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Biomedical subjects

D R Flanagan

Publications and source records attributed to D R Flanagan.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

Liposomal entrapment of suramin(II): interaction of suramin with phospholipids of various chain lengths.

Previously, we reported that the entrapment of suramin in dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC, C16) multilamellar liposomes ranged from 25% to 65% and the addition of 30-50 mol% cholesterol (CHL) greatly reduced entrapment. Entrapment of small molecules similar to suramin, disodium 1,5-naphthalenedisulfonic acid (5.5%) and sodium 3-amino-2,7-naphthalenedisulfonic acid (1.2%), were very low. In the present study, the entrapment and interaction of suramin with dilauroylphosphatidylcholine (DLPC, C12), dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC, C14), and distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC, C18) liposomes was investigated. DLPC and DMPC showed 2-3-fold higher entrapment percentages (95.1% and 74.2%, respectively) than DPPC (37%). However, the entrapment with DSPC (29%) was about 25% lower than DPPC. Adding 50 mol% cholesterol greatly reduced suramin entrapment for all phospholipids. The entrapment of polysulfonated dyes such as Evans blue, Direct blue 1, or Trypan blue, which are structurally similar to suramin, was found to be in the same order of DLPC > DMPC > DPPC > DSPC. Differential scanning calorimetry of aqueous dispersions of DLPC and DMPC with suramin showed more apparent interaction than for DPPC and DSPC. These results suggest that a large portion of the associated suramin and other polysulfonated compounds results from binding to the surface of the phospholipid bilayer or intercalation into the liposomal bilayer. The phospholipid chain length effect on entrapment may be due to the lower net van der Waals interaction between hydrocarbon chains for shorter acyl chains which also increases the bilayer intermolecular spacing. Such effects could then increase the ability of suramin to interact with individual phospholipid molecules.

Azo Compounds

Liposomal entrapment of suramin.

The liposomal entrapment of suramin and similar compounds in phospholipid vesicles was examined. For dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) liposomes, entrapment percentages ranged from 25 to 65% with 3-25 mM phospholipid for aqueous solutions containing 0.07 mM of suramin. Incorporation of 30-50 mol % cholesterol (CHL) into DPPC liposomes reduced the percentage suramin entrapment. Addition of positively-charged stearylamine (5 mol %) to DPPC/CHL liposomes increased the entrapment from 2.3% to 30.3%. Entrapment was not affected by the incorporation of negatively-charged phosphatidylglycerol into DPPC/CHL liposomes. When the amount of suramin was increased from 0.07 to 0.7 mM, the entrapment percentage decreased from 37% to 11% when DPPC was held constant at 6 mM. The entrapment of 0.07 mM Evans blue, a molecule similar in structure to suramin, was 51.6% in DPPC liposomes for 6 mM phospholipid. The entrapment percentage, however, decreased by about 50% when incorporated into 7:3 (DPPC/CHL) liposomes. The liposomal entrapment of disodium 1,5-naphthalenedisulfonic acid (5.5%) and sodium 3-amino-2,7-naphthalene-disulfonic acid (1.2%) was very low compared to that of suramin or Evans blue. Differential scanning calorimetry studies of suramin and an aqueous dispersion of DPPC showed an apparent interaction between them. These observations suggest that a significant portion of the entrapped suramin results from binding of suramin to the surface of or intercalation into the liposomal bilayer. Surface binding or intercalation into the phospholipid bilayer may be attributed to both ionic and hydrophobic interactions. The ionic interaction would arise from the suramin sulfonate groups associating with the cationic choline portion of the phospholipid.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine

Accelerated degradation of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) by organic amines.

The solid-state degradation of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) catalyzed by primary, secondary and tertiary alkylamines was investigated. The degradation process was monitored by weight loss and molecular weight change measured by gel permeation chromatography. Degradation studies were conducted at 37 degrees C in methanol solutions of the alkylamines. Primary alkylamines caused rapid weight loss (i.e., approximately 90% weight loss in 30 days) that depended on alkylamine concentration, molar ratio of alkylamine to poly(epsilon-caprolactone) monomer and alkyl chain length. The secondary alkylamines caused less rapid polymer weight loss (i.e., approximately 90%) weight loss within 80 days). One tertiary alkylamine (N,N-diisopropylethylamine) showed little catalytic effect while a bicyclic tertiary alkylamine (quinuclidine) was about as catalytic as the primary alkylamines. The degradation products isolated when primary alkylamines were used include both esters and amides indicating that nucleophilic attack by the alkylamines competed with the amine-catalyzed methanolysis reaction. Only ester moieties could be identified in the products from reactions containing secondary and tertiary alkylamines, which indicated that they acted as nucleophilic catalysts. All of the primary alkylamines reduced poly(epsilon-caprolactone) molecular weight from about 25,000 to 10,000 within 10 days after which the molecular weight of the remaining solid leveled off even though weight loss continued.

Amines

Prolonged analgesia after epidural injection of a poorly soluble salt of fentanyl.

Epidurally administered fentanyl is commonly used in postoperative pain management. The onset of action is rapid, but the duration of analgesia is short. In this study we examined the hypothesis that a poorly soluble salt of fentanyl (fentanyl pamoate) would create a depot of the drug in the epidural space and thus provide prolonged analgesia. The dose-response relationship and duration of analgesic action of epidural fentanyl citrate (FC) and fentanyl pamoate (FP) were studied in white male Sprague-Dawley rats. Somatic and visceral nociceptive stimulation (tail flick and colorectal distension, respectively) were used to test the analgesic effects of the drugs. The calculated dose producing 100% of the maximum possible effect (100% MPE) for FP was 31 micrograms toward somatic and 33 micrograms toward visceral noxious stimulation, and for FC it was 3 micrograms toward both stimulations. The antinociceptive effects were similar, with 31 micrograms of FP and 3 micrograms of FC. The areas under the time-response curves (AUC) were significantly higher with FP than with FC when high doses (5 micrograms of FC or 50 micrograms of FP) were used, but with doses expected to produce 100% MPE, differences between the study drugs were not observed in the duration of analgesia. We conclude that the duration of antinociceptive effect of fentanyl can be prolonged when administered as a poorly soluble salt.

Analgesia, Epidural

Degradation and release properties of pellets fabricated from three commercial poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) biodegradable polymers.

Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide, 50:50) samples of similar molecular weight were obtained from three commercial sources and were characterized by gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray powder diffraction, viscometry, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Pellets were prepared by melt-pressing spray-dried polymer with a 4-mm standard concave punch and die set and a thermostated holder of original design. Amaranth (5% w/w) was incorporated in pellets used for release studies. Degradation and release studies were conducted at 37 degrees C in pH 7.2 phosphate buffered saline. The molecular weights of all polymers were found to decrease continuously after exposure to phosphate buffered saline. All polymers showed two distinct regions of molecular weight decrease. Mass loss experiments for all polymers resulted in sigmoidal curves typical of polymers undergoing bulk hydrolysis. The onset of mass loss (defined as 10% mass loss) was found to differ by as much as 6 days among the three polymers studied. The release studies showed an initial burst of release followed by a period of 15-25 days during which little or no dye was released. A second phase of release followed, lasting approximately 10 days, until all dye was released. The time at which release began slightly preceded the onset of mass loss.

Buffers

Solubilization of salicylamide and acetaminophen by antihistamines in aqueous solution.

The effect of self-association of the antihistaminic drugs pheniramine, chlorpheniramine, and brompheniramine as their maleate salts on the solubilization of salicylamide and acetaminophen in aqueous solution has been investigated. The total solubility of salicylamide increased nonlinearly at lower antihistamine concentrations (less than 0.4 M), but reached limiting linearity (slope = 0.34 mol/mol of antihistamine) at higher concentrations (up to 0.8 M). Salicylamide solubility increases are approximately 10-fold at high concentrations (0.6-0.8 M) of antihistamine, while acetaminophen solubility increases are about fivefold at similar antihistamine concentrations. The solubilization data were analyzed with a stepwise self-association model. Based on a dimer model, the experimental and theoretical log excess salicylamide solubility profiles were in good agreement (r2 = 0.982) except at the lowest chlorpheniramine maleate concentrations. Such deviation at the lowest concentrations increased when trimer and 11-mer models were utilized. To account for this deviation, a monomer-dimer model based on interaction with both the chlorpheniramine maleate monomer and dimer was proposed. This model was in excellent agreement (r2 = 0.996) with the solubility data.

Acetaminophen

Degradation of poly(ester) microspheres.

Biodegradable polymeric microspheres have been prepared by spray drying, precipitation, rotary evaporation and press grinding methods. Erosion of microspheres of poly(lactide), poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), copolymers of lactide and glycolide, and copolymers of 3-hydroxybutyrate and 3-hydroxyvalerate at 85 degrees C and 37 degrees C have been studied using ion chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance, residual mass measurements, viscometry and gel permeation chromatography. Such studies demonstrated that these polyester matrices degraded via (1) random chain scission and (2) release of soluble monomeric and oligomeric products. Protein release from microspheres prepared by these methods indicated that most of the protein is released before the polymer matrix loses weight.

Biodegradation, Environmental

Micellar solubilization of a new antimalarial drug, beta-arteether.

beta-Arteether (1) is a new antimalarial drug derived from artemisinin (2, quinghaosu). Compound 1 is quite water insoluble, but very soluble in a variety of organic solvents. Solubilization in a variety of surfactants was investigated to obtain higher concentrations of 1 in aqueous solutions. Anionic and cationic surfactants exhibited dramatic solubilizing ability for 1, while nonionic surfactants showed significantly lower solubilizing ability. The solubilization data are analyzed on the basis of a pseudo-phase model with 1 exhibiting a high partition coefficient into the micellar phase. An empirical model is presented to identify the possible sites of solubilization of 1 in the micelle.

Antimalarials

Determination of the dissolution rate controlling process for isomeric amides in alkane solvents.

The mechanisms that control the dissolution rates of chemical compounds in liquids have long been of interest to pharmaceutical scientists. Generally, control of the dissolution rate can be classified as being by interfacial reaction rate or by the rate of mass transport. Little work has been done in the area of sparingly soluble compounds dissolving in nonpolar organic solvents. In this study the dissolution of three isomers of methylacetanilide was investigated in three nonpolar organic solvents (hexane, heptane, and cyclohexane). The dissolution apparatus used a flat plate into which the nondisintegrating tablet could be placed so that dissolution occurred only from one face of the tablet. Agitation was provided by a four-bladed stirrer whose outer edge was 2 cm from the tablet surface. Dissolution data were collected only for concentrations less than 5% of the saturation solubility of the given compound in the given solvent. All dissolution profiles were linear. Dissolution rates were obtained from the slopes of these plots. Plots of In (dissolution rate) versus In (stirring speed) were also linear and yielded slopes that were close to the value of 0.50 predicted by the convective diffusion model employed.

Amides

Evaluation of an oral prolonged-release antibiotic formulation.

The antibiotic cephalexin was formulated as an oral prolonged-release tablet and evaluated by in vitro dissolution testing as well as in vivo in 10 human subjects. Comparisons were made of the time course of the blood levels among the prolonged-release formulation, the commercially available capsule, and intravenous administration. Even though lower peak blood levels were attained in the prolonged-release tablet, absorption continued for at least 6 hr. Comparison with in vitro dissolution data showed that absorption was dissolution rate limited. Bioavailability comparisons showed that the prolonged-release formulation was completely available, as was the commercial oral capsule.

Administration, Oral

Rapid sensitive fluorometric analysis of cephalosporin antibiotics.

A rapid and sensitive fluorometric analysis for cephalosporins, which can also be applied to penicillins, is presented. The method involves reaction with 0.1 N sodium hydroxide at 100 degrees, producing stable fluorescent products. This method was applied to cephalexin and ampicillin with detection at concentrations as low as 0.01 mug/ml.

Ampicillin

Convective diffusional analysis for drug transport through a tubular polymeric membrane.

The transport of three p-aminobenzoate esters (ethyl, butyl, and hexyl) through a tubular dimethyl polysiloxane membrane into a flowing liquid was investigated. The tubular configuration permits the exact determination of the convective diffusional contribution to membrane transport with models that account for fluid hydrodynamics. The observed transport behavior ranged from complete convective diffusion control for the hexyl ester to complete membrane control for the ethyl ester; the butyl ester exhibited a change in control with flow rate. The implications of convective diffusional considerations to intestinal absorption and dissolution studies are discussed.

4-Aminobenzoic Acid