Combination chemotherapy against colorectal cancer cells: Co-delivery of capecitabine and pioglitazone hydrochloride by polycaprolactone-polyethylene glycol carriers.

Background: Colorectal cancer causes numerous deaths despite many treatment options. Capecitabine (CAP) is the standard chemotherapy regimen for colorectal cancer, and pioglitazone hydrochloride (PGZ) for diabetic disease treatment. However, free drugs do not induce effective apoptosis.

Bile acid-based advanced drug delivery systems, bilosomes and micelles as novel carriers for therapeutics.

Diabetes mellitus affects almost half a billion patients worldwide and results from either destruction of β-cells responsible for insulin secretion or increased tissue resistance to insulin stimulation and the reduction of glycemic control. Novel drug delivery systems can improve treatment efficacy in diabetic patients. The low aqueous solubility of most oral antidiabetic drugs decreases drug bioavailability; therefore, there is a demand for the use of novel methods to overcome this issue.

Fabrication and characterization of tretinoin-loaded nanofiber for topical skin delivery.

Background: Tretinoin or all-trans retinoic acid is used in the treatment of acne vulgaris and photo-aging. This work aims to develop tretinoin-loaded nanofibers as a potential anti-acne patch and to investigate its physicochemical characteristics.

Method: Nanofibers were produced via electrospinning method and surface topography was evaluated by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM).

Electrospun wound dressing as a promising tool for the therapeutic delivery of ascorbic acid and caffeine.

The aim of this work is to formulate a wound dressing for the delivery of ascorbic acid and caffeine. A wound dressing was developed from electrospun nanofiber containing ascorbic acid and caffeine. drug release was performed at 25°C and 32°C.

Dihydropyrimidine Dehydrogenase Levels in Colorectal Cancer Cells Treated with a Combination of Heat Shock Protein 90 Inhibitor and Oxaliplatin or Capecitabine.

Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) is the principal enzyme in the catabolism of fluoropyrimidine drugs including capecitabine. A recent report has suggested that oxaliplatin chemotherapy is associated with elevated DPD levels and chemoresistance pattern. As a newly developed chemotherapeutic agent, 17-allyloamino-17-demethoxy-geldanamycin (17-AAG) can be effective in combination therapy with oxaliplatin and capecitabine in colorectal cancer (CRC).

Therapeutic effects of curcumin and ursodexycholic acid on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Fatty liver disease is commonly associated with inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis of hepatocytes. This study was designed to investigate the combinational therapeutic effects of curcumin (CMN) and Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Male Wistar rats were divided into 8 groups: NAFLD-induced rats, NAFLD-induced rats + CMN, NAFLD-induced rats + UDCA, and NAFLD-induced rats that received CMN + UDCA.

A molecular basis for the synergy between 17‑allylamino‑17‑demethoxy geldanamycin with Capecitabine and Irinotecan in human colorectal cancer cells through VEFG and MMP-9 gene expression.

Anti-proliferative, anti-metastatic and anti-angiogenic effects of 17‑allylamino‑17‑demethoxy geldanamycin (17-AAG) were studied alone and in combination with Capecitabine (Cap) and/or Irinotecan (IR) on HT-29 human colorectal carcinoma cells. Expression of MMP-9 (matrix metalloproteinase‑9) and VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) mRNA was analyzed by real-time PCR method. The study was further followed by wound scratch assay for migration assessment.

Surface tension in human pathophysiology and its application as a medical diagnostic tool.

Introduction: Pathological features of disease appear to be quite different. Despite this diversity, the common feature of various disorders underlies physicochemical and biochemical factors such as surface tension. Human biological fluids comprise various proteins and phospholipids which are capable of adsorption at fluid interfaces and play a vital role in the physiological function of human organs.

Lipid Vesicles for the Skin Delivery of Diclofenac: Cerosomes vs. Other Lipid Suspensions.

Purpose: Lipid suspensions as drug carriers, including conventional liposomes, ethosomes, transferosomes, proniosomes, niosomes, PEG-PPG-PEG niosomes and stratum corneum liposomes (cerosomes), were formulated and compared.

Methods: Lipid vesicles were formulated and assessed with regards to enhancement of skin permeation of diclofenac and stability profiles of the formulations. Formulation-induced changes of the biophysical structure of excised human skin were monitored using the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

Ascorbic Acid for the safe use of a sunscreen agent: accumulation of nano zinc oxide and titanium dioxide on the skin.

Objective: Physical UV absorbers such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide have been found to be highly protective against ultraviolet radiation. Sun protection factor depends on the accumulation of the minerals on the skin. UV-absorbing agents must accumulate within the upper skin layers in order to provide a dense light-absorbing layer and guarantee water resistance.

Development and characterization of skin permeation retardants and enhancers: a comparative study of levothyroxine-loaded PNIPAM, PLA, PLGA and EC microparticles.

Polymeric microparticles suitable for topical and transdermal delivery systems were studied using poly D,L lactide (PLA), poly D,L lactide co glycoside (PLGA), poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and ethyl cellulose (EC). Drug encapsulation efficacy, microparticle stability and skin permeation studies of levothyroxine loaded microparticles were carried out using excised human skin, and the skin permeation pattern was observed using confocal laser scanning microscopy. It was found that ethyl cellulose microparticles had the highest drug encapsulation and minimal drug leakage during the 14 week storage period.

Smart polymeric nanofibers for topical delivery of levothyroxine.

Topical administration of levothyroxine (T₄) helps to reduces deposits of adipose tissue on skin. The question is whether topical application of T₄ could lead to systemic effects. In the present study a series of nanofibrous membranes were electrospun into blends of poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) and poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM) to develop a sustained topical delivery of T₄.

Novel vitamin and gold-loaded nanofiber facial mask for topical delivery.

L-ascorbic acid has been widely used in cosmetic and dermatological products because of its ability to scavenge free radicals and destroy oxidizing agents. However, it is chemically unstable and can easily be oxidized. The current cosmetic facial masks available in the market are pre-moistened, which means that the aqueous fluid content of the mask may oxidize some of the unstable active ingredients such as ascorbic acid.

Surface tension and wettability in transdermal delivery: a study on the in-vitro permeation of haloperidol with cyclodextrin across human epidermis.

Objectives: The aim of this work was to study the effect of surface tension and contact angle on the permeation of haloperidol across human skin using cyclodextrin derivatives.

Methods: Surface tension and contact angle of randomly methylated beta-cyclodextrin (RM beta-CD) and hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin (HP beta-CD) solutions were measured. Haloperidol solubility and molecular modelling were carried out using the two cyclodextrin derivatives.

Single and multi-layered nanofibers for rapid and controlled drug delivery.

This paper introduces a new delivery system for rapid and controlled drug release. Mixture of hydrophilic, (poly vinyl alcohol, PVA, and randomly methylated beta-cyclodextrin, RM beta-CD), and hydrophobic (poly D,L-lactide, PLA, and poly D,L-lactide-co-glycoside, PLGA) polymers were electrospun to make a multi-layered/multicomponent nanofiber mat. The release characteristics of the drug were modified using the layer by layer approach to help compensate the limitation of the individual materials.

Impact of surface tension in pharmaceutical sciences.

Surface chemistry has a large influence in many industries. In the life sciences, surface area is gaining importance in the characterization of materials during their development, formulation and manufacturing. The chemical activity, adsorption, dissolution, and bioavailability of a drug may depend on the surface of the molecule.

Transdermal delivery of haloperidol by proniosomal formulations with non-ionic surfactants.

Proniosomal formulations with non-ionic surfactant were studied. The effect of hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of one or two surfactants on drug solubility, proniosome surface structure and stability and skin permeation of haloperidol from different formulations were investigated. Haloperidol (HP) was entrapped in proniosomes with very high efficiency for all formulations.

Surface tension calculation of mixed solvents with respect to solvent composition and temperature by using Jouyban-Acree model.

Applicability of a solution model, i.e. Jouyban-Acree model (JAM), for calculating surface tension of binary and ternary solvents at various temperatures has been shown employing experimental surface tension data collected from the literature.