Pharmaceutics and Drug Design Commons^™

Computer-Aided Drug Design And Discovery, Screening And Synthesis Of Small Molecule Inhibitors Of Nucleoside Transporters, Hilaire Colleen Playa

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Using prior biological data, pharmacophore models were made for hCNT1, hCNT3, hENT1, and hENT4. The hCNT3 and hCNT1 pharmacophore were used to select compounds for biological testing. The NBMPR analogue and dipyridamole analogue hENT1 pharmacophores were compared to each other and to a combined pharmacophore for hENT1. The dipyridamole analogue pharmacophore better predicted non-nucleoside small molecule inhibitors, and as such appears to be the better tool for aiding in the design of new small molecule inhibitors. The hCNT3 pharmacophore failed to select active compounds and as such must be redesigned. The hCNT1 pharmacophore succeeded in identifying two moderately active compounds …

Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors Possess Intrinsic Anti-Inflammatory Activity, Benjamin J. Fowler, Bradley D. Gelfand, Younghee Kim, Nagaraj Kerur, Valeria Tarallo, Yoshio Hirano, Shoba Amarnath, Daniel H. Fowler, Marta Radwan, Mark T. Young, Keir Pittman, Paul Kubes, Hitesh Agarwal, Keykavous Parang, David R. Hinton, Ana Bastos-Carvalho, Shengjian Li, Testuhiro Yasuma, Takeshi Mizutani, Reo Yasuma, Charles Wright, Jayakrishna Ambati

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) are mainstay therapeutics for HIV that block retrovirus replication. Alu (an endogenous retroelement that also requires reverse transcriptase for its life cycle)–derived RNAs activate P2X7 and the NLRP3 inflammasome to cause cell death of the retinal pigment epithelium in geographic atrophy, a type of age-related macular degeneration. We found that NRTIs inhibit P2X7-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation independent of reverse transcriptase inhibition. Multiple approved and clinically relevant NRTIs prevented caspase-1 activation, the effector of the NLRP3 inflammasome, induced by Alu RNA. NRTIs were efficacious in mouse models of geographic atrophy, choroidal neovascularization, graft-versus-host disease, and sterile …

Inhibition Of The Thioesterase Activity Of Human Fatty Acid Synthase By 1,4- And 9,10-Diones, Herman H. Odens

Faculty Works

Fatty acid synthase (FASN) is the enzyme that synthesizes fatty acids de novo in human cells. Although FASN is generally expressed at low levels in most normal tissues, its expression is highly upregulated in many cancers. Consistent with this notion, inhibition of FASN activity has demonstrated potential to halt proliferation and induce cell death in vitro and to block tumor growth in vivo. Consequently, FASN is widely recognized as a valuable therapeutic target. In this report, we describe a variety of 1,4-quinones and 9,10- anthraquinones, including several natural compounds and some newly synthesized compounds, that potently inhibit the thioesterase (TE) …

Design, Synthesis And Biological Evaluation Of Novel Compounds With Cns-Activity Targeting Cannabinoid And Biogenic Amine Receptors, Alexander M. Sherwood

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This work seeks to contribute to the discipline of neuropharmacology by way of structure activity relationship from the standpoint of an organic chemist. More specifically, we sought to develop robust synthetic methodology able to efficiently produce an array of compounds for the purpose of systematic evaluation of their interaction with specific sights within the central nervous system (CNS) in order to better understand the mind and to develop drugs that may have beneficial effects on neurological function.

The focus of these studies has been toward the development of novel molecules, using a structure-activity relationship approach, that exhibit binding affinity at …

Glioma: A Tale Of Corticosteroids, Thiopurines And Proposed Novel Antiglioma Small Molecules, Amira Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Glioma is a brain tumor that arises from glial cells or glial progenitor cells, and represents 80% of malignant brain tumor incidence in the United States. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive primary brain tumor malignancy with fewer than 8% of patients with GBM surviving for 3 years. Over the past 10 years, despite improvement in diagnosis and therapies for cancer, the survival rate for high-grade glioma patients remains unchanged. The main focus of this dissertation is to investigate two therapeutic agents that are related to increase tumor resistance or increase secondary tumor incidence, which might play a role …

Facile, Regio-And Diastereoselective Synthesis Of Spiro-Pyrrolidine And Pyrrolizine Derivatives And Evaluation Of Their Antiproliferative Activities, Abdulrahman I. Almansour, Raju Suresh Kumar, Farzana Beevi, Amir Nasrolahi Shirazi, Hasnah Osman, Rusli Ismail, Tan Soo Chen, Brian Sullivan, Kellen Mccaffrey, Alaa Nahhas, Keykavous Parang, Mohamed Ashraf Ali

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

A number of novel spiro-pyrrolidines/pyrrolizines derivatives were synthesized through [3+2]-cycloaddition of azomethine ylides with 3,5-bis[(E)-arylmethylidene] tetrahydro-4(1H)-pyridinones 2a-n. Azomethine ylides were generated in situ from the reaction of 1H-indole-2,3-dione (isatin, 3) with N-methylglycine (sarcosine), phenylglycine, or proline. All compounds (50 M) were evaluated for their antiproliferative activity against human breast carcinoma (MDA-MB-231), leukemia lymphoblastic (CCRF-CEM), and ovarian carcinoma (SK-OV-3) cells. N-alpha-Phenyl substituted spiro-pyrrolidine derivatives (5a-n) showed higher antiproliferative activity in MDA-MB-231 than other cancer cell lines. Among spiro-pyrrolizines 6a-n, a number of derivatives including 6a-c and 6i-m showed a comparable activity with doxorubicin in all three cell lines. Among all compounds …

Quantification Of Factors Governing Drug Release Kinetics From Nanoparticles: A Combined Experimental And Mechanistic Modeling Approach, Kyle Daniel Fugit

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Advancements in nanoparticle drug delivery of anticancer agents require mathematical models capable of predicting in vivo formulation performance from in vitro characterization studies. Such models must identify and incorporate the physicochemical properties of the therapeutic agent and nanoparticle driving in vivo drug release. This work identifies these factors for two nanoparticle formulations of anticancer agents using an approach which develops mechanistic mathematical models in conjunction with experimental studies.

A non-sink ultrafiltration method was developed to monitor liposomal release kinetics of the anticancer agent topotecan. Mathematical modeling allowed simultaneous determination of drug permeability and interfacial binding to the bilayer from release …

Investigating Intermolecular Interactions In Crystalline Aspirin Using Cdft, Nicholas Turner, Tonglei Li, Mingtao Zhang

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Drugs today are widely administered in their crystalline form, namely via tablets and capsules. The crystal structure of a drug molecule affects important drug qualities such as solubility, bioavailability, shelf life, and compaction properties. In order to form a basis for crystal structure prediction, it is necessary to first understand how intermolecular interactions cause molecules to pack in certain ways. Being able to predict and perhaps even control a drug molecule’s crystal structure will lead to the development of higher quality drugs that perform more consistently. Scientists and engineers do not fully understand the reasons for a molecule assuming a …

A Standardized Patient Counseling Rubric For A Pharmaceutical Care And Communications Course, Niambi Horton Pharmd, Kenna D. Payne Pharmd, Michelle Jernigan Pharmd, Jill Frost Pharmd, Stephen Wise Pharmd, Mary Klein Pharmd, Joel Epps Mba, H. Glenn Anderson Pharmd

Pharmaceutical Science and Research

Objective. To restructure a required pharmaceutical care and communications course to place greater emphasis on communication skills and include a high-stakes assessment.

Design. A standardized counseling rubric was developed for use throughout the pharmacy curriculum and the counseling laboratory practicals were changed to high-stakes assessments.

Assessment. An annual mid-semester and end-of-semester high-stakes patient-counseling objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) conducted prior to and after revision of the course and counseling rubric documented improvements in students’ scores. Performance on the post-course annual assessment patient counseling OSCE improved compared to that on the pre-course (p,0.001).

Conclusion. The 2010 course revision improved …

Controlling The Size And Shape Of Polypeptide Colloidal Particles: Temperature Dependence Of Particle Formation, John P. Gavin, Nolan B. Holland, Kiril A. Streletzky

Undergraduate Research Posters 2013

A promising approach for developing new drug delivery vehicles is by using stimuli responsive hydrogel nanoparticles. Polypeptide surfactants designed in our lab have been shown to form micellar particles of varying sizes and shapes depending on the solution salt concentration. These responsive polypeptide surfactants consist of a small charged protein domain (foldon) with three elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) chains forming a three-armed star polymer. The size and shape of the micelles they form is dependent on the ratio of total ELP volume to head group area. By introducing linear ELP into the ELP-foldon solution, the total volume of ELP in the …

A Series Of Pharmaceutical Technology Concepts Applied To Pediatric Formulations, Hao Lou

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Pediatric formulations have received great attention from regulatory agencies in the United States and Europe. Since solid dosage forms such as tablets and capsules will not be able to improve pediatric patients’ compliance, customized pediatric formulations are needed. In response, formulators in the pharmaceutical industry have made significant effort into developing various pediatric formulations. However, developing satisfactory pediatric formulations is a process that is guided by case by case basis. The objective of this current study was to apply the scientific pharmaceutical technology concepts into developing modern pediatric formulations. We have shown that the drug delivery design will be affected …

Canagliflozin, A New Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporter 2 Inhibitor, In The Treatment Of Diabetes, Sarah A. Nisly, Denise M. Kolanczyk, Alison M. Walton

Scholarship and Professional Work – COPHS

Purpose. The published evidence on the pharmacology, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacy of a promising investigational agent for managing type 2 diabetes is evaluated.

Summary. Canagliflozin belongs to a class of agents—the sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors—whose novel mechanism of action offers potential advantages over other antihyperglycemic agents, including a relatively low hypoglycemia risk and weight loss-promoting effects. Canagliflozin has dose-dependent pharmacokinetics, and research in laboratory animals demonstrated high oral bioavailability (85%) and rapid effects in lowering glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values. In four early-stage clinical trials involving a total of over 500 patients, the use of canagliflozin for varying periods …

Development Of The Sustained Release Analgesic Formulations For Rodents And A Novel In Vitro Model For Parenteral Formulations With The Character Of A Level A Ivivc, Jin Xu

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Laboratory animals are often subjected to various painful surgical procedures such as laparotomy, thoracotomy or orthopedic procedures as well as non-surgical procedures such as the induction of arthritis. Any procedure that causes pain in humans is assumed to cause pain in animals too. It is the ethical obligation of all research personnel to reduce or preferably eliminate pain and distress by using analgesics. Furthermore, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) requires that appropriate anesthetics and/or analgesics must be used to minimize or eliminate pain and distress for animals undergoing painful procedures.

The oral administration route is the most …

Investigation Of Enhancement Of Furosemide Solubilization With Cyclodextrins And A Novel Octenyl Succinate Anhydride Starch, Rui Zhu

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Solubility behavior is one of the most challenging aspects for drug commercialization and often the main reason of drug that do not reach to its full potential. Now nearly 60% new chemical entities possess solubility problems, whereas practically no drug products with less than 10 µg/ml solubility in 70’s or 80’s. There is an ever increasing need to develop new formulation techniques and exicipients with novel mechanisms of action. Various techniques have been applied to enhance the drug solubility such as co-solvents, particle size reduction, lipid based drug delivery systems, nanosuspension, use of surfactants, salt formation, cyclodextrin complexes and solid …

Development Of Co-Processed Plasticized Cellulose Acetate For Sustained Release Matrix Tablets, Yinqi Zhou

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Cellulose Acetate (CA) is a polymer extensively used in pharmaceutical applications. Because of the hydrophobic nature and good film properties of CA, it is a good polymer candidate for sustained release matrix tablets. Sustained release matrix tablets of cellulose acetate can be prepared by direct compression or wet granulation methods. However, previous studies showed that a large amount of CA was required to achieve the desired sustained release profile for a sparingly soluble drug and it was difficult to formulate a highly water soluble drug by using CA as the retarding agent. Some studies concluded that CA is very sensitive …

Preclinical Study Of Potential Antiglioma Novel Tetrahydroisoquinoline Analogs: Pharmacokinetics And Mechanism Of Action, Fei Ma

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Gliomas, the tumors of glial cells, account for 80% of primary malignant brain tumors. In 2011, there were about 18,300 new cases of maligant gliomas in the United States alone. Patients with glioblastoma multiforme or anaplastic astrocytoma, the two major types of malignant gliomas, have a median survival of 14 months or 2 to 3 years, respectively. Therefore novel treatments for malignant glioma are urgently needed.

A novel series of tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives with antiglioma activity has been undergoing drug metabolism/pharmacokinetics (DMPK)-guided lead optimization. EDL-291 was result from structure modification of last generation compound EDL-155. Its preclinical pharmacokinetics were characterized in …

Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic (Pk/Pd) Modeling Of Anti-Neoplastic Agents, Daniel Lexcen, Ahmed H. Salem, Walid F. Elkhatib, Virginia Haynes, Ayman Noreddin

Pharmacy Faculty Books and Book Chapters

"Development of tumor resistance to chemotherapeutics is related to inherent tumor variations regarding sensitivity to chemotherapeutics and to sub-optimal dosing regimens, including variation in patient pharmacokinetics that result in suboptimal exposure of tumor cells to anti-neoplastic drugs [1, 2]. The rate and extent of drug efficacy depends on the extent of drug exposure at the tumor site and the time above the effective concentration [3]. In vitro models that incorporate these pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) principles to optimize therapeutic response may be considered the method of choice for optimizing dosing schedules before translating data from static assays to animals and …

Structural Properties Of Thermoresponsive Poly(N-Isopropylacrylamide)-Poly(Ethyleneglycol) Microgels, J. Clara-Rahola, A. Fernandez-Nieves, B. Sierra-Martin, A. B. South, L. Andrew Lyon, J. Kohlbrecher, A. F. Barbero

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The application of RNA interference to treat disease is an important yet challenging concept in modern medicine. In particular, small interfering RNA (siRNA) have shown tremendous promise in the treatment of cancer. However, siRNA show poor pharmacological properties, which presents a major hurdle for effective disease treatment especially through intravenous delivery routes. In response to these shortcomings, a variety of nanoparticle carriers have emerged, which are designed to encapsulate, protect, and transport siRNA into diseased cells. To be effective as carrier vehicles, nanoparticles must overcome a series of biological hurdles throughout the course of delivery. As a result, one promising …

Compound 49b: A Novel Beta-Adrenergic Receptor Agonist In The Treatment Of Diabetic Retinopathy, Kimberly Williams-Guy

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in working Americans. While there are therapeutic regimens for the disease, more effective methods are needed. We have previously shown that a non-specific beta-adrenergic receptor agonist, isoproterenol, was effective in preventing functional and morphological changes associated with diabetic retinopathy in the rat. Isoproterenol also produced left ventricle remodeling suggesting it entered the systemic circulation. We therefore synthesized various novel beta-adrenergic receptor compounds and screened these compounds in vitro for their ability to reduce markers of inflammation and apoptosis. Of the various compounds tested, Compound 49b was able to reduce both inflammation and …

Preclinical Pharmacology Of The Mdm2 Antagonist Nutlin-3a, Fan Zhang

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Nutlin-3a is an MDM2-p53 interaction antagonist that is under investigation in preclinical models for a variety of pediatric malignancies, including neuroblastoma, retinoblastoma, leukemia, and rhabdomyosarcoma. In the current research, we conducted preclinical pharmacology studies of nutlin-3a to evaluate the synergistic effect of the nutlin-3a and topotecan combination on neuroblastoma cell growth, to assess the effect of nutlin-3a on breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), and to characterize the disposition of nutlin-3a in the mouse plasma and multiple tissues.

Activating the p53 pathway might offer a new therapy for neuroblastoma. In the first part of the study, we assessed the effect of …

Reactive Oxygen Species Modulation Of Na/K-Atpase Regulates Fibrosis And Renal Proximal Tubular Sodium Handling, Jiang Liu, David J. Kennedy, Yanling Yan, Joseph I. Shapiro Md

Pharmaceutical Science and Research

The Na/K-ATPase is the primary force regulating renal sodium handling and plays a key role in both ion homeostasis and blood pressure regulation. Recently, cardiotonic steroids (CTS)-mediated Na/K-ATPase signaling has been shown to regulate fibrosis, renal proximal tubule (RPT) sodium reabsorption, and experimental Dahl salt-sensitive hypertension in response to a high-salt diet. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are an important modulator of nephron ion transport. As there is limited knowledge regarding the role of ROS-mediated fibrosis and RPT sodium reabsorption through the Na/K-ATPase, the focus of this review is to examine the possible role of ROS in the regulation of Na/K-ATPase …

Pharmacokinetic And Pharmacodynamic Studies Of A Novel Spectinamide Series Of Antituberculosis Agents, V. N. R. Pavan Kumar Vaddady

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Spectinamides are novel amide derivatives of the antibiotic spectinomycin that have emerged as a new class of agents to treat tuberculosis. These agents showed potent in vitro activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) compared to spectinomycin and in a preliminary in vivo study in interferon gamma (IFN‑γ) knockout mice, spectinamide Lee1329 reduced the lung bacillary load of TB comparable to streptomycin. We hypothesized that the application of an iterative pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) guided approach would facilitate the optimization of these lead compounds suitable for further development.

A series of in vitro experiments including parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA), microsomal …

Development And Evaluation Of Therapeutics In The Setting Of Radiation Injury, Karin Emmons Thompson

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The possibility of an incident involving radiation exposure is at the forefront of public attention in the current global environment. With a greater number of entities possessing nuclear weapons and increased demand for nuclear power, the concern for uncontained exposure to radiation is increasing. In light of these developments, the need for treatments that may be easily stored and administered to large numbers of people who have been exposed to high doses of total body irradiation (TBI) is more urgent than ever before.

Our goal was to identify and develop novel, drug-like small molecules that would exhibit radiomitigating activity for …

Preliminary Studies Into Dna Binding Capabilities Of Ruthenium Nitro Nitrosyl As Anti-Tumor Pro-Drugs, Natasha Hansson

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The complex [Ru(bpy)z(NO)(N02)](PF6)2 was investigated as a potential anti­ tumor drug option. The nitrosyl group was displaced by reaction with azide ion in acetone to yield the solvento complex in situ. The products isolated from addition of a solution or slurry of guanine, adenine, cytosine or thiamine to the resulting [Ru(bpy)(N02)(acetone)t were investigated by electronic absorption spectroscopy, infra­ 1 red spectroscopy, H NMR spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The results of the studies showed that guanine, adenine and thiamine form adducts with Ru(bpy)z(N02)(acetone)t. However, each base forms a unique complex as shown by electronic spectroscopy. Guanine is the strongest field ligand, …

Tdiscovery And Development Of Novel Therapeutic Agents For Advanced Melanoma, Zhao Wang

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Malignant melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer and accounts for about 75% of skin cancer deaths. Once diagnosed at the metastatic stage, it has a very poor prognosis with a median survival rate of 6 months and a 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. In addition, melanoma has become an important public health hazard owing to its rising incidence, which has been well documented over the past 50 years. Currently there is no effective way to treat melanoma. It is highly resistant to existing chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. Over the past 30 years, only two drugs …

Discovery Of Quinic Acid Derivatives As Oral Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Kui Zeng

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Quinic acid (QA) esters found in hot water extracts of Uncaria tomentosa (a.k.a. Cat’s claw) exert anti-inflammatory activity through mechanisms involving inhibition of the pro-inflammatory transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Herein, we described the synthesis and biological testing of novel QA derivatives. Inhibition of NF-κB was assessed using A549 (Type II alveolar epithelial-like) cells that stably express a secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) reporter driven by an NF-κB response element. A549- NF-κB cells were stimulated with TNF-α (10 ng/mL) in the presence or absence of QA derivative for 18 hours followed by measurement of SEAP activity. Amide substitution at …

Development Of Cytarabine Prodrugs And Delivery Systems For Leukemia Treatment, Bhupender S. Chhikara, Keykavous Parang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Importance of the field: Cytarabine is a polar nucleoside drug used for the treatment of myeloid leukemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The drug has a short plasma half-life, low stability, and limited bioavailability. Overdosing of patients with continuous infusions may lead to side effects. Thus, various prodrug strategies and delivery systems have been extensively explored to enhance the half-life, stability, and delivery of cytarabine. Among the recent cytarabine prodrugs, amino acid conjugate ValCytarabine and fatty acid derivative CP-4055 (in phase 3 trials) have been investigated for the treatment of leukemia and solid tumors, respectively. Alternatively, delivery systems of cytarabine have …

A Pharmacokinetics And Pharmacodynamics (Pk/Pd) Guided Approach To Lead Optimization Of Nitrofuranylamide Anti-Tuberculosis Agents, Nageshwar Rao Budha

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Currently used treatment strategies for tuberculosis (TB) involve administration of multiple drug combinations for a minimum of 6-9 months. However, these prolonged regimens do not always achieve sterilization, as evidenced by post-therapy relapse in a subgroup of treated individuals. In an effort to develop novel therapeutic agents for TB a new class of chemical agents, nitrofuranylamides, is being developed at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. We hypothesized that the application of an iterative pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) guided approach would facilitate the optimization of nitrofuranylamide lead compounds suitable for further development.

First, we examined the biopharmaceutic properties and …

Structure- And Ligand-Based Design Of Novel Antimicrobial Agents, Kirk Edward Hevener

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The use of computer based techniques in the design of novel therapeutic agents is a rapidly emerging field. Although the drug-design techniques utilized by Computational Medicinal Chemists vary greatly, they can roughly be classified into structure-based and ligand-based approaches. Structure-based methods utilize a solved structure of the design target, protein or DNA, usually obtained by X-ray or NMR methods to design or improve compounds with activity against the target. Ligand-based methods use active compounds with known affinity for a target that may yet be unresolved. These methods include Pharmacophore-based searching for novel active compounds or Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) studies. …

Synthesis And Evaluation Of Tetramic Acids As Antimicrobial Agents, Jason B. Wilson

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

As bacterial infectious diseases are a major cause of morbity and mortality throughout the world, and many causative organisms are resistant to currently available antibiotics, the motivation for the development of new drugs is readily apparent. A number of natural products exhibiting antimicrobial activity possess a tetramic acid (2,4-pyrrolidinedione) functional group. As their antibacterial mechanism of action is different from that of many of the currently available antibiotics, these compounds have potential to serve as a basis for a pharmacophore in synthetic compounds. However, toxicity to eukaryotic cells is frequently a problem with currently known tetramic acids. The purpose of …