Poly (Lactic-Co-Glycolic) Acid–Poly (Vinyl Pyrrolidone) Hybrid Nanoparticles to Improve the Efficiency of Oral Delivery of β-Carotene

Differential absorption and metabolic characteristics of organic acid components in pudilan xiaoyan oral liquid between young rats and adult rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Pudilan Xiaoyan Oral Liquid (PDL) is a proprietary Chinese medicinal preparation approved by the State for treating acute pharyngitis in both adults and children (Approval No. Z20030095). It is worth noting that children exhibit unique physiopathological characteristics compared to adults. However, the in vivo regulatory characteristics of PDL in treating acute pharyngitis in children remain incompletely understood.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The differential absorption and metabolism characteristics of the main pharmacological components in PDL in young and adult rats were investigated with a view to providing a reference for preclinical data of PDL in medication for children.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study utilized UPLC-Q-TOF-MS to investigate the pharmacodynamic material basis of PDL. The focus was on the gastrointestinal digestion and absorption characteristics of organic acid components in PDL (PDL-OAC), known as the primary pharmacodynamic components in this formulation. The research combined in vitro dynamic simulation and a Quadruple single-pass intestinal perfusion model to examine these characteristics. The permeability properties of PDL-OAC were evaluated using an artificial parallel membrane model. Additionally, an acute pharyngitis model was established to evaluate the histopathological condition of the pharynx in young rats using H&E staining. The levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 in blood and pharyngeal tissue homogenates of young rats were quantified using ELISA kits.

RESULTS

A total of 91 components were identified in PDL, including 33 organic acids, 24 flavonoids, 14 alkaloids, 5 terpenoids and coumarins, 3 sugars, and 12 amino acids. The PDL-OAC exhibited a significant reduction in IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 levels in the pharyngeal tissues of young rats with acute pharyngitis. Results from dynamic simulation studies of gastrointestinal fluids revealed that the PDL-OAC (Specifically chlorogenic acid (CGA), gallic acid (GA), chicoric acid (CRA), and caffeic acid (CA)) were effectively stabilized in the gastrointestinal fluids of both children and adults in vitro. Young rats, characterized by thinner intestinal walls and higher permeability, efficiently absorbed the four organic acids across the entire intestinal segment. The absorption of CGA, GA, and CRA followed a concentration-dependent pattern, with CGA and GA absorption being influenced by exocytosis.

CONCLUSION

The efficacy of the PDL-OAC in treating acute pharyngitis was demonstrated in young rats. The absorption rate of these components was observed to be faster in young rats compared to adult rats, underscoring the need for dedicated studies on the drug's usage in children. This research provides valuable insights for the appropriate clinical use of PDL in pediatric patients.

Electrosprayed Particles Loaded with Kartogenin as a Potential Osteochondral Repair Implant

The restoration of cartilage damage is a slow and not always successful process. Kartogenin (KGN) has significant potential in this space-it is able to induce the chondrogenic differentiation of stem cells and protect articular chondrocytes. In this work, a series of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-based particles loaded with KGN were successfully electrosprayed. In this family of materials, PLGA was blended with a hydrophilic polymer (either polyethyleneglycol (PEG) or polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)) to control the release rate. Spherical particles with sizes in the range of 2.4-4.1 µm were fabricated. They were found to comprise amorphous solid dispersions, with high entrapment efficiencies of >93%. The various blends of polymers had a range of release profiles. The PLGA-KGN particles displayed the slowest release rate, and blending with PVP or PEG led to faster release profiles, with most systems giving a high burst release in the first 24 h. The range of release profiles observed offers the potential to provide a precisely tailored profile via preparing physical mixtures of the materials. The formulations are highly cytocompatible with primary human osteoblasts.

Formulation Approaches to Crystalline Status Modification for Carotenoids: Impacts on Dissolution, Stability, Bioavailability, and Bioactivities

Carotenoids, including carotenes and xanthophylls, have been identified as bioactive ingredients in foods and are considered to possess health-promoting effects. From a biopharmaceutical perspective, several physicochemical characteristics, such as scanty water solubility, restricted dissolution, and susceptibility to oxidation may influence their oral bioavailability and eventually, their effectiveness. In this review, we have summarized various formulation approaches that deal with the modification of crystalline status for carotenoids, which may improve their physicochemical properties, oral absorption, and biological effects. The mechanisms involving crystalline alteration and the typical methods for examining crystalline states in the pharmaceutical field have been included, and representative formulation approaches are introduced to unriddle the mechanisms and effects more clearly.

Self-Emulsifying Phospholipid Preconcentrates for the Enhanced Photoprotection of Luteolin

Exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) leads to the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), causing higher risks of skin disorders. Luteolin (Lut) is a naturally occurring antioxidant that can absorb a broad range of ultraviolet light, but its water solubility and skin permeability are limited and insufficient. The aim of the current study was to develop a Lut-loaded self-emulsifying phospholipid preconcentrate (LSEPP) for enhancing the solubility, permeability, and photoprotective activity of Lut. The designed formulations were firstly examined for their droplet size, zeta potential, dispersity, and in vitro corneum permeability after dispensing the preconcentrate to form an emulsion; the optimized formulation was further characterized for its emulsified morphology, compatibility with excipients, stability in the preconcentrate form, and photoprotective activity by the HaCaT cell model under the emulsified status. The optimized LSEPP formulation attained a smaller droplet size (140.6 ± 24.2 nm) with the addition of 1,8-cineole and increased the permeability of Lut by 7-fold. As evidenced in the cell model studies, the optimized LSEPP formulation can efficiently deliver Lut into HaCaT cells after emulsification and result in a 115% better cell viability as well as a 203% stronger ROS scavenging capability, compared with those of unformulated Lut after UVB irradiation. To sum up, we have successfully developed an LSEPP formulation, which is a safe and promising topical delivery system for enhancing the photoprotective effects of Lut.