DESIGN, CHARACTERIZATION AND ENHANCED BIOAVAILABILITY OF HYDROXYPROPYLCELLULOSE-BASED NOVEL BIOCONJUGATES FOR INCLUSION OF A FLUOROQUINOLONE ANTIBIOTIC - GEMIFLOXACIN

Polysaccharides are beneficially used as drug carriers via prodrug formation and offer a mechanism for better effectiveness and delivery of the drug. The unique geometry of hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC), a polysaccharide, allows the attachment of drug molecules with a higher degree of substitution. Therefore, HPC-gemifloxacin conjugates, i.e., macromolecular prodrugs, were synthesized using acylation reagents, i.e., tosyl chloride and carbonyldiimidazole using N,N-dimethylacetamide as a solvent. The reactions were carried out at 80 degrees C under stirring for 24 h in inert environment. This strategy of reaction appeared efficient to obtain a high degree of drug substitution (DS = 0.42-1.34) on the polymer parent chain, as calculated by UV-visible spectrophotometry after hydrolysis of the samples. The method provides high efficacy as product yields were high (71-76%). Macromolecular prodrugs with different DS of gemifloxacin (GEM) designed were found soluble in organic solvents. The pharmacokinetic studies showed that the t(1/2) and t(max) values of GEM from HPC-GEM conjugate were considerably higher, which indicates improved bioavailability of the drug after conjugate formation.