Determination of the partition coefficients of a homologous series of ciprofloxacin: influence of the N-4 piperazinyl alkylation on the antimicrobial activity

Partitioning of a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, ciprofloxacin, and its N-piperazinyl alkyl derivatives, between octanol or Escherichia coli lipid membrane extract and aqueous buffer pH 7.4, was studied. The experimental partition coefficients (Pexp) were corrected at this pH using an expression that includes the microconstant values of each compound. The relationship between the corrected partition coefficients expressed as logP (thermodynamic partition coefficient) and the diffusion through the lipid bilayers ('hydrophobic pathway') of entry has been considered here. In this work, we have explored the possibility of using our model to provide physicochemical evidences to support such a via. The correlation between logP values and antibacterial activities (expressed as minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values) of the homologous series of antibiotics against different bacteria were studied. A parabolic behaviour was observed which evidenced that the only increase in lipophilicity does not result in an enhanced antimicrobial activity for the homologous family studied.

Determination by fluorimetric titration of the ionization constants of ciprofloxacin in solution and in the presence of liposomes

A fluorescence titration method was applied for the determination of pKa of ciprofloxacin (CPX) in solution. Values of 6.18 +/- 0.05 and 8.76 +/- 0.03 were obtained for pKa1 and pKa2, respectively. The method was used to determine the ionization constants in the presence of liposomes of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and DPPC with 10 mol% of dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol. A dependence on the surface charge of liposomes was found which supported the existence of a basic electrostatic interaction between CPX and the phospholipid bilayer. Both pK values for the N-4 butyl-piperazinyl derivative (BCPX) of the parent compound were also determined in solution and in the presence of liposomes. The competition of both drugs for the same binding site as 1-anilino-8-naphtalene sulfonate demonstrate that the interaction is governed by electrostatic forces.

Encapsulation of doxorubicin in neutral liposomes by passive methods: evidence of drug-lipid interaction at neutral pH

Doxorubicin, an antineoplastic agent, was encapsulated in liposomes of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine with or without cholesterol, by the extrusion procedure. Doxorubicin was added to the lipid before drying, or was present in the rehydration buffer, and the influence of the method of encapsulation on size and polydispersity was determined by photon correlation spectroscopy. Results showed an important interaction between doxorubicin and liposomes, although cholesterol-containing vesicles were those that underwent the strongest insertion of the drug. One important parameter, which determined the extension of such interaction, was the curvature of the vesicle bilayer. So, liposomes extruded through a 50 nm membrane filter suffered the highest relative size variation in comparison with empty liposomes. Doxorubicin also produced an increase in polydispersity of vesicle population; therefore its presence resulted in some fusion and/or aggregation processes. The stability of liposomes was dependent on lipid content, on the method of drug trapping and on the presence or absence of such drug. Encapsulation efficiency seemed to be inversely related to liposome stability. Maximal values, which never exceed 0.015 +/- 0.005 mumol of drug per mumol of lipid, were obtained when the drug was dried together with the lipids.

The action of Triton X-100 and sodium dodecyl sulphate on lipid layers. Effect on monolayers and liposomes

The action of two detergents, Triton X-100 and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), on large, unilamellar liposomes was determined as liposome size variation, polydispersity and ability to release a soluble marker from liposomes. Triton X-100 produced stronger effects than SDS. Nevertheless, these differences in behaviour of such detergents could not be deduced from the interaction of the detergents with monolayers of the same composition as liposomes.