Evaluation of Budesonide-Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complex in Thermoreversible Gels for Ulcerative Colitis

Explore the underlying oral efficacy of α-, β-, γ-Cyclodextrin against the ulcerative colitis using in vitro and in vivo studies assisted by network pharmacology

The incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC) is rising worldwide. As a refractory and recurrent disease, UC could seriously affect the patients' quality of life. However, current clinical medical treatments for UC are accompanied by various side effects, especially for long-term applications. Here, the underlying efficacy of cyclodextrins (CDs) was studied. As common excipients, CDs endow proven safety for long-term applications. Results of predictive methods derived from network pharmacology prompted the potential anti-inflammatory effects of CDs by oral administration. RAW264.7 cell experiments verified that CDs could inhibit the excessive secretion of TNF-α (β-CD > α-CD ≈ γ-CD), IL-6, and NO (α-CD > β-CD ≈ γ-CD) as predicted. In mice with DSS-induced acute UC, oral administration of CDs could effectively mitigate the pathological damage of colon tissue and reduce the level of inflammatory mediators. Moreover, 16S rRNA sequencing displayed that gut microbes disturbed by DSS were significantly regulated by CDs. Conclusively, the study showed the therapeutic application prospects of CDs in UC treatment and indicated the feasibility and advantages of developing 'new' therapeutic activities of 'old' ingredients.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Biopharmaceutical and nanotoxicological aspects of cyclodextrins for non-invasive topical treatments: A critical review

Cyclodextrins are nanometric cyclic oligosaccharides with amphiphilic characteristics that increase the stability of drugs in pharmaceutical forms and bioavailability, in addition to protecting them against oxidation and UV radiation. Some of their characteristics are low toxicity, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. They are divided into α-, β-, and γ-cyclodextrins, each with its own particularities. They can undergo surface modifications to improve their performances. Furthermore, their drug inclusion complexes can be made by various methods, including lyophilization, spray drying, magnetic stirring, kneading, and others. Cyclodextrins can solve several problems in drug stability when incorporated into dosage forms (including tablets, gels, films, nanoparticles, and suppositories) and allow better topical biological effects of drugs at administration sites such as skin, eyeballs, and oral, nasal, vaginal, and rectal cavities. However, as they are nanostructured systems and some of them can cause mild toxicity depending on the application site, they must be evaluated for their nanotoxicology and nanosafety aspects. Moreover, there is evidence that they can cause severe ototoxicity, killing cells from the ear canal even when applied by other administration routes. Therefore, they should be avoided in otologic administration and should have their permeation/penetration profiles and the in vivo hearing system integrity evaluated to certify that they will be safe and will not cause hearing loss.

Thiolated α-cyclodextrin: The likely smallest drug carrier providing enhanced cellular uptake and endosomal escape

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of thiolated α-cyclodextrin (α-CD-SH) on the cellular uptake of its payload. For this purpose, α-CD was thiolated using phosphorous pentasulfide. Thiolated α-CD was characterized by FT-IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and powder X-ray diffractometry (PXRD). Cytotoxicity of α-CD-SH was evaluated on Caco-2, HEK 293, and MC3T3 cells. Dilauryl fluorescein (DLF) and coumarin-6 (Cou) serving as surrogates for a pharmaceutical payload were incorporated in α-CD-SH, and cellular uptake was analyzed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Endosomal escape was investigated by confocal microscopy and hemolysis assay. Results showed no cytotoxic effect within 3 h, while dose-dependent cytotoxicity was observed within 24 h. The cellular uptake of DLF and Cou was up to 20- and 11-fold enhanced by α-CD-SH compared to native α-CD, respectively. Furthermore, α-CD-SH provided an endosomal escape. According to these results, α-CD-SH is a promising carrier to shuttle drugs into the cytoplasm of target cells.

Study on the preparation of EGCG-γ-Cyclodextrin inclusion complex and its drug-excipient combined therapeutic effects on the treatment of DSS-induced acute ulcerative colitis in mice

In this study, γ-cyclodextrins (γ-CD) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) were designed to form an inclusion complex (EGCG-γ-IC) for ulcerative colitis (UC) treatment. The drug-excipient combined therapeutic potential of γ-CD and EGCG was verified, when stability and compliance were also achieved. EGCG-γ-IC effectively inhibited the secretions of NO, TNF-α, and IL-6 and the intracellular ROS in RAW264.7 cells. The effectiveness of EGCG-γ-IC in treating DSS-induced acute UC in mice was observed including improving the histological conditions of the colon, reducing the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in serum, and restoring MPO, GSH, and sIgA levels in intestinal tissues. Moreover, EGCG-γ-IC had a more prominent effect on regulating bacterial dysbiosis caused by DSS than EGCG and γ-CD alone. Therefore, EGCG-γ-IC designed here displayed UC treating capacity with safety in the long-term application and promised an industrial production potential due to its excellent storage stability.

A review of controlled release from cyclodextrins: release methods, release systems and application

The controlled release of guest molecules from cyclodextrin (CD) inclusion complexes is very important for specific industrial applications in foods, medicine, cosmetics, textiles, agriculture, environmental protection, and chemical materials. The term "controlled release" encompasses several related methods, including those referred to as immediate release, sustained release and targeted release. Many different CD-based controlled release systems are currently used in practical applications. CD inclusion complexes, CD coupling, supramolecular hydrogels, and supramolecular micelles are among the most common. This review systematically introduces the principles and applications of CD-based controlled release systems, providing a theoretical basis for improving the bioavailability of effective substances and broadening their range of application.

The Role of Glucocorticoids in Inflammatory Diseases

For more than 70 years, glucocorticoids (GCs) have been a powerful and affordable treatment option for inflammatory diseases. However, their benefits do not come without a cost, since GCs also cause side effects. Therefore, strong efforts are being made to improve their therapeutic index. In this review, we illustrate the mechanisms and target cells of GCs in the pathogenesis and treatment of some of the most frequent inflammatory disorders affecting the central nervous system, the gastrointestinal tract, the lung, and the joints, as well as graft-versus-host disease, which often develops after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In addition, an overview is provided of novel approaches aimed at improving GC therapy based on chemical modifications or GC delivery using nanoformulations. GCs remain a topic of highly active scientific research despite being one of the oldest class of drugs in medical use.

Mucoadhesive, Thermoreversible Hydrogel, Containing Tetracaine-Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for Topical, Intranasal Needle-Free Anesthesia

Recent advances have been reported for needle-free local anesthesia in maxillary teeth by administering a nasal spray of tetracaine (TTC) and oxymetazoline, without causing pain, fear, and stress. This work aimed to assess whether a TTC-loaded hybrid system could reduce cytotoxicity, promote sustained permeation, and increase the anesthetic efficacy of TTC for safe, effective, painless, and prolonged analgesia of the maxillary teeth in dental procedures. The hybrid system based on TTC (4%) encapsulated in nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) and incorporated into a thermoreversible hydrogel of poloxamer 407 (TTCNLC-HG4%) displayed desirable rheological, mechanical, and mucoadhesive properties for topical application in the nasal cavity. Compared to control formulations, the use of TTCNLC-HG4% slowed in vitro permeation of the anesthetic across the nasal mucosa, maintained cytotoxicity against neuroblastoma cells, and provided a three-fold increase in analgesia duration, as observed using the tail-flick test in mice. The results obtained here open up perspectives for future clinical evaluation of the thermoreversible hybrid hydrogel, which contains TTC-loaded NLC, with the aim of creating an effective, topical, intranasal, needle-free anesthesia for use in dentistry.

Technological evolution of cyclodextrins in the pharmaceutical field

We herein disclose how global cyclodextrin-based pharmaceutical technologies have evolved since the early 80s through a 1998 patents dataset retrieved from Derwent Innovation Index. We used text-mining techniques based on the patents semantic content to extract the knowledge contained therein, to analyze technologies related to the principal attributes of CDs: solubility, stability, and taste-masking enhancement. The majority of CDs pharmaceutical technologies are directed toward parenteral aqueous solutions. The development of oral and ocular formulations is rapidly growing, while technologies for nasal and pulmonary routes are emerging and seem to be promising. Formulations for topical, transdermal, vaginal, and rectal routes do not account for a high number of patents, but they may be hiding a great potential, representing opportunity research areas. Certainly, the progress in materials sciences, supramolecular chemistry, and nanotechnology, will influence the trend of that, apparently neglected, research. The bottom line, CDs pharmaceutical technologies are still increasing, and this trend is expected to continue in the coming years.

Patent monitoring allows the identification of relevant technologies and trends to prioritize research, development, and investment in both, academia and industry. We expect the scope of this approach to be applied in the pharmaceutical field beyond CDs technological applications.

Recycling of Almond By-Products for Intestinal Inflammation: Improvement of Physical-Chemical, Technological and Biological Characteristics of a Dried Almond Skins Extract

BACKGROUND

Almond skins are rich in bioactive compounds that undergo oxidation/degradation phenomena and are poorly soluble in water, reducing in vivo absorption and bioavailability, factors that influence the pharmacological activity of an active product. We developed a dried acetonic almond skins extract/cyclodextrin complex to improve extract solubility, dissolution rate and biological activity.

METHODS

A lyophilized acetonic almond skin extract was produced. To optimize complex formulation, phase solubility studies and complex characterization (absorption studies, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), morphology, solubility studies) were performed. To evaluate a possible use in healthy products, tumor necrosis factor-α levels and reactive oxygen species release, as well as cicloxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in intestinal epithelial cells, were also evaluated.

RESULTS

Phase solubility studies showed a Bs-type profile. A 1:1 dried acetonic almond skins extract/cyclodextrin ratio was able to improve extract water solubility and dissolution rate (100% in 45 min). The UV-Vis spectra of complex revealed a hypsochromic and hyperchromic effect, probably due to a partial inclusion of extract in cyclodextrin cavity through weak bonds, confirmed by DSC and morphology studies. The technological improvement in the extract characteristics also led to better biological activity. In fact, the complex effectively reduces tumor necrosis factor-α levels with respect to the pure extract and significantly inhibits the reactive oxygen species release, even if only at the lower concentration of 5 μg/mL.

CONCLUSION

The complex was able to overcome solubility problems and could be used in inflammatory disease.

Therapeutic Effects of Anti-Inflammatory N-Acylhydrazones in the Resolution of Experimental Colitis

Inflammatory bowel diseases are caused by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, which may or may not have a specific cause or pathogen. They affect millions of people around the world and there are still few effective treatments. The aim of this work is to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of the IKK-β inhibitor LASSBio-1524 and its three analogs, LASSBio-1760, LASSBio-1763, and LASSBio-1764, on mediator production and expression of inflammatory enzymes using experimental animal models of intestinal inflammatory diseases. Colitis was performed using two different models, which mimic Crohn disease (induced by dinitrobenzene acid) and ulcerative colitis (induced by sodium dextran sulfate) in mice. In both models, a therapeutic protocol with a daily dose of 1, 3, or 30 μmol/kg was performed. LASSBio-1524 and its three analogs reduced the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, and IFN-γ and increased secretion of IL-10, protecting gastrointestinal homeostasis. All compounds reduced macro- and microscopic colonic damage caused by experimental colitis and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase expression in the colon, as well as leukocytosis and anemia resulting from the disease. Our data may suggest LASSBio-1524 and its analogs (LASSBio-1760, LASSBio-1763, and LASSBio-1764) as promising candidates for new prototypes designed to treat inflammatory bowel diseases. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Three new N-acylhydrazones were synthetized as analogs of LASSBio-1524. All new substances were evaluated in dextran sulfate- and dinitrobenzene acid-induced colitis, with LASSBio-1760, LASSBio-1762, and LASSBio-1763 presenting a significant effect in both models of colitis without toxic effects. The new substances could be considered as a new prototype for the development of new anti-inflammatory treatments of colitis.