Drug-excipient compatibility studies in formulation development: A case study with benznidazole and monoglycerides.

Monoglycerides (MGs) such as glycerol monolaurate (GML) and glycerol monostearate (GMS) have been used as excipients in oral formulations because of their emulsifying effect as well as their ability to inhibit the precipitation and intestinal efflux of drugs. Excipient-drug compatibility studies, however, have been underexplored. In this study, benznidazole (BNZ) was selected as a drug model due to the difficulty in improving its solubility and because of the potential impact on public health (it is the only drug currently used to treat Chagas disease).

An update of nano-based drug delivery systems for cannabinoids: Biopharmaceutical aspects & therapeutic applications.

Nanotechnology has been widely used to improve stability, efficacy, release control and biopharmaceutical aspects of natural and synthetic cannabinoids. In this review, the main types of cannabinoid-based nanoparticles (NPs) reported so far are addressed, taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of each system. Formulation, preclinical and clinical studies performed with colloidal carriers were individually analyzed.

Effect of Vehicle Composition on the Preparation of Different Types of Dapsone Crystals for Topical Drug Delivery.

Topical formulations composed of API-pure crystals have been increasingly studied, especially in regards to the impact of particle size in penetration efficiency. Less attention, however, has been devoted to the solid-state properties of drugs delivered to the skin. In this study, we address the effect of formulation composition on the crystal form existing in topical products.

A New Saquinavir Mesylate-Sodium Decyl Sulfate Salt Discovered by Serendipity during an Anomalous Dissolution Test.

Purpose: To understand the anomalous behavior of Saquinavir Mesylate (SQVM) in sodium decyl sulfate (SDS) medium during a dissolution test through a crystallographic analysis of the crystal obtained. As a result, it will be possible to elucidate its crystal structure and carry out a complete solid-state characterization of the API.

Methods: The solid form obtained was characterized by a structural analysis through X-ray single crystal and powder diffraction.

Implications of the Conformationally Flexible, Macrocyclic Structure of the First-Generation, Direct-Acting Anti-Viral Paritaprevir on Its Solid Form Complexity and Chameleonic Behavior.

Direct-acting antiviral regimens have transformed therapeutic management of hepatitis C across all prevalent genotypes. Most of the chemical matter in these regimens comprises molecules well outside the traditional drug development chemical space and presents significant challenges. Herein, the implications of high conformational flexibility and the presence of a 15-membered macrocyclic ring in paritaprevir are studied through a combination of advanced computational and experimental methods with focus on molecular chameleonicity and crystal form complexity.

How to define the experimental conditions of skin permeation assays for drugs presenting biopharmaceutical limitations? The experience with testosterone.

Cutaneous permeation assays are crucial to attest the performance or bioequivalence of topical or transdermal products. Although the official guidelines (e.g.

Development and characterization of thermopressed polyvinyl alcohol films for buccal delivery of benznidazole.

Given that oral preparations of benznidazole (BZN) have demonstrated limited efficacy in the treatment of Chagas' disease due to pharmacokinetic or toxicological problems, the development of buccal polymeric films was purposed in this study. These systems ensure high patient acceptability and direct access to the systemic circulation, improving drug bioavailability and toxicological profile. Polymer films were prepared through a thermopressing method by mixing BZN and polyvinyl alcohol (PVAL).

Emerging Technologies to Target Drug Delivery to the Skin - the Role of Crystals and Carrier-Based Systems in the Case Study of Dapsone.

Dapsone (DAP) is a long-established molecule that remains a promising therapeutic agent for various diseases mainly because it combines antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities. Its oral application, however, is limited by the dose-dependent hematological side effects that may rise from systemic exposure. As an alternative to overcome this limitation, the administration of DAP to the skin has witnessed prominent interest in the past 20 years, particularly when applied to the treatment of dermatological disorders.

Mechanochemical Formation of Racemic Praziquantel Hemihydrate with Improved Biopharmaceutical Properties.

Praziquantel (PZQ) is the first-line drug used against schistosomiasis, one of the most common parasitic diseases in the world. A series of crystalline structures including two new polymorphs of the pure drug and a series of cocrystals of PZQ have been discovered and deposited in the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD). This work adds to the list of multicomponent forms of PZQ a relevant example of a racemic hemihydrate (PZQ-HH), obtainable from commercial PZQ (polymorphic Form A) through mechanochemistry.

Cocrystal Formation through Mechanochemistry: from Neat and Liquid-Assisted Grinding to Polymer-Assisted Grinding.

Mechanochemistry is an effective method for the preparation of multicomponent crystal systems. In the present work, we propose an alternative to the established liquid-assisted grinding (LAG) approach. Polymer-assisted grinding (POLAG) is demonstrated to provide a new class of catalysts for improving reaction rate and increasing product diversity during mechanochemical cocrystallization reactions.

HPMC as a potential enhancer of nimodipine biopharmaceutical properties via ball-milled solid dispersions.

The poor solubility of drugs remains one of the most challenging aspects of formulation development. Aiming at improving the biopharmaceutical limitations of the calcium channel blocker nimodipine, the development of solid dispersions is proposed herein. Three different proportions of nimodipine:HPMC were tested and all of them generated amorphous solid dispersions.

Dissolution properties, solid-state transformation and polymorphic crystallization: progesterone case study.

Progesterone is a natural steroid hormone and a poor soluble drug which presents two polymorphs (forms 1 and 2). Different methods to obtain form 2 were tested and a complete solid-state characterization of both polymorphs (forms 1 and 2) was conducted. X-ray powder diffraction, hot stage microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, dispersive Raman, (13)C solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy techniques and intrinsic dissolution rates (IDR) were applied to investigate physical-chemical and dissolution properties of these two polymorphs.

Single crystal structure, solid state characterization and dissolution rate of terbinafine hydrochloride.

Terbinafine hydrochloride (TH), a poorly water soluble antifungal agent, was characterized by solid state techniques including differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry, X-ray powder diffraction, optical and electron microscopies, Fourier transform infrared, Raman and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies and intrinsic dissolution rate (IDR). A colorless single crystal of TH was grown from an ethanol:water solution and its crystalline structure was determined through X-ray single crystal diffraction. Also, a new crystal habit of TH was obtained through the slow solvent evaporation technique revealing a needle-like shape.

Importance of detecting multidrug resistance proteins in acute leukemia prognosis and therapy.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a multifactorial phenomenon and the role of these proteins in generating the MDR phenotype is controversial. With this in mind, this review compiled the current data on the role of ABCB1, ABCC1, and LRP proteins in the prognosis of hematologic neoplasms and their influence on the choice of therapy. Literature showed that the detection of these proteins, mainly ABCB1, is important in the AL prognosis.

Polymorphism in nimodipine raw materials: development and validation of a quantitative method through differential scanning calorimetry.

Due to the physical-chemical and therapeutic impacts of polymorphism, its monitoring in raw materials is necessary. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a quantitative method to determine the polymorphic content of nimodipine (NMP) raw materials based on differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The polymorphs required for the development of the method were characterized through DSC, X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and Raman spectroscopy and their polymorphic identity was confirmed.