<p>The blood-brain barrier restricts the access of many compounds, including therapeutic agents, to the brain. Several human studies indicate that nasal administration of hydrophilic compounds, such as peptides, can bypass the blood-brain barrier. The aims of this thesis were to develop and refine models for this direct nose-to-brain transfer.</p><p>In a mouse model, [³H]-dopamine was given as a unilateral nasal dose. The resulting radioactivity in the ipsilateral olfactory bulb was significantly higher than that in the contralateral bulb and peaked at 4 h. Tape section autoradiography showed that the radioactivity was concentrated in the olfactory nerve layer and the glomerular layer of the olfactory bulb. The olfactory transfer of dopamine was also studied <i>in vitro</i>. At a lower donor concentration, the mucosal-to-serosal dopamine permeability was higher than the serosal-to-mucosal permeability, but at a higher concentration, the permeability coefficients were similar. Together, these results suggest that the olfactory transfer of dopamine has an active component.</p><p>Olfactory transfer of fluorescein-labeled dextran through the epithelium and deeper tissues was studied in a rat model, which enabled visualization of the transfer using fluorescence microscopy. Although the epithelial transfer appeared to be mainly intracellular, transfer in the following deeper tissues was extracellular. Without altering the route of uptake, a gellan gum formulation enhanced the uptake of fluorescein dextran. The enhancing effect was considered likely to be the result of an increased residence time in the nasal cavity.</p><p>In conclusion, dopamine and fluorescein-labeled dextran were identified as suitable model compounds for the study of olfactory drug transfer mechanisms and the influence of drug formulation. Two new <i>in vitro</i> models of olfactory transfer were compared. Also, a rat model, which enabled the visualization of the entire nose-to-brain transfer, was developed.</p>

The blood-brain barrier restricts the access of many compounds, including therapeutic agents, to the brain. Several human studies indicate that nasal administration of hydrophilic compounds, such as peptides, can bypass the blood-brain barrier. The aims of this thesis were to develop and refine models for this direct nose-to-brain transfer. In a mouse model, [3H]-dopamine was given as a unilateral nasal dose. The resulting radioactivity in the ipsilateral olfactory bulb was significantly higher than that in the contralateral bulb and peaked at 4 h. Tape section autoradiography showed that the radioactivity was concentrated in the olfactory nerve layer and the glomerular layer of the olfactory bulb. The olfactory transfer of dopamine was also studied in vitro. At a lower donor concentration, the mucosal-to-serosal dopamine permeability was higher than the serosal-to-mucosal permeability, but at a higher concentration, the permeability coefficients were similar. Together, these results suggest that the olfactory transfer of dopamine has an active component. Olfactory transfer of fluorescein-labeled dextran through the epithelium and deeper tissues was studied in a rat model, which enabled visualization of the transfer using fluorescence microscopy. Although the epithelial transfer appeared to be mainly intracellular, transfer in the following deeper tissues was extracellular. Without altering the route of uptake, a gellan gum formulation enhanced the uptake of fluorescein dextran. The enhancing effect was considered likely to be the result of an increased residence time in the nasal cavity. In conclusion, dopamine and fluorescein-labeled dextran were identified as suitable model compounds for the study of olfactory drug transfer mechanisms and the influence of drug formulation. Two new in vitro models of olfactory transfer were compared. Also, a rat model, which enabled the visualization of the entire nose-to-brain transfer, was developed.

A biodisponibilidade de um fármaco é o fator determinante da eficácia clínica e depende principalmente das seguintes etapas: liberação da substância ativa a partir da forma farmacêutica e absorção. Assim, o controle da extensão e da velocidade de absorção de um fármaco administrado por via oral depende basicamente de dois aspectos: solubilidade nos líquidos fisiológicos e permeabilidade através das membranas biológicas. Fundamentado nestas características, o Sistema de Classificação Biofarmacêutica (SCB) foi proposto como ferramenta que permite a classificação dos fármacos e tem como finalidade auxiliar nas bioisenções e na predição da biodisponibilidade in vivo. Neste sentido, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a solubilidade da estavudina e a permeabilidade intestinal de fármacos antirretrovirais por meio do modelo de perfusão in situ. Os meios empregados nos estudos de solubilidade e dissolução intrínseca foram: água purificada, tampão pH 1,2, tampão pH 4,5, tampão pH 6,8 e tampão pH 7,5. Para a determinação da solubilidade pelo método do equilíbrio (técnica shake-flask), quantidades conhecidas do fármaco foram adicionadas em cada meio até atingir a saturação e esta mistura foi submetida à agitação de 150 rpm por 72 horas a 37°C. Para os ensaios de dissolução intrínseca, quantidade conhecida de estavudina foi compactada na matriz do aparato de Wood e submetida à dissolução em cada meio, sob agitação de 50 rpm a 37°C. A determinação da permeabilidade dos antirretrovirais foi realizada empregando o modelo de perfusão in situ em ratos machos Wistar. Uma porção do jejuno foi isolada e a solução de perfusão (pH 6,5) contendo o fármaco foi perfundida a um fluxo de 0,2 mL.min-1 a 37°C por 120 minutos. Os resultados obtidos referentes à solubilidade da estavudina pelo método do equilíbrio foram (em mg.mL-1): 146,49 (água), 149,22 (pH 4,5), 139,43 (pH 6,8) e 130,15 (pH 7,5). A determinação da razão dose:solubilidade (D:S) em cada meio permitiu a obtenção dos seguintes resultados (em mL): 0,27 (água), 0,27 (pH 4,5), 0,29 (pH 6,8) e 0,31 (pH 7,5). Tais dados indicaram que este fármaco apresenta alta solubilidade nos meios utilizados no estudo, exceto em meio pH 1,2, onde a estavudina apresentou instabilidade demonstrada pela presença de coloração e odor alterados, inviabilizando a determinação da solubilidade nestas condições. Os ensaios de dissolução intrínseca da estavudina permitiram a determinação das taxas de dissolução intrínseca (TDI), as quais foram (em mg/min/cm²): 2,3570 (água), 2,7389 (pH 1,2), 2,7590 (pH 4,5) e 2,5947 (pH 6,8), demonstrando que este fármaco apresenta alta velocidade de dissolução nos meios utilizados. Com relação ao estudo de permeabilidade por meio do modelo de perfusão in situ, nas condições experimentais empregadas, os resultados obtidos foram (em cm.s-1): 3,96 x 10-5 (estavudina), 3,08 x 10-5 (lamivudina) e 4,17 x 10-5 (zidovudina) sugerindo que os fármacos estavudina e zidovudina apresentam alta permeabilidade. Para a lamivudina não é descartada a possibilidade de ser considerada como fármaco de alta permeabilidade, mesmo apresentando resultado ligeiramente abaixo em relação aos outros dois antirretrovirais utilizados no estudo. / Drug\'s bioavaliability is a determinant factor of clinical efficacy and it depends on the following steps: release of active ingredient from the dosage form and absorption. Thus, control of extend and rate of absorption of a drug orally administered depends on two aspects: the drug solubility in physiological fluids and permeability across biological membranes. Based on these characteristics, the Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS) was proposed as a tool that allows the drug\'s classification and it assists in biowaiver and in vivo bioavailability prediction. The aim of this study was to evaluate stavudine solubility and intestinal permeability of antiretroviral drugs through the in situ perfusion model. The means employed in the solubility studies and intrinsic dissolution were: purified water, buffer pH 1.2, buffer pH 4.5, buffer pH 6.8 and buffer pH 7.5. For solubility study by equilibrium method (shake-flask technique), known amounts of the drug were added in each media to reach saturation and the mixture was subjected to agitation of 150 rpm for 72 hours at 37°C. For intrinsic dissolution test, known amount of stavudine has been compressed in the matrix of Wood\'s apparatus and subjected to dissolution in each media with agitation of 50 rpm at 37°C. Permeability evaluation of antiretroviral drugs was performed using the in situ perfusion model in male Wistar rats. A portion of jejunum was isolated and perfusion solution (pH 6.5) with the drug was perfused at 0.2 mL/min at 37°C for 120 minutes. Results of stavudine solubility by equilibrium method were (in mg/mL): 146.49 (water), 149.22 (pH 4.5), 139.43 (pH 6.8) and 130.15 (pH 7.5). Dose:solubility (D:S) ratio determinations allowed to obtain the following results (in mL): 0.27 (water), 0.27 (pH 4.5), 0.29 (pH 6.8) and 0.31 (pH 7.5). These results indicate that stavudine has high solubility in the means employed in this study, except in buffer pH 1.2, where stavudine showed instability demonstrated by presence of stain and odor changed, which prevented the determination of solubility in these conditions. The intrinsic dissolution study allowed the determination of intrinsic dissolution rates (IDR), which were (in mg/min/cm²): 2.3570 (water), 2.7389 (pH 1.2), 2.7590 (pH 4.5) and 2.5947 (pH 6.8), demonstrating that this drug has a high dissolution rate in each media used. In permeability study through the in situ perfusion model, under experimental conditions adopted, the results obtained were (in cm/s): 3.96 x 10-5 (stavudine), 3.08 x 10-5 (lamivudine) and 4.17 x 10-5 (zidovudine), suggesting that stavudine and zidovudine have high permeability. It\'s possible that lamivudine might be considered high permeability drug, although its effective permeability result was slightly lower compared to effective permeability of stavudine and zidovudine.

A biodisponibilidade de um fármaco é o fator determinante da eficácia clínica e depende principalmente das seguintes etapas: liberação da substância ativa a partir da forma farmacêutica e absorção. Assim, o controle da extensão e da velocidade de absorção de um fármaco administrado por via oral depende basicamente de dois aspectos: solubilidade nos líquidos fisiológicos e permeabilidade através das membranas biológicas. Fundamentado nestas características, o Sistema de Classificação Biofarmacêutica (SCB) foi proposto como ferramenta que permite a classificação dos fármacos e tem como finalidade auxiliar nas bioisenções e na predição da biodisponibilidade in vivo. Neste sentido, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a solubilidade da estavudina e a permeabilidade intestinal de fármacos antirretrovirais por meio do modelo de perfusão in situ. Os meios empregados nos estudos de solubilidade e dissolução intrínseca foram: água purificada, tampão pH 1,2, tampão pH 4,5, tampão pH 6,8 e tampão pH 7,5. Para a determinação da solubilidade pelo método do equilíbrio (técnica shake-flask), quantidades conhecidas do fármaco foram adicionadas em cada meio até atingir a saturação e esta mistura foi submetida à agitação de 150 rpm por 72 horas a 37°C. Para os ensaios de dissolução intrínseca, quantidade conhecida de estavudina foi compactada na matriz do aparato de Wood e submetida à dissolução em cada meio, sob agitação de 50 rpm a 37°C. A determinação da permeabilidade dos antirretrovirais foi realizada empregando o modelo de perfusão in situ em ratos machos Wistar. Uma porção do jejuno foi isolada e a solução de perfusão (pH 6,5) contendo o fármaco foi perfundida a um fluxo de 0,2 mL.min-1 a 37°C por 120 minutos. Os resultados obtidos referentes à solubilidade da estavudina pelo método do equilíbrio foram (em mg.mL-1): 146,49 (água), 149,22 (pH 4,5), 139,43 (pH 6,8) e 130,15 (pH 7,5). A determinação da razão dose:solubilidade (D:S) em cada meio permitiu a obtenção dos seguintes resultados (em mL): 0,27 (água), 0,27 (pH 4,5), 0,29 (pH 6,8) e 0,31 (pH 7,5). Tais dados indicaram que este fármaco apresenta alta solubilidade nos meios utilizados no estudo, exceto em meio pH 1,2, onde a estavudina apresentou instabilidade demonstrada pela presença de coloração e odor alterados, inviabilizando a determinação da solubilidade nestas condições. Os ensaios de dissolução intrínseca da estavudina permitiram a determinação das taxas de dissolução intrínseca (TDI), as quais foram (em mg/min/cm²): 2,3570 (água), 2,7389 (pH 1,2), 2,7590 (pH 4,5) e 2,5947 (pH 6,8), demonstrando que este fármaco apresenta alta velocidade de dissolução nos meios utilizados. Com relação ao estudo de permeabilidade por meio do modelo de perfusão in situ, nas condições experimentais empregadas, os resultados obtidos foram (em cm.s-1): 3,96 x 10-5 (estavudina), 3,08 x 10-5 (lamivudina) e 4,17 x 10-5 (zidovudina) sugerindo que os fármacos estavudina e zidovudina apresentam alta permeabilidade. Para a lamivudina não é descartada a possibilidade de ser considerada como fármaco de alta permeabilidade, mesmo apresentando resultado ligeiramente abaixo em relação aos outros dois antirretrovirais utilizados no estudo. / Drug\'s bioavaliability is a determinant factor of clinical efficacy and it depends on the following steps: release of active ingredient from the dosage form and absorption. Thus, control of extend and rate of absorption of a drug orally administered depends on two aspects: the drug solubility in physiological fluids and permeability across biological membranes. Based on these characteristics, the Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS) was proposed as a tool that allows the drug\'s classification and it assists in biowaiver and in vivo bioavailability prediction. The aim of this study was to evaluate stavudine solubility and intestinal permeability of antiretroviral drugs through the in situ perfusion model. The means employed in the solubility studies and intrinsic dissolution were: purified water, buffer pH 1.2, buffer pH 4.5, buffer pH 6.8 and buffer pH 7.5. For solubility study by equilibrium method (shake-flask technique), known amounts of the drug were added in each media to reach saturation and the mixture was subjected to agitation of 150 rpm for 72 hours at 37°C. For intrinsic dissolution test, known amount of stavudine has been compressed in the matrix of Wood\'s apparatus and subjected to dissolution in each media with agitation of 50 rpm at 37°C. Permeability evaluation of antiretroviral drugs was performed using the in situ perfusion model in male Wistar rats. A portion of jejunum was isolated and perfusion solution (pH 6.5) with the drug was perfused at 0.2 mL/min at 37°C for 120 minutes. Results of stavudine solubility by equilibrium method were (in mg/mL): 146.49 (water), 149.22 (pH 4.5), 139.43 (pH 6.8) and 130.15 (pH 7.5). Dose:solubility (D:S) ratio determinations allowed to obtain the following results (in mL): 0.27 (water), 0.27 (pH 4.5), 0.29 (pH 6.8) and 0.31 (pH 7.5). These results indicate that stavudine has high solubility in the means employed in this study, except in buffer pH 1.2, where stavudine showed instability demonstrated by presence of stain and odor changed, which prevented the determination of solubility in these conditions. The intrinsic dissolution study allowed the determination of intrinsic dissolution rates (IDR), which were (in mg/min/cm²): 2.3570 (water), 2.7389 (pH 1.2), 2.7590 (pH 4.5) and 2.5947 (pH 6.8), demonstrating that this drug has a high dissolution rate in each media used. In permeability study through the in situ perfusion model, under experimental conditions adopted, the results obtained were (in cm/s): 3.96 x 10-5 (stavudine), 3.08 x 10-5 (lamivudine) and 4.17 x 10-5 (zidovudine), suggesting that stavudine and zidovudine have high permeability. It\'s possible that lamivudine might be considered high permeability drug, although its effective permeability result was slightly lower compared to effective permeability of stavudine and zidovudine.

<p>A new group of anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) users has developed during the last two decades. This group consists primarily of young men interested in improving their physical appearance. Within this group, AAS are sometimes used together with other illicit drugs, alcohol and nicotine. Brutal and violent crimes have been committed under the influence of AAS, possibly because of AAS psychiatric side effects, ranging from increased aggression and psychosis to depression. Unfortunately, the biochemical mechanisms behind these effects are poorly understood.</p><p>In this thesis we used an animal model to study biochemical and behavioural effects of chronic AAS treatment (15 mg/kg/day of nandrolone decanoate for 14 days). The effect on the endogenous opioid peptides and the expression of immediate-early gene protein Fos in various brain regions were studied using radioimmunoassay and immunohistochemistry, respectively. In addition, we studied AAS effect on voluntary alcohol consumption and defensive behaviours, including aggression. The results show that AAS enhance endogenous opioid activity and Fos expression in brain regions regulating reward, aggression and disinhibitory behaviours. An imbalance between two opioid systems with generally opposing effects, the enkephalins with euphoric and the dynorphins with dysphoric effects, was also found. This implies that AAS alter the ability to maintain a stable state of mind and the response to other drugs of abuse. The AAS pre-treated animals enhanced their alcohol intake, were more aggressive and showed lower fleeing and freezing reaction than the controls. In addition, AAS enhanced amphetamine-induced aggression when the amphetamine was given three weeks after the last AAS injection.</p><p>The behavioural and biochemical results found in this thesis, support the hypothesis that use of AAS might lead to the development of dependence and may induce changes in the brain leading to disinhibitory behaviours.</p>

A new group of anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) users has developed during the last two decades. This group consists primarily of young men interested in improving their physical appearance. Within this group, AAS are sometimes used together with other illicit drugs, alcohol and nicotine. Brutal and violent crimes have been committed under the influence of AAS, possibly because of AAS psychiatric side effects, ranging from increased aggression and psychosis to depression. Unfortunately, the biochemical mechanisms behind these effects are poorly understood. In this thesis we used an animal model to study biochemical and behavioural effects of chronic AAS treatment (15 mg/kg/day of nandrolone decanoate for 14 days). The effect on the endogenous opioid peptides and the expression of immediate-early gene protein Fos in various brain regions were studied using radioimmunoassay and immunohistochemistry, respectively. In addition, we studied AAS effect on voluntary alcohol consumption and defensive behaviours, including aggression. The results show that AAS enhance endogenous opioid activity and Fos expression in brain regions regulating reward, aggression and disinhibitory behaviours. An imbalance between two opioid systems with generally opposing effects, the enkephalins with euphoric and the dynorphins with dysphoric effects, was also found. This implies that AAS alter the ability to maintain a stable state of mind and the response to other drugs of abuse. The AAS pre-treated animals enhanced their alcohol intake, were more aggressive and showed lower fleeing and freezing reaction than the controls. In addition, AAS enhanced amphetamine-induced aggression when the amphetamine was given three weeks after the last AAS injection. The behavioural and biochemical results found in this thesis, support the hypothesis that use of AAS might lead to the development of dependence and may induce changes in the brain leading to disinhibitory behaviours.

The blood-brain barrier is formed by tightly joined capillary cells with transporter proteins and acts as to regulate the brain concentration of nutrients as well as many drugs. When developing central nervous system drugs it is necessary to measure the unbound drug concentration in the brain, i.e. the unbound brain exposure. This is to ensure that the drug reaches the site of action. Furthermore, when designing new drugs it is extremely valuable to be able to predict brain exposure from a tentative drug structure. Established methods to measure total drug concentrations are of limited (if any) utility since the pharmacologically active, unbound, concentration is not obtained. The aim of the conducted research was to develop an efficient methodology to measure unbound drug in the brain and to generate a dataset for developing computational prediction models describing the relationship between drug structure and unbound brain exposure. First it was demonstrated that unbound brain exposure can be efficiently assessed using a combination of total drug concentrations in the brain and separate measurements of drug binding in the brain slices. The in vitro brain slice method was refined and made high-throughput. Improvements were also made to the in vivo measurements of total concentrations by introducing an appropriate correction for drug in residual blood. Modeling of a 43-drug dataset in the rat showed that unbound brain exposure is related to the drug hydrogen bonding potential and not to lipid solubility, which contrasts the common understanding. Further, the drug concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid approximated unbound concentrations in the brain (r2=0.80) and were also correlated with corresponding measurements in humans (r2=0.56). Therefore, rat-derived prediction models can be used when designing drugs for humans. This thesis work has provided drug industry and academia with efficient tools to obtain and to use relevant estimates of drug exposure in the brain for evaluating drugs candidates.

A permeabilidade através do epitélio intestinal tem se tornado um importante aspecto a ser determinado nas avaliações biofarmacotécnicas envolvendo fármacos e medicamentos. A técnica mais empregada para essa determinação in vitro é aquela que utiliza a cultura de células Caco-2. Entretanto, ainda são discutíveis as condições para a realização desses experimentos, uma vez que a padronização das mesmas é fator fundamental para a confiabilidade dos resultados. Nesta tese, foram avaliadas as condições para realização dos estudos de permeabilidade através de membranas de células Caco-2 para a rifampicina, principal fármaco utilizado no tratamento da tuberculose. Para tanto, foram investigados fatores tais como a citotoxicidade da rifampicina em diferentes concentrações, a influência da concentração do fármaco sobre a permeabilidade, do pH de realização dos experimentos e da presença de proteínas do muco intestinal, além da influência de proteínas plasmáticas. Foi também investigado o potencial indutor da rifampicina sobre a expressão da glicoproteína-P (Pgp) e seu impacto na permeabilidade da própria rifampicina. Os estudos foram desenvolvidos utilizando membranas de células Caco-2 provenientes da American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) cultivadas em placas Transwel®, a quantificação da fração permeada foi por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência com métodos validados. A análise da indução da expressão da Pgp foi realizada por PCR-RT. Demonstrou-se que as concentrações da rifampicina (10,0; 25,0 e 50,0 &#181;g/mL) não ocasionaram danos às células Caco-2 no estudo de citotoxicidade pela técnica que emprega o sal do brometo de 3-(4,5-dimetil-2-tiazoli)-2,5-difenil-2H-tetrazólio (MTT). As concentrações de rifampicina (5,0; 10,0 e 25,0 &#181;g/mL) não resultaram em valores estatisticamente diferentes de permeabilidade aparente (Papp) em células Caco-2 nas condições do estudo. A rifampicina apresentou valor de Papp significativamente maior em pH 6,8 dentre os valores de pH avaliados (5,8 ; 6,8; 7,4). A presença de muco simulado e de soro fetal bovino não resultou em valores de permeabilidade significativamente distintos do resultado obtido sem a sua adição ao experimento. A expressão da Pgp em células Caco-2 é induzida pela adição da rifampicina (10&#181;g/mL), ocasionando diminuição da sua permeabilidade por mecanismo de efluxo. Pelos resultados de permeabilidade obtidos em todas as condições avaliadas, a rifampicina pode ser considerada um fármaco de alta permeabilidade de acordo com o Sistema de Classificação Biofarmacêutica. / The permeability through the intestinal epithelium has become an important aspect to be determined in evaluations involving drugs and pharmaceutical products. The most common technique for this determination in vitro is one that uses the culture of Caco-2 cells. Nevertheless, the conditions for carrying out such experiments are still questionable, since the standardization of them is essential to the reliability of the results. In this thesis, we evaluate the conditions for the studies of permeability of rifampicin through membranes of Caco-2 cells, the main drug used in the treatment of tuberculosis. To this end, we examined factors such as cytotoxicity of rifampicin at different concentrations, the influence of drug concentration on the permeability, as well as the pH of the experiments, the presence of proteins of intestinal mucus, and the influence of plasma proteins. It was also investigated the potential of rifampicin on the expression of P-glycoprotein (Pgp) and its impact on the permeability of rifampicin itself. The studies were developed using membranes of Caco-2 cells from American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) grown on plates Transwel®, and the quantification of the fraction of drug permeated was obtained by high performance liquid chromatography with validated methods. The analysis of induction of expression of Pgp was performed by RT-PCR. It was demonstrated that the concentrations of rifampicin (10,0; 25,0 and 50,0 &#181;g/mL) did not cause damage to Caco-2 cells in the study of the cytotoxicity technique that uses a bromide salt of 3 - (4,5-dimethyl-2 - thiazol) -2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium (MTT). The concentrations of rifampicin (5,0; 10,0 and 25,0 &#181g/mL) did not result in statistically different values of apparent permeability (Papp) in Caco-2 cells under the conditions of the study. Rifampicin showed a value of Papp significantly higher at pH 6.8 in comparison with other measured pH values (5,8 and 7,4). The presence of mucus simulated and fetal calf serum did not result in permeability values significantly different from the result obtained without its addition to the experiment. The expression of P-gp in Caco-2 cells is induced by the addition of rifampicin (10 &#181;g/ml), decreasing its permeability by efflux mechanism. Taking into account the results of permeability obtained in all conditions, the rifampicin can be considered a high permeability drug according to the biopharmaceutical classification system.

O estudo de dissolução in vitro é uma ferramenta importante utilizada para o controle de qualidade lote-a-Iote dos medicamentos, como guia no desenvolvimento de novas formulações e para assegurar a qualidade e performance do produto após certas alterações. O itraconazol é um fármaco com baixa solubilidade em meio aquoso (classe 11), dessa forma, alguns problemas de solubilidade podem ser detectados no ensaio de dissolução. A proposta deste trabalho foi a realização de uma avaliação biofarmacêutica in vitro de cápsulas contendo péletes de itraconazol comercializadas no mercado brasileiro por laboratórios farmacêuticos e farmácias magistrais. O medicamento de referência, registrado com o nome de Sporanox® (Janssen-Cilag), uma formulação genérica, duas formulações similares e quatro formulações magistrais, foram submetidas a ensaios de doseamento, perfil de dissolução, eficiência de dissolução, cinética de dissolução, fator de diferença (f1) e fator de semelhança (f2). Os resultados demonstraram diferenças de liberação entre as formulações sugerindo que as mesmas não são equivalentes ao medicamento de referência. / Dissolution testing is an important tool used as a quality control procedure in pharmaceutical production, as guide in the development of new formulations and to assure the quality and performance of the product after certain modifications. Itraconazol is a poorly water-solubility drug (class 11) and the dissolution studies are very important to detect solubility problems. The purpose of this work was the in vitro biopharmaceutical evaluation of capsules containing Itraconazole pellets manufactured by Brazilian pharmaceutical laboratories and compounding pharmacies. The reference product, registered as Sporanox® (Janssen-Cilag), a generic product, a similar formulation and four compounding formulations were submitted to assay, dissolution profile, dissolution efficiency, dissolution kinetics, difference factor (f1) and similarity factor (f2). The results demonstrated different releases among the formulations suggesting that they are not equivalent to the reference product.

O estudo de dissolução in vitro é uma ferramenta importante utilizada para o controle de qualidade lote-a-Iote dos medicamentos, como guia no desenvolvimento de novas formulações e para assegurar a qualidade e performance do produto após certas alterações. O itraconazol é um fármaco com baixa solubilidade em meio aquoso (classe 11), dessa forma, alguns problemas de solubilidade podem ser detectados no ensaio de dissolução. A proposta deste trabalho foi a realização de uma avaliação biofarmacêutica in vitro de cápsulas contendo péletes de itraconazol comercializadas no mercado brasileiro por laboratórios farmacêuticos e farmácias magistrais. O medicamento de referência, registrado com o nome de Sporanox® (Janssen-Cilag), uma formulação genérica, duas formulações similares e quatro formulações magistrais, foram submetidas a ensaios de doseamento, perfil de dissolução, eficiência de dissolução, cinética de dissolução, fator de diferença (f1) e fator de semelhança (f2). Os resultados demonstraram diferenças de liberação entre as formulações sugerindo que as mesmas não são equivalentes ao medicamento de referência. / Dissolution testing is an important tool used as a quality control procedure in pharmaceutical production, as guide in the development of new formulations and to assure the quality and performance of the product after certain modifications. Itraconazol is a poorly water-solubility drug (class 11) and the dissolution studies are very important to detect solubility problems. The purpose of this work was the in vitro biopharmaceutical evaluation of capsules containing Itraconazole pellets manufactured by Brazilian pharmaceutical laboratories and compounding pharmacies. The reference product, registered as Sporanox® (Janssen-Cilag), a generic product, a similar formulation and four compounding formulations were submitted to assay, dissolution profile, dissolution efficiency, dissolution kinetics, difference factor (f1) and similarity factor (f2). The results demonstrated different releases among the formulations suggesting that they are not equivalent to the reference product.