• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.101-108
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• 1995

The surface of albumin microspheres could be modified with methotrexate (MTX) by using 1,3-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC). Surface-modified albumin microspheres entrapping no MTX (SAMS), free MTX (SAMSF) and MTX-bovine serum albumin (BSA) conjugates (SAMSC) were prepared. respectively, and their release characteristics were investigated in the presence of trypsin using a dissolution tester. The mean diameters of all the microspheres were $5{\sim}8\;{\mu}m$, and their shapes was small and uniform. MTX bound tn their surfaces was released slower than the entrapped free MTX, and laster than the entrapped MTX-BSA conjugates. Also, surface-modified MTX was scarcely released in the absence of a proteolytic enzyme. Therefore, the surface-modified MTX may be released rapidly from SAMSC at the target site, and thereafter MTX may be released slowly from the encapsulated MTX-BSA conjugates in SAMSC for a long period.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.123-128
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• 1993

The surface of cyarabine-entrapped albumin microspheres, the surface modified albumin microspheres hsowed remakably incrased hydrophilicity, good dispersability in aqueous medium and reduced aggregation during storage which met the requirements of injectable drug carriers in acqueous vehicle. In vitro cytarabine release from hydrophilic albumin microspheres (HAM) was a function of the cytarabine to albumin ratio, whereas no significant difference in the releasing capacity was obnserved between surface modified HAM within the small size range$(2\;to\;5\mu{m)}$ studied. HAM containing 15-23% drug were gradually degraded by protease and continuously released up to 60% of the total entrapped cytarabine for 6h. These results thus suggest that HAM is a suitable cytarabine carrier which may be injected intraveneously with the benefits of a reduced risk of blood embolism induced by aggregates and prolonged cytarabine release.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.105-112
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• 1996

The surface of albumin microspheres was modified with methotrexate(MTX) by using 1,3-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC). Surface-modified albumin microspheres entrapping no MTX (SAMS), free MTX (SAMSF) and MTX-bovine serum albumin(BSA) conjugates(SAMSC) were prepared. The organ-targeting ability of free $[^3H]MTX,\;[^3H]MTX-BSA$ conjugate and the above microspheres was evaluated after i.v. administration of the preparations, equivalent to 150 nCi via the tail vein of mice. The total radioactivity in the lung increased immediately in a few minutes after i.v. injection of the microspheres, and then declined for the period of 3-4 weeks. However, the radioactivity in the liver, spleen and kidney increased slowly during the rapid decrease in radioactivity in the lung. This suggested that the microspheres could be entrapped rapidly in the lung through mechanical filtration because of their large size and slowly redistributed to the liver, spleen and kidney due to either the microspheres being degraded enough for the size to allow passage through the capillary beds of the lung and/or the release of $[^3H]MTX\;or\;[^3H]MTX-BSA$ conjugates from the microspheres. The amount of $60{sim}70%$ of the dose was targeted to the liver after the i.v. injection of SAMS, SAMSF and SAMSC, and the values of $(R_e\;^*\;_{e)liver}$ from the microspheres were $5{\sim}7$ compared to free MTX. This suggested that the liver-targeting ability from surface-modified albumin microspheres could be $5{\sim}7$ times as that of free MTX. The liver-targeted drug was accumulated in the Kupffer cells at the initial stage, thereafter the drug in the Kupffer cell was slowly transferred into the hepatocytes. The value of AUQ for liver from SAMS was higher than that from SAMSF, but much lower than that from SAMSC. This suggest that MTX bound to their surface could be eliminated slower than the entrapped free MTX, and faster than the entrapped MTX-BSA conjugates. This is consistent with the in vitro release rates order in the presence of a proteolytic enzyme. Also, surface-modified MTX was scarcely released in the absence of a proteolytic enzyme. Therefore, the surface-modified MTX nay be released (or eliminated) rapidly from SAMSC at the target site, and thereafter MTX may be released (or eliminated) slowly from the entrapped MTX-BSA conjugates in SAMSC for a long period.