Ultrafine clarithromycin nanoparticles via anti-solvent precipitation in subcritical water: Effect of operating parameters

Co-delivery of hesperidin and clarithromycin in a nanostructured lipid carrier for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori in vitro

Effective and precise eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the most promising approach to avoid H. pylori-related gastrointestinal disorders. The present study was conducted to demonstrate the efficacy of the co-delivery of hesperidin (Hesp) and clarithromycin (CLR) in nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) against H. pylori. We have produced a new delivery system by combining bioflavonoid Hesp and CLR NLCs to address the failure in single antibiotic therapies. Briefly, a blend of solid lipid, liquid lipid, and surfactant was used. Homogeneous NLCs with all the formulations showed a nano size and surface-negative charge and presented high in vitro stability and slow release of the drug even after 24 h. Bioimaging studies by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and imaging flow cytometry indicated that NLCs interacted with the membrane by adhering to the outer cell membrane and disrupted the membrane that resulted in the leakage of cytoplasmic contents. The prepared NLCs provide sustained and controlled drug release that can be used to increase the rate of H. pylori eradication.

Development of a Resveratrol Nanosuspension Using the Antisolvent Precipitation Method without Solvent Removal, Based on a Quality by Design (QbD) Approach

The purpose of this study was to develop a resveratrol nanosuspension with enhanced oral bioavailability, based on an understanding of the formulation and process parameters of nanosuspensions and using a quality by design (QbD) approach. Particularly, the antisolvent method, which requires no solvent removal and no heating, is newly applied to prepare resveratrol nanosuspension. To ensure the quality of the resveratrol nanosuspensions, a quality target product profile (QTPP) was defined. The particle size (z-average, d90), zeta potential, and drug content parameters affecting the QTPP were selected as critical quality attributes (CQAs). The optimum composition obtained using a 3-factor, 3-level Box-Behnken design was as follows: polyvinylpyrrolidone vinyl acetate (10 mg/mL), polyvinylpyrrolidone K12 (5 mg/mL), sodium lauryl sulfate (1 mg/mL), and diethylene glycol monoethyl ether (DEGEE, 5% v/v) at a resveratrol concentration of 5 mg/mL. The initial particle size (z-average) was 46.3 nm and the zeta potential was -38.02 mV. The robustness of the antisolvent process using the optimized composition conditions was ensured by a full factorial design. The dissolution rate of the optimized resveratrol nanosuspension was significantly greater than that of the resveratrol raw material. An in vivo pharmacokinetic study in rats showed that the area under the plasma concentration versus time curve (AUC0-12h) and the maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) respectively, than those of the resveratrol raw material. Therefore, the prepara values of the resveratrol nanosuspension were approximately 1.6- and 5.7-fold higher,tion of a resveratrol nanosuspension using the QbD approach may be an effective strategy for the development of a new dosage form of resveratrol, with enhanced oral bioavailability.

Subgram-Scale Synthesis of Biomass Waste-Derived Fluorescent Carbon Dots in Subcritical Water for Bioimaging, Sensing, and Solid-State Patterning

Fluorescent carbon dots (FCDs) have received considerable attention because of the great potential for a wide range of applications, from bioimaging to optoelectronic devices. In this work, we reported the synthesis of nitrogen-doped FCDs with an average size of 2 nm in a subcritical water apparatus by using biomass waste (i.e., expired milk) as the precursor. The obtained FCDs were highly dispersed in aqueous solution because of the presence of O-containing functional groups on their surfaces. Under the excitation of ultraviolet and blue light, the FCDs exhibited excitation wavelength-dependent fluorescence in the emission range of 400-550 nm. The FCDs could be easily taken up by HeLa cells without additional surface functionalization, serving as fluorescent nanoprobes for bioimaging. The applications of FCDs as sensing agents for the detection of Fe³⁺, solid-state fluorescent patterning, and transparent hybrid films were also performed, demonstrating their potential for solid-state fluorescent sensing, security labeling, and wearable optoelectronics.