QuantitativeIn VitroandIn VivoEvaluation of Intestinal and Blood-Brain Barrier Transport Kinetics of the PlantN-Alkylamide Pellitorine
Objective.To evaluate the gut mucosa and blood-brain barrier (BBB) pharmacokinetic permeability properties of the plantN-alkylamide pellitorine.Methods.Pure pellitorine and anAnacyclus pyrethrumextract were used to investigate the permeation of pellitorine through (1) a Caco-2 cell monolayer, (2) the rat gut after oral administration, and (3) the BBB in mice after intravenous and intracerebroventricular administration. A validated bioanalytical UPLC-MS2method was used to quantify pellitorine.Results.Pellitorine was able to cross the Caco-2 cell monolayer from the apical-to-basolateral and from the basolateral-to-apical side with apparent permeability coefficients between0.6·10-5and4.8·10-5 cm/h and between0.3·10-5and5.8·10-5 cm/h, respectively. In rats, a serum elimination rate constant of 0.3 h−1was obtained. Intravenous injection of pellitorine in mice resulted in a rapid and high permeation of pellitorine through the BBB with a unidirectional influx rate constant of 153 μL/(g·min). In particular, 97% of pellitorine reached the brain tissue, while only 3% remained in the brain capillaries. An efflux transfer constant of 0.05 min−1was obtained.Conclusion.Pellitorine shows a good gut permeation and rapidly permeates the BBB once in the blood, indicating a possible role in the treatment of central nervous system diseases.