Simultaneous Determination of Posaconazole and Hemp Seed Oil in Nanomicelles through RP-HPLC via a Quality-by-Design Approach.

The present study involves the development of a reverse-phase HPLC method employing the quality-by-design methodology for the estimation of posaconazole and hemp seed oil simultaneously in nanomicelles formulation. The successful separation of posaconazole and hemp seed oil was achieved together, and this is the first study to develop and quantify posaconazole and hemp seed oil nanomicelles with linoleic acid as the internal standard and developed a dual drug analytical method employing a quality-by-design approach. The study was performed on a Shimadzu Prominence-I LC-2030C 3D Plus HPLC system with a PDA detector and the Shim-pack Solar C8 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm × 5 µm) for analysis with a mobile phase ratio of methanol:water (80:20% v/v) maintaining the flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The final wavelength was selected as 240 nm and the elution of hemp seed oil and posaconazole was obtained at 2.7 and 4.6 min, respectively, with a maximum run time of 8.0 min. Box Behnken design was employed to optimize the method, keeping the retention time, peak area, and theoretical plates as dependent variables, while the mobile phase composition, flow rate, and wavelengths were chosen as independent variables. Parameters such as specificity, accuracy, robustness, linearity, sensitivity, precision, ruggedness, and forced degradation study were performed to validate the method. The calibration curves of posaconazole and hemp seed oil were determined to be linear throughout the range for concentration. The suggested approach can be effectively utilized for estimating the content of drugs from their nanoformulation and proved suitable for both in vivo and in vitro research.

Exploring Applications of Flexible Vesicular Systems as Transdermal Drug Delivery.

Deformable lipidic-nano carriers are a category of advanced liposomal formulations. Deformable lipidic-nano carriers have a specific character to transform by rearranging the lipidic backbone to squeeze themself through a pore opening ten times smaller than their diameter when exposed to a variable condition like hydration gradient as these have potentially been used as a non-invasive delivery system to transdermally migrate various therapeutic agents for over three decades. Despite their vast application in transdermal drug delivery system, non-uniformity to express their chemical nature still exist and authors use various terms synonymously and interchangeably with each other. The present study delineates the terminologies used to express different derived deformable vesicular carriers to harmonize the terminological use. It also includes the effectiveness of deformable nanocarriers like Transferosomes, Ethosomes, Menthosomes, Invasomes, and Glycerosomes in skin conditions like basal cell carcinoma, fungal and viral infections, and hyperpigmentation disorders, along with others. Various review and research articles were selected from the 'Pubmed' database. The keywords like Transferosomes, Flexi-vesicular system, ultra-deformable vesicles, and nano-vesicular systems were used to extract the data. The data was reviewed and compiled to categorically classify different flexible vesicular systems. The composition of the different vesicular systems is identified and a report of various pathological conditions where the use of flexible lipid nanocarrier systems was implemented is compiled. The review also offers suggestive approaches where the applicability of these systems can be explored further.

Design and evaluation of sustained release mucoadhesive film of sumatriptan succinate containing grafted co-polymer as the platform.

Purpose: The primary goal of this research is to improve the bioavailability and efficacy of Sumatriptan succinate by incorporating it in the mucoadhesive film for the treatment of migraine. Mucoadhesive film offers an excellent substitute to deliver the drug in the systemic circulation and eliminate the chance of first-pass metabolism. Method: Using central composite design (CCD), various formulations were created by incorporating polymer, plasticizer, and water, and an optimized preparation was created using statistical screening. The optimization has been performed by applying a 34 factorial method based on dependent variables such as Drug content (%), Swelling index (%), Folding endurance (Number of times), and Mucoadhesive strength (g). Results: The actual experimental values obtained were compared with those predicted by the mathematical models. Formulation S9 was selected as an optimized formulation because it showed the lowest standard deviation between predicted and actual values compared to other formulations. In the case of the S9 formulation, approximately 77.12% of the drug was released within 24 h, but initially, it showed burst release. In addition, the in-vitro release of pure drug suspension showed 99.32% drug release within 2 h. That signified that the developed formulation provides sustained release due to presence of grafted co-polymer. Conclusion: Formulation holding drug-loaded grafted film showed decent sustained and controlled drug release characteristics compared to a pure drug suspension. S9 formulation showed better results than other formulations in drug content, swelling index, folding endurance, and mucoadhesive strength, which is further used to treat migraine.

Improved neuroprotective activity of Fisetin through SNEDDS in ameliorating the behavioral alterations produced in rotenone-induced Parkinson's model.

Fisetin is a polyphenolic flavonoid reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activities. However, it loses its importance as an effective phytochemical due to its poor water solubility and lower bioavailability. In the present study, the self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) of fisetin was developed in order to improve its pharmacological activity. The developed SNEDDS of fisetin was evaluated for improving the rotenone-induced behavioral changes in the rats, and its efficacy was compared with naïve fisetin. It was noticed that fisetin loaded in the SNEDDS formulation significantly (p < 0.001) ameliorated the rotenone-induced alteration in the body weight, grip strength, beam walk, postural instability, etc., in rats when compared to the effect of naïve fisetin. Naïve fisetin significantly (p < 0.05) ameliorated the effect of rotenone on the level of dopamine only at a higher dose. Whereas, SNEDDS of fisetin produced a significant (p < 0.05) effect at both dose levels when compared with the diseased group as well as also produced a significant (p < 0.05) effect when compared with the naïve fisetin group. The results of histopathological examination revealed about the neuroprotective effect of SNEDDS loaded with fisetin as observed through the protection of neuronal damage. From this study, it was concluded that SNEDDS improved the anti-Parkinsonian activity of fisetin by improving the behavioral alteration produced by rotenone due to enhancement in its solubility and bioavailability.

Nanoformulations of quercetin: a potential phytochemical for the treatment of uv radiation induced skin damages

Abstract The continuous prolonged exposures of sun light especially the ultra violet (UV) radiation present in it, cause not only the risk of skin cancer but also it may cause premature skin aging, photodermatoses and actinic keratoses. Flavonoids (including Flavane, Flavanone, Flavone, Flavonol, Isoflavone, Neoflavone etc.) having potent antioxidant activity, used as topical applications for protection against UV induced skin damages as well as for skin care. Most commonly used flavonoid is quercetin (Flavonol), which is present in fruits, vegetables, and herbs. We aim to review the research focused on development of different novel formulations to treat UV radiations induced skin diseases. In this review, several formulations of flavonoid quercetin were discussed and their outcomes were compiled and compared in context to solubility, stability and efficiency of application. On the basis this comparative analysis we have concluded that three formulations, namely glycerosomes, nanostructured lipid carriers and deformable liposomes hold good applications for future aspects for topical delivery of quercetin. These formulations showed enhanced stability, increased quercetin accumulation in different skin layers, facilitated drug permeation in skin and long-lasting drug release.

Enhanced oral bioavailability and neuroprotective effect of fisetin through its SNEDDS against rotenone-induced Parkinson's disease rat model.

Fisetin (FS) was reported to have various pharmacological activities. But due to its lower aqueous solubility and oral bioavailability, it is not in much use. As solubility and bioavailability plays and important role in the pharmacological activity, in this research work we tried to improve the oral bioavailability of fisetin. In this research work, we developed self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) of fisetin. Developed SNEDDS were subjected for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics studies against rotenone-induced Parkinson's disease (PD) model in rats. Higher Cmax and area under the curve during pharmacokinetic study indicated that SNEDDS improved the oral bioavailability of FS and also increased the mean residence time of drug in plasma. Results of behavior parameters (locomotor, muscle co-ordination and catalepsy), biochemical estimation (TBARS, nitrite, GSH, SOD and CAT) and ELISA (soluble alfa synuclein, BDNF, TNF-α and IL-6) confirmed the significantly improved (p < 0.05) neuroprotection in rats treated with FS loaded SNEDDS as compared to rats treated with naïve FS. This study suggests that SNEDDS improved the oral bioavailability of FS which further helped in improving its neuroprotective activity in rat model of PD. It further suggests the potential use of FS-SNEDDS in effective management of PD condition.

Nano Phytomedicine Based Delivery System for CNS Disease.

Herbal medicines are being used since ancient times and are an important part of the alternative and traditional medicinal system. In recent decades, scientists are embracing herbal medicines based on the fact that a number of drugs that are currently in use are derived directly or indirectly from plant sources. Moreover, herbal drugs have lesser side effects, albeit are potentially strong therapeutic agents. The herbal medicine market is estimated to be around US $62 billion globally. Herbal medicine has gained widespread acceptance due to its low toxicity, low cost, ease of accessibility and efficacy in treating difficult diseases. Safety and efficacy are another important factors in the commercialization process of herbal medicines. Nanotechnology has been shown to be potentially effective in improving the bioactivity and bioavailability of herbal medicines. Development of nano-phytomedicines (or by reducing the size of phytomedicine), attaching polymers with phytomedicines and modifying the surface properties of herbal drugs, have increased the solubility, permeability and eventually the bioavailability of herbal formulations. Novel formulations such as niosomes, liposomes, nanospheres, phytosomes etc., can be exploited in this area. This article reviews herbal medicines, which have prominent activity in the Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders and reported nano-phytomedicines based delivery systems.

An Insight of Alpha-amylase Inhibitors as a Valuable Tool in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Among the millions of people around the world, the most prevalent metabolic disorder is diabetes mellitus. Due to the drawbacks which are associated with commercially available antidiabetic agents, new therapeutic approaches are needed to be considered. Alpha-amylase is a membrane- bound enzyme which is responsible for the breakdown of polysaccharides such as starch to monosaccharides which can be absorbed. METHODS: We searched the scientific database using alpha-amylase, diabetes, antidiabetic agents as the keywords. Here in, only peer-reviewed research articles were collected which were useful to our current work. RESULTS: To overcome the research gap, the alpha-amylase enzyme is regarded as a good target for antidiabetic agents to design the drug and provide an alternate approach for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Basically, alpha-amylase inhibitors are classified into two groups: proteinaceous inhibitors, and non-proteinaceous inhibitors. Recently, non-proteinaceous inhibitors are being explored which includes chalcones, flavones, benzothiazoles, etc. as the potential antidiabetic agents. CONCLUSION: Herein, we discuss various potential antidiabetic agents which are strategically targeted alpha-amylase enzyme. These are having lesser side effects as compared to other antidiabetic agents, and are proposed to prevent the digestion and absorption of glucose leading to a decrease in the blood glucose level.

An Improved LC-ESI-MS/MS Method to Quantify Pregabalin in Human Plasma and Dry Plasma Spot for Therapeutic Monitoring and Pharmacokinetic Applications.

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of antiepileptic drugs provides a valid clinical tool in optimization of overall therapy. However, TDM is challenging because of the high biological sample (plasma/blood) storage/shipment costs and the limited availability of laboratories providing TDM services. Sampling in the form of dry plasma spot (DPS) or dry blood spot is a suitable alternative to overcome these issues. METHODS: An improved, simple, rapid, and stability-indicating method for quantification of pregabalin (PGB) in human plasma and DPS has been developed and validated. Analyses were performed on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometer under positive ionization mode of electrospray interface. PGB-d4 was used as internal standard, and the chromatographic separations were performed on Poroshell 120 EC-C18 column using an isocratic mobile phase flow rate of 1 mL/min. Stability of PGB in DPS was evaluated under simulated real-time conditions. Extraction procedures from plasma and DPS samples were compared using statistical tests. The method was validated considering the Food and Drug Administration method validation guideline. RESULTS: The method was linear over the concentration range of 20-16,000 ng/mL and 100-10,000 ng/mL in plasma and DPS, respectively. DPS samples were found stable for only 1 week on storage at room temperature and for at least 4 weeks at freezing temperature (-20 ± 5°C). Method was applied for quantification of PGB in over 600 samples of a clinical study. Statistical analyses revealed that 2 extraction procedures in plasma and DPS samples showed statistically insignificant difference and can be used interchangeably without any bias. CONCLUSIONS: Proposed method involves simple and rapid steps of sample processing that do not require a precolumn or postcolumn derivatization procedure. The method is suitable for routine pharmacokinetic analysis and therapeutic monitoring of PGB.

Preparation and evaluation of novel in situ gels containing acyclovir for the treatment of oral herpes simplex virus infections.

The objective of this work was to develop an oral mucosal drug delivery system to facilitate the local and systemic delivery of acyclovir for the treatment of oral herpes infection caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). An in situ gelling system was used to increase the residence time and thus the bioavailability of acyclovir in oral mucosa. Temperature and pH trigged in situ gel formulations were prepared by cold method using polymers like poloxamer 407, carbopol 934, and HPMC. Glycerin and a mixture of tween 80 and ethanol (1 : 2 ratio) were used as the drug dissolving solvent. The pH of carbopol containing formulation was adjusted to pH 5.8 while the pH of poloxamer solution was adjusted to pH 7. These formulations were evaluated for sol-gel transition temperature, gelling capacity, pH, viscosity, spreadability, gel strength, drug content, ex-vitro permeation, and mucoadhesion. The gelation temperatures of all the formulations were within the range of 28-38°C. All the formulations exhibited fairly uniform drug content (98.15-99.75%). Drug release study of all the formulations showed sustained release properties. The release of drug through these in situ gel formulations followed the Higuchi model and Korsmeyer peppas model mechanism.

Sublingual Delivery of Frovatriptan: An Indication of Potential Alternative Route.

Frovatriptan, a 5-HT1B and 5-HT1D receptor agonist, is used for the treatment of acute migraine attack. This molecule is classified into second line therapy because of its slow onset of action (peak response obtained after 4 hours of administration) and low bioavailability (25%). Moreover, its therapy is the most costly among all triptans. Attempt has been made in present work to suggest a way out to fasten its onset of action and to enhance its bioavailability. Prepared tablets were evaluated by physicochemical tests, in vitro permeation studies, ex vivo permeation studies, and histopathological studies. Suitable mathematical calculations were performed to calculate the minimum amount of bioavailability that could be enhanced. Tablets containing chitosan (5% w/w) were found to give optimum results. Prepared tablets can double the bioavailability of frovatriptan and can initiate its response within 10 minutes of its administration. Suggestive alternative has the potential to increase the efficacy of frovatriptan for treating acute migraine attack.

Synthesis of 1,2,4-triazine derivatives as potential anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory agents.

A series of 1,2,4-triazine derivatives Va (1-24) and Vb (1-24) were synthesized and evaluated for their anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory activities. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed on the basis of their spectral data. Many of the triazine compounds were found to possess good activity. Especially, compounds bearing the sulfur atom showed better activity than those bearing the oxygen atom.