Determination of stability constant values of flurbiprofen-cyclodextrin complexes using different techniques

Cyclodextrin-Based Delivery Systems and Hydroxycinnamic Acids: Interactions and Effects on Crucial Parameters Influencing Oral Bioavailability-A Review

Hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) are a subclass of phenolic acids presenting caffeic acid (CA), chlorogenic acid (CGA), coumaric acid (COA) isomers, ferulic acid (FA), and rosmarinic acid (RA) as the major representants, being broadly distributed into vegetal species and showing a range of biological potentials. Due to the low oral bioavailability of the HCAs, the development of delivery systems to promote better administration by the oral route is demanding. Among the systems, cyclodextrin (CD)-based delivery systems emerge as an important technology to solve this issue. Regarding these aspects, in this review, CD-based delivery systems containing HCAs are displayed, described, and discussed concerning the degree of interaction and their effects on crucial parameters that affect the oral bioavailability of HCAs.

Computer-assisted UHPLC method development and optimization for the determination of albendazole and its related substances

Computer-aided ultrahigh performance liquid chromatographic (UHPLC) method development and optimization was undertaken in order to replace an underperforming European Pharmacopoeia method for the determination of albendazole and its related substances. In the preliminary screening, a temperature-gradient time bidimensional model was chosen to aid selection of the proper stationary phase. Hereinafter temperature-gradient time-ternary composition and temperature-gradient time-pH tridimensional models were applied for the optimization of critical method parameters. The simulation and in silico robustness testing were realized using DryLab modeling software. The final method was validated for quantification of impurities and assay of the active substance according to the current ICH guidance. The validated methods were tested on a real, commercial tablet formulation. The experimental design-based and software-assisted method development proved to be a fast and reliable way of replacing a method with inadequate selectivity and long runtime with a robust UHPLC-based method, which offers baseline separation for all monitored impurities in 10 min. Results confirm that software-based chromatographic modelling can not only speed up the analytical method development process, but also improve the reliability of the developed method.

The Role of β-Cyclodextrin in the Textile Industry-Review

β-Cyclodextrin (β-CD) is an oligosaccharide composed of seven units of D-(+)-glucopyranose joined by α-1,4 bonds, which is obtained from starch. Its singular trunk conical shape organization, with a well-defined cavity, provides an adequate environment for several types of molecules to be included. Complexation changes the properties of the guest molecules and can increase their stability and bioavailability, protecting against degradation, and reducing their volatility. Thanks to its versatility, biocompatibility, and biodegradability, β-CD is widespread in many research and industrial applications. In this review, we summarize the role of β-CD and its derivatives in the textile industry. First, we present some general physicochemical characteristics, followed by its application in the areas of dyeing, finishing, and wastewater treatment. The review covers the role of β-CD as an auxiliary agent in dyeing, and as a matrix for dye adsorption until chemical modifications are applied as a finishing agent. Finally, new perspectives about its use in textiles, such as in smart materials for microbial control, are presented.

Progesterone loaded thermosensitive hydrogel for vaginal application: Formulation and in vitro comparison with commercial product

Progesterone (PGT) is a natural hormone that stimulates and regulates various important functions, such as the preparation of the female body for conception and pregnancy. Due to its low water solubility, it is administered in a micronized form and/or in vehicles with specific solvents requirements. In order to improve the drug solubility, inclusion complexes of PGT and β-cyclodextrins were obtained by the freeze-drying method. Two β-cyclodextrins (native and methylated) in two solvents (water and water:ethanol) and different molar ratio of the reagents were the variables tested for the selection of the best condition for the preparation of the complexes. The PGT/randomly methylated-β-cyclodextrin complexes were incorporated into chitosan thermosensitive hydrogels, as an alternative formulation for the vaginal administration of PGT. Neither the micro and macroscopic characteristics of the gels nor the transition time from solution to gel were modified after the complexes incorporation. In addition, chitosan gels with complexes resisted better the degradation in simulated vaginal fluid in comparison to commercial gel (Crinone®). The chitosan gel with inclusion complexes and Crinone® were tested in vitro in a diffusion assay to evaluate the delivery of the hormone and its diffusion through porcine epithelial mucosa obtained from vaginal tissue. Chitosan gel presented sustained diffusion similar to the exhibited by commercial gel. The use of chitosan gels with inclusion complexes based on cyclodextrins would be a viable alternative for vaginal administration of PGT.

A molecular dynamics study of conformations of beta-cyclodextrin and its eight derivatives in four different solvents

Understanding the atomic level interactions and the resulting structural characteristics is required for developing beta-cyclodextrin (βCD) derivatives for pharmaceutical and other applications. The effect of four different solvents on the structures of the native βCD and its hydrophilic (methylated βCD; MEβCD and hydroxypropyl βCD; HPβCD) and hydrophobic derivatives (ethylated βCD; ETβCD) was explored using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and solvation free energy calculations. The native βCD, 2-MEβCD, 6-MEβCD, 2,6-DMβCD, 2,3,6-TMβCD, 6-HPβCD, 2,6-HPβCD and 2,6-ETβCD in non-polar solvents (cyclohexane; CHX and octane; OCT) were stably formed in a symmetric cyclic cavity shape through their intramolecular hydrogen bonds. In contrast, βCDs in polar solvents (methanol; MeOH and water; WAT) exhibited large structural changes and fluctuations leading to significant deformations of their cavities. Hydrogen bonding with polar solvents was found to be one of the major contributors to this behavior: solvent-βCD hydrogen bonding strongly competes with intramolecular bonding leading to significant changes in the structural stability of βCDs. An exception to this is the hydrophobic 2,6-ETβCD which retained its spherical cavity in all solvents. Based on this, it is proposed that the 2,6-ETβCD can act as a sustained release drug carrier.

Multi-kinetics and site-specific release of gabapentin and flurbiprofen from oral fixed-dose combination: in vitro release and in vivo food effect

In this work, a fixed-dose combination of gabapentin and flurbiprofen formulated as multilayer tablets has been designed, developed and studied in vitro and in vivo. The aim was to construct a single dosage form of the two drugs, able to perform a therapeutic program involving three release kinetics and two delivery sites, i.e., immediate release of gabapentin, intra-gastric prolonged release of gabapentin and intestinal (delayed) release of flurbiprofen. An oblong three-layer tablet was manufactured having as top layer a floating hydrophilic polymeric matrix for gastric release of gabapentin, as middle layer a disintegrating formulation for immediate release of a gabapentin loading dose and as bottom layer, an uncoated hydrophilic polymeric matrix, swellable but insoluble in gastric fluids, for delayed and prolonged release of flurbiprofen in intestinal environment. The formulations were studied in vitro and in vivo in healthy volunteers. The in vitro release rate assessment confirmed the programmed delivery design. A significant higher bioavailability of gabapentin administered 30min after meal, compared to fasting conditions or to dose administration 10min before meal, argued in favor of the gastro-retention of gabapentin prolonged release layer. The two drugs were delivered at different anatomical sites, since the food presence prolonged the gastric absorption of gabapentin from the floating layer and delayed the flurbiprofen absorption. The attainment of a successful delayed release of flurbiprofen was realized by a matrix based on a polymers' combination. The combined use of three hydrophilic polymers with different pH sensitivity provided the dosage form layer containing flurbiprofen with gastro-resistant characteristics without the use of film coating.

Ocular delivery of flurbiprofen based on Eudragit(®) E-flurbiprofen complex dispersed in aqueous solution: preparation, characterization, in vitro corneal penetration, and ocular irritation

A novel ophthalmic formulation based on the ionic complexation between Eudragit E 100 (EU) and flurbiprofen (FB) is proposed. The selected complex composition, named EU-FBH50 Cl50 , had the basic groups of EU completely neutralized with equal molar amounts of FB and HCl. This complex, obtained in the solid state, exhibited a high aqueous compatibility producing a colloidal dispersion with a high positive electrokinetic potential, in which more than 99% of FB was ionically condensed with EU. In bicompartimental Franz cells, FB diffusion from the complex was very slow. However, dispersion in 0.9% NaCl increased the FB release through an ionic exchange, providing an optimal constant rate of delivery. Corneal FB permeation from 0.1% EU-FBH50 -Cl50 dispersed in 0.9% NaCl solution was substantially more effective compared with 0.1% FB solution, EU-FBH50 -Cl50 (Dex), or Tolerane(®) (a marketed formulation). This complex formulation was shown to be innocuous for rabbit ocular tissues because no irritant effects were evidenced.

Investigation on the interaction between cyclophosphamide and lysozyme in the presence of three different kind of cyclodextrins: determination of the binding mechanism by spectroscopic and molecular modeling techniques

The interactions between cyclophosphamide (CYC) and lysozyme (LYZ) in the presence of different cyclodextrins (CDs) were investigated by UV absorption, fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD), and molecular modeling techniques under imitated physiological conditions. The UV absorption results showed the formation of complexes between CYC and LYZ in the presence of different CDs. Fluorescence data show that CYC has a stronger quenching effect on LYZ, and the red shifts suggested that the microenvironment of Trp residues was changed and became more hydrophilic. The interaction of CYC with LYZ and quenching properties of the complexes caused strong static fluorescence quenching in binary and ternary systems. The binding affinities as well as the number of binding sites were obtained from interaction between CYC and LYZ in the presence of different CDs as binary and ternary systems by modified Stern-Volmer plots. The Resonance Light Scattering (RLS) technique was utilized to investigate the effect of drug and CDs on conformational changes of LYZ as separate and simultaneous. The results suggested that the enhancement of RLS intensity was attributed to the formation of a complex between drug and protein in absence and presence of CDs. The effect of CYC and cyclodextrins on the conformation of LYZ was analyzed using synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy. Our results revealed that the fluorescence quenching of LYZ originated from the Trp and Tyr residues, and demonstrated conformational changes of LYZ with the addition of CYC and CDs. The molecular distances between the donor (LYZ) and acceptor (CYC and CDs) in binary and ternary systems were estimated according to Forster’s theory and showed static quenching for protein with CYC in the presence of CDs. The CD spectra indicated that the binding of the CYC induced secondary structural changes in LYZ in binary and ternary systems. Molecular modeling suggested the binding sites of CYC in the ternary systems differ from those in the binary systems. estimated the distance between CYC and Trp residues in binary and ternary systems in the presence of CDs and confirmed the experimental results.

Comparative study of three methods for affinity measurements: capillary electrophoresis coupled with UV detection and mass spectrometry, and direct infusion mass spectrometry

We present affinity capillary electrophoresis and mass spectrometry (ACE-MS) as a comprehensive separation technique for label-free solution-based affinity analysis. The application of ACE-MS for measuring affinity constants between eight small molecule drugs [ibuprofen, s-flurbiprofen, diclofenac, phenylbutazone, naproxen, folic acid, resveratrol, and 4,4'-(propane-1,3-diyl) dibenzoic acid] and β-cyclodextrin is described. We couple on-line ACE with MS to combine the separation and kinetic capability of ACE together with the molecular weight and structural elucidation of MS in one system. To understand the full potential of ACE-MS, we compare it with two other methods: Direct infusion mass spectrometry (DIMS) and ACE with UV detection (ACE-UV). After the evaluation, DIMS provides less reliable equilibrium dissociation constants than separation-based ACE-UV and ACE-MS, and cannot be used solely for the study of noncovalent interactions. ACE-MS determines apparent dissociation constants for all reacting small molecules in a mixture, even in cases when drugs overlap with each other during separation. The ability of ACE-MS to interact, separate, and rapidly scan through m/z can facilitate the simultaneous affinity analysis of multiple interacting pairs, potentially leading to the high-throughput screening of drug candidates.

Complexation and full characterization of the tretinoin and dimethyl-β-cyclodextrin complex

The aim of this work is to prepare tretinoin/dimethyl-beta-cyclodextrin complexes and fully characterize them through various analytical techniques. According to the phase solubility studies performed, the equilibrium for maximum complexation is reached in about 8 days presenting an A(L)-type diagram (soluble complexes) corresponding mainly to 1:1 stoichiometry (K(s) = 13,600 M(-1)), although the possibility of the presence of 1:2 complexes was mathematically proven. Differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and all the other analytical techniques have proven the presence of true complex formation in all the preparation methods tested. H-NMR and FTIR spectra allowed the selection of the best complexation method. The comparison between Raman spectra revealed that the more relevant feature is the band at 1,573 cm(-1), which corresponds to the entire delocalization of the superconjugated system, and after inclusion is observed as a positive frequency shift. Based on these results and the data obtained by molecular modelling calculations, it is proposed that the structure of the drug included into the cyclodextrin corresponds to the side chain including the functional group COOH. The complex was also analysed by atomic force microscopy to determine its size distribution which was heterogeneous and polymodal. However, it could be observed that they all have the same phase constitution.

Structure-based in silico model profiles the binding constant of poorly soluble drugs with β-cyclodextrin

Cyclodextrin inclusion complexation technique is the key method to enhance the solubility and absorption of poorly soluble drugs in the early development stage, and thus it is essential to predict the binding constant between drug molecules and cyclodextrin. Structure-based in silico model was constructed for a data set of 86 poorly soluble drugs and used to profile the binding constant of drug-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex. The stepwise regression was employed to select the optimum subset of the independent variables. The in silico model was built by the multiple linear regression method and validated by the residual analysis, the normal Probability-Probability plot and Williams plot. For the entire data set, the R(2) and Q(2) of the model were 0.78 and 0.67, respectively. The results indicated that the fitted model is robust, stable and satisfies all the prerequisites of the regression models. The chemical space position and important contributors were compared between selected drug molecules and organic compounds available in the literature. It was suggested that the binding behavior of drug molecules with β-CD should differ from that of the common organic compounds. Focusing on structurally diverse drugs, the in silico model can be used as an efficient tool to rapidly screen the drug-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex stability and to rationally design the new drug delivery system of poorly soluble drugs.

Controlled band dispersion for quantitative binding determination and analysis with electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry

This review discusses recent emerging techniques that have been used to couple flow-injection analysis (FIA) and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) for the quantitation of noncovalent binding interactions. Focus is placed predominantly on two such methods. Diffusion-based measurements, developed by Konermann and co-workers, uses controlled-band dispersion prior to ESI-MS to determine diffusion constants and binding constants based on the temporal variation of ligand signal measured in the mass spectrum (an indirect technique). Dynamic titration, developed by Schug and co-workers, is a direct method, where a temporal compositional gradient of a guest molecule is induced in the presence of host in solution to monitor the concentration dependence of complex formation as a function of observed complex ion abundance after ESI-MS. Further discussion places these techniques in the context of a variety of other direct and indirect ESI-MS-based binding determination methods, and highlights advantages, disadvantages, and practical considerations for their proper use to investigate a broad range of macromolecular and small-molecule interaction systems.

Electrospray photoionization (ESPI) liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry for the simultaneous analysis of cyclodextrin and pharmaceuticals and their binding interactions

We report on the use of a multimode electrospray ionization/atmospheric pressure photoionization source (ESI/APPI or ESPI for short) with liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) to measure all components of a mixed-polarity liquid sample containing: (1) low-polarity component (hormone, pharmaceutical or sterol), (2) polar component (cyclodextrin substrate), and (3) bound polar complex. The ESPI source has several advantages over both single ESI and multimode electrospray ionization/chemical ionization (ESCI) analysis, including an enhanced bound-complex detection and better performance at lower solvent flow rates. Relative binding constants are determined with (i) ESI mode, resulting in relative R(ESI-MS) values, and (ii) both ESI and APPI modes, providing relative K(D) values. We find that low molecular-substitution (Ms) values of cyclodextrin, i.e., Ms = 0.4, preferentially bind to the low-polarity compounds tested. This investigation is intended to demonstrate the feasibility of ESPI as an additional tool for investigating mixed-polarity binding systems, providing mass-specific data for all solution components, both polar and non-polar.

Cyclodextrins as pharmaceutical solubilizers

Cyclodextrins are useful functional excipients that have enjoyed widespread attention and use. The basis for this popularity from a pharmaceutical standpoint, is the ability of these materials to interact with poorly water-soluble drugs and drug candidates resulting in an increase in their apparent water solubility. The mechanism for this solubilization is rooted in the ability of cyclodextrin to form non-covalent dynamic inclusion complexes in solution. Other solubilizing attribute may include the ability to form non-inclusion based complexes, the formation of aggregates and related domains and the ability of cyclodextrins to form and stabilize supersaturated drug solutions. The increase in solubility also can increase dissolution rate and thus improve the oral bioavailability of BCS Class II and IV materials. A number of cyclodextrin-based products have reached the market based on their ability to camouflage undesirable physicochemical properties. This review is intended to give a general background to the use of cyclodextrin as solubilizers as well as highlight kinetic and thermodynamic tools and parameters useful in the study of drug solubilization by cyclodextrins.

Determination of association constants of inclusion complexes of steroid hormones and cyclodextrins from their electrophoretic mobility

CE estimation of the association constants of several steroid hormones with beta-CD and gamma-CD and their hydroxypropyl derivative is presented. Estriol, 17beta-estradiol, ethynylestradiol, estrone, progesterone, mestranol and norethindrone are among the target analytes. The calculation of the cyclodextrin:analyte association constants were performed from the electrophoretic mobility values of steroids at different concentration of CDs in the run buffer. The reliability of the final data was ensured by employing three different linearisation plots (double reciprocal fit, Y-reciprocal fit and X-reciprocal fit). The highest inclusion affinity of target analytes was observed towards gamma-CD and its hydroxypropyl derivative, which is demonstrated by high association constant values and corresponding good linearity of the plots. The affinity of steroids towards a particular CD type based on physical and structural characteristics is explored.

Recent applications of affinity interactions in capillary electrophoresis

Systems biology depends on a comprehensive assignment and characterization of the interactions of proteins and polypeptides (functional proteomics) and of other classes of biomolecules in a given organism. High‐capacity screening methods are in place for ligand capture and interaction screening, but a detailed dynamic characterization of molecular interactions under physiological conditions in efficiently separated mixtures with minimal sample consumption is presently provided only by electrophoretic interaction analysis in capillaries, affinity CE (ACE). This has been realized in different fields of biology and analytical chemistry, and the resulting advances and uses of ACE during the last 2.5 years are covered in this review. Dealing with anything from small divalent metal ions to large supramolecular assemblies, the applications of ACE span from low‐affinity binding of broad specificity being exploited in optimizing selectivity, e.g., in enantiomer analysis to miniaturized affinity technologies, e.g., for fast processing immunoassay. Also, approaches that provide detailed quantitative characterization of analyte–ligand interaction for drug, immunoassay, and aptamer development are increasingly important, but various approaches to ACE are more and more generally applied in biological research. In addition, the present overview emphasizes that distinct challenges regarding sensitivity, parallel processing, information‐rich detection, interfacing with MS, analyte recovery, and preparative capabilities remain. This will be addressed by future technological improvements that will ensure continuing new applications of ACE in the years to come.