Xuehua Jiang

Intra-herb pharmacokinetics interaction between quercetin and isorhamentin.

AbstractAim:Quercetin and isorhamnetin are common constituents of some herb extracts, such as extracts of gingko leaves and total flavones of Hippophae rhamnoides L. The intra-herb pharmacokinetics interactions between isorhamnetin and quercetin were investigated in the present study.Methods:Human MDR1 cDNA transfected MDCKII cells were used to validate whether isorhamnein interacted with P-gp. Caco-2 transport assays and a randomized, 3-way crossover pharmacokinetics study in rats were used to investigate the pharmacokinetics interactions. HPLC was used to determine cell transport samples. The total plasma concentrations of quercetinand isorhamnetin were determined by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) by treatment with β-glucuronidase and sulfatase.Results:The permeability ratio (absorptive permeability/secretive permeability) of isorhamnetin across human MDR1 cDNA transfected MDCKII cells, Caco-2 cells and wild-type MDCKII cells are 0.25±0.02, 0.74±0.05, and 1.41±0.06, respectively. This result proved the role of P-gp in the cell efflux of isorhamnetin. While co-transporting with each other across Caco-2 cells monolayer, the permeability ratio of isorhamnetin and quercetin increased by 4.3 and 2.2 times. After coadministration with each other to rats, the Cmax, AUC0–72 h, and AUC0–∞ of both isorhamnetin and quercetin significantly increased compared with single administration.Conclusion:The above results proved intra-herb pharmacokinetics interaction between quercetin and isorhamentin. P-gp might play an important role, whereas other drug efflux pumps, such as multi-drug resistance associate protein 2 and breast cancer resistance protein, might be involved. Accordingly, besides the drug-herb interactions, intra-herb interaction might be brought into view with the wide use of herbal-based remedies.

Poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone)-and phospholipid-based stealth nanoparticles with enhanced therapeutic efficacy on murine breast cancer by improved intracellular drug delivery.

Background Effective anticancer drug delivery to the tumor site without rapid body clearance is a prerequisite for successful chemotherapy. 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-ethanolamine-N-(methoxy[polyethyleneglycol]-2000) (DSPE-PEG2000) has been widely used in the preparation of stealth liposomes. Although PEG chains can efficiently preserve liposomes from rapid clearance by the reticuloendothelial system (RES), its application has been hindered by poor cellular uptake and unsatisfactory therapeutic effect. Methods To address the dilemma, we presented a facile approach to fabricate novel stealth nanoparticles generated by poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PEG-b-PCL), soybean phosphatidylcholine (SPC), and cholesterol, namely LPPs (L represented lipid and PP represented PEG-b-PCL), for the delivery of anticancer drug paclitaxel (PTX). LPPs were prepared using the thin film hydration method. Two PEG-b-PCL polymers with different molecular weights (MW; PEG2000-b-PCL2000, MW: 4,000 Da and PEG5000-b-PCL5000, MW: 10,000 Da) were used to fabricate stealth nanoparticles. Conventional PEGylated liposome (LDP2000, L represented lipid and DP2000 represented DSPE-PEG2000) composed of SPC, cholesterol, and DSPE-PEG2000 was used as the control. The physical properties, cellular uptake, endocytosis pathway, cytotoxicity, pharmacokinetics, tumor accumulation, and anticancer efficacy of free PTX, PTX-loaded LPPs, and LDP2000 were systemically investigated after injection into 4T1 breast tumor–bearing mice. Results LPPs were vesicles around 100 nm in size with negative zeta potential. With enhanced stability, LPPs achieved sustainable release of cancer therapeutics. The cellular uptake level was closely related to the PEG chain length of PEG-b-PCL; a shorter PEG chain resulted in higher cellular uptake. Moreover, the cellular internalization of LPP2000 modified by PEG2000-b-PCL2000 on 4T1 cells was 2.1-fold higher than LDP2000 due to the improved stability of LPP2000. The cytotoxicity of PTX-loaded LPP2000 was also higher than that of LDP2000 and LPP5000 as observed using a WST-8 assay, while blank LPPs showed negligible toxicity. Consistent with the results of the in vitro study, in vivo experiments showed that LPPs allowed significantly improved bioavailability and prolonged T1/2β as compared to free PTX injection. More importantly, LPPs mainly accumulated at the tumor site, probably due to the enhanced permeation and retention effect (EPR effect). As a nanomedicine, LPP2000 (tumor inhibition rate of 75.1%) significantly enhanced the therapeutic effect of PTX in 4T1 breast tumor–bearing mice by inhibiting tumor growth compared to LDP2000 and LPP5000 (tumor inhibition rates of 56.3% and 49.5%, respectively). Conclusion Modification of liposomes with PEG2000-b-PCL2000 can simultaneously improve drug accumulation at the target tumor site and tumor cells, showing great promise for utilization as a PEG modification tool in the fabrication of stealth nanoparticles for cancer chemotherapy.

Effect of CYP1A2 polymorphism on the pharmacokinetics of agomelatine in Chinese healthy male volunteers

Agomelatine is a melatonin (MT) analogue with agonistic properties and has been proven to be effective for various types of depressive symptoms. Following oral administration, agomelatine is primarily metabolized by the hepatic cytochrome P450 isoenzyme CYP1A2. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of CYP1A2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs, rs762551, rs2069514, rs2472304, rs2470890) on agomelatine pharmacokinetics in the Chinese population.

Pharmacokinetics of phillyrin and forsythiaside followingiv administration to Beagle dog

SummaryThe objective of the present study was to firstly investigate the in vivo pharmacokinetics of phillyrin and forsythiaside in beagle dog. On I.V. administration, a rapid distribution was observed and followed by a slower elimination for phillyrin and forsythiaside. The mean t1/2z was 49.99, 34.87 and 43.81 min for 0.19, 0.70 and 1.43 mg/kg of phillyrin, and 60.90, 64.30, 57.99 min for 0.62, 1.39 and 5.52 mg/kg of forsythiaside respectively. And the AUC0-t increased linearly from 36.51 to 160.22 μg·min/ml of phillyrin and from 50.63 to 681.08 μsdmin/ml after the three dosage administrated. In the range of the dose examined, the pharmacokinetics of phillyrin and forsythiaside in beagle dog was based on first order kinetics. Although both drugs were widely distributed to various tissues in the dog, no concerns about extensive binding to tissues that may be consumed by the public should a dog be exposed to phillyrin and forsythiaside according to the rapid elimination.

Bioequivalence of a single 10-mg dose of finasteride 5-mg oral disintegrating tablets and standard tablets in healthy adult male Han Chinese volunteers: a randomized sequence, open-label, two-way crossover study.

BACKGROUND Finasteride, an inhibitor of the steroid 5alpha-reductase, has been approved for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia and androgenetic alopecia. An orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) 5-mg formulation of finasteride was recently developed. Information regarding its pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence was required to assess the efficacy and safety of this formulation before marketing it in China. OBJECTIVES The aims of this study were to compare the bioavailability of finasteride ODTs and standard tablets in healthy adult male Han Chinese volunteers and to determine whether any observed differences exceeded Chinese regulatory guidelines for bioequivalence. METHODS This single-dose, randomized, open-label, 2-way crossover trial was conducted in China. Healthy adult male Han Chinese volunteers were enrolled. Participants were randomly assigned to receive 10 mg of either the ODT or standard tablet formulation, followed by a 1-week washout period and administration of the alternate formulation. Doses were administered after a 12-hour overnight fast. For analysis of pharmacokinetic properties, including C(max), AUC(0-24), and AUC(0-infinity), blood samples were obtained at 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 5, 8, 11, 14, and 24 hours after administration. The formulations were to be considered bioequivalent if calculations of the 90% CI for the ratio of the means of the measures for the test and reference formulations fell within bioequivalence limits, 80% to 125%, for logarithmic (log) transformation of C(max) and AUC, and if Schuirmanns two 1-sided tests showed P < 0.05. Tolerability was assessed using vital sign measurements (ie, blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate), laboratory analysis (ie, hematology, blood biochemistry, hepatic function, and urinalysis), and interviews with participants. RESULTS Twenty-four men (mean [SD] age, 22.0 [1.2] years [range, 20-24 years]; weight, 63.5 [4.6] kg [range, 55-70 kg]; height, 172.8 [4.4] cm [range, 164-180 cm]) were enrolled in this study, and 24 (12 each randomized to receive the ODT or standard tablet first) completed it. No period or sequence effects were observed. The 90% CIs for the log-transformed C(max), AUC(0-24), and AUC(0-infinity) values were 86.8 to 106.8, 95.1 to 119.1, and 96.2 to 117.5, respectively (all, P < 0.05). The Wilcoxon rank sum test of T(max) found a significant difference between the ODT formulation (mean [SD], 2.40 [0.47] hours) and standard tablet formulation (1.98 [0.63] hours). No adverse events were reported by the volunteers or found in clinical laboratory testing during the study. CONCLUSIONS In this single-dose study, based on the rate and extent of absorption, the ODT (ie, test) and standard tablet (ie, reference) formulations of finasteride met the regulatory criteria for bioequivalence in these fasting healthy adult male Han Chinese volunteers. However, a significant difference was found for T(max) between the test and reference formulations. Both formulations were well tolerated. ClinicalTrials. gov identifier: 2005L02216.

Enhanced anticancer efficacy of paclitaxel through multistage tumor-targeting liposomes modified with RGD and KLA peptides

Mitochondria serve as both “energy factories” and “suicide weapon stores” of cells. Targeted delivery of cytotoxic drugs to the mitochondria of tumor cells and tumor vascular cells is a promising strategy to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy. Here, multistage tumor-targeting liposomes containing two targeted peptide-modified lipids, cRGD-PEG2000-DSPE and KLA-PEG2000-DSPE, were developed for encapsulation of the anticancer drug paclitaxel (PTX, RGD-KLA/PTX-Lips). Compared with Taxol (free PTX), RGD/PTX-Lips and KLA/PTX-Lips, the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of RGD-KLA/PTX-Lips in vitro was 1.9-, 36.7- and 22.7-fold lower with 4T1 cells, respectively, because of higher levels of cellular uptake. Similar results were also observed with human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). An apoptosis assay showed that the total apoptotic ratio of RGD-KLA/PTX-Lips was the highest because of the mitochondria-targeted drug delivery and the activation of mitochondrial apoptosis pathways, as evidenced by visible mitochondrial localization, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, release of cytochrome c and increased activities of caspase-9 and caspase-3. The strongest tumor growth inhibition (TGI; 80.6%) and antiangiogenesis effects without systemic toxicity were also observed in RGD-KLA/PTX-Lip-treated 4T1 tumor xenograft BALB/c mice. In conclusion, these multistage tumor-targeting liposomes represent a promising anticancer drug delivery system (DDS) capable of maximizing anticancer therapeutic efficacy and minimizing systemic toxicity.

Efficacy and Safety of Ledipasvir/Sofosbuvir with and without Ribavirin in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1 Infection: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND The addition of ribavirin (RBV) to the combination treatment of Ledipasvir (LDV) and Sofosbuvir (SOF) remains controversial in the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We performed a meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of the LDV-SOF with and without RBV in treating HCV genotype 1 patients. METHOD The electronical databases of PubMed Medline, EMBASE database, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and ClinicalTrials.gov website with registered trials were searched. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and prospective cohort studies that assessed the efficacy and safety of LDV-SOF with or without RBV in patients with HCV genotype 1 (GT 1). Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data and assessed methodology quality. Review Manager 5.3 software was used to analyze the data. RESULTS Seven studies involving 2,626 patients with HCV GT 1 - some of whom had cirrhosis - were included in this meta-analysis. The addition of RBV to LDV- SOF regimen neither significantly improved sustained viral response at 12 weeks (SVR12) after the last dose of treatment (RR=1.00, 95%CI 0.99-1.01, p=0.99) nor decreased virologic breakthrough (RR=1.01, 95%CI 0.14-7.19, p=0.99) and relapse (RR=1.36, 95% CI 0.81-2.29, p=0.24). There was no significant difference in the incidence of discontinuation (RR=0.61, 95%CI 0.25-1.53, p=0.30) between LDV- SOF therapy and LDV- SOF plus RBV. LDV- SOF plus RBV therapy had significantly higher rate of the overall adverse events (RR=0.88, 95%CI=0.84- 0.92, p<0.00001). LDV - SOF therapy had higher incidence of serious adverse events (RR=1.60, 95%CI=1.00-2.56, p=0.05) than LDV-SOF plus RBV. CONCLUSION This meta-analysis suggests that LDV-SOF based therapy is a safe and effective treatment for patients with GT 1 HCV. The addition of RBV to LDV-SOF may increase toxicity without achieving improved efficacy. However, due to the relatively small sample sizes and moderate risk of bias of included studies, large-scale and high-quality clinical research is still needed to confirm the results.

Simultaneous determination of six herbal components in intestinal perfusate by high-performance liquid chromatography.

An effective, accurate and reliable HPLC with UV detection method was developed and validated for quantitation of six components: baicalin, berberine hydrochloride, quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin and baicalein in intestinal perfusate using rotundin as an internal standard. The chromatographic separation was performed on a Welchrom-C(18) column (250 x 4.6 mm i.d. with 5.0 microm particle size) with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile, water, phosphoric acid and triethylamine (30:70:0.2:0.1,v/v) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min and a UV detection at 270 nm. The method had a chromatographic run time of 30 min and excellent linear behavior over the investigated concentration ranges observed with the values of r higher than 0.99 for all the analytes. The lower limit of quantification of the analytical method was 0.09 microg/mL for berberine hydrochloride, quercetin, kaempferol and baicalein and 0.18 microg/mL for baicalin and isorhamnetin. The intra- and inter-day precisions measured at three concentration levels were all less than 10% for all analytes. The bias ranged from -6.91 to 4.33%. The validated method has been successfully applied to investigate the rat intestine absorption profiles of baicalin, berberine hydrochloride, quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin and baicalein.

Comparative single- and multiple-dose pharmacokinetics of rosuvastatin following oral administration in Chinese volunteers

SummaryThe objective of this study was to determine and compare the plasma concentrations of rosuvastatin following single- and multiple-dose administration in Chinese volunteers. The study was of an open label, randomized, three-way cross-over design and was conducted in 12 subjects. Single dose administration of the rosuvastatinon was characterized by a rapid absorption (2.045±0.891 h, 2.273±1.009 h and 1.667±0.651 h) and a marked peak plasma concentration (9.938±4.438, 28.09±12.075 and 43.092±22.09 ng/ml) for the three different doses (5mg, 10mg and 20mg)of rosuvastatin. The apparent elimination half-life amounted to 7.914±3.813 h, 8.445±4.994 h and 15.401±5.429 h following administration, respectively. Similar findings were obtained after multiple dosing. A rapid absorption (3±1.365 h, 3.042±1.054 h and 2.375±0.829 h) and a marked peak plasma concentration (9.288±5.314, 18.808±6.687 and 49.808±23.516 ng/ml) for the three different doses (5mg, 10mg and 20 mg) of rosuvastatin were observed. The apparent elimination half-life amounted tol3.181±5.492 h, 8.035±3.331 h and 15.509±6.43 h following administration, respectively. Small differences in gender are not considered clinically relevant, and dose adjustments based on gender are not anticipated. But the state of fed or fasting will affect the pharmacokinetic of rosuvastatin.

Determination of butenafine hydrochloride in human plasma by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry following its topical administration in human subjects.

An HPLC/MS/MS method for determination of butenafine hydrochloride in human plasma with testosterone propionate as the internal standard (IS) was developed and validated. Plasma samples were extracted with an n-hexane/diethyl ether (1:2, v/v) mixture and separated using a C(18) column by a gradient elution with the mobile phase containing acetonitrile and 5mM ammonium acetate buffer. Quantification was performed using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode with transition of m/z 318.4→141.0 for butenafine hydrochloride and m/z 345.5→97.0 for testosterone propionate (IS). This method was validated in terms of specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, and stability. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) of this method was 0.0182 ng/ml and the calibration curve was linear over the 0.0182-1.82 ng/ml. The intra- and inter-run coefficient of variance was less than 11.53% and 10.07%, respectively. The samples were stable under all the tested conditions. The method was successfully applied to study the pharmacokinetics of butenafine hydrochloride in healthy Chinese volunteers following its topical administration.