Effects of Formulation Parameters on Encapsulation Efficiency and Release Behavior of Thienorphine Loaded PLGA Microspheres
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Pharmaceutical Development and Technology ISSN: 1083-7450 (Print) 1097-9867 (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/iphd20 Effects of formulation parameters on encapsulation efficiency and release behavior of thienorphine loaded PLGA microspheres Yang Yang, Yongliang Gao & Xingguo Mei To cite this article: Yang Yang, Yongliang Gao & Xingguo Mei (2013) Effects of formulation parameters on encapsulation efficiency and release behavior of thienorphine loaded PLGA microspheres, Pharmaceutical Development and Technology, 18:5, 1169-1174, DOI: 10.3109/10837450.2011.618948 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.3109/10837450.2011.618948 Published online: 04 Oct 2011. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 197 View related articles Citing articles: 3 View citing articles Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=iphd20 Pharmaceutical Development and Technology Pharmaceutical Development and Technology, 2013; 18(5): 1169–1174 2013 © 2013 Informa Healthcare USA, Inc. ISSN 1083-7450 print/ISSN 1097-9867 online 18 DOI: 10.3109/10837450.2011.618948 5 1169 RESEARCH ARTICLE 1174 22 April 2011 Effects of formulation parameters on encapsulation 09 August 2011 efficiency and release behavior of thienorphine loaded PLGA microspheres 15 August 2011 1083-7450 Yang Yang, Yongliang Gao, and Xingguo Mei 1097-9867 Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijng, China © 2013 Informa Healthcare USA, Inc. Abstract 10.3109/10837450.2011.618948 To develop a long-acting injectable thienorphine biodegradable poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microsphere for the therapy of opioid addiction, the effects of formulation parameters on encapsulation efficiency and release LPDT behavior were studied. The thienorphine loaded PLGA microspheres were prepared by o/w solvent evaporation 618948 method and characterized by HPLC, SEM, laser particle size analysis, residual solvent content and sterility testing. The microspheres were sterilized by gamma irradiation (2.5 kGy). The results indicated that the morphology of the thienorphine PLGA microspheres presented a spherical shape with smooth surface, the particle size was distributed from 30.19 ± 1.17 to 59.15 ± 0.67μm and the drug encapsulation efficiency was influenced by drug/polymer ratio, homogeneous rotation speed, PVA concentration in the water phase and the polymer concentration in the oil phase. These changes were also reflected in drug release. The plasma drug concentration vs. time profiles were relatively smooth for about 25 days after injection of the thienorphine loaded PLGA microspheres to beagle dogs. In vitro and in vivo correlation was established. Keywords: Thienorphine, poly (d, l-lactide-co-glycolide), microspheres, formulation parameter, release behavior Introduction workload. Among many biodegradable polymers inves- tigated, poly (d, l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) has Opioid abuse and dependence remains a serious world- attracted much attention due to its good biodegradable wide health problem. Relapse of addiction is often caused and biocompatible properties. by poor compliance and lack of retention in programs (1). Thienorphine[N-cyclopropylmethyl-7(-[(R)-1- Therefore, it is of great importance to be able to reduce hydroxy-1-methyl-3-(thien-2-yl)-propyl]-6, 14-endo-ethano- the level of involvement of the subject with medicinal tetrahydronororipavine] is a new compound (Figure 1), treatments, particularly those treatments involving a synthesized by our institute. As an analog of buprenor- specific regimen. phine, thienorphine is a partial agonist of the µ-opioid Many experts have adopted sustained release meth- receptor, as is buprenorphine, which has been widely ods to reduce the involvement of subjects in compli- used in the therapy of opioid addiction (3,4). The phar- ance. Biodegradable injectable microspheres have been macology studies showed that thienorphine is a potent, studied widely in the last 30 years. They have been exten- long-acting partial opioid agonist and may have a pos- sively investigated as drug carriers in controlled drug sible application in treating addiction (5–7). Inspired by delivery systems, which have several advantages (2): (a) the result, we prepared the thienorphine loaded PLGA less frequent administration and reduced total dose; (b) microspheres. Our objective was to develop a controlled improved compliance of patients; (c) the extended dura- release system that was effective for a period of 1 month. tion of drug effect and more predictable absorption; (d) The o/w solvent evaporation method was chosen to fewer extra pyramidal side-effects and reduced medical prepare thienorphine loaded PLGA microspheres in this Address for Correspondence: Xingguo Mei, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Taiping Road, Haidian District, Beijng, 10085, China. Tel./fax: +86-10-66932644. E-mail: [email protected] (Received 22 April 2011; revised 09 August 2011; accepted 15 August 2011) 1169 1170 Y. Yang et al. study, because thienorphine is a lipophilic compound. to 1 ml of DCM. After being completely dissolved, it was The effects of a series of formulation parameters of emul- poured into aqueous solution PVA-124 and then the mix- sion on the microencapsulation and release behavior ture was emulsified by using a propeller stirrer (SXJQ-1, of thienorphine PLGA microspheres were investigated. Zhengzhou, China) at various rates for 10 min at room Besides the evaluation of physicochemical characteristics, temperature (T). Stirring at 300 rpm was then continued the gamma radiation sterilization and residual dichlo- for 8 h to evaporate DCM. The resulting microspheres romethane (DCM) content of the microspheres were also were washed three times with distilled water and dried investigated. The drug content of microspheres in vivo under vacuum. was determined by a LC-MS-MS. Finally, the correlation between in vitro and in vivo release was established. Particle size analysis The mean size and size distribution of the prepared PLGA microspheres were analyzed by a light-scattering particle Materials and methods size analyzer (BT-9300, BETTER, China). The powder of Materials microspheres was suspended in a large volume of dis- Thienorphine (99% purity) was supplied by Beijing tilled water. Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology. PLGA (Wη 8800, 15,000; lactide/glycolide ratio, 75/25) was gener- Microscopic observations ously donated by Prof. Shaobing Zhou of Southwest The microspheres were mounted on metal stubs using a Jiaotong University. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA-124) and double-sided adhesive tape. After vacuum coating with dichloromethane (DCM) were obtained from Beijing a layer of gold, the surface of the thienorphine micro- chemical reagents company. All other materials or sol- spheres was observed by scanning electron microscopy vents were of analytical grade and were used as obtained (Hitachi S-450, Japan). commercially. Residual DCM content Microspheres preparation Gas chromatography (HP 5890, USA) was used to deter- The preparation formulations of thienorphine loaded mine the residual DCM in the thienorphine loaded PLGA PLGA microspheres are shown in Table 1. The thienor- microspheres. 1 ml N, N- dimethyl formamide of 0.05 μl of phine loaded PLGA microspheres were prepared using ethyl acetate was used as internal standard. Approximately oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion solvent evaporation method. 25 mg of microspheres were dissolved in 1 ml of internal This study had been described in our previous report (8). standard. GC conditions were as follows: DB-624 capillary Briefly, an amount of PLGA and thienorphine were added column (30 m × 0.25 mm × 0.25 μm, HP, USA); high purity nitrogen (≥99.99%) as carrier gas with flow rate 30 ml/min; injection temperature at 270°C, with FLD detector. Determination of the encapsulated thienorphine in the microspheres Microspheres containing thienorphine were dissolved in 5 ml of DCM. The resulting solution was then diluted with ethanol. The media was filtered (0.22 μm, Fisher Scientific, USA) and analyzed by a reverse phase HPLC (LC-10AT VP, Shimadzu, Japan). HPLC conditions were as follows: C18 Figure 1. The chemical structures of thienorphine. column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm, Phenomenex, USA), a Table 1. Formulations processing conditions of thienorphine loaded PLGA microspheres Molecular weight PLGA concentration Drug/ PVA Homogenization Batch of PLGA (mg·ml−1) polymer ratio concentration speed (rpm) DCM (ml) 1 15,000 200 1/9 4% 800 10 2 8800 200 1/9 4% 800 10 3 15,000 200 1/19 4% 800 10 4 15,000 200 1/6 4% 800 10 5 15,000 100 1/9 4% 800 10 6 15,000 300 1/9 4% 800 10 7 15,000 200 1/9 2% 800 10 8 15,000 200 1/9 6% 800 10 9 15,000 200 1/9 4% 600 10 10 15,000 200 1/9 4% 1000 10 11 15,000 200 1/9 4% 800 5 12 15,000 200 1/9 4% 800 20 Pharmaceutical Development and Technology Loaded PLGA microspheres 1171 mixture of acetonitrile-methanol-0.02mol.l−1 phosphate China). The beagle dogs (adult male, 10 ± 1.0 kg, n = 3, (40:15:45) buffer containing 0.2% triethylamine (pH = 3) Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology) were as eluant, detection at 220 nm. The thienorphine content used for the pharmacokinetic studies. Each animal was was calculated with external standard method. Each injected intramuscularly (i.m.) with the thienorphine measurement was performed in triplicate. loaded PLGA microspheres (batch 1) which were steril- ized by gamma radiation, the doses administered to drug loading (%) = (weight of drug in microspheres/ beagle dogs was 2.5 mg/kg. At designed time point, blood weight of microspheres) × 100% samples was collected and centrifuged at 8000 rpm entrapment efficiency (%) = (drug loading (%)/ for 10 min within 2 h. Then plasma was obtained and theoretical drug loading (%)) × 100% stored at−20°C before measurement. The drug content of microspheres in vivo was determined by a LC-MS-MS In vitro release assays (Agilent1200, Agilent, USA). The method had been About 25 mg of microspheres were suspended in 30 ml of described in our previous report (8).