The influence of excipients on physical and pharmaceutical properties of oral lyophilisates containing a pregabalin-acetaminophen combination

Clinical and Microbiological Periodontal Biofilm Evaluation of Patients with Type I Diabetes

Background/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the microbial composition and density of subgingival plaque samples for periodontal pathogens while correlating the values with glycemic control levels via glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), a type of hemoglobin that has chemically linked glucose, in type I diabetes individuals who will undergo complex oral rehabilitation through orthodontic treatment and implant surgery. Methods: A cohort of 42 adults with type I diabetes were included in this study. The subjects sustained a comprehensive periodontal clinical examination as well as microbiological assessments of their subgingival plaque samples through quantitative real-time PCR. The samples were collected from the two deepest pockets of each subject. Results: The highest number of periodontopathogenic bacteria was observed in the pockets of 5-7 mm. T. forsythia showed the highest prevalence (20.48%), with decreasing numbers as follows: T. denticola (13.31%), P. gingivalis (11.26%), A. actinomycetemcomitans (7%), and P. intermedia (4.9%). T. denticola and T. forsythia were significantly more commonly observed in individuals with elevated HbA1c serum levels. No correlation was observed between P. gingivalis, A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. intermedia presence, and the HbA1c value. Conclusions: Periodontopathogenic agents' presence in subgingival biofilm samples varied in accordance with the pocket probing depth and metabolic control of the diabetic individuals. In our study, the appearance of these periodontopathogenic agents was linked to lowered metabolic control in patients with type I diabetes mellitus.

Characterization and Evaluation of the Cytotoxicity of Pregabalin Gels for Oral Application

The efficacy of pregabalin in pain treatment has led to the search for new formulations for its use through different routes of administration. This study aimed to prepare, characterize, and evaluate the cytotoxicity of pregabalin (PG) gels for topical application in the oral cavity. Solutions with three different concentrations of PG were prepared and added to a 1.0% carbopol gel base. Thermal analyses (TG and DSC) and FTIR were performed on the gel and pure pregabalin. Stability (preliminary and accelerated) and rheology studies were also conducted on the gels. Cytotoxicity was evaluated in human gingival fibroblasts in the following groups: WG (1.0% carbopol gel base), PG2G (2.0% pregabalin gel), PG5G (5.0% pregabalin gel), and PG10G (10% pregabalin gel). A transparent and homogeneous gel with a pH of 6 was obtained. The formulations showed stability, and the different drug concentrations did not influence the product's characteristics. None of the tested groups showed cytotoxicity for the analyzed cells. The pregabalin gels exhibited favorable and non-toxic characteristics for human gingival fibroblasts in vitro. Therefore, this product may be a promising therapeutic alternative for topical application in the oral mucosa.

Designing of Chitosan Derivatives Nanoparticles with Antiangiogenic Effect for Cancer Therapy

Angiogenesis is a physiological process involving the growth of new blood vessels, which provides oxygen and required nutrients for the development of various pathological conditions. In a tumor microenvironment, this process upregulates the growth and proliferation of tumor cells, thus any stage of angiogenesis can be a potential target for cancer therapies. In the present study, chitosan and his derivatives have been used to design novel polymer-based nanoparticles. The therapeutic potential of these newly designed nanoparticles has been evaluated. The antioxidant and MTT assays were performed to know the antioxidant properties and their biocompatibility. The in vivo antiangiogenic properties of the nanoparticles were evaluated by using a chick Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) model. The obtained results demonstrate that chitosan derivatives-based nanostructures strongly enhance the therapeutic effect compared to chitosan alone, which also correlates with antitumor activity, demonstrated by the in vitro MTT assay on human epithelial cervical Hep-2 tumor cells. This study opens up new direction for the use of the chitosan derivatives-based nanoparticles for designing of antiangiogenic nanostructured materials, for future cancer therapy.

Long circulating PEGylated-chitosan nanoparticles of rosuvastatin calcium: Development and in vitro and in vivo evaluations

The aim of this study was to improve the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics profile of rosuvastatin calcium by formulating long-circulating PEGylated chitosan nanoparticles (NPs). Chitosan was PEGylated by a carbodiimide mediated reaction, using a carboxylic acid derivative of PEG (polyethylene glycol). The NPs were optimised for particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential and drug entrapment efficiency. In vitro drug release, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics studies of the optimized nanoparticles were performed. PEGylation of chitosan was confirmed by FTIR analysis. Drug-excipient compatibility was studied by differential scanning calorimetry and FTIR analyses. Two batches of nanoparticles were optimized with particle size of <200nm and entrapment efficiency of ≈14%. In vitro drug release studies revealed cumulative release of 14.07±0.57% and 22.02±0.81% of rosuvastatin over the period of 120h, indicating appreciable sustained release of drug. TEM analysis showed the spherical structure of nanoparticles. Pharmacokinetic studies indicated that optimized NPs showed prolonged drug release over a period of 72h. Pharmacodynamics studies in hyperlipidemic rat model demonstrated greater lipid-lowering capability of rosuvastatin nanoparticles in comparison with plain rosuvastatin. The nanoparticles demonstrated substantial prolonged delivery of the drug in vivo along with better therapeutic action, which could be potential drug delivery modality for 'statins'.