Proof-of-concept for a miniaturized shake-flask biopharmaceutical solubility determination by sonic mixing.

The solvent volume must be very small to obtain biopharmaceutically relevant drug solubility data with low consumption of the solid sample which is often in low supply during early drug development. However, the adequate and repeatable mixing of a small volume can be challenging. We therefore developed a straightforward technique based on the shake-flask method which employed only sonication for mixing a very small amount of drug in an aqueous solvent at a stable pH and temperature. To test the technique, the solubilities of the model compounds carvedilol, digoxin, propranolol, theophylline, and verapamil were determined. The determined solubility values agreed well with the conventional shake-flask solubility data obtained in our laboratory and previously published literature data. The time necessary for the measurements (24 h), was shown to be similar to the conventional shake-flask method even for the low solubility drugs digoxin and carvedilol. The solubility - pH dependence can be established very well as shown with verapamil and propranolol and confirmed with a pH in-dependent solubility of theophylline.

Physiological barriers to the oral delivery of curcumin.

Curcumin, a principal component from Curcuma longa, with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities was proposed as a potential candidate for the preventation and/or treatment of cancer and chronic diseases. However, curcumin could not achieve its expected therapeutic outcome in clinical trials due to its low solubility and poor bioavailability. The actual intestinal physiological barriers limiting curcumin absorption after oral administration have not been fully investigated. To identify the main barriers curtailing its absorption, in vitro permeability of curcumin and flux of its glucuronide were monitored in rat jejunum and Transwell grown Caco-2 cells. Curcumin was more permeable under acidic conditions, but the permeability was substantially below the permeability of highly permeable standards. Its efflux could not be inhibited by specific Pgp and MRP inhibitors. BCRP was found to participate in curcumin transport, but the Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptide (OATP) did not. The permeability of curcumin significantly increased when the structure of mucus was compromised. The inhibitor of curcumin metabolism, piperin, failed to act as a permeability enhancer. Piperin inhibited Pgp and MRP transporters and decreased the amount of glucuronide transported back into the intestine. Inclusion of piperin in curcumin-containing formulations is highly recommended as to inhibit curcumin glucuronidation and to increase the transport of formed glucuronides into the plasma, therefore increasing the probability of glucuronide distribution into target tissue and inter-convertion to curcumin. It would also be beneficial, if curcumin delivery systems could reversibly compromise the mucous integrity to minimize the non-specific binding of curcumin to its constituents.

Microencapsulation of self-microemulsifying system: improving solubility and permeability of furosemide.

The primary goal of this study was to formulate Ca-pectinate microcapsules with self-microemulsifying core to enhance the solubility and permeability of BCS class IV drug furosemide. An Inotech IE-50R encapsulator equipped with a concentric nozzle was utilized to transform liquid self-microemulsifying system (SMES) to solid microcapsules. Self-microemulsifying core was optimized with respect to drug loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency and evaluated for its impact on furosemide permeability through rat small intestine and Caco-2 cell monolayers. Retention of the core phase was considerably improved (up to 70-80%) by optimization of the SMES and microcapsules' drying process. Incorporation of furosemide in self-microemulsifying core of microcapsules resulted in improved permeability and drug release characteristics in comparison to microspheres (without SMES in the core). The obtained results illustrate the prospective use of microcapsules with self-microemulsifying core for the delivery of compounds with poor biopharmaceutical properties via the oral route.

Influence of metal cations on the solubility of fluoroquinolones.

Although a clinically relevant interaction between a fluoroquinolone and a metal cation was first described more than 20 years ago the biopharmaceutical mechanism of this interaction is still not understood. One of the obvious disagreements in the literature is about the effect of metal cations on the solubility of fluoroquinolones. Namely, metal cations are reported to increase the solubility of fluoroquinolones as well as to decrease it and thus cause the lowered bioavailability. Thus in this work the solubility of ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin and ofloxacin and the effect of metal cations on the solubility of these fluoroquinolones in aqueous media of different pH values were reevaluated. The results clearly show that the metal cations either do not affect or even increase the solubility of fluoroquinolones. Thus they surely do not influence the bioavailability of these drugs by decreasing their solubility. Additionally, possible explanations for the contradictory results reported in the literature are given.

Polarised transport of monocarboxylic acid type drugs across rat jejunum in vitro: the effect of mucolysis and ATP-depletion.

The transport characteristics of monocarboxylic acid type drugs (ketoprofen, ibuprofen and gemfibrozil) across the excised jejunal segments and artificial (octanol impregnated) membrane in side-by-side diffusion cells were studied. All three model drugs permeated faster across the intestinal tissue in the mucosal-to-serosal direction than in the opposite direction. No polarised transport of tested drugs was observed when the mucosal side of the intestine was treated with mucus disrupting agent, L-cysteine 1% (w/v), which significantly increased the microclimate pH at the mucosal surface of the intestine. Similar effects on the transport characteristics of model drugs and microclimate pH were observed when metabolic inhibitor, sodium azide (10mM), was present in the incubation medium. Furthermore, the direction of proton gradient across the artificial membrane was shown to significantly influence the transport of model drugs across this membrane. The results of this study indicate that the inwardly directed proton gradient maintained by the acidic microclimate pH at the intestinal surface could be considered as a driving force for the transport of monocarboxylic acid type drugs across the intestinal epithelia and could explain rapid absorption of these drugs after oral application.

Investigation of polymeric nanoparticles as carriers of enalaprilat for oral administration.

Enalaprilat is a typical angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and is very poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study was to design and characterize poly-(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) nanoparticles containing enalaprilat and to evaluate the potential of these colloidal carriers for the transport of drugs through the intestinal mucosa. Nanoparticle dispersions were prepared by the emulsification-diffusion method and characterized according to particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency and physical stability. Effective permeabilities through rat jejunum of enalaprilat in solution and in enalaprilat-loaded nanoparticles were compared using side-by-side diffusion chambers. The solubility of enalaprilat is very low in many acceptable organic solvents, but in benzyl alcohol is sufficient to enable the production of nanoparticles by the emulsification-diffusion process. The diameters of drug-loaded PMMA and PLGA nanoparticles were 297 and 204 nm, respectively. The concentration of the stabilizer polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in dispersion has an influence on particle size but not on drug entrapment. The type of polymer has a decisive influence on drug content--7 and 13% for PMMA and PLGA nanoparticles, respectively. In vitro release studies show a biphasic release of enalaprilat from nanoparticle dispersions-fast in the first step and very slow in the second. The apparent permeability coefficient across rat jejunum of enalaprilat entrapped in PLGA nanoparticles is not significantly improved compared with enalaprilat in solution.

Comparative permeability of some acyclovir derivatives through native mucus and crude mucin dispersions.

The permeability of some guanine derivatives (acyclovir [ACV], deoxyacyclovir [DCV], and their N-acetyl congeners) through native porcine mucus and crude porcine mucin dispersions (30% and 50% w/v) was investigated in two-compartment dialysis cells. High correlation between apparent permeability coefficients Papp of tested substances determined in these two models was observed, although the examined compounds permeated faster through the native mucus. It was also established that Papp values decrease with increasing hydrophilicity and molecular mass of the tested substances. Furthermore, the influence of some substances that affect mucus structure (cysteine, N-acetylcysteine [NCY], sodium taurocholate [ST], and sodium chloride) on the permeation rate of the examined compounds through mucus and mucin dispersions was examined. It was shown that the Papp values of guanine derivatives were generally lower after the addition of these substances to the native mucus and mucin dispersions, although the lowering effect was more pronounced in the case of native mucus.

Preformulation investigation of the novel proton pump inhibitor lansoprazole.

Some technologically important physicochemical properties of lansoprazole were investigated. This compound is very unstable, especially in aqueous solutions with low pH. It has one acidic and two basic dissociation constants. Lansoprazole has relatively high solubility in solutions with high pH and is well partitioned from aqueous to n-octanol phase. Under conditions examined in this study, lansoprazole was not hydroscopic and did not decompose at higher relative humidities.

Are calculated log P values for some guanine derivatives by different computer programs reliable?

The log P values of n-octanol/water for some guanine derivatives, acyclovir, deoxyaciclovir and their acetyl congeners, were calculated by some commercially available computer programs for log P calculation. These values were compared with those obtained by the conventional shake-flask method. It was established that the calculations of log P values for examined guanine derivatives by these computation programs do not give reliable results.

Estimation of aqueous solubility for some guanine derivatives using partition coefficient and melting temperature.

Aqueous solubilities for some guanine derivatives were estimated by semiempirical equations developed by Yalkowsky and Valvani1 using the data for partition coefficient and melting temperature. It was shown that in the case of guanine derivatives examined in this study, the solubility values could not be estimated adequately by these equations.

Genomic analyses of Salmonella enteritidis phage type 4 strains from Austria and phage type 8 strains from the United States.

Forty illness associated phage-type (PT) 4 and PT 8 strains of Salmonella enteritidis were analyzed by the pulsed-field technique of clamped homogeneous electric fields (CHEF) electrophoresis. Using NotI and XbaI, the 40 strains were subdivided by each enzyme into seven restriction endonuclease digestion profiles (REDP). The 35 PT 4 isolates from Austria were subdivided into six NotI and five XbaI REDP, while the five PT 8 isolates from the United States displayed a single NotI and two XbaI REDP. When highly-concentrated, uncleaved genomic DNA was subjected to CHEF electrophoresis, plasmid DNA in the size range of 350 kb relative to a linear DNA standard was discernible in 38 of the 40 strains. Subsequent isolation and restriction analyses of plasmid DNA from one strain (E40) revealed a single plasmid (pE40; ca. 54 kb) with one XbaI and two NotI cleavage sites that was similar in size to the S. enteritidis virulence plasmid pRQ29. Hybridization of the PE40 probe with S. enteritidis genomic DNAs identified a 54 kb fragment within the XbaI REDP and two fragments, 20 and 34 kb, in NotI REDP of plasmid-positive strains. It was not possible to identify plasmid-specific bands in NotI REDP without hybridization due to comigrating chromosomal and plasmid DNA fragments. Regardless of PT, all 40 S. enteritidis strains showed highly related REDP. The similarity between PT 4 and PT 8 strains as further revealed by Dice similarity coefficients was 90% to 95% for NotI REDP and 79% to 93% for XbaI REDP. These results support the hypothesis that the pandemic observed today is the result of the efficient spread of a single clone, or clusters of closely related clones, of S. enteritidis.

Clamped homogenous electric fields (CHEF) gel-electrophoresis of DNA restriction fragments for comparing genomic variations among strains of yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia spp.

Yersinia enterocolitica gastroenteritis was first recognized in the early 1960s and has since been reported with increasing frequency. To determine if strains of Y. enterocolitica, within a restricted region isolated over 8 years (1985-1993), originated from a single or multiple clones, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of large chromosomal DNA restriction fragments generated by XbaI or NotI was used. A total of 27 isolates of Y. enterocolitica were analyzed, 24 from Austria (Vienna and Graz) consisting of serogroups 0:3 (17 isolates), 0:9 (6 isolates), 0:5 (1 isolate); 2 from Germany of serogroups 0:3 and 0:9 (1 isolate each); 1 from the U.S.A. of serogroup 0:8. Genomic fingerprints of these strains were compared to those of 8 other Yersinia species to ascertain if their restriction endonuclease digestion profiles (REDP) were serogroup and/or species specific. The 27 Y. enterocolitica strains could be divided into 16 genomic varieties according to their restriction patterns with NotI and XbaI. PFGE was highly discriminatory as strains belonging to the same serogroup could be subdivided into different genomic groups. Furthermore, Y. enterocolitica strains isolated from the same region, over an 8 year period, belonged to a few closely related clones. The genomic fingerprints of Yersinia were found to be species and serogroup specific.

Eudragit E microspheres containing bacampicillin: preparation by solvent removal methods.

Eudragit E microspheres containing bacampicillin hydrochloride were prepared by solvent evaporation and solvent extraction methods. Three different systems of solvents were used: methyl acetate, acetone and methanol/liquid paraffin. The success of the procedures depended mostly on the lipophilicity of the solvent. The particle size of microspheres was determined by sieve analysis. The results showed that the average size of microspheres is influenced greatly by the type of solvent. Scanning electron microscopy was used for observation of the shape of microspheres. Microspheres prepared by the solvent evaporation method in systems with acetone and methyl acetate were all of a regular spherical shape. The surface of all other microspheres were folded. The influence of magnesium stearate content in microspheres was also studied in terms of different methods, solvents and processing conditions.