Peanut butter-based formulations of amoxicillin for pediatric applications.

Helen Tran,Sarah E Petnic,Julianne A Bozzini,Sangwei Lu,Danny Lee

doi:10.1093/inthealth/ihz031

Helen Tran, Sarah E Petnic + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihz031

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Journal: International Health	Publication Date: Jul 31, 2019
Citations: 1	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of California, Berkeley

Abstract

BackgroundChild mortality is a major global health challenge, especially in regions of limited resources. Accessibility to lifesaving medicine and adequate nutrition is essential to reduce child mortality and improve the health and well-being of the world’s most vulnerable children.MethodsWe have developed NutMox, a novel pediatric formulation of the β-lactam antibiotic amoxicillin in a matrix of peanut-based ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) consisting of peanut butter, sugar, vegetable oil, dry milk and vitamins. NutMox is ready to use and thermostable, requires no chewing or pill swallowing and provides both an antibiotic and nutrition.ResultsAmoxicillin in NutMox formulations was stable for at least 12 months at storage temperatures of 4°C, 25°C and 37°C. Amoxicillin formulated in NutMox displayed similar pharmacokinetics in mice to that in suspension.ConclusionsOur results demonstrated the feasibility of a peanut butter–based matrix for pediatric formulations of amoxicillin, suggesting that such a matrix can serve as a base for delivering medications in addition to its current use as an RUTF.

Highlights

Despite rapid advances in medicine, child mortality remains a major public health challenge
We found that the peanut butter–based amoxicillin formulations, which we named NutMox, were stable at various storage temperatures and demonstrated pharmacokinetics similar to the amoxicillin suspension in a small animal model
The goal of the project was to develop a novel formulation of amoxicillin that supplied both amoxicillin and nutrition

Summary

Introduction

Despite rapid advances in medicine, child mortality remains a major public health challenge. The major infectious causes of mortality are diarrhea and pneumonia, which are estimated to kill >2 million young children each year.[2]. The burden of these diseases is further worsened by malnutrition, as it renders children more vulnerable to diarrhea and pneumonia as well as other infectious diseases. Reducing child mortality requires a multidisciplinary approach that simultaneously addresses infection and nutrition Treating both infection and malnutrition will reduce child mortality, but will improve the lifelong health and well-being of these children. Accessibility to lifesaving medicine and adequate nutrition is essential to reduce child mortality and improve the health and well-being of the world’s most vulnerable children. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated the feasibility of a peanut butter–based matrix for pediatric formulations of amoxicillin, suggesting that such a matrix can serve as a base for delivering medications in addition to its current use as an RUTF

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