In vitro studies of protein-calorie malnutrition effect on albendazole metabolism in microsomal fractions using high-performance liquid chromatography

• Grant number: 07/03886-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: December 01, 2007
• End date: November 30, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Analytical Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Regina Vincenzi Oliveira
• Grantee: Katia Roberta Anacleto Belaz
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Albendazole is an important drug, which is usually administrated as anthelmintic in the veterinary and human medicine. Moreover, albendazole is also widely used for neurocysticercose treatment and it has been considered a promising drug in anticancer treatment. Albendazole is a pro-drug; it is quickly metabolized in the organism into a pharmacological active metabolite, the albendazole sulphoxide, which is biotransformed to albendazole sulfone and albendazole amine sulfone, both inactive metabolites. Neurocysticercose is an endemic disease in developing countries and has a narrow relation to poor sanitary conditions and low socioeconomic status, presenting a direct relation to malnutrition in diseased patients. Considering the pharmacokinetics properties of the active chiral drug, albendazol sulphoxide, no studies were conducted for addressing the malnutrition effect on the metabolism of albendazole, up to now. Investigation on its biodisposition also needs to be carried out, since patients malnutrition must be considered for an adequate administration of the drug. Therefore; this project presents a proposal to investigate the protein-calorie malnutrition influence on the in vitro metabolism of the pro-drug, albendazole, using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) as an analytical tool.