Comparative effects of pilocarpine in different vehicles on pupil diameter in albino rabbits and squirrel monkeys

Effects on intraocular pressure and pupil size in glaucomatous beagles after topical pilocarpine instilled with standard (pH 5) and buffer-tip (pH 7) droptainers

Single doses (50 microliters) of 1% and 2% pilocarpine, instilled by a buffer-tip droptainer resulting in an approximate pH 7.0 solution, and 1, 2, and 4% pilocarpine, instilled by the standard droptainer, resulting a pH 5.0 solution, were evaluated in the glaucomatous Beagle model. Pupil size and intraocular pressure measurements were performed at 0, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours. Signs of topical irritation (blepharospasm, conjunctival hyperemia and chemosis, and any corneal changes) were also monitored. Both solutions produced similar onset and duration of miosis and ocular hypotension, but the pH 5.0 solutions produced a brief elevation in intraocular pressure during the first hour post-drug instillation. Moderate blepharospasm, conjunctival hyperemia, and chemosis occurred with only the pilocarpine solutions with pH 5.0.

Microparticulates for ophthalmic drug delivery

Microparticulates are drug-containing small polymeric particles (erodible, non-erodible or ion-exchange resins) that are suspended in a liquid carrier medium. Upon administration of particle suspension in the eye, the particles reside at the delivery site (cul-de-sac, sub conjunctiva or vitreous cavity) and the drug is released from the particles through diffusion, chemical reaction, polymer degradation, or ion-exchange mechanism. Several distinct approaches have been used to formulate drugs in microparticulate dosage form for intraocular and topical application. These include erodible microparticulates, swelling mucoadhesive particulates, pH responsive microparticulates, nanoparticles/latex systems, ion-exchange resins, etc. Injection of bioerodible microparticulates in the vitreous for treating infections of posterior segment and the release of acceptable levels of drug up to two weeks has been demonstrated. Both corneal and non-corneal routes of drug entry in the eye from topical instillations are postulated. The in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that this dosage form holds great promise for sustained drug release in the eye. However, several formulation challenges, including production of stable suspensions, uniform dose per unit volume, efficient drug entrapment, reproducible and large scale manufacturing, uniform particle size, etc., have to be addressed. Fruitful resolution of technological challenges will result in a superior dosage form for both topical and intraocular ophthalmic application. Recent developments and future challenges of microparticulate ophthalmic drug delivery system are discussed in this review.

Absence of drug effects on rabbit blood-aqueous barrier permeability to non-electrolytes

The effects of either topical epinephrine, norepinephrine or pilocarpine upon the entry of non-transported radioactive solutes into the anterior or posterior chamber of pigmented rabbit eyes was examined after intravenous solute perfusion. Solutes employed were urea, thiourea, sucrose and inulin. They were infused at a rate that maintained constant plasma levels from 1 minute through 5 hours of intravenous perfusion. Anterior and posterior chamber samples were taken at either 5 minutes or 5 hours after infusion of solutes, but in either case at 1 hour after drug administration. Differences between the 5 minute and 5 hour data showed more solute entry with the passage of time, and differences were found between the rate of solute entry at both times based upon molecular size. However, while occasional statistically significant differences were found between certain drug treatments, no drug effects were noted on solute entry into the treated eye either when compared to the contralateral untreated eye or to a separate untreated control group.