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In this study, we designed and developed a new drug delivery system of multifunctional composite microcapsules for oral administration of insulin. Firstly, in order to enhance the encapsulation efficiency, insulin was complexed with functional sodium deoxycholate to form insulin-sodium deoxycholate complex using hydrophobic ion pairing method. Then the complex was encapsulated into poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles by emulsion solvent diffusion method. The PLGA nanoparticles have a mean size of 168 nm and a zeta potential of −29.2 mV. The encapsulation efficiency was increased to 94.2% for the complex. In order to deliver insulin to specific gastrointestinal regions and reduce the burst release of insulin from PLGA nanoparticles, hence enhancing the bioavailability of insulin, enteric targeting multifunctional composite microcapsules were further prepared by encapsulating PLGA nanoparticles into pH-sensitive hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose phthalate (HP55) using organic spray-drying method. A pH-dependent insulin release profile was observed for this drug delivery system in vitro. All these strategies help to enhance the encapsulation efficiency, control the drug release, and protect insulin from degradation. In diabetic fasted rats, administration of the composite microcapsules produced a great enhancement in the relative bioavailability, which illustrated that this formulation was an effective candidate for oral insulin delivery.

In this study, chitosan, a cationic polymer with positive charge, was introduced to modify the nanocrystals of nitrendipine with negative charge. The nanocrystals were prepared via precipitation-high pressure homogenization method. Then the nanocrystals were dispersed into chitosan solution, and the free chitosan was removed by centrifugation to obtain the chitosan modified nanocrystals, which remained the same particle size. However, the zeta-potential changed to positive after modification. The physical stability of the chitosan modified nanocrystals was remarkably improved under ambient conditions. During the in vitro dissolution test, the modified nanocrystals showed a certain degree of slow-release property. In the in vivo study, the C(max) of nitrendipine remained the same, however, the T(max) delayed from 0.75 h to 1.5 h with the chitosan modified nanocrystals. The surface modification by chitosan improved the bioavailability compared with the initial nanocrystals, which had demonstrated significant improvement of bioavailability compared to the traditional coarse powder form. Based on the experimental results, modification of the nanocrystals with certain polymer was supposed to be a good method to control the in vitro and in vivo behaviors of the nanocrystals, which could further increase the bioavailability of the water insoluble drug.

α-Tocopherol succinate hydrophobically modified chitosan (CS-TOS) containing 17 α-tocopherol groups per 100 anhydroglucose units was synthesized by coupling reaction. The formation of CS-TOS was confirmed by (1)H NMR and FT-IR analysis. In aqueous medium, the polymer could self-aggregate to form micelles, and the critical micelle concentration (CMC) was determined to be 5.8 × 10(-3) mg/ml. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation revealed that both bare and paclitaxel-loaded micelles were near spherical in shape. The mean particle size and zeta potential of drug-loaded micelles were about 78 nm and +25.7 mV, respectively. The results of DSC and XRD analysis indicated that paclitaxel was entrapped in the micelles in molecular or amorphous state. In vitro cytotoxicity and hemolysis study revealed the effectiveness and safety of this delivery system, which was further confirmed by the in vivo antitumor evaluations. It can be concluded that the CS-TOS was a potential micellar carrier for paclitaxel.

The present work described the effect of CoQ10 dissolution characteristics in nanocrystals and lipid nanoparticles (LNs) on its oral absorption in rats. Nanocrystals and LNs were prepared by melt-high pressure homogenization and sucrose monolaurate was used as a stabilizer in all formulations. Witepsol®W35 and medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) were selected as lipid additives to form LNCoQ10+W35 and LNCoQ10+MCT, respectively. From the results obtained, the particle size of CoQ10 nanocrystals was 285 nm, while it was reduced to 150 nm by mixture with an equal amount of lipid additives due to their lower melting points. In vitro dissolution results indicated that the drug release from two LNs was delayed compared with that from nanocrystals, and LNCoQ10+W35 exhibited the highest drug release over 4 h. Finally, in vivo evaluation demonstrated that the oral absorption of CoQ10 was markedly increased by using nanocrystals and LNs compared with a coarse suspension. A good relationship was found between the in vitro dissolution and in vivo evaluation. The enhanced oral absorption of CoQ10 by nanocrystals and LNs was due to improved dissolution. In conclusion, Witepsol®W35 was shown to be a better lipid additive for the preparation of LNs to increase the oral absorption of CoQ10.

To investigate the effect of crystal size on the dissolution and oral absorption of nitrendipine, a poorly soluble drug, in rats.Five types of nitrendipine crystal suspensions with different particle sizes (200 nm, 620 nm, 2.7 microm, 4.1 microm, 20.2 microm) were prepared either by the precipitation-ultrasonication or the anti-solvent precipitation method. The simulated intestinal fluid in the fasted state (FaSSIF) was selected as the dissolution medium, and the dissolution behaviors of different nitrendipine crystals were simulated based on a Noyes-Whitney type equation. The in vivo absorption and the absolute bioavailability of the different nitrendipine crystals were evaluated in Wistar rats.The dissolution rate of nitrendipine was significantly increased by a reduction in particle size. The dissolution test in FaSSIF could discriminate between the differences in the dissolution rates of the different particle sizes, and the simulated results were in agreement with the observed dissolution curves. From the simulated T(50%) values (50% dissolution time), the dissolution rates of crystals with particle sizes of 200 nm, 620 nm, 2.7 microm, 4.1 microm and 20.2 microm were calculated to be 5.1 x 10(4), 1.0 x 10(4), 237, 64 and 11-fold greater than that of the raw crystals and resulted in absolute bioavailability of 61.4% 51.5%, 29.4%, 26.7%, 24.7%, respectively. The reduction in the drug particle size correlated well with incremental improvements in oral absorption. A good linear relationship was observed between the Log (T(50%)) and the absolute bioavailability of nitrendipine.The dissolution rate and the oral bioavailability of nitrendipine were significantly affected by the crystal size, and the oral bioavailability could be improved significantly by preparing it as nanocrystals. FaSSIF can be used to predict differences in oral absorption of crystals with different particle sizes.

Amphiphilic polymer of α-tocopherol succinate modified glycol chitosan (TS-GC) was successfully constructed by conjugating α-tocopherol succinate to the skeleton of glycol chitosan and characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR). In aqueous milieu, the conjugates self-assembled to micelles with the critical aggregation concentration of 7.2 × 10−3 mg/mL. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements were carried out to determine the physicochemical properties of the micelles. The results revealed that paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded TS-GC micelles were spherical in shape. Moreover, the PTX-loaded micelles showed increased particle sizes (35 nm vs. 142 nm) and a little reduced zeta potential (+19 mV vs. +16 mV) compared with blank micelles. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra demonstrated that PTX existed inside the micelles in amorphous or molecular state. In vitro and in vivo tests showed that the PTX-loaded TS-GC micelles had advantages over the Cremophor EL-based formulation in terms of low toxicity level and increased dose, which suggested the potential of the polymer as carriers for PTX to improve their delivery properties.

S.O (sodium oleate) is an anionic surfactant, which is able to forman ionic complex with positively charged insulin at suitable pH. In a previous study, the insulin-S.O (Ins-S.O) complex was prepared by a hydrophobic ion pairing (HIP) method to improve the apparent liposolubility of insulin. The formation of the complex was further confirmed by Zeta potential and X-ray method. Based on the preliminary study, poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles harbouring Ins-S.O complex was prepared via an emulsion solvent diffusion method. The effects of key parameters such as concentration of PVA, concentration of PLGA and initial-loaded drug on the properties of the nanoparticles were investigated. The insulin encapsulation efficiency (EE(%)) reached up to 91.2% and mean diameter of the nanoparticles was sized approximately 160 nm under optimal conditions. The pharmacological effects of the nanoparticles made of PLGA (75/25, Av Mw 15,000) were further evaluated to confirm their potential suitability for oral delivery. In order to evaluate hyperglycaemic effect of the nanoparticles for oral administration, Ins-S.O complex-loaded PLGA nanoparticles (20 IU/Kg) were administered orally by force-feeding to diabetic rats. In the case of the nanoparticles, the plasma glucose level reduced to 23.85% from the initial one 12 h post-administration and this continued for 24 h. The results showed that the use of Ins-S.O complex-loaded PLGA nanoparticles is an effective method of reducing plasma glucose levels. The insulin nanoparticles also improved the glycaemic response to an oral glucose challenge.

A microemulsion system of docetaxel was prepared and evaluated for its solubilization capacity and oral bioavailability improvement. Based on a solubility study and pseudo ternary phase diagrams, microemulsions of about 30 nm in mean diameter were formulated with improved solubilization capacity towards the hydrophobic drug, docetaxel. The o/w microemulsion formulation (M-3) composed of Capryol 90 (oil), Cremophor EL (surfactant) and Transcutol (co-surfactant) enhanced the solubility of docetaxel up to 30 mg/mL, which maintained solubilization capacity for 24 h even after it was diluted 20 times with normal saline. The three formulations did not show significant difference in the in vitro lipid digestion study. Both the ultrafiltration and dialysis studies revealed that the release of 80% of docetaxel was released from the microemulsions within 12 h in vitro. Compared to the commercial product Taxotere (0.025 microg/cm(2)), the apical to basolateral transport of docetaxel across the Caco-2 cell monolayer from the M-3 formulation (Capryol 90/Cremophor EL/Transcutol=29.4:24.9:12.4, w/w) was significantly improved (0.624 microg/cm(2), p < 0.01). Moreover, the oral bioavailability of the M-3 formulation in rats (34.42%) rose dramatically compared to that of the orally administered Taxotere (6.63%). This increase in bioavailability was probably due to the combined effect of the enhancement in solubility, the inhibition of P-gp efflux system and the increase in permeability. These results encourage further development of docetaxel microemulsions as an oral drug delivery system.

Chitosan-modified paclitaxel-loaded poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles with a mean diameter of 200-300 nm in distilled water were prepared by a solvent evaporation method. The mean diameter increased dramatically in contact with the mouse (CDF(1)) plasma, as a function of chitosan concentration in the modification solution (e.g., 2670.5 nm for 0.7% chitosan-modified nanoparticles, NP(3)), but reverted to almost its original size (i.e., 350.7 nm for NP(3)) following 5 min of gentle agitation. The zeta potential of PLGA nanoparticles was changed to positive by the chitosan modification. The in vitro uptake into, and cytotoxicity of the nanoparticles against, a lung cancer cell line (A549) were significantly increased by the modification. Most importantly, a lung-specific increase in the distribution index of paclitaxel (i.e., AUC(lung)/AUC(plasma)) was observed for chitosan-modified nanoparticles (e.g., 99.9 for NP(3) vs. 5.4 for Taxol) when nanoparticles were administered to lung-metastasized mice via the tail vein at a paclitaxel dose of 10 mg/kg. Transient formation of aggregates in the blood stream followed by enhanced trapping in the lung capillaries, and electrical interaction-mediated enhanced uptake across the endothelial cells of the lung tumor capillary appear to be responsible for the lung-tumor-specific distribution of the chitosan modified nanoparticles.

Herbal medicines have received great attention as alternative medicines in recent years and are also referred to as a dietary supplement or health food. Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) is one of the most popular herbal medicines. However, little is known about the metabolic interactions between GBE and clinically used drugs. This study attempted to investigate the effect of GBE on the pharmacokinetics of theophylline, a cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A2 substrate and an important therapeutic agent with narrow therapeutic window used for the treatment of asthma. Commercial GBE (10 or 100 mg/kg, p.o.) or water (control group) was given to rats (6 rats for each group) for 5 consecutive days and on the sixth day theophylline (10 mg/kg) was administered either orally or intravenously. The results showed that pretreatment of rats with GBE resulted in an increase in the total clearance of theophylline of about 30% (GBE 10 mg/kg, P

An improved PEGylated liposomal formulation of paclitaxel has been developed with the purpose of improving the solubility of paclitaxel as well as the physicochemical stability of liposome in comparison to the current Taxol formulation. The use of 3% (v/v) Tween 80 in the hydration media was able to increase the solubility of drug. The addition of sucrose as a lyoprotectant in the freeze-drying process increased the stability of the liposome particles. There was no significant difference in the entrapment efficiency of paclitaxel between the conventional non-PEGylated liposomes and our PEGylated liposomes. Cytotoxicity in human breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and SK-BR-3) of our paclitaxel formulation was less potent compared to Taxol after 24h incubation, but was equipotent after 72 h due to the slower release of drug from the liposome. Our PEGylated liposomes increased the biological half-life of paclitaxel from 5.05 (+/-1.52)h to 17.8 (+/-2.35)h compared to the conventional liposomes in rats. Biodistribution studies in breast cancer xenografted nude mouse model showed that our liposomes significantly decreased the uptake in reticuloendothelial system (RES)-containing organs (liver, spleen and lung) while increasing the uptake in tumor tissues after injection compared to Taxol or the conventional liposomal formulation. Moreover, the PEGylated liposome showed greater tumor growth inhibition effect in in vivo studies. Therefore, our PEGylated liposomal formulation of paclitaxel could serve as a better alternative for the passive targeting of human breast tumors.

The aim of the present work was to investigate the preparation of PLGA nanoparticles (PNP) and PLGA-Hp55 nanoparticles (PHNP) as potential drug carriers for oral insulin delivery. The nanoparticles were prepared by a modified emulsion solvent diffusion method in water, and their physicochemical characteristics, drug release in vitro and hypoglycemic effects in diabetic rats were evaluated. The particle sizes of the PNP and PHNP were 150+/-17 and 169+/-16 nm, respectively, and the drug recoveries of the nanoparticles were 50.30+/-3.1 and 65.41+/-2.3%, respectively. The initial release of insulin from the nanoparticles in simulated gastric fluid over 1 h was 50.46+/-6.31 and 19.77+/-3.15%, respectively. The relative bioavailability of PNP and PHNP compared with subcutaneous (s.c.) injection (1 IU/kg) in diabetic rats was 3.68+/-0.29 and 6.27+/-0.42%, respectively. The results show that the use of insulin-loaded PHNP is an effective method of reducing serum glucose levels.

To preliminarily develop a surfactant-free, polymeric solid dispersion (PSD) of paclitaxel suitable for oral administration.A co-solvent quench method was applied to screen the proper polymer matrix of the PSD which were prepared in a liquid system using a quasi-emulsion solvent diffusion method (QESDM). Three dissolution experiments and two in vivo tests in rats were used to explain the differences among the formulations.The theoretical solubility ratio of amorphous/crystalline PTX was 92.6 (37 °C). Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS) was chosen as the polymer carrier of the PSD and a porous silicon dioxide [called white carbon black (WCB)] was selectable to be used to further adjust the dissolution rate. The absolute oral bioavailability (AOB, 20 mg/kg) of the three formulas [HPMCAS/paclitaxel/WCB = 4/1/0 (F1), 8/1/0 (F2) and 4/1/4 (F3), w/w/w] were 11.8, 13.6 and 25.6%, respectively. The AOB of F3 is nearly seven times higher than that (3.8%) of paclitaxel material (a control). The advantage of higher HPMCAS/paclitaxel ratio of F2 in a dissolution test was not reflected in the first in vivo test due to the relatively higher dose of polymer which could not be effectively dissolved under the limitation of intestinal environment. This was deduced from the dissolution tests and was finally validated when the oral dose of PTX (and thus polymer) was reduced. The relevant AOBs (10 mg/kg) were 10.4, 20.8 and 19.6%, respectively.The PSD is a promising formulation strategy and the QESDM is a practical preparation method to implement such formulation design.

Microspheres of roxithromycin with Eudragit S100 and silica were prepared by the emulsion solvent diffusion method to mask the bitter taste of the antibiotic. The effect of different polymers and drug-polymer ratios on the taste masking and the characteristics of the microspheres were investigated. It was found that Eudragit S100 was the best for masking the unpleasant taste of roxithromycin among the six kinds of polymers investigated. The results of DSC, X-ray diffraction and IR showed that there were several combinations of roxithromycin and Eudragit S100. The influence of other formulation factors, i.e. dichloromethane-acetone ratios and silica-polymer ratios on the properties of the microspheres were also examined. In conclusion, the results of the present study will be helpful for the preparation of oral forms of roxithromycin with an acceptable taste.

A validated new, simple and highly sensitive reversed-phase HPLC method is developed for studying the pharmacokinetics of germacrone after intravenous administration of zedoary turmeric oil (ZTO) oil-in-water microemulsion. The method did not require a complex and expensive equipment. A high extraction recovery (>80%) of germacrone was obtained. Linear calibration curves obtained with the peak-area ratio (y) of germacrone to internal standard (tanshinoneIIA) versus drug concentration (x) were found to be linear between 8.08 and 808 ng/ml. The limit of quantitation was 8.08 ng/ml. The monitored compounds were completely separated from others in ZTO and from endogenous species in plasma by HPLC. Pharmacokinetic investigations were performed on 18 male rabbits after intravenous administration of ZTO microemulsion via the ear vein at germacrone doses of 3.2, 6.4 and 9.6 mg/kg. The plasma concentration-time data fit to a two-compartment intravenous model with a weight of 1/C(2) (C: germacrone concentration in plasma). Germacrone exhibited linear pharmacokinetics after intravenous administration of ZTO microemulsion to rabbits over the germacrone dose range 3.2-9.6 mg/ml.

A validated HPLC method was developed for the quantification of scutellarin in rat plasma using a liquid-liquid extraction and an ultraviolet detection. Chromatographic separation of scutellarin in plasma was performed on a C18 column, with a mobile phase of acetonitrile-water (23:77, v/v), adjusted to pH 2.5 with 1M phosphoric acid, and rutin was used as an internal standard. The calibration curve was linear over the range 0.1-100 microg/ml in rat plasma. The average extraction recoveries were 85.9+/-8.9, 71.0+/-4.6, 72.7+/-1.2% (n=3) at concentrations of 0.1, 2, 100 microg/ml, respectively, and the within-day and between-day precisions were less than 15%. After intravenous administration to rats over the doses range of 10-40 mg/kg, the plasma concentration-time curve of scutellarin was best conformed to three-compartment open model. The AUC of scutellarin was proportional to dose, and the systemic clearance (Cl), elimination half-life (t1/2beta) and apparent volume of distribution (Vc) were not significantly different among the three doses, suggestive of the linear pharmacokinetics characteristic of scutellarin after intravenous administration.

To enhance in vivo absorption of zedoary turmeric oil (ZTO) and develop new formulations of a water-insoluble oily drug, novel ZTO microspheres with self-emulsifying ability, called self-emulsifying microspheres here, were prepared in a liquid system by the quasi-emulsion solvent diffusion method. The microspheres containing hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS-LG), Talc and Aerosil 200 formed the stable surfactant-free emulsion when exposed to the pH 6.8 phosphate buffer, and were significantly different from the conventional self-emulsifying systems (SES), defined as isotropic mixtures of oil, surfactant and drug. Micromeritic properties, the efficiency of emulsification and the drug-release rate of the resultant microspheres were investigated. The bioavailability of the microspheres to the conventional self-emulsifying formulation for oral administration was evaluated in 12 healthy rabbits. A HPLC method was employed to determine the plasma concentration of Germacrone, an indexical component found in ZTO. The release rates of ZTO and Germacrone from the microspheres were enhanced significantly with increasing amounts of dispersing agents, and the efficiency of self-emulsification greatly depended on the HPMCAS-LG/Aerosil 200 ratio. The emulsion droplets released from the microspheres were much smaller than that of the conventional SES. The microsphere bioavailability (F) to the conventional SES for oral administration was 157.7%. Our method greatly improved the bioavailability of the water-insoluble oily drug from the self-emulsifying microspheres over the conventional SES and it is useful for the oily drug to form solid preparations.

The drug release of the polymer prodrugs of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) was not only dependent on the property of the polymers but also dependent on the solubility of the prodrugs. We prepared several polysaccharide prodrugs of 5-ASA to examine the effect of solubility of prodrugs on the release characteristics of 5-ASA in the gastrointestinal contents of rats. The amide prodrug, chitosan-5-ASA (ChT-5-ASA), did not release the 5-ASA in the cecal and colonic contents. The ester prodrugs, hydroxypropyl cellulose-5-ASA (HPC-5-ASA), being poor solubility in 0.05 mol/l acetic acid solution also did not release the 5-ASA in any of gastrointestinal contents of rats. Whereas the 5-ASA release from cyclodextrins-5-ASA (CyDs-5-ASA) in cecal and colonic contents was significantly higher than that in stomach and small intestine contents. And furthermore, with the decrease in the degree of substitution, the solubility of CyD-5-ASA increased, and the release of 5-ASA in the gastrointestinal contents was also higher at the same time interval of incubation. When the ratio of cyclodextrin (CyD) and 5-formylaminosalicylic acid (5-fASA), a precursor of 5-ASA prodrugs, was 1:10, CyD-5-ASA was very slightly soluble, and no release of 5-ASA was observed within 48 h in gastrointestinal contents. The present results suggested that the ester prodrugs of 5-ASA with certain solubility could release 5-ASA in the cecal and colonic contents of rat.

To improve the bioavailability of nitrendipine microspheres, a sustained-release microspheres having solid dispersion structure were prepared in one step. Two types of polymer, i.e. solid dispersing and sustained-release polymers, were employed to prepare the microspheres by the spherical crystallization technique, i.e. quasi-emulsion solvent diffusion method. The factors of effect on micromeritic properties and release profiles of the resultant microspheres were investigated. And the bioavailability of nitrendipine microspheres was evaluated in six healthy dogs. The results showed that the particle size of microspheres was determined mainly by the agitation speed. The dissolution rate of nitrendipine from microspheres was enhanced significantly with increasing the amount of dispersing agents, and sustained by adding retarding agents. The release rate of microspheres could be controlled as desired by adjusting the combination ratio of dispersing agents to retarding agents. The results of X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry analysis indicated that the crystalline form of nitrendipine was disordered, suggesting that nitrendipine was highly dispersed in microspheres, so as amorphous state. The release profiles and content of the microspheres stored at a temperature of 40°C and a relative humidity of 75% were unchanged during 3 months of accelerating condition of storage. And the relative bioavailability of the sustained-release microspheres compared with the Baypress™ tablets and the conventional tablets was 107.78% and 309.82%. In conclusion, the sustained-release microspheres with solid dispersion structure improved the bioavailability of the water insoluble drug and prolonged the T max value.

There are many ongoing investigations to improve the oral bioavailability of peptide and protein formulations. Bioadhesive polysaccharide chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs) would seem to further enhance intestinal absorption of them. In this study, Insulin-loaded CS-NPs were prepared by ionotropic gelation of CS with tripolyphosphate anions. Its particle size distribution and zeta potential were determined by photon correction spectroscopy and laser Dopper anemometry. The ability of CS-NPs to enhance intestinal absorption of insulin and increase the relative pharmacological bioavailability of insulin was investigated by monitoring the plasma glucose level of alloxan-induced diabetic rats after oral administration of various doses of insulin-loaded CS-NPs. CS-NPs had a particle size in the range of 250-400 nm and its polydispersity index was smaller than 0.1, positively charged, stable. Insulin association was found up to 80% and its in vitro release showed a great initial burst with a pH-sensitivity property. CS-NPs enhanced the intestinal absorption of insulin to a greater extent than the aqueous solution of CS in vivo. Above all, after administration of 21 I.U./kg insulin in the CS-NPs, the hypoglycemia was prolonged over 15 h and the average pharmacological bioavailability relative to SC injection of insulin solution was up to 14.9%.

Ligand grafted nanoparticles have been shown to enhance drug transport across epithelium barrier and are expected to improve drug delivery. However, grafting of these ligands to the surface of pure nanodrug, i.e., nanocrystals (NCs), is a critical challenge due to the shedding of ligands along with the stabilizer upon high dilution or dissolving of the drug. Herein, a non-sheddable nanocage-like stabilizer was designed by covalent cross-linking of poly(acrylic acid)-b-poly(methyl acrylate) on drug nanocrystal surface, and a ligand, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), was successfully anchored to the surface of itraconazole (ITZ) NCs by covalent conjugation to the nanocage (WGA-cage-NCs). The cellular study showed that large amount of WGA-cage-NCs were adhered to Caco-2 cell membrane, and invaded into cells, resulting in a higher drug uptake than that of ordinary NCs (ONCs). After oral administration to rats, WGA-cage-NC were largely accumulated on the apical side of epithelium cells, facilitating drug diffusing across epithelium barrier. Interestingly, WGA-cage-NCs were capable of invading rat intestinal villi and reaching to lamina propria by transcytosis across goblet cells, which behaved like a foodborne pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes. The WGA-cage-NCs showed an improved oral bioavailability, which was 17.5- and 2.41-folds higher than that of coarse crystals and ONCs, respectively. To our best knowledge, this may represent the first report that a functional ligand was successfully anchored to the surface of pure nanodrug by using a cage-like stabilizer, showing unique biological functions in gastrointestinal tract and having an important significance in oral drug delivery.

To develop an osmotically-driven pellet coated with polymeric film for sustained release of oxymatrine (OMT), a freely water soluble drug.Pellet containing OMT and sodium chloride (NaCl), an osmotically active agent, were prepared by extrusion/spheronization and then coated with acrylic copolymers (Eudragit(®) RS 30 D) by the fluidized bed coating process. In vitro release and swelling behavior studies were employed to optimize and to evaluate the sustained-release behavior from the osmotically-driven pellets with film coated. Finally, in vivo evaluation in rabbits was employed to investigate the sustained plasma level of OMT and its active metabolite matrine.It was found that the F3 formulation, prepared with 20% NaCl and an 8% coating level, showed a continuous NaCl-induced water influx into the pellets providing a gradual sustained release of OMT for over 12 h. Finally, we confirmed that oral OMT with sustained release led to a gradual sustained plasma profile of both OMT, with a reduction in its bioavailability, and MT with an increase in the bioavailability compared with that of oral OMT with immediate release.The pharmaceutical parameters obtained suggested the potential usefulness of oral OMT with sustained release for the treatment of stress ulcers, as well as reducing the risk of MT-induced side effects.

Shaoping Sun1–3, Na Liang2, Yoshiaki Kawashima3, Dengning Xia2, Fude Cui21School of Chemistry and Material Science, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 2School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China; 3School of Pharmaceutical Science, Aichi Gakuin University, Nissin, JapanAbstract: Insulin was complexed with sodium deoxycholate to form an insulin-sodium deoxycholate complex (Ins-SD-Comp) using an hydrophobic ion pairing method in aqueous phase to enhance the liposolubility of insulin. In order to obtain the maximal complexation efficiency, the molar ratio of sodium deoxycholate to insulin was found. The zeta potential method was used to confirm the optimal ratio for formation of Ins-SD-Comp. The structural characteristics of Ins-SD-Comp were assessed using the Fourier transform infrared method. The apparent partition coefficient of insulin increased upon the formation of Ins-SD-Comp. Based on the preliminary study, Ins-SD-Comp was encapsulated into poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles using an emulsion solvent diffusion method. The maximal encapsulation efficiency of Ins-SD-Comp into PLGA nanoparticles was 93.6% ± 2.81%, drug loading was about 4.8% ± 0.32%, and the mean diameter of the nanoparticles was 278 ± 13 nm. Biological activity and in vivo results revealed that the bioactivity of insulin was not destroyed during the preparation process. Ins-SD-Comp-loaded PLGA nanoparticles have the potential to reduce serum glucose levels and increase the oral bioavailability of insulin.Keywords: insulin complex, sodium deoxycholate, nanoparticles, zeta potential, oral bioavailability

The present investigation was undertaken with the objective of developing a solid formulation containing nitrendipine nanocrystals for oral delivery. Nitrendipine nanocrystals were prepared using a tandem precipitation-homogenization process. Then, spray drying, a cost-effective method very popular in industrial situations, was employed to convert the nanocrystals into a solid form. The parameters of the preparation process were investigated and optimized. The optimal process was as follows: firstly, nitrendipine/acetone solution (100 mg/ml) was added to a polyvinyl alcohol solution (1 mg/ml) at 10°C, then the pre-suspension was homogenized for 20 cycles at 1,000 bar. Both differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that nitrendipine was present in crystalline form. The in vitro dissolution rate of the nanocrystals was significantly increased compared with the physical mixture and commercial tablet. The in vivo testing demonstrated that the C(max) of the nanocrystals was approximately 15-fold and 10-fold greater than that of physical mixture and commercial tablet, respectively. In addition, the AUC(0→24) of the nanocrystals was approximately 41-fold and 10-fold greater than that of physical mixture and commercial tablet, respectively.

A mixed micelle that comprised of MPEG–PLA (MPP) and Pluronic® copolymers was developed for enhanced bioavailability and to overcome multidrug resistance of docetaxel in cancer therapy. The mixed micelles that sufficiently solubilized docetaxel were evaluated for the effect of Pluronic® copolymers weight ratio on the mixed micelles with respect to drug loading and drug release. In vitro, cell viability and cytotoxicity studies in KB and KBv cells revealed that the mixed micellar formulations were more potent than the commercial docetaxel formulation (Taxotere®). In vivo pharmacokinetics study in rats showed that the mixed micelles significantly enhanced the bioavailability of docetaxel (3.6 fold) than Taxotere®. Moreover, antitumor activity assessed in KBv cancer xenograft BALB/C nude mice models showed that the mixed micelles significantly reduced the tumor size than the control (Taxotere®). Clear differences in the intracellular uptake of docetaxel between MPP and mixed micelles were observed using confocal laser scanning microscopy. This study presents not only a new micelle structure for a diblock–triblock copolymer system, but also a method for enhanced bioavailability of docetaxel and to overcome some of the limitations on its multidrug resistance in cancer therapy.

A redispersible dry emulsion (DE) formulation of atorvastatin calcium (AC) was developed to enhance the in vitro dissolution of AC, thereby increasing its gastrointestinal absorption. The spray-drying technology was used where Plurol Oleique CC 497 was chosen as the oil phase. Effects of carriers, surfactants, and homogenizers on the characteristics of DE containing AC were systematically investigated. The final formulation consisted of dextrin and Poloxamer 188 as carrier and surfactant, respectively, and was homogenized by a high pressure homogenizer before spray drying. The in vitro release of AC from the optimized DE was significantly higher than that of pure AC powder (76% vs. 30% at 24 hr). The in vitro intestinal absorption of AC from the DE formulation was 0.77 microg/cm(2) at 2 hr, which was a 2.33-fold increase compared to the pure unformulated AC powder. These results suggest that the oral dry emulsion formulation could improve the intestinal absorption of AC.

In our previous study, lung tumor-specific targeting of paclitaxel was achieved in mice by intravenous administration of chitosan-modified paclitaxel-loaded PLGA nanoparticles (C-NPs-paclitaxel). Transient formation of aggregates in the blood stream followed by enhanced trapping in the capillaries was proposed as a mechanism of the lung-specific accumulation of paclitaxel. In the present study, the mechanism of tumor lung preferential accumulation of paclitaxel from C-NPs-paclitaxel was investigated. Zeta potential and in vitro cellular cytotoxicity (A549 cells and CT-26 cells) of C-NPs-paclitaxel, and in vitro uptake of coumarin 6 to these cells from chitosan-modified coumarin 6 containing PLGA nanoparticles (C-NPs-coumarin 6) were examined as a function of pH (6.8, 7.4 and 8.0). The zeta potential of C-NPs-paclitaxel increased as the medium pH became more acidic. In vitro uptake of coumarin 6 by A549 cells and CT-26 cells was enhanced at lower pH for C-NPs-coumarin 6. In vitro cytotoxicity experiment with C-NPs-paclitaxel demonstrated enhanced cytotoxicity as the pH became more acidic. Therefore, enhanced electrostatic interaction between chitosan-modified PLGA nanoparticles and acidic microenvironment of tumor cells appears to be an underlying mechanism of lung tumor-specific accumulation of paclitaxel from C-NPs-paclitaxel.

Shaoping Sun,1 Na Liang,2 Hiromitsu Yamamoto,3 Yoshiaki Kawashima,3 Fude Cui,4 Pengfei Yan1,5 1Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering Process and Technology for High-efficiency Conversion, College of Heilongjiang Province (Heilongjiang University), School of Chemistry and Material Science, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, People’s Republic of China; 2College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Pharmaceutical Science, Aichi Gakuin University, Nissin, Japan; 4School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic ofChina; 5Key Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, People’s Republic of China Abstract: This study proposes a new concept of pH-sensitive poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticle composite microcapsules for oral delivery of insulin. Firstly, insulin–sodium oleate complex was prepared by the hydrophobic ion pairing method and then encapsulated into PLGA nanoparticles by the emulsion solvent diffusion method. In order to reduce the burst release of insulin from PLGA nanoparticles and deliver insulin to specific gastrointestinal regions, hence to enhance bioavailability of insulin, the PLGA nanoparticles were further encapsulated into Eudragit® FS 30D to prepare PLGA nanoparticle composite microcapsules by organic spray-drying method. The preparation was evaluated in vitro and in vivo, and the absorption mechanism was discussed. The in vitro drug release studies revealed that the drug release was pH dependent, and the in vivo results demonstrated that the formulation of PLGA nanoparticle composite microcapsules was an effective candidate for oral insulin delivery. Keywords: sodium oleate, complex, PLGA nanoparticles, Eudragit® FS 30D

A sterically stabilized paclitaxel-loaded liposome tailored to target human breast cancer cells was developed, thereby promoting the efficiency of intracellular delivery of paclitaxel through receptor-mediated endocytosis. Results indicated that the targeting moiety (thiolated Herceptin) was successfully coupled to the distal reactive maleimide terminus of the poly (ethylene glycol)-phospholipid conjugate as well as being incorporated in the liposomal bilayers. The particle size of the PEGylated immunoliposome was maintained at about 200 nm. Confocal microscopy studies showed that the PEGylated immunoliposome was uptaken into the interior of the tumor cell through the receptor-mediated endocytosis pathway. The PEGylated immunoliposome showed substantially higher cellular uptake than the PEGylated liposome in cancer cells (BT-474 and SK-BR-3) over-expressing human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) at 37 degrees C, while no difference was found in low HER2 expressing cells (MDA-MB-231) nor at low temperature (4 degrees C). Pharmacokinetics of paclitaxel in the PEGylated immunoliposome was compared with that in Taxol and in the PEGylated liposome in rats. The circulating time of paclitaxel in the PEGylated immunoliposome was prolonged compared to Taxol while slightly shortened than that in the PEGylated liposome. Therefore, the paclitaxel-loaded PEGylated immunoliposome using Herceptin could serve as a promising model for future tumor specific cancer therapy of HER2 over-expressing breast cancers.

To investigate the release of cyclodextrin-5-aminosalicylic acid (CyD-5-ASA) in cecum and colon.An anti-inflammatory drug 5-ASA was conjugated onto the hydroxyl groups of alpha-, beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins (CyDs) through an ester linkage, and the in vivo drug release behavior of these prodrugs in rat's gastrointestinal tract after the oral administration was investigated.The 5-ASA concentration in the rat's stomach and small intestine after the oral administration of CyD-5-ASA conjugate was much lower than that after the oral administration of 5-ASA alone. The lower concentration was attributable to the passage of the conjugate through the stomach and small intestine without significant degradation or absorption, followed by the degradation of the conjugate site-specific in the cecum and colon. The oral administration of CyD-5-ASA resulted in lower plasma and urine concentration of 5-ASA than that of 5-ASA alone.CyD-5-ASA conjugates may be used as prodrugs for colon-specific drug delivery system.

Biodegradable nanoparticles loaded with insulin-phospholipid complex were prepared by a novel reverse micelle-solvent evaporation method, in which soybean phosphatidylcholine (SPC) was employed to improve the liposolubility of insulin, and biodegradable polymers as carrier materials to control drug release. Solubilization study, IR and X-ray diffraction analysis were employed to prove the complex formation. The effects of key parameters such as polymer/SPC weight ratio, organic phase and polymer type on the properties of the nanoparticles were investigated. Spherical particles of 200 nm mean diameter and a narrow size distribution were obtained under optimal conditions. The drug entrapment efficiency was up to 90%. The in vitro drug release was characterized by an initial burst and subsequent delayed release in both pH 6.8 and pH 1.2 dissolution mediums. The specific modality of drug release, i.e., free or SPC-combined, was investigated in the aid of ultracentrifugation and ultrafiltration methods. The influence of polymer type on the drug release was also discussed. The pharmacological effects of the nanoparticles made of PLGA 50/50 (Av.Mw 9500) were further evaluated to confirm their potential suitability for oral delivery. Intragastric administration of the 20 IU/kg nanoparticles reduced fasting plasma glucose levels to 57.4% within the first 8 h of administration and this continued for 12 h. PK/PD analysis indicated that 7.7% of oral bioavailability relative to subcutaneous injection was obtained.

The objective of this work is to assess two novel controlled-release nitrendipine formulations, i.e., sustained-release nitrendipine microspheres having solid dispersion structure and a novel pH-dependent gradient-release delivery system for nitrendipine in healthy male volunteers, which were prepared by current authors. Domestic commercial nitrendipine tablets and Baypress nitrendipine tablets were employed as reference formulations. In a randomized, single-dose, fasting-state, crossover study design with a 1-week washout period, each subject received a 40-mg nitrendipine formulation. Plasma samples were collected over a 25-hour period after oral administration and were analyzed by a validated method using high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined using a noncompartmental analysis. The results provided evidence that the time to maximum plasma concentration of two novel controlled-release nitrendipine formulations were statistically significant prolonged in comparison with that of Baypress nitrendipine tablets. The relative bioavailabilities of test formulations were intensively improved compared with the domestic nitrendipine tablets, while the ratio is in a range of 80-120% in comparison with Baypress nitrendipine tablets. It is concluded that the two types of controlled-release systems are feasible for improving the dissolution rate of nitrendipine and obtaining a long-acting in vivo as well.

In the present study, we compared the systemic exposure of scutellarin following intraportal with intravenous administration to understand the contribution of presystemic hepatic elimination to the low oral bioavailability. Results showed that the hepatic first-pass elimination of scutellarin played an insignificant role in the presystemic elimination of orally administered scutellarin. Moreover, our results suggested that the site of first pass extraction was not the liver, but the gastrointestinal tract.

The potential use of hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-betaCD) in the solubilization and stabilization of prostaglandin E(1) (PGE(1)) was investigated. The solubility and chemical stability of PGE(1) were significantly improved upon complexation with HP-betaCD. The nasal delivery of PGE(1) from the complex formulation was also studied in Wistar rats and compared with intravenous administration. PGE(1) complex after nasal administration caused a rapid decrease of blood pressure and exhibited an obvious dose-efficacy relationship, showing results nearly similar to those obtained for intravenous route. The time to reach the peak effect (T(max)) was approximately 3-4 min. Except T(max), other pharmacodynamic parameter values such as the maximal percent of blood pressure decrease (E(max), %), the lasting time of effect (T(d)), and the area under the curve (AUC, blood pressure decrease % min) were increased with increasing the administered doses. The E(max), T(d), and in particular AUC values between doses were significantly different (P < 0.01), but T(max) between doses were not significantly different (P < 0.05). The AUC values per unit dose of PGE(1) for nasal administration, however, were smaller than those for intravenous route, probably due to the incomplete absorption of nasally administered PGE(1). Besides, the in vitro effect of the PGE(1) complex on nasal mucociliary movement was also investigated with a toad palate model. The PGE(1) complex formulation exerted only minor effect on nasal mucociliary movement. These results indicate that the PGE(1)-HP-betaCD complex formulation for nasal delivery is a very promising preparation with advantages such as rapid and effective absorption, good chemical stability, ease of administration, and minor nasal ciliotoxicity.

A novel pH-dependent gradient-release delivery system was developed by mixing three kinds of pH-dependent microspheres. Nitrendipine, a dihydropyridine calcium antagonist, was selected as the poorly water-soluble model drug. To obtain gradient-release of the active drug in the stomach, duodenum and lower segment of the small intestine, respectively, three kinds of pH-dependent polymers, i.e. Acrylic resins Eudragit E-100, Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose phthalate and Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose acetate succinate, were formulated to produce the microspheres, which dissolve at an acid condition, the pH ofor = 5.5 andor = 6.5, respectively. The quasi-emulsion solvent diffusion method was employed in the manufacturing process for the microspheres. All three kinds of microspheres had a highly spherical shape and high incorporation efficiency (91.0%). The particle sizes were mainly affected by the agitation speed and temperature of the manufacturing process. The results of X-ray diffraction suggested that nitrendipine in the microspheres was molecularly dispersed in an amorphous state. The drug dissolution behavior of the system under the simulated gastrointestinal pH conditions revealed obvious gradient-release characteristics. The dissolution profiles and content of the systems stored at a temperature of 40 degrees C and a relative humidity of 75% were unchanged during a 3-month period of accelerating storage conditions. The results of the bioavailability testing in six healthy dogs suggested that the pH-dependent gradient-release delivery system could improve efficiently the uptake of the poorly water-soluble drug and prolong the Tmax value in vivo.