Complexation and solubility behavior of albendazole with some cyclodextrins

Super Aqueous Solubility of Albendazole in β-Cyclodextrin for Parenteral Application in Cancer therapy

Poor aqueous solubility of anticancer drug, albendazole (ABZ), prevents parenteral application. Here, we demonstrate how to increase the aqueous solubility of ABZ to 6- 8 mg/ml using sulfobutylether - β-cyclodextrin (SBE-β-CD) or Hydroxypropyl- β-cyclodextrin (HP- β-CD) by manipulation of complexation parameters such as the physical state of ABZ (ionized in acetic acid), the concentration of ionised ABZ, agitation time and temperature. Solubility was first examined with suspension of excess ABZ powder in cyclodextrin (CD) solutions at pH (2.3, 4.0 & 7.0), subsequently with excess ionised ABZ [ABZ] at pH. 2.3 with the determination of optimal quantity of [ABZ] use for maximal complexation. Complexation time, temperature effect, stability of formulation, with in vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity of [ABZ]-SBE-β-CD was assessed. Suspended ABZ formulation at pH 2.3 showed maximum solubilisation of 2.29 & 1.72 mg/ml, whilst excess addition of [ABZ] showed poor complexation (1.26 & 1.20 mg/ml) in SBE-β-CD & HP- β-CD, respectively. The addition of 8.0 mg/ml and 7.0 mg/ml of [ABZ] to 40% CD solutions at 25ºC showed maximum complexation with SBE-β-CD & HP- β-CD, respectively, at three days, with 2 weeks stability. [ABZ] complexed with SBE-β-CD showed potent cytotoxicity (in vitro & in vivo) in ovarian tumour cells. Hence, the current method may be used for solubilising ABZ for parenteral use.

Characterization of albendazole-randomly methylated-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex and in vivo evaluation of its antihelmitic activity in a murine model of Trichinellosis

Albendazole is a benzimidazole carbamate extensively used in oral chemotherapy against intestinal parasites, due to its broad spectrum activity, good tolerance and low cost. However, the drug has the disadvantage of poor bioavailability due to its very low solubility in water; as a consequence, a very active area of research focuses on the development of new pharmaceutical formulations to increase its solubility, dissolution rate, and bioavailability. The primary objective of this study was to prepare randomly methylated β-cyclodextrins inclusion complexes to increase albendazole dissolution rate, in order to enhance its antiparasitic activity. This formulation therapeutic efficacy was contrasted with that of the pure drug by treating Trichinella spiralis infected mice during the intestinal phase of the parasite cycle, on days five and six post-infection. This protocol significantly decreased muscle larval burden measured in the parenteral stage on day 30 post-infection, when compared with the untreated control. Thus, it could be demonstrated that the inclusion complexes improve the in vivo therapeutic activity of albendazole.

Exploring flubendazole formulations for use in sheep. Pharmacokinetic evaluation of a cyclodextrin-based solution

Background

Flubendazole (FLBZ) is a poor water solubility broad-spectrum BZD methylcarbamate anthelmintic compound. Cyclodextrins (CDs) are usually used to increase aqueous solubility of poor hydrosoluble compounds. The comparative in vitro aqueous solubility of FLBZ and other BZD anthelmintics in the presence of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) was evaluated in the current work. Additionally, the comparative pharmacokinetic behaviour of FLBZ (and its metabolites) administered by the intraruminal (i.r.) or intraabomasal (i.a.) routes to sheep as either an aqueous CDs-based solution or a conventional carboximethylcellulose (CMC) suspension was assessed. Drug solubility studies involving albendazole, mebendazole, oxfendazole and FLBZ were performed in an aqueous solution (pH 1.2 or 7.4) with or without HPβCD (10%, w/v). The pharmacokinetic study involved two experiments. Experiment 1: In a crossover study, sheep received either a FLBZ-CDs solution (n = 3) or a FLBZ-CMC suspension (n = 3) by the i.r. route (3.8 mg/kg). The treatment Groups were reversed after a 21-days washout period. Experiment 2: sheep (n = 4) were treated by the i.a. route with the FLBZ-CDs solution (3.8 mg/kg). Plasma and abomasal fluid samples were collected between 0 and 72 h post-treatment. Samples were analysed by HPLC.

Results

Improvement of FLBZ aqueous solubility due to CDs resulted markedly higher than that observed for mebendazole and albendazole. However, oppositely to what was expected, the absorption-related pharmacokinetic parameters did not show any marked formulation-dependant effect. After the i.a. administration of FLBZ, the AUC and the Tmax of the parent compound were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced, which is consistent with ruminal bypass.

Conclusion

The administration of FLBZ as a CDs-based solution, does not seem to achieve great practical relevance for parasite control in sheep.

Multiresponse optimization of the properties of albendazole-chitosan microparticles

The loading of albendazole into biodegradable polymeric microparticles provides an attractive alternative to improve the drug dissolution rate. Experimental design and optimization techniques were implemented for the development of albendazole-chitosan microparticles using the ionic interaction method. The effect of seven different factors (chitosan concentration, pH of chitosan solution, stirring rate, stirring time, temperature, ionic agent and pH of ionic solutions) were studied on six responses: the yield, pH, morphology, size, dissolution rate and encapsulation efficiency of the microparticles. During the screening phase, the factors were evaluated at three levels each, in order to identify those which exert a significant effect. Multiple response simultaneous optimization by using the desirability function was then used to find experimental conditions where the system shows the most adequate results. The optimal conditions were found to be: NaOH as ionic agent at a pH value of 13.0, chitosan concentration, 0.50% (w/v) at a pH value of 1.0 and stirring rate, 1,000 rpm.

Effects of formulation concentration on intravenous pharmacokinetics, chirality and in vitro solubility of oxfendazole and its metabolites in sheep

This study compared pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles in sheep dosed intravenously with three different concentrations of oxfendazole (OFZ). An in vitro plasma OFZ solubility study provided additional information on plasma saturation. For the PK study, 18 adult, parasite-free, female Suffolk cross sheep, allocated into three groups (n = 6), were treated intravenously, at a dose rate of 5 mg/kg bodyweight, with aqueous formulations containing at 4, 8 or 16% OFZ. Plasma drug concentrations were measured, for up to 72 h post-treatment, by a validated high performance liquid chromatography method with UV detection. OFZ and fenbendazole sulphone (FBZSO2) were the main metabolites detected in all three experimental groups. In animals given the 4% formulation, OFZ depleted according to a biexponential concentration vs. time curve. In contrast, those given 8 or 16% preparations produced atypical curves fitted by monoexponential equations. No statistically significant differences in area under concentration-time curves (AUC) were observed, but concentration-dependent differences in distribution and mean residence time (MRT) were evident. Compared with 4% OFZ, animals treated with 8 and 16% formulations had slower half-lives of metabolite formation, and lower AUC's, suggesting that OFZ sulphonation may have been modified. In vitro there was evidence of plasma saturation associated with 8 and 16% OFZ preparations. It is concluded that differences in PK profiles were related to OFZ solubility and/or tissue drug precipitation.

Enhancement of aqueous solubility of itraconazole by complexation with cyclodextrins using supercritical carbon dioxide

The formation of inclusion complexes between itraconazole, a highly hydrophobic drug, and α-, β-, γ-, and hydroxylpropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) were assessed using phase-solubility techniques. The solubility of itraconazole increased as a function of cyclodextrin concentration showing an AL phase diagram indicating the formation of soluble complexes with 1:1 stoichiometry. The Gibbs free energies of transfer of the drug from aqueous solution to the cavity of cyclodextrin are negative and increase in magnitude with increasing cyclodextrin concentration. The solubility of itraconazole, as well as the stability constant of its complex with HP-β-CD, are found to be affected by the pH of the medium. The HP-β-CD cavity was found to have a greater affinity for the unionized itraconazole than the protonated one. It was found that the interaction between the drug and the cyclodextrin is weakened as the medium becomes more apolar by the addition of methanol. Also, the size of the cavity of the cyclodextrins plays an important role in the association process. Furthermore, the thermodynamic parameters of the complexation process were calculated, by monitoring the isothermic solubility diagrams of itraconazole–HP-β-CD and itraconazole–β-CD at various temperatures, to gain information on the driving forces for the formation of inclusion complexes. Drug formulations of itraconazole were prepared by complexation of the drug into different cyclodextrins using supercritical carbon dioxide in a static mode. The effects of cyclodextrins on the prepared inclusion complexes were studied and characterized by differential scanning calorimetry.Key words: cyclodextrin, itraconazole, inclusion complex, solubility, stability constant.