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Sample records for ph-sensitive drug delivery

  1. pH- and ion-sensitive polymers for drug delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshida, Takayuki; Lai, Tsz Chung; Kwon, Glen S; Sako, Kazuhiro

    2013-01-01

    Introduction Drug delivery systems (DDSs) are important for effective, safe, and convenient administration of drugs. pH- and ion-responsive polymers have been widely employed in DDS for site-specific drug release due to their abilities to exploit specific pH- or ion-gradients in the human body. Areas covered Having pH-sensitivity, cationic polymers can mask the taste of drugs and release drugs in the stomach by responding to gastric low pH. Anionic polymers responsive to intestinal high pH are used for preventing gastric degradation of drug, colon drug delivery and achieving high bioavailability of weak basic drugs. Tumor-targeted DDSs have been developed based on polymers with imidazole groups or poly(β-amino ester) responsive to tumoral low pH. Polymers with pH-sensitive chemical linkages, such as hydrazone, acetal, ortho ester and vinyl ester, pH-sensitive cell-penetrating peptides and cationic polymers undergoing pH-dependent protonation have been studied to utilize the pH gradient along the endocytic pathway for intracellular drug delivery. As ion-sensitive polymers, ion-exchange resins are frequently used for taste-masking, counterion-responsive drug release and sustained drug release. Polymers responding to ions in the saliva and gastrointestinal fluids are also used for controlled drug release in oral drug formulations. Expert opinion Stimuli-responsive DDSs are important for achieving site-specific and controlled drug release; however, intraindividual, interindividual and intercellular variations of pH should be considered when designing DDSs or drug products. Combination of polymers and other components, and deeper understanding of human physiology are important for development of pH- and ion-sensitive polymeric DDS products for patients. PMID:23930949

  2. pH- and ion-sensitive polymers for drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshida, Takayuki; Lai, Tsz Chung; Kwon, Glen S; Sako, Kazuhiro

    2013-11-01

    Drug delivery systems (DDSs) are important for effective, safe, and convenient administration of drugs. pH- and ion-responsive polymers have been widely employed in DDS for site-specific drug release due to their abilities to exploit specific pH- or ion-gradients in the human body. Having pH-sensitivity, cationic polymers can mask the taste of drugs and release drugs in the stomach by responding to gastric low pH. Anionic polymers responsive to intestinal high pH are used for preventing gastric degradation of drug, colon drug delivery and achieving high bioavailability of weak basic drugs. Tumor-targeted DDSs have been developed based on polymers with imidazole groups or poly(β-amino ester) responsive to tumoral low pH. Polymers with pH-sensitive chemical linkages, such as hydrazone, acetal, ortho ester and vinyl ester, pH-sensitive cell-penetrating peptides and cationic polymers undergoing pH-dependent protonation have been studied to utilize the pH gradient along the endocytic pathway for intracellular drug delivery. As ion-sensitive polymers, ion-exchange resins are frequently used for taste-masking, counterion-responsive drug release and sustained drug release. Polymers responding to ions in the saliva and gastrointestinal fluids are also used for controlled drug release in oral drug formulations. Stimuli-responsive DDSs are important for achieving site-specific and controlled drug release; however, intraindividual, interindividual and intercellular variations of pH should be considered when designing DDSs or drug products. Combination of polymers and other components, and deeper understanding of human physiology are important for development of pH- and ion-sensitive polymeric DDS products for patients.

  3. Sonochemically synthesized biocompatible zirconium phosphate nanoparticles for pH sensitive drug delivery application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalita, Himani; Prashanth Kumar, B N; Konar, Suraj; Tantubay, Sangeeta; Kr Mahto, Madhusudan; Mandal, Mahitosh; Pathak, Amita

    2016-03-01

    The present work reports the synthesis of biocompatible zirconium phosphate (ZP) nanoparticles as nanocarrier for drug delivery application. The ZP nanoparticles were synthesized via a simple sonochemical method in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and their efficacy for the delivery of drugs has been tested through various in-vitro experiments. The particle size and BET surface area of the nanoparticles were found to be ~48 nm and 206.51 m(2)/g respectively. The conventional MTT assay and cellular localization studies of the particles, performed on MDA-MB-231 cell lines, demonstrate their excellent biocompatibility and cellular internalization behavior. The loading of curcumin, an antitumor drug, onto the ZP nanoparticles shows the rapid drug uptake ability of the particles, while the drug release study, performed at two different pH values (at 7.4 and 5) depicts pH sensitive release-profile. The MTT assay and cellular localization studies revealed higher cellular inhibition and better bioavailability of the nanoformulated curcumin compared to free curcumin. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Sonochemically synthesized biocompatible zirconium phosphate nanoparticles for pH sensitive drug delivery application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kalita, Himani, E-mail: hkalita74@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302 (India); Prashanth Kumar, B.N., E-mail: prasanthkumar999@gmail.com [School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302 (India); Konar, Suraj, E-mail: suraj.konar@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302 (India); Tantubay, Sangeeta, E-mail: sang.chem2@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302 (India); Mahto, Madhusudan Kr., E-mail: mahtomk0@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302 (India); Mandal, Mahitosh, E-mail: mahitosh@smst.iitkgp.ernet.in [School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302 (India); Pathak, Amita, E-mail: ami@chem.iitkgp.ernet.in [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302 (India)

    2016-03-01

    The present work reports the synthesis of biocompatible zirconium phosphate (ZP) nanoparticles as nanocarrier for drug delivery application. The ZP nanoparticles were synthesized via a simple sonochemical method in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and their efficacy for the delivery of drugs has been tested through various in-vitro experiments. The particle size and BET surface area of the nanoparticles were found to be ~ 48 nm and 206.51 m{sup 2}/g respectively. The conventional MTT assay and cellular localization studies of the particles, performed on MDA-MB-231 cell lines, demonstrate their excellent biocompatibility and cellular internalization behavior. The loading of curcumin, an antitumor drug, onto the ZP nanoparticles shows the rapid drug uptake ability of the particles, while the drug release study, performed at two different pH values (at 7.4 and 5) depicts pH sensitive release-profile. The MTT assay and cellular localization studies revealed higher cellular inhibition and better bioavailability of the nanoformulated curcumin compared to free curcumin. - Highlights: • Biocompatible zirconium phosphate nanoparticles were synthesized by a simple sonochemical approach. • Curcumin was rapidly loaded onto the particles by the aid by hydrogen bond formation. • The curcumin loaded zirconium phosphate nanoparticles depict pH triggered drug release phenomenon. • The nanoformulated curcumin showed enhanced anti-tumor activity as compared to the native curcumin.

  5. Sonochemically synthesized biocompatible zirconium phosphate nanoparticles for pH sensitive drug delivery application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kalita, Himani; Prashanth Kumar, B.N.; Konar, Suraj; Tantubay, Sangeeta; Mahto, Madhusudan Kr.; Mandal, Mahitosh; Pathak, Amita

    2016-01-01

    The present work reports the synthesis of biocompatible zirconium phosphate (ZP) nanoparticles as nanocarrier for drug delivery application. The ZP nanoparticles were synthesized via a simple sonochemical method in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and their efficacy for the delivery of drugs has been tested through various in-vitro experiments. The particle size and BET surface area of the nanoparticles were found to be ~ 48 nm and 206.51 m"2/g respectively. The conventional MTT assay and cellular localization studies of the particles, performed on MDA-MB-231 cell lines, demonstrate their excellent biocompatibility and cellular internalization behavior. The loading of curcumin, an antitumor drug, onto the ZP nanoparticles shows the rapid drug uptake ability of the particles, while the drug release study, performed at two different pH values (at 7.4 and 5) depicts pH sensitive release-profile. The MTT assay and cellular localization studies revealed higher cellular inhibition and better bioavailability of the nanoformulated curcumin compared to free curcumin. - Highlights: • Biocompatible zirconium phosphate nanoparticles were synthesized by a simple sonochemical approach. • Curcumin was rapidly loaded onto the particles by the aid by hydrogen bond formation. • The curcumin loaded zirconium phosphate nanoparticles depict pH triggered drug release phenomenon. • The nanoformulated curcumin showed enhanced anti-tumor activity as compared to the native curcumin.

  6. ph Sensitive hydrogel as colon specific drug delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alarifi, A.S.

    2011-01-01

    γ-radiation induced graft copolymerization and crosslinking was for the synthesis of ph-sensitive hydrogels composed of poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) acrylic acid. The prepared hydrogels were subjected to swelling test to evaluate the effects of ph and ionic strength of the surrounding solution. Drastic changes in the swelling parameters where observed by changing the surrounding solution ph values. The release of ibuprofen from hydrogels was monitored as a function of time at ph 1 and ph 7 in order to evaluate the prepared copolymer ability for colon- specific drug carrier uses.

  7. Crosslinked ionic polysaccharides for stimuli-sensitive drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alvarez-Lorenzo, Carmen; Blanco-Fernandez, Barbara; Puga, Ana M; Concheiro, Angel

    2013-08-01

    Polysaccharides are gaining increasing attention as components of stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems, particularly since they can be obtained in a well characterized and reproducible way from the natural sources. Ionic polysaccharides can be readily crosslinked to render hydrogel networks sensitive to a variety of internal and external variables, and thus suitable for switching drug release on-off through diverse mechanisms. Hybrids, composites and grafted polymers can reinforce the responsiveness and widen the range of stimuli to which polysaccharide-based systems can respond. This review analyzes the state of the art of crosslinked ionic polysaccharides as components of delivery systems that can regulate drug release as a function of changes in pH, ion nature and concentration, electric and magnetic field intensity, light wavelength, temperature, redox potential, and certain molecules (enzymes, illness markers, and so on). Examples of specific applications are provided. The information compiled demonstrates that crosslinked networks of ionic polysaccharides are suitable building blocks for developing advanced externally activated and feed-back modulated drug delivery systems. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Ingenious pH-sensitive dextran/mesoporous silica nanoparticles based drug delivery systems for controlled intracellular drug release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Min; Liu, Jia; Kuang, Ying; Li, Qilin; Zheng, Di-Wei; Song, Qiongfang; Chen, Hui; Chen, Xueqin; Xu, Yanglin; Li, Cao; Jiang, Bingbing

    2017-05-01

    In this work, dextran, a polysaccharide with excellent biocompatibility, is applied as the "gatekeeper" to fabricate the pH-sensitive dextran/mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) based drug delivery systems for controlled intracellular drug release. Dextran encapsulating on the surface of MSNs is oxidized by NaIO 4 to obtain three kinds of dextran dialdehydes (PADs), which are then coupled with MSNs via pH-sensitive hydrazone bond to fabricate three kinds of drug carriers. At pH 7.4, PADs block the pores to prevent premature release of anti-cancer drug doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX). However, in the weakly acidic intracellular environment (pH∼5.5) the hydrazone can be ruptured; and the drug can be released from the carriers. The drug loading capacity, entrapment efficiency and release rates of the drug carriers can be adjusted by the amount of NaIO 4 applied in the oxidation reaction. And from which DOX@MSN-NH-N=C-PAD 10 is chosen as the most satisfactory one for the further in vitro cytotoxicity studies and cellular uptake studies. The results demonstrate that DOX@MSN-NH-N=C-PAD 10 with an excellent pH-sensitivity can enter HeLa cells to release DOX intracellular due to the weakly acidic pH intracellular and kill the cells. In our opinion, the ingenious pH-sensitive drug delivery systems have application potentials for cancer therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. A novel thermal and pH responsive drug delivery system based on ZnO@PNIPAM hybrid nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tan, Licheng; Liu, Jian; Zhou, Weihua; Wei, Junchao; Peng, Zhiping

    2014-01-01

    A smart ZnO@PNIPAM hybrid was prepared by grafting thermal responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) shows that the grafting amount of PNIPAM was about 38%, and the SEM images show that the PNIPAM chains can prevent the aggregation of ZnO nanoparticles. The responsive properties of ZnO@PNIPAM were measured by photoluminescence spectra, and the results demonstrate that the PNIPAM chains grafted on ZnO surfaces can realize reversible thermal responsive and photoluminescence properties. An anticancer drug, doxorubicin (Dox), was used as a model drug and loaded into the hybrid nanoparticles, and an in vitro drug release test implied that ZnO@PNIPAM could work as a thermal responsive drug delivery system. Furthermore, pH sensitive drug releases were carried out in acetate buffer at pH 5.0 and pH 6.0 and in water at pH 7.0, and the results showed evident pH dependency, showing its pH responsive properties. - Graphical abstract: In this manuscript, thermal responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) was grafted on the surface of ZnO nanoparticles. The obtained ZnO@PNIPAM hybrid showed reversible thermal responsive photoluminescent properties, and can also work as a thermal and pH responsive drug delivery system. - Highlights: • The ZnO@PNIPAM hybrid was prepared via ATRP. • The ZnO@PNIPAM hybrid showed thermal responsive properties. • The ZnO@PNIPAM hybrid can work as a thermal and pH responsive drug delivery system

  10. Targeted drug delivery using temperature-sensitive liposomes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Magin, R.L.; Niesman, M.R.

    1984-01-01

    Liposomes are receiving considerable attention as vehicles for selective drug delivery. One method of targeting liposomal contents involves the combination of local hyperthermia with temperature-sensitive liposomes. Such liposomes have been used to increase the uptake of methotrexate and cis-platinum into locally heated mouse tumors. However, additional information is needed on the mechanism of liposome drug release and the physiologic deposition of liposomes in vivo before clinical trails are begun. Current research is directed at studying the encapsulation and release of water soluble drugs from temperature-sensitive liposomes. The influence of liposome size, structure, and composition on the rapid release in plasma of cytosine arabinoside, cis-platinum, and the radiation sensitizer SR-2508 are described. These results demonstrate potential applications for temperature-sensitive liposomes in selective drug delivery

  11. pH- and thermo-responsive microcontainers as potential drug delivery systems: Morphological characteristic, release and cytotoxicity studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Efthimiadou, Eleni K; Tapeinos, Christos; Tziveleka, Leto-Aikaterini; Boukos, Nikos; Kordas, George

    2014-04-01

    Polymeric pH- and thermo-sensitive microcontainers (MCs) were developed as a potential drug delivery system for cancer therapy. It is well known that cancer cells exhibit notable characteristics such as acidic pH due to glycolytic cycle and higher temperature due to their higher proliferation rate. Based on these characteristics, we constructed a dual pH- and thermo-sensitive material for specific drug release on the pathological tissue. The MC's fabrication is based on a two-step procedure, in which, the first step involves the core synthesis and the second one is related to the shell formation. The core consists of poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA), while the shell consists of PMMA, poly(isopropylacrylamide), poly(acrylic acid) and poly(divinylbenzene). Three different types of MCs were synthesized based on the seed polymerization method. The synthesized MCs were characterized structurally by Fourier transform infrared and morphologically by scanning electron microscopy. Dynamic light scattering was also used to study their behavior in aqueous solution under different pH and temperature conditions. For the loading and release study, the anthracycline drug daunorubicin (DNR) was used as a model drug, and its release properties were evaluated under different pH and thermo-conditions. Cytotoxicity studies were also carried out against MCF-7 breast cancer and 3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblast cells. According to our results, the synthesized microcontainers present desired pH and thermo behavior and can be applied in drug delivery systems. It is worth mentioning that the synthesized microcontainers which incorporated the drug DNR exhibit higher toxicity than the free drug. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Poly methacrylic acid modified CDHA nanocomposites as potential pH responsive drug delivery vehicles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Victor, Sunita Prem; Sharma, Chandra P

    2013-08-01

    The objective of this study was to prepare pH sensitive polymethacrylic acid-calcium deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA) nanocomposites. The CDHA nanoparticles were prepared by coprecipitation method. The modification of CDHA by methacrylic acid (MA) was achieved by AIBN initiated free radical polymerization with sodium bisulphite as catalyst followed by emulsion technique. These nanocomposites with a half life of 8h consisted of high aspect ratio, needle like particles and exhibited an increase in swelling behaviour with pH. The in vivo potential of the nanocomposites was evaluated in vitro by the results of cell aggregation, protein adsorption, MTT assay and haemolytic activity. The invitro loading and release studies using albumin as a model drug indicate that the nanocomposites gave better loading when compared to the CDHA nanoparticles and altered the drug release rates. The nanocomposites also exhibited good uptake on C6 glioma cells as studied by fluorescence microscopy. The results obtained suggest that these nanocomposites have great potential for oral controlled protein delivery and can be extended further for intracellular drug delivery applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. pH and temperature dual-sensitive liposome gel based on novel cleavable mPEG-Hz-CHEMS polymeric vaginal delivery system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chen D

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Daquan Chen,1,2 Kaoxiang Sun,1,2 Hongjie Mu,1 Mingtan Tang,3 Rongcai Liang,1,2 Aiping Wang,1,2 Shasha Zhou,1 Haijun Sun,1 Feng Zhao,1 Jianwen Yao,1 Wanhui Liu1,21School of Pharmacy, Yantai University, 2State Key Laboratory of Longacting and Targeting Drug Delivery Systems, Yantai, 3School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of ChinaBackground: In this study, a pH and temperature dual-sensitive liposome gel based on a novel cleavable hydrazone-based pH-sensitive methoxy polyethylene glycol 2000-hydrazone-cholesteryl hemisuccinate (mPEG-Hz-CHEMS polymer was used for vaginal administration.Methods: The pH-sensitive, cleavable mPEG-Hz-CHEMS was designed as a modified pH-sensitive liposome that would selectively degrade under locally acidic vaginal conditions. The novel pH-sensitive liposome was engineered to form a thermogel at body temperature and to degrade in an acidic environment.Results: A dual-sensitive liposome gel with a high encapsulation efficiency of arctigenin was formed and improved the solubility of arctigenin characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The dual-sensitive liposome gel with a sol-gel transition at body temperature was degraded in a pH-dependent manner, and was stable for a long period of time at neutral and basic pH, but cleavable under acidic conditions (pH 5.0. Arctigenin encapsulated in a dual-sensitive liposome gel was more stable and less toxic than arctigenin loaded into pH-sensitive liposomes. In vitro drug release results indicated that dual-sensitive liposome gels showed constant release of arctigenin over 3 days, but showed sustained release of arctigenin in buffers at pH 7.4 and pH 9.0.Conclusion: This research has shed some light on a pH and temperature dual-sensitive liposome gel using a cleavable mPEG-Hz-CHEMS polymer for vaginal delivery.Keywords: mPEG-Hz-CHEMS polymer, pH-sensitive liposomes, thermosensitive

  14. Synthesis of nir-sensitive Au-Au{sub 2}S nanocolloids for drug delivery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ren, L.; Chow, G.M

    2003-01-15

    Near IR (NIR) sensitive Au-Au{sub 2}S nanocolloids were prepared by mixing HAuCl{sub 4} and Na{sub 2}S in aqueous solutions. An anti-tumor drug, cis-platin, was adsorbed onto Au-Au{sub 2}S nanoparticle surface via the 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) layers. The results show that the degree of adsorption of cis-platin onto Au-Au{sub 2}S nanoparticles was controlled by the solution pH value, and the drug release was sensitive to near-infrared irradiation. The cis-platin-loaded Au-Au{sub 2}S nanocolloids can be potentially applied as NIR activated drug delivery carrier.

  15. Self-assembled nanocomplexes of anionic pullulan and polyallylamine for DNA and pH-sensitive intracellular drug delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vora, Lalit; Tyagi, Monica; Patel, Ketan; Gupta, Sanjay; Vavia, Pradeep

    2014-12-01

    The amalgamation of chemotherapy and gene therapy is promising treatment option for cancer. In this study, novel biocompatible self-assembled nanocomplexes (NCs) between carboxylmethylated pullulan t335 (CMP) with polyallylamine (CMP-PAA NCs) were developed for plasmid DNA (pDNA) and pH-sensitive doxorubicin (DOX) delivery. DOX was conjugated to CMP (DOX-CMP) via hydrazone and confirmed by FTIR and 1H-NMR. In vitro release studies of pH-sensitive DOX-CMP conjugate showed 23 and 85 % release after 48 h at pH 7.4 (physiological pH) and pH 5 (intracellular/tumoral pH), respectively. The CMP-PAA NCs or DOX-CMP-PAA NCs self-assembled into a nanosized (successful cellular uptake of DOX-CMP-PAA NCs in HEK293 cells. Thus, NCs hold great potential for targeted pDNA and pH-sensitive intratumoral drug delivery.

  16. pH-Sensitive nanoparticles as smart carriers for selective intracellular drug delivery to tumor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xin-Xin; Chen, Jing; Shen, Jian-Min; Zhuang, Ran; Zhang, Shi-Qi; Zhu, Zi-Yun; Ma, Jing-Bo

    2018-05-05

    Herein, a smart pH-sensitive nanoparticle (DGL-PEG-Tat-KK-DMA-DOX) was prepared to achieve the selective intracellular drug delivery. In this nanoparticle, a PEG-grafted cell penetrating peptide (PEG-Tat-KK) was designed and acted as the cell penetrating segment. By introducing the pH-sensitive amide bonds between the peptide and blocking agent (2,3-dimethylmaleic anhydride, DMA), the controllable moiety (PEG-Tat-KK-DMA) endowed the nanoparticle with a charge-switchable shell and temporarily blocked penetrating function, thus improving the specific internalization. Besides, dendrigraft poly-L-lysine (DGL) used as the skeleton can greatly improve the drug loading because of the highly dendritic framework. Under the stimuli of acidic pH, this nanoparticle exhibited a remarkable charge-switchable property. The drug release showed an expected behavior with little release in the neutral pH media but relatively fast release in the acidic media. The in vitro experiments revealed that the cellular uptake and cytotoxicity were significantly enhanced after the pH was decreased. In vivo biodistribution and antitumor research indicated that the nanoparticle had noteworthy specificity and antitumor efficacy with a tumor inhibition rate of 79.7%. These results verified this nanoparticle could efficiently improve the selective intracellular delivery and possessed a great potential in tumor treatment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Smart pH- and reduction-dual-responsive folate-PEG-coated polymeric lipid vesicles for tumor-triggered targeted drug delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Sheng; Wang, Hanjie; Liu, Zhongyun; Wang, Liangliang; Wang, Xiaomin; Su, Lin; Chang, Jin

    2014-06-01

    To improve their therapeutic index, designed nanocarriers should preferentially accumulate in tumor tissues and then rapidly enter tumor cells to release the encapsulated drugs in a triggered manner. In this article, a new kind of a smart pH- and reduction-dual-responsive drug delivery system based on folate-PEG-coated polymeric lipid vesicles (FPPLVs) formed from amphiphilic dextran derivatives was designed and prepared successfully. PEG chains with pH-sensitive hydrazone bonds, stearyl alcohol (SA) chains with reduction-sensitive disulfide bonds and folate were connected to a dextran main chain. The newly developed FPPLVs had a nano-sized structure (~50 nm) with a PEG coating. The in vitro DOX release profiles showed that the FPPLVs achieved a triggered drug release in response to acidic pH and reducing environments due to the cleavage of hydrazone bonds and disulfide bonds. It has also been demonstrated by an in vitro cellular uptake study that the FPPLVs lose their PEG coating as well as expose the folate in acidic conditions, which allows them to efficiently enter tumor cells through ligand-receptor interactions. In vitro cytotoxicity measurements also confirmed that FPPLVs exhibited pronounced antitumor activity against HeLa cells. These results suggest that FPPLVs are promising carriers for smart antitumor drug delivery applications.To improve their therapeutic index, designed nanocarriers should preferentially accumulate in tumor tissues and then rapidly enter tumor cells to release the encapsulated drugs in a triggered manner. In this article, a new kind of a smart pH- and reduction-dual-responsive drug delivery system based on folate-PEG-coated polymeric lipid vesicles (FPPLVs) formed from amphiphilic dextran derivatives was designed and prepared successfully. PEG chains with pH-sensitive hydrazone bonds, stearyl alcohol (SA) chains with reduction-sensitive disulfide bonds and folate were connected to a dextran main chain. The newly developed FPPLVs had a

  18. Kinetic Degradation and Controlled Drug Delivery System Studies for Sensitive Hydrogels Prepared by Gamma Irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eid, M.; El-Arnaouty, M.B.

    2008-01-01

    Ternary mixtures of N-vinyle-2-pyrrolidone(NVP ), itaconic acid (IA) and gelatin (G) were gamma irradiated to prepared poly(NVP/IA/G) hydrogels. The equilibrium kinetic swelling, drug release behavior, Scan Electron Microscope (SEM) and the swelling-degradation kinetics were studied. Both the diffusion exponent and the diffusion coefficient increase with increasing content of (IA). Also, the swelling behavior of copolymer hydrogels in response to ph value of the external media was studied, it is noted that the highest swelling values at ph 4. The in vitro drug release behavior of these hydrogels was examined by quantification analysis with a UV/VIS spectrophotometers. Chlorpromazine hydrochloride was loaded into dried hydrogels to investigate the stimuli-sensitive property at the specific ph. The release studies show that the highest value of release was at ph 4 which can be used for drug delivery system

  19. Multifunctional pH-sensitive magnetic nanoparticles for simultaneous imaging, sensing and targeted intracellular anticancer drug delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Banerjee, Shashwat S; Chen, D-H

    2008-01-01

    A novel multifunctional magnetic nanocarrier was fabricated for synchronous cancer therapy and sensing. The nanocarrier, programed to display a response to environmental stimuli (pH value), was synthesized by coupling doxorubicin (DOX) to adipic dihydrazide-grafted gum arabic modified magnetic nanoparticles (ADH-GAMNP) via the hydrolytically degradable pH-sensitive hydrazone bond. The resultant nanocarrier, DOX-ADH-GAMNP, had a mean diameter of 13.8 nm and the amount of DOX coupled was about 6.52 mg g -1 . Also, it exhibited pH triggered release of DOX in an acidic environment (pH 5.0) but was relatively stable at physiological pH (pH 7.4). Furthermore, both GAMNP and DOX were found to possess fluorescence properties when excited in the near-infrared region due to the two-photon absorption mechanism. The coupling of DOX to GAMNP resulted in a reversible self-quenching of fluorescence through the fluorescence resonant energy transfer (FRET) between the donor GAMNP and acceptor DOX. The release of DOX from DOX-ADH-GAMNP when exposed to acidic media indicated the recovery of fluorescence from both GAMNP and DOX. The change in the fluorescence intensity of DOX-ADH-GAMNP on the release of DOX can act as a potential sensor to sense the delivery of the drug. The analysis of zeta potential and plasmon absorbance in different pH conditions also confirmed the pH sensitivity of the product. This multifunctional nanocarrier is a significant breakthrough in developing a drug delivery vehicle that combines drug targeting as well as sensing and therapy at the same time.

  20. Smart stimuli sensitive nanogels in cancer drug delivery and imaging: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maya, S; Sarmento, Bruno; Nair, Amrita; Rejinold, N Sanoj; Nair, Shantikumar V; Jayakumar, R

    2013-01-01

    Nanogels are nanosized hydrogel particles formed by physical or chemical cross-linked polymer networks. The advantageous properties of nanogels related to the ability of retaining considerable amount of water, the biocompatibility of the polymers used, the ability to encapsulate and protect a large quantity of payload drugs within the nanogel matrix, the high stability in aqueous media, their stimuli responsively behavior potential, and the versatility in release drugs in a controlled manner make them very attractive for use in the area of drug delivery. The materials used for the preparation of nanogels ranged from natural polymers like ovalbumin, pullulan, hyaluronic acid, methacrylated chondroitin sulfate and chitosan, to synthetic polymers like poly (N-isopropylacrylamide), poly (Nisopropylacrylamide- co-acrylic acid) and poly (ethylene glycol)-b-poly (methacrylic acid). The porous nanogels have been finding application as anti-cancer drug and imaging agent reservoirs. Smart nanogels responding to external stimuli such as temperature, pH etc can be designed for diverse therapeutic and diagnostic applications. The nanogels have also been surface functionalized with specific ligands aiding in targeted drug delivery. This review focus on stimuli-sensitive, multi-responsive, magnetic and targeted nanogels providing a brief insight on the application of nanogels in cancer drug delivery and imaging in detail.

  1. [Advances of tumor targeting peptides drug delivery system with pH-sensitive activities].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Yin-yun; Li, Li; Huang, Hai-feng; Gou, San-hu; Ni, Jing-man

    2016-05-01

    The pH-sensitive peptides drug delivery systems, which target to acidic extracellular environment of tumor tissue, have many advantages in drug delivery. They exhibit a high specificity to tumor and low cytotoxicity, which significantly increase the efficacy of traditional anti-cancer drugs. In recent years the systems have received a great attention. The pH-sensitive peptides drug delivery systems can be divided into five types according to the difference in pH-responsive mechanism,type of peptides and carrier materials. This paper summarizes the recent progresses in the field with a focus on the five types of pH-sensitive peptides in drug delivery systems. This may provide a guideline to design and application of tumor targeting drugs.

  2. Polymeric micellar pH-sensitive drug delivery system for doxorubicin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hrubý, Martin; Konák, Cestmír; Ulbrich, Karel

    2005-03-02

    A novel polymeric micellar pH-sensitive system for delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) is described. Polymeric micelles were prepared by self-assembly of amphiphilic diblock copolymers in aqueous solutions. The copolymers consist of a biocompatible hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) block and a hydrophobic block containing covalently bound anthracycline antibiotic DOX. The starting block copolymers poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(allyl glycidyl ether) (PEO-PAGE) with a very narrow molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn ca. 1.05) were prepared by anionic ring opening polymerization using sodium salt of poly(ethylene oxide) monomethyl ether as macroinitiator and allyl glycidyl ether as functional monomer. The copolymers were covalently modified via reactive double bonds by the addition of methyl sulfanylacetate. The resulting ester subsequently reacted with hydrazine hydrate yielding polymer hydrazide. The hydrazide was coupled with DOX yielding pH-sensitive hydrazone bonds between the drug and carrier. The resulting conjugate containing ca. 3 wt.% DOX forms micelles with Rh(a)=104 nm in phosphate-buffered saline. After incubation in buffers at 37 degrees C DOX was released faster at pH 5.0 (close to pH in endosomes; 43% DOX released within 24 h) than at pH 7.4 (pH of blood plasma; 16% DOX released within 24 h). Cleavage of hydrazone bonds between DOX and carrier continues even after plateau in the DOX release from micelles incubated in aqueous solutions is reached.

  3. Self-assembled nanocomplexes of anionic pullulan and polyallylamine for DNA and pH-sensitive intracellular drug delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vora, Lalit; Tyagi, Monica; Patel, Ketan; Gupta, Sanjay; Vavia, Pradeep

    2014-01-01

    The amalgamation of chemotherapy and gene therapy is promising treatment option for cancer. In this study, novel biocompatible self-assembled nanocomplexes (NCs) between carboxylmethylated pullulan t335 (CMP) with polyallylamine (CMP–PAA NCs) were developed for plasmid DNA (pDNA) and pH-sensitive doxorubicin (DOX) delivery. DOX was conjugated to CMP (DOX–CMP) via hydrazone and confirmed by FTIR and 1 H-NMR. In vitro release studies of pH-sensitive DOX–CMP conjugate showed 23 and 85 % release after 48 h at pH 7.4 (physiological pH) and pH 5 (intracellular/tumoral pH), respectively. The CMP–PAA NCs or DOX–CMP–PAA NCs self-assembled into a nanosized (<250 nm) spherical shape as confirmed by DLS and TEM. The hemolysis and cytotoxicity study indicated that the CMP–PAA NCs did not show cytotoxicity in comparison with plain polyallylamine. Gel retardation assay showed complete binding of pDNA with CMP–PAA NCs at 1:2 weight ratio. CMP–PAA NCs/pDNA showed significantly higher transfection in HEK293 cells compared to PAA/pDNA complexes. Confocal imaging demonstrated successful cellular uptake of DOX–CMP–PAA NCs in HEK293 cells. Thus, NCs hold great potential for targeted pDNA and pH-sensitive intratumoral drug delivery

  4. Temperature and pH Responsive Microfibers for Controllable and Variable Ibuprofen Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toan Tran

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Electrospun microfibers (MFs composed of pH and temperature responsive polymers can be used for controllable and variable delivery of ibuprofen. First, electrospinning technique was employed to prepare poly(ε-caprolactone (PCL and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-methacrylic acid (pNIPAM-co-MAA MFs containing ibuprofen. It was found that drug release rates from PCL MFs cannot be significantly varied by either temperature (22–40°C or pH values (1.7–7.4. In contrast, the ibuprofen (IP diffusion rates from pNIPAM-co-MAA MFs were very sensitive to changes in both temperature and pH. The IP release from pNIPAM-co-MAA MFs was highly linear and controllable when the temperature was above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST of pNIPAM-co-MAA (33°C and the pH was lower than the pKa of carboxylic acids (pH 2. At room temperature, however, the release rate was dramatically increased by nearly ten times compared to that at higher temperature and lower pH. Such a unique and controllable drug delivery system could be naturally envisioned to find many practical applications in biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences such as programmable transdermal drug delivery.

  5. Stimuli-sensitive hydrogels: A novel ophthalmic drug delivery system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Singh Vinod

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Stimuli-sensitive hydrogels are three-dimensional, hydrophilic, polymeric networks capable of imbibing large amounts of water or biological fluids on stimulation, such as pH, temperature and ionic change. Aim: To develop hydrogels that are sensitive to stimuli, i.e. pH, in the cul-de-sac of the eye for providing a prolonged effect and increased bioavailability with reduction in frequency of administration. Materials and Methods: Hydrogels were formulated by using timolol maleate as the model drug, polyacrylic acid as the gelling agents, hydroxyl ethyl cellulose as the viscolizer and sodium chloride as the isotonic agent. Stirring of ingredients in pH 4 phosphate buffer at high speed was carried out. The dynamic dialysis technique was used for drug release studies. In vivo study for reduction in intraocular pressure was carried out by using albino rabbits. Statistical Analysis: Drug release studies data were used for statistical analysis in first-order plots, Higuchi plots and Peppas exponential plots. Student t-test was performed for in vivo study. Results: Viscosity of the hydrogel increases from 3.84 cps to 9.54 cps due to change in pH 4 to pH 7.4. The slope value of the Peppas equation was found to be 0.3081, 0.3743 and 0.2964. Up to 80% of drug was released in an 8 h drug release study. Sterile hydrogels with no ocular irritation were obtained. Conclusions: Hydrogels show increase in viscosity due to change in pH. Hydrogels were therapeutically effacious, stable, non-irritant and showed Fickian diffusion. In vivo results clearly show a prolonged reduction in intraocular pressure, which was helpful for reduction in the frequency of administration.

  6. pH sensitive thiolated cationic hydrogel for oral insulin delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sonia, T A; Sharma, Chandra P

    2014-04-01

    The objective of this work is to study the efficacy of pH sensitive thiolated Polydimethylaminoethylmethacrylate for oral delivery of insulin. Synthesis of pH sensitive thiolated Polydimethylaminoethylmethacrylate (PDCPA) was carried out by crosslinking Polymethacrylic acid with thiolated Polydimethylaminoethylmethacrylate (PDCys) via carbodiimide chemistry. Prior to in vivo experiment, various physicochemical and biological characterisation were carried out to evaluate the efficacy of PDCPA. Modification was confirmed by IR and NMR spectroscopy. The particle size was found to be 284 nm with a zeta potential of 37.3+/-1.58 mV. Texture analyser measurements showed that PDCPA is more mucoadhesive than the parent polymer. Transepithelial electrical measurements showed a reduction of greater than 50% on incubation with PDCPA particles. Permeation studies showed that PDCPA is more permeable than the parent polymer. On in vivo evaluation on male diabetic rats, insulin loaded PDCPA exhibited a blood glucose reduction of 19%.

  7. Encapsulation of Liposomes within pH Responsive Microspheres for Oral Colonic Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. J. Barea

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available A novel liposome-in-microsphere (LIM formulation has been created comprising drug-loaded liposomes within pH responsive Eudragit S100 microspheres. The liposomes contained the model drug 5-ASA and were coated with chitosan in order to protect them during encapsulation within the microspheres and to improve site-specific release characteristics. In vitro drug release studies showed that LIMs prevented drug release within simulated stomach and small intestine conditions with subsequent drug release occurring in large intestine conditions. The formulation therefore has potential for oral colonic drug delivery.

  8. Graphene Oxide Based Nanocarrier Combined with a pH-Sensitive Tracer: A Vehicle for Concurrent pH Sensing and pH-Responsive Oligonucleotide Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsieh, Chia-Jung; Chen, Yu-Cheng; Hsieh, Pei-Ying; Liu, Shi-Rong; Wu, Shu-Pao; Hsieh, You-Zung; Hsu, Hsin-Yun

    2015-06-03

    We chemically tuned the oxidation status of graphene oxide (GO) and constructed a GO-based nanoplatform combined with a pH-sensitive fluorescence tracer that is designed for both pH sensing and pH-responsive drug delivery. A series of GOs oxidized to distinct degrees were examined to optimize the adsorption of the model drug, poly dT30. We determined that highly oxidized GO was a superior drug-carrier candidate in vitro when compared to GOs oxidized to lesser degrees. In the cell experiment, the synthesized pH-sensitive rhodamine dye was first applied to monitor cellular pH; under acidic conditions, protonated rhodamine fluoresces at 588 nm (λex=561 nm). When the dT30-GO nanocarrier was introduced into cells, a rhodamine-triggered competition reaction occurred, and this led to the release of the oligonucleotides and the quenching of rhodamine fluorescence by GO. Our results indicate high drug loading (FAM-dT30/GO=25/50 μg/mL) and rapid cellular uptake (<0.5 h) of the nanocarrier which can potentially be used for targeted RNAi delivery to the acidic milieu of tumors.

  9. Self-assembled micelles based on pH-sensitive PAE-g-MPEG-cholesterol block copolymer for anticancer drug delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang CY

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Can Yang Zhang, Di Xiong, Yao Sun, Bin Zhao, Wen Jing Lin, Li Juan Zhang School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China Abstract: A novel amphiphilic triblock pH-sensitive poly(ß-amino ester-g-poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether-cholesterol (PAE-g-MPEG-Chol was designed and synthesized via the Michael-type step polymerization and esterification condensation method. The synthesized copolymer was determined with proton nuclear magnetic resonance and gel permeation chromatography. The grafting percentages of MPEG and cholesterol were determined as 10.93% and 62.02%, calculated from the area of the characteristic peaks, respectively. The amphiphilic copolymer was confirmed to self-assemble into core/shell micelles in aqueous solution at low concentrations. The critical micelle concentrations were 6.92 and 15.14 mg/L at pH of 7.4 and 6.0, respectively, obviously influenced by the changes of pH values. The solubility of pH-responsive PAE segment could be transformed depending on the different values of pH because of protonation–deprotonation of the amino groups, resulting in pH sensitivity of the copolymer. The average particle size of micelles increased from 125 nm to 165 nm with the pH decreasing, and the zeta potential was also significantly changed. Doxorubicin (DOX was entrapped into the polymeric micelles with a high drug loading level. The in vitro DOX release from the micelles was distinctly enhanced with the pH decreasing from 7.4 to 6.0. Toxicity testing proved that the DOX-loaded micelles exhibited high cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells, whereas the copolymer showed low toxicity. The results demonstrated how pH-sensitive PAE-g-MPEG-Chol micelles were proved to be a potential vector in hydrophobic drug delivery for tumor therapy. Keywords: micelle, pH-sensitive, cholesterol, poly(ß-amino ester, drug delivery

  10. A pH-Sensitive Injectable Nanoparticle Composite Hydrogel for Anticancer Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuanfeng Ye

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available According to previous reports, low pH-triggered nanoparticles were considered to be excellent carriers for anticancer drug delivery, for the reason that they could trigger encapsulated drug release at mild acid environment of tumor. Herein, an acid-sensitive β-cyclodextrin derivative, namely, acetalated-β-cyclodextrin (Ac-β-CD, was synthesized by acetonation and fabricated to nanoparticles through single oil-in-water (o/w emulsion technique. At the same time, camptothecin (CPT, a hydrophobic anticancer drug, was encapsulated into Ac-β-CD nanoparticles in the process of nanoparticle fabrication. Formed nanoparticles exhibited nearly spherical structure with diameter of 209±40 nm. The drug release behavior of nanoparticles displayed pH dependent changes due to hydrolysis of Ac-β-CD. In order to overcome the disadvantages of nanoparticle and broaden its application, injectable hydrogels with Ac-β-CD nanoparticles were designed and prepared by simple mixture of nanoparticles solution and graphene oxide (GO solution in this work. The injectable property was confirmed by short gelation time and good mobility of two precursors. Hydrogels were characterized by dynamic mechanical test and SEM, which also reflected some structural features. Moreover, all hydrogels underwent a reversible sol-gel transition in alkaline environment. Finally, the results of in vitro drug release profile indicated that hydrogel could control drug release or bind drug inside depending on the pH value of released medium.

  11. 5-Fluorouracil Encapsulated Chitosan Nanoparticles for pH-Stimulated Drug Delivery: Evaluation of Controlled Release Kinetics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Seda Tığlı Aydın

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Nanoparticles consisting of human therapeutic drugs are suggested as a promising strategy for targeted and localized drug delivery to tumor cells. In this study, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU encapsulated chitosan nanoparticles were prepared in order to investigate potentials of localized drug delivery for tumor environment due to pH sensitivity of chitosan nanoparticles. Optimization of chitosan and 5-FU encapsulated nanoparticles production revealed 148.8±1.1 nm and 243.1±17.9 nm particle size diameters with narrow size distributions, which are confirmed by scanning electron microscope (SEM images. The challenge was to investigate drug delivery of 5-FU encapsulated chitosan nanoparticles due to varied pH changes. To achieve this objective, pH sensitivity of prepared chitosan nanoparticle was evaluated and results showed a significant swelling response for pH 5 with particle diameter of ∼450 nm. In vitro release studies indicated a controlled and sustained release of 5-FU from chitosan nanoparticles with the release amounts of 29.1–60.8% due to varied pH environments after 408 h of the incubation period. pH sensitivity is confirmed by mathematical modeling of release kinetics since chitosan nanoparticles showed stimuli-induced release. Results suggested that 5-FU encapsulated chitosan nanoparticles can be launched as pH-responsive smart drug delivery agents for possible applications of cancer treatments.

  12. pH and temperature dual-sensitive liposome gel based on novel cleavable mPEG-Hz-CHEMS polymeric vaginal delivery system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Daquan; Sun, Kaoxiang; Mu, Hongjie; Tang, Mingtan; Liang, Rongcai; Wang, Aiping; Zhou, Shasha; Sun, Haijun; Zhao, Feng; Yao, Jianwen; Liu, Wanhui

    2012-01-01

    Background In this study, a pH and temperature dual-sensitive liposome gel based on a novel cleavable hydrazone-based pH-sensitive methoxy polyethylene glycol 2000-hydrazone-cholesteryl hemisuccinate (mPEG-Hz-CHEMS) polymer was used for vaginal administration. Methods The pH-sensitive, cleavable mPEG-Hz-CHEMS was designed as a modified pH-sensitive liposome that would selectively degrade under locally acidic vaginal conditions. The novel pH-sensitive liposome was engineered to form a thermogel at body temperature and to degrade in an acidic environment. Results A dual-sensitive liposome gel with a high encapsulation efficiency of arctigenin was formed and improved the solubility of arctigenin characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The dual-sensitive liposome gel with a sol-gel transition at body temperature was degraded in a pH-dependent manner, and was stable for a long period of time at neutral and basic pH, but cleavable under acidic conditions (pH 5.0). Arctigenin encapsulated in a dual-sensitive liposome gel was more stable and less toxic than arctigenin loaded into pH-sensitive liposomes. In vitro drug release results indicated that dual-sensitive liposome gels showed constant release of arctigenin over 3 days, but showed sustained release of arctigenin in buffers at pH 7.4 and pH 9.0. Conclusion This research has shed some light on a pH and temperature dual-sensitive liposome gel using a cleavable mPEG-Hz-CHEMS polymer for vaginal delivery. PMID:22679372

  13. Role of pressure-sensitive adhesives in transdermal drug delivery systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lobo, Shabbir; Sachdeva, Sameer; Goswami, Tarun

    2016-01-01

    Transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) are employed for the delivery of drugs across skin into the systemic circulation. Pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) is one of the most critical components used in a TDDS. The primary function of PSA is to help in adhesion of patch to skin, but more importantly it acts as a matrix for the drug and other excipients. Hence, apart from adhesion of the patch, PSA also affects other critical quality attributes of the TDDS such as drug delivery, flux through skin and physical and chemical stability of the finished product. This review article provides a summary of the adhesives used in various types of TDDS. In particular, this review will cover the design types of TDDS, categories of PSAs and their evaluation and regulatory aspects.

  14. Novel pH-sensitive IPNs of polyacrylamide-g-gum ghatti and sodium alginate for gastro-protective drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boppana, Rashmi; Krishna Mohan, G; Nayak, Usha; Mutalik, Srinivas; Sa, Biswanath; Kulkarni, Raghavendra V

    2015-04-01

    This article reports the development of pH-sensitive interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) microbeads using polyacrylamide-grafted-gum ghatti (PAAm-g-GG) and sodium alginate (SA) for gastro-protective controlled delivery of ketoprofen. We have synthesized PAAm-grafted-GG copolymer under microwave irradiation using cerric ammonium nitrate as reaction initiator; further, the PAAm-g-GG was converted to pH-sensitive copolymer through alkaline hydrolysis. Sophisticated instrumentation techniques were used to characterize PAAm-g-GG. The IPN microbeads of PAAm-g-GG and SA, pre-loaded with ketoprofen were prepared by dual crosslinking using Ca(2+) ions and glutaraldehyde (GA). The IPN microbeads demonstrated excellent pH-sensitive behavior as noted in the pulsatile swelling test and scanning electron microscopy. IPN microbeads also showed larger amount of drug release in buffer solution of pH 7.4 as compared to drug release in solution of pH 1.2. The in vivo pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and stomach histopathology studies conducted on wistar rats confirmed the pH-sensitive controlled release of ketoprofen; IPN microbeads retarded the drug release in stomach resulting in reduced adverse effects of ketoprofen. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Preparation of pH-sensitive poly(ethylene oxide) hydrogels grafted by γ-ray irradiation and their applications for drug delivery system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nho, Y.-C.; Kang, P.-H.; Lim, Y.-M.; Kuk, I.-H.

    2006-01-01

    Hydrogels are three-dimensional networks of hydrophilic polymers held together by crosslinks of covalent bonds or ionic bonds and secondary forces in the form of hydrogen bonds or hydrophobic interactions. Environmentally sensitive hydrogels have an enormous potential for various applications. Either pH-sensitive and/or temperature- sensitive hydrogels can be used for a site-specific controlled drug delivery. Especially, pH-sensitive hydrogels have been most frequently used to develop controlled release formulations for oral administration. All the pH-sensitive hydrogels contain pendent acidic, for example carboxylic and sulfonic acids, or basic, for example ammonium salts, groups that either accept or release protons in response to changes in environmental pH[3-5]. These ionic hydrogels are the swollen polymer networks which show sudden or gradual changes in their dynamic and equilibrium swelling behavior as a result of changing the external pH. In these gels, ionization occurs when the pH of the environment is above the pKa of the ionizable group . As the degree of ionization increases (pH increase in the system), the number of fixed charges increases, resulting in increased electrostatic repulsions between the chains. Irradiation, especially if combined with simultaneous sterilization of the product, is a very convenient tool for the synthesis of hydrogels. Radiation processing has many advantages over other conventional methods. For initiation processes, radiation differs from chemical initiation. In radiation processing, no catalysts or additives are needed to initiate the reaction. The advantages of the radiation methods are that they are relatively simple, and moreover, the degree of crosslinking, which strongly determines the extent of swelling in hydrogels, can be controlled easily by varying the absorbed dose. Therefore, these methods are found to be very useful in preparing hydrogels for medical applications, where even a small contamination is

  16. Stimuli-Responsive Liposomes for Controlled Drug Delivery

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Wengang

    2014-09-01

    Liposomes are promising drug delivery vesicles due to their biodegradibility, large volume and biocompatibility towards both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. They suffer, however, from poor stability which limits their use in controlled delivery applications. Herein, a novel method was devised for modification of liposomes with small molecules, polymers or nanoparticles to afford stimuli responsive systems that release on demand and stay relatively stable in the absence of the trigger.. This dissertation discusses thermosensitive, pH sensitive, light sensitive and magnetically triggered liposomes that have been prepared for controlled drug delivery application. RAFT polymerization was utilized for the preparation of thermosensitive liposomes (Cholesterol-PNIPAm) and acid-labile liposomes (DOPE-PAA). With low Mw Cholesterol-PNIPAm, the thermosensitive liposomes proved to be effective for controlled release and decreased the cytotoxicity of PNIPAm by eliciting the polymer doses. By crosslinking the DOPE-PAA on liposome surface with acid-labile diamine linkers, DOPE-PAA liposomes were verified to be sensitive at low pH. The effects of polymer structures (linear or hyperbranched) have also been studied for the stability and release properties of liposomes. Finally, a dual-responsive Au@SPIO embedded liposome hybrid (ALHs) was prepared with light-induced “on-and-off” function by photo-thermal process (visible light) and instant release properties triggered by alternating magnetic field, respectively. The ALH system would be further applied into the cellular imaging field as MRI contrast agent.

  17. pH- and temperature-sensitive polymeric microspheres for drug delivery: the dissolution of copolymers modulates drug release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fundueanu, Gheorghe; Constantin, Marieta; Stanciu, Cristina; Theodoridis, Georgios; Ascenzi, Paolo

    2009-12-01

    Most pH-/temperature-responsive polymers for controlled release of drugs are used as cross-linked hydrogels. However, the solubility properties of the linear polymers below and above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) are not exploited. Here, the preparation and characterization of poly (N-isopropylacrylamide-co-methacrylic acid-co-methyl methacrylate) (poly (NIPAAm-co-MA-co-MM)) and poly (N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylamide) (poly (NIPAAm-co-AAm)), known as "smart" polymers (SP), is reported. Both poly (NIPAAm-co-MA-co-MM) and poly (NIPAAm-co-AAm) display pH- and temperature-responsive properties. Poly (NIPAAm-co-MA-co-MM) was designed to be insoluble in the gastric fluid (pH = 1.2), but soluble in the intestinal fluid (pH = 6.8 and 7.4), at the body temperature (37 degrees C). Poly (NIPAAm-co-AAm) was designed to have a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) corresponding to 37 degrees C at pH = 7.4, therefore it is not soluble above the LCST. The solubility characteristics of these copolymers were exploited to modulate the rate of release of drugs by changing pH and/or temperature. These copolymers were solubilized with hydrophobic cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) and vitamin B(12) (taken as a water soluble drug model system) in an acetone/methanol mixture and dispersed in mineral oil. By a progressive evaporation of the solvent, the liquid droplets were transformed into loaded CAB/SP microspheres. Differential scanning calorimetric studies and scanning electron microscopy analysis demonstrated that the polymeric components of the microspheres precipitated separately during solvent evaporation forming small microdomains. Moreover, vitamin B(12) was found to be molecularly dispersed in both microdomains with no specific affinity for any polymeric component of microspheres. The release of vitamin B(12) was investigated as a function of temperature, pH, and the CAB/SP ratio.

  18. pH-sensitive polymeric nanoparticles to improve oral bioavailability of peptide/protein drugs and poorly water-soluble drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xue-Qing; Zhang, Qiang

    2012-10-01

    pH-sensitive polymeric nanoparticles are promising for oral drug delivery, especially for peptide/protein drugs and poorly water-soluble medicines. This review describes current status of pH-sensitive polymeric nanoparticles for oral drug delivery and introduces the mechanisms of drug release from them as well as possible reasons for absorption improvement, with emphasis on our contribution to this field. pH-sensitive polymeric nanoparticles are prepared mainly with polyanions, polycations, their mixtures or cross-linked polymers. The mechanisms of drug release are the result of carriers' dissolution, swelling or both of them at specific pH. The possible reasons for improvement of oral bioavailability include the following: improve drug stability, enhance mucoadhesion, prolong resident time in GI tract, ameliorate intestinal permeability and increase saturation solubility and dissolution rate for poorly water-soluble drugs. As for the advantages of pH-sensitive nanoparticles over conventional nanoparticles, we conclude that (1) most carriers used are enteric-coating materials and their safety has been approved. (2) The rapid dissolution or swelling of carriers at specific pH results in quick drug release and high drug concentration gradient, which is helpful for absorption. (3) At the specific pH carriers dissolve or swell, and the bioadhesion of carriers to mucosa becomes high because nanoparticles turn from solid to gel, which can facilitate drug absorption. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Generation of pH responsive fluorescent nano capsules through simple steps for the oral delivery of low pH susceptible drugs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radhakumary, Changerath; Sreenivasan, Kunnatheeri

    2016-11-01

    pH responsive nano capsules are promising as it can encapsulate low pH susceptible drugs like insulin and guard them from the hostile environments in the intestinal tract. The strong acidity of the gastro-intestinal tract and the presence of proteolytic enzymes are the tumbling blocks for the design of drug delivery vehicles through oral route for drugs like insulin. Nano capsules are normally built over templates which are subsequently removed by further steps. Such processes are complex and often lead into deformed and collapsed capsules. In this study, we choose calcium carbonate (CaCO3) nano particles to serve as template. Over CaCO3 nanoparticles, silica layers were built followed by polymethacrylic acid chains to acquire pH responsiveness. During the polymerization process of the methacrylic acid, the calcium carbonate core particles were dissolved leading to the formation of nano hollow capsules having a size that ranges from 225 to 246 nm and thickness from 19 to 58 nm. The methodology is simple and devoid of additional steps. The nano shells exhibited 80% release of the loaded model drug, insulin at pH 7.4 while at pH 2.0 the capsules nearly stopped the release of the drug. Polymethacrylic acid shows pH responsive swelling behavior that it swells at intestinal pH (7.0-7.5) and shrinks at gastric pH (˜2.0) thus enabling the safe unloading of the drug from the nano capsules.

  20. Fluorescent graphene quantum dots as traceable, pH-sensitive drug delivery systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiu J

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Jichuan Qiu,1 Ruibin Zhang,2 Jianhua Li,1 Yuanhua Sang,1 Wei Tang,3 Pilar Rivera Gil,4 Hong Liu1,51Center of Bio and Micro/Nano Functional Materials, State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, 2Blood Purification Center, Jinan Central Hospital, 3Department of Pathogenic Biology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, People’s Republic of China; 4Institute of Chemistry, Rovira i Virgili University, Tarragona, Spain; 5Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaAbstract: Graphene quantum dots (GQDs were rationally fabricated as a traceable drug delivery system for the targeted, pH-sensitive delivery of a chemotherapeutic drug into cancer cells. The GQDs served as fluorescent carriers for a well-known anticancer drug, doxorubicin (Dox. The whole system has the capacity for simultaneous tracking of the carrier and of drug release. Dox release is triggered upon acidification of the intracellular vesicles, where the carriers are located after their uptake by cancer cells. Further functionalization of the loaded carriers with targeting moieties such as arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD peptides enhanced their uptake by cancer cells. DU-145 and PC-3 human prostate cancer cell lines were used to evaluate the anticancer ability of Dox-loaded RGD-modified GQDs (Dox-RGD-GQDs. The results demonstrated the feasibility of using GQDs as traceable drug delivery systems with the ability for the pH-triggered delivery of drugs into target cells.Keywords: graphene quantum dots, drug delivery, pH-sensitive, controlled release, traceable

  1. pH-sensitive micelles self-assembled from polymer brush (PAE-g-cholesterol-b-PEG-b-(PAE-g-cholesterol for anticancer drug delivery and controlled release

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huang X

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Xiangxuan Huang,1 Wenbo Liao,1 Gang Zhang,1 Shimin Kang,1 Can Yang Zhang2 1School of Chemical Engineering and Energy Technology, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA Abstract: A novel amphiphilic pH-sensitive triblock polymer brush (poly(β-amino esters-g-cholesterol-b-poly(ethylene glycol-b-(poly(β-amino esters-g-cholesterol ((PAE-g-Chol-b-PEG-b-(PAE-g-Chol was designed and synthesized successfully through a three-step reaction, and their self-assembled polymeric micelles were used as hydrophobic anticancer drug delivery carriers to realize effectively controlled release. The critical micelle concentrations were 6.8 µg/mL, 12.6 µg/mL, 17.4 µg/mL, and 26.6 µg/mL at pH values of 7.4, 6.5, 6.0, and 5.0, respectively. The trend of critical micelle concentrations indicated that the polymer had high stability that could prolong the circulation time in the body. The hydrodynamic diameter and zeta potential of the polymeric micelles were influenced significantly by the pH values. As pH decreased from 7.4 to 5.0, the particle size and zeta potential increased from 205.4 nm to 285.7 nm and from +12.7 mV to +47.0 mV, respectively. The pKb of the polymer was confirmed to be approximately 6.5 by the acid–base titration method. The results showed that the polymer had sharp pH-sensitivity because of the protonation of the amino groups, resulting in transformation of the PAE segment from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. Doxorubicin-loaded polymeric micelles were prepared with a high loading content (20% and entrapment efficiency (60% using the dialysis method. The in vitro results demonstrated that drug release rate and cumulative release were obviously dependent on pH values. Furthermore, the drug release mechanism was also controlled by the pH values. The polymer had barely any cytotoxicity, whereas the

  2. Smart Polymers in Nasal Drug Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chonkar, Ankita; Nayak, Usha; Udupa, N

    2015-01-01

    Nasal drug delivery has now been recognized as a promising route for drug delivery due to its capability of transporting a drug to systemic circulation and central nervous system. Though nasal mucosa offers improved bioavailability and quick onset of action of the drug, main disadvantage associated with nasal drug delivery is mucocilliary clearance due to which drug particles get cleared from the nose before complete absorption through nasal mucosa. Therefore, mucoadhesive polymeric approach can be successfully used to enhance the retention of the drug on nasal mucosal surface. Here, some of the aspects of the stimuli responsive polymers have been discussed which possess liquid state at the room temperature and in response to nasal temperature, pH and ions present in mucous, can undergo in situ gelation in nasal cavity. In this review, several temperature responsive, pH responsive and ion responsive polymers used in nasal delivery, their gelling mechanisms have been discussed. Smart polymers not only able to enhance the retention of the drug in nasal cavity but also provide controlled release, ease of administration, enhanced permeation of the drug and protection of the drug from mucosal enzymes. Thus smart polymeric approach can be effectively used for nasal delivery of peptide drugs, central nervous system dugs and hormones.

  3. Stimuli-responsive hydrogels in drug delivery and tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sood, Nikhil; Bhardwaj, Ankur; Mehta, Shuchi; Mehta, Abhinav

    2016-01-01

    Hydrogels are the three-dimensional network structures obtained from a class of synthetic or natural polymers which can absorb and retain a significant amount of water. Hydrogels are one of the most studied classes of polymer-based controlled drug release. These have attracted considerable attention in biochemical and biomedical fields because of their characteristics, such as swelling in aqueous medium, biocompatibility, pH and temperature sensitivity or sensitivity towards other stimuli, which can be utilized for their controlled zero-order release. The hydrogels are expected to explore new generation of self-regulated delivery system having a wide array of desirable properties. This review highlights the exciting opportunities and challenges in the area of hydrogels. Here, we review different literatures on stimuli-sensitive hydrogels, such as role of temperature, electric potential, pH and ionic strength to control the release of drug from hydrogels.

  4. Preparation of grafted microspheres CPVA-g-PSSS and studies on their drug-carrying and colon-specific drug delivery properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gao, Baojiao; Fang, Li; Men, Jiying; Zhang, Yanyan

    2013-01-01

    Sodium 4-styrene sulfonate (SSS) was graft-polymerized on the surfaces of crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol (CPVA) microspheres in a manner of surface-initiated graft-polymerization by using cerium salt-hydroxyl group redox initiation system, obtaining the grafted microspheres CPVA-g-PSSS. The chemical structure and physicochemical characters of CPVA-g-PSSS microspheres were fully characterized with infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and zeta potential determination. The aim of this work is to constitute a novel colon-specific drug delivery system via molecular design by using CPVA-g-PSSS microspheres as the drug-carrying material and by taking metronidazole (MTZ) as the model drug. The drug-carrying ability and mechanism of the grafted microspheres CPVA-g-PSSS for MTZ were investigated. Finally, in-vitro release tests for the drug-carrying microspheres were conducted. The experimental results show that in an acidic medium, the grafted microspheres CPVA-g-PSSS exhibit strong adsorption ability for MTZ by driving of electrostatic interaction, and have an adsorption capacity of 112 mg/g, displaying the high efficiency of drug-carrying. The in-vitro release behavior of the drug-carried microspheres is highly pH-sensitive. In the medium of pH = 1, the drug-carrying microspheres do not release the drug, whereas in the medium of pH = 7.4, a sudden delivery phenomenon of the drug will occur, displaying an excellent colon-specific drug delivery behavior. Highlights: ► A metronidazole colon-specific drug delivery was constituted using grafted polymeric microspheres. ► Grafted polymeric microspheres CPVA-g-PSSS were prepared via surface-initiated graft-polymerization. ► The release of the drug-carrying microspheres is highly pH-sensitive. ► The drug-carrying microspheres display an excellent colon-specific drug delivery behavior

  5. Preparation of grafted microspheres CPVA-g-PSSS and studies on their drug-carrying and colon-specific drug delivery properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gao, Baojiao, E-mail: gaobaojiao@126.com [Department of Chemical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, People' s Republic of China (China); Fang, Li [School of Chemistry and Chemical engineering, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006 (China); Men, Jiying; Zhang, Yanyan [Department of Chemical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, People' s Republic of China (China)

    2013-04-01

    Sodium 4-styrene sulfonate (SSS) was graft-polymerized on the surfaces of crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol (CPVA) microspheres in a manner of surface-initiated graft-polymerization by using cerium salt-hydroxyl group redox initiation system, obtaining the grafted microspheres CPVA-g-PSSS. The chemical structure and physicochemical characters of CPVA-g-PSSS microspheres were fully characterized with infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and zeta potential determination. The aim of this work is to constitute a novel colon-specific drug delivery system via molecular design by using CPVA-g-PSSS microspheres as the drug-carrying material and by taking metronidazole (MTZ) as the model drug. The drug-carrying ability and mechanism of the grafted microspheres CPVA-g-PSSS for MTZ were investigated. Finally, in-vitro release tests for the drug-carrying microspheres were conducted. The experimental results show that in an acidic medium, the grafted microspheres CPVA-g-PSSS exhibit strong adsorption ability for MTZ by driving of electrostatic interaction, and have an adsorption capacity of 112 mg/g, displaying the high efficiency of drug-carrying. The in-vitro release behavior of the drug-carried microspheres is highly pH-sensitive. In the medium of pH = 1, the drug-carrying microspheres do not release the drug, whereas in the medium of pH = 7.4, a sudden delivery phenomenon of the drug will occur, displaying an excellent colon-specific drug delivery behavior. Highlights: ► A metronidazole colon-specific drug delivery was constituted using grafted polymeric microspheres. ► Grafted polymeric microspheres CPVA-g-PSSS were prepared via surface-initiated graft-polymerization. ► The release of the drug-carrying microspheres is highly pH-sensitive. ► The drug-carrying microspheres display an excellent colon-specific drug delivery behavior.

  6. AND logic-like pH- and light-dual controlled drug delivery by surface modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhao, Junwei; He, Zhaoshuai; Li, Biao; Cheng, Tanyu, E-mail: tycheng@shnu.edu.cn; Liu, Guohua

    2017-04-01

    Recently, the controlled drug delivery system has become a potential platform for biomedical application. Herein, we developed a pH and light-dual controlled cargo release system exhibiting AND logic based on MCM-41 mesoporous silica nanoparticles, which was surface modified using β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) with imine bond and azobenzene derivative. The complex of β-CD and azobenzene derivative effectively blocked the cargo delivery in pH = 7.0 phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution without 365 nm UV light irradiation. The cargo was fully released when both factors of acidic environment (pH = 5.0 PBS) and 365 nm UV light irradiation were satisfied, meanwhile only very little cargo was delivered if one factor was satisfied. The result also demonstrates that the opening/closing of the gate and the release of the cargo in small portions can be controlled. - Highlights: • A pH and light-dual controlled cargo release system exhibiting AND logic is developed. • The delivery system can release the cargo in small potions by controlling the opening/closing of the gate. • The delivery system realizes the controlled release in zebrafish.

  7. Formulation and optimization of pH sensitive drug releasing O/W emulsions using Albizia lebbeck L. seed polysaccharide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Varma, Chekuri Ashok Kumar; Jayaram Kumar, K

    2018-04-30

    Smart polymers, one of the class of polymers with extensive growth in the last few decades due to their wide applications in drug targeting and controlled delivery systems. With this in mind, the aim of the present study is to design and formulate smart releasing o/w emulsion by using Albizia lebbeck L. seed polysaccharide (ALPS). For this purpose, the physicochemical and drug release characteristics like emulsion capacity (EC), emulsion stability (ES), viscosity, microscopy, zeta potential, polydispersity index (PDI) and in-vitro drug release were performed. The EC and ES values were found to increase with an increased concentration of ALPS. The emulsion formulations were statistically designed by using 3 2 full factorial design. All the emulsions showed a shear-thinning behavior. The zeta potential and polydispersity index were found to be in the range of -35.83 mV to -19.00 mV and 0.232-1.000 respectively. Further, the percent cumulative drug release of the emulsions at 8 h was found to be in the range of 30.19-82.65%. The drug release profile exhibited zero order release kinetics. In conclusion, the ALPS can be used as a natural emulsifier and smart polymer for the preparation of pH sensitive emulsions in drug delivery systems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Mechanisms and biomaterials in pH-responsive tumour targeted drug delivery: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanamala, Manju; Wilson, William R; Yang, Mimi; Palmer, Brian D; Wu, Zimei

    2016-04-01

    As the mainstay in the treatment of various cancers, chemotherapy plays a vital role, but still faces many challenges, such as poor tumour selectivity and multidrug resistance (MDR). Targeted drug delivery using nanotechnology has provided a new strategy for addressing the limitations of the conventional chemotherapy. In the last decade, the volume of research published in this area has increased tremendously, especially with functional nano drug delivery systems (nanocarriers). Coupling a specific stimuli-triggered drug release mechanism with these delivery systems is one of the most prevalent approaches for improving therapeutic outcomes. Among the various stimuli, pH triggered delivery is regarded as the most general strategy, targeting the acidic extracellular microenvironment and intracellular organelles of solid tumours. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the development of pH-sensitive nanocarriers for tumour-targeted drug delivery. The review focuses on the chemical design of pH-sensitive biomaterials, which are used to fabricate nanocarriers for extracellular and/or intracellular tumour site-specific drug release. The pH-responsive biomaterials bring forth conformational changes in these nanocarriers through various mechanisms such as protonation, charge reversal or cleavage of a chemical bond, facilitating tumour specific cell uptake or drug release. A greater understanding of these mechanisms will help to design more efficient drug delivery systems to address the challenges encountered in conventional chemotherapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. SMART POLYMERS: INNOVATIONS IN NOVEL DRUG DELIVERY

    OpenAIRE

    Apoorva Mahajan; Geeta Aggarwal

    2011-01-01

    Smart polymers are attracting the researchers for development of novel drug delivery systems. Importance of smart polymers is rising day by day as these polymers undergo large reversible, physical or chemical changes in response to small changes in the environmental conditions such as pH, temperature, dual- stimuli, light and phase transition. Smart polymers are representing promising means for targeted drug delivery, enhanced drug delivery, gene therapy, actuator stimuli and protein folders....

  10. A novel high drug loading mussel-inspired polydopamine hybrid nanoparticle as a pH-sensitive vehicle for drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hou, Jie; Guo, Chunlei; Shi, Yuzhi; Liu, Ergang; Dong, Weibing; Yu, Bo; Liu, Shiyuan; Gong, Junbo

    2017-11-25

    A novel high drug loading pH-cleavable polymer hybrid nanoparticle was prepared via doxorubicin (DOX) grafted onto PEGylated, mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA) and then coated onto hollow silica nanoparticles for drug delivery. A series of characterization shed light on the formation mechanisms of PDA coatings on hollow silica. We hypothesized that dopamine was first absorbed onto the surface of hollow silica and then began self-polymerization. A Dox-containing thiol moiety was fabricated with conjugation between doxorubicin hydrochloride and Mercaptopropionyalkali with a pH-cleavable hydrozone bond. Using a Michael addition reaction, several Dox-containing thiol moieties were grafted onto the surface of the PDA. The drug loading capacity can reach 35.43%. It can minimize the metabolic problem of silica. The released behavior of Dox can be significantly enhanced at endosomal pH compared to physiological pH. After folate modification, nanoparticles can lead to more cellular endocytosis. Meanwhile animal assays showed that more Dox accumulated in tumor tissue, which can enhanced the cytotoxicity to 4T1 cancer cells with a targeting group compared to free DOX and untargeted groups. Meanwhile, the tumor growth was significantly inhibited. This promising material shows a promising future as a drug delivery system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Polysaccharides-based polyelectrolyte nanoparticles as protein drugs delivery system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shu Shujun; Sun Lei; Zhang Xinge, E-mail: zhangxinge@nankai.edu.cn [Nankai University, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials Ministry of Education, Institute of Polymer Chemistry (China); Wu Zhongming [Tianjin Medical University, Metabolic Diseases Hospital (China); Wang Zhen; Li Chaoxing, E-mail: lcx@nankai.edu.cn [Nankai University, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials Ministry of Education, Institute of Polymer Chemistry (China)

    2011-09-15

    Polysaccharides-based nanoparticles were prepared by synthesized quaternized chitosan and dextran sulfate through simple ionic-gelation self-assembled method. Introduction of quaternized groups was intended to increase water solubility of chitosan and make the nanoparticles have broader pH sensitive range which can remain more stable in physiological pH and decrease the loss of protein drugs caused by the gastric cavity. The load of BSA was affected by molecular parameter, i.e., degree of substitution, and average molecular weight of quaternized chitosan, as well as concentration of BSA. Fast release occurred in phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.4) while the release was slow in hydrochloric acid (pH 1.4). The drug release mechanism is Fickian diffusion through release kinetics analysis. Cell uptake demonstrated nanoparicles can internalize into Caco-2 cells, which suggested that nanoparticles had good biocompatibility. No significant conformation change was noted for the released BSA in comparison with native BSA using circular dichroism spectroscopy. This kind of novel composite nanoparticles may be a promising delivery system for oral protein and peptide drugs.

  12. Synthesis of Biomaterials for use in Drug Delivery to the Brain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bak, Martin

    -subtype of the immune system. Hence, this methodology could potentially offer a tool to specifically stimulate and activate differentiation of cell-subtypes of the immune system, making it a viable platform for e.g. cancer vaccines. In conclusion, during this PhD we have managed to develop multiple strategies......The need for new treatments of brain diseases is growing with the increasing lifespan of western populations. Drug delivery to the central nervous system (CNS) is generally perceived as a tremendous challenge. Drug transport across the brain endothelium forming the blood-brain barrier (BBB....... The objective of this PhD thesis was to expand the knowledge about nanoparticle delivery to the brain, by developing targeted hard and soft nanoparticles that could be sensitized towards glioma pathological conditions. The first study attempted to improve the understanding of TfR-mediated transcytosis...

  13. Bioresponsive matrices in drug delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ye George JC

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract For years, the field of drug delivery has focused on (1 controlling the release of a therapeutic and (2 targeting the therapeutic to a specific cell type. These research endeavors have concentrated mainly on the development of new degradable polymers and molecule-labeled drug delivery vehicles. Recent interest in biomaterials that respond to their environment have opened new methods to trigger the release of drugs and localize the therapeutic within a particular site. These novel biomaterials, usually termed "smart" or "intelligent", are able to deliver a therapeutic agent based on either environmental cues or a remote stimulus. Stimuli-responsive materials could potentially elicit a therapeutically effective dose without adverse side effects. Polymers responding to different stimuli, such as pH, light, temperature, ultrasound, magnetism, or biomolecules have been investigated as potential drug delivery vehicles. This review describes the most recent advances in "smart" drug delivery systems that respond to one or multiple stimuli.

  14. Drug-delivery and multifunction possibilities of hypocrellin photosensitizers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hong Deng

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Photodynamic therapy (PDT has been a routine treatment of tumors and some microvascular diseases, but clinically available photosensitizers are still scarce. Among all kinds of photosensitizers, hypocrellins possess the most characteristics of ideal photosensitizers, such as, high photo-activity but low dark toxicity, fast clearance from tissues. This review is focused on two main topics, drug-delivery problem of hypocrellins and how the environment-sensitive fluorescence of hypocrellins was used for recognition of various biomolecules. Drug-delivery of hypocrellins was mainly achieved in two strategies — preparing the drug-delivery vehicles and finding quantitatively amphiphilic derivatives. Hypocrellin fluorescence originated from the intramolecular proton transfer is very distinct from other kinds of photosensitizers. Recently, it was proved that quantitative hypocrellin fluorescence could not only recognize various biomolecules, including proteins, polysaccharides and lipids, but also distinguish the specific binding from nonspecific binding with some kind of biomolecules. Meantime, hypocrellin fluorescence was pH-sensitive. It is known that tumor cells or tissues have the features of a large amount of lipid, neonatal collagen, over-expression of polysaccharides, and lower pH values compared to normal tissues. According to the relative but not absolute specificity, further studies on quantitative recognition of various biomolecules at a cellular level, may find a new clue to treat tumors by joint usage of photodynamic diagnosis (PDD and PDT.

  15. Enhancement of Radiotherapeutic Efficacy by Paclitaxel-Loaded ph-Sensitive Block Copolymer Micelles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jinhyang, C.; Jaesook, P.; Dong-Hoon, J.

    2012-01-01

    Radiotherapy (RT) is a major modality for cancer treatment, but its efficacy is often compromised by the resistance caused by tumor-specific microenvironment including acidosis and hypoxia. For an effective RT, concurrent administration of radiosensitizer with RT has been emphasized. However, most anticancer agents enhancing radiotherapeutic efficacy have obstacles such as poor solubility and severe toxicity. Paclitaxel (PTX), a well-known radiosensitizer, is insoluble in water and needs toxic solvent like Cremophor EL. Nano materials in drug delivery systems have been utilized for improving the drawbacks of anti-cancer drugs. Solubilization, tumor accumulation, and toxicity attenuation of drug by nano materials are suitable for enhancement of radiotherapeutic efficacy. In this study, PTX was incorporated into ph-sensitive block copolymer micelle (psm-PTX), polyethylene glycol-graft-poly(β-amino ester), and pre clinically evaluated for its effect on RT. The size of psm-PTX was 125. 4.4±nm at ph 7.4. psm-PTX released PTX rapidly in the acidic condition (ph 6.5), while it was reasonably stable in the physiologic condition (ph 7.4). The clonogenic assay showed that psm-PTX greatly sensitized human non-small-cell lung cancer A549 cells to radiation. In the xenograft tumor model, the combination of psm-PTX and radiation significantly delayed the tumor growth. These results demonstrated the feasibility of psm-PTX to enhance the chemo radiotherapeutic efficacy.

  16. Influence of polymer network parameters of tragacanth gum-based pH responsive hydrogels on drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Baljit; Sharma, Vikrant

    2014-01-30

    The present article deals with design of tragacanth gum-based pH responsive hydrogel drug delivery systems. The characterization of hydrogels has been carried out by SEMs, EDAX, FTIR, (13)C NMR, XRD, TGA/DTA/DTG and swelling studies. The correlation between reaction conditions and structural parameters of polymer networks such as polymer volume fraction in the swollen state (ϕ), Flory-Huggins interaction parameter (χ), molecular weight of the polymer chain between two neighboring cross links (M¯c), crosslink density (ρ) and mesh size (ξ) has been determined. The different kinetic models such as zero order, first order, Higuchi square root law, Korsmeyer-Peppas model and Hixson-Crowell cube root model were applied and it has been observed that release profile of amoxicillin best followed the first order model for the release of drug from the polymer matrix. The swelling of the hydrogels and release of drug from the drug loaded hydrogels occurred through non-Fickian diffusion mechanism in pH 7.4 solution. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Smart Drug Delivery Systems in Cancer Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Unsoy, Gozde; Gunduz, Ufuk

    2018-02-08

    Smart nanocarriers have been designed for tissue-specific targeted drug delivery, sustained or triggered drug release and co-delivery of synergistic drug combinations to develop safer and more efficient therapeutics. Advances in drug delivery systems provide reduced side effects, longer circulation half-life and improved pharmacokinetics. Smart drug delivery systems have been achieved successfully in the case of cancer. These nanocarriers can serve as an intelligent system by considering the differences of tumor microenvironment from healthy tissue, such as low pH, low oxygen level, or high enzymatic activity of matrix metalloproteinases. The performance of anti-cancer agents used in cancer diagnosis and therapy is improved by enhanced cellular internalization of smart nanocarriers and controlled drug release. Here, we review targeting, cellular internalization; controlled drug release and toxicity of smart drug delivery systems. We are also emphasizing the stimulus responsive controlled drug release from smart nanocarriers. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  18. Silk Electrogel Based Gastroretentive Drug Delivery System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Qianrui

    Gastric cancer has become a global pandemic and there is imperative to develop efficient therapies. Oral dosing strategy is the preferred route to deliver drugs for treating the disease. Recent studies suggested silk electro hydrogel, which is pH sensitive and reversible, has potential as a vehicle to deliver the drug in the stomach environment. The aim of this study is to establish in vitro electrogelation e-gel based silk gel as a gastroretentive drug delivery system. We successfully extended the duration of silk e-gel in artificial gastric juice by mixing silk solution with glycerol at different ratios before the electrogelation. Structural analysis indicated the extended duration was due to the change of beta sheet content. The glycerol mixed silk e-gel had good doxorubicin loading capability and could release doxorubicin in a sustained-release profile. Doxorubicin loaded silk e-gels were applied to human gastric cancer cells. Significant cell viability decrease was observed. We believe that with further characterization as well as functional analysis, the silk e-gel system has the potential to become an effective vehicle for gastric drug delivery applications.

  19. Microcontainers - an oral drug delivery system for poorly soluble drugs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Line Hagner; Petersen, Ritika Singh; Marizza, Paolo

    In oral delivery, it can sometimes be necessary to employ drug delivery systems to achieve targeted delivery to the intestine. Microcontainers are polymeric, cylindrical devices in the micrometer size range (Figure 1), and are suggested as a promising oral drug delivery system [1],[2]. The purpose...... of these studies was to fabricate microcontainers in either SU-8 or biodegradable poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), and fill the microcontainers with poorly soluble drugs. Furthermore, the application of the microcontainers as an oral drug delivery system was investigated in terms of release, in situ intestinal perfusion...... medium at pH 6.5 was observed. In situ intestinal perfusions were performed in rats of the Eudragit-coated ASSF-filled microcontainers and compared to a furosemide solution. At the end of the study, the small intestine was harvested from the rat and imaged under a light microscope. The absorption rate...

  20. Chitosan capped nanoscale Fe-MIL-88B-NH2 metal-organic framework as drug carrier material for the pH responsive delivery of doxorubicin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sivakumar, P.; Priyatharshni, S.; Nagashanmugam, K. B.; Thanigaivelan, A.; Kumar, K.

    2017-08-01

    In recent years nanoscale metal-organic frameworks (NMOFs) are contributing as an effective material for use in drug delivery and imaging applications due to their porous surfaces and easy surface modifications. In this work, Fe-MIL-88B-NH2 NMOFs were successfully synthesized on facile hydrothermal route and 2-aminoterephthalic acid (NH2-BDC) was employed as a bridging ligand to activate amine functional groups on the surface. Amine functional groups not only serve as a structure stabilizing agent but also enhance the loading efficiency of the doxorubicin (DOX) anticancer drug. A pH responsive DOX release was realized by introducing a positively charged chitosan (Chi) capping layer. Upon Chi-coating, cleavage was observed in the Fe-MIL-88B-NH2 structure at acidic pH, while gel-like insoluble structure was formed at basic pH. By utilizing this phenomenon, a pH responsive DOX release system was developed by using Chi capped Fe-MIL-88B-NH2 NMOFs under the designed pH (4.0-8.0). The results suggest the Chi capped Fe-MIL-88B-NH2 can be a promising candidate for future pH responsive drug delivery systems.

  1. Triple-component nanocomposite films prepared using a casting method: Its potential in drug delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sadia Gilani

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to fabricate a triple-component nanocomposite system consisting of chitosan, polyethylene glycol (PEG, and drug for assessing the application of chitosan–PEG nanocomposites in drug delivery and also to assess the effect of different molecular weights of PEG on nanocomposite characteristics. The casting/solvent evaporation method was used to prepare chitosan–PEG nanocomposite films incorporating piroxicam-β-cyclodextrin. In order to characterize the morphology and structure of nanocomposites, X-ray diffraction technique, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy were used. Drug content uniformity test, swelling studies, water content, erosion studies, dissolution studies, and anti-inflammatory activity were also performed. The permeation studies across rat skin were also performed on nanocomposite films using Franz diffusion cell. The release behavior of films was found to be sensitive to pH and ionic strength of release medium. The maximum swelling ratio and water content was found in HCl buffer pH 1.2 as compared to acetate buffer of pH 4.5 and phosphate buffer pH 7.4. The release rate constants obtained from kinetic modeling and flux values of ex vivo permeation studies showed that release of piroxicam-β-cyclodextrin increased with an increase in concentration of PEG. The formulation F10 containing 75% concentration of PEG showed the highest swelling ratio (3.42±0.02 in HCl buffer pH 1.2, water content (47.89±1.53% in HCl buffer pH 1.2, maximum cumulative drug permeation through rat skin (2405.15±10.97 μg/cm2 in phosphate buffer pH 7.4, and in vitro drug release (35.51±0.26% in sequential pH change mediums, and showed a significantly (p<0.0001 higher anti-inflammatory effect (0.4 cm. It can be concluded from the results that film composition had a particular impact on drug release properties. The different molecular weights of PEG have a

  2. pH responsive cross-linked polymeric matrices based on natural polymers: effect of process variables on swelling characterization and drug delivery properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naeem, Fahad; Khan, Samiullah; Jalil, Aamir; Ranjha, Nazar Muhammad; Riaz, Amina; Haider, Malik Salman; Sarwar, Shoaib; Saher, Fareha; Afzal, Samrin

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: The current work was aimed to design and synthesize novel crosslinked pH-sensitive gelatin/pectin (Ge/Pec) hydrogels using different polymeric ratios and to explore the effect of polymers and degree of crosslinking on dynamic, equilibrium swelling and in vitro release behavior of the model drug (Mannitol). Methods: The Ge/Pec based hydrogels were prepared using glutaraldehyde as the crosslinker. Various structural parameters that affect their release behavior were determined, including swelling study, porosity, sol-gel analysis, average molecular weight between crosslinks (Mc), volume fraction of polymer (V2,s), solvent interaction parameter (χ) and diffusion coefficient. The synthesized hydrogels were subjected to various characterization tools like Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and DSC differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: The hydrogels show highest water uptake and release at lower pH values. The FTIR spectra showed an interaction between Ge and Pec, and the drug-loaded samples also showed the drug-related peaks, indicating proper loading of the drug. DSC and TGA studies confirmed the thermal stability of hydrogel samples, while SEM showed the porous nature of hydrogels. The drug release followed non-Fickian diffusion or anomalous mechanism. Conclusion: Aforementioned characterizations reveal the successful formation of copolymer hydrogels. The pH-sensitive swelling ability and drug release behavior suggest that the rate of polymer chain relaxation and drug diffusion from these hydrogels are comparable which also predicts their possible use for site-specific drug delivery.

  3. pH triggered controlled drug delivery from contact lenses: Addressing the challenges of drug leaching during sterilization and storage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maulvi, Furqan A; Choksi, Harsh H; Desai, Ankita R; Patel, Akanksha S; Ranch, Ketan M; Vyas, Bhavin A; Shah, Dinesh O

    2017-09-01

    In the present work a novel cyclosporine-loaded Eudragit S100 (pH-sensitive) nanoparticles-laden contact lenses were designed to provide sustained release of cyclosporine at therapeutic rates, without leaching of drug during sterilization and storage period (shelf life). The nanoparticles were prepared by Quasi-emulsion solvent diffusion technique using different weight ratios of cyclosporine to Eudragit S100. The contact lenses with direct drug entrapment were also fabricated (DL-50) for comparison. The percentage swelling and optical transparency of nanoparticles-laden contact lenses were improved in comparison to DL-50 lenses. The nanoparticles-laden contact lenses showed sustained drug release profiles, with inverse relationship to the amount of nanoparticles loaded in the contact lenses. It was interesting to note that nanoparticles form nanochannels/cavities after dissolution of Eudragit S 100 in tear fluid pH=7.4 (in vitro release study). This followed the precipitation of drug in hydrogel matrix of contact lenses. As the amount of nanoparticles loading increased, more number of cavities were formed, which caused the formation of large cavities in contact lens matrix. This in turn precipitated the drug. The nanoparticles-laden contact lenses with 1:1 (drug: Eudragit) weight ratio showed the most promising results of sustaining the drug release up to 156h, without affecting optical and physical properties of contact lenses. Packaging study confirmed that the drug was not leached in packaging solution (buffer, pH=6.5) from nanoparticles-laden lenses during shelf life period. In-vivo study in rabbit tear fluid showed sustained release up to 14days. The study revealed the application of pH-sensitive nanoparticles-laden contact lenses for controlled release of cyclosporine without altering the optical and physical properties of lens material. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Preparation, characterization and drug delivery study of a novel nanobiopolymeric multidrug delivery system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dadkhah Tehrani, Abbas, E-mail: A_dadkhahtehrani@yahoo.com; Parsamanesh, Masoumeh

    2017-04-01

    New nanocarrier for codelivery of curcumin and doxorubicin as the anticancer drugs was synthesized using biocompatible and biodegradable materials. Firstly, an inclusion complex of amylose (Am) and curcumin (CUR) was formed through entrapment of curcumin into the amylose helices. Then the surface of amylose-curcumin (Am-CUR) complex was modified by polycaprolactone (PCL) via esterification reaction between hydroxyl functional groups of amylose and carbonyl groups of PCL. Finally, poly citric acid (PCA) reacted with terminal hydroxyl groups of PCL by esterification reaction. Then, doxorubicin (DOX) reacted with the surface carboxylic acid functional groups of Am-CUR-PCL-PCA through noncovalent interactions to form Am-CUR-PCL-PCA-DOX as a multidrug delivery system. These new synthesized nanomaterials were characterized by spectroscopic measurement methods such as IR spectroscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. FE-SEM analyses and DLS measurements showed that the hydrodynamic dimensions of Am-Cur-PCL-PCA were about 50 nm. Due to the presence of ester bonds, the synthesized nanomaterials are pH sensitive. Furthermore, the resulting copolymer was completely water soluble because of the hydrophilic nature of poly citric acid part of copolymer and therefore successfully can be utilized in biomedical applications. - Highlights: • A drug delivery system based on amylose-graft-PCL-PCA developed for codelivery of curcumin and DOX. • The IR and NMR spectra confirmed successful preparation of the copolymer. • The drugs release were more favorable at acidic pH for both drugs. • DLS measurements showed that the hydrodynamic dimensions of Am-Cur-PCL-PCA was about 50 nm.

  5. Development and characterization of multifunctional nanoparticles for drug delivery to cancer cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nahire, Rahul Rajaram

    Lipid and polymeric nanoparticles, although proven to be effective drug delivery systems compared to free drugs, have shown considerable limitations pertaining to their uptake and release at tumor sites. Spatial and temporal control over the delivery of anticancer drugs has always been challenge to drug delivery scientists. Here, we have developed and characterized multifunctional nanoparticles (liposomes and polymersomes) which are targeted specifically to cancer cells, and release their contents with tumor specific internal triggers. To enable these nanoparticles to be tracked in blood circulation, we have imparted them with echogenic characteristic. Echogenicity of nanoparticles is evaluated using ultrasound scattering and imaging experiments. Nanoparticles demonstrated effective release with internal triggers such as elevated levels of MMP-9 enzyme found in the extracellular matrix of tumor cells, decreased pH of lysosome, and differential concentration of reducing agents in cytosol of cancer cells. We have also successfully demonstrated the sensitivity of these particles towards ultrasound to further enhance the release with internal triggers. To ensure the selective uptake by folate receptor- overexpressing cancer cells, we decorated these nanoparticles with folic acid on their surface. Fluorescence microscopic images showed significantly higher uptake of folate-targeted nanoparticles by MCF-7 (breast cancer) and PANC-1 (pancreatic cancer) cells compared to particles without any targeting ligand on their surface. To demonstrate the effectiveness of these nanoparticles to carry the drugs inside and kill cancer cells, we encapsulated doxorubicin and/or gemcitabine employing the pH gradient method. Drug loaded nanoparticles showed significantly higher killing of the cancer cells compared to their non-targeted counterparts and free drugs. With further development, these nanoparticles certainly have potential to be used as a multifunctional nanocarriers for image

  6. pH responsive cross-linked polymeric matrices based on natural polymers: effect of process variables on swelling characterization and drug delivery properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fahad Naeem

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The current work was aimed to design and synthesize novel crosslinked pH-sensitive gelatin/pectin (Ge/Pec hydrogels using different polymeric ratios and to explore the effect of polymers and degree of crosslinking on dynamic, equilibrium swelling and in vitro release behavior of the model drug (Mannitol. Methods: The Ge/Pec based hydrogels were prepared using glutaraldehyde as the crosslinker. Various structural parameters that affect their release behavior were determined, including swelling study, porosity, sol-gel analysis, average molecular weight between crosslinks (Mc, volume fraction of polymer (V2,s, solvent interaction parameter (χ and diffusion coefficient. The synthesized hydrogels were subjected to various characterization tools like Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, X-ray diffraction (XRD and DSC differential scanning calorimetry (DSC and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. Results: The hydrogels show highest water uptake and release at lower pH values. The FTIR spectra showed an interaction between Ge and Pec, and the drug-loaded samples also showed the drug-related peaks, indicating proper loading of the drug. DSC and TGA studies confirmed the thermal stability of hydrogel samples, while SEM showed the porous nature of hydrogels. The drug release followed non-Fickian diffusion or anomalous mechanism. Conclusion: Aforementioned characterizations reveal the successful formation of copolymer hydrogels. The pH-sensitive swelling ability and drug release behavior suggest that the rate of polymer chain relaxation and drug diffusion from these hydrogels are comparable which also predicts their possible use for site-specific drug delivery.

  7. Development of a glucose-sensitive drug delivery device: Microencapsulated liposomes and poly(2-ethylacrylic acid)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanokpanont, Sorada

    The current study is the development a self-regulated, glucose responsive drug delivery system, using dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) liposomes, a pH sensitive polymer, poly (2-ethylacrylic acid)(PEAA), and the feed back reaction of glucose with glucose oxidase enzyme (GO). The thesis investigates the use of PEAR and liposomes to work inside a microcapsule in response to the glucose level of the environment, by following the release of fluorescence probes, 8-aminonapthalene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid, disodium salt/p-xylene-bis-pyridimuim bromide (ANTS/DPX) and a model protein, myoglobin. The continuing studies of PEAR and liposome interaction indicated an evidence of the previous hypothesis of two-mode release at different pHs. Differential scanning calorimetric studies of DOPC and PEAA complexes revealed the possibility of polymer adsorption to the liposomes in the pH range 5.5--7.0 and insertion in the liposome bilayer at pH pH, PEAR concentration, presence of cholesterol in the liposomes, Ca 2+, and the concentration of sodium alginate. We have also shown possibilities of anchoring PEAR on to liposome by covalent conjugation although this led to inactivation of the polymer. It is also possible to entrap small molecular weight PEAA in liposomes. The evidence of the pH-induced protein release by the interaction of PEAA and liposomes was first demonstrated in this thesis. Kinetic parameters of GO were estimated to use as a basis for determination optimal concentration in the capsules. The pH reduction inside the capsule due to GO reaction showed positive results for the use of GO in a non-buffered system. The procedure of liquid-core alginate capsules was modified to facilitate the pH-responsive release of ANTS/DPX and myoglobin. The capsules responded to high blood glucose concentration by releasing myoglobin within 30 minutes. Although more studies are required to improve the response of the system to the normal blood glucose and to control the total protein

  8. Guargum and Eudragit ® coated curcumin liquid solid tablets for colon specific drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    S Kumar, Vrinda; Rijo, John; M, Sabitha

    2018-04-15

    Colorectal cancer, also known as bowel cancer, is the uncontrolled cell growth in the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine), or in the appendix. The colon specific drug delivery would alleviate the systemic side effects and would assure the safe therapy for colonic disorders with minimum dose and duration of therapy. The liquisolid technique refers to solubilisation of drug in a non-volatile solvent combined with inclusion of appropriate carrier and coating agent required for tableting. Colon specific degradation of natural polymer, guar gum and pH dependant degradative (pH-7) property of eudragit L100 restricts the delivery of curcumin in gastric and intestinal pH. Formulated curcumin liquisolid powder was evaluated for the micrometric properties, solubility and by differential thermal analysis, X ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Curcumin loaded liquisolid tablet showed more anticancer activity against HCT-15 compared with free curcumin. Bioavailability study of the coated and uncoated liquisolid tablets were performed using Newzealand white rabbits. The present study concludes that liquisolid technique is a promising alternative for improving oral bioavailability and dissolution rate of water insoluble drug and coating liquisolid tablet with colon sensitive polymers showed site specific release of drug in the colon. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. A novel application of maleimide for advanced drug delivery: in vitro and in vivo evaluation of maleimide-modified pH-sensitive liposomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li T

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Tianshu Li, Shinji TakeokaDepartment of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University (TWIns, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, JapanAbstract: Maleimide is a stable and easy-to-handle moiety that rapidly and covalently conjugates thiol groups of cysteine residues in proteins or peptides. Herein, we use maleimide to modify the surface of liposomes in order to obtain an advanced drug delivery system. Employing a small amount (0.3 mol% of maleimide-polyethylene glycol (PEG to modify the surface of the liposomes M-GGLG-liposomes, composed of 1,5-dihexadecyl N,N-diglutamyl-lysyl-L-glutamate (GGLG/cholesterol/poly(ethylene glycol 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (PEG5000-DSPE/maleimide-PEG5000-Glu2C18 at a molar ratio of 5:5:0.03:0.03, drug delivery efficiency was remarkably improved both in vitro and in vivo compared to unmodified liposomes (GGLG-liposomes, composed of GGLG/cholesterol/PEG5000-DSPE/PEG5000-Glu2C18 at a molar ratio of 5:5:0.03:0.03. Moreover, this modification did not elicit any detectable increase in cytotoxicity. The maleimide-modification did not alter the physical characteristics of the liposomes such as size, zeta potential, pH sensitivity, dispersibility and drug encapsulation efficiency. However, M-GGLG-liposomes were more rapidly (≥2-fold internalized into HeLa, HCC1954, and MDA-MB-468 cells compared to GGLG-liposomes. In vivo, M-GGLG-liposomes encapsulating doxorubicin (M-GGLG-DOX-liposomes also showed a more potent antitumor effect than GGLG-DOX-liposomes and the widely used 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC-DOX-liposomes after two subcutaneous injections around breast cancer tissue in mice. The biodistribution of liposomes in this model was observed using an in vivo imaging system, which showed that M-GGLG-liposomes were present for significantly longer at the injection site compared to GGLG-liposomes. The outstanding biological functions of

  10. Polyionic hydrocolloids for the intestinal delivery of protein drugs: alginate and chitosan--a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    George, Meera; Abraham, T Emilia

    2006-08-10

    The protein pharmaceutical market is rapidly growing, since it is gaining support from the recombinant DNA technology. To deliver these drugs via the oral route, the most preferred route, is the toughest challenge. In the design of oral delivery of peptide or protein drugs, pH sensitive hydrogels like alginate and chitosan have attracted increasing attention, since most of the synthetic polymers are immunogenic and the incorporation of proteins in to these polymers require harsh environment which may denature and inactivate the desired protein. Alginate is a water-soluble linear polysaccharide composed of alternating blocks of 1-4 linked alpha-L-guluronic and beta-D-mannuronic acid residues where as chitosan is a co polymer of D-glucosamine and N-acetyl glucosamine. The incorporation of protein into these two matrices can be done under relatively mild environment and hence the chances of protein denaturation are minimal. The limitations of these polymers, like drug leaching during preparation can be overcome by different techniques which increase their encapsulation efficiency. Alginate, being an anionic polymer with carboxyl end groups, is a good mucoadhesive agent. The pore size of alginate gel microbeads has been shown to be between 5 and 200 nm and coated beads and microspheres are found to be better oral delivery vehicles. Cross-linked alginate has more capacity to retain the entrapped drugs and mixing of alginate with other polymers such as neutral gums, pectin, chitosan, and eudragit have been found to solve the problem of drug leaching. Chitosan has only limited ability for controlling the release of encapsulated compound due to its hydrophilic nature and easy solubility in acidic medium. By simple covalent modifications of the polymer, its physicochemical properties can be changed and can be made suitable for the peroral drug delivery purpose. Ionic interactions between positively charged amino groups in chitosan and the negatively charged mucus gel layer

  11. Characterization of Polyelectrolyte Complex Formation Between Anionic and Cationic Poly(amino acids) and Their Potential Applications in pH-Dependent Drug Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Folchman-Wagner, Zoë; Zaro, Jennica; Shen, Wei-Chiang

    2017-06-30

    Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) are self-assembling nano-sized constructs that offer several advantages over traditional nanoparticle carriers including controllable size, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and lack of toxicity, making them particularly appealing as tools for drug delivery. Here, we discuss potential application of PECs for drug delivery to the slightly acidic tumor microenvironment, a pH in the range of 6.5-7.0. Poly(l-glutamic acid) (E n ), poly(l-lysine) (K n ), and a copolymer composed of histidine-glutamic acid repeats ((HE) n ) were studied for their ability to form PECs, which were analyzed for size, polydispersity, and pH sensitivity. PECs showed concentration dependent size variation at residue lengths of E 51 /K 55 and E 135 /K 127 , however, no complexes were observed when E 22 or K 21 were used, even in combination with the longer chains. (HE) 20 /K 55 PECs could encapsulate daunomycin, were stable from pH 7.4-6.5, and dissociated completely between pH 6.5-6.0. Conversely, the E 51-dauno /K 55 PEC dissociated between pH 4.0 and 3.0. These values for pH-dependent particle dissociation are consistent with the p K a 's of the ionizable groups in each formulation and indicate that the specific pH-sensitivity of (HE) 20-dauno /K 55 PECs is mediated by incorporation of histidine. This response within a pH range that is physiologically relevant to the acidic tumors suggests a potential application of these PECs in pH-dependent drug delivery.

  12. Drug Delivery to CNS: Challenges and Opportunities with Emphasis on Biomaterials Based Drug Delivery Strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khambhla, Ekta; Shah, Viral; Baviskar, Kalpesh

    2016-01-01

    The current epoch has witnessed a lifestyle impregnated with stress, which is a major cause of several neurological disorders. High morbidity and mortality rate due to neurological diseases and disorders have generated a huge social impact. Despite voluminous research, patients suffering from fatal and/or debilitating CNS diseases such as brain tumors, HIV, encephalopathy, Alzheimer's, epilepsy, Parkinson's, migraine and multiple sclerosis outnumbered those suffering from systemic cancer or heart diseases. The brain being a highly sensitive neuronal organ, has evolved with vasculature barriers, which regulates the efflux and influx of substances to CNS. Treatment of CNS diseases/disorders is challenging because of physiologic, metabolic and biochemical obstacles created by these barriers which comprise mainly of BBB and BCFB. The inability of achieving therapeutically active concentration has become the bottleneck level difficulty, hampering the therapeutic efficiency of several promising drug candidates for CNS related disorders. Parallel maturation of an effective CNS drug delivery strategy with CNS drug discovery is the need of the hour. Recently, the focus of the pharmaceutical community has aggravated in the direction of developing novel and more efficient drug delivery systems, giving the potential of more effective and safer CNS therapies. The present review outlines several hurdles in drug delivery to the CNS along with ideal physicochemical properties desired in drug substance/formulation for CNS delivery. The review also focuses on different conventional and novel strategies for drug delivery to the CNS. The article also assesses and emphasizes on possible benefits of biomaterial based formulations for drug delivery to the CNS.

  13. Experimental and theoretical evaluation of nanodiamonds as pH triggered drug carriers

    KAUST Repository

    Yan, Jingjing

    2012-01-01

    Nanodiamond (ND) and its derivatives have been widely used for drug, protein and gene delivery. Herein, experimental and theoretical methods have been combined to investigate the effect of pH on the delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) from fluorescein labeled NDs (Fc-NDs). In the endosomal recycling process, the nanoparticle will pass from mildly acidic vesicle to pH ≈ 4.8; thus, it is important to investigate DOX release from NDs at different pH values. Fc-NDs released DOX dramatically under acidic conditions, while an increase in the DOX loading efficiency (up to 6.4 wt%) was observed under basic conditions. Further theoretical calculations suggest that H + weakens the electrostatistic interaction between ND surface carboxyl groups and DOX amino groups, and the interaction energies at pH < 7, pH 7 and pH > 7 are 10.4 kcal mol -1, 25.0 kcal mol -1 and 27.0 kcal mol -1 respectively. Cellular imaging experiments show that Fc-NDs are readily ingested by breast adenocarcinoma (BA) cells and cell viability tests prove that they can be utilized as a safe drug delivery vehicle. Furthermore, pH triggered DOX release has been tested in vitro (pH 7.4 and pH 4.83) in breast adenocarcinoma (BA) cells. © The Royal Society of Chemistry and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique 2012.

  14. Colon-targeted oral drug delivery systems: design trends and approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amidon, Seth; Brown, Jack E; Dave, Vivek S

    2015-08-01

    Colon-specific drug delivery systems (CDDS) are desirable for the treatment of a range of local diseases such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic pancreatitis, and colonic cancer. In addition, the colon can be a potential site for the systemic absorption of several drugs to treat non-colonic conditions. Drugs such as proteins and peptides that are known to degrade in the extreme gastric pH, if delivered to the colon intact, can be systemically absorbed by colonic mucosa. In order to achieve effective therapeutic outcomes, it is imperative that the designed delivery system specifically targets the drugs into the colon. Several formulation approaches have been explored in the development colon-targeted drug delivery systems. These approaches involve the use of formulation components that interact with one or more aspects of gastrointestinal (GI) physiology, such as the difference in the pH along the GI tract, the presence of colonic microflora, and enzymes, to achieve colon targeting. This article highlights the factors influencing colon-specific drug delivery and colonic bioavailability, and the limitations associated with CDDS. Further, the review provides a systematic discussion of various conventional, as well as relatively newer formulation approaches/technologies currently being utilized for the development of CDDS.

  15. Facilitation of transscleral drug delivery by drug loaded magnetic polymeric particles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mousavikhamene, Zeynab; Abdekhodaie, Mohammad J; Ahmadieh, Hamid

    2017-10-01

    A unique method was used to facilitate ocular drug delivery from periocular route by drug loaded magnetic sensitive particles. Injection of particles in periocular space along the eye axis followed by application of magnetic field in front of the eye would trigger the magnetic polymeric particles to move along the direction of magnetic force and reside against the outer surface of the sclera. This technique prevents removal of drug in the periocular space, observed in conventional transscleral drug delivery systems and hence higher amount of drug can enter the eye in a longer period of time. The experiments were performed by fresh human sclera and an experimental setup. Experimental setup was designed by side by side diffusion cell and hydrodynamic and thermal simulation of the posterior segment of the eye were applied. Magnetic polymeric particles were synthesized by alginate as a model polymer, iron oxide nanoparticles as a magnetic agent and diclofenac sodium as a model drug and characterized by SEM, TEM, DLS and FT-IR techniques. According to the SEM images, the size range of particles is around 60 to 800nm. The results revealed that the cumulative drug transfer from magnetic sensitive particles across the sclera improves by 70% in the presence of magnetic field. The results of this research show promising method of drug delivery to use magnetic properties to facilitate drug delivery to the back of the eye. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  16. Folate-conjugated boron nitride nanospheres for targeted delivery of anticancer drug

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Feng S

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Shini Feng,1 Huijie Zhang,1 Ting Yan,1 Dandi Huang,1 Chunyi Zhi,2 Hideki Nakanishi,1 Xiao-Dong Gao1 1Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of China Abstract: With its unique physical and chemical properties and structural similarity to carbon, boron nitride (BN has attracted considerable attention and found many applications. Biomedical applications of BN have recently started to emerge, raising great hopes in drug and gene delivery. Here, we developed a targeted anticancer drug delivery system based on folate-conjugated BN nanospheres (BNNS with receptor-mediated targeting. Folic acid (FA was successfully grafted onto BNNS via esterification reaction. In vitro cytotoxicity assay showed that BNNS-FA complexes were non-toxic to HeLa cells up to a concentration of 100 µg/mL. Then, doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX, a commonly used anticancer drug, was loaded onto BNNS-FA complexes. BNNS-FA/DOX complexes were stable at pH 7.4 but effectively released DOX at pH 5.0, which exhibited a pH sensitive and sustained release pattern. BNNS-FA/DOX complexes could be recognized and specifically internalized by HeLa cells via FA receptor-mediated endocytosis. BNNS-FA/DOX complexes exhibited greater cytotoxicity to HeLa cells than free DOX and BNNS/DOX complexes due to the increased cellular uptake of DOX mediated by the FA receptor. Therefore, BNNS-FA complexes had strong potential for targeted cancer therapy. Keywords: boron nitride nanospheres, folic acid, doxorubicin, targeted delivery, cancer therapy

  17. Experimental and theoretical evaluation of nanodiamonds as pH triggered drug carriers

    KAUST Repository

    Yan, Jingjing; Guo, Yong; Altawashi, Azza; Moosa, Basem; Lecommandoux, Sé bastien; Khashab, Niveen M.

    2012-01-01

    Nanodiamond (ND) and its derivatives have been widely used for drug, protein and gene delivery. Herein, experimental and theoretical methods have been combined to investigate the effect of pH on the delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) from fluorescein

  18. Transferrin receptor-targeted pH-sensitive micellar system for diminution of drug resistance and targetable delivery in multidrug-resistant breast cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gao W

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Wei Gao,1 Guihua Ye,1 Xiaochuan Duan,1 Xiaoying Yang,1 Victor C Yang1,2 1Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics (Theranostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Abstract: The emergence of drug resistance is partially associated with overproduction of transferrin receptor (TfR. To overcome multidrug resistance (MDR and achieve tumor target delivery, we designed a novel biodegradable pH-sensitive micellar system modified with HAIYPRH, a TfR ligand (7pep. First, the polymers poly(l-histidine-coupled polyethylene glycol-2000 (PHIS-PEG2000 and 7pep-modified 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-polyethylene glycol-2000 (7pep-DSPE-PEG2000 were synthesized, and the mixed micelles were prepared by blending of PHIS-PEG2000 and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-polyethylene glycol-2000 (DSPE-PEG2000 or 7pep-DSPE-PEG2000 (7-pep HD micelles. The micelles exhibited good size uniformity, high encapsulation efficiency, and a low critical micelle concentration. By changing the polymer ratio in the micellar formulation, the pH response range was specially tailored to pH ~6.0. When loaded with antitumor drug doxorubicin (DOX, the micelle showed an acid pH-triggering drug release profile. The cellular uptake and cytotoxicity study demonstrated that 7-pep HD micelles could significantly enhance the intracellular level and antitumor efficacy of DOX in multidrug-resistant cells (MCF-7/Adr, which attributed to the synergistic effect of poly(l-histidine-triggered endolysosom escape and TfR-mediated endocytosis. Most importantly, the in vivo imaging study confirmed the targetability of 7-pep HD micelles to MDR tumor. These findings indicated that 7-pep HD micelles would be a promising drug delivery system in the treatment of drug

  19. Co-delivery of doxorubicin and arsenite with reduction and pH dual-sensitive vesicle for synergistic cancer therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Lu; Xiao, Hong; Li, Jingguo; Cheng, Du; Shuai, Xintao

    2016-06-01

    Drug resistance is the underlying cause for therapeutic failure in clinical cancer chemotherapy. A prodrug copolymer mPEG-PAsp(DIP-co-BZA-co-DOX) (PDBD) was synthesized and assembled into a nanoscale vesicle comprising a PEG corona, a reduction and pH dual-sensitive hydrophobic membrane and an aqueous lumen encapsulating doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX.HCl) and arsenite (As). The dual stimulation-sensitive design of the vesicle gave rise to rapid release of the physically entrapped DOX.HCl and arsenite inside acidic lysosomes, and chemically conjugated DOX inside the cytosol with high glutathione (GSH) concentration. In the optimized concentration range, arsenite previously recognized as a promising anticancer agent from traditional Chinese medicine can down-regulate the expressions of anti-apoptotic and multidrug resistance proteins to sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapy. Consequently, the DOX-As-co-loaded vesicle demonstrated potent anticancer activity. Compared to the only DOX-loaded vesicle, the DOX-As-co-loaded one induced more than twice the apoptotic ratio of MCF-7/ADR breast cancer cells at a low As concentration (0.5 μM), due to the synergistic effects of DOX and As. The drug loading strategy integrating chemical conjugation and physical encapsulation in stimulation-sensitive carriers enabled efficient drug loading in the formulation.Drug resistance is the underlying cause for therapeutic failure in clinical cancer chemotherapy. A prodrug copolymer mPEG-PAsp(DIP-co-BZA-co-DOX) (PDBD) was synthesized and assembled into a nanoscale vesicle comprising a PEG corona, a reduction and pH dual-sensitive hydrophobic membrane and an aqueous lumen encapsulating doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX.HCl) and arsenite (As). The dual stimulation-sensitive design of the vesicle gave rise to rapid release of the physically entrapped DOX.HCl and arsenite inside acidic lysosomes, and chemically conjugated DOX inside the cytosol with high glutathione (GSH) concentration. In the

  20. Elastin-Like Recombinamers As Smart Drug Delivery Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arias, F Javier; Santos, Mercedes; Ibanez-Fonseca, Arturo; Pina, Maria Jesus; Serrano, Sofía

    2018-02-19

    Drug delivery systems that are able to control the release of bioactive molecules and designed to carry drugs to target sites are of particular interest for tissue therapy. Moreover, systems comprising materials that can respond to environmental stimuli and promote self-assembly and higher order supramolecular organization are especially useful in the biomedical field. Objetive: This review focuses on biomaterials suitable for this purpose and that include elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs), a class of proteinaceous polymers bioinspired by natural elastin, designed using recombinant technologies. The self-assembly and thermoresponsive behaviour of these systems, along with their biodegradability, biocompatibility and well-defined composition as a result of their tailormade design, make them particularly attractive for controlled drug delivery. ELR-based delivery systems that allow targeted delivery are reviewed, especially ELR-drug recombinant fusion constructs, ELR-drug systems chemically bioconjugated in their monomeric and soluble forms, and drug encapsulation by nanoparticle-forming ELRs. Subsequently, the review focuses on those drug carriers in which smart release is triggered by pH or temperature with a particular focus on cancer treatments. Systems for controlled drug release based on depots and hydrogels that act as both a support and reservoir in which drugs can be stored will be described, and their applications in drug delivery discussed. Finally, smart drug-delivery systems not based on ELRs, including those comprising proteins, synthetic polymers and non-polymeric systems, will also be briefly discussed. Several different constructions based on ELRs are potential candidates for controlled drug delivery to be applied in advanced biomedical treatments. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  1. Design of colon targeting drug delivery systems using natural polymeric carriers and their evaluation by gamma scintigraphy technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soni, P.S.; Sawarkar, S.P.; Deshpande, S.G.; Bajaj, A.N.

    2004-01-01

    Of late, there has been a great awareness in the concept of drug targeting and delivery to a specific site (organ, tissue or cell) in the body to maximize therapeutic effect and reduce toxicity. The various approaches of site-specific drug delivery are implantable pumps, adhesive patches impregnated with drugs, vesicle enclosed drugs and drug carriers. Colonic drug delivery is intended for local and systemic treatment in the diseases of colon like inflammatory bowel conditions. Several approaches using viz. pro-drugs, biodegradable polymers and pH sensitive polymer coatings have been used to achieve colonic delivery. Natural polysaccarides like guar gum and pectin are promising candidates because they are susceptible to degradation by colonic bacteria and thus can release the entrapped drug in the colonic region. These indigenous natural polymers are cheaply and readily available. They comprise of polygalactouronic acid and refractory to host enzymes present in the upper gastrointestinal tract and are degraded by the enzymes produced by the colonic microflora. They were evaluated as a colonic carrier using 5-amino salicylic acid (5-ASA) as a model drug. After successful in vitro testing, gamma scintigraphy technique was used to assess in-vivo behavior of the colon specific drug delivery after a coat of Guar gum and Pectin

  2. Drug-loaded poly (ε-caprolactone)/Fe3O4 composite microspheres for magnetic resonance imaging and controlled drug delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Guangshuo; Zhao, Dexing; Li, Nannan; Wang, Xuehan; Ma, Yingying

    2018-06-01

    In this study, poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) microspheres loading magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles and anti-cancer drug of doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) were successfully prepared by a modified solvent-evaporation method. The obtained magnetic composite microspheres exhibited dual features of magnetic resonance imaging and controlled drug delivery. The morphology, structure, thermal behavior and magnetic properties of the drug-loaded magnetic microspheres were investigated in detail by SEM, XRD, DSC and SQUID. The obtained composite microspheres showed superparamagnetic behavior and T2-weighted enhancement effect. The drug loading, encapsulation efficiency, releasing behavior and in vitro cytotoxicity of the drug-loaded composite microspheres were systematically investigated. It was found that the values of drug loading and encapsulation efficiency were 36.7% and 25.8%, respectively. The composite microspheres were sensitive to pH and released in a sustained way, and both the release curves under various pH conditions (4.0 and 7.4) were well satisfied with the biphase kinetics function. In addition, the magnetic response of the drug-loaded microspheres was studied and the results showed that the composite microspheres had a good magnetic stability and strong targeting ability.

  3. Drug delivery systems and materials for wound healing applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saghazadeh, Saghi; Rinoldi, Chiara; Schot, Maik; Kashaf, Sara Saheb; Sharifi, Fatemeh; Jalilian, Elmira; Nuutila, Kristo; Giatsidis, Giorgio; Mostafalu, Pooria; Derakhshandeh, Hossein; Yue, Kan; Swieszkowski, Wojciech; Memic, Adnan; Tamayol, Ali; Khademhosseini, Ali

    2018-04-05

    Chronic, non-healing wounds place a significant burden on patients and healthcare systems, resulting in impaired mobility, limb amputation, or even death. Chronic wounds result from a disruption in the highly orchestrated cascade of events involved in wound closure. Significant advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic wounds have resulted in the development of drugs designed to target different aspects of the impaired processes. However, the hostility of the wound environment rich in degradative enzymes and its elevated pH, combined with differences in the time scales of different physiological processes involved in tissue regeneration require the use of effective drug delivery systems. In this review, we will first discuss the pathophysiology of chronic wounds and then the materials used for engineering drug delivery systems. Different passive and active drug delivery systems used in wound care will be reviewed. In addition, the architecture of the delivery platform and its ability to modulate drug delivery are discussed. Emerging technologies and the opportunities for engineering more effective wound care devices are also highlighted. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. pH-sensitive Au–BSA–DOX–FA nanocomposites for combined CT imaging and targeted drug delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huang H

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available He Huang,1 Da-Peng Yang,2 Minghuan Liu,2 Xiangsheng Wang,1 Zhiyong Zhang,1 Guangdong Zhou,1 Wei Liu,1 Yilin Cao,1 Wen Jie Zhang,1 Xiansong Wang1 1Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Tissue Engineering, National Tissue Engineering Center of China, Shanghai, 2College of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Quanzhou Normal University, Quanzhou, People’s Republic of China Abstract: Albumin-based nanoparticles (NPs as a drug delivery system have attracted much attention owing to their nontoxicity, non-immunogenicity, great stability and ability to bind to many therapeutic drugs. Herein, bovine serum albumin (BSA was utilized as a template to prepare Au–BSA core/shell NPs. The outer layer BSA was subsequently conjugated with cis-aconityl doxorubicin (DOX and folic acid (FA to create Au–BSA–DOX–FA nanocomposites. A list of characterizations was undertaken to identify the successful conjugation of drug molecules and targeted agents. In vitro cytotoxicity using a cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8 assay indicated that Au–BSA NPs did not display obvious cytotoxicity to MGC-803 and GES-1 cells in the concentration range of 0–100 µg/mL, which can therefore be used as a safe drug delivery carrier. Furthermore, compared with free DOX, Au–BSA–DOX–FA nanocomposites exhibited a pH-sensitive drug release ability and superior antitumor activity in a drug concentration-dependent manner. In vivo computed tomography (CT imaging experiments showed that Au–BSA–DOX–FA nanocomposites could be used as an efficient and durable CT contrast agent for targeted CT imaging of the folate receptor (FR overexpressed in cancer tissues. In vivo antitumor experiments demonstrated that Au–BSA–DOX–FA nanocomposites have selective antitumor activity effects on FR-overexpressing tumors and no adverse effects on normal tissues and

  5. A smart multifunctional nanocomposite for intracellular targeted drug delivery and self-release

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Chan; Lv, Piping; Wei, Wei; Tao, Shengyang; Hu, Tao; Yang, Jingbang; Meng, Changgong

    2011-10-01

    A multifunctional 'all-in-one' nanocomposite is fabricated using a colloid, template and surface-modification method. This material encompasses magnetic induced target delivery, cell uptake promotion and controlled drug release in one system. The nanocomposite is characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption and vibrating sample magnetometry. The prepared material has a diameter of 350-400 nm, a high surface area of 420.29 m2 g - 1, a pore size of 1.91 nm and a saturation magnetization of 32 emu g - 1. Doxorubicin (DOX) is loaded in mesopores and acid-sensitive blockers are introduced onto the orifices of the mesopores by a Schiff base linker to implement pH-dependent self-release. Folate was also introduced to improve DOX targeted delivery and endocytosis. The linkers remained intact to block pores with ferrocene valves and inhibit the diffusion of DOX at neutral pH. However, in lysosomes of cancer cells, which have a weak acidic pH, hydrolysis of the Schiff base group removes the nanovalves and allows the trapped DOX to be released. These processes are demonstrated by UV-visible absorption spectra, confocal fluorescence microscopy images and methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assays in vitro, which suggest that the smart nanocomposite successfully integrates targeted drug delivery with internal stimulus induced self-release and is a potentially useful material for nanobiomedicine.

  6. A smart multifunctional nanocomposite for intracellular targeted drug delivery and self-release

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Chan; Tao Shengyang; Hu Tao; Yang Jingbang; Meng Changgong; Lv Piping; Wei Wei

    2011-01-01

    A multifunctional 'all-in-one' nanocomposite is fabricated using a colloid, template and surface-modification method. This material encompasses magnetic induced target delivery, cell uptake promotion and controlled drug release in one system. The nanocomposite is characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, N 2 adsorption and vibrating sample magnetometry. The prepared material has a diameter of 350-400 nm, a high surface area of 420.29 m 2 g -1 , a pore size of 1.91 nm and a saturation magnetization of 32 emu g -1 . Doxorubicin (DOX) is loaded in mesopores and acid-sensitive blockers are introduced onto the orifices of the mesopores by a Schiff base linker to implement pH-dependent self-release. Folate was also introduced to improve DOX targeted delivery and endocytosis. The linkers remained intact to block pores with ferrocene valves and inhibit the diffusion of DOX at neutral pH. However, in lysosomes of cancer cells, which have a weak acidic pH, hydrolysis of the Schiff base group removes the nanovalves and allows the trapped DOX to be released. These processes are demonstrated by UV-visible absorption spectra, confocal fluorescence microscopy images and methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assays in vitro, which suggest that the smart nanocomposite successfully integrates targeted drug delivery with internal stimulus induced self-release and is a potentially useful material for nanobiomedicine.

  7. Colon-targeted delivery of budesonide using dual pH- and time-dependent polymeric nanoparticles for colitis therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naeem M

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Muhammad Naeem,1 Moonjeong Choi,1 Jiafu Cao,1 Yujeong Lee,1 Muhammad Ikram,2 Sik Yoon,2 Jaewon Lee,1 Hyung Ryong Moon,1 Min-Soo Kim,1 Yunjin Jung,1 Jin-Wook Yoo11College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Busan, 2Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, South KoreaAbstract: Single pH-dependent drug delivery systems have been widely used for colon-targeted delivery, but their efficiency is often hampered by the variation in gut pH. To overcome the limitation of single pH-dependent delivery systems, in this study, we developed and evaluated the therapeutic potential of budesonide-loaded dual pH/time-dependent nanoparticles (NPs for the treatment of colitis. Eudragit FS30D was used as a pH-dependent polymer, and Eudragit RS100 as a time-dependent controlled release polymer. Single pH-dependent NPs (pH_NPs, single time-dependent NPs (Time_NPs, and dual pH/time-dependent NPs (pH/Time_NPs were prepared using the oil-in-water emulsion method. The physicochemical properties and drug release profiles of these NPs in gastrointestinal (GI tract conditions were investigated. The therapeutic potential and in vivo distribution of the NPs were evaluated in a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS-induced colitis mice model. The pH/Time_NPs prevented a burst drug release in acidic pH conditions and showed sustained release at a colonic pH. The in vivo distribution study in the mice GI tract demonstrated that pH/Time_NPs were more efficiently delivered to the inflamed colon than pH_NPs were. Compared to the single pH_NPs-treated group, the pH/Time_NPs-treated group showed increased body weight and colon length and markedly decreased disease activity index, colon weight/length ratios, histological damage, and inflammatory cell infiltration in colon tissue. Our results demonstrate that the dual pH/time-dependent NPs are an effective oral colon-targeted delivery system for colitis therapy.Keywords: colon-specific delivery, dual-sensitive delivery

  8. Surface modification of graphene oxide nanosheets by protamine sulfate/sodium alginate for anti-cancer drug delivery application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Meng; Zhang, Feng; Liu, Lijiao; Zhang, Yanan; Li, Yeping; Li, Huaming; Xie, Jimin

    2018-05-01

    In order to improve the efficiency of anticancer drug delivery, a graphene oxide (GO) based drug delivery system modificated by natural peptide protamine sulfate (PRM) and sodium alginate (SA) was established via electrostatic attraction at each step of adsorption based on layer-by-layer self-assembly. The nanocomposites were then loaded with anticancer drug doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) to estimate the feasibility as drug carriers. The nanocomposites loaded with DOX revealed a remarkable pH-sensitive drug release property. The modification with protamine sulfate and sodium alginate could not only impart the nanocomposites an improved dispersibility and stability under physiological pH, but also suppress the protein adhesion. Due to the high water dispersibility and the small particle size, GO-PRM/SA nanocomposites were able to be uptaken by MCF-7 cells. It was found that GO-PRM/SA nanocomposites exhibited no obvious cytotoxicity towards MCF-7 cells, while GO-PRM/SA-DOX exhibited better cytotoxicity than GO-DOX. Therefore, the GO-PRM/SA nanocomposites were feasible as drug delivery vehicles.

  9. pH responsive controlled release of anti-cancer hydrophobic drugs from sodium alginate and hydroxyapatite bi-coated iron oxide nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manatunga, Danushika C; de Silva, Rohini M; de Silva, K M Nalin; de Silva, Nuwan; Bhandari, Shiva; Yap, Yoke Khin; Costha, N Pabakara

    2017-08-01

    Developing a drug carrier system which could perform targeted and controlled release over a period of time is utmost concern in the pharmaceutical industry. This is more relevant when designing drug carriers for poorly water soluble drug molecules such as curcumin and 6-gingerol. Development of a drug carrier system which could overcome these limitations and perform controlled and targeted drug delivery is beneficial. This study describes a promising approach for the design of novel pH sensitive sodium alginate, hydroxyapatite bilayer coated iron oxide nanoparticle composite (IONP/HAp-NaAlg) via the co-precipitation approach. This system consists of a magnetic core for targeting and a NaAlg/HAp coating on the surface to accommodate the drug molecules. The nanocomposite was characterized using FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The loading efficiency and loading capacity of curcumin and 6-gingerol were examined. In vitro drug releasing behavior of curcumin and 6-gingerol was studied at pH 7.4 and pH 5.3 over a period of seven days at 37°C. The mechanism of drug release from the nanocomposite of each situation was studied using kinetic models and the results implied that, the release is typically via diffusion and a higher release was observed at pH 5.3. This bilayer coated system can be recognized as a potential drug delivery system for the purpose of curcumin and 6-gingerol release in targeted and controlled manner to treat diseases such as cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Carboxymethyl starch and lecithin complex as matrix for targeted drug delivery: I. Monolithic mesalamine forms for colon delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mihaela Friciu, Maria; Canh Le, Tien; Ispas-Szabo, Pompilia; Mateescu, Mircea Alexandru

    2013-11-01

    For drugs expected to act locally in the colon, and for successful treatment, a delivery device is necessary, in order to limit the systemic absorption which decreases effectiveness and causes important side effects. Various delayed release systems are currently commercialized; most of them based on pH-dependent release which is sensitive to gastrointestinal pH variation. This study proposes a novel excipient for colon delivery. This new preparation consists in the complexation between carboxymethyl starch (CMS) and Lecithin (L). As opposed to existing excipients, the new complex is pH-independent, inexpensive, and easy to manufacture and allows a high drug loading. FTIR, X-ray, and SEM structural analysis all support the hypothesis of the formation of a complex. By minor variation of the excipient content within the tablet, it is possible to modulate the release time and delivery at specific sites of the gastrointestinal tract. This study opens the door to a new pH-independent delivery system for mesalamine targeted administration. Our novel formulation fits well with the posology of mesalamine, used in the treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which requires repeated administrations (1g orally four times a day) to maintain a good quality of life. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Development of pH sensitive polymeric nanoparticles of erythromycin stearate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sulekha Bhadra

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Context: Bioavailability of conventional tablet of erythromycin stearate is low as it is unstable at acidic pH and also shows a low dissolution rate. Objective: It was proposed to protect it from the acidic condition of the stomach along with an increase in dissolution rate by formulating pH sensitive nanoparticles. Materials and Methods: The nanoparticles were prepared by the solvent evaporation technique using different quantities of Eudragit L100-55 and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA. Size reduction was achieved by high speed homogenization technique using Digital Ultra Turrax homogenizer. The formulation was optimized using 32 factorial design, keeping drug polymer ratio and surfactant concentration as independent variables. Particle size, entrapment efficiency, and drug-release (DR were studied as dependent variables. Results: Optimized batch containing 1:0.3 erythromycin stearate: Eudragit L100-55 ratio and 1.0% PVA showed 8.24 ± 0.71% DR in pH 1.2 in 1-h and 90.38 ± 5.97% in pH 5.5 and pH 6.8 within 2-h, respectively. Discussion: The optimized batch exhibited lower release in acidic pH and faster release in higher pH compared to the marketed preparation. Conclusion: Thus the present study concludes that pH sensitive nanoparticles of erythromycin stearate increases the dissolution of the drug in intestinal pH and also protect it from acidic pH, which may help in improving the bioavailability of erythromycin.

  12. Thiolated polymers as mucoadhesive drug delivery systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duggan, Sarah; Cummins, Wayne; O' Donovan, Orla; Hughes, Helen; Owens, Eleanor

    2017-03-30

    Mucoadhesion is the process of binding a material to the mucosal layer of the body. Utilising both natural and synthetic polymers, mucoadhesive drug delivery is a method of controlled drug release which allows for intimate contact between the polymer and a target tissue. It has the potential to increase bioavailability, decrease potential side effects and offer protection to more sensitive drugs such as proteins and peptide based drugs. The thiolation of polymers has, in the last number of years, come to the fore of mucoadhesive drug delivery, markedly improving mucoadhesion due to the introduction of free thiol groups onto the polymer backbone while also offering a more cohesive polymeric matrix for the slower and more controlled release of drug. This review explores the concept of mucoadhesion and the recent advances in both the polymers and the methods of thiolation used in the synthesis of mucoadhesive drug delivery devices. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Intelligent anticancer drug delivery performances of two poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-based magnetite nanohydrogels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poorgholy, Nahid; Massoumi, Bakhshali; Ghorbani, Marjan; Jaymand, Mehdi; Hamishehkar, Hamed

    2018-08-01

    This article evaluates the anticancer drug delivery performances of two nanohydrogels composed of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-itaconic anhydride) [P(NIPAAm-co-IA)], poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), and Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles. For this purpose, the magnetite nanohydrogels (MNHGs) were loaded with doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) as a universal anticancer drug. The morphologies and magnetic properties of the DOX-loaded MNHGs were investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM), respectively. The sizes and zeta potentials (ξ) of the MNHGs and their corresponding DOX-loaded nanosystems were also investigated. The DOX-loaded MNHGs showed the highest drug release values at condition of 41 °C and pH 5.3. The drug-loaded MNHGs at physiological condition (pH 7.4 and 37 °C) exhibited negligible drug release values. In vitro cytotoxic effects of the DOX-loaded MNHGs were extensively evaluated through the assessing survival rate of HeLa cells using the MTT assay, and there in vitro cellular uptake into the mentioned cell line were examined using fluorescent microscopy and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) flow cytometry analyses. As the results, the DOX-loaded MNHG1 exhibited higher anticancer drug delivery performance in the terms of cytotoxic effect and in vitro cellular uptake. Thus, the developed MNHG1 can be considered as a promising de novo drug delivery system, in part due to its pH and thermal responsive drug release behavior as well as proper magnetite character toward targeted drug delivery.

  14. Backbone-hydrazone-containing biodegradable copolymeric micelles for anticancer drug delivery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, Jing; Luan, Shujuan; Qin, Benkai; Wang, Yingying; Wang, Kai; Qi, Peilan; Song, Shiyong, E-mail: pharmsong@henu.edu.cn [Henan University, Institute of Pharmacy (China)

    2016-11-15

    Well-defined biodegradable, pH-sensitive amphiphilic block polymers, poly(ethylene glycol)-Hyd-poly(lactic acid) (mPEG-Hyd-PLA) which have acid-cleavable linkages in their backbones, were synthesized via ring-opening polymerization initiated from hydrazone-containing macroinitiators. Introducing a hydrazone bond onto the backbone of an amphiphilic copolymer will find a broad-spectrum encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy showed that the diblock copolymers self-assembled into stable micelles with average diameters of 100 nm. The mean diameters and size distribution of the hydrazone-containing micelles changed obviously in mildly acidic pH (multiple peaks from 1 to 202 nm appeared under a pH 4.0 condition) than in neutral, while there were no changes in the case of non-sensitive ones. Doxorubicin (DOX) and paclitaxel (PTX) were loaded with drug loading content ranging from 2.4 to 3.5 %, respectively. Interestingly, the anticancer drugs released from mPEG-Hyd-PLA micelles could also be promoted by the increased acidity. An in vitro cytotoxicity study showed that the DOX-loaded mPEG-Hyd-PLA micelles have significantly enhanced cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells compared with the non-sensitive poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(lactic acid) (mPEG-PLA) micelles. Confocal microscopy observation indicated that more DOX were delivered into the nuclei of cells following 6 or 12 h incubation with DOX-loaded mPEG-Hyd-PLA micelles. In vivo studies on H22-bearing Swiss mice demonstrated the superior anticancer activity of DOX-loaded mPEG-Hyd-PLA micelles over free DOX and DOX-loaded mPEG-PLA micelles. These hydrazone-containing pH-responsive degradable micelles provide a useful strategy for antitumor drug delivery.

  15. Backbone-hydrazone-containing biodegradable copolymeric micelles for anticancer drug delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, Jing; Luan, Shujuan; Qin, Benkai; Wang, Yingying; Wang, Kai; Qi, Peilan; Song, Shiyong

    2016-01-01

    Well-defined biodegradable, pH-sensitive amphiphilic block polymers, poly(ethylene glycol)-Hyd-poly(lactic acid) (mPEG-Hyd-PLA) which have acid-cleavable linkages in their backbones, were synthesized via ring-opening polymerization initiated from hydrazone-containing macroinitiators. Introducing a hydrazone bond onto the backbone of an amphiphilic copolymer will find a broad-spectrum encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy showed that the diblock copolymers self-assembled into stable micelles with average diameters of 100 nm. The mean diameters and size distribution of the hydrazone-containing micelles changed obviously in mildly acidic pH (multiple peaks from 1 to 202 nm appeared under a pH 4.0 condition) than in neutral, while there were no changes in the case of non-sensitive ones. Doxorubicin (DOX) and paclitaxel (PTX) were loaded with drug loading content ranging from 2.4 to 3.5 %, respectively. Interestingly, the anticancer drugs released from mPEG-Hyd-PLA micelles could also be promoted by the increased acidity. An in vitro cytotoxicity study showed that the DOX-loaded mPEG-Hyd-PLA micelles have significantly enhanced cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells compared with the non-sensitive poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(lactic acid) (mPEG-PLA) micelles. Confocal microscopy observation indicated that more DOX were delivered into the nuclei of cells following 6 or 12 h incubation with DOX-loaded mPEG-Hyd-PLA micelles. In vivo studies on H22-bearing Swiss mice demonstrated the superior anticancer activity of DOX-loaded mPEG-Hyd-PLA micelles over free DOX and DOX-loaded mPEG-PLA micelles. These hydrazone-containing pH-responsive degradable micelles provide a useful strategy for antitumor drug delivery.

  16. ORAL COLON TARGETED DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM: A REVIEW ON CURRENT AND NOVEL PERSPECTIVES

    OpenAIRE

    Asija Rajesh; Chaudhari Bharat; Asija Sangeeta

    2012-01-01

    Small intestine is mostly the site for drug absorption but in some cases the drug needs to be targeted to colon due to some factors like local colonic disease, degradation related conditions, delayed release of drugs, systemic delivery of protein and peptide drugs etc. Colon targeted drug delivery is important and relatively new concept for the absorption of drugs because it offers almost neutral pH and long residence time, thereby increasing the drug absorption. Colon has proved to be a site...

  17. Multifunctional materials such as MCM-41÷Fe3O4÷folic acid as drug delivery system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popescu, Simona; Ardelean, Ioana Lavinia; Gudovan, Dragoş; Rădulescu, Marius; Ficai, Denisa; Ficai, Anton; Vasile, Bogdan Ştefan; Andronescu, Ecaterina

    2016-01-01

    In this study, MCM-41 mesoporous silica nanoparticles (NPs) and MCM-41÷Fe3O4 mesoporous silica NPs were prepared by sol-gel method using CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) as template and TEOS (tetraethyl orthosilicate) as silica precursor in order to use these materials as drug delivery system (DDS) for different biologically active agents. The MCM-41 and MCM-41÷Fe3O4 mesoporous silica NPs were characterized using specific physico-chemical methods [transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nitrogen adsorption and desorption studies - BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) method, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy], while the release studies were done by a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-modified method. The pH dependence of the delivery of folic acid from the mesoporous structures was analyzed and found that the release is pH sensitive. The lower delivery at strongly acid pH comparing with neutral/slightly alkaline pH could be beneficial because in stomach the folic acid can be destroyed.

  18. Synthesis and evaluation of functional alginate hydrogels based on click chemistry for drug delivery applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Astrain, Clara; Avérous, Luc

    2018-06-15

    Environment-sensitive alginate-based hydrogels for drug delivery applications are receiving increasing attention. However, most work in this field involves traditional cross-linking strategies which led to hydrogels with poor long-term stability. Herein, a series of chemically cross-linked alginate hydrogels was synthesized via click chemistry using Diels-Alder reaction by reacting furan-modified alginate and bifunctional cross-linkers. Alginate was successfully functionalized with furfurylamine. Then, 3D architectures were synthesized with water-soluble bismaleimides. Different substitution degrees were achieved in order to study the effect of alginate modification and the cross-linking extent over the behaviour of the hydrogels. The ensuing hydrogels were analysed in terms of microstructure, swelling, structure modification and rheological behaviour. The materials response to external stimuli such as pH was also investigated, revealing a pulsatile behaviour in a large pH range (1-13) and a clear pH-dependent swelling. Finally, vanillin release studies were conducted to demonstrate the potential of these biobased materials for drug delivery applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Development of Novel Polymeric Materials for Gene Therapy and pH-Sensitive Drug Delivery: Modeling, Synthesis, Characterization, and Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anderson, Brian Curtis [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

    2002-01-01

    The underlying theme of this thesis is the use of polymeric materials in bioapplications. Chapters 2-5 either develop a fundamental understanding of current materials used for bioapplications or establish protocols and procedures used in characterizing and synthesizing novel materials. In chapters 6 and 7 these principles and procedures are applied to the development of materials to be used for gene therapy and drug delivery. Chapter one is an introduction to the ideas that will be necessary to understand the subsequent chapters, as well as a literature review of these topics. Chapter two is a paper that has been published in the ''Journal of Controlled Release'' that examines the mechanism of drug release from a polymer gel, as well as experimental design suggestions for the evaluation of water soluble drug delivery systems. Chapter three is a paper that has been published in the ''Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences'' that discusses the effect ionic salts have on properties of the polymer systems examined in chapter two. Chapter four is a paper published in the Materials Research Society Fall 2000 Symposium Series dealing with the design and synthesis of a pH-sensitive polymeric drug delivery device. Chapter five is a paper that has been published in the journal ''Biomaterials'' proposing a novel polymer/metal composite for use as a biomaterial in hip arthroplasty surgery. Chapter six is a paper that will appear in an upcoming volume of the Journal ''Biomaterials'' dealing with the synthesis of a novel water soluble cationic polymer with possible applications in non-viral gene therapy. Chapter seven is a paper that has been submitted to ''Macromolecules'' discussing several novel block copolymers based on poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(diethylamino ethyl methacrylate) that possess both pH-sensitive and temperature sensitive properties. Chapter eight contains a

  20. A smart multifunctional nanocomposite for intracellular targeted drug delivery and self-release

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang Chan; Tao Shengyang; Hu Tao; Yang Jingbang; Meng Changgong [School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning (China); Lv Piping; Wei Wei, E-mail: taosy@dlut.edu.cn [National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China)

    2011-10-14

    A multifunctional 'all-in-one' nanocomposite is fabricated using a colloid, template and surface-modification method. This material encompasses magnetic induced target delivery, cell uptake promotion and controlled drug release in one system. The nanocomposite is characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, N{sub 2} adsorption and vibrating sample magnetometry. The prepared material has a diameter of 350-400 nm, a high surface area of 420.29 m{sup 2} g{sup -1}, a pore size of 1.91 nm and a saturation magnetization of 32 emu g{sup -1}. Doxorubicin (DOX) is loaded in mesopores and acid-sensitive blockers are introduced onto the orifices of the mesopores by a Schiff base linker to implement pH-dependent self-release. Folate was also introduced to improve DOX targeted delivery and endocytosis. The linkers remained intact to block pores with ferrocene valves and inhibit the diffusion of DOX at neutral pH. However, in lysosomes of cancer cells, which have a weak acidic pH, hydrolysis of the Schiff base group removes the nanovalves and allows the trapped DOX to be released. These processes are demonstrated by UV-visible absorption spectra, confocal fluorescence microscopy images and methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assays in vitro, which suggest that the smart nanocomposite successfully integrates targeted drug delivery with internal stimulus induced self-release and is a potentially useful material for nanobiomedicine.

  1. Development of polymer-polysaccharide hydrogels for controlling drug delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baldwin, Aaron David

    Michael type addition of thiol derivatives to N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) undergoes retro and exchange reactions in the presence of other thiol compounds at physiological pH and temperature. Model studies of NEM conjugated to various thiols (4-mercaptophenylacetic acid (MPA), N-acetylcysteine, or 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MP)), incubated with a naturally occurring reducing agent, glutathione, showed half-lives from 20-80 hrs with extents of conversion from 20-90% for MPA and N-acetylcysteine conjugates. The kinetics of the retro reactions and extent of exchange can be modulated by the Michael donor's reactivity; therefore the degradation of maleimide-thiol adducts could be tuned for controlled release of drugs or degradation of materials at timescales different than those currently possible via disulfide-mediated release. The reduction sensitive maleimide-thiol chemistry was then investigated as a crosslinking mechanism for LMWH hydrogels. Crosslinking maleimide functionalized LMWH with PEG functionalized with thiophenyl functionalities imparted glutathione sensitivity. 4-mercaptophenylpropionic acid and 2,2-dimethyl-3-(4-mercaptophenyl)propionic acid, induced sensitivity to glutathione as shown by a decrease in degradation time of 4x and 5x respectively. The pseudo-first order retro reaction constants were approximately an order of magnitude slower than hydrogels crosslinked via disulfide linkages, indicating the potential use of the retro succinimide-thioether covalent bonds for reduction mediated release and/or degradation with increased blood stability and prolonged drug delivery timescales compared to disulfide chemistries. In summary, this work highlights the use of polymer-polysaccharide hydrogels composed of LMWH and PEG as investigated for drug delivery and as a tool for elucidating a novel reduction sensitive controlled release mechanism.

  2. A facile degradable linkage for timed drug delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kenawy, E.; Abdel-Hay, F.I.; El-Newehy, M.H.; Ottenbrite, R.M.

    2005-01-01

    New drug delivery systems based on hydroxamic acid polymers were evaluated. The system support was the poly acryloyl chloride which was synthesized via free radical polymerization of acryloyl chloride in 1,4-dioxane, initiated with 2,2-azobisisobutyronitrile. Poly(N-alkyl substituted acrylamide) were synthesized in Poly(acryloyl chloride) was modified in two steps, the first is with N-hydroxysuccinimide to give the imide ester of poly(acryloyl). In the second step, the imide ester of poly(acryloyl) was reacted either with hydroxylamine or with (N-methyl hydroxylamine), respectively. The hydroxamic polymers were reacted with, the model drug, ketoprofen, in the presence of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide at -5 degree C. All products were characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR and 1 HNMR spectra. In vitro drug release study was performed at various ph and temperature to elucidate the influence of temperature and ph on the hydrolysis rate of the amido-ester bond that links the drug to the macromolecule. The amount of drug released from N-methyl hydroxamic acid polymers was higher than from hydroxamic acid polymers. All polymers showed higher drug release at 37 degree C than at room temperature (25 degree C) and at higher ph

  3. Aptamer-Mediated Polymeric Vehicles for Enhanced Cell-Targeted Drug Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Kei X; Danquah, Michael K; Sidhu, Amandeep; Yon, Lau Sie; Ongkudon, Clarence M

    2018-02-08

    The search for smart delivery systems for enhanced pre-clinical and clinical pharmaceutical delivery and cell targeting continues to be a major biomedical research endeavor owing to differences in the physicochemical characteristics and physiological effects of drug molecules, and this affects the delivery mechanisms to elicit maximum therapeutic effects. Targeted drug delivery is a smart evolution essential to address major challenges associated with conventional drug delivery systems. These challenges mostly result in poor pharmacokinetics due to the inability of the active pharmaceutical ingredients to specifically act on malignant cells thus, causing poor therapeutic index and toxicity to surrounding normal cells. Aptamers are oligonucleotides with engineered affinities to bind specifically to their cognate targets. Aptamers have gained significant interests as effective targeting elements for enhanced therapeutic delivery as they can be generated to specifically bind to wide range of targets including proteins, peptides, ions, cells and tissues. Notwithstanding, effective delivery of aptamers as therapeutic vehicles is challenged by cell membrane electrostatic repulsion, endonuclease degradation, low pH cleavage, and binding conformation stability. The application of molecularly engineered biodegradable and biocompatible polymeric particles with tunable features such as surface area and chemistry, particulate size distribution and toxicity creates opportunities to develop smart aptamer-mediated delivery systems for controlled drug release. This article discusses opportunities for particulate aptamer-drug formulations to advance current drug delivery modalities by navigating active ingredients through cellular and biomolecular traffic to target sites for sustained and controlled release at effective therapeutic dosages while minimizing systemic cytotoxic effects. A proposal for a novel drug-polymer-aptamer-polymer (DPAP) design of aptamer-drug formulation with

  4. TRANSDERMAL DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM: REVIEW

    OpenAIRE

    Vishvakarama Prabhakar; Agarwal Shivendra; Sharma Ritika; Saurabh Sharma

    2012-01-01

    Various new technologies have been developed for the transdermal delivery of some important drugs. Today about 74% of drugs are taken orally and are found not to be as effective as desired. To improve such characters transdermal drug delivery system was emerged. Drug delivery through the skin to achieve a systemic effect of a drug is commonly known as transdermal drug delivery and differs from traditional topical drug delivery. Transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) are dosage forms involve...

  5. Oromucosal multilayer films for tailor-made, controlled drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindert, Sandra; Breitkreutz, Jörg

    2017-11-01

    The oral mucosa has recently become increasingly important as an alternative administration route for tailor-made, controlled drug delivery. Oromucosal multilayer films, assigned to the monograph oromucosal preparations in the Ph.Eur. may be a promising dosage form to overcome the requirements related to this drug delivery site. Areas covered: We provide an overview of multilayer films as drug delivery tools, and discuss manufacturing processes and characterization methods. We focus on the suitability of characterization methods for particular requirements of multilayer films. A classification was performed covering indication areas and APIs incorporated in multilayer film systems for oromucosal use in order to provide a summary of data published in this field. Expert opinion: The shift in drug development to high molecular weight drugs will influence the field of pharmaceutical development and delivery technologies. For a high number of indication areas, such as hormonal disorders, cardiovascular diseases or local treatment of infections, the flexible layer design of oromucosal multilayer films provides a promising option for tailor-made, controlled delivery of APIs to or through defined surfaces in the oral cavity. However, there is a lack of discriminating or standardized testing methods to assess the quality of multilayer films in a reliable way.

  6. Construction of a novel pH-sensitive drug release system from mesoporous silica tablets coated with Eudragit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yingpu; Qu, Fengyu; Wang, Yu; Lin, Huiming; Wu, Xiang; Jin, Yingxue

    2011-03-01

    A novel pH-sensitive drug release system has been established by coating Eudragit (Eud) on drug-loaded mesoporous silica (MS) tablets. The release rate of ibuprofen (IBU) from the MS was retarded by coating with Eudragit S-100, and the higher retardation was due to the increase of coating concentration and the coating layers. The target position of the release depended on the pH of the release medium, which was confirmed by the drug release from IBU/MS/Eud increasing rapidly with the change of medium pH from 1.2 to 7.4. This drug delivery system could prohibit irritant drug from leaking in the stomach and make it only release in the intestine. The loaded and unloaded drug samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), N 2 adsorption/desorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

  7. Transdermal drug delivery

    OpenAIRE

    Prausnitz, Mark R.; Langer, Robert

    2008-01-01

    Transdermal drug delivery has made an important contribution to medical practice, but has yet to fully achieve its potential as an alternative to oral delivery and hypodermic injections. First-generation transdermal delivery systems have continued their steady increase in clinical use for delivery of small, lipophilic, low-dose drugs. Second-generation delivery systems using chemical enhancers, non-cavitational ultrasound and iontophoresis have also resulted in clinical products; the ability ...

  8. Atopic Dermatitis: Drug Delivery Approaches in Disease Management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lalan, Manisha; Baweja, Jitendra; Misra, Ambikanandan

    2015-01-01

    In this review, we describe the very basic of atopic dermatitis (AD), the established management strategies, and the advances in drug delivery approaches for successful therapeutic outcomes. The multifactorial pathophysiology of AD has given rise to the clinician's paradigm of topical and systemic therapy and potential combinations. However, incomplete remission of skin disorders like AD is a major challenge to be overcome. Recurrence is thought to be due to genetic and immunological etiologies and shortcomings in drug delivery. This difficulty has sparked research in nanocarrier-based delivery approaches as well as molecular biology-inspired stratagems to deal with the immunological imbalance and to address insufficiencies of delivery propositions. In this review, we assess various novel drug delivery strategies in terms of their success and utility. We present a brief compilation and assessment of management modalities to sensitize the readers to therapeutic scenario in AD.

  9. Plasmon resonant liposomes for controlled drug delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knights-Mitchell, Shellie S.; Romanowski, Marek

    2015-03-01

    Nanotechnology use in drug delivery promotes a reduction in systemic toxicity, improved pharmacokinetics, and better drug bioavailability. Liposomes continue to be extensively researched as drug delivery systems (DDS) with formulations such as Doxil® and Ambisome® approved by FDA and successfully marketed in the United States. However, the limited ability to precisely control release of active ingredients from these vesicles continues to challenge the broad implementation of this technology. Moreover, the full potential of the carrier to sequester drugs until it can reach its intended target has yet to be realized. Here, we describe a liposomal DDS that releases therapeutic doses of an anticancer drug in response to external stimulus. Earlier, we introduced degradable plasmon resonant liposomes. These constructs, obtained by reducing gold on the liposome surface, facilitate spatial and temporal release of drugs upon laser light illumination that ultimately induces an increase in temperature. In this work, plasmon resonant liposomes have been developed to stably encapsulate and retain doxorubicin at physiological conditions represented by isotonic saline at 37o C and pH 7.4. Subsequently, they are stimulated to release contents either by a 5o C increase in temperature or by laser illumination (760 nm and 88 mW/cm2 power density). Successful development of degradable plasmon resonant liposomes responsive to near-infrared light or moderate hyperthermia can provide a new delivery method for multiple lipophilic and hydrophilic drugs with pharmacokinetic profiles that limit clinical utility.

  10. Electrospun gelatin/sodium bicarbonate and poly(lactide-co-ε-caprolactone)/sodium bicarbonate nanofibers as drug delivery systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sang, Qingqing; Williams, Gareth R; Wu, Huanling; Liu, Kailin; Li, Heyu; Zhu, Li-Min

    2017-12-01

    In this work, we report electrospun nanofibers made of model hydrophobic (poly(lactide-co-ε-caprolactone); PLCL) and hydrophilic (gelatin) polymers. We explored the effect on drug release of the incorporation of sodium bicarbonate (SB) into these fibers, using the potent antibacterial agent ciprofloxacin as a model drug. The fibers prepared are smooth and have relatively uniform diameters lying between ca. 600 and 850nm. The presence of ciprofloxacin in the fibers was confirmed using IR spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction showed the drug to be incorporated into the fibers in the amorphous form. In vitro drug release studies revealed that, as expected, more rapid drug release was seen with gelatin fibers than those made of PLCL, and a greater final release percentage was obtained. The inclusion of SB in the gelatin fibers imparts them with pH sensitivity: gelatin/SB fibers showed faster release at pH5 than pH7.4, while fibers without SB gave the same release profiles at both pHs. The PLCL fibers have no pH sensitivity, even when SB was included, as a result of their hydrophobic structure precluding the ingress of solvent. In vitro cell culture studies showed that all the fibers are able to promote cell proliferation. The ciprofloxacin loaded fibers are effective in inhibiting Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus growth in antibacterial tests. Thus, the gelatin-based fibers can be used as pH-responsive drug delivery systems, with potential applications for instance in the treatment of tumor resection sites. Should these become infected, the pH would drop, resulting in ciprofloxacin being released and the infection halted. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Thermo-sensitive liposomes loaded with doxorubicin and lysine modified single-walled carbon nanotubes as tumor-targeting drug delivery system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Xiali; Xie, Yingxia; Zhang, Yingjie; Huang, Heqing; Huang, Shengnan; Hou, Lin; Zhang, Huijuan; Li, Zhi; Shi, Jinjin; Zhang, Zhenzhong

    2014-11-01

    This report focuses on the thermo-sensitive liposomes loaded with doxorubicin and lysine-modified single-walled carbon nanotube drug delivery system, which was designed to enhance the anti-tumor effect and reduce the side effects of doxorubicin. Doxorubicin-lysine/single-walled carbon nanotube-thermo-sensitive liposomes was prepared by reverse-phase evaporation method, the mean particle size was 232.0 ± 5.6 nm, and drug entrapment efficiency was 86.5 ± 3.7%. The drug release test showed that doxorubicin released more quickly at 42℃ than at 37℃. Compared with free doxorubicin, doxorubicin-lysine/single-walled carbon nanotube-thermo-sensitive liposomes could efficiently cross the cell membranes and afford higher anti-tumor efficacy on the human hepatic carcinoma cell line (SMMC-7721) cells in vitro. For in vivo experiments, the relative tumor volumes of the sarcomaia 180-bearing mice in thermo-sensitive liposomes group and doxorubicin group were significantly smaller than those of N.S. group. Meanwhile, the combination of near-infrared laser irradiation at 808 nm significantly enhanced the tumor growth inhibition both on SMMC-7721 cells and the sarcomaia 180-bearing mice. The quality of life such as body weight, mental state, food and water intake of sarcomaia 180 tumor-bearing mice treated with doxorubicin-lysine/single-walled carbon nanotube-thermo-sensitive liposomes were much higher than those treated with doxorubicin. In conclusion, doxorubicin-lysine/single-walled carbon nanotube-thermo-sensitive liposomes combined with near-infrared laser irradiation at 808 nm may potentially provide viable clinical strategies for targeting delivery of anti-cancer drugs. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  12. Dendrimer-magnetic nanoparticles as multiple stimuli responsive and enzymatic drug delivery vehicle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chandra, Sudeshna; Noronha, Glen; Dietrich, Sascha; Lang, Heinrich; Bahadur, Dhirendra

    2015-01-01

    Two different chain lengths of (poly)ethylene glycol-PAMAM dendrimers namely, L6-PEG-PAMAM and S6-PEG-PAMAM with six end-grafted ethylene glycol ether-tentacles of type CH 2 CH 2 C(O)O(CH 2 CH 2 O) 9 CH 3 and CH 2 CH 2 C(O)O(CH 2 CH 2 O) 2 C 2 H 5 , respectively, were synthesized. These dendrimers have multiple σ-donor capabilities and therefore, were used for stabilizing the magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoparticles. Both the dendrimer-magnetic nanoparticles (L6-PEG-PAMAM-MNPs and S6-PEG-PAMAM-MNPs) were characterized by different spectroscopic and microstructural techniques. The nanoparticles were mesoporous and superparamagnetic and therefore, explored for their possible use in delivery of cancer drug, doxorubicin (DOX). In the developed drug delivery system, achieving high drug-loading efficiency with controllable release were the main challenges. The change in zeta potential and quenching of fluorescence intensity suggests chemical interaction between DOX and the nanoparticles. The loading efficiency was calculated to be over 95% with a sustained pH and temperature sensitive release. Further, enzyme cathepsin B has also been used to degrade the dendritic shell to trigger sustained drug release in the vicinity of tumor cells

  13. Dual and multi-stimuli responsive polymeric nanoparticles for programmed site-specific drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Ru; Meng, Fenghua; Deng, Chao; Klok, Harm-Anton; Zhong, Zhiyuan

    2013-05-01

    In the past decades, polymeric nanoparticles have emerged as a most promising and viable technology platform for targeted and controlled drug delivery. As vehicles, ideal nanoparticles are obliged to possess high drug loading levels, deliver drug to the specific pathological site and/or target cells without drug leakage on the way, while rapidly unload drug at the site of action. To this end, various "intelligent" polymeric nanoparticles that release drugs in response to an internal or external stimulus such as pH, redox, temperature, magnetic and light have been actively pursued. These stimuli-responsive nanoparticles have demonstrated, though to varying degrees, improved in vitro and/or in vivo drug release profiles. In an effort to further improve drug release performances, novel dual and multi-stimuli responsive polymeric nanoparticles that respond to a combination of two or more signals such as pH/temperature, pH/redox, pH/magnetic field, temperature/reduction, double pH, pH and diols, temperature/magnetic field, temperature/enzyme, temperature/pH/redox, temperature/pH/magnetic, pH/redox/magnetic, temperature/redox/guest molecules, and temperature/pH/guest molecules have recently been developed. Notably, these combined responses take place either simultaneously at the pathological site or in a sequential manner from nanoparticle preparation, nanoparticle transporting pathways, to cellular compartments. These dual and multi-stimuli responsive polymeric nanoparticles have shown unprecedented control over drug delivery and release leading to superior in vitro and/or in vivo anti-cancer efficacy. With programmed site-specific drug delivery feature, dual and multi-stimuli responsive nanoparticulate drug formulations have tremendous potential for targeted cancer therapy. In this review paper, we highlight the recent exciting developments in dual and multi-stimuli responsive polymeric nanoparticles for precision drug delivery applications, with a particular focus

  14. Emerging Frontiers in Drug Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tibbitt, Mark W; Dahlman, James E; Langer, Robert

    2016-01-27

    Medicine relies on the use of pharmacologically active agents (drugs) to manage and treat disease. However, drugs are not inherently effective; the benefit of a drug is directly related to the manner by which it is administered or delivered. Drug delivery can affect drug pharmacokinetics, absorption, distribution, metabolism, duration of therapeutic effect, excretion, and toxicity. As new therapeutics (e.g., biologics) are being developed, there is an accompanying need for improved chemistries and materials to deliver them to the target site in the body, at a therapeutic concentration, and for the required period of time. In this Perspective, we provide an historical overview of drug delivery and controlled release followed by highlights of four emerging areas in the field of drug delivery: systemic RNA delivery, drug delivery for localized therapy, oral drug delivery systems, and biologic drug delivery systems. In each case, we present the barriers to effective drug delivery as well as chemical and materials advances that are enabling the field to overcome these hurdles for clinical impact.

  15. Biological studies of matrix metalloproteinase sensitive drug delivery systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johansen, Pia Thermann

    due to severe side effects as a result of drug distribution to healthy tissues. To enhance ecacy of treatment and improve life quality of patients, tumor specific drug delivery strategies, such as liposome encapsulated drugs, which accumulate in tumor tissue, has gained increased attention. Several....... The system exploits the increased MMP-2 activity present in tumor tissue as a site-specific trigger of liposomal activation and controlled drug release after accumulation due to the enhanced permeability and retention effect. Enzymatic activity of MMP-2 results in shedding of a novel PEG coating, consisting...... of a negatively charged lipopeptide-PEG conjugates containing a MMP-2 cleavable peptide, which leads to cationic liposomes with enhanced ability to interact with negatively charged cell membranes. Activation of the liposomal formulation developed here resulted in enhanced association of liposomes with cancer...

  16. Disease-responsive drug delivery: the next generation of smart delivery devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wanakule, Prinda; Roy, Krishnendu

    2012-01-01

    With the advent of highly potent and cytotoxic drugs, it is increasingly critical that they be targeted and released only in cells of diseased tissues, while sparing physiologically normal neighbors. Simple ligand-based targeting of drug carriers, although promising, cannot always provide the required specificity to achieve this since often normal cells also express significant levels of the targeted receptors. Therefore, stimuli-responsive delivery systems are being explored to allow drug release from nano- and microcarriers and implantable devices, primarily in the presence of physiological or disease-specific pathophysiological signals. Designing smart biomaterials that respond to temperature or pH changes, protein and ligand binding, disease-specific degradation, e.g. enzymatic cleavage, has become an integral part of this approach. These strategies are used in combination with nano- and microparticle systems to improve delivery efficiency through several routes of administration, and with injectable or implantable systems for long term controlled release. This review focuses on recent developments in stimuli-responsive systems, their physicochemical properties, release profiles, efficacy, safety and biocompatibility, as well as future perspectives.

  17. Enhancing cisplatin delivery to hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells using dual sensitive smart nanocomposite.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salimi, Farzaneh; Dilmaghani, Karim Akbari; Alizadeh, Effat; Akbarzadeh, Abolfazl; Davaran, Soodabeh

    2017-07-07

    Targeted entrance and accumulation of higher doses of drugs into malignant cells could help in intensification of tumor specific cytotoxicity. A dual-responsive nanogel, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-poly(N,N-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) [P(NIPAM-co-DMA)] containing N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) as thermoresponsive monomer and N,N-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMA) as pH-responsive monomer and methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBA) as cross-linking agent, was synthesized by free radical emulsion polymerization. Cisplatin along with magnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles (MNPs) was loaded into the nanogel by physically embedding the magnetic nanoparticles into hydrogel matrix after gelation to obtain drug-loaded magnetic nanocomposite [P(NIPAM-co-DMA)/Fe 3 O 4 ]. Drug loading efficiencies and drug release profiles of cisplatin-loaded P(NIPAM-co-DMA) nanogel and P(NIPAM-co-DMA)/Fe 3 O 4 nanocomposite were evaluated in vitro for controlled drug delivery in different temperature and pH conditions. Finally, the anticancer activity of P(NIPAM-co-DMA)/Fe 3 O 4 nanocomposite on human liver HepG2 cells was evaluated. Nanogel and nanocomposite showed significantly higher (p < .05) cisplatin release at 40 °C compared to 37 °C and at pH 5.7 compared to pH 7.4, demonstrating their temperature and pH sensitivity, respectively. The cytotoxicity assay of drug free nanogel on HepG2 cell line indicated that the nanogel is biocompatible and suitable as drug carrier. Moreover, MTT assay revealed that the cisplatin-loaded nanocomposite represented significant superior cytotoxicity (p < .05) to HepG2 cells as compared with free cisplatin.

  18. Peptide and protein delivery using new drug delivery systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, Ashish; Jain, Aviral; Gulbake, Arvind; Shilpi, Satish; Hurkat, Pooja; Jain, Sanjay K

    2013-01-01

    Pharmaceutical and biotechnological research sorts protein drug delivery systems by importance based on their various therapeutic applications. The effective and potent action of the proteins/peptides makes them the drugs of choice for the treatment of numerous diseases. Major research issues in protein delivery include the stabilization of proteins in delivery devices and the design of appropriate target-specific protein carriers. Many efforts have been made for effective delivery of proteins/peptidal drugs through various routes of administrations for successful therapeutic effects. Nanoparticles made of biodegradable polymers such as poly lactic acid, polycaprolactone, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), the poly(fumaric-co-sebacic) anhydride chitosan, and modified chitosan, as well as solid lipids, have shown great potential in the delivery of proteins/peptidal drugs. Moreover, scientists also have used liposomes, PEGylated liposomes, niosomes, and aquasomes, among others, for peptidal drug delivery. They also have developed hydrogels and transdermal drug delivery systems for peptidal drug delivery. A receptor-mediated delivery system is another attractive strategy to overcome the limitation in drug absorption that enables the transcytosis of the protein across the epithelial barrier. Modification such as PEGnology is applied to various proteins and peptides of the desired protein and peptides also increases the circulating life, solubility and stability, pharmacokinetic properties, and antigenicity of protein. This review focuses on various approaches for effective protein/peptidal drug delivery, with special emphasis on insulin delivery.

  19. MRI in ocular drug delivery

    OpenAIRE

    Li, S. Kevin; Lizak, Martin J.; Jeong, Eun-Kee

    2008-01-01

    Conventional pharmacokinetic methods for studying ocular drug delivery are invasive and cannot be conveniently applied to humans. The advancement of MRI technology has provided new opportunities in ocular drug-delivery research. MRI provides a means to non-invasively and continuously monitor ocular drug-delivery systems with a contrast agent or compound labeled with a contrast agent. It is a useful technique in pharmacokinetic studies, evaluation of drug-delivery methods, and drug-delivery de...

  20. Design and Evaluation of Chitosan-Based Novel pH- Sensitive Drug ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Method: pH sensitive interpenetrating network (IPN) cefixime microspheres based on chitosan, its grafted copolymer, and hydrolyzed grafted copolymer were prepared by precipitation and .... hydrochloric acid, glutaradehyde, acetic acid and.

  1. [The construction of cell-penetrating peptide R8 and pH sensitive cleavable polyethylene glycols co-modified liposomes].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Li; Wang, Yang; Gao, Hui-le; He, Qin

    2015-06-01

    The purpose of the study is to construct R8 peptide (RRRRRRRR) and pH sensitive polyethylene glycols (PEG) co-modified liposomes (Cl-Lip) and utilize them in breast cancer treatment. The co-modified liposomes were prepared with soybean phospholipid, cholesterol, DSPE-PEG2K-R8 and PEG5K-Hz-PE (pH sensitive PEG). The size and zeta potential of Cl-Lip were also characterized. The in vitro experiment demonstrated that the Cl-Lip had high serum stability in 50% fetal bovine serum. The cellular uptake of Cl-Lip under different pre-incubated conditions was evaluated on 4T1 cells. And the endocytosis pathway, lysosome escape ability and tumor spheroid penetration ability were also evaluated. The results showed the particle size of the Cl-Lip was (110.4 ± 5.2) nm, PDI of the Cl-Lip was 0.207 ± 0.039 and zeta potential of the Cl-Lip was (-3.46 ± 0.05) mV. The cellular uptake of Cl-Lip on 4T1 cells was pH sensitive, as the cellular uptake of Cl-Lip pre-incubated in pH 6.0 was higher than that of pH 7.4 under each time point. The main endocytosis pathways of Cl-Lip under pH 6.0 were micropinocytosis and energy-dependent pathway. At the same time, the Cl-Lip with pre-incubation in pH 6.0 had high lysosome escape ability and high tumor spheroid penetration ability. All the above results demonstrated that the Cl-Lip we constructed had high pH sensitivity and is a promising drug delivery system.

  2. Mesoporous Fe3O4/hydroxyapatite composite for targeted drug delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gu, Lina; He, Xiaomei; Wu, Zhenyu

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Mesoporous Fe 3 O 4 /hydroxyapatite composite was synthesized by a simple, efficient and environmental friendly method. • The prepared material had a large surface area, high pore volume, and good magnetic separability. • DOX-loaded Fe 3 O 4 /hydroxyapatite composite exhibited surprising slow drug release behavior and pH-dependent behavior. - Abstract: In this contribution, we introduced a simple, efficient, and green method of preparing a mesoporous Fe 3 O 4 /hydroxyapatite (HA) composite. The as-prepared material had a large surface area, high pore volume, and good magnetic separability, which made it suitable for targeted drug delivery systems. The chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (DOX) was used to investigate the drug release behavior of Fe 3 O 4 /HA composite. The drug release profiles displayed a little burst effect and pH-dependent behavior. The release rate of DOX at pH 5.8 was larger than that at pH 7.4, which could be attributed to DOX protonation in acid medium. In addition, the released DOX concentrations remained at 0.83 and 1.39 μg/ml at pH 7.4 and 5.8, respectively, which indicated slow, steady, and safe release rates. Therefore, the as-prepared Fe 3 O 4 /hydroxyapatite composite could be an efficient platform for targeted anticancer drug delivery

  3. Study on Chitosan-Polyvinyl Alcohol Inter polymeric ph-Responsive Hydrogels for Controlled Drug Delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdel-Bary, E.M.; El-Sherbiny, I.M.; Abdelaal, M.Y.; Abdel-Razik, E.A.

    2005-01-01

    Two series of ph-responsive biodegradable interpenetrating polymeric (IPN) hydrogels composed of chitosan and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were prepared for controlled drug release investigations. The first series was chemically crosslinked with different concentrations of glutaraldehyde as a crosslinked and the second series was crosslinked by gamma-radiation. Degree of crosslinking has been controlled by the concentration of crosslinked as well as by gamma irradiation dose. The equilibrium swelling -reflecting the degree of crosslinks - were carried out for the gels at 37 degree C in buffer solutions of ph 2.1 and 7.4 (simulated gastric and intestinal fluids respectively). 5-fluorouracil (5- FU) was entrapped, as a model therapeutic agent, in the hydrogels and equilibrium-swelling studies were carried out for the drug-entrapped gels at 37 degree C. The in-vitro release profiles of the drug were established at 37 degree C in ph 2.1 and 7.4. FT-IR was employed to investigate the structural changes of the gels with different degrees of crosslinking

  4. Stereocomplex-Reinforced PEGylated Polylactide Micelle for Optimized Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chunsheng Feng

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The instability of PEGylated polylactide micelles is a challenge for drug delivery. Stereocomplex interaction between racemic polylactide chains with different configurations provides an effective strategy to enhance the stability of micelles as the nanocarriers of drugs. In this work, a stereocomplex micelle (SCM self-assembled from the amphiphilic triblock copolymers comprising poly(ethylene glycol (PEG, and dextrorotatory and levorotatory polylactides (PDLA and PLLA was applied for efficient drug delivery. The spherical SCM showed the smallest scale and the lowest critical micelle concentration (CMC than the micelles with single components attributed to the stereocomplex interaction between PDLA and PLLA. 10-Hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT as a model antitumor drug was loaded into micelles. Compared with the loading micelles from individual PDLA and PLLA, the HCPT-loaded SCM exhibited the highest drug loading efficiency (DLE and the slowest drug release in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS at pH 7.4, indicating its enhanced stability in circulation. More fascinatingly, the laden SCM was demonstrated to have the highest cellular uptake of HCPT and suppress malignant cells most effectively in comparison to the HCPT-loaded micelles from single copolymer. In summary, the stereocomplex-enhanced PLA–PEG–PLA micelle may be promising for optimized drug delivery in the clinic.

  5. Effect of temperature and ph on the drug release rate from a polymer conjugate system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kenawy, E.; Abdel-Hay, F.I.; El-Newehy, M.H.; Ottenbrite, R.M.

    2005-01-01

    Hydroximide and A-methylhydroxamic acid of poly(ethylene-altmaleic anhydride) (average MW 100-500 k) were used as a carrier for a new drug delivery system. The synthesis of the hydroximide and N methylhydroxamic acid of poly(ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride) were carried out by chemical modification of poly(ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride) with hydroxylamine and N-methyl hydroxylamine, respectively, in N,N- dimethylformamide at room temperature to yield water soluble copolymer. Ketoprofen was reacted with hydroximide and N-methylhydroxamic acid derivatives of poly(ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride) using dicyclohexylcarbodiimide as condensation agent at -5 degree C to yield water insoluble ketoprofen conjugates. All products were characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR and 1HNMR spectra. The in-vitro ketoprofen release was carried out by UV spectrophotometer at max =260 nm. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of hydroximide and N-methylhydroxamic acid of polyethylene-alt-maleic anhydride) as a drug delivery system. The release rates were studied at various ph and temperatures. The copolymer-drug adducts released the drug very slowly at the low ph found in the stomach thus protecting the drug from the action of high concentrations of digestive acids. These results showed the usefulness of hydroxamic acid polymer-drug conjugates as a new drug delivery system for drugs to be targeted to sites in the GI system

  6. Template-directed hydrothermal synthesis of hydroxyapatite as a drug delivery system for the poorly water-soluble drug carvedilol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Qinfu; Wang, Tianyi; Wang, Jing; Zheng, Li; Jiang, Tongying; Cheng, Gang; Wang, Siling

    2011-09-01

    In order to improve the dissolution rate and increase the bioavailability of a poorly water-soluble drug, intended to be administered orally, the biocompatible and bioactive mesoporous hydroxyapatite (HA) was successfully synthesized. In the present study, mesoporous HA nanoparticles were produced using Pluronic block co-polymer F127 and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as templates by the hydrothermal method. The obtained mesoporous HA was employed as a drug delivery carrier to investigate the drug storage/release properties using carvedilol (CAR) as a model drug. Characterizations of the raw CAR powder, mesoporous HA and CAR-loaded HA were carried out by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, N2 adsorption/desorption, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and UV-VIS spectrophotometry. The results demonstrated that CAR was successfully incorporated into the mesoporous HA host. In vitro drug release studies showed that mesoporous HA had a high drug load efficiency and provided immediate release of CAR compared with micronized raw drug in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2) and intestinal fluid (pH 6.8). Consequently, mesoporous HA is a good candidate as a drug carrier for the oral delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs.

  7. Template-directed hydrothermal synthesis of hydroxyapatite as a drug delivery system for the poorly water-soluble drug carvedilol

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhao Qinfu [Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No.103, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016 (China); Wang Tianyi [Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No.103, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016 (China); Wang Jing [Department of Physical Chemistry, School of Basic Science, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No.103, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016 (China); Zheng Li; Jiang, Tongying; Cheng Gang [Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No.103, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016 (China); Wang Siling, E-mail: silingwang@syphu.edu.cn [Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, No.103, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016 (China)

    2011-09-15

    In order to improve the dissolution rate and increase the bioavailability of a poorly water-soluble drug, intended to be administered orally, the biocompatible and bioactive mesoporous hydroxyapatite (HA) was successfully synthesized. In the present study, mesoporous HA nanoparticles were produced using Pluronic block co-polymer F127 and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as templates by the hydrothermal method. The obtained mesoporous HA was employed as a drug delivery carrier to investigate the drug storage/release properties using carvedilol (CAR) as a model drug. Characterizations of the raw CAR powder, mesoporous HA and CAR-loaded HA were carried out by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, N{sub 2} adsorption/desorption, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and UV-VIS spectrophotometry. The results demonstrated that CAR was successfully incorporated into the mesoporous HA host. In vitro drug release studies showed that mesoporous HA had a high drug load efficiency and provided immediate release of CAR compared with micronized raw drug in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2) and intestinal fluid (pH 6.8). Consequently, mesoporous HA is a good candidate as a drug carrier for the oral delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs.

  8. Template-directed hydrothermal synthesis of hydroxyapatite as a drug delivery system for the poorly water-soluble drug carvedilol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao Qinfu; Wang Tianyi; Wang Jing; Zheng Li; Jiang, Tongying; Cheng Gang; Wang Siling

    2011-01-01

    In order to improve the dissolution rate and increase the bioavailability of a poorly water-soluble drug, intended to be administered orally, the biocompatible and bioactive mesoporous hydroxyapatite (HA) was successfully synthesized. In the present study, mesoporous HA nanoparticles were produced using Pluronic block co-polymer F127 and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as templates by the hydrothermal method. The obtained mesoporous HA was employed as a drug delivery carrier to investigate the drug storage/release properties using carvedilol (CAR) as a model drug. Characterizations of the raw CAR powder, mesoporous HA and CAR-loaded HA were carried out by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, N 2 adsorption/desorption, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and UV-VIS spectrophotometry. The results demonstrated that CAR was successfully incorporated into the mesoporous HA host. In vitro drug release studies showed that mesoporous HA had a high drug load efficiency and provided immediate release of CAR compared with micronized raw drug in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2) and intestinal fluid (pH 6.8). Consequently, mesoporous HA is a good candidate as a drug carrier for the oral delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs.

  9. Dendrimer-magnetic nanoparticles as multiple stimuli responsive and enzymatic drug delivery vehicle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chandra, Sudeshna; Noronha, Glen [Metallurgical and Materials Science Department, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076 (India); Dietrich, Sascha; Lang, Heinrich [Technische Universität Chemnitz, Institute of Chemistry, Straße der Nationen 62, d-09111 Chemnitz (Germany); Bahadur, Dhirendra, E-mail: dhirenb@iitb.ac.in [Metallurgical and Materials Science Department, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076 (India)

    2015-04-15

    Two different chain lengths of (poly)ethylene glycol-PAMAM dendrimers namely, L6-PEG-PAMAM and S6-PEG-PAMAM with six end-grafted ethylene glycol ether-tentacles of type CH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}C(O)O(CH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}O){sub 9}CH{sub 3} and CH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}C(O)O(CH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}O){sub 2}C{sub 2}H{sub 5}, respectively, were synthesized. These dendrimers have multiple σ-donor capabilities and therefore, were used for stabilizing the magnetite (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}) nanoparticles. Both the dendrimer-magnetic nanoparticles (L6-PEG-PAMAM-MNPs and S6-PEG-PAMAM-MNPs) were characterized by different spectroscopic and microstructural techniques. The nanoparticles were mesoporous and superparamagnetic and therefore, explored for their possible use in delivery of cancer drug, doxorubicin (DOX). In the developed drug delivery system, achieving high drug-loading efficiency with controllable release were the main challenges. The change in zeta potential and quenching of fluorescence intensity suggests chemical interaction between DOX and the nanoparticles. The loading efficiency was calculated to be over 95% with a sustained pH and temperature sensitive release. Further, enzyme cathepsin B has also been used to degrade the dendritic shell to trigger sustained drug release in the vicinity of tumor cells.

  10. Characterization of particulate drug delivery systems for oral delivery of Peptide and protein drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christophersen, Philip Carsten; Fano, Mathias; Saaby, Lasse; Yang, Mingshi; Nielsen, Hanne Mørck; Mu, Huiling

    2015-01-01

    Oral drug delivery is a preferred route because of good patient compliance. However, most peptide/ protein drugs are delivered via parenteral routes because of the absorption barriers in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract such as enzymatic degradation by proteases and low permeability acrossthe biological membranes. To overcome these barriers, different formulation strategies for oral delivery of biomacromolecules have been proposed, including lipid based formulations and polymer-based particulate drug delivery systems (DDS). The aim of this review is to summarize the existing knowledge about oral delivery of peptide/protein drugs and to provide an overview of formulationand characterization strategies. For a better understanding of the challenges in oral delivery of peptide/protein drugs, the composition of GI fluids and the digestion processes of different kinds of excipients in the GI tract are summarized. Additionally, the paper provides an overview of recent studies on characterization of solid drug carriers for peptide/protein drugs, drug distribution in particles, drug release and stability in simulated GI fluids, as well as the absorption of peptide/protein drugs in cell-based models. The use of biorelevant media when applicable can increase the knowledge about the quality of DDS for oral protein delivery. Hopefully, the knowledge provided in this review will aid the establishment of improved biorelevant models capable of forecasting the performance of particulate DDS for oral peptide/protein delivery.

  11. Drug delivery and formulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breitkreutz, Jörg; Boos, Joachim

    2011-01-01

    Paediatric drug delivery is a major challenge in drug development. Because of the heterogeneous nature of the patient group, ranging from newborns to adolescents, there is a need to use appropriate excipients, drug dosage forms and delivery devices for different age groups. So far, there is a lack of suitable and safe drug formulations for children, especially for the very young and seriously ill patients. The new EU legislation will enforce paediatric clinical trials and drug development. Current advances in paediatric drug delivery include interesting new concepts such as fast-dissolving drug formulations, including orodispersible tablets and oral thin strips (buccal wafers), and multiparticulate dosage forms based on mini-tabletting or pelletization technologies. Parenteral administration is likely to remain the first choice for children in the neonatal period and for emergency cases. Alternative routes of administration include transdermal, pulmonary and nasal drug delivery systems. A few products are already available on the market, but others still need further investigations and clinical proof of concept.

  12. Transdermal drug delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prausnitz, Mark R.; Langer, Robert

    2009-01-01

    Transdermal drug delivery has made an important contribution to medical practice, but has yet to fully achieve its potential as an alternative to oral delivery and hypodermic injections. First-generation transdermal delivery systems have continued their steady increase in clinical use for delivery of small, lipophilic, low-dose drugs. Second-generation delivery systems using chemical enhancers, non-cavitational ultrasound and iontophoresis have also resulted in clinical products; the ability of iontophoresis to control delivery rates in real time provides added functionality. Third-generation delivery systems target their effects to skin’s barrier layer of stratum corneum using microneedles, thermal ablation, microdermabrasion, electroporation and cavitational ultrasound. Microneedles and thermal ablation are currently progressing through clinical trials for delivery of macromolecules and vaccines, such as insulin, parathyroid hormone and influenza vaccine. Using these novel second- and third-generation enhancement strategies, transdermal delivery is poised to significantly increase impact on medicine. PMID:18997767

  13. Self-Assembly Assisted Fabrication of Dextran-Based Nanohydrogels with Reduction-Cleavable Junctions for Applications as Efficient Drug Delivery Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hao; Dai, Tingting; Zhou, Shuyan; Huang, Xiaoxiao; Li, Songying; Sun, Kang; Zhou, Guangdong; Dou, Hongjing

    2017-01-01

    In order to overcome the key challenge in improving both fabrication efficiency and their drug delivery capability of anti-cancer drug delivery systems (ACDDS), here polyacrylic acid (PAA) grafted dextran (Dex) nanohydrogels (NGs) with covalent crosslinked structure bearing redox sensitive disulfide crosslinking junctions (Dex-SS-PAA) were synthesized efficiently through a one-step self-assembly assisted methodology (SAA). The Dex-SS-PAA were subsequently conjugated with doxorubicin through an acid-labile hydrazone bond (Dex-SS-PAA-DOX). The in vitro drug release behavior, anti-cancer effects in vivo, and biosafety of the as-prepared acid- and redox-dual responsive biodegradable NGs were systematically investigated. The results revealed that the Dex-SS-PAA-DOX exhibited pH- and redox-controlled drug release, greatly reduced the toxicity of free DOX, while exhibiting a strong ability to inhibit the growth of MDA-MB-231 tumors. Our study demonstrated that the Dex-SS-PAA-DOX NGs are very promising candidates as ACDDS for anti-cancer therapeutics.

  14. Physicochemical properties of pH-sensitive hydrogels based on hydroxyethyl cellulose-hyaluronic acid and for applications as transdermal delivery systems for skin lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwon, Soon Sik; Kong, Bong Ju; Park, Soo Nam

    2015-05-01

    We investigated the physicochemical properties of pH-sensitive hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC)/hyaluronic acid (HA) complex hydrogels containing isoliquiritigenin (ILTG), and discussed potential applications as transdermal delivery systems for the treatment of skin lesions caused by pH imbalance. HA has skin compatibility and pH functional groups and HEC serves as scaffold to build hydrogels with varied HCE:HA mass ratio. Hydrogels were synthesized via chemical cross-linking, and three-dimensional network structures were characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The swelling properties and polymer ratios of the hydrogels were investigated at pH values in the range 1-13. HECHA13 (i.e., an HEC:HA mass ratio of 1:3) was found to have optimal rheological and adhesive properties, and was used to investigate the drug release efficiency as a function of pH; the efficiency was greater than 70% at pH 7. Antimicrobial activity assays against Propionibacterium acnes were conducted to take advantage of the pH-sensitive properties of HECHA13. At pH 7, we found that HECHA13, which contained ILTG, inhibited the growth of P. acnes. Furthermore, HECHA13 was found to exhibit excellent permeability into the skin, which penetrated mostly via the hair follicle. These results indicate that this pH-sensitive hydrogel is effective as a transdermal delivery system for antimicrobial therapeutics, with potential applications in the treatment of acne. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. A novel oral delivery system consisting in "drug-in cyclodextrin-in nanostructured lipid carriers" for poorly water-soluble drug: vinpocetine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Congcong; Chen, Fen; Ye, Tiantian; Zhang, Lina; Zhang, Wenji; Liu, Dandan; Xiong, Wei; Yang, Xinggang; Pan, Weisan

    2014-04-25

    The purpose of this study was to develop a new delivery system based on drug cyclodextrin (CD) complexation and loading into nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) to improve the oral bioavailability of vinpocetine (VP). Three different CDs and three different methods to obtain solid vinpocetine-cyclodextrin-tartaric acid complexes (VP-CD-TA) were contrasted. The co-evaporation vinpocetine-β-cyclodextrin-tartaric acid loaded NLC (VP-β-CD-TA COE-loaded NLC) was obtained by emulsification ultrasonic dispersion method. VP-β-CD-TA COE-loaded NLC was suitably characterized for particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency and the morphology. The crystallization of drug in VP-CD-TA and NLC was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The in vitro release study was carried out at pH 1.2, pH 6.8 and pH 7.4 medium. New Zealand rabbits were applied to investigate the pharmacokinetic behavior in vivo. The VP-β-CD-TA COE-loaded NLC presented a superior physicochemical property and selected to further study. In the in vitro release study, VP-β-CD-TA COE-loaded NLC exhibited a higher dissolution rate in the pH 6.8 and pH 7.4 medium than VP suspension and VP-NLC. The relative bioavailability of VP-β-CD-TA COE-loaded NLC was 592% compared with VP suspension and 92% higher than VP-NLC. In conclusion, the new formulation significantly improved bioavailability of VP for oral delivery, demonstrated a perspective way for oral delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Nanoparticle-stabilized liposomes for pH-responsive gastric drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thamphiwatana, Soracha; Fu, Victoria; Zhu, Jingying; Lu, Diannan; Gao, Weiwei; Zhang, Liangfang

    2013-10-01

    We report a novel pH-responsive gold nanoparticle-stabilized liposome system for gastric antimicrobial delivery. By adsorbing small chitosan-modified gold nanoparticles (diameter ~10 nm) onto the outer surface of negatively charged phospholipid liposomes (diameter ~75 nm), we show that at gastric pH the liposomes have excellent stability with limited fusion ability and negligible cargo releases. However, when the stabilized liposomes are present in an environment with neutral pH, the gold stabilizers detach from the liposomes, resulting in free liposomes that can actively fuse with bacterial membranes. Using Helicobacter pylori as a model bacterium and doxycycline as a model antibiotic, we demonstrate such pH-responsive fusion activity and drug release profile of the nanoparticle-stabilized liposomes. Particularly, at neutral pH the gold nanoparticles detach, and thus the doxycycline-loaded liposomes rapidly fuse with bacteria and cause superior bactericidal efficacy as compared to the free doxycycline counterpart. Our results suggest that the reported liposome system holds a substantial potential for gastric drug delivery; it remains inactive (stable) in the stomach lumen but actively interacts with bacteria once it reaches the mucus layer of the stomach where the bacteria may reside.

  17. Functionalized mesoporous silicon for targeted-drug-delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tabasi, Ozra; Falamaki, Cavus; Khalaj, Zahra

    2012-10-01

    The present work concerns a preliminary step in the production of anticancer drug loaded porous silicon (PSi) for targeted-drug-delivery applications. A successful procedure for the covalent attachment of folic acid, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and doxorubicin to hydrophilic mesoporous silicon layers is presented. A systematic approach has been followed to obtain the optimal composition of the N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC)/N-hydroxysuccimide (NHS) in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) solution for the surface activation process of the undecylenic acid (UD) grafted molecules to take place with minimal undesired byproduct formation. The effect of reactant concentration and kind of solvent (aqueous or DMSO) on the attachment of folic acid to the activated PSi layer has been investigated. The covalent attachment of the doxorubicin molecules to the PSi layer functionalized with folic acid and PEG is discussed. The drug release kinetics as a function of pH has been studied. The functionalized PSi particles show a high cytotoxicity compared to the equivalent amount of free drug. Cell toxicity tests show clearly that the incorporation of folate molecules increases substantially the toxicity of the loaded PSi particles. Accordingly this new functionalized PSi may be considered a proper candidate for targeted drug delivery. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Conjugated and Entrapped HPMA-PLA Nano-Polymeric Micelles Based Dual Delivery of First Line Anti TB Drugs: Improved and Safe Drug Delivery against Sensitive and Resistant Mycobacterium Tuberculosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Upadhyay, Seema; Khan, Iliyas; Gothwal, Avinash; Pachouri, Praveen K; Bhaskar, N; Gupta, Umesh D; Chauhan, Devendra S; Gupta, Umesh

    2017-09-01

    First line antiTB drugs have several physical and toxic manifestations which limit their applications. RIF is a hydrophobic drug and has low water solubility and INH is hepatotoxic. The main objective of the study was to synthesize, characterize HPMA-PLA co-polymeric micelles for the effective dual delivery of INH and RIF. HPMA-PLA co-polymer and HPMA-PLA-INH (HPI) conjugates were synthesized and characterized by FT-IR and 1 H-NMR spectroscopy. Later on RIF loaded HPMA-PLA-INH co-polymeric micelles (PMRI) were formulated and characterized for size, zeta potential and surface morphology (SEM, TEM) as well as critical micellar concentration. The safety was assessed through RBC's interaction study. The prepared PMRI were evaluated through MABA assay against sensitive and resistant strains of M. Tuberculosis. Size, zeta and entrapment efficiency for RIF loaded HPMA-PLA-INH polymeric micelles (PMRI) was 87.64 ± 1.98 nm, -19 ± 1.93 mV and 97.2 ± 1.56%, respectively. In vitro release followed controlled and sustained delivery pattern. Sustained release was also supported by release kinetics. Haemolytic toxicity of HPI and PMRI was 8.57 and 7.05% (p PLA polymeric micelles (PMRI) were more effective against sensitive and resistant M tuberculosis. The developed approach can lead to improved patient compliance and reduced dosing in future, offering improved treatment of tuberculosis.

  19. Ultrasound-sensitive nanoparticle aggregates for targeted drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papa, Anne-Laure; Korin, Netanel; Kanapathipillai, Mathumai; Mammoto, Akiko; Mammoto, Tadanori; Jiang, Amanda; Mannix, Robert; Uzun, Oktay; Johnson, Christopher; Bhatta, Deen; Cuneo, Garry; Ingber, Donald E

    2017-09-01

    Here we describe injectable, ultrasound (US)-responsive, nanoparticle aggregates (NPAs) that disintegrate into slow-release, nanoscale, drug delivery systems, which can be targeted to selective sites by applying low-energy US locally. We show that, unlike microbubble based drug carriers which may suffer from stability problems, the properties of mechanical activated NPAs, composed of polymer nanoparticles, can be tuned by properly adjusting the polymer molecular weight, the size of the nanoparticle precursors as well as the percentage of excipient utilized to hold the NPA together. We then apply this concept to practice by fabricating NPAs composed of nanoparticles loaded with Doxorubicin (Dox) and tested their ability to treat tumors via ultrasound activation. Mouse studies demonstrated significantly increased efficiency of tumor targeting of the US-activated NPAs compared to PLGA nanoparticle controls (with or without US applied) or intact NPAs. Importantly, when the Dox-loaded NPAs were injected and exposed to US energy locally, this increased ability to concentrate nanoparticles at the tumor site resulted in a significantly greater reduction in tumor volume compared to tumors treated with a 20-fold higher dose of the free drug. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Characterization of particulate drug delivery systems for oral delivery of Peptide and protein drugs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christophersen, Philip Carsten; Fano, Mathias; Saaby, Lasse

    2015-01-01

    Oral drug delivery is a preferred route because of good patient compliance. However, most peptide/ protein drugs are delivered via parenteral routes because of the absorption barriers in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract such as enzymatic degradation by proteases and low permeability acrossthe...... delivery of peptide/protein drugs and to provide an overview of formulationand characterization strategies. For a better understanding of the challenges in oral delivery of peptide/protein drugs, the composition of GI fluids and the digestion processes of different kinds of excipients in the GI tract...... biological membranes. To overcome these barriers, different formulation strategies for oral delivery of biomacromolecules have been proposed, including lipid based formulations and polymer-based particulate drug delivery systems (DDS). The aim of this review is to summarize the existing knowledge about oral...

  1. Ordered cubic nanoporous silica support MCM-48 for delivery of poorly soluble drug indomethacin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeleňák, Vladimír; Halamová, Dáša; Almáši, Miroslav; Žid, Lukáš; Zeleňáková, Adriána; Kapusta, Ondrej

    2018-06-01

    Ordered MCM-48 nanoporous silica (SBET = 923(3) m2·g-1, VP = 0.63(2) cm3·g-1) with cubic Ia3d symmetry was used as a support for drug delivery of anti-inflammatory poorly soluble drug indomethacin. The delivery from parent, unmodified MCM-48, and 3-aminopropyl modified silica carrier was studied into the simulated body fluids with the pH = 2 and pH = 7.4. The studied samples were characterized by thermal analysis (TG/DTG-DTA), N2 adsorption/desorption, infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), powder XRD, SEM, HRTEM methods, measurements of zeta potential (ζ) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The determined content of indomethacin in pure MCM-48 was 21 wt.% and in the amine-modified silica MCM-48A-I the content was 45 wt.%. The release profile of the drug, in the time period up to 72 h, was monitored by TLC chromatographic method. It as shown, that by the modification of the surface, the drug release can be controlled. The slower release of indomethacin was observed from amino modified sample MCM-48A-I in the both types of studied simulated body fluids (slightly alkaline intravenous solution with pH = 7.4 and acidic gastric fluid with pH = 2), which was supported and explained by zeta potential and DLS measurements. The amount of the released indomethacin into the fluids with various pH was different. The maximum released amount of the drug was 97% for sample containing unmodified silica, MCM-48-I at pH = 7.4 and lowest released amount, 57%, for amine modified sample MCM-48A-I at pH = 2. To compare the indomethacin release profile four kinetic models were tested. Results showed, that that the drug release based on diffusion Higuchi model, mainly governs the release.

  2. Dual responsive PNIPAM–chitosan targeted magnetic nanopolymers for targeted drug delivery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yadavalli, Tejabhiram, E-mail: tejabhiram@gmail.com [Nanotechnology Research Centre, SRM University, Chennai 603203 (India); Ramasamy, Shivaraman [Nanotechnology Research Centre, SRM University, Chennai 603203 (India); School of Physics, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA 6009 (Australia); Chandrasekaran, Gopalakrishnan; Michael, Isaac; Therese, Helen Annal [Nanotechnology Research Centre, SRM University, Chennai 603203 (India); Chennakesavulu, Ramasamy [Department of Pharmacy practice, SRM College of Pharmacy, Chennai 603203 (India)

    2015-04-15

    A dual stimuli sensitive magnetic hyperthermia based drug delivery system has been developed for targeted cancer treatment. Thermosensitive amine terminated poly-N-isopropylacrylamide complexed with pH sensitive chitosan nanoparticles was prepared as the drug carrier. Folic acid and fluorescein were tagged to the nanopolymer complex via N-hydroxysuccinimide and ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide reaction to form a fluorescent and cancer targeting magnetic carrier system. The formation of the polymer complex was confirmed using infrared spectroscopy. Gadolinium doped nickel ferrite nanoparticles prepared by a hydrothermal method were encapsulated in the polymer complex to form a magnetic drug carrier system. The proton relaxation studies on the magnetic carrier system revealed a 200% increase in the T1 proton relaxation rate. These magnetic carriers were loaded with curcumin using solvent evaporation method with a drug loading efficiency of 86%. Drug loaded nanoparticles were tested for their targeting and anticancer properties on four cancer cell lines with the help of MTT assay. The results indicated apoptosis of cancer cell lines within 3 h of incubation. - Highlights: • The use of gadolinium doped nickel ferrite with the suggested doping level. • The use of PNIPMA–chitosan polymer with folic acid and fluorescein as a drug carrier complex. • Magnetic hyperthermia studies of gadolinium doped nickel ferrites are being reported for the first time. • Proton relaxivity studies which indicate the MRI contrasting properties on the reported system are new. • Use of curcumin, a hydrophobic Indian spice as a cancer killing agent inside the reported magnetic polymer complex.

  3. Drug delivery device including electrolytic pump

    KAUST Repository

    Foulds, Ian G.; Buttner, Ulrich; Yi, Ying

    2016-01-01

    Systems and methods are provided for a drug delivery device and use of the device for drug delivery. In various aspects, the drug delivery device combines a “solid drug in reservoir” (SDR) system with an electrolytic pump. In various aspects an improved electrolytic pump is provided including, in particular, an improved electrolytic pump for use with a drug delivery device, for example an implantable drug delivery device. A catalytic reformer can be incorporated in a periodically pulsed electrolytic pump to provide stable pumping performance and reduced actuation cycle.

  4. Drug delivery device including electrolytic pump

    KAUST Repository

    Foulds, Ian G.

    2016-03-31

    Systems and methods are provided for a drug delivery device and use of the device for drug delivery. In various aspects, the drug delivery device combines a “solid drug in reservoir” (SDR) system with an electrolytic pump. In various aspects an improved electrolytic pump is provided including, in particular, an improved electrolytic pump for use with a drug delivery device, for example an implantable drug delivery device. A catalytic reformer can be incorporated in a periodically pulsed electrolytic pump to provide stable pumping performance and reduced actuation cycle.

  5. Intratumoral Delivery of Doxorubicin on Folate-Conjugated Graphene Oxide by In-Situ Forming Thermo-Sensitive Hydrogel for Breast Cancer Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi Teng Fong

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available By taking advantage of the pH-sensitive drug release property of graphene oxide (GO after intracellular uptake, we prepared folic acid (FA-conjugated GO (GOFA for targeted delivery of the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (DOX. GOFA-DOX was further encapsulated in an injectable in-situ forming thermo-sensitive hyaluronic acid-chitosan-g-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide (HACPN hydrogel for intratumoral delivery of DOX. As the degradation time of HACPN could be extended up to 3 weeks, intratumoral delivery of GOFA-DOX/HACPN could provide controlled and targeted delivery of DOX through slow degradation HACPN and subsequent cellular uptake of released GOFA-DOX by tumor cells through interactions of GOFA with folate receptors on the tumor cell’s surface. GOFA nano-carrier and HACPN hydrogel were first characterized for the physico-chemical properties. The drug loading experiments indicated the best preparation condition of GOFA-DOX was by reacting 0.1 mg GOFA with 2 mg DOX. GOFA-DOX showed pH-responsive drug release with ~5 times more DOX released at pH 5.5 than at pH 7.4 while only limited DOX was released from GOFA-DOX/HACPN at pH 7.4. Intracellular uptake of GOFA by endocytosis and release of DOX from GOFA-DOX in vitro could be confirmed from transmission electron microscopic and confocal laser scanning microscopic analysis with MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The targeting effect of FA was revealed when intracellular uptake of GOFA was blocked by excess FA. This resulted in enhanced in vitro cytotoxicity as revealed from the lower half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50 value of GOFA-DOX (7.3 μg/mL compared with that of DOX (32.5 μg/mL and GO-DOX (10 μg/mL. The flow cytometry analysis indicated higher apoptosis rates for cells treated with GOFA-DOX (30% compared with DOX (8% and GO-DOX (11%. Animal studies were carried out with subcutaneously implanted MCF-7 cells in BALB/c nude mice and subject to intratumoral administration of drugs. The relative

  6. Nanoformulation for anticancer drug delivery: Enhanced pharmacokinetics and circulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parekh, Gaurav

    In this study, we have explored the application of the Layer-by-Layer (LbL) assembly technique for improving injectable drug delivery systems of low soluble anticancer drugs (e.g. Camptothecin (CPT), Paclitaxel (PTX) or Doxorubicin (DOX)). For this study, a polyelectrolyte shell encapsulates different types of drug nanocores (e.g. soft core, nanomicelle or solid lipid nanocores).The low soluble drugs tend to crystallize and precipitate in an aqueous medium. This is the reason they cannot be injected and may have low concentrations and low circulation time in the blood. Even though these drugs when present in the cancer microenvironment have high anti-tumor inhibition, the delivery to the tumor site after intravenous administration is a challenge. We have used FDA-approved biopolymers for the process and elaborated formation of 60-90 nm diameter initial cores, which was stabilized by multilayer LbL shells for controlled release and longer circulation. A washless LbL assembly process was applied as an essential advancement in nano-assembly technology using low density nanocore (lipids) and preventing aggregation. This advancement reduced the number of process steps, enhanced drug loading capacity, and prevented the loss of expensive polyelectrolytes. Finally, we elaborated a general nano-encapsulation process, which allowed these three important anticancer drug core-shell nanocapsules with diameters of ca. 100-130 nm (this small size is a record for LbL encapsulation technique) to be stable in the serum and the blood for at least one week, efficient for cancer cell culture studies, injectable to mice with circulation for 4 hrs, and effective in suppressing tumors. This work is divided into three studies. The first study (CHAPTER 4) explores the application of LbL assembly for encapsulating a soft core of albumin protein and CPT anticancer drug. In order to preserve the activity of drug in the core, a unique technique of pH reversal is employed where the first few

  7. Charge-reversal nanoparticles: novel targeted drug delivery carriers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xinli; Liu, Lisha; Jiang, Chen

    2016-07-01

    Spurred by significant progress in materials chemistry and drug delivery, charge-reversal nanocarriers are being developed to deliver anticancer formulations in spatial-, temporal- and dosage-controlled approaches. Charge-reversal nanoparticles can release their drug payload in response to specific stimuli that alter the charge on their surface. They can elude clearance from the circulation and be activated by protonation, enzymatic cleavage, or a molecular conformational change. In this review, we discuss the physiological basis for, and recent advances in the design of charge-reversal nanoparticles that are able to control drug biodistribution in response to specific stimuli, endogenous factors (changes in pH, redox gradients, or enzyme concentration) or exogenous factors (light or thermos-stimulation).

  8. Microfabrication for Drug Delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koch, Brendan; Rubino, Ilaria; Quan, Fu-Shi; Yoo, Bongyoung; Choi, Hyo-Jick

    2016-01-01

    This review is devoted to discussing the application of microfabrication technologies to target challenges encountered in life processes by the development of drug delivery systems. Recently, microfabrication has been largely applied to solve health and pharmaceutical science issues. In particular, fabrication methods along with compatible materials have been successfully designed to produce multifunctional, highly effective drug delivery systems. Microfabrication offers unique tools that can tackle problems in this field, such as ease of mass production with high quality control and low cost, complexity of architecture design and a broad range of materials. Presented is an overview of silicon- and polymer-based fabrication methods that are key in the production of microfabricated drug delivery systems. Moreover, the efforts focused on studying the biocompatibility of materials used in microfabrication are analyzed. Finally, this review discusses representative ways microfabrication has been employed to develop systems delivering drugs through the transdermal and oral route, and to improve drug eluting implants. Additionally, microfabricated vaccine delivery systems are presented due to the great impact they can have in obtaining a cold chain-free vaccine, with long-term stability. Microfabrication will continue to offer new, alternative solutions for the development of smart, advanced drug delivery systems. PMID:28773770

  9. Polymeric Micelles, a Promising Drug Delivery System to Enhance Bioavailability of Poorly Water-Soluble Drugs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Xu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Oral administration is the most commonly used and readily accepted form of drug delivery; however, it is find that many drugs are difficult to attain enough bioavailability when administered via this route. Polymeric micelles (PMs can overcome some limitations of the oral delivery acting as carriers able to enhance drug absorption, by providing (1 protection of the loaded drug from the harsh environment of the GI tract, (2 release of the drug in a controlled manner at target sites, (3 prolongation of the residence time in the gut by mucoadhesion, and (4 inhibition of efflux pumps to improve the drug accumulation. To explain the mechanisms for enhancement of oral bioavailability, we discussed the special stability of PMs, the controlled release properties of pH-sensitive PMs, the prolongation of residence time with mucoadhesive PMs, and the P-gp inhibitors commonly used in PMs, respectively. The primary purpose of this paper is to illustrate the potential of PMs for delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs with bioavailability being well maintained.

  10. Ceramic drug-delivery devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lasserre, A; Bajpai, P K

    1998-01-01

    A variety of ceramics and delivery systems have been used to deliver chemicals, biologicals, and drugs at various rates for desired periods of time from different sites of implantation. In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that ceramics can successfully be used as drug-delivery devices. Matrices, inserts, reservoirs, cements, and particles have been used to deliver a large variety of therapeutic agents such as antibiotics, anticancer drugs, anticoagulants, analgesics, growth factors, hormones, steroids, and vaccines. In this article, the advantages and disadvantages of conventional drug-delivery systems and the different approaches used to deliver chemical and biological agents by means of ceramic systems will be reviewed.

  11. Polymeric Micro- and Nanofabricatced Devices for Oral Drug Delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fox, Cade Brylee

    While oral drug administration is by far the most preferred route, it is accompanied by many barriers that limit drug uptake such as the low pH of the stomach, metabolic and proteolytic enzymes, and limited permeability of the intestinal epithelium. As a result, many drugs ranging from small molecules to biological therapeutics have limited oral bioavailability, precluding them from oral administration. To address this issue, microfabrication has been applied to create planar, asymmetric devices capable of binding to the lining of the gastrointestinal tract and releasing drug at high concentrations, thereby increasing oral drug uptake. While the efficacy of these devices has been validated in vitro and in vivo, modifying their surfaces with nanoscale features has potential to refine their properties for enhanced drug delivery. This dissertation first presents an approach to fabricate polymeric microdevices coated with nanowires in a rapid, high throughput manner. The nanowires demonstrate rapid drug localization onto the surface of these devices via capillary action and increased adhesion to epithelial tissue, suggesting that this fabrication technique can be used to create devices with enhanced properties for oral drug delivery. Also presented are microdevices sealed with nanostraw membranes. The nanostraw membranes provide sustained drug release by limiting drug efflux from the devices, prevent drug degradation by limiting influx of outside biomolecules, and enhance device bioadhesion by penetrating into the mucus layer of the intestinal lining. Finally, an approach that dramatically increases the capacity and efficiency of drug loading into microdevices over previous methods is presented. A picoliter-volume printer is used to print drug directly into device reservoirs in an automated fashion. The technologies presented here expand the capabilities of microdevices for oral drug delivery by incorporating nanoscale structures that enhance device bioadhesion

  12. Mesoporous Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/hydroxyapatite composite for targeted drug delivery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gu, Lina; He, Xiaomei; Wu, Zhenyu, E-mail: zhenyuwuhn@sina.com

    2014-11-15

    Highlights: • Mesoporous Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/hydroxyapatite composite was synthesized by a simple, efficient and environmental friendly method. • The prepared material had a large surface area, high pore volume, and good magnetic separability. • DOX-loaded Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/hydroxyapatite composite exhibited surprising slow drug release behavior and pH-dependent behavior. - Abstract: In this contribution, we introduced a simple, efficient, and green method of preparing a mesoporous Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/hydroxyapatite (HA) composite. The as-prepared material had a large surface area, high pore volume, and good magnetic separability, which made it suitable for targeted drug delivery systems. The chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (DOX) was used to investigate the drug release behavior of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/HA composite. The drug release profiles displayed a little burst effect and pH-dependent behavior. The release rate of DOX at pH 5.8 was larger than that at pH 7.4, which could be attributed to DOX protonation in acid medium. In addition, the released DOX concentrations remained at 0.83 and 1.39 μg/ml at pH 7.4 and 5.8, respectively, which indicated slow, steady, and safe release rates. Therefore, the as-prepared Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/hydroxyapatite composite could be an efficient platform for targeted anticancer drug delivery.

  13. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles for stimuli-responsive controlled drug delivery: advances, challenges, and outlook

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Song Y

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Yuanhui Song, Yihong Li, Qien Xu, Zhe Liu Wenzhou Institute of Biomaterials and Engineering (WIBE, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China Abstract: With the development of nanotechnology, the application of nanomaterials in the field of drug delivery has attracted much attention in the past decades. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles as promising drug nanocarriers have become a new area of interest in recent years due to their unique properties and capabilities to efficiently entrap cargo molecules. This review describes the latest advances on the application of mesoporous silica nanoparticles in drug delivery. In particular, we focus on the stimuli-responsive controlled release systems that are able to respond to intracellular environmental changes, such as pH, ATP, GSH, enzyme, glucose, and H2O2. Moreover, drug delivery induced by exogenous stimuli including temperature, light, magnetic field, ultrasound, and electricity is also summarized. These advanced technologies demonstrate current challenges, and provide a bright future for precision diagnosis and treatment. Keywords: mesoporous silica nanoparticle, drug delivery system, controlled release, stimuli-responsive, chemotherapy

  14. Oral Drug Delivery Systems Comprising Altered Geometric Configurations for Controlled Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Priya Bawa

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Recent pharmaceutical research has focused on controlled drug delivery having an advantage over conventional methods. Adequate controlled plasma drug levels, reduced side effects as well as improved patient compliance are some of the benefits that these systems may offer. Controlled delivery systems that can provide zero-order drug delivery have the potential for maximizing efficacy while minimizing dose frequency and toxicity. Thus, zero-order drug release is ideal in a large area of drug delivery which has therefore led to the development of various technologies with such drug release patterns. Systems such as multilayered tablets and other geometrically altered devices have been created to perform this function. One of the principles of multilayered tablets involves creating a constant surface area for release. Polymeric materials play an important role in the functioning of these systems. Technologies developed to date include among others: Geomatrix® multilayered tablets, which utilizes specific polymers that may act as barriers to control drug release; Procise®, which has a core with an aperture that can be modified to achieve various types of drug release; core-in-cup tablets, where the core matrix is coated on one surface while the circumference forms a cup around it; donut-shaped devices, which possess a centrally-placed aperture hole and Dome Matrix® as well as “release modules assemblage”, which can offer alternating drug release patterns. This review discusses the novel altered geometric system technologies that have been developed to provide controlled drug release, also focusing on polymers that have been employed in such developments.

  15. Synthesis of New Functionalized Citric Acid-based Dendrimers as Nanocarrier Agents for Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sanaz Motamedi

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Citric acid-polyethylene glycol-citric acid (CPEGC triblock dendrimers can serve as potential delivery systems. Methods: In this investigation, CPEGC triblock dendrimers were synthesized and then imidazole groups were conjugated onto the surface of the G1, G2 and G3 of the obtained dendrimers. In order to study the type of the interactions between the functionalized dendrimers and a drug molecule, Naproxen which contains acidic groups, was examined as a hydrophobic drug in which the interactions would be of the electrostatic kind between its acidic groups and the lone pair electrons of nitrogen atom in imidazole groups. The quantity of the trapped drug and also the amount of its release were measured with UV spectrometric method in pH 1, 7.4 and 10. The average diameter of the nanocarriers was measured by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS technique Results: The size range of particles was determined to be 16-50 nm for different generations. The rate of the release increased in pH=10 in all generations due to the increase in Naproxen solubility and the hydrolysis of the esteric bonds in the mentioned pH. The results showed that the amount of the trapped drug increased with the increase in the generation of the dendrimer and pH. Conclusion: Based on our findings, we suggest CPEGC triblock dendrimers possess great potential to be used as drug/gene delivery system.

  16. Microspheres and Nanotechnology for Drug Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jóhannesson, Gauti; Stefánsson, Einar; Loftsson, Thorsteinn

    2016-01-01

    Ocular drug delivery to the posterior segment of the eye can be accomplished by invasive drug injections into different tissues of the eye and noninvasive topical treatment. Invasive treatment involves the risks of surgical trauma and infection, and conventional topical treatments are ineffective in delivering drugs to the posterior segment of the eye. In recent years, nanotechnology has become an ever-increasing part of ocular drug delivery. In the following, we briefly review microspheres and nanotechnology for drug delivery to the eye, including different forms of nanotechnology such as nanoparticles, microparticles, liposomes, microemulsions and micromachines. The permeation barriers and anatomical considerations linked to ocular drug delivery are discussed and a theoretical overview on drug delivery through biological membranes is given. Finally, in vitro, in vivo and human studies of x03B3;-cyclodextrin nanoparticle eyedrop suspensions are discussed as an example of nanotechnology used for drug delivery to the eye. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  17. Adapalene microemulsion for transfollicular drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhatia, Gaurav; Zhou, Yingcong; Banga, Ajay K

    2013-08-01

    The aim of this study was to develop a microemulsion formulation of adapalene for transfollicular delivery. A pseudoternary phase diagram was developed for microemulsion consisting of oleic acid as oil phase, tween 20 as surfactant, Transcutol® as cosurfactant, and deionized water. Differential tape stripping and confocal laser scanning microscopy were performed to determine the penetration of microemulsion through hair follicles. Transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, polarizing light microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry were performed to characterize the microstructures of microemulsion. The pH and viscosity of the microemulsions were also determined. Permeation studies were carried out in vitro on porcine ear skin over a period of 24 h using Franz diffusion cells. The drug penetration in the hair follicles increased from 0.109 ± 0.03 to 0.292 ± 0.094 μg, as the microstructure of microemulsion shifted from oil-in-water to bi-continuous, with increase in water content of microemulsion. Confocal laser scanning microscopy images suggested that hair follicles provided the path for transfollicular permeation of adapalene microemulsion. These results suggest that microemulsion penetrated through hair follicles and are promising for transfollicular drug delivery. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Protein-Based Drug-Delivery Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dave Jao

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available There is a pressing need for long-term, controlled drug release for sustained treatment of chronic or persistent medical conditions and diseases. Guided drug delivery is difficult because therapeutic compounds need to survive numerous transport barriers and binding targets throughout the body. Nanoscale protein-based polymers are increasingly used for drug and vaccine delivery to cross these biological barriers and through blood circulation to their molecular site of action. Protein-based polymers compared to synthetic polymers have the advantages of good biocompatibility, biodegradability, environmental sustainability, cost effectiveness and availability. This review addresses the sources of protein-based polymers, compares the similarity and differences, and highlights characteristic properties and functionality of these protein materials for sustained and controlled drug release. Targeted drug delivery using highly functional multicomponent protein composites to guide active drugs to the site of interest will also be discussed. A systematical elucidation of drug-delivery efficiency in the case of molecular weight, particle size, shape, morphology, and porosity of materials will then be demonstrated to achieve increased drug absorption. Finally, several important biomedical applications of protein-based materials with drug-delivery function—including bone healing, antibiotic release, wound healing, and corneal regeneration, as well as diabetes, neuroinflammation and cancer treatments—are summarized at the end of this review.

  19. Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Singh Baljit

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Nanoparticles hold tremendous potential as an effective drug delivery system. In this review we discussed recent developments in nanotechnology for drug delivery. To overcome the problems of gene and drug delivery, nanotechnology has gained interest in recent years. Nanosystems with different compositions and biological properties have been extensively investigated for drug and gene delivery applications. To achieve efficient drug delivery it is important to understand the interactions of nanomaterials with the biological environment, targeting cell-surface receptors, drug release, multiple drug administration, stability of therapeutic agents and molecular mechanisms of cell signalling involved in pathobiology of the disease under consideration. Several anti-cancer drugs including paclitaxel, doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil and dexamethasone have been successfully formulated using nanomaterials. Quantom dots, chitosan, Polylactic/glycolic acid (PLGA and PLGA-based nanoparticles have also been used for in vitro RNAi delivery. Brain cancer is one of the most difficult malignancies to detect and treat mainly because of the difficulty in getting imaging and therapeutic agents past the blood-brain barrier and into the brain. Anti-cancer drugs such as loperamide and doxorubicin bound to nanomaterials have been shown to cross the intact blood-brain barrier and released at therapeutic concentrations in the brain. The use of nanomaterials including peptide-based nanotubes to target the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF receptor and cell adhesion molecules like integrins, cadherins and selectins, is a new approach to control disease progression.

  20. Acetal-Linked Paclitaxel Polymeric Prodrug Based on Functionalized mPEG-PCL Diblock Polymer for pH-Triggered Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yinglei Zhai

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The differences in micro-environment between cancer cells and the normal ones offer the possibility to develop stimuli-responsive drug-delivery systems for overcoming the drawbacks in the clinical use of anticancer drugs, such as paclitaxel, doxorubicin, and etc. Hence, we developed a novel endosomal pH-sensitive paclitaxel (PTX prodrug micelles based on functionalized poly(ethylene glycol-poly(ε-caprolactone (mPEG-PCL diblock polymer with an acid-cleavable acetal (Ace linkage (mPEG-PCL-Ace-PTX. The mPEG-PCL-Ace-PTX5 with a high drug content of 23.5 wt % was self-assembled in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4, 10 mM into nanosized micelles with an average diameter of 68.5 nm. The in vitro release studies demonstrated that mPEG-PCL-Ace-PTX5 micelles was highly pH-sensitive, in which 16.8%, 32.8%, and 48.2% of parent free PTX was released from mPEG-PCL-Ace-PTX5 micelles in 48 h at pH 7.4, 6.0, and 5.0, respectively. Thiazolyl Blue Tetrazolium Bromide (MTT assays suggested that the pH-sensitive PTX prodrug micelles displayed higher therapeutic efficacy against MCF-7 cells compared with free PTX. Therefore, the PTX prodrug micelles with acetal bond may offer a promising strategy for cancer therapy.

  1. Synthesis of a novel thermo/pH sensitive nanogel based on salep modified graphene oxide for drug release

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bardajee, Ghasem Rezanejade, E-mail: rezanejad@pnu.ac.ir; Hooshyar, Zari; Farsi, Maryam; Mobini, Akram; Sang, Golnaz

    2017-03-01

    Nanogels (NGs) are three-dimensional water soluble cross-linked hydrogel materials in the nanoscale size range with a high loading capacity for guest molecules and act as drug carrier systems. In the present work, a new type of thermo/pH sensitive NG comprising salep modified graphene oxide (SMGO) with branched N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and acrylic acid (AA) was prepared. The SMGO/P(NIPAM-co-AA) NGs exhibited nanoporous structure and spherical particles with diameters about 82 nm as characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The samples were also characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) to further confirm about the formation of NGs. Doxorubicin (DOX) loaded SMGO/P(NIPAM-co-AA) NGs showed thermo/pH dependent releasing behavior: slow drug release at neutral pH and lower temperature but increased significantly in acidic pH and higher temperature, without any burst release. In addition, the NGs exhibited no effect on the cell viability in the tested concentration range up to 410 μg/mL and drug release systems enhanced toxicity to HeLa cells when compared to the equivalent dose of the free drug. Overall, our results put forth NGs as potential candidates in the development of a new nanocarrier for anti-cancer drug delivery. - Highlights: • A novel thermo/pH sensitive nanogels (NGs) was successfully synthesized. • NGs showed high loading capacity for DOX drug and slow drug release at neutral pH. • NGs exhibited no effect on the cell viability in the tested concentration range.

  2. Synthesis of a novel thermo/pH sensitive nanogel based on salep modified graphene oxide for drug release

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bardajee, Ghasem Rezanejade; Hooshyar, Zari; Farsi, Maryam; Mobini, Akram; Sang, Golnaz

    2017-01-01

    Nanogels (NGs) are three-dimensional water soluble cross-linked hydrogel materials in the nanoscale size range with a high loading capacity for guest molecules and act as drug carrier systems. In the present work, a new type of thermo/pH sensitive NG comprising salep modified graphene oxide (SMGO) with branched N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and acrylic acid (AA) was prepared. The SMGO/P(NIPAM-co-AA) NGs exhibited nanoporous structure and spherical particles with diameters about 82 nm as characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The samples were also characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) to further confirm about the formation of NGs. Doxorubicin (DOX) loaded SMGO/P(NIPAM-co-AA) NGs showed thermo/pH dependent releasing behavior: slow drug release at neutral pH and lower temperature but increased significantly in acidic pH and higher temperature, without any burst release. In addition, the NGs exhibited no effect on the cell viability in the tested concentration range up to 410 μg/mL and drug release systems enhanced toxicity to HeLa cells when compared to the equivalent dose of the free drug. Overall, our results put forth NGs as potential candidates in the development of a new nanocarrier for anti-cancer drug delivery. - Highlights: • A novel thermo/pH sensitive nanogels (NGs) was successfully synthesized. • NGs showed high loading capacity for DOX drug and slow drug release at neutral pH. • NGs exhibited no effect on the cell viability in the tested concentration range.

  3. Stimulus-responsive liposomes as smart nanoplatforms for drug delivery applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zangabad, Parham Sahandi; Mirkiani, Soroush; Shahsavari, Shayan; Masoudi, Behrad; Masroor, Maryam; Hamed, Hamid; Jafari, Zahra; Taghipour, Yasamin Davatgaran; Hashemi, Hura; Karimi, Mahdi; Hamblin, Michael R

    2018-02-01

    Liposomes are known to be promising nanoparticles (NPs) for drug delivery applications. Among different types of self-assembled NPs, liposomes stand out for their non-toxic nature, and their possession of dual hydrophilic-hydrophobic domains. Advantages of liposomes include the ability to solubilize hydrophobic drugs, the ability to incorporate different hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs at the same time, lessening the exposure of host organs to potentially toxic drugs and allowing modification of the surface by a variety of different chemical groups. This modification of the surface, or of the individual constituents, may be used to achieve two important goals. Firstly, ligands for active targeting can be attached that are recognized by cognate receptors over-expressed on the target cells of tissues. Secondly, modification can be used to impart a stimulus-responsive or "smart" character to the liposomes, whereby the cargo is released on demand only when certain internal stimuli (pH, reducing agents, specific enzymes) or external stimuli (light, magnetic field or ultrasound) are present. Here, we review the field of smart liposomes for drug delivery applications.

  4. Permeation enhancer strategies in transdermal drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marwah, Harneet; Garg, Tarun; Goyal, Amit K; Rath, Goutam

    2016-01-01

    Today, ∼74% of drugs are taken orally and are not found to be as effective as desired. To improve such characteristics, transdermal drug delivery was brought to existence. This delivery system is capable of transporting the drug or macromolecules painlessly through skin into the blood circulation at fixed rate. Topical administration of therapeutic agents offers many advantages over conventional oral and invasive techniques of drug delivery. Several important advantages of transdermal drug delivery are prevention from hepatic first pass metabolism, enhancement of therapeutic efficiency and maintenance of steady plasma level of the drug. Human skin surface, as a site of drug application for both local and systemic effects, is the most eligible candidate available. New controlled transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) technologies (electrically-based, structure-based and velocity-based) have been developed and commercialized for the transdermal delivery of troublesome drugs. This review article covers most of the new active transport technologies involved in enhancing the transdermal permeation via effective drug delivery system.

  5. A pH-responsive chitosan-b-poly(p-dioxanone) nanocarrier: formation and efficient antitumor drug delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang Daolu; Song Fei; Chen Cheng; Wang Xiuli; Wang Yuzhong

    2013-01-01

    Increasing attention has recently been paid to the fabrication of drug delivery systems with excellent cell internalization and intracellular drug release properties. In this study, an amphiphilic block copolymer of chitosan was synthesized for the first time, which can self-assemble into micelles in a neutral aqueous solution but partially disassemble in an acidic endosomal/lysosomal environment. The antitumor drug, camptothecin (CPT), was encapsulated in the cores of the micelles for tumor cell therapy. In vitro drug release studies demonstrated that the micelles presented a much faster release of CPT at pH 5.0 than at pH 7.4. Blank micelles were found to be nontoxic in preliminary in vitro cytotoxicity assays. Cell experiments showed that the CPT-loaded micelles could be effectively internalized by Hela cells and accomplished a potent antitumor cell efficacy, indicating that the chitosan-based micelles might be an attractive new platform for efficient intracellular drug delivery. (paper)

  6. Construction and characterization of a pure protein hydrogel for drug delivery application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Xu; Xu, ZhaoKang; Yang, XiaoFeng; He, YanHao; Lin, Rong

    2017-02-01

    Injectable hydrogels have a variety of applications, including regenerative medicine, tissue engineering and controlled drug delivery. In this paper, we reported on a pure protein hydrogel based on tetrameric recombinant proteins for the potential drug delivery application. This protein hydrogel was formed instantly by simply mixing two recombinant proteins (ULD-TIP1 and ULD-GGGWRESAI) through the specific protein-peptide interaction. The protein hydrogel was characterized by rheology and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In vitro cytotoxicity test indicated that the developed protein hydrogel had no apparent cytotoxicity against L-929 cells and HCEC cells after 48h incubation. The formed protein hydrogels was gradually degraded after incubation in phosphate buffered solution (PBS, pH=7.4) for a period of 144h study, as indicated by in vitro degradation test. Encapsulation of model drug (sodium diclofenac; DIC) were achieved by simple mixing of drugs with hydrogelator and the entrapped drugs was almost completely released from hydrogels within 24h via a diffusion manner. As a conclusion, the simple and mild preparation procedure and good biocompatibility of protein hydrogel would render its good promising candidate for drug delivery applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Albumin-based drug delivery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Maja Thim; Kuhlmann, Matthias; Hvam, Michael Lykke

    2016-01-01

    The effectiveness of a drug is dependent on accumulation at the site of action at therapeutic levels, however, challenges such as rapid renal clearance, degradation or non-specific accumulation requires drug delivery enabling technologies. Albumin is a natural transport protein with multiple ligand...... binding sites, cellular receptor engagement, and a long circulatory half-life due to interaction with the recycling neonatal Fc receptor. Exploitation of these properties promotes albumin as an attractive candidate for half-life extension and targeted intracellular delivery of drugs attached by covalent...... conjugation, genetic fusions, association or ligand-mediated association. This review will give an overview of albumin-based products with focus on the natural biological properties and molecular interactions that can be harnessed for the design of a next-generation drug delivery platform....

  8. Fabrication of chitosan-g-poly(acrylamide)/CuS nanocomposite for controlled drug delivery and antibacterial activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pathania, Deepak, E-mail: dpathania74@gmail.com [School of Chemistry, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, H.P. (India); Gupta, Divya [School of Chemistry, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, H.P. (India); Agarwal, Shilpi [Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg (South Africa); Asif, M. [Chemical Engineering Department, King Suad University Riyadh (Saudi Arabia); Gupta, Vinod Kumar [Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg (South Africa); Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, 247667 (India)

    2016-07-01

    In present study, we reported the synthesis of chitosan-g-poly(acrylamide)/CuS (CPA/CS) nanocomposite for controlled delivery of ofloxacin. The CPA/CS nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–visible spectroscopy (UV), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. From the FTIR spectra, the various groups present in CPA/CS nanocomposite were monitored. The homogeneity, morphology and crystallinity of the CPA/CS nanocomposite were ascertained from SEM/EDX and XRD data, respectively. The kinetics of ofloxacin drug delivery was investigated at different pH. The drug released studies were investigated at different pH (2.2, 7.4 and 9.4) and time intervals (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 h). The drug release behavior depends upon the pH of medium and the nature of matrix. The maximum drug loading efficiency of 85% was recorded for CPA/CS. The maximum drug release of 76% was observed at 2.2. pH after 18 h onto CPA/CS. Nanocomposites were also tested for antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli bacteria. About 97% killing of E. coli was observed after 24 h. - Highlights: • Chitosan-g-poly(acrylamide)/CuS (CPA/CS) nanocomposite has been synthesized in microwave reactor. • Different spectral techniques confirmed the formation of nanocomposite. • The drug release behavior of CPA/CS nanocomposites were studied at different pH and different time interval. • CPA/CS has been investigated for an excellent antibacterial activity against E. coli bacterial culture.

  9. Fabrication of chitosan-g-poly(acrylamide)/CuS nanocomposite for controlled drug delivery and antibacterial activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pathania, Deepak; Gupta, Divya; Agarwal, Shilpi; Asif, M.; Gupta, Vinod Kumar

    2016-01-01

    In present study, we reported the synthesis of chitosan-g-poly(acrylamide)/CuS (CPA/CS) nanocomposite for controlled delivery of ofloxacin. The CPA/CS nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–visible spectroscopy (UV), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. From the FTIR spectra, the various groups present in CPA/CS nanocomposite were monitored. The homogeneity, morphology and crystallinity of the CPA/CS nanocomposite were ascertained from SEM/EDX and XRD data, respectively. The kinetics of ofloxacin drug delivery was investigated at different pH. The drug released studies were investigated at different pH (2.2, 7.4 and 9.4) and time intervals (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 h). The drug release behavior depends upon the pH of medium and the nature of matrix. The maximum drug loading efficiency of 85% was recorded for CPA/CS. The maximum drug release of 76% was observed at 2.2. pH after 18 h onto CPA/CS. Nanocomposites were also tested for antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli bacteria. About 97% killing of E. coli was observed after 24 h. - Highlights: • Chitosan-g-poly(acrylamide)/CuS (CPA/CS) nanocomposite has been synthesized in microwave reactor. • Different spectral techniques confirmed the formation of nanocomposite. • The drug release behavior of CPA/CS nanocomposites were studied at different pH and different time interval. • CPA/CS has been investigated for an excellent antibacterial activity against E. coli bacterial culture.

  10. An efficient PEGylated liposomal nanocarrier containing cell-penetrating peptide and pH-sensitive hydrazone bond for enhancing tumor-targeted drug delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ding Y

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Yuan Ding,1,* Dan Sun,1,* Gui-Ling Wang,1 Hong-Ge Yang,1 Hai-Feng Xu,1 Jian-Hua Chen,2 Ying Xie,1,3 Zhi-Qiang Wang4 1Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and New Drug Delivery Systems, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 2School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 3State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kent State University Geauga, Burton, OH, USA *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs as small molecular transporters with abilities of cell penetrating, internalization, and endosomal escape have potential prospect in drug delivery systems. However, a bottleneck hampering their application is the poor specificity for cells. By utilizing the function of hydration shell of polyethylene glycol (PEG and acid sensitivity of hydrazone bond, we constructed a kind of CPP-modified pH-sensitive PEGylated liposomes (CPPL to improve the selectivity of these peptides for tumor targeting. In CPPL, CPP was directly attached to liposome surfaces via coupling with stearate (STR to avoid the hindrance of PEG as a linker on the penetrating efficiency of CPP. A PEG derivative by conjugating PEG with STR via acid-degradable hydrazone bond (PEG2000-Hz-STR, PHS was synthesized. High-performance liquid chromatography and flow cytometry demonstrated that PHS was stable at normal neutral conditions and PEG could be completely cleaved from liposome surface to expose CPP under acidic environments in tumor. An optimal CPP density on liposomes was screened to guaranty a maximum targeting efficiency on tumor cells as well as not being captured by normal cells that consequently lead to a long circulation in blood. In vitro and in vivo studies indicated, in 4 mol% CPP of lipid modified system, that CPP exerted higher efficiency on internalizing the liposomes into

  11. PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CHITOSAN TABLETS OF ACECLOFENAC FOR COLON TARGETED DRUG DELIVERY

    OpenAIRE

    UMA DEVI,THIRUGANESH, SURESH

    2013-01-01

    The present study objective was to develop novel colon specific drug delivery systems for aceclofenac using chitosan as a microbially degradable polymeric carrier and to coat the optimized batches with a pH dependent polymeric coating solution containing Eudragit L 100 and S 100 (1:4). Tablets containing four proportions of chitosan were prepared. The tablets were evaluated for physicochemical properties, drug content, dissolution, water uptake & erosion characteristics, in vitro drug rel...

  12. Oral delivery of anticancer drugs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thanki, Kaushik; Gangwal, Rahul P; Sangamwar, Abhay T

    2013-01-01

    The present report focuses on the various aspects of oral delivery of anticancer drugs. The significance of oral delivery in cancer therapeutics has been highlighted which principally includes improvement in quality of life of patients and reduced health care costs. Subsequently, the challenges...... incurred in the oral delivery of anticancer agents have been especially emphasized. Sincere efforts have been made to compile the various physicochemical properties of anticancer drugs from either literature or predicted in silico via GastroPlus™. The later section of the paper reviews various emerging...... trends to tackle the challenges associated with oral delivery of anticancer drugs. These invariably include efflux transporter based-, functional excipient- and nanocarrier based-approaches. The role of drug nanocrystals and various others such as polymer based- and lipid based...

  13. l-Arginine grafted alginate hydrogel beads: A novel pH-sensitive system for specific protein delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed S. Mohy Eldin

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Novel pH-sensitive hydrogels based on l-arginine grafted alginate (Arg-g-Alg hydrogel beads were synthesized and utilized as a new carrier for protein delivery (BSA in specific pH media. l-arginine was grafted onto the polysaccharide backbone of virgin alginate via amine functions. Evidences of grafting of alginate were extracted from FT-IR and thermal analysis, while the morphological structure of Arg-g-Alg hydrogel beads was investigated by SEM photographs. Factors affecting on the grafting process e.g. l-arginine concentration, reaction time, reaction temperature, reaction pH, and crosslinking conditions, have been studied. Whereas, grafting efficiency of each factor was evaluated. Grafting of alginate has improved both thermal and morphological properties of Arg-g-Alg hydrogel beads. The swelling behavior of Arg-g-Alg beads was determined as a function of pH and compared with virgin calcium alginate beads. The cumulative in vitro release profiles of BSA loaded beads were studied at different pHs for simulating the physiological environments of the gastrointestinal tract. The amount of BSA released from neat alginate beads at pH 2 was almost 15% after 5 h, while the Arg-g-Alg beads at the same conditions were clearly higher than 45%, then it increased to 90% at pH 7.2. Accordingly, grafting of alginate has improved its release profile behavior particularly in acidic media. The preliminary results clearly suggested that the Arg-g-Alg hydrogel may be a potential candidate for polymeric carrier for oral delivery of protein or drugs.

  14. Magnetic graphene oxide as a carrier for targeted delivery of chemotherapy drugs in cancer therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huang, Ya-Shu [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Chang Gung University, Kwei-San, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC (China); Lu, Yu-Jen [Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kwei-San, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan, ROC (China); Chen, Jyh-Ping, E-mail: jpchen@mail.cgu.edu.tw [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Chang Gung University, Kwei-San, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC (China); Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Craniofacial Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kwei-San, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan, ROC (China); Graduate Institute of Health Industry and Technology, Research Center for Industry of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Kwei-San, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC (China); Department of Materials Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, Tai-Shan, New Taipei City 24301, Taiwan, ROC (China)

    2017-04-01

    A magnetic targeted functionalized graphene oxide (GO) complex is constituted as a nanocarrier for targeted delivery and pH-responsive controlled release of chemotherapy drugs to cancer cells. Magnetic graphene oxide (mGO) was prepared by chemical co-precipitation of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} magnetic nanoparticles on GO nano-platelets. The mGO was successively modified by chitosan and mPEG-NHS through covalent bindings to synthesize mGOC-PEG. The polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety is expected to prolong the circulation time of mGO by reducing the reticuloendothelial system clearance. Irinotecan (CPT-11) or doxorubicin (DOX) was loaded to mGOC-PEG through π-π stacking interactions for magnetic targeted delivery of the cancer chemotherapy drug. The best values of loading efficiency and loading content of CPT-11 were 54% and 2.7% respectively; whereas for DOX, they were 65% and 393% The pH-dependent drug release profile was further experimented at different pHs, in which ~60% of DOX was released at pH 5.4 and ~10% was released at pH 7.4. In contrast, ~90% CPT-11 was released at pH 5.4 and ~70% at pH 7.4. Based on the drug loading and release characteristics, mGOC-PEG/DOX was further chosen for in vitro cytotoxicity tests against U87 human glioblastoma cell line. The IC50 value of mGOC-PEG/DOX was found to be similar to that of free DOX but was reduced dramatically when subject to magnetic targeting. It is concluded that with the high drug loading and pH-dependent drug release properties, mGOC-PEG will be a promising drug carrier for targeted delivery of chemotherapy drugs in cancer therapy. - Highlights: • mGO was prepared by chemical co-precipitation of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} MNP on GO nano-platelets. • mGO was further modified by chitosan and mPEG-NHS to synthesize mGOC-PEG. • mGOC-PEG showed higher drug loading of doxorubicin (DOX) than irinotecan. • mGOC-PEG showed pH-responsive controlled release of chemotherapy drugs. • Magnetic targeting enhanced cytotoxicity of

  15. Magnetic graphene oxide as a carrier for targeted delivery of chemotherapy drugs in cancer therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Ya-Shu; Lu, Yu-Jen; Chen, Jyh-Ping

    2017-01-01

    A magnetic targeted functionalized graphene oxide (GO) complex is constituted as a nanocarrier for targeted delivery and pH-responsive controlled release of chemotherapy drugs to cancer cells. Magnetic graphene oxide (mGO) was prepared by chemical co-precipitation of Fe 3 O 4 magnetic nanoparticles on GO nano-platelets. The mGO was successively modified by chitosan and mPEG-NHS through covalent bindings to synthesize mGOC-PEG. The polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety is expected to prolong the circulation time of mGO by reducing the reticuloendothelial system clearance. Irinotecan (CPT-11) or doxorubicin (DOX) was loaded to mGOC-PEG through π-π stacking interactions for magnetic targeted delivery of the cancer chemotherapy drug. The best values of loading efficiency and loading content of CPT-11 were 54% and 2.7% respectively; whereas for DOX, they were 65% and 393% The pH-dependent drug release profile was further experimented at different pHs, in which ~60% of DOX was released at pH 5.4 and ~10% was released at pH 7.4. In contrast, ~90% CPT-11 was released at pH 5.4 and ~70% at pH 7.4. Based on the drug loading and release characteristics, mGOC-PEG/DOX was further chosen for in vitro cytotoxicity tests against U87 human glioblastoma cell line. The IC50 value of mGOC-PEG/DOX was found to be similar to that of free DOX but was reduced dramatically when subject to magnetic targeting. It is concluded that with the high drug loading and pH-dependent drug release properties, mGOC-PEG will be a promising drug carrier for targeted delivery of chemotherapy drugs in cancer therapy. - Highlights: • mGO was prepared by chemical co-precipitation of Fe 3 O 4 MNP on GO nano-platelets. • mGO was further modified by chitosan and mPEG-NHS to synthesize mGOC-PEG. • mGOC-PEG showed higher drug loading of doxorubicin (DOX) than irinotecan. • mGOC-PEG showed pH-responsive controlled release of chemotherapy drugs. • Magnetic targeting enhanced cytotoxicity of m

  16. Diblock Terpolymers Are Tunable and pH Responsive Vehicles To Increase Hydrophobic Drug Solubility for Oral Administration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tale, Swapnil; Purchel, Anatolii A; Dalsin, Molly C; Reineke, Theresa M

    2017-11-06

    Synthetic polymers offer tunable platforms to create new oral drug delivery vehicles (excipients) to increase solubility, supersaturation maintenance, and bioavailability of poorly aqueous soluble pharmaceutical candidates. Five well-defined diblock terpolymers were synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT) and consist of a first block of either poly(ethylene-alt-propylene) (PEP), poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm), or poly(N,N-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDEAEMA) and a second hydrophilic block consisting of a gradient copolymer of N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA) and 2-methacrylamidotrehalose (MAT). This family of diblock terpolymers offers hydrophobic, hydrophilic, or H-bonding functionalities to serve as noncovalent sites of drug binding. Drug-polymer spray dried dispersions (SDDs) were created with a model drug, probucol, and characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). These studies revealed that probucol crystallinity decreased with increasing H-bonding sites available in the polymer. The PNIPAm-b-P(DMA-grad-MAT) systems revealed the best performance at pH 6.5, where immediate probucol release and effective maintenance of 100% supersaturation was found, which is important for facilitating drug solubility in more neutral conditions (intestinal environment). However, the PDEAEMA-b-P(DMA-grad-MAT) system revealed poor probucol dissolution at pH 6.5 and 5.1. Alternatively, at an acidic pH of 3.1, a rapid and high dissolution profile and effective supersaturation maintenance of up to 90% of the drug was found, which could be useful for triggering drug release in acidic environments (stomach). The PEP-b-P(DMA-grad-MAT) system showed poor performance (only ∼20% of drug solubility at pH 6.5), which was attributed to the low solubility of the polymers in the dissolution media. This work demonstrates the utility of diblock terpolymers as a potential new excipient platform to optimize design parameters for

  17. Crosslinking of poly(vinylpyrrolidone)/acrylic acid with tragacanth gum for hydrogels formation for use in drug delivery applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Baljit; Sharma, Vikrant

    2017-02-10

    Tragacanth gum (TG) is generally recognized as safe by the Food and Drug Administration. The present article discusses the design of ciprofloxacin loaded TG based hydrogels for use in drug delivery especially to improve the pharmacotherapy of diverticulitis. The polymers were characterized by SEMs, FTIR, 13 C NMR, XRD, TGA, DSC, gel strength and swelling studies. The polymer network parameters, mucoadhesion, gel strength, drug release mechanism and kinetic model were also determined. The release of drug occurred through non-Fickian diffusion mechanism and best fitted in the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. The pH of the swelling medium has also exerted a strong effect on polymer network structure and mechanical strength. These hydrogels have been observed pH responsive and mucoadhesive in nature and could be utilized for site specific drug delivery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Nanoparticles laden in situ gel for sustained ocular drug delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Himanshu Gupta

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Proper availability of drug on to corneal surface is a challenging task. However, due to ocular physiological barriers, conventional eye drops display poor ocular bioavailability of drugs (< 1%. To improve precorneal residence time and ocular penetration, earlier our group developed and evaluated in situ gel and nanoparticles for ocular delivery. In interest to evaluate the combined effect of in situ gel and nanoparticles on ocular retention, we combined them. We are the first to term this combination as "nanoparticle laden in situ gel", that is, poly lactic co glycolic acid nanoparticle incorporated in chitosan in situ gel for sparfloxacin ophthalmic delivery. The formulation was tested for various physicochemical properties. It showed gelation pH near pH 7.2. The observation of acquired gamma camera images showed good retention over the entire precorneal area for sparfloxacin nanoparticle laden in situ gel (SNG as compared to marketed formulation. SNG formulation cleared at a very slow rate and remained at corneal surface for longer duration as no radioactivity was observed in systemic circulation. The developed formulation was found to be better in combination and can go up to the clinical evaluation and application.

  19. Drug delivery across length scales.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delcassian, Derfogail; Patel, Asha K; Cortinas, Abel B; Langer, Robert

    2018-02-20

    Over the last century, there has been a dramatic change in the nature of therapeutic, biologically active molecules available to treat disease. Therapies have evolved from extracted natural products towards rationally designed biomolecules, including small molecules, engineered proteins and nucleic acids. The use of potent drugs which target specific organs, cells or biochemical pathways, necessitates new tools which can enable controlled delivery and dosing of these therapeutics to their biological targets. Here, we review the miniaturisation of drug delivery systems from the macro to nano-scale, focussing on controlled dosing and controlled targeting as two key parameters in drug delivery device design. We describe how the miniaturisation of these devices enables the move from repeated, systemic dosing, to on-demand, targeted delivery of therapeutic drugs and highlight areas of focus for the future.

  20. Nanoparticles for intracellular-targeted drug delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paulo, Cristiana S O; Pires das Neves, Ricardo; Ferreira, Lino S

    2011-01-01

    Nanoparticles (NPs) are very promising for the intracellular delivery of anticancer and immunomodulatory drugs, stem cell differentiation biomolecules and cell activity modulators. Although initial studies in the area of intracellular drug delivery have been performed in the delivery of DNA, there is an increasing interest in the use of other molecules to modulate cell activity. Herein, we review the latest advances in the intracellular-targeted delivery of short interference RNA, proteins and small molecules using NPs. In most cases, the drugs act at different cellular organelles and therefore the drug-containing NPs should be directed to precise locations within the cell. This will lead to the desired magnitude and duration of the drug effects. The spatial control in the intracellular delivery might open new avenues to modulate cell activity while avoiding side-effects.

  1. Pectin-based colon-specific drug delivery

    OpenAIRE

    Shailendra Shukla; Deepak Jain; Kavita Verma; Shiddarth Verma

    2011-01-01

    Colon-specific drug delivery have a great importance in the delivery of drugs for the treatment of local colonic, as well as systemic diseases like Crohn′s disease, ulcerative colitis, colorectal cancer, amoebiasis, asthma, arthritis and inflammation which can be achieved by targeted delivery of drug to colon. Specific systemic absorption in the colon gave interesting possibilities for the delivery of protein and peptides. It contains relatively less proteolytic enzyme activities in the colon...

  2. Temperature-responsive nanogel multilayers of poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) for topical drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zavgorodnya, Oleksandra; Carmona-Moran, Carlos A; Kozlovskaya, Veronika; Liu, Fei; Wick, Timothy M; Kharlampieva, Eugenia

    2017-11-15

    We report nanothin temperature-responsive hydrogel films of poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) nanoparticles (νPVCL) with remarkably high loading capacity for topical drug delivery. Highly swollen (νPVCL) n multilayer hydrogels, where n denotes the number of nanoparticle layers, are produced by layer-by-layer hydrogen-bonded assembly of core-shell PVCL-co-acrylic acid nanoparticles with linear PVPON followed by cross-linking of the acrylic acid shell with either ethylene diamine (EDA) or adipic acid dihydrazide (AAD). We demonstrate that a (νPVCL) 5 film undergoes dramatic and reversible swelling up to 9 times its dry thickness at pH = 7.5, indicating 89v/v % of water inside the network. These hydrogels exhibit highly reversible ∼3-fold thickness changes with temperature variations from 25 to 50°C at pH = 5, the average pH of human skin. We also show that a (νPVCL) 30 hydrogel loaded with ∼120µgcm -2 sodium diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used for osteoarthritis pain management, provides sustained permeation of this drug through an artificial skin membrane for up to 24h at 32°C (the average human skin surface temperature). The cumulative amount of diclofenac transported at 32°C from the (νPVCL) 30 hydrogel after 24h is 12 times higher than that from the (νPVCL) 30 hydrogel at 22°C. Finally, we demonstrate that the (νPVCL) hydrogels can be used for multiple drug delivery by inclusion of Nile red, fluorescein and DAPI dyes within the νPVCL nanoparticles prior to hydrogel assembly. Using confocal microscopy we observed the presence of separate dye-loaded νPVCL compartments within the hydrogel matrix with all three dyes confined to the nanogel particles without intermixing between the dyes. Our study provides opportunity for development of temperature-responsive multilayer hydrogel coatings made via the assembly of core-shell nanogel particles which can be used for skin-sensitive materials for topical drug delivery. Copyright © 2017

  3. Ultrasound-mediated drug delivery by gas bubbles generated from a chemical reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sungmun; Al-Kaabi, Leena; Mawart, Aurélie; Khandoker, Ahsan; Alsafar, Habiba; Jelinek, Herbert F; Khalaf, Kinda; Park, Ji-Ho; Kim, Yeu-Chun

    2018-02-01

    Highly echogenic and ultrasound-responsive microbubbles such as nitrogen and perfluorocarbons have been exploited as ultrasound-mediated drug carriers. Here, we propose an innovative method for drug delivery using microbubbles generated from a chemical reaction. In a novel drug delivery system, luminol encapsulated in folate-conjugated bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (Fol-BSAN) can generate nitrogen gas (N 2 ) by chemical reaction when it reacts with hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), one of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS plays an important role in the initiation and progression of cancer and elevated ROS have been observed in cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. High-intensity focussed ultrasound (HIFU) is used to burst the N 2 microbubbles, causing site-specific delivery of anticancer drugs such as methotrexate. In this research, the drug delivery system was optimised by using water-soluble luminol and Mobil Composition of Matter-41 (MCM-41), a mesoporous material, so that the delivery system was sensitive to micromolar concentrations of H 2 O 2 . HIFU increased the drug release from Fol-BSAN by 52.9 ± 2.9% in 10 minutes. The cytotoxicity of methotrexate was enhanced when methotrexate is delivered to MDA-MB-231, a metastatic human breast cancer cell line, using Fol-BSAN with HIFU. We anticipate numerous applications of chemically generated microbubbles for ultrasound-mediated drug delivery.

  4. Advances in buccal drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Birudaraj, Raj; Mahalingam, Ravichandran; Li, Xiaoling; Jasti, Bhaskara R

    2005-01-01

    The buccal route offers an attractive alternative for systemic drug delivery of drugs because of better patient compliance, ease of dosage form removal in emergencies, robustness, and good accessibility. Use of buccal mucosa for drug absorption was first attempted by Sobrero in 1847, and since then much research was done to deliver drugs through this route. Today, research is more focused on the development of suitable delivery devices, permeation enhancement, and buccal delivery of drugs that undergo a first-pass effect, such as cardiovascular drugs, analgesics, and peptides. In addition, studies have been conducted on the development of controlled or slow release delivery systems for systemic and local therapy of diseases in the oral cavity. In this review, the anatomy and physiology of buccal mucosa, followed by discussion of recent literature on the buccal permeation enhancement, and pathways of enhancement for various molecules are detailed. In addition, bioadhesion theories from historic perspective and current status are discussed. The various dosage forms on the market and in different stages of development are also reviewed.

  5. Ultrasound-guided drug delivery in cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chowdhury, Sayan Mullick; Lee, Tae Hwa; Willmann, Jugen K. [Dept. of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford (United States)

    2017-07-15

    Recent advancements in ultrasound and microbubble (USMB) mediated drug delivery technology has shown that this approach can improve spatially confined delivery of drugs and genes to target tissues while reducing systemic dose and toxicity. The mechanism behind enhanced delivery of therapeutics is sonoporation, the formation of openings in the vasculature, induced by ultrasound-triggered oscillations and destruction of microbubbles. In this review, progress and challenges of USMB mediated drug delivery are summarized, with special focus on cancer therapy.

  6. Multi-Layer Self-Nanoemulsifying Pellets: an Innovative Drug Delivery System for the Poorly Water-Soluble Drug Cinnarizine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahba, Ahmad Abdul-Wahhab; Ahmed, Abid Riaz; Alanazi, Fars Kaed; Mohsin, Kazi; Abdel-Rahman, Sayed Ibrahim

    2018-04-25

    Beside their solubility limitations, some poorly water-soluble drugs undergo extensive degradation in aqueous and/or lipid-based formulations. Multi-layer self-nanoemulsifying pellets (ML-SNEP) introduce an innovative delivery system based on isolating the drug from the self-nanoemulsifying layer to enhance drug aqueous solubility and minimize degradation. In the current study, various batches of cinnarizine (CN) ML-SNEP were prepared using fluid bed coating and involved a drug-free self-nanoemulsifying layer, protective layer, drug layer, moisture-sealing layer, and/or an anti-adherent layer. Each layer was optimized based on coating outcomes such as coating recovery and mono-pellets%. The optimized ML-SNEP were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), in vitro dissolution, and stability studies. The optimized ML-SNEP were free-flowing, well separated with high coating recovery. SEM showed multiple well-defined coating layers. The acidic polyvinylpyrrolidone:CN (4:1) solution presented excellent drug-layering outcomes. DSC and XRD confirmed CN transformation into amorphous state within the drug layer. The isolation between CN and self-nanoemulsifying layer did not adversely affect drug dissolution. CN was able to spontaneously migrate into the micelles arising from the drug-free self-nanoemulsifying layer. ML-SNEP showed superior dissolution compared to Stugeron® tablets at pH 1.2 and 6.8. Particularly, on shifting to pH 6.8, ML-SNEP maintained > 84% CN in solution while Stugeron® tablets showed significant CN precipitation leaving only 7% CN in solution. Furthermore, ML-SNEP (comprising Kollicoat® Smartseal 30D) showed robust stability and maintained > 97% intact CN within the accelerated storage conditions. Accordingly, ML-SNEP offer a novel delivery system that combines both enhanced solubilization and stabilization of unstable poorly soluble drugs.

  7. Ion-Responsive Drug Delivery Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshida, Takayuki; Shakushiro, Kohsuke; Sako, Kazuhiro

    2018-02-08

    Some kinds of cations and anions are contained in body fluids such as blood, interstitial fluid, gastrointestinal juice, and tears at relatively high concentration. Ionresponsive drug delivery is available to design the unique dosage formulations which provide optimized drug therapy with effective, safe and convenient dosing of drugs. The objective of the present review was to collect, summarize, and categorize recent research findings on ion-responsive drug delivery systems. Ions in body fluid/formulations caused structural changes of polymers/molecules contained in the formulations, allow formulations exhibit functions. The polymers/molecules responding to ions were ion-exchange resins/fibers, anionic or cationic polymers, polymers exhibiting transition at lower critical solution temperature, self-assemble supramolecular systems, peptides, and metalorganic frameworks. The functions of ion-responsive drug delivery systems were categorized to controlled drug release, site-specific drug release, in situ gelation, prolonged retention at the target sites, and enhancement of drug permeation. Administration of the formulations via oral, ophthalmic, transdermal, and nasal routes has showed significant advantages in the recent literatures. Many kinds of drug delivery systems responding to ions have been reported recently for several administration routes. Improvement and advancement of these systems can maximize drugs potential and contribute to patients in the world. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  8. In Vitro Lipolysis Data Does Not Adequately Predict the In Vivo Performance of Lipid-Based Drug Delivery Systems Containing Fenofibrate

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomas, Nicky; Richter, Katharina; Pedersen, Thomas B

    2014-01-01

    on identical self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) containing 200 mg of fenofibrate, either dissolved or suspended, were subjected to combined gastric (pH 2) and intestinal (pH 6.5) in vitro lipolysis. Based on the solubilization profiles and SRM the rank-order SNEDDS (75% drug load) > super...

  9. Colloidal drug delivery system: amplify the ocular delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Javed; Fazil, Mohd; Qumbar, Mohd; Khan, Nazia; Ali, Asgar

    2016-01-01

    The ocular perceivers are the most voluntarily accessible organs in terms of location in the body, yet drug distribution to these tissues is one of the most intriguing and challenging endeavors and problematic to the pharmaceutical scientist. The most of ocular diseases are treated with topical application of conventional formulation, i.e. solutions, suspensions and ointment. Typically on installation of these conventional formulations, only <5% of the applied dose penetrates the cornea and reaches intraocular tissues, while a major fraction of the instilled dose is wastage due to the presence of many ocular barriers like external barriers, rapid loss of the instilled solution from the precorneal area and nasolacrimal drainage system. Systemic absorption caused systemic side effects varying from mild to life-threatening events. The main objective of this review is to explore the role of colloidal delivery of drug to minimize the drawbacks associated with them. This review provides an insight into the various constraints associated with ocular drug delivery, summarizes recent findings and applications of colloidal delivery systems, i.e. nanoparticles, nanosuspensions, liposomes, niosomes, dendrimers and contact lenses containing nanoparticles have the capacity to distribute ocular drugs to categorical target sites and hold promise to revolutionize the therapy of many ocular perceiver diseases and minimized the circumscription of conventional delivery. Form the basis of literature review, it has been found that the novel delivery system have greater impact to maximize ocular drug absorption, and minimize systemic absorption and side effects.

  10. Chrono pharmacotherapy: A pulsatile Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huma Hameed

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Chronopharmacotherapy refers to a treatment in which controlled drug delivery is achieved according to circadian rhythms of disease by enhancing therapeutic outcomes and minimizing side effects. Colon targeting has gained great importance not only for the treatment of local diseases such as Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease and ulcerative colitis but also very important in systemic delivery of proteins/peptides, antiasthmatic drugs, antidiabetic agents and antihypertensive drugs, which mostly show their efficacy based on circadian rhythms of the body.Colon drug delivery is one of the difficult approaches to achieve the targeted and desired outcomes through pulsatile drug delivery by avoiding dose dumping.The main reasonbehind the use of pulsatile delivery is provision ofconstant drug release where a zero-order release is notpreferred. Chronopharmacotherapy in colon targeting play its role bymany systems such ascapsular systems, pulsatile system and osmotic systems, which are based on use of rupturable membranes and biodegradable polymers.The objective of this review article is to provide latest knowledge about drugs with chrono-pharmacological behavior entails night time dosing specially to the colon.

  11. Drug delivery from the oral cavity: a focus on mucoadhesive buccal drug delivery systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shinkar, Dattatraya Manohar; Dhake, Avinash Sridhar; Setty, Chitral Mallikarjuna

    2012-01-01

    Since the early 1980s the concept of mucoadhesion has gained considerable interest in pharmaceutical technology. The various advantages associated with these systems made buccal drug delivery as a novel route of drug administration. It prolongs the residence time of the dosage form at the site of application. These systems remain in close contact with the absorption tissue, the mucous membrane, and thus contribute to improved and/or better therapeutic performance of the drug and of both local and systemic effects. This review highlights the anatomy and structure of oral mucosa, mechanism and theories of mucoadhesion, factors affecting mucoadhesion, characteristics and properties of desired mucoadhesive polymers, various types of dosage forms, and general considerations in design of mucoadhesive buccal dosage forms, permeation enhancers, and evaluation methods. Over the past few decades the mucoadhesive buccal drug delivery system has received a great deal of attention to develop mucoadhesive dosage forms to enable the prolonged retention at the site of action, providing a controlled release of drug for improved therapeutic outcome. Mucoadhesive drug delivery gives facility to include a permeation enhancer/enzyme inhibitor or pHmodifier in the formulation and versatility in designing as multidirectional or unidirectional release systems for local and systemic action. Local delivery to tissues of the oral cavity has a number of applications, including treatment of local conditions such as periodontal disease, bacterial and fungal infections, and aphthous stomatitis and vesiculo bullous diseases. For the treatment of chronic diseases, the mucoadhesive buccal drug delivery system allows easily accessibility and is generally well-accepted for administeringdrugs by systemic action.

  12. Ultrasound-guided drug delivery in cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sayan Mullick Chowdhury

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Recent advancements in ultrasound and microbubble (USMB mediated drug delivery technology has shown that this approach can improve spatially confined delivery of drugs and genes to target tissues while reducing systemic dose and toxicity. The mechanism behind enhanced delivery of therapeutics is sonoporation, the formation of openings in the vasculature, induced by ultrasound-triggered oscillations and destruction of microbubbles. In this review, progress and challenges of USMB mediated drug delivery are summarized, with special focus on cancer therapy.

  13. The challenges and future of oral drug delivery: An interview with David Brayden.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brayden, David J

    2016-12-01

    David Brayden speaks to Hannah Makin, Commissioning Editor: David Brayden is a Full Professor (Advanced Drug Delivery) at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin (UCD) and also a Fellow of the UCD Conway Institute. Following a PhD in Pharmacology at the University of Cambridge, UK (1989), and a postdoctoral research fellowship at Stanford University, CA, USA, he set up Elan Biotechnology Research's in vitro pharmacology laboratory in Dublin (1991). At Elan, he became a senior scientist and project manager of several of Elan's joint-venture drug delivery research collaborations with US biotech companies. In 2001, he joined UCD as a lecturer in veterinary pharmacology and was appointed Associate Professor in 2006 and Full Professor in 2014. He was a Director of the Science Foundation Ireland Research Cluster (The Irish Drug Delivery Research Network) from 2007 to 2013, is a Deputy Coordinator of an FP7 Consortium on oral peptides in nanoparticles ('TRANS-INT', 2012-2017), and is a Co-Principal Investigator in 'CURAM', Science Foundation Ireland's new Centre for Medical Devices (2014-2020 [ 1 ]). He was made a Fellow of the Controlled Release Society in 2012. He is the author or co-author of >200 research publications and patents. D Brayden serves on the Editorial Advisory Boards of Drug Discovery Today, European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews and the Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, and is an Associate Editor of Therapeutic Delivery. D Brayden works as an independent consultant for drug delivery companies.

  14. Supersaturating drug delivery systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Laitinen, Riikka; Löbmann, Korbinian; Grohganz, Holger

    2017-01-01

    of the bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs by increasing the driving force for drug absorption. However, ASDs often require a high weight percentage of carrier (usually a hydrophilic polymer) to ensure molecular mixing of the drug in the carrier and stabilization of the supersaturated state, often leading......Amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) are probably the most common and important supersaturating drug delivery systems for the formulation of poorly water-soluble compounds. These delivery systems are able to achieve and maintain a sustained drug supersaturation which enables improvement...... strategy for poorly-soluble drugs. While the current research on co-amorphous formulations is focused on preparation and characterization of these systems, more detailed research on their supersaturation and precipitation behavior and the effect of co-formers on nucleation and crystal growth inhibition...

  15. Transdermal drug delivery: approaches and significance

    OpenAIRE

    Murthy, SATHYANARAYANA

    2012-01-01

    S Narasimha MurthyDepartment of Pharmaceutics, The University of Mississippi, USATransdermal drug delivery systems deliver drugs through the skin as an alternative to oral, intravascular, subcutaneous, and transmucosal routes. Potential advantages of transdermal delivery include, but are not limited to, elimination of first-pass metabolism, steady delivery/blood levels, better patient compliance, reduced systemic drug interactions, possible dose intervention, avoidance of medically assisted d...

  16. Nanoscale drug delivery for targeted chemotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xin, Yong; Huang, Qian; Tang, Jian-Qin; Hou, Xiao-Yang; Zhang, Pei; Zhang, Long Zhen; Jiang, Guan

    2016-08-28

    Despite significant improvements in diagnostic methods and innovations in therapies for specific cancers, effective treatments for neoplastic diseases still represent major challenges. Nanotechnology as an emerging technology has been widely used in many fields and also provides a new opportunity for the targeted delivery of cancer drugs. Nanoscale delivery of chemotherapy drugs to the tumor site is highly desirable. Recent studies have shown that nanoscale drug delivery systems not only have the ability to destroy cancer cells but may also be carriers for chemotherapy drugs. Some studies have demonstrated that delivery of chemotherapy via nanoscale carriers has greater therapeutic benefit than either treatment modality alone. In this review, novel approaches to nanoscale delivery of chemotherapy are described and recent progress in this field is discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Chitosan Based Self-Assembled Nanoparticles in Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Javier Pérez Quiñones

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Chitosan is a cationic polysaccharide that is usually obtained by alkaline deacetylation of chitin poly(N-acetylglucosamine. It is biocompatible, biodegradable, mucoadhesive, and non-toxic. These excellent biological properties make chitosan a good candidate for a platform in developing drug delivery systems having improved biodistribution, increased specificity and sensitivity, and reduced pharmacological toxicity. In particular, chitosan nanoparticles are found to be appropriate for non-invasive routes of drug administration: oral, nasal, pulmonary and ocular routes. These applications are facilitated by the absorption-enhancing effect of chitosan. Many procedures for obtaining chitosan nanoparticles have been proposed. Particularly, the introduction of hydrophobic moieties into chitosan molecules by grafting to generate a hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance promoting self-assembly is a current and appealing approach. The grafting agent can be a hydrophobic moiety forming micelles that can entrap lipophilic drugs or it can be the drug itself. Another suitable way to generate self-assembled chitosan nanoparticles is through the formation of polyelectrolyte complexes with polyanions. This paper reviews the main approaches for preparing chitosan nanoparticles by self-assembly through both procedures, and illustrates the state of the art of their application in drug delivery.

  18. Metabolic approaches to enhance transdermal drug delivery. 1. Effect of lipid synthesis inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, J C; Guy, R H; Thornfeldt, C R; Gao, W N; Feingold, K R; Elias, P M

    1996-06-01

    The intercellular domains of the stratum corneum, which contain a mixture of cholesterol, free fatty acids, and ceramides, mediate both the epidermal permeability barrier and the transdermal delivery of both lipophilic and hydrophilic molecules. Prior studies have shown that each of the three key lipid classes is required for normal barrier function. For example, selective inhibition of either cholesterol, fatty acid, or ceramide synthesis in the epidermis delays barrier recovery rates after barrier perturbation of hairless mouse skin in vivo. In this study, we investigated the potential of certain inhibitors of lipid synthesis to enhance the transdermal delivery of lidocaine or caffeine as a result of their capacity to perturb barrier homeostasis. After acetone disruption of the barrier, the extent of lidocaine delivery and the degree of altered barrier function paralleled each other. Moreover, the further alteration in barrier function produced by either the fatty acid synthesis inhibitor 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furancarboxylic acid (TOFA), the cholesterol synthesis inhibitor fluvastatin (FLU), or cholesterol sulfate (CS) resulted in a further increase in lidocaine absorption. Furthermore, coapplications of TOFA and CS together caused an additive increase in lidocaine uptake. Finally, a comparable increase in drug delivery occurred when the barrier was disrupted initially with DMSO instead of acetone; coapplications of TOFA and FLU together again delayed barrier recovery and increased drug delivery by about 8-fold vs delivery from a standard enhancing vehicle. Whereas these metabolic inhibitors also variably increased the octanol/water partitioning of the drugs studied (perhaps via complexion or pH alterations), physicochemical effects of the inhibitors alone did not alter drug uptake in intact skin; i.e., passive mechanisms alone cannot account for the net increase in drug delivery. Our results show that modulations of epidermal lipid biosynthesis, following

  19. Molecularly Imprinted Polymers: Novel Discovery for Drug Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhanashree, Surve; Priyanka, Mohite; Manisha, Karpe; Vilasrao, Kadam

    2016-01-01

    Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) are novel carriers synthesized by imprinting of a template over a polymer. This paper presents the recent application of MIP for diagnostic and therapeutic drug delivery. MIP owing to their 3D polymeric structures and due to bond formation with the template serves as a reservoir of active causing stimuli sensitive, enantioselective, targetted and/or controlled release. The review elaborates about key factors for optimization of MIP, controlled release by MIP for various administration routes various forms like patches, contact lenses, nanowires along with illustrations. To overcome the limitation of organic solvent usage causing increased cost, water compatible MIP and use of supercritical fluid technology for molecular imprinting were developed. Novel methods for developing water compatible MIP like pickering emulsion polymerization, co-precipitation method, cyclodextrin imprinting, surface grafting, controlled/living radical chain polymerization methods are described with illustration in this review. Various protein imprinting methods like bulk, epitope and surface imprinting are described along with illustrations. Further, application of MIP in microdevices as biomimetic sensing element for personalized therapy is elaborated. Although development and application of MIP in drug delivery is still at its infancy, constant efforts of researchers will lead to a novel intelligent drug delivery with commercial value. Efforts should be directed in developing solid oral dosage forms consisting of MIP for therapeutic protein and peptide delivery and targeted release of potent drugs addressing life threatening disease like cancer. Amalgamation of bio-engineering and pharmaceutical techniques can make these future prospects into reality.

  20. A smart polymeric platform for multistage nucleus-targeted anticancer drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Jiaju; Li, Lian; Zhu, Xi; Guan, Shan; Yang, Qingqing; Zhou, Zhou; Zhang, Zhirong; Huang, Yuan

    2015-10-01

    Tumor cell nucleus-targeted delivery of antitumor agents is of great interest in cancer therapy, since the nucleus is one of the most frequent targets of drug action. Here we report a smart polymeric conjugate platform, which utilizes stimulus-responsive strategies to achieve multistage nuclear drug delivery upon systemic administration. The conjugates composed of a backbone based on N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer and detachable nucleus transport sub-units that sensitive to lysosomal enzyme. The sub-units possess a biforked structure with one end conjugated with the model drug, H1 peptide, and the other end conjugated with a novel pH-responsive targeting peptide (R8NLS) that combining the strength of cell penetrating peptide and nuclear localization sequence. The conjugates exhibited prolonged circulation time and excellent tumor homing ability. And the activation of R8NLS in acidic tumor microenvironment facilitated tissue penetration and cellular internalization. Once internalized into the cell, the sub-units were unleashed for nuclear transport through nuclear pore complex. The unique features resulted in 50-fold increase of nuclear drug accumulation relative to the original polymer-drug conjugates in vitro, and excellent in vivo nuclear drug delivery efficiency. Our report provides a strategy in systemic nuclear drug delivery by combining the microenvironment-responsive structure and detachable sub-units. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. A wireless actuating drug delivery system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jo, Won-Jun; Baek, Seung-Ki; Park, Jung-Hwan

    2015-01-01

    A wireless actuating drug delivery system was devised. The system is based on induction heating for drug delivery. In this study, thermally generated nitrogen gas produced by induction heating of azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) was utilized for pressure-driven release of the drug. The delivery device consists of an actuator chamber, a drug reservoir, and a microchannel. A semicircular copper disc (5 and 6 mm in diameter and 100 µm thick), and thermal conductive tape were integrated as the heating element in the actuator chamber. The final device was 2.7 mm thick. 28 µl of drug solution were placed in the reservoir and the device released the drug quickly at the rate of 6 µl s −1 by induction heating at 160 µT of magnetic intensity. The entire drug solution was released and dispersed after subcutaneous implantation under identical experimental condition. This study demonstrates that the device was simply prepared and drug delivery could be achieved by wireless actuation of a thin, pressure-driven actuator. (paper)

  2. Inner layer-embedded contact lenses for pH-triggered controlled ocular drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Qiang; Liu, Chang; Sun, Zheng; Zhang, Xiaofei; Liang, Ning; Mao, Shirui

    2018-07-01

    Contact lenses (CLs) are ideally suited for controlled ocular drug delivery, but are limited by short release duration, poor storage stability and low drug loading. In this study, we present a novel inner layer-embedded contact lens capable of pH-triggered extended ocular drug delivery with good storage stability. Blend film of ethyl cellulose and Eudragit S100 was used as the inner layer, while pHEMA hydrogel was used as outer layer to fabricate inner layer-embedded contact lens. Using diclofenac sodium(DS) as a drug model, influence of polymer ratio in the blend film, EC viscosity, drug/polymer ratio, inner layer thickness and outlayer thickness of pHEMA hydrogel on drug release behavior was studied and optimized for daily use. The pH-triggered drug eluting pattern enables the inner layer-embedded contact lens being stored in phosphate buffer solution pH 6.8 with ignorable drug loss and negligible changes in drug release pattern. In vivo pharmacokinetic study in rabbits showed sustained drug release for over 24 h in tear fluid, indicating significant improvement in drug corneal residence time. A level A IVIVC was established between in vitro drug release and in vivo drug concentration in tear fluid. In conclusion, this inner layer embedded contact lens design could be used as a platform for extended ocular drug delivery with translational potential for both anterior and posterior ocular diseases therapy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Novel drug delivery strategies for porphyrins and porphyrin precursors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrow, D. I. J.; Donnelly, R. F.

    2009-06-01

    superficial lesions, such as actinic keratosis. In addition, photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT) is attracting increasing interest for the treatment of infection. However, delivery strategies for topical PDT and PACT are still based on application of rather simplistic cream and solution formulations, with little consideration given to thermodynamics, targeting or the physicochemical properties of the active agent. Purpose-designed dosage forms for topical delivery of aminolevulinic acid or its esters include creams containing penetration enhancers and/or iron chelators, pressure sensitive patches and bioadhesive patches. Such systems aim to enhance drug delivery across the stratum corneum and keratinised debris overlying neoplastic lesions and improve subsequent protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) production. The alternative to using porphyrin precursors is the use of pre-formed photosensitisers. However, owing to their relatively high molecular weights, conventional topical application is not appropriate. Innovative strategies, such as the use of needle-free injections and microneedle arrays, bypass the stratum corneum, enabling rapid and targeted delivery not only porphyrin precursors but also pre-formed photosensitisers. This presentation will review drug delivery work published to date in the fields of PDT and PACT. In addition, the benefits of employing the latest advances in pharmaceutical technology will be highlighted.

  4. Radiation syntheses of Pectin/acrylamide (PEC/PAM) and Pectin/Diethylaminoethylmethacrylate (PEC/DEAMA) hydrogels as drug delivery systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abou El Fadl, F.I.; Maziad, N.A.

    2015-01-01

    Different pH responsive copolymer hydrogels based on pectin were prepared by the effect of radiation. The physical and chemical properties of prepared hydrogels were studied by FTIR, and TGA. Also, the prepared hydrogels were evaluated for the possible use as drug delivery system for chlortetracycline HCL as model drug. The results revealed that the swelling ratios and the release behavior of hydrogels depend mainly on the pH of the medium and the hydrogel composition. (author)

  5. Lipid based drug delivery systems: Kinetics by SANS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uhríková, D.; Teixeira, J.; Hubčík, L.; Búcsi, A.; Kondela, T.; Murugova, T.; Ivankov, O. I.

    2017-05-01

    N,N-dimethyldodecylamine-N-oxide (C12NO) is a surfactant that may exist either in a neutral or protonated form depending on the pH of aqueous solutions. Using small angle X-ray diffraction (SAXD) we demonstrate structural responsivity of C12NO/dioleoylphospha-tidylethanolamine (DOPE)/DNA complexes designed as pH sensitive gene delivery vectors. Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) was employed to follow kinetics of C12NO protonization and DNA binding into C12NO/DOPE/DNA complexes in solution of 150 mM NaCl at acidic condition. SANS data analyzed using paracrystal lamellar model show the formation of complexes with stacking up to ∼32 bilayers, spacing ∼ 62 Å, and lipid bilayer thickness ∼37 Å in 3 minutes after changing pH from 7 to 4. Subsequent structural reorganization of the complexes was observed along 90 minutes of SANS mesurements.

  6. Lipid based drug delivery systems: Kinetics by SANS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uhríková, D; Hubčík, L; Búcsi, A; Kondela, T; Teixeira, J; Murugova, T; Ivankov, O I

    2017-01-01

    N,N-dimethyldodecylamine-N-oxide (C 12 NO) is a surfactant that may exist either in a neutral or protonated form depending on the pH of aqueous solutions. Using small angle X-ray diffraction (SAXD) we demonstrate structural responsivity of C 12 NO/dioleoylphospha-tidylethanolamine (DOPE)/DNA complexes designed as pH sensitive gene delivery vectors. Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) was employed to follow kinetics of C 12 NO protonization and DNA binding into C 12 NO/DOPE/DNA complexes in solution of 150 mM NaCl at acidic condition. SANS data analyzed using paracrystal lamellar model show the formation of complexes with stacking up to ∼32 bilayers, spacing ∼ 62 Å, and lipid bilayer thickness ∼37 Å in 3 minutes after changing pH from 7 to 4. Subsequent structural reorganization of the complexes was observed along 90 minutes of SANS mesurements. (paper)

  7. The Potential of Silk and Silk-Like Proteins as Natural Mucoadhesive Biopolymers for Controlled Drug Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, Amanda E

    2015-01-01

    Drug delivery across mucus membranes is a particularly effective route of administration due to the large surface area. However, the unique environment present at the mucosa necessitates altered drug formulations designed to (1) deliver sensitive biologic molecules, (2) promote intimate contact between the mucosa and the drug, and (3) prolong the drug's local residence time. Thus, the pharmaceutical industry has an interest in drug delivery systems formulated around the use of mucoadhesive polymers. Mucoadhesive polymers, both synthetic and biological, have a history of use in local drug delivery. Prominently featured in the literature are chitosan, alginate, and cellulose derivatives. More recently, silk and silk-like derivatives have been explored for their potential as mucoadhesive polymers. Both silkworms and spiders produce sticky silk-like glue substances, sericin and aggregate silk respectively, that may prove an effective, natural matrix for drug delivery to the mucosa. This mini review will explore the potential of silk and silk-like derivatives as a biocompatible mucoadhesive polymer matrix for local controlled drug delivery.

  8. A mechanics approach to the study of pressure sensitive adhesives and human skin for transdermal drug delivery applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taub, Marc Barry

    Transdermal drug delivery is an alternative approach to the systemic delivery of pharmaceuticals where drugs are administered through the skin and absorbed percutaneously. This method of delivery offers several advantages over more traditional routes; most notably, the avoidance of the fast-pass metabolism of the liver and gut, the ability to offer controlled release rates, and the possibility for novel devices. Pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs) are used to bond transdermal drug delivery devices to the skin because of their good initial and long-term adhesion, clean removability, and skin and drug compatibility. However, an understanding of the mechanics of adhesion to the dermal layer, together with quantitative and reproducible test methods for measuring adhesion, have been lacking. This study utilizes a mechanics-based approach to quantify the interfacial adhesion of PSAs bonded to selected substrates, including human dermal tissue. The delamination of PSA layers is associated with cavitation in the PSA followed by the formation of an extensive cohesive zone behind the debond tip. A quantitative metrology was developed to assess the adhesion and delamination of PSAs, such that it could be possible to easily distinguish between the adhesive characteristics of different PSA compositions and to provide a quantitative basis from which the reliability of adhesive layers bonded to substrates could be studied. A mechanics-based model was also developed to predict debonding in terms of the relevant energy dissipation mechanisms active during this process. As failure of transdermal devices may occur cohesively within the PSA layer, adhesively at the interface between the PSA and the skin, or cohesively between the corneocytes that comprise the outermost layer of the skin, it was also necessary to explore the mechanical and fracture properties of human skin. The out-of-plane delamination of corneocytes was studied by determining the strain energy release rate during

  9. Nanomedicine Drug Delivery across Mucous Membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lancina, Michael George, III

    Control over the distribution of therapeutic compounds is a complex and somewhat overlooked field of pharmaceutical research. When swallowing a pill or receiving an injection, it is commonly assumed that drug will spread throughout the body in a more or less uniform concentration and find its way to wherever it is needed. In truth, drug biodistribuition is highly non-uniform and dependent on a large number of factors. The development of advanced drug delivery systems to control biodistribution can produce significant advances in clinical treatments without the need to discover new therapeutic compounds. This work focuses on a number of nanostructured materials designed to improve drug delivery by direct and efficient transfer of drugs across one of the body's external mucous membranes. Chapter 1 outlines the central concept that unites these studies: nanomaterials and cationic particles can be used to delivery therapeutic compounds across mucous membranes. Special attention is given to dendritic nanoparticles. In chapter 2, uses for dendrimers in ocular drug delivery are presented. The studies are divided into two main groups: topical and injectable formulations. Chapter 3 does not involve dendrimers but instead another cationic particle used in transmembrane drug delivery, chitosan. Next, a dendrimer based nanofiber mat was used to deliver anti-glaucoma drugs in chapter 4. A three week in vivo efficacy trial showed dendrimer nanofiber mats outperformed traditional eye drops in terms of intra-ocular pressure decrease in a normotensive rat model. Finally, we have developed a new dendrimer based anti-glaucoma drug in chapter 5. Collectively, these studies demonstrate some of the potential applications for nanotechnology to improve transmembrane drug delivery. These particles and fibers are able to readily adhere and penetrate across epithelial cell lays. Utilizing these materials to improve drug absorption through these portals has the potential to improve the

  10. Cell membrane-inspired polymeric micelles as carriers for drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Gongyan; Luo, Quanqing; Gao, Haiqi; Chen, Yuan; Wei, Xing; Dai, Hong; Zhang, Zongcai; Ji, Jian

    2015-03-01

    In cancer therapy, surface engineering of drug delivery systems plays an essential role in their colloidal stability, biocompatibility and prolonged blood circulation. Inspired by the cell membrane consisting of phospholipids and glycolipids, a zwitterionic phosphorylcholine functionalized chitosan oligosaccharide (PC-CSO) was first synthesized to mimic the hydrophilic head groups of those amphipathic lipids. Then hydrophobic stearic acid (SA) similar to lipid fatty acids was grafted onto PC-CSO to form amphiphilic PC-CSO-SA copolymers. Cell membrane-mimetic micelles with a zwitterionic surface and a hydrophobic SA core were prepared by the self-assembly of PC-CSO-SA copolymers, showing excellent stability under extreme conditions including protein containing media, high salt content or a wide pH range. Doxorubicin (DOX) was successfully entrapped into polymeric micelles through the hydrophobic interaction between DOX and SA segments. After fast internalization by cancer cells, sustained drug release from micelles to the cytoplasm and nucleus was achieved. This result suggests that these biomimetic polymeric micelles may be promising drug delivery systems in cancer therapy.

  11. Genetically engineered nanocarriers for drug delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shi P

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Pu Shi, Joshua A Gustafson, J Andrew MacKayDepartment of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USAAbstract: Cytotoxicity, low water solubility, rapid clearance from circulation, and off-target side-effects are common drawbacks of conventional small-molecule drugs. To overcome these shortcomings, many multifunctional nanocarriers have been proposed to enhance drug delivery. In concept, multifunctional nanoparticles might carry multiple agents, control release rate, biodegrade, and utilize target-mediated drug delivery; however, the design of these particles presents many challenges at the stage of pharmaceutical development. An emerging solution to improve control over these particles is to turn to genetic engineering. Genetically engineered nanocarriers are precisely controlled in size and structure and can provide specific control over sites for chemical attachment of drugs. Genetically engineered drug carriers that assemble nanostructures including nanoparticles and nanofibers can be polymeric or non-polymeric. This review summarizes the recent development of applications in drug and gene delivery utilizing nanostructures of polymeric genetically engineered drug carriers such as elastin-like polypeptides, silk-like polypeptides, and silk-elastin-like protein polymers, and non-polymeric genetically engineered drug carriers such as vault proteins and viral proteins.Keywords: polymeric drug carrier, non-polymeric drug carrier, gene delivery, GE drug carriers

  12. Biomaterials for drug delivery patches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Lúcia F; Correia, Ilídio J; Silva, A Sofia; Mano, João F

    2018-06-15

    The limited efficiency of conventional drugs has been instigated the development of new and more effective drug delivery systems (DDS). Transdermal DDS, are associated with numerous advantages such its painless application and less frequent replacement and greater flexibility of dosing, features that triggered the research and development of such devices. Such systems have been produced using either biopolymer; or synthetic polymers. Although the first ones are safer, biocompatible and present a controlled degradation by human enzymes or water, the second ones are the most currently available in the market due to their greater mechanical resistance and flexibility, and non-degradation over time. This review highlights the most recent advances (mainly in the last five years) of patches aimed for transdermal drug delivery, focusing on the different materials (natural, synthetic and blends) and latest designs for the development of such devices, emphasizing also their combination with drug carriers that enable enhanced drug solubility and a more controlled release of the drug over the time. The benefits and limitations of different patches formulations are considered with reference to their appliance to transdermal drug delivery. Furthermore, a record of the currently available patches on the market is given, featuring their most relevant characteristics. Finally, a list of most recent/ongoing clinical trials regarding the use of patches for skin disorders is detailed and critical insights on the current state of patches for transdermal drug delivery are also provided. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  13. Biomimetics in drug delivery systems: A critical review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheikhpour, Mojgan; Barani, Leila; Kasaeian, Alibakhsh

    2017-05-10

    Today, the advanced drug delivery systems have been focused on targeted drug delivery fields. The novel drug delivery is involved with the improvement of the capacity of drug loading in drug carriers, cellular uptake of drug carriers, and the sustained release of drugs within target cells. In this review, six groups of therapeutic drug carriers including biomimetic hydrogels, biomimetic micelles, biomimetic liposomes, biomimetic dendrimers, biomimetic polymeric carriers and biomimetic nanostructures, are studied. The subject takes advantage of the biomimetic methods of productions or the biomimetic techniques for the surface modifications, similar to what accrues in natural cells. Moreover, the effects of these biomimetic approaches for promoting the drug efficiency in targeted drug delivery are visible. The study demonstrates that the fabrication of biomimetic nanocomposite drug carriers could noticeably promote the efficiency of drugs in targeted drug delivery systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Organoclays for drug delivery Systems

    OpenAIRE

    Canovas Creus, Alba

    2008-01-01

    Modified clays can be used as carriers of drugs due to their suitable properties and structure in order to achieve improvements in drug delivery. The study of this thesis starts with an introduction to mineral clays and its classification, properties and characterization, then deepens into modified clays (properties, comparison with mineral clays, applications and procedure of modification). Another chapter is focused in drug delivery: definition, its difficulties nowadays and the different w...

  15. Protein-Based Drug-Delivery Materials

    OpenAIRE

    Jao, Dave; Xue, Ye; Medina, Jethro; Hu, Xiao

    2017-01-01

    There is a pressing need for long-term, controlled drug release for sustained treatment of chronic or persistent medical conditions and diseases. Guided drug delivery is difficult because therapeutic compounds need to survive numerous transport barriers and binding targets throughout the body. Nanoscale protein-based polymers are increasingly used for drug and vaccine delivery to cross these biological barriers and through blood circulation to their molecular site of action. Protein-based pol...

  16. The combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy towards more efficient drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Wei; Gu, Yuwei; Meineck, Myriam; Xu, Huaping

    2014-01-01

    Research on anticancer therapies has advanced significantly in recent years. New therapeutic platforms that can further improve the health of patients are still highly demanded. We propose the idea of combining regular chemotherapy with radiation therapy to minimize side effects as well as increase drug-delivery efficiency. In this Focus Review, we seek to provide an overview of recent advances that can combine chemotherapy and radiotherapy. We begin by reviewing the current state of systems that can combine chemotherapy and gamma radiation. Among them, diselenide-containing polymers are highlighted as sensitive drug-delivery vehicles that can disassemble under gamma radiation. Then X-ray responsive materials as promising alternative systems are summarized, including X-ray responsive drug-delivery vehicles, prodrugs that can be activated by X-rays, and radiation-site-targeting systems. Finally, we describe strategies that involve phototherapies. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Design and Development of Mixed Film of Pectin: Ethyl Cellulose for Colon Specific Drug Delivery of Sennosides and Triphala

    Science.gov (United States)

    Momin, Munira; Pundarikakshudu, K.; Nagori, S. A.

    2008-01-01

    The present study was aimed at developing colon specific drug delivery system for sennosides and Triphala. These drugs are reputed Ayurvedic medicines for constipation in India. The proposed device explored the application of pectin and ethyl cellulose as a mixed film for colon specific delivery. This mixed film was prepared using non-aqueous solvents like acetone and isopropyl alcohol. A 32 factorial design was adopted to optimize the formulation variables like, ratio of ethyl cellulose to pectin (X1) and coat weight (X2). The rate and extent of drug release were found to be related to the thickness and the ratio of pectin to ethyl cellulose within the film. Statistical treatments to the drug release data revealed that the X1 variable was more important than X2. Under simulated colonic conditions, drug release was more pronounced from coating formulations containing higher proportions of pectin. The surface of the device was coated with Eudragit S100 to ensure that the device was more pH dependent and trigger the drug release only at higher pH. The final product is expected to have the advantage of being biodegradable and pH dependant. This type of a film effectively releases the drug while maintaining its integrity. PMID:20046742

  18. Dendrimers for Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abhay Singh Chauhan

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Dendrimers have come a long way in the last 25 years since their inception. Originally created as a wonder molecule of chemistry, dendrimer is now in the fourth class of polymers. Dr. Donald Tomalia first published his seminal work on Poly(amidoamine (PAMAM dendrimers in 1985. Application of dendrimers as a drug delivery system started in late 1990s. Dendrimers for drug delivery are employed using two approaches: (i formulation and (ii nanoconstruct. In the formulation approach, drugs are physically entrapped in a dendrimer using non-covalent interactions, whereas drugs are covalently coupled on dendrimers in the nanoconstruct approach. We have demonstrated the utility of PAMAM dendrimers for enhancing solubility, stability and oral bioavailability of various drugs. Drug entrapment and drug release from dendrimers can be controlled by modifying dendrimer surfaces and generations. PAMAM dendrimers are also shown to increase transdermal permeation and specific drug targeting. Dendrimer platforms can be engineered to attach targeting ligands and imaging molecules to create a nanodevice. Dendrimer nanotechnology, due to its multifunctional ability, has the potential to create next generation nanodevices.

  19. Some Recent Advances in Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Some Recent Advances in Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems. ... Advances in Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems. EC Ibezim, B Kabele-Toge, CO Anie, C Njoku. Abstract. Transdermal delivery systems are forms of drug delivery involving the dermis, as distinct from topical, oral or other forms of parenteral dosage forms.

  20. Redox and pH dual-responsive PEG and chitosan-conjugated hollow mesoporous silica for controlled drug release

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jiao, Jian; Li, Xian; Zhang, Sha; Liu, Jie; Di, Donghua [Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016 (China); Zhang, Ying [School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, PR China. (China); Zhao, Qinfu, E-mail: zqf021110505@163.com [Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016 (China); Wang, Siling, E-mail: silingwang@syphu.edu.cn [Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016 (China)

    2016-10-01

    In this paper, a hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles (HMSN) was used as the drug vehicle to develop the redox and pH dual stimuli-responsive delivery system, in which the chitosan (CS), a biodegradable cationic polymer, was grafted on the surface of HMSN via the cleavable disulfide bonds. CS was chosen as the gatekeeper mainly due to its appropriate molecular weight as well as possessing abundant amino groups which could be protonated in the acidic condition to achieve pH-responsive drug release. In addition, the PEG was further grafted on the surface of CS to increase the stability and biocompatibility under physiological conditions. The DOX loaded DOX/HMSN-SS-CS@PEG had a relatively high drug loading efficiency up to 32.8%. In vitro release results indicated that DOX was dramatically blocked within the mesopores of HMSN-SS-CS@PEG in pH 7.4 PBS without addition of GSH. However, the release rate of DOX was markedly increased after the addition of 10 mM GSH or in pH 5.0 release medium. Moreover, the release of DOX was further improved in pH 5.0 PBS with 10 mM GSH. The HMSN-SS-CS@PEG could markedly decrease the hemolysis percent and protein adsorption, and increase the biocompatibility and stability of HMSN compared with the HMSN-SS-CS and bare HMSN. This work suggested an exploration about HMSN based stimuli-responsive drug delivery and these results demonstrated that HMSN-SS-CS@PEG exhibited dual-responsive drug release property and could be used as a promising carrier for cancer therapy. - Highlights: • Hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles (HMSN) were used as a drug carrier. • Chitosan (CS) and PEG were grafted on the surface of HMSN via disulfide bonds. • The DOX loaded DOX/HMSN-SS-CS@PEG had a high drug loading efficiency up to 32.8%. • DOX/HMSN-SS-CS@PEG showed redox/pH dual-responsive drug release property in vitro. • The grafted PEG could increase the biocompatibility and stability of HMSN.

  1. Redox and pH dual-responsive PEG and chitosan-conjugated hollow mesoporous silica for controlled drug release

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiao, Jian; Li, Xian; Zhang, Sha; Liu, Jie; Di, Donghua; Zhang, Ying; Zhao, Qinfu; Wang, Siling

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, a hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles (HMSN) was used as the drug vehicle to develop the redox and pH dual stimuli-responsive delivery system, in which the chitosan (CS), a biodegradable cationic polymer, was grafted on the surface of HMSN via the cleavable disulfide bonds. CS was chosen as the gatekeeper mainly due to its appropriate molecular weight as well as possessing abundant amino groups which could be protonated in the acidic condition to achieve pH-responsive drug release. In addition, the PEG was further grafted on the surface of CS to increase the stability and biocompatibility under physiological conditions. The DOX loaded DOX/HMSN-SS-CS@PEG had a relatively high drug loading efficiency up to 32.8%. In vitro release results indicated that DOX was dramatically blocked within the mesopores of HMSN-SS-CS@PEG in pH 7.4 PBS without addition of GSH. However, the release rate of DOX was markedly increased after the addition of 10 mM GSH or in pH 5.0 release medium. Moreover, the release of DOX was further improved in pH 5.0 PBS with 10 mM GSH. The HMSN-SS-CS@PEG could markedly decrease the hemolysis percent and protein adsorption, and increase the biocompatibility and stability of HMSN compared with the HMSN-SS-CS and bare HMSN. This work suggested an exploration about HMSN based stimuli-responsive drug delivery and these results demonstrated that HMSN-SS-CS@PEG exhibited dual-responsive drug release property and could be used as a promising carrier for cancer therapy. - Highlights: • Hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles (HMSN) were used as a drug carrier. • Chitosan (CS) and PEG were grafted on the surface of HMSN via disulfide bonds. • The DOX loaded DOX/HMSN-SS-CS@PEG had a high drug loading efficiency up to 32.8%. • DOX/HMSN-SS-CS@PEG showed redox/pH dual-responsive drug release property in vitro. • The grafted PEG could increase the biocompatibility and stability of HMSN.

  2. Modulation of electrostatic interactions to improve controlled drug delivery from nanogels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mauri, Emanuele; Chincarini, Giulia M.F.; Rigamonti, Riccardo; Magagnin, Luca; Sacchetti, Alessandro, E-mail: alessandro.sacchetti@polimi.it; Rossi, Filippo, E-mail: filippo.rossi@polimi.it

    2017-03-01

    The synthesis of nanogels as devices capable to maintain the drug level within a desired range for a long and sustained period of time is a leading strategy in controlled drug delivery. However, with respect to the good results obtained with antibodies and peptides there are a lot of problems related to the quick and uncontrolled diffusion of small hydrophilic molecules through polymeric network pores. For these reasons research community is pointing toward the use of click strategies to reduce release rates of the linked drugs to the polymer chains. Here we propose an alternative method that considers the electrostatic interactions between polymeric chains and drugs to tune the release kinetics from nanogel network. The main advantage of these systems lies in the fact that the carried drugs are not modified and no chemical reactions take place during their loading and release. In this work we synthesized PEG-PEI based nanogels with different protonation degrees and the release kinetics with charged and uncharged drug mimetics (sodium fluorescein, SF, and rhodamine B, RhB) were studied. Moreover, also the effect of counterion used to induce protonation was taken into account in order to build a tunable drug delivery system able to provide multiple release rates with the same device. - Highlights: • The design of nanogels as drug delivery systems based on electrostatic interaction among drug and polymers is proposed. • Nanogels can be synthetized tuning their positive charge density, according to the protonation of PEI at different pH. • No biorthogonal chemistry strategies are applied to the polymers or drugs. • Drug release is efficiently modulated by charge density of PEI chains. • The effect of counterion on nanogel synthesis is investigated and allows controlling the drug release.

  3. Nanocomposite thin films for triggerable drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vannozzi, Lorenzo; Iacovacci, Veronica; Menciassi, Arianna; Ricotti, Leonardo

    2018-05-01

    Traditional drug release systems normally rely on a passive delivery of therapeutic compounds, which can be partially programmed, prior to injection or implantation, through variations in the material composition. With this strategy, the drug release kinetics cannot be remotely modified and thus adapted to changing therapeutic needs. To overcome this issue, drug delivery systems able to respond to external stimuli are highly desirable, as they allow a high level of temporal and spatial control over drug release kinetics, in an operator-dependent fashion. Areas covered: On-demand drug delivery systems actually represent a frontier in this field and are attracting an increasing interest at both research and industrial level. Stimuli-responsive thin films, enabled by nanofillers, hold a tremendous potential in the field of triggerable drug delivery systems. The inclusion of responsive elements in homogeneous or heterogeneous thin film-shaped polymeric matrices strengthens and/or adds intriguing properties to conventional (bare) materials in film shape. Expert opinion: This Expert Opinion review aims to discuss the approaches currently pursued to achieve an effective on-demand drug delivery, through nanocomposite thin films. Different triggering mechanisms allowing a fine control on drug delivery are described, together with current challenges and possible future applications in therapy and surgery.

  4. Polymer architecture and drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiu, Li Yan; Bae, You Han

    2006-01-01

    Polymers occupy a major portion of materials used for controlled release formulations and drug-targeting systems because this class of materials presents seemingly endless diversity in topology and chemistry. This is a crucial advantage over other classes of materials to meet the ever-increasing requirements of new designs of drug delivery formulations. The polymer architecture (topology) describes the shape of a single polymer molecule. Every natural, seminatural, and synthetic polymer falls into one of categorized architectures: linear, graft, branched, cross-linked, block, star-shaped, and dendron/dendrimer topology. Although this topic spans a truly broad area in polymer science, this review introduces polymer architectures along with brief synthetic approaches for pharmaceutical scientists who are not familiar with polymer science, summarizes the characteristic properties of each architecture useful for drug delivery applications, and covers recent advances in drug delivery relevant to polymer architecture.

  5. Acridine Orange Conjugated Polymersomes for Simultaneous Nuclear Delivery of Gemcitabine and Doxorubicin to Pancreatic Cancer Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anajafi, Tayebeh; Scott, Michael D; You, Seungyong; Yang, Xiaoyu; Choi, Yongki; Qian, Steven Y; Mallik, Sanku

    2016-03-16

    Considering the systemic toxicity of chemotherapeutic agents, there is an urgent need to develop new targeted drug delivery systems. Herein, we have developed a new nuclear targeted, redox sensitive, drug delivery vehicle to simultaneously deliver the anticancer drugs gemcitabine and doxorubicin to the nuclei of pancreatic cancer cells. We prepared polymeric bilayer vesicles (polymersomes), and actively encapsulated the drug combination by the pH gradient method. A redox-sensitive polymer (PEG-S-S-PLA) was incorporated to sensitize the formulation to reducing agent concentration. Acridine orange (AO) was conjugated to the surface of the polymersomes imparting nuclear localizing property. The polymersomes' toxicity and efficacy were compared with those of a free drug combination using monolayer and three-dimensional spheroid cultures of pancreatic cancer cells. We observed that the redox sensitive, nuclear-targeted polymersomes released more than 60% of their encapsulated contents in response to 50 mM glutathione. The nanoparticles are nontoxic; however, the drug encapsulated vesicles have significant toxicity. The prepared formulation can increase the drug's therapeutic index by delivering the drugs directly to the cells' nuclei, one of the key organelles in the cells. This study is likely to initiate research in targeted nuclear delivery using other drug formulations in other types of cancers.

  6. Polymeric composite membranes for temperature and pH-responsive delivery of doxorubicin hydrochloride

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sahar Mohamaddoust Aliabadi

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Objective(s: Nowadays hydrogels are one of the upcoming classes of polymer-based controlled-release drug delivery systems. Temperature and pH-responsive delivery systems have drawn much attention because some diseases reveal themselves by a change in temperature and/or pH. The objective of this work is to prepare and characterize composite membrane using responsive nanoparticles into a polymer matrix. Materials and Methods: These nanoparticles were made of the copolymer poly (N-isopropylacrylamide-co-methaçrylic acid by an aqueous dispersion polymerization process and are responsible for dual sensitivity to temperature and pH. Morphology study with SEM, swelling behavior with Dynamic Light Scattering Technique, in vitro drug release behavior with side-by-side Diffusion Cells were also investigated in this paper. Doxorubicin hydrochloride was used as a model solute. Results:The study on the release of doxorubicin hydrochloride showed that the release rate was higher at pH 5 than pH 7.4, increased with the increase of temperature. Nevertheless, ionic strength only poses a minor direct effect at higher pH. Conclusion:Such system may be potentially used as a tumor-targeting doxorubicin hydrochloride delivery in the body.

  7. STRATEGIES AND PROSPECTS OF NASAL DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS

    OpenAIRE

    Gannu Praveen Kumar

    2012-01-01

    The recent advancement of nasal drug delivery systems has increased enormously and is gaining significant importance. Intranasal therapy has been an accepted form of treatment in the Ayurvedic system of Indian Medicine. The non-invasive delivery of nasal drug delivery systems made to exploit for the development of successful treatment. The advantages, disadvantages, mechanism of action and application of nasal drug delivery system in local delivery, systematic delivery, nasal vaccines and CNS...

  8. Multifunctional Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery Applications Imaging, Targeting, and Delivery

    CERN Document Server

    Prud'homme, Robert

    2012-01-01

    This book clearly demonstrates the progression of nanoparticle therapeutics from basic research to applications. Unlike other books covering nanoparticles used in medical applications, Multifunctional Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery Applications presents the medical challenges that can be reduced or even overcome by recent advances in nanoscale drug delivery. Each chapter highlights recent progress in the design and engineering of select multifunctional nanoparticles with topics covering targeting, imaging, delivery, diagnostics, and therapy.

  9. Simultaneous diagnosis and drug delivery by silymarin-loaded magnetic nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maryam Khalkhali

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Objective(s: The aim of this work was to prepare and characterize magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs as theranostic system to act simultaneously as drug carrier and MRI contrast agent. Chitosan-coated MNPs (CMNPs were prepared and loaded with silymarin. Silymarin-loaded CMNPs were characterized with various techniques and their potential as MRI contrast agent was also evaluated. Materials and Methods:The chitosan-coated MNPs were prepared by coprecipitation method and were loaded with silymarin. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by various techniques including SEM, TEM, X‐ray diffraction (XRD, FTIR and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM. In vitro drug release of silymarin was evaluated at 37 ˚C at pH 5.3 and 7.4. Then, their proton relaxivity was evaluated to study the potential of CMNPs as MRI contrast agent in terms of r1 and r2.Results:Silymarin-loaded CMNPs were successfully prepared and characterized by FTIR and XRD techniques. VSM analysis revealed superparamagnetic properties of CMNPs. The release study showed that the maximum drug release accessible for CMNPs in pH=5.3 was higher than pH=7.4. Finally, the r2/r1 value of CMNPs was found to be close to 20 indicating that CMNPs has a strong efficiency as T2 contrast agents for MRI imaging.  Conclusion:The findings demonstrated the potential of CMNPs as efficient MRI contrast agent as well as silymarin drug delivery.

  10. Self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems for oral insulin delivery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Li, Ping; Tan, Angel; Prestidge, Clive A

    2014-01-01

    This study aims at evaluating the combination of self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) and enteric-coated capsules as a potential delivery strategy for oral delivery of insulin. The SNEDDS preconcentrates, loaded with insulin-phospholipid complex at different levels (0, 2.5 and 10% w...

  11. Depolymerizable Poly(O-vinyl carbamate-alt-sulfones) as Customizable Macromolecular Scaffolds for Mucosal Drug Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Kaushlendra; Castaño, Eduard Jimenez; Weidner, Andrew R; Yildirim, Adem; Goodwin, Andrew P

    2016-05-17

    Interest in stimulus responsive materials and polymers has grown over the years, having shown great promise in a diverse set of applications. For drug delivery, stimulus-responsive polymers have been shown to encapsulate therapeutic cargo such as small molecule drugs or proteins, deliver them to specific locations in the body, and release them so that they can induce a therapeutic effect in the patient. Most hydrolytically degradable polymers are synthesized via nucleophilic, anionic, or cationic polymerization, which generally requires protection of nucleophilic or protic side chains prior to polymerization. Here, we report the synthesis of novel, alternating copolymers of sulfur dioxide and O-vinyl carbamate monomers that boast excellent functional group tolerance and pH-dependent instability. Alternating copolymers were synthesized containing pendant functionalities such as alcohol, carboxylic acid, ester, and azide without deprotection or post-polymerization modification. The copolymers were then formulated via nanoprecipitation into polymer nanoparticles capable of encapsulating small molecule dyes. The polymer nanoparticles were found to degrade rapidly at pH > 6 and were stable even in highly acidic conditions. Based on this observation, a proof-of-concept study for mucosal delivery was performed in polymer nanoparticles entrapped in a mucus model. At pH 8 the diffusion of encapsulated dye was found to be similar to free dye, while at pH 5 the diffusion coefficient was an order of magnitude lower. Cell viability was retained at 200 µg/mL particles after 24 h incubation. These polymers thus show promise as highly customizable scaffolds for mucosal drug delivery.

  12. Brain tumor-targeted drug delivery strategies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoli Wei

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Despite the application of aggressive surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy in clinics, brain tumors are still a difficult health challenge due to their fast development and poor prognosis. Brain tumor-targeted drug delivery systems, which increase drug accumulation in the tumor region and reduce toxicity in normal brain and peripheral tissue, are a promising new approach to brain tumor treatments. Since brain tumors exhibit many distinctive characteristics relative to tumors growing in peripheral tissues, potential targets based on continuously changing vascular characteristics and the microenvironment can be utilized to facilitate effective brain tumor-targeted drug delivery. In this review, we briefly describe the physiological characteristics of brain tumors, including blood–brain/brain tumor barriers, the tumor microenvironment, and tumor stem cells. We also review targeted delivery strategies and introduce a systematic targeted drug delivery strategy to overcome the challenges.

  13. Current trends in microsponge drug delivery system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gangadharappa, H V; Gupta, N Vishal; Prasad M, Sarat Chandra; Shivakumar, H G

    2013-08-01

    Microsponge is a microscopic sphere capable of absorbing skin secretions, therefore reducing the oiliness of the skin. Microsponge having particle size of 10-25 microns in diameter, have wide range of entrapment of various ingredients in a single microsponges system and release them at desired rates. Conventional topical preparations have various disadvantages due to irritancy, odour, greasiness and patient compliance. In many topical dosage forms fail to reach the systemic circulation in sufficient amounts in few cases. These problems overcome by the usage of formulation as microsponge in the areas of research. Drug release in microsponge is done by the external stimuli like pH, temperature and rubbing. It has several advantageous over the other topical preparations in being non-allergenic, non-toxic, non-irritant and non- mutagenic. These microsponges are used in the sun screens, creams, ointments, over-the-counter skin care preparations, recently nanosponge were reported in literature used in delivery of drug by the use of cyclodextrins to enhance the solubility of poorly water soluble drugs, which are meant for topical application.

  14. Stimuli-Responsive Polymeric Systems for Controlled Protein and Peptide Delivery: Future Implications for Ocular Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahlumba, Pakama; Choonara, Yahya E; Kumar, Pradeep; du Toit, Lisa C; Pillay, Viness

    2016-07-30

    Therapeutic proteins and peptides have become notable in the drug delivery arena for their compatibility with the human body as well as their high potency. However, their biocompatibility and high potency does not negate the existence of challenges resulting from physicochemical properties of proteins and peptides, including large size, short half-life, capability to provoke immune responses and susceptibility to degradation. Various delivery routes and delivery systems have been utilized to improve bioavailability, patient acceptability and reduce biodegradation. The ocular route remains of great interest, particularly for responsive delivery of macromolecules due to the anatomy and physiology of the eye that makes it a sensitive and complex environment. Research in this field is slowly gaining attention as this could be the breakthrough in ocular drug delivery of macromolecules. This work reviews stimuli-responsive polymeric delivery systems, their use in the delivery of therapeutic proteins and peptides as well as examples of proteins and peptides used in the treatment of ocular disorders. Stimuli reviewed include pH, temperature, enzymes, light, ultrasound and magnetic field. In addition, it discusses the current progress in responsive ocular drug delivery. Furthermore, it explores future prospects in the use of stimuli-responsive polymers for ocular delivery of proteins and peptides. Stimuli-responsive polymers offer great potential in improving the delivery of ocular therapeutics, therefore there is a need to consider them in order to guarantee a local, sustained and ideal delivery of ocular proteins and peptides, evading tissue invasion and systemic side-effects.

  15. pH/redox dual-sensitive dextran nanogels for enhanced intracellular drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curcio, Manuela; Diaz-Gomez, Luis; Cirillo, Giuseppe; Concheiro, Angel; Iemma, Francesca; Alvarez-Lorenzo, Carmen

    2017-08-01

    pH/redox dual-responsive nanogels (DEX-SS) were prepared by precipitation polymerization of methacrylated dextran (DEXMA), 2-aminoethylmethacrylate (AEMA) and N,N'-bis(acryloyl)cystamine (BAC), and then loaded with methotrexate (MTX). Nanogels were spherical and exhibited homogeneous size distribution (460nm, PDI<0.30) as observed using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). DEX-SS were sensitive to the variations of pH and redox environment. Nanogels incubated in buffer pH 5.0 containing 10mM glutathione (GSH) synergistically increased the mean diameter and the PDI to 750nm and 0.42, respectively. In vitro release experiments were performed at pH 7.4 and 5.0 with and without GSH. The cumulative release of MTX in pH 5.0 medium with 10mMGSH was 5-fold higher than that recorded at pH 7.4 without GSH. Fibroblasts and tumor cells were used to tests the effects of blank DEX-SS and MTX@DEX-SS nanogels on cell viability. Remarkable influence of pH on nanogels internalization into HeLa cells was evidenced by means of confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. The Research Progress of Targeted Drug Delivery Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhan, Jiayin; Ting, Xizi Liang; Zhu, Junjie

    2017-06-01

    Targeted drug delivery system (DDS) means to selectively transport drugs to targeted tissues, organs, and cells through a variety of drugs carrier. It is usually designed to improve the pharmacological and therapeutic properties of conventional drugs and to overcome problems such as limited solubility, drug aggregation, poor bio distribution and lack of selectivity, controlling drug release carrier and to reduce normal tissue damage. With the characteristics of nontoxic and biodegradable, it can increase the retention of drug in lesion site and the permeability, improve the concentration of the drug in lesion site. at present, there are some kinds of DDS using at test phase, such as slow controlled release drug delivery system, targeted drug delivery systems, transdermal drug delivery system, adhesion dosing system and so on. This paper makes a review for DDS.

  17. A Comprehensive Review on: Transdermal drug delivery systems.

    OpenAIRE

    Kharat, Rekha; Bathe, Ritesh Suresh

    2016-01-01

    Transdermal drug delivery system was introduced to overcome the difficulties of drug delivery through oral route. Despite their relatively higher costs, transdermal delivery systems have proved advantageous for delivery of selected drugs, such as estrogens, testosterone, clonidine and nitro-glycerine. Transdermal delivery provides a leading edge over injectable and oral routes by increasing patient compliance and avoiding first pass metabolism respectively. Topical  administration  of  therap...

  18. Electrospun polymeric nanofibers for transdermal drug delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahya Rahmani

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Conventional transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS have been designed for drug delivery through the skin. These systems use the permeability property of stratum corneum, the outermost surface layer of the skin. Applying polymeric micro and nanofibers in drug delivery has recently attracted great attention and the electrospinning technique is the preferred method for polymeric micro-nanofibers fabrication with a great potential for drug delivery. More studies in the field of nanofibers containing drug are divided two categories: first, preparation and characterization of nanofibers containing drug and second, investigation of their therapeutic applications. Drugs used in electrospun nanofibers can be categorized into three main groups, including antibiotics and antimicrobial agents, anti-inflammatory agents and vitamins with therapeutic applications. In this paper, we review the application of electrospun polymeric scaffolds in TDDS and also introduce several pharmaceutical and therapeutic agents which have been used in polymer nanofibrous patches.

  19. Sulfonate-modified phenylboronic acid-rich nanoparticles as a novel mucoadhesive drug delivery system for vaginal administration of protein therapeutics: improved stability, mucin-dependent release and effective intravaginal placement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, ChunYan; Huang, ZhiGang; Liu, ZheShuo; Ci, LiQian; Liu, ZhePeng; Liu, Yu; Yan, XueYing; Lu, WeiYue

    Effective interaction between mucoadhesive drug delivery systems and mucin is the basis of effective local placement of drugs to play its therapeutic role after mucosal administration including vaginal use, which especially requires prolonged drug presence for the treatment of gynecological infectious diseases. Our previous report on phenylboronic acid-rich nanoparticles (PBNPs) demonstrated their strong interaction with mucin and mucin-sensitive release profiles of the model protein therapeutics interferon (IFN) in vitro, but their poor stability and obvious tendency to aggregate over time severely limited future application. In this study, sulfonate-modified PBNPs (PBNP-S) were designed as a stable mucoadhesive drug delivery system where the negative charges conferred by sulfonate groups prevented aggregation of nanoparticles and the phenylboronic acid groups ensured effective interaction with mucin over a wide pH range. Results suggested that PBNP-S were of spherical morphology with narrow size distribution (123.5 nm, polydispersity index 0.050), good stability over a wide pH range and 3-month storage and considerable in vitro mucoadhesion capability at vaginal pH as shown by mucin adsorption determination. IFN could be loaded to PBNP-S by physical adsorption with high encapsulation efficiency and released in a mucin-dependent manner in vitro. In vivo near-infrared fluorescent whole animal imaging and quantitative vaginal lavage followed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay of IFN demonstrated that PBNP-S could stay in the vagina and maintain intravaginal IFN level for much longer time than IFN solution (24 hours vs several hours) without obvious histological irritation to vaginal mucosa after vaginal administration to mice. In summary, good stability, easy loading and controllable release of protein therapeutics, in vitro and in vivo mucoadhesive properties and local safety of PBNP-S suggested it as a promising nanoscale mucoadhesive drug delivery

  20. Smart multifunctional drug delivery towards anticancer therapy harmonized in mesoporous nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baek, Seonmi; Singh, Rajendra K.; Khanal, Dipesh; Patel, Kapil D.; Lee, Eun-Jung; Leong, Kam W.; Chrzanowski, Wojciech; Kim, Hae-Won

    2015-08-01

    Nanomedicine seeks to apply nanoscale materials for the therapy and diagnosis of diseased and damaged tissues. Recent advances in nanotechnology have made a major contribution to the development of multifunctional nanomaterials, which represents a paradigm shift from single purpose to multipurpose materials. Multifunctional nanomaterials have been proposed to enable simultaneous target imaging and on-demand delivery of therapeutic agents only to the specific site. Most advanced systems are also responsive to internal or external stimuli. This approach is particularly important for highly potent drugs (e.g. chemotherapeutics), which should be delivered in a discreet manner and interact with cells/tissues only locally. Both advances in imaging and precisely controlled and localized delivery are critically important in cancer treatment, and the use of such systems - theranostics - holds great promise to minimise side effects and boost therapeutic effectiveness of the treatment. Among others, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs) are considered one of the most promising nanomaterials for drug delivery. Due to their unique intrinsic features, including tunable porosity and size, large surface area, structural diversity, easily modifiable chemistry and suitability for functionalization, and biocompatibility, MSNPs have been extensively utilized as multifunctional nanocarrier systems. The combination or hybridization with biomolecules, drugs, and other nanoparticles potentiated the ability of MSNPs towards multifunctionality, and even smart actions stimulated by specified signals, including pH, optical signal, redox reaction, electricity and magnetism. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art of multifunctional, smart drug delivery systems centered on advanced MSNPs, with special emphasis on cancer related applications.

  1. Dual-function radiation sensitizers and bioreductive drugs: factors affecting cellular uptake and sensitizing efficiency in analogues of RSU 1069

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Walling, J.; Stratford, I.J.; Adams, G.E.; Stephens, M.A.

    1988-01-01

    Alkyl aziridine analogues of the hypoxic cell radiosensitizer RSU 1069 have been synthesized and one, RB 7040, containing tetramethyl substituted aziridine, is a more efficient sensitizer in vitro than RSU 1069 (Ahmed et al., 1986). The extent to which variation in drug uptake can influence the sensitizing efficiency of RSU 1069 and its analogues has been investigated by determining cellular uptake as a function of pH of extracellular medium (pHsub(e)) over the range 5.4-8.4. Following exposure of V79 cells for 1 h at room temperature, the ratio of intra-to extracellular concentration (Ci/Ce) was near unity at pH 5.4. Increasing pHsub(e) to 8.4 resulted in no change in the ratio Ci/Ce for RSU 1069 (pKsub(a) = 6.04). Values of Ci/Ce increased three-fold for RSU 1165 (pKsub(a) 7.38) and eleven-fold for RB 7040 (pKsub(a) = 8.45). Radiosensitization by RSU 1069 showed little dependence on pHsub(e) whereas increasing pH caused an apparent increase in sensitizing efficiency of both RSU 1165 and RB 7040. When enhancement ratios for sensitization were normalized to take account of the effect of extracellular pH on drug uptake, efficiency of sensitization was independent of pHsub(e). (author)

  2. Potential applications for halloysite nanotubes based drug delivery systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Lin

    Drug delivery refers to approaches, formulations, technologies, and systems for transporting a drug in the body. The purpose is to enhance the drug efficacy and to reduce side reactions, which can significantly improve treatment outcomes. Halloysite is a naturally occurred alumino-silicate clay with a tubular structure. It is a biocompatible material with a big surface area which can be used for attachment of targeted molecules. Besides, loaded molecules can present a sustained release manner in solution. These properties make halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) a good option for drug delivery. In this study, a drug delivery system was built based on halloysite via three different fabrication methods: physical adsorption, vacuum loading and layer-by-layer coating. Methotrexate was used as the model drug. Factors that may affect performance in both drug loading and release were tested. Results showed that methotrexate could be incorporated within the HNTs system and released in a sustained manner. Layer-by-layer coating showed a better potential than the other two methods in both MTX loading and release. Besides, lower pH could greatly improve MTX loading and release while the increased number of polyelectrolytes bilayers had a limited impact. Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone malignancy in children and adolescents. Postoperative recurrence and metastasis has become one of the leading causes for patient death after surgical remove of the tumor mass. A strategy could be a sustained release of chemotherapeutics directly at the primary tumor sites where recurrence would mostly occur. Then, this HNTs based system was tested with osteosarcoma cells in vitro to show the potential of delivering chemotherapeutics in the treatment of osteosarcoma. Methotrexate was incorporated within HNTs with a layer-bylayer coating technique, and drug coated HNTs were filled into nylon-6 which is a common material for surgical sutures in industry. Results showed that (1) methotrexate

  3. Computational Amphiphilic Materials for Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naresh eThota

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Amphiphilic materials can assemble into a wide variety of morphologies and have emerged as a novel class of candidates for drug delivery. Along with a large number of experiments reported, computational studies have been also conducted in this field. At an atomistic/molecular level, computations can facilitate quantitative understanding of experimental observations and secure fundamental interpretation of underlying phenomena. This review summarizes the recent computational efforts on amphiphilic copolymers and peptides for drug delivery. Atom-resolution and time-resolved insights are provided from bottom-up to microscopically elucidate the mechanisms of drug loading/release, which are indispensable in the rational screening and design of new amphiphiles for high-efficacy drug delivery.

  4. Microencapsulation: A promising technique for controlled drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, M N; Hemant, K S Y; Ram, M; Shivakumar, H G

    2010-07-01

    MICROPARTICLES OFFER VARIOUS SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGES AS DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS, INCLUDING: (i) an effective protection of the encapsulated active agent against (e.g. enzymatic) degradation, (ii) the possibility to accurately control the release rate of the incorporated drug over periods of hours to months, (iii) an easy administration (compared to alternative parenteral controlled release dosage forms, such as macro-sized implants), and (iv) Desired, pre-programmed drug release profiles can be provided which match the therapeutic needs of the patient. This article gives an overview on the general aspects and recent advances in drug-loaded microparticles to improve the efficiency of various medical treatments. An appropriately designed controlled release drug delivery system can be a foot ahead towards solving problems concerning to the targeting of drug to a specific organ or tissue, and controlling the rate of drug delivery to the target site. The development of oral controlled release systems has been a challenge to formulation scientist due to their inability to restrain and localize the system at targeted areas of gastrointestinal tract. Microparticulate drug delivery systems are an interesting and promising option when developing an oral controlled release system. The objective of this paper is to take a closer look at microparticles as drug delivery devices for increasing efficiency of drug delivery, improving the release profile and drug targeting. In order to appreciate the application possibilities of microcapsules in drug delivery, some fundamental aspects are briefly reviewed.

  5. Adenovirus dodecahedron, as a drug delivery vector.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monika Zochowska

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Bleomycin (BLM is an anticancer antibiotic used in many cancer regimens. Its utility is limited by systemic toxicity and dose-dependent pneumonitis able to progress to lung fibrosis. The latter can affect up to nearly 50% of the total patient population, out of which 3% will die. We propose to improve BLM delivery by tethering it to an efficient delivery vector. Adenovirus (Ad dodecahedron base (DB is a particulate vector composed of 12 copies of a pentameric viral protein responsible for virus penetration. The vector efficiently penetrates the plasma membrane, is liberated in the cytoplasm and has a propensity to concentrate around the nucleus; up to 300000 particles can be observed in one cell in vitro. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Dodecahedron (Dd structure is preserved at up to about 50 degrees C at pH 7-8 and during dialysis, freezing and drying in the speed-vac in the presence of 150 mM ammonium sulfate, as well as during lyophilization in the presence of cryoprotectants. The vector is also stable in human serum for 2 h at 37 degrees C. We prepared a Dd-BLM conjugate which upon penetration induced death of transformed cells. Similarly to free bleomycin, Dd-BLM caused dsDNA breaks. Significantly, effective cytotoxic concentration of BLM delivered with Dd was 100 times lower than that of free bleomycin. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Stability studies show that Dds can be conveniently stored and transported, and can potentially be used for therapeutic purposes under various climates. Successful BLM delivery by Ad Dds demonstrates that the use of virus like particle (VLP results in significantly improved drug bioavailability. These experiments open new vistas for delivery of non-permeant labile drugs.

  6. Thermosensitive liposomal drug delivery systems: state of the art review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kneidl B

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Barbara Kneidl,1,2 Michael Peller,3 Gerhard Winter,2 Lars H Lindner,1 Martin Hossann11Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Munich, 2Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics, 3Institute for Clinical Radiology, University Hospital Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, GermanyAbstract: Thermosensitive liposomes are a promising tool for external targeting of drugs to solid tumors when used in combination with local hyperthermia or high intensity focused ultrasound. In vivo results have demonstrated strong evidence that external targeting is superior over passive targeting achieved by highly stable long-circulating drug formulations like PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin. Up to March 2014, the Web of Science listed 371 original papers in this field, with 45 in 2013 alone. Several formulations have been developed since 1978, with lysolipid-containing, low temperature-sensitive liposomes currently under clinical investigation. This review summarizes the historical development and effects of particular phospholipids and surfactants on the biophysical properties and in vivo efficacy of thermosensitive liposome formulations. Further, treatment strategies for solid tumors are discussed. Here we focus on temperature-triggered intravascular and interstitial drug release. Drug delivery guided by magnetic resonance imaging further adds the possibility of performing online monitoring of a heating focus to calculate locally released drug concentrations and to externally control drug release by steering the heating volume and power. The combination of external targeting with thermosensitive liposomes and magnetic resonance-guided drug delivery will be the unique characteristic of this nanotechnology approach in medicine.Keywords: thermosensitive liposomes, phosphatidyloligoglycerol, hyperthermia, high intensity focused ultrasound, drug delivery, drug targeting

  7. Drug delivery with microsecond laser pulses into gelatin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shangguan, Hanqun; Casperson, Lee W.; Shearin, Alan; Gregory, Kenton W.; Prahl, Scott A.

    1996-07-01

    Photoacoustic drug delivery is a technique for localized drug delivery by laser-induced hydrodynamic pressure following cavitation bubble expansion and collapse. Photoacoustic drug delivery was investigated on gelatin-based thrombus models with planar and cylindrical geometries by use of one microsecond laser pulses. Solutions of a hydrophobic dye in mineral oil permitted monitoring of delivered colored oil into clear gelatin-based thrombus models. Cavitation bubble development and photoacoustic drug delivery were visualized with flash photography. This study demonstrated that cavitation is the governing mechanism for photoacoustic drug delivery, and the deepest penetration of colored oil in gels followed the bubble collapse. Spatial distribution measurements revealed that colored oil could be driven a few millimeters into the gels in both axial and radial directions, and the penetration was less than 500 mu m when the gelatin structure was not fractured. localized drug delivery, cavitation bubble, laser thrombolysis.

  8. The potential of silk and silk-like proteins as natural mucoadhesive biopolymers for controlled drug delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amanda E Brooks

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Drug delivery across mucus membranes is a particularly effective route of administration due to the large surface area. However, the unique environment present at the mucosa necessitates altered drug formulations designed to (1 deliver sensitive biologic molecules, (2 promote intimate contact between the mucosa and the drug, and (3 prolong the drug’s local residence time. Thus, the pharmaceutical industry has an interest in drug delivery systems formulated around the use of mucoadhesive polymers. Mucoadhesive polymers, both synthetic and biological, have a history of use in local drug delivery. Prominently featured in the literature are chitosan, alginate, and cellulose derivatives. More recently, silk and silk-like derivatives have been explored for their potential as mucoadhesive polymers. Both silkworms and spiders produce sticky silk-like glue substances, sericin and aggregate silk respectively, that may prove an effective, natural matrix for drug delivery to the mucosa. This mini review will explore the potential of silk and silk-like derivatives as a biocompatible mucoadhesive polymer matrix for local controlled drug delivery.

  9. Microemulsion Drug Delivery Systems for Radiopharmacy Studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emre Ozgenc

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Microemulsions have been used increasingly for last year’s because of ideal properties like favorable drug delivery, ease of preparation and physical stability. They have been improved the solubility and efficacy of the drug and reduce the side effects. Use of radiolabeled microemulsions plays an alternative role in drug delivery systems by investigating the formation, stability and application of microemulsions in radiopharmacy. Gama scintigraphic method is well recognized for developing and detecting the biodistribution of newly developed drugs or formulation. This review will focus on how radionuclides are able to play role with characterization studies of microemulsion drug delivery systems.

  10. Spray-on transdermal drug delivery systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahim, Sarah A

    2015-02-01

    Transdermal drug delivery possesses superior advantages over other routes of administration, particularly minimizing first-pass metabolism. Transdermal drug delivery is challenged by the barrier nature of skin. Numerous technologies have been developed to overcome the relatively low skin permeability, including spray-on transdermal systems. A transdermal spray-on system (TSS) usually consists of a solution containing the drug, a volatile solvent and in many cases a chemical penetration enhancer. TSS promotes drug delivery via the complex interplay between solvent evaporation and drug-solvent drag into skin. The volatile solvent carries the drug into the upper layers of the stratum corneum, and as the volatile solvent evaporates, an increase in the thermodynamic activity of the drug occurs resulting in an increased drug loading in skin. TSS is easily applied, delivering flexible drug dosage and associated with lower incidence of skin irritation. TSS provides a fast-drying product where the volatile solvent enables uniform drug distribution with minimal vehicle deposition on skin. TSS ensures precise dose administration that is aesthetically appealing and eliminates concerns of residual drug associated with transdermal patches. Furthermore, it provides a better alternative to traditional transdermal products due to ease of product development and manufacturing.

  11. Biodegradable polymeric nanocarriers for pulmonary drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rytting, Erik; Nguyen, Juliane; Wang, Xiaoying; Kissel, Thomas

    2008-06-01

    Pulmonary drug delivery is attractive for both local and systemic drug delivery as a non-invasive route that provides a large surface area, thin epithelial barrier, high blood flow and the avoidance of first-pass metabolism. Nanoparticles can be designed to have several advantages for controlled and targeted drug delivery, including controlled deposition, sustained release, reduced dosing frequency, as well as an appropriate size for avoiding alveolar macrophage clearance or promoting transepithelial transport. This review focuses on the development and application of biodegradable polymers to nanocarrier-based strategies for the delivery of drugs, peptides, proteins, genes, siRNA and vaccines by the pulmonary route. The selection of natural or synthetic materials is important in designing particles or nanoparticle clusters with the desired characteristics, such as biocompatibility, size, charge, drug release and polymer degradation rate.

  12. A New Drug Release Method in Early Development of Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bing Cai

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available In vitro drug release tests are a widely used tool to measure the variance between transdermal product performances and required by many authorities. However, the result cannot provide a good estimation of the in vivo drug release. In the present work, a new method for measuring drug release from patches has been explored and compared with the conventional USP apparatus 2 and 5 methods. Durogesic patches, here used as a model patch, were placed on synthetic skin simulator and three moisture levels (29, 57, 198 μL cm−2 were evaluated. The synthetic skin simulators were collected after 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 24 hours and extracted with pH 1.0 hydrochloric acid solution. The drug concentrations in the extractions were measured by isocratic reverse phase high-pressure liquid chromatography. The results showed that, with the increasing moisture level on the synthetic skin simulator, the drug release rate increased. In comparison with the conventional USP method, the drug release results performed by the new method were in more correlation to the release rate claimed in the product label. This new method could help to differentiate the drug release rates among assorted formulations of transdermal drug delivery systems in the early stage of development.

  13. Recent advances in chitosan-based nanoparticulate pulmonary drug delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islam, Nazrul; Ferro, Vito

    2016-07-01

    The advent of biodegradable polymer-encapsulated drug nanoparticles has made the pulmonary route of administration an exciting area of drug delivery research. Chitosan, a natural biodegradable and biocompatible polysaccharide has received enormous attention as a carrier for drug delivery. Recently, nanoparticles of chitosan (CS) and its synthetic derivatives have been investigated for the encapsulation and delivery of many drugs with improved targeting and controlled release. Herein, recent advances in the preparation and use of micro-/nanoparticles of chitosan and its derivatives for pulmonary delivery of various therapeutic agents (drugs, genes, vaccines) are reviewed. Although chitosan has wide applications in terms of formulations and routes of drug delivery, this review is focused on pulmonary delivery of drug-encapsulated nanoparticles of chitosan and its derivatives. In addition, the controversial toxicological effects of chitosan nanoparticles for lung delivery will also be discussed.

  14. Aptamer-Gated Nanoparticles for Smart Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huseyin Avni Oktem

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Aptamers are functional nucleic acid sequences which can bind specific targets. An artificial combinatorial methodology can identify aptamer sequences for any target molecule, from ions to whole cells. Drug delivery systems seek to increase efficacy and reduce side-effects by concentrating the therapeutic agents at specific disease sites in the body. This is generally achieved by specific targeting of inactivated drug molecules. Aptamers which can bind to various cancer cell types selectively and with high affinity have been exploited in a variety of drug delivery systems for therapeutic purposes. Recent progress in selection of cell-specific aptamers has provided new opportunities in targeted drug delivery. Especially functionalization of nanoparticles with such aptamers has drawn major attention in the biosensor and biomedical areas. Moreover, nucleic acids are recognized as an attractive building materials in nanomachines because of their unique molecular recognition properties and structural features. A active controlled delivery of drugs once targeted to a disease site is a major research challenge. Stimuli-responsive gating is one way of achieving controlled release of nanoparticle cargoes. Recent reports incorporate the structural properties of aptamers in controlled release systems of drug delivering nanoparticles. In this review, the strategies for using functional nucleic acids in creating smart drug delivery devices will be explained. The main focus will be on aptamer-incorporated nanoparticle systems for drug delivery purposes in order to assess the future potential of aptamers in the therapeutic area. Special emphasis will be given to the very recent progress in controlled drug release based on molecular gating achieved with aptamers.

  15. Aerosol-Assisted Fast Formulating Uniform Pharmaceutical Polymer Microparticles with Variable Properties toward pH-Sensitive Controlled Drug Release

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hong Lei

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Microencapsulation is highly attractive for oral drug delivery. Microparticles are a common form of drug carrier for this purpose. There is still a high demand on efficient methods to fabricate microparticles with uniform sizes and well-controlled particle properties. In this paper, uniform hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate (HPMCP-based pharmaceutical microparticles loaded with either hydrophobic or hydrophilic model drugs have been directly formulated by using a unique aerosol technique, i.e., the microfluidic spray drying technology. A series of microparticles of controllable particle sizes, shapes, and structures are fabricated by tuning the solvent composition and drying temperature. It is found that a more volatile solvent and a higher drying temperature can result in fast evaporation rates to form microparticles of larger lateral size, more irregular shape, and denser matrix. The nature of the model drugs also plays an important role in determining particle properties. The drug release behaviors of the pharmaceutical microparticles are dependent on their structural properties and the nature of a specific drug, as well as sensitive to the pH value of the release medium. Most importantly, drugs in the microparticles obtained by using a more volatile solvent or a higher drying temperature can be well protected from degradation in harsh simulated gastric fluids due to the dense structures of the microparticles, while they can be fast-released in simulated intestinal fluids through particle dissolution. These pharmaceutical microparticles are potentially useful for site-specific (enteric delivery of orally-administered drugs.

  16. Metal organic frameworks as a drug delivery system for flurbiprofen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Haydar, Muder; Abid, Hussein Rasool; Sunderland, Bruce; Wang, Shaobin

    2017-01-01

    Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted more attention in the last decade because of a suitable pore size, large surface area, and high pore volume. Developing biocompatible MOFs such as the MIL family as a drug delivery system is possible. Flurbiprofen (FBP), a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent, is practically insoluble in aqueous solution, and, therefore, needs suitable drug delivery systems. Different biocompatible MOFs such as Ca-MOF and Fe-MILs (53, 100, and 101) were synthesized and employed for FBP delivery. A sample of 50 mg of each MOF was mixed and stirred for 24 h with 10 mL of 5 mg FBP in acetonitrile (40%) in a sealed container. The supernatant of the mixture after centrifuging was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography to determine the loaded quantity of FBP on the MOF. The overnight-dried solid material after centrifuging the mixture was analyzed for loading percent using X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and FBP release profile. The loading values of FBP were achieved at 10.0%±1%, 20%±0.8%, 37%±2.3%, and 46%±3.1% on Ca-MOF, Fe-MIL-53, Fe-MIL-101, and Fe-MIL-100, respectively. The FBP release profiles were investigated in a phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.4. The total release of the FBP after 2 days was obtained at 72.9, 75.2, 78.3, and 90.3% for Ca-MOF, Fe-MIL-100, Fe-MIL-53, and Fe-MIL-101, respectively. The MOFs are shown to be a promising drug delivery option for FBP with a significant loading percent and relatively prolonged drug release.

  17. Fractional CO(2) laser-assisted drug delivery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Haedersdal, Merete; Sakamoto, Fernanda H; Farinelli, William A

    2010-01-01

    Ablative fractional resurfacing (AFR) creates vertical channels that might assist the delivery of topically applied drugs into skin. The purpose of this study was to evaluate drug delivery by CO(2) laser AFR using methyl 5-aminolevulinate (MAL), a porphyrin precursor, as a test drug....

  18. Zein-alginate based oral drug delivery systems: Protection and release of therapeutic proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sungmun; Kim, Yeu-Chun; Park, Ji-Ho

    2016-12-30

    Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in the development of inflammatory bowel diseases. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) has a great therapeutic potential by scavenging superoxide that is one of ROS; however, in vivo application is limited especially when it is orally administered. SOD is easily degraded in vivo by the harsh conditions of gastrointestinal tract. Here, we design a zein-alginate based oral drug delivery system that protects SOD from the harsh conditions of gastrointestinal tract and releases it in the environment of the small intestine. SOD is encapsulated in zein-alginate nanoparticles (ZAN) via a phase separation method. We demonstrate that ZAN protect SOD from the harsh conditions of the stomach or small intestine condition. ZAN (200:40) at the weight ratio of 200mg zein to 40mg of alginate releases SOD in a pH dependent manner, and it releases 90.8±1.2% of encapsulated SOD at pH 7.4 in 2h, while only 11.4±0.4% of SOD was released at pH 1.3. The encapsulation efficiency of SOD in ZAN (200:40) was 62.1±2.0%. SOD in ZAN (200:40) reduced the intracellular ROS level and it saved 88.9±7.5% of Caco-2 cells from the toxic superoxide in 4 hours. Based on the results, zein-alginate based oral drug delivery systems will have numerous applications to drugs that are easily degradable in the harsh conditions of gastrointestinal tract. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Chitosan microspheres in novel drug delivery systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitra, Analava; Dey, Baishakhi

    2011-07-01

    The main aim in the drug therapy of any disease is to attain the desired therapeutic concentration of the drug in plasma or at the site of action and maintain it for the entire duration of treatment. A drug on being used in conventional dosage forms leads to unavoidable fluctuations in the drug concentration leading to under medication or overmedication and increased frequency of dose administration as well as poor patient compliance. To minimize drug degradation and loss, to prevent harmful side effects and to increase drug bioavailability various drug delivery and drug targeting systems are currently under development. Handling the treatment of severe disease conditions has necessitated the development of innovative ideas to modify drug delivery techniques. Drug targeting means delivery of the drug-loaded system to the site of interest. Drug carrier systems include polymers, micelles, microcapsules, liposomes and lipoproteins to name some. Different polymer carriers exert different effects on drug delivery. Synthetic polymers are usually non-biocompatible, non-biodegradable and expensive. Natural polymers such as chitin and chitosan are devoid of such problems. Chitosan comes from the deacetylation of chitin, a natural biopolymer originating from crustacean shells. Chitosan is a biocompatible, biodegradable, and nontoxic natural polymer with excellent film-forming ability. Being of cationic character, chitosan is able to react with polyanions giving rise to polyelectrolyte complexes. Hence chitosan has become a promising natural polymer for the preparation of microspheres/nanospheres and microcapsules. The techniques employed to microencapsulate with chitosan include ionotropic gelation, spray drying, emulsion phase separation, simple and complex coacervation. This review focuses on the preparation, characterization of chitosan microspheres and their role in novel drug delivery systems.

  20. Nanocarriers in ocular drug delivery: an update review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wadhwa, Sheetu; Paliwal, Rishi; Paliwal, Shivani Rai; Vyas, S P

    2009-01-01

    Controlled drug delivery to eye is one of the most challenging fields of pharmaceutical research. Low drug-contact time and poor ocular bioavailability due to drainage of solution, tear turnover and its dilution or lacrimation are the problems associated with conventional systems. In addition, anatomical barriers and physiological conditions of eye are also important parameters which control designing of drug delivery systems. Nanosized carriers like micro/nano-suspensions, liposome, niosome, dendrimer, nanoparticles, ocular inserts, implants, hydrogels and prodrug approaches have been developed for this purpose. These novel systems offer manifold advantages over conventional systems as they increase the efficiency of drug delivery by improving the release profile and also reduce drug toxicity. Conventional delivery systems get diluted with tear, washed away through the lacrimal gland and usually require administering at regular time intervals whereas nanocarriers release drug at constant rate for a prolonged period of time and thus enhance its absorption and site specific delivery. This review presents an overview of the various aspects of the ocular drug delivery, with special emphasis on nanocarrier based strategies, including structure of eye, its barriers, delivery routes and the challenges/limitations associated with development of novel nanocarriers. The recent progresses in therapy of ocular disease like gene therapy have also been included so that future options should also be considered from the delivery point of view. Recent progress in the delivery of proteins and peptides via ocular route has also been incorporated for reader benefit.

  1. Layered gadolinium hydroxides for simultaneous drug delivery and imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yadong; Goyanes, Alvaro; Wang, Yuwei; Weston, Andrew J; So, Po-Wah; Geraldes, Carlos F G C; Fogg, Andrew M; Basit, Abdul W; Williams, Gareth R

    2018-02-27

    The potential of the layered gadolinium hydroxide (LGdH) [Gd 2 (OH) 5 ]Cl·yH 2 O (LGdH-Cl) for simultaneous drug delivery and magnetic resonance imaging was explored in this work. Three non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (diclofenac [dic], ibuprofen [ibu], and naproxen [nap]) were intercalated into LGdH-Cl for the first time, using three different routes (ion exchange intercalation, coprecipitation, and exfoliation-self-assembly). X-ray diffraction, elemental microanalysis and IR spectroscopy confirmed successful incorporation of the drug into the interlayer spaces of the LGdH in all cases. From a comparison of the guest anion sizes and interlayer spacings, the active ingredients are believed to adopt intertwined bilayer configurations between the LGdH layers. The materials prepared by coprecipitation in general have noticeably higher drug loadings than those produced by ion exchange or self-assembly, as a result of the incorporation of some neutral drug into the composites. The LGdH-drug intercalates are stable at neutral pH, but rapidly degrade in acidic conditions to free Gd 3+ into solution. While LGdH-nap releases its drug loading into solution very rapidly (within ca. 1.5 h) at pH 7.4, LGdH-dic shows sustained release over 4 h, and LGdH-ibu extends this to 24 h. The latter composites therefore can be incorporated into enteric-coated tablets to provide sustained release in the small intestine. The drug intercalates are highly biocompatible and retain the proton relaxivity properties of the parent LGdH-Cl, with the materials most promising for use as negative contrast agents in MRI. Overall, the LGdH-drug intercalation compounds appear to have great potential for use in theranostic applications.

  2. A pulsed mode electrolytic drug delivery device

    KAUST Repository

    Yi, Ying

    2015-09-14

    This paper reports the design of a proof-of-concept drug delivery device that is actuated using the bubbles formed during electrolysis. The device uses a platinum (Pt) coated nickel (Ni) metal foam and a solid drug in reservoir (SDR) approach to improve the device\\'s performance. This electrochemically-driven pump has many features that are unlike conventional drug delivery devices: it is capable of pumping periodically and being refilled automatically; it features drug release control; and it enables targeted delivery. Pt-coated metal foam is used as a catalytic reforming element, which reduces the period of each delivery cycle. Two methods were used for fabricating the Pt-coated metal: sputtering and electroplating. Of these two methods, the sputtered Pt-coated metal foam has a higher pumping rate; it also has a comparable recombination rate when compared to the electroplated Pt-coated metal foam. The only drawback of this catalytic reformer is that it consumes nickel scaffold. Considering long-term applications, the electroplated Pt metal foam was selected for drug delivery, where a controlled drug release rate of 2.2 μg ± 0.3 μg per actuation pulse was achieved using 4 mW of power.

  3. Current trend of drug sensitivity in bovine mastitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajeev Ranjan

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available The study was conducted on 190 milk samples of bovine mastitis and 138 samples were confirmed positives for microorganisms. All the 138 samples were subjected to drug sensitivity test. The most effective antibiotic was enrofloxacin (91.67% followed by ciprofloxacin (90.15%, amikacin (87.12%, ceftriaxone (84.10%, chloramphenicol (80.31%, cefotaxime (79.55% and gentamicin (77.27%. Microorganisms were mostly resistant to drugs like streptomycin, penicillinG, ampicillin, cloxacillin, amoxycillin and neomycin in increasing order of resistance. Hence, it is suggested that the line of treatment should be based on antibiogram study of various isolates from bovine mastitis. Further, the selection of drugs after culture and sensitivity test should be based on their ability to cross blood tissue barrier or mammary parenchyma, lipophilicity and ability to work in alkaline pH. [Vet. World 2010; 3(1.000: 17-20

  4. Drug delivery approaches for breast cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Singh SK

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Santosh Kumar Singh,1 Shriti Singh,2 James W Lillard Jr,1 Rajesh Singh1 1Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; 2Department of Kriya Sharir, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India Abstract: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women worldwide. The controlled release of drugs to the precise site of the disease using a nanocarrier vehicle increases the therapeutic efficiency of the drugs. Nanotechnology-based approaches used to endorse clinical improvement from a disease also help to understand the interaction of malignant cells with their microenvironment. Receptor-based targeting is another approach for drug delivery which is undergoing clinical trials. Nanoparticles (NPs delivery has been proven to promise high loading capacity, less toxicity, and stability of the drugs or biomolecules compared to traditional chemotherapeutic drugs. The goal of this review is to present the current problems of breast cancer therapy and discuss the NP-based targeting to overcome the hurdles of conventional drug therapy approach. Keywords: breast cancer, nanoparticles, drug delivery systems

  5. A systematic study of the effect of low pH acid treatment on anti-drug antibodies specific for a domain antibody therapeutic: Impact on drug tolerance, assay sensitivity and post-validation method assessment of ADA in clinical serum samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kavita, Uma; Duo, Jia; Crawford, Sean M; Liu, Rong; Valcin, Joan; Gleason, Carol; Dong, Huijin; Gadkari, Snaehal; Dodge, Robert W; Pillutla, Renuka C; DeSilva, Binodh S

    2017-09-01

    We developed a homogeneous bridging anti-drug antibody (ADA) assay on an electro chemiluminescent immunoassay (ECLIA) platform to support the immunogenicity evaluation of a dimeric domain antibody (dAb) therapeutic in clinical studies. During method development we evaluated the impact of different types of acid at various pH levels on polyclonal and monoclonal ADA controls of differing affinities and on/off rates. The data shows for the first time that acids of different pH can have a differential effect on ADA of various affinities and this in turn impacts assay sensitivity and drug tolerance as defined by these surrogate controls. Acid treatment led to a reduction in signal of intermediate and low affinity ADA, but not high affinity or polyclonal ADA. We also found that acid pretreatment is a requisite for dissociation of drug bound high affinity ADA, but not for low affinity ADA-drug complexes. Although we were unable to identify an acid that would allow a 100% retrieval of ADA signal post-treatment, use of glycine pH3.0 enabled the detection of low, intermediate and high affinity antibodies (Abs) to various extents. Following optimization, the ADA assay method was validated for clinical sample analysis. Consistencies within various parameters of the clinical data such as dose dependent increases in ADA rates and titers were observed, indicating a reliable ADA method. Pre- and post-treatment ADA negative or positive clinical samples without detectable drug were reanalyzed in the absence of acid treatment or presence of added exogenous drug respectively to further assess the effectiveness of the final acid treatment procedure. The overall ADA results indicate that assay conditions developed and validated based on surrogate controls sufficed to provide a reliable clinical data set. The effect of low pH acid treatment on possible pre-existing ADA or soluble multimeric target in normal human serum was also evaluated, and preliminary data indicate that acid type and

  6. PLGA based drug delivery systems: Promising carriers for wound healing activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chereddy, Kiran Kumar; Vandermeulen, Gaëlle; Préat, Véronique

    2016-03-01

    Wound treatment remains one of the most prevalent and economically burdensome healthcare issues in the world. Current treatment options are limited and require repeated administrations which led to the development of new therapeutics to satisfy the unmet clinical needs. Many potent wound healing agents were discovered but most of them are fragile and/or sensitive to in vivo conditions. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is a widely used biodegradable polymer approved by food and drug administration and European medicines agency as an excipient for parenteral administrations. It is a well-established drug delivery system in various medical applications. The aim of the current review is to elaborate the applications of PLGA based drug delivery systems carrying different wound healing agents and also present PLGA itself as a wound healing promoter. PLGA carriers encapsulating drugs such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, proteins/peptides, and nucleic acids targeting various phases/signaling cycles of wound healing, are discussed with examples. The combined therapeutic effects of PLGA and a loaded drug on wound healing are also mentioned. © 2016 by the Wound Healing Society.

  7. Folate-containing reduction-sensitive lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles for targeted delivery of doxorubicin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Bo; Yu, Ping; Cui, Can; Wu, Ming; Zhang, Yang; Liu, Lei; Wang, Cai-Xia; Zhuo, Ren-Xi; Huang, Shi-Wen

    2015-04-01

    The development and evaluation of folate-targeted and reduction-triggered biodegradable nanoparticles are introduced to the research on targeted delivery of doxorubicin (DOX). This type of folate-targeted lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (FLPNPs) is comprised of a poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) core, a soybean lecithin monolayer, a monomethoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-S-S-hexadecyl (mPEG-S-S-C16) reduction-sensitive shell, and a folic acid-targeted ligand. FLPNPs exhibited high size stability but fast disassembly in a simulated cancer cell reductive environment. The experiments on the release process in vitro revealed that as a reduction-sensitive drug delivery system, FLPNPs released DOX faster in the presence of 10 mM dithiothreitol (DTT). Results from flow cytometry, confocal image and in vitro cytotoxicity assays revealed that FLPNPs further enhanced cell uptake and generated higher cytotoxicity against human epidermoid carcinoma in the oral cavity than non-targeted redox-sensitive and targeted redox-insensitive controls. Furthermore, in vivo animal experiments demonstrated that systemic administration of DOX-loaded FLPNPs remarkably reduced tumor growth. Experiments on biodistribution of DOX-loaded FLPNPs showed that an increasing amount of DOX accumulated in the tumor. Therefore, FLPNPs formulations have proved to be a stable, controllable and targeted anticancer drug delivery system.

  8. Photoacoustic microscopy imaging for microneedle drug delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moothanchery, Mohesh; Seeni, Razina Z.; Xu, Chenjie; Pramanik, Manojit

    2018-02-01

    The recent development of novel transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) using microneedle technology allows micron-sized conduits to be formed within the outermost skin layers attracting keen interest in skin as an interface for localized and systemic delivery of therapeutics. In light of this, researchers are using microneedles as tools to deliver nanoparticle formulations to targeted sites for effective therapy. However, in such studies the use of traditional histological methods are employed for characterization and do not allow for the in vivo visualization of drug delivery mechanism. Hence, this study presents a novel imaging technology to characterize microneedle based nanoparticle delivery systems using optical resolution-photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM). In this study in vivo transdermal delivery of gold nanoparticles using microneedles in mice ear and the spatial distribution of the nanoparticles in the tissue was successfully illustrated. Characterization of parameters that are relevant in drug delivery studies such as penetration depth, efficiency of delivered gold nanoparticles were monitored using the system. Photoacoustic microscopy proves an ideal tool for the characterization studies of microneedle properties and the studies shows microneedles as an ideal tool for precise and controlled drug delivery.

  9. Drug-in-cyclodextrin-in-liposomes: A novel drug delivery system for flurbiprofen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Lina; Zhang, Qi; Wang, Xin; Zhang, Wenji; Lin, Congcong; Chen, Fen; Yang, Xinggang; Pan, Weisan

    2015-08-15

    A novel delivery system based on drug-cyclodextrin (CD) complexation and liposomes has been developed to improve therapeutic effect. Three different means, i.e., co-evaporation (COE), co-ground (GR) and co-lyophilization (COL) and three different CDs (β-CD, HP-β-CD and SBE-β-CD) were contrasted to investigate the characteristics of the end products. FP/FP-CD loaded liposomes were obtained by thin layer evaporation technique. Size, zeta potential and encapsulation efficiency were investigated by light scattering analysis and minicolumn centrifugation. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed the amorphous form of complexes and spherical morphology of FP-HP-β-CD COE loaded liposomes. The pH 7.4 phosphate buffer solution (PBS) was selected as the medium for the in vitro release. Wistar rats were put into use to study the pharmacokinetic behavior in vivo. FP-HP-β-CD COE loaded liposomes showed the better physicochemical characters that followed the average particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential and mean encapsulation efficiency 158±10 nm, 0.19±0.1, -12.4±0.1 mW and 56.1±0.5%, separately. The relative bioavailability of FP-HP-β-CD COE loaded liposomes was 420%, 201% and 402% compared with FP solution, FP-HP-β-CD and FP-liposomes, respectively. In conclusion, the novel delivery system improved the relative bioavailability of FP significantly and provided a perspective way for delivery of insoluble drugs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Mucoadhesive drug delivery systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rahamatullah Shaikh

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Mucoadhesion is commonly defined as the adhesion between two materials, at least one of which is a mucosal surface. Over the past few decades, mucosal drug delivery has received a great deal of attention. Mucoadhesive dosage forms may be designed to enable prolonged retention at the site of application, providing a controlled rate of drug release for improved therapeutic outcome. Application of dosage forms to mucosal surfaces may be of benefit to drug molecules not amenable to the oral route, such as those that undergo acid degradation or extensive first-pass metabolism. The mucoadhesive ability of a dosage form is dependent upon a variety of factors, including the nature of the mucosal tissue and the physicochemical properties of the polymeric formulation. This review article aims to provide an overview of the various aspects of mucoadhesion, mucoadhesive materials, factors affecting mucoadhesion, evaluating methods, and finally various mucoadhesive drug delivery systems (buccal, nasal, ocular, gastro, vaginal, and rectal.

  11. Stimuli-Responsive Liposomes for Controlled Drug Delivery

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Wengang

    2014-01-01

    Liposomes are promising drug delivery vesicles due to their biodegradibility, large volume and biocompatibility towards both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. They suffer, however, from poor stability which limits their use in controlled delivery

  12. pH-responsive polymer–drug conjugates as multifunctional micelles for cancer-drug delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kang, Yang; Ha, Wei; Ma, Yuan; Ding, Li-Sheng; Li, Bang-Jing; Liu, Ying-Qian; Fan, Min-Min; Zhang, Sheng

    2014-01-01

    We developed a novel linear pH-sensitive conjugate methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-4β-aminopodophyllotoxin (mPEG-NPOD-I) by a covalently linked 4β-aminopodophyllotoxin (NPOD) and PEG via imine bond, which was amphiphilic and self-assembled to micelles in an aqueous solution. The mPEG-NPOD-I micelles simultaneously served as an anticancer drug conjugate and as drug carriers. As a drug conjugate, mPEG-NPOD-I showed a significantly faster NPOD release at a mildly acidic pH of 5.0 and 4.0 than a physiological pH of 7.4. Notably, it was confirmed that this drug conjugate could efficiently deliver NPOD to the nuclei of the tumor cells and led to much more cytotoxic effects to A549, Hela, and HepG2 cancer cells than the parent NPOD. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) of mPEG-NPOD-I was about one order magnitude lower than that of the NPOD. In vivo, mPEG-NPOD-I reduced the size of the tumors significantly, and the biodistribution studies indicated that this drug conjugate could selectively accumulate in tumor tissues. As drug carriers, the mPEG-NPOD-I micelles encapsulated hydrophobic PTX with drug-loading efficiencies of 57% and drug-loading content of 16%. The loaded PTX also showed pH-triggered fast release behavior, and good additive cytotoxicity effect was observed for the PEG-NPOD-I/PTX. We are convinced that these multifunctional drug conjugate micelles have tremendous potential for targeted cancer therapy. (paper)

  13. Regulating drug release from pH- and temperature-responsive electrospun CTS-g-PNIPAAm/poly(ethylene oxide) hydrogel nanofibers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan, Huihua; Li, Biyun; Liang, Kai; Lou, Xiangxin; Zhang, Yanzhong

    2014-01-01

    Temperature- and pH-responsive polymers have been widely investigated as smart drug release systems. However, dual-sensitive polymers in the form of nanofibers, which is advantageous in achieving rapid transfer of stimulus to the smart polymeric structures for regulating drug release behavior, have rarely been explored. In this study, chitosan-graft-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (CTS-g-PNIPAAm) copolymer was synthesized by using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxy succinimide (NHS) as grafting agents to graft carboxyl-terminated PNIPAAm (PNIPAAm-COOH) chains onto the CTS biomacromolecules, and then CTS-g-PNIPAAm with or without bovine serum albumin (BSA) was fabricated into nanofibers through electrospinning using poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO, 10 wt%) as a fiber-forming facilitating additive. The BSA laden CTS-g-PNIPAAm/PEO hydrogel nanofibers were tested to determine their drug release profiles by varying pH and temperature. Finally, cytotoxicity of the CTS-g-PNIPAAm/PEO hydrogel nanofibers was evaluated by assaying the L929 cell proliferation using the MTT method. It was found that the synthesized CTS-g-PNIPAAm possessed a temperature-induced phase transition and lower critical solution temperature (LCST) at 32° C in aqueous solutions. The rate of BSA release could be well modulated by altering the environmental pH and temperature of the hydrogel nanofibers. The CTS-g-PNIPAAm/PEO hydrogel nanofibers supported L929 cell growth, indicative of appropriate cytocompatibility. Our current work could pave the way towards developing multi-stimuli responsive nanofibrous smart materials for potential applications in the fields of drug delivery and tissue engineering. (paper)

  14. Polymer nanogels: a versatile nanoscopic drug delivery platform

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chacko, Reuben T.; Ventura, Judy; Zhuang, Jiaming; Thayumanavan, S.

    2012-01-01

    In this review we put the spotlight on crosslinked polymer nanogels, a promising platform that has the characteristics of an “ideal” drug delivery vehicle. Some of the key aspects of drug delivery vehicle design like stability, response to biologically relevant stimuli, passive targeting, active targeting, toxicity and ease of synthesis are discussed. We discuss several delivery systems in this light and highlight some examples of systems, which satisfy some or all of these design requirements. In particular, we point to the advantages that crosslinked polymeric systems bring to drug delivery. We review some of the synthetic methods of nanogel synthesis and conclude with the diverse applications in drug delivery where nanogels have been fruitfully employed. PMID:22342438

  15. A cyclically actuated electrolytic drug delivery device

    KAUST Repository

    Yi, Ying

    2015-01-01

    This work, focusing on an implantable drug delivery system, presents the first prototype electrolytic pump that combines a catalytic reformer and a cyclically actuated mode. These features improve the release performance and extend the lifetime of the device. Using our platinum (Pt)-coated carbon fiber mesh that acts as a catalytic reforming element, the cyclical mode is improved because the faster recombination rate allows for a shorter cycling time for drug delivery. Another feature of our device is that it uses a solid-drug-in-reservoir (SDR) approach, which allows small amounts of a solid drug to be dissolved in human fluid, forming a reproducible drug solution for long-term therapies. We have conducted proof-of-principle drug delivery studies using such an electrolytic pump and solvent blue 38 as the drug substitute. These tests demonstrate power-controlled and pulsatile release profiles of the chemical substance, as well as the feasibility of this device. A drug delivery rate of 11.44 ± 0.56 μg min-1 was achieved by using an input power of 4 mW for multiple pulses, which indicates the stability of our system. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2015.

  16. Microneedles for drug and vaccine delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Yeu-Chun; Park, Jung-Hwan; Prausnitz, Mark R.

    2012-01-01

    Microneedles were first conceptualized for drug delivery many decades ago, but only became the subject of significant research starting in the mid-1990’s when microfabrication technology enabled their manufacture as (i) solid microneedles for skin pretreatment to increase skin permeability, (ii) microneedles coated with drug that dissolves off in the skin, (iii) polymer microneedles that encapsulate drug and fully dissolve in the skin and (iv) hollow microneedles for drug infusion into the skin. As shown in more than 350 papers now published in the field, microneedles have been used to deliver a broad range of different low molecular weight drugs, biotherapeutics and vaccines, including published human studies with a number of small-molecule and protein drugs and vaccines. Influenza vaccination using a hollow microneedle is in widespread clinical use and a number of solid microneedle products are sold for cosmetic purposes. In addition to applications in the skin, microneedles have also been adapted for delivery of bioactives into the eye and into cells. Successful application of microneedles depends on device function that facilitates microneedle insertion and possible infusion into skin, skin recovery after microneedle removal, and drug stability during manufacturing, storage and delivery, and on patient outcomes, including lack of pain, skin irritation and skin infection, in addition to drug efficacy and safety. Building off a strong technology base and multiple demonstrations of successful drug delivery, microneedles are poised to advance further into clinical practice to enable better pharmaceutical therapies, vaccination and other applications. PMID:22575858

  17. Self-assembled Multifunctional DNA Nanoflowers for the Circumvention of Multidrug Resistance in Targeted Anticancer Drug Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mei, Lei; Zhu, Guizhi; Qiu, Liping; Wu, Cuichen; Chen, Huapei; Liang, Hao; Cansiz, Sena; Lv, Yifan; Zhang, Xiaobing; Tan, Weihong

    2015-11-01

    Cancer chemotherapy has been impeded by side effects and multidrug resistance (MDR) partially caused by drug efflux from cancer cells, which call for targeted drug delivery systems additionally able to circumvent MDR. Here we report multifunctional DNA nanoflowers (NFs) for targeted drug delivery to both chemosensitive and MDR cancer cells and circumvent MDR in both leukemia and breast cancer cell models. NFs are self-assembled via liquid crystallization of DNA generated by Rolling Circle Replication, during which NFs are incorporated with aptamers for specific cancer cell recognition, fluorophores for bioimaging, and Doxorubicin (Dox)-binding DNA for drug delivery. NF sizes are tunable (down to ~200 nm in diameter), and the densely packed drug-binding motifs and porous intrastructures endow NFs with high drug loading capacity (71.4%, wt/wt). The Dox-loaded NFs (NF-Dox) are stable at physiological pH, yet drug release is facilitated in acidic or basic conditions. NFs deliver Dox into target chemosensitive and MDR cancer cells, preventing drug efflux and enhancing drug retention in MDR cells. Consequently, NF-Dox induces potent cytotoxicity in both target chemosensitive cells and MDR cells, but not nontarget cells, thus concurrently circumventing MDR and reducing side effects. Overall, these NFs are promising to circumvent MDR in targeted cancer therapy.

  18. Progress in psoriasis therapy via novel drug delivery systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nitha Vincent

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Psoriasis is a lifelong condition which is caused by the negative signals produced by immune system, which leads to hyper proliferation and other inflammatory reactions on the skin. In this case, keratinocytes which are the outermost layer of skin possess shortened life cycle and results in the alteration of desquamation process where the cytokines will come out through lesions of affected patients and as a result, scaling marks appears on the skin. These conditions may negatively affect the patient’s quality of life and lead to psychosocial stress. Psoriasis can be categorized as mild, moderate and severe conditions. Mild psoriasis leads to the formation of rashes, and when it becomes moderate, the skin turns into scaly. In severe conditions, red patches may be present on skin surface and becomes itchy. Topical therapy continues to be one of the pillars for psoriasis management. Drug molecules with target effect on the skin tissues and other inflammations should be selected for the treatment of psoriasis. Most of the existing drugs lead to systemic intoxication and dryness when applied in higher dose. Different scientific approaches for topical delivery are being explored by researches including emollient, modified gelling system, transdermal delivery, spray, nanogels, hydrogels, micro/nano emulsion, liposomes, nano capsules etc. These topical dosage forms are evaluated for various physico chemical properties such as drug content, viscosity, pH, extrudability, spreadability, toxicity, irritancy, permeability and drug release mechanism. This review paper focus attention to the impact of these formulation approaches on various anti-psoriasis drugs for their successful treatment.

  19. Polyelectrolyte microcapsules for sustained delivery of water-soluble drugs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anandhakumar, S.; Debapriya, M. [Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012 (India); Nagaraja, V. [Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012 (India); Raichur, Ashok M., E-mail: amr@materials.iisc.ernet.in [Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012 (India)

    2011-03-12

    Polyelectrolyte capsules composed of weak polyelectrolytes are introduced as a simple and efficient system for spontaneous encapsulation of low molecular weight water-soluble drugs. Polyelectrolyte capsules were prepared by layer-by-layer (LbL) assembling of weak polyelectrolytes, poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA) on polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) doped CaCO{sub 3} particles followed by core removal with ethylene-diaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The loading process was observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) using tetramethylrhodamineisothiocyanate labeled dextran (TRITC-dextran) as a fluorescent probe. The intensity of fluorescent probe inside the capsule decreased with increase in cross-linking time. Ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (a model water-soluble drug) was spontaneously deposited into PAH/PMA capsules and their morphological changes were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The quantitative study of drug loading was also elucidated which showed that drug loading increased with initial drug concentration, but decreased with increase in pH. The loaded drug was released in a sustained manner for 6 h, which could be further extended by cross-linking the capsule wall. The released drug showed significant antibacterial activity against E. coli. These findings indicate that such capsules can be potential carriers for water-soluble drugs in sustained/controlled drug delivery applications.

  20. Polyelectrolyte microcapsules for sustained delivery of water-soluble drugs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anandhakumar, S.; Debapriya, M.; Nagaraja, V.; Raichur, Ashok M.

    2011-01-01

    Polyelectrolyte capsules composed of weak polyelectrolytes are introduced as a simple and efficient system for spontaneous encapsulation of low molecular weight water-soluble drugs. Polyelectrolyte capsules were prepared by layer-by-layer (LbL) assembling of weak polyelectrolytes, poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA) on polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) doped CaCO 3 particles followed by core removal with ethylene-diaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The loading process was observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) using tetramethylrhodamineisothiocyanate labeled dextran (TRITC-dextran) as a fluorescent probe. The intensity of fluorescent probe inside the capsule decreased with increase in cross-linking time. Ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (a model water-soluble drug) was spontaneously deposited into PAH/PMA capsules and their morphological changes were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The quantitative study of drug loading was also elucidated which showed that drug loading increased with initial drug concentration, but decreased with increase in pH. The loaded drug was released in a sustained manner for 6 h, which could be further extended by cross-linking the capsule wall. The released drug showed significant antibacterial activity against E. coli. These findings indicate that such capsules can be potential carriers for water-soluble drugs in sustained/controlled drug delivery applications.

  1. Drug delivery's quest for polymers: Where are the frontiers?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merkle, Hans P

    2015-11-01

    Since the legendary 1964 article of Folkman and Long entitled "The use of silicone rubber as a carrier for prolonged drug therapy" the role of polymers in controlled drug delivery has come a long way. Today it is evident that polymers play a crucial if not the prime role in this field. The latest boost owes to the interest in drug delivery for the purpose of tissue engineering in regenerative medicine. The focus of this commentary is on a selection of general and personal observations that are characteristic for the current state of polymer therapeutics and carriers. It briefly highlights selected examples for the long march of synthetic polymer-drug conjugates from bench to bedside, comments on the ambivalence of selected polymers as inert excipients versus biological response modifiers, and on the yet unsolved dilemma of cationic polymers for the delivery of nucleic acid therapeutics. Further subjects are the complex design of multifunctional polymeric carriers including recent concepts towards functional supramolecular polymers, as well as observations on stimuli-sensitive polymers and the currently ongoing trend towards natural and naturally-derived biopolymers. The final topic is the discovery and early development of a novel type of biodegradable polyesters for parenteral use. Altogether, it is not the basic and applied research in polymer therapeutics and carriers, but the translational process that is the key hurdle to proceed towards an authoritative approval of new polymer therapeutics and carriers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Sodium deoxycholate-decorated zein nanoparticles for a stable colloidal drug delivery system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gagliardi, Agnese; Paolino, Donatella; Iannone, Michelangelo; Palma, Ernesto; Fresta, Massimo; Cosco, Donato

    2018-01-01

    The use of biopolymers is increasing in drug delivery, thanks to the peculiar properties of these compounds such as their biodegradability, availability, and the possibility of modulating their physico-chemical characteristics. In particular, protein-based systems such as albumin are able to interact with many active compounds, modulating their biopharmaceutical properties. Zein is a protein of 20-40 kDa made up of many hydrophobic amino acids, generally regarded as safe (GRAS) and used as a coating material. In this investigation, zein was combined with various surfactants in order to obtain stable nanosystems by means of the nanoprecipitation technique. Specific parameters, eg, temperature, pH value, Turbiscan Stability Index, serum stability, in vitro cytotoxicity and entrapment efficiency of various model compounds were investigated, in order to identify the nanoformulation most useful for a systemic drug delivery application. The use of non-ionic and ionic surfactants such as Tween 80, poloxamer 188, and sodium deoxycholate allowed us to obtain nanoparticles characterized by a mean diameter of 100-200 nm when a protein concentration of 2 mg/mL was used. The surface charge was modulated by means of the protein concentration and the nature of the stabilizer. The most suitable nanoparticle formulation to be proposed as a colloidal drug delivery system was obtained using sodium deoxycholate (1.25% w/v) because it was characterized by a narrow size distribution, a good storage stability after freeze-drying and significant feature of retaining lipophilic and hydrophilic compounds. The sodium deoxycholate-coated zein nanoparticles are stable biocompatible colloidal carriers to be used as useful drug delivery systems.

  3. Nanotechnology and Drug Delivery Part 2: Nanostructures for Drug ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Some challenges associated with the technology as it relates to drug effectiveness, toxicity, stability, pharmacokinetics and drug regulatory control are discussed in this review. Clearly, nanotechnology is a welcome development that is set to transform drug delivery and drug supply chain management, if optimally developed ...

  4. Evaluation of critical formulation parameters in design and differentiation of self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems (SMEDDSs) for oral delivery of aciclovir.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janković, Jovana; Djekic, Ljiljana; Dobričić, Vladimir; Primorac, Marija

    2016-01-30

    The study investigated the influence of formulation parameters for design of self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems (SMEDDSs) comprising oil (medium chain triglycerides) (10%), surfactant (Labrasol(®), polysorbate 20, or Kolliphor(®) RH40), cosurfactant (Plurol(®) Oleique CC 497) (q.s. ad 100%), and cosolvent (glycerol or macrogol 400) (20% or 30%), and evaluate their potential as carriers for oral delivery of a poorly permeable antivirotic aciclovir (acyclovir). The drug loading capacity of the prepared formulations ranged from 0.18-31.66 mg/ml. Among a total of 60 formulations, three formulations meet the limits for average droplet size (Z-ave) and polydispersity index (PdI) that have been set for SMEDDSs (Z-ave≤100nm, PdI<0.250) upon spontaneous dispersion in 0.1M HCl and phosphate buffer pH 7.2. SMEDDSs with the highest aciclovir loading capacity (24.06 mg/ml and 21.12 mg/ml) provided the in vitro drug release rates of 0.325 mg cm(-2)min(-1) and 0.323 mg cm(-2)min(-1), respectively, and significantly enhanced drug permeability in the parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA), in comparison with the pure drug substance. The results revealed that development of SMEDDSs with enhanced drug loading capacity and oral delivery potential, required optimization of hydrophilic ingredients, in terms of size of hydrophilic moiety of the surfactant, surfactant-to-cosurfactant mass ratio (Km), and log P of the cosolvent. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Contact-facilitated drug delivery with Sn2 lipase labile prodrugs optimize targeted lipid nanoparticle drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Dipanjan; Pham, Christine T N; Weilbaecher, Katherine N; Tomasson, Michael H; Wickline, Samuel A; Lanza, Gregory M

    2016-01-01

    Sn2 lipase labile phospholipid prodrugs in conjunction with contact-facilitated drug delivery offer an important advancement in Nanomedicine. Many drugs incorporated into nanosystems, targeted or not, are substantially lost during circulation to the target. However, favorably altering the pharmacokinetics and volume of distribution of systemic drug delivery can offer greater efficacy with lower toxicity, leading to new prolonged-release nanoexcipients. However, the concept of achieving Paul Erhlich's inspired vision of a 'magic bullet' to treat disease has been largely unrealized due to unstable nanomedicines, nanosystems achieving low drug delivery to target cells, poor intracellular bioavailability of endocytosed nanoparticle payloads, and the substantial biological barriers of extravascular particle penetration into pathological sites. As shown here, Sn2 phospholipid prodrugs in conjunction with contact-facilitated drug delivery prevent premature drug diffusional loss during circulation and increase target cell bioavailability. The Sn2 phospholipid prodrug approach applies equally well for vascular constrained lipid-encapsulated particles and micelles the size of proteins that penetrate through naturally fenestrated endothelium in the bone marrow or thin-walled venules of an inflamed microcirculation. At one time Nanomedicine was considered a 'Grail Quest' by its loyal opposition and even many in the field adsorbing the pains of a long-learning curve about human biology and particles. However, Nanomedicine with innovations like Sn2 phospholipid prodrugs has finally made 'made the turn' toward meaningful translational success. © 2015 The Authors. WIREs Nanomedicine and Nanobiotechnology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. A REVIEW ON OSMOTIC DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM

    OpenAIRE

    Harnish Patel; Upendra Patel; Hiren Kadikar; Bhavin Bhimani; Dhiren Daslaniya; Ghanshyam Patel

    2012-01-01

    Conventional oral drug delivery systems supply an instantaneous release of drug, which cannot control the release of the drug and effective concentration at the target site. This kind of dosing pattern may result in constantly changing, unpredictable plasma concentrations. Drugs can be delivered in a controlled pattern over a long period of time by the process of osmosis. Osmotic devices are the most promising strategy based systems for controlled drug delivery. They are the most reliable con...

  7. A pulsed mode electrolytic drug delivery device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yi, Ying; Foulds, Ian G; Buttner, Ulrich; Carreno, Armando A A; Conchouso, David

    2015-01-01

    This paper reports the design of a proof-of-concept drug delivery device that is actuated using the bubbles formed during electrolysis. The device uses a platinum (Pt) coated nickel (Ni) metal foam and a solid drug in reservoir (SDR) approach to improve the device’s performance. This electrochemically-driven pump has many features that are unlike conventional drug delivery devices: it is capable of pumping periodically and being refilled automatically; it features drug release control; and it enables targeted delivery. Pt-coated metal foam is used as a catalytic reforming element, which reduces the period of each delivery cycle. Two methods were used for fabricating the Pt-coated metal: sputtering and electroplating. Of these two methods, the sputtered Pt-coated metal foam has a higher pumping rate; it also has a comparable recombination rate when compared to the electroplated Pt-coated metal foam. The only drawback of this catalytic reformer is that it consumes nickel scaffold. Considering long-term applications, the electroplated Pt metal foam was selected for drug delivery, where a controlled drug release rate of 2.2 μg  ±  0.3 μg per actuation pulse was achieved using 4 mW of power. (paper)

  8. A review on target drug delivery: magnetic microspheres

    OpenAIRE

    Amit Chandna; Deepa Batra; Satinder Kakar; Ramandeep Singh

    2013-01-01

    Novel drug delivery system aims to deliver the drug at a rate directed by the needs of the body during the period of treatment, and target the active entity to the site of action. A number of novel drug delivery systems have emerged encompassing various routes of administration, to achieve controlled and targeted drug delivery, magnetic micro carriers being one of them. Magnetic microsphere is newer approach in pharmaceutical field. Magnetic microspheres as an alternative to traditional ra...

  9. Dual drug-loaded nanoparticles on self-integrated scaffold for controlled delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bennet D

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Devasier Bennet,1 Mohana Marimuthu,1 Sanghyo Kim,1 Jeongho An21Department of Bionanotechnology, Gachon University, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea; 2Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, SunKyunKwan University, Gyeonggi, Republic of KoreaAbstract: Antioxidant (quercetin and hypoglycemic (voglibose drug-loaded poly-D,L-lactide-co-glycolide nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using the solvent evaporation method. The dual drug-loaded nanoparticles were incorporated into a scaffold film using a solvent casting method, creating a controlled transdermal drug-delivery system. Key features of the film formulation were achieved utilizing several ratios of excipients, including polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, hyaluronic acid, xylitol, and alginate. The scaffold film showed superior encapsulation capability and swelling properties, with various potential applications, eg, the treatment of diabetes-associated complications. Structural and light scattering characterization confirmed a spherical shape and a mean particle size distribution of 41.3 nm for nanoparticles in the scaffold film. Spectroscopy revealed a stable polymer structure before and after encapsulation. The thermoresponsive swelling properties of the film were evaluated according to temperature and pH. Scaffold films incorporating dual drug-loaded nanoparticles showed remarkably high thermoresponsivity, cell compatibility, and ex vivo drug-release behavior. In addition, the hybrid film formulation showed enhanced cell adhesion and proliferation. These dual drug-loaded nanoparticles incorporated into a scaffold film may be promising for development into a transdermal drug-delivery system.Keywords: quercetin, voglibose, biocompatible materials, encapsulation, transdermal

  10. Improvement of drug delivery by hyperthermia treatment using magnetic cubic cobalt ferrite nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dey, Chaitali, E-mail: chaitalidey29@gmail.com [Centre for Research in Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, Block-JD-2, Sector-III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700106 (India); Baishya, Kaushik [S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Block-JD, Sector-III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700106 (India); Ghosh, Arup [S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Block-JD, Sector-III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700106 (India); Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pashan, Pune 411008 (India); Goswami, Madhuri Mandal, E-mail: madhuri@bose.res.in [S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Block-JD, Sector-III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700106 (India); Ghosh, Ajay [Dept. of Applied Optics and Photonics, University of Calcutta, Block-JD-2, Sector-III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700106 (India); Mandal, Kalyan [S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Block-JD, Sector-III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700106 (India)

    2017-04-01

    In this study, we report a novel synthesis method, characterization and application of a new class of ferromagnetic cubic cobalt ferrite magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) for hyperthermia therapy and temperature triggered drug release. The MNPs are characterized by XRD, TEM, FESEM, AC magnetic hysteresis and VSM. These MNPs were coated with folic acid and loaded with an anticancer drug. The drug release studies were done at two different temperatures (37 °C and 44 °C) with progress of time. It was found that higher release of drug took place at elevated temperature (44 °C). We have developed a temperature sensitive drug delivery system which releases the heat sensitive drug selectively as the particles are heated up under AC magnetic field and controlled release is possible by changing the external AC magnetic field.

  11. Metabolic Study of Cancer Cells Using a pH Sensitive Hydrogel Nanofiber Light Addressable Potentiometric Sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaibani, Parmiss Mojir; Etayash, Hashem; Naicker, Selvaraj; Kaur, Kamaljit; Thundat, Thomas

    2017-01-27

    We report a simple, fast, and cost-effective approach that measures cancer cell metabolism and their response to anticancer drugs in real time. Using a Light Addressable Potentiometric Sensor integrated with pH sensitive hydrogel nanofibers (NF-LAPS), we detect localized changes in pH of the media as cancer cells consume glucose and release lactate. NF-LAPS shows a sensitivity response of 74 mV/pH for cancer cells. Cancer cells (MDA MB231) showed a response of ∼0.4 unit change in pH compared to virtually no change observed for normal cells (MCF10A). We also observed a drop in pH for the multidrug-resistant cancer cells (MDA-MB-435MDR) in the presence of doxorubicin. However, inhibition of the metabolic enzymes such as hexokinase and lactate dehydrogenase-A suggested an improvement in the efficacy of doxorubicin by decreasing the level of acidification. This approach, based on extracellular acidification, enhances our understanding of cancer cell metabolic modes and their response to chemotherapies, which will help in the development of better treatments, including choice of drugs and dosages.

  12. Beyond platinum: synthesis, characterization, and in vitro toxicity of Cu(II-releasing polymer nanoparticles for potential use as a drug delivery vector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harris Alesha

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The field of drug delivery focuses primarily on delivering small organic molecules or DNA/RNA as therapeutics and has largely ignored the potential for delivering catalytically active transition metal ions and complexes. The delivery of a variety of transition metals has potential for inducing apoptosis in targeted cells. The chief aims of this work were the development of a suitable delivery vector for a prototypical transition metal, Cu2+, and demonstration of the ability to impact cancer cell viability via exposure to such a Cu-loaded vector. Carboxylate-functionalized nanoparticles were synthesized by free radical polymerization and were subsequently loaded with Cu2+ via binding to particle-bound carboxylate functional groups. Cu loading and release were characterized via ICP MS, EDX, XPS, and elemental analysis. Results demonstrated that Cu could be loaded in high weight percent (up to 16 wt.% and that Cu was released from the particles in a pH-dependent manner. Metal release was a function of both pH and the presence of competing ligands. The toxicity of the particles was measured in HeLa cells where reductions in cell viability greater than 95% were observed at high Cu loading. The combined pH sensitivity and significant toxicity make this copper delivery vector an excellent candidate for the targeted killing of disease cells when combined with an effective cellular targeting strategy.

  13. Synthesis of pH-sensitive poly(β-amino ester)-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles for the controlled release of drugs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Talavera-Pech, William A.; Esparza-Ruiz, Adriana; Quintana-Owen, Patricia; Vilchis-Nestor, Alfredo R.; Barrón-Zambrano, Jesus A.; Ávila-Ortega, Alejandro

    2018-03-01

    This report describes the synthesis of a controlled drug delivery system that was obtained by coating mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) with poly(β-amino ester) (PbAE), which is a solid and stable material at physiological pH, but is dissolved at acidic pH values, such as those in tumor tissues (from 5.0 to 6.5). To synthesize the system, PbAE chains were grafted onto amino-functionalized MSNs through a reaction between the surface amino groups of MSNs and the ends of acrylate chains of a PbAE. The system was physicochemically characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction analyses. In addition, the in vitro release of doxorubicin (DOX) and doxycycline (DXY) in acidic and physiological media was evaluated. It was observed that the PbAE modification did not affect the mesoporous structure of MSNs. When the amount of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane was increased during functionalization, the amount of PbAE binding to MSNs increased as well. With respect to drug release, the sample with the highest amount of PbAE showed better control in the delivery of DXY and DOX in acidic media, because at pH 5.5, the release of both drugs was 40% higher than that at pH 7.4. These results reveal two aspects about the presence of PbAE in MSNs: PbAE does not affect the mesoporous structure of the nanoparticles, and PbAE is the main factor controlling the delivery of drugs in acidic media.

  14. Recent trends in challenges and opportunities of Transdermal drug delivery system

    OpenAIRE

    P.M.Patil; P.D.Chaudhari; Jalpa K.Patel; K.A.Kedar; P.P.Katolkar

    2012-01-01

    Drug delivery system relates to the production of a drug, its delivery medium, and the way of administration. Drug delivery systems are even used for administering nitroglycerin. Transdermal drug delivery system is the system in which the delivery of the active ingredients of the drug occurs by the means of skin. Various types of transdermal patches are used. There are various methods to enhance the transdermal drug delivery system. But using microfabricated microneedles drugs are delivered v...

  15. Development of a gastroretentive pulsatile drug delivery platform.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thitinan, Sumalee; McConville, Jason T

    2012-04-01

    To develop a novel gastroretentive pulsatile drug delivery platform by combining the advantages of floating dosage forms for the stomach and pulsatile drug delivery systems. A gastric fluid impermeable capsule body was used as a vessel to contain one or more drug layer(s) as well as one or more lag-time controlling layer(s). A controlled amount of air was sealed in the innermost portion of the capsule body to reduce the overall density of the drug delivery platform, enabling gastric floatation. An optimal mass fill inside the gastric fluid impermeable capsule body enabled buoyancy in a vertical orientation to provide a constant surface area for controlled erosion of the lag-time controlling layer. The lag-time controlling layer consisted of a swellable polymer, which rapidly formed a gel to seal the mouth of capsule body and act as a barrier to gastric fluid ingress. By varying the composition of the lag-time controlling layer, it was possible to selectively program the onset of the pulsatile delivery of a drug. This new delivery platform offers a new method of delivery for a variety of suitable drugs targeted in chronopharmaceutical therapy. This strategy could ultimately improve drug efficacy and patient compliance, and reduce harmful side effects by scaling back doses of drug administered. © 2012 The Authors. JPP © 2012 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

  16. Focused ultrasound-facilitated brain drug delivery using optimized nanodroplets: vaporization efficiency dictates large molecular delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Shih-Ying; Fix, Samantha M.; Arena, Christopher B.; Chen, Cherry C.; Zheng, Wenlan; Olumolade, Oluyemi O.; Papadopoulou, Virginie; Novell, Anthony; Dayton, Paul A.; Konofagou, Elisa E.

    2018-02-01

    Focused ultrasound with nanodroplets could facilitate localized drug delivery after vaporization with potentially improved in vivo stability, drug payload, and minimal interference outside of the focal zone compared with microbubbles. While the feasibility of blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening using nanodroplets has been previously reported, characterization of the associated delivery has not been achieved. It was hypothesized that the outcome of drug delivery was associated with the droplet’s sensitivity to acoustic energy, and can be modulated with the boiling point of the liquid core. Therefore, in this study, octafluoropropane (OFP) and decafluorobutane (DFB) nanodroplets were used both in vitro for assessing their relative vaporization efficiency with high-speed microscopy, and in vivo for delivering molecules with a size relevant to proteins (40 kDa dextran) to the murine brain. It was found that at low pressures (300-450 kPa), OFP droplets vaporized into a greater number of microbubbles compared to DFB droplets at higher pressures (750-900 kPa) in the in vitro study. In the in vivo study, successful delivery was achieved with OFP droplets at 300 kPa and 450 kPa without evidence of cavitation damage using ¼ dosage, compared to DFB droplets at 900 kPa where histology indicated tissue damage due to inertial cavitation. In conclusion, the vaporization efficiency of nanodroplets positively impacted the amount of molecules delivered to the brain. The OFP droplets due to the higher vaporization efficiency served as better acoustic agents to deliver large molecules efficiently to the brain compared with the DFB droplets.

  17. Injectable In-Situ Gelling Controlled Release Drug Delivery System

    OpenAIRE

    Kulwant Singh; S. L. HariKumar

    2012-01-01

    The administration of poorly bioavailable drug through parenteral route is regarded the most efficient for drug delivery. Parenteral delivery provides rapid onset even for the drug with narrow therapeutic window, but to maintain the systemic drug level repeated installation are required which cause the patient discomfort. This can be overcome by designing the drug into a system, which control the drug release even through parenteral delivery, which improve patient compliance as well as pharma...

  18. Preparation and characterization of the titanium dioxide thin films used for pH electrode and procaine drug sensor by sol-gel method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liao Yihung; Chou, J.-C.

    2009-01-01

    We used titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) as the sensing layer of an ion selective pH sensor electrode, and as the substrate for a procaine drug sensitive membrane sensor. The TiO 2 thin films were prepared using sol-gel spin coating technology. We adopted the Ti(OC 4 H 9 ) 4 as the precursor, and added an ethanol solute to obtain the TiO 2 sol. The sol-gel was spun coated onto the indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate. The drug sensitive membrane was coated on the TiO 2 film. We then measured the I DS -V G curves of the TiO 2 ion selective electrode (ISE) pH sensor in pH buffer solutions that had different pH concentrations using a Keithley 236 Semiconductor Parameter Analyzer instrument. The procaine concentration was measured from 10 -2 M to 10 -6 M with the drug sensitive membrane using a HP 34401A Digital Multimeter. We prepared the TiO 2 ISE pH sensor and obtained a high pH sensitivity of 58.73 mV/pH. Uniform TiO 2 films surface structures, with an average roughness (Ra) of 10.211 nm and root mean square roughness (Rms) of 13.01 nm were obtained. The drift effect of the titanium dioxide ion selective pH sensor electrode is 1.97 mV h -1 . The sensitivity of the procaine drug sensor is 55.03 mV pC -1 between 1.0 x 10 -2 mol L -1 and 1.0 x 10 -6 mol L -1 procaine concentrations. The detection limit is 5.0 x 10 -6 mol L -1 . The response time to reach 90% output voltage is 16 s. Forty seconds are required to reach 95% output voltage. The procaine drug sensor 1 x 10 -3 mol L -1 drift test is 3.64 mV h -1 and the variation in output voltage of the repeated measurement is less than 7.4 mV

  19. Structural, functional and pH sensitive release characteristics of water-soluble polysaccharide from the seeds of Albizia lebbeck L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar Varma, Chekuri Ashok; Jayaram Kumar, K

    2017-11-01

    Plant polysaccharides, generally regarded as safe (GRAS), are gaining importance as excipients in drug delivery. Therefore, the current paper presents the studies on structural, functional and drug release study of water soluble polysaccharide (ALPS) from seeds of Albizia lebbeck L. High swelling, water holding capacity, foam stability and lower moisture content suggests its use as additive in food preparations. The apparent molecular weight of polysaccharide was found to be 1.98×10 2 kDa. Monosaccharide composition analysis indicated that ALPS consists of mannose (4.06%), rhamnose (22.79%), glucose (38.9%), galactose (17.84%) and xylose (16.42%). Micromeritic properties revealed that the polysaccharide possess potential for pharmaceutical applications. From the surface charge analysis, ALPS was found to be non-ionic polysaccharide. Morphological study reveals the polysaccharide with irregular particle shape and rough surface. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) study confirms the carbohydrate nature of polysaccharide. From the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) data, the second mass loss (243-340°C) attributed to polysaccharide degradation. The drug release profile reveals the use of polysaccharide for the preparation of pH sensitive pharmaceutical dosage forms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Phase transition behavior of novel pH-sensitive polyaspartamide derivatives grafted with 1-(3-aminopropyl)imidazole.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seo, Kwangwon; Kim, Dukjoon

    2006-09-15

    New pH-sensitive polyaspartamide derivatives were synthesized by grafting 1-(3-aminopropyl)imidazole and/or O-(2-aminoethyl)-O'-methylpoly(ethylene glycol) 5000 on polysuccinimide for application in intracellular drug delivery systems. The DS of 1-(3-aminopropyl)imidazole was adjusted by the feed molar ratio, and the structure of the prepared polymer was confirmed using FT-IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy. Their pH-sensitive properties were characterized by light transmittance measurements, and the particle size and its distribution were investigated by dynamic light scattering measurements at varying pH values. The pH-sensitive phase transition was clearly observed in polymer solutions with a high substitution of 1-(3-aminopropyl)imidazole. The prepared polymers showed a high buffering capacity between pH 5 and 7, and this increased with the DS of 1-(3-aminopropyl)imidazole. The pH dependence of the aggregation and de-aggregation behavior was examined using a fluorescence spectrometer. For MPEG/imidazole-g-polyaspartamides with a DS of 1-(3-aminopropyl)imidazole over 82%, self aggregates associated with the hydrophobic interactions of the unprotonated imidazole groups were observed at pH values above 7, and their mean size was over 200 nm, while the aggregates of polymers were dissociated at pH values below 7 by the protonation of imidazole groups. These pH-sensitive polyaspartamide derivatives are potential basic candidates for intracellular drug delivery carriers triggered by small pH changes.

  1. Targeted Drug Delivery and Treatment of Endoparasites with Biocompatible Particles of pH-Responsive Structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mathews, Patrick D; Fernandes Patta, Ana C M; Gonçalves, Joao V; Gama, Gabriella Dos Santos; Garcia, Irene Teresinha Santos; Mertins, Omar

    2018-02-12

    Biomaterials conceived for vectorization of bioactives are currently considered for biomedical, biological, and environmental applications. We have produced a pH-sensitive biomaterial composed of natural source alginate and chitosan polysaccharides for application as a drug delivery system via oral administration. The composite particle preparation was in situ monitored by means of isothermal titration calorimetry. The strong interaction established between the macromolecules during particle assembly led to 0.60 alginate/chitosan effective binding sites with an intense exothermic effect and negative enthalpy variation on the order of a thousand kcal/mol. In the presence of model drugs mebendazole and ivermectin, with relatively small and large structures, respectively, mebendazole reduced the amount of chitosan monomers available to interact with alginate by 27%, which was not observed for ivermectin. Nevertheless, a state of intense negative Gibbs energy and large entropic decrease was achieved, providing evidence that formation of particles is thermodynamically driven and favored. Small-angle X-ray scattering provided further evidence of similar surface aspects independent of the presence of drug. The physical responses of the particles to pH variation comprise partial hydration, swelling, and the predominance of positive surface charge in strong acid medium, whereas ionization followed by deprotonation leads to compaction and charge reversal rather than new swelling in mild and slightly acidic mediums, respectively. In vivo performance was evaluated in the treatment of endoparasites in Corydoras fish. Systematically with a daily base oral administration, particles significantly reduced the infections over 15 days of treatment. The experiments provide evidence that utilizing particles granted and boosted the action of the antiparasitic drugs, leading to substantial reduction or elimination of infection. Hence, the pH-responsive particles represent a biomaterial

  2. Inhaled Micro/Nanoparticulate Anticancer Drug Formulations: An Emerging Targeted Drug Delivery Strategy for Lung Cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islam, Nazrul; Richard, Derek

    2018-05-24

    Local delivery of drug to the target organ via inhalation offers enormous benefits in the management of many diseases. Lung cancer is the most common of all cancers and it is the leading cause of death worldwide. Currently available treatment systems (intravenous or oral drug delivery) are not efficient in accumulating the delivered drug into the target tumor cells and are usually associated with various systemic and dose-related adverse effects. The pulmonary drug delivery technology would enable preferential accumulation of drug within the cancer cell and thus be superior to intravenous and oral delivery in reducing cancer cell proliferation and minimising the systemic adverse effects. Site-specific drug delivery via inhalation for the treatment of lung cancer is both feasible and efficient. The inhaled drug delivery system is non-invasive, produces high bioavailability at low dose and avoids first pass metabolism of the delivered drug. Various anticancer drugs including chemotherapeutics, proteins and genes have been investigated for inhalation in lung cancers with significant outcomes. Pulmonary delivery of drugs from dry powder inhaler (DPI) formulation is stable and has high patient compliance. Herein, we report the potential of pulmonary drug delivery from dry powder inhaler (DPI) formulations inhibiting lung cancer cell proliferation at very low dose with reduced unwanted adverse effects. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  3. Role of Nanodiamonds in Drug Delivery and Stem Cell Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ansari, Shakeel Ahmed; Satar, Rukhsana; Jafri, Mohammad Alam; Rasool, Mahmood; Ahmad, Waseem; Kashif Zaidi, Syed

    2016-09-01

    The use of nanotechnology in medicine and more specifically drug delivery is set to spread rapidly. Currently many substances are under investigation for drug delivery and more specifically for cancer therapy. Nanodiamonds (NDs) have contributed significantly in the development of highly efficient and successful drug delivery systems, and in stem cell therapy. Drug delivery through NDs is an intricate and complex process that deserves special attention to unravel underlying molecular mechanisms in order to overcome certain bottlenecks associated with it. It has already been established that NDs based drug delivery systems have excellent biocompatibility, nontoxicity, photostability and facile surface functionalization properties. There is mounting evidence that suggests that such conjugated delivery systems well retain the properties of nanoparticles like small size, large surface area to volume ratio that provide greater biocatalytic activity to the attached drug in terms of selectivity, loading and stability. NDs based drug delivery systems may form the basis for the development of effective novel drug delivery vehicles with salient features that may facilitate their utility in fluorescence imaging, target specificity and sustainedrelease.

  4. Efficient Self-Assembly of mPEG End-Capped Porous Silica as a Redox-Sensitive Nanocarrier for Controlled Doxorubicin Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anh Khoa Nguyen

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Porous nanosilica (PNS has been regarded as a promising candidate for controlled delivery of anticancer drugs. Unmodified PNS-based nanocarriers, however, showed a burst release of encapsulated drugs, which may limit their clinical uses. In this report, PNS was surface conjugated with adamantylamine (ADA via disulfide bridges (-SS-, PNS-SS-ADA, which was further modified with cyclodextrin-poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether conjugate (CD-mPEG to form a core@shell structure PNS-SS-ADA@CD-mPEG for redox triggered delivery of doxorubicin (DOX, DOX/PNS-SS-ADA@CD-mPEG. The prepared PNS-SS-ADA@CD-mPEG nanoparticles were spherical in shape with an average diameter of 55.5 ± 3.05 nm, a little larger than their parentally PNS nanocarriers, at 49.6 ± 2.56 nm. In addition, these nanoparticles possessed high drug loading capacity, at 79.2 ± 3.2%, for controlled release. The release of DOX from DOX/PNS-SS-ADA@CD-mPEG nanoparticles was controlled and prolonged up to 120 h in PBS medium (pH 7.4, compared to less than 40 h under reducing condition of 5 mM DTT. Notably, the PNS-SS-ADA@CD-mPEG was a biocompatible nanocarrier, and the toxicity of DOX was dramatically reduced after loading drugs into the porous core. This redox-sensitive PNS-SS-ADA@CD-mPEG nanoparticle could be considered a potential candidate with high drug loading capacity and a lower risk of systemic toxicity.

  5. Influence of microemulsions on cutaneous drug delivery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kreilgaard, Mads

    2002-01-01

    In attempt to increase cutaneous drug delivery, microemulsion vehicles have been more and more frequently employed over recent years. Microemulsion formulations have been shown to be superior for both transdermal and dermal delivery of particularly lipophilic compounds, but also hydrophilic...... compounds appear to benefit from application in microemulsions compared to conventional vehicles, like hydrogels, emulsions and liposomes. The favourable drug delivery properties of microemulsions appear to mainly be attributed to the excellent solubility properties. However, the vehicles may also act...... as penetration enhancers depending on the oil/surfactant constituents, which involves a risk of inducing local irritancy. The correlation between microemulsion structure/composition and drug delivery potential is not yet fully elucidated. However, a few studies have indicated that the internal structure...

  6. Preparation and characterization of polymer nanocomposites coated magnetic nanoparticles for drug delivery applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Prabha, G., E-mail: gprabhagovinn@gmail.com; Raj, V., E-mail: alaguraj2@rediffmail.com

    2016-06-15

    In the present research work, the anticancer drug ‘curcumin’ is loaded with Chitosan (CS)-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) (CS-PEG-PVP) polymer nanocomposites coated with superparamagnetic iron oxide (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}) nanoparticles. The system can be used for targeted and controlled drug delivery of anticancer drugs with reduced side effects and greater efficiency. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Curcumin drug loaded Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS, Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS-PEG and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS-PEG-PVP nanoparticles exhibited the mean particle size in the range of 183–390 nm with a zeta potential value of 26–41 mV as measured using Malvern Zetasizer. The encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity and in-vitro drug release behavior of curcumin drug loaded Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS, Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS-PEG and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS-PEG-PVP nanoparticles were studied using UV spectrophotometer. Besides, the cytotoxicity of the prepared nanoparticles using MTT assay was also studied. The curcumin drug release was examined at different pH medium and it was proved that the drug release depends upon the pH medium in addition to the nature of matrix. - Highlights: • The considered drug carrier Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS-PEG-PVP nanoparticles were prepared and entrapping (Curcumin). • The amount of the drug had great effect on the drug LC and EE and zeta potential Nanocomposites. • The Curcumin- loaded Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS, Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS-PEG and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS-PEG-PVP nanocomposites showed pH responsive drug release.

  7. Preparation and characterization of polymer nanocomposites coated magnetic nanoparticles for drug delivery applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prabha, G.; Raj, V.

    2016-01-01

    In the present research work, the anticancer drug ‘curcumin’ is loaded with Chitosan (CS)-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) (CS-PEG-PVP) polymer nanocomposites coated with superparamagnetic iron oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoparticles. The system can be used for targeted and controlled drug delivery of anticancer drugs with reduced side effects and greater efficiency. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Curcumin drug loaded Fe 3 O 4 -CS, Fe 3 O 4 -CS-PEG and Fe 3 O 4 -CS-PEG-PVP nanoparticles exhibited the mean particle size in the range of 183–390 nm with a zeta potential value of 26–41 mV as measured using Malvern Zetasizer. The encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity and in-vitro drug release behavior of curcumin drug loaded Fe 3 O 4 -CS, Fe 3 O 4 -CS-PEG and Fe 3 O 4 -CS-PEG-PVP nanoparticles were studied using UV spectrophotometer. Besides, the cytotoxicity of the prepared nanoparticles using MTT assay was also studied. The curcumin drug release was examined at different pH medium and it was proved that the drug release depends upon the pH medium in addition to the nature of matrix. - Highlights: • The considered drug carrier Fe 3 O 4 -CS-PEG-PVP nanoparticles were prepared and entrapping (Curcumin). • The amount of the drug had great effect on the drug LC and EE and zeta potential Nanocomposites. • The Curcumin- loaded Fe 3 O 4 -CS, Fe 3 O 4 -CS-PEG and Fe 3 O 4 -CS-PEG-PVP nanocomposites showed pH responsive drug release.

  8. Image-guided drug delivery: preclinical applications and clinical translation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ojha, Tarun; Rizzo, Larissa; Storm, Gerrit; Kiessling, Fabian; Lammers, Twan Gerardus Gertudis Maria

    2015-01-01

    Image-guided drug delivery refers to the combination of drug targeting and imaging. Preclinically, image-guided drug delivery can be used for several different purposes, including for monitoring biodistribution, target site accumulation, off-target localization, drug release and drug efficacy.

  9. Ultrasound mediated nanoparticle drug delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mullin, Lee B.

    Ultrasound is not only a powerful diagnostic tool, but also a promising therapeutic technology that can be used to improve localized drug delivery. Microbubble contrast agents are micron sized encapsulated gas filled bubbles that are administered intravenously. Originally developed to enhance ultrasound images, microbubbles are highly echogenic due to the gas core that provides a detectable impedance difference from the surrounding medium. The core also allows for controlled response of the microbubbles to ultrasound pulses. Microbubbles can be pushed using acoustic radiation force and ruptured using high pressures. Destruction of microbubbles can increase permeability at the cellular and vascular level, which can be advantageous for drug delivery. Advances in drug delivery methods have been seen with the introduction of nanoparticles, nanometer sized objects often carrying a drug payload. In chemotherapy, nanoparticles can deliver drugs to tumors while limiting systemic exposure due to abnormalities in tumor vasculature such large gaps between endothelial cells that allow nanoparticles to enter into the interstitial space; this is referred to as the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. However, this effect may be overestimated in many tumors. Additionally, only a small percentage of the injected dose accumulates in the tumor, which most the nanoparticles accumulating in the liver and spleen. It is hypothesized that combining the acoustic activity of an ultrasound contrast agent with the high payload and extravasation ability of a nanoparticle, localized delivery to the tumor with reduced systemic toxicity can be achieved. This method can be accomplished by either loading nanoparticles onto the shell of the microbubble or through a coadministration method of both nanoparticles and microbubbles. The work presented in this dissertation utilizes novel and commercial nanoparticle formulations, combined with microbubbles and a variety of ultrasound systems

  10. Comprehensive evaluation of carboxylated nanodiamond as a topical drug delivery system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Dae Gon; Kim, Ki Hyun; Kang, Eunah; Lim, Sun Hee; Ricci, Jeremy; Sung, Si Kwon; Kwon, Myoung Taek; Jeong, Seong Hoon

    2016-01-01

    The best strategy in the development of topical drug delivery systems may be to facilitate the permeation of drugs without any harmful effects, while staying on the skin surface and maintaining stability of the system. Nanodiamonds (NDs) play a key role with their excellent physicochemical properties, including high biocompatibility, physical adsorption, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capability, and photostabilizing activity. Z-average sizes of carboxylated ND (ND-COOH) agglutinate decreased significantly as the pH increased. Fluorescein-conjugated ND was observed only on the stratum corneum, and no sample diffused into the dermal layer even after 48 hours. Moreover, ND-COOH and ND-COOH/eugenol complex did not show significant toxic effects on murine macrophage cells. ND improved in vitro skin permeation >50% acting as a "drug reservoir" to maintain a high drug concentration in the donor chamber, which was supported by quartz crystal microbalance results. Moreover, ND-COOH could adsorb a drug amount equivalent to 80% of its own weight. A photostability study showed that ND-COOH increased the photostability ~47% with regard to rate constant of the eugenol itself. A significant decrease in ROS was observed in the ND-COOH and ND-COOH/eugenol complex compared with the negative control during intracellular ROS assay. Moreover, ROS and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity evaluation showed that ND-COOH had synergistic effects of antioxidation with eugenol. Therefore, ND-COOH could be used as an excellent topical drug delivery system with improved permeability, higher stability, and minimized safety issue.

  11. Ophthalmic Drug Delivery Systems for Antibiotherapy—A Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubald, Marion; Bourgeois, Sandrine; Andrieu, Véronique; Fessi, Hatem

    2018-01-01

    The last fifty years, ophthalmic drug delivery research has made much progress, challenging scientists about the advantages and limitations of this drug delivery approach. Topical eye drops are the most commonly used formulation in ocular drug delivery. Despite the good tolerance for patients, this topical administration is only focus on the anterior ocular diseases and had a high precorneal loss of drugs due to the tears production and ocular barriers. Antibiotics are popularly used in solution or in ointment for the ophthalmic route. However, their local bioavailability needs to be improved in order to decrease the frequency of administrations and the side effects and to increase their therapeutic efficiency. For this purpose, sustained release forms for ophthalmic delivery of antibiotics were developed. This review briefly describes the ocular administration with the ocular barriers and the currently topical forms. It focuses on experimental results to bypass the limitations of ocular antibiotic delivery with new ocular technology as colloidal and in situ gelling systems or with the improvement of existing forms as implants and contact lenses. Nanotechnology is presently a promising drug delivery way to provide protection of antibiotics and improve pathway through ocular barriers and deliver drugs to specific target sites. PMID:29342879

  12. Ophthalmic Drug Delivery Systems for Antibiotherapy—A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marion Dubald

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The last fifty years, ophthalmic drug delivery research has made much progress, challenging scientists about the advantages and limitations of this drug delivery approach. Topical eye drops are the most commonly used formulation in ocular drug delivery. Despite the good tolerance for patients, this topical administration is only focus on the anterior ocular diseases and had a high precorneal loss of drugs due to the tears production and ocular barriers. Antibiotics are popularly used in solution or in ointment for the ophthalmic route. However, their local bioavailability needs to be improved in order to decrease the frequency of administrations and the side effects and to increase their therapeutic efficiency. For this purpose, sustained release forms for ophthalmic delivery of antibiotics were developed. This review briefly describes the ocular administration with the ocular barriers and the currently topical forms. It focuses on experimental results to bypass the limitations of ocular antibiotic delivery with new ocular technology as colloidal and in situ gelling systems or with the improvement of existing forms as implants and contact lenses. Nanotechnology is presently a promising drug delivery way to provide protection of antibiotics and improve pathway through ocular barriers and deliver drugs to specific target sites.

  13. Micro fabrication of biodegradable polymer drug delivery devices

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nagstrup, Johan

    The pharmaceutical industry is presently facing several obstacles in developing oral drug delivery systems. This is primarily due to the nature of the discovered drug candidates. The discovered drugs often have poor solubility and low permeability across the gastro intestinal epithelium. Furtherm......The pharmaceutical industry is presently facing several obstacles in developing oral drug delivery systems. This is primarily due to the nature of the discovered drug candidates. The discovered drugs often have poor solubility and low permeability across the gastro intestinal epithelium...... permeability and degradation. These systems are for the majority based on traditional materials used in micro technology, such as SU-8, silicon, poly(methyl methacrylate). The next step in developing these new drug delivery systems is to replace classical micro fabrication materials with biodegradable polymers....... In order to successfully do this, methods for fabricating micro structures in biodegradable polymers need to be developed. The goal of this project has been to develop methods for micro fabrication in biodegradable polymers and to use these methods to produce micro systems for oral drug delivery. This has...

  14. Drug Delivery Research: The Invention Cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Kinam

    2016-07-05

    Controlled drug delivery systems have been successful in introducing improved formulations for better use of existing drugs and novel delivery of biologicals. The initial success of producing many oral products and some injectable depot formulations, however, reached a plateau, and the progress over the past three decades has been slow. This is likely due to the difficulties of formulating hydrophilic, high molecular weight drugs, such as proteins and nucleic acids, for targeting specific cells, month-long sustained delivery, and pulsatile release. Since the approaches that have served well for delivery of small molecules are not applicable to large molecules, it is time to develop new methods for biologicals. The process of developing future drug delivery systems, termed as the invention cycle, is proposed, and it starts with clearly defining the problems for developing certain formulations. Once the problems are well-defined, creative imagination examines all potential options and selects the best answer and alternatives. Then, innovation takes over to generate unique solutions for developing new formulations that resolve the previously identified problems. Ultimately, the new delivery systems will have to go through a translational process to produce the final formulations for clinical use. The invention cycle also emphasizes examining the reasons for success of certain formulations, not just the reasons for failure of many systems. Implementation of the new invention cycle requires new mechanisms of funding the younger generation of scientists and a new way of identifying their achievements, thereby releasing them from the burden of short-termism.

  15. Multifunctional pH sensitive 3D scaffolds for treatment and prevention of bone infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cicuéndez, Mónica; Doadrio, Juan C; Hernández, Ana; Portolés, M Teresa; Izquierdo-Barba, Isabel; Vallet-Regí, María

    2018-01-01

    Multifunctional-therapeutic three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds have been prepared. These biomaterials are able to destroy the S. aureus bacterial biofilm and to allow bone regeneration at the same time. The present study is focused on the design of pH sensitive 3D hierarchical meso-macroporous 3D scaffolds based on MGHA nanocomposite formed by a mesostructured glassy network with embedded hydroxyapatite nanoparticles, whose mesopores have been loaded with levofloxacin (Levo) as antibacterial agent. These 3D platforms exhibit controlled and pH-dependent Levo release, sustained over time at physiological pH (7.4) and notably increased at infection pH (6.7 and 5.5), which is due to the different interaction rate between diverse Levo species and the silica matrix. These 3D systems are able to inhibit the S. aureus growth and to destroy the bacterial biofilm without cytotoxic effects on human osteoblasts and allowing an adequate colonization and differentiation of preosteoblastic cells on their surface. These findings suggest promising applications of these hierarchical MGHA nanocomposite 3D scaffolds for the treatment and prevention of bone infection. Multifunctional 3D nanocomposite scaffolds with the ability for loading and sustained delivery of an antimicrobial agent, to eliminate and prevent bone infection and at the same time to contribute to bone regeneration process without cytotoxic effects on the surrounding tissue has been proposed. These 3D scaffolds exhibit a sustained levofloxacin delivery at physiological pH (pH 7.4), which increasing notably when pH decreases to characteristic values of bone infection process (pH 6.7 and pH 5.5). In vitro competitive assays between preosteoblastic and bacteria onto the 3D scaffold surface demonstrated an adequate osteoblast colonization in entire scaffold surface together with the ability to eliminate bacteria contamination. Copyright © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Design, Characterization, and Optimization of Controlled Drug Delivery System Containing Antibiotic Drug/s

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Apurv Patel

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this work was design, characterization, and optimization of controlled drug delivery system containing antibiotic drug/s. Osmotic drug delivery system was chosen as controlled drug delivery system. The porous osmotic pump tablets were designed using Plackett-Burman and Box-Behnken factorial design to find out the best formulation. For screening of three categories of polymers, six independent variables were chosen for Plackett-Burman design. Osmotic agent sodium chloride and microcrystalline cellulose, pore forming agent sodium lauryl sulphate and sucrose, and coating agent ethyl cellulose and cellulose acetate were chosen as independent variables. Optimization of osmotic tablets was done by Box-Behnken design by selecting three independent variables. Osmotic agent sodium chloride, pore forming agent sodium lauryl sulphate, and coating agent cellulose acetate were chosen as independent variables. The result of Plackett-Burman and Box-Behnken design and ANOVA studies revealed that osmotic agent and pore former had significant effect on the drug release up to 12 hr. The observed independent variables were found to be very close to predicted values of most satisfactory formulation which demonstrates the feasibility of the optimization procedure in successful development of porous osmotic pump tablets containing antibiotic drug/s by using sodium chloride, sodium lauryl sulphate, and cellulose acetate as key excipients.

  17. Nanowire-templated microelectrodes for high-sensitivity pH detection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Antohe, V.A.; Radu, Adrian; Mátéfi-Tempfli, Mária

    2009-01-01

    A highly sensitive pH capacitive sensor has been designed by confined growth of vertically aligned nanowire arrays on interdigited microelectrodes. The active surface of the device has been functionalized with an electrochemical pH transducer (polyaniline). We easily tune the device features...... by combining lithographic techniques with electrochemical synthesis. The reported electrical LC resonance measurements show considerable sensitivity enhancement compared to conventional capacitive pH sensors realized with microfabricated interdigited electrodes. The sensitivity can be easily improved...

  18. Pulmonary delivery of antitubercular drugs using spray-dried lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhardwaj, Ankur; Mehta, Shuchi; Yadav, Shailendra; Singh, Sudheer K; Grobler, Anne; Goyal, Amit Kumar; Mehta, Abhinav

    2016-09-01

    The present study aimed to develop lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPNs) for the combined pulmonary delivery of isoniazid (INH) and ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (CIP HCl). Drug-loaded LPNs were prepared by the double-emulsification solvent evaporation method using the three-factor three-level Box-Behnken design. The optimized formulation had a size of 111.81 ± 1.2 nm, PDI of 0.189 ± 1.4, and PDE of 63.64 ± 2.12% for INH-loaded LPN, and a size of 172.23 ± 2.31 nm, PDI of 0.169 ± 1.23, and PDE of 68.49 ± 2.54% for CIP HCl-loaded LPN. Drug release was found to be sustained and controlled at lower pH and followed the Peppas model. The in vitro uptake study in alveolar macrophage (AM) showed that uptake of the drugs was increased significantly if administered in the form of LPN. The stability study proved the applications of adding PLGA in LPN as the polymeric core, which leads to a much more stable product as compared to other novel drug delivery systems. Spray drying was done to produce an inhalable, dry, powdered form of drug-loaded LPN. The spray-dried (SD) powder was equally capable of producing nano-aggregates having morphology, density, flowability and reconstitutibility in the range ideal for inhaled drug delivery. The nano aggregates produced by spray drying manifested their aerosolization efficiency in terms of the higher emitted dose and fine particle fraction with lower mass median aerodynamic diameter. The in vivo study using pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic approaches revealed that maximum internalization efficiency was achieved by delivering LPN in SD powdered forms by pulmonary route.

  19. Mucus as a Barrier to Drug Delivery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bøgh, Marie; Nielsen, Hanne Mørck

    2015-01-01

    Viscoelastic mucus lines all mucosal surfaces of the body and forms a potential barrier to mucosal drug delivery. Mucus is mainly composed of water and mucins; high-molecular weight glycoproteins forming an entangled network. Consequently, mucus forms a steric barrier and due to its negative charge...... barrier to drug delivery. Current knowledge of mucus characteristics and barrier properties, as achieved by state-of-the-art methodologies, is the topic of this MiniReview emphasizing the gastrointestinal mucus and an overall focus on oral drug delivery. Cell culture-based in vitro models are well......, studies of peptide and protein drug diffusion in and through mucus and studies of mucus-penetrating nanoparticles are included to illustrate the mucus as a potentially important barrier to obtain sufficient bioavailability of orally administered drugs, and thus an important parameter to address...

  20. Nanoengineered mesoporous silica nanoparticles for smart delivery of doxorubicin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mishra, Akhilesh Kumar; Pandey, Himanshu; Agarwal, Vishnu; Ramteke, Pramod W.; Pandey, Avinash C.

    2014-08-01

    The motive of the at hand exploration was to contrive a proficient innovative pH-responsive nanocarrier designed for an anti-neoplastic agent that not only owns competent loading capacity but also talented to liberate the drug at the specific site. pH sensitive hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles ( MSN) have been synthesized by sequence of chemical reconstruction with an average particle size of 120 nm. MSN reveal noteworthy biocompatibility and efficient drug loading magnitude. Active molecules such as Doxorubicin (DOX) can be stocked and set free from the pore vacuities of MSN by tuning the pH of the medium. The loading extent of MSN was found up to 81.4 wt% at pH 7.8. At mild acidic pH, DOX is steadily released from the pores of MSN. Both, the nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms and X-ray diffraction patterns reflects that this system holds remarkable stable mesostructure. Additionally, the outcomes of cytotoxicity assessment further establish the potential of MSN as a relevant drug transporter which can be thought over an appealing choice to a polymeric delivery system.

  1. Design of an Implantable Device for Ocular Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jae-Hwan Lee

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Ocular diseases, such as, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD, diabetic retinopathy, and retinitis pigmentosa require drug management in order to prevent blindness and affecting million of adults in USA and worldwide. There is an increasing need to develop devices for drug delivery to address ocular diseases. This study focuses on the design, simulation, and development of an implantable ocular drug delivery device consisting of micro-/nanochannels embedded between top and bottom covers with a drug reservoir made from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS which is silicon-based organic and biodegradable polymer. Several simulations were carried out with six different micro-channel configurations in order to see the feasibility for ocular drug delivery applications. Based on the results obtained, channel design of osmotic I and osmotic II satisfied the diffusion rates required for ocular drug delivery. Finally, a prototype illustrating the three components of the drug delivery design is presented. In the future, the device will be tested for its functionality and diffusion characteristics.

  2. Recent developments in oral lipid-based drug delivery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomas, N.; Rades, T.; Müllertz, A.

    2013-01-01

    The increasing number of poorly water-soluble drugs in development in the pharmaceutical industry has sparked interest in novel drug delivery options such as lipid-based drug delivery systems (LbDDS). Several LbDDS have been marketed successfully and have shown superior and more reliable...... bioavailability compared to conventional formulations. However, some reluctance in the broader application of LbDDS still appears, despite the growing commercial interest in lipids as a drug delivery platform. This reluctance might at least in part be related to the complexity associated with the development...... and characterization of LbDDS. In particular, the lack of standardized test protocols can be identified as the major obstacles for the broader application of LbDDS. This review seeks to summarize recent approaches in the field of lipid-based drug delivery that try to elucidate some critical steps in their development...

  3. Recent trends in drug delivery system using protein nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sripriyalakshmi, S; Jose, Pinkybel; Ravindran, Aswathy; Anjali, C H

    2014-09-01

    Engineered nanoparticles that can facilitate drug formulation and passively target tumours have been under extensive research in recent years. These successes have driven a new wave of significant innovation in the generation of advanced particles. The fate and transport of diagnostic nanoparticles would significantly depend on nonselective drug delivery, and hence the use of high drug dosage is implemented. In this perspective, nanocarrier-based drug targeting strategies can be used which improve the selective delivery of drugs to the site of action, i.e. drug targeting. Pharmaceutical industries majorly focus on reducing the toxicity and side effects of drugs but only recently it has been realised that carrier systems themselves may pose risks to the patient. Proteins are compatible with biological systems and they are biodegradable. They offer a multitude of moieties for modifications to tailor drug binding, imaging or targeting entities. Thus, protein nanoparticles provide outstanding contributions as a carrier for drug delivery systems. This review summarises recent progress in particle-based therapeutic delivery and discusses important concepts in particle design and biological barriers for developing the next generation of particles drug delivery systems.

  4. pH-sensitive nanocarrier based on gold/silver core-shell nanoparticles decorated multi-walled carbon manotubes for tracing drug release in living cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Peng; Wang, Zhuyuan; Zong, Shenfei; Zhu, Dan; Chen, Hui; Zhang, Yizhi; Wu, Lei; Cui, Yiping

    2016-01-15

    We fabricate a multifunctional nanocarrier based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) decorated with gold/silver core-shell nanoparticles (Au@Ag NPs) and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) for tracking the intracellular drug release process. In the demonstrated nanocarrier, the Au@Ag NPs adsorbed on the surface of MWCNTs were labeled with the pH-dependent SERS reporter 4-Mercaptobenzoic acid (4MBA) for SERS based pH sensing. FITC was conjugated on MWCNTs to provide fluorescence signal for tracing the MWCNTs. Fluorescent doxorubicin (DOX) was used as the model drug which can be loaded onto MWCNTs via π-π stacking and released from the MWCNTs under acidic condition. By detecting the SERS spectrum of 4MBA, the pH value around the nanocarrier could be monitored. Besides, by tracing the fluorescence of FITC and DOX, we can also investigate the drug release process in cells. Experimental results show that the proposed nanocarrier retained a well pH-sensitive performance in living cells, and the DOX detached from MWCNTs inside the lysosomes and entered into the cytoplasm with the MWCNTs being left in lysosomes. To further investigate the drug release dynamics, 2-D color-gradient pH mapping were plotted, which were calculated from the SERS spectra of 4MBA. The detailed release process and carrier distribution have been recorded as environmental pH changes during cell endocytosis. Furthermore, we also confirmed that the proposed nanocarrier has a good biocompatibility. It indicates that the designed nanocarrier have a great potential in intraceable drug delivery, cancer cells imaging and pH monitoring. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Synthetic Lipoproteins as Carriers for Drug Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Gangliang; Liu, Yang; Huang, Hualiang

    2016-01-01

    Synthetic lipoprotein is an effective carrier of targeted delivery for drugs. It has the very small size, good biocompatibility, suitable half-life, and specific lipoprotein receptorbinding capacity. Compared with the traditional natural lipoprotein, synthetic lipoprotein not only retains the original biological characteristics and functions, but also exhibits the excellent characteristics in drug delivery. Herein, the advantages, development, applications, and prospect of synthetic lipoproteins as drug carriers were summarized.

  6. Novel CD44 receptor targeting multifunctional “nano-eggs” based on double pH-sensitive nanoparticles for co-delivery of curcumin and paclitaxel to cancer cells and cancer stem cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Daquan; Wang, Guohua; Song, Weiguo; Zhang, Qiang

    2015-01-01

    Most anticancer drugs cannot kill cancer stem cells (CSCs) effectively, which lead to the failure of anticancer chemotherapy, such as relapse and metastasis. In this study, we prepared a multifunctional oligosaccharides of hyaluronan (oHA) conjugates, oHA-histidine-menthone 1,2-glycerol ketal (oHM). The oHM conjugates possess pH-sensitive menthone 1,2-glycerol ketal (MGK) as hydrophobic moieties and oHA as the target of CD44 receptor. Anticancer drugs, curcumin(Cur) and paclitaxel(PTX), were loaded into oHM micelles via self-assembly. Then, oHM micelles were mineralized through controlled deposition of inorganic calcium and phosphate ions on the nanoparticular shell via a sequential addition method to fabricate the “nano-eggs.” The formed nano-eggs had a smaller size (120.6 ± 4.5 nm) than oHM micelles (158.6 ± 6.4 nm), indicating that mineralization made the appearance of compact nanoparticles. Interestingly, when the nano-eggs were put into the acidic conditions (pH 6.5), their outer shell(inorganic minerals) will be destroyed with the larger size, while the “nano-eggs” were stable under pH 7.4. For both nano-eggs and oHM micelles, the Cur and PTX were released in a sustained manner depending on the pH of the solution. However, the nano-eggs showed much lower released than the oHM micelles due to the dissolution of the inorganic minerals and pH-sensitive ketal at mildly acidic environments (pH 6.5). In vivo study, the nano-eggs could get to the tumor site more effectively than oHM micelles. CSCs were sorted by a side population assay from MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines over-expressing CD44 receptors. Antitumor activity was also evaluated on MDA-MB-231 xenografts in nude mice. The antitumor efficacy indicated that nano-eggs with co-delivery of Cur and PTX produced the strongest antitumor efficacy, and nano-eggs showed strong activity against cancer stem cells. These double pH-sensitive nano-eggs may provide a promising strategy for drug

  7. Novel CD44 receptor targeting multifunctional “nano-eggs” based on double pH-sensitive nanoparticles for co-delivery of curcumin and paclitaxel to cancer cells and cancer stem cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Daquan, E-mail: cdq1981@126.com [Peking University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Center (China); Wang, Guohua [China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Institute of Chinese Materia Madica (China); Song, Weiguo [Shouguang Fukang Pharmceutial Co., Ltd. (China); Zhang, Qiang, E-mail: zqdodo@bjmu.edu.cn [Peking University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Center (China)

    2015-10-15

    Most anticancer drugs cannot kill cancer stem cells (CSCs) effectively, which lead to the failure of anticancer chemotherapy, such as relapse and metastasis. In this study, we prepared a multifunctional oligosaccharides of hyaluronan (oHA) conjugates, oHA-histidine-menthone 1,2-glycerol ketal (oHM). The oHM conjugates possess pH-sensitive menthone 1,2-glycerol ketal (MGK) as hydrophobic moieties and oHA as the target of CD44 receptor. Anticancer drugs, curcumin(Cur) and paclitaxel(PTX), were loaded into oHM micelles via self-assembly. Then, oHM micelles were mineralized through controlled deposition of inorganic calcium and phosphate ions on the nanoparticular shell via a sequential addition method to fabricate the “nano-eggs.” The formed nano-eggs had a smaller size (120.6 ± 4.5 nm) than oHM micelles (158.6 ± 6.4 nm), indicating that mineralization made the appearance of compact nanoparticles. Interestingly, when the nano-eggs were put into the acidic conditions (pH 6.5), their outer shell(inorganic minerals) will be destroyed with the larger size, while the “nano-eggs” were stable under pH 7.4. For both nano-eggs and oHM micelles, the Cur and PTX were released in a sustained manner depending on the pH of the solution. However, the nano-eggs showed much lower released than the oHM micelles due to the dissolution of the inorganic minerals and pH-sensitive ketal at mildly acidic environments (pH 6.5). In vivo study, the nano-eggs could get to the tumor site more effectively than oHM micelles. CSCs were sorted by a side population assay from MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines over-expressing CD44 receptors. Antitumor activity was also evaluated on MDA-MB-231 xenografts in nude mice. The antitumor efficacy indicated that nano-eggs with co-delivery of Cur and PTX produced the strongest antitumor efficacy, and nano-eggs showed strong activity against cancer stem cells. These double pH-sensitive nano-eggs may provide a promising strategy for drug

  8. A poly(ether-ester) copolymer for the preparation of nanocarriers with improved degradation and drug delivery kinetics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gagliardi, M.; Bertero, A.; Bardi, G.; Bifone, A.

    2016-01-01

    This paper reports the synthesis and the physicochemical, functional and biological characterisations of nanocarriers made of a novel di-block biodegradable poly(ether-ester) copolymer. This material presents tunable, fast biodegradation rates, but its products are less acidic than those of other biosorbable polymers like PLGA, thus presenting a better biocompatibility profile and the possibility to carry pH-sensitive payloads. A method for the production of monodisperse and spherical nanoparticles is proposed; drug delivery kinetics and blood protein adsorption were measured to evaluate the functional properties of these nanoparticles as drug carriers. The copolymer was labelled with a fluorescent dye for internalisation tests, and rhodamine B was used as a model cargo to study transport and release inside cultured cells. Biological tests demonstrated good cytocompatibility, significant cell internalisation and the possibility to vehiculate non-cell penetrating moieties into endothelial cells. Taken together, these results support the potential use of this nanoparticulate system for systemic administration of drugs. - Highlights: • We propose a novel biodegradable nanocarrier for intracellular drug delivery. • Biodegradation rates can be finely tuned by controlling copolymer composition. • Degradation products are less acidic, thus enabling delivery of pH-sensitive cargoes. • We demonstrate intracellular delivery of a non-cell-penetrating model drug. • No significant membrane damage by the polymer nanocarriers is observed.

  9. A poly(ether-ester) copolymer for the preparation of nanocarriers with improved degradation and drug delivery kinetics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gagliardi, M., E-mail: mariacristina.gagliardi@iit.it [Center for Micro Bio-Robotics @SSSA, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025 Pontedera (Italy); Bertero, A. [Department of Biology, Unit of Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Pisa, S.S.12 Abetone e Brennero 4, 56127 Pisa (Italy); Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems @UNITN, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Corso Bettini 31, 38068 Rovereto (Italy); Bardi, G. [Center for Bio-Molecular Nanotechnologies @UniLe, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Barsanti, 73010 Arnesano (Italy); Bifone, A. [Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems @UNITN, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Corso Bettini 31, 38068 Rovereto (Italy)

    2016-02-01

    This paper reports the synthesis and the physicochemical, functional and biological characterisations of nanocarriers made of a novel di-block biodegradable poly(ether-ester) copolymer. This material presents tunable, fast biodegradation rates, but its products are less acidic than those of other biosorbable polymers like PLGA, thus presenting a better biocompatibility profile and the possibility to carry pH-sensitive payloads. A method for the production of monodisperse and spherical nanoparticles is proposed; drug delivery kinetics and blood protein adsorption were measured to evaluate the functional properties of these nanoparticles as drug carriers. The copolymer was labelled with a fluorescent dye for internalisation tests, and rhodamine B was used as a model cargo to study transport and release inside cultured cells. Biological tests demonstrated good cytocompatibility, significant cell internalisation and the possibility to vehiculate non-cell penetrating moieties into endothelial cells. Taken together, these results support the potential use of this nanoparticulate system for systemic administration of drugs. - Highlights: • We propose a novel biodegradable nanocarrier for intracellular drug delivery. • Biodegradation rates can be finely tuned by controlling copolymer composition. • Degradation products are less acidic, thus enabling delivery of pH-sensitive cargoes. • We demonstrate intracellular delivery of a non-cell-penetrating model drug. • No significant membrane damage by the polymer nanocarriers is observed.

  10. Microfluidic assembly of a nano-in-micro dual drug delivery platform composed of halloysite nanotubes and a pH-responsive polymer for colon cancer therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wei; Liu, Dongfei; Zhang, Hongbo; Correia, Alexandra; Mäkilä, Ermei; Salonen, Jarno; Hirvonen, Jouni; Santos, Hélder A

    2017-01-15

    Harsh conditions of the gastrointestinal tract hinder the oral delivery of many drugs. Developing oral drug delivery systems based on commercially available materials is becoming more challenging due to the demand for simultaneously delivering physicochemically different drugs for treating complex diseases. A novel architecture, namely nanotube-in-microsphere, was developed as a drug delivery platform by encapsulating halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) in a pH-responsive hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate polymer using microfluidics. HNTs were selected as orally acceptable clay mineral and their lumen was enlarged by selective acid etching. Model drugs (atorvastatin and celecoxib) with different physicochemical properties and synergistic effect on colon cancer prevention and inhibition were simultaneously incorporated into the microspheres at a precise ratio, with atorvastatin and celecoxib being loaded in the HNTs and polymer matrix, respectively. The microspheres showed spherical shape, narrow particle size distribution and pH-responsive dissolution behavior. This nanotube/pH-responsive polymer composite protected the loaded drugs from premature release at pH⩽6.5, but allowed their fast release and enhanced the drug permeability, and the inhibition of colon cancer cell proliferation at pH 7.4. Overall, the nano-in-micro drug delivery composite fabricated by microfluidics is a promising and flexible platform for the delivery of multiple drugs for combination therapy. Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) are attracting increasing attention for drug delivery applications. However, conventional HNTs-based oral drug delivery systems are lack of the capability to precisely control the drug release at a desired site in the gastrointestinal tract. In this study, a nanotube-in-microsphere drug delivery platform is developed by encapsulating HNTs in a pH-responsive polymer using microfluidics. Drugs with different physicochemical properties and synergistic effect on colon

  11. Aggregation of gold nanoparticles followed by methotrexate release enables Raman imaging of drug delivery into cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Durgadas, C. V.; Sharma, C. P.; Paul, W.; Rekha, M. R.; Sreenivasan, K.

    2012-01-01

    This study refers an aqueous synthesis of methotrexate (MTX)-conjugated gold nanoparticles (GNPs), their interaction with HepG2 cells, and the use of Raman imaging to observe cellular internalization and drug delivery. GNPs of average size 3.5–5 nm were stabilized using the amine terminated bifunctional biocompatible copolymer and amended by conjugating MTX, an anticancer drug. The nanoparticles were released MTX at a faster rate in acidic pH and subsequently found to form aggregates. The Raman signals of cellular components were found to be enhanced by the aggregated particles enabling the mapping to visualize site-specific drug delivery. The methodology seems to have potential in optimizing the characteristics of nanodrug carriers for emptying the cargo precisely at specified sites.Graphical AbstractDrug release induced particle aggregation enhances Raman signals to aid in imaging.

  12. Nature engineered diatom biosilica as drug delivery systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uthappa, U T; Brahmkhatri, Varsha; Sriram, G; Jung, Ho-Young; Yu, Jingxian; Kurkuri, Nikita; Aminabhavi, Tejraj M; Altalhi, Tariq; Neelgund, Gururaj M; Kurkuri, Mahaveer D

    2018-05-14

    Diatoms, unicellular photosynthetic algae covered with siliceous cell wall, are also called frustule. These are the most potential naturally available materials for the development of cost-effective drug delivery systems because of their excellent biocompatibility, high surface area, low cost and ease of surface modification. Mesoporous silica materials such as MCM-41 and SBA-15 have been extensively used in drug delivery area. Their synthesis is challenging, time consuming, requires toxic chemicals and are energy intensive, making the entire process expensive and non-viable. Therefore, it is necessary to explore alternative materials. Surprisingly, nature has provided some exciting materials called diatoms; biosilica is one such a material that can be potentially used as a drug delivery vehicle. The present review focuses on different types of diatom species used in drug delivery with respect to their structural properties, morphology, purification process and surface functionalization. In this review, recent advances along with their limitations as well as the future scope to develop them as potential drug delivery vehicles are discussed. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  13. Buccoadhesive drug delivery systems--extensive review on recent patents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pathan, Shadab A; Iqbal, Zeenat; Sahani, Jasjeet K; Talegaonkar, Sushma; Khar, Roop K; Ahmad, Farhan J

    2008-01-01

    Peroral administration of drugs, although most preferred by both clinicians and patients has several disadvantages such as hepatic first pass metabolism and enzymatic degradation within the GI tract, that prohibit oral administration of certain classes of drugs especially peptides and proteins. Consequently, other absorptive mucosae are considered as potential sites for administration of these drugs. Among the various transmucosal routes studied the buccal mucosa offers several advantages for controlled drug delivery for extended period of time. The mucosa is well supplied with both vascular and lymphatic drainage and first-pass metabolism in the liver and pre-systemic elimination in the gastrointestinal tract is avoided. The area is well suited for a retentive device and appears to be acceptable to the patient. With the right dosage form, design and formulation, the permeability and the local environment of the mucosa can be controlled and manipulated in order to accommodate drug permeation. Buccal drug delivery is thus a promising area for continued research with the aim of systemic and local delivery of orally inefficient drugs as well as feasible and attractive alternative for non-invasive delivery of potent protein and peptide drug molecules. Extensive review pertaining specifically to the patents relating to buccal drug delivery is currently available. However, many patents e.g. US patents 6, 585,997; US20030059376A1 etc. have been mentioned in few articles. It is the objective of this article to extensively review buccal drug delivery by discussing the recent patents available. Buccal dosage forms will also be reviewed with an emphasis on bioadhesive polymeric based delivery systems.

  14. Applications of polymeric nanocapsules in field of drug delivery systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rong, Xinyu; Xie, Yinghua; Hao, Xiaomei; Chen, Tao; Wang, Yingming; Liu, Yuanyuan

    2011-09-01

    Drug-loaded polymeric nanocapsules have exhibited potential applications in the field of drug delivery systems in recent years. This article entails the biodegradable polymers generally used for preparing nanocapsules, which include both natural polymers and synthetic polymers. Furthermore, the article presents a general review of the different preparation methods: nanoprecipitation method, emulsion-diffusion method, double emulsification method, emulsion-coacervation method, layer-by-layer assembly method. In addition, the analysis methods of nanocapsule characteristics, such as mean size, morphology, surface characteristics, shell thickness, encapsulation efficiency, active substance release, dispersion stability, are mentioned. Also, the applications of nanocapsules as carriers for use in drug delivery systems are reviewed, which primarily involve targeting drug delivery, controlled/sustained release drug delivery systems, transdermal drug delivery systems and improving stability and bioavailability of drugs. Nanocapsules, prepared with different biodegradable polymers, have received more and more attention and have been regarded as one of the most promising drug delivery systems.

  15. Biodegradable polymers for targeted delivery of anti-cancer drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doppalapudi, Sindhu; Jain, Anjali; Domb, Abraham J; Khan, Wahid

    2016-06-01

    Biodegradable polymers have been used for more than three decades in cancer treatment and have received increased interest in recent years. A range of biodegradable polymeric drug delivery systems designed for localized and systemic administration of therapeutic agents as well as tumor-targeting macromolecules has entered into the clinical phase of development, indicating the significance of biodegradable polymers in cancer therapy. This review elaborates upon applications of biodegradable polymers in the delivery and targeting of anti-cancer agents. Design of various drug delivery systems based on biodegradable polymers has been described. Moreover, the indication of polymers in the targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs via passive, active targeting, and localized drug delivery are also covered. Biodegradable polymer-based drug delivery systems have the potential to deliver the payload to the target and can enhance drug availability at desired sites. Systemic toxicity and serious side effects observed with conventional cancer therapeutics can be significantly reduced with targeted polymeric systems. Still, there are many challenges that need to be met with respect to the degradation kinetics of the system, diffusion of drug payload within solid tumors, targeting tumoral tissue and tumor heterogeneity.

  16. BUCCAL DRUG DELIVERY USING ADHESIVE POLYMERIC PATCHES

    OpenAIRE

    R. Venkatalakshmi

    2012-01-01

    The buccal mucosa has been investigated for local drug therapy and the systemic delivery of therapeutic peptides and other drugs that are subjected to first-pass metabolism or are unstable within the rest of the gastrointestinal tract. The mucosa of the oral cavity presents a formidable barrier to drug penetration, and one method of optimizing drug delivery is by the use of adhesive dosage forms and the mucosa has a rich blood supply and it is relatively permeable. The buccal mucosa is very s...

  17. Intracranial drug delivery for subarachnoid hemorrhage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macdonald, Robert Loch; Leung, Ming; Tice, Tom

    2012-01-01

    Tice and colleagues pioneered site-specific, sustained-release drug delivery to the brain almost 30 years ago. Currently there is one drug approved for use in this manner. Clinical trials in subarachnoid hemorrhage have led to approval of nimodipine for oral and intravenous use, but other drugs, such as clazosentan, hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) and magnesium, have not shown consistent clinical efficacy. We propose that intracranial delivery of drugs such as nimodipine, formulated in sustained-release preparations, are good candidates for improving outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage because they can be administered to patients that are already undergoing surgery and who have a self-limited condition from which full recovery is possible.

  18. Bioengineered microparticles for controlled drug delivery to the lungs

    OpenAIRE

    Sivadas, Neeraj

    2010-01-01

    Traditional formulations for pulmonary drug delivery mainly focused on two approaches: (i) Dissolving or suspending the drug in a solvent or propellant to produce liquid aerosols or (ii) Blending drug particulates with dry carrier particles typically composed of sugars. Although effective for localised delivery of small drug molecules, these methods did not meet the complex formulation and delivery challenges posed by the newer biotechnology-derived medicines. One of the many avenues being ex...

  19. Natural material-decorated mesoporous silica nanoparticle container for multifunctional membrane-controlled targeted drug delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hu Y

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Yan Hu,1 Lei Ke,2 Hao Chen,1 Ma Zhuo,1 Xinzhou Yang,1 Dan Zhao,1 Suying Zeng,1 Xincai Xiao1 1Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Science, South-Central University for Nationalities, 2Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China Abstract: To avoid the side effects caused by nonspecific targeting, premature release, weak selectivity, and poor therapeutic efficacy of current nanoparticle-based systems used for drug delivery, we fabricated natural material-decorated nanoparticles as a multifunctional, membrane-controlled targeted drug delivery system. The nanocomposite material coated with a membrane was biocompatible and integrated both specific tumor targeting and responsiveness to stimulation, which improved transmission efficacy and controlled drug release. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs, which are known for their biocompatibility and high drug-loading capacity, were selected as a model drug container and carrier. The membrane was established by the polyelectrolyte composite method from chitosan (CS which was sensitive to the acidic tumor microenvironment, folic acid-modified CS which recognizes the folate receptor expressed on the tumor cell surface, and a CD44 receptor-targeted polysaccharide hyaluronic acid. We characterized the structure of the nanocomposite as well as the drug release behavior under the control of the pH-sensitive membrane switch and evaluated the antitumor efficacy of the system in vitro. Our results provide a basis for the design and fabrication of novel membrane-controlled nanoparticles with improved tumor-targeting therapy. Keywords: multifunctional, membrane-controlled, natural materials, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, targeted drug delivery

  20. MRI-Guided Focused Ultrasound as a New Method of Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Thanou

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Ultrasound-mediated drug delivery under the guidance of an imaging modality can improve drug disposition and achieve site-specific drug delivery. The term focal drug delivery has been introduced to describe the focal targeting of drugs in tissues with the help of imaging and focused ultrasound. Focal drug delivery aims to improve the therapeutic profile of drugs by improving their specificity and their permeation in defined areas. Focused-ultrasound- (FUS- mediated drug delivery has been applied with various molecules to improve their local distribution in tissues. FUS is applied with the aid of microbubbles to enhance the permeability of bioactive molecules across BBB and improve drug distribution in the brain. Recently, FUS has been utilised in combination with MRI-labelled liposomes that respond to temperature increase. This strategy aims to “activate” nanoparticles to release their cargo locally when triggered by hyperthermia induced by FUS. MRI-guided FUS drug delivery provides the opportunity to improve drug bioavailability locally and therefore improve the therapeutic profiles of drugs. This drug delivery strategy can be directly translated to clinic as MRg FUS is a promising clinically therapeutic approach. However, more basic research is required to understand the physiological mechanism of FUS-enhanced drug delivery.

  1. Microcontainers for Intestinal Drug Delivery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tentor, Fabio; Mazzoni, Chiara; Keller, Stephan Sylvest

    Among all the drug administration routes, the oral one is the most preferred by the patients being less invasive, faster and easier. Oral drug delivery systems designed to target the intestine are produced by powder technology and capsule formulations. Those systems including micro- and nano...

  2. Calcium phosphate ceramics in drug delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bose, Susmita; Tarafder, Solaiman; Edgington, Joe; Bandyopadhyay, Amit

    2011-04-01

    Calcium phosphate (CaP) particulates, cements and scaffolds have attracted significant interest as drug delivery vehicles. CaP systems, including both hydroxyapaptite and tricalcium phosphates, possess variable stoichiometry, functionality and dissolution properties which make them suitable for cellular delivery. Their chemical similarity to bone and thus biocompatibility, as well as variable surface charge density contribute to their controlled release properties. Among specific research areas, nanoparticle size, morphology, surface area due to porosity, and chemistry controlled release kinetics are the most active. This article discusses CaP systems in their particulate, cements, and scaffold forms for drug, protein, and growth factor delivery toward orthopedic and dental applications.

  3. Albumin and its application in drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sleep, Darrell

    2015-05-01

    Rapid clearance of drugs from the body results in short therapeutic half-life and is an integral property of many protein and peptide-based drugs. To maintain the desired therapeutic effect patients are required to administer higher doses more frequently, which is inconvenient and risks undesirable side effects. Drug delivery technologies aim to minimise the number of administrations and dose-related toxicity while maximising therapeutic efficacy. This review describes albumin's inherent biochemical and biophysical properties, which make it an attractive drug delivery platform and the developmental status of drugs that are associated, conjugated or genetically fused with albumin. Albumin interacts with a number of cell surface receptors including gp18, gp30, gp60, FcRn, cubilin and megalin. The importance of albumin's interaction with the FcRn receptor, the basis for albumin's long circulatory half-life, is described, as are engineered albumins with improved pharmacokinetics. Albumin naturally accumulates at tumours and sites of inflammation, a characteristic which can be augmented by the addition of targeting ligands. The development of albumin drug conjugates which reply upon this property is described. Albumin's inherent biochemical and biophysical properties make it an ideal drug delivery platform. Recent advances in our understanding of albumin physiology and the improvement in albumin-based therapies strongly suggest that albumin-based therapies have a significant advantage over alternative technologies in terms of half-life, stability, versatility, safety and ease of manufacture. Given the importance of the albumin:FcRn interaction, the interpretation of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of albumin-based therapeutics with disturbed albumin:FcRn interaction may have to be reassessed. The FcRn receptor has additional functionality, especially in relation to immunology, antigen presentation and delivery of proteins across mucosal membranes

  4. Functionalization of protein-based nanocages for drug delivery applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoonen, Lise; van Hest, Jan C M

    2014-07-07

    Traditional drug delivery strategies involve drugs which are not targeted towards the desired tissue. This can lead to undesired side effects, as normal cells are affected by the drugs as well. Therefore, new systems are now being developed which combine targeting functionalities with encapsulation of drug cargo. Protein nanocages are highly promising drug delivery platforms due to their perfectly defined structures, biocompatibility, biodegradability and low toxicity. A variety of protein nanocages have been modified and functionalized for these types of applications. In this review, we aim to give an overview of different types of modifications of protein-based nanocontainers for drug delivery applications.

  5. Effect of co-administration of probiotics with polysaccharide based colon targeted delivery systems to optimize site specific drug release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prudhviraj, G; Vaidya, Yogyata; Singh, Sachin Kumar; Yadav, Ankit Kumar; Kaur, Puneet; Gulati, Monica; Gowthamarajan, K

    2015-11-01

    Significant clinical success of colon targeted dosage forms has been limited by their inappropriate release profile at the target site. Their failure to release the drug completely in the colon may be attributed to changes in the colonic milieu because of pathological state, drug effect and psychological stress accompanying the diseased state or, a combination of these. Alteration in normal colonic pH and bacterial picture leads to incomplete release of drug from the designed delivery system. We report the effectiveness of a targeted delivery system wherein the constant replenishment of the colonic microbiota is achieved by concomitant administration of probiotics along with the polysaccharide based drug delivery system. Guar gum coated spheroids of sulfasalazine were prepared. In the dissolution studies, these spheroids showed markedly higher release in the simulated colonic fluid. In vivo experiments conducted in rats clearly demonstrated the therapeutic advantage of co-administration of probiotics with guar gum coated spheroids. Our results suggest that concomitant use of probiotics along with the polysaccharide based delivery systems can be a simple strategy to achieve satisfactory colon targeting of drugs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Targeted drug delivery and penetration into solid tumors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corti, Angelo; Pastorino, Fabio; Curnis, Flavio; Arap, Wadih; Ponzoni, Mirco; Pasqualini, Renata

    2012-09-01

    Delivery and penetration of chemotherapeutic drugs into tumors are limited by a number of factors related to abnormal vasculature and altered stroma composition in neoplastic tissues. Coupling of chemotherapeutic drugs with tumor vasculature-homing peptides or administration of drugs in combination with biological agents that affect the integrity of the endothelial lining of tumor vasculature is an appealing strategy to improve drug delivery to tumor cells. Promising approaches to achieve this goal are based on the use of Asn-Gly-Arg (NGR)-containing peptides as ligands for drug delivery and of NGR-TNF, a peptide-tumor necrosis factor-α fusion protein that selectively alters drug penetration barriers and that is currently tested in a randomized Phase III trial in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Comprehensive evaluation of carboxylated nanodiamond as a topical drug delivery system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lim DG

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Dae Gon Lim,1,* Ki Hyun Kim,1,* Eunah Kang,2 Sun Hee Lim,3 Jeremy Ricci,3 Si Kwon Sung,3 Myoung Taek Kwon,3 Seong Hoon Jeong1 1College of Pharmacy, Dongguk University-Seoul, Gyeonggi, 2School of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Chung-Ang University, 3NanoResource Co. Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: The best strategy in the development of topical drug delivery systems may be to facilitate the permeation of drugs without any harmful effects, while staying on the skin surface and maintaining stability of the system. Nanodiamonds (NDs play a key role with their excellent physicochemical properties, including high biocompatibility, physical adsorption, reactive oxygen species (ROS scavenging capability, and photostabilizing activity. Z-average sizes of carboxylated ND (ND–COOH agglutinate decreased significantly as the pH increased. Fluorescein-conjugated ND was observed only on the stratum corneum, and no sample diffused into the dermal layer even after 48 hours. Moreover, ND–COOH and ND–COOH/eugenol complex did not show significant toxic effects on murine macrophage cells. ND improved in vitro skin permeation >50% acting as a “drug reservoir” to maintain a high drug concentration in the donor chamber, which was supported by quartz crystal microbalance results. Moreover, ND–COOH could adsorb a drug amount equivalent to 80% of its own weight. A photostability study showed that ND–COOH increased the photostability ~47% with regard to rate constant of the eugenol itself. A significant decrease in ROS was observed in the ND–COOH and ND–COOH/eugenol complex compared with the negative control during intracellular ROS assay. Moreover, ROS and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity evaluation showed that ND–COOH had synergistic effects of antioxidation with eugenol. Therefore, ND–COOH could be used as an excellent topical drug delivery system with improved permeability

  8. A study on nanodiamond-based drug delivery system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Jing; Zhang Xiaoyong; Zhu Ying; Li Wenxin; Huang Qing

    2010-01-01

    A multifunctional drug delivery system based on nanodiamonds (NDs) has been developed. FITC, HCPT and TF were absorbed on NDs successively to form the multifunctional complex. The NDs and ND complex samples were characterized by TEM, FR-IR and UV-V. The results indicated that this drug delivery system is a high loading system. Efficacy of the drug delivery system on Hela cell was evaluated with MTT assays and fluorescence microscopy. The results show that multifunction of the NDs complex include fluorescence, targeting and high efficacy. (authors)

  9. A data-driven predictive approach for drug delivery using machine learning techniques.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuanyuan Li

    Full Text Available In drug delivery, there is often a trade-off between effective killing of the pathogen, and harmful side effects associated with the treatment. Due to the difficulty in testing every dosing scenario experimentally, a computational approach will be helpful to assist with the prediction of effective drug delivery methods. In this paper, we have developed a data-driven predictive system, using machine learning techniques, to determine, in silico, the effectiveness of drug dosing. The system framework is scalable, autonomous, robust, and has the ability to predict the effectiveness of the current drug treatment and the subsequent drug-pathogen dynamics. The system consists of a dynamic model incorporating both the drug concentration and pathogen population into distinct states. These states are then analyzed using a temporal model to describe the drug-cell interactions over time. The dynamic drug-cell interactions are learned in an adaptive fashion and used to make sequential predictions on the effectiveness of the dosing strategy. Incorporated into the system is the ability to adjust the sensitivity and specificity of the learned models based on a threshold level determined by the operator for the specific application. As a proof-of-concept, the system was validated experimentally using the pathogen Giardia lamblia and the drug metronidazole in vitro.

  10. A novel dissolution media for testing drug release from a nanostructured polysaccharide-based colon specific drug delivery system: an approach to alternative colon media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotla, Niranjan G; Singh, Sima; Maddiboyina, Balaji; Sunnapu, Omprakash; Webster, Thomas J

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to develop a novel microbially triggered and animal-sparing dissolution method for testing of nanorough polysaccharide-based micron granules for colonic drug delivery. In this method, probiotic cultures of bacteria present in the colonic region were prepared and added to the dissolution media and compared with the performance of conventional dissolution methodologies (such as media with rat cecal and human fecal media). In this study, the predominant species (such as Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus species, Eubacterium and Streptococcus) were cultured in 12% w/v skimmed milk powder and 5% w/v grade "A" honey. Approximately 10(10)-10(11) colony forming units m/L of probiotic culture was added to the dissolution media to test the drug release of polysaccharide-based formulations. A USP dissolution apparatus I/II using a gradient pH dissolution method was used to evaluate drug release from formulations meant for colonic drug delivery. Drug release of guar gum/Eudragit FS30D coated 5-fluorouracil granules was assessed under gastric and small intestine conditions within a simulated colonic environment involving fermentation testing with the probiotic culture. The results with the probiotic system were comparable to those obtained from the rat cecal and human fecal-based fermentation model, thereby suggesting that a probiotic dissolution method can be successfully applied for drug release testing of any polysaccharide-based oral formulation meant for colonic delivery. As such, this study significantly adds to the nanostructured biomaterials' community by elucidating an easier assay for colonic drug delivery.

  11. NanoClusters Enhance Drug Delivery in Mechanical Ventilation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pornputtapitak, Warangkana

    The overall goal of this thesis was to develop a dry powder delivery system for patients on mechanical ventilation. The studies were divided into two parts: the formulation development and the device design. The pulmonary system is an attractive route for drug delivery since the lungs have a large accessible surface area for treatment or drug absorption. For ventilated patients, inhaled drugs have to successfully navigate ventilator tubing and an endotracheal tube. Agglomerates of drug nanoparticles (also known as 'NanoClusters') are fine dry powder aerosols that were hypothesized to enable drug delivery through ventilator circuits. This Thesis systematically investigated formulations of NanoClusters and their aerosol performance in a conventional inhaler and a device designed for use during mechanical ventilation. These engineered powders of budesonide (NC-Bud) were delivered via a MonodoseRTM inhaler or a novel device through commercial endotracheal tubes, and analyzed by cascade impaction. NC-Bud had a higher efficiency of aerosol delivery compared to micronized stock budesonide. The delivery efficiency was independent of ventilator parameters such as inspiration patterns, inspiration volumes, and inspiration flow rates. A novel device designed to fit directly to the ventilator and endotracheal tubing connections and the MonodoseRTM inhaler showed the same efficiency of drug delivery. The new device combined with NanoCluster formulation technology, therefore, allowed convenient and efficient drug delivery through endotracheal tubes. Furthermore, itraconazole (ITZ), a triazole antifungal agent, was formulated as a NanoCluster powder via milling (top-down process) or precipitation (bottom-up process) without using any excipients. ITZ NanoClusters prepared by wet milling showed better aerosol performance compared to micronized stock ITZ and ITZ NanoClusters prepared by precipitation. ITZ NanoClusters prepared by precipitation methods also showed an amorphous state

  12. 3D printing applications for transdermal drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Economidou, Sophia N; Lamprou, Dimitrios A; Douroumis, Dennis

    2018-06-15

    The role of two and three-dimensional printing as a fabrication technology for sophisticated transdermal drug delivery systems is explored in literature. 3D printing encompasses a family of distinct technologies that employ a virtual model to produce a physical object through numerically controlled apparatuses. The applicability of several printing technologies has been researched for the direct or indirect printing of microneedle arrays or for the modification of their surface through drug-containing coatings. The findings of the respective studies are presented. The range of printable materials that are currently used or potentially can be employed for 3D printing of transdermal drug delivery (TDD) systems is also reviewed. Moreover, the expected impact and challenges of the adoption of 3D printing as a manufacturing technique for transdermal drug delivery systems, are assessed. Finally, this paper outlines the current regulatory framework associated with 3D printed transdermal drug delivery systems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Oral delivery of insulin using pH-sensitive hydrogels based on polyvinyl alcohol grafted with acrylic acid/methacrylic acid by radiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nho, Young-Chang [Radiation Application Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon 305-600 (Korea, Republic of)]. E-mail: ycnho@kaeri.re.kr; Park, Sung-Eun [Radiation Application Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon 305-600 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hyung-Il [College of Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764 (Korea, Republic of); Hwang, Taek-Sung [College of Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764 (Korea, Republic of)

    2005-07-01

    The pH-responsive hydrogels were studied as a drug carrier for the protection of insulin from the acidic environment of the stomach before releasing in the small intestine. Hydrogels based on poly(vinyl alcohol) networks grafted with acrylic acid or methacrylic acid were prepared via a two-step process. Poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels were prepared by gamma ray irradiation (50 kGy) and then followed by grafting either acrylic acid or methacrylic acid onto this poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels with subsequent irradiation (5-20 kGy). These graft hydrogels showed pH-sensitive swelling behavior. These hydrogels were used as carrier for the controlled release of insulin. The in vitro release of insulin was observed for the insulin-loaded hydrogels in a simulated intestinal fluid (pH 6.8) but not in a simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2). The release behavior of insulin in vivo in a rat model confirmed the effectiveness of the oral delivery of insulin to control the level of glucose.

  14. Oral delivery of insulin using pH-sensitive hydrogels based on polyvinyl alcohol grafted with acrylic acid/methacrylic acid by radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nho, Young-Chang; Park, Sung-Eun; Kim, Hyung-Il; Hwang, Taek-Sung

    2005-01-01

    The pH-responsive hydrogels were studied as a drug carrier for the protection of insulin from the acidic environment of the stomach before releasing in the small intestine. Hydrogels based on poly(vinyl alcohol) networks grafted with acrylic acid or methacrylic acid were prepared via a two-step process. Poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels were prepared by gamma ray irradiation (50 kGy) and then followed by grafting either acrylic acid or methacrylic acid onto this poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels with subsequent irradiation (5-20 kGy). These graft hydrogels showed pH-sensitive swelling behavior. These hydrogels were used as carrier for the controlled release of insulin. The in vitro release of insulin was observed for the insulin-loaded hydrogels in a simulated intestinal fluid (pH 6.8) but not in a simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2). The release behavior of insulin in vivo in a rat model confirmed the effectiveness of the oral delivery of insulin to control the level of glucose

  15. Multifunctional pH-Responsive Folate Receptor Mediated Polymer Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Xiaoqing; Yang, Xiaoye; Wang, Fang; Zhang, Chen; Sun, Deqing; Zhai, Guangxi

    2016-07-01

    Multifunctional pH-responsive folate receptor mediated targeted polymer nanoparticles (TPNps) were developed for docetaxel (DTX) delivery based on poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol)poly (β-amino ester) (P123-PAE) and poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-folate (P123-FA) copolymers. The DTX was loaded into the TPNps with a decent drug loading content of 15.02 ± 0.14 wt%. In vitro drug release results showed that the DTX was released from the TPNps at a pH-dependent manner. Tetrazolium dye (MTT) assay revealed that the bland polymer nanoparticles displayed almost nontoxicity at 200 μg/mL concentration. However, the DTX-loaded TPNps showed high anti-tumor activity at low IC50 (0.72 μg/mL) for MCF-7 cells following 48 h incubation. Cellular uptake experiments revealed that the TPNps had higher degree of cellular uptake than nontargeted polymer nanoparticles, indicating that the nanoparticles were internalized into the cells via FA receptor-mediated endocytosis. Moreover, the cellular uptake pathways for the FA grafted polymer were involved in energy-dependent, clathrin-mediated and caveolae-mediated endocytosis. The cell killing effect and cellular uptake of the DTX-TPNps by the MCF-7 cells were all enhanced by about two folds at pH 5.5 when compared with pH 7.4. The TPNps also significantly prolonged the in vivo retention time for the DTX. These results suggest that the biocompatible pH responsive folate-modified polymer nanoparticles present a promising safe nanosystem for intracellular targeted delivery of DTX.

  16. Drug Delivery Systems: A New Frontier in Nano-technology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chamindri Witharana

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Nano-technology is a recent advancement in science, defined as “Science, engineering, and technology conducted at the Nano scale” (National nanotechnology initiatives in USA. Applications of Nano-technology cover a vast range from basic material science, personal care applications, agriculture, and medicine. Nano-technology is used in field of medicine for treatment, diagnostic, monitoring, genetic engineering, and drug delivery. There are two main types of Nano Particles (NPs used in drug delivery; organic NPs and inorganic NPs. In drug delivery, the drug-Nano- Particle (NP conjugate should be able to deliver drugs to the target site without degradation in gastrointestinal track and without reducing drug activity. Further, it should attack to target cells without causing any adverse effects. The ultimate goal of NP drug delivery is to improve proper treatment, effectiveness, less side effects with safety and patient adherence as well as reduction in the cost.

  17. Advanced drug delivery systems: Nanotechnology of health design A review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Javad Safari

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Nanotechnology has finally and firmly entered the realm of drug delivery. Performances of intelligent drug delivery systems are continuously improved with the purpose to maximize therapeutic activity and to minimize undesirable side-effects. This review describes the advanced drug delivery systems based on micelles, polymeric nanoparticles, and dendrimers. Polymeric carbon nanotubes and many others demonstrate a broad variety of useful properties. This review emphasizes the main requirements for developing new nanotech-nology-based drug delivery systems.

  18. A Microfluidic Ion Pump for In Vivo Drug Delivery

    KAUST Repository

    Uguz, Ilke

    2017-05-15

    Implantable devices offer an alternative to systemic delivery of drugs for the treatment of neurological disorders. A microfluidic ion pump (µFIP), capable of delivering a drug without the solvent through electrophoresis, is developed. The device is characterized in vitro by delivering γ-amino butyric acid to a target solution, and demonstrates low-voltage operation, high drug-delivery capacity, and high ON/OFF ratio. It is also demonstrated that the device is suitable for cortical delivery in vivo by manipulating the local ion concentration in an animal model and altering neural behavior. These results show that µFIPs represent a significant step forward toward the development of implantable drug-delivery systems.

  19. Amphiphilic block copolymers for drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Monica L; Lavasanifar, Afsaneh; Kwon, Glen S

    2003-07-01

    Amphiphilic block copolymers (ABCs) have been used extensively in pharmaceutical applications ranging from sustained-release technologies to gene delivery. The utility of ABCs for delivery of therapeutic agents results from their unique chemical composition, which is characterized by a hydrophilic block that is chemically tethered to a hydrophobic block. In aqueous solution, polymeric micelles are formed via the association of ABCs into nanoscopic core/shell structures at or above the critical micelle concentration. Upon micellization, the hydrophobic core regions serve as reservoirs for hydrophobic drugs, which may be loaded by chemical, physical, or electrostatic means, depending on the specific functionalities of the core-forming block and the solubilizate. Although the Pluronics, composed of poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(propylene oxide)-block-poly(ethylene oxide), are the most widely studied ABC system, copolymers containing poly(L-amino acid) and poly(ester) hydrophobic blocks have also shown great promise in delivery applications. Because each ABC has unique advantages with respect to drug delivery, it may be possible to choose appropriate block copolymers for specific purposes, such as prolonging circulation time, introduction of targeting moieties, and modification of the drug-release profile. ABCs have been used for numerous pharmaceutical applications including drug solubilization/stabilization, alteration of the pharmacokinetic profile of encapsulated substances, and suppression of multidrug resistance. The purpose of this minireview is to provide a concise, yet detailed, introduction to the use of ABCs and polymeric micelles as delivery agents as well as to highlight current and past work in this area. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association

  20. Sulfonate-modified phenylboronic acid-rich nanoparticles as a novel mucoadhesive drug delivery system for vaginal administration of protein therapeutics: improved stability, mucin-dependent release and effective intravaginal placement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li CY

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available ChunYan Li,1 ZhiGang Huang,2 ZheShuo Liu,1 LiQian Ci,3 ZhePeng Liu,3 Yu Liu,2 XueYing Yan,1 WeiYue Lu2 1School of Pharmacy, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, 2Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, Fudan University, 3School of Medical Instrument and Food Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China Abstract: Effective interaction between mucoadhesive drug delivery systems and mucin is the basis of effective local placement of drugs to play its therapeutic role after mucosal administration including vaginal use, which especially requires prolonged drug presence for the treatment of gynecological infectious diseases. Our previous report on phenylboronic acid-rich nanoparticles (PBNPs demonstrated their strong interaction with mucin and mucin-sensitive release profiles of the model protein therapeutics interferon (IFN in vitro, but their poor stability and obvious tendency to aggregate over time severely limited future application. In this study, sulfonate-modified PBNPs (PBNP-S were designed as a stable mucoadhesive drug delivery system where the negative charges conferred by sulfonate groups prevented aggregation of nanoparticles and the phenylboronic acid groups ensured effective interaction with mucin over a wide pH range. Results suggested that PBNP-S were of spherical morphology with narrow size distribution (123.5 nm, polydispersity index 0.050, good stability over a wide pH range and 3-month storage and considerable in vitro mucoadhesion capability at vaginal pH as shown by mucin adsorption determination. IFN could be loaded to PBNP-S by physical adsorption with high encapsulation efficiency and released in a mucin-dependent manner in vitro. In vivo near-infrared fluorescent whole animal imaging and quantitative vaginal lavage followed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA assay of

  1. Drug delivery systems with modified release for systemic and biophase bioavailability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leucuta, Sorin E

    2012-11-01

    This review describes the most important new generations of pharmaceutical systems: medicines with extended release, controlled release pharmaceutical systems, pharmaceutical systems for the targeted delivery of drug substances. The latest advances and approaches for delivering small molecular weight drugs and other biologically active agents such as proteins and nucleic acids require novel delivery technologies, the success of a drug being many times dependent on the delivery method. All these dosage forms are qualitatively superior to medicines with immediate release, in that they ensure optimal drug concentrations depending on specific demands of different disease particularities of the body. Drug delivery of these pharmaceutical formulations has the benefit of improving product efficacy and safety, as well as patient convenience and compliance. This paper describes the biopharmaceutical, pharmacokinetic, pharmacologic and technological principles in the design of drug delivery systems with modified release as well as the formulation criteria of prolonged and controlled release drug delivery systems. The paper presents pharmaceutical prolonged and controlled release dosage forms intended for different routes of administration: oral, ocular, transdermal, parenteral, pulmonary, mucoadhesive, but also orally fast dissolving tablets, gastroretentive drug delivery systems, colon-specific drug delivery systems, pulsatile drug delivery systems and carrier or ligand mediated transport for site specific or receptor drug targeting. Specific technologies are given on the dosage forms with modified release as well as examples of marketed products, and current research in these areas.

  2. Current and emerging lipid-based systems for transdermal drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singla, Sumeet K; Sachdeva, Vishal

    2015-01-01

    Developing a transdermal drug delivery system is a challenging task considering the selective permeability of the skin and the physicochemical properties the drug must possess to permeate through the skin. Lipid-based drug delivery systems have contributed a great deal in this direction in the last few decades, and thereby have helped to expand the range of therapeutic molecules that can be delivered through the skin in a safe and effective manner. Additionally, vesicular delivery systems such as nanoparticles and emulsions have also played important roles in providing alternative novel approaches for drug delivery. In this article, we will discuss some of the current and future lipid-based systems for transdermal drug delivery along with the associated challenges.

  3. Metal organic frameworks as a drug delivery system for flurbiprofen

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    AL Haydar M

    2017-09-01

    profiles were investigated in a phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.4. The total release of the FBP after 2 days was obtained at 72.9, 75.2, 78.3, and 90.3% for Ca-MOF, Fe-MIL-100, Fe-MIL-53, and Fe-MIL-101, respectively. Conclusion: The MOFs are shown to be a promising drug delivery option for FBP with a significant loading percent and relatively prolonged drug release. Keywords: porous MOF, FBP, drug loading, drug release

  4. Preparation and characterization of 6-mercaptopurine-coated magnetite nanoparticles as a drug delivery system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dorniani, Dena; Hussein, Mohd Zobir Bin; Kura, Aminu Umar; Fakurazi, Sharida; Shaari, Abdul Halim; Ahmad, Zalinah

    2013-01-01

    Iron oxide nanoparticles are of considerable interest because of their use in magnetic recording tape, ferrofluid, magnetic resonance imaging, drug delivery, and treatment of cancer. The specific morphology of nanoparticles confers an ability to load, carry, and release different types of drugs. We synthesized superparamagnetic nanoparticles containing pure iron oxide with a cubic inverse spinal structure. Fourier transform infrared spectra confirmed that these Fe3O4 nanoparticles could be successfully coated with active drug, and thermogravimetric and differential thermogravimetric analyses showed that the thermal stability of iron oxide nanoparticles coated with chitosan and 6-mercaptopurine (FCMP) was markedly enhanced. The synthesized Fe3O4 nanoparticles and the FCMP nanocomposite were generally spherical, with an average diameter of 9 nm and 19 nm, respectively. The release of 6-mercaptopurine from the FCMP nanocomposite was found to be sustained and governed by pseudo-second order kinetics. In order to improve drug loading and release behavior, we prepared a novel nanocomposite (FCMP-D), ie, Fe3O4 nanoparticles containing the same amounts of chitosan and 6-mercaptopurine but using a different solvent for the drug. The results for FCMP-D did not demonstrate "burst release" and the maximum percentage release of 6-mercaptopurine from the FCMP-D nanocomposite reached about 97.7% and 55.4% within approximately 2,500 and 6,300 minutes when exposed to pH 4.8 and pH 7.4 solutions, respectively. By MTT assay, the FCMP nanocomposite was shown not to be toxic to a normal mouse fibroblast cell line. Iron oxide coated with chitosan containing 6-mercaptopurine prepared using a coprecipitation method has the potential to be used as a controlled-release formulation. These nanoparticles may serve as an alternative drug delivery system for the treatment of cancer, with the added advantage of sparing healthy surrounding cells and tissue.

  5. Novel thermo-sensitive core-shell nanoparticles for targeted paclitaxel delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Yuanpei; Pan Shirong; Zhang Wei; Du Zhuo

    2009-01-01

    Novel thermo-sensitive nanoparticles self-assembled from poly(N,N-diethylacrylamide- co-acrylamide)-block-poly(γ-benzyl L-glutamate) were designed for targeted drug delivery in localized hyperthermia. The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of nanoparticles was adjusted to a level between physiological body temperature (37 deg. C) and that used in local hyperthermia (about 43 deg. C). The temperature-dependent performances of the core-shell nanoparticles were systemically studied by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and atom force microscopy (AFM). The mean diameter of the nanoparticles increased slightly from 110 to 129 nm when paclitaxel (PTX), a poorly water-soluble anti-tumor drug, was encapsulated. A stability study in bovine serum albumin (BSA) solution indicated that the PTX loaded nanoparticles may have a long circulation time under physiological environments as the LCST was above physiological body temperature and the shell remained hydrophilic at 37 deg.C. The PTX release profiles showed thermo-sensitive controlled behavior. The proliferation inhibiting activity of PTX loaded nanoparticles was evaluated against Hela cells in vitro, compared with Taxol (a formulation of paclitaxel dissolved in Cremophor EL and ethanol). The cytotoxicity of PTX loaded nanoparticles increased obviously when hyperthermia was performed. The nanoparticles synthesized here could be an ideal candidate for thermal triggered anti-tumor PTX delivery system.

  6. Heat: A Highly Efficient Skin Enhancer for Transdermal Drug Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szunerits, Sabine; Boukherroub, Rabah

    2018-01-01

    Advances in materials science and bionanotechnology have allowed the refinements of current drug delivery systems, expected to facilitate the development of personalized medicine. While dermatological topical pharmaceutical formulations such as foams, creams, lotions, gels, etc., have been proposed for decades, these systems target mainly skin-based diseases. To treat systemic medical conditions as well as localized problems such as joint or muscle concerns, transdermal delivery systems (TDDSs), which use the skin as the main route of drug delivery, are very appealing. Over the years, these systems have shown to offer important advantages over oral as well as intravenous drug delivery routes. Besides being non-invasive and painless, TDDSs are able to deliver drugs with a short-half-life time more easily and are well adapted to eliminate frequent administrations to maintain constant drug delivery. The possibility of self-administration of a predetermined drug dose at defined time intervals makes it also the most convenient personalized point-of-care approach. The transdermal market still remains limited to a narrow range of drugs. While small and lipophilic drugs have been successfully delivered using TDDSs, this approach fails to deliver therapeutic macromolecules due to size-limited transport across the stratum corneum , the outermost layer of the epidermis. The low permeability of the stratum corneum to water-soluble drugs as well as macromolecules poses important challenges to transdermal administration. To widen the scope of drugs for transdermal delivery, new procedures to enhance skin permeation to hydrophilic drugs and macromolecules are under development. Next to iontophoresis and microneedle-based concepts, thermal-based approaches have shown great promise to enhance transdermal drug delivery of different therapeutics. In this inaugural article for the section "Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology," the advances in this field and the handful of

  7. Advances and Challenges of Liposome Assisted Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisa eSercombe

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The application of liposomes to assist drug delivery has already had a major impact on many biomedical areas. They have been shown to be beneficial for stabilizing therapeutic compounds, overcoming obstacles to cellular and tissue uptake, and improving biodistribution of compounds to target sites in vivo. This enables effective delivery of encapsulated compounds to target sites while minimizing systemic toxicity. Liposomes present as an attractive delivery system due to their flexible physicochemical and biophysical properties, which allow easy manipulation to address different delivery considerations. Despite considerable research in the last 50 years and the plethora of positive results in preclinical studies, the clinical translation of liposome assisted drug delivery platforms has progressed incrementally. In this review, we will discuss the advances in liposome assisted drug delivery, biological challenges that still remain, and current clinical and experimental use of liposomes for biomedical applications. The translational obstacles of liposomal technology will also be presented.

  8. Drug delivery and nanoparticles: Applications and hazards

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wim H De Jong

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Wim H De Jong1, Paul JA Borm2,31Laboratory for Toxicology, Pathology and Genetics, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM, Bilthoven, The Netherlands; 2Zuyd University, Centre of Expertise in Life Sciences, Heerlen, The Netherlands; 3Magnamedics GmbH, Aachen, GermanyAbstract: The use of nanotechnology in medicine and more specifically drug delivery is set to spread rapidly. Currently many substances are under investigation for drug delivery and more specifically for cancer therapy. Interestingly pharmaceutical sciences are using nanoparticles to reduce toxicity and side effects of drugs and up to recently did not realize that carrier systems themselves may impose risks to the patient. The kind of hazards that are introduced by using nanoparticles for drug delivery are beyond that posed by conventional hazards imposed by chemicals in classical delivery matrices. For nanoparticles the knowledge on particle toxicity as obtained in inhalation toxicity shows the way how to investigate the potential hazards of nanoparticles. The toxicology of particulate matter differs from toxicology of substances as the composing chemical(s may or may not be soluble in biological matrices, thus influencing greatly the potential exposure of various internal organs. This may vary from a rather high local exposure in the lungs and a low or neglectable exposure for other organ systems after inhalation. However, absorbed species may also influence the potential toxicity of the inhaled particles. For nanoparticles the situation is different as their size opens the potential for crossing the various biological barriers within the body. From a positive viewpoint, especially the potential to cross the blood brain barrier may open new ways for drug delivery into the brain. In addition, the nanosize also allows for access into the cell and various cellular compartments including the nucleus. A multitude of substances are currently under investigation

  9. Otic drug delivery systems: formulation principles and recent developments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xu; Li, Mingshuang; Smyth, Hugh; Zhang, Feng

    2018-04-25

    Disorders of the ear severely impact the quality of life of millions of people, but the treatment of these disorders is an ongoing, but often overlooked challenge particularly in terms of formulation design and product development. The prevalence of ear disorders has spurred significant efforts to develop new therapeutic agents, but perhaps less innovation has been applied to new drug delivery systems to improve the efficacy of ear disease treatments. This review provides a brief overview of physiology, major diseases, and current therapies used via the otic route of administration. The primary focuses are on the various administration routes and their formulation principles. The article also presents recent advances in otic drug deliveries as well as potential limitations. Otic drug delivery technology will likely evolve in the next decade and more efficient or specific treatments for ear disease will arise from the development of less invasive drug delivery methods, safe and highly controlled drug delivery systems, and biotechnology targeting therapies.

  10. Context Sensitive Modeling of Cancer Drug Sensitivity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bo-Juen Chen

    Full Text Available Recent screening of drug sensitivity in large panels of cancer cell lines provides a valuable resource towards developing algorithms that predict drug response. Since more samples provide increased statistical power, most approaches to prediction of drug sensitivity pool multiple cancer types together without distinction. However, pan-cancer results can be misleading due to the confounding effects of tissues or cancer subtypes. On the other hand, independent analysis for each cancer-type is hampered by small sample size. To balance this trade-off, we present CHER (Contextual Heterogeneity Enabled Regression, an algorithm that builds predictive models for drug sensitivity by selecting predictive genomic features and deciding which ones should-and should not-be shared across different cancers, tissues and drugs. CHER provides significantly more accurate models of drug sensitivity than comparable elastic-net-based models. Moreover, CHER provides better insight into the underlying biological processes by finding a sparse set of shared and type-specific genomic features.

  11. Multiscale modeling of transdermal drug delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rim, Jee Eun

    2006-04-01

    This study addresses the modeling of transdermal diffusion of drugs, to better understand the permeation of molecules through the skin, and especially the stratum corneum, which forms the main permeation barrier of the skin. In transdermal delivery of systemic drugs, the drugs diffuse from a patch placed on the skin through the epidermis to the underlying blood vessels. The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin and can be further divided into the stratum corneum (SC) and the viable epidermis layers. The SC consists of keratinous cells (corneocytes) embedded in the lipid multi-bilayers of the intercellular space. It is widely accepted that the barrier properties of the skin mostly arises from the ordered structure of the lipid bilayers. The diffusion path, at least for lipophilic molecules, seems to be mainly through the lipid bilayers. Despite the advantages of transdermal drug delivery compared to other drug delivery routes such as oral dosing and injections, the low percutaneous permeability of most compounds is a major difficulty in the wide application of transdermal drug delivery. In fact, many transdermal drug formulations include one or more permeation enhancers that increase the permeation of the drug significantly. During the last two decades, many researchers have studied percutaneous absorption of drugs both experimentally and theoretically. However, many are based on pharmacokinetic compartmental models, in which steady or pseudo-steady state conditions are assumed, with constant diffusivity and partitioning for single component systems. This study presents a framework for studying the multi-component diffusion of drugs coupled with enhancers through the skin by considering the microstructure of the stratum corneum (SC). A multiscale framework of modeling the transdermal diffusion of molecules is presented, by first calculating the microscopic diffusion coefficient in the lipid bilayers of the SC using molecular dynamics (MD). Then a

  12. Drug delivery system and radiation therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shibata, Tokushi

    2005-01-01

    This paper describes the review of radiation therapy, neutron capture therapy (NCT) and drug delivery system for the latter. In cancer radiation therapy, there are problems of body movement like breathing, needless irradiation of normal tissues, difficulty to decide the correct irradiation position and tumor morphology. NCT has advantages to overcome these, and since boron has a big cross section for thermal neutron, NPT uses the reaction 10 B(n, α) 7 Li in the target cancer which previously incorporated the boron-containing drug. During the period 1966-1996, 246 patients were treated with this in Japan and the treatment has been continued thereafter. The tasks for NCT are developments of drug delivery system efficient to deliver the drug into the tumor and of convenient neutron source like the accelerator. (S.I.)

  13. Nanoparticles and nanofibers for topical drug delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goyal, Ritu; Macri, Lauren K.; Kaplan, Hilton M.; Kohn, Joachim

    2016-01-01

    This review provides the first comprehensive overview of the use of both nanoparticles and nanofibers for topical drug delivery. Researchers have explored the use of nanotechnology, specifically nanoparticles and nanofibers, as drug delivery systems for topical and transdermal applications. This approach employs increased drug concentration in the carrier, in order to increase drug flux into and through the skin. Both nanoparticles and nanofibers can be used to deliver hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs and are capable of controlled release for a prolonged period of time. The examples presented provide significant evidence that this area of research has—and will continue to have — a profound impact on both clinical outcomes and the development of new products. PMID:26518723

  14. Sensor-integrated polymer actuators for closed-loop drug delivery system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Han; Wang, Chunlei; Kulinsky, Lawrence; Zoval, Jim; Madou, Marc

    2006-03-01

    This work presents manufacturing and testing of a closed-loop drug delivery system where drug release is achieved by an electrochemical actuation of an array of polymeric valves on a set of drug reservoirs. The valves are based on bi-layer structures made of polypyrrole/gold in the shape of a flap that is hinged on one side of a valve seat. Drugs stored in the underlying chambers are released by bending the bi-layer flaps back with a small applied bias. These polymeric valves simultaneously function as both drug release components and biological/chemical sensors responding to a specific biological or environmental stimulus. The sensors may send signals to the control module to realize closed-loop control of the drug release. In this study a glucose sensor has been integrated with the polymeric actuators through immobilization of glucose oxidase(GOx) within polypyrrole(PPy) valves. Sensitivities per unit area of the integrated glucose sensor have been measured and compared before and after the actuation of the sensor/actuator PPy/DBS/GOx film. Other sensing parameters such as linear range and response time were discussed as well. Using an array of these sensor/actuator cells, the amount of released drug, e.g. insulin, can be precisely controlled according to the surrounding glucose concentration detected by the glucose sensor. Activation of these reservoirs can be triggered either by the signal from the sensor, or by the signal from the operator. This approach also serves as the initial step to use the proposed system as an implantable drug delivery platform in the future.

  15. Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) Cross Linked Polymeric Network for the Delivery of Analgesic Agent

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rashid, H.; Ahmad, M.; Minhas, M. U.; Aamir, M. F.; Sohail, M.

    2015-01-01

    Objective of the study was to synthesize a chemically cross-linked poly(hydroxyethylmethacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) hydrogel (p(HEMA-co-MAA hydrogel)) for pH-responsive, controlled drug delivery of Flurbiprofen. pH-sensitive hydrogel drug delivery system was synthesized with the help of poly hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and methacrylic acid (MAA) by using ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as crosslinker. The monomers (HEMA and MAA) were successfully cross linked through free radical polymerization process, initiated by benzoyl peroxide in an aqueous medium. All formulations were loaded with Flurbiprofen as a model drug and evaluated at pH 1.2 and pH 7.4 to investigate pH-responsive nature of the system. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was performed to confirm the cross-linking of copolymer while thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were performed to evaluate the thermal stability of the system. Swelling studies and in-vitro release studies were carried out to evaluate pH-responsive nature of the hydrogels. FTIR confirmed that monomers were successfully cross-linked to form a copolymer. Hydrogel system showed less swelling at lower pH while at higher pH, it showed higher swelling, releasing drug in the same fashion. It was concluded that a stable hydrogel network was chemically cross-linked showing pH-responsive nature and thus, synthesized p(HEMA-co-MAA) hydrogels can be successfully employed as potential candidate for controlled drug delivery. (author)

  16. Interpenetrating Polymer Networks as Innovative Drug Delivery Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alka Lohani

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Polymers have always been valuable excipients in conventional dosage forms, also have shown excellent performance into the parenteral arena, and are now capable of offering advanced and sophisticated functions such as controlled drug release and drug targeting. Advances in polymer science have led to the development of several novel drug delivery systems. Interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs have shown superior performances over the conventional individual polymers and, consequently, the ranges of applications have grown rapidly for such class of materials. The advanced properties of IPNs like swelling capacity, stability, biocompatibility, nontoxicity and biodegradability have attracted considerable attention in pharmaceutical field especially in delivering bioactive molecules to the target site. In the past few years various research reports on the IPN based delivery systems showed that these carriers have emerged as a novel carrier in controlled drug delivery. The present review encompasses IPNs, their types, method of synthesis, factors which affects the morphology of IPNs, extensively studied IPN based drug delivery systems, and some natural polymers widely used for IPNs.

  17. Gold Nanoantenna-Mediated Photothermal Drug Delivery from Thermosensitive Liposomes in Breast Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ou, Yu-Chuan; Webb, Joseph A; Faley, Shannon; Shae, Daniel; Talbert, Eric M; Lin, Sharon; Cutright, Camden C; Wilson, John T; Bellan, Leon M; Bardhan, Rizia

    2016-08-31

    In this work, we demonstrate controlled drug delivery from low-temperature-sensitive liposomes (LTSLs) mediated by photothermal heating from multibranched gold nanoantennas (MGNs) in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells in vitro. The unique geometry of MGNs enables the generation of mild hyperthermia (∼42 °C) by converting near-infrared light to heat and effectively delivering doxorubicin (DOX) from the LTSLs in breast cancer cells. We confirmed the cellular uptake of MGNs by using both fluorescence confocal Z-stack imaging and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging. We performed a cellular viability assay and live/dead cell fluorescence imaging of the combined therapeutic effects of MGNs with DOX-loaded LTSLs (DOX-LTSLs) and compared them with free DOX and DOX-loaded non-temperature-sensitive liposomes (DOX-NTSLs). Imaging of fluorescent live/dead cell indicators and MTT assay outcomes both demonstrated significant decreases in cellular viability when cells were treated with the combination therapy. Because of the high phase-transition temperature of NTSLs, no drug delivery was observed from the DOX-NTSLs. Notably, even at a low DOX concentration of 0.5 μg/mL, the combination treatment resulted in a higher (33%) cell death relative to free DOX (17% cell death). The results of our work demonstrate that the synergistic therapeutic effect of photothermal hyperthermia of MGNs with drug delivery from the LTSLs can successfully eradicate aggressive breast cancer cells with higher efficacy than free DOX by providing a controlled light-activated approach and minimizing off-target toxicity.

  18. Tumor pHe-triggered charge-reversal and redox-responsive nanoparticles for docetaxel delivery in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Fengqian; Zhang, Jinming; Wang, Lu; Wang, Yitao; Chen, Meiwan

    2015-09-01

    The insufficient cellular uptake of nanocarriers and their slow drug release have become major obstacles for achieving satisfactory anticancer outcomes in nano-medicine therapy. Because of the slightly acidic extracellular environment (pHe ~ 6.5) and a higher glutathione (GSH) concentration (approximately 10 mM) in tumor tissue/cells, we firstly designed a novel d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000-poly(β-amino ester) block copolymer containing disulfide linkages (TPSS). TPSS nanoparticles (NPs) with pH- and redox-sensitive behaviors were developed for on-demand delivery of docetaxel (DTX) in hepatocellular carcinoma. DTX/TPSS NPs exhibited sensitive surface charge reversal from -47.6 +/- 2.5 mV to +22.5 +/- 3.2 mV when the pH decreased from 7.4 to 6.5, to simulate the pHe. Meanwhile, anabatic drug release of DTX/TPSS NPs was observed in PBS buffer (pH 6.5, 10 mM GSH). Due to the synergism between the pHe-triggered charge reversal and the redox-triggered drug release, enhanced drug uptake and anticancer efficacy were observed in HepG2 and SMMC 7721 cells treated with DTX/TPSS NPs. The positively charged NPs exhibited a stronger inhibitory effect on cell proliferation, promoted cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, and increased the rate of apoptosis. More importantly, based on the higher tumor accumulation of TPSS vehicles in vivo, a significant suppression of tumor growth, but without side-effects, was observed when DTX/TPSS NPs were injected intravenously into HepG2 xenograft tumor-bearing mice. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the newly developed dual-functional TPSS copolymer may be utilized as a drug delivery system for anticancer therapy.The insufficient cellular uptake of nanocarriers and their slow drug release have become major obstacles for achieving satisfactory anticancer outcomes in nano-medicine therapy. Because of the slightly acidic extracellular environment (pHe ~ 6.5) and a higher glutathione (GSH) concentration (approximately 10 m

  19. Plasmonic nanocarrier grid-enhanced Raman sensor for studies of anticancer drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurzątkowska, Katarzyna; Santiago, Ty; Hepel, Maria

    2017-05-15

    Targeted drug delivery systems using nanoparticle nanocarriers offer remarkable promise for cancer therapy by discriminating against devastating cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs to healthy cells. To aid in the development of new drug nanocarriers, we propose a novel plasmonic nanocarrier grid-enhanced Raman sensor which can be applied for studies and testing of drug loading onto the nanocarriers, attachment of targeting ligands, dynamics of drug release, assessment of nanocarrier stability in biological environment, and general capabilities of the nanocarrier. The plasmonic nanogrid sensor offers strong Raman enhancement due to the overlapping plasmonic fields emanating from the nearest-neighbor gold nanoparticle nanocarriers and creating the enhancement "hot spots". The sensor has been tested for immobilization of an anticancer drug gemcitabine (2',2'-difluoro-2'-deoxycytidine, GEM) which is used in treatment of pancreatic tumors. The drawbacks of currently applied treatment include high systemic toxicity, rapid drug decay, and low efficacy (ca. 20%). Therefore, the development of a targeted GEM delivery system is highly desired. We have demonstrated that the proposed nanocarrier SERS sensor can be utilized to investigate attachment of targeting ligands to nanocarriers (attachment of folic acid ligand recognized by folate receptors of cancer cells is described). Further testing of the nanocarrier SERS sensor involved drug release induced by lowering pH and increasing GSH levels, both occurring in cancer cells. The proposed sensor can be utilized for a variety of drugs and targeting ligands, including those which are Raman inactive, since the linkers can act as the Raman markers, as illustrated with mercaptobenzoic acid and para-aminothiophenol. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Self-Assembled Smart Nanocarriers for Targeted Drug Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Wei; Li, Junbai; Decher, Gero

    2016-02-10

    Nanostructured drug-carrier systems promise numerous benefits for drug delivery. They can be engineered to precisely control drug-release rates or to target specific sites within the body with a specific amount of therapeutic agent. However, to achieve the best therapeutic effects, the systems should be designed for carrying the optimum amount of a drug to the desired target where it should be released at the optimum rate for a specified time. Despite numerous attempts, fulfilling all of these requirements in a synergistic way remains a huge challenge. The trend in drug delivery is consequently directed toward integrated multifunctional carrier systems, providing selective recognition in combination with sustained or triggered release. Capsules as vesicular systems enable drugs to be confined for controlled release. Furthermore, carriers modified with recognition groups can enhance the capability of encapsulated drug efficacy. Here, recent advances are reviewed regarding designing and preparing assembled capsules with targeting ligands or size controllable for selective recognition in drug delivery. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. DNA nanostructure-based drug delivery nanosystems in cancer therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Dandan; Wang, Lei; Li, Wei; Xu, Xiaowen; Jiang, Wei

    2017-11-25

    DNA as a novel biomaterial can be used to fabricate different kinds of DNA nanostructures based on its principle of GC/AT complementary base pairing. Studies have shown that DNA nanostructure is a nice drug carrier to overcome big obstacles existing in cancer therapy such as systemic toxicity and unsatisfied drug efficacy. Thus, different types of DNA nanostructure-based drug delivery nanosystems have been designed in cancer therapy. To improve treating efficacy, they are also developed into more functional drug delivery nanosystems. In recent years, some important progresses have been made. The objective of this review is to make a retrospect and summary about these different kinds of DNA nanostructure-based drug delivery nanosystems and their latest progresses: (1) active targeting; (2) mutidrug co-delivery; (3) construction of stimuli-responsive/intelligent nanosystems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Dendrimers in drug delivery and targeting: Drug-dendrimer interactions and toxicity issues

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kanika Madaan

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Dendrimers are the emerging polymeric architectures that are known for their defined structures, versatility in drug delivery and high functionality whose properties resemble with biomolecules. These nanostructured macromolecules have shown their potential abilities in entrapping and/or conjugating the high molecular weight hydrophilic/hydrophobic entities by host-guest interactions and covalent bonding (prodrug approach respectively. Moreover, high ratio of surface groups to molecular volume has made them a promising synthetic vector for gene delivery. Owing to these properties dendrimers have fascinated the researchers in the development of new drug carriers and they have been implicated in many therapeutic and biomedical applications. Despite of their extensive applications, their use in biological systems is limited due to toxicity issues associated with them. Considering this, the present review has focused on the different strategies of their synthesis, drug delivery and targeting, gene delivery and other biomedical applications, interactions involved in formation of drug-dendrimer complex along with characterization techniques employed for their evaluation, toxicity problems and associated approaches to alleviate their inherent toxicity.

  3. Dendrimers in drug delivery and targeting: Drug-dendrimer interactions and toxicity issues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madaan, Kanika; Kumar, Sandeep; Poonia, Neelam; Lather, Viney; Pandita, Deepti

    2014-01-01

    Dendrimers are the emerging polymeric architectures that are known for their defined structures, versatility in drug delivery and high functionality whose properties resemble with biomolecules. These nanostructured macromolecules have shown their potential abilities in entrapping and/or conjugating the high molecular weight hydrophilic/hydrophobic entities by host-guest interactions and covalent bonding (prodrug approach) respectively. Moreover, high ratio of surface groups to molecular volume has made them a promising synthetic vector for gene delivery. Owing to these properties dendrimers have fascinated the researchers in the development of new drug carriers and they have been implicated in many therapeutic and biomedical applications. Despite of their extensive applications, their use in biological systems is limited due to toxicity issues associated with them. Considering this, the present review has focused on the different strategies of their synthesis, drug delivery and targeting, gene delivery and other biomedical applications, interactions involved in formation of drug-dendrimer complex along with characterization techniques employed for their evaluation, toxicity problems and associated approaches to alleviate their inherent toxicity. PMID:25035633

  4. Development of pH-sensitive tamarind seed polysaccharide-alginate composite beads for controlled diclofenac sodium delivery using response surface methodology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nayak, Amit Kumar; Pal, Dilipkumar

    2011-11-01

    The present study deals with the development of novel pH-sensitive tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP)-alginate composite beads for controlled diclofenac sodium delivery using response surface methodology by full 3(2) factorial design. The effect of polymer-blend ratio (sodium alginate:TSP) and cross-linker (CaCl(2)) concentration on the drug encapsulation efficiency (DEE, %) and drug release from diclofenac sodium loaded TSP-alginate composite beads prepared by ionotropic gelation was optimized. The observed responses were coincided well with the predicted values by the experimental design. The DEE (%) of these beads containing diclofenac sodium was within the range between 72.23±2.14 and 97.32±4.03% with sustained in vitro drug release (69.08±2.36-96.07±3.54% in 10 h). The in vitro drug release from TSP-alginate composite beads containing diclofenac sodium was followed by controlled-release pattern (zero-order kinetics) with case-II transport mechanism. Particle size range of these beads was 0.71±0.03-1.33±0.04 mm. The swelling and degradation of the developed beads were influenced by different pH of the test medium. The FTIR and NMR analyses confirmed the compatibility of the diclofenac sodium with TSP and sodium alginate used to prepare the diclofenac sodium loaded TSP-alginate composite beads. The newly developed TSP-alginate composite beads are suitable for controlled delivery of diclofenac sodium for prolonged period. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Controlled drug delivery systems towards new frontiers in patient care

    CERN Document Server

    Rossi, Filippo; Masi, Maurizio

    2016-01-01

    This book offers a state-of-the-art overview of controlled drug delivery systems, covering the most important innovative applications. The principles of controlled drug release and the mechanisms involved in controlled release are clearly explained. The various existing polymeric drug delivery systems are reviewed, and new frontiers in material design are examined in detail, covering a wide range of polymer modification techniques. The concluding chapter is a case study focusing on use of a drug-eluting stent. The book is designed to provide the reader with a complete understanding of the mechanisms and design of controlled drug delivery systems, and to this end includes numerous step-by-step tutorials. It illustrates how chemical engineers can advance medical care by designing polymeric delivery systems that achieve either temporal or spatial control of drug delivery and thus ensure more effective therapy that eliminates the potential for both under-and overdosing.

  6. Iontophoresis-targeted, follicular delivery of minoxidil sulfate for the treatment of alopecia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gelfuso, Guilherme Martins; Gratieri, Tais; Delgado-Charro, M Begoña; Guy, Richard H; Vianna Lopez, Renata Fonseca

    2013-05-01

    Although minoxidil (MX) is a drug known to stimulate hair growth, the treatment of androgenic alopecia could be improved by delivery strategies that would favor drug accumulation into the hair follicles. This work investigated in vitro the potential of iontophoresis to achieve this objective using MX sulfate (MXS), a more water-soluble derivative of MX. Passive delivery of MXS was first determined from an ethanol-water solution and from a thermosensitive gel. The latter formulation resulted in greater accumulation of MXS in the stratum corneum (skin's outermost layer) and hair follicles and an overall decrease in absorption through the skin. Anodal iontophoresis of MXS from the same gel formulation was then investigated at pH 3.5 and pH 5.5. Compared with passive delivery, iontophoresis increased the amount of drug reaching the follicular infundibula from 120 to 600 ng per follicle. In addition, drug recovery from follicular casts was threefold higher following iontophoresis at pH 5.5 compared with that at pH 3.5. Preliminary in vivo experiments in rats confirmed that iontophoretic delivery of MXS facilitated drug accumulation in hair follicles. Overall, therefore, iontophoresis successfully and significantly enhanced follicular delivery of MX suggesting a useful opportunity for the improved treatment of alopecia. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Novel Polysaccharide Based Polymers and Nanoparticles for Controlled Drug Delivery and Biomedical Imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shalviri, Alireza

    The use of polysaccharides as building blocks in the development of drugs and contrast agents delivery systems is rapidly growing. This can be attributed to the outstanding virtues of polysaccharides such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, upgradability, multiple reacting groups and low cost. The focus of this thesis was to develop and characterize novel starch based hydrogels and nanoparticles for delivery of drugs and imaging agents. To this end, two different systems were developed. The first system includes polymer and nanoparticles prepared by graft polymerization of polymethacrylic acid and polysorbate 80 onto starch. This starch based platform nanotechnology was developed using the design principles based on the pathophysiology of breast cancer, with applications in both medical imaging and breast cancer chemotherapy. The nanoparticles exhibited a high degree of doxorubicin loading as well as sustained pH dependent release of the drug. The drug loaded nanoparticles were significantly more effective against multidrug resistant human breast cancer cells compared to free doxorubicin. Systemic administration of the starch based nanoparticles co-loaded with doxorubicin and a near infrared fluorescent probe allowed for non-invasive real time monitoring of the nanoparticles biodistribution, tumor accumulation, and clearance. Systemic administration of the clinically relevant doses of the drug loaded particles to a mouse model of breast cancer significantly enhanced therapeutic efficacy while minimizing side effects compared to free doxorubicin. A novel, starch based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent with good in vitro and in vivo tolerability was formulated which exhibited superior signal enhancement in tumor and vasculature. The second system is a co-polymeric hydrogel of starch and xanthan gum with adjustable swelling and permeation properties. The hydrogels exhibited excellent film forming capability, and appeared to be particularly useful in

  8. Naturapolyceutics: The Science of Utilizing Natural Polymers for Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ndidi C. Ngwuluka

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Naturapolyceutics defines the emerging science and technology platform that blends natural polymers and pharmaceutics for the design and development of drug delivery systems. Natural polymers due to their biological properties, sustainability, chemical flexibility, human and eco-friendliness are promising in this field. As drug delivery advances, there will be need for more polymers. Given that polymers utilized in pharmaceuticals require regulatory approval, robust processes are undertaken to facilitate the production of pharmaceutical grade natural polymers. This review provides insight into the processes—extraction, purification, modifications and characterizations—involved in the eventual utilization of natural polymers for drug delivery. The versatility of natural polymers and particularly modified natural polymers in targeted drug delivery, micro-/nano-drug delivery, theranostics, BioMEMs and generally in research and development of highly efficient, safe and quality products is demonstrated. Natural polymers are polymers of today and tomorrow. Therefore, the shift to undertake training, extensive research and subsequent commercialization of more natural polymers—novel and underutilized—for drug delivery is now!

  9. A Colon Targeted Delivery System for Resveratrol Enriching in pH Responsive-Model

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andishmand, Hashem; Hamishehkar, Hamed; Mohammadifar, Mohammad Amin

    2017-01-01

    Background: Resveratrol effects on the prevention and treatment of colon cancer have been well documented recently, but low solubility, rapid absorption and metabolism of resveratrol limit its beneficial effects on colon cancer. Designing a formulation that enhances the solubility of resveratrol......, protects resveratrol from oxidation and isomerization, and delivers it to the colon is a priority of food and drug industry. In this study, resveratrol-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-loaded pectin-chitosan polyelectrolyte complex was designed as a colon targeted delivery system. Methods: The effects of adding...... PEG, ultra-sonication time, pH, and pectin to chitosan ratio were investigated on particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential by particle size analyzer, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Encapsulation efficiency (EE), release of resveratrol in simulated gastrointestinal fluid...

  10. Asymmetrical Polymer Vesicles for Drug delivery and Other Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi Zhao

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Scientists have been attracted by polymersomes as versatile drug delivery systems since the last two decades. Polymersomes have the potential to be versatile drug delivery systems because of their tunable membrane formulations, stabilities in vivo, various physicochemical properties, controlled release mechanisms, targeting abilities, and capacities to encapsulate a wide range of drugs and other molecules. Asymmetrical polymersomes are nano- to micro-sized polymeric capsules with asymmetrical membranes, which means, they have different outer and inner coronas so that they can exhibit better endocytosis rate and endosomal escape ability than other polymeric systems with symmetrical membranes. Hence, asymmetrical polymersomes are highly promising as self-assembled nano-delivery systems in the future for in vivo therapeutics delivery and diagnostic imaging applications. In this review, we prepared a summary about recent research progresses of asymmetrical polymersomes in the following aspects: synthesis, preparation, applications in drug delivery and others.

  11. Medical capsule robots: A renaissance for diagnostics, drug delivery and surgical treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mapara, Sanyat S; Patravale, Vandana B

    2017-09-10

    The advancements in electronics and the progress in nanotechnology have resulted in path breaking development that will transform the way diagnosis and treatment are carried out currently. This development is Medical Capsule Robots, which has emerged from the science fiction idea of robots travelling inside the body to diagnose and cure disorders. The first marketed capsule robot was a capsule endoscope developed to capture images of the gastrointestinal tract. Today, varieties of capsule endoscopes are available in the market. They are slightly larger than regular oral capsules, made up of a biocompatible case and have electronic circuitry and mechanisms to capture and transmit images. In addition, robots with diagnostic features such as in vivo body temperature detection and pH monitoring have also been launched in the market. However, a multi-functional unit that will diagnose and cure diseases inside the body has not yet been realized. A remote controlled capsule that will undertake drug delivery and surgical treatment has not been successfully launched in the market. High cost, inadequate power supply, lack of control over drug release, limited space for drug storage on the capsule, inadequate safety and no mechanisms for active locomotion and anchoring have prevented their entry in the market. The capsule robots can revolutionize the current way of diagnosis and treatment. This paper discusses in detail the applications of medical capsule robots in diagnostics, drug delivery and surgical treatment. In diagnostics, detailed analysis has been presented on wireless capsule endoscopes, issues associated with the marketed versions and their corresponding solutions in literature. Moreover, an assessment has been made of the existing state of remote controlled capsules for targeted drug delivery and surgical treatment and their future impact is predicted. Besides the need for multi-functional capsule robots and the areas for further research have also been

  12. Heat: A Highly Efficient Skin Enhancer for Transdermal Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabine Szunerits

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Advances in materials science and bionanotechnology have allowed the refinements of current drug delivery systems, expected to facilitate the development of personalized medicine. While dermatological topical pharmaceutical formulations such as foams, creams, lotions, gels, etc., have been proposed for decades, these systems target mainly skin-based diseases. To treat systemic medical conditions as well as localized problems such as joint or muscle concerns, transdermal delivery systems (TDDSs, which use the skin as the main route of drug delivery, are very appealing. Over the years, these systems have shown to offer important advantages over oral as well as intravenous drug delivery routes. Besides being non-invasive and painless, TDDSs are able to deliver drugs with a short-half-life time more easily and are well adapted to eliminate frequent administrations to maintain constant drug delivery. The possibility of self-administration of a predetermined drug dose at defined time intervals makes it also the most convenient personalized point-of-care approach. The transdermal market still remains limited to a narrow range of drugs. While small and lipophilic drugs have been successfully delivered using TDDSs, this approach fails to deliver therapeutic macromolecules due to size-limited transport across the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the epidermis. The low permeability of the stratum corneum to water-soluble drugs as well as macromolecules poses important challenges to transdermal administration. To widen the scope of drugs for transdermal delivery, new procedures to enhance skin permeation to hydrophilic drugs and macromolecules are under development. Next to iontophoresis and microneedle-based concepts, thermal-based approaches have shown great promise to enhance transdermal drug delivery of different therapeutics. In this inaugural article for the section “Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology,” the advances in this field

  13. Heat: A Highly Efficient Skin Enhancer for Transdermal Drug Delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szunerits, Sabine; Boukherroub, Rabah

    2018-01-01

    Advances in materials science and bionanotechnology have allowed the refinements of current drug delivery systems, expected to facilitate the development of personalized medicine. While dermatological topical pharmaceutical formulations such as foams, creams, lotions, gels, etc., have been proposed for decades, these systems target mainly skin-based diseases. To treat systemic medical conditions as well as localized problems such as joint or muscle concerns, transdermal delivery systems (TDDSs), which use the skin as the main route of drug delivery, are very appealing. Over the years, these systems have shown to offer important advantages over oral as well as intravenous drug delivery routes. Besides being non-invasive and painless, TDDSs are able to deliver drugs with a short-half-life time more easily and are well adapted to eliminate frequent administrations to maintain constant drug delivery. The possibility of self-administration of a predetermined drug dose at defined time intervals makes it also the most convenient personalized point-of-care approach. The transdermal market still remains limited to a narrow range of drugs. While small and lipophilic drugs have been successfully delivered using TDDSs, this approach fails to deliver therapeutic macromolecules due to size-limited transport across the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the epidermis. The low permeability of the stratum corneum to water-soluble drugs as well as macromolecules poses important challenges to transdermal administration. To widen the scope of drugs for transdermal delivery, new procedures to enhance skin permeation to hydrophilic drugs and macromolecules are under development. Next to iontophoresis and microneedle-based concepts, thermal-based approaches have shown great promise to enhance transdermal drug delivery of different therapeutics. In this inaugural article for the section “Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology,” the advances in this field and the handful of

  14. Liposome-based drug delivery in breast cancer treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, John W

    2002-01-01

    Drug delivery systems can in principle provide enhanced efficacy and/or reduced toxicity for anticancer agents. Long circulating macromolecular carriers such as liposomes can exploit the 'enhanced permeability and retention' effect for preferential extravasation from tumor vessels. Liposomal anthracyclines have achieved highly efficient drug encapsulation, resulting in significant anticancer activity with reduced cardiotoxicity, and include versions with greatly prolonged circulation such as liposomal daunorubicin and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin. Pegylated liposomal doxorubucin has shown substantial efficacy in breast cancer treatment both as monotherapy and in combination with other chemotherapeutics. Additional liposome constructs are being developed for the delivery of other drugs. The next generation of delivery systems will include true molecular targeting; immunoliposomes and other ligand-directed constructs represent an integration of biological components capable of tumor recognition with delivery technologies

  15. PEG-Immobilized Keratin for Protein Drug Sequestration and pH-Mediated Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roche C. de Guzman

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Protein drugs like growth factors are promising therapeutics for damaged-tissue repair. Their local delivery often requires biomaterial carriers for achieving the therapeutic dose range while extending efficacy. In this study, polyethylene glycol (PEG and keratin were crosslinked and used as sponge-like scaffolds (KTN-PEG to absorb test proteins with different isoelectric points (pI: albumin (~5, hemoglobin (~7, and lysozyme (~11. The protein release kinetics was influenced by charge at physiological pH 7.4. The keratin network, with pI 5.3, electrostatically attracted lysozyme and repulsed albumin generating the release rate profile: albumin > hemoglobin > lysozyme. However, under acidic conditions (pH 4, all proteins including keratins were positively charged and consequently intermolecular repulsion altered the release hierarchy, now determined by size (MW diffusion: lysozyme (14 kDa > hemoglobin (64 kDa > albumin (66 kDa. Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C, with properties comparable to lysozyme, was absorbed into the KTN-PEG scaffold. Endothelial cells cultured on this substrate had significantly larger numbers than on scaffolds without VEGF-C suggesting that the ionically bound and retained growth factor at neutral pH indirectly increased acute cell attachment and viability. PEG and keratin based sequestrations of proteins with basic pIs are therefore a feasible strategy with potential applications for selective biologics delivery.

  16. Novel Nanostructured Solid Materials for Modulating Oral Drug Delivery from Solid-State Lipid-Based Drug Delivery Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dening, Tahnee J; Rao, Shasha; Thomas, Nicky; Prestidge, Clive A

    2016-01-01

    Lipid-based drug delivery systems (LBDDS) have gained significant attention in recent times, owing to their ability to overcome the challenges limiting the oral delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs. Despite the successful commercialization of several LBDDS products over the years, a large discrepancy exists between the number of poorly water-soluble drugs displaying suboptimal in vivo performances and the application of LBDDS to mitigate their various delivery challenges. Conventional LBDDS, including lipid solutions and suspensions, emulsions, and self-emulsifying formulations, suffer from various drawbacks limiting their widespread use and commercialization. Accordingly, solid-state LBDDS, fabricated by adsorbing LBDDS onto a chemically inert solid carrier material, have attracted substantial interest as a viable means of stabilizing LBDDS whilst eliminating some of the various limitations. This review describes the impact of solid carrier choice on LBDDS performance and highlights the importance of appropriate solid carrier material selection when designing hybrid solid-state LBDDS. Specifically, emphasis is placed on discussing the ability of the specific solid carrier to modulate drug release, control lipase action and lipid digestion, and enhance biopharmaceutical performance above the original liquid-state LBDDS. To encourage the interested reader to consider their solid carrier choice on a higher level, various novel materials with the potential for future use as solid carriers for LBDDS are described. This review is highly significant in guiding future research directions in the solid-state LBDDS field and fostering the translation of these delivery systems to the pharmaceutical marketplace.

  17. Temperature-sensitive microemulsion gel: an effective topical delivery system for simultaneous delivery of vitamins C and E.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rozman, Branka; Zvonar, Alenka; Falson, Francoise; Gasperlin, Mirjana

    2009-01-01

    Microemulsions (ME)--nanostructured systems composed of water, oil, and surfactants--have frequently been used in attempts to increase cutaneous drug delivery. The primary objective addressed in this work has been the development of temperature-sensitive microemulsion gel (called gel-like ME), as an effective and safe delivery system suitable for simultaneous topical application of a hydrophilic vitamin C and a lipophilic vitamin E. By changing water content of liquid o/w ME (o/w ME), a gel-like ME with temperature-sensitive rheological properties was formed. The temperature-driven changes in its microstructure were confirmed by rotational rheometry, viscosity measurements, and droplet size determination. The release studies have shown that the vitamins' release at skin temperature from gel-like ME were comparable to those from o/w ME and were much faster and more complete than from o/w ME conventionally thickened with polymer (o/w ME carbomer). According to effectiveness in skin delivery of both vitamins, o/w ME was found the most appropriate, followed by gel-like ME and by o/w ME carbomer, indicating that no simple correlation between vitamins release and skin absorption could be found. The cytotoxicity studies revealed good cell viability after exposure to ME and confirmed all tested microemulsions as nonirritant.

  18. Core Cross-linked Star Polymers for Temperature/pH Controlled Delivery of 5-Fluorouracil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth Sánchez-Bustos

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available RAFT polymerization with cross-linking was used to prepare core cross-linked star polymers bearing temperature sensitive arms. The arms consisted of a diblock copolymer containing N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm and 4-methacryloyloxy benzoic acid (4MBA in the temperature sensitive block and poly(hexyl acrylate forming the second hydrophobic block, while ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate was used to form the core. The acid comonomer provides pH sensitivity to the arms and also increases the transition temperature of polyNIPAAm to values in the range of 40 to 46°C. Light scattering and atomic force microscopy studies suggest that loose core star polymers were obtained. The star polymers were loaded with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU, an anticancer agent, in values of up to 30 w/w%. In vitro release experiments were performed at different temperatures and pH values, as well as with heating and cooling temperature cycles. Faster drug release was obtained at 42°C or pH 6, compared to normal physiological conditions (37°C, pH 7.4. The drug carriers prepared acted as nanopumps changing the release kinetics of 5-FU when temperatures cycles were applied, in contrast with release rates at a constant temperature. The prepared core cross-linked star polymers represent advanced drug delivery vehicles optimized for 5-FU with potential application in cancer treatment.

  19. Drugs and drug delivery systems targeting amyloid-β in Alzheimer's disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Morgan Robinson

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Alzheimer's disease (AD is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder with no cure and limited treatment solutions that are unable to target any of the suspected causes. Increasing evidence suggests that one of the causes of neurodegeneration is the overproduction of amyloid beta (Aβ and the inability of Aβ peptides to be cleared from the brain, resulting in self-aggregation to form toxic oligomers, fibrils and plaques. One of the potential treatment options is to target Aβ and prevent self-aggregation to allow for a natural clearing of the brain. In this paper, we review the drugs and drug delivery systems that target Aβ in relation to Alzheimer's disease. Many attempts have been made to use anti-Aβ targeting molecules capable of targeting Aβ (with much success in vitro and in vivo animal models, but the major obstacle to this technique is the challenge posed by the blood brain barrier (BBB. This highly selective barrier protects the brain from toxic molecules and pathogens and prevents the delivery of most drugs. Therefore novel Aβ aggregation inhibitor drugs will require well thought-out drug delivery systems to deliver sufficient concentrations to the brain.

  20. Pegylated and amphiphilic Chitosan coated manganese ferrite nanoparticles for pH-sensitive delivery of methotrexate: Synthesis and characterization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karimi, Z. [Department of materials Engineering, Institute of Mechanical Engineering, University of Tabriz, Tabriz 51666-16471 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Abbasi, S. [Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shokrollahi, H., E-mail: shokrollahi@sutech.ac.ir [Electroceramics Group, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Shiraz University of Technology, Shiraz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Yousefi, Gh., E-mail: ghyousefi@sums.ac.ir [Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Center for Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Fahham, M. [Electroceramics Group, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Shiraz University of Technology, Shiraz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Karimi, L. [Materials Science and Engineering Department, Islamic Azad University Ahvaz Branch, Ahvaz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Firuzi, O. [Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2017-02-01

    Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are the major class of nanoparticles (NPs) with specific functional properties that make them good candidates for biomedical applications. Due to their response to the magnetic field, they can be used in targeted drug delivery systems. In current research, the MNPs were synthesized with the general formula of Fe{sub 1−x}Mn{sub x}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} by the co-precipitation technique. First, the effect of the Fe{sup 2+} ions in the system was investigated. Succinic anhydride was used as the first stabilizer to prepare surface for binding two types of polymer, including Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and palmitoylated Polyethylene glycol-grafted Chitosan (Cs-PEG-PA) were introduced as a polymeric shell. The composition, size, structure and magnetic properties of NPs were determined by the particle size analysis (PSA), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Determining the well-defined properties of MNPs, methotrexate (MTX), as a common anticancer drug, was encapsulated into the coated MNPs. The drug encapsulation efficiency was as high as 92.8% with the magnetization value of 19.7 emu/g. The in-vitro release pattern was studied, showing only 6% of the drug release in pH = 7.4 (as a model of the physiological environment) and 25% in pH = 5.4 (as a model of the tumor tissue environment) after 72 h. Based on these results, we may be able to introduce this specific system as a novel pH sensitive MNP system for MTX targeting to tumor tissues in cancer chemotherapy. - Highlights: • Magnetic and structural studies of Fe{sub 1−x}Mn{sub x}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} are investigated. • Simple co-precipitation method involving less energy and low-cost is used. • Superparamagnetic particles with high magnetization and low coercivity are obtained. • The highest amount of MTX loading is related to S-Fe{sub 0.3}Mn{sub 0.7}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4}-Cs-PEG-PA-MTX (1:1).

  1. Application of three-dimensional printing for colon targeted drug delivery systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charbe, Nitin B; McCarron, Paul A; Lane, Majella E; Tambuwala, Murtaza M

    2017-01-01

    Orally administered solid dosage forms currently dominate over all other dosage forms and routes of administrations. However, human gastrointestinal tract (GIT) poses a number of obstacles to delivery of the drugs to the site of interest and absorption in the GIT. Pharmaceutical scientists worldwide have been interested in colon drug delivery for several decades, not only for the delivery of the drugs for the treatment of colonic diseases such as ulcerative colitis and colon cancer but also for delivery of therapeutic proteins and peptides for systemic absorption. Despite extensive research in the area of colon targeted drug delivery, we have not been able to come up with an effective way of delivering drugs to the colon. The current tablets designed for colon drug release depend on either pH-dependent or time-delayed release formulations. During ulcerative colitis the gastric transit time and colon pH-levels is constantly changing depending on whether the patient is having a relapse or under remission. Hence, the current drug delivery system to the colon is based on one-size-fits-all. Fails to effectively deliver the drugs locally to the colon for colonic diseases and delivery of therapeutic proteins and peptides for systemic absorption from the colon. Hence, to overcome the current issues associated with colon drug delivery, we need to provide the patients with personalized tablets which are specifically designed to match the individual's gastric transit time depending on the disease state. Three-dimensional (3D) printing (3DP) technology is getting cheaper by the day and bespoke manufacturing of 3D-printed tablets could provide the solutions in the form of personalized colon drug delivery system. This review provides a bird's eye view of applications and current advances in pharmaceutical 3DP with emphasis on the development of colon targeted drug delivery systems.

  2. A novel dissolution media for testing drug release from a nanostructured polysaccharide-based colon specific drug delivery system: an approach to alternative colon media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kotla NG

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Niranjan G Kotla,1,2 Sima Singh,1,3 Balaji Maddiboyina,4 Omprakash Sunnapu,2 Thomas J Webster5,6 1School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Punjab, India; 2Technologies for the Advancement of Science, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Bangalore, Karnataka, India; 3Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India; 4Department of Pharmaceutics, Vishwabharathi College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India; 5Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; 6Center of Excellence for Advanced Materials Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Abstract: The aim of this study was to develop a novel microbially triggered and animal-sparing dissolution method for testing of nanorough polysaccharide-based micron granules for colonic drug delivery. In this method, probiotic cultures of bacteria present in the colonic region were prepared and added to the dissolution media and compared with the performance of conventional dissolution methodologies (such as media with rat cecal and human fecal media. In this study, the predominant species (such as Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus species, Eubacterium and Streptococcus were cultured in 12% w/v skimmed milk powder and 5% w/v grade “A” honey. Approximately 1010–1011 colony forming units m/L of probiotic culture was added to the dissolution media to test the drug release of polysaccharide-based formulations. A USP dissolution apparatus I/II using a gradient pH dissolution method was used to evaluate drug release from formulations meant for colonic drug delivery. Drug release of guar gum/Eudragit FS30D coated 5-fluorouracil granules was assessed under gastric and small intestine conditions within a simulated colonic environment involving fermentation testing with the probiotic culture. The results with the probiotic system were

  3. Porous silicon advances in drug delivery and immunotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savage, David J; Liu, Xuewu; Curley, Steven A; Ferrari, Mauro; Serda, Rita E

    2013-10-01

    Biomedical applications of porous silicon include drug delivery, imaging, diagnostics and immunotherapy. This review summarizes new silicon particle fabrication techniques, dynamics of cellular transport, advances in the multistage vector approach to drug delivery, and the use of porous silicon as immune adjuvants. Recent findings support superior therapeutic efficacy of the multistage vector approach over single particle drug delivery systems in mouse models of ovarian and breast cancer. With respect to vaccine development, multivalent presentation of pathogen-associated molecular patterns on the particle surface creates powerful platforms for immunotherapy, with the porous matrix able to carry both antigens and immune modulators. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Drug delivery through microneedles

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Luttge, R.; Dietzel, A.

    2016-01-01

    Drug delivery through microneedles is a new form of a pharmaceutical dosage system. While single microneedles have been clinically applied already, the out-of-plane integration of a multitude of microneedles in a pharmaceutical patch is a disruptive technology. To take advantage of micro- and

  5. MODELING OF TARGETED DRUG DELIVERY PART II. MULTIPLE DRUG ADMINISTRATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. V. Zaborovskiy

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In oncology practice, despite significant advances in early cancer detection, surgery, radiotherapy, laser therapy, targeted therapy, etc., chemotherapy is unlikely to lose its relevance in the near future. In this context, the development of new antitumor agents is one of the most important problems of cancer research. In spite of the importance of searching for new compounds with antitumor activity, the possibilities of the “old” agents have not been fully exhausted. Targeted delivery of antitumor agents can give them a “second life”. When developing new targeted drugs and their further introduction into clinical practice, the change in their pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics plays a special role. The paper describes a pharmacokinetic model of the targeted drug delivery. The conditions under which it is meaningful to search for a delivery vehicle for the active substance were described. Primary screening of antitumor agents was undertaken to modify them for the targeted delivery based on underlying assumptions of the model.

  6. Using exosomes, naturally-equipped nanocarriers, for drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batrakova, Elena V; Kim, Myung Soo

    2015-12-10

    Exosomes offer distinct advantages that uniquely position them as highly effective drug carriers. Comprised of cellular membranes with multiple adhesive proteins on their surface, exosomes are known to specialize in cell-cell communications and provide an exclusive approach for the delivery of various therapeutic agents to target cells. In addition, exosomes can be amended through their parental cells to express a targeting moiety on their surface, or supplemented with desired biological activity. Development and validation of exosome-based drug delivery systems are the focus of this review. Different techniques of exosome isolation, characterization, drug loading, and applications in experimental disease models and clinic are discussed. Exosome-based drug formulations may be applied to a wide variety of disorders such as cancer, various infectious, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative disorders. Overall, exosomes combine benefits of both synthetic nanocarriers and cell-mediated drug delivery systems while avoiding their limitations. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. Sustained Release Drug Delivery Applications of Polyurethanes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael B. Lowinger

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Since their introduction over 50 years ago, polyurethanes have been applied to nearly every industry. This review describes applications of polyurethanes to the development of modified release drug delivery. Although drug delivery research leveraging polyurethanes has been ongoing for decades, there has been renewed and substantial interest in the field in recent years. The chemistry of polyurethanes and the mechanisms of drug release from sustained release dosage forms are briefly reviewed. Studies to assess the impact of intrinsic drug properties on release from polyurethane-based formulations are considered. The impact of hydrophilic water swelling polyurethanes on drug diffusivity and release rate is discussed. The role of pore formers in modulating drug release rate is examined. Finally, the value of assessing mechanical properties of the dosage form and approaches taken in the literature are described.

  8. Oral controlled release drug delivery system and Characterization of oral tablets; A review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Zaman

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Oral route of drug administration is considered as the safest and easiest route of drug administration. Control release drug delivery system is the emerging trend in the pharmaceuticals and the oral route is most suitable for such kind of drug delivery system. Oral route is more convenient for It all age group including both pediatric and geriatrics. There are various systems which are adopted to deliver drug in a controlled manner to different target sites through oral route. It includes diffusion controlled drug delivery systems; dissolution controlled drug delivery systems, osmotically controlled drug delivery systems, ion-exchange controlled drug delivery systems, hydrodynamically balanced systems, multi-Particulate drug delivery systems and microencapsulated drug delivery system. The systems are formulated using different natural, semi-synthetic and synthetic polymers. The purpose of the review is to provide information about the orally controlled drug delivery system, polymers which are used to formulate these systems and characterizations of one of the most convenient dosage form which is the tablets. 

  9. Emerging Technologies of Polymeric Nanoparticles in Cancer Drug Delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brewer, E.; Coleman, J.; Lowman, A.

    2011-01-01

    Polymeric nanomaterials have the potential to improve upon present chemotherapy delivery methods. They successfully reduce side effects while increasing dosage, increase residence time in the body, offer a sustained and tunable release, and have the ability to deliver multiple drugs in one carrier. However, traditional nanomaterial formulations have not produced highly therapeutic formulations to date due to their passive delivery methods and lack of rapid drug release at their intended site. In this paper, we have focused on a few smart technologies that further enhance the benefits of typical nanomaterials. Temperature and pH-responsive drug delivery devices were reviewed as methods for triggering release of encapsulating drugs, while aptamer and ligand conjugation were discussed as methods for targeted and intracellular delivery, with emphases on in vitro and in vivo works for each method.

  10. Characterization of the pH and Temperature in the Rabbit, Pig, and Monkey Eye: Key Parameters for the Development of Long-Acting Delivery Ocular Strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorget, Florence; Parenteau, Audrey; Carrier, Michel; Lambert, Daniel; Gueorguieva, Ana; Schuetz, Chris; Bantseev, Vlad; Thackaberry, Evan

    2016-09-06

    Many long-acting delivery strategies for ocular indications rely on pH- and/or temperature-driven release of the therapeutic agent and degradation of the drug carrier. Yet, these physiological parameters are poorly characterized in ocular animal models. These strategies aim at reducing the frequency of dosing, which is of particular interest for the treatment of chronic disorders affecting the posterior segment of the eye, such as macular degeneration that warrants monthly or every other month intravitreal injections. We used anesthetized white New Zealand rabbits, Yucatan mini pigs, and cynomolgus monkeys to characterize pH and temperature in several vitreous locations and the central aqueous location. We also established post mortem pH changes in the vitreous. Our data showed regional and species differences, which need to be factored into strategies for developing biodegradable long-acting delivery systems.

  11. Novel pH responsive polymethacrylic acid-chitosan-polyethylene glycol nanoparticles for oral peptide delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sajeesh, S; Sharma, Chandra P

    2006-02-01

    In present study, novel pH sensitive polymethacrylic acid-chitosan-polyethylene glycol (PCP) nanoparticles were prepared under mild aqueous conditions via polyelectrolyte complexation. Free radical polymerization of methacrylic acid (MAA) was carried out in presence of chitosan (CS) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) using a water-soluble initiator and particles were obtained spontaneously during polymerization without using organic solvents or surfactants/steric stabilizers. Dried particles were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and particles dispersed in phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) were visualized under transmission electron microscope (TEM). SEM studies indicated that PCP particles have an aggregated and irregular morphology, however, TEM revealed that these aggregated particles were composed of smaller fragments with size less than 1 micron. Insulin and bovine serum albumin (BSA) as model proteins were incorporated into the nanoparticles by diffusion filling method and their in vitro release characteristics were evaluated at pH 1.2 and 7.4. PCP nanoparticles exhibited good protein encapsulation efficiency and pH responsive release profile was observed under in vitro conditions. Trypsin inhibitory effect of these PCP nanoparticles was studied using casein substrate and these particles displayed lesser inhibitory effect than reference polymer carbopol. Preliminary investigation suggests that these particles can serve as good candidate for oral peptide delivery. Copyright 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Enhanced drug delivery capabilities from stents coated with absorbable polymer and crystalline drug.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlyle, Wenda C; McClain, James B; Tzafriri, Abraham R; Bailey, Lynn; Zani, Brett G; Markham, Peter M; Stanley, James R L; Edelman, Elazer R

    2012-09-28

    Current drug eluting stent (DES) technology is not optimized with regard to the pharmacokinetics of drug delivery. A novel, absorbable-coating sirolimus-eluting stent (AC-SES) was evaluated for its capacity to deliver drug more evenly within the intimal area rather than concentrating drug around the stent struts and for its ability to match coating erosion with drug release. The coating consisted of absorbable poly-lactide-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) and crystalline sirolimus deposited by a dry-powder electrostatic process. The AC-SES demonstrated enhanced drug stability under simulated use conditions and consistent drug delivery balanced with coating erosion in a porcine coronary implant model. The initial drug burst was eliminated and drug release was sustained after implantation. The coating was absorbed within 90 days. Following implantation into porcine coronary arteries the AC-SES coating is distributed in the surrounding intimal tissue over the course of several weeks. Computational modeling of drug delivery characteristics demonstrates how distributed coating optimizes the load of drug immediately around each stent strut and extends drug delivery between stent struts. The result was a highly efficient arterial uptake of drug with superior performance to a clinical bare metal stent (BMS). Neointimal thickness (0.17±0.07 mm vs. 0.28±0.11 mm) and area percent stenosis (22±9% vs. 35±12%) were significantly reduced (pstent implantation in an overlap configuration in porcine coronary arteries. Inflammation was significantly reduced in the AC-SES compared to the BMS at both 30 and 90 days after implantation. Biocompatible, rapidly absorbable stent coatings enable the matching of drug release with coating erosion and provide for the controlled migration of coating material into tissue to reduce vicissitudes in drug tissue levels, optimizing efficacy and reducing potential toxicity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Zirconium phosphate nanoplatelets: a biocompatible nanomaterial for drug delivery to cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saxena, Vipin; Diaz, Agustin; Clearfield, Abraham; Batteas, James D.; Hussain, Muhammad Delwar

    2013-02-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the biocompatibility of zirconium phosphate (ZrP) nanoplatelets (NPs), and their use in drug delivery. ZrP and doxorubicin-intercalated ZrP (DOX:ZrP) NPs were characterized by using X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Transmission Electron Micrography (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Biocompatibility of ZrP NPs was evaluated in human embryonic kidney (HEK-293), breast cancer (MCF-7), metastatic breast cancer (MDA-MB-231), ovarian cancer (OVCAR-3), resistant cancer (NCI-RES/ADR) cells and mouse macrophage (RAW 264.7) cell lines. Hemocompatibility of ZrP NPs was evaluated with human red blood cells. Simulated body fluid (SBF) of pH 7.4 was used to determine the in vitro release of doxorubicin from DOX:ZrP NPs. Cellular uptake and in vitro cytotoxicity studies of DOX:ZrP NPs were determined in MDA-MB-231. The ZrP nanomaterial can be prepared in the 100-200 nm size range with a platelet-like shape. The ZrP NPs themselves are biocompatible, hemocompatible and showed no toxicity to the macrophage cells. ZrP NPs can intercalate high loads (35% w/w) of doxorubicin between their layers. The release of DOX was sustained for about 2 weeks. DOX:ZrP NPs showed higher cellular uptake and increased cytotoxicity than free DOX in MDA-MB-231 cells. ZrP NPs are highly biocompatible, can intercalate large amounts of drugs and sustain the release of drugs. ZrP NPs improved the cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of DOX to MDA-MB-231 cells. ZrP NPs are promising nanocarriers for drug delivery in cancer therapy.The objective of this study was to evaluate the biocompatibility of zirconium phosphate (ZrP) nanoplatelets (NPs), and their use in drug delivery. ZrP and doxorubicin-intercalated ZrP (DOX:ZrP) NPs were characterized by using X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Transmission Electron Micrography (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM

  14. Printing technologies in fabrication of drug delivery systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolakovic, Ruzica; Viitala, Tapani; Ihalainen, Petri; Genina, Natalja; Peltonen, Jouko; Sandler, Niklas

    2013-12-01

    There has been increased activity in the field recently regarding the development and research on various printing techniques in fabrication of dosage forms and drug delivery systems. These technologies may offer benefits and flexibility in manufacturing, potentially paving the way for personalized dosing and tailor-made dosage forms. In this review, the most recent observations and advancements in fabrication of drug delivery systems by utilizing printing technologies are summarized. A general overview of 2D printing techniques is presented including a review of the most recent literature where printing techniques are used in fabrication of drug delivery systems. The future perspectives and possible impacts on formulation strategies, flexible dosing and personalized medication of using printing techniques for fabrication of drug delivery systems are discussed. It is evident that there is an urgent need to meet the challenges of rapidly growing trend of personalization of medicines through development of flexible drug-manufacturing approaches. In this context, various printing technologies, such as inkjet and flexography, can play an important role. Challenges on different levels exist and include: i) technological development of printers and production lines; ii) printable formulations and carrier substrates; iii) quality control and characterization; and iv) regulatory perspectives.

  15. Osmotically driven drug delivery through remote-controlled magnetic nanocomposite membranes

    KAUST Repository

    Zaher, A.

    2015-09-29

    Implantable drug delivery systems can provide long-term reliability, controllability, and biocompatibility, and have been used in many applications, including cancer pain and non-malignant pain treatment. However, many of the available systems are limited to zero-order, inconsistent, or single burst event drug release. To address these limitations, we demonstrate prototypes of a remotely operated drug delivery device that offers controllability of drug release profiles, using osmotic pumping as a pressure source and magnetically triggered membranes as switchable on-demand valves. The membranes are made of either ethyl cellulose, or the proposed stronger cellulose acetate polymer, mixed with thermosensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel and superparamagnetic iron oxide particles. The prototype devices\\' drug diffusion rates are on the order of 0.5–2 μg/h for higher release rate designs, and 12–40 ng/h for lower release rates, with maximum release ratios of 4.2 and 3.2, respectively. The devices exhibit increased drug delivery rates with higher osmotic pumping rates or with magnetically increased membrane porosity. Furthermore, by vapor deposition of a cyanoacrylate layer, a drastic reduction of the drug delivery rate from micrograms down to tens of nanograms per hour is achieved. By utilizing magnetic membranes as the valve-control mechanism, triggered remotely by means of induction heating, the demonstrated drug delivery devices benefit from having the power source external to the system, eliminating the need for a battery. These designs multiply the potential approaches towards increasing the on-demand controllability and customizability of drug delivery profiles in the expanding field of implantable drug delivery systems, with the future possibility of remotely controlling the pressure source.

  16. Osmotically driven drug delivery through remote-controlled magnetic nanocomposite membranes

    KAUST Repository

    Zaher, Amir; Li, S.; Wolf, K. T.; Pirmoradi, F. N.; Yassine, Omar; Lin, L.; Khashab, Niveen M.; Kosel, Jü rgen

    2015-01-01

    Implantable drug delivery systems can provide long-term reliability, controllability, and biocompatibility, and have been used in many applications, including cancer pain and non-malignant pain treatment. However, many of the available systems are limited to zero-order, inconsistent, or single burst event drug release. To address these limitations, we demonstrate prototypes of a remotely operated drug delivery device that offers controllability of drug release profiles, using osmotic pumping as a pressure source and magnetically triggered membranes as switchable on-demand valves. The membranes are made of either ethyl cellulose, or the proposed stronger cellulose acetate polymer, mixed with thermosensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel and superparamagnetic iron oxide particles. The prototype devices' drug diffusion rates are on the order of 0.5–2 μg/h for higher release rate designs, and 12–40 ng/h for lower release rates, with maximum release ratios of 4.2 and 3.2, respectively. The devices exhibit increased drug delivery rates with higher osmotic pumping rates or with magnetically increased membrane porosity. Furthermore, by vapor deposition of a cyanoacrylate layer, a drastic reduction of the drug delivery rate from micrograms down to tens of nanograms per hour is achieved. By utilizing magnetic membranes as the valve-control mechanism, triggered remotely by means of induction heating, the demonstrated drug delivery devices benefit from having the power source external to the system, eliminating the need for a battery. These designs multiply the potential approaches towards increasing the on-demand controllability and customizability of drug delivery profiles in the expanding field of implantable drug delivery systems, with the future possibility of remotely controlling the pressure source.

  17. Broadly Applicable Nanowafer Drug Delivery System for Treating Eye Injuries

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-09-01

    Systems in Systemic , Dermal, Transdermal , and Ocular Drug Delivery . Crit. Rev. Ther. Drug 2008, 25, 545–584. 14. Choy, Y. B.; Park, J.-H.; McCarey, B...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-13-1-0146 TITLE: Broadly Applicable Nanowafer Drug Delivery System for Treating Eye Injuries PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr...Broadly Applicable Nanowafer Drug Delivery System for Treating Eye Injuries” 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-13-1-0146 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6

  18. Formulation and comparative in vitro evaluation of various dexamethasone-loaded pH-sensitive polymeric nanoparticles intended for dermal applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahle, Fitsum Feleke; Gerecke, Christian; Kleuser, Burkhard; Bodmeier, Roland

    2017-01-10

    pH-sensitive nanoparticles have a great potential for dermal and transfollicular drug delivery. In this study, pH-sensitive, dexamethasone-loaded Eudragit ® L 100, Eudragit ® L 100-55, Eudragit ® S 100, HPMCP-50, HPMCP-55 and cellulose acetate phthalate nanoparticles were prepared by nanoprecipitation and characterized. The pH-dependent swelling, erosion, dissolution and drug release kinetics were investigated in vitro using dynamic light scattering and Franz diffusion cells, respectively. Their toxicity potential was assessed by the ROS and MTT assays. 100-700nm nanoparticles with high drug loading and entrapment efficiency were obtained. The nanoparticles bear no toxicity potential. Cellulose phthalates nanoparticles were more sensitive to pH than acrylates nanoparticles. They dissolved in 10mM pH 7.5 buffer and released>80% of the drug within 7h. The acrylate nanoparticles dissolved in 40mM pH 7.5 buffer and released 65-70% of the drug within 7h. The nanoparticles remained intact in 10 and 40mM pH 6.0 buffers (HPMCP nanoparticles dissolved in 40mM pH 6.0 buffer) and released slowly. The nanoparticles properties could be modulated by blending the different polymers. In conclusion, various pH-sensitive nanoparticles that could release differently on the skin surface and dissolve and release in the hair follicles were obtained. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Preparation and characterization of 6-mercaptopurine-coated magnetite nanoparticles as a drug delivery system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dorniani D

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Dena Dorniani,1 Mohd Zobir bin Hussein,1 Aminu Umar Kura,2 Sharida Fakurazi,2 Abdul Halim Shaari,3 Zalinah Ahmad4 1Materials Synthesis and Characterization Laboratory, Institute of Advanced Technology, 2Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics Laboratory, 3Physics Department, Faculty of Science, 4Chemical Pathology Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia Background: Iron oxide nanoparticles are of considerable interest because of their use in magnetic recording tape, ferrofluid, magnetic resonance imaging, drug delivery, and treatment of cancer. The specific morphology of nanoparticles confers an ability to load, carry, and release different types of drugs. Methods and results: We synthesized superparamagnetic nanoparticles containing pure iron oxide with a cubic inverse spinal structure. Fourier transform infrared spectra confirmed that these Fe3O4 nanoparticles could be successfully coated with active drug, and thermogravimetric and differential thermogravimetric analyses showed that the thermal stability of iron oxide nanoparticles coated with chitosan and 6-mercaptopurine (FCMP was markedly enhanced. The synthesized Fe3O4 nanoparticles and the FCMP nanocomposite were generally spherical, with an average diameter of 9 nm and 19 nm, respectively. The release of 6-mercaptopurine from the FCMP nanocomposite was found to be sustained and governed by pseudo-second order kinetics. In order to improve drug loading and release behavior, we prepared a novel nanocomposite (FCMP-D, ie, Fe3O4 nanoparticles containing the same amounts of chitosan and 6-mercaptopurine but using a different solvent for the drug. The results for FCMP-D did not demonstrate “burst release” and the maximum percentage release of 6-mercaptopurine from the FCMP-D nanocomposite reached about 97.7% and 55.4% within approximately 2,500 and 6,300 minutes when exposed to pH 4.8 and pH 7.4 solutions, respectively

  20. Noninvasive ocular drug delivery: potential transcorneal and other alternative delivery routes for therapeutic molecules in glaucoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foldvari, Marianna

    2014-01-01

    Drug delivery to the eye is made difficult by multiple barriers (such as the tear film, cornea, and vitreous) between the surface of the eye and the treatment site. These barriers are difficult to surmount for the purposes of drug delivery without causing toxicity. Using nanotechnology tools to control, manipulate, and study delivery systems, new approaches to delivering drugs, genes, and antigens that are effective and safe can be developed. Topical administration to the ocular surface would be the safest method for delivery, as it is noninvasive and painless compared with other delivery methods. However, there is only limited success using topical delivery methods, especially for gene therapy. Current thinking on treatments of the future enabled by nanodelivery systems and the identification of target specificity parameters that require deeper understanding to develop successful topical delivery systems for glaucoma is highlighted.

  1. Lipid nanoparticles as drug/gene delivery systems to the retina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    del Pozo-Rodríguez, Ana; Delgado, Diego; Gascón, Alicia R; Solinís, Maria Ángeles

    2013-03-01

    This review highlights the application of lipid nanoparticles (Solid Lipid Nanoparticles, Nanostructured Lipid Carriers, or Lipid Drug Conjugates) as effective drug/gene delivery systems for retinal diseases. Most drug products for ocular disease treatment are marketed as eye drop formulations but, due to ocular barriers, the drug concentration in the retina hardly ever turns out to be effective. Up to this date, several delivery systems have been designed to deliver drugs to the retina. Drug delivery strategies may be classified into 3 groups: noninvasive techniques, implants, and colloidal carriers. The best known systems for drug delivery to the posterior eye are intravitreal implants; in fact, some of them are being clinically used. However, their long-term accumulation might impact the patient's vision. On the contrary, colloidal drug delivery systems (microparticles, liposomes, or nanoparticles) can be easily administered in a liquid form. Nanoparticular systems diffuse rapidly and are better internalized in ocular tissues than microparticles. In comparison with liposomes, nanoparticles have a higher loading capacity and are more stable in biological fluids and during storage. In addition, their capacity to adhere to the ocular surface and interact with the endothelium makes these drug delivery systems interesting as new therapeutic tools in ophthalmology. Within the group of nanoparticles, those composed of lipids (Solid Lipid Nanoparticles, Nanostructred Lipid Carriers, and Lipid Drug Conjugates) are more biocompatible, easy to produce at large scale, and they may be autoclaved or sterilized. The present review summarizes scientific results that evidence the potential application of lipid nanoparticles as drug delivery systems for the retina and also as nonviral vectors in gene therapy of retina disorders, although much more effort is still needed before these lipidic systems could be available in the market.

  2. Advanced materials and processing for drug delivery: the past and the future.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ying; Chan, Hon Fai; Leong, Kam W

    2013-01-01

    Design and synthesis of efficient drug delivery systems are of vital importance for medicine and healthcare. Materials innovation and nanotechnology have synergistically fueled the advancement of drug delivery. Innovation in material chemistry allows the generation of biodegradable, biocompatible, environment-responsive, and targeted delivery systems. Nanotechnology enables control over size, shape and multi-functionality of particulate drug delivery systems. In this review, we focus on the materials innovation and processing of drug delivery systems and how these advances have shaped the past and may influence the future of drug delivery. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Nanoparticulate delivery systems for antiviral drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lembo, David; Cavalli, Roberta

    2010-01-01

    Nanomedicine opens new therapeutic avenues for attacking viral diseases and for improving treatment success rates. Nanoparticulate-based systems might change the release kinetics of antivirals, increase their bioavailability, improve their efficacy, restrict adverse drug side effects and reduce treatment costs. Moreover, they could permit the delivery of antiviral drugs to specific target sites and viral reservoirs in the body. These features are particularly relevant in viral diseases where high drug doses are needed, drugs are expensive and the success of a therapy is associated with a patient's adherence to the administration protocol. This review presents the current status in the emerging area of nanoparticulate delivery systems in antiviral therapy, providing their definition and description, and highlighting some peculiar features. The paper closes with a discussion on the future challenges that must be addressed before the potential of nanotechnology can be translated into safe and effective antiviral formulations for clinical use.

  4. Loading of microcontainers for oral drug delivery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Marizza, Paolo

    The pharmaceutical research is facing several obstacles in the development of drug products for the oral delivery. The main problem deals with the intrinsic chemical nature of the new drug candidates, which are often poorly soluble and barely absorbed in the gastro-intestinal tract. Furthermore......, they are usually degraded before they are absorbed. These combined factors considerably reduce the bioavailability of many active ingredients. Several strategies have been developed to overcome these challenges. One of them are microfabricated drug delivery devices. Microreservoir based-systems are characterized...... of UV photolithography was developed. The fabrication of polymer patterns was optimized and loading with both small hydrophobic drugs and proteins was demonstrated. Finally, structural properties of hydrogels were elucidated by rheology and NMR with the perspective of controlling the drug release...

  5. pH-responsive mesoporous silica nanoparticles employed in controlled drug delivery systems for cancer treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Ke-Ni; Zhang, Chun-Qiu; Wang, Wei; Wang, Paul C.; Zhou, Jian-Ping; Liang, Xing-Jie

    2014-01-01

    In the fight against cancer, controlled drug delivery systems have emerged to enhance the therapeutic efficacy and safety of anti-cancer drugs. Among these systems, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) with a functional surface possess obvious advantages and were thus rapidly developed for cancer treatment. Many stimuli-responsive materials, such as nanoparticles, polymers, and inorganic materials, have been applied as caps and gatekeepers to control drug release from MSNs. This review presents an overview of the recent progress in the production of pH-responsive MSNs based on the pH gradient between normal tissues and the tumor microenvironment. Four main categories of gatekeepers can respond to acidic conditions. These categories will be described in detail

  6. Filled carbon nanotubes in biomedical imaging and drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martincic, Markus; Tobias, Gerard

    2015-04-01

    Carbon nanotubes have been advocated as promising candidates in the biomedical field in the areas of diagnosis and therapy. In terms of drug delivery, the use of carbon nanotubes can overcome some limitations of 'free' drugs by improving the formulation of poorly water-soluble drugs, allowing targeted delivery and even enabling the co-delivery of two or more drugs for combination therapy. Two different approaches are currently being explored for the delivery of diagnostic and therapeutic agents by carbon nanotubes, namely attachment of the payload to the external sidewalls or encapsulation into the inner cavities. Although less explored, the latter confers additional stability to the chosen diagnostic or therapeutic agents, and leaves the backbone structure of the nanotubes available for its functionalization with dispersing and targeting moieties. Several drug delivery systems and diagnostic agents have been developed in the last years employing the inner tubular cavities of carbon nanotubes. The research discussed in this review focuses on the use of carbon nanotubes that contain in their interior drug molecules and diagnosis-related compounds. The approaches employed for the development of such nanoscale vehicles along with targeting and releasing strategies are discussed. The encapsulation of both biomedical contrast agents and drugs inside carbon nanotubes is further expanding the possibilities to allow an early diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

  7. Critical Assessment of Implantable Drug Delivery Devices in Glaucoma Management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dharani Manickavasagam

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Glaucoma is a group of heterogeneous disorders involving progressive optic neuropathy that can culminate into visual impairment and irreversible blindness. Effective therapeutic interventions must address underlying vulnerability of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs to degeneration in conjunction with correcting other associated risk factors (such as elevated intraocular pressure. However, realization of therapeutic outcomes is heavily dependent on suitable delivery system that can overcome myriads of anatomical and physiological barriers to intraocular drug delivery. Development of clinically viable sustained release systems in glaucoma is a widely recognized unmet need. In this regard, implantable delivery systems may relieve the burden of chronic drug administration while potentially ensuring high intraocular drug bioavailability. Presently there are no FDA-approved implantable drug delivery devices for glaucoma even though there are several ongoing clinical studies. The paper critically assessed the prospects of polymeric implantable delivery systems in glaucoma while identifying factors that can dictate (a patient tolerability and acceptance, (b drug stability and drug release profiles, (c therapeutic efficacy, and (d toxicity and biocompatibility. The information gathered could be useful in future research and development efforts on implantable delivery systems in glaucoma.

  8. Drug delivery system and breast cancer cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colone, Marisa; Kaliappan, Subramanian; Calcabrini, Annarica; Tortora, Mariarosaria; Cavalieri, Francesca; Stringaro, Annarita

    2016-06-01

    Recently, nanomedicine has received increasing attention for its ability to improve the efficacy of cancer therapeutics. Nanosized polymer therapeutic agents offer the advantage of prolonged circulation in the blood stream, targeting to specific sites, improved efficacy and reduced side effects. In this way, local, controlled delivery of the drug will be achieved with the advantage of a high concentration of drug release at the target site while keeping the systemic concentration of the drug low, thus reducing side effects due to bioaccumulation. Various drug delivery systems such as nanoparticles, liposomes, microparticles and implants have been demonstrated to significantly enhance the preventive/therapeutic efficacy of many drugs by increasing their bioavailability and targetability. As these carriers significantly increase the therapeutic effect of drugs, their administration would become less cost effective in the near future. The purpose of our research work is to develop a delivery system for breast cancer cells using a microvector of drugs. These results highlight the potential uses of these responsive platforms suited for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. At the request of all authors of the paper an updated version was published on 12 July 2016. The manuscript was prepared and submitted without Dr. Francesca Cavalieri's contribution and her name was added without her consent. Her name has been removed in the updated and re-published article.

  9. Nanosized Minicells Generated by Lactic Acid Bacteria for Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huu Ngoc Nguyen

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Nanotechnology has the ability to target specific areas of the body, controlling the drug release and significantly increasing the bioavailability of active compounds. Organic and inorganic nanoparticles have been developed for drug delivery systems. Many delivery systems are through clinical stages for development and market. Minicell, a nanosized cell generated by bacteria, is a potential particle for drug delivery because of its size, safety, and biodegradability. Minicells produced by bacteria could drive therapeutic agents against cancer, microbial infection, and other diseases by targeting. In addition, minicells generated by lactic acid bacteria being probiotics are more interesting than others because of their benefits like safety, immunological improvement, and biodegradation. This review aims to highlight the stages of development of nanoparticle for drug delivery and discuss their advantages and limitations to clarify minicells as a new opportunity for the development of potential nanoparticle for drug delivery.

  10. Advances in the Applications of Polyhydroxyalkanoate Nanoparticles for Novel Drug Delivery System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anupama Shrivastav

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Drug delivery technology is emerging as an interdisciplinary science aimed at improving human health. The controlled delivery of pharmacologically active agents to the specific site of action at the therapeutically optimal rate and dose regimen has been a major goal in designing drug delivery systems. Over the past few decades, there has been considerable interest in developing biodegradable drug carriers as effective drug delivery systems. Polymeric materials from natural sources play an important role in controlled release of drug at a particular site. Polyhydroxyalkanoates, due to their origin from natural sources, are given attention as candidates for drug delivery materials. Biodegradable and biocompatible polyhydroxyalkanoates are linear polyesters produced by microorganisms under unbalanced growth conditions, which have emerged as potential polymers for use as biomedical materials for drug delivery due to their unique physiochemical and mechanical properties. This review summarizes many of the key findings in the applications of polyhydroxyalkanoates and polyhydroxyalkanoate nanoparticles for drug delivery system.

  11. Synthesis of nanohydrogels based on tragacanth gum biopolymer and investigation of swelling and drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadat Hosseini, Masoomeh; Hemmati, Khadijeh; Ghaemy, Mousa

    2016-01-01

    The present article deals with preparation of pH responsive nanohydrogels based on tragacanth gum (TG) biopolymer for drug delivery. The nanohydrogels were prepared using different chemical reagents such as 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) modifier and glyceroldiglycidylether (GDE), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and glutaraldehyde (GA) as cross-linkers. The obtained nanohydrogels were characterized using different techniques such as scanning electron microscope (SEM), elemental analysis, FT-IR, zeta sizer and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The gel content increased with increasing the cross-linkers contents and reached to a maximum of 90%. The swelling behavior of nanohydrogels was investigated in terms of the effect of pH (2.2, 7.4 and 9), temperature (27, 37 and 60°C), and reaction time (2-24h). Loading of Indomethacin (IND) as a model drug showed dependence on the network structure of nanohydrogels. The total in vitro IND release showed dependence on the network structure of nanohydrogels and was in the range of 50-80% at pH 9 after 24h. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. A review on electrospun nanofibers for oral drug delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abbas Akhgari

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, polymer nanofibers have gained attention due to remarkable characteristics such as high porosity and large surface area to volume ratio. Among their fabrication methods, electrospinning technique has been attracted as a simple and reproducible approach. It is a versatile, simple and cost-effective technique for the production of continuous nanofibers with acceptable characteristics such as high porosity, high surface area to volume ratio, high loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency, delivery of multiple drugs, and enhancement of drug solubility. Due to these properties electrospun nanofibers have been extensively used for different biomedical applications including wound dressing, tissue engineering, enzyme immobilization, artificial organs, and drug delivery. Different synthetic and natural polymers have been successfully electrospun into ultrafine fibers. Using electrospun nanofibers as vehicles for oral drug delivery has been investigated in different release manners- fast, biphasic or sustained release. This article presents a review on application of electrospinning technique in oral drug delivery.

  13. Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems: promising approaches against infections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ranghar, Shweta; Sirohi, Parul; Verma, Pritam; Agarwal, Vishnu

    2014-01-01

    Despite the fact that many new drugs and technologies have been developed to combat the infectious diseases, these have continued to be global health challenges. The use of conventional antimicrobial agents against these infections is always associated with problems such as the development of multiple drug resistance and adverse side effects. In addition, the inefficient traditional drug delivery system results in inadequate therapeutic index, low bioavailability of drugs and many other limitations. In this regard, antimicrobial nanoparticles and nanosized drug delivery carriers have emerged as potent effective agents against the infections. Nanoparticles have unique properties owing to their ultra small and controllable size such as high surface area, enhanced reactivity, and functionalizable structure. This review focused on different classes of antimicrobial nanoparticles, including metal, metal oxide and others along with their mechanism of action and their potential use against the infections. The review also focused on the development of nanoparticle systems for antimicrobial drug delivery and use of these systems for delivery of various antimicrobial agents, giving an overview about modern nanoparticle based therapeutic strategies against the infections. (author)

  14. Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems: promising approaches against infections

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ranghar, Shweta; Sirohi, Parul [Department of Applied Mechanics, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad (India); Verma, Pritam; Agarwal, Vishnu [Department of Biotechnology, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad (India)

    2014-03-15

    Despite the fact that many new drugs and technologies have been developed to combat the infectious diseases, these have continued to be global health challenges. The use of conventional antimicrobial agents against these infections is always associated with problems such as the development of multiple drug resistance and adverse side effects. In addition, the inefficient traditional drug delivery system results in inadequate therapeutic index, low bioavailability of drugs and many other limitations. In this regard, antimicrobial nanoparticles and nanosized drug delivery carriers have emerged as potent effective agents against the infections. Nanoparticles have unique properties owing to their ultra small and controllable size such as high surface area, enhanced reactivity, and functionalizable structure. This review focused on different classes of antimicrobial nanoparticles, including metal, metal oxide and others along with their mechanism of action and their potential use against the infections. The review also focused on the development of nanoparticle systems for antimicrobial drug delivery and use of these systems for delivery of various antimicrobial agents, giving an overview about modern nanoparticle based therapeutic strategies against the infections. (author)

  15. Microneedle-based drug and vaccine delivery via nanoporous microneedle arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Maaden, Koen; Luttge, Regina; Vos, Pieter Jan; Bouwstra, Joke; Kersten, Gideon; Ploemen, Ivo

    2015-08-01

    In the literature, several types of microneedles have been extensively described. However, porous microneedle arrays only received minimal attention. Hence, only little is known about drug delivery via these microneedles. However, porous microneedle arrays may have potential for future microneedle-based drug and vaccine delivery and could be a valuable addition to the other microneedle-based drug delivery approaches. To gain more insight into porous microneedle technologies, the scientific and patent literature is reviewed, and we focus on the possibilities and constraints of porous microneedle technologies for dermal drug delivery. Furthermore, we show preliminary data with commercially available porous microneedles and describe future directions in this field of research.

  16. Comet Assay: A Method to Evaluate Genotoxicity of Nano-Drug Delivery System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vandghanooni, Somayeh; Eskandani, Morteza

    2011-01-01

    Introduction Drug delivery systems could induce cellular toxicity as side effect of nanomaterials. The mechanism of toxicity usually involves DNA damage. The comet assay or single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) is a sensitive method for detecting strand damages in the DNA of a cell with applications in genotoxicity testing and molecular epidemiology as well as fundamental research in DNA damage and repair. Methods In the current study, we reviewed recent drug delivery researches related to SCGE. Results We found that one preference for choosing the assay is that comet images may result from apoptosis-mediated nuclear fragmentation. This method has been widely used over the last decade in several different areas. Overall cells, such as cultured cells are embedded in agarose on a microscope slide, lysed with detergent, and treated with high salt. Nucleoids are supercoiled DNA form. When the slide is faced to alkaline electrophoresis any breakages present in the DNA cause the supercoiling to relax locally and loops of DNA extend toward the anode as a ‘‘comet tail’’. Conclusion This article provides a relatively comprehensive review upon potentiality of the comet assay for assessment of DNA damage and accordingly it can be used as an informative platform in genotoxicity studies of drug delivery systems. PMID:23678412

  17. Microneedle-based drug delivery systems for transdermal route.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pierre, Maria Bernadete Riemma; Rossetti, Fabia Cristina

    2014-03-01

    Transdermal delivery offers an attractive, noninvasive administration route but it is limited by the skin's barrier to penetration. Minimally invasive techniques, such as the use of microneedles (MNs), bypass the stratum corneum (SC) barrier to permit the drug's direct access to the viable epidermis. These novel micro devices have been developed to puncture the skin for the transdermal delivery of hydrophilic drugs and macromolecules, including peptides, DNA and other molecules, that would otherwise have difficulty passing the outermost layer of the skin, the SC. Using the tools of the microelectronics industry, MNs have been fabricated with a range of sizes, shapes and materials. MNs have been shown to be robust enough to penetrate the skin and dramatically increase the skin permeability of several drugs. Moreover, MNs have reduced needle insertion pain and tissue trauma and provided controlled delivery across the skin. This review focuses on the current state of the art in the transdermal delivery of drugs using various types of MNs and developments in the field of microscale devices, as well as examples of their uses and clinical safety.

  18. Using DNA nanotechnology to produce a drug delivery system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    La, Thi Huyen; Nguyen, Thi Thu Thuy; Pham, Van Phuc; Nguyen, Thi Minh Huyen; Le, Quang Huan

    2013-01-01

    Drug delivery to cancer cells in chemotherapy is one of the most advanced research topics. The effectiveness of the current cancer treatment drugs is limited because they are not capable of distinguishing between cancer cells and normal cells so that they kill not only cancer cells but also normal ones. To overcome this disadvantage by profiting from the differences in physical and chemical properties between cancer and normal cells, nanoparticles (NPs) delivering a drug are designed in a specific manner such that they can distinguish the cancer cells from the normal ones and are targeted only to the cancer cells. Currently, there are various drug delivery systems with many advantages, but sharing some common disadvantages such as difficulty with controlling the size, low encapsulation capacity and low stability. With the development and success of DNA nanotechnology, DNA strands are used to create effective drug delivery NPs with precisely controlled size and structure, safety and high stability. This article presents our study on drug encapsulation in DNA nanostructure which loaded docetaxel and curcumin in a desire to create a new and effective drug delivery system with high biological compatibility. (paper)

  19. Towards soft robotic devices for site-specific drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alici, Gursel

    2015-01-01

    Considerable research efforts have recently been dedicated to the establishment of various drug delivery systems (DDS) that are mechanical/physical, chemical and biological/molecular DDS. In this paper, we report on the recent advances in site-specific drug delivery (site-specific, controlled, targeted or smart drug delivery are terms used interchangeably in the literature, to mean to transport a drug or a therapeutic agent to a desired location within the body and release it as desired with negligibly small toxicity and side effect compared to classical drug administration means such as peroral, parenteral, transmucosal, topical and inhalation) based on mechanical/physical systems consisting of implantable and robotic drug delivery systems. While we specifically focus on the robotic or autonomous DDS, which can be reprogrammable and provide multiple doses of a drug at a required time and rate, we briefly cover the implanted DDS, which are well-developed relative to the robotic DDS, to highlight the design and performance requirements, and investigate issues associated with the robotic DDS. Critical research issues associated with both DDSs are presented to describe the research challenges ahead of us in order to establish soft robotic devices for clinical and biomedical applications.

  20. Hydrogel nanoparticles in drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamidi, Mehrdad; Azadi, Amir; Rafiei, Pedram

    2008-12-14

    Hydrogel nanoparticles have gained considerable attention in recent years as one of the most promising nanoparticulate drug delivery systems owing to their unique potentials via combining the characteristics of a hydrogel system (e.g., hydrophilicity and extremely high water content) with a nanoparticle (e.g., very small size). Several polymeric hydrogel nanoparticulate systems have been prepared and characterized in recent years, based on both natural and synthetic polymers, each with its own advantages and drawbacks. Among the natural polymers, chitosan and alginate have been studied extensively for preparation of hydrogel nanoparticles and from synthetic group, hydrogel nanoparticles based on poly (vinyl alcohol), poly (ethylene oxide), poly (ethyleneimine), poly (vinyl pyrrolidone), and poly-N-isopropylacrylamide have been reported with different characteristics and features with respect to drug delivery. Regardless of the type of polymer used, the release mechanism of the loaded agent from hydrogel nanoparticles is complex, while resulting from three main vectors, i.e., drug diffusion, hydrogel matrix swelling, and chemical reactivity of the drug/matrix. Several crosslinking methods have been used in the way to form the hydrogel matix structures, which can be classified in two major groups of chemically- and physically-induced crosslinking.

  1. Emerging Technologies of Polymeric Nanoparticles in Cancer Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erik Brewer

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Polymeric nanomaterials have the potential to improve upon present chemotherapy delivery methods. They successfully reduce side effects while increasing dosage, increase residence time in the body, offer a sustained and tunable release, and have the ability to deliver multiple drugs in one carrier. However, traditional nanomaterial formulations have not produced highly therapeutic formulations to date due to their passive delivery methods and lack of rapid drug release at their intended site. In this paper, we have focused on a few “smart” technologies that further enhance the benefits of typical nanomaterials. Temperature and pH-responsive drug delivery devices were reviewed as methods for triggering release of encapsulating drugs, while aptamer and ligand conjugation were discussed as methods for targeted and intracellular delivery, with emphases on in vitro and in vivo works for each method.

  2. Multilayer encapsulated mesoporous silica nanospheres as an oral sustained drug delivery system for the poorly water-soluble drug felodipine

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hu, Liang [Department of Pharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, P.O. Box 32, Liaoning Province, Shenyang 110016 (China); Sun, Hongrui [English Teaching Department, School of Basic Courses, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Wenhua Road 103, Shenyang 110016 (China); Zhao, Qinfu; Han, Ning; Bai, Ling; Wang, Ying; Jiang, Tongying [Department of Pharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, P.O. Box 32, Liaoning Province, Shenyang 110016 (China); Wang, Siling, E-mail: silingwang@syphu.edu.cn [Department of Pharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, P.O. Box 32, Liaoning Province, Shenyang 110016 (China)

    2015-02-01

    We used a combination of mesoporous silica nanospheres (MSN) and layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly technology to establish a new oral sustained drug delivery system for the poorly water-soluble drug felodipine. Firstly, the model drug was loaded into MSN, and then the loaded MSN were repeatedly encapsulated by chitosan (CHI) and acacia (ACA) via LBL self-assembly method. The structural features of the samples were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nitrogen adsorption. The encapsulating process was monitored by zeta-potential and surface tension measurements. The physical state of the drug in the samples was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). The influence of the multilayer with different number of layers on the drug release rate was studied using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and surface tension measurement. The swelling effect and the structure changes of the multilayer were investigated to explore the relationship between the drug release behavior and the state of the multilayer under different pH conditions. The stability and mucosa adhesive ability of the prepared nanoparticles were also explored. After multilayer coating, the drug release rate was effectively controlled. The differences in drug release behavior under different pH conditions could be attributed to the different states of the multilayer. And the nanoparticles possessed good stability and strong mucosa adhesive ability. We believe that this combination offers a simple strategy for regulating the release rate of poorly water-soluble drugs and extends the pharmaceutical applications of inorganic materials and polymers. - Highlights: • A combination of inorganic and organic materials was applied. • Mesoporous silica nanospheres (MSN) were used as drug carriers. • Chitosan and acacia were encapsulated through layer-by-layer self-assembly. • The release rate of the poorly

  3. Multilayer encapsulated mesoporous silica nanospheres as an oral sustained drug delivery system for the poorly water-soluble drug felodipine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu, Liang; Sun, Hongrui; Zhao, Qinfu; Han, Ning; Bai, Ling; Wang, Ying; Jiang, Tongying; Wang, Siling

    2015-01-01

    We used a combination of mesoporous silica nanospheres (MSN) and layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly technology to establish a new oral sustained drug delivery system for the poorly water-soluble drug felodipine. Firstly, the model drug was loaded into MSN, and then the loaded MSN were repeatedly encapsulated by chitosan (CHI) and acacia (ACA) via LBL self-assembly method. The structural features of the samples were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nitrogen adsorption. The encapsulating process was monitored by zeta-potential and surface tension measurements. The physical state of the drug in the samples was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). The influence of the multilayer with different number of layers on the drug release rate was studied using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and surface tension measurement. The swelling effect and the structure changes of the multilayer were investigated to explore the relationship between the drug release behavior and the state of the multilayer under different pH conditions. The stability and mucosa adhesive ability of the prepared nanoparticles were also explored. After multilayer coating, the drug release rate was effectively controlled. The differences in drug release behavior under different pH conditions could be attributed to the different states of the multilayer. And the nanoparticles possessed good stability and strong mucosa adhesive ability. We believe that this combination offers a simple strategy for regulating the release rate of poorly water-soluble drugs and extends the pharmaceutical applications of inorganic materials and polymers. - Highlights: • A combination of inorganic and organic materials was applied. • Mesoporous silica nanospheres (MSN) were used as drug carriers. • Chitosan and acacia were encapsulated through layer-by-layer self-assembly. • The release rate of the poorly

  4. Packaged Au-PPy valves for drug delivery systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Han-Kuan A.; Ma, Kuo-Sheng; Zoval, Jim; Kulinsky, Lawrence; Madou, Marc

    2006-03-01

    The most common methods for the drug delivery are swallowing pills or receiving injections. However, formulations that control the rate and period of medicine (i.e., time-release medications) are still problematic. The proposed implantable devices which include batteries, sensors, telemetry, valves, and drug storage reservoirs provide an alternative method for the responsive drug delivery system [1]. Using this device, drug concentration can be precisely controlled which enhances drug efficiency and decreases the side effects. In order to achieve responsive drug delivery, a reliable release valve has to be developed. Biocompatibility, low energy consumption, and minimized leakage are the main requirements for such release method. A bilayer structure composed of Au/PPy film is fabricated as a flap to control the release valve. Optimized potentiostatic control to synthesize polypyrrole (PPy) is presented. The release of miniaturize valve is tested and showed in this paper. A novel idea to simultaneously fabricate the device reservoirs as well as protective packaging is proposed in this paper. The solution of PDMS permeability problem is also mentioned in this article.

  5. Chemical crosslinking of acrylic acid to form biocompatible pH sensitive hydrogel reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals (CNC)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Lim Sze; Ahmad, Ishak; Lazim, Mohd Azwani Shah Mat; Amin, Mohd. Cairul Iqbal Mohd

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to produce a novel pH and temperature sensitive hydrogel, composed of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and cellulose nanocrystal (CNC). CNC was extracted from kenaf fiber through a series of alkali and bleaching treatments followed by acid hydrolysis. The PAA was then subjected to chemical cross-linking using the cross-linking agent (N,N-methylenebisacrylamide) with CNC entrapped in PAA matrix. The mixture was casted onto petri dish to obtain disc shape hydrogel. The effects of reaction conditions such as the ratio of PAA and CNC on the swelling behavior of the hydrogel obtained towards pH and temperature were studied. The obtained hydrogel was further subjected to different tests such swelling test for swelling behaviour at different pH and temperature along with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for morphology analysis. The hydrogel obtained showed excellent pH sensitivity and obtained maximum swelling at pH 7. Besides that, hydrogel obtained showed significant increase in swelling ratio when temperature of swelling medium was increased from 25°C to 37°C. SEM micrograph showed that the pore size of the hydrogel decreases with increase of CNC content proving that the hydrogel structure became more rigid with addition of CNC. The PAA/CNC hydrogel with such excellent sensitivity towards pH and temperature can be developed further as drug carrier

  6. Chemical crosslinking of acrylic acid to form biocompatible pH sensitive hydrogel reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals (CNC)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lim, Lim Sze; Ahmad, Ishak; Lazim, Mohd Azwani Shah Mat [Faculty of Science and Technology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM, Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia); Amin, Mohd. Cairul Iqbal Mohd [Faculty of Pharmacy, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

    2014-09-03

    The purpose of this study is to produce a novel pH and temperature sensitive hydrogel, composed of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and cellulose nanocrystal (CNC). CNC was extracted from kenaf fiber through a series of alkali and bleaching treatments followed by acid hydrolysis. The PAA was then subjected to chemical cross-linking using the cross-linking agent (N,N-methylenebisacrylamide) with CNC entrapped in PAA matrix. The mixture was casted onto petri dish to obtain disc shape hydrogel. The effects of reaction conditions such as the ratio of PAA and CNC on the swelling behavior of the hydrogel obtained towards pH and temperature were studied. The obtained hydrogel was further subjected to different tests such swelling test for swelling behaviour at different pH and temperature along with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for morphology analysis. The hydrogel obtained showed excellent pH sensitivity and obtained maximum swelling at pH 7. Besides that, hydrogel obtained showed significant increase in swelling ratio when temperature of swelling medium was increased from 25°C to 37°C. SEM micrograph showed that the pore size of the hydrogel decreases with increase of CNC content proving that the hydrogel structure became more rigid with addition of CNC. The PAA/CNC hydrogel with such excellent sensitivity towards pH and temperature can be developed further as drug carrier.

  7. Soluble polymer conjugates for drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minko, Tamara

    2005-01-01

    The use of water-soluble polymeric conjugates as drug carriers offers several possible advantages. These advantages include: (1) improved drug pharmacokinetics; (2) decreased toxicity to healthy organs; (3) possible facilitation of accumulation and preferential uptake by targeted cells; (4) programmed profile of drug release. In this review, we will consider the main types of useful polymeric conjugates and their role and effectiveness as carriers in drug delivery systems.: © 2005 Elsevier Ltd . All rights reserved.

  8. Nasal delivery of analgesic ketorolac tromethamine thermo- and ion-sensitive in situ hydrogels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xin; Du, Lina; Chen, Xu; Ge, Pingju; Wang, Yu; Fu, Yangmu; Sun, Haiyan; Jiang, Qingwei; Jin, Yiguang

    2015-07-15

    Ketorolac tromethamine (KT) was potent to treat moderate to moderately severe pains. However, KT solutions for nasal delivery lost quickly from the nasal route. Thermo- and ion-sensitive in-situ hydrogels (ISGs) are appropriate for nasal drug delivery because the intranasal temperature maintains ∼37 °C and nasal fluids consist of plentiful cations. In this study, a novel nasal thermo- and ion-sensitive ISG of KT was prepared with thermo-sensitive poloxamer 407 (P407) and ion-sensitive deacetylated gellan gum (DGG). The optimal formulation of the KT ISG consisted of 3% (w/v) DGG and 18% (w/v) P407 and its viscosity was up to 7.63 Pas at 37 °C. Furthermore, penetration enhancers and bacterial inhibitors were added and their fractions in the ISG were optimized based on transmucosal efficiencies and toxicity on toad pili. Sulfobutyl ether-β-cyclodextrin of 2.5% (w/v) and chlorobutanol of 0.5% (w/v) were chosen as the penetration enhancer and the bacterial inhibitor, respectively. The Fick's diffusion and dissolution of KT could drive it continuous release from the dually sensitive ISG according to the in vitro investigation. Two methods, writhing frequencies induced by acetic acid and latency time of tails retracting from hot water, were used to evaluate the pharmacodynamics of the KT ISG on the mouse models. The writhing frequencies significantly decreased and the latency time of tail retracting was obviously prolonged (pthermo- and ion-sensitive KT ISG had appropriate gelation temperature, sustained drug release, improved intranasal absorption, obvious pharmacodynamic effect, and negligible nasal ciliotoxicity. It is a promising intranasal analgesic formulation. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. Laser assisted drug delivery: a review of an evolving technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sklar, Lindsay R; Burnett, Christopher T; Waibel, Jill S; Moy, Ronald L; Ozog, David M

    2014-04-01

    Topically applied drugs have a relatively low cutaneous bioavailability. This article reviews the existing applications of laser assisted drug delivery, a means by which the permeation of topically applied agents can be enhanced into the skin. The existing literature suggests that lasers are a safe and effective means of enhancing the delivery of topically applied agents through the skin. The types of lasers most commonly studied in regards to drug delivery are the carbon dioxide (CO2 ) and erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) lasers. Both conventional ablative and fractional ablative modalities have been utilized and are summarized herein. The majority of the existing studies on laser assisted drug delivery have been performed on animal models and additional human studies are needed. Laser assisted drug delivery is an evolving technology with potentially broad clinical applications. Multiple studies demonstrate that laser pretreatment of the skin can increase the permeability and depth of penetration of topically applied drug molecules for both local cutaneous and systemic applications. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Ultrasound-Mediated Drug/Gene Delivery in Solid Tumor Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yufeng Zhou

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Ultrasound is an emerging modality for drug delivery in chemotherapy. This paper reviews this novel technology by first introducing the designs and characteristics of three classes of drug/gene vehicles, microbubble (including nanoemulsion, liposomes, and micelles. In comparison to conventional free drug, the targeted drug-release and delivery through vessel wall and interstitial space to cancerous cells can be activated and enhanced under certain sonication conditions. In the acoustic field, there are several reactions of these drug vehicles, including hyperthermia, bubble cavitation, sonoporation, and sonodynamics, whose physical properties are illustrated for better understanding of this approach. In vitro and in vivo results are summarized, and future directions are discussed. Altogether, ultrasound-mediated drug/gene delivery under imaging guidance provides a promising option in cancer treatment with enhanced agent release and site specificity and reduced toxicity.

  11. Computational and experimental model of transdermal iontophorethic drug delivery system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filipovic, Nenad; Saveljic, Igor; Rac, Vladislav; Graells, Beatriz Olalde; Bijelic, Goran

    2017-11-30

    The concept of iontophoresis is often applied to increase the transdermal transport of drugs and other bioactive agents into the skin or other tissues. It is a non-invasive drug delivery method which involves electromigration and electroosmosis in addition to diffusion and is shown to be a viable alternative to conventional administration routs such as oral, hypodermic and intravenous injection. In this study we investigated, experimentally and numerically, in vitro drug delivery of dexamethasone sodium phosphate to porcine skin. Different current densities, delivery durations and drug loads were investigated experimentally and introduced as boundary conditions for numerical simulations. Nernst-Planck equation was used for calculation of active substance flux through equivalent model of homogeneous hydrogel and skin layers. The obtained numerical results were in good agreement with experimental observations. A comprehensive in-silico platform, which includes appropriate numerical tools for fitting, could contribute to iontophoretic drug-delivery devices design and correct dosage and drug clearance profiles as well as to perform much faster in-silico experiments to better determine parameters and performance criteria of iontophoretic drug delivery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Exosomes: Nanoparticulate tools for RNA interference and drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahabipour, Fahimeh; Barati, Nastaran; Johnston, Thomas P; Derosa, Giuseppe; Maffioli, Pamela; Sahebkar, Amirhossein

    2017-07-01

    Exosomes are naturally occurring extracellular vesicles released by most mammalian cells in all body fluids. Exosomes are known as key mediators in cell-cell communication and facilitate the transfer of genetic and biochemical information between distant cells. Structurally, exosomes are composed of lipids, proteins, and also several types of RNAs which enable these vesicles to serve as important disease biomarkers. Moreover, exosomes have emerged as novel drug and gene delivery tools owing to their multiple advantages over conventional delivery systems. Recently, increasing attention has been focused on exosomes for the delivery of drugs, including therapeutic recombinant proteins, to various target tissues. Exosomes are also promising vehicles for the delivery of microRNAs and small interfering RNAs, which is usually hampered by rapid degradation of these RNAs, as well as inefficient tissue specificity of currently available delivery strategies. This review highlights the most recent accomplishments and trends in the use of exosomes for the delivery of drugs and therapeutic RNA molecules. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Microneedle-based drug and vaccine delivery via nanoporous microneedle arrays

    OpenAIRE

    Maaden, van der, Koen; Lüttge, R Regina; Vos, PJW; Bouwstra, Joke A; Kersten, Gideon FA; Ploemen, IHJ Ingmar

    2015-01-01

    In the literature, several types of microneedles have been extensively described. However, porous microneedle arrays only received minimal attention. Hence, only little is known about drug delivery via these microneedles. However, porous microneedle arrays may have potential for future microneedle-based drug and vaccine delivery and could be a valuable addition to the other microneedle-based drug delivery approaches. To gain more insight into porous microneedle technologies, the scientific an...

  14. Preparation, characterization and evaluation of drug-delivery systems: Pectin and mefenamic acid films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moreira, R.B. [Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Rodovia MT-100, Km 3,5, Barra do Garças, MT CEP 78600-000 (Brazil); Teixeira, J.A. [Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT CEP 78060-900 (Brazil); Furuyama-Lima, A.M. [Universidade Estadual Paulista, IBILCE, São José do Rio Preto, SP CEP 15054-000 (Brazil); Souza, N.C. de [Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Rodovia MT-100, Km 3,5, Barra do Garças, MT CEP 78600-000 (Brazil); Siqueira, A.B., E-mail: buzutti@cpd.ufmt.br [Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Rodovia MT-100, Km 3,5, Barra do Garças, MT CEP 78600-000 (Brazil)

    2014-08-20

    Highlights: • The films were prepared and characterized by FTIR, TG–DSC/FTIR and AFM microscopy. • The results provided information on the composition, dehydration, thermal stability, thermal decomposition. • DSC results of CaHCl shows two overlapping endothermic peaks. • The AFM image shows great similarity for A5 and A6 films. • A5 and A6 films functioned well as a topical delivery system. - Abstract: Mefenamic acid (H-Mef) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Various adhesive dosage forms of NSAIDs have been developed, which include adhesive tablets, gels, ointments, patches and more recently, polymeric films. The objective of this study was the development of H-Mef adhesive films to be used as a drug-delivery system with different ratios of pectin and calcium chloride dihydrate by the casting technique. The materials were characterized by TG–DSC coupled FTIR, AFM (atomic force microscopy) and spectroscopic techniques. The results provided information about the dehydration, film roughness, surface morphology, thermal decomposition, as well as identification of gaseous products evolved during thermal decomposition. The characterizations indicated the A5 and A6 films functioned well, with 99% H-Mef released within 15 min at pH 5, suggesting these degradable films could be used as a topical delivery system.

  15. Fractional laser-assisted drug delivery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Erlendsson, Andrés M; Doukas, Apostolos G; Farinelli, William A

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Ablative fractional laser (AFXL) is rapidly evolving as one of the foremost techniques for cutaneous drug delivery. While AFXL has effectively improved topical drug-induced clearance rates of actinic keratosis, treatment of basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) has been challenging......, potentially due to insufficient drug uptake in deeper skin layers. This study sought to investigate a standardized method to actively fill laser-generated channels by altering pressure, vacuum, and pressure (PVP), enquiring its effect on (i) relative filling of individual laser channels; (ii) cutaneous...

  16. Drug Delivery Nanoparticles in Skin Cancers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dianzani, Chiara; Zara, Gian Paolo; Maina, Giovanni; Pettazzoni, Piergiorgio; Pizzimenti, Stefania; Rossi, Federica; Gigliotti, Casimiro Luca; Ciamporcero, Eric Stefano; Daga, Martina; Barrera, Giuseppina

    2014-01-01

    Nanotechnology involves the engineering of functional systems at nanoscale, thus being attractive for disciplines ranging from materials science to biomedicine. One of the most active research areas of the nanotechnology is nanomedicine, which applies nanotechnology to highly specific medical interventions for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases, including cancer disease. Over the past two decades, the rapid developments in nanotechnology have allowed the incorporation of multiple therapeutic, sensing, and targeting agents into nanoparticles, for detection, prevention, and treatment of cancer diseases. Nanoparticles offer many advantages as drug carrier systems since they can improve the solubility of poorly water-soluble drugs, modify pharmacokinetics, increase drug half-life by reducing immunogenicity, improve bioavailability, and diminish drug metabolism. They can also enable a tunable release of therapeutic compounds and the simultaneous delivery of two or more drugs for combination therapy. In this review, we discuss the recent advances in the use of different types of nanoparticles for systemic and topical drug delivery in the treatment of skin cancer. In particular, the progress in the treatment with nanocarriers of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma has been reported. PMID:25101298

  17. Drug nanocrystals for the formulation of poorly soluble drugs and its application as a potential drug delivery system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gao Lei; Zhang Dianrui; Chen Minghui

    2008-01-01

    Formulation of poorly soluble drugs is a general intractable problem in pharmaceutical field, especially those compounds poorly soluble in both aqueous and organic media. It is difficult to resolve this problem using conventional formulation approaches, so many drugs are abandoned early in discovery. Nanocrystals, a new carrier-free colloidal drug delivery system with a particle size ranging from 100 to 1000 nm, is thought as a viable drug delivery strategy to develop the poorly soluble drugs, because of their simplicity in preparation and general applicability. In this article, the product techniques of the nanocrystals were reviewed and compared, the special features of drug nanocrystals were discussed. The researches on the application of the drug nanocrystals to various administration routes were described in detail. In addition, as introduced later, the nanocrystals could be easily scaled up, which was the prerequisite to the development of a delivery system as a market product

  18. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid drug delivery systems through transdermal pathway: an overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naves, Lucas; Dhand, Chetna; Almeida, Luis; Rajamani, Lakshminarayanan; Ramakrishna, Seeram; Soares, Graça

    2017-05-01

    In past few decades, scientists have made tremendous advancement in the field of drug delivery systems (DDS), through transdermal pathway, as the skin represents a ready and large surface area for delivering drugs. Efforts are in progress to design efficient transdermal DDS that support sustained drug release at the targeted area for longer duration in the recommended therapeutic window without producing side-effects. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is one of the most promising Food and Drug Administration approved synthetic polymers in designing versatile drug delivery carriers for different drug administration routes, including transdermal drug delivery. The present review provides a brief introduction over the transdermal drug delivery and PLGA as a material in context to its role in designing drug delivery vehicles. Attempts are made to compile literatures over PLGA-based drug delivery vehicles, including microneedles, nanoparticles, and nanofibers and their role in transdermal drug delivery of different therapeutic agents. Different nanostructure evaluation techniques with their working principles are briefly explained.

  19. Bioadhesive polymeric platforms for transmucosal drug delivery ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Bioadhesive polymeric platforms for transmucosal drug delivery systems – a review. ... administration of certain classes of drugs, especially peptides and proteins. ... characteristics of desired bioadhesive polymers, this article then proceeds to ...

  20. Iontophoresis: A Potential Emergence of a Transdermal Drug Delivery System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhote, Vinod; Bhatnagar, Punit; Mishra, Pradyumna K.; Mahajan, Suresh C.; Mishra, Dinesh K.

    2012-01-01

    The delivery of drugs into systemic circulation via skin has generated much attention during the last decade. Transdermal therapeutic systems propound controlled release of active ingredients through the skin and into the systemic circulation in a predictive manner. Drugs administered through these systems escape first-pass metabolism and maintain a steady state scenario similar to a continuous intravenous infusion for up to several days. However, the excellent impervious nature of the skin offers the greatest challenge for successful delivery of drug molecules by utilizing the concepts of iontophoresis. The present review deals with the principles and the recent innovations in the field of iontophoretic drug delivery system together with factors affecting the system. This delivery system utilizes electric current as a driving force for permeation of ionic and non-ionic medications. The rationale behind using this technique is to reversibly alter the barrier properties of skin, which could possibly improve the penetration of drugs such as proteins, peptides and other macromolecules to increase the systemic delivery of high molecular weight compounds with controlled input kinetics and minimum inter-subject variability. Although iontophoresis seems to be an ideal candidate to overcome the limitations associated with the delivery of ionic drugs, further extrapolation of this technique is imperative for translational utility and mass human application. PMID:22396901

  1. Intraperiodontal pocket: An ideal route for local antimicrobial drug delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sreeja C Nair

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Periodontal pockets act as a natural reservoir filled with gingival crevicular fluid for the controlled release delivery of antimicrobials directly. This article reflects the present status of nonsurgical controlled local intrapocket delivery of antimicrobials in the treatment of periodontitis. These sites have specialty in terms of anatomy, permeability, and their ability to retain a delivery system for a desired length of time. A number of antimicrobial products and the composition of the delivery systems, its use, clinical results, and their release are summarized. The goal in using an intrapocket device for the delivery of an antimicrobial agent is the achievement and maintenance of therapeutic drug concentration for the desired period of time. Novel controlled drug delivery system are capable of improving patient compliance as well as therapeutic efficacy with precise control of the rate by which a particular drug dosage is released from a delivery system without the need for frequent administration. These are considered superior drug delivery system because of low cost, greater stability, non-toxicity, biocompatibility, non-immunogenicity, and are biodegradable in nature. This review also focus on the importance and ideal features of periodontal pockets as a drug delivery platform for designing a suitable dosage form along with its potential advantage and limitations. The microbes in the periodontal pocket could destroy periodontal tissues, and a complete knowledge of these as well as an ideal treatment strategy could be helpful in treating this disease.

  2. Hydrogel nanoparticles and nanocomposites for nasal drug/vaccine delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salatin, Sara; Barar, Jaleh; Barzegar-Jalali, Mohammad; Adibkia, Khosro; Milani, Mitra Alami; Jelvehgari, Mitra

    2016-09-01

    Over the past few years, nasal drug delivery has attracted more and more attentions, and been recognized as the most promising alternative route for the systemic medication of drugs limited to intravenous administration. Many experiments in animal models have shown that nanoscale carriers have the ability to enhance the nasal delivery of peptide/protein drugs and vaccines compared to the conventional drug solution formulations. However, the rapid mucociliary clearance of the drug-loaded nanoparticles can cause a reduction in bioavailability percentage after intranasal administration. Thus, research efforts have considerably been directed towards the development of hydrogel nanosystems which have mucoadhesive properties in order to maximize the residence time, and hence increase the period of contact with the nasal mucosa and enhance the drug absorption. It is most certain that the high viscosity of hydrogel-based nanosystems can efficiently offer this mucoadhesive property. This update review discusses the possible benefits of using hydrogel polymer-based nanoparticles and hydrogel nanocomposites for drug/vaccine delivery through the intranasal administration.

  3. Microemulsion utility in pharmaceuticals: Implications for multi-drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Callender, Shannon P; Mathews, Jessica A; Kobernyk, Katherine; Wettig, Shawn D

    2017-06-30

    Emulsion technology has been utilized extensively in the pharmaceutical industry. This article presents a comprehensive review of the literature on an important subcategory of emulsions, microemulsions. Microemulsions are optically transparent, thermodynamically stable colloidal systems, 10-100nm diameter, that form spontaneously upon mixing of oil, water and emulsifier. This review is the first to address advantages and disadvantages, as well as considerations and challenges in multi-drug delivery. For the period 1 January 2011-30 April 2016, 431 publications related to microemulsion drug delivery were identified and screened according to microemulsion, drug classification, and surfactant types. Results indicate the use of microemulsions predominantly in lipophilic drug delivery (79.4%) via oil-in-water microemulsions and non-ionic surfactants (90%) for oral or topical administration. Cancer is the disease state most targeted followed by inflammatory diseases, microbial infections and cardiovascular disease. Key generalizations from this analysis include: 1) microemulsion formulation is largely based on trial-and-error despite over 1200 publications related to microemulsion drug delivery since their discovery in 1943; 2) characterization using methods including interfacial tension, droplet size, electrical conductivity, turbidity and viscosity may provide additional information for greater predictability; 3) microemulsion drug delivery publications arise primarily from China (27%) and India (21%) suggesting additional research opportunities elsewhere. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Insoluble drug delivery strategies: review of recent advances and business prospects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalepu, Sandeep; Nekkanti, Vijaykumar

    2015-01-01

    The emerging trends in the combinatorial chemistry and drug design have led to the development of drug candidates with greater lipophilicity, high molecular weight and poor water solubility. Majority of the failures in new drug development have been attributed to poor water solubility of the drug. Issues associated with poor solubility can lead to low bioavailability resulting in suboptimal drug delivery. About 40% of drugs with market approval and nearly 90% of molecules in the discovery pipeline are poorly water-soluble. With the advent of various insoluble drug delivery technologies, the challenge to formulate poorly water soluble drugs could be achieved. Numerous drugs associated with poor solubility and low bioavailabilities have been formulated into successful drug products. Several marketed drugs were reformulated to improve efficacy, safety and patient compliance. In order to gain marketing exclusivity and patent protection for such products, revitalization of poorly soluble drugs using insoluble drug delivery technologies have been successfully adopted by many pharmaceutical companies. This review covers the recent advances in the field of insoluble drug delivery and business prospects. PMID:26579474

  5. Insoluble drug delivery strategies: review of recent advances and business prospects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandeep Kalepu

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The emerging trends in the combinatorial chemistry and drug design have led to the development of drug candidates with greater lipophilicity, high molecular weight and poor water solubility. Majority of the failures in new drug development have been attributed to poor water solubility of the drug. Issues associated with poor solubility can lead to low bioavailability resulting in suboptimal drug delivery. About 40% of drugs with market approval and nearly 90% of molecules in the discovery pipeline are poorly water-soluble. With the advent of various insoluble drug delivery technologies, the challenge to formulate poorly water soluble drugs could be achieved. Numerous drugs associated with poor solubility and low bioavailabilities have been formulated into successful drug products. Several marketed drugs were reformulated to improve efficacy, safety and patient compliance. In order to gain marketing exclusivity and patent protection for such products, revitalization of poorly soluble drugs using insoluble drug delivery technologies have been successfully adopted by many pharmaceutical companies. This review covers the recent advances in the field of insoluble drug delivery and business prospects.

  6. Protein Nanoparticles as Drug Delivery Carriers for Cancer Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Warangkana Lohcharoenkal

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Nanoparticles have increasingly been used for a variety of applications, most notably for the delivery of therapeutic and diagnostic agents. A large number of nanoparticle drug delivery systems have been developed for cancer treatment and various materials have been explored as drug delivery agents to improve the therapeutic efficacy and safety of anticancer drugs. Natural biomolecules such as proteins are an attractive alternative to synthetic polymers which are commonly used in drug formulations because of their safety. In general, protein nanoparticles offer a number of advantages including biocompatibility and biodegradability. They can be prepared under mild conditions without the use of toxic chemicals or organic solvents. Moreover, due to their defined primary structure, protein-based nanoparticles offer various possibilities for surface modifications including covalent attachment of drugs and targeting ligands. In this paper, we review the most significant advancements in protein nanoparticle technology and their use in drug delivery arena. We then examine the various sources of protein materials that have been used successfully for the construction of protein nanoparticles as well as their methods of preparation. Finally, we discuss the applications of protein nanoparticles in cancer therapy.

  7. Nanostructured lipid carriers system: recent advances in drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iqbal, Md Asif; Md, Shadab; Sahni, Jasjeet Kaur; Baboota, Sanjula; Dang, Shweta; Ali, Javed

    2012-12-01

    Nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) is second generation smarter drug carrier system having solid matrix at room temperature. This carrier system is made up of physiological, biodegradable and biocompatible lipid materials and surfactants and is accepted by regulatory authorities for application in different drug delivery systems. The availability of many products in the market in short span of time reveals the success story of this delivery system. Since the introduction of the first product, around 30 NLC preparations are commercially available. NLC exhibit superior advantages over other colloidal carriers viz., nanoemulsions, polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, SLN etc. and thus, have been explored to more extent in pharmaceutical technology. The whole set of unique advantages such as enhanced drug loading capacity, prevention of drug expulsion, leads to more flexibility for modulation of drug release and makes NLC versatile delivery system for various routes of administration. The present review gives insights on the definitions and characterization of NLC as colloidal carriers including the production techniques and suitable formulations. This review paper also highlights the importance of NLC in pharmaceutical applications for the various routes of drug delivery viz., topical, oral, pulmonary, ocular and parenteral administration and its future perspective as a pharmaceutical carrier.

  8. Protein nanoparticles as drug delivery carriers for cancer therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lohcharoenkal, Warangkana; Wang, Liying; Chen, Yi Charlie; Rojanasakul, Yon

    2014-01-01

    Nanoparticles have increasingly been used for a variety of applications, most notably for the delivery of therapeutic and diagnostic agents. A large number of nanoparticle drug delivery systems have been developed for cancer treatment and various materials have been explored as drug delivery agents to improve the therapeutic efficacy and safety of anticancer drugs. Natural biomolecules such as proteins are an attractive alternative to synthetic polymers which are commonly used in drug formulations because of their safety. In general, protein nanoparticles offer a number of advantages including biocompatibility and biodegradability. They can be prepared under mild conditions without the use of toxic chemicals or organic solvents. Moreover, due to their defined primary structure, protein-based nanoparticles offer various possibilities for surface modifications including covalent attachment of drugs and targeting ligands. In this paper, we review the most significant advancements in protein nanoparticle technology and their use in drug delivery arena. We then examine the various sources of protein materials that have been used successfully for the construction of protein nanoparticles as well as their methods of preparation. Finally, we discuss the applications of protein nanoparticles in cancer therapy.

  9. Nanotechnology-based combinational drug delivery: an emerging approach for cancer therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parhi, Priyambada; Mohanty, Chandana; Sahoo, Sanjeeb Kumar

    2012-09-01

    Combination therapy for the treatment of cancer is becoming more popular because it generates synergistic anticancer effects, reduces individual drug-related toxicity and suppresses multi-drug resistance through different mechanisms of action. In recent years, nanotechnology-based combination drug delivery to tumor tissues has emerged as an effective strategy by overcoming many biological, biophysical and biomedical barriers that the body stages against successful delivery of anticancer drugs. The sustained, controlled and targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs in a combination approach enhanced therapeutic anticancer effects with reduced drug-associated side effects. In this article, we have reviewed the scope of various nanotechnology-based combination drug delivery approaches and also summarized the current perspective and challenges facing the successful treatment of cancer. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Biocompatibility of Chitosan Carriers with Application in Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Grenha

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Chitosan is one of the most used polysaccharides in the design of drug delivery strategies for administration of either biomacromolecules or low molecular weight drugs. For these purposes, it is frequently used as matrix forming material in both nano and micron-sized particles. In addition to its interesting physicochemical and biopharmaceutical properties, which include high mucoadhesion and a great capacity to produce drug delivery systems, ensuring the biocompatibility of the drug delivery vehicles is a highly relevant issue. Nevertheless, this subject is not addressed as frequently as desired and even though the application of chitosan carriers has been widely explored, the demonstration of systems biocompatibility is still in its infancy. In this review, addressing the biocompatibility of chitosan carriers with application in drug delivery is discussed and the methods used in vitro and in vivo, exploring the effect of different variables, are described. We further provide a discussion on the pros and cons of used methodologies, as well as on the difficulties arising from the absence of standardization of procedures.

  11. Galactosyl Pentadecene Reversibly Enhances Transdermal and Topical Drug Delivery

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kopečná, M.; Macháček, M.; Prchalová, Eva; Štěpánek, P.; Drašar, P.; Kotora, Martin; Vávrová, K.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 34, č. 10 (2017), s. 2097-2108 ISSN 0724-8741 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : galactoside * penetration enhancers * sugar * topical drug delivery * transdermal drug delivery Subject RIV: FR - Pharmacology ; Medidal Chemistry OBOR OECD: Pharmacology and pharmacy Impact factor: 3.002, year: 2016

  12. Using DNA nanotechnology to produce a drug delivery system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huyen La, Thi; Thu Thuy Nguyen, Thi; Phuc Pham, Van; Huyen Nguyen, Thi Minh; Huan Le, Quang

    2013-03-01

    Drug delivery to cancer cells in chemotherapy is one of the most advanced research topics. The effectiveness of the current cancer treatment drugs is limited because they are not capable of distinguishing between cancer cells and normal cells so that they kill not only cancer cells but also normal ones. To overcome this disadvantage by profiting from the differences in physical and chemical properties between cancer and normal cells, nanoparticles (NPs) delivering a drug are designed in a specific manner such that they can distinguish the cancer cells from the normal ones and are targeted only to the cancer cells. Currently, there are various drug delivery systems with many advantages, but sharing some common disadvantages such as difficulty with controlling the size, low encapsulation capacity and low stability. With the development and success of DNA nanotechnology, DNA strands are used to create effective drug delivery NPs with precisely controlled size and structure, safety and high stability. This article presents our study on drug encapsulation in DNA nanostructure which loaded docetaxel and curcumin in a desire to create a new and effective drug delivery system with high biological compatibility. Invited talk at the 6th International Workshop on Advanced Materials Science and Nanotechnology, 30 October-2 November, 2012, Ha Long, Vietnam.

  13. An emerging platform for drug delivery: aerogel based systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ulker, Zeynep; Erkey, Can

    2014-03-10

    Over the past few decades, advances in "aerogel science" have provoked an increasing interest for these materials in pharmaceutical sciences for drug delivery applications. Because of their high surface areas, high porosities and open pore structures which can be tuned and controlled by manipulation of synthesis conditions, nanostructured aerogels represent a promising class of materials for delivery of various drugs as well as enzymes and proteins. Along with biocompatible inorganic aerogels and biodegradable organic aerogels, more complex systems such as surface functionalized aerogels, composite aerogels and layered aerogels have also been under development and possess huge potential. Emphasis is given to the details of the aerogel synthesis and drug loading methods as well as the influence of synthesis parameters and loading methods on the adsorption and release of the drugs. Owing to their ability to increase the bioavailability of low solubility drugs, to improve both their stability and their release kinetics, there are an increasing number of research articles concerning aerogels in different drug delivery applications. This review presents an up to date overview of the advances in all kinds of aerogel based drug delivery systems which are currently under investigation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Multifunctional quantum dots and liposome complexes in drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Qi; Chao, Yi-Min

    2017-09-03

    Incorporating both diagnostic and therapeutic functions into a single nanoscale system is an effective modern drug delivery strategy. Combining liposomes with semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) has great potential to achieve such dual functions, referred to in this review as a liposomal QD hybrid system (L-QD). Here we review the recent literature dealing with the design and application of L-QD for advances in bio-imaging and drug delivery. After a summary of L-QD synthesis processes and evaluation of their properties, we will focus on their multifunctional applications, ranging from in vitro cell imaging to theranostic drug delivery approaches.

  15. Multifunctional quantum dots and liposome complexes in drug delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Qi; Chao, Yimin

    2018-01-01

    Incorporating both diagnostic and therapeutic functions into a single nanoscale system is an effective modern drug delivery strategy. Combining liposomes with semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) has great potential to achieve such dual functions, referred to in this review as a liposomal QD hybrid system (L-QD). Here we review the recent literature dealing with the design and application of L-QD for advances in bio-imaging and drug delivery. After a summary of L-QD synthesis processes and evaluation of their properties, we will focus on their multifunctional applications, ranging from in vitro cell imaging to theranostic drug delivery approaches. PMID:28866655

  16. Advances in drug delivery to the posterior segment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pearce, William; Hsu, Jason; Yeh, Steven

    2015-05-01

    Emerging developments and research for drug delivery to the posterior segment offer a promising future for the treatment of vitreoretinal disease. As new technologies enter the market, clinicians should be aware of new indications and ongoing clinical trials. This review summarizes the advantages and shortcomings of the most commonly used drug delivery methods, including vitreous dynamics, physician sustainability and patient preferences. Currently available, intravitreal, corticosteroid-release devices offer surgical and in-office management of retinal vascular disease and posterior uveitis. The suprachoroidal space offers a new anatomic location for the delivery of lower dose medications directly to the target tissue. Implantable drug reservoirs would potentially allow for less frequent intravitreal injections reducing treatment burdens and associated risks. Newer innovations in encapsulated cell technology offer promising results in early clinical trials. Although pars plana intravitreal injection remains the mainstay of therapy for many vitreoretinal diseases, targeted delivery and implantable eluting devices are rapidly demonstrating safety and efficacy. These therapeutic modalities offer promising options for the vitreoretinal therapeutic landscape.

  17. Self-Assembled Hydrogel Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel Gama

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Hydrogel nanoparticles—also referred to as polymeric nanogels or macromolecular micelles—are emerging as promising drug carriers for therapeutic applications. These nanostructures hold versatility and properties suitable for the delivery of bioactive molecules, namely of biopharmaceuticals. This article reviews the latest developments in the use of self-assembled polymeric nanogels for drug delivery applications, including small molecular weight drugs, proteins, peptides, oligosaccharides, vaccines and nucleic acids. The materials and techniques used in the development of self-assembling nanogels are also described.

  18. pH sensitive quantum dot-anthraquinone nanoconjugates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruedas-Rama, Maria Jose; Hall, Elizabeth A. H.

    2014-05-01

    Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have been shown to be highly sensitive to electron or charge transfer processes, which may alter their optical properties. This feature can be exploited for different sensing applications. Here, we demonstrate that QD-anthraquinone conjugates can function as electron transfer-based pH nanosensors. The attachment of the anthraquinones on the surface of QDs results in the reduction of electron hole recombination, and therefore a quenching of the photoluminescence intensity. For some anthraquinone derivatives tested, the quenching mechanism is simply caused by an electron transfer process from QDs to the anthraquinone, functioning as an electron acceptor. For others, electron transfer and energy transfer (FRET) processes were found. A detailed analysis of the quenching processes for CdSe/ZnS QD of two different sizes is presented. The photoluminescence quenching phenomenon of QDs is consistent with the pH sensitive anthraquinone redox chemistry. The resultant family of pH nanosensors shows pKa ranging ˜5-8, being ideal for applications of pH determination in physiological samples like blood or serum, for intracellular pH determination, and for more acidic cellular compartments such as endosomes and lysosomes. The nanosensors showed high selectivity towards many metal cations, including the most physiologically important cations which exist at high concentration in living cells. The reversibility of the proposed systems was also demonstrated. The nanosensors were applied in the determination of pH in samples mimicking the intracellular environment. Finally, the possibility of incorporating a reference QD to achieve quantitative ratiometric measurements was investigated.

  19. pH sensitive quantum dot–anthraquinone nanoconjugates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruedas-Rama, Maria Jose; Hall, Elizabeth A H

    2014-01-01

    Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have been shown to be highly sensitive to electron or charge transfer processes, which may alter their optical properties. This feature can be exploited for different sensing applications. Here, we demonstrate that QD-anthraquinone conjugates can function as electron transfer-based pH nanosensors. The attachment of the anthraquinones on the surface of QDs results in the reduction of electron hole recombination, and therefore a quenching of the photoluminescence intensity. For some anthraquinone derivatives tested, the quenching mechanism is simply caused by an electron transfer process from QDs to the anthraquinone, functioning as an electron acceptor. For others, electron transfer and energy transfer (FRET) processes were found. A detailed analysis of the quenching processes for CdSe/ZnS QD of two different sizes is presented. The photoluminescence quenching phenomenon of QDs is consistent with the pH sensitive anthraquinone redox chemistry. The resultant family of pH nanosensors shows pK a ranging ∼5–8, being ideal for applications of pH determination in physiological samples like blood or serum, for intracellular pH determination, and for more acidic cellular compartments such as endosomes and lysosomes. The nanosensors showed high selectivity towards many metal cations, including the most physiologically important cations which exist at high concentration in living cells. The reversibility of the proposed systems was also demonstrated. The nanosensors were applied in the determination of pH in samples mimicking the intracellular environment. Finally, the possibility of incorporating a reference QD to achieve quantitative ratiometric measurements was investigated

  20. Redox-sensitive nanoparticles based on 4-aminothiophenol-carboxymethyl inulin conjugate for budesonide delivery in inflammatory bowel diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Qijuan; Luan, Lin; Arif, Muhammad; Li, Jiaxin; Dong, Quan-Jiang; Gao, Yuanyuan; Chi, Zhe; Liu, Chen-Guang

    2018-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop an oral nanocarrier as budesonide delivery system and to evaluate its therapeutic potential for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The nanoparticles (NPs) based on an amphiphilic inulin polymer with 4-aminothiophenol (ATP) grafted onto carboxymethyl inulin (CMI) were prepared. The particle sizes were about 210.18 nm and had the obvious pH/redox sensitive swelling transitions. The drug-release study of NPs in vitro showed a low release rate (about 45 wt%) in GSH-free media, whereas high release rate (about 80 wt%) in the media containing 20 mM GSH, exhibiting a redox-responsive property. Further in vivo experiments found the NPs tended to accumulate in inflamed sites, and exerted excellent therapeutic efficacy in comparison to drug suspension in colitis mice model. All the results demonstrated that the redox-sensitive NPs, based on amphiphilic inulin, may be used as colon-targeted drug delivery for the treatment of IBD. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  1. Smart nanocomposite hydrogels based on azo crosslinked graphene oxide for oral colon-specific drug delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hou, Lin; Shi, Yuyang; Jiang, Guixiang; Liu, Wei; Han, Huili; Feng, Qianhua; Ren, Junxiao; Yuan, Yujie; Wang, Yongchao; Shi, Jinjin; Zhang, Zhenzhong

    2016-08-01

    A safe and efficient nanocomposite hydrogel for colon cancer drug delivery was synthesized using pH-sensitive and biocompatible graphene oxide (GO) containing azoaromatic crosslinks as well as poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) (GO-N=N-GO/PVA composite hydrogels). Curcumin (CUR), an anti-cancer drug, was encapsulated successfully into the hydrogel through a freezing and thawing process. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy were performed to confirm the formation and morphological properties of the nanocomposite hydrogel. The hydrogels exhibited good swelling properties in a pH-sensitive manner. Drug release studies under conditions mimicking stomach to colon transit have shown that the drug was protected from being released completely into the physiological environment of the stomach and small intestine. In vivo imaging analysis, pharmacokinetics and a distribution of the gastrointestinal tract experiment were systematically studied and evaluated as colon-specific drug delivery systems. All the results demonstrated that GO-N=N-GO/PVA composite hydrogels could protect CUR well while passing through the stomach and small intestine to the proximal colon, and enhance the colon-targeting ability and residence time in the colon site. Therefore, CUR loaded GO-N=N-GO/PVA composite hydrogels might potentially provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of colon cancer with high efficiency and low toxicity.

  2. Carbohydrate polymer based pH-sensitive IPN microgels: Synthesis, characterization and drug release characteristics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eswaramma, S. [Polymer Biomaterial Design and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Yogi Vemana University, Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, 516003 (India); Reddy, N. Sivagangi [Advanced Nanomaterials Lab, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241 (Korea, Republic of); Rao, K.S.V. Krishna, E-mail: ksvkr@yogivemanauniversity.ac.in [Polymer Biomaterial Design and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Yogi Vemana University, Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, 516003 (India)

    2017-07-01

    pH-sensitive interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) microgels of chitosan (CS) and guargum-g-poly((2-dimethylamino)ethylmethacrylate) (GG-g-PDMAEMA) were developed by emulsion crosslinking method using glutaraldehyde as a crosslinker. In this regard, primarily guargum (GG) is grafted with (2-dimethylamino)ethylmethacrylate (DMAEMA) followed by blended with CS to prepare various microgel formulations. These microgels were treated as responsive drug carriers for an anticancer agent, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). The maximum % encapsulation efficiency was found to be 81. Fourier transform infrared analysis was used to investigate the formation of graft copolymer (GG-g-PDMAEMA), chemical structure of microgels as well as the chemical interactions of drug molecules with the polymer matrix. The surface morphological studies and average particle size were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The average size of microgels is 130 ± 20 μm. Thermal behavior and molecular distribution of 5-FU within the polymer matrix were confirmed from thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction experiments. The pH-sensitive swelling behavior of IPN microgels was investigated in different pH solutions. To study the release profile of 5-FU, in vitro release profiles were performed in both pH 1.2 and 7.4. The release kinetics showed pH- dependent drug release and IPN microgels exhibited an excellent controlled release pattern for 5-FU over a period of more than 24 h. The release mechanism was analyzed by evaluating the release data using different empirical equations. - Highlights: • poly((2-dimethylamino)ethylmethacrylate) was grafted on to guargum backbone. • pH-responsive IPN microgels were developed from chitosan and graft copolymer. • Microgels were treated as responsive drug carriers for an anticancer agent, 5-fluorouracil. • Swelling and drug release studies were greatly dependent on pH.

  3. Carbohydrate polymer based pH-sensitive IPN microgels: Synthesis, characterization and drug release characteristics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eswaramma, S.; Reddy, N. Sivagangi; Rao, K.S.V. Krishna

    2017-01-01

    pH-sensitive interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) microgels of chitosan (CS) and guargum-g-poly((2-dimethylamino)ethylmethacrylate) (GG-g-PDMAEMA) were developed by emulsion crosslinking method using glutaraldehyde as a crosslinker. In this regard, primarily guargum (GG) is grafted with (2-dimethylamino)ethylmethacrylate (DMAEMA) followed by blended with CS to prepare various microgel formulations. These microgels were treated as responsive drug carriers for an anticancer agent, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). The maximum % encapsulation efficiency was found to be 81. Fourier transform infrared analysis was used to investigate the formation of graft copolymer (GG-g-PDMAEMA), chemical structure of microgels as well as the chemical interactions of drug molecules with the polymer matrix. The surface morphological studies and average particle size were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The average size of microgels is 130 ± 20 μm. Thermal behavior and molecular distribution of 5-FU within the polymer matrix were confirmed from thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction experiments. The pH-sensitive swelling behavior of IPN microgels was investigated in different pH solutions. To study the release profile of 5-FU, in vitro release profiles were performed in both pH 1.2 and 7.4. The release kinetics showed pH- dependent drug release and IPN microgels exhibited an excellent controlled release pattern for 5-FU over a period of more than 24 h. The release mechanism was analyzed by evaluating the release data using different empirical equations. - Highlights: • poly((2-dimethylamino)ethylmethacrylate) was grafted on to guargum backbone. • pH-responsive IPN microgels were developed from chitosan and graft copolymer. • Microgels were treated as responsive drug carriers for an anticancer agent, 5-fluorouracil. • Swelling and drug release studies were greatly dependent on pH.

  4. Mucoadhesive microspheres: a promising tool in drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patil, Sanjay B; Sawant, Krutika K

    2008-10-01

    Mucoadhesive polymers have recently gained interest among pharmaceutical scientists as a means of improving drug delivery by promoting the residence time and contact time of the dosage form with the mucous membranes. Mucoadhesion is the process whereby synthetic and natural polymers adhere to mucosal surfaces in the body. If these materials are then incorporated into pharmaceutical formulations, drug absorption by mucosal cells may be enhanced or the drug will be released at the site for an extended period of time. Microspheres, in general, have the potential to be used for targeted and controlled release drug delivery; however, coupling of mucoadhesive properties to microspheres has additional advantages like, a much more intimate contact with the mucus layer, efficient absorption and enhanced bioavailability of the drugs due to a high surface to volume ratio. The present review describes the potential applications of mucoadhesive microspheres as a novel carrier system to improve drug delivery by various routes of administration like buccal, oral, nasal, ocular, vaginal and rectal, either for systemic or for local effects. The mucoadhesive polymers, methods of preparation of microspheres and their in vitro and in vivo evaluation are also described.

  5. Novel engineered systems for oral, mucosal and transdermal drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hairui; Yu, Yuan; Faraji Dana, Sara; Li, Bo; Lee, Chi-Ying; Kang, Lifeng

    2013-08-01

    Technological advances in drug discovery have resulted in increasing number of molecules including proteins and peptides as drug candidates. However, how to deliver drugs with satisfactory therapeutic effect, minimal side effects and increased patient compliance is a question posted before researchers, especially for those drugs with poor solubility, large molecular weight or instability. Microfabrication technology, polymer science and bioconjugate chemistry combine to address these problems and generate a number of novel engineered drug delivery systems. Injection routes usually have poor patient compliance due to their invasive nature and potential safety concerns over needle reuse. The alternative non-invasive routes, such as oral, mucosal (pulmonary, nasal, ocular, buccal, rectal, vaginal), and transdermal drug delivery have thus attracted many attentions. Here, we review the applications of the novel engineered systems for oral, mucosal and transdermal drug delivery.

  6. Thiomers for oral delivery of hydrophilic macromolecular drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernkop-Schnürch, Andreas; Hoffer, Martin H; Kafedjiiski, Krum

    2004-11-01

    In recent years thiolated polymers (thiomers) have appeared as a promising new tool in oral drug delivery. Thiomers are obtained by the immobilisation of thio-bearing ligands to mucoadhesive polymeric excipients. By the formation of disulfide bonds with mucus glycoproteins, the mucoadhesive properties of thiomers are up to 130-fold improved compared with the corresponding unmodified polymers. Owing to the formation of inter- and intramolecular disulfide bonds within the thiomer itself, matrix tablets and particulate delivery systems show strong cohesive properties, resulting in comparatively higher stability, prolonged disintegration times and a more controlled drug release. The permeation of hydrophilic macromolecular drugs through the gastrointestinal (GI) mucosa can be improved by the use of thiomers. Furthermore, some thiomers exhibit improved inhibitory properties towards GI peptidases. The efficacy of thiomers in oral drug delivery has been demonstrated by various in vivo studies. A pharmacological efficacy of 1%, for example, was achieved in rats by oral administration of calcitonin tablets comprising a thiomer. Furthermore, tablets comprising a thiomer and pegylated insulin resulted in a pharmacological efficacy of 7% after oral application to diabetic mice. Low-molecular-weight heparin embedded in thiolated polycarbophil led to an absolute bioavailability of > or = 20% after oral administration to rats. In these studies, formulations comprising the corresponding unmodified polymer had only a marginal or no effect. These results indicate drug carrier systems based on thiomers appear to be a promising tool for oral delivery of hydrophilic macromolecular drugs.

  7. Functionality Effect of Pressure Sensitive Adhesives on In Vitro Drug Release Behavior of Fentanyl Drug in an Adhesive Patch

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.M. Taghizadeh

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Some formulations of drug in adhesive transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDSs( with different functional and non-functional acrylic pressure sensitive adhesives PSAs( were prepared. For this purpose fentanyl was used as a drug component. The effects of PSAs type on skin permeation and in vitro drug release from devices were evaluated using hydrodynamically well-characterized Chien permeation system fitted with excised rat abdominal skin. The adhesion properties of devices (peel strength and tack values( were obtained. It was found that TDDS with –COOH functional PSA had the lowest steady state flux. Drug release was followed by Higuchi's kinetic model. Adhesion properties of the samples were improved by addition of functional PSA in the formulations.

  8. An Overview of Clinical and Commercial Impact of Drug Delivery Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anselmo, Aaron C.; Mitragotri, Samir

    2014-01-01

    Drug delivery systems are widely researched and developed to improve the delivery of pharmaceutical compounds and molecules. The last few decades have seen a marked growth of the field fueled by increased number of researchers, research funding, venture capital and the number of start-ups. Collectively, the growth has led to novel systems that make use of micro/nano-particles, transdermal patches, inhalers, drug reservoir implants and antibody-drug conjugates. While the increased research activity is clearly an indication of proliferation of the field, clinical and commercial translation of early-stage research ideas is critically important for future growth and interest in the field. Here, we will highlight some of the examples of novel drug delivery systems that have undergone such translation. Specifically, we will discuss the developments, advantages, limitations and lessons learned from: (i) microparticle-based depot formulations, (ii) nanoparticle-based cancer drugs, (iii) transdermal systems, (iv) oral drug delivery systems, (v) pulmonary drug delivery, (vi) implants and (vii) antibody-drug conjugates. These systems have impacted treatment of many prevalent diseases including diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases, among others. At the same time, these systems are integral and enabling components of products that collectively generate annual revenues exceeding US $100 billion. These examples provide strong evidence of the clinical and commercial impact of drug delivery systems. PMID:24747160

  9. Formulation and characterization of lipid-based drug delivery system of raloxifene-microemulsion and self-microemulsifying drug delivery system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hetal Thakkar

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background : Raloxifene, a second-generation selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM used to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women is administered orally in the form of a tablet. The absolute bioavailability of the drug is only 2% because of extensive hepatic first-pass metabolism. Lipid-based formulations are reported to reduce the first-pass metabolism by promoting its lymphatic uptake. Materials and Methods : In the present investigation, microemulsion and Self-Microemulsifying Drug Delivery System (SMEDDS formulations of Raloxifene were prepared. The prepared formulations were characterized for drug loading, size, transparency, zeta potential, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM and in vitro intestinal permeability. Results : The results indicated that high drug loading, optimum size and desired zeta potential and transparency could be achieved with both SMEDDS and microemulsion. The TEM studies indicated the absence of aggregation with both the systems. The in vitro intestinal permeability results showed that the permeation of the drug from the microemulsion and SMEDDs was significantly higher than that obtained from the drug dispersion and marketed formulation. Conclusion : Lipid based formulations such as microemulsion and Self Microemulsifying drug delivery systems are expected to increase the oral bioavailability as evidenced by the increased intestinal permeation.

  10. Formulation and characterization of lipid-based drug delivery system of raloxifene-microemulsion and self-microemulsifying drug delivery system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thakkar, Hetal; Nangesh, Jitesh; Parmar, Mayur; Patel, Divyakant

    2011-01-01

    Background: Raloxifene, a second-generation selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) used to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women is administered orally in the form of a tablet. The absolute bioavailability of the drug is only 2% because of extensive hepatic first-pass metabolism. Lipid-based formulations are reported to reduce the first-pass metabolism by promoting its lymphatic uptake. Materials and Methods: In the present investigation, microemulsion and Self-Microemulsifying Drug Delivery System (SMEDDS) formulations of Raloxifene were prepared. The prepared formulations were characterized for drug loading, size, transparency, zeta potential, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and in vitro intestinal permeability. Results: The results indicated that high drug loading, optimum size and desired zeta potential and transparency could be achieved with both SMEDDS and microemulsion. The TEM studies indicated the absence of aggregation with both the systems. The in vitro intestinal permeability results showed that the permeation of the drug from the microemulsion and SMEDDs was significantly higher than that obtained from the drug dispersion and marketed formulation. Conclusion: Lipid based formulations such as microemulsion and Self Microemulsifying drug delivery systems are expected to increase the oral bioavailability as evidenced by the increased intestinal permeation. PMID:21966167

  11. Microneedle Patches as Drug and Vaccine Delivery Platform.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Junwei; Zeng, Mingtao; Shan, Hu; Tong, Chunyi

    2017-01-01

    Transcutaneous delivery is the ideal method for delivering therapeutic reagents or vaccines into skin. With their promise of self-administration, cost-effective and high efficiency, microneedle patches have been studied intensively as therapeutic and vaccination delivery platform that replaces injection by syringe. This review aims to summarize the recent advancements of microneedle patches in application for drugs and vaccine delivery. We reviewed the most of recently published papers on microneedle patches, summarized their evolution, classification, state-of the-art capabilities and discussed promising application in drugs and vaccine delivery. With the rapid development of nanotechnology, microneedle patches have been improved by switching from undissolving to dissolving microneedles, and their safety has also improved dramatically. As a drug delivery tool, microneedle patches can deliver bioactive molecular of different physical size. Additionally, microneedle patches can be coated or encapsulate with DNA vaccine, subunit antigen, inactivated or live virus vaccine. Combining clinical results with the results of patient interview, microneedle patches are found to be feasible and are predicated to soon be acceptable for the medical service. In this review, we summarized the evolution, current and future application of microneedle patches as delivery vehicle for drugs and vaccines. Compared with traditional delivery tools, microneedle patches have many advantages, such as providing pain-free, non-invasive, convenient route for reagent administration and delivery, with no cold chain required for storage and transportation as well as decreasing sharp medical waste, needle-caused injury and transmission of blood-borne infectious disease in rural area. However, even though there are dramatic progress in preclinical investigation of microneedle patches, further testing will be required for clinical application. Further research should be implemented in multiple fields

  12. Synthesis and characterization of novel dual-responsive nanogels and their application as drug delivery systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Jinrong; Qi, Tingting; Liao, Jinfeng; Fan, Min; Luo, Feng; Li, He; Qian, Zhiyong

    2012-03-01

    In this study, a temperature/pH dual-response nanogel based on NIPAm, MAA, and PEGMA was synthesized via emulsion polymerization and characterized by 1H-NMR, FT-IR, TEM and DLS. By introducing a novel initiator, through which PEG-AIBN-PEG was synthesized, it was revealed that the PEG segments from PEG-AIBN-PEG with a dosage of initiator had a significant influence over the macro-state and stability of the nanogels. In order to optimize the feeding prescription for better application as a drug delivery system, the effect of the co-monomer contents on the response to stimuli (temperature and pH value) and cytotoxicity of the nanogels has been studied in detail. The results demonstrated that the responsiveness, reversibility and volume phase transition critical value of the nanogels could be controlled by adjusting the feeding ratio of the co-monomers in the synthesis process. MTT assay results revealed that nanogels with appropriate compositions showed good biocompatibility and relatively low toxicity. Most importantly, by studying the drug loading behavior, it was found that the dimensions of the drug molecules had a considerable influence on the drug loading efficiency and loading capacity of the nanogels, and that the mechanism by which drug molecule sizes influence the drug loading behavior of nanogels needs further investigation. The results indicated that such PNMP nanogels might have potential applications in drug delivery and other medical applications, but that the drug loading mechanism must be further developed.

  13. Transferosomes - A vesicular transdermal delivery system for enhanced drug permeation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reshmy Rajan

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Transdermal administration of drugs is generally limited by the barrier function of the skin. Vesicular systems are one of the most controversial methods for transdermal delivery of active substances. The interest in designing transdermal delivery systems was relaunched after the discovery of elastic vesicles like transferosomes, ethosomes, cubosomes, phytosomes, etc. This paper presents the composition, mechanisms of penetration, manufacturing and characterization methods of transferosomes as transdermal delivery systems of active substances. For a drug to be absorbed and distributed into organs and tissues and eliminated from the body, it must pass through one or more biological membranes/barriers at various locations. Such a movement of drug across the membrane is called as drug transport. For the drugs to be delivered to the body, they should cross the membranous barrier. The concept of these delivery systems was designed in an attempt to concentrate the drug in the tissues of interest, while reducing the amount of drug in the remaining tissues. Hence, surrounding tissues are not affected by the drug. In addition, loss of drug does not happen due to localization of drug, leading to get maximum efficacy of the medication. Therefore, the phospholipid based carrier systems are of considerable interest in this era.

  14. A high-density lipoprotein-mediated drug delivery system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mo, Zhong-Cheng; Ren, Kun; Liu, Xing; Tang, Zhen-Li; Yi, Guang-Hui

    2016-11-15

    High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is a comparatively dense and small lipoprotein that can carry lipids as a multifunctional aggregate in plasma. Several studies have shown that increasing the levels or improving the functionality of HDL is a promising target for treating a wide variety of diseases. Among lipoproteins, HDL particles possess unique physicochemical properties, including naturally synthesized physiological components, amphipathic apolipoproteins, lipid-loading and hydrophobic agent-incorporating characteristics, specific protein-protein interactions, heterogeneity, nanoparticles, and smaller size. Recently, the feasibility and superiority of using HDL particles as drug delivery vehicles have been of great interest. In this review, we summarize the structure, constituents, biogenesis, remodeling, and reconstitution of HDL drug delivery systems, focusing on their delivery capability, characteristics, applications, manufacturing, and drug-loading and drug-targeting characteristics. Finally, the future prospects are presented regarding the clinical application and challenges of using HDL as a pharmacodelivery carrier. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Elastic liposomes as novel carriers: recent advances in drug delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hussain A

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Afzal Hussain,1,2 Sima Singh,1 Dinesh Sharma,3 Thomas J Webster,4 Kausar Shafaat,2 Abdul Faruk5 1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India; 2Faculty of Pharmacy, Sachchidananda Sinha College, Aurangabad, Bihar, India; 3Zifam Pyrex Myanmar Co. Ltd., Yangon, Myanmar; 4Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; 5Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar, Uttarakhand, India Abstract: Elastic liposomes (EL are some of the most versatile deformable vesicular carriers that comprise physiologically biocompatible lipids and surfactants for the delivery of numerous challenging molecules and have marked advantages over other colloidal systems. They have been investigated for a wide range of applications in pharmaceutical technology through topical, transdermal, nasal, and oral routes for efficient and effective drug delivery. Increased drug encapsulation efficiency, enhanced drug permeation and penetration into or across the skin, and ultradeformability have led to widespread interest in ELs to modulate drug release, permeation, and drug action more efficiently than conventional drug-release vehicles. This review provides insights into the versatile role that ELs play in the delivery of numerous drugs and biomolecules by improving drug release, permeation, and penetration across the skin as well as stability. Furthermore, it provides future directions that should ensure the widespread use of ELs across all medical fields. Keywords: elastic liposomes, drug delivery, topical, transdermal, enhanced delivery 

  16. Connecting drug delivery reality to smart materials design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grainger, David W

    2013-09-15

    Inflated claims to both design and mechanistic novelty in drug delivery and imaging systems, including most nanotechnologies, are not supported by the generally poor translation of these systems to clinical efficacy. The "form begets function" design paradigm is seductive but perhaps over-simplistic in translation to pharmaceutical efficacy. Most innovations show few clinically important distinctions in their therapeutic benefits in relevant preclinical disease and delivery models, despite frequent claims to the contrary. Long-standing challenges in drug delivery issues must enlist more realistic, back-to-basics approaches to address fundamental materials properties in complex biological systems, preclinical test beds, and analytical methods to more reliably determine fundamental pharmaceutical figures of merit, including drug carrier purity and batch-batch variability, agent biodistribution, therapeutic index (safety), and efficacy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Data on the experiments of temperature-sensitive hydrogels for pH-sensitive drug release and the characterizations of materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Zhang

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available This article contains experimental data on the strain sweep, the calibration curve of drug (doxorubicin, DOX and the characterizations of materials. Data included are related to the research article “Injectable and body temperature sensitive hydrogels based on chitosan and hyaluronic acid for pH sensitive drug release” (Zhang et al., 2017 [1]. The strain sweep experiments were performed on a rotational rheometer. The calibration curves were obtained by analyzing the absorbance of DOX solutions on a UV–vis-NIR spectrometer. Molecular weight (Mw of the hyaluronic acid (HA and chitosan (CS were determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC. The deacetylation degree of CS was measured by acid base titration.

  18. Solid Lipid Nanoparticles as Efficient Drug and Gene Delivery Systems: Recent Breakthroughs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jafar Ezzati Nazhad Dolatabadi

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, nanomaterials have been widely applied as advanced drug and gene delivery nanosystems. Among them, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs have attracted great attention as colloidal drug delivery systems for incorporating hydrophilic or lipophilic drugs and various macromolecules as well as proteins and nucleic acids. Therefore, SLNs offer great promise for controlled and site specific drug and gene delivery. This article includes general information about SLN structures and properties, production procedures, characterization. In addition, recent progress on development of drug and gene delivery systems using SLNs was reviewed.

  19. Sperm-Hybrid Micromotor for Targeted Drug Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Haifeng; Medina-Sánchez, Mariana; Magdanz, Veronika; Schwarz, Lukas; Hebenstreit, Franziska; Schmidt, Oliver G

    2018-01-23

    A sperm-driven micromotor is presented as a targeted drug delivery system, which is appealing to potentially treat diseases in the female reproductive tract. This system is demonstrated to be an efficient drug delivery vehicle by first loading a motile sperm cell with an anticancer drug (doxorubicin hydrochloride), guiding it magnetically, to an in vitro cultured tumor spheroid, and finally freeing the sperm cell to deliver the drug locally. The sperm release mechanism is designed to liberate the sperm when the biohybrid micromotor hits the tumor walls, allowing it to swim into the tumor and deliver the drug through the sperm-cancer cell membrane fusion. In our experiments, the sperm cells exhibited a high drug encapsulation capability and drug carrying stability, conveniently minimizing  toxic side effects and unwanted drug accumulation in healthy tissues. Overall, sperm cells are excellent candidates to operate in physiological environments, as they neither express pathogenic proteins nor proliferate to form undesirable colonies, unlike other cells or microorganisms. This sperm-hybrid micromotor is a biocompatible platform with potential application in gynecological healthcare, treating or detecting cancer or other diseases in the female reproductive system.

  20. Elastic liposomes as novel carriers: recent advances in drug delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hussain, Afzal; Singh, Sima; Sharma, Dinesh; Webster, Thomas J; Shafaat, Kausar; Faruk, Abdul

    2017-01-01

    Elastic liposomes (EL) are some of the most versatile deformable vesicular carriers that comprise physiologically biocompatible lipids and surfactants for the delivery of numerous challenging molecules and have marked advantages over other colloidal systems. They have been investigated for a wide range of applications in pharmaceutical technology through topical, transdermal, nasal, and oral routes for efficient and effective drug delivery. Increased drug encapsulation efficiency, enhanced drug permeation and penetration into or across the skin, and ultradeformability have led to widespread interest in ELs to modulate drug release, permeation, and drug action more efficiently than conventional drug-release vehicles. This review provides insights into the versatile role that ELs play in the delivery of numerous drugs and biomolecules by improving drug release, permeation, and penetration across the skin as well as stability. Furthermore, it provides future directions that should ensure the widespread use of ELs across all medical fields. PMID:28761343