P-glycoprotein limits the brain penetration of olopatadine hydrochloride, H1-receptor antagonist

Olopatadine, a new second-generation antihistamine, is widely used in the treatment of allergic disorders. The low levels of histamine H1 receptor occupancy in human brain by olopatadine, which is related to its minimal sedation, suggest its low penetration into the brain. The present study evaluates the impact of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) on brain penetration and plasma concentration of olopatadine. The uptake amount of olopatadine in human P-gp transfected LLC-PK1 cells (LLC-GA5-COL150) was lower than that in LLC-PK1. The uptake of olopatadine in LLC-GA5-COL150 was increased in the same level as that in LLC-PK1 in the presence of cyclosporine A, a P-gp inhibitor. After intravenous or oral administration of olopatadine to wild type (WT) and mdr1a/1b knockout (KO) mice at a dose of 1 mg/kg, the brain concentration in KO mice was higher than that in WT mice. On the other hand, the plasma concentration of olopatadine after either route of administration was not different between WT and KO mice. These results suggest that olopatadine is a substrate of P-gp, and that P-gp limits the brain penetration but dose not affect the plasma concentration of olopatadine.