Significance of water solubility in the gastrointestinal absorption of trans-bis(n-valerato)(1R,2R-cyclohexanediamine)(oxalato)platinum(IV), an orally active antitumor platinum complex, and its analogs.

Trans-bis(n-valerato)(1R,2R-cyclohexanediamine)(oxalato++ +)platinum(IV) (C5-OHP) is an orally active platinum complex we prepared. The gastrointestinal absorption of C5-OHP was examined in rats and compared with those of C5-OHP analogs which have a general formula of trans-bis(n-OCOCnH2n+1)(1R,2R-cyclohexanediamine)(oxalato )platinum(IV) as well as C5-OHP. The complexes did not show significant differences in pharmacokinetic behavior after i.v. injection. Plasma platinum level after a single oral administration at a dose was higher for a complex with higher water solubility. The intestinal absorption rate measured by an in situ recirculating perfusion technique was higher for a complex with higher lipophilicity. These results indicate that the water solubility is a more dominant factor than the lipophilicity in the gastrointestinal absorption of the complexes. Then, the effects of surfactants and alpha-cyclodextrin (alpha-CD) on the solubility of C5-OHP was studied. Among the agents tested, alpha-CD showed the highest effect in increasing the solubility. Administration of C5-OHP together with alpha-CD gave approximately three times higher plasma platinum levels than administration of C5-OHP alone. Water solubility was found to be a dominant factor in the gastrointestinal absorption of C5-OHP and its analogs.