Development of Budesonide Loaded Biopolymer Based Dry Powder Inhaler: Optimization, In Vitro Deposition, and Cytotoxicity Study

The progress in the development of DPI technology has boosted the use of sensitive drug molecules for lung diseases. However, delivery of these molecules from conventional DPI to the active site still poses a challenge with respect to deposition efficiency in the lung. At same time, serious systemic side effects of drugs have become a cause for concern. The developed budesonide loaded biopolymer based controlled release DPI had shown maximum in vitro lung deposition with least toxicity. The subject of present study, lactose-free budesonide loaded biopolymer based DPI, further corroborates the great potential of antiasthmatic drugs. This technology is expected to revolutionize the approaches towards enhanced therapeutic delivery of prospective drugs.

A molecular zipping/unzipping nano-vehicles sensitive to tumor extracellular pH

A new class of pH- responsive multivalent host–guest interactions to manipulate polypeptide-based nano-vehicles was developed. Poly(l-lysine) (poly(Lys)) grafted with β-cyclodextrin and 2,3-dimethylmaleic acid was coupled with oleic acid. This new polymer was utilized to fabricate pH-responsive nano-vehicles for antitumor drug doxorubicin delivery. The host–guest (zipping) interaction between β-cyclodextrin and 2,3-dimethylmaleic acid moieties and the hydrophobic interaction between the oleic acid molecules contributed to form self-assembled nano-vehicles. 2,3-Dimethylmaleic acid moieties were highly degradable at a slightly acidic pH (~pH 6.8). These nano-vehicles increased the release of the encapsulated doxorubicin content (by the unzipping interaction between β-cyclodextrin and degraded 2,3-dimethylmaleic acid moieties) when the pH of the solution decreased to 6.8. This event caused a significant increase in the efficiency of cellular doxorubicin uptake and in vitro tumor inhibition.