Iontophoretic in vivo transdermal delivery of beta-blockers in hairless rats and reduced skin irritation by liposomal formulation.

PURPOSE: To demonstrate the in vivo transdermal delivery and establish the comparative pharmacokinetics of five beta-blockers in hairless rat. METHODS: Intravenous dosing was initially done via jugular cannula. For iontophoretic delivery, current (0.1 mA/cm2) was applied for 2 h through a drug reservoir patch containing the beta-blocker (10 mg/ml). Blood samples were collected and analyzed by stereoselective HPLC assays. Any irritation resulting from patch application was quantified by a chromameter. Multilamellar liposomal formulation was prepared by the thin-film hydration method and converted to unilamellar liposomes by extrusion. RESULTS: With transdermal iontophoresis, therapeutically relevant amounts of propranolol (83.78 +/- 7.4 ng/ml) were delivered within an hour and lasted for up to 4 h. Cmax (185.1 +/- 56.8 ng/ml) was reached at hour 3. A significantly higher amount (p < 0.05) of sotalol HCl was delivered compared to other beta-blockers. There was no significant difference in the S/R ratio of AUC0-t for enantiomers after both intravenous and transdermal delivery. Skin irritation was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) when a liposomal formulation of the propranolol base was used rather than the base itself. CONCLUSIONS: The comparative pharmacokinetics of intravenous and transdermal iontophoretic delivery of five beta-blockers in hairless rats was established. It was shown that there is no stereoselective permeation.

Quantitative determination of oxprenolol and timolol in urine by capillary zone electrophoresis.

A simple capillary zone electrophoretic method with UV detection has been developed for the quantitative determination of the beta-adrenoreceptor antagonists (beta-blockers) oxprenolol and timolol in human urine, preceded by a solid-phase extraction step. The electrophoretic separation was performed on a 78 cm x 75 microm I.D. fused-silica capillary (effective capillary length: 70 cm). The electrolyte consisted of a Na2B4O7-H3BO3 (50 mM), pH 9. The introduction of the sample was made hydrostatically for 20 s and the running voltage 25 kV at the injector end of the capillary. Photometric detection was used at a wavelength of 229 nm for oxprenolol and 280 nm for timolol. Under these conditions oxprenolol migrated at 4.76+/-0.05 min and timolol at 4.97+/-0.05 min. The solid-phase extraction methods were optimised for each beta-blocker and provided recoveries of 72.8% for timolol and 94.52% for oxprenolol. Good resolution from the endogenous compounds present in the urine matrix were achieved for both compounds. The method was applied to the determination of both beta-blockers in pharmaceutical formulations and urine samples obtained from hypertensive patients after the ingestion of a therapeutic dose (in a 24-h time interval after the ingestion). The quantitative results were compared with results previously obtained at our laboratories by HPLC and were found to be in good agreement. Good reproducibility, linearity, accuracy and quantitation limits (in urine) of 0.19 microg/ml for timolol and 0.20 microg/ml for oxprenolol were obtained, allowing the method to be applied to pharmacokinetic studies of these compounds.

Relative bioavailability of different oral sustained release oxprenolol tablets.

The bioequivalence of oral dosage forms of oxprenolol was assessed in a triple crossover study on two groups of 12 volunteers each. Single 160 mg doses of oxprenolol hydrochloride were given after an overnight fast of either oxprenolol sustained-release tablets in a megaloporous system, a hydrophil matrix and Slow-Trasicor (Ciba-Geigy) in the first group, or floating slow-release tablets administered with food or in absence of food, and rapid release Oxprenolol (Terapia, Cluj-Napoca) tablets, in the second group. Serum oxprenolol concentrations were measured by a gas chromatographic method. Pharmacokinetic parameters which describe bioavailability and general kinetic behavior of the drug were calculated from individual serum profiles. They were subjected to statistical analysis (paired Student's t test, p < 0.05). The customary bioequivalence criterion was used: 0.8 < parameter ratio(tested/standard) < 1.2. Megaloporous tablets showed bioequivalence with the reference sustained release product Slow-Trasicor. Hydrophil tablets showed moderate sustained-release characteristics. Floating tablets showed significantly greater oxprenolol absorption when taken with food and were non-bioequivalent with floating tablets without food, as well as with the reference rapid release tablets, of oxprenolol. However, fasting tablets were bioequivalent to the Slow-Trasicor product, when taken with food.

How an increase in the carbon chain length of the ester moiety affects the stability of a homologous series of oxprenolol esters in the presence of biological enzymes.

beta-Blockers including timolol and propranolol are administered in eye-drops for the treatment of glaucoma. Due to high incidence of cardiovascular and respiratory side-effects, their therapeutic value is limited. As a result of poor ocular bioavailability, many ocular drugs are applied in high concentrations, which give rise to both ocular and systemic side-effects. Therefore, some methods have been employed to increase ocular bioavailability such as (a) the development of drug delivery devices designed to release drugs at controlled rates, (b) the use of various vehicles that retard precorneal drug loss, and (c) the conversion of drugs to biologically reversible derivatives (prodrugs) with increased corneal penetration properties, from which the active drugs are released by enzymatic hydrolysis. A series of structurally related oxprenolol esters were synthesized and investigated as potential prodrugs for improved ocular use. The stability of each ester was studied in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4), also in the presence of (a) 30% human plasma, (b) aqueous humor, and (c) corneal extract at pH 7. 4 and at 37 degreesC. An account is given of how the stability of a homologous series of oxprenolol esters in the presence of biological enzymes is affected by an increase in the carbon chain length of the ester moiety.

Oxprenolol release from bioadhesive gelatin/poly(acrylic acid) microspheres.

Drug release from gelatin/poly(acrylic acid) oxprenolol-loaded microspheres has been evaluated using an in situ sink immersion method and a wetting method. The kinetics of drug release were analysed by applying the empirical exponential equation and by the calculation of the approximate contribution of the diffusional and relaxational mechanism to the anomalous release process by fitting the data to the coupled Fickian/Case II equation. The influence of glutaraldehyde cross-linking agent concentration, the poly(acrylic acid) content, the pH of the release medium and the particle size of the beads on the drug release kinetics were evaluated and discussed.

Disposition of human drug preparations in the horse. V. Orally administered oxprenolol.

Urinary concentrations of the beta-antagonist oxprenolol and some of its major human metabolites were determined following oral administration of a dose of 160 mg to five fasted horses. Quantitation was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in the selected ion mode (SIM) by monitoring ion m/z 466 of the heptafluorobutyric derivatives. As early as 2 h after dosage oxprenolol could be detected in hydrolysed urine and remained detectable up to 24 h. Maximum urinary concentrations and excretion rates were obtained between 2 and 12 h. After 12 h only 2.8% of the administered dose was excreted as conjugates of oxprenolol and major human metabolites including 4-OH-oxprenolol and 5-OH-oxprenolol. These metabolites were detectable up to 48 h.

Effect of probenecid on the enantioselective pharmacokinetics of oxprenolol and its glucuronides in the rabbit.

PURPOSE: To study the effect of probenecid on the stereoselective pharmacokinetics of oxprenolol and its glucuronides in the rabbit. METHODS: An oral dose of 50 mg/kg racemic oxprenolol was given to nine rabbits twice, in random sequence with and without the concurrent administration of probenecid. Oxprenolol enantiomers were determined in plasma and urine by an enantioselective HPLC method. Oxprenolol glucuronides were measured in plasma and urine after enzymatic hydrolysis. RESULTS: The disposition of the oxprenolol enantiomers in rabbits is stereoselective, mainly due to a difference in metabolism. Renal excretion is only a minor elimination route for unchanged oxprenolol, and the renal clearances of the enantiomers are similar. Pretreatment with probenecid did not affect the plasma concentrations of the oxprenolol enantiomers, but there was a slight decrease in their urinary excretion. The plasma concentrations of the oxprenolol glucuronides are much higher than those of the parent enantiomers, and those of (S)-glucuronide are about twice those of its antipode. About 10% of the oxprenolol dose is excreted in the urine as glucuronides. The renal clearances of both glucuronides are similar, and markedly higher than the creatinine clearance. After probenecid, the mean glucuronide plasma levels were markedly higher, with for both glucuronides a more than twofold increase in mean AUC. Probenecid decreased the renal clearance of both glucuronides to about 30%. Moreover, it decreased slightly the formation clearance of (S)-glucuronide, while the formation clearance of (R)-glucuronide was not significantly influenced. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that in the rabbit, both oxprenolol glucuronide diastereomers are actively secreted by the kidney, and that this process is inhibited by probenecid.

Stereoselective pharmacokinetics of oxprenolol and its glucuronides in humans.

OBJECTIVE: To study the pharmacokinetics of R(+)- and S(-)-oxprenolol and their corresponding glucuronide conjugates in healthy subjects. METHODS: An oral dose of 80 mg racemic oxprenolol was given to eight male volunteers. Venous blood samples and urine were collected as a function of time. Oxprenolol enantiomers in plasma and urine were determined by an enantiospecific HPLC method. Oxyprenolol glucuronides in plasma and urine were measured as oxprenolol equivalents after enzymatic hydrolysis. RESULTS: For R-oxprenolol the area under the plasma concentration-time curve was slightly higher (R/S ratio, 1.19) and the oral clearance slightly lower (R/S ratio, 0.84) than those parameters for S-oxprenolol. The free fraction of R-oxprenolol in plasma was 4% higher than that of S-oxprenolol. The intrinsic clearance of S-oxprenolol was 1.5 times larger than that of R-oxprenolol, and a maximum of 3% of the dose was excreted as unchanged enantiomers in the urine. The plasma concentrations of S-oxprenolol glucuronide were more than three times higher than those of R-oxprenolol glucuronide. Twenty-five percent of the dose of the R-enantiomer was excreted in the urine as R-oxprenolol glucuronide; 29% of the S-enantiomer dose was excreted as S-oxprenolol glucuronide. The renal clearance of R-oxprenolol glucuronide was, on average, 172 ml/min, suggesting active tubular secretion. In contrast, the renal clearance of S-oxprenolol glucuronide was only 49 ml/min, which can be explained by the plasma binding of the compound. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show small differences in disposition between R- and S-oxprenolol but a marked difference in disposition between the glucuronides. The difference in plasma concentrations between the oxprenolol glucuronides is mainly attributable to the stereoselectivity of the renal excretion.

Stereoselective pharmacokinetics of oxprenolol, propranolol, and verapamil: species differences and influence of endotoxin.

The influence of endotoxin-induced inflammation was studied on the pharmacokinetics of the enantiomers of the racemic drugs oxprenolol, propranolol, and verapamil in rabbits and dogs. Enantioselective pharmacokinetics were seen for oxprenolol and propranolol in the rabbit and for propranolol and verapamil in the dog. In the dog, the enantioselective differences in plasma concentrations are due to differences in both protein binding and metabolism, whereas in the rabbit the differences are due solely to differences in metabolism. In both species endotoxin treatment increases the plasma concentrations of the enantiomers of the three drugs; both protein binding and metabolism are influenced. In rabbits and in dogs, the influence of endotoxin on the disposition of the three drugs is less enantioselective than was previously observed in the rat.

Influence of endotoxin on the stereoselective pharmacokinetics of oxprenolol, propranolol, and verapamil in the rat.

The influence of endotoxin-induced inflammation on the enantioselective pharmacokinetics of propranolol, oxprenolol, and verapamil, which bind to alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, was studied in the rat. The racemic mixtures were given orally. In the control animals, for propranolol and oxprenolol, the plasma concentrations of the (R)-enantiomer were higher than those of the (S)-enantiomer, while for verapamil the reverse was true. Protein binding and intrinsic clearance are the main factors responsible for this enantioselectivity. After endotoxin treatment, for the three drugs tested the plasma concentrations and the plasma binding of both enantiomers were significantly increased. This effect was more pronounced for (R)-propranolol, (R)-oxprenolol, and (S)-verapamil than for their respective antipodes. The enantioselective effect of endotoxin on the plasma concentrations of the drugs studied seems mainly due to the enantioselective increase in binding to alpha 1-acid glycoprotein.

Chiral high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of oxprenolol in plasma.

A sensitive, stereospecific high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for oxprenolol enantiomers in rat plasma was developed, using a chiral derivatization agent. Racemic oxprenolol and the internal standard (racemic propranolol) are extracted with dichloromethane after alkalinization of the plasma. Quantitation of R(+)- and S(-)-oxprenolol is based on derivatization with the chiral agent S(-)-1-(1-naphthyl)-ethyl isocyanate, followed by chromatographic separation on a C18 reversed-phase column, with fluorometric detection (excitation at 226 nm, emission at 333 nm). The assay is reproducible as judged by a coefficient of variation of less than 17.5% for both enantiomers at all concentrations used. Preliminary experiments in the rat demonstrate that the method is sufficiently sensitive for pharmacokinetic studies in that species.

Effects of turpentine oil pretreatment on beta-blocker pharmacokinetic parameters in rats.

Turpentine oil treatment (0.2 mL kg-1, s.c.) was used to increase the plasma concentration of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (0.13 mg mL-1 in control rats) to 1.72 mg mL-1 after 2 days, and allow assessment of its effects on the pharmacokinetics and stereoselective binding of three beta-blockers. Racemates (5 mg kg-1) were administered intravenously to control and turpentine oil-pretreated rats and the plasma concentrations were determined up to 90 min. Stereoselective analysis showed the apparent distribution volume and the area under plasma concentration-time curves (AUC) of R-(+)-propranolol to be, respectively, one-quarter and twice those of the S-(-)-enantiomer and differences in pharmacokinetic parameters between the two were magnified by turpentine oil pretreatment. Pharmacokinetic parameters of oxprenolol enantiomers were essentially similar for the controls but after turpentine oil pretreatment, a higher affinity of the R-(+)-enantiomer for plasma was observed. Acebutolol enantiomers behaved non-stereospecifically throughout. These results were consistent with predictions from the in-vitro stereospecific binding properties of these agents to purified rat alpha 1-acid glycoprotein.

The effect of oxprenolol dosage time on its pharmacokinetics and haemodynamic effects during exercise in man.

We have studied the effect of dosage time of oxprenolol (Trasicor) on its pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in six healthy volunteers. The drug effects measured were heart rate and systolic blood pressure during exercise. Oxprenolol was taken orally at 08.00 h, 14.00 h, 20.00 h, and 02.00 h in randomized order, with 1 week between successive doses. There were differences in the pharmacokinetics of oxprenolol for the ratio between the apparent volume of distribution and systemic availability (P = 0.04) and for elimination half-life (P = 0.006). Both were lowest after administration at 14.00 h (163 (77) l and 1.2 (0.6) h; mean (SD)) and highest after administration at 02.00 h (229 (100) l, and 1.7 (0.6) h). The systolic blood pressure during exercise before oxprenolol did not vary with dosage time, but heart rate during exercise before intake was lowest before dosage time 08.00 h and highest before dosage time 20.00 h (P = 0.03). The time-course of heart rate during exercise after oxprenolol was described by a model that incorporated the factors drug concentration and spontaneous diurnal variation. EC50 and Emax did not vary between dosage times. The spontaneous diurnal variation in heart rate during exercise was unaffected by oxprenolol, leading to an apparently greater effect of oxprenolol during the night than during the day.

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the genotoxicity of N-nitrosooxprenolol.

N-nitrosooxprenolol (NO-oxprenolol) might be formed in the stomach of patients taking the beta-adrenergic blocking drug, oxprenolol. This nitroso derivative has previously been shown to induce DNA damage and repair in both rat and human cultured hepatocytes. The results of the present study show that in the presence of co-cultured rat hepatocytes, 0.03 mM NO-oxprenolol produced a significant increase in the frequency of 6-thioguanine-resistant but not of ouabain-resistant mutants. No mutagenic activity was detected in the absence of metabolic activation. In mice, NO-oxprenolol (1 g/kg) increased the incidence of micronucleated cells in the liver but not in the bone marrow and the spleen. These results suggest that NO-oxprenolol, consistent with its chemical nature of nitrosamine, is biotransformed into short-lived reactive species.

Hydrophobic anionic gel beads for swelling-controlled drug delivery.

Using oxprenolol HCl as a model drug, the effects of pH and buffer concentration on the swelling and drug release properties in cross-linked poly(methyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) (PMMA/MAA) beads have been investigated. The kinetics of swelling of such hydrophobic anionic gel beads from the dehydrated state appear to be governed primarily by a diffusion-ionization process which becomes more ionization-controlled at higher buffer concentrations. Within the range of ionic compositions studied, the swelling rate increases and the initial swelling/ionization front penetration becomes increasingly linear in time with increasing pH or buffer concentration of the swelling medium. The corresponding swelling bead diameter appears to reach an equilibrium value as soon as the penetrating ionization fronts meet at the center, suggesting a swelling equilibrium in the ionized shell due to rapid mechanical readjustment in the gel phase. At oxprenolol loading levels up to 15%, both the transient drug release and swelling bead diameter exhibit extended quasi-linear regions despite the inherent limitation of decreasing surface area at the penetrating front in the spherical geometry. In addition, both the drug release and the dimensional changes reach completion when the penetrating ionization fronts meet at the center, suggesting a true swelling-controlled drug release behavior.

Relative bioavailability of oral sustained-release and regular-release oxprenolol tablets at steady-state.

The relative bioavailability of a test sustained-release (SR) oxprenolol tablet against an approved regular-release (RR) tablet has been investigated at steady-state. In a randomized two-way crossover study, one tablet of 160 mg SR oxprenolol once every 24 h and one tablet of 80 mg RR oxprenolol once every 12 h were given to 12 healthy volunteers for 5 days. Blood samples were collected from each subject just prior to each dose-administration on days 1 through 4, and at scheduled time points on day 5 and analysed for oxprenolol concentration using HPLC. The SR tablet resulted in 42 per cent reduction in mean peak drug levels (p = 0.0341) and a statistically non-significant 14 per cent increase in mean trough levels (p = 0.8357) than the RR tablet. However it required 160 per cent longer time to reach average steady-state concentrations (Css) on day 5 (1.38 h for SR versus 0.53 h for RR; p = 0.0205). The mean area under the plasma drug concentration-time curve at steady state (AUC96-120) with the SR tablet was approximately 18 per cent lower than that observed with the RR tablet, and the degree of fluctuation (DF) was reduced by 30 per cent (2.81 for SR versus 4.11 for RR; p = 0.0069). On average, a single dose of SR tablet and two doses of RR tablets maintained the drug levels above a constant Css of 204.6 ng ml-1 for 7.88 and 7.65 h, respectively (p = 0.3513).

Acute beta-blockade changes the extracellular distribution of thyroid hormones.

The acute (within hours) changes in the concentrations of T4, T3, reverse-T3 (rT3) and T3 resin uptake test (T3RU) were studied in 31 hyperthyroid patients for 4 h after po treatment with either acebutolol, oxprenolol, pindolol or timolol. In 21 of the patients, the changes were compared to changes in the serum concentrations of alpha 2-macroglobulin (a macromolecule) and two middle-sized molecules; thyroid hormone-binding globulin (TBG) and albumin in order to calculate the changes in extracellular distribution of the thyroid hormones and to distinguish between changes due to a changed metabolism and changes due to a changed distribution of the thyroid hormones. Acebutolol, oxprenolol and timolol caused a decrease in serum T3 after 1/2 h, and acebutolol and oxprenolol also a decrease in rT3 after 1/2 - 1 h, the changes reversed within 2 h. A concomitant decrease in serum albumin and TBG suggests a change in the extracellular distribution of middle-sized molecules to which thyroid hormones are attached, as an explanation of the acute decrease (1 h) of the thyroid hormones. The small and insignificant change in alpha 2-macroglobulin indicates that the changes are mainly extravascular, but the difference of alpha 2-macroglobulin changes between the drugs (acebutolol/timolol vs pindolol/oxprenolol) could depend on the intrinsic sympathomimetic activity of the drugs.

Zero-order release formulation of oxprenolol hydrochloride with swelling and erosion control.

Zero-order release of oxprenolol hydrochloride was obtained by controlling the swelling and erosion of the matrix. This formulation involves only mixing of drug, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (Na CMC) at the ratio of 1:0.4:1.6, respectively, and compressing the mixture directly into tablets. The in vitro release pattern from this optimized matrix tablet was reproducible. Accelerated stability studies revealed that the optimized formulation remains stable for an approximately 2-year shelf life. This sustained-release (SR) tablet was evaluated in dogs, and for comparison a conventional (CV) formulation was also given at the same dose level. Plasma oxprenolol levels were monitored by a sensitive and specific high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method. Significant differences in the pharmacokinetic parameters, i.e., lower Cmax, higher values of tmax, MRT, AUC, and plasma concentration at 24 hr, and nearly constant plasma levels over 12 hr, indicated that the SR matrix tablet is superior to the CV rapid-releasing formulation. The in vitro release parameters and in vivo pharmacokinetics correlated well.

A nonsteady-state agonist antagonist interaction model using plasma potassium concentrations to quantify the beta-2 selectivity of beta blockers.

We studied the competitive interaction of terbutaline and two beta blockers, metoprolol and oxprenolol, with different cardioselectivity for the beta-2 adrenoceptor. Using pharmacokinetic-dynamic modeling in nonsteady-state conditions, of the antagonism by the beta blockers of the terbutaline-induced hypokalemia, the beta blocker beta-2 selectivity was quantitated in the terms of IC50 values representing plasma concentrations resulting in half-receptor occupancy. Six healthy subjects were given an 0.5-mg s.c. dose of terbutaline on three occasions: 1) 1 hr after p.o. administration of a placebo; 2) 1 hr after 150 mg of metoprolol p.o.; and 3) 1 hr after 80 mg of oxprenolol p.o. During 7 hr after terbutaline administration drug concentrations and effects were monitored. Oxprenolol decreased both terbutaline volume of distribution (-69%) and clearance (-63%) and increased its area under plasma concentrations vs. time curve (+157%). Such effects of metoprolol on terbutaline pharmacokinetics were not observed. The dynamic model offered a good description of the observed effects. The apparent IC50 values varied between 42 and 68 ng/ml (mean, 54 ng/ml) for metoprolol and between 3.6 and 4.7 ng/ml (mean, 4.1 ng/ml) for oxprenolol. In view of these results, and comparing them with apparent beta-1 IC50 values as reported in the literature, metoprolol can be considered a relatively beta-1 selective agent. Pharmacokinetic-dynamic modeling of the interaction of beta-2 sympathicomimetics and beta blocking agents after single dosing, seems to be a suitable method for the determination of the relative beta-2 selectivity of the antagonist.

Relationship between the rate of appearance of oxprenolol in the systemic circulation and the location of an oxprenolol Oros 16/260 drug delivery system within the gastrointestinal tract as determined by scintigraphy.

1. The position in the gastrointestinal tract of an orally administered oxprenolol Oros drug delivery system labelled with technetium-99m DTPA was followed by gamma scintigraphy, and the corresponding plasma drug concentration-time profiles after oral and i.v. administration were used to relate pharmacokinetic and transit data. 2. Gastric emptying time (0.8 +/- 0.4 h, mean +/- s.d.), and the time to arrival in the colon (3.8 +/- 0.7 h) were reasonably consistent after administration of the Oros system to fasted subjects, as were the calculated small intestine transit times (3.0 +/- 0.7 h). As expected there were wide individual variations in colonic transit, so that recorded values for total transit ranged from 6 to 32 h (median, 24.7 h). 3. Absorption of oxprenolol occurred throughout the GI tract including the colon. Plasma drug concentration-time profiles and input functions (calculated by deconvolution) could be related to transit behaviour and in vitro release. Inflexions in the calculated rate of drug input when the Oros system was located in the colon corresponded with periods of stagnation at the hepatic and splenic flexures in two subjects and the ileocaecal junction in two others. The mechanism of these changes is unclear.