Maltodextrin: A consummate carrier for spray-drying of xylooligosaccharides

Effects of different soluble dietary fibers on oil encapsulation: Comparison of emulsion and microcapsule properties

This study sought to substitute the commonly used carbohydrate, namely, maltodextrin (MD), with indigestible soluble dietary fibers (SDF) including inulin (IN), resistant dextrin (RSD) and xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS), and combine with whey protein isolate to encapsulate edible oil (coconut oil as an example). The effects of different SDF with concentrations ranging from 0 to 18 % on characteristics of emulsion and microcapsules were investigated. The results showed the optimum concentration of SDF was 9 %. Observation of morphology revealed the microcapsules of RSD and XOS of 9 % had complete structure, while that of IN had cracks. The encapsulation efficiency of microcapsules containing SDF (91.1 % to 97.5 %) was higher than that of MD18 (88.2 %), and the oxidative stability was in the order of XOS9 > RSD9 > IN9 > MD18. These results suggest SDF has great potential for encapsulating oil, which can provide a solution for production of low-sugar product with enhanced prebiotic properties.

Techno-Functional, Rheological, and Physico-Chemical Properties of Gelatin Capsule By-Product for Future Functional Food Ingredients

The utilization of gelatin capsule waste (GCW) poses a challenge for the industry. This study investigates its potential as a functional food ingredient by evaluating the physico-chemical, rheological, and techno-functional properties of gelatin capsule waste powder (GCWP). To achieve this, the gelatin capsule waste (GCW) was mixed with maltodextrin at varying ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, and 1:5) and subjected to spray drying. The findings highlight maltodextrin's crucial role in stabilizing the drying process, reducing stickiness, and enhancing handling and storage properties. All the obtained GCWP samples appeared light white and had a slightly sticky texture. The 1:5 (w/w) GCW-to-maltodextrin ratio produced the highest powder recovery with minimal stickiness, indicating enhanced drying efficiency. Increasing maltodextrin reduced gel strength, texture, and foaming properties while raising the glass transition temperature. The FTIR analysis indicated a decline in protein-protein interactions and increased polysaccharide interactions at higher maltodextrin levels. The rheological analysis demonstrated lower elastic and loss moduli with increased maltodextrin, affecting GCWP's structural behavior. For overall properties, the GCW mixed with maltodextrin at a 1:1 ratio (GCW-1M) is recommended for future applications, particularly for its gelling characteristics. The GCW-1M, being rich in amino acids, demonstrates its potential as a functional food ingredient. However, certain properties, such as gel strength and powder stability (hygroscopicity and stickiness), require further optimization to enhance its industrial applicability as a functional food ingredient.

Development and evaluation of novel taste-masking tilmicosin microcapsules containing octenylsuccinic anhydride modified starch and maltodextrin as wall materials

Tilmicosin (TMS) is an important antibiotic in veterinary medicine, but its extreme bitter taste limits its use. In this study, TMS was encapsulated in octenyl succinic anhydride modified starch/maltodextrin (HI-CAP/MD) composite capsules with a spray drying method. The TMS microcapsules (TMS-MC) exhibited good drug loading performance with drug loading (DL) and encapsulation efficiency (EE) of 9.90 ± 0.23 % and 98.03 ± 1.56 %, respectively. There was no significant change in particle diameter and zeta potential for the emulsion and redissolved TMS-MC. These results combined with FT-IR, TGA and DSC showed the crystalline shape and chemical structure of TMS did not change during the microencapsulation. In vitro release characterization in an acidic medium (pH 1.2) and an alkaline medium (phosphate buffered solution, pH 6.8) showed that TMS-MC can be rapidly released in vitro. The bitterness evaluation implied the bitterness of TMS was masked after microencapsulation. In vitro bacterial inhibition test showed the bacterial inhibitory activity of TMS was not reduced by the microencapsulation, but was much better than that of the commercially available tylosin (TLS). Therefore, HI-CAP/MD can effectively encapsulate TMS, mask the bitter taste and maintain a good bacterial inhibitory effect, making a new drug formulation with good development prospects.

Exploring the Equilibrium State Diagram of Maltodextrins across Diverse Dextrose Equivalents

This study investigates the equilibrium state diagram of maltodextrins with varying dextrose equivalents (DE 10 and 30) for quercetin microencapsulation. Using XRD, SEM, and optical microscopy, three transition regions were identified: amorphous (aw 0.07-0.437), semicrystalline (aw 0.437-0.739), and crystalline (aw > 0.739). In the amorphous region, microparticles exhibit a spherical morphology and a fluffy, pale-yellow appearance, with Tg values ranging from 44 to -7 °C. The semicrystalline region shows low-intensity diffraction peaks, merged spherical particles, and agglomerated, intense yellow appearance, with Tg values below 2 °C. The crystalline region is characterized by fully collapsed microstructures and a continuous, solid material with intense yellow color. Optimal storage conditions are within the amorphous region at 25 °C, aw 0.437, and a water content of 1.98 g H2O per g of dry powder. Strict moisture control is required at higher storage temperatures (up to 50 °C) to prevent microstructural changes. This research enhances understanding of maltodextrin behavior across diverse dextrose equivalents, aiding the development of stable microencapsulated products.

Bottom-Up Synthesized Glucan Materials: Opportunities from Applied Biocatalysis

Linear d-glucans are natural polysaccharides of simple chemical structure. They are comprised of d-glucosyl units linked by a single type of glycosidic bond. Noncovalent interactions within, and between, the d-glucan chains give rise to a broad variety of macromolecular nanostructures that can assemble into crystalline-organized materials of tunable morphology. Structure design and functionalization of d-glucans for diverse material applications largely relies on top-down processing and chemical derivatization of naturally derived starting materials. The top-down approach encounters critical limitations in efficiency, selectivity, and flexibility. Bottom-up approaches of d-glucan synthesis offer different, and often more precise, ways of polymer structure control and provide means of functional diversification widely inaccessible to top-down routes of polysaccharide material processing. Here the natural and engineered enzymes (glycosyltransferases, glycoside hydrolases and phosphorylases, glycosynthases) for d-glucan polymerization are described and the use of applied biocatalysis for the bottom-up assembly of specific d-glucan structures is shown. Advanced material applications of the resulting polymeric products are further shown and their important role in the development of sustainable macromolecular materials in a bio-based circular economy is discussed.

Lemongrass essential oil micro- and nanoencapsulation for industrial application: Production techniques and potential applications

Due to its characteristic aroma and diverse therapeutic properties, lemongrass essential oil (LEO) has garnered increased attention in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries. However, LEO's volatile nature, low chemical stability, and limited solubility in water limits its applications in the industry. Micro- and nanoencapsulation technologies emerge as a promising solution to overcome these challenges. A systematic methodology involving keyword searches in databases was employed to gather relevant literature on LEO micro- and nanoencapsulation, providing an extensive overview of techniques, processes, encapsulating materials, and possible applications. Beyond established methods, emerging techniques were explored. This review highlights the critical role of encapsulation in enhancing the thermal and chemical stability, applicability, bioavailability, and controlled release of LEO.

Injectable systems of chitosan in situ forming composite gel incorporating linezolid-loaded biodegradable nanoparticles for long-term treatment of bone infections

The objective of the current study was to create an efficient, minimally invasive combined system comprising in situ forming hydrogel loaded with both spray-dried polymeric nanoparticles encapsulating linezolid and nanohydroxyapatite for local injection to bones or their close vicinity. The developed system was designed for a dual function namely releasing the drug in a sustained manner for long-term treatment of bone infections and supporting bone proliferation and new tissues generation. To achieve these objectives, two release sustainment systems for linezolid were optimized namely a composite in situ forming chitosan hydrogel and spray-dried PLGA/PLA solid nanoparticles. The composite, in situ forming hydrogel of chitosan was prepared using two different gelling agents namely glycerophosphate (GP) and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) at 3 different concentrations each. The spray-dried linezolid-loaded PLGA/PLA nanoparticles were developed using a water-soluble carrier (PVP K30) and a lipid soluble one (cetyl alcohol) along with 3 types of DL-lactide and/or DL-lactide-co-glycolide copolymer using nano-spray-drying technique. Finally, the optimized spray-dried linezolid nanoparticles were incorporated into the optimized composite hydrogel containing nanohydroxy apatite (nHA). The combined hydrogel/nanoparticle systems displayed reasonable injectability with excellent gelation time at 37 °C. The optimum formulae sustained the release of linezolid for 7-10 days, which reveals its ability to reduce the frequency of injection during the course of treatment of bones infections and increase the patients' compliance. They succeeded to alleviate the bone infections and the associated clinical, biochemical, radiological, and histopathological changes within 2-4 weeks of injection. As to the state of art in this study and to the best of our knowledge, no such complete and systematic study on this type of combined in situ forming hydrogel loaded with spray-dried nanoparticles of linezolid is available yet in literatures.

Application of Starch, Cellulose, and Their Derivatives in the Development of Microparticle Drug-Delivery Systems

Micro- and nanotechnologies have been intensively studied in recent years as novel platforms for targeting and controlling the delivery of various pharmaceutical substances. Microparticulate drug delivery systems for oral, parenteral, or topical administration are multiple unit formulations, considered as powerful therapeutic tools for the treatment of various diseases, providing sustained drug release, enhanced drug stability, and precise dosing and directing the active substance to specific sites in the organism. The properties of these pharmaceutical formulations are highly dependent on the characteristics of the polymers used as drug carriers for their preparation. Starch and cellulose are among the most preferred biomaterials for biomedical applications due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and lack of toxicity. These polysaccharides and their derivatives, like dextrins (maltodextrin, cyclodextrins), ethylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, carboxy methylcellulose, etc., have been widely used in pharmaceutical technology as excipients for the preparation of solid, semi-solid, and liquid dosage forms. Due to their accessibility and relatively easy particle-forming properties, starch and cellulose are promising materials for designing drug-loaded microparticles for various therapeutic applications. This study aims to summarize some of the basic characteristics of starch and cellulose derivatives related to their potential utilization as microparticulate drug carriers in the pharmaceutical field.

Nanoemulsions and Solid Microparticles Containing Pentyl Cinnamate to Control Aedes aegypti

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is a vector of severe diseases with high morbidity and mortality rates. The most commonly used industrial larvicides have considerable toxicity for non-target organisms. This study aimed to develop and evaluate liquid and solid carrier systems to use pentyl cinnamate (PC), derived from natural sources, to control Ae. aegypti larvae. The liquid systems consisting of nanoemulsions with different lecithins systems were obtained and evaluated for stability over 30 days. Microparticles (MPs) were obtained by the spray drying of the nanoemulsions using maltodextrin as an adjuvant. Thermal, NMR and FTIR analysis indicated the presence of PC in microparticles. Indeed, the best nanoemulsion system was also the most stable and generated the highest MP yield. The PC larvicidal activity was increased in the PC nanoemulsion system. Therefore, it was possible to develop, characterize and obtain PC carrier systems active against Ae. aegypti larvae.

Bioproducts from Passiflora cincinnata Seeds: The Brazilian Caatinga Passion Fruit

The present work aimed to obtain bioproducts from Passiflora cincinnata seeds, the Brazilian Caatinga passion fruit, as well as to determine their physical, chemical and biological properties. The seeds were pressed in a continuous press to obtain the oil, which showed an oxidative stability of 5.37 h and a fatty profile rich in linoleic acid. The defatted seeds were evaluated for the recovery of antioxidant compounds by a central rotation experimental design, varying temperature (32-74 °C), ethanol (13-97%) and solid-liquid ratio (1:10-1:60 m/v). The best operational condition (74 °C, 58% ethanol, 1:48) yielded an extract composed mainly of lignans, which showed antioxidant capacity and antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The microencapsulation of linoleic acid-rich oil through spray drying has proven to be an effective method for protecting the oil. Furthermore, the addition of the antioxidant extract to the formulation increased the oxidative stability of the product to 30% (6.97 h), compared to microencapsulated oil without the addition of the antioxidant extract (5.27 h). The microparticles also exhibited favorable technological characteristics, such as low hygroscopicity and high water solubility. Thus, it was possible to obtain three bioproducts from the Brazilian Caatinga passion fruit seeds: the oil rich in linoleic acid (an essential fatty acid), antioxidant extract from the defatted seeds and the oil microparticles added from the antioxidant extract.

Optimization of the Spray-Drying Encapsulation of Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of spray-drying parameters on the physicochemical properties of encapsulated sea buckthorn berry oil. Different carriers (gum arabic, β-cyclodextrin, and their mixture (1:1, w/w)), inlet air temperatures (120, 150, and 180 °C), and carrier-to-oil ratios (2, 3, and 4, w/w) were evaluated. The obtained powders were characterized in terms of the product yield (36.79-64.60%), encapsulation efficiency (73.08-93.18%), moisture content (0.23-3.70%), hygroscopicity (1.5-7.06 g/100 g), solubility (19.55-74.70%), bulk density (0.25-0.44 g/L), total carotenoid content (mg/100 g dm), and antioxidant capacity (871.83-1454.39 μmol TE/100 g dm). All physicochemical properties were significantly affected by the carrier-to-oil ratio and inlet air temperature. Higher carrier-to-oil ratios increased the product yield, encapsulation efficiency, solubility, and bulk density and decreased the powder hygroscopicity. Elevating the drying temperatures during spray drying also increased the product yield, encapsulation efficiency, and solubility, while it decreased the powder moisture content, total carotenoid content, and antioxidant capacity. Based on the physicochemical properties, the use of β-cyclodextrin as a carrier, a drying temperature of 120 °C, and a carrier-to-oil ratio of 4 were selected as optimal conditions for the production of sea buckthorn berry oil powder. The obtained powder is a valuable material for a wide range of applications in the food and nutraceutical industries.

Autohydrolysis Application on Vine Shoots and Grape Stalks to Obtain Extracts Enriched in Xylo-Oligosaccharides and Phenolic Compounds

Agronomic practices and the winemaking process lead to the production of considerable quantities of waste and by-products. These are often considered waste with negative effects on environmental sustainability. However, vine shoots and grape stalks can be reused, representing a potential source of xylo-oligosaccharides and polyphenols. In this context, the purpose of this work was to obtain enriched extracts using three different autohydrolysis treatments with (i) H2O, (ii) H2O:EtOH, and (iii) H2O:Amberlyst. The obtained extracts were characterized by their xylo-oligosaccharide and polyphenol profiles using LC-MS techniques. The use of ethanol during autohydrolysis allowed for greater extraction of xylan-class compounds, especially in vine shoot samples, while an increase in antioxidant activity (128.04 and 425.66 µmol TE/g for ABTS and DPPH, respectively) and in total phenol content (90.92 mg GAE/g) was obtained for grape stalks.

Nanostructured steady-state nanocarriers for nutrients preservation and delivery

Food bioactives possess specific physiological benefits of preventing certain diet-related chronic diseases or maintain human health. However, the limitations of the bioactives are their poor stability, lower water solubility and unacceptable bioaccessibility. Structure damage or degradation is often found for the bioactives under certain environmental conditions like high temperature, strong light, extreme pH or high oxygen concentration during food processing, packaging, storage and absorption. Nanostructured steady-state nanocarriers have shown great potential in overcoming the drawbacks for food bioactives. Various delivery systems including solid form delivery system, liquid form delivery system and encapsulation technology have been developed. The embedded food nutrients can largely decrease the loss and degradation during food processing, packaging and storage. The design and application of stimulus and targeted delivery systems can improve the stability, bioavailability and efficacy of the food bioactives upon oral consumption due to enzymatic degradation in the gastrointestinal tract. The food nutrients encapsulated in the smart delivery system can be well protected against degradation during oral administration, thus improving the bioavailability and releazing controlled or targeted release for food nutrients. The encapsulated food bioactives show great potential in nutrition therapy for sub-health status and disease. Much effort is required to design and prepare more biocompatible nanostructured steady-state nanocarriers using food-grade protein or polysaccharides as wall materials, which can be used in food industry and maintain the human health.

Effect of Spray Drying Encapsulation on Nettle Leaf Extract Powder Properties, Polyphenols and Their Bioavailability

Nettle (Urtica dioica L.) is a plant rich in a health-promoting compounds such as polyphenols, which are sensitive and unstable compounds with low bioavailability, that need to be stabilized and protected from external influences. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine how the temperature, type of carrier and sample to carrier ratio influence the physicochemical properties and encapsulation and loading capacity of the nettle leaf extract powder and examine the effect of encapsulation on the antioxidant capacity and bioavailability of polyphenols. The process yield ranged from 64.63–87.23%, moisture content from 1.4–7.29%, solubility from 94.76–98.53% and hygroscopicity from 13.35–32.92 g 100 g⁻¹. The highest encapsulation (98.67%) and loading (20.28%) capacities were achieved at 160 °C, β-CD:GA (3:1) and sample:carrier ratio of 1:3. Extracts encapsulated at selected conditions showed high antioxidant capacity and distinct polyphenolic profile comprised of 40 different compounds among which cinnamic acids were the most abundant. Moreover, the encapsulation increased the bioavailability of nettle leaf polyphenols, with the highest amount released in the intestinal phase. Thus, the obtained encapsulated extract represents a valuable source of polyphenols and may therefore be an excellent material for application in value-added and health-promoting products.

Lipid-coated bismuth nanoflower as the thermos-radio sensiti for therapy of lung metastatic breast cancer: Preparation, optimisation, and characterisation

Lung metastatic breast cancer (LMBC) leads to a large number of deaths in women with breast cancer, and radiotherapy has been considered the common assay for tumour therapy except for surgery. However, radiotherapy still faces problems of low efficiency due to resistance and easily induced side effects. Here, the authors designed lipid-decorated bismuth-based nanoflowers (DP-BNFs) as both a radiosensitiser and a photothermal therapy agent for LMBC treatment. The BNFs were prepared by oxidation of bismuth nitrate and subsequent reduction using sodium borohydride. The preparation parameters and formulation of DP-BNFs were optimised via a single-factor experiment, with the factors including reaction temperature, a molar ratio of reducing agents, and the types and amount of decorated lipid materials. The result indicated that the BNFs prepared at 170°C with the Bi/NaBH₄ ratio of 1:0.7 exhibited the best yield and particle size around 160 nm. After being spray dried with lactose to prepare dry powder inhalation (DP-BNF@Lat-MPs), their effects on improving therapeutic efficiency of the radiotherapy and photothermal therapy combination were measured using the western blot assay to determine the tumour apoptosis. In a word, DP-BNF@Lat-MPs could be a novel inhalable integrated microsphere that provides a new possibility for thermoradiotherapy of LMBC.

A Comprehensive Optimization of Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction for Lycopene Recovery from Tomato Waste and Encapsulation by Spray Drying

This study aimed to extract bioactive compounds from tomato waste through ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), using ethanol as solvent. Process optimization was carried out by a central composite design of 33 runs for response surface modelling, simultaneously analyzing the effect of temperature (T), time (t), volume (V), liquid-to-solid ratio (L/S), amplitude (A), the pulser duration (on), and their interaction. The best conditions found by the desirability method (T = 65 °C, t = 20 min, L/S = 72 mL/g, A = 65%, on = 33 s, V = 90 mL) were experimentally verified, leading to the production of an extract with interesting properties (total carotenoids of 1408 ±14 µglycopene equivalents/g, lycopene yield of 1536 ± 53 µg/g, 36.1 ± 0.9 µgtrolox equivalents/g as antiradical power). Due to the instability of lycopene, the extract encapsulation by spray drying was undertaken using inulin and maltodextrins as coating agents. The evaluation of wall material composition provided high product recovery (73%), a high content of encapsulated compared to superficial lycopene (15.3 ± 2.9 and 0.30 ± 0.02 µg/g), and a product with good water solubility. The novelty of this work concerned the simultaneous study of the effect and interdependences of the UAE parameters, and the use of inulin to enhance the properties of microparticles.

Engineered-inhaled particles: Influence of carbohydrates excipients nature on powder properties and behavior

Pulmonary drug administration has long been used for local or systemic treatment due to several advantages. Dry powder inhalers emerge as the most promising due to efficiency, ecologic, and drug stability concerns. Coarse lactose-carrier is still the gold standard when inhalation powders are developed. Despite some efforts to produce new types of powders, the lung drug deposition is still poorly controlled, which will ultimately impact therapeutic effectiveness. In this study, we developed "engineered-inhalation powders" using the spray-drying technique. Multiple carbohydrates excipients were binary mixed and combined with two active pharmaceutical ingredients for asthma therapy (budesonide and formoterol). Particle morphology, from spherical to deflated shapes, was characterized by the number and the depth of dimples measured from SEM images. We define a new characteristic deflation ratio ξ as the product between the number of dimples and their depth. Six different powders having opposite morphologies have been selected and we have demonstrated a linear correlation between the fine particle fraction and the deflation ratio of produced powders. Overall, we showed first that the morphology of inhalable powder can be finely tuned by spray-drying technique when excipients varied. Secondly, we developed stable inhalation powders that simultaneously induced high fine particle fractions (>40%) for two drugs due to their deflated surface. The stability has been evaluated for up to 2 months at room temperature.

Moisture and caking resistant Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides microcapsules with hypoglycemic activity

Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides (TPs) have attracted extensive attention as functional food constituents due to their bioactivity. However, β-D-glucan obtained from TPs is readily degraded by oxidation and easy to absorb water and agglomerate. The purpose of this study was to reduce moisture adsorption and caking strength through spray drying by using maltodextrin as wall materials and explore the hypoglycemic effect and molecular mechanism of TPs microcapsules. It was observed that dextrose equivalent (DE) value and concentration of maltodextrin (MD) affect the morphology, encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity, water adsorption and caking strength of TPs microcapsules powder. The administration of TPs microcapsules powder prevented body weight and serum insulin loss, and significantly decreased the blood glucose level, serum triglycerides, as well as total cholesterol levels, which seemed to be related to increasing the glycogen synthesis and facilitating the glucose transportation by regulating the PI3K/Akt pathway.

Development and Characterization of Inkjet Printed Edible Films for Buccal Delivery of B-Complex Vitamins

Buccal films containing two vitamins, i.e., thiamine hydrochloride (THCl) and nicotinic acid (NA), were fabricated via two-dimensional (2D) inkjet printing. For the preparation of buccal films, solubility studies and rheological evaluations were conducted in distilled water and propylene-glycol (PG) as main solvent and viscosity/surface tension modifier, respectively. The increased solubility in the solvents' mixture indicated that manufacturing of several doses of the THCl and NA is achievable. Various doses were deposited onto sugar-sheet substrates, by increasing the number of printing passes. The physiochemical characterization (SEM, DSC, FTIR) revealed that inkjet printing does not affect the solid state of the matrix. Water uptake studies were conducted, to compare the different vitamin-loaded formulations. The in vitro release studies indicated the burst release of both vitamins within 10 min, a preferable feature for buccal administration. The in vitro permeation studies indicated that higher concentrations of the vitamins onto the sugar sheet improved the in vitro permeation performance of printed formulations.

Influence of Composition and Spray-Drying Process Parameters on Carrier-Free DPI Properties and Behaviors in the Lung: A review

Although dry powder inhalers (DPIs) have attracted great interest compared to nebulizers and metered-dose inhalers (MDIs), drug deposition in the deep lung is still insufficient to enhance therapeutic activity. Indeed, it is estimated that only 10–15% of the drug reaches the deep lung while 20% of the drug is lost in the oropharyngeal sphere and 65% is not released from the carrier. The potentiality of the powders to disperse in the air during the patient’s inhalation, the aerosolization, should be optimized. To do so, new strategies, in addition to classical lactose-carrier, have emerged. The lung deposition of carrier-free particles, mainly produced by spray drying, is higher due to non-interparticulate forces between the carrier and drug, as well as better powder uniformity and aerosolization. Moreover, the association of two or three active ingredients within the same powder seems easier. This review is focused on a new type of carrier-free particles which are characterized by a sugar-based core encompassed by a corrugated shell layer produced by spray drying. All excipients used to produce such particles are dissected and their physico-chemical properties (Péclet number, glass transition temperature) are put in relation with the lung deposition ability of powders. The importance of spray-drying parameters on powders’ properties and behaviors is also evaluated. Special attention is given to the relation between the morphology (characterized by a corrugated surface) and lung deposition performance. The understanding of the closed relation between particle material composition and spray-drying process parameters, impacting the final powder properties, could help in the development of promising DPI systems suitable for local or systemic drug delivery.

Lung delivery of nanoliposomal salbutamol sulfate dry powder inhalation for facilitated asthma therapy

The motive behind present work was to discover a solution for overcoming the problems allied with a deprived oral bioavailability of salbutamol sulfate (SS) due to its first pass hepatic metabolism, shorter half-life, and systemic toxicity at high doses. Pulmonary delivery provides an alternative route of administration to avoid hepatic metabolism of SS, moreover facilitated diffusion and prolonged retention can be achieved by incorporation into liposomes. Liposomes were prepared by thin film hydration technique using 3² full factorial design and formulation was optimized based on the vesicle size and percent drug entrapment (PDE) of liposomes. Optimized liposomal formulation exhibited an average size of about 167.2 ± 0.170 nm, with 80.68 ± 0.74% drug entrapment, and 9.74 ± 1.10 mV zeta potential. The liposomal dispersion was then spray dried and further characterized for in-vitro aerosol performance using Andersen Cascade Impactor. Optimized liposomal formulation revealed prolonged in-vitro drug release of more than 90% up to 14 h following Higuchi's controlled release model. Thus, the proposed new-fangled liposomal formulation would be a propitious alternative to conventional therapy for efficient and methodical treatment of asthma and alike respiratory ailments.

Preparation and characterization of nanocomposite films based on gum arabic, maltodextrin and polyethylene glycol reinforced with turmeric nanofiber isolated from turmeric spent

Turmeric nanofibers (TNF) were used as reinforcement in the gum arabic (GA), maltodextrin (MDX) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) matrices to enhance the physicochemical properties. The TNF were prepared from turmeric spent by acid hydrolysis accompanied by high pressure homogenization. The thermal and mechanical properties, structure morphology and antimicrobial activities of the prepared nanocomposites were investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) data indicate that the addition of TNF significantly increased the onset temperature (T_o), peak temperature (T_p) and conclusion temperature (T_c) of the melting peaks of nanocomposites, but considerably decreased the enthalpy change values. The tensile properties showed that the addition of TNF enhanced mechanical properties due to the formation of networks within the GA, MDX and PEG. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images revealed the films of GA-TNF and MDX-TNF show smooth, homogenous surface due to intermolecular hydrogen bonding, and the film of PEG-TNF shows good dispersion of TNF with PEG matrix with rough surface because of strong interfacial adhesion between TNF and PEG and strong hydrogen bonding, which are further confirmed by the FT-IR spectroscopy. XRD results exhibited the disappearances of peaks of TNF indicating the reinforcement of TNF in the prepared nanocomposite matrices. The antibacterial tests show the prepared nanocomposites exhibited excellent antibacterial performance against Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium.