Relationship between structural features and in vitro release of doxorubicin from biocompatible anionic microemulsion

Microemulsion systems: from the design and architecture to the building of a new delivery system for multiple-route drug delivery

Poorly soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) create major problems in drug dosage form formulation resulting in significant delays in drug pharmaceutical screening, impairing the drug dosage form production. Aiming to minimize the use of excipients for increasing drug apparent solubility and, as a result, its bioavailability, exploration of innovative approaches is an earnest need. Microemulsion is an alternative drug delivery system that emerged as a valuable tool to achieve safe formulations for insoluble compounds and to improve their biopharmaceutical properties and pharmacokinetics. This review aims to present the state of the art of microemulsion systems, bringing an overview about their origin and how they can be properly produced and thoroughly characterized by different approaches. Furthermore, comments on regulatory issues regarding stability assessment and toxicity evaluation are discussed. The review concludes with a current opinion on microemulsion systems. The overall objective of this work was to describe all the potentialities of microemulsion systems as a drug carrier for therapeutic purposes, highlighting the unique features of this nanotechnological platform. Display Image.

Pharmacokinetic interference of doxorubicin with tolbutamide due to reduced metabolic clearance with increased serum unbound fraction in rats

The study examined the effect of doxorubicin (DOX) on the hepatic expression of CYP2C and its activity for metabolizing tolbutamide (TB), a specific CYP2C substrate, in rats and whether the pharmacokinetics of tolbutamide were altered by doxorubicin exposure. The expression level of hepatic CYP2C11 was depressed 1 day after doxorubicin administration (day 1), and this effect on CYP2C11 was augmented on day 4. However, the expression level of hepatic CYP2C6 remained unchanged. The activity of tolbutamide 4-hydroxylation in hepatic microsomes was decreased with time following doxorubicin administration. Regarding the enzyme kinetic parameters for tolbutamide 4-hydroxylation on day 4, the maximum velocity (V_max ) was significantly lower in the DOX group than that in the control group, while the Michaelis constant (K_m ) was unaffected. On pharmacokinetic examination, the total clearance (CL_tot ) of tolbutamide on day 4 was increased, despite the decreased metabolic capacity. On the other hand, the serum unbound fraction (f_u ) of tolbutamide was elevated with a reduced serum albumin concentration in the DOX group. Contrary to CL_tot , CL_tot /f_u , a parameter approximated to the hepatic intrinsic clearance of unbound tolbutamide, was estimated to be significantly reduced in the DOX group. These findings indicate that the metabolic capacity of CYP2C11 in the liver is depressed time-dependently by down-regulation after doxorubicin exposure in rats, and that the decreased enzyme activity of TB 4-hydroxylation in hepatic microsomes reflects the pharmacokinetic change of unbound tolbutamide, not total tolbutamide, in serum.

Third-Generation Transdermal Delivery Systems Containing Zidovudine: Effect of the Combination of Different Chemical Enhancers and a Microemulsion System

This study aimed to examine the influence of the combination of chemical enhancers and a microemulsion on the transdermal permeation of zidovudine (AZT). Ethanol, 1,8-cineole, and geraniol were incorporated in a microemulsion. The droplet size, zeta potential, rheology, and SAXS analysis were performed. The permeation enhancer effect was evaluated using pig ear skin. Snake skin (Boa constrictor) treated with the formulations was also used as a stratum corneum model and studied by attenuated total reflectance-infrared spectroscopy. As a result, it was observed that the incorporation of the chemical enhancers promoted a decrease of the droplet size and some rheological modifications. The 1,8-cineole associated with the microemulsion significantly increased the permeated amount of AZT. Conversely, ethanol significantly increased the quantity of the drug retained in the skin. The probable mechanism for the cineole and ethanol effects was respectively: fluidization and increasing of the diffusion coefficient, and increasing of the partition coefficient. Surprising, geraniol + microemulsion drastically decreased both the permeated and the retained amount of AZT into the skin. Thus, the adequate association of microemulsion and chemical enhancers showed to be a crucial step to enable the topical or transdermal use of drugs.

An analytical GC-MS method to quantify methyl dihydrojasmonate in biocompatible oil-in-water microemulsions: physicochemical characterization and in vitro release studies

Microemulsions (MEs) loaded with methyl dihydrojasmonate (MJ) were developed to improve the aqueous solubility of this drug. The composition of the formulations ranged according to the oil/surfactant ratio (O/S). The MEs were characterized according to diameter of droplets, X-ray diffraction and polarized light microscopy. The MJ identification and quantification was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The MJ showed a retention time of ∼16.7 min for all samples. The obtained correlation coefficient from the calibration graph was 0.991. The developed analytical method was effective enough to quantify low and high concentrations of MJ. The increase of the O/S ME ratio led to a reduction of the droplet diameter. All formulations showed an amorphous structure and the behavior varied between isotropic and anisotropic systems. A decrease in the release of MJ with the increase of the O/S ratio in the formulations was observed. The analytical method developed for the quantitative determination of MJ is suitable to detect and quantify the drug compound from different compositions of MEs in the in vitro release test, and by analogy in other prolonged effects related to the drug reservoir effect of these systems was observed, revealing that ME can be a promising nanocarrier for MJ delivery to tumor cells.

Phase Transitions of Isotropic to Anisotropic Biocompatible Lipid-Based Drug Delivery Systems Overcoming Insoluble Benznidazole Loading

Previous studies reported low benznidazole (BNZ) loading in conventional emulsions due to the weak interaction of the drug with the most common oils used to produce foods or pharmaceuticals. In this study, we focused on how the type of surfactant, surfactant-to-oil ratio w/w (SOR) and oil-to-water ratio w/w (OWR) change the phase behavior of different lipid-based drug delivery systems (LBDDS) produced by emulsion phase inversion. The surfactant mixture composed of soy phosphatidylcholine and sodium oleate (1:7, w/w, hydrophilic lipophilic balance = 16) stabilized medium chain triglyceride in water. Ten formulations with the clear aspect or less turbid dispersions (five with the SOR ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 and five with the OWR from 0.06 to 0.4) were selected from the phase behavior diagram to assess structural features and drug-loading capacity. The rise in the SOR induced the formation of distinct lipid-based drug delivery systems (nanoemulsions and liquid crystal lamellar type) that were identified using rheological measurements and cross-polarized light microscopy images. Clear dispersions of small and narrow droplet-sized liquid-like nanoemulsions, Newtonian flow-type, were produced at SOR from 0.5 to 1.5 and OWR from 0.12 to 0.4, while clear liquid or gel-like liquid crystals were produced at SOR from 1.5 to 2.5. The BNZ loading was improved according to the composition and type of LBDDS produced, suggesting possible drug location among surfactant layers. The cell viability assays proved the biocompatibility for all of the prepared nanoemulsions at SOR less than 1.5 and liquid crystals at SOR less than 2.5, demonstrating their promising features for the oral or parenteral colloidal delivery systems containing benznidazole for Chagas disease treatment.

New Trends on Antineoplastic Therapy Research: Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana Shaw) Oil Nanostructured Systems

Bullfrog oil is a natural product extracted from the Rana catesbeiana Shaw adipose tissue and used in folk medicine for the treatment of several diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the extraction process of bullfrog oil, to develop a suitable topical nanoemulsion and to evaluate its efficacy against melanoma cells. The oil samples were obtained by hot and organic solvent extraction processes and were characterized by titration techniques and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The required hydrophile-lipophile balance and the pseudo-ternary phase diagram (PTPD) were assessed to determine the emulsification ability of the bullfrog oil. The anti-tumoral activity of the samples was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay for normal fibroblast (3T3) and melanoma (B16F10) cell lines. Both extraction methods produced yielded around 60% and the oil was mainly composed of unsaturated compounds (around 60%). The bullfrog oil nanoemulsion obtained from PTPD presented a droplet size of about 390 nm and polydispersity = 0.05 and a zeta potential of about -25 mV. Both the bullfrog oil itself and its topical nanoemulsion did not show cytotoxicity in 3T3 linage. However, these systems showed growth inhibition in B16F10 cells. Finally, the bullfrog oil presented itself as a candidate for the development of pharmaceutical products free from cytotoxicity and effective for antineoplastic therapy.

Development, characterization, and in vitro biological performance of fluconazole-loaded microemulsions for the topical treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a resistant form of leishmaniasis that is caused by a parasite belonging to the genus Leishmania. FLU-loaded microemulsions (MEs) were developed by phase diagram for topical administration of fluconazole (FLU) as prominent alternative to combat CL. Three MEs called F1, F2, and F3 (F1—60% 50 M phosphate buffer at pH 7.4 (PB) as aqueous phase, 10% cholesterol (CHO) as oil phase, and 30% soy phosphatidylcholine/oil polyoxyl-60 hydrogenated castor oil/sodium oleate (3/8/6) (S) as surfactant; F2—50% PB, 10% CHO, and 40% S; F3—40% PB, 10% CHO, and 50 % S) were characterized by droplet size analysis, zeta potential analysis, X-ray diffraction, continuous flow, texture profile analysis, and in vitro bioadhesion. MEs presented pseudoplastic flow and thixotropy was dependent on surfactant concentration. Droplet size was not affected by FLU. FLU-loaded MEs improved the FLU safety profile that was evaluated using red cell haemolysis and in vitro cytotoxicity assays with J-774 mouse macrophages. FLU-unloaded MEs did not exhibit leishmanicidal activity that was performed using MTT colourimetric assays; however, FLU-loaded MEs exhibited activity. Therefore, these MEs have potential to modulate FLU action, being a promising platform for drug delivery systems to treat CL.

Biocompatible microemulsion modifies the tissue distribution of doxorubicin

The incorporation of doxorubicin (DOX) in a microemulsion (DOX-ME) has shown beneficial consequences by reducing the cardiotoxic effects of DOX. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of DOX-ME in Ehrlich solid tumor (EST) and the heart, and compare it with that of free DOX. The distribution study was conducted with female Swiss mice with EST (n = 7 per group; 20-25 g). Animals received a single dose (10 mg/kg, i.p.) of DOX or DOX-ME 7 days after tumor inoculation. Fifteen minutes after administration, the animals were sacrificed, and the tumor and heart tissues were taken for immediate analysis by ultra-performance liquid chromatography. No difference was observed in DOX concentration in tumor tissue between DOX and DOX-ME administration. However, the most remarkable result in this study was the statistically significant reduction in DOX concentration in heart tissue of animals given DOX-ME. Mean DOX concentration in heart tissue was 0.92 ± 0.54 ng mg(-1) for DOX-ME and 1.85 ± 0.34 ng mg(-1) for free DOX. In conclusion, DOX-ME provides a better tissue distribution profile, with a lower drug concentration in heart tissue but still comparable tumor drug concentration, which indicates that antitumor activity would not be compromised.

Development and characterization of biocompatible isotropic and anisotropic oil-in-water colloidal dispersions as a new delivery system for methyl dihydrojasmonate antitumor drug

Microemulsions (MEs) are colloidal systems that can be used for drug-delivery and drug-targeting purposes. These systems are able to incorporate drugs modifying bioavailability and stability and reducing toxic effects. The jasmonate compounds belong to a group of plant stress hormones, and the jasmonic acid and its methyl ester derivative have been described as having anticancer activity. However, these compounds are very poorly water-soluble, not allowing administration by an intravenous route without an efficient nanostructured carrier system. In this work, biocompatible MEs of appropriate diameter size for intravenous route administration, loaded and unloaded with methyl dihydrojasmonate (MJ), were developed and described in a pseudo-ternary phase diagram. The compositions of the MEs were carefully selected from their own regions in the pseudo-ternary phase diagram. The formulations were analyzed by light scattering, polarized light microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Also, a study on rheological profile was performed. The results showed that the droplet size decreased with both MJ incorporation and oil phase/surfactant ratio. All compositions of the studied MEs showed rheological behavior of pseudoplastic fluid and amorphous structures. In the absence of MJ, most of the studied MEs had thixotropic characteristics, which became antithixotropic in the presence of the drug. Almost all MJ-unloaded MEs presented anisotropic characteristics, but some formulations became isotropic, especially in the presence of MJ. The results of this study support the conclusion that the studied system represents a promising vehicle for in vivo administration of the MJ antitumor drug.

Small-angle X-ray scattering and light scattering study of hybrid nanoparticles composed of thermoresponsive triblock copolymer F127 and thermoresponsive statistical polyoxazolines with hydrophobic moieties

A combination of new thermoresponsive statistical polyoxazolines, poly[(2-butyl-2-oxazoline)-stat-(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline)] [pBuOx-co-piPrOx], with different hydrophobic moieties and F127 surfactant as a template system for the creation of thermosensitive nanoparticles for radionuclide delivery has recently been tested [Pánek, Filippov, Hrubý, Rabyk, Bogomolova, Kučka & Stěpánek (2012).Macromol. Rapid Commun.33, 1683–1689]. It was shown that the presence of the thermosensitive F127 triblock copolymer in solution reduces nanoparticle size and polydispersity. This article focuses on a determination of the internal structure and solution properties of the nanoparticles in the temperature range from 288 to 312 K. Here, it is demonstrated that below the cloud point temperature (CPT) the polyoxazolines and F127 form complexes that co-exist in solution with single F127 molecules and large aggregates. When the temperature is raised above the CPT, nanoparticles composed of polyoxazolines and F127 are predominant in solution. These nanoparticles could be described by a spherical shell model. It was found that the molar weight and hydrophobicity of the polymer do not influence the size of the outer radius and only slightly change the inner radius of the nanoparticles. At the same time, molar weight and hydrophobicity did affect the process of nanoparticle formation. In conclusion, poly(2-oxazoline) molecules are fully incorporated inside of F127 micelles, and this result is very promising for the successful application of such systems in radionuclide delivery.

Quercetin: a flavonoid with the potential to treat asthma

Allergic asthma is a complex inflammatory disorder characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness, eosinophilic inflammation and hypersecretion of mucus. Current therapies include β2-agonists, cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 antagonists and corticosteroids. Although these drugs demonstrate beneficial effects, their adverse side effects limit their long-term use. Thus, the development of new compounds with similar therapeutic activities and reduced side effects is both desirable and necessary. Natural compounds are used in some current therapies, as plant-derived metabolites can relieve disease symptoms in the same manner as allopathic medicines. Quercetin is a flavonoid that is naturally found in many fruits and vegetables and has been shown to exert multiple biological effects in experimental models, including the reduction of major symptoms of asthma: bronchial hyperactivity, mucus production and airway inflammation. In this review, we discuss results from the literature that illustrate the potential of quercetin to treat asthma and its exacerbations.

Biocompatible microemulsion modifies the pharmacokinetic profile and cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an anthracycline antibiotic with a broad antitumor spectrum. However, the clinical use of DOX is limited because of its cardiotoxicity, a dose-dependent effect. Colloidal drug delivery systems, such as microemulsions (MEs), allow the incorporation of drugs, modifying the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile and toxic effects. In this study, we evaluated the PK profile and cardiotoxicity of a new DOX ME (DOX-ME). The PK profile of DOX-ME was determined and compared with that of the conventional DOX after single-dose administration (6 mg/kg, intravenous) in male Wistar rats (n = 12 per group). The cardiotoxicity of DOX formulations was evaluated by serum creatine kinase MB (CKMB) activity in both animal groups before and after drug administration. The plasma DOX measurements were performed by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection, and the CKMB levels were assayed using the CKMB Labtest® kit. The ME system showed a significant increase in plasma DOX concentrations and lower distribution volume when compared with conventional DOX. Serum CKMB activity increased after conventional DOX administration but was unchanged in the DOX-ME group. These results demonstrate modifications in drug access to susceptible sites using DOX-ME. DOX-ME displayed features that make it a promising system for future therapeutic application.

Terpene microemulsions for transdermal curcumin delivery: effects of terpenes and cosurfactants

Microemulsion systems composed of terpenes, polysorbate 80, cosurfactants, and water were investigated as transdermal delivery vehicles for curcumin. Pseudoternary phase diagrams of three terpenes (limonene, 1,8-cineole, and α-terpineol) at a constant surfactant/cosurfactant ratio (1:1) were constructed to illustrate their phase behaviors. Limonene combined with cosurfactants like ethanol, isopropanol, and propylene glycol were employed as microemulsion ingredients to study their potential for transdermal curcumin delivery. The transdermal delivery efficacy and skin retention of curcumin were evaluated using neonate pig skin mounted on a Franz diffusion cell. The curcumin permeation rates in the limonene microemulsion studied were 30- and 44-fold higher than those of 1,8-cineole and α-terpineol microemulsions, respectively. Significant effects on the skin permeation rates were observed from microemulsions containing different limonene/water contents. Histological examination of treated skin was performed to investigate the change of skin morphologies. Characteristics such as droplet size, conductivity, interfacial tension, and viscosity were analyzed to understand the physicochemical properties of the transdermal microemulsions. In conclusion, microemulsions loaded with curcumin were successfully optimized for transdermal delivery after screening various terpenes, cosurfactants, and limonene/water ratios. These results indicate that the limonene microemulsion system is a promising tool for the percutaneous delivery of curcumin.

Development and in vitro evaluation of surfactant systems for controlled release of zidovudine

The development of a controlled-release dosage form of zidovudine (AZT) is of crucial importance, in view of the pharmacokinetics of its toxic activity. A suitable drug delivery system could increase AZT bioavailability, reducing its dose-dependent side effects. In this study, systems composed of polyoxypropylene (5) polyoxyethylene (20) cetyl alcohol as surfactant (S), oleic acid as oil phase (O), and water (W) were developed, as possible AZT control release systems. They were characterized by polarized light microscopy (PLM), SAXS, and rheological analysis, followed by in vitro release assay. PLM and SAXS results indicated that the mixtures of S/O/W in the proportions 55/35/10 and 55/25/20 formed microemulsion (ME) systems, while 55/20/25 formed lamellar phase. The incorporation of AZT in these systems was greater than in water or oil; moreover, AZT incorporation did not significantly change the phase behavior of the mixtures. MEs behave as Newtonian fluids in flow rheological analysis and the lamellar phase as a pseudoplastic fluid. The release profile indicated that AZT could be released in a controlled manner, since an exponential pattern governs AZT diffusion, as demonstrated by the Weibull mathematical model. These systems are potential carriers for AZT and could have advantages over conventional pharmaceutical forms.

Effect of cationic micelles on the decomposition of alpha-aminophenyl cephalosporins

The intramolecular rates of degradation of alpha-aminophenyl cephalosporins were determined with and without hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Micellar-derived spectral shifts were used to measure the bind of the ionic forms as well as to determine the effect of CTAB on the apparent dissociation constant of the antibiotics. The rate of the degradation of cephalexin (Cp), cefadroxil (Cf), and cephradine (Cph), increased with surfactant concentration reaching a plateau at high surfactant concentrations. In the plateau region, the rate constant was salt sensitive decreasing with NaBr concentrations. These effects were quantitatively analyzed within the framework of the pseudo-phase model with explicit considerations of ion exchange. All the experimental results were fitted to this model. The intramolecular degradation of Cf, Cp and Cph was catalyzed by 96-, 59-, and 29-fold, respectively. A working hypothesis to rationalize these effects was suggested. The obtained results demonstrate that the quantitative analysis can be used to assess, predict and control the effects of surfactants on the drug stability.

Anti-inflammatory effect of quercetin-loaded microemulsion in the airways allergic inflammatory model in mice

Quercetin is a plant-derived flavonoid widely known by its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but its oral bioavailability is very poor and this becomes difficult to assess its therapeutic potential. Here we have compared the anti-inflammatory effect of quercetin-loaded microemulsion (QU-ME) and quercetin suspension (QU-SP) in an experimental model of airways allergic inflammation. Mice received daily oral doses of QU-ME (3 or 10mg/kg; in an oil-in-water microemulsion content 0.02:0.2:1 of lecithin:castor oil:Solutol HS15((R))), QU-SP [10mg/kg, in carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) 0.5% in water] or vehicle from the 18th to the 22nd day after the first immunization with ovalbumin (OVA). Dexamethasone was used as positive control drug. Every parameter was evaluated in the 22nd day (24h after the second OVA-challenge). We have also tried to assess by HPLC-MS a quercetin metabolite in the blood of rats treated with QU-SP or QU-ME. QU-ME was better orally absorbed when compared with QU-SP. Furthermore, oral administration of QU-SP failed to interfere with leukocyte recruitment, while QU-ME inhibited in a dose-dependent way, the eosinophil recruitment to the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). QU-ME also significantly reduced both IL-5 and IL-4 levels, but failed to interfere with CCL11, IFN-gamma and LTB(4) levels. In addition, QU-ME oral treatment inhibited the nuclear transcription factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) activation, P-selectin expression and the mucus production in the lung. The present results show that QU-ME exhibits pronounced anti-inflammatory properties in a murine model of airways allergic inflammation and suggest that it might present therapeutic potential for the airways inflammatory diseases management.

Formulation optimization and in situ absorption in rat intestinal tract of quercetin-loaded microemulsion

A new microemulsion system has been developed to increase the solubility and oral absorption of quercetin, a poorly water-soluble drug. The formulation of quercetin-loaded microemulsion was optimized by a simplex lattice experiment design. The optimized microemulsion formulation consisted of oil (7%, w/w), surfactant (48%, w/w), and cosurfactant (45%, w/w). Under this condition, the mean droplet diameter of microemulsion was 38.9 nm and solubility of quercetin in the microemulsion was 4.138 mg/ml. The in situ absorption property of quercetin-loaded microemulsion in rat intestine was studied and the results showed there was significant difference in absorption parameters such as K(a), t(1/2) and uptake percentages between microemulsion and micelle solution containing quercetin. The study on absorption percentage in different regions of rat intestine attested that the colon had the best permeability, followed by ileum, duodenum in order. It can be concluded that microemulsion can improve the solubility and oral absorption of quercetin, a poorly water-soluble drug.

Oil-in-water lecithin-based microemulsions as a potential delivery system for amphotericin B

In this work the structural features of microemulsions (MEs) containing the pharmaceutical biocompatible Soya phosphatidylcholine/Tween 20 (1:1) as surfactant (S), Captex 200 as oil phase (O), and phosphate buffer 10mM, pH 7.2 as aqueous phase (W) were studied. Systems obtained with different proportions of the components were described by pseudo-ternary phase diagrams in order to characterize the microemulsions studied here. MEs were prepared with and without the polyene antifungal drug amphotericin B (AmB). The maximum AmB incorporation into the ME system was dependent on both the oil phase and surfactant proportions with 6.80 and 5.7 mg/mL in high contents, respectively. The incorporation of AmB into the ME systems significantly increased the profile of the droplet size of the ME for all ranges of surfactant proportions used in the formulations. The microstructures of the system were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and rheological behavior. The DLS results showed that the size of the oil droplets increases 4.6-fold when AmB is incorporated into the ME system. In all cases the increase in the proportion of the oil phase of the ME leads to a slight increase in the diameter of the oil droplets of the system. Furthermore, for both the AmB-loaded and AmB-unloaded MEs, the size of the oil droplets decrease significantly with the increase of the S proportion in the formulations, demonstrating the efficiency of the surfactant in stabilizing the ME. Depending on the ME composition, an anti-thixotropic behavior was found. The maximum increases of the consistency index caused by the increase of the oil phase of the ME were of 17- and 25-times for the drug-loaded and drug-unloaded MEs, respectively. However, the observed effect for the drug-loaded ME was about 4.6 times higher than that for the drug-unloaded one, demonstrating the strong effect of the drug on the rheological characteristics of the ME system. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that the investigated ME can be used as a very promising vehicle for AmB.

Structural changes of biocompatible neutral microemulsions stabilized by mixed surfactant containing soya phosphatidylcholine and their relationship with doxorubicin release

Depending on the composition, the mixture of surfactant, oil and water, may form supramolecular aggregates with different structures which can significantly influence the drug release. In this work several microemulsion (ME) systems containing soya phosphatidylcholine (SPC) and eumulgin HRE40 (EU) as surfactant, cholesterol (O) as oil phase, and ultra-pure water as an aqueous phase were studied. MEs with and without the antitumoral drug doxorubicin (DOX) were prepared. The microstructures of the systems were characterized by photon correlation spectroscopy, rheological behavior, polarized light microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results reveal that the diameter of the oil droplets was dependent on the surfactant (S) amount added to formulations. The apparent viscosity was dependent on the O/S ratio. High O/S ratio leads to the crystallization of cholesterol polymorphs phases which restricts the mobility of the DOX molecules into the ME structure. Droplets with short-range spatial correlation were formed from the ME with the low O/S ratio. The increase of the cholesterol fraction in the O/S mixture leads to the formation of ordered structures with lamellar arrangements. These different structural organizations directly influenced the drug release profiles. The in vitro release assay showed that the increase of the O/S ratio in the formulations inhibited the constant rate of DOX release. Since the DOX release ratio was directly dependent on the ratio of O/S following an exponential decay profile, this feature can be used to control the DOX release from the ME formulations.

Viability and permeability across Caco-2 cells of CBZ solubilized in fully dilutable microemulsions

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the viability and permeability of carbamazepine (CBZ) solubilized in fully dilutable non-ionic microemulsions across Caco-2 cells used as a model for intestinal epithelium. Maximum solubilization capacity (SC) of CBZ was determined within water-in-oil (W/O), bicontinuous and oil-in-water (O/W) structures formed upon dilution. The effect of the nature of the oil phase, surfactant type, and the ratio between the oil phase and surfactant on the quantity of solubilized CBZ, droplets size, the viability of the cells and drug permeability was elucidated. We found that: (1) several fully dilutable microemulsions based on pharma-grade ingredients can be loaded with very significant amounts of CBZ, (2) W/O microemulsions (10wt% water) exhibit up to 3-fold higher solubilization capacity over the drug's solubility in oil (triacetin), (3) CBZ in the O/W microemulsions (80wt% water) exhibit up to 29-fold higher solubilization than in water, (4) the O/W droplets of the examined systems are 9-11nm in size, (5) the highest permeability was obtained in systems containing triacetin/alpha-tocopherol acetate/ethanol in 3/1/4wt% ratio as oil phase and Tween 60 as surfactant, (6) the replacement of alpha-tocopherol acetate by alpha-tocopherol inhibits CBZ release, (7) replacement of a saturated chain of Tween 60 by an unsaturated (Tween 80) or shorter chain (Tween 40) inhibited drug release, (8) the decrease in the oil phase to surfactant ratio leads to enhancement of drug release (dilution line 64>dilution line 73).