Systemic administration of ivabradine, a hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel inhibitor, blocks spontaneous absence seizures.

OBJECTIVE: Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels are known to be involved in the generation of absence seizures (ASs), and there is evidence that cortical and thalamic HCN channel dysfunctions may have a proabsence role. Many HCN channel blockers are available, but their role in ASs has been investigated only by localized brain injection or in in vitro model systems due to their limited brain availability. Here, we investigated the effect on ASs of orally administered ivabradine (an HCN channel blocker approved for the treatment of heart failure in humans) following injection of the P-glycoprotein inhibitor elacridar, which is known to increase penetration into the brain of drug substrates for this efflux transporter. The action of ivabradine was also tested following in vivo microinjection into the cortical initiation network (CIN) of the somatosensory cortex and in the thalamic ventrobasal nucleus (VB) as well as on cortical and thalamocortical neurons in brain slices. METHODS: We used electroencephalographic recordings in freely moving Genetic Absence Epilepsy Rats From Strasbourg (GAERSs) to assess the action of oral administration of ivabradine, with and without elacridar, on ASs. Ivabradine was also microinjected into the CIN and VB of GAERSs in vivo and applied to Wistar CIN and GAERS VB slices while recording patch-clamped cortical Layer 5/6 and thalamocortical neurons, respectively. RESULTS: Oral administration of ivabradine markedly and dose-dependently reduced ASs. Ivabradine injection into CIN abolished ASs and elicited small-amplitude 4-7-Hz waves (without spikes), whereas in the VB it was less potent. Moreover, ivabradine applied to GAERS VB and Wistar CIN slices selectively decreased HCN channel-dependent properties of cortical Layer 5/6 pyramidal and thalamocortical neurons, respectively. SIGNIFICANCE: These results provide the first demonstration of the antiabsence action of a systemically administered HCN channel blocker, indicating the potential of this class of drugs as a novel therapeutic avenue for ASs.

Efflux Inhibitor Bicalutamide Increases Oral Bioavailability of the Poorly Soluble Efflux Substrate Docetaxel in Co-Amorphous Anti-Cancer Combination Therapy.

Many anti-cancer drugs are difficult to formulate into an oral dosage form because they are both poorly water-soluble and show poor permeability, the latter often as a result of being an intestinal efflux pump substrate. To obtain a more water-soluble formulation, one can take advantage of the higher solubility of the amorphous form of a given drug, whereas to increase permeability, one can make use of an efflux pump inhibitor. In this study, a combination of these two strategies was investigated using the co-amorphous approach, forming an amorphous mixture of two anti-cancer drugs, docetaxel (DTX) and bicalutamide (BIC). The efflux substrate, DTX, was combined with the efflux inhibitor, BIC, and prepared as a single phase co-amorphous mixture at a 1:1 molar ratio using vibrational ball milling. The co-amorphous formulation was tested in vitro and in vivo for its dissolution kinetics, supersaturation properties and pharmacokinetics in rats. The co-amorphous formulation showed a faster in vitro dissolution of both drugs compared to the control groups, but only DTX showed supersaturation (1.9 fold) compared to its equilibrium solubility. The findings for the co-amorphous formulation were in agreement with the pharmacokinetics data, showing a quicker onset in plasma concentration as well as a higher bioavailability for both DTX (15-fold) and BIC (3-fold) compared to the crystalline drugs alone. Furthermore, the co-amorphous formulation remained physically stable over 1.5 years at 4 °C under dry conditions.

Two simple cleanup methods combined with LC-MS/MS for quantification of steroid hormones in in vivo and in vitro assays.

Measuring both progestagens, androgens, corticosteroids as well as estrogens with a single method makes it possible to investigate the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on the main pathways in the mammalian steroidogenesis. This paper presents two simple methods for the determination of the major steroid hormones in biological matrixes using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS(2)). A novel method was developed for the determination of 14 steroids in the H295R in vitro assay without the need for solid phase extraction (SPE) purification prior to LC-MS(2) analysis. The in vitro assay was validated by exposing H295R cells to prochloraz for inhibiting steroid hormone secretion and by exposing cells to forskolin for inducing steroid hormone secretion. The developed method fulfills the recommendations for the H295R assay suggested by the OECD. Furthermore, a simple off-line SPE methodology was developed for the necessary clean-up of in vivo assays. Samples, such as gonad tissue, plasma and serum, are complex biological matrixes, and the SPE methodology was optimized to remove salts and proteins prior to elution of target analytes. At the same time, lipophilic compounds were retained on the SPE cartridge during elution. This, combined with the multi-steroid LC-MS(2) method, made it possible to determine 10 steroids in male Sprague-Dawley rat gonad tissue. Furthermore, it was possible to quantify 6 steroids in the plasma. In general, the observed concentration of steroid hormones in plasma, testes, and H295R cell medium corresponded well with previous studies. The off-line SPE method was validated using spiked charcoal-stripped serum. Method recovery, accuracy, precision and robustness were all good. Instrument sensitivity was in the range of 55-530 pg/mL (LLOQ).

The plasma pharmacokinetics of fosfomycin and metronidazole after intraperitoneal administration in patients undergoing appendectomy for uncomplicated appendicitis.

We aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetics of fosfomycin and metronidazole after intraperitoneal administration of the combination of fosfomycin and metronidazole in patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy for uncomplicated appendicitis. We included eight otherwise healthy men undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy. The trial treatment was administered at the end of the surgical procedure and left in the abdominal cavity. Trial drugs consisted of 4 g fosfomycin and 1 g metronidazole in a total volume of 500.2 mL. Blood samples were collected prior to and ½, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h after administration. High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used for the measurement of plasma concentrations, and pharmacokinetic calculations were undertaken. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was undertaken on isolates from intraoperatively collected specimens. The median maximal concentration for fosfomycin in plasma was 104.4 mg/L, median time point for the maximal concentration was 1.5 h, median half-life 3.0 h, and median area under the curve 608 mg*h/L. The median maximal concentration for metronidazole in plasma was 13.6 mg/L, median time point for the maximal concentration was 2.0 h, median half-life 7.3 h, and median area under the curve was 164 mg*h/L. All aerobic bacteria were susceptible to fosfomycin, and all anaerobes were susceptible to metronidazole. Plasma concentrations of fosfomycin and metronidazole were in line with concentrations reported from pharmacokinetic studies after intravenous administration and were within therapeutic ranges.

Occurrence and risk assessment of antibiotics in water and lettuce in Ghana.

Hospital wastewater and effluents from waste stabilization ponds in Kumasi, Ghana, are directly discharged as low quality water into nearby streams which are eventually used to irrigate vegetables. The presence of 12 commonly used antibiotics in Ghana (metronidazole, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, trimethoprim, ampicillin, cefuroxime, sulfamethoxazole, amoxicillin, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline and doxycycline) were investigated in water and lettuce samples collected in three different areas in Kumasi, Ghana. The water samples were from hospital wastewater, wastewater stabilization ponds, rivers and irrigation water, while the lettuce samples were from vegetable farms and market vendors. Antibiotics in water samples were extracted using SPE while antibiotics in lettuce samples were extracted using accelerated solvent extraction followed by SPE. All extracted antibiotics samples were analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS. All studied compounds were detected in concentrations significantly higher (p=0.01) in hospital wastewater than in the other water sources. The highest concentration found in the present study was 15µg/L for ciprofloxacin in hospital wastewater. Irrigation water samples analyzed had concentrations of antibiotics up to 0.2µg/L. Wastewater stabilization ponds are low technology but effective means of removing antibiotics with removal efficiency up to 95% recorded in this study. However, some chemicals are still found in levels indicating medium to high risk of antibiotics resistance development in the environment. The total concentrations of antibiotics detected in edible lettuce tissues from vegetable farms and vegetable sellers at the markets were in the range of 12.0-104 and 11.0-41.4ng/kg (fresh weight) respectively. The antibiotics found with high concentrations in all the samples were sulfamethoxazole, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, cefuroxime and trimethoprim. Furthermore, our study confirms the presence of seven antibiotics in lettuce from irrigation farms and markets, suggesting an indirect exposure of humans to antibiotics through vegetable consumption and drinking water in Ghana. However, estimated daily intake for a standard 60kg woman was 0.3ng/day, indicating low risk for human health.

The Combination of Fosfomycin, Metronidazole, and Recombinant Human Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor is Stable in vitro and Has Maintained Antibacterial Activity.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of secondary peritonitis includes surgery and antimicrobial agents. Antimicrobial agents are often administered intravenously, however, the alternative route intraperitoneal administration could be considered. Investigations must be conducted prior to clinical application. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the combination of fosfomycin, metronidazole, and recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor with regard to its chemical properties and the solution's stability. In addition, the antibacterial effect of the mixed drug solution was compared with the effect of the individual antibacterial agents. METHODS: The drugs were mixed to an aqueous solution. Basic chemical investigations of pH, precipitation, and calculated osmolarity of the drug combination were conducted. Fosfomycin and metronidazole's chemical stability was investigated using High Pressure Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Microbiological investigations using the agar cup method were carried out to measure the antibacterial effect of fosfomycin and metronidazole. RESULTS: The aqueous solution of the combination of the three drugs had a pH of 7.46-7.62, which was stable during 24 h, was without precipitation, and had a calculated osmolarity of 293 mOsm/l. High Pressure Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry found stable concentrations of fosfomycin and metronidazole both alone and in combination during 24 h. The antibacterial effect of the drug combination solution was similar to the antibacterial effects of fosfomycin and metronidazole alone. CONCLUSION: The drug combination had neutral and stable pH, was iso-osmotic, and had stable concentrations during 24 h of storage. The antibacterial effect of fosfomycin and metronidazole were not altered when the drugs were mixed.

Sertraline Suppresses Testis and Adrenal Steroid Production and Steroidogenic Gene Expression While Increasing LH in Plasma of Male Rats Resulting in Compensatory Hypogonadism.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are used as first line treatment in major depressive disorder. However, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have also been associated with sexual disorders, abnormalities, and sexual dysfunction, although mechanisms are unclear. The aim of this project was to investigate the possible endocrine disrupting effect of sertraline (SER) on sex steroid production in male rats exposed to 3 therapeutically realistic doses of SER 1.25, 5, and 20 mg/kg/day. To achieve this, we analyzed all the major steroids in testis, adrenals, brain, and plasma using Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Furthermore, we investigated the potential effects on gene expression on the major genes involved in testicular, adrenal and brain steroidogenesis using quantitative PCR. Moreover, plasma luteinizing hormone (LH) levels were analyzed. We observed significant reduction in steroid production, in particular on the testicular Δ-4 axis and on the adrenal CYP17-hydroxylase axis. Effects in brain and plasma were less pronounced. Testicular gene transcription was also significantly down-regulated except for the CYP19 (aromatase) gene. In contrast, no effects on the adrenal gene expression were observed, except for an up-regulation of the CYP17. Plasma LH and LH/TS were increased, in particular in the lowest exposure group, indicating some degree of compensatory hypogonadism. In conclusion, this study demonstrates extensive endocrine disruption during SER exposure in male rats, both directly on steroid production in major endocrine tissues, but also indirectly by affecting gene expression. Furthermore, increased LH levels may augment decreased sex steroid production, in particular testosterone production, inducing a state of compensatory hypogonadism.

Uptake of antibiotics from irrigation water by plants.

The capacity of carrot (Daucus corota L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), two plants that are usually eaten raw, to uptake tetracycline and amoxicillin (two commonly used antibiotics) from irrigated water was investigated in order to assess the indirect human exposure to antibiotics through consumption of uncooked vegetables. Antibiotics in potted plants that had been irrigated with known concentrations of the antibiotics were extracted using accelerated solvent extraction and analyzed on a liquid chromatograph-tandem mass spectrometer. The plants absorbed the antibiotics from water in all tested concentrations of 0.1-15 mg L(-1). Tetracycline was detected in all plant samples, at concentrations ranging from 4.4 to 28.3 ng/g in lettuce and 12.0-36.8 ng g(-1) fresh weight in carrots. Amoxicillin showed absorption with concentrations ranging from 13.7 ng g(-1) to 45.2 ng g(-1) for the plant samples. The mean concentration of amoxicillin (27.1 ng g(-1)) in all the samples was significantly higher (p = 0.04) than that of tetracycline (20.2 ng g(-1)) indicating higher uptake of amoxicillin than tetracycline. This suggests that the low antibiotic concentrations found in plants could be important for causing antibiotics resistance when these levels are consumed.

Enantioselective endocrine disrupting effects of omeprazole studied in the H295R cell assay and by molecular modeling.

Enantiomers possess different pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties and this may not only influence the therapeutic effect of a drug but also its toxicological effects. In the present work we investigated the potential enantioselective endocrine disrupting effects of omeprazole (OME) and its two enantiomers on the human steroidogenesis using the H295R cell line. Differences in production of 16 steroid hormones were analyzed using LC-MS/MS. Additionally, to evaluate the differences in binding modes of these enantiomers, docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of S-omeprazole (S-OME) and R-omeprazole (R-OME) in CYP17A1, CYP19A1 and CYP21A2 were carried out. Exposing H295R cells to OME and its enantiomers resulted in an increase of progesterone (PRO) and 17α-hydroxy-progesterone (OH-PRO) levels. At the same time, a decrease in the corticosteroid and androgen synthesis was observed, indicating inhibition of CYP21A2 and CYP17A1. In both cases, the effect of R-OME was smaller compared to that of the S-OME and a certain degree of enantioselectivity of CYP17A1 and CYP21A2 was suggested. Docking indicated that the N-containing rings of OME possibly could interact with the iron atom of the heme for S-OME in CYP17A1 and S- and R-OME in CYP21A2. However, density functional theory calculations suggest that the direct N-Fe interaction is weak. The study demonstrates enantioselective differences in the endocrine disrupting potential of chiral drugs such as omeprazole. These findings may have potential implications for drug safety and drug design.