Transporter-Mediated Effects of Diclofenamic Acid and Its Ascorbyl Pro-drug in the In Vivo Neurotropic Activity of Ascorbyl Nipecotic Acid Conjugate

Alessandro Dalpiaz, Barbara Pavan, Martina Scaglianti, Federica Vitali, Fabrizio Bortolotti, Carla Biondi, Angelo Scatturin, Sergio Tanganelli, Luca Ferraro, Puttur Prasad, Stefano Manfredini

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

Continuing our studies on SVCT2 ascorbic acid (AA) transporter-mediated drug delivery of neurotropic agents, we have now investigated the in vitro intracellular uptake of Diclofenac (Diclo) and its conjugate (AA-Diclo), both characterized by high affinity for the SVCT2 transporter. We have also investigated the in vivo uptake mechanism of AA-conjugate of Nipecotic acid (AA-Nipec) and the implication of the transporter-mediated effects of Diclo and AA-Diclo. Diclo resulted as a noncompetitive inhibitor of AA transport, but also showed a sodium-dependent and ascorbate-independent uptake, thus implying the possible involvement of specific transporters in the delivery to the brain of Diclo. This result opens a perspective in the discovery of new strategies in the targeting of this drug to the brain. Inhibitory effects of Diclo and AA-Diclo on the SVCT2 transporter were used to study anticonvulsant effects of AA-Nipec, confirming our hypothesis of an SVCT2-mediated transport in its neurotropic activity. AA-Diclo stability has been also investigated: it is hydrolyzed following a first-order kinetics in buffer, plasma (t1/2 at about 10 h) and whole blood (t1/2 at about 3 h), suggesting AA-Diclo as a potential candidate to enhance the short half-life of Diclo in vivo.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)78-85
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Volume93
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2004

Keywords

  • Active transport
  • Ascorbic acid
  • CNS
  • Diclofenamic acid
  • Nipecotic acid
  • Prodrugs
  • SVCT2
  • Stability
  • Transporters

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pharmaceutical Science

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