Este estudo avalia a incidência de formas polimórficas do mebendazol (MBZ) em comprimidos do mercado brasileiro por testes de dissolução. O meio de dissolução indicado pela USP 30 (United States Pharmacopeia) e um meio modificado proposto foram devidamente comparados a fim de verificar se eles são capazes de diferenciar o polimorfo A do polimorfo C em comprimidos comerciais. Ensaios de testes de dissolução de misturas físicas em matérias-primas do polimorfo A e C, assim como de nove comprimidos de MBZ (disponíveis no mercado brasileiro), foram devidamente executados. Para os testes de dissolução, o meio da USP 30 (I) e um meio modificado (II) foram utilizados. O meio modificado permitiu uma reprodutibilidade e controle da qualidade confiável do polimorfismo do MBZ em comprimidos comerciais.

This study evaluates the incidence of the polymorphic forms of mebendazole (MBZ) in tablets within the Brazilian market by dissolution tests. The indicated dissolution medium by the USP 30 (United States Pharmacopoeia) and a proposed modified medium were duly compared in order to verify whether they are able to discriminate the polymorph A from polymorph C in commercial tablets. Dissolution assay tests of physical mixtures in raw materials of polymorph A and polymorph C, as well as of nine tablets of MBZ (available in the Brazilian market), were properly performed. For the dissolution tests, the USP 30 medium (I) and a modified medium (II) were used. The modified medium allowed a reproducible and reliable quality control of MBZ polymorphism in commercial tablets.

PURPOSE: To describe a technique for en bloc harvesting of the corpus cavernosum, cavernous artery and urethra from transplant organ donors and contraction-relaxation experiments with corpus cavernosum smooth muscle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The corpus cavernosum was dissected to the point of attachment with the crus penis. A 3 cm segment (corpus cavernosum and urethra) was isolated and placed in ice-cold sterile transportation buffer. Under magnification, the cavernous artery was dissected. Thus, 2 cm fragments of cavernous artery and corpus cavernosum were obtained. Strips measuring 3 x 3 x 8 mm3 were then mounted vertically in an isolated organ bath device. Contractions were measured isometrically with a Narco-Biosystems force displacement transducer (model F-60, Narco-Biosystems, Houston, TX, USA) and recorded on a 4-channel Narco-Biosystems desk model polygraph. RESULTS: Phenylephrine (1µM) was used to induce tonic contractions in the corpus cavernosum (3 - 5 g tension) and cavernous artery (0.5 - 1g tension) until reaching a plateau. After precontraction, smooth muscle relaxants were used to produce relaxation-response curves (10-12M to 10-4 M). Sodium nitroprusside was used as a relaxation control. CONCLUSION: The harvesting technique and the smooth muscle contraction-relaxation model described in this study were shown to be useful instruments in the search for new drugs for the treatment of human erectile dysfunction.

INTRODUCTION: Endothelial dysfunction characterized by endogenous nitric oxide (NO) deficiency made 56% of patients affected with erectile dysfunction decline treatment with PDE-5 inhibitors. New forms of treatment are currently being developed for this group of patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study compared the effect of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and two substances of the nitrosyl-ruthenium complex, cis-[Ru(bpy)2(SO3)(NO)]PF-6-9 ("FONO1”) and trans-[Ru(NH3)4(caffeine)(NO)]C13 ("LLNO1”) on relaxation of rabbit corpus cavernosum smooth muscle and aortic vascular endothelium. The samples were immersed in isolated baths and precontracted with 0.1 µM phenylephrine (PE) and the corresponding relaxation concentration/response curves were plotted. In order to investigate the relaxation mechanisms involved, 100 µM ODQ (a soluble guanylate cyclase-specific inhibitor), 3 µM or 10 µM oxyhemoglobin (an extracellular NO scavenger) or 1 mM L-cysteine (a nitrosyl anion-specific scavenger) was added to the samples. RESULTS: All the NO donors tested produced a significant level of relaxation in the vascular endothelium. In corpus cavernosum samples, FONO1 produced no significant effect, but LLNO1 and SNP induced dose-dependent relaxation with comparable potency (pEC50 = 6.14 ± 0.08 and 6.4 ± 0.14, respectively) and maximum effect (Emax = 82% vs. 100%, respectively). All NO donors were found to activate soluble guanylate cyclase, since the addition of the corresponding inhibitor (100 µM ODQ) completely neutralized the relaxation effect observed. The addition of oxyhemoglobin reduced the relaxation effect, but did not inhibit it completely. In aortic vascular endothelium 3 µM oxyhemoglobin decreased the relaxation effect by 26% on the average, while 10 µM oxyhemoglobin reduced it by over 52%. The addition of 100 µM L-cysteine produced no significant inhibiting effect. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that LLNO1 and FONO1 are potent vasodilators. LLNO1 was shown to induce a significant level of relaxation in rabbit corpus cavernosum. The substances tested were shown to activate soluble guanylate cyclase and release intracellular NO.