Effects of nanosuspension and inclusion complex techniques on the in vitro protease inhibitory activity of naproxen

This study investigated the effects of nanosuspension and inclusion complex techniques on in vitro trypsin inhibitory activity of naproxen—a member of the propionic acid derivatives, which are a group of antipyretic, analgesic, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Nanosuspension and inclusion complex techniques were used to increase the solubility and anti-inflammatory efficacy of naproxen. The evaporative precipitation into aqueous solution (EPAS) technique and the kneading methods were used to prepare the nanosuspension and inclusion complex of naproxen, respectively. We also used an in vitro protease inhibitory assay to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of modified naproxen formulations. Physiochemical properties of modified naproxen formulations were analyzed using UV, IR spectra, and solubility studies. Beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complex of naproxen was found to have a lower percentage of antitryptic activity than a pure nanosuspension of naproxen did. In conclusion, nanosuspension of naproxen has a greater anti-inflammatory effect than the other two tested formulations. This is because the nanosuspension formulation reduces the particle size of naproxen. Based on these results, the antitryptic activity of naproxen nanosuspension was noteworthy; therefore, this formulation can be used for the management of inflammatory disorders.

Automated Determination of Serum α1-Antitrypsin by Antitryptic Activity Measurement

Background: α1-Antitrypsin (A1AT) deficiency is currently detectable by protein immunoassay, phenotyping, and genotyping of the S and Z mutations, but no fully automated method for standard biochemical analyzers is yet available. Here, we present a method that measures the antitryptic activity in serum. This method is rapid, automated, and allows the easy evaluation of a large cohort of patients.Methods: Our automated assay involves determining serum antitryptic capacity on the Olympus AU 400 autoanalyzer by using trypsin and succinylated gelatin as substrate in the presence of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid. The results are expressed as a percentage of inhibition of the reaction of trypsin with succinylated gelatin. After we performed analytical validation studies and reference-interval determination based on serum samples from 120 healthy persons, we tested the assay on deidentified samples from 120 patients with various pathologies (primarily pulmonary) of unexplained origin and normal A1AT concentrations and phenotypes.Results: The analysis rate was up to 120 samples per hour. Intraassay CVs ranged from 3.1%–16.2%, and interassay CV was 7.5%. The reference population showed mean (SD) 58.4 (6.7)% inhibition. The detection limit was 9.5% inhibition. The 120 studied patients displayed significantly lower mean activity than 120 healthy individuals (P < 0.0001).Conclusion: This assay is stable, reliable, and easily automated by use of open-system analyzers, allowing for the rapid evaluation of patients. After further validation on a larger randomized cohort, this new approach should function as a useful method to explore A1AT deficiency, especially in large-scale studies.

Biochemical Study of Protease Inhibitors in Normal Chinchilla Middle Ear

Protein concentration and inhibitory capacity of both α1-antitrypsin (α1-AT) and α2-macroglobulin (α2-M) were measured in plasma and middle ear bulla (MEB) washings of chinchillas by use of specific antisera against chinchilla α1-AT and α2-M. Low molecular weight (LMW) trypsin inhibitor also was analyzed in MEB washings. Chinchilla α2-M showed a common antigenicity with human α2-M. The mean value of α1-AT in chinchilla plasma was 412.0 ± 87.8 and that of α2-M was 435.0 ± 117.1 mg/dL. There was a significant relationship between α-AT level and antitryptic activity, and between α2-M level and trypsin binding activity in plasma. The majority of α1-AT and α2-M in plasma is present as free inhibitors unsaturated with proteases. The MEB washings had significant antitryptic activity, which is attributed to both α1-AT and LMW trypsin inhibitors. Inhibitory functions of α1-AT and LMW trypsin inhibitors appear to play an important role in the defense of the normal middle ear mucosa.

Natural plant enzyme inhibitors. Characterization of an unusual α-amylase/trypsin inhibitor from ragi (Eleusine coracana Geartn.)

An inhibitor I-1, capable of acting on both alpha-amylase and trypsin, was purified to homogeneity from ragi (finger-millet) grains. The factor was found to be stable to heat treatment at 100 degrees C for 1 h in the presence of NaCl and also was stable over the wide pH range 1-10. Pepsin and Pronase treatment of inhibitor I-1 resulted in gradual loss of both the inhibitory activities. Formation of trypsin-inhibitor I-1 complex, amylase-inhibitor I-1 complex and trypsin-inhibitor I-1-amylase trimer complex was demonstrated by chromatography on a Bio-Gel P-200 column. This indicated that the inhibitor is ‘double-headed’ in nature. The inhibitor was retained on a trypsin-Sepharose 4B column at pH 7.0. Elution at acidic pH resulted in almost complete recovery of amylase-inhibitory and trypsin-inhibitory activities. alpha-Amylase was retained on a trypsin-Sepharose column to which inhibitor I-1 was bound, but not on trypsin-Sepharose alone. Modification of amino groups of the inhibitor with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid resulted in complete loss of amylase-inhibitory activity but only 40% loss in antitryptic activity. Modification of arginine residues by cyclohexane-1,2-dione led to 85% loss of antitryptic activity after 5 h, but no effect on amylase-inhibitory activity. The results show that a single bifunctional protein factor is responsible for both amylase-inhibitory and trypsin-inhibitory activities with two different reactive sites.

Measurement of antitryptic activity of serum with a centrifugal analyzer.

The Selected Method [Clin. Chem. 20, 396 (1974)] for the enzymatic assay of alpha1-antitrypsin in serum has been adapted for use with the E.N.I.-GEMSAEC. With alpha-N-benzoyl-D,L-arginine-p-nitroanilide as substrate, the difference between the tryptic activity measured with and without addition of serum in the same run has been used to calculate the trypsin-inhibitory capacity. The rate of increase in absorbance at 400 nm of the p-nitroanilide formed, has been evaluated during a reaction time of 140 s. Results correlated well (r = 0.986) for 54 human sera analyzed as described here and by the Selected Method. The adaptation on GEMSAEC can be used in detecting alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency in the newborn.