Unroasted Green Coffee Extract-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Enhancing Intestinal Permeation

Green coffee bean extract (GCBE) provides diversified health benefits. However, its reported low bioavailability impeded its utilization in various applications. In this study, GCBE-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) were prepared to improve the bioavailability through enhanced intestinal absorption of GCBE. During the preparation of promising GCBE-loaded SLNs, the lipid concentration, surfactant concentration, and co-surfactant amount are crucial that were optimized using the Box-Behnken design, while particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), ζ-potential, entrapment efficiency, and cumulative drug release were the measured responses. GCBE-SLNs were successfully developed by a high shear homogenization technique using geleol as a solid lipid, tween 80 as a surfactant, and propylene glycol as Co-SAA. The optimized SLNs contained 5.8% geleol, 5.9% tween 80, and 80.4 mg PG resulting in a small particle size of 235.7 ± 12.5 nm, reasonably acceptable PDI of 0.417 ± 0.023, and ζ-potential of -15 ± 0.14 mV, with a high entrapment efficiency of 58.3 ± 0.85% and cumulative release of 7575 ± 0.78%. Furthermore, the performance of the optimized GCBE-SLN was evaluated using an ex vivo everted sac model where the intestinal permeation of GCBE was improved due to nanoencapsulation using SLN. Consequently, the results enlightened the auspicious potential of exploiting oral GCBE-SLNs for boosting intestinal absorption of chlorogenic acid.

Development of thermosensitive and mucoadhesive gels of cabotegravir for enhanced permeation and retention profiles in vaginal tissue: A proof of concept study

As an effective anti-HIV drug, cabotegravir (CAB) is currently administered via oral and injection routes, leading to several drawbacks, such as poor oral bioavailability and problems in the injection application process, as well as low drug concentration in vaginal tissue of woman patients. To overcome these issues, for the first time, we formulated CAB into three types of vaginal gels, considering the benefits of vaginal tissue as a delivery route. Thermosensitive gel, mucoadhesive gel, and the combination of these gels were developed as suitable carriers for CAB. Pluronics®, hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), Carbomer and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) 400 were used as thermosensitive, mucoadhesive and permeation enhancer agents, respectively. The gels were evaluated for their thermosensitive and mucoadhesive properties, as well as their pH values, viscosities, gel erosions, drug content recovery, in vitro drug release, ex vivo permeation, ex vivo retention, hemolytic activities, Lactobacillus inhibition activities and in vivo irritation properties. The results showed that all formulations showed desired characteristics for vaginal administration. Importantly, all formulations did not show hemolytic activities and inhibitions to Lactobacillus as normal bacteria in the vagina. Furthermore, no irritation in the vaginal tissues of the rats was observed by histopathological studies. Considering the thermosensitive and mucoadhesive properties, the combination of Pluronic® F127, Pluronic F68, and HPMC in thermosensitive-mucoadhesive vaginal gels was selected as the optimum dosage form for CAB as this formulation was able to provide ease administration due to its liquid form at room temperature. The use of PEG in this formulation was able to increase the penetrability of CAB through vaginal tissue with 0.61 ± 0.05 mg and 17.28 ± 0.95 mg of CAB being able to penetrate and localize in the vagina, respectively. Essentially, the optimum formulation was retained in the vaginal mucosa for>8 h. To conclude, further extensive in vivo studies should now be conducted to evaluate the efficacy of this approach.

Drug-Loaded Lipid-Core Micelles in Mucoadhesive Films as a Novel Dosage Form for Buccal Administration of Poorly Water-Soluble and Biological Drugs

The aim of the study was to develop a novel buccal dosage form to transport rhodamine 123 and human insulin as models for poorly water-soluble and biological drugs, using lipid-core micelles (LCMs)-loaded mucoadhesive films. LCMs were synthesized by a low-energy hot emulsification process, yielding spherically shaped, small-sized, monodispersed and negatively charged carriers with high entrapment efficiency. In vitro release studies demonstrated a higher release of insulin rather than rhodamine from LCMs in simulated physiological conditions, due to an initial burst release effect; however, both release profiles are mainly explained by a diffusion mechanism. Furthermore, LCMs-loaded mucoadhesive films were manufactured and preserved with similar mechanical properties and optimal mucoadhesive behavior compared to nonloaded films. Ex vivo permeation experiments using excised porcine buccal epithelium reveal that both rhodamine and insulin-loaded LCM films elicited a significantly enhanced permeation effect compared to LCMs in suspension and free drugs in solution as controls. Hence, LCMs-loaded mucoadhesive films are suitable as buccal dosage form for the transport and delivery of rhodamine 123 and insulin, as models for poorly water-soluble and biological drugs, respectively.