RESUMEN
Cystic echinococcosis is a zoonotic infection caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato. The disease is characterized by the long-term growth of cysts, most commonly in the liver and lungs. Although an ideal model of cystic echinococcosis should induce the development of cysts in the liver and imitate the natural infection route, the murine model of intraperitoneal is still widely used in the field of experimental theraphy. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the usefulness of the murine model of hepatic CE for preclinical drug trials. The effectiveness of albendazole could also be assessed by measuring the diameter of the hepatic cyst. The albendazole significantly reduced the size of the cysts. The ultrastructural alterations of the germinal layer of hepatic cysts provoked by albendazole coincided with those observed in the intraperitoneal model. Similar results were obtained with both albendazole doses. Therefore, the efficacy of albendazole nanocrystals in the murine model of hepatic cystic echinococcosis was carried out at albendazole doses of 25 mg/kg. The abdominal ultrasound allows us to assess the response of cysts to drugs only in a qualitative manner. Although the size of cysts in the albendazole nanocrystal group was not significantly lower than that observed with albendazole, at the ultrastructural level, a greater extent of damage was observed. The murine model of hepatic cystic echinococcosis can be effectively used for assessing the effect of novel formulations or compounds. The main advantage of this model is that cysts are located in the orthotopic organ, which resembles the location most commonly found in human cases. In future studies, the usefulness of the model for pharmacokinetics studies in hepatic cysts will be evaluated.
Asunto(s)
Albendazol , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Equinococosis Hepática , Echinococcus granulosus , Nanopartículas , Albendazol/farmacología , Albendazol/uso terapéutico , Animales , Ratones , Nanopartículas/química , Equinococosis Hepática/tratamiento farmacológico , Equinococosis Hepática/parasitología , Echinococcus granulosus/efectos de los fármacos , Evaluación Preclínica de Medicamentos , Hígado/parasitología , Hígado/patología , Antihelmínticos/farmacología , Antihelmínticos/uso terapéutico , Antihelmínticos/administración & dosificación , Femenino , Ratones Endogámicos BALB CRESUMEN
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to pose a serious threat to global health. Oral preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), considered highly effective for HIV prevention, is the utilisation of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs before HIV exposure in high-risk uninfected individuals. However, ARV drugs are associated with poor patient compliance and pill fatigue due to their daily oral dosing. Therefore, an alternative strategy for drug delivery is required. In this work, two dissolving microneedle patches (MNs) containing either bictegravir (BIC) or tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) solid drug nanoparticles (SDNs) were developed for systemic delivery of a novel ARV regimen for potential HIV prevention. According to ex vivo skin deposition studies, approximately 11% and 50% of BIC and TAF was delivered using dissolving MNs, respectively. Pharmacokinetic studies in Sprague Dawley rats demonstrated that BIC MNs achieved a long-acting release profile, maintaining the relative plasma concentration above the 95% inhibitory concentration (IC95) for 3 weeks. For TAF MNs, a rapid release of drug and metabolism of TAF into TFV were obtained from the plasma samples. This work has shown that the proposed transdermal drug delivery platform could be potentially used as an alternative method to systemically deliver ARV drugs for HIV PrEP.
Asunto(s)
Administración Cutánea , Alanina , Fármacos Anti-VIH , Infecciones por VIH , Agujas , Profilaxis Pre-Exposición , Ratas Sprague-Dawley , Tenofovir , Animales , Tenofovir/administración & dosificación , Tenofovir/farmacocinética , Tenofovir/análogos & derivados , Alanina/farmacocinética , Alanina/administración & dosificación , Alanina/química , Fármacos Anti-VIH/administración & dosificación , Fármacos Anti-VIH/farmacocinética , Profilaxis Pre-Exposición/métodos , Infecciones por VIH/prevención & control , Masculino , Adenina/administración & dosificación , Adenina/farmacocinética , Adenina/análogos & derivados , Adenina/química , Ratas , Nanopartículas/administración & dosificación , Nanopartículas/química , Liberación de Fármacos , Compuestos Heterocíclicos de 4 o más Anillos/farmacocinética , Compuestos Heterocíclicos de 4 o más Anillos/administración & dosificación , Compuestos Heterocíclicos de 4 o más Anillos/química , Piridonas/administración & dosificación , Piridonas/farmacocinética , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos , Piperazinas/farmacocinética , Piperazinas/administración & dosificación , Piperazinas/química , Ciclopropanos/administración & dosificación , Ciclopropanos/farmacocinética , Compuestos Heterocíclicos con 3 Anillos/farmacocinética , Compuestos Heterocíclicos con 3 Anillos/administración & dosificación , Amidas/administración & dosificación , Amidas/farmacocinética , Amidas/químicaRESUMEN
Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder that results from abnormal levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. Risperidone (RIS) is a common drug prescribed for the treatment of schizophrenia. RIS is a hydrophobic drug that is typically administered orally or intramuscularly. Transdermal drug delivery (TDD) could potentially improve the delivery of RIS. This study focused on the development of RIS nanocrystals (NCs), for the first time, which were incorporated into dissolving microneedle array patches (DMAPs) to facilitate the drug delivery of RIS. RIS NCs were formulated via wet-media milling technique using poly(vinylalcohol) (PVA) as a stabiliser. NCs with particle size of 300 nm were produced and showed an enhanced release profile up to 80 % over 28 days. Ex vivo results showed that 1.16 ± 0.04 mg of RIS was delivered to both the receiver compartment and full-thickness skin from NCs loaded DMAPs compared to 0.75 ± 0.07 mg from bulk RIS DMAPs. In an in vivo study conducted using female Sprague Dawley rats, both RIS and its active metabolite 9-hydroxyrisperidone (9-OH-RIS) were detected in plasma samples for 5 days. In comparison with the oral group, DMAPs improved the overall pharmacokinetic profile in plasma with a â¼ 15 folds higher area under the curve (AUC) value. This work has represented the novel delivery of the antipsychotic drug, RIS, through microneedles. It also offers substantial evidence to support the broader application of MAPs for the transdermal delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs.
Asunto(s)
Administración Cutánea , Antipsicóticos , Ratas Sprague-Dawley , Risperidona , Esquizofrenia , Animales , Risperidona/administración & dosificación , Risperidona/farmacocinética , Esquizofrenia/tratamiento farmacológico , Femenino , Antipsicóticos/administración & dosificación , Antipsicóticos/farmacocinética , Parche Transdérmico , Nanopartículas/química , Nanopartículas/administración & dosificación , Liberación de Fármacos , Absorción Cutánea , Ratas , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos , Piel/metabolismo , Alcohol Polivinílico/química , Palmitato de Paliperidona/administración & dosificación , Palmitato de Paliperidona/farmacocinética , Tamaño de la Partícula , Solubilidad , AgujasRESUMEN
Parkinson's disease (PD), affecting about ten million people globally, presents a significant health challenge. Rotigotine (RTG), a dopamine agonist, is currently administered as a transdermal patch (Neupro®) for PD treatment, but the daily application can be burdensome and cause skin irritation. This study introduces a combinatorial approach of dissolving microarray patch (MAP) and nanosuspension (NS) for the transdermal delivery of RTG, offering an alternative to Neupro®. The RTG-NS was formulated using a miniaturized media milling method, resulting in a nano-formulation with a mean particle size of 274.09 ± 7.43 nm, a PDI of 0.17 ± 0.04 and a zeta potential of -15.24 ± 2.86 mV. The in vitro dissolution study revealed an enhanced dissolution rate of the RTG-NS in comparison to the coarse RTG powder, under sink condition. The RTG-NS MAPs, containing a drug layer and a 'drug-free' supporting baseplate, have a drug content of 3.06 ± 0.15 mg/0.5 cm2 and demonstrated greater amount of drug delivered per unit area (â¼0.52 mg/0.5 cm2) than Neupro® (â¼0.20 mg/1 cm2) in an ex vivo Franz cell study using full-thickness neonatal porcine skin. The in vivo pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated that RTG-NS MAPs, though smaller (2 cm2 for dissolving MAPs and 6 cm2 for Neupro®), delivered drug levels comparable to Neupro®, indicating higher efficiency per unit area. This could potentially avoid unnecessarily high plasma levels after the next dose at 24 h, highlighting the benefits of dissolving MAPs over conventional transdermal patches in PD treatment.
Asunto(s)
Administración Cutánea , Agonistas de Dopamina , Nanopartículas , Absorción Cutánea , Tetrahidronaftalenos , Tiofenos , Parche Transdérmico , Animales , Tiofenos/administración & dosificación , Tiofenos/farmacocinética , Tiofenos/química , Tetrahidronaftalenos/administración & dosificación , Tetrahidronaftalenos/farmacocinética , Tetrahidronaftalenos/química , Agonistas de Dopamina/administración & dosificación , Agonistas de Dopamina/farmacocinética , Agonistas de Dopamina/química , Nanopartículas/química , Porcinos , Suspensiones , Piel/metabolismo , Liberación de Fármacos , Masculino , Solubilidad , Tamaño de la PartículaRESUMEN
Diclofenac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, is commonly prescribed for managing osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and post-surgical pain. However, oral administration of diclofenac often leads to adverse effects. This study introduces an innovative nano-in-micro approach to create diclofenac nanoparticle-loaded microneedle patches aimed at localised, sustained pain relief, circumventing the drawbacks of oral delivery. The nanoparticles were produced via wet-milling, achieving an average size of 200 nm, and then incorporated into microneedle patches. These patches showed improved skin penetration in ex vivo tests using Franz-cell setups compared to traditional diclofenac formulations. In vivo tests on rats revealed that the nanoparticle-loaded microneedle patches allowed for quick drug uptake and prolonged release, maintaining drug levels in tissues for up to 72 h. With a systemic bioavailability of 57 %, these patches prove to be an effective means of transdermal drug delivery. This study highlights the potential of this novel microneedle delivery system in enhancing the treatment of chronic pain with reduced systemic side effects.
Asunto(s)
Administración Cutánea , Antiinflamatorios no Esteroideos , Diclofenaco , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos , Agujas , Diclofenaco/administración & dosificación , Diclofenaco/farmacocinética , Animales , Ratas , Antiinflamatorios no Esteroideos/administración & dosificación , Antiinflamatorios no Esteroideos/farmacocinética , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos/instrumentación , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos/métodos , Nanopartículas/química , Nanopartículas/administración & dosificación , Masculino , Piel/metabolismo , Absorción Cutánea/efectos de los fármacos , Parche Transdérmico , Ratas Sprague-DawleyRESUMEN
Psoriasis, affecting 2-3% of the global population, is a chronic inflammatory skin condition without a definitive cure. Current treatments focus on managing symptoms. Recognizing the need for innovative drug delivery methods to enhance patient adherence, this study explores a new approach using calcipotriol monohydrate (CPM), a primary topical treatment for psoriasis. Despite its effectiveness, CPM's therapeutic potential is often limited by factors like the greasiness of topical applications, poor skin permeability, low skin retention, and lack of controlled delivery. To overcome these challenges, the study introduces CPM in the form of nanosuspensions (NSs), characterized by an average particle size of 211 ± 2 nm. These CPM NSs are then incorporated into a trilayer dissolving microneedle patch (MAP) made from poly(vinylpyrrolidone) and w poly(vinyl alcohol) as needle arrays and prefrom 3D printed polylactic acid backing layer. This MAP features rapidly dissolving tips and exhibits good mechanical properties and insertion capability with delivery efficiency compared to the conventional Daivonex ointment. The effectiveness of this novel MAP was tested on Sprague-Dawley rats with imiquimod-induced psoriasis, demonstrating efficacy comparable to the marketed ointment. This innovative trilayer dissolving MAP represents a promising new local delivery system for calcipotriol, potentially revolutionizing psoriasis treatment by enhancing drug delivery and patient compliance.
Asunto(s)
Administración Cutánea , Calcitriol , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos , Agujas , Psoriasis , Ratas Sprague-Dawley , Psoriasis/tratamiento farmacológico , Animales , Calcitriol/análogos & derivados , Calcitriol/administración & dosificación , Ratas , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos/métodos , Absorción Cutánea/efectos de los fármacos , Piel/metabolismo , Piel/efectos de los fármacos , Piel/patología , Tamaño de la Partícula , Masculino , Nanopartículas/química , Imiquimod/administración & dosificación , Suspensiones , Fármacos Dermatológicos/administración & dosificación , Fármacos Dermatológicos/farmacocinética , Parche TransdérmicoRESUMEN
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disease primarily impacting neurons responsible for dopamine production within the brain. Pramipexole (PRA) is a dopamine agonist that is currently available in tablet form. However, individuals with PD commonly encounter difficulties with swallowing and gastrointestinal motility, making oral formulations less preferable. Microneedle (MN) patches represent innovative transdermal drug delivery devices capable of enhancing skin permeability through the creation of microconduits on the surface of the skin. MNs effectively reduce the barrier function of skin and facilitate the permeation of drugs. The work described here focuses on the development of polymeric MN systems designed to enhance the transdermal delivery of PRA. PRA was formulated into both dissolving MNs (DMNs) and directly compressed tablets (DCTs) to be used in conjunction with hydrogel-forming MNs (HFMNs). In vivo investigations using a Sprague-Dawley rat model examined, for the first time, if it was beneficial to prolong the application of DMNs and HFMNs beyond 24 h. Half of the patches in the MN cohorts were left in place for 24 h, whereas the other half remained in place for 5 days. Throughout the entire 5 day study, PRA plasma levels were monitored for all cohorts. This study confirmed the successful delivery of PRA from DMNs (Cmax = 511.00 ± 277.24 ng/mL, Tmax = 4 h) and HFMNs (Cmax = 328.30 ± 98.04 ng/mL, Tmax = 24 h). Notably, both types of MNs achieved sustained PRA plasma levels over a 5 day period. In contrast, following oral administration, PRA remained detectable in plasma for only 48 h, achieving a Cmax of 159.32 ± 113.43 ng/mL at 2 h. The HFMN that remained in place for 5 days demonstrated the most promising performance among all investigated formulations. Although in the early stages of development, the findings reported here offer a hopeful alternative to orally administered PRA. The sustained plasma profile observed here has the potential to reduce the frequency of PRA administration, potentially enhancing patient compliance and ultimately improving their quality of life. This work provides substantial evidence advocating the development of polymeric MN-mediated drug delivery systems to include sustained plasma levels of hydrophilic pharmaceuticals.
Asunto(s)
Administración Cutánea , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos , Agujas , Enfermedad de Parkinson , Pramipexol , Ratas Sprague-Dawley , Pramipexol/administración & dosificación , Pramipexol/farmacocinética , Animales , Ratas , Enfermedad de Parkinson/tratamiento farmacológico , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos/métodos , Masculino , Absorción Cutánea/efectos de los fármacos , Piel/metabolismo , Piel/efectos de los fármacos , Antiparkinsonianos/administración & dosificación , Antiparkinsonianos/farmacocinética , Agonistas de Dopamina/administración & dosificación , Agonistas de Dopamina/farmacocinética , Hidrogeles/químicaRESUMEN
The nanocrystal (NC) technology has become one of the most commonly used strategies for the formulation of poorly soluble actives. Given their large specific surface, NCs are mainly used to enhance the oral absorption of poorly soluble actives. Differently from conventional nanoparticles, which require the use of carrier materials and have limited drug loadings, NCs' drug loading approaches 100% since they are formed of the pure drug and surrounded by a thin layer of a stabilizer. In this work, we report the covalent decoration of curcumin NCs with folic acid (FA) using EDC/NHS chemistry and explore the novel systems as highly loaded "Trojan horses" to target cancer cells. The decorated NCs demonstrated a remarkable improvement in curcumin uptake, exhibiting enhanced growth inhibition in cancer cells (HeLa and MCF7) while sparing healthy cells (J774A.1). Cellular uptake studies revealed significantly heightened entry of FA-decorated NCs into cancer cells compared to unmodified NCs while also showing reduced uptake by macrophages, indicating a potential for prolonged circulation in vivo. These findings underline the potential of NC highly loaded nanovectors for drug delivery and, in particular, for cancer therapies, effectively targeting folate receptor-overexpressing cells while evading interception by macrophages, thus preserving their viability and offering a promising avenue for precise and effective treatments.
Asunto(s)
Curcumina , Ácido Fólico , Nanopartículas , Ácido Fólico/química , Humanos , Nanopartículas/química , Curcumina/farmacología , Curcumina/química , Curcumina/farmacocinética , Curcumina/administración & dosificación , Animales , Células MCF-7 , Células HeLa , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos/métodos , Ratones , Portadores de Fármacos/química , Macrófagos/efectos de los fármacos , Macrófagos/metabolismo , Antineoplásicos/farmacología , Antineoplásicos/química , Antineoplásicos/administración & dosificación , Antineoplásicos/farmacocinética , Neoplasias/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias/patología , Supervivencia Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Línea Celular TumoralRESUMEN
The lymphatic system possesses the main viral replication sites in the body following viral infection. Unfortunately, current antiretroviral agents penetrate the lymph nodes insufficiently when administered orally and, therefore, cannot access the lymphatic system sufficiently to interrupt this viral replication. For this reason, novel drug delivery systems aimed at enhancing the lymphatic uptake of antiretroviral drugs are highly desirable. Dissolving polymeric microarray patches (MAPs) may help to target the lymph intradermally. MAPs are intradermal drug delivery systems used to deliver many types of compounds. The present work describes a novel work investigating the lymphatic uptake of two anti-HIV drugs: cabotegravir (CAB) and rilpivirine (RPV) when delivered intradermally using dissolving MAPs containing nanocrystals of both drugs. Maps were formulated using NCs obtained by solvent-free milling technique. The polymers used to prepare the NCs of both drugs were PVA 10 Kda and PVP 58 Kda. Both NCs were submitted to the lyophilization process and reconstituted with deionized water to form the first layer of drug casting. Backing layers were developed for short application times and effective skin deposition. In vivo biodistribution profiles of RPV and CAB after MAP skin application were investigated and compared with the commercial intramuscular injection using rats. After a single application of RPV MAPs, a higher concentration of RPV was delivered to the axillary lymph nodes (AL) (Cmax 2466 ng/g - Tmax 3 days) when compared with RPV IM injection (18 ng/g - Tmax 1 day), while CAB MAPs delivered slightly lower amounts of drug to the AL (5808 ng/g in 3 days) when compared with CAB IM injection (9225 ng/g in 10 days). However, CAB MAPs delivered 7726 ng/g (Tmax 7 days) to the external lumbar lymph nodes, which was statistically equivalent to IM delivery (Cmax 8282 ng/g - Tmax 7 days). This work provides strong evidence that MAPs were able to enhance the delivery of CAB and RPV to the lymphatic system compared to the IM delivery route.
Asunto(s)
Dicetopiperazinas , Infecciones por VIH , Piridonas , Rilpivirina , Animales , Ratas , Preparaciones Farmacéuticas , Distribución Tisular , Antirretrovirales , PolímerosRESUMEN
The challenge of low water solubility in pharmaceutical science profoundly impacts drug absorption and therapeutic effectiveness. Nanocrystals (NC), consisting of drug molecules and stabilizing agents, offer a promising solution to enhance solubility and control release rates. In the pharmaceutical industry, top-down techniques are favored for their flexibility and cost-effectiveness. However, increased solubility can lead to premature drug dissolution in the stomach, which is problematic due to the acidic pH or enzymes. Researchers are exploring encapsulating agents that facilitate drug release at customized pH levels as a valuable strategy to address this. This study employed wet milling and spray drying techniques to create encapsulated NC for delivering the drug to the intestinal tract using the model drug ivermectin (IVM). Nanosuspensions (NS) were efficiently produced within 2 h using NanoDisp®, with a particle size of 198.4 ± 0.6 nm and a low polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.184, ensuring uniformity. Stability tests over 100 days at 4 °C and 25 °C demonstrated practical viability, with no precipitation or significant changes observed. Cytotoxicity evaluations indicated less harm to Caco-2 cells compared to the pure drug. Furthermore, the solubility of the NC increased by 47-fold in water and 4.8-fold in simulated intestinal fluid compared to the pure active compound. Finally, dissolution tests showed less than 10% release in acidic conditions and significant improvement in simulated intestinal conditions, promising enhanced drug solubility and bioavailability. This addresses a long-standing pharmaceutical challenge in a cost-effective and scalable manner.
Asunto(s)
Química Farmacéutica , Nanopartículas , Humanos , Química Farmacéutica/métodos , Células CACO-2 , Preparaciones Farmacéuticas/química , Solubilidad , Disponibilidad Biológica , Nanopartículas/química , Agua , Concentración de Iones de Hidrógeno , Tamaño de la PartículaRESUMEN
Atorvastatin (ATV) is a first-line drug for the treatment of hyperlipidemia. This drug presents biopharmaceutical problems, partly due to its low solubility and dissolution rate. In this work, nanocrystals of ATV stabilized with Tween 80® were designed by wet milling. A full factorial design was applied to optimize the process. Additionally, a cryoprotectant agent (maltodextrin, MTX) was identified, which allowed maintaining the properties of the nanocrystals after lyophilization. The storage stability of the nanocrystals was demonstrated for six months in different conditions. The obtained nanocrystal powder was characterized using SEM, EDXS, TEM, DSC, TGA, FT-IR, and XRD, showing the presence of irregular crystals with semi-amorphous characteristics, likely due to the particle collision process. Based on the reduction in particle size and the decrease in drug crystallinity, a significant increase in water and phosphate buffer (pH 6.8) solubility by 4 and 6 times, respectively, was observed. On the other hand, a noticeable increase in the dissolution rate was observed, with 90 % of the drug dissolved within 60 min of study, compared to 30 % of the drug dissolved within 12 h in the case of the untreated drug or the physical mixture of components. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the nano-milling of Atorvastatin stabilized with Tween 80® is a promising strategy for developing new formulations with improved biopharmaceutical properties of this widely used drug.
Asunto(s)
Productos Biológicos , Nanopartículas , Polisorbatos , Atorvastatina/química , Espectroscopía Infrarroja por Transformada de Fourier , Solubilidad , Nanopartículas/química , Liofilización , Tamaño de la PartículaRESUMEN
It is estimated that nearly a half of the world's population over 30 years old suffer from some kind of periodontal disease (PD). Although preventable, PD can pose a significant health burden to patients, causing from pain and discomfort to disfigurement and death. The management of PD often requires surgical procedures accompanied of systemic antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatments. Curcumin (CUR), a potent anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial active, has shown great promise in the management of PD; however, its effects are often limited by its low bioavailability. In this work, we report the development of electrospun nanofibres (NFs) loaded with CUR nanocrystals (NCs) for the management of PD. NCs of 100 nm were obtained by media milling and loaded into dissolving polyvinyl alcohol NFs using electrospinning. The resultant NCs-in-NFs dissolved in water spontaneously, releasing NCs with a particle size of â¼120 nm. The physiochemical characterisation of the systems indicated the absence of chemical interactions between drug and polymer, and nanofibres with an amorphous nature. In vitro release profiles demonstrated that the NCs had a significantly higher dissolution rate (â¼100 % at day 40) than the control group (approximately 6 % at day 40), which consisted of NFs containing a physical mixture of the drug and stabiliser. Finally, mucosal deposition studies demonstrated a 10-fold higher capacity of the novel NCs-in-NFs system to deposit CUR ex vivo using excised neonatal porcine mucosal tissue, when compared to the control group.
Asunto(s)
Curcumina , Nanofibras , Nanopartículas , Recién Nacido , Humanos , Animales , Porcinos , Adulto , Curcumina/química , Nanofibras/química , Nanopartículas/química , Antiinflamatorios , Tamaño de la Partícula , Portadores de Fármacos/químicaRESUMEN
In the field of ocular drug delivery, topical delivery remains the most common treatment option for managing anterior segment diseases, whileintraocular injectionsare the current gold standard treatment option for treating posterior segment diseases. Nonetheless, topical eye drops are associated with low bioavailability (<5%), and theintravitreal administration procedure is highly invasive, yielding poor patient acceptability. In both cases, frequent administration is currently required. As a result, there is a clear unmet need for sustained drug delivery to the eye, particularly in a manner that can be localised. Microneedles, which are patches containing an array of micron-scale needles (<1 mm), have the potential to meet this need. These platforms can enable localised drug delivery to the eye while enhancing penetration of drug molecules through key ocular barriers, thereby improving overall therapeutic outcomes. Moreover, the minimally invasive manner in which microneedles are applied could provide significant advantages over traditional intravitreal injections regarding patient acceptability. Considering the benefitsofthis novel ocular delivery system, this review provides an in-depth overviewofthe microneedle systems for ocular drug delivery, including the types of microneedles used and therapeutics delivered. Notably, we outline and discuss the current challenges associated with the clinical translation of these platforms and offer opinions on factors which should be considered to improve such transition from lab to clinic.
Asunto(s)
Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos , Ojo , Humanos , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos/métodos , Preparaciones Farmacéuticas , Agujas , Microinyecciones/métodos , Administración CutáneaRESUMEN
The minimally-invasive and painless nature of microneedle (MN) application has enabled the technology to obviate many issues with injectable drug delivery. MNs not only administer therapeutics directly into the dermal and ocular space, but they can also control the release profile of the active compound over a desired period. To enable prolonged delivery of payloads, various MN types have been proposed and evaluated, including dissolving MNs, polymeric MNs loaded or coated with nanoparticles, fast-separable MNs hollow MNs, and hydrogel MNs. These intricate yet intelligent delivery platforms provide an attractive approach to decrease side effects and administration frequency, thus offer the potential to increase patient compliance. In this review, MN formulations that are loaded with various therapeutics for long-acting delivery to address the clinical needs of a myriad of diseases are discussed. We also highlight the design aspects, such as polymer selection and MN geometry, in addition to computational and mathematical modeling of MNs that are necessary to help streamline and develop MNs with high translational value and clinical impact. Finally, up-scale manufacturing and regulatory hurdles along with potential avenues that require further research to bring MN technology to the market are carefully considered. It is hoped that this review will provide insight to formulators and clinicians that the judicious selection of materials in tandem with refined design may offer an elegant approach to achieve sustained delivery of payloads through the simple and painless application of a MN patch.
Asunto(s)
Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos , Piel , Humanos , Polímeros/farmacología , Agujas , Administración CutáneaRESUMEN
Transdermal drug delivery is an alternative route of administration that offers avoidance of the associated drawbacks of orally and parenterally administered hydrophobics. However, owing to the extremely specific set of physicochemical characteristics required for passive transdermal drug permeation, the development of marketed transdermal products containing poorly soluble drugs has been severely limited. Microarray patches (MAPs) are a type of transdermal patch that differ from the traditional patch design due to the presence of tiny, micron-sized needles that permit enhanced drug permeation on their application surface. To date, MAPs have predominantly been used to deliver hydrophilic compounds. However, this work challenges this trend and focuses on the use of MAPs, in combination with commonly utilized solubility-enhancing techniques, to deliver the hydrophobic drug olanzapine (OLP) across the skin. Specifically, cyclodextrin (CD) complexation and particle size reduction were employed in tandem with hydrogel-forming and dissolving MAPs, respectively. In vivo experimentation using a female Sprague-Dawley rat model confirmed the successful delivery of OLP from hydrogel-forming MAPs (Cmax = 611.13 ± 153.34 ng/mL, Tmax = 2 h) and dissolving MAPs (Cmax = 690.56 ± 161.33 ng/mL, Tmax = 2 h) in a manner similar to that of oral therapy in terms of the rate and extent of drug absorption, as well as overall drug exposure and bioavailability. This work is the first reported use of polymeric MAPs in combination with the solubility-enhancing techniques of CD complexation and particle size reduction to successfully deliver the poorly soluble drug OLP via the transdermal route. Accordingly, this paper provides significant evidence to support an expansion of the library of molecules amenable to MAP-mediated drug delivery to include those that exhibit poor aqueous solubility.
Asunto(s)
Polímeros , Piel , Ratas , Animales , Femenino , Olanzapina , Ratas Sprague-Dawley , Administración Cutánea , Polímeros/química , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos/métodos , Hidrogeles , AgujasRESUMEN
Oral administration and intramuscular (IM) injection are commonly recommended options for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment. However, poor patient compliance due to daily oral dosing, pain at injection sites and the demand for trained healthcare staff for injections limit the success of these administration routes, especially in low-resource settings. To overcome these limitations, for the first time, we propose novel bilayer dissolving microneedles (MNs) for the intradermal delivery of long-acting nanosuspensions of the antiretroviral (ARV) drug bictegravir (BIC) for potential HIV treatment and prevention. The BIC nanosuspensions were prepared using a wet media milling technique on a laboratory scale with a particle size of 358.99 ± 18.53 nm. The drug loading of nanosuspension-loaded MNs and BIC powder-loaded MNs were 1.87 mg/0.5 cm2 and 2.16 mg/0.5 cm2, respectively. Both dissolving MNs exhibited favorable mechanical and insertion ability in the human skin simulant Parafilm® M and excised neonatal porcine skin. Importantly, the pharmacokinetic profiles of Sprague Dawley rats demonstrated that dissolving MNs were able to intradermally deliver 31% of drug loading from nanosuspension-loaded MNs in the form of drug depots. After a single application, both coarse BIC and BIC nanosuspensions achieved sustained release, maintaining plasma concentrations above human therapeutic levels (162 ng/mL) in rats for 4 weeks. These minimally invasive and potentially self-administered MNs could improve patient compliance, providing a promising platform for the delivery of nanoformulated ARVs and resulting in prolonged drug release, particularly for patients in low-resource settings.
Asunto(s)
Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos , Infecciones por VIH , Porcinos , Humanos , Ratas , Animales , Administración Cutánea , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos/métodos , Preparaciones Farmacéuticas , Ratas Sprague-Dawley , Piel , Infecciones por VIH/tratamiento farmacológico , AgujasRESUMEN
Domperidone (DOM) is a drug commonly used to treat nausea and vomiting, as well as gastrointestinal disorders. However, its low solubility and extensive metabolism pose significant administration challenges. In this study, we aimed to improve DOM solubility and avoid its metabolism by developing nanocrystals (NC) of DOM through a 3D printing technology-melting solidification printing process (MESO-PP)-to be delivered via a solid dosage form (SDF) that can be administered sublingually. We obtained DOM-NCs using the wet milling process and designed an ultra-rapid release ink (composed of PEG 1500, propylene glycol, sodium starch glycolate, croscarmellose sodium, and sodium citrate) for the 3D printing process. The results demonstrated an increase in the saturation solubility of DOM in both water and simulated saliva without any physicochemical changes in the ink as observed by DSC, TGA, DRX, and FT-IR. The combination of nanotechnology and 3D printing technology enabled us to produce a rapidly disintegrating SDF with an improved drug-release profile. This study demonstrates the potential of developing sublingual dosage forms for drugs with low aqueous solubility using nanotechnology and 3D printing technology, providing a feasible solution to the challenges associated with the administration of drugs with low solubility and extensive metabolism in pharmacology.
RESUMEN
HIV/AIDS remains a major global public health issue. While antiretroviral therapy is effective at reducing the viral load in the blood, up to 50% of those with HIV suffer from some degree of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder, due to the presence of the blood-brain barrier restricting drugs from crossing into the central nervous system and treating the viral reservoir there. One way to circumvent this is the nose-to-brain pathway. This pathway can also be accessed via a facial intradermal injection. Certain parameters can increase delivery via this route, including using nanoparticles with a positive zeta potential and an effective diameter of 200 nm or less. Microneedle arrays offer a minimally invasive, pain-free alternative to traditional hypodermic injections. This study shows the formulation of nanocrystals of both rilpivirine (RPV) and cabotegravir, followed by incorporation into separate microneedle delivery systems for application to either side of the face. Following an in vivo study in rats, delivery to the brain was seen for both drugs. For RPV, a Cmax was seen at 21 days of 619.17 ± 73.32 ng/g, above that of recognised plasma IC90 levels, and potentially therapeutically relevant levels were maintained for 28 days. For CAB, a Cmax was seen at 28 days of 478.31 ± 320.86 ng/g, and while below recognised 4IC90 levels, does indicate that therapeutically relevant levels could be achieved by manipulating final microaaray patch size in humans.
Asunto(s)
Fármacos Anti-VIH , Infecciones por VIH , Nanopartículas , Humanos , Ratas , Animales , Infecciones por VIH/tratamiento farmacológico , Rilpivirina/uso terapéutico , Trastornos Neurocognitivos/tratamiento farmacológico , PiridonasRESUMEN
Nanodiamonds were combined with niosome, and resulting formulations were named as nanodiasomes, which were evaluated in terms of physicochemical features, cellular internalization, cell viability and transfection efficiency both in in vitro and in in vivo conditions. Such parameters were analyzed at 4 and 25 °C, and at 15 and 30 days after their elaboration. Nanodiasomes showed a particle size of 128 nm that was maintained over time inside the ± 10% of deviation, unless after 30 days of storage at 25 °C. Something similar occurred with the initial zeta potential value, 35.2 mV, being both formulations more stable at 4 °C. The incorporation of nanodiamonds into niosomes resulted in a 4-fold increase of transfection efficiency that was maintained over time at 4 and 25 °C. In vivo studies reported high transgene expression of nanodiasomes after subretinal and intravitreal administration in mice, when injected freshly prepared and after 30 days of storage at 4 °C.