Simple, rapid, and sensitive liquid chromatography-fluorescence method for the quantification of tranexamic acid in blood

Design and strategy for spectrofluorimetric determination of tranexamic acid in its authentic form and pharmaceutical preparations: application to spiked human plasma

A creative, very sensitive and noncomplicated spectrofluorimetric technique was established and further validated to determine tranexamic acid in both its authentic form and its pharmaceutical preparation dosage forms. In the introduced technique, a reaction was found between the aliphatic primary amino group of tranexamic acid and ninhydrin/phenylacetaldehyde reagents in the presence of Torell and Steinhagen buffer pH 7.0, which led to the production of a highly fluorescent product; fluorescence intensity was measured at 475 nm after excitation at 391 nm. A calibration curve was drawn with a linear range of 0.3-2 μg/ml. Limit of detection and limit of quantification values were 0.051 and 0.155 μg/ml respectively. The introduced technique was validated based on the International Council for Harmonisation guidelines and agreed for determination of tranexamic acid in its pharmaceutical formulation. Finally, this simple method was also applied for determination of tranexamic acid in spiked human plasma.

Derivatization of tranexamic acid for its rapid spectrofluorimetric determination in pure form and pharmaceutical formulations: Application in human plasma

An ingenious approach for determination of tranexamic acid spectrofluorimetrically has been developed. This experiment is very simple, sensitive and selective method for determination of tranexamic acid in pure form, pharmaceutical dosage forms and in spiked human plasma. All optimal conditions needed in our proposed experiment have been determined and validated precisely. This developed method based on the reaction between the primary amino group found in the chemical structure of tranexamic acid with the fluorescamine reagent in presence of borate buffer (pH 8.3) that result in the formation of fluorescence product measured at 473.5 nm after excitation at 392 nm. We notice that the linearity of the resulted calibration curve found to be (0.1-0.9 μg/mL) with LOD and LOQ results were 0.0237 and 0.0719 respectively. The validation of the developed method is according to the international council for Harmonization (ICH) guidelines indicating good accuracy and precision. Finally, the developed method has been applied for in vitro study of tranexamic acid by making spiked human plasma with a mean percentage recovery 99.430 ± 0.623 as well as in its pharmaceutical dosage forms tablets and ampoules.

Spectrofluorimetric approach for determination of tranexamic acid in pure form and pharmaceutical formulations; Application in human plasma

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an important antihemorrhagic drug that needs a simple, sensitive and low cost spectrofluorimetric method for its determination. This method depends on generation of a yellow product which produced from a nucleophilic substitution reaction of the lone pair of electrons on the amino group found in the TXA chemical structure and 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan (NBD-Cl) in borate buffer PH 9.0. The product was measured at 536 nm (λex = 470.5 nm). All variables that have an effect on the formation and stability of the product have been explored and optimized. The linear range was 20-100 ng mL^-1 with a limit of quantitation 12.4 ng mL^-1. This method has been applied for assurance of tranexamic acid in ampoules and tablets dosage forms without any interference from excipients present. Also, we study the drug in human plasma.

In Vivo Assessment of Thermosensitive Liposomes for the Treatment of Port Wine Stains by Antifibrinolytic Site-Specific Pharmaco-Laser Therapy

Antifibrinolytic site-specific pharmaco-laser therapy (SSPLT) is an experimental treatment modality for refractory port wine stains (PWS). Conceptually, antifibrinolytic drugs encapsulated in thermosensitive liposomes are delivered to thrombi that form in semi-photocoagulated PWS blood vessels after conventional laser treatment. Local release of antifibrinolytics is induced by mild hyperthermia, resulting in hyperthrombosis and complete occlusion of the target blood vessel (clinical endpoint). In this study, 20 thermosensitive liposomal formulations containing tranexamic acid (TA) were assayed for physicochemical properties, TA:lipid ratio, encapsulation efficiency, and endovesicular TA concentration. Two candidate formulations (DPPC:DSPE-PEG, DPPC:MPPC:DSPE-PEG) were selected based on optimal properties and analyzed for heat-induced TA release at body temperature (T), phase transition temperature (T_m), and at T > T_m. The effect of plasma on liposomal stability at 37 °C was determined, and the association of liposomes with platelets was examined by flow cytometry. The accumulation of PEGylated phosphocholine liposomes in laser-induced thrombi was investigated in a hamster dorsal skinfold model and intravital fluorescence microscopy. Both formulations did not release TA at 37 °C. Near-complete TA release was achieved at T_m within 2.0–2.5 min of heating, which was accelerated at T > T_m. Plasma exerted a stabilizing effect on both formulations. Liposomes showed mild association with platelets. Despite positive in vitro results, fluorescently labeled liposomes did not sufficiently accumulate in laser-induced thrombi in hamsters to warrant their use in antifibrinolytic SSPLT, which can be solved by coupling thrombus-targeting ligands to the liposomes.

Application of a Thermosensitive In Situ Gel of Chitosan-Based Nasal Spray Loaded with Tranexamic Acid for Localised Treatment of Nasal Wounds

The integrity of the nasal epithelium plays a crucial role in the airway defence mechanism. The nasal epithelium may be injured as a result of a large number of factors leading to nose bleeds, also known as epistaxis. However, local measures commonly used to treat epistaxis and improve wound healing present several side effects and patient discomfort. Hence, this study aims to address some of these drawbacks by developing a new formulation for nasal epithelial wound healing. Chitosan, a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer, was used to develop a thermosensitive nasal formulation for the delivery of tranexamic acid (TXA), one of the most effective pharmacological options to control bleeding with cost and tolerability advantages. The in situ gelation properties of the formulation upon administration in the nasal cavity were investigated in terms of gelation time and temperature. It was found that the developed formulation can undergo rapid liquid-to-gel phase change within approximately 5 min at 32°C, which is well within the human nasal cavity temperature range. The spray pattern, deposition and droplet size generated by the nasal spray was also characterised and were found to be suitable for nasal drug delivery. It was also observed that the in situ gelation of the formulation prevent nasal runoff, while the majority of drug deposited mainly in the anterior part of the nose with no lung deposition. The developed formulation was shown to be safe on human nasal epithelium and demonstrated six times faster wound closure compared to the control TXA solution.

Tranexamic Acid-Encapsulating Thermosensitive Liposomes for Site-Specific Pharmaco-Laser Therapy of Port Wine Stains

Site-specific pharmaco-laser therapy (SSPLT) is a developmental stage treatment modality designed to non-invasively remove superficial vascular pathologies such as port wine stains (PWS) by combining conventional laser therapy with the prior administration of a prothrombotic and/or antifibrinolytic pharmaceutical-containing drug delivery system. For the antifibrinolytic SSPLT component, six different PEGylated thermosensitive liposomal formulations encapsulating tranexamic acid (TA), a potent antifibrinolytic lysine analogue, were characterized for drug:lipid ratio, encapsulation efficiency, size, endovesicular TA concentration (C TA), phase transition temperature (T m), and assayed for heat-induced TA release. Assays were developed for the quantification of liposomal TA and heat-induced TA release from two candidate formulations. The outcome parameters were then combined with a 3D histological reconstruction of a port wine stain biopsy to extrapolate in vivo posologies for SSPLT. The prime formulation, DPPC:DSPE-PEG2000 (96:4 molar ratio), had a drug:lipid molar ratio of 0.82, an encapsulation efficiency of 1.29%, a diameter of 155 nm, and a C TA of 214 mM. The peak TA release from this formulation (T m = 42.3 °C) comprised 96% within 2.5 min, whereas this was 94% in 2 min for DPPC:MPPC:DSPE-PEG2000 (86:10:4) liposomes (T m = 41.5 °C). Computational analysis revealed that < 400 DPPC:DSPE-PEG2000 (96:4 molar ratio) liposomes are needed to treat a PWS of 40 cm2, compared to a three-fold greater quantity of DPPC:MPPC:DSPE-PEG2000 (86:10:4) liposomes, indicating that, in light of the assayed parameters and endovascular laser-tissue interactions, the former formulation is most suitable for antifibrinolytic SSPLT. This was further confirmed with experiments involving ex vivo and in vivo liposome-platelet and liposome-red blood cell association as well as uptake and toxicity assays with cultured endothelial cells (HUVECs), macrophages (RAW 264.7), and hepatocytes (HepG2).

Pregabalin and tranexamic Acid evaluation by two simple and sensitive spectrophotometric methods

This paper demonstrates colorimetric visible spectrophotometric quantification methods for amino acid, namely, tranexamic acid and pregabalin. Both drugs contain the amino group, and when they are reacted with 2,4-dinitrophenol and 2,4,6-trinitrophenol, they give rise to yellow colored complexes showing absorption maximum at 418 nm and 425 nm, respectively, based on the Lewis acid base reaction. Detailed optimization process and stoichiometric studies were conducted along with investigation of thermodynamic features, that is, association constant and standard free energy changes. The method was linear over the concentration range of 0.02–200 µgmL⁻¹ with correlation coefficient of more than 0.9990 in all of the cases. Limit of detection was in range from 0.0041 to 0.0094 µgmL⁻¹ and limit of quantification was in the range from 0.0137 to 0.0302 µgmL⁻¹. Excellent recovery in Placebo spiked samples indicated that there is no interference from common excipients. The analytical methods under proposal were successfully applied to determine tranexamic acid and pregabalin in commercial products. t-test and F ratio were evaluated without noticeable difference between the proposed and reference methods.

An overview of clinical and experimental treatment modalities for port wine stains

Port wine stains (PWS) are the most common vascular malformation of the skin, occurring in 0.3% to 0.5% of the population. Noninvasive laser irradiation with flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye lasers (selective photothermolysis) currently comprises the gold standard treatment of PWS; however, the majority of PWS fail to clear completely after selective photothermolysis. In this review, the clinically used PWS treatment modalities (pulsed dye lasers, alexandrite lasers, neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet lasers, and intense pulsed light) and techniques (combination approaches, multiple passes, and epidermal cooling) are discussed. Retrospective analysis of clinical studies published between 1990 and 2011 was performed to determine therapeutic efficacies for each clinically used modality/technique. In addition, factors that have resulted in the high degree of therapeutic recalcitrance are identified, and emerging experimental treatment strategies are addressed, including the use of photodynamic therapy, immunomodulators, angiogenesis inhibitors, hypobaric pressure, and site-specific pharmaco-laser therapy.

An overview of three promising mechanical, optical, and biochemical engineering approaches to improve selective photothermolysis of refractory port wine stains

During the last three decades, several laser systems, ancillary technologies, and treatment modalities have been developed for the treatment of port wine stains (PWSs). However, approximately half of the PWS patient population responds suboptimally to laser treatment. Consequently, novel treatment modalities and therapeutic techniques/strategies are required to improve PWS treatment efficacy. This overview therefore focuses on three distinct experimental approaches for the optimization of PWS laser treatment. The approaches are addressed from the perspective of mechanical engineering (the use of local hypobaric pressure to induce vasodilation in the laser-irradiated dermal microcirculation), optical engineering (laser-speckle imaging of post-treatment flow in laser-treated PWS skin), and biochemical engineering (light- and heat-activatable liposomal drug delivery systems to enhance the extent of post-irradiation vascular occlusion).

On the interaction of fluorophore-encapsulating PEGylated lecithin liposomes with hamster and human platelets

Polyethylene glycol (PEG)-grafted phosphatidylcholine liposomes are used as drug carriers due to their low immunogenicity and prolonged circulation time. The interaction between sterically stabilized lecithin liposomes and platelets has not been investigated before, and deserves to be subjected to scrutiny inasmuch as the uptake of liposomes by platelets could be detrimental for drug delivery and primary hemostasis. Consequently, the interaction between resting and convulxin-activated hamster and human platelets and calcein- or 5,6-carboxyfluorescein-encapsulating PEGylated liposomes composed of distearoyl- and dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine and PEG-derivatized distearoyl phosphatidylethanolamine was investigated by flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, and a glass capillary thrombosis model. Fluorescently labeled liposomes of the same composition were subsequently assayed in vivo after 15 and 45 min of systemic circulation. Neither resting nor activated hamster and human platelets interacted with liposomes at 0.70 mM lipid concentration. An absence of any interaction was corroborated in the in vivo experiments. Alternatively, flow cytometry assays evinced that human platelets interact with liposomes at lipid concentrations of >or=1.35 mM. These interactions were more profound for activated platelets than resting platelets. We conclude that the use of PEGylated lecithin liposomes at lipid concentrations of <1.35 mM has no detrimental impact on liposomal drug delivery based on PEGylated lecithin liposomes, but that these drug carriers may be associated with a reduced targeting efficacy or compromised primary hemostatic system when used at concentrations of >or=1.35 mM. In contrast, these drug carriers may become valuable in thrombosis- and drug delivery-related research and applications at concentrations of >or=1.35 mM.