Improved Oral Delivery of Drugs Using Nanoemulsion

Administration of drugs through the oral route is considered the simplest and most convenient way to offer greater patient compliance than other routes. Most active drugs discovered in the past and those being discovered in recent times are inadequate because of their inherent limitations in physicochemical properties such as low solubility and permeability, resulting in poor bioavailability, especially after oral administration in the form of tablet or capsule. Pharmaceutical nanoemulsion is the most promising, safer, and multimodal technique for delivering poorly soluble drugs and gaining more attention due to its characteristics such as higher solubilisation capacity, smaller size, surface charge, and site-specific drug targeting. This chapter focuses on the biological fate of nanoemulsion after oral administration and a few case studies related to the oral application of nanoemulsion in delivering poorly soluble drugs. In addition, the anatomy and physiology of the GI tract, components of nanoemulsion, and methods of preparation are addressed.

Formulation and Evaluation of Atorvastatin Solid Dispersions using Entada scandens seed starch as Superdisintegrant

The present work mainly focuses on solubility enhancement of poorly soluble drugs using superdisintegrants. One of such poorly soluble drugs is Atorvastatin, which belongs to the category of statins. Atorvastatin belongs to BCS class – II, which is poorly water soluble and highly permeable. Natural sources are now-a-days playing a key role in pharmaceutical research. They have several pharmaceutical applications. Starches obtained from plants are pharmaceutically useful as binders, diluents, disintegrants and lubricants. Various physical parameters were evaluated. Solid dispersions were prepared using solvent evaporation technique. Where as in solid dispersions, formulations F2 and F5 showed better dissolution rate compared with other formulations. Fourier Transform Infra red spectroscopy (FTIR) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) studies for optimized formulations revealed that there were no major interactions between the drug and excipients. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) studies revealed the crystalline and amorphous nature of formulations. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed the surface characteristics. Thus from the present study, it was concluded that Entada scandens seed starch posses superdisintegrant property.

Improved Bioavailability of Poorly Soluble Drugs through Gastrointestinal Muco-Adhesion of Lipid Nanoparticles

Gastrointestinal absorption remains indispensable in the systemic delivery of most drugs, even though it presents several challenges that, paradoxically, may also provide opportunities that can be exploited to achieve maximal bioavailability. Drug delivery systems made from nanoparticle carriers and especially, lipid carriers, have the potential to traverse gastrointestinal barriers and deploy in the lymphatic pathway, which aptly, is free from first pass via the liver. Several poorly soluble drugs have presented improved systemic bioavailability when couriered in lipid nanoparticle carriers. In this review, we propose an additional frontier to enhancing the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs when encapsulated in lipid nano-carriers by imparting muco-adhesion to the particles through application of appropriate polymeric coating to the lipid carrier. The combined effect of gastrointestinal muco-adhesion followed by lymphatic absorption is a promising approach to improving systemic bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs following oral administration. Evidence to the potential of this approach is backed-up by recent studies within the review.

Drug Solubilization by Surfactants: Experimental Methods and Theoretical Perspectives

: This mini review will give an insight into the need and usefulness of investigating the solubilization of poorly soluble drugs. Commonly used experimental and theoretical models are outlined to study the efficacy of the carrier or excipient for the poorly soluble drugs. Furthermore, the use of surface active agents for drug solubilization is discussed in correlation with the mathematical models suggested from time to time. A few experimental techniques are also discussed which would be very helpful in elucidating the interactions prevailing in the mixed systems of poorly soluble drugs and surface active agents.

Encapsulation of Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Active Ingredients Using Electrospinning Processes

Electrospinning is an inexpensive and powerful method that employs a polymer solution and strong electric field to produce nanofibers. These can be applied in diverse biological and medical applications. Due to their large surface area, controllable surface functionalization and properties, and typically high biocompatibility electrospun nanofibers are recognized as promising materials for the manufacturing of drug delivery systems. Electrospinning offers the potential to formulate poorly soluble drugs as amorphous solid dispersions to improve solubility, bioavailability and targeting of drug release. It is also a successful strategy for the encapsulation of nutraceuticals. This review aims to briefly discuss the concept of electrospinning and recent progress in manufacturing electrospun drug delivery systems. It will further consider in detail the encapsulation of nutraceuticals, particularly probiotics.