Influence of the UV-Vis irradiation on the acute toxicity to zebrafish and mutagenicity of the selected psychotropic drugs.

The influence of the UV-Vis radiation on the toxicity of agomelatine, loxapine, clozapine and tiapride was studied. The phototransformation procedure was conducted with the use of simulated solar radiation. In the case of each compound irradiation time necessary to decompose half of the initial concentration was chosen. The embryotoxicity and acute toxicity were evaluated using zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and larvae. The mutagenicity assay was done with the use of a micro-plate Ames test. Generally, the embryotoxicity decreased after the irradiation procedure. The obtained results showed that tiapride is the least toxic compound to zebrafish, however, its toxicity toward larvae increases after the irradiation. Similarly, the mutagenic potential of the mixture of tiapride photoproducts is higher than in the case of parent compound. The phototransformation of loxapine resulted in the change of the acute toxicity profile and increased the rate of reverse mutations in the Ames test. Oppositely, the irradiation of agomelatine caused the decrease of mutagenic potential and acute toxicity was also lower in the postirradiated mixture. The phototransformation of clozapine did not alter the mutagenicity and decreased the acute toxicity to the zebrafish larvae. In silico calculations showed a satisfactory prediction ability in some instances, especially in the case of mutagenic potential of the tiapride phototransformation products.

Structural characterization of alkaline and oxidative stressed degradation products of lurasidone using LC/ESI/QTOF/MS/MS.

A selective, accurate, precise and robust stability indicating liquid chromatography assay method was developed for the monitoring of a novel antipsychotic drug, lurasidone, in the presence of its degradation products (DPs). Also, we investigated degradation behavior of the drug under various stressed conditions such as hydrolytic (acidic, basic and neutral), oxidation, photolytic and thermal. The drug was found to be degraded under base hydrolytic and oxidative conditions, while it was stable in acid and neutral hydrolytic, photolytic and thermal conditions. The method showed adequate separation of lurasidone and its DPs on Xterra C18 (150 mm × 4.6 mm i.d., 3.5 µm) column using 20 mM ammonium formate (pH 3.0): acetonitrile as a mobile phase in gradient elution mode at a flow rate of 0.6 mL/min. This method was extended to liquid chromatography electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/ESI/QTOF/MS/MS) for structural characterization of DPs. A total of five DPs were characterized by LC/ESI/QTOF/MS/MS studies. Most probable mechanisms for the formation of DPs were proposed. The developed method was validated in terms of specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision, and robustness as per International Conference on Harmonization Guideline Q2 (R1).

Selective drugs versus heterogeneous diagnoses towards a new methodology in psychopharmacologic research

In this presentation the history of modern neuropsychopharmacology was reviewed with special reference to the impasse in pharmaco-therapeutic progress. It was postulated that a methodology for the delineation of the therapeutic profile of psychotropic drugs and identification of the treatment responsive form(s) of illness is an essential prerequisite for progress in the pharmacotherapy of mental illness. It is reasonable to assume that the information generated by the methodology will provide the necessary orientation points for devoloping therapeutically more effective and clinically more selective psychotropic drugs. It should also open up the possility to complement the current capability of tailoring grugs to receptor profiles with the capability of tailoring drugs to the different forms and suborms of mental illness

Psychoactive-drug response is affected by acute low-level microwave irradiation.

The effects of various psychoactive drugs were studied in rats exposed for 45 min in a circularly polarized, pulsed microwave field (2450 MHz; SAR 0.6 W/kg; 2-microseconds pulses, 500 pps). Apomorphine-induced hypothermia and stereotypy were enhanced by irradiation. Amphetamine-induced hyperthermia was attenuated while stereotypy was unaffected. Morphine-induced catalepsy and lethality were enhanced by irradiation at certain dosages of the drug. Since these drugs have different modes of action on central neural mechanisms and the effects of microwaves depend on the particular drug studied, these results show the complex nature of the effect of microwave irradiation on brain functions.