Mesoporous silica nanoparticles accommodating electrospun nanofibers as implantable local drug delivery system processed by cold atmospheric plasma and spin coating approaches

Nanofibers (NF) and nanoparticles are attractive for drug delivery to improve the drug bioavailability and administration. Easy manipulation of NF as macroscopic bulk material give rise to potential usages as implantable local drug delivery systems (LLDS) to overcome the failures of systemic drug delivery systems such as unmet personalized needs, side effects, suboptimal dosage. In this study, poly(ethylene glycol) polyethyleneimine (mPEG:PEI) copolymer blended polyϵ-caprolactone NFs, NFblendaccommodating mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) as the implantable LLDS was achieved by employing spin coating and cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) as the post-process for accommodation on NFblend. The macroporous morphology, mechanical properties, wettability, andin vitrocytocompatibility of NFblendensured their potential as an implantable LLDS and superior features compared to neat NF. The electron microscopy images affirmed of NFblendrandom fiber (average diameter 832 ± 321 nm) alignments and accessible macropores before and after MSN@Cur accommodation. The blending of polymers improved the elongation of NF and the tensile strength which is attributed as beneficial for implantable LLDS. CAP treatment could significantly improve the wettability of NF observed by the contact angle changes from ∼126° to ∼50° which is critical for the accommodation of curcumin-loaded MSN (MSN@Cur) andin vitrocytocompatibility of NF. The combined CAP and spin coating as the post-processes was employed for accommodating MSN@Cur on NFblendwithout interfering with the electrospinning process. The post-processing aided fine-tuning of curcumin dosing (∼3 µg to ∼15 µg) per dose unit and sustained zero-order drug release profile could be achieved. Introducing of MSN@Cur to cells via LLDS promoted the cell proliferation compared to MSN@Cur suspension treatments and assigned as the elimination of adverse effects by nanocarriers by the dosage form integration. All in all, NFblend-MSN@Cur was shown to have high potential to be employed as an implantable LLDS. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in which mPEG:PEI copolymer blend NF are united with CAP and spin coating for accommodating nano-drug carriers, which allows for NF both tissue engineering and drug delivery applications.

Role of Surfactant Micellization for Enhanced Dissolution of Poorly Water-Soluble Cilostazol Using Poloxamer 407-Based Solid Dispersion via the Anti-Solvent Method

This study aimed to investigate the role of micellization of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in poloxamer 407 (POX)-based solid dispersions (POX-based SDs) using the anti-solvent method in enhancing the dissolution rate of practically water-insoluble cilostazol (CLT). Herein, SLS was incorporated into CLT-loaded SDs, at a weight ratio of 50:50:10 of CLT, POX, and SLS by three different methods: anti-solvent, fusion (60 °C), and solvent (ethanol) evaporation. The SDs containing micellar SLS in the anti-solvent method were superior in the transformation of the crystalline form of the drug into a partial amorphous state. It was notable that there was an existence of a hydrophobic interaction between the surfactant and the hydrophobic regions of polymer chain via non-covalent bonding and the adsorption of micellar SLS to the POX-based SDs matrix. Moreover, SLS micellization via the anti-solvent method was effectively interleaved in SDs and adhered by the dissolved CLT, which precluded drug particles from aggregation and recrystallization, resulting in improved SD wettability (lower contact angle) and reduced particle size and dissolution rate. In contrast, SDs without micellar SLS prepared by the solvent method exerted drug recrystallization and an increase of particle size, resulting in decreased dissolution. Incorporation of surfactant below or above critical micellar concentration (CMC) in SDs using the anti-solvent method should be considered in advance. Dissolution results showed that the pre-added incorporation of micellar SLS into POX-based SDs using the anti-solvent method could provide a way of a solubilization mechanism to enhance the dissolution rate of poorly water-soluble drugs.

Shear Stress-Dependent Targeting Efficiency Using Self-Assembled Gelatin-Oleic Nanoparticles in a Biomimetic Microfluidic System

Cellular properties and microenvironments, as well as the characteristics of nanoparticles (NPs), affect the cellular uptake and cytotoxic effects of drug-loaded NPs. Since there is fluid flow in the human blood system, fluid flow also affects the drug delivery efficiency of NPs. This study aimed to evaluate the cellular behaviors of drug-loaded soft NPs on A549 cancer cells under different levels of shear stress (0.5, 5, and 50 dynes/cm²) in the biomimetic microfluidic system. The soft self-assembled NPs were formed by the gelatin-oleic conjugate (GOC). The poorly water-soluble coumarin-6 or paclitaxel (PTX) were used as model markers for encapsulation within self-assembled NPs (C-GONs or PTX-GONs, respectively). The cellular uptake of C-GONs was found to be improved with shear-stress dependence. The inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of PTX-GONs at 0.5, 5, and 50 dynes/cm² was 0.106 µg/mL, 0.108 µg/mL, and 0.091 µg/mL, respectively, as compared to 0.138 µg/mL in a static condition. The cell killing efficiency of PTX-GONs was increased in the highest shear stress of 50 dynes/cm² in the static condition, and other levels of shear stress in dynamic conditions.

Fatty acid chain length impacts nanonizing capacity of albumin-fatty acid nanomicelles: Enhanced physicochemical property and cellular delivery of poorly water-soluble drug

This study aimed to design the ideal nanonizing vehicle for poorly water-soluble model curcumin (CCM) using fattigation-platform nanotechnology, and to investigate the effects of fatty acid salts chain length on nanonizing CCM and its efficient delivery to different cancer cells. HSA-fatty acid conjugates were synthesized by EDC/NHS coupling. Fattigation-platform nanomicelles (NMs), prepared by film hydration, exhibited uniform and spherical morphology, although, each NM varied in particle size, zeta potential, and critical micelle concentration according to the types of fatty acid. Preliminary solubility studies of albumin conjugates with 5 types of fatty acid salts of different chain lengths revealed that C14 exhibited the highest solubilization of CCM. CCM-loaded HSA-C14 NMs demonstrated the highest drug content (5.35 ± 0.48%) and loading efficiency (95.93 ± 1.87%) compared to other NMs. It exhibited enhanced drug release rate and reduced micelle size in biorelevant dissolution medium. Interestingly, this solubilization approach was well applied in poorly water-soluble docetaxel trihydrate (DTX). Preliminary solubility results of DTX was also corresponded to the stable nanonization phenomenon in biorelevant dissolution medium. Compared to the CCM EtOH solution, HSA-C14 NMs showed higher internalization in cancer cell lines A549 and MCF-7, and consequently, exhibited significantly increased cytotoxicity against both cell lines. Therefore, this study provides a new solubilization approach for poorly water-soluble drugs using fatty acid salts of different chain lengths and their micellar formations via nanonization, which could be a promising tool for targeted cancer therapy using poorly water-soluble drugs.

Thermoresponsive gating membranes embedded with liquid crystal(s) for pulsatile transdermal drug delivery: An overview and perspectives

Due to the circadian rhythm regulation of almost every biological process in the human body, physiological and biochemical conditions vary considerably over the course of a 24-h period. Thus, optimal drug delivery and therapy should be effectively controlled to achieve the desired therapeutic plasma concentrations and therapeutic drug responses at the required time according to chronopharmacological concepts, rather than continuous maintenance of constant drug concentrations for an extended time period. For many drugs, it is not always necessary to constantly deliver a drug into the human body under disease conditions due to rhythmic variations. Pulsatile drug delivery systems (PDDSs) have been receiving more attention in pharmaceutical development by providing a predetermined lag period, followed by a fast or rate-controlled drug release after application. PDDSs are characterized by a programmed drug release, which may release a drug at repeatable pulses to match the biological and clinical needs of a given disease therapy. This review article focuses on thermoresponsive gating membranes embedded with liquid crystals (LCs) for transdermal drug delivery using PDDS technology. In addition, the principal rationale and the advanced approaches for the use of PDDSs, the marketed products of chronotherapeutic DDSs with pulsatile function designed by various PDDS technologies, pulsatile drug delivery designed with thermoresponsive polymers, challenges and opportunities of transdermal drug delivery, and novel approaches of LC systems for drug delivery are reviewed and discussed. A brief overview of all academic research articles concerning single LC- or binary LC-embedded thermoresponsive membranes with a switchable on-off permeation function through topical application by an external temperature control, which may modulate the dosing interval and administration time according to the therapeutic needs of the human body, is also compiled and presented. In the near future, since thermal-based approaches have become a well-accepted method to enhance transdermal delivery of different water-soluble drugs and macromolecules, a combination of the thermal-assisted approach with thermoresponsive LCs membranes will have the potential to improve PDDS applications but still poses a great challenge.

Pharmacogenomic phase transition from personalized medicine to patient-centric customized delivery

Personalized medicine has been a booming area in clinical research for the past decade, in which the detailed information about the patient genotype and clinical conditions were collected and considered to optimize the therapy to prevent adverse reactions. However, the utility of commercially available personalized medicine has not yet been maximized due to the lack of a structured protocol for implementation. In this narrative review, we explain the role of pharmacogenetics in personalized medicine, next-generation personalized medicine, i.e., patient-centric personalized medicine, in which the patient's comfort is considered along with pharmacogenomics to be a primary factor. We extensively discuss the classifications, strategies, tools, and drug delivery systems that can support the implementation of patient-centric personalized medicine from an industrial perspective.

The roles of short and long chain fatty acids on physicochemical properties and improved cancer targeting of albumin-based fattigation-platform nanoparticles containing doxorubicin

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of different chain length fatty acids on physicochemical properties and cancer targeting of fattigation-platform nanoparticles (NPs). Two different types of fatty acids (short chain, 2-hydroxybutyric acid, C4; long chain, oleic acid, C18:1) were successfully conjugated to human serum albumin (HSA) via simple 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) coupling reaction. These conjugates readily formed HSA-C4 and HSA-C18:1 NPs which showed good stability in serum and desirable biocompatibility with normal cell line (HEK293T). Doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) was efficiently loaded into NPs by incubation process via electrostatic interaction. The structure, morphology, and texture of DOX-loaded NPs were characterized by Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) equipped with Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The initial burst release of DOX-loaded NPs was controlled by the presence and chain length of fatty acids. In vitro cytotoxicity studies with three cancer cell lines (A549, HT-29, and PANC-1) suggested that fattigation-platform NPs have distinctive cytotoxic effects compared to Doxil^®. Confocal microscopy and flow cytometry exhibited that the cellular uptake of DOX-loaded NPs was varied by the different chain lengths of fatty acids. It was evident that the chain length of fatty acids in the fattigation-platform NPs could play a vital role in varying physicochemical properties and cancer cell targeting of NPs.

Investigation of Crystallization and Salt Formation of Poorly Water-Soluble Telmisartan for Enhanced Solubility

The crystal changes and salt formation of poorly water-soluble telmisartan (TEL) in various solvents were investigated for enhanced solubility, stability and crystallinity. Polymorphic behaviors of TEL were characterized by dispersing in distilled water, acetone, acetonitrile, DMSO, or ethanol using Method I: without heat and then dried under vacuum at room temperature; and Method II: with heat below boiling temperature, cooled at 5 °C, and then dried under vacuum at 40 °C. For salt formation (Method III), the following four powdered mixtures were prepared by dispersing in solution of hydrochloric acid (HCl) (pH 1.2), TEL/HCl; in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2 buffer), TEL/simulated gastric fluid (SGF); in intestinal fluid (pH 6.8 buffer), TEL/simulated intestinal fluid (SIF); or in NaOH (pH 6.8), TEL/NaOH, respectively, and then dried under a vacuum at room temperature. The structures of powdered mixtures were then studied using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), FTIR, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR), and LC⁻MS. The solubility of TEL in powdered forms was performed in pH 6.8, pH 1.2, and distilled water. No polymorphic behaviors of TEL were observed in various solvents as characterized by FESEM, DSC, PXRD, and FTIR. However, the structural changes of powdered mixtures obtained from Method III were observed due to the formation of salt form. Moreover, the solubility of salt form (TEL/HCl) was highly increased as compared with pure TEL. There were no significant changes of TEL/HCl compared with TEL in the content assay, PXRD, DSC, and FTIR during stressed storage conditions at 40 °C/75% relative humidity (RH) for 4 weeks under the closed package condition. Therefore, the present study suggests the new approach for the enhanced stability and solubility of a poorly water-soluble drug via salt form.