The impact of the surface-active formulation ingredients Cremophor EL, Tween 80 and Solutol HS 15 on the intrinsic clearance (Clint) of midazolam (MDZ) was investigated in rat hepatocytes and microsomes. In rat hepatocytes with 0.003%, 0.03% and 0.3% (w/v) Solutol HS 15 already present in the incubation medium, the Clint was significantly reduced in a dose-dependent manner by about 25%, 30% and 50%, respectively. In the presence of Cremophor EL and Tween 80 a significant reduction in Clint by about 30% and 25%, respectively, was observed at 0.03% surfactant concentration. At 0.3% of Cremophor EL and Tween 80, Clint was reduced by about 50% and 20%, respectively. A reduction in Clint was also observed in experiments with rat liver microsomes. At surfactant concentrations up to 0.03%, cytotoxicity assays (lactate dehydrogenase release, adenosine triphosphate content) as well as light microscope investigations did not reveal any cytotoxic impact of the surfactants on the hepatocyte monolayer. A potential interaction of the surfactants with biological membranes was determined using phosphatidylcholine-cholesterol liposomes loaded with self-quenching concentrations of carboxyfluorescein. No marked release of carboxyfluorescein from the liposomes (that would be an indication for a surfactant-dependent disruption of membrane integrity) was observed up to concentrations of 0.03% of the different surfactants. It is concluded that cytochrome P450 3A mediated metabolism of MDZ seems to be prevented by all surfactants at concentrations above 0.03%. In our experiments the surfactants did not show toxic effects at concentrations that resulted in a decreased Clint of MDZ. Thus, a direct inhibition of the metabolizing enzymes, a molecular interaction with the microsomes as well as an alteration of membrane properties that did not yet result in a release of LDH have to be taken into consideration as reasons for the observed changes in the metabolism of MDZ.

In the current investigation, the alkaloid colchicine was administered intravenously to male Wistar rats both as a solution in isotonic sodium chloride (NaCl 0.9%, control group) and in NaCl 0.9%:Solutol HS 15 (95:5) at 1.5 mg/kg. At predetermined time points, plasma and urine were collected from the animals and analysed for colchicine and its demethylated metabolites by LC/MS-MS. In the presence of Solutol HS 15, colchicine clearance (CI) was significantly decreased and its maximum plasma concentration (c(max)) was significantly increased as compared to the control group (CI: 15.6+/-7.0 ml/min/kg vs 34.3+/-2.3 ml/min/kg; c(max) 3055.1+/-587.4 h vs 1260.1+/-223.7 h; p<0.05). Moreover, the amount of parent colchicine excreted into urine was markedly increased in the Solutol HS 15 treated group (41.50+/-3.23 vs 1.17+/-0.41% of total dose; p<0.05). By contrast, there was no statistically significant difference but a trend to lower values only in the volume of distribution (V(d) 13.3+/-2.2 l/h vs 31.4+/-17.7 l/h, p=0.35). The half-lives for the first (t(1/2 1stphase). 0.21+/-0.02 h vs 0.20+/-0.03 h) and second phase (t(1/2 2ndphase). 18.5+/-6.9 h vs 18.3+/-7.7 h) did not differ significantly in dependence on the dosing vehicle. The free fraction in rat plasma (FF), the blood/plasma (lambda) and erythrocyte/plasma concentration ratios (K(e)) were not significantly changed in the presence of different concentrations of Solutol HS 15 compared with surfactant-free incubations (overall means: 72.25+/-0.50% for FF, 0.80+/-0.02 for lambda, 0.46+/-0.04 for K(e)). In vitro, in rat hepatocytes, the clearance of colchicine was significantly reduced at 0.003% Solutol HS 15 present in the incubation medium (0.86+/-0.15 microl/min/10(-6) cells vs 1.46+/-0.06 microl/min/10(-6) cells). As colchicine exhibits a comparatively high aqueous solubility, an impact of Solutol HS 15 on the solubility of the alkaloid is very unlikely to be a reason for the observed effect. Therefore, our results indicate that the most likely reasons for the changed pharmacokinetic behaviour of colchicine in the presence of Solutol HS 15 are alterations of metabolism and/or transport as well as distribution and elimination processes.

Two surface-active formulation ingredients, a water-soluble derivative of vitamin E (D-alpha-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate, vitamin E-TPGS) as well as a polyethoxylated derivative of 12-hydroxy-stearic acid (Solutol HS 15) were investigated in rats for their potential to increase the oral bioavailability of the p-glycoprotein (p-gp) and cytochrome P450 substrate colchicine. D-alpha-Tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate and the polyethoxylated derivative of 12-hydroxy-stearic acid will be referred to as "surfactant 1" and "surfactant 2" in the following. Colchicine was administered to the animals at a dose level of 5 mg/kg in each 10% surfactant containing formulation. A solution of colchicine in isotonic saline was selected as a reference formulation. It was found that the administration of colchicine in the surfactant containing formulations resulted in significantly higher systemic exposures as compared to the aqueous reference vehicle (2-fold increase in AUC in the presence of surfactant 1 and 4-fold increase in AUC in the presence of surfactant 2). The aqueous solubility of colchicine was about 16.7 mg/ml, and the increase in solubility in the presence of 1% surfactant 1 or surfactant 2 to about 20.5 and 18.5 mg/ml was not considered to significantly affect the oral bioavailability. In summary, it was demonstrated that both surfactants are suitable formulation ingredients to improve the systemic exposure of colchicine in the rat. Due to the high aqueous solubility of colchicine the most likely reasons for these findings are inhibition of p-gp and/or metabolism as well as permeability enhancement by interactions of the surfactants with the intestinal membrane.

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