Vandana Patravale

Nanosuspensions: a promising drug delivery strategy

Nanosuspensions have emerged as a promising strategy for the efficient delivery of hydrophobic drugs because of their versatile features and unique advantages. Techniques such as media milling and high‐pressure homogenization have been used commercially for producing nanosuspensions. Recently, the engineering of nanosuspensions employing emulsions and microemulsions as templates has been addressed in the literature. The unique features of nanosuspensions have enabled their use in various dosage forms, including specialized delivery systems such as mucoadhesive hydrogels. Rapid strides have been made in the delivery of nanosuspensions by parenteral, peroral, ocular and pulmonary routes. Currently, efforts are being directed to extending their applications in site‐specific drug delivery.

Novel cosmetic delivery systems: an application update

World consumers are nowadays more focused on their health and appearance. This trend is creating heightened demand for products formulated with natural and nutraceutical ingredients. Functional ingredients and innovative delivery systems are driving the new product development in the field of cosmetics. A significant number of innovative formulations are now being used in personal care with real consumer‐perceivable benefits and optimized sensory attributes, resulting in an economic uplift of cosmetic industry. In fact, the U.S. market alone for novel cosmetic delivery systems has been projected to be more than

Polymeric nanoparticles for targeted treatment in oncology: current insights.

41 billion for the year 2007. Novel cosmetic delivery systems reviewed here possess enormous potential as next‐generation smarter carrier systems.

Development of SLNs from natural lipids : Application to topical delivery of tretinoin

Chemotherapy, a major strategy for cancer treatment, lacks the specificity to localize the cancer therapeutics in the tumor site, thereby affecting normal healthy tissues and advocating toxic adverse effects. Nanotechnological intervention has greatly revolutionized the therapy of cancer by surmounting the current limitations in conventional chemotherapy, which include undesirable biodistribution, cancer cell drug resistance, and severe systemic side effects. Nanoparticles (NPs) achieve preferential accumulation in the tumor site by virtue of their passive and ligand-based targeting mechanisms. Polymer-based nanomedicine, an arena that entails the use of polymeric NPs, polymer micelles, dendrimers, polymersomes, polyplexes, polymer–lipid hybrid systems, and polymer–drug/protein conjugates for improvement in efficacy of cancer therapeutics, has been widely explored. The broad scope for chemically modifying the polymer into desired construct makes it a versatile delivery system. Several polymer-based therapeutic NPs have been approved for clinical use. This review provides an insight into the advances in polymer-based targeted nanocarriers with focus on therapeutic aspects in the field of oncology.

Microemulsion based vaginal gel of fluconazole: formulation, in vitro and in vivo evaluation.

The aim of this investigation was to develop solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) from indigenous, natural solid lipids by using a simple microemulsion technique. Furthermore, the aim was to characterize these SLNs and evaluate its potential in the topical delivery of a lipophilic drug, tretinoin (TRN). The developed SLNs were characterized for particle size, polydispersity index, entrapment efficiency of TRN and morphology. TRN-loaded SLN-based topical gels were formulated and the gels were evaluated comparatively with the commercial product with respect to primary skin irritation, in vitro occlusivity and skin permeation. The results of the study showed mean particle size <100nm of the SLN dispersions with the novel lipids. Up to 46% of drug entrapment in the lipids was attained. Lesser skin irritancy, greater skin tolerance, occlusivity and slow drug release was observed with the developed TRN-loaded SLN-based gels than the commercial product. The research work could be concluded as successful production of SLNs using highly purified stearine fraction of natural solid lipids. The results of the characterization and evaluation established the safety for use, suitability and compatibility of indigenous natural lipids as a novel excipient.

Formulation and Evaluation of Nanostructured Lipid Carrier (NLC)–based Gel of Valdecoxib

The objective of the present investigation was to develop and evaluate microemulsion based gel for the vaginal delivery of fluconazole (FLZ). The solubility of FLZ in oils and surfactants was evaluated to identify components of the microemulsion. The ternary diagram was plotted to identify the area of microemulsion existence. Various gelling agents were evaluated for their potential to gel the FLZ microemulsion without affecting its structure. The bioadhesive potential and anti-fungal activity of the FLZ microemulsion based gel (FLZ-MBG) was determined in comparison to the marketed clotrimazole gel (Candid V gel) by in vitro methods. The vaginal irritation potential of the FLZ-MBG was evaluated in rabbits. The clinical efficacy of the FLZ-MBG and Candid V gel was evaluated in females suffering from vaginal candidiasis. The FLZ microemulsion exhibited globule size of 24 nm and polydispersity index of 0.98. Carbopol ETD 2020 could successfully gel the FLZ microemulsion without disturbing the structure. The FLZ-MBG showed significantly higher (P<0.05) in vitro bioadhesion and anti-fungal activity as compared to that of Candid V gel. The FLZ-MBG did not show any signs of vaginal irritation in the rabbits. The small-scale clinical studies indicated that the FLZ-MBG shows faster onset of action than Candid V gel although no difference was observed in the clinical efficacy.

Design and in vivo pharmacodynamic evaluation of nanostructured lipid carriers for parenteral delivery of artemether : Nanoject

ABSTRACT Nanostructured Lipid Carrier (NLC)–based topical gel of Valdecoxib was formulated with the aim of faster onset yet prolonged action for the treatment of inflammation and allied conditions. NLCs prepared by microemulsion template technique were characterized by photon correlation spectroscopy for size. Drug encapsulation efficiency was determined using Nanosep® centrifugal device. The nanoparticulate dispersion was suitably gelled and characterized with respect to drug content, pH, spreadibility, rheology, and in-vitro release. Safety of the NLC-based gel was assessed using primary skin irritation studies, and efficacy was confirmed using pharmacodynamic study, namely the Aerosil-induced Rat Paw edema model. The developed NLC-based gel showed faster onset and elicited prolonged activity up to 24 hours.

Overcoming poor oral bioavailability using nanoparticle formulations – opportunities and limitations

The objective of the present investigation was to explore the potential of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) for the intravenous delivery of artemether (ARM), a poorly water-soluble antimalarial agent. The NLC of ARM (Nanoject) were formulated by employing a microemulsion template technique. The NLC were evaluated for particle size, encapsulation efficiency, in vitro drug release and in vitro hemolysis. The antimalarial activity of the Nanoject and conventional ARM injectable formulation was evaluated in Plasmodium berghei infected mice. The average particle size of Nanoject was 63+/-28 nm and the encapsulation efficiency was found to be 30+/-2%. The Nanoject released ARM in a sustained manner. In vitro haemolytic studies showed that Nanoject had lower haemolytic potential (approximately 13%) as compared to all the components when studied individually. Nanoject showed significantly higher (P<0.005) antimalarial activity as compared to the marketed injectable formulation. The antimalarial activity of Nanoject lasted for a longer duration (more than 20 days) indicating that Nanoject may be long-circulating in vivo. Nanoject showed significantly higher survival rate (60%) even after 31 days as compared to marketed formulation which showed 0% survival (100% mortality). This clearly indicates that Nanoject offers several advantages over the currently marketed oily intramuscular formulation (Larither).

Diagnostic nanocarriers for sentinel lymph node imaging.

Oral delivery of drugs with poor aqueous solubility and poor enzymatic and/or metabolic stability is very challenging. However, the advent of nanotechnology has revolutionized the field of oral drug delivery. The review provides an overview of various nano-architectures such as nanosuspensions, lipid and polymeric nanocarriers, inorganic nanostructures and describes advantages and challenges associated with their efficient delivery. Among various nano-architectures, only nanosuspensions and spontaneously emulsifying systems have succeeded in reaching pharmaceutical market.

Curcumin-Loaded Hydrogel Nanoparticles: Application in Anti-Malarial Therapy and Toxicological Evaluation

In the last decade, methods for the precise localization of sentinel lymph node (SLN) have drawn tremendous attention by cancer surgeons and researchers in the field of medical diagnosis. The accurate identification and characterization of lymph nodes by imaging has important therapeutic and prognostic significance in patients with newly diagnosed cancers. The SLN is the first lymph node that receives lymphatic drainage from the site of a primary tumor. The sentinel node is much more likely to contain metastatic tumor cells than other lymph nodes in the same region. Amongst the various exploited methods for SLN diagnosis, nanocarriers have received increasing attention as lymph node delivery agents. The present review focuses on various such particulate carriers namely radiolabeled sulfur colloids, liposomes, quantum dots, dendrimers and magnetic nanoparticles, which are most extensively studied and have been attributed with the most desirable characteristics for SLN imaging.