The in situ injectable hydrogel system offers a widespread range of biomedical applications in prompt chronic wound treatment and management, as it provides self-healing, maintains a moist wound microenvironment, and offers good antibacterial properties. This study aimed to develop and evaluate biopolymer-based thermoreversible injectable hydrogels for effective wound-healing applications and the controlled drug delivery of meropenem. The injectable hydrogel was developed using the solvent casting method and evaluated for structural changes using proton nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated the self-assembly of hyaluronic acid and kappa-carrageenan and the thermal stability of the fabricated injectable hydrogel with tunable gelation properties. The viscosity assessment indicated the in-situ gelling ability and injectability of the hydrogels at various temperatures. The fabricated hydrogel was loaded with meropenem, and the drug release from the hydrogel in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) with a pH of 7.4 was 96.12%, and the simulated wound fluid with a pH of 6.8 was observed to be at 94.73% at 24 h, which corresponds to the sustained delivery of meropenem. Antibacterial studies on P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and E. coli with meropenem-laden hydrogel showed higher zones of inhibition. The in vivo studies in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats presented accelerated healing with the drug-loaded injectable hydrogel, while 90% wound closure with the unloaded injectable hydrogel, 70% in the positive control group (SC drug), and 60% in the negative control group was observed (normal saline) after fourteen days. In vivo wound closure analysis confirmed that the developed polymeric hydrogel has synergistic wound-healing potential.

This study aimed to enhance the solubility and release characteristics of docetaxel by synthesizing highly porous and stimuli responsive nanosponges, a nano-version of hydrogels with the additional qualities of both hydrogels and nano-systems. Nanosponges were prepared by the free radical polymerization technique and characterized by their solubilization efficiency, swelling studies, sol-gel studies, percentage entrapment efficiency, drug loading, FTIR, PXRD, TGA, DSC, SEM, zeta sizer and in vitro dissolution studies. In vivo toxicity study was conducted to assess the safety of the oral administration of prepared nanosponges. FTIR, TGA and DSC studies confirmed the successful grafting of components into the stable nano-polymeric network. A porous and sponge-like structure was visualized through SEM images. The particle size of the optimized formulation was observed in the range of 195 ± 3 nm. The fabricated nanosponges noticeably enhanced the drug loading and solubilization efficiency of docetaxel in aqueous media. The drug release of fabricated nanosponges was significantly higher at pH 6.8 as compared to pH 1.2 and 4.5. An acute oral toxicity study endorsed the safety of the system. Due to an efficient preparation technique, as well as its enhanced solubility, excellent physicochemical properties, improved dissolution and non-toxic nature, nanosponges could be an efficient and a promising approach for the oral delivery of poorly soluble drugs.

Background: Cefixime (CFX) belongs to a group of third-generation cephalosporin antibiotics with low water solubility and low intestinal permeability, which ultimately leads to significantly low bioavailability. Aim: This study aimed to increase solubility, improve drug release, and intestinal permeability of CFX by loading into SEDDS. Methods: Suitable excipients were selected based on drug solubility, percent transmittance, and emulsification efficiency. Pseudo-ternary phase diagram was fabricated for the identification of effective self-emulsification region. The best probably optimized formulations were further assessed for encumbered drug contents, emulsification time, cloud point measurement, robustness to dilution, mean droplet size, zeta potential, polydispersity index (PDI), and thermodynamic and chemical stability. Moreover, in vitro drug release studies and ex vivo permeation studies were carried out and apparent drug permeability P_app of different formulations was compared with the marketed brands of CFX. Results: Amongst the four tested SEDDS formulations, F-2 formulation exhibited the highest drug loading of 96.32%, emulsification time of 40.37 ± 3 s, mean droplet size of 19.01 ± 1.12 nm, and demonstrated improved long-term thermodynamic and chemical stability when stored at 4 °C. Release studies revealed a drug release of 97.32 ± 4.82% within 60 min in simulated gastric fluid. Similarly, 97.12 ± 5.02% release of CFX was observed in simulated intestinal fluid within 120 min; however, 85.13 ± 3.23% release of CFX was observed from the marketed product. Ex vivo permeation studies displayed a 2.7-fold increase apparent permeability compared to the marketed product in 5 h. Conclusion: Owing to the significantly improved drug solubility, in vitro release and better antibacterial activity, it can be assumed that CFX-loaded SEDDS might lead to an increased bioavailability and antibacterial activity, possibly leading to improved therapeutic effectiveness.

Introduction: The aim of current study was to prepare Linum usitatissimum mucilage (LUM) based nanoparticles, capable of encapsulating hydrophobic drug ezetimibe as nanocarriers. Methods: Solvent evaporation and nanoprecipitation techniques were used to develop nanoparticles by encapsulating ezetimibe in the articulated matrix of polysaccharide fractions. Developed nanoparticles were characterized to determine the particle size, zeta potential, polydispersibility index (PDI), and entrapment efficiency (EE). Morphology and physicochemical characterization were carried out through SEM, FTIR, PXRD and thermal analysis. Saturation solubility and in vitro release studies were also performed. Safety assessment of ezetimibe loaded nanoparticles was evaluated via oral acute toxicity study. Results: The mean particle size, zeta potential, PDI and EE for emulsion solvent evaporation were 683.6 nm, − 28.3 mV, 0.39, 63.7% and for nanoprecipitation were 637.7 nm, 0.07, − 27.1 mV and 80%, respectively. Thermal analysis confirmed enhanced thermal stability, whereas PXRD confirmed amorphous nature of drug. Saturation solubility (p-value < 0.05) demonstrated improved solubility of drug when enclosed in linseed nanoparticles. Nanoprecipitation surpasses emulsion solvent evaporation in dissolution test by possessing smaller size. Acute oral toxicity study indicated no significant changes in behavioral, clinical or histopathological parameters of control and experimental groups. Conclusion: The in vitro release of ezetimibe was augmented by enhancing aqueous solubility through devised nanoparticles. Thus, linseed mucilage could act as biopolymer in the fabrication of nanoparticle formulation. The acute oral toxicological investigations provided evidence that LUMNs were safe after oral administration.

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of Linum usitatissimum mucilage, a natural polymer, in developing a sustained release hydrogel for orally delivered drugs that require frequent dosing. For this purpose, nicorandil (a model drug)-loaded hydrogels with various feed ratios of Linum usitatissimum mucilage, acrylamide (monomer) and methylene bis-acrylamide (crosslinker) were prepared. The newly synthesized hydrogel formulations were probed fundamentally with respect to swelling behaviour, solvent penetration, and the release of the drug from the hydrogels. Later, the selected formulations were further characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The swelling coefficient demonstrated a linear relation with the polymer ratio; however, an inverse behaviour in the case of monomer and crosslinker was observed. The drug release studies, performed at pH 1.2 and 4.5 and considering the dynamic environment of GIT, demonstrated that all formulations followed the Korsmeyer–Peppas model, displaying a slow drug release via diffusion and polymer erosion. FTIR analysis confirmed the successful grafting of acrylamide on linseed mucilage. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy revealed a clear surface morphology with folds and pinholes in the hydrogel. Therefore, based upon the in-vitro outcomes, it can be concluded that a promising sustained release hydrogel can be prepared from natural polymer, Linum usitatissimum mucilage, offering many-fold benefits over the conventional synthetic polymers for oral delivery of drugs.

The present study was conducted to fabricate and characterize mucilage-based polymeric networks of Aloe vera for controlled drug release. Aloe vera mucilage was used to develop a polymeric network via the free-radical polymerization method using potassium persulphate as the initiator, N′ N′-Methylene bisacrylamide as the crosslinker, and acrylamide as the monomer. Using varying concentrations of Aloe vera mucilage, crosslinker, and monomer, we developed different formulations. Swelling studies were conducted at pH 1.2 and 7.4. Concentrations of polymer, monomer, and crosslinker were optimized as a function of swelling. Porosity and gel content were calculated for all samples. FTIR, SEM, XRD, TGA, and DSC studies were conducted for the characterization of polymeric networks. Thiocolchicoside was used as a model drug to study the in vitro release in acidic and alkaline pH. Various kinetics models were applied by using a DD solver. Increasing content of monomer and crosslinker swelling, porosity, and drug release decreased while gel content increased. An increase in Aloe vera mucilage concentration promotes swelling, porosity, and drug release of the polymeric network but decreases gel content. The FTIR study confirmed the formation of crosslinked networks. SEM indicated that the polymeric network had a porous structure. DSC and XRD studies indicated the entrapment of drugs inside the polymeric networks in amorphous form. The analytical method was validated according to ICH guidelines in terms of linearity, range, LOD, LOQ, accuracy, precision, and robustness. Analysis of drug release mechanism revealed Fickian behavior of all formulations. All these results indicated that the M1 formulation was considered to be the best polymeric network formulation in terms of sustaining drug release patterns.