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Biomedical subjects

G Houin

Publications and source records attributed to G Houin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Influence of molecular weight upon the anticoagulant and pharmacokinetic properties of dermatan sulfate in the rabbit.

In order to improve the pharmacokinetic properties of unfractionated dermatan sulfate (UDS, mean MW: 25kD), the disposition of 4 low molecular weight dermatan sulfates (LMWDS) with a mean MW ranging from 15 to 4 kD was investigated in the rabbit. In comparison with UDS, it was established that after intravenous administration, the half-life of disappearance, the distribution volume and the clearance of the biological activity increased as the mean molecular weight decreased. After subcutaneous administration, the bioavailability of the 4 LMWDS was improved in comparison with that of UDS, but large inter-animal variations were recorded for LMWDS having a mean MW over 9 kD. Therefore the best compromise between biological activity, clearance, half-life of disappearance, bioavailability and reproducibility after subcutaneous administration should be a compound having a MW ranging from 4 to 9 kD.

Animals

Pharmacodynamic properties of long lasting butyryl heparin derivatives in the rabbit.

This paper reports on the pharmacodynamic properties of butyryl derivatives of unfractionated heparin (C4-UH) and of low molecular weight heparin (C4-CY 216) after bolus intravenous injection, constant infusion and subcutaneous administration to rabbits. The pharmacodynamic properties of the two butyryl derivatives were compared to those of the parent compounds, unfractionated heparin (UH) and low molecular weight heparin (CY 216). After bolus intravenous injection of increasing doses, the disposition of the butyryl derivatives were comparable to that of their parent compounds up to 3 mg kg-1. Over this dose, their clearances became 2 to 3 times lower. These long lasting properties were confirmed by constant intravenous infusion experiments. After subcutaneous administration, the bioavailability of C4-UH remained low (10%) at any dose while that of C4-CY 216 ranged from 42 to 120%. If these findings are confirmed in man, these new derivatives open the possibility of treating established deep vein thrombosis with only one daily injection of a butyryl derivative of low molecular weight heparin.

Animals

Pharmacological properties of a low molecular weight butyryl heparin derivative (C4-CY 216) with long lasting effects.

We have investigated the pharmacological properties of an O-acetylated butyryl derivative of the low molecular weight heparin CY 216 (C4-CY 216). In a purified system the ability of C4-CY 216 to catalyze thrombin and factor Xa inhibition was comparable to that of CY 216. The antithrombin and antifactor Xa catalytic efficiencies of C4-CY 216 were reduced 217 and 12 times respectively when albumin (10 mg ml-1) was added to the reagents, while those of CY 216 were essentially unchanged. In plasma, the antifactor Xa specific activity of C4-CY 216 was close to that of CY 216 but the antithrombin specific activity was 2 times lower. After bolus and continuous intravenous injection to rabbits, the clearances of the two activities of C4-CY 216 were on average half the corresponding values of CY 216. After subcutaneous injection, the bioavailability of C4-CY 216 was comparable to that of CY 216. C4-CY 216 was as potent as CY 216 in preventing venous thrombosis in the thromboplastin-Wessler model and the duration of the antithrombotic effect was longer than that of the parent compound. The chemical alteration of CY 216 did not enhance the prohaemorrhagic effect in the rat tail transection model. Therefore, the new concept of heparin derivative having a low clearance and long lasting effects that we have recently reported for unfractionated heparin may also be applied to a low molecular weight heparin.

Animals

First-derivative spectroscopic determination of binding characteristics of rifampicin to human albumin and serum.

A first-derivative spectroscopic method for the simultaneous determination of bound and unbound drug in human serum and serum albumin solution was developed. As an example, the binding characteristics of rifampicin were studied. In serum albumin solution, the rifampicin bound and unbound fractions were determined at 473.5 and 475.8 nm, respectively. For human serum, the unbound fraction was determined at 479.4 nm. The results obtained by the first-derivative spectroscopic method were in agreement with those obtained by equilibrium dialysis. The proposed method is very simple and accurate when applied to measurements of drug:protein binding. Moreover, it allows a direct measurement of the bound and unbound forms without any physical separation.

Humans

Application of a pharmacokinetic model with multiple enterohepatic cycles to a new inotropic drug after infusion and oral administration.

A pharmacokinetic model with multiple, unequal, enterohepatic recirculations was developed to fit the experimental data of a new inotropic drug after intravenous infusion and oral administration. Optimized model parameters were used to derive theoretical values of the area under the curves of concentration versus time that were in good agreement with the experimental values.

Administration, Oral

Drug recirculation model with multiple cycles occurring at unequal time intervals.

A pharmacokinetic model for enterohepatic recycling has been developed to take into account multiple recirculations likely to occur at various times after intravenous or subcutaneous injection, after infusion, or after a single oral administration of a drug. The times when the gall bladder empties, the duration of infusion and the number of recirculations may be arbitrarily chosen (for simulations) or computed (for optimization) to express the concentration in the central compartment at any time. Without a new theoretical calculation, the area under the concentration curve may be obtained as a function of the model parameters. As an example, the model is applied to an experimental case of four recirculations after oral administration and to a new drug data fitting.

Administration, Oral

Antithrombotic activity, bleeding effect and pharmacodynamics of a succinyl derivative of dermatan sulphate in rabbits.

This paper compares the pharmacological properties of a new succinyl dermatan sulphate derivative (Suc-DS) to those of the natural dermatan sulphate (DS). Suc-DS was on average 2-3 times more potent than DS in catalysing the inhibition of thrombin by heparin cofactor II and in prolonging the activated partial thromboplastin time and the thrombin clotting time. After bolus injection, Suc-DS was also 2-3 times more potent than DS to prevent experimental venous thrombosis in a Wessler model. Thromboplastin or human serum were used as the thrombogenic stimulus. In contrast, the bleeding effect assessed by rat tail transection technique was comparable. After bolus intravenous injection, the pharmacodynamics of Suc-DS indicated a lower volume of distribution, which was close to the plasma volume, and a slightly lower clearance of elimination. Therefore this chemical alteration of natural DS yields a new compound with an improved antithrombotic benefit/haemorrhagic risk ratio.

Animals

[Is there any desensitization of presynaptic alpha 2-adrenergic receptors in hypertension? Experimental and clinical studies].

Several authors have discussed an alteration of adrenergic receptivity in arterial hypertension. De Champlain (Hypertension 1990; 8: S77-S85) suggested that postsynaptic alpha 1-adrenergic functions became dominant while beta-adrenergic functions are attenuated in arterial hypertension. However, the status of presynaptic alpha 2-adrenoceptors remains unknown. The present study investigates presynaptic alpha 2-adrenoceptors in hypertension through the measurement of plasma levels of noradrenaline after administration of yohimbine, an alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist, in essential hypertension. Yohimbine (0.2 mg/kg per os) induced a 73% increase of plasma levels of noradrenaline in hypertensive patients (n = 12) and a 178% one in normotensive subjects (n = 6, p < 0.05). A similar significant difference was found in experimental neurogenic hypertension observed in awake dogs 3 weeks after sinoaortic denervation: the increase in plasma concentrations of noradrenaline after yohimbine (0.5 mg/kg i.v.) was +279% in hypertensive versus +642% in normotensive dogs (p < 0.05). The results show that the magnitude of the yohimbine-induced sympathetic activation is lower in hypertensives than in normotensives. They suggest the existence of a presynaptic alpha 2-adrenoceptor desensitization in arterial hypertension. The abnormality of this presynaptic inhibitory mechanism can increase the sympathetic tone and help to develop and maintain arterial hypertension.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists

Pharmacokinetic profile of [14C]flutrimazole following single topical application in normal and scarified skin of healthy volunteers.

14C-labelled 1-[(2-fluorophenyl)(4-fluorophenyl)phenylmethyl]-1H- imidazole (flutrimazole, UR-4056, CAS 119006-77-8) was administered topically (dermally) in three male volunteers to normal skin and scarified skin, respectively. Blood, urine and faeces were collected and radioassayed by liquid scintillation counting techniques. After topical application to healthy skin area, less than 1% of flutrimazole was absorbed percutaneously from a 1% cream and the amount absorbed was excreted with the urine. Following administration of the drug to scarified skin, the proportions absorbed were very similar to those measured after application to normal skin. About 0.5% of the administered dose is recovered in urine. The absorbed amount of drug leads to very low concentrations in the circulation, lower than a few ng/ml.

Administration, Topical

Pharmacologic properties of an unfractionated heparin butyryl derivative with long-lasting effects.

This article reports on the pharmacologic properties of an O-acylated butyryl derivative (C4-UH) of unfractionated heparin (UH). In a purified system, the ability of C4-UH to catalyze the inhibition of thrombin and of factor Xa in the presence of antithrombin III was similar to that of UH. Addition of albumin (10 mg/ml) to the reagents reduced the antithrombin and antifactor Xa catalytic potency of C4-UH 68-fold and 20-fold, respectively, and did not alter those of UH. As judged from the prolongation of the activated partial thromboplastin time and the thrombin clotting time, the anticoagulant activities of C4-UH were two times weaker than those of UH. After calibration against UH, the antifactor Xa-specific and antithrombin-specific activities were two and 6.6 times lower, respectively. After bolus intravenous injection into rabbits, the apparent clearances of C4-UH were reduced 2.4 (antifactor Xa activity) and 3.2 times (antithrombin activity) in comparison with those of UH. This property accounted for the higher plasma concentrations generated during a constant infusion of the same dose. In the Wessler thromboplastin model, the minimum doses providing the maximum antithrombotic effect after bolus injection were equivalent for both compounds when expressed as antifactor Xa units; the duration of the antithrombotic effect of this derivative was prolonged, whereas the hemorrhagic potential was unaffected. This study opens a new concept for heparin derivatives having lower clearances and long-lasting effects. These properties could be linked to nonspecific binding of C4-UH to plasma proteins, thereby reducing the amount of free compound available to interact with antithrombin III.

Animals

Placental transfer of glycosaminoglycans in the human perfused placental cotyledon model.

Placental transfer of unfractionated heparin (UH), of low molecular weight heparin CY 216 (LMWH) and of Dermatan sulphate (DS) was studied using the human perfused placental cotyledon model. Two different techniques were used to assess the transfer: labelled molecules and biological activities as measured by antifactor Xa or antifactor IIa activities. No biological activity was present in the fetal circulation, for any of the drugs used; however, very low fractions of the perfused radioactivity were recorded, 0.76% +/- 0.36%, 1.46% +/- 1.44% and 2.37% +/- 0.89% for DS, UH and LMWH, respectively.

Dermatan Sulfate

Maternal and umbilical cord concentrations of fentanyl after epidural analgesia for cesarean section.

The maternal and umbilical concentrations of fentanyl were measured after epidural analgesia for cesarean section, using a highly sensitive radioimmunoassay method. Sixteen parturients were anesthetized with a single epidural injection of a mixture of 85 mg bupivacaine 0.5%, 60 mg etidocaine 1%, and 100 micrograms fentanyl with epinephrine 1:200,000. Apparent maternal individual maximum peak concentration (Cmax) of fentanyl was 0.38 +/- 0.16 ng/ml (mean +/- SD) (range 0.12-0.59 ng/ml) and the time to reach Cmax (Tmax) was 24 +/- 14 min (range 5-60 min). Infants were born 19 to 42 min after epidural administration of fentanyl (mean 27 min). Fentanyl concentrations in neonates was 0.13 +/- 0.04 ng/ml for the umbilical vein and 0.06 +/- 0.03 ng/ml for the artery. The fetus extraction ratio was 53 +/- 19% (range 20-83%). The large difference between arterial and venous concentrations of fentanyl may be due to a metabolization by the fetus and/or an uptake of the drug in the fetal tissues. Thus, even if fentanyl levels reaching the fetus after cesarean section under epidural anesthesia, using local anesthetics with 100 micrograms of fentanyl, are within safe range values, the likelihood of fentanyl uptake by fetal tissues calls for a cautious use of repeated fentanyl administration.

Analgesia, Epidural

Simultaneous pharmacokinetic modeling of a drug and two metabolites: application to albendazole in sheep.

Albendazole pharmacokinetic parameters were determined in lambs after iv, oral, and intraruminal single administrations. The parent drug and two metabolites, albendazole sulfoxide and albendazole sulfone, were simultaneously determined in whole blood, plasma, and urine using an HPLC method. The parent drug was only recovered in plasma when injected intravenously. For other routes, only the two metabolites were detectable; they were present in red blood cells and plasma at equal concentrations. The pharmacokinetic parameters were determined by using compartmental models which simultaneously described the two oxidative steps and the urinary excretion of the sulfoxide derivative. Dose-dependent pharmacokinetics was studied in the dose range 0.95-3.8 mg/kg. The results showed that clearance remained constant within the tested dose range since the area under the curve normalized to the dose was similar in the cases of sulfoxide and sulfone metabolites, whatever the route of administration. The drug appeared to be extensively metabolized in the body regardless of the route of administration. Sulfoxidation probably took place in liver, but other tissues seemed to be responsible for the formation of the sulfoxide which has been described as the major anthelmintic derivative of albendazole.

Administration, Oral

Pharmacokinetic modeling of plasma and cerebrospinal fluid methotrexate after high-dose intravenous infusion in children.

A pharmacokinetic study was performed in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients suffering from brain tumors to describe the disposition of methotrexate. An open three-compartment model was developed to fit together the data obtained in plasma and CSF. The pharmacokinetic parameters obtained by the model agreed with those obtained with classical analysis and the fitting correctly depicted the plasma and CSF concentration decays. According to the results, such a model could be applied to other anticancer drugs.

Adolescent

Chronopharmacokinetics of doxorubicin in patients with breast cancer.

The chronopharmacokinetics of doxorubicin (DOX) has been studied in 18 patients suffering from breast cancer. They received combined chemotherapy including DOX (50 mg/m2 as an iv bolus), given at two different times (09.00 h or 21.00 h). The two randomized courses of the protocol were given to each patient at a four week interval. The total body clearance (CL) of DOX was significantly decreased when the drug was administered at 21.00 h, resulting in a longer elimination half-life and an increase in AUC. The renal clearance of DOX did not differ at the different times of administration, and it appears that the decrease in CL was related to a change in hepatic blood flow. The volume of distribution of the drug was not changed.

Adult