A dynamic and screening-compatible nanoluciferase-based complementation assay enables profiling of individual GPCR-G protein interactions.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are currently the target of more than 30% of the marketed medicines. However, there is an important medical need for ligands with improved pharmacological activities on validated drug targets. Moreover, most of these ligands remain poorly characterized, notably because of a lack of pharmacological tools. Thus, there is an important demand for innovative assays that can detect and drive the design of compounds with novel or improved pharmacological properties. In particular, a functional and screening-compatible GPCR-G protein interaction assay is still unavailable. Here, we report on a nanoluciferase-based complementation technique to detect ligands that promote a GPCR-G protein interaction. We demonstrate that our system can be used to profile compounds with regard to the G proteins they activate through a given GPCR. Furthermore, we established a proof of applicability of screening for distinct G proteins on dopamine receptor D2 whose differential coupling to Gαi/o family members has been extensively studied. In a D2-Gαi1versus D2-Gαo screening, we retrieved five agonists that are currently being used in antiparkinsonian medications. We determined that in this assay, piribedil and pergolide are full agonists for the recruitment of Gαi1 but are partial agonists for Gαo, that the agonist activity of ropinirole is biased in favor of Gαi1 recruitment, and that the agonist activity of apomorphine is biased for Gαo We propose that this newly developed assay could be used to develop molecules that selectively modulate a particular G protein pathway.

Development and validation of rapid and sensitive LC methods with PDA and fluorescence detection for determination of piribedil in rat plasma and brain tissues and their pharmacokinetic application.

Simple, selective and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) bioanalytical methods using fluorescence (FL) and photodiode array (PDA) detectors were developed and validated for determination of piribedil (PBD), an anti-Parkinson's drug, in rat plasma and brain samples, with telmisartan as internal standard (IS). Protein precipitation technique was used to extract PBD from both biological matrices. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Phenomenex Kinetex C18 end-capped column (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 µm), with 38:62 v/v acetonitrile and ammonium acetate buffer (pH 5.0) as mobile phase at 1.0 mL/min flow rate. Linear response in the concentration ranges 5-300 and 150-3000 ng/mL in plasma, and 15-900 and 450-9000 ng/g in brain tissue were achieved in FL and PDA detectors, respectively. The chromatograms were extracted at 239 nm in case of PDA detection and at excitation wavelength of 239 nm and emission wavelength of 385 nm in case of FL detection. FL detection was found to be more sensitive compared with PDA detection. The developed methods were successfully employed in determining the plasma time course, brain distribution and the pharmacokinetic parameters of PBD following intravenous bolus administration of the drug in male Wistar rats.

Optimization of piribedil mucoadhesive tablets for efficient therapy of Parkinson's disease: physical characterization and ex vivo drug permeation through buccal mucosa.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was optimization of buccal piribedil (PR) mucoadhesive tablets to improve its low bioavailability and provide controlled release for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. METHODS: Buccal tablets were prepared by direct compression method using carbomer (CP), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as mucoadhesive polymers. Physical properties of powder mixtures and buccal tablets were evaluated. Physicochemical compatibility between ingredients was investigated with infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry analysis. In vitro dissolution profiles and drug release kinetics of buccal tablets were investigated. Mucoadhesion and ex vivo permeation studies were performed using sheep buccal mucosa. RESULTS: Powder mixtures demonstrated sufficient flow properties and physical characteristics of all tablet formulations were within compendia limits. Tablet ingredients were absent of any chemical interactions. CP tablets displayed slower drug release compared to HPMC tablets with zero order release, while CMC tablets lost their integrity and released entire drug after 6 h following Higuchi model. All formulations displayed adequate mucoadhesion and steady state flux of PR through buccal mucosa were higher with HPMC compared to CP-containing tablets. CONCLUSION: Overall, HPMC was found to combine desired controlled release and mucoadhesion characteristics with sufficient pharmaceutical quality for optimization of buccal tablets. Piribedil mucoadhesive buccal tablets designed for the first time may introduce a new alternative for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Agonist-specific voltage sensitivity at the dopamine D2S receptor--molecular determinants and relevance to therapeutic ligands.

Voltage sensitivity has been demonstrated for some GPCRs. At the dopamine D(2S) receptor, this voltage sensitivity is agonist-specific; some agonists, including dopamine, exhibit decreased potency at depolarized potentials, whereas others are not significantly affected. In the present study, we examined some of the receptor-agonist interactions contributing to these differences, and investigated how dopamine D(2S) receptor voltage sensitivity affects clinically used dopamine agonists. GIRK channel activation in voltage-clamped Xenopus oocytes was used as readout of receptor activation. Structurally distinct agonists and complementary site-directed mutagenesis of the receptor's binding site were used to investigate the role of agonist-receptor interactions. We also confirmed that the depolarization-induced decrease of dopamine potency in GIRK activation is correlated by decreased binding of radiolabeled dopamine, and by decreased potency in G protein activation. In the mutagenesis experiments, a conserved serine residue as well as the conserved aspartate in the receptor's binding site were found to be important for voltage sensitive potency of dopamine. Furthermore, the voltage sensitivity of the receptor had distinct effects on different therapeutic D(2) agonists. Depolarization decreased the potency of several compounds, whereas for others, efficacy was reduced. For some agonists, both potency and efficacy were diminished, whereas for others still, neither parameter was significantly altered. The present work identifies some of the ligand-receptor interactions which determine agonist-specific effects of voltage at the dopamine D(2S) receptor. The observed differences between therapeutic agonists might be clinically relevant, and make them potential tools for investigating the roles of dopamine D(2) receptor voltage sensitivity in native tissue.

Enhancement in dissolution pattern of piribedil by molecular encapsulation with beta-cyclodextrin.

The aim of this study was to improve the dissolution behavior of piribedil by molecular encapsulation with beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD). Toward this aim, physical mixing, co-grinding, and spray-drying methods were used to prepare solid binary systems. Differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffractometry, and particle size analysis were used to characterize the binary systems obtained. Complexes of piribedil and beta-CD could be prepared using the spray-drying method. Dissolution of piribedil was improved to a great extent by the complex prepared.

Quantitative determination of some pharmaceutical piperazine derivatives through complexation with iron(III) chloride.

A simple, accurate and sensitive spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of three pharmaceutical piperazine derivatives, namely ketoconazole (KC), trimetazidine hydrochloride (TMH) and piribedil (PD). This method is based on the formation of yellow orange complexes between iron(III) chloride and the investigated drugs. The optimum reaction conditions, spectral characteristics, conditional stability constants and composition of the water soluble complexes have been established. The method permits the determination of KC, TMH and PD over a concentration range 1-15, 1-12 and 1-12 microg ml(-1), respectively. Sandell sensitivity is found to be 0.016, 0.013 and 0.013 microg cm(-2) for KC, TMH and PD, respectively. The method was sensitive, simple, reproducible and accurate within +/-1.5%. The method is applicable to the assay of the three drugs under investigation in different dosage forms and the results are in good agreement with those obtained by the official methods (USP and JP).

Ion-pair formation of Bi(III)-iodide with some nitrogenous drugs and its application to pharmaceutical preparations.

A systematic spectrophotometric study on the ion-pair formation of Bi(III)-iodide with amineptine hydrochloride, piribedil and trimebutine maleate is carried out. The optimal experimental conditions pH, concentration of Bi(III) nitrate, potassium iodide; and the nature and amount of organic solvent have been studied. The ion pairs are soluble in 1,2-dichloroethane and the optimum pH range is 2.0-2.8. By application of the methods of Sommer and Job involving non-equimolar solutions, the conditional stability constant (log K') of the Bi(III) piridedil ion pair (1:1) at the optimum pH of 2.4 and an ionic strength (mu) 0.1 M, was found to be 5.436. The validity of Beer's law has been tested in the concentration range 5-50 microg ml(-1) in the organic layer, the relative standard deviation is less than 1%. The method is applied to the determination of these drugs in tablets without interference.