Characterization and stability of nanostructured lipid carriers as drug delivery system

Formula Development of Red Palm (Elaeis guineensis) Fruit Extract Loaded with Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Containing Creams and Its Anti-Aging Efficacy in Healthy Volunteers

Palm fruits (Elaeis guineensis) comprise antioxidants that can be used as skin care agents. This study developed a cosmeceutical cream containing E. guineensis extract, loaded with solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), and assessed its efficacy on female volunteers. The E. guineensis extract exhibited a good antioxidant activity with high levels of vitamin E, β-carotene, and palmitic acid. Day and night creams containing E. guineensis fruit extract, loaded with SLNs, were formulated and exhibited acceptable physical characteristics and good stability. Subsequently, their clinical efficacy and safety were evaluated on female volunteers. Both creams were non-irritating and had good cutaneous compatibility. Skin hydration, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin elasticity, melanin index, and skin texture were measured before and 30 min after the first application, as well as after 7, 14, and 30 days of daily application. A satisfactory survey was implemented using a questionnaire, and volunteer satisfaction scores were high for the product’s performance. Overall, the results showed that skin hydration, TEWL, cutaneous elasticity, and melanin index were improved, compared to the baseline data, after 30 days. Thus, the formulated facial day and night creams made the skin moist, reduced wrinkles, increased elasticity, and cleared the skin to the consumers’ satisfaction.

Emergence of Polymeric Material Utilising Sustainable Radiation Curable Palm Oil-Based Products for Advanced Technology Applications

In countries that are rich with oil palm, the use of palm oil to produce bio-based acrylates and polyol can be the most eminent raw materials used for developing new and advanced natural polymeric materials involving radiation technique, like coating resins, nanoparticles, scaffold, nanocomposites, and lithography for different branches of the industry. The presence of hydrocarbon chains, carbon double bonds, and ester bonds in palm oil allows it to open up the possibility of fine-tuning its unique structures in the development of novel materials. Cross-linking, reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT), polymerization, grafting, and degradation are among the radiation mechanisms triggered by gamma, electron beam, ultraviolet, or laser irradiation sources. These radiation techniques are widely used in the development of polymeric materials because they are considered as the most versatile, inexpensive, easy, and effective methods. Therefore, this review summarized and emphasized on several recent studies that have reported on emerging radiation processing technologies for the production of radiation curable palm oil-based polymeric materials with a promising future in certain industries and biomedical applications. This review also discusses the rich potential of biopolymeric materials for advanced technology applications.

Stimuli-responsive and cellular targeted nanoplatforms for multimodal therapy of skin cancer

Interdisciplinary applications of nanopharmaceutical sciences have tremendous potential for enhancing pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety of cancer therapy. The limitations of conventional therapeutic platforms used for skin cancer therapy have been largely overcome by the use of nanoplatforms. This review discusses various nanotechnological approaches experimented for the treatment of skin cancer. The review describes various polymeric, lipidic and inorganic nanoplatforms for efficient therapy of skin cancer. The stimuli-responsive nanoplatforms such as pH-responsive as well as temperature-responsive platforms have also been reviewed. Different strategies for potentiating the nanoparticles application for cancer therapy such as surface engineering, conjugation with drugs, stimulus-responsive and multimodal effect have also been discussed and compared with the available conventional treatments. Although, nanopharmaceuticals face challenges such as toxicity, cost and scale-up, efforts put-in to improve these drawbacks with continuous research would deliver exciting and promising results in coming days.

Co-delivery of rituximab targeted curcumin and imatinib nanostructured lipid carriers in non-Hodgkin lymphoma cells

The aim of the present study was production of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) of curcumin and imatinib for co-administration in non-Hodgkin lymphoma cells. NLCs were prepared and conjugated to rituximab to target CD20 receptors of lymphoma cell lines. Oleic acid or Labrafac and glyceryl monostearate or lecithin were used for production of NLCs. The antibody coupling efficiency to NLCs and their physical characteristics were studied. The cytotoxicity of NLCs on Jurkat T cells (CD20 receptor negative) and Ramos B cells (CD20 receptor positive) was studied by MTT assay. The cellular uptake was determined by fluorescent microscopy. The results indicated both curcumin and imatinib targeted NLCs had a significant cytotoxic effect much higher than the free drugs and non-targeted NLCs on Ramos cells. In both cell lines, the cytotoxicity of the co-administrated drugs was significantly higher than each drug alone. In Ramos cells the co-administration of curcumin (15 μg/ml)/imatinib (5 μg/ml) decreased the free curcumin IC₅₀ from 8.3 ± 0.9 to 1.9 ± 0.2 μg/ml, and curcumin targeted NLCs from 6.7 ± 0.1 to 1.3 ± 0.2 μg/ml. In this case the IC₅₀ of imatinib was reduced from 11.1 ± 0.7 to 2.3 ± 0.1 μg/ml and imatinib targeted NLCs from 4.3 ± 0.1 to 1.4 ± 0.0 μg/ml. The co-administration of ritoximab conjugated NLCs of curcumin and imatinib may enhance cytotoxicity of imatinib in treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Antifungal activity of 2'-hydroxychalcone loaded in nanoemulsion against Paracoccidioides spp

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the activity of 2'-hydroxychalcone-loaded in nanoemulsion (NLS + 2'chalc), the cytotoxic effect and toxicity against Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and Paracoccidioides lutzii using a zebrafish model. Materials & methods: Preparation and physical-chemical characterization of nanoemulsion (NLS) and NLS + 2'chalc were performed. MIC and minimum fungicide concentration, cytotoxicity and toxicity were also evaluated in the Danio rerio model. Results: NLS + 2'chalc showed fungicidal activity against Paracoccidioides spp. without cytotoxicity in MRC5 and HepG2 lines. It also had high selectivity index values and no toxicity in the zebrafish model based on MIC values. Conclusion: NLS + 2'chalc is a potential new alternative treatment for paracoccidioidomycosis.

Potential of Nanomaterials as Movers and Packers for Drug Molecules

As the development of nanotechnology has extended to the world of biomolecules, a revolution has occurred in the design and assembly of nanomaterials for drug delivery with a significant potential to impact drug efficacy and patient outcomes. Currently a number of nanomaterials are under investigation for their suitability as sustained, controlled and targeted drug carriers. Leading edge of the rapidly developing nanosciences is the development and assessment of these nanomaterials, with specific physicochemical properties different from their larger/ bulk counterparts, as vehicles for transport of small and large drug molecules. The characteristics such as size, shape, chemical composition, surface structure and charge, aggregation and agglomeration, and solubility, can greatly influence interactions of these nanostructured systems or carriers with biomembranes and cells. The selectivity and reactivity achieved due to the very small size assigns these systems with a wide spectrum of applications. In this review, nanomaterials are considered in terms of the physical attributes or pharmaceutical effects allocated by them to the all-inclusive carrier or vehicle system (s). However we will limit our discussion to lipidic and polymeric nanomaterials, the two most commonly promoted, and safe nanosystems for delivery of both, the chemical or small molecular entities (SME) and the macromolecules including genes and siRNA.Contents of Paper

Formulation and evaluation of metoclopramide solid lipid nanoparticles for rectal suppository

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to formulate and characterize metoclopramide solid lipid nanoparticles (MCP-SLNs) and incorporating it into suppository bases for treatment of nausea and vomiting, produced with chemotherapeutic agents, using one dose per day.

Methods

MCP-SLNs was prepared using high shear homogenization (hot homogenization) technique using different surfactants (tween 80, poloxamer 407, poloxamer 188 and cremophore) in two different concentrations (2.5% and 5%) then solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN), whose release percentage above 50%, was incorporated into suppository for treatment of nausea and vomiting. The prepared SLN and suppositories were then evaluated and characterized.

Key findings

Formulation of poloxamer 407 with compritol and drug (F9) produced highest in-vitro % release (80%). Transmission electron microscopy showed that SLN had round and spherical shape in form of solid dispersion or drug-enriched core. Particle size analysis of SLN showed a size range of 24.99–396.8 nm. Negative zeta potential proves complete drug entrapment. In-vivo study of MCP-SLN suppositories produced the same %GE as the market metoclopramide (MCP) suppository (Primperan) with sustained release effect.

Conclusion

MCP-SLN suppositories (formula F) can reverse decrease in %GE because of emesis with sustained release effect. So it succeeded to be an alternative to MCP suppositories with no multiple dosing.