Collagen loaded nano-sized surfactant based dispersion for topical application: formulation development, characterization and safety study

Poloxamer-407 thickened lipid colloidal system of agomelatine for brain targeting: Characterization, brain pharmacokinetic study and behavioral study on Wistar rats

The current study was designed to enhance the brain bioavailability and to extract maximum therapeutic benefit from a novel antidepressant drug, agomelatine. For this purpose, a thermoresponsive in situ gel was prepared by dissolving 20% w/v of Poloxamer-407 in agomelatine containing nanoemulsion. To impart mucoadhesive property, 0.5% w/v concentration of chitosan was ensured in the final formulation, named as Ago-NE-gel+0.5%chitosan. The gelling point and mucoadhesive strength of Ago-NE-gel+0.5%chitosan were found to be 28 ± 1 °C, and 6246.27 dynes/cm² respectively. The size of free micelles of Poloxamer-407 was recorded graphically at 18.43 ± 0.95 nm whereas the size of sterically stabilized Ago-NE was observed at 142.58 ± 4.21 nm. The viscosity and pH of Ago-NE-gel+0.5%chitosan were found to be 2439 ± 23 cP (at 35 ± 1 °C temperature) and 5.8 ± 0.2 respectively. The developed formulation was found safe on nasal mucosa during the toxicity study. CLSM based brain distribution study suggested that Ago-NE-gel+0.5%chitosan is more competent to deliver the drug into the brain as compared to agomelatine-suspension. After intranasal administration of Ago-NE-gel+0.5%chitosan in Wistar rats, the AUC_0-8h in brain and plasma were found to be 1418.591 ± 71.87 and 473.901 ± 32.42 ng.h/ml respectively. The hypothesis conceived at the beginning of this research work was delivered as 2.82 folds enhanced bioavailability of agomelatine in the brain. The behavioral studies confirmed that the antidepressant activity of agomelatine can be improved by loading the drug into a mucoadhesive-nanoemulsion-gel system followed by its intranasal administration.

Current application of phytocompound-based nanocosmeceuticals for beauty and skin therapy

Phytocompounds have been used in cosmeceuticals for decades and have shown potential for beauty applications, including sunscreen, moisturizing and antiaging, and skin-based therapy. The major concerns in the usage of phyto-based cosmeceuticals are lower penetration and high compound instability of various cosmetic products for sustained and enhanced compound delivery to the beauty-based skin therapy. To overcome these disadvantages, nanosized delivery technologies are currently in use for sustained and enhanced delivery of phyto-derived bioactive compounds in cosmeceutical sectors and products. Nanosizing of phytocompounds enhances the aseptic feel in various cosmeceutical products with sustained delivery and enhanced skin protecting activities. Solid lipid nanoparticles, transfersomes, ethosomes, nanostructured lipid carriers, fullerenes, and carbon nanotubes are some of the emerging nanotechnologies currently in use for their enhanced delivery of phytocompounds in skin care. Aloe vera, curcumin, resveratrol, quercetin, vitamins C and E, genistein, and green tea catechins were successfully nanosized using various delivery technologies and incorporated in various gels, lotions, and creams for skin, lip, and hair care for their sustained effects. However, certain delivery agents such as carbon nanotubes need to be studied for their roles in toxicity. This review broadly focuses on the usage of phytocompounds in various cosmeceutical products, nanodelivery technologies used in the delivery of phytocompounds to various cosmeceuticals, and various nanosized phytocompounds used in the development of novel nanocosmeceuticals to enhance skin-based therapy.

PNIPAM nanoparticles for targeted and enhanced nose-to-brain delivery of curcuminoids: UPLC/ESI-Q-ToF-MS/MS-based pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic evaluation in cerebral ischemia model

Stroke is a one of the leading causes of disease and deaths worldwide, which causes irreversible deterioration of the central nervous system. Curcuminoids are reported to have a potential role in the amelioration of cerebral ischemia but they exhibit low serum and tissue levels due to low solubility and poor absorption. Curcumin (CUR), demethoxycurcumin (DMC) and bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC)-loaded PNIPAM nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by free radical polymerization and characterized for particles size, entrapment efficiency, zeta potential, in vitro release and ex vivo permeation study. Optimized CUR, DMC and BDMC-loaded NPs had the mean size of 92.46 ± 2.8, 91.23 ± 4.2 and 94.28 ± 1.91 nm; zeta potential of -16.2 ± 1.42, -15.6 ± 1.33 and -16.6 ± 1.21 mV; loading capacity of 39.31 ± 3.7, 38.91 ± 3.6 and 40.61 ± 3.6% and entrapment efficiency of 84.63 ± 4.2, 84.71 ± 3.99 and 85.73 ± 4.31%, respectively. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectroscopy based bioanalytical method was developed and validated for pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, brain-targeting efficiency and brain drug-targeting potential studies post-intranasal (i.n.) administration which showed enhanced bioavailability of curcuminoids in brain as compared to intravenous administration. Improved neurobehavioural activity (locomotor and grip strength) and reduced cytokines levels (TNF-α and IL-1β) was observed in middle cerebral artery occlusion induced cerebral ischemic rats after i.n. administration of curcuminoids NPs. Finally, the toxicity study was performed which revealed safe nature of developed NPs.