Nano- and Crystal Engineering Approaches in the Development of Therapeutic Agents for Neoplastic Diseases

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. It is a global quandary that requires the administration of many different active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) with different characteristics. As is the case with many APIs, cancer treatments exhibit poor aqueous solubility which can lead to low drug absorption, increased doses, and subsequently poor bioavailability and the occurrence of more adverse events. Several strategies have been envisaged to overcome this drawback, specifically for the treatment of neoplastic diseases. These include crystal engineering, in which new crystal structures are formed to improve drug physicochemical properties, and/or nanoengineering in which the reduction in particle size of the pristine crystal results in much improved physicochemical properties. Co-crystals, which are supramolecular complexes that comprise of an API and a co-crystal former (CCF) held together by non-covalent interactions in crystal lattice, have been developed to improve the performance of some anti-cancer drugs. Similarly, nanosizing through the formation of nanocrystals and, in some cases, the use of both crystal and nanoengineering to obtain nano co-crystals (NCC) have been used to increase the solubility as well as overall performance of many anticancer drugs. The formulation process of both micron and sub-micron crystalline formulations for the treatment of cancers makes use of relatively simple techniques and minimal amounts of excipients aside from stabilizers and co-formers. The flexibility of these crystalline formulations with regards to routes of administration and ability to target neoplastic tissue makes them ideal strategies for effectiveness of cancer treatments. In this review, we describe the use of crystalline formulations for the treatment of various neoplastic diseases. In addition, this review attempts to highlight the gaps in the current translation of these potential treatments into authorized medicines for use in clinical practice.

1-Allyl-4-hydroxy-2,2-dioxo-N-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1H-2λ6,1-benzothiazine-3-carboxamide: polymorphic transition due to grinding with the loss of the biological activity

A study of two polymorphic forms of 1-allyl-4-hydroxy-2,2-dioxo-N-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-2λ⁶,1-benzothiazine-3-carboxamide (a structural analogue of piroxicam) has revealed some regularities in the crystal structure formation due to different evaporation rates from the tested solvents. The monoclinic polymorph crystallized from ethyl acetate is formed due to a large number of very weak C-H...O and C-H...π interactions as well as one strong stacking interaction. The triclinic polymorph crystallized from N,N-dimethylformamide is formed due to a small number of weak specific interactions and a maximal number of strong stacking interactions. The stacked dimer is a complex building unit in both polymorphic structures. Further analysis showed that the monoclinic structure is layered while the triclinic one is columnar. The two polymorphic structures also differ in their biological activity (antidiuretic and analgesic). The monoclinic polymorph possesses very high biological activity while the triclinic polymorph is almost inactive. The polymorphic transition of the biologically active metastable monoclinic structure into the inactive stable triclinic one within four weeks of grinding is caused by orientational factors rather than conformational ones and is accompanied by a change in the redistribution of interaction energies in the crystal from anisotropic to more isotropic. Thus, a slow polymorphic transition after grinding results in a loss of the biological activity.

Synthesis and Regularities of the Structure–Activity Relationship in a Series of N-Pyridyl-4-methyl-2,2-dioxo-1H-2λ6,1-benzothiazine-3-carboxamides

According to our quantum and chemical calculations 4-methyl-2,2-dioxo-1H-2λ6,1-benzothiazine-3-carboxylic acid imidazolide is theoretically almost as reactive as its 2-carbonyl analog, and it forms the corresponding N-pyridyl-4-methyl-2,2-dioxo-1H-2λ6,1-benzothiazine-3-carboxamides with many aminopyridines. However, in practice, the sulfo group introduces significant changes at times and prevents the acylation of sterically hindered amines. One of these products was 2-amino-6-methylpyridine. Thus, it has been concluded that aminopyridines interact with imidazolide in aromatic form where the target for the initial electrophilic attack is the ring nitrogen. To confirm the structure of all substances synthesized, 1H-NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis were used. From X-ray diffraction data it follows that in the crystalline phase the carbonyl and sulfo group may occupy different positions with respect to the plane of the benzothiazine bicycle: this position may be unilateral, typical for 4-methyl-2,2-dioxo-1H-2λ6,1-benzothiazine-3-carboxamides, versatile, and not yet encountered in compounds of this type. A comparison of these data with the results of the pharmacological screening conducted on the standard model of carrageenan inflammation showed that the N-pyridylamides of the first group demonstrated a direct dependence of their analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity on the mutual arrangement of the planes of the benzothiazine and pyridine fragments. The new molecular conformation of the benzothiazine nucleus provides a sufficiently high level of analgesic (but not anti-inflammatory) properties in all N-pyridylamides of the second group with an extremely weak dependence on the spatial arrangement of the pyridine cycle. All substances presented this article proved themselves in varying degrees as analgesics and antiphlogistics. Moreover, two of them—N-(5-methylpyridin-2-yl)- and N-(pyridin-3-yl)-4-methyl-2,2-dioxo-1H-2λ6,1-benzothiazine-3-carboxamides—exceeded the most effective drug of oxicam type Lornoxicam by these indicators.

The formation of the salt and neutral molecule cocrystal from equimolar solution of heliamine and bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-endo-2,3-dicarboxylic acid

The possible interaction of 6,7-dimethoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (heliamine) with bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-endo-2,3-dicarboxylic acid anhydride has been studied. Instead of the reaction with heliamine, the acid anhydride was hydrolyzed into the appropriate dicarboxylic acid. An equimolar mixture of unreacted heliamine and in-situ-generated dicarboxylic acid crystallized in space group P2₁/c. The comprehensive study of the obtained crystals shows that the peculiarities of the crystallization process lead to the formation of the salt-cocrystal structure where the dianion interacts simultaneously with two cations forming a chain as the primary structural motif. The neutral molecules of dicarboxylic acid link the dianions of the neighbouring chains, forming a layer as the secondary structural motif. As a result, the stronger hydrogen bonds formed by the neutral molecules play a secondary role in the crystal structure formation.

Intermolecular interactions in crystals of benzene and its mono- and dinitro derivatives: study from the energetic viewpoint

The weak intermolecular interactions and their role in mono- and dinitrobenzene crystal structure formation have been studied using quantum-chemical calculations.

Hydrogen bonding vs. stacking interaction in the crystals of the simplest coumarin derivatives: a study from the energetic viewpoint

Hydrogen bonded and stacked dimers have very close interaction energies in the crystals of the simplest coumarin derivatives according to the data of the crystal structure analysis based on the comparison of pairwise interaction energies.

Acceptor properties of amino groups in aminobenzene crystals: study from the energetic viewpoint

The role of the N–H⋯N hydrogen bonds in the organization of the crystals of the aniline and diaminobenzenes has been studied.