A. Sánchez Navarro

Kinetics of paraquat in the isolated rat lung : Influence of sodium depletion

Paraquat accumulates in the lung through a characteristic polyamine uptake system. It has been previously shown that paraquat uptake can be significantly prevented if extracellular sodium (Na+) is reduced, although the available data correspond to experiments performed using tissue slices or incubated cells. This type of in vitro study fails to give information on the actual behaviour occurring in vivo since the anatomy and physiology of the studied tissue is disrupted. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to explore the usefulness of the isolated rat lung model when applied to characterize the kinetic behaviour of paraquat in this tissue after bolus injection under standard experimental conditions as well as to evaluate the influence of iso-osmotic replacement of Na+ by lithium (Li+) in the perfusion medium. The obtained results show that the present isolated rat lung model is useful for the analysis of paraquat toxicokinetics, which is reported herein for the first time. It was also observed that Na+ depletion in the perfusion medium leads to a decreased uptake of paraquat in the isolated rat lung, although it seems that this condition does not contribute to improve the elimination of paraquat once the herbicide reaches the extravascular structures of the tissue, since the paraquat tissue wash-out phase is similar under both experimental conditions assayed.

Toxicological evaluation of lactose and chitosan delivered by inhalation.

These days, inhalation constitutes a promising administration route for many drugs. However, this route exhibits unique limitations, and formulations aimed at pulmonary delivery should include as few as possible additives in order to maintain lung functionality. The purpose of this work was to investigate the safety of lactose and chitosan to the pulmonary tissue when delivered by inhalation. The study was carried out with 18 Wistar rats divided in three groups receiving distilled water, lactose or chitosan. A solution of each excipient was administered by inhalation at a dose of 20 mg. The lungs were excised and processed to determine several biochemical parameters used as toxicity biomarkers. Protein and carbonyl group content, lipid peroxidation, reduced and oxidized glutathione (GSSG), myeloperoxidase (MPO), cooper/zinc and manganese superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione S-transferase and glutathione peroxidase were determined. Results of myeloperoxidase activity and glutathione disulfide lung concentrations showed a relevant decrease for chitosan group compared to control: 4.67 ± 2.27 versus 15.10 ± 7.27 (P = 0.011) for MPO and 0.89 ± 0.68 versus 2.02 ± 0.22 (P = 0.014) for GSSG. The other parameters did not vary significantly among groups. Lactose and chitosan administered by inhalation failed to show toxic effects to the pulmonary tissue. A protective effect against oxidative stress might even be attributed to chitosan, since some biomarkers had values significantly lower than those observed in the control group when this product was inhaled. Nevertheless, caution must be taken regarding chemical composition and technological processes applied to incorporate these products during drug formulation, in particular for dry powder inhalators.

Oral absorption of ofloxacin administered together with aluminum.

A clinical study was carried out to establish the influence of aluminum on the oral absorption of ofloxacin. Ten healthy volunteers were included in a crossover study based on a Latin square design. The treatments that all volunteers received were A, consisting of 400 mg of ofloxacin, and B, consisting of 400 mg of ofloxacin plus 11 g of colloidal aluminum phosphate. The absorption constant and other ofloxacin parameters were calculated from data on levels in plasma by using model-independent calculation methods. There were no statistically significant differences between the mean values of the areas under the curve corresponding to the administration of ofloxacin alone and those of ofloxacin with aluminum. Regarding the other pharmacokinetic parameters, a significant difference between the absorption constants was found. The presence of aluminum reduces the absorption rate of this quinolone but does not modify the percentage of the absorbed dose.A clinical study was carried out to establish the influence of aluminum on the oral absorption of ofloxacin. Ten healthy volunteers were included in a crossover study based on a Latin square design. The treatments that all volunteers received were A, consisting of 400 mg of ofloxacin, and B, consisting of 400 mg of ofloxacin plus 11 g of colloidal aluminum phosphate. The absorption constant and other ofloxacin parameters were calculated from data on levels in plasma by using model-independent calculation methods. There were no statistically significant differences between the mean values of the areas under the curve corresponding to the administration of ofloxacin alone and those of ofloxacin with aluminum. Regarding the other pharmacokinetic parameters, a significant difference between the absorption constants was found. The presence of aluminum reduces the absorption rate of this quinolone but does not modify the percentage of the absorbed dose.

Pulmonary disposition of vancomycin nebulized as lipid vesicles in rats

Formulation of antibiotics as inhalable products is proposed to improve their therapeutic index when intended for the treatment of pulmonary infections; as vancomycin shows reduced values of lung partition coefficient, pulmonary administration might be an interesting alternative to conventional administration routes. An experimental study has been performed to compare the pulmonary disposition of vancomycin after inhalation of the drug formulated as a solution and as lipid vesicles (conventional liposomes or liposomes modified with chitosan). Vancomycin concentrations were determined in bronchoalveolar fluid, pulmonary tissue and blood samples from 27 Wistar rats distributed in three groups subjected to nebulisation of the drug formulated as a solution, conventional liposomes or chitosomes. Statistically significant differences between the mean drug concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage (BALF) and lung tissue were found upon comparing the solution to lipid vesicles (116.95 μg ml−1±62.13 versus 68.34 μg ml−1±28.90 for liposomes and 65.36±22.11 μg g−1 for chitosomes in BALF; 222.74±37.15 μg g−1 versus 357.17±65.37 μg g−1 for liposomes and 378.83±85.87 μg g−1 for chitosomes in pulmonary tissue). The amount of available drug estimated by mass balance reached the highest values for chitosomes followed by liposomes (24289.66±4795.48 μg and 20207.91±5318.29 μg, respectively) and the lowest for the solution (18971.64±4765.38 μg). The drug transport and tissue uptake processes showed to be dependent on the nebulized formulation, being facilitated by the lipid vesicles that improved drug passage from the airway space to the pulmonary tissue and systemic circulation.

Effect of renal impairment on distribution of ofloxacin.

A study was made of the plasma and distribution kinetics of ofloxacin administered at a dosage of 400 mg orally to a group of healthy volunteers and a group of patients with renal impairment. Blood and blister fluid samples were taken at programmed times from all individuals included in the study. The analytical techniques for the determination of ofloxacin in both fluids were a plate diffusion method and a high-performance liquid chromatographic technique. The fitting of the experimental data to the kinetic model used was done with the help of the AUTOAN 2 and NONLIN 84 computer programs. In the groups of healthy volunteers, the elimination half-life mean values were found to be 5.1 and 5.9 h in plasma and blister fluid, respectively. The maximum concentration reached in plasma (3.9 micrograms/ml) proved to be slightly higher than that in interstitial tissue fluid (2.8 micrograms/ml). In the patients with renal impairment, the maximum concentrations in both plasma and blister fluid were significantly increased, in the order of 5 to 8 micrograms/ml in the former and 3 to 4 micrograms/ml in interstitial tissue fluid. The parameters seen to undergo an increase as a result of the renal impairment were the area under the curve of the plasma-time levels, the area under the curve of the blister fluid-time levels, and the elimination half-life in plasma and blister fluid. The degree of absorption and the access capacity of the drug to interstitial tissue fluid remained constant.A study was made of the plasma and distribution kinetics of ofloxacin administered at a dosage of 400 mg orally to a group of healthy volunteers and a group of patients with renal impairment. Blood and blister fluid samples were taken at programmed times from all individuals included in the study. The analytical techniques for the determination of ofloxacin in both fluids were a plate diffusion method and a high-performance liquid chromatographic technique. The fitting of the experimental data to the kinetic model used was done with the help of the AUTOAN 2 and NONLIN 84 computer programs. In the groups of healthy volunteers, the elimination half-life mean values were found to be 5.1 and 5.9 h in plasma and blister fluid, respectively. The maximum concentration reached in plasma (3.9 micrograms/ml) proved to be slightly higher than that in interstitial tissue fluid (2.8 micrograms/ml). In the patients with renal impairment, the maximum concentrations in both plasma and blister fluid were significantly increased, in the order of 5 to 8 micrograms/ml in the former and 3 to 4 micrograms/ml in interstitial tissue fluid. The parameters seen to undergo an increase as a result of the renal impairment were the area under the curve of the plasma-time levels, the area under the curve of the blister fluid-time levels, and the elimination half-life in plasma and blister fluid. The degree of absorption and the access capacity of the drug to interstitial tissue fluid remained constant.

Effects of two cations on gastrointestinal absorption of ofloxacin.

A study was performed to establish the effect of Al3+ and Fe2+ cations on the absorption of ofloxacin when it is administered orally at a dose of 200 mg. The study was carried out with nine volunteers, who each received three treatments (A [200 mg of ofloxacin], B [200 mg of ofloxacin plus 11 g of colloidal aluminum phosphate], and C [200 mg of ofloxacin plus 1,050 mg of FeSO4]) according to a Latin square design; the washout period was 1 week. The analytical technique was a microbiological diffusion method. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated from the cumulative urinary excretion data and from a sigma-minus plot. The total amount of ofloxacin excreted in urine had a mean value of 163.59 +/- 22.13 mg when ofloxacin was administered alone, 152.41 +/- 18.76 mg when it was administered with Al3+, and 146.49 +/- 14.85 mg when it was administered with Fe2+. No statistically significant differences were found in the F values (fractions of dose absorbed) obtained with ofloxacin alone and ofloxacin plus Al3+ (P = 0.341). When ofloxacin alone was compared with joint administration with Fe2+ the value of F decreased 10.85%; this difference is statistically significant (P = 2.623 x 10(-2)).

Pharmacokinetic parameters of netilmicin and protective effect of piperacillin regarding nephrotoxicity caused by netilmicin

SummaryThe pharmacokinetic interaction of Netilmicin and Piperacillin has been studied as well as the potential protective effect that Piperacillin exert on nephrotoxicity caused by Netilmicin, when both antibiotics are administered to rabbits by single and multiple dosage regimens. Netilmicin was administered at a dose of 7 mg/kg and 12 h interval, which allometrically correspond to 5 mg/kg at 24 h interval for men. Piperacillin was administered at a dose of 280 mg/kg at 12 h interval (the total number of doses of both antibiotics was 20). After single and multiple dose regimens plasma level curves of Netilmicin and renal concentration were determined using an HPLC technique. Besides that, an histologic study was carried out by electronic microscopy to determine the renal damage.A significant variation of some pharmacokinetic parameters of Netilmicin such as Vc and t1/2 was observed when Netilmicin is administered together with Piperacillin; a similar modification in the renal accumulation and renal damage caused by Netilmicin was shown.

Tissue Distribution Pharmacokinetics of Ciprofloxacin vs Ofloxacin in Rabbits

Ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin are antimicrobial drugs of the fluoroquinolone class with high potency and a wide spectrum of activity. Both drugs demonstrate good oral bioavailability (approximately 100% for ofloxacin and 63% for ciprofloxacin) [Wolfson & Hooper 1989] and are widely distributed throughout the body (distribution volumes between 0.9 and 2.7 Ljkg) [Flor 1989; Wolfson & Hooper 1989]. However, ofloxacin is excreted largely unaltered via the kidneys, while ciprofloxacin undergoes a significant degree of metabolism.