Limitations in Predicting Radiation-induced Pharmaceutical Instability During Long-duration Spaceflight

Overview

Journal NPJ Microgravity

Publisher Springer Nature

Date 2019 Jun 25

PMID 31231677

Citations 15

Authors

Rebecca S Blue

Jeffery C Chancellor

Erik L Antonsen

Tina M Bayuse

Vernie R Daniels

Virginia E Wotring

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

As human spaceflight seeks to expand beyond low-Earth orbit, NASA and its international partners face numerous challenges related to ensuring the safety of their astronauts, including the need to provide a safe and effective pharmacy for long-duration spaceflight. Historical missions have relied upon frequent resupply of onboard pharmaceuticals; as a result, there has been little study into the effects of long-term exposure of pharmaceuticals to the space environment. Of particular concern are the long-term effects of space radiation on drug stability, especially as missions venture away from the protective proximity of the Earth. Here we highlight the risk of space radiation to pharmaceuticals during exploration spaceflight, identifying the limitations of current understanding. We further seek to identify ways in which these limitations could be addressed through dedicated research efforts aimed toward the rapid development of an effective pharmacy for future spaceflight endeavors.

Citing Articles

Repetitive stability study of remdesivir/cyclodextrin complex on the international space station.

Dorman G, Buchholcz B, Puskas I, Szabo P, Varga E, Szente L Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1):4182.

PMID: 39905100 PMC: 11794431. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-81428-5.

Pharmacological Innovations in Space: Challenges and Future Perspectives.

Aksoyalp Z, Temel A, Karpuz M Pharm Res. 2024; 41(11):2095-2120.

PMID: 39532779 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-024-03788-x.

Acetaminophen production in the edible, filamentous cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis.

Hilzinger J, Friedline S, Sivanandan D, Cheng Y, Yamazaki S, Clark D Biotechnol Bioeng. 2024; 122(1):44-52.

PMID: 39392130 PMC: 11632167. DOI: 10.1002/bit.28858.

Microalgae: towards human health from urban areas to space missions.

Xie X, Jaleel A, Zhan J, Ren M Front Plant Sci. 2024; 15:1419157.

PMID: 39220018 PMC: 11361926. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1419157.

Synergistic interplay between radiation and microgravity in spaceflight-related immunological health risks.

Wadhwa A, Moreno-Villanueva M, Crucian B, Wu H Immun Ageing. 2024; 21(1):50.

PMID: 39033285 PMC: 11264846. DOI: 10.1186/s12979-024-00449-w.

References

Taiwo F, Patterson L, Jaroszkiewicz E, Marciniec B, Ogrodowczyk M . Free radicals in irradiated drugs: an EPR study. Free Radic Res. 1999; 31(3):231-5. DOI: 10.1080/10715769900300791. View

Barbarina N, Tilquin B, de Hoffmann E . Radiosterilization of cefotaxime: investigation of potential degradation compounds by liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A. 2001; 929(1-2):51-61. DOI: 10.1016/s0021-9673(01)01175-x. View

Kempner E . Effects of high-energy electrons and gamma rays directly on protein molecules. J Pharm Sci. 2001; 90(10):1637-46. DOI: 10.1002/jps.1114. View

Koseoglu R, Koseoglu E, Koksal F . Electron paramagnetic resonance of some gamma-irradiated drugs. Appl Radiat Isot. 2002; 58(1):63-8. DOI: 10.1016/s0969-8043(02)00233-6. View

Maggi L, Segale L, Ochoa Machiste E, Buttafava A, Faucitano A, Conte U . Chemical and physical stability of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose matrices containing diltiazem hydrochloride after gamma irradiation. J Pharm Sci. 2002; 92(1):131-41. DOI: 10.1002/jps.10271. View

Maggi L, Segale L, Ochoa Machiste E, Faucitano A, Buttafava A, Conte U . Polymers-gamma ray interaction. Effects of gamma irradiation on modified release drug delivery systems for oral administration. Int J Pharm. 2004; 269(2):343-51. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2003.09.027. View

Gandia P, Saivin S, Houin G . The influence of weightlessness on pharmacokinetics. Fundam Clin Pharmacol. 2005; 19(6):625-36. DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-8206.2005.00374.x. View

Maquille A, Jiwan J, Tilquin B . Radiosterilization of drugs in aqueous solutions may be achieved by the use of radioprotective excipients. Int J Pharm. 2007; 349(1-2):74-82. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2007.07.024. View

Hu S, Kim M, McClellan G, Cucinotta F . Modeling the acute health effects of astronauts from exposure to large solar particle events. Health Phys. 2009; 96(4):465-76. DOI: 10.1097/01.HP.0000339020.92837.61. View

10.

Zwart S, Kloeris V, Perchonok M, Braby L, Smith S . Assessment of nutrient stability in foods from the space food system after long-duration spaceflight on the ISS. J Food Sci. 2009; 74(7):H209-17. DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2009.01265.x. View

11.

Meents A, Gutmann S, Wagner A, Schulze-Briese C . Origin and temperature dependence of radiation damage in biological samples at cryogenic temperatures. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010; 107(3):1094-9. PMC: 2798883. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0905481107. View

12.

Du B, Daniels V, Vaksman Z, Boyd J, Crady C, Putcha L . Evaluation of physical and chemical changes in pharmaceuticals flown on space missions. AAPS J. 2011; 13(2):299-308. PMC: 3085701. DOI: 10.1208/s12248-011-9270-0. View

13.

Chuong M, Prasad D, LeDuc B, Du B, Putcha L . Stability of vitamin B complex in multivitamin and multimineral supplement tablets after space flight. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2011; 55(5):1197-200. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2011.03.030. View

14.

Kempner E . Direct Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Macromolecules. J Polym Sci B Polym Phys. 2011; 49(12):827-831. PMC: 3105523. DOI: 10.1002/polb.22250. View

15.

Zeitlin C, Hassler D, Cucinotta F, Ehresmann B, Wimmer-Schweingruber R, Brinza D . Measurements of energetic particle radiation in transit to Mars on the Mars Science Laboratory. Science. 2013; 340(6136):1080-4. DOI: 10.1126/science.1235989. View

16.

Hasanain F, Guenther K, Mullett W, Craven E . Gamma sterilization of pharmaceuticals--a review of the irradiation of excipients, active pharmaceutical ingredients, and final drug product formulations. PDA J Pharm Sci Technol. 2014; 68(2):113-37. DOI: 10.5731/pdajpst.2014.00955. View

17.

Wotring V . Chemical Potency and Degradation Products of Medications Stored Over 550 Earth Days at the International Space Station. AAPS J. 2015; 18(1):210-6. PMC: 4706284. DOI: 10.1208/s12248-015-9834-5. View

18.

Norbury J, Schimmerling W, Slaba T, Azzam E, Badavi F, Baiocco G . Galactic cosmic ray simulation at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory. Life Sci Space Res (Amst). 2016; 8:38-51. PMC: 5771487. DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2016.02.001. View

19.

Mehta P, Bhayani D . Impact of space environment on stability of medicines: Challenges and prospects. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2017; 136:111-119. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2016.12.040. View

20.

Chancellor J, Blue R, Cengel K, Aunon-Chancellor S, Rubins K, Katzgraber H . Limitations in predicting the space radiation health risk for exploration astronauts. NPJ Microgravity. 2018; 4:8. PMC: 5882936. DOI: 10.1038/s41526-018-0043-2. View