Genistein microparticles prepared by antisolvent recrystallization with low-speed homogenization process

To create genistein particles, a brand-new antisolvent recrystallization technique was employed. The response surface approach was utilized to optimize the single factor test findings, which were acquired via the preliminary tests. The ideal liquid-to-liquid ratio was 9, the solution concentration was 21 mg/mL, the nozzle diameter was 700 μm, the feed rate was 39.65 mL/min, and the homogenization rate was 1500 rpm. The smallest mean particle size measured was 202.782 nm. SEM was used to study the powder's morphology, while thermal analysis and infrared imaging were used to evaluate its characteristics. The homogeneous antisolvent recrystallization method-prepared GMP has a better dissolving rate and stronger antioxidant activity when compared to genistein powder. The antisolvent recrystallization approach used in this study, which uses low-speed homogenizing instead of conventional grinding and homogenizing, can successfully reduce particle size, improve bioavailability, and use less energy. This topic may thus be made popular because it has real-world applications.

Liquid antisolvent crystallization of pharmaceutical compounds: current status and future perspectives

The present work reviews the liquid antisolvent crystallization (LASC) to prepare the nanoparticle of pharmaceutical compounds to enhance their solubility, dissolution rate, and bioavailability. The application of ultrasound and additives is discussed to prepare the particles with narrow size distribution. The use of ionic liquid as an alternative to conventional organic solvent is presented. Herbal compounds, also known for low aqueous solubility and limited clinical application, have been crystalized by LASC and discussed here. The particle characteristics such as particle size and particle size distribution are interpreted in terms of supersaturation, nucleation, and growth phenomena. To overcome the disadvantage of batch crystallization, the scientific literature on continuous flow reactors is also reviewed. LASC in a microfluidic device is emerging as a promising technique. The different design of the microfluidic device and their application in LASC are discussed. The combination of the LASC technique with traditional techniques such as high-pressure homogenization and spray drying is presented. A comparison of product characteristics prepared by LASC and the supercritical CO₂ antisolvent method is discussed to show that LASC is an attractive and inexpensive alternative for nanoparticle preparation. One of the major strengths of this paper is a discussion on less-explored applications of LASC in pharmaceutical research to attract the attention of future researchers.

Discrimination of β-cyclodextrin/hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) oil/flavonoid glycoside and flavonolignan ternary complexes by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy coupled with principal component analysis

The goal of the study was the discrimination of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD)/hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) oil/antioxidant ternary complexes through Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy coupled with principal component analysis (FTIR-PCA). These innovative complexes combine the characteristics of the three components and improve the properties of the resulting material such as the onsite protection against oxidative degradation of hazelnut oil unsaturated fatty acid glycerides. Also, the apparent water solubility and bioaccessibility of the hazelnut oil components and antioxidants can be increased, as well as the controlled release of bioactive compounds (fatty acid glycerides and antioxidant flavonoids, namely hesperidin, naringin, rutin, and silymarin). The appropriate method for obtaining the ternary complexes was kneading the components at various molar ratios (1:1:1 and 3:1:1 for β-CD hydrate:hazelnut oil (average molar mass of 900 g/mol):flavonoid). The recovering yields of the ternary complexes were in the range of 51.5-85.3% and were generally higher for the 3:1:1 samples. The thermal stability was evaluated by thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. Discrimination of the ternary complexes was easily performed through the FTIR-PCA coupled method, especially based on the stretching vibrations of CO groups in flavonoids and/or CO/CC groups in the ternary complexes at 1014.6 (± 3.8) and 1023.2 (± 1.1) cm^-1 along the second PCA component (PC₂), respectively. The wavenumbers were more appropriate for discrimination than the corresponding intensities of the specific FTIR bands. On the other hand, ternary complexes were clearly distinguishable from the starting β-CD hydrate along the first component (PC₁) by all FTIR band intensities and along PC₂ by the wavenumber of the asymmetric stretching vibrations of the CH groups at 2922.9 (± 0.4) cm^-1 for ternary complexes and 2924.8 (± 1.4) cm^-1 for β-CD hydrate. The first two PCA components explain 70.38% from the variance of the FTIR data (from a total number of 26 variables). Other valuable classifications were obtained for the antioxidant flavonoids, with a high similarity for hesperidin and naringin, according to FTIR-PCA, as well as for ternary complexes depending on molar ratios. The FTIR-PCA coupled technique is a fast, nondestructive and cheap method for the evaluation of quality and similarity/characteristics of these new types of cyclodextrin-based ternary complexes having enhanced properties and stability.

The Preparation of Apigenin Nanoparticles and the Study of Their Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Tumor Activities In Vitro

Apigenin (API) has many biological activities, but its poor solubility limits its clinical application. In this research, API nanoparticles were prepared by the liquid antisolvent precipitation (LAP) technique, which effectively improved the solubility and bioavailability of API. Through the design of a single-factor test, the effects of the type and dosage of surfactants, API concentration, the antisolvent to solvent volume ratio, the speed and time of stirring, the temperature of precipitation, and the dropping speed on the MPS (mean particle size) of API nanosuspension were carried out. The optimum technological conditions were determined as follows: 5 mg/mL of tween 80 as a surfactant, 20 mg/mL of API, an antisolvent/solvent volume ratio of 10, a 1200 r/min stirring speed for 5 min, a 45 °C precipitation temperature, and a 1 mL/min dropping speed. Under the optimum conditions, we obtained API nanosuspension with 170.5 nm MPS and then it was freeze-dried to obtain the API nanoparticles. Moreover, we characterized the API nanoparticles by SEM, FTIR, XRD, DSC, and TG. Results showed that although API nanoparticles transformed into an amorphous form, their internal chemical structure had not been changed and had a higher solubility. Finally, API nanoparticles’ anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated by observing the effect of API on nitric oxide (NO) production and IL-10 production toward RAW264.7 cells induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Moreover, the anti-tumor effect of API was determined by testing cell viability and apoptosis. The results suggested that API nanoparticles exhibited much better anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities compared to raw API.

Silymarin nanocrystals-laden chondroitin sulphate-based thermoreversible hydrogels; A promising approach for bioavailability enhancement

Hydrogels has gained tremendous interest as a controlled release drug delivery. However, currently it is a big challenge to attain high drug-loading as well as stable and sustained release of hydrophobic drugs. The poor aqueous solubility and low bioavailability of many drugs have driven the need for research in new formulations. This manuscript hypothesized that incorporation of nanocrystals of hydrophobic drug, such as silymarin into thermoreversible hydrogel could be a solution to these problems. Herein, we prepared nanocrystals of silymarin by antisolvent precipitation technique and characterized for morphology, particle size, polydispersity index (PDI) and zeta potential. Moreover, physical cross-linking of hydrogel formulations based on chondroitin sulphate (CS), kappa-Carrageenan (κ-Cr) and Pluronic® F127 was confirmed by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The hydrogel gelation time and temperature of optimized hydrogel was 14 ± 3.2 s and 34 ± 0.6 °C, respectively. The release data revealed controlled release of silymarin up to 48 h and in-vivo pharmacokinetic profiling was done in rabbits and further analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It is believed that the nanocrystals loaded thermoreversible injectable hydrogel system fabricated in this study provides high drug loading as well as controlled and stable release of hydrophobic drug for extended period.

Lung cancer targeting efficiency of Silibinin loaded Poly Caprolactone /Pluronic F68 Inhalable nanoparticles: In vitro and In vivo study

Silibinin (SB) is shown to have an anticancer properties. However, its clinical therapeutic effects have been restricted due to its low water solubility and poor absorption after oral administration. The aim of this study was to develop SB-loaded PCL/Pluronic F68 nanoparticles for pulmonary delivery in the treatment of lung cancer. A modified solvent displacement process was used to make nanoparticles, which were then lyophilized to make inhalation powder, Nanoparticles were characterized with DSC, FTIR,SEM and In vitro release study. Further, a validated HPLC method was developed to investigate the Biodistribution study, pharmacokinetic parameters. Poly Caprolactone PCL / Pluronic F68 NPs showed the sustained release effect up to 48 h with an emitted (Mass median Aerodynamic diameter)MMAD and (Geometric size distribution)GSD were found to be 4.235 ±0.124 and 1.958±1.23 respectively. More specifically, the SB Loaded PCL/Pluronic F 68 NPs demonstrated long circulation and successful lung tumor-targeting potential due to their cancer-targeting capabilities. SB Loaded PCL/Pluronic F68 NPs significantly inhibited tumour growth in lung cancer-induced rats after inhalable administration. In a pharmacokinetics study, PCL/ Pluronic F68 NPs substantially improved SB bioavailability, with a more than 4-fold rise in AUC when compared to IV administration. These findings indicate that SB-loaded PCL/PluronicF68 nanoparticles may be a successful lung cancer therapy delivery system.

PEG-Modified tert-Octylcalix[8]arenes as Drug Delivery Nanocarriers of Silibinin

The hepatoprotective properties of silibinin, as well its therapeutic potential as an anticancer and chemo-preventive agent, have failed to progress towards clinical development and commercialization due to this material's unfavorable pharmacokinetics and physicochemical properties, low aqueous solubility, and chemical instability. The present contribution is focused on the feasibility of using PEGylated calixarene, in particular polyoxyethylene-derivatized tert-octylcalix[8]arene, to prepare various platforms for the delivery of silibinin, such as inclusion complexes and supramolecular aggregates thereof. The inclusion complex is characterized by various instrumental methods. At concentrations exceeding the critical micellization concentration of PEGylated calixarene, the tremendous solubility increment of silibinin is attributed to the additional solubilization and hydrophobic non-covalent interactions of the drug with supramolecular aggregates. PEG-modified tert-octylcalix[8]arenes, used as drug delivery carriers for silibinin, were additionally investigated for cytotoxicity against human tumor cell lines.

Drug-Rich Phases Induced by Amorphous Solid Dispersion: Arbitrary or Intentional Goal in Oral Drug Delivery?

Among many methods to mitigate the solubility limitations of drug compounds, amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) is considered to be one of the most promising strategies to enhance the dissolution and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs. The enhancement of ASD in the oral absorption of drugs has been mainly attributed to the high apparent drug solubility during the dissolution. In the last decade, with the implementations of new knowledge and advanced analytical techniques, a drug-rich transient metastable phase was frequently highlighted within the supersaturation stage of the ASD dissolution. The extended drug absorption and bioavailability enhancement may be attributed to the metastability of such drug-rich phases. In this paper, we have reviewed (i) the possible theory behind the formation and stabilization of such metastable drug-rich phases, with a focus on non-classical nucleation; (ii) the additional benefits of the ASD-induced drug-rich phases for bioavailability enhancements. It is envisaged that a greater understanding of the non-classical nucleation theory and its application on the ASD design might accelerate the drug product development process in the future.

Liquid antisolvent recrystallization and solid dispersion of flufenamic acid with polyvinylpyrrolidone K-30

Flufenamic acid (FFA) is a Biopharmaceutical Classification System- II (BCS-II) class drug with poor bioavailability and a lower dissolution rate. Particle size reduction is one of the conventional approaches to increase the dissolution rate and subsequently the bioavailability. The use of the liquid antisolvent method for particle size reduction of FFA was studied in this work. Ethanol and water were used as solvent and antisolvent, respectively. Experimental parameters such as solution concentration (10–40 mg/ml), flow rate (120–480 ml/h), temperature (298–328 K) and stirring speed (200–800 rpm) were investigated. Furthermore, the solid dispersion of FFA was prepared with polyvinylpyrrolidone K-30 (PVP K-30) with different weight ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4) and samples were characterized using SEM, FTIR and XRD techniques. The experimental investigation revealed that higher values of concentration, injection rate, stirring speed, along with lower temperature favored the formation of fine particles. SEM analysis revealed that the morphology of raw FFA changed from rock-like to rectangular-like after liquid antisolvent recrystallization. FTIR analysis validated the presence of hydrogen bonding between FFA and PVP in solid dispersion. XRD analysis showed no significant change in the crystallinity of the processed FFA.

Amorphous silibinin nanoparticles loaded into porous starch to enhance remarkably its solubility and bioavailability in vivo

In the present study, the silibinin (SLB) was loaded into porous starch (PS) in the form of nanoparticles (SNPS) by the liquid antisolvent precipitation (LAP) method, so as to improve its solubility and bioavailability. Firstly, the different experimental parameters on drug loading (DL) of the SLB in the LAP process were optimized through the single-factor experiments. Under the optimum conditions, the DL and the encapsulation efficiency (EE) of the SNPS were 9.49 ± 0.37 % and 89.93 ± 0.64 %, respectively. Compared with free SLB and SLB nanoparticles (SN), the SNPS had a higher solubility, and was about 180.81 ± 5.32 μg/mL in artificial gastric juice (AGJ) and was about 88.91 ± 4.14 μg/mL in artificial intestinal juice (AIJ), respectively. The in vitro release study demonstrated a slow and sustained ± release of SLB from the SNPS with the SN and free SLB as controls. The pharmacokinetic results showed that the Cmax and AUC(0-t) of the SNPS (87.71 ± 7.24 μg/L, 439.55 ± 8.76 μg/L*h) increased when compared with the SN (60.31 ± 8.98 μg/L, 206.51 ± 12.24 μg/L*h) and free SLB (26.08 ± 1.43 μg/L, 102.63 ± 7.15 μg/L*h), showing its ability to improve SLB's pharmacokinetic properties.

Hypromellose - A traditional pharmaceutical excipient with modern applications in oral and oromucosal drug delivery

Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), also known as Hypromellose, is a traditional pharmaceutical excipient widely exploited in oral sustained drug release matrix systems. The choice of numerous viscosity grades and molecular weights available from different manufacturers provides a great variability in its physical-chemical properties and is a basis for its broad successful application in pharmaceutical research, development, and manufacturing. The excellent mucoadhesive properties of HPMC predetermine its use in oromucosal delivery systems including mucoadhesive tablets and films. HPMC also possesses desirable properties for formulating amorphous solid dispersions increasing the oral bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. Printability and electrospinnability of HPMC are promising features for its application in 3D printed drug products and nanofiber-based drug delivery systems. Nanoparticle-based formulations are extensively explored as antigen and protein carriers for the formulation of oral vaccines, and oral delivery of biologicals including insulin, respectively. HPMC, being a traditional pharmaceutical excipient, has an irreplaceable role in the development of new pharmaceutical technologies, and new drug products leading to continuous manufacturing processes, and personalized medicine. This review firstly provides information on the physical-chemical properties of HPMC and a comprehensive overview of its application in traditional oral drug formulations. Secondly, this review focuses on the application of HPMC in modern pharmaceutical technologies including spray drying, hot-melt extrusion, 3D printing, nanoprecipitation and electrospinning leading to the formulation of printlets, nanoparticle-, microparticle-, and nanofiber-based delivery systems for oral and oromucosal application. Hypromellose is an excellent excipient for formulation of classical dosage forms and advanced drug delivery systems. New methods of hypromellose processing include spray draying, hot-melt extrusion, 3D printing, and electrospinning.

Nanotherapeutic silibinin: An insight of phytomedicine in healthcare reformation

Most of the herbal origin drugs possess water insoluble active constituents which lower the bioavailability and increase systemic clearance after administration of repeated or higher dose of drug. Silymarin is extracted from the seeds and fruits of milk thistle plant Silybum marianum which consists of main biologically active component as silibinin. However, the clinical applications of silibinin show some limitations due to low aqueous solubility, poor penetration into the epithelial cells of intestine, high metabolism and rapid systemic elimination. But nanotechnology-based drug delivery system explores great potential for phytochemicals to enhance the aqueous solubility and bioavailability of BCS class II and IV drugs, improve stability and modify the pharmacological activity. This review focuses on the therapeutic properties of silibinin and discusses the benefits, challenges and applications of silibinin nanoformulations. Such nanotherapeutic system as a regular medicine will be an attractive approach to reduce the adverse events and toxicities of current therapies.