Wound Healing Efficacy of Rosuvastatin Transethosomal Gel, I Optimal Optimization, Histological and In Vivo Evaluation

This study aimed to make a formulation and statistical optimization of transethosomal formulations of rosuvastatin (ROS) to enhance its topical wound healing efficiency. Design-Expert^® software was used to employ I optimal design. The formulation variables in the study were surfactant concentration (%w/v), ethanol concentration (%w/v) and surfactant type (span 60 or tween 80), while the dependent responses were entrapment efficiency percent (EE%), vesicle size (VS) and zeta potential (ZP). The numerical optimization process employed by the design expert software resulted in an optimum formula composed of 0.819439 (%w/v) span 60, 40 (%w/v) ethanol and 100 mg lecithin with a desirability of 0.745. It showed a predicted EE% value of 66.5517 vs. 277.703 nm and a ZP of -33. When it was prepared and validated, it showed less than a 5% deviation from the predicted values. The optimum formula was subjected to further characterizations, such as DSC, XRD, TEM, in vitro release, the effect of aging and wound healing efficiency. The DSC thermogram made a confirmation of the compatibility of ROS with the ingredients used in the formulation. XRD showed the encapsulation of ROS in the transethosomal vesicles. The TEM image pointed out the spherical nature of the nanovesicles with the absence of aggregation. Additionally, the optimum formula revealed an enhancement of drug release in comparison with the drug suspension. It also showed good stability for one month. Furthermore, it revealed good wound healing efficiency when compared with the standard silver sulphadiazine (1% w/w) ointment or the drug-loaded gel, which could be related to the enhanced penetration of the nanosized vesicles of TESMs into the skin, which enhances the wound healing process. So, it could be regarded as a promising carrier of ROS for the treatment of chronic wounds.

Brain Targeting of Quetiapine Fumarate via Intranasal Delivery of Loaded Lipospheres: Fabrication, In-Vitro Evaluation, Optimization, and In-Vivo Assessment

A liposphere system for intranasal delivery of quetiapine fumarate (QTF) was created to assess the potential for enhanced drug delivery. We investigated the effects of particle size, entrapment effectiveness, poly dispersibility index, and pluronic incorporation percentage on these variables. The optimal formula was examined using a TEM, and investigations into DSC, XRD, and FTIR were made. Optimized liposphere formulation in vitro dissolution investigation with a mean diameter of 294.4 ± 18.2 nm revealed about 80% drug release in 6 h. The intranasal injection of QTF-loaded lipospheres showed a shorter T_max compared to that of intranasal and oral suspension, per the findings of an in vivo tissue distribution investigation in Wistar mice. Lipospheres were able to achieve higher drug transport efficiency (DTE %) and direct nose-to-brain drug transfer (DTP %). A potentially effective method for delivering QTF to specific brain regions is the liposphere system.

Polymeric micelles for potentiated antiulcer and anticancer activities of naringin

Naringin is one of the most interesting phytopharmaceuticals that has been widely investigated for various biological actions. Yet, its low water solubility, limited permeability, and suboptimal bioavailability limited its use. Therefore, in this study, polymeric micelles of naringin based on pluronic F68 (PF68) were developed, fully characterized, and optimized. The optimized formula was investigated regarding in vitro release, storage stability, and in vitro cytotoxicity vs different cell lines. Also, cytoprotection against ethanol-induced ulcer in rats and antitumor activity against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma in mice were investigated. Nanoscopic and nearly spherical 1:50 micelles with the mean diameter of 74.80±6.56 nm and narrow size distribution were obtained. These micelles showed the highest entrapment efficiency (EE%; 96.14±2.29). The micelles exhibited prolonged release up to 48 vs 10 h for free naringin. The stability of micelles was confirmed by insignificant changes in drug entrapment, particle size, and retention (%) (91.99±3.24). At lower dose than free naringin, effective cytoprotection of 1:50 micelles against ethanol-induced ulcer in rat model has been indicated by significant reduction in mucosal damage, gastric level of malondialdehyde, gastric expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, caspase-3, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells, and interleukin-6 with the elevation of gastric reduced glutathione and superoxide dismutase when compared with the positive control group. As well, these micelles provoked pronounced antitumor activity assessed by potentiated in vitro cytotoxicity particularly against colorectal carcinoma cells and tumor growth inhibition when compared with free naringin. In conclusion, 1:50 naringin-PF68 micelles can be represented as a potential stable nanodrug delivery system with prolonged release and enhanced antiulcer as well as antitumor activities.

Gastroretentive Matrix Tablets of Boswellia Oleogum Resin: Preparation, Optimization, In Vitro Evaluation, and Cytoprotective Effect on Indomethacin-Induced Gastric Ulcer in Rabbits

Currently available anti-ulcer drugs suffer from serious side effects which limited their uses and prompted the need to search for a safe and efficient new anti-ulcer agent. Boswellia gum resin (BR) emerged as a safe, efficient, natural, and economic potential cytoprotective agent. Thus, it is of medical importance to develop gastroretentive (GR) formulations of BR to enhance its bioavailability and anti-ulcer efficacy. Early attempts involved the use of organic solvents and non-applicability to large-scale production. In this study, different tablet formulations were prepared by simple direct compression combining floating and bioadhesion mechanisms employing hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (SCMC), pectin (PC), and/or carbopol (CP) as bioadhesive polymers and sodium bicarbonate (SB) as a gas former. The prepared tablets were subjected for assessment of swelling, floating, bioadhesion, and drug release in 0.1 N HCl. The optimized GR formulation was examined for its protective effect on the gastric ulcer induced by indomethacin in albino rabbits compared with lactose tablets. The obtained results disclosed that swelling, floating, bioadhesion, and drug release of the GR tablets of BR depend mainly on the nature of the matrix and the ratio of polymer combinations. Moreover, a combination of SCMC-CP in a ratio of 2:1 (SCP21) exhibited desirable floating, bioadhesion, swelling, and extended drug release. Also, a 6-h pretreatment with SCP21 tablets decreased the severity of inflammation and number of bleeding spots among ulcer-induced rabbits in comparison to those treated with lactose tablets.