XCT790 inhibits rat vascular smooth muscle cells proliferation through down-regulating the expression of estrogen-related receptor alpha / 药学学报

Abnormal proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plays an important role in several pathological processes of cardiovascular diseases. In this study, the effects of XCT790, a potent and selective inverse agonist of estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRalpha), on rat VSMCs proliferation and related signal pathways were investigated. The proliferative activity of VSMCs was determined by CCK-8 assay. The mRNA levels of ERRalpha, PGC-1alpha, OPN and MCAD were assayed by RT-PCR. The protein levels of ERRalpha, ERK2 and p-ERK1/2 were evaluated by Western blotting. ELISA was used to assess the protein expression of VEGF. The results showed that XCT790 (5-20 micromol x L(-1)) inhibited rat VSMCs proliferation, and the expression of ERRalpha and its target genes, as well as p-ERK1/2, were also inhibited. XCT790 inhibited VSMCs proliferation in a dose-dependent manner at the dose range from 5 to 20 micromol x L(-1) and in a time-dependent manner at the dose range from 10 to 20 micromol x L(-1). These findings demonstrate that XCT790 inhibits rat VSMCs proliferation by down-regulating the gene level of ERRalpha and thus inhibiting the ERK signal pathway, suggesting that ERRalpha may be a novel potential target for therapeutic approaches to inhibit VSMCs proliferation, which plays an important role in several cardiovascular diseases.

Simultaneous determination of the inhibitory potency of compounds on the activity of five cytochrome P-450 enzymes using a cocktail probe substrates method / 药学学报

This study developed a method for simultaneously assessing the inhibitory potency of compounds on five major cytochrome P-450 ( CYP450) enzymes using a cocktail of probe substrates. A cocktail selective substrates consisting of the phenacetin (PN, CYP1A2), dextromethorphan (DM, CYP2D6), tolbutamide (TB, CYP2C9), omeprazole (OPZ, CYP2C19) and midazolam (MPZ, CYP3A4) was incubated with human liver microsomes. The concentrations of the substrate metabolites paracetamol, dextrorphan, 4-hydroxytolbutamide, 5-hydroxyomeprazole and 1'-hydroxymidazolam were determined by LC/MS/MS in a single assay sample. The method was validated by incubating known CYP inhibitors--alpha-naphthoflavone (ANF, CYP1A2), quinidine (QND, CYP2D6), sulfaphenazole (SUL, CYP2C9), fluconazole (FLU, CYP2C19) and ketoconazole (KET, CYP3A4) with the individual substrates and with the substrate cocktail. The IC50 values were then determined. The IC50s (micromol x L(-1)) were in good agreement with those obtained with individual substrates (alpha-naphthoflavone, 0.18 vs 0.26; quinidine, 0.058 5 vs 0.058 4; sulfaphenazole, 0.48 vs 0.45; fluconazol, 17.5 vs 11.4; ketoconazole, 0.22 vs 0.24) and with previously reported values in the literature. This cocktail probe substrate method can be utilized for the rapid simultaneous determination of the inhibition potential of compounds on the five CYP450 enzymes.

Development and identifiability analysis of parent-metabolite pharmacokinetic model for risperidone and its main active metabolite 9-hydroxyrisperidone / 药学学报

To develop a parent-metabolite pharmacokinetic model for risperidone (RIP) and its major active metabolite (9-hydroxyrisperidone) and investigate their pharmacokinetics characteristics in healthy male volunteers, twenty-two healthy volunteers were orally given a single dose of 2 mg RIP. Plasma samples were collected in the period of 96 hours and concentrations of RIP and 9-hydroxyrisperidone were measured by a validated HPLC/MS method. CYP2D6 phenotypes were identified by the T1/2 of RIP and 9-hydroxyrisperidone according to the literature. Model structure identifiability analysis was performed by the similarity transformation approach to investigate whether the unknown parameters of the proposed model could be estimated from the designed experiment. Pharmacokinetics parameters were estimated using weighted least squares method, and the final pharmacokinetics model were tested and evaluated by Monte Carlo simulation. Eighteen volunteers were phenotyped as extensive metabolizers (EM) and four volunteers were identified as intermediate metabolizers (IM). The final model included central and peripheral compartment for both parent (RIP) and metabolite (9-hydroxyrisperidone) respectively. Model structure identifiability analysis indicated that the proposed model was local identifiable. However, if the ratio of RIP converted to 9-hydroxyrisperidone was assumed to be 32% in EM, and 22% in IM, the model could be globally identifiable. The predicted time-concentration curve and AUC(0-t), C(max), T(max) of RIP and 9-hydroxyrisperidone estimated by the established model were in agreement with the observations and noncompartment analysis. Rate constant of RIP conversion to 9-hydroxyrisperidone was (0.12 +/- 0.08) h(-1) and (0.014 +/- 0.007) h(-1) for EM and IM, respectively. Elimination rate constants of RIP were (0.25 +/- 0.18) and (0.05 +/- 0.23) h(-1) for EM and IM, respectively. Model validation result showed that all parameters derived from the concentration data fitted well with the theoretical value, with mean prediction error of most PK parameter within +/- 15%. The established model well defined the disposition of RIP and 9-hydroxyrisperidone simultaneously and showed large inter-individual pharmacokinetics variation in different CYP2D6 phenotype. The model also provide a useful approach to characterize pharmacokinetics of other parent-metabolite drugs.

Bioequivalence assessment of pioglitazone hydrochloride oral preparation by limited sampling strategy / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To develop limited sampling strategy (LSS) for estimation of C(max) and AUC(0-t) and assessing the bioequivalence of two pioglitazone hydrochloride (PGT) preparations.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Healthy subjects (n = 20), enrolled in a bioequivalence study, were received 30 mg PGT po of reference or test formulation. The plasma concentration of PGT was determined by the validated HPLC method. A multiple linear regression analysis of the Cmax and AUC(0-t) against the PGT concentration for the reference formulation was carried out to develop LSS models to estimate these parameters. The models were internally validated by the Jackknife method and externally validated using simulated sets generated by Monte Carlo method. The best model was employed to assess bioequivalence of the two PGT formulations.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The linear relationship between pharmacokinetics parameters and single concentration point was poor. Several models for these parameters estimation met the predefined criteria (r2 > 0.9). The Jackknife validation procedure revealed that LSS models based on two sampling times (C1, C2.5 and C1.5, C2.5 for C(max); C1.5, C9 and C2.5, C9 for AUC(0-t) predict accurately. Mean prediction errors (MPE) were less than 3%, and mean absolute prediction error (MAE) were less than 9%. The prediction error (PE) beyond 20% was less than 5% of total samples. Model external validation by Monte Carlo simulated data indicated that the most informative sampling combinations were C1.5, C2.5 for C(max), and C1.5, C9 for AUC(0-t), respectively. MPE and MAE of the proposed models were less than 5% , and 9% respectively. The PE beyond 20% was less than 5% of the total. Bioequivalence assessment of the two PGT formulations, based on the best LSS models, provided results similar to those obtained using all the observed concentration-time data points, and indicated that the two PGT formulations were bioequivalent.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The LSS method for bioequivalence assessment of PGT formulations was established and proved to be applicable and accurate. Thus, it could be considered appropriate for PGT bioequivalence study with inexpensive cost of sampling acquisition and analysis. Key words: pioglitazone hydrochloride; limited sampling strategy; Monte Carlo simulation; bioequivalence</p>

Effect of MDR1 polymorphic expression on oral disposition of cyclosporine A / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To determine the relationship between C3435T mutation in exon 26 of the human multidrug resistant 1 gene and cyclosporine (CsA) pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters among healthy Chinese volunteers by nonlinear mixed effect model (NONMEM).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty healthy subjects were given orally a single dose of 500 mg CsA in microemulsion solution. Blood CsA concentrations were measured with HPLC and the genotype for the C3435T polymorphism of MDR1 gene was determined with the PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism. The results were further confirmed by sequencing. NONMEM was performed to assess the effect of genotype on CsA PK profile.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MDR1 C3435T genotype was identified as the best predictor of CsA systemic exposure. The relative bioavailability of CsA was 40% higher in subjects who carried at least one 3435C allele compared to that of TT type individuals in the study population.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The MDR1 C3435T genotype offers a potential basis of mechanism to explain inter-subject differences in CsA oral bioavailability.</p>