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This study represents the first-time experimental analysis of lipophilicity for antidiabetic drugs from the gliflozin class using chromatographic methods alongside computational approaches. The lipophilicity of five gliflozins (canagliflozin (CANA), dapagliflozin (DAPA), empagliflozin (EMPA), ertugliflozin (ERTU), and sotagliflozin (SOTA)) was assessed using RMW and log kW parameters with RP8, RP18, and CN coatings, while methanol and acetonitrile were used as organic modifiers. To enhance the reliability, six reference substances with established lipophilicity values (0.62–3.5) were used for standardization. For computational analyses, the methods ALOGP, iLOGP, MLOGP, SILICOS-IT, WLOGP, XLOGP3, and Consensus. Log P were applied. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and chemometric techniques were employed to compare the results. Experimental lipophilicity values showed strong correlations, indicating that RMW and log kW are reliable parameters for evaluating the lipophilicity of these therapeutically valuable drugs. However, computational lipophilicity values were less consistent, both among themselves and compared to experimental data. Finally, the experimental lipophilicity of gliflozins was analyzed in relation to their pharmacological properties, including protein binding, renal clearance, volume of distribution, half-life, potency (IC50), and lipophilic ligand efficiency (LLE). Our results allow for a confident proposal of a model to experimentally determine the lipophilicity of gliflozin drugs including new derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of their topical application in patients and meaningful UV/VIS absorptive properties, the degradation and potential toxicity under irradiation of diflunisal (DIF) and naphazoline (NAF) were studied. In addition, the impact of pH on their photostability was examined, showing the highest degradation of acidic DIF at pH 1 and 13 and the highest degradation of basic NAF at pH below 7. An LC–UV analysis and chemical tests showed the first-order kinetics for their degradation and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). A UPLC-HRMS/MS analysis allowed us to identify four degradants of DIF (from DD-1 to DD-4) and six degradants of NAF (from ND-1 to ND-6). When Toxtree software was used, a high class III of toxicity was observed for DD-2, DD-3, and DD-4, and for all the NAF degradants. Furthermore, the ND-2 product, i.e., 2-[(1-methylnaphthalen-2-yl)methyl]-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole, was shown to present medium mutagenic and high tumorigenic effects according to OSIRIS Property Explorer. In addition, two in vitro tests on BALB/c 3T3 mouse fibroblasts showed a phototoxic effect of DIF and NAF at the lowest concentrations tested, i.e., 5 µg/mL. Thus, our present results could be useful to design further phototoxicity studies for DIF and NAF to minimize the risk of phototoxicity due to their photodegradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results from numerous pre-clinical studies suggest that a well known anticonvulsant drug valproic acid (VPA) and other short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) cause significant inhibition of cancer cell proliferation by modulating multiple signaling pathways. First of all, they act as histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors (HDIs), being involved in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Afterward, VPA is shown to induce apoptosis and cell differentiation, as well as regulate Notch signaling. Moreover, it up-regulates the expression of certain G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which are involved in various signaling pathways associated with cancer. As a consequence, some pre-clinical and clinical trials were carried out to estimate anticancer effectiveness of VPA, in monotherapy and in new drug combinations, while other SCFAs were tested in pre-clinical studies. The present manuscript summarizes the most important information from the literature about their potent anticancer activities to show some future perspectives related to epigenetic therapy.

Timolol (TIM) is a non-selective ß-adrenergic receptor antagonist used orally for the treatment of hypertension and heart attacks, and topically for treating glaucoma; lately, it has also been used in some specific dermatological problems. In the present study, its photodegradation and potential risk of phototoxicity were examined using chemical, in silico and in vitro methods. The UV/VIS irradiated solutions of TIM at pH 1–13 were subjected to LC-UV and UPLC-HRMS/MS analyses showing pseudo first-order kinetics of degradation and several degradation products. The structures of these photodegradants were elucidated by fragmentation path analysis based on high resolution (HR) fragmentation mass spectra, and then used for toxicity evaluation using OSIRIS Property Explorer and Toxtree. Potential risk of phototoxicity was also studied using chemical tests for detecting ROS under UV/VIS irradiation and in vitro tests on BALB/c 3T3 mouse fibroblasts (MTT, NRU and Live/Dead tests). TIM was shown to be potentially phototoxic because of its UV/VIS absorptive properties and generation ROS during irradiation. As was observed in the MTT and NRU tests, the co-treatment of fibroblasts with TIM and UV/VIS light inhibited cell viability, especially when concentrations of the drug were higher than 50 µg/mL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The review presents analytical methods for determination of new oral drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), focusing on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonists (glitazones), dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (gliptins) and sodium/glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (gliflozins). Drugs derived from prandial glucose regulators, such as glinides, are considered because they are present in some new therapeutic options. The review presents analytical procedures suitable for determination of the drugs in bulk substances, such as pharmaceuticals and biological samples, including HPLC-UV, HPLC/LC-MS, TLC/HPTLC, CE/CE-MS, spectrophotometric (UV/VIS), spectrofluorimetric and electrochemical methods, taken from the literature over the past ten years (2006-2016). Some new procedures for extraction, separation and detection of the drugs, including solid phase extraction with molecularly imprinted polymers (SPE-MIP), liquid phase microextraction using porous hollow fibers (HP-LPME), HILIC chromatography, micellar mobile phases, ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) and isotopically labeled internal standards, are discussed.

A new HPLC method was introduced and validated for simultaneous determination of perindopril and indapamide. Validation procedure included specificity, sensitivity, robustness, stability, linearity, precision and accuracy. The method was used for the dissolution test of perindopril and indapamide in three fixed-dose formulations. The dissolution procedure was optimized using different media, different pH of the buffer, surfactants, paddle speed and temperature. Similarity of dissolution profiles was estimated using different model-independent and model-dependent methods and, additionally, by principal component analysis (PCA). Also, some kinetic models were checked for dissolved amounts of drugs as a function of time.

Dissolution tests of amlodipine and perindopril from their fixed dose formulations were performed in 900 mL of phosphate buffer of pH 5.5 at 37°C using the paddle apparatus. Then, two simple and rapid derivative spectrophotometric methods were used for the quantitative measurements of amlodipine and perindopril. The first method was zero crossing first derivative spectrophotometry in which measuring of amplitudes at 253 nm for amlodipine and 229 nm for perindopril were used. The second method was ratio derivative spectrophotometry in which spectra of amlodipine over the linearity range were divided by one selected standard spectrum of perindopril and then amplitudes at 242 nm were measured. Similarly, spectra of perindopril were divided by one selected standard spectrum of amlodipine and then amplitudes at 298 nm were measured. Both of the methods were validated to meet official requirements and were demonstrated to be selective, precise and accurate. Since there is no official monograph for these drugs in binary formulations, the dissolution tests and quantification procedure presented here can be used as a quality control test for amlodipine and perindopril in respective dosage forms.

The chemical stability of diphenhydramine (DIPH), azelastine (AZE) and bepotastine (BEPO) was examined in solutions and solids. The drugs were subjected to high temperature (70 °C for 35 h) or UV/VIS light (18.902–94.510 kJ/m2) at pH 1–13, to examine their percentage degradation and kinetics of degradation. Further, the stability of solid DIPH, AZE and BEPO was examined in the presence of excipients of different reactivity, i.e., citric acid (CA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) under high temperature/high humidity (70 °C/80% RH) or UV/VIS light (94.510 kJ/m2). Under high temperature, DIPH degraded visibly (>19%) at pH 1 and 4, AZE was shown stable, while the degradation of BEPO was rather high (>17%) in all pH conditions. Under UV/VIS irradiation all the drugs were shown labile with degradation in the range 5.5–96.3%. As far as the solid mixtures were concerned, all drugs interacted with excipients, especially under high temperature/high humidity or UV/VIS light. As a result, DIPH, AZE and BEPO were compared in terms of their stability, with regard to their different structures and acid/base properties. All these results may be helpful for manufacturing, storing and applying these drugs in their topical (skin, nasal and ocular), oral and injectable formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]