Albendazole is an anthelmintic agent with poor solubility and absorption. We developed a chewable tablet (200 mg drug equivalent), containing a self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS), with oral disintegrating properties. The emulsion was developed using sesame and soybean oils along with surfactant/co-surfactants, and the tablets were prepared by wet granulation using superdisintegrants and adsorbents. Infra-red (IR) spectral studies revealed no interaction between the drug and excipients, and all physical and chemical parameters were within acceptable limits. Stability studies for the formulation indicated no significant change over time. An in vitro release study indicated 100% drug release within 30 min, and in vivo plasma concentrations indicated that the area under the curve (AUC) of albendazole in rats administered SMEDDS chewable tablets was significantly higher than in those administered commercial tablets or powder (p-value < 0.05). The systemic bioavailability of albendazole achieved through the SMEDDS tablets was 1.3 times higher than that achieved by the administration of comparable quantities of albendazole commercial tablets. This was due to the higher dissolution of albendazole SMEDDS in the chewable tablets. We conclude that the SMEDDS chewable formulation can be used to improve the dissolution and systemic availability of poorly water-soluble drugs.

Centella asiatica was extracted by methanol. The assay content of triterpenes in the extract was 0.12 % asiatic acid, 0.54 % madecassic acid, 0.25 % asiaticoside and 1.02 % madecassoside. The extract was complexed with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) and formulated with Eudragit E100, glycerol, PEG 400, copovidone, ethanol and purified water. A clear yellowish solution (F1-F8) was obtained. The formulations had a pH of 5.5–6.0 with viscosity in the range of 20–60 mPa s, surface tension 20.3–24.6 mN m^–1 and contact angle less than 20°. The amount of PEG 400 and copovidone affected the film and spreadability. The content of triterpenes in the spray formulation was close to 100 % compared to triterpenes in the extract. The skin irritation study indicated that the formulation was non-irritating in a rat model. An in vivo excision wound healing model showed that wound excision was completely healed after 14 days.

Colistin is a potent peptide antibiotic that is effective against Gram-negative bacteria. However, nephrotoxicity limited its clinical use. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have gained attention as a potential antimicrobial agent and nanodrug carrier. The conjugation of antibiotics and AgNPs has been found to increase the activity and decrease drug toxicity. In this study, colistin was conjugated with AgNPs (Col-AgNPs), which was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectra. The optimized Col-AgNPs had the proper characteristics, including spherical shape, monodispersity, nanosized particle, high surface charge, and good stability. The powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) pattern supported the crystallinity of Col-AgNPs and AgNPs. The drug loading of Col-AgNPs was 11.55 ± 0.93%. Col-AgNPs had higher activity against Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) than AgNPs and colistin. The mechanism of actions of Col-AgNPs involved membrane disruption and genomic DNA damage. The Col-AgNPs and AgNPs were biocompatible with human red blood cells and renal cells at concentrations up to 16 µg/mL. Interestingly, Col-AgNPs exhibited higher cell survival than AgNPs and colistin at 32 µg/mL. Our results revealed that the Col-AgNPs could enhance the antimicrobial activity and cell biocompatibility more than colistin and AgNPs.

Sildenafil citrate is used to treat mild to moderate erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. However, it has low oral bioavailability, numerous adverse effects, and delayed onset of action. These problems may be resolved by transdermal delivery to the penis. Hence, sildenafil citrate was formulated as a microemulsion system using isopropyl myristate, Tween 80, PEG400, and water (30:20:40:10). The hydrogel used in the microemulsion was 2% w/w poloxamer 188. The sildenafil microemulsion-loaded hydrogels were characterised for their appearance, particle size, pH, spreadability, swelling index, viscosity, sildenafil drug content, membrane permeation, epithelial cell cytotoxicity, and in vitro drug metabolism. The optimised formulated microemulsion showed the lowest droplet size and highest solubility of sildenafil citrate. The in vitro skin permeation of the sildenafil citrate microemulsion-loaded hydrogel was significantly higher than that of the sildenafil suspension, with a 1.97-fold enhancement ratio. The formulated microemulsion exhibited a 100% cell viability, indicating its safety for skin epithelial cells. The major metabolic pathway of sildenafil citrate loaded in the microemulsion formulation was hydroxylation. Furthermore, loading sildenafil in the microemulsion reduced the drug metabolite by approximately 50% compared to the sildenafil in aqueous suspension. The sildenafil citrate-loaded isopropyl myristate-based microemulsion hydrogels were physically and chemically stable over 6 months of storage. The sildenafil citrate microemulsion-loaded hydrogel showed in vitro results suitable for used as a transdermal drug delivery system.

Palm fruits (Elaeis guineensis) comprise antioxidants that can be used as skin care agents. This study developed a cosmeceutical cream containing E. guineensis extract, loaded with solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), and assessed its efficacy on female volunteers. The E. guineensis extract exhibited a good antioxidant activity with high levels of vitamin E, β-carotene, and palmitic acid. Day and night creams containing E. guineensis fruit extract, loaded with SLNs, were formulated and exhibited acceptable physical characteristics and good stability. Subsequently, their clinical efficacy and safety were evaluated on female volunteers. Both creams were non-irritating and had good cutaneous compatibility. Skin hydration, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin elasticity, melanin index, and skin texture were measured before and 30 min after the first application, as well as after 7, 14, and 30 days of daily application. A satisfactory survey was implemented using a questionnaire, and volunteer satisfaction scores were high for the product’s performance. Overall, the results showed that skin hydration, TEWL, cutaneous elasticity, and melanin index were improved, compared to the baseline data, after 30 days. Thus, the formulated facial day and night creams made the skin moist, reduced wrinkles, increased elasticity, and cleared the skin to the consumers’ satisfaction.

In this study, povidone-iodine (PVP-I) has been formulated as a topical spray to produce a thin film for the controlled release of I₂. By means of experimental design, 27 formulations containing glycerol, ethanol, PEG 400, copovidone and HFA 134a as a propellant were prepared. The pH values of all formulations were in the range of 6-7. The viscosity was within the range of 11.9-85.9 mPa s. The surface tensions were 20.3 to 24.6 mN m^-1 and the contact angles were between 19.3 and 38.7°. The assays for the iodine contents were within acceptable range (80-120 %). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis revealed the ionized form of iodine was much higher than the unionized form. The MIC and MBC values of the PVP-I sprays against Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were higher than that of commercial PVP-I solution. The cytotoxicity study confirmed that the PVP-I spray had lower toxic effects on keratinocytes and fibroblasts compared to the commercial PVP-I solution. The formulation containing 59 % ethanol, 18 % copovidone and 12 % PEG 400 showed good antibacterial activity.