Improved nasal absorption of drugs using poly-L-arginine: Effects of concentration and molecular weight of poly-L-arginine on the nasal absorption of fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran in rats
Miyamoto, M.; Natsume, H.; Iwata, S.; Ohtake, K.; Yamaguchi, M.; Kobayashi, D.; Sugibayashi, K.; Yamashina, M.; Morimoto, Y.
European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics Official Journal of Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Pharmazeutische Verfahrenstechnik E.V 52(1): 21-30
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 0939-6411 PMID: 11438420 DOI: 10.1016/s0939-6411(01)00149-7
Accession: 010807778
The effects of the concentration and molecular weight of poly-L-arginine (poly-L-Arg) on the in vivo nasal absorption of fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled dextran (MW, 4 kDa, FD-4) in rats were studied. When poly-L-Arg with a range of different molecular weights (MW, 8.9, 45.5 and 92.0 kDa) was applied intranasally at various concentrations, the bioavailability (F(0-9 h)) of FD-4 increased with the increasing concentration of poly-L-Arg. The enhanced absorption was also dependent on the molar concentration, in that the poly-L-Arg with a higher molecular weight increased F(0-9 h) at a lower molar concentration. In addition, for each applied concentration, the poly-L-Arg exhibited a molecular weight-dependence as far as the enhancement of FD-4 absorption was concerned. On the other hand, the maximum absorption rate (MAR) of FD-4, calculated by means of a deconvolution method, tended to reach a maximum plateau level at a lower applied concentration for the poly-L-Arg with the highest molecular weight, but this plateau level was almost the same for poly-L-Arg with molecular weights of 45.5 and 92.0 kDa. Moreover, the simulated absorption profiles of FD-4 indicate that the degree of enhancement (the level of MAR and the subsequent reduction in the absorption rate) was dependent on the molecular weight of poly-L-Arg, while the effect of poly-L-Arg was maintained for a longer period, depending on the applied concentration, although the MAR was relatively similar. These results indicate that the molecular weight of poly-L-Arg appears to affect both the enhancing efficiency (absorption rate) and the time-frame of this enhancing effect, whereas the concentrations of each poly-L-Arg system applied only have an effect on the time-frame. These effects may also be associated with the charge density of a poly-L-Arg molecule.