Anti-plasticizing effect of water on prilocaine and lidocaine - the role of the hydrogen bonding pattern.

It is generally accepted that water, as an effective plasticizer, decreases the glass transition temperatures (Tgs) of amorphous drugs, potentially resulting in physical instabilities. However, recent studies suggest that water can also increase the Tgs of the amorphous forms of the drugs prilocaine (PRL) and lidocaine (LID), thus acting as an anti-plasticizer. To further understand the nature of the anti-plasticizing effect of water, interactions with different solvents and the resulting structural features of PRL and LID were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and quantum chemical simulations. Heavy water (deuterium oxides) was chosen as a solvent, as the deuterium and hydrogen atoms are electronically identical. It was found that substituting hydrogen with deuterium showed a minimal impact on the anti-plasticization of water on PRL. Ethanol and ethylene glycol were chosen as solvents to compare the hydrogen bonding patterns occurring between the hydroxyl groups of the solvents and PRL and LID. Comparison of the various Tgs showed a weaker anti-plasticizing potential of these two solvents on PRL and LID. The frequency shifts of the amide CO groups of PRL and LID due to the interactions with water, heavy water, ethanol, and ethylene glycol as observed in the FTIR spectra showed a correlation with the binding energies calculated by quantum chemical simulations. Overall, this study showed that the combination of weak hydrogen bonding and strong electrostatic contributions in hydrated PRL and LID could play an important role in inducing the anti-plasticizing effect of water on those drugs.

Utilizing the allyl-terminated copolymer methoxy(poly(ethylene glycol))-block-poly(jasmine lactone) in the development of amorphous solid dispersions: A comparative study of functionalized and non-functionalized polymer.

Molecular interactions are crucial to stabilize amorphous drugs in amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs). Most polymers, however, have only a limited ability to form strong molecular interactions with drugs. Polymers tailored to fit the physicochemical properties of the drug molecule to be incorporated, for instance by allowing the incorporation of specific functional groups, would be highly sought-for in this regard. For this purpose, the novel allyl-terminated polymer methoxy(polyethylene glycol)-block-poly(jasmine lactone) (mPEG-b-PJL) has been synthesized and functionalized to potentially enhance specific drug-polymer interactions. This study investigated the use of mPEG-b-PJL in ASDs, using carvedilol (CAR), a weakly basic model drug. The findings revealed that the acidic functionalized form of the polymer (mPEG-b-PJL-COOH) indeed established stronger molecular interactions with CAR compared to its non-functionalized counterpart mPEG-b-PJL. Evaluations on polymer effectiveness in forming ASDs demonstrated that mPEG-b-PJL-COOH outperformed its non-functionalized counterpart in miscibility, drug loading ability, and stability, inferred from reduced molecular mobility. However, dissolution tests indicated that ASDs with mPEG-b-PJL-COOH did not significantly improve the dissolution behaviour compared to amorphous CAR alone, despite potential solubility enhancement through micelle formation. Overall, this study confirms the potential of functionalized polymers in ASD formulations, while the challenge of improving dissolution performance in these ASDs remains an area of further development.

Acheta domesticus: A Natural Source of Anti-Skin-Aging Ingredients for Cosmetic Applications.

Acheta domesticus is an edible insect, rich in nutritional value and considered a sustainable protein source. This study aimed to investigate the potential application of A. domesticus extracts for anti-skin-aging purposes. The extracts were prepared by maceration at ambient temperature with 95% ethanol or hexane and maceration in gentle heat (45 °C) with 95% v/v ethanol or DI water. The extracts were examined for total protein, phenolic, and flavonoid contents. Protein molecular weight distribution was analyzed. The safety of the extracts was investigated in terms of irritation and cytotoxicity. Biological activities relevant to the inhibition of skin aging were evaluated, including increasing transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-ß1) expression and inhibitory activities on collagenase and hyaluronidase. The aqueous extract from maceration in gentle heat had the highest total protein content (63 ± 1% w/w), total phenolic content (0.48 ± 0.03 mg GAE/g extract), TGF-ß1 stimulating activities (33 ± 2 pg/mL), and collagenase inhibition (with a half maximal inhibitory concentration of 26 ± 1 µg/mL) among various extracts investigated. It caused no irritation to the hen's egg chorioallantoic membrane and showed no cytotoxicity to human dermal fibroblasts and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Therefore, aqueous A. domesticus extract is proposed as an innovative natural anti-skin-aging ingredient.

Lipid nanoparticles for local delivery of mRNA to the respiratory tract: Effect of PEG-lipid content and administration route.

Design of inhalable mRNA therapeutics is promising because local administration in the respiratory tract is minimally invasive and induces a local response. However, several challenges related to administration via inhalation and respiratory tract barriers have so far prevented the progress of inhaled mRNA therapeutics. Here, we investigated factors of importance for lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-mediated delivery of mRNA to the respiratory tract. We hypothesized that: (i) the PEG-lipid content is important for providing colloidal stability during aerosolization and for mucosal delivery, (ii) the PEG-lipid contentinfluences the expression of mRNA-encoded protein in the lungs, and (iii) the route of administration (nasal versus pulmonary) affects mRNA delivery in the lungs. In this study, we aimed to optimize the PEG-lipid content for mucosal delivery and to investigatethe effect of administration route on the kinetics of protein expression. Our results show that increasing the PEG-lipid content improves the colloidal stability during the aerosolization process, but has a negative impact on the transfection efficiencyin vitro. The kinetics of protein expressionin vivois dependent on the route of administration, and we found that pulmonaryadministration of mRNA-LNPs to mice results inmore durable protein expression than nasaladministration. These results demonstrate that the design of the delivery system and the route of administration are importantfor achieving high mRNA transfection efficiency in the respiratory tract.

Molecular interactions of hydrated co-amorphous systems of prilocaine and lidocaine.

It is generally accepted that water as a plasticizer can decrease the glass transition temperatures (Tgs) of amorphous drugs and drug excipient systems. However, previous studies suggest that water, as an anti-plasticizer, can increase the Tgs of co-amorphous systems of prilocaine (PRL) and lidocaine (LID). In order to investigate the intermolecular interactions between water and co-amorphous PRL-LID systems, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and principal component analysis (PCA) were conducted. Water was found to bind with the carbonyl groups of PRL and LID molecularly evenly in the hydrated co-amorphous PRL-LID systems. Quantum chemical simulations visually confirmed the interactions between water and co-amorphous PRL-LID systems. Furthermore, the physical stability of hydrated co-amorphous PRL-LID systems was improved due to the anti-plasticizing effect of water, compared with the anhydrous samples. The preference of water to interact with the carbonyl groups of PRL and LID as binding sites could be associated with the anti-plasticizing effect of water on the co-amorphous PRL-LID systems.

Comparison of the liquisolid technique and co-milling for loading of a poorly soluble drug in inorganic porous excipients.

Drug loading into mesoporous carriers may help to improve the dissolution of poorly aqueous-soluble drugs. However, both preparation method and carrier properties influence loading efficiency and drug release. Accordingly, this study aimed to compare two preparation methods: formulation into liquisolid systems (LSS) and co-milling for their efficiency in loading the poorly soluble model drug cyclosporine A (CyA) into mesoporous magnesium aluminometasilicate Neusilin® US2 (NEU) or functionalized calcium carbonate (FCC). Scanning electron microscopy was used to visualize the morphology of the samples and evaluate the changes that occurred during the drug loading process. The solid-state characteristics and physical stability of the formulations, prepared at different drug concentrations, were determined using X-ray powder diffraction. In vitro release of the drug was evaluated in biorelevant media simulating intestinal fluid. The obtained results revealed improved drug release profiles of the formulations when compared to the milled (amorphous) CyA alone. The dissolution of CyA from LSS was faster in comparison to the co-milled formulations. Higher drug release was achieved from NEU than FCC formulations presumably due to the higher pore volume and larger surface area of NEU.

Amorphization of different furosemide polymorphic forms during ball milling: Tracking solid-to-solid phase transformations.

Ball milling is used, not only to reduce the particle size of pharmaceutical powders, but also to induce changes in the physical properties of drugs. In this work we prepared three crystal forms of furosemide (forms Ⅰ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ) and studied their solid phase transformations during ball milling. Powder X-ray diffraction and modulated differential scanning calorimetry were used to characterize the samples after each milling time on their path to amorphization. Our results show that forms Ⅰ and III directly converted into an amorphous phase, while form Ⅱ first undergoes a polymorphic transition to form Ⅰ, and then gradually loses its crystallinity, finally reaching full amorphousness. During ball milling of forms Ⅰ and Ⅱ, the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the amorphous fraction of the milled material remains almost unchanged at 75 °C and 74 °C, respectively (whilst the amorphous content increases). In contrast, the Tg values of the amorphous fraction of milled form III increase with increasing milling times, from 63 °C to 71 °C, indicating an unexpected phenomenon of amorphous-to-amorphous transformation. The amorphous fraction of milled forms I and II samples presented a longer structural relaxation (i.e., lower molecular mobility) than the amorphous fraction of milled form III samples. Moreover, the structural relaxation time remained the same for the increasing amorphous fraction during milling of forms I and II. In contrast, the structural relaxation times were always shorter for the amorphous fraction of form III, but increased with increasing amorphous content during milling, confirming amorphous-to-amorphous transformation.

Functionalized calcium carbonate (FCC) as a novel carrier to solidify supersaturated self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (super-SNEDDS).

Functionalized calcium carbonate (FCC), a novel pharmaceutical excipient, has shown promising properties in the field of oral drug delivery. The current study aimed at evaluating the feasibility of FCC as a carrier for the solidification of self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) containing the poorly water-soluble model drug carvedilol (CRV). Conventional, subsaturated SNEDDS (80 %-SNEDDSliquid) and supersaturated SNEDDS (200 %-SNEDDSliquid) were loaded onto FCC via physical adsorption at three ratios; 2.5:1, 3.0:1 and 3.5:1 (w/w) of FCC:SNEDDSliquid, respectively, generating free-flowing powders (SNEDDSFCC) with drug loading ranging from 0.8 % to 2.6 % (w/w) CRV. The emulsification of SNEDDSFCC in a USP II dissolution setup (in purified water) was characterized using dynamic light scattering, resulting in similar droplet sizes and PDIs as observed for their liquid counterparts. The morphology and physical state of the obtained SNEDDSFCC were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The physical stability and drug release upon dispersion were assessed as a function of storage time. The 200 %-SNEDDSliquid were physically stable for 6 days, however, solidification using FCC stabilized the supersaturated concentrations of CRV for a test period of up to 10 weeks (solidification ratios 3.0:1 and 3.5:1 (FCC:SNEDDSliquid)). SNEDDSFCC achieved an improved rate and extent of drug release upon dispersion compared to the crystalline CRV in tap water (pH 7.5), however, to a lesser extent than their liquid counterparts. After 8 weeks of storage (25 °C at dry conditions), FCC was still able to rapidly release the SNEDDSliquid and demonstrated the same rate and extent of drug release as freshly prepared samples. The solidification of 200 %-SNEDDSliquid in presence of FCC greatly improved the drug loading and showed an enhanced drug release profile compared to the conventional systems. In conclusion, FCC showed potential as a carrier for solidification of SNEDDS and for the development of novel supersaturated solid SNEDDS for the oral delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs.

Electrospun fibers for the treatment of skin diseases.

Skin diseases are among the most common diseases in the global population and with the growth of the aging population, they represent an increasing burden to healthcare systems worldwide. Even though they are rarely life-threatening, the suffering for those affected is high due to the visibility and physical discomfort related to these diseases. Typical symptoms of skin diseases include an inflamed, swollen or itchy skin, and therefore, there is a high demand for effective therapy options. In recent years, electrospinning has attracted considerable interest in the field of drug delivery. The technique allows producing multifunctional drug-loaded fibrous patches from various natural and synthetic polymers with fiber diameters in the nano- and micrometer range, suitable for the treatment of a wide variety of skin diseases. The great potential of electrospun fiber patches not only lies in their tunable drug release properties and the possibility to entrap a variety of therapeutic compounds, but they also provide physical and mechanical protection to the impaired skin area, exhibit a high surface area, allow gas exchange, absorb exudate due to their porous structure and are cytocompatible and biodegradable. In the case of wound healing, cell adhesion is promoted due to the resemblance of the electrospun fibers to the structure of the native extracellular matrix. This review gives an overview of the potential applications of electrospun fibers in skin therapy. In addition to the treatment of bacterial, diabetic and burn wounds, focus is placed on inflammatory diseases such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, and therapeutic options for the treatment of skin cancer, acne vulgaris and herpes labialis are discussed. While we aim to emphasize the great potential of electrospun fiber patches for the treatment of skin diseases with this review paper, we also highlight challenges and limitations of current research in the field.

Unveiling polyamorphism and polyamorphic interconversions in pharmaceuticals: the peculiar case of hydrochlorothiazide.

Polyamorphism has been a controversial and highly debated solid-state phenomenon in both material and pharmaceutical communities. Although some evidence of this fascinating phenomenon has been reported for several inorganic systems, and more recently also for a few organic compounds, the occurrence of polyamorphism is poorly understood and the molecular-level organization of polyamorphic forms is still unknown. Here we have investigated the occurrence of polyamorphism and polyamorphic interconversions in hydrochlorothiazide (HCT), using both experimental and computational methods. Three distinct HCT polyamorphs, presenting distinct physical and thermal stabilities as well as distinct relaxation properties, were systematically prepared using spray-drying (SD), quench-cooling (QC) and ball milling (BM) methods. HCT polyamorph II (obtained by QC) was found to be more physically stable than polyamorphs I and III (obtained by SD and BM, respectively). Furthermore, polyamorphs I and III could be converted into polyamorph II after QC, while polyamorph II did not convert to any other polyamorph after SD or BM. Molecular dynamics simulations show that HCT dihedral angle distributions are significantly different for polyamorphs I and II, which is postulated as a possible explanation for their different physicochemical properties.

Solid-state analysis for pharmaceuticals: Pathways to feasible and meaningful analysis.

The solid state of matter is the preferred starting point for designing a pharmaceutical product. This is driven by both patient preferences and the relative ease of supplying a solid pharmaceutical product with desired quality and performance. Solid form diversity is increasingly prevalent as a crucial element in designing these products, which underpins the importance of solid-state analytical methods. This paper provides a critical analysis of challenges related to solid-state analytics, as well as considerations and suggestions for feasible and meaningful pharmaceutical analysis.

The biomolecular gastrointestinal corona in oral drug delivery.

The formation of a biomolecular corona on exogenous particles in plasma is well studied and is known to dictate the biodistribution and cellular interactions of nanomedicine formulations. In contrast, while the oral route is the most favorable administration method for pharmaceuticals, little is known about the formation and composition of the corona formed by biomolecules on particles within the gastrointestinal tract. This work reviews the current literature understanding of (1) the formation of drug particles after oral administration, (2) the formation of a biomolecular corona within the gastrointestinal tract ("the gastrointestinal corona"), and (3) the possible implications of the formation of a gastrointestinal corona on the interactions of drug particles with their biological environment. In doing so, this work aims to establish the significance of the formation of a gastrointestinal corona in oral drug delivery to ultimately arrive at new avenues to control the behavior of orally administered pharmaceuticals.

Recent Advances in Co-Former Screening and Formation Prediction of Multicomponent Solid Forms of Low Molecular Weight Drugs.

Multicomponent solid forms of low molecular weight drugs, such as co-crystals, salts, and co-amorphous systems, are a result of the combination of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) with a pharmaceutically acceptable co-former. These solid forms can enhance the physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties of APIs, making them increasingly interesting and important in recent decades. Nevertheless, predicting the formation of API multicomponent solid forms in the early stages of formulation development can be challenging, as it often requires significant time and resources. To address this, empirical and computational methods have been developed to help screen for potential co-formers more efficiently and accurately, thus reducing the number of laboratory experiments needed. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current screening and prediction methods for the formation of API multicomponent solid forms, covering both crystalline states (co-crystals and salts) and amorphous forms (co-amorphous). Furthermore, it discusses recent advances and emerging trends in prediction methods, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence.

The Influence of Gastrointestinal Biomolecules on Solid-State Transformations in Pharmaceutical Particulates.

Adsorption of gut relevant biomolecules onto particles after oral administration of solid oral dosage forms is expected to form a "gastrointestinal corona", which could influence solution-mediated solid-state transformations on exposure of drug particles to gastrointestinal fluids. Low-frequency Raman (LFR) spectroscopy was used in this study to investigate in situ solid-state phase transformations under biorelevant temperature and pH conditions along with the presence of biomolecules. Melt-quenched amorphous indomethacin was used as a model solid particulate, and its solid-state behavior was evaluated at 37 °C and pH 1.2-6.8 with or without the presence of typical bile salt/phospholipid mixtures emulating fed-state conditions. Overall, a change in the solid-state transformation pathway from amorphous to crystalline drug was observed, where an intermediate ε-form that initially formed at pH 6.8 was suppressed by the addition of endogenous gastrointestinal biomolecules. These solid-state changes were corroborated using time-resolved synchrotron small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS). Additionally, the bile salt and phospholipid mixture partly prevented the otherwise strong aggregation between drug particles at more acidic conditions (pH ≤ 4.5) and helped to shift the balance against the intrinsic hydrophobicity of indomethacin as well as the plasticization effect brought about by the physiological temperature (i.e., the stickiness arising from the supercooled liquid state at 37 °C). The overall results highlight the importance of evaluating the impact that endogenous biomolecules may have on the solid-state characteristics of drug molecules in dissolution media, where analytical tools such as LFR spectroscopy can serve as an attractive avenue for accessing time-resolved solid-state information on time-scales that are difficult to achieve with other techniques such as X-ray diffraction.

Influence of Polyvinylpyrrolidone Molecular Weight and Concentration on the Precipitation Inhibition of Supersaturated Solutions of Poorly Soluble Drugs.

Supersaturating drug delivery systems such as solid dispersions of a drug in a polymer are frequently used in pharmaceutical development to enable oral delivery of poorly soluble drugs. In this study, the influence of the concentration and molecular weight of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) on the precipitation inhibition of the poorly soluble drugs albendazole, ketoconazole and tadalafil is investigated to expand the understanding of the mechanism of PVP as a polymeric precipitation inhibitor. A three-level full-factorial design was used to delineate the influence of polymer concentration and viscosity of the dissolution medium on precipitation inhibition. Solutions of PVP K15, K30, K60 or K120 at concentrations of 0.1, 0.5 and 1% (w/v), as well as isoviscous solutions of PVP of increasing molecular weight, were prepared. Supersaturation of the three model drugs was induced by the use of a solvent-shift method. Precipitation of the three model drugs from supersaturated solutions in the absence and presence of polymer was investigated by the use of a solvent-shift method. Time-concentration profiles of the respective drugs in the absence and presence of polymer pre-dissolved in the dissolution medium were obtained by the use of a µDISS Profiler™ to determine the onset of nucleation and the precipitation rate. Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate the hypothesis that precipitation inhibition is influenced by the PVP concentration (i.e., the number of repeat units of the polymer) and the medium viscosity of the polymer for the three model drugs. This study showed that an increased concentration of PVP (i.e., an increased concentration of the PVP repeat units, independent of the molecular weight of the polymer) in solution increased the onset of nucleation and decreased the precipitation rate of the respective drugs during supersaturation, which can be explained by an increase in molecular interactions between the drug and polymer with increasing concentrations of polymer. In contrast, the medium viscosity had no significant influence on the onset of the nucleation and precipitation rate of the drugs, which can be explained by solution viscosity having a negligible effect on the rate of drug diffusion from bulk solution to the crystal nuclei. In conclusion, the precipitation inhibition of the respective drugs is influenced by the concentration of PVP, i.e., by molecular interactions between the drug and polymer. In contrast, the molecular mobility of the drug in solution, i.e., the medium viscosity, has no influence on the precipitation inhibition of the drugs.

Exploring the Solid-State Landscape of Carbamazepine during Dehydration: A Low Frequency Raman Spectroscopy Perspective.

The solid-state landscape of carbamazepine during its dehydration was explored using Raman spectroscopy in the low- (-300 to -15, 15 to 300) and mid- (300 to 1800 cm-1) frequency spectral regions. Carbamazepine dihydrate and forms I, III, and IV were also characterized using density functional theory with periodic boundary conditions and showed good agreement with experimental Raman spectra with mean average deviations less than 10 cm-1. The dehydration of carbamazepine dihydrate was examined under different temperatures (40, 45, 50, 55, and 60 °C). Principal component analysis and multivariate curve resolution were used to explore the transformation pathways of different solid-state forms during the dehydration of carbamazepine dihydrate. The low-frequency Raman domain was able to detect the rapid growth and subsequent decline of carbamazepine form IV, which was not as effectively observed by mid-frequency Raman spectroscopy. These results showcased the potential benefits of low-frequency Raman spectroscopy for pharmaceutical process monitoring and control.

In vitro-in vivo relationship for amorphous solid dispersions using a double membrane dissolution-permeation setup.

The use of amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) is one commonly applied formulation strategy to improve the oral bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs by overcoming dissolution rate and/or solubility limitations. While bioavailability enhancement of ASDs is well documented, it has often been a challenge to establish a predictive model describing in vitro-in vivo relationship (IVIVR). In this study, it is hypothesized that drug absorption might be overestimated by in vitro dissolution-permeation (D/P)-setups, when drug in suspension has the possibility of directly interacting with the permeation barrier. This is supported by the overprediction of drug absorption from neat crystalline efavirenz compared to four ASDs in a D/P-setup based on the parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA). However, linear IVIVR (R2 = 0.97) is established in a modified D/P-setup in which the addition of a hydrophilic PVDF-filter acts as a physical boundary between the donor compartment and the PAMPA-membrane. Based on microscopic visualization, the improved predictability of the modified D/P-setup is due to the avoidance of direct dissolution of drug particles in the lipid components of the PAMPA-membrane. In general, this principle might aid in providing a more reliable evaluation of formulations of poorly water-soluble drugs before initiating animal models.

Co-amorphous systems consisting of indomethacin and the chiral co-former tryptophan: Solid-state properties and molecular mobilities.

In this study the influence of an enantiomeric co-former and the preparation method on the solid-state properties and physical stability of co-amorphous systems were investigated. Co-amorphous systems consisting of indomethacin (IND) and chiral tryptophan (TRP) as co-former in its two enantiomeric forms, as racemate, and as conglomerate (equimolar mixture of D- and L-TRP) were prepared. Co-amorphization was achieved by ball milling (BM) and spray drying (SD). The effects of chirality and preparation method on the solid-state properties and physical stabilities of the systems were investigated by XRPD, FTIR and mDSC. Differences in the BM process were caused by the enantiomeric properties of the co-former: The IND/TRP conglomerate (IND/TRPc) turned co-amorphous after 60 min. In contrast, co-amorphization of IND/L-TRP and IND/D-TRP required 80 min of ball milling, respectively, and the co-amorphous IND/TRP racemate (IND/TRPr) was obtained only after 90 min of ball milling. Although the intermolecular interactions of the co-amorphous systems prepared by BM and SD were similar (determined by FTIR), the Tg values differed (∼87 °C for the ball milled and âˆ¼62 °C for the spray dried systems). The physical stabilities of the ball milled co-amorphous systems varied between 3 and 11 months if stored at elevated temperature and dry conditions, with the highest stability for the IND/TRPc system and the lowest stability for the IND/TRPr system, and these differences correlated with the calculated relaxation times. In contrast, all spray dried systems were stable only for 1 month and their relaxation times were similar. It could be shown that the chirality of a co-former and the preparation method influence the solid-state properties, thermal properties and physical stability of IND/TRP systems.

Thermal investigation on hydrated co-amorphous systems of nicotinamide and prilocaine.

It is generally recognized that water, acting as a plasticizer, increases molecular mobility, leading to a decrease of the glass transition temperature (Tg) in amorphous systems. However, an anti-plasticizing effect of water was recently observed on prilocaine (PRL). This effect might be used in co-amorphous systems to moderate the plasticizing effect of water. Nicotinamide (NIC) can form co-amorphous systems with PRL. In order to investigate the effect of water on these co-amorphous systems, the Tgs and molecular mobility of hydrated co-amorphous NIC-PRL systems were compared with those of the respective anhydrous systems. Molecular mobility was estimated by considering the enthalpic recovery at the Tg using the Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts (KWW) equation. At molar ratios of NIC above 0.2, a plasticizing effect of water on co-amorphous NIC-PRL systems was observed with increasing the NIC concentration. In contrast, at molar ratios of NIC of 0.2 and below, water had an anti-plasticizing effect on the co-amorphous NIC-PRL systems, with increased Tgs and reduced mobility upon hydration.

Assessing acute colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium in rats and its impact on gastrointestinal fluids.

Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) is commonly used to induce colitis in rats. While the DSS-induced colitis rat model can be used to test new oral drug formulations for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, the effect of the DSS treatment on the gastrointestinal tract has not been thoroughly characterized. Additionally, the use of different markers to assess and confirm successful induction of colitis is somewhat inconsistent. This study aimed to investigate the DSS model to improve the preclinical evaluation of new oral drug formulations. The induction of colitis was evaluated based on the disease activity index (DAI) score, colon length, histological tissue evaluation, spleen weight, plasma C-reactive protein, and plasma lipocalin-2. Furthermore, the study investigated how the DSS-induced colitis affected the luminal pH, lipase activity, and concentrations of bile salts, polar lipids, and neutral lipids. For all evaluated parameters, healthy rats were used as a reference. The DAI score, colon length, and histological evaluation of the colon were effective disease indicators in DSS-induced colitis rats, while spleen weight, plasma C-reactive protein, and plasma lipocalin-2 were not. The luminal pH of the colon and bile salt- and neutral lipid concentrations in regions of the small intestine were lower in DSS-induced rats compared to healthy rats. Overall, the colitis model was deemed relevant for investigating ulcerative colitis-specific formulations.