Co-amorphous technology to improve dissolution and physical stability of silybin / 中国中药杂志

The present study explored the effect of co-amorphous technology in improving the dissolution rate and stability of silybin based on the puerarin-silybin co-amorphous system prepared by the spray-drying method. Solid-state characterization was carried out by powder X-ray diffraction(PXRD), polarizing microscopy(PLM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry(DSC), etc. Saturated powder dissolution, intrinsic dissolution rate, moisture absorption, and stability were further investigated. The results showed that puerarin and silybin formed a co-amorphous system at a single glass transition temperature which was higher than that of any crude drug. The intrinsic dissolution rate and supersaturated powder dissolution of silybin in the co-amorphous system were higher than those of the crude drug and amorphous system. The co-amorphous system kept stable for as long as three months under the condition of 40 ℃, 75% relative humidity, which was longer than that of the single amorphous silybin. Therefore, the co-amorphous technology could significantly improve the dissolution and stability of silybin.

Effects of HPMCAS MF on absorption of silybin from supersaturable self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system / 中国中药杂志

To evaluate the effects of Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate(HPMCAS MF) on absorption of silybin(SLB) from supersaturable self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system which was pre-prepared at the early stage experiment. The cell toxicity of self-emulsifying preparation was evaluated by the MTT method, and the in vitro membrane permeability and absorption promoting effect of the self-emulsifying preparation were evaluated by establishing a Caco-2 cell monolayer model. The in vivo and in vitro supersaturation correlation was evaluated via the blood concentration of SLB. The results of MTT showed that the concentration of the preparation below 2 mg·mL~(-1)(C_(SLB) 100 μg·mL~(-1)) was not toxic to Caco-2 cells, and the addition of polymer had no significant effect on Caco-2 cells viability. As compared with the solution group, the transport results showed that the P_(app)(AP→BL) of the self-emulsifying preparation had a very significant increase; the transport rate of silybin can be reduced by polymer in 0-30 min; however, there was no difference in supersaturated transport between supersaturated SLB self-nanoemulsion drug delivery system(SLB-SSNEDDS) and SLB self-nanoemulsion drug delivery system(SLB-SNEDDS) within 2 hours. As compared with SLB suspension, pharmacokinetic parameters showed that the blood concentration of both SLB-SNEDDS and SLB-SSNEDDS groups were significantly increased, and C_(max) was 5.25 times and 9.69 times respectively of that in SLB suspension group, with a relative bioavailability of 578.45% and 1 139.44% respectively. C_(max) and relative bioavailability of SLB-SSNEDDS were 1.85 times and 197% of those of SLB-SNEDDS, respectively. Therefore, on the one hand, SSNEDDS can increase the solubility of SLB in gastrointestinal tract by maintaining stability of SLB supersaturation state; on the other hand, the osmotic transport process of SLB was regulated through the composition of its preparations, and both of them could jointly promote the transport and absorption of SLB to improve the oral bioavailability of SLB.

Investigation on Correlation of Phase Behavior and Stability of Curcumin Self-nanoemulsion with Different Drug Loading After in Vitro Dispersion / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To investigate the relationship between phase behavior of curcumin （CUR） from self-nanoemulsion drug delivery system （SNEDDS） and stability of the formed nanoemulsion in artificial gastrointestinal fluid. Method:The growth rate of precipitation after dispersion of CUR-SNEDDS was expressed by the change tendency of CUR supersaturation-time curve. The effect of drug loading on crystal nucleation and growth was investigated by ultraviolet-visible spectrometry and polarized light microscope， respectively. X-ray powder diffraction （XRD） and differential scanning calorimetry （DSC） were used to analyze the precipitation forms of CUR-SNEDDS with different drug loading in artificial gastrointestinal fluid. At the same time， the effect of drug loading on the quality stability of nanoemulsion formed by CUR-SNEDDS in artificial gastrointestinal fluid was investigated. Result:In the artificial gastrointestinal fluid， with the increase of drug loading， the area under the supersaturation-time curve of CUR was increased （100% drug loading≈90% drug loading>75% drug loading）， the crystallization nucleation and growth rate were accelerated （100% drug loading>90% drug loading>75% drug loading）， the amorphous proportion in the precipitation composition decreased， the nanoemulsion droplets adhered and distributed unevenly， the particle size and dispersivity were increased. Conclusion:High drug loading promotes the nucleation and growth of crystals， and increases the proportion of crystal forms in the precipitation composition， which leads to the decrease in the stability of the formed nanoemulsion. Therefore， it is suggested that the drug loading of CUR-SNEDDS needs to be controlled below 90%.

Study on preparation extraction process of Linggui Zhugan Decoction / 中国中药杂志

To verify the appropriate preparation process of extracts for the solid substance benchmark of Linggui Zhugan Decoction. The extracts were prepared by different preparation processes, namely the traditional process(process 1), the extract combined with volatile oil separated from traditional process extract liquid(process 2), the modern secondary reflux extraction process(process 3) and the process that volatile oil was extracted first, then prepared according to the traditional process, and combined with extract(process 4); based on the characteristic spectrum, index components of cinnamaldehyde, glycyrrhizin, ammonium glycyrrhizinate, cinnamic acid, and the dry extract rate of process 1, the differences and similarities of four extracts were compared. The results showed that the similarity of the characteristic spectrum of process 2, process 4 and process 1 were all greater than 0.97, while there was no significant difference for the content of 4 quality control components and dry extract rate; the similarity of the characteristic spectrum of process 3 and process 1 was 0.91, the absolute peak area of 13 out of 21 peaks and the relative peak area of 7 peaks increased significantly, and the content of 3 out of 4 quality control components and dry extract rate also significantly increased. In conclusion, the material standards of extracts by the process 2 and 4 are consistent with that of the traditional process, so the two processes are suitable.

Determining the effect of Huangqi on the pharmacokinetics of six different alkaloids from Fuzi in rats by LC-MS / 药学学报

This study aimed to investigate the influence of combinating Huangqi with Fuzi on the pharmacokinetics of six Aconitum alkaloids, i.e. aconitine (AC), hypaconitine (HA), mesaconitine (MA), benzoylaconine (BAC), benzoylhypaconine (BHA) and benzoylmesaconine (BMA). The plasma concentrations of the drugs were determined by LC-MS for dose response and time dependent curves. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by DAS 3.3, and SPSS 12.0 was used to analyze the differences of main pharmacokinetic parameters between the two groups. Comparing with Fuzi group, the AUC0-t and AUC0-∞ of six alkaloids in Fuzi-Huangqi group was significantly decreased, the CLz/Fof six alkaloids except HA was significantly increased; the Cmax was decreased and the tmax was prolonged in 3 monoester alkaloids, and the apparent volume of distribution of BMA and MA (Vz/F) increases. These data indicated that Huangqi can inhibit the absorption of aconite alkaloids, induce the distribution of aconite alkaloids to the whole body, and accelerate the elimination of aconite alkaloids. The animal experiment scheme in this study has been approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Research progress on modification technology and equipment of Chinese materia medica powder / 中草药

Chinese materia medica (CMM) powder has poor mobility, hygroscopic, viscous and easy reunion because of the complex physical and chemical properties. In recent years, pharmacy workers used domestic and foreign reference materials, chemicals, drugs and other chemical powder modification technology to improve the physicochemical properties of CMM powder, and have made some progress. This article summarizes the common modification technology and equipment of CMM powder, puts forward the basic ideas and the development prospects of CMM powder modification.

Key physical parameters of hawthorn leaf granules by stepwise regression analysis method / 中国中药杂志

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of key physical properties of hawthorn leaf granule on its dissolution behavior. Hawthorn leaves extract was utilized as a model drug. The extract was mixed with microcrystalline cellulose or starch with the same ratio by using different methods. Appropriate amount of lubricant and disintegrating agent was added into part of the mixed powder, and then the granules were prepared by using extrusion granulation and high shear granulation. The granules dissolution behavior was evaluated by using equilibrium dissolution quantity and dissolution rate constant of the hypericin as the indicators. Then the effect of physical properties on dissolution behavior was analyzed through the stepwise regression analysis method. The equilibrium dissolution quantity of hypericin and adsorption heat constant in hawthorn leaves were positively correlated with the monolayer adsorption capacity and negatively correlated with the moisture absorption rate constant. The dissolution rate constants were decreased with the increase of Hausner rate, monolayer adsorption capacity and adsorption heat constant, and were increased with the increase of Carr index and specific surface area. Adsorption heat constant, monolayer adsorption capacity, moisture absorption rate constant, Carr index and specific surface area were the key physical properties of hawthorn leaf granule to affect its dissolution behavior.

Improvement of powder flowability and hygroscopicity of traditional Chinese medicine extract by surface coating modification technology / 中国中药杂志

To study the improvement of powder flowability and hygroscopicity of traditional Chinese medicine extract by surface coating modification technology. The 1% hydrophobic silica nanoparticles were used as surface modifier, and andrographis extract powder was taken as a model drug. Three different techniques were used for coating model drugs, with angle of repose, compressibility, flat angle and cohesion as the comprehensive evaluation indexes for the powder flowability. The powder particle size and the size distribution were measured by Mastersizer 2000. FEI scanning electron microscope was used to observe the surface morphology and structure of the powder. The percentage of Si element on the powder surface was measured by energy dispersive spectrometer. The hygroscopicity of powder was determined by Chinese pharmacopoeia method. All of the three techniques can improve the flowability of powder extract. In particular, hygroscopicity of extract powder can also be improved by dispersion and then high-speed mixing, which can produce a higher percentage of Si element on the powder surface. The improvement principle may be correlated with a modifier adhered to the powder surface.

Study on key physical properties of granulated products of Andrographis mixed powder by high-speed mixing wet method / 中国中药杂志

The impact of key physical properties on granulated products by the high-speed mixing wet method was studied. Andrographis extracts were utilized as the model drug. Four processing methods were adopted to prepare mixed powder of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and starch with the mass ratio 1:0.5, 1:1 and 1:2 by the high-speed mixing wet method. The properties of the prepared granules were evaluated with such indexes as granule yield, the ratio of lumps and fine powder, granule-AOR and granule-HR. The impact of key physical properties on granulated products was analyzed through stepwise regression analysis. The results showed that angle of repose, moisture content, pore volume, density and contact angle with water were key physical properties of the powder. The key physical properties of Chinese medical extracts powder are the important factor impacting granulated products made by the high-speed mixing wet method. In this study, the impact of key physical properties on granulated products of Chinese medical extracts was analyzed from the physical angle.