Conventional Dosage Forms Research Articles

DEVELOPMENT, OPTIMIZATION AND ASSESSMENT OF NAPROXEN MICROSPONGES BY BOX-BEHNKEN DESIGN AS A TARGETTED AND CONTROLLED RELEASE DRUG DELIVERY

Objective: Due to weak physical, chemical stability and poor bioavailability of Naproxen conventional dosage form; the purpose of this work is to improve formulation stability, additionally to accomplish highest possible concentration of the drug in the blood by preparing Naproxen loaded microsponges. Methods: Naproxen Microsponge (NM) was created utilising the quasi emulsion technique. In this process Ethyl Cellulose (EC) acts as a polymer, Poly Vinyl Alcohol (PVA) acts as the emulsifier, and Dichloromethane acts as the solvent. To investigate how changes in different formulation and processing parameters affect important product qualities, a Box Behnken Design (BBD) was used. Particle Size, Percentage Yield, and Entrapment Efficiency (%EE) were selected as response factors, whereas independent variables including EC quantity (X1), PVA concentration (X2), and Stirring Speed (X3) were selected as independent variables. Results: The microsponges underwent thorough analysis using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and Particle Size analysis. The evaluation included studying the morphology, drug loading, and in vitro drug release. The compatibility studies showed no chemical interactions between the drug and the polymers used. It was observed that the ratio of drug to polymer had a significant impact on drug content, EE and particle size. The SEM results revealed that the microsponges were spherical with a porous surface and had a mean particle size of 15.15 µm. The in vitro drug release studies demonstrated that the optimized Naproxen Microsponge Formulation (NMF2) achieved over 80% extended drug release by the end of 8 h, following the Corsmeyer Peppas Model. Conclusion: The Naproxen loaded microspheres possessed a sustained release with improved bioavailability and better stability.

A Spray-Dried Self-Stabilizing Nanocrystal Emulsion of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Preparation, Characterization and ex vivo Intestinal Absorption

AbstractSalvia miltiorrhizae (Danshen, the rhizome of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge.) and Chuanxiong rhizome (Chuanxiong, the rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort.) are two traditional Chinese medicines that have been widely used for the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. However, formulation development is difficult due to the complexity of the active ingredients, particularly the water-insoluble tanshinones and volatile oil of Chuanxiong rhizome, which cannot be absorbed via oral administration in conventional dosage forms. This study aimed to develop a self-stabilized nanocrystal emulsion co-loading the water-soluble, insoluble, and volatile active ingredients of Salvia miltiorrhizae and Chuanxiong rhizome to improve the bioavailability of the drugs. In this work, a high-pressure homogenization method was used to prepare a self-stabilizing nanocrystal emulsion. The emulsion was then spray-dried using hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin. The dispersibility and storage stability of the spray-dried emulsion, the particle size and morphology of the emulsion droplets, and the drug content and phase distribution of the reconstituted emulsion were evaluated. An everted intestinal sac model was established, and high-performance liquid chromatography was used to determine the concentration of six active components (ferulic acid, salvianolic acid B, senkyunolide A, ligustilide, cryptotanshinone, and tanshinone IIA) and to assess the cumulative uptake amount of the drug and the apparent permeability coefficient. A mixture of the crude materials of tanshinones extract, total salvianolic acid, ferulic acid, and volatile oil of Ligusticum Chuanxiong was used as a control. The results showed that the spray-dried emulsion can be easily reconstituted into a uniform submicron emulsion with no significant changes in particle size, morphology, and microstructure of the emulsion droplets compared with the original emulsion before drying. The self-stabilizing nanocrystal emulsion significantly improved the intestinal absorption of water-insoluble components (tanshinone IIA, cryptotanshinone, and ferulic acid), and volatile oil components (senkyunolide A and ligustilide). Overall, the spray-dried self-stabilizing nanocrystal emulsion represents a potential oral formulation for Salvia miltiorrhiza and Chuanxiong rhizoma.

Development and optimization of hydrogel-forming microneedles fabricated with 3d-printed molds for enhanced dermal diclofenac sodium delivery: a comprehensive in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo study.

With the developing manufacturing technologies, the use of 3D printers in microneedle production is becoming widespread. Hydrogel-forming microneedles (HFMs), a variant of microneedles, demonstrate distinctive features such as a high loading capacity and controlled drug release. In this study, the conical microneedle master molds with approximately 500μm needle height and 250μm base diameter were created using a Stereolithography (SLA) 3D printer and were utilized to fabricate composite HFMs containing diclofenac sodium. Using Box-Behnken Design, the effects of different polymers on swelling index and mechanical strength of the developed HFMs were evaluated. The optimum HFMs were selected according to experimental design results with the aim of the highest mechanical strength with varying swelling indexes, which was needed to use 20% Gantrez S97 and 0.1% (F22), 0.42% (F23), and 1% (F24) hyaluronic acid. The skin penetration and drug release properties of the optimum formulations were assessed. Ex vivo studies were conducted on formulations to determine drug penetration and accumulation. F24, which has the highest mechanical strength and optimized swelling index, achieved the highest drug accumulation in the skin tissue (17.70 ± 3.66%). All optimum HFMs were found to be non-cytotoxic by the MTT cell viability test (> 70% cell viability). In in vivo studies, the efficacy of the F24 was assessed for the treatment of xylene-induced ear edema by contrasting it to the conventional dosage form. It was revealed that HFMs might be an improved replacement for conventional dosage forms in terms of dermal diseases such as actinic keratosis.

Development and evaluation of locust bean gum based in situ gel for ocular delivery of ofloxacin for treatment of bacterial keratitis

One of the drawbacks of conventional ocular dosage forms is their short residence time in the eye. To address this, we propose an ocular in situ gel that adheres to the eye surface for a prolonged period. Locust bean gum (LBG), a galactomannan polysaccharide, exhibits the desired characteristics to serve as a drug carrier for ocular application. However, the gum has not yet been investigated for ocular drug delivery. In this work, we have developed an LBG based in situ gel loaded with ofloxacin and evaluated its drug delivery efficacy through in vitro and ex vivo tests. To confer temperature sensitivity, LBG was grafted with N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAAm), and a series of solutions were made with ofloxacin (0.03 % w/v). The solution turned into a gel when the temperature was raised to 37 °C. The safety and efficacy of the developed in situ gels were validated through experiments on rat eyes infected with clinical strains of bacteria. The developed keratitis was completely healed indicating that the grafted LBG can be used as a potential candidate for the development of ocular in situ gel.

Enhancing Acute Migraine Treatment: Exploring Solid Lipid Nanoparticles and Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for the Nose-to-Brain Route.

Migraine has a high prevalence worldwide and is one of the main disabling neurological diseases in individuals under the age of 50. In general, treatment includes the use of oral analgesics or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for mild attacks, and, for moderate or severe attacks, triptans or 5-HT1B/1D receptor agonists. However, the administration of antimigraine drugs in conventional oral pharmaceutical dosage forms is a challenge, since many molecules have difficulty crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to reach the brain, which leads to bioavailability problems. Efforts have been made to find alternative delivery systems and/or routes for antimigraine drugs. In vivo studies have shown that it is possible to administer drugs directly into the brain via the intranasal (IN) or the nose-to-brain route, thus avoiding the need for the molecules to cross the BBB. In this field, the use of lipid nanoparticles, in particular solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC), has shown promising results, since they have several advantages for drugs administered via the IN route, including increased absorption and reduced enzymatic degradation, improving bioavailability. Furthermore, SLN and NLC are capable of co-encapsulating drugs, promoting their simultaneous delivery to the site of therapeutic action, which can be a promising approach for the acute migraine treatment. This review highlights the potential of using SLN and NLC to improve the treatment of acute migraine via the nose-to-brain route. First sections describe the pathophysiology and the currently available pharmacological treatment for acute migraine, followed by an outline of the mechanisms underlying the nose-to-brain route. Afterwards, the main features of SLN and NLC and the most recent in vivo studies investigating the use of these nanoparticles for the treatment of acute migraine are presented.

How sugar types and fabrication methods affect palatability in paediatric-friendly oromucosal pullulan films of chlorpromazine hydrochloride

Ensuring children adhere to their prescribed medication can be challenging, particularly when a large number of medicines on the market consist of unpalatable drugs and difficult to swallow dosage forms. Sugar-based oromucosal films are easy to administer dosage forms across all age groups within the paediatric population, as they eliminate the need for swallowing or water intake and can contribute to enhancing palatability and medicine adherence. In the current study, electrospun and 3D printed oromucosal films of chlorpromazine hydrochloride (CHZ), a bitter drug, were developed based on pullulan, a natural polysaccharide, and an array of sweeteners. Their taste masking efficacy was assessed in vitro using an electronic tongue, showing a significant suppression of the bitter taste of CHZ in the presence of sucralose, sucrose and isomalt in the 3D-printed films. In vivo assessment further confirmed that the sugar-based 3D printed films are highly acceptable to volunteers. For the electrospun films, volunteers reported neutral responses for overall acceptability, likely due to their lack of familiarity with this type of formulation. Overall, with improved acceptability and further optimization for taste masking, sugar-based films could serve as a viable alternative to conventional solid oral dosage forms for administering drugs to children.

Formulation and Evaluation of Floating Tablets Using Natural Polymer.

Gastro-retentive effervescent floating tablets containing quetiapine fumarate (QP) are available using different viscosity grades of HPMC (HPMC K4M, HPMC K15M, and HPMC K100M) and TD made by the direct compression technique.The outcomes of the pre-compression parameters indicate that the powder mix of the formulations of both drugs has shown good micromeritic properties. Every tablet formulation that was made had the same amount of drug in it. The low standard deviation results imply that the drugs are distributed uniformly throughout the matrices.Drug compatibility with excipients is demonstrated by DSC and FTIR testing. It was discovered that the floating lag time was influenced by the concentration of citric acid and sodium bicarbonate. All the formulations (QP1 to QP17) floated for more than 24 hours, while the QP formulations remained buoyant for more than 12 hours. Accordingly, the present study’s results suggest that the QP floating system has a promising future as a substitute for the corresponding conventional dosage form.

Formulation and Optimization of Fast Dissolving Tablets of Zidovudine.

Fast-dissolving tablets (FDTs) have emerged as a prominent alternative to conventional oral dosage forms, particularly for drugs requiring rapid onset of action. This study aims to formulate and optimize fast-dissolving tablets of zidovudine, an antiretroviral medication used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. The primary objective was to enhance patient compliance by ensuring the tablet disintegrates and dissolves quickly in the oral cavity without the need for water. Using various superdisintegrants like sodium starch glycolate and cross-carmellose sodium into, multiple formulations were prepared. The optimized formulation was evaluated based on pre-compression and post-compression parameters, including hardness, friability, disintegration time, dissolution profile, and drug content uniformity. The study found that the incorporation of superdisintegrants significantly improved the dissolution rate of zidovudine, thus offering a promising approach for patients with swallowing difficulties and ensuring better therapeutic efficacy.

Novel Drug Delivery Systems: An effective platform for Enhanced Therapy

Modern developments in drug pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamics behavior make developing the optimal drug delivery method more rational. It is already clear that future success in medication delivery research will mostly come from interdisciplinary collaborations. Pharmaceutical businesses stand to gain enormous commercial potential and advance human disease treatment by employing better drug delivery methods to make therapeutic agents safer and more effective. It is already apparent that multidisciplinary efforts will mostly be responsible for future success in drug delivery research. Any therapeutic agent that can be made safer and more effective while using an enhanced drug delivery method represents a step forward in the treatment of human diseases as well as significant marketing potential for pharmaceutical companies. The best drug delivery systems, based on the etiology and physiological requirements of the body, deliver a predefined dose of medication to the intended site at the appropriate time and place. The speed at which a medication reaches its intended location cannot be controlled by conventional pharmaceutical dosage forms. Novel drug delivery systems (NDDS) are carriers that maintain the drug concentration in the therapeutic range for longer periods of time and may also deliver the content to the targeted site if desired and as needed, because higher doses often cause serious side effects during treatment. Because of this, therapeutic dosages for drug dispersion in non-target tissue and bodily fluids may be far higher than those needed in target cells.

Transdermal drug delivery system recent advancements: A comprehensive review

"The transdermal route offers numerous benefits when compared to traditional drug delivery methods. These advantages encompass high bioavailability, the absence of first-pass hepatic metabolism, maintaining consistent drug plasma levels, and the non-invasive nature of therapy. Additionally, transdermal drug delivery systems [TDDS] provide prolonged therapeutic effects, reduced side effects, enhanced bioavailability, improved patient compliance, and easy termination of drug therapy. TDDS finds applications not only in pharmaceuticals but also in the skincare and cosmetics industries. Studies have shown that the transdermal route causes minimal skin irritation and demonstrates superior performance in various in vivo parameters compared to oral administration. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of TDDS, highlighting its advantages over conventional dosage forms, addressing limitations, discussing the components of transdermal patches, exploring different types of transdermal patches, describing methods of preparation, and outlining the ideal requirements for TDDS. Furthermore, it delves into regulatory considerations, physicochemical methods of evaluation, therapeutic applications, and recent advancements in the field of transdermal drug delivery systems."

The treatment of psoriasis via herbal formulation and nano-polyherbal formulation: A new approach

Psoriasis is a chronic condition that can strike at any age. This sickness is associated with inflammatory problems that impact all humans in the world. Psoriasis is more common in Scandinavians than in Asian and African populations due to a combination of factors such as age, gender, geographic location, ethnicity, genetic and environmental factors. Immune stimulation, genetic contribution, antimicrobial peptides, and other significant triggers such as medicines, immunizations, infections, trauma, stress, obesity, alcohol intake, smoking, air pollution, sun exposure, and particular disorders cause psoriasis. Numerous clinical research investigations are now underway, and therapeutic alternatives are available. However, these therapies only improve symptoms and do not accomplish a complete cure; they also have dangerous and undesirable side effects. Natural products have gained popularity recently due to their great effectiveness, safety, and low toxicity. Natural formulations of various nanocarriers like liposomes, lipospheres, nanogels, emulgel, nanostructured lipid carriers, nanosponge, nanofibers, niosomes, nanomiemgel, nanoemulsions, nanospheres, cubosomes, microneedles, nanomicelles, ethosomes, nanocrystals, and foams, have significantly contributed and encouraged advancement in psoriasis disease treatment. These phytochemical-loaded new nanoformulations address several issues associated with natural products in conventional dosage forms, such as instability, poor solubility, and limited bioavailability. This article reviews some of the intriguing phytochemicals, as well as their possible molecular target locations and mechanisms of action, which may assist in the development of more specific and selective antipsoriatic medicines. Exploring and understanding phytochemicals' functions will allow for more site-specific psoriasis treatment techniques. This review concluded the psoriasis disease with phytoconstituent loaded herbal or polyherbal nanocarriers and their mechanistic approach.

FORMULATION AND IN VITRO CHARACTERIZATION OF METOCLOPRAMIDE LOZENGES BY USING THE QUALITY BY DESIGN (QBD) APPROACH

Objective: Conventional dosage forms may not be suitable for all patients, especially those facing difficulty with swallowing, which results in reduced adherence to medication, impacting treatment outcomes. This study aimed to formulate and characterize metoclopramide lozenges using the quality-by-design approach to provide a patient-friendly alternative. Materials and Method: Formulations were optimized using response surface methodology and a Design Expert, focusing on Metoclopramide, Citric Acid, and Carboxymethyl Cellulose, with hardness and dissolution as primary response variables. The experimental design involved 20 runs, six replications of the central point, and a quadratic model for improved model fitting, with adjustments made through transformation and numerical hill-climbing algorithms. Results and Discussion: Formulations of metoclopramide lozenges were obtained through a systematic quality-by-design approach. Using numerical optimization, the formulation with the highest desirability score of 1.00 was selected, yielding a hardness of 14.55 kg and a dissolution time of 1.25 minutes. The optimal coded values were 1.53223 grams for Metoclopramide (A), 4.84302 grams for Citric acid (B), and 18.5048 grams for Carboxymethyl cellulose (C). The optimized formulation was subjected to in vitro testing to validate its performance, yielding a hardness ranging from 13.98 to 15.00 kg/cm2 and a dissolution time ranging from 1.11 to 2.23 minutes. The effectiveness of the QbD approach was confirmed as outcomes closely aligned with the targeted responses. Conclusions: The Quality by Design approach was found effective in optimizing the formulation of metoclopramide lozenges. Using the Design of Expert and Response Surface Methodology, an optimized formulation was obtained with the desired hardness and dissolution rate. Peer Review History: Received 26 April 2024; Revised 4 May 2024; Accepted 28 June; Available online 15 July 2024 Academic Editor: Dr. DANIYAN Oluwatoyin Michael, Obafemi Awolowo University, ILE-IFE, Nigeria, toyinpharm@gmail.com Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 5.5/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.0/10 Reviewers: Dr. A.A. Mgbahurike, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, amaka_mgbahurike@yahoo.com Dr. Hatem Sameir Abbas, Al-Azhar University, Egypt, hsam8406@yahoo.com

An Overview of Floating Drug Delivery System

The goal of Floating Drug Delivery Systems (FDDS) is to arrange the current emphasis on the basic flotation mechanism to attain stomach retention time. The most current advancements in FDDS are thoroughly discussed, including the formulation and physiological factors influencing stomach retention, methods for designing floating systems, and the characteristics of their classification and formulation. Since dosage forms stay in the stomach longer than conventional dosage forms, the capacity to extend and control the gastric emptying time is a major asset. Gastric emptying of dosage forms is a highly variable process. Drugs with gastroretentive systems have a much longer residence time in the stomach area, improving bioavailability, decreasing drug waste, and increasing solubility for medications that are less soluble in high pH environments. These benefits are achieved over a period of many hours. This review provides a brief overview of floating medication delivery devices

DoE-Aided Optimization of RP-HPLC Method for Simultaneous Estimation of Amoxicillin and Tinidazole Loaded Mucoadhesive GRDDS Formulation for the Treatment of H. pylori

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is one of the primary risk factors of peptic ulcer disease worldwide. Treatment of H. pylori with the conventional dosage form is often challenging due to the ineffective reach of the antibiotics to the inner layers of gastric mucosa, where the organism resides. This study developed an eco-friendly, stability-indicating RP-HPLC method to simultaneously estimate amoxicillin and tinidazole from mucoadhesive formulation targeting H. pylori infection. The mucoadhesive GRDDS formulation of antibiotics was developed with a goal of improving bioavailability at the gastric mucosa. The multivariate Box–Behnken design (BBD) was utilized to optimize chromatographic parameters. Independent variable such as ratio of mobile phase, flow rate, pH and injections volume were optimized using DoE, and analyzed using perturbation plots. A desirability of 0.981 was achieved for the optimized variables. The optimized method utilized methanol and phosphate buffer (25:75) at pH 6.3 as the mobile phase in an isocratic elution mode on a Luna ODS C18 column kept at 25 °C as the stationary phase. The method was linear from 0.25 to 20 µg/mL, for both the drugs with R2 values of 0.9993 and 0.9997 for amoxicillin and tinidazole, respectively. This validated RP-HPLC technique demonstrated selectivity in the presence of possible degradation products and excipients present in the mucoadhesive GRDDS beads. The method was used for the determination of entrapment efficiency and in vitro release profile for tinidazole and amoxicillin in the mucoadhesive GRDDS formulation.Graphical

Nano-nutraceuticals to Combat Oxidative Stress: Unlocking Newer Paradigms in Adjuvant Therapy.

Nutraceuticals are products that provide both nutritional and therapeutic benefits. These compounds can slow the aging process and provide physiological effects shielding individuals from acute and chronic diseases. People's interests have shifted from allopathic to Ayurvedic to nutraceuticals in recent years. These are often common dietary supplements that have drawn customers worldwide because of their high nutritional safety and lack of adverse effects when used for a long time. Although conventional dosage forms, including pills, tablets, and semi-solids, are still available, they nevertheless have poorer bioavailability, less stability, and less effectiveness for targeted delivery of bioactives. The use of effective nanocomplex systems as nano-antioxidants using nanotechnology has become a promising field. Among its many uses, nanotechnology is mostly used to create foods and nutraceuticals that are more bioavailable, less toxic, and more sustainable. Additionally, it has been emphasized how precisely nano-pharmaceuticals for oxidative stress produce the desired effects. These improvements show improved antioxidant delivery to the target region, reduced leakage, and increased targeting precision. The outcomes demonstrated that oxidative stress-related illnesses can be effectively treated by lowering ROS levels with the use of nanonutraceuticals. The major ideas and uses of nano-nutraceuticals for health are outlined in this review, with an emphasis on reducing oxidative stress.

Assessment of Wound Healing Potential of Simvastatin Emulgel in Rat Excision Wound Model

Background: Microorganisms can infect wounds and disrupt healing by causing inflammation and tissue injury Objective: Simvastatin (SIM) is reported to have antibacterial activity; therefore, this research is designed to evaluate the efficacy of simvastatin emulgel in wound healing. Methods: The simvastatin emulgel was assessed for physical appearance, rheological behaviour, spreadability, pH, ex vivo drug release and in vivo activity. The wound-healing activity was assessed by percent wound contraction, hydroxyproline estimation and histopathological evidence in wound-induced albino rats. Results: The simvastatin emulgel exhibited viscosity and spreadability of 6875 ± 531.21 mPa.s and 10.15 ± 0.31 g.cm/sec, respectively. The simvastatin emulgel exhibited wound contraction in wound healing studies compared to the reference product (p < 0.05). This activity was statistically significant (p < 0.05) in comparison to the control. The hydroxyproline content supported the wound-healing promoting effect of simvastatin emulgel, and marked improvements in the skin histological architecture were seen in the histopathological study. Conclusion: The study manifested the promising potential of simvastatin emulgel in speeding the healing of rat wounds with epithelization. Therefore, the designed simvastatin emulgel can be used as an option for the conventional topical dosage form.

GASTRORETENTIVE EFFERVESCENT FLOATING TABLETS (GREFT) OF DRUGS ACTING ON CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES

Incidences of Cardio Vascular Diseases (CVDs) are increasing in an alarming proportion in India. Conventional oral dosage forms cannot be retained in the stomach for long owing to gastric emptying. Moreover, drugs which are commonly employed in management of chronic CVDs either have reduced solubility at alkaline pH, undergo colonic degradation, exhibit site-specific absorption or varying bioavailability with combination therapy. Gastro-retentive drug delivery systems (GRDDS) are designed to overcome these challenges. Since 2006, Food and Drug Administration has approved only few GRDDS for treating CVDs. The aim of the present review is to summarize the outcomes of research carried on GRRDS with drugs for CVDs since last 15 y and comprehensive analysis of limitations of such studies due to which no product has been approved or commercialized in over last 18 y. Literature survey includes single unit, multi-particulate, monolayer and bilayer dosage forms with or without effervescence-inducing agents and made of natural and/or synthetic polymers like hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, natural gums etc. Efforts have been made to compile in vitro buoyancy data such as floating lag time, total floating time, swelling index, release profile and release kinetics. Among various studies reported on monolayer and bilayer Gastro-Retentive Effervescent Floating Tablets, only 3 involved bioavailability studies in human volunteers. Toxicity studies in animals or stability studies are totally lacking. Observation with floating-type multi-particulate GRDDS is more disappointing. lack of safety, efficacy data, stability data, in vivo imaging studies and in vitro-in vivo correlation data might be actually responsible for lack of commercialization of any GRDDS for drugs acting on CVDs in 21st century.

Exploring the Benefits of Preservative-Free Ophthalmic Solutions in the Management of Glaucoma: A Comprehensive Review

Glaucoma is a worldwide major cause of vision loss; it is mainly caused due to the degeneration of retinal cells. Its symptoms usually appear at a later stage and thus chances of vision loss are high. Ophthalmic formulations have vast applications in the treatment of several ocular disorders such as glaucoma, dry eye syndrome, and many more. Conventional dosage forms such as eye drops have been used for the treatment of glaucoma for several years but they need to be sterile, especially multi-dose formulations. Ophthalmic dosage forms generally include preservatives such as Benzalkonium chloride (BAK) to maintain the sterility of the formulations which in some cases, were reported with severe ocular irritation and toxicity including corneal damage, ocular inflammation, and conjunctival injury even though used in minute concentration. Thus, there is a dire need to review the preservative-free ophthalmic formulations (PFOF) for the treatment and management of glaucoma to overcome the side effects associated with preserved formulations and to eliminate the irritation and toxicity caused by the preservatives. This article details the current research progress and development of PFOFs for the treatment of glaucoma. Moreover, a brief on preservative-free options of ophthalmic solutions and their applications in glaucoma, with a special focus on factors limiting their development has also been presented. In addition, this review also provides up-to-date information regarding the use of preservative-free antiglaucoma treatment.

PH-Sensitive Hydrogels Fabricated with Hyaluronic Acid as a Polymer for Site-Specific Delivery of Mesalamine.

Hydrogels with the main objective of releasing mesalamine (5-aminosalicylic acid) in the colon in a modified manner were formulated in the present work using a free-radical polymerization approach. Different ratios of hyaluronic acid were cross-linked with methacrylic and acrylic acids using methylenebis(acrylamide). The development of a new polymeric network and the successful loading of drug were revealed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated that the hydrogel was more thermally stable than the pure polymer and drug. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a rough and hard surface which was relatively suitable for efficient loading of drug and significant penetration of dissolution medium inside the polymeric system. Studies on swelling and drug release were conducted at 37 °C in acidic and basic conditions (pH 1.2, 4.5, 6.8, and 7.4, respectively). Significant swelling and drug release occurred at pH 7.4. Swelling, drug loading, drug release, and gel fraction of the hydrogels increased with increasing hyaluronic acid, methacrylic acid, and acrylic acid concentrations, while the sol fraction decreased. Results obtained from the toxicity study proved the formulated system to be safe for biological systems. The pH-sensitive hydrogels have the potential to be beneficial for colon targeting due to their pH sensitivity and biodegradability. Inflammatory bowel disease may respond better to hydrogel treatment as compared to conventional dosage forms. Specific amount of drug is released from hydrogels at specific intervals to maintain its therapeutic concentration at the required level.

A Review on Fast Dissolving Tablet

Drug delivery systems play a crucial role in the effective administration of medications. Solid dosage forms, such as tablets and capsules, are widely accepted due to their ease of administration, accurate dosage, and patient compliance. However, the challenge lies in developing an ideal drug delivery system that ensures the right rate and concentration of drug delivery to achieve maximum therapeutic effect and minimal adverse effects. Fast dissolving tablets (FDTs) have emerged as an alternative to conventional dosage forms, especially for paediatric, geriatric, and uncooperative patients, as well as for situations where water is unavailable. The study aims to comprehensive review of the literature to analyse the advantages and disadvantages, patented technologies, formulation techniques, and properties of ideal FDTs. The review also examines the various formulation techniques, including freeze drying, tablet moulding, spray drying, sublimation, direct compression, and mass extrusion