PEGylated Lipova E120 liposomes loaded with celecoxib: in-vitro characterization and enhanced in-vivo anti-inflammatory effects in rat models

The goal of the current investigation was to prepare PEGylated Lipova E120 liposomes loaded with celecoxib for the effective treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). PEGylated liposomes were prepared and were characterized using techniques such as particle size distribution, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency and in-vitro release, in-vivo and stability studies. The morphological study was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. To determine the interaction between drug and polymer Fourier transform infrared, Raman, thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry studies were performed. Results show that formulation F6 was optimized with a particle size of 92.12 +/- 1.7 nm, a PDI of 0.278 +/- 0.22, a zeta potential of - 40.8 +/- 1.7 mV with a maximum encapsulation of 96.6 +/- 0.05% of drug in the PEGylated liposomes. The optimized formulation shows a maximum release of drug i.e. 94.45 +/- 1.13% in 72 h. Tail immersion assay shows that the optimized formulation F6 significantly increases the reaction time and carrageenan-induced assay shows that the optimized formulation inhibits the increase in paw edema thus providing a pain relief treatment in RA. These results suggest that the PEGylated liposomes provide a sustained release of celecoxib and helps in effective treatment of RA.

A facile one pot synthesis of novel pyrimidine derivatives of 1,5-benzodiazepines via domino reaction and their antibacterial evaluation

A new series of pyrimidine (8, 14, 18 and 23) embellished analogues of 1,5-benzodiazepines were synthesized by the one-pot domino approach using the catalyst DABCO (1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane). For each compound synthesized, anti-microbial efficacy was determined using broth microdilution assay and half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀). Furthermore, FESEM (Field emission scanning electron microscope) studies were also carried out to observe the effect of the structure of test compounds on the morphology of both Gram-positive (S. aureus) and Gram-negative (E. coli) cell walls. The leakage of nucleotides and their integral components from compromised bacterial cells was assessed by plotting the optical density (OD) with respect to time of exposure at 320 nm. Anti-bacterial studies revealed that compound 23 was most active against targeted bacterial species. Results of the antibacterial study indicated that all the test compounds possess significant antibacterial potential against targeted bacterial strains. Amongst all, in the FE-SEM study, compound 23 caused marked alteration in bacterial cell morphology and resulted in maximum leakage of cell nucleotides in bacterial strains as compared to controls. Further efforts are required to establish their efficacy as antibacterial agents in clinical management.

Flurbiprofen loaded ethosomes - transdermal delivery of anti-inflammatory effect in rat model

Background

Ethosomes have been widely used in Transdermal Drug Delivery System (TDDS) as they increase the permeation of drug across the skin.

Methods

Flurbiprofen loaded vesicular ethosomes were formulated, optimized and characterized for particle size, entrapment efficiency, poly dispersive index (PDI), microscopy using Atomic force microscopy (AFM), Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Interaction of drug and excipients were studied using Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy, Differential scanning colorimetry (DSC), Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). Further, ethosomal formulations of flurbiprofen were evaluated for stability study of three months and in vitro drug permeation study was carried out using albino rat skin. In addition, skin irritation test was evaluated by Draize test and in vivo study of prepared formulation was examined through paw edema assay by inducing carrageenan and cold plate method.

Results

Amongst all formulations, EF5 formulation exhibited ideal surface morphology, with maximum entrapment efficiency (95%) with optimal excipient concentration i.e. 200 mg phospholipid and 35% ethanol. The ideal vesicle size was achieved as 162.2 ± 2 nm, with zeta potential − 48.14 ± 1.4 mV with the PDI of 0.341. In-vitro permeation study shows a release of 82.56 ± 2.11 g/cm² in 24 h and transdermal flux was found as 226.1 μg/cm²/h. Cold plate test indicates that the formulation EF5 showed a marked analgesic activity and Carrageenan induced paw edema test indicates that the formulation EF5 inhibits the increase in paw edema. Ethosomal suspension at 4 °C showed maximum stability.

Conclusions

The overall study concluded that this ethosomal approach offers a new delivery system for sustained and targeted delivery for flurbiprofen.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12944-019-1064-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

PEG-PLGA- hybrid nanoparticles loaded with etoricoxib - phospholipid complex for effective treatment of inflammation in rat model

The aim of the present study was to increase the bioavailability of the etoricoxib by making PEG-PLGA-Hybrid nanoparticles using emulsion solvent evaporation method. Then the prepared nanoparticles were further characterised using TEM, particle size, PDI, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency and drug release study. Lipid (Phospholipon 90-G) and drug thermal behaviour were studied using DSC, TGA. The results of optimised formulation of Particle size, PDI and zeta potential was found 216.6 ± 4.0 nm, 0.24 ± 0.19 and +36.3 ± 1.9 mV. Encapsulation efficiency was found in the range of 77.15% w/v to 93.88% w/v. In-vivo study shows that the optimised formulation at a particular dose decreases the swelling index and number of writhes. Stability study indicated that the nanoparticles can be stored at a temperature of 4 ± 2 °C/60 ± 5% RH in well-closed container, away from heat and damp places. The prepared formulation has significantly increased the bioavailability of etoricoxib via oral administration.

Flurbiprofen-loaded ethanolic liposome particles for biomedical applications

Present study deals with the preparation, characterization and in-vivo evaluation of flurbiprofen loaded ethanolic liposome which provides predetermined and controlled release of drug through a transdermal drug delivery system. Ethanolic liposomes were prepared by using flurbiprofen, phospholipon 90-G, and ethanol in varied concentration ratio. The prepared ethanolic liposomes were optimized and characterized for particle size, zeta potential, polydispersive index and % entrapment efficiency. FTIR study was performed to analyze the interaction between drug and excipient. To study the thermal behavior of the formulation DSC and TGA were carried out. The surface morphology of ethanolic liposome was performed with the help of SEM, TEM, and AFM. In-vitro drug permeation study of the optimized formulation was carried out using the albino rat skin model and peripheral nociceptive activity was evaluated by writhing assay. In addition, formulations were also inspected for stability study for three months at a different temperature. The optimized formulation EF5 exhibited a particle size of 167.2 ± 3.7 nm with a zeta potential of -51.6 ± 0.2 mV and PDI of 0.209. The optimized formulation showed an ideal surface morphology with a maximum % entrapment efficiency i.e. 93.51 ± 2.1. In-vitro permeation study shows a release of 70.23% in 24 h and transdermal flux was found as 238.2 μg/cm²/h. Writhing assay demonstrate that the optimized formulation decreases the number of writhes and thus shows the peripheral analgesic activity. In stability study, optimized formulation showed maximum stability at 4 °C. These results suggest that transdermal system mediated application of flurbiprofen loaded ethanolic liposome can be considered as an effective way to afford consistent and predictable release of flurbiprofen which could provide beneficial effects in the management of various inflammatory diseases.

Peripapillary Versus Macular Combined Hamartoma of the Retina and Retinal Pigment Epithelium: Imaging Characteristics

PURPOSE

To compare clinical, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fundus autofluorescence (FAF) characteristics of peripapillary vs macular variants of combined hamartoma of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium (combined hamartoma).

DESIGN

Retrospective observational, comparative case series.

METHODS

Setting: Multicenter collaborative study.

STUDY POPULATION

Fifty eyes with a clinical diagnosis of combined hamartoma. Observational Analysis: A comparative analysis of color fundus photographs (CFPs), OCT, and FAF was performed for peripapillary and macular variants of combined hamartoma.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Pigmentation and OCT features of macular and peripapillary combined hamartoma.

RESULTS

The review of imaging from 50 eyes of 49 patients diagnosed with combined hamartoma identified 18 (36%) peripapillary lesions, 27 (54%) macular lesions, and 5 (10%) peripheral lesions. A comparative analysis of peripapillary vs macular combined hamartoma identified differences in the following features: lesion pigmentation on CFPs corresponding to hypoautofluorescent FAF (88% vs 0%, P < .001) and OCT features of full-thickness involvement (88% vs 3%, P < .001), preretinal fibrosis (27% vs 81%, P < .001), maxi peaks (5% vs 88%, P < .001), intraretinal cystoid spaces (72% vs 40%, P < .038), outer plexiform layer involvement (5% vs 96%, P < .001), ellipsoid zone disruption (83% vs 3%, P < .001), RPE disruption (77% vs 3%, P < .001), and choroidal neovascularization (16% vs 0%, P = .028).

CONCLUSIONS

This comparative analysis identified a higher frequency of pigmentation with hypoautofluorescence, full-thickness retinal involvement, intraretinal cystoid spaces, ellipsoid zone disruption, RPE disruption, and choroidal neovascularization in peripapillary combined hamartoma. These findings suggest that lesions occurring near or at the optic nerve are associated with a more severe degree of pigmentary changes and retinal disruption than those located in the macula.

A Critique of Computer Simulation Software's Used in Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics Analysis

BACKGROUND

In the pharmaceutical sectors, the computer plays a crucial role as a commander of all the theoretical aspects and provides a workbench to improve the overall quality of pharmaceutical research and development. The aim of this article is to provide a computational approach to the development of numerous technology of computer software in the field of clinical pharmacokinetics. The computational technique practised by clinical pharmacist and scientist with the applied knowledge and skills in dealing with clinical pharmacokinetics problems can be applied in routine clinical practices.

METHODS

To solve the various complicated pharmacokinetic equations and modeling of pharmacokinetic processes, various software were used like Population pharmacokinetics, Individual pharmacokinetics, Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion (ADME) pharmacokinetics, in - silico pharmacokinetics like Window-Based Non-linear model fitting (WinNonlin), Statistical Analysis Software (SAS), Non-linear Mixed Effects Modelling (NONMEM), PK Solution etc. Results: Various software's which was described in this paper help in the development of experimental study designs, statistical treatment of data and various simulation studies, etc. A robust software solution should be easy to use and address the three main parts of the PK-PD workflow like data management, analysis, and reporting. PK-PD software's allow researchers to predict ADME properties of new drug entity. For the study of the pharmacokinetic, the best software is WINBUGS where there is no limitation of dimensional array and size of the problem. The best software to be used for individual pharmacokinetics is T.D.M.S in which, we can apply Bayesian and least square method for curve fitting and it can be used for both linear and non-linear pharmacokinetic data.

CONCLUSION

Various software were discussed here. This software not only help in knowing the history of the software but also help in gaining more knowledge about pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics simulation. Different software such as population pharmacokinetic, individual pharmacokinetic and others discussed in this article will help in the reporting and analyzing of data. The important points to be considered while selecting the software is also discussed which will help in easy accessing of software.

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles: Development & statistical optimization of norfloxacin for topical drug delivery system

Poly lactic acid is a biodegradable, biocompatible, and non-toxic polymer, widely used in many pharmaceutical preparations such as controlled release formulations, parenteral preparations, surgical treatment applications, and tissue engineering. In this study, we prepared lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles for topical and site targeting delivery of Norfloxacin by emulsification solvent evaporation method (ESE). The design of experiment (DOE) was done by using software to optimize the result, and then a surface plot was generated to compare with the practical results. The surface morphology, particle size, zeta potential and composition of the lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles were characterized by SEM, TEM, AFM, and FTIR. The thermal behavior of the lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles was characterized by DSC and TGA. The prepared lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles of Norfloxacin exhibited an average particle size from 178.6 ± 3.7 nm to 220.8 ± 2.3 nm, and showed very narrow distribution with polydispersity index ranging from 0.206 ± 0.36 to 0.383 ± 0.66. The surface charge on the lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles were confirmed by zeta potential, showed the value from +23.4 ± 1.5 mV to +41.5 ± 3.4 mV. An Antimicrobial study was done against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and the lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles showed potential activity against these two. Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles of Norfloxacin showed the %cumulative drug release of 89.72% in 24 h. A stability study of the optimized formulation showed the suitable condition for the storage of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles was at 4 ± 2 °C/60 ± 5% RH. These results illustrated high potential of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles Norfloxacin for usage as a topical antibiotic drug carriers.

•

Efficient topical drug delivery systems of norfloxacin have been synthesized.

•

Norfloxacin loaded to the core of lipid- polymer hybrid nanoparticles were prepared.

•

The formulations were optimized by factorial design and characterization techniques.

•

A unique formulation of norfloxacin that offer prolonged and control delivery.

Comparison of clinico-microbiological profile and treatment outcome of in-house and referred post cataract surgery endophthalmitis in a tertiary care center in South India

Background

The purpose of the study is to compare the clinico-microbiological profile and treatment outcome of in-house vs referred cases of post cataract surgery endophthalmitis in a tertiary eye care facility in South India.

Methods

The clinical records of 50 culture-positive cases each of in-house (group A) and referred (group B) post cataract surgery endophthalmitis were analyzed. The management protocol was similar in both groups.

Results

The time to report to the institute was longer in group B (group B 13.63 [±11.67; 95% CI, 9.95–17.31] days; group A 6.83 [±7.61; 95% CI, 4.57–9.09] days; P = 0.002). The average inflammatory scores in presentation were comparable (group A 17.85 ± 5.83; group B 18.18 ± 7.35; P = 0.243). The final visual outcome was clinically superior in group A (≥20/200-group A 60.42% and group B 44%, P = 0.11; ≤20/400-group A 37.5% and group B 52%, P = 0.62), but statistically not significant. There were more gram-positive organisms in group A (62% vs 38%; P = 0.027) and more gram-negative organisms in group B (52% vs 24%; P = 0.007). Gram-positive bacteria were mostly sensitive to vancomycin (95.24% to 96.67%), but gram-negative bacteria were partly sensitive to ceftazidime (58.33% to 64%).

Conclusions

One could suspect gram-negative infection more often in the referred cases of endophthalmitis. While vancomycin could continue to be the antibiotic of choice in gram-positive bacteria, specific antibiotic following due sensitivity for gram-negative bacteria should replace the empiric use of ceftazidime.

PEGylated liposomes of anastrozole for long-term treatment of breast cancer: in vitro and in vivo evaluation

The aim of present study was to develop conventional and PEGylated (long circulating), liposomes containing anastrozole (ANS) for effective treatment of breast cancer. ANS is a third-generation non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor of the triazole class used for the treatment of advanced and late-stage breast cancer in post-menopausal women. Under such disease conditions the median duration of therapy should be prolonged until tumor regression ends (>31 months). Liposomes were prepared by the thin film hydration method by using ANS and various lipids such as soyaphosphatidyl choline, cholesterol and methoxy polyethylene glycol distearoyl ethanolamine in different concentration ratios and evaluated for physical characteristics, in vitro drug release and stability. Optimized formulations of liposome were studied for in vitro cytotoxic activity against the BT-549 and MCF-7 cell lines and in vivo behavior in Wistar rats. Preformulation studies, both Fourier transform infrared study and differential scanning calorimetry analysis showed no interaction between the drug and the excipients used in the formulations. The optimized formulations AL-07 and AL-09 liposomes showed encapsulation efficiencies in the range 65.12 ± 1.05% to 69.85 ± 3.2% with desired mean particle size distribution of 101.1 ± 5.9 and 120.2 ± 2.8 nm and zeta potentials of -43.7 ± 4.7 and -62.9 ± 3.5 mV. All the optimized formulations followed Higuchi-matrix release kinetics and when plotted in accordance with the Korsemeyer-Peppas method, the n-value 0.5 < n < 1.0 suggests an anomalous (non-Fickian) transport. Likewise, the PEGylated liposomes showed greater tumor growth inhibition on BT-549 and MCF-7 cell lines from in vitro cytotoxicity studies (p < 0.05). Pharmacokinetic study of conventional and PEGylated liposomes in Wistar rats demonstrated a 3.33- and 20.28-fold increase in AUC(0-∞) values when compared to pure drug (p < 0.001). Among the formulations, PEGylated liposomes showed encouraging results by way of their long circulation and sustained delivery properties for effective treatment of breast cancer.

Novel approach of aceclofenac fast dissolving tablet

Fast disintegrating tablets (FDTs) have received ever increasing demand during the last decade, and the field has become a hastily growing area in the pharmaceutical industry. Upon introduction into the mouth, these tablets dissolve or disintegrate in the mouth in the absence of additional water for easy administration of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Aceclofenac, an NSAID, has been recommended orally for the treatment of bone and connective tissue disorder and thus the formulation of the same resulted in development of several FDT technologies. The present aim is to formulate a tablet which disintegrate and dissolve rapidly and give its rapid onset of action: analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory action. Besides, the conventional tablets also show poor patient compliance an attempt had been made to formulate for FDT of aceclofenac by using various super disintegrants like sodium starch glycolate, croscarmellose sodium and crosspovidone (polyplasdone XL) and PEG 6000 followed by novel technique. The tablets were evaluated for friability, hardness, weight variation, disintegration time, wetting time, in vitro dissolution studies and drug content studies. It was concluded that the batch which was prepared by using combination of crosspovidone and sodium starch glycolate as a super disintegrant shows excellent disintegration time, enhance dissolution rate, taste masking and hence lead to improve efficacy and bioavailability of drug.