Flavonoids have been studied extensively due to the observation that diets rich in these compounds are associated with lower incidences of many diseases. One of the most studied flavonoids, quercetin, is also the most abundant of these compounds in the plant kingdom. Numerous therapeutic bioactivities have been identified in vitro. However, its in vivo efficacy in pure form is limited by poor bioavailability, primarily due to its low solubility and consequent low absorption in the gut. Cocrystallization has gained attention recently as a means for improving the physicochemical characteristics of a compound. Here, we synthesized and evaluated four new cocrystals of quercetin (QUE): quercetin:caffeine (QUECAF), quercetin:caffeine:methanol (QUECAF·MeOH), quercetin:isonicotinamide (QUEINM), and quercetin:theobromine dihydrate (QUETBR · 2H(2)O). Each of these cocrystals exhibited pharmacokinetic properties that are vastly superior to those of quercetin alone. Cocrystallization was able to overcome the water insolubility of quercetin, with all four cocrystals exhibiting some degree of solubility. The QUECAF and QUECAF·MeOH cocrystals increased the solubility of QUE by 14- and 8-fold when compared to QUE dihydrate. We hypothesized that this improved solubility would translate into enhanced systemic absorption of QUE. This hypothesis was supported in our pharmacokinetic study. The cocrystals outperformed QUE dihydrate with increases in bioavailability up to nearly 10-fold.

This contribution addresses the role of water molecules in crystal engineering by studying the crystal structures and thermal stabilities of 11 new cocrystal hydrates, all of which were characterized by single crystal X-ray crystallography, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The cocrystal hydrates can be grouped into four categories based upon thermal stability: (1) water is lost at <100 °C; (2) water is lost between 100 and 120 °C; (3) water is lost at >120 °C; (4) dehydration occurs concurrently with the melt of the cocrystal. In order to address if there is any correlation between structure and stability, the following factors were considered: type of hydrate (tunnel hydrate or isolated hydrate); number of hydrogen bond donors and acceptors; hydrogen bond distances; packing efficiency. Category 1 hydrates exhibit water molecules in tunnels. However, no structure/stability correlations exist in any of the other categories of hydrate. To complement the cocrystal hydrates reported herein, a Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) analysis was conducted in order to address the supramolecular heterosynthons that water molecules exhibit with two of the most relevant functional groups in the context of active pharmaceutical ingredients, carboxylic acids, and alcohols. The CSD analysis suggests that, unlike cocrystals, there is great diversity in the supramolecular heterosynthons exhibited by water molecules when they form hydrogen bonds with carboxylic acids or alcohols. It can therefore be concluded that the promiscuity of water molecules in terms of their supramolecular synthons and their unpredictable thermal stability makes them a special challenge in the context of crystal engineering.

Whereas carboxylic acids are well explored in the context of cocrystals, the same cannot be said about carboxylate moieties. This Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) and experimental study demonstrates that carboxylate moieties persistently form charge-assisted H-bonds with weakly acidic hydroxyl moieties such as phenols. CSD statistics reveal that 58 of 103 relevant structures exhibit carboxylate-hydroxyl (phenolic) supramolecular heterosynthons even in the presence of competing functional groups. The following neutral cocrystal formers sustain 15 new cocrystals of zwitterions and their crystal structures reveal that all exhibit carboxylate-hydroxyl supramolecular heterosynthons: citric acid (CIT), L-ascorbic acid (ASC), hesperetin (HES), quercetin (QUE), resveratrol (RES), catechol (CAT), protocatechuic acid (PCA), ferulic acid (FER), ellagic acid (ELA), and gallic acid (GAL). Zwitterions used were betaine (BTN), sarcosine (SAR), dimethyl glycine (DMG), baclofen (BAC), nicotinic acid (NAC), and isonicotinic acid (INA). Carboxylate-hydroxyl supramolecular heterosynthons were observed as follows: 2-point carboxylate-vicinal diol R 2 2 (9) in ASCSAR, ASCNAC, and BTNASC; R 4 4 (18) between two carboxylate and two catechol moieties in BTNGAL, ELASAR, and ELADMG; CITINA 3 2H 2 O, GALINA 3 H 2 O, and HESNAC (þ and ( forms) exhibit 1-point H-bonds.

The most abundant polyphenol in green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCg), has recently received considerable attention due to the discovery of numerous health-promoting bioactivities. Despite reports of its poor oral bioavailability, EGCg has been included in many dietary supplement formulations. Conventional preformulation methods have been employed to improve the bioavailability of EGCg. However, these methods have limitations that hinder the development of EGCg as an effective therapeutic agent. In this study, we have utilized the basic concepts of crystal engineering and several crystallization techniques to screen for various solid crystalline forms of EGCg and evaluated the efficacy of crystal engineering for modulating the pharmacokinetics of EGCg. We synthesized and characterized seven previously undescribed crystal forms of EGCg including the pure crystal structure of EGCg. The aqueous solubility profiles of four new EGCg cocrystals were determined. These cocrystals were subsequently dosed at 100 mg EGCg per kg body weight in rats, and the plasma levels were monitored over the course of eight hours following the single oral dose. Two of the EGCg cocrystals were found to exhibit modest improvements in relative bioavailability. Further, cocrystallization resulted in marked effects on pharmacokinetic parameters including Cmax, Tmax, area under curve, relative bioavailability, and apparent terminal half-life. Our findings suggest that modulation of the pharmacokinetic profile of EGCg is possible using cocrystallization and that it offers certain opportunities that could be useful during its development as a therapeutic agent.

Eight 2:1 cocrystals of amino acid zwitterions and Li(+) salts were crystallized from hot water to afford cationic networks based on tetrahedral lithium cations: square grids, an ABW topology net, and diamondoid nets.