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AbstractRutin and berberine are naturally occurring polyphenols but their usefulness is restricted by their low bioavailability and poor solubility. Thus, by delivering rutin–berberine in the form of niosomes simultaneously and hoped to enhance the permeability through nasal route for the treatment of depression. Thin-film hydration approach was used to generate dual drug-loaded niosomes (rutin–berberine) encapsulating rutin and berberine. Various analytical techniques were used to characterize the morphology, size, compatibility, and leakage of the particles. These techniques included transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, UV spectrophotometry, and differential scanning calorimetry. The optimized formulation (rutin–berberine optimized niosomal formulation) was subjected to additional characterization for drug release, ex-vivo penetration investigation, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay. The rutin–berberine optimized niosomal formulation analysis showed that the drug release was 76.66 ± 1.24% at 24 hours, the entrapment efficiency was 74.8 ± 2.13% (rutin), and 79.0 ± 3.47% (berberine) and the vesicle size was 72.6 nm with a polydispersion index of 0.208. The antioxidant activity showed 73.67 ± 2.5% which is close to regular ascorbic acid. Studies on permeation ex-vivo revealed that rutin–berberine optimized niosomal formulation had considerably higher permeation (84.89 ± 3.15%) compared to rutin–berberine suspension (37.28 ± 2.33%). Furthermore, rhodamine B-loaded rutin–berberine optimized niosomal formulation appeared to have higher penetration than the control (rhodamine B-solution) according to the confocal laser scanning microscope results of the nasal mucosa. Based on all the experimental data, rutin–berberine optimized niosomal formulations were determined to be a viable and successful intranasal delivery formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to develop and evaluate a niosomal formulation loaded with Plumbago zeylanica extract (PZE). The solvent evaporation method was used to prepare niosomes and optimized using the Box–Behnken design. The optimized formulation (PZE-Ns-Opt) was characterized for drug release, DPPH assay, α-amylase inhibition assay, α-glucosidase inhibition assay, and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) study. PZE-Ns-Opt showed a vesicle size of 253.6 nm, PDI of 0.108, entrapment efficiency of 62.4%, and drug release of 84.01%. The CLSM image of the rat's intestine suggested that the rhodamine red B-loaded PZE-Ns-Opts showed superior penetration compared to the control. Further, the antioxidant activity of the prepared formulation was exhibited as 89.46%±0.016 as compared to PZE (78.10%±0.005). In addition to this, α- amylase activity was inhibited by 95.11%±4.62, 85.88%±2.56, and 89.87%±3.65 by acarbose, PZE, and PZE-Ns-Opt, respectively. In comparison, the α-glucosidase activity was inhibited by 88.47%±1.04, 81.07%±0.50 and 85.78%±0.71 by acarbose, PZE, and PZE-Ns-Opt, respectively. To conclude, the development of PZE-Ns-Opt formulation and its characterization showed the establishment's authenticity. The in vitro antidiabetic, antioxidant studies expressed the protective effect from oxidative stress, CLSM of rat's intestine ability to penetrate to great extent and could be a promising candidate for the management of diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Diabetic retinopathy is a severe complication of diabetes that can lead to vision loss due to the abnormal growth of blood vessels in the retina. This study investigates how two traditional medicinal plants, Solanum xanthocarpum and Plumbago zeylanica, might be used to treat this condition. We focused on identifying the active compounds in these plants and understanding how they interact with proteins related to diabetic retinopathy. Using advanced computer simulations, we found that these plant compounds effectively bind to and influence key proteins involved in the progression of the disease. Specifically, our research highlighted that compounds from Solanum xanthocarpum and Plumbago zeylanica could target several crucial pathways and proteins associated with diabetic retinopathy. These findings suggest that these plant-derived compounds have significant potential as therapeutic agents for diabetic retinopathy. By offering a new approach to treatment, this research could help improve the vision and overall quality of life of individuals suffering from this challenging condition. (1) Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a major complication of diabetes, marked by abnormal angiogenesis, microaneurysms, and retinal hemorrhages. Traditional Ayurvedic medicine advocates multi-target strategies for DR management. However, the mechanisms by which Solanum xanthocarpum (SX) and Plumbago zeylanica (PZ) exert therapeutic effects are not well understood; (2) Methods: To investigate these mechanisms, we employed network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques. Phytochemicals from SX and PZ were identified using the IMPPAT database and Swiss Target Prediction tool. DR-related protein targets were sourced from the GeneCards database, and common targets were identified through Venn diagram analysis. STRING and Cytoscape were used to construct and analyze protein–protein interaction networks. Pathway enrichment was performed with Gene Ontology and KEGG databases; (3) Results: We identified 28 active phytoconstituents, targeting proteins such as EGFR, SRC, STAT3, AKT1, and HSP90AA1. Molecular docking and dynamics simulations confirmed the strong binding affinities of these compounds to their targets; (4) Conclusions: The study highlights the multi-target activity of SX and PZ, particularly in pathways related to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance and PI3K–AKT signaling. These findings provide valuable insights into their therapeutic potential for DR, suggesting the effective modulation of key molecular pathways involved in the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]