Enantioselective Disposition of Lansoprazole and Rabeprazole in Human Plasma

Chiral separation in the class of proton pump inhibitors by chromatographic and electromigration techniques: An overview

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are benzimidazole-derivative chiral sulfoxides, frequently used in the treatment of gastric hyperacidity-related disorders. Due to their stereoselective metabolism, the eutomeric forms of PPIs can present a more advantageous pharmacokinetic profile by comparison with the distomers or racemates. Moreover, two representatives of the class are used in therapy both as racemates and as pure enantiomers (esomeprazole, dexlansoprazole). A relatively large number of enantioseparation methods employed for the stereoselective determination of PPIs from pharmaceutical, biological, and environmental matrices were published in the past three decades. The purpose of the current overview is to provide a systematic survey of the available chiral separation methods published since the introduction of PPIs in the therapy up to the present. Analytical and bioanalytical methods using different chromatographic and electromigration techniques reported for the enantioseparation of omeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole, rabeprazole, ilaprazole, and tenatoprazole are included. The analytical conditions of the presented methods are summarized in three comprehensive tables, while a critical discussion of the applied techniques, possible mechanism of enantiorecognition, and future perspectives on the topic are also presented.

Development of a UHPLC-MS/MS method for the quantification of ilaprazole enantiomers in rat plasma and its pharmacokinetic application

In Korea and China, ilaprazole is a widely used proton pump inhibitor in the treatment of gastric ulcers. In this study, a specific and sensitive LC-MS/MS method has been developed and validated for the quantification of ilaprazole enantiomers in the rat plasma, using R-lansoprazole as the internal standard. The enantioseparation was achieved on a CHIRALPAK AS-RH column (4.6 mm × 150 mm, i.d. 5 μm), with a mobile phase composed of 10 mM ammonium acetate aqueous solution and acetonitrile (60:40, V/V), at a flow-rate of 0.5 mL/min. The method was validated over the concentration range of 0.5-300 ng/mL for both, R- and S -ilaprazole. The lower limit of quantification was 0.5 ng/mL for both enantiomers. The relative standard deviation (RSD) of intra- and inter-day precision of R-ilaprazole and S-ilaprazole was less than 10.9%, and the relative error accuracy (RE) ranged from -0.5%-2.0%. Finally, the method was successfully evaluated in rats in a stereoselective pharmacokinetic study of the ilaprazole racemate.

Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Evaluation of Dexlansoprazole Infusion Injection Compared with Lansoprazole in Healthy Chinese Adults

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

This study was performed in healthy Chinese subjects to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic characteristics of a novel injection formulation of dexlansoprazole in the context of single and multiple administration, compared with the original lansoprazole injection.

METHODS

Helicobacter pylori-negative healthy volunteers were recruited, and 70 participants were enrolled into five dosing groups (seven males and seven females in each group), including 15 mg once daily (qd), 15 mg every 12 h (q12h), 30 mg qd and 30 mg q12h of dexlansoprazole treatment for 5 days, as well as 30 mg q12h of lansoprazole treatment for 5 days. Blood samples were collected at scheduled time spots postdose on day 1 (first dose) and day 5 (last dose). Twenty-four-hour intragastric pH was continuously monitored on day 0 (baseline) and days 1 and 5. Dexlansoprazole and S-lansoprazole in human plasma were determined by validated chiral liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry, and the pharmacokinetic parameters were determined by a non-compartmental method using Phoenix WinNonlin software. Safety assessment included changes in vital signs and laboratory tests, physical examination findings, and incidence or reports of adverse events.

RESULTS

The half-life (t_½) and clearance (CL) of dexlansoprazole were 1.76-2.06 h and 4.52-5.40 L/h, respectively, while the t_½ and CL of S-lansoprazole were 0.87-1.02 h and 34.66-35.98 L/h, respectively. No drug accumulation after repeated administration was noted. Administration of lansoprazole 30 mg resulted in higher area under the concentration-time curve from time zero to the last measurable concentration (AUC_t) of dexlansoprazole than that of dexlansoprazole 15 mg (p = 0.026). Zero to 24 h after q12h multiple dosing, median and mean intragastric pH, percentage of time with the intragastric pH above 4.0 [TpH ≥ 4.0(%)] and percentage of time with the intragastric pH above 6.0 [TpH ≥ 6.0(%)] in the dexlansoprazole 15 mg q12h group were 6.07 ± 0.61, 5.70 ± 0.76, 83.58 ± 12.34, and 53.70 ± 17.06, respectively, which was similar to the lansoprazole 30 mg q12h group, i.e. 6.15 ± 0.62, 5.88 ± 0.67, 87.26 ± 12.08 and 57.00 ± 16.35, respectively. A weak positive correlation between dexlansoprazole AUC_t and baseline-adjusted TpH ≥ 4.0(%) over 0-24 h was observed, with Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.437 (p = 0.029), while no correlation was observed between AUC_t and baseline-adjusted TpH ≥ 6.0(%) over 0-24 h.

CONCLUSION

Every 12 h intravenous dosing of dexlansoprazole up to 30 mg for 5 days was safe and well-tolerated in healthy Chinese subjects. Every 12 h dosing of dexlansoprazole 15 mg has a comparable effect of gastric acid inhibition as lansoprazole 30 mg q12h.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT03120273.

Key Pharmacokinetic Essentials of Fixed-Dosed Combination Products: Case Studies and Perspectives

Fixed-dose combinations are gaining popularity because they provide convenience while enhancing patient compliance. Literature examples suggest that many fixed-dose combinations are being rationalized and investigated for their potential utility in therapy. This article provides an introspection into the pharmacokinetic essentials that need to be considered prior to implementing a fixed-dose combination strategy. While the drug-drug interaction potential is an important question for the two drugs in a fixed-dose combination, the occurrence of a drug-drug interaction in itself is not a negative outcome for the proposed fixed-dose combination. However, the magnitude of a drug-drug interaction may require a re-assessment of the doses of the two drugs in a fixed-dose combination. Several case studies are provided and discussed to provide a broad perspective on the topic along with a representative framework and strategy on the development of fixed-dose combinations using key pharmacokinetic parameters.

Determination of rabeprazole enantiomers in commercial tablets using immobilized cellulose-based stationary phase

Rabeprazole is one of the latest proton-pump inhibitors used for treatment of several gastrointestinal disorders. For therapeutic applications, rabeprazole has been administered as a mixture of R-(+) and S-(-) enantiomers. Owing to pharmacological and toxicological differences between stereoisomers, chiral recognition has now become an integral part of drug research and development. A simple and rapid liquid chromatographic method for enantioselective separation and determination of R-(+) and S-(-) enantiomers of rabeprazole in bulk drug and pharmaceutical formulations was developed. Chiralpak IC (150 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) column and μmobile phase containing hexane:ethanol:ethylenediamine (30:70:0.05 v/v) in an isocratic mode yielded baseline separation with resolution greater than 6.0 at 35 °C. Effects of additives and n-hexane were evaluated. Optimized condition was validated as per ICH guidelines. The method has good linearity, high sensitivity with LOD was 0.01 μg/mL and LOQ was 0.03 μg/mL for both enantiomers. Intra-day precision varied between 0.44 and 1.79% for S-(-) enantiomer, 0.65 and 1.97% for R-(+) enantiomer. Relative standard deviations of inter-day precision were less than 1.81% for both enantiomers. The percentage recovery for both enantiomers of rabeprazole ranged between 99.81 and 101.95%, 98.82 and 101.36% in material and tablets, respectively. The method was successfully applied to determine content of each enantiomer in commercial tablets.

In vitro study of the variable effects of proton pump inhibitors on voriconazole

Voriconazole is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent used for the treatment of severe fungal infections. Maintaining therapeutic concentrations of 1 to 5.5 μg/ml is currently recommended to maximize the exposure-response relationship of voriconazole. However, this is challenging, given the highly variable pharmacokinetics of the drug, which includes metabolism by cytochrome P450 (CYP450) isotypes CYP2C19, CYP3A4, and CYP2C9, through which common metabolic pathways for many medications take place and which are also expressed in different isoforms with various metabolic efficacies. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are also metabolized through these enzymes, making them competitive inhibitors of voriconazole metabolism, and coadministration with voriconazole has been reported to increase total voriconazole exposure. We examined the effects of five PPIs (rabeprazole, pantoprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole, and esomeprazole) on voriconazole concentrations using four sets of human liver microsomes (HLMs) of different CYP450 phenotypes. Overall, the use of voriconazole in combination with any PPI led to a significantly higher voriconazole yield compared to that achieved with voriconazole alone in both pooled HLMs (77% versus 59%; P < 0.001) and individual HLMs (86% versus 76%; P < 0.001). The mean percent change in the voriconazole yield from that at the baseline after PPI exposure in pooled microsomes ranged from 22% with pantoprazole to 51% with esomeprazole. Future studies are warranted to confirm whether and how the deliberate coadministration of voriconazole and PPIs can be used to boost voriconazole levels in patients with difficult-to-treat fungal infections.

Differential effects of omeprazole and lansoprazole enantiomers on aryl hydrocarbon receptor in human hepatocytes and cell lines

Proton pump inhibitors omeprazole and lansoprazole contain chiral sulfur atom and they are administered as a racemate, i.e. equimolar mixture of S- and R-enantiomers. The enantiopure drugs esomeprazole and dexlansoprazole have been developed and introduced to clinical practice due to their improved clinical and therapeutic properties. Since omeprazole and lansoprazole are activators of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and inducers of CYP1A genes, we examined their enantiospecific effects on AhR-CYP1A pathway in human cancer cells and primary human hepatocytes. We performed gene reporter assays for transcriptional activity of AhR, RT-PCR analyses for CYP1A1/2 mRNAs, western blots for CYP1A1/2 proteins and EROD assay for CYP1A1/2 catalytic activity. Lansoprazole and omeprazole enantiomers displayed differential effects on AhR-CYP1A1/2 pathway. In general, S-enantiomers were stronger activators of AhR and inducers of CYP1A genes as compared to R-enantiomers in lower concentrations, i.e. 1–10 µM for lansoprazole and 10–100 µM for omeprazole. In contrast, R-enantiomers were stronger AhR activators and CYP1A inducers than S-enantiomers in higher concentrations, i.e. 100 µM for lansoprazole and 250 µM for omeprazole. In conclusion, we provide the first evidence of enantiospecific effects of omeprazole and lansoprazole on AhR signaling pathway.

Clinical usefulness of limited sampling strategies for estimating AUC of proton pump inhibitors

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C19 (CYP2C19) genotype is regarded as a useful tool to predict area under the blood concentration-time curve (AUC) of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). In our results, however, CYP2C19 genotypes had no influence on AUC of all PPIs during fluvoxamine treatment. These findings suggest that CYP2C19 genotyping is not always a good indicator for estimating AUC of PPIs. Limited sampling strategies (LSS) were developed to estimate AUC simply and accurately. It is important to minimize the number of blood samples because of patient's acceptance. This article reviewed the usefulness of LSS for estimating AUC of three PPIs (omeprazole: OPZ, lansoprazole: LPZ and rabeprazole: RPZ). The best prediction formulas in each PPI were AUC(OPZ)=9.24 x C(6h)+2638.03, AUC(LPZ)=12.32 x C(6h)+3276.09 and AUC(RPZ)=1.39 x C(3h)+7.17 x C(6h)+344.14, respectively. In order to optimize the sampling strategy of LPZ, we tried to establish LSS for LPZ using a time point within 3 hours through the property of pharmacokinetics of its enantiomers. The best prediction formula using the fewest sampling points (one point) was AUC(racemic LPZ)=6.5 x C(3h) of (R)-LPZ+13.7 x C(3h) of (S)-LPZ-9917.3 x G1-14387.2×G2+7103.6 (G1: homozygous extensive metabolizer is 1 and the other genotypes are 0; G2: heterozygous extensive metabolizer is 1 and the other genotypes are 0). Those strategies, plasma concentration monitoring at one or two time-points, might be more suitable for AUC estimation than reference to CYP2C19 genotypes, particularly in the case of coadministration of CYP mediators.

Influence of CYP2C19 and ABCB1 polymorphisms on plasma concentrations of lansoprazole enantiomers after enteral administration

An intraoral annihilation enteric-coated preparation of lansoprazole is often administered via intestinal fistula. The purpose of this study was to determine the plasma concentrations of lansoprazole enantiomers after enteral administration in subjects with cytochrome P4502C19 (CYP2C19) and ABCB1 C3435T genotypes. Fifty-one patients who underwent a curative oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer were enrolled in this study. After a single enteral dose of racemic lansoprazole (30 mg), plasma concentrations of lansoprazole enantiomers were measured 4 h post-dose (C(4h)). There were significant differences in the C(4h) of (R)- and (S)-lansoprazole and the R/S-enantiomer ratio for three CYP2C19 genotype groups (*1/*1, *1/*2 ± *1/*3, and *2/*2 ± *2/*3 ± *3/*3 (poor metabolizers (PMs)), but not the ABCB1 C3435T genotypes. In a stepwise forward selection multiple regression analysis, the C(4h) of (R)- and (S)-lansoprazole were associated with CYP2C19 PMs (p = 0.0005 and < 0.0001 respectively) and age (p = 0.0040 and 0.0121 respectively), while the R/S-enantiomer ratio was associated with CYP2C19*1/*1 (p = 0.0191) and CYP2C19 PMs (p = 0.0426). Direct administration to the jejunum is unaffected by residence time in the stomach and the gastric emptying rate. With enteral administration, CYP2C19 phenotyping of patients using the lansoprazole R/S enantiomer index at C(4h) could be possible.

Pharmacokinetics and tolerability of rabeprazole in children 1 to 11 years old with gastroesophageal reflux disease

BACKGROUND

The pharmacokinetics of rabeprazole after a single oral dose and once-daily administration for 5 consecutive days was characterized in children 1 to 11 years old with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The initial 8 patients received rabeprazole sodium (hereafter referred to as rabeprazole) 0.14 mg/kg (part 1); the next 20 patients were randomized to receive 0.5 or 1 mg/kg (part 2) to target concentrations in plasma expected to be safe and effective. Pharmacokinetic parameters of rabeprazole and the thioether metabolite were calculated using noncompartmental methods. Subjective evaluations of GERD severity, rabeprazole short-term effectiveness, palatability, and safety were also characterized.

RESULTS

Rabeprazole concentrations increased in a dose-dependent manner. Little or no accumulation was observed after repeated administration. The results suggest that formation of the thioether is an important metabolic pathway in young patients, which is consistent with adults. Plasma area under the concentration-time curve values of rabeprazole and the metabolite were poorly correlated with individual age and body weight. Furthermore, oral rabeprazole clearance values (not adjusted for weight) were similar to historical adult data. However, weight-adjusted values were higher for the pediatric patients, and approximately 2 to 3 times the milligram per kilogram dose of rabeprazole in these children was necessary to achieve comparable concentrations in adults. Subjective evaluations demonstrated an improvement of GERD symptoms in most patients after rabeprazole treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Palatability of the formulation was reported to be good or excellent. Rabeprazole was well tolerated, with no notable differences in safety among the dose groups.

Influence of drug-transporter polymorphisms on the pharmacokinetics of fexofenadine enantiomers

This study investigated an association of SLCO (encoding organic anion-transporting polypeptides (OATP), 1B1, 1B3, and 2B1), ABCB1 (P-glycoprotein (P-gp)), ABCC2 multidrug resistance protein 2 (MRP2), and ABCG2 (breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP)) polymorphisms with fexofenadine enantiomer pharmacokinetics after an oral dose of fexofenadine (60 mg) in 24 healthy subjects. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC(0-24)) of S-fexofenadine, but not R-fexofenadine, was significantly lower in subjects with a SLCO2B1*1/*1 allele as compared to subjects with a *3 allele (p = 0.031). The AUC(0-24) of S-fexofenadine was significantly lower in subjects with a wild-type combination of SLCO2B1*1/*1/ABCB1 1236CC, SLCO2B1*1/*1/ABCB1 3435CC, SLCO2B1*1/*1/ABCC2 -24CC, and ABCB1 1236CC/3435CC/ABCC2 -24CC compared to other polymorphic genotypes (p = 0.010, 0.033, 0.022, and 0.036, respectively), whereas there was no difference in the AUC(0-24) between the SLCO1B1/1B3 plus ABCB1 and ABCC2 groups. The pharmacokinetic properties of S-fexofenadine are affected by a single polymorphism of SLCO2B1 in combination with several polymorphisms of ABCB1 C1236T, C3435T, and ABCC2 C-24T. However, the ABCG2 polymorphism was not associated with fexofenadine pharmacokinetics. These findings suggest that a combination of multiple transporters, including OATP, P-gp, and MRP2, reacts strongly to fexofenadine exposure in the small intestine and liver, resulting in different dispositions of both enantiomers.

Chiral toxicology: it's the same thing...only different

Chiral substances possess a unique architecture such that, despite sharing identical molecular formulas, atom-to-atom linkages, and bonding distances, they cannot be superimposed. Thus, in the environment of living systems, where specific structure-activity relationships may be required for effect (e.g., enzymes, receptors, transporters, and DNA), the physiochemical and biochemical properties of racemic mixtures and individual stereoisomers can differ significantly. In drug development, enantiomeric selection to maximize clinical effects or mitigate drug toxicity has yielded both success and failure. Further complicating genetic polymorphisms in drug disposition, stereoselective metabolism of chiral compounds can additionally influence pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and toxicity. Optically pure pharmaceuticals may undergo racemization in vivo, negating single enantiomer benefits or inducing unexpected effects. Appropriate chiral antidotes must be selected for therapeutic benefit and to minimize adverse events. Enantiomers may possess different carcinogenicity and teratogenicity. Environmental toxicology provides several examples in which compound bioaccumulation, persistence, and toxicity show chiral dependence. In forensic toxicology, chiral analysis has been applied to illicit drug preparations and biological specimens, with the potential to assist in determination of cause of death and aid in the correct interpretation of substance abuse and "doping" screens. Adrenergic agonists and antagonist, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, SSRIs, opioids, warfarin, valproate, thalidomide, retinoic acid, N-acetylcysteine, carnitine, penicillamine, leucovorin, glucarpidase, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, phenylethylamines, and additional compounds will be discussed to illustrate important concepts in "chiral toxicology."

Is the required therapeutic effect always achieved by racemic switch of proton-pump inhibitors?

Many of the drugs currently used in medical practice are racemates. The enantiomers of a racemic drug differ in pharmacodynamics and/or pharmacokinetics, thus in some cases it is preferable to develop pure enantiomers by racemic switch. In a recent study by Pai et al, dexrabeprazole [R(+)-rabeprazole] (10 mg) was found to be more effective than rabeprazole (20 mg) in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease. We read with great interest in this study and discussed whether such racemic switch would be applicable to other proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs). A literature review indicates that stereoselective pharmacokinetics, rather than stereoselective pharmacological activity, is the main cause of differences in clinical efficacy between pure enantiomer and racemic PPI. Racemic switches of PPI provide the therapeutic advantages such as reducing metabolic load on the body, simplifying pharmacokinetics, providing benefit to the non-responders to standard dose of racemate, more homogenous response to treatment and better efficacy with equal safety. Further studies in quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) are needed to address the fact that the preferred enantiomer of PPI is not always in the same absolute configuration, i.e., S-form is for omeprazole, pantoprazole and tenatoprazole whereas R-form is for lansoprazole and rabeprazole.

Influence of Cytochrome P450 (CYP)??3A5 Polymorphisms on the Pharmacokinetics of Lansoprazole Enantiomers in CYP2C19 Extensive Metaboliser Renal Transplant Recipients

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Lansoprazole is extensively metabolised by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C19 and CYP3A4. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of CYP3A5 polymorphism (A6986G) on the pharmacokinetics of lansoprazole enantiomers in renal transplant recipients who are CYP2C19 extensive metabolisers (EMs).

METHODS

Among 40 Japanese CYP2C19 EMs, 20 had the CYP3A5*1 allele (*1/*1 in two subjects and *1/*3 in 18 subjects) and 20 had the CYP3A5*3/*3 genotype. After repeated oral doses of racemic lansoprazole 30mg once daily for 28 days, plasma concentrations of lansoprazole enantiomers were determined using high performance liquid chromatography.

RESULTS

The mean area under the plasma concentration-time curves from 0 to infinity (AUC(infinity)) of (R)- and (S)-lansoprazole in recipients with the CYP3A5*1 allele were 3145 and 384 ng * h/mL, respectively, compared with 4218 and 587 ng * h/mL in recipients with the CYP3A5*3/*3 genotype. The AUC(infinity) and the maximum plasma concentration of (R)- and (S)-lansoprazole in subjects with the CYP3A5*3/*3 genotype were greater than subjects with CYP3A5*1/*1 + *1/*3 alleles. The mean R/S ratio for AUC of lansoprazole in each CYP3A5 genotype group was the same (12.6).

CONCLUSION

Our findings show that CYP3A5 genotype is not an important determinant of enantioselective disposition of lansoprazole. Based on our results and those of previous studies, the enantioselective disposition of lansoprazole appears to be primarily influenced by enantioselective metabolism by CYP2C19 rather than by CYP3A.