Pharmacokinetics of capacity-limited tissue distribution of methicillin in rabbits

Nebulized ceftazidime in experimental pneumonia caused by partially resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa

PURPOSE

Ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa with impaired sensitivity to ceftazidime is frequent in critically ill patients. The aim of the study was to compare lung tissue deposition and antibacterial efficiency between nebulized and intravenous administrations of ceftazidime in ventilated piglets with pneumonia caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa with impaired sensitivity to ceftazidime.

METHODS

Ceftazidime was administered 24 h following the intra-bronchial inoculation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (minimum inhibitory concentration = 16 microg ml(-1)), either by nebulization (25 mg kg(-1) every 3 h, n = 6) or by continuous intravenous infusion (90 mg kg(-1) over 24 h after an initial rapid infusion of 30 mg kg(-1), n = 6). Four non-treated inoculated animals served as controls. All piglets were killed 48 h (intravenous and control groups) or 51 h (aerosol group) after inoculation. Lung tissue concentrations and lung bacterial burden were assessed on multiple post-mortem sub-pleural lung specimens [(lower limit of quantitation = 10(2) colony forming unit (cfu g(-1))].

RESULTS

Ceftazidime trough lung tissue concentrations following nebulization were greater than steady-state lung tissue concentrations following continuous intravenous infusion [median and interquartile range, 24.8 (12.6-59.6) microg g(-1) vs. 6.1 (4.6-10.8) microg g(-1)] (p < 0.001). After 24 h of ceftazidime administration, 83% of pulmonary segments had bacterial counts <10(2) cfu g(-1) following nebulization and only 30% following intravenous administration (p < 0.001). In control animals, 10% of lung segments had bacterial counts <10(2) cfu g(-1) 48 h following bronchial inoculation.

CONCLUSION

Nebulized ceftazidime provides more efficient bacterial killing in ventilated piglets with pneumonia caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa with impaired sensitivity to ceftazidime.

General pharmacokinetic model for drugs exhibiting target-mediated drug disposition

Drugs that bind with high affinity and to a significant extent (relative to dose) to a pharmacologic target such as an enzyme, receptor, or transporter may exhibit nonlinear pharmacokinetic (PK) behavior. Processes such as receptor-mediated endocytosis may result in drug elimination. A general PK model for characterizing such behavior is described and explored through computer simulations and applications to several therapeutic agents. Simulations show that model predicted plasma concentration vs. time profiles are expected to be polyexponential with steeper distribution phases for lower doses and similar terminal disposition phases. Noncompartmental parameters always show apparent Vss and CL(D) decreasing with dose, but apparent clearance decreases only when the binding process produces drug elimination. The proposed model well captured the time-course of drug concentrations for the aldose reductase inhibitor imirestat, the endothelin receptor antagonist bosentan, and recombinant human interferon-beta 1a. This type of model has a mechanistic basis and considerable utility for fully describing the kinetics for various doses of relevant drugs.

A priori prediction of tissue:plasma partition coefficients of drugs to facilitate the use of physiologically-based pharmacokinetic models in drug discovery

The tissue:plasma (P(t:p)) partition coefficients (PCs) are important drug-specific input parameters in physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models used to estimate the disposition of drugs in biota. Until now the use of PBPK models in early stages of the drug discovery process was not possible, since the estimation of P(t:p) of new drug candidates by using conventional in vitro and/or in vivo methods is too time and cost intensive. The objectives of the study were (i) to develop and validate two mechanistic equations for predicting a priori the rabbit, rat and mouse P(t:p) of non-adipose and non-excretory tissues (bone, brain, heart, intestine, lung, muscle, skin, spleen) for 65 structurally unrelated drugs and (ii) to evaluate the adequacy of using P(t:p) of muscle as predictors for P(t:p) of other tissues. The first equation predicts P(t:p) at steady state, assuming a homogenous distribution and passive diffusion of drugs in tissues, from a ratio of solubility and macromolecular binding between tissues and plasma. The ratio of solubility was estimated from log vegetable oil:water PCs (K(vo:w)) of drugs and lipid and water levels in tissues and plasma, whereas the ratio of macromolecular binding for drugs was estimated from tissue interstitial fluid-to-plasma concentration ratios of albumin, globulins and lipoproteins. The second equation predicts P(t:p) of drugs residing predominantly in the interstitial space of tissues. Therefore, the fractional volume content of interstitial space in each tissue replaced drug solubilities in the first equation. Following the development of these equations, regression analyses between P(t:p) of muscle and those of the other tissues were examined. The average ratio of predicted-to-experimental P(t:p) values was 1.26 (SD = 1.40, r = 0.90, n = 269), and 85% of the 269 predicted values were within a factor of three of the corresponding literature values obtained under in vivo and in vitro conditions. For predicted and experimental P(t:p), linear relationships (r > 0.9 in most cases) were observed between muscle and other tissues, suggesting that P(t:p) of muscle is a good predictor for the P(t:p) of other tissues. The two previous equations could explain the mechanistic basis of these linear relationships. The practical aim of this study is a worthwhile goal for pharmacokinetic screening of new drug candidates.

Cremophor EL causes (pseudo-) non-linear pharmacokinetics of paclitaxel in patients

The non-linear plasma pharmacokinetics of paclitaxel in patients has been well established, however, the exact underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated. We have previously shown that the non-linear plasma pharmacokinetics of paclitaxel in mice results from Cremophor EL. To investigate whether Cremophor EL also plays a role in the non-linear pharmacokinetics of paclitaxel in patients, we have established its pharmacokinetics in patients receiving paclitaxel by 3-, 24- or 96-h intravenous infusion. The pharmacokinetics of Cremophor EL itself was non-linear as the clearance (Cl) in the 3-h schedules was significantly lower than when using the longer 24- or 96-h infusions (Cl175-3 h = 42.8+/-24.9 ml h(-1) m(-2); CI175-24 h = 79.7+/-24.3; P = 0.035 and Cl135-3 h = 44.1+/-21.8 ml h(-1) m(-1); Cl140-96 h = 211.8+/-32.0; P < 0.001). Consequently, the maximum plasma levels were much higher (0.62%) in the 3-h infusions than when using longer infusion durations. By using an in vitro equilibrium assay and determination in plasma ultrafiltrate we have established that the fraction of unbound paclitaxel in plasma is inversely related with the Cremophor EL level. Despite its relatively low molecular weight, no Cremophor EL was found in the ultrafiltrate fraction. Our results strongly suggest that entrapment of paclitaxel in plasma by Cremophor EL, probably by inclusion in micelles, is the cause of the apparent nonlinear plasma pharmacokinetics of paclitaxel. This mechanism of a (pseudo-)non-linearity contrasts previous postulations about saturable distribution and elimination kinetics and means that we must re-evaluate previous assumptions on pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics relationships.

Dose-dependent pharmacokinetics of mezlocillin in rats

The pharmacokinetics of mezlocillin were examined in rats following bolus intravenous doses of 20 or 200 mg/kg. Mezlocillin exhibited bi- or triexponential disposition profiles, and the area under the concentration-time curve increased nonproportionally with dose similar to reported findings in humans. Apparent total, renal, and nonrenal clearances and the volume of distribution at steady-state all decreased by 45 to 50% with the higher dose, and the elimination half-life was longer (8 +/- 2 versus 15 +/- 3 min). Mezlocillin exhibits low saturable binding in rat serum, ranging from 20 to 40% bound. Pharmacokinetic parameters based on free drug demonstrated dose-dependent characteristics similar to those with total drug. Use of the volume of distribution from the low dose allowed calculation of the true mean residence time. The linear relationship between dose and mean residence time from free concentrations yielded pooled Michaelis-Menten parameters. These were used as initial estimates in the simultaneous nonlinear fitting of the low- and high-dose mean free concentrations to a three-compartment model with sequential distribution and Michaelis-Menten elimination to describe the nonlinearity of mezlocillin disposition further.

Performance of a diffusional clearance model for beta-lactam antimicrobial agents as influenced by extravascular protein binding and interstitial fluid kinetics

A physiological model based on diffusional clearance (CLD) of drug between plasma and interstitial fluid (IF) was used to describe the disposition of beta-lactam antimicrobial agents. The CLD represents the movement of drug in and out of physiological spaces and is dependent only on the transfer properties of the drug. Estimates of CLD obtained by fitting model equations to plasma concentration-time data for 11 cephalosporin studies in human subjects fell in a fairly narrow range, with a mean value of 1,604 ml/min. Estimates of the CLD between plasma and blister fluid for three of the cephalosporins were five orders of magnitude smaller than the CLD. These observations are explained in terms of diffusion principles. Computer simulations with this model were used to assess the effect of changes in IF protein binding on antimicrobial distribution. Increases in the bound fraction of drug in IF enhanced the penetration of total (bound and unbound) drug into IF, but had no effect on the amount of unbound, active antimicrobial agent reaching the IF. The time course of unbound drug in IF was altered, however, by changes in IF protein binding. This model may also be used to predict changes in the IF distribution of beta-lactam antimicrobial agents in disease states, particularly those in which the relative distribution of albumin between plasma and IF has been altered.