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.

The preparation of Garcinia Glycosides solid dispersion and intestinal absorption by rat in situ single pass intestinal perfusion

Garcinia Glycosides is a candidate drug obtained by structural modification of Gambogic Acid (GA), which was acquired through High Throughput Screening(HTS). As Garcinia Glycosides is an effective but insoluble anti-tumor drug, the aim of this study was to obtain a solid dispersion form Garcinia Glycosides by using solvent-melt method so that improve the solubility and dissolution rate. The solid dispersion was characterized by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), infrared spectroscopy and evaluated the intestinal absorption of the drug by rat in situ single pass intestinal perfusion. The results showed the increase of solubility, dissolution velocity and absorption compared to other forms. This indicated that solid dispersion could greatly improve the relative bioavailability of Garcinia Glycosides in vivo.

Absorption characteristics of the total alkaloids from Mahonia bealei in an in situ single-pass intestinal perfusion assay

AIM: To investigate the absorption characteristics of the total alkaloids from Mahoniae Caulis(TAMC) through the administration of monterpene absorption enhancers or protein inhibitors. METHOD: The absorption behavior was investigated in an in situ single-pass intestinal perfusion(SPIP) assay in rats. RESULTS: The intestinal absorption of TAMC was much more than that of a single compound or a mixture of compounds(jatrorrhizine, palmatine, and berberine). Promotion of absorption by the bicyclic monoterpenoids(borneol or camphor) was higher than by the monocyclic monoterpenes(menthol or menthone), and promotion by compounds with a hydroxyl group(borneol or menthol) was higher than those with a carbonyl group(camphor or menthone). The apparent permeability coefficient(Papp) of TAMC was increased to 1.8-fold by verapamil, while it was reduced to one half by thiamine. The absorption rate constant(Ka) and Papp of TAMC were unchanged by probenecid and pantoprazole. CONCLUSION: The intestinal absorption characteristics of TAMC might be passive transport, and the intestinum tenue was the best absorptive site. In addition, TAMC might be likely a substrate of P-glycoprotein(P-gp) and organic cation transporters(OCT), rather than multidrug resistance protein(MRP) and breast cancer resistance protein(BCRP). Compared with a single compound and a mixture of compounds, TAMC was able to be absorbed in the blood circulation effectively.

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.

壳寡糖促进岩黄连总碱提取物中原小檗碱型生物碱成分肠道吸收的研究

目的:考察壳寡糖对岩黄连总碱提取物中原小檗碱型生物碱活性成分肠道吸收的促进作用。方法:采用大鼠在体肠单向灌流模型,研究添加不同浓度壳寡糖后岩黄连总碱中脱氢卡维丁、盐酸小檗碱和盐酸巴马汀的吸收动力学参数变化,评价壳寡糖对药物成分肠道吸收的促进作用。结果:壳寡糖的浓度对3个活性指标成分在大鼠肠道的吸收速率常数(Ka)和有效渗透系数(Peff)具有不同程度的影响,在0.5%壳寡糖溶液中活性指标成分的Ka和Peff增加明显,呈现较强的吸收促进作用。结论:壳寡糖对岩黄连生物碱中原小檗碱型生物碱活性成分的肠道吸收有一定促进作用。

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.