Hajime Kotaki

Determination of erythromycin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin, and azithromycin in plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with amperometric detection

In this study, a high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the quantitative determination of erythromycin (EM), roxithromycin (RXM), and azithromycin (AZM) in rat plasma with amperometric detection under a standardized common condition using clarithromycin (CAM) as an internal standard. This method was also proved to be applicable for the determination of CAM by employing RXM as an internal standard. Each drug was extracted from 150 microl of plasma sample spiked with internal standard under an alkaline condition with tert.-butyl methyl ether. The detector cell potential for the oxidation of the drugs was set at +950 mV. The linearity of the calibration curves were preserved over the concentration ranges of 0.1-10 microg/ml for EM and RXM, and 0.03-3.0 microg/ml for CAM and AZM. Coefficients of variation and relative error were less than 9% and +/-7%, respectively. The analytical method presented here was proved to be useful for the investigation of the pharmacokinetic characteristics of EM, CAM, RXM, and AZM in rats.

Comparative Pharmacodynamic Analysis of Q-T Interval Prolongation Induced by the Macrolides Clarithromycin, Roxithromycin, and Azithromycin in Rats

ABSTRACT In order to evaluate the arrhythmogenic potency of macrolide antibiotics in a quantitative manner, we analyzed the influence of clarithromycin (CAM), roxithromycin (RXM), and azithromycin (AZM) on Q-T intervals from pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic points of view and in comparison with the potency of erythromycin (EM) previously reported by us for rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized, and CAM (6.6, 21.6, and 43.2 mg/kg of body weight/h), RXM (20 and 40 mg/kg/h), and AZM (40 and 100 mg/kg/h) were intravenously injected for 90 min to obtain the time courses of drug concentrations in plasma and the changes in the Q-T intervals during and after the drug injections. Distinct Q-T interval prolongation of up to 10 ms was observed with CAM at its clinical concentrations. RXM and AZM evoked Q-T interval prolongation at concentrations higher than their clinical ranges. The potencies for Q-T interval prolongation, assessed as the slope of the concentration-response relationship, were 6.09, 0.536, and 0.989 ms · ml/μg for CAM, RXM, and AZM, respectively. There was hysteresis between the change in the Q-T intervals and the time course of the plasma concentration of each drug. The rank order of clinical arrhythmogenicity was estimated to be EM > CAM > RXM > AZM, as assessed from the present results and our previous report for EM. In conclusion, RXM and AZM were estimated to be less potent at provoking arrhythmia than EM and CAM. These results should be useful for making a safer choice of an appropriate agent for patients with electrocardiographic risk factors.

Nonlinear kinetics of threo-methylphenidate enantiomers in a patient with narcolepsy and in healthy volunteers

SummaryWe have studied the pharmacokinetics of methylphenidate enantiomers after the oral administration of different doses of racemic methylphenidate to one patient with narcolepsy and to four healthy volunteers.The plasma concentrations of (+)-methylphenidate were much higher than those of (−)-methylphenidate after each dose in all subjects. In the patient the oral clearance (CL/f) of (+)-methylphenidate fell 3-fold and the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) rose 7-fold when the dose was increased from 20 to 40 mg (from 0.27 to 0.53 mg·kg−1), in spite of the relatively constant terminal half-life of 2.6–2.7 h.Similar dose-dependency was also observed in the healthy volunteers in the dose range of 10–60 mg (0.12–0.77 mg·kg−1). The mean value of CL/f for the 40 mg dose was significantly lower than that for the 20 mg dose. The mean AUC of the (+)-isomer corrected to a dose of 10 mg increased significantly between the 20 mg and 40 mg doses.In the urine (+)- and (−)-ritalinic acid were excreted for 48 h after each dose as 32–37% and 34–40% of the dose respectively. The mean total recoveries (sum of enantiomers of methylphenidate and its metabolite, ritalinic acid) in the urine were relatively constant (63–78% of the doses), suggesting that the changes in AUC with dose may not be due to a change in the intestinal absorption of racemic methylphenidate.We conclude that the nonlinear kinetics of (+)-methylphenidate may be due to saturation of its presystemic elimination.

Quantitative determination of domperidone in rat plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A sensitive and selective analytical method for the determination of domperidone in rat plasma is described. The procedure involves liquid-liquid extraction followed by reversed-phase high-performance chromatographic analysis with fluorometric detection at 282 nm for excitation and 328 nm for emission. The detection limit was 1 ng ml(-1) using 1 ml of plasma. This assay procedure should be useful for the pharmacokinetic study of domperidone in small animals such as rats.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of methylphenidate enantiomers in rats

We investigated the relationships between methylphenidate (MPD) enantiomers and endogenous dopamine (DA) levels in striatal extracellular fluid, and that between DA level and locomotor activity, after intravenous administration of racemic MPD (2,5 or 10 mg/kg dose) or the individual enantiomers (2.5 mg/kg dose) to rats. MPD and DA levels in the extracellular fluid were measured by in vivo brain microdialysis. The maximum levels of MPD enantiomers in the striatal extracellular fluid were obtained within 15 min after administration. On the other hand, the mean maximum DA levels after administration of 2–10 mg/kg dose of racemic MPD were obtained within 10 min with values in the range of 3.0- to 8.6- fold higher than the basal DA level. The maximum DA level (4.2-fold of the basal level) after administration of (+)-MPD was greater than that (2.2-fold) of the same dose of (−)-MPD. A clockwise hysteresis was observed between MPD concentration and DA level in the extracellular fluid after MPD administration. Locomotor activity after administration of (+)-MPD was also greater than (−)-MPD. From these results, it was shown that the locomotor activity induced by MPD may be related to the increase of DA level in the extracellular fluid, and the degree of increase of the DA level by (+)-MPD was greater than that of the (−)-isomer.

Simultaneous determination of the HIV protease inhibitors indinavir, amprenavir, saquinavir, ritonavir and nelfinavir in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous quantitative determination of five HIV protease inhibitors (i.e. indinavir, amprenavir, saquinavir, ritonavir and nelfinavir) in human plasma is described. An aliquot of 500 microl plasma was extracted with 0.5 ml of 0.1 M NH4OH and 5 ml of methyl tert.-butyl ether. After evaporating, the residue was dissolved in eluent mixture of acetonitrile and 50 mM KH2PO4 adjusted to pH 5.6 with 50 mM Na2HPO4 (43:57, v/v). Subsequently, the eluent was washed with hexane. Chromatography was performed using a C18 reversed-phase column. Ultraviolet detection at 215 nm was used. Linearity of the method was obtained in the concentration range of 0.05-20 microg ml(-1) for all five protease inhibitors. Our method is now in use to analyse plasma samples from patients treated with co-administration of HIV protease inhibitors.

The pharmacokinetics of glycyrrhizin and its restorative effect on hepatic function in patients with chronic hepatitis and in chronically carbon-tetrachloride-intoxicated rats

The relationships between the pharmacokinetic behaviour of glycyrrhizin and its restorative effect for hepatic function were investigated in patients with chronic hepatitis and in rats chronically treated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4‐treated rats). In patients, the restorative effects in plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities were 62·2±7·4 and 64·4±7·5%, respectively, after daily 80 mg intravenous (i.v.) doses of glycyrrhizin for 2 weeks, and 63·1±19·1 and 68·7±15·2% after 120 mg doses. The present work suggests that the threshold plasma glycyrrhizin concentration for sufficient effect is near 5 μg mL−1. In rats, the total body clearance (Cltot) for glycyrrhizin in the CCl4‐treated rats after i.v. administration of glycyrrhizin (5 mg kg−1 dose) was three‐tenths of that of the control, and the t1/2 for glycyrrhizin was 3·4‐fold longer than that of the control. A good correlation was observed between Cltot and AST (r=−0·838) or ALT (r=−0·873) activity in both rats. When glycyrrhizin was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) three times a week for 2 weeks, both the AST and ALT activities in the CCl4‐treated rats showed a greater improvement than for a 10 mg kg−1 dose. Furthermore, the finding on the threshold plasma concentration in patients as above was also supported from the results of the experiments in rats.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of (+)‐threo‐methylphenidate enantiomer in patients with hypersomnia

The pharmacokinetics of (+)‐methylphenidate after oral administration of 20 mg racemic methylphenidate hydrochloride and the relationship between clinical effects of plasma (+)‐methylphenidate concentration were investigated in 15 patients with hypersomnia and four healthy volunteers. The elimination half‐life of (+)‐methylphenidate in patients was within the range of 2.6 to 3 hours, and the time to reach the peak concentration ranged from 1 to 3 hours. The values of half‐life and time to reach the peak concentration in the patients were almost the same as the values in healthy subjects. The plasma (+)‐methylphenidate concentration profiles after repeated administration of racemic methylphenidate were similar to those after single administration. No correlation was observed between the plasma (+)‐methylphenidate concentration and the subjective sleepiness as measured by Stanford Sleepiness Scale. On the other hand, a significant correlation was found between the sleep latency as measured by the multiple sleep latency test and the plasma concentrations of (+)‐methylphenidate (r = 0.850). The time course of the sleep latency after repeated administration was similar to that after single administration. The sleep latency of more than 10 minutes was achieved by maintaining the plasma (+)‐methylphenidate concentrations above 3 ng/ml.

A Comparative Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Study of the Electrocardiographic Effects of Epinastine and Terfenadine in Rats

The effects of epinastine hydrochloride and terfenadine on electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters in rats were investigated from a pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic perspective.

Selective high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhetic acid-3-O-glucuronide in biological fluids: application of ion-pair extraction and fluorescence labelling agent.

A selective high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhetic acid-3-O-glucuronide in biological fluids of the rat. The procedure is based on the ion-pair formation using tetra-n-amylammonium bromide, extraction with ethyl acetate-n-heptane from the salt-saturated aqueous phase, labelling with 4-bromomethyl-7-methoxycoumarin, followed by chromatographic separation with fluorescence detection. Glycyrrhizin in plasma, bile and urine could be precisely determined in concentrations as low as 1, 1 and 2.5 micrograms/ml, respectively, in a 0.1-ml sample. The equivalent values for the glucuronide were 1, 2.5 and 2.5 micrograms/ml, respectively. The method is applicable in pharmacokinetic studies of glycyrrhizin in small animals.