Denis Brossard

Improvement of cefpodoxime proxetil oral absorption in rats by an oil-in-water submicron emulsion.

Absolute bioavailability of cefpodoxime proxetil is both limited by its low solubility in aqueous solution and its intraluminal hydrolysis. The oil-in-water submicron emulsion was proven to be effective in protecting the prodrug from the enzymatic attack in rabbit intestinal washings. The aim of the study was to perform a pharmacokinetic study in conscious rats to confirm o/w submicron superiority in comparison to other oral formulations (hydro-alcoholic solution, suspension and coarse emulsion). The pharmacokinetic study was performed in conscious rats implanted with permanent aortic catheters. A parenteral solution of cefpodoxime was injected via this catheter, and oral formulations were administered orally. The cefpodoxime plasma level was performed by a HPLC validated method. The pharmacokinetic parameters, t1/2, Cmax, tmax, AUC and absolute bioavailability (F) were determined with a non-compartmental analysis. The results show a significant increase of F for submicron emulsion (97.4%) between the other oral formulations. No significant difference of F was found between the other oral formulations, even with the coarse o/w emulsion. The o/w submicron emulsion made the enhancement of the absolute bioavailability of cefpodoxime proxetil possible. This benefit could be explained by the low droplet size of the submicron emulsion which improve the absorption process of the prodrug.

Carboplatin and oxaliplatin decomposition in chloride medium, monitored by XAS.

The stability of carboplatin and oxaliplatin aqueous solutions has been studied under different chloride ions concentration and pH conditions. For both compounds, we demonstrate the chloration of the platinum first coordination shell.

Environmental and Biological Monitoring of Platinum-Containing Drugs in Two Hospital Pharmacies Using Positive Air Pressure Isolators

Environmental and biological monitoring of platinum containing drugs was implemented in two French hospital pharmacies using positive air pressure isolators and having similar working procedures when preparing antineoplastic drugs. Wipe sampling of surfaces, gloves, and vials was performed in the preparation room and in storage areas. All employees involved in the preparation of antineoplastic drugs were tested for urinary platinum on Monday before work and Friday after shift. Only traces of platinum were detected on surfaces in the preparation room outside the isolators (less than 1.61 pg cm(-2)). However, in one center, significant contamination was found in the storage area of the drug vials, which can most likely be linked to the rupture of a platinum vial and due to inefficient cleaning procedures. Surfaces inside the isolators were found to be contaminated (maximum: 198.4 pg cm(-2)). A higher level of contamination was detected in one pharmacy and could be explained by the lack of overgloving with regular changes during the preparation process. Nitrile gloves used during drug handling outside the isolator showed the highest platinum concentration (maximum: 5.86 ng per pair). With regards to platinum urine concentration, no significant difference was found between exposed and unexposed pharmacy personnel. Isolator technology combined with individual protective measures seems to be efficient to protect workers from occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs, whereas specific individual protective procedures implemented were focussing on the risk of handling vials outside the isolator (e.g. high frequency of glove changing). Moreover, overgloving inside the isolator would contribute to substantially decrease inner surface contamination and should be recommended in order to limit the transfer of chemical contamination to the end products.

Cefpodoxime-proxetil protection from intestinal lumen hydrolysis by oil-in-water submicron emulsions

Cefpodoxime proxetil is an orally active, broad spectrum, third generation cephalosporin ester. This prodrug was previously found to be hydrolyzed in vitro both in rabbit and human duodenal washing by a cholinesterase. The objective of this work was to find a formulation which can protect the prodrug from enzymatic attack. In order to protect the prodrug from enzymatic hydrolysis, the objective was to include it into the oil phase of an oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion. Somehow, cefpodoxime proxetil posed specific problems related to the solubilization. The solubilization was obtained with a mixed medium-chain-triglycerides (MCT)/blends of mono-, di- and triglycerides oil phase and the optimal ratio was defined to be 60:40 (w/w) in order to obtain emulsification. The emulsifier was a soybean lecithin alone or in mixtures with polysorbate 20. This non-ionic surfactant was chosen since it was found to directly inhibit the hydrolysis of cefpodoxime proxetil in vitro using duodenal washings. The o/w submicron emulsions were proven to be effective in protecting the prodrug from enzymatic attack in rabbit duodenal washings compared with a micellar solution and an aqueous solution of cefpodoxime proxetil. An o/w submicron emulsion incorporating polysorbate 20 was found to be the most protective, which can corroborate the inhibitory role of polysorbate itself.

Effect of Oil-in-Water Submicron Emulsion Surface Charge on Oral Absorption of a Poorly Water-Soluble Drug in Rats

The effect of oil-in-water submicron emulsion (SE) droplet surface charge on absolute bioavailability of a poorly water-soluble drug (griseofulvin, as model drug) after oral administration was studied in conscious rat. Positively, negatively, and neutrally charged SE were designed and characterized (size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, and pH). Three emulsion formulations, whose compositions included 40% oil phase and differed only in the nature of the emulsifying agent, were retained. Only the positively charged SE showed a higher area under the plasma concentration–time curve (AUC0 → ∞) in comparison with the tablet and with the other SE.

Carboplatin decomposition in aqueous solution with chloride ions monitored by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Carboplatin aqueous solutions, with chloride ions added at different concentrations, were studied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The comparison of solid and solution spectra shows that carboplatin and cisplatin spectra are strongly different, and that the carboplatin ligands induce a specific structure of the spectrum, conserved in solution. Hence, it is possible to study by XAS the evolution of carboplatin in solution. This study shows that carboplatin is the major compound present in solution, even after 15 days, in neutral solutions with chloride concentration less than 9%, exposed to light or not. On the contrary, with high chloride concentrations (18%) or in acidic solutions (0.1 M HCl), the carboplatin is chlorolysed, the evolution of the solution composition can be followed by XAS and cisplatin formation is evidenced.

Formulation and cytotoxicity evaluation of new self-emulsifying multiple W/O/W nanoemulsions

Three multiple water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) nanoemulsions have been designed for potential inclusion of either lipophilic or hydrophilic drugs using a two-step emulsification process exclusively based on low-energy self-emulsification. The W/O primary emulsion was constituted by a blend of oil (medium chain triglyceride), a mixture (7:3) of two surfactants, and a 10% water phase. The surfactants were a mixture of Polysorbate-85/Labrasol®, Polysorbate-85/Cremophor® EL or glycerol/Polysorbate-85. The final W/O/W nanoemulsions were obtained by the addition of water, with a weight ratio nanoemulsion/water of 1:2. The multiple emulsion stability was found to increase from 24 hours to 2 and 6 months with Labrasol, glycerol, and Cremophor, respectively. Cytotoxicity was found for formulations including Labrasol and Cremophor EL. The concentration of emulsion inhibiting 50% cell viability (IC50) was determined using the alamarBlue® test, giving after 24 hours of incubation, IC50 = 10.2 mg/mL for the Labrasol formulation and IC50 = 11.8 mg/mL for the Cremophor EL formulation. Corresponding calculated IC50 values for surfactants were 0.51 mg/mL for Labrasol and 0.59 mg/mL for Cremophor EL. In both cases, cytotoxicity was due to an apoptotic mechanism, evidenced by chromatin condensation and P2X7 cell death receptor activation. The formulation including glycerol, investigated between 1 and 100 mg/mL concentration of nanoemulsion, did not affect cell viability. Moreover, neither chromatin condensation nor P2X7 activation was found between the 10 and 30 mg/mL final concentration of the emulsion. This last formulation would therefore be of major interest for further developments.

Lipidic spherulites: formulation optimisation by paired optical and cryoelectron microscopy.

Objective of this study was to assess the various steps leading to spherulite obtention by means of optical and cryoelectron microscopy. The formulation, resting and hydration steps were optimised. Green-based process and organic-based process were compared. It was found that spherulites could be obtained only when two key steps were followed: a prior resting phase of excipients and the shearing stress of the hydrated excipients. Moreover, the new formulation under study formed spherulites in the 100-200 nm range, which is smaller than previously reported spherulites. Such laboratory scale optimised process led the integration of spherulites in a larger number of prospective studies. Indeed, we finally showed that the encapsulated payload of a hydrophobic compound, such as the anti-angiogenic agent fisetin, was increased to a much higher degree than with a liposomal encapsulation.

Preparation and Evaluation of Multiple Nanoemulsions Containing Gadolinium (III) Chelate as a Potential Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Contrast Agent

PurposeThe objective was to develop, characterize and assess the potentiality of W1/O/W2 self-emulsifying multiple nanoemulsions to enhance signal/noise ratio for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).MethodsFor this purpose, a new formulation, was designed for encapsulation efficiency and stability. Various methods were used to characterize encapsulation efficiency ,in particular calorimetric methods (Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry analysis) and ultrafiltration. MRI in vitro relaxivities were assessed on loaded DTPA-Gd multiple nanoemulsions.ResultsCharacterization of the formulation, in particular of encapsulation efficiency was a challenge due to interactions found with ultrafiltration method. Thanks to the specifically developed DSC protocol, we were able to confirm the formation of multiple nanoemulsions, differentiate loaded from unloaded nanoemulsions and measure the encapsulation efficiency which was found to be quite high with a 68% of drug loaded. Relaxivity studies showed that the self-emulsifying W/O/W nanoemulsions were positive contrast agents, exhibiting higher relaxivities than those of the DTPA-Gd solution taken as a reference.ConclusionNew self-emulsifying multiple nanoemulsions that were able to load satisfactory amounts of contrasting agent were successfully developed as potential MRI contrasting agents. A specific DSC protocol was needed to be developed to characterize these complex systems as it would be useful to develop these self-formation formulations.

Lipidic spherulites as magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents

Magnetic resonance imaging is an excellent technique to achieve anatomical details and highly resolved images. The search for efficient contrast agents to increase the signal to background ratio led us to evaluate paramagnetic spherulites as potential Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) contrast agents. Spherulites are supramolecular assemblies, made of lipidic concentric multilayers, able to encapsulate with high efficiency soluble macromolecules. Despite their highly interesting structure, spherulites have never been proposed as imaging agents. We proposed here three approaches to render spherulites paramagnetic: encapsulating a soluble contrastophore, inserting a lipidic contrastophore derivative or grafting a soluble contrastophore at the surface of the spherulites. Following similar strategies, liposomes were prepared for comparison. The conservation of the spherulite structure, throughout these three strategies, was shown by cryoelectron microscopy and small angle light scattering. The effect of the paramagnetic spherulites was studied by magnetic resonance imaging at different magnetic fields. The results showed that insertion of a contrastophore lipidic derivative into spherulite bilayers and grafting a contrastophore at the surface of the spherulites were the two strategies which led to the highest MRI contrast improvement.