Search

The aim of the study was to develop single-unit tablet in capsule system of aceclofenac for the treatment of late night pain and morning stiffness associated with rheumatoid arthritis. The system was conceptualized as a three-component design (1) a hard gelatin enteric-coated capsule (for carrying two pulses), (2) first-pulse granules (for rapid release in intestine), and (2) second-pulse matrix tablet (for slow release in colon). An appropriate integration of pH-sensitive (Eudragit S100) and bacteria-responsive (inulin) functions, on the basis of 3(2) factorial design, led to formulation of TICS 1-9 that were screened for in vitro release. TICS 2 with biphasic drug release of 98.64% from first-pulse granules in simulated intestinal fluid (12 h) and 97.82% from second-pulse matrix tablet in simulated colonic fluid (24 h) was the optimized formulation that exhibited Fickian diffusion of drug (n=0.363). In vivo fluoroscopy in rats traced the intact tablet to colon in 7.5 h that got eroded at the tenth hour. This demonstrated the colon-specific delivery of the matrix tablet affirming the potential of the system to obviate the need for two-time administration of drug at odd hours. The experimental design was validated by extra design check point, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and DSC revealed absence of chemical interaction between the formulation excipients.

The purpose of the research was to employ a novel particle engineering technique-melt sonocrystallization (MSC) for some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for development of more soluble forms of the drugs without the use of excipients. The original forms of Paracetamol (OFPCM), Indomethacin (OFIMC) and Mefenamic acid (OFMA) were subjected to MSC to improve physicochemical properties. MSC forms of PCM, IMC and MA were subjected to dynamic laser scattering for particle size analysis to quantize mean particle size, specific surface area, interquartile coefficient of skewness, kurtosis and span. Rheological and solubility analysis, X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were conducted for validating the effect of MSC on powder particles. On melt sonocrystallized form of drug powders exhibited improved micromeritic properties, the mean particle size was reduced while the specific surface area increased effectively. Frequency distribution curves showed reduction in asymmetry and skewness that was confirmed by interquartile coefficient of skewness values. Equilibrium solubility of MSC form of PCM, IMC and MA was higher than the original forms. Similarly the intrinsic dissolution rate was approximately 1.5 times higher in comparison to original form of drugs. X-ray powder diffraction shows decreased relative intensities of peaks of MSC forms due to reduction in the crystallinity that was confirmed by visualization of MSC particles by scanning electron microscopy. Conclusively, MSC is a promising cost-effective technique that may afford powder with improved flow and formulative properties as well as improved solubility and dissolution.

Objectives: The present study investigates the effect of particle engineering technique on powder properties and pharmacokinetics of piroxicam (PXM)., Methods: PXM was subjected to melt sonocrystallization to obtain product designated as MSCPXM and characterized for various pharmacotechnical parameters, performance characteristics and pharmacokinetic evaluation., Results: Micromeritic and rheological properties were found to be superior to the original form (OFPXM). On melt sonocrystallization, solubility and intrinsic dissolution rate were enhanced by 76.45% and 33.33%, respectively. Solid state evaluation by DSC and XRPD ruled out possibilities of polymorph formation but confirmed decreased crystallinity index. SEM analysis revealed uniformly shaped smaller drug particles of MSCPXM as compared to PXM. The thermodynamic stability of MSCPXM was monitored by XRPD and the sample was stable even after 3 months of storage at 40 ± 2°C and 75 ± 5% RH. The MSCPXM was formulated as immediate release tablets (F1 - F4) and evaluated with reference tablets of OFPXM (F0). F2 was identified as best formulation with suitable tablet characteristics and in-vitro drug release profile. Pharmacokinetic evaluation of F2 in rats supported the in-vitro data with 2.08-fold increase in bioavailability achieved at 4.8 ± 1.7 h with MSCPXM as compared to OFPXM., Conclusions: Conclusively, melt sonocrystallization offered an efficient, solvent-free technique that can be exploited for particle designing of drugs with favorable pharmaceutical properties.

Background: In recent years, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been found to be cogent as an adjuvant therapeutic agent in mitigating colorectal cancer. Thus, this present investigation was aimed to formulate an oral, targeted tablet of piroxicam microspheres for sustained and targeted adjuvant therapy for colonic adenocarcinomas., Results: Crosslinked guar gum microspheres of piroxicam were directly compressed into matrix tablet and coated with Eudragit S100. The optimized tablet that displayed 0% release in simulated gastric fluid, 15% in simulated intestinal fluid and 97.1% in simulated colonic fluid underwent roentgenographic study in rabbits to check its safe transit to the colon. x-ray images revealed intactness of the tablet until it reached the colon where the tablet matrix eroded., Conclusion: The designed, conceptual formulation emerged as potential carrier for targeted adjuvant therapy of piroxicam.

The work was aimed at developing calcium-pectinate matrix tablet for colon-targeted delivery of meloxicam (MLX) microsponges. Modified quassi-emulsion solvent diffusion method was used to formulate microsponges (MS), based on 3(2) full factorial design. The effects of volume of dichloromethane and EudragitRS100 content (independent variables) were determined on the particle size, entrapment efficiency and %cumulative drug release of MS1-MS9. The optimized formulation, MS5 (d(mean)=44.47 μm, %EE=98.73, %CDR=97.32 and followed zero order release) was developed into colon-targeted matrix tablet using calcium pectinate as the matrix. The optimized colon-targeted tablet (MS5T2) shielded MLX loaded microsponges in gastrointestinal region and selectively delivered them to colon, as vizualized by vivo fluoroscopy in rabbits. The pharmacokinetic evaluation of MS5T2 in rabbits, revealed appearance of drug appeared in plasma after a lag time of 7h; a t(max) of 30 h with Fr=61.047%, thus presenting a formulation suitable for targeted colonic delivery. CLSM studies provided an evidence for colonic luminal retentive ability of microsponges at the end of 8h upon oral administration of MS5T2. Thus calcium pectinate matrix tablet loaded with MLX microsponges was developed as a promising system for the colon-specific delivery that has potential for use as an adjuvant therapy for colorectal cancer., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In situ gelling syringeable periodontal sol capable of dual controlled delivery of metronidazole benzoate and serratiopeptidase was designed based on 2(3) factorial design with drug, poloxamer 407 and aerosil as independent variables and sol gel transition characteristics, %CDR(48h) and palatability as responses. The sols had agreeable taste, were mucoadhesive, syringeable and inverted into gels at periodontal cavity temperature. F8 with optimal drug release was identified as the best formulation. The dispersion characteristics of poloxamer significantly affected the pharmacotechnical properties of the in situ gelling systems. Extra design checkpoint generated using Design Expert software 8.02 (Stat-Ease, USA) validated the experimental design. Thus a thermoreversible, in situ gelling and syringeable periodontal sol with acceptable taste characteristics that offered controlled release of metronidazole benzoate and serratiopeptidase was developed for application into the periodontal pocket. The developed optimized sol was satisfactory in terms of taste, syringeability, palatability and incorporation of serratiopeptidase as anti-inflammatory agent, has the potential of developing a therapeutically efficacious system for treatment of periodontal inflammatory anaerobic infections.

NSAIDs are the most frequently used drugs for treatment, in Europe and the United States, accounting for approximately 5% of all prescriptions. Moreover, the use of NSAIDs is increasing because these constitute the first-line drug therapy for a wide range of rheumatic conditions. This increase is in part the result of the increasing population of elderly patients, who constitute the group of patients with greatest demand for these agents. There are many types of NSAIDs that vary in potency, action and potential side effects. Thus various efforts have been made to determine the safety considerations including adverse drug effects, duration of drug therapy, drug interactions, precautions and other drugs applied to reduce side effects. Researchers have introduced some novel techniques to diagnose NSAIDs related adverse effects on the gastrointestinal mucosa. The researchers dealing with the development of drug delivery system for these drugs should aim at designing a therapeutically efficacious dosage form with reduced side/adverse effects. Thus an effort has been made in this review to deal with the safety parameters of various NSAIDs with a special emphasis on preclinical and clinical safety analysis and various attempts to minimize the side effects by structural modification or by drug delivery system.

A phase-transited, nondisintegrating, controlled release, asymmetric membrane capsular system for poorly water-soluble model drug flurbiprofen was developed and evaluated both in vitro and in vivo for osmotic and controlled release of the drug. Asymmetric membrane capsules (AMCs) were prepared using fabricated glass mold pins through wet phase inversion process. Effect of varying osmotic pressure of the dissolution medium on drug release was studied. Membrane characterization by scanning electron microscopy showed an outer dense region with less pores and an inner porous region for the prepared asymmetric membrane. In vitro release studies for all the prepared formulations were carried out (n = 6). Statistical test was applied for in vitro drug release at p > .05. Predicted in vivo concentration from in vitro release data closely matched the minimum effective concentration (in vivo) level achieved by the drug from its release through phase-transited AMC in rabbits for the first hour. The drug release was found to be independent of the pH but dependent on the osmotic pressure of the dissolution medium. In vivo pharmacokinetic studies showed level A correlation (R(2) > .99) with 42.84% relative bioavailability compared to immediate release tablet of flurbiprofen. Excellent correlation achieved suggested that the in vivo performance of the AMCs could be accurately predicted from their in vitro release profile.

The carboxylic group responsible for the gastric side-effects of the propionic acid derivative, flurbiprofen, was masked temporarily to overcome these side-effects and to accomplish colon-specific delivery of the drug. An amide prodrug (FLU-GLY) was synthesized by coupling flurbiprofen with L-glycine. Confirmation and characterization of the structure of the synthesized prodrug included elemental analysis, Fourier transform (FT)-IR, FT-NMR, mass (FAB) spectroscopy, and determinations of R(f), R(t) and R(M) values, respectively. Aqueous solubility and lipophilicity (logP) value were determined at pH 1.2, 4.0, 6.8 and 7.4. In-vitro reversion of FLU-GLY to flurbiprofen was measured at different pHs and in a simulated colonic environment. Acute toxicity and ulceration potential were evaluated in-vivo in albino rats. Pre-formulation studies showed increased hydrophilicity but a non-significant increase in lipophilicity of the prodrug. In-vitro reversion studies suggested that the prodrug remained intact until colonic pH was attained, when the colonic microfloral enzymes (amidase) hydrolysed the FLU-GLY amide linkage, releasing the free drug. In-vivo evaluation indicated that the prodrug was much less toxic and had less ulcerogenic activity than the parent drug. Selective delivery of drugs to the colon can be useful in terms of reducing the dose administered and reducing undesirable side-effects.

The aim of this study is to prepare and characterize binary systems of aceclofenac (AC) with hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin (HPbetaCD) in equimolar ratio. Solid binary systems of aceclofenac with HPbetaCD were prepared using cogrinding, kneading, and coevaporating methods, and a physical mixture was prepared for comparison. The binary systems were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, mass spectroscopy, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and in vitro dissolution studies. 1H NMR studies showed that AC partially fits into the HPbetaCD torus cavity with a preferential inclusion of the phenyl ring of the drug. All the binary systems showed superior dissolution and lower dose:solubility ratio (D:S ratio) as compared to pure AC, but the kneaded product exhibited the best dissolution, with complete drug release within 10 min and a D:S ratio of 5 mL. Hence, it was suggested that complexation of aceclofenac with HPbetaCD may be used as an approach to change the drug from Biopharmaceutics Classification System BCS Class II to BCS Class I without changing its intrinsic permeability.