Comparative Analysis of PEG-Free and PEG-Based Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery Systems for Enhanced Oral Bioavailability of Therapeutic (Poly) Peptides.

This study aims to compare the potential of Polyethylene glycol (PEG-free and PEG-based self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) for the oral administration of insulin glargine (IG). Hydrophobic ion pairs (HIPs) of IG are formed using various counterions. HIPs are assessed for log P octanol/water and dissociation behavior. They are incorporated into SEDDS based on polyglycerol (PG) and zwitterionic surfactant (ZW) using response surface methodology and compared to conventional PEG-SEDDS in size, stability, and log D SEDDS/release medium. Oral IG bioavailability in PG/ZW-SEDDS and PEG-SEDDS is evaluated in rats. Among the various counterions studied, IG-BIS (bis(isotridecyl)sulfosuccinate) HIPs demonstrated the highest log P and an improved dissociation profile. PG/ZW-SEDDS and PEG-SEDDS have similar ≈40 nm sizes and are stable over 24 h. Both formulations have log D > 4 in water and >2 in 50 mM phosphate buffer pH 6.8. PG/ZW-SEDDS yielded an oral bioavailability of 2.13 ± 0.66% for IG, while the employment of PEG-SEDDS resulted in an oral bioavailability of 1.15 ± 0.35%. This study highlights the prospective utilization of PEG-free SEDDS involving the concurrent application of PG and ZW surfactants, an alternative to conventional PEG surfactants, for improved oral therapeutic (poly) peptide delivery.

The role of phospholipids in drug delivery formulations - Recent advances presented at the Researcher's Day 2023 Conference of the Phospholipid Research Center Heidelberg.

This Focus on Meetings contribution summarizes recent advances in the research on phospholipids and their applications for drug delivery and analytical purposes that have been presented at the hybrid Researcher's Day 2023 Conference of the Phospholipid Research Center (PRC), held on July 3-5, 2023, in Bad Dürkheim, Germany. The PRC is a non-profit organization focused on expanding and sharing scientific and technological knowledge of phospholipids in pharmaceutical and other applications. This is accomplished by, e.g., funding doctoral and postdoctoral research projects. The progress made with these projects is presented at the Researcher's Day Conference every two years. Four main topics were presented and discussed in various lectures: (1) formulation of phospholipid-based nanocarriers, (2) therapeutic applications of phospholipids and phospholipid-based nanocarriers, (3) phospholipids as excipients in oral, dermal, and parenteral dosage forms, and (4) interactions of phospholipids and phospholipid-based vesicles in biological environment and their use as analytical platforms.

Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS): How organic solvent release governs the fate of their cargo.

Organic solvents are commonly used in self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) to increase payloads of orally administered poorly soluble drugs. Since such solvents are released to a varying extent after emulsification, depending on their hydrophilic nature, they have a substantial impact on the cargo. To investigate this impact in detail, quercetin and curcumin as model drugs were incorporated in SEDDS comprising organic solvents (SEDDS-solvent) of logP < 2 and > 2. SEDDS were characterized regarding size, payload, emulsification time and solvent release. The effect of solvent release on the solubility of these drugs was determined. Preconcentrates of SEDDS-solventlogP < 2 emulsified more rapidly (< 1.5 min) forming smaller droplets than SEDDS-solventlogP > 2. Although, SEDDS-solventlogP < 2 preconcentrates provided higher quercetin solubility than the latter, a more pronounced solvent release caused a more rapid quercetin precipitation after emulsification (1.5 versus 4 h). In contrast, the more lipophilic curcumin was not affected by solvent release at all. Particularly, SEDDS-solventlogP < 2 preconcentrates provided high drug payloads without showing precipitation after emulsification. According to these results, the fate of moderate lipophilic drugs such as quercetin is governed by the release of solvent, whereas more lipophilic drugs such as curcumin remain inside the oily phase of SEDDS even when the solvent is released.

Thiolated Cellulose: A Dual-Acting Mucoadhesive and Permeation-Enhancing Polymer.

This study aims to design an anionic, thiolated cellulose derivative and to evaluate its mucoadhesive and permeation-enhancing properties utilizing enoxaparin as a model drug. 2-Mercaptosuccinic acid-modified cellulose (cellulose-mercaptosuccinate) was synthesized by the reaction of cellulose with S-acetylmercaptosuccinic anhydride. The chemical structure of the target compound was confirmed by FTIR and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The thiol content was determined by Ellman's test. The conjugate exhibited 215.5 ± 25 µmol/g of thiol groups and 84 ± 16 µmol/g of disulfide bonds. Because of thiolation, mucoadhesion on porcine intestinal mucosa was 9.6-fold enhanced. The apparent permeability (Papp) of the model dye Lucifer yellow was up to 2.2-fold improved by 0.5% cellulose-mercaptosuccinate on a Caco-2 cell monolayer. Enoxaparin permeation through rat intestinal mucosa increased 2.4-fold in the presence of 0.5% cellulose-mercaptosuccinate compared with the drug in buffer only. In vivo studies in rats showed an oral bioavailability of 8.98% using cellulose-mercaptosuccinate, which was 12.5-fold higher than that of the aqueous solution of the drug. Results of this study show that the modification of cellulose with 2-mercaptosuccinic acid provides mucoadhesive and permeation-enhancing properties, making this thiolated polymer an attractive excipient for oral drug delivery.

Three generations of thiolated cyclodextrins: A direct comparison of their mucus permeating and mucoadhesive properties.

AIM: This study aims to compare the mucus permeating and mucoadhesive properties of three generations of thiolated cyclodextrins (CDs). METHODS: Free thiol groups of thiolated γ-CDs (CD-SH) were S-protected with 2-mercaptonicotinic acid (MNA), leading to a second generation of thiolated CDs (CD-SS-MNA) and with 2 kDa polyethylene glycol (PEG) bearing a terminal thiol group leading to a third generation of thiolated CDs (CD-SS-PEG). The structure of these thiolated CDs was confirmed and characterized by FT-IR, 1H NMR and colorimetric assays. Thiolated CDs were evaluated regarding viscosity, mucus diffusion, and mucoadhesion. RESULTS: The viscosity of the mixture of CD-SH, CD-SS-MNA, or CD-SS-PEG with mucus increased up to 11-, 16-, and 14.1-fold compared to unmodified CD within 3 hours, respectively. Mucus diffusion increased in the following rank order: unprotected CD-SH < CD-SS-MNA < CD-SS-PEG. The residence time of CD-SH, CD-SS-MNA, and CD-SS-PEG on porcine intestine was up to 9.6-, 12.55-, and 11.2-fold prolonged compared to native CD, respectively. CONCLUSION: According to these results, S-protection of thiolated CDs can be a promising approach to improve their mucus permeating and mucoadhesive properties. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Three generations of thiolated cyclodextrins (CDs) with different types of thiol ligands have been synthesized to improve mucus interaction. 1st generation of thiolated CDs was synthesized by converting hydroxyl groups into thiols by reaction with Thiourea. For 2nd generation, free thiol groups were S-protected by reaction with 2-mercaptonicotinic acid (MNA), resulting in high reactive disulfide bonds. For 3rd generation, terminally thiolated short PEG chains (2 kDa) were used for S-protection of thiolated CDs. Mucus penetrating properties were found to be increased as follows: 1st generation < 2nd generation < 3rd generation. Furthermore, mucoadhesive properties were improved in the following rank order: 1st generation < 3rd generation < 2nd generation. This study suggests that the S-protection of thiolated CDs can enhance mucus penetrating and mucoadhesive properties.

Peptide Antibiotic-Polyphosphate Nanoparticles: A Promising Strategy to Overcome the Enzymatic and Mucus Barrier of the Intestine.

The aim of this study was to develop peptide antibiotic-polyphosphate nanoparticles that are able to overcome the enzymatic and mucus barriers providing a targeted drug release directly on the intestinal epithelium. Polymyxin B-polyphosphate nanoparticles (PMB-PP NPs) were formed via ionic gelation between the cationic peptide and the anionic polyphosphate (PP). The resulting NPs were characterized by particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and cytotoxicity on Caco-2 cells. The protective effect of these NPs for incorporated PMB was evaluated via enzymatic degradation studies with lipase. Moreover, mucus diffusion of NPs was investigated with porcine intestinal mucus. Isolated intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) was employed to trigger the degradation of NPs and consequent drug release. PMB-PP NPs exhibited an average size of 197.13 ± 14.13 nm, a PDI of 0.36, a zeta potential of -11.1 ± 3.4 mV and a concentration and time-dependent toxicity. They provided entire protection toward enzymatic degradation and exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) higher mucus permeating properties than PMB. When incubated with isolated IAP for 4 h, monophosphate and PMB were constantly released from PMB-PP NPs and zeta potential raised up to -1.9 ± 0.61 mV. According to these findings, PMB-PP NPs are promising delivery systems to protect cationic peptide antibiotics against enzymatic degradation, to overcome the mucus barrier and to provide drug release directly at the epithelium.

Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS): In vivo-proof of concept for oral delivery of insulin glargine.

In spite of recent progress made in the field of peptide and protein delivery, oral administration of insulin and similar drugs remains a challenge. In this study, lipophilicity of insulin glargine (IG) was successfully increased via hydrophobic ion pairing (HIP) with sodium octadecyl sulfate to enable incorporation into self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS). Two SEDDS formulations (F1: 20% Labrasol®ALF, 30% polysorbate 80, 10% Croduret 50, 20% oleyl alcohol, 20% Maisine® CC; F2: 30% Labrasol®ALF, 20% polysorbate 80, 30% Kolliphor® HS 15, 20% Plurol® oleique CC 497) were developed and loaded with the IG-HIP complex. Further experiments confirmed increased lipophilicity of the complex, achieving LogDSEDDS/release medium values of 2.5 (F1) and 2.4 (F2) and ensuring sufficient amounts of IG within the droplets after dilution. Toxicological assays indicated minor toxicity and no toxicity inherent to the incorporated IG-HIP complex. SEDDS formulations F1 and F2 were administered to rats via oral gavage and resulted in a bioavailability of 0.55% and 0.44%, corresponding to a 7.7-fold and 6.2-fold increased bioavailability, respectively. Thus, incorporation of complexed insulin glargine into SEDDS formulations provides a promising approach to facilitate its oral absorption.

Biodegradable Cationic and Ionizable Cationic Lipids: A Roadmap for Safer Pharmaceutical Excipients.

Cationic and ionizable cationic lipids are broadly applied as auxiliary agents, but their use is associated with adverse effects. If these excipients are rapidly degraded to endogenously occurring metabolites such as amino acids and fatty acids, their toxic potential can be minimized. So far, synthesized and evaluated biodegradable cationic and ionizable cationic lipids already showed promising results in terms of functionality and safety. Within this review, an overview about the different types of such biodegradable lipids, the available building blocks, their synthesis and cleavage by endogenous enzymes is provided. Moreover, the relationship between the structure of the lipids and their toxicity is described. Their application in drug delivery systems is critically discussed and placed in context with the lead compounds used in mRNA vaccines. Moreover, their use as preservatives is reviewed, guidance for their design is provided, and an outlook on future developments is given.

Oral delivery of calcitonin-ion pairs: In vivo proof of concept for a highly lipophilic counterion.

Hydrophobic ion pairing and subsequent incorporation into self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) is a promising strategy to orally deliver hydrophilic macromolecular drugs. Within this study, hydrophobic ion pairs (HIP) between salmon calcitonin (sCT) and highly lipophilic sulfosuccinate counterions were formed and compared to frequently applied commercially available counterions. Bis(isotridecyl) sulfosuccinate resulted in HIPs of the highest lipophilicity and in significantly higher solubility in lipophilic co-solvents. Thus, bis(isotridecyl) sulfosuccinate allowed efficient solubilization of sCT in a SEDDS preconcentrate based on a lipophilic co-solvent and an indigestible lipid, but omitting hydrophilic co-solvents. In addition to the increased solubility in the lipidic matrix, markedly reduced dissociation in biorelevant media resulted in high distribution coefficients between oil droplet and FaSSGF or FaSSIF (logD) of 2.98 ± 0.12 or 2.77 ± 0.14, respectively. The composition of the lipidic matrix preserved integrity of the oil droplets after emulsification and subsequent lipolysis, allowing to fully exploit the potential of the HIP attributed to the high logD. Oral administration of the HIP-loaded SEDDS resulted in an excellent relative pharmacological activity of 13.8 ± 5.6 % measured as hypocalcaemic effect in rats.

Iminated aminoglycosides in self-emulsifying drug delivery systems: Dual approach to break down the microbial defense.

HYPOTHESIS: Aminoglycosides are well known, cationic antimicrobial drugs. However, biofilm-based antibiotic resistance significantly limits their efficacy. Masking the polycationic character of these drugs, followed by incorporation into self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) can improve biofilm eradication. EXPERIMENTS: Imine derivatives were synthesized via coupling with trans-cinnamaldehyde and characterized regarding degree of substitution, logP, cytotoxicity and antimicrobial efficacy on the opportunistic human pathogens Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Imines were loaded into newly developed SEDDS formulations and the antimicrobial efficacy was assessed on these pathogens in planktonic state and after biofilm formation. FINDINGS: Successful synthesis of imine derivatives with almost entirely masked amine groups was confirmed by NMR, FT-IR, TLC and MS. Imines exhibited a marked elevation in logP value of 8 units for kanamycin and 7.7 units for tobramycin. They showed low toxicity profiles while fully preserving antimicrobial efficacy on all tested pathogens. Incorporation into SEDDS resulted in nanoemulsions, which exhibited equal antimicrobial efficacy on the model germs compared to the corresponding aminoglycosides. Moreover, the biofilm eradication assay revealed superior anti-biofilm properties of the nanoemulsions. Native aminoglycosides were largely prone to reduced microbial susceptibility due to biofilm formation, while the combination of SEDDS with iminated aminoglycosides provided overall enhanced biofilm eradication.

Charge converting nanostructured lipid carriers containing a cell-penetrating peptide for enhanced cellular uptake.

HYPOTHESIS: The aim of this study was the development of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) decorated with a polycationic cell-penetrating peptide (CPP). A coating with polyphosphates (PP) enables charge conversion at target cells being triggered by the membrane bound enzyme intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP). EXPERIMENTS: The CPP, stearyl-nona-L-arginine (R9SA) was obtained by solid phase synthesis. Formed nanocarriers were characterized regarding size, polydispersity index, zeta potential and charge conversion in the presence of IAP and on Caco-2 cells. The BCS class IV drug saquinavir (SQV) was loaded into NLCs in different concentrations. Mucus diffusion ability of the NLCs was evaluated by the rotating tube method. Furthermore, cellular uptake was evaluated on Caco-2 cells and endosomal escape properties were investigated using erythrocytes. FINDINGS: All NLCs were obtained in a size range between 146 nm and 152 nm and a polydispersity index of 0.2. Incubation of PP coated PP-R9SA-NLCs with IAP led to a charge conversion from -41.8 mV to 6.4 mV (Δ48.2 mV). After four hours of incubation with IAP, phosphate release reached a plateau, indicating a faster polyphosphate cleavage than on Caco-2. Drug load and encapsulation efficiency of SQV was obtained up to 80.6% and 46.5 µg/mg. Mucus diffusion was increasing in the following rank order: R9SA-NLCs < blank NLCs < PP-R9SA-NLCs. R9SA-NLCs and PP-R9SA-NLCs increased the cellular uptake 15.6- and 13.2-fold, respectively, compared to the control NLCs. Erythrocytes interaction study revealed enhanced endosomal escape properties for R9SA-NLCs and PP-R9SA-NLCs when incubated with IAP.

Preparation and Evaluation of Charge Reversal Solid Lipid Nanoparticles.

The aim of this study was to design and investigate solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) providing an intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) triggered charge reversion. SLN containing the monophosphate ester bearing surfactant P-PEG-9-lauryl ether and the cationic surfactant benzalkonium chloride were prepared via step-wise hot microemulsion method enabling P-PEG-9-lauryl ether to accumulate the phosphate moiety on the surface of the particles accessible for IAP. Charge reversal SLN were characterized in vitro and ex vivo. SLN containing 10% of P-PEG-9-lauryl ether and 1% of cationic surfactant displayed a z-average of 92 nm and a PDI of 0.33 remaining stable over one year stored at 2-8 °C. An enzyme induced charge reversion from -18.4 mV to +16.5 mV correlated with the cleavage of 82% of the incorporated phosphate. SLN maintained their size during charge reversion, as no significant difference in z-average was observed. Mucin interaction studies revealed a higher interaction between SLN and mucins in the presence of IAP causing an increase in z-average from 190 nm to 2500 nm as well as a decrease in zeta potential from -26 mV to -17 mV. No significant change in z-average and zeta potential was observed when IAP was absent indicating lower mucin interaction of negatively charged particles. In contrast, higher interaction with cell membrane was evidenced by 85% hemolysis when SLN were pretreated with IAP, whereas control SLN without IAP resulted in 16% hemolysis. To investigate the phosphate cleavage by membrane bound IAP, SLN were incubated on excised rat intestinal mucosa and a significant higher release of phosphate was observed in comparison to samples treated with an enzyme inhibitor. Charge reversal SLN might be promising drug delivery systems for alkaline phosphatase bearing membranes that are covered by a mucus gel layer such as the intestine.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) in colloidal systems: Are "PEG-free" surfactants the answer?

HYPOTHESIS: Evaluation and comparison of polyglycerol- (PG-) and saccharide- (SA-) surfactants as "PEG-free"-alternative for polyethylene glycol- (PEG-) surfactants to tackle autoxidation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and degradation of oxidation-prone active ingredients in colloidal systems. EXPERIMENTS: 30 different surfactants were screened for hydroperoxides (HPO), aldehydes, and acid formation serving as autoxidative markers. In a comparative set-up, selected surfactants of each head group type were investigated for temperature- and photo-induced ROS formation. Oxidation markers, as well as the degradation of ß-carotene as model active ingredient in colloidal systems were monitored. FINDINGS: The screening revealed elevated HPO and aldehyde levels for both PG and PEG surfactants, unlike SA surfactants, suggesting similar autooxidation processes due to their polyether substructure. However, in a comparative set-up, PEG-surfactants showed irrespective of the stress conditions or the colloidal systems at least 4-fold higher HPO and aldehyde concentrations, as well as more pronounced pH drops compared to PG- and SA-surfactants. ß-Carotene oxidation was 40- to 50-fold lower in colloidal systems based on PG- or SA-surfactants, confirming reduced ROS formation by "PEG-free"-surfactants. Moreover, superior autoxidation and degradation stability under oxidative conditions resulted in improved colloidal stability of PG- and SA-surfactant based systems. Hence, "PEG-free"- surfactants represent a causal approach to mitigate autoxidation processes in oxidation-prone pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.

Synthesis and evaluation of sulfosuccinate-based surfactants as counterions for hydrophobic ion pairing.

Hydrophobic ion pairing is a promising strategy to raise the lipophilic character of therapeutic peptides and proteins. In past studies, docusate, an all-purpose surfactant with a dialkyl sulfosuccinate structure, showed highest potential as hydrophobic counterion. Being originally not purposed for hydrophobic ion pairing, it is likely still far away from the perfect counterion. Thus, within this study, docusate analogues with various linear and branched alkyl residues were synthesized to derive systematic insights into which hydrophobic tail is most advantageous for hydrophobic ion pairing, as well as to identify lead counterions that form complexes with superior hydrophobicity. The successful synthesis of the target compounds was confirmed by FT-IR, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR. In a screening with the model protein hemoglobin, monostearyl sulfosuccinate, dioleyl sulfosuccinate, and bis(isotridecyl) sulfosuccinate were identified as lead counterions. Their potential was further evaluated with the peptides and proteins vancomycin, insulin, and horseradish peroxidase. Dioleyl sulfosuccinate and bis(isotridecyl) sulfosuccinate significantly increased the hydrophobicity of the tested peptides and proteins determined as logP or lipophilicity determined as solubility in 1-octanol, respectively, in comparison to the gold standard docusate. Dioleyl sulfosuccinate provided an up to 8.3-fold higher partition coefficient and up to 26.5-fold higher solubility in 1-octanol than docusate, whereas bis(isotridecyl) sulfosuccinate resulted in an up to 6.7-fold improvement in the partition coefficient and up to 44.0-fold higher solubility in 1-octanol. The conjugation of highly lipophilic alkyl tails to the polar sulfosuccinate head group allows the design of promising counterions for hydrophobic ion pairing. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Hydrophobic ion pairing enables efficient incorporation of hydrophilic molecules into lipid-based formulations by forming complexes with hydrophobic counterions. Docusate, a sulfosuccinate with two branched alkyl tails, has shown highest potential as anionic hydrophobic counterion. As it was originally not purposed for hydrophobic ion pairing, its structure is likely still far away from the perfect counterion. To improve its properties, analogues of docusate with various alkyl tails were synthesized in the present study. The investigation of different alkyl residues allowed to derive systematic insights into which tail structures are most favorable for hydrophobic ion pairing. Moreover, the lead counterions dioleyl sulfosuccinate and bis(isotridecyl) sulfosuccinate bearing highly lipophilic alkyl tails provided a significant improvement in the hydrophobicity of the resulting complexes.

Charge-reversal nanoemulsions: A systematic investigation of phosphorylated PEG-based surfactants.

Surfactants bearing monophosphate esters with PEG of increasing chain length and different lipophilic tail structures were investigated to improve the effectiveness of enzyme triggered charge-converting nanoemulsions. The surfactants PEG-8-stearate, PEG-22-tocopheryl succinate (TPGS), PEG-3-oleate, PEG-9-oleate and PEG-9-lauryl ether were phosphorylated and incorporated in a self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS) exhibiting a defined PEG corona. To provide a positive zeta potential increasing amounts of the cationic surfactant benzalkonium chloride (BA) were incorporated. The effect of these PEG monophosphate esters (P-PEG-surfactants) was evaluated based on enzyme induced phosphate release and change in zeta potential. Significant enzyme induced charge conversion was observed for all P-PEG-surfactants, showing shifts from Δ3 mV to Δ31 mV. Surfactants comprising the shortest and longest PEG chain showed similar amplitudes (P-PEG-3-oleate: Δ11.9 mV; P-PEG-22-TPGS Δ10.2 mV), whereas P-PEG-8-stearate, P-PEG-9-oleate and P-PEG-9-lauryl ether bearing similarly long PEG chains but different lipophilic tail structures resulted in pronounced differences in amplitudes of Δ10.3 mV, Δ14.5 mV and Δ18.1 mV, respectively. Furthermore, an indirect correlation between the lipophilicity of P-PEG-surfactants and the obtained charge-reversing effect was observed. With the exception of P-PEG-lauryl ether, this charge-reversal effect decreased with increasing BA concentrations. In conclusion, the enzyme induced amplitude of charge conversion of P-PEG-surfactants depends to a high extent on their lipophilic tail structure. Based on this knowledge potent charge-reversal nanoemulsions can be designed.

In Vitro Investigation of Thiolated Chitosan Derivatives as Mucoadhesive Coating Materials for Solid Lipid Nanoparticles.

In the present study, chitosan (CS) was thiolated by introducing l-cysteine via amide bond formation. Free thiol groups were protected with highly reactive 6-mercaptonicotinic acid (6-MNA) and less-reactive l-cysteine, respectively, via thiol/disulfide-exchange reactions. Unmodified CS, l-cysteine-modified thiolated CS (CS-Cys), 6-MNA-S-protected thiolated CS (CS-Cys-MNA), and l-cysteine-S-protected thiolated CS (CS-Cys-Cys) were applied as coating materials to solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN). The strength of mucus interaction followed the rank order plain < CS < CS-Cys-Cys < CS-Cys < CS-Cys-MNA, whereas mucus diffusion followed the rank order CS-Cys < CS-Cys-Cys < CS < CS-Cys-MNA < plain. In accordance with lower reactivity, CS-Cys-Cys-coated SLN were immobilized to a lower extent than CS-Cys-coated SLN, while CS-Cys-MNA-coated SLN dissociated from their coating material resulting in a similar diffusion behavior as plain SLN. Consequently, CS-Cys-Cys-coated SLN and CS-Cys-MNA-coated SLN showed the highest retention on porcine intestinal mucosa by enabling a synergism of efficient mucus diffusion and strong mucoadhesion.

Thiolated pectins: In vitro and ex vivo evaluation of three generations of thiomers.

In recent decades, three generations of thiomers have been developed with the main purpose of obtaining enhanced interactions with mucosal tissues. Therefore, many different types of thiolated ligands have been generated and attached to polymeric backbones. The aim of this study was to synthesize all three generations of thiomers and to directly compare their properties regarding mucus penetration and mucoadhesion. Starting from pectin, the unprotected thiomer pectin-cysteine (Pec-Cys), the preactivated S-protected thiomer pectin-cysteine-mercaptonicotinic acid (Pec-Cys-MNA) and the less reactive S-protected thiomer pectin-cysteine-glutathione (Pec-Cys-GSH) were synthesized and characterised by FT-IR, NMR, and colorimetric studies. The polymers were evaluated regarding their cytotoxicity, swelling behaviour, viscosity after mixing with mucus, mucus diffusion, penetration into mucosa, and mucoadhesion. The amount of the three ligands (Cys, Cys-MNA and Cys-GSH) bound to the polymer was determined to be in the range of 193-196 µmol/g. All polymers showed no cytotoxicity. Viscosity of the mixture of Pec-Cys-MNA and Pec-Cys-GSH with mucus increased 21.5- and 26.7-fold, respectively, compared to the unmodified polymer within 3 hours. Swelling, mucoadhesion, interpenetration and mucus diffusion were increased in the following rank order: Pec-Cys < Pec-Cys-MNA < Pec-Cys-GSH. Results of mucoadhesion study indicated a 7.4 and 8.1-fold increase of Pec-Cys-MNA and Pec-Cys-GSH, respectively, compared to the unmodified polymer. As the less reactive S-protected thiomer exhibited higher mucoadhesive properties than the other thiomers, this study provides evidence for the superior mucoadhesion of 3rd generation thiomers. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Three generations of thiolated polymers have been developed bearing different types of thiol ligands with the main purpose of enhancing mucus interactions. In this study, all generations were synthesized on the polymeric backbone of pectin for the first time to directly compare their mucus penetrating and mucoadhesive properties. 1st generation exhibited covalently bound L-cysteine moieties. For 2nd generation, thiols of cysteines were S-protected with 2-mercaptonicotinic acid (MNA), resulting in high reactive disulfide bonds. 3rd generation was synthesized by a thiol/disulfide exchange of glutathione with MNA, producing a less reactive disulfide bond. Mucus penetrating and mucoadhesive properties were found to be increased as follows: 1st generation < 2nd generation < 3rd generation. According to these results, the thiomer of 3rd generation represents a promising excipient with strong mucoadhesion.

Size shifting of solid lipid nanoparticle system triggered by alkaline phosphatase for site specific mucosal drug delivery.

We aim to prepare a size-shifting nanocarrier for site-targeting mucosal drug delivery that can penetrate through mucus gel layer and remain close to the absorption membrane. As nanocarriers can be engineered to penetrate mucus but they can also back diffuse into outer mucus regions, a size shifting to micron range once they have reached the absorption membrane would prevent back-diffusion effect and extend drug release over a long period of time. For this purpose, we loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) with a phosphate ester surfactant and octadecylamine. Alkaline phosphatase (AP), a membrane bound enzyme was for the first time utilized as an in situ partner for triggering the size conversion at epithelial cell surface. Having the size of ~120 nm, SLN with hydrophilic and phosphate-decorated shells were shown to penetrate through mucus gel and form aggregates above cell layer surface. Aggregates of 5-8 µm were formed due to interparticle interactions induced by enzymatic phosphate removal after ~30 min in contact with isolated AP. The developed SLN system could be a potential tool for mucosal drug delivery to AP-expressing tissues like colon, lung, cervix, vagina and some mucus-secreting tumors.

Cosolvents in Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery Systems (SEDDS): Do They Really Solve Our Solubility Problems?

The aim of this study was to investigate the fate and the impact of cosolvents in self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS). Three different SEDDS comprising the cosolvents DMSO (FD), ethanol (FE), and benzyl alcohol (FBA) as well as the corresponding formulations without these cosolvents (FD0, FE0, and FBA0) were developed. Mean droplet size, polydispersity index (PDI), ζ potential, stability, and emulsification time were determined. Cosolvent release studies were performed via the dialysis membrane method and Taylor dispersion analysis (TDA). Furthermore, the impact of cosolvent utilization on payloads in SEDDS was examined using quinine as a model drug. SEDDS with and without a cosolvent showed no significant differences in droplet size, PDI, and ζ potential. The emulsification time was 3-fold (FD0), 80-fold (FE0), and 7-fold (FBA0) longer due to the absence of the cosolvents. Release studies in demineralized water provided evidence for an immediate and complete release of DMSO, ethanol, and benzyl alcohol. TDA confirmed this result. Moreover, a 1.4-fold (FD), 2.91-fold (FE), and 2.17-fold (FBA) improved payload of the model drug quinine in the selected SEDDS preconcentrates was observed that dropped after emulsification within 1-5 h due to drug precipitation. In parallel, the quinine concentrations decreased until reaching the same levels of the corresponding SEDDS without cosolvents. Due to the addition of hydrophilic cosolvents, the emulsifying properties of SEDDS are strongly improved. As hydrophilic cosolvents are immediately released from SEDDS during the emulsification process, however, their drug solubilizing properties in the resulting oily droplets are very limited.

The Vaginal-PVPA: A Vaginal Mucosa-Mimicking In Vitro Permeation Tool for Evaluation of Mucoadhesive Formulations.

Drug administration to the vaginal site has gained increasing attention in past decades, highlighting the need for reliable in vitro methods to assess the performance of novel formulations. To optimize formulations destined for the vaginal site, it is important to evaluate the drug retention within the vagina as well as its permeation across the mucosa, particularly in the presence of vaginal fluids. Herewith, the vaginal-PVPA (Phospholipid Vesicle-based Permeation Assay) in vitro permeability model was validated as a tool to evaluate the permeation of the anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen from liposomal formulations (i.e., plain and chitosan-coated liposomes). Drug permeation was assessed in the presence and absence of mucus and simulated vaginal fluid (SVF) at pH conditions mimicking both the healthy vaginal premenopausal conditions and vaginal infection/pre-puberty/post-menopause state. The permeation of ibuprofen proved to depend on the type of formulation (i.e., chitosan-coated liposomes exhibited lower drug permeation), the mucoadhesive formulation properties and pH condition. This study highlights both the importance of mucus and SVF in the vaginal model to better understand and predict the in vivo performance of formulations destined for vaginal administration, and the suitability of the vaginal-PVPA model for such investigations.