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Plant-based hard capsules have gained considerable attention because of their great properties. Accordingly, designing and developing of these kinds of capsules will be a difficult task. Herein, an innovative pullulan-based hard capsule formulation was prepared for the first time. A series of characterization approaches, including Fourier transform infrared, field emission scanning electron microscope, and rheology analysis, were utilized to figure out the straightforward preparation of a designed hard capsule. Many tests and experiments were performed to achieve the optimum capsule formulation. Based on the obtained results, specifications such as uniform downfall and non-desirable adhesion, and other ideal characteristics of the capsule display the critical function. The gelling promoter of divalent cationic salts is more beneficial than its single-valent counterparts. With respect to the key role of gelling promoter, the presence of chosen MgSO4.7H2O salt and the source of selected carrageenan are important parameters to achieve optimal formulation. Moreover, field emission scanning electron microscope images illustrate that the weight ratio of 3.5 (gelling agent to salt) displays uniform surface morphology without any impurities or other foreign materials. Likewise, the outcomes of the rheology test also illustrated that the weight ratio of 3.5 is preferable. Considering the different weight ratios, the benefits of a weight ratio of 3.5 outweigh the other investigated ratios. Overall, the current research addresses substantial information about developing pullulan-based hard capsules for target usage.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and primary brain tumor with poor prognosis. They are removed by following tedious and life threatening surgeries. GBM stem cells (GSCs) are the main source of tumor recurrence after surgery. Hence, drugs are designed to overcome the recurrent glioblastoma malignant cells. Currently used chemotherapies are not cost effective as well as bear resistance. New and effective chemotherapeutic compounds are developed to overcome the intrinsic and acquired resistance. Dicoumarol derivative 3,3′-[(4-methoxyphenyl)methanediyl]bis(4-hydroxy-2Hchromen-2-one) (HL) and its triethylammonium salt triethylammonium3-[(4-methoxyphenyl)(4-hydroxy-2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl)methyl]-2-oxo-2H-chromen-4-olate (L) were synthesized and characterized using spectral and analytical techniques. The deprotonated compound L was further studied structurally using single crystal analysis. Cytotoxic studies against human glioblastoma cells A172 and LN229 were investigated both dose and time dependently and compared with the cytotoxicity of normal human astrocytes (NHA). The IC50 value of HL against A172 was found to be lying within the range 2.68–0.95 μM whereas against LN229 the range was found to be 9.55–0.85 μM. Similarly, the compound L revealed range of 1.9–0.271 μM against A172 and 1.2–0.27 μM against LN229. Cell cycle arrest was observed in GBM cells treated with L compared to the control group, which suggested that L may trigger apoptosis in GBM cells according to cytotoxicity and flow cytometry results. The antioxidant activity of synthesized compounds was also investigated using DPPH free radicals.

Extensive wounds might result in massive infections, deformation, or organ malfunction. Conventional therapies like skin grafting possess some drawbacks, therefore, the urge of developing tissue engineering techniques and skin substitutes has emerged. During this study, a biocompatible nanoscaffold was fabricated from wood nanocellulose, collagen, and carboxymethyl diethylaminoethyl cellulose to be used in the wound regeneration process. The main chemical, physical, and biological features of the synthesized nanoscaffold were determined by employing various techniques. In addition, an in vivo assay was performed to evaluate the allergic or immunogenic properties and potential healing effects of the scaffold. Zeta potential was measured to be −43.9 mv reflecting the high stability of the scaffold. The crystallite size was determined to be 69 nm by XRD which was in the nanoparticle size range. The crystallinity index was estimated to be 66.8% indicating more crystalline nature of the nanocomposite. PH was adjusted to 5.6 to be suitable for the wound healing process. The scaffold was proved to be biocompatible and showed improved water uptake capacity and adhesive properties. Moreover, no allergic or immune response was induced while applying the scaffold to a biological system. It was proved the scaffold assists in the wound healing process by histological studies. This study shows the synthesized nanoscaffold is a good candidate to be used in the wound regeneration process. It could combine with cell therapy to increase the healing effect. There could be a possibility to use the scaffold as a biological Band-Aid following more intensive clinical trials in the future.

Today, the principle of research and development is pulmonary drug delivery due to the potential for maximizing therapeutic effects for patients by direct drug targeting the pathology site in the lungs. Amongst the convenient delivery alternatives, the Dry Powder Inhaler (DPI) is the preferred device to remedy a variety of diseases. In this regard, the fabrication and development of a novel formulation for DPI capsules have been studied. We investigated the effects of various parameters, such as percentages of polyethylene glycol (PEG), propylene glycol (PG), glycerol (Gly), brittleness, test conditions, and particle release of manufactured DPI capsules. The efficacy of each parameter was evaluated in detail to understand and address the consequences of the mentioned factors. The results illustrated that the lower molecular weight of PEGs presented the better plasticizing capability of gelatin. Owing to the hygroscopicity of the utilized plasticizer, polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400) increased the capsule flexibility for a longer time and its stability under environmental conditions in the gelatin capsule formulation. Likewise, no particle release was observed in the gelatin/PEG capsule. The prepared gelatin/PEG400 capsules were compared with pure gelatin and HPMC capsules. The capsules were evaluated in terms of loss on drying (LOD), surface morphology, roughness, and puncture type. The results show that using PEG-400 can lead to the production of capsules that have low moisture content and minimal interaction with APIs. In addition, gelatin/PEG capsules have no particles due to the smooth surface after the punching process. The as-produced capsules are not blocked again after punching, allowing the patient to take the drug completely. In fact, the present research provided substantial insight regarding the development of DPI formulation in capsule investigations on an industrial scale.

While studies show that prolonged initial prednisone therapy reduces the frequency of relapses in nephrotic syndrome, they lack power and have risk of bias. In order to examine the effect of prolonged therapy on frequency of relapses, we conducted a blinded, 1:1 randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 5 academic hospitals in India on 181 patients, 1-12 years old, with a first episode of steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome. Following 12 weeks of standard therapy, in random order, 92 patients received tapering prednisolone while 89 received matching-placebo on alternate days for the next 12 weeks. On intention-to-treat analyses, primary outcome of number of relapses at 1 year was 1.26 in the 6-month group and 1.54 in the 3-month group (difference -0.28; 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.75, 0.19). Relative relapse rate for 6- vs. 3-month therapy, adjusted for gender, age, and time to initial remission, was 0.70 (95% CI 0.47-1.10). Similar proportions of patients had sustained remission, frequent relapses, and adverse effects due to steroids. Adjusted hazard ratios for first relapse and frequent relapses with prolonged therapy were 0.57 (95% CI, 0.36-1.07) and 1.01 (95% CI, 0.61-1.67), respectively. Thus, extending initial prednisolone treatment from 3 to 6 months does not influence the course of illness in children with nephrotic syndrome. These findings have implications for guiding the duration of therapy of nephrotic syndrome.