1H NMR-based metabolomics reveals sub-lethal toxicity of a mixture of diabetic and lipid-regulating pharmaceuticals on amphibian larvae.

Pharmaceuticals are widely used for the treatment of various physical and psychological ailments. Due to incomplete removal during sewage treatment many pharmaceuticals are frequently detected in aquatic waterways at trace concentrations. The diversity of pharmaceutical contaminants and potential for complex mixtures to occur makes it very difficult to predict the toxicity of these compounds on wildlife, and robust methods are therefore needed to explore sub-lethal effects. Metabolic syndrome is one of the most widespread health concerns currently facing the human population, and various drugs, including anti-diabetic medications and lipid- and cholesterol-lowering fibrates and statins, are widely prescribed as treatment. In this study, we exposed striped marsh frog (Limnodynastes peronii) tadpoles to a mixture of the drugs metformin, atorvastatin and bezafibrate at 0.5, 5, 50 and 500µg/L to explore possible effects on growth and development, energy reserves (triglycerides and cholesterol), and profiles of small polar metabolites extracted from hepatic tissues. It was hypothesised that exposure would result in a general reduction in energy reserves, and that this would subsequently correspond with reduced growth and development. Responses differed from expected outcomes based on the known mechanisms of these compounds in humans, with no changes to hepatic triglycerides or cholesterol and a general increase in mass and condition with increasing exposure concentration. Deviation from the expected response patterns may be explained by differences in the receptivity or uptake of the compounds in non-mammalian species. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy revealed evidence of broad metabolic dysregulation in exposed animals, and possible interaction between the solvent and mixture. Specifically, increased lactic acid and branched-chain amino acids were observed, with responses tending to follow a non-monotonic pattern. Overall, results demonstrate that a mixture of drugs commonly prescribed to treat human metabolic syndrome is capable of eliciting physiological and developmental effects on larval amphibians. Importantly, outcomes further suggest that it may not be possible to predict toxicological effects in non-target wildlife based on our knowledge of how these compounds act in humans.

A small-molecule inhibitor of enterocytic microsomal triglyceride transfer protein, SLx-4090: biochemical, pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic, and safety profile.

First-generation microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) inhibitors were designed to inhibit hepatic MTP and provide a novel treatment of dyslipidemia. Effective at lowering low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), these inhibitors also elevate liver enzymes and induce hepatic steatosis in animals and humans. MTP is highly expressed in the enterocytes, lining the lumen of the jejunum, and is critical in the production of chylomicrons assembled from lipid/cholesterol and their transfer into systemic circulation. 6-(4'-Trifluoromethyl-6-methoxy-biphenyl-2-ylcarboxamido)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-2-carboxylic acid phenyl ester (SLx-4090) (IC(50) value ∼8 nM) was designed to inhibit only MTP localized to enterocytes. In Caco-2 cells SLx-4090 inhibited apolipoprotein B (IC(50) value ∼9.6 nM) but not apolipoprotein A1 secretion. Administered orally to rats SLx-4090 reduced postprandial lipids by >50% with an ED(50) value ∼7 mg/kg. SLx-4090 was not detected in the systemic or portal vein serum of the animals (lower limit of quantitation ∼5 ng/ml) after single or multiple oral doses in fasted rodents. When coadministered with tyloxapol, SLx-4090 did not inhibit the secretion of hepatic triglycerides (TG), consistent with the absence of systemic exposure. Chronic treatment with SLx-4090 in mice maintained on a high-fat diet decreased LDL-C and TG and resulted in weight loss without the elevation of liver enzymes or an increase in hepatic fat. The compound did not result in toxicity when administered to rats for 90 days at a dose of 1000 mg/kg per day. These data support the concept that the inhibition of enterocytic MTP could serve as a useful strategy in the treatment of metabolic disorders.

Evaluation of zebrafish DNA integrity after exposure to pharmacological agents present in aquatic environments.

Over the past few years, the increasing and uncontrolled use of pharmaceutical substances in agriculture, fish farming, human health and in veterinary medicine, together with an improper use of out-of-date medicines, has led to a consequent increase in the environmental problems linked to their disposal. In some Italian waste water treatment plants were found furosemide, a diuretic; ranitidine, an antiulcer drug; bezafibrate, a lipid regulator and ibuprofen, a painkiller. The present paper shows, by means of the synergic application of three tests (the Comet Test, the Diffusion Assay and the RAPD-PCR technique), how the DNA of zebrafish can be damaged after exposure to the above mentioned drugs. The data from the Comet Test, the Diffusion Assay and the RAPD-PCR technique were generally in agreement; these results show that all four drugs are genotoxic.