Pharmacological and pharmacokinetic studies with vitamin D-loaded nanoemulsions in asthma model

Recent Advances in the Microencapsulation of Essential Oils, Lipids, and Compound Lipids through Spray Drying: A Review

In recent decades, the microcapsules of lipids, compound lipids, and essential oils, have found numerous potential practical applications in food, textiles, agricultural products, as well as pharmaceuticals. This article discusses the encapsulation of fat-soluble vitamins, essential oils, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and structured lipids. Consequently, the compiled information establishes the criteria to better select encapsulating agents as well as combinations of encapsulating agents best suited to the types of active ingredient to be encapsulated. This review shows a trend towards applications in food and pharmacology as well as the increase in research related to microencapsulation by the spray drying of vitamins A and E, as well as fish oil, thanks to its contribution of omega 3 and omega 6. There is also an increase in articles in which spray drying is combined with other encapsulation techniques, or modifications to the conventional spray drying system.

Vitamin D3-Loaded Nanoemulsions as a Potential Drug Delivery System for Autistic Children: Formulation Development, Safety, and Pharmacokinetic Studies

The aim of the current study is the development of a vitamin D₃ (VD3)-loaded nanoemulsion (NE) formulation to improve VD3 oral bioavailability for management of vitamin D inadequacy in autistic children. Eight NE formulations were prepared by high-speed homogenization followed by ultrasonication. Four vegetable oils were employed along with two concentrations of Span 20 as the emulsifier. Glycerol, fructose, and mango flavor were included as viscosity modifier, sweetening, and flavoring agents, respectively. The prepared VD3-loaded NE formulations exhibited high drug content (> 98%), droplet size (DS) ranging from 61.15 to 129.8 nm with narrow size distribution, zeta potential values between - 9.83 and - 19.22 mV, and acceptable pH values (4.59-5.89). Storage stability showed that NE formulations underwent coalescence and phase separation during 6 months at room temperature, whereas at refrigerated conditions, formulations showed slight creaming. The optimum formulation (VD3-NE6) revealed a non-significant DS growth at refrigerated conditions and spherical morphology under transmission electron microscopy. VD3-NE6 did not produce any toxic effects to rats treated orally for 3 months, where normal blood picture and kidney and liver functions were observed compared to control rats. Also, serum calcium, oxidative stress, and apoptosis biomarkers remained within normal levels, indicating the safety of the optimum formulation. Furthermore, evaluation of VD3-NE6 oral bioavailability depicted a significant increase in AUC_0-72 and C_max with decreased T_max compared to plain VD3. The optimum formulation demonstrated improved stability, safety, and oral bioavailability indicating the potential for successful management of vitamin D deficiency in autistic children.

Self-Emulsifying Systems for Delivery of Bioactive Compounds from Natural Origin

Nature has been used as therapeutic resources in the treatment of diseases for many years. However, some natural compounds have poor water solubility. Therefore, physicochemical strategies and technologies are necessary for development of systems for carrying these substances. The self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) have been used as carriers of hydrophobic compounds in order to increase the solubility and absorption, improving their bioavailability. SEDDS are constituted with a mixture of oils and surfactants which, when come into contact with an aqueous medium under mild agitation, can form emulsions. In the last years, a wide variety of self-emulsifying formulations containing bioactive compounds from natural origin has been developed. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the main excipients and natural bioactive compounds composing SEDDS. In addition, applications, new technologies and innovation are reviewed as well. Examples of self-emulsifying formulations administered in different sites are also considered for a better understanding of the use of this strategy to modify the delivery of compounds from natural origin.

Vitamin D Supplementation: Oxidative Stress Modulation in a Mouse Model of Ovalbumin-Induced Acute Asthmatic Airway Inflammation

Asthma oxidative stress disturbances seem to enable supplementary proinflammatory pathways, thus contributing to disease development and severity. The current study analyzed the impact of two types of oral vitamin D (VD) supplementation regimens on the redox balance using a murine model of acute ovalbumin-induced (OVA-induced) asthmatic inflammation. The experimental prevention group received a long-term daily dose of 50 µg/kg (total dose of 1300 µg/kg), whereas the rescue group underwent a short-term daily dose of 100 µg/kg (total dose of 400 µg/kg). The following oxidative stress parameters were analyzed in serum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue homogenate (LTH): total oxidative status, total antioxidant response, oxidative stress index, malondialdehyde and total thiols. Results showed that VD significantly reduced oxidative forces and increased the antioxidant capacity in the serum and LTH of treated mice. There was no statistically significant difference between the two types of VD supplementation. VD also exhibited an anti-inflammatory effect in all treated mice, reducing nitric oxide formation in serum and the expression of nuclear factor kappa B p65 in the lung. In conclusion, VD supplementation seems to exhibit a protective role in oxidative stress processes related to OVA-induced acute airway inflammation.

Early myocardial injury biomarkers in diabetic hyperlipidemic rats: Impact of 10-dehydrogingerdione and vitamin D3

IMPACT STATEMENT

Hyperlipidemia represents a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases leading to myocardial injury (MI). The present study aimed to illustrate the pattern of myocardial injury induced in diabetic hyperlipidemic rat model and the effect of vitamin D3, 10-dehydrogingerdione (10-DHGD) intake either individually or in combination form.

Drug Delivery Systems for Vitamin D Supplementation and Therapy

Vitamin D (VD) is a fat-soluble prohormone well known for its role in regulating calcium and phosphate metabolism. It has been clinically used for many years to prevent rickets in children, osteomalacia, and osteoporosis in adults. VD insufficiency is a common medical condition, and many supplements are available in the market in order to increase serum 25-hydroxy VD levels to recommended amounts. Over the course of the last decades, it has become increasingly clear that calcitriol, an active form of VD, regulates multiple cellular processes with effects on normal and malignant cell growth and differentiation, and on the immune and cardiovascular function. Increasing evidence supports the role of the VD system in cancer prevention and therapy. Due to many pleiotropic and beneficial effects in extra-skeletal disorders, VD has gained potential and become an interesting active for encapsulation into drug delivery systems. The purpose of this review is to present the diversity of drug delivery systems that have been reported for VD or VD derivatives in an orderly manner across the following categories: Oral administration, application on the skin, cancer prevention/therapy, and other diseases or routes of administration.

Use of Lipid Nanocarriers to Improve Oral Delivery of Vitamins

The chemical environment and enzymes in the gastrointestinal (GI) membrane limit the oral absorption of some vitamins. The GI epithelium also contributes to the poor permeability of numerous antioxidant agents. Thus, lipophilic vitamins do not readily dissolve in the GI tract, and therefore they have low bioavailability. Nanomedicine has the potential to improve the delivery efficiency of oral vitamins. In particular, the use of lipid nanocarriers for certain vitamins that are administered orally can provide improved solubility, chemical stability, epithelium permeability and bioavailability, half-life, nidus targeting, and fewer adverse effects. These lipid nanocarriers include self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDSs), nanoemulsions, microemulsions, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs). The use of nontoxic excipients and sophisticated material engineering of lipid nanosystems allows for control of the physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles and improved GI permeation via mucosal or lymphatic transport. In this review, we highlight recent progress in the development of lipid nanocarriers for vitamin delivery. In addition, the same lipid nanocarriers used for vitamins may also be effective as carriers of vitamin derivatives, and therefore enhance their oral bioavailability. One example is the incorporation of d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS) as the emulsifier in lipid nanocarriers to increase the solubility and inhibit P-glycoprotein (P-gp) efflux. We also survey the concepts and discuss the mechanisms of nanomedical techniques that are used to develop vitamin-loaded nanocarriers.

Recent Advances in Formulation Strategies for Efficient Delivery of Vitamin D

Deficiency of vitamin D is a global concern affecting a huge number of human populations. This deficiency has a serious impact on human health not only affecting bone mineral density but also becoming the reason for cardiovascular disorders, infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases and cancers. Exposure to sunlight is the major source of vitamin D, but due to the present day-to-day lifestyle of working in a shade arouses the need for exogenous sources of vitamin D. Ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) are the two major forms of vitamin D, which are hydrophobic in nature and highly susceptible to environmental conditions, like temperature and light. Therefore, novel drug delivery systems could be explored for efficient delivery of vitamin D. In this review, a brief account of vitamin D is provided followed by a detailed description of recent advances in various delivery systems, including solid lipid nanoparticles, nanoemulsion, self-emulsifying drug delivery systems, polymeric nanoparticles and solid dispersion, for the efficient delivery of vitamin D.

Supersaturable solid self-microemulsifying drug delivery system: precipitation inhibition and bioavailability enhancement

Solid self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SSEDDS), which incorporates liquid SEDDS into a solid dosage form, has been recently introduced to improve the oral bioavail-ability of poorly water-soluble drugs. However, supersaturated drug generated by SSEDDS is thermodynamically unstable and tends to precipitate rapidly prior to absorption, resulting in compromised bioavailability. The aim of this study was to construct a novel supersaturated SSEDDS (super-SSEDDS) by combining SSEDDS with appropriate precipitation inhibitor. Fenofibrate (FNB), a sparingly soluble drug, was selected as a model drug in this study. An optimized SSEDDS was prepared by solvent evaporation by using mesoporous silica Santa Barbara Amorphous-15 as the inert carrier. Supersaturation assay was conducted to evaluate the precipitation inhibition capacity of different polymers, and the results showed that Soluplus^® could retard the FNB precipitation more effectively and sustain a higher apparent concentration for ~120 min. This effect was also clearly observed in the dissolution profiles of FNB from SSEDDS under supersaturated condition. The study of the mechanism suggested that the inhibition effect might be achieved both thermodynamically and kinetically. The area under the concentration–time curve of the super-SSEDDS was 1.4-fold greater than that of SSEDDS in the absence of Soluplus, based on an in vivo pharmacokinetic study conducted in beagle dogs. This study has demonstrated that the approach of combining SSEDDS with Soluplus as a supersaturation stabilizer constitutes a potential tool to improve the absorption of poorly water-soluble drugs.

Advance of antioxidants in asthma treatment

Asthma is an allergic disease, characterized as a recurrent airflow limitation, airway hyperreactivity, and chronic inflammation, involving a variety of cells and cytokines. Reactive oxygen species have been proven to play an important role in asthma. The pathogenesis of oxidative stress in asthma involves an imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant systems that is caused by environment pollutants or endogenous reactive oxygen species from inflammation cells. There is growing evidence that antioxidant treatments that include vitamins and food supplements have been shown to ameliorate this oxidative stress while improving the symptoms and decreasing the severity of asthma. In this review, we summarize recent studies that are related to the mechanisms and biomarkers of oxidative stress, antioxidant treatments in asthma.