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Biomedical subjects

K Uekama

Publications and source records attributed to K Uekama.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Inclusion complex of 3,9-bis(N,N-dimethylcarbamoyloxy)-5H-benzofuro[3,2-c]quinoline-6-one (KCA-098) with heptakis(2,6-di-O-methyl)-beta-cyclodextrin: interaction and dissolution properties.

Interactions of KCA-098 with heptakis(2,6-di-O-methyl)-beta-cyclodextrin (DM-beta-CyD) in solution and in the solid state were studied by the solubility method, UV and fluorescence spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffractometry, and thermal analysis. The KCA-098/DM-beta-CyD system showed an A(L) type solubility diagram with stability constants of 5870 and 2220 M(-1) in aqueous and 10% methanol solutions, respectively. Following the addition of DM-beta-CyD, the maximum UV wavelength of KCA-098 was shifted to a longer wavelength and the fluorescence intensity was decreased. A similar spectral change was observed when KCA-098 was dissolved in less polar solvents, especially in proton-acceptor solvents, such as acetone and dimethylsulfoxide, suggesting that KCA-098 interacts with DM-beta-CyD through not only a hydrophobic interaction but also hydrogen bonding. The solid complex of KCA-098 with DM-beta-CyD in a molar ratio of 1:1 was prepared by the kneading method and the solvent evaporation method, using organic solvents. Powder X-ray diffractometric and differential scanning calorimetric studies indicated that KCA-098 was dispersed as microparticles on the DM-beta-CyD complex in the solid state prepared by the solvent evaporation method although it dispersed as crystals in the sample prepared by the kneading method. The dissolution of KCA-098 from the solid complex prepared by the former method was markedly faster than that prepared by the latter method, although it slowed down with the passage of time. The reduced dissolution of KCA-098 was explained by crystallization to the hydrate form in the medium. These data indicate that poorly water-soluble KCA-098 interacts with DM-beta-CyD in water and in the solid state and that a fast-dissolving form of KCA-098 can be obtained by evaporating with DM-beta-CyD using organic solvents.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗

Effects of aging on crystallization, dissolution and absorption characteristics of amorphous tolbutamide-2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin complex.

The effects of storage on the crystallization, dissolution and absorption of tolbutamide from amorphous tolbutamide-2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CyD) complex were investigated, in comparison with those of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) solid dispersion. The amorphous solid complex of tolbutamide with HP-beta-CyD and the solid dispersion of tolbutamide with PVP were prepared by a spray-drying method. During storage, a stable form of tolbutamide (form I) was crystallized from the amorphous PVP dispersion, whereas a metastable form of tolbutamide (form II) was crystallized from the HP-beta-CyD complex. The dissolution rate of tolbutamide from both HP-beta-CyD complex and PVP dispersion was significantly faster than that of tolbutamide alone. However, the dissolution rate from the PVP dispersion markedly decreased with storage, because of the formation of slow dissolving form I crystals. On the other hand, the dissolution rate from the HP-beta-CyD complex was only slightly decreased due to the formation of fast dissolving formII crystals. These in vitro dissolution characteristics were clearly reflected in the in vivo absorption of tolbutamide and the glucose plasma level after oral administration in dogs. The results suggested that HP-beta-CyD is useful not only for converting crystalline tolbutamide to an amorphous substance, but also for maintaining the fast dissolution rate of the drug over a long period. Furthermore, the crystallization of drugs from CyD complexes, with storage, seemed to be different from that involving polymer excipients such as PVP.

2-Hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin↗

Factors affecting membrane-controlled drug release for an osmotic pump tablet (OPT) utilizing (SBE)(7m)-beta-CD as both a solubilizer and osmotic agent.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to define membrane controlling factors responsible for drug release from a controlled-porosity osmotic pump tablet (OPT) that utilizes a sulfobutyl ether-beta-cyclodextrin, (SBE)(7m)-beta-CD, as both a solubilizing and osmotic agent. METHOD: The OPT was spray coated with cellulose acetate solutions varying the amount and size of micronized lactose, the amount of triethyl citrate (TEC) and the composition ratio of dichlormethane to ethanol. Chlorpromazine (CLP) was used as a model drug. The release of CLP from the OPTs was studied using the Japanese Pharmacopoeia dissolution method. The membrane surface area of the OPTs were measured with multi-point analysis by the gas absorption method. RESULTS: The release rate of CLP from OPTs containing (SBE)(7m)-beta-CD increased with increasing amounts of micronized lactose and decreasing amounts of TEC and lactose particle size in the membrane. Also, the CLP release rates from the spray-coated OPTs using mixtures of varying ratios of dichlormethane to ethanol were almost identical. The membrane surface area of the OPTs following release of membrane components had a linear relationship to CLP release rates from the OPTs. CONCLUSION: The present results confirmed that the membrane controlling factors responsible for the drug release were the amount and size of micronized lactose and the amount of TEC in the membrane.

Antipsychotic Agents↗

Characterization of itraconazole/2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complex in aqueous propylene glycol solution.

The interaction of itraconazole, a triazole antifungal agent, with 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CyD) in water and 10% v/v propylene glycol/water solution at pH 2.0 was investigated by the solubility method and ultraviolet and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies. The solubility of itraconazole in water significantly increased as the concentrations of HP-beta-CyD were augmented, showing an AP type phase solubility diagram. The upward curvature closely corresponded to the simulation curve which was calculated on the basis of the 1:2 (guest:host) complexation model. The 1:2 complex was formed even in the presence of 10% v/v propylene glycol, although the co-solvent system made the interaction with HP-beta-CyD weaker due to the competitive inclusion. The ultraviolet spectroscopic studies also supported the 1:2 complex formation of itraconazole with HP-beta-CyD in 10% v/v propylene glycol/water solution at pH 2.0. The 1H-NMR spectroscopic studies suggested that the triazole and triazolone moieties of itraconazole are involved in the 1:2 inclusion complexation.

2-Hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin↗

Cyclodextrins in peptide and protein delivery.

The objective of this contribution is to summarize recent findings on the potential of cyclodextrins (CDs) and their derivatives as carriers for therapeutically important peptides, proteins and oligonucleotides. As one of the indices relevant to bioadaptability of CDs in pharmaceutical uses, their interaction with cellular membranes in vitro is outlined. CDs enable the creation of advanced dosage forms for the next generation of drugs that are difficult to formulate and deliver with the existing pharmaceutical excipients. Furthermore, the diagnostic uses of CDs for the direct measurement of cholesterol in high-density and low-density lipoproteins in serum are discussed on the basis of their ability to recognize the surface properties of each lipoprotein particle.

Journal Article↗

Cyclodextrin-based controlled drug release system.

Because of their bioadaptability and multi-functional characteristics, cyclodextrins (CDs) are capable of alleviating the undesirable properties of drug molecules in various routes of administration through the formation of inclusion complexes. This article outlines the current application of natural and chemically modified CDs in the design of advanced dosage forms. In an oral drug delivery system (DDS), the hydrophilic and ionizable CDs can serve as potent drug carriers in the immediate release- and delayed release-formulations, respectively, while the release rate of water-soluble drugs can be retarded by hydrophobic CDs. Since CDs are able to extend the function of pharmaceutical additives, the combination of molecular encapsulation with other carrier materials will become effective and a valuable tool in the improvement of drug formulation. Moreover, the most desirable attribute for the drug carrier is its ability to deliver a drug to a targeted site; conjugates of a drug with CDs can be a versatile means of constructing a new class of colon-targeting prodrugs. On the basis of this knowledge, the advantages and limitations of CDs in DDS are addressed.

Journal Article↗

Determination of stability constant of beta-cyclodextrin complexes using the membrane permeation technique and the permeation behavior of drug-competing agent-beta-cyclodextrin ternary systems.

The stability constants (Kc) of beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CyD) complexes with phenacetin and various benzoic acids were determined using the membrane permeation technique using a cellophane membrane permeable for guest molecules which was impermeable for beta-CyD molecules. The permeation rate equations of guests in the presence of beta-CyD in the donor phase were derived and the permeation profiles were analyzed as a function of time to determine the Kc values. The Kc values determined using the membrane permeation technique were in close agreement with those determined by the conventional kinetic method and the solubility method. The membrane permeation technique is of greater advantage than the conventional methods, because in the former method the stability constant can be obtained from only one experimental run by analyzing the permeation data as a function of time. In the latter method, on the other hand, some property changes have to be measured at various CyD concentrations and in turn analyzed as a function of CyD concentration. The permeation profiles of phenacetin of the drug-competing agent-beta-CyD ternary system were estimated by using the stability constants and the experimental curves closely matched the theoretically derived ones.

Algorithms↗

Solubility and mass and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic studies on interaction of cyclosporin A with dimethyl-alpha- and -beta-cyclodextrins in aqueous solution.

The interaction of cyclosporin A (CsA) with dimethyl-alpha- and -beta-cyclodextrins (DM-alpha-CyD and DM-beta-CyD) was investigated by the solubility method, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR). The extremely low solubility (1.9 x 10(-5) M at 25 degreesC) of CsA in water was significantly improved by the complexation with DM-CyDs: for example, the solubility increased 87-fold in the presence of 5.0 x 10(-2) M DM-beta-CyD. The phase solubility diagram of CsA/DM-CyD systems showed an Ap type and the stability constants (1060 M-1 and 1050 M-1, respectively) of the 1:1 CsA/DM-alpha-CyD and CsA/DM-beta-CyD complexes were much higher than those of the 1:2 complexes (15 M-1 and 21 M-1, respectively). In ESI-MS spectra of the CsA/DM-beta-CyD system, a new signal emerged at 1268 which corresponds to the 1:1 adduct of the di-ionized guest molecule with the host molecule. This signal intensity was significantly decreased by the addition of chlorpromazine (CPZ) which has a large stability constant (8800 M-1) of the DM-beta-CyD complex, whereas the signal corresponding to the CPZ/DM-beta-CyD complex was little affected by the addition of CsA, indicating a competitive inclusion of CPZ and CsA within the host cavity. CsA gave many new peaks in the 1H NMR spectrum when the solvent was changed from chloroform to methanol/water, suggesting conformational diversity of CsA in polar solvents. Inspection of 1H-chemical shift changes and the two-dimensional rotating frame nuclear Overhauser effect (ROESY) spectra of the CsA/DM-CyD system suggested that the side chains of amino acids in CsA molecule take part in the inclusion within DM-CyDs, although there is seemingly no preference of particular amino acid residues. All the data obtained here suggested that CsA forms inclusion complexes with DM-alpha- and -beta-CyDs in an aqueous medium and side chains of CsA are mainly involved in the inclusion.

Cyclodextrins↗

Characterization of tolbutamide polymorphs (Burger's forms II and IV) and polymorphic transition behavior.

Burger's two polymorphs of tolbutamide (TB), an oral hypoglycemic agent, were obtained by spray-drying the drug dissolved in a mixed solvent of ethanol/dichloromethane (Form IV) and allowing Form IV to stand at constant temperatures and humidities (Form II). These polymorphs were characterized by various physical methods [e.g., powder X-ray diffractometry, differential scanning calorimetry, infrared spectrometry, and solid-state carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR) spectroscopy] and compared with two other TB polymorphs Forms I and III. The 13C NMR spectra showed that the chemical shift and the peak shape of resonance associated with the toluene and n-butyl moieties of TB were different for each of the four polymorphs, whereas the carbonyl carbon was unchanged, indicating different conformations and molecular motions of the toluene and n-butyl moieties in the solid states. Form IV converted itself to Form II within 3 h when it was stored at 45 degrees C and 75% relative humidity (RH) and, in turn, Form II transformed to Form I at higher temperatures. The conversion of Form IV to Form II proceeded according to a zero-order equation (Polany-Winger equation), and that of Form II to Form I according to a first-order equation. The increase in RH accelerated the polymorphic transition of Form IV. Both the apparent dissolution rate and the solubility of Form IV were nearly identical with those of Form II, because the former changed to the latter during the dissolution, but their dissolution rates and solubility were higher than those of Forms I and III. These dissolution characteristics of TB polymorphs were reflected in the oral absorption behavior in dogs; that is, the bioavailability increased in the order Form I < Form III < Form II approximately Form IV.

Animals↗

Heptakis(2,6-di-O-methyl-3-O-acetyl)-beta-cyclodextrin: A water-soluble cyclodextrin derivative with low hemolytic activity.

Acetyl groups were introduced to the hydroxyl groups of heptakis(2, 6-di-O-methyl)-beta-cyclodextrin (DM-beta-CyD), and the resulting heptakis(2,6-di-O-methyl-3-O-acetyl)-beta-CyD (DMA-beta-CyD) was evaluated for the inclusion property and hemolytic activity. It was confirmed by means of NMR and mass spectroscopies that in the DMA-beta-CyD molecule, all seven hydroxyl groups at the 3-position were substituted by acetyl groups. Thus, it has the degree of substitution (DS) of 7, whereas DMA4-beta-CyD with the lower substitution (DS 3.8) was a mixture of components with different DS. The aqueous solubility of DMA-beta-CyD was higher than those of beta-CyD, DM-beta-CyD, and heptakis(2,3,6-tri-O-methyl)-beta-CyD (TM-beta-CyD). The hydrophobicity of the whole molecule, assessed from measurements of surface tension, increased in the order of DM-beta-CyD < DMA-beta-CyD < TM-beta-CyD. The half-life of DMA-beta-CyD for hydrolysis in pH 9.5 and 60 degrees C was about 19 h, and there was only slight liberation of acetic acid in rabbit plasma and carboxylesterase (EC 3.1.1.1) at 37 degrees C. DMA-beta-CyD had an inclusion ability similar to that of TM-beta-CyD for p-hydroxybenzoic acid esters with different alkyl chain lengths and an antiinflammatory drug, flurbiprofen, although it was inferior to that of DM-beta-CyD. The hemolytic activity and rabbit muscular irritation of DMA-beta-CyDs were much weaker than those of DM-beta-CyD: no hemolysis was observed even in the presence of 0.1 M DMA-beta-CyD with DS 7. The results suggest that the water-soluble CyD derivative with superior bioadaptability and inclusion ability can be prepared by properly designing substituents at the 3-position and by optimally controlling their degree of substitution.

Animals↗

Design and evaluation of an osmotic pump tablet (OPT) for chlorpromazine using (SBE)7m-beta-CD.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a controlled-porosity osmotic pump tablet (OPT) which exhibits pH-independent release profiles for a basic drug using a sulfobutyl ether-beta-cyclodextrin, (SBE)7m-beta-CD, which acts as both a solubilizer and as an osmotic agent. METHODS: Chlorpromazine free base (CLP) was chosen as a model drug for this study. The release of CLP from osmotic pump tablets was studied in vitro. In vivo absorption of CLP from the OPT was evaluated in male beagle dogs. RESULTS: The CLP release profile from an OPT prepared from a core tablet composed of a 1:10 molar ratio of CLP to (SBE)7m-beta-CD was pH-independent, and was controlled by modulating the membrane thickness of the OPT. Another cyclodextrin, hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD), and a sugar mixture of lactose and fructose resulted in pH-dependent release at the same molar ratio. An in vivo absorption study in dogs with an OPT containing (SBE)7m-beta-CD correlated very well with the in vitro release profiles using the Japanese Pharmacopoeia dissolution method. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to serving as a solubilizer and osmotic agent, (SBE)7m-beta-CD can also serve as the controlling agent for pH independent release of CLP from OPTs. This system successfully modified the in vivo input rate of CLP without compromising oral bioavailability.

2-Hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin↗

Solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic study on amorphous solid complexes of tolbutamide with 2-hydroxypropyl-alpha- and -beta-cyclodextrins.

PURPOSE: The objective of the study was to obtain structural information of inclusion complexes of tolbutamide with HP-alpha- and -beta-cyclodextrins in amorphous state. METHOD: The solid complexes of tolbutamide with HP-alpha- and -beta-CyDs in molar ratios of 1:1 and 1:2 (guest:host) were prepared by the spray-drying method, and their interactions were investigated by solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. RESULTS: The solid 1:1 and 1:2 tolbutamide/HP-CyD complexes showed halo pattern on the powder X-ray diffractogram and no thermal change in DSC curves, indicating they are in an amorphous state. 13C NMR signals of the butyl moiety were broader than those of the phenyl moiety in the HP-alpha-CyD solid complex, whereas the phenyl moiety showed significantly broader signals than the butyl moiety in the HP-beta-CyD solid complex. As temperature increased, signals of the phenyl carbons became markedly sharper, whereas the butyl carbons only sharpen slightly in the HP-d-CyD complex. In contrast, signals of the butyl carbons became significantly sharper whereas those of phenyl carbons only slightly changed in the HP-beta-CyD complex. CONCLUSIONS: Solid state 13C NMR spectroscopic studies indicated that the butyl moiety of tolbutamide is predominantly included in the HP-alpha-CyD cavity, whereas the phenyl moiety in the HP-beta-CyD cavity in amorphous complexes.

2-Hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin↗

Enhanced absorption of cyclosporin A by complexation with dimethyl-beta-cyclodextrin in bile duct-cannulated and -noncannulated rats.

The enhancing effects of dimethyl-beta-cyclodextrin (DM-beta-CyD) on the absorption of cyclosporin A (CsA) after oral administration to rats under bile duct-cannulated and -noncannulated conditions were investigated. The dissolution rate of CsA was markedly augmented by complexation with DM-beta-CyD. In a closed loop in situ study, DM-beta-CyD considerably increased the cumulative amounts of CsA in the mesenteric venous blood after injection of the aqueous CsA suspension into the small intestinal sac of rats. In addition, the cumulative amount ratio of M1, the dominant metabolite of CsA in rats, to CsA in the mesenteric venous blood for up to 40 min after the injection of the CsA-DM-beta-CyD suspension into the sac was lower than that of the CsA suspension alone. DM-beta-CyD inhibited the bioconversion of CsA in the small intestinal microsomes of rats. These results indicate that the bioconversion of CsA was abated by complexation with DM-beta-CyD. An in vivo study revealed that DM-beta-CyD increased the transfer of CsA to blood, not lymph, with low variability in the absorption after oral administration of the CsA suspension to rats. The variability of bioavailability of DM-beta-CyD complex was lower than that of Sandimmune, although the extent of bioavailability of DM-beta-CyD was only a little higher than that of Sandimmune. The bioavailability of CsA or its DM-beta-CyD complex was appreciably decreased by the cannulation of the bile duct of rats, and the extent of the lowering in the bioavailability in the presence of DM-beta-CyD was much less serious than that of CsA alone. The present results suggest that DM-beta-CyD is particularly useful in designing oral preparations of CsA with an enhanced bioavailability and a reduced variability in absorption.

Administration, Oral↗

Enhancing effect of hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin on cutaneous penetration and activation of ethyl 4-biphenylyl acetate in hairless mouse skin.

The effect of hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CyD) on the cutaneous penetration and activation of ethyl 4-biphenylyl acetate (EBA), a prodrug of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug 4-biphenylylacetic acid (BPAA), from hydrophilic ointment was investigated, using hairless mouse skin in vitro. When the hydrophilic ointment containing a complex of EBA with HP-beta-CyD was applied to the full-thickness skin, HP-beta-CyD facilitated the penetration of EBA into the skin, the conversion of EBA to BPAA in the epidermis and the transfer of BPAA to the receptor phase. Under the present condition, pre- and post-application of the ointment containing HP-beta-CyD onto the skin did not affect the cutaneous penetration of EBA and its activation. When the ointment containing the EBA:HP-beta-CyD complex was applied to the skin, the flux of BPAA through the tape-stripped skin was greater than that through the full-thickness skin, while the activation of the prodrug in the skin was slowed down by the tape-stripping. When propylene glycol was used as a vehicle, HP-beta-CyD no longer enhanced the cutaneous permeation of BPAA through the full-thickness skin. These results suggest that the enhancing effect of HP-beta-CyD on the cutaneous penetration of EBA would be ascribable largely to an increase in effective concentration of EBA in the ointment. Furthermore, the slow diffusion of EBA solubilized in HP-beta-CyD through the stratum corneum, together with the vehicle effect, could make the prodrug more susceptible to the metabolic process that is active in the epidermis, eventually leading to the facilitated activation of the prodrug.

2-Hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin↗

Colon-specific drug delivery based on a cyclodextrin prodrug: release behavior of biphenylylacetic acid from its cyclodextrin conjugates in rat intestinal tracts after oral administration.

An antiinflammatory drug biphenylylacetic acid (BPAA) as a model drug was selectively conjugated onto one of the primary hydroxyl groups of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-cyclodextrins (CyDs) through an ester or amide linkage, and the in vivo drug release behavior of these prodrugs in rat gastrointestinal tracts after oral administration was investigated. The CyD prodrugs were stable in rat stomach and small intestine and negligibly absorbed from these tracts. Three to six hours after the oral administration, most of the prodrugs had moved to the cecum and colon. The alpha- and gamma-CyD amide prodrugs were hydrolyzed to the maltose conjugate in the cecum and colon, and these prodrugs and the conjugate were negligibly absorbed. On the other hand, the alpha- and gamma-CyD ester prodrugs produced BPAA in the cecum and colon, and BPAA appeared in the blood after 3-6 h. Both beta-CyD amide and ester prodrugs released only small or negligible amounts of the maltose conjugate or BPAA in the cecum and colon, within 24 h, probably due to the low solubility in the biological media. Further, the antiinflammatory effect of the gamma-CyD ester prodrug was evaluated using the model of carageenan-induced acute edema in rat paw and compared with those of BPAA alone and the BPAA/beta-CyD complex prepared by the kneading method in a molar ratio of 1:1. In the case of the beta-CyD complex, a rapid antiinflammatory response was observed, compared to BPAA alone, because the drug is mainly absorbed from the small intestine after a fast dissolution of the complex. In sharp contrast, the gamma-CyD ester prodrug needed a fairly long lag time to exhibit the drug activity, because BPAA is produced after the prodrug had reached the cecum and colon. The present results clearly suggest that the CyD prodrug approach can provide a versatile means for constructions of not only colon-specific delivery systems but also delayed-release system of certain drugs.

Administration, Oral↗

Design and evaluation of an osmotic pump tablet (OPT) for prednisolone, a poorly water soluble drug, using (SBE)7m-beta-CD.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a controlled-porosity osmotic pump tablet (OPT) for poorly water soluble drugs using a sulfobutyl ether-beta-cyclodextrin, (SBE)7m-beta-CD or Captisol, which acted as both a solubilizer and as an osmotic agent. METHODS: Prednisolone (PDL) was chosen as a model drug for this study. The release of PDL from osmotic pump devices and tablets was studied. In vivo absorption of PDL from OPT was evaluated in male beagle dogs. RESULTS: PDL release from the osmotic pump tablet with (SBE)7m-beta-CD was complete. Another cyclodextrin, hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD), and a sugar mixture of lactose and fructose resulted in incomplete release. Although PDL release from the OPT with (SBE)7m-beta-CD and the sugar formulation displayed mainly zero-order release characteristics, the tablet utilizing HP-beta-CD showed apparent first-order release characteristics. An in vivo absorption study in dogs correlated very well with the in vitro release profiles using the Japanese Pharmacopoeia dissolution method. CONCLUSIONS: The present results confirm that (SBE)7m-gamma-CD can serve as both the solubilizer and the osmotic agent for OPT of PDL, and modify the input rate of PDL without compromising oral bioavailability.

Absorption↗

Homogeneous assay for measuring low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in serum with triblock copolymer and alpha-cyclodextrin sulfate.

We have developed a fully automated method for measuring LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) in human serum without the need for prior separation, using a nonionic surfactant, polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene block copolyether (POE-POP), and a sodium salt of sulfated cyclic maltohexaose, alpha-cyclodextrin sulfate. Of the surfactants tested, POE-POP with a higher molecular mass of the POP block and a greater hydrophobicity reduced the reactivity of cholesterol in lipoprotein fractions; the reactivity in descending order was LDL >> VLDL > chylomicron approximately HDL. Gel filtration chromatographic studies revealed that POE-POP removed lipids selectively from the LDL fraction and allowed them to participate in the cholesterol esterase-cholesterol oxidase coupling reaction system. By contrast, alpha-cyclodextrin sulfate reduced the reactivity of cholesterol, especially in chylomicrons and VLDL. A combination of POE-POP with alpha-cyclodextrin sulfate provided the required selectivity for the determination of LDL-C in serum in the presence of magnesium ions and a small amount of dextran sulfate without precipitating lipoprotein aggregates. There was a good correlation between the results of LDL-C assayed by the proposed method and the beta-quantification reference method involving 161 sera with triglyceride concentrations ranging from 0.3 to 22.6 mmol/L.

Automation↗

6A-O-[(4-biphenylyl)acetyl]-alpha-, -beta-, and -gamma-cyclodextrins and 6A-deoxy-6A-[[(4-biphenylyl)acetyl]amino]-alpha-, -beta-, and -gamma-cyclodextrins: potential prodrugs for colon-specific delivery.

Cyclodextrins (CyDs) are known to be fermented to small saccharides by colonic microflora, whereas they are only slightly hydrolyzable and thus are not easily absorbed in the stomach and small intestine. This property of CyDs is particularly useful for colon-specific delivery of drugs. In this study, an antiinflammatory 4-biphenylylacetic acid (BPAA) was selectively conjugated onto one of the primary hydroxyl groups of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-CyDs through an ester or amide linkage, 6A-O-[(4-biphenylyl)acetyl[-alpha-, -beta-, and -gamma-CyDs (1-3) and 6A-deoxy-6A-[[(4-biphenylyl)acetyl]amino]-alpha-, -beta-, and -gamma-CyDs (4-6). In rat cecal and colonic contents (10%, w/v), 1 and 3 released more than 95% of BPAA within 1-2 h, and 2 released about 50% of the drug within 12 h. The amide prodrugs, 4-6, did not release BPAA in the cecal contents, but gave BPAA/maltose or BPAA/triose conjugates linked through an amide bond. On the other hand, these prodrugs were found to be stable in the contents of rat stomachs and small intestines, in intestinal or liver homogenates, and in rat blood. The serum levels of BPAA increased about 3 h after oral administration of 1 and 3 to rats, accompanying a marked increase in the serum levels, whereas 2 and 4-6 resulted in little increase of the serum levels. These facts suggest that BPAA is released after the ring opening of CyDs followed by the ester hydrolysis, and the BPAA activation takes place site-specifically in the cecum and colon. Therefore, the present CyD prodrug approach provides a versatile means of constructing a novel colon-specific drug delivery system.

Animals↗