Nanoethosomes for transdermal delivery of tropisetron HCl: multi-factorial predictive modeling, characterization, and ex vivo skin permeation

Formulation and statistical optimization of letrozole loaded nanotransferosomal gel for tumor targeting

Letrozole (LTZ) is used as first-line treatment for hormone-positive breast cancer (BC) in postmenopausal women. However, its poor aqueous solubility and permeability have reduced its clinical efficacy. Herein, we developed LTZ-nanotransferosomes (LTZ-NT) to address above mentioned issues. The LTZ-NT were optimized statistically using Design Expert® followed by their characterization via dynamic light scattering (DLS), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The optimized LTZ-NT was incorporated into 1% chitosan-gel to develop LTZ-NTG. Moreover, in vitro drug release and ex vivo permeation of LTZ-NTG were performed and compared with LTZ-dispersion and LTZ-NT. Additionally, skin irritability and histopathology of LTZ-NTG were investigated. Furthermore, in vitro antitumor study of LTZ-NTG was investigated in BC cell lines. The optimized LTZ-NT showed suitable zeta potential (30.4 mV), spherical size (162.5 nm), and excellent entrapment efficiency (88.04%). Moreover, LTZ-NT exhibited suitable thermal behavior and no interactions among its excipients. In addition, LTZ-NTG had an optimal pH (5.6) and a suitable viscosity. A meaningfully sustained release and improved permeation of LTZ was observed from LTZ-NTG. Additionally, LTZ-NTG showed significantly enhanced cell death of MCF-7 and MCC-7 cells. It can be concluded that LTZ-NTG has the potential to deliver chemotherapeutic agents for possible treatment of BC.

Ethosomes as a carrier for transdermal drug delivery system: methodology and recent developments

Transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) have received significant attention in recent years. TDDS are flexible systems that transport active components to the skin for either localized or systemic delivery of drugs through the skin. Among the three main layers of skin, the outermost layer, called the stratum corneum (SC), prevents the entry of water-loving bacteria and drugs with a high molecular weight. The challenge lies in successfully delivering drugs through the skin, which crosses the stratum corneum. The popularity of lipid-based vesicular delivery systems has increased in recent years due to their ability to deliver both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. Ethosomes are specialized vesicles made of phospholipids that can store large amounts of ethanol. Ethosome structure and substance promote skin permeability and bioavailability. This article covers ethosome compositions, types, medication delivery techniques, stability, and safety. In addition to this, an in-depth analysis of the employment of ethosomes in drug delivery applications for a wide range of diseases has also been discussed. This review article highlights different aspects of ethosomes, such as their synthesis, characterization, marketed formulation, recent advancements in TDDS, and applications.

Nitazoxanide and quercetin co-loaded nanotransfersomal gel for topical treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis with macrophage targeting and enhanced anti-leishmanial effect

Purpose

Anti-leishmanial medications administered by oral and parenteral routes are less effective for treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and cause toxicity, hence targeted drug delivery is an efficient way to improve drug availability for CL with reduced toxicity. This study aimed to develop, characterize and evaluate nitazoxanide and quercetin co-loaded nanotransfersomal gel (NTZ-QUR-NTG) for the treatment of CL.

Methods

NTZ-QUR-NT were prepared by thin film hydration method and were statistically optimized using Box-Behnken design. To ease the topical delivery and enhance the retention time, the NTZ-QUR-NT were dispersed in 2 % chitosan gel. Moreover, in-vitro drug release, ex-vivo permeation, macrophage uptake, cytotoxicity and anti-leishmanial assays were performed.

Results

The optimized formulation indicated mean particle size 210 nm, poly dispersity index (PDI) 0.16, zeta potential (ZP) -15.1 mV and entrapment efficiency (EE) of NTZ and QUR was 88 % and 85 %, respectively. NTZ-QUR-NT and NTZ-QUR-NTG showed sustained release of the incorporated drugs as compared to the drug dispersions. Skin permeation of NTZ and QUR in NTZ-QUR-NTG was 4 times higher in comparison to the plain gels. The NTZ-QUR-NT cell internalization was almost 10-folds higher than NTZ-QUR dispersion. The cytotoxicity potential (CC50) of NTZ-QUR-NT (71.95 ± 3.32 μg/mL) was reduced as compared to NTZ-QUR dispersion (49.77 ± 2.15 μg/mL. A synergistic interaction was found between NTZ and QUR. Moreover, in-vitro anti-leishmanial assay presented a lower IC50 value of NTZ-QUR-NT as compared to NTZ-QUR dispersion. Additionally, a significantly reduced lesion size was observed in NTZ-QUR-NTG treated BALB/c mice, indicating its antileishmanial potential.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that nanotransfersomal gel has the capability to retain and permeate the incorporated drugs through stratum corneum and induce synergetic anti-leishmanial effect of NTZ and QUR against cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Glycerospanlastics: State-of-the-art two-in-one nano-vesicles for boosting ear drug delivery in otitis media treatment

The purpose of this research was to design innovative nanovesicles for ototopical conveyance of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) for otitis media (OM) treatment via incorporating glycerol into nanospanlastics to be termed "Glycerospanlastics". The glycerospanlastics were formulated employing ethanol injection procedure, and central composite design (CCD) was harnessed for optimization of the vesicles. Various attributes of the nanovesicles, viz. particle size distribution, surface charge, TA entrapment efficiency, morphology as well as ex-vivo permeation across the tympanic membrane (TM) were characterized. In vivo implementation of the optimized glycerospanlastics loaded with TA was appraised in OM-induced rats via histopathological and biochemical measurements of the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels in ear homogenates. The safety and tolerability of optimized TA glycerospanlastics was also investigated in non-OM induced animals. The results demonstrated that the optimized TA-glycerospanlastics were in a nanometer range (around 200 nm) with negative charges, high TA entrapment (>85%), good storage properties and better TM permeation relative to TA suspension. More importantly, TA-glycerospanlastics performed better than marketed drug suspension in OM treatment as manifested by restoration of histopathological alterations in TM and lowered values of IL-1β and TNF-α. Glycerospanlastics could be promising safe ototopical nanoplatforms for OM treatment and other middle ear disorders.

Budesonide-Loaded Bilosomes as a Targeted Delivery Therapeutic Approach Against Acute Lung Injury in Rats

Budesonide (BUD), a glucocorticoids drug, inhibits all steps in the inflammatory response. It can reduce and treat inflammation and other symptoms associated with acute lung injury such as COVID-19. Loading BUD into bilosomes could boost its therapeutic activity, and lessen its frequent administration and side effects. Different bilosomal formulations were prepared where the independent variables were lipid type (Cholesterol, Phospholipon 80H, L-alpha phosphatidylcholine, and Lipoid S45), bile salt type (Na cholate and Na deoxycholate), and drug concentration (10, 20 mg). The measured responses were: vesicle size, entrapment efficiency, and release efficiency. One optimum formulation (composed of cholesterol, Na cholate, and 10 mg of BUD) was selected and investigated for its anti-inflammatory efficacy in vivo using Wistar albino male rats. Randomly allocated rats were distributed into four groups: The first: normal control group and received intranasal saline, the second one acted as the acute lung injury model received intranasal single dose of 2 mg/kg potassium dichromate (PD). Whereas the third and fourth groups received the market product (Pulmicort® nebulising suspension 0.5 mg/ml) and the optimized formulation (0.5 mg/kg; intranasal) for 7 days after PD instillation, respectively. Results showed that the optimized formulation decreased the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, and TGF-β contents as well as reduced PKC content in lung. These findings suggest the potentiality of BUD-loaded bilosomes for the treatment of acute lung injury with the ability of inhibiting the pro-inflammatory cytokines induced COVID-19.

Ethyl lauroyl arginate-based hydrophobic ion pair complex in lipid nanocapsules: A novel oral delivery approach of rosmarinic acid for enhanced permeability and bioavailability

Limited oral bioavailability due to high hydrophilicity restricts the beneficial use of Rosmaranic acid (RM) that is characterized by many biological and pharmacological effects. The present work was addressed to extract RM from Rosmarinus officinalis L. leaves and then increase its lipophilicity and permeability through the application of hydrophobic ion pair (HIP) approach using ethyl lauroyl arginate (ELA) as a novel counter-ion. Different RM:ELA ratios were screened to optimize HIP formation process. The encapsulation of the optimized HIP into lipid nanocapsules (LNCs) was then achieved to facilitate oral administration. The results of % transmittance, % complexation efficiency (87.32 ± 0.19%) and partition coefficient revealed the successful formation of the HIP complex occurred at RM:ELA molar ratio of 1:2. The formed HIP was successfully loaded into spherical small sized (39.32 ± 0.18 nm) LNCs. The ex vivo permeability studies across porcine intestine showed that the cumulative RM amount permeated/area after 6 h from HIP and LNCs were 3.79 ± 0.57 and 5.71 ± 0.32 µg/cm², respectively. Pharmacokinetic study results showed that the maximum RM concentrations in plasma (C_max) can be arranged in a descending manner as follows; 61.33 ± 8.89 < 42.13 ± 11.22 < 20.96 ± 3.12 ng/ml attained after 4.80, 8.00 and 10.40 h in case of LNC, HIP and solution, respectively. Moreover, the HIP and LNC formulae showed higher total drug amounts in plasma reaching 1.46 and 1.88-fold relative to RM solution, respectively. In conclusion, the HIP complex and HIP loaded LNCs prosper in enhancing the permeability and absorption of the low permeable drugs.

Glycerosomal thermosensitive in situ gel of duloxetine HCl as a novel nanoplatform for rectal delivery: in vitro optimization and in vivo appraisal

Duloxetine HCl (DXH) is a reuptake inhibitor of serotonin and norepinephrine used to treat the major depressive disorder. Following its extensive hepatic metabolism, acid-labile nature, and limited aqueous solubility, DXH has poor oral bioavailability (40%). The rectal route has been suggested as another route of administration to surmount such challenges. The present study aimed to prepare DXH-loaded glycerosomal (DXH-GLYS) in situ gel for rectal administration to increase DXH permeability and improve its bioavailability. Box-Behnken design (BBD) was adopted to prepare and optimize nanoglycerosomes. The impact of Phospholipon 90G (PL90G), Tween 80 concentrations, and glycerol percentage on encapsulation efficiency, nanoglycerosomal size, % cumulative DXH released, and the cumulative DXH permeated per unit area after 24 h were studied by the design. The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic behavior of optimized formulation was investigated in rats. The formulated DXH-GLYS had a vesicle size ranging between 135.9 and 430.6 nm and an entrapment efficiency between 69.11 and 98.12%. The permeation experiment revealed that the optimized DXH-GLYS in situ gel increased DXH permeation by 2.62-fold compared to DXH solution. Pharmacokinetics studies disclosed that the DXH-GLYS in situ rectal gel exhibited 2.24-times increment in DXH bioavailability relative to oral DXH solution. The pharmacodynamic study revealed that the DXH-GLYS rectal treatment significantly improved the behavioral analysis parameters and was more efficacious as an antidepressant than the oral DXH solution. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that GLYS can be considered a potentially valuable rectal nanocarrier that could boost the DXH efficacy.

Design, formulation and optimization of topical ethosomes using full factorial design: in-vitro and ex-vivo characterization

The present study aimed to develop lomefloxacin-loaded ethosomal vesicles intended to be applied topically for treating skin infections. Ethosomes were prepared using the cold method. The formulation variables were optimized using 2² factorial design and Design Expert^® software for analyzing the data statistically and graphically using response surface plots. Phosphatidylcholine (X1) and ethanol (X2) were chosen as the independent variables, while the dependent variables comprised entrapment efficiency (Y1), vesicles size (Y2) and zeta potential (Y3). The optimized ethosomes were subsequently incorporated into Carbopol^® 940 gel and characterized for rheological behaviour, in-vitro release, ex-vivo skin permeation and deposition. The ex-vivo permeation and skin deposition studies showed better results compared to drug solutions. In a nutshell, the ethosomal vesicles were found to be a promising carrier demonstrating enhanced topical delivery of lomefloxacin.

Topical creams of piperine loaded lipid nanocarriers for management of atopic dermatitis: development, characterization, and in vivo investigation using BALB/c mice model

The aim of the research work was to investigate the efficacy of cream loaded with lipid nanocarriers (ethosomes) of piperine for the management of atopic dermatitis (AD) in comparison to conventional cream. Ethosomes of piperine were formulated with varying concentration of phosphatidylcholine and ethanol; and evaluated for entrapment efficiency (EE), sedimentation behaviour, vesicle size, zeta potential, in vitro drug release, and shape. Creams loaded with optimized ethosomal dispersion of piperine were formulated and evaluated for physicochemical parameters, ex vivo permeation and drug retention in skin layers. Similarly, conventional creams of piperine in the same concentrations were formulated and evaluated. The optimized ethosomal a conventional cream was evaluated for cytotoxicity using HaCat cell lines and in vivo on BALB/c mice model. The EE (%) and vesicle size was 74.30 ± 3.88% and 318.1 nm, respectively, for optimized ethosomal dispersion. The zeta potential was -32.6 mV and vesicles were spherical in shape. The ethosomal cream showed higher deposition in the epidermis and dermis. The creams were non-cytotoxic to HaCat cell lines. In comparison to the negative control, the ethosomal (0.1%) and conventional (0.125%) cream, both significantly decreased the ear and skin thickness, skin severity; and WBC, granulocytes, and IgE antibodies level in the BALB/c mice model. The efficacy of ethosomal cream was significantly higher than conventional cream as compared to tacrolimus (0.1%). Ethosomal cream of piperine showed good potential for the management of AD in comparison to conventional cream.

Rosuvastatin calcium-based novel nanocubic vesicles capped with silver nanoparticles-loaded hydrogel for wound healing management: optimization employing Box-Behnken design: in vitro and in vivo assessment

Chronic wounds are a serious problem that could cause severe morbidity and even death. The ability of statins including rosuvastatin calcium (RVS) to enhance wound healing was well reported. However, RVS is poorly soluble and has low bioavailability. Thus, this study aimed to prepare and evaluate RVS-loaded nanocubics to enhance its skin performance. In addition, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) exhibited potent antimicrobial activity, thus, the optimum RVS-loaded nanocubics was capped with AgNPs to evaluate its effect in wound management. Box-Behnken design was adopted to prepare RVS nanocubics. The design investigated the effect of lecithin, poloxamer 407 concentrations and hydration time on vesicle size, zeta potential (ZP), entrapment efficiency (EE%) and in vitro drug release%. Optimum formulation capped with AgNPs was incorporated into a gel base and examined for wound healing efficiency using different pharmacological tests in rats. Nanocubics have shown a mean diameter between 167.2 ± 7.8 and 408 ± 18.4 nm, ZP values ranging from -20.9 ± 1.9 to -53.5 ± 4 mV, EE% equivocated between 31.6 ± 1.4 and 94.4 ± 8.6 and drug release after 12 h between 17.9 ± 1.9 and 68.0 ± 4.0%. The histopathological studies and serum tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels confirmed the greater efficacy of RVS nanocubics capped with AgNPs gel in wound healing when compared with gentamicin ointment. RVS-loaded nanocubic vesicles and AgNPs-loaded hydrogel could be considered as a promising platform to enhance the wound healing and tissue repair processes.

Exploration of Nanoethosomal Transgel of Naproxen Sodium for the Treatment of Arthritis

BACKGROUND

The present work aimed to develop an ethosomal gel of naproxen sodium for the amelioration of rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE

In the present work, we have explored the potential of ethosomes to deliver naproxen into deeper skin strata. Further, the anti-inflammatory efficacy of naproxen ethosomal formulation was assessed using the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model.

METHODS

Naproxen sodium nanoethosomes were prepared using different proportions of lipoid S100 (50mg-200mg), ethanol (20-50%) and water, and were further characterized on the basis of vesicle morphology, entrapment efficiency, zeta potential, in-vitro drug release and ex-vivo permeation studies.

RESULTS

The optimized ethosomal formulation was found to have 129 ± 0.01 nm particle size, 0.295 Polydispersity Index (PDI), -3.29 mV zeta potential, 88% entrapment efficiency and 96.573% drug release in 24 hours. TEM and SEM analysis of the optimized formulation showed slightly smooth spherical structures. The Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that ethosomes could easily infiltrate into deeper dermal layers (upto 104.9μm) whereas the hydroalcoholic solution of the drug could penetrate up to 74.9μm. Further, the optimized ethosomal formulation was incorporated into 1% carbopol 934 gel base and optimized wherein the transdermal flux was found to be approximately 10 times more than the hydroethanolic solution. Also, the in-vivo pharmacodynamic study of the optimized ethosomal gel exhibited a higher percentage inhibition of swelling paw edema than marketed diclofenac gel.

CONCLUSION

The ethosomal gel was successfully developed and has shown the potential to be a good option for the replacement of conventional therapies of rheumatoid arthritis.

Compatible stability of methylprednisolone sodium succinate and tropisetron in 0.9% sodium chloride injection

Background

A combination of methylprednisolone sodium succinate and tropisetron hydrochloride is commonly used to treat the nausea and vomiting associated with antineoplastic therapy. The objective of this study was to investigate the stability of tropisetron hydrochloride and methylprednisolone sodium succinate in 0.9% sodium chloride injection for up to 48 hours.

Methods

Commercial solutions of methylprednisolone sodium succinate and tropisetron hydrochloride were obtained and further diluted with 0.9% sodium chloride injection to final concentrations of either 0.4 or 0.8 mg/mL (methylprednisolone sodium succinate) and 0.05 mg/mL (tropisetron). The admixtures were assessed for periods of up to 48 hours after storage at 4°C with protection from light and at 25°C without protection from light. Physical compatibility was determined visually, and the chemical compatibility was measured with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and by measurement of pH values.

Results

HPLC analysis demonstrated that methylprednisolone sodium succinate and tropisetron hydrochloride in the various solutions were maintained at 97% of the initial concentrations or higher during the testing period. There were no changes observed by physical precipitation or pH in any of the prepared solutions.

Conclusions

Tropisetron hydrochloride injection and methylprednisolone sodium succinate injection in 0.9% sodium chloride injection are stable for up to 48 hours at 4°C and 25°C.

Enhancement in Site-Specific Delivery of Carvacrol against Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Induced Skin Infections Using Enzyme Responsive Nanoparticles: A Proof of Concept Study

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) induced skin infections have become a challenging problem due to the escalating antibiotic resistance. Carvacrol (CAR) has been reported to be effective against MRSA. However, due to its characteristics, CAR exhibits low skin retention. In this study, CAR was formulated into site-specific nanoparticle (NPs) delivery system using poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), following incorporation into a hydrogel matrix to facilitate dermal delivery. The release study exhibited significantly higher release of CAR from PCL NPs in the presence of bacterial lipase, highlighting its potential for differential delivery. Moreover, encapsulation of CAR in PCL NPs resulted in a two-fold increase in its anti-MRSA activity. Dermatokinetic studies revealed that the NPs loaded hydrogel was able to enhance skin retention of CAR after 24 h (83.29 ± 3.15%), compared to free CAR-loaded hydrogel (0.85 ± 0.14%). Importantly, this novel approach exhibited effective antimicrobial activity in an ex-vivo skin infection model. Hence, these findings have proven the concept that the loading of CAR into a responsive NPs system can lead to sustained antimicrobial effect at the desired site, and may provide a novel effective approach for treatment of MRSA induced skin infections. However, further studies must be conducted to investigate in-vivo efficacy of the developed system in an appropriate infection model.

Triamcinolone acetonide-loaded PLA/PEG-PDL microparticles for effective intra-articular delivery: synthesis, optimization, in vitro and in vivo evaluation

Nowadays the use of sustainable polymers as poly-lactic acid (PLA) and poly-δ-decalactone (PDL) in drug delivery is advantageous compared to polymers derived from fossil fuels. The present work aimed to produce microparticles (MPs) derived from novel sustainable polymers, loaded with triamcinolone acetonide (TA) for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis via intra-articular (IA) delivery. PDL was synthesized from green δ-decalactone monomers and co-polymerized with methoxy-polyethylene glycol (mPEG) forming PEG-PDL with different molecular weights. The Hansen's solubility parameters were applied to select the most compatible polymer with the drug. An o/w emulsion/solvent evaporation technique was used for MPs fabrication, using 3 [3] full factorial design. Selection of the optimized MPs was performed using Expert Design® software's desirability function. The optimized formulations were characterized using scanning electron microscope, powder X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, infrared spectroscopy and in vitro release studies. The inhibition percents of inflammation and histopathological studies were assessed in complete Freund's adjuvant-induced rats' knee joints evaluating the effect of IA injections of selected MPs compared to the free drug suspension. Solubility studies revealed high compatibility and miscibility between TA and PEG-PDL₁₇₀₀, which was blended with PLA for convenient MPs formation. The in vitro characterization studies confirmed the formation of drug-copolymer co-crystals. The in vivo studies ensured the superiority of the newly designed composite MPs in inflammation suppression, compared to the free drug suspension and PLA MPs as well. The present study proved the advantage of using sustainable polymers in a novel combination for effective drug delivery and suggesting its usefulness in designing versatile platforms for therapeutic applications.

Factorial design based curcumin ethosomal nanocarriers for the skin cancer delivery: in vitro evaluation

Melanoma is the most deadly and life-threatening form of skin cancer with progressively higher rates of incidence worldwide. The objective of the present investigation is to develop and to statistically optimize and characterize curcumin (CUR) loaded ethosomes for treatment of melanoma. A two factor, three level (3²) factorial design approach was employed for the optimization of ethosomes. The prepared ethosomes were evaluated for size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, in vitro skin permeation and deposition ability. The optimized ethosomal formulation was evaluated for in vitro cytotoxicity and cellular uptake studies using A375 human melanoma cells. The optimized formulation has imperfect round shaped unilamellar structures with a mean vesicle size of 247 ± 5.25 nm and an entrapment efficiency of 92.24 ± 0.20%. The in vitro skin permeation studies proved the superiority of ethosomes over the traditional liposomes in terms of the amount of drug permeated and deposited in skin layers. Fluorescence microscopy showed the enhanced penetration of ethosomes into the deeper layers of the skin. In vitro cytotoxicity and cellular uptake studies revealed that curcumin ethosomes have significantly improved cytotoxicity and cellular uptake in A375 human melanoma cell lines. The colony formation assay results showed that curcumin ethosomes have a superior antiproliferative effect as they effectively inhibit the clonogenic ability of A375 cells. The flow cytometry results indicate that curcumin ethosomes induce cell death in A375 cells by apoptosis mechanism. The present study provides a strong rationale and motivation for further investigation of newly developed curcumin ethosomes as a potential therapeutic strategy for melanoma treatment.

Development of novel pH-sensitive nanoparticles loaded hydrogel for transdermal drug delivery

OBJECTIVE

Difference of pH that exists between the skin surface and blood circulation can be exploited for transdermal delivery of drug molecules by loading drug into pH-sensitive polymer. Eudragit S100 (ES100), a pH-sensitive polymer having dissolution profile above pH 7.4, is used in oral, ocular, vaginal and topical delivery of drug molecules. However, pH-sensitive potential of this polymer has not been explored for transdermal delivery. The aim of this research work was to exploit the pH-sensitive potential of ES100 as a nanocarrier for transdermal delivery of model drug, that is, Piroxicam.

METHODS

Simple nanoprecipitation technique was employed to prepare the nanoparticles and response surface quadratic model was applied to get an optimized formulation. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized and loaded into Carbopol 934 based hydrogel. In vitro release, ex vivo permeation and accelerated stability studies were carried out on the prepared formulation.

RESULTS

Particles with an average size of 25-40 nm were obtained with an encapsulation efficiency of 88%. Release studies revealed that nanoparticles remained stable at acidic pH while sustained release with no initial burst effect was observed at pH 7.4 from the hydrogel. Permeation of these nanocarriers from hydrogel matrix showed significant permeation of Piroxicam through mice skin.

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that ES100 based pH-sensitive nanoparticles have potential to be delivered through transdermal route.

Microneedle-Assisted Percutaneous Delivery of Paeoniflorin-Loaded Ethosomes

Paeoniflorin, the main component of total glucosides of paeony (TGP), shows good therapeutic effects in arthritis, but has low bioavailability when administered orally. Avoiding such a deficiency for topical administration would expand its clinical application. This study aimed to avoid these limitations by using nanotechnology (ethosomes) and a physical approach (microneedles). Paeoniflorin-loaded ethosomal formulation (TGP-E) was optimized and evaluated in terms of entrapment efficiency (EE), particle size (PS), zeta potential (ZP), polydispersity index (PDI) and morphology. TGP-E was prepared by the hot injection method and optimized by single-factor tests and an orthogonal experimental design. The optimized paeoniflorin-loaded ethosomes had EE of 27.82 ± 1.56%, PS of 137.9 ± 7.57 nm with PDI of 0.120 ± 0.005, ZP of −0.74 ± 0.43 mV. Ethosomes showed a nearly spherical shape under the transmission electron microscope (TEM). The optimal microneedle-assisted (MN-assisted) conditions were obtained at a microneedle length of 500 μm, a pressure of 3 N and an action time of 3 min. The cumulative penetration amounts (Q_n) of TGP solution transdermal (ST) and MN-assisted TGP solution transdermal (MST) were 24.42 ± 8.35 μg/cm² and 548.11 ± 10.49 μg/cm², respectively. Q_n of TGP-E transdermal (PT) and MN-assisted TGP-E transdermal (MPT) were 54.97 ± 4.72 μg/cm² and 307.17 ± 26.36 μg/cm², respectively. These findings indicate that use of ethosomes and microneedles can both enhance the penetration ofpaeoniflorin, but for the water-soluble drug, there is no obvious synergism between nanotechnology and microneedles for enhancing penetration in a transdermal drug delivery system.

Paeonol-Loaded Ethosomes as Transdermal Delivery Carriers: Design, Preparation and Evaluation

Paeonol exhibits a wide range of pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic as well as pain-relieving activities. However, its intrinsic properties, such as low water solubility, poor stability and low oral bioavailability, restrict its clinical application. The current study aimed to optimize paeonol-loaded ethosomal formulation and characterize it in terms of encapsulation efficiency (EE), vesicle size (VS), zeta potential (ZP) and polydispersity index (PDI), in addition to differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) studies. Here, paeonol-loaded ethosomes were prepared by the injection method and optimized by the single-factor test and central composite design-response surface methodology. The optimized paeonol-loaded ethosomes had an EE of 84.33 ± 1.34%, VS of 120.2 ± 1.3 nm, negative charge of −16.8 ± 0.36 mV, and PDI of 0.131 ± 0.006. Ethosomes showed a spherical morphology under the transmission electron microscope (TEM). DSC, XRD and FT-IR results indicated that paeonol was successfully incorporated into the ethosomes. In-vitro transdermal absorption and skin retention of paeonol from paeonol-loaded ethosomes were 138.58 ± 9.60 µg/cm² and 52.60 ± 7.90 µg/cm², respectively. With reasonable skin tolerance, ethosomes could be a promising vehicle for transdermal delivery of paeonol.

Stealth lipid polymer hybrid nanoparticles loaded with rutin for effective brain delivery - comparative study with the gold standard (Tween 80): optimization, characterization and biodistribution

The blood–brain barrier is considered the leading physiological obstacle hindering the transport of neurotherapeutics to brain cells. The application of nanotechnology coupled with surfactant coating is one of the efficacious tactics overcoming this barrier. The aim of this study was to develop lipid polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPHNPs), composed of a polymeric core and a phospholipid shell entangled, for the first time, with PEG-based surfactants (SAA) viz. TPGS or Solutol HS 15 in comparison with the gold standard Tween 80, aiming to enhance brain delivery and escape opsonization. LPHNPs were successfully prepared using modified single-step nanoprecipitation technique, loaded with the flavonoid rutin (RU), extracted from the flowers of Calendula officinalis L., and recently proved as a promising anti-Alzheimer. The effect of the critical process parameters (CPP) viz. PLGA amount, W_lecithin/W_PLGA ratio, and Tween 80 concentration on critical quality attributes (CQA); entrapment, size and size distribution, was statistically analyzed via design of experiments, and optimized using the desirability function. The optimized CPP were maintained while substituting Tween 80 with other PEG-SAA. All hybrid particles exhibited spherical shape with perceptible lipid shells. The biocompatibility of the prepared NPs was confirmed by hemolysis test. The pharmacokinetic assessments, post-intravenous administration to rats, revealed a significant higher RU bioavailability for NPs relative to drug solution. Biodistribution studies proved non-significant differences in RU accumulation within brain, but altered phagocytic uptake among various LPHNPs. The present study endorses the successful development of LPHNPs using PEG-SAA, and confirms the prospective applicability of TPGS and Solutol in enhancing brain delivery.

Process optimization of spray-dried fanhuncaoin powder for pulmonary drug delivery and its pharmacokinetic evaluation in rats

The optimization of process parameters of spray-dried powder containing fanhuncaoin, a newly discovered anti-inflammatorily active phenolic acid isolated from Chinese herb, was conducted using response surface methodology (RSM). The experimental results were fitted into partial cubic polynomial model to describe and predict the response quality in terms of the final angle of repose, aerodynamic diameter, respirable fraction (RF), and yield. The recommended optimum spray-drying parameters for the development of fanhuncaoin powder with optimum quality were 110 °C inlet temperature, 0.50 m³/min aspiration speed, and 7.95 ml/min feed flow rate. The obtained optimum process parameters were employed for the production of spray-dried fanhuncaoin powder and to check the validity of the partial cubic model. Small and insignificant deviations were found between the predicted values and the experimental ones, showing the efficiency of the model in predicting the quality attributes of fanhuncaoin powder. The optimized powder was further examined for its pharmacokinetic properties in rats. A UPLC/MS assay was used to determine plasma fanhuncaoin concentration. Statistical analysis demonstrated that there was no significant difference in the t_1/2 and dose-normalized C_max and AUC as well as other pharmacokinetic parameters between the groups dosed differently following intratracheal administration (p > .05), indicating that fanhuncaoin followed linear kinetics. The pharmacokinetic parameters of fanhuncaoin after intratracheal administration differed significantly from the ones observed after intravenous administration (p < .05). The lower values of C_max and AUC_(0-∞) obtained following intratracheal administration may lead to effective drug concentrations at the target site with minimal systemic bioavailability and side effects.

Transdermal delivery of raloxifene HCl via ethosomal system: Formulation, advanced characterizations and pharmacokinetic evaluation

Raloxifene HCl belongs to a class of selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) which is used for the management of breast cancer. The major problem reported with raloxifene is its poor bioavailability which is only up to 2%. The main objective of the present work was to formulate raloxifene loaded ethosomal preparation for transdermal application and compare it with an oral formulation of the drug. Five ethosomal formulations with different concentrations of ethanol and a conventional liposomes formulation were prepared by rotary evaporation method. The prepared systems were characterised by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), force emission electron microscopy (FESEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and ³¹P NMR study. All these advanced characterization study established that the ethosome formulation was well defined by its size, shape and its bilayer formation. Transdermal flux of the optimized ethosome formulation was 22.14 ± 0.83 µg/ml/cm² which was 21 times higher when compared to the conventional liposomes. Confocal microscopy study revealed an enhanced permeation of coumarin-6 dye loaded ethosomes to much deeper layers of skin when compared with conventional liposomes. The gel was found to be pseudoplastic with elastic behaviour. In-vivo studies on rats showed a higher bioavailability of RXL (157% times) for ethosomal formulation when compared with the oral formulation. In conclusion, RXL loaded ethosomal formulation via transdermal route showed superior drug delivery properties as compared to oral formulation.