Physicochemical effects of lactose microcarrier on inhalation performance of rifampicin in polymeric nanoparticles

Dry powder inhalers of antitubercular drugs

Despite advancements in the medical and pharmaceutical fields, tuberculosis remains a major health problem globally. Patients do not widely accept the conventional approach to treating tuberculosis (TB) due to prolonged treatment periods with multiple high doses of drugs and associated side effects. A pulmonary route is a non-invasive approach to delivering drugs, hormones, nucleic acid, steroids, proteins, and peptides directly to the lungs, improving the efficacy of the treatment and consequently decreasing the adverse effect of the treatment. This route has been successfully developed for the treatment of various respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), tuberculosis (TB), lung cancer, and other pulmonary infections. The major approaches of inhalation delivery systems include nebulizers, metered-dose inhalers (MDIs), and dry powder inhalers (DPIs). However, dry powder inhalers (DPIs) are more advantageous due to their stability and ability to deliver a high dose of the drug to the lungs. The present review analyzes the modern therapeutic approach of inhaled dry powders, with a special focus on novel drug delivery system (NDDS) based DPIs for the treatment of TB. The article also discussed the challenges of preparing inhalable dry powder formulations for the treatment of TB. The clinical development of inhalable anti-TB drugs is also reviewed.

Probing Critical Physical Properties of Lactose-Polyethylene Glycol Microparticles in Pulmonary Delivery of Chitosan Nanoparticles

Pulmonary delivery of chitosan nanoparticles is met with nanoparticle agglomeration and exhalation. Admixing lactose-based microparticles (surface area-weighted diameter~5 μm) with nanoparticles mutually reduces particle agglomeration through surface adsorption phenomenon. Lactose-polyethylene glycol (PEG) microparticles with different sizes, morphologies and crystallinities were prepared by a spray drying method using varying PEG molecular weights and ethanol contents. The chitosan nanoparticles were similarly prepared. In vitro inhalation performance and peripheral lung deposition of chitosan nanoparticles were enhanced through co-blending with larger lactose-PEG microparticles with reduced specific surface area. These microparticles had reduced inter-microparticle interaction, thereby promoting microparticle–nanoparticle interaction and facilitating nanoparticles flow into peripheral lung.

A review on chitosan and its development as pulmonary particulate anti-infective and anti-cancer drug carriers

Chitosan, as a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer, is characterized by anti-microbial and anti-cancer properties. It lately has received a widespread interest for use as the pulmonary particulate backbone materials of drug carrier for the treatment of infectious disease and cancer. The success of chitosan as pulmonary particulate drug carrier is a critical interplay of their mucoadhesive, permeation enhancement and site/cell-specific attributes. In the case of nanocarriers, various microencapsulation and micro-nano blending systems have been devised to equip them with an appropriate aerodynamic character to enable efficient pulmonary aerosolization and inhalation. The late COVID-19 infection is met with acute respiratory distress syndrome and cancer. Chitosan and its derivatives are found useful in combating HCoV and cancer as a function of their molecular weight, substituent type and its degree of substitution. The interest in chitosan is expected to rise in the next decade from the perspectives of drug delivery in combination with its therapeutic performance.

Fabrication, Optimization and Characterization of Paclitaxel and Spirulina Loaded Nanoparticles for Enhanced Oral Bioavailability

Background:

Paclitaxel and spirulina when administered as nanoparticles, are potentially useful.

Methods:

Nanoformualtions of Paclitaxel and Spirulina for gastric cancer were formulated and optimized with Central composite rotatable design (CCRD) using Response surface methodology (RSM).

Results:

The significant findings were the optimal formulation of polymer concentration 48 mg, surfactant concentration 45% and stirring time of 60 min gave rise to the EE of (98.12 ± 1.3)%, DL of (15.61 ± 1.9)%, mean diameter of (198 ± 4.7) nm. The release of paclitaxel and spirulina from the nanoparticle matrix at pH 6.2 was almost 45% and 80% in 5 h and 120 h, respectively. The oral bioavailability for the paclitaxel spirulina nanoparticles developed is 24.0% at 10 mg/kg paclitaxel dose, which is 10 times of that for oral pure paclitaxel. The results suggest that RSM-CCRD could efficiently be applied for the modeling of nanoparticles. The paclitaxel and spirulina release rate in the tumor cells may be higher than in normal cells. Paclitaxel spirulina nanoparticle formulation may have higher bioavailability and longer sustainable therapeutic time as compared with pure paclitaxel.

Conclusion:

Paclitaxel-Spirulina co-loaded nanoparticles could be effectively useful in gastric cancer as chemotherapeutic formulation.

Critical physicochemical attributes of chitosan nanoparticles admixed lactose-PEG 3000 microparticles in pulmonary inhalation

Chitosan nanoparticles are exhalation prone and agglomerative to pulmonary inhalation. Blending nanoparticles with lactose microparticles (∼5 µm) could mutually reduce their agglomeration through surface adsorption phenomenon. The chitosan nanoparticles of varying size, size distribution, zeta potential, crystallinity, shape and surface roughness were prepared by spray drying technique as a function of chitosan, surfactant and processing conditions. Lactose-polyethylene glycol 3000 (PEG3000) microparticles were similarly prepared. The chitosan nanoparticles, physically blended with fine lactose-PEG3000 microparticles, exhibited a comparable inhalation performance with the commercial dry powder inhaler products (fine particle fraction between 20% and 30%). Cascade impactor analysis indicated that the aerosolization and inhalation performance of chitosan nanoparticles was promoted by their higher zeta potential and circularity, and larger size attributes of which led to reduced inter-nanoparticulate aggregation and favored nanoparticles interacting with lactose-PEG3000 micropaticles that aided their delivery into deep and peripheral lungs.

A review on recent technologies for the manufacture of pulmonary drugs

This review discusses recent developments in the manufacture of inhalable dry powder formulations. Pulmonary drugs have distinct advantages compared with other drug administration routes. However, requirements of drugs properties complicate the manufacture. Control over crystallization to make particles with the desired properties in a single step is often infeasible, which calls for micronization techniques. Although spray drying produces particles in the desired size range, a stable solid state may not be attainable. Supercritical fluids may be used as a solvent or antisolvent, which significantly reduces solvent waste. Future directions include application areas such as biopharmaceuticals for dry powder inhalers and new processing strategies to improve the control over particle formation such as continuous manufacturing with in-line process analytical technologies.

Considerations in preparing for clinical studies of inhaled rifampicin to enhance tuberculosis treatment

Drug delivery via the inhaled route has advantages for treating local and systemic diseases. Pulmonary drug delivery may have potential in treating tuberculosis (TB), which is mainly localised in the lung (pulmonary tuberculosis ∼75%) while also affecting other organs (extra-pulmonary tuberculosis). Currently, rifampicin, a first-line anti-tubercular drug, is given orally and the maximum daily oral dose is the lesser of 10 mg/kg or 600 mg. Since only a small fraction of this dose is available in the lung, concentrations may frequently fail to reach bactericidal levels, and therefore, contribute to the development of multi-drug resistant pulmonary TB. Pulmonary delivery of rifampicin, either alone or in addition to the standard oral dose, has the potential to achieve a high concentration of rifampicin in the lung at a relatively low administered dose that is sufficient to kill bacteria and reduce the development of drug resistance. As yet, no clinical study in humans has reported the pharmacokinetics or the efficacy of pulmonary delivery of rifampicin for TB. This review discusses the opportunities and challenges of rifampicin delivery via the inhaled route and important considerations for future clinical studies on high dose inhaled rifampicin are illustrated.