Microwave synthesis and in vitro stability of diclofenac-β-cyclodextrin conjugate for colon delivery

Clinical translation of advanced colonic drug delivery technologies

Targeted drug delivery to the colon offers a myriad of benefits, including treatment of local diseases, direct access to unique therapeutic targets and the potential for increasing systemic drug bioavailability and efficacy. Although a range of traditional colonic delivery technologies are available, these systems exhibit inconsistent drug release due to physiological variability between and within individuals, which may be further exacerbated by underlying disease states. In recent years, significant translational and commercial advances have been made with the introduction of new technologies that incorporate independent multi-stimuli release mechanisms (pH and/or microbiota-dependent release). Harnessing these advanced technologies offers new possibilities for drug delivery via the colon, including the delivery of biopharmaceuticals, vaccines, nutrients, and microbiome therapeutics for the treatment of both local and systemic diseases. This review details the latest advances in colonic drug delivery, with an emphasis on emerging therapeutic opportunities and clinical technology translation.

Cyclodextrins-Peptides/Proteins Conjugates: Synthesis, Properties and Applications

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are a family of macrocyclic oligosaccharides mostly composed of six, seven, or eight α-D-glucopyranose units with α-1,4-glycosidic bonds to form toroidal structures. The CDs possess a hydrophilic exterior and hydrophobic interior with the ability to form an inclusion complex, especially with hydrophobic molecules. However, most existing studies are about conjugation CDs with peptide/protein focusing on the formation of new systems. The CD-peptide/protein can possess new abilities; particularly, the cavity can be applied in modulation properties of more complexed proteins. Most studies are focused on drug delivery, such as targeted delivery in cell-penetrating peptides or co-delivery. The co-delivery is based mostly on polylysine systems; on the other hand, the CD-peptide allows us to understand biomolecular mechanisms such as fibryllation or stem cell behaviour. Moreover, the CD-proteins are more complexed systems with a focus on targeted therapy; these conjugates might be controllable with various properties due to changes in their stability. Finally, the studies of CD-peptide/protein are promising in biomedical application and provide new possibilities for the conjugation of simple molecules to biomolecules.

Inclusion Complexes of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs with Cyclodextrins: A Systematic Review

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are one of the most widely used classes of medicines in the treatment of inflammation, fever, and pain. However, evidence has demonstrated that these drugs can induce significant toxicity. In the search for innovative strategies to overcome NSAID-related problems, the incorporation of drugs into cyclodextrins (CDs) has demonstrated promising results. This study aims to review the impact of cyclodextrin incorporation on the biopharmaceutical and pharmacological properties of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. A systematic search for papers published between 2010 and 2020 was carried out using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol and the following search terms: “Complexation”; AND “Cyclodextrin”; AND “non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug”. A total of 24 different NSAIDs, 12 types of CDs, and 60 distinct inclusion complexes were identified, with meloxicam and β-CD appearing in most studies. The results of the present review suggest that CDs are drug delivery systems capable of improving the pharmacological and biopharmaceutical properties of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Mass Spectrometry as a Complementary Approach for Noncovalently Bound Complexes Based on Cyclodextrins

An important and well-designed solution to overcome some of the problems associated with new drugs is provided by the molecular encapsulation of the drugs in the cyclodextrins (CDs) cavity, yielding corresponding inclusion complexes (ICs). These types of non-covalent complexes are of current interest to the pharmaceutical industry, as they improve the solubility, stability and bioavailability of the guest molecules. This review highlights several methods for cyclodextrin ICs preparation and characterization, focusing mostly on the mass spectrometry (MS) studies that have been used for the detection of noncovalent interactions of CDs inclusion complexes and binding selectivity of guest molecules with CDs. Furthermore, the MS investigations of several ICs of the CD with antifungal, antioxidants or fluorescent dyes are presented in greater details, pointing out the difficulties overcome in the analysis of this type of compounds.

Evaluating the clinical importance of bacterial degradation of therapeutic agents in the lower intestine of adults using adult fecal material

PURPOSE

Optimize adult fecal material composition for evaluating the clinical importance of bacterial degradation of therapeutic agents in the lower intestine (distal small intestine, D-SI and proximal colon, P-COL). Evaluate the usefulness of optimized fecal material in the evaluation of bacterial degradation of five model highly permeable drugs: two nitroreductase substrates (nitrendipine and nimodipine), three drugs for which published data indicate no impact of bacterial degradation on in vivo performance (levodopa, budesonide and rivaroxaban) and one prodrug (sulfasalazine, an azoreductase substrate) from which a locally acting on the mucosa of the lower intestine drug is derived (mesalamine).

METHODS

30 min and 95 min were used as point estimates of maximum bacterial degradation half-lives for bacterial degradation in D-SI or in P-COL, respectively, to be clinically important, i.e. for at least 20% reduction in absorption from D-SI or P-COL to occur. Optimization of fecal material was based on recently reported degradation profiles of metronidazole (a nitroreductase substrate) and olsalazine (an azoreductase substrate) in the lower intestine of healthy adults which are clinically important. Model compounds were tested in optimized fecal materials and data were evaluated vs. existing in vivo data in adults.

RESULTS

Simulated ileal bacteria (SIB) consisted of 5.5% (w/v) stools in normal saline and simulated colonic bacteria (SCoB) consisted of 8.3% (w/v) stools in normal saline. For all model compounds, data in SIB and SCoB were in line with available information in adults. [Degradation half-life in SIB/Degradation half-life in SCoB] ≈ [Stool content in SCoB/Stool content in SIB] ≈ 1.5, i.e. bacterial degradation in SIB could be predicted from bacterial degradation in SCoB.

CONCLUSION

Data in SCoB only are useful for evaluating whether bacterial degradation in P-COL and in D-SI is likely to be clinically important for orally administered, highly permeable drugs or prodrugs which act locally after bacterial degradation. The usefulness of this approach in cases where enzymes other than nitroreductases or azoreductases are involved requires further confirmation.

Analysis of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry: An update for 2013-2014

This review is the eighth update of the original article published in 1999 on the application of Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI) mass spectrometry to the analysis of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates and brings coverage of the literature to the end of 2014. Topics covered in the first part of the review include general aspects such as theory of the MALDI process, matrices, derivatization, MALDI imaging, fragmentation, and arrays. The second part of the review is devoted to applications to various structural types such as oligo- and poly- saccharides, glycoproteins, glycolipids, glycosides, and biopharmaceuticals. Much of this material is presented in tabular form. The third part of the review covers medical and industrial applications of the technique, studies of enzyme reactions, and applications to chemical synthesis. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Mass Spec Rev 37:353-491, 2018.

Diclofenac-β-cyclodextrin for colonic drug targeting: In vivo performance in rats

The aim of this in vivo study was to assess the ability of the prodrug conjugate diclofenac-β-cyclodextrin to release diclofenac in the colon following oral administration, using sulfapyridine (a metabolite of sulfasalazine) as a marker of colonic absorption. Two groups of rats were used; the test rats received a suspension containing the two prodrugs, diclofenac-β-cyclodextrin and sulfasalazine, while the control rats received a suspension containing the corresponding free drugs, sodium diclofenac and sulfapyridine. The rats were fasted overnight with free access to water before and throughout the first 12h of the study. Blood was collected from the tail vein at pre-determined time points and the plasma analyzed for the concentrations of diclofenac and sulfapyridine. Following the oral administration of the two prodrugs, a more extended absorption profile was observed and Cmax was achieved 10h post-dose, in contrast to rapid absorption of the free drugs (tmax of diclofenac being 1.3h, and that of sulfapyridine being 2.1h). In addition to a later tmax, conjugation of diclofenac to β-cyclodextrin also resulted in a reduced Cmax and a reduced AUC. The same tmax for diclofenac-β-cyclodextrin as for sulfasalazine confirms the colonic metabolism of diclofenac-β-cyclodextrin. This study shows the potential of this new cyclodextrin-based prodrug to target and release diclofenac specifically in the colon following oral administration.

Enabling technologies and green processes in cyclodextrin chemistry

The design of efficient synthetic green strategies for the selective modification of cyclodextrins (CDs) is still a challenging task. Outstanding results have been achieved in recent years by means of so-called enabling technologies, such as microwaves, ultrasound and ball mills, that have become irreplaceable tools in the synthesis of CD derivatives. Several examples of sonochemical selective modification of native α-, β- and γ-CDs have been reported including heterogeneous phase Pd- and Cu-catalysed hydrogenations and couplings. Microwave irradiation has emerged as the technique of choice for the production of highly substituted CD derivatives, CD grafted materials and polymers. Mechanochemical methods have successfully furnished greener, solvent-free syntheses and efficient complexation, while flow microreactors may well improve the repeatability and optimization of critical synthetic protocols.