Mechanochemical synthesis and characterization of Zidovudine-lamivudine solid dispersion (binary eutectic mixture)

Solid dispersions based on chitosan/hypromellose phthalate blends to modulate pharmaceutical properties of zidovudine

Zidovudine (AZT) has been widely used alone or in combination with other antiretroviral drugs for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus. Its erratic oral bioavailability necessitates frequent administration of high doses, resulting in severe side effects. In this study, the design of mucoadhesive solid dispersions (SDs) based on chitosan (CS) and hypromellose phthalate (HP) was rationalized as a potential approach to modulate AZT physicochemical and pharmaceutical properties. SDs were prepared at different drug:polymer ratios, using an eco-friendly technique, which avoids the use of organic solvents. Particles with diameter from 56 to 73 µm and negative zeta potentials (-27 to -32 mV) were successfully prepared, achieving high drug content. Infrared spectroscopy revealed interactions between polymers but no interactions between the polymers and AZT. Calorimetry and X-ray diffraction analyses showed that AZT was amorphized into the SDs. The mucoadhesive properties of SDs were evidenced, and the control of AZT release rates from the matrix was achieved, mainly in acid media. The simple, low-cost and scalable technology proposed for production of SDs as a carrier platform for AZT is an innovative approach, and it proved to be a feasible strategy for modulation the physico-chemical, mucoadhesive and release properties of the drug.

Electrochemical activity of glassy carbon electrode modified with ZnO nanoparticles prepared Via Senna Alata L. leaf extract towards antiretroviral drug

The phytosynthesis method was used to prepare ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) via Senna alata L. leaf extract (SALE) by involving alkaloids, which play an essential role as a source of weak bases during the formation reaction of NPs. ZnO NPs on glassy carbon electrodes (GCE/ZnO NP) have been introduced to investigate its electrochemical activity towards the antiretroviral drug, lamivudine (3TC). Several characterization techniques, such as Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS), and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) techniques were employed to analyze the properties of GCE/ZnO NPs. As a result, ZnO NPs in spherical shape showed a high purity crystalline hexagonal wurtzite structure with a particle diameter of 40–60 nm. A Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) measurement confirmed that the electrochemical reduction of 3TC on GCE/ZnO NPs exhibited an excellent linear range of 10–300 µM with a detection limit of 1.902 µM, quantitation limit of 6.330 µM, and sensitivity of 0.0278 µA/µM. Thus, this research suggests a facile method for the preparation of material-based ZnO NPs as a promising antiretroviral drug sensors due to their excellent electrochemical properties.