Use of Polyvinyl Alcohol as a Solubility Enhancing Polymer for Poorly Water-Soluble Drug Delivery (Part 2)

The KinetiSol® Dispersing (KSD) technology has enabled the investigation into the use of polyvinyl alcohol (PVAL) as a concentration enhancing polymer for amorphous solid dispersions. Our previous study revealed that the 88% hydrolyzed grade of PVAL was optimal for itraconazole (ITZ) amorphous compositions with regard to solid-state properties, non-sink dissolution performance, and bioavailability enhancement. The current study investigates the influence of molecular weight for the 88% hydrolyzed grades of PVAL on the properties of KSD processed ITZ:PVAL amorphous dispersions. Specifically, molecular weights in the processable range of 4 to 18 mPa · s were evaluated and the 4-88 grade provided the highest AUC dissolution profile. Amorphous dispersions at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50% ITZ drug loads in PVAL 4-88 were also compared by dissolution performance. Analytical tools of diffusion-ordered spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were employed to understand the interaction between drug and polymer. Finally, results from a 30-month stability test of a 30% drug loaded ITZ:PVAL 4-88 composition shows that stable amorphous dispersions can be achieved. Thus, this newly enabled polymer carrier can be considered a viable option for pharmaceutical formulation development for solubility enhancement.KEY WORDS: amorphous solid dispersion, itraconazole, polyvinyl alcohol, PVAL, solubility enhancement     

The Polyvinyl Alcohol Sponge Model Implantation

Wound healing is a complicated, multistep process involving many cell types, growth factors and compounds^1-3. Because of this complexity, wound healing studies are most comprehensive when carried out in vivo. There are many in vivo models available to study acute wound healing, including incisional, excisional, dead space, and burns. Dead space models are artificial, porous implants which are used to study tissue formation and the effects of substances on the wound. Some of the commonly used dead space models include polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) sponges, steel wire mesh cylinders, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) material, and the Cellstick^1,2.Each dead space model has its own limitations based on its material''s composition and implantation methods. The steel wire mesh cylinder model has a lag phase of infiltration after implantation and requires a long amount of time before granulation tissue formation begins¹. Later stages of wound healing are best analyzed using the ePTFE model^1,4. The Cellstick is a cellulose sponge inside a silicon tube model which is typically used for studying human surgery wounds and wound fluid². The PVA sponge is limited to acute studies because with time it begins to provoke a foreign body response which causes a giant cell reaction in the animal⁵. Unlike other materials, PVA sponges are easy to insert and remove, made of inert and non-biodegradable materials and yet are soft enough to be sectioned for histological analysis^2,5.In wound healing the PVA sponge is very useful for analyzing granulation tissue formation, collagen deposition, wound fluid composition, and the effects of substances on the healing process^1,2,5. In addition to its use in studying a wide array of attributes of wound healing, the PVA sponge has also been used in many other types of studies. It has been utilized to investigate tumor angiogenesis, drug delivery and stem cell survival and engraftment^1,2,6,7. With its great alterability, prior extensive use, and reproducible results, the PVA sponge is an ideal model for many studies^1,2.Here, we will describe the preparation, implantation and retrieval of PVA sponge disks (Figure 1) in a mouse model of wound healing.     

Polyvinyl Alcohol with Cadmium Iodide and Fructose as an Aqueous Mounting Medium

An aqueous histologic and cytologic mounting medium containing polyvinyl alcohol, cadmium iodide and fructose is described. It is used in the preparation of permanent slides and may be applied to sections stained and rinsed in water or in any concentration of ethyl alcohol. The medium forms a hard, tough, quick-drying film which adheres well to the slide and cover glass. It is nonfluorescent, clear, optically homogeneous, and isotropic; it does not admit bubbles under the cover glass or crystallize on drying. It prevents or minimizes the bleeding of many stains from the sections; a list of 60 dyes, mostly basic, is given. The fresh medium has a pH of 4.4. The refractive index of the fresh medium is n_D²⁰ 1.4674; the dried film is n_D 1.6020 which may be lowered to n_D 1.5150 by decreasing the cadmium iodide in the formula. The viscosity at 25°C. is 7,299 centipoises. The medium has the following composition: distilled water, 40 g.; cadmium iodide, 34 g.; polyvinyl alcohol (Elvanol 51-05, du Pont's low viscosity grade) 18 g.; fructose, 8 g. The medium is prepared as follows: wash the polyvinyl alcohol with absolute methyl alcohol; dry and then grind in a mortar; dissolve the cadmium iodide in the water; add the polyvinyl alcohol while stirring with a speed-controlled motor-driven mixer; heat to 75°C. on a water bath with continuous stirring until dissolved; remove from the water bath and add the fructose while stirring; replace water lost by evaporation. The medium is ready for use when the foam has dispersed after standing.     

Formation of Hydrogen Peroxide by a Polyvinyl Alcohol Degrading Enzyme

A method for purification and crystallization, and some properties of ribonuclease from Aspergillus sp. [EC 2.7.7.17] (RNase L) are reported. The purification procedure consisted of six steps, including acetone precipitation, column chromatographies on Duolite A–2 and DEAE-cellulose, repeated chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A–50 column and affinity chromatography on 5’-AMP-Sepharose 4B column. Crystallization was performed by the dialysis against ammonium sulfate solution at 60% saturation.

The crystalline enzyme was shown to be homogeneous by polyacrylamide disc electrophoresis and ultracentrifugation. Svedberg value of the crystalline enzyme was 4.2. The enzyme was the most active at pH 3.5 and 60~65°C, and it was inhibited markedly with Fe.³⁺

RNase L has no absolute base specificity, and produces four kinds of 3’-mononucleotides from yeast RNA. However, the susceptibility of four nucleotide residues to RNase L increases in the order; G < A < C < U and is quite different from those of RNase T₂, RNase M and RNase R.     

Production of Polyvinyl Alcohol Oxidase by a Symbiotic Mixed Culture

Production of polyvinly alcohol (PVA) oxidase by Pseudomonas sp. strain VM15C, a PVA degrader of a symbiotic PVA-utilizing mixed culture, was examined in various cultures. Despite the absence of PVA in the culture in nutrient broth, VM15C showed approximately the same productivity of PVA oxidase activity as that in the culture with PVA as the sole carbon source, whereas the productivity in the culture with glucose was lower than that of either the nutrient broth or the PVA culture. PVA oxidase activity produced in the nutrient broth culture was predominantly present in the cells, and most of the activity appeared to be in the cytoplasm. In contrast, in the culture with PVA as the sole carbon source, the activity was present in the culture fluid in a larger ratio than in the nutrient broth culture. Thus, production of PVA oxidase activity by this strain was constitutive and repressible, although localization of the produced activity was changed by growth conditions.     

Rheological and Performance Research on a Regenerable Polyvinyl Alcohol Fracturing Fluid

A regenerable polyvinyl alcohol/organic boron fracturing fluid system with 1.6 wt% polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) and 1.2 wt% organic boron (OBT) was studied, and its main regeneration mechanism is the reversible cross-linking reaction between B(OH)₄^- and hydroxyl groups of PVOH as the change of pH. Results of rheology evaluations show that both the apparent viscosity and the thermal stability of the fracturing fluid decreased with the regeneration number of times increasing. In addition, the apparent viscosity of the fluid which was without regeneration was more sensitive to the shear action compared with that of the fluid with regeneration once or twice. When the fracturing fluid was without regeneration, the elasticity was dominating due to the three-dimensional network structure of the formed gel; the viscosity gradually occupied the advantage when the fracturing fluid was regenerated once or twice. The settling velocity of proppant was accelerated by both the regeneration process and the increasing temperature, but it was decelerated when the proppant ratio increased. Results of core damage tests indicate that less permeability damage was caused by the PVOH/OBT fracturing fluid compared with that caused by the guar gum fracturing fluid after gel breaking.     

Immobilization of Ene Reductase in Polyvinyl Alcohol Hydrogel

The Protein Journal - In this study, ene reductase (ER) was entrapped in polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel, adsorbed on montmorillonite and immobilized covalently on glutaraldehyde activated...     

Symbiotic Utilization of Polyvinyl Alcohol by Mixed Cultures

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-utilizing cultures were obtained from various sources. They were mixed cultures even after cyclical transfer to liquid and plate media with PVA as a sole source of carbon. Component bacteria were isolated from the several mixed cultures, and it was shown that PVA was utilized symbiotically by two bacterial members which could not utilize PVA in each respective pure culture. From a mixed culture, strains VM15, VM15A (Pseudomonas putida) and VM15C (Pseudomonas sp.) were isolated as members essential for PVA utilization. VM15C was the predominant strain in the mixed-culture population and produced PVA-degrading enzyme. The culture supernatant of VM15A enabled VM15C to grow on PVA. VM15A was presumed to supply VM15C with a unique growth stimulant which was distinct from usual growth factors.     

Use of Polyvinyl Alcohol as a Solubility-Enhancing Polymer for Poorly Water Soluble Drug Delivery (Part 1)

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVAL) has not been investigated in a binary formulation as a concentration-enhancing polymer owing to its high melting point/high viscosity and poor organic solubility. Due to the unique attributes of the KinetiSol® dispersing (KSD) technology, PVAL has been enabled for this application and it is the aim of this paper to investigate various grades for improvement of the solubility and bioavailability of poorly water soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients. Solid amorphous dispersions were created with the model drug, itraconazole (ITZ), at a selected drug loading of 20%. Polymer grades were chosen with variation in molecular weight and degree of hydroxylation to determine the effects on performance. Differential scanning calorimetry, powder X-ray diffraction, polarized light microscopy, size exclusion chromatography, and dissolution testing were used to characterize the amorphous dispersions. An in vivo pharmacokinetic study in rats was also conducted to compare the selected formulation to current market formulations of ITZ. The 4-88 grade of PVAL was determined to be effective at enhancing solubility and bioavailability of itraconazole.     

Neurotoxic Organophosphate Degradation with Polyvinyl Alcohol Gel-Immobilized Microbial Cells

A genetically engineered strain of Escherichia coli that expresses organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH) was immobilized in a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) cryogel to form a porous biocatalyst that successfully degrades organophosphorus (OP) neurotoxins. The impacts of both diffusion and reaction on biocatalyst efficiency were determined to enable prediction and optimization of the biocatalyst performance. The kinetic rate parameters and activation energies of pure OPH, free cell suspensions, and the immobilized cell biocatalyst were compared. Diffusion was a determining factor for paraoxon hydrolysis because of the very rapid OPH kinetics for its model substrate. Both the paraoxon diffusion through the PVA matrix and the diffusion associated with microbial transport of paraoxon were shown to impact the biocatalyst reaction. However, the enhancement in storage stability resulting from diffusional limitations provides an advantage to diffusion-limited operation. This research may serve as a guide to define the influence of diffusion in biological reaction systems. The broad substrate specificity and hydrolytic efficiency of OPH coupled with the ability to genetically engineer the enzyme for specific target OP neurotoxins enhance the suitability of OPH-based technologies for detoxification of these compounds. Cryoimmobilization provides a suitable vehicle as a cost-effective, efficient technology for bioremediation of environmental media contaminated with OP compounds.     

Ossetian Surnames as a Genetic Marker

Russian Journal of Genetics - This paper carries out a comparative analysis of standard population-genetic parameters based on the distribution of surnames and marriage migrations in the Digorsky...     

Polyvinyl alcohol-glutaraldehyde network as a support for protein immobilisation

Polyvinyl alcohol-glutaraldehyde (PVA-glut) network was synthesised in bead and disc forms and used for protein immobilisation. Xanthine oxidase, a-amylase and amyloglucosidase were covalently fixed on the beads yielding preparations with specific activities retention of 72.3%, 1.6% and 1.4%, respectively. Km of xanthine oxidase PVA-glut beads (24 ± 4 µM) was slightly higher than that estimated for the soluble enzyme (16 ± 2 mM). Antigens from Schistosoma mansoni were covalently fixed onto PVA-glut discs and ELISA was carried out. The relationship between the amount of fixed antigen and the results obtained by ELISA showed a hyperbolic curve and the saturation of antigen-antibody complex was achieved at the plateau.This revised version was published online in October 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Electrospun Ultrafine Fibers from Black Bean Protein Concentrates and Polyvinyl Alcohol

In this study, ultrafine fibers were produced from black bean protein concentrates (BPCs) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) by electrospinning. The BPC was denatured under acidic (pH 2) or basic (pH 11) conditions. Polymer solutions containing different PVA concentrations (11% or 21%, w/v) and different BPC: PVA ratios (50:50 or 75:25, v/v) were used for fiber production. The electrical conductivity and rheological properties of the fiber-forming solutions were evaluated, as well as the morphology, size distribution, infrared spectrum, and thermal properties of the electrospun fibers. The fibers showed a homogeneous morphology and diameters ranging from 115 to 541 nm. Fibers from the solution containing BPC denatured at pH 11, 11% PVA, and 75:25 (v/v) BPC: PVA presented the lowest diameter, and those from BPC denatured at pH 2 had less beads than the fibers obtained from BPC denatured at pH 11. The solution formulation affected the thermal properties of the fibers, with weight loss increases ranging from 39.0% to 60.9%. The polymeric solutions containing PVA and BPC (whether denatured under basic or acidic conditions) resulted in ultrafine electrospun fibers with highly favorable characteristics that could potentially be used for the encapsulation of bioactive compounds and food applications.

     

聚乙烯醇高效降解菌的筛选及降解特性研究

以聚乙烯醇为唯一碳源从环境中筛选获得了高效降解聚乙烯醇的微生物菌株XT11, 初步鉴定为假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas sp.)。对菌株Pseudomonas XT11的生长过程及PVA降解过程进行了研究, 发现该菌株在54 h内可将1 g/L的聚乙烯醇(PVA)降解。同时研究了温度、pH值及酵母膏浓度对该菌株降解PVA的影响, 结果表明其最适温度、pH值和酵母膏浓度分别为30℃、7.0和0.5 g/L。研究了PVA浓度对PVA降解率的影响, 发现随着PVA浓度的增大, PVA的降解率降低。