Scalable Self-Assembling Micellar System for Enhanced Oral Bioavailability and Efficacy of Lisofylline for Treatment of Type‑I Diabetes

• Published in: Molecular pharmaceutics 2019-12, Vol.16 (12), p.4954-4967
• Main Authors: Italiya, Kishan S, Basak, Moumita, Mazumdar, Samrat, Sahel, Deepak K, Shrivastava, Richa, Chitkara, Deepak, Mittal, Anupama
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1543-8384; 1543-8392
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.9b00833

The study summarizes the development of an orally active nanoformulation of a potent but one of the least explored molecules, lisofylline (LSF), in type 1 diabetes (T1D). LSF undergoes rapid metabolism, resulting in poor oral bioavailability and short half-life. In this work, to improve its pharmacokinetic (PK) properties, LSF was encapsulated in the form of its ester prodrug [LSF–linoleic acid (LA) prodrug] into biodegradable self-assembling polymeric micelles [LSF–LA PLM, size: 149.3 nm; polydispersity index: 0.209; critical micelle concentration (cmc); 5.95 μg/mL and N agg: 14.82 at 10 cmc] of methoxypoly­(ethylene glycol)-b-poly­(carbonate-co-l-lactide) (mPEG-b-P­(CB-co-LA)) block copolymer. LSF–LA PLM was found to be equally effective as the LSF–LA prodrug in cell culture studies in insulin-secreting MIN6 cells and showed excellent stability in simulating biological fluids and plasma. PK of LSF–LA PLM (10 mg/kg dose) revealed a significant improvement in oral bioavailability of LSF (74.86%; 3.3-fold increase in comparison to free LSF) and drastic reduction in the drug metabolism. Further, LSF–LA PLM showed a significant reduction in fasting glucose levels and increase in insulin levels by intraperitoneal as well oral routes in a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced T1D rat model. Production of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IFN-γ) and different biochemical markers for liver and kidney functions were much reduced in diabetic animals after treatment with LSF–LA PLM. LSF–LA PLM-treated pancreatic sections showed minimal infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells as indicated by hematoxylin/eosin staining and immunohistochemical analysis.