Mixed-Micellar Proliposomal Systems for Enhanced Oral Delivery of Progesterone

The objective of our study was to develop a mixed-micellar proliposomal formulation of poorly water-soluble drug progesterone and evaluate the dissolution profile and membrane transport. Several formulations of proliposomes were prepared by mixing different concentrations of lipid, progesterone, polysorbate 80, and microcrystalline cellulose. The mixed-micellar formulation of drug:dimyristoyl-phosphatidycholine:polysorbate 80 (1:20:3.3) exhibited the maximum dissolution (75.27%), while pure progesterone resulted in low dissolution. The above formulation showed a 4-fold increase in transport in Caco-2 cells and a 6-fold increase in transport across the everted rat intestinal sac experiments compared with control. Proliposomal formulations enhance the extent of dissolution and membrane transport of progesterone and serve as ideal carriers for oral delivery of drugs with low water solubility.     

Comparative assessment of in vitro release kinetics of calcitonin polypeptide from biodegradable microspheres

The objective of our study was to compare the in vitro release kinetics of a sustained-release injectable microsphere formulation of the polypeptide drug, calcitonin (CT), to optimize the characteristics of drug release from poly-(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) copolymer biodegradable microspheres. A modified solvent evaporation and double emulsion technique was used to prepare the microspheres. Release kinetic studies were carried out in silanized tubes and dialysis bags, whereby microspheres were suspended and incubated in phosphate buffered saline, sampled at fixed intervals, and analyzed for drug content using a modified Lowry protein assay procedure. An initial burst was observed whereby about 50% of the total dose of the drug was released from the microspheres within 24 hr and 75% within 3 days. This was followed by a period of slow release over a period of 3 weeks in which another 10-15% of drug was released. Drug release from the dialysis bags was more gradual, and 50% CT was released only after 4 days and 75% after 12 days of release. Scanning electron micrographs revealed spherical particles with channel-like structures and a porous surface after being suspended in an aqueous solution for 5 days. Differential scanning calorimetric studies revealed that CT was present as a mix of amorphous and crystalline forms within the microspheres. Overall, these studies demonstrated that sustained release of CT from PLGA microspheres over a 3-week period is feasible and that release of drug from dialysis bags was more predictable than from tubes.     

Transdermal lontophoretic delivery of colchicine encapsulated in liposomes

Iontophoresis is useful for the transdermal delivery of charged drugs. However, nonionized drugs either have a low flux (due to electro-osmosis) or cannot be delivered using this technique. Because ionized or nonionized drugs can be encapsulated in charged liposomes, it was hypothesized that charged liposomes can deliver neutral or nonionized drug efficiently by iontophoresis. Colchicine, a neutral drug, was encapsulated in large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs), prepared with 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC), and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC) along with cholesterol (1:0.5 mole ratio). Multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) were prepared by the thin-film hydration method and LUVs were obtained by extruding MLVs through polycarbonate filters of 200 nm pore size. Positive charge was induced in the liposomes by adding stearylamine and negative charge by adding dicetyl phosphate. Nonencapsulated drug was separated from LUVs by the Ficoll density gradient method. Positively charged LUVs were delivered under the anode, negatively charged LUVs under the cathode, and neutral LUVs without current using Franz cells and human cadaver skin. Plain colchicine as well as colchicine encapsulated in positively charged LUVs was delivered better under the anode compared with the cathode and passive conditions. Delivery of colchicine encapsulated in positively charged DSPC liposomes was four to five times greater than that of plain colchicine and two to three times greater than that of colchicine encapsulated in DMPC or DPPC liposomes. Because LUVs prepared with DMPC and DPPC were fluid at 37°C, the encapsulated drug leaked during iontophoresis and therefore the delivery was less. Delivery of colchicine was lower under the cathode due to the change in pH during iontophoresis, which, as observed in high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis, caused degradation of the drug. Thus, it can be concluded that iontophoresis of colchicine encapsulated in positively charged DSPC liposomes can improve its delivery across human cadaver skin     

Iontophoretic in Vivo Transdermal Delivery of β-Blockers in Hairless Rats and Reduced Skin Irritation by Liposomal Formulation

Purpose. To demonstrate the in vivo transdermal delivery and establish the comparative pharmacokinetics of five -blockers in hairless rat. Methods. Intravenous dosing was initially done via jugular cannula. For iontophoretic delivery, current (0.1 mA/cm²) was applied for 2 h through a drug reservoir patch containing the -blocker (10 mg/ml). Blood samples were collected and analyzed by stereoselective HPLC assays. Any irritation resulting from patch application was quantified by a chromameter. Multilamellar liposomal formulation was prepared by the thin-film hydration method and converted to unilamellar liposomes by extrusion. Results. With transdermal iontophoresis, therapeutically relevant amounts of propranolol (83.78 ± 7.4 ng/ml) were delivered within an hour and lasted for up to 4 h. C_max (185.1 ± 56.8 ng/ml) was reached at hour 3. A significantly higher amount (p < 0.05) of sotalol HCl was delivered compared to other -blockers. There was no significant difference in the S/R ratio of AUC_0-t for enantiomers after both intravenous and transdermal delivery. Skin irritation was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) when a liposomal formulation of the propranolol base was used rather than the base itself. Conclusions. The comparative pharmacokinetics of intravenous and transdermal iontophoretic delivery of five -blockers in hairless rats was established. It was shown that there is no stereoselective permeation.     

Formulation, characterization, and in vitro release of glyburide from proliposomal beads

The objective of our study was to formulate and evaluate proliposomes in the form of enteric-coated beads using glyburide as a model drug. The beads were enteric coated with Eudragit L-100 by a fluidized bed coating process using triethyl citrate as plasticizer. Content uniformity of glyburide was estimated using HPLC analysis of beads dissolved in methanol. These proliposomal beads formed liposomes on disintegration in phosphate buffered saline (pH 7.4), which was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The dissolution study of enteric-coated beads exhibited enhanced dissolution compared with pure drug and a marketed product. Liposomes can be successfully prepared for oral administration in the form of enteric-coated beads that may offer a stable system to produce liposomes for oral administration.     

Effect of Neutral Liposomes on Corneal and Conjunctival Transport of Didanosine

The objective of this study is to determine the effect of various neutral liposomes on corneal and conjunctival permeability of didanosine (ddI), an antiviral drug. Multi-lamellar vesicles (MLVs), large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs), and sonicated multi-lamellar vesicles (SMLVs) encapsulating ddI (with trace quantities of 3HddI) were prepared using distearoyl phosphatidylcholine (DSPC), a neutral lipid. The liposomes contained 14C-cholesteryl oleate as a lipid tracer. Liposome formulations containing free and encapsulated drug (f + e) and those containing only encapsulated drug (e) of an equal quantity were compared with free drug in this study. The permeability studies were conducted in the mucosal to serosal direction across excised rabbit cornea and conjunctiva. The percent encapsulation of ddI in MLVs, LUVs, and SMLVs was 25.66 0.30, 26.56 0.57, and 19.41 0.30, respectively. The mean particle size of MLVs, LUVs, and SMLVs containingfree and encapsulated drug was 3058, 774, and 270 nm, respectively. With all liposome formulations tested, the percent uptake of lipid by tissues was higher compared to ddI uptake. While ddI permeated across the tissues, the lipid tracer did not permeate in detectable quantities.The SMLV(e) formulation was better than the SMLV(f + e) formulation with respect to initial flux and tissue uptake in both tissues and permeability across conjunctiva. In general, the permeability coefficient, initial flux, and tissue levels of ddI at the end of the transport study were lower in the presence of all liposome formulations compared to free drug. Thus, neutral liposomal encapsulation is not a suitable approach to enhance the corneal or conjunctival transport or uptake of ddI.     

Effect of dipyridamole on transport and phosphorylation of thymidine and 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine in human monocyte/macrophages

Dipyridamole (DPM), a commonly used coronary vasodilator and antithrombotic drug, was shown recently to potentiate the antiviral effect of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) in HIV-1 infected human monocyte-derived macrophages (M/M) in vitro. We report in the present study that in uninfected M/M, DPM markedly inhibited cellular uptake of [3H]thymidine (dThd) and its incorporation into the nucleotide pools, particularly the dThd-triphosphate pool. In contrast, DPM did not affect cellular uptake and phosphorylation of [3H]AZT. Since dThd counteracts the phosphorylation and antiviral action of AZT, these findings support the hypothesis that the potentiation of the anti-HIV effect of AZT is due, at least in part, to differential inhibition of nucleoside salvage.     

Comparative Assessment of In Vitro Release Kinetics of Calcitonin Polypeptide from Biodegradable Microspheres

The objective of our study was to compare the in vitro release kinetics of a sustained-release injectable microsphere formulation of the polypeptide drug, calcitonin (CT), to optimize the characteristics of drug release from poly-(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) copolymer biodegradable microspheres. A modified solvent evaporation and double emulsion technique was used to prepare the microspheres. Release kinetic studies were carried out in silanized tubes and dialysis bags, whereby microspheres were suspended and incubated in phosphate buffered saline, sampled at fixed intervals, and analyzed for drug content using a modified Lowry protein assay procedure. An initial burst was observed whereby about 50% of the total dose of the drug was released from the microspheres within 24 hr and 75% within 3 days. This was followed by a period of slow release over a period of 3 weeks in which another 10-15% of drug was released. Drug release from the dialysis bags was more gradual, and 50% CT was released only after 4 days and 75% after 12 days of release. Scanning electron micrographs revealed spherical particles with channel-like structures and a porous surface after being suspended in an aqueous solution for 5 days. Differential scanning calorimetric studies revealed that CT was present as a mix of amorphous and crystalline forms within the microspheres. Overall, these studies demonstrated that sustained release of CT from PLGA microspheres over a 3-week period is feasible and that release of drug from dialysis bags was more predictable than from tubes.     

Nonpeptidic, monocharged, cell permeable ligands for the p56lck SH2 domain.

p56lck is a member of the src family of tyrosine kinases and plays a critical role in the signal transduction events that lead to T cell activation. Ligands for the p56lck SH2 domain have the potential to disrupt the interaction of p56lck with its substrates and derail the signaling cascade that leads to the production of cytokines such as interleukin-2. Starting from the quintuply charged (at physiological pH) phosphorylated tetrapeptide, AcpYEEI, we recently disclosed (J. Med. Chem. 1999, 42, 722 and J. Med. Chem. 1999, 42, 1757) the design of the modified dipeptide 3, which carries just two charges at physiological pH. Here we present the elaboration of 3 to the nonpeptidic, monocharged compound, 9S. This molecule displays good binding affinity for the p56lck SH2 domain (K(d) 1 microM) and good cell permeation, and this combination of properties allowed us to demonstrate clear-cut inhibitory effects on a very early event in T cell activation, namely calcium mobilization.