Nasal Spray Formulations Based on Combined Hyalurosomes and Glycerosomes Loading Zingiber officinalis Extract as Green and Natural Strategy for the Treatment of Rhinitis and Rhinosinusitis

Melatonin hyalurosomes in collagen thermosensitive gel as a potential repurposing approach for rheumatoid arthritis management via the intra-articular route

Despite the fact that several rheumatoid arthritis treatments have been utilized, none of them achieved complete joint healing and has been accompanied by several side effects that compromise patient compliance. This study aims to provide an effective safe RA treatment with minimum side effects through the encapsulation of melatonin (MEL) in hyalurosomes and loading these hyalurosomes in collagen thermos-sensitive poloxamer 407 (PCO) hydrogels, followed by their intra-articular administration in AIA model rats. In vitro characterization of MEL-hyalurosomes and PCO hydrogel along with in vivo evaluation of the selected formulation were conducted. Particle size, PDI and EE % of the selected formulation were 71.5 nm, 0.09 and 90 %. TEM micrographs demonstrated that the particles had spherical shape with no aggregation signs. Loading PCO hydrogels with MEL-hyalurosomes did not cause significant changes in pH although it increased its viscosity and injection time. FTIR analysis showed that no interactions were noted among the delivery system components. In vivo results revealed the superior effect of MEL-hyalurosomes PCO hydrogel over MEL-PCO hydrogel and blank PCO hydrogels in improving joint healing, cartilage repair, pannus formation and cell infiltrations. Also, MEL-hyalurosomes PCO hydrogel group showed comparable levels of TNF-α, IL1, MDA, NRF2 and HO-1 with the negative control group. These findings highlight the MEL encapsulation role in augmenting its pharmacological effects along with the synergistic effect of hyaluronic acid in hyalurosomes and collagen in PCO hydrogel in promoting joint healing.

Zingiber Officinale Roscoe: The Antiarthritic Potential of a Popular Spice-Preclinical and Clinical Evidence

The health benefits of ginger rhizomes (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) have been known for centuries. Recently, ginger root has gained more attention due to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. Many of the bioactive components of ginger may have therapeutic benefits in treating inflammatory arthritis. Their properties seem especially helpful in treating diseases linked to persistent inflammation and pain, symptoms present in the course of the most prevalent rheumatic diseases, such as osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This review analyzes the current knowledge regarding ginger's beneficial anti-inflammatory effect in both in vitro and in vivo studies as well as clinical trials. The drug delivery systems to improve ginger's bioavailability and medicinal properties are discussed. Understanding ginger's beneficial aspects may initiate further studies on improving its bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy and achieving more a comprehensive application in medicine.

Hyaluronan: Sources, Structure, Features and Applications

Hyaluronan (HA) is a non-sulfated glycosaminoglycan that is present in a variety of body tissues and organs. Hyaluronan has a wide range of biological activities that are frequently influenced by molar mass; however, they also depend greatly on the source, purity, and kind of impurities in hyaluronan. High-molar-mass HA has anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, and antiangiogenic properties, while low-molar-mass HA has opposite properties. A number of chemical modifications have been performed to enhance the stability of HA and its applications in medical practice. Hyaluronan is widely applied in medicine, such as viscosupplementation, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, wound healing, cosmetics, and drug delivery. In this review, we summarized several medical applications of polymers based on the hyaluronan backbone.

In silico exploration of venlafaxine, a potential non-tricyclic antidepressant in a liposomal formulation for nose-to-brain drug delivery

OBJECTIVE

Non-tricyclic antidepressants (non-TCAs) work by preventing the intake of norepinephrine and serotonin. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify a potent non-TCAs and to develop liposomal formulation, characterize and to determine the drug release study across model of dialysis membrane via in vitro and in silico techniques.

METHODS

The in silico docking analysis identified venlafaxine (VLF) as the best non-TCAs with the depressant targets (PDB ID: 3PBL and 4BVN). VLF-loaded liposomal formulation was prepared by the thin-film hydration technique and characterized by physicochemical properties, including entrapment efficacy, in vitro drug release, particle size analysis, and FTIR. Moreover, this article also compares VLF and VLF-loaded with liposome carriers (LPs) based on nose-to-brain drug delivery approaches to treating depression.

RESULTS

Drug release profiles of the optimal liposomal formulation of VLF-LPs were examined in the high entrapment efficiency 94.13 ± 1.20% was attained at 224 nm, composed of spherical particles having a mean particle size of 191 ± 2.0 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.281 ± 0.06 and zeta potential of -20.3 mV. The best formulation of VLF-LPs was more effective than oral VLF treatment, as shown by the in vitro drug release data.

CONCLUSION

The results show that the VLF-LPs formulation is a promising potential platform for application in nose-to-brain drug delivery. Thus, highlighting the robustness of the intranasal drug delivery system with enhanced pharmaceutical properties, efficacy, and bioavailability for the anti-depression effect.

Physically and Chemically Compartmentalized Polymersomes for Programmed Delivery and Biological Applications

Multicompartment polymersomes (MCPs) refer to polymersomes that not only contain one single compartment, either in the membrane or in the internal cavity, but also mimic the compartmentalized structure of living cells, attracting much attention in programmed delivery and biological applications. The investigation of MCPs may promote the application of soft nanomaterials in biomedicine. This Review seeks to highlight the recent advances of the design principles, synthetic strategies, and biomedical applications of MCPs. The compartmentalization types including chemical, physical, and hybrid compartmentalization are discussed. Subsequently, the design and controlled synthesis of MCPs by the self-assembly of amphiphilic polymers, double emulsification, coprecipitation, microfluidics and particle assembly, etc. are summarized. Furthermore, the diverse applications of MCPs in programmed delivery of various cargoes and biological applications including cancer therapy, antimicrobials, and regulation of blood glucose levels are highlighted. Finally, future perspectives of MCPs from the aspects of controlled synthesis and applications are proposed.

Skin drug delivery using lipid vesicles: A starting guideline for their development

Lipid vesicles can provide a cost-effective enhancement of skin drug absorption when vesicle production process is optimised. It is an important challenge to design the ideal vesicle, since their properties and features are related, as changes in one affect the others. Here, we review the main components, preparation and characterization methods commonly used, and the key properties that lead to highly efficient vesicles for transdermal drug delivery purposes. We stand by size, deformability degree and drug loading, as the most important vesicle features that determine the further transdermal drug absorption. The interest in this technology is increasing, as demonstrated by the exponential growth of publications on the topic. Although long-term preservation and scalability issues have limited the commercialization of lipid vesicle products, freeze-drying and modern escalation methods overcome these difficulties, thus predicting a higher use of these technologies in the market and clinical practice.

Synthesis, characterization and evaluation of hyaluronic acid-based polymers for nasal delivery

Epidemiological research has found that between 5 and 12 percent of the population suffers from chronic rhinosinusitis. Patients are dealing with local side effects such as nasal dryness, sporadic sneezing, and nasal pain in addition to the inflammation. The aim of this study was to synthesize a polymer based on hyaluronic acid in order to provide lubrication combined with a ligand leading to a covalent binding on the nasal mucosa. Hyaluronic acid (HA) was modified with L-cysteine ethyl ester hydrochloride (CYS) via amid bond formation. Ellman's assay, together with spectroscopic techniques like IR and ¹H NMR, confirmed that HACys had been successfully synthesized. It was demonstrated that HACys is safe for administration on the nasal mucosa. The mucoadhesive potential was determined by 3.26-fold with the rotating cylinder assay and 1.4-fold in terms of bioadhesive examination, respectively. Further, the stability of the modified polymer was improved by 7.6-fold compared to the unmodified polymer. Spraying the formulation on the nasal mucosa, the residence time of a model drug was 1.74-fold prolonged at the site of action compared to unmodified polymer. In light of these findings, modified hyaluronic acid (HACys) displayed compelling properties such as lubricity, targeted application, long-lasting effect, and safety and therefore could be an excellent candidate for nasal application.

Targeted drug delivery to the inferior meatus cavity of the nasal airway using a nasal spray device with angled tip

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Nowadays, by advancement in computational tools, Computational Fluid and Particle Dynamics (CFPD) technique can be used more than ever. The main aim of this study is using a nasal spray device with angled tip to deliver drug particles to the inferior meatus cavity for treatment purposes. In the present study, the drug delivery to the lower regions of the nasal cavity will be improved that has been considered less in the literature.

METHODS

For this purpose, a spray with an angled tip was used, and the deposition of sprayed particles was compared with a spray with a straight tip. Based on the objectives presented above, a realistic model of the nasal route, including facial geometry, and paranasal sinuses obtained from a series of Computed tomography (CT) scan images, as well as the geometry of a nasal spray with two types of tip were developed.

RESULTS

It is observed that by using the spray with the straight tip, particles were mainly deposited in the middle and superior regions of the nasal cavity and no particles entered the inferior meatus airway. The results proved that the spray with the angled tip improved the regional deposition percentage in the inferior meatus cavity up to 2.4% of the total sprayed particles and 1 mg drug mass delivered to this region. The majority of these particles had a diameter between 15-55 µm and that could be considered by spray designers to produce more compatible sprays with the targeted region. Also, most particles were deposited near the inferior meatus cavity and so there is a strong chance to be absorbed and delivered to this region.

CONCLUSION

The deposition pattern and particle size contour due to the spray with the angled tip can give sight to the designers and producers of nasal sprays to build more efficient types for better targeted drug delivery purposes. With this spray type, deposited particles were observed in the inferior meatus that never happened with the straight type. Also, the angled tip of the nasal spray shows the benefit of the ease of use for the user.

In situ gelling nanosuspension as an advanced platform for fluticasone propionate nasal delivery

In this work we present the development of in situ gelling nanosuspension as advanced form for fluticasone propionate nasal delivery. Drug nanocrystals were prepared by wet milling technique. Incorporation of drug nanocrystals into polymeric in situ gelling system with pectin and sodium hyaluronate as constitutive polymers was fine-tuned attaining appropriate formulation surface tension, viscosity and gelling ability. Drug nanonisation improved the release profile and enhanced formulation mucoadhesive properties. QbD approach combining formulation and administration parameters resulted in optimised nasal deposition profile, with 51.8% of the dose deposited in the middle meatus, the critical region in the treatment of rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis. Results obtained in biocompatibility and physico-chemical stability studies confirmed the leading formulation potential for safe and efficient nasal corticosteroid delivery.

Design of a Nasal Spray Based on Cardiospermum halicacabum Extract Loaded in Phospholipid Vesicles Enriched with Gelatin or Chondroitin Sulfate

The extract of Cardiospermum halicacabum L. (C. halicacabum) obtained from flower, leaf and vine was loaded into modified phospholipid vesicles aiming at obtaining sprayable, biocompatible and effective nasal spray formulations for the treatment of nasopharyngeal diseases. Penetration enhancer-containing vesicles (PEVs) and hyalurosomes were formulated, and stabilized by adding a commercial gelatin from fish (20 mg/mL) or chondroitin sulfate from catshark cartilages (Scyliorhinus canicula, 20 mg/mL). Cryo-TEM images confirmed the formation of spherical vesicles, while photon correlation spectroscopy analysis disclosed the formation of small and negatively-charged vesicles. PEVs were the smaller vesicles (~100 nm) along with gelatin-hyalurosomes (~120 nm), while chondroitin-PEVs and chondroitin-hyalurosomes were larger (~160 nm). Dispersions prepared with chondroitin sulfate were more homogeneous, as the polydispersity index was ~0.15. The in vitro analysis of the droplet size distribution, average velocity module and spray cone angle suggested a good spray-ability and deposition of formulations in the nasal cavity, as the mean diameter of the droplets was in the range recommended by the Food and Drug Administration for nasal targets. The spray plume analysis confirmed the ability of PEVs, gelatin-PEVs, hyalurosomes and gelatin-hyalurosomes to be atomized in fine droplets homogenously distributed in a full cone plume, with an angle ranging from 25 to 30°. Moreover, vesicles were highly biocompatible and capable of protecting the epithelial cells against oxidative damage, thus preventing the inflammatory state.

An integrative review on the uses of plant-derived bioactives formulated in conventional and innovative dosage forms for the local treatment of damaged nasal cavity

Plants and their derivates have been used as medicines for centuries and today is being re-discovered their usefulness for the human health. The therapeutic properties of phytochemicals are re-evaluated under the light of medical and pharmacological research, pushed by a constantly growing market demand, where consumers trust more natural products than synthetic drugs. New studies are enlightening the effectiveness of phytochemicals against a wide range of ailments, nevertheless very few evaluate the efficacy of topical formulations based on natural bioactive molecules in the treatment of nasal mucosal diseases. This review aims at exploring this little covered topic. An overview on the properties and functionality of the nasal mucosa and the different diseases affecting it has been provided. We summarized various nasal dosage forms containing natural bioactive and explored how innovative delivery systems loading phytochemicals can improve the treatment results. Finally, the potential use of novel nanocarriers for the treatment of nasal ailments has been covered as well.

Complementary effect of Zingiber officinalis extract and citral in counteracting non allergic nasal congestion by simultaneous loading in ad hoc formulated phospholipid vesicles

Natural nasal spray formulations were prepared by using Zingiber officinalis (Z. officinalis) extract and citral synergically loaded into specifically designed phospholipid vesicles. Phospholipid vesicles were selected according to their stabilizing effect on the nasal mucosal barrier, and their effectiveness was further potentiated by the co-loading of Z. officinalis extract as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, and citral as antibacterial molecule. Cryo-TEM images confirmed the formation of morphologically homogeneous and small vesicles, sized around 100 nm, negatively charged (-44 mV) and highly biocompatible (viability ≥100%) as detected by using epithelial cells. The analysis of size distribution of sprayed droplets, average velocity module and spray cone angle suggested a good aptitude of the vesicles to be nebulized and their effective deposition in the nasal cavity. Moreover, vesicles were effectively capable of inhibiting some nasal pathogenic bacteria (i.e. Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli) and to protect the epithelial cells against oxidative damage. The formulations are natural and safe, and all of them have shown promising technological and biological properties suggesting their possible application in the nasal cavity for the treatment of congestions and non-allergic rhinitis.