Butyric acid and prospects for creation of new medicines based on its derivatives: a literature review

The widespread use of antimicrobials causes antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The use of butyric acid and its derivatives is an alternative tactic. This review summarizes the literature on the role of butyric acid in the body and provides further prospects for the clinical use of its derivatives and delivery methods to the animal body. Thus far, there is evidence confirming the vital role of butyric acid in the body and the effectiveness of its derivatives when used as animal medicines and growth stimulants. Butyric acid salts stimulate immunomodulatory activity by reducing microbial colonization of the intestine and suppressing inflammation. Extraintestinal effects occur against the background of hemoglobinopathy, hypercholesterolemia, insulin resistance, and cerebral ischemia. Butyric acid derivatives inhibit histone deacetylase. Aberrant histone deacetylase activity is associated with the development of certain types of cancer in humans. Feed additives containing butyric acid salts or tributyrin are used widely in animal husbandry. They improve the functional status of the intestine and accelerate animal growth and development. On the other hand, high concentrations of butyric acid stimulate the apoptosis of epithelial cells and disrupt the intestinal barrier function. This review highlights the biological activity and the mechanism of action of butyric acid, its salts, and esters, revealing their role in the treatment of various animal and human diseases. This paper also discussed the possibility of using butyric acid and its derivatives as surface modifiers of enterosorbents to obtain new drugs with bifunctional action.

Applicability of modified carbon sorbent for removing potentially toxic biologically active molecules of aromatic structure from blood plasma

The modification of the mesoporous carbon sorbent with 3-phenylpropanoic acid was carried out in order to create preparations of complex, prolonged action, exhibiting detoxifying, antibacterial, and antifungal properties due to the applied modifier, which is capable of migrating into the solution and exhibiting its own biospecific properties. A technique was developed for fixing 3-phenylpropionic acid (PhPA) on a carbon support by its adsorption from solution. Three types of sorbents with various content of the modifier (PhPA) and the sorbent without modifier were studied. The sorption activity of new sorbents was studied using liquid-liquid extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry methods on model experiments with plasma and aqueous additives of hydroxylated phenyl-containing acids (PhCAs) in various concentrations. The specific surface area was significantly changed for sorbent, modified with 1 × 10^-3 mol/L of PhPA solution, and was 25% less than the area of unmodified sorbent. Potentially toxic biologically active hydroxylated PhCAs were used to create model solutions. The degrees of sorption of these compounds were close to 100%, except phenyllactic acid (over 80%). The sorbent without modifier and two sorbents with the lowest content of the modifier are considered to be more effective for the purification of the plasma from the hydroxylated PhCAs than the sorbent with the highest concentration of the modifier. Simultaneous adsorption of toxic metabolites from the bloodstream and desorption of beneficial ones can be used for a more subtle correction of the patient's condition.