Formulation of Piperine-Loaded Nanoemulsion: In Vitro Characterization, Ex Vivo Evaluation, and Cell Viability Assessment

Piperine is an alkaloid, but its therapeutic efficacy is limited due to poor aqueous solubility. In this study, piperine nanoemulsions were prepared using oleic acid (oil), Cremophore EL (surfactant), and Tween 80 (co-surfactant) using the high-energy ultrasonication approach. The optimal nanoemulsion (N2) was further evaluated using transmission electron microscopy, release, permeation, antibacterial, and cell viability studies based on minimal droplet size and maximum encapsulation efficiency. The prepared nanoemulsions (N1-N6) showed a transmittance of more than 95%, a mean droplet size between 105 ± 4.11 and 250 ± 7.4 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.19 to 0.36, and a ζ potential of -19 to -39 mV. The optimized nanoemulsion (N2) showed significantly improved drug release and permeation compared with pure piperine dispersion. The nanoemulsions were stable in the tested media. The transmission electron microscopy image showed a spherical and dispersed nanoemulsion droplet. The antibacterial and cell line results of piperine nanoemulsions were significantly better than the pure piperine dispersion. The findings suggested that piperine nanoemulsions may be a more advanced nanodrug delivery system than conventional ones.

Therapeutic drug monitoring for lisinopril in rats using dried blood spots

A unique, easy, precise and exact high-performance liquid chromatographic-mass tandem (LCMS/MS) approach was created and validated for the measurement of the antihypertensive medicine Lisinopril (LIS) in dried blood spots (DBS). This was the first time according to our knowledge that LIS is being validated in DBS. Liquid chromatography mass tandem was utilized using the Water Acquity column as UPLC -HSS T3® column. Ten millimole ammonium formate, 0.2 percent formic acid, 0.2 percent trimethylamine, one percent acetonitrile (pH 3.0± 0.02) used as mobile phase (A) and a mobile phase (B) consisting of 0.2 percent formic acid in acetonitrile. The mobile phase lasts for 2.5 minutes at a flow rate of 0.2 ml/min. For the drug as well internal standard, the retention times (RT) obtained under optimal circumstances were 0.63±0.02 and 2.18±0.03 min, dried blood spot samples, offering consistent and quantitative drug recovery. The process was the shortest RT reported for the LIS, it is a linear relationship with concentrations from 10 - to 100ng/ml. A protein precipitation approach was used to measure the LIS. The method used to analyze DBS samples from rats receiving LIS.

Quality Assessment of Extemporaneously Compounded Carvedilol Oral Suspension for Pediatric Patients at the Hospital Pharmacy

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate different quality control parameters and the stability of the carvedilol compounded extemporaneous suspensions over three months at room temperature. Methodology: The carvedilol compounded extemporaneous suspensions were prepared in our lab in a manner consistent with how they are prepared for pediatric patients at the hospital pharmacy. The suspensions were stored at room temperature and analyzed immediately and at 1, 2 and 3 months. Suspensions were monitored for changes in organoleptic properties, pH, particle size, zeta potential, viscosity, sedimentation volume, drug content and drug dissolution. Results: The results demonstrated that the carvedilol compounding protocol used in this study was reliable and able to prepare 1.67 mg/mL of carvedilol suspension by using carvedilol commercially available tablets and Ora-blend as a suspending vehicle. Also, the extemporaneously compounded suspension maintained acceptable quality attributes when stored for three months at room temperature. Conclusion: The extemporaneously compounded suspension enables pediatricians to administer a variable dose, which adapts to every patient’s needs, and gives the possibility of treatment when the liquid dosage form is not available.

An Overview of nano delivery systems for targeting RNA interference-based therapy in ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one of the main subtypes of inflammatory bowel disease. UC has a negative effect on patients' quality of life, and it is an important risk factor for the development of colitis-associated cancer. Patients with UC need to take medications for their entire life because no permanent cure is available. Therefore, approaches that target messenger RNA (mRNA) of proinflammatory cytokines or anti-inflammatory cytokines are needed to improve the safety of UC therapy and promote intestinal mucosa recovery. The major challenge facing RNA interference-based therapy is the delivery of RNA molecules to the intracellular space of target cells. Moreover, nonspecific and systemic protein expression inhibition can result in adverse effects and less therapeutic benefits. Thus, it is important to develop an efficient delivery strategy targeting the cytoplasm of target cells to avoid side effects caused by off-target protein expression inhibition. This review focuses on the most recent advances in the targeted nano delivery systems of siRNAs and mRNA that have shown in vivo efficacy.

Cubosomes Dispersions as Enhanced Indomethacin Oral Delivery Systems: In vitro and Stability Evaluation

Aims: To improve the dissolution of indomethacin through developing liquid indomethacin loaded cubosomes dispersion for oral delivery. Methodology: Glyceryl monooleate based indomethacin loaded cubosomes dispersion were prepared using Taguchi design to study the effect of indomethacin to the disperse phase ratio and poloxamer 407 (PLX%) concentrations on the particle size and entrapment efficiency (%EE). Furthermore, in vitro release in phosphate buffer (pH 6.8), and morphology were investigated. Also, the stability of indomethacin loaded cubosomes dispersions was examined after 6 months storage at 25°C in the dark. Results: The prepared indomethacin cubosomes dispersions were in the nanoscale (184.53±0.7 to 261.33±0.8 nm) with reasonable %EE (49.30±2.6 to 95.55±3.4 %). Moreover, a biphasic release profile was predominant for all formulations, up to 50% of payload released after 2h followed by a second continuous sustained release phase over 24h. The kinetics of indomethacin release was best explained by Higuchi model and the mechanism of drug release from these cubosomes dispersions was by fickian diffusion mechanism. In general, the indomethacin loaded cubosomes dispersions were stable after 6 months storage at 25°C in the dark. Conclusion: Indomethacin loaded cubosomes dispersions proved to be a successful platform to encapsulate and enhance the release of indomethacin with a good stability profile over 6 months.