title: Praziquantel in a clay nanoformulation shows more bioavailability and higher efficacy against murine Schistosoma mansoni infection.
abstract: Consideration of existing compounds always simplifies and shortens the long and difficult process of discovering new drugs specifically for diseases of developing countries, an approach that may add to the significant potential cost savings. This study focused on improving the biological characteristics of the already-existing antischistosomal praziquantel (PZQ) by incorporating it into montmorillonite (MMT) clay as a delivery carrier to overcome its known bioavailability drawbacks. The oral bioavailability of a PZQ-MMT clay nanoformulation and its in vivo efficacy against Schistosoma mansoni were investigated. The PZQ-MMT clay nanoformulation provided a preparation with a controlled release rate, a decrease in crystallinity, and an appreciable reduction in particle size. Uninfected and infected mice treated with PZQ-MMT clay showed 3.61- and 1.96-fold and 2.16- and 1.94-fold increases, respectively, in area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 8 h (AUC0-8) and maximum concentration of drug in serum (Cmax), with a decrease in elimination rate constant (kel) by 2.84- and 1.35-fold and increases in the absorption rate constant (ka) and half-life (t1/2e) by 2.11- and 1.51-fold and 2.86- and 1.34-fold, respectively, versus the corresponding conventional PZQ-treated groups. This improved bioavailability has been expressed in higher efficacy of the drug, where the dose necessary to kill 50% of the worms was reduced by >3-fold (PZQ 50% effective dose [ED50] was 20.25 mg/kg of body weight for PZQ-MMT clay compared to 74.07 mg/kg for conventional PZQ), with significant reduction in total tissue egg load and increase in total immature, mature, and dead eggs in most of the drug-treated groups. This formulation showed better bioavailability, enhanced antischistosomal efficacy, and a safer profile despite the longer period of residence in the systemic circulation. Although the conventional drug's toxicity was not examined, animal mortality rates were not different between groups receiving the test PZQ-clay nanoformulation and conventional PZQ.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, October University for Modern Sciences and Arts and Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt gelfeky@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Gina S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: El-Feky
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymers and Pigments, National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Wael S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymers and Pigments, National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hanaa E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Nasr
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Naglaa M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: El-Lakkany
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Sayed H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Seif El-Din
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Sanaa S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Botros
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001682:Biological Availability; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D011223:Praziquantel
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