In vitro studies for BCS classification of an antiviral agent, favipiravir

Selin Seda Timur; Meltem Ataşoğlu; Yalçın Öner; Tutku Ceren Karabulut; Hakan Eroğlu

In vitro studies for BCS classification of an antiviral agent, favipiravir

Abstract

Favipiravir (6-fluoro-3-hydroxy-2-pyrazinecarboxamide) is a purine nucleic acid analog, which is an antiviral agent used in the treatment of influenza. Since the recent outbreak caused by 2019-novel coronavirus (nCoV), there has been a seek for effective antiviral agents to be used in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and favipiravir has been one of the options which provides a broad-spectrum therapy. Herein, we studied the aqueous solubility and in vitro permeability characteristics of favipiravir in order to shed light on the BCS classification of this antiviral agent used in COVID-19 therapy. The in vitro solubility was assessed using saturated solution of favipiravir in four different aqueous media and the solubility values were evaluated during 72 h at 37 oC. The solubility of favipiravir was between 4.48 to 8.5 mg/ml, which is 5.85 to 10.63 times of calculated solubility limit. Caco-2 cell monolayers were utilized for the permeability assessment, and the drug solutions in three different concentrations including the highest dose required for bioequivalence exemption of the immediate release dosage form were applied. The effect of efflux transporters on the permeability of favipiravir was also determined using a P-gp inhibitor, Verapamil HCl. According to the data obtained from the in vitro studies, favipiravir can be considered as a representative of class I compound.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Pharmaceutical Delivery Technologies

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Selin Seda Timur ^*
Türkiye

Meltem Ataşoğlu This is me
Türkiye

Yalçın Öner This is me
Türkiye

Tutku Ceren Karabulut This is me
Türkiye

Hakan Eroğlu
Türkiye

Publication Date

June 28, 2025

Submission Date

July 22, 2021

Acceptance Date

August 26, 2021

Published in Issue

Year 2021 Volume: 25 Number: 6

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA47UC22KP

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Timur, S. S., Ataşoğlu, M., Öner, Y., Karabulut, T. C., & Eroğlu, H. (2025). In vitro studies for BCS classification of an antiviral agent, favipiravir. Journal of Research in Pharmacy, 25(6), 944-952. https://izlik.org/JA47UC22KP

AMA

1.Timur SS, Ataşoğlu M, Öner Y, Karabulut TC, Eroğlu H. In vitro studies for BCS classification of an antiviral agent, favipiravir. J. Res. Pharm. 2025;25(6):944-952. https://izlik.org/JA47UC22KP

Chicago

Timur, Selin Seda, Meltem Ataşoğlu, Yalçın Öner, Tutku Ceren Karabulut, and Hakan Eroğlu. 2025. “In Vitro Studies for BCS Classification of an Antiviral Agent, Favipiravir”. Journal of Research in Pharmacy 25 (6): 944-52. https://izlik.org/JA47UC22KP.

EndNote

Timur SS, Ataşoğlu M, Öner Y, Karabulut TC, Eroğlu H (July 1, 2025) In vitro studies for BCS classification of an antiviral agent, favipiravir. Journal of Research in Pharmacy 25 6 944–952.

IEEE

[1]S. S. Timur, M. Ataşoğlu, Y. Öner, T. C. Karabulut, and H. Eroğlu, “In vitro studies for BCS classification of an antiviral agent, favipiravir”, J. Res. Pharm., vol. 25, no. 6, pp. 944–952, July 2025, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA47UC22KP

ISNAD

Timur, Selin Seda - Ataşoğlu, Meltem - Öner, Yalçın - Karabulut, Tutku Ceren - Eroğlu, Hakan. “In Vitro Studies for BCS Classification of an Antiviral Agent, Favipiravir”. Journal of Research in Pharmacy 25/6 (July 1, 2025): 944-952. https://izlik.org/JA47UC22KP.

JAMA

1.Timur SS, Ataşoğlu M, Öner Y, Karabulut TC, Eroğlu H. In vitro studies for BCS classification of an antiviral agent, favipiravir. J. Res. Pharm. 2025;25:944–952.

MLA

Timur, Selin Seda, et al. “In Vitro Studies for BCS Classification of an Antiviral Agent, Favipiravir”. Journal of Research in Pharmacy, vol. 25, no. 6, July 2025, pp. 944-52, https://izlik.org/JA47UC22KP.

Vancouver

1.Selin Seda Timur, Meltem Ataşoğlu, Yalçın Öner, Tutku Ceren Karabulut, Hakan Eroğlu. In vitro studies for BCS classification of an antiviral agent, favipiravir. J. Res. Pharm. [Internet]. 2025 Jul. 1;25(6):944-52. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA47UC22KP