Formulation study of intravesical oxybutynin instillation solution with enhanced retention in bladder

A formulation study of intravesical oxybutynin (OB) preparations was carried out in order to improve the effectiveness in intravesical instillation therapy for spastic neurogenetic bladder. Sodium hyaluronate (HYA) was introduced to enhance the muco-adhesiveness of the instillation preparation, and the physicochemical properties of the OB formulation were evaluated in comparison with a conventional formulation containing hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC). The viscous properties and in vitro adhesiveness increased with the amount of the polymeric additives, and retention properties of OB in rabbit bladder were comparable after addition of 0.4% HYA and 1.0% HPC. HYA was able to enhance the intravesical retention properties of OB instillation solution to a lesser degree than HPC, it seemed to be a useful additive in the OB instillation due to its safety and mucosal-protective effect.     

Glass-state amorphous salt solids formed by freeze-drying of amines and hydroxy carboxylic acids: effect of hydrogen-bonding and electrostatic interactions

We studied effect of molecular interactions on the physical properties of binary freeze-dried solids and frozen aqueous solutions using model chemicals containing various functional groups (amino, carboxyl, hydroxyl). Thermal analysis of frozen solutions containing alkyl diamines and hydroxy di- or tricarboxylic acids showed thermal transitions (T(g)': glass transition of maximally freeze-concentrated phase) at temperatures higher than those of the individual solutes. A binary frozen solution containing 80 mM 1,3-diamino-2-hydroxypropane (single-solute T(g)'<-60 degrees C) and 120 mM citric acid (single-solute T(g)': -55.0 degrees C) made the transition at -30.8 degrees C. The molecular weight of the solutes had smaller effects on the transition temperatures of the frozen mixture component solutions. Lyophilization of some high T(g)' mixture frozen solutions (e.g., 1,3-diamino-2-hydroxypropane and citric acid) resulted in cake-structure amorphous solids with glass transition temperatures (T(g)) higher than those of the individual components. Networking of intense hydrogen-bondings and electrostatic interactions between the heterogeneous molecules through the multiple functional groups was suggested to reduce the component mobility in the amorphous freeze-concentrated phase and the freeze-dried solids. Controlling the interactions should be a key to optimizing the physical properties of multi-component amorphous freeze-dried pharmaceutical formulations.     

Influence of pectins on preparation characteristics of lactoferrin bioadhesive tablets

For the treatment of chronic inflammation in the oral cavity, we attempted to develop bioadhesive tablets of bovine lactoferrin (B-LF). Pectin was used as a bioadhesive polymer, and the influence of the degree of esterification and the molecular weight of pectins on the characteristics of B-LF tablets were investigated. Concerning bioadhesive force, a tendency increasing the value according to increase of the esterification of the pectin was confirmed. Sustained release of B-LF from the tablets was observed as the esterification increased, and a possibility for prediction of the time required to release 50% of B-LF by using the equation given by the degree of esterification and the logarithm of the molecular weight was suggested. Pectin cross-linked with Ca(2+) (Ca-PC) was also used for the preparation of the B-LF tablets. Prolonged release of B-LF from the tablets was observed as the Ca(2+) in Ca-PC increased. Our findings suggest that pectin with a high degree of esterification is suitable as a bioadhesive polymer since high bioadhesive force and sustained release are shown. Furthermore, a possibility that the B-LF release could be controlled by adjusting the Ca(2+) concentration in Ca-PC was suggested.     

Synthesis and properties of oxo-carboxylato- and dioxo-bridged diosmium complexes of tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine

A series of oxo-bridged diosmium complexes with tpa ligand (tpa = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) are synthesized. The hydrolytic reaction of the mononuclear osmium complex [Os(III)Cl(2)(tpa)]PF(6) in aqueous solution containing a sodium carboxylate yields a μ-oxo-μ-carboxylato-diosmium(III) complex, [Os(III)(2)(μ-O)(μ-RCOO)(tpa)(2)](PF(6))(3) (R = C(3)H(7) (1), CH(3) (2), or C(6)H(5) (3)). One-electron oxidation of 1 with (NH(4))(2)Ce(IV)(NO(3))(6) gives a mixed-valent [Os(III)Os(IV)(μ-O)(μ-C(3)H(7)COO)(tpa)(2)](PF(6))(4) complex (4). A mixed-valent di-μ-oxo-diosmium complex, [Os(III)Os(IV)(μ-O)(2)(tpa)(2)](PF(6))(3) (5), is also synthesized from 1 in an aerobic alkaline solution (pH 13.5). All the complexes exhibit strong absorption bands in a visible-near-infrared region based on interactions of the osmium dπ and oxygen pπ orbitals of the Os-O-Os moiety. The X-ray crystallographic analysis of 1, 3, and 4 shows that the osmium centers take a pseudo-octahedral geometry in the μ-oxo-μ-carboxylato-diosmium core. The mixed-valent osmium(III)osmium(IV) complex 4 has a shorter osmium-oxo bond and a larger osmium-oxo-osmium angle as compared with those of the diosmium(III) complex 1 having the same bridging carboxylate. Crystal structure of 5 reveals that the two osmium ions are bridged by two oxo groups to give an Os(2)(μ-O)(2) core with the significantly short osmium-osmium distance (2.51784(7) ?), which is indicative of a direct osmium-osmium bond formation with the bond order of 1.5 (σ(2)π(2)δ(2)δ*(2)π*(1) configuration). In the electrochemical studies, the μ-oxo-μ-carboxylato-diosmium(III) complexes exhibit two reversible Os(III)Os(III)/Os(III)Os(IV) and Os(III)Os(IV)/Os(IV)Os(IV) oxidation couples and one irreversible redox wave for the Os(III)Os(III)/Os(II)Os(III) couple in CH(3)CN. The irreversible reductive process becomes reversible in CH(3)CN/H(2)O (1:1 Britton-Robinson buffer; pH 5-11), where the {1H(+)/2e(-)} transfer process is indicated by the plot of the redox potentials against the pH values of the solution of 1. Thus, the μ-oxo-μ-butyrato-diosmium(III) center undergoes proton-coupled electron transfer to yield a μ-hydroxo-μ-butyrato-diosmisum(II) species. The di(μ-oxo) complex 5 exhibits one reversible Os(III)Os(IV)/Os(IV)Os(IV) oxidation process and one reversible Os(III)Os(IV)/Os(III)Os(III) reduction process in CH(3)CN. The comproportionation constants K(com) of the Os(III)Os(IV) states for the present diosmium complexes are on the order of 10(19). The values are significantly larger when compared with those of similar oxo-bridged dimetal complexes of ruthenium and rhenium.     

Comparison of Particle Size and Dispersion State among Commercial Cyclosporine Formulations and Their Effects on Pharmacokinetics in Rats

Generic versions of Neoral, a microemulsion capsule formulation of cyclosporine, have been approved worldwide. However, there are concerns about the quality and efficacy of the generics due to the formulation specificity and differences in inactive ingredients among products. In this study, we measured the physicochemical properties of both the innovator and the generic formulations, and compared their bioavailability in rats. When the capsule contents were dispersed in water, the absorbance (600?nm wavelength) of generic products was higher than that of the innovator. Whereas the dispersion solution of the innovator in Fed State Simulated Intestinal Fluid was nearly clear, that of all the generics became white and turbid. The mean diameter of the microemulsion (or emulsion) formed in water by the generics was 39.7, 57.7, 64.5, and 74.8?nm, all of which were larger than that of the innovator (26.4?nm). Although the Tmax of the generics tended to be long relative to that of the innovator, there were no significant differences between the innovator and generics with regard to maximum blood concentration (Cmax) or area under the curve (AUC). These results suggest that the physicochemical differences between the innovator and the generics will not have a significant effect on Cmax or AUC, which is necessary to ensure bioequivalence.     

Cantilevered actuator using magnetostrictive thin film

This paper describes a cantilevered magnetic actuator driven by magnetostriction in a low magnetic field. The dimensions of the two layers actuator were 1×5 mm and amorphous FeSiB was used as the magnetostrictive material. Since the FeSiB has excellent soft magnetic characteristics, the actuator with FeSiB was able to work in magnetic field strength of less than 10 kA/m. The theoretical formulas for the amount of the displacement and the force of the actuator were obtained. The theoretical results agreed with the experimental one. According to the theoretical formula, the displacement was calculated with the parameter of the mechanical properties of the substrate. To obtain the large displacement, the actuator with Co substrate was designed based on the theoretical formula. The displacement of 153 μm was obtained using Cu substrate of 1.1 μm thickness in the magnetic field of 10 kA/m. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved     

A new synthetic route to 7 α-methoxycephalosporins

Treatment of 7β-(2,2,3-trihaloalkylideneamino) cephalosporins with excess methanol in the presence of acid scavenger gave 7β-(2-haloalk-2-enylideneamino)-7α-methoxycephalosporins.     

Micellar size, shape and counterion binding of N-(1,1-Dihydroperfluoroalkyl)-N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride in aqueous solutions

Under the limiting conditions, light-scattering method was applied to determine the size and shape of fluorinated micellar structure in aqueous solution. The hydrodynamic radii (r _h) of molecular aggregates were investigated for four amphiphiles with different alkyl chain length: N-(1,1-dihydroperfluorooctyl)-, N-(1,1-dihydroperfluorodecyl)-, N-(1,1-dihydroperfluorododecyl)-, and N-(1,1-dihydroperfluorotetradecyl)-N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride by dynamic light scattering. Size of these molecular aggregates drastically increased with increasing carbon number of alkyl chain and the concentration. For example, the r _h values were 35, 63, 95, and 136 nm for C8, C10, C12, and C14 of the alkyl chain, respectively, at the concentration of 15× critical micelle concentration (cmc) and at 298.2 K. On the other hand, the mean radius of gyration (r _g) and the apparent molecular weight of these aggregates were measured using static light scattering. The r _g value was found to be 34, 73, and 125 nm for C8, C10, and C12 of the alkyl chain, respectively, at the same condition above. The shape of aggregate was analyzed by comparing the dependence of r _g/r _h with theoretical values. The plots of r _g against r _h almost corresponded with the theoretical line of oblate ellipsoid (disk-like), and which was also expected from calculation of packing parameter value. The measurement for chloride ion activity was made by a chloride ion selective electrode to know the degree of counterion binding to the aggregates, whose values increased with increasing total concentration and with the carbon number of alkyl chain. The chloride ion binding to aggregates neutralized cationic head groups under their electrostatic repulsion and partly promoted the growth of aggregates.     

Polymer-supported formamides as reusable organocatalysts for allylation of aldehydes with allyltrichlorosilane

New types of polymer-supported formamides have been synthesized from chloromethylated resins and formamides; it was found that the polymers worked well as organocatalysts in the allylation of aldehydes with allyltrichlorosilane to afford homoallylic alcohols in high yields; the polymers were easily recovered and reused several times without loss of activity.