New investigation of anti-inflammatory activity of Polycladia crinita and biosynthesized selenium nanoparticles: isolation and characterization

BACKGROUND

Marine macroalgae have gained interest recently, mostly due to their bioactive components. Polycladia crinita is an example of marine macroalgae from the Phaeophyceae class, also known as brown algae. They are characterized by a variety of bioactive compounds with valuable medical applications. The prevalence of such naturally active marine resources has made macroalgae-mediated manufacturing of nanoparticles an appealing strategy. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory features of an aqueous extract of Polycladia crinita and biosynthesized P. crinita selenium nanoparticles (PCSeNPs) via a carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model. The synthesized PCSeNPs were fully characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, and EDX analyses.

RESULTS

FTIR analysis of Polycladia crinita extract showed several sharp absorption peaks at 3435.2, 1423.5, and 876.4 cm-1 which represent O-H, C=O and C=C groups. Moreover, the most frequent functional groups identified in P. crinita aqueous extract that are responsible for producing SeNPs are the -NH2-, -C=O-, and -SH- groups. The EDX spectrum analysis revealed that the high percentages of Se and O, 1.09 ± 0.13 and 36.62 ± 0.60%, respectively, confirmed the formation of SeNPs. The percentages of inhibition of the edema in pretreated groups with doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg, i.p., of PCSeNPs were 62.78% and 77.24%, respectively. Furthermore, the pretreated groups with 25, 50 mg/kg of P. crinita extract displayed a substantial decrease in the MDA levels (P < 0.00, 26.9%, and 51.68% decrease, respectively), indicating potent antioxidant effect. Additionally, the pretreated groups with PCSeNPs significantly suppressed the MDA levels (P < 0.00, 54.77%, and 65.08% decreases, respectively). The results of immune-histochemical staining revealed moderate COX-2 and Il-1β expressions with scores 2 and 1 in rats pre-treated with 25 and 50 mg/kg of free extract, respectively. Additionally, the rats pre-treated with different doses of PCSeNPs demonstrated weak COX-2 and Il-1β expressions with score 1 (25 mg/kg) and negative expression with score 0 (50 mg/kg). Both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects were dose-dependent.

CONCLUSIONS

These distinguishing features imply that this unique alga is a promising anti-inflammatory agent. Further studies are required to investigate its main active ingredients and possible side effects.

Optimization and evaluation of Lisinopril mucoadhesive sustained release matrix pellets: In-vitro and ex-vivo studies

Lisinopril (LIS) is antihypertensive drug, classified as a class III drug with high water solubility and low permeability. To overcome the low permeability, 3² factorial designs aimed to formulate LIS as a sustained-release (LIS-SR) matrix pellet by extrusion/spheronization. Matrix pellets were composed of wet mass containing Avicel® and polymeric matrix polymers (sodium alginate (SA) and chitosan (CS)). Evaluation of the effect of two independent variables, matrix-forming units (SA and CS) on mean line torque, on pellet size, dissolution rate after 6 h, and mucoadhesion strength of the pellets were assessed using Statgraphics software. The tested formulations (F1-F9) showed that mean line torque ranged from 1.583 to 0.461 Nm, with LIS content in the LIS-SR pellets ranged from 87.9 to 103%, sizes varied from 1906 to 1404 µm and high percentages of drug released from pellets formulations (68.48 to 74.18 %), while the mean zeta potential value of mucoadhesive range from -17.5 to -22.9 mV. The selection of optimized formulation must have the following desirability: maximum peak torque, maximum pellets' particle size, and minimum % LIS release after 6hr. LIS optimized sustained release pellet formula composed of 2,159 % SA and 0.357 % CS was chosen as optimized formula. It's showed a 1.055 Nm mean line torque was responsible for the increased pellet size to 1830.8 μm with decreased release rate 56.2 % after 6 hr, and -20.33 mV average mucin zeta potential. Ex-vivo mucoadhesion studies revealed that that the optimize formulation, exhibited excellent mucoadhesive properties, after 1 h, about 73% of the pellets were still attached to the mucus membrane. Additionally, ex-vivo permeation determination of LIS from the optimized LIS-SR formulation was found to be significantly higher (1.7-folds) as compared to free LIS. In conclusion: LIS-SR matrix pellets, prepared with an extrusion/spheronization have desirable excellent characteristics in-vitro and ex-vivo sustained-release pellet formulation of LIS-SR was able to sustain the release of LIS for up to 8 h.

Therapeutic drug monitoring for lisinopril in rats using dried blood spots

A unique, easy, precise and exact high-performance liquid chromatographic-mass tandem (LCMS/MS) approach was created and validated for the measurement of the antihypertensive medicine Lisinopril (LIS) in dried blood spots (DBS). This was the first time according to our knowledge that LIS is being validated in DBS. Liquid chromatography mass tandem was utilized using the Water Acquity column as UPLC -HSS T3® column. Ten millimole ammonium formate, 0.2 percent formic acid, 0.2 percent trimethylamine, one percent acetonitrile (pH 3.0± 0.02) used as mobile phase (A) and a mobile phase (B) consisting of 0.2 percent formic acid in acetonitrile. The mobile phase lasts for 2.5 minutes at a flow rate of 0.2 ml/min. For the drug as well internal standard, the retention times (RT) obtained under optimal circumstances were 0.63±0.02 and 2.18±0.03 min, dried blood spot samples, offering consistent and quantitative drug recovery. The process was the shortest RT reported for the LIS, it is a linear relationship with concentrations from 10 - to 100ng/ml. A protein precipitation approach was used to measure the LIS. The method used to analyze DBS samples from rats receiving LIS.

Formulation of Gelucire®-Based Solid Dispersions of Atorvastatin Calcium: In Vitro Dissolution and In Vivo Bioavailability Study

Atorvastatin (ATV) is a poorly water-soluble drug that exhibits poor oral bioavailability. Therefore, present research was designed to develop ATV solid dispersions (SDs) to enhance the solubility, drug release, and oral bioavailability. Various SDs of ATV were formulated by conventional and microwave-induced melting methods using Gelucire®48/16 as a carrier. The formulated SDs were characterized for different physicochemical characterizations, drug release, and oral bioavailability studies. The results obtained from the different physicochemical characterization indicate the molecular dispersion of ATV within various SDs. The drug polymer interaction results showed no interaction between ATV and used carrier. There was marked enhancement in the solubility (1.95-9.32 folds) was observed for ATV in prepared SDs as compare to pure ATV. The drug content was found to be in the range of 96.19% ± 2.14% to 98.34% ± 1.32%. The drug release results revealed significant enhancement in ATV release from prepared SDs compared to the pure drug and the marketed tablets. The formulation F8 showed high dissolution performance (% DE₃₀ value of 80.65 ± 3.05) among the other formulations. Optimized Gelucire®48/16-based SDs formulation suggested improved oral absorption of atorvastatin as evidenced with improved pharmacokinetic parameters (C_max 2864.33 ± 573.86 ng/ml; AUC_0-t 5594.95 ± 623.3 ng/h ml) as compared to ATV suspension (C_max 317.82 ± 63.56 ng/ml; AUC_0-t 573.94 ± 398.9 ng/h ml) and marketed tablets (C_max 852.72 ± 42.63 ng/ml; 4837.4 ± 174.7 ng/h ml). Conclusively, solid dispersion-based oral formulation of atorvastatin could be a promising approach for enhanced drug solubilization, dissolution, and subsequently improved absorption.

Medicine recalls in Saudi Arabia: a retrospective review of drug alerts (January 2010–January 2019)

Background

A new incidence of a substandard medicinal product is discovered weekly as stated by the World Health Organization (WHO) around the world. After discovering an incidence of a substandard medicinal product, a drug recall announced to remove the affected medicinal product from the market. Drug recalls in SaudiArabia (SA) are made by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) or the distributors of the drug when certain criteria are met. A retrospective study of drug recalls in SA was carried out. Data were collected through a website search of the SFDA for drug recalls since January 2010–January 2019.

Results

SFDA recalled 84 substandard medicinal products which related to 47 alert letters and 52 drugs. The number of drug recall reported by SFDA increased six-folds in 2018 than in 2010. The major frequent therapeutic class of drug recall was the antihypertensive drugs followed by the antibiotic drugs (27.7% and 10.8%, respectively). The majority of the recalls were tablets followed by parenteral dosage forms (58% and 25%, respectively). The major reasons for the drug recalls were due to contamination (32.14%) followed by non-compliance with manufacturer’s specifications (20.48%). Two manufacturers were accounted for 34.52% of all recalled drugs.

Conclusion

Substandard medicinal products are considered as a serious problem in SA. Contamination was the main cause of drug recalls, which requires root investigation of causes and for strict protective tools to be applied by drug manufacturers.

Paclitaxel

Paclitaxel is the first microtubule-stabilizing agent identified and considered to be the most significant advance in chemotherapy of the past two decades. It is considered one of the most widely used antineoplastic agents with broad activity in several cancers including breast cancer, endometrial cancer, non-small-cell lung cancer, bladder cancer, and cervical carcinoma. It is also used for treating AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma as a second line treatment. This comprehensive profile of paclitaxel gives overview of nomenclature, formulae, elemental analysis, appearance, application and uses. In addition, mechanism of action and resistance, different dosage forms and methods of drug preparation are elaborated. Moreover, the physicochemical properties involving X-ray powder diffraction pattern, drug solubility, melting point, differential scanning calorimetry, and stability were summarized. Furthermore, method of drug analysis including compendial, spectrophotometric, and chromatographic was discussed.

Pharmaceutical evaluation of different shampoo brands in local Saudi market

Shampooing is the most common form of hair treatment. Shampoos are primarily products aimed at cleansing the hair and scalp. There are many brands of shampoos in Saudi Arabia, available from different sources, locally and imported from other countries. This study aims to investigate whether such brands comply with the Saudi standard specifications for shampoos, issued by the National Center for Specifications and Standards, and to what extent these specifications are applied. Six shampoo brands were randomly collected from Riyadh market (Pantene®, Sunsilk®, Herbal essences®, Garnier Ultra Doux®, Syoss® and L'Oreal Elvive®). The selected shampoos were evaluated according to their physicochemical properties, including organoleptic characterization, pH measurement, percentage of solid content, rheological measurements, dirt dispersion level, foaming ability and foam stability, and surface tension. All shampoos had a good percentage of solids, excellent foam formation with stable foam and a highly viscous nature. Regarding the pH measurement, all shampoo samples were within the specified range with good wetting ability.

Oral administration of amphotericin B nanoparticles: antifungal activity, bioavailability and toxicity in rats

Amphotericin B (AMB) is used most commonly in severe systemic life-threatening fungal infections. There is currently an unmet need for an efficacious (AMB) formulation amenable to oral administration with better bioavailability and lower nephrotoxicity. Novel PEGylated polylactic-polyglycolic acid copolymer (PLGA-PEG) nanoparticles (NPs) formulations of AMB were therefore studied for their ability to kill Candida albicans (C. albicans). The antifungal activity of AMB formulations was assessed in C. albicans. Its bioavalability was investigated in nine groups of rats (n = 6). Toxicity was examined by an in vitro blood hemolysis assay, and in vivo nephrotoxicity after single and multiple dosing for a week by blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and plasma creatinine (PCr) measurements. The MIC of AMB loaded to PLGA-PEG NPs against C. albicans was reduced two to threefold compared with free AMB. Novel oral AMB delivery loaded to PLGA-PEG NPs was markedly systemically available compared to Fungizone® in rats. The addition of 2% of GA to the AMB formulation significantly (p < 0.05) improved the bioavailability from 1.5 to 10.5% and the relative bioavailability was > 790% that of Fungizone®. The novel AMB formulations showed minimal toxicity and better efficacy compared to Fungizone®. No nephrotoxicity in rats was detected after a week of multiple dosing of AMB NPs based on BUN and PCr, which remained at normal levels. An oral delivery system of AMB-loaded to PLGA-PEG NPs with better efficacy and minimal toxicity was formulated. The addition of glycyrrhizic acid (GA) to AMB NPs formulation resulted in a significant oral absorption and improved bioavailability in rats.