Traditional Delivery Methods Research Articles

Pedagogical interventions and their influences on university-level students learning pharmacology-a realist review

IntroductionThe knowledge complexity and varied delivery formats in pharmacology education can leave students unprepared in essential pharmacotherapy skills. This significantly influences their ways of thinking and working in clinical environments, resulting in a challenging clinical transition. This need demands pedagogical innovations to strengthen pharmacology education and improve learners’ skills and competencies in pharmacotherapy. This evidence-based realist review aimed to examine the contextual factors and program theories or causal mechanisms crucial for effective pedagogical interventions in pharmacology, seeking to answer the question of ‘what works for whom, under what circumstances, how, and why’.MethodThe realist synthesis was initiated after retrieving data from Medline (OVID), Cochrane, EBSCO hosted ERIC, SCOPUS, and Embase (OVID) including other sources for additional records. The preliminary analysis enabled the establishment of context, mechanism, and outcome configurations (CMOC) and formulation and refinement of the initial program theory regarding the pedagogical interventions in pharmacology. Data synthesis iteration helped to identify the relevant context and unravel its relationships with underlying causal mechanisms through which said interventions generate outcomes of interest.ResultsA realist review analyzed 1,217 records and identified 75 articles examining a range of educational interventions from individual efforts to faculty-wide curriculum changes in pharmacology education. The key contexts for pharmacology education were troublesome content, traditional delivery methods, inadequate and limited opportunities for knowledge integration, and application. Active participation in interactive learning, along with enjoyment and motivation, was proposed as a causal mechanism for optimizing cognitive load and achieving positive outcomes. The outcomes of the review include subjective perceptions of improved confidence and satisfaction, objective measurements of high post-test scores.DiscussionPedagogical scaffolding in constructivist learning environments helps students overcome challenges in learning troublesome pharmacology knowledge. Considering the human cognitive system’s processing capacity, these interventions improve learning by effectively using cognitive resources. Innovations that focus on enhancing cognitive load through task construction can also promote positive emotional experiences in students, such as engagement and enjoyment, as explained by flow theory. A constructive learning environment, where the cognitive load is optimized and high flow is achieved, can maximize the impact of pedagogical interventions in pharmacology.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=160441, PROSPERO (CRD42020160441).

Advancements in Skin-Mediated Drug Delivery: Mechanisms, Techniques, and Applications.

Skin-mediated drug delivery methods currently are receiving significant attention as a promising approach for the enhanced delivery of drugs through the skin. Skin-mediated drug delivery offers the potential to overcome the limitations of traditional drug delivery methods, including oral administration and intravenous injection. The challenges associated with drug permeation through layers of skin, which act as a major barrier, are explored, and strategies to overcome these limitations are discussed in detail. This review categorizes skin-mediated drug delivery methods based on the means of increasing drug permeation, and it provides a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms and techniques associated with these methods. In addition, recent advancements in the application of skin-mediated drug delivery are presented. The review also outlines the limitations of ongoing research and suggests future perspectives of studies regarding the skin-mediated delivery of drugs.

Potential Application of Self-Assembled Peptides and Proteins in Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer

Ongoing research is gradually broadening the idea of cancer treatment, with attention being focused on nanoparticles to improve the stability, therapeutic efficacy, targeting, and other important metrics of conventional drugs and traditional drug delivery methods. Studies have demonstrated that drug delivery carriers based on biomaterials (e.g., protein nanoparticles and lipids) and inorganic materials (e.g., metal nanoparticles) have potential anticancer effects. Among these carriers, self-assembled proteins and peptides, which are highly biocompatible and easy to standardize and produce, are strong candidates for the preparation of anticancer drugs. Breast cancer (BC) and cervical cancer (CC) are two of the most common and deadly cancers in women. These cancers not only threaten lives globally but also put a heavy burden on the healthcare system. Despite advances in medical care, the incidence of these two cancers, particularly CC, which is almost entirely preventable, continues to rise, and the mortality rate remains steady. Therefore, there is still a need for in-depth research on these two cancers to develop more targeted, efficacious, and safe therapies. This paper reviews the types of self-assembling proteins and peptides (e.g., ferritin, albumin, and virus-like particles) and natural products (e.g., soy and paclitaxel) commonly used in the treatment of BC and CC and describes the types of drugs that can be delivered using self-assembling proteins and peptides as carriers (e.g., siRNAs, DNA, plasmids, and mRNAs). The mechanisms (including self-assembly) by which the natural products act on CC and BC are discussed. The mechanism of action of natural products on CC and BC and the mechanism of action of self-assembled proteins and peptides have many similarities (e.g., NF-KB and Wnt). Thus, natural products using self-assembled proteins and peptides as carriers show potential for the treatment of BC and CC.

Updates on Novel Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Chronic joint inflammation is a hallmark of the systemic inflammatory illness known as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which ultimately causes severe disability and early death. Around 1% of people worldwide are affected by it, and women are 2-3 times more likely to be affected than males. Preclinical RA, genetic influences and environmental influences all have a role in the etiology of the illness. Since there is no recognized treatment for RA, achieving the lowest disease activity and, if possible, recovery remains the key goals of care. The literature on the various RA therapy options, their mechanisms of action, side effects and innovative drug delivery systems that are currently being used for medication administration are highlighted in this review, with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug delivery systems receiving the most attention. The most popular medications from each class are reviewed, including corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs), disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologics. Traditional medication therapy has various drawbacks, including inadequate bioavailability, first pass metabolism, gastrointestinal enzyme degradation, limited solubility and permeability, food interactions and toxicity. Innovative drug delivery technologies such as microspheres, nanoparticles, dendrimers, liposomes and others, hold great promise since they have been able to overcome the drawbacks of traditional drug delivery systems. The current review compares and contrasts numerous unique drug delivery methods that have been investigated for using anti-rheumatic medications, as well as the benefits of using these novel methods over traditional drug delivery methods.

A Comparative Evaluation of Desoximetasone Cream and Ointment Formulations Using Experiments and In Silico Modeling.

The administration of therapeutic drugs through dermal routes, such as creams and ointments, has emerged as an increasingly popular alternative to traditional delivery methods, such as tablets and injections. In the context of drug development, it is crucial to identify the optimal doses and delivery routes that ensure successful outcomes. Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models have been proposed to simulate drug delivery and optimize drug formulations, but the calibration of these models is challenging due to the multitude of variables involved and limited experimental data. One significant research gap that this article addresses is the need for more efficient and accurate methods for calibrating PBPK models for dermal drug delivery. This manuscript presents a novel approach and an integrated dermal drug delivery model to address this gap that leverages virtual in vitro release (IVRT) and permeation (IVPT) testing data to optimize mechanistic models. The proposed approach was demonstrated through a study involving Desoximetasone cream and ointment formulations, where the release kinetics and permeation profiles of Desoximetasone were determined experimentally, and a computational model was created to simulate the results. The experimental studies showed that, even though the cumulative permeation of Desoximetasone at the end of the permeation study was comparable, there was a significant difference seen in the lag time in the permeation of Desoximetasone between the cream and ointment. Additionally, there was a significant difference seen in the amount of Desoximetasone permeated through human cadaver skin at early time points when the cream and ointment were compared. The computational model was optimized and validated, suggesting that this approach has the potential to bridge the existing research gap by improving the accuracy and efficiency of drug development processes. The model results show a good fit between the experimental data and model predictions. During the model optimization process, it became evident that there was variability in both the permeability and the partition coefficient within the stratum corneum. This variability had a significant and noteworthy influence on the overall performance of the model, especially when it came to its capacity to differentiate between cream and ointment formulations. Leveraging virtual models significantly aids the comprehension of drug release and permeation, mitigating the demanding data requirements. The use of virtual IVRT and IVPT data can accelerate the calibration of PBPK models, streamline the selection of the appropriate doses, and optimize drug delivery. Moreover, this novel approach could potentially reduce the time and resources involved in drug development, thus making it more cost-effective and efficient.

Development, optimization and in vitro-in vivo evaluation of solid lipid microparticles for improved pharmacokinetic profile of bisoprolol

The current research aimed at designing and optimizing controlled release solid lipid microparticles (SLMs) of Bisoprolol (BPL) from biocompatible waxes by using Box-Bhenken design (BBD) for improving the drug pharmacokinetics, enhancing compliance in hypertensive patients as well as eliminating inefficiencies of traditional methods of drug delivery. Seventeen formulations (F1 to F17) of controlled release BPL loaded SLMs were made by melt emulsification technique where Carnauba wax (CW) and Ceresin wax (CSW) were used as carriers and Tween 80 was used as stabilizer. The SLMs were characterized using fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results revealed that micromeritics properties of all SLMs were satisfactory and showed good percentage yield (PY) and entrapment efficiency (EE). The minimum EE was observed by formulation-1 (F1) as 21.66% whereas F3 has showed maximum EE as 88%. Results of in vitro release study revealed that all formulations showed a well-controlled release in simulated intestinal medium at pH 7.4. The formulation F3 with high wax concentration revealed best extended release characteristics (29%) in 12 h. The pharmacokinetics studies of SLMs demonstrated an expressively lower Cmax (maximum plasma concentration) of BPL (53.61 ± 2:52) with a satisfactorily higher time to achieve maximum plasma concentration (Tmax) of 10.24 h as compared to Cmax (79.63 ± 5.75) and Tmax (2.45 ± 3.83) of BPL released from commercial brands. Moreover the attainment of greater bioavailability of BPL was most probably due to the increase in half-life (20.44 ± 2.82), mean residence time (24.81 ± 4.22) and area under the plasma concentration level curve (AUC0–24) of 9688.6 ± 4.18 for BPL released from SLMs. Convincingly, the inventive technique could not only sustain the drug release in the in vitro and in vivo environment but also maintain the plasma drug concentration level constant for a longer time without elevating Cmax.

Optimization of NdFeB Permanent Magnets Configuration for Spinal Cord Drug Delivery

Magnetic drug delivery is an effective method to decrease the side effects of traditional drug delivery methods. To enhance the efficiency of magnetic nanoparticle transport, a precise and cost-effective magnetic system is required. In this research, different arrangements of NdFeB magnets for drug delivery in human spinal cord were presented and then compared. Assummed magnetic nanoparticles are injected into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and focused on the disease site with external magnets. The effects of these magnets on nanoparticles have been investigated. The results show that the arrangement of sharp magnets has a more accurate performance in delivering nanoparticles to the damage site than other arrangements. The designed magnetic system can improve the accuracy of drug delivery in the spinal cord compared to previous methods.

An Analysis of Consumer’s Concerns in Digital Economy and Effectiveness of Consumer Protection Laws

The present period can be broadly termed as consumer’s era, as they have multiple substitutes available for any product or services. The consumers are more sensitive about the quality of product or services and time concern too. Majority of consumers, specially the youth are more concern about time period, this shifting the mood from monetary aspect to real rime. The Consumers desire to have cheap and best product and fast services; this caused the shifting in the modes of procurements. The expectations have replaced the traditional methods of delivery, which was time consuming to online delivery. Here, there is scope of delivery of inferior quality of product and/or even damaged or incorrect product delivery. These aspects have increased the number of legal disputes. As a natural justice, this needs to be addressed in shortest possible time. For this purpose a separate Act was enacted by the Government of India in 1986 i.e.-"The Consumer Protection Act, 1986". Subsequently, this Act was amended in 2019 and known as, The Consumer Protection Act (Amendment), 2019. The focus was on various new parameters of satisfaction and includes the other missing aspects classifying the range of defective services with precise definitions. The awareness of the consumers has forced the producers to abide by quality and real time delivery of correct product. Further, in the global market, when there is a tough competition, within the product itself, service providers or producers are also concerned about their interests and survival. These aspects need more precise mechanism of grievances redressal. The present consumer search for best out of best, and these expectations have further raised the level of satisfaction, which is very difficult to define. This paper focuses to study and analyse the need to address the consumer concerns, fast grievances redressal and need of effective legal tools in the era of digitalization domestically and globally.

Targeted delivery of therapeutic agents in a healthy and stenosed patient-specific carotid artery using an external magnetic field

In Magnetic Drug Targeting (MDT), an alternative and highly efficient technique to traditional drug delivery methods, therapeutic agents labeled with magnetic particles are transported to a target region using an external magnetic field. A high concentration of agents in the target tissue and their non-dispersion in the body increases treatment efficiency. In this study, targeted delivery of endothelial cells containing magnetic particles in a healthy and stenosed patient-specific carotid artery was studied. The Eulerian-Lagrangian approach was adapted to track the motion of particles and solve fluid equations. The effect of many internal parameters such as plaque morphology (occlusion percentage and the chord length of stenosis) and external parameters such as the strength and the position of the magnetic source, injection time, and the mass of magnetic particles inside each cell on the capture efficiency (CE) of cells was investigated. Results reveal that increasing the mass of magnetic particles in each cell and magnetic field strength enhances the capture efficiency of cells in the target region. Also, shifting the magnetic source location from position 1 (before the carotid sinus) to position 3 (after the carotid sinus) can increase and decrease the number of absorbed cells in the target region and CCA, respectively, both of which are desirable. Investigation of the injection time shows that the CE of cells when injecting in the systole and diastole is approximately the same as their CE when injected in a whole cardiac cycle. For a stenosed carotid artery, the percentage of occlusion is directly related to the CE of cells in the target region. Also, the chord length of stenosis has a direct and inverse relationship with the number of absorbed cells on the plaque surface and in the target region, respectively. Therefore, magnetic particles with higher magnetism or stronger magnetic fields are recommended for the stenosed carotid artery with a more severe occlusion percentage or a longer chord length.

QbD Design, Formulation, Optimization and Evaluation of Trans-Tympanic Reverse Gelatination Gel of Norfloxacin: Investigating Gene-Gene Interactions to Enhance Therapeutic Efficacy.

Traditional otic drug delivery methods lack controlled release capabilities, making reverse gelatination gels a promising alternative. Reverse gelatination gels are colloidal systems that transition from a sol to a gel phase at the target site, providing controlled drug release over an extended period. Thermosensitive norfloxacin reverse gelatination gels were developed using a Quality by Design (QbD)-based optimization approach. The formulations were evaluated for their in vitro release profile, rheological behavior, visual appearance, pH, gelling time, and sol-gel transition temperature. The results show that the gelation temperatures of the formulations ranged from 33 to 37 °C, with gelling durations between 35 and 90 s. The drug content in the formulations was uniform, with entrapment efficiency ranging from 55% to 95%. Among the formulations, F10 exhibited the most favorable properties and was selected for a stability study lasting 60 days. Ex-vivo release data demonstrate that the F10 formulation achieved 95.6percentage of drug release at 360 min. This study successfully developed thermosensitive norfloxacin reverse gelatination gels using a QbD-based optimization approach. The selected formulation, F10, exhibited desirable properties in terms of gelling temperature, drug content, and release profile. These gels hold potential for the controlled delivery of norfloxacin in the treatment of ear infections.

Attitudes and opinions of telehealth in the dental school environment: A survey study.

The objective of this study was to assess provider attitudes and opinions regarding telehealth in the dental school environment. A survey was developed and validated and was sent to 849 predoctoral students, postdoctoral students (residents), and faculty at a single dental school. It consisted of 13 questions regarding the participants' professional backgrounds, opinions, and attitudes toward telehealth. The survey opened on November 16, 2021, and remained open for 6 weeks. Of 849 survey recipients, 163 (19%) responded. Among 161 usable surveys, 90 (56%) were predoctoral students, 42 (26%) were postdoctoral students, and 29 (18%) were faculty. Fifty-four percent reported having completed at least one telehealth visit. Among this subset, 80% strongly agreed or agreed that telehealth is a good adjunct in providing care; 74% strongly agreed or agreed that telehealth has improved communication with patients. Most dental providers reported positive opinions and attitudes regarding telehealth's ability to improve communication and serve as an adjunct to providing care. In the right circumstances, telehealth offers an alternative to traditional oral healthcare delivery methods. Based on the perceptions of dental providers, the use of telehealth may also be beneficial in combination with traditional approaches in the dental school environment.

Optimizing the material distribution method for automotive electronic switch production: A rigid and flexible approach

The lifecycle of automotive electronic switches is relatively short. The products exhibit a high level of customization. The assembly production demonstrates characteristics of high variety in small batch sizes and frequent production changeovers. Traditional delivery methods often result in issues such as excessive line-side inventory, residual material accumulation, and material management disorder. In this article, a reverse planning approach is adopted to logically analyze from the material demand side to the supply side. By integrating the concepts of push and pull production control, a just-in-time delivery sequencing model is designed. Furthermore, the model was validated based on production data from Company A. The aim is to reduce line-side inventory, improve delivery accuracy, shift from ensuring material supply to efficient supply, and enhance inventory turnover. The purpose of improvement is to achieve a 20% reduction in floor space occupied by the assembly workshop at the same production level, decrease line-side inventory (including raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods) by 30%, increase inventory turnover by 20%, reduce the working hours required for logistics personnel by 30%, and improve the accuracy of material deployment (including quantity and part number) from 92% to 99%.

An EGCG-mediated self-assembled micellar complex acts as a bioactive drug carrier.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has attracted the increasing attention of many researchers, especially in the field of tumor therapy. However, EGCG has poor fat solubility, low stability, low bioavailability, and a high effective dose in vivo. Traditional drug delivery methods are difficult to deliver the water-soluble EGCG efficiently and in high doses to tumor sites. To address these issues, a new type of strategy has been tried in this study to transform EGCG from a "Bioactive natural ingredient" into a "Bioactive drug carrier". Briefly, the EGCG was modified with a fat-soluble 9-fluorene methoxy carbonyl (Fmoc) motif, and the obtained EGCG-Fmoc showed a considerable improvement in lipid solubility and stability. Interestingly, EGCG-Fmoc obtained the characteristic of self-assembly in water, making it easier to take up by tumor cells. Furthermore, the self-assembled nanocomplex exhibited paclitaxel encapsulation performance and could achieve the dual delivery of EGCG and paclitaxel.

Continuous and Transparent E-Invigilation of E-Assessments

A massive number of users are currently utilizing e-learning. Despite the flexibility provided, the traditional methods of course delivery are still used, including e-examinations. There is significant concern about the potential for cheating. The current solutions in this respect fundamentally fail to offer the required level of security. This paper seeks to develop an e-invigilator that will provide continuous and transparent invigilation of examinees. The study involves a detailed presentation of the proposed architecture and a complete design to be the core of the system, which captures, processes, and monitors students in a controlled and convenient fashion. The proposed framework prototype was developed, presented, and utilized, involving 51 participants to conduct an experiment to explore the viability of the proposed framework. For all 51 participants in this experiment, the false rejection rate was 0 in 2D facial recognition mode, while in 3D facial recognition mode it was 0.04827. Moreover, in order to evaluate the robustness of the approach against targeted misuse, three participants were tasked with a series of nine threat scenarios. The false acceptance rate was 0.038 in the 2D mode and 0 in the 3D mode.

Metal-Organic Framework (MOFs) for Drug Delivery Applications

The idea of Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) materials was first introduced and developed back in 1959, for other applications. The first application of MOFs in drug delivery is carried by Férey and co-workers in 2006. From then on, MOFs are believed to be very efficient drug carriers as they solve the problem for traditional drug delivery methods of, for instance, having low drug loading capacity, unstable structure and composition as well as uncontrolled drug releasing processes. MOF materials generally have extremely high porosity and surface area, some also have flexibility properties. This review outlines some of the most used and studied MOFs for drug delivery applications including the MIL family (MIL-100/101, MIL-125(Ti), MIL-53), HKUST-1, ZIF-8 and UIO-66. Specifically, the structures, drug loading and drug releasing performances of the materials are summarized. The comparisons and outlooks for the future application of MOF materials in drug delivery are also concluded in this review.

A Review on Revolutionize Drug Delivery with Spansules

This article provides a brief overview of Spansules, a novel drug delivery system. Spansules are designed to release medication in a controlled manner, providing a sustained and consistent therapeutic effect. This delivery method involves encapsulating the drug in a special coating that dissolves slowly, allowing the medication to be released gradually over time. Spansules have been shown to improve patient compliance and reduce side effects associated with traditional drug delivery methods. Spansules are classified as an Advanced Drug Delivery System due to their ability to facilitate controlled and sustained release of medication over an extended duration. The delivery system in question has the capability to maintain a consistent plasma drug concentration across a broad time spectrum. This attribute can enhance the effectiveness of treatment and mitigate the likelihood of adverse reactions. Spansules can be utilized for the delivery of multiple drugs in a single dosage form, while also providing sustained release. The Spansules product offers a multi-drug regimen capability, which enables the administration of multiple drugs in a single dosage form, providing added benefits. Spansules are a type of biphasic release drug delivery system that enables the administration of medication in both immediate and sustained release forms. In situations where a patient necessitates prompt alleviation of symptoms followed by sustained management over an extended duration, these systems can prove to be advantageous. In general, Spansules represent a versatile and efficacious mechanism for drug delivery that can offer numerous advantages to both patients and healthcare providers. Overall, Spansules represent a promising advancement in the field of drug delivery.

Review on Computer-Aided Drug Designing for Targeted Drug Delivery Systems

The article provides an overview of computer-aided drug design (CADD) and its applications in designing targeted drug delivery systems (TDDS). CADD is a process that uses computational tools and techniques to design drugs and predict their biological activity, pharmacological properties, and toxicity. TDDS is designed to deliver drugs specifically to the affected site, reducing the side effects associated with traditional drug delivery methods. The article also covers the history of CADD, the software and aids used in CADD, and the parameters involved in CADD for TDDS. The overview steps involved in CADD are also discussed, including target identification, virtual screening, drug optimization, validation, and regulatory approval. As well as The article provides an overview of computer-aided drug design (CADD) for targeted drug delivery systems (TDDS). CADD is a process of designing drugs using computational tools and techniques to predict the biological activity, pharmacological properties, and toxicity of potential drug compounds. TDDS is designed to deliver drugs specifically to the affected site, reducing the side effects associated with traditional drug delivery methods. Different types of drug delivery vehicles, such as polymeric micelles, liposomes, lipoprotein-based drug carriers, nano-particle drug carriers, dendrimers, etc., are used in TDDS. The article also covers the history, software, and aids used in CADD, and the overview steps involved in CADD for TDDS. Parameters for CADD for TDDS include target identification, drug release kinetics, biocompatibility, pharmacokinetics, targeting efficiency, and drug toxicity.

Polysaccharide-based nanogels and ocular drug delivery: The emerging nanocarrier for crossing blood retinal barrier

The present era demands the development of drug delivery systems that can target therapeutic agents to the site of action with minimal concentration, thereby avoiding unwanted side effects. One of the major obstacles to achieving this objective is the blood-retinal barrier (BRB), which restricts the availability of drugs to the posterior segment of the eye. Traditional methods of drug delivery, such as eye injections and topical application, suffer from low bioavailability and the need for frequent dosing. Nanogels (NGs), a novel drug delivery system, offer a promising solution to this challenge. NGs are comprised of drug particles in the nanometer range and high-viscosity polymer networks, which increases the contact time and facilitates the easy crossing of the BRB. These formulations are easy to prepare, sterilize, and use, and can maintain a desired drug level through initial bursting followed by slow release over time. This narrative review focuses on the growing role of various NGs, including chitosan, chitin, hyaluronan, hyaluronic acid, lysine-carbonized, 2-hydroxypropyl gamma-cyclodextrin, and methylcellulose and poly(N-ter-butylacrylamide) based NGs, in the efficient and safe delivery of drugs to the posterior ocular region by crossing the BRB and avoiding cytotoxicity and immunogenicity.

Antimicrobial releasing hydrogel forming microneedles

Hydrogel-forming microneedle arrays as a technique for transdermal drug delivery show promise as an alternative to traditional drug delivery methods. In this work, hydrogel-forming microneedles have been created with effective, controlled delivery of amoxicillin and vancomycin within comparable therapeutic ranges to that of oral delivered antibiotics. Fabrication using reusable 3D printed master templates enabled quick and low-cost hydrogel microneedle manufacturing through micro-molding. By 3D printing at a tilt angle of 45° the resolution of the microneedle tip was improved by double (from ca. 64 μm down to 23 μm). Amoxicillin and vancomycin were encapsulated within the hydrogel's polymeric network through a unique room temperature swell/deswell drug loading method within minutes, eliminating the need for an external drug reservoir. The hydrogel-forming microneedle mechanical strength was maintained, and successful penetration of porcine skin grafts observed with negligible damage to the needles or surrounding skin morphology. Hydrogel swell rate was tailored by altering the crosslinking density, resulting in controlled antimicrobial release for an applicable delivered dosage. The potent antimicrobial properties of the antibiotic-loaded hydrogel-forming microneedles against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, highlights the beneficial use of hydrogel-forming microneedles towards the minimally invasive transdermal drug delivery of antibiotics.

Biogenic metallic nanoparticles: biomedical, analytical, food preservation, and applications in other consumable products

Biogenic metallic nanoparticles (BMNPs) are nanostructure materials synthesized through biological processes that have gained significant attention due to their small size and high surface area-to-volume ratio. BMNPs have several advantages over chemically synthesized ones due to their eco-friendly synthesis regimen, sustainability, biocompatibility, and diverse multifarious biomedical applications. Moreover, the superior cytocompatibility and stability due to the capping layer over metallic nanoparticles (MNPs), reduces the like hood of toxicity and side effects, making them a safer alternative to traditional drug delivery methods. Among several promising applications of BMNPs, their antibacterial activity, analytical sensing of heavy metals, and their roles in food preservations have been widely explored. In addition, to drug delivery and imaging, BMNPs have also been investigated for therapeutic activity such as antimicrobial efficacy against the skin and soft tissue nosocomial pathogens and targeting cancer cells in cancer therapy. The present review bestows several characterization techniques involved with MNPs and compressive aspects of the biogenic synthesis of MNPs using agricultural and biological materials, which reduces the cost of synthesis and minimizes the use of hazardous chemicals. The review also focuses on the multifold applications of BMNPs including biomedical, analytical, preservation of food, and in other consumable goods with toxicological aspects.