Development of thermodynamically stable nanostructured lipid carrier system using central composite design for zero order permeation of econazole nitrate through epidermis.

The investigation was aimed at developing thermodynamically stable topical delivery system of nanostructured lipid carrier of econazole nitrate (EN) for the treatment of deep seated fungal infection by improving its permeability. Fifteen formulations (F1-F15) of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) were prepared by solvent injection technique using central composite design and characterized for particle size and % entrapment efficiency. Closeness in the results, guided the selection of five NLC formulations which were formulated as hydrogels (G1-G5) using Carbopol 934. The permeation studies of gels demonstrated G3 with flux rate of 3.21 ± 0.03 µg/cm(2)/min (> target flux of 1.46 µg/cm(2)/min) as the best formulation that exhibited zero order permeation. The amount of drug/unit area demonstrated linear dependency on flux rate. Confocal laser scanning microscopy demonstrated penetration of rhodamine red till the stratum basale due to hydration of stratum corneum. Hydrogel G3 containing NLC formulation (F5) was selected as the optimized topical gel. TEM of F5 revealed spherical particles that presented low recrystallization index of 72.35%. Stability profile for 90 days revealed insignificant change (p < 0.05) in the particle size and zeta potential indicating substantial stability of the system. Thus, EN-loaded NLC indicated better permeability and thermodynamic stability as effective topical delivery system for deep seated fungal infection.

Assessment of prescription pattern in asthma therapy at Shamli hospitals.

This drug utilization or prescription-monitoring study was conducted to evaluate the drug-prescribing trend of anti-asthmatic drugs in various hospitals (health care centre) of Shamli, (Prabuddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India). The study was conducted in three famous hospitals of Shamli on three hundred thirty (330) patients, using a developed prescription auditing Performa. Data was recorded from the co-operating patients, attending the outpatient department using a chance random sample method for six months by interviewing and information was filled in the performa. The collected data was studied statistically for determining the most prominently prescribed medication for the treatment. The collected information suggested that ß-agonist were the most frequently prescribed anti-asthmatic drugs followed by corticosteroids, Methylxanthine, anti-histaminics and leukotriene antagonist. Also the performed prescription analysis revealed that there is significant difference in the prescriptions for multiple drug therapy (90%) as compared to single drug therapy (10%). Also even after the commercial development of pulmonary targeted systems, oral dosage form like tablets (54.93%) were preferred over inhalation (31.69%). Thus, it can be concluded that the present prescribing pattern of antiasthmatics in Shamli does not completely meet standard guidelines for the asthma treatment. Hence there is a need of awareness amongst the physicians of Shamli so that they can follow the guidelines while treating asthma. Also the patients must be encouraged to use newly developed inhalational drug delivery systems for improving the treatment.

Lipid nanocarriers: influence of lipids on product development and pharmacokinetics.

Lipid nanocarriers are on the forefront of the rapidly developing field of nanotechnology with several potential applications in drug delivery. Owing to their size-dependent properties, lipid nanoparticles offer the possibility for development of new therapeutics and an alternative system to other colloidal counterparts for drug administration. An important point to be considered in the selection of a lipid for the carrier system is its effect on the properties of the nanocarrier and also its intended use, as different types of lipids differ in their nature. Researchers around the globe have tapped the potential of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) in developing formulation(s) that can be administered by various routes such as oral, ocular, parenteral, topical, and pulmonary. Since the start of this millennium, a new generation of lipid nanoparticles, namely nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), lipid drug conjugates (LDCs), and pharmacosomes, has evolved that have the potential to overcome the limitations of SLNs. The current review article presents broad considerations on the influence of various types of lipids on the diverse characteristics of nanocarriers, encompassing their physicochemical, formulation, pharmacokinetic, and cytotoxic aspects.

Adverse drug reactions and safety considerations of NSAIDs: clinical analysis.

NSAIDs are the most frequently used drugs for treatment, in Europe and the United States, accounting for approximately 5% of all prescriptions. Moreover, the use of NSAIDs is increasing because these constitute the first-line drug therapy for a wide range of rheumatic conditions. This increase is in part the result of the increasing population of elderly patients, who constitute the group of patients with greatest demand for these agents. There are many types of NSAIDs that vary in potency, action and potential side effects. Thus various efforts have been made to determine the safety considerations including adverse drug effects, duration of drug therapy, drug interactions, precautions and other drugs applied to reduce side effects. Researchers have introduced some novel techniques to diagnose NSAIDs related adverse effects on the gastrointestinal mucosa. The researchers dealing with the development of drug delivery system for these drugs should aim at designing a therapeutically efficacious dosage form with reduced side/adverse effects. Thus an effort has been made in this review to deal with the safety parameters of various NSAIDs with a special emphasis on preclinical and clinical safety analysis and various attempts to minimize the side effects by structural modification or by drug delivery system.