Trends in the Characterization Methods of Orodispersible Films.

The recent increased interest in orodispersible films (ODF) stems from their ideal potential to circumvent several pharmacotherapy-related problems, such as improved medication compliance and adherence, especially in children, elderly and uncooperative patients. Their administration is well accepted by the majority of patients because ODF dissolve upon contact with the saliva in the oral cavity without the need for water intake. ODF application in personalized pharmacotherapy is currently being exploited. Moreover, innovative preparation methods and characterization technologies have been evolving in recent years, highlighting a promising future both from the technological and clinical standpoints. However, the key obstacles to the attainment of full potential of ODF in the pharmaceutical field is the lack of harmonized and well-defined quality characterization procedures, standard evaluation parameters, guidance on appropriate final product properties and specifications. This review provides an appraisal on the ODF characterization methods from slurries to the finished medicinal products with a specific focus on the technologies suitable for identification, quantification, and quality evaluation of extemporaneously prepared ODF on small batches in individualized pharmacotherapy. Generally, there is a paradigm shift from the use of the conventional quality evaluation tools and/or protocols for oral solid dosage forms to characterize ODF to more specific equipment and procedures that suit the peculiarities of the ODF.

Design of pressure-sensitive adhesive suitable for the preparation of transdermal patches by hot-melt printing.

This work aimed to design low-melting pressure sensitive adhesives and to demonstrate the feasibility of the preparation of (trans)dermal patches by hot-melt ram extrusion printing. This approach allows defining both the geometry of (trans)dermal patch and the drug strength easily according to patient needs. The preparation steps are the mixing of a poly-ammonium methacrylate polymer (i.e. Eudragit RL and RS) with a suitable amount of plasticizer (triacetin or tributyl citrate) and drug (ketoprofen or nicotine), the melting in the ram extruder, and the printing on the backing layer foil. The formulations were characterized in terms of rheological and adhesive properties, in vitro drug release and skin permeation profiles. The (trans)dermal patches made of Eudragit RL or Eudragit RS plasticized with the 40% triacetin could be printed at 90 °C giving formulations with suitable adhesive properties and without cold flow after 1 month of storage at 40 °C. Furthermore, the overall results showed that the performances of printed (trans)dermal patches overlapped those made by solvent casting, suggesting that the proposed solvent-free technology can be useful to treat cutaneous pathologies when the availability of (trans)dermal patches with size and shape that perfectly fit with the skin area affected by the disease improves the safety of the pharmacological treatment.

Lysozyme Mucoadhesive Tablets Obtained by Freeze-Drying.

Lysozyme is particularly attractive for the local treatment of oral pathologies related to microbiological infections. However, the requirement of a prolonged release is difficult to achieve because of saliva swallowing and of the protein denaturation which can occur during production and storage of a dosage form. This work demonstrates the feasibility to prepare lysozyme mucoadhesive tablets by freeze-drying. Tablets were prepared by using alginate (ALG) physically "cross-linked" with calcium ion and different grades of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) (i.e., E5, E50, or K100). The tablets were characterized in terms of swelling or erosion behavior, in vitro mucoadhesive properties, lysozyme activity (Micrococcus lysodeikticus), drug release and ability to inactivate Staphylococcus aureus. The formulations prepared with HPMC K100 were discarded because of the fast erosion. All other formulations allowed a sustained release over at least 6 h. Independently of composition, lysozyme activity (78,311 ± 1873 Units/mg) significantly decreased in the case of tablets containing 5% and 10% w/w of protein (55,000 Units/mg and 33,000 Units/mg, respectively). Conversely, no modifications occurred in the case of tablets containing 1% w/w lysozyme. The formulation prepared by ALG/HPMC E5 7/3 ratio was efficacious against S. aureus. After 3 months of storage at 5 ± 3°C, no significant decrease in lysozyme activity was observed.

Nano-hybrid electrospun non-woven mats made of wool keratin and hydrotalcites as potential bio-active wound dressings.

In this work, nano-hybrid electrospun non-woven mats made of wool keratin combined with diclofenac loaded hydrotalcites (HTD) were prepared and characterized as potential drug delivery systems and scaffolds for fibroblast cell growth. Nano-hybrid electrospun non-woven mats showed a good adaptability to wet skin, effortlessly conforming to the three-dimensional topography of the tissue. Nanosized HTD exercised an overall reinforcing action on the electrospun non-woven mats since the nanohybrid samples displayed a reduced swelling ratio and a slower degradation profile compared to keratin-based nanofiber non-woven mats containing free diclofenac, without negative effects on drug release. The cell viability test indicated a decreased toxicity of the drug when loaded into nanofibers and confirmed the biocompatibility of keratin/HTD electrospun non-woven mats; moreover, a controlled diclofenac release within the first 24 hours does not compromise the fibroblast cell growth in a significant manner.

Medicated Foams and Film Forming Dosage Forms as Tools to Improve the Thermodynamic Activity of Drugs to be Administered Through the Skin.

Medicated foams and film forming systems are dosage forms formulated to undergo a controlled metamorphosis when applied on the skin. Indeed, due to the presence of propellant or a particular air-spray foam pump, a liquid can generate foam when applied on the stratum corneum, or a liquid or conventional dosage form can form on the skin a continuous film as a consequence of the solvent evaporation. Thanks to these controlled modifications, the drug thermodynamic activity increases favoring the skin penetration and, therefore, the bioavailability with respect to conventional semi-solid and liquid dosage forms. Furthermore, the available clinical data also evidence that these dosage forms improve the patient's compliance. The main formulative aspects of medicated foams and film forming systems are reviewed with the aim to underline the possible advantages in terms of biopharmaceutical performances and patient's adherence.

Poly(methyl methacrylate) salt as film forming material to design orodispersible films.

This work aims to evaluate the possible use of a poly(sodium methacrylate, methyl methacrylate) (NaPMM2) plasticized by PEG400 in the design of orodispersible films (ODF). Placebo ODF prepared by solvent casting were intended to study the impact of the polymer/plasticizer ratio and residual moisture on disintegration time, stickiness and mechanical properties. The drug loading capacity was assessed using ketoprofen and paracetamol. Placebo ODF containing PEG400 in the 10-30% w/w range and 10-15% of residual moisture content were easy-to-handle, packed without failures and completely dissolved within 30 s. NaPMM2/PEG400 in 80/20 ratio allowed up to 70% of paracetamol loading, which appeared as the largest value described in literature. This ODF showed good mechanical properties and disintegration time. The same formulation loaded with 25% or 50% ketoprofen (pKa = 4.45) swelled without disintegrating, because of a partial protonation of NaPMM2, as verified by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. However, the addition of 5% surfactants allowed the formulation of ODF containing 25% ketoprofen that disintegrated within one minute and guaranteed the complete drug dissolution within 5 min. All the presented data, discussed in the framework of information available on such copolymer, highlighted its versatility in the design of orodispersible dosage forms.

Mucoadhesive Interpolyelectrolyte Complexes for the Buccal Delivery of Clobetasol.

This work aimed to investigate the feasibility to design: (a) a mucoadhesive interpolyelectrolyte complex (IPEC) loaded with clobetasol propionate (CP) intended to treat oral lichen planus and (b) individuate an orodispersible dosage form suitable for its administration. IPECs were synthesized by mixing Eudragit® E PO (EPO) and different grades of cross-linked polyacrylate derivatives, in different molar ratios, namely 1:1, 1:2, and 2:1. All IPECs resulted at nanoscale independently of their composition (120⁻200 nm). Both zeta-potentials (ζ) and mucoadhesive performances were influenced by the ratio between polymers. On the bases of the preliminary data, IPECs made of Polycarbophil and EPO in the 1:2 ratio were loaded with CP. The encapsulation efficiency was up 88% independently of the CP-IPEC ratio. The drug encapsulation caused IPEC destabilization in water, as it was noticed by the increase of ζ values and the formation of aggregates. Oral lyophilisates were prepared by freeze-drying slurries made of placebo or CP loaded IPECs, maltodextrin with a dextrose equivalent 38 and Span®80. The optimized formulation permitted to obtain a fast disintegration upon contact with water reducing the tendency of IPECs to aggregate. Moreover, oral lyophilisates allowed improving the apparent solubility of CP throughout the in vitro release experiment.

Tuning the rheological properties of an ammonium methacrylate copolymer for the design of adhesives suitable for transdermal patches.

Eudragit® RL (EuRL) matrices have been proposed to release a drug to the skin. However, no information is available on both viscoelastic and adhesive properties of such compositions. This work focuses on the evaluation of both rheological and texture properties of EuRL differently plasticized with tributyl citrate (TBC) or triacetin (TRI) in order to design a pressure sensitive adhesive suitable for transdermal patch preparation. The patch adhesive properties (i.e. tack, peel adhesion and shear adhesion) as well as its in vitro biopharmaceutical performances were determined after loading ibuprofen, ketoprofen or flurbiprofen. The addition of 40-60% w/w TBC or 40-50% w/w TRI to EuRL permitted to obtain matrices with the desired adhesive properties. Moreover, the increase of plasticizer content and loading of the drug reduced the relaxation time (τR). Consequently, the shear adhesion values decreased and the in vitro drug release constants (k) increased. Indeed, the k values from patches containing TBC were lower than the corresponding with TRI because of the lower fluidity of such matrices. In conclusion, the 60/40 EuRL/TBC binary blend is suitable for the design of transdermal patches since the in vitro permeability of the three selected drugs appeared comparable to those described in literature for marketed products.

Development of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles functionalized with a mitochondria penetrating peptide.

The development of mitochondria-targeting cell permeable vectors represents a promising therapeutic approach for several diseases, such as cancer and oxidative pathologies. Nevertheless, access to mitochondria can be difficult. A new hybrid material composed by poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) functionalized with a 6-mer mitochondria penetrating peptide (MPP), consisting in alternating arginine and unnatural cyclohexylalanine, was developed. Circular dichroism, FT-IR and DSC studies indicated that the conjugation of the peptide with the polymer led to the obtainment of a more rigid material with respect to both PLGA and MPP as such. In particular, a conformational rearrangement to a helical structure was observed for MPP. MPP-PLGA conjugates were used for the preparation of nanoparticles that showed no cytotoxicity in MTT assay, suggesting their putative use for future studies on mitochondria targeting. Copyright © 2017 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In situ film forming fibroin gel intended for cutaneous administration.

The possible use of regenerated silk fibroin gels as in situ film forming formulations for cutaneous administration of drugs was studied. Ethanol was selected as volatile and skin tolerant solvent to favor the sol-gel transition of silk fibroin solutions. Glycerin was chosen to ameliorate the gel texture profile. Eighteen placebo formulations were prepared to individuate the optimal component ratios as a function of the texture analysis, spreadability and drying time. The in vitro biopharmaceutical performance was investigated by in vitro permeation test through human epidermis on formulations loading caffeine as a model drug. The data evidenced that the optimal technological performances were achieved using gels containing 70% ethanol and silk fibroin/glycerin ratio from 0.18 to 0.36. The caffeine flux (J) through the skin was significantly improved due to an increase of the drug thermodynamic activity (hydro-alcoholic solution: J∼0.8µg/cm(2)/h; in situ formed film: J∼1.4-1.7µg/cm(2)/h). In conclusion, silk fibroin can be advantageously proposed as a novel film forming material to develop dosage forms to be topically applied.

Skin Penetrating Peptide as a Tool to Enhance the Permeation of Heparin through Human Epidermis.

This study aimed to identify a new skin penetrating peptide (SPP) able to enhance unfractionated heparin (UFH) permeation through human epidermis by screening a phage display peptide library. The effects of the synthesized heptapeptide (DRTTLTN) on human stratum corneum organization were investigated by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulation. The DRTTLTN penetration within the human epidermis caused both a fluidization of the stratum corneum lipids and the extension of keratins due to the increase of the contribution of α-helices. The coadministration of DRTTLTN with UFH resulted ineffective in increasing skin penetration due to UFH affinity for keratins. The conjugation of DRTTLTN to UFH by N-(3-(dimethylamino)propyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride and sodium N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide led to an increase of the flux of 24-36-fold with respect to raw UFH, depending on the adopted synthetic procedure. The new compounds showed a decrease of the antifactor Xa activity of about 4-5 times. DRTTLTN also permitted to increase the fluxes of small model molecules. In conclusion, these data support the use of SPP to enhance the skin penetration of poorly absorbed compounds even in the case of macromolecules as polysaccharides.

On the characterization of medicated plasters containing NSAIDs according to novel indications of USP and EMA: adhesive property and in vitro skin permeation studies.

Abstract This work aims to establish if the assays recently introduced by EMA (Guideline on quality of transdermal patches-draft) and USP (Specific tests for transdermal delivery systems) to characterize transdermal patches (TP) are suitable for medicated plasters (MP). Six approved MP differing for type and characteristics of adhesive and backing layer were selected and characterized in terms of adhesive performances by tack, shear adhesion, peel adhesion and release liner removal tests and in vitro skin permeation. As far as the adhesive properties are concerned, the major drawback is related to the measurement of shear adhesion of MP made of an adhesive hydrogel and/or a stretchable backing layer which could be solved by reducing the applied load. Moreover, a concern on the mass balance prescribed by EMA draft for the acceptance of the results of in vitro penetration studies remains. Indeed, the acceptance range is narrow than that reported by Ph. Eur. requirement for uniformity of content. Finally, a novel calculation for evaluating the in vitro efficiency of MP in releasing the loaded drug through the skin was proposed.

The role of the conformational profile of polysaccharides on skin penetration: the case of hyaluronan and its sulfates.

The literature data suggest the capacity of biomacromolecules to permeate the human skin, even though such a transdermal permeation appears to be governed by physicochemical parameters which are significantly different compared to those ruling the skin permeation of small molecules. On these grounds, the present study was undertaken to investigate the in vitro diffusion properties through the human epidermis of hyaluronic acid and their sulfates. Low- and medium-molecular-weight hyaluronic acids and the corresponding derivatives at two degrees of sulfation were then tested. In vitro studies evidenced that the sulfated polymers permeate better than the corresponding hyaluronic acid, despite their vastly greater polarity, while the observed permeation markedly decreases when increasing the polymer's molecular weight regardless of the sulfation degree. Using a fluorescent-labeled polysaccharide, it was also evidenced that hyaluronans have a great affinity for corneocytes and likely cross the stratum corneum mainly through a transcellular route. The molecular-dynamics study revealed how the observed permeations for the investigated polysaccharides can be rationalized by monitoring their conformational profiles, since the permeation was found to be directly related to their capacity to assume extended and flexible conformations.

Application of methyl methacrylate copolymers to the development of transdermal or loco-regional drug delivery systems.

INTRODUCTION: Methyl methacrylate copolymers (Eudragit®) have been exploited to develop transdermal patches, medicated plasters (hereinafter patches) and, more recently, film-forming sprays, microsponges and nanoparticles intended to be applied on the skin. AREAS COVERED: The article reviews the information regarding the application of Eudragits in the design and development of these dosage forms focusing on the impact of formulative variables on the skin drug penetration and the patch adhesive properties. EXPERT OPINION: Eudragits combined with a large amount of plasticizers are used to design the pressure-sensitive adhesives, specialized materials used in the patch development. They have to assure the drug skin penetration and the contact with the skin. Most of the studies mainly deal with the former aspect. The authors used a Eudragit type opportunely plasticized to merely investigate the in vitro or in vivo skin permeability of a loaded drug. However, the summa of these data evidenced that a strict connection between the matrix hydrophilicity and drug penetration probably exists. The criticisms of adhesion are addressed in a limited number of papers reporting data on technological properties, namely tack, shear adhesion and peel adhesion, while the structural data of the Eudragit adhesives, rheology and surface free energy are not described, excepting the case of Eudragit E. Among other applications, micro- and nanosystems exploiting the ionizable nature of some Eudragits can offer novel opportunities to develop pH-sensitive drug delivery systems suitable for triggering its release onto the skin.

An insight into the skin penetration enhancement mechanism of N-methylpyrrolidone.

This work aims to elucidate the mechanism by which N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) enhances the skin permeation of a compound by combining experimental data with molecular dynamic (MD) simulations. The addition of 10% NMP significantly increased the propranolol (PR) permeation through the human epidermis (∼ 15 µg/cm(2) vs ∼ 30 µg/cm(2)) while resulting inefficacious on hydrocortisone (HC) diffusion. No significant alterations in the stratum corneum structure were found after the in vitro treatment of human epidermis with NMP dispersed in mineral oil or water by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) analyses. MD simulations revealed the formation of a complex by H-bonds and the π-π stacking interactions between the NMP's amido group and the drug's aromatic systems. The size of the depicted NMP/PR clusters was in line with the hydrodynamic radius derived by dynamic light scattering analyses (∼ 2.00 nm). Conversely, no interaction, and consequently cluster formation, between NMP and HC occurred. These results suggest that NMP is effective in enhancing the drug permeation through human epidermis by a cotransport mechanism when NMP/drug interaction occurs.

Formulation study of a patch containing propranolol by design of experiments.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of a transdermal patch containing propranolol (PR). METHOD: Skin penetration enhancers (SPEs) able to improve the skin permeability of PR were selected and a quality by design approach was applied to the development of the patch by a 2(4) full factorial design. The permeation profile of PR from the formulations was assessed in in vitro permeation studies performed by using Franz diffusion cells and human epidermis as membrane. Finally, skin irritation was evaluated by the Draize test. RESULTS: N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) resulted as the best SPE: in addition, the critical factors influencing the PR diffusion through the human epidermis when loaded in the patch resulted in the matrix thickness (X1, p = 0.0957) and PR content (X3, p = 0.0004) which improved the flux; conversely, NMP lacked its enhancement effect when loaded in the patch and the increase in its concentration (X4, p = 0.006) affected the drug permeation through human epidermis. The flux of optimal formulation was 12.7 µg/cm(2)/h. On the basis of the steady-state concentration and clearance of PR, the estimated patch surface was 100-120 cm(2), since the activity of PR is related to its Senantiomer and no in vivo bioconversion occurs. CONCLUSION: A patch containing (S)-PR was prepared and the (S)-PR flux (13.3 µg/cm(2)/h) permitted to confirm the suitability of a transdermal administration of PR. In particular, the use of a 50 µm thick methacrylic matrix containing 8% (S)-PR and 15% NMP can allow to develop a patch non-irritating to the skin, in order to ensure a constant permeation flux of PR over 48 h.

A novel oromucosal prolonged release mucoadhesive suspension by one step spray coagulation method.

An oromucosal mucoadhesive suspension (OMS) able to combine the peculiarities of prolonged release mucoadhesive microparticles with those of an immediate release oromucosal solution is described. Microparticles were obtained by ionotropic gelation of alginate blended with another mucoadhesive material in a one step process where the cross-linking bath constituted the suspension vehicle. The effects of formulation and processing conditions on OMS performances were measured in-vitro determining the enhancement of drug penetration in buccal porcine mucosa and inhibition of tooth plaque formation using flurbiprofen and delmopinol as model drugs, respectively. Well-formed and spherical microparticles were obtained combining alginate with carbomer; linear dependence of particle size from the feed composition, viscosity and atomization pressure was found. As demonstrated by using FITC-labelled microparticles, the system remained onto the buccal mucosa at least for a six hour period. As a consequence, 0.1% flurbiprofen OMS guaranteed a concentration of flurbiprofen into buccal porcine mucosa over 6 hours comparable to 0.25% flurbiprofen reference solution, allowing a potential reduction of the 60% administered dose. The use of in-house made artificial mouth revealed that the once-a-day administration of 0.1% delmopinol OMS was as effective in plaque inhibition as the 0.2% delmopinol reference solution product given twice-a-day. These results suggested that the development of bioadhesive oromucosal suspensions, localizing the drug into buccal cavity, can reduce regimen and administrated dose.

Adhesive properties: a critical issue in transdermal patch development.

INTRODUCTION: Transdermal patches and medicated plasters (patch) represent well-established prolonged release dosage forms. Even if satisfactory adhesion to the skin is strictly linked to the efficacy and safety of the therapeutic treatment, nowadays numerous reports of in vivo 'adhesion lacking' are still addressed to regulatory agencies. The adhesive properties of a patch should be characterized considering i) the ability to form a bond with the surface of another material on brief contact and under light pressure (tack); ii) the resistance of the adhesive to flow (shear adhesion); and iii) the force required to peel away a patch from a surface (peel adhesion). AREAS COVERED: In this manuscript, the most widely used methods to measure adhesive properties during development studies are described, along with the quality control of patches. The influence of formulative variables on patch adhesive properties, and their possible relationship with the in vivo adhesion performances, is also discussed. EXPERT OPINION: The Pharmacopoeias should consider the opportunity of introducing compendial testing to assay the quality of adhesive patch properties, and regulatory agencies should issue proper guidelines to evaluate these features during development.

An investigation into silk fibroin conformation in composite materials intended for drug delivery.

Regenerated silk fibroin (SF) is a promising biomaterial to design drug delivery systems. To guarantee satisfactory prolonged release of loaded drugs, the native ß-sheet conformation of SF is generally induced by a final curing which can determine instability of the loaded drug. This work aimed to investigate the influence on SF conformation of the addition of hydrophilic polymers, namely poloxamer 188 (PEO), a range of poly(ethylenglycol) (PEG)and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and drying conditions, namely spray-drying or evaporation at 60 °C. DSC data on spray-dried products indicated that SF in composite materials was in the random coil conformation. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy with Fourier self-deconvolution of the amide I band revealed that SF in spray dried products was partially organized in the ß-sheet structure only in presence of PEG4000. Both DSC and ATR-FTIR spectra registered on composite materials obtained by the slowest evaporation method indicated that all hydrophilic polymers favoured the ß-sheet conformation. This feature was attributed to the formation of H-bonds with the tyrosine residues of the semicrystalline region in SF. In conclusion, this approach to prepare of SF/hydrophilic polymer composites at slow evaporation rate leads to water insoluble materials which could be used in the development of drug delivery systems.

Diclofenac fast-dissolving film: suppression of bitterness by a taste-sensing system.

CONTEXT: The selection of a proper taste-masking agent (TMA) is a critical issue in the development of fast-dissolving films containing bitter drugs. OBJECTIVE: This work is aimed to evaluate the suppression of the bitter taste of a maltodextrin fast-dissolving film loaded with 13.4 mg sodium diclofenac (DS) by adding TMAs. METHODS: The films were prepared by casting and drying aqueous mixtures of maltodextrin (DE = 6), glycerin, sorbitan oleate, and DS. Films were characterized in terms of thickness, tensile properties, film disintegration time, and drug dissolution time. The bitterness intensity of DS and the masking effect of TMAs were evaluated by an electronic tongue. RESULTS: The 'mint' and 'licorice' flavors and sucralose mixture resulted appropriate to mask DS bitterness as confirmed by a panel of volunteers. The addition of these TMAs did not significantly affect the film disintegration time (15-20 seconds) and DS dissolution rate (about 5 minutes). CONCLUSION: The electronic tongue was allowed to discriminate the effect of the TMA also in the presence of other hydrosoluble constituents of the film. Therefore, because of its simplicity and rapidity, this technique could assist or even replace the sensory evaluation in the development of fast-dissolving films.