Development, Characterization and Evaluation of Parenteral Formulation of Diclofenac Sodium

Propellant Free Pressurized Spray System of Etodolac to Manage Acute Pain Conditions: In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation

This study aimed to develop a propellant-free topical spray formulation of Etodolac (BCS-II), a potent NSAID, which could be beneficial in the medical field for the effective treatment of pain and inflammation conditions. The developed novel propellant-free spray formulation is user-friendly, cost-effective, propellant-free, eco-friendly, enhances the penetration of Etodolac through the skin, and has a quick onset of action. Various formulations were developed by adjusting the concentrations of different components, including lecithin, buffering agents, film-forming agents, plasticizers, and permeation enhancers. The prepared propellant-free spray formulations were then extensively characterized and evaluated through various in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo parameters. The optimized formulation exhibits an average shot weight of 0.24 ± 0.30 ml and an average drug content or content uniformity of 87.3 ± 1.01% per spray. Additionally, the optimized formulation exhibits an evaporation time of 3 ± 0.24 min. The skin permeation study demonstrated that the permeability coefficients of the optimized spray formulation were 21.42 cm/h for rat skin, 13.64 cm/h for mice skin, and 18.97 cm/h for the Strat-M membrane. When assessing its potential for drug deposition using rat skin, mice skin, and the Strat-M membrane, the enhancement ratios for the optimized formulation were 1.88, 2.46, and 1.92, respectively against pure drug solution. The findings from our study suggest that the propellant-free Etodolac spray is a reliable and safe topical formulation. It demonstrates enhanced skin deposition, and improved effectiveness, and is free from any skin irritation concerns.

Aquatic thresholds for ionisable substances, such as diclofenac, should consider pH-specific differences in uptake and toxicity

Diclofenac, a widely used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), enters the aquatic environment worldwide. The effect values available for the derivation of an environmental quality standard (EQS) are markedly heterogeneous, even within the same species. This heterogeneity could partially be attributed to inter-laboratory variation, but is also observed in repeated tests within the same facility. Diclofenac is ionisable; its speciation and potential for uptake and thus toxicity is influenced by pH. A high correlation has previously been observed between effects in zebrafish embryos and the pH-specific partitioning coefficient logD for diclofenac. We hypothesized that the observed heterogeneity could also be attributed to differences in study pH. To test this hypothesis, we reviewed physicochemical data and selected ecotoxicity data that were considered to be reliable and relevant in the latest EU EQS Dossier for which a study pH was reported for further analysis and EQS derivation. We adjusted the reported effect concentrations for differences in uptake using the delta logD value for the worst case pH value of 6.5. pH adjustment of effect values resulted in decreased heterogeneity of the acute effect data and a better fit of the chronic species sensitivity distribution. Both, the MAC-EQS and the AA-EQS were derived using the deterministic approach as data requirements for deriving EQS based on the SSD were not fulfilled. Many studies had to be discarded because test pH was not reported or exposure concentrations had not been analytically verified. Physico-chemical data had to be discarded due to non-relevant experimental conditions or missing information. We strongly encourage scientists publishing ecotoxicity data for ionisable substances to report the test pH together with the effect values and encourage measurement of physico-chemical parameters at environmentally relevant conditions. We recommend to consider adjusting the effect data for ionisable substances according to a worst-case pH in future hazard assessments.

Parenteral Ready-to-Use Fixed-Dose Combinations Including NSAIDs with Paracetamol or Metamizole for Multimodal Analgesia-Approved Products and Challenges

The combination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with non-opioid analgesics is common in clinical practice for the treatment of acute painful conditions like post-operative and post-traumatic pain. Despite the satisfactory results achieved by oral analgesics, parenteral analgesia remains a key tool in the treatment of painful conditions when the enteral routes of administration are inconvenient. Parenteral ready-to-use fixed-dose combinations of non-opioid analgesics combinations, including NSAIDs and paracetamol or metamizole, could play a central role in the treatment of painful conditions by combining the advantages of multimodal and parenteral analgesia in a single formulation. Surprisingly, only in 2020, a parenteral ready-to-use fixed-dose combination of ibuprofen/paracetamol was launched to the market. This review aims to investigate the current availability of combinations of NSAIDs with paracetamol or metamizole in both European and American markets, and how the combination of such drugs could play a central role in a multimodal analgesia strategy. Also, we explored how the parenteral formulations of NSAIDs, paracetamol, and metamizole could serve as starting elements for the development of new parenteral ready-to-use fixed-dose combinations. We concluded that, despite the well-recognized utility of combining NSAIDs with paracetamol or metamizole, several randomized clinical trial studies demonstrate no clear advantages concerning their efficacy and safety. Future clinical trials specifically designed to assess the efficacy and safety of pre-formulated fixed-dose combinations are required to generate solid evidence about their clinical advantages.

Application of Environment-Friendly Rhamnolipids against Transmission of Enveloped Viruses Like SARS-CoV2

In the face of new emerging respiratory viruses, such as SARS-CoV2, vaccines and drug therapies are not immediately available to curb the spread of infection. Non-pharmaceutical interventions, such as mask-wearing and social distance, can slow the transmission. However, both mask and social distance have not prevented the spread of respiratory viruses SARS-CoV2 within the US. There is an urgent need to develop an intervention that could reduce the spread of respiratory viruses. The key to preventing transmission is to eliminate the emission of SARS-CoV2 from an infected person and stop the virus from propagating in the human population. Rhamnolipids are environmentally friendly surfactants that are less toxic than the synthetic surfactants. In this study, rhamnolipid products, 222B, were investigated as disinfectants against enveloped viruses, such as bovine coronavirus and herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). The 222B at 0.009% and 0.0045% completely inactivated 6 and 4 log PFU/mL of HSV-1 in 5–10 min, respectively. 222B at or below 0.005% is also biologically safe. Moreover, 50 μL of 222B at 0.005% on ~1 cm² mask fabrics or plastic surface can inactivate ~10³ PFU HSV-1 in 3–5 min. These results suggest that 222B coated on masks or plastic surface can reduce the emission of SARS-CoV2 from an infected person and stop the spread of SARS-CoV2.