Transdermal delivery of fluvastatin sodium via tailored spanlastic nanovesicles: mitigated Freund's adjuvant-induced rheumatoid arthritis in rats through suppressing p38 MAPK signaling pathway

The current study aimed to encapsulate fluvastatin sodium (FVS), a member of the statins family possessing pleiotropic effects in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), into spanlastic nanovesicles (SNVs) for transdermal delivery. This novel delivery could surmount FVS associated oral encumbrances such as apparent first-pass effect, poor bioavailability and short elimination half-life, hence, accomplishing platform for management of RA. To consummate this objective, FVS-loaded SNVs were elaborated by thin film hydration method, utilizing either Span 60 or Span 80, together with Tween 80 or Brij 35 as an edge activator according to full factorial design (2⁴). Applying Design-Expert^® software, the influence of formulation variables on SNVs physicochemical properties and the optimized formulation selection were explored. Additionally, the pharmacokinetic studies were scrutinized in rats. Furthermore, in Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis, rheumatoid markers, TNF-α, IL-10, p38 MAPK, and antioxidant parameters were measured. The optimum SNVs were nano-scaled spherical vesicles (201.54 ± 9.16 nm), having reasonable entrapment efficiency (71.28 ± 2.05%), appropriate release over 8 h (89.45 ± 3.64%) and adequate permeation characteristics across the skin (402.55 ± 27.48 µg/cm²). The pharmacokinetic study disclosed ameliorated bioavailability of the optimum SNVs gel by 2.79- and 4.59-fold as compared to the oral solution as well as the traditional gel, respectively. Moreover, it elicited a significant suppression of p38 MAPK expression and also significant improvement of all other measured biomarkers. Concisely, the foregoing findings proposed that SNVs can be auspicious for augmenting FVS transdermal delivery for management of RA.

Influence of eugenol on oxidative stress biomarkers in the liver of carrageenan-induced arthritis rats

Background Eugenol is the foremost constituent of clove oil and widely distributed in many plants. It possesses many pharmaceutical applications, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumorigenic properties, among others. This study evaluates the influence of eugenol on oxidative stress biomarkers in the liver of carrageenan-induced arthritis (CIA) rats. Methods Sixty albino rats were randomly divided into 10 (n=6) groups. Group I is the control group that received saline solution orally. Groups II and VII rats received 2.5 mg/kg of eugenol orally (EUG-2.5). Rats in groups III/VIII and IV/IX received 5 and 10 mg/kg of eugenol orally (EUG-5 and EUG-10), respectively. Groups V and X received 0.2 mg/kg of dexamethasone (DEX-0.2) orally. Groups VI to X were injected with 1% carrageenan intra-articularly. Behavioral studies were conducted after 21 days of treatment. Thereafter, the animals were sacrificed, and the livers were isolated and used for biochemical analysis. Results Reduced body weight in arthritic rats was recorded compared to normal controls. Reduced tibiofemoral joint edema and increased spontaneous movement were observed in CIA rats with decreased superoxide dismutase, catalase, reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase, and GSH S-transferase activities compared with the normal control group. Increased endogenous enzyme activities and decreased elevated lipid peroxidation were also observed after eugenol treatment. Conclusion Eugenol ameliorates carrageenan-induced oxidative stress in the liver of arthritic rats.

Identification of potential anti-hepatitis C virus agents targeting non structural protein 5B using computational techniques

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural protein 5B (NS5B) is an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase that plays a key role in HCV replication, and, hence, NS5B is an attractive target for hepatitis C drug discovery. Hepatitis C is a chronic liver disease affecting the global population significantly. Many NS5B inhibitors targeting active site were launched in recent years, however, still there exists a pressing need for cost-effective therapies with pan genotypic activity and therapies targeting niche HCV population with comorbities and resistant to earlier therapies. The objective of the current study is to identify potential anti-HCV agents from FDA approved drugs that are already in the market for a different disease-Drug repurposing approach. A combination of computational chemistry and computational biology techniques was used to discover potential therapies for hepatitis C targeting the NS5B Thumb I allosteric site. Computational chemistry analysis emphasized the fact that fluvastatin, a lipid lowering agent, and olopatadine, an antihistamine, exhibited good binding affinity to NS5B. In addition, gene set enrichment analysis brought to light the significant overlap between disease characteristic features and the mechanism of action of fluvastatin and olopatadine. The current study concludes the potentially beneficial use of fluvastatin in niche hepatitis C patient population suffering from nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases.