Pharmacokinetics of nifedipine sustained-release tablets in healthy Chinese volunteers

Aim To establish a LC-MS method for determining the concentration of nifedipine in human plasma and to evaluate the pharmacokinetic characteristics of nifedipine sustained-release tablets. Methods A XB-C18 （5 μm, 4.6 mm ×150 mm） column and a mobile phase of methanol： 0.01 mol·L^-1ammonium acetate （60：40, V/V） were used to separate nifedipine, the detections was accuracy under atmosperic pressure electronic spray ionization （AP-ESI） mode and ion mass spectrum （m/z） of 314.9 [M＋H]^＋ for nifedipine, and 320.8 [M＋H]^＋ for lorazepam （Internal Standard, IS）. Results The linear range of nifedipine was 0.3 - 80 ng·mL^-1 （ r = 0.9997）, and the limit of quantitation （LOQ） was 0.3 ng·mL^-1. The nifedipine pharmacokinetic parameters after a single dose of 20 mg nifedipine sustained-release tablets test （T） or reference （R） were as the followings, t1/2 （6.73 ± 2.00） h and （7.04 ± 2.18） h, Tmax （4.28 ± 0.70） h and （4.48 ± 0.70） h, Cmax（39.66 ± 10.58） ng·mL^-1 and （40.19 ± 10.97） ng·mL^-1, AUC0-36 （391.63 ± 108.55） ng·mL^-1·h and （387.57 ± 121.51） ng·mL^-1·h, and AUC0-∞ （408.28 ± 121.16） ng·mL^-1·h and （406.15 ± 133.13） ng·mL^-1·h. The relative bioavailability of nifedipine sustained-release tablets （test） was （103.02 ± 13.93） %. Conclusion LC-MS method for the determination of concentrations of nifedipine in human plasma was sensitive and accurate, and could be used in nifedipine bioavailability and pharmacokinetic studies.

Preparation of Sustained-release Silybin Microspheres by Spherical Crystallization Technique

Aim To improve the dissolution rate and bioavailability of silybin. Methods Sustained-release silybin microspheres were prepared by the spherical crystallization technique with soliddispersing and release-retarding polymers. A differential scanning calorimeter and an X-ray diffractometer were used to investigate the dispersion state of silybin in the microspheres. The shape, surface morphology, and internal structure of the microspheres were observed using a scanning electron microscope. Characterization of the microspheres, such as average diameter, size distribution and bulk density of the microspheres was investigated. Results The particle size of the microspheres was determined mainly by the agitation speed. The dissolution rate of silybin from microspheres was enhanced by increasing the amount of the dispersing agents, and sustained by the retarding agents. The release rate of microspheres was controlled by adjusting the combination ratio of the dispersing agents to the retarding agents. The resuits of X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry analysis indicated that silybin was highly dispersed in the microspheres in amorphous state. The release profiles and content did not change after a three-month accelerated stability test at 40 ℃ and 75% relative humidity. Conclusion Sustained-release silybin microspheres with a solid dispersion structure were prepared successfully in one step by a spherical crystallization technique combined with solid dispersion technique. The preparation process is simple, reproducible and inexpensive. The method is efficient for designing sustained-release microspheres with water-insoluble drugs.

Pharmacokinetics and Relative Bioavailability ofsustained-release Tablets of Diclofenac Sodiumin Male Volunteers

The pharmacokinetics of a sustained- release formulation and an enteric- coated tablet of diclofenac sodium were studied on 8 healthy male volunteers in an open,randomized crossover study.Drug level in serum was assayed by HPLC method.The changes in serum concentration were conformed to a l-compartment open model.The t_1/2 (Ke)averaged 2.15±0.17 and ll.60 ± l.95 h,and the areas under the drug concentration curves were 5.87 ± 0.67 and 5.55 ± 0.57μgh/ml for enteric-coated and sustained-release tablet of diclofenac sodium,respectively. The mean relative bioavailability of sustained-release tablet was 0.95 to that of enteric-coated tablet.

Effects of Molecular Structure of Polycarboxylate-type Superplasticizer on the Hydration Properties of C_3S

Effects of polycarboxylate-type superplasticizer（PC） molecular structure on the hydration heat of tricalcium silicate（C3S） paste and polymerization degree of hydration products（C-S-H gel） were researched by using TAM AIR isothermal microcalorimetry（TA） and 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance（NMR）.Methoxy polyethylene glycol-methacrylates-based polycarboxylate superplasticizers with different side chain lengths and main chain lengths were employed.PC molecules with shorter main chain or longer side chains caused stronger retardation of C3S early hydration and lesser increase of C3S 3 d hydration degree.NMR measurement indicated that the incorporation of PC increased the hydration degree of C3S paste and the polymerization degree of silicon-oxygen tetrahedron of C-S-H gel.The tendency for C3S 7 d hydration degree to improve was more pronounced while PC molecules with longer main chain or shorter side chain were added.Whereas,PC molecules with longer main chains or longer side chains increased the 7 d polymerization degree of C-S-H gel.

Effect of Crosslink Structure of Bridge Polycarboxylate Superplasticizers on Dispersion Ability

Bridge polycarboxylate superplasticizers（PCs） with crosslink structure were synthesized by using polyethyleneglycol di-acrylate（PEGdA）, replacing partial polyethyleneglycol mono-acrylate （PEGmA） as crosslinking agent. Structures of bridge PCs were analyzed by gel permeation chromatography, and dispersion ability was evaluated by cement paste dispersity variation on time and rheology test. The experimental results showed that, molecular weight（MW） of bridge PCs increased with increase of PEGdA proportion, and MW distribution curve changed from Gaussian to fiat like, which meant notable increase of highly crosslinked copolymer. Bridge PCs led to decreased initial cement paste dispersity and better dispersity retention due to slow releasing. Further research showed that, PEGdA proportion had slight effect on polymerization degree of backbone, MW distribution of backbone deviated from Gaussian distribution and shoulder peaks appeared on distribution curve when PEGdA increased.

Adsorption Mechanism of Polycarboxylate-Based Superplasticizer in CFBC Ash-Portland Cement Paste

Circulating fluidized bed combustion （CFBC） ash exhibits the desirable pozzolanic activity which makes it a potential supplementary cementitious material to replace cement for concrete production. However, the high unburnt carbon content and porous surface structure of CFBC ash may adsorb water reducer and thereby significantly reduce the efficiency of water-reducing agents. The adsorption mechanism of polycarboxylate superplasticizer in CFBC ash-Portland cement paste was investigated by ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer, and the conception of ＂invalid adsorption site＂ of CFBC ash was presented. The results show that the adsorption behavior of polycarboxylate superplasticizer in coal ash-Portland cement paste can be described by Langmuir isothermal adsorption equation. The adsorption capacity of CFBC ash-Portland cement paste is higher than that of pulverized coal combustion （PCC） fly ash-Portland cement paste. Moreover, the adsorption amount of polycarboxylate superplasticizer increases with the ratio of ash-to-cement in the paste. At last, the fluidity of CFBC ash-Portland cement paste is lower than that of the PCC fly ash paste. This work suggests that when CFBC ash is used as concrete admixture, the poor flowability of the cementitious system due to the high adsorption of water and water-reducing agent should be taken into consideration.

Influence of Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer on Rheological Behavior in Cement Paste

Molecular structures of polycarboxylate（PCE） superplasticizer significantly affect the rheological properties of cement paste. Consequently, we employed self-synthesized PCE copolymers with different carboxylic densities to investigate their influence on the rheological behavior of cement paste. Three typical rheological models were applied to analyze the rheological properties, including Power-law model, Bingham model as well as Herschel-Buikley model. In addition, the thixotropical performances of cement paste in the presence of PCE with different carboxylic densities were investigated. The results show that the carboxylic density of PCE greatly influences the dispersing performance of PCE superplasticizers. As carboxylic density increases, the dispersing capability of PCE improves, and P（PEG1-AA6） possesses the strongest dispersing capability, the initial fluidity and 1 h fluidity of cement paste are both the highest, and cement paste has the lowest viscosity and the smallest hysteresis loop.

Synthesis of a Novel Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer with Carboxyl Group as Side Chain Terminal Group to Enhance Its Clay Tolerance

The dispersion ability of polycarboxylate superplasticizer（PCE） in fresh concrete was much impeded by clay impurities. To improve the dispersion of PCE in the clay-contained concrete, a novel PCE with carboxyl as a specific branched chain terminal group was synthesized, using modified polyether as the raw material which was prepared through esterification between hexahydrophthalic anhydride（HHPA） and isobutenyl polyoxyethylene ether（IPEG） with hydroxy as the terminal group. The esterification product and PCE molecular structure were characterized by infrared spectroscopy and ~1HNMR resonance. The results confirmed that the product molecular structure was a comb-type copolymer with long-chain terminal carboxyl group and PEO attached directly to the backbone chain. The as-synthesized PCEs had favorable dispersibility in cement than conventional PCE in the presence of montmorillonite（Mmt） clay. This can be attributed to the introduction of electronegative carboxyl to PCE long-chain terminal group, which reduces the adsorption of PCE on Mmt, and thus improves the tolerance of PCE to the Mmt.

Synthesis of New Polyether Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer

The effects of various factors on the synthesis process and the performances of product, including batch feeding way and the dosage of the radical initiator, the system concentration, the reaction temperature and the reaction time were discussed. A kind of polycarboxylate superplasticizer with allyl alcohol polyethylene glycol, maleic anhydride and methacrylic acid sulfonic sodium as main raw materials has been synthesized. Their relative effectiveness as dispersants was evaluated in cement paste by measuring paste fluidity. The optimum parameters of technology and the appropriate proportion of raw materials were obtained. As a result,the new high performance superplasticizer suitable for high-performance concrete has been synthesized. The structure of copolymer was characterized and analyzed by FT-IR spectra. Results indicated that product copolymer structure was consistent with the ideal molecular structure designed.

Effects of Clay on Properties of Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer and Solutions

The infl uence law of clay on mortar fluidity mixed with polycarboxylate superplasticizer was studied. Several methods of inhibiting clay adsorption of polycarboxylate superplasticizer were discussed. The experimental results show that clay has signifi cant effect on the dispersion of polycarboxylate superplasticizer and montmorillonite clay has more signifi cant impact on mortar fluidity than other clays. The pH value and the salts of the solution can affect the adsorption of clay to polycarboxylate superplasticizer. The incorporation of a small amount of sodium hydroxide solution, sodium silicate or cationic surfactants can improve the effect of the clay on the dispersion of polycarboxylate superplasticizer.

Methylprednisolone microsphere sustained-release membrane inhibits scar formation at the site of peripheral nerve lesion

Corticosteroids are widely used for the treatment of acute central nervous system injury. However, their bioactivity is limited by their short half-life. Sustained release of glucocorticoids can prolong their efficacy and inhibit scar formation at the site of nerve injury. In the present study, we wrapped the anastomotic ends of the rat sciatic nerve with a methylprednisolone sustained-release membrane. Compared with methylprednisone alone or methylprednisone microspheres, the methylprednisolone microsphere sustained-release membrane reduced tissue adhesion and inhibited scar tissue formation at the site of anastomosis. It also increased sciatic nerve function index and the thickness of the myelin sheath. Our findings show that the methylprednisolone microsphere sustained-release membrane effectively inhibits scar formation at the site of anastomosis of the peripheral nerve, thereby promoting nerve regeneration.

Properties of Aroma Sustained-release Cotton Fabric with Rose Fragrance Nanocapsule

The aroma sustained-release cotton fabric was prepared by finishing rose fragrance nanocapsules directly on cotton.The structure and properties of nanocapsules were demonstrated by transmission electron microscope(TEM),dynamic light scattering(DLS),fourier transform infrared spectrometer(FTIR),X-ray diffraction (XRD),gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS)and electronic nose.The results showed that the spherical nanocapsule dispersed evenly and the average diameter kept 51.4 nm.The existence of COO peak(1741 cm? 1)in the FTIR curve of the finished cotton fabric and the decrease of crystallinity demonstrated that rose fragrance nanocapsules have been incorporated into the cotton fabrics.The washing resistance of the cotton fabrics finished by 51.4 nm nanocapsules was much better than that by rose fragrance alone.Besides,the loss of fragrance from the cotton fabrics finished by 51.4 nm nanocapsules was obviously lower than that by 532 nm nanocapsules and rose fragrance.The smaller the nanocapsule size,the better the sustained release property.Electronic nose analysis also displayed that the aroma released from the cotton fabrics finished by nanocapsules after washing has no obvious variety in contrast to that without washing.The cotton fabrics finished by nanocapsules has the excellent sustained release property.

Synthesis and Performance Characterization of a Low Adsorption Clay-resistant Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer

A low adsorption clay-resistant polycarboxylate superplasticizer(KN-PC)was synthesized using acrylic acid and isopentenol polyoxyethylene ether as the main reaction materials.The structural characterization and clay-resistant mechanism of the KN-PC were explored using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction,and the effect of the KN-PC on the performance of composite paste with various montmorillonite(MMT)contents was analyzed.Compared with ordinary polycarboxylate superplasticizer(PC),the KN-PC has a low sensitivity to the MMT.By the action of the MMT,the adsorption dosage of the KN-PC on the MMT is much smaller than that of the PC.

Release performance and sustained-release efficacy of emamectin benzoate-loaded polylactic acid microspheres

High-performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） was employed to determine drug release rates based on emamectin benzoate concentrations in the medium. Release kinetics equations were used to fit the drug release behavior. The effects of particle size and release medium pH on the release rate were also investigated. The indoor toxicity of emamectin benzoate-loaded polylactic acid microspheres on the diamondback moth larva （Plutella xylostella） was studied to explore drug sustained-release performance. In acidic and neutral media, the drug release behavior of the microspheres was in accord with the first-order kinetics equation. Increasing the spray dosage of emamectin benzoate-loaded polylactic acid microspheres initially resulted in an equivalent insecticidal efficacy with the conventional emamectin benzoate microemulsion. However, the drug persistence period was four-fold longer than that observed using the conventional formulation. The developed emamectin benzoate-loaded polylactic acid microspheres showed dramatic sustained-release performance. A treatment threshold of greater than 35 mg mL-1 was established for an efficient accumulated release concentration of emamectin benzoate-loaded microspheres.

The preparation and the in-vitro pharmacodynamics study of the intracapsular sustained-release preparations for the prevention of posterior capsule opacification

Docetaxel-loaded sustained-release preparation based on 2-Hydroxyethyl methacrylate(HEMA)and Methyl methacrylate(MMA)cross-linked copolymer(P(HEMA-co-MMA))was prepared to examine the potential use for preventing posterior capsule opacification(PCO).The preparations were prepared by polymerizing the mixture of HEMA,MMA,cross-linking agent(EGDMA),initiator(AIBN)and docetaxel.The influence factors and mechanism of drug release were studied in the experiments.FT-IR,X-RD and SEM methods were used to characterize the polymer(P(HEMA-co-MMA))and docetaxel-loaded sustained-release preparations.Biocompatibility of P(HEMA-co-MMA)and in-vitro effect of docetaxel-loaded sustained-release preparations were also evaluated.The results showed that docetaxel could release sustainedly from these preparations prepared by cross-linking polymerization.And the release rate could be accelerated by increasing the MMA ratio or EGDMA ratio of the polymer.Release mechanism of docetaxel fitted the Higuchi model well.The results of IR and X-RD showed that only a hydrogen bond was formed between docetaxel and P(HEMA-co-MMA).Docetaxel dispersed in P(HEMA-co-MMA)in amorphous form.The elution test showed that P(HEMA-co-MMA)had good biocompatibility and the in-vitro pharmacodynamics study proved that docetaxel could release stably from the preparations and inhibit HLECs’proliferation.The docetaxel-loaded sustained-release preparations proved to be a promising therapy for preventing PCO.These results also lay a theoretical and experimental foundation for the future.

Preparation and evaluation of tamsulosin hydrochloride sustained-release pellets modified by two-layered membrane techniques

The aim of the present study was to develop tamsulosin hydrochloride sustained-release pellets using two-layered membrane techniques.Centrifugal granulator and fluidizedbed coater were employed to prepare drug-loaded pellets and to employ two-layered membrane coating respectively.The prepared pellets were evaluated for physicochemical characterization,subjected to differential scanning calorimetry(DSC)and in vitro release of different pH.Different release models and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)were utilized to analyze the release mechanism of Harnual■ and home-made pellets.By comparing the dissolution profiles,the ratio and coating weight gain of Eudragit■ NE30D and Eudragit■ L30D55 which constitute the inside membrane were identified as 18:1 and 10%-11%.The coating amount of outside membrane containing Eudragit■ L30D55 was determined to be 0.8%.The similarity factors(f_(2))of home-made capsule and commercially available product(Harnual■)were above 50 in different dissolution media.DSC studies confirmed that drug and excipients had good compatibility and SEM photographs showed the similarities and differences of coating surface between Harnual■ and self-made pellets before and after dissolution.According to Ritger-Peppas model,the two dosage form had different release mechanism.

Tunable and sustained-release characteristics of venlafaxine hydrochloride from chitosan–carbomer matrix tablets based on in situ formed polyelectrolyte complex film coating

The objective of this study is to design sustained-release tablets using matrix technology, which can well control the release of highly water-soluble drugs with good system robustness and simple preparation process. Taking venlafaxine hydrochloride(VH) as a drug model, the feasibility of using chitosan(CS), carbomer(CBM) combination system to achieve this goal was studied. Formulation and process variables influencing drug release from CS–CBM matrix tablets were investigated. It was found that CS–CBM combination system weakened the potential influence of CS, CBM material properties and gastric emptying time on drug release profile. Demonstrated by direct observation, differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR), in situ self-assembled polyelectrolyte complex(PEC) film was formed on the tablet surface during gastrointestinal tract transition, which contributed to the tunable and robust control of drug release. The sustained drug release behavior was further demonstrated in vivo in Beagle dogs, with level A in vitro and in vivo correlation(IVIVC) established successfully. In conclusion, CS–CBM matrix tablets are promising system to tune and control the release of highly water-soluble drugs with good system robustness.

Determination of Residual Monomers in Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Using High Performance Liquid Chromatography

A procedure was developed for the determination of residual monomers in polycarboxylate superplasticizer （PCs） by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography （RP-HPLC）.Four kinds of residual monomers were well separated and determined on a SinoChrom ODS-BP （C18） column with mobile phases composed of acetonitrile and phosphate buffer solution.The monomers were detected by UV detector at 205 nm and quantitatively analyzed with an external standard method.For those residual monomers,the linear response ranged from 4.0×10-6 mol·L-1 to 2.0×10-3 mol·L-1.The determination limit of acrylic acid,sodium methylallyl sulfonate and 2-Acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid was 0.02×10-5 mol·L-1,while that of methoxy-polyethylene glycol monoacrylate was 0.1×10-5 mol·L-1.The relative standard deviation （RSD） of high concentration samples was less than 1%,while that of the low concentration samples was between 1%-4%.The standard （additional） recovery ratio was 97.4% -104.2%.

Nerve growth factor-basic fibroblast growth factor poly-lactide co-glycolid sustained-release microspheres and the small gap sleeve bridging technique to repair peripheral nerve injury

We previously prepared nerve growth factor poly-lactide co-glycolid sustained-release microspheres to treat rat sciatic nerve injury using the small gap sleeve technique.Multiple growth factors play a synergistic role in promoting the repair of peripheral nerve injury;as a result,in this study,we added basic fibroblast growth factors to the microspheres to further promote nerve regeneration.First,in an in vitro biomimetic microenvironment,we developed and used a drug screening biomimetic microfluidic chip to screen the optimal combination of nerve growth factor/basic fibroblast growth factor to promote the regeneration of Schwann cells.We found that 22.56 ng/mL nerve growth factor combined with 4.29 ng/mL basic fibroblast growth factor exhibited optimal effects on the proliferation of primary rat Schwann cells.The successfully prepared nerve growth factor-basic fibroblast growth factor-poly-lactide-co-glycolid sustained-release microspheres were used to treat rat sciatic nerve transection injury using the small gap sleeve bridge technique.Compared with epithelium sutures and small gap sleeve bridging alone,the small gap sleeve bridging technique combined with drug-free sustained-release microspheres has a stronger effect on rat sciatic nerve transfection injury repair at the structural and functional level.

No long-term survival benefit with sustained-release 5-fluorouracil implants in patients with stages Ⅱ and Ⅲ gastric cancer

BACKGROUND The prognosis of gastric cancer in an advanced stage remains poor. The exact efficacy of the use of intraoperative sustained-release chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil(5-FU) in advanced-stage gastric cancer is still unelucidated.AIM To explore the long-term survival benefit of using sustained-release 5-FU implants in stage Ⅱ and stage Ⅲ gastric cancer patients.METHODS Patients with gastric cancer in a locally advanced stage and who underwent an R0 radical resection between Jan 2014, to Dec 2016, in this single institution were included. Patients with pathological diagnoses other than adenocarcinoma were excluded. All included patients were grouped according to whether intraoperative sustained-release(SR) chemotherapy with 5-FU was used or not(NSR). The primary end-point was 5-year overall survival. Kaplan–Meier method with logrank test was used to analyze the overall survival of patients and Cox analysis was used to analyze prognosis factors of these patients.RESULTS In total, there were 563 patients with gastric cancer with locally advanced stage, who underwent an R0 radical resection. 309 patients were included in the final analysis. 219(70.9%) were men, with an average age of 58.25 years. Furthermore, 56(18.1%) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and 191(61.8%) were in TNM stage Ⅲ. In addition, 158 patients received intraoperative sustainedrelease chemotherapy with 5-FU and were included in the SR group, while the other 161 patients were included in the NSR group. The overall complication rate was 12.94% in the whole group and 10.81%, 16.46% in SR and NSR groups, respectively. There were no significant differences between the two groups in overall survival and complication rate(P > 0.05). The multivariate cox analysis indicated that only N Stage and neoadjuvant therapy were independent influencing factors of survival.CONCLUSION Intraoperative sustained-release chemotherapy usage with 5-FU, did not improve the survival of patients who underwent an R0 radical resection in locally advanced stage of gastric cancer.