Amorphous magnesium carbonate nanoparticles with strong stabilizing capability for amorphous ibuprofen

Tioconazole-Loaded Transethosomal Gel Using Box-Behnken Design for Topical Applications: In Vitro, In Vivo, and Molecular Docking Approaches

Tioconazole (TCZ) is a broad-spectrum fungicidal BCS class II drug with reported activity against Candida albicans, dermatophytes, and certain Staphylococci bacteria. We report the use of TCZ-loaded transethosomes (TEs) to overcome the skin's barrier function. TCZ-loaded TEs were fabricated by using a cold method with slight modification. Box-Behnken composite design was utilized to investigate the effect of independent variables. The fabricated TEs were assessed with various physicochemical characterizations. The optimized formulation of TCZ-loaded TEs was incorporated into gel and evaluated for pH, conductivity, drug content, spreadability, rheology, in vitro permeation, ex vivo permeation, and in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity. The fabricated TCZ-loaded TEs had a % EE of 60.56 to 86.13, with particle sizes ranging from 219.1 to 757.1 nm. The SEM images showed spherically shaped vesicles. The % drug permeation was between 77.01 and 92.03. The kinetic analysis of all release profiles followed Higuchi's diffusion model. The FTIR, DSC, and XRD analysis showed no significant chemical interactions between the drug and excipients. A significantly higher antifungal activity was observed for TCZ-loaded transethosomal gel in comparison to the control. The in vivo antifungal study on albino rats indicated that TCZ-loaded transethosomal gel showed a comparable therapeutic effect in comparison to the market brand Canesten®. Molecular docking demonstrated that the TCZ in the TE composition was surrounded by hydrophobic excipients with increased overall hydrophobicity and better permeation. Therefore, TCZ in the form of transethosomal gel can serve as an effective drug delivery system, having the ability to penetrate the skin and overcome the stratum corneum barrier with improved efficacy.

Metronidazole and Ketoprofen-Loaded Mesoporous Magnesium Carbonate for Rapid Treatment of Acute Periodontitis In Vitro

In the clinical pharmacological treatment of acute periodontitis, local periodontal administration is expected to be preferable to systemic administration. However, the action of the active medicine component is hindered and diminished by the limitation of drug solubility, which does not provide timely relief of the enormous pain being suffered by patients. This study aimed to develop a mesoporous magnesium carbonate (MMC) medicine loading system consisting of MMC, metronidazole (MET), and ketoprofen (KET), which was noted as MET-KET@MMC. A solvent evaporation process was utilized to load MET and KET in MMC. Scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen sorption, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray diffraction were performed on the MET-KET@MMC. The rapid drug release properties were also investigated through the drug release curve. The rapid antiseptic property against Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) and the rapid anti-inflammatory property (within 1 min) were analyzed in vitro. The cytotoxicity of MET-KET@MMC was tested in direct contact with human gingival cells and human oral keratinocytes. Crystallizations of MET and KET were completely suppressed in MMC. As compared to crystalline MET and KET, MMC induced higher apparent solubility and rapid drug release, resulting in 8.76 times and 3.43 times higher release percentages of the drugs, respectively. Over 70.11% of MET and 85.97% of KET were released from MMC within 1 min, resisting bacteria and reducing inflammation. MET-KET@MMC nanoparticles enhanced the solubility of drugs and possess rapid antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. The MET-KET@MMC is a promising candidate for the pharmacotherapy of acute periodontitis with drugs, highlighting a significant clinical potential of MMC-based immediate drug release systems.

Enhanced UV protection and water adsorption properties of transparent poly(methyl methacrylate) films through incorporation of amorphous magnesium carbonate nanoparticles

A simple solution casting approach was used to obtain transparent and flexible poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films incorporated with 1 – 4% by weight amorphous magnesium carbonate nanoparticles. Optical transparency was retained in visible wavelengths, while transmittance in the UV-B region was reduced by 22% at 310 nm and 58% at 256 nm with the addition of 4 wt. % nanoparticles. Furthermore, the incorporation of the nanoparticles was shown to provide protection for the films under UV-C irradiation (254 nm wavelength, 5 mW cm−2), with the amount of UV degradation decreasing with increasing concentration of nanoparticles. Films with incorporated nanoparticles were also shown to be able to retain adsorbed moisture much better than neat PMMA films; whereas neat PMMA films did not retain moisture, approximately 50% of the adsorbed moisture was retained in films containing 4 wt. % nanoparticles. These enhanced properties of PMMA are of great interest in applications such as flexible and transparent screens for personal electronic devices that require protection from both UV light and moisture.

Multifunctional Polymer-Free Mineral Plastic Adhesives Formed by Multiple Noncovalent Bonds

Supramolecular adhesives have attracted a great deal of attention in recent years, resulting in their development for different applications. However, creating supramolecular adhesives with reversible and reusable properties is still a challenge. Here, a synthesis route to obtain supramolecular adhesives is presented in which no polymeric compounds are involved in the preparation. The adhesive is formed by intermolecular coulomb forces between amorphous magnesium carbonate nanoparticles and the low-molecular-weight drug ibuprofen, which results in an amorphous composite material that is transparent, shapeable, stretchable, and self-healing, making it reusable. It is demonstrated that this hybrid material provides a simple means of gluing a wide variety of materials, including metals, glass, paper, and plastics, and that is reversible and possesses reusability. The material disrupts the traditional concept of polymer-based adhesives and may be used as a sustainable mineral plastic in applications such as 3D printing.