Optimizing Neuroprotective Nano-structured Lipid Carriers for Transdermal Delivery through Artificial Neural Network

BACKGROUND

Dementia associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurological disorder. AD is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that predominantly impacts the elderly population, although it can also manifest in younger people through the impairment of cognitive functions, such as memory, cognition, and behaviour. Donepezil HCl and Memantine HCl are encapsulated in Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLCs) to prolong systemic circulation and minimize the systemic side effects.

OBJECTIVE

This work explores the use of data mining tools to optimize the formulation of NLCs comprising of Donepezil HCl and Memantine HCl for transdermal drug delivery. Neuroprotective drugs and excipients are utilized for protecting the nervous system against damage or degeneration.

METHOD

The NLCs were formulated using a high-speed homogenization technique followed by ultrasonication. NLCs were optimized using Box Behnken Design (BBD) in Design Expert Software and artificial neural network (ANN) in IBM SPSS statistics. The independent variables included the ratio of solid lipid to liquid lipid, the percentage of surfactant, and the revolutions per minute (RPM) of the high-speed homogenizer.

RESULTS

The NLCs that were formulated had a mean particle size ranging from 67.0±0.45 to 142.4±0.52nm. Both drugs have a %EE range over 75%, and Zeta potential was determined to be - 26±0.36mV. CryoSEM was used to do the structural study. The permeation study showed the prolonged release of the formulation.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that NLCs have the potential to be a carrier for transporting medications to deeper layers of the skin and reaching systemic circulation, making them a suitable formulation for the management of Dementia. Both ANN and BBD techniques are effective tools for systematically developing and optimizing NLC formulation.

Optimization and validation of polyherbal formulation by applying Box-Behnken design for the treatment of Inflammatory bowel disease in experimental animals

Background:

The use of herbal medicine in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) had been increased significantly. Allopathic treatment of IBD leads too many side effects therefore use of the herbal formulation is promising. Aegle Marmelos, Bombax malabericum, and Hollarrhena antidysentrica plants have been used to treat IBD.

Objective:

To evaluate a designed polyherbal formulation in experimentally induced inflammatory bowel disease in rats and To validate mathematical model derived by Box-Behnken experimental design for optimized polyherbal formulation for the treatment of IBD in experimental rats by checkpoint analysis.

Method:

Three-level Box-Behnken design was selected to optimize the dose. Polyherbal formulation consist of plant extract of Aegle Marmelos (X1), Bombax malabericum (X2), and Hollarrhena antidysentrica (X3) in different ratios were selected as independent variable. Polynomial equations were established based on Analysis of variance (ANOVA). To validate the chosen polynomial equation checkpoint analysis were performed. The percentage of predictive error is presented.

Results:

ANOVA reveals that X2 plant does not have any significant impact on the response surface. The checkpoint batch showed the experimental value of CMDI and Disease activity index (DAI) as 1.33 and 0.66 respectively. It is worthwhile to note that the observed values were quite close to the calculated values of CMDI. A little difference in the value of DAI may be attributed to the inherent variation observed in animal studies.

Conclusion:

From this study, it was concluded that a dose of Aegle marmelos 100 mg/kg, a dose of Bombax malabericum 300 mg/kg, and a dose of Holarrhena antidysentrica 200 mg/kg will always be effective in IBD patients.

Hybrid Liquisolid Technique: A Novel Approach to Enhance the In-vitro Performance of Antidiabetic Drugs

Background:

A combination of Glimepiride and Boswellia serrata extract reduces neuropathic diabetic complications by reducing the peroxidase level and improving the antioxidant level. The hybrid liquisolid method includes a combination of two methods, kneading and the liquisolid method, to enhance the drug’s in-vitro performance.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to enhance the in-vitro performance of antidiabetics drugs.

Method:

Tablets involving a fixed-dose combination of Glimepiride and Boswellia serrata extract were formulated by kneading method followed by liquisolid method. Screening of non-volatile solvents, carriers, and coating materials was carried out. The experiment was designed to optimize the formulation and the obtained model was validated concerning the design of the experiment. 3 level 2 factorial (32) design was applied by using Design expert software 11. Various pre-compression parameters were assessed to check the quality of the formulation.

Results:

Screening of excipients for kneading method, including Glimepiride with PVP K 30 (5%), and Boswellia serrata extract with Poloxamer 188 (13%), provided optimum drug release. For the liquisolid method, propylene glycol:PEG 400: Tween 80 (1:2:4) ratio for Glimepiride and PEG 400: Tween 80 (1:3) ratio for Boswellia serrata extract were selected. Common carrier and coating material for both drugs were selected to improve the in-vitro performance of the drug.

Conclusion:

This study enables an overall understanding of the impact of excipients on the quality of formulation, which may provide critical knowledge for the implementation of liquisolid systems.

Genetic evidence for assortative mating between 13-year cicadas and sympatric "17-year cicadas with 13-year life cycles" provides support for allochronic speciation

Thirteen-year cicadas of brood XIX from northern Arkansas, Missouri, and southern Illinois (lineage A) are known to be genetically different at two marker loci (mitochondrial DNA and abdominal color) from 13-year cicadas to the south (lineage B) that emerge in the same year. Because 17-year cicadas from all broods (year classes) are indistinguishable from lineage A at these two marker loci, previous workers suggested that the lineage A cicadas of 13-year brood XIX were derived from 17-year cicadas by life-cycle switching (allochrony). Data presented here show that, over the same northern geographic range, lineage A is also present in 13-year cicadas belonging to brood XXIII (which always emerges four years later than brood XIX). Detailed sampling along the putative life-cycle-switching boundary in 13-year brood XXIII revealed a previously unsuspected broad zone of overlap where populations contained individuals of both lineages A and B. Despite this sympatry, and previous reports of a lack of behavioral barriers to interbreeding, a strong correlation between mitochondrial haplotype and abdominal color suggests that assortative mating has taken place. Lineage A 13-year cicadas from both broods XIX and XXIII are only found within a gap in the spatial distribution of 17-year cicadas. This, in combination with the lack of differentiation between lineage A 13- and 17-year cicadas at the marker loci and new behavioral data for 13-year brood XIX, suggests a recent derivation of all northern 13-year cicadas from the 17-year cicadas via life-cycle switching. We discuss the implications of these allochronic shifts for speciation.