Drug salt formation via mechanochemistry: the case study of vincamine.

In the present research a salt of vincamine, a poorly bioavailable indole alkaloid derived from the leaves of Vinca minor L., was synthesized in the solid state by means of a mechanochemical process employing citric acid as a reagent. The mechanochemical process was adopted as a solvent-free alternative to classical citrate synthetic route that involves the use of solvents. Since the mechanochemical salification is little studied to date and presents the disadvantage of offering a low yield, in this work, the influence of three process and formulation variables on the percentage of vincamine citrate was studied. In particular, the time of mechanical treatment (in planetary mill Fritsch P5) and the amount of citric acid were varied in order to evaluate their effect on the yield of the process, and the introduction of a solid solvent, a common pharmaceutical excipient (sodium carboxymethylcellulose, NaCMC), was considered. Due to the complexity of the resulting samples' matrix, an appropriate experimental design was employed to project the experimental trials and the influence of the three variables on the experimental response was estimated with the help of a statistical analysis. The experimental response, that is, the yield of the process corresponding to the percentage of vincamine in the protonated form, was unconventionally calculated by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis (XPS). Out of 16 samples, the one with the highest yield was the coground sample containing vincamine and citric acid in a 1:2 molar ratio, treated for 60 min in the presence of NaCMC. Under the above conditions the salification reaction was completed highlighting the importance of a proper selection of process and formulation variables of the mechanochemical salification, and emphasizing the crucial role of the solid solvent in facilitating the salification. The second step of the research encompassed the characterization of the citrate salt obtained by solid excipient assisted mechanochemical salification (SEAMS) in comparison with the vincamine citrate obtained by classical synthetic route. The samples were characterized by, besides XPS, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), in vitro solubilization kinetics and in vivo oral pilot study in rats. Finally, in order to monitor over time possible disproportionation phenomena, stability studies have been performed by repeating XPS analysis after 8 months. As expected, the the SEAMS-vincamine salt consisted of particles both crystalline and amorphous. The solubilization kinetics was superior to the corresponding salt probably thanks to the favorable presence of the hydrophilic excipient although the two salts were bioequivalent in rats after oral administration. Furthermore, no evidence of disporportionation phenomena in the SEAMS-vincamine salt was found after storage. In conclusion, in the case of forming salts of poorly soluble drugs, the SEAMS process may be an interesting alternative to both classical synthetic routes, eliminating the need for solvent removal, and simple neat mechanochemical salification, overcoming the problem of limited process yield.

Development and validation of an adsorptive stripping voltammetric method for the quantification of vincamine in its formulations and human serum using a Nujol-based carbon paste electrode.

An easy, rapid and selective adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) method for the determination of vincamine in its formulation and human serum was developed and validated. It was based on the oxidation of the drug onto a Nujol-based carbon paste electrode. The stripping step was carried out by using a square-wave (SW) potential-time voltammetric excitation signal. The optimal experimental variables as well as accumulation parameters were investigated as; frequency f=120 Hz, scan increment DeltaE(i)=10 mV, pulse-amplitude DeltaE(a)=25 mV and an accumulation potential E(acc) of 0.0 V using a Britton-Robinson (B-R) universal buffer of pH 5 as a supporting electrolyte. After validation of the described method, it was applied for determination of vincamine in its formulation and human serum. Mean recovery of 100.41+/-0.74 (n=5) was achieved for assay of vincamine in Oxybral capsules. Limits of detection and quantitation of 6.0 x 10(-9) M (2.20 ng ml(-1)) and 2 x 10(-8) M (7.33 ng ml(-1)) vincamine were achieved in human serum with a mean recovery of 99.5+/-1.79%, without prior extraction of the drug. No interferences were observed in formulation and/or human serum. Due to high sensitivity and specificity of the developed method, it was successfully applied for evaluating some pharmacokinetic parameters of two healthy volunteers after administration of a single oral Oxybral capsule.

Measurement and pharmacokinetics of vincamine in rat blood and brain using microdialysis.

Vincamine is an alkaloid compound derived from the Vinca minor plant. Since little is known concerning its pharmacokinetics and appropriate analytical method, this study focuses on its pharmacokinetics as well the possible roles of the multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein on its distribution and disposition. We develop a rapid and sensitive method using a microdialysis coupled with liquid chromatography for the concurrent determination of unbound vincamine in rat blood and brain. Microdialysis probes were simultaneously inserted into the jugular vein toward heart and brain hippocampus of male Sprague-Dawley rats for sampling in biological fluids following the administration of vincamine (10 and 30 mg/kg) through the femoral vein. Samples were eluted with a mobile phase containing methanol-1% diethylamine (pH 7.15) in water (75:25, v/v) and the flow rate of the mobile phase was 0.7 ml/min. Pharmacokinetic parameters of vincamine were derived using compartmental model. The decline of protein-unbound vincamine in the hippocampus and blood suggested that there was rapid exchange and equilibration between the peripheral compartment and the central nervous system. In the presence of cyclosporine, unbound vincamine levels in both blood and brain were significantly increased.

Determination of vincamine in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection.

A simple and rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the determination of vincamine in human plasma. Plasma samples were buffered at pH 9 and after extraction with tert.-butyl methyl ether back-extracted into 0.017 M orthophosphoric acid. Propranolol was used as the internal standard. An aliquot was injected on to a high-performance liquid chromatographic system using a C18 reversed-phase column and an acetonitrile-phosphate buffer containing triethylamine (30:70) as mobile phase. Detection was performed with an ultraviolet detector at 273 nm. The method had good accuracy and precision and the detection limit (0.3 ng/ml with a signal-to-noise ratio of 3:1) allowed the assessment of vincamine concentrations in plasma in pharmacokinetic studies on healthy human volunteers.

The metabolic fate of 11-bromo[15-3H]vincamine in man.

During 5 days following a single oral dose of 3H-11-bromovincamine (40 mg) to two human subjects, means of 55% and 27% of the 3H dose were excreted in the urine and faeces respectively, mainly within 24 and 48 h. Mean plasma concentrations of 3H reached a peak (1900 ng equiv./ml) at 1 h after dosing and declined biphasically with half-lives of 5 h and 11 h which were similar to half-lives for urinary excretion of 3H. Parent drug and 11-bromovincaminic acid were the major dose-related components in plasma at 1.5 and 3 h. Mean plasma concentrations of 11-bromovincamine reached a peak (620 ng/ml) at 0.75 h and declined biphasically with half-lives of about 1 h and 5 h. The major urinary metabolite was 11-bromovincaminic acid (31% dose). Also present in urine were 11-bromovincamine (3%), 11-bromoapovincamine (1%) and 2 unknown metabolites (9% and 6%). Similar metabolites were detected in faecal extracts. If inadequately stored in biological samples, 11-bromovincamine could be hydrolysed to 11-bromovincaminic acid and be epimerised to 11-bromo-epivincamine.

Pharmacokinetic study of vincamine teprosilate.

The results obtained by the authors in the pharmacokinetic study of vincamine teprosilate after oral and i.v. administration to young healthy volunteers and after oral administration to patients aged 68 to 84 years are presented. The description of the assay for each administration route is reported in the protocol. Plasma levels of vincamine teprosilate were assayed by reverse phase HPLC with spectrofluorimetric detection. The data obtained after i.v. administration made it possible to define the pharmacokinetic model and to estimate parameters. Concentration-time data were adapted to a biocompartmental open model with alpha value of 2.9080 and beta value 0.1047. In oral administration, the overlapping of the fast disposition phase and the absorption phase led to an apparent monocompartmental fit; in both young and aged volunteers, the absorption rate constants as well as the elimination rate constants were calculated. In both groups no significant differences in tmax values were found and no latency period was noticed . Cmax values were similar in both groups of patients; the lower distribution volume in aged volunteers compared to younger ones contributed to this finding. Differences in absorption rate constants in aged and young volunteers (0.53 h-1 and 0.73 h-1 respectively) are analysed. Vincamine teprosilate bioavailability after oral administration was found to be 20 +/- 5%. Possible vincamine teprosilate dose dependence kinetics are suggested.

Determination of vincamine in human plasma using automated high-performance liquid chromatography.

A specific and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the quantitative determination of vincamine at therapeutic concentrations in plasma is described. The column was packed with Spherisorb ODS 5 micrometer, and the mobile phase was acetonitrile-potassium phosphate (0.02 M, pH 2.3) (50:50) with a flow-rate of 10 ml/min. Detection was at 230 nm. Using automated large-volume injection of a non-eluting solvent (0.02 M potassium phosphate) the method was capable of the analysis of a large number of samples daily. The coefficient of variation of the procedure was 4.8% at a plasma vincamine concentration of 10 ng/ml

[Quantitative determination of drugs by in situ spectrophotometry of chromatograms for pharmacokinetic studies. I. Sulpiride and other benzamides, vincamine, naftazone (author's transl)]. / Dosage des médicaments par spectrophotométrie in situ des chromatogrammes en vue de leur étude pharmacocinétique. I. Sulpiride et autres benzamides, vincamine, naftazone.

Assays are proposed for sulpiride and other benzamides, vincamine and naftazone in plasma (or blood) and urine with direct UV reflectance spectrophotometry on this are applied directly on TLC along with a calibration curve on each plate. Plasma (or total blood) samples are extracted, and an internal standard is added before aplication; slopes of the obtained calibration curves do not change significantly from plate to plate, thus allowing several determinations on the same plate. The sensitivity is 2 microgram in a 1-ml sample (amount applied 30 ng) for sulpiride and related compounds and about the same for vincamine. Naftazone is determined in plasma with simultaneous reflectance and transmittance spectrophotometric measurements at 520 nm on chromatoplates sprayed with lead acetate, the sensitivity reached is 10 ng in a 1-ml sample (amount applied 0.5 ng). For all drugs studied, the proposed techniques are specific, reliable and sensitive enough and can be used to perform pharmacokinetic studies in human or in animal after administration of doses in the therapeutic range.

[Metabolism of vincamine in the rat]. / Metabolismo della vincamina nel ratto.

The metabolism of vincamine hydrochloride was studied in the rat after oral administration of the drug. Vincamine is almost completely metabolized, only a small fraction of the original compound being excreted in the urine. The metabolites detected in blood, urine and tissues were purified by preparative thin layer and column chromatography in several solvent systems, and analyzed by mass spectrometry. It was found that the main urinary metabolites were vincamine conjugates (sulphates and glucuronides). Two new metabolites were detected in all the biological fluids and specimens analyzed: these compounds are more polar than vincamine and their structure was characterized by mass spectrometry, I.R. and U.V. spectroscopy and confirmed by synthesis in our laboratory.

[Relative bioavailability of a vincamine retard formulation. Pharmacokinetic study in normal subjects (author's transl)]. / Relative Bioverfürgbarkeit einer Vincamin-Retard-Zubereitung. Pharmakokinetische Untersuchungen an gesunden Versuchspersonen.

The study was carried out in 6 healthy volunteers in cross-over design. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated after application of 60 mg vincamine base in comparison to a sustained release formulation (vincamine ratio-pharm 30 mg) on the basis of a GC method. Summarizing it can be stated that the sustained release formulation has a flatter profile and is therefore more adapted to clinical application. The extent of absorption expressed as AUC of the serum concentration-time curve, has three times the extent of the curve with the pure substance.