Floating Controlled Drug Delivery System of Famotidine Loaded Hollow Microspheres (Microballoons) in the Stomach

Expedition of Eudragit® Polymers in the Development of Novel Drug Delivery Systems

Eudragit® polymer has been widely used in film-coating for enhancing the quality of products over other materials (e.g., shellac or sugar). Eudragit® polymers are obtained synthetically from the esters of acrylic and methacrylic acid. For the last few years, they have shown immense potential in the formulations of conventional, pH-triggered, and novel drug delivery systems for incorporating a vast range of therapeutics including proteins, vitamins, hormones, vaccines, and genes. Different grades of Eudragit® have been used for designing and delivery of therapeutics at a specific site via the oral route, for instance, in stomach-specific delivery, intestinal delivery, colon-specific delivery, mucosal delivery. Further, these polymers have also shown their great aptitude in topical and ophthalmic delivery. Moreover, available literature evidences the promises of distinct Eudragit® polymers for efficient targeting of incorporated drugs to the site of interest. This review summarizes some potential researches that are being conducted by eminent scientists utilizing the distinct grades of Eudragit® polymers for efficient delivery of therapeutics at various sites of interest.

Multi-scale microporous silica microcapsules from gas-in water-in oil emulsions

Controlling the surface area, pore size and pore volume of microcapsules is crucial for modulating their activity in applications including catalytic reactions, delivery strategies or even cell culture assays, yet remains challenging to achieve using conventional bulk techniques. Here we describe a microfluidics-based approach for the formation of monodisperse silica-coated micron-scale porous capsules of controllable sizes. Our method involves the generation of gas-in water-in oil emulsions, and the subsequent rapid precipitation of silica which forms around the encapsulated gas bubbles resulting in hollow silica capsules with tunable pore sizes. We demonstrate that by varying the gas phase pressure, we can control both the diameter of the bubbles formed and the number of internal bubbles enclosed within the silica microcapsule. Moreover, we further demonstrate, using optical and electron microscopy, that these silica capsules remain stable under particle drying. Such a systematic manner of producing silica-coated microbubbles and porous microparticles thus represents an attractive class of biocompatible material for biomedical and pharmaceutical related applications.

Bioengineering strategies for bone and cartilage tissue regeneration using growth factors and stem cells

Bone and cartilage tissue engineering is an integrative approach that is inspired by the phenomena associated with wound healing. In this respect, growth factors have emerged as important moieties for the control and regulation of this process. Growth factors act as mediators and control the important physiological functions of bone regeneration. Herein, we discuss the importance of growth factors in bone and cartilage tissue engineering, their loading and delivery strategies, release kinetics, and their integration with biomaterials and stem cells to heal bone fractures. We also highlighted the role of growth factors in the determination of the bone tissue microenvironment based on the reciprocal signaling with cells and biomaterial scaffolds on which future bone and cartilage tissue engineering technologies and medical devices will be based upon.

Materials Science and Design Principles of Growth Factor Delivery Systems in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

Growth factors (GFs) are signaling molecules that direct cell development by providing biochemical cues for stem cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. GFs play a key role in tissue regeneration, but one major limitation of GF-based therapies is dosage-related adverse effects. Additionally, the clinical applications and efficacy of GFs are significantly affected by the efficiency of delivery systems and other pharmacokinetic factors. Hence, it is crucial to design delivery systems that provide optimal activity, stability, and tunable delivery for GFs. Understanding the physicochemical properties of the GFs and the biomaterials utilized for the development of biomimetic GF delivery systems is critical for GF-based regeneration. Many different delivery systems have been developed to achieve tunable delivery kinetics for single or multiple GFs. The identification of ideal biomaterials with tunable properties for spatiotemporal delivery of GFs is still challenging. This review characterizes the types, properties, and functions of GFs, the materials science of widely used biomaterials, and various GF loading strategies to comprehensively summarize the current delivery systems for tunable spatiotemporal delivery of GFs aimed for tissue regeneration applications. This review concludes by discussing fundamental design principles for GF delivery vehicles based on the interactive physicochemical properties of the proteins and biomaterials.

Pantoprazole Sodium Loaded Microballoons for the Systemic Approach: In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation

Purpose: Various floating and pulsatile drug delivery systems suffer from variations in the gastric transit time affecting the bioavailability of drugs. The objective of the study was to develop Pantoprazole Sodium (PAN) microballoons that may prolong the gastric residence time and could enhance the drug bioavailability.

Methods: Microballoons were prepared using Eudragit^®L100 by adopting emulsion solvent diffusion method with non-effervescent approach, in vitro studies were performed and the in vivo evaluation was carried out employing ethanol induced ulceration method. Optimization and validation were carried out through Design Expert^® software.

Results: The results demonstrate an increase in percentage yield, buoyancy, encapsulation efficacy and swelling. Particles were in the size range 80-100 µm following zero order release pattern. SEM study revealed their rough surface with spherical shape, internal cavity and porous walls. DSC thermo gram confirms the encapsulation of drug in amorphous form. Significant anti ulcer activity was observed for the prepared microballoons. The calculated ulcer index and protection were 0.20±0.05 and 97.43 % respectively for LRS-O (optimized formulation).

Conclusion: This kind of pH dependent drug delivery may provide an efficient dosage regimen with enhanced patient compliance.

Pentoxifylline Loaded Floating Microballoons: Design, Development and Characterization

The floating microballoons have been utilized to obtain prolonged and uniform release in the stomach. The objective of the present study involves design, development, and characterization of pentoxifylline loaded floating microballoons to prolong their gastric residence time. Pentoxifylline (trisubstituted xanthine derivative) loaded microballoons were prepared by the solvent evaporation technique using different concentrations of polymers like HPMC K4M and ethyl cellulose (EC) in ethyl alcohol and dichloromethane organic solvent system. Microballoons were characterized for their particle size, surface morphology, production yield, loading efficiency, buoyancy percentage, and in vitro drug release studies. From the characterization it was observed that increases in amount of polymers (HPMC K4M and EC) led to increased particle size, loading efficiency, and buoyancy percentage, and retarded drug release. The particle size, particle yield, loading efficiency, buoyancy percentage and in vitro drug release for optimized formulation (F3) were found to be 104.0 ± 2.87 µm, 80.89 ± 2.24%, 77.85 ± 0.61%, 77.52 ± 2.04%, and 82.21 ± 1.29%, respectively. The data was fitted to different kinetic models to illustrate its anomalous (non-Fickian) diffusion. The in vitro result showed that formulations comprised of varying concentrations of ethyl cellulose in higher proportion exhibited much retarded drug release as compared to formulations comprised of higher proportion of varying concentrations of HPMC K4M.

Controllable microfluidic production of gas-in-oil-in-water emulsions for hollow microspheres with thin polymer shells

Here we developed a simple and novel one-step approach to produce G/O/W emulsions with high gas volume fractions in a capillary microfluidic device. The thickness of the oil layer can be controlled easily by tuning the flow rates. We successfully used the G/O/W emulsions to prepared hollow microspheres with thin polymer shells.

Coated gas bubbles for the continuous synthesis of hollow inorganic particles

We present a microfluidic approach for the controlled encapsulation of individual gas bubbles in micrometer-diameter aqueous droplets with high gas volume fractions and demonstrate this approach to making a liquid shell, which serves as a template for the synthesis of hollow inorganic particles. In particular, we find that an increase in the viscosity of the aqueous phase facilitates the encapsulation of individual gas bubbles in an aqueous droplet and allows control of the thickness of a thin aqueous shell. Furthermore, because such droplets contain a finite amount of water, uncontrolled hydrolysis reactions between reactive inorganic precursors and bulk water can be avoided. We demonstrate this approach by introducing reactive inorganic precursors, such as silane and titanium butoxide, for sol-gel reactions downstream from the formation of the bubble in a droplet and consequently fabricate hollow particles of silica or titania in one continuous flow process. These approaches provide a route to controlling double-emulsion-type gas-liquid microstructures and offer a new fabrication method for thin-shell-covered microbubbles and hollow microparticles.

Development and evaluation of a floating multiparticulate gastroretentive system for modified release of AZT

The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a floating multiparticulate gastroretentive system for the modified release of zidovudine (AZT). AZT was used as a model drug water-soluble at therapeutic doses. The floating gastroretentive system was obtained by co-precipitation, after solvent diffusion and evaporation. The proposed system was evaluated in vitro for particle morphology, lag time and floating time, loading rate, release profile, and the release kinetic of AZT release. AZT's physico-chemical characteristics were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XDR) and infrared spectroscopy (IR). The particles obtained were sphere-shaped, hollow, and had porous walls. The floating was immediate, and floating time was higher than 12 h. The loading rate was 34.0 ± 9.0%. The system obtained had an extended release. DSC and XDR results showed a modification in AZT's solid state. IR spectroscopy revealed that the chemical structure of the AZT was unchanged. The hollow microballoons presented gastroretentive, floating, and extended-release properties.