Development Of Pharmaceutical Products Research Articles

Biological Importance of Flavonoid Bavachinin in the Medicine: Perspectives of Medicinal Importance, Pharmacological Activities and Analytical Techniques

Backgrounds: Phytochemicals are an important class of natural compounds present in vegetables, herbs, fruits, and seeds. Phytochemicals have been used in medicine for the treatment of human disorders in the form of drugs, medicine, and Nutraceuticals. Flavonoid class secondary metabolites were found to be present in medicinal plants and some food materials derived from plants. Flavonoid class phytochemicals have beneficial health aspects and numerous pharmacological activities in the medicine. Psoralea corylifolia has been widely used in medicine for the treatment of skin diseases, including vitiligo, alopecia areata, leukoderma, and psoriasis. More than 90 different types of phytocompounds have been separated and isolated from Psoralea corylifolia. Bavachinin is a flavonoid class phytochemical, found to be present in the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia. Bavachinin possesses anti-bacterial, anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, α-glucosidase and nitric oxide inhibitory potential. Method: Scientific data on bavachinin have been collected from different literature databases such as Google, Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct and Scopus in the present work and analyzed to know the biological importance of bavachinin. Scientific research data on bavachinin have been collected in the present work for their medicinal importance, pharmacological activities and analytical aspects. Further, all the collected scientific data have been separated into different sub-sections i.e., Medicinal importance, pharmacological activities and analytical aspects of bavachinin. Detailed pharmacological activity data of bavachinin have been analyzed in the present work to know the therapeutic potential of bavachinin in medicine. Analytical data of bavachinin have been collected and analyzed in the present work to know the biological importance of bavachinin in modern medicine for the standardization of Psoralea corylifolia. Results: Literature data analysis of different scientific research works revealed the biological importance of flavonoids in medicine. Flavonoid class phytochemicals have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-viral, anti-cancer and anti-ageing properties in medicine. Scientific data analysis revealed the effectiveness of bavachinin in cancer, blood glucose, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, inflammation, immune system, T cell differentiation, oxidative damage and enzymes. However, therapeutic efficacy, metabolism, biotransformation, pharmaceutical product development and pharmacokinetic parameters of bavachinin have also been discussed in the present work. Analytical data signified the importance of modern analytical tools for the separation, isolation and identification of bavachinin. Conclusion: Scientific data analysis of different research work revealed the biological importance and therapeutic benefit of bavachinin in medicine.

Avaliação das atividades antibacteriana e antioxidante do óleo essencial do araçá-roxo (Psidium rufum, Myrtaceae)

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of essential oil (EO) from fresh leaves of Psidium rufum. The EO was extracted by hydrodistillation and identified by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The antibacterial activity was evaluated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Antioxidant activity was determined by β-carotene/linoleic acid co-oxidation system, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging and iron reduction methods. Hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes were the predominant class, indicating 1,8 cineole, α-longipinene as major. The EO was tested against the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC = 2,500 µg/mL and MBC = 20,000 µg/mL); Enterococcus faecalis (MIC = 2,500µg/mL and MBC > 20,000µg/mL) and Escherichia coli (MIC > 20,000µg/mL and MBC > 20,000µg/mL). The EO showed antioxidant potential due to β-carotene/linoleic acid co-oxidation system, with 76.63% of oxidation inhibition (1.0mg/mL) and due to the iron reduction power (5,38 μmol Fe 2+ /mg sample). The results are promising in recommending this species for the development of food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products.

Assessment of the effect of the extract Arthrospira platensis on human skin microbiota

A new direction in the development of pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, provides for the widespread use of pigment containing components of extracts of microalgae and blue-green algae. However, the use of these components requires a deeper study of their effect on humans, including on their microbiota. In our experiments, it was found that the extract of the blue-green algae Arthrospira platensis (commercial name of the drug Spirulina), with a phycocyanin content of 38%, is able to influence the overall microbiota of human skin, and to varying degrees of effectiveness depending on the concentration of the drug. It is shown that the effect of the studied extract has a dose-dependent effect, both when affecting the general microbiota of human skin and on representatives of its gram-positive microbiota. The gram-negative microbiota of human skin is less sensitive to the action of the extract of the blue-green algae Arthrospira platensis (commercial name of the drug Spirulina), since only at a concentration of 200 mcg/ml there was a significant low increase in biomass.

Current status and vision of local pharmaceutical industries in Saudi Arabia: The focus on nanomedicines

BackgroundPharmaceutical nanomedicine products are expected to impact the global pharmaceutical market and healthcare system significantly. Since 2000, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) have approved over 80 nanomedicine products for marketing; an additional double that number is currently being tested in clinical trials. The nanomedicine market is expected to reach USD 350.8 billion by 2025 from USD 138.8 billion in 2016. This demonstrates the importance of nanotechnology to the delivery of pharmaceuticals. The main benefits of employing nanotechnology to distribute therapeutic agents include reducing the undesired toxicity from non-specific distribution and increasing patient adherence, which can indirectly minimize the burden on the country's healthcare system. Such products are expected to gain a significant economic impact on Saudi Arabia’s pharmaceutical drugs market once they get developed locally. MethodA descriptive and cross-sectional study, including a web-based questionnaire and a complete categorization of pharmaceutical products formed by the national industries in Saudi Arabia, was utilized to investigate the current and future direction of pharmaceutical manufacturing exploiting nanotechnology in the Kingdom. ResultsThe survey showed an apparent lack of willingness within the national pharmaceutical industries, as the majority (≈ 86%) of the leading Saudi companies cannot enable nanotechnology-based medicines in their manufacturing. However, more than 93% of the national pharmaceutical industries, upon the basis of the responses, agreed that the development of pharmaceutical products with nanotechnology is an important step toward solving various complications associated with conventional forms of the available medicine. ConclusionNational pharmaceutical industries in Saudi Arabia will need to get closer to manufacturing nanomedicines by partnering with international pioneer companies. In addition, empowering the local research and development (R&D) centers in nano delivery systems could facilitate translating their R&D outcomes into novel advanced and commercialized products. This could imitate the direction of the global pharmaceutical market and share its revenue which will positively reflect on the Kingdom's economy.

Structural Design of Oleogel‐Hydrogel Bigels for Co‐Delivery of Curcumin and Epigallocatechin Gallate with Synergistic Stability and Bioactivity

AbstractBigels are novel biphasic systems containing hydrogel and oleogel structures, which are designed to deliver multiple bioactives for synergistic activity. The current study develops bigels based on a carrageenan hydrogel and a monoglyceride (GMS) oleogel. Results show that the microstructures of bigels are facilely modified by two surface active ingredients (Tween 20 and polyglycerol polyricinoleate), which then influence the microstructures of the bigels. When curcumin and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) are delivered simultaneously, the bioactives work synergistically to slow thermal degradation. Simulated digestion tests indicate that the bigel structures can delay the release of the two bioactives in artificial saliva and simulated gastric fluid (SGF), and allow fast release in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF). DPPH and ABTS tests show the digested Tween 20 bigels containing EGCG and curcumin present synergistic antioxidant activity. Anticancer activity is evaluated in human colon adenocarcinoma HCT116, and the two bioactives work cooperatively to lower cell viability. The bioactives released from Tween 20 bigels have higher cytotoxicity than those from polyglycerol polyricinoleate bigels. The results reveal that facile structural design of bigels has the potential to achieve synergistic stability and bioactivity of co‐delivered bioactives, which is meaningful for the development of functional pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food products.

Phytochemical screening, phenolic and flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity of Rhizophoraceae methanol extracts from Langsa, Aceh, Indonesia

Abstract. Indriaty, Djufri, Ginting B, Hasballah K. 2023. Phytochemical screening, phenolic and flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity of Rhizophoraceae methanol extracts from Langsa, Aceh, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 24: 2865-2876. Bruguiera cylindrica (L.) Blume,Bruguiera gymnorrhiza (L.) Lam., Ceriops decandra (Griff.) Ding Hou, Rhizophora apiculate Blume, and Rhizophora mucronata Lam. are mangrove plant species belonging to Rhizophoraceae that have been used as medicinal plants. Studies on phytochemical screening and bioactivity of Rhizophoraceae mangrove plants from the Aceh region are still limited. This study aimed to analyze the chemical compounds in Rhizophoraceae from Aceh and determine total phenolic content (TPC), flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activity. The chemical compounds were determined using qualitative assay, TLC, and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrophotometry (GC-MS). The antioxidant activity was tested against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Twenty extracts from various plant parts of Rhizophoraceae (roots, bark, leaves, and fruit/hypocotyl) were used in this study. The phytochemical screening of Rhizophoraceae plants revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics (tannins), terpenoids, steroids, and saponins. The highest TPC content was obtained from the bark of R. mucronata (484.39 mg GAE/g extract). Furthermore, the highest TFC was found in the leaves of R. apiculata ( 15.23 mg QE/g extract). Nineteen extracts had very high antioxidant activity (IC50: 2.35 ± 0.01 - 29.84 ± 0.19 µg/mL). The bark and roots of C. decandra had the most potent antioxidant activity (IC50: 2.35 0.01 and 3.23 0.01 µg/mL, respectively). The GC-MS revealed the presence of pyrocatechol (15.85%), antiarol (1.44%), and hexadecanoic acid (1.69%), that act as antioxidants. Therefore, it can be concluded that the Rhizophoraceae methanol extract contains phenols in the stem bark and flavonoids in the leaves with very high antioxidant activity as a good source of natural ingredients for future pharmaceutical product development. It is highly recommended to do further research to obtain pure compounds from these plants.

Brucella abortus antigen omp25 vaccines: Development and targeting based on Lactococcus lactis.

Most Brucella infections take place on mucosal membranes. Therefore, creating vaccinations delivered through the mucosa may be crucial for managing brucellosis. Consequently, we assessed the efficacy of a recombinant oral antigen delivery system based on Lactococcus lactis for Brucella abortus omp25 antigen. Oral vaccinations with L. lactis transformed with pNZ8148 variants encoding for omp25 (pNZ8148:omp25) and free-pNZ8148 were administered to mice. On day 30, following immunization in animal groups, anti-omp25-specific IgG1 antibodies were assessed by the ELISA test. Additionally, nasal and bronchoalveolar lavages containing omp25-specific secretory IgA (sIgA) were analysed by ELISA. ELISA test and real-time PCR were also used to analyse cytokine responses up to 28 days following the last boost. In addition, the protective potential of L. lactis pNZ8148:omp25 vaccines was assessed in BALB/c mice by exposing them to the B. abortus strain. Based on the initial screening results, the omp25 protein was identified for immunogenicity because it had the maximum solubility and flexibility and antigenic values of 0.75. The produced plasmid was digested using KpnI and XbaI. By electrophoretic isolation of the digestion fragments at 786bp, the omp25 gene, the successful production of the recombinant plasmid, was confirmed. Antigen expression at the protein level revealed that the target group generated the 25kDa-sized omp25 protein, but there was no protein expression in the control group. Fourteen days after priming, there was a considerable amount of omp25-specific IgG1 in the sera of mice vaccinated with pNZ8148-Usp45-omp25-L. lactis (p<0.001 in target groups compared to the phosphate-buffered saline control group). IFN-γ and TNF-α levels were more significant in samples from mice that had been given the pNZ8148-Usp45-omp25-L. lactis and IRBA vaccinations, in samples taken on days 14 and 28, respectively (p<0.001). The pNZ8148-Usp45-omp25-L. lactis and IRBA immunization groups had significantly greater IL-4 and IL-10 transcription levels than the other groups. The spleen portions from the pNZ8148-Usp45-omp25-L. lactis and IRIBA vac group had less extensive spleen injuries, alveolar oedema, lymphocyte infiltration and morphological damage due to the inflammatory process. Our study offers a novel method for using the food-grade, non-pathogenic and noncommercial bacterium L. lactis as a protein cell factory to produce the novel immunogenic fusion candidate romp25. This method offers an appealing new approach to assessing the cost-effective, safe, sustainable, simple pilot development of pharmaceutical products.

Banana Peel: A potential waste product with numerous pharmacological activities

Plants have been used as a traditional medicine for generations. Recently the pharmaceutical industries are showing a great interest in using plant extracts in pharmaceutical product development due to the uses of the plants in the treatment of various diseases. Banana is a world-wide edible fruit which comes from south-east Asia. It belongs to the genus Musa and is of two types, sweet banana, and plantain. It has many different species in the world, which are divided into 50 groups. The scientific names of cultivated bananas are Musa accuminata, Musa balbisiana and Musa paradisiaca belonging to the family Musaceae. The present review discusses the various pharmacological activities of the banana peel.

Efficient production of recombinant proteins in suspension CHO cells culture using the Tol2 transposon system coupled with cycloheximide resistance selection

DNA recombination techniques in mammalian cells has been applied to the production of therapeutic proteins for several decades. To be used for commercial production, established cell lines should stably express target proteins with high productivity and acceptable quality for human use. In the conventional transfection method, the screening process is laborious and time-consuming since superior cell lines had to be selected from an enormous number of transfected cell pools and clonal cell lines with a wide variety of transgene insertion locations. In this study, we demonstrated that the combination of a Tol2 transposon system and cell selection by cycloheximide resistance is an efficient method to express therapeutic proteins, such as human antibody in suspension culture of Chinese hamster ovary cells. The resulting stable cell lines showed constant productivity and cell growth over a long enough cultivation periods for recombinant protein production. We anticipate that this approach will prove widely applicable to protein production in research and development of pharmaceutical products.

Algorithm for the early prediction of drug stability using bayesian inference and multiple measurements: Application for predicting the stability of silodosin tablets

The stability of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and formulations has become a major chemistry, manufacturing, and control (CMC) concern in the pharmaceutical industry because it can determine the feasibility of research and development, the development period, and the development costs of a certain formulation. To streamline the research and development of pharmaceutical products and create useful pharmaceutical products at an early stage, a technology that predicts the stability of formulations at an early stage and with a high degree of accuracy is needed. When predicting the stability of a substance, highly reliable data are required; however, the stability data are affected by analytical variations that depend on the experimenter, measurement device, and conditions used. Although these variations greatly affect the prediction accuracy, a stability prediction method that considers these variations has not yet been developed. Here, short-term stability data under accelerated conditions were obtained at three institutions using silodosin tablets as a model sample. By combining Bayesian inference with the temporal change in the amount of the main degradation products obtained and the conventional humidity-corrected Arrhenius equation, we developed a new algorithm that provides a narrow confidence interval, even when using data with variations. By using this algorithm and setting an appropriate number of conditions, we were able to obtain a valid confidence intervals in a short period of time. Here, by performing more measurements than those suggested by the minimum measurement frequency indicated in the guideline specified in the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use, we developed a method that can be used to reasonably predict the long-term stability of the drugs, even if the data measurement interval is short. Our results will help solve various problems in today's pharmaceutical product development scenario and contribute to worldwide health and welfare.

Usefulness of the Beagle Model in the Evaluation of Paracetamol and Ibuprofen Exposure after Oral Administration to Pediatric Populations: An Exploratory Study.

The present study aimed to explore the usefulness of beagle dogs in combination with physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling in the evaluation of drug exposure after oral administration to pediatric populations at an early stage of pharmaceutical product development. An exploratory, single-dose, crossover bioavailability study in six beagles was performed. A paracetamol suspension and an ibuprofen suspension were coadministered in the fasted-state conditions, under reference-meal fed-state conditions, and under infant-formula fed-state conditions. PBPK models developed with GastroPlus v9.7 were used to inform the extrapolation of beagle data to human infants and children. Beagle-based simulation outcomes were compared with published human-adult-based simulations. For paracetamol, fasted-state conditions and reference-meal fed-state conditions in beagles appeared to provide adequate information for the applied scaling approach. Fasted-state and/or reference-meal fed-state conditions in beagles appeared suitable to simulate the performance of ibuprofen suspension in pediatric populations. Contrary to human-adult-based translations, extrapolations based on beagle data collected under infant-formula fed-state conditions appeared less useful for informing simulations of plasma levels in pediatric populations. Beagle data collected under fasted and/or reference-meal fed-state conditions appeared to be useful in the investigation of pediatric product performance of the two investigated highly permeable and highly soluble drugs in the upper small intestine. The suitability of the beagle as a preclinical model to understand pediatric drug product performance under different dosing conditions deserves further evaluation with a broader spectrum of drugs and drug products and comparisons with pediatric in vivo data.

Eco-Friendly Extraction of Green Coffee Oil for Industrial Applications: Its Antioxidant, Cytotoxic, Clonogenic, and Wound Healing Properties

The development of natural oil-based cosmetic and pharmaceutical products presents great scientific and commercial interest. Herein, we aimed to extract green coffee oil from Arabic coffee by a sustainable cold-pressing method. Furthermore, this work aimed to characterize the obtained green coffee oil by Fourier-Transform Infrared (FT–IR) and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopies (UV–Vis), peroxide analysis, and fatty acids profile by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Moreover, the functional and biological properties of the obtained green coffee oil and a green-coffee oil-based commercial product (Energy up®, Dermociencia) were investigated. The green coffee oil presented linoleic and palmitic acids as the major fatty acids showing 44.8% and 35.4%, respectively. Moreover, this green coffee oil presented an antioxidant activity (EC50 7.64 mg/mL) and an absence of cytotoxic effects in keratinocyte cultures treated with up to 20 mg/mL. The obtained green coffee oil showed wound healing properties as well as clonogenic efficiency, a biological potential to induce the proliferative and migratory capacity of cells of human skin keratinocytes at 2.5 mg/mL. The samples presented high antioxidant activity and the absence of a cytotoxic effect, suggesting that green coffee oil is a promising natural product for cosmetic applications with wound healing properties. These results open new ways for the use of green coffee oil for the development of cosmetic and pharmaceutics natural-based products.

An Overview on Quality by Design

Quality by Design (QbD) has as a new concept for the development of high-quality pharmaceutical products. It is an essential component of the modern approach to pharmaceutical quality. QbD is the best way to build quality into all pharmaceutical products, but it poses a significant challenge to the pharmaceutical industry, whose processes are time-bound, despite inherent process and material variability. Throughout the design and development of a product, it is critical to define the desired product performance profile [Target Product Profile (TPP), Target Product Quality Profile (TPQP)] and identify critical quality attributed to the product (CQA). Applications of QbD to pharmaceutical processes (formulation development) and analytical development are briefly discussed. A standardized pharmaceutical quality system that is applicable throughout the product's lifecycle and emphasizes an integrated approach to risk management and science should be developed, resulting in better quality medicines for patients.ICH documents such as ICH Q8, i.e. Pharmaceutical development; ICH Q9, i.e. Quality Risk Management; ICH Q10, i.e. Pharmaceutical Quality Systems, and FDA's Process Analytical Technology (PAT) were referred to in order to ensure drug product quality. QbD allows formulation and manufacturing variables to be properly understood and controlled.

Chemical profiles and antibacterial activity of acetone extract of two Curcuma species from Vietnam

Curcuma thorelii Gagnep. and Curcuma cotuana Luu, Škorni?k. &amp; H.?.Tr?n are the rare species only found in Southeast Asia. The present study was the first to explore the chemical compositions and antibacterial effects of the whole plant acetone extracts of these 2 species. Altogether 41 and 31 compounds have been identified in C. thorelii and C. cotuana extracts by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Accordingly, the C. thorelii extract contained (E)-labda-8(17),12-diene-15,16-dial (33.37%), vitamin E (12.33%), phytol (9.83%) as the major compounds while C. cotuana extract contained predominantly (E)-labda-8(17),12-diene-15,16-dial (14.58%), n-hexadecanoic acid (10.96%), 3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadec-2-en-1-yl acetate (8.13%), ?-sitosterol (7.97%). In addition, results from disc diffusion assay have shown that C. thorelii acetone extract had inhibitory effects on 5 out of 10 pathogenic bacterial strains such as Bacillus cereus (ATCC 11778), Listeria monocytogenes (ATCC 19111), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), S. aureus (ATCC 29213) and S. saprophyticus (BAA750) while C. cotuana acetone extract was found to be effective only against B. cereus. The obtained results showed that the acetone extracts of C. thorelii and C. cotuana possessed several valuable bioactive compounds as well as promising antibacterial activity, which place a good foundation for future pharmaceutical product development.

Recent Advances In The Development Of Nanoparticles In Enhancement Of Solubility Of Poorly Soluble Drugs

The formulation of poorly soluble drugs is one of the most difficult tasks for pharmaceutical formulators. Conventional techniques for increasing the solubility of these drugs have had limited success. This is especially true when dealing with drugs that have low aqueous and organic solubility. Solubility is an important determinant of drug liberation and thus drug absorption, and it plays an important role in formulation oral bioavailability. A drug solubility directly influences its dissolution rate. Most New drugs have low water solubility, making them difficult to formulate into drug delivery systems. As a result, improving the solubility of poorly water soluble drugs is one of the necessary preformulation steps in pharmaceutical product development research. The use of nanoparticles in the formulation of hydrophobic drugs improves their solubility and efficacy. Emulsion-solvent evaporation method, Double Emulsion and Evaporation method, Salting out method, Emulsions diffusion method, Antisolvent Precipitation Method, Polymerization method, and Coacervation or Ionic Gelation method can all be used to make nanoparticles. Bottom-up methods such as Antisolvent precipitation are the most efficient and cost effective in the preparation of nanoparticles.

A review on traditional uses and applications of Cordia spp. (Boraginaceae) as a natural polymer in the development of food and pharmaceutical products

Background: The growing demand for natural polymers useful for food and drug production has prompted the search for new plant sources to replace synthetic polymers. Unlike synthetic polymers, natural ones have advantages such as low toxicity, biocompatibility, and non-toxicity to the environment. Among the plant sources investigated as biopolymers, we find gums and mucilage, which have achieved a remarkable position in the additive market due to their applications in the paper, cosmetic, food, and pharmaceutical industries, to name a few. The genus Cordia L. is traditionally known for its medicinal use, however, in recent years the fruit mucilage has been studied as a biopolymer. This review aims to compile and analyze the research conducted with species of the genus Cordia L., especially the ones that studied the mucilage of its fruits, including the methods applied to obtain, identify, and characterize it. Besides, talking about its application in new groundbreaking fields. Methods: Relevant information was selected from articles, books, theses, and patents published in databases such as Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Google Scholar, Google Patents, Patentscope, Patent Inspiration, and Espacenet. Results: The research data showed that the biopolymer obtained from fruit mucilage of the genus has attractive physical and chemical properties, and may be suitable for the design of drugs, nanoparticles, coatings, and food products. In addition, specific studies revealed the presence of some flavonoids and terpenes as active ingredients of the genus Cordia L., which are associated with their ancestral medicinal use. Conclusion: The possible use of mucilage of the genus Cordia L. is evidenced by its addition, substitution, or combination with other biopolymers to improve and design new products. Likewise, study alternatives are presented for countries where species of this genus are found and have not yet been considered for experimentation. Keywords: mucilage, gum, biomaterials, pharmaceutical industry, food industry, medicinal use.

Inhibitory Activity of Essential Oils of Mentha spicata and Eucalyptus globulus on Biofilms of Streptococcus mutans in an In Vitro Model.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory activity of the commercially available essential oils of Mentha spicata (spearmint) and Eucalyptus globulus (eucalyptus) on Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175 biofilms in vitro, emulating dental plaque conditions. The composition of the essential oils (EOs) was determined using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS), with the main metabolites being Carvone (57.93%) and Limonene (12.91%) for Mentha spicata and 1,8-Cineole (Eucalyptol) (65.83%) for Eucalyptus globulus. The inhibitory activity was evaluated using the methods of agar-well diffusion and colorimetric microdilution. The inhibition halos were 18.3 ± 0.47 mm and 27.0 ± 0.82 mm, and the MICs were 1.8484 mg/mL and 1.9168 mg/mL for the EOs of Mentha spicata and Eucalyptus globulus, respectively. The activity against the biofilms was evaluated on a substrate of bovine enamel pieces using a basal mucin medium (BMM) in anaerobic conditions with daily sucrose exposition cycles in order to emulate oral cavity conditions. The EOs were applied in a concentration of 0.5% in a sterile saline vehicle with 1% polysorbate 20. After 72 h of cultivation, a significant reduction was observed (p < 0.001%) on the biofilm biomass, which was evaluated by its turbidity in suspension and using a count of the recoverable organisms with regards to the control. The effects of the Eos were not significantly distinct from each other. The EOs showed antimicrobial activity against both the Streptococcus mutans planktonic and biofilm cultures. Thus, EOs may have great potential for the development of pharmaceutical and sanitary products for oral health.

In vitro and ex vivo experimental models for evaluation ofintranasal systemic drug delivery as well as direct nose-to-brain drug delivery.

The intranasal route of administration provides a noninvasive method to deliver drugs into the systemic circulation and/or directly into the brain. Direct nose-to-brain drug delivery offers the possibility to treat central nervous system diseases more effectively, as it can evade the blood-brain barrier. In vitro and ex vivo intranasal models provide a means to investigate physiological and pharmaceutical factors that could play a role in drug delivery across the nasal epithelium as well as to determine the mechanisms involved in drug absorption from the nose. The development and implementation of cost-effective pharmacokinetic models for intranasal drug delivery with good in vitro-in vivo correlation can accelerate pharmaceutical drug product development and improve economic and ecological aspects by reducing the time and costs spent on animal studies. Special considerations should be made with regard to the purpose of the in vitro/ex vivo study, namely, whether it is intended to predict systemic or brain delivery, source and site of tissue or cell sampling, viability window of selected model, and the experimental setup of diffusion chambers. The type of model implemented should suit the relevant needs and requirements of the project, researcher, and interlaboratory. This review aims to provide an overview of in vitro and ex vivo models that have been developed to study intranasal and direct nose-to-brain drug delivery.

Macauba (Acrocomia aculeata): promising source of nutrients and association with health benefits, a review

Macauba is widely distributed in Brazilian territory. In addition to being used in the biodiesel production and animal food, it is also rich in bioactive compounds. Therefore, the objective of this review is to present the nutritional composition, the main bioactive compounds, and the potential health benefits of macauba. Macauba has high content of carotenoids, tocopherols, proteins, phenolic compounds, oleic acid, and fiber. Due the presence of bioactive compounds, macauba have the potential to promote health and can be used to prevent or treatment chronic non-communicable disease. Furthermore, this fruit and their by-products can be used in the development of new food and pharmaceutical products, promoting benefit family farming and contribute to the health benefits.

Critical insights of nano-based pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical and nutraceutical products: Empirical evidence from the consumption values perspective

Nanotechnology has received a widespread application recently in the development of pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical and nutraceutical (PCN) products through utilizing nanomaterials in the formulation and/or shaping of the finished products at nanoscale. This study investigates factors influencing Malaysia consumer decisions in nano-based PCN products purchase by consumption values theory (n = 181). The moderating effect of nano labelling on consumption decisions is examined. Nano labelling is found to strengthen the relationship between epistemic value and consumption decisions. The knowledge-based consumption decisions can be misled by inappropriate label information that has implications for policy makers and marketing practitioners.