Exploring Microstructural Changes in Structural Analogues of Ibuprofen-Hosted In Situ Gelling System and Its Influence on Pharmaceutical Performance.

The present work explores inner structuration of in situ gelling system consisting of glyceryl monooleate (GMO) and oleic acid (OA). The system under study involves investigation of microstructural changes which are believed to govern the pharmaceutical performance of final formulation. The changes which are often termed mesophasic transformation were analysed by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), rheology and plane polarised light (PPL) microscopy. The current work revealed transformation of blank system from W/O emulsion to reverse hexagonal structure upon addition of structural analogues of ibuprofen. Such transformations are believed to occur due to increased hydrophobic volume within system as probed by SAXS analysis. The findings of SAXS studies were well supported by DSC, rheology and PPL microscopy. The study established inverse relationship between log P value of structural analogues of ibuprofen and the degree of binding of water molecules to surfactant chains. Such relationship had pronounced effect on sol-gel transformation process. The prepared in situ gelling system showed sustained drug release which followed Higuchi model.

Mapping ion-induced mesophasic transformation in lyotropic in situ gelling system and its correlation with pharmaceutical performance.

PURPOSE: To investigate influence of ion induced mesophasic transformation on pharmaceutical performance of in situ gelling system consisting of glyceryl monooleate. METHODS: The prepared system showed mesophasic transformation during its conversion from sol to gel upon controlled hydration. The process of mesophasic transformation was studied by SAXS, DSC, rheology and plane polarized light microscopy. Further the influence of additives i.e. naproxen salts (sodium and potassium) and naproxen (base) on the process of mesophasic transformation was also elucidated. RESULTS: It was observed that addition of salt form of naproxen transformed W/O emulsions into cubic mesophase whereas addition of base form of naproxen formed reverse hexagonal (HII) phase upon controlled hydration. The cubic mesophase formed by naproxen salts retarded the drug release for initial 3 h whereas HII phase showed sustained drug release characteristics for naproxen base following Higuchi drug release kinetics. CONCLUSION: The current work suggests that formulations with tailor made pharmaceutical performance can be developed by selecting proper additives in the system so as to obtain the desired mesophase 'on demand' thereby controlling drug release characteristics.

Probing influence of mesophasic transformation on performance of self-emulsifying system: effect of ion.

Self-emulsifying systems are mixtures of oils and surfactants, ideally isotropic, sometimes including cosolvents, which emulsify under conditions of gentle agitation, similar to those which would be encountered in the gastrointestinal tract. The process of self-emulsification has remained the center of attraction for most researchers. Controlled hydration of self-emulsifying systems shows formation of an intermediate gel phase which upon rupture forms an emulsion. Current work was undertaken to understand and explore the microstructural properties of intermediate gel phase which are believed to influence the performance (droplet size) of the final formulation. The effect of additives on microstructural properties of intermediate gel phase has also been investigated. Microstructural elucidation of hydrated samples of intermediate regimes was done by using techniques such as small angle X-ray scattering, differential scanning calorimetry and rheology. Samples from intermediate regimes showed formation of local lamellar structure which swelled with hydration. In the present work, the effect of addition of salt form of naproxen (sodium and potassium) and naproxen (base) on microstructural properties of intermediate regimes was investigated. Systems containing naproxen salts formed larger droplets whereas naproxen base formed smaller ones. Microstructural properties of intermediate lamellar structures were well correlated with performance of the final formulation. The current studies indicate that by controlling the properties of intermediate regimes optimized formulations with desired performance can be tailor-made.

Microstructural elucidation of self-emulsifying system: effect of chemical structure.

PURPOSE: Self-emulsifying systems (SES) emulsify spontaneously to produce fine oil-in-water emulsion when introduced into aqueous phase. The self-emulsification process plays an important role during formation of emulsion. The objective of current work was to understand and explore the inner structuration of SES through controlled hydration and further to study the influence of additive on the same which ultimately governs performance of final formulation in terms of droplet size. METHODS: Droplet size of final formulations containing structural analogues of ibuprofen was determined. Microstructural properties of intermediate hydrated regimes of SES were investigated using techniques such as small angle X-ray scattering, differential scanning calorimetry and rheology. RESULTS: The current work established inverse relationship between droplet size of the formulations containing structural analogues of ibuprofen and their Log P values. Microstructural analysis of intermediate hydrated regimes of the prepared samples showed formation of local lamellar structure. Structural analogues of ibuprofen significantly altered microstructure of lamellae which was well correlated with the droplet size of final formulations. In vitro drug release study showed increase in dissolution rate of lipophillic drugs when formulated as SES. CONCLUSION: The current work emphasizes the fact that tailor-made formulations can be prepared by controlling the properties of intermediate regimes.

Reduced ulcerogenic potential and antiarthritic effect of chitosan-naproxen sodium complexes.

The purpose of this research was to address the utility of naproxen sodium-chitosan spray-dried complexes for antiulcer and antiarthritic activities. The cold stress technique was used to examine the ulcerogenic potential of naproxen sodium (NPX) and spray-dried formulations in the different doses. The ulcerations reduced with the dose of spray-dried complexes of naproxen sodium and chitosan. The conspicuous hemorrhagic lesions were visible in the morphological features of the animal treated with naproxen 50 mg/kg (p.o.). Thus, the results suggest that the spray-dried naproxen sodium-chitosan complex (NPXF) was not corrosive to the gastric mucosa at high doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg (p.o.) under stressful conditions. It is evident from the present investigation that NPXF does not possess any ulcerogenic potential in comparison to naproxen which, under stressful conditions, led to the hypersecretion of HCl, culminating to petichial hemorrhages in the gastric mucosa of the animals. The biphasic pattern was observed in the various arthritic parameters. The rise in paw volume, joint diameter, WBC count, arthritis score, and fall in body weight was significantly ameliorated in the animals treated with NPXF (5, 10, and 20 mg/kg, p.o). At the end of the study, slight erythema was visible in the naproxen-treated animals. However, no erythema, redness, or ulcers were visible in the animals treated with NPXF. Thus, the direct compression properties and reduced ulcerogenic activity, combined with the demonstrated solubilizing power and analgesic effect enhancer ability toward the drug, make naproxen sodium-chitosan spray-dried complexes particularly suitable for developing a reduced-dose, fast-release, solid oral dosage form of naproxen.

Preparation and evaluation of talc agglomerates obtained by wet spherical agglomeration as a substrate for coating.

The present research was aimed at the preparation of spherical agglomerates of talc (SAT) by wet spherical agglomeration (WSA) and evaluation as inert core/substrate for coating. Talc being an inert and inexpensive excipient was used in the design of spherical agglomerates. To evaluate agglomerate performance, comparison was made with sugar spheres (SS), having a size 1200 µm, for surface morphology, micromeritics, mechanical, compressional and drug release properties. Surface morphology studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical profilometry have shown smooth surface of SAT compared to SS. Shape and sphericity analysis of both showed aspect ratio close to 1. Flowability of SAT was similar to SS. Although, crushing force of SAT was significantly less than SS (p = 0.05), friability studies revealed that it was satisfactory. Compressibility studies showed plastic deformation of SAT unlike SS. Both SAT and SS had comparable drug and polymer layering efficiency, with better surface smoothness in SAT than SS, as confirmed from optical profilometry. Thus, SAT, similar to SS, can be used as a substrate for coating due to its comparable surface topography, micromeritics, adequate crushing resistance and satisfactory drug and polymer layering efficiency.

ApoE3 mediated poly(butyl) cyanoacrylate nanoparticles containing curcumin: study of enhanced activity of curcumin against beta amyloid induced cytotoxicity using in vitro cell culture model.

Beta amyloid plays a main role in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease by inducing oxidative stress in the brain. Curcumin, a natural antioxidant, is known to inhibit beta amyloid and beta amyloid induced oxidative stress. However, low bioavailability and photodegradation are the major concerns for the use of curcumin. In the present study, we have formulated apolipoprotein E3 mediated poly(butyl) cyanoacrylate nanoparticles containing curcumin (ApoE3-C-PBCA) to provide photostability and enhanced cell uptake of curcumin by targeting. Prepared nanoparticles were characterized for particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency and in vitro drug release. The entrapment of curcumin inside the nanoparticles was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. Physicochemical characterization confirmed the suitability of the method of preparation. The photostability of curcumin was increased significantly in nanoparticles compared to plain curcumin. In vitro cell culture study showed enhanced therapeutic efficacy of ApoE3-C-PBCA against beta amyloid induced cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells compared to plain curcumin solution. Beta amyloid is known to induce apoptosis in neuronal cells, therefore antiapoptotic activity of curcumin was studied using flow cytometry assays. From all the experiments, it was found that the activity of curcumin was enhanced with ApoE3-C-PBCA compared to plain curcumin solution suggesting enhanced cell uptake and a sustained drug release effect. The synergistic effect of ApoE3 and curcumin was also studied, since ApoE3 also possesses both antioxidant and antiamyloidogenic activity. It was found that ApoE3 did indeed have activity against beta amyloid induced cytotoxicity along with curcumin. Hence, ApoE3-C-PBCA offers great advantage in the treatment of beta amyloid induced cytotoxicity in Alzheimer's disease.

Study of polymorphs of progesterone by novel melt sonocrystallization technique: a technical note.

A large number of pharmaceuticals exhibit polymorphism; 23% steroids, 60% sulfonamides, and 70% of barbiturates have shown this property. In this study, we have investigated and compared a new technique termed as melt sonocrystallization (MSC) with melt and sonocrystallization (SC) for induction of polymorphism in progesterone (PRG). Polymorphs were characterized by DSC, XRD, FT-IR, and FT Raman spectroscopy. Melt sonocrystallized progesterone (MSC-PRG) contained both the polymorphs, more soluble form II along with less soluble form I, whereas melt progesterone (M-PRG) and sonocrystallized progesterone (SC-PRG) contained only form I. Improvement in dissolution characteristics of both the polymorphs were compared and form II was found to be more readily soluble than form I in deionized water. Reduction in mean particle size of PRG during SC was also determined using laser diffractometer. During stability testing (40°C/75% RH) for 1 month, metastable form II of MSC-PRG was found to be transformed into its more stable state. MSC technique was thus found as a useful tool for induction of polymorphism.

Effect of oppositely charged polymer and dissolution media on rheology of spray-dried ionic complexes.

The purpose of this research was to address the utility of rheological study in understanding the influence of oppositely charged polymers on release of naproxen sodium encapsulated in chitosan particles. The interaction between oppositely charged kappa-carrageenan (kappa-Ca) and chitosan leads to relatively higher gel strength, which is proportional to the ability to retard the drug release at acidic pH. The oscillatory tests within the linear viscoelastic range where the stress is proportional to the applied strain were performed on the hydrated sample matrices containing chitosan-naproxen sodium spray-dried complexes and k-Ca or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) in various ratios. It was observed that the effect of pH change on the dynamic moduli in spray-dried complexes containing kappa-Ca was much stronger than that with HPMC reflecting presence of strong ionic interaction between kappa-Ca and chitosan. The combination of oppositely charged polymers in different ratios proved to be useful in modulating the rheological properties of the hydrated formulations and their release-retarding properties. Dynamic moduli can be used to measure gel strength and are significant for the interpretation of oral sustained release spray-dried complexes.

Cefuroxime axetil solid dispersion with polyglycolized glycerides for improved stability and bioavailability.

OBJECTIVES: Cefuroxime axetil (CA), a poorly soluble, broad spectrum cephalosporin ester prodrug, is hydrolysed by intestinal esterase prior to absorption, leading to poor and variable bioavailability. The objective was therefore to formulate a stable amorphous solid dispersion of the drug with enhanced solubility and stability against enzymatic degradation. METHODS: Spray drying was used to obtain a solid dispersion of CA with Gelucire 50/13 and Aerosil 200 (SDCAGA), and a solid dispersion of CA with polyvinyl pyrrolidone (SDCAP); amorphous CA (ACA) was obtained by spray drying CA alone. The formulations were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies, and compared for solubility, dissolution and bioavailability in rats. KEY FINDINGS: SDCAP and SDCAGA showed improved solubility and dissolution profiles owing to amorphization and formation of solid dispersions with hydrophilic carriers. The improved stability of amorphous CA in solid dispersions compared to ACA alone was attributed to hydrogen bonding interactions involving the amide of CA with the carbonyl of polyvinyl pyrrolidone in SDCAP, whereas in SDCAGA the interactions were at multiple sites involving the amide and carbonyl of CA with the carbonyl and hydroxyl of Gelucire 50/13. However, SDCAGA showed superior bioavailability compared to SDCAP, ACA and CA. CONCLUSIONS: Improvement in physical stability of solid dispersions was attributed to hydrogen bonding, while improvement in bioavailability of SDCAGA compared to SDCAP, in spite of comparable solubility and dissolution profile, may be attributed to Gelucire, which utilizes intestinal esterase for lipolysis, protecting the prodrug from enzymatic degradation to its non-absorbable base form.

Preparation of multiparticulate vaginal tablet using glyceryl monooleate for sustained progesterone delivery.

Most of the sustained release vaginal formulations are in the form of bioadhesive gels and tablets. Though proved efficient, their presence in the vagina for a longer time as a bulk produces discomfort and interference with body functioning including sexual activities. Hence, they lack complete patient compliance. In this study, multiparticulate vaginal tablets were prepared by utilizing progesterone (PRO) loaded dry powder precursor of cubic phase (DPPCP) of glyceryl monooleate (GMO). DPPCP were obtained by spray drying GMO with magnesium trisilicate (MTS) and have presented PRO sustained release in simulated vaginal fluid (SVF) for 14 hours. The effect of hydrophilic and hydrophobic tableting excipients on compression, phase, bioadhesion and drug release properties of prepared tablets was evaluated. The effervescent hydrophilic tablet (EHT) prepared with hydrophilic excipients showed rapid disintegration but, diminished sustaining ability owing to transformation into lamellar phase whereas the multiparticulate hydrophobic tablet (MHT) obtained from hydrophobic excipients presented both rapid disintegration and sustained release in SVF by virtue of cubic phase retention. During bioadhesivity testing, fast disintegration of MHT with formation of uniform and viscous bioadhesive layer on cow mucosa was observed even with a small volume of SVF. As MHT may not produce discomfort and interference, it will be preferred over bioadhesive gel or tablet.

Extended release felodipine self-nanoemulsifying system.

The purpose of the present study was to formulate a self-nanoemulsifying system (SNES) containing model lipophilic drug, felodipine (FLD), to improve its solubility. The SNES was formulated using varying amounts of Miglyol 840 (as an oil), Cremophor EL (as a surfactant), and Capmul MCM (as a co-surfactant). The SNES were characterized for turbidity, droplet size and in vitro FLD release. The SNES containing oil, surfactant, and co-surfactant in the weight ratio of 3.5:1.0:1.0, respectively, showed good emulsification, median droplet size of 421 nm, and rapid FLD release (>90% release in 15 min). Gelling was induced in the SNES by addition of Aerosil 200 (A 200). Rheological studies clearly demonstrated the formation of gelled microstructure with enhanced elasticity for SNES with A 200. Since FLD warrants extended delivery for management of hypertension, the gelled SNES was further encased within the hydrophobic Gelucire 43/01 (GEL) coat to extend the release of FLD. Caprol PGE-860 (CAP) was added to this coat as a release enhancer. No interaction was seen between GEL and CAP in differential scanning calorimetry. The effect of two formulation variables in the encased SNES, viz., the gelling agent (A200) and the release enhancer (CAP), on the in vitro FLD release was evaluated using 3(2) factorial design experiments. CAP by virtue of channel formation in GEL coat favored the FLD release, while the A200 retarded the FLD release by inducing gelling. At later time points, an interaction between these two variables was found to govern extended release of FLD. The developed gelled SNES encased within the GEL coat can be used as an extended release composition for lipophilic drugs.

Preparation of amorphous cefuroxime axetil nanoparticles by sonoprecipitation for enhancement of bioavailability.

The aim of the present work was to prepare amorphous discreet nanoparticles by sonoprecipitation method for enhancing oral bioavailability of cefuroxime axetil (CA), a poorly water-soluble drug. CA nanoparticles (SONO-CA) were prepared by sonoprecipitation and compared with particles obtained by precipitation without sonication (PPT-CA) and amorphous CA obtained by spray drying. Spray drying present broad particle size distribution (PSD) with mean particle size of 10 microm and low percent yield, whereas, precipitation without sonication resulted in large amorphous aggregates with broad PSD. During sonoprecipitation, particle size and yield improve with an increase in the amplitude of sonication and lowering the operation temperature due to instantaneous supersaturation and nucleation. The overall symmetry and purity of CA molecule was maintained as confirmed by FTIR and HPLC, respectively. All the three methods resulted in the formation of amorphous CA with only sonoprecipitation resulting in uniform sized nanoparticles. Sonoprecipitated CA nanoparticles showed enhanced dissolution rate and oral bioavailability in Wistar rat due to an increased solubility attributed to combination of effects like amorphization and nanonization with increased surface area and reduced diffusion pathway.

Effect of drying methods on swelling, erosion and drug release from chitosan-naproxen sodium complexes.

The purpose of this research was to explore theapplication of ionic interactions between naproxen sodium (NS) and chitosan (CH) in complexes (NSC) prepared by tray drying (TD) and spray drying (SD) methods. Drug-polymer ratio (1:1) in the NSC was optimized on the basis of dialysis studies. The particulate systems of NSC were prepared by tray drying (TD) and spray drying (SD) methods. Release retarding polymers were added to the NSC and to the physical mixtures containing NS-CH and their effects on water uptake, matrix erosion and drug release at different pH were compared. Spray dried complexes (SDC) were spherical, free flowing, light and fine amorphous particles in contrast to the crystalline, hard, tenacious, irregularly shaped, denser tray dried complexes (TDC) with poor flowability. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) patterns confirm the conversion of crystalline to high energy amorphous phase suitable for ionic interactions in NSC. Presence of release retarding polymers, kappa carrageenan and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) in the NSC compacts retarded the drug release and improved the matrix integrity. Carrageenan matrices exhibited more retardation than HPMC tablets. FTIR patterns, erosion, swelling and drug release from matrices support ionic interactions between NS and CH in NSC. The reasons for retarded drug release from the chitosan matrices at acidic pH include poor solubility of drug at acidic pH, formation of a rate limiting polymer gel barrier along the periphery of matrices and the ionic interactions between oppositely charged moieties.

Development of spray-dried co-precipitate of amorphous celecoxib containing storage and compression stabilizers.

The purpose of this study was to obtain an amorphous system with minimum unit operations that will prevent recrystallization of amorphous drugs since preparation, during processing (compression) and further storage. Amorphous celecoxib, solid dispersion (SD) of celecoxib with polyvinyl pyrrollidone (PVP) and co-precipitate with PVP and carrageenan (CAR) in different ratios were prepared by the spray drying technique and compressed into tablets. Saturation solubility and dissolution studies were performed to differentiate performance after processing. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray powder difraction revealed the amorphous form of celecoxib, whereas infrared spectroscopy revealed hydrogen bonding between celecoxib and PVP. The dissolution profile of the solid dispersion and co-precipitate improved compared to celecoxib and amorphous celecoxib. Amorphous celecoxib was not stable on storage whereas the solid dispersion and co-precipitate powders were stable for 3 months. Tablets of the solid dispersion of celecoxib with PVP and physical mixture with PVP and carrageenan showed better resistance to recrystallization than amorphous celecoxib during compression but recrystallized on storage. However, tablets of co-precipitate with PVP and carageenan showed no evidence of crystallinity during stability studies with comparable dissolution profiles. This extraordinary stability of spray-dried co-precipitate tablets may be attributed to the cushioning action provided by the viscoelastic polymer CAR and hydrogen bonding interaction between celecoxib and PVP. The present study demonstrates the synergistic effect of combining two types of stabilizers, PVP and CAR, on the stability of amorphous drug during compression and storage as compared to their effect when used alone.

Spray dried glyceryl monooleate-magnesium trisilicate dry powder as cubic phase precursor.

Glyceryl monooleate (GMO) is a polar amphiphilic lipid, which forms different sequential lyotropic liquid crystals upon hydration. GMO has been utilized for various delivery systems and routes of administrations. Owing to sticky and waxy nature of GMO, preparation of oral solid dosage form utilizing GMO is still a challenge for pharmaceutical researchers. Therefore, the objective of the present work was to fabricate dry powder precursors using GMO, which upon hydration in situ forms cubic phase and can be wisely used for fabrication of oral solid dosage forms. In addition to this, dry powder precursor was evaluated for drug loading, in vitro release behavior and in vivo performance of model drug diclofenac sodium (DiNa). The dry powder precursor was obtained by spray-drying GMO with DiNa using magnesium trisilicate (MTS) as adsorbent. The percent drug entrapment of various batches of powder precursor was in the range of 84-93% indicating high content uniformity. SEM and image analysis showed that as the amount of MTS in powder precursor was increased, the particle size decreased. Furthermore, the viscosity of powder precursor was function of amount of MTS. The rate of water uptake of powder precursor was higher due to uniform layer of GMO on the MTS surface, which led to faster transformation of lamellar phase into cubic phase. The polarizing light microscopy confirmed that cubic phase was formed upon hydration of powder precursor. The drug released from powder precursor was initially governed by the cubic phase formed and in later stage it depends upon dynamic swelling behavior of hexagonally packed cylindrical aggregates. The drug loaded powder precursor was found to have more effective and prolonged anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity as compared to pure drug. Thus the dry powder precursor of cubic phase was prepared in which drug release was entirely governed by the mesophases formed.

The ICH guidance in practice: stress degradation studies on stavudine and development of a validated specific stability-indicating HPTLC assay method.

A sensitive, selective, precise, and stability-indicating high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method for the analysis of stavudine both as a bulk drug and in formulations is developed and validated. The solvent system consisted of toluene-methanol-chloroform-acetone (7.0:3.0:1.0:1.0, v/v/v/v). Densitometric analysis of stavudine is carried out in the absorbance mode at 270 nm. This system is found to give compact spots for stavudine (retention factor value of 0.45 +/- 0.05) following development of chromatoplates with the mobile phase. Stavudine is subjected to acid and alkali hydrolysis, oxidation, dry-heat and wet-heat treatment, and photo and UV degradation. The drug undergoes degradation under acidic and basic conditions, oxidation, and wet-heat degradation. Linearity is found to be in the range of 30-1000 ng/spot with a significantly high value of correlation coefficient. The linear regression analysis data for the calibration plots show a good linear relationship with r2 = 0.9997 +/- 0.05 in the working concentration range of 300 to 1000 ng/spot. The mean value of slope and intercept are 0.10 +/- 0.06 and 22.12 +/- 1.08, respectively. The method is validated for precision, robustness, and recovery. The limits of detection and quantitation are 10 and 30 ng/spot, respectively. The proposed HPTLC method is utilized to investigate the kinetics of the acid degradation process. Arrhenius plot is constructed and activation energy is calculated.

Liquid crystalline phase as a probe for crystal engineering of lactose: carrier for pulmonary drug delivery.

The current work was undertaken to assess suitability of liquid crystalline phase for engineering of lactose crystals and their utility as a carrier in dry powder inhalation formulations. Saturated lactose solution was poured in molten glyceryl monooleate which subsequently transformed into gel. The gel microstructure was analyzed by PPL microscopy and SAXS. Lactose particles recovered from gels after 48 h were analyzed for polymorphism using techniques such as FTIR, XRD, DSC and TGA. Particle size, morphology and aerosolisation properties of prepared lactose were analyzed using Anderson cascade impactor. In situ seeding followed by growth of lactose crystals took place in gels with cubic microstructure as revealed by PPL microscopy and SAXS. Elongated (size ∼ 71 µm) lactose particles with smooth surface containing mixture of α and ß-lactose was recovered from gel, however percentage of α-lactose was more as compared to ß-lactose. The aerosolisation parameters such as RD, ED, %FPF and % recovery of lactose recovered from gel (LPL) were found to be comparable to Respitose® ML001. Thus LC phase (cubic) can be used for engineering of lactose crystals so as to obtain particles with smooth surface, high elongation ratio and further they can be used as carrier in DPI formulations.

Potentiating antimicrobial efficacy of propolis through niosomal-based system for administration.

BACKGROUND: Propolis is a multicomponent active, complex resinous substance collected by honeybees (Apis mellifera) from a variety of plant sources. This study was designed to improve the antimicrobial efficacy of propolis by engineering a niosomal-based system for topical application. METHODS: Propolis was extracted in ethanol and screened for total polyphenol content. Propolis-loaded niosomes (PLNs) were prepared with varying concentrations of Span 60 and cholesterol. The PLNs were evaluated for physicochemical parameters, namely, vesicle size, entrapment efficiency, zeta potential, surface topography and shape, and stability, followed by screening for in vitro antimicrobial activity. The PLNs were formulated into propolis niosomal gel (PNG) using Carbopol P934 base and subjected to ex vivo skin deposition study. RESULTS: The ethanolic extract of propolis had high polyphenolic content (270 ± 9.2 mg GAE/g). The prepared PLNs showed vesicle size between 294 nm and 427 nm, and the percent entrapment in the range of 50.62-71.29% with a significant enhancement in antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Enhanced antimicrobial activity of PLNs was attributed to the ability of niosomes to directly interact with the bacterial cell envelop thereby facilitating the diffusion of propolis constituents across the cell wall. The formulated PNG exhibited a twofold better skin deposition due to improved retention of niosomes in the skin. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that the engineering of a niosomal-based system for propolis enhanced its antimicrobial potential through topical application.