The solubility of drugs remains one of the most challenging aspects of formulation development. Several technologies exist to enhance the properties of poorly soluble drugs, with nanocrystal (NC) and solid dispersion (SD) technologies being among the most important. This work compared NCs and SDs under identical conditions using albendazole as a model drug and 3D printing technology as the delivery method.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe administration of corticosteroids is the first-line treatment of the clinical conditions with ocular inflammation. Nonetheless, ocular physiological mechanisms, anatomical barriers and corticosteroid properties prevent it from reaching the target site. Thus, frequent topical administered doses or ocular injections are required, leading to a higher risk of adverse events and poor patient compliance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTriamcinolone acetonide (TA) is a powerful anti-inflammatory drug used in the treatment of inflammatory ocular disorders; however, its poor aqueous solubility and ocular anatomical barriers hinder optimal treatment. The aim of this work was to obtain triamcinolone acetonide nanocrystals (TA-NC) to improve ocular corticosteroid therapy. Self-dispersible TA-NC were prepared by the bead milling technique followed by spray-drying, exhaustively characterized and then evaluated in vivo in an ocular model of endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl
February 2021
The aim of this study was to design and develop a novel hybrid formulation based on lipid nanocapsules containing bevacizumab (BVZ), an effective therapeutic antibody, on the surface and triamcinolone acetonide (TA) in the inner core (BVZ-TA-LNC) intended to improve ocular therapy. Hence, a phase inversion-insertion one step method was developed to drug loading and surface modification of lipid nanocapsules by post-insertion of a bifunctional polymer, followed by antibody coupling using "click" chemistry. The covalent bond and antibody capacity binding to its specific antigen were confirmed by thermal analysis and immunoassay, respectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObtaining successful ocular formulations able to support an efficient drug concentration at the target tissue for an appropriate period of time is an interesting challenge for modern pharmaceutical technology. In this sense, nanotechnology is one of the available strategies to obtain a drug carrier system that allows access to different compartments of the eye in order to deliver drugs to the desired site. Biodegradable polymers such as polysaccharides are promising biomaterials for the production of biocompatible and biodegradable nanocarriers (NCs).
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