Introduction: Peptides are promising and attractive anti-wrinkle active ingredients, amongst which glycyl-histidyl-lysine peptide (GHK) is one of the most broadly promoted peptide for topical application. This simple sequence of amino acid residues not only has the capability of tissue regeneration and the enhancement of collagen and glycosaminoglycans synthesis but also is able to increase nerve outgrowth and angiogenesis. Consequently, GHK has several properties, from wound healing to prevention/reduction wrinkles. GHK-Cu and Pal-GHK are metal complex and palmitoylated derivatives of GHK, respectively. Although GHK-Cu and Pal-GHK are widely used in anti-wrinkle products available on the cosmetic market, the published information on their skin permeability, effectiveness, physicochemical properties and so on is insufficient. Methods: This review aims to highlight whether GHK is sufficiently effective on wrinkle prevention/reduction. Apart from the effectiveness, another question that is tried to be answered is whether skin permeability of GHK allows it to act as an anti-wrinkle peptide at its site of action? Skin permeation enhancement methods employed so far are also reviewed. Results: Based on cellular studies, undoubtedly, GHK can be considered as an anti-wrinkle ingredient. Although GHK-Cu and Pal-GHK have been of interest as effective peptides to be incorporated in the anti-wrinkle products, there is a surprising absence of clinical studies using them. Metal complexation and chemical modification with a hydrophobic moiety increase permeability of this peptide. Besides, cell penetrating peptides seem promising to increase skin permeation of GHK and its derivatives. Skin pretreatment with microneedles also has the potential to be further studied for permeation enhancement of such peptides. As peptide ingredients, their formulation may encounter some challenges, mainly due to their hydrophilic (high aqueous solubility and low partition coefficient) and unstable nature. Conclusion: Although GHK-Cu and Pal-GHK are effective and relatively skin permeable, their permeability could be successfully increased using permeation enhancement methodologies.

Context: Vancomycin is an important antibiotic with a glycopeptide structure, effective against gram-positive bacterial infections through the inhibition of bacterial cell wall biosynthesis. It is indicated for the treatment of serious complicated skin, bloodstream, lower respiratory tract, bone, and joint infections. Primarily administered intravascularly, vancomycin shows negligible oral bioavailability. This review discusses the mechanism of action and toxicity of vancomycin, along with resistance issues and the mechanisms involved. Evidence Acquisition: We covered updated literature regarding various delivery systems for vancomycin, including nanoparticles, nanofibers, microparticles, liposomes, and hydrogels. Their antimicrobial evaluations and significant results are presented, alongside summaries of attempts for vancomycin oral delivery. The main issues of vancomycin, such as poor physicochemical properties (high molecular mass and aqueous solubility), poor oral bioavailability, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) creep, emergence of resistance, and high tendency to accumulate in the kidneys, can be addressed using novel drug delivery systems. Results and Conclusions: We summarized a range of novel drug delivery systems that have been investigated for enhancing the efficacy of vancomycin. The data collected here could be used as a guide for fabricating proper carriers for vancomycin delivery and selecting appropriate antimicrobial tests. Further in-depth studies on the mechanisms by which nanoparticles overcome resistance and enhance drug efficacy may pave the way for designing more effective systems.

This study explores the effect of various polymers on drug release and mucoadhesion, using miconazole as a model drug. Tablets were prepared with polymers such as Eudragit RS, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), carbomer 940, cress seed gum (CSG), basil seed gum (BSG), carrageenan (CAR), and guar gum (GG). All formulations were assessed for physicochemical properties, with additional tests carried out on selected formulations. In group A, formulations containing BSG and hydrophilic polymers such as HPMC or carbomer revealed limited drug release but favorable mucoadhesion. However, formulation F5, with Eudragit RS (a hydrophobic polymer) and BSG, demonstrated optimal performance. In group B, CAR-based tablets presented poor adhesion and release, while GG-containing formulations had adequate mucoadhesion but insufficient drug release. Thus, tablets containing BSG and CSG were subjected to further tests thanks to their acceptable mucoadhesion and release. Finally, formulation F5 was found as the most promising, releasing over 96% of the drug over 12 hours, following Higuchi kinetics and non-Fickian release. It also indicated a mucoadhesive strength of 16.3±0.6 grams and remained attached for over 12 hours. In conclusion, Eudragit RS combined with mucoadhesive polymers offers potential for prolonged drug release. Further, BSG, with improved mucoadhesion properties, serves as a promising candidate for mucoadhesive drug delivery systems.