Hydroxypropyl chitosan nail lacquer of ciclopirox-PLGA nanocapsules for augmented in vitro nail plate absorption and onychomycosis treatment.

Onychomycosis accounts for 90% of nail infections worldwide. Topical therapy provides localized effects with minimal adverse systemic actions, yet its effectiveness is limited by minimal drug permeation through the keratinized nail plate. Ciclopirox (CIX) is a FDA-approved broad-spectrum antimycotic agent. However, the complete cure with its nail lacquer (8% w/v) may continue for one year with a high cost. Therefore, poly lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) nanocapsules (NCs) of CIX were prepared by nanoprecipitation and optimized through a 23 factorial design to be incorporated into hydroxypropyl chitosan (HPCH) based nail lacquer. Nail hydration, in vitro nail absorption, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), inhibition zones and ex vivo fungal growth on nail fragments were evaluated. The optimized NCs of CIX based on 100 mg PLGA 2 A and lipoid S75 showed a mean diameter of 174.77 ± 7.90 nm, entrapment efficiency (EE%) of 90.57 ± 0.98%, zeta potential (ZP) of -52.27 ± 0.40 mV and a prolonged drug release. Nail lacquer of the optimized NCs exhibited a higher stability than NCs dispersion. Compared to CIX solution (1% w/v), the respective decrease in MIC for NCs and their lacquer was four- and eight-fold. The lacquer superiority was confirmed by the enhancement in the nail hydration and absorption by 4 and 2.60 times, respectively, relative to CIX solution and the minimal ex vivo fungal growth. Therefore, HPCH nail lacquer of (1% w/v) CIX-PLGA-NCs can be represented as a potential topical delivery system for enhanced in vitro nail absorption and therapeutic efficacy against onychomycosis at a low dose.

The Promising Role of Chitosan-Poloxamer 188 Nanocrystals in Improving Diosmin Dissolution and Therapeutic Efficacy against Ferrous Sulfate-Induced Hepatic Injury in Rats.

Diosmin (DSN) exhibits poor water solubility and low bioavailability. Although nanocrystals (NCs) are successful for improving drug solubility, they may undergo crystal growth. Therefore, DSN NCs were prepared, employing sonoprecipitation utilizing different stabilizers. The optimum stabilizer was combined with chitosan (CS) as an electrostatic stabilizer. NCs based on 0.15% w/v poloxamer 188 (PLX188) as a steric stabilizer and 0.04% w/v CS were selected because they showed the smallest diameter (368.93 ± 0.47 nm) and the highest ζ-potential (+40.43 ± 0.15 mV). Mannitol (1% w/v) hindered NC enlargement on lyophilization. FT-IR negated the chemical interaction of NC components. DSC and XRD were performed to verify the crystalline state. DSN dissolution enhancement was attributed to the nanometric rod-shaped NCs, the high surface area, and the improved wettability. CS insolubility and its diffusion layer may explain controlled DSN release from CS-PLX188 NCs. CS-PLX188 NCs were more stable than PLX188 NCs, suggesting the significance of the combined electrostatic and steric stabilization strategies. The superiority of CS-PLX188 NCs was indicated by the significantly regulated biomarkers, pathological alterations, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression of the hepatic tissue compared to DSN suspension and PLX188 NCs. Permeation, mucoadhesion, and cellular uptake enhancement by CS may explain this superiority.

Colon Targeting of Naringin for Enhanced Cytoprotection Against Indomethacin-Induced Colitis in Rabbits.

BACKGROUND: Naringin is a promising anti-inflammatory drug against various disorders including ulcerative colitis. However, its oral bioavailability is low (8%) possibly due to cleavage at the upper gut. Consequently, colon targeting would be necessary for drug protection at the upper gut, enhanced oral bioavailability and potentiated cytoprotection against colitis. METHODOLOGY: This study involved the formulation of compression-coated tablets of naringin employing mixtures of pH-sensitive Eudragit L100-55 (EUD-L100-55) and different time-dependent polymers including ethyl cellulose (EC), sodium alginate (ALG) and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (SCMC). Drug-polymer interaction during release was assessed using Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Tablets were evaluated in vitro. Surface morphology of the optimized tablets either before or after exposure to the different release media was examined employing scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Cytoprotection potential of the optimized tablets against indomethacin-induced colitis in rabbits was screened and compared to core tablets through a histopathological examination of colon, measurement of serum perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (pANCA) and immunohistochemical localization of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). RESULTS: FT-IR and DSC results may indicate drug-polymers interaction during release. Release retardation could be related to polymer swelling that was in the order of SCMC > ALG > EC. SEM examination indicated more porous coats at the buffers relative to the acidic medium. Colon targeting was expected in case of coats of 5% ALG, 5% SCMC and 10% EC (w/w) in combination with EUD-L100-55; thus, they were selected for in vivo evaluation. Effective cytoprotection of selected tablets against indomethacin-induced colitis was indicated by a significant (P<0.05) reduction in mucosal damage, serum levels of pANCA and TNF-α expression compared to untreated colitis and core-pretreated groups. Compared to EC, higher cytoprotection potential of ALG- and SCMC-based tablets was reflected by lower concentration (5% w/w) to provide cytoprotection against indomethacin-induced colitis.

The impact of topical phenytoin loaded nanostructured lipid carriers in diabetic foot ulceration.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to develop, and characterize nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) of phenytoin (PHT) in order to improve its entrapment efficiency and sustained release to improve the healing process. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients with neuropathic diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) were enrolled in this study. Patients were comparable regarding size, grading of ulcer and control of diabetes with no major deformity. All patients were managed by weekly sharp debridement if indicated and offloaded with cast shoes. They were equally divided into three groups: PHT-NLC-hydrogel (0.5%w/v), phenytoin hydrogel (0.5%w/v) and blank hydrogel groups. Changes in wound area were monitored over 2 months. RESULTS: Baseline wound area of PHT-NLC, PHT and blank hydrogels were 5.50 ± 3.66, 3.94 ± 1.86 and 5.36 ± 2.14 cm2, respectively. Ulcers treated with PHT-NLC hydrogel showed smaller wound area compared to control groups (ρ < 0.05). The overall reduction in ulcer size were 95.82 ± 2.22% for PHT-NLC-hydrogel in comparison to 47.10 ± 4.23% and -34.91 ± 28.33% for PHT and blank-hydrogel (ρ < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSION: PHT-NLC hydrogel speeds up the healing process of the DFU without adverse effects when compared to the positive and negative control hydrogels. Moreover, the study can open a window for topical application of NLCs loaded with PHT in the treatment of numerous dermatological disorders that resist conventional treatment. KEY MESSAGE: The delivery of drug molecules and their localization into the skin is the main purpose of the topical dosage forms. In this manuscript, the impact of topical phenytoin loaded nanostructured lipid carrier in improving wound healing in patients with neuropathic diabetic foot ulceration was investigated. Phenytoin loaded nanostructured lipid carrier dressing was found to be more effective than phenytoin hydrogel at the same concentration in healing of neuropathic diabetic foot ulcer.

Topical phenytoin nanostructured lipid carriers: design and development.

Phenytoin (PHT) is an antiepileptic drug that was reported to exhibit high wound healing activity. Nevertheless, its limited solubility, bioavailability, and inefficient distribution during topical administration limit its use. Therefore, this study aims to develop, characterize nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), and evaluate their potential in topical delivery of PHT to improve the drug entrapment efficiency and sustained release. The NLCs were prepared by hot homogenization followed by ultra sonication method using 23 factorial design. NLC formulations were characterized regarding their particle size (PS), zeta potential (ZP), entrapment efficiency percent (%EE), surface morphology, physicochemical stability, and in vitro release studies. The optimized NLC (F7) was further incorporated in 1%w/v carbopol gel and then characterized for appearance, pH, viscosity, stability, and in vitro drug release. The prepared NLCs were spherical in shape and possessed an average PS of 121.4-258.2 nm, ZP of (-15.4)-(-32.2) mV, and 55.24-88.80 %EE. Solid-state characterization revealed that the drug is dispersed in an amorphous state with hydrogen bond interaction between the drug and the NLC components. NLC formulations were found to be stable at 25 °C for six months. The stored F7-hydrogel showed insignificant changes in viscosity and drug content (p>.05) up to six months at 25 °C that pave a way for industrial fabrication of efficient PHT products. In vitro release studies showed a sustained release from NLC up to 48 h at pH 7.4 following non-Fickian Higuchi kinetics model. These promising findings encourage the potential use of phenytoin loaded lipid nanoparticles for future topical application.

Nanoemulsifying drug delivery system to improve the bioavailability of piroxicam.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to develop and characterize self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) of piroxicam in liquid and solid forms to improve its dissolution, absorption and therapeutic efficacy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The generation of liquid SNEDDS (L-SNEDDS) was composed of soybean or coconut oil/Tween 80/Transcutol HP (12/80/8%w/w) and it was selected as the optimized formulation based on the solubility study and pseudo-ternary phase diagram. Optimized L-SNEDDS and liquid supersaturatable SNEDDS (L-sSNEDDS) preparations were then adsorbed onto adsorbents and formulated as directly compressed tablets. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The improved drug dissolution rate in the solid supersaturatable preparation (S-sSNEDDS) may be due to the formation of a nanoemulsion and the presence of drug in an amorphous state with hydrogen bond interaction between the drug and SNEDDS components. In vivo pharmacokinetic studies on eight healthy human volunteers showed a significant improvement in the oral bioavailability of piroxicam from S-sSNEDDS (F12) compared with both the pure drug (PP) and its commercial product (Feldene®) (commercial dosage form (CD)). The relative bioavailability of S-sSNEDDS (F12) relative to PP or CD was about 151.01 and 98.96%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The obtained results ratify that S-sSNEDDS is a promising drug delivery system to enhance the oral bioavailability of piroxicam.

Vorinostat with sustained exposure and high solubility in poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(DL-lactic acid) micelle nanocarriers: characterization and effects on pharmacokinetics in rat serum and urine.

The histone deacetylase inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid, known as vorinostat, is a promising anticancer drug with a unique mode of action; however, it is plagued by low water solubility, low permeability, and suboptimal pharmacokinetics. In this study, poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(DL-lactic acid) (PEG-b-PLA) micelles of vorinostat were developed. Vorinostat's pharmacokinetics in rats was investigated after intravenous (i.v.) (10 mg/kg) and oral (p.o.) (50 mg/kg) micellar administrations and compared with a conventional polyethylene glycol 400 solution and methylcellulose suspension. The micelles increased the aqueous solubility of vorinostat from 0.2 to 8.15 ± 0.60 and 10.24 ± 0.92 mg/mL at drug to nanocarrier ratios of 1:10 and 1:15, respectively. Micelles had nanoscopic mean diameters of 75.67 ± 7.57 and 87.33 ± 8.62 nm for 1:10 and 1:15 micelles, respectively, with drug loading capacities of 9.93 ± 0.21% and 6.91 ± 1.19%, and encapsulation efficiencies of 42.74 ± 1.67% and 73.29 ± 4.78%, respectively. The micelles provided sustained exposure and improved pharmacokinetics characterized by a significant increase in serum half-life, area under curve, and mean residence time. The micelles reduced vorinostat clearance particularly after i.v. dosing. Thus, PEG-b-PLA micelles significantly improved the p.o. and i.v. pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of vorinostat, which warrants further investigation.

Improvement of dissolution and hypoglycemic efficacy of glimepiride by different carriers.

Effects of tromethamine (Tris), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP-K25), and low molecular weight chitosan (LM-CH) on dissolution and therapeutic efficacy of glimepiride (Gmp) were investigated using physical mixtures (PMs), coground mixtures, coprecipitates (Coppts) or kneaded mixtures (KMs), and compared with drug alone. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning colorimetry, and X-ray diffractometry were performed to identify any physicochemical interaction with Gmp. Surface morphology was examined via scanning electron microscopy. The results of Gmp in vitro dissolution revealed that it was greatly enhanced by Coppt with Tris or PVP-K25 and KM with LM-CH at a drug to carrier ratio of 1:8. Gmp amorphization by PVP-K25 and LM-CH was a major factor in increasing Gmp dissolution. Being basic, Tris might increase the pH of the microdiffusion layer around Gmp particles improving its dissolution. Formation of water-soluble complexes suggested by solubility study may also explain the enhanced dissolution. Capsules were prepared from Coppts and KM 1:8 drug to carrier binary systems and also with Tris PMs. In vivo, the hypoglycemic efficacy of Gmp capsules in rabbits increased by 1.63-, 1.50-, and 1.46-fold for 1:8 Coppts with Tris or PVP-K25 and KM with LM-CH respectively, compared with Gmp alone. Surprisingly, the response to Tris PM 1:20 capsules was 1.52-fold revealing statistically insignificant difference to that of Tris Coppt 1:8 (1.63 fold). As a conclusion, dissolution enhancement and hypoglycemic potentiation by 1:20 PM of Gmp/Tris, being simple and easy to prepare, may enable development of a reduced-dose and fast-release oral dosage form of Gmp.

Potential use of iontophoresis for transdermal delivery of NF-kappaB decoy oligonucleotides.

Topical application of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) decoy appears to provide a novel therapeutic potency in the treatment of inflammation and atopic dermatitis. However, it is difficult to deliver NF-kappaB decoy oligonucleotides (ODN) into the skin by conventional methods based on passive diffusion because of its hydrophilicity and high molecular weight. In this study, we evaluated the in vitro transdermal delivery of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-NF-kappaB decoy ODN using a pulse depolarization (PDP) iontophoresis. In vitro iontophoretic experiments were performed on isolated C57BL/6 mice skin using a horizontal diffusion cell. The apparent flux values of FITC-NF-kappaB decoy ODN were enhanced with increasing the current density and NF-kappaB decoy ODN concentration by iontophoresis. Accumulation of FITC-NF-kappaB decoy ODN was observed at the epidermis and upper dermis by iontophoresis. In mouse model of skin inflammation, iontophoretic delivery of NF-kappaB decoy ODN significantly reduced the increase in ear thickness caused by phorbol ester as well as the protein and mRNA expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the mice ears. These results suggest that iontophoresis is a useful and promising enhancement technique for transdermal delivery of NF-kappaB decoy ODN.

Potential use of gamma-cyclodextrin polypseudorotaxane hydrogels as an injectable sustained release system for insulin.

The development of injectable hydrogels for protein delivery is a major challenge. In this study, insulin/alpha-cyclodextrin (alpha-CyD) and gamma-CyD polypseudorotaxane (PPRX) hydrogels were prepared through inclusion complexation between high molecular weight poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and CyDs. The alpha-CyD and gamma-CyD PPRX hydrogels were formed by inserting one PEG chain in the alpha-CyD cavity and two PEG chains in the gamma-CyD cavity. Insulin/CyD PPRX hydrogel formation was based on physical crosslinking induced by self-assembling without chemical crosslinking reagent. The supramolecular structures of insulin/CyD PPRX hydrogels were confirmed with (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR), X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The in vitro release study showed that the release rate of insulin from the CyDs PPRX hydrogels decreased in the order of gamma-CyD PPRX hydrogel>alpha-CyD PPRX hydrogel. This decrease was controlled by the addition of CyDs to the medium. The serum insulin level after subcutaneous administration of gamma-CyD PPRX hydrogel to rats was significantly prolonged, accompanying with an increase in the area under serum concentration-time curve, which was clearly reflected in the prolonged hypoglycemic effect. In conclusion, these results suggest the potential use of gamma-CyD PPRX hydrogel as an injectable sustained release system for insulin.

Comparison of different perrmeation enhancers on topical ketoconazole formulations.

The clinical efficacy of five ketoconazole (CAS 65277-42-1) topical formulations (three gels and two creams) was evaluated in 50 patients suffering from fungal infections in an open uncontrolled pilot study. Each formulation contained selected permeation enhancers providing high permeability in vitro. The patients were randomly divided into five groups each of ten persons. Each group was assigned to a selected topical formula which was applied to the diseased skin twice daily for four weeks or until complete clinical improvement. The clinical evaluation of treatment effects was based on the following criteria: size of lesion, erythema, scaling and severity of itching (four grades each). The patients were considered cured after the disappearance of these clinical symptoms and negative potassium hydroxide and Wood's light examination tests during the follow-up period. The results showed that the overall therapeutic response to the treatment was 96.7% and 93% for the hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose gel containing menthol and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose gel containing isopropyl myristate, respectively. Creams (w/o and o/w) achieved 90% and 87% improvement after 2.5 weeks, respectively. The lowest clinical response (86.5% improvement) with the longest duration of treatment (3 weeks) was observed with sodium carboxymethyl cellulose gel containing oleic acid.