Title:Enhanced Brain Targeting Delivery of Salvianic Acid Using Borneol as a
Promoter of Blood/Brain Transport and Regulator of P-gp
Volume: 21
Issue: 5
Author(s): Ailing Hui*, Zheng Zhang, Jinghe Wang, Li Yang, Shaohuan Deng, Wencheng Zhang, An Zhou and Zeyu Wu
Affiliation:
- Engineering Research Center of Bio-process, Ministry of Education, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230601, China.
Keywords:
Borneol, blood-brain barrier, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), salvianic acid A (SAA), brain targeting delivery, prodrug, combined administration, salvianic acid a borneol ester.
Abstract:
Background: Borneol can enhance the blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability of some
drugs and suppress the efflux transport of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), which will contribute to the brain delivery
of salvianic acid A (SAA).
Objective: The study aimed to develop an approach to improve the brain targeting delivery of SAA with
the aid of borneol.
Materials and Methods: “Borneol” was involved in SAA via esterified prodrug SAA borneol ester
(SBE) and combined administration (SAA-borneol, SAA-B). Subsequently, the blood-brain transport of
SAA through brain/blood distribution and P-gp regulation via expression and function assay were investigated
in rats.
Results: The SBE and SAA-B-treated group received a three-fold brain concentration and longer t1/2
and retention period of active SAA than that of SAA alone (20.18/13.82 min vs. 6.48 min; 18.30/17.42
min vs. 11.46 min). In addition, blood to brain transport of active SAA in SBE was altered in comparison
to that of SAA-B, ultimately resulting in a better drug targeting index (9.93 vs. 3.63). Further studies
revealed that SBE-induced downregulation of P-gp expression occurred at the later stage of administration
(60 min, P < 0.01), but SBE always showed a more powerful drug transport activity across
BBB represented by Kp value of rhodamine 123 than SAA-B (30, 60 min, P < 0.05).
Conclusion: The comparative results indicate that SBE exhibits prominent efficiency on SAA's targeting
delivery through improved blood/brain metabolic properties and sustained inhibitory effect of “borneol”
on P-gp efflux. Therefore, prodrug modification can be applied as a more effective approach for
brain delivery of SAA.