Effects of abdominal girdle belt on pulmonary function variables of postpartum women in Enugu, Nigeria: a quasi-experimental study.

This quasi-experimental study was aimed at investigating the effects of wearing an abdominal girdle belt on pulmonary function variables of postpartum women. 40 consenting postpartum women aged between 18 and 35 years were recruited from a post-natal clinic in Enugu, Nigeria. The participants were conveniently assigned into girdle belt and control groups (20 each).

In vitro and in vivo testing methods for respiratory drug delivery.

Importance Of The Field: Successful respiratory drug delivery for local and systemic purposes is predicated on the availability of in vitro and in vivo methods for determining drug delivery and disposition following respiratory administration.

Areas Covered In This Review: In this review, the relevance of new in vitro and in vivo methods for screening respiratory drug delivery is discussed. Specific topics covered include in vitro particle size characterization, in vitro dissolution test methods for respiratory formulations and in vitro respiratory absorption and disposition screening methods.

Application of process analytical technology in tablet process development using NIR spectroscopy: blend uniformity, content uniformity and coating thickness measurements.

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was employed as a process analytical technique in three steps of tabletting process: to monitor the blend homogeneity, evaluate the content uniformity of tablets and determine the tablets coating thickness. A diode-array spectrometer mounted on a lab blender (SP15 NIR lab blender) was used to monitor blend uniformity using a calibration-free model with drug concentration ranging from 2.98 to 9.

Nasal mucoadhesive drug delivery: background, applications, trends and future perspectives.

Nasal drug delivery has now been recognized as a very promising route for delivery of therapeutic compounds including biopharmaceuticals. It has been demonstrated that low absorption of drugs can be countered by using absorption enhancers or increasing the drug residence time in the nasal cavity, and that some mucoadhesive polymers can serve both functions. This article reviews the background of nasal mucoadhesive drug delivery with special references to the biological and pharmaceutical considerations for nasal mucoadhesive drug administration.

Intravenous versus subcutaneous injections of apomorphine in rabbits: a pharmacokinetic paradox.

The objective of this investigation was an attempt to conclusively prove the accidental observation that the AUC of apomorphine in rabbits was repeatedly lower after intravenous injection compared to subcutaneous injection. Apomorphine was administered to rabbits by intravenous and subcutaneous routes at 2 different doses (0.31 mg/kg, n=10; and 0.

The lung as a route for systemic delivery of therapeutic proteins and peptides.

The large surface area, good vascularization, immense capacity for solute exchange and ultra-thinness of the alveolar epithelium are unique features of the lung that can facilitate systemic delivery via pulmonary administration of peptides and proteins. Physical and biochemical barriers, lack of optimal dosage forms and delivery devices limit the systemic delivery of biotherapeutic agents by inhalation. Current efforts to overcome these difficulties in order to deliver metabolic hormones (insulin, calcitonin, thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH], follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH] and growth hormones) systemically, to induce systemic responses (immunoglobulins, cyclosporin A [CsA], recombinant-methionyl human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor [r-huG-CSF], pancreatic islet autoantigen) and to modulate other biological processes via the lung are reviewed.

The biopharmaceutical aspects of nasal mucoadhesive drug delivery.

Nasal drug administration has frequently been proposed as the most feasible alternative to parenteral injections. This is due to the high permeability of the nasal epithelium, allowing a higher molecular mass cut-off at approximately 1000 Da, and the rapid drug absorption rate with plasma drug profiles sometimes almost identical to those from intravenous injections. Despite the potential of nasal drug delivery, it has a number of limitations.

Toxicological investigations of the effects carboxymethylcellulose on ciliary beat frequency of human nasal epithelial cells in primary suspension culture and in vivo on rabbit nasal mucosa.

The objective of this study was to investigate the safety of a mucoadhesive carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) formulation for intranasal administration of apomorphine. The effect of different concentrations of CMC on ciliary beat frequency (CBF) was studied using a human nasal epithelial suspension cell culture system. The CBF was determined by computerized microscope photometry.

Scintigraphic evaluation in rabbits of nasal drug delivery systems based on carbopol 971p((R)) and carboxymethylcellulose.

The residence time of apomorphine mucoadhesive preparations incorporating 99mTc labeled colloidal albumin in rabbit nasal cavity was evaluated by gamma scintigraphy. This technique was used to compare the nasal clearance of preparations based either on Carbopol 971P((R)) or lactose (control), each with and without apomorphine, or carboxymethylcellulose with apomorphine. The planar 1-min images showed an excipient-dependent progressive migration of radioactivity with time from the nasal cavity to the stomach and intestine.

Nasal toxicological investigations of Carbopol 971P formulation of apomorphine: effects on ciliary beat frequency of human nasal primary cell culture and in vivo on rabbit nasal mucosa.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the nasal toxicity of a mucoadhesive Carbopol 971P formulation of apomorphine.

Materials And Methods: The effects of different concentrations of Carbopol 971P and apomorphine on ciliary beat frequency (CBF) were studied in suspension cultures of human nasal epithelial cells. The rabbit nasal mucosal tolerance of the formulation and its components were investigated using light microscopy.

Bioavailability of apomorphine following intranasal administration of mucoadhesive drug delivery systems in rabbits.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate both the in vitro and in vivo release of apomorphine from mucoadhesive powder formulations of Carbopol 971P and polycarbophil.

Methods: The in vitro drug release from the mucoadhesive formulations was studied using a modified USP XXII rotating basket. The pharmacokinetics of apomorphine given as a solution was determined after subcutaneous and intranasal administrations to rabbits.

Influence of processing variables on the properties of gelatin microspheres prepared by the emulsification solvent extraction technique.

The influence of the process parameters on the particle size and microencapsulation efficiency of gelatin microspheres prepared by the emulsification solvent extraction technique was investigated. The processing parameters studied were time and speed of emulsification, gelatin concentration and the presence of a surfactant and its concentration. Increasing duration of emulsification > 5 min, and surfactant concentration < or = 1% (w/w) significantly reduced the particle size of the microspheres.