Mucus-penetrating and permeation enhancer albumin-based nanoparticles for oral delivery of macromolecules: Application to bevacizumab.

The oral administration of therapeutic proteins copes with important challenges (mainly degradation and poor absorption) making their potential therapeutic application extremely difficult. The aim of this study was to design and evaluate the potential of the combination between mucus-permeating nanoparticles and permeation enhancers as a carrier for the oral delivery of the monoclonal antibody bevacizumab, used as a model of therapeutic protein. For this purpose, bevacizumab was encapsulated in PEG-coated albumin nanoparticles as a hydrophobic ion-pairing complex with either sodium deoxycholate (DS) or sodium docusate (DOCU). In both cases, complex formation efficiencies close to 90% were found. The incorporation of either DS or DOCU in PEG-coated nanoparticles significantly increased their mean size, particularly when DOCU was used. Moreover, the diffusion in mucus of DOCU-loaded nanoparticles was significantly reduced, compared with DS ones. In a C. elegans model, DS or DOCU (free or nanoencapsulated) disrupted the intestinal epithelial integrity, but the overall survival of the worms was not affected. In rats, the relative oral bioavailability of bevacizumab incorporated in PEG-coated nanoparticles as a complex with DS (B-DS-NP-P) was 3.7%, a 1000-fold increase compared to free bevacizumab encapsulated in nanoparticles (B-NP-P). This important effect of DS may be explained not only by its capability to transiently disrupt tight junctions but also to their ability to increase the fluidity of membranes and to inhibit cytosolic and brush border enzymes. In summary, the current strategy may be useful to allow the therapeutic use of orally administered proteins, including monoclonal antibodies.

Gliadin nanoparticles for oral administration of bioactives: Ex vivo and in vivo investigations.

This study aims to provide a thorough characterization of Brij O2-stabilized gliadin nanoparticles to be used for the potential oral administration of various compounds. Different techniques were used in order to evaluate their physico-chemical features and then in vivo studies in rats were performed for the investigation of their biodistribution and gastrointestinal transit profiles. The results showed that the gliadin nanoparticles accumulated in the mucus layer of the bowel mucosa and evidenced their ability to move along the digestive systems of the animals. The incubation of the nanosystems with Caenorhabditis elegans, used as an additional in vivo model, confirmed the intake of the particles and evidenced their presence along the entire gastrointestinal tract of these nematodes. The gliadin nanoparticles influenced neither the egg-laying activity of the worms nor their metabolism of lipids up to 10 µg/mL of nanoformulation. The systems decreased the content of the age-related lipofuscin pigment in the nematodes in a dose-dependent manner, demonstrating a certain antioxidant activity. Lastly, dihydroethidium staining showed the absence of oxidative stress upon incubation of the worms together with the formulations, confirming their safe profile. This data paves the way for the future application of the proposed nanosystems regarding the oral delivery of various bioactives.

Role of Microstructure in Drug Release from Chitosan Amorphous Solid Dispersions.

The unexpected dissolution behaviour of amorphous diflunisal-chitosan solid dispersions (kneading method) with respect to the crystalline co-evaporated systems is the starting point of this research. This work is an in-depth study of the diflunisal release behaviour from either chitosan or carboxymethylchitosan dispersions. The microstructure is not usually considered when designing this type of products; however, it is essential to understand the process of solvent penetration and subsequent drug release through a polymeric system, as has been evidenced in this study. In accordance with the kinetic data analysed, it is possible to conclude that the porous structure, conditioned by the sample preparation method, can be considered the main factor involved in diflunisal release. The low mean pore size (1-2 µm), low porosity, and high tortuosity of the amorphous kneaded products are responsible for the slow drug release in comparison with the crystalline coevaporated systems, which exhibit larger pore size (8-10 µm) and lower tortuosity. Nevertheless, all diflunisal-carboxymethylchitosan products show similar porous microstructure and overlapping dissolution profiles. The drug release mechanisms obtained can also be related to the porous structure. Fickian diffusion was the main mechanism involved in drug release from chitosan, whereas an important contribution of erosion was detected for carboxymethylchitosan systems, probably due to its high solubility.

A Comprehensive Study of Gemfibrozil Complexation with ß-Cyclodextrins in Aqueous Solution Using Different Analytical Techniques.

Gemfibrozil (GEM) is a hypolipidemic agent, which is effective in reducing serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Complexation of GEM with native ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) and with the derivatives hydroxypropyl-ß- and randomly methylated ß-CD (HPß-CD and Meß-CD) was studied in aqueous solution of pH 2.8 and 7.0. The stability constants were determined by spectrofluorimetry, 1H-NMR spectroscopy and solubility assays. Considering the well-known difficulties to obtain similar stability constants by different techniques, the agreement of the values obtained supports the reliability of the results presented. The advantages and drawbacks of each analytical technique for the study of inclusion complexation were discussed as well. In addition, the thermodynamic parameters of complexation, enthalpy (ΔH) and entropy (ΔS), were determined and related to the type of molecular interactions that take place between GEM and the different cyclodextrins. Finally, solid dispersions were prepared by co-evaporation, kneading, vacuum desiccation, and coprecipitation, and complexation was evaluated by X-ray diffraction.

Inclusion Complexes of Rifampicin with Native and Derivatized Cyclodextrins: In Silico Modeling, Formulation, and Characterization.

Inclusion complexation of rifampicin (RIF) with several types of cyclodextrins (ßCD, hydroxypropyl-ßCD, γCD, hydroxypropyl-γCD) in aqueous solutions at different pH values was investigated to assess the interactions between RIF and cyclodextrins (CDs). Molecular modeling was performed to determine the possible interactions between RIF and CDs at several pH values. The inclusion complexes were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffractometry, and scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, this study evaluated the dissolution profile and antibacterial activity of the formed complexes. Phase solubility analysis suggested the formation of RIF-CD affirmed 1:1 stoichiometry at all pH values (except RIF-ßCD at pH 4.0 and both ßCD and γCD at pH 9.0). The inclusion complexation of RIF with CD successfully increased the percentage of RIF released in in vitro studies. The inclusion complexes of RIF exhibited more than 60% of RIF released in 2 h which was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than release of pure RIF, which was only less than 10%. Antibacterial activity of RIF-CD complexes (measured by the minimum inhibitory concentration of RIF against Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) was lower for both RIF-ßCD and RIF-HPγCD at pH 7.0 to pure RIF suspension. In conclusion, this work reports that both ßCD and γCD can be used to enhance the solubility of RIF and thus, improve the effectivity of RIF by decreasing the required daily dose of RIF for the treatment of bacterial infections.

Cyclodextrin-grafted poly(anhydride) nanoparticles for oral glibenclamide administration. In vivo evaluation using C. elegans.

The aim of this work was to prepare and evaluate cyclodextrins-modified poly(anhydride) nanoparticles to enhance the oral administration of glibenclamide. A conjugate polymer was synthesized by incorporating hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin to the backbone of poly(methylvinyl ether-co-maleic anhydride) via Steglich reaction. The degree of substitution of anhydride rings by cyclodextrins molecules was calculated to be 4.9% using H-NMR spectroscopy. A central composite design of experiments was used to optimize the preparative process. Under the optimal conditions, nanoparticles displayed a size of about 170 nm, a surface charge of -47 mV and a drug loading of 69 µg GB/mg. X-ray diffraction studies confirmed the loss of the crystalline structure of GB due to its dispersion into the nanoparticles, either included into cyclodextrin cavities or entrapped in the polymer chains. Glibenclamide was mainly release by Fickian-diffusion in simulated intestinal fluid. GB-loaded nanoparticles produced a hypolipidemic effect over C. elegans N2 wild-type and daf-2 mutant. The action mechanism included daf-2 and daf-28 genes, both implicated in the insulin signaling pathway of C. elegans. In summary, the covalent linkage of cyclodextrin to the poly(anhydride) backbone could be an interesting strategy to prepare nanoparticles for the oral administration of glibenclamide.

Pegylated nanoparticles for the oral delivery of nimodipine: Pharmacokinetics and effect on the anxiety and cognition in mice.

Nimodipine may be of interest to treat behavioral alterations and memory deficits. However, its oral administration is hampered by a low bioavailability. The aim of this work was to develop pegylated nanoparticles as oral carriers of nimodipine and test their capability to both reverse the anxiety and protect against cognitive impairment of in stressed mice. Pegylated nanoparticles (NMD-NP/PEG), with a size of 190 nm and a payload of 68 µg/mg, significantly improve the oral bioavailability of nimodipine; about 7-times higher than for the control drug solution (62% vs 9%). The effect of oral nimodipine on the anxiety and cognitive capabilities in a model of stressed mice was also evaluated. NMD-NP/PEG displayed a poor effect on the anxiety-like behavior of animals. Nevertheless, only the treatment with NMD-NP/PEG exerted a protective effect against the memory impairments induced by chronic corticosterone administration, improving the cognitive capabilities of animals when compared with controls. These pegylated nanocarriers may represent a useful strategy to develop new oral treatments for preventing from cognitive impairments.

Human serum albumin nanoparticles for ocular delivery of bevacizumab.

Bevacizumab-loaded nanoparticles (B-NP) were prepared by a desolvation process followed by freeze-drying, without any chemical, physical or enzymatic cross-linkage. Compared with typical HSA nanoparticles cross-linked with glutaraldehyde (B-NP-GLU), B-NP displayed a significantly higher mean size (310 nm vs. 180 nm) and a lower negative zeta potential (-15 mV vs. -36 mV). On the contrary, B-NP displayed a high payload of approximately 13% when measured by a specific ELISA, whereas B-NP-GLU presented a very low bevacizumab loading (0.1 µg/mg). These results could be related to the inactivation of bevacizumab after reacting with glutaraldehyde. From B-NP, bevacizumab was released following an initial burst effect, proceeded by a continuous release of bevacizumab at a rate of 6 µg/h. Cytotoxicity studies in ARPE cells were carried out at a single dose up to 72 h and with repeated doses over a 5-day period. Neither bevacizumab nor B-NP altered cell viability even when repeated doses were used. Finally, B-NP were labeled with 99mTc and administered as eye drops in rats. 99mTc-B-NP remained in the eye for at least 4 h while 99mTc-HSA was rapidly drained from the administration point. In summary, HSA nanoparticles may be an appropriate candidate for ocular delivery of bevacizumab.

Coencapsulation of cyclodextrins into poly(anhydride) nanoparticles to improve the oral administration of glibenclamide. A screening on C. elegans.

This work describes the feasibility of poly(anhydride) nanoparticles as carriers for the oral administration of glibenclamide (GB) as well as the in vivo evaluation of their hypolipidemic effect in a C. elegans model. For this purpose, and in order to increase the GB payload, the drug was encapsulated in nanoparticles in presence of cyclodextrins (either ßCD or HPßCD). The optimized nanoparticles displayed a size of about 220 nm and a negative zeta potential (-40 mV), with a drug loading up to 52 µg/mg. Small-angle neutron scattering studies suggested an internal fractal-like structure, based on the repetition of spherical blocks of polymeric units (about 5 nm) grouped to form the nanoparticle. X-ray diffraction study confirmed the absence of crystalline GB molecules due to its dispersion into the nanoparticles, either entrapped in the polymer chains and/or included into cyclodextrin cavities. GB-loaded nanoparticles induced a significant reduction in the fat content of C. elegans. This hypolipidemic effect was slightly higher for the nanoparticles prepared with coencapsulated HPßCD (8.2%) than for those prepared with ßCD (7.9%) or in the absence of cyclodextrins (7.0%). In summary, the coencapsulation of cyclodextrins into poly(anhydride) nanoparticles could be an interesting strategy to develop new oral formulations of glibenclamide.

Optimization and evaluation of zein nanoparticles to improve the oral delivery of glibenclamide. In vivo study using C. elegans.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the capability of zein nanoparticles as oral carriers for glibenclamide (GB). Nanoparticles were prepared by a desolvation procedure in the presence of lysine as stabilizer. A central composite design was used to optimize this preparative process. Under the selected conditions, nanoparticles displayed a size of about 190 nm, a surface charge of -37mV and a payload of 45µg GB/mg. Small-angle neutron scattering and X-ray diffraction techniques suggested an internal fractal-like structure, based on the repetition of spherical blocks of zein units (about 20nm) grouped to form the nanoparticles. This structure, stabilized by lysine molecules located at the surface, would determine the release of GB (molecularly trapped into the nanoparticles) by a pure diffusion mechanism. Moreover, GB-loaded nanoparticles induced a significant hypolipidemic effect with a reduction of about 15% in the fat content of C. elegans worms. In addition, did not induce any significant modification in the lifespan of worms. In summary, the employment of zein nanoparticles as delivery systems of glibenclamide may be an interesting approach to develop new oral formulations of this antidiabetic drug.

Supramolecular structure of glibenclamide and ß-cyclodextrins complexes.

Glibenclamide is an antidiabetic drug showing low bioavailability as consequence of its low solubility. To solve this drawback, the interaction with cyclodextrins has been proposed. The formation of GB-ßCDs inclusion complexes was carried out using different methods, ßCD derivatives and drug-to-cyclodextrin ratios. The structures of the corresponding complexes have been studied by molecular modelling, X-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis. The dissolution behavior of inclusion complexes has been compared to that of pure GB. Dimeric inclusion complexes were obtained with different CD disposals, head-to-head for ßCD and head-to-tail for HPßCD and RMßCD. Amorphous inclusion complexes were obtained by employing methods of freeze-drying or coevaporation in ammonia-water. However, crystalline structures were formed by kneading and coevaporation in ethanol/water in the case of GB-ßCD complexes. The arrangement of these structures depended on the GB:ßCD ratio, yielding cage type structures for 1:3 and 1:5 ratios and channel-type structures for higher GB contents. The amount of GB released and its dissolution rate was considerably increased by the use of amorphous inclusion complexes; whereas, slower GB release rates were found from crystalline inclusion complexes formed by kneading or coevaporation in ethanol/water. In addition, it was found that the porous structure strongly conditioned the GB dissolution rate from crystalline products.

Nanoaggregation of inclusion complexes of glibenclamide with cyclodextrins.

Glibenclamide is a sulfonylurea used for the oral treatment of type II diabetes mellitus. This drug shows low bioavailability as consequence of its low solubility. In order to solve this problem, the interaction with cyclodextrin has been proposed. This study tries to provide an explanation about the processes involved in the formation of GB-ßCDs complexes, which have been interpreted in different ways by several authors. Among native cyclodextrins, ßCD presents the most appropriate cavity to host glibenclamide molecules showing AL solubility diagrams (K1:1≈1700M-1). However, [Formula: see text] solubility profiles were found for ßCD derivatives, highlighting the coexistence of several phenomena involved in the drug solubility enhancement. At low CD concentration, the formation of inclusion complexes can be studied and the stability constants can be calculated (K1:1≈1400M-1). Whereas at high CD concentration, the enhancement of GB solubility would be mainly attributed to the formation of nanoaggregates of CD and GB-CD complexes (sizes between 100 and 300nm). The inclusion mode into ßCD occurs through the cyclohexyl ring of GB, adopting a semi-folded conformation which maximizes the hydrogen bond network. As consequence of all these phenomena, a 150-fold enhancement of drug solubility has been achieved using ß-cyclodextrin derivatives. Thus, its use has proven to be an interesting tool to improve the oral administration of glibenclamide in accordance with dosage bulk and dose/solubility ratio requirements.

Influence of chitosan and carboxymethylchitosan on the polymorphism and solubilisation of diflunisal.

The interactions of diflunisal (DF) with chitosans (CS) of different molecular weights and carboxymethylchitosan (CMCS), a water-soluble derivative, have been investigated. The interactions in solution have been studied by solubility assays in which the highest solubilisation (13-fold) was obtained with CMCS. Solid dispersions were prepared by coevaporation and kneading methods. Solid state characterisation was performed by X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, thermomicroscopy, differential thermal analysis and infrared spectroscopy. Drug-polymer electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonds are the main binding forces in these systems. The kneading method gave rise to amorphous systems regardless of the polymer employed. However, coevaporation resulted in the formation of different polymorphs of diflunisal (form II or III) depending on the type of polymer used. Therefore, it seems that drug-polymer interactions determine the crystallization pattern of the drug. Finally, diflunisal release from these systems improved markedly with CMCS and significantly in the presence of low molecular weight CS.

The role of cyclodextrins in ORAC-fluorescence assays. antioxidant capacity of tyrosol and caffeic acid with hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin.

Tyrosol and caffeic acid are biophenols that contribute to the beneficial properties of virgin olive oil. The influence of hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin (HPß-CD) on their respective antioxidant capacities was analyzed. The ORAC antioxidant activity of tyrosol (expressed as µM Trolox equivalents/µM Tyrosol) was 0.83 ± 0.03 and it increased up to 1.20 ± 0.11 in the presence of 0.8 mM HPß-CD. However, the ORAC antioxidant activity of caffeic acid experienced no change. The different effect of HPß-CD on each compound was discussed. In addition, the effect of increasing concentrations of different cyclodextrins in the development of ORAC-fluorescence (ORAC-FL) assays was studied. The ORAC signal was higher for HPß-CD, followed by Mß-CD, ß-CD, γ-CD and finally α-CD. These results could be explained by the formation of inclusion complexes with fluorescein.

Influence of soluble and insoluble cyclodextrin polymers on drug release from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose tablets.

BACKGROUND: The influence of beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) polymers on drug release from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) matrices has not been reported in the literature. AIM: The influence of monomeric beta-CD and both soluble and insoluble beta-CD polymers on drug release from tablets containing either 30% or 50% hydroxypropyl methylcellulose has been studied using diflunisal (DF) as model drug. METHOD: The DF-beta-CD inclusion complex (1:1 M) was prepared by coevaporation and characterised using X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis, and IR spectroscopy. The dissolution assays were performed according to the USP paddle method. RESULTS: The incorporation of beta-CD in the complexed form increases drug release from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose tablets in comparison with the physical mixture because of the better solubilization of the drug. The soluble polymer promotes drug release to a higher extent than the physical mixture with monomeric beta-CD, but the insoluble polymer, which is itself a hydrogel, gives rise to the most retarded release profile, probably by retention of the drug in its structure. The formulations containing physical mixtures with either beta-CD or the soluble polymer present an optimum adjustment to zero-order release kinetics, and the inclusion complex followed non-Fickian diffusion according to the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. CONCLUSION: The release profile of DF from a HPMC matrix can be modulated in different ways by the use of either monomeric or polymeric beta-CD.

Characterization of complexes between naftifine and cyclodextrins in solution and in the solid state.

Naftifine (NF) is an antifungal drug poorly soluble in basic aqueous solutions. Complexation with cyclodextrins (CDs) improves the physicochemical characteristics of many drugs. The aim of this work is to characterize the interactions between NF and alpha-CD, beta-CD, hydroxypropylbeta-CD, methylbeta-CD, and gamma-CD. The studies have been developed in pH 12 aqueous solutions at 25 degrees C and in the solid state. The apparent stability constants of the complexes have been determined from phase-solubility diagrams. In the solid state, crystalline and amorphous complexes have been characterized using X-ray diffraction patterns, thermal analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The solubility of NF improves with all the CDs studied, with the exception of alpha-CD. Different types of diagrams have been found depending on the CD used. The interaction between NF and hydroxypropylbeta-CD is stronger than that with beta-CD due to the specific properties of the substituents. The coevaporation method can be said the best method in preparing the solid complexes, except for NF-alpha-CD; again, there is no evidence of complexation. Furthermore, the presence of different types of CD structures upon complexation (i.e., cage or channel) has been discussed. Dissolution rate studies have been performed, and a positive influence of complexation in the solid state has been observed.