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Skorup I, Valentino G, Aleandri S, Gelli R, Ganguin AA, Felli E, Selicean SE, Marxer RA, Teworte S, Lucić A, Gracia-Sancho J, Berzigotti A, Ridi F, Luciani P. Polyenylphosphatidylcholine as bioactive excipient in tablets for the treatment of liver fibrosis. Int J Pharm 2023; 646:123473. [PMID: 37788730 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a condition characterized by the accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) arising from the myofibroblastic transdifferentiation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) occurring as the natural response to liver damage. To date, no pharmacological treatments have been specifically approved for liver fibrosis. We recently reported a beneficial effect of polyenylphosphatidylcholines (PPCs)-rich formulations in reverting fibrogenic features of HSCs. However, unsaturated phospholipids' properties pose a constant challenge to the development of tablets as preferred patient-centric dosage form. Profiting from the advantageous physical properties of the PPCs-rich Soluthin® S 80 M, we developed a tablet formulation incorporating 70% w/w of this bioactive lipid. Tablets were characterized via X-ray powder diffraction, thermogravimetry, and Raman confocal imaging, and passed the major compendial requirements. To mimic physiological absorption after oral intake, phospholipids extracted from tablets were reconstituted as protein-free chylomicron (PFC)-like emulsions and tested on the fibrogenic human HSC line LX-2 and on primary cirrhotic rat hepatic stellate cells (PRHSC). Lipids extracted from tablets and reconstituted in buffer or as PFC-like emulsions exerted the same antifibrotic effect on both activated LX-2 and PRHSCs as observed with plain S 80 M liposomes, showing that the manufacturing process did not interfere with the bioactivity of PPCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivo Skorup
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Gina Valentino
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Simone Aleandri
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Rita Gelli
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff" and CSGI, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Aymar Abel Ganguin
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Eric Felli
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department for BioMedical Research, Hepatology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sonia Emilia Selicean
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department for BioMedical Research, Hepatology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Rosanne Angela Marxer
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Teworte
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ana Lucić
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jordi Gracia-Sancho
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department for BioMedical Research, Hepatology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Liver Vascular Biology Research Group, CIBEREHD, IDIBAPS Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Annalisa Berzigotti
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department for BioMedical Research, Hepatology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Francesca Ridi
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff" and CSGI, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Paola Luciani
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
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