STABILITY OF A NOVEL HEXAPEPTIDE, (ME)ARG-LYS-PRO-TRP-TERT-LEU-LEU-OET, WITH NEUROTENSIN ACTIVITY, IN AQUEOUS-SOLUTION AND IN THE SOLID-STATE

The stability and some physicochemical properties of a novel hexapeptide, (Me)Arg-Lys-Pro-Trp-tert-Leu-Leu-OEt (I), with neurotensin activity, were investigated. The degradation of I in aqueous solution was observed as a pseudo-first order reaction. By determining the degradation rate of I at various pH values, it was found that I was most stable at around pH 4. The activation energies of the degradation in aqueous solutions at pH 2.2, 6.1, 7.0 and 8.0 were 16.3, 22.2, 23.9 and 24.2kcal/mol, respectively. The enzymatic hydrolysis of I was studied in vitro with a porcine liver esterase at 37 °C. The degradation of I in this system was observed as a pseudo-first order reaction. The degradation rate of I in the presence of the esterase was about 10000 times larger than the rate in a buffer solution. I in the solid state was stable under 65 °C and labilized by strong light and/or high humidity. The pK&u pKa2 and pKa3 of I were 7.1, 10.0 and 11.3, respectively. The partition coefficients between n-octanol and the buffer solution at pH values ranging from 2 to 11 were measured. The partition coefficient increased with the increase of the pH value. But the value at pH 7.0 was 2.10 x 10 2, which was very low. The solubility of I in aqueous solution was more than l0mg/ml. From the results of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern, I in the solid state was found to be amorphous. The dissolution rates in the 1st and 2nd fluid of JP XI at 37 °C and 100 rpm were 19.4 and 9.0 mg/cm2 min, respectively. © 1990, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. All rights reserved.