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With an aim to primarily focus on selection and identification of target-modulated candidates, there has been a dramatic rise in drug candidates belonging to BCS Class II and IV. These were more potent and efficacious but were accompanied by problems of poor water solubility, poor permeability, small absorption window, and being the substrates of efflux transporters, have brought major drawbacks in poor in vivo dissolution and consequently poor bioavailability. Among the various technologies to resolve this issue, amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) serve as an attractive alternative. They utilize their potential of altering molecular arrangement and maintaining a supersaturated state, thus rendering the drug into a high-energy amorphous state, and further improving its in vivo prospects. The ASDs have been prepared using both synthetic and natural polymers with the latter outweighing the former in various aspects, the most crucial being that it is devoid of side effects and toxicity. The polysaccharides are such natural polymers, widely utilized as carriers in ASDs. In the current chapter, polysaccharide carriers are critically reviewed and their therapeutic significance about solubility and bioavailability enhancement is highlighted in the light of previous research.

Osteoarthritis (OA), a progressive degenerative joint disease, is one of the most prevalent and disabling chronic diseases affecting elderly people, particularly women. Loss of ovarian function leading to estrogen deficiency has been linked to the increasing prevalence of OA in postmenopausal women. It is the most common form of arthritis encountered in developed countries (15%) and is a disease of concern because it affects the mobility of individuals and their quality of life. Although there is no cure for OA, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are prescribed to alleviate pain by reducing ongoing inflammatory processes. These NSAIDs act by blocking prostaglandin synthesis but are unable to influence other mediators of inflammation such as leukotrienes and complement pathways. In addition, numerous disadvantages are associated with consumption of NSAIDs, such as gastrointestinal and renal complications. Therefore, there is a high need for better and safer alternatives that may lead to a shift in the paradigm from NSAIDs to natural products. This is because of better tolerance and decreased adverse drug reactions for these natural agents. They offer great possibilities in identifying bioactive lead compounds and their further development into drugs for treating inflammatory diseases. This chapter deals with such natural products, which can prove to be a boon in managing OA. In addition, scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of these natural products is discussed.

Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is a chronic infectious disease primarily producing skin lesions and nerve damage and is caused by Mycobacterium leprae bacillus. In terms of epidemiology, India bears 60% of the global cases of leprosy, followed by Brazil and Indonesia. Although there are many chemically defined moieties currently being used as antileprotic agents commercially, they are associated with numerous adverse side effects. However, there are a vast number of naturally occurring agents that are not much explored and hence, not prescribed for the treatment of leprosy. These agents offer the advantage of low toxicity. Thus they could be a boon in the management of leprosy. The present chapter is an attempt to encompass the detailed descriptions of natural agents, both in plants and in animals, possessing antileprotic properties. The scientific evidence backing the use of such agents in leprosy is also discussed in this chapter.