Bioavailability of tobramycin after oral delivery in FVB mice using CRL-1605 copolymer, an inhibitor of P-glycoprotein

Life Sci. 2000 Sep 8;67(16):2011-6. doi: 10.1016/s0024-3205(00)00786-4.

Abstract

Tobramycin is an aminoglycoside used in the treatment of infection against gram-negative bacteria. Tobramycin cannot be delivered orally probably due to efflux of drug by a P-glycoprotein pump in the brush border of the small intestine. In this report we demonstrate oral delivery of tobramycin in FVB mice using CRL-1605 copolymer as a vehicle. This copolymer is known to inhibit P-glycoprotein. Two different doses of tobramycin (25 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg) were used. The concentration of CRL-1605 copolymer was 132 mg/kg. The liquid formulation was fed to mice by gavage and serum tobramycin concentrations were measured after one and two hours using the fluorescence polarization immunoassay. We observed significant increases in serum tobramycin concentrations when the drug was delivered orally with the copolymer compared to when the drug was delivered alone. We also performed a bioassay using Bacillus subtilis to confirm antibacterial effect of tobramycin in mice sera. This was to ensure that tobramycin did not undergo structural change during oral absorption when delivered in the copolymer vehicle. We observed minimal inhibition in growth of Bacillus subtilis in sera obtained from mice fed with tobramycin alone. In contrast, we observed almost complete inhibition of growth (most specimens) in sera obtained from mice fed with tobramycin in the presence of CRL-1605 copolymer. We conclude that tobramycin delivered orally in mice using copolymer 1605 is also bioactive.

MeSH terms

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Administration, Oral
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / blood
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacokinetics*
  • Bacillus subtilis / drug effects
  • Biological Availability
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Female
  • Food-Drug Interactions
  • Gastric Mucosa / metabolism
  • Intestinal Absorption
  • Mice
  • Pharmaceutical Vehicles / administration & dosage
  • Pharmaceutical Vehicles / pharmacology
  • Poloxamer / pharmacology*
  • Serum Bactericidal Test
  • Tobramycin / administration & dosage
  • Tobramycin / blood
  • Tobramycin / pharmacokinetics*

Substances

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Pharmaceutical Vehicles
  • Poloxamer
  • Tobramycin