Oral fast-dissolving drug delivery membranes prepared from electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone ultrafine fibers.

Oral fast-dissolving drug delivery membranes (FDMs) for poorly water-soluble drugs were prepared via electrospinning technology with ibuprofen as the model drug and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) K30 as the filament-forming polymer and drug carrier. Results from differential scanning calorimetry, x-ray diffraction, and morphological observations demonstrated that ibuprofen was distributed in the ultrafine fibers in the form of nanosolid dispersions and the physical status of drug was an amorphous or molecular form, different from that of the pure drug and a physical mixture of PVP and ibuprofen. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy results illustrated that the main interactions between PVP and ibuprofen were mediated through hydrogen bonding. Pharmacotechnical tests showed that FDMs with different drug contents had almost the same wetting and disintegrating times, about 15 and 8 s, respectively, but significantly different drug dissolution rates due to the different physical status of the drug and the different drug-release-controlled mechanisms. 84.9% and 58.7% of ibuprofen was released in the first 20 s for FDMs with a drug-to-PVP ratio of 1:4 and 1:2, respectively. Electrospun ultrafine fibers have the potential to be used as solid dispersions to improve the dissolution profiles of poorly water-soluble drugs or as oral fast disintegrating drug delivery systems.

[The improvement of poorly water-soluble drug solubility through electrospun drug-loaded nanofibers].

The improving effect of electrospun drug-loaded nanofibers on the solubility of poorly water-soluble drug was investigated in the present research. Drug-loaded nanofibers were successfully prepared using electrospinning process with helicid as the poorly water-soluble model drug and polyvinylpyrrolidone K60 (PVP K60) as the filament-forming matrix. Scanning electron microscopy observation demonstrated that the nanofibers had a three-dimensional continuous web structure, and had well smooth surface and a diameter between 400-600 nm. X-ray diffraction results suggested that helicid lost its original crystal structure but highly distributed into the nanofibers in an amorphous state, resulting from the hydrogen bonding interactions between the carboxylic group of PVP K60 and the hydroxyl groups of helicid. The drug-loaded nanofibers obviously improved helicid's solubility, and were able to completely release the whole drug in 60 s. Electrospun drug-loaded nanofibers can improve the solubility and release profiles of poorly water-soluble drug.

A novel approach to the management of a central giant cell granuloma with denosumab: A case report and review of current treatments.

PURPOSE: To describe the efficacy of denosumab in the treatment of an aggressive giant cell granuloma of the mandible. METHODS: Denosumab was administered to a patient with a large aggressive giant cell granuloma of the mandible resistant to standard medical therapy. The effectiveness and response was measured on the basis of patient symptoms and radiological parameters. RESULTS: A significant reduction in patient symptoms was reported in association with tumour regression on follow up radiographs. CONCLUSION: This report demonstrates potential use of denosumab in aggressive giant cell granulomas of the jaws that have been resistant to medical therapy.