A 'rule of unity' for human intestinal absorption.

The ability to predict the passive intestinal absorption of organic compounds can be a valuable tool in drug design. Although Lipinski's 'rule of 5' is commonly used for this purpose, it does not routinely give reliable results. An alternative 'rule of unity' is proposed to predict the absorption efficiency of orally administered drugs that are passively transported. The rule of unity based upon the theoretical principals that govern passive transport. The 'rule of 5' and the 'rule of unity' are compared using experimentally determined passive human intestinal absorption data for 155 drugs. Absorption values which are >50% of the dose are classified as well absorbed and absorption values which are

Comparison of two methods for predicting aqueous solubility.

This study compares the solubility predictions of the two parameter general solubility equation (GSE) of Jain and Yalkowsky with the 171 parameter Klopman group contribution approach. Melting points and partition coefficients were obtained for each of the compounds from Klopman's test set. Using these two variables, the solubility of each compound was calculated by the GSE and compared to the values predicted by Klopman. Both methods give reasonable solubility predictions. The data of Klopman produced an average absolute error (AAE) of 0.71 and a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 0.86, while the GSE had an AAE of 0.64 and a RMSE of 0.92.

Prediction of aqueous solubility of organic compounds by the general solubility equation (GSE).

The revised general solubility equation (GSE) is used along with four different methods including Huuskonen's artificial neural network (ANN) and three multiple linear regression (MLR) methods to estimate the aqueous solubility of a test set of the 21 pharmaceutically and environmentally interesting compounds. For the selected test sets, it is clear that the GSE and ANN predictions are more accurate than MLR methods. The GSE has the advantages of being simple and thermodynamically sound. The only two inputs used in the GSE are the Celsius melting point (MP) and the octanol water partition coefficient (K(ow)). No fitted parameters and no training data are used in the GSE, whereas other methods utilize a large number of parameters and require a training set. The GSE is also applied to a test set of 413 organic nonelectrolytes that were studied by Huuskonen. Although the GSE uses only two parameters and no training set, its average absolute errors is only 0.1 log units larger than that of the ANN, which requires many parameters and a large training set. The average absolute error AAE is 0.54 log units using the GSE and 0.43 log units using Huuskonen's ANN modeling. This study provides evidence for the GSE being a convenient and reliable method to predict aqueous solubilities of organic compounds.

Use of pure t-butanol as a solvent for freeze-drying: a case study.

1-(2-Chloroethyl)-3-sarcosinamide-1-nitrosourea, (SarCNU) (NSC-364432) is a new antitumor drug that is of interest to the National Cancer Institute. It is intended for use as an intravenous injection. Although SarCNU is sufficiently soluble in water to obtain the desired dosage, it is highly unstable. Its T(90) in aqueous solution at room temperature is less than 6 h. Neat tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA), a low toxicity, high vapor pressure and low melting solvent, was determined to be an excellent freeze-drying medium. Lyophilization of SarCNU from pure TBA produces a uniform cake composed of needle-shaped crystals. Thermal analysis and gas chromatography indicate that the cake contains less than 0.001% residual solvent. The SarCNU cake can be readily reconstituted with either water or an aqueous solution of 40% propylene glycol and 10% ethanol. The reconstituted solutions are stable for 4 and 13 h, respectively.

Solubilization of NSC-639829.

Solubilization using pH combined with cosolvents, surfactants, and complexants are investigated for NSC-639829, an investigational anti-tumor agent. The intrinsic solubility of the drug is approximately 30 ng/ml and it has an ionizable dimethyl aniline group with an approximate base pK(a) of 5. Samples buffered at pH 1.0, 2.0, and 7.0 with various concentrations of the solubilizing agents were used to study the solubilization of NSC-629829 when present as charged and uncharged species. The solubilization of NSC-639829 was found to be much more effective when the drug was present primarily in ionized form. At pH values 1.0 and 2.0 where the surfactant (SLS) and complexant (SBEbetaCD) carried a negative charge enhanced solubilities of more than a million-fold were observed for the drug.

Stabilization of eptifibatide by cosolvents.

Eptifibatide is a potent and highly specific inhibitor of platelet receptor glycoprotein IIb/IIIa and is indicated in the treatment of acute coronary syndrome. The commercial product Integrilin(R) (eptifibatide) Injection requires a cold/refrigerator storage condition. In an effort to improve the drug stability for room temperature storage and transportation, this study proposed a semi-aqueous formulation that contains 2 mg/ml eptifibatide, 10% ethanol, 40% propylene glycol and 50% 0.025 M citrate buffer. The stability study was conducted in the pH range 4.25-6.25 under accelerated temperatures: 48, 60, 72.5 degrees C. The results indicate that the proposed semi-aqueous vehicles substantially increased the drug stability in comparison with aqueous vehicles. The predicted drug shelf-life T(90) at 25 degrees C shows that an almost twofold increase can be achieved by formulating eptifibatide in the semi-aqueous vehicle, which is 60 months at its maximum stability of pH 5.75, as opposed to the 33 months in the aqueous vehicle at its maximum stability of pH 5.25.

Prediction of drug solubility by the general solubility equation (GSE).

The revised general solubility equation (GSE) proposed by Jain and Yalkowsky is used to estimate the aqueous solubility of a set of organic nonelectrolytes studied by Jorgensen and Duffy. The only inputs used in the GSE are the Celsius melting point (MP) and the octanol water partition coefficient (K(ow)). These are generally known, easily measured, or easily calculated. The GSE does not utilize any fitted parameters. The average absolute error for the 150 compounds is 0.43 compared to 0.56 with Jorgensen and Duffy's computational method, which utilitizes five fitted parameters. Thus, the revised GSE is simpler and provides a more accurate estimation of aqueous solubility of the same set of organic compounds. It is also more accurate than the original version of the GSE.

Estimation of the aqueous solubility I: application to organic nonelectrolytes.

The estimation of aqueous solubilities of organic nonelectrolytes by the General Solubility Equation (GSE) as proposed by Valvani and Yalkowsky (1980) is used in this study. The data and assumptions on which the GSE are based are reevaluated, and the equation is revised. The revised GSE is validated on a set of 580 pharmaceutically, environmentally, and industrially relevant nonelectrolytes. The revised equation has a stronger theoretical background and provides a more accurate estimation of aqueous solubility.

Solubilization of rapamycin.

The solubilization of rapamycin, a poorly water soluble investigational immunosuppressive drug, by facilitated hydrotropy is presented. Partially water-miscible aromatic solutes (such as benzyl alcohol, benzoate, or benzoic acid) can be solubilized by water-miscible cosolvents, such as ethanol and propylene glycol. Once solubilized, the partially miscible aromatic solute becomes a solubilizing agent. This technique yielded a dramatic (>1000-fold) increase in the aqueous solubility of rapamycin.

Solubilization of cyclosporin A.

This study investigated the solubilization of cyclosporin A (CsA), a neutral undecapeptide, by cosolvency, micellization, and complexation. Cosolvents (ethanol, propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol polyethyleneglycol ether, and glycerin), surfactants (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate [(Tween 80)], polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate [(Tween 20)], and Cremophor EL), and cyclodextrins (alpha-cyclodextrin [(alphaCD)] and hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin[(HPbetaCD)] were used as solubilizing agents in this study. Surfactants had a noticeable effect in increasing CsA solubility. Twenty percent solutions of Tween 20, Tween 80, and Cremophor EL increased the solubility by 60 to 160 fold. Cyclodextrins can increase the CsA solubility, but alphaCD was more effective than HPbetaCD. Cosolvents on the other hand did not increase the solubility of CsA as much as expected from the LOGP (logarithm of water-octanol partition coefficient) value of CsA.

Estimation of the effect of NaCl on the solubility of organic compounds in aqueous solutions.

The Setschenow constant, K(salt), of a nonelectrolyte in a NaCl solution is shown to be related to the logarithm of its octanol-water partition coefficient, log K(ow), determined by K(salt) = A log K(ow) + B, where K(ow) is the octanol-water partition coefficient of the solute and the coefficients A and B are constants. The values of A and B were empirically determined from literature data for 62 organic compounds and validated for a test set of 15 compounds including several drugs.

Ocular gelfoam disc-applicator for pupillary dilation in humans.

This study investigates a gelfoam disc device as an alternative topical ophthalmic drug delivery system for pupillary dilation in humans. Gelfoam (Pharmacia & Upjohn) discs were impregnated with 0.60 mg of tropicamide racemate and 1.7 mg of 1-phenylephrine hydrochloride by an ethanol solvent evaporation method. Twenty randomly selected human subjects received baseline examinations, including blood pressure, pulse rate and biomicroscopy of the ocular surface. One impregnated gelfoam disc was placed in the inferior fornix of a randomly selected eye. Simultaneously, the fellow eye was treated with two topically administered drops, one from a phenylephrine hydrochloride 2.5% solution and one from a tropicamide 1% solution. A single, masked observer measured the pupillary diameter in both eyes at various time intervals under constant ambient conditions. Administration of the topical drops was repeated in the fellow eye. At maximum pupillary dilation, the disc was removed, and a post-dilation biomicroscopic exam was performed. Blood pressure and pulse rate were rechecked. The gelfoam-treated eyes' median change in dilation diameter was approximately 25% greater (a two-fold increase in pupillary area) (p< 0.001) at 15.2 min (median time to maximum dilation) than the topically treated fellow eyes. The median change in systolic blood pressure (+1.0 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (-1.0 mmHg) was not statistically significant (p>0.1). The average pulse rate was decreased 7 beats per minute (p=0.004). A gelfoam disc may serve as an ophthalmic drug delivery system for pupillary dilation or as a model for other multiple-dose topical drugs.

Relationship between polysorbate 80 solubilization descriptors and octanol-water partition coefficients of drugs.

The molar solubilization capacities (kappa) and the molar micelle-water partition coefficients (K(M)(N)) in Polysorbate 80 of several drugs (including barbiturates, steroids, and benzoic acid derivatives) are related to their log octanol-water partition coefficients (logP). Both kappa and K(M)(N) values were calculated from solubility versus Polysorbate 80 concentration profiles, which were either experimentally determined or obtained from the literature. There is a linear relationship between logP of the tested compounds and the logarithm of the molar micelle-water partition coefficient (logK(M)(N)). On the other hand molar solubilization capacities are nearly independent of logP. It is shown that the ability of Polysorbate 80 to solubilize a drug can be predicted from its logP value.

The preparation of soft gelatin capsules for a radioactive tracer study.

Clinical doses are developed for the oral coadministration of radiolabeled and nonlabeled forms of a poorly soluble investigational compound: OPC-41061. The release rates of the labeled and nonlabeled forms are equated and matched to the release rate of the polymer spray-dried form of the drug in the proposed market product. The study involves the physicochemical characterization of the powders using thermal analysis and dissolution testing, development and extemporaneous manufacture of liquid-filled soft gelatin capsules, and dissolution and stability testing of the final dosage form. Thermal analysis indicated that the labeled powder was amorphous and that the nonlabeled powder, which had been jet-milled, was crystalline. Dissolution testing of the jet-milled and spray-dried powders indicated that the former was released at a significantly slower rate. A liquid formulation containing 25% dimethyl acetamide and 75% polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400) solubilized the desired dose of 60 mg and exhibited a drug profile that was similar to the spray-dried formulation. The final formulation was a soft gelatin capsule containing 60 mg of drug, including 100 microCi radioactivity, dissolved in 0.8 ml of a 25% dimethyl acetamide/75% PEG 400 solution. The formulation was chemically and physically stable for a period greater than the duration of the study.

Combined effect of cosolvent and cyclodextrin on solubilization of nonpolar drugs.

Solubility enhancement has broad implications in parenteral formulation design. A simple mathematical model has been developed to describe the combined effect of cosolvency and complexation on nonpolar drug solubilization. The total drug solubility is determined by the summation of three drug species present in the solution: free drug [D], drug-ligand binary complex [DL], and drug-ligand-cosolvent ternary complex [DLC]. The proposed model established the dependencies of these three species upon the intrinsic drug solubility, [D(u)], the cosolvent solubilizing power, sigma, the binary and ternary intrinsic complexation constants, K(b)(int) and K(t)(int), and the cosolvent destabilizing powers for the binary and the ternary complexes, rho(b) and rho(t). A nonpolar solute, Fluasterone, is used to evaluate the newly generated equation. The model explains the decline in drug solubility produced by low cosolvent concentrations as well as the increase in the solubility produced by high cosolvent concentrations that are observed at all cyclodextrin concentrations.

Systemic absorption of insulin from a Gelfoam ocular device.

In previous reports (Lee et al., 1997b; Lee and Yalkowsky, 1999), it has been shown that insulin, delivered by an acidified Gelfoam (absorbable gelatin sponge, USP) based ocular device, can be efficiently absorbed into the systemic circulation without the aid of an absorption enhancer. The role of acid in the enhancer-free absorption of insulin is investigated in this report. Gelfoam ocular devices containing 0.2 mg of sodium insulin prepared with either water or 10% acetic acid were evaluated in rabbits. The results suggest that a change in the Gelfoam upon treatment with acid is responsible for the efficient systemic absorption of insulin from these enhancer-free devices.

Solubilization of fluasterone.

Solubilization of nonpolar drugs constitutes one of the most important tasks in parenteral formulations design. This study investigates and assesses the solubility enhancement of Fluasterone by various techniques including cosolvency, micellization, and complexation. Of the solubilizing agents used, the modified beta-cyclodextrins were found to be the most effective. The solubility of Fluasterone is 1.55 x 10(-4) mM, 3.13 mM, and 4.04 mM in water, 20% sulfobutyl ether-beta-cyclodextrin (SBEbetaCD), and 20% hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPbetaCD), respectively.

A spin filter method for continuous evaluation of hemolysis.

A novel method for quantifying hemolysis is described. This method uses a spin filter to separate the free hemoglobin from the red blood cells suspended in the test solution. This procedure enables the use of a closed loop system that continuously measures hemolysis spectrophotometrically. It is shown that hemolysis does not always stop after the solution has been quenched with normal saline. In fact, the process of hemolysis induced by chemicals such as potassium oleate is relatively slow.

UPPER III: unified physical property estimation relationships. Application to non-hydrogen bonding aromatic compounds.

The UPPER scheme uses four additive and two nonadditive parameters and several well-known equations to calculate 21 physical properties of organic compounds strictly from molecular structure. The scheme allows reasonable estimations of melting and boiling points, aqueous and octanol solubilities, air-octanol, air-water, and octanol-water partition coefficients, vapor pressure, and other properties. In this report non-hydrogen bonding aromatic compounds are used to evaluate a portion of the UPPER scheme.