A toxicity assessment of 30 pharmaceuticals using Aliivibrio fischeri: a comparison of the acute effects of different formulations

Abstract

Considerable quantities of different classes of drugs are consumed annually worldwide. These drugs, once disposed, often remain stable, even after conventional or advanced treatments. Although there have been a number of studies on the potential harm caused by drugs when released into the environment, few studies have investigated the toxicity of pharmaceutical excipients. In the present study, the acute toxicity of 30 drugs was tested to Aliivibrio fischeri. Ten different active ingredients were investigated, each in three distinct formulations: generic, similar and reference (brand drug). The aim of the study was to evaluate the harmful potential of drugs frequently sold in drugstores and to assess the contribution of excipients towards the observed acute toxicity. Within the 10 drugs evaluated, only one, dexchlorpheniramine maleate, was not toxic in any formulation. The toxicities of the three formulations were often different, even though the active ingredient has been the same. For some drugs, such as diazepam, glibenclamide, metformin, nimesulide, hydrochlorothiazide and simvastatin, only one or two of the three formulations tested were toxic to A. fischeri. These results highlight the toxicological potential of drug excipients, but not exclusively the toxicity of the active ingredients.

Metformin promotes bacterial surface aggregation by inhibiting the swimming motility of flagellated Escherichia coli

“…Recently, metformin was found to alter the distribution of microbiota and regulate the host glucose metabolism process by regulating the microbiota in gut ecology [20]. Metformin can alter the morphology, growth, locomotor activity, and reproduction of bacteria in aquatic environments [35]. In the present study, we demonstrated that metformin inhibited the growth of E. coli , which has also been reported for Helicobacter pylori [36].…”

Assessment of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and mutagenicity of the dexchlorpheniramine reference standard and pharmaceutical formula in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

“…The maximum concentration in plasma (Cmax) was 4.69 ng/mL and 4.92 ng/mL for dexchlorpheniramine maleate and the reference standard, respectively (Moreno et al, 2010). Jacob et al (2016) evaluated the acute toxicity of dexchlorpheniramine maleate in A. fischeri by measuring the luminescence of the bacteria after 30 minutes of contact with the drug. The authors reported that dexchlorpheniramine maleate in any formulation (generic, similar, or reference) did not exhibit toxicity in their experimental model.…”

Fármacos e desreguladores endócrinos em águas brasileiras: ocorrência e técnicas de remoção

“…Contudo, tal estudo não faz alusão aos desreguladores endócrinos ou aos antibióticos (BERGMAN et al, 2012). No Brasil, encontram-se poucos trabalhos sobre a toxicidade desses microcontaminantes; um desses foi realizado por Jacob et al (2016) Figura 1 -Fontes e destinos dos fármacos e desreguladores endócrinos nos recursos hídricos.…”