Development of novel solid dispersion of tranilast using amphiphilic block copolymer for improved oral bioavailability.

The present study aimed to develop novel solid dispersion (SD) of tranilast (TL) using amphiphilic block copolymer, poly[MPC-co-BMA] (pMB), to improve the dissolution and pharmacokinetic behavior of TL. pMB-based SD of TL (pMB-SD/TL) with drug loading of 50% (w/w) was prepared by wet-mill technology, and the physicochemical properties were characterized in terms of morphology, crystallinity, dissolution, and hygroscopicity. Powder X-ray diffraction and polarized light microscopic experiments demonstrated high crystallinity of TL in pMB-SD/TL. The pMB-SD/TL exhibited immediate micellization when introduced to aqueous media, forming fine droplets with a mean diameter of ca. 122 nm. There was marked improvement in the dissolution behavior for the pMB-SD/TL even under acidic conditions, although the supersaturated TL concentration gradually decreased. NMR analyses demonstrated interaction between TL and pMB, as evidenced by the chemical shift drifting and line broadening. Pharmacokinetic behaviors of orally dosed TL formulations were evaluated in rats using UPLC/ESI-MS. After oral administration of pMB-SD/TL (10mg TL/kg) in rats, enhanced TL exposure was observed with increases of Cmax and AUC by 125- and 52-fold, respectively, compared with those of crystalline TL. From these findings, pMB-based SD formulation approach might be an efficacious approach for enhancing the therapeutic potential of TL.

Self-assembled micellar formulation of chafuroside A with improved anti-inflammatory effects in experimental asthma/COPD-model rats.

Chafuroside A (CFA), a poorly water-soluble flavone C-glycoside, was firstly isolated from oolong tea, and it acts as a potent anti-inflammatory agent. The present study was undertaken to develop a water-soluble formulation of CFA using a self-assembled micellar (SAM) system, with the aim of improved dissolution behavior and potent anti-inflammatory effects. The SAM formulation of CFA (CFA/SAM) was characterized in terms of its morphology, particle size distribution, crystallinity, and dissolution behavior. In dissolution testing, the CFA/SAM exhibited marked improvement in dissolution behavior when compared with crystalline CFA, and then, nano-micellar particles were constituted with a mean diameter of 84 nm. The therapeutic potential of the crystalline CFA and CFA/SAM was assessed using an experimental asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-like model. Orally-administered CFA at 0.5mg/kg or higher could attenuate inflammatory symptoms in a dose-dependent manner, as evidenced by decreases of infiltrated granulocytes, including macrophages and neutrophils, and myeloperoxidase, a specific biomarker for neutrophilia. Biomarker profiling demonstrated that the CFA/SAM at 0.1mg CFA/kg was equipotent to CFA at 1.0mg/kg in ameliorating antigen-induced airway inflammation, suggesting the better pharmacological effect of CFA/SAM due to improved dissolution behavior. From these observations, the SAM formulation might be an efficacious approach for enhancing the therapeutic potential of CFA for treatment of inflammatory diseases.

In vitro and in vivo characterization of new formulations of St. John's Wort extract with improved pharmacokinetics and anti-nociceptive effect.

The main purpose of the present study was to develop a novel formulation of St. John's Wort (SJW) extract with the aim of improving its pharmacokinetics and anti-nociceptive effect. Several formulations of SJW were prepared, including cyclodextrin inclusion (SJW-CD), solid dispersion (SJW-SD), dry-emulsion (SJW-DE), and nano-emulsion (SJW-NE). Physicochemical properties of SJW formulations were characterized with a focus on the morphology, dissolution behavior, colloidal properties, and dispersion stability in water. Although all the SJW formulations and SJW extract itself exhibited fine dissolution behavior in water, SJW extract and most formulations tended to cream, aggregate, or flocculate after dispersion in distilled water. In contrast, there were no significant changes in appearance and particle size of the SJW-NE for at least a few weeks, suggesting that SJW-NE was the most stable form as a carrier of SJW in the present study. After oral administration of the SJW-NE formulation (5.2 mg hyperforin/kg) in mice, higher hyperforin exposure in plasma (1188 ± 41 nM·h) and the brain (52.9 ± 1.6 pmol/g tissue·h) was observed with 2.8- and 1.3-fold increases of the area under the concentration curve from 0 to 6 hours (AUC(0-6)) compared to those of the SJW extract (417 ± 41 nM·h in plasma and 41.6 ± 1.5 pmol/g tissue·h in the brain). In the formalin test for scoring properties of the first and second phases of the pain response in mice, single oral administration of SJW-NE significantly reduced the nociceptive response compared with SJW extract. From these findings, the NE approach might be efficacious in improving the oral bioavailability and anti-nociceptive effect of SJW extract.

Fatigue and tensile properties of radicular dentin substrate.

The purpose of this study was to compare the fatigue and tensile strengths of radicular dentin. Forty bovine lower central incisors were used, twenty teeth for the fatigue test and twenty teeth for the tensile test. Bovine teeth were each sectioned into coronal and radicular portions. Dentin slabs of 1mm thickness were prepared along the radicular tooth using a low-speed cutting machine and trimmed into dumbbell-shaped specimens. A dentin slab was harvested from each tooth. Subsequently, fatigue and tensile tests were performed in Hank's balanced saline solution at 37 °C. The staircase method was employed to determine fatigue strength and its standard deviation. Fracture surfaces were observed by scanning electron microscopy. Mean fatigue strength and tensile strength were 44.3±5.0 and 84.4±8.3 MPa, respectively. The fatigue strength of radicular dentin was significantly lower than the tensile strength. The fatigue strength of radicular dentin was only approximately one half of the tensile strength.

Comparison of nanohardness between coronal and radicular intertubular dentin.

This study investigated the hardness and Young's modulus of coronal and radicular intertubular dentin. Ten bovine teeth were each divided into coronal and radicular groups, and the flat surfaces of the coronal and radicular dentin were subsequently processed along the tooth axis. The hardness and Young's modulus of the coronal and radicular intertubular dentin were evaluated using nanoindentation tests, at two locations per tooth. Mean hardness and Young's modulus values were statistically compared by one-way ANOVA and Fisher's PLSD test. The hardness of coronal intertubular dentin was 0.81 +/- 0.05 GPa and that of radicular dentin was 0.55 +/- 0.02 GPa. Additionally, the Young's modulus of coronal intertubular dentin was 26.60 +/- 2.19 GPa and that of radicular dentin was 20.89 +/- 1.10 GPa. Findings of this study revealed that the hardness and Young's modulus of coronal intertubular dentin were greater than those of radicular intertubular dentin.

Microencapsule technique protects hepatocytes from cryoinjury.

AIM: Hepatocyte transplantation is a potential alternative to whole organ liver transplantation. To realize this procedure, a hepatocyte bank system capable of supplying large numbers of hepatocytes must be established. We previously reported an easy method for cryopreserving hepatocytes using a microencapsulation technique. Here, we investigated how cryoinjury to microencapsulated hepatocytes could be avoided during cryopreservation. METHODS: Hepatocytes from Sprague-Dawley rats were harvested in situ using a two-step ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)/collagenase digestion protocol. The cells were microencapsulated using alginate-poly L-lysine. The microencapsulated hepatocytes were put into vials and immediately immersed in liquid nitrogen. The growth of ice crystals in the vials containing the microencapsulated hepatocytes was observed using cryomicroscopy. The microencapsulated hepatocytes were sectioned for ultrastructural examination to investigate their intracellular conditions. Finally, total RNA was isolated from the cryopreserved microencapsulated hepatocytes and analyzed for hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF) using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. RESULTS: Cryomicroscopy showed that the alginate microencapsulation technique protected the hepatocytes from physical damage caused by the growth of extracellular ice crystals. Ultrastructural examination revealed that the intracellular environment of the microencapsulated hepatocytes was maintained. The RT-PCR analysis additionally suggested that the alginate gel also maintained the HNF level. CONCLUSION: Our microencapsulation technique protects hepatocytes from cryoinjury. This novel technique could be utilized by hepatocyte banks.