Nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogels and reconstructed hydrogels as matrices for controlled drug release.

Concentrated 3% and 6.5% anionic nanofibrillar cellulose (ANFC) hydrogels were introduced as matrix reservoirs for controlled delivery applications of small molecules and proteins. A further aim was to study how the freeze-drying and subsequent rehydration of ANFC hydrogel affects the rheological properties and drug release of selected model compounds from the reconstructed hydrogels. It was demonstrated that the 3% and 6.5% ANFC hydrogels can be freeze-dried with suitable excipients into highly porous aerogel structures and redispersed back into the hydrogel form without significant change in the rheological properties. Freeze-drying did not affect the drug release properties from redispersed ANFC hydrogels, indicating that these systems could be stored in the dry form and only redispersed when needed. For large molecules, the diffusion coefficients were significantly smaller when higher ANFC fiber content was used, indicating that the amount of ANFC fibers in the hydrogel can be used to control the release rate. The release of small molecules was controlled with the ANFC fiber content only to a moderate extent. The results indicate that ANFC hydrogel can be used for controlled delivery of several types of molecules and that the hydrogel can be successfully freeze-dried and redispersed.

Separation of nadolol stereoisomers by chiral liquid chromatography at analytical and preparative scales.

The separation of the four nadolol stereoisomers on Chiralpak® AD by chiral liquid chromatography was carried out at both analytical and preparative scales. A screening of possible mobile-phase compositions was performed using different alcohol-hydrocarbon mixtures. The results obtained confirm the use of 20:80:0.3 ethanol-hexane-diethylamine reported by McCarthy (1994) but introduce other possibilities for the complete resolution of the four nadolol stereoisomers at analytical scale, namely, the mixtures 30-40:70-60:0.3 ethanol-heptane-diethylamine. Additionally, this work describes how retention and resolution depend on the ethanol content in hexane and heptane mixtures. The separation of nadolol stereoisomers is also carried out at preparative scale and different alcohol-hydrocarbon compositions are proposed, depending on the target component to be obtained. Particularly, this work presents the experimental separation of the more retained nadolol stereoisomer (RSR-nadolol) by simulated moving bed (SMB) chromatography using an 80:20:0.3 ethanol-heptane-diethylamine mobile phase. For a 2 g/l feed concentration, RSR-nadolol is 100% recovered at the extract outlet stream, 100% pure, and with a system productivity of 0.65 g(RSR-nadolol)/(l(bed)(.)h) and a solvent consumption of 9.6 l(solvent)/g(RSR-nadolol).

A disposable amperometric immunosensor for chlorpyrifos-methyl based on immunogen/platinum doped silica sol-gel film modified screen-printed carbon electrode.

A disposable amperometric immunosensor for sensitive detection of chlorpyrifos-methyl (CM) has been developed by combining dual signal amplification of platinum colloid with an enzymatic catalytic reaction. The immunosensor was fabricated by modification of the screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCE) with nanocomposites made by skillful doping of bovine serum albumin conjugated chlorpyrifos-methyl antigen (BSA-Ag) and platinum colloid into silica sol-gel. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and electrochemical measurements showed that platinum colloid domains in the nanocomposite material could enhance electron transfer and change the brittleness of the silica sol-gel. The immobilisation of BSA-Ag on the nanocomposite retained its immunoactivities, which allowed the immobilised BSA-Ag to effectively capture unbound Ab-HRP in the detection solution. A linear response to CM concentration was exhibited, ranging from 0.4 to 20ng/mL. Detection of CM with the presented method in soil or grape samples treated with CM matched the reference values well, which indicated that the proposed disposable immunosensor hold promising applications in environmental and food monitoring.

Photochemical fate of beta-blockers in NOM enriched waters.

Beta-blockers, prescribed for the treatment of high blood pressure and for long-term use after a heart attack, have been detected in surface and ground waters. This study examines the photochemical fate of three beta-blockers, atenolol, metoprolol, and nadolol. Hydrolysis accounted for minor losses of these beta-blockers in the pH range 4-10. The rate of direct photolysis at pH 7 in a solar simulator varied from 6.1 to 8.9h(-1) at pH 7. However, the addition of a natural organic matter (NOM) isolate enhanced the photochemical loss of all three compounds. Indirect photochemical fate, generally described by reactions with hydroxyl radical (OH) and singlet oxygen ((1)ΔO(2)), and, the direct reaction with the triplet excited state, (3)NOM(⁎), also varied but collectively appeared to be the major loss factor. Bimolecular reaction rate constants of the three beta-blockers with (1)ΔO(2) and OH were measured and accounted for 0.02-0.04% and 7.2-38.9% of their loss, respectively. These data suggest that the (3)NOM(⁎) contributed 50.6-85.4%. Experiments with various (3)NOM(⁎) quenchers supported the hypothesis that it was singly the most important reaction. Atenolol was chosen for more detailed investigation, with the photoproducts identified by LC-MS analysis. The results suggested that electron-transfer could be an important mechanism in photochemical fate of beta-blockers in the presence of NOM.

Application of simulated intestinal fluid on the phospholipid vesicle-based drug permeation assay.

The compatibility of fasted state simulated intestinal fluid (FaSSIF) in drug permeation studies employing the phospholipid vesicle-based permeation assay (PVPA) model was confirmed by a set of different integrity indicators. Neither calcein permeability nor electrical resistance were found significantly changed indicating unaffected barrier tightness. Furthermore, the release of phospholipid from the barriers in contact with FaSSIF was negligible, although sodium taurocholate disappeared from the donor - possibly due to transfer into the barrier. Visual examination of the barrier structure by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) revealed no changes. The model drugs, cimetidine, nadolol, ketoprofen and griseofulvin showed either slightly enhanced or unchanged permeability values in the presence of FaSSIF. This may be attributed to micellar encapsulation and/or slight changes in barrier characteristics. Particularly for poorly soluble drugs, FaSSIF appeared favourable in terms of markedly improved recovery. Moreover, utilisation of BSA in the receiver compartment seems to augment this beneficial effect on recovery rate. It is likely that this experimental set-up affords better sink conditions in the receiver phase, which results in higher fluxes. Overall, a combination of FaSSIF in the donor phase and BSA in the receiver phase facilitates improved experimental output.

Preparation of 2R, 3S, 2'R-nadolol enantiomer using S-(-)-menthyl chloroformate as a chiral derivatizing reagent.

Stereoisomers of nadolol were derivatized with S-(-)-menthyl chloroformate((-)-MCF) forming their diastereomers, RSR-nadolol-(-)-MCF, SRS-nadolol-(-)-MCF, RRS-nadolol-(-)-MCF and SSRnadolol-(-)-MCF. Diastereomeric mixture were then chromatographically resolved by preparative HPLC (JAIGEL-ODS-BP-L, 500 × 25 mm column) eluted with methanol-water (84:16, v/v) at flow rate 2.5 mL/min. RSR-nadolol-(-)-MCF diastereomer was hydrolyzed with 5% LiOH at 80°C for 48 h, and the decomposed mixture was further purified by semi-preparative HPLC. The purity and final yield of RSR-nadolol were 99.97% and 12.95%, respectively.

Adsorption of beta blockers to environmental surfaces.

Beta-adrenergic blocking agents (beta blockers) are widely used pharmaceuticals which have been detected in the environment. Predicting the transport and ultimate fate of beta blockers in the environment requires understanding their adsorption to soils and sediments, something for which little information is currently available. The objective of this work was to examine the adsorption of three beta blockers, propranolol, metoprolol and nadolol, to a natural alluvial material, as well as to six minerals present as components of the alluvial material. Batch adsorption experiments indicate that, for most of the minerals studied, compound hydrophobicity is an important predictor of adsorption, with propranolol,the most hydrophobic compound studied, adsorbing to the greatest extent. Results further suggest that, for the minerals studied, electrostatic effects are not a good predictor of adsorption; adsorption extent was not well-predicted by either surface zeta potential or by the difference between experiment pH and point of zero charge, despite the cationic nature af the three beta blockers at experiment pH values. Experiments were conducted to examine the effect of an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), on adsorption. Results indicate that SDBS significantly increases the adsorption of propranolol to two different sorbents. This result is potentially important because surfactants such as SDBS are likely to be present in wastewater effluents with beta blockers and could influence their mobility in the environment.

Some fundamental and technical aspects of the quantitative analysis of pharmaceutical drugs by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.

The purpose of the present paper was to study some of the underlying physical and technical aspects of high-throughput quantitative matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) of small drug molecules. A prototype MALDI-triple quadrupole instrument equipped with a high repetition rate laser was employed. Initially, the detection limits and dynamic ranges for the quantitation of four drugs (quinidine, danofloxacin, ramipril and nadolol) were determined. Internal standards were carefully chosen for each of these analytes in terms of structure similarity and fragmentation pathways. Three organic matrices were tested for these assays, resulting in different crystallization behaviors and measurement reproducibilities. alpha-Cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid yielded the best results and was subsequently employed for the quantitative determination of all four analytes. Further experiments considered the role of laser energy and pulse rate on the ablated areas as well as ion signals. Light microscope and scanning electron microscope images allowed the examination of the ablated area of the MALDI spots. The images showed convincing evidence that the ablated area was virtually void of crystals after analysis, with no preferential removal of material in the center of the laser's path. Average values for the amount of material ablated were determined to be 3.9+/-0.5% of the total spot size, and as low as 19.5 attomoles of analyte were detectable for our most sensitive analyte, ramipril. It was calculated that, under these assay conditions, it was possible to accurately quantify less than 1 femtomole of all analytes with the use of appropriately pure internal standards. These studies showed very promising results for the quantitative nature of MALDI for small molecules with molecular weights less than 500 Da.

Chiral separation and modeling of the three-chiral-center beta-blocker drug nadolol by simulated moving bed chromatography.

Nadolol, a beta-blocker used in the management of hypertension and angina pectoris, has three chiral centers and is currently marketed as an equal mixture of its four stereoisomers. Resolution of three of the four stereoisomers of nadolol was obtained previously by HPLC, with a complete separation of the most active enantiomer (RSR)-nadolol, on a column packed with perphenyl carbamoylated beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) immobilized onto silica gel. In this study, continuous separation of the target enantiomer of (RSR)-nadolol from its racemic mixture (which is a ternary mixture in the chromatographic system) was studied by non-linear SMB chromatography. Different regions of (2, 3) and (1, 2) complete separation regime were determined in the (m2, m3) region and the effect of non-linearity such as overall feed concentration and component composition on the separation performances was investigated. A direct simulation approach has been proposed to simulate the SMB separation performance for the pseudo-binary mixture of nadolol. The simulation was conducted on the basis of a shortcut method constituted only of the weak-key and strong-key components. The performance of the cyclic steady-state behavior of the SMB unit was predicted reasonably well. It was also discussed quantitatively that the complete separation region obtained from the shortcut method is a subset of the true complete separation region and the optimal separation conditions obtained differed slightly from the "true" separation.

Polymeric alkenoxy amino acid surfactants: II. Chiral separations of beta-blockers with multiple stereogenic centers.

Two amino acid-based (leucine and isoleucine) alkenoxy micelle polymers were employed in this study for the separation of multichiral center-bearing beta-blockers, nadolol and labetalol. These polymers include polysodium N-undecenoxy carbonyl-L-leucinate (poly-L-SUCL) and polysodium N-undecenoxy carbonyl-L-isoleucinate (poly-L-SUCIL). Detailed synthesis and characterization were reported in our previous paper [26]. It was found that poly-L-SUCIL gives better chiral separation than poly-L-SUCL for both nadolol and labetalol isomers. The use of 50-100 mM poly-L-SUCIL as a single chiral selector provided separation of four and three isomers of labetalol and nadolol, respectively. Further optimization in separation of both enantiomeric pairs of nadolol and labetalol was achieved by evaluation of type and concentration of organic solvents, capillary temperature as well type and concentration of cyclodextrins. A synergistic approach, using a combination of poly-L-SUCIL and sulfated beta-CD (S-beta-CD) was evaluated and it showed dramatic separation for enantiomeric pairs of nadolol. On the other hand for labetalol enantiomers, separation was slightly decreased or remain unaffected using the dual chiral selector system. Finally, simultaneous separation of both nadolol and labetalol enantiomers was achieved in a single run using 25 mM poly-L-SUCIL and 5% w/v of S-beta-CD in less then 35 min highlighting the importance of high-throughput chiral analysis.

Liquid chromatographic retention behavior and enantiomeric separation of three chiral center beta-blocker drug (nadolol) using heptakis (6-azido-6-deoxy-2, 3-di-O-phenylcarbamolyted) beta-cyclodextrin bonded chiral stationary phase.

Nadolol, a beta-blocker used in the management of hypertension and angina pectoris, has three chiral centers and is currently marketed as an equal mixture of its four stereoisomers. Enantiomeric separation of nadolol by high-performance liquid chromatography was studied on a column packed with novel heptakis (6-azido-6-deoxy-2, 3-di-O-phenylcarbamolyted) beta-cyclodextrin bonded chiral stationary phase. The retention behavior and resolution of nadolol enantiomers were investigated and discussed with respect to the mobile phase composition and flow rate, pH, ionic strength, and temperature. The optimal separation condition was found; the mobile phase contained 80% buffer solution (1% triethylamine acetate, pH 5.5) and 20% methanol with 0.3 ml/min mobile phase flow rate at a temperature of 20 degrees C. At the optimal conditions, resolution of three stereoisomers of nadolol was obtained with a complete separation of the most active enantiomer, (RSR)-nadolol. Thermodynamic properties including enthalpy and entropy change of binding to the CSP for the enantiomeric separation were also determined.

Binding and release of drugs into and from thermosensitive poly(N-vinyl caprolactam) nanoparticles.

Three model drug substances, the beta-blocking agents nadolol and propranolol and a choline-esterase inhibitor tacrine, were used in order to determine how different drug molecules affect the behavior of thermally responsive polymer nanoparticles composed of poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PVCL). Pure PVCL particles in water exist in a swollen state at room temperature, but the size of the particles decreases discontinuously when the temperature is raised above the volume phase transition temperature. At temperatures above this transition temperature, water is expelled out from the nanoscopic hydrogel particles. Light scattering studies revealed that the more hydrophobic drug substances, propranolol and tacrine, considerably swell the PVCL-microgel. The more hydrophilic drug, nadolol, decreased the transition temperature of PVCL particles, whereas the transition temperature values of pure PVCL particles and that of the added propranolol and tacrine were quite similar. Attenuated drug release results showed that the beta-blocking agents were tightly bound to the microgel, and this was more evident at higher temperatures. On the contrary, the release of tacrine across the cellulose membrane was increased when PVCL particles were present. Thus, both physical and chemical properties of the drugs clearly affected their binding to PVCL particles and the release of drugs was affected by the temperature.

Partition coefficients of beta-blockers in bile salt/lecithin micelles as a tool to assess the role of mixed micelles in gastrointestinal absorption.

The objective of this study was to develop non-invasive spectroscopic methods to quantify the partition coefficients of two beta-blockers, atenolol and nadolol, in aqueous solutions of bile salt micelles and to assess the effect of lecithin on the partition coefficients of amphiphilic drugs in mixed bile salt/lecithin micelles, which were used as a simple model for the naturally occurring mixed micelles in the gastrointestinal tract. The partition coefficients (Kp) at 25.0 +/- 0.1degreesC and at 0.1 M NaCl ionic strength were determined by spectrofluorimetry and by derivative spectrophotometry, by fitting equations that relate molar extinction coefficients and relative fluorescence intensities to the partition constant Kp. Drug partition was controlled by the: (i) drug properties, with the more soluble drug in water (atenolol) exhibiting smaller values of Kp, and with both drugs interacting more extensively in the protonated form; and by (ii) the bile salt monomers, with the dihydroxylic salts producing larger values of Kp for the beta-blockers, and with glycine conjugation of the bile acid increasing the values of Kp for the beta-blockers. Addition of lecithin to bile salt micelles decreases the values of Kp of the beta-blockers. Mixed micelles incorporate hydrophobic compounds due to their large size and the fluidity of their core, but amphiphilic drugs, for which the interactions are predominantly polar/electrostatic, are poorly incorporated in mixed micelles of bile salts/lecithin.

Functional properties of atypical beta-adrenoceptors on the guinea pig duodenum.

In this study, we attempted to further characterize atypical beta-adrenoceptors on the guinea pig duodenum. (-)-Enantiomers of isoprenaline and noradrenaline were more potent than its (+)-enantiomers. The isomeric activity ratios ((+)/(-)) were less than those obtained in the guinea pig atria and trachea. The concentration-response curves to catecholamines ((-)-isoprenaline, (-)-noradrenaline and (-)-adrenaline), to the selective beta(3)-adrenoceptor agonist, BRL37344 ((R*, R*)-(+/-)-4-[2-[(2-(3-chlorophenyl)-2-hydroxyethyl)amino]propyl]phenoxyacetic acid sodium), and to the non-conventional partial beta(3)-adrenoceptor agonist, (+/-)-CGP12177A ((+/-)-[4-[3-[(1,1-dimethylethyl)amino]-2-hydroxypropoxy]-1,3-dihydro-2H-benzimidazol-2-one] hydrochloride), were resistant to blockade by (+/-)-pindobind, the beta-adrenoceptor alkylating agent. (-)-Noradrenaline and (-)-adrenaline were more potent than dopamine and (-)-phenylephrine, respectively. Selective beta(2)-adrenoceptor agonists possess agonistic activities at atypical beta-adrenoceptors. (+/-)-Propranolol and (+/-)-bupranolol had no agonistic effect, whereas (+/-)-alprenolol, (+/-)-pindolol, (+/-)-nadolol, (+/-)-CGP12177A and (+/-)-carteolol exhibited agonistic activities at atypical beta-adrenoceptors. These results suggest that pharmacological properties of atypical beta-adrenoceptors differ from those of conventional beta(1)- and beta(2)-adrenoceptors on the guinea pig.

Fluorimetric and solubility studies of nadolol and atenolol in SDS micelles.

The effect of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles on the spectrofluorimetric intensities and on the solubility of two beta-blockers (atenolol and nadolol) were studied at 25.0 +/- 0.1 degrees C and I = 0.1 M NaCl. From the dependence of these physical properties on SDS concentration it was possible to calculate the binding constants drug-micelle, and it was found that both techniques yield similar results for the binding constants, and that are in agreement with those calculated from the effect of micelles on the apparent acidity constants of the beta-blockers.

Bioequivalence of chiral drugs. Stereospecific versus non-stereospecific methods.

Guidelines for bioequivalence of non-racemic pharmaceuticals are abundant in the literature. However, few guidelines exist for the bioequivalence of racemic drugs which consist of 2 or more stereoisomers. The aim of this article is to address the question of whether the bioequivalence of racemic drugs should be based on the measurement of the individual enantiomers or that of the total drug. Several pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic cases are examined to test the validity of extrapolating the bioequivalence of racemic drugs to that of their individual enantiomers after administration of the racemate; simulation and experimental data are presented to support these cases. It is shown that for drugs which exhibit non-linear pharmacokinetics, the results of bioequivalence studies based on the total drug may differ from those based on the individual enantiomers. Similar discrepancies can be shown for a racemic drug with linear pharmacokinetics whose enantiomers substantially differ from each other in their pharmacokinetic parameters. Therefore, it is suggested that stereospecific assays be used for these drugs. Additionally, it is recommended that for racemic drugs which undergo chiral inversion, and for most products with modified release characteristics, the bioequivalence be assessed using stereospecific assays. Conversely, for racemic drugs with linear pharmacokinetics and minimal to modest stereoselectivity in their kinetic parameters, and for those with non-stereoselective pharmacodynamics, the use of stereospecific analytical methods are not warranted. Finally, the limited, controversial literature in favour of or against the use of stereospecific assays in bioequivalence of chiral drugs are reviewed and a preliminary guideline is proposed.

Simultaneous determination of nadolol enantiomers in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography using fluorescence detection.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic assay is described for the separation and quantification of nadolol isomers in human plasma. The isomers were quantified using reverse-phase HPLC and fluorometric detection after derivatization with the chiral reagent R(-)-1-(naphthyl)ethylisocyanate [R(-)-NEI]. The N-isopropyl analogue (one isomer) of nadolol was used as the internal standard. The method was reproducible based on precision studies where the percent relatives standard deviation was less than 15%. The lower limit of quantitation for each isomer was 2.5 ng/mL. This method was used to evaluate the pharmacokinetic profile of nadolol isomers in human subjects following both single and multiple oral dosing.

Utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for assessing nadolol racemate composition.

NMR methods were developed for the determination of the racemate composition in nadolol raw materials. With high-field instruments (400 MHz or greater) the racemate ratio may be determined by the relative heights of the t-butyl peaks, which are well enough resolved for this determination. For lower field spectrometers, the t-butyl peaks are not resolved. An NMR method has been developed which involves preparation of the tribenzoate derivative of the drug. Seven lots of nadolol raw material, as well as several standards, were analysed for their racemate content. Three lots of raw material did not meet the USP limits of 40-60% for racemate A. Of these, two were granular in appearance and were found to vary markedly in racemate composition in successive analyses. The results for all the materials of uniform content agree very well with those from the HPLC method, as well as for the USP IR method using the absorbance at the corrected wavelength.

Nadolol: high-pressure liquid chromatographic methods for assay, racemate composition and related compounds.

High-pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) methods have been developed for the determination of drug content, racemate A and related compounds in nadolol raw materials. The method for drug content and related substances resolved seven related compounds and several unknown impurities from the drug. The minimum quantifiable levels were 0.05% or less for four of the seven related compounds and 0.3% or less for the remainder. Total impurities in eight raw material samples ranged from 0.06 to 0.96% and assay levels ranged from 98.7 to 101.0%. The method was adapted for the determination of nadolol racemate A by a change in mobile phase composition. One raw material sample contained less than 40% of racemate A. Two samples which had a granular appearance were variable in racemate A content. The methods were adapted for the determination of drug and racemate A in nadolol tablets. Drug content in three tablet samples was between 96.2 and 98.4% and racemate A content was about 52%.