Yes / Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is an emerging method to treat colorectal cancers (CRC). Hypericin (HYP) is an effective mediator of PDT and the ABCG2 inhibitor, Febuxostat (FBX) could augment PDT. HT29 and HEK293 cells showed light dependant cytotoxic response to PDT in both 2D and 3D cell models. FBX co-treatment was not found to improve PDT cytotoxicity. Next, ABCG2 protein expression was observed in HT29 but not in HEK293 cells. However, ABCG2 gene expression analysis did not support protein expression results as ABCG2 gene expression results were found to be higher in HEK293 cells. Although HYP treatment was found to significantly reduce ABCG2 gene expression levels in both cell lines, FBX treatment partially restored ABCG2 gene expression. Our findings indicate that FBX co-treatment may not be suitable for augmenting HYP-mediated PDT in CRC but could potentially be useful for other applications. / Royal Society International Exchanges Award (IEC\R3\203014) - UKRI EPSRC Research Programme Grant (753910/B19R13527) - Bowel Cancer UK/RCS Eng Colorectal Research Chair Award (18SC0001) / The full-text of this article will be released for public view at the end of the publisher embargo on 16 Apr 2025.

Febuxostat is a novel non purine drug indicated for the treatment of hyperuricemia in gout. A reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC) method was validated for the determination of febuxostat in pharmaceutical dosage forms. The LC method was carried out on a XTerra C18 column (150 mm x 3.9 mm I.D.), maintained at 25 ºC. The mobile phase consisted of water (pH 3.5) acetonitrile (40:60, v/v), run at a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min and using photodiode array (PDA) detection at 316 nm. The chromatographic separation was obtained with retention time of 3.9 min, and was linear over the range of 0.25 - 30 μg/mL (r2=0.9995). The specificity and stability-indicating capability of the method was proven through degradation studies were carried out by LC and MS and showing also, that there was no interference of the excipients and degradation products in the quantification of the drug. Moreover, the in vitro cytotoxicity test of the degraded products showed significant differences (p<0.05). The accuracy was 100.54% with bias lower than 0.65%. The limits of detection and quantitation were 0.08 and 0.28 μg/mL, respectively. The procedure was validated evaluating parameters such as the specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, limits of detection and quantitation, robustness, and system suitability test, giving results within the acceptable range. The proposed method was applied for dissolution studies and the analysis of tablet dosage forms, contributing to assure the safety and therapeutic efficacy. / Febuxostate é um novo fármaco, não purínico, indicado para o tratamento da hiperuricemia em pacientes com gota. No presente trabalho foi desenvolvido e validado método por cromatografia líquida em fase reversa (CL-FR) para determinação de febuxostate em produtos farmacêuticos. No método por CL-FR foi utilizada coluna XTerra C18 (150 mm x 3,9 mm d.i), mantida a 25 oC. A fase móvel foi composta de água ultra-pura (pH 3,5): acetonitrila (40:60, v/v), eluída na vazão de 0,8 mL/ min com detecção no ultravioleta a 316 nm. A separação cromatográfica foi obtida no tempo de 3,9 min, sendo linear na faixa de concentração de 0,25-30 μg/mL (r2=0,9995). A especificidade do método foi comprovada através de estudos de degradação realizados por cromatografia líquida e espectrometria de massas, demonstrando que não houve interferência dos excipientes e dos produtos de degradação na quantificação do fármaco. Além disso, o teste de citotoxicidade in vitro das amostras degradadas, apresentou diferenças significativas (p <0,05) em relação à forma intacta. A precisão foi de 100,54%, com bias menor do que 0,65%. Os limites de detecção e de quantificação foram de 0,08 e 0,28 μg/mL, respectivamente. O procedimento foi validado, avaliando-se os parâmetros de especificidade, linearidade, precisão, exatidão, limite de detecção e quantificação, robustez e teste de adequabilidade do sistema, cujos resultados estão de acordo com os requisitos preconizados. O método proposto foi aplicado no estudo de dissolução e análise de formas farmacêuticas de comprimidos, contribuindo, assim, para aprimorar o controle da qualidade de medicamentos, bem como garantir a segurança e eficácia no uso terapêutico.