Challenges obtaining a biowaiver for topical veterinary dosage forms

Obtaining a biowaiver for topical drugs used in veterinary species faces many of the same challenges associated with human topicals. However, the skin of domestic animals varies anatomically and biochemically and experimental approaches to assess bioequivalence (BE) in veterinary species have challenges that are not often encountered with human skin. This is especially the situation with locally acting drugs. The focus of this paper is to address several of the challenges associated with (i) determining the BE of these locally acting drugs and (ii) critically examine the current technological advances that can act as a surrogate for clinical trials.

Reoperation for severe pancreatitis: a 10-year experience in a tertiary care center

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the specific problems encountered in treating patients previously operated on for necrotizing pancreatitis and to determine the benefit of such a complex and demanding procedure.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Review of a case series in an academic tertiary care referral center.

PATIENTS

Forty-four consecutive patients referred and reoperated on in 10 years.

INTERVENTIONS

Reiterative laparotomy with complete debridement of all necrotic sites, followed by Mikulicz packing. Mikulicz packs were replaced by removable drains allowing both local prolonged lavage and open drainage of large solid necrotic debris. Enteral nutrition was performed through a feeding jejunostomy. Associated gastrointestinal tract lesions were simultaneously treated.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Operative findings, bacteriological status of necrosis, in-hospital mortality, length of hospitalization, and surgical complications and their management.

RESULTS

Necrosis was infected in 36 (82%) of the 44 cases and associated gastrointestinal tract lesions were found in 20 (45%) of these patients. Mortality was 23%, and was significantly (P = .03) related to the preoperative clinical status. Surgical complications occurred in 31 (70%) of the 44 patients necessitating surgical treatment in 18 (41%) of these patients. Mean (+/- SD) stay in the intensive care unit was 66+/-8 days for survivors.

CONCLUSION

This complex and demanding surgical procedure is worthwhile, yielding mortality rates comparable to those observed in de novo severe necrotizing pancreatitis.

Mass spectral characterization of three anthracycline antibiotics: a comparison of thermospray mass spectrometry to particle beam mass spectrometry

Mass spectral results for three anthracyclines, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, and carminomycin are compared by using thermospray (TS) or particle beam (PB) [electron ionization (EI) and chemical ionization (CI)] instruments. Typically, positive ion TS mass spectrometry (MS) provided intense [MH]+ ions and some fragment ions, while PBMS in the EI mode provided only fragment ions. Significant [MH]+ ions were observed for carminomycin and daunorubicin when analyzed using PBMS in the positive ion CI mode. Under negative ion detection, TSMS yielded intense [M-H]- ions for these compounds while PBCIMS resulted in significant M- ions. Fragment ions observed in all three anthracyclines under positive and negative ion detection by TSMS and PBCIMS are due mainly to the cleavage of glycosidic bond, loss of H2O, and the loss of the side chain (COCH2R2) from the aglycone.

Urinary excretion of lithocholic acid and its conjugates by the bile duct-ligated rat

The 3-O-glucuronide of lithocholic acid has been shown to be a potent cholestatic agent in rats. However, even after the onset of lithocholic acid glucuronide-induced cholestasis, little of the administered material was recovered in urine. To determine whether this phenomenon was related to the steroid moiety or the form of conjugation, small doses of radiolabeled lithocholic acid glucuronide, lithocholic acid, taurolithocholic acid and/or lithocholic acid sulfate were administered to rats with ligated bile ducts. Urinary excretion of isotope was followed for 24 hr and urinary metabolites of the administered compounds were identified by thin-layer chromatography. Lithocholic and taurolithocholic acids were slowly but relatively efficiently excreted in urine with 73% and 91% of the dose, respectively, recovered in urine over 24 hr. More than 80% of the label in urine from animals receiving these two compounds was in the form of taurine-conjugated beta-muricholic acid. In contrast, lithocholic acid 3-glucuronide and 3-sulfate were poorly excreted: 9% and 12% of the administered doses, respectively, were recovered in urine in 24 hr. Of the small amount of label in urine from rats given the glucuronide, 90% was identified as lithocholic and taurolithocholic acid glucuronides. When lithocholic acid sulfate was given, thin-layer chromatography of urine showed two peaks, which were tentatively identified as tauromurideoxycholic and taurolithocholic acid sulfates. More definitive identification was not possible because of the small amount of the administered dose excreted in urine in these forms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Percutaneous absorption of sulconazole nitrate in humans

The percutaneous absorption of 1% sulconazole nitrate in a cream formulation containing 3H-labeled drug has been studied in seven human subjects. Two applications of 4.5 g each were made to 450 cm2 of abdominal skin at 0 and 12 h, and the site was washed at 24 h. The application site was subsequently washed at 24-h intervals for 3 consecutive days, and 6.7% of the dose was recovered in the urine and 2.0% in the feces following a 7-d collection period. Radioactivity was detectable in the plasma from 8-96 h, with a peak occurring at 24 h, and could also be recovered in the skin wash up to 96 h after application. Total percutaneous absorption of sulconazole was estimated to be 8.7-11.3% of the applied dose, considerably more than that previously reported for other imidazole drugs.