Nanoemulsion Carriers for Ocular Fungal Infection: Main Emphasis on Keratomycosis.

Keratomycosis, also termed fungal keratitis (FK), is an invasive eye condition for which there is a lack of available effective treatment due to pharmacological shortages and vital ocular obstacles. This severe corneal infection typically suppurates and eventually ulcerates, ultimately causing blindness or decreased vision. According to epidemiological studies, FK is more common in warm, humid places with an agricultural economy. The use of nanoemulsion carriers for ocular fungal infection has been promoting better treatment and patient compliance. The persistent fungal infection like FK, affecting particularly the stroma heralds complications thereby posing difficulty in diagnosis and treatment. To help treat refractory cases and improve outcomes, recently targeted drug delivery techniques and novel antifungal drugs shall be explored. A delay in diagnosis may cause corneal fungal infections to have irreversible consequences, which cannot be avoided. However, infections can develop into ocular perforation even after receiving intense care. The commonly used chemotherapy for FK is based on topical (natamycin 5% is typically first-line therapy) and systemic administration of azole drugs. To address the problems related to better treatment, various nanoemulsion carriers were discussed. Novel drug delivery systems based on nanoemulsions are a viable therapeutic option for treating keratomycosis and may be a candidate method for overcoming obstacles in the treatment of many other ocular illnesses when combined with different hydrophobic medicines. With a brief explanation of the pathogenesis, this article seeks to give readers a thorough analysis of current trends, various treatment choices, and care strategies for fungal keratitis.

Oxidative Coupling and Self-Assembly of Polyphenols for the Development of Novel Biomaterials.

In recent years, the development of biomaterials from green organic sources with nontoxicity and hyposensitivity has been explored for a wide array of biotherapeutic applications. Polyphenolic compounds have unique structural features, and self-assembly by oxidative coupling allows molecular species to rearrange into complex biomaterial that can be used for multiple applications. Self-assembled polyphenolic structures, such as hollow spheres, can be designed to respond to various chemical and physical stimuli that can release therapeutic drugs smartly. The self-assembled metallic-phenol network (MPN) has been used for modulating interfacial properties and designing biomaterials, and there are several advantages and challenges associated with such biomaterials. This review comprehensively summarizes current challenges and prospects of self-assembled polyphenolic hollow spheres and MPN coatings and self-assembly for biomedical applications.

Developing, validating, and comparing an analytical method to simultaneously detect z-drugs in urine samples using the QuEChERS approach with both liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Detecting z-drugs, a sedative-hypnotic medication, is also misused for criminal activities. Therefore, the analysis of urine samples is crucial for clinical and forensic purposes. We conducted a study where we developed, validated, and compared an analytical method for simultaneously detecting z-drugs in urine samples. Our approach uses the QuEChERS method for sample preparation, combined with liquid chromatography (LC) and gas chromatography (GC) coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). We optimized the QuEChERS method to effectively extract z-drugs from urine samples while minimizing matrix effects and achieving high recovery rates. After extraction, we split the samples into two parts for analysis using LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS. We validated our methods, and the results showed good linearity over a broad concentration range (1-200 ng/mL) for each z-drug. The limits of detection and quantification were within clinically relevant ranges, ensuring sensitivity for detecting z-drugs in urine samples. We compared the two chromatographic techniques by analyzing a set of urine samples spiked with known concentrations of z-drugs using both LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS methods and then applied to the real samples. The results were statistically analyzed to assess any significant differences in accuracy and precision above 95 %, and both methods offered reliable and consistent results with the samples as well. In conclusion, our analytical method coupled with both LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS using the QuEChERS approach provides a comprehensive and robust solution for the simultaneous detection of z-drugs in urine samples. The choice between the two chromatographic techniques can be based on the specific z-drugs of interest and the required analytical performance. This method holds promise for applications in clinical toxicology, forensic analysis, and monitoring z-drug usage.

Network pharmacology, molecular docking-driven, Qbd-Engineered antifungal in-situ gel loaded with voriconazole nanostructured lipid carriers.

Fungal infections (FIs) affect majority of the population, but the current treatments face challenges in terms of their effectiveness. This study focused on specific fungal targets, including dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), acetohydroxy-acid synthase (AHAS), farnesyltransferase and endoglucanase. The docking studies were conducted with the drug voriconazole (VCZ), comparing it with Fluconazole (FCZ) and Amphotericin B (ATB) against 11 protein data bank (PDB) IDs (IDYR, 3NZB, 6DEQ, 1KS5, 7T0C, 1FY4, 5AJH, 7R79, 6TZ6 and 6IDY). Molecular dynamics (MD) analysis, including RMSD, RMSF, PCA and FEL, confirmed the stability of VCZ. The solubility of VCZ was a problem, so nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) were developed to improve ocular penetration. VCF5 was the optimized formulation by using 32 full factorial design. VCZF5-NLCs were the best in terms of nanoparticle size (126.6 nm), Zeta potential (33.5 mV), drug content (DC; 97.38 ± 0.210), encapsulation efficiency (EE; 88.01 ± 0.272) and extended drug release. The results of the ex-vivo corneal diffusion study indicate that VCZ-NLC-loaded in-situ gel (VCZ-NLC-IG3) exhibited DC of 88.25% and drug entrapment (DE) of 74.2%. The results of the zone of inhibition indicated that VCZ-NLC-IG3 had superior efficacy compared to ATB. Network pharmacology showed VCZ interacts with the genes which are responsible for fungus ergosterol biosynthesis, including lanosterol 14-alpha demethylase inhibitors (ERG11), ergosterol biosynthesis protein 5 (ERG5), dimethylallyltransferase 2 (DIT2), ketosynthase (KCN), methylsterol monooxygenase (MSMO1), lamin B receptor (LBR), squalene epoxidase (SQLE), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A Reductase (MGCR), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A Synthase (HMGCS) and 3-keto-steroid reductase (HSD17B7). In conclusion, the optimized VCZ-loaded NLCs present a promising approach to treat ocular FIs.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Corrigendum to "Tanshinone-I for the treatment of uterine fibroids: Molecular docking, simulation, and density functional theory investigations" [Saudi Pharm. J. 31(6) (2023) 1061-1067].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2023.05.002.].

Polymeric micelles loaded in situ gel with prednisolone acetate for ocular inflammation: development and evaluation.

Aim: Our study developed a prednisolone acetate polymeric micelles (PM) system for ocular inflammation related to allergic uveitis. Methods: For PM development, a thin-film hydration procedure was used. Irritation, in vitro, ex vivo transcorneal permeation, micelle size, entrapment efficiency and histology within the eye were all calculated for PM. Results: The optimized in situ gel (A4) showed superior ex vivo transcorneal permeation with zero-order kinetics. Conclusion: The developed formulation could be a promising candidate for treating anterior uveitis via topical application to the anterior segment of the eye.

QbD Design, Formulation, Optimization and Evaluation of Trans-Tympanic Reverse Gelatination Gel of Norfloxacin: Investigating Gene-Gene Interactions to Enhance Therapeutic Efficacy.

Traditional otic drug delivery methods lack controlled release capabilities, making reverse gelatination gels a promising alternative. Reverse gelatination gels are colloidal systems that transition from a sol to a gel phase at the target site, providing controlled drug release over an extended period. Thermosensitive norfloxacin reverse gelatination gels were developed using a Quality by Design (QbD)-based optimization approach. The formulations were evaluated for their in vitro release profile, rheological behavior, visual appearance, pH, gelling time, and sol-gel transition temperature. The results show that the gelation temperatures of the formulations ranged from 33 to 37 °C, with gelling durations between 35 and 90 s. The drug content in the formulations was uniform, with entrapment efficiency ranging from 55% to 95%. Among the formulations, F10 exhibited the most favorable properties and was selected for a stability study lasting 60 days. Ex-vivo release data demonstrate that the F10 formulation achieved 95.6percentage of drug release at 360 min. This study successfully developed thermosensitive norfloxacin reverse gelatination gels using a QbD-based optimization approach. The selected formulation, F10, exhibited desirable properties in terms of gelling temperature, drug content, and release profile. These gels hold potential for the controlled delivery of norfloxacin in the treatment of ear infections.

Statistical optimization of tetrahydrocurcumin loaded solid lipid nanoparticles using Box Behnken design in the management of streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus.

In the past, curcumin was the go-to medication for diabetes, but recent studies have shown that tetrahydrocurcumin is more effective. The problem is that it's not very soluble in water or very bioavailable. So, our research aims to increase the bioavailability and anti-diabetic efficacy of tetrahydrocurcumin in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats by synthesizing tetrahydrocurcumin-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles. Box Behnken Design was employed for the optimization of tetrahydrocurcumin-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (THC-SLNs). The optimal formulation was determined by doing an ANOVA to examine the relationship between the independent variables (drug-to-lipid ratio, surfactant concentration, and co-surfactant concentration) and the dependent variables (particle size, percent entrapment efficiency, and PDI). Particle size, PDI, and entrapment efficiency all showed statistical significance based on F-values and p-values. The optimized batch was prepared using a drug-to-lipid ratio (1:4.16), 1.21% concentration of surfactant, and 0.4775% co-surfactant (observed with a particle size of 147.1 nm, 83.58 ± 0.838 % entrapment efficiency, and 0.265 PDI, and the values were found very close with the predicted ones. As the THC peak vanishes from the DSC thermogram of the improved formulation, this indicates that the drug has been transformed from its crystalline form into its amorphous state. TEM analysis of optimized formulation demonstrated mono-dispersed particles with an average particle size of 145 nm which are closely related to zetasizer's results. In-vitro release study of optimized formulation demonstrated burst release followed by sustained release up to 71.04% throughout 24 hrs. Increased bioavailability of the adjusted THC-SLN was found in an in vivo pharmacokinetics research with 9.47 folds higher AUC(0-t) compared to plain THC-suspension. Additionally, pharmacodynamic experiments of optimized formulation demonstrated a marked decrease in blood glucose level to 63.7% and increased body weight from 195.8 ± 7.223 to 231.2 ± 7.653 on the 28th day of the study and showed a better anti-diabetic effect than plain drug suspension. Results of stability studies revealed that formulation can be stored for longer periods at room temperature. Tetrahydrocurcumin can be effectively administered by SLN for the treatment of diabetes.

Emphasis on Nanostructured Lipid Carriers in the Ocular Delivery of Antibiotics.

BACKGROUND: Drug distribution to the eye is still tricky because of the eye's intricate structure. Systemic delivery, as opposed to more traditional methods like eye drops and ointments, is more effective but higher doses can be harmful. Objective- The use of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNPs) as a method of drug delivery has been the subject of research since the 1990s. Since SLNPs are derived from naturally occurring lipids, they pose no health risks to the user. To raise the eye's absorption of hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs, SLNs can promote corneal absorption and improve the ocular bioavailability of SLNPs. Methods- To address problems related to ocular drug delivery, many forms of Nano formulation were developed. Some of the methods developed are, emulsification and ultra-sonication, High-speed stirring and ultra-sonication, Thin layer hydration, Adapted melt-emulsification, and ultrasonication techniques, hot o/w micro-emulsion techniques, etc. Results- Nanostructured lipid carriers are described in this review in terms of their ocular penetration mechanism, structural characteristic, manufacturing process, characterization, and advantages over other nanocarriers. Conclusion - Recent developments in ocular formulations with nanostructured bases, such as surface-modified attempts have been made to increase ocular bioavailability in both the anterior and posterior chambers by incorporating cationic chemicals into a wide variety of polymeric systems.

Untangling breast cancer: Trailing towards nanoformulations-based drug development.

All over the world, cancer death and prevalence are increasing. Breast cancer (BC) is the major cause of cancer mortality (15%) which makes it the most common cancer in women. BC is defined as the furious progression and quick division of breast cells. Novel nanotechnology-based approaches helped in improving survival rate, metastatic BC is still facing obstacles to treat with an expected overall 23% survival rate. This paper represents epidemiology, classification (non-invasive, invasive and metastatic), risk factors (genetic and non-genetic) and treatment challenges of breast cancer in brief. This review paper focus on the importance of nanotechnology-based nanoformulations for treatment of BC. This review aims to deliver elementary insight and understanding of the novel nanoformulations in BC treatment and to explain to the readers for enduring designing novel nanomedicine. Later, we elaborate on several types of nanoformulations used in tumor therapeutics such as liposomes, dendrimers, polymeric nanomaterials and many others. Potential research opportunities for clinical application and current challenges related to nanoformulations utility for the treatment of BC are also highlighted in this review. The role of artificial intelligence is elaborated in detail. We also confer the existing challenges and perspectives of nanoformulations in effective tumor management, with emphasis on the various patented nanoformulations approved or progression of clinical trials retrieved from various search engines.

Assessing the Efficacy of Berberine Hydrochloride-loaded Transethosomal Gel System in Treating Dermatophytosis Caused by Trichophyton Rubrum in ex-vivo, in-vitro, and in-vivo models.

BACKGROUND: Dermatophytosis is the most common dermatological disorder worldwide. Many drugs are available in the market for the treatment of dermatophytosis, but they have had limited success due to the stratum corneum barrier, antifungal resistance, drug permeation, drug retention in skin layers, etc. Thus, there is a constant need for new topical compounds that are effective against dermatophytosis. Berberine-hydrochloride is an attractive candidate to become an antifungal drug, and by using nanotechnology, it achieves deeper penetration in skin layers with enhanced permeability through the stratum corneum. METHODS: In this study, we developed an oleic acid-containing berberine-hydrochloride-loaded transethosomal gel for effective treatment of dermatophytosis by Trichophyton rubrum. Berberine-hydrochloride-loaded transethosomal gels were fabricated using the hot homogenization method, followed by the incorporation of transethosomes into the gel-based system using carbopol 934. Transethosomal gel was characterized by physicochemical properties, in vitro drug release, ex-vivo permeation studies, CLSM visualization, antifungal activity, histopathological evaluation, and dermatokinetic study. RESULTS: Berberine-hydrochloride-loaded transethosomes seemed to be spherical and found in a range between 200-300 nm. Berberine-hydrochloride-loaded transethosomal gel formulation also exhibited controlled ex-vivo permeation of berberine-hydrochloride over 24 hr through excised rat skin, and CLSM confirmed deeper penetration into skin layers. The in vivo study revealed that transethosomal gel had a healing effect on the skin of Wistar rats infected with Trichophyton rubrum and was better than luliconazole cream. The histopathological evaluation confirmed its safety, and the dermatokinetic study showed transethosomal gel superiority over marketed cream. CONCLUSION: Therefore, the incorporation of berberine hydrochloride-loaded transethosomal nanosystems into the gel has the potential to enhance antifungal activity and permeation through transdermal drug delivery.

Mechanistic Role of Tempol: Synthesis, Catalysed Reactions and Therapeutic Potential.

Tempol (TP) was introduced in 1960 by Lebedev and Kazarnovskii and is an excellent catalyst extensively used in the synthesis and oxidation of various reagents. 4-Hydroxy-2,2,6,6- tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl (TP) has also been explored against various disorders like inflammation, superoxide anion-influenced molecular linked behavioural modifications, radical capturing, cardioprotective, protective ocular damage, against skin burns, fibrocystic diseases, breast cancer prevention, respiratory infections, alopecia, and cerebral malaria, etc. This review article comprises five major aspects of TP namely (a) Approx. 25 different Synthesis schemes of TP (b) major reactions catalysed by TP (c) Therapeutic potential of TP. It also provides scientific information that supports the use of TP which may be proven as a "MIRACLE" drug for the treatment of numerous disorders namely in reducing the reactive oxygen species, superoxide mutases, vision disorders, cancer as well as in covid. It also possesses a significant role in minimising side effects in combination therapy. This review will be beneficial to researchers, healthcare, and academic professionals for further research.

Tanshinone-I for the treatment of uterine fibroids: Molecular docking, simulation, and density functional theory investigations.

Uterine fibroids (UF), most prevalent gynecological disorder, require surgery when symptomatic. It is estimated that between 25 and 35 percent of women wait until the symptoms have worsened like extended heavy menstrual bleeding and severe pelvic pain. These UF may be reduced in size through various methods such as medical or surgical intervention. Progesterone (prog) is a crucial hormone that restores the endometrium and controls uterine function. In the current study, 28 plant-based molecules are identified from previous literature and docked onto the prog receptors with 1E3K and 2OVH. Tanshinone-I has shown the best docking score against both proteins. The synthetic prog inhibitor Norethindrone Acetate is used as a standard to evaluate the docking outcomes. The best compound, tanshinone-I, was analyzed using molecular modeling and DFT. The RMSD for the 1E3K protein-ligand complex ranged from 0.10 to 0.42 Å, with an average of 0.21 Å and a standard deviation (SD) of 0.06, while the RMSD for the 2OVH protein-ligand complex ranged from 0.08 to 0.42 Å, with an average of 0.20 Å and a SD of 0.06 showing stable interaction. In principal component analysis, the observed eigen values of HPR-Tanshinone-I fluctuate between -1.11 to 1.48 and -1.07 to 1.25 for PC1 and PC2, respectively (1E3K), and the prog-tanshinone-I complex shows eigen values of -38.88 to -31.32 and -31.32 to 35.87 for PC1 and PC2, respectively (2OVH), which shows Tanshinone-I forms a stable protein-ligand complex with 1E3K in comparison to 2OVH. The Free Energy Landscape (FEL) analysis shows the Gibbs free energy in the range of 0 to 8 kJ/mol for Tanshinone-I with 1E3K and 0 to 14 kJ/mol for Tanshinone-I with the 2OVH complex. The DFT calculation reveals ΔE value of 2.8070 eV shows tanshinone-I as a stable compound. 1E3K modulates the prog pathway, it may have either an agonistic or antagonistic effect on hPRs. Tanshinone-I can cause ROS, apoptosis, autophagy (p62 accumulation), up-regulation of inositol requiring protein-1, enhancer-binding protein homologous protein, p-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK), and suppression of MMPs. Bcl-2 expression can change LC3I to LC3II and cause apoptosis through Beclin-1 expression.

Carbapenem Antibiotics: Recent Update on Synthesis and Pharmacological Activities.

Right from the breakthrough of carbapenems since 1976, many schemes on synthesis, structure-activity relationship (SAR), and biological activities have been carried out, and several carbapenems have been developed, including parentally active carbapenems like imipenem, doripenem, biapenem, meropenem, ertapenem, panipenem, razupenem, tomopenem, and cilastatin, whereas orally active carbapenems like GV-118819, GV-104326, CS-834, L-084, DZ-2640, CL 191, 121, L-646, 591, S-4661, ER-35768, MK-826. Prodrugs of carbapenem with increased bioavailability include temopenem, tebipenem, sanfetrinem, LK-157, and CP 5484. Merck, Glaxo Welcome Research Group, Johnson & Johnson, Sankyo Group and Dai-ichi Group, and Wyeth-Ayerst Group were among the businesses that produced carbapenems. In this review Witting reaction, Mitsunobu reaction, Dieckmann reaction, palladium-catalyzed hydrogenolysis, E. coli-based cloned synthesis, as well as biosynthetic enzymes such as carbapenem synthetase (carA), carboxymethylproline synthase (carB), carbapenem synthase (carC) are included. Carbapenems are biologically mainly active in the infections like urinary tract infections, bloodstream infections, tuberculosis, intra-abdominal infections, and pathogens like anaerobes, gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

A Review on Polymeric Nanostructured Micelles for the Ocular Inflammation-Main Emphasis on Uveitis.

BACKGROUND: Various types of nano-formulations are being developed and tested for the delivery of the ocular drug. They also have anatomical and physiological limitations, such as tear turnover, nasal lachrymal waste, reflex squinting, and visual static and dynamic hindrances, which pose challenges and delay ocular drug permeation. As a result of these limitations, less than 5% of the dose can reach the ocular tissues. OBJECTIVE: The basic purpose of designing these formulations is that they provide prolonged retention for a longer period and can also increase the course time. METHODS: To address the aforementioned issues, many forms of polymeric micelles were developed. Direct dissolving, dialysis, oil-in-water emulsion, solvent evaporation, co-solvent evaporation, and freeze-drying are some of the methods used to make polymeric nano micelles. RESULTS: Their stability is also very good and also possesses reversible drug loading capacity. When the drug is given through the topical route, then it has very low ocular bioavailability. CONCLUSION: The definition and preparation process of polymeric micelles and anti-inflammatory drugs used in uveitis and the relation between uveitis and micelles are illustrated in detail.

Microwave Induced Green Synthesis: Sustainable Technology for Efficient Development of Bioactive Pyrimidine Scaffolds.

Microwave radiation is used as a heating source during the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds. The heating mechanisms involved in microwave-induced synthesis include dipolar polarization and ionic conduction. This heating technology follows the green protocol as it involves the use of recyclable organic solvents during synthesis. The microwave heating approach offers a faster rate of reaction, easier work-up procedure, and higher product yield with purity and also reduces environmental pollution. So, microwave heating is applied as a sustainable technology for the efficient production of pyrimidine compounds as one of the heterocyclic moieties. Pyrimidine is a six-membered nitrogenous heterocyclic compound that plays a significant role due to several therapeutic applications. This moiety acts as an essential building block for generating drug candidates with diverse biological activities, including anti-cancer (capecitabine), anti-thyroid (propylthiouracil), antihistaminic (pemirolast), antimalarial (pyrimethamine), antidiabetic (alloxan), antihypertensive (minoxidil), anti-inflammatory (octotiamine), antifungal (cyprodinil), antibacterial (sulfamethazine), etc. This review is focused on the synthesis of pyrimidine analogs under microwave irradiation technique and the study of their therapeutic potentials.

Tc-99m Ethambutol Scintigraphy with Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography in Diagnosis of Tubercular Iliopsoas Abscess.

Very few imaging techniques can demonstrate the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in vivo. Technitium-99m Ethambutol scintigraphy is one of them, although literature on the utility of this technique is scarce. We describe a patient with iliopsoas abscess showing increased uptake on Tc-99 m ethambutol scintigraphy which was later confirmed to be tubercular by the microbiological analysis of pus.

Copper(I)-Catalyzed Sandmeyer-Type S-Arylation of 1-Thiosugars with Aryldiazonium Salts under Mild Conditions.

Preparation of S-aryl thioglycosides from 1-thiosugars via S-arylation was demonstrated under mild reaction conditions. A wide range of protected and unprotected 1-thiosugars derived from glucose, glucosamine, galactose, mannose, ribose, maltose, and lactose underwent cross-coupling reactions with functionalized aryldiazonium salts in the presence of copper(I) chloride and DBU. The desired products were obtained in 55-88% yields within 5 min. Various functional groups, including halogens, were tolerated under standard reaction conditions. Synthesis of the biologically relevant antidiabetic dapagliflozin S-analogue and arbutin S-analogues (tyrosinase inhibitors) was demonstrated.