Strategies for drug targeting in pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer is expected to replace lung cancer as the second greatest cause of cancer mortality by 2025. It has been a particularly the most lethal kind of cancer. OBJECTIVE: Despite the new innovations, research, and improvements in drug design; there are many hurdles limiting their therapeutic applications such as intrinsic resistance to chemotherapeutics, inability to deliver a sufficient concentration of drug to the target site, lack of effectiveness of drug delivery systems. These are the major contributing factors to limit the treatment. So, the main objective is to overcome these types of problems by nanotechnology and ligand conjugation approach to achieve targeted drug delivery. METHOD: Nanotechnology has emerged as a major approach to develop cancer treatment. Regardless of the severity, there are several issues that restrict the therapeutic impact, including inadequate transport across biological barriers, limited cellular absorption, degradation, and faster clearance. RESULT: Targeted drug delivery may overcome these obstacles by binding a natural ligand to the surface of nanocarriers, which enhances the drug's capacity to release at the desired site and minimizes adverse effects. CONCLUSION: This study will investigate the possible outcomes of targeted therapeutic agent delivery in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, as well as the limitations and future prospects.

Formulation and Characterization of Febuxostat Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLCs) - Gel for Topical Treatment of Gout.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to formulate and characterize Nano- Structured Lipid Carriers (NLCs) of Febuxostat (FB) incorporated in the gel for the treatment of Gout. FB is a Xanthine Oxidase (XO) inhibitor drug used for chronic Gout and hyperuricemia. FB is a BCS class II drug, therefore, water solubility is very poor, and due to its poor solubility and wettability, it leads to poor dissolution. The hot high-pressure homogenization technique was used in this study to improve the physicochemical property of FB. METHODS: The carbopol 934 was used to prepare NLCs gel of FB. The NLCs of FB was prepared in different drug: polymer ratios w/w (2:1), (1:1), (1:2), (1:3) and (1:4) with solid lipid (Stearic Acid) and liquid lipid (Oleic acid). The preformulation study of FB included FTIR study melting point, standard calibration curves, and drug-polymer interaction study. RESULTS: The NLCs (1:3) showed high entrapment and drug content. The NLCs gel formulation was 87% released within 6 hours in a controlled manner. CONCLUSION: NLCs gel modifies the drug release, increases the bioavailability, and reduces side effects of FB. The prepared gel is the efficient formulation for the better treatment of chronic gout and hyperuricemia. The research findings have shown the undesirable side effects associated with the oral route that can be reduced by the use of NLCs formulation through the transdermal route in an effective manner.