D. V. Gowda

Mucosal vaccines: a paradigm shift in the development of mucosal adjuvants and delivery vehicles.

Mucosal immune responses are the first‐line defensive mechanisms against a variety of infections. Therefore, immunizations of mucosal surfaces from which majority of infectious agents make their entry, helps to protect the body against infections. Hence, vaccinization of mucosal surfaces by using mucosal vaccines provides the basis for generating protective immunity both in the mucosal and systemic immune compartments. Mucosal vaccines offer several advantages over parenteral immunization. For example, (i) ease of administration; (ii) non‐invasiveness; (iii) high‐patient compliance; and (iv) suitability for mass vaccination. Despite these benefits, to date, only very few mucosal vaccines have been developed using whole microorganisms and approved for use in humans. This is due to various challenges associated with the development of an effective mucosal vaccine that can work against a variety of infections, and various problems concerned with the safe delivery of developed vaccine. For instance, protein antigen alone is not just sufficient enough for the optimal delivery of antigen(s) mucosally. Hence, efforts have been made to develop better prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines for improved mucosal Th1 and Th2 immune responses using an efficient and safe immunostimulatory molecule and novel delivery carriers. Therefore, in this review, we have made an attempt to cover the recent advancements in the development of adjuvants and delivery carriers for safe and effective mucosal vaccine production.

The effect of nanonization on poorly water soluble glibenclamide using a liquid anti-solvent precipitation technique: aqueous solubility, in vitro and in vivo study

The aim of the present research was to improve the aqueous solubility and oral bioavailability of glibenclamide (GLB), a BCS class-II drug. A GLB nanosuspension (NS) was prepared using a liquid anti-solvent (LAS) precipitation technique and stabilized using HPMC K15M and lactose. Different in-process variables which directly affect the precipitated particle size have been thoroughly studied and optimized. The effect of a cryoprotective agent which could prevent agglomeration during lyophilisation was investigated. The optimal formulations of GD-H0.3d and GD-H0.4f exhibited a size range of 168.6 and 342.2 nm respectively and did not show any interaction when screened for incompatibility using FT-IR and DSC, but exhibited a decrease in crystallinity. The prepared GLB NPs exhibited superior aqueous solubility and dissolution when compared to pure GLB. The oral bioavailability of optimized formulations was found to exhibit 2.59, 1.67, 1.19, 2.50 and 2.40 folds of increment with respect to Cmax, Kel (h−1), t1/2, AUC0–24 h and AUC0–∞ for GD-0.3d in contrast to pure GLB.

Fabrication and characterization of carboxymethylated bael fruit gum with potential mucoadhesive applications

A study was conducted to enhance the mucoadhesive potential of bael fruit gum by carboxymethylation. Carboxymethylation of bael fruit gum was achieved through its reaction with monochloroacetic acid in the presence of sodium hydroxide as a catalyst under different reaction conditions. The optimal degree of substituted carboxymethyl in the carboxymethylated bael fruit gum was found to be 0.68. The resulting product was characterized by FT-IR, DSC, XRD and SEM analyses. The results revealed that the carboxymethylated derivative of bael fruit gum showed an improved mucoadhesive potential compared to unmodified gum, with a slightly increased degree of crystallinity, surface roughness and decreased viscosity. Additionally, metformin-loaded, ionotropically gelled beads of bael fruit gum and carboxymethylated bael fruit gum were formulated using calcium chloride as a cross-linking agent. An ex vivo bioadhesion study performed by a wash-off test using goat intestinal mucosa showed higher bioadhesion times for carboxymethylated bael fruit gum compared to bael fruit gum. In vitro release studies conducted using phosphate buffer (pH 6.8) showed a faster release of metformin from carboxymethylated bael fruit gum than from bael fruit gum. These results have demonstrated that carboxymethylated bael fruit gum is a promising mucoadhesive excipient.

Preparation and Comparative Bioavailability Studies of Indomethacin-Loaded Cetyl Alcohol Microspheres

The purpose of the present study was to compare the in vitro release and to find out whether the bioavailability of a 75 mg indomethacin capsule (Microcid SR) was equivalent to optimized formulation (indomethacin-loaded cetyl alcohol microspheres). Indomethacin-loaded cetyl alcohol microspheres were prepared by meltable emulsified cooling-induced technique. Surface morphology of microspheres has been evaluated using scanning electron microscopy. A single dose, randomized, complete cross over study of IM microspheres was carried out on 10 healthy male and female Albino sheeps under fasting conditions. The plasma was separated and the concentrations of the drug were determined by HPLC-UV method. Plasma indomethacin concentrations and other pharmacokinetic parameters obtained were statistically analyzed. The SEM images revealed the spherical shape of fat microspheres, and more than 98.0% of the isolated microspheres were in the size range 12–32 μm. DSC, FTIR spectroscopy and stability studies indicated that the drug after encapsulation with fat microspheres was stable and compatible. Both formulations were found to be bioequivalent as evidenced by in vivo studies. Based on this study, it can be concluded that cetyl alcohol microspheres and Microcid SR capsule are bioequivalent in terms of the rate and extent of absorption.

FORMULATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF LENALIDOMIDE LOADED DELAYED RELEASE MINI TABLETS IN CAPSULES

Objective: Formulation and development of delayed release mini tablets in the capsule of drug lenalidomidein terms of dissolution and stability was the objective of the present work. Methods: Tablets of less than or equal to 3 millimetres diameter are Mini-tablets, which were filled into a capsule. Direct compression method using multi-tip punch was used for compression and coated with eudragit L100 as a seal coating material and with eudragit L30D55 as an enteric coating material was done. Different formulations were prepared and subjected for evaluation like weight variation, hardness, friability, disintegration, and dissolution studies. The optimized formulation was compared to marketed product based on drug released profile and also subjected for stability studies. Results: The results revealed that the in vitro drug release of prepared formulations, F1, F2, F3, and F4 was subjected for acid resistance test for 2 h in 0.1N HCl and has a comparable dissolution profile in phosphate buffer of 6.8 pH. FormulationF4 was subjected for stability studies and no significant difference was observed in 3 mo 40 °C/75% RH accelerated stability condition. Conclusion: The dissolution profile of formulation F4 was found better than that of market product. Based on evaluation results, the study concluded that F4formulationwas considered as an optimized formulation.

Self-Assembling Peptides- Notion and Medical Applications: A Review

Peptides are the building blocks which are widely used owing to their biology as well as their chemistry. They provide a vast platform in the area of medicine. Self-assembling peptides are peptide biomaterials which are pacing in the field of diagnosis, therapeutics, tissue regeneration and vaccine. Self-assembling peptides provide an excellent alternative to the conventional methods for the drug delivery and the treatment. In this article, we discuss about the various medical applications of self-assembling peptide as they have excellent biocompatibility and resemblance with the proteins in the biological system. These are constructed and modified using various amino acid sequences depending upon the type of the application for which it is being used

Biomedical applications of phytomedicines: Dental perspective

Introduction: Ayurveda is the ancient Indian system of health care and longevity. Ayurvedic treatment is aimed at the patient as an organic whole, and treatment consists of salubrious use of drugs, diets, and certain practices. Currently, Ayurveda is widely practiced in the Hindustan peninsula (India and the neighboring countries) and in recent years, there has been a resurgence of herbs in economically developed countries such as those in Europe, United States, and Japan. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was made in PubMed, MEDLINE, LILACS/BBO, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, sciencedirect, and Google Scholar databases. Results: Herbs have been used for centuries to prevent and control disease. Herbal extracts are effective because they interact with specific chemical receptors within the body and are in a pharmacodynamics sense, drugs themselves. Taking into consideration the ineffectiveness, potential side effects, and safety concerns of synthetic drugs, the herbal alternatives for dental usage might prove to be advantageous. Conclusion: Phytomedicine has been used in dentistry as an anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, analgesic, sedative and also as endodontic irrigant. Herbal preparations can be derived from the root, leaves, seeds, stem, and flowers.