Effects of Functional Biomaterials on the Attributes of Orally Disintegrating Tablets Loaded with Furosemide Nanoparticles: In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluations.

Furosemide (FUR) is a diuretic used to relieve edema, congestive heart failure, cirrhosis, end-stage renal disease, and hypertension. FUR is a class IV according to the Biopharmaceutics Classification System. It is practically insoluble in water. This study aimed to optimize and formulate porous orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs) prepared by sublimation and loaded with FUR nanoparticles prepared by using a planetary ball mill. Different functional biomaterials called stabilizers were used to stabilize the nanoparticle formula. Pluronic F-127 was the optimum stabilizer in terms of particle size (354.07 ± 6.44), zeta potential (-25.3 ± 5.65), and dissolution efficiency (56.34%). The impact of the stabilizer concentration was studied as well, and a concentration of 3% showed the smallest particle size (354.07 ± 6.44), best zeta potential value (-25.3 ± 5.65), and percentage of dissolution rate (56.34%). A FUR-loaded nanoparticle formula was successfully prepared. The nanoparticle formula was stabilized by using 3% pluronic F-127, and 3% was chosen for further study of the incorporation into oral disintegration tablets prepared by the sublimation technique. The impact of the matrix sublimating agent and superdisintegrant on the ODTs' attributes (in vitro disintegration, wetting time, and in vitro dissolution efficiency) was studied using 32 full factorial designs. In vivo, the diuretic activity was tested for the optimized FUR ODTs by calculating the Lipschitz value using rats as an animal model. The stability of the ODTs loaded with FUR nanoparticles was assessed under accelerated conditions for 6 months. Finally, the ODT formula loaded with FUR NPs showed a rapid onset of action that was significantly faster than untreated drugs. Nanonization and ODT formulation enhances the dissolution rate and bioavailability of FUR. Many factors can be controlled to achieve optimization results, including the formulation and process parameters.

Oral administration of proniosomal glibenclamide formulation protects testicular tissue from hyperglycemia fluctuations and ROS via Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.

Type 2 diabetes causes high blood sugar due to insulin malfunction and is linked to male infertility. Using proniosomes can enhance the effectiveness of Glibenclamide, a medication that stimulates insulin secretion. In our study, male rats with diabetes were treated with GLB with or without proniosomal for 14 days. Proniosomal formulations maintained glucose levels prevented weight loss and showed normal testicular tissue. GLB-proniosomal reduces ROS caused by T2DM through Nrf2, HO-1 pathway and increases CAT, SOD, and GSH production in response to insulin and glucose uptake. The reference and proniosomal treatments showed CAT and SOD significant enzymatic elevation compared to the positive and negative control. CAT significantly correlated with Gpx4 expression with P = 0.0169 and r = 0.98; similarly, the enzymatic activity of SOD also showed a positive correlation between the average glucose levels (r = 0.99 and P = 0.0037). Intestinally, GSH analysis revealed that only proniosomal-GLB samples are significantly elevated from the positive control, with a P value of 0.0210. The data showed proniosomal-GLB was more effective than pure GLB, confirmed by higher Nrf2 (2.050 folds), HO-1 (2.148 folds), and GPx4 (1.9 folds) transcript levels relative to the control with less sample diversity compared to the reference samples, indicating proniosomal stabilized GLB in the blood. Administering GLB and proniosomes formulation has effectively restored testicular function and sperm production in diabetic rats by regulating ROS levels and upregulating anti-ROS in response to glucose uptake. These findings may lead to better treatments for diabetic patients who have infertility issues.

Formulation of Glibenclamide proniosomes for oral administration: Pharmaceutical and pharmacodynamics evaluation.

Glibenclamide (GB), oral antidiabetic sulfonylurea, is used in the management of diabetes mellitus type II. It suffers from low bioavailability due to low water solubility. This work aimed to enhance the dissolution of GB by formulating the drug as a proniosomes which then improves the pharmacological effect. GB proniosomal formulations were prepared using a slurry method with sucrose as a carrier. The formulations were characterized by particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency %, flow properties of the powder, and in vitro dissolution study. The pharmacological effect was also assessed by determining and measuring the fasting blood glucose level (BGL) before and after the treatment. Formulating GB proniosomes with the slurry method produces a free-flowing powder with a particle size range from 190.050 ± 43.204 to 1369.333 ± 150.407 nm and the zeta potential was above 20 mV (-24 to -58 mV), indicating good stability. The dissolution rate for all formulations was higher than that of the pure drug, indicating the efficiency of the proniosome in enhancing the drug solubility. A significant reduction in the fasting blood glucose level (73 %) was observed in animals treated with proniosomal formulation with no sign of liver damage. In contrast, the pharmacodynamics results show a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose level for animals treated with proniosomes compared to a 17.6 % reduction in BGL after treatment with pure drug. Moreover, the histopathological results showed no sign of liver damage that occurred with proniosomal treatment. GB proniosomal formulations is a promising drug delivery system with good therapeutic efficacy and stability.

Formulation and In Vivo Evaluation of Biofilm Loaded with Silver Sulfadiazine for Burn Healing.

Infected burned skin is a life-threatening condition, which may lead to sepsis. The aims of this work are to formulate a biofilm composed of silver sulfadiazine (SSD), chitosan (CS), and sodium alginate (SA), and to evaluate its wound-healing effectiveness. A full factorial design was used to formulate different matrix formulations. The prepared biofilm was tested for physicochemical, and in vitro release. The optimized formulation is composed of 0.833% of CS and 0.75% of SA. The release of SSD almost reached 100% after 6 h. The mechanical properties of the optimized formula were reasonable. The antibacterial activity for the optimized biofilm was significantly higher than that of blank biofilm, which is composed of CS and SA, p = 1.53922 × 10-12. Moreover, the in vivo study showed a 75% reduction in wound width when using the formulated SSD biofilm compared to standard marketed cream (57%) and the untreated group (0%).

Optimization of Bromocriptine-Mesylate-Loaded Polycaprolactone Nanoparticles Coated with Chitosan for Nose-to-Brain Delivery: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies.

Bromocriptine mesylate (BM), primarily ergocryptine, is a dopamine agonist derived from ergot alkaloids. This study aimed to formulate chitosan (CS)-coated poly ε-caprolactone nanoparticles (PCL NPs) loaded with BM for direct targeting to the brain via the nasal route. PCL NPs were optimized using response surface methodology and a Box-Behnken factorial design. Independent formulation parameters for nanoparticle attributes, including PCL payload (A), D-α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) concentration (B), and sonication time (C), were investigated. The dependent variables were nanoparticle size (Y1), zeta potential (Y2), entrapment efficiency (EE; Y3), and drug release rate (Y4). The optimal formulation for BM-PCL NPs was determined to be 50 mg PCL load, 0.0865% TPGS concentration, and 8 min sonication time, resulting in nanoparticles with a size of 296 ± 2.9 nm having a zeta potential of -16.2 ± 3.8 mV, an EE of 90.7 ± 1.9%, and a zero-order release rate of 2.6 ± 1.3%/min. The optimized BM-PCL NPs were then coated with CS at varying concentrations (0.25, 0.5, and 1%) to enhance their effect. The CS-PCL NPs exhibited different particle sizes and zeta potentials depending on the CS concentration used. The highest EE (88%) and drug load (DL; 5.5%) were observed for the optimized BM-CS-PCL NPs coated with 0.25% CS. The BM-CS-PCL NPs displayed a biphasic release pattern, with an initial rapid drug release lasting for 2 h, followed by a sustained release for up to 48 h. The 0.25% CS-coated BM-CS-PCL NPs showed a high level of permeation across the goat nasal mucosa, with reasonable mucoadhesive strength. These findings suggested that the optimized 0.25% CS-coated BM-CS-PCL NPs hold promise for successful nasal delivery, thereby improving the therapeutic efficacy of BM.

Enhanced Codelivery of Gefitinib and Azacitidine for Treatment of Metastatic-Resistant Lung Cancer Using Biodegradable Lipid Nanoparticles.

Lung cancer is a formidable challenge in clinical practice owing to its metastatic nature and resistance to conventional treatments. The codelivery of anticancer agents offers a potential solution to overcome resistance and minimize systemic toxicity. The encapsulation of these agents within nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) provides a promising strategy to enhance lymphatic delivery and reduce the risk of relapse. This study aimed to develop an NLC formulation loaded with Gefitinib and Azacitidine (GEF-AZT-NLC) for the treatment of metastatic-resistant lung cancer. The physicochemical properties of the formulations were characterized, and in vitro drug release was evaluated using the dialysis bag method. The cytotoxic activity of the GEF-AZT-NLC formulations was assessed on a lung cancer cell line, and hemocompatibility was evaluated using suspended red blood cells. The prepared formulations exhibited nanoscale size (235-272 nm) and negative zeta potential values (-15 to -31 mV). In vitro study revealed that the GEF-AZT-NLC formulation retained more than 20% and 60% of GEF and AZT, respectively, at the end of the experiment. Hemocompatibility study demonstrated the safety of the formulation for therapeutic use, while cytotoxicity studies suggested that the encapsulation of both anticancer agents within NLCs could be advantageous in treating resistant cancer cells. In conclusion, the GEF-AZT-NLC formulation developed in this study holds promise as a potential therapeutic tool for treating metastatic-resistant lung cancer.

The role of sodium lauryl sulfate on formulation of directly compressed tablets containing simvastatin and aspirin: Effect on drugs dissolution and gastric mucosa.

According to the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA), both aspirin and statin are used in the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Aspirin (ASA) is contraindicated if there is gastrointestinal bleeding because it will exaggerate the condition. In this study, the effect of surfactant; sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), in enhancing the in vitro dissolution of simvastatin (SIM) and ASA, as well as gastric irritation and upset, was studied. Oral tablets containing both ASA and SIM with and without the SLS were manufactured using the direct compression technique. The prepared tablets were characterized with respect to hardness, friability, uniformity of dosage units, in vitro disintegration, and dissolution. The effect of the addition of SLS in reducing the in vivo irritation and protection of gastric mucosa were also investigated. The results showed that the compressed tablets possessed sufficient hardness, acceptable friability, and are uniform with respect to disintegration, drugs contents, and tablet weight. The results showed that SIM alone exhibited a gastroprotective effect on the induced irritation. In addition, the incorporation of the SLS in the tablets containing SIM and ASA significantly enhanced the dissolution rates of both drugs and significantly decreased the gastric irritation and the ulcer index. The ulcer index of aspirin was decreased from 2.3 for tablets manufactured without SLS to 0.8 for tablets containing SLS. In a conclusion, the addition of pH modifier surfactant; SLS could enhance the dissolution rate of poorly soluble acidic drugs, reduce gastric upset and irritation without any effect on the main characters of the tablets. Moreover, the addition of SLS is very useful in improving the therapeutic activities and reducing the side effects of ASA and SIM for patients who require long-term administration of these drugs.

Formulation and Evaluation of Transdermal Gel Containing Tacrolimus-Loaded Spanlastics: In Vitro, Ex Vivo and In Vivo Studies.

Our goal was to prepare Span 60-based elastic nanovesicles (spanlastics (SPLs)) of tacrolimus (TCR) using the adapted ethanol injection method, characterize them, and evaluate their ability to improve the transdermal permeation of the active substance. The impact of two different concentrations of penetration enhancers, namely, propylene glycol and oleic acid, on the entrapment efficiency, vesicle size, and zeta potential was assessed. Moreover, in vitro release through a semipermeable membrane and ex vivo penetration through hairless rat skin were performed. Morphological examination and pharmacokinetics were performed for one selected formulation (F3OA1). TCR-loaded SPLs were effectively formulated with two different concentrations of permeation enhancers, and the effect of these enhancers on their physicochemical properties differed in accordance with the concentration and kind of enhancer used. The results of in vitro release displayed a considerable (p < 0.05) enhancement compared to the suspension of the pure drug, and there was a correlation between the in vitro and ex vivo results. The selected TCR-loaded nanovesicles incorporated into a gel base showed appreciable advantages over the oral drug suspension and the TCR-loaded gel. Additionally, the pharmacokinetic parameters were significantly (p < 0.05) improved based on our findings. Moreover, the AUC0−7 ng·h/mL form F3 OA1 was 3.36-fold higher than that after the administration of the TCR oral suspension.

Design and Optimization of Pioglitazone Hydrochloride Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery System (SNEDDS) Incorporated into an Orally Disintegrating Tablet.

Pioglitazone Hydrochloride (PGZ) suffers from poor aqueous solubility. The aim of this research was to design orally disintegrating tablets with self-nanoemulsifying properties (T-SNEDDS) to improve the Pioglitazone solubility and dissolution rate. Three liquid self-nanoemulsifying systems (L-SNEDDS) were formulated and evaluated for transmittance percentage, emulsification time, particle size, Poly dispersity index (PDI), percentage of content, solubility and stability. The optimum L-SNEDDS formula was converted to a solidified self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (S-SNEDDS) by adsorption on Syloid (SYL). Powder characterization tests, such as flowability tests, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), were performed for the selected S-SNEDDS formulation. Orally disintegrating tablets (ODT) were formulated by blending S-SNEDDS with tableting excipients. The ODT tablet batch composed of Prosolv was selected for tablet quality control tests, such as hardness, friability, disintegration time, content uniformity, weight variation, in vitro release, in vivo studies and accelerated stability studies. ODT tablets showed accepted mechanical properties and rapid disintegration time (<30 s). No drug degradation was observed at 3 months into the accelerated stability study. The optimized L-SNEDDS, S-SNEDDS and ODT (T-SNEDDS), showed significant enhancement of PGZ in vitro dissolution profiles compared to the pure drug (p > 0.05). In vivo pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic evaluation of ODTs showed better behavior compared to the raw drug suspension and the commercial tablet (p > 0.05). Orally disintegrating tablets revealed a promising potential to improve Pioglitazone poor aqueous solubility, dissolution profile and bioavailability.

Development and Characterization of Eudragit-RL-100-Based Aceclofenac Sustained-Release Matrix Pellets Prepared via Extrusion/Spheronization.

Aceclofenac (AC) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used in the treatment of chronic pain in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, with frequent administration during the day. The formulation of sustained release matrix pellets can provide a promising alternative dosage form that controls the release of the drug, with less blood fluctuation and side effects-especially those related to the gastric system. The extrusion/spheronization technique was used to formulate AC matrix pellets. The response surface methodology (version 17.2.02.; Statgraphics Centurion) was used to study the impacts of Eudragit RL 100 and PVP K90 binder solution concentrations on the pellets' wet mass peak torque, pellet size, and the release of the drug. Statistically, a significant synergistic effect of PVP K90 concentration on the peak torque and pellet size was observed (p = 0.0156 and 0.031, respectively), while Eudragit RL 100 showed significant antagonistic effects (p = 0.042 and 0.013, respectively). The peak torque decreased from 0.513 ± 0.022 to 0.41 ± 0.021 when increasing the Eudragit RL 100 from 0 to 20%, and the pellet size decreased from 0.914 ± 0.047 to 0.789 ± 0.074 nm. The tested independent factors did not significantly affect the drug release in the acidic medium within 2 h, but these pellet formulae maintained the drug release at less than 10% in the acidic medium (pH 1.2), which may decrease gastric irritation side effects. In contrast, a highly significant synergistic effect of Eudragit and highly antagonistic effect of the PVP solution on drug release in the alkaline-pH medium were observed (p = 0.002 and 0.007, respectively). The optimized pellet formula derived from the statistical program, composed of 3.21% Eudragit and 5% PVP solution, showed peak torque of 0.861 ± 0.056 Nm and pellet size of 1090 ± 85 µm, and resulted in a significant retardation effect on the release after 8 h compared to the untreated drug.

Formulation of sublingual promethazine hydrochloride tablets for rapid relief of motion sickness.

The delivery of antihistaminic agents via the oral route is problematic, especially for elderly patients. This study aimed to develop a sublingual formulation of promethazine hydrochloride by direct compression, and to mask its intensely bitter taste. Promethazine hydrochloride (PMZ) sublingual tablets prepared by direct compression were optimized using Box-Behnken full factorial design. The effect of a taste-masking agent (Eudragit E 100, X1), superdisintegrant (crospovidone; CPV, X2) and lubricant (sodium stearyl fumarate; SSF, X3) on sublingual tablets' attributes (responses, Y) was optimized. The prepared sublingual tablets were characterized for hardness (Y1), disintegration time (Y2), initial dissolution rate (IDR; Y3) and dissolution efficiency after 30 min (Dissolution Efficiency (DE); Y4). The obtained results showed a significant positive effect of the three independent factors on tablet hardness (P < 0.05), and the interactive effect of Eudragit E 100 and CPV on tablet hardness was significant. Disintegration time was mainly affected by Eudragit E 100 and CPV concentrations. Moreover, IDR was employed to assess the taste masking effect, lower values were obtained at higher Eudragit E 100 concentration despite it was statistically insignificant (p > 0.05). Optimized formulation that was suggested by the software was composed of: Eudragit E 100 (X1) = 2.5% w/w, CPV (X2) = 4.13% w/w, and SSF (X3) = 1.0% w/w. The observed values of the optimized formula were found to be close to the predicted optimized values. The Differential Scanning Calorimetric (DSC) studies indicated no interaction between PMZ and tablet excipients.

Nanotechnology as a tool to overcome the bariatric surgery malabsorption.

Obesity is a metabolic disease that affects all ages; it is considered life-threatening condition as it leads to fatal complications such as; cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. The therapeutic options include; life-style modifications, pharmacotherapy intervention, and surgical intervention. Bariatric surgery (BS) is considered as the most effective option among the others for its rapid weight loss, maintaining the lost mass, and improving the quality of life of the patients. Nevertheless, BS leads to severe changes in the bioavailability of medications, especially for chronic diseases, which may reach to limit where the patient's life endangers. Recently, pharmaceutical formulations had developed several methods to improve the drug bioavailability of drugs though the implying of nanotechnology. Nonotechnology is responsible for reducing the size of the drugs to the nano range (<1000 nm), which increase the drug surface area, dissolution, absorption, and, most importantly, the bioavailability of these drugs. It is believed that BS malabsorption and drugs bioavailability problems can be solved using nanotechnology for its advantages in overcoming BS complications.

In vitro and in vivo characterization of domperidone-loaded fast dissolving buccal films.

The delivery of drugs via fast dissolving films is an effective alternative for drugs with low bioavailability when administered by other routes. This is the case of domperidone (DMP) an anti-emetic drug with low water solubility and vulnerable to extensive first-pass effect. To overcome these limitations, in this work, we designed and produced fast dissolving muco-adhesive buccal films of domperidone using varying amount polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP K-90) using the solvent casting method. Films loaded with more than 10% of drug were not homogenous and opaque as indicated by white patches of drug in the film matrix. Formulation of DMP in the film form resulted in conversion of the drug from crystalline state to the semi-crystalline state as indicated by X-ray powder diffraction analysis. Moreover, about 40% of drug loaded within the films was released during the first five minutes compared to only about only 6.5% of pure drug in drug dissolution assays in vitro. In vivo pharmacokinetics analysis revealed that the DMP-loaded film had higher maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and shorter time to reach Cmax (Tmax) than a commercially available tablet formulation. In conclusion, the produced DMP buccal film formulation showed high absorption rate, rapid onset of action, and improved bioavailability compared with the conventional tablet. Our findings may support the development of novel dosage forms for the transmucosal delivery of DMP for convenient, rapid, and effective treatment of nausea and vomiting.

Co-stabilization of pioglitazone HCL nanoparticles prepared by planetary ball milling: in-vitro and in-vivo evaluation.

Pioglitazone (PGZ) is an oral antidiabetic agent that increases cell resistance to insulin, thereby decreasing blood glucose levels. PGZ is a class II drug. Because of its pH-dependent solubility, it precipitates at the intestinal pH, resulting in an erratic and incomplete absorption following oral administration, which causes fluctuations in its plasma concentration. A nanoparticle drug delivery system offers a solution to enhance the dissolution rate of this poorly water-soluble drug. PGZ nanoparticles were formulated by the wet milling technique using a planetary ball mill. The effects of the steric stabilizer (Pluronic F-127, PL F-127), electrostatic stabilizer (sodium deoxycholate, SDC), and number of milling cycles were optimized using a Box-Behnken factorial design. The results showed that the ratio of PL F-127: SDC significantly affected the zeta potential and the dissolution efficiency (DE%) of PGZ. The optimized PGZ nanoparticle formulation enhanced the dissolution to reach 100% after 5 min. The in-vivo results showed significant enhancement in Cmax (1.3-fold) compared to that of the raw powder, and both AUC0-24 and AUC0-∞ were significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced. In conclusion, PGZ nanoparticle formulation had enhanced dissolution rate in the alkaline media, which improved its drug bioavailability relative to that of the untreated drug.

Defining the process parameters affecting the fabrication of rosuvastatin calcium nanoparticles by planetary ball mill.

PURPOSE: Rosuvastatin calcium (ROSCa) nanoparticles were fabricated by planetary ball mill to enhance ROSCa dissolution rate and bioavailability. METHODS: Milling time factors (milling cycle time and number as well as pause time) were explored. The effect of different milling ball size, speed, and solid-to-solvent ratio were also studied using Box-Behnken factorial design. The fabricated nanoparticles were evaluated in term of physicochemical properties and long-term stability. RESULTS: The obtained data revealed that the integrated formulation and process factors should be monitored to obtain desirable nanoparticle attributes in terms of particle size, zeta potential, dissolution rate, and bioavailability. The optimized ROSCa nanoparticles prepared by milling technique showed a significant enhancement in the dissolution rate by 1.3-fold and the plasma concentration increased by 2-fold (P<0.05). Moreover, stability study showed that the optimized formula of ROSCa nanoparticles exhibits higher stability in long-term stability conditions at 30°C with humidity of 60%. CONCLUSION: Formulation of ROSCa as nanoparticles using milling technique showed a significant enhancement in both dissolution rate and plasma concentration as well as stability compared with untreated drug.

Rosuvastatin calcium nanoparticles: Improving bioavailability by formulation and stabilization codesign.

PURPOSE: Rosuvastatin calcium (ROSCa) is a poorly soluble drug with bioavailability not exceeding 20%. Decreasing the particle size may enhance its solubility, dissolution rate and bioavailability. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to prepare ROSCa nanoparticles by wet milling technique using planetary ball mill. The codesign between formulation and stabilization of nanoparticles was studied to achieve both high dissolution as well as bioavailability. METHODOLOGY: ROSCa nanosuspensions was prepared by wet milling technique using planetary ball mill, by applying milling ball size of 0.1 mm at speed of 800 rpm for 3 cycles each cycle composed of 10 minutes. HPMC, PVP k-30, pluronic F-127, Tween 80 and PEG 6000 were used as stabilizers. The nanosuspensions were then freeze-dried, and the dried nanoparticles were evaluated for particle size, zeta potential, in-vitro dissolution test, XRPD and in-vivo study. RESULTS: ROSCa nanoparticles stabilized with 10% PVP (P3) had a good stability with smallest particle size, which in turn enhanced the dissolution rate. The particle size of the leading formula was 461.8 ± 16.68 nm with zeta potential of -31.8 ± 7.22 mV compared to untreated drug that has a particle size of 618µm. The percent of ROSCa dissolved after 1 hour enhanced significantly which reached 72% and 58.25% for leading nanoparticle formula and untreated ROSCa, respectively (P < 0.05). The in-vivo study of ROSCa from the leading nanoparticle formula showed a significant enhancement in the Cmax after 2 h (82.35 ng/ml) compared to 9.2 ng/ml for untreated drug. CONCLUSION: Wet milling technique is a successful method to prepare ROSCa nanoparticles. From different stabilizer used, PVP (10%) was able to produce stable nanoparticle with small particle size which significantly enhance the dissolution rate and pharmacokinetics parameters of ROSCa.