Enhanced solubility and biopharmaceutical performance of atorvastatin and metformin via electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone-hyaluronic acid composite nanoparticles

Development and Characterization of Pentaerythritol-EudragitRS100 Co-processed Excipients as Solid Dispersion Carriers for Enhanced Aqueous Solubility, In Vitro Dissolution, and Ex Vivo Permeation of Atorvastatin

Atorvastatin (ATV), a lipid-lowering agent, has low oral bioavailability due to its poor water solubility, permeability, and low dissolution rate. Therefore, pentaerythritol-EudragitRS100 co-processed excipients (PECE) were synthesized, and their feasibility as solid dispersion carriers (ATV-PECE-SD) for improving the solubility, permeability, and dissolution rate of ATV was explored. Solid dispersions were assessed in terms of particle size and zeta potential, and solubility, in vitro dissolution, and ex vivo permeation studies were studied. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) were used as characterization tools. ATV-PECE-SD3 (1:4) formulations exhibited a small particle size with high stability. Physicochemical evaluation evidenced the formation of solid dispersion due to the involvement of weak electrostatic interaction between the polar functional groups of ATV and PECE carriers. ATV-PECE-SD3 (1:4) significantly enhanced the water solubility by ∼43-fold compared to pure ATV. In vitro dissolution studies showed that optimized formulation enhanced the dissolution rate of ATV compared to pure ATV. Ex vivo permeation results revealed that ATV-PECE-SD3 (1:4) enhanced the permeation rate of ATV compared to pure ATV. The optimized formulations significantly improved the dissolution rate of ATV in the fed state due to the food effect and micelle formation mechanism compared to the fasted state. The study concludes that co-processed excipients could be used as promising solid dispersion carriers to enhance the aqueous solubility, permeability, and dissolution rate of ATV.

Modeling of Chitosan modified PLGA atorvastatin-curcumin conjugate (AT-CU) nanoparticles, overcoming the barriers associated with PLGA: an approach for better management of atherosclerosis

Conjugate drugs are evolving into potent techniques in the drug development process for enhancing the biopharmaceutical, physicochemical, and pharmacokinetic properties. Atorvastatin (AT) is the first line of treatment for coronary atherosclerosis; however its therapeutic efficacy is limited because of its poor solubility and fast pass metabolism. Curcumin (CU) is evidenced in several crucial signaling pathways linked to lipid regulation and inflammation. To enhance the therapeutic efficacy and physical properties of AT and CU, a new conjugate derivative (AT-CU) was synthesized and assessed by in silico, in vitro characterizations, and in vivo efficacy through mice model. Although the biocompatibility and biodegradability of Polylactic-co-Glycolic Acid (PLGA) in nanoparticles are well documented, burst release is a common issue with this polymer. Hence the current work used chitosan as a drug release modifier to the PLGA nanoparticles. The chitosan-modified PLGA AT-CU nanoparticles were prepaid by single emulsion and solvent evaporation technique. With raising the concentration of chitosan the particle size grew from 139.2 nm to 197.7 nm, the zeta potential rose from -20.57 mV to 28.32 mV, and the drug encapsulation efficiency improved from 71.81 % to 90.57 %. At 18 hours, the burst release of AT-CU from PLGA nanoparticles was seen, hitting abruptly 70.8%. For chitosan-modified PLGA nanoparticles, the burst release pattern was significantly reduced which could be due to the adsorption of the drug on the surface of chitosan. The efficiency of the ideal formulation i.e F4 (chitosan/PLGA= 0.4) in treating atherosclerosis was further strongly evidenced by in vivo investigation.

Application of Sol–Gels for Treatment of Gynaecological Conditions—Physiological Perspectives and Emerging Concepts in Intravaginal Drug Delivery

Approaches for effective and sustained drug delivery to the female reproductive tract (FRT) for treating a range of gynaecological conditions remain limited. The development of versatile delivery platforms, such as soluble gels (sol–gels) coupled with applicators/devices, holds considerable therapeutic potential for gynaecological conditions. Sol–gel systems, which undergo solution-to-gel transition, triggered by physiological conditions such as changes in temperature, pH, or ion composition, offer advantages of both solution- and gel-based drug formulations. Furthermore, they have potential to be used as a suitable drug delivery vehicle for other novel drug formulations, including micro- and nano-particulate systems, enabling the delivery of drug molecules of diverse physicochemical character. We provide an anatomical and physiological perspective of the significant challenges and opportunities in attaining optimal drug delivery to the upper and lower FRT. Discussion then focuses on attributes of sol–gels that can vastly improve the treatment of gynaecological conditions. The review concludes by showcasing recent advances in vaginal formulation design, and proposes novel formulation strategies enabling the infusion of a wide range of therapeutics into sol–gels, paving the way for patient-friendly treatment regimens for acute and chronic FRT-related conditions such as bacterial/viral infection control (e.g., STDs), contraception, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), infertility, and cancer.