Effect of Ultrasound on the Compaction of Ibuprofen/Isomalt Systems

Multivariate Data Analysis and Central Composite Design-Oriented Optimization of Solid Carriers for Formulation of Curcumin-Loaded Solid SNEDDS: Dissolution and Bioavailability Assessment

The study was initiated with two major purposes: investigating the role of isomalt (GIQ9) as a pharmaceutical carrier for solid self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (S-SNEDDSs) and improving the oral bioavailability of lipophilic curcumin (CUN). GIQ9 has never been explored for solidification of liquid lipid-based nanoparticles such as a liquid isotropic mixture of a SNEDDS containing oil, surfactant and co-surfactant. The suitability of GIQ9 as a carrier was assessed by calculating the loading factor, flow and micromeritic properties. The S-SNEDDSs were prepared by surface adsorption technique. The formulation variables were optimized using central composite design (CCD). The optimized S-SNEDDS was evaluated for differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), microscopy, dissolution and pharmacokinetic studies. The S-SNEDDS showed a particle size, zeta potential and PDI of 97 nm, -26.8 mV and 0.354, respectively. The results of DSC, XRD, FTIR and microscopic studies revealed that the isotropic mixture was adsorbed onto the solid carrier. The L-SNEDDS and S-SNEDDS showed no significant difference in drug release, indicating no change upon solidification. The optimized S-SNEDDS showed 5.1-fold and 61.7-fold enhancement in dissolution rate and oral bioavailability as compared to the naïve curcumin. The overall outcomes of the study indicated the suitability of GIQ9 as a solid carrier for SNEDDSs.

In Vitro Evaluation of Ultrasound Effectiveness in Controlling Doxorubicin Release from Albumin-Conjugated Liposomes

Functionalized liposomes are among the most promising antineoplastic agents delivery vehicles. Contemporaneous to their accretion at the tumor site, they need to be potentiated to release their cargo using a suitable triggering modality. In this work, targeted Doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded stealth liposomes were synthesized and functionalized with Human Serum Albumin (HSA) to target the overexpressed HSA receptors (HSA-Rs). The effects of low-frequency ultrasound (LFUS) in inducing DOX release from the synthesized liposomes were investigated In Vitro. DOX release increased with the increasing power density of ultrasound. HSA conjugation to the liposomes increased their sensitivity to LFUS. Furthermore, HSA conjugation also enhanced the liposome’s cytotoxic activity and uptake by the cancer cells overexpressing HSA-Rs. This cytotoxic activity and cellular uptake were further enhanced by triggering drug release from those targeted liposomes using LFUS. Combining HSA-targeted liposomes with LFUS is a promising approach in drug delivery.

The Analgesic Effect of Dexmedetomidine Loaded with Nano-Hydrogel as a Novel Nano-Drug Delivery System for Thoracic Paravertebral Block After Thoracic Surgery

Objective: To understand the effect of dexmedetomidine (Dex) thoracic paravertebral block combined with an injectable nano-drug delivery system in postoperative analgesia after thoracic surgery, an injectable nano-drug delivery system. Methods: Dex-loaded nano-hydrogel was first prepared in this study and its characteristics and drug release performance in vitro was investigated. Then, it was applied to the postoperative analgesia of 140 patients undergoing thoracic surgery. Results: It was found that the loading efficiency reached the highest when the ratio of Dex to injectable nano-hydrogel was 1:1; and at pH = 7.5, the cumulative release of 95.4%. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score and cumulative effective pressure times of analgesia pump in the observation group were lower than those of the control group. The sleep time per day and satisfaction of analgesia within 48 h in patients from the observation group were higher than those of the control group. The proportion of patients with remedial analgesia within 48 hours, and the proportion of patients with nausea and vomiting were significantly lower in patients treated with Dex-loaded with nano-hydrogel. Conclusion: Injectable nano-drug delivery system had good drug release and combination of Dex thoracic paravertebral block and nano-drug delivery system could significantly relieve pain after thoracic surgery and improve patients’ sleep quality.

Plasmon-Enhanced Photodynamic Therapy for Gastric Cancer by Integrating Targeted Gold Nanorods and Photosensitizer

Gold nanoparticles are widely used for biomedical purposes because of their unique optical, surface plasmon resonance properties, ease of surface functionalization, and high load capacity. Gold nanorods (AuNR), which are rod-shaped gold nanoparticles, have been used as an effective photodynamic treatment (PDT) carrier to boost singlet oxygen (SOG) generation through localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect and then improve PDT efficacy. However, the suitable spatial location should be established to enable photosensitizer to feel the LSPR enhancement. In this study, we utilized multifunctional PEG chain to adjust efficient distance to induce more photosensitizers to feel the enhanced LSPR effect of AuNR and used a novel gastric tumor angiogenesis marker to prevent the uncontrolled LSPR shift induced by the aggregation of AuNR, and then acquire plasmon-enhanced PDT. The synthesized nano-system of integrated photosensitizer and targeted AuNR could significantly enhance SOG generation and improve the apoptosis-inducing ability through activation of the mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathway, and -shorten the induction time for apoptosis, thus acquire efficient plasmon-enhanced PDT. Comparing to the normal photosensitizer, half of the targeted photosensitizer produce same antitumor effect, which improves maximum tolerable dose. Generally, this novel targeted delivery system is a promising agent of plasmon-enhanced PDT for gastric cancer.

Protective Effect of Nanoparticles from Platycladi Cacumen Carbonisata on 2,4,6-Trinitrobenzene Sulfonic Acid (TNBS)-Induced Colitis in Rats

Aim: To evaluate the protective effects of Platycladi Cacumen Carbonisata-derived nanoparticles (PCC-NPs) against 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in rats. Methods: This study developed and characterized novel PCC-NPs synthesized by a green and simple pyrolysis process using Platycladi Cacumen (PC) as the sole precursor. The UC model prepared with rectal instillation of TNBS was used to evaluate the potential efficacy of PCC-NPs, and the underlying mechanisms were preliminarily explored from the perspective of anti-inflammatory and antioxidative stress for the first time. Results: PCC-NPs exhibited low cytotoxicity, good dispersibility and copious surface functional groups. Nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 40-60 nm mainly manifested a therapeutic effect by downregulating tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and upregulating interleukin-10 (IL-10). In addition, PCC-NPs relieved colon injury by inhibiting myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, limiting the release of malondialdehyde (MDA) and increasing the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). Conclusion: Green synthetic PCC-NPs is a potential candidate as a complementary drug for intestinal inflammation of inflammatory bowel disease, and its regulatory mechanisms may be to balance the levels of pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokines and improve resistance to oxidative stress.

Lateral Flow Strip Assay for Detection of Mycoplasma hyorhinis Based on a Pair of Sandwich-Type Aptamers

Mycoplasma hyorhinis is a normal flora in swine respiratory tract and also often found in multiple human tumor tissues, which is considered to be highly correlated with human tumors. Due to the detection of Mycoplasma hyorhinis mainly relies on PCR-based assay at present, thus it is critical for developing a novel assay for rapid detection and providing support diagnosis evidence. In our work, we screened and characterized a high affinity aptamer zyb1 that can recognize Mycoplasma hyorhinis based on infectious cell-SELEX. On this basis, we developed a lateral flow strip assay by using zyb1 and another aptamer AP15-1 to form a sandwich-type aptasensor. Using this new lateral flow strip assay biosensor, Mycoplasma hyorhinis could be detected within the detectable limit as low as 1 × 10³ CCU/mL. Therefore, our study successfully developed a convenient and effective lateral flow strip for Mycoplasma hyorhinis detection and demonstrated the potential of utilizing aptamer for the development of point-of-care testing products for mycoplasma detection.

Achieving High Excipient Efficiency with Elastic Thermoplastic Polyurethane by Ultrasound Assisted Direct Compression

Ultrasound assisted compression (USAC) is a manufacturing technique which applies thermal and mechanical energy to the powder bed, producing tablets with improved characteristics compared to the direct compression process. This technology is ideal for thermoplastic materials, as polyurethanes, whose particles usually undergo a sintering process. Thermoplastic polyurethanes are widely used in sustained drug release systems but rarely seen in tablets due to their elastic properties. The aim of this work is to investigate the ability of USAC to manufacture sustained release matrix tablets based on elastic thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU), overcoming the limitations of direct compression. The technological and biopharmaceutical characteristics of the TPU matrices have been evaluated, with special focus on the porous structure due to the implications on drug release. For the first time, USAC has been successfully employed for manufacturing elastic thermoplastic polyurethanes-based matrices. TPU tablets show an inert character with a sustained drug release governed by a diffusional mechanism. Initial porosity of matrices was similar in all batches studied, with no influence of drug particle size, and a fractal nature of the pore network has been observed. SEM microphotographs show the continuum medium created by the sintering of the polymer, responsible for the high excipient efficiency.