A new modality in targeted delivery of epirubicin for tumor theranosis based on PEGylated silver nanoparticles: Design, radiolabeling and bioevaluation.

This work highlights boosting the tumor targeting efficiency of epirubicin through loading on a new radionanosystem, based on the effective role of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Accordingly, PEGylated silver nanoparticles (PEG/AgNPs) were prepared in a size of 20.2 ± 0.1 nm. Additionally, epirubicin was loaded on PEG/AgNPs with a loading efficiency of 63 ± 3 %. Furthermore, both of PEG/AgNPs and EPI/PEG/AgNPs were radiolabeled with 131I isotope with radiolabeling yields of 85 ± 0.2 % and 90.3 ± 1 %, respectively. The in-vivo distribution of 131I-PEG/AgNPs and 131I-EPI/PEG/AgNPs were examined in healthy and tumor bearing mice models. Excitingly, 131I-EPI/PEG/AgNPs revealed a reticuloendothelial system (RES) avoidance and prolonged circulating time. In addition, 131I-EPI/PEG/AgNPs showed fast targeting of tumor site by 25.1 ± 0.1 %ID/g within 0.5 h after intravenous injection. Subsequently, the outcomes provided 131I-EPI/PEG/AgNPs as a new potential system for enhancement of tumor targeting and theranosis (therapy and/or imaging).

A rapid and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of diclofenac sodium in serum and its use in pharmacokinetic studies.

A rapid, and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the determination of diclofenac sodium in serum using flufenamic acid as the internal standard. Serum protein was precipitated with acetonitrile. The drugs were eluted from a 5 microns C-8 reversed-phase column at ambient temperature with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile-water (50:50% v/v) adjusted to pH 3.3 with glacial acetic acid, at a flow rate of 2 mL min-1 with UV detection at 280 nm. Each analysis required no longer than 10 min. Quantitation was achieved by the measurement of the peak-height ratio and the relative and absolute recoveries varied from 90 to 98%. Detection limits for diclofenac sodium in serum is 25 ng mL-1. Intraday coefficients of variation (CV) ranged from 2.47 to 4.61% and interday CVs from 3.52 to 7% at three different concentrations. Preliminary stability tests showed that diclofenac sodium is stable for at least 2 weeks in serum after freezing. The method is applied for the determination of the pharmacokinetic parameters of diclofenac after administration of two formulations (enteric-coated tablet and slow-release tablet), to a healthy male volunteer.