Amiodarone chewable gels as a potential appproach for paediatric congenital cardiopathies treatment: Comparison between animal and vegetal gelling agents.

The difficulty in swallowing is a frequent problem when oral solid dosage forms (conventional tablets or capsules) are administered to paediatric population or patients with dysphagia. An interesting alternative to overcome these problems are non-conventional formulations like chewable gels, commonly known as 'gummies'. Therefore, this work addresses the design, development and characterization of gummies using gelatine and pectin, for the vehiculization of the antiarrhythmic amiodarone (AMIO). Applying a Design of Experiments (DoE) approach, four gelatine (GG1-GG4) and eight pectin formulations (PG1-PG8) were developed. Considering the obtained results for responses during DoE evaluation (i.e., volume, syneresis, hardness, and gumminess), GG3 and PG8 were selected for complete characterization. Water activity, pH, drug content, texture parameters (adhesiveness, springiness, cohesiveness, and fracturability), disintegration time, in vitro dissolution, and microbiological features were evaluated. The obtained results were within the expected values for this type of formulation. The dissolution profiles showed a 94 % - 99 % of the AMIO content released for GG3 and PG8, respectively, so they could be considered suitable as immediate release dosage forms. In conclusion, the chewable gels were successfully developed and characterised, suggesting a potential means to accomplish a final prototype for the improvement of congenital cardiopathies treatment.

An update on the contribution of hot-melt extrusion technology to novel drug delivery in the twenty-first century: part II.

INTRODUCTION: Interest in hot-melt extrusion (HME) technology for novel applications is growing day by day, which is evident from several hundred publications within the last 5 years. HME is a cost-effective, solvent free, 'green' technology utilized for various formulations with low investment costs compared to conventional technologies. HME has also earned the attention of the pharmaceutical industry by the transformation of this technology for application in continuous manufacturing. AREAS COVERED: Part II of the review focuses on various novel opportunities or innovations of HME such as multiple component systems (co-crystals, co-amorphous systems and salts), twin-screw granulation, semi-solids, co-extrusion, abuse deterrent formulations, solid self-emulsifying drug delivery systems, chronotherapeutic drug delivery systems, and miscellaneous applications. EXPERT OPINION: HME is being investigated as an alternative technology for preparation of multicomponent systems such as co-crystals and co-amorphous techniques. Twin-screw granulation has gained increased interest in preparation of granules via twin-screw melt granulation or twin-screw dry granulation. This novel application of the HME process provides a promising alternate approach in the formulation of granules and solid dosage forms. However, this technology may need to be further investigated for scalability aspects of these novel applications for industrial production.

Release studies of undecylenoyl phenylalanine from topical formulations.

The aim of this study was to characterize the stability of new vehicles for the undecylenoyl phenylalanine that is used as skin-lightening agent in the melasma treatment. The purpose of this research was also to analyse the release kinetics of phenylalanine derivative from topical preparations through different synthetic membranes. Topical formulations such as two different macroemulsions, hydrogels (based on carbomer and hydroxyethylcellulose) and microemulsions were characterized in terms of stability by laser diffraction method. Additionally, multiple light scattering assessed the stability of macroemulsions. The release rates of active substance through different membranes (such as Cuprophan, nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate and Strat-M) were determined using enhancer cell. In order to explain the mechanism of release process the results were fitted with different kinetic models. New stable vehicles for Ude-Phe were successfully obtained. The results proved that the membrane structure had the influence on the release rate of undecylenoyl phenylalanine. The slowest release rate of Ude-Phe was observed when Strat-M membrane was applied. The highest amount of active substance was released from the hydrogel based on carbomer. The release of undecylenoyl phenylalanine from both macroemulsions and hydrogel based on hydroxyethylcellulose followed the Higuchi model. Whereas the release results of Ude-Phe from both microemulsion-based hydrogels and carbomer hydrogel can be described by using Korsmeyer-Peppas model. Hydrogels and microemulsion-based hydrogels could be recommended as proper vehicles for the derivative of phenylalanine.

Validación del método de cuantificación de taninos totales en formulaciones semisólidas de Rhizophora mangle L (mangle rojo) / Validation of the total tannin quantitative determination method in Rhizophora mangle L (red mangrove) semi-solid formulations

Introducción: extractos acuosos de Rhizophora mangle L (mangle rojo) presentan alto contenido de taninos que le confieren propiedades de antiséptico y cicatrizante. Objetivo: demostrar la validez de un método de cuantificación de taninos totales para el control de calidad de formulaciones semisólidas de mangle rojo. Métodos: se estudiaron los indicadores de linealidad, precisión, exactitud, selectividad, y robustez, sugeridos por la USP y la Regulación 41 del CECMED para métodos cuantitativos de contenido o pureza de principios activos mayoritarios. Resultados: se demostró la linealidad en el rango de 0,40-1 mg/mL del patrón empleado, se obtuvo la ecuación de la recta, con coeficientes de determinación y correlación (r² y r) de 0,9912 y 0,9956; el intercepto y la pendiente, no difirieron 0 y 1, respectivamente. Los estudios de recobrado mostraron porcentajes de recobro superiores a 98 por ciento en los diferentes niveles de concentración ensayados indicativos de una adecuada exactitud. El método resultó ser preciso tanto en condiciones óptimas de repetibilidad como en condiciones intermedias. Los resultados de la selectividad mostraron que la respuesta del método no presentó interferencias con otros componentes de la formulación, así como la ausencia de respuesta en los placebos. La robustez quedó comprobada al no obtenerse diferencias significativas entre los resultados obtenidos de corridas del ensayo normal y corridas con cambios (temperatura y tiempo de la centrifugación, variaciones pequeñas del pH del buffer) que resultaron no significativos. Conclusiones: el método de cuantificación de taninos totales resulta confiable para la evaluación de estos compuestos en la formulación semisólida estudiada(AU)

Introduction: Rhizophora mangle L (red mangrove) aqueous extracts have high tannin content that gives them antiseptic and healing features. Objective: to demonstrate the validity of total tannin quantitative determination method for the quality control of semi-solid red mangrove formulations. Methods: The linearity, precision, accuracy, selectivity and robustness indicators were studied in pursuant to the USP guidelines and the Regulation 41 of CECMED for the quantitative determination methods of the content or purity of majority active principles. Results: the linearity in the 0.40-1 mg/mL range of the used pattern was proved, the equation of the straight line with determination and correlation (r² y r) coefficients equal to 0.9912 and 0.9956 respectively were obtained, and the intercept and the slope did not differ from 0 and 1, respectively. The recovery studies showed recovery rates over 98 percent at the various levels of concentration tested, which indicated adequate accuracy. The method was precise both in optimal repeatability conditions and intermediate conditions. The selectivity results revealed that the method response did not interfere with other components of the formulation, and that there was no response in the placebos. Robustness was confirmed since no significant differences between the results from the normal test runs and from the test runs including changes (temperature and centrifugation time, slight variations in the buffer pH) were observed, being all these results not significant. Conclusions: the total tannin quantitative determination method was reliable for the evaluation of these compounds in the studied semi-solid formulation(AU)

Validación del método de cuantificación de taninos totales en formulaciones semisólidas de Rhizophora mangle L (mangle rojo) / Validation of the total tannin quantitative determination method in Rhizophora mangle L (red mangrove) semi-solid formulations

Introducción: extractos acuosos de Rhizophora mangle L (mangle rojo) presentan alto contenido de taninos que le confieren propiedades de antiséptico y cicatrizante. Objetivo: demostrar la validez de un método de cuantificación de taninos totales para el control de calidad de formulaciones semisólidas de mangle rojo. Métodos: se estudiaron los indicadores de linealidad, precisión, exactitud, selectividad, y robustez, sugeridos por la USP y la Regulación 41 del CECMED para métodos cuantitativos de contenido o pureza de principios activos mayoritarios. Resultados: se demostró la linealidad en el rango de 0,40-1 mg/mL del patrón empleado, se obtuvo la ecuación de la recta, con coeficientes de determinación y correlación (r² y r) de 0,9912 y 0,9956; el intercepto y la pendiente, no difirieron 0 y 1, respectivamente. Los estudios de recobrado mostraron porcentajes de recobro superiores a 98 por ciento en los diferentes niveles de concentración ensayados indicativos de una adecuada exactitud. El método resultó ser preciso tanto en condiciones óptimas de repetibilidad como en condiciones intermedias. Los resultados de la selectividad mostraron que la respuesta del método no presentó interferencias con otros componentes de la formulación, así como la ausencia de respuesta en los placebos. La robustez quedó comprobada al no obtenerse diferencias significativas entre los resultados obtenidos de corridas del ensayo normal y corridas con cambios (temperatura y tiempo de la centrifugación, variaciones pequeñas del pH del buffer) que resultaron no significativos. Conclusiones: el método de cuantificación de taninos totales resulta confiable para la evaluación de estos compuestos en la formulación semisólida estudiada

Introduction: Rhizophora mangle L (red mangrove) aqueous extracts have high tannin content that gives them antiseptic and healing features. Objective: to demonstrate the validity of total tannin quantitative determination method for the quality control of semi-solid red mangrove formulations. Methods: The linearity, precision, accuracy, selectivity and robustness indicators were studied in pursuant to the USP guidelines and the Regulation 41 of CECMED for the quantitative determination methods of the content or purity of majority active principles. Results: the linearity in the 0.40-1 mg/mL range of the used pattern was proved, the equation of the straight line with determination and correlation (r² y r) coefficients equal to 0.9912 and 0.9956 respectively were obtained, and the intercept and the slope did not differ from 0 and 1, respectively. The recovery studies showed recovery rates over 98 percent at the various levels of concentration tested, which indicated adequate accuracy. The method was precise both in optimal repeatability conditions and intermediate conditions. The selectivity results revealed that the method response did not interfere with other components of the formulation, and that there was no response in the placebos. Robustness was confirmed since no significant differences between the results from the normal test runs and from the test runs including changes (temperature and centrifugation time, slight variations in the buffer pH) were observed, being all these results not significant. Conclusions: the total tannin quantitative determination method was reliable for the evaluation of these compounds in the studied semi-solid formulation

Polymeric nanoparticles, nanospheres and nanocapsules, for cutaneous applications.

This review presents an overview about pharmaceutical and cosmetic topical products containing polymeric nanoparticles (nanospheres and nanocapsules), reporting the main preparation and characterization methods and the studies of penetration and transport of substances through the skin. The penetration and transport extent of those systems through the skin depends on the ingredients chemical composition, on the encapsulation mechanism influencing the drug release, on the size of nanoparticles and on the viscosity of the formulations. The polymeric nanoparticles are able to modify the activity of drugs, delay and control the drug release, and increase the drug adhesivity or its time of permanence in the skin. Briefly, the nanoparticles can be useful as reservoirs of lipophilic drugs to deliver them in the stratum corneum becoming an important strategy to control their permeation into the skin.