Fabrication and Characterization of Pectin Films Containing Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Buccal Delivery of Fluconazole.

Fluconazole (FZ) is a potential antifungal compound for treating superficial and systemic candidiasis. However, the use of conventional oral drug products has some limitations. The development of buccal film may be a potential alternative to oral formulations for FZ delivery. The present study involved the development of novel FZ-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (FZ-SLNs) in pectin solutions and the investigation of their particle characteristics. The particle sizes of the obtained FZ-SLNs were in the nanoscale range. To produce pectin films with FZ-SLNs, four formulations were selected based on the small particle size of FZ-SLNs and their suitable polydispersity index. The mean particle sizes of all chosen FZ-SLNs formulations did not exceed 131.7 nm, and the mean polydispersity index of each formulation was less than 0.5. The properties of films containing FZ-SLNs were then assessed. The preparation of all FZ-SLN-loaded pectin films provided the mucoadhesive matrices. The evaluation of mechanical properties unveiled the influence of particle size variation in FZ-SLNs on the integrity of the film. The Fourier-transform infrared spectra indicated that hydrogen bonds could potentially form between the pectin-based matrix and the constituents of FZ-SLNs. The differential scanning calorimetry thermogram of each pectin film with FZ-SLNs revealed that the formulation was thermally stable and behaved in a solid state at 37 °C. According to a drug release study, a sustained drug release pattern with a burst in the initial stage for all films may be advantageous for reducing the lag period of drug release. All prepared films with FZ-SLNs provided a sustained release of FZ over 6 h. The films containing FZ-SLNs with a small particle size provided good permeability across the porcine mucosa. All film samples demonstrated antifungal properties. These results suggest the potential utility of pectin films incorporating FZ-SLNs for buccal administration.

Optimization and Advantages of Molded Tablets Using Trehalose as a Binder.

Molded tablets are manufactured by molding wet powder at low pressure and drying. Typically, water-soluble polymers are used as a binder; however, the ratio to achieve both tablet strength and rapid disintegration is limited, and designing an optimal formulation according to the active ingredients can be challenging. In addition, production may be temporarily interrupted owing to the adherence of wet powder to the inside of the mortar, which can hamper stable production. Therefore, optimization was performed by design of experiments to utilize the disaccharide trehalose as a binder for molded tablets. We formulated placebo tablets with high tablet strength and rapid disintegration. On examining the tablet interior, we confirmed the formation of solid bridges between particles and high porosity, suggesting that trehalose can be used as a binder for molded tablets. The viscosity of the trehalose saturated solution was lower than that of the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution (3.8 wt%). Moreover, the trehalose formulation exhibited a significantly lower wet powder adhesion rate to the upper punch than the PVA formulation. This study provided valuable results for the future formulation design of molded tablets.

Promoting Activity of Terpenes on Skin Permeation of Famotidine.

Famotidine (FMT) is a competitive histamine-2 (H2) receptor antagonist that inhibits gastric acid secretion for the treatment of Gastroesophageal reflux disease. To study the promoting effect and mechanism of terpenes, including l-menthol, borneol, and geraniol, as chemical enhancers, FMT was used as a model drug. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform IR spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to explore the effects of terpenes on the skin. Hairless mouse skin was mounted on Franz-type diffusion cell, and skin permeation experiment of FMT hydrogel was carried out. The results suggested that the thermodynamic activity influenced the permeability of the drug, and the main mechanism of terpenes to enhance skin permeation of the drug was based on increasing the fluidity of the intercellular lipids. Moreover, it was revealed that l-menthol simultaneously relaxed the packing structure and lamellar structure, whereas geraniol had a great influence on the lamellar structure only. Collectively, all terpenes had a promoting effect on skin permeation of FMT, indicating their potential as chemical enhancers to change the microstructure of stratum corneum and improve the permeation of FMT through the skin, and it has great potential to be used in transdermal formulations of FMT.

Characterization of co-amorphous carvedilol-maleic acid system prepared by solvent evaporation.

The aim of this study was to enhance the solubility and stability of the water-insoluble drug carvedilol (CAR) with maleic acid (MLE) to create a co-amorphous system by a solvent evaporation method. Phase diagrams of co-amorphous CAR-MLE, constructed from peak height in the Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra and the glass transition temperature (Tg) from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements, revealed that the optimal molar ratio of CAR to MLE was 2:1. The FTIR spectra indicated that the secondary amine-derived peak of CAR and the carboxy group-derived peak of MLE disappeared in the CAR:MLE (2:1) co-amorphous system. DSC measurements showed that the endothermic peaks associated with the melting of CAR and MLE disappeared and a Tg at 43 °C was apparent. Furthermore, the solubility of CAR tested using the shaking flask method for 24 h at 37 °C was 1.2 µg/mL, whereas that of the co-amorphous system was approximately three times higher, at 3.5 µg/mL. Finally, the stability was evaluated by powder- X-ray diffraction at 40 °C; no clear diffraction peaks originating from crystals were observed in the amorphous state until after approximately three months of storage. These results indicate that co-amorphization of CAR with MLE improved the solubility of CAR while maintaining its stability in an amorphous form.

Manufacturability and Properties of Granules and Tablets Using the Eco-Friendly Granulation Method Green Fluidized Bed Granulation Compared to Direct Compression.

This study aimed to compare the manufacturability and granule and tablet properties of green fluidized bed granulation (GFBG) and of direct compression (DC). Acetaminophen was used as a low compactability model drug. The process time of GFBG to produce final mixtures was comparable to that of DC, and thus GFBG could be considered a simple process. DC could not produce 30% drug load tablets owing to poor granule flowability, whereas no problems were observed in the GFBG tableting process up to 80% of drug load. Tablets prepared with GFBG showed higher tensile strength than those prepared using DC. Compactability evaluation results show that the yield pressure of the granules prepared with GFBG was significantly lower than that of DC, suggesting that the granules prepared with GFBG were easily plastically deformed. Moreover, tablets prepared with GFBG showed fast disintegration, which was faster than that of DC. We conclude that GFBG produces granules with higher drug content and desired physicochemical properties at low cost.

Altered Media Flow and Tablet Position as Factors of How Air Bubbles Affect Dissolution of Disintegrating and Non-disintegrating Tablets Using a USP 4 Flow-Through Cell Apparatus.

This study investigated how air bubbles in media affect tablet dissolution in a flow-through cell system (USP 4) using disintegrating (USP prednisone) and non-disintegrating (USP salicylic acid) tablets. Cell hydrodynamics were studied using particle image velocimetry (PIV) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The PIV analysis showed periodic changes in the local flow corresponding to the discharge and suction of the pump cycles. The absence of prior deaeration induced small air bubbles in the media and lower maximum flow during the cycle, explaining the slower dissolution of the USP salicylic acid tablets. Bubbles, occurring during the USP prednisone tablets study, induced the transition of floating disintegrated particles towards the cell outlet, whereas the particles precipitated to form a white layer on the glass beads used in the study with prior deaeration. CFD analysis showed local flow variation in multiple positions of small (ID 12 mm) and large (ID 22.6 mm) cells, explaining the different rates of dissolution of prednisone tablet particles depending on their distribution. These results emphasize the importance of prior deaeration in dissolution studies using a flow-through system. Bubbles in the flow-through cell system affected tablet dissolution by reducing the area in contact with the media (wettability), lowering the maximum instantaneous flow (pressure buffering), and altering the position of disintegrated particles in the cell.

Synthesis and Characterization of Cholesteryl Conjugated Lysozyme (CHLysozyme).

Hydrophobic interaction is important for protein conformation. Conjugation of a hydrophobic group can introduce intermolecular hydrophobic contacts that can be contained within the molecule. It is possible that a strongly folded state can be formed in solution compared with the native state. In this study, we synthesized cholesteryl conjugated lysozyme (CHLysozyme) using lysozyme and cholesterol as the model protein and hydrophobic group, respectively. Cholesteryl conjugation to lysozyme was confirmed by nuclear-magnetic resonance. Differential-scanning calorimetry suggested that CHLysozyme was folded in solution. CHLysozyme secondary structure was similar to lysozyme, although circular dichroism spectra indicated differences to the tertiary structure. Fluorescence measurements revealed a significant increase in the hydrophobic surface of CHLysozyme compared with that of lysozyme; CHLysozyme self-associated by hydrophobic interaction of the conjugated cholesterol but the hydrophobic surface of CHLysozyme decreased with time. The results suggested that hydrophobic interaction changed from intramolecular interaction to an intermolecular interaction. Furthermore, the relative activity of CHLysozyme to lysozyme increased with time. Therefore, CHLysozyme likely forms a folded state with an extended durability of activity. Moreover, lysozyme was denatured in 100% DMSO but the local environment of tryptophan in CHLysozyme was similar to that of a native lysozyme. Thus, this study suggests that protein solution stability and resistance to organic solvents may be improved by conjugation of a hydrophobic group.

Improving the Solid-State Photostability of Furosemide by Its Cocrystal Formation.

The photostability of three types of furosemide (FUR) cocrystal (FUR-caffeine, FUR-urea, and FUR-nicotinamide cocrystals) was studied under irradiation with a D65 fluorescent lamp. The coloration of the FUR-urea pellets was significantly faster than that of the intact FUR, whereas the coloration of FUR-nicotinamide was suppressed compared with that of intact FUR and the other cocrystals. In the case of FUR-urea, the chemical degradation of FUR increased by approximately 6.6% after irradiation for 90 d. On the other hand, FUR-nicotinamide showed better chemical stability, with only 1.3% of FUR degraded, which was significantly lower than the other cocrystals. The FUR-urea pellets showed a UV-Visible absorption spectrum similar to that of intact FUR, while the absorption range of FUR-nicotinamide shifted to a shorter wavelength. The light sensitivity of FUR-nicotinamide was improved because of the much lower emission of the D65 fluorescent lamp in the absorption range of the cocrystal.

Effect of sulfobutyl ether-ß-cyclodextrin and propylene glycol alginate on the solubility of clozapine.

Clozapine (CLZ) is an atypical antipsychotic medication used in the treatment of schizophrenia and is poorly soluble in water (0.05 mM). In this study, we have investigated the effect of ß-cyclodextrin (CD) and its derivatives on the solubility of CLZ. The solubility of the CLZ was measured to generate a phase solubility diagram, and the interaction between CLZ and sulfobutyl ether-ß-cyclodextrin (SBE-ß-CD) in aqueous solution was observed by 1H- and 2D rotating-frame Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy (ROESY)-NMR methods. Moreover, the synergistic effect of SBE-ß-CD and water-soluble polymers, including polyvinylpyrrolidone, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose sodium salt, polyvinyl alcohol, sodium alginate, and propylene glycol alginate (PGA), on the solubility of CLZ was investigated. The results show that the solubility of CLZ with 1 w/v% PGA was 7.6 mM, which was almost four times greater than that of CLZ without PGA in a 15 mM SBE-ß-CD solution. In contrast, the solubility of CLZ with 1 w/v % PGA in an aqueous solution decreased by one-third relative to that of CLZ in a 15 mM SBE-ß-CD solution. 2D ROESY-NMR indicated that a CLZ/SBE-ß-CD/PGA ternary complex formed. It was found that the combination of PGA and SBE-ß-CD enhanced the solubility of CLZ.

Characterization of complexes between phenethylamine enantiomers and ß-cyclodextrin derivatives by capillary electrophoresis-Determination of binding constants and complex mobilities.

To optimize chiral separation conditions and to improve the knowledge of enantioseparation, it is important to know the binding constants K between analytes and cyclodextrins and the electrophoretic mobilities of the temporarily formed analyte-cyclodextrin-complexes. K values for complexes between eight phenethylamine enantiomers, namely ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, methylephedrine and norephedrine, and four different ß-cyclodextrin derivatives were determined by affinity capillary electrophoresis. The binding constants were calculated from the electrophoretic mobility values of the phenethylamine enantiomers at increasing concentrations of cyclodextrins in running buffer. Three different linear plotting methods (x-reciprocal, y-reciprocal, double reciprocal) and nonlinear regression were used for the determination of binding constants with ß-cyclodextrin, (2-hydroxypropyl)-ß-cyclodextrin, methyl-ß-cyclodextrin and 6-O-α-maltosyl-ß-cyclodextrin. The cyclodextrin concentration in a 50 mM phosphate buffer pH 3.0 was varied from 0 to 12 mM. To investigate the influence of the binding constant values on the enantioseparation the observed electrophoretic selectivities were compared with the obtained K values and the calculated enantiomer-cyclodextrin-complex mobilities. The different electrophoretic mobilities of the temporarily formed complexes were crucial factors for the migration order and enantioseparation of ephedrine derivatives. To verify the apparent binding constants determined by capillary electrophoresis, a titration process using ephedrine enantiomers and ß-cyclodextrin was carried out. Furthermore, the isothermal titration calorimetry measurements gave information about the thermal properties of the complexes.

Investigation of Discoloration of Furosemide Tablets in a Light-Shielded Environment.

We observed that uncoated furosemide tablets turned yellow in a light-shielded automatic packaging machine and discoloration of the furosemide tablets was heterogeneity and occurred on the surface of the tablets only. The machine was equipped with an internal blower to maintain a constant temperature. Therefore, we investigated the effect of air flow on the discoloration of the furosemide tablets using a blower in a dark environment. The color difference (ΔE) of the furosemide tablets increased linearly as the blowing time increased. We performed structural analysis of the yellow compound in the furosemide tablets by LC-MS and identified the compound as a hydrolysate of furosemide. This suggested that furosemide hydrolysis was accelerated by the air flow. The furosemide tablets were prepared with the most stable furosemide polymorph, form I. X-Ray powder diffractometry and IR spectroscopy showed that during tablet preparation, no crystal transition occurred to an unstable furosemide polymorph. Furthermore, IR spectroscopy showed that the crystal form of furosemide in the yellow portion of the tablets was form I. To elucidate the factors producing the discoloration, we investigated the effect of humidity and atmosphere (air, oxygen, and nitrogen) on the discoloration of the furosemide tablets. The results suggested that the discoloration of the furosemide tablets was accelerated by oxidation, although humidity did not affect the hydrolysis. Therefore, we concluded that the discoloration of the furosemide tablets in the automatic packing machine was caused by acceleration of oxidative degradation by air flow.

Identification of Furosemide Photodegradation Products in Water-Acetonitrile Mixture.

The aim of this study was to identify the chemical structure of the photodegradation products of furosemide in a water-acetonitrile mixture (1 : 1). Furosemide solution was irradiated with a D65 fluorescent lamp and the products were isolated by preparative HPLC. The fractions were evaporated to dryness in vacuo. The purity of the photodegradation products was measured by HPLC. The purity of products 1, 3, and 4 was greater than 90%, whereas that of product 2 was 13%, therefore, photodegradation product 2 was unstable. We identified photodegradation products 1 and 3 as 4-chloro-5-sulfamoylanthranilic acid and 4-hydroxy-N-furfuryl-5-sulfamoylanthranilic acid, respectively, by LC/MS and NMR. Additionally, we assumed that photodegradation product 4 was methyl 2-((furan-2-ylmethyl)amino)-4-hydroxy-3-(methyleneamino)-5-sulfamoylbenzoate by LC/MS and NMR. This showed that furosemide underwent hydrolysis and substitution, and reacted with the acetonitrile under the light of a D65 fluorescent lamp. We were furthermore able to determine the elution times of the photodegradation products of furosemide by applying the Japanese Pharmacopoeia chromatographic method for related substances to the isolated products.

Characterization and drug solubilization of arginine-based ionic liquids - Impact of counterions and stoichiometry.

Ionic liquids (ILs) exhibit very diverse physicochemical properties, such as non-volatility, stability, and miscibility, which render them excellent candidate excipients for multi-purpose use. Six novel arginine (Arg)-based ILs were obtained using a one-step ultrasound method. Salt formation was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), Raman, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies. Moreover, the effects of anions and molar ratio on the molecular states and thermal properties of Arg-ILs were investigated. In addition, the solubilization of drugs with different pKa and LogP values was attempted using Arg-ILs consisting of asparagine, proline, octanoic acid, and malic acid, respectively, and a comparative study was performed. Furthermore, the interaction mode between the drugs and ILs was determined by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. Presumably, partial interaction between the component of ILs and drugs such as ofloxacin and valsartan occurred, whereas flurbiprofen and isosorbide mononitrate were dispersed in the viscous IL. The development of strategies for the application of ILs as solubilizers or carriers of active pharmaceutical ingredients is an extremely promising and wide avenue of research.

The Development and Characterization of Novel Ionic Liquids Based on Mono- and Dicarboxylates with Meglumine for Drug Solubilizers and Skin Permeation Enhancers.

In this study, we synthesized a family of novel ionic liquids (ILs) with meglumine (MGM) as cations and tartaric acid (TA), azelaic acid (AA), geranic acid (GA), and capric acid (CPA) as anions, using pharmaceutical additives via simple acid-base neutralization reactions. The successful synthesis was validated by attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). Thermal analysis using differential scanning calorimetry confirmed the glass transition temperature of MGM-ILs to be within the range of -43.4 °C--13.8 °C. We investigated the solubilization of 15 drugs with varying pKa and partition coefficient (log P) values using these ILs and performed a comparative analysis. Furthermore, we present MGM-IL as a new skin permeation enhancer for the drug model flurbiprofen (FRP). We confirmed that AA/MGM-IL improves the skin permeation of FRP through hairless mouse skin. Moreover, AA/MGM-IL enhanced drug skin permeability by affecting keratin rather than stratum corneum lipids, as confirmed by ATR-FTIR. To conclude, MGM-ILs exhibited potential as drug solubilizer and skin permeation enhancers of drugs.

Prediction of Binding Pose and Affinity of Nelfinavir, a SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Repositioned Drug, by Combining Docking, Molecular Dynamics, and Fragment Molecular Orbital Calculations.

A novel in silico drug design procedure is described targeting the Main protease (Mpro) of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The procedure combines molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD), and fragment molecular orbital (FMO) calculations. The binding structure and properties of Mpro were predicted for Nelfinavir (NFV), which had been identified as a candidate compound through drug repositioning, targeting Mpro. Several poses of the Mpro and NFV complexes were generated by docking, from which four docking poses were selected by scoring with FMO energy. Then, each pose was subjected to MD simulation, 100 snapshot structures were sampled from each of the generated MD trajectories, and the structures were evaluated by FMO calculations to rank the pose based on binding energy. Several residues were found to be important in ligand recognition, including Glu47, Asp48, Glu166, Asp187, and Gln189, all of which interacted strongly with NFV. Asn142 is presumably regarded to form hydrogen bonds or CH/π interaction with NFV; however, in the present calculation, their interactions were transient. Moreover, the tert-butyl group of NFV had no interaction with Mpro. Identifying such strong and weak interactions provides candidates for maintaining and substituting ligand functional groups and important suggestions for drug discovery using drug repositioning. Besides the interaction between NFV and the amino acid residues of Mpro, the desolvation effect of the binding pocket also affected the ranking order. A similar procedure of drug design was applied to Lopinavir, and the calculated interaction energy and experimental inhibitory activity value trends were consistent. Our approach provides a new guideline for structure-based drug design starting from a candidate compound whose complex crystal structure has not been obtained.

Effect of terpenes on the skin permeation of lomerizine dihydrochloride.

PURPOSE: Lomerizine dihydrochloride (LOM) is a Ca2+ channel blocker used as an antimigraine drug, which is currently administered orally in Japan. We therefore investigated the effect of terpenes in propylene glycol (PG) solvent on the percutaneous absorption of LOM by hairless mouse skin. METHODS: Attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) were carried out to analyze the effects of terpene enhancers on the biophysical properties of the stratum corneum (SC) of the skin. RESULTS: Of the terpenes tested, the highest permeation rate of LOM (28.8 mg/cm2/h) was observed with 1,8-cineole, while nerolidol conferred the lowest enhancement of LOM flux (14.2 mg/cm2/h). ATR-FTIR studies revealed that terpenes/PG induced higher CH2 stretching frequencies of SC lipids than PG alone. The extent of penetration of the lipophilic fluorescence probes Nile Red and DiI was measured by CLSM in in vitro skin permeation studies, using either PG or terpenes/PG as skin permeation enhancers. With PG alone, both fluorescence dyes were undetectable in the skin. In contrast, when co-administered with terpenes/PG, both probes were distributed into the intercellular space between corneocytes and detected in the deeper layers of the skin. SAXS measurements showed that in SC treated with a combination of 1,8-cineole and PG, the scattering peak of the SC was broad and very weak in intensity compared to untreated SC, whereas pretreatment with PG alone did not alter the peak profile. CONCLUSION: A combination of terpenes and PG enhance the skin permeation of LOM. Our findings suggest that the mechanism for this effect involves the ability of terpenes to increase the fluidity of SC lipids, thus enhancing the distribution of LOM into the intercellular region of the SC. This article is open to POST-PUBLICATION REVIEW. Registered readers (see "For Readers") may comment by clicking on ABSTRACT on the issue's contents page.

Blood-brain barrier transport of an essential amino acid after cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury.

Under pathophysiological conditions such as -cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (IR), damage to cerebrovascular endothelial cells causes alterations in the blood-brain barrier (BBB) function that can exacerbate neuronal cell injury and death. Clarifying changes in BBB transport in the early period of IR is important for understanding BBB function during therapy after cerebral ischemia. The present study was aimed at clarifying changes during IR in the BBB transport of L-phenylalanine (Phe) as a substrate of L-type amino acid transporter 1. An IR model was produced in mice by blood recirculation following occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. Permeability of the BBB to [(3)H]Phe was measured after IR injury using the brain perfusion method. Confocal microscopy of the IR injury showed no brain penetration of fluorescent tracer, thus confirming BBB integrity during 45 min of ischemia. Tight junction opening was not observed at 30 min after reperfusion following ischemia for 45 min. At the time of IR, [(3)H]Phe uptake into the brain appeared saturated. The Michaelis constant and maximum transport velocity in the IR group was reduced by 22 % compared with those in controls. These results suggest that the intrinsic transport clearance of Phe is slightly decreased in the early phase of IR.

Quetiapine free base complexed with cyclodextrins to improve solubility for parenteral use.

Quetiapine, an antipsychotic drug used for schizophrenia treatment, is poorly water soluble, and therefore, administration of the more water-soluble quetiapine fumarate is preferred. Absorption of quetiapine through biological membranes may be improved by enhancing the solubility of the quetiapine base, the non-ionic form. In this study, the currently used salt form was converted into the free base (oily material). We employed cyclodextrins (CDs) as pharmaceutical additives to improve the solubility of the quetiapine base. The formation of quetiapine-ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) complexes was studied by phase solubility studies, continuous variation method, NMR spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction. The formation of a poorly water-soluble complex was confirmed by the phase solubility study, and the interaction between quetiapine and ß-CD in water was confirmed by NMR spectroscopy. In addition, the effects of ß-CD derivatives (glucosyl-ß-CD, maltosyl-ß-CD, 2-hydroxypropyl-ß-CD, dimethyl-ß-CD, and trimethyl-ß-CD) on the solubility of the quetiapine base were studied. The findings indicated that the aforementioned hydrophilic ß-CD derivatives could be used as pharmaceutical additives of quetiapine for parenteral formulations as a result of the improved solubility of the quetiapine base because of inclusion complexation. Therefore, converting the currently used salt form into the free base, investigating the free base as a candidate for CD inclusion, and converting the oily material such as the free base into a powder by forming an inclusion complex that is easy to deal with is considered a worthwhile approach that may lead to novel formulations of the drug in question.

Physicochemical Properties and Transdermal Absorption of a Flurbiprofen and Lidocaine Complex in the Non-Crystalline Form.

Amorphous drug formulations exploiting drug-drug interactions have been extensively studied. This study aims to develop a transdermal system containing an amorphous complex of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) flurbiprofen (FLU) and lidocaine (LDC) for alleviating chronic pain. The high-viscosity complex between FLU and LDC (Complex) was obtained by heating in ethanol. For the complex, attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed a shift in the carboxy-group-derived peak of FLU, and differential scanning calorimetry indicated the endothermic peaks associated with the melting of FLU and LDC disappeared. 13C dipolar decoupling and 15N cross-polarization magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance measurement suggested the interaction between the carboxyl group of FLU and the secondary amine of LDC. The interaction between the aromatic rings of FLU and LDC contributed to the molecular complex formation. The solubility of FLU from the complex was about 100 times greater than FLU alone. The skin permeation flux of FLU from the complex through the hairless mouse skin was 3.8 times higher than FLU alone in hypromellose gel. Thus, adding LDC to the formulation can be an effective method for enhancing the skin permeation of NSAIDs, which can prove useful for treating chronic pain and inflammatory diseases.

Chitosan film containing antifungal agent-loaded SLNs for the treatment of candidiasis using a Box-Behnken design.

The aim of this study was to combine fluconazole (FZ)-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (FZ-SLNs) and chitosan films (C-films) for the potential administration of FZ across the buccal mucosa using a Box-Behnken design. The chitosan films containing FZ-SLNs (C-FS-films) and C-films were prepared using a film casting method. The ATR-FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of hydrogen bonds between the NH3+ groups of chitosan and the OH or COO- groups of glyceryl monostearate in the films. Additionally, FESEM analysis of the morphology of C-FS-films revealed the presence of FZ-SLNs in the films. Permeation studies using porcine buccal mucosa demonstrated that FZ from the C-FS-films was more permeable than in C-films. The antifungal activity of the C-FS-films was evaluated against Candida albicans, and inhibition zones were observed. Thus, C-FS-films represent an exciting drug carrier for the treatment of candidiasis via the buccal mucosa.