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Porous palladium (Pd) nanoparticles have garnered great research attention due to their potential anticancer activity and photothermal effect. In this study, a transferrin-conjugated pH-sensitive platform (Tf-PPP), comprising porous Pd nanoparticles (PdNPs) and paclitaxel (PTX), was successfully developed for combined chemo-phototherapy. Tf-PPPs have a small size of 164.6 ± 8.7 nm, PDI of 0.278 ± 0.029, and negative charge (-13.2 ± 1.8 mV). Poly(acrylic acid)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PAA-PEO), a pH sensitive polymer, was used to achieve pH-dependent drug release from nanoparticles. Transferrin (Tf) conjugated on the surface of nanoplatforms could enhance the cellular uptake and prolong nanoparticle accumulation in the tumor site. The combination of phototherapy induced by PdNPs and chemotherapeutic agent (PTX) could exhibit synergistic anticancer activities. Consistent findings were observed in both in vitro experiments including cytotoxicity, live/dead assay, and assessment of apoptotic protein levels, and in vivo antitumor study in MCF-7 tumor-bearing mice, with results decreasing in the following order: Tf-PPPs + NIR > Tf-PPPs > PPPs + NIR > PPPs > PTX > PdNPs. These findings suggest that the administration of Tf-PPPs, followed by NIR irradiation could be a promising strategy in the treatment of cancer.

Kwan Yeol Yang,1,* Du Hyeong Hwang,1,* Abid Mehmood Yousaf,2 Dong Wuk Kim,2 Young-Jun Shin,2 Ok-Nam Bae,2 Yong-II Kim,1 Jong Oh Kim,1 Chul Soon Yong,1 Han-Gon Choi2 1College of Pharmacy, Yeungnam University, Dae-Dong, Gyongsan, 2College of Pharmacy and Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Sangnok-gu, Ansan, South Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: The purpose of this study was to develop a novel silymarin-loaded solid nanoparticle system with enhanced oral bioavailability and an ability to provide excellent hepatic protection for poorly water-soluble drugs using Shirasu porous glass (SPG) membrane emulsification and a spray-drying technique. Methods: A silymarin-loaded liquid nanoemulsion was formulated by applying the SPG membrane emulsification technique. This was further converted into solid state nanosized particles by the spray-drying technique. The physicochemical characteristics of these nanoparticles were determined by scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and powder X-ray diffraction. Their dissolution, bioavailability, and hepatoprotective activity in rats were assessed by comparison with a commercially available silymarin-loaded product. Results: Formulation of a silymarin-loaded nanoemulsion, comprising silymarin, castor oil, polyvinylpyrrolidone, Transcutol HP, Tween 80, and water at a weight ratio of 5/3/3/1.25/1.25/100 was accomplished using an SPG membrane emulsification technique at an agitator speed of 700 rpm, a feed pressure of 15 kPa, and a continuous phase temperature of 25°C. This resulted in generation of comparatively uniform emulsion globules with a narrow size distribution. Moreover, the silymarin-loaded solid nanoparticles, containing silymarin/castor oil/polyvinylpyrrolidone/Transcutol HP/Tween 80 at a weight ratio of 5/3/3/1.25/1.25, improved about 1,300-fold drug solubility and retained a mean size of about 210 nm. Silymarin was located in unaltered crystalline form in the nanoparticles. The drug dissolved rapidly from the nanoparticles, reaching nearly 80% within 15 minutes, indicating three-fold better dissolution than that of the commercial product. Further, the nanoparticles showed a considerably shorter time to peak concentration, a greater area under the concentration-time curve, and a higher maximum concentration of silymarin compared with the commercial product (P < 0.05). In particular, the area under the concentration-time curve of the drug provided by the nanoparticles was approximately 1.3-fold greater than that of the commercial product. In addition, the silymarin-loaded nanoparticles significantly reduced carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity, indicating improved bioactivity compared with silymarin powder and the commercial product. Conclusion: Silymarin-loaded nanoparticles developed using SPG membrane emulsification and spray-drying techniques could be a useful system for delivery of poorly water-soluble silymarin while affording excellent hepatic protection. Keywords: silymarin, nanoparticle, hepatoprotective activity, Shirasu porous glass membrane, enhanced oral bioavailability

A solid form of self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (Solid SMEDDS) was developed by spray-drying with dextran as the inert solid carrier, to improve the oral bioavailability of a poorly water-soluble drug, fenofibrate. The optimized liquid SMEDDS, composed of Labrafil M 1944 CS/Labrasol/Capryol PGMC (15/75/10%v/v) with 10% w/v fenofibrate gave a z-average diameter of around 240 nm. There was no significant difference in the mean droplet size and size distribution of the emulsions obtained from the liquid and solid forms of SMEDDS. Solid state characterizations of solid SMEDDS showed that the crystal state of fenofibrate in solid SMEDDS was converted from crystalline to amorphous form. Solid SMEDDS had significantly higher dissolution rates than the drug powder, due to its fast self-emulsification in the dissolution media. Furthermore, the AUC value of solid SMEDDS was twofold greater than that of the powder, indicating this formulation greatly improved the oral bioavailability of drug in rats. Thus, these results suggest that solid SMEDDS could be used as an effective oral solid dosage form to improve dissolution and oral bioavailability of fenofibrate.

The objective of the present study was to enhance solubility and bioavailability of itraconazole by a combined use of membrane emulsification and spray drying solidification technique. A shirasu-porous-glass (SPG) membrane with a mean pore size of 2.5 μm was used to produce monodispersed microemulsions of itraconazole consisting of methylene chloride as the dispersed phase, a mixture of Transcutol HP and Span 20 as a stabilizer, and dextran as solid carrier dissolved in water as the continuous phase. The dispersed phase permeated through the SPG membrane into the continuous phase at an agitator speed of 150 rpm, a feed pressure of 15 kPa and a continuous phase temperature of 25°C and the resultant emulsion was solidified using spray-drying technique. Solid state characterizations of the solid emulsion showed that the crystal state of itraconazole in solid emulsion was converted from crystalline to amorphous form. The solid emulsion of itraconazole displayed a significant increase in the dissolution rate than that of pure itraconazole. Furthermore, the solid emulsion after oral administration gave about eight-fold higher AUC and about ten-fold higher C(max) in rats than pure itraconazole powder (p

To develop a valsartan-loaded gelatin microcapsule using hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) as a stabilizer, which could improve the physical stability and bioavailability of valsartan, the gelatin microcapsules were prepared with various ratios of gelatin and HPMC using a spray-drying technique. Their solubility, dissolution, thermal characteristics, crystallinity, and physical stability were investigated. The bioavailability of drug in valsartan-loaded microcapsule was then evaluated compared to drug powder and commercial product in rats. The microcapsule with gelatin and/or HPMC enhanced the solubility and dissolution of drug compared to valsartan powder. Among the formulations tested, the valsartan-loaded gelatin microcapsule at the weight ratio of valsartan/gelatin/HPMC of 1/2/1 gave excellent drug solubility of approximately 2 microg/ml and dissolution of 70% at 1 h. The crystal state of valsartan in this microcapsule was changed from crystalline to amorphous form during the spray-drying process and maintained as an amorphous form at 40 degrees C for at least 3 months, indicating that it was physically stable. HPMC in this microcapsule could inhibit the recrystallization, resulting in stabilizing the amorphous form of valsartan. Furthermore, it improved the oral bioavailability of valsartan compared to valsartan powder and gave the similar AUC, C(max), and T(max) values to commercial product, suggesting that it was bioequivalent to commercial product in rats. Thus, the gelatin microcapsule with HPMC would be a more effective and stable oral delivery system of poorly water-soluble valsartan.