinosine. [3H]ganciclovir uptake involved a carrier-mediated component and was inhibited by the purine nucleobases but not by the nucleosides or pyrimidine nucleobases. However, transport of [3H]adenine across the isolated rabbit cornea was not inhibited by unlabeled adenine. Further, corneal permeability of ganciclovir across a 100-fold concentration range remained constant, indicating that ganciclovir permeates the cornea primarily by passive diffusion. Nucleoside and nucleobase transporters on rabbit cornea and corneal epithelial cell line, SIRC, are functionally different, undermining the utility of the SIRC cell line as an in vitro screening tool for elucidating the corneal permeation mechanism of nucleoside analogs.

In the present study, the applicability of fine particle ethylcellulose (FPEC) to produce matrix tablets by a wet granulation technique was evaluated. The effect of various formulation and process variables, such as FPEC content, hardness of the tablet, and solubility of the drug, on the release of drug from these tablets was examined. Tablets were prepared by wet granulation of drug and FPEC in an appropriate mass ratio. Theophylline, caffeine, and dyphylline were selected as nonionizable model drugs with solubilities from 8.3 to 330 mg/mL at 25 degrees C. Ibuprofen, phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride, and pseudoephedrine hydrochloride were selected as ionizable drugs with solubilities from 0.1 to 2000 mg/mL at 25 degrees C. Drug release studies were conducted in 37 degrees C water with UV detection. As the FPEC content and the hardness of the tablets increased, the release rate of the drug decreased. The drug release rate increased with an increase in the solubility of the drug. Model equations, intended to elucidate the drug release mechanism, were fitted to the release data. Parameters were generated and data presented by SAS software. The Akaike Information Criterion was also considered to ascertain the best-fit equation. Fickian diffusion and polymer relaxation were the release mechanisms for nonionizable and ionizable drugs.

The objective of the present investigation was to study the antioxidant action of different flavonoids (quercetin, glabridin, red clover, and Isoflavin Beta, an isoflavones mixture) in order to determine if they could be added to a topical formulation used to treat damage caused by free radicals. Samples of 10 microL of the test compounds at different concentrations were mixed with 0.1 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.4, and a luminol solution was added to yield a final concentration of 0.113 mM. Hydrogen peroxide was then added at a final concentration of 0.05 mM. The reaction was started by introducing the horseradish peroxidase enzyme at a final concentration of 0.2 IU/mL, in a final volume of 1.0 mL. Chemiluminescence was measured for 10 minutes at room temperature, and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) was used as a control. All samples showed marked inhibition of oxidative stress, with a concentration-dependent action for quercetin and Isoflavin Beta. The highest inhibition was observed with glabridin and the dry red clover extract. All flavonoids proved to be adequate for addition to topical formulations because of their high antioxidant activity.