Synthesis of Thiol-Modified Hemicellulose, Its Biocompatibility, Studies, and Appraisal as a Sustained Release Carrier of Ticagrelor

Facile fabrication of an extended-release tablet of Ticagrelor using three dimensional printing technology

The objective of the study was to fabricate tailored extended-release tablets of blood thinner Ticagrelor as once-daily dosing using additive manufacturing for better compliance in heart failure therapy. The solid work design of the tablet was printed using hot melt extrusion (HME) based 3D printing by optimized mixture of Eudragit RS-100, plasticizer and drug for producing extrudable and printable filaments. FTIR and TGA results showed no covalent interaction among ingredients and no decomposition during HME process, respectively. Friability, weight variation, assay and content uniformity tests met USP requirements, while the mean hardness of the tablets was calculated in a value between 40 and 50 kg. According to DSC and XRD results, the crystallinity state of the Ticagrelor was converted to an amorphous one in the tablet matrix. Smooth surfaces with multiple deposited layers were observed using SEM. In comparison, the maximum Ticagrelor release of 100% after 120 min from Brilinta® tablets was decreased to 97% in 400 min from the 3D tablet at infill of 90%. Korsmeyer-Peppas kinetic model showed the drug release mechanism is affected by diffusion and swelling. In general, fabrication of the extended-release 3D printed tablet of Ticagrelor using HME-based-additive manufacturing has the potential to provide specific doses with tailored kinetic release for personalized medicine, improving adherence at point-of-care.

Bio-adsorption of heavy metals from aqueous solution using the ZnO-modified date pits

The bio-adsorption of heavy metals (including Cu2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+) in aqueous solution and also in an industry wastewater using the ZnO-modified date pits (MDP) as the bio-adsorbent are investigated. The fresh and used bio-adsorbents were characterized by FT-IR, SEM, BET, and XRD. The bio-adsorption parameters (including the pH of solution, the particle size of MDP, the shaking speed, the initial concentration of heavy metals, the dosing of MDP, the adsorption time, and the adsorption temperature) were screened and the data were used to optimize the bio-adsorption process and to study the bio-adsorption isotherms, kinetics, and thermodynamics. Two adsorption models (Langmuir isotherm model and Freundlich isotherm model) and three kinetic models (pseudo-first-order model, pseudo-second-order model, and intra-particle diffusion model) were applied to model the experimental data. Results show that the maximum adsorption amount of Cu2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+ on a complete monolayer of MDP are 82.4, 71.9, and 66.3 mg g-1, which are over 4 times of those of date pits-based bio-adsorbents reported in literature. The bio-adsorption of heavy metals on MDP is spontaneous and exothermic, and is regulated by chemical adsorption on the homogeneous and heterogeneous adsorption sites of MDP surface. This work demonstrates an effective modification protocol for improved bio-adsorption performance of the date pits-based bio-adsorbent, which is cheap and originally from a waste.

Thiolated Polymeric Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications: A Review

Hydrogels are a three-dimensional (3D) network of hydrophilic polymers. The physical and chemical crosslinking of polymeric chains maintains the structure of the hydrogels even when they are swollen in water. They can be modified with thiol by thiol epoxy, thiol-ene, thiol-disulfide, or thiol-one reactions. Their application as a matrix for protein and drug delivery, cellular immobilization, regenerative medicine, and scaffolds for tissue engineering was initiated in the early 21st century. This review focuses on the ingredients, classification techniques, and applications of hydrogels, types of thiolation by different thiol-reducing agents, along with their mechanisms. In this study, different applications for polymers used in thiolated hydrogels, including dextran, gelatin, polyethylene glycol (PEG), cyclodextrins, chitosan, hyaluronic acid, alginate, poloxamer, polygalacturonic acid, pectin, carrageenan gum, arabinoxylan, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), gellan gum, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) are reviewed.

The Development of Eletriptan Hydrobromide Immediate Release Buccal Films Using Central Composite Rotatable Design: An In Vivo and In Vitro Approach

The objective is to develop immediate release buccal films of Eletriptan Hydrobromide (EHBR) using hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) E5. The buccal films have the ability to disintegrate rapidly and provide both systemic and local effects. The solvent casting method was employed to prepare the films and the central composite rotatable design (CCRD) model was used for film optimization. All the formulated films were characterized for physicochemical evaluation (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), in in-vitro, ex-vivo, and in-vivo drug release. The fabricated films were transparent, colorless, and evenly distributed. The FTIR spectra showed no chemical interaction between the drug and excipients. In in-vitro analysis, the film has the highest% drug release (102.61 ± 1.13), while a maximum of 92.87 ± 0.87% drug was diffused across the cellulose membrane having a pore size of 0.45 µm. In the ex-vivo study, drug diffusion across the goat mucosa was performed and 80.9% of the drug was released in 30 min. In-vivo results depict a mean half-life (t½) of 4.54 ± 0.18 h and a Cmax of 128 ± 0.87 (ng/mL); Tmax was achieved in 1 h. Furthermore, instability and histopathological studies buccal films were proven to be safe and act as an effective dosage form. In a nutshell, optimized and safe instant release EHBR buccal films were prepared that have the tendency to provide effect effectively.

Recent advances in functionally modified polymers for mucoadhesive drug delivery

Novel methods for the delivery of drugs other than the conventional method of oral administration have been a thrust area of research for a few decades. Mucoadhesive delivery of drugs opened up a new domain where rapid and patient-friendly delivery of drugs can be achieved. Delivery of drugs through the mucosal sites such as buccal, nasal, ocular, sublingual, rectal and vaginal facilitates bypassing the first-pass metabolism and the drug reaches the systemic circulation directly. This helps to increase the bioavailability of the drug. The study of the chemical characteristics of polymers with mucoadhesive properties and how the molecules or the pharmaceuticals are transported across the mucosa is very much needed for the advancement of research in this field. And at the same time, it is very pertinent to know about the anatomy and the physiology of the mucosal tissue and its variation in different regions of the body. In this review, we try to present a comprehensive understanding of relevant topics of mucoadhesion giving more emphasis on the mechanism of transport of drugs across mucosa, and different possible functional modifications of polymers to enhance the property of mucoadhesion.