Encapsulated microRNA by gemcitabine prodrug for cancer treatment.

Although microRNAs (miRNAs) function as the important tumor gene regulators, they still confront with many challenges in systemic delivery. Here, the amphiphilic gemcitabine-oleic acid prodrugs (GOA) binding miRNAs with hydrogen bond are assembled into nanoparticles (GOA/miR NPs) through hydrophobic interaction via denaturation-annealing processes and nano-precipitation technique. The non-cationic GOA/miR NPs with an average size of ~150 nm and a zeta potential of ~ - 15 mV exhibit a stable encapsulation of miRNAs with non-sequence selectivity. Either miR-122 or miR-34a encapsulated in the GOA/miR NPs is efficiently delivered into HepG2 cells and significantly downregulate the expression levels of target gene after lysosome escape and pH-responsive disassembly. Moreover, in vivo experiments demonstrate that the GOA/miR-122 NPs exhibit higher tumor accumulation. Compared to GOA micelles, GOA/miR-122 NPs displayed stronger tumor inhibition (73% regression) after intravenous injection in nude mice xenografted with HCC, along with rapid clearance in normal liver tissues. Furthermore, there is no significant influence on biochemical indicators and immune factors during the systematic administration of GOA/miR-122 NPs. The non-cationic GOA/miR NPs engineered by hydrogen bond interaction and hydrophobic forces show the enhanced synergistic antitumor efficacy and good biosafety, which will provide a potential nanomedcine for HCC treatment.

The Pharmacokinetics of Morphine and Codeine in Human Plasma and Urine after Oral Administration of Qiangli Pipa Syrup.

Papaveris pericarpium, a natural source of morphine and codeine, is the principal active component in many antitussive traditional Chinese medicines. We herein report the first PK study of papaveris pericarpium in human plasma and urine following oral administration of single (15, 30, 60 mL) and multiple dose (15 mL) of Qiangli Pipa Syrup (MOR 0.1 mg/mL, COD 0.028 mg/mL) by monitoring morphine and codeine using a HPLC-MS/MS method. Their Tmax and t1/2 values are independent of dosages, while the AUC0-t linearly increased with higher dosages, indicating linear PK characteristics. AUC0-t increased obviously after multiple doses, indicating possible risk of accumulative toxicity. Urine studies suggested risks of positive opiate drug tests with a cutoff of 300 ng/mL, which lasted 6-14 h at different doses. These results provide important information for clinical safety, efficacy and rational drug use of Qiangli Pipa Syrup and also guide the related judicial expertise of its administration.

Intra-arterial delivery of superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoshell and polyvinyl alcohol based chemoembolization system for the treatment of liver tumor.

A superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoshell and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) based chemoembolization system for anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) delivery has previously been presented. We have also previously confirmed the feasibility and safety of this multifunctional system for carrying both DOX and SPIO nanoparticles in vitro. However, the pharmacokinetic and the therapeutic efficacy of this novel drug-delivery system in vivo is not yet clear, and as such was the subject of this study. A rabbit liver tumor model was utilized, whereby the tumors were targeted by SPIO/DOX/PVA composite infused via a catheter into the hepatic arteries which supplying blood to the tumor. The result was compared to saline, DOX+PVA, or SPIO/DOX infusion alone. SPIO/DOX/PVA displayed sustained chemotherapeutic agent release into the tumor. In comparison to other treatment groups, tumor growth rate was significantly slowed down by SPIO/DOX/PVA with a smaller tumor volume and a prolonged survival time of the experimental rabbits. Liver function results demonstrated SPIO/DOX/PVA has no apparent toxicity to the normal liver. Pharmacokinetic studies and histological evaluations in SPIO/DOX/PVA group revealed that long-term retention and drug release within the tumor associated with SPIO/DOX/PVA therapy, and thereafter induced significantly enhanced tumor necrosis and apoptosis. We conclude SPIO/DOX/PVA provides a highly effective therapeutic strategy for management of liver tumors.

Transdermal behaviors comparisons among Evodia rutaecarpa extracts with different purity of evodiamine and rutaecarpine and the effect of topical formulation in vivo.

AIM: Evodiamine (EVO) and rutaecapine (RUT), the major active components from Evodia rutaecarpa extract (EE), are recognized as a depended analgesic agent. This study was designed to investigate the effect of purity and chemical enhancers on the transdermal behavior of EVO and RUT, and the pharmacological effect of their topical cream in vivo. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Transdermal delivery across a full thickness pig abdominal skin was detected in vitro by Franz-type diffusion cell, with HPLC for quantification of the permeation of EVO and RUT. The activity of topical cream in vivo was evaluated by a mice pain model induced by formalin and hot plate. RESULTS: Transdermal characters of EVO and RUT showed a low transdermal rate, long lag time and low cumulative amount. The transdermal rate and cumulative amount could be promoted by lipophilic enhancers, whereas lag time was shortened by hydrophilic surfactant, but these permeation parameters were not markedly influenced by purity of EE (p>0.05). The effect in vivo was confirmed by analgesic models in topical cream of EE, which produced a significant (p<0.05) inhibitory effects on pain response in dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: The purity of EVO and RUT from EE has no significant effect on their permeation through porcine skin, but oleic acid or nerolidol can markedly elevate the transdermal rate of EVO and RUT. High purity of EE is the best choice for topical preparation to increase the drug loading. The effect of EE in vivo is verified by formalin model and hot plate test.

Solid dispersion of rutaecarpine improved its antihypertensive effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

It was reported previously that rutaecarpine produced a hypotensive effect in phenol-induced and 2-kidney, 1-clip hypertensive rats. However, the same dose of crude rutaecarpine did not produce significant hypotensive effects when applied to spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). In the present study, a different dose of rutaecarpine solid dispersion was administered intragastrically to SHR. The systolic blood pressure was monitored by the tail-cuff method with an electro-sphygmomanometer. The plasma concentration of rutaecarpine, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and the mRNA levels of CGRP in dorsal root ganglion were determined. The results showed that administration of the solid dispersion significantly increased the blood concentration of rutaecarpine, accompanied by significant hypotensive effects in SHR in a dose-dependent manner. The levels of plasma CGRP were also elevated significantly, concomitantly with the increased mRNA levels in the dorsal root ganglion in a dose-dependent manner. It was concluded that a change of the dosage from the crude drug to solid dispersion could improve significantly the efficiency of rutaecarpine absorption and increase its plasma concentration. The anti-hypertensive effect exerted by rutaecarpine solid dispersion in SHR is mediated by CGRP.

The protective effects of rutaecarpine on gastric mucosa injury in rats.

Previous investigations have shown that calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) protects gastric mucosa against injury induced by acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and that rutaecarpine activates vanilloid receptors to evoke CGRP release. In the present study, we examined the protective effects of rutaecarpine on gastric mucosa injury, and explored whether the protective effects of rutaecarpine are related to stimulation of endogenous CGRP release via activating vanilloid receptors in rats. In an ASA-induced ulceration model, gastric mucosal ulcer index, pH value of gastric juice and plasma concentrations of CGRP were determined. ASA significantly increased the gastric mucosal ulcer index and the back-diffusion of H+ through the mucosa. Rutaecarpine at the doses of 100 or 300 microg/kg (i.v.), and 300 or 600 microg/kg (intragastric, i.g.) reduced the ulcer index and back-diffusion of H+, which was abolished by pretreatment with capsaicin (50 mg/kg, s.c.) or capsazepine (3 mg/kg, i.v.), a competitive vanilloid receptor antagonist. Rutaecarpine significantly increased the plasma concentration of CGRP, which was also abolished by capsazepine. In a stress-induced ulceration model, rutaecarpine reduced gastric mucosal damages, which was abolished by capsazepine (5 mg/kg, i.p.). These results suggest that rutaecarpine protects the gastric mucosa against injury induced by ASA and stress, and that the gastroprotective effect of rutaecarpine is related to a stimulation of endogenous CGRP release via activation of the vanilloid receptor.

[Determination of octreotide in human plasma by HPLC-MS with solid-phase extraction and study on the relative bioavailability of domestic and imported octreotide injections].

AIM: To establish an HPLC-MS method for determination of octreotide in plasma and study the relative bioavailability of domestic and imported octreotide injections. METHODS: Octreotide in plasma samples were extracted with a Waters solid-phase extraction mini column. HPLC-MS was carried out using a Waters Xetrra C18 column and a mobile phase consisting of CH3 OH-1% HAc (80 : 20), the flow rate was 0.2 mL x min(-1), and the internal standard was 6, 7, 4'-OH-isoflavone, the SIR ions for quantification were m/z 1 014.4 for octreotide and m/z 317.6 for internal standard. A single dose of 200 microg of domestic or imported preparations was intramuscularly given to 18 healthy volunteers in a randomized crossover study. Octreotide concentration in plasma was determined by LC-MS method. The pharmacokinetics and bioavailability were studied. RESULTS: The regressive curve was linear (r = 0.9997) within the range of 0.5 - 40 microg x L(-1) for octreotide. The pharmacokinetics parameters of domestic and imported injection were reply to one compartment model. The mean C(max) were (19 +/- 10) microg x L(-1) and (19 +/- 11) microg x L(-1), T(max) were (0.50 +/- 0.15) h and (0.52 +/- 0.20) h, T1/2 were (1.5 +/- 0.8) h and (1.5 +/- 0.8) h, AUC(0-7 h) were (50 +/- 25) h x microg x L(-1) and (50 +/- 25) h x microg x L(-1), respectively. The relative bioavailability of domestic to imported injection was 101% +/- 10%. CONCLUSION: The method is accurat and sensible for assay of plasma octreotide concentration. The results of statistics showed the two preparations were bioequivalent.