A Cross-Sectional Study to Assess the Knowledge of Pharmacy Students About Drug Pollution in Spain.

Unlabelled: The presence of pharmaceuticals in the environment is an issue of growing concern. The European Commission adopted the "European Union Strategic Approach to Pharmaceuticals in the Environment", which focuses on actions to reduce the risk of pharmaceuticals in the environment, including how environmental aspects can become part of medical training programs.

Objective: Obtain data from pharmacy students about pharmaceutical pollution to provide information about the training needs that may help develop new actions related to the training and dissemination of this issue.

pH-temperature dual-sensitive nucleolipid-containing stealth liposomes anchored with PEGylated AuNPs for triggering delivery of doxorubicin.

Liposomes (Lip) are useful nanocarriers for drug delivery and cancer nanomedicine because of their ability to efficiently encapsulate drugs with different physical and chemical properties. The pH gradient between normal and tumoral tissues, and their rapid metabolism that induces hyperthermia encourage the development of pH- and thermo-sensitive Lip for delivering anticancer drugs. Nucleolipids have been studied as scaffolding material to prepare Lip, mainly for cancer therapy.

Synergistic Effect of Acetazolamide-(2-hydroxy)propyl β-Cyclodextrin in Timolol Liposomes for Decreasing and Prolonging Intraocular Pressure Levels.

The purpose of this study was to design, for the first time, a co-loaded liposomal formulation (CLL) for treatment of glaucoma including timolol maleate (TM) in the lipid bilayer and acetazolamide (Acz)-(2-hydroxy)propyl β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) complexes (AczHP) solubilized in the aqueous core of liposomes. Formulations with TM (TM-L) and AczHP (AczHP-L), separately, were also prepared and characterized. A preliminary study comprising the Acz/HPβCD complexes and their interaction with cholesterol (a component of the lipid bilayer) was realized.

Preparation, Characterization and Evaluation of the Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Epichlorohydrin-β-Cyclodextrin/Curcumin Binary Systems Embedded in a Pluronic/Hyaluronate Hydrogel.

Curcumin (Cur) is an anti-inflammatory polyphenol that can be complexed with polymeric cyclodextrin (CD) to improve solubility and bioavailability. The aim of the present work was to prepare a CurCD hydrogel to treat inflammatory skin conditions. Epichlorohydrin-β-CD (EpiβCD) was used as polymeric CD.

Cholesterol Levels Affect the Performance of AuNPs-Decorated Thermo-Sensitive Liposomes as Nanocarriers for Controlled Doxorubicin Delivery.

Stimulus-responsive liposomes (L) for triggering drug release to the target site are particularly useful in cancer therapy. This research was focused on the evaluation of the effects of cholesterol levels in the performance of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)-functionalized L for controlled doxorubicin (D) delivery. Their interfacial and morphological properties, drug release behavior against temperature changes and cytotoxic activity against breast and ovarian cancer cells were studied.

Preparation and In Vivo Evaluation of Rosmarinic Acid-Loaded Transethosomes After Percutaneous Application on a Psoriasis Animal Model.

The topical use of rosmarinic acid (RA) in skin inflammatory pathologies is restricted due to its poor water solubility, poor permeability, and chemical instability. In this study, RA-loaded transethosomes-in-Carbopol formulations have been developed to evaluate its anti-inflammatory activity on imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like skin inflammation in mice. In vitro release profiles demonstrated sustained behavior due to the retentive action of gel and the entrapment of RA into the vesicles.

Novel Findings about Double-Loaded Curcumin-in-HPβcyclodextrin-in Liposomes: Effects on the Lipid Bilayer and Drug Release.

In this study, the encapsulation of curcumin (Cur) in "drug-in-cyclodextrin-in-liposomes (DCL)" by following the double-loading technique (DL) was proposed, giving rise to DCL⁻DL. The aim was to analyze the effect of cyclodextrin (CD) on the physicochemical, stability, and drug-release properties of liposomes. After selecting didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) as the cationic lipid, DCL⁻DL was formulated by adding 2-hydroxypropyl-α/β/γ-CD (HPβCD)⁻Cur complexes into the aqueous phase.

Fucoxanthin-Containing Cream Prevents Epidermal Hyperplasia and UVB-Induced Skin Erythema in Mice.

Microalgae represent a source of bio-active compounds such as carotenoids with potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. We aimed to investigate the effects of fucoxanthin (FX) in both in vitro and in vivo skin models. Firstly, its anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in LPS-stimulated THP-1 macrophages and TNF-α-stimulated HaCaT keratinocytes, and its antioxidant activity in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells.

Topical Application of Glycolipids from Isochrysis galbana Prevents Epidermal Hyperplasia in Mice.

Chronic inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis have a significant impact on society. Currently, the major topical treatments have many side effects, making their continued use in patients difficult. Microalgae have emerged as a source of bio-active molecules such as glycolipids with potent anti-inflammatory properties.

Calcium alginate microspheres containing metformin hydrochloride niosomes and chitosomes aimed for oral therapy of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Metformin is an oral hypoglycemic agent used in the type 2 diabetes, whose poor bioavailability and short half-life make the development of effective extended-release formulations highly desirable. Different metformin-loaded chitosomal and niosomal formulations were developed and suitably characterized, but were unable to provide the desired sustained release. The entrapment of both kinds of colloidal dispersions in calcium alginate beads enabled to strongly reduce the amount of drug released at gastric level (from 18 up to a maximum of 30%), and to obtain a sustained release in simulated intestinal fluid, which was properly tuned by varying the percentage of calcium alginate in the beads.

Association of immunological cell profiles with specific clinical phenotypes of scleroderma disease.

This study aimed to search the correlation among immunological profiles and clinical phenotypes of scleroderma in well-characterized groups of scleroderma patients, comparing forty-nine scleroderma patients stratified according to specific clinical phenotypes with forty-nine healthy controls. Five immunological cell subpopulations (B, CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cells, NK, and monocytes) and their respective stages of apoptosis and activation were analyzed by flow cytometry, in samples of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Analyses of results were stratified according to disease stage, time since the diagnosis, and visceral damage (pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, and cardiac affliction) and by time of treatment with corticosteroids.

Thermal and 31P-NMR studies to elucidate sumatriptan succinate entrapment behavior in phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol liposomes. Comparative 31P-NMR analysis on negatively and positively-charged liposomes.

In this paper, two techniques, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance ((31)P-NMR), have been used to characterize sumatriptan succinate-loaded charged liposomes. To complete the results obtained by DSC a hot stage microscopy (HSM) technique was used. Data concerning the drug entrapment efficiency were published in a previous paper.

Applying the Taguchi method to optimize sumatriptan succinate niosomes as drug carriers for skin delivery.

Niosomes formulated from different nonionic surfactants (Span® 60, Brij® 72, Span® 80, or Eumulgin® B 2) with cholesterol (CH) molar ratios of 3:1 or 4:1 with respect to surfactant were prepared with different sumatriptan amount (10 and 15 mg) and stearylamine (SA). Thin-film hydration method was employed to produce the vesicles, and the time lapsed to hydrate the lipid film (1 or 24 h) was introduced as variable. These factors were selected as variables and their levels were introduced into two L18 orthogonal arrays.

Bimodal release of olanzapine from lipid microspheres.

Olanzapine was formulated as 10% (w/w) mixture with cutina to which stearic acid was added, ranging from 10% to 90% (w/w) of the total mass to control the drug release. The molten mixtures were processed by ultrasound-assisted spray-congealing technique, obtaining solid microspheres. The drug is stable under these conditions and only a partial miscibility in the solid state was observed by DSC between the two fatty materials with two separated melting endotherms in the thermograms: this can be due to the presence of two phases inside the solid dispersion.

Effect of preparation technique on the properties and in vivo efficacy of benzocaine-loaded ethosomes.

This study aimed to investigate the influence of the preparation conditions on the performance of an ethosomal formulation for topical delivery of the local anesthetic agent, benzocaine (BZC). Ethosomes were prepared with different techniques, such as thin-layer evaporation, freezing and thawing, reverse-phase evaporation, extrusion and sonication, obtaining, respectively, multilayer vesicles (MLVs), frozen and thawed MLV (FATMLV), large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs), and small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs). The obtained vesicles were characterized for morphology, size, zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency (EE%), and their stability was monitored during storage at 4 degrees C.

Development, characterization and in vivo evaluation of benzocaine-loaded liposomes.

This study reports the development and in vivo evaluation of a liposomal formulation of the local anaesthetic benzocaine. Multi-lamellar (MLV) and small uni-lamellar (SUV) vesicles entrapping benzocaine were prepared using 50:50 w/w phosphatidylcholine-cholesterol as lipophilic phase and 50:50 v/v ethanol-water as hydrophilic phase. Liposome size, Zeta-potential, encapsulation efficiency and skin penetration properties were determined.

Effect of preparation technique on the properties of liposomes encapsulating ketoprofen-cyclodextrin complexes aimed for transdermal delivery.

The combined approach of cyclodextrin complexation and entrapment in liposomes was investigated in order to develop an effective topical formulation of ketoprofen. Equimolar complex of drug and hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPbetaCyd) was added at different concentrations to the aqueous phase of liposomes consisting of phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol (60%/40%, w/w). Liposomes were prepared with different techniques, such as thin layer evaporation, freezing and thawing, extrusion through microporous membrane, and reverse phase evaporation method, obtaining, respectively, multi-lamellar vesicles (MLV), frozen and thawed MLV (FATMLV), small uni-lamellar vesicles (SUV) and large uni-lamellar vesicles (LUV).

Preparation and characterisation of liposomes encapsulating ketoprofen-cyclodextrin complexes for transdermal drug delivery.

Multilamellar vesicle (MLV) liposomes containing ketoprofen-cyclodextrin complexes intended for drug topical delivery were prepared, with the aim of simultaneously exploiting the favourable properties of both carriers. Drug complexes with beta-cyclodextrin (betaCyd) and hydroxypropyl-betaCyd (HPbetaCyd), prepared by coevaporation and sealed-heating methods, were characterised by differential scanning calorimetry, hot stage microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and tested for dissolution properties. The coevaporated system with HPbetaCyd was the most effective, enabling an about 11-fold increase in drug dissolution.

Diclofenac salts, II. Solid dispersions in PEG6000 and Gelucire 50/13.

A number of systems were prepared at five compositions (5, 10, 20, 30 and 40% w/w) of diclofenac/N-(2-hydroxyethyl) pyrrolidine salt and acidic diclofenac in PEG6000 and Gelucire 50/13, as physical mixtures and as solid dispersions. Powder X-ray diffractograms for the systems examined show shifted and normal peaks, suggesting that the drug is present inside the samples in different physical states. Differential scanning calorimetry does not offer important information, since drug solubility into the carriers increases with temperature and thermograms show only the melting point peak of the carriers.

Release of indomethacin from ultrasound dry granules containing lactose-based excipients.

Physical mixtures were prepared containing indomethacin and beta-lactose and alpha-lactose-based excipients (Ludipress and Cellactose). The mixtures were compacted with the aid of ultrasound, obtaining tablets, which were milled and sieved. Granules thus obtained were examined by optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry.

In vitro release of sodium diclofenac from a central core matrix tablet aimed for colonic drug delivery.

The present study was aimed at developing a novel sodium diclofenac formulation for colonic release. The proposed delivery system consisted in a polymeric matrix tablet containing a drug central core purposely designed for obtaining a time-controlled release profile characterized by an initial phase of lag-time followed by a controlled release phase, according to zero order kinetics. The spheric central core was formed by a solid dispersion of the drug into the hydrophilic polymer PEG 4000, which enabled an improvement of drug dissolution properties with respect to other carriers such as lactose.

Didanosine extended-release matrix tablets: optimization of formulation variables using statistical experimental design.

Statistical experimental design was applied to evaluate the influence of some process and formulation variables and possible interactions among such variables, on didanosine release from directly-compressed matrix tablets based on blends of two insoluble polymers, Eudragit RS-PM and Ethocel 100, with the final goal of drug release behavior optimization. The considered responses were the percent of drug released at three determined times, the dissolution efficiency at 6 h and the time to dissolve 10% of drug. Four independent variables were considered: tablet compression force, ratio between the polymers and their particle size, and drug content.

Development of sustained release matrix tablets of didanosine containing methacrylic and ethylcellulose polymers.

Didanosine, a nucleoside analog used in the treatment of acquired immuno deficiency syndrome (AIDS), has been incorporated into directly compressed monolythic matrices whose excipients were mixtures at different ratios of a methacrylic resin (Eudragit RSPM) and an ethylcellulose (Ethocel 100), both water-insoluble and pH-independent polymers. Technological characterization (drug particle morphology, mean weight, diameter, thickness and hardness of tablets) was carried out and in vitro drug release behaviour was measured using the USP basket apparatus. The effect of varying the Eudragit-Ethocel ratio, as well as the drug-polymeric matrix ratio, was evaluated.