Intestinal permeability of metformin using single-pass intestinal perfusion in rats

AIM： To characterize the intestinal transport and mechanism of metformin in rats and to investigate whether or not metformin is a substrate for P-glycoprotein （P-gp）. METHODS： The effective intestinal permeability of metformin was investigated using single-pass intestinal perfusion （SPIP） technique in male Waster rats. SPIP was performed in three isolated intestinal segments （duodenum, jejunum and ileum） at the same concentration of metformin （50 μg/mL） to test if the intestinal transport of metformin exhibited site- dependent changes, and in a same isolated intestinal segment （duodenal segment） at three different concentrations of metformin （10, 50, 200 μg/mL） to test if the intestinal transport of metformin exhibited concentration-dependent changes. Besides, P-gp inhibitor verapamil （400 μg/mL） was co-perfused with metformin （50 μg/mL） in the duodenum segment to find out if the intestinal absorption of metformin was affected by P-gp exiting along the gastrointestinal track. Stability studies were conducted to ensure that the loss of metformin could be attributed to intestinal absorption. RESULTS： The effective permeability values （Peff） of metformin in the jejunum and ileum at 50μg/mL were significantly lower than those in the duodenum at the same concentration. Besides, Peff values in the duodenum at high concentration （200 μg/mL） were found to be significantly lower than those at low and medium concentrations （10 and 50 μg/mL）. Moreover the coperfusion with verapamil did not increase the Peff value of metformin at 50 μg/mL in the duodenum.CONCLUSION： Metformin could be absorbed from the whole intestine, with the main absorption site at duodenum. This concentration-dependent permeability behavior in the duodenum indicates that metformin is transported by both passive and active carrier-mediated saturable mechanism. The Peff value can not be increased by co-perfusion with verapamil, indicating that absorption of metformin is not efficiently transported by P-gp in the gut wall. Furthermore metformin is neither a substrate nor an inducer of P-gp. Based on the Peff values obtained in the present study and using established relationships, the human fraction dose absorbed for metformin is estimated to be 74%-90% along human intestine.

Combination of a biopharmaceutic classification system and physiologically based pharmacokinetic models to predict absorption properties of baicalein in vitro and in vivo

Objective: To determine the in vitro and in vivo absorption properties of active ingredients of the Chinese medicine, baicalein, to enrich mechanistic understanding of oral drug absorption.Methods: The Biopharmaceutic Classification System(BCS) category was determined using equilibrium solubility, intrinsic dissolution rate, and intestinal permeability to evaluate intestinal absorption mechanisms of baicalein in rats in vitro. Physiologically based pharmacokinetic(PBPK) model commercial software GastroPlus~(TM) was used to predict oral absorption of baicalein in vivo.Results: Based on equilibrium solubility, intrinsic dissolution rate, and permeability values of main absorptive segments in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, baicalein was classified as a drug with low solubility and high permeability. Intestinal perfusion with venous sampling(IPVS) revealed that baicalein was extensively metabolized in the body, which corresponded to the low bioavailability predicted by the PBPK model. Further, the PBPK model predicted the key indicators of BCS, leading to reclassification as BCS-II. Predicted values of peak plasma concentration of the drug(C_(max)) and area under the curve(AUC)fell within two times of the error of the measured results, highlighting the superior prediction of absorption of baicalein in rats, beagles, and humans. The PBPK model supported in vitro and in vivo evidence and provided excellent prediction for this BCS class II drug.Conclusion: BCS and PBPK are complementary methods that enable comprehensive research of BCS parameters, intestinal absorption rate, metabolism, prediction of human absorption fraction and bioavailability, simulation of PK, and drug absorption in various intestinal segments across species. This combined approach may facilitate a more comprehensive and accurate analysis of the absorption characteristics of active ingredients of Chinese medicine from in vitro and in vivo perspectives.

Comparison of intestinal absorption characteristics between rhubarb traditional Chinese medicine preparation and activity ingredients using in situ and in vitro model

Objective: The intestinal absorption characteristics of active ingredients are very important for oral administration of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) to achieve the desired therapeutic effect.However, a deeper understanding about active ingredients absorption characteristics is still lack. The aim of this study was to investigate the absorption properties and mechanism of rhubarb active ingredients in TCM preparation and pure form.Methods: The intestinal absorption behavior of active ingredients in Shenkang extract(SKE) and rhubarb anthraquinone ingredients(RAI) were investigated by in situ single-pass intestinal perfusion model. And the bidirectional transport characteristics of these active ingredients were assessed by in vitro Caco-2 cell monolayer model.Results: In situ experiment on Sprague-Dawley rats, the effective permeability coefficient values of aloeemodin, emodin and chrysophanol in RAI were higher than those in SKE, and the value of rhein in RAI was lower than that in SKE. But the easily absorbed segments of intestine were consistent for all ingredients,whether in SKE or in RAI. In vitro experiment, the apparent permeability coefficient values of rhein, emodin and chrysophanol in RAI were higher than those in SKE, and this value of aloe-emodin in RAI was lower than that in SKE. But their efflux ratio(ER) values in SKE and RAI were all similar.Conclusion: Four rhubarb anthraquinone ingredients in SKE and RAI have similar absorption mechanism and different absorption behavior, and the microenvironment of the study models influenced their absorption behavior. The results may provide an aid for understanding of the absorption characteristics of the TCM active ingredients in complex environments and the complementarities of different research models.

Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system for improving the bioavailability of huperzine A by lymphatic uptake

Huperzine A(Hup-A) is a poorly water-soluble drug with low oral bioavailability. A selfmicroemulsifying drug delivery system(SMEDDS) was used to enhance the oral bioavailability and lymphatic uptake and transport of Hup-A. A single-pass intestinal perfusion(SPIP) technique and a chylomicron flow-blocking approach were used to study its intestinal absorption, mesenteric lymph node distribution and intestinal lymphatic uptake. The value of the area under the plasma concentration–time curve(AUC) of Hup-A SMEDDS was significantly higher than that of a Hup-A suspension(P <0.01).The absorption rate constant(K_a) and the apparent permeability coefficient(P_(app)) for Hup-A in different parts of the intestine suggested a passive transport mechanism, and the values of K_a and P_(app) of Hup-A SMEDDS in the ileum were much higher than those in other intestinal segments. The determination of Hup-A concentration in mesenteric lymph nodes can be used to explain the intestinal lymphatic absorption of Hup-A SMEDDS. For Hup-A SMEDDS, the values of AUC and maximum plasma concentration(C_(max)) of the blocking model were significantly lower than those of the control model(P<0.05). The proportion of lymphatic transport of Hup-A SMEDDS and Hup-A suspension were about 40% and 5%,respectively, suggesting that SMEDDS can significantly improve the intestinal lymphatic uptake and transport of Hup-A.

Laminaria japonica increases plasma exposure of glycyrrhetinic acid following oral administration of Liquorice extract in rats

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of Laminaria japonica(Laminaria) on pharmacokinetics of glycyrrhetinic acid(GA) following oral administration of Liquorice extract in rats.Following oral administrations of single-dose and multi-dose Liquorice extract and Liquorice-Laminaria extract,respectively,plasma samples were obtained at various times and the concentrations of GA,liquiritigenin,and isoliquiritigenin were measured by LC-MS.The effects of Laminaria extract on pharmacokinetics of GA were also investigated,following single-dose and multidose of glycyrrhizic acid(GL).The effects of Laminaria extract on intestinal absorption of GA and GL were studied using the in situ single-pass intestinal perfusion model.The metabolism of GL to GA in the contents of small and large intestines was also studied.The results showed Liquorice-Laminaria extract markedly increased the plasma concentration of GA,accompanied by a shorter Tmax.Similar alteration was observed following multidose administration.However,pharmacokinetics of neither liquiritigenin nor isoliquiritigenin was affected by Laminaria.Similarly,Laminaria markedly increased concentration and decreased Tmax of GA following oral GL were observed.The data from the intestinal perfusion model showed that Laminaria markedly increased GL absorption in duodenum and jejunum,but did not affect the intestinal absorption of GA.It was found that Laminaria enhanced the metabolism of GL to GA in large intestine.In conclusion,Laminaria increased plasma exposures of GA following oral administration of liquorice or GL,which partly resulted from increased intestinal absorption of GL and metabolism of GL to GA in large intestine.

Effect of paracellular permeation enhancers on intestinal permeability of two peptide drugs,enalaprilat and hexarelin, in rats

Transcellular permeation enhancers are known to increase the intestinal permeability of enalaprilat,a 349 Da peptide,but not hexarelin(887 Da).The primary aim of this paper was to investigate if paracellular permeability enhancers affected the intestinal permeation of the two peptides.This was investigated using the rat single-pass intestinal perfusion model with concomitant blood sampling.These luminal compositions included two paracellular permeation enhancers,chitosan(5 mg/mL) and ethylenediaminetetraacetate(EDTA,1 and 5 mg/mL),as well as low luminal tonicity(100 mOsm) with or without lidocaine.Effects were evaluated by the change in lumen-to-blood permeability of hexarelin and enalaprilat,and the blood-to-lumen clearance of ^(51)chromium-labeled EDTA(CL_(Cr-EDTA)),a clinical marker for mucosal barrier integrity.The two paracellular permeation enhancers increased the mucosal permeability of both peptide drugs to a similar extent.The data in this study suggests that the potential for paracellular permeability enhancers to increase intestinal absorption of hydrophilic peptides with low molecular mass is greater than for those with transcellular mechanism-of-action.Further,the mucosal blood-to-lumen flux of ^(51)Cr-EDTA was increased by the two paracellular permeation enhancers and by luminal hypotonicity.In contrast,luminal hypotonicity did not affect the lumen-to-blood transport of enalaprilat and hexarelin.This suggests that hypotonicity affects paracellular solute transport primarily in the mucosal crypt region,as this area is protected from luminal contents by a constant water flow from the crypts.

The Gray Mouse Lemur: A Model for Studies of Primate Metabolic Rate Depression

The use of daily torpor and/or of multi-day torpor bouts during a hibernation season are energy-saving survival strategies that have been well-studied for many years,particularly for small mammals living in seasonally-cold environments.Both phenomena are characterized by a regulated suppression of metabolic rate,