Review on the Scale-Up Methods for the Preparation of Solid Lipid Nanoparticles.

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) are an alternate carrier system to liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, and inorganic carriers. SLNs have attracted increasing attention in recent years for delivering drugs, nucleic acids, proteins, peptides, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics. These nanocarriers have attracted industrial attention due to their ease of preparation, physicochemical stability, and scalability. These characteristics make SLNs attractive for manufacture on a large scale. Currently, several products with SLNs are in clinical trials, and there is a high possibility that SLN carriers will quickly increase their presence in the market. A large-scale manufacturing unit is required for commercial applications to prepare enough formulations for clinical studies. Furthermore, continuous processing is becoming more popular in the pharmaceutical sector to reduce product batch-to-batch differences. This review paper discusses some conventional methods and the rationale for large-scale production. It further covers recent progress in scale-up methods for the synthesis of SLNs, including high-pressure homogenization (HPH), hot melt extrusion coupled with HPH, microchannels, nanoprecipitation using static mixers, and microemulsion-based methods. These scale-up technologies enable the possibility of commercialization of SLNs. Furthermore, ongoing studies indicate that these technologies will eventually reach the pharmaceutical market.

In silico ADME/Pharmacokinetic and Target Prediction Studies of Ethambutol as Drug Molecule.

BACKGROUND: The conventional approach for the development of any pharmaceutically active molecule is a time-consuming and costly process because the synthesis is followed by laboratory tests which are then followed by long clinical trials. Hence, a faster approach is desired. This article discusses Ethambutol, a frontline anti-tubercular drug that has its properties predicted by the SwissADME tool and the results would be compared with the findings published in the literature. OBJECTIVE: The main objective is to study the predicted and experimental ADME properties, compare them and study the predicted targets and understand the use of SwissADME for designing other drug molecules. METHODS: SwissADME, an online tool for ADME prediction, was used along with Swiss Target Prediction to understand the targets of the drug. Further, experimental data was obtained from the available scientific literature. RESULTS: We found certain similarities between the predicted and experimental data. However, there were some variations, depending on the testing conditions. The results are interpreted ahead in the article. CONCLUSION: Ethambutol's predicted ADME properties are discussed and as per findings from results, it can be concluded that other drug molecules can be similarly predicted using these tools. Also, based on predicted data, we can reformulate and prepare some different preparations of the drug.

Nebulizer systems: a new frontier for therapeutics and targeted delivery.

Drug delivery via the pulmonary route is a cornerstone in the pharmaceutical sector as an alternative to oral and parenteral administration. Nebulizer inhalation treatment offers multiple drug administration, easily employed with tidal breathing, suitable for children and elderly, can be adapted for severe patients and visible spray ensures patient satisfaction. This review discusses the operational and mechanical characteristics of nebulizer delivery devices in terms of aerosol production processes, their usage, benefits and drawbacks that are currently shaping the contemporary landscape of inhaled drug delivery. With the advent of particle engineering, novel inhaled nanosystems can be successfully developed to increase lung deposition and decrease pulmonary clearance. The above-mentioned advances might pave the path for treating a life-threatening disorder like severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which is also discussed in the current state of the art.