Stereoselective chiral inversion of pantoprazole enantiomers after separate doses to rats

Chiral separation in the class of proton pump inhibitors by chromatographic and electromigration techniques: An overview

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are benzimidazole-derivative chiral sulfoxides, frequently used in the treatment of gastric hyperacidity-related disorders. Due to their stereoselective metabolism, the eutomeric forms of PPIs can present a more advantageous pharmacokinetic profile by comparison with the distomers or racemates. Moreover, two representatives of the class are used in therapy both as racemates and as pure enantiomers (esomeprazole, dexlansoprazole). A relatively large number of enantioseparation methods employed for the stereoselective determination of PPIs from pharmaceutical, biological, and environmental matrices were published in the past three decades. The purpose of the current overview is to provide a systematic survey of the available chiral separation methods published since the introduction of PPIs in the therapy up to the present. Analytical and bioanalytical methods using different chromatographic and electromigration techniques reported for the enantioseparation of omeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole, rabeprazole, ilaprazole, and tenatoprazole are included. The analytical conditions of the presented methods are summarized in three comprehensive tables, while a critical discussion of the applied techniques, possible mechanism of enantiorecognition, and future perspectives on the topic are also presented.

Chiral separation of five antihistamine drug enantiomers and enantioselective pharmacokinetic study of carbinoxamine in rat plasma by HPLC-MS/MS

Chiral separation and pharmacokinetic study of antihistamine drugs.

Investigating Sulfoxide-to-Sulfone Conversion as a Prodrug Strategy for a Phosphatidylinositol 4-Kinase Inhibitor in a Humanized Mouse Model of Malaria

The in vivo antimalarial efficacies of two phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase (PI4K) inhibitors, a 3,5-diaryl-2-aminopyrazine sulfoxide and its corresponding sulfone metabolite, were evaluated in the NOD-scid IL2Rγ^null (NSG) murine malaria disease model of Plasmodium falciparum infection. We hypothesized that the sulfoxide would serve as a more soluble prodrug for the sulfone, which would lead to improved drug exposure with oral dosing. Both compounds had similar efficacy (90% effective dose [ED₉₀], 0.1 mg kg^-1 of body weight) across a quadruple-dose regimen. Pharmacokinetic profiling revealed rapid sulfoxide clearance via conversion to sulfone, with sulfone identified as the major active metabolite. When the sulfoxide was dosed, the exposure of the sulfone achieved was as much as 2.9-fold higher than when the sulfone was directly dosed, thereby demonstrating that the sulfoxide served as an effective prodrug for the treatment of malaria.

Separation and determination of acetyl-glutamine enantiomers by HPLC-MS and its application in pharmacokinetic study

A high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS) method was established for the separation and determination of acetyl-glutamine enantiomers (acetyl-L-glutamine and acetyl-D-glutamine) simultaneously. Baseline separation was achieved on Chiralpak AD-H column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 µm). n-Hexane (containing 0.1% acetic acid) and ethanol (75:25, v/v) were used as mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.6 mL/min. The detection was operated in the negative ion mode with an ESI source. [M-H]⁻m/z 187.0540 for enantiomers and [M-H]⁻m/z 179.0240 for aspirin (IS) were selected as detecting ions. The linear range of the calibration curve for each enantiomer was 0.05–40 µg/mL. The precision of this method at concentrations of 0.5–20 µg/mL was within 7.23%, and the accuracy was 99.81%–107.81%. The precision at LOQ (0.05 µg/mL) was between 16.28% and 17.56%, which was poor than that at QC levels. The average extraction recovery was higher than 85% for both enantiomers at QC levels. The pharmacokinetics of enantiomers was found to be stereoselective. There was not chiral inversion in vivo or in vitro between enantiomers.

Probing the stereochemistry of successive sulfoxidation of the insecticide fenamiphos in soils

Successive sulfoxidation is widely recognized as a general characteristic of the metabolism of chiral or prochiral thioethers, producing sulfoxides, and sulfones. However, information related to the stereochemistry of this process in soils is rare. In this study, the biotic transformation of the insecticide fenamiphos (a model thioether) was followed over two months in three soils, through separate incubations with fenamiphos parent, the sulfoxide intermediate (FSO), the sulfone intermediate (FSO2), and their respective stereoisomers. The results showed that the successive sulfoxidation involved oxidation of fenamiphos to FSO and subsequently to FSO2 as well as diastereomerization/enantiomerization of FSO, all of which were primarily biotic and stereoselective. The concomitant hydrolysis of fenamiphos, FSO, and FSO2 to phenols that occurred at lower rates was biotically favorable, but not stereoselective. The stereochemistry of this successive sulfoxidation transferred principally through two parallel systems, R(+)-fenamiphos → SRPR(+)-/SSPR(-)-FSO → R(+)-FSO2 and S(-)-fenamiphos → SRPS(+)-/SSPS(-)-FSO → S(-)-FSO2, between which unidirectional intersystem crossing occurred at FSO via isomeric conversions and created a system of S(-)-fenamiphos → SRPR(+)-/SSPR(-)-FSO → R(+)-FSO2. This pattern accounts for the enrichment of the intermediates SSPR(-)-/SSPS(-)-FSO and R(+)-FSO2 that are toxicologically close to the highly toxic S(-)-fenamiphos, associated with soil application of fenamiphos. Selective formation/depletion of these intermediate stereoisomers leads to dramatic variations in the ecotoxicological effects of the thioether insecticide.

Biotransformation of pantoprazole by the fungusCunninghamella blakesleeana

To investigate the biotransformation of pantoprazole, a proton-pump inhibitor, by filamentous fungus and further to compare the similarities between microbial transformation and mammalian metabolism of pantoprazole, four strains of Cunninghamella (C. blakesleeana AS 3.153, C. echinulata AS 3.2004, C. elegans AS 3.156, and AS 3.2028) were screened for the ability to catalyze the biotransformation of pantoprazole. Pantoprazole was partially metabolized by four strains of Cunninghamella, and C. blakesleeana AS 3.153 was selected for further investigation. Three metabolites produced by C. blakesleeana AS 3.153 were isolated using semi-preparative HPLC, and their structures were identified by a combination analysis of LC/MS(n) and NMR spectra. Two further metabolites were confirmed with the aid of synthetic reference compounds. The structure of a glucoside was tentatively assigned by its chromatographic behavior and mass spectroscopic data. These six metabolites were separated and quantitatively assayed by liquid chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry. After 96h of incubation with C. blakesleeana AS 3.153, approximately 92.5% of pantoprazole was metabolized to six metabolites: pantoprazole sulfone (M1, 1.7%), pantoprazole thioether (M2, 12.4%), 6-hydroxy-pantoprazole thioether (M3, 1.3%), 4'-O-demethyl-pantoprazole thioether (M4, 48.1%), pantoprazole thioether-1-N-beta-glucoside (M5, 20.6%), and a glucoside conjugate of pantoprazole thioether (M6, 8.4%). Among them, M5 and M6 are novel metabolites. Four phase I metabolites of pantoprazole produced by C. blakesleeana were essentially similar to those obtained in mammals. C. blakesleeana could be a useful tool for generating the mammalian phase I metabolites of pantoprazole.

Pharmacodynamic comparison of pantoprazole enantiomers: inhibition of acid-related lesions and acid secretion in rats and guinea-pigs

Pantoprazole is an irreversible proton pump inhibitor that is administered as a racemic mixture clinically. The effects of pantoprazole sodium (PAN.Na) enantiomers on acid-related lesions were compared using models of pylorus ligation induced ulcer, histamine induced ulcer and reflux oesophagitis in rats and guinea-pigs. Compared with (+)-PAN.Na and (+/-)-PAN.Na, (-)-PAN.Na showed much stronger inhibitory effects on pylorus ligation induced and histamine induced ulcers, but similar effects on reflux oesophagitis. The doses of (-)-PAN.Na, (+)-PAN.Na and (+/-)-PAN.Na required for 50% inhibition (ID50) of acid-related lesions were 1.28, 5.03 and 3.40 mg kg(-1) against pylorus ligation induced ulcer, 1.20, 4.28 and 3.15 mg kg(-1) against histamine induced ulcer, and 2.92, 3.56 and 3.70 mg kg(-1) against reflux oesophagitis, respectively. The inhibitory effects of PAN.Na enantiomers on basal gastric acid output were compared in rats with acute fistula. In contrast to inhibitory rates of 89.3% and 83.6% on gastric acid output by (-)-PAN.Na and (+/-)-PAN.Na at 1.5 mg kg(-1), (+)-PAN.Na had an inhibitory rate of only 24.7% at the same dose. The above results indicate that (-)-PAN.Na is more potent than (+)-PAN.Na at inhibiting acid-related lesions owing to its stronger inhibition of acid secretion.

Pharmacokinetic Differences between Pantoprazole Enantiomers in Rats

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to quantitatively clarify the contribution of the absorption, protein binding, and metabolism of cytochrome P450 enzymes to the enantioselective pharmacokinetics of pantoprazole enantiomers in rats.

METHODS

The enantioselective pharmacokinetics of pantoprazole enantiomers was estimated by an oral administration of racemic pantoprazole to rats. The pharmacokinetic differences between pantoprazole enantiomers were evaluated by the experiments of the in situ perfusion into rat small intestine, the protein binding, and the in vitro metabolism in rat liver microsomes of pantoprazole enantiomers.

RESULTS

The mean area under the curve value of S-pantoprazole was 1.5 times greater than that of R-pantoprazole after administration of racemic pantoprazole to rats (20 mg/kg, p.o.). There were significant differences in k(e) (p < 0.05), t1/2 (p < 0.01), and mean residence time (p < 0.01) values between the two enantiomers. In the in situ absorption study, the absorption rate constants were of no significant differences between the two enantiomers. The mean unbound fraction of R-pantoprazole was slightly greater than that of S-pantoprazole. The intrinsic clearance (CLint) of the formation of the 5'-O-demethyl metabolite from S-pantoprazole was 4-fold lower than that from R-pantoprazole. However, the CLint value for the sulfone and 6-hydroxy metabolites from S-pantoprazole was higher than that from R-pantoprazole. The sum of the CLint of the formation of all three metabolites was 3.06 and 4.82 mL/min/mg protein for S- and R-pantoprazole, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that the enantioselective pharmacokinetics of pantoprazole enantiomers in rats is probably ascribable to their enantioselective metabolism, which is contributed by all the three metabolic pathways, including sulfoxide oxidation, 4'-O-demethylation, and 6-hydroxylation.

Metabolism of pantoprazole involving conjugation with glutathione in rats

We have investigated the metabolism of pantoprazole and have provided an explanation for the formation mechanism of its metabolites. Metabolites found in the urine of rats after oral administration of pantoprazole sodium (25 mg kg(-1)) were analysed by liquid chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry (LC/MS(n)). The N -acetylcysteine derivatives of benzimidazole (M1) and pyridine (M2), four pyridine-related metabolites (M3-M6), and three benzimidazole-related metabolites (M7-M9) were found, none of which had been reported previously. Five of the metabolites (M1, M2, M3, M7, and M8) were isolated from the urine of rats after oral administration of pantoprazole sodium by semipreparative HPLC. Structures of these metabolites were identified by a combination analysis of LC/MS(n) and (1)H NMR spectra. Structures of the remaining four metabolites (M4, M5, M6, and M9) were tentatively assigned through LC/MS(n). The metabolites M2, M3, M4, M5 and M6 and the other metabolites (M1, M7, M8, and M9) reflected the fate of the pyridine moiety and the benzimidazole moiety, respectively. The proposed formation route of M3-M6 was via initial reduction to mercaptopyridine followed by S-methylation, O-demethylation, and S-oxidation to the corresponding sulfoxide or sulfone. Meanwhile, M8 and M9 were formed via initial reduction to the 5-difluoromethoxy-1H benzoimidazole-2-thiol (M7) followed by hydroxylation and S-methylation. The metabolism of pantoprazole included an attack by glutathione on the benzimidazole-2-carbon and pyridine-7'-carbon. It is an important metabolic pathway of pantoprazole in rats.

Simultaneous chiral analyses of multiple analytes: case studies, implications and method development considerations

The field of chiral separations had a modest beginning some two decades ago. However, due to rapid technological advancement coupled with simultaneous availability of innovative chiral stationary phases and novel chiral derivatization agents, the field of chiral separations has now totally outpaced many other separation fields. Keeping pace with rapid changes in the field of chiral separations, investigators continue to add stereoselective pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, pharmacologic and toxicological data of new and/or marketed racemic compounds to the literature. Examination of the evolution of chiral separations suggests that in the beginning many investigators attempted to separate and quantify a single pair of enantiomers, adopting either direct (separation made on a chiral stationary phase) or indirect (separation made following precolumn conversion of enantiomers to corresponding diastereomers) approaches. However, more recent trends in chiral separations suggest that investigators are attempting to separate and quantify multiple pairs of enantiomers with available technologies. Added to this, some interesting trends have been observed in many of the recently reported chiral applications, including preferences regarding internal standard selection, mobile phase contents and composition, sorting out issues with mass spectrometric detection, determination of elution order, analytical manipulations of metabolite(s) without reference standards and addressing some specificity-related issues. This review mainly focuses on chiral separations involving multiple chiral analytes and attempts to justify the need for such chiral separations involving multiple analytes. In this context, several cases studies are described on the utility and applicability of such chiral separations under discrete headings to provide an account to the readership on the implications of such tasks. The topics of case studies covered in this review include: (a) therapy markers--differentiation from drug abuse and/or applicability in forensics; (b) role in pharmacogenetic/polymorphic evaluation; (c) monitoring and understanding the role of parent and active metabolite(s) in clinical and preclinical investigations; (d) exploration on the pharmacokinetic utility of an active chiral metabolite vis-a-vis the racemic parent moiety; (e) understanding the chirality play in delineating peculiar toxic effects; (f) exploration of chiral inversion phenomenon, and understanding the role of stereoselective metabolism. For the further benefit of readership, some select examples (n = 19) of the separation of multiple chiral analytes with appropriate information on chromatography, detection system, validation parameters and applicable conclusion are also provided. Finally, the review covers some useful considerations for method development involving multiple chiral analytes.

Square-wave adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry of pantoprazole

Adsorption and reduction of pantoprazole were investigated by cyclic and square-wave voltammetry on a hanging mercury drop electrode in Britton-Robinson buffers at pH 2.0-11.0. The reduction process gave rise to a single peak within the entire pH range. Study of the variation of the reduction signal with solution variables such as pH and concentration of pantoprazole and instrumental variables such as accumulation time and potential, frequency, pulse height and pulse amplitude, has resulted in optimization of the reduction signal for analytical purposes. The voltammetric procedure was applied successfully to give a rapid and precise assay of pantoprazole in a tablet dosage form.

Determination of pantoprazole by adsorptive stripping voltammetry at carbon paste electrode

A voltammetric method was described for the determination of pantoprazole by differential-pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetry at a carbon paste electrode. Accumulation of pantoprazole was found to be optimized in Britton-Robinson buffer (0.04 M, pH 4.0) solution following 5 min accumulation time at open circuit condition. Under optimized conditions, the current showed a linear dependence with concentration in the range 1.0 x 10(-7)-1.0 x 10(-5) M. The detection limit was 2.0 x 10(-8) M. The method was applied successfully for the analysis of pantoprazole in tablet dosage form. The results of accuracy and precision were comparable to those obtained by spectrophotometry.

Proton pump inhibitors--differences emerge in hepatic metabolism

Differences are emerging with respect to the mode of metabolism of proton pump inhibitors. All, except rabeprazole, are metabolised primarily by the hepatic cytochrome P450 enzyme system, and common genetic polymorphisms of the CYP 2C19 iso-enzyme affect their clearance and bio-availability. This has been demonstrated to lead to inconsistency in terms of acid suppression across the CYP 2C19 genotypes for all proton pump inhibitors except for rabeprazole. Omeprazole and, more markedly, esomeprazole, differ from the other proton pump inhibitors in that their bio-availability increases over the first week of treatment. This is due to a progressive reduction in their hepatic clearance with repeat dosing. This reduced hepatic clearance appears to be due to the S-enantiomer of omeprazole-esomeprazole impairing the activity of hepatic CYP 2C19. The clinical significance of these differences in metabolism of the various proton pump inhibitors, and the possible benefits of the non-enzymatic metabolism of rabeprazole, require further investigation.

Recent applications of stereoselective chromatography

Some recent applications of stereoselective chromatography in the fields of clinical pharmacy, drug analysis, food, and natural products are reviewed. The review is documented with up-to-date literature, which will assist further expansion of research in these areas.