Publications by authors named "Juha Juntunen"

Do the Roberts-Sloan (RS) or modified Kasting-Smith-Cooper (KSC) equations that provide good fit to data for maximum flux, from water through mouse or human skin also provide a good fit to data for maximum fluxes through silicone membranes (polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS). The maximum fluxes through silicone membranes from water (J(MPAQ)), molecular weights (MW), solubilities in isopropyl myristate (S(IPM)) and water (S(AQ)) of 31 prodrugs and one parent drug have been fitted to the RS equation, which includes a parameter for dependence on S(AQ), and the KSC equation, which does not, to determine which equation gave the better fit. In addition, the J(MPAQ), MW, S(AQ) and solubilities in octanol (S(OCT)) of 26 diverse molecules from other laboratories were collected and fitted to the RS and KSC equations to determine if the choice of lipid parameter (S(IPM) or S(OCT)) had an effect on which equation gave the better fit.

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A database (n=50) consisting of values of solubility in water, S AQ, solubility in octanol, S OCT, molecular weight, MW, and maximum flux based on the delivery of total species containing a parent drug by its prodrugs through human skin in vitro from water has been integrated into the extended Flynn database (n=114). In addition, data for two more recent contributions (n=8) and one (n=7) contribution that was overlooked for inclusion in the extended Flynn database were added to the prodrug database, as well as the data for the parent drugs (n=6), to give n=71 and n=185 for the total integrated database. This integrated database was fit to five equations where the independent variable was S AQ, S OCT or MW alone or were combinations of S OCT and MW (Kasting-Smith-Cooper, KSC model) or S OCT, S AQ and MW (Roberts-Sloan, RS model).

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A series of ionizable prolyl oligopeptidase inhibitors were developed through the introduction of a pyridyl group to the P3 position of the prolyl oligopeptidase inhibitor structure. The study was performed on previously developed prolyl oligopeptidase inhibitors with proline mimetics at the P2 position. The 3-pyridyl group resulted in equipotent compounds as compared to the parent compounds.

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Topically administered cannabinoids have been shown to reduce intraocular pressure by interacting with the ocular cannabinoid receptor. Most cannabinoids have very poor aqueous solubility, which limits their pharmaceutical development and usefulness. In this study, permeation of three cannabinoids (arachidonylethanolamide, R-methanandamide and noladin ether) and their water-soluble phosphate ester prodrugs across isolated rabbit cornea was investigated in vitro.

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The poor aqueous solubility of 2-arachidonyl glyceryl ether (noladin ether) 2 hinders both pharmacological studies and pharmaceutical development. The synthesized mono- and diphosphate esters of noladin ether (4 and 6) considerably increased the aqueous solubility of noladin ether (>40000-fold), showed high stability against chemical hydrolysis in buffer solutions, and were rapidly converted to the parent drug via enzymatic hydrolysis. The monophosphate ester of noladin ether reduced intraocular pressure in normotensive rabbits.

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It has previously been shown that the endocannabinoids anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) inhibit the proliferation of C6 glioma cells in a manner that can be prevented by a combination of capsazepine (Caps) and cannabinoid (CB) receptor antagonists. It is not clear whether the effect of 2-AG is due to the compound itself, due to the rearrangement to form 1-arachidonoylglycerol (1-AG) or due to a metabolite. Here, it was found that the effects of 2-AG can be mimicked with 1-AG, both in terms of its potency and sensitivity to antagonism by Caps and CB receptor antagonists.

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Phosphate esters of arachidonylethanolamide (AEA) and R-methanandamide were synthesized and evaluated as water-soluble prodrugs. Various physicochemical properties (pK(a), partition coefficient, aqueous solubility) were determined for the synthesized phosphate esters. The chemical stability of phosphate esters was determined at pH 7.

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