In-vitro and in-vivo studies of pectin/ethylcellulosefilm-coated pellets of 5-fluorouracil for colonic targeting

Polysaccharide-based drug delivery targeted approach for colon cancer treatment: A comprehensive review

Colon cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide, necessitating advancements in therapeutic strategies to improve outcomes. Current treatment modalities, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, are limited by systemic toxicity, low drug utilization rates, and off-target effects. Colon-targeted drug delivery systems (CDDS) offer a promising alternative by leveraging the colon's unique physiology, such as near-neutral pH and extended transit time, to achieve localized and controlled drug release. Polysaccharide-based CDDS, utilizing natural polymers like chitosan, cyclodextrin, pectin, guar gum, alginate, hyaluronic acid, dextran, chondroitin sulfate, and inulin, have emerged as innovative approaches for improving the specificity and efficacy of colon cancer treatments. These biocompatible and biodegradable polymers enable site-specific drug delivery, enhance tumor apoptosis, reduce systemic side effects, and improve patient compliance. This review evaluates recent advancements in polysaccharide-based CDDS, detailing their drug release mechanisms, therapeutic potential, and challenges in overcoming gastrointestinal transit and pH variability. Studies highlight the successful formulation of nanoparticles, microspheres, and other delivery systems, demonstrating targeted drug delivery, improved bioavailability, and enhanced cytotoxicity against colon cancer cells in-vitro and in-vivo. The review underscores the need for continued research on polysaccharide-based CDDS for colon cancer treatment, offering a path toward more effective, patient-centered oncological care.

Carbohydrate Polymer-Based Targeted Pharmaceutical Formulations for Colorectal Cancer: Systematic Review of the Literature

Colon cancer is the third most diagnosed cancer worldwide, followed by lung and breast cancer. Conventional treatment methods are associated with numerous side effects and compliance issues. Thus, colon targeted drug delivery has gained much attention due to its evident advantages. Although many technologies have been explored, the use of pH-sensitive polymers, especially biodegradable polymers, holds exceptional promise. This review aims to collate research articles concerning recent advances in this area. A systematic search using multiple databases (Google Scholar, EMBASE, PubMed, MEDLINE and Scopus) was carried out following the preferred reported items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines with an aim to explore the use of pH-sensitive carbohydrate polymers in developing colon targeted pharmaceutical formulations. Following screening and quality assessment for eligibility, 42 studies were included, exploring either single or a combination of carbohydrate polymers to develop targeted formulations for colon cancer therapy. Pectin (11) is the most widely used of these biopolymers, followed by chitosan (09), alginate (09) and guar gum (08). This systematic review has successfully gathered experimental evidence highlighting the importance of employing carbohydrate polymers in developing targeting formulations to manage colon cancer.

Recent progress in preparation and agricultural application of microcapsules

Recent advances in life science technology have prompted the need to develop microcapsule delivery systems that can encapsulate many different functional or active materials such as drugs, peptides, and live cells, etc. The encapsulation technology is now commonly used in medicine, agriculture, food, and other many fields. The application of biodegradable microcapsule systems can not only effectively prevent the degradation of core materials in the body or the biological environment, but also improve the bioavailability, control the release and prolong the halftime or storage of core active materials. Various wall materials, preparation methods, encapsulation processes, and release mechanisms are covered in this review, as well as several main factors including pH values, temperatures, particle sizes, and additives, which can strongly influence the encapsulation efficiency, the strength, and release of microcapsules. The improvement of coating materials, preparation techniques, and challenges are also highlighted, as well as application prospects.

Insight to drug delivery aspects for colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer diagnosed worldwide in human beings. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapies are the conventional four approaches which are currently used for the treatment of CRC. The site specific delivery of chemotherapeutics to their site of action would increase effectiveness with reducing side effects. Targeted oral drug delivery systems based on polysaccharides are being investigated to target and deliver chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive agents directly to colon and rectum. Site-specific drug delivery to colon increases its concentration at the target site, and thus requires a lower dose and hence abridged side effects. Some novel therapies are also briefly discussed in article such as receptor (epidermal growth factor receptor, folate receptor, wheat germ agglutinin, VEGF receptor, hyaluronic acid receptor) based targeting therapy; colon targeted proapoptotic anticancer drug delivery system, gene therapy. Even though good treatment options are available for CRC, the ultimate therapeutic approach is to avert the incidence of CRC. It was also found that CRCs could be prevented by diet and nutrition such as calcium, vitamin D, curcumin, quercetin and fish oil supplements. Immunotherapy and vaccination are used nowadays which are showing better results against CRC.

Supramolecular Complexation of Carbohydrates for the Bioavailability Enhancement of Poorly Soluble Drugs

In this review, a comprehensive overview of advances in the supramolecular complexes of carbohydrates and poorly soluble drugs is presented. Through the complexation process, poorly soluble drugs could be efficiently delivered to their desired destinations. Carbohydrates, the most abundant biomolecules, have diverse physicochemical properties owing to their inherent three-dimensional structures, hydrogen bonding, and molecular recognition abilities. In this regard, oligosaccharides and their derivatives have been utilized for the bioavailability enhancement of hydrophobic drugs via increasing the solubility or stability. By extension, polysaccharides and their derivatives can form self-assembled architectures with poorly soluble drugs and have shown increased bioavailability in terms of the sustained or controlled drug release. These supramolecular systems using carbohydrate will be developed consistently in the field of pharmaceutical and medical application.

Chitosan as a pore former in coated beads for colon specific drug delivery of 5-ASA

A multiparticulate product for colon-specific delivery of a small molecule drug has been developed and characterized. Microcrystalline cellulose core beads containing 5-aminosalicylic acid produced by extrusion-spheronization were coated with chitosan and Aquacoat(®) ECD mixtures according to a factorial design. Coated beads were characterized in terms of drug release, shape, and friability. The optimum formulation was enteric coated and exposed to media simulating conditions in the stomach, small intestine, and colon. Release studies in simulated intestinal fluid revealed that the drug release rate from the coated beads, which were spherical and rugged, depended on the level of chitosan in the coat and the coat thickness. Enlarged pores observed on the surface of the coated beads exposed to the medium containing rat cecal and colonic enzymes are believed to have caused a significant enhancement of the drug release rate compared to the control exposed only to simulated gastric and intestinal fluids. The release mechanisms involved polymer relaxation and dissolved drug diffusion for simulated intestinal fluid and simulated colonic fluid, respectively. From the facilitated drug release in a colonic environment and the inhibition of drug release under gastric and intestinal conditions, it can be concluded that this multiparticulate system demonstrates the potential for colon-specific drug delivery.

Strategies of targeting oral drug delivery systems to the colon and their potential use for the treatment of colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cause of cancer-related death in both men and women. Often, surgical intervention remains the choice in treating CRC. Traditional dosage forms used for treating CRC deliver drug to wanted as well as unwanted sites of drug action resulting in several adverse side effects. Targeted oral drug delivery systems are being investigated to target and deliver chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive agents directly to colon and rectum. Site-specific delivery of a drug to colon increases its concentration at the target site, and thus requires a lower dose with reduced incidence of side effects. The major obstacle to be overcome for successful targeting of drug to colon through oral route is that drug absorption/degradation must be avoided in stomach and small intestine before the dosage form reaches colon. The review includes discussion of physiological factors that must be considered when targeting drugs directly to colorectal region, an outline on drugs used for treatment and prevention of CRC, and a brief description of various types of colon-targeted oral drug delivery systems. The focus is on the assessment of various formulation approaches being investigated for oral colon-specific delivery of drugs used in the treatment and prevention of CRC.

Polymers for colon targeted drug delivery

The colon targeted drug delivery has a number of important implications in the field of pharmacotherapy. Oral colon targeted drug delivery systems have recently gained importance for delivering a variety of therapeutic agents for both local and systemic administration. Targeting of drugs to the colon via oral administration protect the drug from degradation or release in the stomach and small intestine. It also ensures abrupt or controlled release of the drug in the proximal colon. Various drug delivery systems have been designed that deliver the drug quantitatively to the colon and then trigger the release of drug. This review will cover different types of polymers which can be used in formulation of colon targeted drug delivery systems.

Application of pectin in oral drug delivery

INTRODUCTION

Biopolymers have been used extensively in the pharmaceutical field. Pectin, a biopolymer, has several unique properties that enable it to be used as an excipient or carrier for oral drug delivery systems. Accordingly, several investigators have identified the benefits of pectin-based delivery systems for oral drug administration.

AREAS COVERED

This review first describes the chemical structure, source and production, degree of esterification and gel formation properties of pectin. The application of pectin in various oral drug delivery platforms is also discussed, that is, controlled release systems, gastro-retentive systems, colon-specific delivery systems and mucoadhesive delivery systems.

EXPERT OPINION

Pectin from different sources provides different gelling abilities, due to variations in molecular size and chemical composition. Like other natural polymers, a major problem with pectin is inconsistency in reproducibility between samples, which may result in poor reproducibility in delivery characteristics. Scintigraphic studies and in vivo studies, in both animals and human volunteers, demonstrate the successful development of a pectin-based colon-specific drug delivery system. Pectin-based controlled release systems, gastro-retentive systems and mucoadhesive systems present promising approaches for increasing the bioavailability of drugs, but are in their infancy. A lack of direct correlation between in vitro release and in vivo absorption studies is a major concern with these systems.

Design and optimization of colon-targeted system of theophylline for chronotherapy of nocturnal asthma

The objective of the present work was to develop a delayed-onset controlled-release colon-targeted system of theophylline, and to achieve the chronotherapy of nocturnal asthma. The formulation consisted of a core tablet containing hydroxypropyl methylcellulose used for achieving controlled release of drug, and a Eudragit S100:ethyl cellulose (EC) coating capable of delaying the drug release. The system was optimized using a 3(2) full factorial design, wherein two factors [ratio of Eudragit S100:EC and the coating level (% w/w)] were evaluated for lag time, t(50) and t(80) . The optimum formulation consisted of Eudragit S100:EC in a 60:40 ratio and a coating level of 7.5% (w/w). Results showed that the tablets prepared according to the optimized values released no drug in the upper part of gastrointestinal tract; drug release was initiated at pH 6.4 (colon) after a lag time of 5 h. In vivo evaluation (pharmacokinetic studies and roentgenography) in rabbits revealed that the tablet remained intact until it reaches the colon and the drug release was initiated after a lag time of 5 h. Thus, it can be concluded that the developed system exhibited a promising colonic targeting and hence may be used for chronotherapy of nocturnal asthma.

Formulation and development of release modulated colon targeted system of meloxicam for potential application in the prophylaxis of colorectal cancer

The objective of the present study was to develop a colon targeted system of meloxicam for potential application in the prophylaxis of colorectal cancer. Efficacy of selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors has been proven in colorectal cancer. Meloxicam is a selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor with pH-dependent solubility. To achieve pH-independent drug release of meloxicam, pH modifying agents (buffering agents) were used. Meloxicam tablets containing polyethylene oxide were dually coated with ethyl cellulose containing hydrophilic material, polyethylene glycol as an inner coating layer and methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, and methacrylic acid copolymer (Eudragit® FS 30D) as outer coating layer for colon targeting. Optimized tablet formulations demonstrated good potential to deliver the drug to the colon by successfully exhibiting a lag time of 5 h during in vitro drug release study. An in vivo evaluation study conducted to ascertain pharmacokinetic parameters in rabbits revealed that the onset of drug absorption from the coated tablets (T(lag time) = 4.67 ± 0.58 h) was significantly delayed compared to that from the uncoated tablets. The AUC(0→)(t) and AUC(0→∞) for coated tablets were lower than of uncoated tablets, although the difference was not significant (p > 0.01). The roentgenography study revealed that the tablet remained intact, until it reached the colon (5 h), which demonstrates that the system can efficiently deliver the drug to the colon. This study demonstrated that a meloxicam-loaded colon targeted system exhibited promising targeting and hence may be used for prophylaxis of colorectal cancer.

Enzymatically degraded Eurylon 6 HP-PG: ethylcellulose film coatings for colon targeting in inflammatory bowel disease patients

Objectives

Film coatings based on blends of Eurylon 6 HP-PG (a hydroxypropylated and pregelatinized high amylose starch) and ethylcellulose were to be evaluated as promising coating materials for site-specific drug delivery to the colon of patients suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases.

Methods

Pellet starter cores containing 60% 5-aminosalicylic acid were prepared by extrusion/spheronization and coated with different Eurylon 6 HP-PG : ethylcellulose blends at various coating levels. Drug release was measured in media simulating the contents of the upper gastrointestinal tract (in the presence and absence of enzymes) as well as in media simulating the contents of the colon.

Key findings

5-Aminosalicylic acid release could effectively be suppressed in 0.1 N HCl and phosphate buffer pH 6.8, optionally containing pepsin or pancreatin, but occurred as soon as the pellets came into contact with culture medium inoculated with faecal samples from inflammatory bowel disease patients. This can be attributed to the partial degradation of the starch derivative by enzymes secreted by bacteria present in the colon of these patients.

Conclusions

The presented drug delivery system is adapted to the pathophysiological conditions in inflammatory bowel disease patients. Furthermore, drug release remained unaltered upon 1 year open storage.

Pectin/Kollicoat SR30D isolated films for colonic delivery [I]: a comparison of normal and colitis-induced models to assess the efficiency of microbially triggered drug delivery

Objectives

The purpose of the study was to evaluate digestion of pectin/Kollicoat SR30D free films for colonic delivery in vitro and in vivo.

Methods

Free films containing different ratios of pectin to Kollicoat SR30D were prepared by casting/solvent evaporation method. An in-vitro comparison of swelling, degradation and permeability of the free films was carried out in simulated colon fluids containing caecal contents from normal rats with colitis induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) or oxazolone. A comparative in-vivo evaluation of degradation was also conducted in normal and colitis-induced model rats.

Key findings

The pectin within the mixed films was susceptible to rat colonic bacterial enzymes. The extent of digestion correlated with the amount of pectin present within the film. In vitro, the swelling index, drug permeability and extent of film digestion in simulated colon fluids with caecal contents obtained from normal rats were higher than from TNBS- or oxazolone-induced model rats, whereas in-vivo degradation was similar in the three groups of rats. The pectin/Kollicoat SR30D free films were completely degraded in the colitis-induced rats.

Conclusions

Pectic/Kollicoat SR30D films may be useful as coatings to target delivery of drugs to the colon.