Effect of oral multiple-dose administration of anti-inflammatory flurbiprofen chimera drug on gastric lesion, other toxicities and disposition kinetics

Transdermal permeation of novel n-acetyl-glucosamine/NSAIDs mutual prodrugs

The current investigation reports skin permeation of three novel mutual prodrugs (MP) which couple n-acetyl-glucosamine with an NSAID, either ketoprofen or ibuprofen. They were evaluated for transdermal permeation using shed snakeskin, and to our knowledge represent the first MPs synthesized for this purpose, although they also could be used for subcutaneous delivery. MPs are defined as two active drug compounds usually connected by an ester linkage. Glucosamine administration has been linked to damaged cartilage repair, and pain relief in joints afflicted with osteoarthritis. NSAIDs are commonly used orally in transdermal creams or gels for joint pain relief. Two novel compounds we report (MP1 and MP2) covalently link ibuprofen and ketoprofen directly to the amide nitrogen of n-acetyl-glucosamine (NAG); the other compound (MP3) covalently links ibuprofen to the amide nitrogen, using a short chain acetyl linker. Permeability studies show that the ketoprofen mutual prodrug (MP2) permeates shed snakeskin more than three times greater than either ibuprofen derivative, while ethanol markedly increases the permeation for all three. The ketoprofen mutual prodrug appears the most likely candidate for transdermal administration; all three mutual prodrugs may be candidates for subcutaneous injection.

Evaluation of the bioavailability of flurbiprofen and its β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex in four different doses upon oral administration to rats

The dissolution profiles of flurbiprofen (Flu) and its beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complex (Flu/beta-CD) in buffer solutions at various pH values were examined. The percent dissolved at 15 min for Flu and Flu/beta-CD was almost 100% at pH 6.8 and 8.0 but the dissolution rate of Flu was extremely reduced at pH 1.2 and 4.0. In these lower pH conditions, Flu/beta-CD improved the dissolution rate of Flu. The percent dissolved at 1 h for Flu/beta-CD at pH 1.2 and 4.0 were 33.4 and 41.3%, respectively, and about 10 times larger than those for Flu. The oral bioavailability of Flu from Flu or Flu/beta-CD at doses of 1, 3, 10, and 30 mg/kg (as Flu) was examined in rats. An apparent linear relationship between doses and C(max) and AUC was observed after administration of Flu and Flu/beta-CD. The Flu C(max) and AUC values at 30 mg/kg, however, were much lower than would have been predicted from doses of 1-10 mg/kg. Those of Flu/beta-CD were also lower than the predicted values, but the gap was quite small. The results suggest that the absorption of Flu in rats was saturated at 10 mg/kg, and that the enhanced dissolution rate of Flu/beta-CD increased the saturation dose to 30 mg/kg.

Improving the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of a drug by chemical conversion to a chimera drug

The purpose of the present study is to investigate a new concept which involves the conjugation of two drugs having different pharmacological activities which is termed a 'chimera drug (mutual prodrug)', in drug delivery optimization using a chemical modification approach. The conjugates of FP, an NSAID, with histamine H(2) antagonists were synthesized, in order to investigate the reduction in gastric damage by NSAID, and their pharmaceutical, pharmacokinetic and pharmacological properties were examined. The limited data obtained herein indicate that the chimera drug composed of FP and PPA was effective in reducing gastric damage by FP, with no changes in its biopharmaceutical properties, compared with the conventional prodrugs such as ester-type prodrugs.

Stereoselective disposition of flurbiprofen from a mutual prodrug with a histamine H2-antagonist to reduce gastrointestinal lesions in the rat

The in vitro and in vivo stereoselective hydrolysis characteristics of the mutual prodrug FP-PPA, which is a conjugate of flurbiprofen (FP) with the histamine H2-antagonist PPA, to reduce gastrointestinal lesions induced by FP were investigated and compared with those of FP methyl ester (rac-FP-Me) and FP ethyleneglycol ester (rac-FP-EG). The rac-FP derivatives were hydrolyzed preferentially to the (+)-S-isomer in plasma and to the (-)-R-isomer in liver and small intestinal mucosa. Interestingly, in the gastric mucosa, the stereoselectivity of hydrolysis of (-)-R-FP-PPA was opposite from that of rac-FP-Me and rac-FP-EG, which suggested that the stereoselective hydrolysis of FP-PPA was helpful in reducing gastric damage induced by (+)-S-FP. However, hydrolysis of all rac-FP derivatives was found to be catalyzed by carboxylesterases in the gastric mucosa. The stereoselective disposition of FP enantiomers early after intravenous administration of rac-FP-PPA could be explained by the stereoselective formation of (-)-R-FP from rac-FP-PPA in the liver. (-)-R-FP-PPA was completely hydrolyzed to form (-)-R-FP in vivo, while 78% of (+)-S-FP-PPA was hydrolyzed to (+)-S-FP, with a corresponding decrease in the area under the curve. Twenty-five percent of (+)-S-FP-PPA might be eliminated as the intact prodrug or its metabolites other than FP. The most important bioconversion of FP-PPA occurred in plasma, and additional hydrolysis of the R-enantiomer in liver resulted in the stereoselectivity observed following both i.v. and p.o. administration.