The goal of the present study is to elucidate the modulatory effect of lipid compositions on phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity. Sphingomyelin (SM) incorporation inhibited catalytic activity and membrane-damaging activity of native and mutated PLA2 toward egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (EYPC) vesicles. The inhibitory effects were through the reduction of membrane fluidity and modulation of the mode of membrane binding of PLA2 at water/lipid interface. The modulated effect of SM depended on inherent structural elements of PLA2. Moreover, cholesterol (Chol) incorporation into EYPC/egg yolk sphingomyelin (EYSM) vesicles relieved the inhibitory effect of sphingomyelin on PLA2 activity via lipid domain formation by SM and Chol. The effects on the interactive mode of PLA2 with phospholipids induced by the physical state changes of membrane bilayers abolished the inhibition of SM on catalytic activity and membrane-damaging activity of PLA2. Additionally, quercetin incorporation increased PLA2 activity and membrane-damaging activity toward EYPC/SM vesicles via its raft-making effect. Quercetin incorporation reduced PLA2 activity and membrane-damaging activity toward EYPC/SM/Chol vesicles via its raft-breaking effect. Membrane-inserted quercetin affected on membrane structure and membrane-bound mode of PLA2 to modulate PLA2 interfacial activity and membrane-damaging activity. Finally, studies on the effects of phosphatidylserine (PS) content on the sensitivity of lipid vesicles mimicking inner and outer plasma membrane toward PLA2 activity revealed that the membrane-binding mode adopted by PLA2 depended on the lipid composition. The effects of PS content on the extent of lipid domain formation and the conformation of PLA2 adopted at water-lipid interface modulate PLA2 catalytic activity. Collectively, these results indicate that lipid composition modulates PLA2 activity via its effects on membrane structure and membrane-bound mode of PLA2

P-glycoprotein (Pgp), which leads to multidrug resistance in tumour cells, is an ATP-dependent secretory drug efflux pump. In the intestine, as well as at specific other epithelial and endothelial sites, P-glycoprotein expression is localised to the apical membrane, consistent with secretory detoxifying and absorption limitation functions. The primary function of Pgp is to clear the membrane lipid bilayer of lipophilic drugs. Results from in vitro studies with human Caco-2 cells provide direct evidence for Pgp limiting drug absorption. Limitation has non-linear dependence of absorption on substrate (eg. vinblastine) concentration, increased absorption upon saturation of secretion and increased absorption upon inhibition of Pgp function, with modulators such as verapamil. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a known Pgp inhibitor (verapamil) and grapefruit juice components (naringenin, quercetin and bergamottin) on the transport of Rhodamine 123 across rat jejunum and to compare these results with those obtained in similar studies done in Caco-2 cells and in rat intestine (monodirectional). Verapamil, naringenin (442 µM, 662 µM and 884 µM), quercetin (73 µM, 183 µM and 292 µM) and bergamottin (12 µM, 30 µM and 48 µM) were evaluated as modulators of rhodamine 123 transport across rat jejunum using Sweetana-Grass diffusion cells. This study was done bidirectionally, with three cells measuring transport in the apical to basolateral direction (AP / BL) and three cells measuring transport in the basolateral to apical direction (BL / AP). The rate of transport was expressed as the apparent permeability coefficient (Papp) and the extent of active transport was expressed by calculating the ratio of BL/AP to AP/BL. The BL-AP/AP-BL ratio calculated for Rhodamine 123 with no modulators added was 2.31. The known modulator verapamil decreased the BL-AP/AP-BL ratio to 1.52. This was statistically significant and inhibition of active transport was clearly demonstrated. All modulators inhibited active transport. Only naringenin 884 µM, quercetin 183 µM and bergamottin 30 µM did not show a statistically significant decrease in the BL-AP/AP-BL ratio. All three components of grapefruit juice showed inhibition of active transport and should have an effect on the bioavailability of the substrates of Pgp and other active transporters. The results obtained in this study are similar to the results found in Caco-2 cells, which suggests that Sweetana-Grass diffusion method can be used for diffusion studies. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Pharmaceutics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Background: Multidrug resistance (MDR) is resistance of cancer cells to multiple classes of chemotherapeutic drugs that can be structurally unrelated. MDR involves altered membrane transport that results in a lower cell concentration of cytotoxic drugs which plays an important role during cancer treatment. P-glycoprotein (Pgp) is localised at the apical surface of epithelial cell in the intestine and it functions as a biological barrier by extruding toxic substances and xenobiotics out of cells (Lin, 2003:54). The ATP-binding-cassette superfamily is a rapidly growing group of membrane transport proteins and are involved in diverse physiological processes which include antigen presentation, drug efflux from cancer cells, bacterial nutrient uptake and cystic fibrosis (Germann, 1996:928; Kerr, 2002:47). A number of drugs have been identified which are able to reverse the effects of Pgp, multidrug resistance protein (MRPI) and their associated proteins on multidrug resistance. The first MDR modulators discovered and studied during clinical trials were associated with definite pharmacological actions, but the doses required to overcome MDR were associated with the occurrence of unacceptable side effects. As a consequence, more attention has been given to the development of modulators with proper potency, selectivity and pharmacokinetic characteristics that it can be used at a lower dose. Several novel MDR reversing agents (also known as chemosensitisers) are currently undergoing clinical evaluation for the treatment of resistant tumours (Teodori et al., 2002:385). Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of selected flavonoids (morin, galangin, kaempferol and quercetin) at two different concentrations (10 μM and 20 μM) on the transport of a known Pgp substrate, Rhodamine 123 (Rho 123) across rat intestine (jejunum) and to investigate structure activity relationships (SAR) of the selected flavonoids with reference to the inhibition of Pgp. Methods: Morin, galangin, kaempferol and quercetin were evaluated as potential modulators of Rho 123 transport, each at a concentration of 10 μM and 20 μM across rat jejunum using Sweetana-Grass diffusion cells. This study was done bidirectionally, with two cells measuring transport in the apical to basolateral direction (AP-BL) and two cells measuring transport in the basolateral to apical direction (BL-AP). The rate of transport was expressed as the apparent permeability coefficient (Pap,) and the extent of active transport was expressed by calculating the ratio of BL-AP to AP-BL. Results: The BL-AP to AP-BL ratio calculated for Rho 123 with no modulators added was 3.29. Morin decreased the BL-AP to AP-BL ratio to 1.88 at a concentration of 10 μM and to 1.49 at a concentration of 20 μM. Galangin decreased the BL-AP to AP-BL ratio to 1.60 at a concentration of 20 μM. These two flavonoids showed statistically significant results and inhibition of active transport were clearly demonstrated. However, the other flavonoids inhibited active transport of Rho 123 but according to statistical analysis, the results were not significantly different. The two different concentrations (10 μM and 20 μM) indicated that galangin, kaempferol and quercetin showed practically significant differences according to the effect sizes. Morin, however, did not show any practically significant differences at the different concentrations. Regarding .the SAR, it was shown by Boumendjel and co-workers (2002:512) that the presence of a 5-hydroxyl group and a 3-hydroxyl group as well as the C2-C3 double bond are required for high potency binding to the nucleotide binding domain (NBD) of Pgp. All the flavonoids tested had the above-mentioned characteristics. Conclusion: All the selected flavonoids showed inhibition of active transport of Rho 123 and should have an effect on the bioavailability of the substrates of Pgp and other active transporters. This study described the inhibitory interaction of selected flavonoids on Pgp activity. Practical significant differences between the same modulator at different concentrations were also observed. Structure activity relationships were identified describing the inhibitory potency of the flavonoids based on hydroxyl group positioning / Thesis (M.Sc. (Pharmaceutics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Quercetin-3-O-glucoside (Q3G), a glycosylated derivative of quercetin, is a polyphenolic compound known to possess diverse biological activities. Its moderately hydrophilic nature is a critical factor governing the accessibility to the active sites of oxidative damages in vivo. It was hypothesized that biological activities of Q3G can be further enhanced by regioselective acylation with fatty acids which gives more lipophilicity. Q3G was acylated with six selected long chain fatty acids: stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, ?-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), using Candida antactica lipase. The derivatives were evaluated for their potential in inhibiting lipid oxidation in food systems and human low density lipoprotein (LDL), and cytoprotection and anti-inflammatory effect in cell culture model systems. The fatty acid derivatives of Q3G possessed greater effectiveness in inhibiting lipid oxidation in oil-in-water emulsions, and better cytoprotective effect against H2O2- and cigarette smoke toxicant-induced cytotoxicity when compared to Q3G.

This thesis explored the effects of cooked whole asparagus and its purified bioactive, rutin, on colitis symptoms and disease progression in mice using a chemically-induced model of colitis. This model mimics active colitis and recovery states of ulcerative colitis. C57BL/6 mice were fed a basal diet supplemented with 2% asparagus or 0.025% rutin for 3 weeks. Colitis was induced by 2% dextran sodium sulfate in drinking water for 7 days. Asparagus diet was determined to contain higher antioxidant capacities than rutin diet through antioxidant assays. During active colitis, consumption of asparagus alleviated some clinical symptoms (stool consistency, stool blood, and spleen hypertrophy) of colitis. In recovery, asparagus-fed mice were improving in terms of regenerating crypts, surface epithelial, and goblet cells, potentially due to its rutin content. Overall, these findings advocate that asparagus can be therapeutic in treating symptoms during active colitis and recovery phases of ulcerative colitis.

One of the largest obstacles in drug development is to overcome solubility and bioavailability problems. Preformulation strategies such as nanoparticle formation are often employed but sometimes create new issues and are limited in their effectiveness and applications. Since the majority of drugs are marketed and sold as solid forms, drug delivery systems are not always desirable. This is where solid-state chemistry becomes important. Traditional solid-state chemistry approaches are often successful but are sometimes too restrictive and cannot be applied to certain compounds. Cocrystals have emerged as an alternative solid-state technique that can be applied to a broad range of compounds. However, the technology is still very new and its effectiveness in certain conditions had previously not been evaluated. The studies detailed herein investigated the ability of two different technology platforms for overcoming drug design challenges for two promising bioflavonoids: EGCg and quercetin. Studies have shown that EGCg might be useful for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Quercetin is being investigated for numerous bioactivities and is currently being marketed as an energy dietary supplement. Both of these bioflavonoids exhibit poor bioavailability and water solubilities that are at opposite ends of the spectrum. In the chapters to follow, nanoparticle technology was applied to EGCg and evaluated in cell models of AΒ production, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Bioavailability improvements were also evaluated in rats. Additionally, new forms of both flavonoids were created using cocrystallization. These new cocrystals were characterized using powder and single crystal x-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. Solubility and bioavailability changes were also evaluated. These data have strong implications in drug development since they elucidated the strengths and weaknesses of two major technologies in compounds with different design challenges.

P-glycoprotein (Pgp), which leads to multidrug resistance in tumour cells, is an ATP-dependent secretory drug efflux pump. In the intestine, as well as at specific other epithelial and endothelial sites, P-glycoprotein expression is localised to the apical membrane, consistent with secretory detoxifying and absorption limitation functions. The primary function of Pgp is to clear the membrane lipid bilayer of lipophilic drugs. Results from in vitro studies with human Caco-2 cells provide direct evidence for Pgp limiting drug absorption. Limitation has non-linear dependence of absorption on substrate (eg. vinblastine) concentration, increased absorption upon saturation of secretion and increased absorption upon inhibition of Pgp function, with modulators such as verapamil. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a known Pgp inhibitor (verapamil) and grapefruit juice components (naringenin, quercetin and bergamottin) on the transport of Rhodamine 123 across rat jejunum and to compare these results with those obtained in similar studies done in Caco-2 cells and in rat intestine (monodirectional). Verapamil, naringenin (442 µM, 662 µM and 884 µM), quercetin (73 µM, 183 µM and 292 µM) and bergamottin (12 µM, 30 µM and 48 µM) were evaluated as modulators of rhodamine 123 transport across rat jejunum using Sweetana-Grass diffusion cells. This study was done bidirectionally, with three cells measuring transport in the apical to basolateral direction (AP / BL) and three cells measuring transport in the basolateral to apical direction (BL / AP). The rate of transport was expressed as the apparent permeability coefficient (Papp) and the extent of active transport was expressed by calculating the ratio of BL/AP to AP/BL. The BL-AP/AP-BL ratio calculated for Rhodamine 123 with no modulators added was 2.31. The known modulator verapamil decreased the BL-AP/AP-BL ratio to 1.52. This was statistically significant and inhibition of active transport was clearly demonstrated. All modulators inhibited active transport. Only naringenin 884 µM, quercetin 183 µM and bergamottin 30 µM did not show a statistically significant decrease in the BL-AP/AP-BL ratio. All three components of grapefruit juice showed inhibition of active transport and should have an effect on the bioavailability of the substrates of Pgp and other active transporters. The results obtained in this study are similar to the results found in Caco-2 cells, which suggests that Sweetana-Grass diffusion method can be used for diffusion studies. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Pharmaceutics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Background: Multidrug resistance (MDR) is resistance of cancer cells to multiple classes of chemotherapeutic drugs that can be structurally unrelated. MDR involves altered membrane transport that results in a lower cell concentration of cytotoxic drugs which plays an important role during cancer treatment. P-glycoprotein (Pgp) is localised at the apical surface of epithelial cell in the intestine and it functions as a biological barrier by extruding toxic substances and xenobiotics out of cells (Lin, 2003:54). The ATP-binding-cassette superfamily is a rapidly growing group of membrane transport proteins and are involved in diverse physiological processes which include antigen presentation, drug efflux from cancer cells, bacterial nutrient uptake and cystic fibrosis (Germann, 1996:928; Kerr, 2002:47). A number of drugs have been identified which are able to reverse the effects of Pgp, multidrug resistance protein (MRPI) and their associated proteins on multidrug resistance. The first MDR modulators discovered and studied during clinical trials were associated with definite pharmacological actions, but the doses required to overcome MDR were associated with the occurrence of unacceptable side effects. As a consequence, more attention has been given to the development of modulators with proper potency, selectivity and pharmacokinetic characteristics that it can be used at a lower dose. Several novel MDR reversing agents (also known as chemosensitisers) are currently undergoing clinical evaluation for the treatment of resistant tumours (Teodori et al., 2002:385). Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of selected flavonoids (morin, galangin, kaempferol and quercetin) at two different concentrations (10 μM and 20 μM) on the transport of a known Pgp substrate, Rhodamine 123 (Rho 123) across rat intestine (jejunum) and to investigate structure activity relationships (SAR) of the selected flavonoids with reference to the inhibition of Pgp. Methods: Morin, galangin, kaempferol and quercetin were evaluated as potential modulators of Rho 123 transport, each at a concentration of 10 μM and 20 μM across rat jejunum using Sweetana-Grass diffusion cells. This study was done bidirectionally, with two cells measuring transport in the apical to basolateral direction (AP-BL) and two cells measuring transport in the basolateral to apical direction (BL-AP). The rate of transport was expressed as the apparent permeability coefficient (Pap,) and the extent of active transport was expressed by calculating the ratio of BL-AP to AP-BL. Results: The BL-AP to AP-BL ratio calculated for Rho 123 with no modulators added was 3.29. Morin decreased the BL-AP to AP-BL ratio to 1.88 at a concentration of 10 μM and to 1.49 at a concentration of 20 μM. Galangin decreased the BL-AP to AP-BL ratio to 1.60 at a concentration of 20 μM. These two flavonoids showed statistically significant results and inhibition of active transport were clearly demonstrated. However, the other flavonoids inhibited active transport of Rho 123 but according to statistical analysis, the results were not significantly different. The two different concentrations (10 μM and 20 μM) indicated that galangin, kaempferol and quercetin showed practically significant differences according to the effect sizes. Morin, however, did not show any practically significant differences at the different concentrations. Regarding .the SAR, it was shown by Boumendjel and co-workers (2002:512) that the presence of a 5-hydroxyl group and a 3-hydroxyl group as well as the C2-C3 double bond are required for high potency binding to the nucleotide binding domain (NBD) of Pgp. All the flavonoids tested had the above-mentioned characteristics. Conclusion: All the selected flavonoids showed inhibition of active transport of Rho 123 and should have an effect on the bioavailability of the substrates of Pgp and other active transporters. This study described the inhibitory interaction of selected flavonoids on Pgp activity. Practical significant differences between the same modulator at different concentrations were also observed. Structure activity relationships were identified describing the inhibitory potency of the flavonoids based on hydroxyl group positioning / Thesis (M.Sc. (Pharmaceutics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Alnarp : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2006. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

München, Techn. Univ., Diss., 2003.