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The effect of borneol on the concentration of meropenem in rat brain and blood
Hai-Li Xin1, Xin-Rong He, Wei Li
1a Department of Pharmaceutical Care , The General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army , Beijing 100853 , China.
Abstract:
Meropenem is a carbapenem antibiotic with a wide spectrum of activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Because of its clinical efficacy, meropenem is an excellent choice for the treatment of serious infections in both adults and children. The knowledge of tissue concentrations of antibiotic in an infection site is valuable for the prediction of treatment outcome. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of borneol on the concentration of meropenem in rat brain and blood and to find the potential relationships of the combined use of medicine and traditional Chinese medicine. Analysis of meropenem in the dialysates was achieved using the microdialysis technique and HPLC. At 40 min after the administration of an intraperitoneal injection of meropenem, the concentration of meropenem in brain in borneol+meropenem group was 2.25 (0.35) μg ml(-1), which was significantly higher than that in meropenem group [1.20 (0.12) μg ml(-1); P < 0.01]. Within 80 min of drug administration, the AUCbrain/AUCblood (area under the curve, AUC) in the borneol+meropenem group was 1.2 times that of the meropenem group. Borneol can increase the concentration of meropenem in the cerebrospinal fluid, but has no influence on its blood concentration. This study represents a successful application of the microdialysis technique, which is an effective method for the study of pharmacokinetics of meropenem.
Insights
This study found that borneol significantly increases meropenem concentration in rat brains, enhancing its effectiveness for serious infections. Borneol boosts meropenem levels in cerebrospinal fluid without affecting blood concentration.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Neuroscience
- Microbiology
Background:
- Meropenem is a broad-spectrum carbapenem antibiotic effective against serious Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial infections.
- Understanding antibiotic tissue concentrations is crucial for predicting treatment success.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of borneol on meropenem concentrations in rat brain and blood.
- To explore the potential synergy between meropenem and traditional Chinese medicine (borneol).
Main Methods:
- Microdialysis technique coupled with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was used for analysis.
- Meropenem concentrations in brain and blood were measured in rats with and without borneol administration.
Main Results:
- Borneol significantly increased meropenem brain concentration by approximately 87.5% at 40 minutes post-injection (2.25 vs 1.20 μg/ml).
- The brain/blood area under the curve ratio for meropenem was 1.2 times higher in the borneol group within 80 minutes.
- Borneol enhanced meropenem concentration in cerebrospinal fluid but did not affect blood levels.
Conclusions:
- Borneol effectively increases meropenem concentration in the brain, suggesting a potential enhancement of its therapeutic efficacy for central nervous system infections.
- The microdialysis technique proved effective for pharmacokinetic studies of meropenem.
