Nasal bioavailability of peptide T in rabbits: absorption enhancement by sodium glycocholate and glycofurol

The aim of the present study was to investigate the absolute nasal bioavailability of Peptide T from aqueous formulations containing sodium glycocholate, an absorption enhancer with known effect on epithelial tight junctions, and/or glycofurol in a crossover study in rabbits. Additionally, the reversibility of the absorption enhancing effect of sodium glycocholate was studied by applying enhancer and peptide T with different time intervals and calculating Area Under the Curve of the peptide in plasma. It was shown that the bioavailability of Peptide T was significantly enhanced when glycofurol or sodium glycocholate was added to a nasal formulation. The nasal bioavailability of Peptide T in water (control formulation), 5% glycofurol, 5% glycofurol+1% sodium glycocholate and 1% sodium glycocholate was 5.9, 22, 29 and 59%, respectively. As indicated by the differences in t max, C max and time–concentration profiles different patterns of Peptide T absorption were seen from the vehicles containing glycofurol and sodium glycocholate. In the reversibility study, the enhancing effect of sodium glycocholate on nasal absorption of Peptide T was found to be reversible within 4 h. It was concluded, that nasal absorption of Peptide T in rabbits was effectively enhanced by co-administration of sodium glycocholate, which also provided very fast absorption rates as well as a relatively short lasting effect of the absorption enhancing effect. Co-administration of glycofurol leads to enhanced and prolonged absorption of the peptide. Combining the two enhancers did not lead to increased peptide T absorption compared to 5% glycofurol alone.