Ocular Absorption of Pz-Peptide and Its Effect on the Ocular and Systemic Pharmacokinetics of Topically Applied Drugs in the Rabbit

Purpose. To determine the corneal and conjunctival penetration of 4-phenylazobenzyloxycarbonyl-L-Pro-L-Leu-Gly-L-Pro-D-Arg (Pz-peptide) and to evaluate its effect on the corneal and conjunctival penetration of hydrophilic solutes as well as on the ocular and systemic absorption of topically applied atenolol and propranolol in the rabbit. The hydrophilic solutes were mannitol, fluorescein, FITC-dextran 4,000, and FITC-dextran 10,000. Methods. Drug penetration across the rabbit cornea and conjunctiva was evaluated using the modified Ussing chamber. Ocular and systemic absorption of topically applied atenolol and propranolol was evaluated by analyzing the drug concentration in various anterior segment tissues at 45 min and in the blood over 240 min, respectively, following topical instillation of 25 l of 20 mM atenolol or propranolol solution to the rabbit eye. Results. The conjunctiva was 29 times more permeable than the cornea to 3 mM Pz-peptide. Conjunctival Pz-peptide transport was 1.7 times more extensive in the mucosal-to-serosal than in the opposite direction, whereas corneal Pz-peptide transport showed no directionality. The apparent permeability coefficient of Pz-peptide across the cornea and the conjunctiva increased over the 1–5 mM range, suggesting that Pz-peptide enhanced its own transport across both epithelial tissues. The cornea appeared to be more sensitive than the conjunctiva to the penetration enhancement effect of Pz-peptide. Thus, whereas Pz-peptide elevated the corneal transport of mannitol, fluorescein, and FD4 by 50%, 57%, and 106%, respectively, it did not affect the conjunctival transport of mannitol and fluorescein, while enhancing FD4 transport by only 46%. Moreover, while Pz-peptide enhanced the ocular absorption of topically applied hydrophilic atenolol, it did not affect the ocular absorption of lipophilic propranolol. Interestingly, Pz-peptide did not affect the systemic absorption of either beta adrenergic antagonist. Conclusions. Pz-peptide appears to facilitate its own penetration across the cornea and the conjunctiva. Pz-peptide appears to increase the ocular absorption of topically applied hydrophilic but not lipophilic drugs, while not affecting the systemic absorption of either type of drugs.