High Drug Content Research Articles

Macrophage targeted iron oxide nanodecoys augment innate immunological and drug killings for more effective Mycobacterium Tuberculosis clearance

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection, is still one of the top killers worldwide among infectious diseases. The escape of Mtb from immunological clearance and the low targeting effects of anti-TB drugs remain the substantial challenges for TB control. Iron is particularly required for Mtb growth but also toxic for Mtb in high dosages, which makes iron an ideal toxic decoy for the ‘iron-tropic’ Mtb. Here, a macrophage-targeted iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs)-derived IONPs-PAA-PEG-MAN nanodecoy is designed to augment innate immunological and drug killings against intracellular Mtb. IONPs-PAA-PEG-MAN nanodecoy exhibits preferential uptake in macrophages to significantly increase drug uptake with sustained high drug contents in host cells. Moreover, it can serve as a specific nanodecoy for the ‘iron-tropic’ Mtb to realize the localization of Mtb contained phagosomes surrounding the drug encapsulated nanodecoys and co-localization of Mtb with the drug encapsulated nanodecoys in lysosomes, where the incorporated rifampicin (Rif) can be readily released under acidic lysosomal condition for enhanced Mtb killing. This drug encapsulated nanodecoy can also polarize Mtb infected macrophages into anti-mycobacterial M1 phenotype and enhance M1 macrophage associated pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α) production to trigger innate immunological responses against Mtb. Collectively, Rif@IONPs-PAA-PEG-MAN nanodecoy can synergistically enhance the killing efficiency of intracellular Mtb in in vitro macrophages and ex vivo monocyte-derived macrophages, and also significantly reduce the mycobacterial burdens in the lung of infected mice with alleviated pathology. These results indicate that Rif@IONPs-PAA-PEG-MAN nanodecoy may have a potential for the development of more effective therapeutic strategy against TB by manipulating augmented innate immunity and drug killings.Graphic

Aceclofenac/Citronellol Oil Nanoemulsion Repurposing Study: Formulation, In Vitro Characterization, and In Silico Evaluation of Their Antiproliferative and Pro-Apoptotic Activity against Melanoma Cell Line.

Aceclofenac (ACF) is a widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) known for its effectiveness in treating pain and inflammation. Recent studies have demonstrated that ACF possesses antiproliferative properties, inhibiting the growth of cancer cells in various cancer cell lines. Citronellol, a monoterpenoid alcohol found in essential oils, exhibits antioxidant properties and activities such as inhibiting cell growth and acetylcholinesterase inhibition. In this study, the objective was to formulate and evaluate an aceclofenac/citronellol oil nanoemulsion for its antiproliferative effects on melanoma. The optimal concentrations of citronellol oil, Tween 80, and Transcutol HP were determined using a pseudoternary phase diagram. The formulated nanoemulsions were characterized for droplet size, zeta potential, thermophysical stability, and in vitro release. The selected formula (F1) consisted of citronellol oil (1 gm%), Tween 80 (4 gm%), and Transcutol HP (1 gm%). F1 exhibited a spherical appearance with high drug content, small droplet size, and acceptable negative zeta potential. The amorphous state of the drug in the nanoemulsion was confirmed by Differential Scanning Calorimetry, while FTIR analysis indicated its homogenous solubility. The nanoemulsion showed significant antiproliferative activity, with a lower IC50 value compared to aceclofenac or citronellol alone. Flow cytometric analysis revealed cell cycle arrest and increased apoptosis induced by the nanoemulsion. In silico studies provided insights into the molecular mechanism underlying the observed antitumor activity. In conclusion, the developed aceclofenac/citronellol oil nanoemulsion exhibited potent cytotoxicity and pro-apoptotic effects, suggesting its potential as a repurposed antiproliferative agent for melanoma treatment. In a future plan, further animal model research for validation is suggested.

Nanostructured Lipid Carrier of Cinacalcet HCl: Formulation, BBD Enabled Optimization, Pharmacokinetic and In-Vitro Cytotoxicity Study

Background: Cinacalcet hydrochloride (CINH) is a BCS class IV drug. It is mainly used for the treatment of chronic renal disease and parathyroid cancer. It exhibits poor oral bioavailabil-ity of less than 25%. Objectives: The main objective is to improve the bioavailability of CINH by formulating the nanostructure lipid carrier (NLC). Methods: In this research, glyceryl monostearate (GMS), labrasol, and tween 20 were the main ex-cipients selected for the formulation of NLC. Hot high-speed homogenization and ultra-sonication method was used for the NLC formulation of CINH. The characterization of the NLCs was done as per standard procedures. Optimization of the formulated NLC was carried out by applying Box-Behnken Design (BBD) with the help of the Design Expert software. The pharmacokinetic study was conducted to determine the improvement in the bioavailability of the CINH. The cytotoxicity study was performed by using the MTT assay method to know the cell viability. Results: The optimized NLC formulation exhibited high drug content with a particle size of less than 200nm. A pharmacokinetic study showed 4 fold increase in oral bioavailability for the opti-mized NLC in comparison to the aqueous suspension of CINH. Minimum viability was determined as 94%, which indicates the safety of the incubated formulations. Conclusion: NLC formulation has the potential to improve oral bioavailability with high drug load-ing and cell viability for CINH.

Neutrophil-Mediated Delivery of Nanocrystal Drugs via Photoinduced Inflammation Enhances Cancer Therapy.

The efficient delivery of anticancer agents into tumor microenvironments is critical for the success of cancer therapies, but it is a prerequisite that drug carriers should overcome tumor vasculature and possess high drug contents. Here, we found that photoinduced inflammation response caused the migration of neutrophils into tumor microenvironments and neutrophils transported neutrophil-targeted nanoparticles (NPs) across the tumor blood barrier. The results showed that tumor delivery efficiencies of NPs were 5% ID/g, and they were independent of particle sizes (30-200 nm) and their doses (108-1011 NPs). To efficiently deliver anticancer agents into tumors via neutrophils, we fabricated carrier-free paclitaxel nanocrystals (PTX NC). The results showed that neutrophil uptake of PTX NC did not impair neutrophil tumor infiltration, and the sustainable release of PTX from PTX NC in tumors was regulated by paclitaxel protein complexes, thus improving the mouse survival in two preclinical models. Our studies demonstrate that delivery of nanocrystal drugs via neutrophils is a promising method to effectively treat a wide range of cancers, and we have also identified a mechanism of drug release from neutrophils in tumors.

Self-assembled nanoformulations of paclitaxel for enhanced cancer theranostics.

Chemotherapy has occupied the critical position in cancer therapy, especially towards the post-operative, advanced, recurrent, and metastatic tumors. Paclitaxel (PTX)-based formulations have been widely used in clinical practice, while the therapeutic effect is far from satisfied due to off-target toxicity and drug resistance. The caseless multi-components make the preparation technology complicated and aggravate the concerns with the excipients-associated toxicity. The self-assembled PTX nanoparticles possess a high drug content and could incorporate various functional molecules for enhancing the therapeutic index. In this work, we summarize the self-assembly strategy for diverse nanodrugs of PTX. Then, the advancement of nanodrugs for tumor therapy, especially emphasis on mono-chemotherapy, combinational therapy, and theranostics, have been outlined. Finally, the challenges and potential improvements have been briefly spotlighted.

Metoclopramide loaded buccal films for potential treatment of migraine symptoms: in vitro and in vivo study

Objective Developing mucoadhesive buccal films loaded with metoclopramide for the treatment of migraine-associated vomiting. Methods Buccal films were prepared using the solvent casting method. Several tests were conducted, including measurement of film weight, thickness, drug content, moisture uptake, swelling index, and DSC analysis. The bioadhesion properties were also assessed. Furthermore, in vitro release profiles and in human bioavailability were studied. Results The developed films were transparent, homogeneous, and easy to remove. Film weight and thickness increased with higher drug content. The drug entrapment exceeded 90%. Film weight increased with moisture uptake, and DSC analysis indicated the absence of drug crystallinity. Bioadhesion properties and swelling index decreased with increasing drug content. In vitro release demonstrated that drug release depended on the drug-polymer ratio. The in vivo study showed significant improvements in Tmax (from 1.21 ± 0.33 to 0.50 ± 0.0) and Cmax (from 45.29 ± 14.66 to 63.27 ± 24.85) compared to conventional tablets. Conclusion The prepared mucoadhesive buccal films exhibited the desired characteristics and demonstrated enhanced drug absorption, evidenced by the significantly reduced Tmax and increased Cmax compared to conventional tablets. The results indicate the successful achievement of the study objectives in selecting and designing an effective pharmaceutical dosage form. as cm2

Nano-suspension loaded mucoadhesive mouth dissolving film of meclizine hydrochloride

Meclizine Hydrochloride belongs to class H1 antagonist, antiemetic and anti-vertigo in nature, it is a Biopharmaceutical classification system (BCS) class II drug and is practically insoluble in water. The bottom-up approach was used in the formulation of nanosuspension in which methanol and millipore water was used as solvent and anti-solvent respectively, the stabilizers used for preparation were Polyvinylpyrrolidone K30 (PVP K30) and Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose E15 (HPMC E15) which were found to be compatible with the formulation after Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) studies. Mouth dissolving films were formulated by solvent casting method using glycerine lubricated petri dish and were kept for heating in a hot air oven at 45°C overnight. Characterization of nanosuspension-loaded mucoadhesive mouth dissolving films was done by evaluating various characteristics, the highest drug content was found to be 92.43±0.49% in Mouth dissolving film (MDF) 2. In-vitro drug release studies indicate that nanosuspension-loaded mucoadhesive mouth-dissolving film has a rapid drug release rate as compared to plain drug-loaded mouth-dissolving films and marketed tablet formulation.

Drug content on anticancer efficacy of self-assembling ketal-linked dextran-paclitaxel conjugates.

Although polymer-drug conjugates (PDCs) show great promise as versatile drug delivery systems, no antitumor PDCs based on small-molecule drugs are currently on the market, partly because of the lack of validated design principles for PDCs. High drug content is thought to be essential for devising highly efficacious PDCs based on poorly soluble antitumor drugs, but this has not been well validated. Therefore, revisiting the relationship between drug content and PDC performance is vital. In this study, we synthesized four dextran-paclitaxel (PTX) conjugates (designated as DKPs) with different drug contents by linking dextran and PTX via an acid-responsive ketal, and we used the conjugates to construct self-assembled DKP nanoparticles (NPs) for antitumor therapy. We focused on how PTX content influenced the hydrolysis kinetics, cytotoxicity, cellular uptake and intracellular hydrolysis, pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and antitumor efficacies of the DKP NPs. We found that DKP NPs with lower PTX content showed accelerated drug release and increased tumor accumulation, and consequently enhanced antitumor efficacy. In 4T1-Luc and Panc02-Luc cancer models, the NPs showed considerably improved therapeutic efficacy than the micellar formulation of PTX that is currently in clinical use. Our results indicate that DKP NPs with lower PTX content possess greater antitumor potential, and our findings offer new insights for the connection of drug content-formulation-bioactivity relationship in the rational design of PDC prodrugs.

78-LB: PK Studies in Rats and Minipigs of GB-7001, a Novel Monthly Microsphere Formulation Containing High Drug Content of Semaglutide

Semaglutide, a once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist, has been developed as a treatment for type 2 diabetes and obesity. Currently, the longest-acting GLP-1 product (including dulaglutide, semaglutide, and tirzepatide) is a weekly injection, and there are no approved once-monthly long-acting injectables. There is a need for a product that lasts up to 1 month to improve patient convenience. GB-7001 is a monthly injectable with high content of semaglutide under development with an improvement that reduces the side effect of existing microspheres. The goal of this study is to investigate the pharmacokinetics (PK) of GB-7001 in rats and minipigs. Pharmacokinetic evaluation in rats and minipigs was performed by a single subcutaneous injection, and semaglutide concentration in serum was analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. GB-7001 had a spherical shape with a D50 value of 34.4 µm. The drug content of semaglutide was determined to be 18.0%. Regardless of the high drug content, the sustained release of GB-7001 was shown for up to 28 days without an initial burst and without a lag phase. Although the release rate of GB-7001 slows after 28 days, semaglutide was detected within the quantifiable range for up to 56 days. In conclusion, GB-7001 is an improved 1-month semaglutide injectable that has shown promising results in PK studies in rats and minipigs. Further preclinical studies of the final formulation are scheduled, and GB-7001 is planned to apply for IND once the final formulation is selected. Disclosure E. Seol: None. Y. Kim: None. Funding Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (HI21C1732)

Construction of Actively Targeted and High Drug Content Polyprodrug Amphiphiles to Perform Synergistic Chemo–Photo-Anti-Tumor Therapy and Immune-Activated Investigation

Chemotherapy is one of the most employed strategies in clinical treatment of cancer, but the low content of drug molecules caused by the inadequate accumulation of drug carriers in the lesion locations has an adverse impact on the therapeutic effect. To solve this issue, a kind of high drug content prodrug monomers with topological structures of AB2 and AB3 were designed and utilized to construct a series of polyprodrug amphiphiles, P[GMA(-l-RGD/-PEG)-CPTn] (n = 2 or 3), with both targeting peptides (l-RGD) and high drug content. Depending on the structure of prodrug monomers, the content of drug molecules could be achieved as high as 60 wt % (n = 2) and 65 wt % (n = 3), respectively. These polyprodrug amphiphiles could self-assemble with photothermal conversion reagents (IR780) in water to form spherical nanoparticles, which could expose original hidden l-RGD through the removal of hydrophilic PEG coronas under the trigger of a tumor microenvironment and thus promote the endocytosis of nanoparticles. Once in the presence of intracellular glutathione (GSH), high content drug molecules could be efficiently released by a cascade amplification reaction to kill cancer cells, this process could be further enhanced by the synergistic effect of local hyperthermia induced by near-infrared light irradiation. The results from in vitro simulation and in vivo mouse solid tumor models showed that these nanoreagents had a highly inhibitory effect on the tumor. Not only that, the immune response after chemical–optical synergistic therapy was also systematically conducted, the results demonstrated that the maturation of dendritic cells and proliferation of T cells could be successfully activated, accompanied by the increase of high mobility group protein B1 and decrease of immunosuppressive regulatory T cells. We believe this proof-of-concept could effectively solve the bottleneck problem in chemotherapy and provide a continuous immune protection to the body after anti-tumor treatment.

Formulations and Evaluations of Herbal Anti-Acne Gel from Coriander and Garlic

Abstract: Acne is an inflammatory condition of the skin’s sebaceous follicles. The goal of the current study was to create and assess a coriander and garlic aqueous extract topical anti-acne gel. The antibacterial activity of corianders and garlic aqueous extract against Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis was examined. Agar dilution method was used to calculate concentration. The physical characteristics, Spreadibility, extrudability, ph, viscosity of the topical formulations was designed and tested. There are many pharmacological effects of garlic, including antibacterial, anticancer, and antiinflammatory effects. Fresh pearl garlic or garlic with a single clove was utilised as the raw material in this study to make the garlic extracts. This project’s goal is to get the garlic ready. Extracts made with non-chemical methods. The non-chemical extraction, the garlic extract was made by combining honey and garlic in a 1:1 ratio (w/v). The results showed that formulation F1 had the highest drug content (94%), highest level of stability, and zone of greatest efficacy, inhibition among all formulations.

Formulation and in vitro evaluation of meloxicam as a self-microemulsifying drug delivery system.

Background: The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication meloxicam (MLX) belongs to the oxicam family and is used to reduce inflammation and pain. The aim of this study was to improve MLX's dispersibility and stability by producing it as a liquid self-microemulsifying drug delivery system since it is practically insoluble in water. Methods: Five different formulations were made by adjusting the amounts of propylene glycol, Transcutol P, Tween 80, and oleic acid oil and establishing a pseudo-ternary diagram in ratios of 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, and 3:4, respectively. All of the prepared formulations were tested for a variety of properties, including thermodynamicstability, polydispersity index, particle size distributions, dilution resistance, drug contents, dispersibility, in vitro solubility of the drug, and emulsification time. Results: F5 was chosen as the optimal MLX liquid self-microemulsion due to its higher drug content (99.8%), greater in vitro release (100% at 40 min), smaller droplet size (63 nm), lower polydispersity index (PDI) value (0.3), and higher stability (a zeta potential of -81 mV). Conclusions: According to the data provided here, the self-microemulsifying drug delivery system is the most practical method for improving the dispersibility and stability of MLX.

Paraptosis Inducer to Effectively Trigger Immunogenic Cell Death for Metastatic Tumor Immunotherapy with IDO Inhibition.

Paraptosis is characterized by the extensive vacuolization of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria, which will cause the release of damage-associated molecular patterns to promote immunogenic cell death (ICD). However, the tumor can develop an immunosuppressive microenvironment to affect the ICD activation for the purpose of immune escape. Herein, a paraptosis inducer (CMN) is constructed to amplify the ICD effect for efficient immunotherapy by inhibiting the activity of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). Initially, CMN is prepared by the assembly of copper ions (Cu2+), morusin (MR), and IDO inhibitor (NLG919) through noncovalent interactions. Without the need for extra drug carriers, CMN possesses very high drug contents and exhibits a favorable GSH responsiveness for disassembly. Subsequently, the released MR can trigger paraptosis to cause extensive vacuolization of ER and mitochondria, contributing to activating ICD for immunotherapy. Moreover, NLG919 would inhibit IDO to remodel the tumor microenvironment and promote the activation of cytotoxic T cells, leading to an intensive antitumor immunity. Abundant in vivo studies indicate that CMN is superior in suppressing the proliferations of not only primary tumor but also metastatic and rechallenged tumors. Such a GSH-responsive paraptosis inducer might provide a promising strategy to trigger ICD and enhance tumor immunotherapy.

Granulation of ibuprofen/isonicotinamide co-crystals by continuous spray granulator (CTS-SGR)

The importance of granulation is paramount for tablet manufacturing, and is based on the fact that granulated powders are characterized by improved flowability, compressibility, segregation, and dust reduction. The aim of this study was to prepare and characterize continuous granules of high drug content by using a continuous-spray granulator (CTS-SGR). Ibuprofen (IBU), a drug of low-flowability, was selected as the model drug. As IBU has a low melting point and cannot easily granulate on its own, we employed isonicotinamide (INA) as a coformer that would allow us to prepare co-crystal granules containing 60 % IBU. The results of the undertaken differential scanning calorimetry and powder X-ray diffraction revealed that the IBU and the INA in the granules formed co-crystals. The granulation conditions affected the particle size and the yield of the granules; in fact, a low air supply temperature, a low atomizing air rate, and a high solution flow rate ensured a high granulation efficiency. Moreover, continuous granulation increased the yields of the formulations compared to those obtained through a short-run granulation, and high yields were obtained after applying a low atomizing air rate. The circularity of the granules exceeded 90 %, and their flowability improved when compared to that of the IBU bulk. The undertaking of dissolution studies revealed no change in the elution amount of IBU as a result of the co-crystallization. Our study shows that it is possible to produce high-content IBU granules in a direct and continuous manner through the co-crystallization of IBU and the use of a CTS-SGR.

High-capacity glycol chitosan-based nanoemulsion for efficient delivery of disulfiram

Disulfiram (DS) is an anti-alcoholism drug capable of acting against important and hard-to-treat cancers. The drug’s relative instability and variable absorption/distribution have led to its variable pharmacokinetics and suboptimal exposure. Hence, it was hypothesised that a nano-enabled form of DS might be able to overcome such limitations. Encapsulation of the labile DS was achieved with quaternary ammonium palmitoyl glycol chitosan (GCPQ) to form a high-capacity, soybean oil-based DS-GCPQ nanoemulsion. DS-GCPQ showed capability of oil-loading up to 50% v/v for a stable entrapment of high drug content. With increasing oil content (10 to 50% v/v), the mean particle size and polydispersity index were also increased (166 to 351 nm and 0.14 to 0.22, respectively) for a given amount of GCPQ. Formulations showed a highly positive particle surface charge (50.9 ± 1.3 mV), contributing to the colloidal stability of the individual particles. DS-GCPQ showed marked cytotoxicity against pancreatic cancer cell lines with enhanced activity in the presence of copper. An intravenous pharmacokinetic study of DS-GCPQ in vivo showed improved plasma drug stability with a DS half-life of 17 min. Prolonged survival was seen in tumour-bearing animals treated with DS-GCPQ supplemented with copper. In conclusion, DS-GCPQ nanoemulsion has the potential to be developed further for cancer therapeutic purposes.

Development of Nanofibers with Embedded Liposomes Containing an Immunomodulatory Drug Using Green Electrospinning.

Conventional treatments for chronic wounds are often ineffective, thus new therapeutic approaches are needed, such as the delivery of immunomodulatory drugs that can reduce inflammation, restore immune cell function, and facilitate tissue regeneration. A potential drug for such an approach is simvastatin, which has major drawbacks including poor solubility and chemical instability. With the aim of developing a dressing for wound healing, simvastatin and an antioxidant were incorporated into alginate/poly(ethylene oxide) nanofibers by green electrospinning without the use of organic solvents, thanks to their prior encapsulation into liposomes. The composite liposome-nanofiber formulations exhibited fibrillar morphology (160-312 nm) and unprecedentedly high phospholipid and drug content (76%). Transmission electron microscopy revealed dried liposomes as bright ellipsoidal spots homogeneously distributed over the nanofibers. After nanofiber hydration, the liposomes reconstituted in two size populations (~140 and ~435 nm), as revealed by cutting-edge MADLS® analysis. Lastly, in vitro assays demonstrated that composite liposome-nanofiber formulations are superior to liposomal formulations due to a better safety profile in keratinocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Furthermore, both formulations exhibited similarly advantageous immunomodulatory effects, measured as decreased inflammation in vitro. A synergistic combination of the two nanodelivery systems shows promise for the development of efficient dressings for chronic wound treatment.

Formulation and in vitro evaluation of meloxicam as a self-microemulsifying drug delivery system

Background: The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication meloxicam (MLX) belongs to the oxicam family and is used to reduce inflammation and pain. The aim of this study was to improve MLX's dispersibility and stability by producing it as a liquid self-microemulsifying drug delivery system since it is practically insoluble in water. Methods: Five different formulations were made by adjusting the amounts of propylene glycol, Transcutol P, Tween 80, and oleic acid oil and establishing a pseudo-ternary diagram in ratios of 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, and 3:4, respectively. All of the prepared formulations were tested for a variety of properties, including thermodynamic stability, polydispersity index, particle size distributions, dilution resistance, drug contents, dispersibility, in vitro solubility of the drug, and emulsification time. Results: F5 was chosen as the optimal MLX liquid self-microemulsion due to its higher drug content (99.8%), greater in vitro release (100% at 40 min), smaller droplet size (63 nm), lower polydispersity index (PDI) value (0.3), and higher stability (a zeta potential of -81 mV). Conclusions: According to the data provided here, the self-microemulsifying drug delivery system is the most practical method for improving the dispersibility and stability of MLX.

Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic comparison between generic and brand-name levofloxacin based on Monte Carlo simulation

The generic drugs are widely used due to its substantially low price. However, some generic drugs showed lower efficiency in terms of quality and clinical efficacy compared with brand-name drugs, especially for antimicrobial drugs. Levofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antimicrobial drug with excellent antimicrobial activity and wide antimicrobial spectrum, while it is susceptible to drug resistance. Our study aims to evaluate the bioequivalence of generic and brand-name levofloxacin. The pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters (Cmax, AUC0∼24, Tmax and t1/2), pharmacodynamic (PD) parameters (in vitro antibacterial activity and the inhibition of resistant mutation), and PK/PD analysis (the probability of target attainment, PTA; the cumulative fraction of response, CFR) calculated by Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) were investigated. Our results demonstrated that compared with the generics, the brand-name levofloxacin not only had higher drug content, but also showed higher antimicrobial susceptibility, higher resistance to mutation ability and higher percentage of each dosage interval that plasma concentration of antimicrobial agents exceeded the MPC90 (mutant prevention concentrations to prevent the mutation of 90% strains) against various clinical isolates. Although the PK results showed the differences in AUC0∼24 between brand-name levofloxacin and generics were not statistically significant (p > 0.05, F-test), the MCS results showed CFR of PK/PD of brand-name drugs were higher than generics. Our results indicated that PK or PD equivalence did not imply the therapeutic equivalence, thus, we suggest to include PK/PD analysis in bioequivalence evaluation system, which is beneficial to the prediction of clinical out come with high application value.

Vitamin D3-Loaded Nanoemulsions as a Potential Drug Delivery System for Autistic Children: Formulation Development, Safety, and Pharmacokinetic Studies

The aim of the current study is the development of a vitamin D3 (VD3)-loaded nanoemulsion (NE) formulation to improve VD3 oral bioavailability for management of vitamin D inadequacy in autistic children. Eight NE formulations were prepared by high-speed homogenization followed by ultrasonication. Four vegetable oils were employed along with two concentrations of Span 20 as the emulsifier. Glycerol, fructose, and mango flavor were included as viscosity modifier, sweetening, and flavoring agents, respectively. The prepared VD3-loaded NE formulations exhibited high drug content (> 98%), droplet size (DS) ranging from 61.15 to 129.8 nm with narrow size distribution, zeta potential values between − 9.83 and − 19.22 mV, and acceptable pH values (4.59–5.89). Storage stability showed that NE formulations underwent coalescence and phase separation during 6 months at room temperature, whereas at refrigerated conditions, formulations showed slight creaming. The optimum formulation (VD3-NE6) revealed a non-significant DS growth at refrigerated conditions and spherical morphology under transmission electron microscopy. VD3-NE6 did not produce any toxic effects to rats treated orally for 3 months, where normal blood picture and kidney and liver functions were observed compared to control rats. Also, serum calcium, oxidative stress, and apoptosis biomarkers remained within normal levels, indicating the safety of the optimum formulation. Furthermore, evaluation of VD3-NE6 oral bioavailability depicted a significant increase in AUC0–72 and Cmax with decreased Tmax compared to plain VD3. The optimum formulation demonstrated improved stability, safety, and oral bioavailability indicating the potential for successful management of vitamin D deficiency in autistic children.

Enhancing the Dissolution of Oral Dasatinib Tablets Using Zein–Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Solid Dispersions

Zein has been used in several pharmaceutical applications because of its unique composition. It is an amphiphilic molecule that is biodegradable, biocompatible, and has adhesive, matrix-forming, and film-coating properties, making it a promising pharmaceutical excipient. Zein-based formulations have been investigated in tablet-coating, nanoparticulate delivery systems, and controlled-release formulations. However, to date, very few studies have been performed on the inclusion of zein in solid dispersion formulations to enhance drug dissolution. This study aimed to improve the dissolution of the weakly basic and poorly soluble oral dasatinib (used as a model) using zein–hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) solid dispersion to achieve rapid disintegration and dissolution in the gastric pH. Using the spray-drying technique, four solid dispersions were prepared with different zein, HPMC, and dasatinib ratios. Subsequently, five different tablets were directly compressed using the previously prepared solid dispersions along with basic excipients. Various in vitro characterization analyses were performed to predict their behavior in vivo. Particle size measurement, tablet weight variation and content assay, disintegration, and dissolution studies were also performed. The results indicated that zein solid dispersion improved the disintegration and dissolution of dasatinib in the gastric media by reducing the drug particle size and the formation of the dasatinib amorphous state. Moreover, the tablets exhibited desirable properties in terms of high drug content, friability, and tensile strength. In conclusion, tablets comprising zein–HPMC solid dispersion showed improved properties; however, including a higher ratio of zein in the solid dispersion adversely affected the disintegration and release properties of formulations.