Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.2.1.21 (beta-glucosidase)
 3,280 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Dexamethasone-beta-D-glucoside is a potential prodrug for colonic delivery of the antiinflammatory agent, dexamethasone. The ability of this prodrug to deliver dexamethasone selectively to the colon depends not only on its being slowly absorbed from the alimentary canal, but also on its having chemical and enzymatic stability in the stomach and small intestine. Once reaching the large bowel, it should be quantitatively hydrolyzed to release the active agent. The potential of dexamethasone-beta-D-glucoside for colon-specific delivery of dexamethasone is assessed by determining the rates of its hydrolysis down the alimentary canal of the guinea pig, an animal in which an inflammatory bowel disease model has been developed. The hydrolytic activity is examined in tissues and luminal contents of the stomach, proximal and distal segments of the small intestine, cecum, and colon. For the tissues, the greatest hydrolytic activity is in the proximal small intestine, while the stomach, cecum, and colon have only moderate activity. In contrast, the contents of the cecum and colon show greater activity than the contents of the small intestine and stomach. The luminal contents retained beta-glucosidase activity even after repeated centrifugation and resuspension in a buffer. The activity was unaffected by homogenization. These observations suggest that hydrolytic activity is associated with enzymes located on the surface of luminal cells. The movement and hydrolysis of dexamethasone-beta-D-glucoside down the gastrointestinal tract of the guinea pig are also examined. About 20 to 30% of an oral dose appears to reach the cecum. Here the prodrug is rapidly hydrolyzed to the active drug. From intravenous administration of the prodrug and drug, it is apparent that dexamethasone-beta-D-glucoside is poorly absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract (bioavailability, less than 1%). There is a ninefold selective advantage for delivery of dexamethasone in cecal tissues in the guinea pig under the conditions of this experiment. Thus, there is a potential for a decrease in the usual dose and a concomitant reduction in the systemic exposure to dexamethasone. Because humans have much less glucosidase activity in the small intestine, even greater site-selective delivery to the cecum and colon is expected.
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PMID:Colon-specific delivery of dexamethasone from a glucoside prodrug in the guinea pig. 187 Oct 38

Steroid glycosides and the unique glycosidase activity of the colonic microflora form the basis of a new colon-specific drug-delivery system. Drug glycosides are hydrophilic and, thus, poorly absorbed from the small intestine. Once such a glycoside reaches the colon it can be cleaved by bacterial glycosidases, releasing the free drug to be absorbed by the colonic mucosa. This concept was illustrated with dexamethasone 21-beta-D-glucoside (1) and prednisolone 21-beta-D-glucoside (2), two prodrugs that may be useful in treating inflammatory bowel disease. Hydrolysis of the prodrugs by beta-glucosidase and fecal homogenates in vitro released the free steroids. Glucosides 1 and 2 were administered to rats intragastrically to determine when and where the free steroids were released. Unmodified dexamethasone (3) and prednisolone (4) were also given to rats intragastrically to compare absorption of the glucosides with the free steroids. Both glucosides were found to reach the rat lower intestine in 4-5 h, where they were rapidly hydrolyzed, releasing the free steroids. Delivery of steroid 3 (via glucoside 1) was more specific than that of steroid 4 (via glucoside 2): nearly 60% of an oral dose of glucoside 1 reached the cecum, whereas less than 15% of glucoside 2 reached the cecum. When free steroids 3 and 4 were administered orally, they were almost exclusively absorbed in the small intestine: less than 1% of an oral dose of each reached the cecum.
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PMID:A colon-specific drug-delivery system based on drug glycosides and the glycosidases of colonic bacteria. 669 71

The aim of the study was to analyze the differences in the activity of beta-glucuronidase and beta-glucosidase in stool specimens of children with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) and healthy subjects. The disease activity was determined according to the PCDAI scale (Crohn disease) and Truelove-Witts scale (Ulcerative colitis). Enzyme activity was determined by spectrophotometry. There was a correlation between the level of beta - glucosidase activity in stool and patient's age in the group of healthy controls, but not in the IBD group. beta-glucosidase activity in IBD and healthy subjects stool specimens did not differ significantly. The activity of beta-glucuronidase in children with IBD was two times lower than in the healthy group and was correlated with age in children with IBD, but not in the group of healthy ones.
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PMID:Beta-glucuronidase and Beta-glucosidase activity in stool specimens of children with inflammatory bowel disease. 2445 40