Uptake and transport of insulin across intestinal membrane model using trimethyl chitosan coated insulin niosomes

Oral delivery of allopurinol niosomes in treatment of gout in animal model

CONTEXT

Gout is a painful disorder which does not have an efficient delivery system for its treatment.

OBJECTIVE

Development and in vitro, in vivo evaluation of allopurinol-loaded nonionic surfactant-based niosomes was envisaged.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Niosomes were prepared with Span 20 and Tween 20 (1:1 molar ratio) using ether injection method. The formulations were screened for entrapment efficiency, particle size analysis, zeta potential, release kinetics, in vivo activity, and stability studies.

RESULT

Stable, spherical vesicles of average particle size 304 nm with zeta-potential and entrapment efficiency of 22.2 mV and 79.44 ± 0.02%, respectively, were produced. In vitro release study revealed 82.16 ± 0.04% release of allopurinol within 24 h. The niosomal formulation was further evaluated for its antigout potential in monosodium urate (MSU) crystal induced gout animal model. The formulation demonstrated significant uric acid level reduction and enhanced antigout activity when compared with the pure allopurinol.

DISCUSSION

The better antigout activity displayed by niosomal formulation could be attributed to sustained release of drug, higher drug solubility within biological fluids, better membrane interaction, smaller size, and presence of cholesterol and surfactant.

CONCLUSIONS

This study reveals that niosomes can be an efficient delivery system for the treatment of gout.

Growth Factor-Loaded Nano-niosomal Gel Formulation and Characterization

Controlled delivery of signaling factors could be a great approach in the tissue engineering field. Nano-niosomal drug delivery systems offer numerous advantages for this purpose. The present study reports the formulation and evaluation of a growth factor (GF)-loaded nano-niosome-hydrogel composite for GF delivery to modulate cell behavior. Niosomes were prepared, using span 60 surfactant with cholesterol (CH) in diethyl ether solvent, by reverse-phase evaporation technique. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were loaded simultaneously and the final suspension was embedded into agarose hydrogel. Particle size, vesicle morphology, protein entrapment efficiency (EE), and release profile were measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS) nanoparticle size analyzer, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and NanoDrop spectrophotometry methods, respectively. The release and performance of bFGF were revealed via human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation using microscopy imaging and MTT assay. Nano-niosomes had an average particle size of 232 nm and had encapsulated 58% of the total proteins present in the suspension. bFGF-BSA-loaded niosomal gel considerably enhanced HUVEC proliferation. This GF-loaded niosomal hydrogel could be a potent material in many biomedical applications including the induction of angiogenesis in tissue engineering.

Non-Ionic Surfactant Vesicles (Niosomes) as New Drug Delivery Systems

Lipid vesicular systems composed of hydrated amphihiles with or without bilayer inducing agents such as cholesterol. On the basis of used amphiphilic molecule different nomenclature are used as liposomes, ufasomes and niosomes. Nonionic surfactants with mono-, di- or trialkyl chains form niosomes which are lipid vesicles with more chemical stability in comparison with phospholipids of liposomes. Both hydrophobic and hydrophilic chemicals can be encapsulated in niosomes as a new drug delivery system. This drug carrier system could have administered via injection, oral, pulmonary, vaginal, rectal, ophthalmic, nasal or transdermal routes with penetration enhancing potential. This chapter presents a detailed explain about niosome forming components, methods of preparation and routes of administration. Many examples for drug delivery potential of niosomes are also available in this review. Vaccine adjuvant and genetic substances vector capabilities are not given here.

Non-Ionic Surfactant Vesicles (Niosomes) as New Drug Delivery Systems

Lipid vesicular systems composed of hydrated amphihiles with or without bilayer inducing agents such as cholesterol. On the basis of used amphiphilic molecule different nomenclature are used as liposomes, ufasomes and niosomes. Nonionic surfactants with mono-, di- or trialkyl chains form niosomes which are lipid vesicles with more chemical stability in comparison with phospholipids of liposomes. Both hydrophobic and hydrophilic chemicals can be encapsulated in niosomes as a new drug delivery system. This drug carrier system could have administered via injection, oral, pulmonary, vaginal, rectal, ophthalmic, nasal or transdermal routes with penetration enhancing potential. This chapter presents a detailed explain about niosome forming components, methods of preparation and routes of administration. Many examples for drug delivery potential of niosomes are also available in this review. Vaccine adjuvant and genetic substances vector capabilities are not given here.

Formulation and Characterization of Bovine Serum Albumin-Loaded Niosome

Niosomal vesicle, as a unique novel drug delivery system, is synthesized by non-ionic surfactants. Both hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs and also biomacromolecular agents, such as peptides and proteins can be encapsulated in this vesicular particle. Regarding polypeptide-based component loading, and delivery potential of the niosome, some valuable studies have been conducted in recent years. However, exploring the full potential of this approach requires fine tuned optimization and characterization approaches. Therefore, this study was conducted to achieve the following two goals. First, formulation and optimization of bovine serum albumin (BSA) load and release behavior as a function of cholesterol (CH) to sorbitan monostearate (Span 60) molar ratio. Second, investigating a cost- and time-effective polypeptide detecting method via methyl orange (MO) dye. To this aim, BSA-loaded niosomes were prepared by reversed-phase evaporation technique. The effect of CH to Sorbitan monostearate (Span 60) molar ratio on noisome entrapment efficiency (EE%) and release profile of BSA was studied using a ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometer technique (NanoDrop 2000/2000c).Niosome with a 60% CH content showed the highest BSA EE% and release behavior. Then, BSA was dyed using MO in an acidic solution and used in BSA-niosome formulation. The MO-colored protein, loaded into the vesicles, was successfully assessed by an inverted light microscope, in order to observe the protein location in the vesicle. The results obtained in this study can be useful for various applications in different fields, including pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and drug delivery in biomedical and tissue engineering.

Lipid-based nanocarriers for oral peptide delivery

This article is aimed to overview the lipid-based nanostructures designed so far for the oral administration of peptides and proteins, and to analyze the influence of their composition and physicochemical (particle size, zeta potential) and pharmaceutical (drug loading and release) properties, on their interaction with the gastro-intestinal environment, and the subsequent PK/PD profile of the associated drugs. The ultimate goal has been to highlight and comparatively analyze the key factors that may be determinant of the success of these nanocarriers for oral peptide delivery. The article ends with some prospects on the challenges to be addressed for the intended commercial success of these delivery vehicles.

Niosomal approach to brain delivery: Development, characterization and in vitro toxicological studies

The majority of active agents do not readily permeate into brain due to the presence of the blood-brain barrier and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier. Currently, the most innovative and promising non-invasive strategy in brain delivery is the design and preparation of nanocarriers, which can move through the brain endothelium. Niosomes can perform brain delivery, in fact polysorbates, can act as an anchor for apolipoprotein E from blood plasma. The particles mimic LDL and interact with the LDL receptor leading to the endothelial cells uptake. The efficacy of niosomes for anticancer therapeutic applications was correlated to their physicochemical and drug delivery properties. Dimensions and ζ-potential were characterized using dynamic light scattering and asymmetric flow-field fractionation system. Lipid bilayer was characterized measuring the fluidity, polarity and microviscosity by fluorescent probe spectra evaluation. Morphology and homogeneity were characterized using atomic force microscopy. Physicochemical stability and serum stability (45% v/v fetal bovine and human serum) were evaluated as a function of time using dynamic light scattering. U87-MG human glioblastoma cells were used to evaluate vesicle cytotoxicity and internalisation efficiency. From the obtained data, the systems appear useful to perform a prolonged (modified) release of biological active substances to the central nervous system.

Current application of phytocompound-based nanocosmeceuticals for beauty and skin therapy

Phytocompounds have been used in cosmeceuticals for decades and have shown potential for beauty applications, including sunscreen, moisturizing and antiaging, and skin-based therapy. The major concerns in the usage of phyto-based cosmeceuticals are lower penetration and high compound instability of various cosmetic products for sustained and enhanced compound delivery to the beauty-based skin therapy. To overcome these disadvantages, nanosized delivery technologies are currently in use for sustained and enhanced delivery of phyto-derived bioactive compounds in cosmeceutical sectors and products. Nanosizing of phytocompounds enhances the aseptic feel in various cosmeceutical products with sustained delivery and enhanced skin protecting activities. Solid lipid nanoparticles, transfersomes, ethosomes, nanostructured lipid carriers, fullerenes, and carbon nanotubes are some of the emerging nanotechnologies currently in use for their enhanced delivery of phytocompounds in skin care. Aloe vera, curcumin, resveratrol, quercetin, vitamins C and E, genistein, and green tea catechins were successfully nanosized using various delivery technologies and incorporated in various gels, lotions, and creams for skin, lip, and hair care for their sustained effects. However, certain delivery agents such as carbon nanotubes need to be studied for their roles in toxicity. This review broadly focuses on the usage of phytocompounds in various cosmeceutical products, nanodelivery technologies used in the delivery of phytocompounds to various cosmeceuticals, and various nanosized phytocompounds used in the development of novel nanocosmeceuticals to enhance skin-based therapy.

Signal amplification strategy using gold/N-trimethyl chitosan/iron oxide magnetic composite nanoparticles as a tracer tag for high-sensitive electrochemical detection

This study presents a novel signal amplification method for high-sensitive electrochemical immunosensing. Gold (Au)/N-trimethyl chitosan (TMC)/iron oxide (Fe3O4) (shell/shell/core) nanocomposite was used as a tracing tag to label antibody. The tag was shown to be capable of amplifying the recognition signal by high-density assembly of Au nanoparticles (NPs) on TMC/Fe3O4 particles. The remarkable conductivity of AuNPs provides a feasible pathway for electron transfer. The method was found to be simple, reliable and capable of high-sensitive detection of human serum albumin as a model, down to 0.2 pg/ml in the range of 0.25-1000 pg/ml. Findings of the present study would create new opportunities for sensitive and rapid detection of various analytes.

Lipid-based nanovesicles for nanomedicine

Multifunctional lipid-based nanovesicles (L-NVs) prepared by molecular self-assembly of membrane components together with (bio)-active molecules, by means of compressed CO₂-media or other non-conventional methods lead to highly homogeneous, tailor-made nanovesicles that are used for advanced nanomedicine. Confocal microscopy image of siRNA transfection using L-NVs, reprinted with permission from de Jonge,et al.,Gene Therapy, 2006,13, 400–411.

Synthesis, characterization and in vitro biocompatibility study of Au/TMC/Fe3O4 nanocomposites as a promising, nontoxic system for biomedical applications

The unique properties and applications of iron oxide and Au nanoparticles have motivated researchers to synthesize and optimize a combined nanocomposite containing both. By using various polymers such as chitosan, some of the problems of classic core-shell structures (such as reduced saturation magnetization and thick coating) have been overcome. In the present study, chitosan and one of its well-known derivatives, N-trimethylchitosan (TMC), were applied to construct three-layer nanocomposites in an Au/polymer/Fe3O4 system. It was demonstrated that replacement of chitosan with TMC reasonably improved the properties of the final nanocomposites including their size, magnetic behavior and thermal stability. Moreover, the results of the MTT assay showed no significant cytotoxicity effect when the Au/TMC/Fe3O4 nanocomposites were applied in vitro. These TMC-containing magnetic nanoparticles are well-coated by Au nanoparticles and have good biocompatibility and can thus play the role of a platform or a label in various fields of application, especially the biomedical sciences and biosensors.

Surface engineered and ligand anchored nanobioconjugate: an effective therapeutic approach for oral insulin delivery in experimental diabetic rats

The present study was designed to enhance intestinal absorption of insulin by nanobioconjugate formulated with PEGylation and Concanavalin A based targeted synergistic approach. The attempts were aimed at maximizing bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy of insulin by incorporating it in Concanavalin A anchored PEGylated nanoconstructs. The Con A anchored PEGylated PLGA diblock copolymer was synthesized by modified surface functionalization method, and was then characterized by FTIR and 1H NMR spectrum analysis. The nanoparticles from synthesized polymers were prepared and characterized for mean size and distribution by laser diffraction spectroscopy. The physicochemically characterized (by SEM and TEM) formulations were evaluated for optimum particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential and entrapment efficiency 196.3±4.5 nm, 0.15±0.04, -25.6±1.68 and 44.6±3.5% respectively. The insulin encapsulation efficiency and in vitro release were assessed by bicinchoninic protein assay (BCA). The in vitro results corroborated in vivo studies carried out in experimentally created diabetic albino rats. The nano-encapsulated insulin was discovered to meet the requirements by achieving better stability, improved absorption and enhanced oral bioavailability elucidated by in vivo and in vitro bioassays.