Improve Drug Solubility Research Articles

PHARMACEUTICAL NANOCRYSTALS: AN EXTENSIVE OVERVIEW

In pharmaceutical development, pharmaceutical nanocrystals sized between 10 and 1000 nanometers have been found to hold promise in improving drug solubility. Since they comprise only the active pharmaceutical ingredient, nanocrystals have dramatically increased surface area-to-volume ratios, ensuring improved in vitro dissolution and solubility profiles. In view of their strengths and limitations, different production strategies have been reviewed: methods of size reduction such as wet milling and high-pressure homogenization; the bottom-up approaches of controlled precipitation and supercritical fluid technology; and efficient ways to stabilize nanocrystal formulations aided by excipients like surfactants and polymers. Techniques used in this characterization of nanocrystals include size analysis, surface-charge measurement, and assessment of crystalline structure. The routes of administration, such as oral, injectable, inhaled, and topical application, are reviewed alongside commercially successful products and clinical trials. This work reviews dynamic regulatory scenarios and current challenges of large-scale production, long-term stability, and nanotoxicity evaluation. In addition, it addresses the emerging trends in nanocrystal technology in the field of personalized medicine, targeted drug delivery, and theranostic approaches associated with how nanocrystals can help optimize the outcome of a patient in drug delivery systems.

Nanoemulsion and nanoemulgel-based carriers as advanced delivery tools for the treatment of oral diseases.

Oral diseases rank among the most widespread ailments worldwide posing significant global health and economic challenges affecting around 3.5billion people, impacting the quality of life for affected individuals. Dental caries, periodontal disease, bacterial and fungal infections, tooth loss and oral malignancies are among the most prevalent global clinical disorders contributing to oral health burden. Traditional treatments for oral diseases often face challenges such as poor drug bioavailability, breakdown of medication in saliva, inconsistent antibiotic levels at the site of periodontal infection as well as higher side effects. However, the emergence of nanoemulgel (NEG) as an innovative drug delivery system offers promising solutions where NEG combines the advantages of both nanoemulsions (NEs) and hydrogels providing improved drug solubility, stability, and targeted delivery. Due to their minuscule size and ability to control drug release, NEGs hold promise for improving treatment of oral diseases, where versatility of these delivery systems makes them suitable for various applications, including topical delivery in dentistry. This review concisely outlines the anatomy of the oral environment and investigates the therapeutic potential of NE-based gels in oral disorder treatment. It thoroughly examines the challenges of drug delivery in the oral cavity and proposes strategies to improve therapeutic efficacy, drawing attention to previous research reports for comparison. Through comprehensive analysis, the review highlights the promising role of NEGs as a novel therapeutic approach for oral health management via research advancements and their clinical translation. Additionally, it provides valuable insights into future research directions and development opportunities in this area.

Current Nanotechnological Strategies for Delivery of Anti-Retroviral Drugs: Overview and Future Prospects

Abstract: Globally, over forty million people are living with Human Immunodeficiency Viral (HIV) infections. Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) consists of two or three Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs and has been used for more than a decade to prolong the life of AIDS-diagnosed patients. The persistent use of HAART is essential for effectively suppressing HIV replication. Frequent use of multiple medications at relatively high dosages is a major reason for patient noncompliance and an obstacle to achieving efficient pharmacological treatment. Despite strict compliance with the HAART regimen, the eradication of HIV from the host remains unattainable. Anatomical and Intracellular viral reservoirs are responsible for persistent infection. Elimination of the virus from these reservoirs is critical for successful long-term therapy. Therefore, innovative approaches are required to design safe and effective therapies. Nanotechnology has revolutionized HIV drug delivery by addressing key challenges, including improving drug solubility, targeting specific cells, extending drug release, protecting drugs from degradation, overcoming biological barriers, enabling combination therapy, and enhancing vaccine delivery. Several nanocarrier systems, such as dendrimers, nanoemulsions, liposomes, solid nanoparticles (SLNs), and nanostructured lipid carriers, have been proposed to treat HIV infection. Additionally, nanosuspensions of antiretroviral drugs offer promising strategies for improving treatment outcomes. While these advancements have significantly improved HIV management strategies, challenges remain, including unexpected toxicity, avoiding harmful biological interactions, and costs associated with the large-scale production of nanopharmaceuticals.

Fenofibrate Nanosuspension: A Novel Strategy to Enhance its Bioavailability for the Management of Hyperlipidemia

Hyperlipidemia, a metabolic condition marked by elevated plasma levels of cholesterol or triglyceride-carrying lipoproteins, is a major contributor to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Antihyperlipidemic drugs are classified according to their primary mechanism of action. Fenofibrate’s role in regulating cholesterol and managing insulin resistance-associated metabolic disorders makes it a preferred choice in combination therapies with statins for cardiovascular disease management. Nanoparticles have gained attention for enhancing the bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs by reducing particle size to the nanoscale (100-200 nm), which increases solubility, dissolution rate and adhesion to cell surfaces. Nanosuspensions improve drug solubility and bioavailability through methods like media milling, high-pressure homogenization and precipitation. Despite advancements, producing stable Fenofibrate nanoparticles below 100 nm at an industrial scale remains a challenge. Recent strategies include using sonication and freeze-drying to enhance bioavailability and solubility, achieving significant improvements in drug dissolution and therapeutic efficacy.

An updated landscape on nanopharmaceutical delivery for mitigation of colon cancer.

Globally, colorectal cancer (CRC) continues to rank among the leading causes of cancer-related death. Systemic toxicity, multidrug resistance, and nonspecific targeting often pose challenges to conventional therapy for CRC. Because it is a complex disease with a complex genetic and environmental pathophysiology, advanced therapeutic strategies are needed. Nanotechnology presents a potential solution that may maximize therapeutic efficacy while minimizing negative effects by enabling personalized delivery of anticancer drugs. This review focuses on recent developments in colorectal drug delivery systems based on nanotechnology. Numerous nanomaterials, including liposomes, dendrimers, micelles, exosomes, and gold nanoparticles, are developed and used. Distinctive characteristics of mentioned nanocarriers are discussed along with strategies that can be employed for enhancing the delivery of drugs to colorectal cancer cells. The review also quotes the most relevant preclinical and clinical studies that show how these nanomaterials improve drug solubility, stability, and targeted delivery while overcoming the shortcomings of conventional therapies. Nanotechnology has made CRC treatment very efficient and advanced, which has opened up new possibilities for targeted drug delivery. Preclinical and clinical studies have also proved that the use of nano-formulations in colon-specific delivery systems have significant results, indicating potential for better patient outcomes. Future research can be done in order to overcome the hurdles regarding biocompatibility, expansion, and regulatory challenges. Large-scale clinical trials and nanomaterial formulation optimization should be the main goals of future research to confirm the efficacy and safety of these novel treatments.

Inhibition of HIV-1 infection with curcumin conjugated PEG-citrate dendrimer; a new nano formulation

BackgroundNano-drug delivery systems have become a promising approach to overcoming problems such as low solubility and cellular uptake of drugs. Along with various delivery devices, dendrimers are widely used through their unique features. PEG-citrate dendrimers are biocompatible and nontoxic, with the ability to improve drug solubility. Curcumin, a naturally occurring polyphenol, has multiple beneficial properties, such as antiviral activities. However, its optimum potential has been significantly hampered due to its poor water solubility, which leads to reduced bioavailability. So, the present study attempted to address this issue and investigate its antiviral effects against HIV-1.MethodThe G2 PEG-citrate dendrimer was synthesized. Then, curcumin was conjugated to it directly. FTIR, HNMR, DLS, and LCMS characterized the structure of products. The conjugate displayed an intense yellow color. In addition, increased aqueous solubility and cell permeability of curcumin were achieved based on flow cytometry results. So, it could be a suitable vehicle for improving the therapeutic applications of curcumin. Moreover, cell toxicity was assessed using XTT method. Ultimately, the SCR HIV system provided an opportunity to evaluate the level of HIV-1 inhibition by the curcumin-dendrimer conjugate using a p24 HIV ELISA kit.ResultsThe results demonstrated a 50% up to 90% inhibition of HIV proliferation at 12 μm and 60 μm, respectively. Inhibition of HIV-1 at concentrations much lower than CC50 (300 µM) indicates a high potential of curcumin-dendrimer conjugate against this virus.ConclusionThereby, curcumin-dendrimer conjugate proves to be a promising tool to use in HIV-1 therapy.

Anticancer Activities of Synthesized Niosome Nanoparticles Using Artemisia Annua Extract: Caspase3 and Caspase9 Apoptosis Gene Expression Analysis in Breast Cancer Cell Line (MCF-7)

Introduction: Pharmaceutical formulation of nanoparticles is widely used due to achieving targeted and stable drug release, improving drug solubility and reducing side drug reactions. One of the ways to improve the survival of cancer patients is the treatment using nanocarriers for anticancer drugs. The aim of this study was to synthesize encapsulated nisomes containing the extract of the Artemisia annua and investigate the anticancer and apoptotic effects against breast cancer cell lines. Methods: In this study, a Niosomes nanocarrier was made and then the extract of Gondwash herb was loaded into it. Its physical and chemical properties were confirmed using SEM, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential. Likewise, the encapsulation percentage and release pattern of the extract were investigated. Finally, its anticancer effects against the breast cancer cell line (MCF_7) were investigated and the expression level of apoptotic genes Caspase3 and Caspase9 was studied using Real Time PCR method. At the end, statistical analysis was done by GraphPad Prism software, and cytotoxicity and gene expression data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance. Results: The findings showed that the synthesized nanocarrier newsom containing the extract had a spherical structure and its size was 208.1 nanometers, the encapsulation percentage was 62.35% and the surface charge was 22.5. Similarly, newsome nanocarrier containing the extract had significant anticancer effects compared to the free extract and increased the expression of caspase 3 and caspase 9 genes by 1.184 ± 0.34 (P<0.05) and 1.68 ± 0.81, respectively. (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results showed that the nisome containing the extract of the Gondwash herb increases the anti-cancer and apoptotic effects significantly, and therefore, with further studies in the future, nisome can be used as a targeted drug delivery system for anti-cancer purposes.

Method Development for Analysis of Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes with HPLC

Cyclodextrin inclusion complexes have been widely used in the pharmaceutical industry to improve drug solubility and bioavailability. Analysis of these complexes using HPLC requires the development of appropriate and validated methods. To analyze and compare various HPLC methods used for the analysis of cyclodextrin inclusion complexes, and to identify challenges and trends in method development. A literature review was conducted of articles published in the last 10 years, focusing on HPLC methods for the analysis of cyclodextrin inclusion complexes. Parameters compared included column type, mobile phase composition, flow rate, and detection method. The majority of studies used C18 columns with varying lengths and particle sizes. The composition of the mobile phase varied, reflecting the diversity of properties of the complexes analyzed. The flow rate was generally 1.0 mL/min, with the exception of the HPLC/MS method. Detection methods included UV-Vis, PDA, fluorescence, and mass spectrometry. The main challenges included the dynamic equilibrium of the complexes and stability during analysis HPLC method development for the analysis of cyclodextrin inclusion complexes requires optimization of various parameters to overcome specific challenges. Future trends are towards the use of advanced technologies such as UHPLC and high-resolution mass detection.

Deep Eutectic Solvents Enhancing Drug Solubility and Its Delivery.

Deep eutectic solvents (DES) are environmentally friendly solvents with the potential to dissolve bioactive compounds without affecting their characteristics. DES has special qualities that can be customized to meet the unique characteristics of a biomolecule/active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in accordance with various therapeutic needs, providing a reliable approach in opening the door for the creation of cutting-edge drug formulations by resolving solubility issues in pharmaceutics. This study outlines newly developing approaches to solve the problem of inefficient API extraction due to poor solubility. These emerging strategies also have the capacity to alter the chemical and physical stability of API, which triggers drug's shelf life and their possible health benefits. It is anticipated that the highlighted methods and processes will be developed to capitalize on the DES potential to improve drug solubility and delivery in the pharmaceutical sector.

Design of Nanocarriers for Chemotherapy of Prostate Cancer

Any part of the body might become cancerous. It begins when regular cells are pushed out by out-of-control cells. This can spread to other parts of the body and interfere with normal bodily functions. Globally, cancer is considered to be a huge burden that will only get worse as the population ages and grows. Given the various drawbacks and adverse effects of the traditional formulations, novel strategies for medication delivery to prostate cancer cells are being researched and explored. With their many advantages over traditional chemotherapy, including improved drug solubility, protection from macrophage uptake, which lengthens the drug's blood residence time, and controlled drug delivery to the target prostate cancer, polymeric nanoparticles have been identified as promising candidates for drug delivery to prostate cancer.

Formulation Design and Characterization of Nilotinib Polymeric Nanoparticles by Nanoprecipitation Technique for the Improved Drug Solubility and Dissolution Rate

Introduction: Nilotinib is a BCS class-IV poorly water-soluble kinase inhibitor drug, that was used for this study to prepare the polymeric nanoparticles by nanoprecipitation technique using Eudragit RL-100 and RS-100 as polymers, Killophore P-188 as a surfactant, and PEG 400 used as a non-volatile, and nontoxic solvent for the improvement of the drug solubility and dissolution rate. Method: The initial process and formulation variables are screened out based on the selected critical quality attributes such as drug release (%), particle size (nm), zeta potential (mV), and polydispersity index. The FT-IR and DSC studies reveal that the drug has no compatibility between the selected drug and the polymers and does not show any additional drug peaks after physical mixing and formulations. The prepared nanoparticles were further characterized to evaluate the particle size (nm), polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential (mV), entrapment efficiency (%), and in-vitro drug release (%). From the in vitro drug release study, Eudragit RL-100 and Killophore P-188-based formulations showed optimum drug entrapment efficiency with improved drug solubility and dissolution rate in PEG 400 compared to Eudragit RS-100-based formulations. The accelerated stability data for the optimized formulation batch (F6) before and after storage conditions at 40±2 0C and 75±5% RH indicates that the optimized formulation (F6) is more stable for up to 6 months without changes in drug entrapment efficiency and in vitro dissolution rate. Dissolution kinetic data and diffusion exponent values suggested that optimized formulation followed the Higuchi model with a non-Fickian transport mechanism. Result: According to the results, the preparation method proposed in this study is the most suitable for generating polymeric nanoparticles of nilotinib for improved drug solubility and dissolution rate. Conclusion: The nilotinib-based polymeric nano-formulation proved a potential alternative for better drug release with an enhanced solubility rate.

Exploring the Dissolution, Solid-state Properties, and Long-term Storage Stability of Cryoprotectant-free Fenbendazole Nanoparticles.

Fenbendazole is an antiparasitic drug widely used in veterinary medicine to treat parasitic infections caused in animals like cattle, horses, sheep, and dogs. Recently, it has been repositioned as a potential alternative for cancer treatment. However, it is a highly hydrophobic molecule (0.9 ug/mL), which can compromise its dissolution rate and absorption. Thus, this work aimed to apply a nanotechnological approach to improve drug solubility and dissolution performance. Fenbendazole nanoparticles stabilized by different poloxamers were obtained by lyophilization without cryoprotectants. The behavior of the drug in the solid state was analyzed by X-ray diffractometry, differential scanning calorimetry, and infrared spectroscopy. The nanosystems were also evaluated for solubility and dissolution rate. A long-term stability evaluation was performed for three years at room temperature. The yields of the lyophilization ranged between 75 and 81% for each lot. The nanoparticles showed a submicron size (< 340 nm) and a low polydispersity depending on the stabilizer. The physicochemical properties of the prepared systems indicated a remarkable amorphization of the drug, which influenced its solubility and dissolution performance. The drug dissolution from both the fresh and aged nanosystems was significantly higher than that of the raw drug. In particular, nanoparticles prepared with poloxamer 407 showed no significant modifications in their particle size in three years of storage. Physical stability studies indicated that the obtained systems prepared with P188, P237, and P407 suffered certain recrystallization during long storage at 25 °C. These findings confirm that selected poloxamers exhibited an important effect in formulating fenbendazole nanosystems with improved dissolution.

Overcoming Cancer Drug Resistance with Nanoparticle Strategies for Key Protein Inhibition.

Drug resistance remains a critical barrier in cancer therapy, diminishing the effectiveness of chemotherapeutic, targeted, and immunotherapeutic agents. Overexpression of proteins such as B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs), protein kinase B (Akt), and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in various cancers leads to resistance by inhibiting apoptosis, enhancing cell survival, and expelling drugs. Although several inhibitors targeting these proteins have been developed, their clinical use is often hampered by systemic toxicity, poor bioavailability, and resistance development. Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems present a promising solution by improving drug solubility, stability, and targeted delivery. These systems leverage the Enhanced Permeation and Retention (EPR) effect to accumulate in tumor tissues, reducing off-target toxicity and increasing therapeutic efficacy. Co-encapsulation strategies involving anticancer drugs and resistance inhibitors within nanoparticles have shown potential in achieving coordinated pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles. This review discusses the mechanisms of drug resistance, the limitations of current inhibitors, and the advantages of nanoparticle delivery systems in overcoming these challenges. By advancing these technologies, we can enhance treatment outcomes and move towards more effective cancer therapies.

Preparation, optimisation, and properties of O-carboxymethyl chitosan-g-cholesterol succinic acid monoester polymer nanomicelles

Polymer nanomicelles have the advantages of small particle size, improved drug solubility, retention effect and enhanced permeability, so they can be used in the treatment of tumour diseases. The aim of this study was to prepare and optimise a nanomicelle which can improve the solubility of insoluble drugs. Firstly, the carboxyl group of cholesterol succinic acid monoester was grafted with the side chain amino group of O-carboxymethyl chitosan-g-cholesterol succinic acid monoester (CCMC), and its structure was characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR). Particle size has an important impact on tissue distribution, cell uptake, permeability and inhibition of tumour tissue. In this study, particle size and polydispersity index (PDI) were selected as indexes to optimise the preparation process of CCMC nanomicelles through single factor experiment, Plackett-Burman experiment, the steepest climbing experiment and response surface design experiment. The optimised CCMC nanomicelles showed an average particle size of 173.9 ± 2.3 nm and a PDI of 0.170 ± 0.053. The Cell Counting Kit-8 assay showed no significant effect on cell viability in the range of 0-1000 μg ml-1concentration. Coumarin-6 (C6) was used as a fluorescent probe to investigate the drug-carrying ability of CCMC nanomicelles. C6-CCMC showed 86.35 ± 0.56% encapsulation efficiency with a drug loading of 9.18 ± 0.32%. Both CCMC and C6-CCMC demonstrated excellent stability in different media. Moreover, under the same conditions, the absorption effect of C6 in C6-CCMC nanomicelles was significantly higher than that of free C6 while also exhibiting good sustained-release properties. Therefore, this study demonstrates CCMC nanomicelles as a promising new drug carrier that can significantly improve insoluble drug absorption.

Formulation of Polymeric Nanoparticles Loading Baricitinib as a Topical Approach in Ocular Application.

Topical ocular drug delivery faces several challenges due to the eye's unique anatomy and physiology. Physiological barriers, tear turnover, and blinking hinder the penetration of drugs through the ocular mucosa. In this context, nanoparticles offer several advantages over traditional eye drops. Notably, they can improve drug solubility and bioavailability, allow for controlled and sustained drug release, and can be designed to specifically target ocular tissues, thus minimizing systemic exposure. This study successfully designed and optimized PLGA and PCL nanoparticles for delivering baricitinib (BTB) to the eye using a factorial design, specifically a three-factor at five-levels central rotatable composite 23+ star design. The nanoparticles were small in size so that they would not cause discomfort when applied to the eye. They exhibited low polydispersity, had a negative surface charge, and showed high entrapment efficiency in most of the optimized formulations. The Challenge Test assessed the microbiological safety of the nanoparticle formulations. An ex vivo permeation study through porcine cornea demonstrated that the nanoparticles enhanced the permeability coefficient of the drug more than 15-fold compared to a plain solution, resulting in drug retention in the tissue and providing a depot effect. Finally, the in vitro ocular tolerance studies showed no signs of irritancy, which was further confirmed by HET-CAM testing.

Development of a proliposomal pretomanid dry powder inhaler as a novel alternative approach for combating pulmonary tuberculosis

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) continue as public health concerns. Inhaled drug therapy for TB has substantial benefits in combating the causal agent of TB (Mycobacterium tuberculosis). Pretomanid is a promising candidate in an optional combined regimen for XDR-TB. Pretomanid has demonstrated high potency against M. tuberculosis in both the active and latent phases. Conventional spray drying was used to formulate pretomanid as dry powder inhalers (DPIs) for deep lung delivery using a proliposomal system with a trehalose coarse excipient to enhance the drug solubility. Co-spray drying with L-leucine protected hygroscopic trehalose in formulations and improved powder aerosolization. Higher amounts of L-leucine (40–50 % w/w) resulted in the formation of mesoporous particles with high percentages of drug content and entrapment efficiency. The aerosolized powders demonstrated both geometric and median aerodynamic diameters < 5 µm with > 90 % emitted dose and > 50 % fine particle fraction. Upon reconstitution in simulated physiological fluid, the proliposomes completely converted to liposomes, exhibiting suitable particle sizes (130–300 nm) with stable colloids and improving drug solubility, leading to higher drug dissolution compared to the drug alone. Inhalable pretomanid showed higher antimycobacterial activity than pretomanid alone. The formulations were safe for all broncho-epithelial cell lines and alveolar macrophages, thus indicating their potential suitability for DPIs targeting pulmonary TB.

Solid Dispersions Obtained by Ball Milling as Delivery Platform of Etodolac, a Model Poorly Soluble Drug.

Poor water solubility of drugs is a limiting factor for their bioavailability and pharmacological activity. Many approaches are known to improve drug solubility, and among them, the physical method, solid dispersions (SDs), is applied. SDs are physical mixtures of a drug and a carrier, sometimes with the addition of a surfactant, which can be obtained by milling, cryomilling, spray-drying, or lyophilization processes. In this study, solid dispersions with etodolac (ETD-SDs) were prepared by the milling method using different carriers, such as hypromellose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, copovidone, urea, and mannitol. Solubility studies, dissolution tests, morphological assessment, thermal analysis, and FTIR imaging were applied to evaluate the SD properties. It was shown that the ball-milling process can be applied to obtain SDs with ETD. All designed ETD-SDs were characterized by higher water solubility and a faster dissolution rate compared to unprocessed ETD. SDs with amorphous carriers (HPMC, PVP, and PVP/VA) provided greater ETD solubility than dispersions with crystalline features (urea and mannitol). FTIR spectra confirmed the compatibility of ETD with tested carriers.

Supersolubilization and Amorphization of a Weakly Acidic Drug, Flurbiprofen, by applying Acid-Base supersolubilization (ABS) principle

Improvement in drug solubility is a major challenge for developing pharmaceutical products. It was demonstrated earlier that aqueous solubilities of weakly basic drugs could be increased greatly by interaction with weak acids that would not form salts with the drugs, and the highly concentrated solutions thus produced converted to amorphous solids upon drying. The technique was called acid-base supersolubilization (ABS). The current investigation explored whether the ABS principle could also be applied to weakly acidic drugs. By taking flurbiprofen (pKa 4.09; free acid solubility 0.011 mg/mL) as the model weakly acidic drug and tromethamine, lysine, meglumine, and NaOH as bases, it was studied which of the bases would result in ABS. While in the presence of NaOH and tromethamine, flurbiprofen converted to salts having aqueous solubility of 11–19 mg/mL, the solubility increased to > 399 mg/mL with lysine and > 358 mg/mL with meglumine, producing supersolubilization. However, crystallization of lysine salt was observed with time, followed by some decrease in solubility after reaching maximum solubility with lysine. In contrast, the supersolubilization was maintained with meglumine, and no crystallization of meglumine salt was observed. Upon drying, flurbiprofen-meglumine solutions produced amorphous materials that dissolved rapidly and produced high drug concentrations in aqueous media. Thus, the ABS principle also applies to acidic drugs depending on the weak base used.

Novel Vesicular Bilosomal Delivery Systems for Dermal/Transdermal Applications.

The application of therapeutically active molecules through the dermal/transdermal route into the skin has evolved as an attractive formulation strategy in comparison to oral delivery systems for the treatment of various disease conditions. However, the delivery of drugs across the skin is limited due to poor permeability. Dermal/transdermal delivery is associated with ease of accessibility, enhanced safety, better patient compliance, and reduced variability in plasma drug concentrations. It has the ability to bypass the first-pass metabolism, which ultimately results in steady and sustained drug levels in the systemic circulation. Vesicular drug delivery systems, including bilosomes, have gained significant interest due to their colloidal nature, improved drug solubility, absorption, and bioavailability with prolonged circulation time for a large number of new drug molecules. Bilosomes are novel lipid vesicular nanocarriers comprising bile salts, such as deoxycholic acid, sodium cholate, deoxycholate, taurocholate, glycocholate or sorbitan tristearate. These bilosomes are associated with high flexibility, deformability, and elasticity attributed to their bile acid component. These carriers are advantageous in terms of improved skin permeation, increased dermal and epidermal drug concentration, and enhanced local action with reduced systemic absorption of the drug, resulting in reduced side effects. The present article provides a comprehensive overview of the biopharmaceutical aspects of dermal/transdermal bilosome delivery systems, their composition, formulation techniques, characterization methods, and applications.

Metallic nanomaterials - targeted drug delivery approaches for improved bioavailability, reduced side toxicity, and enhanced patient outcomes.

This paper explores the integral role of metallic nanomaterials in drug delivery, specifically focusing on their unique characteristics and applications. Exhibiting unique size, shape, and surface features, metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) (e.g., gold, iron oxide, and silver NPs) present possibilities for improving medication efficacy while minimizing side effects. Their demonstrated success in improving drug solubility, bioavailability, and targeted release makes them promising carriers for treating a variety of diseases, including inflammation and cancer, which has one of the highest rates of mortality in the world. Furthermore, it is crucial to acknowledge some limitations of MNPs in drug delivery before successfully incorporating them into standard medical procedures. Thus, challenges such as potential toxicity, issues related to long-term safety, and the need for standardized production methods will also be addressed.