Crystallographic investigation of cetylpalmitate solid lipid nanoparticles.

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) as alternative intravenous colloidal drug carriers were produced by high pressure homogenisation of the melted lipid cetylpalmitate. The crystallographic properties of the used cetylpalmitate SLN were characterised by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). It was found that the SLN are available exclusively in a crystalline form. Different cetylpalmitate formulations showed all the same patterns and a uniform crystal lattice was obtained. A partial indexing of the signals of the cetylpalmitate was carried out and the unit cell of the cetylpalmitate was estimated by the Miller indices. A preferred orientation in 001-direction was observed. This can be explained by an impressive lamellar lattice structure of the cetylpalmitate. The results were compared with the crystal data of cetylpalmitate known from literature. There was no correlation with the monoclinic structure known so far. This could indicate that the SLN consist of crystallites of another modification of the cetylpalmitate.

Aspects of the antimicrobial efficacy of grapefruit seed extract and its relation to preservative substances contained.

The antimicrobial efficacy as well as the content of preservative agents of six commercially available grapefruit seed extracts were examined. Five of the six extracts showed a high growth inhibiting activity against the test germs Bacillus subtilis SBUG 14, Micrococcus flavus SBUG 16, Staphylococcus aureus SBUG 11, Serratia marcescens SBUG 9, Escherichia coli SBUG 17, Proteus mirabilis SBUG 47, and Candida maltosa SBUG 700. In all of the antimicrobial active grapefruit seed extracts, the preservative benzethonium chloride was detected by thin layer chromatography. Additionally, three extracts contained the preserving substances triclosan and methyl parabene. In only one of the grapefruit seed extracts tested no preservative agent was found. However, with this extract as well as with several self-made extracts from seed and juiceless pulp of grapefruits (Citrus paradisi) no antimicrobial activity could be detected (standard serial broth dilution assay, agar diffusion test). Thus, it is concluded that the potent as well as nearly universal antimicrobial activity being attributed to grapefruit seed extract is merely due to the synthetic preservative agents contained within. Natural products with antimicrobial activity do not appear to be present.

[The solubility of drugs in lipoid vehicles]. / Untersuchungen zur Löslichkeit von Arzneistoffen in lipoiden Vehikeln.

A method for determination of drug substances solubility in lipophilic solvents is presented. The solubility was determined in lipophilic suppository bases meltings, in pharmaceutical lipoids as Oleum Ricini, Oleum Arachidis, Cera perliquida, Paraffinum perliquidum and in chemically defined lipoids as n-hexadecane, 1-hexadecane, cetylic alcohol, palmitic acid, cetylpalmitate. Consequences from chemical constitution of substances for solubility are discussed, also consequences from chemical constitution and dielectric constants of lipoidic solvents for their solution behavior. For the substances investigated, the apparent partition coefficients in the two-phase systems lipoid/phosphate buffer pH 7,4 and n-octanol/phosphate buffer pH 7,4 were determined, also the solubility in phosphate buffer. The results show, that connections between partition coefficients and solubility in lipophilic or aqueous phases do not exist. On the other hand, an indirect proportionality between water solubility and lipoid solubility also does not exist. In consequence, interpretations of drug release from lipophilic systems have to be proceeded from exact knowledge of partition behavior and solubilities in both the lipophilic and aqueous phase.

[The solubility of drugs in molten suppository bases]. / Löslichkeit von Arzneistoffen in geschmolzener Suppositorienmasse.

Solubility of 18 drugs used in rectal therapy in molten suppository base, (Massa suppositoriorum 15, Pharmacopeia of the G.D.R. Rosupol U, 37 degrees C) is determined. Separation of drug-saturated base from drug cristals is carried out in an air-heated centrifuge followed by a partition step between petroleum ether and an aqueous medium and photometrical determination of drug concentration. The procedure leads to results with relative standard deviation of 2% (medium value of 18 drugs). The investigation gave solubility values in the range between 0.002% (theobromine) and 26% (lidocaine), whereas benzoate, phenobarbital sodium and procaine hydrochloride are completely insoluble. Sodium salicylate has an unexpected high solubility (0.48%). The solubility is temperature depended and thus the solubility enthalpy can be determined. Relations between structure and solubility are discussed for pyrazolin-5-ones and purines. A correlation between solubilities in the base and in aqueous buffer (phosphate, pH 7.4) does not exist in the series studied.

[Studies on the distribution and transport kinetics in membrane and distribution models]. / Untersuchungen zur Verteilungs- und Transportkinetik im Membran- bzw. Verteilungsmodell.

The concentration-time dependence of two weak acids (salicylic acid, benzoic acid), one weak base (benzocaine) and one neutral agent (acetanilid) has been studied in membrane or distribution models by polyacrylat-D 340-membranes or cyclohexane phases. The transport rate constants of outflow from the donator compartment or influx into the acceptor compartment as well as the distribution coefficients membrane/water or cyclohexane/water had been calculated from the concentration-time courses. In contrast to the polyacrylate membrane, the outflow from the donator compartment and the influx into the acceptor compartment proportionate to the corresponding distribution coefficient with the use of the cyclohexane phase. The influx into the acceptor compartment is in the polyacrylate membrane delayed by interactions between the membrane and the permeant. The membrane/water distribution coefficients figured out from the permeation test correspond with values formerly derived from equilibrium tests.