We compared the safety and efficacy in mice with peritoneal carcinomatosis of two etoposide formulations: an aqueous solution (Etp-sol) and particles suspended in oil (the addition products of iodine and the ethyl esters of the fatty acids obtained from poppy-seed oil (Lipiodol) or sesame oil; Etp-oil). We also investigated tissue distribution of etoposide in rats treated with Etp-oil and Etp-sol. Etoposide was injected intraperitoneally at concentrations ranging from 52 to 392 mg/kg (increasing geometrically by a factor of 1.4). The 50% lethal dose (LD50), determined over a 2-week period of observation, was 135 mg/kg for Etp-oil and 108 mg/kg for Etp-sol. Autopsy findings included macroscopic intestinal bleeding, necrosis of the intestinal mucosa, and pulmonary congestion in mice from both treatment groups. In the efficacy trials. 10(6) P388 leukemia cells were transplanted into CDF1 male mice, and Etp-oil and Etp-sol were injected at doses of 20 mg/kg and 80 mg/kg. In the groups receiving the 20 mg/kg dose, 11 of 19 mice in the Etp-oil group survived to day 60 compared with 3 of 20 mice in the Etp-sol group. Toxicity-related deaths occurred in 1 of 20 mice treated with 80 mg/kg Etp-oil and in 8 of 20 mice treated with 80 mg/kg Etp-sol. No cancer-related deaths were associated with the 80 mg/kg dose in either treatment group. Our findings showed that the Etp-oil was associated with a lower toxicity and a higher efficacy than the Etp-sol. To evaluate tissue distribution, rats were injected intraperitoneally with 5 mg/kg body weight of Etp-sol or Etp-oil. The tissue distribution of etoposide was subsequently analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. Compared with Etp-sol, Etp-oil delivered significantly greater amounts of etoposide and for a longer period to the omentum, taken as representative of the intraperitoneal tissue, and the etoposide concentration in blood plasma was increased more slowly and decreased more gradually.

We examined the effect of talc as an vehicle on release profile of time-controlled release granule (TCRG). In this report, TCRG was prepared by coating a water insoluble polymer to the pre-coated granule which consists of a powder blend containing active ingredient, swelling agent and talc. The lag time of metominostrobin release from TCRG was prolonged with increase of talc, a hydrophobic vehicle. We discussed the mechanism in this phenomenon.

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In order to improve the intestinal absorption of tetragastrin (TG), we synthesized lipophilic derivatives of TG by acylation of its N-terminal amino group with acetic acid, caproic acid, and lauric acid. The purified TG derivatives, acetyl-tetragastrin (Ac-TG), caproyl-tetragastrin (Cap-TG), and lauroyl-tetragastrin (Lau-TG), were confirmed to be more lipophilic than the parent TG by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The pharmacological activities and the intestinal absorption of TG and its derivatives were examined by measuring gastric acid secretion. Stimulation of gastric acid secretion by these derivatives after intravenous administration was stronger than with native TG. When the acetyl- and caproyl-derivatives were administered into the large intestinal loops, a marked increase in gastric acid secretion was observed in comparison with TG, while no significant effect occurred following administration of the TG derivatives into the small intestines. These results indicated that chemical modification of TG with fatty acids improves the absorption of TG from the large intestines.

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