Evaluation of degradation kinetics and physicochemical stability of tenofovir

Biodegradation of the Antiretroviral Tenofovir Disoproxil by a Cyanobacteria/Bacterial Culture

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is an antiretroviral drug extensively used by people living with HIV. The TDF molecule is hydrolysed in vivo and liberates tenofovir, the active part of the molecule. Tenofovir is a very stable drug and the discharge of its residues into the environment can potentially lead to risk for aquatic species. This study evaluated the TDF biodegradation and removal by cultures of Microcystis novacekii with the bacteria Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes. Concentrations of TDF of 12.5, 25.0, and 50.0 mg/L were used in this study. The process occurred in two stages. In the first 72 h, TDF was de-esterified, forming the tenofovir monoester intermediate by abiotic and enzymatic processes associated in an extracellular medium. In a second step, the monoester was removed from the culture medium by intracellular processes. The tenofovir or other by-products of TDF were not observed in the test conditions. At the end of the experiment, 88.7 to 94.1% of TDF and its monoester derivative were removed from the culture medium over 16 days. This process showed higher efficiency of TDF removal at the concentration of 25 mg/L. Tenofovir isoproxil monoester has partial antiviral activity and has shown to be persistent, maintaining a residual concentration after 16 days in the culture medium, therefore indicating the need to continue research on methods for total removal of this product from the aquatic environment.

Electrochemical Detection of Tenofovir through Quenching of Chloride Ion-Mediated Gold Electrodissolution

Tenofovir (TNF) is a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor used as an antiviral medication to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus infections. The extensive use of TNF can result in its release into the environment, and there is growing interest in developing simple and cost-effective methods for detecting TNF. We report that the electrochemical dissolution of gold in a chloride ion-containing electrolyte is suppressed in the presence of TNF. The quenching of the gold electrodissolution response is the result of the adsorption of TNF onto the gold surface. A simple analysis shows that we can relate the degree of TNF surface coverage to the relative size of the quenching of the gold electrodissolution response and follow the time-dependent absorption of TNF onto the gold electrode surface.

Ion scanning or ion trapping: Why not both?

The present contribution describes analogies and differences between the quadrupolar ion trap (QIT) and the quadrupole mass analyzers, shows the potentialities of their combination in a single instrument and presents a review of applications of such a technology in different fields. The first section describes the quadrupole mass filter (QMF), outlining its principles of operation and the ion sorting procedure according to the use of oscillating electric fields inducing stable trajectories to the ions allowing them to reach the detector. Multiple quadrupole systems (normally triple quadrupoles) are then explained, showing their use in tandem mass spectrometry in space experiments (MS/MS-in-space). QIT principles of operation are then examined, pointing out that in this case the use of the same combination of oscillating electric fields takes advantage of unstable ion trajectories for their sorting. Substantially, analogies and differences between QMF and QIT come out, which consist in the fact that QMF is a scanning mass analyzer, whereas QIT is a sequential mass analyzer. In addition, the section underlines that QIT is capable to perform tandem mass spectrometry in time experiments (MS/MS-in-time). Later, the possibility to use a quadrupole as a trapping system with a prevailing dimension (linear ion trap [LIT]) is taken into consideration, and the possibility to combine both QMF and LIT in a single instrument, a QTrap mass spectrometer, is illustrated. In this frame, a lot more experiment types are possible with respect to both standalone triple quadrupoles and LIT, and they are described as well. Several combinations of these QTrap features can be used in information dependent acquisition (IDA) mode, allowing the high versatility of this instrumental configuration. The second section deals with a review of applications in different fields. These are organized by kind of QTrap and IDA features and cover different topics in biological, medical, agrochemical, nutritional and environmental fields.

Biocatalyst developed with recovered iron-rich minerals enhances the biotransformation of SARS-CoV-2 antiviral drugs in anaerobic bioreactors

The biotransformation of the SARS-CoV-2 antiviral drugs, ribavirin and tenofovir, was studied in methanogenic bioreactors. The role of iron-rich minerals, recovered from a metallurgic effluent, on the biotransformation process was also assessed. Enrichment of anaerobic sludge with recovered minerals promoted superior removal efficiency for both antivirals (97.4 % and 94.7 % for ribavirin and tenofovir, respectively) as compared to the control bioreactor lacking minerals, which achieved 58.5 % and 37.9 % removal for the same drugs, respectively. Further analysis conducted by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectroscopy revealed several metabolites derived from the biotransformation of both antivirals. Interestingly, tracer analysis with ¹³CH₄ revealed that anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to Fe(III) reduction occurred in the enriched bioreactor, which was reflected in a lower content of methane in the biogas produced from this system, as compared to the control bioreactor. This treatment proposal is suitable within the circular economy concept, in which recovered metals from an industrial wastewater are applied in bioreactors to create a biocatalyst for promoting the biotransformation of emerging pollutants. This strategy may be appropriate for the anaerobic treatment of wastewaters originated from hospitals, as well as from the pharmaceutical and chemical sectors.

Ternary system of sultamicillin tosylate with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin and L-arginine: susceptibility against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Aim: This study investigated the effect of complex formation between sultamicillin tosylate (ST), hydroxypropyl-β cyclodextrin (HP-βCD) and L-arginine (ARG). Materials & methods: The kneading method was used to prepare the complexes, which were then characterized using SEM, DSC, FT-IR, HPLC, saturation solubility and dissolution studies. The complexes' antibacterial activity against MRSA (ATCC^®-43300TM) was evaluated using ZOI and MIC. Results: Solubility was enhanced in the binary and ternary complexes compared with ST (p < 0.001). MIC and ZOI showed that both complexes have increased antibacterial activity compared with ST (p < 0.001) against MRSA. Conclusion: As a result, the inclusion complex of ST with HP-βCD and ARG can be used to improve the physicochemical properties of ST while also improving antibacterial efficacy against MRSA infections.

Degradation kinetics of artesunate for the development of an ex-tempore intravenous injection

Background

Artesunate is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for parenteral treatment of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria. However, artesunate is inherently unstable in an aqueous solution and hydrolyses rapidly after its preparation for injection. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate the stabilizing effects of phosphate buffer and mannitol against short-term (ex-tempore) artesunate hydrolysis.

Methods

A HPLC–UV isocratic method was developed using a reversed-phase fused core column (HALO RP-C18) and a mobile phase consisting of a mixture of 45% ammonium formate 10 mM in water (pH 4.5) and 55% methanol. Artesunate was formulated as aqueous solutions using a design of experiment (DOE) to investigate the artesunate stabilizing effects of pH (8–10), phosphate buffer strength (0.3–0.5 M), and mannitol (0–0.22 mmol/mL). The solutions were incubated at predefined temperatures (5, 25, and 40 °C) with subsequent analysis. Arrhenius equation was applied to model and evaluate the stability results.

Results

The developed HPLC-based method using fused-core stationary phase allowed to selectively quantify artesunate in the presence of its main hydrolysis degradants; namely β-dihydroartemisinin (β-DHA) and α-dihydroartemisinin (α-DHA) within 10 min. By applying the Arrhenius equation, the rate of hydrolysis of the drug increased approximately by 3.4 as the temperature raised by 10 °C. Buffer strength was found to be the main factor affecting the hydrolysis rate constants at 5 and 25 °C (p < 0.05), the activation energy (p = 0.009), and the frequency factor (p = 0.045). However, the effect of the buffer was predominant on the activation energy and hydrolysis rate constants, revealing its stabilizing effect on the drug at lower buffer strength (0.3 M). Within the investigated range (pH = 8–10), pH was found to influence the activation energy, with a positive stabilizing effect in the pH range of 8–9. The addition of mannitol as stabilizing agent into artesunate aqueous formulation did not show an improved response.

Conclusion

Phosphate buffer was the main stability determining factor of artesunate in the aqueous intravenous (i.v.) formulation and was found to be more effective in stabilizing artesunate at a buffer strength of 0.3 M in pH 8–9, while mannitol lacked stabilizing effect.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12936-022-04278-4.

Pre-Clinical Evaluation of Tenofovir and Tenofovir Alafenamide for HIV-1 Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis in Foreskin Tissue

Background: HIV-1 pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has focused predominantly on protective efficacy in receptive sex, with limited research on the dosing requirements for insertive sex. We pre-clinically assessed the ex vivo pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic (PK–PD) profile of tenofovir (TFV) and tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) in foreskin tissue. Methods: Inner and outer foreskin explants were exposed to serial dilutions of TFV or TAF prior to addition of HIV-1_BaL at a high (HVT) or a low viral titer (LVT). Infection was assessed by measurement of p24 in foreskin culture supernatants. TFV, TAF and TFV–diphosphate (TFV–DP) concentrations were measured in tissues, culture supernatants and dosing and washing solutions. Results: Dose–response curves were obtained for both drugs, with greater potency observed against LVT. Inhibitory equivalency mimicking oral dosing was defined between 1 mg/mL of TFV and 15 µg/mL of TAF against HVT challenge. Concentrations of TFV–DP in foreskin explants were approximately six-fold higher after ex vivo dosing with TAF than with TFV. Statistically significant negative linear correlations were observed between explant levels of TFV or TFV–DP and p24 concentrations following HVT. Conclusions: Pre-clinical evaluation of TAF in foreskin explants revealed greater potency than TFV against penile HIV transmission. Clinical evaluation is underway to support this finding.

Systematic strategies for degradation kinetic study of pharmaceuticals: an issue of utmost importance concerning current stability analysis practices

Degradation kinetic study ascertains the shelf life of drugs under different environmental conditions. It can facilitate the prediction of specific critical factors that can affect the quality of pharmaceuticals during storage. To date, general systematic strategies for performing degradation kinetics of drugs have not been discussed in any literature. Moreover, no regulatory guideline is available on the degradation kinetic study of pharmaceuticals. Owing to this, the kinetic behavior of drugs is not being analyzed uniformly. This article provides a detailed insight into degradation kinetic approaches including criticality in selecting different variables for the study. Factors that can affect the quality of degradation kinetic study data have been critically discussed. In addition, a systematic strategy to perform degradation kinetic study with advanced degradation models has been discussed. This article will be helpful for the researcher working in the field of stability analysis and guide to select a logical path for determining the kinetic behavior of drugs. High-quality degradation kinetic data through the properly designed study will help to establish accurate storage conditions of pharmaceuticals. This article is unique and novel of its kind and would have a significant contribution to the field of stability analysis.

Application of Sol–Gels for Treatment of Gynaecological Conditions—Physiological Perspectives and Emerging Concepts in Intravaginal Drug Delivery

Approaches for effective and sustained drug delivery to the female reproductive tract (FRT) for treating a range of gynaecological conditions remain limited. The development of versatile delivery platforms, such as soluble gels (sol–gels) coupled with applicators/devices, holds considerable therapeutic potential for gynaecological conditions. Sol–gel systems, which undergo solution-to-gel transition, triggered by physiological conditions such as changes in temperature, pH, or ion composition, offer advantages of both solution- and gel-based drug formulations. Furthermore, they have potential to be used as a suitable drug delivery vehicle for other novel drug formulations, including micro- and nano-particulate systems, enabling the delivery of drug molecules of diverse physicochemical character. We provide an anatomical and physiological perspective of the significant challenges and opportunities in attaining optimal drug delivery to the upper and lower FRT. Discussion then focuses on attributes of sol–gels that can vastly improve the treatment of gynaecological conditions. The review concludes by showcasing recent advances in vaginal formulation design, and proposes novel formulation strategies enabling the infusion of a wide range of therapeutics into sol–gels, paving the way for patient-friendly treatment regimens for acute and chronic FRT-related conditions such as bacterial/viral infection control (e.g., STDs), contraception, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), infertility, and cancer.

Evaluation of physicochemical stability and degradation kinetics of bedaquiline in hydrolytic solutions of different pH

Background

Tuberculosis is an infection that has high mortality rate in human as well as in animals if it remains unattained for long time. Scientists are always desirous to discover new molecules against Mycobacterium tuberculosis; one of them is bedaquiline which was recently approved to treat multidrug resistance TB. During the clinical study of new molecule stability and impurity are the key aspects to develop formulation. Stability issues in bulk drug are dangerous to drug safety and needs careful attention in formulation development. Bedaquiline stability study was completed with reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and utilized in degradation kinetic study of bedaquiline in aqueous condition under different pH, temperature, and concentrations of degradant.

Results

Linearity was obtained in 50.0-250.0μg/ml, correlation coefficient, and regression line equation were 0.998 and Y=18528x + 7E+06 respectively. Intraday, inter day precision, and repeatability RSD were less than 2.0%. Average recovery in accuracy study was more than 98.0% showed that good recovery was obtained. Degradation kinetics parameters like activation energy (Ea), half-life (t50), rate constant (k), and shelf life (t90) were calculated under different condition for bedaquiline. Entropy and enthalpy of reaction was studied to gather knowledge about energy of system.

Conclusion

The result explained that bedaquiline degradation was pH-dependant, as increase in concentration of degradant and temperature, there was increase in degradation rate of bedaquiline. Bedaquiline was stable in neutral aqueous condition and at lower temperatures, shows that drug is hydrophobic in nature. Kinetic data showed that bedaquiline followed first order kinetics in acidic and alkaline pH.

A Mechanistic In Vivo/Ex Vivo Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Model of Tenofovir for HIV Prevention

Defining tissue and plasma-specific prophylactic drug concentrations is central to pre-exposure prophylaxis product development for sexual transmission of HIV-1. Pharmacokinetic (PK) data from study RMP-02/MTN-006 comparing single dose oral tenofovir disoproxil fumarate with single and multiple dose rectal tenofovir (TFV) gel administration in HIV-1 seronegative adults was used to construct a multicompartment plasma-rectal tissue population PK model for TFV and tenofovir-diphosphate (TFVdp) in plasma and rectal tissue. PK data were collected in five matrices: TFV (plasma, rectal tissue homogenate), TFVdp (peripheral blood mononuclear cells, rectal mononuclear cells (MMCs), rectal tissue homogenate). A viral growth compartment and a delayed effect compartment for p24 antigen expression measured from an ex vivo explant assay described HIV-1 infection and replication. Using a linear PK/pharmacodynamic model, MMC TFVdp levels over 9,000 fmol/million cells in the explant assay provided apparent viral replication suppression down to 1%. Parameters were estimated using NONMEM version 7.4.

Encapsulation, release and insecticidal activity of Pongamia pinnata (L.) seed oil

Pongamia pinnata (L.) seed oil is effective for its insecticidal and larvicidal activities. However, its low aqueous solubility, high photosensitivity, and high volatility restrict its application for the control of agricultural pests. Encapsulation can be an effective technique to overcome such hindrances. Therefore, P. pinnata oil (PO) was extracted from its seeds and analyzed for karanjin content (3.18%) by GC-MS/MS as the marker compound. Micro-encapsulation (MC) of PO was prepared by interfacial polymerization between isocyanates and polyamine and tested for insecticidal and larvicidal activities. Bioassay of the developed formulations was tested in-vitro against 2nd instar larvae of Bombyx mori (Bivoltine hybrid) and in-vivo insecticidal bio-efficacy was tested against aubergine aphid (Aphis gossypii G.) and whitefly (Bemisia tabaci G.). Various properties of micro-capsules viz., stability, size, oil content and release kinetics were examined. Average diameter of capsules (1 μm) with Zeta potential (-16 mV) was indicated by the Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) instrument. Existence of PO in the microcapsules was confirmed by an optical microscopic study. Spectroscopic analysis revealed 87.4% of PO was encapsulated in polyurea shell. The shelf-life (T 10 ), half-life (T 50 ), and expiry-life (T 90 ) of polyurea coated capsules were 11.4, 75.3 and 250.0 h, respectively. Polyurea coated PO capsule formulation showed evidence of in-vitro toxicity against 2nd instar larvae of B. mori (LC 50 = 1.1%; LC 90 = 5.9%). The PO formulation also exhibited 67.0-71.8% and 62.4-74.8% control of aphid and whitefly population in aubergine at 4.0% dose following 7-14 days after application. The study unveiled its significance in developing controlled release herbal formulations of P. pinnata as an alternative to harmful conventional synthetic insecticides for crop protection.

Tenofovir Hot-Melt Granulation using Gelucire® to Develop Sustained-Release Vaginal Systems for Weekly Protection against Sexual Transmission of HIV

Hot-melt granulation is a technique used to obtain granules by dispersing a drug in polymers at a high temperature. Tenofovir, an antiretroviral drug with proven activity as a vaginal microbicide, was dispersed in melted Gelucire® (or a mixture of different Gelucire®) to obtain drug-loaded granules. Studies performed on the granules proved that the drug is not altered in the hot-melt granulation process. The granules obtained were included in a matrix formed by the hydrophilic polymers hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and chitosan to obtain vaginal tablets that combine different mechanisms of controlled release: The Gelucire® needs to soften to allow the release of the Tenofovir, and the hydrophilic polymers must form a gel so the drug can diffuse through it. The studies performed with the tablets were swelling behavior, Tenofovir release, and ex vivo mucoadhesion. The tablets containing granules obtained with Tenofovir and Gelucire® 43/01 in a ratio of 1:2 in a matrix formed by hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and chitosan in a ratio of 1.9:1 were selected as the optimal formulation, since they release Tenofovir in a sustained manner over 216h and remain attached to the vaginal mucosa throughout. A weekly administration of these tablets would therefore offer women protection against the sexual transmission of HIV.

Multipurpose tenofovir disoproxil fumarate electrospun fibers for the prevention of HIV-1 and HSV-2 infections in vitro

Sexually transmitted infections affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1 and -2) and herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) remain incurable, urging the development of new prevention strategies. While current prophylactic technologies are dependent on strict user adherence to achieve efficacy, there is a dearth of delivery vehicles that provide discreet and convenient administration, combined with prolonged-delivery of active agents. To address these needs, we created electrospun fibers (EFs) comprised of FDA-approved polymers, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and poly(DL-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL), to provide sustained-release and in vitro protection against HIV-1 and HSV-2. PLGA and PLCL EFs, incorporating the antiretroviral, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), exhibited sustained-release for up to 4 weeks, and provided complete in vitro protection against HSV-2 and HIV-1 for 24h and 1 wk, respectively, based on the doses tested. In vitro cell culture and EpiVaginal tissue tests confirmed the safety of fibers in vaginal and cervical cells, highlighting the potential of PLGA and PLCL EFs as multipurpose next-generation drug delivery vehicles.

Real-Time Analysis of Tenofovir Release Kinetics Using Quantitative Phosphorus (31P) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

The dialysis method is classically used for drug separation before analysis, but does not provide direct and real-time drug quantification and has limitations affecting the dialysis rate. In this study, a phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance (³¹P-qNMR) method is developed for the real-time quantification of therapeutic molecules in vitro. The release kinetics of model drug, tenofovir (anti-HIV microbicide), was analyzed in vaginal fluid simulant (VFS), seminal fluid simulant (SFS), and human plasma (HP) from chitosan nanofibers (size ∼100-200 nm) using the NMR (direct) method and compared with dialysis/UV-Vis (indirect) method. The assay was linear in VFS/SFS (0.20-5.0 mM), HP (0.30-5.0 mM of drug concentration range) and specific no drug ³¹P-qNMR chemical shift [∼15 ppm] interference with formulation/media components. Limit of detection values were 0.075/0.10/0.20 mM, whereas limit of quantification values were 0.20/0.20/0.30 mM in VFS/SFS/HP, respectively. The method was robust, precise (%RSE <2%), and accurate (%mean recovery 90%-110%). After 12 h, ∼77%/72%/70% wt/wt of tenofovir release was observed with direct, compared to ∼47%/52%/52% wt/wt by indirect method in VFS/SFS/HP, respectively. Approximately 20% decrease in %drug release observed with dialysis method suggested an interference with drug transport process due to the dialysis membrane and the Gibbs-Donnan effect. Overall, ³¹P-qNMR provides more accurate, real-time, and direct drug quantification for effective in vitro-in vivo correlation.

Stimuli-sensitive thiolated hyaluronic acid based nanofibers: synthesis, preclinical safety and in vitro anti-HIV activity

AIM

To develop a seminal enzyme bioresponsive, mucoadhesive nanofibers (NFs) as safe and effective nanocarriers for the prevention of HIV vaginal transmission.

METHODS

A novel thiolated hyaluronic acid (HA-SH) polymer was synthesized to fabricate tenofovir (TFV)-loaded electrospun NFs (HA-SH-NFs) and characterized in vitro/in vivo.

RESULTS

A triggered drug release (87% w/w) from the engineered HA-SH-NFs (mean diameter ∼75 nm) occured within 1 h under the influence of seminal hyaluronidase enzyme. HA-SH-NFs were noncytotoxic, induced no damage on the C57BL/6 mice genital-tract and other organs. No significant CD45 cell-infiltration and changes in cytokines level in cervicovaginal tissues were observed. HA-SH-NFs significantly enhanced both TFV retention and bioavailability in vaginal tissue compared with the 1% TFV-gel. The anti-HIV activity of TFV (on pseudotyped virus followed by luciferase assay) was not adversely affected by the electrospinning process.

CONCLUSION

HA-SH-NFs developed in this study could potentially serve as a safe nanotemplate for topical intravaginal delivery of HIV/AIDS microbicides.

Tenofovir Containing Thiolated Chitosan Core/Shell Nanofibers: In Vitro and in Vivo Evaluations

It is hypothesized that thiolated chitosan (TCS) core/shell nanofibers (NFs) can enhance the drug loading of tenofovir, a model low molecular weight and highly water-soluble drug molecule, and improve its mucoadhesivity and in vivo safety. To test this hypothesis, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) core with TCS and polylactic acid (PLA) shell NFs are fabricated by a coaxial electrospinning technique. The morphology, drug loading, drug release profiles, cytotoxicity and mucoadhesion of the NFs are analyzed using scanning and transmission electron microscopies, liquid chromatography, cytotoxicity assays on VK2/E6E7 and End1/E6E7 cell lines and Lactobacilli crispatus, fluorescence imaging and periodic acid colorimetric method, respectively. In vivo safety studies are performed in C57BL/6 mice followed by H&E and immunohistochemical (CD45) staining analysis of genital tract. The mean diameters of PEO, PEO/TCS, and PEO/TCS-PLA NFs are 118.56, 9.95, and 99.53 nm, respectively. The NFs exhibit smooth surface. The drug loading (13%-25%, w/w) increased by 10-fold compared to a nanoparticle formulation due to the application of the electrospinning technique. The NFs are noncytotoxic at the concentration of 1 mg/mL. The PEO/TCS-PLA core/shell NFs mostly exhibit a release kinetic following Weibull model (r² = 0.9914), indicating the drug release from a matrix system. The core/shell NFs are 40-60-fold more bioadhesive than the pure PEO based NFs. The NFs are nontoxic and noninflammatory in vivo after daily treatment for up to 7 days. Owing to their enhanced drug loading and preliminary safety profile, the TCS core/shell NFs are promising candidates for the topical delivery of HIV/AIDS microbicides such as tenofovir.