• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.30 no.9
• /
• pp.2007-2010
• /
• 2009

Donepezil hydrochloride is a reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that is used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease to improve the cognitive performance. It shows different crystalline forms including hydrates. Therefore, it is very important to confirm the polymorphic forms in the formulations of pharmaceutical materials because polymorphs of the same drug often exhibit significant differences in solubility, bioavailability, processability and physical/chemical stability. In this paper, four different forms of donepezil hydrochloride were prepared and characterized using X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. This study showed that solid-state NMR spectroscopy is a powerful technique for obtaining structural information and the polymorphology of pharmaceutical solids.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
• /
• v.41 no.6
• /
• pp.337-345
• /
• 2011

The objective of this work is to investigate the effect of chemical enhancer and current on the flux of donepezil hydrochloride (DH) through skin. Ethanol and N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) were used as chemical enhancers in combination with iontophoresis. We also have studied the effect of pH on flux and evaluated the role of electroosmosis. In vitro flux study was performed at $33^{\circ}C$, using side-by-side diffusion cell and full thickness hairless mouse skin. Passive flux of DH without enhancer was very small. As the concentration of enhancer increased, passive flux increased. After current application, flux increased markedly and the time to reach maximum decreased. Without enhancer, maximum flux was about 50 fold larger than that obtained without current. These results indicate that electromigration is playing a major role for the transport. As the enhancer concentration increased, flux also increased. NMP and ethanol increased not only the passive delivery, but also the iontophoretic delivery. Flux results indicate that ethanol has better ability than NMP in enhancing the transport of DH. The magnitudes of increase in flux by these enhancers indicate that there is a large synergistic effect in flux enhancement. Flux results from pH study showed that electroosmotic flow is reversed at low pH and the flux is hindered. These results provided some information on the flux enhancing ability of ethanol and NMP in combination with iontophoresis. The data also provided some mechanistic insights into the role of electromigration and electroosmosis on flux through skin.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.179-183
• /
• 2008

In the present study, we examined the effects of several therapeutics of Alzheimer's disease, such as donepezil hydrochloride, tacrine and $\alpha$-phenyl-n-tert-butyl nitrone (PBN) on choline efflux from brain to circulating blood. The brain-to-blood efflux of [$^3H$]choline in rats was significantly inhibited by tacrine and PBN. Also the [$^3H$]choline efflux was reduced by tacrine and donepezil hydrochloride in the TR-BBB cells, in vitro the blood-brain barrier (BBB) model. These results suggest that these drugs may influence choline efflux transport from brain to blood and regulate the choline level in brain resulting in the increase of acetylcholine synthesis.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.91-100
• /
• 2010

The objective of this work is to study transdermal delivery of donepezil hydrochloride (DH) using iontophoresis and to evaluate various factors which affect the transdermal transport. After the flux study using 4 kinds of hydrogel, hydrogel containing 8% poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was chosen as the hydrogel for further studies. Under experimental condition, DH was stable. We have studied the effect of polarity, current density, drug concentration and current profile on transdermal flux and compared the results. In vitro flux study was performed at $33^{\circ}C$, using side-by-side diffusion cell and full thickness hairless mouse skin. DH is positively charged at pH 7.4, and anodal delivery was much larger than cathodal and passive delivery at all current densities studied (0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 mA/$cm^2$). Cathodal delivery showed higher flux than passive flux. Flux increased as the concentration of DH in hydrogel increased. Pulsatile application of current showed smaller flux value than the application of continuous current. Based on these results, we have evaluated the possibility of delivering enough amount of DH to reach the therapeutic level. The maximum cumulative amount of DH transported for 12 hours was 455 ${\mu}g/cm^2{\cdot}hr$ when the amount of DH in the hydrogel was 3 mg/mL and the current density was 0.4 mA/$cm^2$. If the patch size is 10 $cm^2$, then we can deliver 4.6 mg for 12 hours. Because the daily dosage of DH is 5 mg, it seems possible to deliver clinically effective amount of DH using iontophoresis. This study also provides some information about the role of electrorepulsion and electroosmosis during the transport through skin.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.57-62
• /
• 2007

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the bioequivalence of two donepezil tablets, $Aricept^{TM}$ tablet (Dae Woong Pharm. Co., Ltd., Korea, reference drug) and $Donpezil^{TM}$ tablet (Dong Wha Pharm. Ind. Co., Ltd., Korea, test drug), according to the guidelines of Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). Twenty-four healthy male Korean volunteers received one tablet containing donepezil hydorchloride 10 mg in a $2{\times}2$ crossover study. There was a three-week washout period between the doses. Plasma concentrations of donepezil were monitored by an LC-MS/MS far over a period of 240 hr after the administration. $AUC_t$, (the area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time zero to 240 hr) was calculated by the linear trapezoidal rule method. $C_{max}$ (maximum plasma drug concentration) and $T_{max}$ (time to reach $C_{max}$)were compiled from the plasma concentration-time data. Analysis of variance was carried out using logarithmically transformed $AUC_t$ and $C_{max}$, No significant sequence effects were found for all of the bioavailability parameters indicating that the crossover design was properly performed. The 90% confidence intervals of the $AUC_t$ and $C_{max}$ were log 0.95${\sim}$log 1.03 and log 0.94${\sim}$log 1.08, respectively. These values were within the acceptable bioequivalence intervals of log 0.80${\sim}$log 1.25. Taken together, our study demonstrated the bioequivalence of $Aricept^{TM}$ and $Donpezil^{TM}$ with respect to the rate and extent of absorption.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.443-450
• /
• 2005

In the present study, we have characterized the choline transport system and examined the influence of various amine drugs on the choline transporter using a conditionally immortalized rat brain capillary endothelial cell line (TR-BBB) in vitro. The cell-to-medium (C/M) ratio of $[^3{H}]choline$ in TR-BBB cells increased time-dependently. The initial uptake rate of $[^3{H}]choline$ was concentration-dependent with a Michaelis-Menten value, $K_{m}$, of $26.2\pm2.7{\mu}M$. The $[^3{H}]choline$ uptake into TR-BBB was $Na^{+}-independent$, but was membrane potential-dependent. The $[^3{H}]choline$ uptake was susceptible to inhibition by hemicholinium-3, and tetraethy-lammonium (TEA), which are organic cation transporter substrates. Also, the uptake of $[^3{H}]choline$ was competitively inhibited with $K_{i}$ values of $274 {\mu}M, 251 {\mu}M and 180 {\mu}M$ in the presence of donepezil hydrochloride, tacrine and $\alpha-phenyl-n-tert-butyl nitrone$ (PBN), respectively. These characteristics of choline transport are consistent with those of the organic cation transporter (OCT). OCT2 mRNA was expressed in TR-BBB cells, while the expression of OCT3 or choline transporter (CHT) was not detected. Accordingly, these results suggest that OCT2 is a candidate for choline transport at the BBB and may influence the BBB permeability of amine drugs.