Assessment of Hupu Gum for Its Carrier Property in the Design and Evaluation of Solid Mixtures of Poorly Water Soluble Drug - Rofecoxib

Review on novel pharmaceutical applications of hupu gum: A versatile natural polymer

The pharmaceutical research on natural excipients with diverse physicochemical properties useful in various novel drug delivery systems is a growing interest. The market for natural gums like hupu gum (gum kondagogu) is growing globally, driven by increasing consumer preference for natural and sustainable ingredients. This review covers botanical origin, geographical distribution, chemical constituents, identification tests, toxicology studies and potential applications of hupu gum in novel drug delivery systems. Emphasis is placed on its traditional uses in indigenous medicine and current research findings and patents that highlight its emulsifying, stabilizing, film forming, and thickening properties. Hupu gum is a tree exudate from Cochlospermum religiosum belonging to the family Bixaceae. It is traditionally used for various medicinal and industrial purposes as it has a unique chemical composition and physical properties. Moreover, the current research and use of hupu gum as a biopolymer in the formulation and stabilization of nanoparticles (NP) is expanding the application spectrum of hupu gum. This writeup typically conclude with insights into future research directions, such as, exploring new applications, or enhancing its functional properties through modification.

Biopharmaceutical Process of Diclofenac Multi-particulate Systems for Chronotherapy of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objectives

Diclofenac exhibits limited solubility, low bioabsorption and gastric toxicity. The objective of the study was to address the above limitations and to design a multi-particulate formulation for the chronotherapy of RA.

Materials and Methods

Solid dispersions of DC with SSG and GG were prepared. Uniform-sized (∼400 µm) non-pareil seeds were coated with solid dispersions to produce immediate-release pellets (DMP-1 and DMP-2) and controlled-release pellets (DMP-3 and DMP-4). The resultant controlled-release pellets were further layered with methacrylate polymers to obtain pulsatile-release pellets (DMPP). Solubility, FTIR, DSC, micrometrics, SEM, drug content, drug release, pharmacokinetics, and stability studies were performed for DMPP.

Results

The solubility of DC was improved by 164-folds due to the presence of hydrophilic carriers in the solid dispersions. No chemical and physical interactions were noticed in FTIR spectra and also in thermograms. A fluidized bed processor facilitated the production of high-quality, circular, and regular pellets with an angle of repose less than 19.5 degrees and DC content between 95.18% and 98.87%. The maximum drug was released from DMPP at the end of 12 hours. DMP-1 and DMP-2 pellets had 2 hr of drug release and pulsatile, controlled-release pellets had a 6 hr lag phase followed by 12 hr controlled release. Both DMP-1 and DMP-2-immediate showed first-order release followed by Hixson-Crowell kinetics, whereas DMPP pellets followed zero-order release with Higuchi's kinetics. The maximum concentration of DC in plasma was 400.8 ng/mL at 5 hr for DMP-2 and 381.1 ng/mL at 14 hr for DMPP-5. The solubility of DC was increased with the application of solid dispersion and in turn increased the pharmacokinetics. The pellets were plausibly stable over a period of 90 days.

Conclusion

Thus, multi-particulate pulsatile systems of DC were as effective as chronotherapeutics in the treatment of circadian rhythm-based ailments such as RA.

In vitro characterization studies of self-microemulsified bosentan systems

CONTEXT

Bosentan is a poorly soluble drug and pose challenges in designing of drug delivery systems.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to enhance the solubility, dissolution and shelf-life of bosentan by formulating it as S-SMEDDS capsules.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Solubility of bosentan was tested in various liquid vehicles such as oils (rice bran and sunflower), surfactants (span 20 and tween 80) and co-surfactants (PEG 400 and propylene glycol) and microemulsions were developed. Bosentan was incorporated into appropriate microemulsion systems which were previously identified from pseudo ternary phase diagrams. Bosentan-loaded SMEDDS were evaluated for drug content, drug release, zeta potential, and droplet size. The selected liquid SMEDDS were converted into solid SMEDDS by employing adsorption and melt granulation. Solid SMEDDS were characterized for micromeritics and evaluated for drug content, drug release, and shelf-life.

RESULTS

Isotropic systems R5, R13, S5, and S13 with submicron droplet size had exhibited 85.45, 94.12, 81.67, and 96.64% drug release, respectively. Solid SMEDDS of MR13 and AS13 formulations with rapid reconstitution ability, exhibited 84.85 and 86.74% of on par drug release. The formulations were physicochemically intact for 1.02 and 1.56 years.

DISCUSSION

Liquid SMEDDS composed with PEG400 had displayed optimal characters. Solid SMEDDS had high-dissolution profiles than bosentan due to modification in the crystalline structure of drug upon microemulsification.

CONCLUSION

Thus, solid SMEDDS addressed the solubility, dissolution, and stability issues of bosentan and becomes an alternate for clinical convenience.