Physicochemical properties and release behavior of indomethacin-loaded polysaccharide membranes

Patches as Polymeric Systems for Improved Delivery of Topical Corticosteroids: Advances and Future Perspectives

Mucoadhesive polymer patches are a promising alternative for prolonged and controlled delivery of topical corticosteroids (CS) to improve their biopharmaceutical properties (mainly increasing local bioavailability and reducing systemic toxicity). The main biopharmaceutical advantages of patches compared to traditional oral dosage forms are their excellent bioadhesive properties and their increased drug residence time, modified and unidirectional drug release, improved local bioavailability and safety profile, additional pain receptor protection, and patient friendliness. This review describes the main approaches that can be used for the pharmaceutical R&D of oromucosal patches with improved physicochemical, mechanical, and pharmacological properties. The review mainly focuses on ways to increase the bioadhesion of oromucosal patches and to modify drug release, as well as ways to improve local bioavailability and safety by developing unidirectional -release poly-layer patches. Various techniques for obtaining patches and their influence on the structure and properties of the resulting dosage forms are also presented.

A Review of Gum Hydrocolloid Polyelectrolyte Complexes (PEC) for Biomedical Applications: Their Properties and Drug Delivery Studies

The utilization of natural gum polysaccharides as the vehicle for drug delivery systems and other biomedical applications has increased in recent decades. Their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and price are much cheaper than other materials. It is also renewable and available in massive amounts, which are the main reasons for its use in pharmaceutical applications. Gum can be easily functionalized with other natural polymers to enhance their applications. Various aspects of the utilization of natural gums in the forms of polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) for drug delivery systems are discussed in this review. The application of different mathematical models were used to represent the drug release mechanisms from PECs; these models include a zero-order equation, first-order equation, Higuchi, simplified Higuchi, Korsmeyer–Peppas, and Peppas–Sahlin.

Supramolecular aggregates of cyclodextrins with co-solvent modulate drug dispersion and release behavior of poorly soluble corticosteroid from chitosan membranes

In this study, the ability of different beta-cyclodextrins to facilitate homogeneous dispersion of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) into chitosan membranes is assessed. Drug loading was assessed through atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (MEV-FEG), and X-ray diffraction analyses. Drug interactions with the co-polymer were investigated with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal analyses. Swelling assay, and in vitro drug release experiment were used to assess TA release behavior. Undispersed particles of drug were observed to remain in the simple chitosan membranes. Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin enabled the dispersion of TA into chitosan membranes and subsequent sustained drug release. In addition, the membrane performance as a drug delivery device is improved by adding specified amounts of the co-solvent triethanolamine. The experimental data presented in this study confirm the utility of our novel and alternative approach for obtaining a promising device for slow and controlled release of glucocorticoids, such as triamcinolone acetonide, for topical ulcerations.