Natural Polymer Chitosan as Super Disintegrant in Fast Orally Disintegrating Meloxicam Tablets: Formulation and Evaluation

Fabrication and characterization of cocoa butter-based caffeine fast-melting tablets

Aim: The objective of this study was to develop and characterize the physical properties of fast-melting tablets (FMTs) using cocoa butter as the base and caffeine as the model drug.Method: The simple refrigerator freezing method was employed to prepare caffeine-loaded, FMTs from cocoa butter bases.Results: The F3 chosen formulation achieved a disintegration time of 1.20 min ± 0.035, which falls within the specified limit set by the European Pharmacopoeia. The cumulative drug release data of F3, was 88.52 and 94.08% within 60 and 75 min, respectively (NLT 85% as per US FDA requirement). All the other physical test standards for FMTs met the pharmacopeial specifications.Conclusion: Based on the findings, the simple refrigerator freezing method could be used to formulate FMTs.

Exosomes isolated from citrus lemon: a promising candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Aim: To investigate the efficacy of exosome-like nanovesicles from citrus lemon (EXO-CLs) in combating oxidative stress associated with Alzheimer's disease.Materials & methods: EXO-CLs were isolated through differential ultracentrifugation, characterized for particle size and evaluated for antioxidant activity.Results: EXO-CLs exhibited a mean size of 93.77 ± 12.31 nm, demonstrated permeability across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and displayed antioxidant activity comparable to ascorbic acid. Additionally, they were found to be non-toxic, with over 80% cell viability observed in SH-SY5Y cells.Conclusion: The study proposes that EXO-CLs could serve as an effective treatment for neurodegenerative diseases. This suggests a promising approach for targeted interventions in brain-related disorders, owing to the antioxidant properties and BBB permeability exhibited by EXO-CLs.

Development and Evaluation of MCC-SiO2/CMC-SiO2 Conjugates as Tablet Super-Disintegrants

In the present study, microcrystallinecellulose-colloidal silicon dioxide (MCC-SiO2) and carboxymethylcellulose-colloidal silicon dioxide (CMC-SiO2) conjugates have been investigated as superdisintegrants in fast dissolving tablets (FDTs). MCC-SiO2 and CMC-SiO2 conjugates were prepared and micromeritic studies, FTIR, SEM and XRD methods were utilized for characterizing the powdered conjugates. The conjugates were used for the preparation of domperidone FDTs by direct compression and the wetting time, water absorption ratio, disintegration time and in vitro drug release were evaluated. Effective pore radius of MCC-SiO2 and CMC-SiO2 conjugates for 1:1, 1:2.5 and 1:5 was found to be 13.35 ± 0.31 µm, 15.66 ± 0.17 µm and 18.38 ± 0.44 µm, and 16.81 ± 0.24 µm, 20.12 ± 0.39 µm and 26.37 ± 0.24 µm, respectively, compared to 12.21 ± 0.23 µm for MCC and 13.65 ± 0.21 µm for CMC. The results of effective pore radius indicate the wicking capability as well as the disintegration potential of MCC-SiO2 and CMC-SiO2 conjugates over pure MCC and CMC. The results of wetting time, water absorption ratio and disintegration time for MCC-SiO2 conjugates were found to be in the range of 19 ± 1.21 to 30 ± 1.33 s, 42 ± 0.28 to 49 ± 0.47% and 15 ± 2 to 40 ± 1 s, and for CMC-SiO2 conjugates were found to be in the range of 21 ± 1.13 to 40 ± 1.17 s, 42 ± 0.94 to 49 ± 0.57% and 12 ± 2 to 20 ± 3 s, respectively. Conjugation of MCC and CMC with SiO2 led to the formation of a complex with remarkable tablet superdisintegrant potential that could be used in preparing fast disintegrating tablets.

Preparation of ethyl cellulose particles with different morphologies through microfluidics

The sizes and shapes of polymer particles determine their performance and application. In this paper, ethyl cellulose particles with different morphologies are generated through extraction and solidification in a microfluidic device with double T-junctions. Droplets of ethyl acetate containing ethyl cellulose are formed first, then, pure water is employed to extract the solvents in the droplets and the ethyl cellulose is solidified to form monodisperse particles. By changing the flow rates of the continuous phase and the dispersed phase and the concentration of ethyl cellulose, red-blood-cell-like, doughnut-like, dimpled and spherical particles are fabricated, and the regime of different particle morphologies is given. The more important is that the physical mechanisms and explanations of the formation of different particle morphologies are clearly disclosed by analyzing the circulation flows outside and inside the droplets. The flow patterns in the microchannel, and the diffusion and solidification properties of the molecules are the key factors that affect the final morphology of particles. Due to the circulation, there are two stagnation points at the front and rear of the droplet, and they are the approximate locations where the dimple in the dimpled particle, the hole in the doughnut-like particle and the two pits in the red-blood-cell-like particles are formed. These analysis and results are useful in flow chemistry, in the fabrication of particle materials, and so on.