Design and development of a commercially viable in situ nanoemulgel for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis

Aim: To investigate the potential of a thermosensitive intranasal formulation of raloxifene hydrochloride (RH) for systemic delivery with the possibility of enhanced bioavailability and anti-osteoporotic efficacy. Methods: In this work, a commercially scalable nanoemulsion in thermosensitive gel, aligned with better clinical acceptability, has been developed and evaluated. Results: A significant 7.4-fold improvement in bioavailability of RH was recorded when compared with marketed tablets. Likewise, in vivo pharmacodynamics studies suggested 162% enhanced bone density and significantly improved biochemical markers compared with per-oral marketed tablet. Conclusion: The formulation, being safe and patient compliant, successfully tuned anti-osteoporotic effects with improved therapeutic performance. Further, the work provided an exceptional lead to carry out the study in clinical settings.

The Development of Pemetrexed Diacid-Loaded Gelatin-Cloisite 30B (MMT) Nanocomposite for Improved Oral Efficacy Against Cancer: Characterization, In-Vitro and Ex-Vivo Assessment

AIM

The intention of this investigation was to develop Pemetrexed Diacid (PTX)-loaded gelatine-cloisite 30B (MMT) nanocomposite for the potential oral delivery of PTX and the in vitro, and ex vivo assessment.

BACKGROUND

Gelatin/Cloisite 30 B (MMT) nanocomposites were prepared by blending gelatin with MMT in aqueous solution.

METHODS

PTX was incorporated into the nanocomposite preparation. The nanocomposites were investigated by Fourier Transmission Infra Red Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Confocal Laser Microscopy (CLSM). FT-IR of nanocomposite showed the disappearance of all major peaks which corroborated the formation of nanocomposites. The nanocomposites were found to have a particle size of 121.9 ± 1.85 nm and zeta potential -12.1 ± 0.63 mV. DSC thermogram of drug loaded nanocomposites indicated peak at 117.165 oC and 205.816 oC, which clearly revealed that the drug has been incorporated into the nanocomposite because of cross-linking of cloisite 30 B and gelatin in the presence of glutaraldehyde.

RESULTS

SEM images of gelatin show a network like structure which disappears in the nanocomposite. The kinetics of the drug release was studied in order to ascertain the type of release mechanism. The drug release from nanocomposites was in a controlled manner, followed by first-order kinetics and the drug release mechanism was found to be of Fickian type.

CONCLUSION

Ex vivo gut permeation studies revealed 4 times enhancement in the permeation of drug present in the nanocomposite as compared to plain drug solution and were further affirmed by CLSM. Thus, gelatin/(MMT) nanocomposite could be promising for the oral delivery of PTX in cancer therapy and future prospects for the industrial pharmacy.

Optimisation of ethosomal nanogel for topical nano-CUR and sulphoraphane delivery in effective skin cancer therapy

Aim: The optimisation and evaluation of ethosomal nanogel (NGs) for topical delivery in skin cancer.Methods: The formulations were optimised by employing 3-factor, 3-level Box Behnken design for responses of vesicle size, and fluxes. They characterised in vitro and evaluated for drug release, permeation and retention, skin penetration of ethosome, electron microscopy, texture analysis, and in vitro cytotoxicity.Results: The optimised formulation exhibited z-average 125.67 ± 10.43 nm, apparent zeta potential -17.1 ± 2.61 mV, average flux of drug loaded ethosome were 54.72 ± 5.45 and 59.83 ± 6.09 µg/cm²/h. Further, Rhodamine B loaded ethosome penetrated deeper up to 183.82 µm. The NGs texture analysis showed index of viscosity 225.45 g.s, firmness 209.34 g, cohesiveness -189.48 g, and consistency 59.45 g.s. The optimised ethosome NGs exhibited significant anti-cancer effect in B16-F10 murine tumour cell line (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Ethosomal NGs could be promising for skin cancer treatment.

Tamoxifen and Sulphoraphane for the breast cancer management: A synergistic nanomedicine approach

Breast cancer is second most leading cause of death in all over the world and not only limited to the females. Tamoxifen has been considered as the gold line therapy for estrogen receptor positive breast cancer. However, this chemopreventive approach has been focused at individuals in high risk group and limits its clinical applications to moderate and/or lower risk groups. Moreover, Tamoxifen treatment is associated with a dose related hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity and eventually results in poor quality of life of patients. Sulphoraphane, a naturally occurring isothiocyanate derivative has been investigated for its numerous potential biological activities including anticancer effects. The present hypothesis aims to put forward in which Tamoxifen is combined with a natural bioactive Sulphoraphane, both incorporated into a novel lipid based nanocarrier at a reduced dose, which would eventually shuttle the cargo to the target site. At the breast cancer, Sulphoraphane sensitizes the estrogen receptors and ameliorates the binding affinity of Tamoxifen to these receptors, thereby potentiating the anticancer efficacy and reducing the offsite toxicity of Tamoxifen. This dual loaded zero-dimension lipid carrier would be a value addition to the current treatment regimen for breast cancer management.

Pre-Formulation Study for Palatable Microbeads of Lycopene

Lycopene is a widely used nutraceuticals for its antioxidant property but the molecule has poor aqueous solubility, high instability, and extremely low intestinal permeability leading to its poor bioavailability. In the present study, pre-formulation study was carried out to prepare sodium alginate microbeads with the intention to deliver an effective amount of lycopene for high absorption through oral route. A thorough physical characterization and spectral analysis were done to understand the characteristic of lycopene such as its melting point, UV spectrophotometric analysis, chromatography through reverse phase HPLC. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry were adopted to know the interaction of sodium alginate with lycopene. Box-Behnken design (version 9.0.2.0, Stat Ease Inc, USA) was used to analyse the effect of formulation variables such as sodium alginate (%), glutaraldehyde (%) and stirring speed on lycopene entrapment and its loading into microbeads. The adopted preformulation strategy revealed that lycopene was a crystalline powder with a sharp melting point at 155oC and the prominent functional groups were present in the sample. UV and HPLC analysis revealed precise quantitation and authenticity of lycopene. Excipient compatibility also revealed inertness of sodium alginate. Response surface morphology revealed significant effect of alginate, glutaraldehyde and stirring speed on formation of best composition. Therefore, it is concluded that lycopene can be formulated as microbeads for oral drug delivery. Keywords: lycopene, sodium alginate, permeation, absorption, microbeads

Sulforaphane-decorated gold nanoparticle for anti-cancer activity: in vitro and in vivo studies

This study aims to develop sulforaphane-loaded gold nanoparticles (SFN-GNPs) as a potential nanomedicine against the solid tumors. Citrate-mediated electrolysis optimized by four-factor three-level Box-Behnken experimental design was used to get nanoparticles of size <200 nm. The formulation was characterized and evaluated for cytotoxicity B16-F10, MCF-7, SW-620 and Caco-2 cell line. Single dose oral pharmacokinetics, gamma scintigraphy-based bio-distribution and tumor regression studies were conducted to evaluate the in vivo performance. Optimized SFN-GNPs showed spherical morphology with a particle size of 147.23 ± 5.321 nm, the zeta potential of -12.7 ± 1.73 mV, entrapment efficiency of 83.17 ± 3.14% and percentage drug loading of 37.26 ± 2.33%. With SFN-GNPs, both SFN (75.99 ± 2.36%) and gold (58.11 ± 2.48%) were able to permeate through the intestinal wall in 48 h. SFN-GNPs were able to bring LC₅₀ of <100 µg/ml in all the cytotoxicity assays, more than 5-fold increase in AUC_0-t, enhanced retention at tumor site as well as significant pre-induction tumor growth inhibition and post-induction tumor reduction as compared to plain SFN solution.

A bioimpedance analysis of head-and-neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy

Malnutrition is a frequent manifestation in patients with head-and-neck cancer undergoing radiation therapy and a major contributor to morbidity and mortality. Thus, body composition is an important component of an overall evaluation of nutrition in cancer patients. Malnutrition is characterized by weight loss, loss of muscle mass, changes in cell membrane integrity, and alterations in fluid balance. Bioelectrical impedance analysis is a method to analyze body composition and includes parameters such as intracellular water content, extracellular water content, and cell membrane integrity in the form of a phase angle (Φ). Bioelectrical impedance analysis has consistently been shown to have prognostic value with respect to mortality and morbidity in patients undergoing chemotherapy. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between Φ, time, intracellular water content, and weight for head-and-neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. The results demonstrate that Φ decreases with time and increases with intracellular water content and weight.

Risk Assessment Integrated QbD Approach for Development of Optimized Bicontinuous Mucoadhesive Limicubes for Oral Delivery of Rosuvastatin

Statins are widely prescribed for hyperlipidemia, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease but are facing some inherent challenges such as low solubility and drug loading, higher hepatic metabolism, as well as instability at gastric pH. So, relatively higher circulating dose, required for exerting the therapeutic benefits, leads to dose-mediated severe toxicity. Furthermore, due to low biocompatibility, high toxicity, and other regulatory caveats such as product conformity, reproducibility, and stability of conventional formulations as well as preferentially higher bioabsorption of lipids in their favorable cuboidal geometry, enhancement in in vivo biopharmaceutical performance of Rosuvastatin could be well manifested in Quality by Design (QbD) integrated cuboidal-shaped mucoadhesive microcrystalline delivery systems (Limicubes). Here, quality-target-product-profile (QTPPs), critical quality attributes (CQAs), Ishikawa fishbone diagram, and integration of risk management through risk assessment matrix for failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) followed by processing of Plackett-Burman design matrix using different statistical test for the first time established an approach to substantiate the claims that controlling levels of only these three screened out independent process variables, i.e., Monoolein (B = 800-1100 μL), Poloxamer (C = 150-200 mg), and stirring speed (F = 700-1000 rpm) were statistically significant to modulate and improve the biopharmaceutical performance affecting key attributes, viz., average particle size (Y₁ = 1.40-2.70 μ), entrapment efficiency (Y₂ = 62.60-88.80%), and drug loading (Y₃ = 0.817-1.15%), in QbD-enabled process. The optimal performance of developed Limicubes exhibited an average particle size of 1.8 ± 0.2 μ, entrapment efficiency 80.32 ± 2.88%, and drug loading 0.93 ± 0.08% at the level of 1100 μL (+ 1), 200 mg (+ 1), and 700 rpm (- 1) for Monoolein, Poloxamer, and stirring speed, respectively.

Folic acid ameliorates celecoxib cardiotoxicity in a doxorubicin heart failure rat model

CONTEXT

The cardiotoxic effect of selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors is well known. While rofecoxib and valdecoxib have been withdrawn, celecoxib remains on the market. Folic acid, a naturally occurring vitamin, has been shown to reduce myocardial ischemia and post-reperfusion injury in rats.

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the cardiac effects of celecoxib and folic acid on doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cardiomyopathy was induced in male Wistar rats with six intraperitoneal injections of 2.5 mg/kg doxorubicin over a period of two weeks. The effect of 28 days of celecoxib (100 mg/kg/day) and its combination with folic acid (10 mg/kg/day) was studied on doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy according to serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK-MB), troponin-T (Tn-T), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), cardiac thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), and glutathione (GSH) levels as well as systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate (HR) and ultrastructural studies.

RESULTS

Celecoxib cardiotoxicity was manifested by significant increases in the LDH, Tn-T, TNF-α, CK-MB, SBP, HR (p < 0.001) and TBARS (p < 0.01) levels and a significant decrease in the GSH (p < 0.05) level when used alone or administered with doxorubicin. However, the combination of folic acid with celecoxib caused a significant reversal of these parameters and reduced the cardiotoxicity of celecoxib that was aggravated by doxorubicin. The ultrastructural study also revealed myocardial protection with this combination.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Folic acid protects against the cardiotoxic effects of celecoxib, which are aggravated in the presence of doxorubicin. Folic acid may act as a useful adjunct in patients who are taking celecoxib.

Lipid drug conjugate nanoparticle as a potential nanocarrier for the oral delivery of pemetrexed diacid: Formulation design, characterization, ex vivo, and in vivo assessment

The present work was to develop lipid drug conjugated (LDC) nanoparticles for the potential oral delivery of pemetrexed diacid (PTX) and evaluation of its in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo potentials. The LDC was prepared by salt formation of PTX with stearic acid and followed by cold homogenization technique to produce the LDC nanoparticles. FTIR analysis of LDC proved the presence of amide bond in LDC powder indicating the conjugation between drug and lipid. LDC nanoparticles was found to have particle size 121.9±1.85nm and zeta potential -51.6mV±1.23 and entrapment efficiency 81.0±0.89%. TEM images revealed spherical morphology and were in corroboration with particle size measurements. Ex vivo gut permeation studies revealed a very good enhancement in permeation of drug present in the LDC as compared to plain drug solution and were confirmed by CLSM. MTT assay conformed significant% toxicity at the end of 24h and 48h. Furthermore, the AUC_0-24 of PTX from the optimized LDC nanoparticels was found to be 4.22 folds higher than that from PTX suspension on oral administration. Thus, LDC has high potential for the oral delivery of PTX in cancer therapy and future prospects for the industrial purpose.

Validated HPLC method for the pharmacokinetic study of oral extended-release cefpodoxime proxetil chitosan-alginate beads in rabbits

The aim of this study is to develop a simple and applicable HPLC method for the detection of cefpodoxime acid (CFA) in rabbit plasma after oral administration of cefpodoxime proxetil (CFP) loaded chitosan-alginate (CH-ALG) beads formulation. CFP is a prodrug that is deesterified in vivo to its active metabolite CFA to exhibit antibiotic activity. Chromatographic separation of CFA and internal standard (IS) was achieved by a RP18(C18), Phenomenax®100, (250×4.6mm) with the mobile phase consisting of (0.02mol/l (20mM) ammonium acetate solution and acetonitrile (92:8, v/v, pH=4.6) at a flow rate of 1.0ml/min. The method was validated according to the requirements of US-FDA guidelines for bioanalytical method validation. The linear regression analysis for the calibration plots showed good linear relationship (R2=0.9905) in the working concentration range of 0.5-50μg/ml. The limits of detection and quantification (S/N=3) were 0.069 and 0.136μg/ml. Plasma CFA levels were successfully determined in rabbit with satisfactory precision and accuracy. The analyte was found to be stable after a number of stability studies. The proposed HPLC method was successfully applied to pharmacokinetic study in rabbits for CFP loaded CH-ALG beads and marketed immediate release (IR) tablets. All pharmacokinetic parameters were assessed.

In vitro/in vivo evaluation of HPMC/alginate based extended-release matrix tablets of cefpodoxime proxetil

The purpose of this research was to assessment of antimicrobial activity and in vitro/in vivo evaluation of cefpodoxime proxetil extended-release (ER) tablet for once daily administration. The tablets were prepared using combination of biodegradable polysaccharides including hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and sodium alginate as matrix material to achieve pH-independent ER release. The tablets were found within the permissible limits for various physicochemical parameters. The in vitro drug release showed that the drug was released over a period of 24h in a sustained release manner. The drug release followed Higuchi kinetics as these plots showed the highest linearity (R(2)=0.9833), but a close relationship was also observed with zero-order kinetics (R(2)=0.9088) and the drug release mechanism was found to be of anomalous or non-Fickian type. Further, in vitro drug release was assessed by antimicrobial assay and it revealed that drug release through 24h periods was above the MIC. In vivo investigation in rabbits showed ER pharmacokinetic profile of cefpodoxime from the matrix tablets. A good correlation of drug absorption in vivo and drug release in vitro (R(2)=0.9785) was observed. These results suggested that the investigated CFP matrix tablets have a potential for extended-release dosage forms.