Isolation and determination of bile acids

Influence of Biotechnological Processes, Speed of Formulation Flow and Cellular Concurrent Stream-Integration on Insulin Production from β-cells as a Result of Co-Encapsulation with a Highly Lipophilic Bile Acid

Introduction

We have shown that incorporation of the hydrophilic bile acid, ursodeoxycholic acid, into β-cell microcapsules exerted positive effects on microcapsules' morphology and size, but these effects were excipient and method dependent. Cell viability remained low which suggests low octane-water solubility and formation of highly hydrophilic dispersion, which resulted in low lipophilicity dispersion and compromised cellular permeation of the incorporated bile acid. Thus, this study aimed at investigating various microencapsulating methodologies using highly lipophilic bile acid (LPBA), in order to optimise viability and functions of microencapsulated β-cells.

Methods

Four different types of microcapsules were produced with (test) and without (control) LPBA, totalling eight different microcapsules. Microencapsulating methodologies were screened for best microcapsule-cell functions and microencapsulating processes were examined in terms of frequency, formulation flow, total bath-gelation time and cellular concurrent stream-integration rate, cell-viability, insulin production and inflammatory profile.

Results

Optimum biotechnological processes include formation frequency (Hz) of 2350, formulation flow (ml/min) of 1.2, total gelation time (min) of 18 and cellular concurrent stream-integration rate (ml/min) of 0.7. In all formulations, LPBA consistently improved cell viability, insulin production, mitochondrial activities and ameliorated inflammation.

Conclusion

The deployed biotechnological processes and LPBA optimised formation and functions of β-cell microcapsules, which suggests potential applications in diabetes mellitus via the creation of more stable β-cell microcapsules capable of delivering adequate levels of insulin to control glycaemia and potentially curing diabetes.

Alginate-combined cholic acid increased insulin secretion of microencapsulated mouse cloned pancreatic β cells

Aim: A semisynthetic primary bile acid (PBA) has exerted hypoglycemic effects in Type 1 diabetic animals, which were hypothesized to be due to its anti-inflammatory and cellular glucose-regulatory effects. Thus, the research purpose aimed to examine antidiabetic effects of a PBA, in terms of cellular inflammation and survival and insulin release, in the context of supporting β-cell delivery and Type 1 diabetic treatment. Materials & methods: 10 formulations were prepared, five without PBA (control) and five with PBA (test). Formulations were used to microencapsulate pancreatic β cells and the microcapsules were examined for morphology, cell viability, insulin release and inflammation. Results & conclusion: PBA improved cell viability, insulin release and reduced inflammation in a formulation-dependent manner, which suggests potential use in cell delivery and diabetes treatment.

[Formula: see text]

Novel chenodeoxycholic acid-sodium alginate matrix in the microencapsulation of the potential antidiabetic drug, probucol. An in vitro study

CONTEXT

We previously designed, developed and characterized a novel microencapsulated formulation as a platform for the targeted delivery of Probucol (PB) in an animal model of Type 2 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to optimize this platform by incorporating Chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), a bile acid with good permeation-enhancing properties, and examine its effect in vitro. Using sodium alginate (SA), we prepared PB-SA (control) and PB-CDCA-SA (test) microcapsules.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

CDCA resulted in better structural and surface characteristics, uniform morphology, and stable chemical and thermal profiles, while size and rheological parameters remained unchanged. PB-CDCA-SA microcapsules showed good excipients' compatibilities, as evidenced by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy studies. CDCA reduced microcapsule swelling at pH 7.8 at both 37 °C and 25 °C and improved PB-release.

CONCLUSION

CDCA improved the characteristics and release properties of PB-microcapsules and may have potential in the targeted oral delivery of PB.

An optimized probucol microencapsulated formulation integrating a secondary bile acid (deoxycholic acid) as a permeation enhancer

The authors have previously designed, developed, and characterized a novel microencapsulated formulation as a platform for the targeted delivery of therapeutics in an animal model of type 2 diabetes, using the drug probucol (PB). The aim of this study was to optimize PB microcapsules by incorporating the bile acid deoxycholic acid (DCA), which has good permeation-enhancing properties, and to examine its effect on microcapsules' morphology, rheology, structural and surface characteristics, and excipients' chemical and thermal compatibilities. Microencapsulation was carried out using a BÜCHI-based microencapsulating system established in the authors' laboratory. Using the polymer sodium alginate (SA), two microencapsulated formulations were prepared: PB-SA (control) and PB-DCA-SA (test) at a constant ratio (1:30 and 1:3:30, respectively). Complete characterization of the microcapsules was carried out. The incorporation of DCA resulted in better structural and surface characteristics, uniform morphology, and stable chemical and thermal profiles, while size and rheological parameters remained similar to control. In addition, PB-DCA-SA microcapsules showed good excipients' compatibilities, which were supported by data from differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray studies, suggesting microcapsule stability. Hence, PB-DCA-SA microcapsules have good rheological and compatibility characteristics and may be suitable for the oral delivery of PB in type 2 diabetes.

Bile acids conjugation in human bile is not random: new insights from (1)H-NMR spectroscopy at 800 MHz

Bile acids constitute a group of structurally closely related molecules and represent the most abundant constituents of human bile. Investigations of bile acids have garnered increased interest owing to their recently discovered additional biological functions including their role as signaling molecules that govern glucose, fat and energy metabolism. Recent NMR methodological developments have enabled single-step analysis of several highly abundant and common glycine- and taurine- conjugated bile acids, such as glycocholic acid, glycodeoxycholic acid, glycochenodeoxycholic acid, taurocholic acid, taurodeoxycholic acid, and taurochenodeoxycholic acid. Investigation of these conjugated bile acids in human bile employing high field (800 MHz) (1)H-NMR spectroscopy reveals that the ratios between two glycine-conjugated bile acids and their taurine counterparts correlate positively (R2 = 0.83-0.97; p = 0.001 x 10(-2)-0.006 x 10(-7)) as do the ratios between a glycine-conjugated bile acid and its taurine counterpart (R2 = 0.92-0.95; p = 0.004 x 10(-3)-0.002 x 10(-10)). Using such correlations, concentration of individual bile acids in each sample could be predicted in good agreement with the experimentally determined values. These insights into the pattern of bile acid conjugation in human bile between glycine and taurine promise useful clues to the mechanism of bile acids' biosynthesis, conjugation and enterohepatic circulation, and may improve our understanding of the role of individual conjugated bile acids in health and disease.